SUPER MOM

Superwoman, everyone said.

Super Competent, her appreciative employers said.

Super Reliable, her impressed clients said.

Super Talented, her professional peers said.

Super Boss, her devoted subordinates said.

Super Bitch, her jealous frustrated passed over colleagues said.

Super Shrewd, her business rivals said.

Super Fit, her fitness freak buddies at her gym said.

Super Sexy, her admirers said.

Super Lover, her lovers said.

Super Achiever, her teachers and professors said.

Super Parent, her children’s teachers said.

Super Friend, all her acquaintances said.

Super Daughter, her parents and in-laws said.

Super Wife, her husband said.

Super Mom, her children said, but secretly they wished she stayed home like their granny who was always there for them.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

R9WPUP5YBJXY

MARRIAGE A LA MODE

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Dear Reader, I am sure you have heard the saying: Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Now, please read this fiction short story:

At exactly 8 PM her cell-phone rings in her hand. She’s expecting the call – that’s why she’s holding the cell-phone in her hand. She looks at the caller-id, accepts the call, moves the mobile phone near her ear and says, “I love you, darling!”

“I love you, Sugar!” says her husband’s voice from half way around the globe. On his bed beside him, sprawled with arms and legs outstretched like a fallen statue, the woman is still asleep, her breathing untroubled.

It’s a long distance marriage, and the ‘married bachelors’ have been following the same drill for quite some time now – two calls every day at exactly the same time (Eight in the morning she calls him up just before leaving for work and eight in the evening she receives his call from half way across the globe just before he leaves for work. And both of them start their conversation automatically with the words: “I love you, darling! Or, I love you, Sugar!” He’s her ‘darling’ and she’s his ‘Sugar’!)

“How was your day?” the husband asks.

“Hectic. Lot’s of work. Deadlines to meet!” the wife answers. She steals a glance at the handsome young man sitting beside her in the darkened lounge bar.

“It’s terrible here too,” the husband says, “It’s killing – the work. Too much traveling. Sales meets, seminars, conferences. One hotel to another. Living out of a suitcase. I’m feeling exhausted.”

It’s true. The husband is indeed feeling exhausted; a relaxing, satiating kind of exhaustion. He gets up and opens the window and allows the early morning air to cool his body, then turns around and looks at the marvelous body of the woman on his bed. She looks lovelier than ever before, and as he remembers the ferocity of her lovemaking, he feels waves of desire rise within him. Not for a long time has the mere sight of a woman aroused the lion in him to such an extent. He smiles to himself. He feels proud and elated; it was a grand performance. Spontaneous lovemaking at its best; not like the planned and contrived “quality” lovemaking with his wife, full of performance anxiety, each performing for the other’s gratification, putting on an act and both faking pleasure thinking the other would not know.

“Yes, darling. Poor you. I can understand,” the wife says, and sips her potent cocktail. It’s her third. She wonders what it is – the mysterious but deadly intoxicating cocktails her companion is plying her with, and she is feeling gloriously high.

“I’m just waiting for this hectic spell of work to be over so we can meet,” the husband says. He sits on the edge of the bed and looks at the sleeping woman. Mesmerized, marveling. It is difficult to believe that in a few hours from now they would be addressing each other formally again.

“Oh, yes. It’s been three months and I’m dying to meet you. When are we meeting?” the wife asks.

“I’m planning a fantastic vacation. I’ll let you know soon. We’ll go to some exotic place. Just the two of us. Quality Time!” the husband says to his faraway wife and at the same time looks yearningly at the gorgeously sexy woman lying so close to him.

“That’s great! We must spend some Quality Time together,” the wife says to her distant husband while she snuggles close against her strikingly handsome colleague. He presses his knee against hers. She presses hers against his. He moves his hand around her over her soft skin and pulls her gently. She feels an inchoate desire. He gently strokes her hair, and she turns towards him, her mouth partly open as he leans over her.  Fuelled by the alcohol in her veins, she can sense the want churning inside her like fire. And as she looks into his eyes, and feels the intensity of his caresses, she can sense her resistance melting.

“I love you, Sugar!” the husband says.

“I love you, darling!” the wife says.

Their lovey-dovey conversation completed, both the long distance spouses disconnect their cell-phones, focus on their present objects of affection, and, with renewed zeal, carry on the passionate amorous activity presently in hand. After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

At the beginning of this story I had quoted a famous saying: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Now I am temped to say: Absence makes the heart grow fonder – for someone else.

MARRIAGE A LA MODE

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

vikramkarve@sify.com

THE ART OF OUTSOURCING

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Short Fiction – One of my favourite fiction short stories…

One leisurely morning, while I am loafing on Main Street, in Pune, I meet an old friend of mine.

“Hi!” I say.

“Hi,” he says, “where to?”

“Aimless loitering,” I say, “And you?”

“I’m going to work.”

“Work? This early? I thought your shift starts in the evening, or late at night. You work at a call center don’t you?”

“Not now. I quit. I’m on my own now.”

“On your own? What do you do?”

“LPO.”

“LPO? What’s that?”

“Life Process Outsourcing.”

“Life Process Outsourcing? Never heard of it!”

“You’ve heard of Business Process Outsourcing haven’t you?”

“BPO? Outsourcing non-core business activities and functions?”

“Precisely. LPO is similar to BPO. There it’s Business Processes that are outsourced, here it’s Life Processes.”

“Life Processes? Outsourced?”

“Why don’t you come along with me? I’ll show you.”

Soon we are in his office. It looks like a mini call center.

A young attractive girl welcomes us. “Meet Rita, my Manager,” my friend says, and introduces us.

Rita looks distraught, and says to my friend, “I’m not feeling well. Must be viral fever.”

“No problem. My friend here will stand in.”

“What? I don’t have a clue about all this LPO thing!” I protest.

“There’s nothing like learning on the job! Rita will show you.”

“It’s simple,” Rita says, in a hurry. “See the console. You just press the appropriate switch and route the call to the appropriate person or agency.”

And with these words Rita disappears. It’s the shortest induction training I have ever had in my life.

And so I plunge into the world of Life Process Outsourcing; or LPO as they call it.

It’s all very simple.

Everyone is busy. Working people don’t seem to have time these days, but they have lots of money; especially those double income couples, IT nerds, MBA hot shots, finance wizards; just about everybody running desperately in the modern rat race.

So what do they do? Simple. They ‘outsource’!

‘Non-core Life Activities’, for which you neither have the inclination or the time – you just outsource them; so you can maximize your work-time to rake in the money and make a fast climb up the ladder of success.

A ring, a flash on the console infront of me and I take my first LPO call.

“My daughter’s puked in her school. They want someone to pick her up and take her home. I’m busy in a shoot and just can’t leave,” a creative ad agency type with a husky voice says.

“Why don’t you tell your husband?” I suggest.

“Are you crazy or something? I’m a single mother.”

“Sorry ma’am. I didn’t know. My sympathies and condolences.”

“Condolences? Who’s this? Is this LPO?”

“Yes ma’am,” I say, press the button marked ‘children’ and transfer the call, hoping I have made the right choice. Maybe I should have pressed ‘doctor’.

Nothing happens for the next few moments. I breathe a sigh of relief.

A yuppie wants his grandmother to be taken to a movie. I press the ‘movies’ button. ‘Movies’ transfers the call back, “Hey, this is for movie tickets; try ‘escort services’. He wants the old hag escorted to the movies.”

