Recently an article was published about how IIMs should be set up only close to the industry and how IIMK has a 'locational disadvantage' when it comes to industry interaction.
I am sure this article will give a lot to talk about to students across India! As an Alumni of IIMK who has seen the ground realities, I will offer my two cents.
1. There was a problem of accessibility to the institute and that did have some effect on the corporates coming to IIMK. However, I also do know that this has never been a serious impediment. IIMK has been able to host the maximum number of seminars over the years and now our events attract corporates and students from all corners of the country. As someone who has seen sufficient working of the corporate world, I know that companies don’t mind such issues till they get good ROI and the quality of students at IIMK has always remained a strong 'Return' for the 'Investment' made. We also have used technology to circumvent this problem. IIMK has videoconference facility which gives its students access to industry stalwarts with both parties settled at their respective locations. So, what may have been a locational constraint 5 years back is something archaic to talk about now.
2. The issue of BSchool ranking is a contentious one. I have not analyzed this issue in detail but yes I find it hard to believe some of the rankings and I am happy that aspirants don't rely on these rankings for making their choices.
3. I have seen that working in the social sector is a matter of choice rather than compulsion. We do our summer internship with MNCs but our Social Development Projects give us a means to give something back to the society. I remember how happy we felt to do financials for an orphanage which was struggling to complete it. In the process we made good friends with the students who someday want to become IIM grads!
4. For me, the most important aspect of a BSchool is not the courseware, the infrastructure or even the faculty; these are just enablers. What matters is the quality of people I am going to spend two years of my life with. I have learned a lot in the evening discussions in the canteen over a cup of tea and have gained very useful insights discussing topics while talking a stroll after dinner. Students form my batch have taken roles with some of the top Consulting, Banking, IT and FMCG firms and have started to make an impact already. There will be some catchup needed to reach the levels where the Alumni of A,B,C have reached and this is just because they have had more time to grow but I am sure that younger IIMs are churning out the same potential.
In all this hoopla over placements, location, faculty etc I see that the most important aspect of a BSchool life – its student life – is missed. A Man is known by the company he keeps and I am happy that in institutions of repute like IIMK, there is no dearth of good quality company.
Everyone has the right to a point of view. For different people, different things become important. For the writer of the article, being a busy journalist, time to reach was an important factor however for me, who studied there, my fellow students mattered and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Hoist It in Your Heart..
India is turning 60 tomorrow! Very few of us would have seen both sides of the ‘midnight’ and so for many of us 15 August is:
1. A day of flag hoisting
2. A day when TV channels play patriotic songs
3. A day when we get to see movies like ‘Mother India’, ‘Independenc47Day’, ‘Haqeeqat’ on TV
4. A day after Pakistan’s Independence Day
5. A Holiday
6. A day when the chances of a bomb blast happening increases
7. Just another day
Most of us can not connect ourselves to the pain, the suffering and the sacrifice that has gone through for centuries before this day finally came in 1947.
For most of us, nothing will change after 15 August 2007 and so most of us would not care much for this day. Many of us who do attend functions will momentarily think of images we have seen of the freedom struggle on TV, maybe remember the famous photo of Bhagat Singh/Azaad or think of Nehru’s ‘freedom at midnight’ speech but rarely will we think of the dreams that these people had for India.
India at 60 may be a ‘transforming’ country but Indians certainly do not carry the vision that our freedom fighters had in their hearts when they had laid down their lives fighting the British. We burn our women, we kill our girls before they are born, we run-over innocent people on the streets, we discriminate based on caste, color, region and religion, our children work when they should be in school and we don’t feel ashamed being one of the most corrupt nations in the world. We are in one country but we are not one.
By saluting the Tricolor and singing the National Anthem but not sharing the vision we are not giving respect to our forefathers. If we want to pay true homage to the martyrs, we must start making a change in our ways. Let each of us make a resolution today to do something that is right. If we win the fight to stick to our resolve even in the face of adversity, we would have paid true homage to the millions who sacrificed everything to see their children breathe the free air of a free country.
Some suggestions:
1. I won’t honk on the road unnecessarily
2. I won’t jump a red light
3. I won’t dirty the roads
4. I won’t abuse anyone
5. I won’t eve-tease (and adam-tease!)
6. I won’t discriminate on color/caste/religion/gender/region
7. I won’t have more than 2 kids
8. I won’t give/take bribes
9. I will vote
Take your pick!!
Jai Hind
1. A day of flag hoisting
2. A day when TV channels play patriotic songs
3. A day when we get to see movies like ‘Mother India’, ‘Independenc47Day’, ‘Haqeeqat’ on TV
4. A day after Pakistan’s Independence Day
5. A Holiday
6. A day when the chances of a bomb blast happening increases
7. Just another day
Most of us can not connect ourselves to the pain, the suffering and the sacrifice that has gone through for centuries before this day finally came in 1947.
For most of us, nothing will change after 15 August 2007 and so most of us would not care much for this day. Many of us who do attend functions will momentarily think of images we have seen of the freedom struggle on TV, maybe remember the famous photo of Bhagat Singh/Azaad or think of Nehru’s ‘freedom at midnight’ speech but rarely will we think of the dreams that these people had for India.
India at 60 may be a ‘transforming’ country but Indians certainly do not carry the vision that our freedom fighters had in their hearts when they had laid down their lives fighting the British. We burn our women, we kill our girls before they are born, we run-over innocent people on the streets, we discriminate based on caste, color, region and religion, our children work when they should be in school and we don’t feel ashamed being one of the most corrupt nations in the world. We are in one country but we are not one.
By saluting the Tricolor and singing the National Anthem but not sharing the vision we are not giving respect to our forefathers. If we want to pay true homage to the martyrs, we must start making a change in our ways. Let each of us make a resolution today to do something that is right. If we win the fight to stick to our resolve even in the face of adversity, we would have paid true homage to the millions who sacrificed everything to see their children breathe the free air of a free country.
