The effects of the trip to India and China may take years to fully set in. I’ve learned a lot so far and will continue to learn as my overseas experiences are made more relevant in my daily life.
Related to the Cal Poly MBA Program
There were a few teachers I thought about on this incredible journey. The first that comes to mind is Dr. Peach, our Negotiations professor. He did an amazing job throughout spring quarter re-creating negotiation situations in the classroom, but arriving in these two countries was a negotiators dream. Each vendor you approach or even walk by will take interest in you. I’ve realized there are two ways to approach these situations:
1. Try to browse the merchandise as we would in the states, even though they are barking at you “hey lady, hey lady, have a look, look for free, tell your friends, you come back, you like this?”
2. OR… look them in the eyes, say “ni hao” and ask questions if you are interested in a product.
The first few times approaching rows of vendors, I tried the first approach. I have an overly sensitive personality at times, especially to light and noise. The shouting would most often end in me walking away with no merchandise, which was fine… until I realized I hadn’t purchased anything and had seen others buy cheap yet interesting things. I tried negotiations the second style after a good rest and cup of coffee, with much more luck. However, it is almost impossible to tell whether you have really gotten the best price unless comparing to others with the same purchase. Dr. Peach’s advice holds true again, if you are happy with your purchase and the price you paid, it was a successful negotiation. Many of us would compare the prices we’d received after the negotiation, some satisfied, some disappointed. After a while, if someone overpaid, we stopped telling each other, letting the purchaser enjoy their item without regret. In general, salesmen and women were friendlier to women than to men. One man in our group even had a bruised arm from attempting to walk away from a negotiation. A good tactic I learned this trip that Dr. Peach did not teach us was to find someone who had already negotiated down the price of an item I too wished to buy, and to use that as a purchase price. Most often it worked flawlessly and allowed for very quick and easy purchase.
Also in my head was Dr. Whitaker, our Communication teacher. He has been with me for most of the year, as the information and intensity he brought to our class of MBAs was the most relevant and potent information dose I’ve had, maybe ever. I will read anything he writes or watch any speech or presentation he gives (same goes for Dr. Anderson). I am also convinced that Dr. Whitaker’s influence at the start of our coursework is a contributing factor to our group being so synergistic, adaptable and cooperative. He made us a team, solidified all of our intentions into one common goal, to learn as much as we could from our teachers and each other and to act as a team. He emphasized, we were not in competition with one another. His information was helpful, not only in carrying oneself in a business meeting, or communicating clearly, but also on how much luggage to bring, where to put priorities and the advice to “travel until it hurts” meaning, even when you’re tired, just keep going. There were many days I had to either double caffeinate or keep telling myself to just keep going, even at exhaustion.
Dr. Olsen’s Lean class could have been taught in the Maruti Suzuki factory in India… I mean, really. In India, at the MET, the students there said their Accounting and Finance professors would have them memorize 200 balance sheets at a time. And I thought we had it bad! I realized at MET that although that particular college is on the other half of the world, the students are learning from the same events in time, similar books and teachers, and following our culture and politics better than many of us are.
Striking Business Practices
In India, the hospitality. The people in India could have been said to be overly hospitable at times, hovering over the dinner table to make sure you have everything; I mean everything you could possibly need. They took great care of us at company visits, water, treats, welcome banners, smiles, hospitality… it was amazing, and I have a new standard for visitors now. It reflects back on their company so well; and leaves an amazingly positive impression. The only company in India who left us without water for several hours, or snacks (even though we had to skip lunch for time constraints that day) was American Express. Hmmm, the one American company we visited.
In China, their meticulous attention to detail. India’s buildings always looked unfinished; there were pieces of signs missing, unfinished streets nearby, desks that didn’t exactly line up flush. In China, things were immaculate, high tech, efficient, finished. I attributed this to the respective wealth levels of the countries. India has done great things with the resources it has. China, with more resources, has done at least better looking things. The work ethic in China is a practice worth considering. Employees work well over 40 hours per week, sometimes 60+ hours is standard. For business, this makes for more productive businesses, however, on a personal level, this much work could lead to personal imbalance and burnout. When talking to students about classroom behavior, they were appalled that we could speak freely in class, get up when need be, ask questions and collaborate in the classroom setting. Their way is very different; a practice I don’t see well suited for westerners. They also do not live in a democratic society, clearly.
To Live Abroad?
I think the answer to this question depends on the destination. I do not have the flexibility to live in China… the culture is SO very different, the food I dislike 90% of and the fast pace leaves my head spinning, still trying to figure out the language barrier. Daily comforts are more important to me than seizing a business opportunity in China.
India, I would be more open and adaptable to, and I could easily be romanced by the yogic influence and history. However, the smells and raw sewage are a hard aspect to acclimate to. Depending on the exact location, India could be a fit for me, but I am less interested in business in India and more so in health. A really hard part, particularly in China was the language barrier. Maybe too egotistically, I expected China to have a greater percentage of English speaking individuals. It was only on the last night, at English Corner, where I actually had an intelligent conversation with locals. It would be an easier transition to live abroad in an English speaking country. I have several years of Spanish education that would allow me comfort in Spanish (maybe even Italian and French) speaking countries. Another option would be to partner with a person who speaks both English and the country’s native language, making that transition easier… but again, I don’t have the drive to give up certain luxuries and take on other stressors.
My Comfort Zone
I was forced out of my comfort zone a bit, but not as much as I assumed I would be. Traveling around in air-conditioned busses was a great luxury in both countries. Without this luxury, we would not have been able to think straight though, as our bodies were not prepared for 100+ degree temperatures… sometimes 110+. My ankles were double their size for the first week in India… that was hard for me to adjust to and to stay motivated and focused through. The sewage and smells in India were hard to adjust to… and the begging. The beggars were hard in both countries to handle, but thinking back, we have beggars in the U.S. The only difference seemed to be that these people were very young, with disabilities (either at birth or given to them) and women with small children. Typically we see in SLO older people who look as if they’ve given up on life, and its just easier to beg. It’s a different dynamic. Overall, I feel like I adapted much better than expected, which I attribute a lot to both the trip leaders and our fellow students. Our classmates this year were awesome. We had so much fun dancing, singing, karaoke, etc. making the long hard days worthwhile and light.
Learning About Myself
I’ve been a bit timid in large cities always. I don’t like traffic, I don’t like driving, I don’t like crowds of people. I learned on this trip that in any situation, things can be altered and tailored to individual interests. I felt a lot more comfortable in large cities than I have in the past, maybe because I was not driving. I felt 100% comfortable taking public transportation and taxis or auto rickshaws, and trusted their ability to take me to my destination smoothly. I also learned that even on the other side of the world I’m a morning person, that much I can’t change. I learned that I need more personal time than most, perhaps to reflect and to ground myself mentally. Others were able to go all day and then all night… I needed to decompress more than most at night.
At English Corner, where Chinese people go to speak English, I learned that people want to learn about the United States, well, certain people. While talking to individuals, I learned that I am now an educated person, not in one field, but in two fields, in both health and business. This accomplishment has been huge for me, for my confidence levels and what I now feel capable doing in life and in the world. I also learned (on a personal level) that the world goes on without me when I leave for a while… not to say I’m not missed, but I realized that maybe on a daily basis, I take on too much, or more than I need to. Everything works out and gets done both at work and in my personal life when I disappear for a while… a practice I may indulge in a bit more frequently.
Cultural Differences
There were many.
1. The ego of Americans and consumption levels vs. polar opposite India. China reflected the U.S. more so than India in this regard.
2. Indian hospitality, which was amazingly superior to both other cultures.
3. Language, dress, and food… commonalities, but all different.
4. The number of expats. In the U.S., we have a melting pot of different people from different countries. For the most part in China and India, there were very few ex-patriots.
5. In India, (and a little in China) people will do anything for money, and expect money when they do anything. For instance, when you take your photo with someone, they will expect money afterwards. When we came across a monkey keeper and took photos in India, he knocked on our bus for 20 minutes to try and collect payment. In the U.S. we don’t see this.
