Here's XLRI GMP 2010 Batch's Placment Summary as covered in Media
Yahoo News
Financial Express
CoolAvenues
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Innovation at Work
It’s about time that most of us would have joined work. We would have got used to the processes at work and probably even started getting frustrated seeing some of them. We might have even cursed ourselves that how we are a tiny fry in a big organization.
We have also heard the tales of how some organization are innovative and entrepreneurial in nature while others have none of these qualities. People would go all lengths to be part of these organizations. So is innovation restricted to only the likes of Google or 3M. We can delay it into eternity by thinking that our time for making the changes will come when we reach the place of CXO’s.
Alternately we can do something which is being advocated by Robin Sharma in his latest book” Leader without Title” and try to make small but incremental changes in our work place irrespective of our position. Well appears easy but is it difficult to implement?
I found a live example of some one trying innovation from unexpected corner. Every day while going back from office to home, I would face a traffic jam at the Hope farm circle. It is not due to heavy traffic but a specific reason.
All along the square are four lane roads except for the one going to Chanshankara, which is two-lane road. There are no free left turns at the square. Just on the beginning of the road is the assumed bus stop for passengers who wish to board the bus going towards Chanshankara. Since this road remains narrow throughout and has heavy traffic there is no space for making an alternate bus stop ahead of this one. As a result when the buses going towards Chanshankara stop, to take the passengers, traffic behind them going towards Chanshankara comes to an absolute halt, most of the times on the very square itself. So even when the light turns green for the other sides of the square the vehicles cannot move due to blocked square. Many fellow commuters and I have seen this scene, honked in agony and many a times curse the people who travel by bus, as if they had a bus stop choice. The traffic policeman standing there would turn a blind eye to this episode which plays itself many times over in the day.
We have also heard the tales of how some organization are innovative and entrepreneurial in nature while others have none of these qualities. People would go all lengths to be part of these organizations. So is innovation restricted to only the likes of Google or 3M. We can delay it into eternity by thinking that our time for making the changes will come when we reach the place of CXO’s.
Alternately we can do something which is being advocated by Robin Sharma in his latest book” Leader without Title” and try to make small but incremental changes in our work place irrespective of our position. Well appears easy but is it difficult to implement?
I found a live example of some one trying innovation from unexpected corner. Every day while going back from office to home, I would face a traffic jam at the Hope farm circle. It is not due to heavy traffic but a specific reason.
All along the square are four lane roads except for the one going to Chanshankara, which is two-lane road. There are no free left turns at the square. Just on the beginning of the road is the assumed bus stop for passengers who wish to board the bus going towards Chanshankara. Since this road remains narrow throughout and has heavy traffic there is no space for making an alternate bus stop ahead of this one. As a result when the buses going towards Chanshankara stop, to take the passengers, traffic behind them going towards Chanshankara comes to an absolute halt, most of the times on the very square itself. So even when the light turns green for the other sides of the square the vehicles cannot move due to blocked square. Many fellow commuters and I have seen this scene, honked in agony and many a times curse the people who travel by bus, as if they had a bus stop choice. The traffic policeman standing there would turn a blind eye to this episode which plays itself many times over in the day.
It is here that I saw an example of ingenuity and leadership at grass root levels. Some of the policeman tried a novel idea. Since shifting the bus stop was not in their power they devised a solution keeping it a “hard constraint”. They started halting the traffic coming from Chanshankara much before the traffic signals equivalent of two buses length from the signal. Under this arrangement the bus would stop at the bus stop at the beginning of the road. However other vehicles would move from the side of the bus, traveling in the opposite lane for a while before they would cross the bus and reach ahead of the bus and follow the normal lane. Incidentally, keeping the traffic light of their side green for an additional 10 seconds compensated the traffic, which was halted much short of traffic signal. Though the solution defies the traffic laws (of moving in your lane), it offers the best solution under the given set of constraints. I was really amused with this simple solution, which was put forward and implemented by just two things – Common sense and a willingness to make a difference.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Lessons for driving car in Bangalore
With GMP over, we could probably make this blog a part of "cached pages" or make it a melting pot of our experiences in life after GMP.With this in mind:
It is not that I have not experienced the traffic of Bangalore before.But experiencing it while being in the driving seat is a different feeling.Some observations/lessons for driving car in Bangalore based on my learnings from driving my car from Airport road to ITPL-
1. If you thought only small creatures were nimble(And you have not seen the Elephant ad of Accenture),you need to see the Bangalore city buses in action.The drivers will cut your path with such precision,you will bite your nails.
2. While driving in Bangalore on a 4 lane road-2 lane for each side of traffic, drive as indicated in the picture.At many a places where there is a U turn facility available, the vehicles get stuck for a long time as they are unable to turn due to high speed traffic coming from other side.In case you are driving at the outer edge of the road,you will get stuck behind this traffic awaiting U turn.The bus drivers of Bangalore would keep changing lane to at the bus stops,in that case too you will have the best chance to speed up in the gap.
3. Consult for one ways lest you will find yourself running around in circles.There is no scope for consulting while on the move as there is no place where you can get your vehicle to a side and ask for directions.
4. If you are going to some destination in town,find the location of the nearest mall where you can park your car and with that as base use the auto for commuting.There are just no parking slots in Bangalore.
5. Dont feel happy ,if you jumped a traffic light and are not apprehended by the cops.He would have noted your number and will either send the notice home or pass information on the walkie-talkie to the cop at next square.
6. And for each car journey you think of taking,evaluate whether you can avoid that by a combination of daily or monthly bus pass as with the air conditioned volvo..u can avoid driving atleast for office.
It is not that I have not experienced the traffic of Bangalore before.But experiencing it while being in the driving seat is a different feeling.Some observations/lessons for driving car in Bangalore based on my learnings from driving my car from Airport road to ITPL-
1. If you thought only small creatures were nimble(And you have not seen the Elephant ad of Accenture),you need to see the Bangalore city buses in action.The drivers will cut your path with such precision,you will bite your nails.
2. While driving in Bangalore on a 4 lane road-2 lane for each side of traffic, drive as indicated in the picture.At many a places where there is a U turn facility available, the vehicles get stuck for a long time as they are unable to turn due to high speed traffic coming from other side.In case you are driving at the outer edge of the road,you will get stuck behind this traffic awaiting U turn.The bus drivers of Bangalore would keep changing lane to at the bus stops,in that case too you will have the best chance to speed up in the gap.
3. Consult for one ways lest you will find yourself running around in circles.There is no scope for consulting while on the move as there is no place where you can get your vehicle to a side and ask for directions.
4. If you are going to some destination in town,find the location of the nearest mall where you can park your car and with that as base use the auto for commuting.There are just no parking slots in Bangalore.
5. Dont feel happy ,if you jumped a traffic light and are not apprehended by the cops.He would have noted your number and will either send the notice home or pass information on the walkie-talkie to the cop at next square.
6. And for each car journey you think of taking,evaluate whether you can avoid that by a combination of daily or monthly bus pass as with the air conditioned volvo..u can avoid driving atleast for office.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Catchy title for XLRI GMP 2010 Graduation Ceremony
The title says 7 doctors turn managers. We had 6 not 7 doctors in the batch. Anyways here is the link.
XLRI GMP Class of 2010 - The final shot
Our Graduation ceremony has been covered by Press.
Here are links
Jamshedpur, May 12: For a crop of 131 professionals from the corporate world, it was like revisiting their graduation day in college today.
The occasion was XLRI’s graduation ceremony for students of one-year general management programme (GMP) as well as those of executive diploma in human resource management (HRM), which was taught in India and Dubai.
