Saturday, October 31, 2009

Waiting for the monsoon!!!

This blog is for those who have not been to the Indian villages ever in their lives yet, who don’t know who’s the common man of our beloved nation India, who doesn’t understand the importance of monsoon except to enjoy tea and pakoras during rainy days.

I always wanted to go in the villages, even talked to my mom once about spending sometime in the villages of India but couldn't get a chance.

But destiny favors and a day came, when I could visit an Indian village. Incidentally, it was the month of August. Monsoon is at peak all over India. It is period of joy and happiness as most of us like rain. I saw villagers working hard for their living but I found something missing from what I had expected and that was the satisfaction over their faces. It made me restless and I inquired about it. The reason was very obvious but I was unaware about it. “The Bad Monsoon”. I tried to find out the solution for their problem as I really wanted to help them but to my misery I felt too small to do anything for them. At that time I felt that I understood their pain but whatever I understood was just a pinch of their sorrow.

Those days had been heavy on me. I, who was thinking myself to be superior from a long time, come to know my real value. All the names associated with me, I was proud of, have lost their value. What I could say and what I could understand from my experience is that the villagers wait for monsoon as I wait for a moment of success.

I remember some golden words “Failures are what makes you learn the most in life, not the cake walk” k”

Monday, September 14, 2009

Flying False Economy

Na na na..

Dont even think i have copied this blog. I just likes this blog so much that i would like to share it with you people

Friday, September 11, 2009

Why innovation during a recession?

“Tough times never last, but tough people do.” The moments of economic recession brings with it an opportunity for every business leader to understand business from a whole new prospective. Only during recession the true nature of market can be understood. Every dollar counts and therefore the customers are willing to spend only if the product or service is really valuable. The market speaks its soul during recession .A business executive can use recession as an opportunity to understand this aspect of market and make fundamental change in the business activity. This is where innovation comes into play and becomes so important.

Innovation at the time of recession is the creative response by the business entity, after understanding the real nature of market. During the normal economic period it is difficult for a business manager to understand the real value of his product or service and the benefits it can provide to the consumers. Thus lot of energy and resource is wasted on enhancing the aspects of product and services which are of no value or give provide less value. Recession acts as a filter to bring before the business managers, the real needs of the consumers .Now the business managers are equipped with more valuable information and can guide the innovation through proper research and development. Therefore it is necessary and inevitable for a healthy business unit to innovate in recessions. Many business leaders in past have used recession to innovate and were able to turn recession into an opportunity.

The biggest mistake many organizations make during these turbulent times is that they stop listening to the market. They cut back on research and development and the time when market is speaking most loudly. According to A.G. Lafley, former Chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble “It’s more essential to innovate through a recession, and certainly what we’re trying to do at P&G is to continue to bring sustaining and even disruptive new brands and products for our consumers, to make their lives better, to offer them a little more value.”

At the time of recessions and depressions not only the magnitude of market response is large but many unmet demands also come on surface. A business manager can make use of these unmet demands to steer the organizations to new horizons. Henry Luce launched the Fortune magazine on February 1930 just four months after the stock market crash of October 29, 1929. Throughout the great depression Fortune magazine made good fortune for the Time Inc. By 1937, the magazine netted a half-million dollars on its circulation of 460,000. By the end of the decade, Fortune had become required reading on Wall Street.

Why did Fortune worked? It worked because of the great insight of Luce who listened to the market and created a product which met an unmet demand. During recessions or depressions the market demand does not disappear but they become more even more exposed. In case of fortune the stock market fall increased the interest of general public in the business culture. There appeared an unmet demand of knowing what happens behind closed doors, in boardrooms, and in the hallowed halls of corporate America. Luce identified this demand and fulfilled it. The stories that could be found on the pages of Fortune were not available in Wall Street Journal or in any other corporate magazine. While many companies were filing bankruptcy Luce created a whole new market of business journalism. He gave a new direction to the Time Inc. and was able to steer the organization not only safely but successfully out of the great depression. Like Luce many other executives who listened to the market and responded innovatively to it, were able to create a fortune out of the great depression of 1930.

