1963, Bobby Fischer Vs. Reuben Fine.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to share the afternoon and evening with some mates in the living room of one of us. We boiled water and prepared English Tea and started to play chess.
It's been a long time ago since the last time but fortunately I still remember how to move the pieces.
Somewhen during the game, Pablo stood up and talked the way the great masters talk to their pupils, knowing their superiority but with a deep feeling to teach all of us.
There,standing in the middle of the living room with the chessboard in from of him, he started the game.
"Fischer opened with some common movements and started to sacrifice pawns... quite unusual... but Fischer was preparing for a checkmate just a few movements later."
If you like chess you can follow the 17-movements game.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Everything flows - Innovation as a continuous process in company's life
About 2500 years ago the greek philosopher Heraclitus stated the Panta rhei concept.
To ilustrate my presentation about Competitive Innovation on the Innovation Day in Göttingen, I developed a matrix to show the students the importance of a continuous process of innovation inside the company.
Although some of the managers and business people think we are in an unfixed market, probably they don't realise how fast the changes are taking place. Everything changes and nowadays these changes are coming at a high speed like never before.
As Heraclitus said, nothing remains still and it's really hard for a company to be competitive for more than 10 years with the same product (in some markets, you're out in two or three years...)
Peter Drucker expressed it with the following words:
"An established company which, in an age demanding innovation, is not able to innovate, is doomed to decline and extinction."
Remember that Innovation is not a gag. The use of innovation in your daily business life would make the difference in the mid and long term between successful and unsuccessful companies.
Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years?
Be safe in the knowledge that out there in a garage somewhere is an entrepreneur forging a bullet with your company’s name on it.You've got one option: you have to shoot first.
"Everything changes and nothing remains still... and... you cannot step twice into the same stream"
To ilustrate my presentation about Competitive Innovation on the Innovation Day in Göttingen, I developed a matrix to show the students the importance of a continuous process of innovation inside the company.
Although some of the managers and business people think we are in an unfixed market, probably they don't realise how fast the changes are taking place. Everything changes and nowadays these changes are coming at a high speed like never before.
As Heraclitus said, nothing remains still and it's really hard for a company to be competitive for more than 10 years with the same product (in some markets, you're out in two or three years...)
Peter Drucker expressed it with the following words:
"An established company which, in an age demanding innovation, is not able to innovate, is doomed to decline and extinction."
Remember that Innovation is not a gag. The use of innovation in your daily business life would make the difference in the mid and long term between successful and unsuccessful companies.
Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years?
Be safe in the knowledge that out there in a garage somewhere is an entrepreneur forging a bullet with your company’s name on it.You've got one option: you have to shoot first.
I am a Champion
Yesterday I had the opportunity to conversate during 45 minutes with a Shell recruiter testing me for a position in Shell.
I used the following videos to motivate myself just before the interview. Motivation is sometimes use as a gag. But when you're facing one of those important moments in life, when your nerves are upon you and you feel small and alone, motivation is needed.
Firstly, the speech given by Will Smith to his son in "Pursuit of happiness" (which is also the title of this blog - Coincidence?)
and secondly, a motivational speech based on "I am a Champion" poem.
Monday, December 5, 2011
You too, Brutus? - Kyoto Protocol, Politics and Environment's biggest threat
These days the Climate Change Conference is taking place in Durban, South Africa, and the biggest threat for the world in these days is poverty.
The Dream;
The Dream, as I like to call it, is named in reality 'Kyoto Protocol'. Kyoto's Protocol was announced and ratified in 1997 as a way of decreasing CO2 emissions by 5% between 2008-2012 with respect to 1990 data.
Now, we're facing the end of Kyoto's Protocol and its renovation is more than questioned. The Protocol' policy means a reduction in CO2 emissions which leads in extra cost for industry and energy prices.
With the international crisis all around, who wants to increase the price of energy and, consequently, the price of goods and services?
Who wants to decrease the purchasing power of their population? ...No one.
Politicians were pushed by the public opinion in their countries to stablish policies in order to push industry and reduce unemployment; and spending more money fighting against the Invisible Threat of Global Warming seems not to be the best way in a short term view.
Probably we'll regret about the decisions taken today at Durban, murdering the future in order to save the present. We can say to ourselves that it's for the common well, or that the decisions were taken by others like US or China, but in reality, we all are guilty of Kyoto's Protocol death; like all the Senators were guilty of Julius Caesar's death. Can you heard the world saying:"You too, Brutus?"
The Dream;
The Dream, as I like to call it, is named in reality 'Kyoto Protocol'. Kyoto's Protocol was announced and ratified in 1997 as a way of decreasing CO2 emissions by 5% between 2008-2012 with respect to 1990 data.
Now, we're facing the end of Kyoto's Protocol and its renovation is more than questioned. The Protocol' policy means a reduction in CO2 emissions which leads in extra cost for industry and energy prices.
With the international crisis all around, who wants to increase the price of energy and, consequently, the price of goods and services?
Who wants to decrease the purchasing power of their population? ...No one.
Politicians were pushed by the public opinion in their countries to stablish policies in order to push industry and reduce unemployment; and spending more money fighting against the Invisible Threat of Global Warming seems not to be the best way in a short term view.
