Showing posts with label iipm-publications. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iipm-publications. Show all posts

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Scrutiny-TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE: A MYTHICAL EVENT?

Was the Tiananmen Square incident more of a Western Media Propaganda to damage China’s image? Was the uprising in fact dismantled peacefully without a drop of blood being shed? Did US diplomatic officials already know of this new truism? If WikiLeaks is to be believed... yes!

A book written by Madrid’s then ambassador to Beijing, Eugenio Bregolat, talks about the myth of the massacre and states, “Spain’s TVE channel had a television crew in the square at the time, and if there had been a massacre, they would have been the first to see it and record it.” Even a Reuters Correspondent Graham Earnshaw wrote in his memoir that the students left peacefully. However, a week after the incident on June 12, 1989, NYT sensationalised the issue by quoting usage of machine guns and tankers.

Another documentary named The Gate of Heavenly Peace by Long Bow Group, Inc. contains video evidences of actual incidents and fortifies the WikiLeaks’ cables. Similarly, books like Black Hands of Beijing: Lives of Defiance in China’s Democracy Movement, Columbia Journalism Review (The Myth of Tiananmen & the Price of a Passive Press) and many more talk about how there was no bloodshed. These documents point out how no exit points were blocked during the incident, no detentions were done and the Chinese army was only asked to clear the area.

Most of such reports were either never picked up by mainstream (and Western) media, or were ruthlessly buried after being tagged as a “conspiracy.” In spite of Chinese officials and government agencies challenging the facts and perspectives crafted by BBC, CNN and likes, not much heed was paid and the entire incident was marked as one of the biggest human rights abuses in history. This is not an isolated case. As per a report published by Chinadaily.com titled, Lhasa riot reports show media bias in West, authored by Ye Jun in March, 2008, many western media like CNN and BBC published fabricated reports about Lhasa (Tibet) riots and went to the extent of misinterpreting a photo of a Red Cross ambulance to deceive readers.

Such fabrication of truth and deliberate tweaking of facts has deluded an entire generation and spread venom in Sino-US relations. Besides, it has painted a negative perception of the Chinese government globally. Also, with its largely inhibited media back home, even mighty China finds itself hard pressed to fight this propaganda war. From that perspective, the US has indeed chosen its attack strategy well. But with WikiLeaks bringing out the truth so prominently, it could now be Uncle Sam’s turn to face really grilling questions.


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Friday, July 20, 2012

Women have broken a lot of Gender Barriers in Society, But The Glass ceiling is not Exactly in that List Yet

Unleashing The Next Wave of Economic Growth
Entrepreneurship has re-engineered the genetic make-up of many economies. It is now time to tap the potential of women entrepreneurship and unleash this potent force to spur economic growth.

This morning, students in my entrepreneurship class at UCBerkeley’s Business School presented their ideas for a smorgasbord of new ventures, ranging from fresh search engines on the web and better ways for small businesses to buy insurance, to innovative platforms for tourism in China or finding parking spaces in big cities. Half of these aspiring entrepreneurs were women.

At the same time, microfinanced loans were being made and repaid by small-scale entrepreneurs in villages and cities across India, Africa, Latin America and Asia. Most of these loans supported women building businesses for their own livelihood and families’ well-being.

Between these two vignettes – one played out in Silicon Valley and the others unfolding in different time- and economic zones – lies a basic truth: entrepreneurship is a dynamic force for igniting human ingenuity and a powerful engine for driving growth and opportunity up and down the world’s economic pyramid. Entrepreneurs create jobs, stimulate technological innovation and create new value for their customers, investors and themselves. They bring a willingness to take risks, an ability to see tomorrow’s opportunities where others see only today’s reality, and often a healthy disrespect for the status quo that can lead to disruptions in markets, economies and even societies.

Most people see the face of entrepreneurship as men like Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Dr. K. Anji Reddy or N. R. Narayana Murthy – innovators whose vision and tenacity have sparked the creation of global enterprises worth hundreds of billions of dollars. And in fact, most entrepreneurial ventures are started by, owned by and managed by men throughout the world. In the US, only 30% of businesses are women-owned, about the same percentage as in Europe; a sizable gender gap in entrepreneurship also prevails across Asia, Latin America and Africa.

But the real story of women and entrepreneurship is not told in these statistics. Many ventures started and owned by women exist off the scoreboards of formal economies. They may operate in informal markets, or represent smaller-scale enterprises, or play out in ventures officially owned by men either for reasons of tradition or legislation or both. Regardless, women entrepreneurs are vital contributors to the economic well-being of their families, communities and nations. Their businesses do what most business do: generate jobs, sell products and services and create value.