For me, China means…
Growth. The Chinese are in an ultra growth mindset. The poor economy may have slowed this down a bit, but it’s still on the forefront of their minds. How to grow strong and fast. China also means Communism. It’s a very different approach to government. It has its strengths and its weaknesses just like a democracy though.
For me, India means…
Hope. Indian people are happy, they are grounded, they are centered, they are free from excess ego. I’m generalizing. What I loved about India is that I saw, first hand, a society that attempts to follow yogic philosophy, and how peaceful that turns out to be. India also means entrepreneurship and opportunity, especially for the youth. In the U.S., it is very hard to be young and successful in larger companies. India has a large and motivated youth population with a great education level.
What surprised me most about China
The fact that people didn’t speak English. Their love of Michael Jackson and Bruce Lee. That some of Pink Floyd The Wall’s songs were cut out of records. How there are seemingly 5 employees to every one customer, doing pretty much nothing.
What surprised me most about India
The happiness in the slums. The filth. The proximity of filth and thriving businesses.
In its totality, I loved this adventure to China and India. I have learned so much about myself, my capabilities and handicaps. I have learned so much about two very different cultures and how to survive in their business worlds. I have learned what it would entail to send an employee to either country and barriers to entering both markets. As previously stated, it will take me years to unravel what I’ve just learned. I’m looking forward to it.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Collapse: A Book Review
Collapse
How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
By Jared Diamond
A Book Review by Jenna Healy
I have to first say, I really enjoy reading Jared Diamond. His Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Guns, Germs, and Steel is one of my favorite books to date. Jared Diamond has a heavy scientific yet palatable style of writing that appeals to both the scientist and the writer in me. He has an extensive network of brilliant minds helping him to research his projects, allowing him to write with confidence in conclusions I can only imagine could take one man his entire life.
Diamond is clearly a professor. He maps out his book in several different ways, making it easy for a reader to pick up where he/she has left off and know exactly where they have been and where they are going. He also uses great visuals and maps to bring the stories home.
Summary
The book begins with the prologue: A Tale of Two Farms, in which Diamond contrasts two farms: one surviving, one abandoned. He lays out a set of factors or five point framework of possible contributing factors to why a society collapses. “Four of those sets of factors—environmental damage, climate change, hostile neighbors, and friendly trade partners—may or may not prove significant for a particular society. The fifth set of factors—the society’s responses to its environmental problems—always proves significant” (page 11).
Addressing critics, he describes his environmentalism tendencies but also the need to engage with big business in order to solve some of the world’s environmental problems. He goes on, “thus, I am writing this book from the middle-of-the-road perspective, with experience of both environmental problems and of business realities” (page 17). This perspective is very relevant to our MBA venture.
This book includes both successes and failures in learning why societies collapse, as opposed to Guns, Germs, and Steel, which focused on the building up of societies.
The first part of Collapse speaks about the environmental problems in southwestern Montana in modern day, a place Diamond respects and has spent significant amounts of time in. Part Two (past societies) starts by giving insight into four past societies that all did collapse, all using the five point framework. He looks at Easter Island, Pitcairn and Henderson Islands, Native American society of the Anasazi in the southwestern United States, and the Maya. Diamond then takes an extensive look at Norse Greenland and the five point framework into its collapse.
Part Three focuses on modern societies; Rwanda’s genocide, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, China and Australia. Part Four focuses on the practical lessons; why some societies make disastrous decisions, big business and the environment and then ties it all in to what it means for us today.
Throughout the book, Diamond makes references to the world we live in… gloomily finding similarities in societies that have already collapsed.
In totality (as put by Wikipedia) Diamond lists eight different factors which have historically played a part in societal collapse.
1. Deforestation and habitat destruction
2. Soil problems
3. Water management problems
4. Overhunting
5. Overfishing
6. Effects of introduced species on native species
7. Overpopulation
8. Increase per capita impact of people
And four newer factors
1. Human caused climate change (global warming)
2. Buildup of environmental toxins
3. Energy shortage
4. Full human utilization of the earth’s photosynthetic capacity
Diamond links the root problem in the majority of causes to overpopulation. The only cause he does not link to overpopulation being introduction of non-native species.
This brings me to the subject matter most relevant in my reading of this book (though it’s been on my pleasure list to read for some time): China. If Jared Diamond thinks that most of the causes to societal collapse are due to overpopulation, how does the law China implemented a few years back to limit the number of children a mother can bare affect China’s collapse?
The Relevance of Collapse
Chapter 12 is Diamond’s chapter on China. He begins with the jaw dropping statistics, of which after the last year of research are no longer jaw dropping. 1,300,000,000 people, 1/5 of the world’s population, huge consumption, huge growth rate, with the most severe environmental problems of any country. Diamond points out that China’s problems are not solely China’s but also belong to the rest of the world.
Diamond gives a 360 degree complete analysis of factors contributing to the current state of China. He starts with their geography, population trends and economy. The fact that they implemented fertility control seems to have only shifted to more households with smaller families; population still growing exponentially. Also, along with the quickly growing economy, there is rapid urbanization. Air pollution is out of control, fertilizers and industrial waste is polluting groundwater. Soil problems as well as per capita cropland yield declining. Garbage is often shipped to China and put into landfills (cheaper than recycling, and yes, California participates in this). As a country that manufactures exports, the pollutants remain in China while the products do not.
From our research this year, I recall reading an article about a woman who started a recycling company and who was doing quite well, as an aside.
Diamond also talks about deforestation and the habitat being destroyed, including the grasslands and wetlands. There is an overwhelming loss of biodiversity, according to Diamond. Per capita consumption has increased five-fold in the past 25 years (I had to recall that the famine of Mao was 1959-1962, and should not effect this statistic) as well as an increasing number of exported items. He includes their entry into the World Trade Organization a few years ago, and also ties into their unique top down approach to government. Dimaond looked into insects and fish, native and non-native species, the timber industry, and the aspiration of Chinese to live a First World Lifestyle.
“China’s leaders used to believe that humans can and should conquer Nature, that environmental damage was a problem affecting only capitalist societies, and that socialist societies were immune to it. Now, facing overwhelming signs of China’s own severe environmental problems, they know better” (page 373).
So what does the future hold? “China’s geographic core was unified in 221 B.C. and has remained unified for most of the time since then” (page 374). This enables one ruler to control China, a geographically giant piece of land. Diamond concludes that things will get worse before they get better due to time lags and the momentum of damage already underway.
“China is lurching between accelerating environmental damage and accelerating environmental protection” (page 377). The outcome will affect the entire planet, not just China. Diamond admits to feeling despair and depression while writing this chapter, yet hopeful that the Chinese government will recognize that its environmental problems pose a larger danger than did their population growth, and are capable as implementing a strategy as bold as their fertility policy.
The last chapter I found to be of utmost relevance was Chapter 16: The World as a Polder: What Does it All Mean to Us Today?
Jared Diamond presents 12 significant factors (same as above) written in a slightly different format.
In relation to the destruction or losses of natural resources:
1. Destruction of natural habitats
2. Wild food sources
3. Loss of biodiversity
4. Erosion of soil
In relation to ceilings on natural resources:
5. Energy
6. Freshwater
7. Photosynthetic ceiling
In relation to harmful things we produce or move around:
8. Toxic chemicals
9. Alien species
10. Atmospheric gas changes
In relation to population issues:
11. The number of people on the planet
12. Their impact on the environment
Note: numbers 5,7,8 and 10 have become serious only recently.
While Diamond does say it will be difficult to reduce human impact on the earth, he does think it to be possible. The fact that today, we have archaeologists and television. We have learned the causation for collapse and have the ability to communicate it. We now have the opportunity to choose to make a difference.
What Diamond Did Well
A lot. His writing style is easy to read and very detailed. He maps out where he’s going and where he’s been. He has great research and knows a lot about any conclusion before he attempts to draw it. He is humble in revealing his first intention or interpretation being wrong. He adds a human quality to his writing, referencing big business and the need to accommodate both the environmental and business worlds into the present. I really enjoy and respect Jared Diamond’s writing.
