Hire my friend
Those who promote democratic principles largely agree that nepotism and cronyisn are bad management practices. They can lead to unqualified people being paid to do jobs they are not qualified to do ("Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job"). They can also result in a disturbing consolidations of power (the Polish President appointing his twin brother Prime Minister and George Bush appointing his cronies from the oil industry into as many positions as he can). When we're talking about higher levels of power, I totally agree. However, when you start moving down to the lower level positions in government or companies, this theory runs into reality.When you live in a place, like Serbia, with 30% unemployment, you have to understand that everyone knows at least 10 smart people who are jobless. That is why, when a job opening comes along at their organization, only the most heartless person would not tell their unemployed friends and family members about it and do what they can to help them get that job.
That's certainly what I did this week when I heard a couple of jobs that were open at an organization I know and I didn't have a moment's pause about using any influence I had to get them an interview. But I also know that somewhere out there is a professor that is sitting in his cushy job back in the US that would tell me that this is against democratic or market principals and that nepotism and cronyism are always wrong, at any level. I have studied these principals at my University and I have easily preached them while I sit far away in a country with an unemployment rate of %5, but when you are actually on the ground and those unempolyed people are your friends, you begin to realize that what might be a sound theory in a book is completely unrealistic in practice.
Just one more reason that everyone in the world should travel more and live abroad - because what might sound logical in your country is totally impratical in others...
posted by Brooke @ 9:40 AM
7 Comments:
The last sentence is a very good point.
Is that necessarily cronyism, though? I don't think you "arranged" for your friends to get those jobs, but put in a good word, much like being a personal reference, only a bit more active, no?
I haven't done the research about this that you have, and certainly nepotism and cronyism is a problem in the Balkans, but in my uneducated opinion on the topic, you were working within healthy bounds for a good reason.
Had you offered to send over a lifetime supply of cevapi in exchange for the positions, then you might be in moral hot water. Haha.
Ah, finally Brooke is smelling the coffee as it is brewed in the real world. Idealism is fun in college but in the real world, people do what they must to survive. Perhaps some of this new-found perspective will find its way into her political views, as well. None the less, we are proud of you.
I don't think that what you have done is undemocratic.
In fact, here in London, i was working for Citigroup (an American company as you know), and one of their rules written in the introduction booklet said that they want us to introduce our friends and family if we see any job openings.
So what you are doing is excellent and it seems very democratic!
It's hot and I'm tired and I'm sick of people insulting me on my blog and then not having the guts to SIGN YOUR NAME!!!
Here's the rule again:
Nice comment = sign or don't sign, I don't care cause it was nice.
Insult (to me or anyone else) = SIGN YOUR NAME!!
This is common blog etiquette!
This is a good think you have done. You've seen first hand, and you're doing what you can - politically correct or not - to help people in need.
Simply informing friends and relatives about a job opening and, maybe even, trying to help them get an interview, could very well be seen as actually trying to help the free market function more effectively since you are reducing the information deficit for the hiring party, which is the largest risk when hiring someone.
Keep it up!
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