Ambitious Minds: Lets add mobility to Thoughts.

Why Groupon is correct in rebranding Sosasta

2011-10-07T00:25:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, the news of Groupon acquiring Sosasta was confirmed by various sources.

I have also been a subscriber to theses group deals, and get interested in one or the other deal, every now and then.

Very recently, I bought a deal which offered a sumptuous deal for two, at a well known 5 star hotel, and that too at a staggering 70% discount. As unbelievable as it sounds the deal worked out really well, the ambiance, the food, and the service all won my heart, except just an awkward moment when I was about to enter the cafe, and had to mention that I have the "sosasta" coupon and would like to dine here.

For those who are not aware, the sosasta name, which is derived from the Sanskrit word Sasta for "cheap", and sosasta ends up meaning "very cheap." Thus, I don't want to end up standing in a high profile place, and end up pronouncing myself as the one who is there to redeem this very cheap coupon.

As funny as it sounds, the awkwardness is really present.

On the other side thing about the vendor, who is being type-casted as someone, who offers very cheap deals. For premier brands, this could be catastrophic positioning.

Thus, the news of re-branding, of Sosaasta as Crazeal, comes in time to preserve the interests of both its vendors and subscribers.

Lakshey Gangwani

AmbitiousMinds.net: Adding Mobility to your thoughts, since 2008.

Patent Wars: How Technology companies and Patent Trolls are changing the way we look at patents

2011-10-04T01:22:00.000-07:00

Created by: MBA Online

Facebook, Twitter, Groupon: Investor’s new flings

2011-06-22T05:01:00.000-07:00

Each time I hear about “Facebook.” I am awed by what I have created. Before, any of you start thinking of this as another twist in the tale, let me clarify I am one of the 500 million users of facebook. One, who has helped facebook reach a valuation of a staggering 70 billion dollars, and if you thought that it was Mark Zuckerberg who achieved this alone. I would beg to differ as am sure that there will not be a single advertiser out there who would want to advertise on a platform which does not have users like me.

Quite an interesting story! Isn’t it?

But what’s more interesting is that investors, across the world, are once again fallings prey to the web, and its flamboyancy. For instance, Facebook is being valued over $70 billion, linkedin’s IPO skyrocketed on listing, Groupon is already talking in billions, and the “focus less whale faced” twitter is being marked as the next big thing. Doesn’t this sound similar to the dotcom bubble of 2000, where each website had to have an investor, even when it lacked a business model. But, what’s worse is that this time the web is more widespread and even emerging economies like China are a part of it, where e-business like Alibaba, Baidu, etc are enjoying premiums and enormous attention from the investors.

Even though all these business are backed by millions of users, just like me, but one should also be aware of how weary users can be. To simplify, I was not always on facebook, my social media darlings keeping changing, and they change very often. It was “HI5” that brought me into this world, but it was not long before I was found flirting with orkut, et al, and neither am I sure of how long will my “live-in” with facebook continue. As it might not be long, before there is another jaw dropping, eye ball catching platform in some other corner of the web, which come in between me and my lovely little facebook.

Just like me most of the other 500 million users are wanders and are always in search of something new, and once that is found what is left is a facebook with less than a fraction of users. At that time, will facebook still be valued at 70 billion dollars? I really ask whether it is worth running after the sheen of the social media, when we know that the picture might not remain as glittery, as it is today.

I rest my case with the audience.

Laksh

Ambitious Minds: Add mobility to your thoughts, since 2008.

It great to be 3!

2010-12-22T00:53:00.000-08:00

Hi,

As a website/blog we have completed two years and are now entering into the third year.

During these two years, we have catered to more than 6500 visitors (with more than 4400 visitors in the last one year).

Our visitor base has expanded to a whopping 45 countries.

Thanks for your support and love.

Watchout for a entire new series of posts in the coming weeks.

Thanks

AmbitiousMinds.NET: Let's add mobility to thoughts.

Innovation: Is it really your gateway to success

2010-09-05T01:38:00.000-07:00

People read so much about Innovation that they finally come to believe that once they innovate, they are guaranteed for success. Little is said about zillions of obscure patents, that hold no more value that an old rag in the closet.

From Organization to B-school everyone claims to have innovation imbibed into their processes. Everyone has an opinion about it, but all of us define it differently. Is it in generating novel ideas, in the execution, or in spirituality (Some people find their answers here.). If you ask me, it is a novelty clubbed with the adequate execution. To be honest, all these different definition, for innovation, are all somewhat true. But, what is not true is the fact that innovation guarantees success. Throughout our history, examples of innovation leading to failures are present. But, I have chosen the one that most of us can relate to.

