7 Habits of Highly Ineffective People

I read an article called "7 Habits of Highly Ineffective People" today, you can find the full article here:
http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2007/09/05/7-habits-of-highly-ineffective-people/
I find these 7 habits really are the big barriers for modern people's daily work.

These 7 habits are: 
1. Not showing up
2. Procrastinating half the day
3. When actually doing something, doing something that isn't the most important thing right now
4. Thinking too much
5. Seeing the negative and downsides in just about anything
6. Clinging to your own thoughts and being closed to outside influences
7. Constantly on information overload


I agree with the author that these 7 habits are belong to highly ineffective people, I think I am a ineffective people, and for me, the 7th habit " information overload" is a major problem.
In modern times, it is really a information society, everybody may call many people and also get a lot of calls from others, maybe your friend sent you a text only say he find your old girl friend is dating with a handsome guy, maybe you got 20 emails per day, but 50% are rubbish mail, even you don't look at your SNS website, your cellphone will PUSH the newest news to your phone dashboard. Ok, you maybe need spend 30 minutes to get information from outside, these information will damage your former schedule, you need to add things to your schedule even it is not very important( like 3rd habit), let you feel unhappy( your ex-girl friend's news makes you crazy). Then you will not showing up some places those you should be  there, you thinking too much so you can't focus on the thing on hand. That's what I said: " Information damages you, not benefits you." 


I think people don't need too much information, even a lot of it seems like closely link to your life. People should know the basic, and do the extra.

MBA's job problem

I read a article called "The best U.S. business schools 2010", and full article can be seen there: http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/nov2010/bs20101110_255552.htm?chan=rss_topStories_ssi_5. This article 's major topic is about the MBA student's job problem. As a MBA student I found some interesting things in it.

Jack Oakes is director of the Career Development Center at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, he had watched the Great Recession choke off his students' job opportunities. Only 64% of MBA students reported having received a job offer, in past 5 years, when graduate from MBA program from Darden school, students always expect multiple six-figure offers.

Because the financial crisis killed or downsized the biggest MBA employers, including Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. It is more difficult for B-school students to find a suitable job. Traditional seeking job way seems out of use at present. Schools are finding new ways for students to connect with companies that might not recruit on campus. A lot of companies downsize their employees especially the elite person.

I don't know how this fact effects on our school, because most of my classmates are part-time students. But for me, a full-time student, who want to get a job after graduating, I think is a huge bad news. Actually, I want to find a job in America for achieve more global work experiences, than I will go back to China, to develop my own business. It seems like my plan should be changed.

How to build a online work place in company

About 1 year ago, I have a part-time job in a publish company, and my major task is to update our company's news online, and change the company's website style each month. My boss find I always finish my weekly job in 2 hours, so he thought I was been overpaid. So he give me a new case: to build a online work place for this company.

Actually, there was already a work website, it was placed in the company's website, but the only function is to post the meeting schedules. My boss said he want a different tool that can follow each employee's progress of work. I thought it is not a easy job to do, I told my boss I need over 2 weeks to work it out. He feel satisfied with his own idea. 

After do some research about this area, I found it is hard to build a complex system, because if the system have a complete architecture, company must to rent a huge database system for it, it is not economic. And my boss maybe crazy if I told him that he need to pay $ 20,000 each year to have this system. So I decide to use some internet applications to achieve the goal.

This publish company have 7 major task departments and a background supply department, So I build a communication system website in company's major server. And it looks like a simple BBS, each task department has a forum (a part of BBS) , and they need to post their daily work process to their own forum, and some information is open to other forum, that others can give advices and find mistakes. But some important information is be kept secret. Only boss can see what is it. Besides it, I build a chart room in company's network, every employee keeps online, and something no need to have a meeting is been talked in this chartroom. 

Finish this work, I feel not satisfied, I send this system to my friend, a computer greek. He looked the system about 2 minutes, and said:" It's easy to set up a workgroup on WIKI , and you can apply a MSN work group, they are all free, you do some stupid jobs." FML~~Anyway, It makes my boss feel better about pay my salary.

