In my understanding, the word “generic” means applicable to nearly any situation, as well as lacking specificity. When you really think about it, its an astonishingly powerful word. The ability to have a basic template to which you can apply to nearly any situation you want is incredibly useful, and also a little dangerous. Because it is generic, it can never take into account the intangibles of the actual situation, and must be molded around what has been provided. I ask you then; if human beings are so complicated, do such “generic” templates really have any value?
I understand the silliness of the question: Of course they have value, otherwise why would they exist? Surely if they were of no use to anyone they wouldnt be taught to hundreds of students on a yearly basis in multiple disciplines. But then, does teaching something make it useful, or its application? I’m sure templates like these are used throughout the industry, but the fact remains that because it lacks specifity, which is fundamental to the very nature of what makes each of us human, does the template fit the situation, or do we force every unique situation to try and fit a template?
In our desperate bid to understand how we each interact and interact with our surroundings, have we created this, the template, to give us the hope that our world can be understood? I dont know the answer, I’m just asking the question; If business was this simple, why not just teach us this template and be done with it? The answer is because business is not simple…but then, why a generic template? Why, to make you feel better about what you understand, of course!
Tricky, eh?