Managing CRISIS
Usha Albuquerque

Last week a tsunami and a volcanic eruption in Indonesia killed more than 300 persons with over 400 missing and tens of thousands displaced. Earlier in the year we read about the Gulf Sea oil spill, and the disastrous earthquake in Haiti. In India, too, we have had to grapple with heavy floods in UP and Bihar, cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and severe drought in parts of central and western India. Each year natural disasters take a heavy toll on human life and property. The United Nations estimates that in the past two decades nearly three million lives have been lost to natural disasters and some 800 million affected by them. This is a very heavy price to pay for survival.

Across the world but more especially in India, disasters have devastating results due to inadequate preparation. Due to its geographical position, climate and geological setting, India has been experiencing natural disasters every year. In India, natural disasters claim a significant toll of population, destroy and damage more than two million houses and convert many thousand hectares of land into infertile land annually. Millions are affected by floods and droughts each year. India is among 15 countries facing “extreme risk” from natural disasters in a Natural Disasters Risk Index. According to the index India has lost 1,41,961 of its population to major natural disasters since 1980, including 50,000 to earthquakes, 40,000 to floods, 15,000 to epidemics and 23,000 to storms.

While natural calamities cannot be prevented, efforts can be made to ensure that the loss of life and property is minimal. We also need the support of scientific personnel to provide the information and knowledge to forewarn us of impending calamities.

Disaster management is a wide term which covers all aspects of planning for prevention, control and response to disasters of any kind. This includes creating a sense of preparedness for prevention or mitigating the fall-out of a disaster, as well as the recovery after the disaster, reconstruction and risk management.

Defining disaster

Natural disaster is the result of natural phenomenon, such as earthquakes, tsunami, cyclones, floods, volcanic eruptions, and so on.

Man-made disasters are those which have resulted from man’s interaction with nature and the environment. The Bhopal Gas tragedy, large scale forest fires, the horrific Uphaar fire, or the Kumbh mela stampede etc.

There are also hybrid disasters resulting from a combination of natural and man-made events, such as destruction of forests leading to heavy floods, collapse of dams built in earthquake prone areas, and so on.

Disaster management involves a wide range of issues and covers work such as monitoring, evaluation, search and rescue, relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation. As a large part of the work involves the ways and means of being prepared for and controlling a disaster, awareness and education is also an important aspect of the work. There are multiple agencies involved in disaster management work including different departments of government, NGOs, scientists, volunteers and communities all having important roles to play, whether in pre-disaster, during the disaster or the post-disaster phases. Many of these activities are complementary as well as supplementary to each other, and so there is a critical need for coordination in their activities.

Getting In

Anyone with an interest and inclination towards disaster management can get into this field of work. While disaster management training is useful for NGOs, social workers, volunteers providing support and rehabilitation measures during disasters, personnel of paramilitary organisations, as also scientists, meteorologists, and environmentalists, it can be a valuable training for most commercial organisations also. It provides the much needed skills for crisis management and control. It can also be useful for those going into rural development or working with NGOs and international agencies working in relief areas.

The National Centre for Disaster Management (NCDM) at the Indian Institute of Public Administration is the nodal agency coordinating the relief and rehabilitation measures during natural calamities, and offers short-term courses as also workshops and seminars for officials and others working in this field.

The Centre for Disaster Management (CDM) was set up at Yashada (Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration), Pune, soon after the Latur earthquake. The Yashada Training academy trains governmental and NGO employees in public administration, rural development, environment, disaster management and informatics. Training programmes on management of earthquakes, workshop on community participation in disaster management, and allied topics are conducted at CDM periodically as also awareness programmes for NGOs and the public at large.

The Disaster Management Institute at Bhopal established by the MP government in the backdrop of the Bhopal gas tragedy also offers training, research and consultancy services on subjects related to prevention, mitigation and management of disasters. It organises training for working managers and government officials relating to the areas of management of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, drought, famine and cyclones; on-site and off-site emergency planning; risk analysis and identification of major hazards.

Course watch

Some universities and institutes have started courses in disaster management. IGNOU was the first to offer a certificate course in disaster management for Plus II students. The programme is offered through distance mode and provides students with information on disasters — the causes and effects; factors, significance, disaster preparedness; prevention; mitigation; relief; reconstruction and rehabilitation. In addition, IGNOU also offers a comprehensive programme on Community awareness on Disaster preparedness.

PRT Institute of Post Graduate Environmental Education and Research, Maidangarhi Marg, New Delhi, in association with Barkatullah Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, offers the two-year Master of Disaster Control to graduates or working professionals through distance learning. The Institute is engaged in training, research and consultancy in the areas of disaster management, risk analysis, sustainable development, environmental impact assessment, pollution control and monitoring with the idea of optimal development of a global sustainable society. The institute in association with Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technological Sciences, Gangtok, Sikkim also offers the Master’s in Disaster Mitigation for graduates in any discipline. Disaster mitigation includes activities that prevent a disaster and reduce the chance of a calamitous event, or lessen their damaging effects.

Those looking at a more wholistic aspect of disaster management and to widen the scope of knowledge and interest can also consider courses in environment management and sustainable development. The School of Environment Management at the GGS Indraprastha University, Delhi has recently started a two-year Master’s degree course in Environment Management which lays emphasis on the efficient management of natural resources for sustainable development. TERI University, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070 also offers several post-graduate programmes in Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management and Sustainable Development Practice covering climate change and ecosystem management.

