2011年9月12日 星期一
2011年9月7日 星期三
你是甚麼人，就必到哪裡去
可能是之前在Mannheim的經歷比較不如意。可能是因為有參加足球隊。可能是因為這裡鳥不生蛋。也可能是因為我generally比較容易對一個團體有attachment。
但我絕對相信，能夠互相connect的人，就自然會走到一起。結果來到WBS，打的是羽毛球不是哥爾夫；喝的是可樂不是紅酒；玩的是UNO不是德州撲克；說的是別人多厲害不是自己多有錢。無論世界怎變，我們，大概也只能是這個樣子，變也變不了。
型嗎？不型。 我們不是top business school，但有些東西，真的比ranking重要，no grapes involved。華威人，謙虛，務實，有禮而不失幽默感。值得沾沾。
在這裡最後一天，我只想到這個。
但我絕對相信，能夠互相connect的人，就自然會走到一起。結果來到WBS，打的是羽毛球不是哥爾夫；喝的是可樂不是紅酒；玩的是UNO不是德州撲克；說的是別人多厲害不是自己多有錢。無論世界怎變，我們，大概也只能是這個樣子，變也變不了。
型嗎？不型。 我們不是top business school，但有些東西，真的比ranking重要，no grapes involved。華威人，謙虛，務實，有禮而不失幽默感。值得沾沾。
在這裡最後一天，我只想到這個。
I was just joking
OK when did we last talk about this?
I was bluffing with Mr. Koo about changing his dissertation topic to "The factors leading Liverpool citizens to become fans of Everton instead of Liverpool FC". So Mr. Koo asked me for a quote to help him write his dissertation. I quoted 4000 quid.
Hard to believe somebody (not from our uni) actually approached me for this purpose. Strangely enough, the guy contacted me and said his friend needed to go home and get married, and didn't have time to do his dissertation. He needs help. He just needs a C. Can you please help.
Ms. K said I should quote 4000 quid and see what happens.
Nah. What if he says yes?
So you see, Mr. Koo, what a good friend I am to you. At least I was willing to give you a quote (*wink).
*
Thank you, my friend, for deliberately coming over for our last chat on campus :)
年輕的臂章 默默除下了...
I was bluffing with Mr. Koo about changing his dissertation topic to "The factors leading Liverpool citizens to become fans of Everton instead of Liverpool FC". So Mr. Koo asked me for a quote to help him write his dissertation. I quoted 4000 quid.
Hard to believe somebody (not from our uni) actually approached me for this purpose. Strangely enough, the guy contacted me and said his friend needed to go home and get married, and didn't have time to do his dissertation. He needs help. He just needs a C. Can you please help.
Ms. K said I should quote 4000 quid and see what happens.
Nah. What if he says yes?
So you see, Mr. Koo, what a good friend I am to you. At least I was willing to give you a quote (*wink).
*
Thank you, my friend, for deliberately coming over for our last chat on campus :)
年輕的臂章 默默除下了...
2011年9月6日 星期二
2011年9月4日 星期日
夢遠了，我都還記得
It's kind of interesting how MBA programs usually sell themselves for transforming people. That's what they always tell you at the start of the course. Get out of your comfort zone. Be more adventurous and ENTREPRENEURIAL. I did dream of how marvellously I would be changed. I'd become a confident person, loads of MBA bullshit, awesome job prospects...
It now seems that MBA was actually a journey to find out how perversely stubborn a person I am. I always used to think I'm not that much of a Virgo but now I know better.
In the past month I had actually been doing a lot of proofreading work for some non-native English speakers on their dissertations. Dissertations would usually discuss whether a qualitative or a quantitative approach is more suitable for the research topic blah blah. One thing I noticed is that
I BELIEVE IN NONE OF THE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH. Yes. Most people use a qualitative approach because of time constraints, because there are not enough samples...and so, I believe in none of them. None at all. OK, yes, you wrote in the case study that you interviewed a guy who said A. But he could be bluffing. Yes, B said the same thing but then I'd start thinking, they won't let you know the whole story anyway so of course they'd say something that's consistent with the rumours in the industry. And there would usually be no case C because of the time constraints.
And so I do a quantitative research. That's not too much better, actually. By working on my dissertation I found how easy it is to muck up the numbers. So you've already done the whole analysis and you find you messed up something in the middle, though it's not obvious and it MIGHT not affect the results. Do you start over? I started over twice but when I messed something up the third time, I just couldn't force myself to do it again. Nobody would check anyway. And due to time constraints my sample was only from the S&P500. And to cover my ass I say the limitation is that S&P500 might not be able to represent the entire market. And end up concluding NOTHING, which I am actually quite comfortable with.
What is the point of doing a dissertation, then?
What's even more scary is that I now know I am a non-believer in basically EVERYTHING. I got goosebumps the moment I write this.
Alright James, I wrote this in English just for you.
