Saturday, May 26, 2007

Finally Done

I completed my education on the 24th and was awarded the MBA degree.
The last one year has been challenging and had a lot of surprises for me. I met some very interesting and intellectual people in the program. There are people in my class from whom I have learnt a lot. There are Canadians who have shown me a different perspective of life.

The last one year demanded a lot from me. I had my moments of stress and anxiety but the best lesson that I got out of it was that an MBA is not about aptitude-it is about attitude. Working under intense pressure, managing multiple tasks, having many issues to resolve at the same time made me more determined and forced me to concentrate on the goal.I had to make my set of sacrifices,trade offs and take some risks.

I enjoyed every moment of the program ( yes the stressful ones too!).As the program got more demanding, I discovered some new potential in me (that even I never aware of.)

My parents were here from India and I asked them if they felt I had changed. They said "No" but I know the change that I have undergone in the past one year. Both personally and professionaly,I have learnt a lot. The team based learning had a lot of take aways.

The convocation day was fun.It was on the 24th May and it was also my parents wedding anniversary.And I guess, I couldn't have given them a better gift to them on that day.I want to be a global manager and I felt that an MBA was the first step towards that.

There were a few subjects in the MBA program that I really liked. I always enjoyed attending those sessions.I felt as if I was in a different world when I attended the clases.And I felt really good when I won some awards on the convocation day.
-Derek Russel Award for Excellence in Operations/ Information Technology
-Normanda Sales Corporation and William Deeks Award for higest standing in the elective strategy course
-Tom Burns MBA prize in International Business

I am so happy to complete my MBA today. Here are a few pics of one of the happiest day of my life.


Here are some pics:







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Queen's School of Business Opens Dubai Campus

First Canadian b-school with executive education facility in United Arab Emirates

May 25, 2007
KINGSTON, ON, May 25, 2007 – Queen’s School of Business today became the first Canadian business school to open an executive education facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Courses at the facility, run in collaboration with the Dubai International Finance Center (DIFC), will begin in October 2007.

“As a world leader in business education, we are pleased to bring the Queen’s School of Business approach to managers and executives in this high growth region of the Middle East,” said David Saunders, Dean of Queen’s School of Business. “Queen’s Dubai participants will benefit from the academic excellence, exceptional experience and international reputation that are the hallmarks of every Queen’s program — be they in Canada or with one of our strategic partners around the world.”

Queen’s Dubai will begin by offering programs in strategy, leadership, finance, marketing, human resources and governance. Taught by award-winning Queen’s School of Business faculty, the courses are designed for managers in Dubai seeking professional development.


More here

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Wednesday, May 23, 2007

As I go to bed tonight ,am very excited about tomorrow.I saw this poster on the top of my favorite center at Queen's University - The Stauffer Library and had a big smile on my face.

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Sunday, May 20, 2007

Some Random Pics











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Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Your Online Identities

I read this article now. If you stop for a second and think, you'll realize that there are a lot of places where we leave our trails. A few popular ones..

-Flickr
-Blogger
-Twitter
-Facebook
-Orkut
-My Space
-Second Life
-Chats ( Google,MSN,Yahoo,Skype)
-Joost

Here was an interesting comment in the article:
"With my calendar, my location, my friendships and my opinions all online to be read and remembered, there's little of me left to expose. Perhaps it's time to set up my own streaming video channel on Ustream.tv and broadcast my life to the world. " The article goes on to say that that a recent finding from NSPCC concludes that over half of children have had an 'unwanted experience' online .

The definition of privacy is changing.The children are getting hooked to their online identity.It will be interesting to see if the new identify on the web takes over the one in reality.