Job scope

Disaster management is as yet a new field and will take some years to evolve and establish itself. While most jobs in this field are with NGOs, social work organisations, volunteer groups, government departments and with environmental and healthcare organisations, the right kind of training and work experience can earn you an entry into development institutes and international organizations too. The International Red Cross and some UN organisations empanel trained professionals for working on humanitarian missions to handle major calamities and emergencies. Large industrial establishments, particularly those in the high-risk fields like chemicals, mining, oil and gas companies also have disaster and crisis management departments.

In a country so prone to calamities, disaster management is the need of the hour. So if you are one of those who pack their bags and are ready to head out when any disaster strikes, you could do well to consider training in disaster management. It would go a long way to ensure that we as a nation are prepared to handle any future disaster.

Gift time!
Charandeep Singh

The Festival of Lights better known for fireworks and the joie de vivre is also synonymous with exchange of gifts. The robust health and growth of India Inc has made Divali corporate gifts an integral part of the celebrations. For corporate India, Divali is an occasion to splurge and indulge! It is the time to build relationships with employees, business partners and clients by pampering them a little. A lot of brain-storming goes into the selection of corporate Divali gifts, because the corporate mandarins want to dole out the best for their employees.

In addition to boosting the employees’ morale, the trend fosters a feeling of bonhomie and builds positive vibes at the work place. Internationally renowned motivational speaker Shiv Khera, who also heads a company by the name of Qualified Learning System says, “Divali gifts and bonuses certainly give employees a big security blanket that they can count on us at any given point of time. Also, these gifting items are like savings for the employees”.

Divali and Corporate Social Responsibility

The much talked about CSR reminds us of the fact that charity begins at home. The organisations by and large, plan out a budget to present corporate partners and employees with special gifts on this festive occasion.

For companies in the corporate sector often believe that an employee is the backbone of all achievements that the company has achieved and Divali is undeniably the right occasion to show them due gratitude. “The employees always have expectations, and when we give incentives like these it motivates them a lot”, says Surinder Bhandari, an HR Manager with Ranbaxy.

“Considering the fact that gifts also provide a higher recall value to the company, we believe only giving sweets are a passé in today’s time. Fulfilling the traditional value of the festival, we always prefer to give trendy gifts along with sweets”, says Ruchi Goel, HR Manager with Omaxe.

For some companies it is more in line with tradition to keep the spirits high of the employee at the festive season rather than doling out incentives or rewarding performance. “We have an annual Divali budget per location and we ensure that even the outsourced staff working in our organisation is suitably greeted”, says a senior HR manager in a Life Insurance Company. However, there are many companies that prefer to give cash bonuses than gift items as a bit of extra cash is always welcome during the festive shopping frenzy.

“We give cash bonuses to all our employees on Divali. The amount generally depends on the seniority of the employee and the duration of his stay with us. We give cash bonuses from the range of Rs 1,100 to Rs 21,000, and to give importance to our employees all this largesse is handed over by our chairman personally”, says Rajesh Goyal, MD of Delhi-based RJ Group. But some of the companies do differentiate generically between their supervisory staff and those in the managerial cadre.

The largesse being doled out to a very large extent is a reflection of the company culture. “We give a box of sweets and cash bonus of Rs 3,500 to those who are casual employees and cash bonus of Rs 8,400 with a box of sweets to our regular employees. As far in the managerial cadre we give them a box of dry fruits”, informs Surinder Bhandari. “In Omaxe we always give a box of dry fruits and a gift in the form of home appliance”, says Ruchi.

Companies should give gifts that can be utilised by the families and not just by the employee. In other words something of durable in nature should be given. “We give silver coins to our employees especially our support staff people. The reason for giving silver coins is that it enables the employees to use those coins as an exchange for money or can be passed on to children at weddings and other special occasions”, adds Shiv Khera.

Counterpoint

Some of the companies are of the opinion that Divali festivities should be there in the office but gifts should not be given as it is an indicative of religious discrimination. “I don’t  believe in this practice. We live in a multi-cultural society. If we are giving gifts or bonuses on Divali, then why follow the same practice on Christmas”, avers Naresh Gulati, CEO of Oceanic Consultants. “We should celebrate life and not festivals. I have festivities all over in my offices; we all indulge in merry-making. That we do on every festival, not particularly on Divali”, adds Naresh. Some of the companies that have grown in the education sector also support the same view. “We have a policy of neither accepting nor distributing gifts. We feel that as an academic organisation, we need to focus on the delivery of education and such practices dilute the purpose of the same. The staff at the campus also advised not to accept gifts and share greetings online so as to save paper” says the spokesperson of Jalandhar-based Lovely Professional University.So whether it is heads or tails, it’s your call.

Career Hotline
Accountant’s work
Pervin Malhotra

Q. What work does a Cost and Works Accountant do? What is ICWAI? Please tell me about the qualifications, requirements and prospects of this field?

— Manjeet Kaur

A. ICWAI stands for the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India. Cost Accountants collect, organise, collate and analyse the operational efficiency of large organisations, help management evaluate the effectiveness of their products/services and fix the budget and end price.

CWAs combine their knowledge of taxation and accountancy with that of management and quantitative techniques to evaluate the financial aspects, determine accountability for cost and profit variance and provide alternatives in monetary terms for the organisation. It is now mandatory for 38 categories of companies to have a cost audit.

