Thursday, April 23, 2009

Ellisons

In 2005, Oracle paid Ellison a $975,000 salary, a $6,500,000 bonus, and other compensation of $955,100. [4]
While CEO of Oracle in 2007, Ellison earned a total compensation of $61,180,524, which included a base salary of $1,000,000, a cash bonus of $8,369,000, and options granted of $50,087,100.[5]
In 2008, he earned a total compensation of $84,598,700, which included a base salary of $1,000,000, a cash bonus of $10,779,000, and options granted of $71,372,700.[6]
Forbes listed Ellison's 2005 net worth as $18.4 billion, making him one of the richest people in America, and the ninth richest man in the world. For a short period in 2000, Ellison was the richest man in the world[7]. In 2006, Forbes ranked Ellison as the richest Californian[8]. Ellison also owns large stakes in both Salesforce.com and NetSuite.

Sales&Bonuses

In 1990, Oracle laid off 10% (about 400 people) of its work force because of a mismatch between cash and revenues. This crisis, which almost resulted in Oracle's bankruptcy, came about because of Oracle's "up-front" marketing strategy, in which sales people urged potential customers to buy the largest possible amount of software all at once. The sales people then booked the value of future license sales in the current quarter, thereby increasing their bonuses. This became a problem when the future sales subsequently failed to materialize. Oracle eventually had to restate its earnings twice, and also to settle out of court class action lawsuits arising from its having overstated its earnings. Ellison would later say that Oracle had made "an incredible business mistake."

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Future legal eagles sharpen claws in moot world court

A Cambodian team has found a place in the history books after being the first to take part in the Jessup International Moot Court Competitition

...was a wake-up call...

Evicted to life in limbo - ThePhnomPenhPost

The posters on the wall read, "The company is causing us great pain" and "If you want the land, you have to buy it. You cannot use a gun".

Monday, April 20, 2009

TED Ideas worth spreading

http://www.ted.com/
Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world

What is it really mean 'voluntarily obey'?

Max Weber

  • power, the ability to force people to obey, regardless of their resistance
  • authority, where orders are voluntarily obeyed by those receiving them, and subordinates accept the ideas and directives from above because they are legitimate.

Authority was legitimised - is based upon charismatic, traditional and rational-legal.

And how do you know the 3 exists?

  • Charismatic leadership - the individual has some special quality of personality - inspiration.
  • Traditional - based upon custom and pracitce.
  • The rational-legal - by means of a system of rules and procedures.

How do you tell someone possessing a power?

Power is 'the ability to influence the action of others'.
  • Reward power - one who can mediate rewards such as promotions, recommendations or answeers to questions.
  • Coercive power - the person who can mediate punishments for others: for example, to dismiss, suspend, reprimand them, or make them carry out unpleasnt tasks.
  • Referent power - the person who has the resources, or the desire to be like that person: for example, children imitate their parents.
  • Expert power - is based upon one person perceiving that the other person has expert knowledge of a given subject and is a recognised authority in a given situation
  • Legitimate power - is based on agreement and commonly held values

How do you tell someone responsible for an action?

Responsibility is 'liable to be called to account, answerable'.


Responsible individual is 'one who is morally accountable for actions, capable of rational conduct, of good credit or position or repute, respectable, apparently trustworthy'.

Responsibility is an obligation owed, it cannot be delegated. No superior can escape responsibility for the activities of subordinates, for it is the superior who has delegated authority and assigned the duties.

How do you tell someone IQ low or high?

*all about my subjective to things around me

What these really mean?
  1. "authority without power, power without authority"
  2. "correlation versus causation"

Authority is the right of a position to exercise descretion in making decisions affecting ohers.

Power is the ability to influence the actions of others.

Correlation (by illustration) When variable X increases, Y also increases.