A classmate of mine sent an email stating that there was a party in Toronto organized by one of his friends. The ad was impressive. It talked about the DJs,Live Music,Photo Booth and Live Art. Towards the end it had an interesting tag line.
"Get off Facebook. Come Dance" !! :)

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Ours was the last batch of the MBA for Science and Technology progarm and I thought I would list the subjects that we learnt in the last one year:

Stage 01:
Macroeconomic Analysis
Microeconomics
Financial Accounting
Management Accounting
Managing Human Resources and Organizational Behaviour
Business Statistical Models
Business Strategy

Stage 02:
Finance Fundamentals
Marketing Fundamentals
Managing Information Technology
Operations Management
Leadership
Change Management
Business Decision Models
Financial Accounting
Business Strategy

Stage 03:
Financial Accounting
Business Strategy
Marketing Strategy
Finance Strategy
Technology Strategy
Managing New Ventures
International Business
Negotiations and Conflict Management


Stage 04 ( Elective Stream):
Risk Management
Advanced Topics in Marketing
Consumer Research
Project Management
Customer Relationship Management
Marketing of New Ventures
Financing of New Ventures
Global Strategy
Strategic Leadership
New Ventures Project
Management Consulting Project
Corporate Valuation, Mergers & Acquistions and Divestitures Analalysis
Corporate Financing and Captial Budgeting Policies and Procedures
International Finance (Investments)

A Nice Picture

I was just checking out the pictures of our Grad dinner. I really liked this.
05 Confident Indians. 05 Freshly Minted MBAs.05 People who will rock the biz world!
All the Best.!

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Monday, May 14, 2007

Queen's Best in Canada for Open Exec Ed Programs: Financial Times Ranking

KINGSTON, ON, May 14 /CNW/ - Executives have spoken, and they've ranked Queen's School of Business as the best in Canada, and 15th in the world for open enrolment executive education programs, according to the prestigious UK-based Financial Times annual ranking.

The 15th place world ranking positions Queen's above well-known schools such as Wharton, London Business School and MIT/Sloan.The school's world-class service model was recognized as third in the world for "Follow-up," which measures each school's diligence in providing "after-sale service" and networking opportunities when participants return to their workplaces. The school came second in the world in the category of "Repeat Business & Growth," a key indicator of participant satisfaction. In both cases, Queen's School of Business received the best score in NorthAmerica.


"The executive education marketplace is fiercely competitive and increasingly global, and we're proud that today's business leaders continue to view Queen's among the world's best," said Dr. David Saunders, Dean of Queen's School of Business. "The high marks Queen's received for customer service, repeat business and revenue growth demonstrate that when it comes to running a business, we practice what we preach."


Since 2000, Queen's School of Business has been ranked within the top 25
in the world for open enrolment executive education programs every year by the
Financial Times.

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Entries from my Leadership Journal

During the MBA program, Dr Bill Blake,our Associate Dean taught us the Leadership course. Every day after the class, we had to reflect and write our thoughts. I was going through my journal entries today ( I wrote these in September last year), and there were a few that I thought I could put them here so that I can read them later in life.!


Session 1: Qualities of a Leader

"A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves"
-Unknown

"Leadership" is a subject for us this term. We have HBR readings, cases to discuss, guest speakers sharing their experiences. The subject is taught by Dr. Bill Blake, the Associate Dean for MBA programs.

Dr Blake asked us to list the qualities that we want in a leader. There are 54 of us in the class from 15 different nationalities and it was surprising to see that all of us wanted the same qualities in a leader. At the end of the session, our class answered a questionnaire to determine their top 4 characteristics in the leader .Here were the results:
• Inspiration
• Forward Looking
• Honesty
• Competent

Once the results were published, Dr Bill shared another set of results with us. This was the results of a survey taken by people (millions of them) from different continents. They too had to list the top 4 qualities. Below are the results from that survey.
• Honesty ( 88%)
• Forward Looking ( 71%)
• Competent (66%)
• Inspiring (65%)

What is interesting to know is that our class too picked up the same 4 qualities for a leader as that in the world survey. An immediate conclusion that I can draw on this sample data is that no matter which place of the world you are from, leaders across the globe are expected to have these qualities.



Session 02: Values Based Leadership
As a person, what do values mean to me?
As a leader, what values do I believe in?
I often wonder what these meant to me and today things are clearer.

