Kaizen - Change for Better

Slow Down culture

2008-04-06T19:37:00.003+05:30

Got this article as a forward. I am quoting it in its entire length:

An interesting reflection : Slow Down Culture

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, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux 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, fueled 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 reestablishing 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".

I strongly support the Slow down culture.
One of the worse effects of Globalization is on relations, more on an individual's physical and mental health.

People have no time for their self, no more for each other.

I myself feel the effect on me.
There was a time when I sat languidly, in the balcony, admiring the bird/flower/ a child's play. Slowly, I changed. I felt I need more time. I felt I need to rush up things, to do more work.

People are bothered about quantity than quality.

Few companies are realizing this. They are making plans, to entertain the employees, give them time with their families, give time for their self.
But, the overall attitude is still the same.. The more the quantity, the more the happiness. This is the current mindset.
No one is thinking about the quality of time they spend.

Its a real good motive. To slow down things and enjoy life as it comes.

The last line is so true! Life is what happens to us while we plan about other things! We always miss that Life.

Nano-breakthrough: Dramatic Increase In Thermoelectric Efficiency Heralds New Era In Heating, Cooling And Power Generation

2008-03-22T12:24:00.001+05:30

ScienceDaily (2008-03-21) -- Researchers have used nanotechnology to achieve a major increase in thermoelectric efficiency, a milestone that paves the way for a new generation of products -- from semiconductors and air conditioners to car exhaust systems and solar power technology -- that run cleaner. The team's low-cost approach, detailed in Science, involves building tiny alloy nanostructures that can serve as micro-coolers and power generators.

Greenest Host

2008-02-28T21:40:00.002+05:30

Greenest Host has recently become eco-friendly.

Here is the reaction, by Suhit Anantula, to their latest announcement.

m-governance

2008-02-26T22:25:00.004+05:30

Mysore, Karnataka, India is on the way to mobile-governance.

A local paper reports:

Mysoreans can SMS their problems, which have been categorised into codes based on their kind and emergency, in a prescribed format. Problems relating to water, road damage, non-clearance of garbage, streetlights, illegal activities, stray animal menace and even official misconduct are some of the categorised varieties.

Identifying the complainant’s name, location and problem, a computer generated message is sent to the mobile phones of the field officials concerned, who are required to take action within a stipulated time.

m-governance:

m-Governance, simply, is using mobile/wireless technology, by the goevernments, to offer serivces and improve their efficiency.
It is a part of m-development, where development in all spheres is achieved using wireless technology.

Wireless technology helps in connecting all the remote regions in the country. Mobile technology is cheaper than Internet (used by kiosks), which makes it a better medium to provide service.

China, Macedonia, South Africa, Dubai, Singapore, Russia have already tried this form of government. Faziabad has also been checking out the possibilities of shifting to m-governance.

MCC drafting such plans is a positive effort. Its great to see a government body taking steps to attend to people's problems, using technology.Application of technology to provide direct services as these, should be recognised and implemented by all govt.s.

With all its limitations, technology is to benefit the lives, not to complicate it.

Kaizen - Change for Better

2008-02-26T09:49:00.007+05:30

I quote a part of an article by Dr. Bernard Moras in a local newspaper.
It read as below :

Reality they say is enveloped in change. All that is born grows old and dies. Everything material tends to deteriorate, corrupt or change. We see this in radio-active chemicals.
Even strong stone buildings after some years, even if it means hundreds of years, show signs of decline. You cannot escape change.

A philosopher like the Greek philosopher Heraclitus has said that you cannot get into the same river twice. A dicey thinker asks: is it not right to say that you cannot even enter the same river once!

So if change is part of our human existence, then I should be prepared to change and not cling on to obscurantist opinions.

There is a succinct saying in Latin: "vita est in motu" (which paraphrased could mean: life is in constant change or very simply "change is the essence of life").

Its been in our evolution, to adapt to changes and get on with life.