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Bridging gender divide
The primary reason men still vastly outnumber women in corporate boardrooms is the outdated assumption that women don't possess the high-level experience necessary to join those hallowed ranks, says the study's author Siri Terjesen. However, research shows that women have plenty of experience, although they often have different types of experience than men. “It has long been assumed that women possess less business experience than men, and that's the number one myth we debunked,” says Terjesen, assistant professor of management at the Neeley School of Business, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth. She and her two colleagues, Val Singh and Susan Vinnicombe, of Cranfield University in the United Kingdom, examined new appointees to the boards of the Financial Times Stock Exchange's 100 most highly capitalised blue-chip firms in the UK. The research included all 72 women appointed to the FTSE 100 boards during 2001-04 and 72 men randomly selected from the 470 appointed during that time-frame. Male directors had much more experience on FTSE 100 boards. But female directors had somewhat more experience on FTSE 101-350 boards and international boards. Women directors also had more experience than men — by 62.5 per cent to 38.9 per cent — on other types of boards. The women had a higher likelihood of having a portfolio of career experiences than did the men by 41.7 per cent to 27.8 per cent. Women had held senior positions, both in the private and public sectors, such as in major businesses, government, non-profit organisations, and educational institutions. The men typically had been more singularly focused. "Women are often asked to be on smaller boards and community boards, and are also more likely to take short-term or part-time contracts that help accumulate facets
to their experience," Terjesen explains. "They say yes more often to different things. This provides a diverse set of career skills they can bring to their boards." The study, "Newly Appointed Directors in the Boardroom: How Do Men and Women Differ?" will be published in an upcoming issue of the European Management Journal. Previous studies had looked at the overall makeup of boards and the characteristics of directors in general, but did not specifically examine the qualities boards currently desire in director candidates. Nor did they scrutinise gender differences. For all 144 directors studied, the researchers noted demographics, educational background, business reputation, international experience, and previous board experience. They examined career sectors the directors had worked in. In recent years, women have been slowly making headway in the boardroom, particularly as non-executive directors. According to the study, women in 2006 comprised 13.7 percent of FTSE 100 non-executive directors, up from 9.6 percent in 2001. The incidence of female executive directors, however, increased only marginally to 3.8 per cent in 2006 from 2.0 per cent in 2001. This means women are still not making it into the highest echelons of FTSE 100 directorship in positions such as CEO, CFO, or COO, regardless of the depth and breadth of their previous senior-level experience at smaller firms and other organisations. The percentages should continue to improve, however, as increasing numbers of highly qualified women keep knocking on boardroom doors and more major corporations realise the value of inviting them inside. Such diversity is becoming increasingly valued. Regulatory and competitive pressures are driving corporations to seek directors from outside their own often homogeneous talent pools. Some countries are even mandating gender quotas, says Dr. Terjesen. "Corporate scandals such as Enron and WorldCom directed attention to the people on the boards," she says. "This led to new guidelines requiring more outsiders on boards. Firms with more directors from outside the company have higher levels of corporate governance." "Earlier research shows that companies with more women on their boards tend to perform better," Terjesen says.
— PTI
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Productivity shoots up
In an analysis of 'Government Employees Manpower Productivity', it said the maximum productivity ratio was witnessed among 65 per cent employees of infrastructure PSUs with a 40 per cent improvement in their performance. Access to technology, improved working culture and passion for producing results were the key factors that inspired the employees to work for 48-60 hours a week to accomplish their assigned duties, it said. "Efficiency and productivity levels of nearly 58 per cent of government employees surveyed has improved due to liberalisation and integration of Indian economy with those of global economies," the chamber said. Assocham said that 42 per cent employees of PSUs, especially in non-key
core sectors, improved their efficiency and productivity levels by about 12-27 per cent. The analysis, based on the views of 770 higher and middle-management executives from public sector undertakings and government departments, found that the positive development is the result of economic openness and global integration.
— PTI
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IIM-L gets146 high-entry offers
The placement season at IIM-Lucknow commenced in an impressive fashion with a plethora of companies participating in the Higher Entry Placement Program (HEPP). This year saw as many as 45 companies visiting the campus over a period of 45 days and making a total of 146 offers, the highest IIM-Lucknow has ever seen.
