It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.
Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.
Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Scania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fuelled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalized world.
[Disclaimer : The blog text are contents as received in forwarded mails. Its nothing to do with my view or concerns]
Friday, April 27, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
US slowdown may hit Indian IT cos
The slowdown in the US economy along with domestic factors may impact revenues and earning growth rates of all major IT companies of India, including Infosys, Satyam, TCS and Wipro.
The domestic factors could be like service tax on leased and rented premises and imposition of minimum alternate tax (MAT).
According to a report by HSBC Securities along with Capital Markets (India) projects that revenue and net profit growth rates for eight IT majors will decline in the range of 500-1,500 basis points in 2007-08 since the US remains the largest market for Indian IT services companies, accounting for 60-70 per cent of exports.
In the year 2006, Technology and IT spending was only 11 per cent higher than in 2000, with contribution from computer and software services increasing to 40 per cent in 2006 from 36 per cent in 2000 (implying lower volatility).
The report suggests that the share of hardware and communications declined, reducing contribution from volatile sectors. The report also maintains that offshore vendors are growing at a considerably faster pace than their global peers and are gaining market share from incumbents.
The report also warned that service tax is the next dampener. An Emkay Research states the 12.5 per cent service tax on leased and rented premises could have a negative impact of 50-100 basis points on the IT majors.
The impact of MAT on earnings of IT companies could range from 1-6 per cent, taking into account a company's exposure to offshore revenues, which account for 40-70 per cent of the total revenues.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/us-slowdown-may-hit-indian-it-cos/top/38045-7.html
The domestic factors could be like service tax on leased and rented premises and imposition of minimum alternate tax (MAT).
According to a report by HSBC Securities along with Capital Markets (India) projects that revenue and net profit growth rates for eight IT majors will decline in the range of 500-1,500 basis points in 2007-08 since the US remains the largest market for Indian IT services companies, accounting for 60-70 per cent of exports.
In the year 2006, Technology and IT spending was only 11 per cent higher than in 2000, with contribution from computer and software services increasing to 40 per cent in 2006 from 36 per cent in 2000 (implying lower volatility).
The report suggests that the share of hardware and communications declined, reducing contribution from volatile sectors. The report also maintains that offshore vendors are growing at a considerably faster pace than their global peers and are gaining market share from incumbents.
The report also warned that service tax is the next dampener. An Emkay Research states the 12.5 per cent service tax on leased and rented premises could have a negative impact of 50-100 basis points on the IT majors.
The impact of MAT on earnings of IT companies could range from 1-6 per cent, taking into account a company's exposure to offshore revenues, which account for 40-70 per cent of the total revenues.
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/us-slowdown-may-hit-indian-it-cos/top/38045-7.html
Lessons in Logic
| Lessons in Logic |
Dont worry ....Be Happy
This is one of the most wonderful mails I have ever come across...
In d pic, jus look at their condition.. no place to sleep, still they have made some space for d cat n d dog... water poring from the roof but still each 1 of them have a peaceful smile on their face..simply amazing!!!!!
The happiest people in the world are not those who have no problems,
but those who learn to live with things that are less than perfect.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
The woman in your life...
Very well written................
Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;
Who is earning almost as much as you do;
One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are;
One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements
One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;
One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name
One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen
One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you;
One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;
Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise
One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;
One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her;
One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.
But not many guys understand this...
Well... Give it a thought now!!
[Disclaimer : The blog text are contents as received in forwarded mails. Its nothing to do with my view or concerns]
The 99 club
Once upon a time, there lived a King who, despite his luxurious
lifestyle, was neither happy nor content.
One day, the King came upon a servant who was singing happily while he
worked. This fascinated the King; why was he, the Supreme Ruler of the
Land, unhappy and gloomy, while
A lowly servant had so much joy. The King asked the servant, "Why are
you so happy?"
The man replied, "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but my
family and I don't need too much - just a roof over our heads and warm
food to fill our tummies."
The king was not satisfied with that reply. Later in the day, he sought
the advice of his most trusted advisor. After hearing the King's woes
and the servant's story, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, I believe that
the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club."
"The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired.
The advisor replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is,
place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep."
When the servant saw the bag, he took it into his house. When he opened
the bag, he let out a great shout of joy... So many gold coins!
He began to count them. After several counts, he was at last convinced
that there were 99 coins. He wondered, "What could've happened to that
last gold coin? Surely, no one would leave 99 coins!"
He looked everywhere he could, but that final coin was elusive.
Finally, exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder
than ever to earn that gold coin and complete his collection.
>From that day, the servant's life was changed. He was overworked,
horribly grumpy, and castigated his family for not helping him make that
100th gold coin. He stopped singing while he worked.