Probably we'll regret about the decisions taken today at Durban, murdering the future in order to save the present. We can say to ourselves that it's for the common well, or that the decisions were taken by others like US or China, but in reality, we all are guilty of Kyoto's Protocol death; like all the Senators were guilty of Julius Caesar's death. Can you heard the world saying:"You too, Brutus?"
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Is this the world we created?
Today is one of these days when you really think about what we're doing with the world. A friend of mine from Nicaragua told me in an inspirational conversation how he sold everything in his home country in order to get some money to emigrate to Europe.
I used to think there's no future in Spain and I feel myself as part of this lost generation, that with a cheap flight, flown to other countries looking for a better future. I identify myself with the profile of the new emigrant but after the talk I realise that there are places in the world where life is even more difficult.
Maybe it's because I was born with silver spoon in hand and I've never had real problems, but I don't think I'm strong enough to face the daily life in a place like Nicaragua. People from there, face a world dominated by corruption and streets full of thiefs and murderers. These people are brave enough to leave everything they know and move to another country with nothing in their hands but their nuts and willingness to survive and grow.
They have this courage we have not, and so, they are going to be the real leaders for the next years, just because of their strong character and determination and, in most of cases, because they also have an universitary degree under their arms.
We have to learn form them, from their passion and strenght. And remember that we are emigrants too.
Here there's a video from Queen to make you think a little bit:
[Lyrics:]
Just look at all those hungry mouths we have to feed
Take a look at all the suffering we breed
So many lonely faces scattered all around
Searching for what they need
Is this the world we created?
What did we do it for?
Is this the world we invaded
Against the law?
So it seems in the end
Is this what we're all living for today?
The world that we created
You know that every day a helpless child is born
Who needs some loving care inside a happy home
Somewhere a wealthy man is sitting on his throne
Waiting for life to go by
Is this the world we created?
We made it on our own
Is this the world we devastated
Right to the bone?
If there's a God in the sky looking down
What can he think of what we've done
To the world that He created?
I used to think there's no future in Spain and I feel myself as part of this lost generation, that with a cheap flight, flown to other countries looking for a better future. I identify myself with the profile of the new emigrant but after the talk I realise that there are places in the world where life is even more difficult.
Maybe it's because I was born with silver spoon in hand and I've never had real problems, but I don't think I'm strong enough to face the daily life in a place like Nicaragua. People from there, face a world dominated by corruption and streets full of thiefs and murderers. These people are brave enough to leave everything they know and move to another country with nothing in their hands but their nuts and willingness to survive and grow.
They have this courage we have not, and so, they are going to be the real leaders for the next years, just because of their strong character and determination and, in most of cases, because they also have an universitary degree under their arms.
We have to learn form them, from their passion and strenght. And remember that we are emigrants too.
Here there's a video from Queen to make you think a little bit:
[Lyrics:]
Just look at all those hungry mouths we have to feed
Take a look at all the suffering we breed
So many lonely faces scattered all around
Searching for what they need
Is this the world we created?
What did we do it for?
Is this the world we invaded
Against the law?
So it seems in the end
Is this what we're all living for today?
The world that we created
You know that every day a helpless child is born
Who needs some loving care inside a happy home
Somewhere a wealthy man is sitting on his throne
Waiting for life to go by
Is this the world we created?
We made it on our own
Is this the world we devastated
Right to the bone?
If there's a God in the sky looking down
What can he think of what we've done
To the world that He created?
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Innovative Collaboration Programmes - How to Avoid the Vanishing of Educational Middle Market
I don't know how, but this afternoon, during a talk I had with the Head of International Office at PFH headquarters in Göttingen, Germany, we started to design a new strategy for small and middle size universities to improve the quality and quantity of lecturers and the International exposition of the centre at a low cost.
According to my last post about the vanishing of educational middle market, we are suffering a process of polarization in educational field and I postulate that a change on the strategic market position (changing to the high-end market or to the low-end market) would be the best solution to avoid this incoming crisis in educational private sector.
These changes in the strategic market position take time and require a special effort for those managers in the University used to the old strategy. This mindset change must be supported not only for the teachers and managers of one university, but for all partner universities.
Without incurring in high costs there is the posibility to develop a collaboration programme between partner universities in order to create or co-create a platform to develop e-teaching.
By the way, this platform could open a new world with countless innovation opportunities for those small and middle size universities in the field of e-learning.
Imagine you're studying in Germany so you have some home-teachers that teach you the mayority of the subjects. Furthermore you can also have access by using the university intranet to see, watch and attend lessons taught by other professors in other universities in other parts of the world.
The actual model with a professor teaching what someone else has discovered and written in a book, is not an efficient model anymore. Why should I (as a student) pay to be in a private university if the text books is the same as in other universities?
Why should I spend my money studying abroad if I can get all this information from the web at home?
Can we all together develop a new tool to make studying easy? Can we offer as a Private University lectures from our partner universities and viceversa?
Yes we can.
According to my last post about the vanishing of educational middle market, we are suffering a process of polarization in educational field and I postulate that a change on the strategic market position (changing to the high-end market or to the low-end market) would be the best solution to avoid this incoming crisis in educational private sector.