What I think Diamond Could Have Done Better
At times Jared Diamond writes a little too much detail for my liking, but I would rather have too much than not enough. He has received criticism (as is expected when anyone writes a book!) about his facts being off regarding the number of starving people on the planet… in his defense, he’s talking about a dynamically changing planet, his facts are going to change from day to day. My one criticism is that Diamond did not bring in to discussion the ego of man and how materialistic and success hungry the planet is. In my opinion, that is one of the largest factors working against a more environmentally friendly planet.
In Closing
Before reading this book I had an idea of what it may be like… global warming, using up resources, population control… and really, those things are true, but Diamond proved there to be much more. He brought in so many good real life examples, did diligent research to bring the best facts available, and made them applicable to today’s society and state of the planet. I really enjoyed this read and will recommend it to others.
How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
By Jared Diamond
A Book Review by Jenna Healy
I have to first say, I really enjoy reading Jared Diamond. His Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Guns, Germs, and Steel is one of my favorite books to date. Jared Diamond has a heavy scientific yet palatable style of writing that appeals to both the scientist and the writer in me. He has an extensive network of brilliant minds helping him to research his projects, allowing him to write with confidence in conclusions I can only imagine could take one man his entire life.
Diamond is clearly a professor. He maps out his book in several different ways, making it easy for a reader to pick up where he/she has left off and know exactly where they have been and where they are going. He also uses great visuals and maps to bring the stories home.
Summary
The book begins with the prologue: A Tale of Two Farms, in which Diamond contrasts two farms: one surviving, one abandoned. He lays out a set of factors or five point framework of possible contributing factors to why a society collapses. “Four of those sets of factors—environmental damage, climate change, hostile neighbors, and friendly trade partners—may or may not prove significant for a particular society. The fifth set of factors—the society’s responses to its environmental problems—always proves significant” (page 11).
Addressing critics, he describes his environmentalism tendencies but also the need to engage with big business in order to solve some of the world’s environmental problems. He goes on, “thus, I am writing this book from the middle-of-the-road perspective, with experience of both environmental problems and of business realities” (page 17). This perspective is very relevant to our MBA venture.
This book includes both successes and failures in learning why societies collapse, as opposed to Guns, Germs, and Steel, which focused on the building up of societies.
The first part of Collapse speaks about the environmental problems in southwestern Montana in modern day, a place Diamond respects and has spent significant amounts of time in. Part Two (past societies) starts by giving insight into four past societies that all did collapse, all using the five point framework. He looks at Easter Island, Pitcairn and Henderson Islands, Native American society of the Anasazi in the southwestern United States, and the Maya. Diamond then takes an extensive look at Norse Greenland and the five point framework into its collapse.
Part Three focuses on modern societies; Rwanda’s genocide, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, China and Australia. Part Four focuses on the practical lessons; why some societies make disastrous decisions, big business and the environment and then ties it all in to what it means for us today.
Throughout the book, Diamond makes references to the world we live in… gloomily finding similarities in societies that have already collapsed.
In totality (as put by Wikipedia) Diamond lists eight different factors which have historically played a part in societal collapse.
1. Deforestation and habitat destruction
2. Soil problems
3. Water management problems
4. Overhunting
5. Overfishing
6. Effects of introduced species on native species
7. Overpopulation
8. Increase per capita impact of people
And four newer factors
1. Human caused climate change (global warming)
2. Buildup of environmental toxins
3. Energy shortage
4. Full human utilization of the earth’s photosynthetic capacity
Diamond links the root problem in the majority of causes to overpopulation. The only cause he does not link to overpopulation being introduction of non-native species.
This brings me to the subject matter most relevant in my reading of this book (though it’s been on my pleasure list to read for some time): China. If Jared Diamond thinks that most of the causes to societal collapse are due to overpopulation, how does the law China implemented a few years back to limit the number of children a mother can bare affect China’s collapse?
The Relevance of Collapse
Chapter 12 is Diamond’s chapter on China. He begins with the jaw dropping statistics, of which after the last year of research are no longer jaw dropping. 1,300,000,000 people, 1/5 of the world’s population, huge consumption, huge growth rate, with the most severe environmental problems of any country. Diamond points out that China’s problems are not solely China’s but also belong to the rest of the world.
Diamond gives a 360 degree complete analysis of factors contributing to the current state of China. He starts with their geography, population trends and economy. The fact that they implemented fertility control seems to have only shifted to more households with smaller families; population still growing exponentially. Also, along with the quickly growing economy, there is rapid urbanization. Air pollution is out of control, fertilizers and industrial waste is polluting groundwater. Soil problems as well as per capita cropland yield declining. Garbage is often shipped to China and put into landfills (cheaper than recycling, and yes, California participates in this). As a country that manufactures exports, the pollutants remain in China while the products do not.
From our research this year, I recall reading an article about a woman who started a recycling company and who was doing quite well, as an aside.
Diamond also talks about deforestation and the habitat being destroyed, including the grasslands and wetlands. There is an overwhelming loss of biodiversity, according to Diamond. Per capita consumption has increased five-fold in the past 25 years (I had to recall that the famine of Mao was 1959-1962, and should not effect this statistic) as well as an increasing number of exported items. He includes their entry into the World Trade Organization a few years ago, and also ties into their unique top down approach to government. Dimaond looked into insects and fish, native and non-native species, the timber industry, and the aspiration of Chinese to live a First World Lifestyle.
“China’s leaders used to believe that humans can and should conquer Nature, that environmental damage was a problem affecting only capitalist societies, and that socialist societies were immune to it. Now, facing overwhelming signs of China’s own severe environmental problems, they know better” (page 373).
So what does the future hold? “China’s geographic core was unified in 221 B.C. and has remained unified for most of the time since then” (page 374). This enables one ruler to control China, a geographically giant piece of land. Diamond concludes that things will get worse before they get better due to time lags and the momentum of damage already underway.
“China is lurching between accelerating environmental damage and accelerating environmental protection” (page 377). The outcome will affect the entire planet, not just China. Diamond admits to feeling despair and depression while writing this chapter, yet hopeful that the Chinese government will recognize that its environmental problems pose a larger danger than did their population growth, and are capable as implementing a strategy as bold as their fertility policy.
The last chapter I found to be of utmost relevance was Chapter 16: The World as a Polder: What Does it All Mean to Us Today?
Jared Diamond presents 12 significant factors (same as above) written in a slightly different format.
In relation to the destruction or losses of natural resources:
1. Destruction of natural habitats
2. Wild food sources
3. Loss of biodiversity
4. Erosion of soil
In relation to ceilings on natural resources:
5. Energy
6. Freshwater
7. Photosynthetic ceiling
In relation to harmful things we produce or move around:
8. Toxic chemicals
9. Alien species
10. Atmospheric gas changes
In relation to population issues:
11. The number of people on the planet
12. Their impact on the environment
Note: numbers 5,7,8 and 10 have become serious only recently.
While Diamond does say it will be difficult to reduce human impact on the earth, he does think it to be possible. The fact that today, we have archaeologists and television. We have learned the causation for collapse and have the ability to communicate it. We now have the opportunity to choose to make a difference.
What Diamond Did Well
A lot. His writing style is easy to read and very detailed. He maps out where he’s going and where he’s been. He has great research and knows a lot about any conclusion before he attempts to draw it. He is humble in revealing his first intention or interpretation being wrong. He adds a human quality to his writing, referencing big business and the need to accommodate both the environmental and business worlds into the present. I really enjoy and respect Jared Diamond’s writing.
What I think Diamond Could Have Done Better
At times Jared Diamond writes a little too much detail for my liking, but I would rather have too much than not enough. He has received criticism (as is expected when anyone writes a book!) about his facts being off regarding the number of starving people on the planet… in his defense, he’s talking about a dynamically changing planet, his facts are going to change from day to day. My one criticism is that Diamond did not bring in to discussion the ego of man and how materialistic and success hungry the planet is. In my opinion, that is one of the largest factors working against a more environmentally friendly planet.
