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So Cheung Shing, David
So Cheung Shing, David
Former Chairman, Elec & Eltek International Company Limited
Sex: Male Birthyear: 1940 Age at Interview: 71 Education: Senior Secondary Occupation: Industrialist Theme: Industry As co-founders of Elec & Etlek, David So, Tsang Ming Pui and Tam Kam Ho did not have a university degree, their prospect of promotion in foreign company would be restricted even they had good performances. Therefore they decided to leave Ampex Co. to set up their own business and look for other opportunities in their career.
Title Setting up their own business to break the bottleneck of their career Date 10/03/2011 Subject Industry Duration 53s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-DAVIDSO-HLT-001 During 1979 to 1980, David So developed telecommunication products. In order to ensure that their products could pass the test without delay, David and his staff conducted vibration tests in an open area in Sha Tau Kok first. During those days, one could not find any space with more than 700 feet in length in the urban area. Therefore, David had to do the tests in the open space in the remote region. David and his staff had no choice but to risk being questioned by the police for doing the tests in the wilderness.
Title Doing primitive experiments to test their new products Date 10/03/2011 Subject Industry Duration 57s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-DAVIDSO-HLT-002 In mid-1980s, David So invited a US consultant company to implement TQM (Total Quality Management) and“Kaizen”(improvement) programmes which focused on establishing team spirit. Such action was similar to the campaign of “Hundred Flowers Campaign” in the mainland, for attaining fairness, openness and justice. The top level of managerial staff acted as a role model to mobilize the staff with their credibility.
Title Be frank: ''Disclose your privacy in a Hundred Flowers Campaign manner''. Date 17/03/2011 Subject Industry Duration 1m20s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-DAVIDSO-HLT-003 The company that David admired most was IBM, Elec Eltek’s client, who never brought down the prices but negotiated with them in a gentleman’s way. David had a close relationship with the top management of IBM, and he had visited IBM’s plant in USA. David thought that both of them were scientific enterprises with the same philosophies and culture.
Title Taking IBM as a model to build up a scientific corporate Date 17/03/2011 Duration 1m21s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-DAVIDSO-HLT-004 During the early years oof his career David So was mainly responsible for business dealing. Having wide exposure and extensive knowledge he was able to brainstorm innovative ideas. He had already been thinking a lot about the future trend in electronic products, always asking himself in the middle of the night, “What is tomorrow?” Then he would write down his thoughts.
Title Love of technology: ''I am always thinking what is tomorrow'' Date 17/03/2011 Subject Industry Duration 1m37s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-DAVIDSO-HLT-005 Don't scarifce profit for technology: ''You can't only pursue high-tech but forget to make profit.''There were at least four layers for the multi-layer circuit boards, and Elec Eltek could manufacture one with a maximum of 16 layers. David stressed that in order to manufacture circuit boards with appropriate number of layers, it was important not to go for only advanced technology but to consider the efficiency and profit of production first.
Title Don't scarifce profit for technology: ''You can't only pursue high-tech but forget to make profit.'' Date 17/03/2011 Subject Industry Duration 58s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. LKF-DAVIDSO-HLT-006