Prominent recruiters in HEPP were Standard Chartered Bank, TSMG, Aditya Birla Group, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, Headstrong Consulting, Cap Gemini, Yes Bank, Infosys, Cognizant, IBM, Hinduja and Essar. Ernst & Young Dubai, Lehman Brothers, Barclays, Deloitte, Citibank, HCL Technologies, Unitech were some of the new recruiters visiting campus for lateral candidates. This year’s HEPP has witnessed Consulting firms make IIM-L their stronghold with consulting giants Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, TSMG, Cap Gemini, Headstrong Consulting, Hewitt Associates, Cognizant and IBM making over 65 offers. Standard Chartered, Lehman Brothers, Barclays, Yes Bank, among other financial institutions, offered meaty packages and enviable positions to the students keen making a career in the field of finance. A prominent number of recruiters offered International locations to their hires. The most significant aspect of HEPP this year was that the choicest of profiles were offered
to the lateral candidates. — TNS
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Smart Skills
Over the last couple of weeks, the media — both television and print — have been full of stories on the Filmfare and Oscar awards. What’s more — film stars don’t only feature in film news and reviews, but also in cricket and business news. Today, there’s more money in films than ever before, and even newcomers are hitting pay dirt. Investors are pouring in huge amounts of money into films, and while the Indian film industry is currently reported to be worth US $1,256 million with 934 films produced in the year 2004, according to Price Waterhouse Coopers, in the next five years, it is poised to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 18 per cent, throwing up enormous opportunities for fresh faces. The report also rates India as the third largest television market in the world, with over 350 channels currently available for viewers. The ones who walk away with the largest slice of the film and television pie are the actors, several of whom have made it big on good marketing, and of course, talent. Acting is a performing art, or activity whereby the actor tells a story by portraying a character, through speech, song or dance. Actors perform on stage in plays or dramas, motion picture, television shows and soap operas, folk theatres, etc. Depending on the theme or story being told, actors present stories that depict the social and cultural conditions of the world we live in. A large part of the success of a film or television presentation depends on the actor’s ability to bring to life emotions and expressions, creating life on a screen, or stage. Actors, therefore, need to possess histrionic talents and use a number of techniques and skills to convey their understanding of a character. These techniques and skills include a good voice, the most appropriate speech, language and intonation, expressive use of body and movement and the ability to bring these together so as to create something believable, humane, exciting, amusing, or even horrific. Contrary to the glamour and glitz seen on the screen, and normally associated with film stars, acting is a tough profession, which requires strong physical and mental strength, weeks or even months of study of a character and the building of an accurate physique — sometimes losing, or putting on weight — to match that of the character portrayed, good observation and concentration powers, and the ability to work with co-actors and others on the sets for weeks on end. In India in particular, both actors and actresses also need to be good in dancing and choreography, and have some musical ability. So, while you require to have talent to get into this profession, you also need to develop the right kind of skills, which can only be learnt through systematic training.
Screen test
Before you jump in to join the movies, it is important to know that to be a good actor, you must have an inborn talent for acting which can be trained and developed. The right guidance and training from professionals can nurture and develop the skill. So, if you have a talent for acting, the best way to get into films or television is through an acting school. Of course many have made it big through modeling — winning a Miss India, or a Gladrags or Manhunt title — or featuring in advertisements, television soaps and serials, which have also helped launch many a new face. Featuring in a reality show like the Indian Idol, Sa Re Ga Ma, or the dance competitions and comedy shows are other ways of getting noticed and a chance to join the big or small screen. A lot of aspiring actors choose yet another option — that is, learn on the job. In this case, proper networking, being at the right place, knowing the right people and good public relation skill helps beginners. There are a number of courses in acting available at schools and institutes in many parts of the country. Among the best known are the Film and Television Institute of India at Pune, and the National School of Drama in New Delhi. The FTII,, where some of the country’s top actors such as Shaban Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah trained, offers a two- year postgraduate course in acting. There are 20 seats available for this course every year. The National School of Drama in New Delhi offers a three-year comprehensive course in Dramatic Arts which focuses more on theatre, but also involves acting in front of the camera and has a module on film appreciation. The selection procedures are highly competitive at the NSD and the FTII. There are also several private acting institutes, many of which have been started by well-known actors and directors. These include Subbash Ghai’s Whistling Woods International, Padmini Kolhapure’s Acting School and Anupan Kher Acting School, Actor Prepares. Whistling Woods International at Film City in Mumbai offers a one-year acting course designed to prepare students for film, television, theatre or voice-over work. Asha K. Chandra’s School of Acting in Mumbai, one of the oldest in the industry, offers a three-month Film-Acting Training Course. The course includes acting therapies, workshops, direction, voice, speech, voice-culture and meditation. ACTOR PREPARES, the acting school founded by Anupam Kher also offers modules on diction, speech, voice, sound recording, dubbing, stunts, dance, aesthetics and yoga sessions. Actors such as Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan are supposed to have trained here. The Asian Academy of Film and Television in NOIDA (Uttar Pradesh) offers a one-year Diploma in Acting for Film and Television. In this course, students are trained in various departments of verbal and non-verbal communication. The institute also offers a three-month programme in acting and Presentation. Comedian Jaspal Bhatti has also opened a film school at Mohali Punjab which is known to teach humour skills and multi-media techniques.