A total of 96 GMP students and 35 HRM students (19 from India and 16 from Dubai) were handed over certificates by Father E. Abraham, the director of XLRI, and chief guest H.M. Nerurkar, the managing director of Tata Steel. Kailash Nandalal Jialdasani bagged the director’s medal this year.
“Those who graduated today are not freshers. They have considerable experience in the corporate sector and had come back to pursue courses here for enhancing their knowledge. I hope these students will step out and add value to their services. The students who are present here are lucky to be in this part of the world as the south east is flourishing with business opportunities,” said Nerurkar.
The GMP programme is meant for middle-level managers. They are primarily from engineering background but their profile is nonetheless diverse — from IT to fashion technology to academics.
Almost all of them had seven years of executive experience when they joined this programme.
This year, the students were sent to four different universities across the world for more exposure.
“Coming back to books was a unique experience, thanks to our families for supporting us. College was good with so many courses, assignments and great professors, who have moulded us to be sharpened managers. We will cherish our stay here forever,” said Anshuman Jaiswal, one of the graduating GMP students.
XLRI officials said the 2010 batch had set a new benchmark with their initiative, resilience and a rare commitment to pursue their dreams.
Friday, April 16, 2010
International Exposure Module for GMP (09-10)
Here is the summary of International Immersion for GMP 2009-2010 post on XLRI website
International immersion was an exciting & enriching experience of XLRI's one year General Management Program (GMP) (2009-10), five groups of students travelled to 5 different geographical locations across the globe – to Chicago and New Orleans in USA, Munster in Germany, Lille in France and Manila in Philippines, showing the emphasis XLRI puts on diverse international experience that its students would bring to the class. The 3 week long program focused on familiarizing the students with business climate and industrial scenario of their host countries, as well as giving them a chance to execute a project for different organizations there. For example, the group that went to AIM, Manila visited world Head quarters of Asian Development Bank and participated in round table conference on State Owned Enterprises. The group also worked on consulting projects for companies like Cognizant, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Lafarge etc. and helped them in strategy development & developing forecast model. The team Germany was accompanied by the Dean of GMP program, Dr. Pranabesh Ray. Germany is the home of world's most respected companies like SAP, BMW, addidas, SIEMENS, Deutsche Bank etc. Applying class room teachings, the group developed insight into German manufacturing industry through value chain analysis and studied the corporate strategies of big and medium size companies in Germany. The Chicago group got an unique opportunity of attending CII Conference headed by Mr. Sam Pitroda (advisor to Prime Minister of India), also present were business leaders from Chicago & India and professional turned academician, Raghuram Rajan (IMF Chief Economist, 2003-2006). Further, the group made a visit to Chicago Board of Trade. The group also made a presentation on "Destination India" day, highlighting the exciting business opportunities & quality of human resources present in India. The programme for the New Orleans group was hosted by Tulane University. Besides Company projects, students also participated in a strategy simulation game (CAPSIM) where they created and managed virtual companies that competed against each other for 8 simulated years. Students acting as top management of the company took decisions in various management areas of marketing, operations, finance and HR. The group not only completed the simulations successfully but also made it to the global top 10 rankings amongst world's foremost B schools and Corporations who they were playing the game with. The France team went to IESEG at Lille and did marketing & strategy projects for the world's 4th biggest Home-Improvement Retail company, and visited EU Parliament at Brussels and Paris to interact with local businesses. According to the Dean, "the international immersion programme not only helps executive GMP students understand the nuances of new economic order but also showcases Indian talent to the world". |
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Signing off on a winning note
To pull the rest of the batch to the field,Suraj fired his salvo by his mail...which served both as an invitation and a warning.
Extract reproduced below.
"They were not educated like the learned Romans; Only thing they could read were the ferocious eyes of their opponents. They did not belong to the noble blood, but they tasted blood to entertain the nobility,
When elite Roman studied astronomy and geometry, they learned the language of swords, arrows, dust and blood.
They were the Gladiators ……the entertainers of the elite.
2000 years have passed…………………………but the legend continues,
So as the elite GMPians will busy themselves with books, Some would be fighting for the pride of GMP on the football ground.
They don’t enjoy Grades, they don’t cherish Ranks,
What they enjoy is bruised knees and bleeding elbows.
Coming to cheer them is not the matter of Choice; It is the matter of Guts."
When elite Roman studied astronomy and geometry, they learned the language of swords, arrows, dust and blood.
They were the Gladiators ……the entertainers of the elite.
2000 years have passed…………………………but the legend continues,
So as the elite GMPians will busy themselves with books, Some would be fighting for the pride of GMP on the football ground.
They don’t enjoy Grades, they don’t cherish Ranks,
What they enjoy is bruised knees and bleeding elbows.
Coming to cheer them is not the matter of Choice; It is the matter of Guts."
The mail did the trick. With GMPians coming out in big numbers, the stage was set for the big show.
As the Sun dropped a few degrees to welcome a hot evening, the XLRI football field heated up with an excellent football .The standard of play was expectedly high. Faculty team produced a performance in the first half that saw them levelled at 0-0 despite the GMP capturing the ball for 80% of the time. This first half included intense attacks by the GMPians, strong defence and some excellent airborne goalkeeper enabled saves by the faculty team.
Half Time- GMP- 0………………Faculty- 0
On the risk of a little digression, it should be pointed out that the referee was also feeling the intense competitive heat, but made his all time best efforts to keep up with the fast paced game. There were a few controversies regarding referee deciding against giving offside on two occasions but the high voltage drama continued with the right sportsman spirit. It was a fun filled game with spectators from all age groups. Adults, children, extra players and refreshment serving staff all cheered for their favourite side. The huge number of onlookers ensured enormous vocal output. Photographers with their variously sized cameras clicked every detail of the match.
The second half saw the introduction of young blood from the faculty team. These kids were campus residents and threatened complete demolition of the tiring GMPians. It was this half that saw increasing attacks from the faculty team. However GMPians led by their captain drew the first blood and scored two goals in quick successions. GMPians produced their best display in the past few weeks and proved too strong for faculty team, progressing to the final whistle with a couple of goals more. Thus the lead stretched to 4-0 and XLRI GMP team won the match with a BIG-BANG.
End of the match- GMP- 4…………………Faculty- 0
The agility of our professors and staff members showed their fitness and commitment level. The camaraderie amongst players was evident throughout the game and the post match handshakes and appreciation of each others’ game added to the healthy playing atmosphere. XLRI, we would miss so many things related to you and this match would certainly be one amongst them.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Branding - The GMP style
Since the very day, GMPians stepped into XL, they were enthusiastic about strengthening the brand - GMP. The creativity reached its peak when the mail trails started with various slogans to be printed on their T-shirts..... My mail box would have over 200 mails with multiple ideas and suggestions on what should be the design on our 'planned' T-shirts.... We got many many suggestions and some of them are listed below.
"often emulated seldom matched","XLence is everything, rest is IIMaterial or ISBullshit" , "XLence is everything,rest is all IIMaterial", "...neither S nor M, nor it is L... live life in XL...", "it's here... passion n knowledge gel......n together we XL...", "...the confleuence of knowledge brings XLence...", "Live Life XL size", "XLence Rules"
Arguments and counter arguments in favour or against these slogans kept on pouring in our mail boxes. This was just the beginning of a year full of brainstorming sessions for many more things to follow...We started contacting vendors in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata etc but none of them was ready to print 100 odd pieces as it was too less a quantity for a whole seller. I personally contacted over 20 vendors and asked for samples. Few of them responded positively and most of them simply agreed to send samples but never reverted.