It now seems that MBA was actually a journey to find out how perversely stubborn a person I am. I always used to think I'm not that much of a Virgo but now I know better.
In the past month I had actually been doing a lot of proofreading work for some non-native English speakers on their dissertations. Dissertations would usually discuss whether a qualitative or a quantitative approach is more suitable for the research topic blah blah. One thing I noticed is that
I BELIEVE IN NONE OF THE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH. Yes. Most people use a qualitative approach because of time constraints, because there are not enough samples...and so, I believe in none of them. None at all. OK, yes, you wrote in the case study that you interviewed a guy who said A. But he could be bluffing. Yes, B said the same thing but then I'd start thinking, they won't let you know the whole story anyway so of course they'd say something that's consistent with the rumours in the industry. And there would usually be no case C because of the time constraints.
And so I do a quantitative research. That's not too much better, actually. By working on my dissertation I found how easy it is to muck up the numbers. So you've already done the whole analysis and you find you messed up something in the middle, though it's not obvious and it MIGHT not affect the results. Do you start over? I started over twice but when I messed something up the third time, I just couldn't force myself to do it again. Nobody would check anyway. And due to time constraints my sample was only from the S&P500. And to cover my ass I say the limitation is that S&P500 might not be able to represent the entire market. And end up concluding NOTHING, which I am actually quite comfortable with.
What is the point of doing a dissertation, then?
What's even more scary is that I now know I am a non-believer in basically EVERYTHING. I got goosebumps the moment I write this.
Alright James, I wrote this in English just for you.
2011年9月1日 星期四
2011年8月3日 星期三
有得揀，算吾算老闆？
因為之前的工作，因為現在的外快freelance，也可能因為將來會做回老本行，我應該大半輩子都花在防止一些老鼠屎搞衰一鍋粥的工作上。建設甚少，倒是能騙一點飯吃。
當你做這工作卻沒有錢作為回報，面對這樣的處境，選擇有3：
1 叫老鼠不要拉屎
2 繼續執屎
3 忘記那些屎，整鍋粥吃掉就算
由於1是不可能的，2是煩人的，趁還能選擇，我選擇3。
當你做這工作卻沒有錢作為回報，面對這樣的處境，選擇有3：
1 叫老鼠不要拉屎
2 繼續執屎
3 忘記那些屎，整鍋粥吃掉就算
由於1是不可能的，2是煩人的，趁還能選擇，我選擇3。
2011年6月24日 星期五
When jokes are not jokes they are really funny
It's pretty much the first time I talk to MBA students from somewhere other than Warwick. Turns out different schools really breed different people.
So me and Ms. Ayse were having lunch with an American guy exchanging from Thunderbird. He said he has a job interview in Hamburg in the next few days, and it will be conducted in German.
Ms. Ayse said, "Ah. So you will be telling them what are your weaknesses in German!" and we chuckled. Well in case you don't know why we chuckled, it's because Warwick students have the common perception that "What are your weaknesses?" is about the daftEST question on earth for any interviewer to ask.
Then this guy said, "Yea. Ich bien ein perfectionist." I didn't know a word of German so for my benefit he translated it. "I am a PERFECTIONIST." he said.
And he went on. "I could never let go of something until it's perfect. I really can't do it. And there's another thing. I can't lie. If I lied it'd be all over my face. I can't even play poker. And I can't bribe. There are many things I can do, but you can't tell me to do anything unethical."
Just in case, I took a look and made sure he's not serious.
Oh no. He IS serious about the question. So both me and Ms. Ayse went dead silent. Thank god it's time for class to resume.
So me and Ms. Ayse were having lunch with an American guy exchanging from Thunderbird. He said he has a job interview in Hamburg in the next few days, and it will be conducted in German.
Ms. Ayse said, "Ah. So you will be telling them what are your weaknesses in German!" and we chuckled. Well in case you don't know why we chuckled, it's because Warwick students have the common perception that "What are your weaknesses?" is about the daftEST question on earth for any interviewer to ask.
Then this guy said, "Yea. Ich bien ein perfectionist." I didn't know a word of German so for my benefit he translated it. "I am a PERFECTIONIST." he said.
And he went on. "I could never let go of something until it's perfect. I really can't do it. And there's another thing. I can't lie. If I lied it'd be all over my face. I can't even play poker. And I can't bribe. There are many things I can do, but you can't tell me to do anything unethical."
Just in case, I took a look and made sure he's not serious.
Oh no. He IS serious about the question. So both me and Ms. Ayse went dead silent. Thank god it's time for class to resume.
2011年5月24日 星期二
First impression and changes
Came across the msn history of one of my conversations with a friend, on the first day of my course.
"So! How's your course? Any HKers?"
"Yea, 4 including me"
"How were they?"
"Quite nice. Two of them are like, 4 to 5 years older than me, and there's another younger one, I guess she's about the same age. But she's very quiet. Like sheep"
"Sheep!"
"Yea. I am afraid of sheep. They are very boring."
