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A GLIMPSE BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE ERDON PAGE 9
WHY YOU SHOULD EAT LESS THIS CHRISTMASREAD IT ON PAGE 22
LOOKING FORWARD TO WINTERPAGE 17
BREAKING TRADITIONS: LETTING GO AND LEARNING ANEW
VOLUME 32 > DECEMBER 2011 > NUMBER 2
EXTRA CONTENT AVAILABLE ONLINE!
KUNNEN WE JOU EEN LEIDENDE ROL IN ONZE MAATSCHAPPELIJKE VRAAGSTUKKEN TOEVERTROUWEN?
KUNNEN WE JOU ONZE KLANTEN TOEVERTROUWEN?
werkenbijachmea.nl
A G I S
AV É R O A CH MEA
C E N T R A A L B E H E ER A CH MEA
F BTO
I NT E R PO L I S
Z I LV ER E N K RU IS A C H MEA
In ieder 8-uurjournaal zitten wel een paar onderwerpen die raakvlakken
hebben met ons vak: verzekeren. Of het nu om de pensioenen of schades
gaat, ons werk heeft impact op wat er in de maatschappij gebeurt.
En op het leven van onze klanten. Als grootste verzekeringsbedrijf
van Nederland bieden we je binnen een uitdagende werkomgeving met
eindeloos veel ontwikkelingsmogelijkheden het Management Traineeship
aan. Een uitstekende start van een veelbelovende carrière bij Achmea.
Kunnen we jou onze klanten toevertrouwen?
Kijk op www.werkenbijachmea.nl voor meer informatie.
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Read more articles in our exclusive online version of the Eclaire, at efr.nl/eclaire
Colophon
IndexI N D E X & C O L O P H O N
SPOTIFY VERSUS ITUNES: REVOLUTION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY S > 08
THE ERASMUS RECRUITMENT DAYS: BUILDING YOUR CAREER, ONE BLOCK AT A TIME > 10
PRIVACY: A THING OF THE PAST > 11
EMERGING INTERNATIONAL TALENT: LENNART SCHWUNG > 13
DRIVING FULL SPEED AHEAD WHILE LAGGING FAR BEHIND > 14
We’re sharing more than ever without knowing it and things are about to get a lot worse.
How Nokia can catch up and get itself back into business.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SNOW > 17
25 YEARS OF OPRAH > 18
ALTRUISM: FROM HOMO ECONOMICUS TO HOMO ALTRUICUS > 20
CHRISTMAS DINNER: WHY THE HOLIDAYS ARE MAKING US FAT > 22
Extra Online articles:
EFR-BUSINESS WEEK: OUT OF THE BOX > 23
TOP LOCAL CHARITIES TO GIVE TO THIS YEAR > 27
UISENBERG SCHOOL OF FINANCE; FOR A HEAD START IN YOUR FINANCE CAREER > 24
CHINA’S EFFORTS TOWARDS A ‘HARMONIOUS SOCIETY’ > 28
GADGETS TO FIND UNDER YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE > 26
STUDENT EXPERIENCES: STUDENTS ABROAD > 30
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AROUND THE GLOBE > 07
EDITORIAL > 04
PRESIDENTIAL > 05
Editorial Address:
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Visual styling and printing:
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Editor in Chief:
Timothy Langstraat
Writers:
Vanessa Abeyawardena
Martin Jaakola
Leigh de Jager
Nicole Stelea
Winter van der Vlist
Ashleigh Woodend
Nadia Zafirah
Marketing officer:
Sten Boerkamp,
Commercial officer:
Joris Winkelman,
EFR Membership:
Alissa Dauer,
Subscription:
Price: €29
Contact EFR-Eclaire at [email protected]
Frequency:
Sent six times a year to all students of the
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edition: the EFR-Eclaire Special with a
circulation of 35.000 copies.
Copyright ©2011, EFR
Circulation:
6.000 units
Website:
efr.nl/eclaire
I N T R O D U C T I O N
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Ashleigh Woodend 21 IBEB-3 Zimbabwean
Some embarrassing things I may not
want people to know about me?
Well, at the age of 6 I was in love with
Rowan Atkinson, and v owed to my mother
that I would one day marry him. As well as
watching Mr. Bean episodes back to back,
I also spent my afternoons finding locusts.
I’d then bend down and begin talking to
them about various issues of interest.
One weird thing about myself that I’m
really proud of:
I can pinch people with my toes, and use
them for just about anything!
Nicole Stelea 22Master of
MarketingRomanian
I have been born and raised in Romania,
but have been living in The Netherlands
ever since I was 11. Almost every Saturday
morning you’ll find me at the ice rink,
since figure skating is my biggest passion.
I also enjoy writing, and hope to write
engaging articles for the Eclaire.
Martin Jaakola 20 IBEB, year one Finnish
Why did you move to Rotterdam to study?
I came here in order to experience a new
culture while surrounding myself with an
international and vibrant environment.
What is your morning routine before
school?
I take a warm shower, debate whether or
not to go to bed or to class, then drink a
few cups of coffee to prepare for the day
Vanessa
Abeyawardena20
Master of Brain and
CognitionBritish
Where are you from?
My father’s Sri Lankan and my mother’s
Trinidadian. I was born in England, raised
in Sri Lanka and Singapore.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
I don’t smoke or do drugs, and I drink in
moderation - but I’m absolutely addicted
to chocolate!
Hobbies besides writing for the Eclaire:
Painting, sketching, playing the piano and
watching Eddie Izzard
Leigh de Jager 21Master of Health Eco-
nomics, Policy and LawSouth African
Well I am never good at writing stuff about
myself. I guess my friends who know me
really well would describe me as insane, can’t
spell to save my life, have an off sense of
humour, technologically challenged, slowest
runner ever and incessantly hyper. I love
playing volleyball, even though my team might
not be the best we still act like crazy people
running around after the ball. Other than that
there’s not much to say, except that I hope you
enjoy reading this year’s Eclaire because it’s
going to be Legendary!
Nadia Zafirah 22 IBEB Indonesian
Hi everyone, my name is Nadia Zafirah, I’m
twenty-two years old and this is my third
year doing IBEB. Being an Indonesian I grew
up in tropical weather and I can’t really
stand the cold so you might ask, what am I
doing here in the Netherlands? All I know
is my love for cycling fits me well here and
I just need to master the art of doing it with
no hands. What about the foods? To date,
I haven’t tried herring yet. I love sushi but
herring just gives me a different vibe than
sushi-kind of raw fish.
Winter van
der Vlist20 Bachelor of Fiscal Economics Dutch
What is your New Year’s resolution?
My New Year’s resolution is to watch more
movies. As it’s not that hard I’m sure I’ll keep
it.
Santa Claus or Saint Nicolas?
Saint Nicolas without a doubt. Besides the
better candy there is some Dutch pride in the
whole Saint Nicolas tradition.
Tim Langstraat 24Business Administration,
2nd yearDutch
What’s the furthest you’ve ever gone for a
date?
In actions, I once… procured a street sign,
as proof of my willingness to get a date. In
distance, for my current girlfriend I flew about
13.000 kilometers, to the other side of the
world, just to go on a first date.
What is the silliest thing you did as a kid?
When my sister had just been born, my elder
brother and I were left unattended. Half an hour
went by before anyone came to check on us.
Time enough for us to use the entire checkered
duvet as a tick-tack-toe playing ground.
Introducing the newEclaire committee...
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Honour tradition and question tradition
Every day we are confronted with usages and practices
that emanate from our history. The singing of the national
anthem, the yearly celebration of festivities like Christmas
(I would like to wish you all a merry upcoming one by the
way) and specifically for students the life within fraternities;
our existence and the way we live is largely determined by
traditions.
In general traditions are associated with a positive feeling;
it is something to be proud of and something that has to
be passed on to the next generation. However, during the
98th Dies Natalis of the Erasmus University, on the 8th of
November professor Rachlinski emphasized in his elocution
the fact that intuition may lead to misjudgment. Although
professor Rachlinski’s juridical background, the point he
made is applicable in a broad aspect. It is for this reason I
considered this general first reaction and had some second
thoughts.
It is a matter of course that traditions breed continuation
and by that social stability and imperturbability. Furthermore
countries unite by the solidarity they generate. Despite the
social importance traditions do have, there is a detrimental
aspect as well. Most of the traditions are relics of past times
and it needs to be questioned if they fit within modern society.
Sometimes it is necessary to break with the past, to surmount
unprejudiced the difficulties we face today.
And that is exactly what is happening all around us! Our
Rector Magnificus, professor Schmidt said during his
speech at the Dies Natalis that times have changed and in
consequence universities have to do as well to excel in the
academic field. According to Schmidt the Erasmus University
has to renew the international ambitions by combining the
strengths of Leiden, Delft and Rotterdam.
The EFR always aims to innovate and to dispose of decayed
usages. Therefore we are proud that the EFR Shell Research
Project started this November and it has been received with
an enormous enthusiasm. The Business Week committee as
well is breaking with the past and tries to realize an evolution
within the program of the EFR-Business Week; read more
about it further on!
Last but not least I wish you all on behalf of the 48th board
of the Economic Faculty association Rotterdam a happy new
year, a year in which you break with the past, a year in which
you meet your ambition!
Best regards,
Thomas Dekker
President of the 48th board
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Presidential
Mazars is ontstaan uit een fusie tussen Mazars en Paardekooper&Hoffman
Ga verder met Mazars.
MERRY CHRISTMAS! FELIZ NAVIDAD! VROLIJK KERSTFEEST! JOYEUX NOEL! JUST AS EVERY LANGUAGE HAS ITS OWN CHRISTMAS GREETING, EVERY REGION OR RELIGION WE GREW UP WITH HAS ITS OWN TRADITIONS. SOME SACRIFICE PIGS AND PREPARE AS MANY DISHES AS
POSSIBLE, WHILE OTHERS PREFER HAVING A PRIVATE DINNER AT THE RESTAURANT. EVERY FAMILY CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS IN ITS OWN WAY, BUT IN THIS ARTICLE WE HAVE GATHERED VARIOUS TRADITIONS ON HOW CHRISTMAS IS CELEBRATED AROUND THE GLOBE.
