More sex us safer sex 2

You may wonder why the paradoxes above seem unrelated to its title. And here it is:

Imagine a country where almost all women are monogamous, while all men demand two female partners per year.

A few prostitutes end up servicing all the men. Before long, the prostitutes are infected by AIDS and they pass it on to the men. The men bring it home to their wives.

But if each of those monogamous wives were willing to take on one extramarital partner, the market for prostitution would die out and so does the virus.

Therefore monogamy can be deadly. (p.11)

This book is about a general principle of economics:

things tend to work out best when people have to live with the consequences of their own behaviour

OR

things tend to work out poorly when the consequences of our actions spill over onto other people (p.4).

What do you think?

Landsburg, S. (2008). More sex us safer sex. NY: Free Press

The Starbucks Experience

This book is more about people than coffee. As the CEO of Starbucks said, “We are not in the coffee business serving people, but in the people business serving coffee (p.28).”  Take a look at the stories below and you will see.

*****

Barista Bernadette Harris confesses, “I didn’t like making Frappuccinos®. I wasn’t always happy to leave my line of hot drinks to make a drink that took twice as long! One customer helped me gain a different view of the blended beverages. This woman would come in every evening and order a mocha Frappuccino® blended beverage. She was always in a hurry, and we would barely converse. One evening she came in and mentioned that her husband was in the car. Then she thanked us for always delivering the drink in such a nice way and said that though she personally never drank Starbucks, it was the only thing her husband could stomach after this chemotherapy (p.75-76).

*****

Michael Cage writes on his “Marketing and Entrepreneurship” blog, at 5 a.m. and he decided that it was time to take a break. His first thought was to reward himself with a predictable favorite, a vanilla latte. He hopped in his car and drove to his local Starbucks, anticipating his treat the whole way.

“As I pulled to the store,” he explains, “I knew something was terribly wrong; the sign was still dark, and the lights were off inside. I stopped the car and went up to the door to look at the hours. It was an hour before they opened, so I turned around to walk back to my car and figured the coffee would have to wait … And then the lock was thrown, the door flew open, and one of my regular barista stepped out and asked me whether I wanted something to drink.” As Michael says, “Starbucks ‘gets it.’”

*****

And here it is, my favorite story:

“There was a wonderful regular customer,” says Kimberly Kelly, a current Starbucks licensed store operations specialist, “in her seventies, named Irene, who had been a teacher and a principal. She and her husband visited daily – coming to Starbucks was an event for them. The husband always had on a sport jacket, she was dressed very elegantly and they would order the same thing: a tall coffee and an extra cup so they could split it. They’d also order one muffin and two forks and a knife to share that as well. The couple would take their coffee and their muffin, and they would go slowly over to their table and spend maybe an hour or so visiting with each other and enjoying their time together.”

Kimberly said the couple stopped coming into Starbucks, and she worried about them. One day she ran into Irene at a bank, and Irene shared that her husband had died of a sudden heart attack. Kimberly encouraged Irene to join her back at Starbucks after she finisher her banking. Kimberly continued, “Irene came to my store, and when she approached the counter, she stood there and said, “Kimberly, I just don’t know what to order because we always shared items.” I simply said, “You know what, I’m going to share that cup of coffee and that muffin with you today.” We sat down and talked for about 30 minutes. She told me about how she missed her husband and how hard it was for her to move on. A few days later, Irene came back to my store. She was dressed in a beautiful outfit. She said, “I’m ready to do this by myself now.” Irene asked if she could order a smaller cup of coffee. She took the muffin, one fork this time, and the knife. She split the muffin and told me, “I guess I’ll just have to make it last for two days (p.77-78).”

*****

That is how Starbucks makes its coffee extraordinary. What experience do you have in Starbucks?

Michelli, Joseph A. (2007). The Starbucks Experience. NY: McGraw Hill.

