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Harvard Business School Professor Goes to War Over $4 Worth of Ch (1 Viewer)

Gary Coal Man said:
Apologies if this is a Piston Honda...

Harvard Business Professor Defends Rant About Restaurant Overcharging Him $4

A Harvard Business School professor is in the news after a series of emails between him and the manager of a local Chinese restaurant — a self-described "mom and pop" business — was published by Boston.com.

HBS associate professor Ben Edelman criticized Chinese restaurant Sichuan Garden and restauranteur Ran Duan, who manages the connecting Baldwin Bar, for supposedly overcharging him $4 on his takeout order. Edelman said he had alerted local Boston authorities about Sichuan Garden's out-of-date website and Duan's initial offer to only refund him $3.

Here's how he defended his emails in a statement to Business Insider:

I think the Boston.com piece totally misses the benefit that all diligent consumers provide in looking for overcharges and other errors. We all rely on trust in our daily lives — that when sales tax is added, it actually applies and equals the specified amount; that the meter in a taxi shows the correct amount provided by law and correctly measures the actual distance; that when you order takeout, the price you see online matches the amount you pay in the restaurant. We all take most of this for granted. It would be a lot of trouble to all have to check these things day in and day out. That's exactly why we should be concerned when folks fall short — because hardly anyone ever checks, so these problems can go unnoticed and can affect, in aggregate, large amounts.

If you look at my other work, e.g. http://www.benedelman.org/airfare-advertising/, you'll see I've been pretty diligent in holding large companies accountable for their false statements of price and other attempts to overcharge passengers. Should all small businesses get a free pass? Some people seem to think so, I wonder if that really makes sense.

Notably, though not emphasized in the Boston.com piece, the restaurant at issue knew the website prices had been "out of date for quite some time." At what point should they do something about it? I'm pleased to have at least gotten the problem fixed for the benefit of others.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-edelman-defends-his-decision-to-fight-restaurant-overcharge-2014-12#ixzz3LWJGZfyl
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No, he completely misses the point of accomplishing the same thing without being a ######## and a bully.

 
chet said:
Ditkaless Wonders said:
Harvard guy did a variation on "Do you know who I am"? He wanted to big time the restaurant guy, have him quake in the presence of the superior intellect and training before him. He needed affirmation from the little guy, and he thought he deserved it because he was sharing his valuable expertise. this is a classic example of being in the right and handling it so poorly you morph into the wrong. Hell, even his community of like thinking highly privileged folks at Harvard are embarrassed by his behavior.

Now the Chinese gentleman, he too has something to learn about business interaction, but I find no sense in focusing on that. It is as if a person presents in the emergency room with a gunshot wound and some mild eczema or a wart. I treat the gunshot wound and take no note of the skin irritation.
Click to expand...
20+ years ago, I was in Boston on a rugby trip--playing MIT, HBS etc. One night at the bar, I asked a girl where she was from and she responded, "Harvard." So lame.
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Well, there is a Harvard, MA. No chance that's what she meant?

 
Gary Coal Man said:
Apologies if this is a Piston Honda...

Harvard Business Professor Defends Rant About Restaurant Overcharging Him $4

A Harvard Business School professor is in the news after a series of emails between him and the manager of a local Chinese restaurant a self-described "mom and pop" business was published by Boston.com.



HBS associate professor Ben Edelman criticized Chinese restaurant Sichuan Garden and restauranteur Ran Duan, who manages the connecting Baldwin Bar, for supposedly overcharging him $4 on his takeout order. Edelman said he had alerted local Boston authorities about Sichuan Garden's out-of-date website and Duan's initial offer to only refund him $3.



Here's how he defended his emails in a statement to Business Insider:



I think the Boston.com piece totally misses the benefit that all diligent consumers provide in looking for overcharges and other errors. We all rely on trust in our daily lives that when sales tax is added, it actually applies and equals the specified amount; that the meter in a taxi shows the correct amount provided by law and correctly measures the actual distance; that when you order takeout, the price you see online matches the amount you pay in the restaurant. We all take most of this for granted. It would be a lot of trouble to all have to check these things day in and day out. That's exactly why we should be concerned when folks fall short because hardly anyone ever checks, so these problems can go unnoticed and can affect, in aggregate, large amounts.

