Many years back, we were developing some modem code for an AFE device made by a Californian chip maker, contracted to their Netherlands office. The chip had problems, we kept reporting. These were denied, by the US management. In desperation the Netherlands guys sent me out to CA to talk to the engineers.... They were all Asian / Chinese. After a good technical chat they said "yes, we know about the bugs, we're fixing it, no problem". I asked why we'd not been told this. They told me, the management were all of eastern European origin, were idiots, and they never told them anything!!! But they were happy to talk to me, an engineer...
A classic Dilbert management scenario!
A classic Dilbert management scenario!
Scott, that's been my experience also from my Bell Labs days.
What really bent me out of shape is a lot of my best ones left the company because management told them " you can't be a tech forever. you MUST go back to school, etc." when in fact, they DID want to be a tech forever, because they REALLY liked it and were OUTSTANDING at it.
Good ones are true magicians.
Nothing like progress ....
We used to joke that two favorite acronyms were UEA (unwanted executive assistance) and UCS (undesired career stimulation).
mlloyd1
What really bent me out of shape is a lot of my best ones left the company because management told them " you can't be a tech forever. you MUST go back to school, etc." when in fact, they DID want to be a tech forever, because they REALLY liked it and were OUTSTANDING at it.
Good ones are true magicians.
Nothing like progress ....
We used to joke that two favorite acronyms were UEA (unwanted executive assistance) and UCS (undesired career stimulation).
mlloyd1
I find some "Political Correct" criticism is over sensitive and a bit illogical. Some of the PC people need to reflect on the fact that making a comment about a perceived "difference" or a distinctive attribute is not necessarily "discrimination". Observing a pattern of behavior which is repeated and then given a label, be it "Asian" (or "Aussie" in my own case), is usually NOT discrimination. Most often it is an objective observation with an adjective attached that facilitates accurate communication.
Richard Marsh's experience reminded me of a close relative who is doing his Ph D in one of the biological sciences. He is based here in Australia, which has a dominant First World culture, but occasionally he does some experimental work in SE Asia. On one occasion "Cultural differences" caused a lot of confusion and degrading of experimental results. Everyone in the lab from both countries were being "helpful" and polite by their own standards. Everyone's motives were good but it WAS costly in time, money and emotional energy.
To note this incident, store it in the memory and then communicate it to others working in a similar area is neither racial stereotyping nor discriminatory. It is just good common sense, good social science and saves a lot of frustration for EVERYBODY involved.
Cheers, Jonathan
Richard Marsh's experience reminded me of a close relative who is doing his Ph D in one of the biological sciences. He is based here in Australia, which has a dominant First World culture, but occasionally he does some experimental work in SE Asia. On one occasion "Cultural differences" caused a lot of confusion and degrading of experimental results. Everyone in the lab from both countries were being "helpful" and polite by their own standards. Everyone's motives were good but it WAS costly in time, money and emotional energy.
To note this incident, store it in the memory and then communicate it to others working in a similar area is neither racial stereotyping nor discriminatory. It is just good common sense, good social science and saves a lot of frustration for EVERYBODY involved.
Cheers, Jonathan
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Hi John,
I think you are absolutely correct on that point. My own experience bears out your observation.
On "political correctness", it really has gone too far these days. When normal observations point to a behaviour practiced by a group of people, making note of such is not, not politically correct. It is a mere statement of fact that ties the most easily recognised way to identify that group with the common behaviour they practice. However, if you identify that group by using an negative slang term, then that statement is not politically correct. Only then should we see comments about that statement. Stereotypes generally do have a basis in fact, whether that group of people like it or not. I wouldn't call any statements that recognise the stereotype not politically correct either. Not unless the group is referred to using a slang term that has a negative aspect.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I am sick to death of having to watch what I say because it isn't in the right "code of the day", especially when no ill intent exists.
-Chris
I think you are absolutely correct on that point. My own experience bears out your observation.