‘Escort Services’ are in high demand. These guys and girls, slogging in their offices minting money, want escort services for their kith and kin for various non-core family processes like shopping, movies, eating out, sight seeing, marriages, funerals, all types of functions; even going to art galleries, book fairs, exhibitions, zoos, museums or even a walk in the nearby garden.

A father wants someone to read bedtime stories to his small son while he works late. A busy couple wants proxy stand-in ‘parents’ at the school PTA meeting. An investment banker rings up from Singapore; he wants his mother to be taken to pray in a temple at a certain time on a specific day.

Someone wants his kids to be taken for a swim, brunch, a play and browsing books and music.

A sweet-voiced IT project manager wants someone to motivate and pep-talk her husband, who’s been recently sacked, and is cribbing away at home demoralized. He desperately needs someone to talk to, unburden himself, but the wife is busy – she neither has the time nor the inclination to take a few days off to boost the morale of her depressed husband when there are deadlines to be met at work and so much is at stake.

The things they want outsourced range from the mundane to the bizarre; life processes that one earlier enjoyed and took pride in doing or did as one’s sacred duty are considered ‘non-core life activities’ now-a-days by these highfalutin people.

At the end of the day I feel illuminated on this novel concept of Life Process Outsourcing, and I am about to leave, when suddenly a call comes in.

“LPO?” a man asks softly.

“Yes, this is LPO. May I help you?” I say.

“I’m speaking from Frankfurt Airport. I really don’t know if I can ask this?” he says nervously.

“Please go ahead and feel free to ask anything you desire, Sir. We do everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes, Sir. Anything and everything!” I say.

“I don’t know how to say this. This is the first time I’m asking. You see, I am working 24/7 on an important project for the last few months. I’m globetrotting abroad and can’t make it there. Can you please arrange for someone suitable to take my wife out to the New Year’s Eve Dance?”

I am taken aback but quickly recover, “Yes, Sir.”

“Please send someone really good, an excellent dancer, and make sure she enjoys and has a good time. She loves dancing and I just haven’t had the time.”

“Of course, Sir.”

“And I told you – I’ve been away abroad for quite some time now and I’ve got to stay out here till I complete the project.”

“I know. Work takes top priority.”

“My wife. She’s been lonely. She desperately needs some love. Do you have someone with a loving and caring nature who can give her some love? I just don’t have the time. You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”

I let the words sink in. This is one call I am not going to transfer. “Please give me the details, Sir,” I say softly into the mike.

As I walk towards my destination with a spring in my step, I feel truly enlightened.

Till this moment, I never knew that ‘love’ was a ‘non-core’ ‘life-process’ worthy of outsourcing.

Long Live LPO!

Life Process Outsourcing!

Love Process Outsourcing!

Call it what you like, but I’m sure you’ve got the essence of outsourcing.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Appetite for a Stroll

http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

vikramkarve@sify.com

THE ART OF OUTSOURCING

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Short Fiction – One of my favourite fiction short stories…

One leisurely morning, while I am loafing on Main Street, in Pune, I meet an old friend of mine.

“Hi!” I say.

“Hi,” he says, “where to?”

“Aimless loitering,” I say, “And you?”

“I’m going to work.”

“Work? This early? I thought your shift starts in the evening, or late at night. You work at a call center don’t you?”

“Not now. I quit. I’m on my own now.”

“On your own? What do you do?”

“LPO.”

“LPO? What’s that?”

“Life Process Outsourcing.”

“Life Process Outsourcing? Never heard of it!”

“You’ve heard of Business Process Outsourcing haven’t you?”

“BPO? Outsourcing non-core business activities and functions?”

“Precisely. LPO is similar to BPO. There it’s Business Processes that are outsourced, here it’s Life Processes.”

“Life Processes? Outsourced?”

“Why don’t you come along with me? I’ll show you.”

Soon we are in his office. It looks like a mini call center.

A young attractive girl welcomes us. “Meet Rita, my Manager,” my friend says, and introduces us.

Rita looks distraught, and says to my friend, “I’m not feeling well. Must be viral fever.”

“No problem. My friend here will stand in.”

“What? I don’t have a clue about all this LPO thing!” I protest.

“There’s nothing like learning on the job! Rita will show you.”

“It’s simple,” Rita says, in a hurry. “See the console. You just press the appropriate switch and route the call to the appropriate person or agency.”

And with these words Rita disappears. It’s the shortest induction training I have ever had in my life.

And so I plunge into the world of Life Process Outsourcing; or LPO as they call it.

It’s all very simple.

Everyone is busy. Working people don’t seem to have time these days, but they have lots of money; especially those double income couples, IT nerds, MBA hot shots, finance wizards; just about everybody running desperately in the modern rat race.

So what do they do? Simple. They ‘outsource’!

‘Non-core Life Activities’, for which you neither have the inclination or the time – you just outsource them; so you can maximize your work-time to rake in the money and make a fast climb up the ladder of success.

A ring, a flash on the console infront of me and I take my first LPO call.

“My daughter’s puked in her school. They want someone to pick her up and take her home. I’m busy in a shoot and just can’t leave,” a creative ad agency type with a husky voice says.

“Why don’t you tell your husband?” I suggest.

“Are you crazy or something? I’m a single mother.”

“Sorry ma’am. I didn’t know. My sympathies and condolences.”

“Condolences? Who’s this? Is this LPO?”

“Yes ma’am,” I say, press the button marked ‘children’ and transfer the call, hoping I have made the right choice. Maybe I should have pressed ‘doctor’.

Nothing happens for the next few moments. I breathe a sigh of relief.

A yuppie wants his grandmother to be taken to a movie. I press the ‘movies’ button. ‘Movies’ transfers the call back, “Hey, this is for movie tickets; try ‘escort services’. He wants the old hag escorted to the movies.”

‘Escort Services’ are in high demand. These guys and girls, slogging in their offices minting money, want escort services for their kith and kin for various non-core family processes like shopping, movies, eating out, sight seeing, marriages, funerals, all types of functions; even going to art galleries, book fairs, exhibitions, zoos, museums or even a walk in the nearby garden.

A father wants someone to read bedtime stories to his small son while he works late. A busy couple wants proxy stand-in ‘parents’ at the school PTA meeting. An investment banker rings up from Singapore; he wants his mother to be taken to pray in a temple at a certain time on a specific day.

Someone wants his kids to be taken for a swim, brunch, a play and browsing books and music.

A sweet-voiced IT project manager wants someone to motivate and pep-talk her husband, who’s been recently sacked, and is cribbing away at home demoralized. He desperately needs someone to talk to, unburden himself, but the wife is busy – she neither has the time nor the inclination to take a few days off to boost the morale of her depressed husband when there are deadlines to be met at work and so much is at stake.

The things they want outsourced range from the mundane to the bizarre; life processes that one earlier enjoyed and took pride in doing or did as one’s sacred duty are considered ‘non-core life activities’ now-a-days by these highfalutin people.

At the end of the day I feel illuminated on this novel concept of Life Process Outsourcing, and I am about to leave, when suddenly a call comes in.

“LPO?” a man asks softly.

“Yes, this is LPO. May I help you?” I say.

“I’m speaking from Frankfurt Airport. I really don’t know if I can ask this?” he says nervously.

“Please go ahead and feel free to ask anything you desire, Sir. We do everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes, Sir. Anything and everything!” I say.

“I don’t know how to say this. This is the first time I’m asking. You see, I am working 24/7 on an important project for the last few months. I’m globetrotting abroad and can’t make it there. Can you please arrange for someone suitable to take my wife out to the New Year’s Eve Dance?”

