MBA TCC (the case culture)

I knew that there was something wrong

MBA, huh! we have been there.

And the verdict is finally out.

I just loved it. Indians have finally chosen the right path to tread and congress, rightly, succeeding in its strategic intent. India always needed a stable governement who could convert it political manifesto into actions. And this is the time when our beloved Sardarji would be able to do that. If you analyze, you would find that congress had a clear laid out path from the beginning, more from the fact that other parties were scrambling to finalize who would be their neta. Reasons could be many, but I am sure that even the opposition would be happy today that we will have a stable government now.

This election has made clear one thing and that is: Gandhi family plays out its cards well and are in control of how things move in the political circle. With this win they have actually made sure that Congress will be in power for at least 10 years (barring any mishap, which may happen) – 2014 would be the year when junior Gandhi takes the throne. Is this the start of another legacy; I strongly believe so. And that may bring more good than bad to the politics. One thing is for sure that more young leaders will find their way to politics.

More from everything else, I am happy from the fact that this time cabinet will be pretty strong and you may see many forward looking policies to come on the table. Personally, I would like to see the youngs (or Mr Shashi Tharoor) to take on serious responsibilities of managing the external affairs; next 5 years may very well be the tranformational years for the governement and India.

A little advice, my friend.

To all the passing graduates who are trying to make big in the time of recession, there is a little piece of advice by a leadership consultant – check the link: http://ow.ly/6Uoo

You know it all; it’s time to execute.

Photon – what’s your call?

Not sure whether it is true, but the story sounds scary, nevertheless.

http://www.consumercomplaints.in/bycompany/photon-infotech-a22075.html

http://www.complaints.com/Photon-Infotech-165836/Photon-Infotech–Scam-Artists-165836.html

Black Magic or Sixth Sense?

You must have heard the phrase “i knew this was coming” many time, but have you ever felt it in your vein; Knowing what is gonna happen the very next moment? What does it tell about human psychology and how we process and interpret information? Does brain process it faster than what the eyes capture and interpret it before we know what eyes had seen? Is there a sequence? Or, is this simply a fore-sight or the sixth sense that Shyamalan pictured? But who is feeding all those images into our brain? Is it the cycle that we already know keeps repeating?

Difficult questions with no easy answers (or probably, no answers). I am seeing thing, really. Okay, this is no horror story, where I would see NDA coming to power before the results are announced (may be that’s easy). Anyway, things have been happening and I happen to see exactly what is to happen, a moment before. Many of you out there must have experienced it many times, and, most likely, while watching a sports gig. Coincidence, I doubt it. Reason, I don’t know it. Anybody, out there in the fields, please send me links so that I could quench my curiosity.

Event 1: F1-grand prix: Sutil, with Force India, is about to capture a thrilling, and very first, point for the team. He is in his 6th lap; Dr. Mallaya watching; nerve wrecking stuff for all Indian F1 fans. A thought struck me as to why I am being happy for someone who I don’t know or care about? How will it benefit me if he/Mallaya wins? WHAM! disaster struck. Sutil hit it hard, out of the race, in the 6th lap. Why? I don’t know, but please don’t blame me.

Event 2: IPL-2: TV screen showed Sachin spitting on his hands, rubbing them nicely, getting ready. Bowl. Oh! who’s there in the slips? Is that Sachin? Is he going to take the catch? Darkness. Sachin took a catch (not sure who was the batsman) in the slip. Why?

Many events like these occur in our daily lives (I should write every time I experience them )). How often does a forgotten movie that you are thinking about just shows up on TV? How many times a person (or a word), who you met first time, starts showing up everywhere? Or an article (mind it, out worldly) that shows up in a paper or magazine just as you are discussing it? There is something that is controlling all this, and I am yet to gather any of that.

May be I am watching a lot of TV these days. Read more, jack…

It’s the same thought, again.

It’s back there, on my face, staring at me, questioning the very reason why I am sitting there in front of the idiot box, holding the remote tight. I am trying to look sideways resisting the feeling to get too emotional, but, as always, it didn’t help this time either. LOC Kargil was on TV; I must have watched this movie around 20 times, but just have to watch it again whenever it shows up. Even IPL didn’t have enough magnetism to charm the attention. You may call it patriotism, or my hatred towards pakistan that I always get moved (I am sure that I am not the only one).

All war stories are emotional and they always lead to one simple question: was is really needed? At the end of it, who is getting benefited? We just want to feel safe sitting in the shadow of hollow walls, we shed tears for our heroes and we always move on with our lives. And our lives run untouched from attack to attack, before we get emotional again. The biggest learning that we draw from all the experience is that we are happy to stay a perfect democracy, where terrorists laugh at us on or faces and demand comfort in the jails. We make big issues out silly politics, but we care not to look concerned when Kasab is not shot in the head.

But why do we need any of this?

Savings, is it?

Internet has surely made us outward looking, but if you give it a deep thought, you would agree that it has actually taken over our thought process. You may wonder how many times the topic of discussion in the close boundaries of your home would pop-up on some pages over the net – no relation to you, whatsoever. This morning we were discussing about the way banks calculate the interest on the savings accounts and should we religiously track what we receive in return of all our hard-earned savings. Not many hours passed before which I read an article on a news website about savings account’s so-called savings.

RBI recently suggested that interest on savings accounts (which is 3.5%) should be calculated on the daily basis rather than the current-system-loop-hole-practice that banks follow. What would this mean for the account holders is that they would get higher returns on there money compared to what they get today. That is, as of today, banks give interest on the lowest amount that the holder has b/w 10th and last of the month. So even if you are keeping millions in your account, you would receive interest only on the lowest carrying amount during the period. Once the new directive is in place (may be during 2010), you can rest assured that you reap benefit of that extra sum in your savings account.

So more the number of days you hold those million dollars in your savings account, more interest you will fetch from your bank. Rest assured, this will transform the way consumers use the savings account; they might just take them as a safe haven for there hard earned money. Well! banks may just have to find some other loop holes to keep there system alive and kicking.

