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Are the British inherently un-transparent?

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Adam Rothwell - Wednesday, June 18, 2008

A tillI had a depressing yet fascinating chat yesterday with Mike Butcher, an influential technology blogger. I was doing my usual thing of bemoaning the lack of transparency in the voluntary sector, and complained how tech companies like Twitter did a much better job of being open and honest – especially when owning up to failures – than charities.

“Ah,” Mike nearly said, “but that’s because Twitter is American – and Americans have a much healthier attitude towards failure than Brits do.”

This, I thought, was very interesting. It’s a commonplace to say that the US is home to an entrepreneurial culture where the occasional mistake is taken as evidence that you’re working hard. But I hadn’t realized how this attitude might translate into a more open business culture.

In this country, Mike suggested, failure was something it wasn’t acceptable to admit. This means that Brits, in general, keep quiet when things go wrong – which leads to less transparency and more cover-ups.

If Mike is right, it also makes IG’s job much more difficult. It’s not just charities’ culture we’re trying to change, it’s the whole country’s. Daunting stuff.
 

 


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Yes, I am noble, aren't I?
Submitted by Adam Rothwell on Thu, 19/06/2008 - 1:24pm.

Catman makes the excellent point that British society would be as nothing without Intelligent Giving. Spot on, as ever, Catman. Spot on.

More serioulsly, though - and taking Ginsters' comments on board - the point I was trying to make was that such commonplaces about different cultures might go some way to explaining why charities (like Shelter, for example) run for cover as soon as they're criticized. Not exactly earth-shattering, perhaps, but interesting, I thought.

Adam, Intelligent Giving


Interesting maybe, but old hat.
Submitted by Ginsters Dragon on Thu, 19/06/2008 - 9:39am.

“Ah,” Mike nearly said, “but that’s because Twitter is American – and Americans have a much healthier attitude towards failure than Brits do.”

Not exactly a fresh insight into the British (business) psyche... Come on Adam, you must have read/heard this,or something very similar before ;-)

 

Don't shoot the messenger


Good luck!
Submitted by catman on Wed, 18/06/2008 - 10:43pm.

My, what broad shoulders you have Adam. Where would we be without Intelligent Giving to change centuries, nay millenium of cultural development to make us more like the American?. No thsnks mate!

Now you have finally realised that the present state of the charity sector in the UK is down to inherant Britishness, do you still think that you can save the world?

catman


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