I am taken aback but quickly recover, “Yes, Sir.”

“Please send someone really good, an excellent dancer, and make sure she enjoys and has a good time. She loves dancing and I just haven’t had the time.”

“Of course, Sir.”

“And I told you – I’ve been away abroad for quite some time now and I’ve got to stay out here till I complete the project.”

“I know. Work takes top priority.”

“My wife. She’s been lonely. She desperately needs some love. Do you have someone with a loving and caring nature who can give her some love? I just don’t have the time. You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”

I let the words sink in. This is one call I am not going to transfer. “Please give me the details, Sir,” I say softly into the mike.

As I walk towards my destination with a spring in my step, I feel truly enlightened.

Till this moment, I never knew that ‘love’ was a ‘non-core’ ‘life-process’ worthy of outsourcing.

Long Live LPO!

Life Process Outsourcing!

Love Process Outsourcing!

Call it what you like, but I’m sure you’ve got the essence of outsourcing.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

Appetite for a Stroll

http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

vikramkarve@sify.com

The fact that 85-90% of college leavers in India are not considered immediately suitable for employment in the ITES sector presents a huge challenge for the industry. So what is the solution? One of the action points from the 2008 NASSCOM-Everest BPO report is to:

“Increase employability and access untapped talent pools by creating greater linkages between the current education system and the needs of the BPO industry, and facilitating the development of BPO-specific education models.”

The report goes on to make a number of recommendations in this area:

“Initiatives related to education are required to expand the employable talent pool in India. The industry needs to work more aggressively with the Government to create greater linkage between the current education system and requirements of the BPO industry. This can be done by 1) policy changes like liberalization of higher education, 2) increased collaboration between industry and academic institutions to take up initiatives such as introduction of BPO-specific curriculum and improving students’ access to funds for higher studies, 3) introducing coursework changes and teacher training at the school level in accordance with future requirements of the BPO industry. There is also a significant opportunity for private players to step in and create a BPO education industry. Such a move should be based on creating longer-term training programs to improve communication and other skills required by the BPO industry. Specific training programs need to be developed to create several intermediate levels of skills and specialisation (between generalists and highly trained specialists), and to bring alternate talent pools (e.g. high school graduates, educated housewives) into the BPO workforce.”

I think educationalists would probably disagree that the purpose of education is to provide employees for the BPO sector, although they would probably agree that teacher training and curriculum development are needed.

What are your views?

The 2008 NASSCOM Everest report warned that the ITES sector in India needs to recruit beyond the ‘ready to eat’ pool of talented graduates. With BPO expanding into 2nd and 3rd tier cities and even into rural areas, what does this mean for the future of the Indian corporate sector? How can India take advantage of its demographic dividend (nearly half the population is under 25)? What measures are necessary in the education and corporate sectors, and who is responsible. These are some of the questions we will be debating at the Third Policy Dialogue in Delhi, 19-20 Nov. What are your views?

This site seems interesting…… Happy hunting guys…….. www.KPOplacements.com

KPO Jobs, IT/ITES Jobs, Outsourcing Jobs, Marketing Jobs, Legal Jobs, HR Jobs, KPO Placement, LPO Jobs, Finance Jobs, Temp Staffing – KPOPlacements.com

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Latest Happenings

Small BPOs back in Business as Economy Recovers

Integreon to Raise USD 100 mn to fund Acquisitions

IT Sector Heads for new Round of Acquisitions

Engineers, MBA grads next Targets of Outsourcing Firms

US and UK Companies turn to Outsourcing to cut Pre-trial Costs

Cognizant to Acquire UBS India Captive for $75 Mln

Resume Spotlight

Mr. Sunil Kumar Ailani
Post Graduate Diploma in  Management, MICA

DOB : 13th June, 1983

Mobile : +91-9974379329

Email1 : ailanisunil13@gmail.com
Email2 : sunilailani_e8@mica.ac.in

In quest of enriching assignments with key focus on Research / Marketing / Communications with a growth oriented organization

Management Trainee – 2 Months (LinOpinion (LOWE Lintas PR Division), Mumbai)

I want my CV here

Ms. Deepshikha Sharma
B.Tech (Biotechnolog), Rajasthan University, Jaipur

DOB : 20th Sept., 1985

Mobile : +91-9893554703, +91-9414322749

Email : deepshikha.sharma25@gmail.com

Working for an organization where I can apply my skills for the betterment of the company

Trainings attended at Ranbaxy, Dr. B Lal’s Clinical Laboratory & Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Jaipur

I want my CV here

Mr. Ashok Mallick
IP Analyst (KPO)

DOB : 01st April, 1982

Mobile : +91-9734429409

Email : smipr2009@gmail.com

To become a sophisticated individual in a challenging environment that provides opportunities to prove and enhance my skills as a successful leader in an organization.

B.Tech (Chemical Eng.), Haldia Institute Of Technology, Haldia.
PG Diploma in IP Law – IIT Kharagpur

I want my CV here

Mr. Chakraborty
Patent Analyst (KPO)

DOB : 26th Nov., 1981

Mobile : +91-9804160944, +91-9239153347

Email : official.madhurima.dhar@gmail.com

To achieve a position which utilizes my knowledge and provides me a platform to innovate, learn new technologies and execute different responsibilities.

B.Tech (Biotechnolog), Bengal College Of Engineering & Technology, Durgapur.

I want my CV here

Mr. Ranjan Singh
Patent Consultant

Mobile : +91-9836485588

Email1 : patents123@gmail.com

A challenging professional career opportunity in the field of Intellectual Property Rights with special interest in Patents.

B.Tech (Mechanical), JSS Academy of Technical Education, Noida.

I want my CV here

Credentials

“These boys have played a bigger role in nurturing the KPO/LPO industry in India”
Executive Director, LPO, USA

Ethical Dimension of Technology

ETHICS, VALUES, TECHNOLOGY

By

VIKRAM KARVE

The historical derivation of the term technology comes from the Greek word technikos, meaning “of art, skilful, practical” and the portion of the word ology indicates “knowledge of” or a “systematic treatment of.”

Thus the derivation of the term technology is literally “knowledge of the skilful and practical.”

However, this definition is too general to imply how one may predict knowledge of the useful before it exists.

For this reason, let us use a slightly different definition of technology.

We will define technology as the knowledge of the manipulation of nature for human purposes.

This definition retains the notions both of knowledge and practicality (human purposes) but adds the new concept of manipulation of nature.

This implies that all practical or technical skills ultimately derive form alterations of nature.

Technology depends on a base in the natural world but extends the natural world through the phenomenon of manipulation.

Since we want to manipulate nature, the ability to predict what nature will do when manipulated is most useful, indeed imperative.

THE ETHICAL DIMENSION

By very definition, technology manipulates nature for human purposes.

Thus, technology intervenes in the lives of human beings, directly or indirectly, trying to alter behaviours.

Technology, therefore, has an ethical dimension.

The very raison d’etre of technology is human purpose.

What is the fundamental purpose of human life?

Is it to increase standard of living?

Or is it to improve quality of life?

Or is it to enhance satisfaction in life?

All these various aspects can be distilled into a single holistic concept: VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE.

VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE

The value of human life may be defined as the balance or ratio between satisfaction or happiness and pain or suffering.

VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE = HAPPINESS / SUFFERING

In the context of this definition, the ultimate purpose of technology is to enhance the value of human life, with a long-term perspective, by maximization of happiness and satisfaction and a concomitant reduction or minimization of pain and suffering (physical, mental and emotional).

As a generalization, people want a better life. A better life can usually be transcribed as freedom from want, access to and possession of at least some of the nonessentials or luxuries, good health, a reasonable life expectancy, the absence of emotional stress, satisfying human relations (resulting from gratifying work experience), intellectual stimulation, and personally rewarding leisure activities.

NEEDS AND VALUES

Human needs and values change through time as technology advances.

Man tends to accept the fruits of new technology more readily (satisfaction/happiness/comfort) whereas he is reluctant to accept changes in his personal life.

Thus social and cultural changes always lag behind technology causing a mismatch which consequently leads to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, pain and suffering (emotional) and consequent lowering of the value of human life.

A crude but practical way of classifying human values is to divide needs into those that are essentially physiological and those that are psychological. Most new technologies cater to physiological needs by performing dangerous, dirty, or difficult tasks (the 3 D’s) thereby enhancing the value of human life.

As regards psychological needs, an example pertaining to Information Technology (IT) may be in order.

IT caters to two unique categories of psychological needs of humans: Cognitive Needs which refer to the human need for information so as to be ready to act or make decisions that may be required, and Affective Needs which refer to the emotional requirements of human, such as their need to do challenging work, to know their work has value, to feel personally secure, and to be in control.

Undue emphasis on cognitive needs and the neglect of affective needs may cause emotional pain which counterbalances the gains to cognitive needs which may be detrimental to the value of human life as a whole.

CONSEQUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY

In our haste to milk technology for immediate economic advantage we often lose sight of the long-term consequences: the higher order and indirect effects, especially the delayed and unintended effects of technology.

The Sorenson multiple effect network methodology is a useful technique for an analyzing the impact and consequences of technology.

The term malefit is introduced to represent harmful effects and consequences of a technology in contrast with benefit as a useful output.

The consequences of a technology [Effects vs Consequences] may be categorized as:

EFFECTS CONSEQUENCES

(i)      First Order           :         Benefits

(ii)     Second Order        :         Direct Malefits

(iii)    Third Order          :         Indirect Malefits

(iv)     Fourth Order        :         Unintended Malefits

(v)      Fifth Order          :         Delayed Malefits

Such analyses definitely help in assessing the impact of various consequences of a technology on the value of human life in the long-term perspective in holistic manner.

Early identification of factors detrimental to the value of human life may prove useful in technology assessment to reduce mismatches.

We must not lose sight of our basic premise that the cardinal aim of technology is to increase the value of human life by maximising happiness and minimising suffering.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2009

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

vikramkarve@sify.com

The year 2009 has not yet closed but there are certain interesting (IT) trends that can be worth watching. Though they are eventful individually, it is more interesting to watch when viewed in all the dimensions – Business, Infrastructure and Technology.

Business

After a lull in M&A activity in the first 2 quarters, we are suddenly seeing the start of a few acquisitions. This could be because of a few reasons -

Among the small and medium players, we have recently seen the Adobe acquiring Omniture, Mindtree acquiring Kyocera wireless, CA buying NetOS, etc.

Among the larger companies Dell is acquiring Perot systems with a view to expand the services market, but it will be worthwhile to keep a watch on this as to how the merger will help. Instead a smaller but niche player, who can bring in value to help in the infrastructure business in services under the cloud or such, would have been more interesting. Anyway, this is a bold attempt.

On most of the M&A as listed above, in the IT space, the hallmark is innovation. This goes to prove that many of these companies invest in innovation or grow inorganically. Either case, it is a signal for services based companies to come up with solutions to manage innovation. On the other hand, we are seeing R&D activity of most ERP products decline as ERP models have become mature and in a steady state. Due to this, AMS deals from small play service companies can be enough to sustain the ERP, to “keep the lights on”.

Infrastructure

On the environmental side, we are seeing increased awareness and activity on Green Computing. However, the levels of thinking are just basic in terms of instructing users to switch off their monitors when not in use, using less energy consuming devices, and the like. There has to be greater awareness and action around how to avoid rather than just decrease usage. For example, companies are still using or being recommended to use large or at best medium server farms to host their websites or intranets. Instead, they must think on how they can consolidate vendors or how they can consolidate their servers to a common platform to avoid allocation servers to 150% of their required capacity.

Technology

On the technology side, we are seeing increased thrust on Cloud computing and SaaS. SaaS is primarily on the business side, offering choice of platforms or services on rent. Cloud Computing is more on technology on how different atomic services can be exposed on the web thus opening a world of possibilities.

Conclusion

Overall, the trends point out areas where IT Service companies can leverage.

• Recommend AMS to replace ERP product support as opposed to having both of them together – this can be a value add for their clients
• Treat Infrastructure group as a horizontal competency that will cut across both Enterprise and non-Enterprise offerings. This will bring in enormous value-add to their clients in the form less server footprint and offering server/OS consolidation. Bringing them horizontal will encourage innovation collaborated across all technical competencies in the company.
• Innovate on not just technology but also on business models. For example, references and collaborative beta-implementations could result in win-win situations.

PL SQL DBA OPENING-ORACLE BANGALORE

TECHNICAL WRITER JOB OPENINGS IN BANGALORE-NETAPP

SQL ANALYST JOBS-BANGALORE DELHI/NCR PUNE-BEST INFOSYSTEMS

PHP PROGRAMMER OPENINGS INDIA-BANGALORE PUNE HYDERABAD-INDSOFT

INFOSYS TECHNOLOGIES BANGALORE JOBS-CA OPENING

SAP SALES JOBS INDIA-BANGALORE MUMBAI-SAP FLEXIJOBS

MBA SALES OFFICER GRADUATE JOBS-BANGALORE PUTHUR INFOTECH

SALES JOBS AT BANGALORE-ORANGE TECH SOLUTIONS

SOFTWARE JOBS AT BANGALORE-HP

OPERATIONS ENGINEER JOBS-AMAZON BANGALORE

HARDWARE DESIGN ENGINEER OPENINGS IN BANGALORE-PARK CONTROLS & COMMUNICATIONS

ARICENT BANGALORE JOBS-SOFTWARE OPENINGS

ING VYSYA BANK BANGALORE MUMBAI-FEMALE FRESHERS OPENINGS

Synopsis

Customer acquisition in the ITES (Services) industry is a challenging task since it is highly competitive. Only the Agile and collaborative team wins more often than the others. Yet very little is done in terms of improving the process from these 2 angles. The reason could be 2 fold – one is that organizations are too busy to spend time in it, secondly there are not too many readily available solutions in the market that is attractively priced and featured. This initiative is an attempt to put across an approach to fill the gap.

Customer acquisition pre-sales process explained

The process starts from the time when an opportunity is being generated. It is an important part of the overall customer acquisition cycle.

In the ITES space, pre-sales forms part of the cycle. It starts with responding to a request or what is called an opportunity, in the ITES space. Whether it is responding to just an RFI or an RFP, it is an involved exercise, collaborating among different departments.

