tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69592472853935656792023-06-20T09:18:26.706-04:0021st Century BusinessRCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-88314627807551711062015-04-09T21:12:00.000-04:002015-04-09T21:17:10.741-04:00Recognition Day 2015As The Citadel Class of 18 looks toward their Recognition Day this Saturday I know some of their thoughts. Thirty Eight years ago it was the Recognition Day for the Class of 81. I wasn't sure how it would go. There was some worry if I was physically able to handle what was coming. The 4th Class system was coming to an end. On one hand it was with relief that after that day there would be no more bracing, no more yelling, no more MRI with the 1Sgt, Ahead was relaxing times on the gallery, making friendships with those who spent the first part of the year turning eliminating our individuality and the last part of the year building us back up as a team (though some of my classmates would disagree with that last part). But I wasn't sure entirely sure some of those friendships would really happen. <br />
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The day came and boy was it a day. At the end of a very physical time and after a large number of pushups we were standing at attention (or at least trying to do it between gasps of breath and swaying back and forth). The Company CO announced that the 4th Class System had ended. Then started the long line of first name introductions and handshakes. Dan, Joe, Brian, another Joe, George, Kevin, Rich, John, Robert and many more. <br />
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Somewhere along the way it became a blur. Not because I passed out but because the emotion hit me. I had survived. I had gone through an experience that none of my high school classmates had done. The person who walked through the sallyport in August 1977 with a flattop was no more. In his place was someone who had matured and was ready to handle whatever came his way. It wasn't sweat in my eyes but tears of joy and thanks. The cadre, company leadership and even every company member, had done their job well. Now it was our turn to continue the training for the next class and to continue our development over the next 3 years. Those lessons in knob year and the next 3 have well positioned all of us to face what life sends our way. <br />
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For the Class of 2018.... Your Recognition Day is different than ours. That is ok. You live in a different time. Change is important for people and an institution to remain relevant. Embrace your day. You will be exhausted. Many before you have survived Recognition Day, so will you.<br />
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Don't hold grudges toward any upperclassmen, even those who did treat you unfairly. Learn from that and don't be like them. Become their friends....With very few exceptions they were doing what they thought was right. Learning how to get over things and turn these people into friends and comrades will be a talent that will serve you well in the future. <br />
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What we learn in knob year is how to "play the game" and WIN for the team. Not many people know how to do that. It is great satisfaction in the business world to put that to use and win not for self but for the team/company.<br />
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Thank your parents and those that have helped you during this year. They have sacrificed so that you can have this experience and are also proud of your accomplishment.<br />
<br />
Now on a personal note: While, as an alumnus, I am proud of every knob that has made it through the year there is one in particular that I am especially proud of. She has done well and approached situations with a "can do" attitude even when they were not what she expected. She is an awesome young lady and will be a leader with or without rank. RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-35862448584307215982015-02-24T20:47:00.003-05:002015-02-24T20:47:48.301-05:00Pebble does it again<div class="gE iv gt" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; cursor: auto; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; padding: 12px 0px 3px;">
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-time-awesome-smartwatch-no-compromises?ref=most_funded" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">https://www.kickstarter.com/<wbr></wbr>projects/597507018/pebble-<wbr></wbr>time-awesome-smartwatch-no-<wbr></wbr>compromises</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="DE">As of 8PM EST the current Pebble Time campaign has gone to #5 all time Kickstarter funding with 32,562 backers and 6,835,152 USD pledged! They have already broken Kickstarter records today and are on the way to the #1 spot again. <u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="DE">I do have a first generation Pebble and have written an app or 2 for it. During the last 1.5 years or so I’ve been impressed that Pebble has made continuous improvements in the firmware as well as the interfaces using the Pebble app. They have a magic combination of a good price point (199 USD msrp for the Pebble Time, less for the current models) for the device and a continuous improvement of the ecosystem. They embrace and support their developer community providing a free and open SDK and online development IDE in the Cloud. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="DE">I believe that with the new features on the watch (read about them at the above link) when paired with a phone/tablet brings Pebble into being a valid enterprise level device at a good price point. It won’t be the „eierlegende Wollmilchsau“ but no company really needs that. What people do need is a device that is easy to see providing a visual and possible audio interface back to their main smart device. That main device can and should do the heavy processing and interfacing with the rest of the world. In this combination the battery life of the watch can be optimized. Each device can do what it does best. <u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="DE"> <a href="https://medium.com/backchannel/time-bandit-pebble-s-new-weapon-in-its-battle-with-apple-and-android-watches-6e6f4cc6d372" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://medium.com/<wbr></wbr>backchannel/time-bandit-<wbr></wbr>pebble-s-new-weapon-in-its-<wbr></wbr>battle-with-apple-and-android-<wbr></wbr>watches-6e6f4cc6d372</a> is a good article talking about how Pebble got started and what lead up to today’s announcement. The below quote from the founder, Eric Migicovsky, shows his (and it seems also the company’s) core belief and how they started the design of the Pebble Time. This is why they are successful and why today they have such a fast developing kickstarter campaign. The highlighting is mine.<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span lang="DE" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16.5pt; letter-spacing: -0.25pt;">“We challenged people to start with blank slate,” he says. “It could be software, it could be hardware, it could be a watch, it could be not a watch. Just walk me through a day in the life. <span style="background: yellow;">We focused on a day because one of our stated goals and my core belief is that we want to make technology that is with you every single day of your life</span>. There were some pretty crazy ideas.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Eric Migicovsky is clearly a visionary in the wearable space. This version of the Pebble will move into the mainstream enterprise. Eric and all Pebblers are showing that laser focus and being OPEN can win! It is time for corporate IT departments to wake up and realize this. </span></div>
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RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-37582269352937740762013-07-04T15:39:00.000-04:002013-07-04T15:39:37.087-04:00Of the People, By the People and For the People<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">During the past weeks I've read a fair amount
of passionate postings Facebook and other sites from a number of
people pro and con about Paula Dean. Some of the people are taking
their position very personally and lash out at the other side when there
are disagreements. All of this is FREE publicity for Paula Dean and
she, like others before her, will be the ultimate winner. Disclaimer, I
have never liked Paula Dean and nothing of the last weeks has changed
that one way or the other. <br /> <br /> Especially on this 4th of July we should
think about what the signers of the Declaration of Independence were
doing when they put their signature on the document. They were putting
their lives, their family's lives, their land, their money on the line for their beliefs.
