This was exactly the question asked in cover story of DARE (a leading Indian business magazine) in its Aug 2008 edition. Responses were invited in form of essays and the contest was thrown open to all. The two best analyses get Blackberry. I never had a Blackberry before and was excited when I got one. The two best analysis, one of which is mine, can be read on the following link.
http://www.dare.co.in/announcements/contest/analyses-on-who-will-be-the-next-manufacturing-superpower-that-won-blackberry-bold.htm
A crucial point to be noted is that the essay is about 'Manufacturing' superpower not 'Economic' superpower. A manufacturing power does not necessarily mean economic power too.
Readers are invited to post their views.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
How Satyam CEO went astray?
Satyam scandal shocked the corporate India. Many could not believe that a person like Ram Linga Raju did this. How could a shy and quiet person known for his rural initiatives and philantrophy succumbed to commit a fraud? Lets look at the issue with some compassion. He did not commit this fraud to amass immense wealth. Did he love his company so much, that he could not bear to see it ruined. Or did he succumbed to pressure from shareholders?
In any case, the question is back to ethics. At IE business school, we had one session on ethics and leadership which delved on how leaders go astray? How the surroundings affect them that they loose the ability to seperate wrong from right. Its good to know what factors cause derailment, but is selfawareness enough to prevent the leaders from making such mistakes. I doubt it. What is that one thing that can guide the executive in toughest of times? What can ensure ethics in face of severe dilemnas?
'Spirituality is the soul of ethics'. If that is true, which I do believe is true, then can spirituality help our leaders? I can hardly contemplate any spiritual person making such frauds? Should spirituality be made an integral part of any management training course?
In any case, the question is back to ethics. At IE business school, we had one session on ethics and leadership which delved on how leaders go astray? How the surroundings affect them that they loose the ability to seperate wrong from right. Its good to know what factors cause derailment, but is selfawareness enough to prevent the leaders from making such mistakes. I doubt it. What is that one thing that can guide the executive in toughest of times? What can ensure ethics in face of severe dilemnas?
'Spirituality is the soul of ethics'. If that is true, which I do believe is true, then can spirituality help our leaders? I can hardly contemplate any spiritual person making such frauds? Should spirituality be made an integral part of any management training course?
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Equity or Equality
A unionised environment poses a typical challenge to manager to strike a balance between equity and equality.
Equity : Treating everyone according to what they deserve.
Equality: Treating everyone same, without accounting for individual merit.
If a manager appreciates high performers, others see it as favouritism and oppose the move.
If manager treats everyone equally, the high performers get no motivation to perform well and may reduce their performance to the level of others.
So what does a manager do?
From my experience, equality is an easy way out, there will be no discontent, everyone is happy and performing at same (lower) level. On the other hand, practicing equity is lot more challenging, but yields higher performance.
Undoubtedly practicing equity is good, but its a tight rope walk for any manager in a highly unionised environment.
Equity : Treating everyone according to what they deserve.
Equality: Treating everyone same, without accounting for individual merit.
If a manager appreciates high performers, others see it as favouritism and oppose the move.
If manager treats everyone equally, the high performers get no motivation to perform well and may reduce their performance to the level of others.
So what does a manager do?
From my experience, equality is an easy way out, there will be no discontent, everyone is happy and performing at same (lower) level. On the other hand, practicing equity is lot more challenging, but yields higher performance.
Undoubtedly practicing equity is good, but its a tight rope walk for any manager in a highly unionised environment.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Spirituality in Management
During the advanced course of Art of Living at Bangalore Ashram, I met a person who had founded a small service company in Chennai. He had made everyone in his staff, do the Art of Living basic course and noticed a marked improvement in productivity and sales. I was surprised after hearing that.
In MBA at IE, as we discussed the challenges of implementing multi-teams and shared-leadership in an organisation, I was reminded of the words of that person. Many big companies in India, are motivating people to join spiritual courses and yoga. Spirituality should not be confused with religion. MIT Sloan research mentions benefits of a spiritual workforce. A spiritual workforce does not resist changes, is cooperative, happy and performs well in turbulent times. American companies are showing increasing interest in integrating spirituality into management. But is spirituality just another fad or has deeper roots, is left to be seen.
In MBA at IE, as we discussed the challenges of implementing multi-teams and shared-leadership in an organisation, I was reminded of the words of that person. Many big companies in India, are motivating people to join spiritual courses and yoga. Spirituality should not be confused with religion. MIT Sloan research mentions benefits of a spiritual workforce. A spiritual workforce does not resist changes, is cooperative, happy and performs well in turbulent times. American companies are showing increasing interest in integrating spirituality into management. But is spirituality just another fad or has deeper roots, is left to be seen.
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