Long-Run Planning Watch: Finally somebody asks, "What is this 'long run' people keep harping about?"

From Dilbert's CEO, the eternal question (more or less)

by Ken

Probably the first thing you want to know is the context for the above frame. How did the subject of the "long run" come up? Where exactly does a CEO hear tell of such things?

The immediate answer lies in this past Monday's Dilbert strip. Note that you can click on any of today's strips to enlarge -- and they should look real nice! Okay, here goes:

DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Monday, 3/16



IT ALL BEGAN LAST WEEK

And as you may have divined from the above, it all began with Wally. This two-week story arc is a bonanza for us Wally fans. Though perhaps I shouldn't admit to being one. I often get in trouble when I tell people that Wally is one of my cultural heroes and role models. Nobody seems to know how to take it. (Hint: The way it was meant, maybe?)

DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Monday, 3/9



WALLY HAD AN INSPIRATION

It's not as if Wally never has ideas. He has ideas all the time. They aren't necessarily ideas that lead to leaps in productivity, and for that matter they aren't ideas that are likely to be pushed terribly hard -- remember who we're talking about. But he's going to get some mileage out of this idea. (Oops, after-the-fact spoiler alert!

DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Tuesday, 3/10


DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Wednesday, 3/11


DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Thursday, 3/12



NATURALLY THERE WAS JEALOUSY . . .

DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Friday, 3/13



AND STRAIN BETWEEN MENTOR AND MENTEE

DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Saturday, 3/14



UH-OH, THE PROJECT HAS NOW REACHED
THE CRITICAL ONE-WEEK-PLUS MARK!

C'mon, how long are you supposed to give an idea? For goodness' sake, it's already been over a week!

DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Monday, 3/16



SO WALLY GETS A BUMP-UP

Which impacts his erstwhile coworkers. (Note that the usually explosive Alice takes the news surprisingly calmly, while Asok's response is more true-to-form -- and it works out for him about as well as things usually do.)

DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Tuesday, 3/17


DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Wednesday, 3/18


DILBERT by Scott Adams -- Thursday, 3/19



WHICH LEAVES US (PRESUMABLY) TWO DAYS
TO FOLLOW -- IN THE SHORT RUN, OF COURSE

And after all, is there any other kind of run?

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