They exposed themselves to capture and torture...and yes they committed
treason against the, at that time, legal government. They put in
motion the movement that resulted in our republic<span class="text_exposed_show"> and our form of government. <br /> <br />
Are we willing to focus the same passion as we put into the Paula Dean
discussion toward being a part of government "of the people, by the
people and for the people"? Are we willing to hold our elected officials
responsible for their actions by voting them back into office if we
agree with them or out of office if we don't? Yes, it takes sacrifice,
yes we have to get off the couch and GO to them, yes we have to give up
some of the things we like to do in order to have time to help guide our
government. <br /> <br /> It doesn't come close to what those guys and
gals did in 1776. Are we willing to spend time to support getting those
people into elected office that will work for the people? Are we
willing to take the energy spent on the trivial stuff and focus it
toward a better tomorrow? They were. It won't take treason, it will take dedication, hard work and involvement. </span></span></span></h5>
RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-72800774594851475922012-12-24T18:54:00.000-05:002012-12-24T18:54:50.348-05:00Apollo 8 44 years later Those of us who were around in 1968 remember watching as Jim Lovell, Frank Borman and Bill Anders read from Genesis while orbiting the moon. Most people have seen the iconic pictures they took of the Earth.. "the blue marble". Those words spoken by the first 3 humans to leave the influence of this Earth had so much more meaning while being able to look at the complete Earth. We truly are one human race on this little marble. Only 7 months and on the 3rd flights later we had improved the processes and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were standing on the moon. <br />
<br />
For sure those years were turbulent times. I don't remember much of the riots and race issues. We were raised to treat our fellow man as equals so didn't understand much about the issues of the times. What is clear is that we went to the moon by focusing on a goal and achieving that goal. This is something that is lacking today. Our Legislative and Executive branches are mired in squabbles both within their own party and with the other party. They aren't able to do what is expected of EVERY successful business..... Have a balanced budget. Instead they continue to argue, spend and take every opportunity to change the focus to something else. Folks, Get it together.. FOCUS... Forget everything else. Pass a real budget and you'll find that a lot of other problems just go away. Take a bold step as we did in the space program. Republicans and Democrats, join with each other as you did in a joint session after the senseless attack on Gabriele Giffords. Get rid of the center aisle, In the new session sit with each other and work together for the American party. Enlist the support and draft some of your regular "every day guy and gal" constituents to work with you to really solve problems, not just talk about them. Don't talk to your colleagues... Talk WITH your colleagues. We have to work together and return this country to being innovative and leadership, not just on the political and peace front but in industry and to be a place where we can be proud of the people we elect to governmental office because of what they do. <br />
<br />
The Mercury 7, Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle, MIR and ISS astronauts and cosmonauts took and are taking bold steps in space exploration. We have so much because of that focus. Those of us who are Earthbound should do the same. <br />
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<br />RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-26158111175046955762012-12-16T17:55:00.000-05:002012-12-16T17:59:05.263-05:00Thoughts on recent eventsThree events in recent times are sticking in my head. Not because of the magnitude or impact but rather for the ability to totally refocus our attention. These events are:<br />
<ul>
<li>the "fiscal cliff" or as it should be called "the Executive and Legislative branchs' inability to govern" or perform to the same standards expected by every normal business</li>
<li>the Bengahazi consulate attack </li>
<li>several active shooter incidents over the last weeks</li>
<li>the Sandy Hook Elementary School active shooter incident. </li>
</ul>
Each of these events is a tragedy but keep in mind that there are shootings every day. It doesn't take a massacre to have an impact on an individual. If you or your family is in the wrong spot and the wrong time it will impact you the same as if there are multiple victims.<br />
<br />
Two things should have our focus in these weeks:<br />
First, don't let our Congress and President get sidetracked from their job of passing a budget. For them it must be the number one priority. They can debate gun control (pro and con) AFTER they do their job of stopping wasteful spending and pass a workable budget not more continuing resolutions. They should do nothing else until this is completed, delivered to the White House and signed. Stop blaming party A or party B. Forget the parties (both holiday and political) and get it done. Without that this country goes into a financial crisis. <br />
<br />
Second: Say a prayer for those that are directly impacted by these events then
get angry and make sure that you are prepared so that it doesn't happen
to you. (and that doesn't necessarily mean you have to start carrying a weapon) Become aware of your surroundings. Do you know what you would do if an active shooter walks into your office, the mall or the grocery store when you are there. Are you always aware of what and who is around you in a 360 degree bubble? Do you know your company's plan for an active shooter? Do they even have one? Don't say "it won't happen here". The only statement that is valid is "It hasn't happened here yet". Go to work tomorrow and ask your Safety Coordinator or HR if there is a plan. Insist that one is in place and exercised just like fire drills. (and for sure the same plan does NOT work for both). Imagine what would happen if half of the workforce showed up at the office door asking this question. It will get noticed. <br />