Historically many companies have invested in innovation during recessions. Thus were able to not only recognize and meet the consumers demand but were also able to leave an impression which lasted long. Remember that at turbulent times not on the business managers but the consumers are also equally worried. A business organization by innovating at such times sends a very positive signal to the consumers that they are being taken care off. Innovation and launching of new products keep the consumer and employee motivation and they remember this in long term.

In 2003 when companies were cutting back following the Dow’s historical low, Apple continued to invest. Steve Jobs recall “What has happened in technology over the last few years has been about the downturn, not the future of technology. A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of [customers], they would continue to open their wallets. And that’s what we’ve done. We’ve been turning out more new products than ever before, and Apple is one of the only two companies making money in the PC business. We’re not making a lot, but other than Dell, we’re the only one. Others are losing money – a lot of money.”Apple has a long history of innovation in recessions. Through strong innovation and new launches Apple has always maintained the belief of its costumers .It always strived to identify their need and fulfilling it successfully through innovation, especially at the times of economic downturns. And customers have responded well.

It is important for business organizations to cash upon the opportunity of recession to widen the gap between them and their competitors. While competitors are cutting back on research an organization can work on improving its products, invest in new opportunities and thus by meeting the customers demand valuably can leave their competitors far behind. What is required at such a time is integrity and belief on oneself. In 1929 after the stock market crash Adolph Ochs of The New York Times, issued a memo to his staff: “We must set an example of optimism. Please urge every department to go ahead as if we thought the best year in the world is ahead of us.”The New York Times faced the depression with optimism and kept innovating. It increased the quality of editorial though there were less advertisement contracts. By increasing the quality of editorial it became a paper that contained less advertisement and good editorial. Ochs evaded the lay off by using the surplus of 1920’s.Thus the employees of New York Times responded positively to him and remained motivated to perform. Once the great depression ended New York Times emerged as a newspaper with highest readership in the country which also increased the advertising volume.

Thus an executive can take recession as a signal to introduce cutback on technology, fire staff, stop product development, reduce risk, avoid globalization, retreat from investment and finally get walled into safe castles of traditional markets but he/she does not realize that by doing so they are increasing their venerability to recession as all these actions lead to dilution of customers base. The other path is of self belief and innovation, investing with strategy, providing more value to customer, keeping the morals of employees high through investments and new product/service launches. History has proved that the executives who followed the latter path have come out brilliantly from the downturns. They have not only saved their organizations from potential mergers or bankruptcy but have also opened a whole new market. They won the belief of customers and were able to translate it into long term profits.

Recession is not an abnormal behavior of economy but it is an integral part of the economic cycle. We can’t avoid it. We can only make ourselves ready to cash upon the opportunity it brings. When a business managers start seeing the recession from this prospective, recession becomes a boon not a bane as it is usually perceived. It requires a little courage, and an ability to transfer it to the staff, especially the ones who are involved in research and development. Recession is the time to cut loose the research team so that they can innovate without restriction. On the other hand it is also the duty of the manager to strategically analyze the financial health of the organization to support such an innovation.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Deja vu....


Finally I am in a B-school after trying hard for two years........but after spending a month here, things seems to be overhyped........Dont understand whether it really is or just my frame of mind..

Anyways...now I am in one of the best B-schools of India so I should also start doing things,learning how to cook problems which fits my solutions,making groups and taking the feel of organizing it but in the course disorganize it......

If I define my learnings from B-shool as of now in one liner,it would be
"I am defining things i have been doing from a long time" and it is just these definitions which makes one apart from an average manager.....Though I dont know ABC.. of what is being tought , i still have a feel that i know everything , confidence that i will sort out things,may be thats is what we have to learn here....and sometimes I am so weak i feel that i am at wrong place between wrong set of people....