遇見天天微笑的自己

每當我們遇到經濟逆境時，這一類勵志書籍有如雨後春筍擺滿書架，亦為書商帶來額外的收入。難怪不少經濟學者都認為，單以收入入賬的國民生產總值未能完全反映一個國家的生活質素。無論如何，這本書中有好些故事值得跟大家分享。

******

「找做對的事情 (Do right thing)，遠比把事情做對 (Do thing right) 來得重要。」

現代管理學之父彼得‧杜拉克

一位教授上課的時候，在講台上擺了一只玻璃樽，玻璃樽旁邊放著一堆大大小小的石頭和細沙。教授先把大的石頭放滿玻璃樽，然後問學生：「滿了嗎？」學生回答說：「滿了。」

教授又拿起一些小石粒，倒進樽裡，直到每一個空隙都填滿了。然後，他再問學生：「滿了嗎？」學生依然回答說：「滿了。」

接著，教授抓起細沙，一把一把地放進玻璃樽中，玻璃樽終於有一絲空隙了。

教授依然問：「滿了嗎？」學生依然回答說：「滿了。」

教授意味深長地解釋說：「大的石頭代表人生中最重要的來西，例如人生觀、信仰、信念、智慧……小石粒代表人生中第二重要的東西，例如家庭、配偶、兒女；細沙則代表人生中第三重要的東西，例如事業、工作、財富……如果先把細沙放進樽裡，玻璃樽何來有空間盛載小石粒，甚至大石頭呢！」(p.160-162)

******

古時候有一位國王，夢見山倒了下來，水枯乾了，花也謝了，他便叫王后給他解夢。王后說：「大勢不好了。山倒塌，指江山要倒了，水枯乾了，指民眾離心，君是舟，民是水，水枯乾了，舟也不能行了；花謝了，指好景不長了。」

國王驚惶失措，出了一身冷汗之後，便從此患了病，而且病愈來愈重。

一位大臣要參見國王，國王在病禢上說出他的心事，大臣聽了之後，大笑說：「太好了，山倒了，指從此天下太平；水枯了指真龍現身，國王，你是真龍天子；花謝了，花謝便可以見果子呀！」國王隨即放下心頭大石，全身像鬆了綁一樣，很快地痊癒了。(p.27)

******

看過這兩側小故事，你又有甚麽體會呢？書中亦談及森美在06年遇到的人生低潮(p.35-37)，以及沒有手腳的阿Nick如何為身邊的人帶來歡樂(p.39-42)，他們的經驗也很值得我們參考。

林以諾 (2009)。《遇見天天微笑的自己》。香港：天窗出版社

The return of depress on economics

In this book, the author surveyed the economic crises that had swept across America in 1930s, Japan in 1970s, Latin America in 1980s, Asia in 1990s and around the world in mid-2000s. The author also pointed out that these crises “like diseases that have become resistant to antibiotics, the economic maladies that caused the Great Depression were making a comeback (inside the book jacket).”

The author tells a very interesting story about a baby-sitting cooperative: an association of about 150 young couples who are willing to baby-sit each other’s children. When babies are sat, the baby-sitters will receive the appropriate number of coupons from the baby-sittees. These coupons can then be used to exchange for baby-sitting services when the couples see fit (p.16-20, 68-75).

This system automatically ensures that each couple will provide exactly as many hours of baby-sitting as it receives over time. However, it requires a fair amount of coupons in circulation.

What would happen if:

(1)       there were couples wanted to save the coupons they earned from baby-sitting in the winter to use in the summer?

(2)     there were couples tried to accumulate coupons as reserves for future use?

(3)     there were couples who would have been willing to go out more often if they could have gotten access to extra coupons?

(4)     couples confidence declined?

And the most import of all, how to solve these problems?

If you are wondering about how the story of this baby-sitting co-op relates to the financial crises that mentioned above, you better read this book. It is very inspiring.

Krugman, Paul (2009). The return of depress on economics. NY: Norton.

More sex is safer sex 1

Don’t mistake me. I’m not talking about having sex but having paradoxes.

Paradox 1: If I eat a bit less, I would live a bit longer. Therefore, if I stop eating entirely, I would live forever. (p.21)

Paradox 2: Traffic lights can only reduce the number of accidents, while banning cars can stop accidents. Therefore, it would be irresponsible to preach the merits of traffic lights. (p.21-22)

Paradox 3: In America, ugly women earn about 5 percent less than ordinary women. And an extra sixty-five pounds typically cost a white woman 7 percent of her wages. A six feet tall man probably earns about US$6,000 more per year than his 5-foot-6-inch counterpart. Therefore attractiveness, slim and tall figure causes success. And we should subsidies beauty and tax the ugly one. (p.52-53)

Paradox 4: Inventiveness is good and should be rewarded. Monopoly power is bad and should be discouraged. The patent system rewards inventiveness with a license to monopolize! (p.105)

Paradox 5: The firefighters bear 100 percent of the firefighting cost so they should get 100 percent of the benefits by allowing them to keep all the property they rescue – including your house.

