Mis-management? How most B-Schools have lost their plot in India - NDTVProfit.com

• Many business schools ( not all, of course) forgot 'Management was essentially manage-men'. Not chasing jobs
• 'Education is for life, not for living' - but if the system is geared up for placement as the sole yardstick, the purpose is defeated
• Corporate (and all representative bodies thereof!), management schools & alumni should take bulk of the blame. Students & parents to a very small extend. We have created a system that is not fulfilling... sadly
• How can there be 'lack of quality' ? We have government bodies to ensure, I thought!
• Time for introspection... on what we need to achieve thru business schools - to create products for day-zero recruitment or business leaders?

Mis-management? How most B-Schools have lost their plot in India - NDTVProfit.com

Automatics gain traction as traffic worsens - Livemint

The general feedback from the market has been the average customer looks for 'maximum features, at minimum price'. Increased value for money, which is considered to be the expectation of an 'average' Indian car buyer! It is still an "average" measure, with its mathematical deviations :)

Good to know more & more customers are going for automatic transmission option, across all categories/segments/brands.
I am sure, eventually Indian car buyer will look for key features (driving comfort, safety) and not fancy ones.

Automatics gain traction as traffic worsens - Livemint

The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Lack of planning affects domestic schedule

Wonder why 'control' is part of a sport's body!! Time for re-christening & also change in the controlling element in functioning, surely. BCCI should have released all Mumbai & Saurashtra players to raise the standard of the most important match in domestic circuit. More than lack of planning, it is the lack of understanding?

Would have loved to be in amchi Mumbai to watch Sachin play at Wankhede. But here I am in Kerala, where cricket is gaining popularity... with Sreesanth (!) et al.

With the newly introduced "innovation", an entry for the finals for non-students to 'control crowd-behaviour, hopefully the stadium may be less packed and lesser noisy!

The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Lack of planning affects domestic schedule

Random Notes from Kerala

Reached Kerala, via Coimbatore... Very nostalgic....

Remembered my alma mater respectfully. Full of gratitude for parents. Dad rated my 2 yr stint, very unaffordable then, as one of his best decisions in life. Also my senior cousins, who were my local guardians...

Great to be in a city, used to be known as 'Manchester of East'! Wonder, how it is now !

Had spent just two short years in high school. Re-discovered myself academically, more importantly, discovered myself in sports/games and extra-curricular activities. But for those two years, I would never have been aware of some hidden talent. When the Rev Father told my dad I may have a future in movies, dad was at his 'fauji-best'. He had responded with an emphatic 'no', albeit respectfully. No regrets though, esp when what Kamal Hassan, one of all-time greats of Indian cinema is going through for his 'Viswaroopam'

Today, experiential training uses outdoor activities and also music/drama/dance etc extensively. As I take baby steps in those directions, those experiences in extra-curricular activities will stand in good stead. More importantly, some fond memories of trying, winning, losing, practising, strategising, team-work, passion..... 

Extra curricular activities in schools and colleges are as important as academics, of course moral education/value based education is the most important.

Devotion and morality are as important for physical health as they are for mental health. They free your mind from agitation, and feed it with joy and contentment

My car - Final Choice

Here is an update...

As I tried out various options and kind of short-listed few of them, the confusion remained. I did not want to spend a fortune, but wanted the safety, comfort & hassle-free driving experience. Wanted to ensure family had a big say in the choice.
While I was making a decision based on 'head', family was looking at more from the 'heart' !! Understandably so...





As the final step, I wrote to a few experts in the media. 

I am looking for a SUV/premium small car in the price range Rs 15 Lac +/-.
Have looked at Innova, Polo, Yeti 4X2, i20. Confused...

1. Pls advise
2. How is Yeti 4x2 performance/feedback ? In favour of this, more than others

None of them responded, except one... Srinivas Krishnan, from BS Motoring:

Hello
We can see you're confused just by looking at your shortlist! The Innova is a vehicle that we would recommend without thinking twice. It is proven and it is the benchmark among all people carriers sold in the country. What's amazing is that it still holds it value over the years. On the other hand, the Yeti is one of our all-time favourite vehicles - amongst cars, UVs or SUVs! We like its brilliant dimensions - which make it easy to drive on city roads - and the flexibility of space on the inside. Its 4x2 version is perfectly sorted, as it brings the cost of the vehicle down. The 4x2 version may not be powerful, but it is more than adequate for virtually all needs. The steering is great, it rides and handles well and it looks nice too. The only downside is the transmission and a heavy clutch. The Yeti is up for a facelift in the near future, but that is still some time away. If you like it, do go for it. But if you want to play it safe, the Innova it is.

Srinivas

That was really cool.. just to reply and the effort to share his thoughts... God Bless...

Needless to add, I went into the next level, finalised and took delivery end of December 12... of a Skoda Yeti. It is less than a month, made three out of city trips and two trips into the city, on Sunday and today :) Cross country was a far better driving experience, thanks to better roads & sane traffic sense!

I am enjoying the drive... safe & responsible driving !