These changes in the strategic market position take time and require a special effort for those managers in the University used to the old strategy. This mindset change must be supported not only for the teachers and managers of one university, but for all partner universities.
Without incurring in high costs there is the posibility to develop a collaboration programme between partner universities in order to create or co-create a platform to develop e-teaching.
By the way, this platform could open a new world with countless innovation opportunities for those small and middle size universities in the field of e-learning.
Imagine you're studying in Germany so you have some home-teachers that teach you the mayority of the subjects. Furthermore you can also have access by using the university intranet to see, watch and attend lessons taught by other professors in other universities in other parts of the world.
The actual model with a professor teaching what someone else has discovered and written in a book, is not an efficient model anymore. Why should I (as a student) pay to be in a private university if the text books is the same as in other universities?
Why should I spend my money studying abroad if I can get all this information from the web at home?
Can we all together develop a new tool to make studying easy? Can we offer as a Private University lectures from our partner universities and viceversa?
Yes we can.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Small Private Universities’ limbo - The vanishing of Educational Middle Market.
According to the document of Mc Kinsey Quarterly, there’s a trend for middle markets and companies to disappear in the next years, increasing the world polarization where the high-end and low-end are the only sectors with sustainable growth.
If we apply the results of that study to the Education field and more precisely to Private Universities with a strong focus on business and (of course) Business Schools, we’ll see there’s a growth in the market for business education but according to the polarization process mentioned before.
With reference to the course prize (Master’s prize), we can distribute the business education companies in three big groups:
Low-end market: Public Universities (around 3.000 €)
Middle market: Small and medium private universities and business schools
(Master studies: around 15.000 €)
High-end market: Big universities or Business Schools (around 50.000 €)
According to McKinsey study, there will be a decrease in next years in the number of students of middle market universities like PFH or other small & medium Business Schools. However, since last years there was an increasing number of students attending to these private universities which is probably due to the world crisis, which has increase the number of people that prefer to keep on studying in order to apply for a better job in the future.
We have to consider this situation as an anomalous situation caused by the crisis, but with a middle term view really scaring for middle universities stakeholders.
¿Is there a solution? Of course it is. Companies and managers think that the strategies and services provided that were successful in the past will be successful in the future.
The maintenance of a high level competing system/company is complex and much more in a field like business schools, where students are the product and the client at the same time.
Being aware of future trends and changes in the educational sector is necessary for the survival of these companies.
The following graph shows the life cycle of a company, doesn’t matter in what field.
The graph shows the trend of:
Comfortable Position - Relax - Decadence
If we apply the results of that study to the Education field and more precisely to Private Universities with a strong focus on business and (of course) Business Schools, we’ll see there’s a growth in the market for business education but according to the polarization process mentioned before.
With reference to the course prize (Master’s prize), we can distribute the business education companies in three big groups:
Low-end market: Public Universities (around 3.000 €)
Middle market: Small and medium private universities and business schools
(Master studies: around 15.000 €)
High-end market: Big universities or Business Schools (around 50.000 €)
According to McKinsey study, there will be a decrease in next years in the number of students of middle market universities like PFH or other small & medium Business Schools. However, since last years there was an increasing number of students attending to these private universities which is probably due to the world crisis, which has increase the number of people that prefer to keep on studying in order to apply for a better job in the future.
We have to consider this situation as an anomalous situation caused by the crisis, but with a middle term view really scaring for middle universities stakeholders.
¿Is there a solution? Of course it is. Companies and managers think that the strategies and services provided that were successful in the past will be successful in the future.
The maintenance of a high level competing system/company is complex and much more in a field like business schools, where students are the product and the client at the same time.
Being aware of future trends and changes in the educational sector is necessary for the survival of these companies.
The following graph shows the life cycle of a company, doesn’t matter in what field.
The graph shows the trend of:
Comfortable Position - Relax - Decadence
According to the graph, only a deep change on company’s strategy would avoid the disaster. Innovation and market strategic positioning in a high-end or low-end market are the solutions for these almost-dying companies trapped in the middle market.
Social Media - Screening applicants
Reppler conducted a study over 300 workers on hiring processes in different companys and the result is clear: over 90% of recruiters use social media to screen applicants.
What do you think? Do you have any picture that your boss shouldn't see? Maybe some of you are thinking about cleaning up your profiles so I'll give you an advice my grandmother used to tell me.
So if you're thinking of making a white profile, remember that recruiters suspect about white profiles. Keeping some pictures with friends in bars, practicing sport, etc... will help you to make your profile more trustable although it's not.
Just think on the kind of things you'd like to show and upload them, but after a clean up.
Here it is the original survey result:
What do you think? Do you have any picture that your boss shouldn't see? Maybe some of you are thinking about cleaning up your profiles so I'll give you an advice my grandmother used to tell me.
Everybody has something ashamed, it is normal.
So if you're thinking of making a white profile, remember that recruiters suspect about white profiles. Keeping some pictures with friends in bars, practicing sport, etc... will help you to make your profile more trustable although it's not.
Just think on the kind of things you'd like to show and upload them, but after a clean up.
