McKinsey: MBAs Are a Fascinating Group to Observe
February 5, 2021
Watching blue chip consulting firms is more enjoyable than visiting a zoo. Here’s a good example of the entertainment value of individuals who strive to apply logic to business. Logic is definitely good, right?
“AP Source: McKinsey to Pay $573M for Role in Opioid Crisis” explains that the McKinsey wizards somehow became involved in the “opioid crisis.” Crisis is self explanatory because most people have been ensnared in the Covid Rona thing. But opioid is difficult to appreciate. Think of addiction, crime, prostitution, trashed families, abandoned children, etc. You get the idea.
How could a blue chip consulting firm become involved in crimes which do not appear in the McKinsey collateral, on its Web site, or in its presentations to potential and current clients?
The write up says in the manner of “real” news outfits:
The global business consulting firm McKinsey & Company has agreed to a $573 million settlement over its role in advising companies on how to “supercharge” opioid sales amid an overdose crisis…
I interpret this to mean that the MBAs used their expertise to incentivize those in the legal pharma chain to move product. “Moving product” is a phrase used by narcotics dealers and MBAs alike, I believe.
The “real” news item reports:
McKinsey provided documents used in legal proceedings regarding OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, including some that describe its efforts to help the company try to “supercharge” opioid sales in 2013, as reaction to the overdose crisis was taking a toll on prescribing. Documents made public in Purdue proceedings last year include include emails among McKinsey.
A wonderful engagement until it wasn’t. Blue chip consulting firms like to write checks to those who generate billable hours. My understanding is that writing checks for unbillable work irritates partners who expect bonuses and adulation for their business acumen.
An allegation of “supercharging” addictive products and producing the secondary effects itemize by me in paragraph two of this post is a bit of a negative. Even worse, the desired secondary effect like a zippy new Porsche conjured up on the Porsche Car Configurator, a position in a new investment fund, or a nice house and land in New Zealand does not arrive.
No word on jail time, but there’s a new administration now. The prostitution, child abandonment, and crime issues may become more consequential now.
Will this become a Harvard case? Who am I kidding? McKinsey in numero uno. Do los narcotraficantes operate with McKinsey’s acumen, logic, and efficiency. Good question.
Stephen E Arnold, February 5, 2021
MIT Report about Deloitte Omits One Useful Item of Information
February 1, 2021
This is not big deal. Big government software project does not work. Yo, anyone remember DCGS, the Obama era health site, the reinvigoration of the IRS systems, et al? Guess not. The outfit which accepted money from Mr. Epstein and is now explaining how a faculty member could possibly be ensnared in an international intellectual incident is now putting Deloitte in its place.
Yeah, okay. A blue chip outfit takes a job and – surprise – the software does not work. Who is the bad actor? The group which wrote the statement of work, the COTR, the assorted government and Deloitte professionals trying to make government software super duper? Why not toss in the 18F, the Googler involved in government digitization, and the nifty oversight board for the CDC itself?
The write up “What Went Wrong with America’s $44 Million Vaccine Data System?” analyzes this all-too-common standard operating result from big technology projects. I noted:
So early in the pandemic, the CDC outlined the need for a system that could handle a mass vaccination campaign, once shots were approved. It wanted to streamline the whole thing: sign-ups, scheduling, inventory tracking, and immunization reporting. In May, it gave the task to consulting company Deloitte, a huge federal contractor, with a $16 million no-bid contract to manage “Covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration tracking.” In December, Deloitte snagged another $28 million for the project, again with no competition. The contract specifies that the award could go as high as $32 million, leaving taxpayers with a bill between $44 and $48 million. Why was Deloitte awarded the project on a no-bid basis? The contracts claim the company was the only “responsible source” to build the tool.
Yep, the fault was the procurement process. That’s a surprise?
The MIT write up relishes its insights about government procurement; for example:
“Nobody wants to hear about it, because it sounds really complicated and boring, but the more you unpeel the onion of why all government systems suck, the more you realize it’s the procurement process,” says Hana Schank, the director of strategy for public-interest technology at the think tank New America. The explanation for how Deloitte could be the only approved source for a product like VAMS, despite having no direct experience in the field, comes down to onerous federal contracting requirements, Schank says. They often require a company to have a long history of federal contracts, which blocks smaller or newer companies that might be a better fit for the task.
And the fix? None offered. That’s helpful.
There is one item of information missing from the write up; specifically the answer to this question:
How many graduates of MIT worked on this project?
