Barcelona....and our Social responsibility

This month started with the Doing Good Doing Well conference.

It was great to meet people who share the same expectations. I regret that some interesting conferences were overlapping, but wait and see as IESE might broadcast the videotaped conferences.

I attended the conference about Nuclear Energy. I guess that IESE wanted to generate a debate about energy source. But this conference was a little bit controversial. I ma not a pro nuclear, for sure, but the charismatic anti nuclear panelist was a little bit to "emotional" for us. It might be interesting for a show but what about MBA students. We have our convictions but we are also businessmen "trained" to take decisions based on figures. I do not mean that we should take our decisions only based on figures but at the same time it helps to dispassionate the debate and solve the problem together instead of wasting our time and energy in debates.

My personal opinion is that you can not avoid any solution.
Coal is necessary for developing countries even if this create pollution. 7 out 10 most polluted cities are in china due to their Highly sulfured coal, but at the same time they need an increasing energy capacity today to sustain their growth. I do not want to stigmatize China or Brazil deforesting, but if they are not part of the solution we will not be able to solve our GLOBAL warming problem.

To come back to the Nuclear conference, guest argued on figures, about probability...and at the end most of the attendees where confused. Sunk cost, financial cost, marginal cost...were mixed and not justified or explained. On one hand we must admit that for Areva or utilities, production and distribution of energy is their business and they re not prepared to commit suicide. On the other hand if you not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. What does that mean, Well, instead of blaming utilities or big energetic group, we should encourage them to be part of future, through investment in New technologies, thanks their knowledge of their customers and thanks to their financial resources. Imagine Iberdrola developing a new business consisting in installing and managing in each home a 20 m2 solar plant. Decentralized and secured source of supply....no need anymore for costly and unaesthetic hyper grids. Investment that you could dedicate to grounded European grid interconnections or Offshore wind farms (www.airtricity.com). To the guest from Greenpeace I would say that I appreciate is charismatic convictions, his high dedication and desire to change people perceptions, however It is time to work together to get something done now.

I believe that he tremendous financial liquidity is a chance as many investments can be done in environment, but remember the Internet bubble. After the crash it was impossible to finance any internet project. So what about the Global warming/renewable energy bubble? We have to be wise in our investment and select only financial institutions that are used to long term investments. If not all what will have been done, will have been done for nothing. We need to invest on new technologies to improve renewable energy efficiency. But remember, the technology is tool and a tool needs a vision. A vision that Government, Corporation but more surely entrepreneurs have and accomplish. (www.igniteinovations.com)

I would say that Nuclear energy is necessary for now. Wastes (represent a cost and bet on future), security (zero risk does not exist), decommissioning cost (not know for sure), financial cost (3 Billions€ each),...are necessary drawbacks we have to live with today, may be not in the future. I will not give more figures here as people from both sides might disagree with. You know how we can cook easily figures and let them demonstrate whatever you want (remember you management control class with professor Hoffjan ). But I would like to share with you one website as you might find there some food for thoughts : www.efcf.com/e/reports/...One question, what is the cost of batteries - energetic and environmental. Again it is all about externalities....What is the safest, cleanest and cheapest energy ? It is the one you do not consume! I guess that building every day more power capacity is as clever as creating an anti-anti missile...This is a long term vision. Indeed today we do not have the luxury to invest all our investments in education or close all the State Owned Entreprise in China.

If I could conclude this first post I would say that we need an energy mix, a decentralized and flexible production system which means that we can all contribute to our future. Areva is buying RePower (German Wind mill manufacturer), well great! Let's work all together.

How to enjoy an week-end in France

For the first time since the beginning of the MBA program, the chance smiled to me : a 3-days week-end to spend with my family!
Useless to say that it was absolutely great!

With the help of www.abritel.fr I found without dificulty a small cottage in Normandy. Some details which could help to get a more precise idea: 120 euros for 2 nights, 35m2 for 5 people, sheets and towels provided (very rare for a cottage rent). 200 km far from Paris, in 2 hours we arrived in Bonneville sur Touques. 8 km far from Deauville and 20 km from Honfleur, two very known cities on the French Atlantic border.

The time was rainy however enjoyable.

We walked a lot along the beaches, the wind was really strong and cold. Afterwards, we gave encouragement in one of the small local restaurants eating molds and fries, and tasting the original Cidre (nothing to do with the supermarket Cidre taste).

For the most courageous, a wide variety of seafood was available on the market. Unfortunately, I lacked the desire to taste this kind of horrific animals some of them still alive ... However, they are considered a real 'gourmandise'.

If too tired of the MBA, my piece of advice is : relax and enjoy a corner of France!

