Archive for December, 2011
Peter Munk, the controversial King Midas of the mining business
December 8th, 2011 | Joe
Peter Munk, the controversial King Midas of the mining business
With his sharp tongue, Munk alluded to Argentina and Chile more ironic. He said that President Kirchner and Michelle Bachelet begged to invest
With his sharp tongue, Munk alluded to Argentina and Chile more ironic. He said that President Kirchner and Michelle Bachelet to invest begged, “Please, please, please, Barrick, please put your money in our country,” he paraphrased during the meeting 2008 annual shareholders as The newspaper reported the Toronto Star for Lloyd, “Munk is well known for his passionate speeches,” but the comment “was not a literal sense.”
-An optimist’s pessimism. This could be defined to Peter Munk, the boss of Barrick Gold, the largest mining company in the world that is here to stay and shoot the controversy in Argentina. An entrepreneur who managed to extract water-well gas, oil, gold and dollars, mountains of stones, and now grosses more piles of money by the crisis in international economic and financial.
Regular partner of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and many other heads of state, Munk moves as host of the cusps of world power for decades. Dialogue and closes them millionaires business, such as the Pascua Lama Veladero and between Argentina and Chile, which raised more than once dust and complaints.
Munk prefer, however, continue their journey, which now includes the philanthropic millionaire (with minus taxes ). Nothing seems to affect-or moderate their language and often politically incorrect unleashed, but it could be due to the measuring rod with difficulties. The rod of the Nazi death camps.
Escape from hell.
Born in Budapest in 1927, the son and grandson of wealthy Hungarian family fortune went to save their lives during the Second World War. It was in 1944 when his family and more than 1600 other Jews escape to Switzerland on a train to a Nazi bought that hide during the war in Argentina: Adolf Eichmann.
The escape was bittersweet to the outrageous. First, because his mother, divorced from his father, was not part of the group that was saved. She was sent to Auschwitz, where also finally made it out alive. And second, because the broker was Rudolph Kasztner Eichman, a lawyer accused by Israel after collaborator, and murdered in 1957. “He saved me, my family and others 1628,” Munk defended him in an interview with CBC. “And besides that, there is evidence that saved another 20,000 or 30,000 people,” he said.
After the war, Munk came to Canada. He graduated as an engineer at the University of Toronto-which decades later donated 35 million dollars and created Clairton, a manufacturer of televisions and stereos that promoted Frank Sinatra.
With “The Voice” on your side and all, Clairton ended badly. And with the collapse came the first question against Munk. Another shareholder accused him of selling his part before the collapse benefited from insider information. The lawsuit ended with a settlement. Munk disbursed $ 21,000 at the time, but without acknowledging his guilt . 
Paid, he said, only because it could complicate his next business.
Munk further concluded that it was better to leave some time in Canada. Settled in England to his lifelong wife, Melanie Jane Bosanquet, with whom he had 5 children. Two of them are millionaires in their own right – “did not give them or to buy a car,” boasted Munk, and another is editor of Vanity Fair . And from London said as far as Fiji. Developed a hotel chain in the South Pacific, which grew with the support of Saudi Adnan Khashoggi, the first in a long list of exotic characters, to be benevolent, that would surround.
Arms dealer and lover of luxury to your favorite yacht eccentricity-appeared in a James Bond-roamed Khashoggi all the great scandals of the 70 and 80. Among others, the Iran-Contra, BCCI, the Bank of Gaith Pharaon, the megalavado and even the disappearance of heritage (ill-gotten, of course) of the Philippines Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, hundreds of millions of dollars.
Munk hotel chain prospered. And sold it for $ 100 million. But not so lucky with another tourism project with Khashoggi beside the pyramids of Egypt. Although the Iran-Contra Munk opened the door to his fate gold. Why? Because his Saudi partner in 1987 he sold his part in Horsham Securities, which in turn owned shares in a company less: Barrick.
By then, the company focused on oil and gas. Only then pointed to gold to buy for $ 62 million despised mine in Nevada, United States, which honored his name: Goldstrike. Thus, Barrick rose from 46 million worth in 1983 to 6500 million dollars a decade later.