Social networking

In my Iphone, there are 4 social networking softwares(SNS) and 3 instant massage softwares(IM). They conclude Twitter, Facebook, Renren(Chinese SNS like Facebook), Sina(Chinese software like Twitter), MSN, Skype and QQ(same as MSN). Thanks to APPLE for invented the "PUSH", so iphone can push the massage to the dashboard, that I can check the newest massages from my social network website. With this, I do not need to keep my MSN and QQ always online.

"The Social network" a film about the Facebook's story, now is a popular film all around the world. A friend told me, he and his girlfriend went to see the film together and after that, his girlfriend treated him better than before, I wonder why. He, a computer greek, said his girlfriend told him that Zuckerberg is a greek too. Facebook must be the hottest website in the university students' laptop. I can see people accesses Facebook anywhere anytime. In China, for some reason you must known, we can't access the Facebook and Youtube, but we have a SNS called Renren (means "everybody"), it is very similar with Facebook, and  with only 2 years, it became the most popular SNS in China. I think people is tired of keep their IM software always online, and return the massage on time. These actions cut their time to pieces. With SNS, we can share music and video to our friends, talk with them on some popular topics, and post comments to friend's photos and blogs. 

After that, I think the biggest advantage of SNS is we can get the massage on time, but we needn't reply right now. We can focus on our case first, and reply them when free. It also avoids a lot of ADs from strangers.

Maybe the SNS is in the best time, and WEB 2.0 is turning to a trend, there is a lot of opportunities for IT company to achieve a success. But you must be unique, like Facebook, you must have your trump weapon.

Something about research

Here is my research's purpose and abstract. And it is the first edition. Please give me some advices.
PS, I find that there is some problem with my blog's time, I think the time region is false, and after trying a lot of times, I can't figure it out.

Research background and purpose

Internet industry becomes a very important part of today’s economy, after about 20years development, Internet industry has some inner changes; the creative industry has a huge effect on the web business. Internet products or services have a short product lift cycles, the WEB 2.0 is transferring from introduction period to growth period. Every company is facing the competitive products and services from other companies. If a company want to achieve a long-term success, the company must has some unique point that others cannot copy easily. Internet company has a huge talents requirement.  It treats a management problem, how to manage creative people, in other words, how to build a suitable work environment for the creative people. This research focuses on this problem, and try to get some useful information and work out some right recommendation.

Google, the biggest internet search engine, also the most successful, hires a lot of IT talents to work for it, and Google has a wonderful work environment that be rewarded and respected by whole industry. This research uses the Google’s work environment building experience as a example, hope to get some useful assumption.

Abstract

This research combines 4 parts, and each part focuses on a major point of the whole problem.

First part, the major content is how to recognize a creative people and determine if the people suit for the company work style. Every company has it’s special work style, and even a talent work in a uncomfortable environment he cannot full scope to show his ability, so the first step to build the suitable work environment is to hire suitable creative people. It is really the base for future management.

Second part’s content is nurture the creative people, sometimes, creative people don’t know how to use their talent on the job they do. Actually, they need a tutor or a coach to teach them the work way. The company must has those kind person who good at be a guider.

Third part focuses on how to placing the creative people in jobs.  The creative people always want to receive different reaction from workmates and superiors. How to deal with this situation is a problem that this research needs to figure out.

The last part talks how to coordinate the creative people’s relationship, both in office and after work. Treat a congenial atmosphere will do some amazing effects on the company’s work.

A very cool cup. like a lens. hope you like.

xbox or ps3 or wii？

For a game fan, it is not a different problem to choose from XBOX360, PS3 or wii. Actually these three game consoles have different position. Wii has a very different product position with the others, it designed for whole family to have fun. For example, my mother bought a Wii, and placed it in living room, sometimes she plays the "motion games" with my father, in my view, the Wii's game image is so bad, like some 90's game, even PS2 has a better performance. But Wii achieved a perfect sale goal in whole world, the most important key to success, is right product position ---- "for simple fun".

