Digital Provide: From Good to Gold

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 17:43:00 +0000

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Moments in Transition

by Neerja Raman

            Giveaway ends March 30, 2018.



            See the giveaway details
            at Goodreads.

India Story - numbers or percentages?

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 16:58:00 +0000

My India Railway ticket story brought me good news and bad - good because I got instant comments and so I know someone out there reads my stuff; bad because two of the comments were from folks who missed the point of the story. Remember, this blog is biased towards enabling businesses with a social mission - my India story is to highlight how in India, while 300 million people live at the speed of internet, 700 million operate at the speed of bullock carts (I agree they don't pollute). So in terms of numbers - its India shining indeed! In terms of percentages, we still have the lowest internet penetration of any country in the world - this includes African countries.

I am in India now. In Gurgaon - I have great Airtel internet service - in a tower where backup power comes in 30 seconds if grid power is lost - this morning power has cycled fifteen times already - every time that happens - internet router dies and then comes back up and then dies etc. So its taken me all morning to do one email - and one blog. Its not about being in the stone age - its recognizing that we need to help ourselves - the rest of the world sees the 300 million as competition - we need to see the other 700 and do something.
(Author note - this post was written a while back - But the point is still valid)

Hijacked by a Hair Commercial

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 20:08:00 +0000

I typically don't watch videos on Facebook (too slow to surf) but there is no avoiding the My Choice video featuring Deepika Paukone by Vogue India. So I did and my first reaction was - good thing!

Wait wait wait .. I just saw the pretty face and who can disagree with a women's empowerment message? I like it I said to myself and moved on.

But something nagged - a voice in the back of my head asked -am I being manipulated? How do I show that I chose? By flapping my hair and showing a sexy body?

How do I learn to be strong? How do I learn not be a victim? How do I have the courage to leave home if forced into marrying a man 3 times my age?

Sure it is my choice not to have acid dropped on my face - but how do I enforce the choice?

Have better hair? Be more glamorous? Choose to hurt people by loving them and leaving them?

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose" somebody said (Pete Townsend?) and sure I am free to choose - responsibly - unless I have nothing left to lose.

But I do - I am woman yes. I am mother, wife, employer,employee, social activist and a great supported of women in technical professions. Does this video want to mold me into an image I find limiting?

Personally I like the story of the woman who gave her groom a math test at the altar and when he flunked simple addition she chose to stand up and walk away. I would share that video.

Normally I don't nit-pick but I just want to put it out there - Women's empowerment is much too important a topic to be hijacked by hair.

A Better World Faster - Social Impact Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 18:57:00 +0000

Normally I do not toot the horn for superginormous companies figuring they have enough muscle already. But I want to give a shout out to Google for this one - To mark India's Independence Day this year, they launched the social Impact challenge in India - A Better World, Faster.

Copied from thier website below:

The Google Impact Challenge has launched in India in an effort to support innovators who are exploring new ways to solve the world's most pressing problems. If you’re an Indian non-profit, tell us how you would use technology and innovative approaches to tackle problems in India and around the world. Four selected non-profits will each receive a Rs 3 crore Global Impact Award and assistance from Google to help make their project a reality.

5th September 2013 - Final day to apply to the Google Impact Challenge.
21st October 2013 - Google announces the finalists, and the public votes online for their favourites.
31st October 2013 - Each finalist team will pitch its idea to an esteemed panel of judges at an event in Delhi. Four finalists, including the non-profit chosen by the public vote, will be announced as Global Impact Award recipients.

If you missed it this year I have heard it may become annual - so watch for it next year.

Is a Yes Attitude same as Can-Do?

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 19:03:00 +0000

Lately, I have been reading about the new management buzzwords around Yes Attitude and for the longest time I really couldn't see any difference between the "Yes Attitude" and what we used to call a "can-do" attitude in the old days. Whether you have a good day or bad all depends on your attitude we would say. But then I read Guy Kawasaki's blog on the topic and decided I needed to give it one more try.

I did a test - but instead of using a work situation I tried it with my 4 year old grandson. Our disagreements usually center around meals - his standard response when offered food is "I'm not hungry" and a scoot to the opposite side of the room and I generally scoot after him with little success at least as measured by amount of food consumed. So this time I said Yes - ok. lets do something else. The difference was not just saying it while having a hidden agenda of getting him to eat later (this kid has a sixth sense you wouldn't believe). I did need to bring up the topic later again but I would say the yes attitude, i.e. delay the negotiation till the recipient is in a different frame of mind versus the can-do attitude which is lets get it done now since its a "win-win" delivered a better result.

