World Colleges Information

'A crisp white collared job’ was Vinay Rajan’s prompt answer whenever he was asked about his dream job. Though, he day-dreamt of a high flying corporate career he was almost always sure that it wouldn’t turn into reality. He didn’t lack a swanky B-school degree, neither were his grades low, but the only thing that weighed him down was his phobia of interviews and public confrontation. In the life of a corporate wannabe, interviews are inevitable. Everyone has to go through this gruesome test of corporate muscle in order to sneak their way into the business arena. While escaping interviews altogether isn’t an option, there are certain tips and time-tested trials that would help ease the pressure and make you better prepared.

SLEEK AND SMART

The basic rule remains the same for every nature of interview across various professional denominations. First and foremost step is to show up to the interview looking sleek, smart and thoroughly professional. First impressions are a key factor; as your ensemble speaks volumes about you before you even utter a word, make it work in your favour. For the men – always stick to the good old-fashioned suit and tie. Opt for well tailored and freshly dry cleaned, dark hued suit in a natural fabric. Team it with a button down white shirt and dark tie. This basic combo along with a shiny, well polished leather shoe is always a winner. Chunky or shiny pieces of jewellery such as ear studs, bracelets, chains or rings should be avoided. If you sport a bold or daring tattoo, make sure it is well concealed. Groom yourself extensively, clumsy appearance will reflect very poorly on your personality. Almost the same sets of rules apply for the lady folks as well.

Stick to formals and make sure to go easy on your choice of make-up, accessories and jewellery. Certain generic rules are – do not use strong cologne or perfume, do not chew gum or reek of cigarettes, do not sport dirty and unclipped nails, do not carry anything in your pocket that might clunk such as loose change in your pocket and finally do not sport or flaunt any loud make-up, tattoo or body piercing.

KEEP IN TOGETHER

Now, that the desired first impression has been made, it is time to turn your corporate game on. Maintain a calm demeanour throughout the interview. Do not let your guard down, remember, the unexpected twist, the sudden odd question, the rude interruption from the interviewers side is their way of evaluating your temperament. Do not crack under pressure as everything you do and say during the course of interview counts and add to your credibility. A seasoned interviewers will deliberately use all the above tactics to check how you perform under uncomfortable situations and how you rise to an unexpected occasions. Few example questions that explains these scenarios are – what are you biggest strength and weakness? Describe your biggest regret? describe a project that you have failed in?. Remember, if hired, the company will be investing a lot of money and resources on you and therefore the recruiters use tricks and techniques to make sure that they hire someone who will be easy to teach, is adaptable, ambitious, respectful, sharp yet calm and honest. The second cardinal rule of an interview is – do not bluff. Bluffing your way through an interview might land you a job but it will not evolve into a career. Eventually the truth about your bluff will unfold and it will reflect very poorly on you and your work skills.

Once you are not able to keep up with all the false promises and declarations, your performance level will start to deteriorate. This would not only spoil your reputation within the company but will also damage your future prospects.

ASK QUESTIONS!

Yes, an interview doesn’t need to be one-way-street always. Being proactive and positively curious will show your enthusiasm and reflect your knowledge about the company. Asking the ‘right’ questions is the key. Before the interview read up about the company, its objectives, goals, achievements, projects, partners, clientele, products and services.

Ask questions while keeping up the tone and flow of the interview. Do not interrupt or become over intrusive. The questions should be asked in a subtle way so that it reflects your knowledge about the company and also your willingness. Do not go on a rampage, but withdraw once you questions and concerns are addressed. Asking questions will also project you as a good listeners and an attentive team player. Few models questions that you can ask your interviewers are – what are the roles and responsibility of this position? What is the scope of growth? What are the future goals of the company in general? Keep the questions crisp and job-centric.

THE ESSENTIALS

Make sure you have fulfilled all the basic criteria of interview preparation. Have a light snack and hydrate sufficiently to keep the jitters and dizziness at bay. Rehearse the basic interview questions and your opening address to the interviewers. Practice a firm handshake and maintain a demeanour body language throughout the course of the interview. Stack, store and carry all your documents neatly in a folder and in order. Update your resume and draft a company –specific cover letter. Carry stationary in case you are asked to fill forms or sign papers. Be punctual and arrive at the venue in advance in order to avoid last minute hustle-bustle. Send a thank you note or a mail to your interviewer after the interview. Do not talk about the money and remuneration unless an offer has been made to you. Once the interviewer has given you a hint about the salary on offer – be clear about your pitch. Politely yet confidently let the interviewer know about you expectations and your negotiable bracket.

At the end of the interview, rather than closing with a handshake and ‘thank you’ briefly summarize the interview and quickly reassure your eligibility for the position. Also ask about the selection status and ask if they can be contacted in the near future for the same.

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

While in B-school, students often dream in chromatic hues – hoping and wishing for a day they would walk the corporate corridors and take the first baby steps to ultimately become the crème de la crème of the business world. Though enrolling into a top notch management college is undoubtedly the first step, but as a student prepping to live the white-collared dream the first actual step would be to score an awesome internship at an awesome corporate enterprise.

Now, there are many tried and tested ways to grab an impressive internship. Certain old schools must-dos have been followed through ages and across various discipline like: getting your resume proofread and ready, dressing up in a formal attire, arriving early for your interview, following up with your interviewee with a thank you note, mastering a firm handshake,being vocal and confident, to maintain eye contact and off course to maintain a clean online account. But corporate connoisseurs opine that these methods are more of common sense as following these rules will ensure an internship, it however might not ensure that ‘dream’ internship which would later become your career catalyst.

HOW TO SCORE THE BEST INTERNSHIP

Internships are not hard to get, every humdrum company would more than welcome the idea of free employees, especially when it is a free young workforce. But then there are those internships that would transport you straight from your classroom to a full-fledged corporate environment and such gigs will not only reek in the moolah in the form of stipend but it also has the scope to turn into a full-time job later on.

But the catch is, such internships are extremely hard to get, these companies are flooded with high volume of applications each year and therefore are very picky in choosing their interns. So, what does it take to get such internships which will catapult you to the top of the corporate ladder? The first and possibly the most crucial thing to do would be to be well versed with the company. Being thoroughly acquainted with the company’s nitty gritty is essential. The idea is to have an in-depth knowledge so that when asked about your opinion during the interview you can provide an insightful answer. Having opinions and suggestions during brainstorming session will prove your interest in the permanent position and also project the hardwork that you have put in.

HOW TO BE THE BEST INTERN EVER

Now, that you have finally landed yourself an enviable internship at a glossy corporate firm – the next agenda should be to make the most of your first corporate experience. To ensure any kind of future with the company you are interning in, one has to be pro-active and an outstanding intern, says an industry expert. To be the best intern the plan should be to start early. Get to work in advance, not just on the day of work but couple of weeks in advance. Get in touch with your manager and enquire about any homework or research or prep work you should do. Taking the first step to reach out would come across as a positive sign. It will help you to be prepared for your first day at the job and also ensure that you and the management are on the same page. Once you have started your internship tenure, be attentive and appreciative of everything that comes your way. Being pro-active, opinionated and respectful should be your work mantra.

To prove your mettle and get noticed – own a project or an idea that can add value to your team or the company as a whole. Take time to research and prepare your presentation. Once you have your project ready, present it to your seniors and manager. This is your crucial opportunity to rise above the rest and get noticed for your involvement and valuable perspective. Within your team and in general – be polite and follow work ethics and etiquette. Be a team player and while you celebrate an achievement, also accept and own up to your share of blame when things don’t work as planned. Take notes and keep a record of every little thing you learn while you are interning as you will get to learn more about the business basics than in your classroom, the real corporate education happens in the boardroom. Be curious and ask question without being disruptive. Apart from being an earnest employee and a resource to the company the other most important thing to do is – network. Internship at a renowned corporate office gives you the opportunity to build your contact base. Meet and interact with as many people as possible. From fellow interns to freshers and from managers to visiting clients, get to know everyone. Networking will not only put you on the corporate map – but will also help you to be recognized as a prospective employee and valuable fresh asset. Getting yourself acquainted with corporate bigwigs will ease your job hunt debacle as well.

HOW TO TURN AN INTERNSHIP INTO A JOB

Once you have had a great run at your internship gig and are desperate to turn it into a full-fledged job here’s what you should be doing: while the best way to ensure that your internship turns into employment is to be an outstanding intern during your internship tenure itself.

Apart from that other crucial moves would be to keep in touch with you team and manager and to follow up on a regular basis. Send a thank you or an email to follow up. Keep in touch

"The best way to score an internship would to be send in your application either in person or to apply online through the company’s official website."

with everyone; right from your peer and managers to folks you networked with outside of the company you interned in. Doing this will keep you updated with the vacancies and new employment opportunities that might have opened up after your tenure. If you have performed well as an intern then staying in touch will help the employers to think of you when a job opens up.

