In this last weekend prior to the US election I am reading a rather outstanding book titled “The New Industrial Revolution” authored by Peter Marsh. I would like to extract a few passages from this book while encouraging you to get it and read it.
“In 1750, the leader in global manufacturing was China, responsible for more than a third of the output, followed by India with a quarter.”
I thought that might put a few things into context for some of you. In 2010 for the first time since around 1900 China passed the US as the largest world manufacturing country. Some things can change but they might go back to where they once were again. India will soon surpass China as a result of the demographics of that country. The average age in India is 28 years old.
America has become a service country. This is the value added portion of the supply chains across the world. The major trouble with this change is the opportunity for the undereducated people in the country has become a challenge. In 1900 the choice for the undereducated was agriculture, in 1950 the choice was a production line, what has it become in 2000? To many it is the fast food Industry but few view that as a “career” choice. This is one of the many new challenges facing the next administration. Yes we need to revive the job creating engine that America once was by completely overhauling the tax codes for individuals and corporations by eliminating as much as possible any deductions from taxable income for both. This will deal a serious body blow to the lobby profession which has hijacked the government from the people. Next we need to reexamine the use of the regulation. Regulations are not necessarily bad things but they need to be measured against the impact on the economy and on peoples’ lives. Next we need to become resource independent. That way we can control more of our lives and not be beholden to others.
American ingenuity is a wondrous thing. America seems to have the capacity to reinvent herself about every twenty years or so. We need a new iteration now and it is none too soon. The time is now.
Friday Filosophy 2013-01
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.
Henry David Thoreau
Dreams are the touchstone of our character
Henry David Thoreau
All men who have achieved great things have been great dreamers
Orison Swett Marsden
The time is now…..
Management Musings 2.2
There continues to be more research suggesting that incentives don’t work. This should lead us to reexamine our commission programs shouldn’t it?
Barney Frank, that once famous or infamous (your call) congressman, spoke at the Annual Awards dinner of the trade newspaper “American Banker” in 2004. He began his talk with a question “At the level of pay that those of you who run banks get, why the hell do you need a bonus to do the right thing?” Of course there was no answer given there was silence, so he continued. “Do we really have to bribe you to do you jobs?”
The same holds true for incentive programs on all manner of jobs. Are we truly trying to modify behavior with these programs or just pay more money?
I think it is time to ask some questions for instance:-
Just wondering why but then again that is what I do. Check out the studies and you will find that salaries are a better payment plan than commission programs.
The time is now.
Management Musings 2.1
In bouncing around the internet this morning I found an article from Forbes contributor Mike Maddock on “Ten Resolutions Most Successful People Make and Keep.” It was interesting and particularly so when it came to the tenth resolution.
“#10 Plan vacations (now)
You have probably heard the saying, “Life is what happens when you are not paying attention.” Unfortunately for many of us, we let this become true. Do yourself a favor and plan your vacations for the next year today. I promise you that the days around your vacation will fill in nicely. I also promise you that you’ll have something to look forward to and the life that happens during your vacations will be precious.”
With the exception that I believe that “Life Is What Happens When You Are Planning Other Things,” it brought to mind an item in Peter Senge’s book “The Fifth Discipline” which I have tried to follow religiously since I read it in the 80’s.
He puts forward that when planning the activites of your work year you should plan your personal time before anything else. He suggests that if you don’t do that you won’t have any personal time. I found that to be true in the early years of starting our business. So I changed. From that point on I put on the schedule personal time and held it out of bounds for any other activity. It worked. I was more refreshed – I could think more clearly, my family liked me better – I was less of a bear to be around, and we ultimately became more successful. Try it you will like it.
The time is now.
Management Musings 2.0
Today is a wonderful day. Welcome to 2013 and I hope that your every desire is accomplished; Health, Happiness and Prosperity to each and every one of you.
– Don’t let anyone take away your dreams.
– Always assume the other person is twice as smart as you are and work twice as hard to prove they aren’t.
– Be happy in your work or work and be happy but you can’t escape you have to work.
– You can do more than you thought you could and you can be more than you thought you were
All the best – The time is NOW.
Friday Filosophy #37
You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today
Abraham Lincoln
The death of the heart is the saddest thing that can happen to you
Chinese Proverb
Be a good listener, your ears will never get you in trouble
Frank Tyger
Never Forget
Before you can be of any value to anyone else….you must be of value to yourself.
2012 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
Click here to see the complete report.
Friday Filosophy #36
He who is to be a good ruler must have been ruled.
Aristotle
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Buddha
God gave burdens, also shoulders.
Yiddish proverb
The time is now.
Thought of the Day #13
In this last weekend prior to the US election I am reading a rather outstanding book titled “The New Industrial Revolution” authored by Peter Marsh. I would like to extract a few passages from this book while encouraging you to get it and read it.
“In 1750, the leader in global manufacturing was China, responsible for more than a third of the output, followed by India with a quarter.”
I thought that might put a few things into context for some of you. In 2010 for the first time since around 1900 China passed the US as the largest world manufacturing country. Some things can change but they might go back to where they once were again. India will soon surpass China as a result of the demographics of that country. The average age in India is 28 years old.
America has become a service country. This is the value added portion of the supply chains across the world. The major trouble with this change is the opportunity for the undereducated people in the country has become a challenge. In 1900 the choice for the undereducated was agriculture, in 1950 the choice was a production line, what has it become in 2000? To many it is the fast food Industry but few view that as a “career” choice. This is one of the many new challenges facing the next administration. Yes we need to revive the job creating engine that America once was by completely overhauling the tax codes for individuals and corporations by eliminating as much as possible any deductions from taxable income for both. This will deal a serious body blow to the lobby profession which has hijacked the government from the people. Next we need to reexamine the use of the regulation. Regulations are not necessarily bad things but they need to be measured against the impact on the economy and on peoples’ lives. Next we need to become resource independent. That way we can control more of our lives and not be beholden to others.
American ingenuity is a wondrous thing. America seems to have the capacity to reinvent herself about every twenty years or so. We need a new iteration now and it is none too soon. The time is now.
Friday Filosophy #35
Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.
Mark Twain
I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use to being anything else.
Winston Churchill
What it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.
Aristotle
The time is now.