So yeah, I decided a "Yes attitude" is different - its about aligning people; the can-do is about aligning the job at hand. What do you think?

Technology and Education: The Good and the Good

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:54:00 +0000

Sometimes good things happen in twos.
First, Co-hosted by MediaX and Pratham, we successfully launched the first in a series of vibrant conversations with industry change-makers and social pioneers on "Technology and Education: Creating Innovative Ways to Learn".

Second, my book chapter Digital Provide: Education Beyond Borders published in 2011 IGI Global title, “Streaming Media Delivery in Higher Education“, was recently chosen for indexing in the Thomson Reuters Book Citation Index - i.e somebody thinks its great research and worth reading!. Here is the abstract below:

In the last ten years, the world has witnessed immense advances in media and Internet technologies. Through examination of the use of social media, virtual collaboration platforms, and live streamed access to images, graphics, and video, this chapter offers a new approach to education which calls for leaders to use technology to inform and connect teachers, students, and the community. Similar to the changes in the entertainment industry, educational institutions can adopt an interactive, collaborative, and socially aware model of knowledge creation to engage more students and encourage innovation in issues of global scope. The value of making this change is examined through curricula that stress multidisciplinary projects and provide hands on experiential learning. Lacking the market forces of the entertainment industry, being primarily supported by public funds, education institutions face more legal, political and business model barriers. However, the benefits of digital media so far outweigh the risks that the next decade will see the emergence of learning environments that provide as much of a quantum leap in pedagogy as did the advent of the printing press more than five hundred years ago. Examples of the emotional appeal of digital media combined with the relatively low cost of scaling with the Internet are provided as impetus to overcome resistance to change in creating new institutions of learning.

TIE Women's Forum- May 18, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:38:00 +0000

Get your views heard! Do you think technology is helping or hurting education? TiE Silicon Valley is holding a Women's Forum on May 18 and my topic is Education and Technology: Bridging the Gap. I want to know what you think - email me, comment on this blog or take a poll. In my experience more women are interested in quality education than men, yet technology use in schools lags other industries. Whether it is personal or business women can make a huge impact in this field. - I will update this blog with the results of this survey- stay tuned!

The Official Union Square San Francisco blog. Follow us for shopping, local tips and restaurants. | Union Square

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 23:26:00 +0000

Winter in Union Square: Cashmere History and Tips from Pashma : link Business Improvement District, BID Blog, Union Square

Jacquard Scarf from Pashma

Are you keeping warm in cashmere this winter? The cashmere experts from Pashma want to give you some fun info and handy pointers on how to take care of your cashmere.
**Guest Blog Post by The team from Pashma on Maiden Ln.
Delicate, beautiful, luxurious cashmere is what we specialize in at Pashma, so we thought we’d share a little bit of our knowledge on this highly prized fabric with you this week. It’s a great way to keep warm and stylish during the winter months! Cashmere’s story begins in the harsh yet serene land of Ladakh in Kashmir. The Pashm goat yields the finest fiber which is gathered by combing during the molting period in the spring.
Cashmere has been made for 1000’s of years. In medieval times, European traders found a ready market for their luxury goods in India while the splendor of the Raj influenced western ideas of art, luxury and style. Because of their fabulous wealth, the Indian princely families had the means to possess anything they fancied. With time, western brands started integrating Indian art and style into their designs. Pashma was born with a vision to cement a place for Indian textile art forms in the global luxury sphere. Taking inspiration from the weaving traditions of India and the extraordinarily opulent lifestyle of Indian Royalty, our love affair with cashmere commenced.
All of Pashma’s products are made in our own unique workshops that are a great example of modern manufacturing technology coexisting with primitive art forms. Spinning systems from Biella sit alongside hand-looms while digital printing machines exist alongside some intricately hand-blocked wood blocks that realize some of the most exquisite lithographs. The classic Jacquard pattern has its origins in the Jamawar shawls and blankets favored by the royals of Kashmir. Pashma has recently released a limited edition all cashmere Jamawar wrap – a Jacquard weave collection where each piece is unique and hand crafted. Unbelievably soft, warm yet light, we’re excited to continue this tradition.
Unlike other fabrics, you can’t just throw cashmere in the wash – it needs special attention. You can dry clean it, but it’s better to hand wash. Here’s what to do:
1. Use gentle baby shampoo, no harsh soaps. You can even use baby conditioner to restore pH after washing.
2. Gently agitate your garment in cool or lukewarm water - do not twist or wring it out! Rinse by dipping your garment in cool soap-free water a few times.
3. Pat yur garment dry and spread flat preferably on a netted surface for even airing.
4. Make sure to be extra careful around foods – especially acidic or fatty foods. If you do happen to have a little food accident, wash your cashmere immediately using this technique.
Pashma is a luxury brand from India that is inspired by arts and crafts from around the world. It constantly flirts with the boundaries between fashion and wearable art. We are located at 29 Maiden Ln. For more info, visit us online at www.pashma.com or call (415) 738-8806.
Post by Neerja Raman: Neerja is a retired technology executive and author who currently writes the blog “From Good to Gold” on business ventures that deliver social as well as environmental benefit. Ms. Raman is at Stanford as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar. She is co-owner of Pashma, Maiden Lane and is fascinated by new opportunities at the intersection of art, technology and sustainability.

