China’s Leading Stem Cell Research?

Only a glimpse of TV screen led me to the heated issue of Stem Cell Research and a website named China Stem Cell News. Basically, I was sitting in a restaurant and enjoying my yummy Thai food while waiting a friend to come back, and then I caught a screen shot from the TV plasma right in front of me. Sensitive to any subtitle embed the word of “China” or “Chinese”, I managed to register this website, http://www.stemcellschina.com/, into my mind before it flicked off.

 The next day, I recalled this website and was curious of its content and hit the address box of IE and punch the right button of my mouse. Bang, I was shocked as the landing page rolling itself over my screen. It’s a pure English website and I could identify the language skills being employed are fairly good. And further more, it offers 10 other language versions. Basically, the website is blog style, offering personal witness to Stem Cell treatment and in-person experience accounts. Most of the time, the story carries a success and happy ending.

 While Stem Cell Research is in hot debate here in U.S., and not until recently the Obama administrate lifted the ban on Stem Cell Research which reversed Bush’s verdict, the fight over Stem Cell Research is still one of the hottest potatoes. According to Wiki-pedia, Stem Cell is believed to be capable of self-healing, and can morph into any kinds of cells that are critical to certain kind of diseases such as Parkinson. Two broad types of Stem Cell are Embryonic Stem Cell and Adult Stem Cell. Embryonic Stem Cell can be retrieved from blastocyst which is the senior stage in the development of a fertilized egg. Adult Stem Cell can be retrieved from any certain kind of adult tissue, such as umbilical cord or spine bone marrow.

 The reason why Stem Cell Research could stir such a national agitation in US is because the retrieval of embryonic stem cell is the destroying of a fertilized egg, which means a patient’s cure is another life’s curse. Such treatment is the deprival of human life and the consequence is commensurate to abortion. In most states of US, Abortion is an illegal practice and forbidden by laws. Especially the Christian organizations are against abortion and therefore the active opponents of Stem Cell Research. The advocates are chanting the sanctity of God’s right. Human being should not interfere with the issue of life or death which violates God’s commandment.

 However, although the Stem Cell Research was balked in the west part of mother earth, in the east part where lies an ancient country the research has achieved significant progress. From the personal blogs listed on China Stem Cell News, patients suffering from a diversified range of rare disease are flocking to China for stem cell treatment. And apparently, the results are satisfied. Although there are cases where stem cell treatment failed to serve its intention, the elongation of patient’s life is credited to stem cell injection. In China, the stem cell in use is adult stem cell which has been taken from adult tissue such as umbilical cord.

 What amazed me is not only the achievement of Stem Cell Research in China, but also the China Stem Cell News website. This website does not only offer a collection of patients’ blogs, but also feature short video clips which provide vivid demonstration of the powerful and positive effect of Stem Cell treatments. I am wondering the crew behind the stage. Apparently, there are some native English speakers helping out. Also, the nurses or doctors involved are also capable of English communication which tremendously let the words spread out worldwide. That’s why I can catch a glimpse of the landing page of China Stem Cell News on a Chicago local TV news channel.

 I am not a medical scientist, nor a political policy advocate, but a MBA major from a US state university. I do appreciate the people behind the website, and their continuous efforts in English content contribution greatly improved the publicity of a China brand. Considering a recently viewed episode of CNBC documentaries, one of my observations is the prominent difference between China and India which makes one a world manufacturing base and one a world R&D base. The difference is the English capability.

Sales 2.0

Cohort of Web 2.0

Frankly speaking, I have no idea about the Sales 1.0, if there was one. Or, the sales experts just coined the term as if the case in software business, that when you first created an application you usually named it version 2.0 in hoping of a less connotation of the very first product.

 

Sales 2.0 is a concept, or formative collective ideas that embedded Web 2.0 into the process of selling. The idea is very simple, looking up info from social media in the first place, collecting intelligence that could trigger a sales opportunity and then dig out more insider info as to facilitate the customer entry campaign.

 

In the past, sales intelligence often acquires from personal and direct channel, such as word-of-mouth, personal networking, or circle of close friends. Phone call and email are often the two traditional avenues for info funneling. In order to get an insider intel, one usually picks up a phone and rings his/her reliable source, but nevertheless I have to say this is a passive and reactive approach.

 

Also it depends on the patronage’s will to whom should be revealed the insider info in the first place. And it often takes a long time to cultivate a reliable link and more efforts to put it on board. The number of qualified leads also would hit a limitation as the energy of a person allowed. And the door to new realm is hard to kick when no connection is laid out in the first place.

