COLLOQUIAL BUZZWORD – PURE NONSENSE Paradigm Shift is a much-abused phrase, popular with modern economists and politicians, but a few know its origins or exact meaning. It is therefore a buzz phrase phrase, used to impress laymen. Paradigm is an “outstandingly clear or typical example or model”. It is something that we all follow because it does not change. Shift is a change as in the shifting of a car. That a paradigm should be capable of shifting is an apparent contradiction. In a survey carried by a well-known British newspaper, it was found that 50% of businessmen commonly used buzzwords at conferences at boardroom meetings, but were unclear about their precise meaning. This phenomenon is not confined only to businessmen, but is common amongst politicians, academicians and even the electronic media services. So there goes paradigm shift or “anjakan paradigma” as in the Malay version.