A Burning Platform: Education- Business or Social?

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:49:00 +0000

Its so good to see one of my predictions coming to pass. You know what they say - if you are building glass houses be prepared to chew glass? Well I have been chewing glass for a while. So I was thrilled to read the article "Cable TV's Discovery enters classrooms with digital textbooks" in San Jose Mercury, Aug 21, 2012, by B. Barnes and A.Chozick. If it is finally making a headline in print media, page 1 even, Business section, it must be true. "Educational content is core to our DNA, and we're unencumbered - unlike traditional book publishers, we're not defending a dying business" they quote David Zaslav, strategist, Discovery Communications.

I have been predicting for a while that it is the media businesses not print publishers that will enable the transformation. But the problem, why this transformation is slow to the point of not happening, is that the spending on books, while huge, is a fraction of an industry that is publicly funded.

Change is often inspired using the image of a burning platform: better risk jumping off (into the unknown) than stay standing (where death is certain) on a platform on fire. High cost and limited reach are burning platforms for educational institutions. Conventional K-12 textbooks are a $3 billion industry with additional $4 billion in teacher guides. Big $$s you say, but taxpayers, fund the enormous education industry not markets. Converting personal risk into economic risk can work in the private sector where markets are quick to react but in publicly funded endeavors, like Education, where market factors play a subordinate role, for established businesses, the burning platform doesn't work - the image is closer to that of a frog in a pot of water that is slowly heated: the frog does not or doesn't want to, see the danger till it is too late and you know what happens then. Digital technology addresses both issues - cost and reach and it has transformed television, film-making and even print media. Yet change has been lagging in education. Maybe that is about to change.
(Excerpted from: Digital Provide: Education Beyond Borders by Neerja Raman, in book Streaming Media Delivery in Higher Education: Methods and Outcomes by C. Wankel, J. Sibley Law, IGI lobal 2011)

Brick-And-Mortar meets Bits-And-Bytes

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:23:00 +0000

Good news for small business owners everywhere, local boutiques like mine (Pashma) and mega shopping districts like Union Square in SFO which rely on real people with real feet that wander around, shop, eat, laugh and play to create ambiance and a festive atmosphere.

Amidst all the hype around the benefits of e-retail, Bonobos, so far only an online clothing retailer, recently announced a partnership with Nordstrom, embracing the brick-and-mortar selling model.

Nothing replaces touch and feel when it comes to the joy of shopping and this announcement is a sign of times to come; back-to-the-future you might say. Change often generates a mentality of replacement - video will replace movies in theaters, online ads will replace paper advertising or e-selling will replace brick-and-mortar.

Well not so fast! To quote Mark Twain, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated".

Sorry - My disc crashed - rebuilding

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:07:00 +0000

This is a test post - post disc crash

Stanford E-Week : Idea to Implementation - Media X at the intersection

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Get an insider view of the Stanford research ecosystem where , technology begets social transformation - Join us during Stanford E-week:

Monday, March 5, 6:00 - 7:30 PM #100 Cordura HallIdea to Implementation - Media X at the Intersection

Media X panel during the Stanford Entrepreneurial Week

Neerja Raman, moderator

Chuck House, Chancellor Cogswell College, Emeritus Media X

Franny Lee, Assoc. Dir. Stanford Intellectual Property Exchange

Chao King and Hiroshi Tomita, Konica Minolta Systems Lab

How does a research project evolve to a product? The Stanford Intellectual Property Exchange provides an example.

