Friday, April 30, 2010

PRINCE

TSI Five-O: A disjointed attempt trying to pass itself off as slick and stylish

As soon as Prince (Vivek Oberoi) says “It’s Showtime”, a piece of advice would be to switch off the receptors of your brain and turn off all sensibilities that one might have. Because Kookie V. Gulati did it for sure while directing this dumbstruck waste-of-time flick. A movie which tries too hard while trying to accomplish almost everything and then ends up doing nothing is what “Prince” is all about.

Laden with the super powers and gadgets of Batman, Spiderman and the rest of the superheroes combined, this so-called ‘smart thief’, Prince, with the most uncharismatic and unimpressive style, has lost his memory and has forgotten how good he was (wonder why?). He apparently steals a coin which has a chip good enough to alter a human being’s memory. The same chip has been used on him and now he needs to find the coin in order to get his memory back.

With conmen, CBI, secret agencies and several others after the lost coin, Prince obviously has to win the race amongst them all. Viewers in search of any morsel of comedy, action or romance shall be thoroughly disappointed and you can thank Vivek Oberoi’s expressionless face and poor acting. Stay at home and beat the heat unless Aruna Shields (who’s looking sizzling hot) sends in a personal request!
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Mix and match

The subcontinent was partitioned 63 years ago. Even among the third post-Partition generation, it isn’t uncommon for families to give away their daughters in marriage to men from across the border. Relations between India and Pakistan are strained but nuptial vows continue to transcend the divide.

Take the case Zohra, who married a Pakistani in 1979. Now a grandmother, she misses India. “After living in Pakistan for 31 years I still find it a strange country,” she says. “Even today I cannot move around alone in Pakistan. I am always accompanied by my husband or my sons. But when I am in India I don’t need anyone. Delhi has changed a lot but I face no problems in moving around here.”

Zohra, the eldest of six children who went to a government school of Old Delhi, is married to Arshad Usmani of Hyderabad (Pakistan). She leads a happy life in Pakistan but is totally against the idea of marrying her children in India. Pointing out the flip side of a cross-border marriage, she says: “When my father died I was in Islamabad to get a visa. When I got the news of his death there were so many people around but none from my family. I missed my mother, brothers and sisters badly at that time. Similarly, last year when my mother passed away in Pakistan while visiting me I felt sorry for my brothers and sisters who were unable to attend the last rites.”

Zohra’s husband, who works in Habib Bank of Pakistan, says: “It is because of the peculiar kind of relations which the two countries have that the people of both sides suffer.” Zohra and her husband have made up their minds that they will not marry their children in India come what may.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Friday, April 23, 2010

“Can a case be filed thrice?”

My family was completely ruined by my daughter-in-law. My son, an engineer, is wandering here and there like a mad man. I am living with my 70-year-old husband in a dharmshala. My daughter-in-law has confiscated our house. She and my son moved out of our house after three years of marriage but she continued harassing him. Moreover, she filed a case under Section 498A thrice against us. However, we came out clean twice after police investigation but we were not so lucky the third time. My son was arrested and my daughter-in-law ousted us from our house. My husband was admitted to the hospital for many days. She has been ordered to vacate the house by the Deputy Inspector General but she has not followed the order yet. We are still living in a dharmshala.

My house is situated on Talkatora road in Lucknow and is worth crores. The Supreme Court order says that my daughter-in-law is not entitled to this house but the police is not helping us. How much injustice we have suffered is difficult to describe. I don't know about the Dowry Act but want to ask a simple question: Can this case be filed thrice on a person if he is twice found innocent?

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Monday, April 19, 2010

Micromax’s unexpectedly quick growth

So what was the secret behind Micromax’s unexpectedly quick growth? According to Vikas Jain, Business Head, Micromax, “One of the prime reason was that we identified the right need gap in the right market, and offered products relevant to those needs.” Unlike most handset makers who tested waters in the metropolitan areas, Micromax deliberately made an attempt to tap the interior parts of the country first. Realising that the limited supply of electricity was proving the biggest roadblock to the growth of wireless telephony in those areas, the company started by offering a handset that guaranteed a 30-day stand-by battery. Furthermore, the company deliberately focussed on the entry to mid-level segment that was growing at a much faster rate, both in terms of first time buyers, as well as in terms of replacements.

