Walk before you run..

Q. What do you look for in a candidate at the time of recruitment?
A. Professional ethics, integrity, attitude one brings to the organisation, besides capabilities, competency and education.

We prefer a strong academic background. If a candidate has been serious about his career as a student, he will be serious in growing with the organisation too. We hire from the best and focus on attracting talent from the top employers and colleges.

We have a structured way of analysing people that includes personality and technical tests and various rounds of interview. We never go by democratic way of selection i.e., seven saying ‘yes’ and three saying ‘no’, as the latter could have observed something that others failed to notice.

Q. Tell us about the challenges you have experienced in India.
A. On people’s front, it is retention and growing talent. We understand that the best we have is also the best for our competitors. It is about retaining talent by ensuring that employees do not lose faith in the organisation. Re-evaluating practices, for instance, what was done last year might not be the reasons to gain success this year. Growing a business is a challenge in itself, as it is about innovation, reinventing, and how fast one can adapt.

Q. The company was recently recognised as a top employer amongst the top 20 software companies in India (as per a survey conducted by DataQuest). What are the people practices behind this achievement?
A. We have a strong mentorship and coaching programme that is implemented in the best possible manner. We have identified the core talent of the organisation, irrespective of age, experience and the company they had worked with. This is where a young guy can mentor a senior director and a senior director can mentor a middle manager. We believe in practices such as performance management, learning and development, exit interviews, and even reaching out to people who have left the company to welcome them back. Click here to read full interview...

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A Beautiful Mind

Although he may confess to being slow when it comes to making quick decisions, it gives him the opportunity to focus on a topic in-depth and come up with several good ideas in the process. Prof. Aaron Ahuvia is presently Professor of Marketing at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where he won the 2007 Distinguished Research Award and was named the 2001 Faculty Member of the Year. He received his PhD in Marketing in 1993, from Northwestern University’s Kellogg College of Business, where he assisted Prof. Phillip Kotler with a revision of his classic textbook, alongside working on his own research. Today, he is amongst the world’s most published authors on consumer behaviour and is passionate about understanding their love for products and brands. In an exclusive meeting with The Human Factor, he shares more on the huge potential for social work in India, and the way forward for the economy.

Q. Tell us about your career journey; how did you zero in on marketing as your specialisation?
A. I was working in corporate finance at Duff & Phelps but I hated it. Maybe if I had stayed with it long enough to get to do more of the actual analysis, I might have come to like it. This is when computers were starting to come in, so I had to spend a lot of time copying numbers out of books into spreadsheets. But I am very bad at such transactions, so I went to Prof. Steve Burnett and shared my experience. He told me to get into a PhD programme in Marketing instead of finding a different job, which sounded like a wonderful idea, and off I went. At that point, I had never worked in marketing, but over the next 25 years I got a lot of chances to do so, both professionally and as a teacher. Click here to read more...

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Engineering Cubed!

It is perhaps a moment of deep satisfaction when an educational trust is successful in the endeavour that it sets out to achieve, and so was the case with Citizens Welfare Association (CWA) established in 2000. With an aim of meeting the demands of a developing India, CWA set up Billabong High International School in 2006 in Thane, Mumbai. Buoyed by its success, with 1700 students presently studying in its 80,000-square feet campus, the ECube Global College was set up in August 2010.

Catering to three streams of engineering, namely, computer, mechanical, and electronics, ECube’s name symbolises the values of the 3Es “enrich, empower, and enlighten.” It has been set up in partnership with Newcastle University, UK, with the mandate of providing global exposure post the course’s first year. Mr. Sandeep Goenka shares about the vision, “In a bid to remove the uncertainties that students feel when they are pass out of school, we decided to provide the comfort of an institute to cater to engineering aspirations, an idea we had been toying with for some time. Moreover, through our international alliance, we wanted to enable a smooth transition for students when they go overseas to study.”

Thus began the journey of ECube, where students spend the first year on the Thane campus, and are expected to apply to enter the second year of the corresponding degree course at the Newcastle University. Click here to continue...

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She Writes Story Contest winner: Dr Geeta Sundar

Dr Geeta Sundar is one of twelve winners of the MSN-Random House She Writes a Story Contest', as chosen by our judges. Her story 'White Chilly' features in the 'She Writes: A collection of Short Stories' published by Random House India and available at all leading bookstores.