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The article at <a href="http://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/2058168-Lt-Col-Dave-Grossman-to-cops-The-enemy-is-denial/" target="_blank">http://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/2058168-Lt-Col-Dave-Grossman-to-cops-The-enemy-is-denial/</a> is a good read for more information. <br />
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Stay safe and keep aware. <br />
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<br />RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-48533738226750663172012-11-06T20:51:00.000-05:002012-11-06T20:51:02.549-05:00Thoughts on Election NightAs I sit here tonight listening to the same comments being repeated over and over in the media I think about what this election means to me. It is true that the outcome of the election will affect this country for many more than the next 4 years. Regardless of who wins he can not by himself correct the issues we face. It will take every one of us pushing our elected officials to correct issues, balance the budget (heck, even just pass a budget) and move us forward with innovation in energy, manufacturing and other areas. <br />
<br />
JFK said it best on Sept. 12, 1962 at Rice University when he laid out his plan for the space program: <i>"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are
easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills,
because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win,
and the others, too." </i>That speech galvanized a nation to achieve what many thought impossible and to do it in the next 8 short years. We need that again, not only in our quest in space but here on earth too. <br />
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I have heard from some people that they will leave the country of Obama wins, others say they will leave if Romney wins. Folks, this is OUR country. We need to all stay and work to make it a better place. <br />
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I am reminded of one of the first things I learned at The Citadel, right after the 3 standard answers....the Cadet Prayer, written by Bishop Albert S. Thomas, Ret, Class of 1892:<br />
<br />
<b>Almighty God, the source of light and strength, we implore Thy
blessing on this our beloved institution, that it may continue true to
its high purposes.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Guide and strengthen those upon whom rests the authority of
government; enlighten with wisdom those who teach and those who learn;
and grant to all of us that through sound learning and firm leadership,
we may prove ourselves worthy citizens of our country, devoted to truth,
given to unselfish service, loyal to every obligation of life and above
all to Thee.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Preserve us faithful to the ideals of The Citadel, sincere in
fellowship, unswerving in duty, finding joy in purity, and confidence
through a steadfast faith.</b><br />
<b>Grant to each one of us, in his (her) own life, a humble heart, a
steadfast purpose, and a joyful hope, with a readiness to endure
hardship and suffer if need be, that truth may prevail among us and that
Thy will may be done on earth. *Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.</b><br />
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Improving this country is a challenge is one that we must be willing to accept, one we can not postpone and one which we intend to win.<br />
RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-3538475223981210612012-04-14T13:21:00.000-04:002012-04-14T13:21:27.436-04:00Leadership Lessons from Knob Year at The CitadelReading the various Facebook posts today about the <a href="http://externalaffairs.citadel.edu/recognition_day_classof2015" target="_blank">recognition of the Class of 2015</a> brought together some thoughts I've been having about
early influences on my leadership style. The first influences were 18
years of examples by my parents of how to be a good person and treat
people correctly.<br />
<br />
In late August of 1977 the 2nd step
of leadership training began. That first day was sensory overload where
we began learning how to be good followers. The biggest leadership
lesson of that day was the 3 answers: "Sir Yes Sir", "Sir No Sir", "Sir
No Excuse Sir". Particularly that last answer is one that is key to
being a good leader: Not giving excuses but rather taking
responsibility for issues and mistakes. 34 years later it still gets
used even when in some cases it should be used by someone else.
Responsibility is a big thing that is missing in so many companies
today. <br />
<br />
Looking back over that year there were examples
of bad leadership, those we won't mention. There were also examples of
good, even great leadership. Our cadet company commander lead by
example. He was firm but fair. When we had PT runs or other activities
he participated. There was one particular time where the famous Mr.
Rampey would not allow a flat top haircut due to "regulations that
didn't allow blocked hair cuts". The CO stood up for the knob who
wanted it and even wrote a memo to the tac officer and Mr. Rampey
regarding the issue. He didn't have to do that and it didn't change Mr.
Rampey's decision but it taught that knob an important lesson:
Support your people. This company commander is now a Lt. General
and is the Commanding General of the NATO Training Command in
Afghanistan. I have heard from people with first hand knowledge that he
leads in the same way today: up front, with his people and pulling his
own weight. <br />
<br />
Others of the cadre that year taught us
that being firm doesn't mean not being sadistic (though some of my
classmates might disagree). "Racking" (running in place, push-ups and
other things) was the method of discipline when there were minor
infractions. Normally this was done by the cadet sargents and
corporals. They were lead by the 1st Sgt, Asst 1Sgt and cadre platoon
leader. ALL 3 of these gentlemen took this activity seriously and as a
result most of the others did also. (as I mentioned at the top, there
were a few exceptions). After breakfast there were usually a collection
of us out on the 3rd division getting in some "rack" time. The cadre
who were overseeing the activity were physically present. They didn't
just start us up and then go in their room to get ready for class.