On "political correctness", it really has gone too far these days. When normal observations point to a behaviour practiced by a group of people, making note of such is not, not politically correct. It is a mere statement of fact that ties the most easily recognised way to identify that group with the common behaviour they practice. However, if you identify that group by using an negative slang term, then that statement is not politically correct. Only then should we see comments about that statement. Stereotypes generally do have a basis in fact, whether that group of people like it or not. I wouldn't call any statements that recognise the stereotype not politically correct either. Not unless the group is referred to using a slang term that has a negative aspect.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I am sick to death of having to watch what I say because it isn't in the right "code of the day", especially when no ill intent exists.
-Chris
Jonathan: In my case it wasn't 'politically correct', it was the fact that the statement was just plain wrong and the described behaviour is seen anywhere that technical types have to mix with the rest of humanity. I've seen it in projects all over the place, the worst case being in UK where a 2 million project ran 3 million over budget before it was finally taken out and shot. Second worst I have seen is microsoft and I'm sure others can come up with examples. It's not an Asian problem.
At the end of the day RM has pointed out this whole exercise is so he gets a couple of nice shiny amplifiers cheap and Dadod gets a few € so nothing really lost. Not like he doesn't currently have a couple of KW of Harman International's finest powering his speakers which is hardly shabby.
At the end of the day RM has pointed out this whole exercise is so he gets a couple of nice shiny amplifiers cheap and Dadod gets a few € so nothing really lost. Not like he doesn't currently have a couple of KW of Harman International's finest powering his speakers which is hardly shabby.
Hi canyoncruz #95988. I think I said First World culture NOT economy......I could have said a predominantly European culture that would have been equally true. (It has not been Anglo-Saxon for many generations.)
But, back to the economy you mentioned. It is interesting. We may not be big but we have been ticking along quite nicely, thank you. We are now in our 26th year of uninterrupted economic growth. I understand that is some sort of record. But having said that the wise heads suggest that this is probably "all going belly up" in the medium term. We have v high household debt and a few other issues.
Sorry if you felt targeted Bill. I was generalizing from a whole range of anecdotes and examples I have heard over the years not just RM's.
I still maintain the basic point I was wishing to make is correct.
I.e. noting "differences" does not automatically imply discrimination, okay?
This can be women feeling discriminated by their exclusion from all male clubs or whatever. Here in Oz it has got quite silly (or sad) lately. Although from what I read in the international weeklies it is not got to the stage of the "micro aggressions" being pilloried in some North American tertiary institutions. That sounds scary.
Here Oz at the moment we are having a debate about voting on a plebiscite to test the nation's mood about same sex marriage and the amount of nonsense being proposed on both sides is making the innocent bystander feel he is watching a "high risk spectator sport".
If you follow debate in the public discourse on such topics as "identity politics" or political correctness you may be interested in the observation from C.S. Lewis in the 1940's(!). He suggested that in the future we will have lost the ability to discern truth. Arguments will be won by the use of adjectives and not rational thought. That day has come, at least where I live.
But, back to the economy you mentioned. It is interesting. We may not be big but we have been ticking along quite nicely, thank you. We are now in our 26th year of uninterrupted economic growth. I understand that is some sort of record. But having said that the wise heads suggest that this is probably "all going belly up" in the medium term. We have v high household debt and a few other issues.
Sorry if you felt targeted Bill. I was generalizing from a whole range of anecdotes and examples I have heard over the years not just RM's.
I still maintain the basic point I was wishing to make is correct.
I.e. noting "differences" does not automatically imply discrimination, okay?
This can be women feeling discriminated by their exclusion from all male clubs or whatever. Here in Oz it has got quite silly (or sad) lately. Although from what I read in the international weeklies it is not got to the stage of the "micro aggressions" being pilloried in some North American tertiary institutions. That sounds scary.
Here Oz at the moment we are having a debate about voting on a plebiscite to test the nation's mood about same sex marriage and the amount of nonsense being proposed on both sides is making the innocent bystander feel he is watching a "high risk spectator sport".
