Bachelor thesis preview

Since I’ve started writing my bachelor thesis on the impact of the economic crisis on SMEs I had to analyze the financial implications that affect their economic activity. Here are some of the conclusions I’ve drawn while writing my thesis.

For instance did you know that the most important green field investments in Romania are made in commerce, constructions and IT?

Or that the top foreign investor in Romania is Holland (17.8%), followed by Austria (13,3%), Germany (7,9%), France (5,5%), Greece (5.2%), Cyprus, Italy, USA, Switzerland and Spain.

Foreign investments have influenced both the economic development and work productivity. The capacity of absorption of foreign investments is superior to the countries from this region, but the disadvantage is that these investments were started late and their effect can be easily seen.

After 2007 when Romania became part of the EU it started feeling the consequences of being part of a global market. Between 2007 and 2008 the number of enterprises had decreased, but the sum invested in them had increased. We could notice many mergers and acquisitions from the part of big companies that started incorporating small businesses. Furthermore Romanian firms became more competitive and took more risks, because they were trying to remain as competitive as other European companies.

Since the economic crisis started to impact the Romanian economy in the 3^rd Quarter of 2008, the number of enterprises has decreased dramatically. And after a booming economy between 2002-2007, the recession was a wake up call, that economic growth does not last forever and we need to be prepared with a plan B.

The crisis built itself on a bubble favored by the real estate market. Romania was not directly affected by the economic crisis in the USA, but because of its indirect effects. We had no toxic actives, and our banks are quite protectionist- considered by others as a lack of sophistication.

At the beginning of this year we could notice the biggest decrease in the number of SMEs, because the fiscal policy of Romania does not provide any help for this sector. Furthermore adopting the flat tax and increasing taxes (VAT and profit tax) is not a happy choice, because it will deepen the poor economic situation as it is. Increasing VAT will lead to decreasing the buying power and as a direct consequence will increase inflation.

We cannot go on in this rhythm, because we need to build a solid infrastructure, invest in health and education and we need to look for the future. Our economy is not based on innovation, is not green and our government does not seem to think for the future. They are acting on CARPE DIEM, but when you rule a country, you should think a bit of the future.

The effects of the crisis were both negative and positive. The economic downturn has increased work productivity if we consider its correlation with wages in the private sector.

Since the economic crisis has started imports have decreased and consume has registered a downward trend. Unfortunately Romania exports goods that had a small economic value- especially in industry- textiles and furniture, and in commerce. 75% of the exterior commerce of Romania is related to the European Union where my country’s market share is of around 1%, a small figure taking into account that is 7^th country in EU if we take into account the population. Moreover Romania is dependent on imports, because the country does not have a mechanism of industrial cluster.

I hope that by the time I finish my Bachelor Thesis I will see some realistic measures taken by our government. For the time being I am extremely disappointed.

Vindem si noi ceva azi?

Din seria ‘Traiesc in Romania si asta imi ocupa tot timpul’ astazi va voi prezenta revoltele mele legate de vanzatoarele enervante.  In general sunt o persoana calma pana cand sunt calcata pe coada in mod repetat. Vanzatoarele au un talent aparte de a ma enerva si acest post este dedicat lor (desi nu merita multe dintre ele) pentru ca azi am avut parte de o ilustrare a prostiei si nesimtirii cu care sunt dotate.

Vanzatoarele agasante sunt in topul vanzatoarelor care ma seaca. Cand le simt respiratia in ceafa mea simt ca ceva nu e bine. Degeaba incerc sa le explici ca iti invadeaza spatiul personal si nu ai nevoie de ele in orice clipa ca nu se lasa. Te duci sa vezi o bluza vin dupa tine, nici umbra ta parca nu e asa consecventa. Astazi am vrut sa vad daca ele fac roata magazinul sau li se pune pata pe vreo clienta si o urmeaza intocmai: am mers in zig zag, a mers si ea in zig zag pana cand m-am plictisit si am iesit din magazin.

O subspecie a vanzatoarelor agasante sunt cele care lauda orice rahat pe care pui mana. Intamplarea face ca obiectul pe care tu il tii in mana este cel mai bine vandut, cea mai recent produs din magazin, cel mai cel…  In cazul in care isi mai dau si parerea fugiti! Azi am auzi ca o bluza e foarte ‘simpa si scoate fundul in evidenta’ , ca niste pantaloni odiosi sunt ‘misto’. Nu ma pun cu gusturile oamenilor – am zambit frumos si m-am gandit: ‘Saraca!’.