PS: SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY : or lack of it !
I had written to some other experts, who claim #1 in India, etc. I approached an expert from the MF industry, reg a high ticket investment. I got a response, 'all queries may not be responded'. Wonder, on what basis they decide the importance ? On random sampling ?!!Why give the stupid customer the option at all ? BTW, I am surprised to go thru similar so-called social-network-strategy of some other big players too. If they can not handle queries, why ever give the option on the website ?

Midwayfilm Must Watch

Got this from couple of friends... 

This video is about an island in the ocean at 2000 km from any other coast line.Nobody lives there, only birds and yet ...............You will not believe your eyes!!!!!!! This film should be seen by the entire world, please don't throw anything into the sea. Unbelievable, just look at the consequences!!!!! 

http://www.midwayfilm.com/

Must watch...

I have shared with virtually all my contacts, on multiple platforms... Hope & pray many get to watch it & share. We have a choice... to make a difference or just ignore the issue. But, eventually it will come to haunt us & future generations.

In fact to cut down on plastic was one of my new year resolutions, as part of my effort to 'GO Green'. Now it becomes a priority. I can not limit my love for animals ( birds/fish/plants Etc) just to pampering our own dog. It should extend to the world... Let us make a choice.

150th Birth Anniv of Swami Vivekananda

'We are not human being going thru a spiritual experience... but, spiritual beings, going thru human experience"

Rituals are the kindergarten of religion - Swami Vivekananda

Came across a few press reports on the occasion of Swamiji's birth anniversary. But this quote stayed on... We get so stuck to rituals. With rituals, we are the humans on spiritual journey. But beyond, we are spiritual beings... 

A few more inspiring quotes on Religion & Spirituality:

https://sites.google.com/site/positivethinkingclub/quotation-sections/religion

 

Plan for your second innings : ICICI Direct

ICICI Direct mailer says, 'Plan for your second innings'
I am on my "3rd innings" :)

'Third', to break out of the cliche.

At a higher level, want to believe, at 'Vanaprastha' of the four 'Purusharthas' !

But, first/second/third innings... are all in mind.

PS: Job/career is the biggest Maya

7 Ways to Be a Stress-Free Workaholic | Inc.com

The author has summarised how do we handle stress at work, esp if we are workaholic.

My favourite is the last one, pick one or two healthy outlets : Exercise, Meditate, get outdoors to breathe fresh air/get out of work-desk, build things, play Scrabble, talk to someone, sing/dance/play an instrument --whatever works, just do it!

These are not only useful to overcome stress, but more importantly preventive. Meditation is a must. Pick up any meditation technique that you like, simple & easy to practise.
Healthy lifestyle helps too....Yoga too !

One big preventive prescription is : don't be a workaholic :)
Don't just be on 'corpoRATe race'!!
Love work, then it will not be a 'work'. And don't forget work/job/career is just Maya!

Blissfully!!

7 Ways to Be a Stress-Free Workaholic | Inc.com

Tata Motors introduces 4-year warranty on heavy truck range - Economic Times

This is great news...

• coming from Tata ( and not from Ashok Leyland, Eicher, Volvo etc) 
• not known from excellence in product, but just 'good enough' technology & performance
• market leader by a good margin
• raising the benchmark in customer satisfaction in CV industry

They just need to 'walk the talk' to ensure 'Tata Alert' is truly alert, receptive and empathetic to the average transport operator.

For example, listen@tatadocomo.com does not listen or even 'hear' ( passive listening, at least), mail to their official ID, socialmarket@tatadocomo.com bounces undelivered and call center experience is pretty ordinary. The true challenge for Tata Motors is to ensure 'Tata Alert' delivers #Enchantment to the small/big operator. Can they ? That will be the true test of pudding!!

Customer satisfaction is not in our corporate gene! What I call #KarmaOfCustSer.

Tata Motors introduces 4-year warranty on heavy truck range - Economic Times

What is your New Year Resolution ?

It is one week into the new year... The hype is behind us. The resolutions are staring at us... :)

Did you make a resolution, this year ?

Not surprisingly, the most popular new year resolution is to improve fitness levels. If we had more staying on with that resolution, this world will be a better place - normal, but fit people raises the wellness quotient of the society.

In this era with WMD's, weapons of mass distraction, (as a cardiologist, one of best in world, says), quite different story !
Else we would not need a Mark for Sports by Ndtv!

Of course, there are many other popular NY resolutions also.

WHAT IS YOUR RESOLUTION FOR 2013 ?  Pls comment here or just mail me.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and holy new year...

Tata inaugurates flagship showroom | News | Autocar India

This is interesting for two reasons -

1. Tata Motors is 'investing' in Indian car operations, which is long over due... Indian ops should catch up, at least to some extend, with global (= JLR ).The local PV brand & customer deserves it.
2. Investing in 'jazzy' infrastructure vs investment in the personal - a customer would prefer the latter. This problem is not specific to Tata car brands, but across most of them. 

A sincere, professional and dedicated team ( sales, service & others) would ensure Customer Enchantment.

A frugal showroom, but a good product & great service @ all customer touch-points would lead to customer satisfaction.

Tata should invest in training, development of personal and process to reach higher levels of #CustomerEnchantment

Tata inaugurates flagship showroom | News | Autocar India