By helping the management stabilise budgets and standards, evaluate operational efficiency and the effectiveness of production and service management, thus guiding managerial decisions.

As a cost accountant you can find jobs in accounting (internal audits, book-keeping and financial accounting), finance and taxation, audit and costing in industry (at the plant/factory of a manufacturing firm) or move into commercial and administrative functions or look for openings in the government.

You can also set up your own practice by obtaining a licence from ICWA or go into tax management, financial consulting. You can also teach cost accountancy at a university.

The Institute offers a three-stage postal coaching system. Exams are held twice yearly (in June and December).

At the time of applying you must be at least 18 years old.

Graduates are exempt from the foundation course. They can apply straightway for the intermediate stage of the postal coaching at their regional ICWAI centre after completing their graduation.

Admissions for the January-June, 2010 session are open on a first-come first-serve basis. For further details you can contact, the ICWAI Northern Regional Council, ICWAI Bhawan 3, Institutional Area, Lodi Road, New Delhi or log onto: Details: www.icwai.org / www.nirc-icwai.org.

Managing IT infrastructure

Q. I have recently seen big IT firms post requirements for infrastructure management posts. Is this the same as facilities management which is a part of the real estate industry? What exactly does it entail?

— Ankur Sharma

A. No, infrastructure management has nothing to do with managing brick and mortar property. Instead, it falls within the IT domain. To put it more precisely, it is Remote Infrastructure Management outsourcing. Infrastructure outsourcing involves the management of PCs, servers, storage and security for banks, trading houses and insurance companies among others.

Yes this is going to be next big wave in outsourcing. While Indian companies are presently handling $ 1.2 billion worth of work, the figure is expected to touch $ 8.8 billion — making India a global hub for remote infrastructure management. Not just that, remote infrastructure management has the potential of employing millions of graduates.

A special forum has been set up to look at opportunities in the remote infrastructure management segment and work towards creating an eco-system that would involve industry academia partnerships and an emphasis 
on course curriculum specific to remote infrastructure management.

Some of the big players in this business are TCS, HCL Technologies, Wipro, Satyam, Cognizant and Infosys.

Planning a perfect media strategy

Q. What does one have to do to become a media planner?

— Tanveer Bhatia

A. If you think that the unprecedented publicity blitz for the launch of new FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products and cell phone models, or those of big budget Bollywood films, is sheer madness, think again. Behind the ‘carpet bombing’ campaign is a well-planned method. In fact, an entire team of professionals burn the midnight oil diligently crafting the perfect marketing strategy for the films.

In the advertising industry, the media planner is responsible for placing advertisements in the right place at the right time, so that they reach the desired audience at the most economical cost.

You will spend a lot of time looking at graphs and balance sheets, calculating how much a client needs to spend to see a change in profits. You will study the viewing, reading and web-browsing habits of consumers to determine, which medium (newspapers, magazines, TV radio, Internet, hoardings) is best suited to get the client’s message across. You will then study the number and types of people reached by different media and calculate the total reach.

With a boom in the media industry there is a great demand for media planners and analysers. Since crores of rupees are at stake, taking informed decisions on the right media or a combination media platforms is the media planner’s job.

A Master’s degree, preferably with a specialisation in marketing, advertising or maths/stats, is considered ideal for a media planner. MBAs who have specialised in marketing are also in demand.

Successful media planners tend to be diagonal thinkers — they use both sides of their brain. Business sense is important, as is numeracy. As is the case with most media careers, you’ll face cut-throat competition. Any agency will look for an ability to communicate; how you market yourself is the most important aspect.

Venture into the field of designing

Q. I’m in Class XII now and am quite good in drawing and fine arts. Please tell me how I can get admission in NID? Where else can I study design if I don’t get into NID?

— Roshni Khanna

A. The National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad (NID) is the most sought after institute in the country for those wishing to pursue a career in design related areas. And rightly so!

NID offers programmes at the graduate and post-graduate levels. You will be eligible to apply for the Graduate Diploma Programme in Design (GDPD). This is a four-year programme which starts off with a one-year foundation programme common to all students before they branch out into specialisations covering the broad areas of Industrial Design, Communication Design, and Textile, Apparel and Lifestyle Design.

As can be expected, competition for getting admission into NID is stiff. Admission to NID is a three-stage affair starting with a common entrance exam NEED, followed by studio tests and finally an interview!

In addition to NID, NEED is a qualifying exam for other institutions for admission to undergraduate programmes in design such Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore, and Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi.

The objective is to measure your aptitude for design involving general mental ability, worldview, sensitivity to the environment, creativity, drawing and communication skills.

NEED is only a qualifying entrance exam. It does not guarantee admission in NID or in any of the partner institutions.

To apply for NID: Candidates are shortlisted on the basis of NEED score and are called directly for the next phase of admission — Studio Tests and Personal Interviews — for final selection. You don’t need to apply to NID again for the second and third stages.

To apply for partner institutes:

Age limit: 20 years as on June 1, 2011 (three-year relaxation for reserved categories).

Based on your NEED scores, you must apply separately to each partner institute for admission. You may have to fulfill the specific requirements for admission to that institute in the next phase.

The application deadline for the academic year 2011–2012 is November 12, 2010. The forms can be downloaded from NID’s website: www.nid.edu

For more details or any specific queries on admissions or academic programmes of partner institutions, you can contact the respective institutes directly.