INTERNSHIP IN INDIA

In spite of being a model intern, the aftermath of this summer job might not be beneficial if you do not pick the right company to intern with. For management students in particular the prospect of good internship benefits in India are high. Many big corporate players are known to recruit fresh interns with attractive stipend packages. Hiring an intern is extremely beneficial for these companies as it helps them to gauge the potential of a prospective employee before recruiting them. Apart from bringing a fresh perspective to the table, young interns are also known to be technologically savvy – a feat that helps the company to be updated and to stay abreast with all the minute trends in the market. Various IT companies look at hiring interns to reduce the monotony of their tedious recruitment process. Among the many corporate giants who welcome interns, the top ones this year are Infosys, Google, Wipro, Cognizant, Mphasis, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy services, L&T infotech and Oracle. The best way to score an internship would be to send/give your application either in person or to apply online through the company’s official website. As most of these companies receive heaps of internship requests every year, the best way to secure your chances is by being a proactive early bird.

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

It is a cliché to claim we are global citizens; offsprings and stakeholders of the watershed phenomenon of globalisation. Google the word ‘globalisation’ and more than 20 million websites would pop up defining it as any type of change in any given realm of human life. Globalisation is also of the conviction that we are all moving towards a homogenised lifestyle and culture. However, it is an everyday reality that the contrary of this is true. The more and more globalised we become, our behaviour accentuates a local fervour that is unprecedented. Set in this context, how do we, as leaders and managers, globetrotting businessmen and negotiators, communicate without misunderstanding or without being misunderstood? A million-dollar proposition!

As a member of the multicultural world, the ability to successfully engage in intercultural communication maybe one of the most important skills we may have to develop. For now, more than ever before, we are being challenged by a future in which we will interact with people from a wide range of dissimilar cultural backgrounds. Those people may range from a neighbour who speaks a foreign accent, someone a thousand miles away considers us unfriendly, or our new employer whose company is headquartered in another country.

At the outset, let’s explore the rationale behind the need to focus on effective communication in multicultural or intercultural or crosscultural context. The prefixes here to the word ‘cultural’ are considered to be synonymous, though we need to duly acknowledge the subtle shades of differences between one another. In the broad context of cultural contacts, what can be the Oh-no moments? Why do we have to undertake this voyage and how can the communication compass guide us?

In other words, how can this subject be a vital determining factor in our everyday life? With theoretical interrogations aside, globalisation is a realtime phenomenon and is here to stay. It is bringing nations together for reasons both imaginable and unimaginable – be it political alignment or peace negotiation at one extreme and for trading purposes on the more pragmatic level. Companies merge, expand, open overseas branches, make geographic shifts and when we say company, we are actually referring to individuals, not mere buildings or currencies. We are at the crossroads of managing, supervising, briefing and living with cultures totally alien to us. Globalisation is thus forging a new, emerging world order in the domain of culture and communication and these two forces are unmistakably game-changing. As the global community integrates all of us, willingly or unwillingly we must learn to deal with a social order characterised by escalating levels of contact and communication with people of other cultures.

Defining Intercultural Communication

Fundamentally, intercultural communication occurs whenever a person from one culture sends a message to be processed by a person from a different culture. Though this may seem fairly simple and unchallenging, it actually requires a thorough understanding of two key ingredients – communication and culture. Assuming, we have read and accumulated adequate know-hows of communication and throwing light on the other parameter, namely, culture – it unfolds to be a complex web of layered ideas.

John Hooker, in his Intercultural Communication, A Reader, facilitates our understanding of it by offering a more pragmatic and simplified definition. Stop for a minute and think about the word ‘football.’ What mental picture comes to your mind?

Most U.S. Americans will envision two teams of 11 men each in helmets and pads, but someone in Montreal, Canada would imagine 12 men per team. A resident of Sydney, Australia may think of two 18 man teams in shorts and jerseys competing to kick an oblong ball, while a young woman in Sao Paulo, Brazil would probably picture two opposing teams of 11 men or women attempting to kick the ball into a net. In each case, the context is referred to as football, but the playing fields, equipment and the rules of each game are different.

Our wonderment of learning the mechanisms of using chopsticks is counter-effective in the same manner in which a Chinese would be puzzled at the logical order of a South Indian vegetarian buffet. Similarly, pizza, sushi, tacos and naan have gone global but not without the initial shock and hesitation. These are general examples to illustrate the bewilderments caused at the contact zone of different cultures. To rephrase it, these are just the tips of an iceberg. Culture can be compared to an iceberg, where the visible manifestations represent only a portion of those ideals, behaviours, norms, etc. that constitutes the culture’s way of life. The majority of cultural variations lie beneath the surface, out of sight and awareness. Getting more specific to the topic in discussion, intercultural communication does not refer only to the matters of language, customs or etiquette of a particular country.

Our understanding should also explicate the underlying cultural values, beliefs and assumptions which actually shape the visible cultural manifestations. We need to be fluent in the ‘cultural grammar’ to be truly competent in another culture. Understanding another culture involves understanding its belief system, not just the others’ spoken language.

Checkpoints of Intercultural Communication

Communication as an activity begins in our brain, but it is manifested in our behaviours, both verbal and non-verbal. Understanding difficulties one encounters when an intercultural partner uses a different verbal and non-verbal coding system. Let us take a look at how verbal idiosyncracies and distinctions influence problem-solving, speaking, perception and understanding. Non-verbal symbols in movements, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, silence, space and time also creates an impact. It is generally perceived that most clashes occur in intercultural communication between the West and the East. Owing to their vastly differing worldviews – cosmological and spiritual the West and the East are positioned at different trajectories. However, it should also be noted that the West or the East are not just indistinct conglomerates of standardised cultures but house in themselves divergent cultural intricacies.

Understanding the non-verbal cues of body language

The most commonly mistaken body language is the ubiquitous handshake. Handshakes are generally not used in Asian cultures.

In countries like Japan and China, people tend to bow. In countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Japan, people bow or press there palms together like our Namaste followed by a deep bow corresponding to the dignity and importance of the person on the opposite side. When men from Western countries extend their hands to Asian men and women, their handshakes are generally not so strong and a strong handshake can be considered rude. Though the trend has been changing gradually, it is always better to be diligent and sensitive to such issues. On the contrary, in Western countries, the dead-fish handshake or the finger-tip handshake is a sign of weakness and lack of confidence and sometimes even sends out a negative signal. Both men and women equally use strong handshakes to establish respective degrees of authority and credibility. Though a firm grip gives out assertiveness, we can choose how people should think about us especially in business situations. West African countries like Mali kiss each other’s hand after their handshakes, while shaking hands is way of bargaining in Turkey.

Using fingers to communicate is innate in each one us from the time of origin of communication. No textbook teaches it, but everyone uses it effortlessly. The following discussion will warn us on how to be careful while wielding such non-verbal communicative practices. The thumbs up sign has become a part and parcel of our life propagated by leaders and sports champions. We see so much of it around us, that to say the truth, it has entered the domain of formal non-verbal communication. Though it generally sends out a signal of ‘Great!’ in some middle-east countries like Iraq, it is considered to be an insult. So think twice before you show it in a business meet. An equally significant gesture is the V sign.

In Asian countries like Korea the sign is used while posing for pictures while many other countries use as the popular victory sign. However, in UK, this symbol has derogatory connotations and is considered an insult. Using fingers to point someone even in a formal communication with no negative motives is considered rude. Using the hand with all fingers pointing to someone is accepted. So is using your index finger to call someone near – it is rude, but beckoning somebody with all your fingers grouped is fine.

Another popular symbol we use is the OK sign, made by rounding the thumb and index finger and spreading out the other three fingers. Though it means OK in many countries, in France, it means that the other person is worthless, while in Japan it means money. To show that somebody is crazy, we usually circle our index finger near our forehead. In Japan and other nearby countries, a counterclockwise movement shows that the person is stupid, but a clockwise movement means the person is extraordinarily smart. So, next time watch the way your fingers move.

Using your left hand to give something important can be a point of irritation for people from countries of the East. The right hand is mostly appropriate and the left hand is reserved for other purposes. Similarly, it is considered an insult to accept somebody’s business card and put it in the pocket in front of them. It may send signals that you actually don’t care. Put it in your wallet or an important file. Chewing gum and talking is looked down upon in some European countries. Blowing your nose in a handkerchief and putting it back into your pocket is considered mannerless. Use a paper tissue for such occasions.