"That's a funny way to put it."
"You know sheep, they don't even realize you are laughing at them when you do so. That's not fun"
A few months passed. The sheep turned out not what she seemed to be on our first day of school. And I told the sheep about that conversation, just for a laugh.
Sheep: 你立心不良！
K: 不過我第一日識你都覺得你好靜，好綿羊！好似需要人保護o個種！同埋你應該學到8級琴！
Me: 如果o吾係8級琴就應該係彈古箏啦！
Sheep: ...我兩樣都o吾識...
Me: o甘...你地又會o吾會覺得我學琴學到演奏級呢...
K: Um...你比我第一印象同而家差o吾多，都係好sporty好鐘意打波o甘...
Sheep: Yee 佢好似逃避緊你個問題...
Me: 撞鬼...究竟點解我呀媽要比o甘多錢我學琴呢...
Sheep: 係呢，點解你會學琴o架？你真係o吾似wor
Me: 聽聞係因為佢地買左個琴，但家姐放棄左，所以逼我學
Sheep: o甘點解逼你學而o吾逼你家姐繼續呢？
Me: 因為我細個好乖。
K + Sheep: ......
Me: 其實我細個時候好文靜o架。
K + Sheep: ......
"So! How's your course? Any HKers?"
"Yea, 4 including me"
"How were they?"
"Quite nice. Two of them are like, 4 to 5 years older than me, and there's another younger one, I guess she's about the same age. But she's very quiet. Like sheep"
"Sheep!"
"Yea. I am afraid of sheep. They are very boring."
"That's a funny way to put it."
"You know sheep, they don't even realize you are laughing at them when you do so. That's not fun"
A few months passed. The sheep turned out not what she seemed to be on our first day of school. And I told the sheep about that conversation, just for a laugh.
Sheep: 你立心不良！
K: 不過我第一日識你都覺得你好靜，好綿羊！好似需要人保護o個種！同埋你應該學到8級琴！
Me: 如果o吾係8級琴就應該係彈古箏啦！
Sheep: ...我兩樣都o吾識...
Me: o甘...你地又會o吾會覺得我學琴學到演奏級呢...
K: Um...你比我第一印象同而家差o吾多，都係好sporty好鐘意打波o甘...
Sheep: Yee 佢好似逃避緊你個問題...
Me: 撞鬼...究竟點解我呀媽要比o甘多錢我學琴呢...
Sheep: 係呢，點解你會學琴o架？你真係o吾似wor
Me: 聽聞係因為佢地買左個琴，但家姐放棄左，所以逼我學
Sheep: o甘點解逼你學而o吾逼你家姐繼續呢？
Me: 因為我細個好乖。
K + Sheep: ......
Me: 其實我細個時候好文靜o架。
K + Sheep: ......
2011年4月8日 星期五
Please be careful of your belongings
Two news, one good one bad. Bad is, I lost some pounds (as in money, not weight, sadly). Good is, I have a good story to tell.
Below I will present the facts, and the facts only:
Date: 6th April, 2011
Venue: WBS A2.06
Time: around 8pm
1. 7 people in the group.
2. My textbook was originally placed on top of my own laptop.
3. After discussion ended, 4 people left the room, remaining people included Lady, Me and Guy, who chatted about careers stuff.
4. When I was about to leave, I no longer see a textbook on my laptop. One textbook is placed on the table.
5. Examining the textbook, with many corners folded and very worn out, I declared, "This is not mine."
6. Guy said, "Oh. How do you know?" I said, "It's so worn out! Impossible!"
7. Thinking maybe someone dropped my book on the floor (thus making its corners folded) I went home. Briefly flipped through the book. Found underlines and markings. Therefore it is definitely not mine.
8. Next day I went around asking whether my groupmates took my book by mistake. Everybody showed me either their names on their book or highlighter marks on their book. Except one Guy. He said, "Oh, my book is in my car. But I didn't make any markings on my book. I'm sure this is not mine."
9. I reported this finding to Uncle R. Uncle R reported that this morning when there were only 3 people in the lecture room, this Guy was flipping through the textbook.
*
So guys, keep a close eye on your belongings, including any textbooks that you're planning to sell out on Amazon. My textbook has now depreciated to scrap value overnight. I don't intend to confront that guy, so treat it as a non-recurring write off. But it's not about the money. My point is:
How could something so "high school" happen in an MBA course for god's sake?!
Below I will present the facts, and the facts only:
Date: 6th April, 2011
Venue: WBS A2.06
Time: around 8pm
1. 7 people in the group.
2. My textbook was originally placed on top of my own laptop.
3. After discussion ended, 4 people left the room, remaining people included Lady, Me and Guy, who chatted about careers stuff.