Dr Geeta Sundar began hercareer as a consultant in medicine at BL Kapoor Memorial hospital, Delhi. She has also done a course in medico-legal law. She is a regular contributor to Times Wellness as well as a corporate lecturer. Her published works include Health after Forty and A-Z of Bone Muscle and Joint Diseases. She has also written a work of fiction called Premier Murder League. She is both a consultant in medicine and a writer. At present, she is working in Pune.

read an extract from dr geeta sundar's story 'white chilly'

Walking up the gentle slopes of the Talzai hill near my house, my husband and I would see her-fair and petite, running up the hill in her 'navvari' sari and slippers. She would be singing aloud and waving her hands about and was an inspiration to all of us who regularly climbed the hill as part of our daily exercise regimen.

One day on the way down, I decided to speak to her. 'Aji, how old are you?' I asked in Marathi.

Without missing a step she replied in English, '85 years.' And then she revealed the secret to her exuberant health-'I run up and down the hill every day, do six surya namaskars and eat everything!'

I smiled. She had forgotten to add the main ingredient-her positive attitude.

We crossed each other every day after that and she would smile and wave at us until one day she wasn't there anymore. I had grown so used to seeing her that at every bend of the hill my eyes would eagerly scan the road ahead, seeking her. But the days stretched to months and she did not return.

Then after three months I spotted her on a bench. I immediately went and sat next to her. I had come alone for the walk that day. 'Where have you been, aji? We missed you!'

A beautiful smile spread across her face. 'Complete your walk and then come and join me here-I'll tell you.'

My curiosity was aroused, but I obediently finished my trek and on the way down joined her on the bench.

'Please tell me what happened?' I noticed the crutches resting under the bench.

'One evening I decided to take a short cut down the hill, slipped, and fell very hard. I was unable to get up as I had fractured my leg. A few well-wishers took me to a hospital and I had to be operated on and a rod inserted into the main bone in my left leg. The people were kind and took care of me till I was discharged from the hospital.'

What about your family, they must have been there with you too?'

'No, I have five children but they are all abroad. They called and wanted to come, but I told them I could manage with the help of my maid.'

'And what about your husband?' I asked gently.

'He passed away five years ago-,' She paused. 'Would you like to hear my story?'

I really did not have the time but some force held me back. 'Yes,' I said. 'I'd love to.' Share5

in her own words: dr geeta sundar

Have you always been a writer?

I have always enjoyed writing-essays, humour articles, health articles since school days. But took to serious writing ten years back when I started writing books. I started with health books and then went on to fiction. And now I intend taking my writing career as seriously as my medical career.

What made you start writing?

I am a medical consultant and had kept busy with my practice and running my home for several years after marriage but the writing bug kept trying to surface until finally one day it seriously got to me.

What inspired you to enter She Writes?

I had just returned from US, and saw the competition announcement on my hotmail. There were four days left for the competition to end and since I love challenges, I decided to enter.

Why did you choose the category you did?

I always wanted to write about my mother and she is the inspiration behind my story 'White Chilly', although two other women are also behind it. And 'Experience is the name we give to our mistakes' fitted into the story.

Do you have a writing routine - e.g. do you have favourite places to write/favourite times of day/do you write longhand or on a computer?

I am a busy consultant and have a swivel chair with my lap-top to one side, and table facing patients to the other and in between patients I turn to my lap top and write a few lines and I also try to snatch an hour or two whenever and wherever I can.

Who is your favourite author?

Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Munshi Premchand, Jeffrey Archer and PG Wodehouse in equal measure.

Which book has inspired you the most?

Munshi Premchand's -'Premchandki Sarvasreshtha Kahanian' in Hindi-a book of short stories.

Which key piece of advice would you give to any other budding writer?

Avoid using complex words and flowery language and maintain a good flow.

HR FACTORED ED COHEN

Global Talent Leader Ed Cohen tells Jisla Xavier the need for corporate and academic worlds in India to have a greater connect with each other Issue Date - 01/07/2011

Mr. Ed Cohen has over 30 years experience in strategic leadership, influencing change and culture, and talent development. He is a leading business coach and has authored a best-seller titled ‘Leadership Without Borders’. Mr. Cohen has also helped two companies attain the number one ranking in the American Society of Training and Development BEST Awards. In an exclusive interview with The Human Factor, he talks about career, the lessons learnt and much more.

Q. You have played different roles in diverse businesses. Did you always know that this is what you wanted to do in life?

A. I did. I always knew that I want ed to do something in education and learning. Growing up, I wanted to be a doctor but when I got to college I did not want that, so I got into the business line. I did accounting for a couple of years and found out that the thing that I really loved was working with people. So, I left accounting and joined the education and learning world in 1982.

Q. What attracted you towards HR?

A. What initially attracted me is not the thing that actually kept me going throughout my career. When I was six, I was injured in a fire and had to spend six months in a hospital. My first grade teacher would come to the hospital every day after school and tutor me. She did it without any extra pay. This drew me towards teaching. When I went into learning, I discovered that I was able to articulate and communicate in a way that people could learn effectively, and it excited me.

