Category Archives: Management Thoughts

Comparative advantage, as an economic concept, is intellectually understood, difficult to practice, and even harder to verify if it really works. “That it is logically true need not be argued before a mathematician; that is is not trivial is attested … Continue reading →

I wrote about “Management 101” long time ago. By now, you should have mastered the basics. Right? 🙂 A while ago, few senior managers got together in Santa Clara, California. We talked about what a new manager must master to … Continue reading →

Be Selfish Ootober 31st, 2006 Managers deliver business results. All other things support this singlton goal, nothing else matters. First, you must understand what business results are. Young, and often junior, managers do not get this. They focus on secondary … Continue reading →

Time is Life August 1st, 2006 Economy is a study of scarcity, which defines value. Here we focus on time, among the most scarce commodities. As someone who did a lot during his youth, I now think it criminal to … Continue reading →

Common traits of senior engineering managers July 1, 2006 How much can you really do to get ahead? What does it take to be promoted to next level? Like many of my colleagues, I choose people for jobs based on … Continue reading →

Income difference in a global economy June 10th, 2006 In a global economy, why would an engineer accept less pay just because she is in India, China, or wherever? Tom Lehrer, who did not leave an email address for me … Continue reading →

Loyalty, Relationship, and Management April 8th, 2006 You need people. You need the confidence that your decisions are based on truth and whole facts. You need good advices. You need them to go the extra mile in desperate time. You … Continue reading →

Points on RIF June 3rd, 2006 RIF, or more commonly known as layoff, starts when the company learned it has more employees than it needs. Why? Most of the time, the company did not plan well. It is only academic … Continue reading →

Professionals train themselves April 8th, 2006 Kevin, an engineering manager, was frustrated. Good projects do not come to his engineers. If there are no projects, there will be no accomplishments, and no advancements. China will feel like the high-tech colony … Continue reading →

Defining Moments January 12th, 2006 Career progresses not linearly. After few years, you have become proficient with your job, how does it go from here? Where do you break out from this current path? Corporate ladder is more like a … Continue reading →