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Friday, February 8, 2008
Control systems and soft sciences
The
need to link hard sciences with soft sciences became very apparent in the reports that come out on the trading problems of
French Société Générale. The bank had all kind of control systems in place to
monitor their risk exposure and one much assume that these were technically sound. One can put a question mark at the fact
that Jérôme Kerviel could produce fake emails and that those were not detected. This might be partly weaknesses in the systems,
partly in humans supposed to be critical on what they are supposed to do.
But
the biggest issue on the human side is this: the trading position at the end of the year was (admittedly on paper) about 1.4
bn in profit (half the total profits of the investment bank). Instead of unwinding the deals and declaring the profit, Jérôme
Kerviel continued with new deals to hide the success he had. Unwinding would have exposed him and his practices.
He
apparently felt he could not own up for his success and inform his superiors on what he had achieved. Without further knowledge,
a complicated situation to assess, but it only shows that control systems are as good as the human interaction between people
that operate them.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Cross-media co-operation & Learning
There are days when the sky breaks and you start to see the light of understanding through the clouds. A somewhat philosophical
description but it describes the feeling I had after seeing the BBC2 program on “Can Sir Gerry Robinson fix the NHS”. As a successful business manager (former chairman of Granada and Allied Domecq) he put his
teeth in the serious problems around the health care in the UK. I up to now watched only
the episode “ one years on”, but with the numerous flashbacks I got a good feel for the problems that he noticed when he started
to work on it.
The program was content wise very interesting and showed how much progress had been made (considerable !). But it was
interesting from other aspects as well. The series have been financed by the Open University and have been broadcasted by
BBC2. Through the dramatization the problems and issues in institutions are clearly shown and everybody can see the manifestations
of a broken system. It also shows how the change agent operates and what is needed to break through fixed mental models. Layman
might get a better understanding and ability to manage their encounters with health care, people with professional interest
might pick up some of the methods for their own work or even decide to follow one of the Open University courses.
But in my view more importantly, this initiative of education industry working with the mass media is showing a way
for problem solving in the current complex world. Current persistent problems, be it in healthcare or in other areas, can
not be solved in their own disciplines (i.e. at the level they have been created). It needs an approach at a higher level,
involving (people of) other disciplines or background. The broadcast shows us the problematic social interactions, the coach
(Sir Gerry) ways how to tackle them, the website gives theoretical background and frameworks and the OU can give you further
professional training. If only we could order a DVD with the material!
A nice example of cross-media developments and possibly an “ecosystem” that could have applicability elsewhere.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Emergence of common purpose
Jaap Peters who wrote a book on the analogy of modern firm employees
and industrialised cattle rasing, showed an very interesting video fragment on emergence (in case a music tune, but could
have been common purpose, vision, etc).
The DVD part of Bruce Springsteen's album We Shall Overcome
- The Seeger Sessions shows a dozen musicians coming
together in Bruce's farmhouse and starting to play. Horns are banned to the corrider as being too loud for the main room,
but inspite of lack of eye contact, the dispersed players find each other in a melody and play harmonously towards the end.
Trust that talents around will find each other and that a melody
will emerge makes this a strong analogy for what is needed to deal with uncertainty and flexibility in project or team
work. Google also for "Managing emerging work: revisiting jazz lessons" by Marjchrzak.
Monday, September 24, 2007
e-Learning Maturing
The announcement of an online program by IESE made me realize that e-Learning
seems to be entering its next phase. The supporting technology has developed substantially – video-streaming a view from a
classroom has become within reach of universities, the receiving end – participants in geographical dispersed locations- has
mostly access to broadband and has software like Realplayer or Mediaplayer standard on their machines.
The real difference I notice is the break with the on-line repository age (software
like Blackboard), which only posted material but had very little interaction taking place. Probably not so much due to software
limitations, but more due to lecturers still figuring out how to bring the classroom interaction into the electronic environment.
Engaging students digitally is a new skill to learn. But going back, we progressed from
writing with chalk on a blackboard, back to the class, to colorful powerpoints with pictures en video and direct questions
and answers to engage the students. So, we will also learn how to get that interaction in this next phase.
If you know of any great examples,
just let me know!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Vista - a bridge too far
When a notebook of 6 years old starts to behave badly and the
videochips have clearly reached their age limit, it is clear that you have to take a decision. And as you want to keep up
with new technology, it is time to take a step forward and purchase a new workhorse. With a little hesitance - the old
machine was finely tuned, everything worked or I was familiar with the workarounds.
I was persuaded to take a new glitsy machine, dual core, 17"" display and Vista Business. That is where
I made a severe mistake! Vista comes with the machine but what you do not realise is that all your familiar tools also have
to be upgraded. That would still be acceptable, only all the upgrade cost substantial money: you are in the end forced to
buy new Office suite, new Adobe, new Pinnacle and even the printer I had recently acquired (HP1018, a fantastic workhorse
for the cost of a laser cartirdge) didn't play ball, its driver refuses to print the first page after it is started up. My
old Outlook (admittedly 2002, but working fine) now does not store its pop3 email passwords anymore (and no warning at all),
every start of Outlook requires you to put in the passwords. So, you can still work with some of your old software, but it
boils down to repurchasing all the licenses that you had.
I can't say that Vista has brought me anything that I really needed; it is irritating in asking me as owner,
administrator of the machine whether I really want to move a file from A to B, it refuses to create URL shortcuts in subdirectories
of Favorites, etc. Yes, it organises pictures and sound in an easier way, but my business is still very much oriented around
documents, spreadsheets and presentations, not running entertainment.
Although I understand very well the progress that computer technology makes and the need to change, somewhere
I consider PC's nowadays as a consumer product which if I buy it, shouldn't come with a lot of hidden costs (and the
hassle around buying & installing software you already owned).
There is of course room for a whole debate with arguments pro and con, but in complex cases it helps
me to ask: Can I explain this to my grandmother (if she would understand, it is acceptable). I'm afraid the answer is
NO.
I think Vista in willing to serve an ever larger audience has only opened the opportunity for other, more
consumer friendly products. The Linux laptop 100$) becomes a very interesting prospect, particularly for the developed world.
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