Nature works as a complex web of billions of independent parts that work across permeable boundaries towards a common goal. The future organisation will have to do the same
Arun Maira is a member of the Planning Commission chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In this ministerial level position, he is responsible for shaping policies and programmes around industrialisation, urbanisation and tourism. Prior to this assignment, he was chairman of the Boston Consulting Group in India. He has also served on the boards of several large Indian conglomerates like Tata, Birla, Godrej, Hero and Mahindra.
Maira is the author of several books that include ‘Shaping the Future’, ‘Remaking India’ and ‘Transforming Capitalism’.
Carbon spewed into the atmosphere by mankind’s economic progress is threatening Armageddon. On the ground and beneath it, water is running out. Child malnutrition in India persists at 45 percent in spite of faster growth of GDP. Humanity is crawling to achieve the Millennium Development Goals for improving the world for everyone. What is common to all these challenges? It is the inability of people to work together for outcomes that matter to everyone. National interests prevent an equitable agreement to mitigate climate change. People grabbing water for themselves creates an alarming ‘tragedy of the commons’. Silos around many government agencies and around well endowed programmes disable collaboration among them and the systemic improvements necessary to improve well-being of children. In addition, an ‘I am alright Jack’ attitude dampens commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. Sadly, in Rabindranath Tagore’s words, the world is broken into fragments by narrow domestic walls. The one big idea to change the world for the better would be a way for people to work together effectively to produce an outcome that is good for everyone.
(This story appears in the 04 June, 2010 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)