We tried to get in some vendors locally but the quality of the fabric was the issue. Finally we got hold of a vendor in Delhi who was ready to deliver us our most awaited sweat shirts with customized design..
But problems didn't shy away from us even now. The extreme fog in northern India kept on delaying the consignment which could reach us only till the end of January. Rest is just history... For remaining days of winter...the favourite color of GMPians was Black and the most number of times I read XLRI - GMP in a fortnight was on the back of GMPians walking around.
Here is the design we finalized....
And the efforts are on to get t-shirts now!!
Cheers,
Hemant
"often emulated seldom matched","XLence is everything, rest is IIMaterial or ISBullshit" , "XLence is everything,rest is all IIMaterial", "...neither S nor M, nor it is L... live life in XL...", "it's here... passion n knowledge gel......n together we XL...", "...the confleuence of knowledge brings XLence...", "Live Life XL size", "XLence Rules"
Arguments and counter arguments in favour or against these slogans kept on pouring in our mail boxes. This was just the beginning of a year full of brainstorming sessions for many more things to follow...We started contacting vendors in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata etc but none of them was ready to print 100 odd pieces as it was too less a quantity for a whole seller. I personally contacted over 20 vendors and asked for samples. Few of them responded positively and most of them simply agreed to send samples but never reverted.
We tried to get in some vendors locally but the quality of the fabric was the issue. Finally we got hold of a vendor in Delhi who was ready to deliver us our most awaited sweat shirts with customized design..
But problems didn't shy away from us even now. The extreme fog in northern India kept on delaying the consignment which could reach us only till the end of January. Rest is just history... For remaining days of winter...the favourite color of GMPians was Black and the most number of times I read XLRI - GMP in a fortnight was on the back of GMPians walking around.
Here is the design we finalized....
And the efforts are on to get t-shirts now!!
Cheers,
Hemant
Monday, March 29, 2010
Environmental Markets – The next big thing!
Business opportunities in the Environmental Markets – This was the theme of talk delivered at XLRI by Dr. Ram Babu, CEO - General Carbon. He has over 35 years of professional experience in the Environmental sector and has worked with institutions like National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, PricewaterhouseCoopers and CantorCO2e.
Dr. Ram’s work in the private sector includes environment impact assessments, environment & energy audits, quality & environment management systems and corporate governance benchmarking. From 1999, Dr. Ram focused on developing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. Ram has participated in setting up many of the systems and processes of the Clean Development Mechanism, which includes development of methodologies, registration of over 50 projects and issuance of over 25 million CERs. Dr.Ram has led some of the early transactions in the compliance and voluntary markets and has been instrumental in developing a variety of carbon finance structures.
Dr. Ram Babu’s visit to XLRI, one of the country’s top notch Business Schools, is part of XLRI’s initiative to impart effectual corporate leadership amongst its students through frequent and periodic interactions with industry experts as part of the CEO Forum. The event was attended by students of General Management Programme(GMP), Business Management and Personnel Management students and faculty.
With consensus finally taking shape around Copenhagen, green technologies and environmental markets offer immense business opportunities in the near future. Dr. Ram Babu in his opening remarks highlighted that in a path breaking paper by the leading economists of the world, the value of services provided by the biosphere have been valued at 1.8 times of Global GNP. With increased focus on climate change and higher commitments of nations under Copenhagen, he opined that the share of Climate balance management Systems/Service in the global GDP would reach a level of 5% by 2020 surpassing the share of IT sector.
He briefly outlined the opportunities in the environmental markets viz., Incentive and market based mechanisms, Open trading under regulations, Self Organized Private deals and Certification and eco labeling of products and services. The market in carbon credits alone is estimated at around 50 billion dollars. Impressed by the keen interest shown by the students of XLRI in becoming partners in tapping this huge opportunity, he offered help in incubating ideas in this domain. Some of the ideas which found favor were investments in improving efficiency in various domains like energy utilities, cold storages, automobile and manufacturing sector etc to generate carbon credits.
The event was very interactive and Dr. Ram Babu answered many questions of students. The questions ranged from the mechanisms under CDM, project financing for carbon credit projects, types of technologies and industries which offer opportunities under carbon credits, etc.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Post Admission FAQs
1. for unmarried students, does XLRI provide a single room or is it on a twin sharing basis?
For unmarried students, the accommodation is a single room with attached bathroom, table, chair, bookshelf, AC, telephone, internet and lightings. The rooms are cleaned daily and there is dedicated housekeeping staff employed by XLRI. You can be assured of a comfortable stay while at XLRI’s GMP residence
2. Do we need to carry an n/w cord with us for the laptop, or is it wireless access to the network?
An n/w cord is always useful. The college is Wi-Fi enabled and each room has a LAN point. Each student is provided with a LAN cord within the first couple of days. To remain connected with the first minute you enter your room, you may carry an n/w with yourself.
3. Are there any shops within or near to the campus to purchase household items?
Jamshedpur is a small city and major shopping centers – Sakchi and Bistupur are about 10 minutes on bike. Within the campus, there a small shop but I don’t think it can handle your grocery requirements. There are a couple of shops just outside the campus gate which should be able to satisfy all your purchase needs including groceries and others.
4. What expenses do we have to budget additionally during our stay?
I understand that food is not included in the fees. Can’t think of any major expenses other than the phone and daily misc spend. You should factor about 50K-1L for the international immersion.
5. Do we need to buy any additional books during the course or are the notes provided by Profs enough?
No additional books need to be bought. They are supplied by the institute. You can choose to carry a few notebooks or you can buy them here.
6. Is there any constraint on the dress code during regular course work?
I hope casuals are okay. During the first term, a professor insists formalwear for managerial communication classes. Otherwise, its casual wear. Formal suites are required for formal gatherings and interviews
7. I understand that hectic would be a small word to describe your schedule, but how often do we get time to interact with student societies? Is there an opportunity to suggest an idea and start your own club?
Students are free to form their own clubs and information exchange committees with GMP peers. GMP has Finance committee, Canteen Committee, Admin committee, Online Group, Toastmasters club and Sports committee. XLRI also has well established clubs encompassing all programs of XLRI, concentration on diverse areas where GMP students are welcome to join. Some examples are: CRESENT (consulting club), Finax (finance association), Maxi(marketing association), Fire@x (Industrial relations & Labour law), SIGMA( social initiative for Managerial assistance) and many more. Information about other clubs is available on XLRI website. Usually, students participate in the events organized by various societies.
8. How often do we have alumni meets or sessions with head honchos? I am asking purely from an n/wing perspective. Such sessions keep happening around the year.
On an average, you can expect to see at least two guest lecturers/CEO forums per quarter. Alumni meets are more planned and happen 1-2 times during the year. There are guest lectures even during regular classes with people from the industry contributing to current topics.
9. Please shed some light on the waitlist conversion ratio . Please convey some inputs on the chances of waiting list candidates and till what number can a waiting list candidate expect for conversion to a final call along with the time frame for the same.
In my batch, I think the waitlist number upto 15 was admitted.
Timelines
you will have to be patient at least till the time admitted guys pay their first installment. Waitlist processing starts only after this date.
11. Do you suggest one should get their own vehicle during their stay in the campus ?
It is highly advisable to get your own vehicle to campus. Jamshedpur is a small city and it increases your mobility within the city and campus. A lot of my batch mates (including me) have their vehicles (car and bike) here on campus. There is ample covered parking area available with the residence blocks. It takes at most 10 mins to walk down to your class from the GMP residence, so even not having a vehicle is not a big deal.
