my time in prague

What can I say about Prague that hasn't been said already. Probably nothing. When we arrived it was hot, hottest they have seen in a while, and it only got hotter. So hot it felt like I was melting away. To top it off the a/c in the hotel seemed to barely work and the a/c at the company visits weren't much better. On top of that, elevators seemed to not want to work, the hotel only gave me a napkin to sleep with, and the drinks seemed to have been chilled in a wine fridge at red wine temperatures. Yet with all of that, I wouldn't change a thing. These experiences are what make trips like this even better, because we now all have stories that we can tell and laugh about. What made this trip priceless were the friendships that I was able to build on. The best times during the trip were spent at the bar, being able to really get to know each other. From sharing stories like annulments off the highway, not knowing where to keep your boots, shipwreck snorkeling or yodeling, I would not change this trip for anything. And if I could sum this whole experience up in one word I think it would have to be MANFASA.

Prague Experience

 I did not know much about Prague until I met Vaclav Storek.  Vaclav was one of the best tour guides I have ever encountered.  Vaclav's unique story telling about Prague's rich history and culture was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.  His knowledge helped me understand the significance of the architecture, awareness of its current political system, religious beliefs, and the appreciation for their transformation from communist rule to democracy. 

I also want to mention that I really enjoyed the time I spent with my cohort friends.  Some of my best memories are sitting in the pubs talking and laughing about our experiences.  Nothing beats Czech beer and good friends.  I will remember this trip always.  Thank you to my friends.

Prague "Team Building"

One of biggest reasons that I chose the Weekend program’s cohort structure was my eagerness to learn from others as much as the content of the courses itself.  This trip to Prague has delivered so far in that aspect as I have gotten to see and experience many of my cohort members' business acumen in different ways.  It has been remarkable to learn how others approach different business issues and am looking forward to continue to absorb much more from these international companies as well as my fellow classmates.

Prague from another point of view!

Back in 2007 I had the privilege of visiting Prague and touring the city – experiencing everything from the fun tram rides to the Prague Castle to the Communist Museum. I thought I truly saw everything there was to see in this city. But I was wrong. This trip has opened my eyes to a completely different aspect of this city – the business & manufacturing sector - and deepened my understanding of the culture here. I now have a stronger appreciation for how different the Czech Republic is from the U.S. 

One site visit in particular left a lasting impression on me. On Tuesday we went to visit Brisk, a manufacturer of spark plugs. Coming into the visit I had a strong understanding of manufacturing, having spent years walking the floor of GE’s steam turbine and gas turbine manufacturing plant. In 2008 I had a role on the Environmental, Health & Safety team and paid close attention to what GE calls PPE – personal protective equipment. The company is very strict when it comes to wearing safety goggles, steel toed boots, staying inside the yellow lines, wearing gloves, and monitoring air quality. At Brisk there was no PPE to be found! I did not see one person wearing safety goggles, nor were we (the tourists) required to wear them. Workers were wearing sandals, and it was readily apparent that the air quality was low inside the factory.  I also observed ergonomic issues. Having the appropriate posture, seating arrangement and hand position is imperative when conducting repetitive movements, as on a manufacturing line. At Brisk ergonomic red flags were everywhere!

GE also pride’s itself on the extremely low number of accidents that occur on the shop floor. One key reason for this is our “lockout, tagout” procedure. There are strict steps one must take when repairing a machine. It must be properly shut down and locked down before an employee can service the machine or part. At Brisk, I do not believe lockout – tagout exists. I observed one woman continually placing a piece of equipment on “pause” and sticking a screwdriver in the gears to correct a problem. She even stuck her fingers in the gears to move around the parts. I was so nervous watching this, I held my breath! To me, what she was doing was so incredibly dangerous, and it was sad to think that this behavior occurs every day at Brisk.

I actually asked one employee why we do not see the workers wearing safety glasses etc. and he said that they offer them to the employees but they choose not to wear them. The Czech Republic does no mandate the use of PPE. I was shocked! This experience gave me a newfound appreciation for and understanding of manufacturing outside of the U.S. I can only imagine how grave the conditions are in undeveloped countries or vast manufacturing centers such as China. I am thankful for my experience at GE because it enabled me to draw a comparison to manufacturing in another country.

Tomorrow we head to a crystal manufacturer. I fear working conditions will not be up to “GE standards” there either. But I will be thankful for the exposure. A humbling experience!

Vienna/Prague

Yesterday we went on our tour of Vienna. Having never visited Europe, it was nice to see another city. It gave me the ability to compare and contrast.  It was mostly comparison, as the architecture was also incredible. It's amazing how well maintained all the buildings are in both cities. However, it made Prague stand out even more.  You can see the visible aging of many of the structures in Vienna and there was quite a bit of restoration in process, whereas in Prague it's almost surreal how well kept everything is.

With more free time on our hands over the next two days, I look forward to being able to venture out into Prague. For anyone who hasn't been to this city, I highly recommend it.  Just enter the elevators at your own risk!

So far has been a lot of fun.  Not only have we learned a lot a out doing business internationally, we've also has some great opportunities to get to know one another and bond as a cohort.  Everyday a new adventure!!

Quick post, more to follow. Having fun with the cohorts, touring Prague and Vienna and visiting businesses.

Vienna was a beautiful city - and it is good that the class is bonding to the max; maybe at the molecular level now.  I didn't think we could get any closer - but it happened.  Together forever.  Just please not on a bus til eternity.

Prague and Vienna 2013

Prague and Vienna are amazing cities, they are a departure from what we Americans are accustomed to on an architectural, cultural and social level.  Its amazing how the cites have integrated the historical infrastructure with the latest technology.  Today in Vienna a construction company was digging up the center of the existing road to put down new Tram tracks on a street not currently providing that type of service, thereby expanding the cities mass transit capabilities without interfering with the historical presentation or footprint.

Having not visited any European country, this MBA International business trip to Prague has been an unique experience for me, so far.

I am amazed with the progress the country has made from the time Communist rule ended in 1989. When I compare Czech Republic with India, my birth country, the major difference I see is the restrictions India has for multi-national companies. From what I have seen so far, Czech Republic is open to multi-national companies, which has helped the country grow in relatively short period of time. Their proximity to other developed countries and free trade with EU countries has also helped them grow a lot in this relatively short span of time. I can see the country progressing still further as the new generation takes charge of the country, the generation which has not seen or dealt with communism.

On a side note, the population of Czech Republic (10 million) is the number of illegal immigrants we have in the USA.