Brand or Commitment

What do you, apart from an idea, get stuck to when it comes to being a first generation entrepreneur? Is it the brand that you dream to build – going through period of gestation – or the commitment that you can give to your baby? More involving question is whether you would still feel the same when you are 3-5 years into the venture. I, personally, find it a little intriguing that your idea of being into a venture, or growing into a brand may stare you into your face. That is, whether you would still want to be associated with that business after you have nurtured it well and have grown it to some level?

I think most first generation entrepreneurs would feel that and that very fear might be stopping many entrepreneurs to go out in open. More than anything, its planning that helps you go ahead and not get frustrated with minor setbacks. More you plan to set short term targets, more you find your venture hitting small, but important, successes. This has been told many times, but entrepreneurs seldom do it. These small successes will help build a roadmap for a far-sighted goal. It’s all about fundamentals; you get them right, then you are all set on the exploit the tasks for bigger achievements.

So at that level you won’t care about whether you would like to see yourself as someone who ventured into something, which he/she doesn’t seem to be caring about now. You see your journey as steps of achievement and learning as a creator and not a dreamer. And that’s what an entrepreneur needs. So set sails because there is no better reason of starting a venture than starting it.

Ready to take on the veterans

NDTV – Youth for change: Ready to take on the veterans

Whose line is it anyway?

From a cell to a wailing baby, growth of the human being is the fastest in the first nine months of it journey. Once it sees the light, it begins its struggle towards growing against the resilient world. It draws its existence in the world without insinuating the extent of the change. The world remains unaware of the irreversible change until one proclaims its existence and forces others to accept one’s mark to eternity. Leaving the philosophical debate as to what one is destined to achieve and what one sets out to reach during the tiring, but fulfilling, journey called life, I wonder what a fresh graduate with constrained, and limited, imagination can make out in due course.

Education is for phonies, who wish to fill the crack of their decrepit imagination and uncouth demeanor by learning from the ones who are restricted by the very thought that they were supposed to set free. Learned are those who advance their knowledge from what they experience and what they observe. I believe what education should not do is to define boundaries in which you call your shots. What comes after a professional education is the mindless run towards an admirable job, which too is cordoned by a few short sighted individuals, the external factors and peer pressure, which actually doesn’t exist. Are we all in the same race towards discontentment?

We talk lofty, but we always fall short to what we can achieve. What’s lacking is the act of forbearance and gut to see beyond the boundaries that are defined for us. It is just the pitiful stake that we fight for; short jests of happiness and little blows of victory. But we forget to see is that we are here not to learn from the learned and constraint ourselves, but define the change and devise your journey towards it. And that’s the growth that is difficult to come by. A fetus free with its imagination can grow multifold living with a hope that it will sustain the growth to a greater good, but we do what we do best ‘we start defining the boundaries’.

STP at its best

while we were digging our heads in kotler’s unfathomable fundamentals, the smart guys at vodafone, icici and many others were skimming through the data and finding the right targets, who their newly appointed professional can call and lure away to sell new products and services.

it ‘s actually commendable that they are targeting the customers with right kind of data in their hands and talking just sense so as not to induce fear of a tele-marketer. take this: this afternoon, vodafone’s rep called me confirming that I have Blackberry 8100, which I am not using as typical Blackberry. Sir, would you like to start corporate e-mail service on your phone? She was sweet all over, and I couldn’t keep the phone. But I had to resist by saying that I have taken some time off corporate, so I would not need the services. Thanks!! Polite!

Consider another: ICICI rep called me offering her executive services only to me!! not quite. She said that ‘you being HNI, we are offering you special services and privileges’, ‘you will have a dedicated manager assigned to you, who you can call anytime to resolve your queries.’ neat huh!

and while they dig into my account and personal details, I wonder whether privacy has any meaning.

Encroaching Personal Space

The most gaseous article I have written till date

Nature of the problem

It is a social Faux Pas! It is a violation of accepted public norms. You must have come across many incidents wherein you were trying to find your way out through the daily bustles of life, and trying to concentrate, when an uninvited fellow traveler in your flight from Chennai to Bangalore starts discussing travails of his life. You are trying not to listen to him and ignore, but you can’t resist but become an integral part of his discussion – A muted part at the receiving end of the conversation. It is a travesty of social freedom. The situation becomes dire when the language of conversation is not known to you and, thus, you become an unassuming part without having the subtitles.

There have been arguments given and issues discussed that defines the nature of encroachment. The personal space defined by fixed boundaries, two forms of individual space are distinguished and associated with distinct forms of encroachment:

* Encroachment on informal space: The informal space is characterized by the transportable personal zone that varies for individuals and circumstances. This is the area that humans control and use most often and seek to protect from encroachment and intrusion by others. Encroachment on this space typically can impede or promote the act of communication Encroachment tends to heighten, or escalate anxiety. Four zones of personal space have been distinguished: the intimate distance for embracing or whispering, the personal distance for conversations among good friends, social distance for conversations among acquaintances, and public distance used for public speaking.

The dimensions of these zones may vary significantly for different cultures and individuals. Encroachment may be tolerated to a higher degree in the case of friends, depending on the degree of friendship and the current state of the relationship. Tolerance of encroachment may be affected by appropriate demonstration of humility and social politeness before or after the fact.

* Encroachment on personal territory: This is the semi-fixed territory established by a person, for example, in relation to furniture in an office environment. It becomes a person’s safety zone where he or she can rest from the rigors of defending personal space from encroachment or invasion. Territoriality is established so rapidly that even the second session in a series of lectures is sufficient to find most of the audience returning to their same seats.

Possible solutions

Any solution would ultimately lead to breaching individual’s freedom of expression. Any action the society takes may attract severe reactions from the individuals. Thus the nature of any solution would irate one or the other. But there must be something done to subtly implement the solution and make everyone understand the basic social etiquettes when take their personal lives out of their homes.

1. Dedicated booths

There could be dedicated public booths that can be used for talking in public places. But a lot should come from the personal effort and people should respect others presence in public places.

2. Notices and public awareness on the issue:

Research has been done to understand the behavior while people talk in public places. The participants rated how annoyed they were by mobile phone ringtones. However, people didn’t find the ring to be particularly bad, so the fact that mobile phones ring doesn’t seem to explain why bystanders hate mobile-phone conversations.