If entrepreneurship is “the pursuit of opportunities beyond the resources under one’s control”, then it is a field ripe for the talents of women, precisely because they have relatively fewer resources under their control in many parts of the world today. Entrepreneurs have to be resourceful before they have resources; and that is both a challenge and opportunity for women entrepreneurs today. In some countries, they must contend with hostile laws that artificially restrict their freedom to pursue their aspirations in creating new businesses to serve real customer needs. They must either confront or work around family and spousal attitudes that often range from ambivalent to resistant. And in most societies, they must do that while fulfilling entrenched notions of their roles in society as mothers and wives.

But in the midst of those realities lie profound opportunities. We can see the evidence all around us. It is not only the “poster women” entrepreneurs like Oprah Winfrey or Estée Lauder that command our respect for creating enormous enterprises through their creative genius and demonstrable leadership. One needs to look no further than down the street or in the next village to find immediate examples of ventures inspired and operated by women applying their own time and talent to new and existing businesses, albeit perhaps at a smaller scale with less fanfare.

Entrepreneurship is not the exclusive province of high-tech, high profile and large-scale ventures or their creators. In fact, most of the economic value and jobs created by entrepreneurs are generated in small-scale, low-tech and mostly unknown businesses across the world. These are the enterprises that represent the lifeblood of most economies globally.

As the gender gap shrinks across the landscape of higher education in many countries, the pipeline of talented women aspiring to make their mark as creators of vibrant new businesses will inevitably expand. The combination of ambition and education will accelerate the impatience which often fuels venture creation by entrepreneurs frustrated by the pace of change or lack of imagination in more traditional pursuits.

And here is the catch. If women entrepreneurs are every bit as talented and dedicated as their male counterparts, the world can unleash their power in transforming markets, opening societies and expanding horizons not just for their benefit, but for all of us. And this, I think, will take creativity and courage in several key areas. First, girls need to see women as entrepreneurs. They need to understand that people like them can tread the path of entrepreneurship and do it successfully, without sacrificing their identity in the process. Schools in every community need to better showcase the rich tapestry of women entrepreneurs by inviting them into classrooms to share their experiences and challenges; and developing practical curricula that focuses on what it takes to start a venture of their own.

Second, women entrepreneurs need to develop mutually supportive networks with each other. This is not to exclude engagement with their male counterparts, but rather to encourage exchange of best practices and peer-to-peer support with others who have personally experienced the unique configuration of issues faced by women starting and growing businesses. In fact, a recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report suggested that “being employed and having a social network that includes other entrepreneurs are stronger predictors of women’s entrepreneurship than educational attainment or household income.”


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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Relief for school children

State govt bans students’ participation in VIP rallies

Schools have been asked not to rope in students for ceremonies and rallies to welcome VIPs in Orissa. Passing a resolution, the School and Mass Education department of the government of Orissa says: “School children will not be made to wait for hours to receive a celebrity during function. VIP duties for school children are over.”

Issuing a missive to all the schools on April 24, 2010, the state government asked them to implement the orders as soon as possible. From now onwards student need not entertain VIPs visiting their areas.

Of late, it had become a common practice to use school children to welcome guests in both public and private functions. Several child organisations raised the issue and mounted pressure on the government to take action against it. Sources say after being inundated with complaints, Minister of State for School and Mass Education Pratap Jena banned the use of school children for such functions. The minister’s office instructed all the district collectors, district inspectors of schools and circle inspectors to end the misuse of school children.

Joint secretary to School and Mass Education department, Government of Orissa, Iswar Ch. Barada told TSI: “We received several complaints from different organisations and parent bodies. They complained that children were suffering because they were forced to participate in events to honour VIPs. We understand that many a time they have to wait for long hours even under the sun. There have been some cases in which students fainted due to unbearable heat. Therefore we have decided to ban such a practice.”

However, many educationists are unhappy with the government’s decision. Dr. Ganeswar Mishra, an educationist and a retired professor of Utkal University, is one of them. He argues that there is nothing wrong in making students participate in such events. “Receiving a VIP is not a bad idea. It cannot be called violation of child’s right. Such ceremonies give children an opportunity to interact with eminent personalities,” says Dr. Mishra.

But he agrees with the critics of the practice that students should not be made to stand for hours to welcome a VIP.