Lesson Learned: discipline when needed should be in person. <br />
<br />
My
advice for the Class of 2015 as you end your recognition activity this
weekend: Take time to congratulate yourself on persevering though what
more than likely has been the toughest year of your life. Be proud of
that. For sure, those of us who came before you are proud of you.
Tomorrow take some time to reflect back on the good leadership you have
experienced and how that will help you. Also think about the bad
examples and resolve NOT to do those things. <br />
<br />
Congratulations, Class of 2015RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-21543720013606596152012-03-23T20:14:00.000-04:002012-03-23T20:14:36.571-04:00Shadow IT<span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">There is an interesting article:</span></span><span lang="en-us"> </span><a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/03/22/shadow_it/" target="_blank"><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">http://www.theregister.co.uk/<wbr></wbr>2012/03/22/shadow_it/</span></u></span><span lang="en-us"></span></a><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> about how people in the business departments are doing functions that really should be services provided by IT. </span></span><br />
<span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span> <br />
<div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Many years ago the same discussion</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">/problem existed</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> when departments</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> started using the new technology</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> like the Wang mini computers and</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">PC</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">’</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">s and discovered that they could solve problems using spreadsheets and access databases. </span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Geeky engineers liked the ability to program the Wangs. Part of that solution was to declare the mainframe systems that were tailor programmed to be obsolete relics of the past and to move to client-server systems that were smaller, lower cost and ran off-the-shelf software that would</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">“</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">solve all problems"</span></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">.</span></span></div><div dir="LTR"><br />
</div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Well, they weren't exactly the silver bullet that many had hoped for. The software produced by the leading providers is for sure flexible but it is very difficult for anyone to really know how to configure all the possible functions. Now we are back into the same situation but now with that very same</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">“</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">savior</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">”</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> client server software and a new era of portable computing devices where we carry massive power on our belts. </span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> The software is run on huge server farms (ie: mega-MIPS systems) with huge main memory capacity and almost unlimited (and low cost) disk storage. (the</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">“</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">mainframe</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">”</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> of today) All of this is accessed by a GUI program running on a PC.</span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> This is not unlike the 3270 or 5250 green screens of before, just looks a little better.</span></span></div><div dir="LTR"><br />
</div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Have we really improved or in order to solve the problems of today do we need to go back to having highly customized applications to meet the business needs? Can the big software companies and the legions of consultants/analysts move fast enough to stay up with the fast changing world of social media and tablet/palm computing devices. Is this causing companies to not be able to innovate their internal processes fast enough to stay world class leaders in their industry? </span></span></div><div dir="LTR"><br />
</div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">I think that we are being held back by these restrictions. In an attempt to compensate there are now, yet once again, huge spreadsheets, uploads/downloads being done in the business in order to support reporting. We have to get back to having the IT support the business and the business to support IT to do that. </span></span></div><div dir="LTR"><br />
</div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">More in a later blog about HOW to accomplish this. </span></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"> </span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"></span></div><div dir="LTR"><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"></span><span lang="en-us"></span><a href="" name="13640ffb30864a4f_"><span lang="en-us"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">Robert</span></span></a></div>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-49371020809851188272011-12-19T14:06:00.000-05:002011-12-19T14:06:47.480-05:00Reducing the eMail FirehoseIn a recent discussion with a colleague he recommended that I read the book “The Hamster Revolution: How to Manage Your Email Before It Manages You”. This book has a humorous approach to explaining what we all know but are not able to do much about: eMail is wasting not hours but weeks of each of our productivity time per year. The techniques in this book seem logical so I am going to use them in 2012. <br />
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As such you will see the following changes in the email you receive from me: <br />
<ul><li>the subject line will be formatted in this way:<br />
ACTION: descriptive subject (-eom)</li>
<ul><li>ACTION will be one of: <br />
<ul><li>ACTION</li>
<li>INFO</li>
<li>REQUEST</li>
<li>CONFIRMED – I have completed the subject action</li>
<li>DELIVERY – this email contains a response to a request you have made</li>
</ul></li>
<li>The subject will be descriptive of the contents and never blank</li>
<li>If “-eom” is included then the complete intelligence of the email is in the subject and you don’t need to open the email. Just read the subject line.</li>
</ul><li>The body will normally have 4 sections (this may take a while to work into):<br />
<ul><li>Brief greeting</li>
<li>ACTION: context, specific action, purpose and response time</li>
<li>BACKGROUND: clear, concise and relevant background. </li>