12. Do we have to pay the mess charges in the beginning itself or do we have the option of making monthly payments towards it ?
Mess charges are usually paid along with the installment. We paid 40,000 for annual mess charge. There’s a new cafeteria near the GMP blocks which should also present some decent options!
13. Any suggestions on the preparatory ground work I should do before the course starts ?
The one year at XL is going be quite hectic. You can choose to rest before all the fun (on the run!) begins. If you are keen to start early, you can brush up your skills in Probability, Basic accounting, a little bit of micro and macroeconomics. I suggest you to start following the economic trends and getting used to the terms.
For unmarried students, the accommodation is a single room with attached bathroom, table, chair, bookshelf, AC, telephone, internet and lightings. The rooms are cleaned daily and there is dedicated housekeeping staff employed by XLRI. You can be assured of a comfortable stay while at XLRI’s GMP residence
2. Do we need to carry an n/w cord with us for the laptop, or is it wireless access to the network?
An n/w cord is always useful. The college is Wi-Fi enabled and each room has a LAN point. Each student is provided with a LAN cord within the first couple of days. To remain connected with the first minute you enter your room, you may carry an n/w with yourself.
3. Are there any shops within or near to the campus to purchase household items?
Jamshedpur is a small city and major shopping centers – Sakchi and Bistupur are about 10 minutes on bike. Within the campus, there a small shop but I don’t think it can handle your grocery requirements. There are a couple of shops just outside the campus gate which should be able to satisfy all your purchase needs including groceries and others.
4. What expenses do we have to budget additionally during our stay?
I understand that food is not included in the fees. Can’t think of any major expenses other than the phone and daily misc spend. You should factor about 50K-1L for the international immersion.
5. Do we need to buy any additional books during the course or are the notes provided by Profs enough?
No additional books need to be bought. They are supplied by the institute. You can choose to carry a few notebooks or you can buy them here.
6. Is there any constraint on the dress code during regular course work?
I hope casuals are okay. During the first term, a professor insists formalwear for managerial communication classes. Otherwise, its casual wear. Formal suites are required for formal gatherings and interviews
7. I understand that hectic would be a small word to describe your schedule, but how often do we get time to interact with student societies? Is there an opportunity to suggest an idea and start your own club?
Students are free to form their own clubs and information exchange committees with GMP peers. GMP has Finance committee, Canteen Committee, Admin committee, Online Group, Toastmasters club and Sports committee. XLRI also has well established clubs encompassing all programs of XLRI, concentration on diverse areas where GMP students are welcome to join. Some examples are: CRESENT (consulting club), Finax (finance association), Maxi(marketing association), Fire@x (Industrial relations & Labour law), SIGMA( social initiative for Managerial assistance) and many more. Information about other clubs is available on XLRI website. Usually, students participate in the events organized by various societies.
8. How often do we have alumni meets or sessions with head honchos? I am asking purely from an n/wing perspective. Such sessions keep happening around the year.
On an average, you can expect to see at least two guest lecturers/CEO forums per quarter. Alumni meets are more planned and happen 1-2 times during the year. There are guest lectures even during regular classes with people from the industry contributing to current topics.
9. Please shed some light on the waitlist conversion ratio . Please convey some inputs on the chances of waiting list candidates and till what number can a waiting list candidate expect for conversion to a final call along with the time frame for the same.
In my batch, I think the waitlist number upto 15 was admitted.
Timelines
you will have to be patient at least till the time admitted guys pay their first installment. Waitlist processing starts only after this date.
11. Do you suggest one should get their own vehicle during their stay in the campus ?
It is highly advisable to get your own vehicle to campus. Jamshedpur is a small city and it increases your mobility within the city and campus. A lot of my batch mates (including me) have their vehicles (car and bike) here on campus. There is ample covered parking area available with the residence blocks. It takes at most 10 mins to walk down to your class from the GMP residence, so even not having a vehicle is not a big deal.
12. Do we have to pay the mess charges in the beginning itself or do we have the option of making monthly payments towards it ?
Mess charges are usually paid along with the installment. We paid 40,000 for annual mess charge. There’s a new cafeteria near the GMP blocks which should also present some decent options!
13. Any suggestions on the preparatory ground work I should do before the course starts ?
The one year at XL is going be quite hectic. You can choose to rest before all the fun (on the run!) begins. If you are keen to start early, you can brush up your skills in Probability, Basic accounting, a little bit of micro and macroeconomics. I suggest you to start following the economic trends and getting used to the terms.
Monday, March 8, 2010
XLRI GMP Placements in Business Standard
XLRI GMP Placements is covered in Business Standard. Here is the link
Business Standard
XLRI Jamshedpur will conduct its final placement for the one year full time General Management Programme (GMP) at Mumbai from March 3 to 6, 2010 at St Xavier’s College. Companies like Apollo, SAP, TCS, Mahindra Satyam, Tech Mahindra, Biocon, Wipro Infotech, Daimler and few Tata group companies have already visited the campus. Over 25 students have already been made offers that range between Rs 11 lakh and Rs 28 lakh per annum. Soumya Ranjan Mahakul, secretary of the placement committee, says: “The average experience of the batch of 100 students is around 7 years with half of the batch having average international experience of 3 years. The diversity caters various sectors in the market.”
The institute is optimistic of placements this year and expects increased recruitment in all the sectors. Rajiv Misra, chairman placements at XLRI said, “The response from companies is definitely looking better. With economy slowly regaining its steam, companies are looking forward to these MBAs with substantial industry experience to become their growth drivers. This is evident from the upward trend in the number of companies registering for the placements and also salaries offered. For example, the leading Super Specialty hospital chain in the country has made 5 offers to the doctors in the batch.
Business Standard
XLRI Jamshedpur will conduct its final placement for the one year full time General Management Programme (GMP) at Mumbai from March 3 to 6, 2010 at St Xavier’s College. Companies like Apollo, SAP, TCS, Mahindra Satyam, Tech Mahindra, Biocon, Wipro Infotech, Daimler and few Tata group companies have already visited the campus. Over 25 students have already been made offers that range between Rs 11 lakh and Rs 28 lakh per annum. Soumya Ranjan Mahakul, secretary of the placement committee, says: “The average experience of the batch of 100 students is around 7 years with half of the batch having average international experience of 3 years. The diversity caters various sectors in the market.”
The institute is optimistic of placements this year and expects increased recruitment in all the sectors. Rajiv Misra, chairman placements at XLRI said, “The response from companies is definitely looking better. With economy slowly regaining its steam, companies are looking forward to these MBAs with substantial industry experience to become their growth drivers. This is evident from the upward trend in the number of companies registering for the placements and also salaries offered. For example, the leading Super Specialty hospital chain in the country has made 5 offers to the doctors in the batch.
Friday, February 26, 2010
XLRI GMP Mumbai Placements in Economic Times
XLRI GMP Mumbai Placements in Economic Times
Reproducing text here
After a gap of a year, Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) will be visiting Mumbai to hold a campus placement week for the students of
its one-year general management programme for working professionals.
Jamshedpur-based XLRI is organising its last leg of placements in Mumbai at St Xavier’s College from March 3 to 6, 2010, and is hopeful that all the students will get placed in four days.
Last year, the institute, known for its programme on personal management, was forced to drop its Mumbai visit due to a lukewarm response from India Inc, which was suffering the effects of the economic slowdown. However, it’s a different story this year. “With the economy changing gears and heightened interest among corporates for hiring, we are visiting Mumbai for final placements,” says associate dean Pranabesh Ray.
Of the batch size of 96 students, 25 students have been placed so far. The placements began in the second week of January. The average salary offered till date is around Rs 15 lakh compared to Rs 13.5 lakh per annum in 2009.