In Closing
Before reading this book I had an idea of what it may be like… global warming, using up resources, population control… and really, those things are true, but Diamond proved there to be much more. He brought in so many good real life examples, did diligent research to bring the best facts available, and made them applicable to today’s society and state of the planet. I really enjoyed this read and will recommend it to others.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Elephant and the Dragon: A Book Review
The Elephant and the Dragon: A Book Review
In Robyn Meredith's own words, "This is the story of how India and China are changing their destinies and, with that, changing the world's” (page 11). A quick read, Meredith gives us perspective into the struggles both China and India have endured to have the present economic opportunities, and what it means to Americans. China and India had and have very different leaders, as polar opposite as Gandhi and Mao, yet their rise to global stardom is similar.
Meredith describes the shift of China and India into power frequently as a tectonic shift; one which the ramifications are not completely understood or predictable. She presents a strategy for “the rest of us” to survive this post-Cold War reshuffling, but her delivery came a little late and vague for my taste.
Robyn Meredith has written a nine chapter, concise clue into the global reshuffling of business power we're seeing, feeling and contributing to. In her first few chapters, she explains why China and India are now available and structured to do global business. In China, from the rule of Mao with years of starvation and the impact that went along with it, to its current day growing class stratification and separation. In India, she explains the choice to embrace free trade and to follow China's footsteps out of poverty.
Some say there must be a storm before there can be calm, or that if times get bad, there is opportunity in that crisis for times to then get good. I try to look at George W. Bush’s time in office the same way; if he had not created such a political and economic mess, we may not have had the momentum to elect president Barack Obama, our first multi-racial president with the middle name Hussein. For China, their storm was provoked by steel-driven Mao Zedong, and their calm (a stretch, yet still using the metaphor) is their present day success.
In 1949, Mao announced the formation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the rest of the world. Mao died after 27 years of rule. During his time in power, much of the country starved to death and there was no economic force behind the PRC. Meredith describes how the once sleeping and starving country has picked itself up and latched onto the global need for cheap manufacturing. This major change is still just a decade deep.
In 1991, after the assassination of Gandhi, India began taking steps towards political and economic reform. The country was declared in a state of financial crisis, and veered away from its self-imposed economic exile. India passed laws granting job guarantees to workers, making it hard for business to hire and impossible to fire workers, adding a unique and troubling dynamic to its business practices. They also received permission to import and export duty free and could then buy imports cheaper. Also, the government took away duties on software, leading to a revolution in the Indian computer industry. India eventually turned towards China’s success for inspiration, though India’s rise to power has not been as smooth as China’s. Meredith states “Indians joke that India is like a drunk walking home: it takes one step forward, then two steps sideways, but eventually makes it home” (page 54). Nonetheless, change is apparent in India… it used to take a decade for a phone installation… parents would put their children on waiting lists so they could have one when they married! Now, their wireless network is stronger than the that of the United States, with 80 million cell phones purchased per month.
China has wooed foreign companies to build factories on its soil and has set up such an export friendly infrastructure, businesses often times cannot afford not to do business there. Companies like Wal-Mart have made massive deals with companies manufacturing in China to get the lowest price. Their mission is to bring the consumers the lowest price possible, yet the manufacturing company is the one who absorbs the price cut, and American owned Wal-Mart keeps most the profit. With a flooding of manufacturing companies in China, the way we make, ship and receive products has been revolutionized. Relating to the U.S., Americans are more expensive to pay; with more expensive costs of living, and companies are not willing to pay more to keep earnings localized; we are in a landslide of job loss. Some of the Chinese population is getting rich quick, while Americans are losing their jobs, their pensions, their retirement money… but a few Americans are getting rich, really rich.
Interesting to me was how India first stepped up to bat in the global business game. Americans were scared of Y2K and needed a ton of help changing computer programs from 2 to 4 digit year codes. American companies enlisted the help of Indians to make this switch and were delighted by the cheaper rates and well educated professional service, so they started to transform their business plans to include India. This concept was not new, Mexico has been the source of cheap labor for decades, but we were now considering cheap but educated technological labor. After the initial taste of cheap and well educated labor, the flood gates opened.
Meredith’s chapter named “The Disassembly Line” I enjoyed, but it was frustrating to read. She talks about how many countries one product visits throughout its production. The concept is captured with the last sentence in the chapter, "these days, most clothing is far better traveled than its wearer." The sad part to me is the amount of resources, especially fuel we are wasting globally by this concept of the disassembly line.
India’s culture is in the process of revolution; women are choosing for themselves whom they’d like to marry. China is saving more money than we are; they are creating pensions and retirements as ours are vanishing. Americans spend more than we earn.
What Meredith’s book helped reiterate is that we are running out of resources! This global structure is depleting the earth, using much more energy than needed to make big businesses rich. We know that all nations benefit from free trade, but the balance is shifting so quickly and with so much intensity, the U.S. is on the threat of repeating the great depression.
The Relevance of The Elephant and The Dragon:
This book was one of the two to choose from but not the one recommended to read... I understand why. From working on the pre-Chindia assignments, I had already learned a lot of the information presented in this book. Yes, China and India are rising super powers, Zakaria already showed us this, as well as case studies on Wal-Mart, Infosys, etc. Meridith’s chapter on “geopolitics mixed with oil and water” is relevant to the planet in terms of resource depletion and the environmental and economic consequences. The resources necessary for these rising countries will strain the environment. Resource depletion will also create economic burdens on those who have been encouraged to live a more western lifestyle. There simply will not be enough to go around and support these new global economies.
What Robyn Meredith Did Well:
I liked reading about why China and India are rising to the top from a historical point of view. Their past was necessary to spur their momentum and begin the sprint to the top. Although I did not find Meredith to be the most creative writer, she is consistent and her verbiage flows very well. The chapters were cleverly titled, and true to her journalistic style, she had some great quotes. I liked how Meredith pointed out the source of education of most of the Chinese and Indian business leaders mentioned was the U.S.
What Robyn Meredith Could Have Done Better:
In the grand scheme of things, America has been a leader for a minority of time... I would have liked to see that put into perspective a little better. Also, Meredith does not go into much detail about how this global shift relates to all of us, until the very last chapter. As an American, I would have liked to see how things relate to the country I'm living in, and I assume the country she was addressing in her book. The book is subtitled: The Rise of India and China and What it Means to All of Us. United States aside, she didn't really address any other countries. I would assume that other people around the globe are interested in this shift in power, and think to themselves that they are included in the all of us too!
Her suggestions posed in the last chapter were:
1. Strengthen the educational system
2. Strengthen the economical foundation
3. Foster innovation in technological fields
4. Focus on creating jobs, even as it increases support to those losing jobs
5. Strengthen our infrastructure
She first claims 1, 2, 3 are the answer, then recaps with 5, 1 and 2 are the answer, and then adds in #3 again. Meredith goes on to say that its time to recognize American standards of living are too high. I’m sorry Meredith, but I would like a bulleted priority list and some specific how-to instructions. The answer to how to stop as Morgan Stanley’s Mr. Roach put it, “the inevitable global labor arbitrage” (page210) is not simply by finding jobs you cannot deliver over a wire. To me, this is the meat of the meal; this is the subtitle of the book, this is the purpose for writing the book. I would like a little more of a plan… more than 26 pages at least. Her writing in this chapter especially was repetitive. I’m not certain what exactly she was trying to get across.
In Closing:
Both China and India have spent upwards of hundreds of billions of dollars on improving their infrastructures. They are looking to physically and monetarily strengthen their countries. They have also both also invested in higher education. These two countries are racing forward after being so behind, but the U.S. is watching it happen passively, with a select few making major profits, and many more losing their jobs. In addition, the impact on the environment has the potential to be devastating.
