THOSE GLORIOUS DAYS AT ITBHU
MEMORIES OF MY ALMA MATER
By
VIKRAM KARVE
The class of 1972, who graduated in 1977, the first IIT-JEE batch, had a memorable reunion last month in the verdant hills of Girinagar near Pune. It was indeed a delightful evening where we reminisced and revived fond memories of our student life at Banaras. In retrospection, here is my nostalgic piece on my alma mater.
ITBHU [Erstwhile BENCO – Banaras Engineering College]
Institute of Technology
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi
India
Let’s begin with the college song
IT BHU Chorus
HAND IN HAND WE GO TOGETHER,
HAND IN HAND WE ARE SINGING ALONG.
SIDE BY SIDE WE FACE THE MUSIC,
WIN OR LOSE WE ALWAYS SING A SONG.
WAVE THE FLAG, WE’LL KEEP IT FLYING,
TILL THE SUN SHINES O’ER THE LAND.
IF THE LUCK IS GOOD WE’LL ALWAYS SHARE THE CHEERS,
IF THE LUCK IS BAD, WE’LL GLADLY BEAR THE TEARS.
TILL THE DAY WE TURN THE CORNER,
WE’LL KEEP ON AS LONG AS WE ARE HAND IN HAND.
IF YOU KEEP ON SMILING AT THE RAINBOW,
YOU WILL NEVER MIND A SHOWER OF RAIN.
KEEP YOUR HEAD ON THE CLOUDS,
DON’T GET LOST IN THE CROWDS.
ALWAYS KEEP THE SONG IN YOUR HEART,
AND SHOUT HIP-HIP HURRAH.
Composed by:
Prof. Charles. A. King
The First Principal of the
Banaras Engineering College (BENCO)
On what basis do you judge an educational institution, especially an Engineering College or a B-School?
In today’s world there is just one criterion – market value – the starting salaries and campus placement the students get – the more outrageously astronomical the pay packets, and the greater the percentage of lucrative campus placements – the better the institution.
And with the increasing commercialization of education, many institutes blatantly compete, advertise, and focus on these materialistic aspects to attract students – it’s a highly competitive rat race.
I feel the cardinal yardstick for appraising the true merit of an educational institution is the value-addition it instills in its alumni – and I’m not talking of utility and materialistic values alone; but more importantly the inculcation and enhancement of intrinsic and intangible higher values.
The student should feel he or she has changed for the better, professionally and personally; and so should other stakeholders observing the student from the outside be able to discern the value enhancement.
I studied for my B.Tech. Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics Engineering at ITBHU from 1972 to 1977 (first batch IIT JEE) and I experienced the well-rounded value addition I have mentioned above.
Later in life, being academically inclined, I continued studying, and have completed many courses, a Post Graduate Diploma in Management, an Engineering and Technology Post Graduation at a premier IIT [M. Tech. - IIT Delhi] and have worked in multifarious capacities and even taught for many years at prestigious academic institutions of higher learning, but I shall always cherish my days at ITBHU the most.
I knew I was a better man, in my entirety, having passed through the portals of ITBHU, and I am sure those scrutinizing me from the outside felt the same way.
ITBHU was amalgamated by integrating three of the country’s oldest and best engineering colleges: BENCO (Banaras Engineering College) – the first in the Orient, and certainly in India, to introduce the disciplines of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, MINMET – the pioneer in Mining and Metallurgy in India, and College of Technology – the first to start Chemical and Ceramic Engineering in India.
Indeed these three institutions pioneered engineering education in India and were the harbingers of industrialization in our country.
Now, like Roorkee, the first Engineering College of India, I understand that they want to rename our celebrated alma mater as an IIT. I wonder why – maybe in today’s world brand value is more in vogue rather than heritage value.
In my time ITBHU was indeed a center of excellence, an apt institution to study in, and a lovely place to live in.
The vast verdant lush green semi-circular campus at the southern end of Varanasi, the largest university campus I have ever seen, with its pleasant and relaxed atmosphere was ideal for student life.
And being a part of a premier university afforded one a consummate multidisciplinary experience.
It was a delightful and fulfilling experience I will always cherish – learning from erudite and totally dedicated Professors, who were authorities in their fields of specialization, amidst excellent academic facilities and ambience, elaborate labs and workshops, lush green campus, well-designed comfortable hostels, delicious food, expansive sports fields and facilities for all types of sports, the beautiful swimming pool, the unique well-stocked and intellectually inspiring Gaekwad library, and the exquisite temple that added a spiritual dimension to the scholarly ambiance.
One could learn heritage and foreign languages, fine arts, music, indology, philosophy, yoga, pursue hobbies like numismatics – the avenues for learning were mind-boggling.
Many of us learnt music and foreign languages at this sanctum of learning.
We had a truly holistic education and the idyllic environs of BHU helped one develop a philosophical attitude to life.
Like all premier institutes ITBHU was fully residential, which fostered camaraderie and facilitated lifelong friendships amongst the alumni. I can never forget those delightful moments in Dhanrajgiri, Morvi, Vishwakarma, Vishveswarayya and CV Raman hostels, mouthwatering memories of the Lavang Lata and Lassi at Pehelwan’s in Lanka, the Lal Peda opposite Sankat Mochan, Chinese at La Bella in Lanka, and the delicious wholesome cuisine of Banaras, watching movies at the quaint and unique cinema halls, strolling on the holy ghats, and the cycle trips all over Varanasi, Sarnath, and even across the holy and sacred Ganga on the pontoon bridge to watch the Ram Lila at Ramnagar.