 

Then there comes the idea of Sales 2.0. Pulling from the source of social media, it’s just amazing how many genuine info you can get at no cost from LinkedIn, Jigsaw, Facebook, etc. Professionals, practitioners, and on-lookers, no matter what identify involved, everyone just puts bona fide personal info registered into the database system of social media. And they keep updating! That’s the most astonishing part! Indeed, they puff out every fresh incremental info on a daily bases or in a regular cycle and the only purpose is to keep everyone on the premises updated.

 

I have to admit the eye-popping and unbelievable shock as my first touch experience. The personal info in LinkedIn is not only encompassing but also detailed. One often tends to publish his/her career life and education background chronologically and supplies every other element regarding his/her life for your further advancing of intention of LinkedIn. And the most fantastic part of LinedIn is the concord of the disclosing personal info bona fide. Had it not for a collective efforts and generally accepted conformity, there would certainly be chance of defrauder. And also the reciprocal behavior norm of American society has been espoused in this virtual land too.

 

So, if you wanna tap new customer, and run into headaches of limited info at hand, what should you do? Cold call has always been proved to be a barrier rather than facilitator. Apart from traditional mega info hub, such as Reuters and Bloomberrg, which often provides external or extraneous news regarding your new client, new outlets should definitely deserve your notice. And the info ground of FaceBook, LinkedIn, JigSaw usually suffice you with totally different intelligence in sharp contrast to mega info source. They tend to be personal, tiny, but usually of magic power of turning customer on.

 

Not only you can find gravitas faces, but also you can dig out the other look after work of your prospect. Their children, hobbies, recent reading, cooking, or anything that could serve as Midas Touch that may come to your aide when you pitch them.

 

It’s rather than a serious business pitch, but a romantic flirting. And that’s the power of Web 2.0 married to sales discipline.

Oops! Redbox messed up!

Oops!Redbox messed up.

If any title of e-newsletter ever arrested my eyes in the first look, that’s this one: “Oops! Redbox messed up.” It appeared in my email box on Nov. 15, 2008.

 

At first, I figured it a spam or prank by some internet nerds, however, it turns out to be a bona fide e-mail correction message by Redbox.

 

If anyone of you lacks the basic knowledge of Redbox, let me give some clues. Redbox is a franchised DVD rental business, using a red machine kiosk delivering recent blockbuster DVD titles automatically. And the rental cost is cheap, only 1$ per title over night. And Redbox keeps a pace of weekly update to retain patrons.

 

But…..Alas, redbox got made something wrong. Instead of releasing the right titles via e-mail alert this Tuesday, this time, redbox just blundered. According to the rectifying e-newsletter, redbox just announced several titles in advance which are due next upcoming several weeks.

 

And then, Redbox faced the mistakes outright. Claiming the responsibility by joking off, self-mocking and correction at once are the tactics Redbox took to fend off the negative impact.

 

You know what? Even I, as an avid Redbox user, don’t have the chance checking out the mistake in the first place. But, reading the disclaimer, and the bona fide self-revelation, I have no reason to blame Redbox, and all I can give on the spur, is my light tolerance and allowance for a second chance.

 

Yes, that’s the essence of American culture. Everybody makes mistakes, even as a corporation, but it doesn’t matter as long as you are brave enough to admit it and make amend to your audience at once. You can see the example of Bush, Obama, and many political leaders, who committed alcoholic, even marijuana, during their puberty, but however made great efforts to regain self-pride, even leading to the White House.

 

United States is not only a dreamland, but also a tolerant land for second chance.

Rising Star: Search Engine Marketing

Search Engine Marketing or SEM is a big hot potato nowadays. Though the job market of U.S. is in a downward track, and media is hailing the unemployment rate as a big gimmick to attract higher reading rate, one can notice the rising demand for digital marketing professionals, or especially the SEM (Search Engine Marketing) specialist without too much efforts.

 

That’s because the huge advertising or marketing money is pouring into this pool. And the biggest collectors include Google, and Yahoo!. That’s the very distinctive disparity between marketing practice in western hemisphere and the eastern hemisphere. Most of the eastern countries, especially those cities under influence of Communism, tend to larger city size with accompany of a huge population, which is a dense-population city design. Although, their counterparts such as those in U.S., are one the contrary belief set, that a thin-population with smaller city size is better.

 

One of the results is the very dissimilarity in marketing approach. That marketing campaigns in eastern countries gravitate to ground event, while those in western countries often go on-line. And in that light, on-line marketing is stoutly espoused by western marketers and is well nurtured and shaped. Amazon.com and Yahoo.com are among the early birds and took a big bite of market in aggregation. Followers spring up from nowhere in brick-and-mortar business world, but a virtual on-line land. A vast, unexplored, anarchic, uncharted, unlimited world of dreamland.