Google, SUN Microsystems, Yahoo - just a few of the highly successful companies with research roots from Stanford University. Sometimes the business community pulls ideas out of the university. Sometimes the university pushes them out. Along the way from idea to success, many organizations and individuals get involved, providing talent, information and capital. This innovation ecosystem of relationships, catalysts and resources is part of Stanford's secret sauce.

This panel will highlight some of the critical entrepreneurial enablers that have given life to a research idea introduced in 2006 and developed into a technology that is transforming the way people can monetize and use online content created by themselves and others.

Pashma: Textile Art Meets High Fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:16:00 +0000

My 15 year history with digital printing had not prepared me for a career in high fashion. A trip to Delhi awakened me to the revolution digital printing has wrought in the Fashion world. Sure, at HP, we had promoted our inkjet printers as suitable for personal creative expression on various media including textiles at shows and tech gatherings. But the application seemed to me boutique, never imagining the potential for unleashing the creativity of fashion designers. While attending the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Show for Pashma, I got a chance to tour the exhibition and check out designer ware. The first thing I noticed was the profusion of color, right after that the complexity of designs and then the fact that no two designs were alike. Gone are the bolts and bolts of fashion wear made from the same polka dotted print, checks or paisley. Using inkjet technology in digital textile printing allows for single pieces, mid-run production and even long-run alternatives to screen printed fabric.

Every designer now has the option of not just designing the cut of the dress but also the print and vary the print to suit the fall line of the cloth. And India with its rich heritage of color, art and creativity has transformed this technology into fabulous fashion. Printing on textile even has its own name now - DTG or direct to garment printing, "DTG, digital garment printing is a process of printing on textiles and garments using specialized or modified inkjet technology. Inkjet printing on fabric is also possible with an inkjet printer by using fabric sheets with a removable paper backing. Today major inkjet technology manufacturers can offer specialized products designed for direct printing on textiles, not only for sampling but also for bulk production." says wikipedia.

My eulogy for Steve Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank Garg) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:43:00 +0000

I have been pondering over the many undoubted achievements of Steve Jobs but would have to stop short of any hagiographic treatment that he is now getting. The kind of media frenzy that is going on is absolutely unquestioned. I don't hear many contrary points of view. Was he perfect? I doubt it. While Steve Jobs has left the world a bit better than ever, do we have to put him up on a pedestal? I think not.

Despite the sleekness and the universal appeal of his products, I have to say I have never owned one except for the lowly Apple Touch (an iPhone-, something between an iPod and an iPhone). Frankly, I found no great value in this particular product and I suspect this experience may have put me off Apple for ever. For example, I could never get it to work with WiFi at home. Setting the WEP/WPA pass-phrase was always an extremely frustrating exercise for me because my password was often a complex pass-phrase and not a dumb password. I finally got it right when I purchased a rubberized stylus. Did that show great usability?

Since I haven't used other Apple products since then, I cannot say how much of Apple technology I might have missed out on over the years but I do know that my freedom of choice is intact!!

I developed a wireless tablet (Mobilis) way back in 2004, several years before the famed iPad. We also developed the Simputer, a wireless PDA, way back in 1999-2000 time-frame. We developed these products around the Linux operating system. From that deep personal experience I learned more than a few lessons.

One important lesson is that product development is not always about technology, but how you market a product that separates the men from the boys. On that count, I guess I am still a curious 59-year old boy, and happy to be so!!

The other important lesson is that the consumer experience must be designed in at the foundation level of product conceptualization.

On both counts, my conclusion would be that the current iPad is a great consumer product, state-of-the-art as far as usability is concerned but well behind the technology-curve.

I would certainly give Steve full marks for developing great products and I have respect for his meticulous and relentless focus on perfection. Summary: great, elegant products with great usability features, but with severe constraints on your personal freedom.

The third lesson I learned from the Simputer and Mobilis experience is that while open-source software gives a designer the power to leverage into his product, it also passes on that power to the end-user. This is a transitive relationship which enables the product to evolve in the hands of the designer and the user. What would the user do with that enabling power is not for me to say. What would I do with freedom anyway? Is that a question that merits an answer?