Way back then, in the 1970s, ITBHU was a wonderful place to study engineering and live one’s formative years in.
I wonder what my dear alma mater is like now!
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
vikramkarve@sify.com
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Virtual Reality
VIRTUAL REALITY
A Mulla Nasrudin Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Here is one of my favourite Mulla Nasrudin stories.
Mulla Nasrudin bought a beautiful house at a picturesque place far away from civilization high up in the hills.
From time to time he would suddenly pack his bags, leave the city, and go away to his house in the hills, disappearing for days, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months.
And just as suddenly as he used to disappear, he used to unpredictably return back to the city, suddenly, without any warning or notice.
When asked the reason for his erratic and whimsical behaviour, Nasrudin explained:
“I have kept a caretaker woman up there in the hills to look after my house. She is the ugliest woman - horrible, repulsive, hideous, and nauseating. Just one look at her and one feels like vomiting.
When I go to live there, at first she looks horrible. But slowly, slowly, after a few lonely days, she is not so horrible. Then after some more desolate forlorn days, she doesn’t seem that undesirable. And as more and more time passes in lonesome seclusion, a day comes when I start seeing some beauty in her.
The day I start seeing beauty in that horrid woman I know that it is time to escape from my virtual world in the hills. The day I start getting attracted to the hideous woman means enough is enough – I have lived away from the real world for too long - now even this horrible revolting woman has started looking beautiful. I may even fall in love with this ghastly ugly repugnant woman - that's dangerous.
So I pack up my things and rush back to the city.”
So, my dear friend who is reading this…has the virtual world, the cyber world started looking “beautiful”…?
Maybe it’s time to return to the Real World…!
Good Bye, take care…
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
A Mulla Nasrudin Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Here is one of my favourite Mulla Nasrudin stories.
Mulla Nasrudin bought a beautiful house at a picturesque place far away from civilization high up in the hills.
From time to time he would suddenly pack his bags, leave the city, and go away to his house in the hills, disappearing for days, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months.
And just as suddenly as he used to disappear, he used to unpredictably return back to the city, suddenly, without any warning or notice.
When asked the reason for his erratic and whimsical behaviour, Nasrudin explained:
“I have kept a caretaker woman up there in the hills to look after my house. She is the ugliest woman - horrible, repulsive, hideous, and nauseating. Just one look at her and one feels like vomiting.
When I go to live there, at first she looks horrible. But slowly, slowly, after a few lonely days, she is not so horrible. Then after some more desolate forlorn days, she doesn’t seem that undesirable. And as more and more time passes in lonesome seclusion, a day comes when I start seeing some beauty in her.
The day I start seeing beauty in that horrid woman I know that it is time to escape from my virtual world in the hills. The day I start getting attracted to the hideous woman means enough is enough – I have lived away from the real world for too long - now even this horrible revolting woman has started looking beautiful. I may even fall in love with this ghastly ugly repugnant woman - that's dangerous.
So I pack up my things and rush back to the city.”
So, my dear friend who is reading this…has the virtual world, the cyber world started looking “beautiful”…?
Maybe it’s time to return to the Real World…!
Good Bye, take care…
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
Sunday, December 27, 2009
SOFT SKILLS and TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Soft Skills Approach
By
VIKRAM KARVE
The critical issues of technological change involve people, before profits.
To anticipate signs of change when planning and implementing new technology, and assessing the impact of new technology on human resources, managers must ask questions such as the following:
What individual and organizational values are shifting?
How will working conditions change?
How will the change affect organizational and/or individual responsibility?
Who must be re-skilled?
Seeking answers to these questions will enable managers to shift their focus from profit maximization to a concern about the integrated organization.
TECHNOLOGY FOSTERS INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES
Traditionally, people chose to use new technology to perform dangerous, difficult or dirty tasks [3D’s], to meet a perceived need or because of a preference for a specific value.
Today, technology fosters value.
An unintended result is that technology becomes the prime driver and growth engine of organization and the human resource assumes a secondary role.
In a nutshell: employees facilitate the objectives of technology.
Therefore, managers within technology-driven organizations must consider three questions:
What individual and organizational values are shifting?
Will the adoption of new technology devalue individuals?
How can the new technology assist in the attainment of individual and organizational objectives simultaneously?
HOW TECHNOLOGY CHANGES WORKING CONDITIONS?
Managers often exploit employees to work long hours under technology driven working conditions and endure undue stress.
When profits are pre-eminent, managers use technology to control and monitor employers with the aim of maximizing output.
Employees tolerate managerial manipulation because they want rewards and job security.
With fear and insecurity as the prime motivators, employees tolerate stress, invasion of privacy, and expanded job descriptions in exchange for job security.
Before implementing technological change, managers must seek the balance between control and dignity.
Technology must be used to enrich rather than degrade employees and managers must seek to prevent new technology from demoralizing the workforce.
HOW WILL TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AFFECT ORGANIZATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY?
Technology brings with it the penalty of dependence.