While looking at the process of responding, parallels can be drawn to the Quote to Order process involved with CTO/ETO (Configure-to-order or Engineer to order) model of the manufacturing industry. Q2O for CTO/ETO are cross functional with teams involved from among Sales, Engineering, Logistics, Delivery & Finance. In the ITES industry it is cross functional involving Sales, Technology, Delivery, QA and Finance departments. In both cases, the end products (or Solutions in case of ITES) are highly customized. Even if the solutions are to be designed from a base product, there will be a fair amount of customization. Wherever there is customization, there need to be inputs from Engineering (Technology in ITES). This has the tendency to make it complex, reduce agility to respond, and increasing risks (of losing out to competition due to higher estimates or decreased margins due to lower estimates). To add to the complexity, the process involves pricing and marketing information to supplement the proposal response.

In reality, it is observed that the Q2O process in the manufacturing sector for ETO is better organized in terms of better automated processes for configuration. Relatively, the ITES sector, ironically, is not advanced in terms of having a well defined automated set of processes. So far, this tendency did not affect the Service providers as severely as it is doing now. Rather the key differentiators now are agility to respond and at the least possible effort, squeezed by component reuse.

So, it is argued that the need for a well defined system for the process in ITES is not more relevant than it is today.

Taking a cue from manufacturing Q2O process, it makes sense for companies to adopt the following.

• Have focused areas of operations

• Provide solutions around focus areas to customize

• improve agility in responding to an opportunity

The drivers for this behavior are as given below.

• Current economy – The market will differentiate companies that can provide the value for less money. For the time being, Service providers are faced with a situation that is difficult to digest. On the one hand, clients are asking Service providers to reduce rates. Service companies, in the short term, have to live with the expensive resources that have been hired. To keep up the momentum, Service providers have to come up with innovation. Component reuse, Developer code reuse and the like are some of the near term strategies that need to be adopted. This will not only help Delivery but also help in responding faster to an opportunity for presales.

• Delayed sales cycles – The current situation is forcing clients to take a lot of time in due diligence and evaluating their choices with prospective vendors, therefore, Service providers are experiencing longer Sales cycles – the time it takes to close a deal. By focusing on select areas and responding to requests (Rfx) faster, this cycle time can be reduced, besides giving the clients better confidence. Also, when service offerings are focused on specific areas, Service providers see an increased ratio of wins, thus contributing overall to effectiveness of presales and the ensuing reduced overheads.

Again taking a cue from the manufacturing world, how the objectives may be achieved in the ITES sector are by a combination of the below.

• Increase collaboration among the stakeholders in the proposal creation process. The stakeholders are among Sales, Technology, Delivery and Finance. Each will have to bring in the flavor of the customer requirements.

• Facilitate reuse from process, & technology angles

• Facilitate searching of a repository of information

• Facilitate key operational metrics measurement

Introducing the concept of Collaboration

Enterprise Social collaboration can be applied to achieve good results. Collaborative tools like Wikis can be used to respond to an RFI. Blogs can be a repository of ideas, interests & opinions. The basic building blocks are mentioned below.

Benefits

• Reduced cycle times for response
• Collaborative inputs drive more efficiency in operations
• Automatic utilization reports

Presently CapGemini India is looking for experienced Sales / Business Development leader to head our NA sales efforts within Mumbai.

The candidate should have around 10+ years of sales experience – mostly within NA market. He will ideally come from IT/ITES companies.

Please email me at sarang.brahme@capgemini.com for further details.

It’s been four and half years since I am in Bengalooru. The city has transformed from Bangalore to Bengalooru and of course has lost its green cover, its culture and of course its original inhabitants! One thing it will never lose is the ever growing traffic and then the ever growing concrete structures!

Being a Mysorean (Of course I am proud to call myself a ‘Mysorean’), one thing that fascinates me is my identity as a ‘Mysorean’, wherever I go! But being in Namma Bengaluru as they call it, I feel that the true Bangalorean has lost his or her identity. The question starts, who do you call a ‘Bangalorean’. I have a few definitions now for this word.

a. An outsider to Karnataka who has now got used to the Idly, Dosa, Raagi Rotti, Holiges of Bangalore, now working in some posh IT/BT/ITES firm

b. An immigrant from Karnataka who had never ever seen Bangalore

c. Someone who stays in the 4th or 6th floor of a 100sqft JP Nagar house! – I used to call them ‘kaddipettige’ sometimes

d. Someone who feels getting out of Bangalore is a holiday and its cool

e. Idiots who ride at lightning speed to drink coffee some 50 miles away

f. Thoughtless!!!

g. Build houses after houses – rent them out and make money!

The above are a few examples of a modern ‘Bangalorean’ who has no identity! There are very few who have respect for culture like the erstwhile Bangalore of the early/mid 90’s. The scenario now is so ‘uber cool’ that you cannot define something that is attached to a person staying in one of Indias costliest and fastest growing Metros! Its quite sad to know that Banglore has stopped reflecting the rest of the state and is sometimes meaning less to people who stay there in terms of calling themselves ‘Kannadigas’. There was a documentary running on one of Indias top news channels which actually was proclaiming that it was “Bengaluru Vs Karnataka”. Its hard to know that they are true. The rest of the state can identify themselves, but Bangaloreans cannot!

Come down south, you have Mysore where people treasure their city and the heritage. Geographical indicators are identified for Mysore Silk, Mysore Pak, Nanjangud Bananas, Mysore Idlis. The city has one of the most sacred hills of southern India and its revered by Mysoreans. A little further Coorg has its own indicators, their tradition, the coffee estates, the climate etc… The coastal regions have their traditional food, the seas, the Yakshaganas etc… Similarly the other regions of the state.

Come to Bangalore, people follow all this, but they do not know why they are doing it nor they have any identifier for these. There are a few gifted areas in Bangalore if you ask me which still hace the aura of the old Bangalore. Come to Basvanagudi/ NR Colony I do not see an influx of the Bangaloreans defined above. The residents of these areas still rever the landmarks (Bull temple, Bugle rock, Lalbagh, Shankar Mutt, Various other parks) and protect them. To me they are the true Bangaloreans who have not lost their identity and are trying to save the city from losing its past. There are few colleagues of mine who speak the language of the Cauvery’s downstream. They were born and brought up in Bengaluru. But never ever have they called themselves ‘Bangaloreans’ or for that matter ‘Kannadigas’. They have lost their identity!

As I mentioned it boils down to ‘Bangalore vs Karnataka’ and in that case, I am proud to identify myself as a Mysorean.

The incident of YSR deaths in helicopter crash, along with 4 others died in his helicopter crash. They are: Dr P Subramanium, the special secretary to the Chief Minister; ASC Wesley, Chief Security Officer; and two pilots. Group Captain SK Bhatia and Captain MS Reddy.

We at UNITES mourn at this unfortunate incident. Our condolence are extended to family members who died in this helicopter crash.

The latest update is labor law holiday for IT companies in Bangalore, I am sure this is the impact of UNITES constant engagement in educating employees on their rights. We will have to campaign to ensure that it is restored.

http://www.google.co.in/#hl=en&q=2+years+labour+law+relaxation+for+IT&meta=cr%3DcountryIN&aq=&aq=f&oq=2+years+labour+law+relaxation+for+IT&fp=9269a019182c0c68

IT companies free of labour laws for 2 years
Anil Kumar M | TNN

Bangalore: With IT firms buffeted by today’s turbulent times, the government has offered a helping hand. Reciprocating their needs, it has exempted IT/ITES and software establishments from the provisions of Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 (Central Act 20 of 1946) for two years.