If you look at my other work, e.g. http://www.benedelman.org/airfare-advertising/, you'll see I've been pretty diligent in holding large companies accountable for their false statements of price and other attempts to overcharge passengers. Should all small businesses get a free pass? Some people seem to think so, I wonder if that really makes sense.

Notably, though not emphasized in the Boston.com piece, the restaurant at issue knew the website prices had been "out of date for quite some time." At what point should they do something about it? I'm pleased to have at least gotten the problem fixed for the benefit of others.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-edelman-defends-his-decision-to-fight-restaurant-overcharge-2014-12#ixzz3LWJGZfyl
Click to expand...
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Why does he think he needs to go nuclear and threaten them to make this happen though? Seems he either gets off on this or is so totally tone deaf that he truly believes since he's right there should be no controversy. Coincidentally attorneys and accountants and other professions whose job relies on accuracy tend to attract somewhat tone deaf wonky people (FBG attorneys and CPAs excluded of course!)

 
johnnycakes said:
chet said:
Ditkaless Wonders said:
Harvard guy did a variation on "Do you know who I am"? He wanted to big time the restaurant guy, have him quake in the presence of the superior intellect and training before him. He needed affirmation from the little guy, and he thought he deserved it because he was sharing his valuable expertise. this is a classic example of being in the right and handling it so poorly you morph into the wrong. Hell, even his community of like thinking highly privileged folks at Harvard are embarrassed by his behavior.

Now the Chinese gentleman, he too has something to learn about business interaction, but I find no sense in focusing on that. It is as if a person presents in the emergency room with a gunshot wound and some mild eczema or a wart. I treat the gunshot wound and take no note of the skin irritation.
Click to expand...
20+ years ago, I was in Boston on a rugby trip--playing MIT, HBS etc. One night at the bar, I asked a girl where she was from and she responded, "Harvard." So lame.
Click to expand...
Well, there is a Harvard, MA. No chance that's what she meant?
Click to expand...
None because I called her on it and found out she was from Ohio.

 
chet said:
johnnycakes said:
chet said:
Ditkaless Wonders said:
Harvard guy did a variation on "Do you know who I am"? He wanted to big time the restaurant guy, have him quake in the presence of the superior intellect and training before him. He needed affirmation from the little guy, and he thought he deserved it because he was sharing his valuable expertise. this is a classic example of being in the right and handling it so poorly you morph into the wrong. Hell, even his community of like thinking highly privileged folks at Harvard are embarrassed by his behavior.

Now the Chinese gentleman, he too has something to learn about business interaction, but I find no sense in focusing on that. It is as if a person presents in the emergency room with a gunshot wound and some mild eczema or a wart. I treat the gunshot wound and take no note of the skin irritation.
Click to expand...
20+ years ago, I was in Boston on a rugby trip--playing MIT, HBS etc. One night at the bar, I asked a girl where she was from and she responded, "Harvard." So lame.
Click to expand...
Well, there is a Harvard, MA. No chance that's what she meant?
Click to expand...
None because I called her on it and found out she was from Ohio.
Click to expand...
oof. Even worse. :thumbdown:

ETA: On second thought, maybe that explains it.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
johnnycakes said:
Gawain said:
johnnycakes said:
Notorious T.R.E. said:
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-13/harvards-ben-edelman-web-sheriff-may-have-a-conflict-or-two

Interesting stuff.
Click to expand...
This effing dipwad is 33 years old, in his 7th year of teaching at Harvard. Let's be honest. This arrogant ##### hasn't held a real job for one single day of his life. He makes his living by huffing and puffing about a bunch of theoretical crap that doesn't make one iota of difference. To any one. I hope he gets run over by a bus.
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Aren't you a CPA or something? It's not like you're out there building skyscrapers and saving lives.

A guy who gets companies to stop unauthorized tracking, stop installing malware and to protect against the selling of contact info sounds like a fella who would be lauded in the FFA.
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I have private clients who pay me. yesterday I got the state of Montana to dismiss over $650k in taxes, interest, and penalties for someone. I deliver value, not hype.
Click to expand...
The citizens of Montana say "Thanks for nuthin, guy. We could have used that $650k to help fund our schools."

 
chet said:
Gary Coal Man said:
Apologies if this is a Piston Honda...

Harvard Business Professor Defends Rant About Restaurant Overcharging Him $4

A Harvard Business School professor is in the news after a series of emails between him and the manager of a local Chinese restaurant a self-described "mom and pop" business was published by Boston.com.