When employees rely solely or to a great extent on technology in their tasks, they can soon believe themselves incapable of responding without technology.
Therefore, if technology can replace individuals, technology can displace responsibility.
In the technology-driven organizations, employees run computers and operate machinery. With the computer as the brain and the machinery as the backbone of the organization, employees no longer assume responsibility for production.
Because work is an extension of self, employees who do not feel good about their work do not feel good about themselves.
To deal with their depression and dissatisfaction, people look for solutions in self-defeating avenues and sources.
Never finding the answer and mitigation for their disenchantment, they return to work and find their feelings of worthlessness reinforced.
In order to help individuals cast off this vision of themselves as inadequate and accept responsibility, managers can collaborate with employees to define and align goals with appropriate standards for mutual benefit.
Managers can sustain and empower employees by sharing power and by holding employees responsible for output and for their security.
In this way, technology is the tool, and the organization is the environment in which employees seek satisfaction.
As a result, the organization prospers.
WHO MUST BE RE-SKILLED?
If managers perceive technology as enhancing only the organization, the degree of change within tasks determines the extensiveness of re-skilling training.
However, if their goal includes renewal of the human resource, training involves attitudinal, relational, and intra-organizational adjustment.
A comprehensive approach to training for technological change requires that managers perceive change as a process consisting of interdependent factors rather than merely training workers how to use new technology without considering behavioural, social, and contextual factors [Soft-Skills].
In addition to enhancing skills, managers must permit workers to express how they feel about their tasks as well as their changing roles and relationships with other employees.
By doing so, managers learn how to interact with employees in the technologically changed environment to create a synergy of experience, power, and knowledge.
Some employees, however, know ho to play the organization, to impede interaction and, ultimately, curtail growth.
Responsible managers, committed to the integrity of the organization and its employees, must identify these manipulative employees, confront and challenge them to change, and, if necessary, remove them.
Training for technological change requires courage as well as re-skilling.
Technological change involves people, not profits; therefore, the key to preparing for change is to understand how people react to technology.
Managers must ask how values and responsibilities shift within their own organizations.
They cannot mimic the strategies of other firms or rely on the tactics of consultants.
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://karvediat.blogspot.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
vikramkarve@sify.com
Soft Skills Approach
By
VIKRAM KARVE
The critical issues of technological change involve people, before profits.
To anticipate signs of change when planning and implementing new technology, and assessing the impact of new technology on human resources, managers must ask questions such as the following:
What individual and organizational values are shifting?
How will working conditions change?
How will the change affect organizational and/or individual responsibility?
Who must be re-skilled?
Seeking answers to these questions will enable managers to shift their focus from profit maximization to a concern about the integrated organization.
TECHNOLOGY FOSTERS INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES
Traditionally, people chose to use new technology to perform dangerous, difficult or dirty tasks [3D’s], to meet a perceived need or because of a preference for a specific value.
Today, technology fosters value.
An unintended result is that technology becomes the prime driver and growth engine of organization and the human resource assumes a secondary role.
In a nutshell: employees facilitate the objectives of technology.
Therefore, managers within technology-driven organizations must consider three questions:
What individual and organizational values are shifting?
Will the adoption of new technology devalue individuals?
How can the new technology assist in the attainment of individual and organizational objectives simultaneously?
HOW TECHNOLOGY CHANGES WORKING CONDITIONS?
Managers often exploit employees to work long hours under technology driven working conditions and endure undue stress.
When profits are pre-eminent, managers use technology to control and monitor employers with the aim of maximizing output.
Employees tolerate managerial manipulation because they want rewards and job security.
With fear and insecurity as the prime motivators, employees tolerate stress, invasion of privacy, and expanded job descriptions in exchange for job security.
Before implementing technological change, managers must seek the balance between control and dignity.
Technology must be used to enrich rather than degrade employees and managers must seek to prevent new technology from demoralizing the workforce.
HOW WILL TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AFFECT ORGANIZATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY?
Technology brings with it the penalty of dependence.
When employees rely solely or to a great extent on technology in their tasks, they can soon believe themselves incapable of responding without technology.
Therefore, if technology can replace individuals, technology can displace responsibility.
In the technology-driven organizations, employees run computers and operate machinery. With the computer as the brain and the machinery as the backbone of the organization, employees no longer assume responsibility for production.
Because work is an extension of self, employees who do not feel good about their work do not feel good about themselves.
To deal with their depression and dissatisfaction, people look for solutions in self-defeating avenues and sources.
Never finding the answer and mitigation for their disenchantment, they return to work and find their feelings of worthlessness reinforced.
In order to help individuals cast off this vision of themselves as inadequate and accept responsibility, managers can collaborate with employees to define and align goals with appropriate standards for mutual benefit.
Managers can sustain and empower employees by sharing power and by holding employees responsible for output and for their security.
In this way, technology is the tool, and the organization is the environment in which employees seek satisfaction.
As a result, the organization prospers.
WHO MUST BE RE-SKILLED?
If managers perceive technology as enhancing only the organization, the degree of change within tasks determines the extensiveness of re-skilling training.
However, if their goal includes renewal of the human resource, training involves attitudinal, relational, and intra-organizational adjustment.