In conversation 
‘Dairy sector likely to generate 1 lakh jobs’
Kanchan Vasdev

Vice-Chancellor of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animals Sciences University, Ludhiana, Dr V.K.Taneja at a dairy industry fair on university campus

As the country is all set to usher in the era of second phase of white revolution, promising to transform it into a global giant in the production of dairy products, dairy technology is fast being acknowledged as an employment option for scores of youths looking for a career.

Dairy technology is coming up in a big way and is all set to open up more employment avenues for youngsters. As the country looks forward to the new revolution, it requires professionally qualified human resource for the proper growth and development of the dairy industry.

Human resource needed in dairy industry include senior managers, technical managers, technical supervisors and middle level supervisors besides manpower needed in universities and colleges offering courses in dairy technology. The Vice-Chancellor of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animals Sciences University, Ludhiana, Dr V.K.Taneja shows the way:

Why is the dairy technology being seen as a major employment avenue?

Punjab’s farmer is at crossroads and he needs to diversify in order to survive. A dairy farm having at least 25 animals is the easiest option against wheat-rice monoculture. If dairy is going to come up in this big way, it would definitely provide more employment avenues.

How many jobs are expected to be generated in the field?

Milk production in the country is increasing by four per cent every year and contributing more than Rs 1 crore to the growth of GDP. The dairy sector is likely to generate one lakh jobs every year. A survey in Punjab indicates that there is an immediate requirement of about 150 dairy technology graduates for managing different milk plants and other activities of teaching and research.

What are the basic qualifications to enroll in a course offered by the university?

The basic qualification to enroll in a dairy technology programme is 10+2 with chemistry, physics and mathematics. The students should come equipped with the knowledge of math and physics as the courses deal with engineering and other principles of physics.

What are the opportunities?

Opportunities are aplenty in this field. The Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers Federation as well as private sector organisations like Nestle, Reliance, Wokhardt, Milkfood, Ceepham, Milk Specialties Limited, Supreme Agro Foods, Jagatjit Industries and other medium- scale plants have vast expansion programmes in milk processing. Graduates can easily get a job with an annual pay package between Rs 3 and 4 lakh.

Besides dairy, what courses are being offered by GADVASU?

B.VSc and AH, M.VSc; Ph.D. after (Plus II, Med)

B.FSc, M.FSc after (Plus II, Med)

B.Tech. (dairy tech.). After Plus II, non-medical

What types of courses and employment avenues will the veterinary polytechnic provide?

We have a diploma for Veterinary Pharmacists. Job openings will be in dispensaries, veterinary hospitals, private nursing homes etc.

Which type of fields and jobs are available after studies in the university?

There will be a plenty of options. The state departments, colleges, universities, research institutes, government organisations, KVKs, state corporations, national banks, industry, Army (R & V), international organisations like FAO, WHO besides several options abroad are available.

After training of livestock professions what is the scope of employment?

The options are : Dairy farming, fish farming (ornamentals and prawns), goat/sheep farms, pig farming, value addition of products (meat, milk and bones), bone meal and meat meal, silage making, rearing buffalo calves for meat and rearing female calves for sale.

Will the regional research and training centres help in employment generation?

Yes. These centres are working for Conservation of murrah and nilliravi buffalo and sahiwal cow, sline water fish farming, National Agriculture innovation project at Hoshiarpur District, RRTC, Talwara (beetal goat farming, germ plasm of improved animals, lemon grass ropes, agro forestry).

Outsourcing SOLUTION
The role of HR is fast changing from that of an administrative ‘doer” to that of a strategic partner. But many of HR’s own problems have proved to be a roadblock in this transition. The solution lies in HR outsourcing, writes Jitin Chadha

Managing humans is at the heart of almost all the real-life management ‘problems’. What it takes to ‘manage’ humans? Why humans are a ‘resource’ and what makes them special? The purpose of a career in Human Resources is to bring out issues involved in the management of human resources (HRM), both from current theory as well as practice. Perspectives do change and it has now, for HR. On careful observation, one can clearly see the shift that is occurring in the way HR is perceived and is expected to function. Shifting workforce demographics, rapid changes in technology and the globalisation of world economy have resulted in a shift in the way businesses operate and consequently the way HR functions.

Usually, at least in the past, HR has had the misfortune of being considered as a necessary, but yet unessential or unprodu ctive department in an organisation. It was considered an administrative doer rather than a strategic partner and catalyst. HR in that context merely meant regular administrative and record-keeping functionalities. This perspective though, has rapidly changed in today’s knowledge era.

Well, what made the perspective change? Just as every era had a primary source of wealth creation, as in land in agrarian era; the primary source for wealth creation in the knowledge era is human capital. Although technology and other resources have dramatically changed the way business is conducted; it is, nevertheless, the people who utilise it, that make all the difference.

Human resource initiatives are a reflection of what we are seeing in today’s highly volatile and competitive business environment; where technology, trends and consequently workforces are in a state of constant flux. It is in this light that HR is being perceived differently and is being elevated to a leadership role and that of a key business partner.

The changing face of HR

In this new model, HR assumes a more strategic role. It contributes towards the planning, formulation and accomplishment of organisation’s objectives. It then creates its own objectives in line with the overall business objectives, thereby impacting every aspect of its services.

