Jaante Ho

The (Un)Common Misadventure?

2010-07-29T23:11:00.001+05:30

CWG-Delhi-2010

Abraham Lincoln once said:

God must love the common man, he made so many of them.

It seems that God did not like the Indian common man as he made so many politicians and bureaucrats to make their life tough if not hell.

Amidst rising inflation, poverty and lack of basic amenities plaguing the common man, politicians are busy playing the game they play best: mudslinging.

The latest example is the (non-)issue about the CommonWealth Games (CWG). Two of the top-notch politicians of the ruling coalition are busy mudslinging at each other while the repute of the nation is at stake. The worst part is the truth that billions have already been spent, overshooting the initial budget and still things are chaotic. All this at the cost of hard earned money of the poor common man.

This speaks of amongst other the following failures:

Old time arch-rivals senior Congress leader, Mani Shankar Aiyar and Suresh Kalmadi, Congress leader and Chairman of the organizing committee of the CWG, are busy making accusations against each other while the preparations for the games are in a limbo. To give the matter an even more shameful flavor, the recent revelations by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) ranging from allegations like:

Award of works at higher rates – One of the accusations here are:

In the bid of L1, rates of some items and discount offered by the firm at the end of BOQ were tampered either by cutting or by overwriting in the price bid after opening in order to increase the quoted amount to avail the difference of Rs. 3,62,72,229/- between the next higher quoted amounts without changing the overall status.

Poor quality assurance – One among a list of eleven accusations CVC’s inspection note reveals :

Lot of deviations taken from the approved scheme of the Government without obtaining the approval of the competent authority. Specially poles of 12 meter length (Agreement rate of Rs. 28,358/-) and 10 meter length (Agreement rate of Rs. 28,974/-) have been deviated in such a manner which is beneficial to the agency with extra burden of about Rs. 1,13,32,464/-.

Award of work to ineligible agencies – CVC’s note states in one case:

“Work finally had to be terminated which resulted into time and cost overrun”

Source: cvc.nic.in

What is even more shocking and disturbing is the CVC revelation that the materials used in the construction failed “stress-test”. Basic safety norms are being openly flouted. Electricity installations remained to be tested for common checks like insulation test. With rains pouring and large crowd expected for the event, it is a dangerous proposition.

As different parties peg the amount spent on the games at different levels, everyone agrees that it has zoomed way past the initial estimates and the whole proposition to organize the games is being questioned. A Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India press release dated July 29, 2010 pegs the figures as below:

Expected Income as per the CWG Organizing Committee (OC) – Rs. 1,708 crore
Expected Expenditure on condust of the games – Rs.2,394 crore (includes Overlays, Timing, Scoring, Result System and Games Time Sports Equipment)
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) estimate of expenditure (2003) – Rs.655 crore
Current estimates – Rs.11,494 crore (apart from expenditure of Sports Infrastructure and Conduct of the Games, also expenditure on Security, Broadcasting, Telecommunication, Training of Sportspersons, allocation to Government of Delhi etc.)

Some sources peg the amount at Rs. 35, 000 crores (close to USD 8, 000 millions, Indian per capita GDP– USD 3, 100). Mani Shankar Aiyar also alleged that India had bribed the various nations to take the game.

"To take the Games, the Olympic association of every Commonwealth country was given $1 lakh ($100,000); it was given to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Britain. Those countries did not need this money," he said. "I would call it a bribe, I don't know what it is called from the legal point of view."

Source: EconomicTimes.IndiaTimes.com

Aiyar openly declared that he would be happy if the "Games are spoilt". Organizing such games and events are a good way to showcase the growth and cultural diversity of a nation to attract investment and tourism but the way this event is being managed, it will raise more doubts about Indian acumen and competence rather than creating a positive impact.

Mani Shankar Aiyar in action

"I am very happy with the rains, firstly because it will ensure a good agriculture for the country and secondly because it will ensure that the Commonwealth Games are spoilt," Aiyar said candidly.

Source: EconomicTimes.IndiaTimes.com

As of now the CWG seems to have become a White Elephant which no one is ready to own. Games OC Chairman, Kalmadi has already wiped-off his hand from allegations of corruption.

As the countdown clock on the games official page happily ticks away to the D-day, organizers are feeling the heat. CVC as well as the opposition parties and now even constituents of the ruling coalition are raising doubts on the successful conduct of the games. Delhi Finance Minister and a member of the Delhi government Commonwealth Coordination Committee, AK Walia has also gone on records, stating that he was not sure if all stadiums would be ready by the August 15 deadline for the Games.

Come October 15, 2010, the day the games begin: the world is watching.

Major Advertisers Sit on the Bench of This Year’s Super Bowl – ABC News

2010-02-07T01:49:00.004+05:30

The following article appeared in: ABC News.

Major Advertisers Sit on the Bench of This Year's Super Bowl - ABC News

For advertisers, the Super Bowl is still the biggest game of the year. But in today's marketplace, the buzz isn't surrounding the ads during the game, it's the advertisers opting to sit on the bench instead that have programmers shivering on the sidelines.

For the first time in more than 20 years, Pepsi will not advertise during the game.

"That was a real problem for the Super Bowl because they are one of the biggest advertisers," says Suzanne Vranica, advertising columnist for the Wall Street Journal. "The economy is wreaking havoc with a couple companies. And you've got a couple companies, big companies like FedEx and GM, who are long-time Super Bowl fanatics, that have pulled out because of the economy."