HBS associate professor Ben Edelman criticized Chinese restaurant Sichuan Garden and restauranteur Ran Duan, who manages the connecting Baldwin Bar, for supposedly overcharging him $4 on his takeout order. Edelman said he had alerted local Boston authorities about Sichuan Garden's out-of-date website and Duan's initial offer to only refund him $3.



Here's how he defended his emails in a statement to Business Insider:



I think the Boston.com piece totally misses the benefit that all diligent consumers provide in looking for overcharges and other errors. We all rely on trust in our daily lives that when sales tax is added, it actually applies and equals the specified amount; that the meter in a taxi shows the correct amount provided by law and correctly measures the actual distance; that when you order takeout, the price you see online matches the amount you pay in the restaurant. We all take most of this for granted. It would be a lot of trouble to all have to check these things day in and day out. That's exactly why we should be concerned when folks fall short because hardly anyone ever checks, so these problems can go unnoticed and can affect, in aggregate, large amounts.

If you look at my other work, e.g. http://www.benedelman.org/airfare-advertising/, you'll see I've been pretty diligent in holding large companies accountable for their false statements of price and other attempts to overcharge passengers. Should all small businesses get a free pass? Some people seem to think so, I wonder if that really makes sense.

Notably, though not emphasized in the Boston.com piece, the restaurant at issue knew the website prices had been "out of date for quite some time." At what point should they do something about it? I'm pleased to have at least gotten the problem fixed for the benefit of others.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-edelman-defends-his-decision-to-fight-restaurant-overcharge-2014-12#ixzz3LWJGZfyl
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
No, he completely misses the point of accomplishing the same thing without being a ######## and a bully.
Click to expand...
His comments make him seem even more clueless about the real issue.

It's not about being right or wrong. It's about being a total ########. Apparently that's still completely lost on him.

 
Ditkaless Wonders said:
Harvard guy did a variation on "Do you know who I am"? He wanted to big time the restaurant guy, have him quake in the presence of the superior intellect and training before him. He needed affirmation from the little guy, and he thought he deserved it because he was sharing his valuable expertise. this is a classic example of being in the right and handling it so poorly you morph into the wrong. Hell, even his community of like thinking highly privileged folks at Harvard are embarrassed by his behavior.

Now the Chinese gentleman, he too has something to learn about business interaction, but I find no sense in focusing on that. It is as if a person presents in the emergency room with a gunshot wound and some mild eczema or a wart. I treat the gunshot wound and take no note of the skin irritation.
Click to expand...
As usual DW nails it.

 
bigbottom said:
Duan is hilarious, and likely pretty sharp. I like when he basically says that he'd be happy to give Edelman the very redress he is demanding, but just needs to have the "authorities" that Edelman called sign off on it.
Click to expand...
He was playing with Edelman all along. If you notice he goes from typing in "broken English" in his early e-mails to sounding quite scholarly with a much better command of the language in later e-mails. And throwing the whole involving the authorities back in his face, which you bring up above is hysterically antagonistic in a passive aggressive way.

 
Doug B said:
massraider said:
It's worth a read, I am sure after reading it, you'll stop looking for reasons to back this POS:
Click to expand...
I have read all that since. I've always acknowledged that Edelman was dooshy, expecially with whipping out the triple-damages stuff. I just think Edelman was in the right, and that Duan commited a business faux pas (though it will probably ultimately work out in his favor).
Click to expand...
If this had been a Vietnamese noodle restaurant, it would have been a pho pas

 
Dr. Octopus said:
bigbottom said:
Duan is hilarious, and likely pretty sharp. I like when he basically says that he'd be happy to give Edelman the very redress he is demanding, but just needs to have the "authorities" that Edelman called sign off on it.
Click to expand...
He was playing with Edelman all along. If you notice he goes from typing in "broken English" in his early e-mails to sounding quite scholarly with a much better command of the language in later e-mails. And throwing the whole involving the authorities back in his face, which you bring up above is hysterically antagonistic in a passive aggressive way.
Click to expand...
Not to mention the question of how did the Boston Globe end up with the entire correspondence? Duan landed a big one, then mounted him on the front page of the daily newspaper

 
Edelman updated his blog:

My Emails with Sichuan Garden

December 10, 2014

Many people have seen my emails with Ran Duan of Sichuan Garden restaurant in Brookline.