A comprehensive approach to training for technological change requires that managers perceive change as a process consisting of interdependent factors rather than merely training workers how to use new technology without considering behavioural, social, and contextual factors [Soft-Skills].
In addition to enhancing skills, managers must permit workers to express how they feel about their tasks as well as their changing roles and relationships with other employees.
By doing so, managers learn how to interact with employees in the technologically changed environment to create a synergy of experience, power, and knowledge.
Some employees, however, know ho to play the organization, to impede interaction and, ultimately, curtail growth.
Responsible managers, committed to the integrity of the organization and its employees, must identify these manipulative employees, confront and challenge them to change, and, if necessary, remove them.
Training for technological change requires courage as well as re-skilling.
Technological change involves people, not profits; therefore, the key to preparing for change is to understand how people react to technology.
Managers must ask how values and responsibilities shift within their own organizations.
They cannot mimic the strategies of other firms or rely on the tactics of consultants.
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://karvediat.blogspot.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
vikramkarve@sify.com
ENTROPY
ENTROPY
A Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Whilst teaching information theory, before I start pontificating on the concepts of entropy, negentropy and syntropy, I tell my students this witty story of the monkeys and the hats.
Once upon a time there was a young hat seller who used to roam around from town to town selling hats for a living.
On one summer afternoon, while travelling from one city to another, he felt tired and decided to take a nap in the forest.
He found a mango tree with lots of branches and cool shade. Placing his bag of hats beside him the hat seller went to sleep.
When he woke up after a refreshing nap, he found that there were no hats in his bag.
Bewildered, he exclaimed to himself, “What bad luck. Of all the people, why did the thieves have to rob me?”
Suddenly he looked up and noticed that the mango tree was full of monkeys wearing all his colourful hats.
He yelled at the monkeys and they screamed back.
He made faces at them and in response the monkeys made the same funny faces back at him.
He threw a stone at them and they showered him with raw mangoes.
“Oh my God, how do I get my hats back?” the hat seller pondered for some time, and finding no answer he got so frustrated that he took off his own hat and threw it on the ground.
To his surprise, all the monkeys also threw their hats to the ground.
The hat seller did not waste a second and hurriedly collected all the hats and went on his way to the next town.
Fifty years later, the grandson of the same hat-seller who continued the family business of selling hats was passing through the same jungle.
After walking all afternoon he was very tired and found a nice mango tree with lots of branches and cool shade and he decided to rest a while and soon was fast asleep.
A few hours later, when he woke up, he realized that all the hats from his bag had vanished.
He started searching for them and to his surprise found some monkeys sitting on the mango tree wearing his hats.
At first he was confused, and at a loss not knowing what to do, but then suddenly he remembered the story his grandfather used to tell him about the monkeys and the hats.
“I know how to fool these monkeys,” he said to himself, “I will make them imitate me and very soon I will get all my hats back.”
He waved at the monkeys and the monkeys waved back at him.
He blew his nose and the monkeys blew their noses.
He started dancing and the monkeys also danced.
He pulled his ears and the monkeys pulled their ears.
He raised his hands and the monkeys raised their hands.
Then, he threw his hat on the ground expecting all the monkeys to do likewise.
But instead, one monkey jumped down from the mango tree and walked up to him. Then, looking into the young man’s eyes the monkey said, "Do you think only you had a grandfather?"
Had a laugh?
Liked the story?
Now, Dear Reader, please tell me what’s the meaning of Entropy?
VIKRAM KARVE
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
vikramkarve@sify.com
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
A Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Whilst teaching information theory, before I start pontificating on the concepts of entropy, negentropy and syntropy, I tell my students this witty story of the monkeys and the hats.
Once upon a time there was a young hat seller who used to roam around from town to town selling hats for a living.
On one summer afternoon, while travelling from one city to another, he felt tired and decided to take a nap in the forest.
He found a mango tree with lots of branches and cool shade. Placing his bag of hats beside him the hat seller went to sleep.
When he woke up after a refreshing nap, he found that there were no hats in his bag.
Bewildered, he exclaimed to himself, “What bad luck. Of all the people, why did the thieves have to rob me?”
Suddenly he looked up and noticed that the mango tree was full of monkeys wearing all his colourful hats.
He yelled at the monkeys and they screamed back.
He made faces at them and in response the monkeys made the same funny faces back at him.
He threw a stone at them and they showered him with raw mangoes.
“Oh my God, how do I get my hats back?” the hat seller pondered for some time, and finding no answer he got so frustrated that he took off his own hat and threw it on the ground.
To his surprise, all the monkeys also threw their hats to the ground.
The hat seller did not waste a second and hurriedly collected all the hats and went on his way to the next town.
Fifty years later, the grandson of the same hat-seller who continued the family business of selling hats was passing through the same jungle.
After walking all afternoon he was very tired and found a nice mango tree with lots of branches and cool shade and he decided to rest a while and soon was fast asleep.
A few hours later, when he woke up, he realized that all the hats from his bag had vanished.
He started searching for them and to his surprise found some monkeys sitting on the mango tree wearing his hats.
At first he was confused, and at a loss not knowing what to do, but then suddenly he remembered the story his grandfather used to tell him about the monkeys and the hats.
“I know how to fool these monkeys,” he said to himself, “I will make them imitate me and very soon I will get all my hats back.”
He waved at the monkeys and the monkeys waved back at him.