For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Wednesday, June 09, 2010

WAR ON TALIBAN

Problems still fester in Pakistan but thanks to an emergent and emboldened civil society, it is anything but a failed state

Dr Faiza Rasheed belies any notions that Pakistan might generally evoke. She is a dyed-in-the-wool Leftist. With her typical Soviet-era hairdo, she does not look anything like a Member of Provincial Assembly from the conservative North West Frontier Province. But that is what she is. The lady breaks several stereotypes about Pakistan in one go.

But it is quite possible that she might not be aware about what we regard as her unique status. For her, it is an everyday thing. She is more focused on implementing development projects and investment proposals in her constituency. She is thus also the face of an emergent and emboldened civil society in Pakistan.

Through my entire stay in Pakistan, where I met hundreds of people from varied backgrounds, one phenomenon emerged solidly: Pakistan, like India, is not a monolith. In fact, it can be safely said that if people of these two nations only start treating each other as a heterogeneous group of ideas and ideologies, a substantial portion of the trust deficit can easily be covered.

For example, take Kashmir. It is as much an Islamabad discourse in Pakistan as it is the New Delhi discourse here. The farther one moves from these cities, Kashmir’s imprint on the psyche loosens considerably. While Pakistan still considers it a core issue, it has started to focus on other problems and their possible solution. Civil society now refuses to be swayed by emotional issues. They mean business now. And the greatest tool they have is a confident media.

Among the elite and the intelligentsia, General Pervez Musharraf still enjoys a considerable, albeit concealed, fan following. And one reason for this liking that all of them give without failing is his contribution in bringing the independent media to the fore. It cost him dearly personally, but it became an epic event for the nation. It was thus heart-warming to see journalists take on establishment there. Journalism here has more zeal because journalists have seen bleak times. Their everyday work is a crusade in itself. It is difficult to understand this here in Delhi, as a substantial chunk of journalists here have not seen tough times. Emergency has faded from memory. The new breed, having enjoyed decades of stability, has inadvertently or voluntarily been co-opted by the state. But it’s a different story in Pakistan. Almost everyday, without fail, we came across news about journalists being manhandled, threatened or “advised” by different individuals or institutions. But it only emboldened the journalists to put up a more scathing attack the next day.

For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Monday, May 03, 2010

‘Erase the line that divides us’

On a trip to karachi, jaswant singh advocates the formation of a south asian union in order to keep the threat of colonialism at bay. A report by Shahid husain

The people of the subcontinent are likely to face the scourge of colonial rule again if they do not unite and form a South Asian union, former Indian foreign minister and author of "Jinnah: India-Partition-Independence", Jaswant Singh, said on April 13 during a press conference at the historic Mohatta Palace in Karachi.

"I wish I could tell you in terms of time when this union will be established, but the people of Pakistan and India definitely have to share their sorrow and happiness together," he said. "I fear that the failure to form a South Asian union may result in a new form of colonial rule in this part of the world. The United States is today's colonial power and we should understand it. We should be aware of its selfish tactics."

He feared that the new powers would rob the people of the subcontinent of their independence. "I often tell my American friends that they live at a distance of 8,500 miles from Afghanistan, while we live only eight and a half minutes away. I ask them if it was possible that the water of Atlantic Ocean could come to the Himalayas," he said, adding that while the US was talking about nuclear security, one must remember that the nuclear bomb was used twice and it was the US that used it both the times.

For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Thursday, April 08, 2010

Buddha's domain - UTTAR PRADESH

Buddha's domain
The buddhist circuit exudes religious fervour and architectural beauty in equal measure, attracting tourists and pilgrims from all over the world

Emperor Askoka erected many pillars across the land to spread Gautam Buddha's message of peace, truth and non-violence. The spread of Buddhism began before the first millennia when it travelled to China, Japan and other nations. In Uttar Pradesh, the Buddhist circuit emcompasses places where Buddha either set foot or delivered a sermon: Sarnath, Kushinagar, Piparahwa, Sankisa, Sravasti and Kaushambi. These sacred places of Buddhism have stupas and viharas that reflect Mauryan culture and architecture.

To preserve the relics of Buddhism, the Archaeological Survey of India did several surveys and extensive excavations. The remains that were recovered were deposited and preserved in several monuments and memorials. In the initial five decades following Independence, not much preservation work was done. The priorities were different then and funds were scarce. It was in the 1990s that a clear blueprint for preservation and development of these places was drawn up. Restoration work was started immediately. Funds made available by the Japanese government was used to develop the Buddhist tourism circuit. However, places of Buddhist interest have yet not been fully linked to the rail and air netwrok.