Witnessing this drastic transformation, the King was puzzled. When he
sought his advisor's help, the advisor said, "Your Majesty, the servant
has now officially joined The 99 Club."
He continued, "The 99 Club is a name given to those people who have
enough to be happy but are never contented, because they're always
yearning and striving for that extra 1 telling to themselves: "Let me
get that one final thing and then I will be happy for life."
We can be happy, even with very little in our lives, but the minute
we're given something bigger and better, we want even more! We lose our
sleep, our happiness, we hurt the people around us; all these as a price
for our growing needs and desires. That's what joining The 99 Club is
all about."
Friday, April 6, 2007
Nine Letters
Nine Letters
Claim: The English language has at least one nine-letter word that remains a valid word as each of its letters is successively removed.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, 2006]
There is a common English word that is nine letters long. Each time you remove a letter from it, it still remains an English word - from nine letters right down to a single letter. What is the original word, and what are the words that it becomes after removing one letter at a time?
Origins: The solutions to many of the linguistic puzzlers we receive involve "tricks," such as knowledge of arcane words or correct interpretations of misleadingly literal instructions, and some of the more frustrating puzzlers don't really have solutions at all, so it's a pleasure for us to be able to provide a definite, straightforward answer to at least one such query.
The English language has at least one nine-letter word that remains a word as each of its letters is successively removed, right down to a single letter. That word is "startling":
a.. startling
b.. remove the l , and the word becomes: starting
c.. remove one t , and the word becomes: staring
d.. remove the a , and the word becomes: string
e.. remove the r , and the word becomes: sting
f.. remove the other t , and the word becomes: sing
g.. remove the g , and the word becomes: sin
h.. remove the s , and the word becomes: in
i.. remove the n , and the word becomes: I
Our readers have suggested many other possible solutions to this puzzler, some of which are equally valid, and some of which are disputed for various reasons.
Among the "equally valid" category, we have:
a.. stringier
b.. remove one r , and the word becomes: stingier
c.. remove one i , and the word becomes: stinger
d.. remove the t , and the word becomes: singer
e.. remove the other r , and the word becomes: singe
f.. remove the g , and the word becomes: sine
g.. remove the e , and the word becomes: sin
h.. remove the s , and the word becomes: in
i.. remove the n , and the word becomes: I
Several other nouns also qualify as viable solutions, but only if they are used in their plural forms ( i.e., with the addition of a final 's'), solutions which some of our readers seemed to feel "cheat the spirit" of the puzzle:
a.. cleansers
b.. splatters
c.. drownings
d.. wrappings
e.. starvings
f.. trappings
The ten-letter word word splittings also falls into this category, although its singular form (splitting) qualifies as a valid nine-letter solution.
The word discusses, while not a plural noun, sparked some controversy about whether present tense verb forms made by appending -s or -es to infinitive verb forms should count. Similarly disputed (although much less so) were past tense verb forms made by appending -ed to infinitive verb forms, such as replanted and restarted.
Finally, scrapping and strapping both work as solutions if "pi" is used as the penultimate reduced word, solutions contested by many readers who claimed that "pi" is not technically an English word but merely a Greek letter used to represent a common mathematical value.
Nice Information about Credit Cards..the myth breaker
Nice Information about Credit Cards... Hope most of you know...
Priya: I want to buy a Sony digital camera costing Rs.20,000, but I don?t have any cash right now.
Raj: Why don?t you use your ICICI Bank credit card? Never heard them say ? Hum Hain Na ??
Priya: I am quite skeptic about using these cards. I pay using the card, get a bill after 30 days and pay after another 20 days. This is a maximum of 50 days interest free loan. Why does any bank do it?
If I borrow Rs.20,000 on personal loan at 11%.
Interest to be paid for 50 days = Rs. 20,000 * 11% * (50/365) = Rs. 301.40.
Here the bank is giving me a loan without interest when I use the credit card. Something is wrong somewhere!
Raj: Well? let me tell you how it works when you use your card to pay for the camera.
- You present your ICICI Bank credit card ? a VISA card.
- Sony World swipes your card on a machine provided by Citibank. Lets call Citibank ? the acquirer bank and the process of Sony World swiping the card on that machine ? requesting authorization .
- Citibank communicates with the card issuer ? ICICI Bank through VISA Network to check if the card is valid and has the required credit limit.
- ICICI Bank reviews and approves / declines which is communicated back to Sony World.
- You sign a receipt called Sales Draft given by Citibank. This is the obligation on your part to pay the money to ICICI Bank. Data on this receipt can be captured electronically and transmitted.