Some suggestions:
1. I won’t honk on the road unnecessarily
2. I won’t jump a red light
3. I won’t dirty the roads
4. I won’t abuse anyone
5. I won’t eve-tease (and adam-tease!)
6. I won’t discriminate on color/caste/religion/gender/region
7. I won’t have more than 2 kids
8. I won’t give/take bribes
9. I will vote
Take your pick!!
Jai Hind
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Are You feeling ‘horny’ today? - Driving lessons from the Telecom Industry!
Consider these:
1. The red street light still had a few seconds to turn orange but the vehicles behind you goad you into moving ahead
2. You stop in your lane because the bus in front of you has stopped but the van behind you honks as if ridiculing you to not have changed lanes and made it stop too
Sounds familiar?
We seem to have a passion for blowing our trumpets (read horns). When I start to think why we have this passion on the streets, I feel it is because this is a liberating feeling of getting our voice heard. When all around us we are beaten by the system and its inefficiencies and have no word in how things are, it is on the roads we let out our frustration by blowing it out on others.
The other reason that comes to my mind is that we always want to convince ourselves down inside that we create a lot of value to society by what we do and hence we have no time to spare on doing less value adding things like driving! We have to get to whatever we do, immediately, and hence anyone who comes in the way on the road has to be honked away! How dare they prolong our time on unproductive things like driving on the road? It is a different matter altogether that what the first thing most of us will do is check our mails, sip tea/coffee or surf the net!
People who have traveled to the ‘developed’ economies (with ‘developed’ people), know that the roads are virtually horn-free. If a horn is heard, it is an exception and all turn around to see what grave situation has unfolded that a horn was needed.
The horns on the streets are like the chains in the trains, an instrument for a noble purpose but used in all other situations except for the one it is installed there!
Wouldn’t it be nice if like prepaid mobile recharge cards, we also had prepaid horn recharge cards? With 100 bucks, you could blow your horn 200 times and within a period of 45 days. After that if you want to be heard on the roads, pay more! Such a mechanism will make people use their horns judiciously. Cab drivers who seem to be most fond of using the horns could be then held accountable for all the recharges they do and transport companies may make using the horn judiciously as a parameter for performance appraisal. Due to the costs associated with blowing of horns, drivers will drive more carefully to get into situations where using the horn is needed, leading to safer roads.
Another change that can be done in parallel is to use ‘horntones’ on the lines of ‘ringtones’ instead of the currently popular and ubiquitous shrill ones that seem so irritating. Imagine a vehicle horn that is your favorite song! All along your side, the horns will take the burden out of driving. People will smile, rather than frown, if you ‘play’ your horn to them. Young drivers may find something common between them just by bowing their horns. Vehicle manufacturers will get another promotion lever to play with. They can offer the latest horntunes in their vehicles, provide ‘limited offer’ horntune packages and can give customers the options to choose the horntune subsciptions for a fee. Not only will this make the sound of horns more soothing but will transform driving into a more pleasant experience.
1. The red street light still had a few seconds to turn orange but the vehicles behind you goad you into moving ahead
2. You stop in your lane because the bus in front of you has stopped but the van behind you honks as if ridiculing you to not have changed lanes and made it stop too
Sounds familiar?
We seem to have a passion for blowing our trumpets (read horns). When I start to think why we have this passion on the streets, I feel it is because this is a liberating feeling of getting our voice heard. When all around us we are beaten by the system and its inefficiencies and have no word in how things are, it is on the roads we let out our frustration by blowing it out on others.
The other reason that comes to my mind is that we always want to convince ourselves down inside that we create a lot of value to society by what we do and hence we have no time to spare on doing less value adding things like driving! We have to get to whatever we do, immediately, and hence anyone who comes in the way on the road has to be honked away! How dare they prolong our time on unproductive things like driving on the road? It is a different matter altogether that what the first thing most of us will do is check our mails, sip tea/coffee or surf the net!
People who have traveled to the ‘developed’ economies (with ‘developed’ people), know that the roads are virtually horn-free. If a horn is heard, it is an exception and all turn around to see what grave situation has unfolded that a horn was needed.
The horns on the streets are like the chains in the trains, an instrument for a noble purpose but used in all other situations except for the one it is installed there!
Wouldn’t it be nice if like prepaid mobile recharge cards, we also had prepaid horn recharge cards? With 100 bucks, you could blow your horn 200 times and within a period of 45 days. After that if you want to be heard on the roads, pay more! Such a mechanism will make people use their horns judiciously. Cab drivers who seem to be most fond of using the horns could be then held accountable for all the recharges they do and transport companies may make using the horn judiciously as a parameter for performance appraisal. Due to the costs associated with blowing of horns, drivers will drive more carefully to get into situations where using the horn is needed, leading to safer roads.
Another change that can be done in parallel is to use ‘horntones’ on the lines of ‘ringtones’ instead of the currently popular and ubiquitous shrill ones that seem so irritating. Imagine a vehicle horn that is your favorite song! All along your side, the horns will take the burden out of driving. People will smile, rather than frown, if you ‘play’ your horn to them. Young drivers may find something common between them just by bowing their horns. Vehicle manufacturers will get another promotion lever to play with. They can offer the latest horntunes in their vehicles, provide ‘limited offer’ horntune packages and can give customers the options to choose the horntune subsciptions for a fee. Not only will this make the sound of horns more soothing but will transform driving into a more pleasant experience.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Are You the CEO?
After we leave college and join work, all of us are very excited not only about what work we do but also about what others are doing! So, this weekend, one of my friends asked me what I did in my company. He was bemused when I replied, “I’m the CEO.”
Once his eyebrows settled, I explained that it’s not the position I am talking about but the attitude and the passion. When we join a company, most of us feel and behave like ‘employees’. It is understandable as this is what we expect and are told but I have always felt that unless we feel the same ownership and connection with the company which the CEO has, we won’t be able to give our 100% to what we do.
Like a CEO, we should always look at the broader picture; get out of our cubicles sometimes and try to see beyond our projects. We should get a feel of the ‘pulse’ of the company. As one of the first things, one should see what the vision of the company is and how that vision translates into day-to-day activities and most importantly understand how that relates to the work one does. Talking to people who have spent sometime with the company will give you a better idea of this aspect.