Causation (by illustration) The relationship between X & Y could be coincidental or may be others variables such as A, B , C,...also responsible for Y increases

TOEFL

The language with the largest alphabet is Cambodian, with 74 letters, while the shortest is the Solomon Island language of Rotokas, with only 11.

Friday, April 17, 2009

MBAs: Owned by Their Models by Roger Martin

I see the current financial crisis littered with models applied aggressively, confidently, and to their fullest. Because so many senior executives are MBAs, I attribute a portion of the current crisis to the fact that many MBAs are owned by their models.

We human beings are modelers by nature. We develop mental models of the world around us in order to understand how things work. Some of those models are deep and sophisticated while others are shallow and largely superstitious. In the former category, if you are computer savvy with a detailed understanding of how your laptop works, and if it stops working, you will apply your model to engage in a sophisticated diagnostic and rectification process. If your model is in the latter camp, you'll probably reboot the machine and hope that it will start working again. The two approaches stem from very different models and vary in terms of effectiveness and implications.

When users understand the assumptions and logical structure underlying their model, as with the sophisticated computer user, they can be said to own their model - that is, they are the model's master. Alternatively, when they only understand the desired output, the model is their master:
it "owns the user"--an expression coined by my Rotman colleague, Mihnea Moldoveanu, with whom I recently co-authored a book on MBA education.
Most MBA programs are taught in such a way that rather than owning the models, the models own students. Management research has become more thorough, rigorous, and technical, and it has developed tools based on complex models. Students in business school have to absorb many tools in a short time, so they aren't inclined to delve deep into the inputs or the workings of the underlying models. They focus mainly on the outputs. When professors try to go into the details, students make it clear that they prefer the takeaways--not its derivation or caveats. In any case, faculty members, proud of the models they've developed or sharpened, aren't eager to focus too much attention on situations in which their frameworks don't work.

As a result of this little dance, MBAs join organizations with a toolbox full of models for which they primarily understand only the outputs. Worse, they believe: "I know a bunch of powerful tools that work in most, if not all, circumstances. I can therefore apply them aggressively, confidently, and to their fullest."

To reverse this situation, my colleagues at the
Rotman School and I have been working for over a decade to help our students own their models. At the start of the MBA program, we teach students how to audit models, so they understand how they function and what the limitations are. We explain that every model--every single one--has limitations. Faculty members drive home the point that no model students will learn in the next two years will be perfectly suited to the situations they will face, and that they must build new models or modify existing ones. In addition, they are taught to reverse-engineer models so that they can analyze them and learn the skill of building logically robust models.

In particular, we teach MBAs productive techniques for handling what we call "model clash," when two different models prescribe competing approaches. Rather than teach students to choose one model or the other, we teach them to utilize the assumptions and logic of the opposing models to build new models. We call this approach Integrative Thinking, a term I introduced in an
HBR article called "How Successful Leaders Think." This introduction enables students to become sophisticated consumers of the models they learn. They are in a better position to understand models' power and limitations, and they can engage better with professors in debates about their applicability. And, they can practice building their own models.

Rather than produce naïve, over-confident users of models, we try to produce sophisticated and reflective MBAs. This isn't easy partly because the 16, or more, years of formal education our students have had before they come to business school has encouraged the naïve use of output-only models. This is why we have been running a pilot to teach Integrative Thinking to secondary school students. The experiment has been successful so far with secondary school sophomores demonstrating the capacity to reverse-engineer existing models, build new models, and deal productively and creatively with model clash. Their feeling of excitement as they learn to own their models rather than be owned by them is palpable.

Our work there has led me to two conclusions. First, the problem of models owning users is universal--not limited to business school students. Second, we must address the problem long before students get to graduate school.

Frustration

...Frustration is the condition of stress or tension that results when a person encounters a barries that prevents the attainment of a desired goal. The cause of frastration can be both within or external to the individual. Cause within individual may be due to inadequate strength or intelligence for the achievement of the desired goal. External causes may be environment obstacles, persons or rules. The person who want to achieve the high outcome may be frustrated when it is not the general feeling within his or her work group.