One of the synonyms of this knowledge era is change and , consequently, unpredictability. Here, HR plays a key and pivotal role in identifying the capability gaps that arise. A capability gap is the difference between the ability of the existing systems to meet operational requirements and of what is expected of it. It is the lack of knowledge, skills and abilities in the current system to meet set organisational/individual goals or expected capability.

It identifies these gaps and works closely with the management to fill these gaps by obtaining the appropriate resources, training available resources and through other means. Successful organisations are those that are flexible and are quick to adapt; needless to say the HR team plays a crucial role in this process of adapting.

As a link between the employee and the employer, the HR manager, plays a key role in advocating cordial relations between the two. The professional is required to have a deep understanding of people and of their roles, so as to create a work environment that’s friendly, motivating and productive.

The HR advocates the objectives of one group to the other. As an advocate of the employee, the professional creates development and growth opportunities, benefit plans, assistance programmes etc for the benefit of the employee. He/she is also expected to develop strong employee relations, to not just spot problems early, but also to work collectively and solve them.

On the flip side, as the employer’s advocate, it is his/her responsibility to build a spirit of employee ownership of the organisation, create a sense of responsibility and urgency and set goals which are in line with the organisation’s objectives. Once this is done, the manager has to measure and maintain these and ensure that the organisation is on its way to achieve its objectives.

It is also the responsibility of the HR to champion change in the organisation, as and when required. It is up to the HR to bring about the changes with the least amount of employee dissatisfaction.

For all of the above to happen, the manger is to work closely with each and every department of the organisation and for that, it is pivotal to have a strong understanding of the different departmental functionalities and staying up-to-date with each of these. It is also pivotal that he develops strong consultative skills, to keep the communication flowing between the departments and the management.

Now, although some of these duties have always been performed by the HR department, it is in the increasingly consultative and strategic partnership role that we find the new and changing role of the HR.

Is HR able to scale up to this challenge?

While HR is required to scale up to meet this challenge, it is constantly deterred by the usual, time-consuming and complex administrative functions. Added to this, are several other concerns like, managing an HR department that spans across geographical boundaries and others. It is this deterrence that prevents it from performing the role that it has to. While this is the case, it has become pivotal and necessary for HR to focus on key strategic issues.

Several companies have tried outsourcing several or all of their administrative HR functionalities. Having done so, these companies have reported being able to free themselves from these time-consuming tasks and have been able to direct their focus to key strategic human capital issues. This way, HR has been able scale up and play the role of a strategic business partner.

HR outsourcing, thus is a widely accepted practice and has come to stay. Companies are increasingly realising the benefits of outsourcing, how it helps in utilising resources and staying ahead of the competition.

Outsourcing can now help organisations leverage technology and expertise to draw value of their non-strategic processes. Times change and new trends come in, the same has happened with the erstwhile era and now with the change, trends like outsourcing have come in. Organisations now need to decide not whether they will outsource or not, but rather, when and how they will outsource.

The writer is Director, Indian School of Business & Finance (ISBF), New Delhi

SKIL Infra forays into B-schools with Scotland varsity

Nikhil Gandhi-led Indian infrastructure pioneer SKIL Infrastructure Limited, which has recently forayed into education, will open a B-School campus at Greater Noida in Delhi NCR in association with the University of Strathclyde Business School.

This will be the premier Scottish university’s first Indian campus. The joint initiative will deliver undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA level courses. Similar campuses are expected to be launched at Mumbai and Chennai later.

This is the second major exercise in education by SKIL which has recently decided to take a stake in the world’s largest VSAT education network company Everonn Education Limited. It is also in line with SKIL’s strong belief that education is one of the critical social infrastructure gaps that need to be bridged if India is able to realise the full potential of its demographic dividend.

The agreement between SKIL and Strathclyde is an important new link between Scotland and one of the world’s most important economies.

Welcoming the development, Scotland’s Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather, said: “This new collaboration will help strengthen relations between Scotland and India — one of the world’s fastest growing economies — and progress the education aims of the Scottish Government’s India Plan. By expanding its reach into India, Strathclyde Business School is helping raise Scotland’s business and executive education profile on the global stage. I look forward to seeing this partnership progressing.”

The Noida campus will be functional in September 2011. In phased developments over the next couple of years, more than 1200 students are expected to join the School, where they will be taught by 40 internationally recognised staff from India and Strathclyde Business School’s base in Glasgow. The recruitment process for the academic staff will begin next month.

The Masters in Management is a two year programme aimed at developing entrepreneurial and dynamic business leaders. In the following years, the School will also offer a three-year Bachelor in Business Administration, and the globally renowned, one-year Strathclyde MBA programme, which has already seen international success in centres in Bahrain, Dubai, Greece, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore and Switzerland.

Mou signed

In a development that is going to shape the very basis of functioning of the Rs 20,000 crore private security in India and provide future ready security professionals for the private security industry, the Central Association of Private Security in India (CAPSI), the apex association representing the needs and interests of the 7 million plus private security industry announced signing of a MoU with India Skills, a joint venture of Manipal Education and City and Guilds, U.K.

The application of the Private Security Agency Regulation Act and its provisions are mandatory and binding on all private security firms operating in the country. The professionals will be trained as per the provisions laid down in the PSAR act and certified by India Skills.

Speaking on the occasion, Kunwar Vikram Singh, Chairman, CAPSI said, “City and Guilds is a worldwide acknowledged entity in security certification, training and intelligence and Manipal needs no introduction to the field of education in our country. By bringing together the best in the industry, we are confident of creating future ready security professional in our country in line with quality standards set forth in the PASR Act .’’