But Micromax’s easy-on-the-pocket proposition doesn’t come sans value evolution. To cater to the wants of the customers to carry two handsets (to make most of the existing on-going tariff wars amongst service operators), Micromax started offering Dual SIM phones. As a matter of fact, its existing product line consists of 27 phones, out of which 23 are Dual SIM. The handset maker isn’t alien to cosmopolitanism either. Catering to the touch-screen loving lot, it plans to launch two such devices in the coming quarter, one based on the platform Windows and another on Android. What’s best, the products will be offered in the price range of Rs.6000 – Rs.7000. Another strategy that has helped this company to grow from a mole-hill to a mountain has been efficient supply chain management. When Micromax realised that established handset vendors were giving as low as 1-2% margin to their channel partners, it offered a 5% commission to those willing to stock up its products. It proved a win-win situation.

It really has been a dream run for the young founders of Micromax, but the question remains – will it become the #2 soon? Honestly, for now, that question matters little in an industry where, over the years, the top leaders have been incessantly losing ground to newbies. So, while on one hand, Micromax has to hold fort against competitors, on the other, it has to continue running hard to become the first Indian to win the Silver in this new age telecom marathon!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Friday, April 16, 2010

Will the new bankers please stand up?

After many years of waiting, Pranab Mukherjee says RBI will issue licences to new banks. Is the RBI on the same ground as Pranab Mukherjee? Evidently not!

Think of financial ‘inclusion’ in India, and you will invariably discover that financial ‘exclusion’ is far too conspicuous. Digest these for some evidence: out of the 600,000 odd villages in the country, only 5.3% have a commercial bank branch, which translates to one branch catering to 26,000 individuals in rural areas. Even if we take the entire country’s population into consideration, only 40% possess a bank account in India, as compared to 95% in US! The proportion of people possessing any form of life insurance cover is as low as 10%, while those with a non-life insurance is an abysmally low 0.6%. Only 13% Indians possess a debit card, while the credit card cover is as low as 2%. The most recent National Sample Survey Organisation 2008 study reveals that out of the 89.3 million farming households in the country, 51% did not receive credit from either institutional or non-institutional sources of any kind. Even where 33 million ‘no-frills’ bank accounts are claimed to have been opened, 89% of these accounts are dormant today, as per K. C. Chakrabarty, Deputy Governor, RBI.

These statistics are perhaps sufficient to prove the extent of financial exclusion in the country. At the same time, there can be no second thoughts on remedial actions that need to be taken in order to unleash the power of fortune at the bottom of the pyramid. Perhaps, it was an admixture of these very glaring statistics, added to the recommendation of the S.S. Tarapore & Raghuram Rajan committee report that played the motivation pill for the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who promised to take a step towards altering this gloomy state of affairs. In his Union Budget 2010-11 statement, he said, “We need to ensure that the [Indian] banking system grows in size and sophistication to meet the needs of a modern economy. Besides, there is a need to extend the geographic coverage of banks and improve access to banking services.

RBI is considering giving some additional banking licenses to private sector players. Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) could also be considered...” Strong reason to smile for many, but the celebrations are still miles away, thanks to the dictionary which does define a ‘promise’ and a ‘policy’ very differently!
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Talk away pain? Now you’re talking!

Your low-back ache can be considerably aggravated by your thoughts and notions. Try a bit of CBT, and you might just be talked out of causing debilitating pain to yourself

Roughly 80% of the world suffers from this at some point in their life. It is singularly responsible for more sick leaves and disability than any other disorder in the world. Popularly characterised by a lady whimpering ‘ooh, aah, ouch!’ on the telly, lumbago or low-back pain is what we’re talking about, and talking about the pain is exactly what the doctors are advising to its victims! The study was conducted by Professor Sarah E Lamb and her colleagues from The University of Warwick and the University of Oxford, and their findings were published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), a short-term treatment that challenges and reframes negative beliefs, has been judged as an economical option to aid recovery by this study. While back pain is a physical problem, a person’s mental make-up affects the way he/she manages their health, which can significantly benefit or deteriorate the patient’s condition. The study found that people who were provided with CBT group-support sessions experienced greater physical fitness and enjoyed a better quality of life than those who were given a one-off advice session.