In modern times, people always busy and can not spend whole hours time to play video games. And the games are increasing their performance, actually the difficult levels. I bought a xbox 360 just for play the NBA 2k11, because the 2k11 added the Jordan to the game, and with a new game mode called "JORDAN mode", but if you want to add the Jordan to your favorite team, you must pass the whole 10 challenges, are all about need to score 50+ pts and 8+ asts. I am a old player of 2k series, but it is so hard for me to pass the  challenges. Maybe if I takes 3 whole days to do this I can achieve it, but 3 days mean a lot, I promise if I am crazy, I will do this.

But Wii is different, each games maybe takes you 5 minutes to finish. And without any practice, you can achieve a high score on it. That's why my mum spend 30 minutes playing table tennis with my dad on it. It is really fun. At past, video games been treated a unhealthy action.Wii changed this view, all wii games need you play with the motion pad, you need to act the image action. It is simple, but produce so many fun.

PS3 and Xbox360 didn't thought Wii is their competitor at first, they just developed more interesting games, and want to beat the other, after spend so many labor and money on game development, they find that customers do not need the high level performance, they just need a simple game to relax. So, SONY and MS both introduce their new products that have same function with Wii. In other words, they deny Wii's success.

XBOX360
kinect~~~

Apple: get your cash by give you "AIR"

Apple unveiled new MacBook Airs -- in new 11.6-inch and updated 13.3-inch display sizes -- during an October 20 media event dubbed "Back to the Mac." Standard configs for the 11.6-inch model sell for $999 and $1,999 and $1,299 and $1,599 for the 13.3-inch Air. Many respondents used the more typical speeds-and-feeds measure to evaluate the, ah, Air quality.  

''The next generation of MacBooks''

Apple introduce the newest MacBook air by above words. Actually, I'm not surprise with it. Every time Apple use the words like" most, best, perfect, ever" to show their products are unique. After customers bought the product, Apple will introduce the "newest" product again. Unfortunately the new one always kick your old one ass. You will confuse if you should buy a new one because it is better than yours. Even it just add one new function. 

In my mind, MacBook Air is not a typical laptop, it should be divided to netbook, which is been thought as a BULLSHIT by Apple. But actually the MBA(MacBook Air) is really a netbook, 11.6-inch, pack aging Intel Core 2 Duo processors -- ranging from 1.2GHz to 1.86GHz in standard configurations. Apple swapped out hard drives for sold-state storage, which I observes are puny. Apple offers 64GB or 128GB storage on the smaller Airs and 128GB or 256GB on the 13.3-inch models. So,Old CPU tech, 64GB max drive (even if it is SSD) and a $999 price tag place way over a fully optioned laptop with optical drive 500GB 7200 rpm hard drive and loads of RAM. Sorry I'll pass. Actually, now I have a 13-inch MacBook pro, if I must to choose a i-product to buy, I will buy a IPAD. But, even iPAD, I don't know when to use it expect in travel.

just kidding

In my view, Apple can sell anything to the fans by just add a "i" to the name. I think Apple is creative, but sometimes it use too many promotion methods, Although the product always cool, but customers should not be treated as folks that just pay cash.

learn managing creative people from MAD MEN

My research is about the creative management, these days I borrowed some books in this topic from library, and also search the Internet to collect the relative informations. A website catch my eyes on it for a long time, this post is about the MAD MEN, author find a lot of manage theory from this TV series. I think the author is very cool, she can find some deep things from a popular TV series. I'd like to learn this discovery ability.

When Sterling Cooper’s new management, personified by Lane Pryce, criticizes the ad agency’s creative department for being a bunch of lazy alcoholics, Draper defends his team with a statement :

“You came here because we do this better than you, and part of that is letting our creatives be unproductive until they are.”

It is a simple word, but show the important thing that should be do for manage the creative people----" let creatives be unproductive until they are." To reach this goal, the author find some absolutely ways in episode.

