Trick Questions

1) What does business management and 'The Gita' have in common?

2) Why would a business graduate be interested in learning about the bigger questions in life?

Surely business is more about market trends, money management, trading partners and supply chain logistics. That's what we'd think. A group of enlightened innovators beg to differ however. A small university in New Jersey, USA, has recently included a course entitled 'The Journey of Transformation' in their business management curriculum. They adopted this as a pilot project last year and are now set to expand this program further, hiring more profs and putting more thought into the curriculum.

Hinduism isn't the only religious system of thought students are being exposed to. There's Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity too, included in this course.

Let's think about why this could result in a true transformation in the lives of (business) students. Business is primarily about people and their dealings with others. The whole business of life involves interactions with others regarding livelihood, prosperity and wellbeing - these are the cornerstones of a fulfilling life.

Simplistically speaking therefore, business studies should be more about the whys and wherefores of the economic life of people.

The great religions in the world have a common goal. They strive to teach us how to live, not merely aim for a better afterlife. The pressing need of the hour is to learn how to conduct ourselves, achieve our maximum potential without stepping on other toes. The ancient Greeks called it Eudaimonia. I believe that's a noble thought. Imagine, even the lowly acorn has within it the potential to become a full grown oak tree. Aristotle was dead right on this one.

So, by understanding the basic tenets of major religions, all students, not only business graduates, would benefit. I hope this trend extends to many more disciplines in different universities worldwide.

When these spritually-savvy business students graduate, and if the recession has ebbed, maybe we can look forward to more ethical business practices.

I feel like applauding!

See, hope isn't just a word. The Obama strikes again! His iron fist is showing - setting a cap on executive salary/compensation for those companies who have recieved government bailouts -the limit is $500,000. Well well!

This is a move beyond mere tokenism. I thought he was guilty of the same when he froze White House staffer pay. After all, how much could the country save with a few $100,000s? This is a weighty move. It is logical too. On the one hand, you beg the government to hand you money to run the company, and with the other hand you rack up the numbers in your Swiss account. Unfair?

Take that, you Wall Street types.

Now, I know, some people will find fault with this move by saying he is playing to the gallery -you know, trying to gain popular support. He already has that, I will remind them.

You may say, yet again, that he is diverting attention from the Daschle fiasco. No matter, I shrug. This guy has his instincts right. Maybe since he comes from a middle class environment and was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he knows what it is like for hard-working tax paying common people.

The previous Big Guy had it all - a ranch or two, and access to White House kitchens and washrooms. It's no wonder that he and his cronies could dismiss the concerns of ordinary folk and focus attention on private jets, holiday villas in Marbela and refurbishments of washrooms costing $1 million.

However, I'm curious about AIG and Citigroup. Santa visited them earlier, so does this new rule affect them at all?

Postures and gestures

Mutinous grumblings can be heard not only from ordinary Canadians and the rest of the world alarmed at protectionist policies of Obama's America, but also from the likes of Stockwell Day and Gordon Brown. Labelling the 'Buy American' clause as completely protectionist, leaders and citizens are screaming bloody murder.

But, says a columnist in the Star, NAFTA actually does have a provision which allows USA to insert this protectionist clause in trade pacts.

Which sucks, because now, the protests can lose their bite. Maybe iron and steel producers can organize a facebook signature campaign to promote their cause. Don't laugh - Obama himself knows well the power of the Internet (ask his admin officers, pre-election).

Interestingly, news emerging from Davos indicates how American bankers were verbally lynched by the world economic community. Firstly, there were very few Wall Streeters who actually attended the Forum. Most stayed away. A wise, if cowardly, move. Only the CEO of JP Morgan attended and was apologetic about his ilk.

Many of the economic gurus of the world of finance and banking did nothing to mince words. They outright condemned what the American investment bankers did. I'm guessing there weren't a lot of smiles and fine bonhomie among the attendees, and the banking community watching in America.

And then you have red-faced bankers from Canada's own RBC, BNS and others, giving up their bonuses/compensation, just like brave little soilders. Oh my, what magnanimity of gesture! Perhaps when they go home to their million dollar mansions in Toronto's posh localities, they can look at themselves in the huge mirrors and feel a warm glow.

They might, at that moment be thinking, "Thank god, Davos isn't the only part of Switzerland we know!"