Slaughtering pigs in the Balkan region
Balkan countries share some common
Christmas traditions, which are adapted
to each country. For example, villagers
in the Romanian and Bulgarian
countryside slaughter a pig in the days
leading up to Christmas. They prepare
as many dishes as possible to provide
an elaborate and delicious feast. A
tradition that is specific to Bulgaria is
baking a large loaf of bread, koledna
pitka, with a coin hidden inside. The
oldest member of the family has to
rotate the pitka clockwise three times
and everyone sitting at the table gets
the piece that is in front of him. It is
believed that whoever gets the coin will
be granted abundant happiness.
On Christmas Eve, young men go around
houses singing Christmas carols. While
in Romania they bring along a self-
made object that is supposed to portray
a star, in Bulgaria they bring a big stick
with multiple kravai, which are round
loafs of bread with holes in the middle,
around it. In both countries the carol
singers are often given money or food.
A Nordic Christmas in Santa’s town
In Nordic countries the Christmas tree
is usually decorated on Christmas
Eve. The gifts are left underneath
the Christmas tree by a mischievous
gnome called (Jule)nisse. The children
leave a bowl of porridge to please the
gnome and to limit his jokes.
In Finland, there is even an entire
town for Christmas called Rovaniemi.
According to Finnish tradition it
is supposedly where Santa Claus
comes from. A nice detail is that
Finnish children who write to Santa
Claus actually get an answer back.
The presents are usually opened on
Christmas Day, which is celebrated
with the extended family.
Typical Finnish Christmas food is
Christmas ham with mustard and
joulutorttu, which are pinwheel cookies
filled with a prune center
The nine days journey to Bethlehem in
Latin America
In Argentina, during Christmas time,
children also write a letter to Santa,
while in the other Latin American
countries they rather write it to el niño
Dios, or the baby Jesus.
The typical Christmas meal depends
on each family. Generally, they prepare
a barbecue and various meat dishes,
and, it is the only occasion when
garrapiñada (sugared almonds) and
turrón (nougat) are eaten.
On the 25th of December, at midnight,
the family toasts to a happy Christmas,
and everyone hugs each other. Then,
the gifts are opened and everybody
goes to watch the fireworks.
In Mexico, Las Posadas is celebrated
nine days before Christmas. These
celebrations reenact the search for
shelter in Bethlehem of Mary and
Joseph. People go around houses
with images of Mary and Joseph and
Christmas carols are sung.
During Christmas Day, Mexican
children are blindfolded and they have
to try to break a piñata.
Christian celebrations in Asia
The Philippines is the only Asian
country in which the majority of the
population is Christian. The people
celebrate the Misa de Gallo, which is a
similar celebration to Las Posadas. It
also starts nine days before Christmas
and people reenact as well Joseph
and Mary’s search for shelter. This
similarity is due the Spanish influence
on the Filipino culture.
In Indonesia, Christmas is celebrated
by going for dinner with the family and
exchanging gifts. This usually happens
either on 24th or 25th of December. Also,
Santa Claus is generally known as
‘Sinterklaas’. So, ‘Sinterklaas’ is there
not Saint Nicholas from the Dutch
celebrations. People also celebrate
it by going to church, where they sing
Christmas Carols. However, caroling
is not done in public, as only a minority
(around ten percent) of the population
in Indonesia is Christian.
Even though there are different
traditions for Christmas all over the
world, the message of this holiday is
the same around the globe: a peaceful
time that you can enjoy being together
as a family.
Christmas traditions around the globe
7
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“They prepare as many
dishes as possible to
provide an elaborate
and delicious feast”
By Nicole Stelea
iTunes: Apple’s pied piper for the music industryiTunes was able to fight music piracy by offering customers
an attractive alternative. Apple realised early on that getting
music for free was not the only incentive for consumers to
download music. People wanted to listen to their music on
convenient digital music players without the hassle of buying
CD’s. iTunes distinguished itself trough simplicity and the
quality of the digital music files offered immediately through
the internet. Instead of being available for free, customers
had to pay 99 cents per song. The iTunes Store reached major
milestones in sales within short time after introduction,
selling one million songs in the first week alone.
Apple’s strategy to gain market share involved the creation
of an ecosystem around their products by introducing
seamlessly integrated complementary products making the
main product, the iPod, more valuable for consumers. The
iTunes Store was part of this strategy, making it easy to fill
up your iPod with just a few clicks of the mouse. As such, the
ecosystem created considerable network effects, leading to
customer preferences for iPods and making Apple’s clients
less likely to switch brands.
Consequently, the ecosystem resulted in a competitive
advantage and is thus one of the main reasons of the iPod’s
and iTunes’ success. Only Apple could build such a seamless
integration, because it is probably the only company that
designs both the hardware and software. Because the profits
of Apple were largely attributed to selling hardware, not
music, the iTunes Store was primarily conceived to create
those complementary network effects.
Growing a new ecosystemSpotify is a different story. Because Spotify sells no hardware,
it can’t mimic Apple’s ecosystem strategy built around iTunes
to fight Apple’s dominance in the music industry. Instead,
Spotify’s continued existence depends totally on the money
earned from the sales of music subscriptions and ads. To lure
as much customers as possible to their service, the company
Spotify versus iTunes:
Revolution in the Music Industry
C O M M E R C E
THE EMERGENCE OF INTERNET MUSIC PIRACY AROUND THE MILLENNIUM TRANSITION INITIATED A REVOLUTION IN THE WORLDWIDE
MUSIC INDUSTRY. AS CONSUMERS STARTED TO SHARE SONGS AND ALBUMS ILLEGALLY OVER THE INTERNET, THEIR WILLINGNESS TO BUY MUSIC THROUGH TRADITIONAL OUTLETS, SUCH AS MUSIC STORES, DECREASED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE REVENUES IN THE TRADITIONAL MUSIC BUSINESS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY. IN RESPONSE TO THE CHANGING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS EASY EXCHANGE OF DIGITAL MUSIC, APPLE INTRODUCED THE PORTABLE MUSIC PLAYER IPOD AND ESTABLISHED THE ITUNES STORE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BUY AND DOWNLOAD ONLINE MUSIC IN A LEGAL AND EASY WAY. THE IPOD AND ITUNES GAINED MUCH POPULARITY AND FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE WAY WE CURRENTLY LISTEN TO AND BUY MUSIC. WHILE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ITUNES STORE RESULTED IN MUSICIANS AND RECORD LABELS EARNING MONEY OUT OF THE INTERNET FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT HAD A DOWNSIDE AS WELL. ITUNES’ RAPID SUCCESS MADE IT A DOMINANT PLAYER THAT COULD CONTROL THE WAY MUSIC WAS SOLD. HOWEVER, TIMES ARE CHANGING. THE SWEDISH COMPANY SPOTIFY CURRENTLY BRINGS CONSUMERS A NEW WAY TO ENJOY MUSIC. MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS GIVE CLIENTS UNLIMITED ACCESS TO A MASSIVE ONLINE MUSIC COLLECTION AND THE POSSIBILITY TO STREAM SONGS OVER THE INTERNET TO THEIR PC OR MOBILE PHONE. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER SPOTIFY IS ABLE TO DETERIORATE ITUNES’ MARKET DOMINANCE.
By Erik de Kleijn, Xenia Ryshchenko and Lin Ye
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C O M M E R C E
also tries to create network effects by connecting users to
each other and let them share their favourite playlists. The
more friends join Spotify, the more you will appreciate the
service.
In order to take this idea to the next level, Spotify recently
signed a deal with Facebook. Through Facebook, Spotify
is able to integrate its music service into the largest social
network in the world with more than 800 million users. If you
are listening to music on Spotify, your Facebook friends will
know (unless you block this application). Besides, Facebook
facilitates easy recommendation of new artists to your friends.
Obviously, it is only possible for friends to share in all the fun
if they also subscribe to Spotify. Short after the announcement
of the integration in Facebook, the use of Spotify increased
considerably. It is therefore very likely that this deal leads to
an exponential growth of Spotify’s customer base.
The potential for growthGiving recommendations to customers is a strong instrument
for companies to increase the use of their service or to sell
more products. Online bookseller Amazon.com and iTunes
have a long history making suggestions of books or music you
also might like based on your purchase history. Yet, customers
value recommendations more if they come from their friends
rather than computer algorithms. Spotify can benefit from
this fact because of the people connected to Facebook. Apple
tried something similar when it created its own social network
named Ping as part of iTunes but failed to succeed.
Despite the fact that Spotify could make them less dependent
on iTunes, the record companies and artists are cautious of
Spotify growing too big as long as the royalties paid are relatively
small. For that reason, the industry insists that Spotify reduces
the availability of free ad-supported subscriptions forcing
users to pay a monthly fee. This approach might, however,
work against them as the availability of free ad-supported
subscriptions lowers the threshold for new users to join and
also seems to reduce piracy.
As Spotify tries to be an attractive substitute for iTunes, it has
introduced features like offline playlists and iPod-integration
making it possible to upload songs retrieved from Spotify on
Apple hardware, like iPods. In this way, users can still listen
to music even if there is no internet connection available on
their PC or phone to stream music directly from Spotify. By
offering social network tools through integration in Facebook
and by making it easy for iTunes clients to use their own
Apple hardware, Spotify might well be able to breach iTunes’
dominance in the worldwide music industry.
Note: This article is a shortened and revised version of the
‘Best Paper Award’-winning research project the authors
conducted for the course Organisation & Strategy in the first
year bachelor program of the Erasmus School of Economics.