Here it is the original survey result:
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Social Media - Dalai Lama's Business School
Genarally, I don't go to the bed till 12 o'clock so I spend my time in the evening seeing what's happening in the world, and more precisely, what's on in Twitter.
Just a few minutes ago I was posting my last Tweet of the evening when I saw something disturbing. Twitter was suggesting me to follow Dalai Lama and of course, now I'm his follower.Are you a Dalai Lama's follower? Or you're not yet in Social Media? If Dalai Lama is in Social Media, what are you waiting for?
It's extrange to see how the internet and social media touches every field of human knowledge and behaviour, including religion. If you look carefully at his advices, you'll discover words full of passion, motivation and in some cases, valuable advices. Some of them, like the one I've posted here could be found in any business school around the world in a lecture about competitive advantages.
Just a few minutes ago I was posting my last Tweet of the evening when I saw something disturbing. Twitter was suggesting me to follow Dalai Lama and of course, now I'm his follower.Are you a Dalai Lama's follower? Or you're not yet in Social Media? If Dalai Lama is in Social Media, what are you waiting for?
It's extrange to see how the internet and social media touches every field of human knowledge and behaviour, including religion. If you look carefully at his advices, you'll discover words full of passion, motivation and in some cases, valuable advices. Some of them, like the one I've posted here could be found in any business school around the world in a lecture about competitive advantages.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Disruptive Innovation vs IT Innovation
What makes the end of 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century different from other periods of history is not the Arab Spring, the International Debt Crisis or the end of the Cold War. What makes different this period of time from others is the speed of the changes take place.
We see everyday in the news many new advances on IT, specially on the internet field and there are so many companies that are focusing their innovation processes and strategies on a change of the IT model: social media, cloud computing, or any other high tech device.
We have to face that although social media seems to be here to stay, it's still a baby and it can and probably do change in the future. Sometimes we trust on foreign adn new technology more than in our own team and their ideas. Sometimes, these ideas, simple and in one way disruptive, would probably set a competitive advantage for your company in comparison to others.
I post here this video to teach you that although important, IT is not the only kind of innovation or developement we can achieve. Sometimes the success comes with something more simple.
We see everyday in the news many new advances on IT, specially on the internet field and there are so many companies that are focusing their innovation processes and strategies on a change of the IT model: social media, cloud computing, or any other high tech device.
We have to face that although social media seems to be here to stay, it's still a baby and it can and probably do change in the future. Sometimes we trust on foreign adn new technology more than in our own team and their ideas. Sometimes, these ideas, simple and in one way disruptive, would probably set a competitive advantage for your company in comparison to others.
I post here this video to teach you that although important, IT is not the only kind of innovation or developement we can achieve. Sometimes the success comes with something more simple.
Friday, November 25, 2011
The decadence of successful companies
It's hard to succeed in today's world, compiting with high level companies and with continuous changes in technology. This is so true that the 80% of new business go bankrupt in the first two years.
The other 20% survives and the lucky ones may also achieve a leader position of their market or product.
But sometimes, companies and managers think that the decisions, strategies and products that were successful in the past will be successful in the future. So the leader feels confortable and stops thinking about improving.
The main problem is that the leadership of a market or a product is hard to maintain due to high competence so if you feel confortable with your market possition is possible that you're becoming lazy and someone else would be the new leader in a short time.
The other 20% survives and the lucky ones may also achieve a leader position of their market or product.
But sometimes, companies and managers think that the decisions, strategies and products that were successful in the past will be successful in the future. So the leader feels confortable and stops thinking about improving.
The main problem is that the leadership of a market or a product is hard to maintain due to high competence so if you feel confortable with your market possition is possible that you're becoming lazy and someone else would be the new leader in a short time.
Success - Confortable Position - Relax - Decadence
Hurry up! Innovation saves company's lifes!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Size matters - The Scale of Universe
I've already talk about TED and the vision of Chris Anderson to spread ideas and knowledge around the World using the internet.
TED is a continuos source of knowledge in all fields where you can listen a good idea, a good project, or just something interesting in just 18 minutes. The idea is simple: We all know something that would be interesting for other people. Share it!
According to that, I'd like to share with you a Tweet from TED's founder Chris Anderson.
The link shows an approach to Universe size, from an atom to the biggest galaxy.
If you're not yet a TED follower, I highly recommend you to be one as soon as possible.
Link: - Scale of Universe -
TED is a continuos source of knowledge in all fields where you can listen a good idea, a good project, or just something interesting in just 18 minutes. The idea is simple: We all know something that would be interesting for other people. Share it!
According to that, I'd like to share with you a Tweet from TED's founder Chris Anderson.
The link shows an approach to Universe size, from an atom to the biggest galaxy.
If you're not yet a TED follower, I highly recommend you to be one as soon as possible.
Link: - Scale of Universe -
Quality of Leadership - Spain vs Germany
Few weeks ago, @vientodevenus posted "No encontrar tu universidad en las listas internacionales no tiene precio, la matricula si".
According to Financial Times' ranking, Spain has two of the Top 10 World Business Schools in Global MBA Rankings. Germany has none.