Celluloid chance
Acting is one career where there is no clear career path, and training does not necessarily guarantee you an opening in the films. Unlike the corporate world, actors don't also have well defined jobs. In the initial phase, they may have to take up any job that is offered; many youngsters just hang around directors and studios in the hope they will catch someone’s eye. You may also not have many choices of acting jobs, and have to take on whatever role you are offered. Once you have done a few small roles and proved your worth, you are in a better position to choose the kind of roles you feel are better suited to your abilities. But, as it is said, an actor is only as good as his last film. Only the very talented ones prosper and earn money and fame. So you need to be prepared to struggle and constantly work on refining your skills. With the entertainment world brimming with money and bursting with opportunities, this is the time to join the film world. If you are endowed with immense creative potential, have a way of connecting with people and possess the spark to stand out in the crowd, acting can be the most fulfilling and certainly the most lucrative career you can choose. All the world’s a stage, so be ready to take a bow! The writer is a noted
career expert
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Career Hotline
A
You have not mentioned your branch of engineering but as with many of the other renewable energy technologies, the design, construction, and maintenance of hydropower plants requires electrical and mechanical engineers, technicians, and skilled workers. If the hydropower project also involves managing the reservoir and the surrounding land, the developer will also hire recreation planners and resource managers. In addition, licensing laws now require current or prospective hydropower plant developers to assess the environmental effects of their operation. Thus, the hydropower
industry now also employs environmental scientists (biologists, hydrologists, ecologists, and wildlife
habitat specialists, for example) to assess environmental impacts and address environmental remediation. Environmental scientists, as well as engineers, also participate in R&D efforts through
private companies, national laboratories, and universities.
Biophysics beckons
— Kanwaljeet Sodhi A
Biophysics applies the principles of mathematics, chemistry biology and physics to the study of living cells and organisms including structures and fine structures, bioelectric phenomena, radiation effects, molecular behaviour, photosynthesis, membranes and modelling. With the breakthroughs in unravelling the DNA it is now possible to study the inner workings of biological systems with unprecedented precision to investigate how the brain processes and stores information, the heart pumps blood, muscles contract etc. Biophysicists work in universities, industry, medical centers, research institutes and government. M.Sc Biophysics is also offered at Panjab University, Chandigarh, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,
University of Mumbai, University of Madras and a couple of others. The Department of Biophysics, AIIMS, is a center of drug discovery and clinical proteomics. It combines the fields of structural biology, bioinformatics and proteomics seamlessly. The goal of modern research in Drug Discovery is to develop drugs that are demonstrably better than the existing therapies which will act in a
specific way with minimal side effects. Conventional approaches of drug discovery can end up being a long and an expensive process. Hundreds of thousands of samples need to be screened before reaching some potential compounds with desired properties. Not just that, it could end up taking dozens of years and millions of dollars. However, with the advances in protein structure determination, structure-based drug design has emerged as a powerful and swifter tool for developing new drugs with specific properties and minimal side effects. In structure based drug design, the three-dimensional structure of a drug target interacting with small molecules is used for drug discovery. This method allows you to see exactly how the Ligand molecule interacts with its target protein. Moreover, the designed compounds that have affinities in the acceptable pharmacological range can be further processed for other biological assays and clinical trials. Eligibility: B.Sc (H) with at least 60 pc aggregate. Selection is on the basis of an entrance exam (90 minutes with 90 objective-type questions).