But whatever it is,it is my life for 2 years now and wil be going to effect it for the whole life..lets see how things turn out for me...

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

IPL-Funda

When Lalit Modi started it last year,many senior players were against it and many a questions were raised about its feasibility.but now we are in the second season of the IPL successfully.

What have not being done for this tournament.Governments have been forced to provide security for the players and finally when it didnt happened ,the whole tour has been shifted to South Africa.Wohh!!! a game has got such an importance, it is more important than the general elections taking place.People may or may not be aware of which party is winning or losing but they have whole data abt IPL on thrie fingertips.

But see this is democracy , you have rights to exercise, the right to freedom,So what if we are not obeying our duties.I am not against IPL and even not in favour of any arguments against it but i stood against the timing of IPL-2 as this cicket fever have covered the Election drama and we are not seeing major participation from youth of our countries in the ongoing Elections..

Change in mentality

As most of us know our country was initially called Hindustan, which when broken means a place where hindus live.Now we call it India- land of people of various religions,almost all of those who exists in the world.We can found people speaking different languages and living together understanding each others emotion well.

I heard people feared about the increasing population in India but i can bet even if you double the rural population of india people will still coexist but this is not the case with urban India.I have this feeling with my experience not any guesses.I have noticed this change in my thinking only. Initially when i lived in rural , i was more adjusting and less demanding so creates much less problems but now i being an urban citizen need more space for everything and became less adjustable.

I have observed same changes in the people near to me but the people i know who lives in the rural still have same attitude towards life,they still live in small place,fight with natural disaster,always together helping each other and making our country a nation.They though being less literate have more moral values than we urbans.This is one of the many things we need to learn from them.I have started ,have you?
I have read a statement somewhere "A country is known by its people and their behavious" and i found it true....

Friday, April 3, 2009

BJP's Election Game...

Well here it comes..........."BJP Election manifesto".

Some day back, I was thinking about the Vote War which is about to begin in April i.e.. General Election. This time we have third contender along with two mainstream parties. Wohh!! Don’t jump to conclusion, today I am in no mood to write on Third front, it can wait I suppose. I am willing to throw some light on our own Hindu party BJP.

From a long time BJP is suffering for a election issue as there main tools didn’t seem to work as expected. Talking of their so called ideology of "Hindutav", leave about any other religion even Hindu community doesn’t accept it anymore. Their second agenda of "terrorism" also seems to be failed because BJP wouldn't have handled Mumbai issue any better way.

So great minds in the BJP alliance had spent few sleepless nights during last month to tackle UPA and third front, a new zeal. Finally today They are out with a poor agenda in which they have given a lot of unrealistic promises like giving wheat/rice at rs 2/kg to poor etc. But the big question is “Is it feasible to fulfill some promises?” . From where will money come for them?

Well that only God knows or may be BJP leaders but I just want to make people aware of such traps. Rest final decision to vote to which party lies obviously with individual...

Just remember your Vote matters to the future of our country, so do Vote!!!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Noida MMS Scandal.Talibanisation or Next Door Incident.


I am surprised by the mere fact of discussion being done on a MMS scandal in a population of 1 billion. The Noida MMS scandal is topping charts of being the most read article on TOI after it came into light. What we fail to understand here is that masses get bored of reading Kasab,AIG,Satyam,Raju,manmohan singh or India. It becomes so obvious and easy to be excited about the spice a particular "NEWS" or specifically its the human tendency to be interested in whats happening next door? I do not disagree with the seriousness of the crime and the damage meted out to the girl. But arent we aware that in such a huge system there ought to be some viruses plaguing it. With the intiation of this incident will be lot of reactions extended and demanded. It will surely be talked out, know why?.. because it is spice, we are bored and above that we are democracy. It is just a projection of how sick the human mind can become or the portrayal of degrading Moral value and the protectionist nature of Parents to coverup the ills their pupils bring. the internet is filled with MMS and other explicit content as result of someones' emotions to get a high, being recognised, being hurt or anything. Crimes are always result of motives or emotions. Maybe the nations media need to be redirected. Maybe their is a expoitation of democratic freedoms granted to the press. The Nation and its people need to be focused on most important aspect of Indian Society:Development. And having said that i do not recommend the swaping of moral issues with our drive of economic progress, it should cover all aspects of an ideal society be it economic,social,political or communal. There is a sense of change in the nation, lets capitalise on it.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Fabric of Indian Culture....