However, "Germany's recovery from the global recession has been among the fastest of major economies, surging at a 6.1% annualized rate in the first quarter of 2011 alone. Its budget deficit is a small fraction of those in the U.S., Britain and Japan. Whereas the U.S. faces chronic unemployment, Germany's jobless rate is at a 20-year low". (Wall Street Journal, June 27-2011)
How is it possible that Germany, with no Top level institutions, has been developing better than the other European countries for the last 20 years? What happen to Spain and its managers? Maybe the quality of the leadership doesn't make the difference.
In Germany, "small and midsize companies make up nearly 80% of private-sector employment in Germany, the world's fourth-largest economy, and 98% of its 350,000 exporters. Mittelstand companies ship products to, on average, 16 different foreign markets". (Wall Street Journal, June 27-2011)
In Spain is almost the same.
Not finding your University in International rankings is priceless, the tuition if.
According to Financial Times' ranking, Spain has two of the Top 10 World Business Schools in Global MBA Rankings. Germany has none.
However, "Germany's recovery from the global recession has been among the fastest of major economies, surging at a 6.1% annualized rate in the first quarter of 2011 alone. Its budget deficit is a small fraction of those in the U.S., Britain and Japan. Whereas the U.S. faces chronic unemployment, Germany's jobless rate is at a 20-year low". (Wall Street Journal, June 27-2011)
How is it possible that Germany, with no Top level institutions, has been developing better than the other European countries for the last 20 years? What happen to Spain and its managers? Maybe the quality of the leadership doesn't make the difference.
In Germany, "small and midsize companies make up nearly 80% of private-sector employment in Germany, the world's fourth-largest economy, and 98% of its 350,000 exporters. Mittelstand companies ship products to, on average, 16 different foreign markets". (Wall Street Journal, June 27-2011)
In Spain is almost the same.
According to these data, there's no reason to think that spanish growth should be less than german growth. So some people suggest that the problem a cultural matter.
Are Spanish employees more inefficient than german ones?
How is it possible? Chairmen and stakeholders trust in our well educated managers to make our employees do their best. Álvaro González-Alorda, writer and professor at ISEM Fashion Business School says that "The quality of your leadership depends on the quality of your conversations". He doesn't mention the notoriety or popularity of the Business School.
So I asked myself:
Are our managers educated in conversation?
Are our managers leading people in the right way?
How are we supposed to change our employees way of behaviour in order to avoid or reduce inefficiencies if we don't comunicate properly?
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Berliner for a weekend
Dear guests,
I'm going to Berlin for the weekend so don't expect the blog to become updated. Don't panic! I'll be back on Sunday night!
Enjoy your weekend!
I'm going to Berlin for the weekend so don't expect the blog to become updated. Don't panic! I'll be back on Sunday night!
Enjoy your weekend!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Environmental Innovation - 5 Tips to lead the Green Market
Few minutes ago I was seeing an Earth overview thanks to some images courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center. These pictures were taken at about 350 km from Earth during the past summer.
If you look the video, you'll see the fantasctic work of our NASA fellows, but you're also going to see the human footstep in the world. About half a year ago I presented my Industial Engineering's final project and I decided to start with a picture of the world at night so you can see a world full of light as in the video. Then I put the same picture but taken 200 years ago: you can't see anything.
Are we changing the world too fast? Are we applying our knowledge to implement and develop new products and services under the prisma of green eficiency? How can we take advantage of the new tendences in the world market? 5 easy Tips to succeed in this area!
1.- Demand in your business green energy. It's a little bit more expensive but some energy companies provide this kind of energy that cames from solar fields, windmills, etc.
You can also get a certificate that you're using only green energy.
2.- Start a non environmental policy. Get some Environment certificates such as ISO 14000 or symilars. It takes time and money but in the long term you'll see that it worths the effort.
3.- Decrese your carbon footprint! Use local materials and providers to avoid long transport distances. The nearest is your provider, the green it is!
4.- Ask your provider to do the same: Environmental certifications and green energy. And ask them to do the same ith their providers also!
5.- Finally, Sell your product as a green product. According to McKinseys publication "The vanishing middle market" (Nov'05):
Executives recognize that premium and no-frills offerings are squeezing middle-of-the-road products and services in many industries. Our study of 25 industries and product categories in Europe, North America, and on the global level shows the extent of this phenomenon, known as market polarization.1 We found that, from 1999 to 2004, the growth rate of revenues for midtier products and services trailed the market average by nearly 6 percent a year (Exhibit 1).
My advise: Make a Green brand a High End brand
If you look the video, you'll see the fantasctic work of our NASA fellows, but you're also going to see the human footstep in the world. About half a year ago I presented my Industial Engineering's final project and I decided to start with a picture of the world at night so you can see a world full of light as in the video. Then I put the same picture but taken 200 years ago: you can't see anything.
Are we changing the world too fast? Are we applying our knowledge to implement and develop new products and services under the prisma of green eficiency? How can we take advantage of the new tendences in the world market? 5 easy Tips to succeed in this area!
1.- Demand in your business green energy. It's a little bit more expensive but some energy companies provide this kind of energy that cames from solar fields, windmills, etc.
You can also get a certificate that you're using only green energy.
2.- Start a non environmental policy. Get some Environment certificates such as ISO 14000 or symilars. It takes time and money but in the long term you'll see that it worths the effort.