Getting on board
Q I am giving my Class XII boards. I like science so most probably I’ll be taking PCM in Class XII. However, I am not really aware of the options available for science students other than engineering and medicine. — Prateek Goel A
Options related to the sciences are many and varied — engineering, architecture, technology, civil aviation, merchant navy, computers, medicine, pharmacy, biotechnology and related fields including microbiology, biochemistry, forensic science, agriculture, pure and applied sciences (physics, chemistry, maths etc), environmental science/technology,
geology, meteorology and many others. If you are academically inclined, you can go into research or teaching. If you are application-oriented, you can go into engineering or technology-related careers in industry. Alternatively, you can opt for a degree in business management at the postgraduate level if you wish to broad base your options. Moreover, after completing your 10+2 with science, you can choose to pursue just about any field open to humanities and commerce students ranging from law to design and mass communication — adding up to a mind-boggling choice of 3000-plus career options! Do make it a point to read up and talk to people about various
possibilities and options that interest you. If you do this consistently, you’ll be amazed how much you pick up. The more informed you are, the better equipped you’ll be to rule out several of the inappropriate options and flag the “possible” ones. After you’ve found out some more about what is involved in
pursuing each of these, you will be able to further pare down the list. What you really need to do at this stage is to try and narrow down your choice(s) to one or two broad options so that you can concentrate on planning a career around it. Take a good career
aptitude test to help you identify the fields that are most suited to your
interests, temperament and personality.
Mouthful of opportunity
— Deep Jhulka A
Sure there are. The Armed Forces Medical Service recruits Dental Surgeons in the Army Corps both in Direct Permanent Commission as well as in the Short Service Commission. The eligibility and selection procedure is as follows: For Direct Permanent Commission: Eligibility: BDS (60 pc)/MDS. You should have completed 1-yr rotatory internship, You must have a Permanent Dental Registration Certificate of the Dental Council of India and be medically fit. Age: Below 28 years (on December 31). Selection: Merit in BDS, Written (objective) exam, clinical test and interview. For Short Service Commission: BDS (55 pc)/MDS. You should have completed 1-year rotatory internship, You must have a Permanent Dental Registration Certificate of the Dental Council of India and be medically fit, Age: Below 45 years of age (on December 31), Selection: Merit in BDS, Interview Selected candidates have to undergo medical examination. For further information, contact: Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS / Dental), Room No. 9, ‘L’ Block, M/o Defence, New
Delhi-110001 The writer is a noted career consultant Please send in your query, preferably on a postcard, along with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at
careers@tribunemail.com
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Bits & bytes
"IT has been strong. And various areas of business, besides Biotech, are also being sought after by students from India," Director (Operations)of VIEC Education, Pauline Drayton, told newsmen in Chennai on the sidelines of an Australian education fair recently. Australia was just behind the US in terms of offering high quality education to students from world over, she said, adding the country boasted a strong 44,000 Indian student population. Fifteen Australian universities participated in the education fair.
— PTI
Symbiosis inks pact for retail banking course
Global banking giant Standard Chartered Bank has said it is joining hands with Pune-based business school Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies (SIMS) for a one-year management course aimed at nurturing talent for the retail banking space. The UK-headquartered Stanchart, which is the largest foreign bank operating in India, and SIMS recently signed a memorandum of understanding, pursuant to which SCB's Consumer Bank Academy and SIMS would jointly offer the postgraduate programme in retail banking and sales. The students enrolled for the programme would all be absorbed by the bank and also get on-the-job training. They also will have an opportunity to earn while working as they would be provided stipend during the internship, the bank said in a statement issued in New Delhi. "The demand for talented people in the banking and financial services sector far exceeds the supply. In this partnership, the bank will bring its knowledge and understanding of the banking domain, and SIMS, the ability to nurture talent. Together, we aim to create professionals who are the best in the retail banking sector," Stanchart's Regional head of consumer banking (India and Nepal) Murali M. Natrajan said. The programme would enrol a minimum 300 students this year.
