The New Jaguar XJ

Now, let’s look at the new XJ

The XJ is positioned as a four dour sedan to compete with the Mercedes S – class and the BMW 7, and like the new XF, i think the XJ had managed to stand slightly above it’s competitor.

The new Jaguar XJ is BEAUTIFUL – but first, the Jaguar lineup

I love cars.

No, not in the sense that i put posters of Ferrari on my wall, never had one.

I love cars in the sense, from never knowing the difference between coupe and roadster (coupe is a two door sedan with fixed roof, while roadster is two door sedan with open or movable roof), to understanding what’s a targa (a roadster with horizontal bar protruding from the middle part, like a very narrow roof, it’s actually a full width roll bar to prevent the occupants head from crashing the ground in the disastrous event of a rollover).

from not knowing the difference between Toyota and Honda, Mercedes and BMW, Mercedes and BMW and Jaguar and Lexus, to Ferrari and Lambo, to Aston Martin and Buggati, and Bentley and Rolls, to having some comprehension the fine nuances of each brand (i still don’t understand American Cars though, their gone anyways).

Now, let’s talk about Jaguar

Moving to the higher ground on motivation

I’ve mentioned the positive sharing blog (can be found here).

Now i like to share a bit about a post that really resonates with me.

(the full post can be found here)

The post talk about 4 different type of motivation, driven by positive or negative motivation and extrinsic or intrinsic factor.

Naturally, the best is positive and intrinsic motivation.

Further resource on increasing intrinsic motivation can be found here.

Found a great blog on happiness at work

As a worker and supervisor, i believe in the values of making the workplace as place for personal growth.

Having challenging assignments that gives people the chance to expand their knowledge, push new mind boundaries.

That also means doing these challenging assignments in a positive environment, an environment where personal traits are appreciated, credit are properly given, feedback are given nicely, back-stabbing politics is shunned, and cooperation is promoted.

I have to admit, that sometimes i fail to fulfill this goal, either through deadline pressures, miscommunication, or at times, simply bad leadership on my side. Regardless, i still believe in the workplace as place for self development, and i strive to be better.

So i was very happy when i found this blog about how to improve happiness at work.

the blog can be found here.

Miskonsepsi tentang suku bunga deposito (dan tabungan)

(This feature serves as a mini update to my post on Time Deposit Interest Rate, the previous post can be found by clicking this link)

I had had strong…’prejudice’ regarding interest rates. I used to assume that interest rates from small banks is usually higher than those of larger banks, that larger banks are laggards when it comes to competing on interest rates.

Yet when I went to the website of two largest bank in Indonesia in Friday last week (July 3rd 2009), i found a surprise.

The interest rates of these 2 banks is actually as competitive or even more competitive than the bank i’m using now for my time deposit (the account statement indicates that my interest rate is 6.75%)

I was perplexed…how can this be? i thought i was having a good deal with the smaller bank…

I thought i was trading a slight amount of security with a larger amount of interest rate.

Turns out that i was wrong…i had been placing my money on the wrong basket.

Wanna see what i found out?

Looking for Precendence – How Facebook deliver CRM

Delivering CRM is the hardest part of CRM

Complete, accurate, and yet agile Database

Easy to use and modify user interface

Network capacity to handle thousand of concurrent users adding and modifying info to your database

Analytic algorithm and servers able to find and exploit patterns in the rapidly shifting data landscape

Applications that can effectively test and launch campaigns in to the database, “hot dipping” as i would say

How to deliver this without, risking trillions of rupiah in ongoing transaction, integrating the company’s multiple channel, throwing in new products and benefit, keep track of which internal laws need to be changed, ensure compliance with regulations, and transitioning with the company’s legacy system.

Complex no?

Yet i see facebook, 200 millions users, hundreds of thousands going live, concurrently modifying and adding data, user interface that’s not exactly easy at first, but users learn to it anyway, and can be modify, applications that users can embed and use in near instant.

I find myself asking 2 things:

1. HOW?

and

2. WHAT’s the difference with our company?

I’m assigning another team member to do research on this.

Looking for precedence – Sustainable Advantage – General Motors

Being in the Fortune 500 is grand, being in the Fortune Global 1000 is even more grand.

Being there means having size, having heft, having revenue so ridiculously big you’re competitor cries about how they cannot compete with your scale.

If Astra International and Bank Central Asia, Indonesia’s most distinguished companies are not even in the Global 1000, how great are the companies that are able to be in the Global 1000.

Didn’t help General Motors though. They’re f*cked.

So why? why? why does a company with tens of billions in revenue goes to chapter 11?

I mean, if tens of billions doesn’t help, then what about these great companies in Indonesia with mere billions in revenue?

BCA pride itself on having an unassailable moat of advantage. Me, i kinda believe in one of Intel’s founder word’s, “Only the Paranoid Survive”.

But looking at GM, you don’t need to be paranoid to be concerned.

To understand the why, the cultural aspect, the history, the technical side of death and decline, i’ve assigned a member of my team to do a research on this.