ILLUSTRATION

Rawlings

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1. Parkinson's Law.

R.S.. professor of economics at Leeds University: ” You remember Parkinson's Law? A civil servant A feels overworked... There are three remedies. 1. He may abandon his job. 2. He may halve his work with a colleague B. 3. He may ask for help of two subordinates C and D. Which option will he choose? If he resigns, he will loose all his pension rights... something unconceivable... Halving the work with a colleague will mean bringing in a rival for promotion when W, the chairman, retires... Two men below him increase his importance. If A is a man of brains, he will soon ask for B and C to be assisted by four more assistants: E, F, G, H... Seven officials will now be doing what one did before…”


2. Civil Servants?

George, 25, a lawyer: “A brood of scoundrels!”

Harold, 28, a civil servant: “They call us 'A dirty lot! The ruin of England!' ”

Robert, 27, who works in inland revenue: “I'm sick of doing the same things. I'm 27; and bored as hell.”

David, 33: “I've got a job, a pension at the end of my life, security, all the benefits of civil service, and a good salary. What more could one ask for? Apart from a higher grade!”

William, 24, working for the environment department: “...What I like in my job? The incentive to use my imagination and a chance to build for the future. We have a go-ahead administration. They give you a lot of responsabilities. And they are happy when you have a lot of new ideas, even if they don't use them.”



QUESTIONS AND STUDY

  1. What picture do the following words evoke in your mind?

    1. Civil Service

    2. Job

    3. Music

    4. Talent

  1. If you were interviewed about

    1. Civil Service

    2. Job

    3. Music

    4. Talent

what would you personally say?

  1. Gregory Rawlings is interviewed. He explains:

    1. Why he has chosen to be a civil servant

    2. What he thinks of Civil Service

    3. What music represents for him

    4. How he wanted to develop his talents.


  1. What role in life would you give Gregory Rawlings, considering his new discovery?

  2. Would another kind of job would fit him better?

  3. Would he have to live his job in a different way?