Meredith quotes both Indian and Chinese businessmen saying that Americans have nothing to fear, and that we should count on the resilience of the U.S. economy. I wonder if, two years later, they would have the same comments?
Although Meredith's style was easy to read and quite captivating, this book is somewhat elementary. There were a few new concepts I appreciated the exposure to, and the historical briefing was good, but this is a clear jumping off point. Perhaps a Fall quarter book review or a preliminary requirement to entering the MBA program. I will recommend this book to others, but probably those without much experience or current interest in global politics. Maybe times are moving so quickly, this book was cutting edge when it first came to market a few years ago, this is quite a possibility... nevertheless, a good read.
Meredith, Robyn. The Elephant and The Dragon. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2007.
In Robyn Meredith's own words, "This is the story of how India and China are changing their destinies and, with that, changing the world's” (page 11). A quick read, Meredith gives us perspective into the struggles both China and India have endured to have the present economic opportunities, and what it means to Americans. China and India had and have very different leaders, as polar opposite as Gandhi and Mao, yet their rise to global stardom is similar.
Meredith describes the shift of China and India into power frequently as a tectonic shift; one which the ramifications are not completely understood or predictable. She presents a strategy for “the rest of us” to survive this post-Cold War reshuffling, but her delivery came a little late and vague for my taste.
Robyn Meredith has written a nine chapter, concise clue into the global reshuffling of business power we're seeing, feeling and contributing to. In her first few chapters, she explains why China and India are now available and structured to do global business. In China, from the rule of Mao with years of starvation and the impact that went along with it, to its current day growing class stratification and separation. In India, she explains the choice to embrace free trade and to follow China's footsteps out of poverty.
Some say there must be a storm before there can be calm, or that if times get bad, there is opportunity in that crisis for times to then get good. I try to look at George W. Bush’s time in office the same way; if he had not created such a political and economic mess, we may not have had the momentum to elect president Barack Obama, our first multi-racial president with the middle name Hussein. For China, their storm was provoked by steel-driven Mao Zedong, and their calm (a stretch, yet still using the metaphor) is their present day success.
In 1949, Mao announced the formation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the rest of the world. Mao died after 27 years of rule. During his time in power, much of the country starved to death and there was no economic force behind the PRC. Meredith describes how the once sleeping and starving country has picked itself up and latched onto the global need for cheap manufacturing. This major change is still just a decade deep.
In 1991, after the assassination of Gandhi, India began taking steps towards political and economic reform. The country was declared in a state of financial crisis, and veered away from its self-imposed economic exile. India passed laws granting job guarantees to workers, making it hard for business to hire and impossible to fire workers, adding a unique and troubling dynamic to its business practices. They also received permission to import and export duty free and could then buy imports cheaper. Also, the government took away duties on software, leading to a revolution in the Indian computer industry. India eventually turned towards China’s success for inspiration, though India’s rise to power has not been as smooth as China’s. Meredith states “Indians joke that India is like a drunk walking home: it takes one step forward, then two steps sideways, but eventually makes it home” (page 54). Nonetheless, change is apparent in India… it used to take a decade for a phone installation… parents would put their children on waiting lists so they could have one when they married! Now, their wireless network is stronger than the that of the United States, with 80 million cell phones purchased per month.
China has wooed foreign companies to build factories on its soil and has set up such an export friendly infrastructure, businesses often times cannot afford not to do business there. Companies like Wal-Mart have made massive deals with companies manufacturing in China to get the lowest price. Their mission is to bring the consumers the lowest price possible, yet the manufacturing company is the one who absorbs the price cut, and American owned Wal-Mart keeps most the profit. With a flooding of manufacturing companies in China, the way we make, ship and receive products has been revolutionized. Relating to the U.S., Americans are more expensive to pay; with more expensive costs of living, and companies are not willing to pay more to keep earnings localized; we are in a landslide of job loss. Some of the Chinese population is getting rich quick, while Americans are losing their jobs, their pensions, their retirement money… but a few Americans are getting rich, really rich.
Interesting to me was how India first stepped up to bat in the global business game. Americans were scared of Y2K and needed a ton of help changing computer programs from 2 to 4 digit year codes. American companies enlisted the help of Indians to make this switch and were delighted by the cheaper rates and well educated professional service, so they started to transform their business plans to include India. This concept was not new, Mexico has been the source of cheap labor for decades, but we were now considering cheap but educated technological labor. After the initial taste of cheap and well educated labor, the flood gates opened.
Meredith’s chapter named “The Disassembly Line” I enjoyed, but it was frustrating to read. She talks about how many countries one product visits throughout its production. The concept is captured with the last sentence in the chapter, "these days, most clothing is far better traveled than its wearer." The sad part to me is the amount of resources, especially fuel we are wasting globally by this concept of the disassembly line.
India’s culture is in the process of revolution; women are choosing for themselves whom they’d like to marry. China is saving more money than we are; they are creating pensions and retirements as ours are vanishing. Americans spend more than we earn.
What Meredith’s book helped reiterate is that we are running out of resources! This global structure is depleting the earth, using much more energy than needed to make big businesses rich. We know that all nations benefit from free trade, but the balance is shifting so quickly and with so much intensity, the U.S. is on the threat of repeating the great depression.
The Relevance of The Elephant and The Dragon:
This book was one of the two to choose from but not the one recommended to read... I understand why. From working on the pre-Chindia assignments, I had already learned a lot of the information presented in this book. Yes, China and India are rising super powers, Zakaria already showed us this, as well as case studies on Wal-Mart, Infosys, etc. Meridith’s chapter on “geopolitics mixed with oil and water” is relevant to the planet in terms of resource depletion and the environmental and economic consequences. The resources necessary for these rising countries will strain the environment. Resource depletion will also create economic burdens on those who have been encouraged to live a more western lifestyle. There simply will not be enough to go around and support these new global economies.
What Robyn Meredith Did Well:
I liked reading about why China and India are rising to the top from a historical point of view. Their past was necessary to spur their momentum and begin the sprint to the top. Although I did not find Meredith to be the most creative writer, she is consistent and her verbiage flows very well. The chapters were cleverly titled, and true to her journalistic style, she had some great quotes. I liked how Meredith pointed out the source of education of most of the Chinese and Indian business leaders mentioned was the U.S.
What Robyn Meredith Could Have Done Better:
In the grand scheme of things, America has been a leader for a minority of time... I would have liked to see that put into perspective a little better. Also, Meredith does not go into much detail about how this global shift relates to all of us, until the very last chapter. As an American, I would have liked to see how things relate to the country I'm living in, and I assume the country she was addressing in her book. The book is subtitled: The Rise of India and China and What it Means to All of Us. United States aside, she didn't really address any other countries. I would assume that other people around the globe are interested in this shift in power, and think to themselves that they are included in the all of us too!
Her suggestions posed in the last chapter were:
1. Strengthen the educational system
2. Strengthen the economical foundation
3. Foster innovation in technological fields
4. Focus on creating jobs, even as it increases support to those losing jobs
5. Strengthen our infrastructure
She first claims 1, 2, 3 are the answer, then recaps with 5, 1 and 2 are the answer, and then adds in #3 again. Meredith goes on to say that its time to recognize American standards of living are too high. I’m sorry Meredith, but I would like a bulleted priority list and some specific how-to instructions. The answer to how to stop as Morgan Stanley’s Mr. Roach put it, “the inevitable global labor arbitrage” (page210) is not simply by finding jobs you cannot deliver over a wire. To me, this is the meat of the meal; this is the subtitle of the book, this is the purpose for writing the book. I would like a little more of a plan… more than 26 pages at least. Her writing in this chapter especially was repetitive. I’m not certain what exactly she was trying to get across.
In Closing:
Both China and India have spent upwards of hundreds of billions of dollars on improving their infrastructures. They are looking to physically and monetarily strengthen their countries. They have also both also invested in higher education. These two countries are racing forward after being so behind, but the U.S. is watching it happen passively, with a select few making major profits, and many more losing their jobs. In addition, the impact on the environment has the potential to be devastating.