From that time is your link to Argentine businessman Santiago Soldati, who says that big lies are said about his friend, which he defines to the consultation of the nation as “an admirable example of effort and perseverance,” and for which, from the time, began to prepare any local mining landing.
In 1997, far from the veins of Nevada, presidents Carlos Menem and Eduardo Frei sealed a deal that a decade later would fit perfect for Barrick. Signed the Treaty of Mining Integration and Complementation “to facilitate private investment in the border of both countries.” A sort of “mining zone” or, as the President of the Commission on Conservation of Natural Resources and Human Environment of Deputies, Miguel Bonasso, “a third country.”
Simultaneously, Munk was deployed from other continents and businesses. Among them, the real estate. In 1994 took control of Trizec emporium-he put half of the $ 750 million that investors had to put-and sold it in 2006 for 5.4 billion. What is said a real King Midas.
But along with his landing in Africa and Patagonia, came complaints. From Tanzania, the fate of 50 miners were buried alive self-employed in 1996, during an eviction by local authorities. Others were executed, according to reports from Bloomberg, which was based on the stories of 28 families of the victims, officials and activists from local human rights organizations.
More on
Michelle Bachelet
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Elisa Carrio
José Luis Gioja
Frank Sinatra
Munk wants nothing to do with these organizations, which he defined as “rogue” during an interview with the Financial Times , and accused them of lacking “accountability and transparency.” “When we go to Tanzania or Argentina or the tip of Pakistan, we apply the same environmental standards and pollution control in British Columbia “, said at the World Economic Forum 2007.
However, the two NGOs on human rights more respected in the world, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) also criticized the multinational, which contends that anyway remains “very constructive relationship” with both entities, whose papers on Tanzania and Barrick are raised, for example, by the Agency for Refugees (UNHCR).
Nevertheless, the mining did not give an inch. Before the questioning in Argentina, such as Greenpeace and the destruction of glaciers in the mines of Veladero and Pascua Lama, Barrick chief spokesman, Andy Lloyd, before consulting the nation, the rates more typical of “a novel science fiction than reality. ”
The round goes further. Also, the Nobel Peace Prize Al Gore challenged to Barrick. Therefore, the former U.S. vice president in 2007 demanded that the mine take out their sponsorship of the conference was to provide in Chile. If not anticipated, cancel. The mining company withdrew its $ 50 and led to development programs in the valley of Guasco.
In January 2009, Norway went further. Recalled more than 200 million dollars from its pension fund investments in Barrick for their irreparable damage to the environment, for example, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
But Munk went his way. Garnered awards, including Officer of the Order of Canada, the highest honor for a civilian in this country, six honorary doctorates and became part of the Companion of the Order, a council presided over by the Canadian Supreme Court . And in business, joined forces with Nathaniel Rothschild, the new figurehead of the legendary family for the XXI century. TriGranit formed a real estate developer with two heavy players: Bernard Arnault, Louis Vuitton empire founder, and Oleg Deripaska.
Together they invested, for example, more than 200 million euros on a luxury yacht marina in Montenegro. And together they attended a party in 2009, the birthday of another potentate: Saif al-Islam Khadafy, the son called to inherit the reins of the then-powerful dictator of Libya. Although, as Lloyd said, the chief spokesman from Toronto, “Munk has no personal relationship with any member of the family Khadafy.”
Munk’s tendency to surround himself with advisers partners or opaque is striking. From Bush’s father Joseph “Puchi” Rohm
Munk’s tendency to surround himself with advisers partners or opaque is striking. From former President George Bush Sr. to Joseph “Puchi” Rohm, that of Banco General de Negocios (BGN), charged with washer and fugitive from justice. And a similar tendency was to give interviews and defend the mining, for example, to the various crimes allegations in Papua New Guinea. He suggested that in certain countries “gang rape is a cultural habit.” Lloyd told The Nation that this time the “out of context” and that Munk immediately “sent a letter of apology” because it “never intended to offend or insult anyone.”