Mobile phones have come to be a necessity in our life. A day without our cell-phones, and most of us would be on our knees. But, the industry in itself is very competitive and the handset manufactures must always stay ahead of the curve, or else be wiped out. One of the most innovative companies in the domain is Motorola. Motorola has always positioned itself as a company that innovates. During 2007-2008, while Razor insured conditions were Hunky Dory, the management decided to step on innovation. This resulted in a series of handset that were not only disparately different in form factors, but also in operating system. At a time when companies like Nokia were saving inventory and write down costs, by keeping low form-factor differentiation, Motorola took this bold step. The result is known to all, Motorola handset owners struggled to share any kind of information across series, simple things, such as sharing a business card also became a nightmare. In 2009, Sanjay Jha, the current CO-CEO of Motorola, was quick to realize this problem and shelved off most phones from the range, and then came up with the super successful Android series. Mr. Jha did one thing that changed the fortune of Motorola, he kept the Motorola innovation factor limited to the hardware, and let Google do the OS and the user experience. This one step insured that the platform were in support even when the handsets’ hardware were different. In other words, Mr. Jha controlled the innovation in the company, and brought out such wonderful results.

The one thing that comes out of this is the fact that innovation is not synonymous to success, but can be to failures.

Lakshey Gangwani

Ambitious Minds: Adding Mobility to your thought, since 2008.

Off-shoring: challenges within the opportunity

2010-08-20T13:30:00.000-07:00

Outsourcing is a word that strikes a chord with most, if not all, of us. The birth of outsourcing is not something that has happened recently. But, there are evidences in the Indian mythology that confirm the presence of outsourcing. The most popular example being the data entry done by lord Ganesha as he wrote the Mahabrata for Saga Ved Vyasa . In recent times this industry has taken a more sophisticated form with major US and European countries sending in work to the likes of Infosys, et al. In parallel, many organizations also started operations in countries like India, and this is what we popularly call as offshoring. Where we have tremendous opportunity, there also exists challenges. Offshoring is no exception it brings in loads of perks, but not without its share of challenges. While the challenges are many, but here I start with the most basic ones:

1) Wrong mind-set: this is one challenge that can be the biggest reason for the failure of your offshore team. Even though cost factors is a pivot of the off-shoring industry. But, this should be a consequence and not an objective.

2) Diversity is more than the just meet the eye: acceptance of this is easy, but the real challenge lies in execution. Everyone realizes and accepts that there are fundamental differences in the way people in developed and the developing economies think, execute, plan, etc. But, the problem is that most managers can’t look beyond their US or European practices. The saying “when in Rome do as the romans do” seems to have gone for a ride.

3) Learning is 360 degrees: While your off-shore employees will be drinking from a hose-pipe, when it comes to learning. You need to be open to it too. As these employees are most familiar with the behaviours and habits of your off-shore team

While this is just an excerpt from the white/research paper on challenges in off-shoring, but this can give you a head start in planning for offshoring your operations.

For the complete white paper, write to laksh@ambitiousminds.net

Business of Conflict

2010-07-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

What is business?

The dictionary can give you an idea, but on the ground realty is very different. Whenever entrepreneurs or seasoned businessmen conceive ideas or start ventures, profitability/ break even is the most important factor of the initial planning.

But things get real itch when business enter into areas, where profit maximization is not the goal. Organizations that were meant to solve problem, enhance lives, and yet sustain themselves. In other words, the true goal is to serve people. Hospitals are an example all of us can relate to. But, the transition in hospitals is fast paced and is threatening to override the original goal. Hospitals, that were meant to save lives, have turned into corporate business. Patients are now referred as clients and doctors are no longer gods, but rather skilled manpower. These transitions do not say it all. But, the exorbitantly expensive price list does. In other words, hospitals have transformed from being “life savers” to “Profit centres.”

Thus it does not come as a surprise when we see fortis and khazanah battling it out to buy parkway hospitals. Do you really think Malvinder Singh wants to serve people or do charity by buying into parkway? The answer is No.

It is not that all these transition have been bad, but the good aspects are out of the reach of the common people. The innovative and cutting edge technology is still out of the reach of the poor and middle class people. But, the government honchos are sleeping. May be it is a sedative induced sleep.

But it is really time for instating a strict regulation in hospitals and for establishing an upper cap on the prices charged.

Lakshey Gangwani

Ambitious Minds: Adding mobility to your thoughts, since 2008.