Responses from core sector and information technology companies have picked up this year. Companies in the financial sector too are showing interest. About 15 companies have visited the campus so far. Among them are Apollo, SAP, TCS, Mahindra Satyam, Tech Mahindra, Biocon, Wipro Infotech, Daimler and a few Tata Group companies.
“There is more demand for domain consultants and business development roles in IT companies this year,” says professor Rajiv Misra, chairman, placements. The roles offered are at senior levels like practice lead, assistant VP, directors, general manager, among others. The average experience of the batch is around seven years, and half the batch has an average international work experience of three years.
Reproducing text here
After a gap of a year, Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) will be visiting Mumbai to hold a campus placement week for the students of
its one-year general management programme for working professionals.
Jamshedpur-based XLRI is organising its last leg of placements in Mumbai at St Xavier’s College from March 3 to 6, 2010, and is hopeful that all the students will get placed in four days.
Last year, the institute, known for its programme on personal management, was forced to drop its Mumbai visit due to a lukewarm response from India Inc, which was suffering the effects of the economic slowdown. However, it’s a different story this year. “With the economy changing gears and heightened interest among corporates for hiring, we are visiting Mumbai for final placements,” says associate dean Pranabesh Ray.
Of the batch size of 96 students, 25 students have been placed so far. The placements began in the second week of January. The average salary offered till date is around Rs 15 lakh compared to Rs 13.5 lakh per annum in 2009.
Responses from core sector and information technology companies have picked up this year. Companies in the financial sector too are showing interest. About 15 companies have visited the campus so far. Among them are Apollo, SAP, TCS, Mahindra Satyam, Tech Mahindra, Biocon, Wipro Infotech, Daimler and a few Tata Group companies.
“There is more demand for domain consultants and business development roles in IT companies this year,” says professor Rajiv Misra, chairman, placements. The roles offered are at senior levels like practice lead, assistant VP, directors, general manager, among others. The average experience of the batch is around seven years, and half the batch has an average international work experience of three years.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tata Steel XLRI Peace Run
The race had three categories for participation-
Tata Steel XLRI Peace Run Short Route (1 km in distance)
Tata Steel XLRI Peace Run Long Route (5 km in distance)
Among the 5 prizes, three were bagged by GMPians-
1. 1st Men - Shreerang Joshi
2. 1st Women - Deepti Chand
Tata Steel XLRI Peace Run Long Route Group (5 km in distance)
1st Group – Ankit Chordia, Bahvin Dalal, Suraj Kumar Singh
However, we managed to win among the XL group. The real winners were children from Tata Sports Academy who beat even the prize winners in our group comprehensively. Kudos to their spirit! With the faculties, families and students coming out in large numbers, the event was a great beginning to the Sunday.
But in GMP, we not only work hard but party even harder. So the same evening, the winners threw up the party for the batch. The party gave a breather to students reeling under the pressure of placements and studies.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A Setu for budding Enterpreneurs
Mr. Vijay Shukla delivered a guest lecture to GMP class of 2010 on Entrepreneurship. He is alumnus of IT, BHU and XLRI Jamshedpur.
He started off his career with GSK then moved to E&Y before setting up his first venture, VALUE FIRST.
He later on founded second company by the name of EDUVISOR. Both these companies are running successfully.
His latest venture is very interesting concept "SETU VENTURES", in which he helps entrepreneurs set up businesses.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Defence deals:Can MNCs get the deal by making the deals B2C?
The purchase of a high involvement product is fairly different from the purchase of a low involvement product. Marketing strategies talk about post purchase dissonance for individual customers but rarely about the dissonance when the customer is a Nation. Incidentally, no government would display any post purchase dissonance due to the fear of facing the nation’s wrath. So a big ticket deal by a developing country does not end up being the dream script of movie writers.
In India, defense deals become a topic of mass consumption only when there are stories of kickbacks associated with them. For the billion plus of Indian population, the wedding at a politician’s residence is a more popular read than a multi billion deal concerning the security of the nation. Many defense equipment manufacturers have been lobbying along with their respective governments to persuade Indian government to buy their products.
In a product as sophisticated as a defense equipment and a deal so complex, is it actually possible to influence the decision makers? Well, I cannot comment on other nations but it is possible in India. A media campaign can create enough fury and flurry of responses to ensure that a Jessica Lal murder case is reopened. A Tata Nano can make the nation feel proud and sell without advertisements. The catch lies in connecting with the ordinary citizens of the Indian Democracy-they react, comment,decide and deliver. Well, India does not take a referendum on defense issues, but once a topic connects emotionally to Indians and comes in media glare, it becomes very difficult for the decision makers to take a decision favoring some Company or nation. Surprising but true, appealing to the emotions of the Indian citizens is the key to strike the defense deals in India.
This brings us to one of the biggest defense deals in the world .The sale of Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft(MMRCA) to India in a deal which can go up to US $ 10.5 billion. The decision makers in this MMRCA deal are the bureaucrats, Indian Air Force and finally the government of India. So is it possible to influence them by marketing? I believe if the Aircraft manufactures want a fair chance, they need to re think their strategies. India defies conventional wisdom when it comes to many a things.So who is the aircraft manufacturer that should be actually worried? The manufactures like Saab from Sweden who is pitched against the likes of Lockheed Martin, backed by the US government.
I will take the case od Saab Company to develop my strategy.The timing could have never been better for Saab. As the deal gets into the ‘Slog overs’ it is the ideal time to fire the final salvo. But guess what, the likes of Saab have to take the battle to the living rooms of India, something unheard of with defense deals. For an average Indian, a MMRCA is like a commodity, he wouldn’t know much about a twin engine or single engine aircraft. But if this uninterested Indian can be influenced, Saab will definitely have a fair chance in the game.
Let me discuss how Saab can plan its marketing and business strategy for clinching the MMRCA deal. Among all the competitors, Saab is a small fry which is facing financial difficulties. Among the six types of aircraft in consideration, only a deal with one of the two-Gripen and F-16 IN can leave India with a consumer surplus against the sanctioned budget of US $10.5 Billion. Amongst all countries in the race, Sweden is the least aggressive ones in selling its case. Indian government may be sensitized into diversifying its risk given that Boeing is now being awarded the contract of C-130 aircrafts. No other defense equipment excites Indians the way a fighter aircraft does. Fighter aircrafts stir emotions in the rich and masses alike in India. I recommend the following objectives of the marketing strategy for Saab-
a) The campaign should portray the legacy of European companies which produces the world’s most coveted automobiles even though they may not be the biggest automobile makers in the world. It should depict Saab as a class apart and how it produces legendary brands which have no correlation with its balance sheet size.
b) Saab should focus on the fact that it wants to offer its best to India and how a relationship with Saab is for a lifetime(Unlike that with US which is susceptible to future sanctions and arm twisting)
c) The campaigns should focus on Saab being portrayed as an underdog amongst the bigger names.
The stepwise plan to implement these objectives -
Displayed at a bus stop in Delhi
2. Online presence: A new website should be opened up, which should talk about the highlights of Saab’s offer for the deal without going into great deal of technicalities and financials. The website should talk about Saab’s strong lineage and how the present training of pilots in India prepares them for single engine aircrafts. Without mentioning it explicitly, the website should bring out that unlike deals with the US, which can be easily be manipulated by the US and can get into a limbo as a result of US sanctions, Saab offers a partnership for a lifetime. It should also draw attention to the fact that Saab has agreed to transfer of technology with India unlike other players. A contest can be launched, open to students in India. Winners of the contest will be given free ticket to come to Delhi and special passes for the Gripen exhibition.