The negative reports also rained on Deripaska, his partner in TriGranit, which Munk defined as the “doer of an empire.” The Wall Street Journal revealed that the United States revoked a visa for ties to Russian organized crime, in Spain he was accused of washing 4 million euros from the mafia, and the Financial Timesdetalló ties with Sergei Popov and Anton Malevsky, two alleged kingpins the underworld. After this scandal, Barrick decided to shut up.
Both he and his company also avoided any comment on what the opposition in Argentina sarcastically defined as “the Barrick veto.” That is, the first veto of a law of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner during his presidency. It was in November 2008 and by the law of glaciers, which went into effect plans and would have affected the profits of mining, Bonasso remarked to the Nation.
But Barrick is defended against charges of Bonasso and Deputy Elisa Carrio and Maria Fernanda Reyes on a secret tax agreement between Argentina and Chile, with generous benefits for the mining and crime by the officials involved, according to lawmakers. Was signed in late April 2009, two weeks after a new meeting between the President, Munk and the governor of San Juan, José Luis Gioja, the Casa Rosada.
For Barrick, the agreement has nothing questionable. It would only be the right answer to what is defined as the first binational mining world. “It was very important for the Chilean and Argentine authorities have reached agreement on the tax issue,” said then its regional benchmark of corporate affairs, Rodrigo Jimenez Castellanos.
With his sharp tongue, Munk alluded to Argentina and Chile more ironic. He said that President Kirchner and Michelle Bachelet to invest begged, “Please, please, please, Barrick, please put your money in our country,” he paraphrased during the annual meeting of shareholders of 2008, according The newspaper reported the Toronto Star for Lloyd, “Munk is well known for his passionate speeches,” but the comment “was not a literal sense.”
Others do not think so well of the secret agreement. Besides Bonasso, Carrie and Reyes, two undersecretaries of state gave for not signing, the technical line of the Ministry of Economy also declined, as did several tax experts. Today, a criminal case remains open in federal court in Comodoro Py.
But, optimistic, and ready to meet 84 years (on Tuesday) Munk sees a promising future for mining. Because if global problems are long term, if there are crises and wars, repeated, “then the attitude towards gold is more positive.” As Is: Barrick now earns 10 million dollars a day. Although he clarified that the money last figure in scale of motivations. “For me, money is nothing more than a measure of success.”
Planning your business. Giving birth to the vision of your business
by Bettina Langerfeldt
The most important aspect when planning a business is to acquire a vision for the company. Before developing any strategy or business plan is necessary to have a clear idea of where you want to go. So we can focus on a predetermined order. The different stages that have to go to see the vision for your business is actually very similar to natural pregnancy. Know the 4 different stages through which must pass to give birth to their vision .
The first thing you must acquire to start a business online is a vision.
Beyond a simple vision for the business, there must be a vision broader than covers all areas of our lives. The vision for the business would be like a is perfectly aligned with the dreams that we want to achieve in our lives.
According to Stephen Covey, author of the Bestseller 8221, start with the end in mind allows that our life has reason to be.
The creation of a vision of what we can achieve our actions are directed at what is truly meaningful in our lives. After all, for a sailboat without any wind port is good.
It is important to have dreams and visions for our lives. God created us so that we need to have goals , something we want to achieve . Without our vision, we can not grow beyond what we are today.
God has a vision for each of our lives and it is His will to fulfill what he has placed in our hearts.
The vision begins as a seed that is planted in our hearts. At that time we were & with a new dream. It is comparable to the natural pregnancy of a woman.
The process of acquiring a vision to get to see its realization is very similar to that of a woman giving birth:
1. Conception:
During this stage comes a great idea, but there is no visual evidence of it. There is joy, there is enthusiasm for what is coming, but not seen. This is the moment in which we must learn to believe that the vision is not only a possibility but something that is feasible to achieve.
A woman said to possibly have a baby. He says he will have a baby, even though there is no outward sign that she is pregnant. She is anticipating being able to have that child in his arms and is waiting the day when the time is right to do so.
Similarly, a vision for a business should be approached as a reality that will manifest in the future. Must be t to which you navigate with focus and determination throughout the business management.
2. Pregnancy:
Once conceived a vision, we must plan and prepare so that everything is in place when the time of the demonstration, or delivery, of sleep. During this period, like a pregnant woman go through different stages and begin to experience feelings and sensations that we have ever had. We may invade the fear, or fatigue. Many times things happen that are beyond our control and we do not understand what is happening.
