The tech industry – and world at large – could use some moderation.
Moderation and balance seem in short supply throughout the world these days. Between war on two sides of the globe and political extremes in vogue all over, the proverbial pendulum is swinging wildly, rarely landing in the center. And business and industry are no exception to current trends.
In business and especially technology, the hot area is everything artificial intelligence (AI). Whether hardware or software, AI is the holy grail de jour. The regulatory environment is similarly out of balance. With security leaks, loss of privacy and potential pirating that could lead to everything from automobiles to aircraft and even weapons being manipulated by the “bad guys,” layers of regulations, standards, audits and inspections have taken off in every segment of industry. Again, balance and moderation have given way to extremism.
In fact, industry has never needed balance and moderation more than now. “Reasonable” and “pragmatic” are two words that should be applied across a multitude of areas.
Over-the-top security controls can do more harm than good.
Is the bureaucracy of security making us all less secure? That is a question I find myself asking increasingly as layer after layer of bureaucracy in the form of forms, protocols and additional steps makes quoting, receiving orders, building product and then shipping and invoicing more cumbersome and time-consuming.
Don't get me wrong: I believe in quality and security, especially in the world we are living in and with the cyber-reliant environment we must utilize to communicate and share data among people and businesses. Increasingly, however, some measures that are intended to increase security instead have the effect of wasting time, adding cost and extending lead times to deliver much-needed product.
Stereotypes abound, but don’t let first impressions fool you.
You never know quite what you may run into when you go looking to hire new staff. Such was certainly the case for me at a local job fair hosted by a state-sponsored regional workforce development organization.
I received the invitation from the local Chamber of Commerce to have a table at this event. The cost was free and the hours were 9 a.m. through 1:30 p.m. Based on the description, I thought the chance was reasonable to find a couple hires to fill openings in our drilling and plating departments. While it has been years since I participated in a job fair, I was familiar with the format and the similarity to the proverbial "speed dating": quick conversation and move on!
Consistent with my expectations, on the specified day I show up bright and early at a community college, find the massive meeting room, locate my table among the 50 or so others in the room, and set it up with information about the company as well as the industry. All the tables were spoken for, and looking at the plethora of companies in attendance, I noted most were service providers. A good number, however, were manufacturing companies that produced everything from pianos to metal castings, with two of us, an EMS company and my circuit board fabrication company, representing "high technology."
They may be a hassle, but audits can provide valuable insights and ideas for your company.
During the fourth quarter of this year, it seems that everyone and their brother have scheduled audits at my company. Some are for certifications such as ISO 9001 and AS9100. Others are customer-driven, as the cloud of Covid has at least partially lifted and after a three-year hiatus customers are able to travel to meet their suppliers. I have always hated audits; however, I also have learned that they can be a powerful tool when incorporated into the business planning process.
First, a disclaimer: I truly hate audits, for three basic reasons.
First, those conducting the audit – especially certification audits – have no clue what you make, the manufacturing challenges faced in producing the product, or industry-specific acceptability standards related to the product that you must meet. These auditors just follow a flat checklist and try to jam the proverbial square peg (your facility) into a round hole (their certification program).