Paradox 6: Workers with computers on their desks are 10 to 15 percent more productive (and 10 to 15 percent better paid). Workers with pencils on their desks are also 10 to 15 percent more productive. Therefore, pencils are as productive as computers. (p.131)

Paradox 7: In America, on average, a 10 percent increase in the rate of home ownership is associated with a 2 percent increase in the rate of unemployment. Throughout the industrialized world, unemployment and home ownership go hand in hand. Therefore, buying a flat causes unemployment. (p.141 – 142)

Paradox 8: In America, family with one daughter is nearly 5 percent more likely to divorce than a family with one son.  Therefore, daughter causes divorce. (p.145)

Have fun and find out the solutions to these paradoxes yourself.

Landsburg, S. (2008). More sex is safer sex. NY: Free Press

「六四」難屬的心路歷程

這是一本叫人沈重的書。作者們的子女、親人在89年被政府無情的殺害，在這二十年裡，這群父母為了要延續他們子女對國家的盼望，「把沉痛的心情轉化為尋求正義的力量，不單要為子女討回公道」(p.3)，他們亦東奔西跑為社會上不公義的事情發聲、出力。

這二十個充滿血和淚的故事，主角除了有對國家抱著期望的高中生、大學生和研究生、關心學生的狀況的北京市民、年青有為的工程師、沒有擅自缺勤趕着上夜班的廚師、在後園乘涼的長者，以及不放心母親獨自在家而趕往探望的孝女。故事當中有好些片段叫我唏不已……

******

其中一位中槍病人的「傷情突然惡化，急需輸血但醫院內沒有血漿。萬難之下，醫生帶著[病人的太太]來到馬路邊上，向行路匆匆的市民求助。那時，立刻有十幾位普通市民毫不猶豫地到醫院檢查血型為[病人]輸血。[他太太]頓時感動極了。政府的冷漠與普通市民的大愛形成了鮮明的對比。」(p. 36)

******

一位出租汽車司機得悉我們為「六四」遇難的兒子掃墓時，免費把我們送到萬安公墓，與我們一起掃墓祭奠，然後又把我們送回家，而且以後每年兩次(清明和「六四」)開車送我們去掃墓，迄今年年如此，從未中輟。這些經濟上和精神上的支援，是多麼地珍貴和鼓舞人心，使我們能下決心必須好好活下去。(p.67)

******

我看見大約有30多名解放軍戰士，稚嫩的臉上滿是汗水，眼神中露出茫然。……年青的軍官說：「我們沒有想到會命令我們真的對學生和市民開槍，而且會打的這麼慘，我們不想開槍，於是我命令戰士把槍仍在了祖家街，然後帶著戰士跑了出來。」……

他們走後，大家議論著，這才是老百姓心目中真正的解放軍戰士，他們沒有用他們手中的槍去殺害學生和市民……但是這些戰士的下場可能會很悲慘，因為他們屬於臨陣脫逃，會受到軍事法庭的嚴厲處置，大家不禁為他們將來的處境擔憂。(p.101)

******

究竟是甚麼動機驅使他們為死難者及其家屬伸出援手呢？

天安門母親群體。 (2009)。《「六四」難屬的心路歷程》。香港：天安門母親運動。

大機構面試攻略

（一）開車門時，鑰匙該向左轉，還是右轉？(p.233)

（二）蝸牛掉進了一個深20呎的井。蝸牛每天早上能爬5呎，但晚間又滑落4呎。牠要花多少天才能逃出井外? (p.233)

（三）你如何評價我們公司的品牌? 我們的產品有甚麼可改善的地方? (p.187)

（四）你一早起床至上學期間做過甚麼? (p.30)

（五）你今日表現好差，面試15分鐘，完全答不出質素，為甚麼會這樣? (p.231)

若這些問題在面試時出現，你懂得回答嗎?