“The private security industry is growing at a healthy rate of about 20-25% year on year. We are extremely pleased to join hands with CAPSI in rolling out the first of the courses for security guards across the country. Clearly, going by the Act and its recommendations, we are at the bottom of the pyramid but will travel up the value chain. Towards this, we have plans to announce higher end courses for graduates and serving security professionals, officers and managers across the Country’’ said Mr Ravi Menon, CEO, India Skills.

IACM-Annamalai pact

IACM SmartLearn Limited has entered into a technical collaboration pact with Annamalai University whereby it will offer degree programmes in Enterprise Network and Security Management for the first time in India. In Delhi and NCR region, IACM will be launching these programmes across 9 learning centers.

The B.Sc. and M.Sc. courses will be aimed at creating a pool of skilled professionals.

A study conducted by Springboard Research shows that the market for enterprise networking equipment in India is estimated to grow from $1 billion in 2008 to $1.7 billion by 2012, recording a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent during this period. India is fast emerging as a world leader in the field of IT and there is a huge demand for skilled professionals, not only in the IT sector but also in industries like insurance, BPO, banking, and manufacturing among others.

The University Vice-Chancellor Dr. M Ramanathan said, “These two job-oriented programmes will help students to understand the critical issues in enterprise network management, security management and related areas”. He also said that due to globalisation a number of multinational organisations were expanding their operations across the country and there will be lot of job opportunities in these areas for the qualified.

Commenting on the launch of the degree programmes Ravinder Goyal, Director, IACM SmartLearn Ltd.,said “ With these degree programmes our aim is to reach remote locations where there is greater need for skill-based education”. — TNS

Training course on quality feed manufacturing

THE Department of Veterinary and animal Husbandry extension, College of Veterinary science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana organsed a refresher course on feed manufacturing , balanced and quality feed for milch animals in collaboration with Dairy Development Department, Punjab. In this course, 50 feed millers from different parts of the state participated, and got the information on the quality of raw materials, formulation of ration for different categories of animals, care of feed machinery etc

Dr. K.S. Sandhu. Director of Extension Education, revealed that the main expenditure on dairy farming is on cattle feed, so it is very important that to use economical ways of making feed without compromising quality. He said the new technological developments and issues related to new research should be in the focus. The main concern is the health of animal to produce quality milk and other products, he added.  

Dr H.K. Verma, Head, Veterinary Extension, said a feed manufacturer must know about the a b c of manufacturing technology, including quality of food ingredients ,storage, ration formation, standard set up of plant, machinery maintenance and unconventional feed stuff. He further added that in the training all these aspects were discussed.

This training is mandatory for the renewal of licences of feed manufacturers after three years. This course is also compulsory for those who manufacture mineral mixtures for the cattle and buffaloes and who sell and hold feed ingredients for livestock feeding.

The technical and physical support for the course was provided by Dr M.P.S Bakshi, head, Department of Animal Nutrition. Dr Parminder Singh course coordinator said latest developments in the field of feed manufacturing technology were discussed. Dr R. S Sahota, professor extension, said that GADVASU is making all out efforts to help the farmers.

NALSAR to introduce four courses

The National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law here is introducing four new courses, including a two-year Masters Degree in Business Laws and Administration from the academic year 2011-12.

Apart from a two-year regular Masters Degree course in Business Laws and Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Contract Administration and Real Estate Management and two new PG Diploma Courses in Right to Information and Governance and Women Empowerment and Child Rights would commence from the academic session 2011-12, NALSAR Vice-Chancellor Veer Singh informed.

“We are introducing high-value courses which will provide new skills to the prospective candidates pursuing these courses,” Singh said adding the courses will commence from July 2011.

The NALSAR University of Law already offers among the five-year BA. BL (Hons.) degree programme, two-year LLM programme and host of other courses, including non-residential and web-based PG Diplomas in Patents Law, Cyber laws, Media laws and PG Diploma in International Humanitarian Laws, he said.

— PTI 

Flood of jobs in Q4

Six sectors, including healthcare and realty, are expected to create a whopping 2.3 lakh jobs in India in the last three months of 2010, according to global consultancy Ernst & Young.

Boosted by strong domestic economic recovery and improved global sentiment, most local industries are expected to increase their headcount in the coming months, E&Y said.

As many as 2.3 lakh jobs are estimated to be created in India in the fourth quarter of 2010 by six sectors, Ernst & Young's Partner, National Head and EMEIA Leader (People & Organisation) N.S Rajan told PTI.

The six sectors are healthcare, real estate, IT/ITeS, education and training, manufacturing and Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI).

Among them, healthcare industry alone is projected to generate 60,000 jobs in fourth quarter of 2010, Rajan said.

Real estate and IT/ITes sector, each are expected to create 50,000 jobs.

Education and training industry is projected to generate 30,000 jobs. Manufacturing and BFSI sectors would each be churning out 20,000 jobs in the 2010 fourth quarter, E&Y said.

"This (robust healthcare) trend is expected to continue with a huge gap in demand and supply of healthcare services and increasing investment in the sector.

"Lifestyle changes, increasing rural penetration and various government schemes have ensured robust growth in this sector," Rajan noted.

Healthcare sector is estimated to have added 150,000 jobs in September quarter.