Sticking to time is another tricky concern. They say you can set your watch by Swiss trains. However, this is an anti concept in a country like ours. Such cultural anomalies should be taken care of while dealing with international clients. In France, stick to your clock for a business lunch as the French take their food very seriously. To be late for lunch or dinner is to disrespect food in their perception. However, in certain other countries turning up too early may denote that you are greedy and may be looked at with suspicion. The American concept of ‘Time is money’ may be wise enough but in China or Korea, expressing impatience for a meeting to start can be dangerous.

In Germany, cars are matters of great pride. Even a minor scratch while parking can be taken very seriously. The French have a carefree attitude, but it all depends on the individual. The English believe it’s a slur on your host’s food if you don’t clear your plate. Whereas the Chinese feel that you are questioning the host’s generosity if you do the same. Table manners and etiquette are another territory of minesweeper game, where every movement has to be cautiously done. While silence during eating is appreciated in many Eastern countries, European countries find it embarrassing.

Paying compliments and greeting also have their own codes. While Americans say hello with a smile even to strangers, Koreans and Japanese find it redundant. To tell a lady she is looking round and healthy referring to her weight may be unwelcome in many countries. However, in African countries, referring to an increase in her weight is actually a compliment. It is best to be very cautious while discussing women in Arab countries.

Along with other intelligence quotients required for surviving the 21st century, cultural intelligence is an emerging but determining factor. It is clear that minor variations in speech rhythms, body language can cause mistrust and misunderstanding among crosscultural parties. As a final word of caution, the following points have to be kept in mind.

"Using your left hand to give something important can be a point of irritation for people from countries of the East. The right hand is mostly appropriate and the left hand is reserved for other purposes."

• Develop a culturally sensitive disposition
• Anticipate the meaning the receiver can decode
• Diligent encoding
• Avoid slangs, regionally flavoured speech habits
• Enhance listening and observational skills

To be a successful and strategic intercultural manager and to lead through communication, we must be open to new and different communicative experiences and also show empathy towards other cultures. We also need to develop a universalistic, realistic worldview and be tolerant of views that are different from our own. Our ability to change, to make adjustments in our communicative patterns and habits also give us the edge over others in intercultural communication.

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

Yellow was the color of the day, on July 10th 2014 the entire Jaitley clan arrived at the Parliament donning the astrologically relevant yellow hue in a hope to bring providence to their patriarch and the Finance Minister of the country Mr.Arun Jaitley. Presenting the maiden union budget, Mr. Jaitley also the Minister of Defense of the Union Cabinet of the 16th Lok Sabha laid the cornerstone by paving way for the ‘Achhe Din’ as promised by Modi and his benefactor. Carefully crafting the blueprint of India’s economic stride over the next four years the Union Budget 2014 is said to an attempt by the Modi Government to revive the otherwise dwindling economic status of the country.

Labeling it as a progressive budget, experts have opined that this maiden initiative by the Modi government is a step in the right direction. In his 128 minutes long speech Jaitley packaged promises to nab price rise, boost fiscal situation of the country, strengthen investor confidence, restore country’s growth back to 7 to 8 per cent and hack the expenditure by a considerable amount. Being an 18-lakh crore rupees, that is, 300 billion dollars budget, this budget would help the tax payers to save more on their income. Covering a wide spectrum of the society Jaitley had something for everyone. His host of proposals included both welfare formats and reformist policy measures. These promising proposals covered everyone – from senior citizens to young students and women folks and from foreign investors to the rural entrepreneurs and defense forces. The master plan of this budget also included measures and remedies to gain economic prudence, create more jobs, push FDI and stabilize the tax regime of the country. Prepared with a long term goal in mind the finance minister has promised to revive the national from its sluggish economic state.

Pro-youth promises

Being from the corporate sphere a b-school student happens to be the future mover and shaker of the business world. Being acquainted with the nitty-gritty of the Union budget should become an essential business habit. Keeping abreast with all the latest development, manipulations and tweaks announced during the budget will equip you to navigate through the business world in an efficient manner.

Mr. Jaitley sure had the youth of the nation on his mind while drafting his budget. Laden with long term academic promises and benefits for students, many experts call it a pro youth budget. From national level progammes to promote employment among the youth to newer educational infrastructure – the future for the youngsters in the country looks promising. There is something for everyone, as the promotion of vocation training and skilling is set to make the freshers job ready and equipped. For management students and aspirants there are multiple bonuses at various levels. So below are the pointers and promises relevant for a management/ business from the Union Budget 2014 in a gist:

• ‘Skill India’ - In an impressive attempt to boast the possibility of youth employment and curb the menace of unemployment, Mr. Jaitley declared the launch of a national level multi- skill programme known as ‘Skill India’. This programme stemmed from his effort to promote entrepreneurial skill and employment opportunities.

• Vocational training and skill promotion, especially for those from the rural sector, will allow the youth to start their own ventures. With a whopping 14389 crore rupees allocated for this programme, the idea behind Skill India is to bring vocational training held at a rural level at par with the higher education system. Along with this, a separate 100 crore is being allocated to initiate village entrepreneurship training schemes

• Digital India – a pan- India programme that furthers the promises made by Modi to bring about a digital revolution in the country. Starting with increased broadband connectivity across the country to enabling IT platforms – the programme will also introduce the concept of digital classrooms and online government services. With 100 crores set apart for virtual classrooms and 500 for National Rural Internet and Technology Mission, the country is gearing up for a massive wave of digital modernization. This initiative will allow citizens to access government services online. IT enabled plat forms with higher level of lucidity which will allow increased indigenous assembly of software and hardware for exporting purposes along with easy availability on a domestic level. E-Kranti scheme will enable government service delivery and governance scheme.
• 5 IIMs, 5 IITs and 4 AIIMs and many more - among the many other pro-youth announcements was Mr. Jaitley’s proposal to establish outstanding educational infrastructure. With 500 crore being allotted for this cause states like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab , Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra will have their own India Institute of Management(IIM). While Jammu, Goa, Chattisgarh, AP and Kerala will house Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

Within this promising proposal was the agenda of Young Leaders’ programme which in particular will be beneficial for management students and aspiring entrepreneurs.In the area of sport education, FM announced training units for sportsmen for Asian games and an all purpose Sports University at Manipur at the cost of 100 crore. For the students from the film fraternity a special status of recognition is promised for Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute. (SRFTI).

• Smart cities – taking forward the idea of digital development in the country, the Finance Minister announced the concept of Smart cities. A model smart city will include the usage of technology in all this workings – everything will be modern, digital and new-age. With the exodus of population from rural areas to urban set ups, the need for such cities are more now than ever. A solid sum of 7,060 crore rupees has been allotted for this project. With the Prime Minister aiming at setting up 100 smart cities, the idea is to modernize existing mid sized cities and develop satellite towns of larger cities along with it. With the rise of neo-middle class, these smart cities will be stocked and equipped to support a much better living standard.
• In the wake of increasing number of gory crimes against female, the government has come up with various effective schemes and programmes in an attempt to curb this menace and enlighten the masses. Being a cause that needs immediate attention, these proposals couldn’t have come at a better time. Mr. Jaitley announced 100 crore for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme, which will be aimed at the overall development of girl child. Ensuring more safety for the woman in the country, FM proposed the idea of Crisis Management Centre for woman. This cause will draw funds from the Nirbhaya Fund, which was started after the Delhi gang-rape case in 2012. A pilot scheme in ensure safety in public transport a separate fund of 50 crore us allotted.

• Apart from these prominent new additions the Finance Minister also made some promising proposals such as funds for airports in smaller cities, a huge chunk for better roads in rural areas and means to include sanitation facility in every household by 2019. Electronic goods are going to be cheaper from this on and buying toiletries such as soaps and oil will be easier on the pocket.

Corporate winners and losers

With this budget many crucial sectors in the country are set to witness their ‘achhe din’ as promised by Modi. According to various experts the budget targeted apt issues such as taxation. The major winners to gain from this budget are the finance sector, the insurance sector and realty. Many corporate giant such as ICICI Bank and HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation) will gain from the increase in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in the insurance sector. With the increase in tax exemption level the insurance sector will make profit. The real estate agencies and developers are also set to incur benefits with the announcement of 100 smart cities. This scheme will be beneficial even for the common man as properties prices will take a dip due to this new proposal. Housing finance companies will also share the benefit as rural housing plans will increase allocations. With a huge chunk of money set to be spent on roads with the ‘Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana’, the transportation sector and its players have also emerged as winners.

After every budget the sector that gets affected is the tobacco and alcohol industry, and this year was no exception. With the excise duty to increase on cigarettes, companies like ITC Ltd will face the brunt of it. Diamond and gold businesses will also suffer as less to no change in the import duty for silver and gold was announced.

