I also must admit that I am a bit over my head when we start discussing "productiveness", from a business perspective (be that local or national) so hope some of our other community members can add to this discussion in a more expert way than I can. My intension here is to have this be an "open source" discussion, where we collectively build this model. So your input is valuable (and by the way, welcome to the communty!).
I worked for years as a manager in the US (I'm now in Europe), though it was in the social services profession, so trying to figure out how to measure productivity was a bit challenging there (though we figured out how to do it...but, for example, what kind of value do you put on a counselor who happened to work especially well with a psychotic, potentially violent client that everyone else was nervous about? Its labor intensive, but high value. But I digress...).
It can't just be about business bottom lines, in my opinion, it has to include "quality of life", in my estimation. For awhile now, I think the US model is more and more on the money bottom line, not on the quality of life. In Europe, the quality of life is quite high, and business is good too. How do we measure this between two systems that are so different?
Again, my concerns for putting this diary up, I acknowledge, are more practical in concern. How do we create productive and healthy business, for more jobs, so people have work, thus money to spend, so they can enjoy their lives...and still maintain a good safety net? It is an issue that isn't being addressed enough here in Europe (other than pressure from the "free marketers" who say we should abandon our system). "Once in awhile we get shown the light, in the strangest of places, if we look at it right" - Hunter/Garcia
I totally agree with you that quality of life in general is better in Europe than the States. I have European friends here in the States that often make the comment they would prefer to work in America, because they feel the opportunity and upward mobility economically is so much higher, but retire in Europe, where they really know how to live. that is also my experience, having lived both places. (though perhaps this California weather is hard to beat!)
but your point about measuring quality of life in addition to the economic measures is very important. I imagine we could find some work that has been done on this already, and perhaps use some of that as a basis.
But of course the spiritual side tells us that we all have happiness right in front of us. I was looking for a quote I loved from a book I'm reading by a Guru in India, who was a common man with basically no money, but I can't find the quote. But this will suffice:
If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself.
Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belolngs to you.
Translated by Stephen Mitchell
In some ways off the subject, but a reminder that we are really all in charge of our own quality of life, at the end of the day. So deciding what to include as quality of life measures may be quite a challenge. I'll do some searching though.