He blew his nose and the monkeys blew their noses.
He started dancing and the monkeys also danced.
He pulled his ears and the monkeys pulled their ears.
He raised his hands and the monkeys raised their hands.
Then, he threw his hat on the ground expecting all the monkeys to do likewise.
But instead, one monkey jumped down from the mango tree and walked up to him. Then, looking into the young man’s eyes the monkey said, "Do you think only you had a grandfather?"
Had a laugh?
Liked the story?
Now, Dear Reader, please tell me what’s the meaning of Entropy?
VIKRAM KARVE
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
vikramkarve@sify.com
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm
Thursday, December 17, 2009
From a Mentor to a Mentee - YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO FLOWER WHERE GOD HAS SOWN YOU
FLOWER BLOSSOM BLOOM and FLOURISH
From a
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Long back I learnt a trick from an eminent trainer on how to get the audience to focus. I too use this technique on a few occasions when I want my audience to settle down to receptive vibes.
The moment you take the stage, you tell the audience to close their eyes for one minute and think of the one person who they consider as their most important mentor.
A few days ago, one of my brilliant ex-students, who attended a motivational lecture in her new organization and was subjected to the same exercise, rang me up and told me that it was my face that came to her mind as a mentor. Then she talked about her work, that she was not very happy with her new workplace which apparently did not measure up to her high expectations. I feel privileged that my ex-student considers me a mentor and I write this “pep talk” especially for her and all my dear mentees, protégées and protégés .
Ou Dieu vous a seme, il faut savoir fleurir
YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO FLOWER WHERE GOD HAS SOWN YOU
Every person, sooner or later, goes through a moment when it seems that he or she is on the wrong road, that his entire way of life is wrong.
Have you ever experienced this feeling?
Think about it.
Do you find yourself stuck in an incongruous career or in an incompatible relationship or in a redundant place?
And sadly there is nothing you can do about it, owing to compulsions and constraints beyond your control.
You cannot turn around and retrace your steps or change your road of life.
It seems you have crossed the point of no return and you have no choice but to keep on travelling on the “wrong” road of life.
Failure follows failure.
And with repeated failure comes the fear of failure.
It is indeed a terrible vicious cycle which gradually overwhelms you with the chill of despondency.
What can you do in such a situation?
Maybe the answer lies in a saying I read somewhere a few years ago and noted in my diary:
“ Ou Dieu vous a seme, il faut savoir fleurir ”
which roughly translated means
“You must know how to flower where God has sown you” or “wherever God plants you, there you must learn how to bloom”.
How does one learn to flower where God has sown you, bloom wherever God plants you?
One may turn to the Enchiridion of Epictetus for guidance.
Epictetus (A.S.55 – A.D. 135), the great Stoic Philosopher, states that happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not in our control.
This is the basic Stoic truth of subjective consciousness and it is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule and learned to distinguish between what is in your power from what is not in your power, and know what you can control and what you cannot control, that inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible.
On analytical reflection we find that the mind alone can be brought under our control. Everything else, the world of events and people’s behaviour, is beyond the scope of our control.
What disturbs you are not events but your attitude towards them. Don’t demand or except that events happened as you would wish them to. Accept events as they actually happen. And you will be at peace with yourself.
Except for extreme physical abuse, other people cannot hurt you unless you allow them to. Don’t consent to be hurt and you won’t be hurt.
You must learn to approach life as a banquet and not as a buffet. Think of your life as if it were a banquet where you would behave graciously, when dishes are pass to you, extend your hand and help yourself to a moderate portion. If a dish should pass you by, enjoy what is already on your plate. Or is a dish hasn’t being passed to you yet, patiently to your turn. Carry on the same attitude of polite restrain and gratitude to your children, spouse, career and money. There is no need to yearn, envy and grab. You will get your rightful share when it is your time.
It then becomes our paramount duty to control the mind and practice total unconcern to externals. “When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it; you can either accept it or resent it.”
To accept an event is to rise above it, to resent it to be overpowered by it. With acceptance come happens, with resentment, misery.
Acceptance of an event is not to be mistaken for a life of passivity or submission to fatalism characterized by laziness and a sense of helplessness. “Simply doing nothing does not avoid risk, but heightens it.” Epictetus exhorts us, therefore, to brave the storms of life with planned action born of clear thinking. He recognizes, too, the practical necessity of working for worldly gains, but cautions us only against the false belief that happiness depends on the results such endeavours.
Being an integral part of social structure, you cannot live in isolation; social interaction is inescapable. In your relationship with others at home, at work or in society, no matter how people behave, you have to maintain inner tranquility, with unwavering attention on achieving your own merit and excellence. People act under their own inner compulsions over which you can exercise no control. Epictetus advises: “Focus not on what he or she does, but on keeping to your higher purpose.” He assures that if you truly live in tune with your will and resolve, and in harmony with your inner self, nobody’s words or actions (barring extreme cases) can disturb your mental equipoise.
This glorious attitude to life and knowledge of your self makes you free in a world of dependencies and enables you to flower where God has sown you, to bloom wherever God plants you.
" Ou Dieu vous a seme, il faut savoir fleurir "
Wherever God plants you, there you must learn how to bloom.
You must know how to flower where God has sown you.
