In that earlier blogpost i consider AirAsia's approach of 'Lions' + Egalitarian to be a powerful approach in gaining a competitive advantage.
The human factor is not mentioned as competitive advantage in those investing books i've read. Competitive advantage espoused in those investing books are:
- Likely to be monopolistic
- patents
- economies of scale
- brand loyalty (eg Apple, Nike)
- Switching costs
With the recent military trash CEO in Singapore football league showcasing an example of their leadership of turning corporations into corpserations, it is no surprise that......
The trashing continues in David Vs Goliath.
Yahoo News broadcast
“Awesome insights yet again in this post. I really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Your comparison with AirAsia and SG gov's own company really hits the nail on its head. This country is definitely going to the dumps.” Commentator in Why AirAsia can Trash Singapore Airlines, Tigerair & Scoot.10th Oct
Booking system of Scoot (long haul budget) went down.6th Nov
SIA half year profit plunge 55.5% - yes, going to the dumps as the commentator said.
AirAsia's updates on its SG competitors in Q1 2014 financial report.
Why Tony Fernandes' Biggest Mistake till 2008 Got to Do with Sillypore Govt?
"I would think Mahathir also played a part. See link: http://www.millionaireasia.com/article/featured/tony-fernandes.pdf
If not for Mahathir's blessing, maybe there will be no Tony Fernandez that people know. Mahathir, for all that critics had accused him of, did the right thing in this instance, and for which Tony is lucky too."Thanks to the commentator who provided the interview link. You know who you are if you are reading this. I consider the highlight of the interview to be Tony's view of Sillypore Govt.
What is your biggest mistake to date?
"It would probably be not understanding the S'pore Govt. Maybe some of the problems i face with S'pore is because of the way i am - outspoken & carefree. I think because of my character, i can sometimes irritate a lot of people. But even if i were a soft cuddly guy, i don't think i would have got what i wanted anyway. I think S'pore needs to learn how to deal with people like me, because it is not used to being challenged. I think there is merit when i'm saying that there's not just 1 way doing things & that there are many different types of people. This is my style; i don't think i can be any different."
David Vs Goliath
AirAsia Vs SIA + Tigerair + Scoot
Tony has revealed that Sillypore Govt which its mindset infects govt-linked companies:
- does not like being challenged.
- does not like outspoken people. They want docile sheep aka cog labor..
- think their scholars or military trash's way of doing things is the best way & only way. The rest just shut up & do. Else fuck off or replaced with cheaper foreign labor. (see example of military trash football league CEO below).
Tony would have a miserable life if he works for these Sillypore bureaucrat CEOs. He would surely be fired in no time flat as we can see from the case of Gintai. Thank goodness David is now trashing these Goliaths. Keep up the trashing...... hahaha.
Firing Gintai is a Waste of Talent
Gintai who is considered outspoken was fired from his job as a train driver. Being a train driver & his views resonating with the masses, i consider it a waste because if i'm the CEO I would assign Gintai to head the public relations department to repair the bad reputation of the company.
Of course the military trash scholars don't see him as an asset but a thorn that must be eradicated. The leader of the hired from China bus drivers who proposed a strike has laid it out clearly:
"他们认为他妈的中国人真多，去一趟就能招来几百号人，
用完了，不听话了就滚蛋."
“Obviously they think there are loads of us, a trip to China can get tons of people as workers. When we are of no use to them, or no longer obedient, they will kick us out. This strategy is very useful. Those few who speak up would be told to leave.”
For full letter of true leadership which I archived a copy, please read: Leadership of Lowly Educated Bus Driver Vs 3 Star General's. This 'lion' bus driver would certainly be viewed as an asset by Tony.
It is obvious that Sillypore govt & its govt-linked companies have the tissue paper mindset. Use & throw since there's plenty of disposable tissues to use & throw..
“用完了，不听话了就滚蛋."
Remember what Tony Fernandes said. Even if he is a soft cuddly guy, he would still get fucked by those scholar military trashes who want docile sheep or disposable tissues(plenty).
“Everyone of his Allstars are encouraged to speak their minds.” - for Tony Fernandes
“Everyone of his sheep are to shut up & do.” - for Scholar military trashes
Why It Is Far More Difficult to Copy Heart Ware
Cash rich SIA can fund the planes of its budget airline companies but it cannot develop the human factor competitive edge easily
AirAsia: 'Lions' + Egalitarian
SIA, Tigerair, Scoot: Sheep + Rank & File elitism
AirAsia openly share the key components of budget airlines business model on their website: How AirAsia Offer Such Low Fares. They are not afraid of others copying because the human factor is what gives them the competitive edge.