4. When I was about to leave, I no longer see a textbook on my laptop. One textbook is placed on the table.
5. Examining the textbook, with many corners folded and very worn out, I declared, "This is not mine."
6. Guy said, "Oh. How do you know?" I said, "It's so worn out! Impossible!"
7. Thinking maybe someone dropped my book on the floor (thus making its corners folded) I went home. Briefly flipped through the book. Found underlines and markings. Therefore it is definitely not mine.
8. Next day I went around asking whether my groupmates took my book by mistake. Everybody showed me either their names on their book or highlighter marks on their book. Except one Guy. He said, "Oh, my book is in my car. But I didn't make any markings on my book. I'm sure this is not mine."
9. I reported this finding to Uncle R. Uncle R reported that this morning when there were only 3 people in the lecture room, this Guy was flipping through the textbook.
*
So guys, keep a close eye on your belongings, including any textbooks that you're planning to sell out on Amazon. My textbook has now depreciated to scrap value overnight. I don't intend to confront that guy, so treat it as a non-recurring write off. But it's not about the money. My point is:
How could something so "high school" happen in an MBA course for god's sake?!
2011年4月5日 星期二
Get a gun!
People who don't know me well would have thought I have a quick temper simply telling from my grumpy looks, but those who know me quite well would know that I actually am quite patient with people (part of the reason is I am actually a little bit slow in response).
So I thought I was being quite childish when I kept saying that I hate a certain guy (like last week) and I thought I was being quite childish for hating a certain guy (a different guy) this week as well. Until somebody sitting besides me whispered, "Is it just me? I find that guy in the front EXTREMELY ANNOYING!"
Mr. Serious sitting beside me has been a quiet lad through two terms, and was so serious that I seldom talked to him. But now Mr. Serious was suggesting me to get a gun and shoot that guy at the front.
It really amazes me how somebody could annoy anybody so much without even having talked to neither of us. He feels really good about himself. He speaks with authority. He sounds sarcastic and tries to be funny in a sarcastic way and is really cocky. He keeps saying "yep, yep, yep" very loudly while the lecturer is speaking, as if the lecturer needs his endorsement of what is to be said. And this afternoon, whenever he shows his cockiness again, Mr. Serious would say under his breath, "Shoot him down, man!"
Well Mr. Cocky, congratulations, you've tested the bottomline :)
*
By the way, I really liked the valuation model that I was taught today. Fresh stuff that never appeared in the CFA syllabus!
So I thought I was being quite childish when I kept saying that I hate a certain guy (like last week) and I thought I was being quite childish for hating a certain guy (a different guy) this week as well. Until somebody sitting besides me whispered, "Is it just me? I find that guy in the front EXTREMELY ANNOYING!"
Mr. Serious sitting beside me has been a quiet lad through two terms, and was so serious that I seldom talked to him. But now Mr. Serious was suggesting me to get a gun and shoot that guy at the front.
It really amazes me how somebody could annoy anybody so much without even having talked to neither of us. He feels really good about himself. He speaks with authority. He sounds sarcastic and tries to be funny in a sarcastic way and is really cocky. He keeps saying "yep, yep, yep" very loudly while the lecturer is speaking, as if the lecturer needs his endorsement of what is to be said. And this afternoon, whenever he shows his cockiness again, Mr. Serious would say under his breath, "Shoot him down, man!"
Well Mr. Cocky, congratulations, you've tested the bottomline :)
*
By the way, I really liked the valuation model that I was taught today. Fresh stuff that never appeared in the CFA syllabus!
2011年4月2日 星期六
Governance emergencies! (2)
OK. Presentation day. Our group was last to go so we're probably expected with the best, but obviously now I think we should come last. No joking, the lecturer was damn right we all worked on our own slides without any co-operation or co-ordination or interlinkage. Because co-operation wasn't possible.
This guy who started off by introducing the company (which, really, wasn't necessary: who doesn't know what is Disney anyway?) started playing a video to "wake the people up" without me even knowing that he was gonna do it. And what was that video? A Mickey Mouse cartoon. That's it. And how much is that related to our presentation? Well, not much to be honest, except that both are associated with Disney.
Then the guy used TEN minutes to introduce the company and the timeline of events (mind you, all 5 of us had 30 minutes in total), which, again, is not much related to the questions that we were prompted to answer. And with odd captions that were meant to "make the presentation more interesting" as well, "Waking of the Sleeping Beauty"? "Ruling with an iron fist"? "The roaring mouse"? What was all that about?! If you could make the whole thing funny, fine; but if you can't, you're just downright odd. No kidding.
Second guy, again, used TEN minutes in answering question 1. To be honest, he did do a good job of making things very clear, but then the remaining TEN minutes had to be split between THREE people. And, I was the ending speaker. Again.
No kidding, I did lots of research for the presentation, but none of them bothered to understand them nor use them properly. And since they didn't do a good job of explaining anyway, I mentioned those at the conclusion section. Ending comment by lecturer, "I think there was some important stuff that should be put in the context, not at the conclusion. I feel your presentation is very loosely structured."