 

But the rise of Search Engine Marketing is just hit its recent milestone. Google delivered super financial report amid the spreading contagion of ominous financial perform reports. Many companies announced unfavorable balance sheets. Some even declared grave forecast for near future. The Wall-Street is awash in economy bloodletting with damaged layout. But the shining of Google, and in China, the Baidu.com, lit a light in the hearts of investors.

 

Not everything is doomed. The success of Google, with the echoing success of Baidu, the one copied Google’s business model in China market, is indicating a way out. That’s Search Engine Marketing. Don’t get fooled by me, marketing here is incorporating marketing and sales altogether. Along the long long tail of business, small and medium business owners are marking significant contribution to the ascent of on-line marketing, and search engine marketing.

 

Google and Yahoo, the two ancestors of Search Engine Marketing, are on the thrones of nowadays’ marketplace. Hundreds of thousands of small and medium business owners are hopping into the battle fields of Adwords or Keywords auction, and thus spawning the demand of SEM specialist and driving up a huge wave.

 

However, SEM is traditionally deemed more as marketing promotion tactics than a strategic tool. Especially, SEM contributes a lot to the success of seasonal business or promotion, such as the upcoming Christmas and Easter holiday. Marketers are treating SEM the substitute of coupon or direct mail or other traditional promotion approaches.

 

Well, that’s the hackneyed idea of SEM in its short life till now. From my opinion, however, I’m positive of SEM’s marriage with traditional Branding efforts. For big and giant companies, such as IBM, HP, or GE, can SEM be integrated into the big branding strategy? My instincts tell me a possibility exists. Just need a magical ring.

 

Since SEM only can provide limited space for message, such as the upper limitation of 35 characters from Google, the wiggle room is only large enough for a bullet point. However, presumably, a large company such as HP runs Adwords advertising several hundreds in total, the combined space could be good enough to present a holistic message map which would lead a general customer into a hidden generic branding image. However, the integrated SEM plan should be engineered and controlled from corporate, but not the individual product manager or sales director.

 

I do believe there are exceptional marketers who can think out of box, and turn SEM into strategic weapon. Also, I do believe the coming age of SEM in China market is not far away.

Tommy Hilfiger: Transfiguring with Gen-Xer

The lasted Hilfiger London Session is incredibly awesome, astounding, and spectacular! If you only watch it online from www.tommytv.com.

 

The latest financial report of Tommy Hilfiger is another upbeat against the downcast rhythm of wall-street. And the announcement of partnering with Macy for an exclusive distribution deal detonates Hilfiger’s resolution of winning back American market and replicating another European market victory, if Godspeed.

 

According to recent figures, Hilfiger global sales rose 31% to $1.01 billion in the six months that ended Sept. 30, 2008. Having made the success in European market transformed this once hip-hop image into upscale state, Hilfiger now is facing a depressed American retail market. In U.S. market, sales of Hilfiger retrograded from $1.7 billion in 2002 to $836 million in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008.

 

The weak U.S. retail market is getting weaker in tie with the unpromising U.S. economy. In the upcoming holiday season, analysts have already sent woes over the merchandisers, and not only some would decrease sales, but also another would balk. And the best venue, according to industry prediction, would be the value and discount warehouse clubs and superstores.

 

But that’s not Tommy Hilfiger. Change is in the codex of Tommy Hilfiger. And Hilfiger is ready for a grown-up generation of Gen-X.

 

Gen-X is growing older. No longer the anger youth, the generation born under the shadow of Baby Boomer and the generation without feeling of identify. Gen-X is believed to be born in the year around from 1962 to 1979. Now, this generation has steadily stepped into their thirties, which is the mainstream bread-earner and money pocket holder.

 

And the taste of Gen-X is changing. Instead of seeking the alter ego, the only distinctive characteristic, Hip-Hop, is under going a domain shift. The music genre holding dear to this generation is constantly though slowly trickling into the next younger generation, Gen-Y. People grow up and mentality evolves too, that’s law of nature.

 

Thought not purposely, maybe by a God’s lightening, that’s a good stroke of luck, Tommy Hilfiger associated with Hip-Hop during its early success. The “Hip-Hop” generation, as being defined by freelance journalist Kitwana, is black Americans born between 1095 and 1984, nevertheless coincidently coeval with the Gen-Xers. Then, there is no wonder the affinity between the two culture spheres grew into a mesh. And the two groups, though one with the origin of African American lineage, finally melted into one culture group.

