in english

The middle class will save us

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This article in The Economist and this cartoon by Paco Calderón make it clear: only the emergence of a middle class will save the democratic processes we're ongoing in the region.  Consumerism can also be a force for good, if it makes our societies more demanding of economic stability and growth.  The more we have to lose, the less receptive to social experiments we are.

Or maybe we might want the same consumer experiences Cubans enjoy?

in english

Finland report in the FT

Last Wednesday I read this full report on Finland and its economic outlook (some of the articles available here).

My main learnings below:

  • Economic growth hasn't translated in lower unemployment nor higher incomes per capita.
  • The baby boomer retirement bomb will explode here earlier than in the rest of Europe.
  • In order to maintain the same amount of people in the workforce, immigration would be needed.  However, the country is not prepared for it nor is very attractive.
  • There is a lot of focus in innovation, but not enough in marketing that innovation (which is obvious when one reads articles like this one).  Entrepreneurship is really minimal.
in english

On China

A couple of random thoughts I have been munching on:

  1. Just finished reading this book.  Even though many things are most probably not true, even if this guy did only 25% of what they claim he's worst than most of the other dictators in the world.
  2. Finnair's Asian strategy is working.  So much so, that my direct flights HEL-MAD-HEL were full of Spaniards and Chinese coming and going on holiday (there were very few Finns).  There were a couple of "little emperors" but nothing too annoying really.  The comparison with their partner Iberia couldn't be more lopsided, since in their case the results from their Latin American strategy are a mess (if you fly within Europe service is pretty OK, but if you fly long haul the airline changes from Iberia to Siberia).
in english

In Madrid

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Puerta del Sol

Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado

I spent a couple of days in Madrid for business reasons, and as usual enjoyed it thoroughly.

Madrileños, unlike citizens of other capitals, like to stay up late, and it really shows. Furthermore, I was surprised by the level of stress of some of the people there.

Regardless, it is one of my favourite cities in Europe. Feels like Mexico, but the people are somewhat whiter and speak funny 😉 .

in english

Child of globalisation

I have occasionally wondered if the subtitle of this blog is just too pretentious. Then I am reminded of the accuracy of it by things like those that have happened to me in the last two weeks: we visited a Canadian of Vietnamese origin and his Scottish-Norwegian girlfriend in Norway, I missed an appointment for a couple of beers with a Kiwi friend visiting Finland and just had dinner with a Turkish friend (who was living in the US until very recently) and his wife. The books I read, the media I consume are not necessarily produced where I live or where I'm from. Furthermore, for me and many others, these situations and these backgrounds are completely normal.

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