WRITING: JUSTIFICATION FOR RETAINING THE COURSES 321 AND 336

quantitative analysis and Excel skills are critical for sounding decision making in all business function areas. Students have great interest in studying quantitative analysis and Excel, as evidenced by the class 301. However, E01, the only course offered for general quantitative analysis in our MBA program, can only cover basic statistical methods and barely touches on decision models. More advanced courses and training are very much needed for our students. In light of new faculty hiring, the revival of 321 & 336 will be the first step to fill in this gap.

With 321, 336, and 339, we will have a complete curriculum on business modeling courses. It is worth noting that this sequel is not limited to M area; rather, they cover all business areas, especially operations, marketing, and finance. For example, in 339, topics cover valuation, option pricing, cash management, market share modeling, advertisement and promotion models, revenue management, joint pricing and inventory control, auctions and bidding, etc.

[CA, 10/06/2011]

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WRITING: ON HABITS, 5

Procrastination has haunted me for years. Late payment penalties are my default; mails can sit for months before I clear up; the laundry won’t start till I run out last pants; grocery shopping won’t happen till I empty everything in the refrigerator.

This chronic evil has a long history. In my childhood, my parents put excessive emphasis on sports and academic attainment; they never ask us to do any housework. We got a wrong message: as long as we excel in study or work, life would be just fine.

This single-minded mentality is further exacerbated by my work. In my field, the promotion takes seven long years of hard work, without clear sign in sight: it is a make-or-break-it deal. Under such pressure, people tunnel: they completely devote to work, keeping everything else to bare minimum.

Procrastination would be fine, if it only inflicts financial loss or daily inconvenience. But tragically, it hurts my credibility, ruins my self-esteem, and makes me unhappy.

Procrastination must go. Here is the simple rule I must engrain:
1) work on two todo (i.e., hated but necessary)  items, for at least 10 minutes each day;
2) post my plan and its outcome online daily.

This blog will record my shot on procrastination.

[Niagara Falls, Canada, 6/10/2006]

Day 108, 5pts, 1.03:

jog: 0;
learn: 0;
swim: 26r;
read AO’s draft, Pelican, 10-1pm;
clean up bathroom, do laundry;
meeting with AO, 4pm-4:30pm;
chat with ZC, 5:30pm-6:30pm;
chat with parents, 8pm-9pm;

For day 109,
enroll healthcare online;
clean up storage;

[happy moment]
Two gentlemen saved a table for me:  “It’s too loud there. Here is better.” Very nice of you

[Niagara Falls, USA, 3/25/2015]