Instead of paying an estimated $2.5 million to $2.7 million perSuper Bowl commercial, big brands are using social networking to connect with consumers -- hoping to click in a more personal way.

"Social networking is the newest thing for marketers," says Vranica. "You've got 60 ads fighting for attention, so if you use social networking as a marketer and drum up some excitement, you'll have people specifically watching out for your commercial that night."

Instead of buying pricey ad time, Pepsi is launching a reported $20 million digital campaign to support charity projects initiated by consumers. Not to be outdone, Pepsi rival Coca-Cola, which is running two Super Bowl commercials, will partner with Facebook to incorporate charity into their message.

"Every company out there has some kind of cause," says Vranica.

In addition to philanthropy, companies like Doritos and CareerBuilder.com are crowd sourcing their ads through social networking. All of this year's Super Bowl advertisers have Twitter pages, and Facebook users were tapped to create Vitamin Water's latest flavor and ad campaign.

Ads are beginning to get plastered everywhere.

"Ad clutter is a big problem, so advertisers are bending over backwards to find the most bizarre places to advertise," says Vranica.

Elevators, cars, garages, crosswalks and even breakfasts like Eggo waffles are getting branded.

Advertisers also are producing viral videos that seem to be captured by amateur photographers but surreptitiously advertise a product. RayBan, for example, released a video of a tattoo lover who appears to get a permanent pair of sunglasses tattooed on his face.

Advertisers Go High-Tech to Reach Audiences

Trading football for futuristic, companies are trying 3-D advertising, too. This month, Visa was the first company ever to advertise in an outdoor space using 3D.

"3D ads are the next gimmick," says Vranica. "You've got a lot of technology out there, and advertisers realize the space they play in is very crowded, so they're looking for technology to make something new. So if you make it in 3D, how could you go wrong?"

Advertisers also are stretching the limits of technology with touch screens, holograms, and "augmented reality."

"Interactive advertising is a big draw for marketers because it proves that people are engaging with your ad rather than sitting back," says Vranica.

A fitness center ad at a bus stop in the Netherlands, for example, weighs people as they sit down. Sharpie markers encourages consumers to write on a virtual "eCast" on low-hanging electronic billboards, and the Mini Cabrio car's "augmented reality" campaign allows users to hold up a Mini Cabrio convertible magazine ad to a webcam and watch as the computer screen displays a 3-D model of the car.

As for what everyone will be watching by next year's Super Bowl, commercials could be similar to the high-tech personalized ads from Steven Spielberg's 2002 movie "Minority Report." "Smart signs" from tech companies like Quividi and TruMedia are in test phase now and could scan consumers as they walk by, telling advertisers the age, height, even clothing size of potential customers.

Not every company is pinching pennies during the Super Bowl. Even at nearly $3 million for a 30 second spot, the game is sold out with commercials from big brands like Anheuser-Busch and Unilever, and lesser known companies like HoweAway.com and Boost Mobile, which both are making their Super Bowl ad debuts.

"There is no way in today's universe with such audience fragmentation that you can reach 90 million people with one ad," says Vranica. "That's why you see companies that you've never heard of advertising in the Super Bowl. So $3 million for 30 seconds is actually a bargain because they could never reach that kind of audience."

Naxal Terror threatens India

2009-10-29T22:35:00.004+05:30

The concerns raised by various reports earlier seemed to have not made any impact on the authorities in India who still talk about going soft on the Maoist terrorists (Naxalites) in India. The “Red-Corridor” as it is (in)famously known, stretches over multiple states in India. These terrorists who call themselves the voice of the poor and oppressed have been on an overdrive in the past few months killing hundreds of civilians and security personnel. In the latest incident they hijacked a passenger train thereby holding the whole nation to ransom. The train in question is arguably the most coveted train in India, the Rajdhani Express.

The train – one of India’s fastest, swankiest passenger trains – had been hijacked by at least 300 ax- and sword-wielding Maoist rebels Tuesday morning as it sped through West Bengal on its way from the eastern state of Orissa toward the Indian capital. After a five-hour drama, during which the driver was taken hostage and passengers were forced off the train and into the jungle, the rebels surrendered. No one was hurt.

Source: csmonitor.com

While people are regularly killed and looted by these criminals, the most shocking element of the whole episode is the clout and sympathy they find in political and so-called “intellectual” groups. While the spate of violence and crime goes unabated after a lot of dilly-dally the central government recently gave a go ahead to carry out operations against the Naxalites. Even the Indian PM, Manmohan Singh has acknowledged that the naxal terror is the biggest threat to India. Though the level of commitment from the various political parties still seems varied and casts doubts on the intentions.

The recent Rajdhani express incident and the police FIR lodged against it tell a story in itself.

In what is being seen as a move to shield the Maoists, there is no mention of the Maoists or even the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) in the FIR that was lodged against the hijackers of the Rajdhani Express by the Railway authorities, in the Rajdhani hostage case.
Questions are now being raised over why Mamata Banerjee's railways ministry has not mentioned the PCPA or the Maoists' in the FIR.
This new information comes to light despite the Maoists and the PCPA claiming responsibility for the hijack of the Rajdhani.

Source: timesofindia.inditimes.com

While the political parties exchange allegations over support to naxalities, security of the hapless passengers remains at stake. Everyday millions of Indians commute on the rail network.

Although some known faces of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, including Santosh Patra, were among the crowd, a railway official was quoted by sources saying "Who will identify them? We do not know any of them?"