I have always valued my personal freedom, and enjoyed the freedom to do whatever I want with a product once I have bought it. Whether I load incompatible applications and trash the warranty is entirely up to me.

Don't we all add our own add-ons when we purchase a set of wheels or buy a new condo? Could I get such freedom from an Apple product?

While elegance and sleekness of design are highly desirable attributes in a product, I prefer the personal freedom to do what I want with the product on which I put down my hard earned money. Is that freedom available to me with an Apple product? I have so many Android choices available to me if I want to buy a smart-phone or a wireless tablet.

As a technology-savvy person, I have no fear when I load software from different sources or something I may have developed. That is the power of the open-source. I know "open-source" is a matter of religion for many and is definitely not for the faint-of-heart. But then, freedom is also not for the faint-of-heart. Freedom has to be fought for at every step with eternal vigilance.

Isn't Apple some sort of religion too?

The obvious question I could be asked is, "how is the average user constrained in his or her freedom by purchasing an Apple product?". The counter argument I would pose to you would be another set of questions, "Why do you want to be clubbed with the average user? Why not strike out on you own and experiment. Let the product evolve and be personalized for you by you, if possible. Isn't this the freedom you exercise in your social and political decisions? If so, why get constrained when you buy a product?"

Richard Stallman couldn't have put it any better. Here is an extract from a new item I recently read somewhere:

(Quote)
One of Jobs' greatest critics wouldn't even honour his business achievements. Free Software Foundation's Richard Stallman eulogised Jobs as "the pioneer of the computer as a jail made cool, designed to sever fools from their freedom."

"We all deserve the end of Jobs' malign influence on people's computing," said the high-tech renegade and father of the free software movement.

"Unfortunately, that influence continues despite his absence. We can only hope his successors, as they attempt to carry on his legacy, will be less effective."
(Unquote)

I don't particularly care for Steve's riding roughshod over his employees and business associates but I am concerned if as a paying user I am told there are things I cannot do with my product.

So, by all means, let us eulogize Steve Jobs as a great business leader, a great human-being and a great inventor to be respected for his contributions, but let us carefully weigh the pros and cons of freedom versus constraints.

Freedom should reign supreme!!

Shashank

Magsaysay Award for Harish Hande, SELCO

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:45:00 +0000

Wonderful and well deserved: Harish Hande, of Bangalore founder SELCO, has received the Magsaysay Award, often described as the Nobel Prize of Asia. Congratulations. Selco Solar Pvt. Ltd,, founded as a social enterprise, is a provider of solar power technology to the poor.

Additionally from Carl Pope, Chairman, The Sierra Club:

Now two of our key India partners are being similarly recognized, and it honors us to be associated with them. The Barefoot University, led by Bunker Roy, was the first winner of the Sierra Club's Green Livelihoods Award and has now received Japan's prestigious environmental award, the Blue Planet Prize.

http://www.skollfoundation.org/barefoot-college-wins-625000-environmental-award/.

And one of our key on-the-ground partners, Harish Hande, of the Solar Electric Company of Bangalore (SELCO), has received the Magsaysay Award. http://bit.ly/pgwoIx

It's fantastic to see the wonderful work done by these two organizations recognized, and I want to thank our India pioneers and friends for helping the Club identify and support them.

thanks Carl.

2011 Knight Foundation Challenge awardee: FrontlineSMS

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:23:00 +0000

FrontlineSMS developed by Digital Vision Fellow Ken Banks founder of The Kiwanja Foundation, is one of 16 projects Knight Foundation has selected as winners of the fifth Knight News Challenge . Details:
Award: $250,000
Project Lead: Sean McDonald
Web link: www.frontlinesms.com
Twitter: @frontlinesms

FrontlineSMS: Media will create a new platform that allows journalists to more effectively use text messaging to inform and engage rural communities. The Frontline SMS platform already enables users in underserved areas to organize interactions with large numbers of people via text messages, a laptop and a mobile phone – without the need for the Internet. This grant will enable FrontlineSMS to expand its software platform and work with community radio stations and other rural journalists.

Full list here.
Congratulation to Ken and all the 2011 winners.