3.- Decrese your carbon footprint! Use local materials and providers to avoid long transport distances. The nearest is your provider, the green it is!
4.- Ask your provider to do the same: Environmental certifications and green energy. And ask them to do the same ith their providers also!
5.- Finally, Sell your product as a green product. According to McKinseys publication "The vanishing middle market" (Nov'05):
Executives recognize that premium and no-frills offerings are squeezing middle-of-the-road products and services in many industries. Our study of 25 industries and product categories in Europe, North America, and on the global level shows the extent of this phenomenon, known as market polarization.1 We found that, from 1999 to 2004, the growth rate of revenues for midtier products and services trailed the market average by nearly 6 percent a year (Exhibit 1).
My advise: Make a Green brand a High End brand
Sunday, November 13, 2011
La Doce Vita è finita!
Meine Damen und Herren, Masdames et Messieurs, Ladies and Gentlement!
You've gotta hit as hard as life. It isn’t about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much can you take and keep moving forward? That's how winning is done.
You've gotta hit as hard as life. It isn’t about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much can you take and keep moving forward? That's how winning is done.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
TEDxBaghdad
As Chris Anderson has already said in his Twitter, we are reaching the day for the TED event in Baghdad, probably one of the most expected events in the world right now.
What does a TEDxBaghdad means?
Well, from my point of view, it's the first step for a continuous peace and stablish of a real stable regime and democracy. I don't know you but I really want to see what they have to tell me!
http://www.tedxbaghdad.com/
What does a TEDxBaghdad means?
Well, from my point of view, it's the first step for a continuous peace and stablish of a real stable regime and democracy. I don't know you but I really want to see what they have to tell me!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
This is an article from The Daily Stat:
This survey reflects a change in the way of thinking, where a 60% prefer more money, the 40% refer much more free time in the job and New Tech applications instead of money. It opens the door to a new world of ways of paying:
In the XX century the workers prefer an exact amount of money
By the end of the century and the beginning of the new one, the payments where divided into a fixed amount and a variable amount refered to goals and achievements.
We also included some social variables in order to make the package more interesting for the employee: company's car, dental health insurance, nusery bonus, etc.
Should we consider according to Cisco's survey including time to access the facebook & other social media as a new way of retribution?
NOVEMBER 10, 2011
To Young Workers, Tech Freedom Is Worth a Lot
At least 2 out of 5 college students and young employees say they'd accept a lower-paying job over one that paid more if the position offered greater flexibility on access to social media, the ability to work from various locations, and what type of mobile phone employees can use on the job, according to a survey commissioned by Cisco of more than 2,800 college students and young professionals in 14 countries. Flexibility on these issues will be important in determining which companies will land the next wave of talent, Cisco says. http://web.hbr.org/email/archive/dailystat.php?date=111011According to this, in more than 14 countries the 40% of young professionals & students prefer to be in facebook and have an iPhone that to earn more money...
This survey reflects a change in the way of thinking, where a 60% prefer more money, the 40% refer much more free time in the job and New Tech applications instead of money. It opens the door to a new world of ways of paying:
In the XX century the workers prefer an exact amount of money
By the end of the century and the beginning of the new one, the payments where divided into a fixed amount and a variable amount refered to goals and achievements.
We also included some social variables in order to make the package more interesting for the employee: company's car, dental health insurance, nusery bonus, etc.
Should we consider according to Cisco's survey including time to access the facebook & other social media as a new way of retribution?
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The power to change
Tonight I was having dinner with my chinese neighbours and we were talking about how to save money in the supermarket when you're living abroad. The conversation were focus on the eggs and the code number that shows you where the egg comes from and what's its quality and production method.
Well, the fact is that I told them that is possible to buy Organic-0 eggs for the price of a Caged-3 egg. You only have to change the eggs from one box to the other. They obviously told me that I can not do that... That's stealing! -she said. So I told her that although I don't use to do this kind of things, the spanish guys are told to be the most tricky guys in Europe so they probably do it. I said that it isn't too bad, that it is such a small crime that you don't even break the law, you just bend it!
She answered my with a dilapidating sentence: In China I can not break the law.
And I answer with Martin Luther King's speech (I have to admit I was pedantic at that time):
"There are just laws and there are unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that an unjust law is no law at all... One who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly...I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law."
And here it comes the great sentence (we should learn from them):
-In China we cannot change the laws. Only he can do it. WE can break the rules but I just can bend them.
The power of change depends on how much noise are you able to do. If you're the only one shouting in the dark, you'd probably get ignored. But if there's more than one voice, if the voices shout too loud that it's imposible not to heard them, then you can change the World.
She answered my with a dilapidating sentence: In China I can not break the law.
And I answer with Martin Luther King's speech (I have to admit I was pedantic at that time):
"There are just laws and there are unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that an unjust law is no law at all... One who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly...I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law."
And here it comes the great sentence (we should learn from them):
-In China we cannot change the laws. Only he can do it. WE can break the rules but I just can bend them.