The fallacy of Averages

2010-07-10T21:20:00.000-07:00

Throughout my life, I have seen people around me completely fascinated by averages. Whether it be market investors, hiring managers, or people getting into B-schools, each of them has demonstrated their love and support for average returns, average percentage, and average salaries.

To all these people I want to ask one question: If you were to be 4.7 feet tall, will you try and cross a lake, which has an average dept of 4.5 feet? Now, the problem with crossing this lake is that near the bed, the depth is almost zero, but in the middle of the lake the depth will definitely be more than 4.5 feet. So, what you considered as a piece of cake might just turn out to be the stupidest thing you had ever done.

This is what happens in the real life scenarios as well, When mutual fund sellers tell you that the average 5 year return has been 20%, that does not mean that the next year’s return will also be 20%. Consider that the current year’s return out of the mutual fund is 100%, so going by the average theory the return for the simultaneous year must be negative 60%.

Stock market investors are not the only one plagued by the love for averages, B-school aspirant make similar mistakes by looking at the average packages, before setting hopes. More often than not, their myths finally break, when a package is offered to them.

The above scenarios cause little or no harm. The investors can always invest for a long term and average out the return. The B-school student can always work hard and get to the desired level.

But, one scenario where averages can cause real damages is hiring. During my tenure with one of the telecom giants, my team was looking towards hiring new people. The HR and the managers came out with an average percentage, below which every candidate would be rejected. Reason: They wanted the best students for the company. Now, this is where average will cost the company and its manager. (Even though the hit will more on the ego, than on profits or losses of the company)

Now, what average does is that it allows the students, who are slightly lagging in their performance, to get into the eligible list. Because in each class you will always find a group, which is there for fun and frolic, and they do a very nice job of offsetting your average percentages.

The examples of such fallacies are numerous, and the damages are enormous. It is time that we looked beyond the averages into other tools such as the mode, the median, and the standard deviation, that can somewhat hedge us against the fallacy of averages.

Lakshey Gangwani

Ambitious Minds: Adding mobility to your thoughts.

The Job called: Entrepreneurship

2010-07-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

For months you live in the dilemma of taking the plunge versus not taking it. Each day, you would do all sort of analysis to hedger of the risk, as a result you might even start creating a war chest of money bags. But when it comes down to the ground, things start to take a 360 degree turn and you end up in a scene, which is not very different from a battle ground in the middle East.

The biggest challenge that entrepreneurship holds for you is not liquidity, but self management. Liquidity will always be a worry for you and your organization, irrespective of the position of your organization. But, you and your self-management are the biggest threat to the growth of this venture.

Once you have decided to take the plunge, your adrenaline would be high. You would have dreams of being featured next to the Ambanis and the Birlas, and the who’s who of the industry. Well this is what will help you become a strategist, but this may be the beginning of the “end” too. Well it is a good idea to strategise, but at the end of the day it is your execution that will fetch you client and get your organization in black and white.

Thus, there needs to be a line, when the STRATEGIST, within you, needs to stop and the MANAGER within you needs to start his job. When you switch roles from the strategist to the manager, your primary task is to think like an operation’s guy, in other words, you need to figure out ways to make your processes, products, etc: quicker; better; faster; cheaper etc. At this point your job will be to ensure that the strategist does not make his way back into the office, until required. You need to work on projects as you would have done if you were to be employed, and the employer was around with a stick. This is the one step that would be the biggest differentiator between you and a million other failed entrepreneurs.

Beyond the initial strategising, it would be a good idea to treat entrepreneurship as a job and not as a tool to satisfy your high adrenaline ego. Because enterprenuership is an expensive option to feel high.

Lakshey Gangwani
Ambitious Minds: Adding Mobility to your thoughts, since 2008.

Arbitrage Labours: Can Indian IT look beyond?

2010-06-06T01:20:00.000-07:00

Indian IT industry does not need an introduction, after the phenomenal incremental impact it has had on the economy and brand equity of India. Every engineer, irrespective of his/her specialization, wants to be a “[s]OFTWARE PROFESSIONAL.” The model of these software organizations is very simple and continues to gain on arbitrages of labour costs. The focus of the big 5 has been to constantly look for new horizons within the service domain. The focus on innovation or product development remains very little. See POST, where we had presented evidences of this.

So, while everything remains hunky dory and the IT gains are reaping in profits.

Why exactly do we need to question this engagement?

Why do we even need to think about services versus innovation?

Read on, to know why the US and Europe markets might begin to contract.