In-depth Interview: Dr. Madhav Chavan (June 10, 2011) | Opinion Blog | Stanford Social Innovation Review

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:32:00 +0000

Rahim Kanani interview: Quote "Dr. Madhav Chavan, co-founder, president, and CEO of Pratham, and a 2011 recipient of the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship. Pratham is the largest nongovernmental organization working to provide quality education to the underprivileged children of India. It was established in 1994 to provide education to the children in the slums of Mumbai city. Since then, the organization has grown both in scope and geographical coverage." Check out the interview:

In-depth Interview: Dr. Madhav Chavan (June 10, 2011) Opinion Blog Stanford Social Innovation Review

Women Creating Jobs, for Themselves and Others

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:55:00 +0000

3,818 jobs. That's right - that's the number of jobs created by entrepreneurs who graduated in 2010 from the Women's Initiative for Self Employment curriculum in the bay area. Women's Initiative, a non-profit, provides low-income, high-potential women with the training, funding and ongoing support to start their own businesses and become financially self-sufficient. The women who go through the program significantly increase their income and assets while launching businesses, creating jobs and stimulating the local economy. The stories of Laura Leon and Reign Free I heard at the 2011 Gala as guest of HP Social Innovation, energised and helped celebrate the spirit of women leadership. It was also great to see how the Women's Initiative organisation has grown and is able to empower women to become income providers instead of charity seekers. What I find distinguishes Women's Initiative from others is that they provide a full service - which includes not just the initial training but also start-up funding and then helps them build connections (they call the 3 steps Train, Fund, Propel) thus creating a larger support system for its graduates that increases chances of success. Appropriately, reflecting this philosophy the 2011 Gala was called "Connecting Women on the Rise".
Get connected. Get Inspired.

Cross-cultural Management in the age of Cultural Flattening

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 23 May 2011 17:32:00 +0000

After 35 years work experience in the US, I taught my first ever course in India on entrepreneurship, and realised that the notion of cross-cultural management, a mainstay of human resource professionals, is an idea past its prime. Superficially, dress, food preferences, language, art knowledge, there are differences, but fundamentally e.g. motivation, values, relationships, people are people.

The monumental change Internet and mobile digital information has wrought, I would argue, is that the notion of "culture" is rendered obsolete; and this is a good thing. Today, its about being aware of yourself and of others; its about individual choice more than the culture a person grew up in; focus on what is hard-wired vs. what is social (read culture) conditioning.

Globalization, social media and access to high quality visuals at Internet speed have had a "flattening" effect not just on business but also social mores. In Art Kleiner's Strategy+Business article A Long-Wave Theory on Today’s Digital Revolution, historian Elin Whitney-Smith observes: "in each new information revolution, decision rights have been pushed lower in the organization. One of the social innovations of the electric information revolution was the train conductor. He was a working-class individual, but he wore a suit and tie and carried a watch. He could say “all aboard!” to an aristocrat and the aristocrat would have to get on the train or get left behind. That was a huge social innovation." That metaphor now applies across countries and cultures. As long as an individual has a vested interest in ensuring long term success of the organisation, in this case keeping trains running on schedule for the greater benefit, decision making overlooks culture defined norms, be it hierarchy, race, and even religion. Information access, whether in a business, societal or personal context, means that culturally defined rights and wrongs just become data points and not defining criterion.

There is a rub though. More so than ever, "cultural flattening" underscore the need to understand practical considerations imposed by geography and economic circumstance because cultural cues that help awareness are now missing. The digital armchair traveller may intellectually understand poverty but cannot experience hunger. A false understanding can lead to wrong decisions.

We say that “cultural awareness does not focus on a specific region of the world, but instead requires general sensitivity to other cultures.” Overall I agree with this– just replace culture with “circumstance” (this is important because circumstance can be changed, culture not so easily). By and large though, from food to fashion, social class to religious custom, "unity in diversity" has changed from a slogan to reality.

Social E-Challenge: Final Round

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:16:00 +0000

The annual BASES Social E-Challenge, a student-run social entrepreneurship business plan competition, where I mentor, will be hosting its final round event Wednesday, May 18th at Stanford University. Our finalists are:

Foresight Medical is a low cost device for cervical cancer screening, a disease that kills 270,000 woman a year.
Culture Kitchen is a social enterprise that seeks to connect immigrant women in the U.S. with female American “foodies” interested in learning to cook authentic ethnic cuisine, by creating a culinary and cultural forum focused on empowerment.
1/2 PROJECT champions the idea of giving on a small scale through everyday common purchases, instead of large annual gifts that require more financial commitment.
Juntos Finanzas creates innovative personal finance tools that empower first generation Latino communities.

