Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve: mba

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Friday, February 7, 2014

CAREER CHOICE - MILITARY versus BUSINESS and INDUSTRY

CAREER CHOICE - MILITARY versus BUSINESS and INDUSTRY

DEFENCE SERVICES – A GOOD CAREER CHOICE IF YOU LIKE A LIFE OF MEDIOCRITY AND OBSCURITY

Muddled Ramblings of a “Retired” Mind

VIKRAM KARVE

Disclaimer:

These are my personal views, muddled ramblings of a “retired” mind, to be taken lightly, and these personal musings do not constitute career guidance advice. Please choose your career after carrying out your own due diligence.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

a SOFTWARE CEO and an AIR FORCE CHIEF

For the last few days the media is going all gaga over the appointment of an American (of Indian Origin) as the CEO of a Software Giant.

Recently, a new Indian Air Force Chief was appointed.

This event was ignored by the media and I did not see the new Air Chief being featured or interviewed on any prime news channel.

There was just a brief mention of the appointment of the Air Chief during the news and a small news item in the newspapers.

On the other hand, the appointment of the Software CEO was headline news in the print media and is being discussed widely on many features pages in newspapers and magazines and on all TV Channels.

The Software CEO is an American.

He left the shores of India, his country of birth, and migrated to the USA to seek a “better” future and realize his “American Dream”, and we, back at home, celebrate his success.

The Air Chief is an Indian who remained in India to serve the nation.

We entrust him to guard our skies.

But it is the Software CEO who is in the limelight and no one seems to be taking any notice of the new Air Chief – in fact, most Indians who are celebrating the success of the American CEO may not even be aware of who is the Air Chief of their own nation.

A day may even come when the American CEO may be awarded an Indian Civilian “Padma” Award, like so many Foreigner “Indians” (NRI and PIO) have been given in “recognition” of their achievements abroad, whereas many deserving resident Indians, who spend their entire lives serving the nation, may be ignored.

Today’s youngsters admire successful business icons and achiever entrepreneurs much more than the obscure soldier who quietly performs his hazardous and tough job in some remote place, on the ground, on the seas, or in the air – and some people will even insensitively remark that the soldier is “paid to die for his country”.

You may like it, or you may not like it, but these are today’s modern priorities.

There was a time (in the pre-liberalization days) when defence services were considered a good career option.

Liberalization, Globalization and the Software Boom has changed all that.

Values and Aspirations have changed owing to the opening up of opportunities.

In the world of business and industry, especially if you migrate abroad to the developed world, there are great opportunities to achieve power, wealth and fame, if you have merit and are prepared to work hard.

A MILITARY CAREER

Let’s come back to the successful newly appointed CEO of the Software Giant.

The 46 year old CEO graduated in Engineering in 1988 obtaining a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering.

Just imagine – suppose he had chosen a Military Career, and joined the Army, or Navy, or Air Force, after his Engineering Degree.

Where would he have been today?

Even if he had got all his promotions, most likely he would be serving in obscurity as a Colonel, Captain or Group Captain in the “Technical” Branches.

By the way, Technical Officers are considered “second rung” in the defence services and have limited career opportunities vis-à-vis generalists.

In the military, at least for most technical officers, opportunities for power, wealth and fame are limited.

So, no matter how brilliant or mediocre he was, he would have been trudging along in the professional straitjacket of military anonymity.

Like in most government jobs, seniority matters more than merit, career progress is slow and time-dependent, you will be put in the queue and both the meritorious and the mediocre will be promoted when their turn comes.

And even as far as career prospects go, the government civil services (IAS, IPS etc) are much more attractive than the armed forces.

CAREER CHOICE

If you are youngster on the verge of choosing a career, the choice is yours.

Do you believe in merit?

Are you ambitious?

Do you yearn for material success and have a hungry desire for power, wealth and fame?

Are you prepared to work your ass off to achieve your dreams?

Then, the world of business, entrepreneurship, finance and industry beckons you, and I am sure you know what to do, and, maybe you are already doing it.

On the other hand, if you want a steady job with “lifetime employment”, and if you are content to live a parsimonious life of mediocrity and obscurity, then the defence services may be a good career option.

VIKRAM KARVE

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

Disclaimer:

1. These are my personal views, muddled ramblings of a “retired” mind, to be taken lightly, and these personal musings do not constitute career guidance advice. Please choose your career after carrying out your own due diligence.