Well, he was right. I didn't even ask for the final mark for our presentation. I'm not even interested. I'm not happy, really; I hate delivering shitty work KNOWING that it's going to be shitty. I just didn't bother trying to convince those uncles with a terribly big ego. My bad.
One funny thing happened AFTER the presentation though. There was a lady doing distance MBA who came along and said, "Well done! I didn't know you were going to speak in the presentation! You were so quiet in the class, I thought you were very shy! You did a good job!"
So I was like, "Shy? Huh? Well...you can ask these guys." and I pointed to my full time colleagues.
And my good old colleague said, "She's not shy. She's not THERE!"
Which is true because, as a protest against the crappy course and the lecturer who constantly feels too good about himself, I skipped the entire Thursday's lectures.
This guy who started off by introducing the company (which, really, wasn't necessary: who doesn't know what is Disney anyway?) started playing a video to "wake the people up" without me even knowing that he was gonna do it. And what was that video? A Mickey Mouse cartoon. That's it. And how much is that related to our presentation? Well, not much to be honest, except that both are associated with Disney.
Then the guy used TEN minutes to introduce the company and the timeline of events (mind you, all 5 of us had 30 minutes in total), which, again, is not much related to the questions that we were prompted to answer. And with odd captions that were meant to "make the presentation more interesting" as well, "Waking of the Sleeping Beauty"? "Ruling with an iron fist"? "The roaring mouse"? What was all that about?! If you could make the whole thing funny, fine; but if you can't, you're just downright odd. No kidding.
Second guy, again, used TEN minutes in answering question 1. To be honest, he did do a good job of making things very clear, but then the remaining TEN minutes had to be split between THREE people. And, I was the ending speaker. Again.
No kidding, I did lots of research for the presentation, but none of them bothered to understand them nor use them properly. And since they didn't do a good job of explaining anyway, I mentioned those at the conclusion section. Ending comment by lecturer, "I think there was some important stuff that should be put in the context, not at the conclusion. I feel your presentation is very loosely structured."
Well, he was right. I didn't even ask for the final mark for our presentation. I'm not even interested. I'm not happy, really; I hate delivering shitty work KNOWING that it's going to be shitty. I just didn't bother trying to convince those uncles with a terribly big ego. My bad.
One funny thing happened AFTER the presentation though. There was a lady doing distance MBA who came along and said, "Well done! I didn't know you were going to speak in the presentation! You were so quiet in the class, I thought you were very shy! You did a good job!"
So I was like, "Shy? Huh? Well...you can ask these guys." and I pointed to my full time colleagues.
And my good old colleague said, "She's not shy. She's not THERE!"
Which is true because, as a protest against the crappy course and the lecturer who constantly feels too good about himself, I skipped the entire Thursday's lectures.
2011年4月1日 星期五
Governance emergencies!
There are some people that you know, at the first moment you hear them speak, you can't click with them.
*
So this guy would tell you to run through the powerpoint from start to finish, but as soon as the 2nd slide comes on he starts commenting. So we'd pause to make changes and discuss what changes to make. Then as you are working, this same guy will say, "Look guys, why don't we run through the whole thing from start to finish."
Then you'd run from the start again. This time when the 3rd slide comes on he starts commenting again. So naturally, we paused again (because what needs to be done needs to get done, ain't that right?) But as soon as you're halfway done, he'd say again "Look guys, why don't we run through the whole thing from start to finish."
And the loop went on once more before I said, "Please write that down and keep it to yourself until we finish?"
*
Our case was about the compensation package of the CEO of Walt Disney Co. The case asked us whether we thought his package was reasonable or not, but enclosing a resignation letter from another director which expressed that the CEO didn't deserve his pay. BUT does that really mean it's not reasonable?
Took those guys some time to finally digest the fact that no, the CEO wasn't overpaid, because more than 80% of his salary came from a bonus which was tied systematically to net profit plus a chunk of stock options while his basic salary was pathetic. Looking at the numbers I crunched the guys were actually hiding their heads in their hands. What's so wrong about saying his pay was reasonable? That's something I don't get.
But what really upset me was, I tried to briefly explain to them his salary structure, which of course, included some numbers. This guy (same guy) just said, "OK, let's not dive into the numbers." WHAT?! If I hadn't been crunching all this stuff you guys would still be stupidly thinking that YES EISNER WAS DEFINITELY OVERPAID. WHY? BECAUSE STANLEY GOLD WHO RESIGNED SAID SO. And then feel good about yourself. Let's not dive into the numbers? Hold on, you're actually saying "Let's not look at the facts"!
Similarly, in the first meeting this guy (same guy) undertook the task of compiling a graph showing the revenue, net profit and share price of Disney during Eisner's regime. Second meeting, no information from him. Decision was: "Let's not put that in the slides, I don't think we should dive into the numbers anyway."