These laws are strict on classifying workers, their working hours and shifts, the wages payable, besides other archaic rules on leave and attendance. Head of HR in Infosys Technologies said, “We have antiquated labour regulations, which do not fit the requirement of the knowledge-based industry. This reform is necessary. We do not want inspector raj here, what we want is more such reforms across industries.’’
WHAT THE ACT SAYS

Every establishment mandatorily needs to classify workmen like — permanent; probationers; badlis; temporary; casual and apprentices Working hours for all classes of employees in each shift should be exhibited in English and in principal languages of workmen employed, on notice boards Publication of holidays, notices specifying the wage rate payable to all employees also to be displayed The Act also empowers the government to impose penalties to the tune of Rs 5,000 on the employer who fails to submit or modify the draft standing orders.

Coutesy: TNN

Saurabh Goswami | www.saurabhgoswami.info | saurabh@saurabhgoswami.info

A Comprehensive Reference Book for Information Technology, Computer Science, Electronic, Communication and Electrical Engineering Professionals

Title: EMC for Product Designers

Author: Tim Williams

Elsevier [Fourth Edition, 2007] 498 pages

ISBN – 13: 978-0-75-068170-4

ISBN – 10: 0-750-68170-5

Most of us consider a number of factors, exoteric and esoteric, while designing [or selecting] our homes and in the configuration of the numerous modern technological devices and domestic appliances, most of them electrical and electronic, therein.

Recently I saw a programme on TV where a Vastu Shastra expert was advising viewers not only regarding the various aspects of designing and building living environments that are in harmony with the physical and metaphysical forces but also specifying optimal locations and layouts for various electrical and electronic appliances and devices in both residential homes and workplaces.

I listened with intriguing interest as he gave precise directions and specified exact locations for positioning of Televisions, Computers, Communication Devices, Microwave Ovens, Music systems and other appliances, and fascinated by the congruence between principles and aspects of Vastu and Electromagnetic Compatibility [EMC] and wondered whether the expert in reality was actually an EMC Design Engineer in addition to being a Vastu Shastra Specialist.

When you design or select or configure your house or office I am sure you consider various aesthetic, architectural, financial, utilitarian, geographical, interior and exterior design and other practical aspects, maybe even incorporate the principles of Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, but do you give even a fleeting thought to EMC?

In today’s world with the increasing use of electrical, communication, electronic and information technologies we are under continual exposure to Electromagnetic Field [ EMF ], both inside and outside our homes, in our workplaces and even in the open wherever we go, radiating from radiating from electricity power lines, household wiring, microwave ovens, computers, monitors, televisions, communication devices, cellular phones, electrical, electronic and IT appliances.

“Electro-pollution” is an increasingly serious form of Environment Pollution and merits serious consideration, as much as, if not more than, other well-known forms of pollution.

Electro-pollution seems to be omnipresent. Apart from hazards to our health, Electromagnetic Interference [ EMI ] is detrimental to the proper functioning of most electrical, electronic, IT, ITES, ICT, communication and technology-based systems and may cause malfunctions and even potentially disastrous and fatal accidents.

The book being reviewed – EMC for Product Designers by Tim Williams – is one of the most comprehensive reference books I have read on the subject of the Design Management aspects of Electromagnetic Interference and Electromagnetic Compatibility [ EMI / EMC ].

The book comprises sixteen chapters arranged in three parts:

Legislation and Standards,

Testing, and

Design

The author lucidly covers most micro and macro aspects of EMC Management in meticulous detail.

The logical sequence of topics, clear diagrams, tables and illustrations facilitate easy understanding of this complicated subject.

The Design Checklist, interesting Case Studies and useful mathematical formulae in the appendices and the extensive bibliography add value to this reference book.

Whilst the earlier chapters provide an excellent understanding of the EMC Standards and the basic theoretical principles of EMI / EMC, the “meat” of the book lies in the chapters on Systems EMC and EMC Management which encapsulate all relevant facets of EMC in a holistic manner.

I wish the author had included a detailed chapter on Electromagnetic Health Hazards and mitigation techniques. This most vital topic concerning all of us humans seems to have not been accorded the due importance it deserves and I hope the author presents a more holistic and systemic view of EMC and includes a comprehensive chapter on pertinent aspects of Bio-electromagnetics, Thermal and Athermal EMR Hazards and their mitigation in the next edition.

I commend this book – it is an excellent reference book for Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunication and IT Engineers and Managers, Designers, Students, practising professionals in the field and a useful addition for all engineering and technical libraries.

[Book Review by VIKRAM KARVE]

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

vikramkarve@sify.com

vikramkarve@hotmail.com

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/aug/100809-Santhosh-Min-B-sacked-BPO-employee-election-candidate-satyagraha-launch-Bangalore-tent.htm

BPO employee sacked for contesting elections has launched a satyagraha from a tent pitched right in front of his company

SANTHOSH Min B is determined to fight to protect the voting rights of
private firm employees, even as his satyagraha enters the fourth day.

MiD DAY had reported last week about the protest after his employer World Network Services sacked him for insisting on declaring a holiday on April 23, the day Bangalore voted for parliamentary polls.

Santhosh, a the 33-year-old ‘claims analyst’ in the insurance department
of the BPO company, was an independent candidate in the elections, from
Bangalore (South). With total declared assets of Rs 511, he was also the
poorest candidate contesting the elections.

Lone fighter: Santosh’s parents inspired him to take the path of
satyagraha

Going it alone

Having pitched a tent in front of the company, Santhosh stands with a
placard displaying his complaints, waging a lone war against the company’s repressive attitude towards democracy.

“Satyagraha is a powerful weapon given to us by a great leader like
Gandhi, I am using this weapon to protect our voting rights,” Santhosh
said.

So far no one has come to his support, though he hopes that Hasiru-Usiru, a group of citizens concerned about environment, would soon participate in the satyagraha.

“I have not asked anybody to join me. Sathyagraha is about inner strength.
If anybody wants to support me, however, they are welcome,” Santhosh
added.

Inspiration at home

Santhosh was inspired to tread the path of satyagraha by his father, who
had also staged a satyagraha when he was an employee with MICO.

“My father has taught me not to succumb to suppressive forces when we are right in our deeds,” he said.

His mother too helps him with encouraging words. “I could do all this only
because of my parents encouragement,” added Santhosh.

Santosh is maintaining a simple diet of dry fruits and fruit juice. “I am
a physiotherapist and I know how to eat simple and still stay strong.” He
takes ten-minutes off to have food at a friend’s house a kilometre away,
where he also freshens up, as the company has denied him permission to use its toilets.

Gross violation

According to Santosh, it was a violation of human rights to deny an
individual his voting rights.

“I am not bothered about my individual case, but want to draw the
government’s attention to the issue and make private companies fall in
line when it comes to allowing employees to vote.”

S R Nayak, chairman of the state human rights commission, who was away in Karwar, said, “It is a gross violation and we will take appropriate
action.”

Balakrishna, assistant commissioner, labour department said that his team
would visit the company to examine whether there was any violation. The
company would be “prosecuted if we find that the staff had worked on
election day,” he said.

According to him, a company has to declare paid holiday on the polling day according to National and Festival Holidays Act, and a violation was
punishable.

C S Suranjan, chief electoral officer, said that “under the Representation
of People Act it was a crime to prevent an individual from voting” and
that he would take action against the company after examining the case.