"What do values mean to us? We all talk about honesty, integrity, respect for others etc. But if you want to know what you value, spend a minute thinking about the things that you spent your money last year on. You will know what you value most"

"If you want to know the values of an organization forget about their Mission Statements,vision etc. Look at their budgets. Values are best judged by what you spend your time on and your money on"

Sometimes you hear someone speak and every word that the person spoke stays in your mind for a long time. Today was one such day. For the leadership class, we had a guest speaker. No, the person who addressed the class was not any business tycoon. It was a lady with a golden heart. Sister Elizabeth Davis was the President and Chief Executive Officer with the Health Care Corporation of St. John’s from 1994 to 2000.As Sister Elizabeth spoke about her experiences and shared her wisdom, a strange feeling built inside me. I am being honest-her thoughts on leadership were very inspiring. During her tenure at the Hospital, Sister Davis helped oversee the hospital a major reorganization in Newfoundland.During that time with the Hospital a number of services were integrated. She had to take some bold decisions-like closing some hospitals and this was no easy decision for a nun. As she spoke about her experiences, I could feel the pain and a clash in her views.

She made a very interesting point that caught my attention. Toronto is the only city in the world that has the maximum diversity. The city is very diverse (44% non Canadian origin) and has folks from various parts of the world. It is important for us that we just not acknowledge diversity but also appreciate it.True learning comes from there.We must realize that we do not live in a changed world anymore, we instead live in a world that is constantly changing. So, no matter where you work, appreciate diversity and make that your strength. A variety of people get different ideas, fresh perspectives and this will help you solve a problem better. We must hope that moments of incredible change are also moments of incredible opportunity. In the organizations we work in the future, there will be multiple cultures. It takes strong leadership to knit them together and make the best use of them.

She also talked about the nature of people. She mentioned that humans have a tendency to get discouraged very easily. So, as a leader, it is up to us to make encourage them. I remember reading an article in HBR that said that leaders are often very lonely. So, I asked her if she ever felt discouraged and low at times. Yes, she said. At times, she found it tough to get people to produce their best. She also mentioned that in her leadership role, she had realized that the greatest reward comes from helping people know how good they are.

Towards the end of the speech, she showed us the picture of the Inukshuk. It is an ancient symbol of Inuit culture traditionally used as landmarks and navigation aids. Look at the picture and the granite statue represents a human form with outstretched arms. Each inukshuk tells its own story, perhaps pointing to a good source of fishing or hunting, perhaps showing the path to the next inukshuk. Whatever the message is, one community is sharing the fruits of its learning, sharing its wisdom with another community. For centuries, the Inukshuk is used a guidepost that provided direction to thousands of people. Leadership is something like that. Leaders provide directions and show the path to their people. The Inukshuk is made up on broken stone and like the broken rocks used to create the symbolic inukshuk, sometimes we must break rules , make mistakes, work with our people to provide the right direction. This is one speech that was truly inspiring. The speech received a thunderous applause.In the future, every time I think about my values on leadership, Sister Elizabeth's words would flash into my mind.



Session 02: Values Based Leadership
A few days earlier, in the Leadership class, the students were asked to participate in the “Alligator River Story”. We were given a short overview of the situation and were asked to form an opinion .We were to individually rate the most offensive and most defensive character in the story.

As I read the story, I got a clear picture of what the situation was .It hardly took any time for me to make a decision. The situation was crystal clear for me. I knew which character was right and who was wrong.

Prof Bill Blake then asked then class for their responses and tabulated them on the white board. To my surprise, the answers for a lot of us varied. There were no correct answers but I was curious to know why individuals chose different answers. My classmates provided their reasoning on how they picked their most defensive and offensive character. I must admit that none of us were wrong.

This activity had some key learnings for me. I realized how a lot of us take decisions in life based our on our experiences, background and education. I could relate to why certain people in the class stuck to certain decision. Their culture, religion clearly was the guiding factor in this decision. The question was the same for everyone. However, the decisions were different. The individuals pictured the story in their own circumstances and beliefs and took a decision and justified it.

