''George hang up...I'll call you later! 'I'm on a real hurry!''. This is the stable repetitive statement of my accountant and friend whenever I call him in the past four to five years. Last year, I managed to meet him face to face and have a coffee together after a desperate attempt of mine. So, he explained to me that one of the consequences of the continuous changes- with reserve, more than 20 to 21 within the last five years- regarding the Country's fiscal regime, is the congenial profession of accountants who literally ''run around''! having ''too much work..'' as the friend-accountant mentions.
The above subjective- unproven- ascertainment/confession startles, considering the most recent expectation of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that in 2014 unemployment rate in Greece will be fixed at 28%. The percentage itself causes dizziness.
Wait a minute. In the end the above 'scheme' may not be such an oxymoron. Perhaps, in a context of 28% unemployment there are professional groups that not only do they suffer but thrive and enjoy the highest possible demand of their services.
Perhaps, in a context of 28% unemployment there are professional groups that not only do they suffer but thrive and enjoy the highest possible demand of their services
In 1959, Peter Drucker was the first to define the term 'Knowledge Worker' as 'the person who works with information or develops/employs knowledge in the workplace. For many people, this 'Father of the Contemporary Management Science' certainly predicted that the 21st will be the century of the 'Knowledge Worker' and his/her absolute dominance in the job market; the classical example he would give was this: when your car breaks down in the middle of the highway you are not in need neither of a Cardiologist, although this is up for discussion, nor a Legal Adviser and much more a Maths Professor. On the contrary, you are in great need of a technician who masters cars engines and much better those of the automotive industry that produced your own car. I could mention several examples of 'Knowledge Workers' such as gardeners, dental technicians, plumbers, roofers etc.
Backtracking on the oxymoron (at issue...) that I initially remarked, according to Peter Drucker the phenomenon of the accountants who 'run around' in an environment of 28% unemployment, can be interpreted as a situation where the above professionals have specialized knowledge that is simply requisite at present, in the context of the current economic situation.
So at this point, a challenge starts to come out: 'Oh well, do you propose building an educational system and an economy of 'Knowledge Workers' as a solution to the problem of explosive unemployment? For example, what is a young person supposed to do for not being attracted by the same professions as well?' Although it may seem incredible, the answer in such a question that is a 'hit below the belt' of the 21st century Greek society, comes from an expert who lived 2500 years ago.
In July 2009 I was fortunate enough to watch Euripides' tragedy 'Alkistis' at Epidaurus (Directed by Thomas Moshopoulos). I still remember mythical Hercules' whisper in his exceptional monologue, resulting a transcendental thought over and beyond space and time...: 'I travelled all over the World but I did not encounter a Power greater than Need ...!'