The more
friends join Spotify,
the more you
will appreciate
the service
one million
songs sold in
the first week
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S T U D E N T L I F E
WITH PREPARATIONS FOR THE ERASMUS RECRUITMENT DAYS (ERD) WELL UNDER WAY, TWO OF THE LOVELY LADIES OF THE ERD HAVE FOUND TIME TO TALK TO US. ABOUT PREPARATIONS, WORK, AND WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT THE ERD.
Hi, and thank you for joining us. Before we start this
interview, would you like to introduce yourself?
Aimee Cox (22): I am the chairwoman of the Erasmus
Recruitment Days. I just finished my IBA last summer. Two
years ago I worked for AIESEC, where I looked for students
in Rotterdam who wanted to go abroad. Last year I went to
Central America for 6 months, to learn Spanish. I spent two
months in Panama studying Spanish, and then went on to
backpack through the rest of Central America.
Kim van der Aar (23): I finished my IBA two years ago
already, and after that I worked for Henkel for eleven
months, first as an intern, and then as an employee. Started
on my Master’s in marketing afterwards, did an exchange in
Sydney, came back in July and in August I started working
for the ERD as the Commissioner of Marketing.
Around the release of this issue of the Eclaire, a lot of
promotion of the Erasmus Recruitment Days is going on.
For those of us who haven’t heard of it yet, could you explain
a bit about the ERD?
KvdA: The ERD is the biggest on-campus recruitment event
of the Benelux. Every year around a hundred companies and
over 2000 students participate. Roughly said, it’s the final
step towards getting your career started: we give you the
opportunity to connect with all kinds of companies, through
various activities. There are company presentations,
workshops, interviews, trainings, off-campus days and
informal recruitment activities. On top of that, there will be
lunches, dinners and drinks that you can attend as well, to
talk to companies in a more relaxed setting.
So this event is very important for anyone who wants to work
on their career. Can everyone join in?
AC: The presentations and off-campus days are open to
everyone, and all the rest is based on your resume, and
possibly your motivation, which is optional. The selection
of candidates is done by the companies themselves, so
you’ll know that they’re truly interested in you when you’re
selected. These workshops and interviews are more
specialized, to ask specific questions to those companies
and show your personal skills, while presentations and
off-campus days are more orientation-based. All students
can join in – it’s not just limited to economics or business
students. There is good reason our name is the Erasmus
Recruitment Days.
The theme for this year is “Build Your Career”. What made
you choose this theme?
KvdA: We chose this theme because you basically
start building your career as soon as you start studying.
Nowadays you have to develop yourself besides your studies,
and in the end, it exists of multiple building blocks: not just
your studies, but also your extracurricular activities, work
experience, time abroad, internships, everything that you do
is counted. We, the ERD, are the final step that connects
students with companies and develops recruitment skills;
we form the final building block to your career.
Finally, if there are any doubting students out there still
wondering whether they should join, do you have a last
message for them, why they should participate in the
Erasmus Recruitment Days?
KvdA: There’s a lot that students can find at the ERD.
It’s not just for people who know exactly what they want:
you can also just have a look, get to know the companies
and the various industries represented. It’s a good way
to find out where your interests lie. You’ll get a lot more
practical knowledge, like what kind of problems a marketer
encounters, or what kind of work consultants do. You don’t
learn that at university, which is more theoretical.
KvdA: If you already know what you want, you can contact
the companies or just improve your recruitment skills
through trainings. Some of the interviews have a selection
purpose, so you could possibly skip several selection rounds
of the company in one go. So there is basically something for
everyone: if you’re not sure what you want, you can have a
look, but if you already know what you want you can contact
the companies in an easy, relaxed way.
AC: It’s a lot of fun to do with friends as well. You can have
lunch, attend presentations, or just visit the drinks every day
at five. And on the 15th there will be a special closing day
drink, which will be more elaborate than the previous drinks,
with special treats and, of course, as many free drinks you
could want.
The Erasmus Recruitment Days: Building your career, one block at a time
By Timothy Langstraat
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WITH EVER-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY, OUR WAY OF LIFE IS BOUND TO CHANGE. SOME OFTHOSE CHANGES ARE MORE CONTROVERSIAL THAN OTHERS. GLOBALIZATION, DUE TO RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES, HAS CAUSED BORDERS TO FADE. WITH THE RISE OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS THE INTERNET, THE BORDERS THAT EXIST BETWEEN COUNTRIES HAVE BLURRED EVEN FURTHER. HOWEVER AS WE ARE ADAPTING MORE OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT THE BORDERS BETWEEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC LIFE ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO CHANGE AS WELL. MARK ZUCKERBERG HAS ALREADY STATED THAT PRIVACY IS A THING OF THE PAST. HOW, AND TO WHAT EXTENT, IS OUR PRIVACY ENDANGERED?
We choose to share
Sure enough, you choose to
share some information through
Facebook, MSN and perhaps
even Twitter. But those are not
the only tracks you’ve left! When
just using Google, a file is stored
on your computer and filled with
search history. This information is
then used on not only Google but
other sites as well, to tailor the
displayed ads to your interests.
However, tracking does not stop
there; it can go a lot further, and
the technologies to do that are
already applied in everyday life.
Chips tracking your location
The RFID tag, a chip that is able
to send data through radio waves,
can track your every move without
you even knowing. No way you’ll
go out without your shoes on,
right? The shoe maker can imbed
a RFID tag in the shoes and load
your personal information onto
it at sale. Now let’s say that the
supermarket incorporates RFID
tag readers into their floor. Not
only will they know that you were
in their supermarket and for how
long, they can actually tell how
long you stood in front of the dairy
department. When RFID tags
are incorporated in a number of
‘strategic’ spots, you have become
a dot on the radar, whether you
like it or not.
So what are we getting back?
We’re still economists. We want
to know what we get in return
for this privacy loss. RFID tags
are now being used as a barcode
replacement that allow for
more efficiency because they
don’t require line of sight and
can be scanned hundreds at a
second. Applications for tracking
demand and movement will allow
companies to better understand
or calculate market demand,
information which they can then
use for decision making. It could
be a good thing because it will
enable a more efficient market.
You might even experience the
tailor-made ads as a personal
comfort!
One of the less reassuring factors
about the RFID tag is the potential
for abuse. A corrupt government
could use this information for
less desirable purposes, such
as tracking dissidents. And even
if you trust the companies and
government in their rightful
application of the information,
will they be able to protect it?
Hacking of databases is a very
credible threat that could result
in anyone getting their hands on
your information.
Is it too late?
There’s no need to throw away your
cell-phones and shoes just yet.
RFID tags are not yet used to track
your every move. Restrictions by
law might be necessary to prevent
this from happening in the future,
though. If you are worried about
the direction privacy is heading for,
now is the time to speak up.
Privacy: A thing of the pastBy Winter van der Vlist
“Companies
can track you
wherever
you go”
www.werkenvoornederland.nl
Als fi nancieel specialist bij de Rijksoverheid heb je veelzijdig werk. Je bereidt het fi nancieringsbeleid voor, beheert de staats kas én de staatsschuld of je zorgt voor een correcte begroting of controle cyclus. Dat kun je doen op het gebied van zorg, onderwijs, verkeer, veiligheid, milieu, buitenlandse
betrekkingen, sport, infra structuur. Allemaal zaken die van grote maatschappelijke betekenis zijn. In feite werk je dus voor alle Nederlanders. Het is hoe dan ook enorm interessant werk, waarbinnen je jezelf eindeloos kunt ontwikkelen. Meer weten? Kijk op fi nancials.werkenvoornederland.nl.
Meer weten over een baan als fi nancieel specialist bij de Rijksoverheid? Kijk op fi nancials.werkenvoornederland.nl.
Het hele land als klant
HAILING FROM GERMANY, LENNART SCHWUNG IS AN EXPERIENCED DJ WHO HAS PERFORMED IN NUMEROUS CITIES, FROM SHANGHAI ALL THE WAY TO BARCELONA. A FIRST YEAR IBA STUDENT CURRENTLY LIVING IN ROTTERDAM, HE HAS TO BALANCE
HIS STUDIES WITH HIS HOBBY OF BEING A DJ. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN HIM PERFORM AT THE STAR DJ CONTEST IN RIVA, WHICH HE WON, OR AT ONE OF THE MANY ROTTERDAM STUDENT PARTY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SUCH AS GLOBAL BEATS. WE SAT DOWN AT HIS APARTMENT TO DISCUSS WHAT BALANCING LIFE AS A STUDENT AND DJ IS LIKE.
What is your background in music
and what specifically got you into
performing?
I began playing the saxophone at the age
of ten, and later joined a jazz band. When
I was fourteen, my friend had a DJ setup
but I had no idea how it worked; it looked
cool though. When I moved from Moscow
to Shanghai, my parents let me choose a
gift for myself. I ended up choosing two
turntables and a record-mixer, as I first
played on records instead of CDs. After a
while it was difficult to get music on vinyl
because the record stores didn’t have the
music I wanted, so I switched to CDs. My
preference in music is specialized. The
official term is tech house. I’d describe it
as the flow of house with more edge, and
a bit more electronic elements.
My first performances were as an
amateur DJ at school dances. These
really helped me notice that I had quite
a bit of control over the crowd, and how
important the music is for having a good
night. I liked the fact that I could have a
positive influence on peoples’ nights.
How do your studies at Erasmus help
you as a DJ?
What I have noticed is that getting a gig is
pretty easy as a lot of student parties get
organized and they all want a DJ. I have
good contacts here because of that and
have gotten to play at events like Global
Beats or the F building party.
This education is a basis and I want to
see where it will take me. It’ll help me
because if I do manage to go professional
I’ll know how to market, budget, and
finance myself without getting screwed
over in the industry. I have three years to
test the waters to see where I am at, or
get a real job.
How do you prepare for an event, and
how do you choose your music?
Basically, what I do is keep myself
updated on all the artists that I like.
