Sunday, March 18, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
The S.O.A.P Principle of new age competition
The traditional Business principles were to differentiate, compete, think globally and innovate. To do things right, focus on customers and have a great management with all its complexities and hierarchies. But the new WMC wave is proving those traditional thoughts as a passe now. The new age business should run on 4 important principles fuelled by which it is making deep impact and threatening to change the entire structure and modus operandi of the corporations and economy. I term it as the S.O.A.P principle maybe because i come from that IT background :) These competitive principles are:
1) Sharing
2) Openness
3) Act Globally
4) Peering
Sharing is what copyleft is and copyright isn't. Its the opposite of vaulting and treasuring information and knowledge and let it feed and grow on other minds available outside. Today sharing is not just restricted to intellectual property but has extended to bandwidth, processing power etc. too which in true sense is what we can call utilisation for overall social welfare.
Openness here talks about transparency, freedom, flexibility, access etc. in a much more broader and true sense than the ones prevalent in today's organisation when one says that "we are an open organization!" / "We have an open door policy / culture.." A basic underlying distinction between the two is the power to self-organize (the seed of disruptive creativity) and undeterred thought exchange. Infact even the traditional firms have been compelled to take a few steps towards this openness by opening up to their value chain partners atleast for supply chain efficiencies.
Act globally (not just think!) is what Friedman brings out in his book. 'The World is Flat'. Monitor international happenings and changes, source all your resources globally, manage assets across cultures and boundaries.
Peering here means a community of equals and breaks the hard coded tenet of hierarchies. Peering means giving each and everyone a common platform. It is difficult to imagine a firm without any hierarchy, hierarchy has become synonymous with order! We create hierarchies and then the management gurus sit and ponder how to get people equally involved, creative and to contribute productively. The Gurus then give management styles that would then foster participation within existing hierarchies whereas hierarchies inherently deter the same. Peering is pure play participation, participation for various reasons like fun, challenge, altruism. Peering might need a structure but its not command-control hierarchy.
So the question a firm should ask itself today is, "Are we using the S.O.A.P daily?" :)
1) Sharing
2) Openness
3) Act Globally
4) Peering
Sharing is what copyleft is and copyright isn't. Its the opposite of vaulting and treasuring information and knowledge and let it feed and grow on other minds available outside. Today sharing is not just restricted to intellectual property but has extended to bandwidth, processing power etc. too which in true sense is what we can call utilisation for overall social welfare.
Openness here talks about transparency, freedom, flexibility, access etc. in a much more broader and true sense than the ones prevalent in today's organisation when one says that "we are an open organization!" / "We have an open door policy / culture.." A basic underlying distinction between the two is the power to self-organize (the seed of disruptive creativity) and undeterred thought exchange. Infact even the traditional firms have been compelled to take a few steps towards this openness by opening up to their value chain partners atleast for supply chain efficiencies.
Act globally (not just think!) is what Friedman brings out in his book. 'The World is Flat'. Monitor international happenings and changes, source all your resources globally, manage assets across cultures and boundaries.
Peering here means a community of equals and breaks the hard coded tenet of hierarchies. Peering means giving each and everyone a common platform. It is difficult to imagine a firm without any hierarchy, hierarchy has become synonymous with order! We create hierarchies and then the management gurus sit and ponder how to get people equally involved, creative and to contribute productively. The Gurus then give management styles that would then foster participation within existing hierarchies whereas hierarchies inherently deter the same. Peering is pure play participation, participation for various reasons like fun, challenge, altruism. Peering might need a structure but its not command-control hierarchy.
So the question a firm should ask itself today is, "Are we using the S.O.A.P daily?" :)
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Worm's Eye View
Read a document at MIT's website in the morning it had a Sr. Executive of World Bank describing their illusionary yet evolutionary (or may be in the reverse order) efforts for human welfare. He remarked that when they started off with the welfare thing they thought 'education' for all was the right answer to bring that much needed growth at the bottom of the pyramid... then they pondered upon exploding population vs much lagging capacity so then they focused on 'population control'... then they queried that government policies hinder growth and they pumped 'loan' money into their economy... then when they found that governments cant repay them they then introduced a policy of 'Loan amnesty'!