...Reactions to frustration may be positive or negative. Positive reactions include problem-solving which is directed to removing or bypassing the the frustration obstacle. Many inventions have resulted from the need to circumvent a barrier. Negative reactions to frustration iclude aggression, regression, withdrawal and resignation.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

"I'm not a Thaksin-lover," says Thanong Gulyanamitta, a 47-year-old computer-store owner who joined the Bangkok protests Sunday. "Mr. Thaksin isn't the issue here. What's important is that if we don't do something now, my son will never live to see a proper democracy in Thailand."

Friday, April 10, 2009

AllAboutDemand

Compensated demand function: A hypothetical demand curve in which the consumer''s income is adjusted as the price changes so that the consumer''s utility remains at the same level.

Demand curve: A curve that represents graphically the relationship between the quantity of a good demanded by a consumer and the price of that good as the price varies.

Income effect: The impact of an income-induced change in demand caused by a change in price.

Income expansion path: The path connecting optimal consumption bundles that shows how a consumer changes his quantity demanded of specified goods as his income changes and prices remain constant.

Inferior good: A good for which demand decreases as the income of the consumer increases and the relative prices remain constant.

Normal good: A good whose demand curve is downward sloping.

Price-consumption path: The curve representing how consumption will vary when one price changes but all other prices and the consumer''s income remain constant.

Quantity demanded: The quantity of a good that people seek to purchase at a given price.

Relative prices: The ratio that tells how much a consumer in a market would have to forgo of one good in order to receive units of another good.

Substitution effect: The change in demand that results from an attempt to substitute a good whose price has decreased for another good whose price has remained constant after having nullified the implicit income effect.

Superior good: A good for which demand increases as the income of the consumer increases and the relative prices remain constant.

http://websites.swlearning.com/cgi-swlearning/course_products_wp.pl?fid=M20b&product_isbn_issn=9780324315844&disciplinenumber=413

TinM

alternative dispute resolution avoiding courtroom battles by settling disputes with less costly methods, including arbitration and mediation

amoral managers managers who are neither moral nor immoral but ethically lazy

authority right to direct the actions of others

anticipatory changes planned changes based on expected situations

business cycle the up-and-down movement of an economy’s ability to generate wealth

break-even point level of sales at which there is no loss or profit

body language nonverbal communication based on facial expressions, posture, and appearance
bargaining zone the gap between two parties’ BATNAs

benchmarking identifying, studying, and building upon the best practices of organizational role models

closed system a self-sufficient entity

contingency approach research effort to determine which managerial practices and techniques are appropriate in specific situations

contingent workers part-timers and other employees who do not have a long-term implicit contract with their ultimate employers

cultural intelligence (CQ) ability to interpret and act in appropriate ways in unfamiliar cultural surroundings

culture a population’s taken-for-granted assumptions, values, beliefs, and symbols that foster patterned behavior

collectivist cultures cultures that emphasize duty and loyalty to collective goals and achievements

comparative management study of how organizational behavior and management practices differ across cultures

culture shock negative feelings triggered by a mismatch between expectations and reality

cross-cultural training guided experience that helps people live and work successfully in foreign cultures

corporate social responsibility (CSR) the idea that business has social obligations above and beyond making a profit

critical path most time-consuming route through a PERT network

contribution margin selling price per unit minus variable costs per unit

capability profile identifying the organization’s strengths and weaknesses

cross-sectional scenarios describing future situations at a given point in time

condition of certainty solid factual basis allows accurate prediction of decision’s outcome

condition of risk decision made on basis of incomplete but reliable information

condition of uncertainty no reliable factual information available

creativity the reorganization of experience into new configurations

causes variables responsible for the difference between actual and desired conditions