 

Nihilism in rap music and gangsta film were the symbolism of this generation, who under the shadow of their direct successful parents, the powerful Baby-Boomers. And some renowned brand temporized the opportunity. Tommy Hilfiger is one of them. Unintentionally, Tommy found a way to unit with music for its brand promotion. In 1994, urban artist Snoop Doggy Dogg showed up on Saturday Night Live wearing a red, white and blue Tommy Hilfiger rugby shirt. That’s the beginning of a generation legend. Booming with the prevalence of Hip-Hop music and the stars, Tommy went through a golden business age in ninetieth. In citation of some historical numbers, the company’s sales jumped from $25 million to $227 million and skyrocketed to $847 million in 1998 and hit $1.64 million in 1999.

 

Though the glory were still cherished by Tommy, and the rivals were never stop trying to nail it down, the Croesus’ kingdom of Tommy has been undergoing metamorphosis as the Gen-Xers aging.

 

Taking the emblematic Hilfiger London Session, recently on stage in London, is a symbolic of generation transfiguration. The once Hip-Hop music has been given way to Jazz, Country and music blending with classic elements. The musicians, including John Legend, Zarif, The Metros, Steve Appleton, Wyclef Jean, etc., the average age of the celebrities is around 30. Partnering with Sony BMG Europe, Tommy is beefing up its success in this market, upscale collection apart from its youth texture.

 

Tommy’s strategy in Europe market is sell less for more. An annual sales jump from $110 million in 2001 to $ 1.1 billion last, Tommy is invading the upscale outlets instead of wholesale and discount outlets.

 

As people grow into their thirties and even early forties, they begin to take seriousness towards work and life. Their tastes naturally evolve into upscale and starting to tapping luxury when their pocket of money swells. So does the brand of the merchandize attached to them. And that’s Tommy’s choice.

 

In an exclusive distribution deal with Macy, Tommy first migrates its point-of-sale to an upscale venue which often is often patronized by white-collars and accomplished professionals or managers in their thirties. And in this endeavor, Tommy hopes to circumvent the floppy retail market and win against a certain recession in near future.

 

Whatever the effect on market would be, the maneuver taken by Tommy at least is a gesture to revivify market morale, and show confidence and faith to call for a resilient market.

 

Maybe that’s a way out.

 

“Why are you nervous?“ Rose sung. “The Bright Side”. Steve Appleton hailed.

Next Big Thing: Minority Market, Generation Y and Obama

When the last debate between Senator Obama and Senator McCain was down, everybody is looking forward to the last election. And when it comes to Oct 18, another powerful endorsement is extended to Obama by Colin Powell which sent the search key words of ‘Colin Powell’ higher on Yahoo.com’s ‘Today’s Top 10 search’.

 

Well, that’s not a big surprise, no matter how many overt and tenable reasons Powell could enumerate, there is still one thing holding subliminal and firm, the fraternity within minority communities.

 

A forming major minority market: joint force by Generation Y and Obama

 

Reading of Obama’s bio, though born in 1961, a year belongs to late Baby Boomer or early Generation X, Obama appears having little connection with Generation Y, the next largest demographic group beside Baby boomer, with around over 70 million in count. Born from around 1977 to 1996, this generation believes to take up 20% of today’s US population.

 

Marching towards year of 2009, the one after the most fascinated presidential election of 2008, most of Generation Y will be turning age of from 13 to 37, or in other terms, starting to occupy the majority of workforce and the consummation will hit the year of 2012. A emerging and potentially huge market is coming into landscape.

 

The distinctive trait of Generation Y is its most diversified population. The so-called minority, Hispanic, Black and Asian takes up as much as 40% of the total Generation Y according to Bureau of Censors, 2000. Among them, 17% percent goes to Hispanic, the largest minority group; and 16% goes to Black or African American, the equally important ethnic group; and 5% goes to Asian, comparably small but can’t be overlooked, since Asian-American women is the most highly educated of Generation Y according to Bureau of Censors, 2002.

 

Yes, the Generation Y is the most tolerable generation towards ethnical differences. And how about if Obama elected? The first minority president in American history?! Wow, that’s a blockbuster though would not surprise the world when the long and weary election year of 2008 drags on and on. It’s still too early to predict the domestic policy of President Obama, but whatever it is minority would be a big beneficiary without doubts.

 

It can be favorably inferred a President Obama would facilitate a looming minority market constructed by Generation Y. Or, a minority market is turning into majority force in the upcoming 5 years.

 

If there is any Next Big Thing that can inject some optimism into the depressing market morale as of the time of an unavoidable and forthcoming economy recession, Generation Y and the minority market should be given the credit.