Speech volume did affect bystanders’ annoyance level: loud phone conversations were judged more negatively than phone conversations conducted in a normal voice. Designing phones that encourage users to speak softly will reduce their impact on other people. For example, more sensitive microphones and improved quality on incoming audio will make most users less inclined to shout. But loudness wasn’t the worst problem with mobile phones. In fact, even phone conversations in a normal voice received worse scores than face-to-face conversations. The worst problem seems to be that conversations on mobile phones are more noticeable than face-to-face conversations. This seems odd, since two people talking together project twice the amount of audio as one person talking on the phone.

In all its consciousness, people need to be made aware of the issue and it affect on the bystanders. Public notices and commercials may help people understand the issue well and how it affects the general public.

3. Jamming cell phones on public transport:

This might become encroachment of its own kind, but this could be one of the possible solutions to resolve the problem. There have been arguments given against doing this as cell phones have become an integral part of our daily lives and could be life savers in the moment of tragedy.

But I think with appropriate notification to the public jammers can be used. A public authority can notify the users that phones will be jammed while traveling or while they are in a public event. Society has tried implementing it such as this: From April, requests to switch off your mobile phone before a play or concert begins in New York will be backed up with the threat of a $50 fine. Anyone making a call, talking on their mobile, or even being rung during the performance will be breaking the law. New York is believed to be the first major US city to bring in such legislation although the new ban does not cover sporting events. Councilor Phil Reed, the main sponsor of the new law has described the move as a “quality of life issue”.

4. As simple as walking to the individual asking for other’s privacy

It could be as simple as an effort as walking to the person and requesting him/her to avoid talking and disturbing others in the public place. But this is not as simple as it sounds, one might take it as personal offense and not understand the rationale behind the request.

Evaluation of the solutions

Each solution can be evaluated from its merits and demerits, and there could not be a consensus on how the issue could be resolved. Making dedicated booths could be a possible solution, but that would attract huge funding from the government and may not be worth the cause. Moreover, the solution may turn out to be nuisance itself with the booths overcrowding the space and defeating the very nature of the problem.

Making people aware of the issue sounds to be the best approach the society can take to mitigate the issue. Until people are self aware of the problem, any effort in resolving the problem would prove to be worthless. There will be violators and no amount of effort will resolve the problem.

Jamming the cell phones would attract more of outrage than support. Lots of arguments have been given not to use this, but it might work out just fine with proper notification to the public.

This may sound intimidating, but it could be one of the possible solutions that would help mitigate the issue. If everyone is aware of the nuisance and understands the problem, they would abide by the request and would help public cause.

In Defense of the solutions

There is nothing more than defending personal space and any effort in that direction should be worthwhile. The means to implement the solution might sound strict in the beginning, but they will become a part of daily monotone, once implemented. Moreover, once people are aware of the issue and how it affects others who are unintentionally being involved, there would be greater acceptance of the solution. In all effect, people will be self aware and would avoid creating disturbance in public space in lieu of public-personal life.

Public booths for conversation, though, sound like a costly idea, but may well be accepted to respect other’s personal space. The investment would be worth the tax rupee that we pay for public convenience and safety; and as we move more towards the developed and educated society, the need of the implementation sounds more pronounced.

Notifications will be an easier medium to reach the masses and transcend the message well. This could be public-private partnership which could be issued in interest of the public. There would be many corporate houses and bodies that would readily support the cause and come forward to spread the message.

Implementing extreme measures such as jamming cell phones would attract possible public commotion but if it done with appropriate priming, it could work out in society’s favor. Though cell phone service providers may not be interested in implementing this, a government body or a private society can help implement this at certain places such as theaters, railway stations, airports etc.

To implement the solution

It should be a joint effort by society and the pubic to implement the solution. Until we all come together and try to resolve the problem there could never be a solution. The awareness should start at home; the best way I see to implement this is by making people around you aware of the issue. If they understand it and ready to help it implement, they will propagate it to their circle of influence. Moreover, government bodies should act as a medium to help society understand the problem. Public notifications, advertisements will make people aware of the issue and the proactive measures would be taken.

What will be the results?

It might create disturbance for a while because bad habit die hard and the awareness will take time to spread. But, once understood, there would be lot less resistance to accept and respect other’s personal space in public. Once implement, it will certainly help us concentrate the issues that require more attention and that are getting diluted because we are concentrating more on trivial issues that other’s might think worthwhile to share.

Yechuri displays similiar understanding

From ET:

Notwithstanding the constitutional limitations of an interim budget and a vote on account, the UPA government appears to remain in a state of total denial about the gravity of the impact of the global recession on India. An interim budget can be an expression of the government’s declaration of intent and a balance sheet of its achievements during the last five years — an election pamphlet.

It can also give expression to the government’s reasoning on how to tackle this impact of the global crisis through increased public expenditures. This is particularly true when it is universally acknowledged that the way out of the present crisis is through a massive fiscal stimulus. The future government can well decide on how to account for these expenditures, either through monetisation of the deficit or through tax proposals for additional revenue mobilisation. Remember, the Bush administration had left behind a budgetary deficit of over a trillion dollars for Obama, who has now gone further for greater fiscal expenditures.

Unfortunately, the UPA government has chosen the first of these two options. Thus, by not rising to the occasion, it will only contribute to compounding the misery on the people. Much of the tom-tomed fiscal stimulus packages, like the Rs 70,000-crore infrastructure projects, come from allocations previously made in the last budget. The fine-print of the budget figures tells us that over the allocations made last year, close to Rs 40,000 crore extra, has been spent.

This is less than 1% of India’s GDP. What is worse is that for the next fiscal, the capital plan expenditure is slated to decline by Rs 4,500 crore. Clearly, the government is relying on private investment through PPP projects for infrastructural development, which, in the context of a recession, is a dangerously erroneous strategy. The burdens will eventually fall on the people, further depressing their purchasing power like it is happening with the private airports today where user development charges are being levied to meet the revenue shortfalls.

