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Welcome to Loyalty MagazineLoyalty Magazine reports on customer retention,loyalty schemes, rewards, affinity, CRM, call centre issues, direct and viral marketing, mobile and internet channels for both B2B and B2C enterprises. It covers all global markets and business sectors, including retail, financial services, travel and hotels, telecoms and electronic commerce. |
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Friday, 21 May 2010 11:00 |
 An economic revolution or a theory for interpreting core values?
The Economic Revolution by Art Kristeven
The book started well. The first sentence being: “It is very hard to open a current metaphysical or scientific work without noticing that we live in an era where the partitions of pigeon-hole thinking are disintegrating.
Gradually, every type of science interacts with another.” Art Kristeven refers to the Dalai Lama who connects quantum physics to the centuries-old insights within his convictions of faith and suggests that it is necessary to explore new concepts about the dynamics of creativity and shape of what is just around the corner.
Except that despite the title this book isn’t about economics, although economists are apparently its target audience, and it isn’t really about the new world order either.
Even more disconcertingly, it is actually written by three Belgian people (Art Kristeven is a composition of Krist and Steven Pauwels and Kris Dieltiens). The disadvantages of this are that the writing style keeps changing, and in parts the English is unusual. For example: “Therefore, it is hugely important to see how, together, we can escape this fish bowl of our undoubtedly still limited understanding and dive into a collaboratively ocean of new wisdom to develop a collective awareness that enables us to manage the speed and power with which mankind grows.”
The authors maintain this book is groundbreaking and different, suggesting as it does the concept of “Creative Energy”. It seems to the casual reader however, that it is more of a help book for HR people wanting to instil some core values. Although it suggests the values of: straightforwardness, responsibility, authenticity, space, commitment, transparency, trust and understanding for team members, normally an organisation would need to define its own set of values. Straightforwardness for a university for example, is unlikely to be in its top ten.
In addition it argues that each employee will interpret the values differently, however, if the entire group works on these core ideals this collectivity will lead to a stronger organisation
The book makes the very valid point that in future, it may not only be profit that differentiates companies, and that more emphasis on environmental values will be important, but the work is very conceptual and there are few examples of how the theory should be put into practice. Much more value would be given to the reader if there were examples of how this could be delivered in practice.
There is much discussion of how the concept of “creative energy” should be allowed to develop within the group, leading to a vision of very long seminars and group sessions as people itch to get on with their day job.
The authors state that all their theories have been tested successfully in real live situations.
To quote the authors: “Groups who develop a communal spatial awareness assume that everyone should get sufficient space to add their own value to that of the group. Each employee is guaranteed that he or she can acquire the space consistent with the energy they inject into the group. Such a premise serves as a type of safety net. But at the same time, this sends a signal to every employee, to be aware of their own dynamic in giving and receiving space and to share their related insights with their colleagues. This creates the communal and unequivocal understanding of the perception of this value. Thereby, everyone is able to calibrate their own behaviour and acquire the space they are due.”
If you like that, then you will love this book.
“The Economic Revolution – introducing the creative energy organisation” by Art Kristeven is published by authorhouse, price £31.42 More information: www.theeconomicrevolution.eu |
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Countries in the EU are currently working on their responses to the complex policy proposals suggested for the handling and storage of personal data. The legislative changes currently underway are of critical importance to the loyalty sector. Jeremy Henderson-Ross, legal director and general counsel – EMEA for Aimia suggests companies should play an active part in the discussions.