May 07 2008
Why would Barcelona want to be one of Google’s homes ?
Some may say, OK Ludo, the idea is ok. But why Barcelona would benefit from having a few hundreds of Google engineers working in a building. Thinking about impact would not be better to have a new automobile factory around ? SEAT-VolskWagen or Nissan or GM that’s big boy! Lots of goods coming in an out of Barcelona’s harbor thousands of new jobs in direct employment and working in small companies that supply the BIG factory!
Yeah, ok. That’s cool and we had plenty of that here. And plenty of trouble when some company wants to take the production of a van to an East European country, or another place in the world… Then what will remain ? Unemployeds, empty buildings and lots of small companies simply broke. So … if they come (big industries…) they are welcome, but I also want Google (and any other knowledge based company) to come here.
Because what would bring here Google is guys with brains, illusion and passion about doing something that matters. About changing the world for the better and, also, earn some money in the process. People who would be around, taking coffee with our students, researchers and entrepreneurs. Showing them is that possible and that they also can. Not that they can be Google’s employees – nothing is impossible though – but that they can be part of the knowledge society and economy.
And if they leave some day…. we will keep the knowledge and the attitude.
(Image CC Lisenced by stijnbokhove)
ps.And let’s not forget that others are already here (Yahoo, Intel, IBM …. )