Right now you just have to move on, without hesitation, using step by step development strategies that were planned in advance. Although we can not see at all, we can be absolutely certain that the vision is taking shape.
3. Premature births and abortions:
Every business has its ripening process, from its inception until finally reaching the point of being profitable and producing the expected results.
Due to fatigue, exhaustion and lack of perseverance, many people abort their project. They surrender to the difficulties and suddenly give up and decide not to continue pursuing the vision.
There are also premature births. For lack of patience, do not expect the optimal ripening time a result is mediocre and much less effective.
4. Labor and Delivery:
Finally, it is time to give birth! Awaited moment arrived!
But everything is not always rosy in the moments before the manifestation of our vision. Is also often the most difficult time. We must make great efforts unexpected and must enlist the help of others to that vision is revealed to its full potential.
Right now frequently seek relief, but impending childbirth forces us to keep pushing forward, until the vision is revealed in all its splendor and the business is to bear abundant fruit.
Author Bettina
I am an Internet entrepreneur with a passion to help people of all ages to discover and develop their entrepreneurial skills and leadership. . Currently I have a website , an online education center for children and parents who wish to develop their entrepreneurial skills to make money from Internet businesses.
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What we learn from Coach?
by Robin Rojas Duno
Unlike other promoters of learning, the coach does not seek the transfer of experience, and convey theoretical knowledge, as you would a teacher or teacher.
Note that does not provide solutions such as consultants, or give instructions step by step how could a teacher. Of course that makes learning but are not part of what we know in the organizational world as a facilitator. Hoffman (2007:62) is involved in the debate when he said: ” The basic function of the coach is to facilitate the generation of learning for the customer to manage themselves to grow and for the effective use of available resources . ”
So, the question arises how the coach generates organizational learning? What is learned from the coach? At first professional coach not think you have the answers to questions that may arise from specific situations in the workplace. It is believed, simply because it is not, an expert with tools to fix anything. His level of consciousness (their conversations “private” or domestic) should be directed to the belief that everyone has the potential to find their own answers. Binoche cited by Caby (2004:74) refers to this: ” This definition implies our belief in the existence of a potential development of personal resources throughout coachee, the coach is responsible disclosure through maieutics . ”
The coach helps you achieve maximum potential, making the person previously committed to reaching their goals . How does she do this? “By opening” the eyes of the people in the organization, through conversations enhancer, to define their objectives and of course to share.
And again we ask what is learned from the coach? Could be their attitude, their way of behaving. So she carries the role, according to some authors, should be a model. In the case referred to skills development, Alles (2005:163) refers to this when he says: ” For this, the coach must meet specific requirements, one of them very important, being a point in the competition to develop ”
Of course, we also learn strategies to make the right decisions at the right time, techniques and tactics to effectively communicate to overcome the difficulties.
From the perspective of NLP , discipline, “assistant coach of all” relevant to this organizational care professional to provide paths for clients to what is known in NLP as “a state of fullness of resources.” Dilts (2004:103) mentions it when he says: “Having effective methods to select and manage the internal state of oneself is an essential part of successful performance.”
It is understood that learning occurs in humans more effectively (especially the self-learning ) where there is provision for it, and this state of fullness of resources has a lot to do with self-concept of the person and vision perceives the world to which to belong. Echeverría (2006:111) refers to this when he opines: “Man, in his actions, not just react to what happens, but it responds according to the way you see yourself and how to observe world and the things that live in it ”
Right there is the work of the coach, to improve the observation of members of the organization about themselves and encourage states conducive to learning to occur.
There are also situations, such as collective processes in organizations seem to be sleeping all together taking a nap. In this case, the coach’s task is to enable learning by doing “awakening” to the organization where you conduct your process intervention . Dilts (2004:263) explains:
Awakening involves helping people grow and evolve to the level of vision, purpose and spirit. Coaches, support alarm to others by helping them develop a greater awareness of their calling or vocation, their unconscious resources, and larger systems to which they belong.
