911 has prompted me to look for ways to be philanthropic with my work. I have decided to volunteer economic development oriented consultation in third world nations. As a pilot project I have called upon contacts in a German foreign aid organization in Nepal. I had been told by several Nepali business owners that one of their greatest challenges is to develop into globally comptetitive companies while they are encumbered with caste based employment policies. Because they are obligated to employ anyone from their caste, whether they have a job for them or not these business owners are burdened with more employees than they need. So their need for greater efficiency conflicts with their sense of caste responsibility.
I told my contacts in Nepal that if they could supply me with everyone in a business for three days I would help them take on the issue above. They found one and I am going over to Nepal the second week of November (after working for several days in Dubai, UAE). The business is one of over 20 owned by one family, but I am not sure yet which one I will be with. So, I would greatly appreciate anyone's wisdom about using OS in this kind of third world context. I will get a translator for when I walk the circle, etc. I think we can get enough computers, and a space. I expect that many participants will be illiterate. The politics will range from royal loyalists to Maoists. Humility and responsiveness to those with power is a big part of the culture. I have worked for a couple of weeks in Nepal about 18 months ago but that was my one and only time in there. Thanks for your ideas Joe * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