CBT sessions involve talking about beliefs relating to physical activity, helping resolve negativity and teaching patients to relax and be less fearful about their situation. Most people’s reaction to lower-back ache is to avoid activity, which only goes on to make the muscles more stiff and so contribute to the existing pain. CBT ensures people don’t fall into this vicious circle, and instead provides advice on appropriate activities they should pursue for faster recovery. At the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, CBT is an accepted tool for the treatment of backaches and a psychologist is a member of the team treating backaches. Dr. H.S. Chhabra, Chief of Spine Service & Medical Director, explains, “Cognitive-behavioural therapy can change the way our mind influences our body. When we shift our thinking away from the pain and change our focus to more positive aspects of life, we change the way our body responds to the anticipated pain and stress.” CBT is usually used to treat anxiety, substance abuse, personality, eating and psychotic disorders. “How we think and respond to pain can contribute to the perception and perpetuation of pain. If we take it negatively, i.e. panic at the thought of pain, it can trigger physical changes like muscles spasm. The spasm in turn generates more pain, which in turn increases the spasm. This can thus set-in a vicious cycle increasing the pain even when the stimulus remains the same. However, if we think positively, this cycle does not set in and the pain does not increase,” asserts Dr. H.S. Chhabra. He further explains, “Cognitive-behavioural therapy for back pain has generally three components: Understanding that thoughts and behaviour play a central role in how we experience pain; Learning skills, such as relaxation techniques, to help reduce muscle tension and divert attention from the pain; And applying these skills in every day life.” The whole exercise is aimed at helping people to get back to enjoyable activities and finding relief from their pain.

Back pain is one of the most common ailments, which cuts across sections of society, and affects from the office-goer to the neighbourhood milkman. When it is caused by an infection, cancer or an injury, there is need for serious steps, but for other cases, acupuncture and yoga have been noted to be helpful. Though talking yourself out of pain has to be the simplest solution yet.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Monday, April 12, 2010

Selling spice from the skies

With many new projects coming up in kochi, this hub of spice trade is trying to make it big in the business of skyscrapers too, says t. satisan

A couple of decades ago, real estate business was not everyone’s envy in Kerala. It was considered as yet another “broker’s job” and as such did not had much acceptability. Well, not to say the earnings were meagre and the job was tough as people didn’t really require expert’s advice to sell or buy properties. Cut to today, and the term “broker” has given way to “real estate player”. All thanks to the booming property prices, the business has turned into a money making machine. These brokers aka real estate players have not only taken up more roles, but are also constructing villas, malls, flats, et al. But then, the success hasn’t come easy to them.

In fact, early birds came from north cosmopolitan cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Bengaluru. They not only offered good packages to consumers, but also ventured into construction and raked in big moolah. This caught the attention of local players. They thought if they can win why can’t we? Naturally several local players jumped into the realm of construction and rest is a glorious part of the economic history of Kerala. The visiting builders were taken by surprise when they saw the modus operandi of the Kerala builders. So what is it that makes these local players a tough competition?

First of all, local builders have more credibility. Builders sitting in Delhi or Mumbai are looked at with suspicion. Buyers suspect that these people may disappear leaving incomplete buildings behind after collecting the amount. In fact, some buyers have had such bitter experiences. Secondly, initially, people used to buy properties for investments. Buyers of apartments and posh villas were sitting abroad. But today, the buyers are real users. They are eager to occupy the accommodation at the earliest. Moreover, unlike early days, today’s buyers have their own choice with respect to the prices. In fact, they like to go for apartments within a price range of Rs.2.5 million to Rs.3.5 million.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Friday, April 09, 2010

