Proposal #39: CISV Terror?
CISV should study the organizational structure of al Qaeda in considering the development of its own organizational growth.
Rationale
It should not be taboo to discuss and even learn from the organizational structure of an organization that seems to be reaching its goals even if the content of those goals is unacceptable.
The decentralization of operations allows for adaptive organizing and planning; meanwhile a core, centralized philosophy maintains a sense of unity and validates its actions (in the sense that they work towards shared goals and ideologies). Growth happens in a "viral" pattern and with minimum need for bureaucratic attention. Global impact is undeniable.
In fact, this organization's global impact is so significant, and its operations so busy (how much are governments spending on intelligence, security and border security?) that on wonders if they can even be as successful as the US government claims. If so, they are superhuman...
(author known to editor, but remains anonymous)
2 Comments:
Well... Provocative, but that's what we're here for, isn't it?
Generally I agree a lot with analyzing how other organisations work and what we can learn from them, whoever they are. But I think the comparison with Al Qaida has some flaws. A) is frequency. CISV organises more activities and those more regularly (well, thank goodness!), so we consequently need a somewhat more centralised coordination. B) is quality standarts. We need to make sure that all of our activities have a comparable quality standart, which means consequently also more coordination.
I think that these two points are the most crucial ones in finding the Al Qaida strategy maybe not the best for us.
When reading this proposal, a few notions come to mind:
- Wouldn't it be great if the true CISV philosphy was so mind-blowing, convincing and easily conceived - so that people would actualy come streaming to us, instead of us trying to convince people that we are great? But I guess a simple, rather negative , religious message is easier to sell than a positive, optimistic one of CISV's kind.
- Maybe one of the limitation of CISV is also the fact that we are exclusive in even more ways than we realize: CISV only exists in some places, and you have to live in those places to participate. Also CISV camps are only for destinct age groups. If your kid is below 11 and the majority of programs offered are villages, how do you participate. If CISV was something you could participate anywhere at any age, we would draw much more attention.
- As much as I like CISV, I don't want it to be in every part of my life. I enjoy my non-CISV friends, non-CISV hobbies and non-CISV-holydays. Compared to a religion (or if you like, sekt), CISV remains a distinct part of our life. This is good. But just imagine if CISV was more than a number of programmes, but a life-penetrating philosophy: CISVers work in the "CISV-way", talk in the "CISV-way", live the "CISV-way". Would that be good or bad? Not sure...
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