<li>CLOSE: next steps, signature block</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>Additionally, I’ll reduce the number of “thank you” email. If sent it will more than likely be just a brief note with “-eom” in the subject line. If your email does not require a reply then it’s more likely that there won’t be a reply at all ... thereby reducing the amount of email you receive. Know that I appreciate each value-added email received.<br />
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This information will be revised as the new method develops. Check back here if you have any questions OR send me a “REQUEST:” email. <br />
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We would all benefit if each of us applied some simple email structure to this important communication tool. <br />
I highly recommend that you read “The Hamster Revolution …” and consider it for your own email process. RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-866084464046968462011-03-26T22:46:00.000-04:002011-03-26T22:46:28.721-04:00AT&T's buyout of T-MobileI have mixed feelings about the recent announcement AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile USA. On one hand it will consolidate the GSM network under one provider. The combined physical network will provide better coverage than either company has alone. That is a good thing. <br />
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However, the loss of competition in the USA GSM world will allow AT&T to have a monopoly in that space. GSM is unique in that the chip can be moved from phone to phone giving some flexibility in changing devices. <br />
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Back in the mid 60s it wasn't possible to own your own phone and connect it to the phone network but rather paid a monthly cost to Bell for them.. that over time changed to where the customers owned phones. That gave rise to many different types of low cost phones. In the early 70s the Bell System was split up into 7 Regional companies. Ironically, at least 4 of those are now part of AT&T!! Seems that the old Bell System is rebuilding itself. <br />
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IF the FCC and FTC allow this merger to go through then they should put some controls in place to ensure that the combined company acts in the best interest of the consumer. They have not proven that so far (recent example is the DSL to U-Verse conversion where at their discretion they will change the service and payment plans). <br />
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If the merger is NOT allowed to be completed then that opens the door for Google to then acquire T-Mobile USA and become a carrier. This could prove interesting as Google does operate in the interest of the consumer. <br />
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Only time will tell....RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-13779057533420364842010-08-21T10:00:00.000-04:002010-08-21T10:00:44.907-04:00Quantum leapsTechnology at the hardware level is moving at amazing speeds.. 2 TB disks are now at the 100 USD price level. Smartphones have more power and capability than desktop PCs of only a few years ago. If only industry could make the same quantum improvements in our business processes then the financial/business crisis would be truly solved, not just declared as solved via Powerpoint. We look to pretty powerpoint charts and written standards to show that we are doing good things. That just gets us stuck in a false belief that we are good. <br />
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The big question is "why is this not possible". There are 2 reasons. First, hardware has no feelings (yet). The 1 TB disk that was 100 USD last year doesn't know that it is replaced by a 2 TB disk. The 500 Mhz mobile processor replaced by a 1 Ghz Snapdragon in new phones will continue to faithfully do its job in its phone for many years until the phone isn't used anymore. We humans on the other hand are very sensitive to being replaced. In general we are very insecure about change, doing new things, experimenting, and most of all failure. <br />
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"Failure is not an option" was the mantra of Apollo 13 but it should not be the mantra of people who are tasked with the success of businesses. Only by stepping beyond what we know today and by trying new methods and processes and sometimes experiencing failure will we know that we've truly will take us to make our businesses truly world class and industry leaders. <br />
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Fear of new things or the unknown is nothing new. <a href="http://bit.ly/9OTlFd">http://bit.ly/9OTlFd</a> is a YouTube video of portion of a 60 Minutes 1982 interview with RAdm Grace Hopper (then Capt.) regarding change. It's worth a few minutes to watch. <br />
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Don't forget about the past but look forward to what could be and don't look for reasons NOT to change but rather never stop looking for reasons and opportunities to improve. <br />
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Very few companies are innovating at the speed of hardware. The company that can do that will DEFINE "World Class" and be an industry leader. The others are followers and copiers.RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-12981295624901522232010-05-10T21:33:00.001-04:002010-05-10T21:34:40.873-04:00True Teamwork - The best ROI this country has ever hadOn May 19th I will join approximately 100 other folks at NASA's Johnson Space Center for an educational day and behind the scenes view of Mission Control during the STS-132 mission. Since it's inception the Space Program has set the example of innovation, decision making, teamwork and leadership. One of my focuses (but not the only) during this day of opportunity will be to explore how NASA achieves such selfless teamwork where leaders and team members are so interchangeable. <br />
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Understanding and having these skills in the workforce will help companies become agile and able to respond to such issues as the economic crisis. <br />