Meredith quotes both Indian and Chinese businessmen saying that Americans have nothing to fear, and that we should count on the resilience of the U.S. economy. I wonder if, two years later, they would have the same comments?
Although Meredith's style was easy to read and quite captivating, this book is somewhat elementary. There were a few new concepts I appreciated the exposure to, and the historical briefing was good, but this is a clear jumping off point. Perhaps a Fall quarter book review or a preliminary requirement to entering the MBA program. I will recommend this book to others, but probably those without much experience or current interest in global politics. Maybe times are moving so quickly, this book was cutting edge when it first came to market a few years ago, this is quite a possibility... nevertheless, a good read.
Meredith, Robyn. The Elephant and The Dragon. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2007.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Aren’t we forgetting something?
We’re traveling to China and India to study business, it’s wonderful… but India is calling my name for another reason. It’s the home of yoga, where the ancient roots began. So I thought I’d give a glimpse into what yoga is and why it’s so important. I’m going to focus on the Eastern version of yoga as opposed to the Westernized (commercial gym) form of yoga.
What is yoga? Yoga is bliss. It’s union with God or the Divine Self. Yoga is self-exploration and spiritual enlightenment. It goes beyond our five senses. It is amazing. An Indian philosopher, Patanjali, wrote it’s manual thousands of years ago, although he did not invent the practice.
Hinduism is the India-based religion yoga helps to teach. It includes: Vegetarianism, the Law of Karma, Reincarnation and freedom from all suffering. It incorporates all religions, it’s universal, it values what works for you. Sanskrit is the spoken and written language of Hinduism and yoga; most of the ancient texts are in Sanskrit.
“Yoga is your true nature: union with the divine self. Yoga practices such as asana (postures) enable us to feel there is something animating our physical form. Yoga practice of meditation enable us to watch our minds think, to realize that we must be more than the mind, if we can sit back and watch it generate thoughts.” (Jivamukti Yoga, 2002)
If that makes no sense, it takes time. To me, yoga is my faith, and it’s my connection to the spirit world and to my self. Each time I step onto my mat, I learn more about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses, my internal layers of emotion, fear, guilt. I learn about the stress stored in the cells of my body. I grow stronger, more alive, more aware. It’s my therapy, my freedom from suffering. And this amazing life-changing practice originated in India… where we’re headed! Are we grasping the importance yet?
Three of the oldest and foundational books for yoga are Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, written over 5,000 years ago.
The 5 obstacles yoga helps you to overcome or Kleshas are:
1. Avidya: ignorance
2. Asmita: egoism
3. Raga: excessive attachment to pleasurable things
4. Dvesa: excessive aversion, hatred
5. Abhinivesha: fear of death
We rid ourselves of the Kleshas by practicing Patanjali’s 8 limbs:
1. Yama: restraint
2. Niyama: observance
3. Asana: postures
4. Pranayama: breath work or control of the life force
5. Pratyahara: withdrawl of the senses
6. Dharana: concentration
7. Dhyana: meditation
8. Samadhi: bliss, union with the divine
Seem simple enough? In Patanjali’s second sutra, he defines yoga (translated), “yoga is realized when identification with the fluctuations of the mind ceases.” Make sense? When our minds relax and find peace… when we give up resisting life.
The body is also comprised of 5 koshas or bodies, experienced with the practice of yoga. They are, starting from the outside and moving in:
1. Annamaya kosha: the physical body
2. Pranamaya kosha: the vital body or breath body
3. Manomaya kosha: emotional body
4. Vijnanamaya kosha: intellectual body
5. Anandamaya kosha: the bliss body
What happens in yoga class?
• You show up, no shoes, with a mat
• Your teacher leads you through meditation before practicing
• You move through asanas (postures) using pranayama (breath work)
• Usually standing postures first, then inversions and backbends, followed by floor practice. There are many forms of yoga so each class varies
• End class in savasana or corpse pose
• In corpse pose, the final meditation (10-25 minutes) you feel your body alive, you feel the koshas or layers to your being… you feel alive… you feel high, at peace, at ease.
For the scientists in the group, look at Dr. Len Kravitz’s (no not the singer, the award winning professor and researcher) article on the science of breathing. This will give you scientific research behind pranayama.
Yoga is a way to experience higher states of consciousness. Excited yet? Maybe we can visit an ashram on our trip as a cultural experience?
I’ve studied the human body and spirit for over a decade. I’ve helped people heal in a number of ways: physical therapy, structural integration, emotional healing, nutrition, dance… and the most effective modality of healing I’ve found? You guessed it. Yoga.
What is yoga? Yoga is bliss. It’s union with God or the Divine Self. Yoga is self-exploration and spiritual enlightenment. It goes beyond our five senses. It is amazing. An Indian philosopher, Patanjali, wrote it’s manual thousands of years ago, although he did not invent the practice.
Hinduism is the India-based religion yoga helps to teach. It includes: Vegetarianism, the Law of Karma, Reincarnation and freedom from all suffering. It incorporates all religions, it’s universal, it values what works for you. Sanskrit is the spoken and written language of Hinduism and yoga; most of the ancient texts are in Sanskrit.
“Yoga is your true nature: union with the divine self. Yoga practices such as asana (postures) enable us to feel there is something animating our physical form. Yoga practice of meditation enable us to watch our minds think, to realize that we must be more than the mind, if we can sit back and watch it generate thoughts.” (Jivamukti Yoga, 2002)
If that makes no sense, it takes time. To me, yoga is my faith, and it’s my connection to the spirit world and to my self. Each time I step onto my mat, I learn more about myself, my strengths, my weaknesses, my internal layers of emotion, fear, guilt. I learn about the stress stored in the cells of my body. I grow stronger, more alive, more aware. It’s my therapy, my freedom from suffering. And this amazing life-changing practice originated in India… where we’re headed! Are we grasping the importance yet?
Three of the oldest and foundational books for yoga are Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, written over 5,000 years ago.
The 5 obstacles yoga helps you to overcome or Kleshas are:
1. Avidya: ignorance
2. Asmita: egoism
3. Raga: excessive attachment to pleasurable things
4. Dvesa: excessive aversion, hatred
5. Abhinivesha: fear of death
We rid ourselves of the Kleshas by practicing Patanjali’s 8 limbs:
1. Yama: restraint
2. Niyama: observance
3. Asana: postures
4. Pranayama: breath work or control of the life force
5. Pratyahara: withdrawl of the senses
6. Dharana: concentration
7. Dhyana: meditation
8. Samadhi: bliss, union with the divine
Seem simple enough? In Patanjali’s second sutra, he defines yoga (translated), “yoga is realized when identification with the fluctuations of the mind ceases.” Make sense? When our minds relax and find peace… when we give up resisting life.
The body is also comprised of 5 koshas or bodies, experienced with the practice of yoga. They are, starting from the outside and moving in:
1. Annamaya kosha: the physical body
2. Pranamaya kosha: the vital body or breath body
3. Manomaya kosha: emotional body
4. Vijnanamaya kosha: intellectual body
5. Anandamaya kosha: the bliss body
What happens in yoga class?
• You show up, no shoes, with a mat
• Your teacher leads you through meditation before practicing
• You move through asanas (postures) using pranayama (breath work)
• Usually standing postures first, then inversions and backbends, followed by floor practice. There are many forms of yoga so each class varies
• End class in savasana or corpse pose
• In corpse pose, the final meditation (10-25 minutes) you feel your body alive, you feel the koshas or layers to your being… you feel alive… you feel high, at peace, at ease.
For the scientists in the group, look at Dr. Len Kravitz’s (no not the singer, the award winning professor and researcher) article on the science of breathing. This will give you scientific research behind pranayama.
Yoga is a way to experience higher states of consciousness. Excited yet? Maybe we can visit an ashram on our trip as a cultural experience?
I’ve studied the human body and spirit for over a decade. I’ve helped people heal in a number of ways: physical therapy, structural integration, emotional healing, nutrition, dance… and the most effective modality of healing I’ve found? You guessed it. Yoga.