Much is being made of the resurrection of Indian agriculture. The fact remains that less was spent than what was allocated. So is the case with the social services sector. Not only have allocations been not fully spent, but the allocations for the coming fiscal in crucial areas is lower than what is being spent this year. Rural employment sees a reduction of Rs 6,650 crore, rural development Rs 5,176.59 crore, urban development (notwithstanding the JNNURM) Rs 1,734.95 crore.

So, far from envisaging any quantum leap in public expenditure, we see the government continue to remain trapped in the neo-liberal framework of fiscal fundamentalism. It needs to be repeated that the only way to meet the disastrous impact of the global recession is to enlarge domestic demand through employment generated by public investments in a big way. Already the impact of the recession has seen large-scale job cuts. Insecurity stalks millions of workers in export sectors like textiles, garments, etc. And 71 diamond polishers have already committed suicide in Gujarat. Other areas like construction, commercial crops like cotton, rubber, coffee, etc., are seeing an alarming drop in activity.

Under these circumstances, no amount of bailout packages can redeem the situation. These may improve corporate balance sheets but they cannot generate greater domestic demand. This can be done only through a massive dose of public investment. Only the naïve would feel satisfied with the fact that we are the second fastest growing economy in the world. The projected 7.1% GDP growth is bound to be significantly scaled down once the actual figures come in.

With the fiscal deficit rising to 6% of the GDP as against the projected 2.5%, many neo-liberals would argue as to how the government can spend any more. It makes neither economic sense nor common sense to be pre-occupied with fiscal deficit concerns under recessionary conditions. After a five-year run of over 20% growth of revenue surpluses, this year has seen a shortfall of an alarming Rs 60,000 crore tax revenue. This is precisely because of the global recession.

Further, despite a record foodgrain output of 230 million, the government has reduced the allocation of foodgrains to the states, in some cases to the tune of a massive 73%. This means, the government is stocking these foodgrains in its godowns paying a very heavy carrying cost which contributes to the burgeoning fiscal deficit. What is worse is the fact that the projected fiscal deficit for the next year is 5.5%, i.e., instead of expanding public investments, the government is planning a contraction of public expenditure.

It is this neo-liberal mindset of fiscal fundamentalism that needs to be jettisoned and a courageous ‘new deal’ of massive public investments must be undertaken. These are times for Keynesian fundamentalism.

In the long run we are all dead

Keynes quipped… no doubt that RBI’s fiscal policies will lend a hand, but this article may offer a deeper meaning (published in NY Times).

If you were going to turn to only one economist to understand the problems facing the economy, there is little doubt that the economist would be John Maynard Keynes. Although Keynes died more than a half-century ago, his diagnosis of recessions and depressions remains the foundation of modern macroeconomics. His insights go a long way toward explaining the challenges we now confront.

According to Keynes, the root cause of economic downturns is insufficient aggregate demand. When the total demand for goods and services declines, businesses throughout the economy see their sales fall off. Lower sales induce firms to cut back production and to lay off workers. Rising unemployment and declining profits further depress demand, leading to a feedback loop with a very unhappy ending.

The situation reverses, Keynesian theory says, only when some event or policy increases aggregate demand. The problem right now is that it is hard to see where that demand might come from.

The economy’s output of goods and services is traditionally divided into four components: consumption, investment, net exports and government purchases. Any expansion in demand has to come from one of these four. But in each case, strong forces are working to keep spending down.

Consumption. The Conference Board reports that consumer confidence is near its record low. It is easy to understand why consumers are so scared. House values have declined, 401(k) balances have shrunk and unemployment is up. For many people, the sense of economic uncertainty is greater than they’ve ever experienced. When it comes to discretionary purchases, like a new home, a car, or a washing machine, wait-and-see is the most rational course.

A bit more saving is not entirely unwelcome. Many economists have long lamented the United States saving rate, which is low by international and historical standards.

For the overall economy, however, a recession is not the best time for households to start saving. Keynesian theory suggests a “paradox of thrift.” If all households try to save more, a short-run result could be lower aggregate demand and thus lower national income. Reduced incomes, in turn, could prevent households from reaching their new saving goals.

Investment. In normal times, a fall in consumption could be met by an increase in investment, which includes spending by businesses on plant and equipment and by households on new homes. But several factors are keeping investment spending at bay.

The most obvious is the state of the housing market. Over the past three years, residential investment has fallen 42 percent. With house prices continuing to decline, increased building of new homes is not likely to be a source of robust demand over the next few years.

Business investment has lately been stronger than residential investment, but it is unlikely to pick up the slack in the near future. With the stock market down, interest rates on corporate bonds up and the banking system teetering on the edge, financing new business projects will not be easy.

Net Exports. Not long ago, it looked as if the rest of the world would save the United States economy from a deep downturn. From March 2004 to March 2008, the dollar fell 19 percent against an average of other major currencies. By increasing the price of foreign goods in the United States and reducing the price of American goods abroad, this depreciation discouraged imports and bolstered exports. Over the last three years, real net exports have increased by about $250 billion.

In the coming months, however, the situation may well go into reverse. As the United States financial crisis has spread to the rest of the world, fast-moving international capital has been looking for a safe haven. Ironically, that haven is the United States. Since March, the dollar has appreciated 19 percent, a move that will put a crimp in the export boom.

Government Purchases. That leaves the government as the demander of last resort. Calls for increased infrastructure spending fit well with Keynesian theory. In principle, every dollar spent by the government could cause national income to increase by more than a dollar if it leads to a more vibrant economy and stimulates spending by consumers and companies. By all reports, that is precisely the plan that the incoming Obama administration has in mind.

The fly in the ointment — or perhaps it is more an elephant — is the long-term fiscal picture. Increased government spending may be a good short-run fix, but it would add to the budget deficit. The baby boomers are now starting to retire and claim Social Security and Medicare benefits. Any increase in the national debt will make fulfilling those unfunded promises harder in coming years.

Keynesian economists often dismiss these long-run concerns when the economy has short-run problems. “In the long run we are all dead,” Keynes famously quipped.