contingency design fitting the organization to its environment

centralization the retention of decision-making authority by top management

cluster organization collaborative structure in which teams are the primary unit

communication interpersonal transfer of information and understanding

cafeteria compensation plan that allows employees to select their own mix of benefits

cohesiveness tendency of a group to stick together

conformity complying with prevailing role expectations and norms

cross-functional team task group staffed with a mix of specialists pursuing a common objective

coercive power gaining compliance through threats or punishment

conflict incompatible behaviors that make another person less effective

conflict trigger any factor that increases the chances of conflict

control taking preventive or corrective actions to keep things on track

crisis management anticipating and preparing for events that could damage the organization

contingency plan a backup plan for emergencies

customer-centered satisfying the customer’s needs by anticipating, listening, and responding

control chart visual aid showing acceptable and unacceptable variations from the norm for repetitive operations

demographics statistical profiles of human populations

differentiation buyer perceives unique and superior value in a product

decision making identifying and choosing among alternative courses of action

decentralization management’s sharing of decision-making authority with lower-level employees

delegation assigning various degrees of decision-making authority to lower-level employees

Deming management application of W. Edwards Deming’s ideas for more responsive, more democratic, and less wasteful organizations

effectiveness a central element in the process of management that entails achieving a stated organizational objective

efficiency a central element in the process of management that balances the amount of resources used to achieve an objective against what was actually accomplished

e-business a business using the Internet for greater efficiency in every aspect of its operations

enlightened self-interest a business ultimately helping itself by helping to solve societal problems

ethics study of moral obligation involving right versus wrong

effect uncertainty impacts of environmental changes are unpredictable

escalation of commitment people get locked into losing courses of action to avoid the embarrassment of quitting or admitting error

explicit knowledge documented and sharable information

employment selection test any procedure used in the employment decision process

expectancy theory model that assumes that motivational strength is determined by perceived probabilities of success

expectancy the belief or expectation that one thing will lead to another

extrinsic rewards payoffs, such as money, that are granted by others

expert power gaining compliance on the basis of one’s ability to dispense valued information

empowerment making employees full partners in the decision-making process and giving them the necessary tools and rewards

executive reality check top managers periodically working at lower-level jobs to become more aware of operations

http://college.cengage.com/business/kreitner/management/11e/assets/students/glossary_complete/kreitner_11e_glossary_complete.html

http://www.nelson.com/

social Darwinism Herbert Spencer's belief that those species of animals—including human beings—best adapted to the environment survive and prosper while those poorly adapted die out.

social change The alteration, modification, or transformation of public policy, culture, or social institutions over time.

self-concept The totality of our beliefs and feelings about ourselves.

secularization The process by which religious beliefs, practices, and institutions lose their significance in sectors of society and culture.

secondary sector production The sector of the economy that processes raw materials (from the primary sector) into finished goods.

secondary labour market The sector of the labour market that consists of low-paying jobs with few benefits and very little job security or possibility for future advancement.

search engine The tool used to locate information in an on-line computer database.

sanction A reward for appropriate behaviour or a penalty for inappropriate behaviour.

sample The people who are selected from the population to be studied.

rumour An unsubstantiated report on an issue or subject.

role-taking The process by which a person mentally assumes the role of another person in order to understand the world from that person's point of view.

role expectation A term used to describe a group's or society's definition of the way a specific role ought to be played.

role A set of behavioural expectations associated with a given status.

ritual A symbolic action that represents religious meanings.

respondent A person who provides data for analysis through an interview or questionnaire.

resolution Clarity of the picture on the screen.

research method A strategy or technique for systematically conducting research.

representative sample A selection from a larger population that has the essential characteristics of the total population.

religion A system of beliefs, symbols, and rituals, based on some sacred or supernatural realm, that guides human behaviour, gives meaning to life, and unites believers into a community.

reliability In sociological research, the extent to which a study or research instrument yields consistent results.

relative poverty A level of economic deprivation in which people may be able to afford basic necessities but still are unable to maintain an average standard of living.

