Journal 4

In Jon Gertner’s article” True Innovation”, it is reporting what makes Bell Labs outstanding in the technology industry. Mervin Kelly, the chairman of the board of Bell Lab, has brought unique philosophy and approaches to run the company. For example, “move deliberately and build things” serves as a base of his belief. Building on that, architechtural, aspirational, organizational, freedom of time and trust are the key factors are the key factors put “institute of creative technology” into practice.

It is unbelievable to hold a slow-down philosophy to manage a technological company in a fast pace society. Interesting enough is that Mr. Kelly take an opposite value of motto of these: fast and breaking it down. It take strong courage to stabilize the business and to persuade the workers and member of the shareholders to believe what he believes.

Personally, I am highly amazed with the philosophy of freedom and trust because that is one thing I can never be sure of. Freedom is a desire of each individual: a child wants to be free from parenting, students want to be free from tests and assignments, labors wants to be free from working days, etc. It was mentioned that he assigned a project of the transistor over two years before the product was brought up. Two years? I bet no one would dare to risk the business in this way, consuming without profit for two years. Consequently, that will lead to another issue of trust. If I were Mr. Kelly, I would probably send a spy to monitor of what they were actually doing; and confrontation might be unavoidable as well.

I am truly amazed Bell Lab turns out to be its excellence. There must something about Mr. Kelly’s ideas towards his value of business, which I would say: trailblazing vision.