The negatives

Though deemed as a positive and progressive Union Budget, there are few sections will that could have been considered, but weren’t. Environmentalists in particular feel that the budget was anti- environment as not enough funds is allocated for promoting renewable energy and recycling. Public transportation sector also took a hit and was almost completely ignored in Mr. Jaitley’s budget. It’s not just the environmental sector that feels ignored; the agriculture sector which is considered as of the key players of Indian economy was also ignored to a large extent. Educationist and students are complaining as well, as most of the funds from this sector are directed towards setting up for pioneer institutes such as the IIMs, IITs and AIIMs, hence ignoring students with average grades. They argue that while this scheme will cater to the outstanding students the average ones or the once with diverse career choices will be left out. Other concern that stemmed upon a thorough analysis of the Budget was the 200 crore allocation of funds for the Sardar Vallabhai Statue, experts opine that given the country’s sluggish economic condition this proposal could a waited a few more years. The introduction of Good and Service Tax also reeked in criticism for the Modi government. Being a fairly new concept in India, this proposal wasn’t received well by Indians who are still reeling from the shock caused by the inclusion of VAT (Value added Tax) the textile industry has taken a hit as well which would indirectly affect all the skilled labors and weavers. Inclusion of service tax for online advertising has also caused many fresher entrepreneurs to sulk.

Fun tidbits

• Apart from being a promising proposal, the Union Budget 2014 also happens to be a one-of-its-kind budgets’ due to its many firsts. The parliament experienced various interesting and fun nuances, here are few-
• Union Budget 2014 is the longest Union Budget so far. Trumping the budget of his predecessor ex Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s which was a 36 pages long proposal, Mr. Jaitley’s budget stretched upto 44 pages written using 16,299 words.
• Yellow being an astrologically auspicious colour and also the colour of Thursday, the day on the which the Budget was read – the entire family and Mr. Jaitley himself turned up to the parliament wearing yellow ensembles.
• For the first time in the history of Budget reading, a Finance Minister took a 5 minute break in between his 128 minutes speech. Owing his need for rest to physical exhaustion and his medical condition Mr. Jaitley proceeded to read the rest of his Budget while being seated.
• The most used word this maiden budget by the Modi regime was ‘development’ which was used 55 times followed by ‘infrastructure’ which was used 33 times.
• After Bollywood it was the turn of the center government to follow the ‘100 crore’ club trend. 29 schemes were allotted a whopping 100 crore in Mr. Jaitley’s budget.
• The 2014 Union Budget by the NDA government is the 84th budget to be presented in Independent India.

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

quoting the Chinese proverb “If you are thinking one year ahead, plant rice; if you are thinking 10 years ahead, plant trees; and if you are thinking 100 years ahead, educate the people,” Jayalalithaa said, “My government has done all three. I am committed to providing good governance now, in the years ahead, the decades to come and to implementing lasting reforms that generations will speak of.” – Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr. J Jayalalithaa – the idiom from the website www.jjayalalithaa.in resonate the brilliance, vision and passion of one of India’s most commendable and revolutionary leader. Proving her mettle and political genuineness, Tamil Nadu’s avant-garde chief a.k.a Amma made a clean sweep by winning 37 seats of 39 in the state in the Lok Sabha polls 2014. This is not the first time that her clever governance and schemes left the opposition scrambling for cover.

Holding the most important chair in the state, the actor turned politician has had quite a whirlwind romance with politics. A scholar, voracious reader, an eloquent orator and a gorgeous personality, Jayalalithaa Jayaram is the epitome of an idyllic leader. Building her brand over the decades, today Amma is India’s most quintessential politician. During her electoral regime in the state, Tamil Nadu has witnessed many firsts in terms of progress and achievements. With her varied array of schemes and branding techniques, Jayalalithaa has introduced the state to a new nature of modern politics – a feat that makes for a brilliant branding lesson for every management student and entrepreneurial aspirant.

Political connoisseurs all over the country have marveled at her governance strategy and at the élan with which she created a niche space, establishing herself as the mother of the masses.

To build a national level political brand cannot be done overnight or over one term at the office – such feat calls for persistent effort, heaps of commendable laurel, brilliant branding and marketing tactic along with people’s undivided loyalty.

Branding Brilliance

In a country like India where people are prone to changing political climate, Ms Jayalalithaa has monopolized the reins of one of India’s biggest and fastest developing state. Meticulously crafting her governance strategies as she bombarded the market with her brand has proclaimed her brilliance over and over again. From mineral water to eatery and from medicine to grocery stores now – brand Amma is slowly conquering the market. She started establishing her brand by standing up for the people and voicing strong opinions that made her relatable. By becoming the face of popular issues in the state she secured the trust of lower and upper middle class – thus securing a huge chunk for her vote bank. Over the course of her political career Ms. Jayalalithaa slowly changed the political narrative of Tamil Nadu by personally attaching herself to issues that mattered. The winning mantra of excellent branding started out when back in the nineties, she set out to clean her political slate and reinvent herself. This is the exact same strategy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi used during his canvassing course for Election 2014. Since then, her idea has been to keep it simple; her vision for the state is clean governance and complete welfare. Her vigorous image building strategy was a mega success. Every Tamilian today, for or against, rich or poor, literate or illiterate, young or old, knows about her governance style and is aware of her plan for the state and its progress. This feat was achieved by the CM and her party AIADMK (All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), a political party that she single-handled mans, by being extremely stern, vocal and transparent.

To start with Ms. Jayalalithaa’s canvassing style is nothing less than a carnival of freebies for the people of her state, with that she established herself as a provider. According to branding and marketing experts, a relatable and reliable brand is always easier to sell. Consumers connect and extend their loyalty if they can share the intentions of the marketer. Cashing in on this tactic, Jayalalithaa’s manifesto always included freebies for the downtrodden and folks of middle-class and below. Youngsters and students were promised free textbooks, laptops, bicycles and fixed deposit, while the poor got cattle, sheep, television, mixer grinder, solar powered homes and more. The products chosen as the manifesto giveaways were very cleverly handpicked. Jayalalithaa made her way into each and every house in the state by the means of these products as each product whether it was the TV or the laptop had her face permanently embossed on them. Not only that, every product was symbolic of the fact the under her governance, the needs of the people will be met. So much so that the CM even promised to take up the responsibility of all the girls from poor families in the state by pledging four grams of gold to each one of them. This move not only established her as an alpha member of every family in the state but also earned her undeterred loyalty. While the goodies took care of one section of the society, the rest was captivated by her conviction for success and excellence which she showcased by the means numerous schemes that promised growth in every sector, right from health to education.

Another testament of AIADMK Chief’s branding brilliance is her clever and extensive usage of various channels of media. On the occasion of her government’s first year anniversary, the entire nation woke up to her face magnificently printed on the front page of every possible newspaper daily.

While many branding gurus were on the edge over the effectiveness of this strategy, they did agree that it sure made an impact. The right means, words and channels of marketing can make or break a product. A whopping 25 crores was allotted for this massive publicity undertaking. With a catchy caption that read ‘One Year of Achievement. Hundred Years Leap Forward, it was made sure that the name and symbol of the party and its chief would be imprinted on every common man’s mind. Apart from newspapers, the entire city of Chennai as well as the state was decked up with hoarding, posters, pamphlets, and flags to commemorate this feat. By creating a celebratory environment, people of Tamil Nadu were left with a nostalgic and reassured feeling. With wide range of acquaintances and well wishers across the political spectrum, Amma reinstated people’s trust in her my getting these national politicos to vouch for her. This undertaking was one of country’s biggest and far-fetched advertising campaign. Few experts opined that though this nature and level of branding might not have had a positive impact on brand Amma, it definitely generated mass level awareness and therefore can be considered as a good enough branding achievement in itself. The advertising in general didn’t leave a politically meaningful impact, but it sure established the grandness and unfathomable presence of Brand Amma, her significance and the fact that she is a force to be reckoned with and is here for the long haul.

National presence and influence

When it comes to Tamil Nadu’s political market, Ms. Jayalalithaa controls the arena with a remote control of sorts and has the players of her party swaying to her tunes.

Being a fierce and intelligent leader that she is, Ms. Jayalalithaa has friends in the high places across the country. She has used these connections to voice her opinions and involvement in national level governance multiple times. Being a person of enormous self-confidence, steel determination and functioning knowledge of fundamental issues in her state, Amma has always been a defender of her people. Harping on the massive power and public accolade,she on several occasions has reaffirmed people’s trust in her by taking the issues, concerns and struggles of her people to the central government.

