Alexis Tung's Blog

We see them all the time. Fads that initially help the business. This does not mean that all fads do not work. Some of them do. In fact, to some businesses, fads are the business. At one point of time, high protein diets were a new fad. Some diet companies made use of the idea like crazy. They sold books, pills, shakes, and a myriad of products that leech on this fad. Many people bought these items as the idea defied the common logic at the time (the food pyramid logic). However, after some time, this fad became too commonplace. Too many people were selling it. It no longer generated the buzz it once had. There are now counter-arguments for every arguments for the diet. What should businesses do? Does this mean that they should not have gone into this business in the first place?

Hell, no. It means that they need to recognize the fact that their business is based on a fad and planned for the aftermath of when the fad fades. They should understand that new technologies can one day override whatever they are providing and have contingency plans, rather than be taken by shock. For instance, what if a pill was invented that guaranteed weight loss in every individual that had little side effects and was affordable (I know, fat chance, but we can always dream)? What would happen to high protein diet based businesses then? One contigency would be to focus on the other health aspects apart from weight loss. For instance, a reasonable amount of amino acids can help with moods. Or, it could help with muscle recovery after exercise.

Posted in Business

What is a paradigm shift? Let's look at it from the context of science. Let's say a person comes up with a proven theory a long time ago. For instance, a mathematical equation: A + B = C. Then as time goes by, more people accept that mathematical equation until it becomes the norm. It gets taught in schools and researchers start using it to create other mathematical equations. Products and strategies are designed according to these mathetical equations. Funding was given to create more equations. Then one day,  some person proves this mathematical equation wrong.  Everything produced by this mathematical equation would have to be re-examined. Investments were wasted. Nothing is certain anymore. There is panic and fear. There is a need for new direction.  By proving this equation wrong, the researcher has created a paradigm shift. Other examples of paradigm shifts include the theory of the Big Bang, the notion that the earth revolved around the sun and no the other way round, and that the earth is round. Paradigm shifts are useful and necessary, but they are also expensive. In terms of a business, a paradigm shift is when you change the very core foundations the business is built on. Such shifts can make or break a company.

Let's look at the example of a house. A change could range from the moving of a few furnitures, the re-decorating of a room, to a total renovation of a home (in business, this would be likened to business re-engineering). When you talk of a paradigm shift, you have to move all your stuff out of your home, demolish the home, relay its foundations (digging deep into the earth), rebuilding the home, then renovating or re-decorating it.

Posted in Business

There is this term in psychology coined the 'bystander effect'. This means that if a person is in trouble and there are plenty of bystanders around, they would be less likely to help than if there is only one bystander around. This is due to the diffusion of personal responsibility. Meaning that the bystander would think that someone else would do it, or if no one else is doing it, they do not need to either. This is why team size in a company is important. If a team, for instance, one that handles customer complaints, is too big, the employees would feel less personally responsible to handle individual customer complaints, unless there is a system in place to assign personal responsibility.

Posted in Business

Let's say there is a company, XYZ Shoes, that sells shoes. It has three stores. In order to motivate its employees to sell more shoes, they have competitions to see who can sell the most shoes. However, studies have shown that intense competition within groups can cause hostility between them. Therefore, it would be important for the company to have the employees meet up with one another and engage in noncompetitive activities to build up relationships before engaging them in competitive activities. They also need to regulate the frequency of these inter-company competitions.

Posted in Business

I found out what my Myers-Briggs (TM) personality type is not long ago.

First I needed to find out if I was a introvert or extravert. Was I a person who enjoyed studying alone more or enjoyed doing so in the company of friends. Was I more productive in each situation? In this case, I would be an introvert. It does not mean that I do not play well with others. It just means that I will prefer to work things out on my own first before meeting up with others.

Then, I will need to find out: am I the sensing or intuitive type? I am obviously the intuitive type as I am always in the search of new solutions. Sensing types are more stable: their slogan would be, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. They prefer using tried and tested solutions.

Next, I will need to find out: am I the thinking or feeling type? For this, I thought back to a situation that happened between a friend and myself. He brought out an argument and I countered it. He argued using dictionary definitions and textbook examples of logics (stuff that I have forgotten about after graduating from the University). Regardless of his intentions, my intentions were to argue to the bitter end with him till I won. It was not to find out right or wrong. By arguing with me, I felt that he was trying to make me lose face. I argued for hours (even through sms) till he surrendered. What we can see from this incident is that I am a feeling type of person. I base my decisions more on the effect it has on the feelings of others than in reaching logical conclusions. However, this is a negative example. When able to correctly apply their personalities, feeling types can contribute in positive ways to the workplace. For one, they are better able to empathize with others. They can predict the effects of work decisions on individual workers rather than base their decisions on maximizing the effectiveness of monitoring, for example.

Last, I found out whether I was the judging or perceiving type. For this I will have to look at my thought process when I need to do something. Do I start planning in my head what steps to take to get the end goal before committing to doing it? Or, do I commit to it first in a burst of spontaneity and see where life leads me? I would have to be the planner aka the judging type.

From my experiences, I have figured out that I am a INFJ type. How about you?

For more info on INFJ types, click www.personalitypage.com/INFJ.html

Posted in Business