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Though later on Thursday evening the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), in what seemed to be a “damage-control” exercise filed a FIR naming naxals as the perperators.

"When the police forces were heading towards the train on October 27 they were fired upon by the People's Committee Against Political Atrocities(PCPA) and Maoists. An FIR has been lodged against them for attacking the police and attempting to prevent them from doing their lawful duty," a senior police officer told PTI.

Source: ptinews.com

In an earlier revelation many national newspapers carried the news of the amount of fund and source of funds that these Naxalities have in their kitty. The sources peg the value of the “business” at INR 1,500- crores which is raised mainly through mafia style extortions especially from the corporates operating mines and related industries in the naxal belt.

Naxalism, which started off as a people's movement, has now become a nearly Rs 1500 crore organised extortion business in the form of 'levy', police and central security officials said.
CPI (Maoist) and especially its splinter groups, which extort the money hardly pump it back for running the movement but instead use it to maintain luxurious lifestyles for their masters, the officials said.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The report also exposed the way these militants are raising funds from the hapless industrialist in these areas. This has in many cases also led industries to shut down operations after some of the employees were abducted or killed. The area is widely under developed and poor people get lured to join the “movement” with hope of getting “social justice” and as reports indicate “wages” for being part of the gang.

If a conservative estimate is taken of the income generated from 'levy' in the seven most Naxal-infested states -- Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra -- security agencies feel the collection from these areas, which are commonly referred to as 'red corridor', amount to nearly Rs 1,500 crore.
The Naxals have even come out with a card, recovered by forces, which clearly shows the exact amount of 'levy' to be paid by contractors, petrol pump owners and land owners.
It usually ranges from 10 per cent of the project cost for those making unpaved roads to five per cent for small bridges and others.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Such militants are also encouraging production of narcotics to fund their groups. While they lead a lavish life from the funds they are forcing common people to death traps.

"The chiefs lead a luxurious life with all modern facilities. Though, they forcibly recruit children in their cadre, their own kids study in good public schools," officials said.
The Naxals also encourage local villagers to undertake opium cultivation, just like insurgents in Northeast states.
Of the total 1.07 lakh kg of ganja or marijuana seized in the country in 2007, heavy quantity of it was from Nagaland (15,489 kg), Madhya Pradesh (14,815 kg), Maharashtra (12,551 kg), Chhattisgarh (7,470 kg) and Andhra Pradesh (7,059 kg).

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The naxalities have also been targeting banks to fund their luxuries.

After the recent theft of Rs 5 crore from a bank in Jharkhand, the state police are all set to work out a strategy to prevent Naxals from targeting banks in several parts of the state.
Sources in the police said the theft in Jharkhand was a part of Communist Party of India (Maoists)’s decision to target bank money. “In November 2007, the central committee of the CPI(M) had asked its members to ensure that substantial percentage of tax was collected from banks. The top leadership of the party is of the view that levy should not come only from old sources like Gram Pradhans and contractors in the Naxal-affected areas,” a source said. Naxals who operate at the ground level have been told to target banks in Uttar Pradesh too, he added.

Source: expressindia.com

In a report published by the BBC the level of sophistication and organization of these terrorists is clearly visible. The details were revealed when BBC landed up with a copy of the "preliminary interrogation report" of Narla Ravi Sharma, a senior Naxalite leader who was arrested a fortnight ago by the security forces.

He is quoted as saying that the annual expenditure incurred by the Maoists in the Bihar-Jharkhand region is around $200,000.
The Maoist leader said that all their members were paid monthly "wages", though he refused to divulge how much.
Mr Sharma was arrested in mid-October along with his wife, Anuradha, from the forests near Hazaribagh town in Jharkhand.
His revelations about corporate funding of Maoists has prompted police and intelligence officials to suggest that the massive military effort planned against the rebels will not yield the desired results unless their "finance line" is choked.
This is not the first time Indian firms doing business in rebel-dominated areas have been accused of funding the rebels.
In the 1980s and 1990s big tea and oil companies were accused of regularly giving funds to the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland in the north-east.
Corporates generally pay up to avoid disruption or abductions - and business leaders say that the government should not punish them unless they can provide security to companies operating in Maoist-affected areas.

Source: bbc.co.uk

Other stories on the naxal terror by the same writer:

Growth vs Inclusive Growth

2009-10-18T07:06:00.004+05:30

Gone are the days when development was measured as a function of GDP or Per Capita GDP. Human Development Index is the "in thing". Today businesses feel tempted to move to the BRIC markets as it’s where the growth is. The question that begs an answer is: has this development actually contributed to the living standards of the people in these countries?

In the 2009 ranking of nations based on HDI which ranked 182 countries; 2 BRIC markets rank in the High Human Development bracket at ranks 71st (Russian Federation) and 75th (Brazil). China is clubbed under Medium Human development at 92nd while India lags behind at a distant 134 in the same bracket. The country to top the charts in the Very High Human Development bracket is Norway while Niger is at the bottom of the charts at 182nd position in the Low Human Development bracket. 12 UN members were not ranked in the study. These rankings represent statistical values for 2007 data.

Commenting on the rankings the resident representative of UNDP Patrice Coeur-Bizot said that the Indian progress has been steady in terms of the actual rating improvement it has made from 0.556 in 2000 to 0.612 in 2007. Though the progress may be significant, it has still a lot to do in order to move up the HDI ladder with the leader Norway holding the fortress at a high 0.971 in 2007.