Among the various national level protests and concerns raised by Amma are her recent objection against the Sanskrit week, her disapproval over allowing FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) into our country’s retail segment, the protest against fuel price hike and many more. A detailed study into each of these protests reveals the involvement and clear vision that Jayalalithaa has for the people of her state and the country in general. For example, her vehement protest against opening Indian retail sector to FDI stems from the knowledge that this move will not only hamper the local businesses but will be neither enhance the efficiency of the market nor improve the state of inflation. In a constant bid to modernize the state and fulfill her pan India vision, Jayalalithaa’s government has always promoted Human Resource Development and the importance and relevance of Higher Education. The national level statistics have proved that these initiatives are a runaway success as Tamil Nadu ranked in the top slot in various education charts which also proves that the state in general has achieved the maximum growth in the education sector in the entire country.

Also, the state has 52 new colleges and the highest GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) aallotted for higher education alone. These political moves are an indicator to the fact the present AIADMK is truly a government of the masses.

It is not just the developmental subject that catches the CM’s attention. Taking cues from national incidents such as the Delhi gang-rape, she declared the initiation of a thirteen point action plan to prevent such gory acts of crime against women in the state. Along with implementing this action plan in Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa also opined and advised the center to amend the rules that concern the women folk of the country with the likes of the Goondas Act. She also requested for death penalty, non- bail able arrest and chemical castration. Within the state she placed an order of public surveillance by the means of CCTV (Close Circuit Television) to identify and arrest offenders and bullies.

Another issue that she raised on a national level with a direct appeal to the Prime Minister was the restoration of kerosene allotment in Tamil Nadu. Also, along with her opposition for Sanskrit week, the CM wrote to the PM to oppose the move made by the Central Government to increase the officially usage of Hindi. Recently, Ms. Jayalalithaa also raised an issue on the international matter of Visa denial to UN (United Nations) team probing the violation of human rights in Sri Lanka. Such initiatives and personal involvement by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has repeatedly reassured the people about her good intentions and has re-established a sense of warmth and protection.

For her people – schemes, initiatives and products

With various innovative products, schemes and initiatives flooding the market, the CM has initiated a new nature of branding. In her bid to take the relevance of Brand Amma within the state and among the people a notch higher, she and her government have undertaken various first-time and one-of-its-kind moves to captivate the people. Emerging as a solid and sustainable brand in the state, these schemes have improved the lifestyle of needy and downtrodden people. Being a runaway success these initiatives are another stellar testimony of CM’S maxim in governance. And as it was initially perceived, these projects under brand Amma aren’t just a branding tactic or a device for populism. The success of has proved that these products are effective intercessions to regulate cost of basic commodities and are tangible measures to improve the lifestyle of people. Here’s a sneak peak at the few products under banner Amma:

Amma Canteen: also known as Amma Unavagam, these eateries promise to tickle your taste buds at extremely pocket friendly prices. Idlis for Re. 1 and meals for two under Rs. 20, this initiative is a runaway success as branches have sprouted all over the state. It is the first initiative to be launched under the Amma banner

Amma Water: also known as Amma Kudineer. Available in bus stops, canteens and shops across the state, it is by far the cheapest drinking water as it is sold at Rs.10 per liter. These bottles are used as branding tools as each unit carries a sticker that reads ‘amma’ impeccably draped around it.

Amma salt: it is a recently launched product that is available in the market in three different variety. The idea behind this product is to meet the various health needs of the people from the weaker section.

Amma pharmacies: also known as Amma Marundagam. Medicines at these stores are available at subsidized rates to the public. The plan is to open 100 pharmacies across the state.

Amma school bags: these bags with Ms. Jayalalithaa’s photo embossed on it were distributed among the government schools students before the elections.

Amma theaters: set to be built on plots owned by Chennai Corporation, these theaters are sure to make entertainment possible and cheaper for people who can’t afford the expensive movie tickets earlier.

Amma Tea: still in its inception phase, this product is yet to be officially announced by the government. The tea is to be produced and packaged by TANTEA (Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation Limited) and is set to sold as ‘Amma Tea’.

Amma grocery: also known as Amma Amudam, this is one of the latest initiative ready to be launched by the Chief Minister. In a bid to strengthen the food and consumer sector in the state these outlets will sell household provisions and groceries.

Amma employment scheme: with a promise of Rs. 5000 as stipend during the six-months training period and Rs. 12000 salary afterwards, this scheme is an effort made by the CM to provide employment to the youth and to meet the need for human resource in the state. A promising 30 per cent of these seats have been reserved for women.

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

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BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

Let me instigate my column with few questions to make you ponder…Do you think the millennial woman today is more empowered than her foremothers? Coz she is either far more educated than her foremothers? Or Coz she is adding up numerous degrees next to her name? Or Coz she is a ‘Western Individualist’ and a ‘Western Feminist’ in her thoughts? Or Coz she is able to clone her male equivalent in every way possible?

Indian women in olden days were scholars not by mere education. Neither did they have many degrees tagged to their names. Still, they had attained reverence from kings and were involved in major ‘Decision Making’ in states and political affairs. The Medieval Indian women took to enormous struggles to have their mark in the workplace even before the 16th century. Despite the struggles that SHE was put through, many a women have found and carved their own path and left us all a mark that is unique and beguiling with a story behind each of such successes. They were Doctors, Physicians, Social Reformers, Cultural Reformers, Politicians, Business owners and the like. One common quality of all these highly luminous women is that they all have had that strong endurance and a unique individualism. None of those successful foremothers of ours set us an example by cloning their male equivalent! Rather, they did it by being distinctively individualistic and empowered!

For the Modern and the millennial woman, All I say in this write is ‘Empowerment’ is not given to you by somebody as postulated. You get empowered from within yourself! And the real empowerment is when you understand your capabilities and are able to take independent decisions. And this does not require big degrees at the back of your name. But what is required is your Strength and Endurance in overcoming the odds with calm demeanor and your Unique Individualism.

I`ve sectioned this piece of read into four: Ancient Woman – her inspiring and charismatic position she earned! Medieval Woman – her suffering and the subdued life of misery and subjugation to male dominance, Modern Woman – her struggles to fight between the paradoxes of ‘Can I’ or ‘Can I not..’ Millennial Woman – her emergence to win the position that she once owned several centuries ago!

Ancient Woman – Awe-inspiring Foremothers…

SHE is an awe inspiring foremother of ours. She was portrayed as goddess and were respected by men to high regard. Many a women were highly influential and powerful in the decree of state politics. Some women had uniquely positioned their brilliance in the skills of Administration, Politics, Economic and Arts & Culture. These women possessed and elucidated exemplary skills in Business strategies, making Business talks and Business relations, Growing Wealth and much more. She was audacious and clever in managing the home as well as affianced in the support to her male equivalent.

Medieval woman.. Misery in the Mellow!

SHE was in the ‘Black years’ for Indian women. This is the period which changed the whole ideology of the society towards women. The various invasions, conquests and the British rule resulted in the decline of the stature that our foremothers earned with revere. Women were treated as a sole property to be owned by the father, brother, husband or the son! This adversely affected her freedom, the individualism, and the endurance that SHE earlier possessed.

The native Indian men, in their quest to protect and shield their women resulted in subduing her to stay at home. All the new evil practices in the name of tradition, protection and societal concerns emanated from here. The men continued to enjoy the privilege of dominance bestowed on them. And this continues till this century! The medieval woman lost her strength, endurance and individualism which her foremothers had!

Inspite of all these challenges evolved eminent women like: Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, a medical practitioner, Social reformer, and the first woman legislator in India. Dr.Kadambini Ganguli, One of the first female physicians of south Asia to be trained in western medicine. Rukmini Devi Arundale, Theosophist, Dancer, Choreographer of the Indian Classical dance, also an activist for animal rights and welfare. They all feature in India Today`s list of ‘100 people who shaped India’. A closer look into these women`s success path shows us a clear message of their untarnished quality of a strong individualism that they possessed! They were respected, empowered and powerful. They enjoyed the position of immaculate respect and stature. Our foremothers naturally owned the spirit of absolute audaciousness, bravery, charismatically independent and the dignified poise to rule!

Modern woman..Can I or Can I Not?

SHE is in a transition phase of emancipating herself from the shackles of dominating and demanding men who try to subdue her in the name of societal dogmas. Her status is a kind of paradoxical. SHE left the secured domain of her home and is now in the battlefield of life/career, fully armored with her talent but fixed in a muddle of innumerable questions in her mind.

Can I do it ? What will the society think of me? Am I treated equal to my male equivalent? Am I doing away with values? Do I have the rights to dream of being independent? Ultimately, SHE has to prove really hard to get her dues which are yet to be paid!