Facebook pages, Beatport, podcasts
from certain DJs, and music blogs are
good places to find more music. Through
those I find certain tracks that I like,
and then go and find more from that
artist. For specific events, I need to know
the club. Once I do, I prepare a specific
playlist tailored to the crowd.
What are your future plans?
Right now I want to stray away from the
more commercial clubs. At the moment I
accept most gigs but eventually it would
be nice to play more of my own music.
I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t want to
have played more of my own tracks at
Riva and Global Beats. Also, I want to
start producing. These days you need
to do this. You need to make your own
music and I have a few projects that I am
currently working on, all of which I am
really excited about.
By Martin Jaakola
Emerging International Talent:
Lennart Schwung
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By Martin Jaakola
FROM NOKIA’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS IN SOUTHERN FINLAND PRODUCING PAPER AND RUBBER, NOKIA HAS RELENTLESSLY
EXPANDED INTO DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES UNTIL THE EARLY NINETIES, WHEN IT DECIDED TO SOLELY FOCUS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS. SINCE THEN, IT HAS BECOME A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. BUT, AS BUSINESSWEEK PUTS IT, “ALMOST EVERYTHING NOKIA HAS DONE SINCE 2007 HAS BEEN WRONG.”
Driving full speed ahead while lagging far behind:How Nokia can catch up and get itself back into business
When a company circulates a memo
warning employees that they are
standing atop a burning oil platform,
inches away from being consumed
by flames, an employee would
naturally question the stability of
their job. Combine downsizing, the
implementation of a foreign CEO, and
plummeting stock, and the outlook
would seem nothing but grim for
the poor employee of this doomed
company. However, when the company
in question is Nokia – the world’s
largest manufacturer of mobile phones,
by volume – the future of that company
becomes increasingly complex.
A myriad of problems have plagued
Nokia, many stemming from the
introduction of the iPhone in 2007.
Taking them by surprise, Nokia has
watched its share of the smartphone
market drop from 49 percent just before
the introduction of the iPhone to about
25 percent in the first quarter of 2011.
As a result, cost-cutting has become
commonplace with 7,000 jobs cut in
Denmark, the UK, and Finland, and a
further 3,500 jobs axed in Romania last
September.
In an act of what seems like
desperation, former Microsoft manager
Stephen Elop has been hired as their
new CEO. Elop has developed a new
three stage comeback plan in order to
get Nokia back on track. The first stage
is to ditch Nokia’s previous attempts at
smartphone operating systems, Meego
and Symbian; both of which have been
highly innovative, but costly and fraught
with bugs. Switching to Microsoft-based
smartphones theoretically saves money
in research and development, injects
fresh talent into Nokia’s smartphone
program, and eventually will give Apple
and Android direct competition.
One such phone, announced in
November, is the “Lumia 800”. Running
Windows phone 7, this smartphone
offers a sleek design and a wide
variety of innovative features. One such
innovation is that the phone integrates
social networking websites such as
Facebook and Twitter into your phone,
allowing you to receive and post status
updates without requiring separate
applications. Moreover, this phone
refers to “contacts as people”. This
means each contact on your phone
has their own profile consisting of data
gathered from these various social
networking platforms, sparking a new
age of interconnectivity.
On the other hand, it could be certainly
argued that switching to a Microsoft-
based operating system, while ditching
Meego and Symbian, is only going to
make things worse. Besides the initial
layoffs, there will be a learning curve
for existing employees who must
learn to work with the new Microsoft
operating system, requiring extensive
training. Furthermore, part of the deal
to use Windows means that Nokia
must abide to a long list of stringent
restrictions. For example, all Windows-
based phones must include three hard
buttons: start, search, and back. While
this may seem trivial, Nokia’s designers
see these types of specifications as
heresy and this may cause conflict
within the organization.
Even if the switch is successful, with
so much focus going into increasing
their smartphone market share, what
will happen to Nokia’s profit margins
regarding their phones which run
the lower-end s40 operating system?
The second stage in Elop’s comeback
plan addresses this. Status-conscious
emerging markets, such as India,
are increasing demand for phones as
incomes rise and telecommunication
infrastructure is built. Introducing a
range of Asha phones, Elop plans to
reclaim the simple handset market,
which has been flooded by cheap
Android and Asian substitutes. Aimed
at those who can’t afford smartphones,
the Asha line of handsets will have the
capability of holding multiple SIM cards
while providing internet access and
valuable information at an affordable
rate, blurring the line between the
simple handset and smartphone.
The third stage of Nokia’s comeback
plan is the establishment of a research
and development team called New
Disruptions. Exclusively employing top
talent from the now-defunct Meego
and Symbian efforts, they will try to
find “the next big thing”. What that
means may not be inherently obvious,
but presumably it is a project aimed
at finding something that completely
blows away Apple, Android, and even
Microsoft, without having deadlines or
other such limitations.
Even with a solid three step plan in
place, Nokia faces difficulties ahead.
The partnership with Microsoft was
not received well by investors, with
shares falling 14 percent the day the
Microsoft deal was announced. The
abrupt abandonment of both Meego
and Symbian seems to have upset
many loyal fans, with the damage
running deeper than simply upsetting
a few groupies. The problem is that
Nokia seems to be shooting in the dark
with their strategy, without a concise
plan for the future and willing to simply
abandon years of work in order to play
catch up. It is no wonder why there is an
air of uncertainty for Nokia’s investors.
However, there is hope for Nokia. If the
Microsoft partnership is successful,
Gartner Group predicts that the
Windows phones could get 19.5 percent
of the market share by 2015, thus
placing them ahead of Apple; Nokia
could be back in business. The Asha
lineup of phones (meaning “hope” in
Hindi) certainly hold potential to sell
millions, especially in the emerging
markets. Nokia seems to have decided
that choosing between the smartphone
market and the lower-end emerging
market is not necessary. There is no
reason why you cannot have your cake
and eat it too.
"The problem is
that Nokia seems
to be shooting
in the dark with
their strategy"
A new age of interconnectivity...
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Van scriptanttot trainee
W W W.GA A AN.NU
KPMG
Recruitment Centre
Laan van Langerhuize 1
1186 DS Amstelveen
(020) 656 7162
www.gaaan.nu
een groep studenten in de afstudeerfase bij elkaar zit,
kun je met elkaar sparren en informatie uitwisselen.
Ook kreeg ik een coach toegewezen die mij wegwijs
heeft gemaakt in de organisatie en waarbij ik met al
mijn vragen terechtkon.
Je krijgt de tijd en mogelijkheden om het bedrijf, de
werkzaamheden en de collega’s te leren kennen.
KPMG organiseert bijvoorbeeld diverse activiteiten
voor scriptanten, zoals de Landelijke Scriptanten-
dagen, etentjes, borrels, etc. Daarnaast heb ik via
KPMG kunnen deelnemen aan golflessen en kon ik
binnen een paar maanden mijn GVB halen.”
En nu aan de slag als trainee?
“Ik kijk terug op een geslaagde scriptiestage bij KPMG.
Mijn Master is met succes afgerond en ik heb een
geweldige werkgever leren kennen. Sinds september
werk ik fulltime als trainee; ik ben sindsdien al veel
leuke ervaringen rijker. Ik werk in wekelijks wisselende
teams aan opdrachten voor verschillende bedrijven.
Hierdoor leer je snel veel collega’s kennen en is het
werk erg divers. Mijn scriptie is dus een mooie eerste
carrièrestap geweest en ik kan iedereen dan ook
aanraden om met KPMG kennis te maken en te gaan
voor je scriptie!”
Wil jij ook je scriptie bij KPMG schrijven? Neem dan
contact op met het KPMG Recruitment Centre via
[email protected] of schrijf je in op www.gaaan.nu.
Kijk voor tips op facebook.com/kpmgscriptiecoach.
Stijn van der Heijden (27) heeft zijn scriptie bij KPMG
geschreven en is onlangs gestart als trainee in
Rotterdam. We vroegen Stijn naar zijn stage-ervaring
en start bij KPMG.
Waarom heb je ervoor gekozen om je scriptie bij
een bedrijf te schrijven?
“Ik heb na mijn Bachelor Economie de Master
Accounting, Auditing and Control gedaan. Tijdens een
inhousedag ontdekte ik de mogelijkheden om je scriptie
bij een groot accountancykantoor te schrijven.
Naast de theoretische kennis die ik in ruim vijf jaar
had opgedaan, wilde ik graag praktijkervaring op-
doen. Ik ben daarom alvast op zoek gegaan naar een
potentiële werkgever om daar mijn scriptie te schrijven.”
Waarom KPMG?
“Tijdens mijn studententijd was ik erg actief als
wedstrijdroeier bij ARSR Skadi. Ik zocht een werkgever
waar je mensen vindt met dezelfde drive en passie.
Tijdens mijn kennismaking met KPMG vielen de
gedrevenheid en no-nonsensementaliteit mij op.
Niet alleen mooie verhalen, maar vooral daden.
Ook de Talentpool van KPMG vind ik erg aansprekend.
Dit houdt in dat je eerst een heel divers klantenpakket
hebt en dat je daarna een keuze maakt voor de sector
waarin je je gaat specialiseren. Voor mij voldoende
redenen om mijn scriptie bij KPMG te schrijven.”
Hoe heb je de scriptiestage ervaren?
“Ik kreeg alle ruimte om mijn eigen plan te trekken.
Zo kon ik het schrijven aan mijn scriptie afwisselen
met het opdoen van praktijkervaring. Doordat je met
“IK HEB EEN
GEWELDIGE
WERKGEVER
LEREN
KENNEN.”
© 2011 KPMG N.V., alle rechten voorbehouden.
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W O R L D
AFTER A BUSY SCHOOL YEAR, THE LONG AWAITED WINTER HOLIDAY FINALLY ARRIVES. SURE, CHRISTMAS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, BUT THERE IS MORE TO WINTER HOLIDAYS THAN THE FAMILY VISIT
OR GRANDMA’S COOKING.
Spending your winter break in cold countries just makes sense.