The longer-term problem we now face, however, may be more serious than any that Keynes ever envisioned. Passing a larger national debt to the next generation may look attractive to those without children. (Keynes himself was childless.) But the rest of us cannot feel much comfort knowing that, in the long run, when we are dead, our children and grandchildren will be dealing with our fiscal legacy.

So what is to be done? Many economists still hope the Federal Reserve will save the day.

In normal times, the Fed can bolster aggregate demand by reducing interest rates. Lower interest rates encourage households and companies to borrow and spend. They also bolster equity values and, by encouraging international capital to look elsewhere, reduce the value of the dollar in foreign-exchange markets. Spending on consumption, investment and net exports all increase.

But these are not normal times. The Fed has already cut the federal funds rate to 1 percent, close to its lower bound of zero. Some fear that our central bank is almost out of ammunition.

Fortunately, the Fed has a few secret weapons. It can set a target for longer-term interest rates. It can commit itself to keeping interest rates low for a sustained period. Most important, it can try to manage expectations and assure markets that it will do whatever it takes to avoid prolonged deflation. The Fed’s decision last week to start buying mortgage debt shows its willingness to act creatively.

It is hard to say how successful monetary and fiscal policy will be in avoiding a deep downturn. But as events unfold, you can be sure that policymakers in the Fed and Treasury will be looking at them through a Keynesian lens.

In 1936, Keynes wrote, “Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence, are usually the slave of some defunct economist.” In 2008, no defunct economist is more prominent than Keynes himself.

S.P. Teas & the Art of Job Selection

In the absence of appropriate information the best course forward is risk diversification to maximize profits. Consumer behavior can be aptly described by their act of ‘not putting all the eggs in one basket’.

Having known the fact that buying 3 S.P. teas at tapri will cost you Rs. 15 when a half liter milk packet that costs Rs. 12 would have catered you with 8 S.P. teas at home, you still vote tapri. Reason for this behavior can be explained by Cost-Benefit analysis that consumers do and by the perceived and economical value of the product or service. Lack of information in how to take the best use of available resources (making tea) may lead to these kinds of decisions. Thus, seeking the benefits and not venturing into an unknown domain, consumer will settle for less economical, but risk free S.P. teas at tapri.

This micro analysis of the situation can be applied to how students choose to apply for jobs during the placements season. Lack of information (about number of companies and economic situations) from the administration leads students to apply for what is available at the moment, even if the particular company is not a company-of-choice for her. Thus the best way out for students is to try and minimize the risks.

Had you been aware of the company you wanted to join, the one that is showing up for placements, the one that has shown interest in your profile and has shortlisted you for the interview, the one that you know would be meeting all your expectations, the one that you know how to get in (by any means), you mightn’t have applied to “Value Fund”, which according to your calculations is a risk diversification strategy having a lower priority. A prudent economical choice made in this case suggests that decisions made on limited information are to diversify risks.

It can be looked from the perspective of Trade-off between Risk and Return. You may settle for a lesser paying and mundane job, if you subsidize the risk and may end up with a perfect match defying all the economic downturn and negative sentiments. But it’s the choice that consumer makes. Looking at the graph, we can understand that a risk-averse consumer would settle for less by ‘keeping both options’ and a risk-taker might gain higher by choosing to stay by one job option.

What I understood after getting a little deeper into the Microeconomics’ fundamentals is that quite often ‘Correlation is not causation’. There may be other economical or behavioral factors that could be guiding certain actions. But the key is that these interlinks help understand complicated theories in simpler ways.

India, again? Should we just write and hope that we performed our duties?

Everyone in India has reacted to what has been going on in Bombay, and everyone feels the same way towards what has happened. But will anything chance just because we are showing solidarity in the testing moments? The most that will happen, what I see, is that the politicians will be made scapegoats to rest our anger and that we will move with our indifferent views toward life. Everyone, including myself, who is hiding behind the walls of one’s safe home doesn’t have any right to criticize anyone, but ourselves. After being under attack for 48 hours, have we woken up to what the reality is like and what have been living against? Thank God it is over at this point, but will this ever stop? Will we ever wake up? Can we blame Pakistan for this and shed away all the responsibility? When will we stop reacting to the major threat that this country faces?

While acting a lot cynical, I must say that the terrorists performed there act well and had planned there moves well in advance when so-called saviors of this country bicker over the pity political issues. The blame game has started, but should we just listen to these filthy talks when we know what BJP and Congress vouches for? How difficult is it for these intelligent heads to understand that we are in war with Pakistan since 1971 – terrorism of one kind or another? But you can stay assured that not much will come out of their power talks. Well! The matter of the fact is that they are least bothered to what to feel; when they sit for two days discussing what actions they should take, and against what. It is easy to say that we, citizens, will take the control in our hands and act in best interest of this country. But will that ever happen? And, should that actually happen?

I felt disgusted when I heard NRN (first time since I had known him), Deshmukh, Modi, our very PM and many more when they went rhetoric that Bombay is resilient and it will bounce back. I ask them, and myself, just one thing: does it have any choice? With 70% of population living on a daily wage, do they have any choice to sit at home and not venture out for food? It easy for these politicians and others to talk sham while sitting in their safe offices. It is rather easy to shell out money and throw it onto the dead ones to silence the cries. Why don’t these Thakreys and HVPs of the world venture out and help the commandos and the citizens fight out terror that is no way far, but brewing in the heart of their own LOVED MUMBAI?

MARCOS, NSG, Reporters and the hotel staff who have been fighting and reporting to us since the moment this has all begun are the real heroes of the hour. Unikrishnan, Karkare, Kamte, Salaskar and many more are the real heroes who will into the pages of history with a smile on their faces.

I feel sorry for a few, many from my own institute, who are feeling relieved among the disgust that they have gotten a day off and are feeling sorry for others who were to attend classes in crisis. Do we really know what we actually care for and what we actually believe? Or are we just living from meal-to-meal and pretending to be humans while the nation sheds blood to survive the terror? But the problem of the matter is that we all, excluding a few, cry out loud when there is an emergency, but go along with the safe, unambiguous life not much is evident. You and I are no different; you are able to stay indifferent to what’s going around; I get perturbed, but do nothing to feel any better. Dead fish is a Dead fish; and we are on the verge of becoming one.