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Book Review: The Post American World by Fareed Zakaria
Coming from a background of Kinesiology and Nutrition, I had not studied much politics before entering this graduate program. I was never interested in history until I read Jared Diamond’s book Guns, Germs and Steel in an anthropology class a few years ago. It was such a unique and logical perspective, and gave me the foundation to understand why global power distributed itself in the pattern it did. That foundation helped me to understand some of what Zakaria referred to, but to someone with a little global history, the book was fairly dense. Regardless of experience studying history, the book seemed appropriate for everyone.
Overview:
Fareed Zakaria, Editor of Newsweek International since 2000, author, editor, teacher and regular on CNN, has amazing experience and credentials. I’m tempted to believe every word he says. He was born in Mumbai, India and attended Yale and Harvard studying Government. In his latest book, The Post American World, he is pointing out the global shift in power that has already taken place. He talks about why the shift in power is taking place and offers advice to America as to how to handle it. He repeatedly states that this is not a fall in U.S. power, but rather the “rise of the rest.” China and India are becoming superpowers, whether they are ready or not.
The Relevance of The Post American World:
This book was written for anyone listening or willing to listen. By that I mean our country is struggling and people are looking for a reason why. This book helps to answer the why and what to do now. It is applicable for every person in every country. Those interested in international dynamics, politics or economics (MBA students) will find extra pleasure in reading this book. A transformational leader says what you have at the tip of your tongue but cannot yet verbalize. I see Fareed Zakaria as this leader… he gives people the knowledge they seek and helps to make sense of this unique reality. Since awareness of global warming has recently increased, a peaked interest in understanding global dynamics may be soon to come. My hope is that The Post American World and others like it will be new threads for unity on planet earth. The more we can understand about the world and why these global dynamics exist, the better we can help our planet as a whole. Americans may feel a little ego shock at first when reading this book, but I hope it can help build the foundation to a globe equally understanding of each of its inhabitants.
Since global business is growing, it is becoming more important to have an understanding of other countries. This book helps to achieve that goal; it helps each reader to be more informed about the world we live in.
What Zakaria Did Well:
Fareed Zakaria had much strength within the pages of The Post American World. I have identified three strengths that I feel have added immensely to the quality of his book. First, Zakaria is thorough and provides great insight after giving readers a clear and in depth understanding of the material. He takes time to lay out enough history so a reader from any background can understand the concept being delivered. Zakaria understands that every person has different knowledge. I consider myself as a political and economical novice. His explanations were extensive enough so that I could understand the concepts he presented, but written in a way such that individuals with the extensive background knowledge would still read what he had to say.
Secondly, he takes time to address the opinions of readers, or what he assumes they may be. Each reader has a different worldview, and an easy way for an author to lose credibility is to insult his readers or fail to recognize pre-conceived opinions or individual worldviews. He makes sure that if he has something negative or shocking to reveal, he does so in a non-offensive and sensitive way. He substantiates his opinions and allows readers to draw their own conclusions. Particularly in this book—a book involving many countries, it is important to consider who your readers are. When writing The Post American World, Fareed Zakaria made an effort to understand his audience.
Lastly, this book was eloquently written. He can be viewed as a bearer of bad news. Because his delivery was so smooth, it’s an easier pill to swallow pill. I have read many excellent books written terribly… I have also read many terrible books written well. The presentation is everything, and Zakaria writes beautifully. Immediately I could tell he was passionate and meticulous about the material presented in this book.
What Zakaria Could Have Done Better:
At the end of The Post American World, Zakaria paints a picture of hope for the American people. America is a resilient country—let’s hope. This book came to market in early 2008, as our presidential campaigns were rolling strong. He could not foresee the outcome, and nominees probably were not chosen at the time he wrote this book, but the missing link in this book seems to be considering the lead change of America.
The last eight years have been plagued by President George Bush, whose cabinet is responsible for much of the struggle the U.S. currently faces internally and internationally. Before the Bush years, Clinton’s foreign interactions were criticized as well. “…But all these complaints were polite chatter compared with the hostility aroused by George W. Bush” (page 222). Point being—as we know, the President greatly influences global affairs. Barack Obama is starting his presidency during a recession; America is struggling, but the missing link for me is the validity of some of Zakaria’s points considering the change in presidency. Obama has proposed drastic changes in two trade agreements, both of which Zakaria references in this book—the WTO and NAFTA. Also considering that Obama was seen reading The Post American World during his campaign, will he follow Fareed Zakaria’s advice? Zakaria endorsed Obama in his Newsweek article The Case for Barack Obama—Obama is pushing to change the parameters of the country's comfort zone. That's leadership.
My criticism of Fareed Zakaria is minimal… he could not have met the expectations I laid out in the previous paragraph—the events had not yet happened.
In Closing:
America has hit a wall. “America remains the global superpower today, but it is an enfeebled one. Its economy has trouble, its currency is sliding, and it faces long-term problems with its soaring entitlements and low savings. Anti-American sentiment is at an all-time high everywhere from Great Britain to Malaysia” (page 217). Fareed Zakaria has helped me to understand why.
I learned a great lesson about the ego of the United States. Having lived in California my entire life, I lacked outside perspective, especially in the context of history. We are taught from American made books with American made information. “In many countries outside the Western world, there is pent up frustration with having had to accept an entirely Western or American narrative of world history—one in which they are either miscast or remain bit players.” Zakaria goes on to explain that in World War II, the common story known to Westerners is “…Britain and the U.S. heroically defeat the forces of fascist Germany and Japan” (page 34). Come to find out, Russia was responsible for the battle that killed 70% of the Germans. We push our language and culture onto other countries but do not learn theirs. We point fingers and blame everyone but ourselves. China and India are used to support U.S. companies, why are we surprised they have become rising superpowers?
This book helped me to take what has been happening globally and simplify it. China is producing goods, India is producing services, and the U.S. is using both, as our own economy fails. We are stimulating the economies of other countries, we have helped the “rise of the rest” to happen… we have given the formula away. There will be a shift… with the focus and intention of Barack Obama, who has read this book, there will be a shift.
I loved this book. Fareed Zakaria provides background information, explains current and past happenings in an understandable and non-offensive way, then gives us a plan and hope. I will read anything Zakaria writes and listen to what he says, not with a blind eye, but knowing that I have established trust what he has to say.
Zakaria, Fareed. The Post-American World. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008.
Overview:
Fareed Zakaria, Editor of Newsweek International since 2000, author, editor, teacher and regular on CNN, has amazing experience and credentials. I’m tempted to believe every word he says. He was born in Mumbai, India and attended Yale and Harvard studying Government. In his latest book, The Post American World, he is pointing out the global shift in power that has already taken place. He talks about why the shift in power is taking place and offers advice to America as to how to handle it. He repeatedly states that this is not a fall in U.S. power, but rather the “rise of the rest.” China and India are becoming superpowers, whether they are ready or not.
The Relevance of The Post American World:
This book was written for anyone listening or willing to listen. By that I mean our country is struggling and people are looking for a reason why. This book helps to answer the why and what to do now. It is applicable for every person in every country. Those interested in international dynamics, politics or economics (MBA students) will find extra pleasure in reading this book. A transformational leader says what you have at the tip of your tongue but cannot yet verbalize. I see Fareed Zakaria as this leader… he gives people the knowledge they seek and helps to make sense of this unique reality. Since awareness of global warming has recently increased, a peaked interest in understanding global dynamics may be soon to come. My hope is that The Post American World and others like it will be new threads for unity on planet earth. The more we can understand about the world and why these global dynamics exist, the better we can help our planet as a whole. Americans may feel a little ego shock at first when reading this book, but I hope it can help build the foundation to a globe equally understanding of each of its inhabitants.
Since global business is growing, it is becoming more important to have an understanding of other countries. This book helps to achieve that goal; it helps each reader to be more informed about the world we live in.