1 build a creative workplace

In my research, I also focus on this point that build a suitable work environment for the creatives. The Google's central meeting space looked more like a spoiled teenager’s bedroom than anything else. Big screen TV, videogame controllers strewn about the floor, a pool table, crazy posters and snacks everywhere. The workers enjoy all had their own offices, but this is where they came to unwind, brainstorm, bounce ideas off each other while bouncing tennis balls off the wall. The workplace do not give them any pressure, so they can do creative work even sometimes themselves don't know exactly.

2 motivating the creatives

The author said "The creative department over at Sterling Cooper were not paid huge salaries, and yet they often worked into the evenings and over the weekends to meet important deadlines. But why would anyone do anything if the cash isn’t there? It has been proven again and again that creative people are not motivated by money.'' I find I missed this point at my research, sometimes, for some easy projects, the cash can let creatives work harder, but for a lot of jobs, they fall into the work not for the money, they just like the feeling like fight for their privilege. So, manager should notice that, and motivating the creatives by some different ways.

3 For the love of Pete, let them be unproductive until they are!

The talent's work style is so different from others. You always see him just sleep in the sofa，or play the video games whole day. As a manager, you will feel unsatisfied with him. But you should let him do what he want to do, maybe he is doing the brainstorm, after he got the idea, he will be productive right now. And must give you a perfect job. Then, he, go to sleep again. LOL.

I find it is so helpful that to read some relative materials, it really broaden my horizon, enlighten my views. Hope you all good with your researches~

something about the research

The research, most important thing of this semester, really makes me crazy, actually I don't know how to do the research.

As my view, research must be "do" not be "write". so I need to do some researches to find out something special about my topic. My topic is about how to manage the creative people, my idea come out from a news that I've read about the google. The google's employee all have a free work environment, they can play video games, watch TV, listen music or even swimming. It sounds so different from the traditional work place. But google's employee really do a good job, make the google been the NO.1 search engine of the world. I'm curious about the google's management policy. How they coordinate the work and leisure perfectly.

But, when I start to do my job to collect the information about the creative people management, I find it is so difficult to get the useful information that suit my topic. Although, there are so many titles about the creative management, but it always focus on the "creative project" not the "creative people". It really confuse me.

I don't know how my classmates feel, I feel dangerous with my research, I must to read much papers and try to collect information not just from the internet. Anyway, that's life, tomorrow is another day, the future should be beautiful. Just do it ~~!!!!

where amazing happens..... 2

Last week, I meet a accident, 3 days after the crash, my insurance company inform me that my car is a total loss. That really confuse me, anyway, insurance company is really cool. The total loss claim settlement is very good, even the amount is higher than the amount that I bought the car. I told some friend about this. They said it's unbelievable. It sounds like a American dream. This situation will never occurs in China. "The insurance always give you the limited compensate. They focus on how to maximize their profit." A friend who has a experience with the accident claim in China said.

Why the situations so different in these two countries? How the differences come out?

As some Americans said, the insurance company not always so easy to deal with. In my case, my car is fixable, but it will cost the insurance company more money than they expected, they don't want to do this. They pointed this case a total loss, and give me the settlement based on the blue book value. It maybe higher than the real value, but it saving a lot of time and labor to inspect the car. Also, the fast settlement make the client satisfied with the company's work. Although in one case, the insurance company will faced a loss. But they will receive a long-term success. Because the client would not get accident everyday.

In my opinion, the Chinese insurance company has a short industry chain, they only want to decrease their loss by cut the compensate amount. But in America, after give the client the compensate, the company can sell the car to some body shops, they can use some parts to fix another car. It makes some profit. At the same time, when the insurance agent give me the check, he also give me a list that their recommend cars that almost like my total loss auto. This is a nice work, If the client buy the car from the list, they can get reward from the dealer, it also makes profit. Last but not least, with satisfied with the insurance company's services, the client will be the long-term client of the company, that contribute a lot to the company's long-term success.


After that, I bought a car yesterday, it is a Saab 9-3, a safety vehicle. I hope god to bring good luck.

