Who would like to go to the Taj Mahal

Afternoon team.
We are due to come back from Rajasthan on 25th March (am) and our preparation for the Bollywood Production of the Group III Presentation (all singing and dancing with surround sound, backdrops and light shows) will begin on Monday 26th March. Our Australian members of the team have showed great interest on taking on the responsibility to make/edit this Block Busting Movie, but we will all need to use our strengths as a team to create this in one day, which I am certain we can do with all the great people we have collectively.

Personnally, I would like to get all the presentation work completed on 26th to free up an entire day on 27th March to go and visit the Taj Mahal. This experience will take an entire day, but thought it would be a perfect way to conclude our study tour as a group. Aparently, you can get the first train out of Delhi at 6am which takes around 4 hours, returning in the evening.

Anyone whom is interested in going to this 'once in a lifetime' experience with people from around the globe and is prepared to complete the presentation in one day, please edit this blog and leave your name below:

1. Graham Edge

Ideas for the presentation

1. Get actual quotes from both the tour guides and the key workers at each of the study visits, together with photos.
2. What are the effects on the actual workers with this obssession with GDP in India. In the UK, we no longer have family lives since this obsession with growth has meant that the competition that no exists requires people to work longer in order to get ahead in life. We should be mindful of this very sorry lesson in life.
3. We should ensure that everyone in the group communicates with the CSC conference, whether it be words or actions.
4. We need to agree as a team how best to convey a message to the world.
5. We should have fun.

Why are we at this conference

Graham Edge:
I believe I am here at CSC2007 to learn more about myself as a potential leader.
However, I would ask what is a leader? I believe a leader that could be many things and we cannot distinguish the role of leader.

Personally, I lead people by taking a keen interest in their lives outside work and how the projects we do as a team will affect not just their working days, but their family lives as well. If the work that I do has a negative effect on the people around me, then I no longer want to do the work.

Why are we here? Well, I have learnt that i am not on a journey to find happiness, but that happiness is the journey. This was very evident in Bunker Roys' presentation, which I believe was an inspiration to us all.

Why is India's economy growing? Simple, it is because of the greed of the western world utilising low cost countries to increase profits without a thought to their own communities. India is not doing anything wrong, but merely providing the developed countries with the service that is required, to which I applaud their vision. As an example, in the UK we no longer manufacture cars, why, because it is more economically viable to ship parts from half way across the world and assemble using robots. The effect this has had on communities such as Birmingham, Coventry and Leicester is poverty and social unrest. This sort of story does not reach the media since we only see what our government approves through the various filters that we have in place. This problem is even worse in USA in places such as Michigan and Oregon, whereby all car manufacturing now takes place in Mexico. Why, not for inclusive growth of Mexico that is for sure, but to line the pockets of the Corporate world.

I can give many examples of the effects of globalisation as it is a subject that is very close to my heart, so please just ask.

One more thing to ponder, what happens to India when the oil starts to run out and we you need to start looking at responsible sourcing? In the UK construction industry we currently utilise low cost countries such as India and China to obtain products. However, as from next year this will no longer be allowed under new legislation to reduce CO2 emissions since the carbon footprint of transporting products half way around the world as it is not seen as a responsible source. I would note that this is not currently on the agenda for USA since they are the largest polluters in the world, with India at No.4 behind China and Japan.

We should be mindful of our environment and our people when we talk about inclusive growth and development.

Good luck India, welcome to the real world.

The 10th Commonwealth study Conference 2007

The 10th Commonwealth study Conference 2007