Why? Why does it work like this?

[skip0110]

Ok, so this thread is here because I need to rant/vent.

I go down to the lab to get some work done in the common area there. Somehow, some school of management students found their way into the engineering building, and they were "working" at a table behind me. Some real-life sort of project. Listening them to dribble on for a full hour about "utilizing synergistc buisness practices through the buisness model" drove me insane. And here they are, worrying if they can get the project done in time. Done in time! There was absolutely no content at all in what they were discussing--and they are getting a degree for that. But what ticks me off the most is that, for the rest of my life, these are the people that are going to be my managers and bosses.

It's like that part of the Hitchhiker's Guide books where it is said that human society evolved from all the useless people--all the managers, bosses, marketing experts and the like. Thats what life is like--why are the people on top so **** incompetent and useless?

I probably come off a bit off my rocker (and highly one-sisded) in the last two paragraphs, but whatever. I probably have offended some of you as well. Discuss, I guess.

 

[PS]

I've noticed that, too. Even with principles and vice principles, they seem to see everyone as either good hearted or seriously disturbed/potential serial killers/rapists. It's like as soon as they get in a position of authority they instantly become braindead. You're not alone!

 

[skip0110]

I've noticed that, too. Even with principles and vice principles, they seem to see everyone as either good hearted or seriously disturbed/potential serial killers/rapists. It's like as soon as they get in a position of authority they instantly become braindead. You're not alone!

Thanks for the sympathy I hated all my guidance counselors/principals throughout school, just like you. It was particularly frustrating that they were so jaded and did so little for me bacause I (or at least my parents) were paying their salaries.

 

[Ev0]

I think I would have snapped and punched some of those people in the face if I had to listen to that sort of drivel for an entire hour. Good for you for not going mental in that situation.

What bothers me though is how in the world can those people stand themselves knowing that is what a good portion of their life is going to become.

 

[emad]

Most students in the business management program at my school are fairly stupid and out of the loop when it comes to life. Same goes to the folks in the Poly Sci programs.

 

[PS]

A lot of nerds at my school are like that. They all know how to do a 30 step equation but can't function or think in a normal society. I don't get how they could lack the normal sense of what to do in certain situations.

 

[Ev0]

A lot of nerds at my school are like that. They all know how to do a 30 step equation but can't function or think in a normal society. I don't get how they could lack the normal sense of what to do in certain situations.

You just described about three quarters of the people in my science and math classes.

 

[Sage]

skip – As weird as this sounds, if you can, pick up a February 2004 copy of Car and Driver. In it is a column by John Phillips that I think you'll love, entitled "Synergize your noun strings for fun and profit."

A few quotes:

They want the listener to grasp the concept in the abstract, in a vague and murky manner. Because, in murk, all claims can be defended. In fact, murk is often introduced intentionally, with noun strings doing the heavy lifting.

Eventually, I complied a small dictionary called the VAMF—Vocabulary Ascension Motivation Facilitator, in which our PR company recorded noun strings guaranteed to make the reader feel he wasn't quite smart enough to absorb our profound messages and that he should just, you know, stop worrying about it and trust us.

Lately, I've been surpassed by software companies whose ads regularly refer to "integrated custom applications development" and "systems integration marketing" and "integrated life-cycle tools" and "supply-chain biological resource issues."

Last October, I recieved the mother of all press releases. I hate quoting very much of the text, because it's capable of inducing cramps in lab mice, but I want you to get the full effect. Here goes:
"SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced that Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG)… is implementing solutions from the SAP® for Automotive portfolio to streamline productions, supply chain, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) processes across its Formula One racing operations. SAP's fully integrated solutions in the automotive industry-specific portfolio are replacing legacy systems at TMG and helping the company eliminate the complexity and cost of running a heterogeneous system landscape, linking key information across the enterprise and enabling each unit to more efficiently execute its core operations. In January 2003, TMG began its rollout of SAP for Automotive, including mySAP™ Product Lifecycle Management (mySAP PLM), mySAP™ Supply Chain Management (mySAP SCM), mySAP™ Human Resources (mySAP HR), and mySAP™ Financials. The announcement was made at the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) conference."

Notice how in the last one you still have no clue what the company does by the end of all that babble.

It's a wonderful world we live in.

 

[PS]

That's scary. I know this guy, and I'm only saying his last name because it proves a stereotype, George* Vermeulan (pro. verr-mule-in), and he is like the nerdyest guy I know- he equates everything to a videogame or something of the like. Anyway, whenever someone I'll call "normal" talks to him, it's all final fantasy to him, and he like doesn't know what a spoiler is or what first, second, third base means etc. It's really quite sad. What's worse is the fact that I'll probably end up working for a guy like him.

 

[skip0110]

skip – As weird as this sounds, if you can, pick up a February 2004 copy of Car and Driver. In it is a column by John Phillips that I think you'll love, entitled "Synergize your noun strings for fun and profit."

I love John Phillips. I recall reading that article and think I have it at home, I'll have to give it a reread.

The quotes you selected pretty much sum up most of advertising and promotional materials. If the world worked the way I want it to, products would sell on their inherent benefits, rather than the words crafted by some marketing expert that firmly believes selling cars is the same as selling software is the same as selling toilet paper.

However, I bet that very general wording that just gives you a fuzzy feeling if you don't pay real close attention to it really does sell products. Sad, that is.

 

[emad]

Notice how in the last one you still have no clue what the company does by the end of all that babble.