The finalists were chosen after multiple rounds from the following:

1/2 PROJECT
AquaNation
Axis
Biological Processing of Milk Wastewater
Culture Kitchen
D3W: Diagnostic Devices for the Developing World
DesiHaat
Foresight Medical
Gram Power
Juntos
Milaap.org
NextDrop
PLANT ELEMENTS
PublicVine
The College Gap
WorldMedSchool

India Calling? First Answer the Question WII-FM?

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 09 May 2011 22:31:00 +0000

The "India Calling", themed SAMBAA event on May 9, where I was a panelist, drew an astonishingly accomplished, enthusiastic, energetic and diverse audience with a range of interests (renewable to retail, rural to lifestyle). However almost everyone I chatted with (before as well as after the panel) had one underlying question in common: If I go to India, will it work out (be successful)?

Its easy and appropriate to answer this vaguely.. well it really depends on what you want .. depends on what your goals are ..etc. because that is the reality. But as I think about it I realise this question can be handled like a corporate re-organisation where the first question that pops into my head is :What's In It For Me or WII-FM?

So, go ahead, if you are considering a move to India have some fun with the following questions:
Q1 - Is moving to India a major strategic career change for you?
Your answer is NO if there is no financial downside to you such as loss of a paycheck (e.g. if your company is opening office in India and will move you or its a paid internship etc etc) and my advice is move to India but don't burn any bridges in US and while in India keep up with your contacts. A major career change often requires you to give up something or making an investment.
Q2 - What is the benefit or why do you want to move to India?
Most common answers to this one are - I want my children to grow up in India or I want to be with aging parent. Both are good reasons and you may have others but if you cannot clearly articulate a benefit it means your answer is NO and you should shelve the idea till you figure this out. I phrase the question as a benefit to you because other common answers I get are : I want to give back or I want to do good and those are poor success predictors and indeed are good reasons for you to stay here and engage with India in other ways.
Q3 - With this pre work done you are ready to answer WII-FM? Create a statement, write it down - take the long term view (long depends on what industry you are in - average is 3 years) because while it is easy to move back and forth these days, still some preparation and field work can make your move more fun as well as a personal and career development activity. This question often has to do with what makes you happy - which is important in keeping your attitude positive when things look low. It helps you define boundary conditions.

With this under your belt - its time to talk specifics!

Other topic: Several people brought up spousal agreement. I do believe that if involved parties answer the above questions first individually and then move to a common ground things will go better. Also - if you haven't been to India in the last 2 years - make a trip - some things are just the same but others are radically new.

Most importantly - like other decisions this one too is a heart decision - follow your heart and your head will figure out what to do to make it work.

Mainstreaming Microfinance: Malegam Report and Artoo

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 20:18:00 +0000

Lately, the micro-finance industry reports have been squarely in two opposing camps: unconscionable profiteers or saviours for stimulating the economy for the poorest of poor. If nothing else, the Malegam report, as an official, publicly available document from India, shifts the conversation from sensationalist news items to promote informed debate. Additionally, having regulations (such as the 24% cap on interest rates, 25K rupee limit on loan size, max 2 lenders for 1 client etc) outlined in the report, mainstreams a capital procurement instrument for the poor - a population not served by traditional capital markets.The debate is no longer whether micro-finance works or not- the debate is how to make it work better for the client as well as the lender. While many practitioners view the report favourably, some may argue otherwise; that the Malegam restrictions favor the bigger MFIs or that the industry will no longer be self-sustaining or that the restrictions are unenforceable. I think the report is a fantastic development irrespective of the specifics of the debate because it brings micro-finance into the mainstream.

In addition to all the analyses you can read for yourself (google or follow link above) I have another point to make- The report, with its concrete guidelines will spur technology innovation in bringing down the cost of transactions. IT hardware as well as software exits to bring transparency which reduces corruption and automation to reduce cost/transaction (of the large number of small loans MFI must deal with that raise their costs) but so far the MFI industry has been somewhat tech-averse - it increases risk to take a technology and market risk at the same time after all. With industry benchmarks to follow I believe entrepreneurs as well as established MFIs will be motivated to enlist technology to develop applications specif to the MFI industry.
For a specific example of "technology to the rescue" check out the initial results of start-up Artoo. Sameer Segal, founder of Artoo writes "we truly believe we can help MFIs bring their OER down to meet the new requirements".
Mainstreaming micro-finance will also allow the industry to open up new product offerings (e.g. savings accounts) that further benefit both client and lender.