Where amazing happens....

As a NBA fans, the words" where amazing happens" is so familiar. But I don't understand these words deeply until last weekend.

10/10 is my friend ERTE's birthday, some friends planed to give him a surprise, at 10/9 10 pm, we called ET, told him we want go to sands casino, he said OK right now. We set off at 1 AM, and arrived the casino at 2 AM, I have been to Macao once, and the Sands casino here is much smaller than Macao's. My friend told me that Sands is just a small casino, the Las vegas is the perfect place. Anyway, I am not very interested in gambling. Chinese think the birthday would give people lucky, ERTE did a good job in casino, and earned about 20 bucks, I think it is not bad, because I lost 20 bucks here. LOL, that is to say, ERTE get my money? hah, just kidding. 4AM we went to a 24hours eatery, we all had the steak, It really sucks, the taste really made me sick. Whatever, at least it made my stomach felt better.

10's morning, I went to lehigh university visiting my friend, my friend cook a delicious Chinese dinner for me, I enjoyed the food and the talk with my friend. At the way back to Kutztown, I had a accident. For avoid be knocked by a faster pick-up truck, I knocked a car parking the road side. God bless I am ok, and nobody was hurt. But I did not saw the truck number because it ran away fast. The police came rapidly, and my insurance company did a good job till now. I think everything will be ok. LOL.

The NBA new season will begin, the Houston Rockets and New Jersey Nets will have 2 preseason games in China, the Yao ming has returned, and maybe it is a good opportunity for him to get a ring, but I think Miami Heat is the best team of the league, Boston, Lakers are also the great team. Let's see what amazing will happen this season. I will my daily life will not be amazing again. HAHA!

JOB problem

Last week class, a group talked about some generations differences, as a 80’s, I agree with this group’s work, and I don’t know if the situation for the American younger is the same with the Chinese. So, I will write something about myself, to some degrees, these things will stand for the real situation of Chinese 80’s guys.

I graduate from university this summer, my university located in the eastern of the country, the China’s most development area. My university is simply a good one, it is a top 50 college of China. My major is International business and trade, as you know, my country’s economy is dependent on the trade in a high level. So external trade is really a hot business from in China. For students those major is trade, they can get a good job easily. But after the world crisis 2009, everything was been changed, a lot of trade company closed, and the job opportunity is so limited that quite a lot students transfer their mind to getting a job from other industry especially the bank. I found a job in a bank worked here half a year, I felt uncomfortable with my job content, because it lack of challenge and so bored.

In another hand, after graduation, Chinese parent always hope Children get marry as soon as possible, and after that, younger’s job and family are completed. I don’t want my life with a fixed track, so I choose to go on my study in America.

I don’t know the American younger’s situation, I think the job is a big problem for youngers in any time. Self fulfillment is really a important part of people’s life!

Give you a video about the job interview in China.

Global brand positioning

 Yesterday,  I went to the crossing outlet for shopping, in CK factory store, I find 2 pairs CK jeans are just 40 dollars. It's amazing, in China, CK is a premium brand that attracts a lot of young white-collars and college student. In China, a pair of CK jeans costs 1200 RMB ( about 170 USD), I think it must be a promotion so that is a lowest price. Then, I clicked the CK's website, find that average price of the CK jeans is 80 USD. In China, CK never do a promotion because they always sale well. So, what cause this situation?


In my opinion, there are three major reasons.


First of all, Chinese have a servile attitude to foreign things, Chinese always think highly of the foreign goods, for example, Haagen Dazz is not only a simple ice cream, but also a sign of good taste，it means a perfect lifestyle. But, in American, it just a ice cream. So, foreign brands always show their "foreign sense", and they do not need to do a lot of promotion, the Chinese customers would enjoy shopping their goods. Another example is Starbucks, it is also a high quality life sign in China.

Secondly, some people in China called "new rich" have a strong purchasing power. The new rich almost have a high education background, and like the western culture. The can and would like to purchase the high price foreign goods, and the new rich become more and more big, this wave should promote the foreign brands' development in China.