There is a time for holidaying in shorts and flip-flops, and that
is in summer. Although the cold weather might make you just
want to snuggle in bed or have beers in front of the fireplace, it
is also a good time to travel. When else would we have snows
and frozen lakes, if not in the winter? Building snowmen
indoors in Dubai is not as fun as doing it in your own backyard
or at the park. Watching snowflakes fall is a thrill on its own,
not to mention sledding down the small hill nearby; those are
just the small things that make winter worth the cold..
What's more, the winter holiday is the time to do all those
winter sports we’ve been planning to complete. We’ve all been
waiting eagerly to Ski, snowboard, ski jump and ice-skate once
again. Aside from the EFR ski trip’s place at Les Menuires, Soll,
in Austria, and Avoriaz, France are also good spots for skiing.
There are gentle slopes for beginners and night skiing for a
different ambience. For those of you who are crazy enough,
you can give ice swimming a try, which is pretty common in
Scandinavia. Just make sure you do not get stuck under the ice
and only swim in the water hole. Jumping into the sauna would
be a good idea afterwards.
Even if you are not into winter sports, you can still have all the
fun in the cold. Taking the train in a snowstorm is no pleasure,
but when the coast is clear, it is remarkable. Little
snow patches make for beautiful
scenery and the view of the
Alps from the
train is all the more gorgeous. You can also get to see steam
locomotives in operation through the Austria rail line among
the mountains. Or, take a cruise in the Rhine Valley, passing
by terraced vineyards and medieval castles. The Christmas
markets are not to miss, and sipping Gluhwein and tasting the
winter foods is to die for. No one can pass on a good snowball
fight or building a snowman, no matter how old you are. In
addition, the chalet has a lot more to offer. Should you give up
skiing after your first fall and get stuck in the hotel, you can
still enjoy partying with your friends and family. Dipping in the
outdoor hot tub with the view of snow certainly has a different
sensation.
Compared to spending the holiday in warm countries,
vacationing in cold countries is much more affordable if you
stay in Europe. The price range depends on your type of holiday.
If you have more time and dime, taking the train from Holland
to Switzerland or Austria would be a good idea. Otherwise,
many low cost airlines fly to the nearest airports of your ski
destinations and if you book your accommodation early, you
can get a good deal.
It’s all about the SnowBy Nadia Zafirah
"The view of the Alps
from the train is all the
more gorgeous"
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25 years of Oprah
Early history
Winfrey was born to a teenage maid in
1954. She spent her childhood in deep
poverty and often had to wear dresses
made from potato sacks. In her teenage
years she was reportedly raped by her
cousin, her uncle and a family friend.
At the age of 14, while under the care
of her father, Oprah fell pregnant but
lost her son almost immediately after
his birth. Despite this tragedy, she
managed to pick herself up, becoming
an honours student and subsequently
securing a full scholarship to
Tennessee State University. There she
studied communication and got her
first job at a local black radio station.
She was now well on her way.
Career beginnings
In 1983, Winfrey began hosting AM
Chicago, and brought it from being the
lowest ranking talk show to overtaking
the famous Phil Donahue in the ratings.
This success led on to the creation of
‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ in 1986. In
the beginning, there was so little hype
that Winfrey’s team had to stand in as
the audience, and much of her content
was tabloid related. However after a
1988 episode in which a group of Nazi
youth used the show as a platform for
recruitment, Oprah realized that she
needed to change her approach. She
decided that she would never allow her
show to be used as a medium to spread
hate and negativity.
Winfrey takes on the world
Since then she has managed to sweep
a veil of enlightenment over America
and the world. She has discussed
and educated viewers on the issues
of child abuse, manic depression,
gender identity, AIDS, the environment,
spirituality, health, finance and racism.
Thus it is hardly surprising that Oprah
is considered by CNN to be ‘arguably
the world’s most powerful woman’
with ‘a voice larger than a hundred
senators.’
Maureen Dowd (New York Times)
observed that the majority of
internationally successful women have
had to be publically slapped down
GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND YOU’RE ALMOST GUARANTEED TO FIND THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON KNOWS OPRAH WINFREY. HAVING THIS LEVEL OF FAME FOR A SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME
IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. YET OPRAH, A SMALL-TOWN GIRL FROM KO-SCUISKO, MISSISSIPPI HAS MANAGED TO ACHIEVE THIS WITH STYLE.
By Ashleigh Woodend
E N T E R T A I N M E N TE
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E N T E R T A I N M E N T
OPRAH’S 5 MOST MEMORABLE SHOWS
1. President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama appear on the show (2011)
2. 200 adult men who were molested come forward (November 2010)
3. Tom Cruise jumps on the couch (2005)
4. Oprah gives her entire studio audience a car (2004)
5. Truddi Chase: The Woman with 92 Personalities (1990)
before progressing further, however
Oprah has been the exception. Dowd
goes on to make the bold statement,
‘she has more credibility than the
President.’ So it comes as no surprise
that in the 2008 presidential elections
many called for Oprah to run for office; a
rather outlandish suggestion given her
lack of political experience, but a good
illustration of her fame and influence
among the American population. Oprah
is not only credible, but she is also
highly influential. During a 1996 show
on mad cow disease Winfrey publically
declared that she would stop eating
hamburgers. This spur of the moment
comment caused Texas cattlemen to
sue Oprah for defamation of perishable
foods. They claimed that beef prices
had plummeted in response to her
statement and called for $11 million in
damages. The case was dismissed, but
will forever serve as proof of Oprah’s
reach.
One explanation for the strong
influence that Oprah is able to exert is
that she has always been a pioneer. By
transforming her show in 1988, Oprah
revolutionized the talk-show form of
media communication. A new level of
intimacy was formed between the host
and the viewer, and this has continued
to be the charm of her show. She has
encouraged openness and fearlessly
shared much of her own life. This has
led the Wall Street Journal to coin the
term ‘Oprahfication,’ which is defined
as public confession as a form of
therapy.
Oprah’s influence does not stop at word
creation. Over these twenty five years
she has become a house-hold name.
In 2000, her monthly O magazine was
published for the first time, and in
2006, she began airing Oprah radio.
She has also featured and acted in
numerous films, most notably ‘The
Colour Purple,’ and more recently has
launched Harpo Productions.
The Oprah Effect
Oprah’s huge brand image has made
it every business’s dream to be
mentioned or publicized on her show.
Her ‘million-dollar touch’ is now widely
known as the ‘Oprah effect’ and has
been investigated by CNBC to see how
she changes no-names into brand
names. Besides lending huge
exposure to the Amazon Kindle
and various books through her
Book Club, Oprah’s Midas touch
has transformed businesses
operating out of small kitchens
into household names. A good
example is Carol’s Daughter, a beauty
product company that was started in
a kitchen in Brooklyn. When business
owner Lisa Price appeared on Oprah
in 2002, her website hits went from
200 to 17.000 in a day! Her sales later
grew from $2 million a year to $20
million. As a result some American
firms have changed their marketing
and advertising strategies. So profound
is the Oprah Effect that a number of
firms essentially strategize on how to
actually get onto the show, with one
American firm chasing the dream for
more than seven years!
A sad goodbye
Unfortunately however, Oprah’s show
came to an end this year, marking a
change in the lives of every-day people
world-wide. So intense is the sense
of loss for some ardent fans that
psychologists have expressed concern
about what they call ‘Empty Oprah
Syndrome.’ There are even reports
of fans seeking psychological help in
dealing with ‘Life after Oprah,’ and
there is little hope of anyone filling the
large void. All I can say is that I’m quite
disappointed that I didn’t manage to
snag one of her extravagant audience
gifts. Imagine getting a free car, an
Australian holiday, or meeting your
celebrity idol! Just like many hopeful
businesses, we too will have to accept
the sad reality that we will never be
able to shine on the Oprah stage. It is a
gloomy prospect indeed.
…more credibility than
the President.
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S T U D E N T L I F E
WIKIPEDIA DEFINES ALTRUISM AS "CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF OTHERS". IT'S A VERY OBJECTIVE DEFINITION, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL WHAT KIND OF PERSON WROTE THE ENTRY. I IMAGINE A YOUNG FIRST-YEAR STUDENT, PEERING AT THE SCREEN THROUGH GLASSES WITH EYES THAT STILL
CARRY SO MUCH HOPE FOR GOODNESS IN THE WORLD. ON THE OTHER HAND, I CAN ALSO IMAGINE AN OLD, CYNICAL PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR WHO SINCERELY BELIEVES THAT ALTRUISM IS DEAD... OR WORSE, THAT IT NEVER EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I've often mentioned evolution in my
psychology articles, and for good rea-
son. My teacher for that module left a
deep impression on all of us. He enjoy-
ed stirring up fierce discussions in his
classes with a little spark of controver-
sy. "Evolutionary theory leaves no room
for good deeds. By nature, every man
lives for himself... warring, competing,
killing... so altruism must be a pu-
rely social construct." It's a frightening
thought for a seventeen-year-old, and
even three years later, I have to hope
that there's no one who truly believes
that people are inherently bad, and fully
depend on laws and social rules to keep
them in check.
The evolution of Homo Economicus
Predictably, economists are not too op-
timistic on the subject. Let's say you're
given $20 and asked to split it between
yourself and an anonymous recipient,
either 10-10 or 18-2. If you're like three
out of four people, you'll opt to share
it equally instead of taking most of it.
That's what some economics resear-
chers found, and they deliberately kept
the recipient anonymous to rule out any
feelings of favour or sympathy, which
are usually considered vital in nudging
people towards donorship and charity
in the real world. However, if it sounds
too good to be true, don't get too exci-
ted. Follow-up experiments involving a
choice to take away cash from the ano-
nymous recipient led to more people
opting to steal the recipient's cash too.