It rightly went on to point out that the approach till now has had a skewed point of view at the bottom. It looked at poverty in a top-down way symbolic to a bird’s eye view dealing with the lives of worms as if the poor is a target, not a resource. They felt that better life is something that needs to be provided to the people down there. All the time they forgot that traditionally wealthy societies were built bottoms up by empowerment from below. It occurred when the poor started contributing to the economy and thus earning their righteous meal.
So the approach should actually be a Worm's eye view. It said instead of seeing billion mouths to feed, better think what can be done to make those billion brains to think for themselves, those billion eyes and ears to keep watch on governments, those billion hands and legs to move things!!
And if we put that in the perspective of my earlier post on WMC that's exactly whats happening billion beings at work... participating in a horizontal collective economy!!
It rightly went on to point out that the approach till now has had a skewed point of view at the bottom. It looked at poverty in a top-down way symbolic to a bird’s eye view dealing with the lives of worms as if the poor is a target, not a resource. They felt that better life is something that needs to be provided to the people down there. All the time they forgot that traditionally wealthy societies were built bottoms up by empowerment from below. It occurred when the poor started contributing to the economy and thus earning their righteous meal.
So the approach should actually be a Worm's eye view. It said instead of seeing billion mouths to feed, better think what can be done to make those billion brains to think for themselves, those billion eyes and ears to keep watch on governments, those billion hands and legs to move things!!
And if we put that in the perspective of my earlier post on WMC that's exactly whats happening billion beings at work... participating in a horizontal collective economy!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Weapons of Mass Collaboration
Even before the net age barged in with all its might and gusto the concept of "six degrees of seperation" was a prevalent thought! It says that everyone of us is no more than 6 individual away from each other! So this implies
- World is just 6 ppl wide!
- I am just 6 people away from all influential who's who of the world (that should be such a reassuring thing, divine gift for a person who is looking out for BIG favors :) )
- Any company is just 6 people away from all their customers
- I am at max 6 ppl away from my soul mate, so on and so forth...
The concept according to me reflects the potential of all the collaborative efforts we are experiencing today. Its the potent force over which the collaborative tech wave has been riding. The collaborative techwave has been happening, churning, taking shape, moulding and remoulding the virtual biz environment. This wave has actually made a big dent in many areas like eComm, socializing, marketing etc. and thus bending a few traditional existing rules and creating new ones. A few have termed the force as 'Wikinomics' - the theory and practice of harnessing the power of mass collaboration and a few even call it the 'weapons of mass collaboration' and 'corwdsourcing'. There are umpteenth example today a few we all know and a few might be lesser (and many new are coming up with brighter ideas) known but all of them are riding on the same wave. GNU, Linux, Wikipedia, Google, youtube, SmartMobs, innocentive, Human Genome Project, Second Life, MySpace, Blogosphere etc are all the successful manifestations of the same thought!
More on 'WMC' in my next blog...
Friday, March 09, 2007
Vital Corporate Lessons - Rule1: TKNC
A friend recently gave this vital lesson of survival for all the new joinees in the corporate world. It might be cliche'd for veterans but should atleast be the corporeal first aid kit for the freshers :D Read below and if you find it useful let me know i'll convey your regards to him!