reference group A term used to describe a group that strongly influences a person's behaviour and social attitudes, regardless of whether that individual is an actual member.

random sample A selection in which everyone in the target population has an equal chance of being chosen; in other words, choice occurs by chance.

racism An organized set of beliefs about the innate inferiority of some racial groups, combined with the power to transform these ideas into practices that can deny or exclude equality of treatment on the basis of race.

race A category of people who have been singled out as inferior or superior, often on the basis of physical characteristics such as skin colour, hair texture, and eye shape.

selective perception The concept that people perceive messages differently.

sender (or source) The agency that puts a message on a channel (for example, a local cable company).

server A computerized storage system used to send programs and data to consumers, using cable, phone lines, or other networks.

sexual orientation A person's preference for emotional–sexual relationships with members of the opposite sex (heterosexuality), the same sex (homosexuality), or both sexes (bisexuality).

situation comedy A television program that establishes a fixed set of characters in either a home or work situation.

social change The alteration, modification, or transformation of public policy, culture, or social institutions over time.

social control Systematic practices developed by social groups to encourage conformity and to discourage deviance.

social devaluation A situation in which a person or group is considered to have less social value than other individuals or groups.

social disorganization According to functionalist theorists, conditions that undermine the ability of traditional institutions (such as family, church, or school) to govern social behaviour.

social distance A term used to describe the extent to which people are willing to interact and establish relationships with members of racial and ethnic groups other than their own.

social group A group that consists of two or more people who interact frequently and share a common identity and a feeling of interdependence.

social institution A set of organized beliefs and rules that establish how a society will attempt to meet its basic social needs.

social interaction The process by which people act toward or respond to other people.

social movement An organized group that acts consciously to promote or resist change through collective action.

social network A series of social relationships that link an individual to others.

social structure The stable pattern of social relationships that exist within a particular group or society.

socialism An economic system characterized by public ownership of the means of production, the pursuit of collective goals, and centralized decision making.

socialization The lifelong process of social interaction through which individuals acquire a self-identity and the physical, mental, and social skills needed for survival in society.

societal consensus A situation whereby the majority of members share a common set of values, beliefs, and behavioural expectations.

society A large social grouping that shares the same geographical territory and is subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.

sociobiology The systematic study of how biology affects social behaviour.

socioeconomic status (SES) A combined measure that attempts to classify individuals, families, or households in terms of indicators such as income, occupation, and education.

sociological imagination C. Wright Mills's term for the ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and the larger society.

sociology The systematic study of human society and social interactions.

special interest groups Political coalitions comprised of individuals or groups that share a specific interest that they wish to protect or advance with the help of the political system.

split labour market A term used to describe the division of the economy into two areas of employment: a primary sector or upper tier, composed of higher-paid (usually dominant group) workers in more secure jobs; and a secondary sector or lower tier, comprised of lower-paid (often subordinate group) workers in jobs with little security and hazardous working conditions.

split-run editions Magazines that are published in several countries with the same editorial content, but with local advertisements.

state The political entity that possesses a legitimate monopoly over the use of force within its territory to achieve its goals.

status A socially defined position in a group or society characterized by certain expectations, rights, and duties.

status symbol A material sign that informs others of a person's specific status.

stigma According to Erving Goffman, any physical or social attribute or sign that so devalues a person's social identity that it disqualifies that person from full social acceptance.

subcontracting A form of economic organization in which a larger corporation contracts with other (usually smaller) firms to provide specialized components, products, or services to the larger corporation.

succession The process by which a new category of people or type of land use gradually predominates in an area formerly dominated by another group or activity.

survey A research method in which a questionnaire or interview is used by researchers to gather facts or determine the relationship between facts.

systemic racism A term used to describe practices that have a harmful impact on subordinate group members even though the organizationally prescribed norms or regulations guiding these actions initially were established with no intent to harm.