Empirical evidence is vital in the so-
cial sciences, but in reality only provi-
des half the story. For some anecdotal
evidence, let us regard the Chinese
- traditionally the icons of collectivism
(read: filial piety). One would expect
that in collectivist nations the strive for
oneself is considered far less important
than altruistic duties. Yet, the incident
with the two-year-old who was run over
in China shocked the world. The same
teacher I mentioned told the class of a
similar incident: he'd been biking along
in Singapore, and saw someone who
had fallen off their bike in the middle
of the road. The cars drove around the
victim instead of assisting him. The first
person to aid the man was not a Singa-
porean, but a Western student.
The benefit of altruism
If there's anything Sri Lankans care
about, it's maintaining social networks.
In Sri Lankan culture, every child is
raised with the emphatic lesson: main-
tain your networks and make use of
them. Any Sri Lankan can travel any-
where in the world and expect to have
a place to stay even if they've met the
person they're staying with only once.
This is also altruism, and it's not mea-
surable in a lab.
Instead, this is a more social form of al-
truism, more human in approach than
the scientific, economic view of it. And
if you think it's only Asian culture, think
again. Over the last few years, a pheno-
menon has developed called couch sur-
fing. Simply put, it means opening your
doors to a stranger who needs a place
to stay for any amount of time - for free
- and it's in place in over 200 countries.
Altruism is all over the world, and in
reality it's more human and sponta-
neous than sterile and measurable.
It can be found in your wallet, on the
street, on your doorstep, and on your
couch, and you don't need rose-tinted
glasses to see it.
By Vanessa Abeyawardena
From Homo Economicus to Homo Altruicus
Waarom heb jij gekozen voor het Randstad ManagementTraineeship?De combinatie van enerzijdscommerciële doelstellingen diegekoppeld zijn aan een organisatieals Randstad en anderzijds demogelijkheid die geboden werd omsnel leiding te kunnen geven vanuiteen volwaardige management -functie. Een combinatie, die nietveel andere bedrijven bieden.
Wat heb je tot nu toe het meestgeleerd van het ManagementTraineeship?Eigenlijk besef ik nu pas wat ik het afgelopen jaar allemaal hebgeleerd. Op professioneel vlak; mijn inhoudelijke kennis van dearbeidsmarkt, mijn presentatie enzelfvertrouwen bij bijvoorbeeldsales gesprekken, de prioriteiten dieik weet te leggen bij een overvolleagenda en taken etc. Daarnaastook op persoonlijk vlak; in dedenktank van trainees en er buitenleer ik veel over mezelf. Mijn sterkeen zwakke eigenschappen en hoeik beide het beste kan benutten als toekomstig manager.
Je gaat naar Hongkong? Hoe heb je dat geregeld?Ik heb vanuit mijn studie enpersoonlijke interesse altijd al eendrive gehad voor internationaalondernemen. Nu ben ik persoon-lijk betrokken geweest bij hetverbeteren van ons eigen trainee -ship met een aantal collega-trainees. Een van mijn speerpuntenwas dan ook om ons internationalenetwerk beter te benutten, wezitten ten slotte in meer dan 40landen. Daarnaast heb ik samenmet een andere trainee uit eigen
initiatief de mogelijkheden voorRandstad bekeken in Thailand en Vietnam. De combinatie vandeze plannen heeft gemaakt dat ik benaderd ben voor dezeopdracht.
Wat heeft je het meeste verbaasdbij Randstad?De mate waarin eigen initiatiefbeloond wordt! Breng iederinitiatief, of goed idee voor deorganisatie naar voren en tenuitvoer, en Randstad ondersteunt je op alle mogelijke manieren om je plan ook daadwerkelijk tot eensucces te maken! Er is dan veelmogelijk binnen een organisatie als Randstad. Mijn nieuwe plek inHongkong is hier het bewijs van!De gouden stelregel is hier wel; hetkomt je niet aanwaaien, je moethet zelf initiëren. Wellicht klinktdeze stelregel als een dooddoener,maar hij is wel waar!
Waar krijg je energie van op jewerk?Als een idee in onze trainee denk -tank echt vorm begint te krijgen.Het steeds concreter worden vanwilde plannen, dat geeft me enormveel energie. Dit is iets wat ik in dedenktank, maar ook in mijn takenop de unit kan laten terugkomen.Leuk voorbeeld is het hoge ziekte -verzuim wat we bij een van mijnklanten al lange tijd hadden. Doorhet geven van een eigen workshophebben we dit terug kunnenbrengen.
Heb je nog tips voor de studenten?Jazeker; bij ons komen solliciteren!
Meer informatie kun je vinden op:www.randstad.nl/recruitment
Naam:Baer Noldus
Geboortedatum: 30-12-1984
Studie: Internationale Bedrijfskunde,Universiteit Maastricht
Carrière tot nu toe:juni 2009 – december 2009Randstad Callflex, Alkmaar,accountunitjanuari 2010 – juli 2010Randstad Callflex, Haarlem, marktunit
good to knowyou
Met Randstad van Haarlem naar Hongkong!
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Christmas dinner: Why the holidays are making us fat
T R A D I T I O N
CHRISTMAS TIME IS WHEN FRIENDS AND FA-MILIES COME TOGETHER AND SIT DOWN FOR A HUGE DINNER, WHERE WE OVERINDULGE
AND GENERALLY EAT TO OUR HEART’S CONTENT. CHRISTMAS DINNERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A ONE-OFF THING, WITH LOTS OF MEAT, POTATOES, VEGETABLES AND ALMOST ANYTHING WE DESIRE. A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DINNER IS ESTIMA-TED TO CONSIST OF 6 000 CALORIES, ACCORDING TO THE BRITISH DIETETIC ASSOCIATION. THIS IS THREE TIMES THE DAILY RECOMMENDED AMOUNT FOR WOMEN, AND TWO AND A HALF TIMES THE AMOUNT FOR MEN. RECENT TRENDS HOWEVER HAVE SHOWN THAT CHANGES IN LIFESTYLE HAVE LEAD TO CHRISTMAS STYLE DINNER BECOMING A COMMON OCCURRENCE, NOT JUST CELEBRATED ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
Breaking tradition
In the past, people earned low salaries, where they could not
afford to often splurge on big dinners. Therefore, they saved up
their hard-earned cash and invested in a large delicious Chris-
tmas dinner that their whole family would look forward to. A
health issue that has shown up in recent years is that peo-
ple get in the habit of overeating at Christmas times. During
the course of two weeks, people eat Christmas dinners, tasty
snacks and have more family dinners in a small duration of
time. The stomach stretches as the intake of food increases,
leading to a larger appetite and thus a habit of eating more.
Once the Christmas season is over, people do not go back to
their previous eating habits but instead continue to consume
just as much as they did over the holiday.
Why we are over eating
The problem of changing tradition is that people used to only
eat a lot at Christmas but now have enough wealth to afford
to eat a lot throughout the entire year. In current times with
increasing wealth, comes the ability to afford larger dinners
more often. People no longer need to save up to be able to
afford a large meal, but can now manage to pay for more than
just the necessities. Nevertheless, wealth is not the only rea-
son for the increase in eating. Changes in culture are evident
everywhere and the divergence from culture is just as appa-
rent, as culture develops. Christmas is no longer perceived as
the only special occasion where a big meal is used to celebrate
it. With such a celebratory meal becoming less important, it
also leads to a big meal becoming a common occurrence that
can be ‘celebrated’ everyday.
A new horror story
With the pattern of overeating, not just at Christmas time,
but also all year round, it has contributed to emerging health
problems. People remain in the unhealthy life style that they
picked up over Christmas, and continue those bad eating ha-
bits long after the holidays have ended. This is one of the rea-
sons for higher levels of reported obesity in the beginning few
months of the new year, as well as heart problems and high
blood pressure. So a bit of advice for all of you who still enjoy
a big delicious Christmas meal every day: you better shape
up, or get fat!
“ A traditional Christmas dinner is
estimated to consist of 6000 calories“
By Leigh de Jager
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S T U D E N T L I F E
Hi guys, tell us some more about the rea-
sons to choose the theme Out of the Box?
Evelien: We want to give a more dyna-
mic and creative image to the Business
Week. The past editions have been
great at attracting leading speakers
and companies to inspire students, but
this year we want to do more by really
pushing students to think outside the
box themselves.
Michel: While thinking of a theme we
noticed that universities are turning
into factories, producing students wit-
hout challenging them. We are worried
that graduates will only possess a set
of basic academic skills and an ambi-
tion that will lead them to
work their entire life for a
company around the cor-
ner of the campus. Out
of the Box really aims to
give students an innova-
ting mindset that will lead
them to create value by
tackling the world’s big-
gest problems. As Albert
Einstein used to say: "We
can't solve problems by
using the same kind of
thinking we used when
we created them".
That sounds a like noble
mission, how do you plan
to really make an im-
pact on the way students
think?
Manou: It starts with
getting you in touch with
the best people we can
find. Pieter and I are
working on bringing in-
novating entrepreneurs,
leading politicians and groundbreaking
thinkers to the Opening Day and the
Conference Day. The only thing they all
have in common is reaching success by
thinking out of the box.
Pieter: We also are tired of boring
conferences. This year we’ll take it to a
whole other level by turning each event
into a show with creative content and
continuous dynamics. We are really
focusing on interactivity and practical
skills to give students a truly life-chan-
ging experience!
Frank: The rest of the week is about
offering you a platform to find out how
the biggest companies of The Nether-
lands have implemented out of the box
solutions to stay ahead of competition.
You, as a participant, will get a chance
to show recruiters how capable you are
to think and act outside the box during
the Company Days and the Company
Dinner. The perfect occasion to bring
into practice all the creativity the Ope-
ning Day has unleashed in you!
Jeroen: And for the second year in a
row we are taking around 80 selected
students beyond the boundaries of
The Netherlands during the Business
Week on Location for an unforgetta-
ble weekend in one of the most crea-
tive cities of Western Europe. We will
offer you an amazing blend of global
and local entrepreneurship, along with
awesome activities.
