It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for

them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2

years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a

rule.

Globalized processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense

of searching for immediate results.. Therefore, we have come to

posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the

slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate,

debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the

end, this always yields better results.

1. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants. .

2. Stockholm has 500,000 people.

3. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, are some of its renowned

companies. Volvo even supplies NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden , one of my colleagues picked me up at the

hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive

early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance

(2000employees drive their car to work).

The first day, I didn't say anything, neither the second or third days. One

morning I asked him, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we

park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot."

To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, don't

you think that whoever gets in late will need a place closer to the door?"

Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe named Slow Food. This movement

establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to

taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing.

Slow Food is against its counterpart, Fast Food and what it stands for as

a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow

Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness"

generated by globalization, fuelled by the desire of "having in quantity"

(life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality

of being".

French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive

than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour

workweeks and have seen their productivity driven up by 20%..

This slow attitude has come to the notice of USA , the pupils of the fast

and "do it now" brigade.

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower

productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality,

productivity,

perfection, with attention to detail and less stress.

It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time.

Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and

anonymous.

It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living. It

stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and

more productive work place where humans enjoy doing what they know best how

to do.

It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious

quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of

products and services, without losing the essence.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we

die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time.

Others are so anxious to live for the future that they forget to live the

present, which is the only time that truly exists.

We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The

difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live

each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're

busy making other plans".

Congratulations for reading this message. There

are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time

in this "Globalized" world.

-Anonymous. / Contributed by Mr.Prasad Phatak, Pune , India