My hunch is that the culprit begins with the education and expertise of the individuals involved. The US government procurement process is a challenge, but aren’t institutions training the people in consulting firms and working government agencies supposed to recognize a problem and provide an education to remediate the issue. Sure, it takes time, but government procurement has been a tangle for decades, yet outfits like MIT are eager to ignore the responsibility they have to turn out graduates who solve problems, not create them.
Now about that Epstein and Chinese alleged double dipping thing? Oh, right. Not our job?
Consistent, just like government procurement processes it seems to me.
Stephen E Arnold, February 1, 2021
Patents March On Despite Pandemic
January 27, 2021
Even during a pandemic, inventors shall invent. What is uncertain is how many of those ideas will eventually make it to fruition. GeekWire reports, “U.S. Patent Rankings: Amazon Moved Up List as Effects from Pandemic on Innovation Still Unknown.” The article points to IFI Claims Patent Services’ annual list of the top 50 patent recipients in the U.S. IFI pulls its data from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Writer Taylor Soper summarizes:
“Despite a global pandemic, U.S. patent grants were down less than 1% year-over-year, and patent applications were up nearly 5%. But the effects of the health crisis on innovation progress may not be known for another 18 months due to the long patenting process, according to Mike Baycroft, CEO of IFI CLAIMS Patent Services.”
The article also cites Microsoft’s Peter Lee, who notes the lack of in-person collaboration during 2020 could affect the pace of innovation. IFI reports a few of the fastest-growing technologies appear to be computer systems based on biological models, machine learning, quantum computing, autonomous navigation, and 3D printing. Soper continues,
“IBM continues to dominate U.S. patent rankings; Microsoft is holding steady in the top 10; and Amazon is making a move up the list. IBM had the most patent grants in 2020 with 9,130, followed by Samsung Electronics, Canon, Microsoft, and Intel. Apple ranked No. 8, while Amazon moved up four spots to No. 11, even though its 2020 grants dropped 8% from the previous year. Google came in at No. 17 and Facebook was No. 38. Some of Amazon’s eye-catching patent grants last year included a launch system for snapping payloads into the air; drones that pull skiers and surfers; and robots that drop off bunches of items on delivery routes.”
Eye-catching indeed. Amazon famously searches in every direction for its next big buck. We wonder: Is there a direct correlation between number of patents and financial return, or is an increase in patent activity during a time of social stress an indicator of commitment to staking out knowledge claims? And what about that USPTO patent search system? A gem I tell you.
Cynthia Murrell, January 27, 2021
Financial Guru: Cryptocurrency Observation of Note
January 27, 2021
Years ago I ran across an orthogonal financial thinker named Nouriel Roubini, a consultant, financial type, and professor at New York University. He wrote an essay called the “Great Crypto Heist.” The essay is behind a paywall dutifully constructed by the estimable Financial News of London wizards. With digital currency in the news, I spotted a passage in the essay I found interesting. Herewith is the snippet:
It is high time that US and other law-enforcement agencies stepped in.So far, regulators have been asleep at the wheel as the crypto cancerhas metastasized. According to one study, 80% of “initial coinofferings” in 2017 were scams. At a minimum, Hayes and all theothers overseeing similar rackets from offshore safe havens should beinvestigated, before millions more retail investors get scammed intofinancial ruin. Even US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin –no fan of financial regulation – agrees that cryptocurrencies mustnot be allowed to “become the equivalent of secret numberedaccounts”, which have long been the preserve of terrorists,gangsters, and other criminals.
Are regulators asleep at the switch?
Stephen E Arnold, January 27, 2021
Google: One Trial Balloon Up and Another Launched
January 25, 2021
I read “Alphabet Loon Internet Balloon “Other Bet” Gets Grounded Forever.” Unlike the Graf Zeppelin’s performance, no one appears to have been killed by the Loon balloon.
I quite like the idea of airships; however, unpredictable weather and all-too-predictable smart software make balloons bouncing Internet signals a somewhat unusual idea. Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka, and odd spots in the US once were on the globe floating Loon’s itinerary. Not now. I learned:
Project Loon will be winding down operations and its remaining balloons in the coming months while employees are shuffled across Alphabet, Google, and X. It’s definitely disappointing news to hear, especially given how Loon Internet played critical roles in some natural disasters in the past two to three years.
But, rejoice. There is another Google balloon which may be trialed in Australia. “Google Threatens to Remove Search from Australia over New Law” contains the company-versus-country news:
Google on Friday threatened to disable its search engine function in Australia if the government passes new regulations that would force large tech companies to negotiate with news organizations to present the content they produce.