India’s low cost IT model has done well for years, as a result of the capitalistic mindset of organizations and managers in the U.S., Europe, et al. So, while during the early years outsourcing work meant bringing home a substantial cost saving. Now, things have started to change. U.S. is still recovering from one of the worst nightmares a financial system can witness. The recovery up till now has been more or less a “JOBLESS” recovery. The protectionist attitude of the US is already planning to hit these firms with different incentives (both positive and negative) to stop them from outsourcing work to India and other low cost providers. Each speech by President Obama goes unfinished without him making a reference to India and China and how they are steaming ahead. There is constant pressure on organizations to bring back jobs back to the country.

Euro Zone will continue to see pain and suffering for some more years. The sovereign debt crisis does not look like a flow that can be contained with the walls of a “bailout.” Moreover, the euro affiliation is likely to bring the like of Germany, etc to a standstill. While the euro zone will have its horns locked with debt crisis, the work flowing out of the Euro zone will definitely hit margins.

So with all these development across the globe, the outsourced part of the service industry, in the U.S. and Europe, is surely going to contract. With this contraction, the labour arbitrage margins will surely take a hit. The only consequence will be that these IT giants would end up making the service ocean crimson red. While the real solution lies in fresh blue waters of innovation and product development.

I have never doubted the management behind these big IT giants, but am seriously hoping that they are realizing these facts and are switching to some kind of innovation model. It is time for the Indian IT industry to look beyond the minuscule arbitrages and come out with products, which speak of innovation.

Branding Statements: When the "Catchy lingos" begin to bite

2010-05-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

Since the time I decided to expand the services of Ambitious Minds, each day has become more beautiful and challenging. Life seems to have a new moto, austerity is the new way of living, and decision making is required at every single step. Sounds exciting???

One of these days I decided to add a simple, yet catchy, line to our name “Ambitious Minds.” A task which should not have taken more than a couple of hours and a few searches on google, lasted for a life time. But, the learning out of it was simply priceless.

So, I wanted a line that defines our company, our beliefs, and our offering. I sat down with a few people to figure this out. After a few brainstorming sessions, all of us came up with a few lines, words, lingo, etc.
However, what changed it all was a coffee break. During this priceless coffee break, I happen to read an article describing the turmoil that had recently plagued Toyota. What was really surprising, at least to me, was the fact that Toyota by no means was the first company to recall vehicles.

So, why all this hue and cry around Toyota?

Curiosity in my mind made sure I get to the answer, I had a mixed feeling of Horror and excitement when I finally had my answer. It surprises me as well that how you can I have two contrasting feelings together??? Let’s first learn more about the plague at Toyota.

All this while Toyota has been selling its car on one underlying factor/differentiator/USP: “SAFETY.” Every time, someone thought of Toyota, they felt safe. In other words, Toyota made people feel safe inside their cars and that is the reason people bought their vehicles. So, when the car that was touted as "safe" failed to perform on the road, you are bound to feel cheated. In other words, all Toyota campaigns created an impression or identify of safety for their vehicles, but at last their vehicles could not create a similar experience. The gap between the identity/ image/perception and the experience was way too much for anyone to accept. Thus, all the hue, cry, and plague around Toyota.

If you are still a little bit wary about this fact, ask yourself what will make you more irate:

An air-India flight delayed by 1 hour or an Indigo flight delayed by 30 minutes (Remember the “On time campaign” for Indigo). I am sure the 30 minutes by the latter will hurt you more, just because they have been shouting out loud about their “On Time” USP.

For our international readers:
Consider what make you more crazy:
waiting for a meal at the corner eating joint or waiting at the MCdonalds.
The answer most often than not is Mcdonalds.
So, my lesson in Branding is very clear and loud. The USP should be such that it is never compromised under any circumstances. What so ever may happen your identity should always translate into an experience your customer/ client is looking for.

Lakshey Gangwani

UNLEASHING AMBITIOUS MINDS

2010-05-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

UNLEASHING AMBITIOUS MINDS ON JULY 15, 2010

JUST CHECK THE SPACE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Microsoft: The alarm bell has finally worked, or has it not?

2010-03-31T02:19:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has always been on the pinnacle of my interest, because of the fact that I was once an aspiring software developer. Software development never worked out for me, but my love for Microsoft continued. However, over the years Microsoft’s business strategy has really started to amaze me more than any of its products.

Microsoft has always been in a strange struggle to protect its business from getting eroded. On one side, Microsoft has lined up against Steve jobs' Apple, which has been making swift moves into the desktop and laptop space with its Mac computer and Mac book.