 

 

Feel the pulse of market: early influence from Generation Y

 

As to the many propitious omens foretelling a formative generation Y in workforce and marketplace, one can get a feel from the job market.

 

When you turn to Monster, Careerbuilder, or Yahoo!HotJob, you can find many marketing jobs relating to on-line marketing or internet communication. Demands for viral marketing specialist, manager, or even director are burgeoning and challenging traditional marketers.

 

MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, FaceBook, YouTube, Google……you can name them. All of the most fashion communication on-line tools are within the radius of a tech-savvy generation Y. Since Baby Boomer and Generation X, Generation Y is the generation grows up with PC and laptop. Unlike their predecessors, Baby Boomer grows up with TV and Generation X with MTV, Generation Y takes advantage of computer since every early age and grows a finger-player and on-line goer as they heading manhood. According to Bureau of Censors, 2001, 71% of Generation Y between 15 to 17 were on-line. And that means as of year 2008, 71% of Generation Y between 22 and 34 are on-line, at least.

 

That’s the coming of predominance of web 2.0 as the key marketing instrument. And that partly explains the success of Obama, his prevailing digital strategy for presidency competition reaps the needed ballots and sends him all the way to the last debate. From September, Obama amazingly raised record $150 million fund.

 

The rising demand for on-line communication is largely ascribed to the influence of generation Y. According to NPD Group research, young web users between 13 to 34 years old are significantly more likely to visit social networking sites and visit them more often. And this age group also represents the most active on-line shopping user. And they are also the big force behind the reviving icon of Apple ipod.

 

 

It’s better to think of Generation Y and a major minority market NOW. However, the best staring point is market research deep down into minority communities. According to Bureau of Censors, nine out of ten children under 12 have friends outside their own ethnicity, this means although minorities take up 40% of marketplace, their influence shares with the non-minority consumers.

 

The next generation consumer market is a multi-culture market, with strong characteristics from both sides intermingled and merged. If one can sense and capture the emerging trend, that’s the next big thing to survive and revivify the economy downturns.

Is Frugality a Business?

The first time in the past one year that the word of FRUGALITY caught my ears was during last Sunday’s 16^th ACSE Annual Conference, which is Oct 12th. The guest speaker, Congressman Danny Davis put a heavy phonetic emphasizing on it when addressing a question about tax raise. And he even cited the case of himself that he actually had been driving the same car for over 10 years without near-term plan of replacing it. Also, he calculates the oil saving by planning prudentially his travel plan.

 

The next time the word of FRUGALITY being thrusting into my attentions was during my leafing through the recently BusinessWeek this afternoon, and actually, BusinessWeek was running a cover story on the theme of FRUGALITY. And in the cover story, several cases were reported as the typical harbingers for the upcoming economy declining. Several emblematical middle-class families were telling their frugal lifestyle starting from near recent years. A fortiori, a guy named Ned Penberthy, a 53 salesman who lives in Pelham, N.Y., has switched his habitual usage of shaving cream to shaving soap by which could save him $6 per year. Though sounds eccentric and a little hysterical, he annexed certain meaning to his seemingly degradation, “It’s not much, but there is a psychological benefit.”

 

Well, well, is only the populace of America running a foreshadowing? Let’s look at the business market. Among the most impacted areas, I’d like to bring the outsourcing business up to the front. Many attentions have been given to financial services market, but how about the negative waves being forced out of the epicenter? Outsourcing, especially off-shore outsourcing is one among the far-flung deteriorating global economy landing. Another report by BusinessWeek pulls our eyes to the distant country, India. Tata Consultancy, the one boasted top-notch and beneficiary of global outsourcing movement, now is suffering the pains not empathically but physically. Traveling, electricity consumption, and even the use of Microsoft applications have been put stringent controlling.

 

Frugality is like a pandemic and even global-demic contagion traveling around the globe with or without noticing. It’s the next significant trait of global economy not far away.

 

However, if taking a different look, can frugality be a business opportunity? Or put it to extreme, could the whole existing global economy system be going an overhaul if Frugality becomes predominant?

 

One of the spawning heralds is digital marketing. During the trimester of the economy depression, the very early stage indicator could be attributed to the increasing demand for digital marketing or on-line marketing specialists on the plummeting job market. GM just announced its escalating plan for a 1,600 worker lay-off over the next few months. Industry analysts are giving out a woe by predicting GM’s hitting minimum amount of cash flow sometime next year. 