Pointing out that public sector companies are bullish on recruitment, he said that most of these large players are expected to increase hiring in the last three months of 2010.

"Similarly in public sector banks, expansion of existing branches and replacement of retired staff are driving significant increases in recruitment... Demand for talent across the public sector banks over the coming decade is estimated to rise to 5,00,000," he added.

The education market in the country, estimated to be worth $40 billion, is also expected to generate more employment opportunities.

Rajan said a considerable demand for education and training is contributing significantly to job creation in the sector. — PTI

Backbone of ‘green’ business
Sheenu Jain

“Green business” is no more an oxymoron, but is a mainstream concept and path to sustainable development. Environmental concerns are been echoed across the world and hence businesses need to find a comprehensive approach to tackle the harm being done to our eco system. The need for change in the way businesses are being done is not just a fad but an inevitable issue which would require developing skills, knowledge and values across the layers of management decision makers. Perhaps the question people ask today is “what do I need to do to get a green job?”

There is meltdown in traditional careers, and increase in the number of job seekers coupled with increased desire for meaning at workplace has prompted this awakening and the resulting exodus toward meaning and greening.

Management education programme’s (MBA) is influencing and developing ‘management thought process’ in the future managers. Annually more than a lakh management graduates enter the business world and they can become catalyst to the transformation of businesses to “green businesses”. This however, requires special skills, competencies and approach to business.

MBA curricula have incorporated many ‘competencies’ to be developed in students, which include business ethics, corporate governance, nationalism, diversity etc. Environmental concerns, however, still remain overlooked.

Business schools need to work towards the concept of ‘Green’ MBA which can transform the way business are being done and can lead to sustainable development for business. In fact UNSECO has declared the decade 2005–2014 as the decade of “Education for Sustainable Development.

When I was studying business at graduate and undergraduate level, environmental and ethical business courses were popular, yet at the time, it failed to translate. Many of us joined traditional consultancies, private equity, sales, and investment banks.

A survey by (Wood 2009) of the curricula of 102 global business schools (including Business Week’s top 50 business schools ) found that corporate citizenship — corporate involvement in the community — has not been considered as a stand-alone course at any of the surveyed schools. Moreover, they found that because the business schools’ curriculum was heavily oriented towards personal and organisation self-interested goals, the challenging issues of social justice, of social responsibility and citizenship, were not clearly articulated. Thus business schools and other professional bodies are viewed by many as the first that need to change in their education and development of current and future leaders.

‘Green’ MBA programme prepares students for a business career that utilises environmental friendly practices in today’s business to maximise profits through sustainable efforts. These programmes prepare students for a career that integrates environmental concern with economic framework that give human integrity and profitability.

Earning a ‘green’ MBA will open the door to a wide range of opportunities in a variety of industries that are working on green business practices. There are a few business houses like Bharti, ITC, Toyota, Honda, Dhoot group, future group that are committed towards ‘green’ business and allied initiatives and seek to promote green consumers. When the consumers buy their products they are essentially voting with their wallet for an ethical stance. Managers’ thoughts behind the decision-making processes are the backbone of sustainable growth of business. This requires an approach that is backed with a conviction that, in turn, leads to the correct competency.

It is necessary that this approach, conviction and competency be honed into young minds while the managerial education is taking place.

The role of MBA education gains importance at this juncture. The managerial force of any corporate has nearly 60-70 per cent MBAs holding managerial positions. And nearly 1,00,000 MBA degrees are being conferred in our country each year. Thus there will be around as many graduates who will find their way up in corporate ladder in coming years. This is the point where green competencies can be instilled.

The MBA student outcome and objectives shall be firstly built around the sustainable development which should be based on the new knowledge, understanding, skills, experiences and attitudes needed to create a generation of graduates:

n who have a grounding in compassion and ethics (the impacts of climate change are hitting poorer nations first) who grasp the science of global warming and the current and impending impacts of climate change

n who have a clear understanding of how their health and ecosystem health are interrelated who know they are a part of Nature

n who understand the ecological principles underlying how life works on Earth

n who can approach environmental, social and economic problems with a solutions focus

n and who, because they understand the principles and processes of sustainable development (as defined by the United Nations), can become the change needed in the world.

Courses in India and abroad

Stanford University, University of California, Cornell universit, university of North Carolina, London Business School are among the top 10 ‘green’ MBA education providers in the world who offer a well rounded education for future business heads.

Centre for environment education (CEE) and TERI offers environment related programmes, but specifically ‘green’ MBA is not offered by any institution in India. Premier institutions in India have started taking some initiatives; otherwise this concept is still in nascent stage.

IIM Calcutta is all set to introduce a new course on Eco friendly technology in its post graduate programme for executives. They have also introduced a course on Green manufacturing in PGPEX–VLFM programme. It is a one-year programme jointly conducted by IIMC, IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras. The ‘green’ manufactiring course will cover all dimensions of green manufacturing and technologies starting from ‘green’ supply chain management, ‘green’ marketing etc.

Few management institutions also offer courses on ecological economics, communication skills for business transformation, green marketing, new media for green and social marketing etc.

So, if you want to pocket a green job, and become a responsible citizen, it is worth considering going for a ‘green’ MBA programme.