It is far more difficult to create a culture of inspired workforce aka heart ware.
Instead of seeing the rank & file workers as “disposable tissue paper”, AirAsia see them as assets to give them the competitive advantage.
And when workers are considered as disposable tissues, disengagement is a result.
How can SIA, Tigerair & Scoot not get trashed by AirAsia?
Customer Service Culture at Scoot
While Tigerair is suffering heavily losses, their facebook page has someone responding to complaints although it is in template format. Not so for Scoot. It is bochup for Scoot. No staff gives a damn to their FB complaints. Customer service is a cheap way of advertising & it is apparent the top management don't see it that way.
Scoot's booking system which went down last month shows:
Cog labor shut up & follow rules/orders like in military. Rule is pay $15 then got blanket.
“It may seem a high price to pay, but surely a company full of high achievers is far more attractive, albeit challenging, to lead than one where the staff are sluggish & desultory, doing only what they are told to do.”- Tony Fernandes
Rank & file 'sheep' wait for orders from the top. Is no wonder a limping terrorist can escape in 2008 & cannot be caught by local police.
Top brass wake up & go talk to peasants flying on budget? The corporate culture in these govt-linked corpserations often populated with scholars & retired military trash is that they consider themselves as high & mighty.
The haughty attitude is showcased by the CEO of S-league military trash. As govt-linked companies make up a substantial part of the local economy, its unhealthy practices infect parts of the private sector. Reading his blasting at minions replies is a reason why Sillypore workforce is severely bochup, unhappy, emotionless, among top 10 pessimists.
How competitive can that be with those traits?
Exemplary Example of Lack of Heart Ware
“The chairman of the club & the management committee are above all of you. You are players, nobody is bigger than the club. The chairman heads the club.” - military trash
Retired military trash still think he is in army after being parachuted to be CEO of S'pore football league. These retired military personnel can't win elections in a 1on1 fight so the hybrid regime sneak them in via the backdoor through the Group Representation Constituency System.
How to inspire others to higher standards with their haughty & elitist attitude? Tony Fernandes' down-to-earth & egalitarian approach is so much more effective & he can sleep soundly at night knowing his engaged workforce would tackle problems with initiative.
"There are no titles on their namecards. At AirAsia, rank & level are not as obvious or as important as they normally are at big corporations. Tony doesn't use his title of Datuk on his namecard."
Compare it with scholar military trashes bestowing big titles like 'Bus Captain' on bus drivers. Cheapskate method & the lowly paid peasant drivers are not fooled by the fake smiles of these haughty top brass.
“It is so true what you wrote about the side effect of corporations treating employees as cogs. Here in B.C, Canada, I have seen bus drivers (no need for big titles of "captain" here) taking initiative to change routes & call HQ to inform others of challenges/changes in traffic/passengers conditions. E.g. when they get caught in a sudden street demonstration or when the road is suddenly closed due to traffic accident. The bus drivers call HQ so that appropriate remedy actions can be taken. E.g. divert the other buses to another route, put notices for passengers waiting at bus-stops, send in more buses to cover the surge in passenger volume. Of course there will be some delay for those immediately caught in the situation, but at least the situation is alleviated for subsequent travellers.
So sorry that bus captains (i.e. drivers) in Singapore are not treated with the same respect by their corporations despite their grand-sounding job title.”- Winking Doll in Heart Ware Not Needed, Cog Labor Will Do
Captain indeed! Hahaha.
To conclude this blogpost, :
“I think S'pore needs to learn how to deal with outspoken people like me, because it is not used to being challenged.” - Tony Fernandes
Best way for them to learn is to further trash their managed companies.
Best way for S'pore's hybrid regime to learn is losing more than half their seats in upcoming election.
Hi Frugal Introvert,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind mention.
Yes, I also find that the "elite" attitude in Singapore is “用完了，不听话了就滚蛋." And I agree with you that for innovation and a creative culture to take root, a tolerance to "不听话" folks (i.e. folks whose nature will not conform with the norms) is important. I see more of such tolerance in B.C., Canada where I'm currently residing.