One reason that ensures that the country could not move up the ladder from its spot a year ago is the fact that only income is responsive to short-term policy changes. Health and education take longer to improve. In the HDI ratings the factors that are accounted for apart from GDP are life expectancy and literacy.

“We continue to pay the price for our relative neglect of education and health in the first 40 years of our development,” said Dr Santosh Mehrotra, former chief economist of the Global Human Development Report.
____________________________________________________________________
“We spend a lot on these schemes,” said Abhijit Patnaik, senior researcher at the Accountability Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research, “but the money has gone into building physical infrastructure rather than producing outcomes."

The BRIC growth story is surely true but exceptions go beyond the HDI ranks. The International Business Report (IBR) by Thornton International lists Mexico among top four destinations for investment and development opportunities. China, India and Russia hold top three spots.

Surely, the BRIC markets are growing but they need to ensure that the growth is inclusive and all the citizens get the fruits of the development.

Foreigners Within Their Country

2009-10-06T08:19:00.001+05:30

Citizen Participation In Development

2009-09-29T08:29:00.006+05:30

Cities have been drivers of growth since ages be it the Indus Valley or the Greek Civilization. Today also cities continue to fuel growth but are our cities infrastructure-wise sound enough to withstand the pressure on them? Cities are the centers for secondary and tertiary sector industries which ensure high per capita income but with inflow of population in cities from rural areas the pressure on cities is rising. If the city is not able to scale up the amenities to match the demand it starts to degradation of civic amenities.

The Central as well as State government bodies have initiated various programs and have been successful in their own right. Though a general assessment of civic amenities in most cities leaves a lot to be desired. Today government agencies seem to be more forthcoming in seeking public cooperation to craft sustainable cities. The initiative started by Ministry of Urban Development, GoI under the aegis of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) is one of the most recognized and ambitious plans launched till date. The plan is good initiative and banks heavily on citizen participation. It promotes Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to execute plan. It also pushes cities to grow up as sustainable systems rather than become reliant on central grants. The two main missions of the initiative are:

Improving Urban Infrastructure and Governance
Basic Services to Urban Poor

Many private sector agencies especially Non-Profit agencies are today working along with urban development agencies like municipal corporations to provide and leverage the combined skills of individuals with expertise in relevant areas like Solid Waste Management (SWM), Capacity Building, Urban Planning, Executing plans on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis. One of the pioneer cities in this respect is Hyderabad which has been able to secure a major chunk of fundings and successfully executed a lot of plans.

The success of Hyderabad was not the effort of a single agency. In fact it was the combined efforts of various government and non-government agencies like Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Foundation for Futuristic Cities (FFC) among others.

The involvement of organizations like FFC is a fresh breath of air for government agencies too as such organizations not only bring a new perspective to the field but also leverage their experience from similar work done world over. Such sharing of best practices is a welcome move. Today most of the cities covered under JnNURM have involved external experts and secured funding to implement projects.

The need of the day for India today is active citizen participation. The involvement of citizens in development ensures the commitment and support needed to implement and keep the projects moving ahead. Realizing this need today almost all government agencies encourage active stakeholder participation. Whether it be citizen's forums run by municipal corporations or User's Consultative Committees run by an agency like Indian Railways all such formal or informal bodies are crafted around the basic premise of citizen's participation.

Today Hyderabad has in fact set a new example of citizen participation. FFC has come up with a pioneer plan to organize a competition seeking ideas from citizen's to develop the city of Hyderabad. The initiative has been named: Citizens For City (more details at http://www.citizensforcity.org/) being backed up by a Core Committee of prominent citizens like Padamshree Pullela Gopichand, Karuna Gopal (President FFC), Y Harishchandra Prasad (Chairman, CII-AP Chapter) as well as industry bodies and agencies like the ASCI.

The official press release which described the initiative sounded a fresh and innovative way to secure citizen participation. A section of the release described the approach:

"Entries are invited ‘To prepare implementable strategies on 30 different topics’ listed in the website of the foundation. Citizens can also add new ideas in addition to the topics mentioned in the website. Top three winners will be given CITY STRATEGIST AWARDS along with cash prizes. In addition to top 3 prizes, 10 Best teams will be presented Citation and Memento and 30 Best Teams strategy will find a place in a special publication titled ‘Sculpt your City’ which will be knowledge resource for Indian Cities."

It's time other cities and agencies involved in urban development buckle up and seek participation of citizens. With the failure of many ambitious plans in the past it has been well-proved that a silo-approach fails most of the time to attract citizens. With today's citizens being more aware of their rights and ready to participate only a more comprehensive and engaging approach can succeed.

Hopefully government agencies and citizens are listening.

Also Covered here: My NowPublic>>

Myopia

2009-08-31T01:26:00.023+05:30

I am back and again it's not my fault. My friends and colleagues have been hounding me for a long time to go out and explore the city and this what happens when you let loose a person like me.

I had no idea about where I would go and weather too played spoilsport. The Rain gods decided to pour it out with no prior notice. Still determined to go out I set out with a primary and a secondary motive. The primary intent was guided by business motive while secondary was the "pleasure of exploring the city".

Frankly speaking the primary motive was satisfied within first 20 mins of me leaving my room to the extent I could accomplish on a rainy day.