(The writer is teaching in Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur)

Rooting for eco-activism in corporate scenario

Kamal Meattle, CEO of Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Park

It is need of the hour to train not only corporate managers but everyone else also to deal with environmental concerns. I am an activist by choice and a businessman by tradition. Most of us are educated enough to know the difference we can make, rest need to be told”, this is the philosophy that Kamal Meattle, promoter of GreenSpaces and Chief Executive Officer, Paharpur Business Centre follows. Meattle is an avid environmentalist who has proved that using “green” tech makes sound business sense. He conceived the Paharpur Business Centre and Software Technology Incubator Park, which is recognised as a leading provider of office facilities and related support services to multinational companies operating in Delhi. As a result of various environmental, energy, water and solid waste management initiatives, PBC has been listed in the “India Green Buildings Anthology – A New Green Skyline” published by Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj in November, 2007.

Excerpts from an interview:

How will you define a "green entrepreneur".

I would say that the current dynamic business scenario requires one to be innovative and smart to get ideas to market. Every promoter aims big, where growth and expansion are pre-requisites to survive. To achieve this, an owner channels all his resources towards an improved financial bottom-line.

I believe this is where a green entrepreneur differs. He inspires and moves ahead keeping in mind the social and environmental costs other than his own operational costs and burdens. Other than his business standing, he is better known for his contribution to the larger interest to the environment.

How can businesses make a contribution to environment concerns?

Environmental concerns have become too serious to be ignored. A notable difference in the way business was done has come to the fore. If one looks at the concept of target market/stakeholders of a corporate, these now include, a major share amongst consumers who have become environmentally active. People make purchases keeping in mind their viability in terms of a sustainable solution. In these times, a company has to be conscious of its social and environmental responsibility.

Having known the bitter facts about buildings consuming 40 per cent of world’s energy, accounting for 50 per cent of all green-house gases emissions, we at Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Park have been moving ahead with clear goals to minimise environmental and social costs. This building is more energy, water and waste efficient than the ones around in Delhi.

What is the job scope in this field?

With an increase in environmental awareness, there are a growing number of jobs with NGOs, or semi-government sectors as well as the private sector who need research officers, lab scientists and associates involved in R&D of maintaining the ecological balance, biodiversity and wasteland management.

There are areas of specialisation, too, ranging from water management, pollution control, waste management, agriculture and so on.

What has been the response to your "green tech" approach from different business houses?

We have launched GreenSpaces Challenge to enable Greentech and Cleantech ideas applied to buildings to become a reality. We are inviting creative and innovative ideas from across the world in order to enhance energy efficiency and reduce cost of our referral flagship project, GreenSpaces, to be built as the World’s Most Energy Efficient Building. This website is getting tremendous positive response.

Concern for environment is at the core of your business strategy. How do you make your enterprises profitable with this approach?

Environmental problems open door to innovations and technology to be leveraged in order to work towards sustainable aims forcing us to act on an urgent basis.

With similar sustainable-built environment objectives, I started with my own green initiative in a 20-year-old retrofit building to show the viability of sustainable investments for others to emulate. In our suite of 28 services, you will notice our commitment to preserve planet earth. We offer consultancy services on Indoor Air Quality, for which we operate under a business unit called CleanAir. We also offer distinctive housekeeping services to a lot of corporates through a division called SpringClean where we use green certified cleaning equipment. We also offer organic food cooked in trans-fat free oil at our fine dining restaurant called CaféEinstein.

— As told to Geetu Vaid

Happiness work
Have a game of nicknames
Gems of ancient wisdom

To encourage juniors or teammates, go ahead and give everyone nicknames according to one’s strengths.For the ‘terrible’ dual vow of life-long celibacy and relinquishment of the throne, Devavrata became famed as Bhishma.

Once, the son of sage Kashyap and Vinata carried a huge tortoise and elephant in each claw and a tree trunk, on which four rishis were meditating, in his beak. Marvelling at his weight-carrying capacity, a rishi on the tree trunk christened him Garuda. Later, Garuda became the king of birds and the mount of Vishnu.

For having knowledge equal to 10 persons — an authority on the Vedas, a contributor to ayurveda, a master at playing the veena and a political expert — Ravana was also known as Dashanan (10-headed).

For his uncanny ability to negotiate a chariot in all 10 directions (east, west, north, south, north-east, north-west, south-east, south-west, up and down), the son of King Aja and Indumati became renowned as Dashrath (10-chariots).

In 1905, Jatin Mukherji and his cousin were on their way to their village when they saw a tiger waiting to pounce on them. Jatin grappled with the wildcat and killed it with his knife. ‘Bagha’ (tiger) stuck to Jatin’s name as he was indeed the tiger of the Indian freedom struggle.

“Never again will the police arrest me alive,” vowed 15-year-old Chandrashekar after his first and only arrest by the British authorities in 1921. “I am Azad (free),” he declared and remained free till his martyrdom on February 27, 1931.

“As no sacrifice can ever be greater than yours, O Bali,” Vishnu in his Vaaman incarnation said, “All sacrifices henceforth will carry your name as prefix.” Asura King Bali, grandson of the virtuous Prahlad, had relinquished his present possessions, his future investments and also his sense of doership. Even today, sacrifice in Indian languages is known as ‘balidaan’.

After Meghnad’s win over Indra, his father Ravana started calling him Indrajit.

If calling someone good has its benefits, a bad name can lower morale. “Karna, I always called you Sootputra (son of a charioteer) because I wanted to blunt your evil designs against the Pandavas,” admitted Bhishma on his deathbed.

Trust me, a lot is in a name.

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com