Like a CEO, one should also always be ready to speak one’s mind and never think ‘someone else will take care of it’. In a vibrant culture, every perspective adds to the overall understanding of issues and every individual has something to contribute. I have often met people who say that they are too low in the hierarchical ladder to be heard. This, however, is not true. If you have a great idea that can help the company in any way, share it! On the other hand, never be afraid to call a spade a spade! Anything that needs improvement should be improved and who better person than you to initiate that improvement process; after all this is what a CEO would do, right?
Cultivating the ‘I am the CEO’ attitude not only helps you become more confident and strive to make an impact but also helps the company because each of you is a touch-point of the company with the external world. And if each touch-point exhibits the confidence and maturity of a CEO, just imagine the impression the world will have of your company!In the knowledge economy, people are the key assets of any company and though the company tries hard to set up processes and systems to make this asset more productive, it is our responsibility as well to strengthen ourselves in all ways possible and more than anything else we should feel ownership of the company and strive in all ways possible to help the company achieve its goals. Anyone who cultivates this attitude is the CEO of the company in his/her own right.
Once his eyebrows settled, I explained that it’s not the position I am talking about but the attitude and the passion. When we join a company, most of us feel and behave like ‘employees’. It is understandable as this is what we expect and are told but I have always felt that unless we feel the same ownership and connection with the company which the CEO has, we won’t be able to give our 100% to what we do.
Like a CEO, we should always look at the broader picture; get out of our cubicles sometimes and try to see beyond our projects. We should get a feel of the ‘pulse’ of the company. As one of the first things, one should see what the vision of the company is and how that vision translates into day-to-day activities and most importantly understand how that relates to the work one does. Talking to people who have spent sometime with the company will give you a better idea of this aspect.
Like a CEO, one should also always be ready to speak one’s mind and never think ‘someone else will take care of it’. In a vibrant culture, every perspective adds to the overall understanding of issues and every individual has something to contribute. I have often met people who say that they are too low in the hierarchical ladder to be heard. This, however, is not true. If you have a great idea that can help the company in any way, share it! On the other hand, never be afraid to call a spade a spade! Anything that needs improvement should be improved and who better person than you to initiate that improvement process; after all this is what a CEO would do, right?
Cultivating the ‘I am the CEO’ attitude not only helps you become more confident and strive to make an impact but also helps the company because each of you is a touch-point of the company with the external world. And if each touch-point exhibits the confidence and maturity of a CEO, just imagine the impression the world will have of your company!In the knowledge economy, people are the key assets of any company and though the company tries hard to set up processes and systems to make this asset more productive, it is our responsibility as well to strengthen ourselves in all ways possible and more than anything else we should feel ownership of the company and strive in all ways possible to help the company achieve its goals. Anyone who cultivates this attitude is the CEO of the company in his/her own right.
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Quest
Something for PGP11, the 2007-09 batch of IIMK:
"The chains are broken, the veil is torn,
It's time to roar, to take on the storm.
A desire to lead, to be the best,
We nudge slowly on this definite quest.
From separate voices to a melodious song,
We drift together as we move along.
The path is trecherous, the journey long,
The baton is passed but in hands so strong.
So, take on the light and move ahead,
Never bewildered at what others have said.
In you were we, in us you'll be,
Go on, lies ahead your destiny."
"The chains are broken, the veil is torn,
It's time to roar, to take on the storm.
A desire to lead, to be the best,
We nudge slowly on this definite quest.
From separate voices to a melodious song,
We drift together as we move along.
The path is trecherous, the journey long,
The baton is passed but in hands so strong.
So, take on the light and move ahead,
Never bewildered at what others have said.
In you were we, in us you'll be,
Go on, lies ahead your destiny."
The Ad Mad World
Whenever we say something, the message touches the recipient at two levels: one is at the superficial, cursory and sensory level and the other is the deeper, subconscious level. It is not necessary that the same message conveys the same meaning at these two levels. What is conveyed depends on how the recipient is tuned in at the time of receiving the message and what he/she chooses to interpret (selective perception) and also whether the sender of the message has taken care to ensure that he is sending coherent interpretations at the two levels.
Some of the recent advertisements that are running on TV seem to be making me wary at the subconscious level. Though the commercials are good for their sensory appeal, the meaning they convey when one tries to see deeper is totally unrelated to the product and hits at our value system.
1. Sabka Dhanda Ek!
The first such commericial is the Coca Cola ad featuring Aamir Khan as a steward in a train. The ad runs something like this: Aamir, the elderly steward, enters the train compartment with a single bottle of Coke searching for the one customer who might have ordered it. The compartment is full with all kinds of people – the rustic farmer, the sauve professional with a laptop, the glossy lady and the retired grandpa to name a few. The train enters a tunnel resulting into a complete blackout and when lights come back, the bottle is empty. Slowly everyone starts belching and that gives away the fact that everyone had had a sip secretly in the darkness. That includes even Aamir. The jingle that follows says that we all are same from inside though we may look different from the outside and everyone should come out of their shells as ‘Sabka Thanda Ek’ (everybody’s cola is the same). A nice catchy jingle except that the ‘thanda’ leaves the subconscious with a bad taste.
Is the ad trying to say that irrespective of the education, profession, gender or age, we all Indians are such shameless people that we will pounce on every opportunity to secretly steal (in this case take a sip of someone else’s cola) and then without any qualms sit as if we didn’t do anything? More so, the ad goes on to suggest that we laugh about this behavior of ours as if it’s a part of life. Amazing, how a company likes to portray its 1 billion strong customer base!
2. Go, go, go, go..
The second ad also is form the same company, Coke (Coke seriously needs to think what kind of relationship it wants to pursue with Indians cause the moral police is on a rampage these days!). It’s of another of its Cola drinks, Thumbs Up. This ad features Akshay Kumar who after a series of dare defying stunts manages to snatch his prize, A Thumbs Up bottle, from a truck carrying Thumbs Up crates! How close to our Indian hearts this ad is! I am sure most of us think it’s ok to just stretch our arms and secretly take out a bottle or two of our favorite cola from a passing truck. Again what is Coca Cola trying to say here? Even our super heroes and role models do not think twice before taking something which does not belong to them and then even boast about it!