The power of change depends on how much noise are you able to do. If you're the only one shouting in the dark, you'd probably get ignored. But if there's more than one voice, if the voices shout too loud that it's imposible not to heard them, then you can change the World.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
10 Tips to find a job abroad
During the last months the situation in Spain and other countries is getting worst by moments and specially for graduates & young professionals.
Being a graduate or young professional in one of these countries means that you're facing a 40% of unemployment between young people and about a 20% on average. Someone would say that this data shows a great future to Spain because it means that Spain has a long way to go till we reach our GDP growth limit (20% of work forces are not in use) but it also means, sincerely that WE (the young people) are fucked.
In Germany they have the opposite problem: their GDP (three times bigger than the spanish) will not grow anymore, the industries are full operated, and there's almost not unemployment (6.5% is due to structural unemployment and short time unemployment). That's the reason why Frau Merkel ask for spanish engineers. They need us to keep on growing and being one of the most powerful economies in the world.
So, in the following lines, I would offer you 10 Tips to help you find a job abroad.
1.- Learn the language. It is false that all the europeans speak English. That's just a tale. From the very beginning you will face situations when you have to communicate and you don't speak the language. In my case, the day I arrived in Germany I had a delay of 7 hours in Barcelona Airport so when I arrived at Hamburg Hfb I had to change my train ticket and nobody could speak with me in English, so imagine what would happen if you try to buy something in a shop or something like that.
2.- Meet inland people. Networking has always been a great source of information and job opportunities. Anyone could be a job advisor. You'll probably find lots and lots of people... tell always the same story. Try to engage them and pray they known someone in the company you want to work in. According to what I used to say: Everybody has an uncle/friend that works on...
3.- Register and get in contact with the local authorities. In Germany, for example, it is necessary to register yourself in the City Council (Rathaus). It's better to avoid problems =)
4.- Go to the next JobMesse-event. These events are roled all over the country and on very different dates. It's a perfect opportunity to know new companyes and look what are they looking for.
5.- Develop a really good CV. Remember that in some countries with equal opportunity policies they don't accept CVs with pictures! Take care of that!
6.- Start a document with all your Applications. It sounds really bad when someone calls you due to a job application and you can't remember the requirements and task for the job. So making a document where store all this information could be really useful.
7.- Use the international webpages for international mobility. I highly recommend to join EURES as a first step. EURES is the international webpage for professional mobility and it's full of job offers. As you get confident with the language you can start trying other webpages.
8.- Move to the country of destination. That is not cheap but remember that you're supposed to do interviews, so you must be there. Buy a new cellphone with a new number and write in your CV the new address. It helps!
9.- Try to join any professional association. If you're a member of any german association they would probably trust much more in you and in your qualifications. Search it on the web!
10.- Do not panic. It's normal to fail in the first attempt. But remember that Übung macht den Meister!
Being a graduate or young professional in one of these countries means that you're facing a 40% of unemployment between young people and about a 20% on average. Someone would say that this data shows a great future to Spain because it means that Spain has a long way to go till we reach our GDP growth limit (20% of work forces are not in use) but it also means, sincerely that WE (the young people) are fucked.
In Germany they have the opposite problem: their GDP (three times bigger than the spanish) will not grow anymore, the industries are full operated, and there's almost not unemployment (6.5% is due to structural unemployment and short time unemployment). That's the reason why Frau Merkel ask for spanish engineers. They need us to keep on growing and being one of the most powerful economies in the world.
So, in the following lines, I would offer you 10 Tips to help you find a job abroad.
1.- Learn the language. It is false that all the europeans speak English. That's just a tale. From the very beginning you will face situations when you have to communicate and you don't speak the language. In my case, the day I arrived in Germany I had a delay of 7 hours in Barcelona Airport so when I arrived at Hamburg Hfb I had to change my train ticket and nobody could speak with me in English, so imagine what would happen if you try to buy something in a shop or something like that.
2.- Meet inland people. Networking has always been a great source of information and job opportunities. Anyone could be a job advisor. You'll probably find lots and lots of people... tell always the same story. Try to engage them and pray they known someone in the company you want to work in. According to what I used to say: Everybody has an uncle/friend that works on...
3.- Register and get in contact with the local authorities. In Germany, for example, it is necessary to register yourself in the City Council (Rathaus). It's better to avoid problems =)
4.- Go to the next JobMesse-event. These events are roled all over the country and on very different dates. It's a perfect opportunity to know new companyes and look what are they looking for.
5.- Develop a really good CV. Remember that in some countries with equal opportunity policies they don't accept CVs with pictures! Take care of that!
6.- Start a document with all your Applications. It sounds really bad when someone calls you due to a job application and you can't remember the requirements and task for the job. So making a document where store all this information could be really useful.
7.- Use the international webpages for international mobility. I highly recommend to join EURES as a first step. EURES is the international webpage for professional mobility and it's full of job offers. As you get confident with the language you can start trying other webpages.
8.- Move to the country of destination. That is not cheap but remember that you're supposed to do interviews, so you must be there. Buy a new cellphone with a new number and write in your CV the new address. It helps!
9.- Try to join any professional association. If you're a member of any german association they would probably trust much more in you and in your qualifications. Search it on the web!
10.- Do not panic. It's normal to fail in the first attempt. But remember that Übung macht den Meister!
