The resolution

history is studied so that we may learn. It is time to go back to school for most of us.

"For the most part, expanding the market base will not be an easy task. Therefore it will employ a lot of sacrifices, a lot of trials and tribulations and finally a short-term negative effect for us because we should factor-in the possibility of mistakes, blunders and bubus along the way. But the ultimate bottom line should be to become pro-active and not reactive to a situation. Two years ago, we apprehended that the Korean market is a dying market because it is changing its behavioral pattern. Did we choose to address the situation? We did not. And here we are with less time and even lesser resources to deal with it."

"But once again, I would like to reiterate that I hope that our opinions will not be taken against us so that we could move in with greater ease. I hope that we will not be judged as harsh simply because we do not share the same opinion as with the Chairman’s “trusted” people."

......... excerpts from my marketing report April 25, 2008

So I guess the problem is, as it always was, is that we never move forward because there is no resolution to the problems we face. Most of my managers are very much intimidated by our existing market… a market that has made us into what we are now. But I always say, like all things, good or bad, the end always come.

Like any other business, the dependence on a single market segment is always bad. The market segment dies, the business dies with it. Any company therefore needs to be “market flexible” in order to sustain operations and therefore sustain its existence.

In our case, our dependence on one market segment ultimately brought us to this state of “emergency” as the chairman calls it.

The bottom line, despite the fact that the market segment grew with a positive 8.7% growth rate in 2007, our market share shrunk by 11.5%, there must be something wrong with that. Market flexibility is one thing, protecting and sustaining a supposedly “captured” market is another. Somebody apparently did not do his job.

If this market needs protection, then so be it. I am apparently thought of by my staff as a person with a “dangerous mind”, perhaps given that I think out of the box. But then again, that is why I am vice president… because I refuse to be complacent and play things safe. Danger is nice, calculated danger is better.

So I decided to make a compromise. A subtle war between old school and new, between complacence and risk-taking, I met with the chairman earlier and discussed a new proposal to break the marketing team in half. Develop a competitive spirit between the two teams and see who comes home with the bacon. Outputs shall be judged in a six month period in terms of increase in percentage from identified cluster market segments…

Two of my staff said that it might be misconstrued as a declaration of “war” and might put a strain on internal relationships. I agree, but then again I am in that state of mind. I simply was too amiable to everyone for the past years and too worried about being sensitive to others’ feelings. But the price of which will have to be suffered by this organization, so therefore there is only two paths to choose from, and I choose to take the path less taken.

The chairman said yes.