2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

MORALE - Meaning and Definition

WHAT IS MORALE ?
The Meaning of Morale
By
VIKRAM KARVE

I am sure you have heard of the term MORALE – especially if you are an HR person or a Military Officer.

But tell me, do you precisely know the meaning of the term MORALE ?

If you google the word MORALE to find out the definition, you will get a plethora of confusing gobbledygook.

The reason is clear – MORALE is an intangible entity which is easy to experience and feel, but which cannot be precisely defined in words.

So I will say only this.

MORALE comes from three factors:

1. Having an important job to do.

2. Feeling that you are doing it well.

3. Receiving recognition for your good work.

That is all there is to it.

Morale has got nothing to do with money.

Morale is all about recognition, and the respect which flows from recognition.

There are three R’s of Human Resource Management:

1. REWARD

2. RECOGNITION

3. RESPECT
Of these three R’s - Reward has got the least to do with Morale.

Recognition and Respect contribute much more to raising morale.

Motivation due to Reward is not Morale.

Motivation owing to Recognition and Respect is Morale.

So if you want to raise MORALE you must focus on the points mentioned above and ensure that the employee gets due RECOGNITION and consequential RESPECT.

If you want to raise morale of an individual then you must do three things:

1. Give him a job that the individual perceives as important (let him feel a sense of Recognition)

2. Make sure that the individual gets a feeling that he is doing his job well (Let him feel Self Esteem)

3. Recognize his good work (Give him Respect)

I will end with a quote by General George S. Patton on the importance of Morale:

Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men

It is the spirit of men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013

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

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

HOW TO PLAN YOUR LIFE

HOW TO PLAN YOUR LIFE

Sunday Afternoon Musings

VIKRAM KARVE

If you travel on a road which others have built – then you will reach the destination where the road goes and you will reach the the destination they want you to reach.

It is true, isn’t it?

Since others have built the road on which you travel, you will reach the destination which the road-builders want you to reach.

In a metaphorical sense, it is the same with the journey of life too.

If you let others plan your life – then you will reach the “destination” which they want you to reach.

That is why you must plan your own life according to the “destination” or goal that you want to reach.

Unfortunately, it is easier said than done.

It all starts when you are small, too young to understand things, too immature to formulate your life goal.

The moment you enter school, your parents decide what they want you to achieve – the “destination” they want you to reach – and start planning your life accordingly.

Your teachers play a role in this too.

And you are quite clueless to understand anything.

It happened with me too.

In Class 9, I was put in the “Science” Stream.

No one asked me my choice, because probably I was considered too young to make a choice.

In our school, there was a simple rule – only those “weak” in mathematics were sent to the “Arts” Stream.

And, unfortunately, I was good at Maths.

Sometimes, it is a great misfortune to be good at something you don’t like.

Later, my parents, teachers and “well-wishers” decided that I must appear for the IIT JEE.

I cleared the JEE, studied Engineering, got a B. Tech. degree, and reached the destination they wanted me to reach.

The same thing happened during most of my working life too.

It was others who did my career planning and I kept “travelling” on the “path” they planned for me and I duly reached the “destinations” they wanted to me to reach.

It was only after retirement that I had the luxury of planning my own life according to the goals I wanted to reach.

No longer do I have to “travel” on roads that others have built for me.

No longer am I reaching “destinations” that others want me to reach.

Now, I am my own master.

I decide my goal, I plan my life, and I “build” my own road towards the “destination” that I want to reach.

I trust things have changed now and young children are being given greater independence to decide their own destiny.

I really don’t know, so you tell me.

Are young children being given the freedom to plan their own lives?

Or are parents still planning the lives of their children and making them “travel” on roads towards “destinations” that the parents want their children to reach?

Or are some parents trying to achieve their own unrealized goals vicariously through their children?

If you are a young student, remember that you have to plan your own life according to the goal you want to reach.

If you let others plan your life – then you will reach the “destination” they want you to reach.

And once you have travelled too far down the wrong road, it becomes difficult to turn back and you are left with no choice but to continue travelling till you reach the wrong “destination”.

VIKRAM KARVE

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

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB:

Did you like this blog post?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Thursday, June 27, 2013

TYPES OF EXECUTIVES

TYPES OF PROFESSIONALS or EXECUTIVES

VIKRAM KARVE

I have a friend who has had a long professional experience in the industry and now is a recruitment consultant, headhunter and runs a placement agency.