France and Google have reached some agreement about news and money. Australia is the testing ground for a less fromage-and-wne centric rapprochement. But Australia has sheep and coal. The write up noted:
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison responded during a press conference later Friday, stating, “We don’t respond to threats.” “Let me be clear: Australia makes our rules for things you can do in Australia,” he said. “That’s done in our Parliament. It’s done by our government and that’s how things work here in Australia.”
If a country will not meet Google’s demands, then Google search won’t find anything for the kangaroo crowd.
Wait!
Google does not find anything when some people run queries.
It is clear that Google does not want fromage-and-wine deals with other countries. The costs would be too much for the Google to stomach. Lamb chops versus fromage and wine? Is this a fair contest.
Beyond Search believes that Google’s policy of threat is a trial balloon. Will that policy fly like the Loon?
Stephen E Arnold, January 25, 2020
Post SolarWinds: Enhanced Security Methods. Er, What?
January 22, 2021
I find it interesting that the SolarWinds’ security misstep has faded. I assumed (the old ass of you and me saw is applicable) that after a teeny little security breach, information technology professionals would exert a teeny little effort to make sure obvious security lapses were remediated. Was I incorrect? Absolutely, gentle reader.
I noted the Beeb’s article “Malware Found on Laptops Given Out by Government”. The “government” is the United Kingdom’s Brexit capable entity. I learned:
Some of the laptops given out in England to support vulnerable children home-schooling during lockdown contain malware….The malware, which they said appeared to be contacting Russian servers, is believed to have been found on laptops given to a handful of schools.
I love the “some” and the “handful.” Ho ho ho.
Like the SolarWinds’ misstep, numbers in which one can be confident are not readily available. What is available is the indifference organizations have to the risks and threats malware on school laptops and educational computers pose. Thinking about human trafficking and child pornography. Distasteful for sure, but these “government” computers may provide information useful for other pursuits; for example, blackmail, extortion, and parent or guardian financial information.
One source for the tolerant Beeb allegedly said:
“We believe this is not widespread.”
Right, 18,000 organizations compromised via the SolarWinds’ misstep should be ignored.
Let’s here it for security well implemented. Wait. I don’t hear any rah rah. Must be an intercepted Internet stream which does not happen in the UK.
Stephen E Arnold, January 22, 2021
A Vaccine Passport: Digital or Old Fashioned Rubber Stamp?
January 20, 2021
Vaccination papers, commonly a yellow immunization card, are required for entry into many foreign countries. The World Health Organization created the International Certificate of Inoculation and Vaccination (aka ICV, carte jaune, or yellow card) in 1935.
The COVID-19 may require all international travelers to carry a vaccination passport along with their usual paper, except it might be digital. IBM’s Watson is developing these passports says AFAR in the article, “How Vaccine Passports Will Actually Work.”
Currently, a COVID-19 consists of a piece of paper from the CDC with an individual’s personal information, date of first vaccine, who administrated it, and room for the next dose. Since the COVID-19 vaccination record is only a piece of paper it could be lost and it does not help when most paperwork is digital.
IBM is working on a platform called the IBM Digital Health Pass, where pharmacy and healthcare workers can upload vaccination information that the government will verify. It will take time to deploy the IBM platform, but individuals can be proactive by downloading an approved health app and uploading their information. There are problems with rolling out the platform, especially those who do not have access to smartphones:
“When it comes to digital health passes, ‘How do we make sure that we head in that direction in the most transparent way, and in a way that also provides the greatest amount of access that doesn’t shut people out?’ says Michele Goodwin, director for the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy at the University of California in Irvine, School of Law.
She adds,
‘Not everybody has access to sophisticated smartphones. These are very expensive phones. Or if they have a phone, they may not have the data plan. What you don’t want to do is to deny individuals things that are looking to become a societal privilege or right simply based on their socioeconomic status.’”
Fierce Biotech explains that IBM is working with Salesforce to rollout its IBM Digital Health Pass: “IBM Links With Salesforce To Offer Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Passports.”
The IBM Digital Health Pass is part of the IBM Watson Health endeavor. By teaming with Salesforce, IBM plans to help organizations expand the availability of COVID-19 vaccination verifications.