Read Full Interview

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Vijay Mallya and other top Kingfisher executives and investigate...

As if the problems with global fuel prices weren’t enough, Kingfisher has gone ahead and undertaken strategies that only seem a do ‘and’ die effort. How is Mallya even sustaining the unbelievable losses quarter after quarter? B&E’s Shashank Tripathi and Angshuman Paul meet Vijay Mallya and other top Kingfisher executives and investigate...

But look at what Kingfisher is doing on the other side. Frighteningly, amidst all this bloodbath, it is all set to commence its international operations in September 2008. The Daily Bangalore-London and Bombay-London flights would commence by September 3, while the Bangalore-San Francisco flight would soon follow. The company has even planned to start flights to New York, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Middle East shortly after that. Mind you, company has planned all this at a time when most of the international carriers have either cut their flights to numerous destinations or are planning to do so.

This at a time when international airlines are cutting left, right and centre. According to figures, three big airlines, American, Delta and United, have been cutting down their services dramatically. Where American Airlines plans to reduce 86 flights in November, Delta plans to cut 68, while United has decided to cut 266 flights per week as well. Moreover, other regional airlines flying in America are all set to slash over 1,200 weekly commuter flights. In fact, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has seen a drop of 16.4% in flights in the last one year. If you thought this was worrying Kingfisher, you won’t even catch a whisper of that! Kingfisher is planning to provide their international fliers with what they call ‘better than world-class amenities’. The Kingfisher First cabin would feature an in-seat massager, touch screen controls, mood lighting, noise cancellation headphones by BOSE and in-seat chargers and USB connectors. Furthermore, an on-board chef would prepare international cuisines as per the passenger’s demand, while a well-stocked bar with a bartender in the lounge-like arrangement would make the experience more delightful. Quality is what they are boasting. Suicide is what it seems to us!

As per Airbus’s website, Kingfisher’s order-list stands at 71 aircraft, out of which 10 have been delivered. There are growing concerns that Kingfisher might need to further delay or cut deliveries to avoid losses. Where in heavens is the money coming from for Mallya? During all these years, the United Breweries Group has been supporting the losses of Kingfisher Airlines. When we caught up with Mallya’s speech at the Farnborough International Air Show, UK on July 17, 2008, he was still resolute, “The UB Group has huge cash flows which will see Kingfisher through turbulent times. Kingfisher is well funded. It has optimised its operations and therefore we are not nearly as vulnerable as our competitors.” But with losses amounting to thousands of crore, optimisation still remains a chimera.

Kingfisher Airlines recently raised a loan of Rs.1,000 crore from ICICI Bank to support its escalating expenses as the condition of UB Group appears to deteriorating. This can also be quite apparent from the fact that in the past one month, the share price of United Breweries Holdings Ltd. has plummeted petrifyingly. It has dropped from Rs.1,255 on October 31, 2007, to Rs.279 on July 23, 2008. The Air Deccan share, which was at a high of Rs.335 on December 19, 2007, is languishing at a deathly Rs.79.65 on July 23, 2008.

Worse, without an intelligent hedging strategy against oil price hits [for example, Southwest Airlines in 2007 locked into oil at $51 a barrel], Kingfisher is being hit fatally on a daily basis. Is the worse just around the corner? Senior Aviation Analyst Brij Bharadwaj tells us, “Although survival in today’s scenario depends upon how deep pocketed you are, if the current trend continues, there might be no Kingfisher Airlines next year.” One might forget that at one point a couple of years back, Mallya was also fighting hard to take over Sahara Airlines [when Jet was still in arbitration]. A few months ago, Mallaya was in talks with EADS to revive its single piston engine aircraft manufacturing business. There was also news that he has pledged a personal stake of $200 million to the US-based Epic aircraft to develop very light jets. Added to this is Mallya’s recent failed bid to take over Spicejet. Is Mallya flailing arms in a dying attempt to save Kingfisher? How long will shareholders of the UB Group allow cross subsidisation of unbelievable losses? Is there anything positive Mallya can really look forward to in his airlines? Oh yes, the Kingfisher ladies do smile pretty, but as Cat Stevens puts it, “Girl, it’s hard to get by just upon a smile.” Seriously Mallya, where do you think you are going?!

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
 

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We’re Saved!

Assange’s Arrest Notwithstanding, If this is the Worst WikiLeaks has Against the United States, The World is Saved!