Sarnath: This place is known for Buddha’s first sermon after he attained enlightenment. To commemorate the occasion, Emperor Ashoka built several monuments in third century BC. These places attract thousands of tourists every year. Chaukhandi Stupa was built in 1553 AD. This is the place where Buddha appointed five disciples to spread his message.

Dhamek Stupa: This Stupa is 34 meters tall and marks the spot where Buddha delivered his first sermon. It is cylindrical in shape and is constructed entirely with stones and a few bricks. The building is a classic example of the architecture of the Gupta period.

Mul Gandha & Kuti Vihar: This temple in Sarnath was built by Mahabodhi Society and a Japanese artist painted scenes from Buddhist mythology. A branch of the Bodhi tree has been planted here. The beautiful painting in the backdrop shows Buddha giving instructions to his five disciples.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Law on the run

Fear has driven as many as 40 men of a special anti-Maoist police outfit to desert their posts in Orissa’s red corridor, reports Subrat Dash

Not one, not two, not three, but as many as 40 members of the Orissa Special Striking Force (OSSF) are on the run from Maoists.

These ‘brave’ men have been underground since last year after a blast masterminded by Maoist extremists. Along with the absconding policemen, a Micro UGI 9mm rifle has gone missing. The rifle, made in Israel, can fire 1400 rounds in a minute and costs Rs 5 lakh. It is the most sophisticated weapon in the armoury of Orissa police.

To save face, the state police honchos have done their best to keep the embarrassing information under wraps. But TSI has managed to ferret out the truth from sources in the know. This disconcerting story goes back to June 17, 2009, when armed Maoists captured the block headquarters of Narayana Patana in Koraput district. They obstructed all traffic leading to the place by cutting down big trees and dumping large stones on the road. Normal life was paralysed due to shortage of essential commodities. The task of freeing the place from the Maoists was assigned to the newly formed OSSF, a battalion of retired army jawans.

Narayana Patana is nearly 30 km from the district headquarters. Within an hour, the battalion reached the town’s entrance point to remove the road blocks. The combing operation started at 10 am, but was short-lived. Nine jawans of OSSF escorting an armed vehicle were killed in a powerful landmine explosion. In panic, 40 men of the special anti-Naxal outfit fled from the spot.

Fear psychosis is on the rise among policemen stationed in Maoist-infested areas. As many 22 of the 30 districts of Orissa are affected by the ‘menace’ of Maoism and policemen in these parts of the state are running scared. The challenge before the Orissa government is to re-examine the mental preparedness of its paramilitary forces as well as police personnel pressed into anti-Maoist operations. In the last two years, over 100 specially trained Orissa policemen have lost their lives in the ongoing war on Maoist extremists.

Government figures reveal that in 2008 alone more than 56 Naxal-related incidents occurred in which 74 jawans and 22 civilians were killed. Though government records are not available for the year, in 2009 more than 50 police personnel and an identical number of civilians were killed in Maoist attacks.

A retired police officer says: “Since the February 2007 Nayagarh attack, in which 15 policemen were killed by Maoists at gun-point, the morale of the Orissa police has been on the downswing. In the last two years, more than 200 police and paramilitary personnel have been killed by Naxals. In contrast, only 30 Naxals have lost their lives in the corresponding period. So the current fear psychosis isn’t an unusual phenomenon."
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Naxalism - Force is not the answer

We as a people need to look for political solutions instead of treating Naxalism as a menace

N. Manu Chakravarthy

Writer and rationalist thinker, Bengaluru

When we discuss Naxalism, one question instantly springs to mind. Should it be considered a social problem or a problem of law and order? To this my answer is very clear. Until we are unambiguous about the terms ‘law and order’, we cannot come to a proper and sensible conclusion. If we use the term ‘law and order’ it certainly carries a kind of self-definition. These words expose the location and position of the people who use the words ‘law and order’. So we may ask very fundamental questions, who is talking of law and order? This is actually the language of the court, the police, administrators, and to a certain extent, the middle class. In our society, more often, these terms are propelled by certain privileged group of people to safeguard their interests. When you keep raising such fundamental questions, you come to realise that terms like ‘law and order’ indicate a certain kind of hierarchy. Do we really exist in a situation where we can hope to convert the term ‘law and order’ into ‘justice and equality’? The moment we failed to translate the meaning of ‘law and order’ into ‘social equality and justice’ we also lost the moral right to pass the diktat, saying Naxalism is mere a problem of law and order.

