The FT published a piece on Horizon yesterday that included this line: "The show does make some disparaging references to the British state, which owns the Post Office. But that state is not so much a dark, controlling force as a quagmire."
I think you're right to note that the PO's inability to effectively frame and evaluate experiences outside of its accepted scripts was a major issue here. It was a scandal of ineffective processing as much as deliberate evil.
I’m planning to come back to this question about the state/ government in a final piece. But I think that the FT is spot on here. But also that the government’s objective to get the Post Office to breakeven (which Vennells achieved) influenced corporate judgments on the cost of dealing with the Horizon failures. Be careful what you wish for, since there is currently a provision on the Post Office accounts of almost a quarter of a billion pounds against compensation payments.
Looking forward to reading it! As much as I hate to cede ground to economist, incentives, here especially, matter. They certainly shape how orgs understand and shape their realities.
The FT published a piece on Horizon yesterday that included this line: "The show does make some disparaging references to the British state, which owns the Post Office. But that state is not so much a dark, controlling force as a quagmire."
I think you're right to note that the PO's inability to effectively frame and evaluate experiences outside of its accepted scripts was a major issue here. It was a scandal of ineffective processing as much as deliberate evil.
https://www.ft.com/content/c7a4f51a-994e-4e73-83a9-8ef9faf97fa5?shareType=nongift
Hi Jeffrey,
I’m planning to come back to this question about the state/ government in a final piece. But I think that the FT is spot on here. But also that the government’s objective to get the Post Office to breakeven (which Vennells achieved) influenced corporate judgments on the cost of dealing with the Horizon failures. Be careful what you wish for, since there is currently a provision on the Post Office accounts of almost a quarter of a billion pounds against compensation payments.
Looking forward to reading it! As much as I hate to cede ground to economist, incentives, here especially, matter. They certainly shape how orgs understand and shape their realities.