Michel: To finish this in style we will
have the famous Business Week Party
in an exclusive location in Rotterdam,
to give all participants and fellow stu-
dents a final occasion to get out of the
box and look back on how the EFR-
Business Week 2012 has changed their
lives!
Thank you for giving us a first impres-
sion of what will most surely be the
highlight of the year. I think we are all
curious to see how this ambitious pro-
gram will take shape in a few months!
Evelien: You are welcome. We are all
looking forward to showing you how to
think, act, travel and party out of the
box!
The EFR-Business Week 2012 will take
place from Wednesday, March the 28th
until Thursday, April the 5th. Ticket sale
for all events will start in March.
EFR-Business Week: Out of the Box
OVER THE PAST 27 YEARS, THE EFR-BUSINESS WEEK HAS BEEN THE HIGH-LIGHT OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR FOR STUDENTS OF THE ERASMUS UNIVER-SITY. AFTER A SMASHING PRESENTATION AT THE EFR PROM IT IS TIME FOR
THE SO-CALLED BW TO REVEAL THEIR PLANS TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE EFR. “OUT OF THE BOX” ANNOUNCES A BREAK WITH OTHER CONFERENCES. THE BUSINESS WEEK COMMITTEE EXPLAINS THIS MOVE, REVEALS SOME EXCITING CONTENT AND SHOWS WHY YOU SHOULDN’T MISS THIS WEEK!
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By Timothy Langstraat and Vanessa Abeyawardena
Duisenberg school of finance (DSF)
might be just three years old, but it’s
fast becoming the breeding grounds for
the next generation of high performers.
With graduates working for internatio-
nally renowned corporations such as
Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and
ING, there is no denying that they are
doing well. We got an interview with
Zacharias Sautner, programme direc-
tor of the Master in Finance, Corporate
Finance and Banking programme, and
Lisanne Broekhuisen, graduate stu-
dent at DSF, and former IBEB student
at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Welcome, and thank you for doing this
interview with us. To start off, could you
tell us a bit more about the Corporate
Finance and Banking programme?
Zacharias Sautner: The Master in
Finance, Corporate Finance and Ban-
king programme is one of four Mas-
ter’s offered at Duisenberg school of
finance. It is one of the degrees that
have been offered by DSF since the
beginning. At Corporate Finance and
Banking, students grow into specia-
lists in a specific field of finance, with
courses on valuation or corporate go-
vernance. And to make sure that you’re
not just an expert in something very
narrow, built into the programme is
the mandatory Duisenberg Leadership
Programme, which offers classes on
overarching topics such as ethics or
financial regulation. It provides both
depth and breadth.
That doesn’t sound like the typical
master that most universities offer.
What makes DSF’s master program-
mes so different?
ZS: First of all, DSF does not try to
compete with other Dutch universities.
They already offer very good finance
programs. We try to offer niche pro-
grammes that give students the know-
ledge and the skills that they’ll need to
get ahead in this world. Of course, you
can also get into Goldman Sachs from
Erasmus, but it’s more difficult. We try
to close the gap, and make it easier to
get there.
Lisanne Broekhuisen: Also, the aim
of other universities is just to broaden
your knowledge. DSF aims to do not
just that, but also prepare you for your
career. So that means there is a lot of
guidance with writing résume’s, prepa-
ring for interviews, and practice with
consulting. But it’s important to realize
that DSF is not like other universities,
and you can’t just plainly compare the
two. Here it’s all about preparation.
With everything they do, we’re just bet-
ter prepared to face what we’ll encoun-
ter in the business life.
ZS: And with all the selection and pre-
paration we do, I also feel responsible
for Lisanne now. My success depends
on her success. If my students find a
good job, it means I have done well. If
my students do not get placed after the
programme, then it means I have done
something wrong, in terms of selection
or design of the programme. They are
my responsibility.
What is it like, studying at DSF?
LB: It is hard work, but it is worth it. At
most universities, it feels that no mat-
ter how hard you study, there are some
things you won’t understand. At DSF,
you know that if you put in enough time,
you will understand it at the end of the
day. I spend 10-12 hours every day
studying, but there are some students
who study less, around 50-60 hours
per week. But it’s worth it, the classes
and topics are really a lot of fun. It’s a
practical application of all the theories
you’ve learned before.
ZS: And it’s a family. They do a lot of
work together, so it’s important to have
a nice group of students. They start
working at 9, and end at 6 or some-
times later; like a job, but that’s okay.
You can even keep your weekends free,
if you work hard from the start.
What kind of students are you looking
for?
LB: We have very different students.
There are students who have really high
grades, who got accepted into LSE, but
also people like me. I was more active
outside my study, and that’s okay as
well. So there’s no set Duisenberg type
of student.
ZS: Exactly. There’s no set student,
no computer programme that selects
them for us. Last year there was a bio-
chemist from Cambridge. We selected
him as he was clever and ambitious.
At the end, he did well and graduated
last year. We look for students with the
skills to become a rounded personality
in the future. But we also want people
that are active in student organizations.
Those who are willing to put time and
effort into organizing things show that
they care for more than just studying.
It’s exactly what we want. At the end
of the day, we want to be in a position
where the companies know that no
matter who they pick from the school,
they will always get good quality.
Duisenberg school of finance; for a head start in your finance career
Application deadlines
May 15th for non-EU citizens
August 1st for EU citizens
(early applications are preferred!)
Scholarships
There is a scholarship available for
active members
of student organizations.
Open day
There will be an open day on Wed-
nesday the 8th of
February, from 5.30 to 8 pm.
Zacharias Sautner Lisanne Broekhuisen
Founding partners
World Class Faculty
Admitting Only the Best
Master’s in Finance Programmes
Risk Manage-
ment, Corporate Finance and Banking, and
both a LLM and MSc programme in Finance
and Law
DSF Makes Landing that Dream Job
in Finance a Reality
www.dsf.nl
Duisenberg school of finance
New thinking in finance
The story behind Duisenberg school of finance (DSF) is an exceptional one. DSF is venturing a new path in financial education, bringing
both real world pragmatism and top intellectual insights to its students through an unprecedented synergy between industry and
academia. DSF is an educational institution that focuses on producing tomorrow’s top echelon of financial experts. Experts who are
financial masterminds, but also grounded, dynamic leaders. Experts who are readily prepared to move from the classroom to the
boardroom. Experts who can apply ‘new thinking in finance’ to discover innovative real market solutions for real market issues.
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Asus Eee Pad Transformer – from €364Few can say that purchasing a tablet hasn’t crossed their minds at least once. Tablets
are a great tool to play around with on the internet, whether you’re lying on the couch or
sitting in college. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer has been the best-selling tablet next
to the iPad 2 for a long time and for good reasons. It’s not only one of the cheapest, the
possible addition of a handy keyboard accessory makes it a very attractive alternative
to a netbook.
AC Ryan Playon!HD mini2 – from €85 With the cold of winter upon us, watching TV in the warmth of your apartment is
hard to resist. Unfortunately, the DVD-player is dated hardware nowadays. It’s
easy to download better-looking, more up-to-date and cheaper content straight
to your PC. The only problem with that is that you’d have to watch it on your PC,
or have your computer hooked up to the TV. The solution to that problem is called
a media player, which allows you to stream content via your home network to any
place in the house. This mini version of AC Ryan’s popular media player is small,
affordable and plays almost all files.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20 – from €209Christmas is a good moment to take some pictures! With family, friends, food and drinks.
In order to take those great pictures, you might want to consider a new camera. One
could go for an expensive DSLR camera, but with a compact camera you will save some
bucks and gain some mobility. This compact camera from Panasonic has a great price/
performance ratio and even has GPS that can assign locations to the photos you take.
Particularly handy when you can’t remember where you were last night.
Amazon Kindle 2011 – £89For those who feel they haven’t read enough books the past few months, the Christmas holiday is
the best time of year to drink hot cocoa and read a book. But books are too heavy, and you can’t
carry all those books you’d like to read with you all the time. So, why not get an e-reader? Over the
past years the quality of these devices has gone up and prices have dropped significantly. If you
haven’t bought one already, then perhaps it’s time to reconsider. Amazon’s e-readers are priced
aggressively and provide access to a huge bookstore. Amazon has recently released this small
e-reader that comes with an even smaller price. For those with a slightly bigger budget, Amazon
will also release a touch version later this year.
FOR PEOPLE THAT REALLY LIKE TO TREAT THEMSELVES THIS TIME OF YEAR: HERE ARE FOUR GADGETS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS EVEN JOLLIER.
Gadgets to find under your Christmas treeBy Winter van der Vlist
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S T U D E N T L I F E
Stiching Best Stichting Best is a charity set
up by the students of RSC and
RVSV in 2004. It mainly focuses
on organizing events for diffe-
rent target groups within the
Rotterdam community. They
support mentally, and physically, handicapped individuals by
organizing events, such as the “Unlimited Festival,” or visits
to the Blijdorp zoo. Volunteer at Christmas time and help ar-
range “Christmas in Kralingen” where families can come for
a Christmas dinner and children can get their picture taken
with Santa.
Stichting KSA/GCW Based on Christian
philosophy, Stichting
KSA/GCW focuses on helping people who find themselves in
poverty or a victim of domestic violence. They also offer sup-
port to refugees and aid social integration. One of the servi-
ces they offer is the Guest House De Buren, where individuals
of all ages can recuperate from their hospital stay. One ac-
tivity you can volunteer for is the “Week against Loneliness,”
here people who do not have support systems, or who just
feel lonely can come together to find some comfort and enjoy
themselves, which is perfect during Christmas time.
Stichting Belastingwinkel Rot-terdamLinked to the Erasmus University,
and created by students, Stichting
Belastingwinkel offers free tax ad-
vice to small businesses and low-
income individuals. The tax advice received can range from
income tax advice to individuals trying to get children’s bene-
fits. The main event that Stichting Belastingwinkel organises
is the “National Tax-Return Day” where they help individuals
fill out their income tax returns for the year. If you know any-
thing about accounting, put your knowledge to the test and
sign up to be part of this unique group of students.