Source : Mid-Day

Santhosh Min B who has been terminated by WNS for contesting Lok Sabha, what is Irony is that WNS knew his intentions, kept quiet on his information about contesting in election and terminated after conducting an internal inquiry in company saying contesting for election is non business activity. If this trend continues one day the employers group may say voting is also not required which is the fundamental right of every citizen. This shows the commitment of Indian & MNC’s to Democracy, employee rights and CSR! Price employees pay for supporting Democracy is high.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/aug/070809-Santhosh-Min-B-BPO-Employee-poorest-Lok-Sabha-candidate-2009-elections-Bangalore.htm

Poorest Lok Sabha candidate gets sacked
By: B V Shiva Shankar Date: 2009-08-07 Place: Bangalore

BPO employee Santhosh Min B, the poorest Lok Sabha candidate in 2009 (no assets, money in hand: Rs 511), gets the sack for contesting elections

The poorest candidate in the last parliamentary polls has just become poorer. World Network Services (WNS), a Mumbai-based BPO firm, sacked Santhosh Min B after his unsuccessful efforts to enter parliament.

Jaago re: Santhosh says voter turnout in Bangalore was low because BPOs didn’t allow employees to vote Santhosh (33) was working as a claims analyst in the insurance department.

“I insisted on a holiday on polling day so that everyone could vote,” said Santhosh. “That probably cost me my job.”

He’s now fighting for justice. “I have started a Satyagraha in front of the office,” he said.

Green and poor

Santhosh was the poorest candidate in the elections that concluded in May. When he filed his nomination on March 30 from Bangalore (South) as an independent, he was worth only Rs 511.

His declaration of assets and liabilities said he had no immoveable assets and had only Rs 511 in hand.

He was known as the green candidate because he had proposed a green manifesto promising to divert the Metro Rail route to save Lalbagh and Lakshman Rao Boulevard on Nanda Road in Jayanagar.

A member of Hasiru Usiru, a group of citizens concerned about the environment, Santhosh couldn’t do anything for the cause because he lost his deposit, having polled only 1,178 votes.

BPO factor
Santhosh Min B attributes the low voter turnout in Bangalore (South) to mushrooming BPOs in the city.

“In the previous elections, the constituency had seen a 55 per cent turnout but this time it fell to 44.73 per cent. This is because BPOs did not allow their employees to vote.”

He said he had written to the Election Commission about the problem. ‘No politics, only office politics’

Trouble at work started last February when he hinted at contesting the polls. He sought permission from the management on February 26 but the management suspended him.

He then wrote to the management asking them to declare a holiday on April 23, polling day, but the response was negative. This prompted him to complain to the returning officer.

“Leave alone declaring a holiday, nobody was allowed to vote,” said Santhosh. “They had closed the front gate and forced employees to enter through the rear entrance.”

When he returned to office on April 24, there was a chargesheet to initiate an internal inquiry against him. The inquiry was completed on June 18 and he was sent home on July 2.

When contacted, Mohini Kumar, the HR manager who headed the inquiry committee, said, “We are not supposed to talk about this. It is an internal matter and will be sorted out internally.”

Courtesy : Mid-Day

H1N1 Influenza is making its presence felt among the public, and the government has started the measures taken to contain the spread of virus by creating awareness & educating public. We welcome this.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday, Aug 5 introduced new guidelines in relation to curbing the deadly flu. The ministry that has also taken the cue of panic from the public has set up a Website on Swine Flu to keep the public and the media updated, informed and equipped even for the worst.

The website contains everything from the locations of critical care units, to travel advisory, new guidelines and general information on the pandemic itself. Our request is through you it should reach to all your friends.

http://mohfw.nic.in/SWINEFLU.html

Our request to all IT/ITES companies is to spread this awareness to their employees through their Intra net or any other means which is suitable to the organisation. On our website www.unitespro.org we have put Tips on taking Precautions H1N1 Influenza

Let us all be united to face this challenge.

Source:OneIndia News

It is shocking to note that none of the IT/ITES companies were not seen at KPL (Karnataka Premier League) on the lines of IPL to own/book. A cricket team in their name or in the name of City or by the product that they develop to own is always advantage (take the case of Mumbai Indians by Reliance group, this shows commitment to Mumbai city).

All these companies talk of work life balance, involving their employees in activities which is other than work and in a country/state which is crazy of cricket it is imperative not to spot an IT/ITES major trying to own a cricket team at least at state level. This clearly indicates that it is all work and no play for IT/ITES professionals (employers can always say the time is bad, profit are low, blame US market etc) .

But isn’t it true that Companies & managers of IT/ ITES etc only do their job the way business schools taught them to do ? Isn’t it true that in general, companies only do what they are rewarded for, hence cricket may not seem to be as important ? Isn’t it true that they do that, as if nothing else existed other than their company/sector ? With demands for better Infrastructure, Exemption of Tax, Now even a Minister from the employers group to promote their cause!

A company will work/seek for profit of shareholder value ? Shouldn’t we have a look at employee welfare (a critical second look) into why despite everybody is doing the things right, why employees quit when going is good may be all work and no play makes them dull?

-          Randi Jaisa hai apna… Ek Graahak Jaane ke baad mein, doosra graahak aane se pehle, powder laali lagaane ka, khidki pe baithne ka aur shh sshh…

• Nana Patekar in Ab Tak Chappan

This line from the mentioned movie shaped up the behavioral trajectory of Akash Saxena, a young, smart but an eccentric trainer with WiseShift BPO, Bangalore.

Who is Akash, you asked? Well don’t worry… there’s a bit of Akash in everyone. Every fucking urban individual walking the streets of cities like Gurgaon, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore has shades of Akash in him. However; for starters – Akash is me… The narrator, the owner and also the title character…

So, Hi Folks! It’s nice to meet you all… And above all, it gives me immense pleasure to know that I’m not the only one who is getting fucked every single night and also getting paid for it. It’s heartening to know that there are also others who live this amoral and worthless life the same way as mine. Now time to save the parlor tricks and let’s get to the point…

It was April 2004, when I set my foot on the soils of Bangalore. I hail from a relatively small town, Nagpur; nevertheless, this was not my first visit to any big city! I had been to Bombay; albeit on a vacation, but nonetheless – a trip!

I still remember the day I got down at the VT (now CST). The city just greeted me with open arms… I could see the madness, I could feel the urgency, I could feel the restlessness… Just for a moment – all of that MTV footage where the city life was edited like a fast-forward video crawled in front of me… The sounds of the dabbawallahs, the tring-tring of the Pepsi bottles, the scream of the newspaper vendors, the honks of the innumerable local trains… Man! That was awesome! That moment really told what it feels like to be in Mumbai.

When I set my foot in Bangalore, I expected the same kind of magic to waft its arms around me, but alas! I guess that was my first exposure to this city and that was an experience that I had to carry, till… God Knows!

I came here to pursue my Masters in Communication. I got in to a college (not worth mentioning!). The college would start early in the morning and it was quite far off from my place. That meant I had to start early.

While on my way to college, I would see scores of cabs screaming past me and gong berserk to take the employees to their workplace. I was amazed to see these employees wearing a strap around their necks dangling an ID card. This was meant to identify the employee from one-another. Looking at those sights, I would often wonder what kind of work is it that these guys really do! Since they are a part of the much-celebrated IT/ITeS industry – they would definitely be interacting a lot with the clients… A lot of foreign clients as well… This is so bloody good… This gives so much exposure to a person… With all these buoyant thoughts, I also made up my mind to work with an IT company and be part of an industry that is the biggest employment-generator of this country (currently!)

