invites you to ask and answer questions covering social themes of global significance. When you ask in order to understand, when you answer in order to share, this is what we mean by dropping knowledge.
|
This video is copyleft.
We recommend the latest Apple Quicktime Player.
Livingstone Maluleke's
biography
|
QuestionAre brands more powerful than governments? Barcelona Forum 2004Answer
Livingstone Maluleke: In fact, in my understanding of brands, brand refers to companies and government bodies, the institution which governs the countries. In my understanding, it is not necessary to compare the two because they are really not comparable. They have got different functions in the sense that the companies will focus on the making of profit whereas the government is there to serve the society. And therefore, the government will engage itself with -- in preparing companies to be there so that the government can then function effectively. But then, we realize that sometime, at times, the technology is there to have more influence on how government will run, because they will have resources and in that sense they may sometimes abuse how the governments need to be run. So, in this sense, we have got the issue of the power abuse by brands or companies, which of course may influence negatively how government should run. But, therefore, in my understanding, it is not a matter of power here than true issues needs each other to integrate the functions so that there is good governance for the purpose of developing brands. So, it’s not a matter of power pulling, but it’s a matter of integration of functions. And in this regard, apparently, there should be enough companies, which will be government orientated, government run and monitored, so that the two things may be able to bring good economy to the people and that will alleviate poverty and lead people to prosperity and expand opportunities to the different societies in the world. Globally, companies and governance needs to go together and interject these functions.
|