 

While, in my guess, part-time worker or even unpaid internship will be plenty on the job market in accordance with the dismal market dynamics. But, the arising needs for on-line job would signal some shifting trends in job market. And for the purpose of alarming professional training seeker or student alike, a tuning towards on-line/internet job orientation is recommended and credible. The victory of Obama which sent him to the final debate with Senator John McCain and successful defeated Senator Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and the most formidable rival, and the success of raising a monolithic mega donation fund, should in large be credited to the adoption and maximum utilizing of on-line technology.

 

Turning to on-line for business and operation is only one and currently perceivable change. Some corporations are taking serious of Frugality in their business textures. Costco, for instance, is bragged by BusinessWeek as the pioneer in putting Frugality into their operation strategy. Many creative approaches being forced out, and exertions being demanded to keep the commodity price daily lower and stable and constant are priorities of Costco. They are after cost cut relentlessly and even the brutal pains caused are reasonable expenditure. However, the sooner Costco find a unprecedented way of doing frugal business, the better Costco can beat the downturns of economy.

 

As to small business and entrepreneurs, Frugality is perhaps a new continent for business start-ups. Here, creative business ideas can get sparked and inspired. Used commodities market is a tangible profit at sight. Go beyond used car, the business can extend to used toy, used furniture, used sporting good……you name them. WinMark, the long-existed used goods seller and moderator, has embraced this upcoming frugal economy since the turn of year 2000. And now, its burgeoning business has brought some 861 stores national wide.

 

But, think beyond used commodity. Can we think out of the boxes? To give the Frugal Economy a fresh and strong boost? A big jump-start? Just give it a thought, a golden mine is not a California nostalgia.

Chinese American Scholars Community Strengthening Career Building in Face of Economy Adversity

On Oct. 12^th, 2008, Association of Chinese Scientist and Engineers USA (ACSE) held its 16^th annual conference at Holiday Inn, Rolling Meadows of Illinois. The topic of this year’s annual conference features Green Resources, Leadership and Career Development, Investment and Health. Facing the upcoming economy deterioration of North America, as one of the leader of Chinese American communities in US, the Chinese American Scholars Community tries to cope with positive strategy and prevail proactive attitudes among Chinese Community in North America, which would contribute to the economy stability in short and long term.

 

The Main Venue of ACSE 16th Annual Conference

The annual conference was presided by Dr. hong Jiang, ACSE Vice President. The newly elected ACSE President, Dr. Haibo Guo, made the opening speech. Honored guest speakers of 16^th ACSE annual conference are: Mr. Ping Huang, the Consul General of Consulate General of People’s Republic of China in Chicago; US Congressman Danny Davis; Representative of Mar. Rod Blagojevich, Governor of Illinois State; Representative of Mr. Emil Jones, Jr. Illinois Senate President; Mr. Moses Shang, Chairman of Illinois Asian American Advisory Council for Senate President; Mr. Gene Lee, Deputy Chief of Staff at Mayor Office of Chicago; Mr. Kevin Song, Chief Representative of China NDT in USA; and Dr. Hong Liu, Chairman of Chinese-American Association of Greater Chicago.

 

Keynote speakers includes: Ms. Angelica O. Tang, Regional Representative of US Department of Labor; Mr. Rory Gopaul, VP of Carbon Solutions Group; Dr. Nancy Ho, Professor of Purdue University and Mr. Eduardo Conrado, Corporate VP of Motorola.

 

Ms Angelica gave the general introduction of the major actions the Bush administration has taken to life the current economic crisis, the progress of promoting minority participation of US workforce achieved by US Department of Labor under the leadership of Secretary Elaine L. Chao, and the personal strategy combating the current economy downturns. Ms. Angelica delivered her keynote speech with effusive energy and upbeat spirits which inspired the presenting audience of Chinese American Scholars as well as members and students at large.

 

Mr. Roy Gopaul gave a very informative brief on the business of Carbon Solutions Group (CSG). Being a former proprietary energies and currencies derivative trader at Chicago Board of Trade, Roy helps to manage the environmental asset at Carbon Solutions Group. As a pioneer in new and sustainable green energy field, CSG works on the trading and development of energy generation technologies, encompassing bio mass, hydrogen, livestock waste, wastewater, etc. And the successfully carried Carbon Credit Trading project by CSG opens not only a promising chance for a resilient US economy but also the entrepreneur initials for scholars, students and unemployed.

