Monday 26 November 2012

A good example


I don't trust public companies. Why? Read this article and you will understand a couple of my reasons. A very good example of lack of customer and consumer focus. Shameful!

Saturday 24 November 2012

Science4You

Science4You expansion fills me with joy! Because it is a Portuguese company that produces interesting, educative toys - how not to love it?

Good luck guys! Really!

http://forum.geocaching-pt.net/viewtopic.php?t=9556

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Clear messages from the IMF to Portugal

- Portugal needs to fight tax evasion - more taxes will be counterproductive, and the focus should now be in ensuring everybody that should be paying taxes is actually doing so.

- We need to cut public expense, focusing on return on investment (results / service versus money that is poured into public administration). In a couple of words, we need to get better service / results with less money (which is possible, given the extremely high level of bureaucracy and corruption of the Portuguese administration).

- We need to simplify the Labor market, turning it more flexible.

And, though I think some of them will be pretty painful, I agree with all of them - I actually think only the ones that don't understand (or don't want to understand because of their own agenda) will be able to deny the need to ensure these 3 big actions are taken.

I would just add my usual point. We also need to come up with a growth strategy - where and how will we grow, so we can start aligning resources behind those growth areas.

Friday 9 November 2012

One of the things I really can't understand is...

... IMF's lack of alignment between speech and action. Lagarde has been saying (and I agree with that statement) that we should be cutting on unnecessary spending while driving strategic growth (2 things that we are still to do in Portugal), but then the policy it is following in Portugal is very different (to raise taxes in income). We should be shifting the focus from income tax raising (that will impact savings and internal consumption) to Public Administration simplification (we need to do a lot more on this), solve public companies structural inoperance (namely in the transports sector) and understand our growth model for the next 20 years. If we don't do this, the (needed) austerity policy will crumble soon.

http://economia.publico.pt/Noticia/fmi-alerta-que-austeridade-pode-tornarse-socialmente-insustentavel--1571717

Monday 5 November 2012

French competitiveness

The loss of France's competitiveness, burden with very high labor costs, is not new. It has been sensed and felt many times, as we see industrial output going down, amidst regular (and terribly disturbing strikes). It is not a Hollande problem (nor even Sarkozy's). But I don't think that France should wait long before addressing it - ideally not through a financial shock, but through a succession of well thought and planned actions. Shocks seldom produce the desired effects, and are incredibly efficient at disarraying personal feelings, lead to major strikes and generate negative ripples throughout the economy. Better start right now through immediate action on a 3 to 5 year journey than to leave it all to a sudden 2015 harsh move - my take.



Sunday 4 November 2012

"Get a MBA, don't be a MBA"

I have a MBA from one of the best Business Schools in Europe and the world (a top-ten one, according to FT). I am very proud of getting it, believe me, as it was not easy - I paid for it myself (with a Portuguese salary) , and took it part time, while travelling the world. I really think this was a very good accomplishment, something to be proud of. But that's it - it doesn't define who I am, it is just more information and experience I get in this world. And I really feel aligned with this article (from which I stole the title for this post), from Hunter Walk - http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20121104000733-7298-it-s-fine-to-get-an-mba-but-don-t-be-an-mba . 

Friday 2 November 2012

Stiglitz has been saying it for a while...

... and so have I - there can't be a way out to the current euro crisis without a clear growth strategy. Yes, cut unproductive expenses, but don't forget this part!

Medical and bio research set back after Sandy

I think this is just highlighting what I was saying in my previous post. The destruction we are seeing now in the US East Cost might be only part of it - the implications, set backs and costs it implies might be as severe, and might actually hinder New York position in the global economy. I hope not (I really love the city and its pace), but it really highlights how environmental change might hinder metro areas competitiveness.