If you can dream - and not make dreams your master; If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

Monday, January 08, 2007

Capitalism can solve poverty: Infosys mentor

The non-executive chairman of one of India's largest and most admired software companies advocates

"Capitalism is about providing equal opportunity for everybody and to make sure that people have incentives to perform better and better. It also thrives in an environment of competition,"

"Let's remember that all countries which embraced communism have failed. Even in Cuba the only person that Fidel Castro could trust was his brother," he said and suggested that capitalism responded to human nature better.

"We (India) do not have people who can straddle both the worlds, the urban and the rural, the rich and the poor, the educated and the not-so-well-educated. I think we need leaders who straddle all these worlds,"

"There is a serious crisis in the moral dimension of most of our leaders, in the ethical dimension of our leaders, in the competence dimension of our leadership, in the ability of our leaders to connect with large masses of people."

"All over the world it has been demonstrated that only when you have the right to retrench, then only you will become bold to create more and more jobs. I would say that is one of the primary things we have to do,"

"Corporations and the government must work together so that even if people have to be retrenched they would have the wherewithal to support themselves for six months or a year before they can get another job."

"There is no doubt at all. I don't believe the government should be in business. I think the Navratnas would perform better if they are in private sector hands or if they operate as if they are in the private sector," he said.

"I believe even infrastructure should be built by private sector. The government should create policies that encourage private sector to create infrastructure - for example, airports, roads, power companies, distribution companies, ports."

Last but not the least...just like i said before

Murthy said that the retail trade industry in India , that is open only to single-brand multinational corporations, should be thrown open to investments from overseas.

"When we have opened it to large Indian groups, it means the mom and pop stores are likely to suffer anyway. So why not open it to large multinationals? Let them bring the best technology, best practices so that at the end of the day the consumer benefits."

Monday, December 25, 2006

India's Retail & Supply Chain Revolution

Lately, i have been reading a lot about Supply Chains and the Retail Industry and must say i am excited about the Retail revolution which is finally taking place in India.

1. Wadia's have joined hands with carrefour
2. Bharati group has joined hands with Walmart
3. Tesco is coming with someone
4. TATAs are investing heavily into Consumer Durables Reatil
5. Ambanis are investing close to 5 Billion US$.

What is going to happen to the Baniya's of India(pardon the generalisation, insensitiveness - mom and pop shop owners)? They are going to be out of business? Leftists are arguing 1,000s of livelihoods veing disturbed!

The Leftist's have got to shut the fuck up, and baniyas have to stop worrying and cribbing coz now...they have got to learn how to Drive Trucks, learn art of warehouse management etc etc.

KPI's for HR Professionals

I have not met a single person till date who has said "The HR folks in my company is good". Not a soul. Prime reasons are coz they believe HR has no clue about what the Line Management really requires, they screw around with salaries on the grounds of standardisation / maintaining parity etc etc. I should probably not generalise HR folks with those responsible for Staffing coz it is them who most are pissed with.

So i have been thinking: What are the basis, KPI on which HR people are evaluated or to put it more bluntly how do these folks get their bonuses or what really is their use?

Talking about use, i find them rather redundant coz:
1. Line Management freezes on the Roles & responsibilities and more often than not even has in mind a couple of people they deem fit for the job.
2. Interviews are hosted by Line Managers.
3. Retention / Cross Functional Mobility more often than not is driven by Line Management as well.

So what do the Staffing / HR guys do "Maintain Employee Databases" or "Launch Job Opportunities on the Intranet"? This for sure they do!

Can someone shed some some light? KPIs of HR Employees / Criteria for receipt of Bonus?

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Oh what a Night!

Well, its been 2 months since the last post. High time to scribble a bit. 3 brilliant weeks in India, a week in Shanghai, 4 weeks in Italy, a weekend in Brussels and back to Shanghai.

After 4 weeks in Northern Italy, i had the pleasure of spending the the last weekend in Brussels (3 great nights) with Bhattu, Hanna, Dimi, Volodi, Goncalo & Andreia, Adriana was special. All the ingredients of a fine weekend were thrown in.
- Good friends
- Shit loads of fantastic beer (Leffe Blanche, Hoegarden, Delirium Tremens (the killer), Chimay)
- Mussels in Cream sauce (was the first time eating em)
- 3 Euro rum and cokes at Cabra Liego
- L'Express Falafels
- A Fika courtesy Hanna
- Brunch at Le Pain Quotidien
- A surpise when you are walking down a street heading to a bar, and you hear someone shout aloud from a cab "SATHE". It was none other than ex flat mate and friend Malaka Mazarakis
- Fucked up Belgian Capucino with cream (especially after 4 weeks in Italy)
- Casino Royale (Oh what a movie)

Pictures: http://dimitris.nomadlife.org

Finally returned to Shanghai on Wednesday. After a Boyz Night on Thursday (Indian food, Monte Cristos/Cohibas, Scotch) the Shanghai crew bid farewell to Digs yesterday. Cheap beer, shots, great music (which we had the liberty to pick), at chilled out bar (Eager Beaver). A link to the pictures to come soon.

Pictures: Dig's farewell at Eager Beaver

Just today was thinking to myself....in the last 1 year how many days have i spent in Shanghai? Well dont have the exact number but it doesnt seem to be more than 5 months. Surreal! It all feels a bit wierd! Cant even call it home away from home. Just while you think you are settling down, hanging out with friends its time to head back out! In another 3 weeks i will probably be back in Europe not knowing the return date...could be 1/2/3/4/5...weeks. Rather not dwell too much into this.