At the end of day or at the end of some period Sony World chooses:
- Sony World submits the receipt you signed to Citibank who pays Sony World the money. Sony World pays Citibank a fee called Merchant Discount . Let us say this is 6% of the sale value = 6% * 20,000 = Rs. 1200
- Citibank sends the receipt electronically to a Visa data center which in turn sends it to ICICI Bank.
- ICICI Bank transfers the money to a settlement bank which in turn transfers the funds to Citibank.
- Citibank pays ICICI Bank an Interchange Fee of 4% of the sale value = 4% * 20,000 = Rs. 800
- 20 to 50 days later ICICI Bank gets the money from you ? and you don?t pay the interest!!
Priya: Interesting! So Sony World pays more than the interest that I should have paid for the loan that I take. I, as a cardholder have the following benefits
1. Convenience of not having to carry cash.
2. Credit availability ? free of interest.
However what benefits does Sony World get for paying so much money? Isn?t it more profitable for them to take cash? They can save as much as Rs.1200.
Raj: Certainly. Some retail outlets offer you discounts if you pay by cash, don?t they?
However when you don?t count the money that you are spending, you tend to buy more! Cards encourage this ? called impulse purchase .
If you did not have access to credit, you would not have bought the camera this month ? or may be not any time soon either. By accepting cards, the merchant is actually extending you credit at the risk of the card issuer. He pays money to the banks to carry that risk.
Priya: So ICICI Bank uses this money to pay back to us when they announce 5% cash back. They insist that the Sales draft that I sign at the retailer should also be from ICICI Bank. This means they are saving on the Interchange Fee and also pay me a part of the Merchant Discount that they get.
Raj: Exactly! If you have noticed, ICICI Bank gives you the cash back in the next credit card statement. They keep the ?cash back? money for a maximum of 60 days before passing on a part to you. This accrues them interest too.
Say if ICICI Bank earns an interest of 6% per annum for the cash they carry ? they get Rs.1000 * 6% * (60/365) = Rs. 10
That is not huge, but money nevertheless. And when you consider that almost everyone in this city shops with a credit card these days, it is a big sum.
Priya: And that also explains why banks tie up with petrol pumps ? like ICICI Bank has tied up with HPCL and I could re-fuel there without having to pay the fuel surcharge of 2.5%. The card issuer and the acquiring bank is the same and that saves interchange fees.
Raj: Good! You seem to have figured out how it all works! Let me summarize:
Priya: Sooper! Toh ab shopping chalein?? Lets not miss the Namma Bengaluru Shopping Festival!
All the numbers used to explain concepts in this article must be treated only as an example. Merchant Discounts may vary from bank to bank. Interchange Fee is regulated by VISA and MasterCard.
Read down to get Cheered Up for the Day Ahead....!!! !!!
Read down to get Cheered Up for the Day Ahead....!!! !!!
Equation:
7 Glance = 1 Smile
7 Smile = 1 Meeting
7 Meeting = 1 Kiss
7 Kisses = 1 Proposal
7 Proposal = 1 Marriage
And that 1 Marriage has 7777777777777 Problems….. So, Beware of Glance(s)!
Dairy Milk:
Do you know the full form of "DIARYMILK"? "Darling I Always Remember You, Meet Immediately for a Long Kiss."
That's why girls ask for DIARYMILK.
Three Feelings:
What's the difference between Stress, Tension and Panic?
Stress is when Wife is pregnant,
Tension is when Girlfriend is pregnant,
Panic is when Both are pregnant.
Chinese Adam & Eve:
If Adam and Eve were Chinese we would still be in
Plan For Future:
Teacher asks children, what do u wish 2 do in future?
Ram: I want 2 b a pilot
Vinod: I want 2 b a doctor
Deepa: I want 2 b a good mother
Liar:
A man was dying because of Cancer.
His son asked him, "Dad, why do u keep telling people u'r dying of AIDS?"
Answer: "So when I'm dead no one will dare touch u’r mom"
Exams:
Exams are like GIRL FRIENDS
· Too Many Questions
· Difficult to Understand
· More Explanation is Needed
· Result is always FAIL!
Blood group check out your traits!!
Blood group check out your traits!!