Millennial woman.. Miracle in the Morrow!

SHE is a woman of Post 1990s with heaps of dreams that are as vivacious as she is! A woman who is all set to define the future business enterprises across the globe! A woman who is quick paced, hysterical and full of energy. The smart and savvy women of today – The Millennial woman have evolved to be in the success race steadfastly pursuing her dreams turned goals. Millennial woman is more practical and rational. Undeniably the women of today are more expressive and independent than women of all ages. On one side, SHE is at the peak of ladder of success, on the other hand she is mutely suffering the violence afflicted on her by her own family members and fellow brethren. As compared with past, women in modern times have achieved a lot but in reality they have to still travel a long way.

Going by what has been described of the millennial woman, it might give you an impression of a “Wonder Woman” indeed! Isn’t it? Nevertheless, she is a wonder woman who fights many pressures and odds in society, family and faces a lot more prejudices and strives to shine in glory. But in this process, SHE gets lost somewhere in the middle and get succumbed to the ideologies forced into her from the so called ‘Western + Civilization = Westernization’ of women! When we dig deeper to analyze what this ‘westernization’ has had on our Millennial Woman, it throws back on us a proliferating shock!

The shock of seeing our wonder woman losing her INDIVIDUALISM, EMPOWERMENT and ENDURANCE. As mentioned earlier, these three were the success formula and vital qualities of our Awe-inspiring foremothers!

Today, our millennial woman is willing to adopt principles from a world that once had been the cause for her misery today! The westernization she gets attracted to, is from a world that once looked at women as a mere object! How prodigious it would be if SHE could adopt the principles of our very own foremothers who had unrivaled respect and reverence among all men in the society and was so powerful in her thoughts and deeds!

Jus Ponder…for the millennial woman

Leaving a question for the Millennial woman to ponder.. Given a choice, which out of the 2 will you prefer? Either giving yourself to the so called ‘Modernized Individualism’ of the western world that disrespected SHE (or) Gaining your position in the society as like our foremothers who earned reverence for themselves through their distinctive individualism?

Choice is yours… If you are willing to anchor in you, these 3 vital SHE Powers – Empowerment, Endurance and Distinctive Individualism, undoubte dly the future of corporate strides will be in your hands! You can/will rule over the corporate world as a real WONDER WOMAN..the Millennial Woman

First Break the Rules! Get the SHE Power!

Consciously make effort to stay away from cloning your male equivalent in every possible way so that you don’t end up losing your very vital woman individuality!

Must imitate our foremothers rather than imitating the western model of individualism!

Need to understand that empowerment is not given, and it is all within you. You must be empowered to take decision on all concerns, be it your education, family or career. And get to know what you really want in life.

Engrain in you the strength and endurance of our foremothers. Be strong willed to pursue your dream with no compromise.

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

In my schooling and formative years were in the Madras Christian College High School 10th Standard, in the year 1963 I started my first commercial venture by starting a small quarterly magazine called STUDENT and with the help of my Head Master sold the copies to my peers at the rate of 25 paise per copy. From a modest 150 copies, out of which only 25 copies were sold initially, I increased the volume of sales by innovative marketing. I numbered the copies and planned a lucky dip where the students were given a prize when the number of their book was drawn. I then organised these prizes with the help of the classmates, who were asked to bring any used articles from their homes. Slowly the sales swelled to 300 copies. He raised the price to 50 paise. The volumes slowly increased to above 600 copies & the net profit per quarter came to around Rs. 300.

I was good in photography and with the help of a Roliflex Camera bought by my father, in 11th Standard, I stood 6th in a Photography World Championship and won his first medal.

In NCC, I perfected my shooting and became a state shooter. While in the Guindy Engineering College, Chennai, from the 3rd year onwards, I took marriage photographs, during spare time and earned money for my personal expenses.

I learnt the art of motor bike servicing by watching my mechanic repairing the 350 C.C Jawa (czheckoslavakia) Mobike purchased by my father, for his use.

I started servicing the motor bikes of my College mates at half the cost charged by the mechanic, during the evenings.

I was good in opening locks using hairpins etc. which also helped me to augment my earnings, when any of the hosteliers lost their room key.

Along with his classmates I started a small cigarette and candy shop, in my hostel room to cater to the college students. By the end of college, I had saved a large sum of Rs. 9,000/-

I was the first Engineering graduate in my family.

Instead of joining my family business of spinning mills, Oil Mills, Pawn Broking and Rubber Estates in Malaysia, I started as an entrepreneur manufacturing plastic Injection molding components for Vijay Iron boxes & Murphy Radio. Unfortunately, due to market recession, I lost all my savings.

Then, I joined my father’s Pawn Broking business, in Keeranur (Near Trichy) where I became adept at the “Chettiar system of Accounting, ” which was then recognized by the Britishers.

Later for 1 year, I worked in my father’s Rubber Plantation and also indulged in Currency Trading.

When I returned to India, I joined my father’s spinning mill of 50,000 spindles in Andhra Pradesh as a trainee Engineer and during his 2 years tenure, he increased the efficiency and profitability of the Mill by increasing the count of yarn, innovatively.

When my father proposed to construct Abirami Theatres, I shifted to Chennai and worked as a Site Engineer. Meanwhile, during my spare time I indulged in cheque purchasing mobilized deposits for banks for a commission, manufactured human weighing machines & running them to augment his savings.

I later stepped into the movie business that is buying and selling of Tamil, English & Hindi movies.

This interest was kindled since I acted as a child artist, at the age of 10 years in a short film called “Chacha Nehru,” in the year 1957. The actors in the movie were Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Subramaniam, Kakkan, Vyjayanthimala Bali, Kamaraj etc. I have taken 3 movies in Tamil and a T.V. Serial.

Regarding Philantropy, after my marriage with Nallammai, in 1992 on our way to Mahabalipuram, near Neelankarai, we found a municipal school, where children were studying under a tree. Nallammai was distraught and requested me to construct a classroom for them. We spent Rs. 35,000/- and built a classroom for the children.

Nallammai and me travel abroad extensively and pick up ideas, innovate them to suit Indian conditions & Implement them like DTS etc. etc.

In 1966 I was the Student Congress Treasurer for Chennai City. When I stepped into business, I wanted to move away from Politics. But, my father advised me to maintain good relationship and friendship with all politicians, which will also help me in facilitating my business.

In the Entertainment field, always innovate technology, keep changing, and offer something new and attractive every six months. Keep the public interested. This will deter competition.

The Cinema Industry is an industry where once one enters, he can never leave.

“The Involved have to “Worry daily to erase the worries of those who go to them.”

Increase employment and economy of the state congruent to the state government’s policies.

Work hard honestly and sincerely. Distribute the profits as shown below:-

25% -to be invested in business, 25% - for Children, 25% -for Old age, 25% -for Charity

1. From an engineering student to a renowned Businessman and philanthropist today – how and when did your journey begin?
2. As a businessman, you have introduced various first-time innovations in your ventures- what inspired such forward and advanced business strategies?
3. Being the recipient of the prestigious ‘Kalaimamani’ title by the Government of Tamil Nadu, tell us about your experience of working so closely with the government?
4. Given the present economic condition, sustaining a successful business in the market, consistently is difficult. How do you manage to do so?

1. Time Management.
2. Expertise in delegating works.
3. Follow the Natural law of Justice/ Survival of the fittest.
4. Save for the lean period.
5. Maintain Integrity / honesty / Public faith.
6. Economies of Scale – Huge volumes with quality/ less profit.
7. Be cost-effective.
8. Brand building / faith in the business.
9. Do not expect to become a great Industrialist overnight – If you can, I can.
10. Whatever happens, it is all for the good.

1. With various multiplexes and business flooding the south Indian market, how do you handle and perceive competition so well?
2. What is your vision for your business and for our state’s overall development in general?
3. What is your advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and youngsters who want to follow in your footsteps?

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

ICRA sees housing credit growth at

20% Rating agency ICRA sees credit from housing finance companies (HFCs) continuing to grow at an average of 20 per cent for the current financial year and picking up pace thereafter. HFCs will not have to lower their interest rates to attain that growth rate as demand for housing loans is expected to remain robust over the next few years, ICRA notes. The agency estimates that HFCs will require Rs 80,000 crore over the next five years to grow at over 20 per cent. Of this, Rs 55,000 crore will come from internal accruals.

Indian banks stare at gradual recovery

A revival of the country’s banking industry is likely to be gradual, according to a report published by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P). The rating agency foresees growth in stressed assets receding in the next two to four quarters. Any material improvement in asset quality will lag economic recovery, corporate deleveraging, decisive steps to alleviate problem of stressed sectors and some respite on interest rates, the report adds.