On the other side, Microsoft has locked horns with Google, which has always been keen on displacing Microsoft from the mobile OS space, and may be from the desktop and laptop space with the launch of its android mobile OS (rumors of a Google OS for the desktop have also surfaced). And if that was not enough, Microsoft has also been in an arm wrestling match with Sony, the makers of PSP.

But, what has really been fascinating is the way Steve Ballmer led Microsoft has been responding to these two giants (Apple and Google). Microsoft’s clear cut strategy has been that “you enter my yard; and I will enter yours.” This has been quite prominent from the launch of the Zune media player in response to Apple's iPod in fall of 2006. And the launch of Microsoft’s baby bing to go heads on with Google’s heavy weight “The Search.” With Sony, Microsoft’s responses have been portraying a synergy between being competitive and being sensible. (At one time I was surely expecting Microsoft to launch itself into the consumer electronics segment, specifically into televisions and digital cameras space, in order to get even with Sony. Luckily that did not happen!!!)

Part of the problem with Microsoft has been that Microsoft believes that is a really wonderful company with an “out of the box” product line and the muscle to win in almost any business. Only the people around Microsoft believe differently. Microsoft has been the perfect analogy to the mythological Indian daemon kumbkaran (the one who slept most of the times, irrespective of the conditions around, and never ever exploited his competencies to the maximum). Similarly, Microsoft has also been in a hallucination that the only way Microsoft can give an answer to a competitor, is by means of back clash product in the competitor’s segment. Thus, Microsoft has been focusing way too much on getting even with competitors, rather than maintaining synergies within its own business. Microsoft has been a leader in the OS and software space for years now, but rather than focusing on that, Microsoft has been taking shots at each of its competitor, and in the process getting itself into deeper mess.

But, all this seems to be changing as the daemon named Microsoft is finally waking up. Microsoft is now beginning to regroups its energy and muscle to work with its competencies rather than ventures, that seem to be born from a high adrenaline rush to the CEO. Lately, Microsoft has been more focused to bring the much awaited Windows 7 to both the computing and the mobile OS space, and that too with all ends tied up. The initial reviews of the Windows 7 seem to be working for Microsoft. Moreover, in the last week of January, Microsoft finally came out with the results for its quarter that ended Dec. 31, 2009. The results were nothing less than spectacular as Microsoft registered a whopping 60% jump in the net income, when compared with the prior year period.

So, finally the alarm bells seemed to have worked for Microsoft. But with Microsoft, you are never really sure, when the next back clash sedative brings it down to its next deep sleep.

Lakshey Gangwani

Choice: it is what makes all the difference.

2010-03-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

Each one of us have to take tough decisions in life. Every one tells me these decisions will determine how my life moves ahead from here. Sometimes when i look at my father, i realize all the roles that he has played so well, and the roles i will have to play from now. At the same time, i want to live my dreams too. I am in such a big dilema, just a few months away is the thing i always wanted, and just a few steps away is the life i always dreamt of. The choice becomes so much more difficult if you have to choose between your most important thing and the dream closest to your heart. I really dnt know, where will this head to...may be i will end up like some lonely low fizz soda water, that had the guts to blast out, but the pressure of the world drove its frizz away. Am i confused? May be yes!! But, in any case i will have a wish fulfilled. People might call me foolish, but from the inside i know i will be for the first time doing some thing for myself. In these 32 months it has always been about the organization, parents, family, friends. But, now is the time when lakshey gangwani is the most important person in my view, and his dreams and ambitions are now bigger than any billion, or for that matter, trillion dollar organization. Don't know where things would head to from here. But, will always remember that i had a dream, and i fought for it.
Lakshey gangwani
Ambitiousminds mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for

Is it worth?

2010-03-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Another journey in the metro; another question pop ups. I see a small, but energetic, noisy, but cute child, claded in a popeye tshirt, in front of me. The reason for all his celebrations: a large 5 star pack that he bought along. He is jumping, singing, and shouting too...he is so happy and engrossed with his little perk( rather five star) all his energy seems to be focussed in celebrating. This reminds me of the time, when i was a kid. I am sure at that time we would have one hell of a combination. I was pretty surely as good as him, if not better.
But things seemed to have changed now. Is my hunger making me blind to the things i have already achieved?
Am i running, without reliazing the beauty of the path around me?
Why don,t i celebrate about the little beautiful things that happen to me?
Am i growing up?
Bt is growing up all about not relishing the small but vey important momennt in life.
As i always say you always get what you are looking for. May be i have not been looking for celebrating these moments...may be i have not been looking for cherishing, but rather achieving. I am not sure, how it has been till now, but i am sure how will it be from now on. Hats off to the little kid, who himself is not big enough to go to a school, but is truly teaching people the meaniing of living.
Unknown Small kid.
Ambitiousminds mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for

How Leadership is nurtured?

