Alex Tabarrok on equal pay for equal work
Suppose that apples sell for more than oranges and Parliament in its wisdom decides that, at last, apples and oranges must be compared. Not by… Read More »Alex Tabarrok on equal pay for equal work
Processes (ways to get stuff Done)
SOP
Patience’s first law of operations: Everyone wants a clear policy and a consistently implemented SOP… until you ask them to write a policy, create an… Read More »SOP
Hyman G. Rickover’s management fundamentals
For those who came in late… U.S. Admiral Hyman Rickover – “the father of the nuclear navy” was a man who got things done: Within… Read More »Hyman G. Rickover’s management fundamentals
The #1 most important To Do List secret in the universe revealed
The exact method you use to run your to do list doesn’t really matter. Some are more helpful than others, but paper and pencil or… Read More »The #1 most important To Do List secret in the universe revealed
Kafka: Wriggling through by subtle manoeuvres
From muddling to wriggling, here’s Kafka: “My mode of life is devised solely for writing, and if there are any changes, then only for the… Read More »Kafka: Wriggling through by subtle manoeuvres
“The best way to treat a problem is seldom where the problem appears” – a case study of solving problems in a complex system from Russell Ackoff
48:55 to 1:04:15 is insightful, nuanced, and heavily emphasises the human parts of a business system. In short, it is worth your time. See also:… Read More »“The best way to treat a problem is seldom where the problem appears” – a case study of solving problems in a complex system from Russell Ackoff
Russell Ackoff on Systems Thinking and improving system performance
[The first requirement of a system is that] a system is a whole that consists of parts, each of which can affect its behaviour or… Read More »Russell Ackoff on Systems Thinking and improving system performance
Pi in a box: Steven Strogratz on squaring the circle
Here’s the excellent Steven Strogratz giving an elegant explanation for why the formula for the area of a circle works and explaining the mysteries of… Read More »Pi in a box: Steven Strogratz on squaring the circle
Diploma problems, toothbrushing problems, and Russian Dolls
Some problems are like getting a diploma: you work at it for a while, and then you’re done forever. Learning how to ride a bike… Read More »Diploma problems, toothbrushing problems, and Russian Dolls