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Follow this blog, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/rcopelan">http://www.twitter.com/rcopelan</a> or links at <a href="http://www.copelan.com">http://www.copelan.com</a> as I prepare and participate in the <a href="http://twitter.com/nasatweetup/jsc-sts-132-tweetup">STS-132 JSC TweetUp</a>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-74148652946176344482010-04-17T13:04:00.003-04:002010-04-17T13:20:57.465-04:00Alternative PlanningThe events of the past days in Iceland shows us how fragile our infrastructure really is and how powerful "Mother Nature" can be. We grow to depend on our technology but few ever think about a disaster from the point of view that the technology no longer works. Sure we have disaster plans for:<br />- IT systems failing: we get new hardware and restore the backup<br />- fire or natural disaster: move to a new building/location, get new equipment.<br />But what happens when the technology can no longer be used:<br />- a nuclear blast generates EMP and fries the electronics in our computers, cars, radios, hospital equipment, electrical grid<br />- the atmosphere is filled with particles and planes can no longer fly through it<br />- a LARGE asteroid impacts the Earth changes the dynamics of rotation.<br /><br />Yes, at least some of these are improbably scenarios but at the beginning of last week the 10 Europeans sitting in meetings with me in Chicago weren't the least bit worried about going home on Thursday and coming back in 2 weeks for a SAP GoLive. As of Saturday only one that I know of got a flight to Rome, many hours by train from his original destination. The rest were wondering if they would be at their meetings on Monday or still here in the USA. Some of us are starting to think about an alternative GoLive support plan.<br /><br />I am sure that companies that depend on air freight for keeping their production lines running are now scrambling to find alternative shipping methods to get material to open airports. This impacts costs in a very real way and may even push some companies into situations from which they can not recover.<br /><br />How long will it last. We all hope that flights resume on Sunday/Monday but this is not something we can control, not something that Congress can pass laws to fix or have hearings to "Punish the guilty" (though I am sure that they will). Nature has reminded us that we need to be flexible and to never depend on anything so much that we can't do without it.<br /><br />Robert Paterson has a good article on this topic at: <A href="http://smartpei.typepad.com/robert_patersons_weblog/2010/04/volcano-air-travel-a-black-swan-what-might-happen.html">http://smartpei.typepad.com/robert_patersons_weblog/2010/04/volcano-air-travel-a-black-swan-what-might-happen.html</a>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-83786674728602292562010-04-03T22:15:00.003-04:002010-04-17T13:52:57.377-04:00Thoughts on iPad Day OneMuch has been said in various blogs about why to get an iPad or why to wait. There is no need to rehash that. There are good points for either decision. As a geek, today was tough to watch the unboxing of 2 iPads on the <a href=http://www.twit.tv>TWiT Network</a> and not have one myself. I will wait a while. Clearly Apple has hit another "long drive" and scored multiple runs with the iPad just as they did with the iPod and iPhone. <br /><br />These are paradigm changing devices and move us toward a future that we saw only in Star Trek and other SciFi movies not so many years ago. Some look at these devices and wonder "why do I need it". The real benefits become apparent only after obtaining one and discovering new ways of doing things. Books don't go away, they just become more accessible. Radio and TV becomes audio/video podcasts or streaming networks such as TWiT. Real time interactivity between show hosts and the audience, only a dream for the big networks, is already a reality for shows that are "connected". This is enhanced by these devices for those who embrace them. <br /><br />There is a healthy competition between between the iDevices and Android devices. Apple has again set a high bar for tablets in both hardware and software. I expect that in the coming months we'll see other hardware for Android. There is room for both and having both will ensure that companies as well as developers continue to innovate and improve. <br /><br />Thank you Apple and Steve Jobs for moving the bar up a notch or 2. The challenge will be met.RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-54181523859305947442009-11-02T10:13:00.003-05:002009-11-02T10:38:30.952-05:00Google Wave Book - A new openness in publishingGina Trapini announced yesterday on <a href="http://www.twit.tv/twig">This Week in Google</a> that she is working on a new book destined to be the definitive source of information on Google Wave. I find her total desire to put her knowledge into the public domain really refreshing. The book is being developed online using MediaWiki and is licensed under the Creative Commons License. While she does plan on publishing PDF and traditional paper versions, it is clear that Gina intends for this to be a dynamic reference guide that will be updated as Wave matures. Visit <a href="http://completewaveguide.com">The Complete Wave Guide</a> to experience this openness in information sharing. <br /><br />What does all of this have to do with 21st Century Business? Several lessons can be learned from Gina by businesses who want to move forward. <br /><UL><br /><li>Knowlege is meant to be shared, not hidden in some file share directory structure or locked behind passwords<br /><li>Knowledge is ever changing. Just because the project is over or the documentation published the changes shouldn't stop. Documentation of a process or method that is not ever changing is outdated. <br /></ul><br /><br />Too often businesses create new processes but then fail to stay in a mode of continuous improvement. Some companies implement the tools of the Internet like blogs, wikis, intranets but fail to realize the dynamic change that is the culture of the Internet. They ask "why aren't our tools successful". The answer is: "free them, free the knowledge and let your employees' creativity and innovation come to the surface."RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-81135014653933590382009-10-31T11:08:00.002-04:002009-10-31T11:26:34.496-04:00Google WaveGoogle Wave is breaking new ground in the collaborative environment. I know that people are not happy about having to wait for invitations or the system isn't running perfectly. It is PREVIEW or pre-beta. Google has broken new ground by opening up development projects that would normally have never been used or even known for months later. They use the feedback from these experiences to further improve the software for the public release. By involving ourselves in this endeavor we, the community, have certain responsibilities: <br /><ol><br /><li>Be patient and realize that Google has their schedule and that schedule may change at any time. We don't influence the schedule<br /><li>Realize that any part of the system may or may not work at any time. By agreeing to participate we were not guaranteed a working system<br /><li>Provide honest feedback about the functionality and suggest improvements <br /></ol><br />Other software providers who have been traditionally closed are slowly moving in this direction. We, the preview testers, can make this the way of the future by working with the providers and not against them. <br /><br />For a good introduction to how to use Wave visit Gina Trapani's Wave 101 at: <a href=http://lifehacker.com/5376138/google-wave-101>http://lifehacker.com/5376138/google-wave-101</a>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-24148814437772897222009-03-14T16:05:00.004-04:002009-03-14T16:21:21.468-04:00TED Talk on WisdomI just finished listening to Barry Schwartz's talk on the "Loss of Wisdom" given at TED in February 2009. This is an outstanding talk and really gets to the root of some of the issues that caused this current economic crisis and are also causing companies to be stuck in a crisis circle. <br /><br />Barry makes very clear points with examples that rules and incentives are NOT the solution to our problems. The issues we face are, in his words, "often ambigous and ill defined". It isn't possible to write rules to solve these issues. Each situation is different. We must apply morals, wisdom (maybe collectively known as common sense) to each situation in order to solve it. Responding by developing guidelines or rules that "must be followed" are not the solution and in fact more often than not will cause even more problems in the long run. <br /><br />Everyone should listen to this talk (see the link). There is something in it for everyone regardless of your position in a company or society.