Thirdly, Chinese people lack the ways to show their success. The rich people in China always find that there is limited way to show their wealth. So purchasing high price goods or even luxuries become a easy way to achieve the goal.

 the first extra-long HUMMER owner is a young rich man, and he is also a actor

In conclude, the foreign brands always have a different , simply is higher brand positioning in China.

Yes, I got it~

This week the most important thing to me is ---- I can drive!  Yes, I passed the PENNDOT's check process, and got my learner permit, and will take the road test this Friday. Anyway, I have bought my car, the mini cooper s.

I have been United State for 1 month, I find some different between my expect and the reality, let me talk about the differences.

Food
In my view, American people always eat steak as major food, but in the university dining hall, there is potato, turkey, chicken and burgers everyday. if someday there is beef, that could be a big news! Chinese people likes pork, sometimes we can get the pork at dining hall, but it really sucks. I think almost American foods are "fast food", and people did not wish to spend longer time to prepare and enjoy a dinner. Chinese people treat the supper as a important thing of daily life, household will spend about 3hours to prepare for the supper.

Wear
Hollywood film is a major way for Chinese people to know the U.S. So we always think Americans are fashion guys. But I find Americans are freestyle, and always tee and jeans. Actually I have not saw a people wearing suit expect the professors.

Driving 

In Hollywood film, the driver always drive in a rude way,  but I find drivers here are polite. And they do not use the horn at all.

some tips about the Central City Case

Last week, I did the case study about Central City,  I am not satisfied with my work, this week I read the case again and find some new ideas about it, anyway,some ideas is not related to this case closely.

1. Government do the Affirmative Action for increase the minorities employment, but it results a unfair   situation, I think there are too many case like that, government set up some policies aiming to build a fair situation, but it caused a large "unfair". For example, in China, government said student with some special ability on sport will have extra points added to their college examination score. This policy wish to give the athletic student same opportunity to study in university, but some regular student spent money to get the fake license or proof of athletic student, that really did a bad effect on the Chinese education environment.


2. Sometimes group slow down the government's efficiency, so government must find the balance of it.
Otherwise, it really cost more money, labor and time.


3.The Human Resources Department should have a standard process to do the promotion, not just "there is a  standard but we do not use it", if there is a policy by law, people can not to change or miss it.


4. I think the leader should not is a man just to sign the paper,  leader should know all part of the corporation, and can catch all the information from the inside and outside the corporation, than communicate with the group and make the decision. In other word, in my view, leader is not a simple people like others of the corporation, he or she would be a "superman" that not just doing his or her own job, he or she would focus on the whole.

hard to buy a car~~~

I'm a international student, I always talk with my friends about the American transportation, I told my friends:"In America, no car means no foot." LOL, that's a joke. But it is easier to do everything with a car, after been here for a month, I and my friend Erte, decided to buy a car.

First, we search the internet, and find a lot of information about the used car, the auto price here is more cheaper than it in China. Than we both find some satisfied cars, we asked the price and prepared for the learner permit test.

Last week, we went to the Lehigh PENNDOT to apply for the learner permit, after passed the computer test with a all correct answer, the officer told me that he can not give me the permit right now, because I just have one proof to show my address, but he need two. I started find another proof for this, but we lived in campus, we don't have a lease contract of the dorm, we try everything we can do to get a letter show our address. Now I have a letter from bank, and one from APPLE STORE, I wish I can pass the PENNDOT check.

Forget the bad thing, let me show something about my car, we went to the seller yesterday, and I be attracted by a red mini cooper s, with the test drive, I must say I love this little guy, she is so fast that make me feel so cool. My friend Erte like the 4door sedan, he picked a HONDA civic. After talk about the price with the dealer, we made deals for these two cars. BUT, we don't get the permit and insurance, we can not drive the car right now, actually I can not wait to drive this pretty car~

Today we got the insurances and tomorrow we will go to the PENNDOT again, God bless me!