TKNC: Table ke neeche chupna(hiding)
It is a very handy and unique concept. By using this one can very easily deceive their Boss’ in believing that hum log bahut busy hai…thus making sure ke kuch aur kaam na mil jaaye. For this chup-chaap office aao, dheere se apne friends ke saath mail-baazi karo …aur jab junta kat rahi ho toh bheed mein ghar katlo…But dhyan rahe, boss ko ek bhi mail nahin maarne ka….boss ko aisa feel karwao ki tum exist nahin kurtey ho but actually it’s the other way round tumhaare liye boss exist nahin kurta hai :D
Bhoolke bhi apne boss ko apna cell no. nahin dene ka…(unfortunately inspite of being a veteran i gave it on the first day itself so dont get carried away :P) If it's very important and urgent toh let him email to your id …why unnecessarily give ur personal cell no. to any anjaan person!!!! Woh alag baat hai ki uske liye apni hazaaron mails mein tumhaara id dhoondna is next to impossible! :)
Crucial Caveat: By all means make ur presence felt in the HR dept, kahin woh tumhe na bhool jaaye stipend ke liye!! So Rule1-TKNC mein bas 2 stakeholders hai "HR dept" n "U"!!!!
~I think i have quite a few jem of friends like these so many more corporate rules may follow and i would finally complete my post MBA with honors :)
P.S. The prestige act of the above narration by my friend to me is that this sermon was given to me when i was doing his boss's job while he was ofcourse applying TKNC and i was... DUMB ME!! :( And to add salt to wound stipend ab tak nahin mila hai...
TKNC: Table ke neeche chupna(hiding)
It is a very handy and unique concept. By using this one can very easily deceive their Boss’ in believing that hum log bahut busy hai…thus making sure ke kuch aur kaam na mil jaaye. For this chup-chaap office aao, dheere se apne friends ke saath mail-baazi karo …aur jab junta kat rahi ho toh bheed mein ghar katlo…But dhyan rahe, boss ko ek bhi mail nahin maarne ka….boss ko aisa feel karwao ki tum exist nahin kurtey ho but actually it’s the other way round tumhaare liye boss exist nahin kurta hai :D
Bhoolke bhi apne boss ko apna cell no. nahin dene ka…(unfortunately inspite of being a veteran i gave it on the first day itself so dont get carried away :P) If it's very important and urgent toh let him email to your id …why unnecessarily give ur personal cell no. to any anjaan person!!!! Woh alag baat hai ki uske liye apni hazaaron mails mein tumhaara id dhoondna is next to impossible! :)
Crucial Caveat: By all means make ur presence felt in the HR dept, kahin woh tumhe na bhool jaaye stipend ke liye!! So Rule1-TKNC mein bas 2 stakeholders hai "HR dept" n "U"!!!!
~I think i have quite a few jem of friends like these so many more corporate rules may follow and i would finally complete my post MBA with honors :)
P.S. The prestige act of the above narration by my friend to me is that this sermon was given to me when i was doing his boss's job while he was ofcourse applying TKNC and i was... DUMB ME!! :( And to add salt to wound stipend ab tak nahin mila hai...
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Laal Syaahi...
Is laal shyaahi se aakhir, likhta toh main kya likhta?
Lakh boonta shabdon ka jaal, par saach saaf dikhta…
Koshish uski thi purzor, dost bane rahne ki
Aankhen band ki thi humne, par nakaab saaf dikhta…
Log pareshaan dikhte the, khoob unhen samjhaya
Khudko samjhaana chaha bahut, par sawaal saaf dikhta…
Hanskar-hansaakar chahat thi, khush rahne ki
Kitne badle aaine ghar ke, par ashque saaf dikhta…
Lamha lamha kat’ta hai, Kat’te lamhon se
Sadiyaan beet chukin hain, par zakhm saaf dikhta…
Kab tak jhaakengi is Lau ko, yeh jar-jar hoti deewaren
Toofan ka kaam tha aasaan, par jaadoo USKA saaf dikhta…
..ME
Lakh boonta shabdon ka jaal, par saach saaf dikhta…
Koshish uski thi purzor, dost bane rahne ki
Aankhen band ki thi humne, par nakaab saaf dikhta…
Log pareshaan dikhte the, khoob unhen samjhaya
