A few reflections: I haven't been invited to speak at any pharmaceutical marketing conferences in the U.S. lately, indicating a somewhat greater openness over here.
Of course, the timing works well so I can also speak some more to the media about the launch of the Swedish translation of "The Whistleblower," do a book signing, and meet some friends and old colleagues.
That's another difference over here - I'm actually allowed inside some drug companies, right into the corner office. That hasn't happened for a long time in the U.S.
The lecture at the conference appears to have gone well. The organizers were a bit nervous at first, but the public, consisting mostly of employees in the drug industry, appears to have appreciated some of my comments.
Pfizer was one of the few drugs companies that had not signed up for the meeting, but last minute someone apparenly decided to attend. I'm sorry to say that I didn't get to meet this person.
I did, however, have an exchange with one of the PR guys from Astra-Zeneca. He made some strong comments at the Q&A and clearly expressed that he had not forgotten - or forgiven - my stint in Sweden managing the Nordic region for another drug company, when I took half of Astra's market share for Prilosec by lowering drug prices. I was, of course, humbled that I could still elicit this kind of reaction from Astra.
When you go back to your native country you reconize small differences you would never think of otherwise. The same goes for my visit here. I should probably point out that there are no white polar bears walking around on the streets, however, it is true that Stockholm is filled with tall, blonde, women, which may not be a surprise to you.
But I'm not thinking of those things; I'm noticing lots of other small differences. Like the fact that the toilet paper is indeed perforated but there is also a spring-loaded metal piece against which you can cut off the paper.
Or the fact that when you visit one of those drug companies, the interior is decidedly scandinavian and of a just slightly better quality than you may find in the average U.S. office, see below.
These are actual offices, and I just wish a few more U.S. companies would consider updating their dreadful ho-hum furniture. Then again that may take a while; the U.S. may be known around the world for many nice things, good taste, however, is not one of them.
I did also notice that the subway is clean, bright and tastefully designed, and that you can clearly hear the name of every station stop when you take a bus. It's not like the commuter train to New York, where smoke billows from the wheels as old leaves ignite, and the speaker system garbles every word, or the seats appear to have been manufactured in the late 50s. Or like the subway in NY, which looks like a bomb shelter from World War I.
You think I'm exaggerating? Below are a few pictures from Stockholm's subway system . . .
3 comments:
As already commented earlier re Sweden, by a non-Swede, that country is most likely the best place on earth to live and if thye had somewhat better climate, for sure. But you can't have everything. What they have though as Doc points out and showes pictures, a country that is so much more advanced over USA and Canada. where I live that only a visit there can convince you. We in Canada have been told for years that this is the best place on earth to live by those who have no idea what countries like Swedwn and other Scandinavian countries have acheived. Yes these two giants are good places compared to those that are so bad that they really look good by comparison. Nowdays there are hardly any immigrants from Europe coming to Canada. Simple reason, what on earth would they look for here now when even Eastern countries are getting much better. Yes people like our doc here do come from Sweden or even Switzerland to USA or Canada to "improve" their careers. In reality it is in most case not worth it at all. Look at the subway, the offices or anything else there in Stockholm and compare it to NewYork or Toronto. Very pathetic, no comparison. All they are interested here to build something to "do the job" of making more money.
The problem we have here in these both countries that rich are getting rapidly richer while the rest are simply used by the rich to get even richer. Social justice is being reduced to minimun.
As war on middle class is unreveling we all will be reduced to low incomes by the globalization which is used by USA and Canadian governments to transfer here low wages from China and other low wages countries.
Hopefully Sweden and ther Europien countries will resist this mcdonaldization and assure their cultured and traditional way of life continues.
Those who think about these things, please comment.
I've heard great things about Sweden and a lot of Scandanavian countries as well.
As for those gorgeous subways, you can imagine what would happen here with the total disrespect shown by thugs, gangstas, taggers and general jagoffs.
Which is a shame really. Can you imagine what things would look like if art could flourish in places like the subways, busstops, train stations, airports, etc?
And PLEASE don't anyone give me any crap about tagger "artwork". It's garbage 98 percent of the time and two percent that show some artistic sense are still garbage, just better looking garbage.
Such a shame.
Rosethejet, yes it is a shame. This shameful reality is a result of many factors, of course. One main is the USA style of social/economic system that nacesarily creates situations like, poverty, crime, lack of culture, gangsta, taggers, tughs, you name it. This amongst those who are deprived of basic human decency in the country that claims to be such a free and democratic society. This type of social economic system must have these types of low lifes to function in this way so those who are the benefectors can become rich beyond anybody's imagination but theirs. Look at your what some people like to call "royalty" at Oscars. They have gone so far that never in human history those who were privilaged behaved as they do today. These things are not seen in what one can call "cultured/civilized democracies" one sees in countries like Sweden and even Switzerland where one can see rich pople but not the poverty of N.America and the unbelievable gap betwen the rich and the poor. Till this is resolved the problems we se daily will not be either. Unfortunately for your friends at north same things are begining to be seen as a result of mcdonaldization of Canada.
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