Bandhavgarh National Park

Situated amidst the Vindhya Range, Bandhavgarh National Park was quite a famous tourist attraction well before independence. Spread across 450 sq. km, the park has the highest tiger density in the country. The park boasts of around 46 tigers. Morning and dusk are the best time to spot tigers. The guided tours by the park authority are the best bet to spot the tigers. Bandhavgarh Fort, built at a height of 900 meters by the rulers of Rewa, is almost 2,000 years old. However, prior permission to visit the fort is required from the divisional forest office based in Umaria, 32 km away.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Thursday, April 08, 2010

Elephants and Beaches

While Ooty and Kodaikanal have been done to death, a few other places in Tamil Nadu offer a completely fresh experience. Hop on for a brief ride

Kumbakonam –Thanjavur

Situated in the Cauvery delta, the Chola country is known for its grand temples and their marvellous architecture. The big temple built by Rajaraja Chola exactly a thousand years ago is undoubtedly a major tourist attraction. A Unesco World Heritage site, its millennium year is being celebrated in 2010. Rajaraja's son Rajendra tried to emulate his father by building another massive temple at Kangaikonda Chozhapuram, which is also a structural marvel. Apart from these, the Cauvery delta is filled with numerous temples and their very interesting mystic sthalapuranas. The nine temples in nine places around this area, each devoted to one of the nine major celestial bodies in Hindu astronomy (planets and stars like Saturn, Sun, etc), deserve special mention. Pilgrims, driven by many astrologers, visit these temples. This cluster of temples can be visited in a single day.

At Top Slip, as the name suggests, logs felled on the hills during the British period were rolled down. Situated on the Annamalai moutains inside the Indira Gandhi National Park, it is a pollution-free abode with dense bamboo and teak forests around. This small place is home to a large number of elephants and is a paradise for bird watchers. Numerous rare species of animals can be spotted here, including the lion-tailed macaque. The Indian brown mongoose can also be seen here. An elephant safari at Top Slip is an unforgettable experience. Simple accommodation is available inside the park; one can alternatively stay in nearby Pollachi.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Out of the box

He's an arjuna awardee and India's ace pugilist. The dashing akhil kumar talks to Ravi Inder Singh about making boxing popular, turning pro and more...

What can we do to increase the popularity of boxing in India? When would an Akhil or Vijender become as popular as Tendulkar?
Unlike cricket, awareness about boxing is limited. People hardly understand the rules of boxing, hence developing a liking towards the sport becomes difficult. While everybody has an expert opinion on cricket and its various aspects, as far as boxing is concerned, people hardly know what’s right. People are only interested in knowing who won, but no one appreciates the jabs, hooks and blocks. If people are told more about the sport, they would take more interest and also if the players are more media friendly, they could attract the masses.

How does training differ in India as compared to a boxing powerhouse like Cuba?
Training in Cuba is more systematic and organised as compared to India. It is so symmetrical that most coaches train in a similar fashion. Unlike Cuba, training in India changes with every coach. While most boxers in Cuba have personalised trainers, in India personalised coaches are a luxury and unheard of.

How do you prepare mentally and physically before a fight? Do you gather information about your opponents?
Before a fight we get into a regime called speed training, which focuses on agility. Mental conditioning is also essential. I personally have a strong belief in God and feel that He is with me in all my endeavours. Gathering information about an opponent is ideally the coach’s responsibility. It is his duty to inform us of the opponent’s strategies, strengths and weaknesses. Abroad, they have personalised coaches for all participants. These trainers are supposed to accompany the boxer to all competitions. I recall an incident… I was in Athens for the Olympics where I noticed that after my bout I was in for a match with a Cuban opponent and his coach was observing me throughout my previous bout… so I saw him giving tips to his candidate by exactly mimicking my style of fighting and suggesting him counter measures. We have very few such coaches in India.

Have you ever thought of turning pro?
If I get a good promoter, I would love to be a part of professional boxing. Professional boxing requires everything to be top notch with respect to medical facilities, training regimens and personalised trainers. Public attraction is an integral part of professional boxing, and for gaining public attention the awareness about the sport is essential. Only then people would appreciate the body movement, foot work, timing and boxing style of real boxers such as Jeetu (Jitender Kumar) and freshers like Mandeep Jangra who still have time, and can prove to be our best bets if given the appropriate coaching and media coverage.

