Now this is Responsible Government!

I got back from Iraq about three weeks ago. More stories, pictures, details later, as well as some thoughts on what's next. For right now, however, I'm puzzled and angered by a letter that a friend of mine, a small business owner, just showed me. This, from the state of New York, regarding a business tax refund he is owed:

"No excess monies are available in this filing period for a refund to be given."

I could go on for hours about this, but there's really no need. I do dare you to try a similar tactic if you are ever unfortunate enough to owe taxes in New York.

Industrial Work in Iraq

Wow, I've been working in Iraq for almost seven months. I can't believe how quickly time has gone by. The pace of work, lack of time off and lack of personal space blends one day into another. Even given the difficulties, the work is some of the most rewarding that I've ever done. Here are a couple of links to stories:

http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/04/20/19879-patrolling-for-industry-coalition-forces-assist-local-businesses-with-improving-productivity/index.html

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27470&Itemid=225

Big Changes

It's been some time since I posted. It hasn't been the result the laziness, or even a lack of ideas. Rather, there have been some big changes for me. I've accepted a full-time position with the US State Department and have reported for duty this week. I'll share more of my experiences as the job develops, and will use this blog to do so. I'll definitely be traveling to some interesting places.

That said, there will be a need to re-interpret the title of the blog. Normally, you would assume that I mean "China Business" and "China Travel." In this case, I would ask that you allow the "China," "Business," and "Travel" blog.

During my time with the State Department, I'll be working as an Industrial Advisor. I should have some great opportunities to compare and contrast the state of technology as well as business opportunities in some diverse places. As I said, I'll keep you posted here as things develop.

National Day of Service

In his excellent blog, Seth Godin reminds us that Martin Luther King day is thankfully being transformed into a National Day of Service (instead of another shopping day). He offers a list of service ideas that web-savvy people might consider.

In that spirit, I'd like to tell you a little bit about a charity that my family and I support, the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC). IOCC is the official international charitable organization of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). IOCC is involved with a wide range of charitable efforts -- everything from helping to feed refuges in the Gaza Strip and Iraq to working to eliminate hunger in the United States.

In many ways, you might say that IOCC is like many other charities. But there are differences, and those differences are why I support IOCC, and urge you to as well. You're not likely to see many celebrity endorsements (though I'm sure IOCC wouldn't mind), and you certainly won't see any marble-floored corporate headquarters, or millionaire Directors. Volunteers and employees of IOCC and related organizations go about their duties quietly and lovingly, called by Christ Himself to be like the Samaritan on the road to Damascus, and help those whom others have passed by.

Outsourcing Body of Knowledge II

In August of last year, I posted about Mr. Govindarajan Ramu and his effort to develop an outsourcing body of knowledge. Mr. Ramu is an experienced professional, and highly knowledgeable about the topic. I just found out that he presented on the topic of outsourcing quality to the Hong Kong Society for Quality. You can find the announcement here, and the actual presentation here. Looks like great material!

What I Learned from Football (Seriously)

Another year is behind us, and for many, it's time for resolutions (which means my gym will be really crowded and annoying for the next six weeks or so). While I don't go for the normal resolution game, it is a good time to reflect on the year, review successes and failures, and plan for the year ahead.

Reflecting on failures is always difficult. It's so important to review failures so we can learn from them. It's equally important to let them go and move on (more important?).

It's in American Football that I really understand letting go. How does a quarterback throw an interception, and then the next set of downs, play like a champion? How about those field-goal kickers? It's so amazing that a person could have a terrible experience, and then rebound in a matter of minutes.

I admit, I'm not so good at rebounding. I like to punish myself. I expect high performance from myself, and when I don't deliver, I'm not very forgiving. During the next year, I'm going to think more like a football player. When I screw up, and I know I will (I'll still act surprised), I'm going to dust myself off and figure out what went wrong. During the next set of downs, I'll execute a hard-fought drive to score.

Happy New Year Everyone!! My wish for each of you is to learn from your mistakes, and learn how to forgive yourself. Xian Nian Kuai Le.

China's Indifference to Quality

This piece from the online San Fransisco Chronicle just caught my eye, "Cars, bad air, slipshod quality trouble China." In general, the tone of the article is negative, but unfortunately, I have to agree with most of it, in particular:

"Last, and perhaps most dispiriting, China remains a nation with an
astonishing indifference to quality - a problem that's hardly improved since I first went there in 1994."

I wish it weren't so, but for many industries, it's true. There have been only the smallest changes in general attitude about quality. One of my oldest clients was just complaining to me about the difficulties with finding vendors that seem to care, especially in his industry.

Should you consider China for sourcing opportunities? Of course, but do it in a systematic way. I've written numerous posts about developing a process, and managing your supply chain. I won't repeat them here, but if you plan to source product in China, the rules have NOT changed. You must be vigilant, and you must have a systematic way to run your sourcing projects which includes proper vendor and quality oversight.