What Zakaria Did Well:
Fareed Zakaria had much strength within the pages of The Post American World. I have identified three strengths that I feel have added immensely to the quality of his book. First, Zakaria is thorough and provides great insight after giving readers a clear and in depth understanding of the material. He takes time to lay out enough history so a reader from any background can understand the concept being delivered. Zakaria understands that every person has different knowledge. I consider myself as a political and economical novice. His explanations were extensive enough so that I could understand the concepts he presented, but written in a way such that individuals with the extensive background knowledge would still read what he had to say.
Secondly, he takes time to address the opinions of readers, or what he assumes they may be. Each reader has a different worldview, and an easy way for an author to lose credibility is to insult his readers or fail to recognize pre-conceived opinions or individual worldviews. He makes sure that if he has something negative or shocking to reveal, he does so in a non-offensive and sensitive way. He substantiates his opinions and allows readers to draw their own conclusions. Particularly in this book—a book involving many countries, it is important to consider who your readers are. When writing The Post American World, Fareed Zakaria made an effort to understand his audience.
Lastly, this book was eloquently written. He can be viewed as a bearer of bad news. Because his delivery was so smooth, it’s an easier pill to swallow pill. I have read many excellent books written terribly… I have also read many terrible books written well. The presentation is everything, and Zakaria writes beautifully. Immediately I could tell he was passionate and meticulous about the material presented in this book.
What Zakaria Could Have Done Better:
At the end of The Post American World, Zakaria paints a picture of hope for the American people. America is a resilient country—let’s hope. This book came to market in early 2008, as our presidential campaigns were rolling strong. He could not foresee the outcome, and nominees probably were not chosen at the time he wrote this book, but the missing link in this book seems to be considering the lead change of America.
The last eight years have been plagued by President George Bush, whose cabinet is responsible for much of the struggle the U.S. currently faces internally and internationally. Before the Bush years, Clinton’s foreign interactions were criticized as well. “…But all these complaints were polite chatter compared with the hostility aroused by George W. Bush” (page 222). Point being—as we know, the President greatly influences global affairs. Barack Obama is starting his presidency during a recession; America is struggling, but the missing link for me is the validity of some of Zakaria’s points considering the change in presidency. Obama has proposed drastic changes in two trade agreements, both of which Zakaria references in this book—the WTO and NAFTA. Also considering that Obama was seen reading The Post American World during his campaign, will he follow Fareed Zakaria’s advice? Zakaria endorsed Obama in his Newsweek article The Case for Barack Obama—Obama is pushing to change the parameters of the country's comfort zone. That's leadership.
My criticism of Fareed Zakaria is minimal… he could not have met the expectations I laid out in the previous paragraph—the events had not yet happened.
In Closing:
America has hit a wall. “America remains the global superpower today, but it is an enfeebled one. Its economy has trouble, its currency is sliding, and it faces long-term problems with its soaring entitlements and low savings. Anti-American sentiment is at an all-time high everywhere from Great Britain to Malaysia” (page 217). Fareed Zakaria has helped me to understand why.
I learned a great lesson about the ego of the United States. Having lived in California my entire life, I lacked outside perspective, especially in the context of history. We are taught from American made books with American made information. “In many countries outside the Western world, there is pent up frustration with having had to accept an entirely Western or American narrative of world history—one in which they are either miscast or remain bit players.” Zakaria goes on to explain that in World War II, the common story known to Westerners is “…Britain and the U.S. heroically defeat the forces of fascist Germany and Japan” (page 34). Come to find out, Russia was responsible for the battle that killed 70% of the Germans. We push our language and culture onto other countries but do not learn theirs. We point fingers and blame everyone but ourselves. China and India are used to support U.S. companies, why are we surprised they have become rising superpowers?
This book helped me to take what has been happening globally and simplify it. China is producing goods, India is producing services, and the U.S. is using both, as our own economy fails. We are stimulating the economies of other countries, we have helped the “rise of the rest” to happen… we have given the formula away. There will be a shift… with the focus and intention of Barack Obama, who has read this book, there will be a shift.
I loved this book. Fareed Zakaria provides background information, explains current and past happenings in an understandable and non-offensive way, then gives us a plan and hope. I will read anything Zakaria writes and listen to what he says, not with a blind eye, but knowing that I have established trust what he has to say.
Zakaria, Fareed. The Post-American World. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008.
Chindia Blog Comment
Response to: Defending India
More Terrorism or More Technology?
Like most of us, I too talked a lot about the bombings in Mumbai over the Thanksgiving holiday. The conversation was reversed however at my dinner table. My very liberal mother (hosting a vegan Thanksgiving mind you) had no doubt Mumbai remains a safe place to travel. I on the other hand had my hesitations and searched for logical justification for its safety. I needed facts to grasp onto as to why I wasn’t walking into a death trap.
For some strange reason, I fear natural disasters. I’m not sure if bombings qualify, but I think the common ground is uncontrollable and unpredictable situations. If fear and doubt are the opposite of love and trust, to reverse my fears, I’d need to trust India and the journey we will embark upon.
I checked the Wall Street Journal and New York Times updates from my iphone throughout the day—an amazing technology. That action sparked my thought process… and I remembered a piece of Zakaria’s The Post American World I had read:
“One reason for the mismatch between reality and our sense of it might be that, over these same decades, we have experienced a revolution in information technology that now brings us news from around the world instantly, vividly and continuously…
…It feels like a very dangerous world. But it isn’t. Your chances of dying as a consequence of organized violence of any kind are low and getting lower.”
Relative to other periods of time on planet earth, the times we live in are relatively calm; we are now simply better informed. Now I know Fareed Zakaria wrote this book before the bombings in Mumbai, but I would bet that fact remains true.
Countries (yes, even our own) seem to have a way of shielding or screening information from their citizens, like China’s Great Firewall. The media sways the opinions of people, consciously or not. We now have endless ways to acquire information… newspapers, TV, radio, cell phones, or what our Chindia speaker Lonnie Hodge made many references to: Twitter. Twitter has been known to carry news faster than news networks! People around the globe are linked and communicating. This in turn gives the media less power. Does it also ensure honesty?
So my question remains: is the world really an unsafe place, or have technological advances just made us more aware?
More Terrorism or More Technology?
Like most of us, I too talked a lot about the bombings in Mumbai over the Thanksgiving holiday. The conversation was reversed however at my dinner table. My very liberal mother (hosting a vegan Thanksgiving mind you) had no doubt Mumbai remains a safe place to travel. I on the other hand had my hesitations and searched for logical justification for its safety. I needed facts to grasp onto as to why I wasn’t walking into a death trap.
For some strange reason, I fear natural disasters. I’m not sure if bombings qualify, but I think the common ground is uncontrollable and unpredictable situations. If fear and doubt are the opposite of love and trust, to reverse my fears, I’d need to trust India and the journey we will embark upon.
I checked the Wall Street Journal and New York Times updates from my iphone throughout the day—an amazing technology. That action sparked my thought process… and I remembered a piece of Zakaria’s The Post American World I had read:
“One reason for the mismatch between reality and our sense of it might be that, over these same decades, we have experienced a revolution in information technology that now brings us news from around the world instantly, vividly and continuously…
…It feels like a very dangerous world. But it isn’t. Your chances of dying as a consequence of organized violence of any kind are low and getting lower.”
Relative to other periods of time on planet earth, the times we live in are relatively calm; we are now simply better informed. Now I know Fareed Zakaria wrote this book before the bombings in Mumbai, but I would bet that fact remains true.
Countries (yes, even our own) seem to have a way of shielding or screening information from their citizens, like China’s Great Firewall. The media sways the opinions of people, consciously or not. We now have endless ways to acquire information… newspapers, TV, radio, cell phones, or what our Chindia speaker Lonnie Hodge made many references to: Twitter. Twitter has been known to carry news faster than news networks! People around the globe are linked and communicating. This in turn gives the media less power. Does it also ensure honesty?
So my question remains: is the world really an unsafe place, or have technological advances just made us more aware?
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