3. Exhibition: Saab should arrange for a month long display of an actual Gripen aircraft in New Delhi in a prominent exhibition ground, starting 15 days before the actual trial and lasting for a total of one month. In case Saab does not get permission to land and display an actual aircraft, it should attempt to transport a real/full size model to India, even if it involves re assembly of an actual aircraft in India. An event management company should be hired. The Gripen should be made available for display to selected public which include all government officers, bureaucrats, media houses and Defense personnel. They should be given exclusive visitor rights during first 7 days and special slot of 2 hours for the following 3 weeks.
In the remaining 3 weeks, students of premier colleges and schools should be allowed to come for the exhibition after selection through a lucky draw. The journey of Saab and its facilities should be displayed by screening of movie/picture corridor. The visitors should be educated about the world class stature of Saab and Saab’s proposal for the deal. All visitors to the exhibition should be given free gifts like posters/key chains. Needless to say, the exhibition should be covered explicitly by tie up with media and most of the publicity should be generated through public relations and not advertisements. All the clippings of the exhibition should be displayed on Saab’s website and actively advertised on internet on facebook , You tube etc.
4. Public Relations: Ex defence officers of Indian Air Force should be hired to give opinion on the deal on major news channel. These programs are normally automatically aired on the News channel as the day of the deal allocation comes closer. National and regional magazines and Newspapers should be selected to ensure that Saab’s case is published in them.
5. Bollywood magic: Another way of achieving high degree of media publicity is to associate the leading Hindi movie actors of India with Saab’s Gripen. These actors have a cult like following in India. Any news reports which talk about both these association will generate lot of public relations automatically.
6. Competition: There is a strong possibility of the other Aircraft Companies to come up with similar marketing campaigns. Saab should plan the campaign discreetly so that it can have a free run of as many days as possible before other Companies come up with their campaigns. Saab should adequately plan for any negative advertisement campaigns which might come up. Equally important is to ensure that the planned marketing strategy till the exhibition should be successfully implemented lest the government of India comes up with a directive prohibiting advertisements by parties to the defense deals.
All this will entail an expenditure of US $ 25-50 million which can be justified. The Sweden government cannot match the political might of America in lobbying for Saab. The only way Saab can try to clinch this deal is to establish a rapport with the Indian public especially in New Delhi. The campaign will definitely affect the decision makers of the deal but more importantly, it will provide an equal chance to Gripen to get selected.
It is said that When in Rome do what Romans do.Customers be it individuals or Nations need to be influenced into buying a product.Be it for consumables or defence purchases,Branding and effective marketing can make the difference.
In India, defense deals become a topic of mass consumption only when there are stories of kickbacks associated with them. For the billion plus of Indian population, the wedding at a politician’s residence is a more popular read than a multi billion deal concerning the security of the nation. Many defense equipment manufacturers have been lobbying along with their respective governments to persuade Indian government to buy their products.
In a product as sophisticated as a defense equipment and a deal so complex, is it actually possible to influence the decision makers? Well, I cannot comment on other nations but it is possible in India. A media campaign can create enough fury and flurry of responses to ensure that a Jessica Lal murder case is reopened. A Tata Nano can make the nation feel proud and sell without advertisements. The catch lies in connecting with the ordinary citizens of the Indian Democracy-they react, comment,decide and deliver. Well, India does not take a referendum on defense issues, but once a topic connects emotionally to Indians and comes in media glare, it becomes very difficult for the decision makers to take a decision favoring some Company or nation. Surprising but true, appealing to the emotions of the Indian citizens is the key to strike the defense deals in India.
This brings us to one of the biggest defense deals in the world .The sale of Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft(MMRCA) to India in a deal which can go up to US $ 10.5 billion. The decision makers in this MMRCA deal are the bureaucrats, Indian Air Force and finally the government of India. So is it possible to influence them by marketing? I believe if the Aircraft manufactures want a fair chance, they need to re think their strategies. India defies conventional wisdom when it comes to many a things.So who is the aircraft manufacturer that should be actually worried? The manufactures like Saab from Sweden who is pitched against the likes of Lockheed Martin, backed by the US government.
I will take the case od Saab Company to develop my strategy.The timing could have never been better for Saab. As the deal gets into the ‘Slog overs’ it is the ideal time to fire the final salvo. But guess what, the likes of Saab have to take the battle to the living rooms of India, something unheard of with defense deals. For an average Indian, a MMRCA is like a commodity, he wouldn’t know much about a twin engine or single engine aircraft. But if this uninterested Indian can be influenced, Saab will definitely have a fair chance in the game.
Let me discuss how Saab can plan its marketing and business strategy for clinching the MMRCA deal. Among all the competitors, Saab is a small fry which is facing financial difficulties. Among the six types of aircraft in consideration, only a deal with one of the two-Gripen and F-16 IN can leave India with a consumer surplus against the sanctioned budget of US $10.5 Billion. Amongst all countries in the race, Sweden is the least aggressive ones in selling its case. Indian government may be sensitized into diversifying its risk given that Boeing is now being awarded the contract of C-130 aircrafts. No other defense equipment excites Indians the way a fighter aircraft does. Fighter aircrafts stir emotions in the rich and masses alike in India. I recommend the following objectives of the marketing strategy for Saab-
a) The campaign should portray the legacy of European companies which produces the world’s most coveted automobiles even though they may not be the biggest automobile makers in the world. It should depict Saab as a class apart and how it produces legendary brands which have no correlation with its balance sheet size.
b) Saab should focus on the fact that it wants to offer its best to India and how a relationship with Saab is for a lifetime(Unlike that with US which is susceptible to future sanctions and arm twisting)
c) The campaigns should focus on Saab being portrayed as an underdog amongst the bigger names.
The stepwise plan to implement these objectives -
Displayed at a bus stop in Delhi
2. Online presence: A new website should be opened up, which should talk about the highlights of Saab’s offer for the deal without going into great deal of technicalities and financials. The website should talk about Saab’s strong lineage and how the present training of pilots in India prepares them for single engine aircrafts. Without mentioning it explicitly, the website should bring out that unlike deals with the US, which can be easily be manipulated by the US and can get into a limbo as a result of US sanctions, Saab offers a partnership for a lifetime. It should also draw attention to the fact that Saab has agreed to transfer of technology with India unlike other players. A contest can be launched, open to students in India. Winners of the contest will be given free ticket to come to Delhi and special passes for the Gripen exhibition.
3. Exhibition: Saab should arrange for a month long display of an actual Gripen aircraft in New Delhi in a prominent exhibition ground, starting 15 days before the actual trial and lasting for a total of one month. In case Saab does not get permission to land and display an actual aircraft, it should attempt to transport a real/full size model to India, even if it involves re assembly of an actual aircraft in India. An event management company should be hired. The Gripen should be made available for display to selected public which include all government officers, bureaucrats, media houses and Defense personnel. They should be given exclusive visitor rights during first 7 days and special slot of 2 hours for the following 3 weeks.
In the remaining 3 weeks, students of premier colleges and schools should be allowed to come for the exhibition after selection through a lucky draw. The journey of Saab and its facilities should be displayed by screening of movie/picture corridor. The visitors should be educated about the world class stature of Saab and Saab’s proposal for the deal. All visitors to the exhibition should be given free gifts like posters/key chains. Needless to say, the exhibition should be covered explicitly by tie up with media and most of the publicity should be generated through public relations and not advertisements. All the clippings of the exhibition should be displayed on Saab’s website and actively advertised on internet on facebook , You tube etc.