Khudko samjhaana chaha bahut, par sawaal saaf dikhta…
Hanskar-hansaakar chahat thi, khush rahne ki
Kitne badle aaine ghar ke, par ashque saaf dikhta…
Lamha lamha kat’ta hai, Kat’te lamhon se
Sadiyaan beet chukin hain, par zakhm saaf dikhta…
Kab tak jhaakengi is Lau ko, yeh jar-jar hoti deewaren
Toofan ka kaam tha aasaan, par jaadoo USKA saaf dikhta…
..ME
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Evolution of Jimbala
"Neothink, buzzAd, redtomato, GoBingo, filamentus, chaipaani, Tomrecall, Branddead, Adpulse, greysell, there4IM, Adwise, Admire, Admormal, ADminister, ADwokate, adwokay, totalbulbs, adventure, adscapist, adscape, agoondo, adrex, jimbala, loosebulb, adwise, adwiser, adicing, icingsugar, potluck, adsizeXL, adnormal, loosegun, GoBanana" (20 more such words were there which i have screened off coz they were more cuppish than kitchenish... for more on 'cup n kitchen' visit the 'wise n otherwise' blog... which is still under construction though :P)
Wondering whats all this eh!? :) well those are the weird but sweet fruits that we bore in flat 30 min brainstorming for a name (sorry cant reveal the purpose for the name yet! but smart people who know us can take a intelligent guess at it ;)) we (Tomato n myself) did in our cubicle. The top 4 we filtered were
1) TotalBulbs
2) there4IM
3) GoBingo
4) Jimbala
as these were the ones which had the highest amount of 'hatke' factor to them the rest had their roots in something or other we could think of!! Can you guess the winner amongst the final 4? If yes you shall get the honor of featuring in one of my upcoming posts! :P
P.S. Use "jimbala" instead of "Apunbola" in the song "Apunbola tu meri lailaa.." and sing... its an absolute GoBingo thing and yes TotalBulbs there4IM :)
P.P.S. Can you use all the words (mentioned in quotes at the beginning together in a paragraph? :)
Wondering whats all this eh!? :) well those are the weird but sweet fruits that we bore in flat 30 min brainstorming for a name (sorry cant reveal the purpose for the name yet! but smart people who know us can take a intelligent guess at it ;)) we (Tomato n myself) did in our cubicle. The top 4 we filtered were
1) TotalBulbs
2) there4IM
3) GoBingo
4) Jimbala
as these were the ones which had the highest amount of 'hatke' factor to them the rest had their roots in something or other we could think of!! Can you guess the winner amongst the final 4? If yes you shall get the honor of featuring in one of my upcoming posts! :P
P.S. Use "jimbala" instead of "Apunbola" in the song "Apunbola tu meri lailaa.." and sing... its an absolute GoBingo thing and yes TotalBulbs there4IM :)
P.P.S. Can you use all the words (mentioned in quotes at the beginning together in a paragraph? :)
Sunday, March 04, 2007
One Tee Less!!
One needs to be very fortunate to celebrate 2 holis @ NITIE. A few may of course differ as I understand that world is full of divides :) And strangely Holi @ NITIE is a perfect example of, Divided we sleep in bliss in our cells and united we fall in mud pit :D
It starts of with a usual bonhomie of people gathering at one place, applying vivid gulals and wishing each other a colorful life while the dhol plays in the background. Once you have a good enough quorum the craziness sets in and increases exponentially as time increases!
# The 'Chun Chun ke': The wild calling and pulling of the reluctant ones... then wild rubbing of color at them making sure that they get their lesson straight that either be proactive at this or be locked inside an iron chamber!
# The 'Spot the Spot': As all are smeared in color by now... So the million dollar competition begins, Find the clean vacant spot on the body? Erase that spot as if it never existed and get satisfaction of a lifetime.
# The 'Bone maalish': Hey now what??!! Let’s get deeper beneath skin... so then it begins the hard and barbaric re-rub trying to apply color not to skin but to muscles and bones!