BASES Bootcamp: Apps due Feb 1

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Be part of one of the nation's most selective national entrepreneurship conferences, held in conjunction by the Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES) and Princeton University's Business Today (BT).

The BASES - BT National Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is an all-expenses-paid trip to Stanford University, including food, lodging, and travel for 110 student delegates. We are committed to a conference focused on bringing together students with brilliant ideas from universities around the nation with founders, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists for an intensive learning experience. We are looking for students with ideas in web/software, biotech, cleantech, social entrepreneurship, etc.
Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of the idea they would like to bring in to develop into reality throughout the conference, and on the potential we feel they have to become outstanding entrepreneurs (see application for more details). We welcome any highly motivated student to apply, regardless of prior experiences.
Held April 7-10, 2011 at Stanford University, this event will feature small-group workshops, keynote addresses, panels, and more — all hosted by the top entrepreneurially-minded people in Silicon Valley and beyond. At the end of the event, participants will have the opportunity to present their business idea in a competitive format. Because the focus of our conference is on applied entrepreneurship, we are looking for undergraduate and graduate students who have the potential to begin transforming their fantastic startup idea into a successful venture.
Applications close on February 1, 2011. Decisions will be emailed to applicants by March 1, 2011. Email all questions to ebootcamp@bases.stanford.edu. Apply now at bases.stanford.edu/e-bootcamp!
Best,
Ruby Lee & Brian Reiser
E-Bootcamp 2011 Co-Directors

Giving feels good: Message from Boond

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:26:00 +0000

Christmas and New Year are the most festive times of the year and the moments when we remember all our near and dear ones. It is a time to share the warmth and make others know that you care and remember.

This year we at Boond decided to make this sharing of warmth and happiness a little easier and inclusive through our `Boond with Christmas` webpage.
http://www.boond.net/boond_christmas.php

From this site you can send your friends and family anywhere in the world Christmas and New Year cards, 2011 calendars and nice ethnic gifts (made by rural artisans supported by our partners www.eyaas.com), and the best part is that all you have to do is choose and give us the recipients address since we will pack, ship and lick the envelopes for you. And better still is that all the proceeds from your order will go towards our Boond campaign for sending Boond Development Kits to Ladakh (rather than a big office building and a know all receptionist). So this means that you will not just share the happiness of the season with your friends and family who you send the gifts but also with those who are spending a dark and cold Christmas in a remote part of India.
Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year
Russ (Cofounder Boond- a social enterprise with a powerful business model)

The Microfinance Debate: What would you do?

noreply@blogger.com (Neerja Raman) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:49:00 +0000

Minimum information and maximum media coverage has created the monster microfinance debate: greedy bloodsucking bankers or saviours of the world?.
I am particularly troubled by the fervor and timing of this debate because Diwali/Christmas/New Year is when, motivated by a spirit of thankfulness and/or spirit of saving on taxes, we do our annual bit of charitable giving. How will you give this year? The Financial Times (thank you FT) article Microfinance: small loan, big snag is a nuanced view with data from many countries. Microfinance is still about lending to people with no collateral; where traditional banking did not lend. That has not changed. What has changed is the desire to scale- more capital to benefit more poor people; while the majority of microfinance institutions, still led by dedicated entrepreneurs, stay true to the mission, different elements (in India, e.g. it is corrupt politicians worried about losing votes if the poor benefit from entrepreneurship who have garnered much media attention) have taken advantage of the situation. This does not mean that sustainability (double bottom line- do good and do well) is inherently impossible. Another FT article Perhaps microfinance isn’t such a big deal after all presents the strategy on how to deal with the pangs of going mainstream. fly under the radar- Just lets tone it down- lets not call microfinance the way to solve every problem - its just banking after all.
How will you donate this year? Whether it is Kiva or Microplace some other form of lending - I urge you to do your own homework - it is complicated and I personally do not know a single greedy bloodsucking banker in the microfinance realm.