Insurers get flexibility in annuity returns

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) has allowed life insurance companies flexibility to offer variable returns in immediate annuity plans. Life insurance companies will have flexibility to vary annuity rates in the range of -10 percent and +10 per cent of the approved annuity rates without taking prior approval of the regulator, provided the change is due to changing interest rate scenario, notes an IRDA circular.

For a variation of more than 10 per cent in annuity rates, life insurers will have to seek approval of the IRDA before selling the product.

Allahabad Bank bullish on gold loans

Kolkata-based Allahabad Bank is planning to roll out its gold loan scheme nationally. Currently, the scheme is operational in four southern States of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and in Kolkata. The western and northern parts of the country are next on the bank’s radar. Allahabad Bank will sanction a maximum of Rs 5 lakh as loan against gold jewellery with an annual interest of 12.5 per cent. The bank’s gold loan accounts for about Rs 200 crore of its retail loan portfolio of around Rs 19,000 crore.

Magma HDI to launch prepaid health card

Magma HDI General Insurance is planning to introduce a prepaid card that will facilitate payments at outpatient departments and day-care facilities of hospitals. The card will be used like any other debit or credit card but only in hospitals. The prepaid health card will be linked to the company’s upcoming health insurance products in individual, family and group categories. The amount of cash equivalent in the card will be based on the policy value of the user. Kolkatabased Magma HDI is a 74:26 joint venture between Magma Fincorp and HDI Gerling of Germany.

RBI eases norms for overseas investment

The RBI has eased foreign investment rules to attract funds for local ventures. The banking regulator has decided to recognise partly-paid equity shares and warrants issued by local companies as eligible instruments for the purpose of FDI and FPI.

Equity shares and compulsorily and mandatorily convertible preference shares or debentures, containing an optionality clause but without right to exit at an assured price, have also been recognised as FDI-compliant instruments.

New broadband licence for cable TV operators

The government is planning to introduce a new category of licence that will enable cable TV players and DTH operators to offer broadband services in the country. To be called cable TV internet service provider (ISP) licence, it will be a part of a new broadband policy being formulated by the Telecommunication Ministry. Under the existing policy, operators with either a unified licence or an ISP licence are allowed to offer broadband services.

But have to operate as franchisees of telecom companies, and this has not found many takers.

Govt eases norms for industrial licence

The government has extended validity period of an industrial licence to three years from two years. The provision, which will enhance ease of doing business, can be extended for two more years. The licence will, however, lapse automatically after five years in the absence of commencement of commercial production.

Applicants fulfilling prescribed requirements can be granted an extension of industrial licence with the approval of a joint secretary of the administrative ministry concerned without referring the application to a licensing committee

Overseas SEZs on the cards to tap inputs

The government has proposed to set up special economic zones (SEZs) for the Indian chemical industry in Myanmar and Iran. Calling the concept reverse SEZs, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar has stressed that facilitating Indian companies to set up manufacturing facilities in such zones abroad, where raw material is available in abundance, makes immense sense. Mr Kumar has added that he will be engaging with finance and external affairs ministers in mooting the idea of SEZs in other countries and formalising a concrete plan before reaching out to Myanmar and Iran.

SEBI extends time for standardised DIS

The SEBI has extended the timeline for standardising delivery instruction slips (DIS) from July 7 to October 1. The deadline was deferred owing to difficulties expressed by depositories and depository participants (DPs) in standardising the slips in the limited time. A DIS is used to transfer shares to a buyer’s demat account when a owner sells shares on a stock exchange platform or transfers shares to another demat account through offmarket route.

The market regulator has clarified that DPs should not accept old DIS for execution from a seller who has been issued new DIS.

Mobile no., email ID in I-T return forms

Taxpayers filing their income tax (I-T) returns this year will have to share their email IDs and mobile phone numbers with the tax department. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the administrative authority of the I-T department, has introduced a new column in the I-T return forms, asking for filers’ personal email ID and mobile number so that direct communication with taxpayer can be possible.

The department has added that one mobile number or email ID can be used for a maximum of 10 user accounts as the primary contact point

NABARD mulls NBFC to aid farmers

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is considering setting up a wholly owned non-banking finance company (NBFC). The move is aimed at complementing the efforts of the apex development bank to form and scale up farmer producer organisations (FPOs) under the aegis of the Producers Organisation Development Fund, which was set up in 2011.

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE

1. Your B-school has accomplished various impressive benchmarks in terms of business education; please tell us a little more about you and your college.

Our vision was to give a global management education and we have been successful in doing that. One of the key elements of the institution is to provide practical exposure and value based education and we have been successful in imparting that.

2. According to you, how is studying a Management course more beneficial for an aspiring entrepreneur/manager than studying than studying as ordinary Masters in commerce?

Management education can give all round exposure in Finance, Healthcare, International Business, Media & Communication, Marketing, HR, Systems and Operations while in commerce it is confined to fewer topics. To gain overall confidence to run a business management course would be preferred.

3. MBA is fast becoming a hot favorite among youngsters in the country. Unlike before, when professional degrees such as engineering and medical were given preference. What’s your take on this?

MBA holders have been taken into very high positions and climbing the corporate ladder is much easier with a management degree and lot of MNCs around offer attractive pay packages. It is not a wonder that youngsters consider it as a favorite.

1. How can MBA help both a corporate job-seeker as well as an aspiring entrepreneur?

In both cases a manager needs to understand a holistic picture of the business and provide solutions and a proper MBA degree can ensure success in both situations. Many institutions like ours have a simulation game to be running a business virtually as part of the curriculum. Such exposures can ensure that the entrepreneur skills of the students are tuned.

2. For students who aren’t particularly interested in MBA, but are looking for a more specific management course, what are the other options available?

Course like Master of International business or any MBA can give focused specialization on any area like current social media management, health care, information technology, or any such areas. Rest may be diploma or certificate courses that can give them added skills

3. Does your college offer distance learning? If yes, what are the prospects when compared to a full-time course?

Right now we are not offering, may in future we may consider

4. At the moment, which are the top five field of management expertise?

Finance, Healthcare, International Business, Media & Communication, Marketing, HR, Systems, Operations and Environmental management

5. In the corporate world, is an international perspective more essential than a localized knowledge of the national market?

Most certainly it is inevitable that one has to be aware of the international perspective in any business. Today the international products from phones to cars and television have touched every segment in the country. To run any business or be a successful manager, it is important to know international aspects from the day one

1. How important is it for business students to keep themselves abreast with the present economical and political situation of the country?

Every day political and economical situation fluctuates and brings about lot of changes so it is very important the students keep themselves updated about the situations around

2. Given how expensive it can be to study in a B-school, what is your suggestion for students who want to study but can't completely afford the cost?

Plenty of scholarships being offered by every Institution these days. They can try to avail scholarship considering it as an investment and education loan is another option

3. What edge does a student studying in your college have over a student studying overseas?

We have the best practice of east and west methodologies. Whereas the west is only exposed to western practices. Here we expose them to local and global practices. They are constantly exposed to achievers in business, great entrepreneurs such inter action brings out lot of inspiration to the students. We also have additional value added courses like 6sigma, additional languages etc. They go on industrial visit and learn a lot practically and internships are offered.

1. What kind of professional development activities, such as educational excursion, on-site experience, practical interaction with top honchos are your students exposed to?

They go on industrial visit and learn a lot practically and internships are offered.

2. As a B-school mentor, how do you prepare you students to face the competitive entrance procedures and the corporate world in general?

They are constantly exposed to case studies from corporate, mock interview conducted by real HR from the industry and individualized training in communication and aptitude ensures competitive advantage to our students

3. When and how can a student apply to study in your B-school, what are the eligibly and qualification criteria?

We can apply from Sep till May. Any recognized degree with minimum of 50%.

4. Apart from academic scores, what are the qualities you look for in a prospective student?

The attitude and the fire to succeed

5. What is the latest trend in B-school education?

Need to have more collaborative and non structured systems of learning to meet current corporate scenario. Newer challenges like ethics in business has given a new awakening to look at grooming managers differently and growth in technology demands understanding of cutting edge technology for example social media etc into the curriculum

1. With India housing brilliant b-schools which are now in-par with international standards, how do you forecast the future of management studies?

On a global level India will be one of the few countries left with skilled and trained human resources for various jobs and management professionals are not an exception. We are at a time to _____ to global market and having international standards in our B School will ensure bright future for the students

2. Do you have any additional information that you would like to share?

Many of our students are internationally placed. We are providing global platform for students.

3. Any words of inspiration or advice for students aspiring to study in your college - the future managers and entrepreneurs?