While the ash settles down, I echoes Harsha Bhogle’s words “everyone calls us resilient, but should we?”

Don’t hammer them down.

Non-conformance to the accepted norms has been the law of the entrepreneurial society. I believe that raising your voice for the right reasons should not conform to the traversed path. Every society needs a non-conformist that can revolutionize an idea to lead the path of innovation. From Henry Ford to Mahatma Gandhi, from Galileo to Pt. Nehru, non-conformists treaded the road less travelled to change the face of the society. Furthermore, it is the need of the hour that guides the general belief. That is, norms that fit the society today may not fit it best tomorrow.

I believe that society would rather think rationally given a choice whether to follow the herd or to be critical about generally accepted beliefs. It is rather encouraged in the open societies and corporate cultures to be critical to ideas that may not suit the industry. IT industry, for example, in India changed the perception of the government towards its export oriented outlook. Today, face of modern India portrays a global outlook, which would not have been possible if we had followed the closed policy mindset. It is better to stick out and fail rather than staying put and be ignorant.

What would you choose?

Success comes to those who dare to challenge the storm. You don’t capture the mast sitting in the comfort of glass cabin ruing about the ethos that faltered along the way, rather you take the plunge clinging to your will and ethics. People unaware of the consequences may seek the right path to success, but the one who is conscious takes everyone towards the course. The given case reflects an interesting scenario that depicts clash of the integral values and mystified thoughts. The world is on a brink of imminent disaster and one wrong move could lead to irrevocable consequences.

Who doesn’t care for a hero in life? It is our natural disposition to seek qualities in others to what we lack and what we aim for. Superman is an immortal idol that humanity looks after to justify the means of the mere existence. It is with unfortunate turn of events that adversity has taken the front row, and has blocked the “free will” to take course. But the belief has not shaken; it has just subsided into the temporal views. Metropolis needs its hero, but the call to the hero has lost its mean in the oblivion of the material life. But as true savior, Superman can’t leave his disciples in the midst of confusion. Tyrant, that Lex Luthor is, can’t lead the fortune of the community into disarray.

Lex is justified in his explanation to himself only. He overreached a state where his decisions matter to no one but himself. With a socially dominant nature, human-beings will suffocate if they were to live away from society’s boundaries. As rules governed by the society fit best to the survival of the human race, vying away from the accepted norms will attract nothing but discomfort. The situation poses a scenario, which may prove fitting in the short term, but the consequences may be dire as the base of human existence is in danger. The social principles are formulated to aid the individuals and not to alienate them from their thought process.

Herd follows a herd. But the most difficult course is to break the herd mentality and make them realize of individual’s potential. Superman will face numerous obstacles and setbacks before he would incite the positive frame of mind, but before that he needs to stand to his conviction and follow what he thinks is well. Everyone loves to see the hero fall, but he is the one who bounces again and regains his mettle. It won’t be easy to bring back the reality to people’s lives, but Superman must be resolute to think in best interest of humanity and drive himself to achieving the right path.

The easiest way for him would be to join the hands with the oppressor and live undifferentiated life of the unknown. Standing there, Superman raised his head following the slow movement of his hand. He is looking directly into Lex’s eyes, but his mind is with the thousands who lost the meaning of life. Umbra of conflicting thoughts is clogging his head, stretching him between unyielding means. He reflects for a moment and picture of his past appears before him. Will he desert everyone who put their faith in him? Won’t he bring the ignorant to light? He looks at Lex again and with a sigh of certitude and says ‘we stand at separated ends of humanity, while you destroy it, I redeem it’.

If I were to align the animated thoughts to real world’s corporate ethos, I would adjudge that every corporate needs a Superman to challenge the inadequacies and repressors of the system. Pillars of success of an organization are supported by a few who believe in empowerment of others and live by the organizational ethics. Organizations often get infected by few greedy individuals who propel an ineffective culture. Organizations without a clear direction lead to unsatisfied employees. Superman of the Will Power, if succumbed to ineffectiveness, would certainly collapse the organization. Unwittingly, the onus comes on to the leaders to guide the best way out.

I believe that the leader is one who introspects clearly to what is desired by others and what is socially acceptable. He is the one who takes the right course even in unfavorable conditions. Organizations may not always know the right path to take and need a leader to drive them past the unknown. Those who dare to confront the inadequacies and unfavorable conditions, lead from the front, and finally, come out winning. Every one of us has a savior within; the key resides in realizing the potential and organizing the positive thoughts. A leader understands that well and believes in making future leaders and not followers.

To conclude, my Superman will stand strong with me and will fight for the values that he committed his life to. A leader stands tall whatever may be consequence and has to courage to take the uncharted course. For one Superman to vanish, many need to rise to take charge for without a leader this world will be a chaotic race. Ethics have prevailed in this society and will stand their ground for the ages to come. A few unsettling thoughts will not shake the very foundation of the society and organizational culture. The future lies in raising more leaders who have the sense of vision and who dare to challenge the storm.

SWIM 2008

If human life can be ruled by reasons, then possibility of life is destroyed. But there has been no greater reason than liberation of women that has ruled the history. With Clara Barton founding the American Red Cross, the era of women leading from the forefront had arrived. From occident to occult, women have made their presence felt to the core of societies. We have come a long way from women suppressed society to an equal opportunity culture where women are no longer dream chasers, but are the dream creators. They are the fuel to the intelligent society. A stark shift from a fairer sex to a smarter sex image, the society has finally let dominion give way to the smarter thought.

Pursuing the thought, SWIM 2008 commenced with Lamp Lighting by our distinguished guests and felicitation by our beloved Uncle Bala. Uncle Bala delivered the inaugural note on contribution of women to the Indian economy and inception of SWIM as a forum to acknowledge successful women in business. Since the inauguration, SWIM has seen eminent personalities from all walks of life. Personalities such as Ms. Kiran Bedi, Ms. Mallika Srinivasan and Ms. Indra Subramanyam have shared the stage at SWIM. This year’s event was no different in attracting eminent personalities from successful businesses and corporate houses. SWIM 2008 revolved around the theme “Women as Trailblazers”, which explored the path followed by successful women and challenges faced by them along the journey.

