CAREER


Ahhmmm…….that is me! Let me explain.   The executive assistant to the chief executive officer (CEO) arrived in Kolkata on a tour around India, explaining the new organisation structure to the management team.   The organisation chart included a hitherto non-existent box –...

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Today, in the 21st century, we talk more and more about networking than we ever did in the past. There is much said about opportunities for networking, the benefits of networking and training oneself for networking. Many of the successful people I have met have been those who have been able...

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Moneylife Digital Team 04 February 2022
The Indian government has taken several steps to address the shortage of pilots in the country. In 2021, Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) produced 504 commercial pilot license (CPL) holders, the Lok Sabha was informed.    In a written reply, General VK Singh (retd), the minister...

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I was given a tough assignment: set up non-resident Indian (NRI) banking in the Middle East.   Our bank was already three years behind Citi, Grindlays, and StanChart plus several nationalised banks, which made the task quite daunting.   I developed a marketing plan, complete...

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I was looking back at a foreign company that had started in India in the 1960s. They had a few well-known brands but had only a notional presence in India. They were keen to come into the country in a big way. They were careful to select an outstanding executive to be their first chief...

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One of my first tasks, as branch manager, was to make courtesy calls on the most important corporate clients of the branch to introduce myself and establish good connections. My main point of contact with these clients was the head of finance because he was the person who dealt with banks and...

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PN Vijay (The Free Press Journal) 12 January 2022
The biggest development in our society in the past 10 years has been, without a doubt, the growth of e-commerce companies. Companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket, JioMart, Zomato, Swiggy have changed not only the way business is done in India but the way we buy things.    As a...

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IANS 12 January 2022
Facing the government's ire over allegedly luring parents in the garb of offering free services and targeting the vulnerable families, leading edtech companies under the aegis of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on Wednesday announced the formation of the India EdTech...

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I was the manager of the BBD Bagh branch in Calcutta, reporting to the manager - eastern India.   I was always on the lookout for some new business so that I could increase the profits of my branch.   In the process, I came across a non-customer who was importing timber on a...

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There are times in life when it pays to pretend ignorance, when you pretend to know not – but actually, you do know! Especially when it comes to managing your boss – whether in the world of commerce or in politics.   Here are 8 basic rules that have always helped people survive and...

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Moneylife Digital Team 24 December 2021
Given the pervasive impact of technology in education, many education-technology (ed-tech) companies offer courses, tutorials, and coaching for competitive exams online. However, the Union government has warned parents and students to be careful while opting for online content and coaching...

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On my first visit to the Calcutta main branch, after taking up my new posting, I was surprised to find great stacks of large cartons lying on the verandah just outside the main door. I was told that they contained the computers, printers, and terminals that had been sent ahead of the...

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It is amazing how much communication takes place, even before a person starts speaking. From the gait and the smile, from the clothes and the shoes. For some people, the dress becomes the trademark – a part of the personality!    Jawaharlal Nehru and the Nehru jacket with a red rose,...

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The apartment assigned to me in Calcutta was No 12A, 10 Judges Court Road, located in the posh area of Calcutta – Alipore. Why 12A, you may ask. Actually, it should have been flat 13, but 13 was an unlucky number, you see.   The building had come up in the 1930s to house high-ranking...

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IANS 07 December 2021
With more than six million paying users, and a 85% renewal rate, edtech unicorn BYJU's has had a glorious run in India, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic began. However, behind this meteoric rise lie customer disputes related to refunds and deficiency of services, parents being pushed...

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Recently, there was a report on how rules are set after long and detailed thinking while framing a nation’s constitution, setting up a small or large institution; or for an organisation of professionals—all enterprises expected to last for generations.    However, over time, one finds...

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The chairman was coming!   It was a great occasion. Detailed preparations were made for this great visit.   In Mumbai (earlier called Bombay), for example, an intense search was done to identify a car that was worthy of transporting the chairman. Nothing less than a Mercedes...

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Managing corporations needs THC- something that has been talked about in other articles in this series. The H is the human skills, which is not secondary in importance because it appears second. It is as important as technical skills. In course of time, human skills will prove more important...

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The Teflon Boss was transferred a few months later.   My new Boss walked into my cabin at 10am on his first day and said, “No late returns (to head office) and no smell of piss. Make sure of these, and you will do fine by me.”            His next instruction was, “This carpet...

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In the years gone by, in a more leisurely world, we all took time to find out. It was from the grapevine - from friends, from colleagues, from some published information. Generally it was over a period of time. We also had the luxury of making some assumptions - and we were generally not too...

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