Salesforce will assist organizations by adding IBM’s technology to its Work.com platform:
“ ‘Our partnership with IBM will give organizations a single platform designed to provide safe and continuous operations, deepen trust with customers and employees and do everything possible to support their health and wellbeing,’ said Bill Patterson, executive vice president and general manager of customer relationship management applications at Salesforce.”
IBM is a technology company, so their resources are limited when it comes to distributing a health platform internationally. By combining its technology with Salesforce’s CRM platform, IBM can focus on perfecting its health system will Salesforce work on the distribution.
IBM and health. A match made in a synthetic biology lab located near Armonk.
Lucky Armonk.
Whitney Grace, January 20, 2021
Facebook and the French: Some Tension Perhaps?
January 15, 2021
For the first time Facebook is calling out a individuals connected to a Western military for conducting a propaganda campaign on its platforms. CNN reports, “Facebook Accuses People Tied to French Military of Running Troll Accounts.” Even more intriguing, the accounts resembled and interacted with similar Russian troll accounts. Reporter Donie O’Sullivan writes:
“The deceptive tactics allegedly used, which include using Facebook to pose as locals in the targeted countries, mirror misinformation campaigns run by the Russian government. … According to Facebook, the operations targeted the ‘Central African Republic and Mali, and to a lesser extent Niger, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Chad.’ Facebook removed the accounts and also announced on Tuesday that it had removed accounts, also posing as Africans, that were linked to Russian troll group. In some cases, Facebook said, the fake French and Russian accounts even interacted with each other.”
Though it is not new to see influence campaigns target the same regions, their actively engaging each other is. Facebook says it found the two sides commenting on each other’s posts, befriending each other, and denouncing each other for being fake. Russian trolls operating in Africa, we’re told, are connected to the group that allegedly acted to influence the 2016 US presidential election. O’Sullivan continues:
“Facebook said the alleged French accounts ‘posted primarily in French and Arabic about news and current events including France’s policies in Francophone Africa, the security situation in various African countries, claims of potential Russian interference in the election in the Central African Republic (CAR), supportive commentary about French military, and criticism of Russia’s involvement in CAR.’ Elections are due to take place in CAR later this month. One post in French read, ‘The Russian imperialists are a gangrene on Mali! Watch out for the tsarist lobotomy!’ The alleged Russian accounts, in turn, criticized the French.”
Wow—gangrene imperialists and tsarist lobotomies! I suppose trolls are not known for their subtlety. Facebook has removed about 100 Facebook and Instagram accounts, with a total of about 5,000 followers, tied to the alleged French operation. It also shuttered two networks of pages linked to Russia, which had about 6 million followers. For its part, the French Defense Ministry neither confirmed nor denied its involvement. Russia continues to deny it has ever engaged in such tactics.
Cynthia Murrell, January 15, 2021
UFO Data: Online and Available
January 13, 2021
I am not into little green entities. There are some people who are. For that group, I offer this link. You may download the US Central Intelligence Agency’s publicly available unidentified flying object or unidentified aerial phenomena information. I want to point out that the art work for the story does not display the new logo. Are there more data to come? Yep, within the next couple of months allegedly more US government data will be made available. Am I excited? Nope, not too much.
Stephen E Arnold, January 13, 2021
Hong Kong Telecom Connections
December 23, 2020
I read a good write up called “Hong Kong’s Hutchison Group, Which Runs Mobile Carrier 3, Protests as USA Puts It on New China Ban List.” I want to mention that Li Ka-shing — the father of Victor Li Tzar-kuoi, the chairman of the Board and Group Managing Director of CK Hutchinson Holdings Limited and Richard Li, the chairman of Hong Kong Telecom — is rumored to have had reasonably cordial relations with certain Chinese government officials. If one takes the time to work through the deals, the tie up, and staff of these two firms, several interesting factoids surface quickly; for example:
- These allegedly competitive companies may not be as competitive as they appear in the media
- The father Li Ka-shing had a number of interesting business deals in his long career. He is allegedly still alive and has a few bucks to make his sundowning semi acceptable
- The brothers and “competitors” have investments spanning a number of countries. These businesses may provide a useful flow of information about a range of topics; for example, financial transactions, mobile traffic, interesting messages, etc.
Someone in the US government believes that Hutchinson, one of the Li Ka shing tinged entities, warrants an entry on the US China ban list. Presumably someone in the Department of Commerce or other Federal agency has created a visual map of the Li Ka shing related companies, business partners, relationships, and lines of business.
I am confident that the US researchers noted this reference to the father’s connections to China.
Stephen E Arnold, December 23, 2020
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