Excuse me, but where does this moral culture really exist, except in the fantasies of those that the media are hyping up as India's moral brigade. In the small towns and villages of India ??? Where 10 times more women are raped and molested, abused, physically assaulted and mutilated for the mere crime of being a woman or a low caste ! There is no pub culture there. But there is a huge problem of alcoholism nevertheless.


Where young men are killed and hanged and young women are killed by their own families just because they fell in love and wanted to marry out of their caste. There is no pub culture there.
Alcoholism is a problem. No doubt. But there is more alcohol related domestic abuse against women in India by their husbands in their own homes than anywhere else. If any of the supporters of the moral policing would just care to g to one of the shelters for domestically abused women, they will know that the real problem with alcohol is not in the pub culture but at home.


And if India is progressing towards a country where men and women stand equal in jobs, status and financial independence, where we have had women as our Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, and Cabinet Ministers, then why should men and women be treated as any different ? If drinking alcohol in a pub is immoral for a woman, they why is it morally OK for a man ?


I have seen too many families destroyed by alcoholism to be able to make a stand for excessive drinking. So what should one do ? Ban alcohol ? Lets get real. the very people who form the moral brigade will probably not go for that. Corrupt pockets are fed with that. State coffers rely on taxes on alcohol. And banning alcohol merely drives it underground, and gives the underworld goons a god sent opportunity to make money. Tourism collapses.


There must be checks and balances. But the answer is NOT to target the physically weaker sections of our people. Women. That is not moral policing. It is sheer cowardice.
And I cannot understand why the Chief Minister of Rajasthan has a problem with a girl and a boy holding hands ? He does not seem to have such a problem when the same hand raises itself in violence rather than affection.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Public Display of Affection

Well, I’m not here to argue whether its right or wrong… I guess it really varies from person to person and of course on the fact that how much you display…

I just saw a snippet of Barrack Obama’s swearing-in speech… He’s supposedly now one of the most, actually the most, powerful person in the world… This man never has any qualms in expressing his feeling for his wife in front of the whole world…I like the way they were hand-in-hand during the campaign, the way he kisses his wife after every speech, the way he hugs her before leaving the stage, the way they look at each other during the speech, the way Michelle got nervous when he stumbled once during his speech, the way he expresses what he feels for her and what she means to him…

It might sound funny… but I think this man is just perfect at PDA…just as much is required… the ideal display which any woman would want and envy..its all just too sweet and cute to be fake!!! I really respect those men who have the balls to not make fun of the institution of marriage and their spouse just because all their friends and family do that and they will be made fun of if they don’t do that as well in front of the world!

Some people might think that he fakes it…but why would he? I really don’t think that he fakes it at all…you can see it in his eyes!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Another face of terrorism

Terrorists!!!!!what comes in mind when we hear this word, atrocity, brutality, inhumanness, pain, suffering.. But who are these terrorists??? According to general view and our dear politicians, these are the people who came from outside and destroy the peace and prosperity of a nation. Then what can we say about the acts of leaders like Mr.Raj Thackery, Mr. Pramod Muthalik. Are these people not spreading havoc in our country? Aren't their acts unethical and terrifying??