4. Public Relations: Ex defence officers of Indian Air Force should be hired to give opinion on the deal on major news channel. These programs are normally automatically aired on the News channel as the day of the deal allocation comes closer. National and regional magazines and Newspapers should be selected to ensure that Saab’s case is published in them.
5. Bollywood magic: Another way of achieving high degree of media publicity is to associate the leading Hindi movie actors of India with Saab’s Gripen. These actors have a cult like following in India. Any news reports which talk about both these association will generate lot of public relations automatically.
6. Competition: There is a strong possibility of the other Aircraft Companies to come up with similar marketing campaigns. Saab should plan the campaign discreetly so that it can have a free run of as many days as possible before other Companies come up with their campaigns. Saab should adequately plan for any negative advertisement campaigns which might come up. Equally important is to ensure that the planned marketing strategy till the exhibition should be successfully implemented lest the government of India comes up with a directive prohibiting advertisements by parties to the defense deals.
All this will entail an expenditure of US $ 25-50 million which can be justified. The Sweden government cannot match the political might of America in lobbying for Saab. The only way Saab can try to clinch this deal is to establish a rapport with the Indian public especially in New Delhi. The campaign will definitely affect the decision makers of the deal but more importantly, it will provide an equal chance to Gripen to get selected.
It is said that When in Rome do what Romans do.Customers be it individuals or Nations need to be influenced into buying a product.Be it for consumables or defence purchases,Branding and effective marketing can make the difference.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Communications are critical in good, bad and new times
Communications are critical in good, bad and new times – This was the theme of talk delivered at XLRI by Mr. Harsh Shrivastava, VP (CSR and Corporate Communications, Reliance Capital. He works with both the HR and marketing departments of Reliance Capital to improve their communications strategies.
XLRI, being one of the country’s top notch Business Schools, has imparted effectual corporate leadership amongst its students through its frequent and periodic interactions with industry experts as part of CEO Forums and Mr. Shrivastava’s visit has once again exemplified this culture.
With the countries around the world getting glimpses of economic recovery, with market bulls slowly getting out of their long hibernation and with business and consumer confidence.
improving day by day, Managing and Handling communications have become ever more crucial.
The event was well received and faculty graced the occasion with their presence. Prof. Pingali Venugopal introduced Mr. Srivastava to the audience. The event was attended by many faculty members including Prof. Munish Thakur, Prof. Sanjay Patro, Prof. Pradhan and Prof. Pani.
He stressed that in changing environment managers need to be proactive and responsible to multitude of stakeholders. He detailed communication strategies for various target audiences. He gave examples of how companies are using various tools of communication – such as PR agencies, seminars, online networking (face book, LinkedIn).
He gave many examples of Monsanto, GM India and Delhi Metro to drive home a point that it is important to have clearly defined communication plan in good times but more importantly, they are required for bad times.
While speaking on Placements, Professors and Patrons, He said, “IIMA is no better than IIMC or XLRI but it continues to be in limelight because IIMA’s well structured communication with the outside world. He shared his own example of how Feedback ventures was invited for Day One placement despite being a very small company in comparison to others. He gave example of Reliance Insurance’s All is Well campaign to energize the work force. While giving example of Infosys, He said corporate image should be such that it passes MIL (Mother – in law Test) i.e. when companies are held high in eyes of masses.
The event was very interactive and Mr. Shrivastava answered many questions of students and faculty.
The event, organized by the one year MBA, General Management Programme of XLRI, staged an intellectual feast with lively interaction among Mr. Shrivastava, faculty and the students. He provided invaluable insights by citing real business scenarios for each of the questions.
The event concluded with memento presentation by Prof. Venugopal.
He concluded by making us aware of importance of effective communications and urging us to guide and help organizations shape sharp, well articulated communication strategies.
XLRI, being one of the country’s top notch Business Schools, has imparted effectual corporate leadership amongst its students through its frequent and periodic interactions with industry experts as part of CEO Forums and Mr. Shrivastava’s visit has once again exemplified this culture.
With the countries around the world getting glimpses of economic recovery, with market bulls slowly getting out of their long hibernation and with business and consumer confidence.
improving day by day, Managing and Handling communications have become ever more crucial.
The event was well received and faculty graced the occasion with their presence. Prof. Pingali Venugopal introduced Mr. Srivastava to the audience. The event was attended by many faculty members including Prof. Munish Thakur, Prof. Sanjay Patro, Prof. Pradhan and Prof. Pani.
He stressed that in changing environment managers need to be proactive and responsible to multitude of stakeholders. He detailed communication strategies for various target audiences. He gave examples of how companies are using various tools of communication – such as PR agencies, seminars, online networking (face book, LinkedIn).
He gave many examples of Monsanto, GM India and Delhi Metro to drive home a point that it is important to have clearly defined communication plan in good times but more importantly, they are required for bad times.
While speaking on Placements, Professors and Patrons, He said, “IIMA is no better than IIMC or XLRI but it continues to be in limelight because IIMA’s well structured communication with the outside world. He shared his own example of how Feedback ventures was invited for Day One placement despite being a very small company in comparison to others. He gave example of Reliance Insurance’s All is Well campaign to energize the work force. While giving example of Infosys, He said corporate image should be such that it passes MIL (Mother – in law Test) i.e. when companies are held high in eyes of masses.
The event was very interactive and Mr. Shrivastava answered many questions of students and faculty.
The event, organized by the one year MBA, General Management Programme of XLRI, staged an intellectual feast with lively interaction among Mr. Shrivastava, faculty and the students. He provided invaluable insights by citing real business scenarios for each of the questions.
The event concluded with memento presentation by Prof. Venugopal.
He concluded by making us aware of importance of effective communications and urging us to guide and help organizations shape sharp, well articulated communication strategies.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Resume Improvment workshop by Ma Foi CEO
We had unique opportunity of participating in Resume workshop conducted by Mr. E Balaji. He has conducted similar workshop at ISB, Hyderabad. It was an interesting, enriching and rewarding exercise. 
Balaji E is the Whole Time Director & Chief Executive Officer of Ma Foi Management Consultants Ltd, part of Randstad – the 2nd largest HR service provider in the world. In his current role he leads Ma Foi - Randstad’s Staffing Solutions business which comprises of Permanent Staffing, Flexi Staffing, Career Skills Training, Vendor Management Services and Assessment services. He also spearheaded the Franchising foray of Ma Foi where the organization has established 60 business partners across the county in an 18 months time period.
Balaji's functional expertise includes Temp staffing, Executive-Perm Staffing and Assessment services. He has been instrumental in designing several large turnkey assignments and executing them successfully. His division recruits on an average of 6000 people in a month for various clients.
Balaji has over 15 years of experience which began at Ma Foi in 1994. Over these years he has gathered expertise in handling the operations of different branches. He manages a team of about 1150 professionals spread across 60 locations in the country.
Balaji has written a number of articles on Staffing trends in various business journals and is frequently quoted in business Magazines and dailies on HR trends.
Balaji is a Bachelor degree holder in Physics and is a Postgraduate in Business Administration in Marketing.He is a certified Lead Auditor (IRCA, UK) for ISO 9001: 2000 and a Six Sigma Green Belt. A voracious reader, he has a keen interest in management literature, history and politics.
Balaji's functional expertise includes Temp staffing, Executive-Perm Staffing and Assessment services. He has been instrumental in designing several large turnkey assignments and executing them successfully. His division recruits on an average of 6000 people in a month for various clients.
Balaji has over 15 years of experience which began at Ma Foi in 1994. Over these years he has gathered expertise in handling the operations of different branches. He manages a team of about 1150 professionals spread across 60 locations in the country.