From a
By
VIKRAM KARVE
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
An Essay
By
VIKRAM KARVE
DEFINITION OF TECHNOLOGY
In our everyday lives, most of us use a number of words that we assume have a universal, agreed-upon, and accepted meaning for all people in all contexts.
Often, the more frequently the word is used, the more we take for granted that our usage is the only possible usage of the term.
One such popular word freely bandied about and very much in-vogue jargon now-a-days is “technology”.
Let us explore the meaning of the word “technology”.
The word "technology" comprises two parts - "technikos" & "ology"
The historical derivation of the term technology comes from the Greek word technikos, meaning “of art, skillful, practical.”
The portion of the word ology indicates“knowledge of” or a “systematic treatment of.”
Thus, the literal verbatim derivation of the term technology is literally “knowledge of the skilful and practical.”
However, this definition is too general in nature and we have to transcend this narrow view of technology since every technology starts from a human purpose, from the intention to satisfy some human need or behaviour.
Indeed, technology is the manipulation of nature for human purpose – yes, manipulation of nature, so 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 of both knowledge and practicality (human purposes) but adds the new concept of manipulation of nature.
This implies that all practical or technical skills ultimately derive from alterations or manipulation of nature.
Technology depends on a base in the natural world (Science) but extends the natural world through the phenomenon of manipulation (Engineering).
Since we want to manipulate nature, the ability to predict what nature will do when manipulated is most useful, indeed imperative.
ETHICS OF TECHNOLOGY
By our very definition, technology manipulates nature for human purposes.
Technology manipulates nature.
Man is a part of nature.
By manipulating nature, man manipulates himself.
Thus, technology manipulates man, influences, even governs human behaviour, and in turn impinges on societal behaviour, traditions and culture.
Technology is an entity that intervenes in the life of human beings in multifarious ways, directly or indirectly, trying to alter behaviours.
Thus, Technology 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?
Is it to improve quality of life?
Or is it to have greater satisfaction in life?
We can distill all these various aspects into a single holistic concept: VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE.
Thus, the cardinal aim of technology is to enhance the value of human life.
TECHNOLOGY and the VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE
Let us define the value of human life as the balance or ratio between satisfaction or happiness and pain or 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 may usually mean things like freedom from want, access to and possession of at least some of the “nonessentials”, comforts or luxuries, good health, a reasonable life expectancy, the absence of emotional stress, satisfying human relations (resulting from gratifying work experience and meaningful interpersonal relationships), intellectual stimulation, and personally rewarding leisure activities.
HUMAN 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 and disconnect which consequently leads to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, pain and suffering (emotional) and concomitant 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 the physiological aspect by performing Dangerous, Dirty, or Difficult jobs (the 3 D’s) thereby enhancing the value of human life.
As regards the psychological aspect, an example pertaining to Information Technology (IT) may be in order.
Information Technology (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 consequent neglect of affective needs may cause emotional pain that counterbalances the gains from technology and this may be detrimental to the “value of human life” as a whole.
TECHNOLOGY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Effects and Consequences 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.
Let us introduce the term malefit to represent harmful effects and consequences of a technology in contrast with benefit as a useful output.
We may categorize the consequences of a technology [Effects vs Consequences] 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 impact assessment to reduce mismatches and smoothen out incongruities.
CONCLUSION
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.
Ethical Technology Management comprises a harmonious blend of rational thinking and empathic understanding wherein one studies, analyses and mitigates the conflicting interplay between human cognitive and affective processes.
It may be apt to conclude with a comment by RM Pirsig, who states that, “The way to solve the conflict between human values and technological needs is not to run away from technology. That is impossible. The way to resolve the conflict is to break down the barriers of dualistic thought that prevent a real understanding of what technology is… not an exploitation of nature, but a fusion of nature and the human spirit into a new kind of creation that transcends both”.
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.
vikramkarve@sify.com
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
An Essay
By
VIKRAM KARVE
DEFINITION OF TECHNOLOGY
In our everyday lives, most of us use a number of words that we assume have a universal, agreed-upon, and accepted meaning for all people in all contexts.
Often, the more frequently the word is used, the more we take for granted that our usage is the only possible usage of the term.
One such popular word freely bandied about and very much in-vogue jargon now-a-days is “technology”.
Let us explore the meaning of the word “technology”.
The word "technology" comprises two parts - "technikos" & "ology"
The historical derivation of the term technology comes from the Greek word technikos, meaning “of art, skillful, practical.”
The portion of the word ology indicates“knowledge of” or a “systematic treatment of.”
Thus, the literal verbatim derivation of the term technology is literally “knowledge of the skilful and practical.”
However, this definition is too general in nature and we have to transcend this narrow view of technology since every technology starts from a human purpose, from the intention to satisfy some human need or behaviour.
Indeed, technology is the manipulation of nature for human purpose – yes, manipulation of nature, so 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 of both knowledge and practicality (human purposes) but adds the new concept of manipulation of nature.
This implies that all practical or technical skills ultimately derive from alterations or manipulation of nature.
Technology depends on a base in the natural world (Science) but extends the natural world through the phenomenon of manipulation (Engineering).
Since we want to manipulate nature, the ability to predict what nature will do when manipulated is most useful, indeed imperative.