*
Don't dive into the numbers, but yes dive into the sea of 2x2 tables and frameworks. Some guy (same guy) said that those who already did their presentation seemed to just summarize what's in the case studies. That's not adding value and we should avoid it. And, doing it all by himself, he decided to summarize what's in the lecture notes instead. OK, according to him THAT'S adding value, flooding the slides with whatever framework he could find in the lecture notes no matter they're relevant or not. Don't waste our efforts scraping them away man! I don't even want to look at our slides anymore.
*
Then there was the issue of whether all of us should speak or should it be just 2 or 3. We have in total 30 minutes and 5 sections, so I thought all 5 should speak. But no, he said, it disrupts the continuity. Better have just 3. Do you want to present? I'm happy to present.
Wait. 3 people for 30 minutes? That's 10 for each and possibly 15 for some. No I don't think anyone wants to listen to one single bloke talking nonstop for 15 whole minutes. Now THAT'S disruptive.
Ugh. I'm getting a bit personal now.
*
So this guy would tell you to run through the powerpoint from start to finish, but as soon as the 2nd slide comes on he starts commenting. So we'd pause to make changes and discuss what changes to make. Then as you are working, this same guy will say, "Look guys, why don't we run through the whole thing from start to finish."
Then you'd run from the start again. This time when the 3rd slide comes on he starts commenting again. So naturally, we paused again (because what needs to be done needs to get done, ain't that right?) But as soon as you're halfway done, he'd say again "Look guys, why don't we run through the whole thing from start to finish."
And the loop went on once more before I said, "Please write that down and keep it to yourself until we finish?"
*
Our case was about the compensation package of the CEO of Walt Disney Co. The case asked us whether we thought his package was reasonable or not, but enclosing a resignation letter from another director which expressed that the CEO didn't deserve his pay. BUT does that really mean it's not reasonable?
Took those guys some time to finally digest the fact that no, the CEO wasn't overpaid, because more than 80% of his salary came from a bonus which was tied systematically to net profit plus a chunk of stock options while his basic salary was pathetic. Looking at the numbers I crunched the guys were actually hiding their heads in their hands. What's so wrong about saying his pay was reasonable? That's something I don't get.
But what really upset me was, I tried to briefly explain to them his salary structure, which of course, included some numbers. This guy (same guy) just said, "OK, let's not dive into the numbers." WHAT?! If I hadn't been crunching all this stuff you guys would still be stupidly thinking that YES EISNER WAS DEFINITELY OVERPAID. WHY? BECAUSE STANLEY GOLD WHO RESIGNED SAID SO. And then feel good about yourself. Let's not dive into the numbers? Hold on, you're actually saying "Let's not look at the facts"!
Similarly, in the first meeting this guy (same guy) undertook the task of compiling a graph showing the revenue, net profit and share price of Disney during Eisner's regime. Second meeting, no information from him. Decision was: "Let's not put that in the slides, I don't think we should dive into the numbers anyway."
*
Don't dive into the numbers, but yes dive into the sea of 2x2 tables and frameworks. Some guy (same guy) said that those who already did their presentation seemed to just summarize what's in the case studies. That's not adding value and we should avoid it. And, doing it all by himself, he decided to summarize what's in the lecture notes instead. OK, according to him THAT'S adding value, flooding the slides with whatever framework he could find in the lecture notes no matter they're relevant or not. Don't waste our efforts scraping them away man! I don't even want to look at our slides anymore.
*
Then there was the issue of whether all of us should speak or should it be just 2 or 3. We have in total 30 minutes and 5 sections, so I thought all 5 should speak. But no, he said, it disrupts the continuity. Better have just 3. Do you want to present? I'm happy to present.
Wait. 3 people for 30 minutes? That's 10 for each and possibly 15 for some. No I don't think anyone wants to listen to one single bloke talking nonstop for 15 whole minutes. Now THAT'S disruptive.
Ugh. I'm getting a bit personal now.
2011年3月26日 星期六
Is it a guy thing or is it just me?
It's a friendly game. It's at noon in the scorching sun. It's just a 4-on-4 game. It's a mini pitch. There's nothing official whatsoever.
Why would you lecture your own cohort for slacking off in a silly football game?
Why would you tease someone, nonstop, that he has two left legs because his shots are far away from being on target?
Why would you moan about injury every time you missed a goal when you had a golden chance?
Why would you even say "I want us to win" when nobody is even keeping track of the score?
Is it the guys' obsessions about victory that I just don't have?
Frankly, though, I think you should be more mature.
Why would you lecture your own cohort for slacking off in a silly football game?
Why would you tease someone, nonstop, that he has two left legs because his shots are far away from being on target?
Why would you moan about injury every time you missed a goal when you had a golden chance?
Why would you even say "I want us to win" when nobody is even keeping track of the score?
Is it the guys' obsessions about victory that I just don't have?
Frankly, though, I think you should be more mature.
2011年3月23日 星期三
I hate strategy
I repeat, I hate strategy.