Mid-autumn festival and luxurious moon cake

Today is a chinese festival: mid-autumn festival，mostly as same as the thanks giving day, people celebrate the harvest ，families will come together and have a reunion.  In china, spring festival is the most important day，mid-autumn festival be regarded at the second place.  Before the mid-autumn festival, people always present gift to elders, like parents,uncles and aunts. The traditional gift of the mid-autumn day is a snack called “moon cake”. 

moon cake with tea

haagen dazs also release their own brand moon cake in China

These is a ridiculous phenomenon about the moon cake, many companies sale the  luxurious moon cake, it is not to say that the moon cake has the top rated taste, actually the best moon cake maybe  only cost 15 dollars a dozen，the luxurious one has a sumptuous packing，and with some slap-up goods，like Swiss watch, French wine and so on. By this way, moon cake turn to be a outstanding gift with a high value. China is a traditional country，people believe the relationships play a huge role on daily life, the luxurious moon cake is a miniature of this phenomenon.

luxurious moon cake: 8 pieces for about $12000USD

In my opinion, company should focus on the quality of the product, although marketing is a important part of the business, but it's of great harm but no goodness that company take excessive behaviors. Every company should back to the origin.

A case study~

This week I passed the driving license computer test, so I will get my car right now , lol , means I will see goodbye to bieber~

I work for the case study of the operations management theory & practice class, here it is, please give me some advices on it, actually this is my first english case study.

Linear programming

Definition

Linear programming is a mathematical method for determining a way to achieve the best outcome (such as maximum profit or lowest cost) in a given mathematical model for some list of requirements represented as linear equations.

Linear programming is heavily used in microeconomics and company management, such as planning, production, transportation, technology and other issues. Although the modern management issues are ever-changing, most companies would like to maximize profits or minimize costs with limited resources. Therefore, many issues can be characterized as linear programming problems.

Importance

Almost every companies want to get the maximize profits with minimize costs, today company’s labor costs became one of the major costs. So how to deal with the labor costs is really a complicated affair for modern manager. For example, the HONG KONG bank find that their labor costs remain at a high level, at the same time their profit became lower. The manager find the bank do not need keep whole tellers in service through their office hours. Because the consumers always come to  the bank at some regular time. If the bank make a new schedule that let the number of tellers needed varies by time of day, it must reduce the labor costs. So Linear programming can be used to make a new suitable schedule, therefore, this issue could be characterized as a linear programming problem.

Application

Linear programming is a considerable field of optimization for several reasons. Many practical problems in operations research can be expressed as linear programming problems. In the case of HONG KONG bank, first manager calculated the minimum number tellers per time period.( table 1), than he knew the total minimum daily requirement is 112 hours. There are two kinds of tellers. One is full time tellers, they work from 9AM-5PM with $90 a day, and currently there are only 12 tellers are available. And the other kind tellers are part time workers. They work 4 consecutive hours with $7 per hour, can begin work at 9,10,11,noon,or 1. And the Hongkong’s law ordered that part time employees cannot exceed 50% of the day’s minimum requirement.(56 hours). Than manager use the Linear programming tool to calculate the minimum number thellers needed by a formula :

Table 1

Time Period	Min Num. Tellers
9-10	10
10-11	12
11-12	14
12-1	16
1-2	18
2-3	17
3-4	15
4-5	10

Min 90F(full time teller)+ 28(P1+P2+P3+P4+P5) ( part time tellers work at 9,10,11,12,1)

subject to the constraints

Part Time Hours Cannot Exceed 56 Hours

4(P1+P2+P3+P4+P5) ≤≤ 56

Finally, the manager made a schedule minimize the labor costs.

Relationship

The manager of the HONG KONG bank may want to just have the part time employees because they are with the low cost, but there a law that ordered the minimum numbers of the part time employees. So he must to made a economic schedule to reach the law’s minimum permit, and achieve the goal that to reduce the labor cost at the same time. Linear programming help him to do the job easily and efficiency. From this case, we can find how Linear programming react on the company’s management.