To my knowledge, Naxalism is the colossal failure of constitutional execution, our political system and, more importantly, of the judiciary and the middle class. The rise of Naxalism should be seen as result of the of ineptitude of our system and its inability to fulfil the constitutional needs of our common, downtrodden people. Naxalism is often wrongly described as a ‘menace’. But I would like to characterise it as an anguished expression of people who have been completely betrayed by the common law of the land. They bank upon armed struggle more out of desperation and frustration. In other words, they are forcibly made to resort to violence by constant refutation of the basic rights which are supposed to be given by our Constitution. But I never believe or argue that Naxalism is inevitable to fight out the inequalities brewing in our society. What I am trying to say is that as a system we are creating social conditions in which such forms of extremism become unavoidable for certain groups of our society. We are literally compelling our own people to take to guns to express their dissent.

What else do we need to illustrate the failure of the conscience of our society and country? When a citizen is compelled to take up arms in order to express his disenchantment with the system, isn’t it the indifference of middle class that should be held responsible, at least partially, for such a turn of events? As this innate apathy continues, we will only end up prolonging the crisis.

Then, another question arises. Can anyone derive any real benefit from such acts of anger? Will this serve the purpose of those people who contemplate a state of ‘Utopian’ social equality? My answer is, again, NEVER. You can’t construct the society, no matter what Utopia that would be, on the premises of blood and death. Such extreme steps may only help to build up one more bloody state. The history of the human civilisation has already proved that one cycle of violence leads to another cycle of violence. Though we can’t deny the fact that Naxalism is created and reinforced by the inhumanness of the ruling state, we must also accept that we can’t expect anything productive out of it. The coldhearted and callous regime succeeds only in creating one more blood-mongering autocracy. What kinds of states have all the revolutions of the world delivered?

So unless we can eliminate the violence of the state, Naxalism will continue to exist and unleash other kinds of tyranny. And if you think responding to a ‘ruthless’ regime with its own coin can do anything worthy for the people or society, then you will end up nowhere for sure. The middle class appears to be cut off from the bitter reality. They are busy decrying Naxalism instead of trying to understand what really causes people to declare war on their own nation. Have these desperate men and women ever been given a chance to speak their minds? Or as a society, have we ever attempted to understand their plight? Are we really serious about political alternatives? Instead of seeking genuine solutions, we are lost in an ‘us versus them’ battle that has no end. Needless to say, the middle class is in complete consonance with the ruling class which protects the former’s interests to serve its own ends. Instead of pursuing political alternatives that could give the ‘forsaken’ sections of our country reason to trek back into the mainstream, we are stuck in useless polemics. You can dismiss the Naxalism as a cancer or a scourge. But how can you neglect the infected social conditions which create such festering tumours?
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Friday, March 12, 2010

Second green revolution?

Community seed banks to take on modified crops

Is there any solution to the ongoing BT brinjal controversy? Do we really need BT modified crops? These and other questions are being debated by farmers, food experts, politicians and multinationals. The proponents of BT brinjal say that it will herald a second green revolution. But the opponents argue that India can manage without modified crops because some farmers in Karnataka villages already practice community seed banks.

They cite example of farmers, like Papamma, who have already started a second green revolution. Her house is full of vegetation. Not an inch of waste land around Papamma’s house or farm can be spotted. “Do you see the black sprinkles on the leaves and the beans? That is cow dung water I sprinkled to avoid pests,” says the 60-year-old Papamma who lives in D. Kurubarahalli, a remote village in Kolar, nearly 90 KM from Bangalore.

Keeping farm green isn’t an easy task in hot weather. But Papamma has been managing it for almost 20 years now. She produces crops through organic way. Besides, the family is content with the yield they get from two acres and one acre of paddy field. In two acres, she grows almost 20 varieties of crops. “If we have sufficient water we can grow more than 50 varieties of crops in the farm,” says Papamma.

Kolar district which is better known for its extreme weather depends on rain for the crops. Moreover, the district doesn’t have any rivers. “We dug a well in our farm and we use this for the paddy field because it needs much water compared to other crops. So, even if it does not rain in the season we normally do not worry,” adds Papamma.

The family, which is known across the state as ‘seed bank Papamma,’ has more than 50 varieties of pure indigenous seeds. Displaying her rare collections, she says: “See this is the paddy that I stored four years back. Still it is good; you can either use it for sowing or husk rice out of it. Did you see the leaves on the paddy? They are custard apple’s leaves. They keep the seeds afresh.”

