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Dear Reader

Business Development is a complex topic. In such case the questions raised are more important than potential answers. Therefore, this blog will focus on presenting questions. There will be answers, full or partial, to be supplamented by links presented when relevant. The answers from my experience will be clearer once the questions are clearer.

While this is not a discussion forum, readers are invited to comment, and the comments will help determine the topics and current issues to be explained in the future.

Enjoy



Sunday, February 19, 2012

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

The title here is taken from the Shakespearian tragedy Romeo and Juliette. But is relates to a more obscure tragedy in the making. Recently, 15th December 2011 the Israeli government has decided to change the name of two ministries. The former ministry for national infrastructure would become the Water and Energy Ministry, and the former ministry of transportation would become the ministry for transportation, national infrastructure and road safety.
The second part of the change is intended to place all the design and executive organs regarding land water and air transportation, including safety and infrastructure investment in one place. But look at the following ironic scenario:
In order to save on land use (Israel is a small crowded country) a suggestion to place communication lines next to the train tracks, and to similarly provide a venue for electrical power conductance is presented. Such a suggestion would have to be approved by the ministry for transportation (blab la bla), the Public Utility Authority (energy) which is part of the Water and Energy ministry, the national planning committee (belongs to the ministry of the Interior), the Land Management Bureau belonging to the Housing ministry and the ministry of communications. All of which would fit, in a sane place under the heading of Infrastructure.
The reality is, that if such a suggestion would be tabled it would require the Finance ministry as well, but that would probably be the only one with a comprehensive look at the project. Sadly the list of agencies (perhaps justified) and ministries (probably not justified) is the reason so many projects are discarded mid-way in Israel. The different ministries, under ministers from different parties, with conflicting social agendas, would find it hard to cooperate. Further to that, in the lack of valid policy, every such project suggestion would require each ministry /agency to make a separate decision approving the project. It is enough for one to disapprove for the project to be rejected.
Unfortunately our lives are not mono-disciplinary or mono-ministerial, but moe complex than that.
Instead of changing the name, how about merging the ministries and agencies, into a real national infrastructure ministry and placing the responsibility for the management of national infrastructure there?
At least create a body to coordinate the decision making of all the infrastructure bodies.

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