It was in January 2006, I got a call from WiseShift BPO, a leading off shoring company, for an interview. BPO/ITeS – Wow! I screamed to myself in enormous joy, thinking that this is the best thing to have happened to me… I jumped out of my bed, had a quick shower, gulped down an omelet, a toast and a chai – hopped on my bike and raced to the company… Fortunately, I made it on time. This had been a dream company for me, and here was a chance for me to make it come true.

7 glasses of water, 3 chais and 45 mins later I was called in to a room. I was given a test paper and 1 hour time to finish that paper. I did and then I was called for the much-awaited personal interview.

Few non-sensical questions (like Tell me something about yourself and why should we hire you?) followed and eventually to my momentary joy (and a lifelong dismay!) I was hired. Yes folks! I had made it to the crème-de-le-crème of the earning class.

I joined in as a billable resource, which meant that I was being billed for by the WiseShift. During the induction, we were told (or taught) that our sole motive is to provide superior services and strive for customer satisfaction, as the client (some firang dickhead!) is paying for the services we render. I thought to myself – Wow! This is great… Next in induction – the dress code – from Monday thru Thursday, we were supposed to be dressed in Western Formals, for its only the attire that’s gonna convey our true identity and also send across our professional image. The employee relations team drilled it in to us that all that we are doing is to convey a very professional image.

Soon after the induction, I was sent for my process training. The training dragged on for almost a month. I could just feel the urgency on the management’s part to have us on the floor and start processing, as they had billable hits. A lot of resources had quit and there were not enough resources the management could use to satisfy the ever-increasing demands of the clients. This attrition led to some serious shortfall in operating margins of the engagement. Due to some pressure exerted by the top management, my training was over soon and I hit the production floor. Now, I was a billable as well…

I got a freakin’ neat system to work upon… A nice AC, so that we don’t sweat… All the facilities that were provided to us were state-of-the-art, just to make sure that we provide the best services to our clients… We satisfy them fully by slogging our asses off… And, while contributing so efficiently towards my work, I slowly began to realize that my “revenue-contribution meter” was ticking. They were paying for my services “ghante-ke-hisaab-se”

In the line of our duties, I happened to strike a very good rapport with my client. We became good friends. We went out for coffee and smokes together. We used to talk about work and share insights about the industry and general operations as well. This increasing closeness with my client irked my immediate boss (Team Lead) and he started to push me down and negate my growth opportunities.

I began to look at the bigger picture as well… Every manager (COH) gets a variable allowance that gets affected whenever a resource quits the profession and the same COH gets a bonus when a new resource joins the profession. Nevertheless, I continued to perform well and with all the dedication at my will. This level of service assured my growth as a trainer.

By being a trainer – I entered the annals of the support function of the Operations. I became a non-billable resource. I am robbed off my system. I have to run around, roam all over the bay and sometimes even beg for a system to sit and work on… I am robbed off the special facilities given to me when I was billable.

Even today, after a drink or two, when I sit back and think about the corporate life, I wonder!

UNITES Professional is happy to inform that a book on UNITES Professionals with a dedicated chapter analyzing the birth and organizing strategy of UNITES Professionals is now published and is available in book shops across the world. I think this will give you an insight into employees work.

The Book is “Employee Identity in Indian Call Centres: The Notion of Professionalism
Written By Noronha, Ernesto (Author), D’Cruz, Premilla (Author)”
This has been published by Sage Publications (http://www.sagepub.in/browse/book.asp?bookid=1376&mode=1).

Please find enclosed comment from the web listed below:

http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/ernesto-noronha/employee-identity-indian-call-centres/9788132100799.html

This one-of-its-kind book, Employee Identity in Indian Call Centres: The Notion of Professionalism presents the lived experience of call center agents, and the perspectives of managers and trade unionists regarding employee experiences in the international call centers in Mumbai and Bangalore in India.

All this has been possible thanks to the constant support that we have got from our members, our colleagues.

Congress came to power once again with its big propaganda of economic populism which at this point in time the country is struggling hard to afford. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was explicit in announcing the budget saying that this budget is more focused on the Aam Adami, which is of course a sting to the present political scene in the country. For the fist time ever there was a income tax reduction for the elite class where the tax level fell from 33.9% to 30.9%.

Talking about the Aam Adami, extended loan, job guarantees to the poor, health care programmes etc round up to 1.3% of the current GDP which is on the growth agenda according to the Budget.

The Budget is Pragmatic because it is looking at 9% economic growth. Well I am not being cynical when I am questioning if this is an achievable target as we were hit big time by the recession. Of course, this quarter has shown progress, the market is looking up and the next quarter looks just  about good. Growth is a natural culmination of any proposal made for economic growth.

The current budget has allocated funds to almost all the sectors which means it is Inclusive. But then it is of course the discretion of the ruling party and is it going to continue being focus and result oriented again is a doubt?

I love the word growth, because it gives me a sense & feel of satisfaction that yes there are eggs in the basket to be hatched which will eventually result into chickens which will get me profit once they are sold, but then again they shouldn’t be hit by bird flu and their market rate should either remain constant or  rise…And thus growth cannot be excluded in the budget agenda. Yes my description to Growth Oriented budget is metaphorical, but that’s the way I can relate to the term growth!

Snapshot of the Budget Impact on various sectors:

Retail Sector :

• Abolition of the FBT (Fringe Benefit Tax). Aviation industry gains the maximum out of this.
• Personal income tax exemption hiked, which means less tax payment for the middle & higher middle class, resulting in increased spending capacity, leading the retail sectors like a Big Bazaar, Pantaloons, Westside etc to gain in the bargain

Automobiles sector:

• Maruti, Bajaj Auto & Hero Honda have been in the league of the out performers and Tata Motors has been under performer
• The Global financial crisis has hot the automobile sector hard in FY09 and fall in the demand of cars and two-wheelers seen because of job loss

FMCG sector:

• The FMCG sector has shown a growth of 16.2% in the financial year 2009
• Price-cuts on account of lower inflation and excise duty reduction from 14 per cent to 8 per cent led the FMCG companies to reduce their product prices in a bid to boost volumes
• FMCG industry is set to grow 20-30 per cent in 2009-10, up from 10-20% in 2008-09. The growth would be driven by the launch of new products and increasing rural consumption.

IT/ITes:

• The global economic downturn in FY09 resulted in demand-side challenges for IT/ITES service providers, in terms of reduced IT spending.
• The economic outlook for the U.S. and U.K., which accounted for around 60% and 20% of Indian IT/ITeS export revenues respectively in CY08, remains gloomy. The negative stance of the U.S. towards outsourcing to the emerging economies has also increased concerns for the sector.
• Although, Banking and Financial Services Industry (BFSI), the worst-hit sector, accounts for the majority of Indian IT and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) exports, Indian companies are expanding their portfolios to other sectors like telecom and retail
• Deduction in respect of export profits under sections 10A and 10B of the Income-tax Act, applicable to Software Technology Parks in India (STPIs) and hitherto scheduled to be discontinued in FY10, has been proposed to be extended by one more year i.e. till FY11.
• An allocation of Rs.120 crore has been proposed to set up online data base containing identity and biometric details of Indian residents under the aegis of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Well one cannot afford to please everyone and here is what a few analysts and industry experts have to say about the budget.

“The budget is Rhetoric  and unrealistic”

“The advocates of irrational neoliberal reforms seem to be out of tune with what is feasible in capitalist economies that are functioning political democracies.”

“Incoherent and self-contradictory, Pranab Muherjee’s budget is inadequate to meet the government’s objective of higher growth with a human face”

That’s my view as well as a study of the current budget.