Adds Papamma: “These are brinjal seeds.” When asked why she has saved brinjal seeds in four different jars, she says: “In my farm I only have four varieties of brinjals…” What about the BT brinjal? Papamma’s answer was spontaneous: “No… see in my farm, I grow four or five types of brinjals, and in our village you can easily find around 45 varieties of brinjals, so just imagine how many more varieties India can have. People say it is a ‘technical’ brinjal. When we have enough variety of brinjals then why import BT brinjal and spoil soil and health? I do not think, we will need a brinjal 'which has been operated and injected to perform well.' It is not good for health. What we have is more than enough and I do not see any reason to welcome it.

“As I am following organic farming method, I may get a bit less crop compared to the farms which are using chemicals. But as far as my family is concerned, health is more important than profit. My farming is not a commercial venture."

“For almost a decade, we never purchased food items from the market, but fetch it afresh from our farm. I preserve the seed in the seed bank for the next crop. If the seeds are more, then we sell it in the market. Why should we say yes for genetically modified crops?”

Papamma and her husband Papanna do sand mulching also. She was taught organic farming by her villagers twenty years ago. But after some time, the villagers started using chemicals to increase their production.

Papamma, who did not believe in commercial cropping, just went on with her organic farming and stuck to the techniques taught to her during the training. Today, she is the main person in her village who leads the community in seed banking campaign under which the farmers are encouraged to store the seeds and avoid fertilisers.

Also, Papamma convinces rural women to adopt organic farming. Her work has been recognised by the state government. In 2007, the officials of the agriculture department honoured her with the Karnataka Rajyothsava Prashasthi for her contribution to seed bank farming in the state.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Outlook Magazine money editor quits
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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

A moroccan memoir

A land where from the first light of the morning, hope wakes up and spreads its charm all over. A melting pot of history, tradition, culture and harmony, Morocco treats visitors by way of scenic beauty, exquisite cuisines, holy places, historical monuments and tranquilising beaches. Morocco is perhaps one of the best places from where one can experience the magic of the Sahara desert in all its glory. Morocco’s beautiful city Casablanca plays host to attractions like the Chellah Gardens, Hassan II Mosque, Medina and Beth-El synagogue and United Nations Square. Rabat, the capital of Morocco, has the principal royal residence, and beautiful gardens and beaches which are known for their breathtaking view. Known for its history, spanning more than a century, the former capital of Meknes is considered to be best preserved in terms of culture and craftsmanship. Just in its vicinity one could visit the ruins of Volubilis, considered to be a popular Roman settlement and the whitewashed town of Moulay Idriss. For those in search of peace and spirituality, Fez is the city which is known as a religious and intellectual hub. A tour of the medieval medina which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must. The medina is eminent for its meandering lanes and artistic workshops. One can also pay a visit to the Royal Palace of Fez and Mellah, which is the largest Jewish Quarter in Morocco. The old mosques and the open air tanneries of Morocco make for a great visit too. Fine handicrafts and traditional items made from ceramic, copper and leather cater to shopping junkies.

In Morocco, a vacation would hold a whole new meaning for a tourist because it won’t begin and end at a beach, a hill resort or a desert alone. Morocco is where all these natural habitats meet, and yet there is more... Greet the snow-capped peaks of the Middle Atlas Mountains which present a wonderful view of the pine and cedar forests, Berber villages and terraced farms all the way. Unless one stays at the glamorous pink city of Marrakech, their trip to Morocco is incomplete. Here, visit the fabulous local souks, royal palaces, scenic gardens and the historic monuments. Marrakech comes alive after sunset with exciting performances by snake charmers, magicians and storytellers at the public square Djemaa El-Fna. Indeed, Morocco sells dreams, and promises sweet memories for a lifetime.

For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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Outlook Magazine money editor quits
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

This tryst with destiny continues to unfold...

Free market fundamentalists love to deride and denigrate the ‘state’ & the public sector in india. why they are both wrong and dangerous...

