Know the Difference between Objectivity and Aspiration

I often wonder why organisations and individuals willingly submit themselves to being mercilessly ripped off. My guess is that their abililty to distinguish objectivity and aspiration is temporarily, and in some cases permanently, suspended. The phrase "willing suspension of disbelief" comes to mind.

To explore my theory, I'm going to use two "case studies" : the Private Finance Initiative (PFI); and horse purchase.

The word "aspirational" first properly entered my psyche when I had an unplanned meeting with a senior army officer - unplanned because he'd planned to be elsewhere but bad weather prevented this - regarding a project in which the army took an interest. This gentleman's use of the word "aspirational" had a particular resonance for me on two counts. Firstly, it was clear that aspiration was a core value for him, personally and professionally, and, secondly, I intimated that my own proposals (and person !) might be insufficiently aspirational.

A few years passed and I had occasion to "revisit" the same army establishment, which in the meantime had recieved substantial investment under a PFI scheme. In my opinion, this scheme had all the hallmarks of a typical PFI project. There had indeed been substantial capital investment ie new construction. However, this had brought with it new and equally substantial operating costs. Various new initiatives were now being contemplated to cover these costs, and additional funds sought for further capital works.

This kind of situation is familiar to (?) the majority of local health trusts who have embarked upon major new hospital (re)construction using the PFI in recent years. The Worcestershire Royal Hospital, a new facility on the outskirts of the city of Worcester, is a classic example of what can go wrong.

PFI is now widely regarded as a "bad deal" for the public sector, and particularly for the National Health Service. It was conceived under the previous Conservative administration to "get around" public spending constraints. However, under New Labour it has been a key component of "the building boom" on which the wider ecomony is now so dependent. We have a construction industry which is hungry for more PFI projects, regardless of whether these are in the best interests of potential "clients" for such projects, or the general tax payer.

Yet PFI has fulfilled the aspirations of the public sector for new infrastructure, and the new hospitals, schools etc that have sprung up, notwithstanding their frequently poor design (for purpose), are hailed as one of the great successes of aspirational New Labour.

The zeitgeist of the present time is aspirational, and there is a Mephistopheles around every corner, or so it seems, with whom to enter into a Faustian pact.

Horse purchase is another case in point. There is nothing new in the tendency for new (or newer) comers to horse purchase to acquire animals which are too energetic and/or big for them, and to find that the ongoing resources (time, money etc) required to maintain a horse are more burdensome than the capital outlay. The horse world, like that of PFI, also has a plentiful supply of professionals to complicate matters, and - although some do provide a genuine good service - many "trade" on the aspirations of their clients, sometimes with serious consequences.

So my message to potential horsebuyers and procurers of other major capital projects is know the difference between objectivity (including objectives) and aspirations, it may save you alot of money (and possibly your life). Also know that - as someone once said - "there are as many certified charlatans as uncertified ones" out there to part fools from their money.