# The 'Mud Barse': What next!!?? And by now people are broke on colors too... so junta suddenly goes philosophical, "Lets go back to from where we have come and where we shall go in the end!" Only that the pit dimensions are not exact else would be a good dress rehearsal for the ones who get buried! And the royal janazaas and juloos of people being carried away to the pit starts. (Slight change in this part of the sequence this year was that water was scarce :( )
# The 'Tee Time': And then cometh the sequence I like the most, one which sets NITIE holi apart!! The start of this is the best thing of this part. And this part is the exact replica of how a riot starts in a tense environment... all it needs is a seed a start! If it is avoided nothing shall happen... but just one spark and everybody is tee less and topless (okay taking in consideration the sense and sensibilities... ALMOST :)) so here I go one tee less...
# The 'Holi Dip': The grand closing ceremony happens in our very own Pond. Though it’s considered dirty and unsuitable for swimming by many but I know it’s much cleaner than many beaches we flock too and then atleast at that point of time we all are dirtiest and filthiest of all :D And yep the fish within hate us... they bite you and a few even jump out of the water and come right till your face and say, "Get Lost!!" :)
That’s it!.. Atleast the crazy part of it. And yes of course if any outsider happens to visit the campus anytime after 3 p.m. he/she is bound to go insane looking at all those scattered torn Tee Shirts around :D
P.S. Oh yes one might absolutely contend on the fact that how could me be fortunate after all that happens ;)... so let me strengthen your point a little more... I lost my 3.5K specs last year in the pond (DON'T ASK HOW! Can't reveal as it is harmful to my esteemed reputation) and this time have to sacrifice my room key in the same!
It starts of with a usual bonhomie of people gathering at one place, applying vivid gulals and wishing each other a colorful life while the dhol plays in the background. Once you have a good enough quorum the craziness sets in and increases exponentially as time increases!
# The 'Chun Chun ke': The wild calling and pulling of the reluctant ones... then wild rubbing of color at them making sure that they get their lesson straight that either be proactive at this or be locked inside an iron chamber!
# The 'Spot the Spot': As all are smeared in color by now... So the million dollar competition begins, Find the clean vacant spot on the body? Erase that spot as if it never existed and get satisfaction of a lifetime.
# The 'Bone maalish': Hey now what??!! Let’s get deeper beneath skin... so then it begins the hard and barbaric re-rub trying to apply color not to skin but to muscles and bones!
# The 'Mud Barse': What next!!?? And by now people are broke on colors too... so junta suddenly goes philosophical, "Lets go back to from where we have come and where we shall go in the end!" Only that the pit dimensions are not exact else would be a good dress rehearsal for the ones who get buried! And the royal janazaas and juloos of people being carried away to the pit starts. (Slight change in this part of the sequence this year was that water was scarce :( )
# The 'Tee Time': And then cometh the sequence I like the most, one which sets NITIE holi apart!! The start of this is the best thing of this part. And this part is the exact replica of how a riot starts in a tense environment... all it needs is a seed a start! If it is avoided nothing shall happen... but just one spark and everybody is tee less and topless (okay taking in consideration the sense and sensibilities... ALMOST :)) so here I go one tee less...
# The 'Holi Dip': The grand closing ceremony happens in our very own Pond. Though it’s considered dirty and unsuitable for swimming by many but I know it’s much cleaner than many beaches we flock too and then atleast at that point of time we all are dirtiest and filthiest of all :D And yep the fish within hate us... they bite you and a few even jump out of the water and come right till your face and say, "Get Lost!!" :)
That’s it!.. Atleast the crazy part of it. And yes of course if any outsider happens to visit the campus anytime after 3 p.m. he/she is bound to go insane looking at all those scattered torn Tee Shirts around :D
P.S. Oh yes one might absolutely contend on the fact that how could me be fortunate after all that happens ;)... so let me strengthen your point a little more... I lost my 3.5K specs last year in the pond (DON'T ASK HOW! Can't reveal as it is harmful to my esteemed reputation) and this time have to sacrifice my room key in the same!
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