2010-03-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

What is leadership?
This question has haunted each person living or dead. But, only a few really figured it out. To be honest, with the amount of books out there...you are more likely to come up with a dictionary taught defination. But, if you were to do a process review for organizations around the world, only a fraction would turn out to be places where business leaders are nutured.
What is it that it is common to these places that so many leaders emerged out of these places.
Only thing that was almost common in all these places was an environment for ownership. Everyone from entry level employees to the ceo took ownership of the actions performed by them or the direct reportees. They were never looking for scapegoats.
These organization promoted a culture for questioning. Honestly, this is what made a whole lot of difference. When the culture within your team promotes you to ask question, your thought process and skill set grows quickly, and you would also encourage your employees to do the same.
But, the most important thing that promoted people to be leaders was to focus on the solution rather than the problem. The underlying theory of these organizations was that anyone can critize and find problems. But, the real contributor is the one who brings in a solution, when everyone else is still denyng the problem.
I am a firm believer that true leadership happens on the job. But, these three parameters can lay just the right foundation for you to actually lead.
Lakshey gangwani
Ambitiousminds mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for.

Mr. Anand Mahindra responds to our stand, now its our turn

2010-02-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Mr. Anand Mahindra came out this morning and responded to our Blog post.
Now it is our turn to respond, and show him the real picture.
Please respond to the message below:
http://twitter.com/anandmahindra/status/9718060919

Mahindra Satyam needs to Stand up and answer

2010-02-25T20:40:00.000-08:00

Satyam!!! Mahindra Satyam!!! Ramalinga Raju!!!

All these names have been in the news long enough. But after all the dust settled down, media's interest in satyam dropped, as it did not offer them the same leverage that it once offered. But, the real problem is far from over. On one of my rare visits to My orkut profile and to the communities of Satyam for the 2008 and 2009 batch, I was shocked to my core when I learned that the student who had passed out in 2008 and 2009 are still awaiting a joining date from Satyam. Countless number of freshers just stood by the defamed Satyam, and offered to join even for a salary that was substantially less than what was initially offered. How does Satyam respond to all this?

Satyam is now REORGANIZING test for selection (or rather rejection) of these previously selected candidates, and the venue for these tests are only some of the cities, and not all. At the end of it, it is clearly visible that a lot of offers would be revoked, and only a few would finally make it to Satyam.

Now my question to Satyam is why turn your back on those who stood by you?

Where are the thackray's and other ministers that took stands during Jet airway's recent lay off act?

Isn't Mahindra responsible enough to absorb all these students, can't they out place the students to other partner organizations?

Isn't anyone thinking of the state of minds these students ? This is supposed to be the start of their career.

Ambitiousminds.net will stand up for these students. Please forward the link of the article to everyone you know. Please stand up for these people, and show that you support them by putting in your name and email into the comments of this post.

Let's stand up for all those, who did what was right and now are paying the cost for it.

If you are from the media, please cover this story in your magazine, newspaper, blog.

Do we have someone with little brains in shivsena, et al.

2010-02-20T07:27:00.003-08:00

Ambitiousminds mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for.
Everytime I look at the newspaper all i read about is that some thackrey saying "mumbai belongs to maharastra and the people of it." Then there would be a celebrated personality who will take a counter stand and then the goons will create menace all around mumbai. Honestly, i am sick and tiered of all this, and so are other people of india. When people across the globe are talking about the great india story, we are facing the biggest racial crisis back home. My question to all the thackrays are do you really want to stop the people, form UP and Bihar, from immigrating into mumbai? So first look for the incentive that brings them to mumbai.
The only reason these people infiltrate into metropolitans, such as mumbai, is the lack of career opportunities in their small towns. So these people have no other option than to come to a big city to try thier luck.
So, now if thackrays really want to stop them from coming to mumbai, just do one small things either close down all such industries in mumbai that can offer work to these fellows OR start promoting organizations to open up such centres in UP, Bihar and all such smaller cities. Try opening up more schools and improve the standard of living of these people.
The solutions and the choices are simple, but the question is whether someone can really bring some intellect to this scenario.
Lakshey Gangwani
Ambitiousminds.net

What brought down the Satyam empire.