Whenever I take to penning my thoughts down, I usually wonder what to write about - nature, future, world issues?! Invariably it is always something which is dominantly on my mind at the moment... And this time, it is this break of one week. Unimaginable in an MBA isnt it?
But thank God for the French authorities, who for once decided that this was the 'legal holiday' week of the year, giving most of us a breather! Well, not literally, with the Marketing project still weighing down heavily, and some real time targets to be met, but all in all a slightly more laid back week than the ones that preceded it....

What I am looking forward to ? Not much, really...Just the below :

- Sleeping through 8 a.m and 9:40 am on all the five 'week' days
- Not rushing to ATAC at 19:30 hrs in an effort to pick up some last minute supplies!
- Not getting dressed in formals for another loong presentation
- Not whizzing through lunch in 15 mins - my only proper meal of the day!
- Not looking at the clock showing 20:30 hrs in the MBA building waiting for the day to get over somehow...
- Not trying to get my working group together for the next meeting - everyone's away anyway!
- Not trying to rack my head at 00:00 hrs about taking a pick - Strategy or Financial markets, which one to nail first
- Not chewing on my pencil during a cover letter workshop
- Not struggling to keep my eyes open through Management Accounting lectures
- Not trying to synergise my energies through an OB lecture - which actually leaves me wondering about the whole purpose of the course
- Not trying to hopelessly grapple with my linguistic abilities in the French class - Jees! I am still working on my Hindi!
- Not reaching on time to realise that the last FT is gone - I mean, look at the multiple uses of a newspaper, for instance, my room looks quite clean without a pile of unread FTs..
- Thinking of ways to drag in the coffee vending machine into MBA 11, right through the Corporate Finance lecture


What I will do, however, would be more on these lines :

- Try to "spot the difference" between multiple drafts of my innovatively designed CV, for updating the CV platform (Or is the deadline gone already ?!)
- Count the total no. of trees on campus and try my hand at carving some "tree art"
- Try to 'run'(jog?) for fitness purposes, and not just to class - 15 minutes behind time
- Try and figure out if I can actually spot some stars from the piano bar balcony, when not intoxicated
- Figure out the number cars that are missing from infront of expansiel during the break
- Walk down Jouy to see if there's a world beyond ATAC
- Try and finally figure out the SNCF rail system
- Complete my French homework
- Try to intentionally take 5 hours and 40 mins to 'read' the next Strategy case
- Doze off within 'Bearley' sitting right infront of me on my desk
- Open my letter box

And the feeling that elsewhere in the world, millions of people would be boarding early morning trains to office, taking flights to unknown countries, sailing ships away on expeditions and maybe even crocodile hunting! while am here a la 'good old' Jouy trying to figure out different ways to work out the various items on my agenda....is an amazing feeling by itself!!
To be honest...Looks like I have a very busy week ahead – I mean, come on! Look at the
“not to do” list, it’s longer than the “to-do” one…(Am happy if that makes you befriend the green-eyed monster;)
I guess I should get busy then…..Someone wise once said (Or was it me?) – To be able to nothing creatively is a great art in itself, and demands a lot of time and dedication… Maybe you guys should give it a try yourself. Watch this space, and when am back again, I’ll probably let you know how the much-awaited week was like…Have a great week!!!

Another Week of Challenge & Feeling of Greeness

Its Friday and soon we are heading for an exciting weekend. Several reasons to celebrate that..there were 2 exams one after another, one contest to complete and for 2 groups to present their case on the same day as their exam. It is really interesting to know how differnt group dynamicsa and collaboration worked during last one week.

This is what MBA teaches us. To keep the cool, stay connected with our batchmates, collaborate and continue. This is just the beginning 14 more months of challenges and excitement ahead.

At this point I stop and like other's I look forward to have some quality time during the weekend... I feel more green and would like to share Green feeling with other classmates.

Wishing you all a great and happy weekend.

Cheers
Gaj
Improve your Happiness Index : Buy Happiness Bonds
Founder E-Happiness Cards Solutions

Buggy poll

Please try this link instead:
http://fz0.pollhost.com

How to Celebrate Birthdays

February is the shortest month of the year so I expected it to go fast but not this fast! And before it comes to an end, I’d like to organize an appropriate birthday celebration for Kiran, Sunjay and Christophe.

I want to know which type of event you would prefer, for now we have two options:

-“Apero” style: similar to what we did last time, it includes snacks, drinks and we’ll add birthday cake. Cost: 4 euros per person.

-Lunch: pizza, salad, drinks, cake. About 7-8 euros per person.

Please use the poll to cast your vote and feel free to comment here in the blog if you have any suggestions regarding food, price, etc.

Thank you and have a great week!
-Patricia

How should we celebrate?
	With an apero, no more than 4 euros pp
	With lunch, no more than 8 euros pp
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Thanks for the Africa Week Pics

Dear Gaj

Thanks for the Africa Week Dinner pics.

Regards
Ibrahim