[Sigia-l] conflict of interest (was: usability testing)

[James Melzer]

To reinforce Ziya's point, when it comes to endeavors like regulation
or oversight there are inherent conflicts of interest even in the most
rigorously structured relationship. It is very difficult to separate
the interests and incentives of the regulated from those of the
regulator. An agency devoted to regulating an industry has a tendency
to be 'captured' by that industry due to a couple of factors. The
regulator relies on the industry to produce trained staff (government
doesn't generally do that), so there is a tendency for its executive
staff to be drawn from the industry it regulates. And the regulator's
fate rises and falls with the industry it regulates. Injury to the
industry, especially anything to shrink its size, is perceived as also
deminishing the stature of the regulator's executives and is thus a
'bad thing' for everyone involved.

ICC, FAA, FCC and USDA are all good examples of the unavoidable
conflicts of interest that are deemed reasonable and acceptable in the
US based on the structure of the relationship. No doubt folks in
Europe and elsewhere could cite their own examples, since the capture
phenomenon seems to be universal.

~ James Melzer (an ex business historian)

On 1/25/07, Bill Killam <bkillam at user-centereddesign.com> wrote:
> >>Ziya wrote: "Conflict of interest *is* bias."
>
> >I disagree with this. A conflict of interest is having two or more
> >interests that are in conflict with each other. Eg, your consulting
> >firm's and your client's interests, say. Whether you are biased toward
> >either, or biased toward a particular methodology etc or another, is a
> >separate issue.
>
> Good point.  And I agree.  Bias is a tendency toward a particular position
> that interferes with impartiality so it can only be said that a conflict of
> interest may result in a person acting in a biases way.  And, if the
> conflict of interest is between a person's assignment and keeping their job,
> people are often biased toward keeping their job.
>
> Bill
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Bill Killam, MA CHFP
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>
>
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-- 
James Melzer
http://www.jamesmelzer.com
http://del.icio.us/jamesmelzer