Government in Your Business

Reich, R. B. (2009, July-August). Government in Your Business. Harvard Business Review, 1-7.

Summary

This is a discussion of how government action has evolved and expanded as a result of the Great Recession. Where government regulations were something to be avoided, now government is positioning itself to be collaborators, not road blocks. New regulations will be designed to promote desired behaviors rather than push them These changes have been coming for a long time, thanks in large part to the public distrust of big business. on businesses.

Experience What I find interesting about this article is government still wanting take an active role in regulations all while taking a somewhat softer stance towards working with business. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I do think it opens the door to business taking advantage of government for their own benefit. I one sense, from a business standpoint, it feels like the time is right to engage a strategy of working with regulators to be regulated the way the company wants to be regulated. Additionally, a softer stance for the government might also allow for a strategy of asking for deregulation to be employed, thereby making space for driving innovation.

KEYWORDS: Government, regulations, collaboration, deregulation, strategy, law