It's a wonderful world we live in.

SAP is actually quite an odd company. It took me 2 years in the IT program at my school to finally get a vague idea of what they do. Basically, they're a supply chain management company. For mid size businesses, they help companies totally integrate with their suppliers and customers in order to help cost efficiency in some way or other. It's a huge step for a big corp like Toyota because they're bloody enormous. The costs involved with setting up a company that large are rediculous...

Funny thing is, I am again confused as to what the hell SAP does for their customers and why SAP admins get paid crazy as hell salaries of like $50/hour... I think they get paid for making up a bunch of big words and making managers think they're doing something right

 

[sirlosealot]

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I go down to the lab to get some work done in the common area there. Somehow, some school of management students found their way into the engineering building, and they were "working" at a table behind me. Some real-life sort of project. Listening them to dribble on for a full hour about "utilizing synergistc buisness practices through the buisness model" drove me insane. And here they are, worrying if they can get the project done in time. Done in time! There was absolutely no content at all in what they were discussing--and they are getting a degree for that. But what ticks me off the most is that, for the rest of my life, these are the people that are going to be my managers and bosses.
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.
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Consider yourself lucky right now that they're just sitting near you and they're only getting a degree for it. Some of us have to sit in meetings with these people - except that now they're getting paid for it. It makes me sick , so I have to surf GTP till I feel better

Mike

 

[///M-Spec]

skip – As weird as this sounds, if you can, pick up a February 2004 copy of Car and Driver. In it is a column by John Phillips that I think you'll love, entitled "Synergize your noun strings for fun and profit."

Heh. John Phillips is awesome.

Notice how in the last one you still have no clue what the company does by the end of all that babble.

Actually, I do have a clue. They could have said the same thing with about two sentances. But then the press release would be mostly white paper . You should try writing good marketing copy sometimes.. not as easy as it sounds. Unless you're selling a cure for cancer, it usually ends up as marginally interesting as the product you're selling.

skip, if it makes you feel any better, most people who spend their professional careers blowing smoke usually end up as sales critters. I've known very few truly successful and competant people who got that way armed with nothing but the ability to sound like they have the slightest idea what's going on when in fact they are clueless. Of course, sometimes intelligence challenged people do succeed because of sheer, dumb luck. And brilliant people do sometimes spend years in obscurity working as patent clerks.... But those are usually exceptions rather than the rule.

It is always easier to critisize someone before you walk a mile in their shoes.

But what ticks me off the most is that, for the rest of my life, these are the people that are going to be my managers and bosses.

Then make it a goal to be your own boss. That way when something dumb happens (and it will), you will be in the unique position of being the problem and solution.


M

 

[skip0110]

It is always easier to critisize someone before you walk a mile in their shoes.

Yes, marketing is a very important skill to develop--I know there are countless inventors whose ideas were surpassed by slightly inferior ideas (or equally good ideas) just because they didn't have a good "pitch" for their ideas. But shouldn't the ability to pitch an idea be linked to an understanding of it? For every good idea that failed because of poor marketing, there are probably 10 that never got a chance to come to frutition because a stupider idea was being forced on the designer by some upper management decree.

Then make it a goal to be your own boss. That way when something dumb happens (and it will), you will be in the unique position of being the problem and solution.


M

My goal in life is to hold some sort of research position, so I dont have to answer to a boss for deadlines and work to implement the silly ideas of some disconnected manager.

But it's a little too soon to work on those goals, I'll take this life a step at a time.

 

[///M-Spec]

Yes, marketing is a very important skill to develop--I know there are countless inventors whose ideas were surpassed by slightly inferior ideas (or equally good ideas) just because they didn't have a good "pitch" for their ideas. But shouldn't the ability to pitch an idea be linked to an understanding of it?

Yes. No. And it depends. I think it is hard to theorize and make generalizations about why some ideas succeed and other fail. Sometimes it is the right idea at the wrong time. Sometimes it is poor execution. Sometimes is it mismanagement. Sometimes it is sheer dumb luck.

For every good idea that failed because of poor marketing, there are probably 10 that never got a chance to come to frutition because a stupider idea was being forced on the designer by some upper management decree.

My goal in life is to hold some sort of research position, so I dont have to answer to a boss for deadlines and work to implement the silly ideas of some disconnected manager.

But it's a little too soon to work on those goals, I'll take this life a step at a time.

skip, I can see that a common theme in this thread is that you view managers, bosses... people in charge, as incompetant in general. May I ask why?


M

 

[Danoff]

Some of management is fluff and useless, some of it is critical. I work for a very engineering oriented organization and I find that some of the most unhappy employees are the ones that are working under supervisors that spend all of their time engineering and no time managing.... some of management is critical.

Some of the smartest people I know are people in engineering management. They manage teams of engineers and they're the guys managing because they know enough about all the parts of the problem that they can understand the guy who has spent the last year living in his own little world with his own little problem - that's tough. Make sense out of what this incredibly autistic (sp?) guy is spewing and understand how it relates to your problem.

Management can be critical, and it can be extraordinarily challenging and risky - that's why they make the big bucks.

People who go to school and learn nothing but business have a few hurtles to overcome though. It's usually not enough just to know business, you usually have to know something a little more concrete to be able to apply you business knowledge and make money.

skip, I can see that a common theme in this thread is that you view managers, bosses... people in charge, as incompetent in general. May I ask why?

Not a bad question.