I can't find any information on this company on the internet via any search engine
This used to be a company with very wide international operations! My friend Om Prakash Kalia's grandfather used to be their Agent in pre-independence India....
It is astonishing that such a huge company should disappear without any trace on the Internet!
If any of my readers can supply any information, I will be pleased.
Friday, 24 December 2010
Friday, 5 November 2010
Vom Glück zu Arbeiten
Johannes Czwalina is one of the best-known top management consultants in Switzerland, and I received a copy of his latest book by this title (co-written with Clemens Brandstetter).
I find it well-researched, brilliantly put together, altogether excellent - and on a most important topic - specially so today. The book provides a historical perspective on the subject, looks critically at the factors militating against finding meaningful work (and meaning in work), and make recommendations regarding renewing a sense of meaning at work.
Warmly recommended!
Johannes Czwalina and Clemens Brandstetter, VOM GLÜCK ZU ARBEITEN, Frankfurter Allgemeine Buch, ISBN: 978-3-89981-235-0
I find it well-researched, brilliantly put together, altogether excellent - and on a most important topic - specially so today. The book provides a historical perspective on the subject, looks critically at the factors militating against finding meaningful work (and meaning in work), and make recommendations regarding renewing a sense of meaning at work.
Warmly recommended!
Johannes Czwalina and Clemens Brandstetter, VOM GLÜCK ZU ARBEITEN, Frankfurter Allgemeine Buch, ISBN: 978-3-89981-235-0
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Signs of the Times in Swiss Commercial Real Estate
Till a few years ago, it was extremely unusual to find a "To Let" or "For Sale" sign in Switzerland: demand outstripped supply.
Today, I have just come across a sign saying "To Let" on a huge building obviously built not long ago, optimistically (and now ironically) called "The Business Magnet".
Today, I have just come across a sign saying "To Let" on a huge building obviously built not long ago, optimistically (and now ironically) called "The Business Magnet".
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Disadvantages of Zurich and Geneva NOT being hubs in their own right
I have been saying for several years that "green" taxes will come, and of course they have come in various slow stages in some countries already.
The new “Air Transport Tax” which Germany is applying to flights from 1 January 2011will straightaway mean an extra payment of between EUR 8 and 45 per person per flight.
We will need to find out how many people fly via German airports to and from Switzerland, to calculate the total loss to the Swiss economy, first of the money being paid by Swiss citizens to the German government, and then of the gain that could have resulted if the money, from all those who would have travelled through Swiss hubs instead of German hubs, had come to Swiss coffers as a "green" tax payable to the Swiss government instead of to the German government.
Naturally, this does not take into account the time lost by Swiss citizens, and by non-Swiss people based in Switzerland, because of having to fly via German hubs.
The shortsightedness of Swiss leaders and citizens, which led to the death of Swissair, will shortly become apparent to all.
The new “Air Transport Tax” which Germany is applying to flights from 1 January 2011will straightaway mean an extra payment of between EUR 8 and 45 per person per flight.
We will need to find out how many people fly via German airports to and from Switzerland, to calculate the total loss to the Swiss economy, first of the money being paid by Swiss citizens to the German government, and then of the gain that could have resulted if the money, from all those who would have travelled through Swiss hubs instead of German hubs, had come to Swiss coffers as a "green" tax payable to the Swiss government instead of to the German government.
Naturally, this does not take into account the time lost by Swiss citizens, and by non-Swiss people based in Switzerland, because of having to fly via German hubs.
The shortsightedness of Swiss leaders and citizens, which led to the death of Swissair, will shortly become apparent to all.
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Self-Governance: Swiss versus Indian
My article titled "Self-Governance: Swiss versus Indian" is the latest in my "Guptara Garamagaram" series in The International Indian magazine (published from Dubai)
If interested, please see pages 72 & 73 at http://www.theinternationalindian.com/current_issue_flash.html
If interested, please see pages 72 & 73 at http://www.theinternationalindian.com/current_issue_flash.html
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
The decline of Switzerland
At a recent conference, an American asked me if it is safe to drink water from the normal cold water water taps in homes and hotels in Switzerland.
I replied that the rule of thumb is that in every country which went through the Protestant Reformation, one can indeed drink water from the tap.
Not only that, in every country which went through the Protestant Reformation, politics are as clean as the streets, there is a reliable fire service and system of medical care, good schools and universities, scientific and technological progress, care for the poor and a relatively large and prosperous middle class.