ETHICS OF TECHNOLOGY
By our very definition, technology manipulates nature for human purposes.
Technology manipulates nature.
Man is a part of nature.
By manipulating nature, man manipulates himself.
Thus, technology manipulates man, influences, even governs human behaviour, and in turn impinges on societal behaviour, traditions and culture.
Technology is an entity that intervenes in the life of human beings in multifarious ways, directly or indirectly, trying to alter behaviours.
Thus, Technology 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?
Is it to improve quality of life?
Or is it to have greater satisfaction in life?
We can distill all these various aspects into a single holistic concept: VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE.
Thus, the cardinal aim of technology is to enhance the value of human life.
TECHNOLOGY and the VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE
Let us define the value of human life as the balance or ratio between satisfaction or happiness and pain or 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 may usually mean things like freedom from want, access to and possession of at least some of the “nonessentials”, comforts or luxuries, good health, a reasonable life expectancy, the absence of emotional stress, satisfying human relations (resulting from gratifying work experience and meaningful interpersonal relationships), intellectual stimulation, and personally rewarding leisure activities.
HUMAN 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 and disconnect which consequently leads to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, pain and suffering (emotional) and concomitant 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 the physiological aspect by performing Dangerous, Dirty, or Difficult jobs (the 3 D’s) thereby enhancing the value of human life.
As regards the psychological aspect, an example pertaining to Information Technology (IT) may be in order.
Information Technology (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 consequent neglect of affective needs may cause emotional pain that counterbalances the gains from technology and this may be detrimental to the “value of human life” as a whole.
TECHNOLOGY IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Effects and Consequences 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.
Let us introduce the term malefit to represent harmful effects and consequences of a technology in contrast with benefit as a useful output.
We may categorize the consequences of a technology [Effects vs Consequences] 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 impact assessment to reduce mismatches and smoothen out incongruities.
CONCLUSION
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.
Ethical Technology Management comprises a harmonious blend of rational thinking and empathic understanding wherein one studies, analyses and mitigates the conflicting interplay between human cognitive and affective processes.
It may be apt to conclude with a comment by RM Pirsig, who states that, “The way to solve the conflict between human values and technological needs is not to run away from technology. That is impossible. The way to resolve the conflict is to break down the barriers of dualistic thought that prevent a real understanding of what technology is… not an exploitation of nature, but a fusion of nature and the human spirit into a new kind of creation that transcends both”.
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.
vikramkarve@sify.com
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ETHICS
A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ETHICS
By
VIKRAM KARVE
A Manager must possess the requisite proficiency in analyzing and managing ethical situations in the contextual scenario which, at times, are quite complex.
There is, thus, a need for present day management education to prepare future managers to tackle such dilemmas and contingencies.
This author’s interactions with faculty, students and practicing managers reveal that very few management courses include Ethical Management in their curriculum and even those that do seem to view Managerial Ethics from a limited perspective restricted to just three aspects:
(i) Economic Analysis, based on impersonal market forces. The belief is that a manager should always act to maximize revenues and minimize costs, for this strategy, over the long term, will produce the greatest material benefits for society.
(ii) Legal Analysis, based on impersonal social and political processes. The belief is that a manager should always act in accordance with the law, and strictly implement rules and regulations. Relying on economic or legal analyses, either by themselves, or in conjunction with each other may help a manger seek shelter under the umbrella of “situational ethics”.
(iii) Philosophical Analysis, based on rational thought process. The view is that a manager should always act in accordance with principles of behaviour or beliefs that are “right” “proper” and “just”. Such black-and-white moral reasoning manifests itself in formulation of codes of conduct which, more often than not, are deceivable vessels full of promise but empty of intention.
Owing to this non-sytemic perspective of Managerial Ethics, the management student views the ethical domain as consisting of cut-and-dry unimplementable and unrealistic codes of ethics comprising platitudinous moral verbiage at one end of the spectrum, and the “loopholes” of situational ethics at the other end.
How then does one equip the management student to make the transition from the domain of codes of conduct and situational ethics, which are grossly inadequate to analyze and manage real-life ethical dilemmas, to a more holistic Total Ethical Management [TEM]
It is the author’s view that application of Systems concepts is sine qua non for implementation of Total Ethical Management [TEM] in a holistic manner.
The salient aspects of application of the Systems Approach in the context of TEM are described below in a nutshell.
Any time a human being, or entity, intervenes in the life of another human being, directly or indirectly, an ethical situation arises.
Thus not only human beings, but even entities, tangible and intangible, like technology and philosophy, can cause ethical situations. For example, Information Technology (IT) raises many ethical issues.
Ethical situations are frequently charged with emotion so any attempts to apply quantitative management techniques are not advisable.
System Behavioural Modeling (SBM) techniques which establish linkages between emotions and rationality are most apt in the context of Human Activity System (HAS) empirical evidence suggests that emotions are not inherently irrational, but they can contribute rationality when completely logical solutions are not available.
It must be appreciated that emotions, in conjunction with an individual’s stage of moral development, value system and other situational and cognitive mechanisms are a key factor which predispose one towards a certain ethical perspective.
Ethical dilemma occurs due to mismatch in ethical perspectives of various stakeholders involved in the ethical situation.
