An account on Helsinki/Finland
Friday, September 22, 2006

Very recently, I had the opportunity to visit Helsinki, thanks to Nokia. Best way to understand a country is by talking to the people on the streets and this belief was overwhelmingly justified in this small country of 6 mn inhabitants. It's a country that is waking up to the globalization that is ushered in by NOKIA. This little scandinavian country has always been a nice relaxed place. The elderly people who had always made their money with the fishes and passed time with the adventorous sea sports have to suddenly wake up to the new arrival of foreigners mainly for Nokia.

Nokia has experimented with many businesses before settling on Mobile phones and networks. They manufactured rubber boots, winter tyres, Televisions and Computer monitors before realizing the potential in mobiles. Its a relatively new company in telecommunications when compared to it's peers and many inhabitants still have the vivid memory of Nokia rubber boots and many still own one. Nokia Winter tyres are still manufactured in Finland, although with the same brand name but now owned by a different company. Around late 80's or early 90's Nokia started to get into mobiles and now the world leaders in many markets including India. The beauty of this history is, this all started in a very small real village!!! So, this goes on to prove that there is no reason that a successful technological company has to come from the bases of Silicon valley!

Today, the new economy leader Nokia although still has its biggest base in Finland, is bringing in lots of foreigners for business reasons. And this is a new phenomenon for the relaxed going elderly people. The new arrival of others do makes them feel uneasy but the younger sophisticated lot who are in their, as one elder expressed, "americanization" phase watching "Desperate Housewives" are very much at ease with the different cultured like me. There are around 40 schools in Helsinki and I learnt that they get real good quality education. Some young people I got to meet possess extensive knowledge about India at the age of 15 including the holy Ganges and the plethora of languages and religions that co-exist in our country. When a 15 yr old can know so much of a country on the other side of the world, Globalization is at its helm!

The city as such sports pretty much a Russian look and lots of Russians mainly from St.Petersberg had descended on Helsinki for various reasons. Other mainly visiting foreign nationals are Swedish and Germans. English is widely spoken and shoulnd't be a big problem to strike a conversation with the normal junta and last but not least, religion doesn't count much in reality and the younger lot are happy with it.

Posted byPraveen J at 9:43 PM 3 comments  

choose our choice!
Friday, September 08, 2006

A single situation looks completely different depending on the way of approach.The good news is, the way of approach can be controlled by the thinking process. Hence, its within our control to choose our choice.

Posted byPraveen J at 4:58 PM 2 comments  

Work Expands!
Sunday, September 03, 2006

Parkinson's law: "Programs expand to fill the memory available to hold them"

Someone's law: "Work expands to fill the time available for it"

Posted byPraveen J at 12:37 AM 0 comments  

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