Monday, December 8, 2008

The downfall of the west...

Today I had a really interesting conversation in my office that I would like to share with you. First some background knowledge, as you might be aware I am a PhD student at the University of Nottingham. This is a big university in the UK, but also has two campuses outside of the UK, namely in Malaysia and China. This is the start for the post...
One of my former colleagues is currently a lecture in the China campus, which by itself is a footnote. But if we look at the picture more carefully, he is a German graduate with a UK PhD teaching in a Chinese University. Still don't see a problem? Well for him it is quite positive to do so, he gets experience, knowledge, etc. But is it good for Germany and the UK? I mean in Europe, as you might be aware, the government pays for your education, including on the university level, without asking for anything in return. Normally you will work and contribute with your taxes for others. There are a lot of issues about the famous "leak of brains", which consist of the higher educated people moving out of the country that has provided them with their education. But this post is not about this aspect, it is about knowledge, and how this knowledge is being managed, or not managed...
This is my question, the west still has a good stand in the world due to its technological development, so what happens if we lose this advantage? I mean does anybody in the western governments consider these issues? Is there a strategic view that I am missing?
I was discussing this with two colleagues, one from Indonesia and another from Holland. The view is that we are trying to keep good relations with the Chinese, because in the future this will provide bridges that will enhance our own growth. Is it just me or does that sound terribly optimistic? I mean we are using the Chinese because they produce things cheaply, not because of the goodness in our hearts, so why would they treat us differently if they where the power?
The transfer of technology is a growing concern among European companies, in private they are starting to state that going to China is a mistake. In a ideal world it is a good idea, but since China plays by its own rules, we are just facilitating the copy of technology by taking our processes there. But this is a known problem that should be resolved by the companies, my reservations are about the universities.
The university of Nottingham is a state funded university, that is strategically placing itself in China. From the university perspective, this is a good move, more people, more knowledge being produce, and a real bridge into a new economic power. But is this good for the general people in UK that are paying for this university?
The fact of the matter is that knowledge is being shared without any accountability, meaning this knowledge will be used to push even more the Chinese companies, which are competing against the British ones. Now some of you will say, well if they can't compete they should not exist anyway. Well this might be true in an ideal world, but again China does not play by the same rules as we do, labor is quite different there, and they do take advantage of that fact.
As was pointed out to me, things are changing in china, and I do agree to that, but are they changing at the same pace as the growth? I have no problem with China as a supper power, all the Chinese that I meet personally are nice, friendly, and no different from any other people (obviously different but the same :P). I have no problem with the Chinese people, but I do have problems with a Chinese government as is being a super power.
The way I see it, regimes can't change by themselves, people change them, and the fact is that this Chinese government is improving peoples lives in China. As such people will be supportive of them, thus we are walking into a world with little changes in the Chinese regime, but huge changes in the role of China. This is clear and clear as the year pass, look at the influence of China in the world now, and 20 years ago.
My question is what is our strategy for this? Innovation? Come on, this will only gets us that far, considering we are teaching them how to do it...
Are we selling our sons future for a better present? I mean I love the fact I can by a pound T-shirt at Primark, but is it really worth it? Don't get me wrong I am not against globalization, and I don't think it is the common people that should be concern with what they pay for a T-Shirt. What I am saying is the governments should have some sort of strategy that is more than just the immediate future. Where are we headed in the next 20 years, and not just the next 2. This is why the smartest should be in the goverment, because they can see beyond what the common people do. But this is also quite ideal, the reality is we have the goverment we deserve.
Nevertheless I am scare at the lack of strategy for the future, or at least one that I can see as good for the west...

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