From: Ellen K. 

Wow, really interesting!   We'll all be devouring anything you're
allowed to tell.   :)

On Mon, 2 Feb 2004 21:54:51 -0500, "Dave Ings"
 wrote in message :

>Well, as I just got my L-1B visa this morning I'm not entirely sure what the
>job entails.. :-)
>
>But the basic idea is that while in IBM the group/division General Managers
>are ultimately the lead business strategists, they employ small staff groups
>to assist them in formulating business and technical strategy. The Lab
>development teams (from which I've just come) typically have a 6-18 month
>planning horizon whereas the HQ function is (I think) more along the lines
>of what longer term business and technology trends does the company need to
>be aware of / reacting to / driving the evolution of / investing in / etc
>and the role of the staff group is to formulate and drive these initiatives
>both inside IBM and with our business partners.
>
>I think this job will be a blast ... I'm most looking forward to it. It will
>get me (and my experience) out of the development trenches and into a more
>forward looking role. The only downside is that due to spousal
>considerations I won't actually be moving to NY ... instead I'll be
>commuting to and fro.
>
>BTW, I was very impressed with the professionalism of the US Immigration
>service. Yes, I've read all about their screw-ups, granting visas to dead
>9/11 terrorists and the like, but while sitting in their office at the
>Toronto airport for almost two hours, while they processed my paperwork, I
>was impressed by how well trained they were. They treated everyone with
>uniform respect and a sort of formal military-like courtesy, even those they
>turned away.

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