Now it was the turn of secondary motive to be fulfilled. I realized that I was looking like a five-year old kid lost in village fair. I was looking in every direction, disoriented and sweating with anxiety as if I would find someone whom I know and he/she would take me back home safely. After sometime of wandering around I realized that I have to fend for myself and decided to go to some place I have gone earlier but have not "seen". I found myself on the road I take everyday to the train station but decided to not enter the station. Soon I was at the Perimeter Mall which is one of the biggest malls in this city. I was looking with bewilderment at the stores. Some of the stores on their own are larger than most malls in India. I decided to stay away from entering the mall but did almost go round the perimeter of the Perimeter Mall.

After walking for another mile and half I found myself at the Perimeter Village shopping area (Too many Perimeters here). This place has a Wal-Mart Supercenter and other big and small stores. My favorite place at this is the Borders book store which has a coffee shop inside it. I finally decided to sit here for sometime and think about the next move. I ordered my regular coffee (You don't mess with a man's coffee if you are sane) and settled down on a lone table. I am not sure if it was the intoxicating aroma of the coffee that this the damage or what but before I had realized I was scribbling most of what you are reading now on the back of the receipt from the coffee shop.

I started thinking what is it that people asked me to visit and watch? What should I be looking for? People? Places? Trees? Animals? What? I was bewildered thinking about it. Then I thought maybe it was the "progress" that makes this land, the place it is. Big buildings, clean roads, planned cities etc. but then I thought why India is different?

Recently I was watching a series on TV were people were conducting studies on existence of life forms on other planets by studying extreme geographies that they believed replicate the climate of those unreached frontiers in space. I thought if two things millions of miles apart can still be same then why are two nations its people and culture different at just a few thousand miles away? I also realized that isn't the progress we look at relative?

We are dazzled by the American progress and look at it as a model of growth. From currency to infrastructure we compare everything with US as base but why do we forget that India was the land from where most of the present "developments" rooted. Be it planned cities of Harappa Civilization or birth of democracy in the Mauryan era we knew how to plan things and run them. So as I said maybe we are just to dazzled with things far off that we oversee the obvious. We find it so intriguing when we read the books on Economics by Adam Smiths of the world but we forget that Chanakya wrote policies and commentaries ages before him that most economists are still trying to understand. When we hear same things from some "foreign scholar" we feel we have been enlightened but we don't even think about the learning amassed by of generations of Indian thinkers.

While writing this on the receipt at coffee shop I had lost awareness of the surroundings and somehow had shifted to a proper notepad by the time I regained consciousness. I felt the need to wipe my glass as the rainy weather and air conditioning in the store had left mark on my specs (People with specs will understand the pain). It also reminded me of my dependency on specs to see things. I realized this is pretty much what has happened to all of us. The cold beating on minds from the ages of foreign subjugation and moisture from the race to be the best has covered our specs with dew that blocks our vision. Or maybe even worse can still see things but we have started looking at things from far with so keen interest that we have lost our ability to see the obvious and that which is very close to us. Maybe we have become myopic.

This myopia affects everyone. We look at the west to enlighten us while people here travel to east in search of Nirvana. This myopia has affected me too. It took me so many years, a 6 mile hike in drizzle and a coffee to acknowledge and be able to write it.

Fulfilling the Great INDIAN DREAM!

2009-04-22T06:01:00.004+05:30

Hey,

Once more I am back and planning to plaster some more "gyaan" (read whatever you wish to, as if I care) on the webspace (since it's free). Now a days I am in the US of A on a work assignment. The title itself gave away quite some about the content of this weblog.
Yes, I am in the land where many Indians (if not all) aspire to reach sometime in their life. So much so that I have become an object of jealously in my peer group and my peers are shameless enough to acknowledge it and I complement if not surpass there shamelessness by writing it online in public domain.
I was here once before also but did not force it down audiences throat as it was an anticipated visit. This time is a bit different and today's happening magnifies the gravity of situation.
Since it's my blog so I get to decide what and how I unfold the story. Those who know me well, know that I am one person who would rate very high in their list on being lazy. So I use my veto and decide to call it a day for today. Like Indian Soap Opera I am pausing the story here itself for today and promise like a true communist I can go on strike anytime so you may not get this update on daily basis.
So, till the time I am again in mood to write, you may or may not choose to keep anticipating.
Till then keep the faith.
Cheers!

Branding Commodities: Part-II

2008-11-08T12:52:00.002+05:30

OK. So here I am back with what I left unfinished last night. I hope to make some sense after a 8 hour sleep after the week-long ordeal of daily 4-5 hours of sleep; courtesy my job responsibilities and a few colleagues taking leave.
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India has passed many phases of political lifecycle. The nation was “liberated” under the flagship of the Indian National Congress but political and power aspirations broke up the party (not before breaking up the nation itself; which is a big debate in itself and I am writing marketing and not politics!) which was followed up with another phase when emergency was imposed and it saw a lot of public resentment and birth of a “formidable” opposition in the Indian politics (seemed to be a transition from closed economy to open markets). Slowly the years of “experience” of politics made the “opposition” understand the tricks of the trade. Meanwhile another important development was birth and growth of numerous regional parties (which usually, is a trait of a developing market; fragmentation of market before large-scale consolidation). At this stage the demarcations where losing meaning (commoditization) and the parties felt the need to differentiate the offerings.

