追逐日光 (Chasing Daylight) 一書的啟示

上個月看了一本"追逐日光"(Chasing Daylight)的書,書是KPMG的前董事長暨首席執行官 尤金·奧凱利(Eugene O’Kelly)於2005五月發現腦癌只剩四個月不到的生命時所完成.敘訴他如何在短時間內完成他未完成的事及如何面對死亡的態度.實在令人佩服.書中他的太太 康妮·奧凱利(Coney O’Kelly)的描述:雖然他留下我孤單一人在球場上追尋著陽光，但他早已幫我把球放在了球座上，靜待我打出好球。如此樂觀的看待其丈夫過世的事實,足見她們覵碟勤情深,也顯示尤金在世時做事情考慮的周詳及完整.

寫到此,耳邊正聽著 江蕙的"紅線"歌曲,不經潸然淚下.淚下原因是心情五味雜陳,人生在世,事事無常,只有把握現在才是最真實的.一個人能做的非常有限,不管你是天才或白痴,最終蓋棺論定.反倒是多用點心思在經營自己的生活及讓週邊的親人及朋友愉快還比較實在.也因此影響我成立此部落格,書寫下相關經驗的感想,享受其中的樂趣及把握現在所擁有的.

隨時保有赤子之心,每當自己心情不好或低潮時,便會不自主的想到尤金·奧凱利的故事.最大的影響還是"面對事情的態度".自然每當事過境遷,就不需要怨嘆別人或環境了.

你呢?

部落格

在參閱其他人的網站時,發現許多人都有照片來輔助,以做為吸引一般人流覽.大部份的人每到一網站能停留的時間確實非常短暫,若沒有顯耀的篇幅,則不可能讓人停留太久的.

我把網站部落格當成自己在生活上及工作上心得,書寫出來.一則做為個人這些年來的反省及整理沈思. 在檢視自己的過程中,檢討自己的所作所為,到底哪裡的問題或哪裡做的不好,是否有更好的方案及改進的空間.既有的心得,不怕被笑,該分享就分享.個人心中就只有期待別人能因此更好,那嘛自己也就特別高興了.

一個公司內部有很多種人,一是做事又能言善道及人際關係良好,此種人多半能達成預期目標,且積極的態度得以成大器,在公司得到上司重用及賞識,終就將掌大權.另一類是賣力做事,每件事可以在預期目標中達成.但畢竟缺少向上溝通的能力及手腕.到頭來只能按部就班,無法擔任重責.此種人也只能默默的承受,乾吃冰淇淋,其心境可想而知,大環境不好時,首當其衝,第一個面臨被淘汰的命運.所以平時做點公關及修練一些溝通技巧,和說話技巧一定是有幫助的.

你希望當哪一種人呢?社會大學永遠有學不完的學問,只有你最清楚,加油吧!!

Develop V.S. Trade Product

I met a friend who is sourcing the consumer product from the market. The difference is that they combined more than one product to a set. They plan to sell on the web and the market with their brand series. The profit margin is more than 30%for a set. At this case, I got some clue.

Most of us develop a product focus on single function or specific purpose. We emphasize the single function or specific advantage to competitors. We never consider the application or user's behavior to combine other devices. The difficultly for the promotion is user has to integrate what they want components or parts with the product. Or we develop the product embedded more function in the product. Users can play it as easily. But, it is not easy for today's market. Time to market is important, we develop a new product takes time and risk. Competition is getting complicate since technology is getting mature. Therefore, who will be the winner in the market? The ID housing design, brand name or the advance technology will be. How is easy to have the opportunity for a small or middle company if they didn't have big channel or key player support. Who can quickly source the perfect product from the market and combine it for users? Who can provide the one stop shopping? Then, he will be the winner.

My friend can provide those combination to integrate with different source product together. They provide the convenience to users in the market. The really value is not the cost, but they can keep the latest technology and unit service to users. The product compatibility and functionality is not an issue. Service or maintenance is not an issue as long as they can keep good relationship with the product suppliers. There is also disadvantage, such as they only can keep on niche market. You have no opportunity to sell into main stream market or customers. However, if the company doesn't take much fixed expense, they can survive at all.

I would like to see more progress for my friend's company, since they know what is user wants. On the other hand, the product developer, they only can know sell the unique product with the single function, they never know how to combine with other different product together. I suppose they don't want to, even they know it.

Attractive System

I have a friend, he founded the company for more than 15 years. Most of the employee came from software technical background. The founders are professors with their students in the same college.

They develop the web based authorizing tool. Users can develop their fantastic web site. The company got government project every years. But, the business still keep in small without much progress.

The friend has many elder retire people friends who can provide experience to him. Those elder people are the other field company board members before. They know much much succeed experience and vision. According to their comments, my friend company has the big problem on "system". The company didn't create a system which can provide the company efficiency.

A good system must provide the finance, sales, production, and developing with efficiency supply chain. The communication between the departments are very important. How to avoid the bottleneck for the system, there are some indicators:
1. specific company goal
2. the company culture
3. a training practical
4. planning and execution
5. risk control capability
6. performance review and reward policy
7. an absorbed and persisted enthusiasm

Maybe the friend didn't find the suitable way to improve.But, he has the item 7 attitude, and focus on the target business. I believe that they will be getting better finally.

Profit and Competition

Profit is the major purpose for a company. Most of people must know the concept. Cost is always the enemy for the profit. If you can't cut the cost (operation, personnel, material, etc), there is little profit at all, even got lost.

Service is the major profit source for a company. The service covers different types, such as technology, product, labor, sub-contract, and so on. How a company has profit? It depends on the service competition. The more competition in the market, the much more profit will be. Whatever they did, the major purpose is to get the profit from the activities.

Define a good service or product is much more complicate. For an advanced company, such Apple did, they are a creator. The type of company create the new feature and business model for market. They are pioneer and depends on the users' need.

The other type of companies focus on better quality on service (such as customization for users), provide efficiency business model for users. But part of companies, they are followers. They still can get the profit, due to they can develop a cost-effective product or service. They follow the market leader, improve the product function or spec, and get an attractive cost to get much profit from the market. There are also many companies just use the cheap solution or fake functionality deprive the normal product market share.

Bad money drives out good money. This is popular in the consumer market. Most of product life cycle is very short from three to six months.

It will be important, if you can provide the competition and differential service or product to users. You will win the customers from the market.