2010-02-20T07:27:00.001-08:00

Ambitiousmids mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for.
It has been more than an year since Mr. Ramalinga Raju admitted that the books of Satyam were actually cooked.
The amazing thing is that everyone pointed fingers at satyam and critized Mr. Raju, as if satyam is the only organization who had every cooked books in india. Trust me!!! Satyam is presently not, and nor will it be any time in future. Does someone remember the disperency in the number of the telcos.
So, this brings us back to the question that when so many people were cooking books, why did Ramalinga raju admit all this now.
Let's think about this with an insentive perspective. So there is man who has been over reporting numbers for years now, what would motivate him to disclose all this now.
The answer is UPAID. Heard that name before?
Satyam a couple of years ago while working with intellectual property ( specifically patents) had been very very casual and unprofessional. So, UPAID ended up filling a 1 billion dollar suit agains Satyam, now the management knew that the over reported profits, that did not exist, would not be availble in case satyam lost the UPAID case, so everyone would know about the book cooking that has been going on in Satyam for years now. So, satyam decided to acquire Mytas for an overly expensive price, and faced critisism all around. So, the only step left was to admit it all, and that is what you have heard last January.
People might give you different reasons, but the truth lies in the vicinity of Intellectual Property.
Lakshey Gangwani
Ambitiousminds.net

Motivation to move ahead

2010-02-20T07:26:00.001-08:00

Ambitiousminds mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for
While sitting in the metro from rajiv chowk to noida, i am asking myself what is life all about?
Is it about the fat pay checks?
Is it about having the bet car in the town?
Or is it about a social status?
What is it all about?
To be honest each of these have been a motivation for me during some part or the other of my life, and it has been a driving force for me. But these motivitation are just so perishable that you will need a newer one every now and then. But, there is one motivation that can always keep you going, if you want you will never lose it from your life. Be it with or without a job or money but you will never lose this motivation.
Wanna know what this motivation is ?
It is the constant motivation to IMPROVE as a person, professional, boyfriend or any other role you play in your life. I know it sounds very bookish, but this is one motivation that will always keep you going, if you dnt have a job, improve in other aspects of your life. Just look at the bigger picture. Your life has so many aspects to it. You just need to change your viewing glass towards life.
It might sound as if i am preaching, may be i am. But, i am giving you an opportunity to execute and lead by example in front of people that really matter to you.
Lakshey Gangwani
Ambitiousmind.net

Relationships & investment

2010-02-07T19:36:00.001-08:00

Investing your money is no different than be in a relationship. Sounds intresting? Read on.
Since the last few months i have been studing investment styles and relationships.
So here is a cross linkage of the two.

Style 1: orthodox investor
These people would keep all their investment in home owned safe or at best in a saving bank ( a guy marrying a girl, whose face he will directly see on the first night, that too if he is really lucky) this is an age old investment style for people who want safety of capital, even though they would watch inflation turn thier cash into clunker.

Style 2: Arranged investor
These are the investors who question the traditional investment tool, but still end up selecting one of them. Akin to arrange marriages, you have the option to say yes or no, but the choice will be that of the parents. This is slightly better than the previous one, as there is a high probabilty that you might be able to fight of inflation in future.

Style 3: ortho turning mod
This is the most intresting transition of all, because even though it is called a transition. It is Truly not a transition. These people are really long term investors. They are open to a lot of investment tool, but will keep them foreover. Similar to the boy who is always on the look out for an intresting female in his own community, but still wants his choice to prevail.

Style 4: conservative mod
These are the next generation investors who are open to risks and returns. They look towards equity and related instruments for investment. This is the guy who interacts with females, and believes very strongly in the institution of marriage. But, is not conservative about community etc.

Style 5: aggresive mod
This is the high on adrenaline investor or let's say trader. He would screen stocks, do research. Pick up high beta stock and then would just be in and out of stock holding. Probably, the guy who gets into a lot of relationship and finally gets married to one of them.