Btw, IMHO, the “用完了，不听话了就滚蛋." seems to be often held by folks who have links to and/or support the incumbent political leaders in Singapore. I was educated in a rather branded secondary school where lots are "molded" (a.k.a. "brainwashed" and/or co-opted into the "system") that those beneath them are disposable -- i.e. "if you are not successful, it is your own fault; systemic disadvantage has nothing to do with it" and (some who will share this opinion off-the-record) "these losers should just die off".
Despite their obvious intellect, such folks are so ingrained in their ideology that they refuse and/or are unable to consider that others may face a different reality. E.g.When I express my views that differs from a former acquaintance on FB, she had to stoop to ad-hominem attacks to uphold her world-view and support her minister friend. Needless to say, after 3 chances, I strike her off my list of FB friends. It is one thing to disagree and argue vigorously (which I do with several friends), it is another thing to stoop to under-the-belt attacks. Unfortunately, my observation and opinion is that a significant group of those from that privileged background (e.g. that school brand) who are doing "well" financially in their lives, do not and/or will not see a need for change. Therefore, my 2 cents suggestion (to folks who ask) is to move-on personally (i.e. seek ways to emigrate), rather than to be the egg that hits itself against the rock. Click here and here for examples of folks who choose to be the sacrificial "eggs". After all, if talented folks like JBJ, CSJ, Chaim See Tong, the Operation Spectrum detainees have tried but failed, what makes one think one is more talented and/or luckier than them?
http://winkingdoll.blogspot.ca/2013/04/brunch-with-former-bureaucrats.html
Cheers, WD.
Thks for the mention Frugal Introvert.
ReplyDeleteI concur totally with your goodself and Winking Doll . I'm resigned to the sad reality. Hopefully we will gradually change and progress over time but I doubt it will happen during our lifetime.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteSorry this is my third time trying to reply to this.
A self-introduction first. I'm nearly mid-40s, went to a top-brand boys' school and ultimately graduated from NUS Engineering. Have worked for more than 18 years and belonging to the mid-upper income group. You can say I'm a product of the system, except I have left the Matrix for Melbourne, Australia since last July.
I probably swallowed the red pill when I was in JC2, being in the company of other "fellow elites" and started feeling uncomfortable about being an "elite", if ever one felt that way at that age. Slogged through NS (started counting down on Enlistment Day) and totally detested what NS stood for.
Anyway, to cut the chase, I find many similarities in our views of what is happening in Singapore and I've even learned a couple of things reading your blog! Cheers!
With regards to the relationship between "retired generals" and "GLCs", I will even go as far as saying that the many ills that we see in Singapore culture currently are spawned from SAF (or NS - the boundary is very blurred) directly or indirectly - such as porlumpar, chao keng take cover, self-centredness/selfishness, kiasi kiasu, wayang, etc.
However, I am not as optimistic as you with regards to Singapore's future as I don't see how PAP can ever lose power without destroying the ability for Singapore to function properly. Look at the complicated labyrinth of (incestuous) relationships among PAP, PA, GLCs, civil service, press and mass media, judiciary, military, law and order, and even certain seemingly private companies. Trust me, the level of infiltration by PAP in these organizations is much more than you and I can ever imagine. Witness how PA is still "running" Aljunied GRC even though WP won the election. Extrapolate this to the entire Singapore and you can start to see why PAP will never lose power. The people may be ready to have a new party to rule them, but Singapore is not ready and will never be ready because the incumbents have (deliberately) chosen not to set up a framework for a proper succession-planning, unlike other countries. I have given these issues much thought and as a result drawn my conclusion about Singapore. I don't see how it can happen and will not raise any unnecessary hopes about it as much as I hate PAP.
Anyhow, thanks for the blog. I'm too lazy to be maintaining one, but would not mind hanging around here to discuss with like-minded comrades once in a while.
Take care and keep up the good work!
Caged
To Cagey Tan, thank you so much for your perspective on this matter. I too have given up on the hopes of the incumbent being replaced. A really hopeless situation Singaporeans are in. Sad. Just sad.
ReplyDeleteHi there,
ReplyDeleteThe only thing we can do now is to keep our voices loud on the internet to preserve an alternative history. The governments no longer have monopoly to writing history like they did in the past. Who knows? A few generations down, with our alternative history, the young and adventurous may overthrow the incumbent in more than one way.
Cheers!