Having reflected on my interaction with Ran, including what I said and how I said it, it’s clear that I was very much out of line. I aspire to act with great respect and humility in dealing with others, no matter what the situation. Clearly I failed to do so. I am sorry, and I intend to do better in the future.

I have reached out to Ran and will apologize to him personally as well.
Click to expand...
I love the bolded.

Interacting with the little people can be so hard!

 
Lutherman2112 said:
Edelman updated his blog:

My Emails with Sichuan Garden

December 10, 2014

Many people have seen my emails with Ran Duan of Sichuan Garden restaurant in Brookline.

Having reflected on my interaction with Ran, including what I said and how I said it, its clear that I was very much out of line. I aspire to act with great respect and humility in dealing with others, no matter what the situation. Clearly I failed to do so. I am sorry, and I intend to do better in the future.

I have reached out to Ran and will apologize to him personally as well.
Click to expand...
I love the bolded.

Interacting with the little people can be so hard!
Click to expand...
The apology was inevitable. Duan is probably laughing his ### off.

 
brohans all i can tell you is this right here is why you do not get in to a land war in asia you can take that right to the bank bromigos

 
Lutherman2112 said:
Edelman updated his blog:

My Emails with Sichuan Garden

December 10, 2014

Many people have seen my emails with Ran Duan of Sichuan Garden restaurant in Brookline.

Having reflected on my interaction with Ran, including what I said and how I said it, its clear that I was very much out of line. I aspire to act with great respect and humility in dealing with others, no matter what the situation. Clearly I failed to do so. I am sorry, and I intend to do better in the future.

I have reached out to Ran and will apologize to him personally as well.
Click to expand...
I love the bolded.

Interacting with the little people can be so hard!
Click to expand...
What a Maroon.

 
Das Boot said:
Lutherman2112 said:
Edelman updated his blog:

My Emails with Sichuan Garden

December 10, 2014

Many people have seen my emails with Ran Duan of Sichuan Garden restaurant in Brookline.

Having reflected on my interaction with Ran, including what I said and how I said it, its clear that I was very much out of line. I aspire to act with great respect and humility in dealing with others, no matter what the situation. Clearly I failed to do so. I am sorry, and I intend to do better in the future.

I have reached out to Ran and will apologize to him personally as well.
Click to expand...
I love the bolded.

Interacting with the little people can be so hard!
Click to expand...
What a Maroon.
Click to expand...
What a nin-cow-poop.

:lol:

 
StrikeS2k said:
So turns out he makes a habit out of being a doosh to restaurants:

http://www.boston.com/food-dining/restaurants/2014/12/10/there-more-edelman-did-this-before-and-worse/00mTW39jcyXb3VNHZoXEYN/story.html
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Wow. That may have been even worse.

Real quick:

Groupons are coupons, nothing more. They can be applied a million different ways, but a lot of them are: Spend $40, and you can apply $50 or $70 towards your tab.

Prixe Fixe dinners offer a discount for purchasing more than one course. $40 and you can get a $14 appetizer, and a $32 main course. As an example.

In both cases, the restaurant may make less in profit percentage, but gets to make some money. Which is why the don't allow people to apply coupons to Happy Hour prices and such. This toolbox was basically trying to game the system.

Scumbag.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
EDIT: Beaten to the punch. I will placehold this post until he does something else stupid.

Good thing there's no Asians at Harvard.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
brohans you can tell a lot from a thread like this most ninety nine percent of us will just agree the original guy was a laroosh but one or two percent will show up defending him and you know they are defending him because they have done the same type of crap and been the same type of a jboy it is sort of like a thread like this shines a lot of light one people take that to the bank brohans

 
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Zow said:
bigbottom said:
StrikeS2k said:
Holy poop. Dude is now showing racist tendencies:

http://www.boston.com/food-dining/restaurants/2014/12/10/ben-edelman-appears-have-sent-racist-email-chinese-restaurant-owner-today/GdoeZWwPONkC1NNSQSsBVM/story.html

Warning: Racist Language at link above.
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Of course he tries to blame the website for his massive screw-up.
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Eesh. yeah that looks awful.
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Bottom of that email got cut off:

P.S. I am really surprised your website is such a shambles, you people are usually much better with technology.

 
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