Style 6: casonova trader
This is one guy, who everyone wants to be.
He would have huge cash reserves, and would investment in all kind of derivatives and will hold multiple short positions in the market. His life is fun filled with ups and downs happenings almost everyday. I guess this one needs no introduction. This is one guy who would drive the best cars. Would be always around the best chicks and will have one night stands. Fun filled life. But when things go wrongs here, you either end up paying a lot of money for cash setlement (wink!) or taking a very expensive delivery (Wink! Wink!).
Most people are always moving between one or the other style and honestly thats the best way to go, depending on your risk appetite and return hunger.
Lakshey gangwani
Ambitiousminds mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for

Confessions of an Ambitiousmind: straight from the heart

2010-02-05T10:22:00.001-08:00

It has been 32 months since I passed out of college. Things have been changing all around me. After every few months I ask this question was this really me?
Whether it be a college picture, where I was really lean or the grammatical disasters I wrote in my school. Life has been changing constantly. There have been a few highs in life, but the lows have not been far behind. Couple this to the fact, that I am a real analyzer. I would thoroughly analyze situation and yes sometimes I end up over analyzing.
But, one thing that I have almost certainly decided when I passed out and even holds ground today is the fact that I would stand for each ambition that has been valuable to me. I knew the times ahead would be tough, but I decided to be tougher. I was aware that the hurdles would be bigger than before, but so will be my leaps. I decided not settle for good, but to strive to be great. I decided not to be scared to do things that are difficult, but important. I decided to fight till the very end. I decided to loose some battles, but surely remerge to win the ultimate WAR. For once, I will not let the criticism weigh on me. For once, I will let my ambitions be my fuel. I am not sure if I will ever make it to the dreams I have thought of. But, I am sure that everyday of my life I will inch towards it. I will fly for a few days, might walk on others, but will not stop even if I have to crawl towards my ambitions.
Let us all stand up for our ambitions in life, because if you will not stand up for your ambitions now, soon someone else would stand on them.
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Lakshey gangwani

Microsoft-in a battle of its own

2010-01-29T00:02:00.000-08:00

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Microsoft came out with its Q3 results yesterday, and let me just tell you the results were nothing less than spectacular. A whopping 60% jump. On deeper analysis of the environment around microsoft, i reliazed that the battle that microsoft is fighting is rather a fascinating one. On one side, it has steve jobs' apple that is swiftly making a mark into the desktop and laptop space with its mac computer and mac book. The preloaded mac os is surely giving windows a run for its money. On the second side, it has google that is keen on displacing it from the mobile os space, and may be from the desktop amd laptop space with the launch of its andriod mobile os and rumors of the same for the desktop has also surfaced. All this seems like normal business practices. What is fascinating is the way steve balmer led microsoft responded to this. Microsofts clear cut strategy is that you enter my yard, i will enter yours. This was quite prominent from the launch of the zune media player in response to Apple's ipod...and now the launch fo bling to go heads on with google's search. Bluntly, microsoft believes that is really a big company with out of the box product line and the muscle to win in almost any business environment, only the people tend to differ. What a psuedo believe microsoft is living in. Microsoft seems to be the perfect analogy to the mythological Indian daemon kumbkaran( the one who slept always irrespective of the conditions arnd). Mr. Balmer it is time to wake up and compete with your strengths and not back clash ventures.
Lakshey gangwani
From my windows mobile phone.
Ambitiousminds mobile--the mobility your opinions have been looking for

Rockstar speech delivered by Obama, but will there be any execution

2010-01-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

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Today, Obama delivered the first union of state for his tenure. To be honest, i was pleasantly surprised with the amount of breath he covered, and more with the way he reached out to tell the people how he understood what the common US citzen is going through. To summarize it, the speech was a high on the "USA feel good factor." accompanied withh 88 standing applauses and High adrenaline words was enoughto charge up the envioronment. The Charge was so high that it could be felt in my living room. But, the question is can he deliver what he promises or this is just a build up for the november mid elections.
One point that really stood out at least for me was revoking the bill that president clinton once passed and barred homosexual from being a part of the US army. I just loved the stunned looks on the faces of the ivy army men, out there.
But, what i still believe is that Obama is missing the trick one more time with issues regarding India and china. Why does'nt someone in the white house steps back and looks at the bigger value chain. The american citizen dnt need to compete with dudes from india and china(this may sound contrary to our earlier post). They can only suceed when the American citizens move higher in the value chain. No amount of tax benifits, subsidy , etc can bring down the cost of an american to that of an indian or chinese. Moreover, obama wants to beat up the opponent in a game they are stronger in. That is not happening. That is just not happening!!! Not now!!! And not even in this decade...untill the dollar crumbles or US citizens go crazy to work for peanuts. Why does'nt Obama puts these resources into sectors china and india are lagging behind in. Like innovation, green technology( he mentioned about it), education, infrastructure etc etc. IT is really time for the Obama administration to look for a new path, as the current one is filled with uncovered manholes.
Lets just hope that someone show them a sign board regarding the issues involving jobs.
Lakshey gangwani
Ambitiousminds mobile--The mobility your opinions have been looking for.