IT WAS a paradigm-boosting  experience." reflects a second year student of the 51 member  team of the students and faculty members of the Indian Institute of Planning and Management. New Delhi: as they return from Geneva, Switzerland as a part of the second of stories of the (global Opportunities and Threat -Analysis (GOTA) pro­gramme organised by the institute. The GOTA programme is a pioneering endeavor of the insti­tute towards providing a first hand experience on globalisation and global management practices through workshops, seminars and interactions with the who's who of some of the front ranking global organisations of the world in the happening locales of Switzerland.

The programme this summer undertook Its tour in July 2000. included seminars and Interac­tions at the Nestle International headquarters at Switzerland; World Bank. Geneva: IMI). Lausanne; their executive man­agement programme is rated the best in Europe and second best in the world The Credit Suisse. Geneva, one of the largest private banks in Switzerland The United Nations - Security Council, and UNCTAD. Geneva: Geneva Financial Centre, and Swiss Exchange; and the Webster University Bellevue. Switzerland

This round of highly academi­cally rewarding visits was fol­lowed by sightseeing trips to some exotic locales like Gstaad. Intrerlaken, Jungfraujoch  and other places.

The programme started with a visit to the Webster University where the IIPM students partici­pated in an open discussion in die "European Economy Today" with Dr Nicholas Bates. Professor of Economics at the University The students raised serious ronrerns about the European economy like the changing demographic profile in Europe, and its Impact on productivity, problems relating  to geographical and occupation­al immobility and its implications etc. Prof Bates-appreciated he level of academic interactions by-the visiting students.

This was followed in a visit to the Palais des Nations (the UN of­fice in Geneval.where the  IIPM team was briefed on the initiatives of the  Securitv Council- Ms Preeta Banerjee of the UN. The students then attended a seminar on sus­tainable development addressed by Mr Khali! A Hamdani. Chief-National   Innovation   and Investment Policies, and Head -Advisory Services on Investment and Technology. UNCTAD. Appraising die IIPM participation in the seminar. Mr Hamdani ex­pressed his "desire to plan such programmes in the future and de­velop seminars that call be geared to the curricula of IIPM".

The IIPM team then visited the Nestle's International Headquarters at Switzerland. The programme started with a presentation for the IIPM students on 'Nestle Worldwide by Mr. B.link, followed by a discussion on Aspect* of Globalisation initiated by Mr. II. Oberhansli. Chief Economic Advisor to the Chief Executive.

The students discussed and ex-changed on the signifi­cance of information and knowl­edge in the global economy. The IIPM team then had a luncheon with Mr Link and Mr Oberhansli. followed by the post lunch session a gruelling discussion with Mr KF Lim . Vice President Nestle : Zone Asia-Oceania-Africa AOAI on Nestle  strategies in tile Zone (AOA The students discussed Nestle strategies on Marketing and Product Development, e-Commerce and discussed a case study on the (GCMF and the ini­tiative of Dr Kurien.

This was followed by a visit to the Geneva I itmm-i.il Centre where the students were invited for an extensive presentation, which was a live demo on the trading System of the Swiss Exchange.

According to Mr Berthoud. the Vice President. Geneva Financiere According to him -"It is a great opportunity for IIPM students to understand how -some foreign systems work and this will help them in comparing it with their own systems".

Aptly, this was followed by a presentations on the Swiss econ­omy by the senior economist at Credit Suisse, the second largest priva