So what “fortification” could be added to this commodity that could make it different? At this stage discovery (it can’t qualify to be called an invention) of the Indian political “wheel” was made. Some great political guru jumped out of his bath tub one fine morning (and I don’t think anything has been fine after that morning) and the word of the political century was born: “SECULAR”. All the parties started falling all over the place to get this certification. Such is the value of this “coveted” certification that the opposition which opposed all the moves of the ruling party too scampered to get it. We see in certain industries the importance of certifications but with time even this certifications like ISO 9001 etc. seems to be getting useless and meaningless with almost all of them have it.

Indian politics too is in the same phase and today we have almost all parties holding a piece or other of the “secular” pie. Today what we see is that consolidation with continued fragmentation is happening. New variants of parties (brands) are being launched all with “Secular” stamped on it. Except for a party that has the honor (or disgrace) of being the longest serving opposition party almost all got the stamp without much labor.

Now some of the leaders (managers) in that organization realized that maybe that was their USP and that is what was selling their offering as a brand rather than a commodity. But as in any organization the number of differing views anywhere mathematically is (n-1) (My job background never leaves me. See I have an equation for this also!). By (n-1) I refer to n being the total number of people under reference and the views that differ are (n-1) as that one view is our own to which we completely agree!

Coming back to the topic; at this stage the internal conflict between the organization tend to pull it to two poles: one its radical right wing ideological background and second towards the “fortification”` and “certification” movement. The issue is like that of any organization facing the question of “to-change or not-to-change”. This needs and calls for the same Change Management initiatives that business organizations need. Theories of Kotter or McKinsey’s 7-S framework too explain what is happening in such parties. But the issue is that the organizational leaders perhaps don’t acknowledge it or just don’t want to acknowledge the same and change. What we see is like a free-fall with no one knowing where to finally land. I as a person/consultant/voter feel that I would like someone to represent my resent to this internal conflict which is undermining my interest and misplacing my priorities for which these parties claim to stand for.

I know this one is getting longer than anticipated and so now I need to start talking sense (If I make any!) and that to quickly.

Talking about the selling proposition and its application in Indian political scenario; a STP analysis will tell us why and how government is formed in India. Basically the market for political business is so fragmented that any particular target group above 5-7% of electorate is very important and can’t be ignored. For its comfort each competing party has segmented the market to finest level possible. Each knows the consumer profile and knows whom to target. But here comes the element of consumer education. With experience and general education level rising people started demanding development. This became a trouble for the players in market as that seemed to be low on agenda of each of them and the differentiation that they offered was not on this account. So here comes the classical tactics of sales/consulting/marketing/politics which is not acknowledged but still practiced: IF YOU CAN'T CONVINCE THEM, CONFUSE THEM. Harry Truman was perhaps the only one who openly acknowledged this and others have been practicing this with out acknowledging it (maybe some royalty charges would apply, I need to check on that!).

In the present context the mud-slinging that we see in the Indian political sphere is actually not to malign the other party but actually is done to blur the vision of the electorate. So while we keep fighting amongst ourselves on lines of caste, religion, state (add language as the latest!) we fail to realize that we are “buying” the “fortified” version of the same commodity and paying a premium over the commoditized version of the same for no reason. So its like one of the beverage makers calling the other “too sweet” while the other hitting back with “uncle” brand image of the other. While none makes sense to the consumer as consume what he may, he is finally consuming an unhealthy and unwholesome offering (that too on after paying hard cash!). Thus while we still try to figure out what is bad with consuming a sweet beverage that results in burps and consuming a “uncle” brand that also results in burps; the manufactures keep on making moolah out of our confusion.

Perhaps the diversity and lack of education are responsible for this problem but then as in case of any market, consumer awareness and education is inevitable. All we can hope is that the rate of awareness someday takes over the issuance of “certification” and “fortifications”. Maybe that day we will have true brands emerging and our choice will get correct.

Till that day; let us continue buying the “processed chaff” added rice in the name of fortification.

I am a bit confused if I made any sense (I rarely make any!) but maybe I was so irritated by the developments in the recent pasta and seemingly visible future that I don’t care to make sense anymore. If political non-sense can sell so hot then why can’t my nonsense not? I am sorry to torture my audience, which has grown despite the long breaks in the posts but I feel that sometimes even I am eligible to churn out a movie like “Mela”.

Thanks for bearing with me and the day I figure out what is happening in the political marketplace in a better way I will write a sequel to this post. Till the next time, keep the faith and keep rocking!

Branding Commodities

2008-11-08T02:19:00.002+05:30

This is unlike any of my previous posts. So please exercise caution while reading this. Reader Discretion is called for. I don't want to get rave comments later that I did not forewarn you. This one is going to be COMMUNAL as per Indian Definition!

With the developments in Kashmir, parts of India and world in the recent times; the Brand Consultant in me started analyzing the scenario as a Business Case! (Can't help it. MBA taught me to look for a case study everywhere!)

So while going through the Preamble to Indian Constitution way back in standard 5 of my school life I remember a phrase which i hear every other small/big/non-existent politician talk of in India these days:

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;

and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Just for the records of uninitiated people like me: The constitution has been amended many times as per needs. During one of such exercises the Preamble was also amended. The original Preamble did not contain the now used words which I earlier also as most common repeated words in political circles.

It was done vide: (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976: "SOVEREIGN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC" (w.e.f. 3-1-1977) was replaced with "SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC".

So today we are a SECULAR Nation. What secularity means? And what is this seemingly political issue doing in a Marketing Blog?

If you bear with me a few more minutes I may be able to show the connection.

Politics today has become more of a profession than anything else. A one time entry to Parliament or State Legislature assures one of an easy life with full benefits throughout life.