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Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Fwd: China - India Comparison Chart - Pretty Interesting
Chinese Proverb:
"When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others"
http://www.wakeupca ll.org/china_ india_comparisio n/china_india_ chart.php
| No. | Economic or Social factor | Unit of measurement | China | India |
| 1. | Total Area (out of which water) | millions of sq km | 9.60 (2.8%) | 3.29 (9.5%) |
| 2. | Arable Land | millions of sq km | 1.48 | 1.79 |
| 3. | Irrigated Land | millions of sq km | 0.53 | 0.61 |
| 4. | Railways - length | in km '000 | 71.90 | 63.23 |
| 5. | Roadways - paved - length | in km '000 | 1,447 | 2,411 |
| 6. | Waterways - length | in km '000 | 123 | 14.5 |
| 7. | Natural Gas - Proved Reserves | in billion cu m | 2,530 | 854 |
| 8. | Oil - Proved Reserves | billion bbl | 18.60 | 5.70 |
| 9. | Airports - Total/paved/ unpaved | numbers | 489/389/89 | 334/239/995 |
| 10. | Coastline | in km | 14,500 | 7,000 |
| 11. | Steel Production | million tons/year | 280 | 45 |
| 12. | Food grain production | million tons/year | 418 | 210 |
| 13. | Cement Production | million tons/year | 650 | 150 |
| 14. | Crude Oil production | million tons/year | 180 | 40 |
| 15. | Coal Production | million tons/year | 1,300 | 300 |
| 16. | Electricity generated | Billions of Kilowatts | 2,190 | 557 |
| 17. | Transmission & distribution losses | as % of total power | 6.8 | 23.4 |
| 18. | Electricity tariff | US$ / 100 KW | 4 to 5 | 8 to 10 |
| 19. | Cost of commercial borrowing | as % interest/ year | 6 - 7 | 8 - 16 |
| 20. | Telephone lines connected | millions | 311 | 67 |
| 21. | TV sets in households | millions | 500 | 85 |
| 22. | Mobile/cellular phones | millions | 400 | 100 |
| 23. | Internet users | millions | 111 | 51 |
| 24. | Foreign trade (China+HongKong) | US$ billions/year | 1038+923=1961 | 260 |
| 25. | External debt (China+Hong Kong) | US$ billions | 242+416= 658 | 120 |
| 26. | Exports (China+HongKong) | US$ billions/year | 752+286= 1038 | 120 |
| 27. | Imports (China + HongKong) | US$ billions/year | 632+291= 923 | 138 |
| 28. | Tourist Arrivals | millions/year | 87 | 4 |
| 29. | TV broadcast stations | numbers | 3240 | 562 |
| 30. | Radio broadcast stations | AM/FM/short wave | 369/259/49 | 153/91/68 |
| 31. | FDI inflow (China + Hong Kong) | US$ billions/year | 106 | 8 |
| 32. | Forex Reserves (China+Hong Kong) | US$ billions | 1017+122= 1,139 | 175 |
| 33. | GDP (China+Hong Kong) | US$ billions | 2102+179= 2,281 | 750 |
| 34. | GDP Growth (2006) | in % rate over last year | 9.3 | 7.9 |
| 35. | Labour Composition | Agriculture %/Industry %/ Services % | 49/22/29 | 60/17/23 |
| 36. | Population | millions | 1,314 | 1,095 |
| 37. | Population increase per year | millions | 7.2 | 15.3 |
| 38. | Birth rate | Numbers per 1000 | 13 | 22 |
| 39. | Per Capita income | US$ per year/person | 1,498 | 658 |
| 40. | Life expectancy | Years | 74 | 64 |
| 41. | Investment | % of GDP | 44 | 25 |
| 42. | Poverty line - numbers | %/Numbers in millions | 10/131 | 25/273 |
| 43. | Inflation Rate | % | 1.9 | 4.6 |
| 44. | Median age | Numbar of years | 33 | 25 |
| 45. | Population Growth Rate | % of population | 0.59 | 1.38 |
| 46. | Infant mortality rate | Death Rate per 1,000 | 23 | 55 |
| 47. | GDP (PPP) | US$ billions | 8,182 | 3,699 |
| 48. | GDP (PPP) per person | US$ per person/year | 6,300 | 3,400 |
| 49. | Fertility Rate | children born/woman | 1.73 | 2.73 |
| 50. | Literacy Rate - Definied as age 15 and over | can read & write - % of Pop | 91 | 60 |
| 51. | Death Rate | Rate per 1,000 pop | 6.97 | 8.18 |
| 52. | Public Debt | % of GDP | 29 | 82 |
| 53. | Unemployment rate | % of workforce | 20 | 30 |
| 54. | Labour force | in millions | 797 | 496 |
| 55. | People living with HIV/AIDS | '000 (2003) | 840 | 5110 |
| 56. | Government budget Revenues/Expenditur e | US$ billions | 392/424 | 111/126 |
1 billion = 1000 million, 1 million = 10 lacs, 1 crore = 100 lacs = 10 million
**As per official figures
For certain line numbers we do not have any data about India. Readers are requested to help us to complete the data.
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