TOTAL ETHICAL MANAGEMENT
Total Ethical Management [TEM] can be distilled into five simple steps:
STEP 1
Identification and categorization of all stakeholders into six groups using the CATWOE model:
C : Customers or clients
A : Actors or agents who carryout the decision of the manager.
T : Transformation process or the manager decision maker
W : Weltanschauung or the world-view predominantly held. This includes the moral reasoning or philosophical aspect of conventional managerial ethics.
O : Ownership or the economic analysis aspects of conventional managerial ethics
E : Environmental and wider system constraints including legal aspects
STEP 2
Analyze the dominant ethical perspective of each of the above six groups using system management tools like entity relationship diagrams, N squared charts, behaviour divergence, et al
STEP 3
Construct an ethical conflict web [hexagonal spider’s web] mapping different ethical perspectives of various CATWOE stakeholders.
STEP 4
Identify those strands of the web where no significant ethical conflict exists and remove them from the conflict web.
STEP 5
Concentrate on those strands where ethical does exist and use conflict management techniques for optimal resolution.
CONCLUSION
It is evident that conventional managerial techniques are woefully in adequate to meet the challenges of Total Ethical Management (TEM). It will be apt to adopt the Systems Approach to tackle modern day ethical dilemmas and situations with a view to achieve optimal TEM.
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
By
VIKRAM KARVE
A Manager must possess the requisite proficiency in analyzing and managing ethical situations in the contextual scenario which, at times, are quite complex.
There is, thus, a need for present day management education to prepare future managers to tackle such dilemmas and contingencies.
This author’s interactions with faculty, students and practicing managers reveal that very few management courses include Ethical Management in their curriculum and even those that do seem to view Managerial Ethics from a limited perspective restricted to just three aspects:
(i) Economic Analysis, based on impersonal market forces. The belief is that a manager should always act to maximize revenues and minimize costs, for this strategy, over the long term, will produce the greatest material benefits for society.
(ii) Legal Analysis, based on impersonal social and political processes. The belief is that a manager should always act in accordance with the law, and strictly implement rules and regulations. Relying on economic or legal analyses, either by themselves, or in conjunction with each other may help a manger seek shelter under the umbrella of “situational ethics”.
(iii) Philosophical Analysis, based on rational thought process. The view is that a manager should always act in accordance with principles of behaviour or beliefs that are “right” “proper” and “just”. Such black-and-white moral reasoning manifests itself in formulation of codes of conduct which, more often than not, are deceivable vessels full of promise but empty of intention.
Owing to this non-sytemic perspective of Managerial Ethics, the management student views the ethical domain as consisting of cut-and-dry unimplementable and unrealistic codes of ethics comprising platitudinous moral verbiage at one end of the spectrum, and the “loopholes” of situational ethics at the other end.
How then does one equip the management student to make the transition from the domain of codes of conduct and situational ethics, which are grossly inadequate to analyze and manage real-life ethical dilemmas, to a more holistic Total Ethical Management [TEM]
It is the author’s view that application of Systems concepts is sine qua non for implementation of Total Ethical Management [TEM] in a holistic manner.
The salient aspects of application of the Systems Approach in the context of TEM are described below in a nutshell.
Any time a human being, or entity, intervenes in the life of another human being, directly or indirectly, an ethical situation arises.
Thus not only human beings, but even entities, tangible and intangible, like technology and philosophy, can cause ethical situations. For example, Information Technology (IT) raises many ethical issues.
Ethical situations are frequently charged with emotion so any attempts to apply quantitative management techniques are not advisable.
System Behavioural Modeling (SBM) techniques which establish linkages between emotions and rationality are most apt in the context of Human Activity System (HAS) empirical evidence suggests that emotions are not inherently irrational, but they can contribute rationality when completely logical solutions are not available.
It must be appreciated that emotions, in conjunction with an individual’s stage of moral development, value system and other situational and cognitive mechanisms are a key factor which predispose one towards a certain ethical perspective.
Ethical dilemma occurs due to mismatch in ethical perspectives of various stakeholders involved in the ethical situation.
TOTAL ETHICAL MANAGEMENT
Total Ethical Management [TEM] can be distilled into five simple steps:
STEP 1
Identification and categorization of all stakeholders into six groups using the CATWOE model:
C : Customers or clients
A : Actors or agents who carryout the decision of the manager.
T : Transformation process or the manager decision maker
W : Weltanschauung or the world-view predominantly held. This includes the moral reasoning or philosophical aspect of conventional managerial ethics.
O : Ownership or the economic analysis aspects of conventional managerial ethics
E : Environmental and wider system constraints including legal aspects
STEP 2
Analyze the dominant ethical perspective of each of the above six groups using system management tools like entity relationship diagrams, N squared charts, behaviour divergence, et al
STEP 3
Construct an ethical conflict web [hexagonal spider’s web] mapping different ethical perspectives of various CATWOE stakeholders.
STEP 4
Identify those strands of the web where no significant ethical conflict exists and remove them from the conflict web.
STEP 5
Concentrate on those strands where ethical does exist and use conflict management techniques for optimal resolution.
CONCLUSION
It is evident that conventional managerial techniques are woefully in adequate to meet the challenges of Total Ethical Management (TEM). It will be apt to adopt the Systems Approach to tackle modern day ethical dilemmas and situations with a view to achieve optimal TEM.
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
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