Reaching here, we can conclude that what is learned from the coach is to channel energy. The person or group of them always learn about themselves. Miiedaner (2002:27) says it well: ” The coaching will teach you to delete items that consume your energy and get those who are provided. The more energy you have, you will be more powerful and strong ”
Author Robin Rojas Duno – robindunoarrobayahoo.es
It is titled Post-graduate level, Human Resources Specialist, graduated from the Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, where he was noted for his proposal focused on how, why and when, learning organizations. Holds degrees in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, as well as Leadership and Management in Education Directive, the first with the United Nations Association of Venezuela Anuva, and the second with the University Rafael Belloso Chacin city of Maracaibo.
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Choosing an ERP is like planning a wedding
The selection of an ERP is closer than you imagine to planning a wedding. In this article we describe the similarities between the selection of appropriate software for your company and the perfect party planning.
Similarities between the selection of software and planning a wedding
You will probably ask this question: I have chosen well to my partner? Did I choose the right ERP? Is that both share a long way
No certainty of having made the right decision
While waiting for their marriage will last longer than the software of choice, also want the software to last for many years in business
What and who to include in the project?
There will always be people within your company to be included in the project (for example, shareholders and stakeholders and experts in the field) and as “the mother or the father of the wedding & ;, stakeholders have a keen interest in the plan and want to ensure that everything goes well and the minute details are being given. Take time and this, after all, if you do not now what will become of your business-or your marriage in a while?
Things to consider
As in your wedding â € “the choice of dress, sponsors, flowers, church, etc .- choosing the software requires a lot of research and preparation. Having a list of all the help it needs not forget anything.
The evaluation phase
We all want to have made the right choice. We can not choose the first person we know to be married, nor do we have to choose the software first before us. The decision has to adapt to our needs. There will always be a solution that suits us. Do not worry because you have a tight deadline and executives are breathing down her neck. As your wedding day will be more important in his life, in the office this important day will be the software application.
The decision phase
For the selection of software, inviting suppliers to perform a product demonstration is a very important part of the process. This is the same as the dress rehearsal for your wedding, allowing you to easily see how things are going out on that great day.
The review
So how was the rehearsal? Is everything went as planned? You’ve probably made some notes and keep asking some serious questions as &
â € ¢ Have I thought of everything?
â € ¢ Are there any other questions you need to do?
â € ¢ Is there any information that needs clarification?
The implementation phase: The big day is coming
So before you sign on the dotted line &; Are there any other detail you need to know?
You want to make sure that the long-term relationship that is about to start is legal and has the commitment of both parties. But like a prenuptial agreement, there may be certain stipulations that he must have previously worked with your software provider.
Planning for implementation
Now that negotiations have been completed and has achieved executive approval, or approval of the bride, is the time to prepare for the application. Think of it as the 8221,. After all the time, effort and money spent on your software project, it’s time the real test. How will you get your new ERP implementation? Do you feel that you have chosen wisely?
Installation and Configuration (or migration)
The assembly of the new home can be fun, but it definitely has its challenges. Where do you want this lamp? Which side do you want the closet? ¿I can get rid of this old chair?
And similarly, in the installation and configuration of software, this is where all the essential details to be resolved.
The maintenance and management phase: the years
User, love, honor, bla, bla, bla):
During courtship, research, evaluation and selection phases, the software provider has been at your disposal, but now that it has signed its promises of support and can run a long-term risks.
How can you be sure not to get caught up in these situations?
It should focus on the acquisition of full documentation of the suppliers, ensuring the ability to audit and make a total length of the proposals from suppliers. This assessment includes all the information of products from a supplier, ensuring that the software selection is as wide as can be.
As for his marriage … Sorry, we can not guarantee the same results with your new husband or wife.
Adding licenses it’s like having children
It has been working with the ERP solution for a while, and going really well. Your business is growing and has hired some new employees Is your system capable of adding more users? Is it robust enough for further expansion? Think of it like having children. Need care, right? And the bigger your family, have more toys and need more space.
Happily for all?
Hopefully! Although the previous text covers many of the measures to be taken to carry out an ideal software selection should not be considered an exhaustive list. The above points are just steps from the software selection process that are similar to planning a wedding … Luck!
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