What happens when some try to improve family efficiency

[Wentworth]

"Darling, the electricity and heating bills are through the roof. What will we do?"

"We will implement a Family Improvement Program (FIP). Contributions to family wellbeing from the so-called family room have been declining for some years. As you know, this is a capital-intensive room, with television, home theatre, DVD, sound system and large pieces of leather furniture, where capacity utilisation has been falling thanks to the advent of the internet, which has meant most members of the family are on laptops in their rooms. This is clearly an unproductive cost centre. I am closing it down. The in-place assets may have some residual sale value.

"The immediate costs of having the room demolished will be easily outweighed by hundreds of dollars saved over subsequent years. This will also enable us to adjust the level of support services and I plan to cut back on the gardener's and cleaner's work, which will further conserve cash.

"I think we can sell this FIP to the relevant stakeholder group - our family - as a positive move designed to reduce our carbon footprint and a dramatic contribution to the community's assault on the deleterious effects of climate change. "

"But sweetest, the children will move out if we close the family room."

"Excellent. I calculate there will be considerable flow-on benefits in cost reduction as a result - lower gas and water use due to fewer people using showers and toilets. Food and clothing shopping costs ought also to drop by 30%. Meal preparation and consumption times can be reduced to maximise productive temporal use. Christmas parties/presents/bonuses will be a thing of the past.

"There will be a small rise in communication and transport costs to maintain an open dialogue with the familial stakeholder groups. This, however, will be more than offset by demolishing the rooms freed up with their departure...................

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