But where is Branding!

Here comes branding: When any product/service starts to become commodity it has two effects:

Consumers become price sensitive to the variants.
People buy the variant which is available easily (good supply chain managers win this battle)

So what are implications of this for the managers?

1. Try and create some difference to differentiate from the commodity. (“Fortified Atta; as if Mother Nature did not take care to provide us the best!)

2. Make the offering available at all possible Points of Sale (POS).

But how does it relate to organizations and Indian politics?

This blog will be followed up with answers (as perceived by me) in next post which is coming soon. Trust me this is not a marketing stunt of creating hype like Ekta Kapoor serials which say: to be continued... (I feel "..." means: "till the channel doesn't throw me out!").

It's late in the night in India and my body commands some respect for the human biological need of a state called sleep. So keep the faith till next post and keep rocking!

Research?! WHY??

2008-06-23T17:19:00.000+05:30

When I posted my last log titled " To Research or not to RE-search" I received a couple of mails asking if I though researches were useless or just did not give you as much result as the expense they call for. To clarify and clear the confusions that might have cropped up here is what i have to say: RESEARCH is an aid to the managerial discretion and decision making process.

In a recent issue of entrepreneurial magazine: (DARE: June 08) an article by Rupin Jain titled "The power (and pain) of research" the writer clearly talks of the same.

He also talks of a very common error that is made: We don't know what we are looking for!

So the things return to ground zero again: We go away from the customers and that makes us lose pulse of the market and the customer in turn.

So basically we are talking of a situation where research is an aid to the manager and must be used in that way. No one should expect market research to bring out a result that would be too drastic or unexpected. Research basically brings results that maybe interpretable by common sense in first place.

Last but not the least, research provides us insights to substantiate the decisions that are made at managerial level and must be given due consideration but then they should not be a replacement of manager's foresight.

Hope to get back to you soon.

Till then keep the faith and keep rocking!

To Research or Not to "RE"search?!

2008-04-06T19:31:00.000+05:30

Rajiv has been working as a salesman with a MNC co. for about 2 years now. One day his Manager informed him about the change in policy that the company headquarter had communicated and new marketing initiative to be launched. Rajiv seemed unconvinced and told his boss that he feels that it would not work as the customers would not accept the change so readily. Moreover they were doing good in business and Rajiv was one of the start members of the team. But then the organization had hired the services of a very renowned research organization and had shelled out millions on the study. More over the agency's reputation in the field was undoubtable. The manager who himself was a fresh MBA graduate was in a fix regarding what to do! but ten orders are order!

After being in the business of research for some time now and all through my MBA, I have thought a lot why is that organizations spend fortunes on researching the markets? now that I am in the business I feel that the research with all its tools and jargons sometimes hides from the vision the normal intelligence called common-sense. If classical cases of failure like "NEW COKE" tell us something, we need to understand that research by itself can't guarantee success or failure. There is something beyond it. The common understanding that a frontline staff brings is of high importance and must be a tool to decide. After all, through RESEARCH what are we SEARCHING?!

If the marketer has a grip on the market's pulse, chances are high that he knows what his customers want and need.

Market research does the same for the client with the inputs that the client provides. Thus again the fundamental premise is "KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER". I can provide the best input to the client only if I know my client and his/her needs and for this I need to know his/her client!

Thus research fails when a researcher puts the books before his sight and overlooks who and where the customer is.

Research can do wonders to your business but for that knowing what is needed and having a grip on the pulse of market is important.

Awaiting inputs and comments from my clients (YOU READERS!!) on this!!

Will get back soon. Till then keep faith and rock on!

Jitna Dikhta Hai Utna Bikta Hai?!

2008-03-19T12:52:00.001+05:30

Heard that "Jo Dikhta Hai Woh Bikta Hai" (That what is seen is what sells).

Gave a lot of thought also on this but the outcome was something else. I discussed and tried to get more viewpoints on this but as I said the outcome was "Jitna Dikhta Hai Utna Bikta Hai" (The Extent To Which Is Seen Is What Sells).

What I meant when I said this in first place is simple. Customers today buy what you can show them. This showing can be in various forms and can be as close as touching and taking a test ride of a car to as far as reading a description or talking to an executive about a service.

Today it is almost impossible to present the actual offering to the customers given the vast geographical expanse of markets over the international boundaries. Equally impossible is to present the offering for physical inspection with the incresing share of service offerings that accompany a physical product or vice-versa.

But then with the introduction of the new technological solutions that web has provided and improved communications the "dikhana" (showing) part is taken care of to a large extent.

I know people may still feel "Jo Dikhta Hai Woh Bikta Hai" but I still stick to the new dictum "Jitna Dikhta Hai, Utna Bikta Hai".

Discussion is open and comments awaited.

Catch You People Later. Till then keep faith and keep rocking!

What is Happening to BLOGS?

