Experienced ex-McKinsey consultant-turned-professor: "he who tries to understand too much dies of anger."
Prof. to a student A in the auditorium: "Can you wake Scott up?" (referring to the student next to him)
Student A: "You put him to sleep, you wake him up!"
Monday, May 29, 2006
Saturday, May 27, 2006
"interesting" comments in class
Our accounting professor, Stewart, is this old, grumpy Scottsman who likes to perform accounting "forensics". He looks like failed companies with tries to pick apart their balance sheets looking for causes. He has also served as expert witness in court, blah, blah. We spent a fair amount of time looking at collapsed companies. One of the companies we looked at was Barings Bank, UK.
The collapse of Barings was caused by this young British trader in Singapore who tried and failed to hide his losses on the futures market. The trader, after being found out, wanted to be tried in the U.K. instead of Singapore since it is a much harsher environment. After Stewart showed us a video of the trader in a German jail (he was captured in Germany), he told us that the conditions in Singaporean jails are harsher than that of U.K.
Nanang, a Indonesian, asked: "Just how bad is it in Singapore? Is it just men raping men?"
Last week, we looked at Enron's collapse. Tina, a really smart, witty, Danish classmate who worked for Mearsk, a large global freight company, shared her experience working with people from Enron. She had moved to Houston before the Enron collapse. At the time, Enron was her largest client. She described Enron employees she dealt with as smart, top notch people who are also nice to work with. However, they also knew they were the best in the industry. They knew, Tina said: "they were the biggest swinging dicks in the room."
The words we say.....................................
The collapse of Barings was caused by this young British trader in Singapore who tried and failed to hide his losses on the futures market. The trader, after being found out, wanted to be tried in the U.K. instead of Singapore since it is a much harsher environment. After Stewart showed us a video of the trader in a German jail (he was captured in Germany), he told us that the conditions in Singaporean jails are harsher than that of U.K.
Nanang, a Indonesian, asked: "Just how bad is it in Singapore? Is it just men raping men?"
Last week, we looked at Enron's collapse. Tina, a really smart, witty, Danish classmate who worked for Mearsk, a large global freight company, shared her experience working with people from Enron. She had moved to Houston before the Enron collapse. At the time, Enron was her largest client. She described Enron employees she dealt with as smart, top notch people who are also nice to work with. However, they also knew they were the best in the industry. They knew, Tina said: "they were the biggest swinging dicks in the room."
The words we say.....................................
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH
found a white hair, the first one ever.
(I hope this is just a genetic accident, not an effect of aging or B school.)
WTF [}*$^}{.<(#&($&%)_!+*$*&!@
(I hope this is just a genetic accident, not an effect of aging or B school.)
WTF [}*$^}{.<(#&($&%)_!+*$*&!@
Monday, May 22, 2006
living close to Ouchy
For those of you who are not as versed in Swiss geography or the layout of Lausanne, let me start by explaining what Ouchy is. It's basically where the tourists go to when they come to Lausanne, and why, of course, it's lakeside. There are cafes, restaurants, and a huge open space for the city to host all sorts of events. For example, I went to see a circus near Ouchy during easter.
Anyway, it's the ultimate place for local dwellings to hang out on weekends as well, beside a great place to take a lakeside walk and all these things I menetioned earlier, you can also hang out by the beach, sail, etc. Last week, the city had a mini amusement park setup.
The traffic at Ouchy was terrible during the weekend. This was one of the few occassions I felt lucky living close to Ouchy. Man, I can just walk places where people have to drive and find parking. Great! I guess the perk only works when it's nice out, I didn't realize the advantage at all during winter. Anyway, I will try to remember to take a picture for you guys next time.
Oh, you may ask, why on earth did I choose to live near Ouchy, it must be pretty expensive. Yes, it isn't cheap, but since IMD is right at the lake by Ouchy, I really didn't have a lot of choice. Like most MBAs, I wanted to live within a 10-minute walk radius from school.
Enjoy spring!
Anyway, it's the ultimate place for local dwellings to hang out on weekends as well, beside a great place to take a lakeside walk and all these things I menetioned earlier, you can also hang out by the beach, sail, etc. Last week, the city had a mini amusement park setup.
The traffic at Ouchy was terrible during the weekend. This was one of the few occassions I felt lucky living close to Ouchy. Man, I can just walk places where people have to drive and find parking. Great! I guess the perk only works when it's nice out, I didn't realize the advantage at all during winter. Anyway, I will try to remember to take a picture for you guys next time.
Oh, you may ask, why on earth did I choose to live near Ouchy, it must be pretty expensive. Yes, it isn't cheap, but since IMD is right at the lake by Ouchy, I really didn't have a lot of choice. Like most MBAs, I wanted to live within a 10-minute walk radius from school.
Enjoy spring!
school is ALMOST over
well, officially no. But the reality of it is that there is only 4 days of school this week since the MBA Olympics is on in paris this weekend. Next week, there is a week of International Consulting Project sessions, mixed with Start-up project presentations for four days, and then the "reading period" begins. The last FINAL exam starts on June 6th, and ends on the 9th!
Two weeks of "Stakeholder management" follows, then we are off to Argentina!
We will have July off, and from there on, it's just International Consulting, and electives!
So, I here by announce SCHOOL IS ALMOST OVER!!!!!!!!!!!
(may the job search begin)
Life has been busy even though the building block terms are coming to an end. There is the startup project to wrap up, and of course the pressure of exams. Some professors still find a way to make us sweat: last weekend, I had to write a three page paper on "leadership formula". What an oxymoron? Is there really such a thing as formula to successful leadership? What's next? Should the class co-author "The idiot's guide to leadership?"
Anyway, enough venting. I got to get back to writing a paper on how to improve innovation systems in a company. Man, that will really make me think of innovation, by writing a paper.