Small AIM is crime - Dr. APJ Kalam. Regardless of the circumstances one can definitely overcome any possibilities to achieve their dreams. Not working to one's full potential is a crime as Dr.Kalam said.

If you are an inquisitive student or even a fresher into the world of management what is most likely these days to catch your attention when you are surfing the channels or the Internet? Of course it all depends on your interests but it is unlikely that you would watch a program for any length of time unless it is presented in a breezy and informal style. Just information will put you sleep within a blink of an eye. It better is presented in an interesting manner. Veteran managers who have attended dozens of conferences and seminars will remember how they used to line up in their seat behind the man in front to escape getting caught sleeping when the speaker at the podium is droning on and on. A man speaking out of personal experience has the edge over an academician. If the speech is laced with humour and full of anecdotes it is bound to stay fresh in your mind even years later.

In their desire to increase viewership we find that Radio and TV programmers have deliberately dumbed down their shows. This is done so that they can cater to even the most intellectually challenged viewer. To further ensure that the viewer does not tune out most programming has shifted to the vernacular. With the world shrinking to become one global village communication becomes the key to success. Many viewers commented that it was refreshing to hear good spoken English. The shows are not scripted nor based on the typical question and answer format so spontaneity and informality is its hallmark.Students may find just listening to the spirited and often humorous conversations stimulating.

Hindi programming has a larger reach than regional languages, but nothing can quite beat the reach of English programs. It goes beyond state and National borders. It can reach your ideas to the whole world. Terrestrial and Satellite TV in India have hundreds of rules and regulations and when the rules insist that programs be politically correct, they can become very boring. The shows feature a wide selection of professionals and laymen talking about his/her work and life experiences and the viewer will find himself entertained and educated at the same time. RUMBLE is the kind of program that falls into the category of Infotainment.

But with TRP’s ruling the roost which media manager would risk out of the box programming? Where are English language programs going to come from?

Two people from Chennai decided to do something about it and are producing English talk shows that go beyond political headlines, Superstars and Filmfare awards. One was Suresh Menon, a post-graduate in aeronautics from IIT-Madras who runs a video production house called Sushma Multimedia. The other was Madhav Das, a former Ship Master and music company executive turned consultant to all and sundry.

Data showed that the bulk of talk shows were in regional languages but their own research told them that there was a huge unmet demand for talk shows in English. To top it all, people from South India were hardly ever featured by the so-called National channels based out of Mumbai and New Delhi. This has resulted in the same professional analysts and faces being seen on TV. It was as if the vast population of the country had nothing insightful to say and that their experiences were not valuable.

They decided to create video content that would also appeal to mature viewers living abroad. Whatever was being seen and heard about India was produced by foreign networks and they looked at us differently. They often missed our unique and often idiosyncratic take on life. But when Suresh and Madhav approached TV channels they came up against a brick wall. Sadly every channel laughed them and their concept out of their air-conditioned corporate offices saying that there was no audience for English programming. Some even said that the audience for the shows would be limited to just the producers themselves!

In spite of such negativity these two were not convinced. After countless cups of coffee and discussions that went late into the night they finally decided to take the plunge and produce the shows themselves. They concluded that if no one would come forward to produce the show they would have to put their money where their mouth was.

"They soon realized that they only needed to identify persons with good domain knowledge and a sense of humour to be able to make interesting talk shows."

Fortunately the world-wide-web gave them an alternative method of delivery. It is free from routine censorship and there is no big brother watching over you. They knew that revenue generation would be a problem but decided to worry about that later. Sushma Multimedia was already a leading producer of documentaries, corporate films, ad films and feature films so cameras, lights, shooting spaces, editing facilities and quality manpower were already available in-house.

They decided to create content by interviewing people who have made a mark in some way. Madhav Das became the host/presenter while Suresh Menon handled the production. They soon realized that they only needed to identify persons with good domain knowledge and a sense of humour to be able to make interesting talk shows. To their great joy they found that there were literally hundreds of both savvy and articulate people out there. Every one of them were eager to share their experiences and in their own way had many startling insights to offer. Once they opened up under some gentle but persistent prodding on RUMBLE most of them turned out to be storehouses of sometimes even esoteric knowledge.

Take Rekhs for example. She is into subtitling Kollywood films in English for an international audience. One would imagine that her experience would not be of any interest to the average student but it turned out to be a fascinating talk. When she turned up at the studios she said that she was normally tongue tied but that she would try. She claimed to be uncomfortable talking on camera but at the end of the session, confessed that she had no idea that she had talked for a solid half hour. She has revolutionary ideas on how to take Indian cinema to the world. According to her the world is just waiting to see our way of film making which mixes high voltage drama and deep emotions.

Prof. Visweswaran, a mathematics professor whose classes after lunch to a bunch of engineering students would have been nothing more than lullabies, turned out to be a massive godown of ideas, innovations and practical, workable suggestions. Listening to him is better than a business management course.

It would do India’s education system tons of good, even if this man was somewhere on the periphery of the decision making bodies.

Research did not pose a problem, as the interviews perforce became research sessions on the fly. The person interviewed explained their concepts in simple language. Each person had become an expert in his own field through personal experience. This ensured that no one was left mystified or talked down to. The producers have an open mind so no topic was considered taboo. The interviewing is more like light-hearted banter as the intention is to keep the lay listener glued to the screen. A show on a larger format is now under consideration.

It was decided to title these short interviews as RUMBLE taking the word from the song ‘Rumble in the Jungle’; a song that commemorated the famous bout between Mohammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire.

From the outset it was decided that RUMBLE should focus more on what people had to say and not on their celebrity status. Thus the first person they experimented with was Rana Bubber. He was a Punjabi born in Lahore in pre-partition days who found himself in Chennai experimenting with various kinds of jobs and ventures to keep his body and soul together. He is presently involved in the real estate business. During this first episode of RUMBLE he opined that only the lady of the family/house should be given ownership in Government sponsored low cost housing as he felt that such a move would spell security for women even against abusive male members of her own family.

The power of the Internet was brought home powerfully by the fact that within minutes of the interview being uploaded on Youtube, Suresh Menon received a message and then a call from an organization in the USA called FEMOCRACY. They requested permission to reproduce and share the program with other like-minded organizations. It seems they were impressed with what was discussed on the show! After that there was no looking back.

"The power of the Internet was brought home powerfully by the fact that within minutes of the interview being uploaded on Youtube"

Since then, RUMBLE has featured many interesting men and women of all ages. A dedicated website is under development. They had been fore warned by well-wishers that only interviews with film stars would get viewership but their experience told them shown something completely different.

When asked what set the show apart from other talk based shows each had their own reasons. Devan Ekambaram who is a well-known playback singer and musician who grew up in the US and now living in Chennai said, “I like the easy format. I could talk to the host on a variety of subjects and not just on music. The fact that the host is a widely traveled man made it a pleasure.”

Vinod Daniel an Australian of Indian descent shuttles between India and Australia and is into heritage conservation. During his interview he hoped that his passion would rub off on the common man in India. He thinks heritage conservation offers huge employment opportunities in India where not much importance is given to ancient monuments.

Dr Raj B. Singh talked about the vastly changed healthcare scene in Tamil Nadu. He reminisced about the time when he used to run a clinic in Kancheepuram district to deal with pulmonary diseases. He says, “With improved care in the districts I finally had to close the clinic. Nobody needed it” Has anybody recognized the huge changes in rural India?

Writer and novelist Vibha Batra wondered aloud about her spiritual connect with Chennai. She did not feel it surprising even though she was born and brought up in Calcutta. She finds publishing houses in Chennai very welcoming to new authors.

Some of the participants like Sudarshan rued the fact that he did not pay more attention to spoken English when in school, but after the interview vowed to master it. “My experience on RUMBLE has convinced me that I must speak English better. I am into controlling piracy on the Internet and good communications is vital in my line of work.”

A sampling of people who have featured on RUMBLE shows an interesting mix. Programs have featured Teachers, Professors, Playback singers, Lawyers, businessmen, Short-film makers, doctors, Psychologists, Musicians, IT professionals, Educationists, Social Media Marketers, Tax Planners, Authors, Racing car drivers, craftsmen, air-hostesses, Event Managers, politicians, photographers, perfumers, designers, students, actresses and many more. Rotarians and Free Masons involved in philanthropy have appeared on the show to discuss their passions.

The program has recently completed its 90th episode and will crack a century soon. It welcomes anybody who has an interesting tale to tell. Suresh Menon and Madhav Das hope that RUMBLE will continue to attract anyone with a curious mind.

The show can be accessed online at www.rumblewithmadhav.com or at the YouTube channel at

BUDDING MANAGERS
AUGUST 2014 ISSUE