3. Jobber’s Park
A job portal’s ad shows that the protagonist is “so happy with his job that he doesn’t see millions of opportunities around”. Well, to me the protagonist is the luckiest man alive and has no reason whatsoever to visit the job portal! C’mon, he is fully content with his job; isn’t that all of us want ultimately? All salaries, overseas opportunities, ESOPs etc are meant to keep the employees happy and loyal so if the protagonist is already loyal and happy, why is the portal trying to ridicule him? It seems that the managers of the portal have failed to understand the underlying basis of why people switch jobs. The ad then, in a way, hints that the portal is not the place where you get jobs that can keep you happy. So, you should try avoiding it altogether! (Talk about spending money to convey that!)
Some of the recent advertisements that are running on TV seem to be making me wary at the subconscious level. Though the commercials are good for their sensory appeal, the meaning they convey when one tries to see deeper is totally unrelated to the product and hits at our value system.
1. Sabka Dhanda Ek!
The first such commericial is the Coca Cola ad featuring Aamir Khan as a steward in a train. The ad runs something like this: Aamir, the elderly steward, enters the train compartment with a single bottle of Coke searching for the one customer who might have ordered it. The compartment is full with all kinds of people – the rustic farmer, the sauve professional with a laptop, the glossy lady and the retired grandpa to name a few. The train enters a tunnel resulting into a complete blackout and when lights come back, the bottle is empty. Slowly everyone starts belching and that gives away the fact that everyone had had a sip secretly in the darkness. That includes even Aamir. The jingle that follows says that we all are same from inside though we may look different from the outside and everyone should come out of their shells as ‘Sabka Thanda Ek’ (everybody’s cola is the same). A nice catchy jingle except that the ‘thanda’ leaves the subconscious with a bad taste.
Is the ad trying to say that irrespective of the education, profession, gender or age, we all Indians are such shameless people that we will pounce on every opportunity to secretly steal (in this case take a sip of someone else’s cola) and then without any qualms sit as if we didn’t do anything? More so, the ad goes on to suggest that we laugh about this behavior of ours as if it’s a part of life. Amazing, how a company likes to portray its 1 billion strong customer base!
2. Go, go, go, go..
The second ad also is form the same company, Coke (Coke seriously needs to think what kind of relationship it wants to pursue with Indians cause the moral police is on a rampage these days!). It’s of another of its Cola drinks, Thumbs Up. This ad features Akshay Kumar who after a series of dare defying stunts manages to snatch his prize, A Thumbs Up bottle, from a truck carrying Thumbs Up crates! How close to our Indian hearts this ad is! I am sure most of us think it’s ok to just stretch our arms and secretly take out a bottle or two of our favorite cola from a passing truck. Again what is Coca Cola trying to say here? Even our super heroes and role models do not think twice before taking something which does not belong to them and then even boast about it!
3. Jobber’s Park
A job portal’s ad shows that the protagonist is “so happy with his job that he doesn’t see millions of opportunities around”. Well, to me the protagonist is the luckiest man alive and has no reason whatsoever to visit the job portal! C’mon, he is fully content with his job; isn’t that all of us want ultimately? All salaries, overseas opportunities, ESOPs etc are meant to keep the employees happy and loyal so if the protagonist is already loyal and happy, why is the portal trying to ridicule him? It seems that the managers of the portal have failed to understand the underlying basis of why people switch jobs. The ad then, in a way, hints that the portal is not the place where you get jobs that can keep you happy. So, you should try avoiding it altogether! (Talk about spending money to convey that!)
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
IIMs and Governments
The HRD ministry is clearly pissed off at the order of the SC over the OBC reservation issue and now it is finding ways to redeem its power by being strict with the IIMs. This ministry which is trying hard to show how much it cares for one class of students is willing to put the future of many others in limbo by not being clear on when the admission results of the IIMs can be declared.
The IIMs had asserted their autonomy by declaring a deadline of 21 April to declare the results but it appears that they had to finally bow to the wishes of Mr. Arjun Singh. The decision to defer the 21 April deadline was welcome as the court hearing on the government appeal was scheduled on 23rd. A two day delay which could result in better clarity was logical. But now, even after the court has made it clear that the reservations for OBC will not go ahead from this academic year, the IIMs are still waiting for a ‘directive’ from the HRD ministry before deciding on anything. Mr. Dholakia told the press that the IIM directors need to meet before deciding on anything. With the delay that has already happened in the admission process, it would have been prudent for the IIM directors to have anticipated the different scenarios and the SC’s decision and to have reached decisions on various scenarios so that once the SC decision was actually out, immediate action could have been taken and a further meeting of the directors was not needed. This would have speeded up the result declaration process and would have put to rest the anxiety of the thousands of IIM aspirant awaiting their results. Maybe this is a deliberate move to avoid a standoff with the ministry; I just hope!
However, the ministry has realized that its power can be undermined by the IIMs in the current structure and so is contemplating an Act to make the IIMs answerable to the parliament [1]. It is sad to see that the politicians, in their urge for power, can go against all rationality and try to meddle with an efficient system. IIMs and their Alumni have done India proud on the both the national and international scene. It is not without reason that bright young men and women, many of whom have cozy jobs, want to slog it out and become ‘IIM grads’. This is because of the way IIMs have functioned and the standards they have set for management education in the country. The fact that politicians, who mainly attain their post because of either playing with public sentiment or by brute force, see themselves competent enough to run these institutions of repute is a ridicule of the existing management, faculty and students of these institutions and is unacceptable.
The only involvement that IIMs and politicians should think of is training IIM grads to become able government administrators. The political parties can participate in the campus placements and ‘recruit’ these students directly into the parliament and policy making bodies of the country. If these institutions are of such high standards that entry of under privileged classes into these institutions is the only way to ensure their social upliftment, then I am sure that the graduates from these institutes would be capable enough in running the country and taking it towards its dream of social justice and equality. After all, they have proven themselves on various national and international arena and are successfully running large organizations all across the world. I hope the HRD ministry starts looking at the IIMs as an asset and incubator of future leaders rather than use them as a means to serve political ends.