In the past you’ve reached the quarter finals but lost out. Was it just bad luck? How would you ensure it doesn’t happen again?
Once you reach the international standards, the opponents you meet in the ring are more or less at par with you. But it depends on your strategy on that particular day and how well you execute it. Like if I plan to score a clear point, I try for it by sometimes keeping my guard down and intimidating the opponent and inviting him to strike. But it so happens that your strategy doesn’t work and you lose the bout. I could call it bad luck but not entirely.

In the Indian contingent, who do you think is the best boxer and has the most potential?
I personally feel that Jitender Kumar, who is an Olympic quarter finalist, is a promising candidate. His body structure is unparalleled and he has the calibre of reaching the zenith of boxing. Mandeep Jangra is another young lad with a very impressive boxing style. I am confident that these two would soon do our country proud.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Monday, April 05, 2010

“Better paid regulators will help ensure a safe food supply”

India is a nation of sharp contrasts - one of a burgeoning high tech industry but also where there is still no running water and electricity in some parts of the country. This was one of the points that was emphasized by the speakers, including the author, at an Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) sponsored short course last June entitled “Capitalizing on India’s Global Competitiveness and Robust Agri-Food Sector.” .

When it comes to food processing, the food processing industry suffers from many of the problems facing smaller and less developed nations. These issues range from poor hygiene, including water quality, food quality, safety and sanitation programs that would not meet the minimum requirements of the European Union, United States or major purchasers of foods or ingredients, regulators who do not understand these same requirements, and educational systems that teach old and out-dated systems and focus more on rote memory than actual understanding of the complex interrelationships of foods, processes and quality systems. Perhaps the greatest challenges facing developing nations, India included, are government, transportation and the lack of an integrated agri-business sector. Let’s look first at government.

The governments must do two things; ensure that their employees, especially inspectors and field people receive a living wage and must establish a code of ethics for their regulatory agencies. The latter action sets the precedence that government regulators, inspectors or high level officials understand that acceptance of graft or gifts are illegal and subject to punishment. This will be a difficult leap since the giving of gifts is normal in Asia, Africa and many of the developing nations. Better paid officials who are operating strictly as regulators will help top ensure a safe food supply. Transportation is another big issue in developing nations. India understands this and is in the process of creating a national highway system that will link the major cities especially ports.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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Thursday, April 01, 2010

And the Kremlin smiled...

Yanukovich wins, but his ‘women’ problems have just began

The way time flies, and fortunes change in politics is often quite baffling. Ukraine’s pro-Russia opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich won a slender victory in a closely fought general election in February. The country’s juvenile democracy is juxtaposed between Russia and the West – as was evident in the Orange Revolution in 2004, when the emotionally charged junta took to streets to ensure victory for the pro-American Yushchenko. However, that emotive outcry is all but buried for now, as the hero of that saga Yushchenko stands at a humiliating 5th position in the current elections.

Moscow detests Yushchenko for his attempts to join NATO and his pro-West nationalist policy. Obviously, the Kremlin is pleased with the current results. Russia’s importance to Ukraine cannot be undermined – the former supplies Ukraine’s entire gas requirement and also maintains its naval base in the Black Sea – critical for Ukraine’s stability. Yushchenko’s Orange Revolution was then backed by another lady protagonist in Ukrainian politics – Yulia Tymoshenko – who became the Prime Minister – but their tie-up soon fell apart as Yuschenko tried to move Ukraine radically away from the orbit of Russia’s influence whereas Tymoshenko followed a more pragmatic path, despite playing a diplomatic and tactical gas war with Vladimir Putin.

With the current victory of the evident Russian proxy Yanukovich, Putin is expected to change various laws to his advantage, including one which would have otherwise have forced the Russian Black Sea fleet to be withdrawn from Crimea, Ukraine, by 2017. But Putin hadn’t counted on dame Tymoshenko, who now is protesting the election of Yanukovich, as she feels it is not a legitimate victory with the slim margin. Interestingly, she can get a no confidence vote passed to prevent him from coming to power. Wonder how that Kremlin smile is turning out now...
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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