Articles
The Accelerators
- 22 November 2011
This is a story about a brave new world, where ideas are seeded, incubated and accelerated through to maturity. The heroes of this story are a group of individuals who are shaking up Krakow's business community with their entrepreneurial verve.
Krakow's Debts: The Twilight Zone
- 31 August 2011
'Most practical budgeting may take place in a twilight zone between politics and efficiency.' Aaron Wildavsky (1961)
Across the world excessive debts at an individual, corporate and state level have brought the global economy to its knees. Years of easily available credit fuelled by financial engineering techniques such as 'securitisation', led many to rack up debts that somehow they thought would never have to be repaid. Now that the hangover has settled in and it's time to tighten belts and reduce indebtedness, local and national budget deficits (There aren't too many surpluses) are the topic de jour. What better time to have a closer look at the state of Krakow's financial health.
The Million Euro Challenge
- 28 July 2011
This year the remit for this series of articles is 'Investment in Krakow'. With that in mind we thought we would speak to Krakow residents who have experienced firsthand the opportunities and pitfalls of investing and working in the city. We gave each one a million Euros (our budget allowed for Monopoly money only) and asked them how they would invest it in Krakow.
They Might Be Giants
- 05 April 2011
"Globalisation" - a serious candidate for the most overused buzzword of the last decade, however it is the best catchall term we have for how interconnected our world has become in terms of knowledge, capital flows, trade, services and labour.
A new version of Krakow (2.0) is available. Would you like to download it now?
- 07 February 2011
So Krakow, you have world-renowned universities, award winning technology students, rejuvenated infrastructure, a beautiful cultural city where everyone wants to live and you're attracting international technology giants such as Google, IBM, Capgemini, Motorola and ABB.
The Maverick
- 15 November 2010
On October 16th Benoît Mandelbrot one of the pioneering mathematicians of our time passed away at the age of 85. It is ironic that at the time of his passing, his theories are more relevant than ever.
Our Strangers
- 13 September 2010
In early 2004 I went to see a photo exhibition by Lukasz Trzcinski on Krakow's main square, called 'Nasi Obcy', roughly translated as 'Our Strangers'. The wonderful photos presented the daily lives in Poland of refugees from places such as Chechnya, Iraq, Somali and Sierra Leone.
Motivation
- 19 June 2010
Companies constantly face the question, what makes employees work and work well? Love for the work, money, career development or opportunities for personal growth? Like any issue involving human nature, the answers are complex.
Nobody loves the taxman
- 29 March 2010
I remember my first paycheck, crisp, warm, reward for my first month’s blood, sweat and tears. The number at the bottom looked right, I felt good, a part of the system, then a shrill blood-curdling yelp of despair was heard……. taxman!!! An economics degree had taught me the societal value of tax, redistribution of wealth etc etc blah blah, but why me?
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