2008-01-29T01:02:00.001+05:30

Whether to prepare or not? This has been the dilemma that I have faced all through the four semesters of my MBA and is culminating today while I have an impending BUSINESS STRATEGY paper tomorrow morning.
MBA has prepared me to plan well but at the same time the clutter and analysis of various matrices and indexes tell me that prepare or not, you write almost the same thing in paper that you read and understood during the semester.
So here I am writing a blog entry just before a paper. Now don't question my sincerity as my profs have consistently graded me well on that parameter. My previous boss at last job also said so. But why I am hard selling the fact that my sincerity has to do anything with my writing a blog on the night of a FINAL SEMESTER paper?!
Perhaps because I feel I needed to tell it to someone and others might be preparing at this hour and I don't want to disturb them.
So here I am posting a blog. Has blogging today come out of space it held some years ago and is it being used for more purposes rather than merely discussing issues? I mean that has Blog entered a sphere where people are using it as a diary and friend to share feeling?
I haven't done any significant study of this issue but then if I am doing this why not others?
So this is possible!
Well I will wait till a few more days and hope to bring out some fact & figures to substantiate this notion.
Till then.....Have Faith and Keep Rocking!

Who sends me Ads?

2007-07-21T11:11:00.000+05:30

"Check out our latest range of sunglasses. Now with extra UV protection for your eyes!"
This was a sms I recently got on my very own disregarded mobile phone. I was wondering about the sender's id and could not make out the source of the the sms. I called up the customer care only to be confused even more. They said that it must be one of those mobile advertisers who use a social network of friends to spread the word through sms's while paying you a share of the incentive that they earn in the process.
I was confused that what that could possibly be?
The confusion irritated the already dead cells in my dormant brain and I thought of poking around a bit on the issue.
I had read somewhere about permission based advertising on the mobile by companies like mginger, MyToday etc that use the old proved trick of multi-level marketing model to get subscribers. Some look at it as a backdoor entry to those customers who are not ready to take ad or promotional calls. Also the incentive of getting paid induces such people to register. While the it is learnt that the signup rates are pretty good, there has hardly been any payouts meted out to the users. Most of these services have a limiting clause which says that the minimum amount that can be paid out is 300-400, so a user end up on a never-ending chase to accumulate points.
The first doubt that crops up is regarding the tracking mechanism - how can one tell whether a user has actually accessed an SMS sent out to him or not?

People from the industry say that an operator makes money only on the initial sign-up which is a share of the Rs. 1- 3 per SMS, as the user sends it to sign up. The recent issue has been with the mobile operator's asking for their share of the kill i.e. operator's too are asking for a share of the revenue being generated by the advertisers. This reasoning apparently applies to all push based SMS services that are incorporating advertising. People who might be tracking the development in this sector must be aware of the Airtel's issue with MyToday when it had blocked the user.

In order to seize the obvious opportunities that lie in such sponsored mobile services, both the operators and content providers must get together and be ready to create a new type of consumer-centric ecosystem. Such an ecosystem can only be functional if all the players in the value web admit that the traditional barriers between the players must be rearranged in a way that guarantees the consumer the best possible service experience.

Still a lot needs to be studied on such models of revenue generation. For now I would like to take a break as the "dead cells" are complaining about the trouble I am giving to them by trying to think!

So till next time..............keep the faith while I give my cells some rest on human grounds!!

1st Day!!

2007-05-18T09:41:00.000+05:30

Everything has a "First-Time" and similarly I had my "First-Time". As is it with everyone, mine "First-Time" too was loaded with anticipation and excitement of what was to come.
A thousand things were running through my mind and I must confess I had a million butterflies ramming the walls of my "ever-empty" stomach with the gallons of gastric juices that own the area. My friend who had married last year told that he too had similar feelings when he was in the same situation. My cell was vibrating every other minute with sms's of all sorts from sincere good wishes to nasty ones pouring in.

I was snapping my already million time snapped fingers with no result. I tried counting numbers to calm down but could not continue after I reached Six Thousand Eight Hundred Eighty Eight as the numbers became too cumbersome to handle and I have been a Math Guru ever since my Elementary school, eliminating studying math at every possible chance. I decided to do some breathing exercises as the same has good effects to curb excitement and calms you down. With the picture of a very renowned guru in the back of my mind, I started taking long and deep breaths but then I realized it was the right thing to do as it might just reveal my anxiety.

It was then that I decided it was high time that I should take command. It was becoming one long deep, pathetic, agonizing and seeming to be a never ending thing. I could no longer take it like that lying down. After all "I AM A MAN"!!

My same experienced friend had told me how to break the ice. I decided to go to the "idea churning spot". It's the place where I have generated world's most prolific and intellectual ideas. It also has given me confidence in situations when I have felt low.
I got up and started to move towards it. I opened up the door and moved in. I was relieved from deep inside just at the sight of the spot.

Yes, I was ready to rock and came back. Just then she moved in.
After a brief introduction, the first salvo was fired and any guess who the casualty was? No prizes for guessing! Yes it was me!!

I started gulping liters of saliva that my glands were producing after working overtime.

I always fancied this moment when it will be for the first time but I never knew it will be so hard. But, now nothing could be done. The moment was right here, right now. All my fantasies seemed to take a backseat and I was thrown on a fast-track.

The question was asked.....to be answered!

As it has always been with me, I can write something which maybe people are pleased with but talking is not my cup of tea. The most dreadful question that I ever have encountered was once again put to me:

"TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOU?"

What would I say now!? The gushing saliva spring was saturated and dry!

After looking at 71 other anxious faces who were trying to rehearse their own answers and a face brimming with the joy of pinning another target, I tried to babble something about my past both personal details and my "ACADEMIC (mis)ADVENTURES".

God knows what I said in the next 3mins but I saw some respect (which may be a camouflaged expression of pity!) on the faces of my colleagues and my FACULTY!

Yes......THAT WAS MY FIRST DAY AT THE BUSINESS SCHOOL!