Eudaimonia, too

Springs and Dashpots. Over and over again in my formal engineering education I recall modeling mechanical systems with springs and dashpots. As much as anything, I was amused by the basic simplicity, yet as my education progressed, the systems became more complicated, too. Also, there were the analogous systems for fluids, electronics and materials.

My masters thesis was a study of non-linear viscoelastic materials and one of the greatest classroom debates I recall was whether stained-glass window panes in medieval cathedrals exhibited viscoelastic behavior (hence, their greater thickness on the bottom edge) or not. Further, in my early work (assembling filter elements, casting microporous membranes and more) and even as I visited such places as Disney World (think, Star Tours, Space Mountain) I would note the features of the electromechanical systems. (My college friends and I laughed about our atypical discussions during our Senior year Spring Break; my kids still chide me about my commentary!)

As I became more involved in organizational management, I realized that people act like springs and dashpots, too. To be trite about it, there are times when we spring into action and other times when we are slow as molasses. And, yes, there are good reasons for that..and some not so good reasons, too. But, it is very often the case that the difference between success and failure is that ability to act more quickly and efficiently than a competing system..or competitive organization. And, to me, it is magic when multiple systems work together to bring about a common good.

Last night I heard a radio show where Bob Edwards interviewed Tift Merritt. I rarely hear the nighttime show and was dealing with snowfall through the Berkshire Hills so I was listening as much for comfort and not necessarily paying attention to the discussion. I had never heard of Tift Merritt, either; but I was soon captivated by the discussion.

This morning, I heard the interview again and upon arriving at work I searched for information on this musician, found that she will be performing nearby on Saturday night, emailed my wife to check our schedule, purchased tickets to the show online and made a dinner reservation to a restaurant a friend recommended. Not having been to the restaurant or theater before, I used the internet to map our travel plans and to get a satellite and street view of our plans. That whole effort took about 20 minutes, maybe less, from initial search of someone for whom I had no knowledge to purchasing a ticket for her performance. In the competitive world of music, I would say that Tift Merritt's troop wins in a landslide! (And, I hope we enjoy the show.....)

I am certain that we all have such stories of turning a new idea into action and results. My example here may not change the world but it is an example of how people I will never know and who will likely never know each other have worked together to bring us all closer. So, when I think of how slow we can be at times to respond to more serious matters (managing a health crisis, financial catastrophe or similar), I try to remember experiences where people have sprung to action, where organizational systems worked, where we have purposefully chosen to hold hands with others we may never know and we do make a difference.

And, I know it will be but a matter of time and teamwork before more good happens, too.

Pfizer, Inc. has announced the termination of its Lipitor advertising campaign featuring Dr. Robert Jarvik. Lipitor is a cholesterol reducing drug and Dr. Jarvik is credited as the inventor of the artificial heart. The company has bowed to pressure from a U.S. Congressional investigation of celebrity endorsements for prescription medicine. Of concern was the possible misrepresentation that Dr. Jarvik was offering medical advice though he is not a practicing physician.

I never thought of Jarvik's sales pitch as medical advice and wonder what other factors went into Pfizer's decision. From my perspective, the company was using a popular promotional style (akin to GEICO) where someone of public prominence provides a memorable sales pitch. In this particular instance, not only is Jarvik someone who has devoted his life to medical research but, as we find out in the commercial, he is someone who chose to devote his life to such work because of his father's premature death from a heart ailment. And, now, as he is aging and has adult children of his own, he is doing what he can do, on a very personal level, to ensure his own health. If Pfizer wants to incorporate that story into its promotional campaign, that's fine with me. What more effective way is there to communicate such matters of importance to the general public?

In a similar vein (pun intended), Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals has made an utter travesty of pharmaceutical advertising with their Mirapex campaign. Mirapex is intended to control Wittmaack-Ekbom's syndrome and they have certainly done an extraordinary job of raising public awareness and hypochondriacal fears about Restless Leg Syndrome! Of significance, Boehringer Ingelheim has curiously raised the "important safety information" shared in pharmaceutical advertising to new heights of absurdity. Who knew that a drug might cause "increased gambling, sexual, or other overpowering urges"?

Exactly HOW did they arrive at this conclusion? Is there a public report of this topic? Or is this commercial exploitation at it's most ridiculous? And, as the pharmaceutical industry bows to consumerism, politics and global competition, does the industry damage its credibility with those in most need, their patients?

When my wife forwarded the following message to me as an attachment, I admit I was afraid to open the email as I figured it would execute some nasty virus. (Is that paranoia or an appropriate concern?) As I soon learned from her, however, it is an amusing look at our present state of being. Cubicle Dwellers Unite! and, Enjoy!

There is a dangerous virus being passed around electronically, orally, and by hand. This virus is called Weary-Overload-Recreational-Killer (WORK). If you receive WORK from any of your colleagues, your boss, or anyone else via any means DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely.