Monday, November 7, 2011
Greece: Financial disaster or hidden opportunity?
In japanese, the word crisis (危機=kiki) is made of two different letters: 危=”danger” & 機=”opportunity”.
I know that most of you have heard about this before but with the tale I'm going to tell you now you probably will see the crisis with other eyes.
In a normal afternoon, between caffee and cupcakes, a smart physicist (The Father-in-law) shared with his son-in-law his view of the states-debt-crisis, focus on the case of Greece.
He appointed that the European Central Bank should print money to repaid the debts of Greece.
I've heard this point of view millions of times but he went much more precisely than the people (most of them are renamed economists) talking about that on TV.
He made the figures about the amount of debt that Greece and other countries like Spain and discovered that the total amount of debt in Europe is just like the 20-30% of the total assets. So he suggested to print a certain amount of money per person. Imagine that each person is given 10,000 € so we're printing 3,000,000,000,000 € for all the European population. Spain will receive about 470,000 million € which must use to pay the 600,000 million € debt it has.
Now think about it: Credibility... I think we lost it long time ago.
I know that most of you have heard about this before but with the tale I'm going to tell you now you probably will see the crisis with other eyes.
In a normal afternoon, between caffee and cupcakes, a smart physicist (The Father-in-law) shared with his son-in-law his view of the states-debt-crisis, focus on the case of Greece.
He appointed that the European Central Bank should print money to repaid the debts of Greece.
I've heard this point of view millions of times but he went much more precisely than the people (most of them are renamed economists) talking about that on TV.
He made the figures about the amount of debt that Greece and other countries like Spain and discovered that the total amount of debt in Europe is just like the 20-30% of the total assets. So he suggested to print a certain amount of money per person. Imagine that each person is given 10,000 € so we're printing 3,000,000,000,000 € for all the European population. Spain will receive about 470,000 million € which must use to pay the 600,000 million € debt it has.
In the case of Spain, we almost pay the debts. For other countries the amount received is enough to pay the debts and also to keep money and invest it on building bridges, roads, railways or any other kind of investment that could help to create employment.
Where's the trick? An increase in the quantity of money is linked to an increase in the inflation rate and into a depreciation of the Euro against other currencies like the US Dollar.
So, in the one hand, we'll have to pay more for our goods and even much more for those goods which are imported but on the other hand, this situation makes the european products cheaper to compit in the world so it's easy for us to sell our products abroad.
The big problem is that if we print money to pay our debts we lose our international credibility.
Who will certify to the markets that we're not going to do it again in a future? Who is going to save money instead of spend it if we save them each time they do the things wrong? Who is going to teach us that we cannot play with international economics and get free of all the stuff?
Sunday, November 6, 2011
What is Pursuit of hapiness - Pursuit of Goals?
We are lions, we are tigers. This is our time.
Are you prepared to do what you have to do? I do.
I am like all of you! I am you. I know that our countries are getting worst and worst. I know that all of you are fed up with political class. Me too.
I know that all o you are fed up with hearing always the same dilapidating sentence: Thank you for applying, but we regret...
I was angry because I was living in a country with no future. Where people with ambition and ideas, with a degree and language knowledge have to survive with 1.000€ a month. I was fed up of that situation.
So I decided to emigrate.
I'm one of those who have decided that is better to go away and face the daily challenges of a globalized world instead of coach potatoes in home's sofa, regreting the good days and complaining without doing nothing.
My aim now, and therefore the aim of this blog, is to document my steps in Germany, my successes and failures throughout my journey as a young emigrant who tries to go on and grow as a professional and do something important in life.
This blog is about my attempt to become better day by day and achieve my professional goals, my ambitions.
In order to do that, I will post here all the information that I read everyday, including some interesting videos and interviews that help me to face my everyday journey. I hope it would help you too.
And today, as all the great days in life, I've decided that we need a motivational speech, so using youtube, I'll bring you a speech to motivate you. Enjoy it!
Let's show the world how great we are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z29W1IYNus&feature=related
Are you prepared to do what you have to do? I do.
I am like all of you! I am you. I know that our countries are getting worst and worst. I know that all of you are fed up with political class. Me too.
I know that all o you are fed up with hearing always the same dilapidating sentence: Thank you for applying, but we regret...
I was angry because I was living in a country with no future. Where people with ambition and ideas, with a degree and language knowledge have to survive with 1.000€ a month. I was fed up of that situation.
So I decided to emigrate.
I'm one of those who have decided that is better to go away and face the daily challenges of a globalized world instead of coach potatoes in home's sofa, regreting the good days and complaining without doing nothing.
My aim now, and therefore the aim of this blog, is to document my steps in Germany, my successes and failures throughout my journey as a young emigrant who tries to go on and grow as a professional and do something important in life.
This blog is about my attempt to become better day by day and achieve my professional goals, my ambitions.
In order to do that, I will post here all the information that I read everyday, including some interesting videos and interviews that help me to face my everyday journey. I hope it would help you too.
And today, as all the great days in life, I've decided that we need a motivational speech, so using youtube, I'll bring you a speech to motivate you. Enjoy it!
Let's show the world how great we are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z29W1IYNus&feature=related
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)