I don't know if it's a better way to operate but it is an interesting take.
I'm not sure how the early comics dealt with Wayne but to date, I believe the '89 Keaton Bruce Wayne is the only version of the character that keeps to himself. There's no playboy persona, no Wayne Enterprises, nothing. I suppose you could say that the Bruce Wayne persona is pretty much non-existent. When he goes out he only goes out at night, to fight crime. He holds himself in his house during the day, with big iron gates. Monitors his home and the city with constant vigilance and security. No friends, no allies. The only meaning of the name Bruce Wayne to the '89 Gotham is that he's an extremely wealthy benefactor that holds charities and fundraisers.
I'd say at his core he is Batman and doesn't really know how to be Bruce Wayne. He tries when Vicki comes along but it comes off as quirky and strange, like he's not used to being human or socializing. Then you've got to assume that this guy doesn't even want a normal, happy life so he probably only wanted Vicki to ____ her. Don't they mention in Returns that Vicki left him because he couldn't/wouldn't be changed? It wasn't until Selina came along where he acknowledged that he lives a tragic life and perhaps could mend it by sharing it with another hurt individual.
