KJ

AKollection

An interesting story about world economy. How valid is it? I leave it to you. Amazing logic  indeed. This is a crazy world! Japanese save a lot. They do not spend much. Also, Japan exports far more than it imports. Has an annual trade surplus of over 100 billion. Yet Japanese economy is considered weak, even collapsing. Americans spend, save little. Also US imports more than it exports. Has an annual trade deficit of over $400 billion. Yet, the American economy is considered strong and trusted to get stronger. But where from do Americans get money to spend? They borrow from Japan, China and even India. Virtually others save for the US to spend. Global savings are mostly invested in US, in dollars. India itself keeps its foreign currency assets of over $50 billion in US securities. China has sunk over $160 billion in US securities. Japan's stakes in US securities is in trillions. Result: The US has taken over $5 trillion from the world. So, as the world saves for...

An old cliché has it that there is no “I” in team. Like many well-worn phrases, that one holds a certain amount of truth—and not just in the literal spelling. In effect, a strong team emphasizes the group, not just one individual. The thinking is, when the team advances as a whole, so, too, does everyone within it.       That begs a question: How do you build a team that is characterized by strong, coordinated teamwork? It’s not as difficult as you might assume—particularly if you adopt an anticipatory mindset. Break Down the Challenges The obstacles that organizations face in fostering teamwork can be highly specific, depending on the particulars of the industry, the culture of the organization and the individuals involved. However, Harvard Business Review’s Answer Exchange offers a useful list of eight challenges that teams often encounter: Absence of team identity Difficulty making decisions Poor communication Inability to resolve conflicts Lack of p...

Keep your head down and your nose to the grindstone. That’s what a lot of us were taught to believe about work. But is it really the best strategy? I find that people often take this sort of advice to heart — and then learn too late in their careers that there’s more to life (and success) than just keeping busy. I’ve gathered up my top 10 lessons you should take to heart now, before it’s too late! 1. Life is short. Here’s the thing: Life is too short to put up with a job you hate, a boss who demeans you, or a company with no soul. Many people convince themselves that they can put up with a job or career situation that makes them unhappy because they need the income, because they don’t know if they can find another job, or for some other reason. But the truth is none of us knows how long we have on this earth, and spending too much of it in a bad situation will only make you miserable and regretful. If you’re in this situation, take a step today — no matter how small — toward...

Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another. Happy Valentine's Day!

Should you focus on earning more money or saving more money? If you ask gurus of the personal finance world, most say that focusing on earning is  more  powerful than saving more money. “If you want to be rich, I encourage you to change your mindset about money — and start focusing on  earning ,” says  Robert Kiyosaki , author of the bestselling classic “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” Steve Siebold , author of “How Rich People Think” agrees: “Rich people focus on earning, while average people focus on saving.” I can’t disagree — but while earning more money is useful, I think saving money is seriously underrated. Crucial to financial success for everyone — rich, poor and middle-class — but underrated and misunderstood. Of course, there needs to be a healthy mix of both. But depending on your personal situation, you can adapt your focus to either saving more or making more. Why and how? Why saving money is so important Saving ...