Earlier it was MNS chief Mr. Thackery who challenges the national integrity and now came Shri Ram Sene chief Mr. Muthalik who promotes enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion and indulges in acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony in the country. When the whole nation was rejoicing in the preparations of the celebrations of 60th year of Republic India, some SRS activists barged into one of the Mangalore pub where they beat and molested some women. On the one hand, we were preparing for the celebrations of the R-Day and on the other hand, such condemning acts were happening. Whats the point in celebrating the Republic Day when people don't respect the basic rights, when people don't have the right to freedom, when even today women are not given equal stand with men???

Such organisations should be banned as along with causing violence in the nation, these are abasing our culture too. India is a democratic nation where there is space for pub cultures along with the temples. Every one should feel free while choosing.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Well done again Sheila Dixit!!

The state government in Mumbai had announced after the terrible floods caused mainly by the clogging of the drains by plastic bags, that they would ban plastic bags. But they had neither the will nor the guts to go through with the order. Now Sheila Dixit, the Chief Minister of Delhi has announced the same, and my bet it that despite all the court cases that will be thrown against her, the political pressures and the business lobbying - Sheila Dixit wil stand firm. She did the same when she turned all buses and other means of public transport to CNG gas. She stood firm through the strikes by bus operators, nd cases right upto supreme court. And today you can actually breathe in Delhi. There are lesser cases of asthama amongst children, and the levels of harmful pollutants in the air has come down,


I have seen the effects of not only plastic bags, but also plastic wrappers and empty plastic bottles on our environment in the hills. On a recent trip to Nainital and the surrounding hills, I saw streams, lakes, irrigation ditches all clogged with plastic - killing not only the environment but also causing flooding and killing off river fish.


Traveling in trains in India in my youth, hot milk and tea has very special taste. They were served in fragile earthenware pots. The tea and the milk took on the taste of the earth, and for me they have never tasted the same. Now even in the smallest towns tea is served in plastic cups that are not biodegradable and just go on to pollute our land.


Just one thing more m/s Dikshit - what about plastic wrapping that sell commercial products like Lays (terrible for the health of kids in any case) and pan masaala ? They represent almost 70% of the litter that pollutes our countryside

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Most awaited change..


Mr. Barrack Hussein Obama, the 44th president of United States of America, brings a new hope which traversed not only in USA but also all over the world.

Born in Hawaii to a Keynian father and an American mother, he is the first African American to hold the office as well as the first US President born outside the United States. He has come out of Dark to the main stage with a promise of bright future. He sets an example in front of the world especially black people giving them a hope not to consider themselves inferior in any sense and teaching a lesson to all peoples, not to discriminate on basis of color and creed. He proves that ‘No Matter where you born, where you belong to, a strong mind set and bright ideas will make a way for you’.

There is something very different about his candidature; he secured his seat not on basis of his party ideologies but on his own. His very straight forward way to deliver, ability to reflect, eagerness to face the challenges and handle the difficult situations have worked for him.

His predecessor, George Bush handed over to Barack Obama, a ravaged economy and an injured national reputation. Currently, America is half sunk in a quagmire and is looking up to Obama as if he’s a pole to safety. In his first speech as president, he pinned point many of the challenges ahead. He, very beautifully, mentioned Islam and opened a new platform to talk to them and also mentioned that terrorism would be tackled seriously. About worsening economic conditions, he clearly mentioned that as time is bad it requires some strong policies to improve the condition.

On the very first day in the office, Obama’s first order is for the military prosecutors in the Guantanamo Bay war crimes tribunals to halt, for a 120-days, all pending cases. He has started working on the challenges, he had mentioned in his speech.

Let us all wait and watch whats his next steps to tackle economic conditions, terror, and again stabilize the situation..

Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Year Resolutions............................


First of all a warm Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!

As 2008 is over,whether a good year or not so good year is impersonal.And 2009 is at Onset,I would like to know about the resolutions, you people are taking.

For me, This year i have resolute not to bribe police men.

Well i believe Every Drop Makes a Difference! so please contribute your drop