IIM Campus Report 2020:
‘..The largest recruiter this year too has been the Government of India (GOI) with 23 offers for their various parliamentary positions. The recruiting panel this year consisted of none other than the President himself along with the PM and the Defence Minister. “I am thrilled with the ideas and value system that these young minds bring to the table. Interacting with them gives me hope that we are handing down India into good hands”, commented the President. Meanwhile the GOI has become the most sought after recruiter in all IIMs with students preferring to GOI roles over high paying and overseas offers..’
[1]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/IIMs_likely_to_lose_autonomy/articleshow/1946866.cms
The IIMs had asserted their autonomy by declaring a deadline of 21 April to declare the results but it appears that they had to finally bow to the wishes of Mr. Arjun Singh. The decision to defer the 21 April deadline was welcome as the court hearing on the government appeal was scheduled on 23rd. A two day delay which could result in better clarity was logical. But now, even after the court has made it clear that the reservations for OBC will not go ahead from this academic year, the IIMs are still waiting for a ‘directive’ from the HRD ministry before deciding on anything. Mr. Dholakia told the press that the IIM directors need to meet before deciding on anything. With the delay that has already happened in the admission process, it would have been prudent for the IIM directors to have anticipated the different scenarios and the SC’s decision and to have reached decisions on various scenarios so that once the SC decision was actually out, immediate action could have been taken and a further meeting of the directors was not needed. This would have speeded up the result declaration process and would have put to rest the anxiety of the thousands of IIM aspirant awaiting their results. Maybe this is a deliberate move to avoid a standoff with the ministry; I just hope!
However, the ministry has realized that its power can be undermined by the IIMs in the current structure and so is contemplating an Act to make the IIMs answerable to the parliament [1]. It is sad to see that the politicians, in their urge for power, can go against all rationality and try to meddle with an efficient system. IIMs and their Alumni have done India proud on the both the national and international scene. It is not without reason that bright young men and women, many of whom have cozy jobs, want to slog it out and become ‘IIM grads’. This is because of the way IIMs have functioned and the standards they have set for management education in the country. The fact that politicians, who mainly attain their post because of either playing with public sentiment or by brute force, see themselves competent enough to run these institutions of repute is a ridicule of the existing management, faculty and students of these institutions and is unacceptable.
The only involvement that IIMs and politicians should think of is training IIM grads to become able government administrators. The political parties can participate in the campus placements and ‘recruit’ these students directly into the parliament and policy making bodies of the country. If these institutions are of such high standards that entry of under privileged classes into these institutions is the only way to ensure their social upliftment, then I am sure that the graduates from these institutes would be capable enough in running the country and taking it towards its dream of social justice and equality. After all, they have proven themselves on various national and international arena and are successfully running large organizations all across the world. I hope the HRD ministry starts looking at the IIMs as an asset and incubator of future leaders rather than use them as a means to serve political ends.
IIM Campus Report 2020:
‘..The largest recruiter this year too has been the Government of India (GOI) with 23 offers for their various parliamentary positions. The recruiting panel this year consisted of none other than the President himself along with the PM and the Defence Minister. “I am thrilled with the ideas and value system that these young minds bring to the table. Interacting with them gives me hope that we are handing down India into good hands”, commented the President. Meanwhile the GOI has become the most sought after recruiter in all IIMs with students preferring to GOI roles over high paying and overseas offers..’
[1]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/IIMs_likely_to_lose_autonomy/articleshow/1946866.cms
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Inside the Internship
Internship is always a mixed bag of experience for one and all. While some claim to have learnt a lot, others feel they just wasted time during the internship period.
What follows are some points which I have collected through experience, talking to people and observation that may make an internship experience more valuable:
1. Professionalism is your profession!
The first thing to remember is that an internship is no different from the actual work environment. So, you should be a thorough professional in whatever you do during the internship. Common courtesy, ethics, team work and a positive attitude go a long way in determining what you experience during the internship and what you make others experience around you. Remember many companies are now increasing the intake of their regular employees through the PPO route. Whether or not you get a PPO depends on whether you are seen as a potential employee who is professional in your dealings and whether you fit with the company value system. So, at no point think that you are still a student and it is ok for you to slack on professionalism. In the corporate setting, you are the employee of the organization and they will expect no less from you.
2. Initiate the initiative inside!
When people tell me that they were not given any work during the internship or that for the initial few weeks, even the guides were not clear of what to do with them, I tell them that such a case presents itself as an ideal opportunity to show one of the greatest strengths that organizations look for: Initiative.
Remember that internship is not only about the organization to extract work from you but also for you to highlight your worth and value. Remember also that in the real corporate life also there will be times when you are not given fresh responsibilities and you see yourself doing the same ‘damn thing’. In such a case too, it is up to you to seek new opportunities and show how else you can add value. A similar logic applies to internships. If the guides are not clear what to do with you, you make a list of tasks that you think you can complete till something concrete is decided for you and that may add value and discuss them with your guides. This helps in two ways. One, you show initiative and eagerness to add value (a big positive) and second it gives you something meaningful to do with your time. This small task that you have chosen also serves as a good opportunity to show your quality of work so treat it as important and do it thoroughly.
Tasks selected can be as simple as creating a list of ‘Dos and Donts’ for interns when they join the team (something you can make easily based on your own experience and by finding out from some other interns in your unit) or cleaning up redundancy in the LAN with the help of someone senior or just asking other employees in your team if there is something you can do to help them. I have seen that everyone is more than happy to offload some work to someone who is willing. Don’t crib at what work is being given to you. Remember it is just a temporary arrangement till you get something your project.
Always remember that it is in your hands how much you take out of the internship. If you just wait for opportunities to come to you, you may or may not get something but if you go out there and hunt down opportunities proactively, you will always be the winner.