 

Dr. Nancy Ho articulated her research on renewable resources at her senior age, and vigorously introduced the cellulosic ethanol-producing yeast (Ho-Purde yeast) which is the height of her career. Being a research professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, Ho’s devoted her Ho-Purdue yeast to the conversion of cellulosic biomass to ethanol, which would generate infinite and profound impacts upon US economy as well as society. Applying Ho-Purde yeast, ethanol producer can gushing ethanol from wheat straw on industry scale. Some estimates extrapolate a 30% corn residue left behind in the cornfield after harvest could generate 4-5 billion gallons of ethanol per year on a conservative basis, or a 15 or more billions of gallons from a radical view.

 

Mr. Eduardo Conrado anchored this year’s ACSE annual conference by his career life achievement sharing as a minority employee in Motorola, from the lowest rung to position as high as corporate vice president. As a Latin American immigrant, Conrado successfully marched his way to the highest management of Motorola. Now, serving as Corporate VP of Global Business & Technology Marketing with a sales of $36.6 billion in 2007, Conrado established himself an epitome for minority workforce in USA. His speech communicated a strong signal to Asian Americans, that a well-calculated and executed personal career strategy could work one up to the peak of glory.

 

In the afternoon sessions, different aspects of career development were addressed. In the session of Career and Leadership Development, selected panelists made cogent and instructive suggestions on career building and developing. Lee Liu, Senior Director of Global Staffing, Human Resource of Motorola; David Lum, Director of Government & Public Safety Business of Motorola; Nick Shyamani, Co-President of Motorola Asian Business Council; and Lynn Qian, Senior Product Manager and Co-President of Motorola Asian Business Council, took questions from audience including students and newly graduates. Coaching on preparation for job seeking and career commencement, the panelists also shared insights of leadership building in conjunction with parenting issues for parents in employment.

 

In the session of Health, joint speakers shared their knowledge and hands-on experience dealing with cholesterol, plumbing system of human body and Chinese traditional medicine which are beneficial to occupational diseases and office health issues, speakers including Dr. Xing Wang, Professor of Biology from Harry S Truman College; Dr. Ning Z. Wu, M.D. of Comprehensive Urologic Care from Lake Barrington, IL; Anton J. Rittling, DC of Chiropractic Health Service of Chicago.

 

In the session of Investment, invited speakers shed lights US stock market, real estate investment, mortgage selection. Joanna Wang, Financial Planner from Prudential; Jane Lee from Re/Max; Shirley Jiang, President of Broker Prosperity jointly gave consultations.

 

Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, Governor of Illinois Rod R. Blagojevich, Senate President Emily Jones, Jr., and Chicago City Mayor Richard M. Daley sent official congratulations to the success of 16^th annual conference of ASCE.

 

The Association of Chinese Scientists and Engineers-USA is one of the largest Chinese-American professional organizations headquartered in Chicago with regional chapters in 15 states. Founded in 1992, the ACSE has developed into a non-profitable professional organization with more than 2500 members from 30 states of USA, over 50 percent holding PHD degree, covering fields from Telecommunication, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Intelligent Transportation, to Business Management and Administration, Finance, Environment, Bio-technology, and Law. For more information of ACSE, please visit www.acse.org.

  

 

 

 

 

Google 10 Years: Brain without a Page

As I am roaming around internet trying to get hold of my next blog article, Google hopped into my mind.

 

My interest over Google was on the spur of a report on Google’s privacy policy by a recent report by WashingtonPost. This article brought some concerns over the new Google web browser, Chrome. Many believe that via Chrome, Google secretly collects user data without consideration of privacy. And one of my friends recently showed me the Chrome on his computer. What he showed me, was Chrome Browser by Google. Honest speaking, I am not a tech-geek, and IE would have already satisfied my every want. Though, not wanting to water his passion, I tuned to the specific minutia of Chrome and offered my vain appreciation. The other incident brought on my attention to Google was also my friend’s little ambitious business plan, homework of a start-up, a real estate portal, with the first buck of profit from Google ads reward. Yeah, Google again!

 

There is nothing accidental. You know what? Today, I started to work on the book, The Google Story, which I inadvertently want to use as a toner during my reading interval of Jane Austen novels. And finally, unconsciously, I was gravitated to the final discovery which turned me on, the 10 year anniversary of Google. “All links were not created equal.” That’s the saying by Larry Page, co-founder of Google. That’s terrifically right! I was directly linked to the report on achievements of Google by comparison with Microsoft. Here I list down several inspiring comparisons:

 

–Google’s age: 10; Microsoft’s age: 33

–Google’s revenue in the last 4 quarters: $19.6 billion; Microsoft’s: $60.4 billion

–Google net income in the last 4 quarters: $4.85 billion; Microsoft’s: $17.6 billion

–Microsoft’s revenue at age 10: $140 million($279 million in today’s dollars)