For now just looking forward to the trip to Kuinming, Lijiang over new Years with the Shanghai Boyz and Kathleen.

Anyways, its time to get back to World's 10 Flattners.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Saturday 7th October....

Must say it was a memorable Saturday, so-called perfect start to a holiday in India. Hofdijk 295-297 flat mate, good friend Abhi accompanied by school friend Vijay and Development Guru Sethi. What better way to welcome than with a two crisp Kingfishers and Marie Jane, followed by a visit to their second home Tavern. Tom Petty, Floyd was played in memory of the good ol days and conversations were had. The guru did have words of wisdom, Sathe "Take things at Face Value, Dont think too much" ofcourse in context. Shall remember this for ever Abhi! Minni and Venky graced the weekend too. The great night ended at 6 am, a few hours of sleep a surprise meet up with sister and delicious recipies of Sahib Sindh Sultan.

Its now time to get cracking in the Diwali shopping, its been 4 yrs so a lot of gifts to be bought, mom's delicacies to be devoured and overall a great time to be had.

Got my hands on Maximum City, and a book i have been wanting to read yet again "Freedom at Mid Night". One of Kb's reccomendation's is yet to be picked up - Jim Morrisson's Autobiography.

Next week shall witness the release of Don. Fingers crossed, the chocolate hero would do remote justice to characters played by Amitab Bachan, Brando, Pacino. Oooof...lets not even attempt a comparison.

Would i have ever thought that a laid back, retiree's paradise city called Pune would play host to Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie? Never, but its true these guys are shooting a flic 5 minutes from my home. Paparazzis are swarmping the neighbourhood to get a shot.

Its great to be back, to drink cutting chai, eat vada pav, try and be a part of the chaos.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Working In-Flight

All these days, i thought inter-continental flights are a perfect spot for executives to relax, catch up on their reading, indulge in wine and watch movies. But it seems, not any more. Last Sunday, i walked sat down in comfortable seat on the 10:30 pm flight from Shanghai - Munich...looked up and saw the Sign of a Hot Spot...a few minutes after take off most passengers pulled out their lap tops and went cracking.

Geez you are now connected to wireless internet in business class atleast on a few flights. For now this is a competitive advantage for Lufthansa and SQ i reckon, soon the rest will follow. On a side note, so much for security.

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Indain's & Italian's

I cant remember the last time i woke up at 7 am on a Saturday morning. Sitting in the hotel balcony, overlooking a huge vineyard relishing a capucinno and croissant breakfast i asked my self whats the plan for today. Strange thing No.2. The day was too beautiful to sit vegetating in the hotel room.

I was on my way in the search of a vinery called Bisol in Northern Italy. Driving on small raods through lush green hills, in-haling the strong scent of wine was bliss. After a good 2 hours, asking people en-route the directions to a fine Prosecco (Italian Sparkling Wine, a speciality of Treviso county) vinyard called Bisol, i finally arrived. People did have a strange smile, coz may be for the first time they came accross an Indian at 7:45 am looking to buy Prosecco.

At the reception, was attended by a pretty one with a thick Australian accent (speaking English with me), and entertaining others in Fluent Italian.

I bought my 4 bottles of Cartizze Prosecco, popped one open and sat down in the midst of the vinyard. A few questions came to my mind "Why do i feel at home in Italy", "Arent there a lot of similarities between Indian's & Italians"?

A passage from Gregory David Robert's "Shantaram" came to my mind which i will paste here. This passage well summarises my thoughts.

'The indians are the Italians of Asia. It can be said, certainly, with equal justice, that the Italians are the Indians of Europe but you do understand me, I think. There is so much Italian in the Indians, and so much Indian in the Italians. They are both people of the Madonna - they demand a goddes, even if the religion does not provide one. Every man in both countries is a singer when he is happy, and every woman is a dancer when she walks to the shop at the corner. For them, food is music inside the body, and music is food inside the heart.
The language of India and the language of Italy, they make every man a poet, and make something beautiful from every banalite'. There are nations where love - amore, pyaar - makes a cavalier of a Borsalino on a street corner, and makes a princess of a peasant girl if only for the second that her eyes meet yours. It is the secret of my love for India, Lin, that my first great love was Italian'.

Lin-Baba aka Shantaram did not point out the Flawless & Organised Driving. And also, one thing that makes Indian & Italian women beautiful "The Mysterious Smile".

After coming here for the 3rd time, i must say i love this place. Would i live here in the short term? Strange but True "I Doubt It" but well one never knows for sure. Who know's if a good opportunity comes by!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Beijing et all...

Well yet again another great weekend. This time it was Beijing with Ben, Sophie and Carol. Thumbs up to Sheila, Dom and ofcourse the Shanghai crew!

1. A day trip to Simatai (The Great Wall). Let me be simple as always "Fantastic, Tiring". Loved every minute of it.
2. The finest Long Island Ice Teas i have had in helluva long time at The Q Bar.
3. The Beijing Duck Experience. Loved it!
4. Tianamen Square (better not comment), Forbidden City (great, though under re-furbishment in prep for the Olympics). Why cant these sites be kept as they are, why this refurbishing?
5. The Fucked up Beijing Traffic (and i thought Shanghai was bad).
6. How can i forget the lovely weather.
7. Beijing also has great brunch places.

Pictures will come soon.

Started reading Tipping Point. Freakonomics, World is Flat and Mao will follow shortly. Next week i will finally get to set my foot on two CEE countries (a week in Poland, couple of days in Hungary) and a few days in the land of great food, gorgeous women and short ties "Italy".

For sure, road trip in Northern Italy beckons. Been wanting to do this for long.

Time to hit the sack!