Re: [tlug] silicon cash eater

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

On Mon, Jul 3, 2017 at 8:36 AM, dblomber <dblomber@example.com> wrote:
> It has nothing to do with technical issues. The business side was the problem.\
> Much like the Challenger explosion? Sadly, I talk to business types at
> times and I can tell you how the ones I talk to (seem to) think (to my
> exasperation) 10 warnings and documents showing how they have an issue,
> 2 or 3 reviews by others telling them they are fine and the risks are
> not nearly as severe as being claimed. The business people "rely" on the
> expertise and then as the do nothing option meets their business
> obligations to their investors and the reports give them an actual (yes
> they generally believe the reports that there is nothing to worry about)
> sense of relief. So in the end nothing is done and trying to prove them
> as being negligent is not likely to get traction - even after a
> spectacular failure - they have reports showing that the other reports
> were overblown (even if later proven to be accurate).  In fact look at
> the laws about their responsibilities to their investors and you will
> find many execs feel their hands are tied and they can't do anything if
> there is anything but universal support, not near but true 100% support,
> for the option that they must do something.  If they spend large amounts
> of funds on something investors cannot be convinced of, they can
> actually be sued.


I'm somewhat late to this discussion...but all this talk about
Fukushima and Tepco's management failure and we rarely talk about the
successes.  Perhaps I'm mistaken as it's been a while, but wasn't
Ibaraki-ken's Tokaimura reactor affected by the earthquake as well?  I
don't think it's as close to the ocean as Fukushima but I think in the
news back in 2011, Tokaimura withstood the earthquake.  There were no
leaks.  But, it was only worth a single sentence in the news.  Sure,
Fukushima was a disaster and it is worth being cover page news.  But
when things go right, we (as a society) don't give it the attention it
deserves.

IMHO, that's also a problem.  Management, business people, and
investors are just members of the same society.  I'm sure if you take
any person who isn't in these roles and pluck them from their job and
make them into management of Tepco, they would have made the same
decision.  If not, all the other managers around them would have made
this person into "one of them" sooner or later.

That's a bit sad...

Ray