I complained to the Philippines’ Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) that a mobile phone seller didn’t honour the terms of a promotion in which I was entitled to a PhP 3,000 allowance to buy smartphone accessories. The DTI responded that I have to fill out a form before the department would respond. No form,Continue reading “The Pros & Cons of Trigger-Dependent Systems”
Author Archives: Ellery
Many People Don’t Use Toilet Paper
We all have comfort zones
Tools are Just as Important as Talent
A mechanic once advised a trucking owner that his job is only as good as the tools he has. The trucking owner agreed and bought all the tools & supplies the mechanic needed. The owner was rewarded with trucks that hardly had breakdowns. If there were, the mechanic would immediately have the broken-down truck repairedContinue reading “Tools are Just as Important as Talent”
I Hate It When People Rush Me
I don’t play golf. It’s not only because I’m a lousy player (although that has a lot to do with it). It’s also because I hate it when people rush me at the golf course. When I used to play golf, the caddies would tell me to hurry up because there were other players whoContinue reading “I Hate It When People Rush Me”
Quality is Free; Value is Not
Is quality free? Philip Crosby in his book, Quality is Free, believes it is when we adopt a Zero Defects policy. An enterprise can achieve quality in its products and services without having to pay more. Quality may be free but value is not. At least to consumers searching for the best products and services. Continue reading “Quality is Free; Value is Not”
Why There are No Patron Saints for Modern Business
The Jesuit priest in his homily for the Catholic mass service I was attending with fellow high school students many years ago declared there were no Catholic patron saints for business people. At least there weren’t any who could be a model for those who led corporations and enterprises. In the Roman Catholic Church, patronContinue reading “Why There are No Patron Saints for Modern Business”
What Is Stupidity?
We don’t like being called stupid. It’s insulting and the one who says it obviously has bad intentions against the person he’s labelling as stupid. But what does stupid mean, anyway? It is not the opposite of smart. Smart describes cleverness, ingenuity, intelligence, and innovation. Ignorant would be the best antonym of smart asContinue reading “What Is Stupidity?”
The Importance of Education in a World of Word-of-Mouth
Many graduating high school students apply to colleges and universities. Many turn to rankings to find out what college or university would be best to apply to, given whatever interests the graduating high school students may have. US News and World Report’s Best Colleges list, for instance, relies on ranking factors that are based onContinue reading “The Importance of Education in a World of Word-of-Mouth”
Do-It-Yourself Hands-On Experience versus Delegating
A Roman Catholic church at San Mateo, California had one parish priest who not only said the Masses but also cleaned the premises, drove the car to buy groceries & supplies, and pay the bills. Volunteers would come to help on Sundays but the parish priest was practically on his own on weekdays. Contrast thisContinue reading “Do-It-Yourself Hands-On Experience versus Delegating”
Don’t Forget Productivity in Promoting Resilience
When the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 catastrophically caused a sudden global economic recession, enterprises went on the defensive to keep their businesses afloat; executives promised stakeholders they would transform their organisations to become more resilient. Risk management was the popular precursor to resilience. In risk management, managers laid out possible threats and prepared for them. Continue reading “Don’t Forget Productivity in Promoting Resilience”
Ellery's Essays 