3. Don’t be single; Mingle!
If at the end of the internship only your guide knows you, you may not have made the best use of your time in the organization. Remember, that internship is an opportunity for you to know the organization and for the organization to know you. By talking to people, not only in your immediate team but across teams or even units, helps you get a proper perspective of how the company is. Even if you finally decide not to join the company, you still have benefitted by expanding your business network.
Here again initiative is needed. Your project may be such that interaction with other people in the organization may not be needed but that should not stop you from contacting your Alumni in the organization or discussing some issues and experiences with other team members or even with other fellow interns. I am not saying that one should deliberately try to forge relationships just for gain rather the idea should be learning about the organization and how it would be like working for it.
4. One Date you don’t want to miss: Update!
It is very important that you establish clear channels of communication with those who are the stakeholders in your project. At all times the stakeholders should know what you are up to and where things stand. It may be worthwhile to agree with your guide for a quick update (through a mail or a meeting) on the progress of the project atleast once a week. This not only helps the guides know whether you are on track but also helps them remember you atleast once in a week! If you offer to make such an arrangement, it again shows initiative on your part.
Also, get a mid term review done by all stakeholders. A mid term review helps in highlighting your work to one and all (remember some people might not be able to make it to the final presentation at the end of the internship) and also know how you are doing and what else you can do to improve the quality of your work.
Be professional and agree to a date beforehand and block everyone’s calendar. A reminder with the agenda (agreed upon by others) a day before the meeting is a good practice to avoid last minute hiccups. Book the room well in advance, inspect the room to see if all the apparatus you need work and whether appropriate number of chairs are there (if this is a large gathering).
You can make an impression by showing your meeting handling skills too!
5. Fill it, shut it, DON’T forget it
Remember that if you have decided to work for the company, you will most probable be working with the same people you worked with during your internship. Otherwise as well, never lose contact with them. It is always good to keep in touch even after the internship. Whether you get the PPO or not, relationships should always be maintained.
What follows are some points which I have collected through experience, talking to people and observation that may make an internship experience more valuable:
1. Professionalism is your profession!
The first thing to remember is that an internship is no different from the actual work environment. So, you should be a thorough professional in whatever you do during the internship. Common courtesy, ethics, team work and a positive attitude go a long way in determining what you experience during the internship and what you make others experience around you. Remember many companies are now increasing the intake of their regular employees through the PPO route. Whether or not you get a PPO depends on whether you are seen as a potential employee who is professional in your dealings and whether you fit with the company value system. So, at no point think that you are still a student and it is ok for you to slack on professionalism. In the corporate setting, you are the employee of the organization and they will expect no less from you.
2. Initiate the initiative inside!
When people tell me that they were not given any work during the internship or that for the initial few weeks, even the guides were not clear of what to do with them, I tell them that such a case presents itself as an ideal opportunity to show one of the greatest strengths that organizations look for: Initiative.
Remember that internship is not only about the organization to extract work from you but also for you to highlight your worth and value. Remember also that in the real corporate life also there will be times when you are not given fresh responsibilities and you see yourself doing the same ‘damn thing’. In such a case too, it is up to you to seek new opportunities and show how else you can add value. A similar logic applies to internships. If the guides are not clear what to do with you, you make a list of tasks that you think you can complete till something concrete is decided for you and that may add value and discuss them with your guides. This helps in two ways. One, you show initiative and eagerness to add value (a big positive) and second it gives you something meaningful to do with your time. This small task that you have chosen also serves as a good opportunity to show your quality of work so treat it as important and do it thoroughly.
Tasks selected can be as simple as creating a list of ‘Dos and Donts’ for interns when they join the team (something you can make easily based on your own experience and by finding out from some other interns in your unit) or cleaning up redundancy in the LAN with the help of someone senior or just asking other employees in your team if there is something you can do to help them. I have seen that everyone is more than happy to offload some work to someone who is willing. Don’t crib at what work is being given to you. Remember it is just a temporary arrangement till you get something your project.
Always remember that it is in your hands how much you take out of the internship. If you just wait for opportunities to come to you, you may or may not get something but if you go out there and hunt down opportunities proactively, you will always be the winner.
3. Don’t be single; Mingle!
If at the end of the internship only your guide knows you, you may not have made the best use of your time in the organization. Remember, that internship is an opportunity for you to know the organization and for the organization to know you. By talking to people, not only in your immediate team but across teams or even units, helps you get a proper perspective of how the company is. Even if you finally decide not to join the company, you still have benefitted by expanding your business network.
Here again initiative is needed. Your project may be such that interaction with other people in the organization may not be needed but that should not stop you from contacting your Alumni in the organization or discussing some issues and experiences with other team members or even with other fellow interns. I am not saying that one should deliberately try to forge relationships just for gain rather the idea should be learning about the organization and how it would be like working for it.
4. One Date you don’t want to miss: Update!
It is very important that you establish clear channels of communication with those who are the stakeholders in your project. At all times the stakeholders should know what you are up to and where things stand. It may be worthwhile to agree with your guide for a quick update (through a mail or a meeting) on the progress of the project atleast once a week. This not only helps the guides know whether you are on track but also helps them remember you atleast once in a week! If you offer to make such an arrangement, it again shows initiative on your part.
Also, get a mid term review done by all stakeholders. A mid term review helps in highlighting your work to one and all (remember some people might not be able to make it to the final presentation at the end of the internship) and also know how you are doing and what else you can do to improve the quality of your work.
Be professional and agree to a date beforehand and block everyone’s calendar. A reminder with the agenda (agreed upon by others) a day before the meeting is a good practice to avoid last minute hiccups. Book the room well in advance, inspect the room to see if all the apparatus you need work and whether appropriate number of chairs are there (if this is a large gathering).
You can make an impression by showing your meeting handling skills too!
5. Fill it, shut it, DON’T forget it
Remember that if you have decided to work for the company, you will most probable be working with the same people you worked with during your internship. Otherwise as well, never lose contact with them. It is always good to keep in touch even after the internship. Whether you get the PPO or not, relationships should always be maintained.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
How to choose the right B-School
Collecting my earlier articles at one place.
This one was oriniginally published on rediff.com (May 08, 2006)
http://ia.rediff.com/getahead/2006/may/08mba.htm
Happy Reading..