Stichting Pluspunt RotterdamStichting Pluspunt focuses on providing work for homeless
individuals. Their concept is finding jobs for the homeless
and finding businesses that need employees. They have a
thrift store that the homeless work at, where a large range
of second hand goods can be bought at discount prices. They
also accept unwanted furniture and other household objects
that are difficult to dispose of, which they then sell at their
thrift store. The charity also offers services by the homeless,
to the community such as bicycle repairs, handyman services
and assistance when moving to a new house. So next time
your bike is broken, you need a job done at home or you just
need some new furniture, go over to Stichting Plusput.
Stichting Animal Life Foun-dationFounded in 2004, Stichting
Animal Life Foundation’s main
focus is on upholding the rela-
tionship between animals and
people. The volunteers take
their pets to visit retirement
homes, to give some compan-
ionship to the elderly and help
combat feelings of loneliness.
They even help train seeing-eye dogs, by letting prisoner
inmates take part in the training of the dogs. Additionally,
they help create awareness about harmful effects of feeding
bread to ducks. So, if you care about animals, and want to
make a difference, volunteer at Animal Life Foundation.
Events to look out for:
ABN AMRO Marathon Rotterdam April 15th: The proceeds from this marathon go towards Doe Een Wens
Stichting, which makes the wishes of terminally ill children
come true.
Adidas Ladies Run Rotterdam June 10th:Running the 5 kilometer or 10 kilometer run, you indirectly
support Pink Ribbon, which raises awareness about breast
cancer and helps support breast cancer patients.
If you are in the Christmas mood but want to put in minimal
effort, you can donate your leftover food from your Christmas
dinner to “Voedselbank” and give someone else a Christmas
dinner they will never forget!
Top local charities to give to this year:By Leigh de Jager
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On the 18th and 19th of November, the 10th Asian Fo-rum on Corporate Social Responsibility took place in the Philippines. During this forum, several awards were given to Asian companies that proved to engage themselves socially, and keynote speakers inspired organizations to take more action. Clearly, the Asian continent does its best in order to keep up with capita-listic business practices
At the same time shocking stories regarding China hit the news. A two year old toddler was hit by several cars, yet 18 passing people, but a garbage woman, bothered to take her wounded body out of the way. Raccoon dogs are being beaten alive for their fur in order to make the popular UGG boots. It seems to be a society where human and animal rights are disregar-ded, other norms and values dominate and concepts are interpreted differently due to the difference in cul-ture and language. A question that arises is: What role will CSR play in the China of tomorrow?
CSR is importantTruth is, there are no clear rules or guidelines on how corporate social responsibility should be pursued. There is even not one clear definition of the concept,
but it is rather defined by several authors or compa-nies, though those definitions are reasonably congru-ent with each other. Nevertheless, it should not be just a concept that is included in companies PR programs, but implemented from the core out of the business and integrated into the organizations supply chain. However, one of the main conditions on conducting successful CSR is credibly communicating it to the stakeholders. If the public perceives the CSR initiatives as mere statements from a company and they are not aware of any actions towards fulfilling those initiatives, then the company might do more harm than good to itself. That is what the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests demonstrated in the US in early October. Even in Wes-tern societies there is currently an active discussion going on about how CSR should be integrated within an organization. One thing it is clear, companies need to engage themselves in more responsible business practices.
Needs more actionCorporate social responsibility was introduced in Chi-na in the 1990s and has gained increased attention. However, the focus is still on raising awareness and defining the concept rather than really implementing
China’s efforts towards a
‘harmonious society’By Nicole Stelea
C O M M E R C E
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it. In 2010, China nearly 700 CSR reports were published by companies, but only a few of them ac-tually reported how CSR is extended throughout the business’ supply chain activities. Chinese consu-mers or stakeholders need to get more involved in the actions Chinese compa-nies undertake and to hold them accountable. Not only should more organi-zations publish more detailed reports, but they should also take more action towards socially responsible business practices, as their partners or cus-tomers are increasingly aware of their actions.
An example of a good initiative towards improving CSR practi-ces of companies in China was proposed by the Danish Insti-tute for Human Rights. They launched The Human Rights and Business Project, which develops specific materials and methods of CSR training that are more engaging to the Chinese public. This is particularly a good project due to the more country tailored appro-ach. Hopefully, more Chinese stakeholders and com-panies will identify together the needs of their society in order to pursue CSR practices credibly.
Developing the ‘harmonious society’In line with the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ demonstrations, the further developments of CSR on the Asian conti-nent were heavily discussed at the 10th Asian Forum. Also according to key speakers of the event, Asian companies first need to communicate with the people they operate with in order understand how they expect the business to operate and what the need of the society is and then to address that issue that the company would be able or ready to ad-dress. Furthermore, they emphasized that CSR should be then designed to the specific needs of the community. Also, the
community, the business environment and the go-vernment need to be alig-ned with each other in or-der to conduct successful CSR initiatives.
The Chinese government has previously expressed its interest in advancing pros-perity through what they call an ‘harmonious soci-ety’ and they incorporated that in a declaration given
in The 2005 GoTone-Nanchang Internati-onal Forum of Con-structing Harmonious Society and Corporate Social Responsibility. Nevertheless, the go-
vernment did not engage itself to take any further actions to encourage companies to adopt CSR practices. As previously mentioned, the government plays a key role in creating a healthy business environment,
through its policies and positions regarding human rights, corruption, the environment and socially res-ponsible practices. In January 2009, a start was made towards a more engaged role of the government by adopting the Circular Economy policy, which promotes economic development of companies without harming the environment. Also, due to trade policies adopted by international bodies such as the EU, China sees it-self obliged to comply with responsible practices.
Though China, and the Asian continent in general, have been making some progress towards a more socially responsible society, they still have a long way to go. CSR is indeed not only gaining increasing awareness
in the world, but also in China. However, Chinese society needs still need
to be better identified and ac-tively followed upon by the
involved parties. The next stage of conducting CSR of active imple-mentation of CSR initiatives should be pursued with the help of the govern-ment throughout all the supply-chain ac-tivities of companies.
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Student Experiences
Abhinav Konda – Yonsei University, South KoreaLet me start out by saying, my time on exchange is by far the most amazing experience of my life!
When I look around, I find myself in a bustling, developing yet very culturally rooted city: Seoul!
Though the Korean culture has a lot of quirky details which are hard to understand at first, it is
a lot of fun! Being in a new country, new culture and new surrounding has helped me learn a lot
about myself. I have met great people out here and have made friends for life! So don’t miss out
on exchange, because it will be the best experience of your life!!!
Ivo Verhaegh – City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Hong Kong, the city where “East Meets West” and the “City of 8000 Skyscrapers”! I
immediately loved it; this busy city never gets boring. And I am sure that if you love
partying, eating and shopping, than Hong Kong is definitely your place to be for
exchange.
Except for this, Hong Kong has so much more things to offer. If you had enough of
the 7 million people in the city you can just as well go for a hike to an empty white
beach or you take a plane to some of the great countries in the area. I will definitely
come back!
Kim van Adrichem, Singapore Management UniversityWhen you hear about Singapore you might think of clean streets, caning, and a small island
nation. However, Singapore offers much more; a pleasant beach I can go to any day, an
amazing education at Singapore Management University, and a diverse group of friends. East
meets West in a dynamic setting that accommodates your every wish. You can travel deep
into the jungle and then, an hour later, enjoy coffee at Starbucks. Singapore is the city that
never stops eating. It’s a travel hub. It offers the latest technology and fashion. It’s the place
to be and be seen.
Mandy Regenspurg, Carleton University – Ottawa – Canada Since the moment I left Rotterdam, I have not regretted my decision to go on exchange
to Canada for even one second. Attending Carleton University and living in the city of
Ottawa has been one amazing experience! Ottawa is a beautiful city that has lots of history,
extremely friendly people, and a vibrant night life. The level of education at Carleton is
lower than what I am used to at the EUR, which gave me the opportunity to do lots of fun
things during my stay in Canada. Eating a “Beavertail” after a big night out, attending an
NHL ice hockey game, spending a long weekend with friends in Canadian wilderness, and
experiencing national holidays like Thanksgiving and Halloween are just a few moments
that have let me enjoy the Canadian way of life. I would not have wanted to miss out on such
an incredible and rewarding experience!
S T U D E N T L I F E
<On confidence in teamwork >
We consider teamwork as the cornerstone of our businessapproach. Teamwork allows us to capture opportunities forthe group as a whole. And in doing so to move beyond ourindividual boundaries. If you see yourself as an ambitious teamplayer we would like to hear from you. For our Analyst Program, NIBC is looking for universitygraduates who share our enthusiasm for teamwork. Personaland professional development are the key-elements ofthe Program: in-company training in co-operation with theAmsterdam Institute of Finance; working side-by-side withprofessionals at all levels and in every financial disciplineas part of learning on the job. We employ top talent from diverse university backgrounds,ranging from economics and business administration, tolaw and technology. If you have just graduated with aboveaverage grades and think you belong to that exceptional class of top talent, apply today. Joining NIBC’s Analyst Programmight be the most important career decision you ever make!
Want to know more? Surf to www.careeratnibc.com.
Interested? Please contact us: NIBC Human Resources, Frouke Röben, [email protected]. For further information see www.careeratnibc.com. NIBC is a Dutch bank that offers integrated solutions to mid-market clients in the Benelux and Germany. We believe ambition, teamwork, and professionalism are important assets in everything we do.
W W W.GA A AN.NU© 2011 KPMG N.V., alle rechten voorbehouden.
Marleen van Dijsseldonk, 25 jaarJunior adviseur KPMG Advisory
“Onderweg naar een opdracht bij een klant in #Barcelona. Weekendje shoppen eraan vastgeplakt met vriendin daar.”
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