If you follow debate in the public discourse on such topics as "identity politics" or political correctness you may be interested in the observation from C.S. Lewis in the 1940's(!). He suggested that in the future we will have lost the ability to discern truth. Arguments will be won by the use of adjectives and not rational thought. That day has come, at least where I live.
Wow, that is my experience as well.
I must be just a bit more autistic, as I don't have much tolerance for that, and am free to admit when my stuff isn't performing, especially when safety is a factor.
I am also fascinated with cultural differences, however, is a subject that must be approached cautiously as anyone reading or listening may not be in the same mindset as you are at that particular moment.
I do enjoy bouncing stereotypes back and forth with certain friends, has led to some side-splitting laughter. It's often quite revealing to hear something from another perspective.
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That is correct..... The amps which come bundled with the M2 speakers (JBL) is the Crown, I-TECH 5000HD. They have the built-in DSP/crossover for those speakers which are 2-way bi-amp speakers. No internal, passive cross-over. The digital amp can produce all day long at 5000W/channel. I intend to replace the digital amp portion with a more refined sounding/performing (Dadod) amp as soon as I can get them home to California.
-RM
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Its been going on over a long period of time here... just one more....
I showed major employee F--k-ups and instead get comments about management of the f--k ups? Weird.
-RNM
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Phew!
Back in 2009 I took an "International Business" in a community college. What they taught, was how it is good to buy in China and resell; how culture-defined business expectations, rules, and mentality are different, and how to deal with Chinese partners. Indeed, they taught about all this stuff that today would be called not polit-correct.
Back in 2009 I took an "International Business" in a community college. What they taught, was how it is good to buy in China and resell; how culture-defined business expectations, rules, and mentality are different, and how to deal with Chinese partners. Indeed, they taught about all this stuff that today would be called not polit-correct.
There are a lot of management and leadership articles and white papers over at McKinsey Consulting: McKinsey & Company | Global management consulting They are mostly based on up-to-date research and mostly seem to be advocating the right things. Probably worth taking a look at if interested in that type of thing. May have to register to download them, but viewing might be free.
R&D Dept I worked in had the engineers instructing me on inserting probes and logging internal temps of ballasts for portable trailer lighting plant......the HID/HPS ballasts were failing regularly in northwest west australia conditions and causing huge financial loss and reputational loss.
The engineers were devising all kinds of forced ventilation schemes that were not working.
In my own time I decided to run a ballast on the bench in free air conditions for a few days and came up with the result that the ballasts were exceeding temp rating of wire enamel and insulating paper in these ideal conditions.
This showed up the futility of the engineering approach.....guess who got the short end of the stick.
Dan.
> What they taught, was how it is good to buy in China and resell ....
A lot of people got rich that way for sure.
For example, a well-known branded full range speaker chassis sells for ~ 150€ a piece in the EU.
The wholesale price ex-HK is ~ 15USD a piece.
Even counting all business costs on top, you know that the Chinese manufacturer is certainly not the one making most of the money.
The poor guy has to run the factory, pay for all manufacturing and material costs, and still make a profit from 15 USD.
The other guy just buys and resells.
Patrick
A lot of people got rich that way for sure.
For example, a well-known branded full range speaker chassis sells for ~ 150€ a piece in the EU.
The wholesale price ex-HK is ~ 15USD a piece.
Even counting all business costs on top, you know that the Chinese manufacturer is certainly not the one making most of the money.
The poor guy has to run the factory, pay for all manufacturing and material costs, and still make a profit from 15 USD.
The other guy just buys and resells.
Patrick
I would think a large proportion of the difference (maybe more than half) goes to advertising.
You can't just put a bunch of speakers in your garage and wait for customers to come; they won't. You have to go out, find them, and convince them to give you money for one of those chassis. That is horrendously expensive.
In what is basically a fashion industry, the manufacturing price of the product is almost irrelevant.
Jan
You can't just put a bunch of speakers in your garage and wait for customers to come; they won't. You have to go out, find them, and convince them to give you money for one of those chassis. That is horrendously expensive.
In what is basically a fashion industry, the manufacturing price of the product is almost irrelevant.
Jan
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