Why Destroy Tiki Palaces? - General Tiki

LL Limbo Lizard Tiki Socialite Aboard the 'Leaky Tiki', Dallas Joined: Aug 24, 2006 Posts: 788	LL Limbo Lizard Posted posted on Sun, Feb 6, 2011 9:07 AM On 2011-02-06 06:50, Cammo wrote: "... who exactly is being placated with beige; how would a stockholder know or care where a businessman went in March of 2009 and the color of the walls there?" Since I seem to be on the right track, I’ll expand a little on what I was trying to get at. The overall “climate” – business, legal, political – leads corporate (or other organizational) management to play defense. They've observed that "what happens in Vegas" DOESN'T always stay in Vegas. So, they ask themselves: What IF – despite our best efforts – we find ourselves embroiled in a legal, financial or regulatory mess? What if we find ourselves being interrogated by directors (on behalf of stockholders), deposing lawyers, regulatory enforcers, reporters, or – God forbid! – a congressional committee? As we defend the prudence of our management judgment, and how the problems could not have been foreseen,… the LAST thing we need is someone whipping out a 2-year-old picture of our executives gathered around a table, with a roasted pig in the middle, and one of them being served a big flaming bowl of alcohol by a scantily attired maiden (or cocktails by Playboy bunnies). A picture too easily found on someone’s Facebook (in an age of ubiquitous cell phone cameras), if the situation is allowed to exist at all. Even if we can PROVE that particular conference was extraordinarily productive, it won’t overcome the “story” the picture tells. The same thing applies to non-corporate groups that might do business with a hotel/conference center. Say a school board is calling for increased taxes and cuts in popular programs to get through a budget shortfall. In the middle of public hearings, they sure don't want someone coming up with a picture of their taxpayer-funded “business retreat” two years ago – drinking out of pineapples in a lush tropical setting, as carved "pagan" idols glower in the background. In the face of that picture, no one would hear the truth that it was the long grueling sessions at that retreat that allowed the crisis to be averted for an additional two years. Beige doesn’t completely prevent fun – but it can visually camouflage it. It accommodates the concerns of those considering conference venues, always worried about preventing unexpected blowback, years later.

On 2011-02-06 06:50, Cammo wrote:
"... who exactly is being placated with beige; how would a stockholder know or care where a businessman went in March of 2009 and the color of the walls there?"

Since I seem to be on the right track, I’ll expand a little on what I was trying to get at. The overall “climate” – business, legal, political – leads corporate (or other organizational) management to play defense. They've observed that "what happens in Vegas" DOESN'T always stay in Vegas. So, they ask themselves:

What IF – despite our best efforts – we find ourselves embroiled in a legal, financial or regulatory mess? What if we find ourselves being interrogated by directors (on behalf of stockholders), deposing lawyers, regulatory enforcers, reporters, or – God forbid! – a congressional committee? As we defend the prudence of our management judgment, and how the problems could not have been foreseen,… the LAST thing we need is someone whipping out a 2-year-old picture of our executives gathered around a table, with a roasted pig in the middle, and one of them being served a big flaming bowl of alcohol by a scantily attired maiden (or cocktails by Playboy bunnies). A picture too easily found on someone’s Facebook (in an age of ubiquitous cell phone cameras), if the situation is allowed to exist at all. Even if we can PROVE that particular conference was extraordinarily productive, it won’t overcome the “story” the picture tells.

The same thing applies to non-corporate groups that might do business with a hotel/conference center. Say a school board is calling for increased taxes and cuts in popular programs to get through a budget shortfall. In the middle of public hearings, they sure don't want someone coming up with a picture of their taxpayer-funded “business retreat” two years ago – drinking out of pineapples in a lush tropical setting, as carved "pagan" idols glower in the background. In the face of that picture, no one would hear the truth that it was the long grueling sessions at that retreat that allowed the crisis to be averted for an additional two years. Beige doesn’t completely prevent fun – but it can visually camouflage it. It accommodates the concerns of those considering conference venues, always worried about preventing unexpected blowback, years later.

Post #574900 by Limbo Lizard on Sun, Feb 6, 2011 9:07 AM