The keynote speakers took the center stage and delivered some inspiring thoughts. Ms. Anu Aga gave a powerful speech on transformation of Thermax into a successful enterprise. She shared that entrepreneurial mindset and people focus made Thermax an enterprise of dreams for many and a place to worship for the employees. The ‘Thermax Factor’ made it a sought after enterprise for students from Harvard and other esteemed engineering colleges. Ms. Aga talked about Thermax’s innovative reach and bold steps that pushed it ahead of the competition. She shared her experience and thoughts on transforming Thermax to a globally respect and high performance enterprise.

Operational excellence brought in by McKinsey and Company was incorporated by Thermax to stay ahead of the competition. Thermax transcended Lean to the roots of the company to achieve excellence across operational and production areas. The hard fought battle has bore fruit. Thermax has recently seen 285 Cr. in Profit and was adjudged best sub-billion dollar company in Forbes Asia list. As she steps down as a chairperson, she wants her heirs to take rein of the company and understand the functioning well. After retirement, she would stay with the company, but wants to contribute more to the society. She mesmerized the audience with some deep thoughts.

A few thoughts that she shared:
‘Learning is a continuous process and there is no stop’.
‘People are great assets. Good people are our greatest assets’.
‘Making profit is a must, but is not sufficient’.
‘We will grow strong each year, but not only in financial terms’.
Women should not be submissive, but aggressive and assertive’.

There after Padamshri Sudha Raghunathan reckoned her life’s journey through music. She said that spreading the message of melody, message of bliss, ascertained the fact that the arduous journey was fruitful. She mesmerized the audience with her powerful and thought provoking speech. She contemplated that audience response was the most influencing factor that kept her spirits high through the journey. And appropriately, she concluded her note with a Carnatic song dedicated to Ms. Aga, wishing her good health and success.

A few thoughts that she shared:
‘If you can rise up to the expectations, there is no dearth of global recognition’.
‘What can I leave for posterity sake and what I can innovate to give back to music’?

Ms. Hemu Ramaiah of Landmark talked about makeover of a book store into a lifestyle space. She shared Landmark’s story of making landmark decisions in making it the most revered book store in India. No challenge or failure impeded her pursuit towards making Landmark an eponym for books. She shared that Landmark’s strength lies in meeting customer’s need, but providing enriching experience to the buyers. And at it reaches crossroad, Landmark has collaborated with Trent (a Tata company) to expand aggressively and to continue the Landmark culture.

Ms. Mridula Bharat Ram then took the center stage and delivered inspiring story of her life. She took the road less travelled and sought her way up through the man dominated corporate world. Coming from a South Indian conservative family, she fought her way to the corporate world dominated by men. But the call of the family brought her back to India and she took the reins of the family business.

The power talks were followed by enthralling, but enriching panel discussion on “Educated, intelligent, energetic and just in her 40’s – can she still pursue her career dreams?” The esteemed panel, comprised of Ms. Lalitha Maheshwaran, Ms. Pushpa Kandaswamy, Ms. Indra Subramanayam and Ms. Sharada, was moderated by none other than Mr. T.N. Seshan. Mr. Seshan’s presence in the panel was enough to glue the audience to their seats. The contribution of women towards country’s success was put forward in a subtle way of elegance. The idea that women are driven not by financial gains, but by inner passion was acknowledged very well with the audience.

Finally, Mr. Vinod Ganesh gripped the audience with a lively display as a quiz master. Mr. Ganesh has mastered numerous quizzes across the country including QFI Open and Infosys Corporate Quiz. With huge prize money at offing, Les Quizarables attracted participants from various colleges and corporate such as Infosys, iFlex etc. Personally, it was one of the finest quizzes I attended in the past few years. Preliminary round was easy to start with, but the final was a real teaser. With cerebral hemisphere walking an extra mile, the participants and the audience put up a nice display of erudite and scholarly genre.

SWIMming in the lake of desire, we met the fortunate end. SWIM 2008 concluded with a positive note fortifying the role of women in the new era. Great Lakes Institute of Management’s stride towards making a difference in the society and strengthening the role of women successfully emanated a positive vibe across. Powerful speeches, thought provoking discussions and inspiring personalities all echoed only one sentiment and that is ‘the era of successful women has arrived’. Personally, I feel that women are yet to reach the peak and gain reverence among masses, but I am certain that the climb has started.

So, be prepared. Stand up and thank the woman next to you. Thank her for the meaning that she has given to your life. Thank her for the way she has supported the society. You may not find time to thank her enough.

Venue: Sesh Mahal at Hotel Green Park

they might get it right, eventually

hope is a dangerous thing, but when the next best thing is travesty, i would rather take a step back.

there might be a very bleak chance that turn out in our favor, after all, there is no better way to sit back and see chillax; instead of thrusting the head through the wall of bureaucracy. weak! may be! but there is one thing that they do best at the Guest Lectures Inst of Mgmt and that is its ‘namesake’. there would be different perceptions and disparate understanding of the thoughts that go behind formulating a formidable advantage theory. and may be my perceptions lie in resorting shreds of negativity. i swear to my nine year old towel, which embraced the color of my skin, that i pushed myself to limits to comprehend the complex mental process behind the gestation.

but i must congratulate to a few folks whose KPIs would show inflated numbers at the end of the year, but i pity to the thought whose real intent died on the very first day of incubation. a beautiful thought that died on the footpath of a sweltering street. i do commend the efforts that go behind making this happen, but the i believe that thoughts sanity has lost its significance. it seems like it is the only that we are vouching upon and as if things will fall in shambles lest we think logically. on top of that when the herd is flocked into SH, there is only one thing that raises the attention, and that is not the personality with the bouquet in hand.

but in the midst of all the cribbing, there are a few who come to the GL forum and make their mark. i was blessed enough to sit in a few that painted a silver lining on a darkened canvas. somebody should really take a call on what’s worth, but i guess many strings go behind the public face of the GLc. i feel that there have been desperate attempts of try out numerous strategies without contemplating on what the institute demands. “a blooming rose can do much better than a bunch of rotten flowers”, but, may be, there is more than a management thought that is required to make its way through the smoked glass.