Well looking at the paper from 2010, I just don't see how I would benefit by being able to recite the definition of "competitive advantage" and "core competence".
OK. Give me a business. Then I'm supposed to tell you, A is a competitive advantage. B is just a core competence, not a competitive advantage. C are the resources of the company, but it is not the core competence. D is an intangible resource. E is a tangible resource.
OK then. SO WHAT? Does that change anything?
*
And there was this slide that really made me burst:
Title: Levels of uncertainty (Source: Courtney, Kirkland and Viguerie (1997) Harvard Business Review)
- Clear enough future
-- single view
- Alternative futures
-- limited set of possible future outcomes one of which will occur
- Range of futures
-- range of possible outcomes
- True ambiguity
-- not even a range of possible future outcomes
OK, you've exhausted all possibilities. How does that help?
*
Jesus Christ. I prefer serendipity.
Well looking at the paper from 2010, I just don't see how I would benefit by being able to recite the definition of "competitive advantage" and "core competence".
OK. Give me a business. Then I'm supposed to tell you, A is a competitive advantage. B is just a core competence, not a competitive advantage. C are the resources of the company, but it is not the core competence. D is an intangible resource. E is a tangible resource.
OK then. SO WHAT? Does that change anything?
*
And there was this slide that really made me burst:
Title: Levels of uncertainty (Source: Courtney, Kirkland and Viguerie (1997) Harvard Business Review)
- Clear enough future
-- single view
- Alternative futures
-- limited set of possible future outcomes one of which will occur
- Range of futures
-- range of possible outcomes
- True ambiguity
-- not even a range of possible future outcomes
OK, you've exhausted all possibilities. How does that help?
*
Jesus Christ. I prefer serendipity.
2011年3月9日 星期三
今天他們說...
麻甩佬T說，這幾個禮拜我有點不同。平時我好像都很開心的，這幾個禮拜好像很depressed。
師奶仔G說，她也同意我不同了，還有不知道為甚麼今個學期我好像對學業比較認真了，上課竟然有帶reading，有時還有帶筆。
不知道兩者可有關連？
＊
Depressed是真的，而且肯定不是因為生理週期的關係。是一種無力感。
我可以用廣東話／普通話在lecture room裡面對著朋友們發很大很大的爛渣，但都揮不去一種無力感。魚糧繼續做，底繼續包，感覺，就好像當年做隊長。天分不夠頂硬上，落得烏雲蓋頂。
唯一的分別是，無論我有多proactive，我都不是隊長，對他們來說（尤其讀得這course的，ego都不細），我只是一個花o靚。
＊
不過，這畢竟只是很校園的烏雲。跟職場上的相比，這實在不算甚麼，可以一笑置之。
＊
突然很回味剛過去星期日的那場比賽。
史無前例犯了3次規，差點吃黃牌。但賽後隊長跟我說，覺得我踢得很好，連移動城堡都被我嚇退了。有點感動。
他40幾歲人來跟我們這班花o靚踢波，我哪有藉口不跑多兩步？
天分不夠，就用韌力補救。
師奶仔G說，她也同意我不同了，還有不知道為甚麼今個學期我好像對學業比較認真了，上課竟然有帶reading，有時還有帶筆。
不知道兩者可有關連？
＊
Depressed是真的，而且肯定不是因為生理週期的關係。是一種無力感。
我可以用廣東話／普通話在lecture room裡面對著朋友們發很大很大的爛渣，但都揮不去一種無力感。魚糧繼續做，底繼續包，感覺，就好像當年做隊長。天分不夠頂硬上，落得烏雲蓋頂。
唯一的分別是，無論我有多proactive，我都不是隊長，對他們來說（尤其讀得這course的，ego都不細），我只是一個花o靚。
＊
不過，這畢竟只是很校園的烏雲。跟職場上的相比，這實在不算甚麼，可以一笑置之。
＊
突然很回味剛過去星期日的那場比賽。
史無前例犯了3次規，差點吃黃牌。但賽後隊長跟我說，覺得我踢得很好，連移動城堡都被我嚇退了。有點感動。
他40幾歲人來跟我們這班花o靚踢波，我哪有藉口不跑多兩步？
天分不夠，就用韌力補救。
2011年3月3日 星期四
If you hate people pretending to be humble, high five!
Quite some time ago there was this colleague of mine whom I talked about taking an MBA. I was saying to do it in UK would cost me nearly all the money I had, but if I really can't afford it myself my parents can give me some support. This guy says, wow, you're pretty rich huh. And I say, yea, "dou OK ga".
The answer took the guy by surprise for a second, but then he said, I LIKE YOUR ANSWER!
*
I forgot what we were talking about but some guy from my group asked me, you got a pretty high GMAT score, right? And I say, yea, was pretty high.
And the guy who asked the question said, I LIKE YOUR ANSWER!
*
Why do they like my answer? Well it's obviously because people don't usually JUST SAY "I am good."