Vanzatoarele cu aere de superioritate merita batute cu un DEX.  Simt cum ma apuca o senzatie de greata cand le vad cum urmaresc clientii prin magazin , ii cantaresc din cap pana in picioare si stramba din nas, cu un aer de ‘eu sunt marele mahar aici, voi sunteti muritori de rand’. Nu sunt o persoana violenta, nu ma intelegeti gresit, sunt doar revoltata cand vad o individa care abia a terminat liceul (cu chiu cu vai, acum un an sau acum 10 ani sau chiar mai bine) care se stramba la mine ca nu am ca ea unghiile date cu lac ca ea si ca poate sunt grabita si nu am avut timp sa-mi verific machiajul de 10 ori pe ora ca ea. Unii au o viata si fac ceva cu ea!

Vanzatoarele care nu saluta sunt alta specie de nesimtite. Hai sa zicem ca nu am pretentia sa fiu salutata de fiecare data cand intru intr-un magazin, dar e common sense sa raspunzi la un buna ziua ca doar nu iti pica creierul pe jos.

Vanzatoarele care sunt prea ocupate sa-si faca treaba sunt iar in topul listei negre. Cand tu le ceri insistent ajutorul/ sa-si faca treaba ele sunt prea ocupate sa termine o conversatie telefonica (asta e cazul ideal cu sa termine ca de obicei o continua pana pleci ofuscat din magazin) sau sa se machieze. Adica nu e suficient ca au o tona de fond de ten si de rimel -trebuie sa mai aplice si un ruj intreg- nu stiu cum naiba se face ca respectivele sunt si cliente fidele de la solar si sunt tot timpul prinse intr-o conversatie legata de vreun club de fite din capitala.

Vanzatoarele plictisite de viata ma enerveaza si ele. Le vezi privind apatic intr-un colt, le intrebi de trei ori ceva si ele sunt tot in lumea lor. Si daca le deranjezi, pazeaaaaaa! Nu stii ce frustrari ascunse zac in saraca femeie….

Sunt cel putin 10 cazuri in care am plecat dintr-un magazin ca ma enerva vanzatoarea, ba ca era prea insistenta, ba ca isi facea unghiile sau o durea undeva de vanzarile pe care trebuie sa le faca. Si sunt convinsa ca asta vi s-a intamplat si voua. Tipologiile prezentate mai sus cred ca le gasiti cel mai bine ilustrate in Unirea- daca aveti timp si sunteti curiosi faceti acest experiment si o sa-mi dati dreptate.

Si sa stiti ca apreciez firmele care isi trainuiesc personalul cum sa se poarte cu clientii. Meli Melo e un exemplu si Zara la fel. Mai mult consider ca bine ca in vanzari profitul vanzatorilor sa se faca din comisioane. Parca atunci as vedea si eu un interes din partea lor sa-si faca treaba cum ar trebui.

Si nu va ganditi ca desconsider meseria de vanzator- cunosc niste oameni care sunt foarte bine pregatiti si merita toata admiratia, dar exemplarele pe care vi le-am prezentat mai sus nu!

Un weekend fain si multa rabdare in caz ca aveti de facut cumparaturi!

Later edit: azi am inceput sa caut rochie de bal. Am retrait tot ce am scris aici.

Un nou sport national

Inclin sa cred ca populatia Romaniei inca simte nevoia unei reorganizari permanente dupa sechelele comuniste imprimate adanc in constiinta colectiva a celor trecuti de o anumita varsta. Altfel nu imi explic cum vecinii mei au tot timpul ceva de renovat si simt tot timpul nevoia sa schimbe ceva la peretii locuintei – in principal ceva care implica zdruncinarea structurii de rezistenta a blocului construit si asa aiurea dupa ’77 in cazurile fericite.

Eu propun ca manuirea bormasinii si gaurirea peretilor sa devina un nou sport national. Ce oina, ce fotbal, amenajare interioara frate! Cand citesc pe Twitter/ Facebook/ sau vorbesc cu prieteni care trec prin acelasi calvar  inteleg ca fenomenul e larg raspandit Sunt multi care imi simt durerea si ar vrea sa existe un spatiu special pentru cei care simt nevoia expresa sa lucreze in constructii si nu au avut sansa asta pana acum. Un fel de ‘barbati cu bormasini uniti-va’! Polizati-va creierul reciproc! Mai trebuie lucrat un pic la slogan. Poate aici ma ajutati voi.