Women as trailblazers

Well! I started writing about it, but didn’t find enough patience to complete in time for SWIM. here it goes…a failed attempt.

Intelegance :Beyond Elegance

If human life can be ruled by reasons, then possibility of life is destroyed. But there has been no greater reason than liberation of women that has ruled the history. With Clara Barton founding the American Red Cross, the era of women leading from the forefront had arrived. From occident to occult, women have made their presence felt to the core of societies. We have come a long way from women suppressed society to an equal opportunity culture wherein women are no longer dream chasers, but are the dream creators. They are the fuel to the intelligent society. A stark shift from a fairer sex to a smarter sex image, the society has finally let dominion give way to the smarter thought.

From the lesser known individuals such as Rashmi Bansal of JAM magazine to the transformational leader such as Aung San Suu Kyi, women have given a new direction to the oppressed society. Society at large has realized the contributions that women have made to the world. The transformation in the thinking of the society and the government is evident from the fact that women participation is encouraged in the bureaucratic setups, businesses and every walk of life. Human mind thinks in a single direction and is resistant to change, but women have given a critical direction to the thoughts and have transformed the thought processes.

i didn’t like this one: (One might ask why we don’t see many women forerunners then. I feel that this we would need to come out of our shells for find the answer. Until a few years back, women only provided a conducive environment for society to facilitate innovation, but, now, are increasingly becoming the heart of innovation. From eBay to Lizzat Papad, from Pepsico to Biocon, women have led the transformation strategies and fortified their stance.)

Stand up and thank the woman next to you. Thank her for the meaning that she has given to your life. Thank her for the way she has supported the society. You may not find time to thank her enough.

I am Sudio

it feels like that i have got a majors in attending the guest lectures already. it seems to be an oxymoron here; guests are, actually, more than guests here; and, if you take my take on this, are no longer welcome here. they seem more prevalent than the real profs – which sometimes seems funny. and if you just go by the sheer quantity (not quality, mind you) of the information and hours thrown upon us, we must have completed three term courses in guest lectures. i am sure, no one bothers to bother about that.

and in the midst of shooting from all GL directions, there comes a running commentary that swayed from corner to corner and faded in the layers of dismay before anyone could understand why something happened that happened. i, for one, was scratching my head since morning as to what Studio presentation was planned for the day. with no cue of what was on the other side of microphone, i head to the lecture room and realized that i had come to the wrong room; for no reason why there should be a number of photographers and cameramen in the room; there was no press conference planned; are the BPR folks working overtime to get some under the table publicity?

well! it didn’t turn out to be that way; i was forced to find my way to the dark corner of the room, but there was no escape, any how. the stage was set and the show was on. with all possible means of telecommunication equipments showing their might and being put to full use, the voice seemed transformed into binary codes and made its way to dormant eardrums. it was no less than an elementary Studio setup (which was solidifying my theory of some Studio presentation), but the question was still hanging loose. i was still unsure of why such a show was put up, when a voice rose from the imaginary dais of the Seminar Hall – “I AM SUDIO”.

huh? what, what… what’s that? did i hear that correctly? who did he say he is? my reynolds pen made its way to clear the wax, but that didn’t help. is there a confusion here? is he so nervous that he forgot to put an alphabet at the right place? or, is it a new version of French? i was contemplating and fighting with my head when it came resounding – I am Sudio – without a ‘T’. MY! i couldn’t say no more…

Get up, stand-up

stand-up for your rights; getup, stand-up, don’t give up the fight.

Marley had it; i may have it; there are a few more in the world who dare to have it. ain’t there a scale to measure the steps that you walked towards achieving it? you achieve it or not is a separate discussion to have, but what’s important is that you set the priorities straight and have straight means to achieve the goal – however much the world tries to pull you and whisk you through Jane Austen’s classic (S&S – ?). you hold your ground well and pretend that you didn’t feel the weight of 161 feet treading past you.

all what matters in this world is a self-made man, with a ‘Made in India’ tag on the collar. when everyone around the world is getting fidgety and trying to understand breeding of the Indian thought; when GMR is pulling all the blocks in getting India ready for the world; there comes a thought and rises to the level of godhood. when all (mortal beings) were lost in the silver ledges of Himalayas and trying to find the fickle Musk Deer along the shore of Lake Mansarovar, a mighty blow came from the gorges: what do you say is the probability that an Indian can go to China?

may be that’s the reason why there is a cent percent presence in E2. there is only one way to love; and i may be getting to understand it…

Did you notice that too?

Discussion on advertisement is in the air, so here is the tribute:

These hoardings send a very deep message across the general public. Some may appreciate them, many would just shrug at them and cross untouched. A few of them have really hit the cord with me.

Consider these:

1. Goodwill.org – DONATE YOUR CAR. FREE PICKUPs PROVIDED.
Wow! This is just amazing. We are giving you our cars for free and you are showing such an attitude towards picking our cars for free. So much for the Goodwill sake.
FUCK YOU, AMERICAN ATTITUDE.

2. Bare minimum coverage:
I forgot whose ad is this, but the gist of it lies in the eyes of the beholder. A bare white statue of a lady, with eyes shut, shown with a BLACK patch across the breasts. Thoughtful, huh!

3. Yoga Classes:
A Diet Coke poster in the downtown area that shows a flipped Coke Can (flipped upside down). Coke sending a healthful message, huh!

4. Western Union:
Money Transfers made easy with Western Union. A hoarding on I-55N showing the ARCH on the left side with a message “Other ways to send money”, and a straight line on the right side with a message “Get money faster – Western Union”.

They just pulled it off with this AD. This may have pissed off a few in the St. Louis area, but that just made my day.

5. QT:
Quick Trip has a hoarding on I-55S that shows an image of a Gas filling nozzle with a message “CARBURETORS HAVE FANTASIES TOO”. You get it?

6. Some Realtor:
Hoarding #1: You know what we did with your neighbor last night?
Drive a little…
Hoarding #2: We sold their home.
COOL. AIN’T IT?