Category Archives: Engineering

Ahead of President Obama India visit- India signs IAEA treaty to limit nuclear accident liability to operators

The Indian nuclear power equipment market is estimated (October 2010) at 175 Billion $ and both GE and Westinghouse are very interested in supplying nuclear power equipment. Worrying potential US suppliers, Indian lawmakers in August had passed a law that might have made equipment suppliers liable for 80 years in case there was an accident and faulty equipment was to blame. Obviously the memories of Bhopal don’t fade and a nuclear leak like Chernobyl would be catastrophic in densely populated India.

[Note: This post is from October 27, 2010 and was edited for formatting on May 22, 2021]

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it ” does not apply to Infrastructure renewal policy for gas pipes, bridges

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Muffin know-how is as important to bakery industry as scalable processors is to computer industry

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-857684-6']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl&#039; : 'http://www&#039;) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Remember the "nooks and crannies" in the Thomas's English Muffins? Apparently the know-how of getting theseContinue reading “Muffin know-how is as important to bakery industry as scalable processors is to computer industry”

iPhone4 antenna problems missed by the lack of situated knowledge?

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-857684-6']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl&#039; : 'http://www&#039;) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); It seems that situated knowledge went missing at the iPhone4 development with a new manager forContinue reading “iPhone4 antenna problems missed by the lack of situated knowledge?”

Public Works give work to machines and not “shovel ready” men in the 21st century

This post was published on August 2, 2010 during the recovery process from the Great Recession of 2007-2009. We believe that the core idea idea that you need advanced computer and knowledge skills in large scale shovelling still holds in 2021. Just as Governments worldwide try to dig out of the Coronavirus pandemic – Updated January 10, 2021.

Behind every successful risk management is a routine- an example from BP supply chain risk

// <![CDATA[ var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-857684-6']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl&#039; : 'http://www&#039;) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); // ]]> Repeated success in risk management is not by chance but because theContinue reading “Behind every successful risk management is a routine- an example from BP supply chain risk”

Middle Managers becoming extinct but “silo” managers are needed even in the recession

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-857684-6']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl&#039; : 'http://www&#039;) + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Middle managers are those who manage junior managers but "silo" managers according to my definition  manageContinue reading “Middle Managers becoming extinct but “silo” managers are needed even in the recession”

Jack Welch and the “Buy-Make-Sell” sell for non-profits

I am again (!) reading Straight from the gut  by Jack Welch. With many contacts with present and former executives from GE what amazes me is that these variety of executives sing the same song as Jack Welch even ten years after Welch retired. And guess what – they have not really read Jack’s books-Continue reading “Jack Welch and the “Buy-Make-Sell” sell for non-profits”

What’s next for American mid-careers with globalization and the recession?-Part-I

var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push([‘_setAccount’, ‘UA-857684-6’]); _gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’]); (function() { var ga = document.createElement(‘script’); ga.type = ‘text/javascript’; ga.async = true; ga.src = (‘https:’ == document.location.protocol ? ‘https://ssl&#8217; : ‘http://www&#8217;) + ‘.google-analytics.com/ga.js’; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Between the time I started working on global  outsourcing over six years ago and now –Continue reading “What’s next for American mid-careers with globalization and the recession?-Part-I”

Will the Volvo acquisition make Chinese Geely cars seem safer?

var gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.&#8221; : “http://www.&#8221;); document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src=’” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”)); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-857684-6”); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {} As Jack Trout and Al Reis famously pointed out – when you think of Volvo you think safety. When you think of Chinese goods you are somewhat concernedContinue reading “Will the Volvo acquisition make Chinese Geely cars seem safer?”