 De multe ori imi pun intrebarea: ‘ce mai au acum de gaurit?’ si sincer in afara de alte cateva intrebari retorice nu gasesc ceva mai plauzibil. Imi gauresc si imi polizeaza mie nervii- ar fi raspunsul pe care creierul meu obosit poate sa-l dea. De o luna jumate ma trezesc ceas in bocaneli si zgomote cristaline de bormasina. Nu conteaza ca e in timpul saptamanii sau e weekend, fenomenul se intampla regulat fara sa tina cont de nimic. Bucurestiul poate sa fie sub 2 metri de zapada, dar bormasina tot la 8 porneste. Da stiu, am avut o vacanta trista, m-am trezit zilnic la ora aia inumana- probabil ar trebui sa le fiu recunoscatoare ca m-a disciplinat atat de mult incat am ajuns sa ma culc devreme( gen ora 22) de frica  ca nu apuc sa dorm suficient.

Cand fenomenul este recurent si pe parcursul zilei/eventual mai multe saptamani- intelegi ca nu ai ce sa faci si trebuie sa multumesti zeului suprem ca ai un acoperis asupra capului, intr-un bloc plin de oameni creativi… E evident ca in acele momente simti o profunda recunostiinta pentru dragii tai vecini si te intrebi ce fac mamele lor si daca sunt bine, sanatoase… Prindeti voi aluzia.

Credeam ca fenomenul asta se intampla doar la ocazii speciale, cand ai ceva de reparat sau ai nevoie de o imbunatatire in apectul general al locuintei. Aparent primavara sau cel putin schimbarea sezoanelor este prielnica activitatilor creative si de reamenajare a nervilor mei…pardon a locuintelor. Probabil trezirea la viata a naturii este sinonima pentru vecinii mei- care trec printr-o criza a varstei de mijloc- cu o schimbare a designului interior, facuta evident de niste maini dibace si pline de experienta care pentru a repara ceva mai intai trebuie sa-l strice de vreo 2-3 pana prind mecanismul de functionare si filozofia procesului. Domnilor sa va zic un secret: degeaba dati gauri in pereti ca nu sunteti mai barbati in fata sotiei, cum nu sunteti nici mai virili si mai macho ca inhalati varul rezultat in urma manuirii voastre exceptionale a bormasinii.

Va tin la curent cu lucrarile, eu una sper sa se finalizeze curand, desi am fost informata ca acest proces creativ va mai dura inca 2 saptamani. Sa speram ca nervii mei au viata mai lunga. Intre timp trebuie sa ne gandim cum vom ‘promova’ acest nou sport national care e atat de raspandit.

Ma inclin, voie buna!

Crazy Politics

I am beginning to believe that the political environment is surrounded by a cloud of confusion and complete craziness. I cannot explain the reasons why (some) politicians provide solid proof of their insanity, but sometimes this can be a source of amusement until you realize you are talking about the politics of your own country. One of the reasons why politicians become crazy may be considered the countless lies they have lost track of, or of false image they have created about themselves and that sometimes becomes an element of confusion. Another less realistic reason would be that their conscience is hurting because they cannot deliver their expected promised- but let’s not delude ourselves.

A recent example is that of Mircea Geoana- a politician who claims he was the victim of an energetic attack- something involving dark magic and some purple flames … and we are in the 21st century (let’s keep a moment of silence for those sain politicians who are twisting in their graves while seeing the current status of politics). His statement arrived as an explication of his recent loss in the ellections for the Romanian presidency, due to some energetical attacks that weakened his public speaking ability… Darn, so every time I was nervous during a speach was because I was suffering from an energetic attack. Who would have known? :O

We still have another case, but this was long debated and does not represent a ‘hot’ piece of news. It’s about Vadim- a politicians that sees theories of conspiracy everywhere and who doesn’t miss a chance to make a complete full of himself on almost every television appearance. You all know the renowned joke ‘ Medicins’ when refering to this colourful and unstable political character.

But our politics is not the only one we should amuse ourself with. The international politics provides some good laughs from heated fights in the parliaments (take for example women fighting in the Korean parlament, or Russian ministers generously sharing fists) to throwing of shoes. The latter could easily become a political sport since it’s practiced worldwide- the latest case was in the Serbian parliament, in November 2009. I assume we should attribute the foundations of this exciting new sport to the Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoe at th former US President George W Bush.

Do you know other juicy cases of craziness displayed inside a parliament or other institutions?

P.S. Now I wonder… I recently bought a pair of purple legwear. This means I’m planning an energetic attack? I wonder on whom? )

Voteaza

Dar nu iti face iluzii. Sunt toti la fel!