3 Change and Quick Action
The increase in the information people may access and segmentation inevitably will bring change. People with new information may behave differently than in the past. When different information is discovered, people are provided with more options. Their behavioral patterns may change and their sense of values diversify.
Changes in behavior and value judgments are not unique to the present age. These have been evolving constantly since ancient times. The pace of change, however, is much faster at present than ever in the past. Phenomenon which was popular until recently has in many cases, suddenly become obsolete. Likewise, measures that are effective today may become invalid a few months down the line.
Another feature of the present era is that it has become extremely difficult to predict in which direction change may occur. Today, where most information is ubiquitous, new phenomena are being discovered every day and each individual has a different set of values, it is becoming more difficult to foresee what types of change may take place in the future.
In this age of rapid change, it is sometimes essential to make a quick response so as to prevent important opportunities being missed, even should this be at the expense of putting the stability and deliberation of the public service at risk. If present measures are continued unchanged in a society that is changing at an extremely rapid pace, an irreversible, negative situation may result. Response to change usually means finding new solutions and these in themselves may be accompanied by a certain degree of risk. It often takes great courage to act swiftly, when uncertainty exists as to whether or not the solution will really work.
4 Self-assertion and the Coordination of Various Interests
People have become more assertive in recent years. In the past, the majority of people followed government decisions, even if they did so grudgingly out of discontent. Today, when complaints arise, certain people organize and set up their own movements against government programs they disapprove of. They may even try to become directly involved in the government policy making process.
This form of self-assertion brings changes within organizations. More employees may, for example, try to exert their own ideas even if it raises friction with other members of staff. Absolute compliance by staff to supervisors is no longer seen. Staff now would appear to place personal satisfaction over any sense of belongingness.
In a situation such as this, governments or organizations must pay close attention to what the people want. Since it is almost impossible to satisfy all the needs of the public or members of an organization at any one time, coordinating these different demands or interests is essential.
Coordinators must make as much contact as possible with parties that take an active interest in issues of concern. They should exchange opinions and try to close the gaps between various groups or people. Coordination requires much time and energy. Without a lot of hard work, their theoretical solutions will fail to solve anything and will simply materialize as ineffective government administration.
To base government operations on public needs, however, it must be remembered that quite a number of people do not actively express their needs in public. The opinions that are most often likely to be heard are those of loud and demanding people. What they ask for, however, does not necessarily reflect that which is best for the community as a whole. While the opinions of these people should not be ignored, it is essential to pay attention to the views of the silent majority, if the overall public interest is to be served.
