Lindblom - The Market System - Afghan Journalists' Committee

Enterprise and Corporation 71investment, market elites often spend on research intobuyer preferences.I have observed that in the market system, some kindsof elite decisions—on enterprise location, working conditions,use of chemicals, and disposal of waste—largely escapecontrol by buyers. We can now generalize that observation.With your spending you can specify that you want aparticular accomplished output—say, a cellular phone. Butyou can exercise almost no market power over the productionprocess. On these decisions, not on what is to be madebut where and how, buyers’ controls are almost nonexistent.Political voting is strikingly different. One usually castsa vote for a process—or for an intention—rather than for anaccomplished output. Voter or representative in legislatureor parliament votes an instruction to government officialsto try to reduce inflation or curb crime, the result of whichremains in doubt. One often votes for a hoped-for change,for a candidate who takes a position, or for a party with apledge, but rarely for an accomplished result or output.This distinction between control over result and controlover process may soften in the future. The Internetopens up new possibilities for boycott or for other collectiveaction among buyers who may be stimulated to take astronger interest in process. The Internet of course alsostrengthens buyer control over results when buyers usetheir new voices to protest or applaud the design or qualityof products and services offered them and use their newears to pick up information on purchases they contemplate.Some further useful contrasts between voting with ballotsand voting with money have to be approached with care.They are only rough comparisons, a little like comparing a