When I was a young industrial engineer at the food production division of a multinational company, the accounting department asked me to find out why there was a large reported loss of refined coconut oil. They’re the ones we always look for when we need something. I went to the production manager and he toldContinue reading “Appreciating the Value of Veteran Employees”
Author Archives: Ellery
Why Redundant Systems are Out-of-the-Question Necessary
We expect nothing less from those who provide what we feel we deserve.
Three Questions Every New Manager Should Ask
Every new manager should always ask three (3) questions about an operation he or she will be in charge of: What does the book say should be happening? What do the people say should be happening? What is really happening? Chances are each answer would be totally different from the others. What does the bookContinue reading “Three Questions Every New Manager Should Ask”
Just About Every Enterprise is a Supply Chain Enterprise
I and ten million people in Manila have the same problem every day. Mobile phone reception—it’s lousy. It would take several tries to call someone on my mobile phone and when I do, chances are the conversation would stop in the middle. Poor cellular reception is a norm in the Philippines. It’s just so hardContinue reading “Just About Every Enterprise is a Supply Chain Enterprise”
The Heroes Among Us
It’s easy to criticise. It’s simple to call someone stupid. Social media in the Philippines has been abuzz since the pandemic began in 2020. Not that it hasn’t been abuzz before; it was more so after as people stayed home and expressed their frustrations. As vaccine supply remained scarce, the COVID-19 virus continued to wreakContinue reading “The Heroes Among Us”
Supply Chains Must Have These Five (5) Traits
What’s all the fuss about supply chains? An Evergreen container ship, the Ever Given, got stuck at the Suez Canal in late March 2021. The solution was simple: dig out the sand it’s grounded on and tow the ship to a nearby lake. Unfortunately, because it’s a big heavy ship and the Suez Canal isContinue reading “Supply Chains Must Have These Five (5) Traits”
A Guide to City Zoning; an Example of Management Organising
I asked the water company engineer why his company was digging up the street in front of my family’s house for the second time in a few years. He answered my question with a frown and a sigh. “I have to install new pipes because of that new building,” he replied as he pointed atContinue reading “A Guide to City Zoning; an Example of Management Organising”
Burning Platforms and How to Prevent Them
A proprietor who sells electrical products was experiencing a dramatic drop in sales. He hires a consultant who comes from a large multinational corporation and asks him what can be done. The consultant suggests that the proprietor develop a vision, mission, objectives, and strategies (VMOS) for his business. The consultant conducts a team-building session withContinue reading “Burning Platforms and How to Prevent Them”
Building Track Records of Trust
My mechanic, Diony, recommended I change the power steering fluid of my car. I use automatic transmission fluid (ATF) for the power steering because another mechanic said it was okay. But when Diony checked my car the other day, he said I shouldn’t use ATF for power steering. ATF is for automatic transmissions; power steeringContinue reading “Building Track Records of Trust”
Non-Moving Inventories: The Supply Chain’s Elephant in the Room
The phrase, “elephant in the room,” is said to have originated from a fable by Ivan Krylov that tells about “a man who goes to a museum and notices all sorts of tiny things, but fails to notice an elephant.” It has become a favourite expression for an obvious problem or issue that for someContinue reading “Non-Moving Inventories: The Supply Chain’s Elephant in the Room”
Ellery's Essays 