Post Assange’s arrest on December 7, 2010, in UK on suspected rape and molestation charges brought up by two Swedish women, if one were to read released copies of the women’s original police statements, it would be hard to decipher the reasons for which Assange has been arrested – or even charged. The women’s transcripts document not only that both the women consented in full knowledge to having physical relations (on different dates, of course) with Assange, but also that both the women had initially gone together to the police station to simply force Assange (who apparently could not be contacted otherwise by these women) to take a medical test for sexually transmitted diseases – as at least one of them believed that the condom Assange had used during the physical session with her had broken down. And why blame Assange? Apparently, he knew about the alleged breakage during the act and refused to stop despite being told to do so – and this is evidently an offence under Swedish law.

Should that be considered an immediately arrestable crime? Well, the Swedes and Interpol (the International Criminal Police Organization) think so. It’s more amusing to imagine that the Interpol, which seems to have fallen over itself in arresting Assange, hasn’t acted in similar haste in other arrest warrant cases, a notable one being of Roman Polanski, who has literally been ignored and is moving scot free in France for years despite having already been convicted in US courts on rape charges involving a 13 year old girl, and despite having had the so-called red alert notices issued against him by Interpol time and again. And the most hilarious part in all this is that Interpol’s international headquarters is right there bang in the middle of France, in Lyon.

The answer to this is that while the French government protects Polanski despite his frivolous behaviour, the UK government sees the Assange arrest as an opportunity to bend its back to satisfy the Americans.

Having said that, the fact is that whatever has been churned up by WikiLeaks till date against the US establishment actually works to the benefit of the Americans and in fact does their image more good than harm. While the world used to imagine a deep, sinister cabal of US diplomats conspiring and conniving to assassinate high-profile leaders, the 2,50,000 US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks thankfully reveal none such matter – and whatever negative has been revealed, was already in the know of the global media.

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
 

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Sustainable Capitalism is the food

CSR is Passe , Sustainability is in. And B-Schools alike are Waking Up To This Fact. B&E’s Amir Moin writes on why for The Moment, Sustainable Capitalism is the food for thought For Sustaining Capitalism

B-schools today stand at a juncture where they have the historic opportunity of giving the gift of ‘sustainable capitalism’ to the world. It will be a system that will not just ensure profit maximisation but will also make people (the society as a whole) better-off. And there are steps being taken in this direction. Starting the new MBA batch of 2011-13, students at the IIMs will be solving case studies discussing Maoists rebellion and the displacement caused by large industrial projects. Students would also visit villages in remote areas, for the purpose of making this an experiential exercise and help solve issues of the villagers. In fact, The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) has been in this race, teaching concepts of sustainable development, ever since its inception in 1973. Even today, all students enrolling for any of the institute’s post-graduate and under-graduate programmes are taught concepts such as ‘Survival of the weakest’, ‘Trickle-up effect’ and ‘Happy Capitalism’. In an exclusive conversation with B&E, Dr. Ranajoy Bhattacharyya, Professor of Environmental Economics & Intl. Trade, The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), expresses his concern on the lack of such an initiative. “Sustainable capitalism is a rare concept where human welfare and profitability are very closely related. This is separate from CSR. In our B-schools, the issue of CSR has been largely taken care of. But, it is in the field of environment management where there is a scope for a lot more to be done. Embedding sustainable issues and policies in corporate strategies is not necessarily a CSR issue; it makes a lot of business sense as well.”

This very year, CEOs of 29 global corporations, including the likes of Accenture, Infosys and Boeing collectively produced a report titled Vision 2050 on behalf of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The report lays out a pathway leading to a global population of some 9 billion people living well within the resource limits of the planet by 2050. The deep-rooted significance of the vision fostered by these CEOs may appear promises on paper, but it is a start. According to a survey of global CEOs commissioned by Accenture in 2010 for the 10th anniversary of the UN Global Compact held in New York at the end of June, while 93% CEOs voted for the fact that “Sustainability issues are critical for the future success of their business”, an overwhelming 96% promised that “Sustainability issues will be fully integrated into the operations and corporate policies of their respective companies”. But the warning here is that the performance gap (what is needed and how much is being implemented) in dealing with sustainability issues has only increased over time – from 27% in 2007 (survey by McKinsey in 2007) to 32% in 2010 (survey by Accenture in 2010). This therefore calls for b-schools to make the much needed change in curriculum to include the topic of Creative Capitalism, as Dr. Mukesh Kumar, COO, Vedanta Aluminium says, “A business cannot prosper unless it realises the presence and contribution of the society. It is now an imperative for B-schools to imbibe sustainability aspects in the course content. In times to come the demand for inclusive growth will become even more pressing” says Kumar.

Read more......

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
 

Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri's Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links

IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face