The Case Against Professionalism, How We Have Managed Industry Almost to Death where Cringely goes off on not having founders, the engineers, run the companies they start. He has some good points, about the lack of research funding for short term profits, but misses a few as well.
First off engineer types that also have buisness knowledge would be a killer for running any tech company. But sadly the problem is that few engineers take the time to actually learn anything about buisness. Also the same applies to buisness folks that end up running tech companies, they really need some engineering/technical background.
Secondly the problem of long time research divisions being dropped to improve the bottom line is a problem but what is the causse? As one long time CEO, whose name I can’t remember, said, “The problem in the world of public companies is that executive officers are not gready enough. The big time profits for share holders are in the long term plans.” Until investors realise this fact they will continue to lose while there executive officers will win through artifical means.
Thirdly one situation that Cringely totaly misses on is that the engineers don’t have to ever take VC funding and go public. Like SAS or ESRI they can continue to be the engineer executive of a company that they own and control.

The Case Against Professionalism, How We Have Managed Industry Almost to Death where Cringely goes off on not having founders, the engineers, run the companies they start. He has some good points, about the lack of research funding for short term profits, but misses a few as well.
First off engineer types that also have buisness knowledge would be a killer for running any tech company. But sadly the problem is that few engineers take the time to actually learn anything about buisness. Also the same applies to buisness folks that end up running tech companies, they really need some engineering/technical background.
Secondly the problem of long time research divisions being dropped to improve the bottom line is a problem but what is the causse? As one long time CEO, whose name I can’t remember, said, “The problem in the world of public companies is that executive officers are not gready enough. The big time profits for share holders are in the long term plans.” Until investors realise this fact they will continue to lose while there executive officers will win through artifical means.
Thirdly one situation that Cringely totaly misses on is that the engineers don’t have to ever take VC funding and go public. Like SAS or ESRI they can continue to be the engineer executive of a company that they own and control.