–Google’s revenue per hour in the last 4 quarters: $2.2 million; Microsoft’s: $6.9 million

–Google’s revenue per employee: $1 million; Microsoft’s: $672,000

–Google employees, as of June 30th: 19,604; Microsoft’s, as of May 31st: 89,809

–Market value of Google: $142 billion; Microsoft’s: $241 billion

 

Empowering by the above data, one could not help but arriving at this conclusion, Google is truly a cash cow! And Google is doing much better than Microsoft. There are only three tech companies with a market value larger than Google, which are Microsoft, IBM, and Apple. And you would definitely get crazy upon the knowing of worldwide searches amount on Google Vs. Microsoft, taken July for example, the number is 48.7 billion of Google against 2.3 billion by Microsoft. And the per hour search amount is 65 million of Google Vs. 3.1 million of Microsoft in month of July.

 

That’s amazing! Imagine only ten years length of time had done so much to Google! And the future is much promising. Though my friend held different opinion, “You couldn’t just judge absolutely from the pure number comparison. That’s unfair. Just consider the computer prevalence rate during the past 10 years vs. the first 10 years that Microsoft spent. There is a sharp difference!” Well, I’d like to cast a different thought. “You know what? The accomplishment of Google over Microsoft during their first ten years and thereafter? The innate course is the different business type they choose, Google a media company profiting largely on advertisement, while Microsoft a software company scavenging over licensing and OEM. That’s the watershed. That’s the deep rooted rationale for the explanation of apparently victory of Google over Microsoft.” “Ah, yeah….could be…” having to agree with my perspective, my friend faded out.

 

While, that’s the origin of my serial blogs on Google. And it’s a worthy project dedicating to Google and its success and most importantly, the future. The cover feature of Atlantic had been given to Google. Is Google Making Us Stoopid? That’s a witty edge. Cute, funny, and thought provoking, I determined to bring it onto your front in my next serial articles.

 

By the way, the first anecdote that I’m eager to share with you, which is also my little propriety discovery, some superstitious air, that the name of the two co-founder, Sergey Brin and Larry Page. On the face of the two names, what could you observe? Brin and Page! Bingo! Taken an “a” from Brain, that’s Brin! Brain without a Page! That’s Google!

Google: Epitome of Long Tail

Two or Three years ago, when I first run into the Long Tail theory, one of the great business book written by Chris Anderson talking about the future business model of selling less of more. I was impressed by his theory and the beauty of the long trail. Certainly, the long trail keeps plaguing the giant business magnate, such my former client, HP.

 

I still remember those torturing days when I and my team were jerked with the last of our wits and still burned with the tasks of coming up with a solution treating the SMB markets, which is small and medium business market. It seems in China IT market, only those local players did a good job, I mean Lenovo. And HP was after Lenovo pouring huge investment in building up channel network to touch SMBs. However, still, a Midas Touch is in far distance.

 

Then I came to the Long Tail theory, which strikes me like a lightening. And the one mentioned as the illustration of this theory, is Amazon.com. This online books and related commodities marketplace offers a infinite immensity of selling and buying without and the least possible cost. A cost way lower than the real world practice. And the most of all, it provides a possibility of touching the long long trail. Even the trail end is not out of question. No matter how odd or weird a commodity is required, you can secure the largest possibility on the land Amazon.com. A promised land by millions of buyers and sellers online from all over the globe if you share the same language, English. Even the blockbuster, Transformer, makes a joke of Amazon.com, from where the two rival parties scavenged the information of the doomed eyeglasses. 

 

At that time, I had no idea of how big achievement Google made in the forthcoming Long Tail era. Actually, Google’s shining business model is every bit about the Long Tail. Brin and Page’s creation was not something catching the trend. They were the early Prometheus, bringing the unprecedented business model concurrent with the formation of Long Tail. It a revolutionary feat, the internet revolution and the flattening of world.

 

The search engine of Google operated a 24-hour marketplace with the sophistication as a stock exchange institute. Brokers of words and phrases were bought and sold like goods and services on daily bases with a magnitude of thousands of transactions. The prices were based on real click numbers and the highest bidder pays for the show up rates when a google users searching for that item. And the portfolio in a manager’s pocket comprises of all the linguistic combination of targeted words and phrases, plural included. Such as “digital cameras” denotes loud buying intension than “digital camera”. In this way, all the small and medium companies get equal chance of promotion in the virtual marketplace as well as the Fortune 500. Here, capitalism is not the player of monopoly, and Google the maverick shuffles the rules of game once and for all. Even family-run business can get a hold of opportunities via Google. Fairness, google guys pushed into this world with a mighty hand of Google.