What is a manager? That was the first question the group of line managers asked me. I just got hired by as a management trainee at a consumer goods company and was on my first month at its Manila manufacturing facility, going through orientation. I was required to undergo a qualification test with senior managersContinue reading “What is a Manager, Anyway?”
Tag Archives: business
Appreciating the Value of Veteran Employees
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”
Why Redundant Systems are Out-of-the-Question Necessary
We expect nothing less from those who provide what we feel we deserve.
What Organising Really Means
There are four (4) basic functions to management: planning, organising, directing, and controlling. We can picture what planning, directing, and controlling are. They’re kind of straightforward and self-explanatory. Organising, however, is not. When we “organise,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? We perhaps think of putting our stuff in order, like filing awayContinue reading “What Organising Really Means”
Owning versus Managing: What’s the Difference?
Do you own the business or do you manage the business?* A senior member of the board of trustees of a high-rise building walked into its administration office and asked the accountant there to order parts for a diesel generator set. The senior board member believed that the generator needed a minor repair and notContinue reading “Owning versus Managing: What’s the Difference?”
Four (4) Suggestions for a Client-Convenient Website
The phone company needs a password whenever I want to look at my bill. I enrolled into the phone company’s “paperless billing” system more than a year ago. Before, the “paper” bills were arriving late such that when I received them, they were already past the due date. With paperless billing, the phone company notifiesContinue reading “Four (4) Suggestions for a Client-Convenient Website”
How to Save Money When Renewing the Dreaded City Business Permit
Every time we enter a new year, many of us reflect on the past and make resolutions for the future. When the first working day arrives, however, we face reality. One of those realities is the dreaded city business permit renewal. Town and city governments in the Philippines require enterprises to register before they canContinue reading “How to Save Money When Renewing the Dreaded City Business Permit”
The Four (4) Priorities of Business
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is the largest business enterprise in the Philippines and is among the top 2,000 global firms listed by Forbes magazine. SMC’s gross revenue was PhP 384 billion ($USD 7.6 billion approximately) in 2018 earned from its diversified portfolio that includes food & beverage products, real estate properties, and infrastructure & energyContinue reading “The Four (4) Priorities of Business”
Hoarding and How to Discourage It
When people buy a little more than what they usually need, we call it speculation. When they buy much, much more, we call it hoarding. What happens when people hoard? Do the enterprises that supply the goods gain in sales and profits? Do hoarders make money? Hoarding happens when people perceive they might not beContinue reading “Hoarding and How to Discourage It”
Competitive & Non-Competitive Priorities and How to Deal with Them
In several firms I’ve worked with, I couldn’t help but notice that supply chain managers would sometimes be engrossed with priorities regarding compliance to government-mandated occupational safety & health standards. They would have long meetings and spend much time on the nitty-gritties of reports to be filed and procedures to follow. But in the followingContinue reading “Competitive & Non-Competitive Priorities and How to Deal with Them”
Ellery's Essays 