A vision doesn’t take too long to become an anachronism. A visionary too can be transformed into a pillar of blunders if history delivers a future that was presumed impossible in the past. When it comes to sterile debates behind ivory towers by academicians, it would not really matter so much. But when debates about the legacy of such visionaries and the visions they spawned have to do with the livelihood and well being of tens of millions, the debates acquire a much more strident note. For the last few decades, this is exactly what has been happening with Jawaharlal Nehru and his vision about the ‘Temples of Modern India’ transforming a former British colony and a wounded civilization into an industrial powerhouse. Most us us have forgotten what Nehru meant when he coined and invoked the term ‘Temples of Modern India’. India’s first Prime Minister had a habit of invoking the term passionately when it was time to inaugurate dams, particularly the Bhakra Nangal dam in Punjab (Wonder what powerful words and phrases Arundhati Roy would use to trash Nehru’s obsession with dams!). In his vision of a modern post-colonial India, Nehru differed dramatically from his mentor Mahatma Gandhi, who wanted to concentrate more on villages rather than dams and factories. Nehru’s vision won the day and spawned what is now ubiquitously known as the Public Sector in India.

Just in case you didn’t know or had forgotten, those was respected industrialists and entrepreneurs like J.R.D Tata who had unveiled a vision for modern India well before the nation gained freedom. Their vision clearly stated that the ‘State’ had to play a key role in pushing industrial and economic growth in the country. Please do not forget that those were the hey days of ‘socialism’ and Stalin (His horrific crimes against humanity were uncovered much later). Please also do not forget that even for those unwaveringly against the ‘Socialist’ vision of the economy, the icon and hero in those days was John Maynard Keynes, the economist who found a solution to the Great Depression that gripped the global economy since 1929.
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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, February 10, 2010

New wave of revenue-generation streams that have suddenly gripped Bollywood!

Big brands like Big B (reportedly charged Rs 1.5 crore per episode for anchoring “Bigg Boss 3”) or SRK (alleged to have taken home a whopping Rs 40 crore for anchoring “Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?”) are likely to shoo away Banerjee’s views. So are stars like Salman (Rs 89 crore for season one of “Dus Ka Dum”) or Ajay-Kajol (Rs 10 crore combined for judging “Rock-N-Roll Family”). Even forgotten actress Urmila Matondkar scooped up a cool Rs 7.5 crore for judging “Waar Parriwar”. On the anvil are out-of-work star Preity Zinta, reportedly offered a cool Rs 10 crore for a show entitled “The Preity Zinta Show”, where she will interview/chat with her celeb, B-town friends. Also, the red-hot Bipasha Basu was allegedly signed by SRK’s Red Chillies to anchor a show on the lines of "America's Next Top Model". Payout? Rs 65 lakh per episode!

Wait, there is more! In these insanely glamour-driven times, where everything Bollywood-specific is hugely in demand, stars drive… everything! It’s only natural, hence, that stars leverage their marketability across every conceivable revenue generating avenue. So, enter concerts, weddings & special appearances! King Khan, demands, and gets, anything between Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 3 crore, depending on what he is required to do. Whether it’s hi-ticket affairs like Lakshmi Mittal’s daughter’s wedding or real estate hot-shot Kanti Govani’s wedding, SRK is a must. If he is required to grace his presence right through, covering all the functions, the payout is said to be a gigantic Rs 12 crore! Next in line are Salman Khan (Rs 1 crore) Katrina Kaif (Rs 80 lakh) Govinda (Rs 70 lakh) and Lara Dutta (Rs 30 lakh). Saif, Ranbir, Deepika, Imraan & Asin are also said to be in the Rs 50 lakh bracket for special appearances. Small-timers too are leaping onto this bandwagon! Malaika Arora, Celina Jaitley, Dia Mirza, Rakhi Sawant & Isha Koppikar also stand to pick up a cool Rs 10 lakh for an item ‘jig’. Can’t afford it? Not to worry. The likes of Koena Mitra, Preeti Jhangiani, Sanober Kabir, Payal Rohatgi and gang come between Rs 5-7 lakh.

The moolah is there, all the way. The gorgeous Katrina Kaif was offered Rs 1 crore to perform in a Mumbai 5-star hotel last year. This year, reportedly – due to her No.1 status – she’s been offered double the amount for a 10-minute jig! She was also said to have been paid a cool Rs 80 lakh to – you’re not gonna believe it, guys – wave at the crowd at a recent concert in Dubai! A Rs 67 lakh paycheck also came her way for a 30-minute performance at a farmhouse in Delhi.

The other sizzler, Bips Basu, was said to have been offered a sexy Rs 90 lakh to greet last year’s New Year at a Mumbai 5-star hotel but she refused because of 26/11. This year she is supposed to have been offered an even larger fee, to which she agreed. Neha Dhupia, Udita Goswami, Tanushree Dutta – all pick up anything between Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh to do their assigned and special routine/number. Oh, how can one forget the deadly Mallika Sherawat? She reportedly took home the big one – Rs 3.5 crore for a jig!