綜合各公司及政府部門的人事顧問意見，可清楚地看到他們所要求的人才特質：

（一）對工作有熱誠；

（二）有自信及真我；

（三）有常識及時事觸覺；

（四）有良好理解、分析及組織能力；

（五）有良好溝通技巧；

（六）不要遲到等

叫我驚訝的是，多間公司都特意要求面試者不要遲到，守時不是基本要求嗎? 為何要明言呢? 其中一間公司的人事顧問更坦言：「現時有部分大學生『荷包厚，面皮薄』，面試時又會神秘失蹤『no show』」(p.131) 香港的年輕人真的如此不濟嗎?

香港經濟日報港聞及Executive & Market 採訪部。(2009)。《大機構面試攻略》。香港：經濟日報出版社。

Banker to the poor

Muhammad Yunus, an economist and a winner of 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, believes that “economic theories provide answers to economic problems of all type” (p.4) and “we can create a poverty-free world (xvii).” This book is about his first-hand experience of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh.

In 1979 Professor Yunus proposed to a bank to make tiny loans (around HK$2) to the poor people.  So that they could get out of loan sharks and earn a decent living. 

The followings were some of the replies from the managers (p.77-78). What do you think?

• The poor need to be trained before they can undertake any income-generating activity.
• Credit alone is useless, it must be packaged with training, marketing, transportation facilities, technology, education.
• The poor cannot save.
• Credit to poor will only be a burden to them as they cannot repay it.
• Credit may help temporarily, but it won’t do anything in the long run.

The Grameen Bank is a revolutionary idea. It lends out thousands of tiny, short-term loans to the poorest of the poor. It stresses on trust and keeps rules and documents to its minimum. Its staff goes from door to door to help the borrowers to set up their small enterprises and unfold their full potential.

In his book, Professor Yunus shares with you his vision and a sustainable solution to pull the disadvantaged people out of poverty.

Yunus, H. (2003). Banker to the poor. London: Aurum Press Ltd.

Freakonomics

Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner believe that “[e]conomics is, at root, the study of incentives: how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing (p.16).” And they define incentive as “a means of urging people to do more of a good thing and less of a bad thing (p.17).” They further divide incentives into three different types, namely: economic, social and moral. According to them, an incentive is often a “tiny object with astonishing power to change a situation (p.16)”

Take a look at the following examples to see how incentives play a role in explaining human behaviours:

(1) In a day-care center, very often parents are late to pick up their children. Two economists conducted a study in Israel and found that the number of late-arriving parents went up, not down, after charging a $3 fine. Why? 

(2) Instead of make the most of his commission by selling a house at the highest possible price, a real-estate agent is likely to encourage a potential buyer to offer lower than its listing price. Why?

(3) A teenage drug dealer earns only US$3.30 an hour, no more than a McDonald’s burger flipper or a Wal-Mart shelf stocker. Yet drug dealing is regarded as the most dangerous job in America. Why would anyone take such a job?

This book overturns the conventional wisdom. It is provoking and inspiring. 

Answers are in p.19, p.64-69 and p. 89-99 respectively.

Levitt, S.D. & Dubner, S.J (2006). Freakonomics. NY: HarperCollins Publisher

五常問答室

這本書的問題是經互聯網由世界各地的讀者提出, 題目多樣化, 而張五常的答案亦每有新意。以下幾條是我覺得挺有意思的問題:

(一) 為甚麼香港苦心經營的金融中心地位, 會因為太陽伯伯而最終被上海比下去呢?

(二) 為甚麼農產品價格上升是中國經濟發展的好現象?

(三) 為甚麼罰款比坐牢更適合懲治貪污?

(四) 貨幣政策的基本用途是甚麼呢? 歐元真的可以不管國家之間的經濟差距守下去嗎?

(五) 我們可以參考歐元的經驗發行亞元嗎? 最終我們會會只發行單一貨幣通行全球呢?

(六) 為甚麼中國的農地長遠會被工業與住宅用地侵佔呢?

除此之外, 作者給俄羅斯政府的建議, 以至解釋義和團的出現也很特別。此書像他別的著作般深入分析每個題目, 但往往能清楚指出問題的核心, 並作出簡單的回答; 亦留有空間讓讀者作出自己的判斷。

張五常 (2008). 《五常問答室》香港: 花干樹。