For about 10 days, I explained that I was pretty impressed by Mozilla Firefox because of:

• the ease-of-use
• the skins possibility
• the speed
• the bookmarks management
• the integrated pop-up blocker
• the integrated download manager
• the tabbed browsing
• the great IE settings import function
• the size and memory footprint of the application – install file: about 4.8 MB

After my very intensive test period, I can confirm all the mentionned arguments above! This browser is definitely awasome. I’m conquered…

Let me tell you which config I’m using now:

• Theme: Qute v2.1.2
• Extension: All-in-one Gesturey v0.12.1, description of the gestures here
• Extension: googlebar v0.0.24
• Extension: Google Pagerank v0.6
• Extension: SwitchProxyTool v1.1
• Extension: SingleWindow v1.0

  

Source: Mercedes Magazine

I published some new pictures of my last trip to Lanzarote. Below some of these pictures.

Awesome garten within the hotel

Very nice swimming-pool

And a marvelous view from the terrace (by night)

Dividing a change cycle into phases

An action plan for creating sustaining change

Mobilising commitment

The success of change projects depends on the number and quality of change agents

—————

Source: G. Müller-Stewens / Ch. Lechner

[Via BetaNews]

I finished to aggregate the different information and statistics concerning the 1st semester 2004 results of my business unit, the so-called Helvetia Patria Group‘s eCenter, which is responsible for enabling eBusiness insurance solutions (B2B) in the different subsidiaries of the Holding (Spain, Italy, Germany , Switzerland and, from next year, perhaps Austria). “Enabling” means for us: helping to find good business cases, providing a central and state-of-the-art eBusiness platform, architecture and infrastructure to the subsidiaries, and supporting their project implementation.

I’m the co-founder and the manager of this unit and I got the chance, since April 2000, to experience all the steps of its development: strategy, funding, recruiting, acquiring, fighting for survival, observing the first success, etc.

We launched the first application (for Spain) in February 2002, some days after the birth of my son :-) In 2003, we generated a premium volume (proposals) of more than 1 billion CHF (~ 800 million Euros) on the platform. We reached about the same volume within the first six months this year :-) Which makes me quite happy, you can imagine.

I’m very proud that we reached this results. But I must say I’m even more proud to be able to work with all the guys/friends of my unit, who are so brilliant and smart…and real cool guys at the same time. Really a pleasure, I’m lucky ;-)

Source: Mercedes Magazine

Type of change process

We define two types of change process:

incremental change

– is based on evolutionary process

– aims at a continuous improvement of the current business model

– improves established practises

– is compatible with existing mind-set

fundamental change

– is radical and occurs abruptly

– leads to discontinuous process

– has an impact on the current mind-set

– is often painful for the people involved

Impact of change initiatives

The impact of change initiatives cannot be determined with accuracy.

Establishing a need for change

—————

Source: G. Müller-Stewens / Ch. Lechner

  

Source: Mercedes Magazine

wow wow wow :-)

U2 rocks!!

That’s pure energy, that’s rock’n&roll;, that’s live playing

I am listenning to / watching the DVD U2 go home: Live from Slane Castle – Ireland and I remarked that I haven’t posted something about it yet, although I played it so many times for months!! That’s somewhat criminal, I must apologize. This band is so deeply integrated in my own life that I sometimes forget to speak about it!

U2 was one of my first contact with music in 1984 when I was 12, and what for a contact! I mean with The Unforgettable fire: Pride, 4th of July, Bad, MLK. Not so bad for a start. Afterwards, it was just a kind of never-ending-love with this band. You remember The Johsua Tree? I mean: Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, With Or Without You, Running To Stand Still, Red Hill Mining Town, One Tree Hill, Mothers Of The Disappeared. Surely one of the best album ever recorded! without mentionning all their great concerts.

With or without you is somewhat particular because it is linked to Laurence – my wife – and myself. You know, all the couples have their song. We have two: With or without you from U2 and On the turning away from Pink Floyd. Both still present after all these great years (16) ;-)

Back to this DVD: 160’000 people in two days, the 20th anniversary of U2 in their own country, the Slane castle (they played there in 1981), a great tour world-wide. U2 played “at home” with their first tribe. These 4 guys are just AMAZING. A must-to-have, definitely.