How to choose the right B-school
Surya Saurabh May 08, 2006
Seeing your name on the list of accepted candidates for the B-schools of your choice leaves you feeling both happy and relieved. Unfortunately, this state of mind is short-lived as you are immediately faced with another crucial decision: which institute should you finally opt for?
This decision causes an understandable amount of apprehension and anxiety; the choice you make now will impact you for the rest of your life. I would even go so far as to say your career will partly be shaped by the decision you make now.
Here are a few parameters to go by when deciding which institute is 'hot' and which is not:
Ask the right question.
What do you want from this MBA?
Are you just content with the brand value of a degree? After all, you are going to join your dad's business and it just seems more savvy to have an MBA. Or are you serious about getting an education?
Are you solely concerned with bagging a good job placement?
Are you looking forward to being a student?Maybe, your answer is a combination of all the above in varying degrees.
My sincere advice is not to be guided purely by the placement statistics that seem to overshadow every other facet of management education. Remember, a good B-school is not a placement agency.I am not saying good placements are not important, but don't let that be the sole determining criteria.
Who's your teacher?
While choosing a B-school, you should look at the quality of education you will receive. The calibre of the faculty is a very important parameter. This can be easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
Almost all institutes have detailed profiles of their faculty members, their educational background, industry links, research and teaching experience.
Talk to people who have graduated from various institutes and see what they have to say.
What will life be like?
Also important is campus life at the institute of your choice. You should look at the student community, their profiles, work experience and background. This data is again easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
A good institute should have a healthy mix of people with various years of experience in the industry, in varied domains and with sound educational background. Such a mix helps add value to the course by way of the differing perspectives the students bring with them.
Campus life also includes the plethora of activities students get involved with. Education in an institute of repute is not only about classroom learning, it is about taking on responsibility, getting involved in events, managing the show.
Look for various seminars the students organise, the formal and informal events they conduct, the committees and clubs they have and the activities they undertake.
The pressure of the rigorous curriculum will never lessen such activities if the students have the potential, zeal and enthusiasm to handle the additional strain with aplomb.
Once you join the institute of your choice, don't shun the pressure. It will be a part and parcel of your working life in the years to come.
All work and no play?
It should never be all work and no time to unwind. After all, you are still a student. Campus life is complete only with the inclusion of fun and frolic. Look for how students unwind, relax and take respite from the demands of the course.
Cultural events, games, outings, parties all contribute to the overall experience the course provides.
All this information can be obtained by talking to the current students or alumni. Look at online student forums and groups where most of these aspects are discussed.
Always bear in mind that it is not the lifeless walls that make a institute what it is. It is the people there, the buzz they create and the experience they provide by just being themselves.
Surya Saurabh is part of the PGDM Class of 2007 at IIM-Kozhikode.
P.S. - I graduated on March 17, 2007 :)
This one was oriniginally published on rediff.com (May 08, 2006)
http://ia.rediff.com/getahead/2006/may/08mba.htm
Happy Reading..
How to choose the right B-school
Surya Saurabh May 08, 2006
Seeing your name on the list of accepted candidates for the B-schools of your choice leaves you feeling both happy and relieved. Unfortunately, this state of mind is short-lived as you are immediately faced with another crucial decision: which institute should you finally opt for?
This decision causes an understandable amount of apprehension and anxiety; the choice you make now will impact you for the rest of your life. I would even go so far as to say your career will partly be shaped by the decision you make now.
Here are a few parameters to go by when deciding which institute is 'hot' and which is not:
Ask the right question.
What do you want from this MBA?
Are you just content with the brand value of a degree? After all, you are going to join your dad's business and it just seems more savvy to have an MBA. Or are you serious about getting an education?
Are you solely concerned with bagging a good job placement?
Are you looking forward to being a student?Maybe, your answer is a combination of all the above in varying degrees.
My sincere advice is not to be guided purely by the placement statistics that seem to overshadow every other facet of management education. Remember, a good B-school is not a placement agency.I am not saying good placements are not important, but don't let that be the sole determining criteria.
Who's your teacher?
While choosing a B-school, you should look at the quality of education you will receive. The calibre of the faculty is a very important parameter. This can be easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
Almost all institutes have detailed profiles of their faculty members, their educational background, industry links, research and teaching experience.
Talk to people who have graduated from various institutes and see what they have to say.
What will life be like?
Also important is campus life at the institute of your choice. You should look at the student community, their profiles, work experience and background. This data is again easily obtained from the institutes' web sites.
A good institute should have a healthy mix of people with various years of experience in the industry, in varied domains and with sound educational background. Such a mix helps add value to the course by way of the differing perspectives the students bring with them.
Campus life also includes the plethora of activities students get involved with. Education in an institute of repute is not only about classroom learning, it is about taking on responsibility, getting involved in events, managing the show.
Look for various seminars the students organise, the formal and informal events they conduct, the committees and clubs they have and the activities they undertake.
The pressure of the rigorous curriculum will never lessen such activities if the students have the potential, zeal and enthusiasm to handle the additional strain with aplomb.
Once you join the institute of your choice, don't shun the pressure. It will be a part and parcel of your working life in the years to come.
All work and no play?
It should never be all work and no time to unwind. After all, you are still a student. Campus life is complete only with the inclusion of fun and frolic. Look for how students unwind, relax and take respite from the demands of the course.
Cultural events, games, outings, parties all contribute to the overall experience the course provides.
All this information can be obtained by talking to the current students or alumni. Look at online student forums and groups where most of these aspects are discussed.
Always bear in mind that it is not the lifeless walls that make a institute what it is. It is the people there, the buzz they create and the experience they provide by just being themselves.
Surya Saurabh is part of the PGDM Class of 2007 at IIM-Kozhikode.
P.S. - I graduated on March 17, 2007 :)
Monday, April 16, 2007
Where’s the ‘service’ in this service-driven economy?
We all know how the service sector has been driving the Indian economy to newer heights. With almost 60% of the GDP no being contributed by the services sector, we all believe that the future of India is in the services sector (like other developed economies).