— PTI
Aptech bags four
franchising awards
Repeating its feat of 2007, Aptech garnered the maximum awards for franchising at the celebrated Indian Franchising Awards 2008 held in New Delhi recently. It bagged four awards at the event organised by the “Franchising Association of India” — Global Franchisor of the Year; Win-win Franchising Partnership; Franchising Woman of the Year and Franchisee of the Year.
— TNS
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1 Who recently led India to victory in the u-19 cricket World Cup final? 2 Name the South African openers who recently set the world record for the first wicket in the Test cricket history? 3 Which airline recently conducted a test flight using biofuel made from coconut oil? 4 How many seats were won by the PPP in the Pakistan’s National Assembly recently? 5 Which film has won four Oscars this year? 6 Which country recently test fired its first-ever undersea nuclear-capable missile? 7 Name the first amusement park of India that was shut down recently. 8 What amount has been allocated by the union finance minister in this year’s Budget to raise a tiger protection force? 9 Who is the new President of Cuba? 10 Name the US Defence Secretary. 11 Which state in the country is planning to make rainwater harvesting and use of solar power facilities in new buildings mandatory? 12 Which Indian painter’s work titled “Tribute to Hashmi” recently fetched him a record Rs 4 crore? 13 How many centuries have been scored by Sachin Tendulkar in Australia in one-day international cricket? 14 How many teams will compete in the IPL tournament? 15 Which countries recently played the highest-scoring tie — by scoring 340 runs each — in the history of the one-day international cricket? Name……………………Class………………........ School address ……….... Winners of quiz 304: The first prize by draw of lots goes to Pawan Vashisth, XII-A, Sainik School Kunjpura, Karnal-132023. Second: Raj Anmol Singh Garg, X, Little Flower Senior Secondary School, Old Ferozepur Road, Muktsar - 152026. Third: Karan Sharma, 11-B (commerce), KV 29 OCF, Chandigarh-160030. Answers to quiz 304: 1,411; Orissa; Microsoft; Baba Amte; Switzerland; Brahmaputra and Moskva; Dilli; Maharishi Mahesh Yogi; C.B. Bhave; Pristina; Steve Fosset; Sachin Tendulkar; M.S. Dhoni; Golf; Ishant Sharma Cash awards of Rs 400, 300 and 200 are given to the first, second and third prize winners, respectively. These are sent at the school address. Note: Kindly mention the pincode of your place to facilitate the delivery of the prize money. Answers can also be sent at quiz@tribunemail.com — Tarun Sharma
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Women appointed to corporate boards bring different “but not less business experience than men” as has been assumed for long, according to a new study.
They found that female directors were much more likely to have MBA degrees than their male peers and were twice as likely to have earned their degrees from elite institutions.
Improved access to technology, working culture as well as greater integration with the global economy has enhanced the efficiency of a majority of government employees, with productivity levels increasing by 35-40 per cent, industry body Assocham said in New Delhi recently.
Shah Rukh Khan is always in the news. So are Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan… and so many others. Film stars are all over the news. Film stars jostle for space on prime time, along with the cricket news, the budget and the US elections!
Acting is a multi-faceted art form where the actor works along with a director, possibly other actors, and a team of artists and technicians that collaborate in presenting the film, or television drama. A whole gamut of professionals work together as a team that contributes to the making of a film. These include not just actors or presenters, but also producers and directors and their assistants, cameramen, sound recordists, as well as choreographers, music directors, singers, lyricists, make-up artists, hair dressers, costume designers, etc. The size of film units can range from 200 people or more, on big features to smaller than a five-member crew on documentaries or corporate presentations. Actors/ actresses are given their scripts and are instructed by the director of the film on how to perform and emote. They often have to sign a contract with the producer and director to work with them for the assigned duration of the shooting of the film and the shooting dates.
Q I am doing BE-II. Can you please tell me something about jobs in the hydropower sector?
Q I have completed B.Sc (Physics) and now wish to do M.Sc in Biophysics. Can you please give me information on the universities that offer this specialisation and the course content?
Q I will be completing my BDS this year. Are there any job prospects for a dentist in the armed forces?
Information Technology and biotech are some of the most preferred courses of Indian students wanting to pursue higher education in Australia, an Australian Education Consultant said.