Balaji has written a number of articles on Staffing trends in various business journals and is frequently quoted in business Magazines and dailies on HR trends.
Balaji is a Bachelor degree holder in Physics and is a Postgraduate in Business Administration in Marketing.He is a certified Lead Auditor (IRCA, UK) for ISO 9001: 2000 and a Six Sigma Green Belt. A voracious reader, he has a keen interest in management literature, history and politics.
Friday, January 8, 2010
VP, Reliance Capital visits XLRI
Harsh Shrivastava, 36, is a marketing, communications, and public policy
expert. After his MBA from IIM-A in 1995, Harsh has been a journalist;
wrote India’s first book on Corporate Social Responsibility; the first
webmaster of the BJP’s website; an officer on the personal staff of Prime
Minister Vajpayee, and his deputy speechwriter; a senior staffer at the
Confederation of Indian Industry; and the head of marketing for India’s
leading infrastructure services company, Feedback Ventures. He is
currently at Reliance Capital in Mumbai, where he works with both the HR
and marketing departments to improve their communications strategies.
Harsh has taught a course on Strategic Public Communications in 2007 to
the first batch of Public Management and Policy at IIM-A. He’s also written
articles for ET and the Indian Express.
expert. After his MBA from IIM-A in 1995, Harsh has been a journalist;
wrote India’s first book on Corporate Social Responsibility; the first
webmaster of the BJP’s website; an officer on the personal staff of Prime
Minister Vajpayee, and his deputy speechwriter; a senior staffer at the
Confederation of Indian Industry; and the head of marketing for India’s
leading infrastructure services company, Feedback Ventures. He is
currently at Reliance Capital in Mumbai, where he works with both the HR
and marketing departments to improve their communications strategies.
Harsh has taught a course on Strategic Public Communications in 2007 to
the first batch of Public Management and Policy at IIM-A. He’s also written
articles for ET and the Indian Express.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
THE CLASH OF TITANS
His arms were exhausted, his legs tired. It was difficult for him to focus, but he knew he had to deliver with the next ball. Bare footed, he ran down to the popping crease and delivered an absolute cracker, the batsmen tossed the ball back to him .......off balanced in his follow through, SAURAV dived to his right and plucked the ball out of the thin air. He came crashing on the ground but felt no pain... the only feeling was the feeling of ecstasy. For he became the first GMPian to take a hattrick and he knew this wicket was the last nail in coffin of BM/PMIR team. The wicket gave GMPians their victory what was left now was mere formality. But during last two hours game had swung both ways.
It all started with the toss.GMP captain SANJEEV won the toss and took a bold decision to bat first. The decision soon came under scrutiny with GMP losing wicket in very first over. ANURAG became victim of a misunderstanding and was run out. NEERAJ started well but didn't last long and with both the openers back to pavilion GMP was already under pressure. But then MOHIT came in. In difficult times he always stood tall and this day was no different. He started the counterattack scoring runs all around the wicket. The scoreboard got new life and started moving at aggressive pace. His straight batted shots were treat to watch. But at the other end......wickets kept on falling, while SOUMYA was unfortunate to be run out, SURAJ and RANJAY fell cheaply.
Then PREMANGSHU came in. The architect by profession designed a solid structure, playing cautiously, pushing the ball artistically in the gaps. PARTH took over after MOHIT fell. And he decorated the solid structure with some lusty blows. The ball started disappearing in the park more frequently. The score soon reached a 100 mark. But it was not over as yet and there was another twist in the tail with GMP losing wickets in a hurry towards the end. SANJEEV slipped while stealing a quick single, he was injured in the process and was run out. SAURAV and SUVDEEP fought the remaining battle and GMP reached 108/9 in 15 overs.
Seeing the reputation of the BM/PMIR batsmen 109 was gettable total.GMP took the fields without captain SANJEEV with SRIDHAR substituting for him. Acting captain SAURAV and SUVDEEP opened the balling attack.BM started aggressively and at one point of time it looked like they will live up to their reputation.
But SAURAV gave them the first blow, the ball was lofted in the deep and ANURAG took an amazing catch with a single hand. Saurav uprooted the wickets in the very next ball.
With two quick wickets GMP was back in the game. Mohit came as the first change and while balling he emulated his batting performance. Balling a very tight line he dried the BM scoring and went on to take three wickets. Parth continued his good form with the ball and took two wickets, and ranjay chipped in with one wicket.
But pick of all ballers was Saurav who after taking two consecutive wicket came back in second spell and in the very first ball took a diving catch in his follow through to take the first hattrick. He went on to take four wickets. Overall GMPians were good on field except for one or two rare miss fields they fielded well. With Sridhar doing fabulous job in the slip cordon and Neeraj taking three catches behind the wicket it was good team effort.
The team was whole heartedly supported by Hemant, Gautam, Romil and sweet little Ria (Romil's Daughter). In the end it was well deserved victory for the GMP, but they missed Dr. Pracheesh on the ground.
It all started with the toss.GMP captain SANJEEV won the toss and took a bold decision to bat first. The decision soon came under scrutiny with GMP losing wicket in very first over. ANURAG became victim of a misunderstanding and was run out. NEERAJ started well but didn't last long and with both the openers back to pavilion GMP was already under pressure. But then MOHIT came in. In difficult times he always stood tall and this day was no different. He started the counterattack scoring runs all around the wicket. The scoreboard got new life and started moving at aggressive pace. His straight batted shots were treat to watch. But at the other end......wickets kept on falling, while SOUMYA was unfortunate to be run out, SURAJ and RANJAY fell cheaply.
Then PREMANGSHU came in. The architect by profession designed a solid structure, playing cautiously, pushing the ball artistically in the gaps. PARTH took over after MOHIT fell. And he decorated the solid structure with some lusty blows. The ball started disappearing in the park more frequently. The score soon reached a 100 mark. But it was not over as yet and there was another twist in the tail with GMP losing wickets in a hurry towards the end. SANJEEV slipped while stealing a quick single, he was injured in the process and was run out. SAURAV and SUVDEEP fought the remaining battle and GMP reached 108/9 in 15 overs.
Seeing the reputation of the BM/PMIR batsmen 109 was gettable total.GMP took the fields without captain SANJEEV with SRIDHAR substituting for him. Acting captain SAURAV and SUVDEEP opened the balling attack.BM started aggressively and at one point of time it looked like they will live up to their reputation.
But SAURAV gave them the first blow, the ball was lofted in the deep and ANURAG took an amazing catch with a single hand. Saurav uprooted the wickets in the very next ball.
With two quick wickets GMP was back in the game. Mohit came as the first change and while balling he emulated his batting performance. Balling a very tight line he dried the BM scoring and went on to take three wickets. Parth continued his good form with the ball and took two wickets, and ranjay chipped in with one wicket.
But pick of all ballers was Saurav who after taking two consecutive wicket came back in second spell and in the very first ball took a diving catch in his follow through to take the first hattrick. He went on to take four wickets. Overall GMPians were good on field except for one or two rare miss fields they fielded well. With Sridhar doing fabulous job in the slip cordon and Neeraj taking three catches behind the wicket it was good team effort.
The team was whole heartedly supported by Hemant, Gautam, Romil and sweet little Ria (Romil's Daughter). In the end it was well deserved victory for the GMP, but they missed Dr. Pracheesh on the ground.
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Year wishes from XLRI GMP
XLRI GMP 2009-10 batch wishes
all Students, Alumni & Faculty
loads of happiness, success, love and good health
in the new year 2010
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