He said that after years of experience in the field, he has realized that there are three types of professionals and senior executives:

1. CV Builders

2. Empire Builders

3. Institution Builders

I will discuss this with him the next time we meet. And then I may write in detail about it.

Till then, ask yourself – which type are you – CV Builder, Empire Builder or Institution Builder?

VIKRAM KARVE

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

NB:

Friday, May 10, 2013

SYNERGY : 1+1 = 11

1+1 = 11

SYNERGY

The Systems Approach

A Primer

VIKRAM KARVE

The Systems approach is primarily a philosophy [called Synergism] that coordinates in an efficient and optimal manner the activities and operations pertaining to any entity which qualifies to be designated a “System”.

Now the entity may be tangible or intangible, animate or inanimate, human or mechanical.

This synergistic systemic effect is epitomized in Aristotle’s classic and immortal statement: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.

A System is a set of interdependent components [sub-entities] that create a whole Entity.

Whilst browsing through my bookshelves I came across an “ancient” notebook and found something interesting on “The Necessary Conditions for an Entity [S] to be conceived as a System”.

1. S is Teleological – This means that every system has a purpose.

2. S has a Measure of Performance [MOP]

3. There exists a client [or customer] whose interests are served by S in such a manner that the higher the MOP the better the interests are served.

4. S has teleological components which co-produce the MOP of S. This means that a System may have sub-systems.

5. S has an environment which also co-produces the MOP of S.

6. There exists a decision maker who via his resources can produce changes in Measures of Performance of the components of S [sub-systems] and hence changes in MOP of S.

7. There exists a designer who conceptualizes the nature of S in such a manner that the designer’s concepts potentially produce actions in the decision maker and hence changes in the Measures of Performance of the S’s components [sub-systems] and hence changes in the MOP of S.

8. The designer’s intention is to change S so as to maximize the value of S to the client [user or customer].

9. S is stable with respect to the designer in the sense that there is a built-in guarantee that the designer’s intention is ultimately realizable.

This leads us to the Sufficient Conditions or the System Trinity:

1. DESIGNER

2. DECISION-MAKER

3. CLIENT ( USER or CUSTOMER, like in the CATWOE Model )

If an entity is to be considered a System it must meet the following sufficient conditions:

1. The entity has a User [Client or Customer] who is interested in the performance of the entity.

2. The entity has a Decision-Maker who affects the performance of the entity by controlling its resources.

3. The entity has a Designer whose preferences are in conformance and in harmony with the client’s (user’s) preferences and the designer designs the system so that it can be operated by the Decision-maker.

4. The Designer wishes to maximize the benefits to the Client (User).

5. The System is capable of executing the Designer’s plans.

Now after reading this gobbledegook (or is it gobbledygook?) please don’t ask me what is a System.

Well I will put it simply – in a System 1+1 equals more than 2, say, 1+1 = 11 or even more.

That’s the concept of Synergy or Synergism so aptly expressed by Aristotle: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.

You can now examine any entity and see whether it is a system, and if not, how to transform and dovetail it into a system, so that you can apply the systemic approach and system concepts to the entity.

Look around you and observe various entities, tangible and intangible – your workplace organisation, your school, college or university, your car, your bank, your house, your family, your relationships, and see whether they satisfy the necessary and sufficient conditions for an entity to be considered a system.

Now I’ll ask you a question – Do you think “Marriage” is a System?

Confused?

Not to worry – just see whether your concept of Marriage satisfies the necessary and sufficient conditions for an entity to be considered a system.

Let’s start with the first necessary condition – Does marriage have a purpose?

Yes? No? I do not know?

Now let us go to the next question - What is the Measure of Performance (MOP) of a marriage?

Try to think about it.

And then answer all the 5 questions.

Now tell me - Is Marriage a “System” ?

VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

NB:

Did you like reading this blog post?
I am sure you will like all the 27 stories in my book COCKTAIL an anthology of Short Fiction.
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html
COCKTAIL ebook
If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve

Friday, February 7, 2014

CAREER CHOICE - MILITARY versus BUSINESS and INDUSTRY

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

MORALE - Meaning and Definition

Sunday, July 14, 2013

HOW TO PLAN YOUR LIFE

Thursday, June 27, 2013

TYPES OF EXECUTIVES

Friday, May 10, 2013

SYNERGY : 1+1 = 11

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