TV appearances, ad endorsements, weddings, concerts, special appearances... Big (even small) stars are flooded with revenue generating avenues from a Bollywood-crazy planet! Jai Bollywood!

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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, February 05, 2010

A recess from work!

Learn priceless lessons for life as you teach the lesser privileged children and work at making inequity in education history...

Having previously taught primary school children, I am particularly inclined to indulging them and endlessly listening to them prattle. Once, as I observed two innately sharp and eager kids from two different economic strata of society, it dawned on me how our country’s misdeeds (towards an ever-widening educational inequity) were limiting the growth of lakhs of bright children. For while the 8-year-old Sudhir (a helper’s child who went to a government-run school) was as witty and keen as the same-aged Sarah (a financial consultant’s daughter studying at a ‘reputed’ public school with world-class standards), his lack of exposure to the learning experience as hers (despite the same education board), had exponentially widened the gap between their respective banks of knowledge, apart from also impeding his ability to grasp new concepts.

Though this existing system of education can’t be turned around in the short-run, an innovative initiative – Teach for India – formally started in 2008 by a group of young leaders, shows promise of bridging this educational inequity. Inspired by the success of Wendy Kopp’s Teach for America initiative, and the positive results of the study carried to learn about the feasibility of similar implementation in India, the organisation is recruiting ‘outstanding college graduates and young professionals’ for its full-time two-year Fellowship. ‘Committing two-years to teach full-time in under-resourced schools’, these fellows are trained to become successful teachers and leaders.

While such exemplary initiatives clear off the hurdle of requiring mandatory degrees and qualifications for imparting knowledge, there are a growing number of recession-hit stressed professionals across the world who are increasingly seeking solace and satisfaction in teaching courses and jobs.

A recent study by a UK-based school workforce training organisation TDA, (Training and Development Agency for Schools) found that enquiries for teacher training have gone up by 50%, that too by people with banking, legal, architectural and management backgrounds. The research found that most people do not anymore consider holding a high-status management job as important, but are looking for meaningful work with manageable stress-levels, which allows more time for pursuing leisure activities.

In India this trend is quite common among women, though for different reasons. Reema, a primary school English teacher in Delhi says, “I have done my MBA from Symbiosis, Pune and have worked as an HR professional for long. But my growing-up daughters needed more of my time and I couldn’t handle the pressure of running the house with a managerial job, so I opted for teaching. Whatever were the reasons, today, I think, I go back home with a sense of accomplishment and not stress about tomorrow’s schedules.”

Though majority of India’s education sector would continue to see this trend of bias for teaching profession, there are a growing number of World Schools that are hiring people who can blend their experience and team management skills with academic knowledge. But such schools too are only for the privileged few. For improving young lives like that of Sudhir’s, we need more Indians to come forward for initiatives like ‘Teach for India’, so that the rest of India can also be privy to world-class educational standards..

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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, February 01, 2010

Be it the Corolla Altis, Innova, Land Cruiser or Prado, all of them are considered as benchmarks in their respective segments by many. P. S. Chowdhary, Head-Marketing, LML asserts, “Toyota and Honda are the best in the business of automotives worldwide and similar is the case in India.”

India’s upmarket customers do seem to agree. Take the instance of the Fortuner, the latest entrant in TKM’s stable. Fortuner has already got a mind boggling 7,000 advance bookings, surpassing the anticipated figure of 5,000, forcing Toyota to raise production to 600 units a month from the 500 units decided earlier. But the company has been able to deliver only 1,000 in the first two months since the launch and TKM has in fact closed bookings for the upcoming six months. The company has a target of selling around 1,800 units in the current calendar year and around 2,000 units in 2010. “Toyota Fortuner has got an overwhelming response in the Indian market and has the potential to become the market leader. However, the long waiting period due to the capacity constraints may turn down some buyers,” explains Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director-Marketing, TKM.

However, when one looks at overall market share, the company takes a back seat. Since the segments that they operate in are low-volume driven themselves, reaching the ranks of the top five in the country is still a pipedream. Akira Okabe, Senior Managing Director, Board Member, Toyota Motor Corporation avers, “TKM is a baby when compared to giants like Maruti Suzuki in the country.” The basis of the statement surely has deep roots as the company sold a meager 46,892 units at the end of FY 09; registering a negative yoy growth of 15% as compared to the 7,00,000 units by the Indian market leader in the same period with a growth of 1.5%.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009


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

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