tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post3116327377731458409..comments2023-07-17T11:55:51.363+02:00Comments on ObservingGreece: Industrial Park? Or Industrial Cemetery?kleinguthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12491174042954678023noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-4323625767539194322013-07-04T12:49:12.923+02:002013-07-04T12:49:12.923+02:00Thank you for your reply and your inspiring blog!
...Thank you for your reply and your inspiring blog!<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-68896241143894103252013-07-04T10:23:48.190+02:002013-07-04T10:23:48.190+02:00I have written quite a bit about the book "Wh...I have written quite a bit about the book "Why Nations Fail". Their argument is that it is not geography nor religion nor races which make the difference. Instead, it is the State of Law, the respective strong institutions and a shared belief of the people that the State of Law and strong institutions are the pillars of a well-functioning society.<br /><br />I know from my own experience that there are many, many Greeks who feel like you. I once gave a talk to students at the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki. There was an enthusiastic discussion afterwards. One question floored me. A young teacher asked: "We know our country is in trouble. We know that there are many things which need to be changed. We want to help in that process but someone should tell us what to do!"<br /><br />What can YOU do first? If I only had an answer for that because it is Greek leadership which should suggest answers. There are several internet platforms (e.g. 'Greece is changing!) where motivated people get together and spread positive news. There would be the EU Task Force to contact. There would be your Chamber of Commerce. I recently attended a XING meeting in Thessaloniki. All the people there were young entrepreneurs with a forward-looking mindset. I also visited an export consulting firm where I was most impressed by what they were doing (see link).<br /><br />I guess I have only 3 suggestions: engage yourself, engage yourself and, again, engage yourself. Personal engagement creates personal engagement on the other side and, before you know it, you have a multiplier effect.<br /><br />http://klauskastner.blogspot.co.at/2011/09/speech-to-group-of-young-greeks.html<br /><br />http://klauskastner.blogspot.co.at/2013/04/global-greece-effort-to-promote-greek.html<br /><br />PS: below is my blog inventory with the most important pieces of 2011. Review 'Future strategies for Greece'. You my find some ideas.<br /><br />http://klauskastner.blogspot.co.at/2012/09/what-this-blog-is-all-about.html<br />kleinguthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12491174042954678023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-47084361254579996912013-07-04T09:39:18.040+02:002013-07-04T09:39:18.040+02:00Really impressing! So, there are real solutions to...Really impressing! So, there are real solutions to real problems after all. I wondered why they ( the government) never do what they are supposed to do, until I read a book from an MIT professor which described ‘why nations fail’. I want to deal with this solution you propose. I am willing to ACT. I want to IMPLEMENT your proposal. I am a low to middle class, coming from low class, mechanical engineer in Greece who wants to see things change. Really change! Actually I always wondered why we don’t produce machinery for example, which we certainly need. I read once a report from the EU which also wondered why Greece doesn’t produce the machinery it needs. I run my own very small construction company which I hoped could get me further, till the crisis came. Actually I would like to have a machinery producing factory of my own, but I never had the money to do that. I actually started the construction company to collect that money. Now 40 years old, I discover I will never be able to do anything that big in my country. Crisis took our lives back at least 10 years. I don’t have experience in international banking or international business which could have helped me obviously with business knowhow. I want to ACT. I want to implement your solutions. But I don’t have experience in that. I don’t have money. What should be the roadmap? Would you, Sir, be willing to give some further advice? Greece has many people like me who would give their most valuable assets ( that is their time and mind, we don’t have any money) to pursue a dream. We don’t have knowhow. We do have will though. What should be the first steps? What should I DO first? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-86582497859843342032013-06-10T19:28:11.789+02:002013-06-10T19:28:11.789+02:00There something that seems to be forgotten in all ... There something that seems to be forgotten in all these discussions:real knowhow. Many years ago (early 90's) I worked in a robotics company. Of all the companies that we installed a robot only one, making metal beds, survived. The death of industrial production in Greece had already started. What was the difference? The bed maker got his son to learn how to expertly program the machine. He got to be better than us and only then the robot went into production.<br />Productivity hit the roof and because there was no need for manual handling (as in the case of say iPads) he remained competitive. If this knowhow is not created within a company nothing can save you. In many cases (60% of cases) automation can beat the Chinese. I guess that the Salzburg company had the same problem:prestigious owners and robotics/automation often don't mixtheAthensdognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5882645467378797266.post-17793065469578541562013-06-09T17:16:08.476+02:002013-06-09T17:16:08.476+02:00Couldn't agree more and with this "perhap...Couldn't agree more and with this "perhaps a commitment that earnings re-invested into tangible assets are exempt from taxation"<br /><br />I have written to Frances Coppola specifically about banks<br /><br />http://coppolacomment.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-equivalence-of-debt-and-equity.html<br /><br />MS<br /><br /> <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com