<br /><br />The talk is available at <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_our_loss_of_wisdom.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_our_loss_of_wisdom.html</a> and also on iTunes.</href=http:>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-37934534811896687772009-03-01T11:02:00.000-05:002009-03-01T11:04:21.573-05:00Your Digital Reputation<a href="http://thefuturebuzz.com/2009/02/28/digital-reputation/">http://thefuturebuzz.com/2009/02/28/digital-reputation/<br /></a><br /><br />I thought this was a good article. Sometimes we don't realize that sites such<br />as Facebook, Linkedin, mySpace, Twitter, mailing lists and so on are cataloged<br />and available for searching. Even if we have turned up maximum privacy, our<br />comments or pictures may be found on other people's sites that have less privacy.<br /><br />These days employers DO search these sites for information about prospective<br />employees. Speaking from my own experience, I google EVERYONE that is a business<br />partner. That "funny" picture at a party, slouching in a chair or comment that<br />might seem inappropriate when the background isn't known would be the one thing<br />that causes someone else to be chosen for a job.<br /><br />That certainly doesn't mean that we shouldn't use these new social media tools<br />but only that we should keep in mind how others would use them and how we want<br />others to view us. Yes, some things will get posted by others that we can't<br />control but we can control what we post and how we want the world to see us.<br /><br />Properly used, these social media sites can be a very powerful force that will<br />open doors to opportunity that a simple old-fashioned resume never would.RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-65971922739704814432009-01-01T21:31:00.003-05:002009-01-01T21:55:37.668-05:002009 - The Rebirth of In-house DevelopmentThe change in the dynamics of the world economic situation will change how companies consider capital investments. In particular, the high cost: initial license, implementation and ongoing warranty costs of software will receive a very high focus. As companies, even whole industries, realize that they need to make radical and fast changes to their business models there will be a mandate for the software systems to change at the same rate of speed. The current model of using Commercial Off-the-shelf software (COTS) and high cost implementation consultants will not be able to respond to this new situation. <br /><br />In the 1970s and 80s there were large in-house IT development staffs that in the 90s were seen as resistant to COTS and client-server. This was true. However, now we have a new paradigm of agile, "open" development that really does connect the end customer of the software with the developers (eXtreme Programming and similar methodologies). Using these "new" methodologies we can reintroduce the in-house programming teams and couple them with the open source community to leverage an even bigger effort to develop and maintain software. The in-house staffs can keep the software current with business requirements and feed those changes back into the community. <br /><br />For most companies, the support software isn't strategic to the company's success. It is only a tool. If they are using a system such as SAP R/3, Oracle's manufacturing system or others then they probably only use a fraction of the total capability, yet pay a license for much more. By leveraging the Open Source Community they will not be put at a competative disadvange, rather will be able to be at an advantage by reducing costs while increasing the speed at which they can change their internal processes. <br /><br />In 2009 we will see that systems such as <a href="http://www.openbravo.com">OpenBravo</a>, <a href="http://www.alfresco.com">Alfresco</a>, <a href="http://%20www.knowledgetree.com">Knowledgetree</a> and <a href="http://www.pentaho.com/">Pentaho</a> become more prevelant. Protocols such as <a href="http://xmpp.org/">XMPP/Jabber</a> will be used to power scalable interfaces between modules of these systems as well as with companies, their customers and suppliers such as it has with the <a href="http://www.evergreen-ils.org">Evergreen </a>Library system.RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-80704673346038974722008-12-24T19:04:00.000-05:002008-12-24T19:05:11.031-05:00A New Paradigm?<div class="content clear-block"> <p>Back in the 80s it was said that no manager would be fired for selecting IBM (mainframe or software). Along came a paradigm shift from the big iron mainframes to smaller, client-server based systems. SAP was(and is) the leader in these systems. However, they have lost sight of why companies switched from the "big iron" and in-house supported COBOL/CICS systems. It was because the client-server gave flexibility. However, over the years it has grown into exactly like the software it replaced. Big, bulky, slow to change, difficult to implement. Expensive to support (both hardware and software). No longer with SAP and similar systems be a "given". </p> <p>A new paradigm shift will be accelerated by our current economic downturn. Innovative companies will return to the roots of having a core staff of in-house Business Process/Programmer combination people that can leverage the power of various FLOSS ERP systems and their supporting communities. The result is that systems such as Compiere, OpenBravo and other systems will move toward a large scale Enterprise support. Utilizing technology such as Evergreen does with XMPP these systems will be scalable from the smallest implementation on one PC server to supporting Enterprises all over the world. </p> <p>Finally, organizations will be able to innovate their support systems at the same speed as they need to innovate their business. Waiting for months (if not longer) for "the next release" will be a thing of the past. AND that folks is what we need in the 21st century.