"Economic insecurity"

BCC has gone bankrupt. It’s an almost passing mention in the newspapers, but it’s yet another brand disappearing from the shopping districts, according to the commentary. Nowhere did I read anything like “inevitable,” “only a matter of time,” “mismanagement,” “poor oversight,” “failure to innovate,”… or words to that effect. But of course, that’s exactly what it is. Ever since digital service providers like Coolblue overtook this supplier of brown and white goods commodities, you could see the bankruptcy coming from a mile away.

When I read this, I wonder which stakeholders have been asleep at the wheel. But it makes it very clear that job security isn’t a given. You have to work for it. Innovate, for example. When things change, you have to change too. The employees are left holding the short end of the stick. Their job security is taking a serious hit.

Economic security is all the rage in politics right now. Virtually all party platforms are adopting it as their slogan for the upcoming elections. And last Tuesday’s Budget Memorandum is also full of it. Excellent—I hope economic security remains a political goal for all time. Apparently, there is currently a high degree of economic insecurity; otherwise, the parties wouldn’t be trying to win votes with this issue.

Still, we must hope that this doesn’t stop at this somewhat populist-sounding rhetoric. Or that the debate gets bogged down in the obvious issue of redistribution. That doesn’t solve the core of the problem. Above all, we need to move forward together. The livelihoods of the Dutch people depend on the livelihood of the Netherlands itself. “No bullshit, everyone rich” (*1) isn’t possible all at once. BCC would have preferred not to go bankrupt either.

At many roundtable discussions, people are calling for a long-term vision to save the Netherlands. I don’t disagree with that. But there’s one thing that’s much more important: a cohesive team that’s committed to working together over the long term—a team that can explain difficult decisions without bickering over who gets one more seat in Parliament.

That is why I advocate forming a long-term, high-quality cabinet—not one made up of the best (party) politicians, but of the best (specialized) ministers. A team that works with decisiveness in the short term toward a horizon of at least two cabinet terms. A cabinet that we trust to get the job done—even though, as is inherent in parliamentary democracy, there will be elections again in four years. Let me put it this way: I don’t vote for the party with the so-called “best” platform, but for the presidential candidate who, before the election, demonstrates which team he or she intends to use to ensure the Netherlands’ economic security.

At BCC, the management, supervisory board, and owner acted “too little, too late” to change course. Well, customers may be buying their electronics elsewhere, but as mentioned, the employees are the ones left holding the short end of the stick. Let’s not let that happen to us. Choose a long-term, high-quality cabinet. Otherwise, the Netherlands will become the BCC of the future.

If necessary, I’m willing to take charge of the team-building activity.

*1 Jacobse and Van Es / Koot and Bie