However, the hoopla is very appealing only if you are a provider because there are consumers ready to buy your services. Change the suit and become a consumer and you will immediately see the shallowness of our much touted service sector.
Everyday, if you pay attention, you will see how customers are treated like dirt and how there is a total absence of the essential service mindset. If you look at the mission and values of the services companies, you will most definitely find words like ‘customer delight’, ‘empathy’ and the like but the truth is that these words never trickle down to the actual front desk people who are supposed to provide this ‘delight’ to the customers. The sad part is that this problem is faced by customers at not only at small scale service providers but big ticket providers like Air Sahara, Foodworld, Videocon!
In a recent experience with Air Sahara, I almost lost my connecting flight due to a 1.5 hour delay in the Sahara Bangalore - Mumbai flight. Late flights are something which we have now almost accepted as Business As Usual but what appalled me was the total lack of interest in the Mumbai Air Sahara staff to listen to what I needed and him taking more interest in what his female colleague had to say rather than what his customer wanted to know! A complaint to the mail-id given to me (bomdm@airsahara.net) hasn’t even generated an acknowledgement of the receipt of my mail.
There have been numerous occasions when I have seen the checkout counters of Foodworld not occupied resulting in a long queue forming in the existing counters and in most occasions I had to demand that a new counter b opened before any action was taken. Again a mail to higher ups hasn’t generated any response!
My wife bought a Videocon Next Food processor in December. The demo personnel has not managed to come to us even after 4 months and numerous reminders because he either works only from 12 noon to 5pm (he has never been able to meet an appointment beyond these times!) or does not want to do such a lowly thing as a demo!
The lack of the ‘delight’ element is the result of two factors:
1. We are not doing a good job as consumers. Having got accustomed to dealing with public sector organizations (Railways, Air India, PWD etc) over the years, we have become used to poor service. We are not demanding enough and we don’t complain to the providers about deficiencies. This results in them most of the times not being aware of what is going wrong. Most of the times I have seen that everyone is just waiting for someone to take the lead. Once you point out the deficiency, others will second that. As Indians whose time has come, we should be man enough (and woman enough) to get what we deserve.
2. In this fast growth phase when demand clearly outstrips supply, the focus of the organizations is on the back end rather than the front end as due to high demand, a customer lost will definitely be replaced by a new customer. Allegiances to particular brands are not yet fully established so customer service as a differentiator is not a priority for most companies. Due to this need to ramp up fast, the employees at the front end are not fully trained to treat the customer as king. They are not there to ‘serve’ customers. They are there to just do their job. Hence, almost all the time you will see the front end staff ill-informed, unable to handle customer complaints and defensive and reactive.
With liberalization now more than 25 years old, foreign competition entering into every arena and consumers, though slowly but surely showing more brand preferences, companies that identify this gap and strive genuinely to fill it by making customer service as their differentiator, will survive the onslaught of the competition.
During my ordeal with Air Sahara at Mumbai airport, a Jet Airways staff helped me even though I had arrived on a Sahara flight and she immediately raised the image of Jet in our minds and has definitely won over two customers!
However, the hoopla is very appealing only if you are a provider because there are consumers ready to buy your services. Change the suit and become a consumer and you will immediately see the shallowness of our much touted service sector.
Everyday, if you pay attention, you will see how customers are treated like dirt and how there is a total absence of the essential service mindset. If you look at the mission and values of the services companies, you will most definitely find words like ‘customer delight’, ‘empathy’ and the like but the truth is that these words never trickle down to the actual front desk people who are supposed to provide this ‘delight’ to the customers. The sad part is that this problem is faced by customers at not only at small scale service providers but big ticket providers like Air Sahara, Foodworld, Videocon!
In a recent experience with Air Sahara, I almost lost my connecting flight due to a 1.5 hour delay in the Sahara Bangalore - Mumbai flight. Late flights are something which we have now almost accepted as Business As Usual but what appalled me was the total lack of interest in the Mumbai Air Sahara staff to listen to what I needed and him taking more interest in what his female colleague had to say rather than what his customer wanted to know! A complaint to the mail-id given to me (bomdm@airsahara.net) hasn’t even generated an acknowledgement of the receipt of my mail.
There have been numerous occasions when I have seen the checkout counters of Foodworld not occupied resulting in a long queue forming in the existing counters and in most occasions I had to demand that a new counter b opened before any action was taken. Again a mail to higher ups hasn’t generated any response!
My wife bought a Videocon Next Food processor in December. The demo personnel has not managed to come to us even after 4 months and numerous reminders because he either works only from 12 noon to 5pm (he has never been able to meet an appointment beyond these times!) or does not want to do such a lowly thing as a demo!
The lack of the ‘delight’ element is the result of two factors:
1. We are not doing a good job as consumers. Having got accustomed to dealing with public sector organizations (Railways, Air India, PWD etc) over the years, we have become used to poor service. We are not demanding enough and we don’t complain to the providers about deficiencies. This results in them most of the times not being aware of what is going wrong. Most of the times I have seen that everyone is just waiting for someone to take the lead. Once you point out the deficiency, others will second that. As Indians whose time has come, we should be man enough (and woman enough) to get what we deserve.
2. In this fast growth phase when demand clearly outstrips supply, the focus of the organizations is on the back end rather than the front end as due to high demand, a customer lost will definitely be replaced by a new customer. Allegiances to particular brands are not yet fully established so customer service as a differentiator is not a priority for most companies. Due to this need to ramp up fast, the employees at the front end are not fully trained to treat the customer as king. They are not there to ‘serve’ customers. They are there to just do their job. Hence, almost all the time you will see the front end staff ill-informed, unable to handle customer complaints and defensive and reactive.
With liberalization now more than 25 years old, foreign competition entering into every arena and consumers, though slowly but surely showing more brand preferences, companies that identify this gap and strive genuinely to fill it by making customer service as their differentiator, will survive the onslaught of the competition.
During my ordeal with Air Sahara at Mumbai airport, a Jet Airways staff helped me even though I had arrived on a Sahara flight and she immediately raised the image of Jet in our minds and has definitely won over two customers!
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