Transcript Lecture Presentation

My
First
Watkins-Johnson
Project
1
Introduction




My First Two Months at W-J
Microwave Tubes were 150% of
company profit
Founders wanted to invest in solid
state products
Employees did not all buy into that
strategy
2
Microwave Tube Sales




95% of Company Revenue
Microwave Amplifiers (TWTs for
receivers)
Microwave Oscillators (BWOs for
oscillators, spectrum analyzers)
Bands





1 – 2 GHz
2 – 4 GHz
4 – 8 GHz
8 – 12.4 GHz
12.4 – 18GHz
3
Solid State Division
YIG Filters were 70% of Sales
1 - 2 GHz
2 - 4 GHz
4 – 8 GHz
8 – 12.4 GHz
12.4 – 18 GHz
1-2 GHz Amplifiers were 20% of Sales
1-2 GHz Oscillators were 10% of Sales
Silicon Transistors did not go above 2 GHz

4
Solid State Competitor




Avantek
Made their own transistors
Claimed that they were about to
introduce transistors above 2 GHz
Would not sell to W-J
5
Solid State Management
Pitch to Founders




Upgrade small R&D facility
Capital Equipment
R & D funds
Goal was to manufacture our own
Silicon transistors
6
Founder’s Response


Let me think about it
Meet at 9 am the following day
7
Founder’s Answer



Don’t want to invest in a “me too”
operation
T.I. And NEC were already making
Silicon Transistors for above 2
GHz
Consider proposing something that
would provide an unique product
8
Employee Response




Three Engineers leave
Manager of R & D leaves
Manager of Solid State Amplifiers
leaves
Division Manager Resigns
9
Keith Kennedy’s
Response


Propose GaAs oscillators to
replace BWOs
Claim that can produce units to
cover
4 – 8 GHz
 8 – 12.4 GHz
 12.4 – 18 GHz

10
Results

In 6 months supplied sample
oscillators to:
H-P
 Wiltron
 Narda
 Kruse



Production orders in 12 months
Product removed from Keith
Kennedy’s control
11
Keith’s Directions




“Go invent another product”
“We have people who can
productize and produce it”
I was very upset for about 2
months
I then headed another product
development and this time spun it
off before management decided to
take it away
12
Results

In 18 months supplied 60% of oscillators
for:






H-P
Wiltron
Narda
Kruse
10 years later developed GaAs Field
Effect Transistors (FET)
Spun off Company’s revenue in 2002
was 75% due to sales of FETs
13
Suggestions



Learn to listen to No
How a manager says no is
important
Bay Area culture permits failure
14