What a difference a day makes! Increasingly, we are experiencing the period of contrast in the Czech culture, particularly as it relates to labor relations in this developing country. Yesterday, we visited a factory which at best resembled that of a Pre-World War II manufacturing facility where health and safety standards were non-existent. In comparison, the visit to a multi-national firm, Thermo King, gave all the opportunity to see first-hand concepts and theories such as Lean Thinking and Balanced Scorecard as discussed in the classroom. In addition, the labor market discussion with Grafton Recruitment proved beneficial. A few take-away points from that lecture revealed the following:

•  Average Czech salary is approximately $600 USD/month

•  Unemployment is approaching 10%

•  Czechs with English-speaking skills have a definite employment advantage

•  Multi-nationals are the choice employer

•  Czechs receive generous employment benefits such as insurance plans, paid leave, and public holidays

Caption by Angie