<br />(copy of a comment that I made on "The Register" this morning")</p> </div>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-51659889133273684392008-12-24T19:03:00.001-05:002008-12-24T19:04:01.158-05:00Saving 2.5 million jobs in the USAS(originally posted 11/23/2008)<br /><div class="content clear-block"> <p>President-elect Obama has announced "a bold initiative to save or create 2.5 million jobs in the next two years". (source: <a href="http://www.change.gov/" title="www.change.gov">www.change.gov</a>) Hopefully he (and his staff) will examine the reasons why jobs in the USA are lost to other countries. One of the leading reasons is that costs are just too high in the USA. Contributing to that is not only the cost of labor but the total cost of the product which includes all costs of a business. Companies today spend a TREMENDOUS amount of money on software and other support process. By tackling those costs<br />and applying such modern techniques as Agile Programming, utilizing Open Source and the power of "community" a companies total cost can be reduced. This would lead not only to better processes since the software would exactly support the business but also a lower total cost. </p> <p>Some might say that it is only a fraction of total cost since labor is a high percentage. The actual savings from having streamlined software tools (not big, bulky, hard to configure, expensive "off the shelf" software) and the impact on speeding up process improvements is unknown. My opinion is that it would be a positive exponential impact on the speed of innovation. That makes it worthwhile. </p> <p>Whoever is selected as the USA's CTO should have an Open Source Summit. Properly executed it could become the USA's competitive advantage. </p> </div>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-44354868975376612072008-12-24T19:02:00.001-05:002008-12-24T19:02:56.721-05:00Automotive Bailout(Originally posted 11/22/2008)<br /><div class="content clear-block"> <p>Recent news stories have chronicled the push by the "Big 3" American automotive manufacturers for a "Bailout" by the U.S. Government. I won't go into their reasons and pleas.. those are better found elsewhere. Correctly, the US Congress has temporarily denied the request and sent the CEO's home to return with a "plan". What will this "plan" contain? That is the big question. There is some focus on having product that is environmentally friendly and less dependence on fossil fuels. While that is part of the answer it alone will not solve the issues. </p> <p>We've had the same basic design in vehicles since the early days. 4 wheels, axles, drivetrain, an engine and steering. Around all of this fits a body. The OEMs release yearly "models" that appeal primarily to our visual senses. The basic "vehicle" doesn't really change. Our society today has changed. We want uniqueness in our life. We don't want to wait on anything. Our lives move at a very fast pace. We expect everything around us to move accordingly. Result of this is that the automotive industry must reinvent itself to support this uniqueness and fast paced lifestyle of it's customer. </p> <p>MRP II/ERP, Production lines, firm zones, releases, schedules and other relics of the past no longer work. The successful company of the future will toss out all of these concepts of the last century. They will find new processes that will be the death of the "model " and "model year" as we know it. Every vehicle will be uniquely configured by the end customer and delivered in a fast timeframe. This so called "cookie-cooker" car where the customer can choose his own configuration will require a total rework of the production and supply chain processes. </p> <p>Trying to have incremental changes won't make it. Usually what happens in that case is more layers are added to the processes, more reports are generated but totally new processes are not innovated. We need this innovation. It last happened in the 1960s when there was a strong focus on getting to the moon. We need to rediscover that level of innovation. Totally new processes and products need to happen in terms of months, not years. It can be done. Not without risk but it takes risk to really have innovation. </p> <p>Two quotes attributed to Henry Ford are: " Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently" and "Life is a series of experience, each of which makes us bigger even though it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and griefs which we endure help us in our marching onward." </p> <p>Congress is right, a plan is needed. What is not needed is a bailout that finances business as usual. </p> <p>Lets reinvent the industry and march onward.</p> </div>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-67614831994865955412008-12-24T19:01:00.002-05:002008-12-24T19:02:07.606-05:00Reducing Costs(Originally posted 10/17/2008)<br /><div class="content clear-block"> <p>Already with yesterday's rise in the world stock markets, some people were breathing a sigh of relief. But is the crisis really over? What does adding billions of currency (USD, Euro) to the world market really solve? The banks have cash but the people still have loans that are past due, mortgages that are close to foreclosure and jobs that are being eliminated. We are the ultimate customer of every company, even the one we work for. </p> <p>What happens when we, the ultimate customer, can no longer purchase a new car, house, electronic appliance or just about anything else? Then the whole economic chain will collapse. Our jobs depend on our companies being profitable and that depends on us being able to buy products. BUT we are now "upside down" as some financial advisers would say. The downward spiral is starting to bounce a bit but it is still downward. </p> <p>So what must we do to stop this? Stay tuned.</p> </div>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-83377819470420888852008-12-24T19:01:00.001-05:002008-12-24T19:01:31.602-05:00Is the crisis over?(originally posted 10/14/2008)<br /><br /><div class="content clear-block"> <p>Already with yesterday's rise in the world stock markets, some people were breathing a sigh of relief. But is the crisis really over? What does adding billions of currency (USD, Euro) to the world market really solve? The banks have cash but the people still have loans that are past due, mortgages that are close to foreclosure and jobs that are being eliminated. We are the ultimate customer of every company, even the one we work for. </p> <p>What happens when we, the ultimate customer, can no longer purchase a new car, house, electronic appliance or just about anything else? Then the whole economic chain will collapse. Our jobs depend on our companies being profitable and that depends on us being able to buy products. BUT we are now "upside down" as some financial advisers would say. The downward spiral is starting to bounce a bit but it is still downward. </p> <p>So what must we do to stop this? Stay tuned.</p> </div>RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6959247285393565679.post-67311380889466199962008-12-24T18:59:00.000-05:002008-12-24T19:00:29.196-05:00A New World(originally posted on 10/09/2008)<br />The current economic crisis is spreading around the world at an increasing pace. We all have to realize that the solution will require us to no longer have "business as usual". Organizations should take the opportunity now to innovate <em>totally</em> new methods and rules not only in their organizations but also with and in their business partners.RCopelanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01043504866994176700noreply@blogger.com0