Two weeks of "Stakeholder management" follows, then we are off to Argentina!
We will have July off, and from there on, it's just International Consulting, and electives!
So, I here by announce SCHOOL IS ALMOST OVER!!!!!!!!!!!
(may the job search begin)
Life has been busy even though the building block terms are coming to an end. There is the startup project to wrap up, and of course the pressure of exams. Some professors still find a way to make us sweat: last weekend, I had to write a three page paper on "leadership formula". What an oxymoron? Is there really such a thing as formula to successful leadership? What's next? Should the class co-author "The idiot's guide to leadership?"
Anyway, enough venting. I got to get back to writing a paper on how to improve innovation systems in a company. Man, that will really make me think of innovation, by writing a paper.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
insomnia
ok, it's happened before this year. It just hasn't happened for this long for a while.
5/1 - concept bag due for product design and innovation. 2AM.
5/2 - telematics scenario analysis due. 2AM
5/3 - preparation for startup project meeting with consultant - 1AM
5/4 - startup project, meeting with consultant - midnight
5/5 - startup project, meeting with advisor startup project. - Integrative exercise, first nite - 1am
5/6 - meeting with startup company. Integrative exercise, second nite - 2am
5/7 - Integrative exercise, third nite - 4 am
5/8 - prepare for political economy presentation - 1:30am
Today, during Strategy, the prof asked an Argentinean guy a question.
Answer: "I am not paying attention to you."
Well, at least he was honest. The rest of us just kept sleeping.
One thing I have learn to do well this year is to sleep with your eyes open.
Tonite is the first night I will get some much needed sleep. Hallelujah!
5/1 - concept bag due for product design and innovation. 2AM.
5/2 - telematics scenario analysis due. 2AM
5/3 - preparation for startup project meeting with consultant - 1AM
5/4 - startup project, meeting with consultant - midnight
5/5 - startup project, meeting with advisor startup project. - Integrative exercise, first nite - 1am
5/6 - meeting with startup company. Integrative exercise, second nite - 2am
5/7 - Integrative exercise, third nite - 4 am
5/8 - prepare for political economy presentation - 1:30am
Today, during Strategy, the prof asked an Argentinean guy a question.
Answer: "I am not paying attention to you."
Well, at least he was honest. The rest of us just kept sleeping.
One thing I have learn to do well this year is to sleep with your eyes open.
Tonite is the first night I will get some much needed sleep. Hallelujah!
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
cultural differences
I am so tired, and so busy. But I have to share this one.
Just to set the stage. Jorge is from Peru, Peter is an American who has lived in Holland for the last 3 years, Gardar is from Iceland.
This is a set of emails from three of my classmates. Make sure you read the chain of emails from the bottom up. Notice the date stamp on the emails. I really like Peter, but people ought to just observe other people's culture a little bit more. This is the exact reason why people should travel. Ignorance is not bliss.
P.S. Someone I know actually got married on April 23, 2005.
Sorry Peter but I don’t know if you noticed that we are in Europe and the date format is: (dd/mm/yy) J
So I only hope not to receive this unique event in my study room …
Cheers
Jorge
De: Klug, Peter [mailto:Peter.Klug@imd.ch] Enviado el: Miércoles, 03 de Mayo de 2006 08:51 p.m.Para: Gardar Gudgeirsson; MBA Participants 2006*CC: hklug@catalystinternational.comAsunto: RE: Two minutes and three seconds past one
Sorry Gardar to ruin your unique event, but this actually happened 29 days ago on April 5th. Too bad you missed it.
01:02:03 04/05/06
For those of you who don't understand tune in next Tuesday to the IPE presentation.
Peter
From: Gardar Gudgeirsson [mailto:Gardar.Gudgeirsson@imd.ch]Sent: Wed 5/3/2006 8:47 PMTo: MBA Participants 2006*Subject: Two minutes and three seconds past one
Dear all,
Please pay attention to your clocks two minutes and three seconds after one o’clock tomorrow morning (tonight), because for exactly one second, the time will be:
01:02:03 04/05/06
Don’t miss this unique event; you won’t have another chance until May 4th 2106.
Gardar
Just to set the stage. Jorge is from Peru, Peter is an American who has lived in Holland for the last 3 years, Gardar is from Iceland.
This is a set of emails from three of my classmates. Make sure you read the chain of emails from the bottom up. Notice the date stamp on the emails. I really like Peter, but people ought to just observe other people's culture a little bit more. This is the exact reason why people should travel. Ignorance is not bliss.
P.S. Someone I know actually got married on April 23, 2005.
Sorry Peter but I don’t know if you noticed that we are in Europe and the date format is: (dd/mm/yy) J
So I only hope not to receive this unique event in my study room …
Cheers
Jorge
De: Klug, Peter [mailto:Peter.Klug@imd.ch] Enviado el: Miércoles, 03 de Mayo de 2006 08:51 p.m.Para: Gardar Gudgeirsson; MBA Participants 2006*CC: hklug@catalystinternational.comAsunto: RE: Two minutes and three seconds past one
Sorry Gardar to ruin your unique event, but this actually happened 29 days ago on April 5th. Too bad you missed it.
01:02:03 04/05/06
For those of you who don't understand tune in next Tuesday to the IPE presentation.
Peter
From: Gardar Gudgeirsson [mailto:Gardar.Gudgeirsson@imd.ch]Sent: Wed 5/3/2006 8:47 PMTo: MBA Participants 2006*Subject: Two minutes and three seconds past one
Dear all,
Please pay attention to your clocks two minutes and three seconds after one o’clock tomorrow morning (tonight), because for exactly one second, the time will be:
01:02:03 04/05/06
Don’t miss this unique event; you won’t have another chance until May 4th 2106.
Gardar
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