It is hoped that all who have read the investment-auto-motives' web log essays / reports / notes posted in 2011 have found them absorbing, insightful and enjoyable.
Although directed at the higher echelons of investment banking, private equity, automotive industry and government, it is hoped that others throughout such organisations, and indeed into academia, are also able to digest the various macro and micro orientated topics, presented with as much overlap as possible to provide a contextual map for specific company, auto-industry sub-sector or regional locale.
Besides an obvious shop-window for investment-auto-motives' advisory capabilities, the intention is that practising professionals in the aforementioned arenas, and those younger but equally ambitious, are able to gain snap-shots of the myriad of automotive activities that spans the world.
Activities which act as the critical central economic generator, which draw in capital from far and wide, often via FDI, and in turn helps to raise the living standards of millions that work inside the auto-industry at some point in its value chain, but also those situated in complementary arenas. Whether that be in the primary and secondary levels of broad industry (mining & processing), the insurance sector, the (criticised but essential) oil industry, or the ever expanding world of IT, as all vehicles become more 'intelligent', And indeed within the leisure sector, from the ethereal of screen-based game-play to the reality of drawing overtly competitive drivers into organised track-day events and so removing potential danger from public roads, to the world of motor-camping as described in the last post.
But of course each and every region and country has differing demands from the automobile, the infrastructure that services the car, van, bus and truck, and the commercial environment that surrounds such personal and mass transit mobility.
The demise of the auto has been recanted time and time again, and whilst undoubtedly in certain regions car use may appeared to have peaked resulting from the interplay of rush-hour 'grid-lock' and fiscally constrained times, as a global whole the 21st century looks to be a new golden era for the vehicle – in all forms and propulsion methods – as nations and peoples work towards and thus expect a better tomorrow for one and all.
Thus, it is very much hoped that: all across the Islamic world enjoyed the Eid-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations in February, all across India (of whatever faith) enjoyed Diwali celebrations in October, all across Asia enjoyed the very recent Buddhist Bodhi Day celebrations.
And of course it is hoped that all those of Christian faith across the world - from the masses of Brazil to the minority in China – enjoy a “Very Merry Christmas” and “Fortuitous New Year”
“Judge a (wo)man or a tribe not by name, colour or creed, but by intention, action and deed”
The final words of the year, that would well guide all countries and faiths, are provided by the wisdom of Confucius:
“The ancients, when they wished to exemplify illustrious virtue throughout the empire, first ordered well their states. Desiring to order well their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated themselves. Wishing to cultivate themselves they first rectified their purposes. Wishing to rectify their purposes, they first sought to think sincerely. Wishing to think sincerely, they first extended their knowledge as widely as possible. This they did by investigation of things...
...By investigation of things, their knowledge became extensive; their knowledge being extensive, their thoughts became sincere, their thoughts being sincere, their purposes were rectified, they cultivated themselves; they being cultivated, their families were regulated, their families being regulated, their states were rightly governed; their states being rightly governed, the empire was thereby tranquil and prosperous”.
Whilst investment-auto-motives propounds “The Art of Work” via its post-cards, these Confucian words offer “The Art of Living”.
This then is perhaps the true Christmas Message to one and all.
The investment-auto-motives web log will return on 8th January.
