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Towards a global cyber institute – Part
1.
By Allan J. Sayle, President Allan Sayle
Associates
Professional institutes are primarily about two things:
knowledge and recognized achievement. The two are closely related. The
internet is unsurpassable in disseminating and storing the first making
access to it readily available. Recognized achievement is about an agreed
set of accomplishments certified by ones peers. As mentioned, that can
all be done using the internet for submissions and approvals. A hard copy
certificate can easily be sent by conventional post if desired. But, the
internet can be used to create a database of “certified” individuals,
just as lead auditor qualifications can now be found on the web. Training
courses can be run using cyber space, as does the University of Phoenix
and others. Approved providers working on an outsourced basis can deliver
conventional training. A periodic magazine can be rapidly and cheaply
distributed by email or made available through a secure password.
The notion that government is interested in the views of members and would
only wish for face-to-face meetings by HQ staff is, of course, nonsense.
The supposed advocacy role is a legacy of bygone days. All government
needs to do is to post a question, perhaps include a multi-choice poll
in order to obtain rapid feedback of the profession’s views. And,
in this global age, the idea that a nation needs its own quality body
is somewhat ridiculous because knowledge is international and mobile as
is trade, the real user and paymaster of the quality profession’s
efforts. It seems a curious inconsistency that individual institutions
advocate a national quality body but an international standard for quality.
Moreover, take away the revenues created by the industry attending that
international standard and those national bodies would be financially
crippled. The international reality is central to their survival but their
HQs take a nationalistic view while their members work in an international
arena. It is all rather bizarre. (The only major difference is one of
language but, in the global environment, English is the business lingua
franca and in virtually all nations not having it as a mother tongue,
it is generally the chosen second language of their citizens.)
One’s profession comes first
Of course, one can expect various national bodies to try to protect
their “turf”. One must especially expect their HQ staff to
try to protect their jobs. All kinds of sophistry might be deployed. One
can imagine elements of one’s own national body using pejorative
expressions behind the scenes. But, one’s loyalty and efforts are
first and foremost to furthering the effectiveness and BOK of one’s
profession. It will always be put first. After all, is that not what the
BAMs claim in their articles of association, “to further the
standing, reputation of the quality profession” and similar
sentiments? Yes, indeed. Advocating a cyber-based institute is entirely
consistent with that. One must constantly tear down the barriers to the
advancement of the profession. Cyberspace facilitates that as no other
tool has done before.
A cyber institute reflects the changing world of organizations. The days
of command and control are gone. It is impossible to push an official
institute line any more. We live in an age of consensus where meritocracy
increasingly reigns supreme. (Of course, there remain pockets of nepotism,
favoritism, patronage and inheritance that determine one’s position
in some firm and nations). Reading the posts on the Cove and Saferpak
soon reveals who are the respected contributors. One soon sees the spectrum
of knowledge and ability. One finds a cornucopia of information for an
encyclopedia of topics. Searchable, available, current and greater than
that available from the BAMs. It is all rather energizing.
As we live in a global economy, as communications create a global village
and as business maintains global supply chains we need a global profession.
And that profession needs a global institute. Only a cyber based institute
can effectively serve the needs of professionals and practitioners in
“quality”.
A
cyber institute is at hand – if you want one
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