With the decline of the influence of the Reformation, trains no longer always run on time in Switzerland, and the educational and medical systems are slowly declining. Fraud is on the increase in companies, and law and order are gradually breaking down in society. Once the rot sets in, it is difficult to reverse.
Even the time-table that one prints out from the internet site of the railway company (SBB) is no longer accurate - e.g. it claims that there is a bus number 113 that takes one from Interlaken West to Beatenberg. No such bus number exists, nor has any such number existed for some time. The right number for the bus is 1.
So even the information one gets from official sources is no longer reliable.
Switzerland will probably never become like China, but it seems to aspire to becoming like India or Africa - unless the moral, ethical and social influence of the Bible is brought back into Switzerland.
But the sad thing is that even most Christians here do not understand that. So it falls to Hindus such as myself to point out such elementary things.
I replied that the rule of thumb is that in every country which went through the Protestant Reformation, one can indeed drink water from the tap.
Not only that, in every country which went through the Protestant Reformation, politics are as clean as the streets, there is a reliable fire service and system of medical care, good schools and universities, scientific and technological progress, care for the poor and a relatively large and prosperous middle class.
With the decline of the influence of the Reformation, trains no longer always run on time in Switzerland, and the educational and medical systems are slowly declining. Fraud is on the increase in companies, and law and order are gradually breaking down in society. Once the rot sets in, it is difficult to reverse.
Even the time-table that one prints out from the internet site of the railway company (SBB) is no longer accurate - e.g. it claims that there is a bus number 113 that takes one from Interlaken West to Beatenberg. No such bus number exists, nor has any such number existed for some time. The right number for the bus is 1.
So even the information one gets from official sources is no longer reliable.
Switzerland will probably never become like China, but it seems to aspire to becoming like India or Africa - unless the moral, ethical and social influence of the Bible is brought back into Switzerland.
But the sad thing is that even most Christians here do not understand that. So it falls to Hindus such as myself to point out such elementary things.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Swiss efficiency
The family is in the middle of buying a car (not my favourite activity!).
My son, who has organised everything, told me that we needed to go to the Office which issues the licence plate for the car.
We went this morning and, as I had certain other things to do, wanted to be in and out as early as possible.
The office was supposed to open at 8.00 a.m.
We arrived at 7.55 a.m.
Only to find that, this being Switzerland, SIX other people were ahead of us in the queue!
We had to go to one window to hand in papers et al, and then to another window to actually collect the licence plates.
However, we were out of the office at 8.02 a.m., licence plates in hand.
Long live Swiss efficiency!
My son, who has organised everything, told me that we needed to go to the Office which issues the licence plate for the car.
We went this morning and, as I had certain other things to do, wanted to be in and out as early as possible.
The office was supposed to open at 8.00 a.m.
We arrived at 7.55 a.m.
Only to find that, this being Switzerland, SIX other people were ahead of us in the queue!
We had to go to one window to hand in papers et al, and then to another window to actually collect the licence plates.
However, we were out of the office at 8.02 a.m., licence plates in hand.
Long live Swiss efficiency!
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Train service announcements as an indicator of cultural decline
On my last journey into Zurich, I found that the train was to terminate at Olten instead of its usual destination. The announcement was made in German but not in English or French (in which languages all announcements are usually made on this route, as the route ends up in the French-speaking part of the country).
Announcement was also made in German of the different alternative train services that passengers could use if they wished. Again, no announcement in French or English.
On my way back, I changed trains in Winterthur and noticed that my train ARRIVED at the platform 1 minute and 5 seconds AFTER it was scheduled to have LEFT - with no announcement and no apology in any language, either on the signboards or by the train conductors.
Announcement was also made in German of the different alternative train services that passengers could use if they wished. Again, no announcement in French or English.
On my way back, I changed trains in Winterthur and noticed that my train ARRIVED at the platform 1 minute and 5 seconds AFTER it was scheduled to have LEFT - with no announcement and no apology in any language, either on the signboards or by the train conductors.
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Documenting the Decline of Switzerland
My twins have just returned after some weeks abroad.
The first thing they noticed is that the toilets just before Passport Control are out of order.
The second thing they noticed is that their train is eight minutes late (well, at least this time there was announcement, apologising)....
The first thing they noticed is that the toilets just before Passport Control are out of order.
The second thing they noticed is that their train is eight minutes late (well, at least this time there was announcement, apologising)....
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