They'll say, "Nah, I sucked at it." Then wait for other people to ask, "Then what did you get?" "710." "Oh my god and you say you sucked at it? I can't believe it!" "Well yea...I scored 800 in all my GMAT practice tests so I was really disappointed with my results, yea, you know, well, um..."
They'll say, "No I'm not rich! Stop saying that!" Then wait for other people to ask, "Then where do you live?" "Chelsea." "Oh my god and you say you're not rich? I can't believe it!" "Well uh...it just costed me around a million or two, yea, you know, well, um..."
You just HATE these kinda people don't you!
*
So next time anyone asks me why I succeeded in something, I will say to him/her, because I am good.
And that's at least part of the truth, isn't it? (wink)
The answer took the guy by surprise for a second, but then he said, I LIKE YOUR ANSWER!
*
I forgot what we were talking about but some guy from my group asked me, you got a pretty high GMAT score, right? And I say, yea, was pretty high.
And the guy who asked the question said, I LIKE YOUR ANSWER!
*
Why do they like my answer? Well it's obviously because people don't usually JUST SAY "I am good."
They'll say, "Nah, I sucked at it." Then wait for other people to ask, "Then what did you get?" "710." "Oh my god and you say you sucked at it? I can't believe it!" "Well yea...I scored 800 in all my GMAT practice tests so I was really disappointed with my results, yea, you know, well, um..."
They'll say, "No I'm not rich! Stop saying that!" Then wait for other people to ask, "Then where do you live?" "Chelsea." "Oh my god and you say you're not rich? I can't believe it!" "Well uh...it just costed me around a million or two, yea, you know, well, um..."
You just HATE these kinda people don't you!
*
So next time anyone asks me why I succeeded in something, I will say to him/her, because I am good.
And that's at least part of the truth, isn't it? (wink)
2011年3月1日 星期二
The business cycle
Today, I learnt about the business cycle that is very inspiring:
Cash --> Raw materials --> Work-In-Progress --> Finished goods --> Debtors --> Cash
"Do you want cash? Well not really. Because they aren't really generating revenue for you and too much of it lowers your ROI. So you buy raw materials with your cash. Do you want raw materials? Well not really. Because they are expensive to keep. So you turn them into WIP. Do you want WIP? Well not really. Because they are worth nothing until they're finished. So you turn them into finished goods. Do you want finished goods? Well not really. Because you want to sell them! So you sell them and you get debtors. Do you want debtors? Well not really. Because you want them to pay you. So they pay you, and you get cash. Do you want cash? Well not really! That's the business cycle for a finance director isn't it!"
Well I don't understand much of British humour but I understand his. David Murphy is the guy!
Cash --> Raw materials --> Work-In-Progress --> Finished goods --> Debtors --> Cash
"Do you want cash? Well not really. Because they aren't really generating revenue for you and too much of it lowers your ROI. So you buy raw materials with your cash. Do you want raw materials? Well not really. Because they are expensive to keep. So you turn them into WIP. Do you want WIP? Well not really. Because they are worth nothing until they're finished. So you turn them into finished goods. Do you want finished goods? Well not really. Because you want to sell them! So you sell them and you get debtors. Do you want debtors? Well not really. Because you want them to pay you. So they pay you, and you get cash. Do you want cash? Well not really! That's the business cycle for a finance director isn't it!"
Well I don't understand much of British humour but I understand his. David Murphy is the guy!
2011年2月25日 星期五
Young peeps!!! (2)
Not sure if it applies to every culture, but I normally regard 3 years difference as "one generation gap", i.e. if somebody is 3 years older than me I'd say we have a generation gap and if somebody is 6 years older than me I'd say we have TWO generation gaps. Well not that the number is important but it just explains how different people's mindsets are.
So I was back from Tesco with SiMui and on the way some friend of SiMui, who is an undergrad, came along and said hi. During the conversation we learnt that she just had a presentation in class. Well that is nothing special until you realize what she wore. Black tights with, on top, a skirt barely covering her entire hips. Wow, some presentation!
So SiMui is 2 years younger than me and I guess that's the maximum gap I could tolerate. The undergrad who is again 2 years younger than SiMui is, therefore, beyond capacity. To make it simple, they are simply 不知所謂！
So, folks older than me, if you find my behaviour utterly unacceptable, please let me know. Because...I'm still a young peep! =]
So I was back from Tesco with SiMui and on the way some friend of SiMui, who is an undergrad, came along and said hi. During the conversation we learnt that she just had a presentation in class. Well that is nothing special until you realize what she wore. Black tights with, on top, a skirt barely covering her entire hips. Wow, some presentation!
So SiMui is 2 years younger than me and I guess that's the maximum gap I could tolerate. The undergrad who is again 2 years younger than SiMui is, therefore, beyond capacity. To make it simple, they are simply 不知所謂！
So, folks older than me, if you find my behaviour utterly unacceptable, please let me know. Because...I'm still a young peep! =]
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