If you should come into contact with WORK, put your jacket on and take two good friends to the nearest store. Purchase the antidote known as Work-Isolating-Neutralizer-Extract (WINE) or Bothersome-Employer-Elimination-Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

You should forward this warning to 5 friends. If you do not have 5 friends, you have already been infected and WORK is controlling your life.

I recently attended a presentation where the speaker discussed the importance of "Tools, Systems and Analytics" as they relate to business efficiency, productivity and, ultimately, organizational success. It may seem such a simple statement and yet it struck me as profound.

Yes, we do have tools (desktop computers, machine shops, etc.) to get our jobs done; and, yes, most businesses have some sort of systems (intentional or evolutionary) or procedures to develop, test and commercialize products and services. But, analytics (or means to measure performance) are often lacking. In my experience analytical efforts are frequently left to the finance and marketing departments; and I should mention that many sales departments have an analytic called sales commissions.

From an engineering perspective, I am well aware of metrics based upon throughputs, efficiencies, defect rates and more. But, these metrics are operational measures that have more to do with the effectiveness of internal systems. And, so it is that I am pondering the analytical measures that we use or are even available to us as a measure from the marketplace (i.e. our customers, or end-users) back to our designs, construction methodology and product performance.

For example, I find that much of my so-called 'free' time is spent having a car serviced because a "Check Engine Light" is blazing away, repairing home appliances that have failed or re-booting computers that have frozen for no apparent reason. And, as I think of the need for these tasks, I wonder whether the engineers responsible for these products ever receive feedback from the marketplace as to the strengths and shortcomings of their work.

I have been involved in many discussions about the need for better tools (the latest and the greatest that we always believe our competitors have!), and what organization has not hired consultants to implement ISO, Six Sigma or similar systems. But, I rarely hear much discussion or demand for analytic measures based upon customer experience that directly impacts engineering priorities.

Tomorrow, I will share some of my experiences as a consumer that I would like the engineers at certain companies to address. For today, does anyone have experience with marketplace analytics and customer feedback?

Question: Does anyone have a crystal ball on what will happen with Microsoft's unsolicited bid for Yahoo?

• Answer: No. BUT, there certainly are many pundits who have a thought on the matter and others who are attempting to attract an audience of readers (including me, I suppose) on the subject.

Question: Does the Microsoft bid for Yahoo Matter?

• Answer: Yes and No. Wait!! Don't roll your eyes with that trite answer. I say "yes/no" because, yes, the outcome of the situation will change the activities of those businesses (certainly internally and, likely, in the marketplace) so it does matter. But, No, it does not matter because the bid is a business matter and the ultimate outcome is predicated as much on ego, hubris, negotiating skills and similar social conventions as it is on management principles, business pragmatics and the normal evolution of markets and businesses.

In short, such transactional processes are a natural part of an evolving market and, in some sense, an indication that the connectivity/community/communications/information businesses are starting to coalesce and (gasp!) mature. And, we have to adapt based upon whatever happens.

There was a time not long ago when Microsoft was heralded because their operating system became the de facto standard and data transfer between laboratory devices, computers and process systems (among many others) became an expectation rather than a far-off dream. But, a seemingly short time afterwards, Microsoft was seen by many as the evil empire out to control ALL facets of our lives, know more about us than we did ourselves and potentially share that information with organizations that would know what to do with that information in ways that we would submit without ever knowing it. Critics shrieked and anti-trust lawyers made a LOT of money.

Yet, while there was this sense that Microsoft was invincible, Google entered the fray, challenged Microsoft for "share of computer activity", started to attract the brightest talent that Microsoft would otherwise hire and eventually developed products that challenge Google's business. Competition is a wonderful thing! Changing the game is, too.

Microsoft has acquired other businesses but, with this seemingly hostile bid to buy Yahoo, the once invincible company has indicated that they have determined it is now easier to buy their way into a market rather than build a better mousetrap of their own. It is an acknowledgement that there is an entrenched customer base that would be too costly to attract through their own organic abilities. That change in thinking and in business approach matters.

And, it is that change in thinking that brings a Rupert Murdoch and his News Corporation into the activity. Before long, there will be others and when the dust has settled, there will be an amalgamation of businesses. One need only look at other historical industry shake-outs, including US aerospace/defense contractors (whittled down to Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, Honeywell, General Dynamics and Northrup-Grumman), automobile manufacturers (on a global basis) and steel producers (look back over the past century of consolidations) and so much more.

A mentor told me long ago, when I worked for a conglomerate that served maturing markets, that it was best for me to keep my head down and get my job done. There is much truth in that statement as it is best for each of us to do what we can do to support the endeavors of our choosing. From afar, the unfolding drama here is as entertaining as any sporting event and as enlightening as any theater and possibly as farcical as any comedy. Time will tell.