In manufacturing systems, where there is an assembly line of machines that need to be adjusted for different products, there is an efficiency question critical to productivity. That efficiency question translates into the ratio of setup time versus the run time of the system. If the setup time takes too long compared to the run time, then the system is inefficient, or at best it is a niche product that sells for very high unit price, because otherwise the idle time of the system makes the productivity quite low.
«Fine, so is this post about manufacturing principles?» you may ask. No, it is about the UK Conservatives changing Prime Ministers. The circus that has been suffocating the country’s politics for years, practically since David Cameron resigned in 2016. Then we had Theresa May who lasted 3 years, then Boris Johnson for another 3 years, finally, the other day, Liz Truss resigned after holding the job for all of 6 weeks!
Now the process that led to Truss’ appointment/election, was launched on July 7, the date of Johnson’s resignation, and the circus lasted until September 5, exactly 2 months. Only for her to be pretty much kicked-out by her own party members after 6 weeks, and the process restarting. So the setup time (the election process) lasted longer than the run time (the time in office) in this instance. Very inefficient.
Now some people may consider this to be a great example of democratic values. We may even be able to give Israel and Italy as examples of such situations, and disregard the show. But when you add this last episode, to the Brexit debacle, the Theresa May showtime, and Boris’ hogwash tenure, you wonder how this country still pretends to greatness.
Liz Truss’ eviction after only 6 weeks is even more embarrassing , because the election process went through a double procedure of first 7 candidates, then reduced to a field of 2, then a whole process for Conservative Party members to vote, only for the same party members and Parliamentarians to toss Truss out. What we are witnessing seems to be worthy of a Banana Republic style government, or maybe I should say a Banana Monarchy!
Paris, October 24, 2022
Zeejay