The Prof then changed the story – He changed the gender of the characters and asked us to evaluate our decision. The class thought about it for a few seconds but their decision remained unchanged. I found that extremely interesting.

This incident brought in an important realization within me. As I sit and type this piece, I realize that I have my own set of takeaways from the class apart from the values based leadership. I now believe that the decisions we take in our life are based on two factors – one based on our experiences, background and upbringing. Second, based on our core values - that have become an integral part of us.As we grow older and experience different things, the first factor sometimes undergoes a change. But the core values are the one that guides us and helps one make a firm decision.

As leaders of tomorrow, we need to realize something important. We need to keep our core values intact but at the same time be open to new ideas, perspectives and change. When I first took my decision about who was most offensive, I thought I was definitely right. But when my classmates provided their reasoning, I realized that they too had a point. I learnt that I should stop making any decision based on certain assumptions or t listening to the other side of the story. With the world becoming flatter and a greater focus on diversity at work places being made, we are bound to interact with people from different countries, religion and culture. There will often be an internal clash within us on our value system. We need to make a fair decision and not be bound by external appearances, perception. We should evaluate a change and if we feel that it is right, accept it.

I know that this sounds easier than said. But working on this exercise had learning for me. Every time, I take a decision based in a jiffy, I will stop for a second and remember the Alligator story. I will question my assumptions and find out if they are fair and not biased.




Session 04: Culture Factor in Leadership

None of the men in the class will talk
Once Prof William Blake mentioned this, there was a 10 minute conversation that took place in the class where only the women in the class participated.

Should Ellen Moore have submitted her resignation? Should she have fought against the system or should she have meekly given up to the situation and accepted defeat. As the ladies in the class gave their views, the men grew restless. They wanted to put their point across, get themselves heard and comment on what was right and what was not. They were not allowed to speak. Yet, a few of the men grew restless, broke the rules and spoke up.

“This is how the women feel in a society that stresses on equality but don’t allow the woman their share of rights”, said one of my female classmates to me.
Yes, she had a point.

The Ellen Moore case that we discussed today had a lot to take aways for me. It was a lesson for me that focused on cross cultural relations and discrimination. The work place today consists of people from diverse backgrounds. We all want to work together and in such case, it is very important that we respect and appreciate other’s cultures and views.

I come from India, which is extremely diverse. I for sure had accepted that this kind of diversity in me. But when I moved to North America, I found that the values and actions in this part of the world was something that I was unaware of. I must admit that I got a culture shock and found it uncomfortable to interact with people who were not like me or did not share the same opinions and belief as mine.
So, when I lead a team tomorrow, I need to make an attempt at understanding and accepting diversity. Awareness, exposure, comprehension, conviction and maturity are the qualities that will make me an ideal manager to lead a team that is diverse. Diversity brings creative ideas and is an asset in the organization. As a leader for tomorrow, I need to understand cultures, identity biases, prejudices, and stereotypes and should be willing to challenge and change certain practices.


Session 05: Work Life Balance


The class today that Dr Bill Blake took was on Personal Leadership development. One of the slides that he showed us was of his dog called “Brigus”, a golden doodle. He mentioned that he takes his dog out for a walk every morning and this has been an experience that he likes doing a lot now. During the walk, he takes his time off things and this keeps him fresh and energetic throughout the day. Here is when he mentioned to us the concept of living life “moment by moment”.

We, the students of the MBA class have set ourselves very high targets. We often feel that this is the age where we can work hard, not take care of our health and mental state and in the later phase of life lead a healthy life. Dr Blake mentioned to us that this could be an illusion. He stressed to us the importance of balance and asked us what would be the most important thing that we were hoping for in the next few years. Was it money, was it the challenge of job, and was it the level of responsibility at work was it achieving a work life balance.

There were only a handful in the class who mentioned that they would have a balanced life at the first work place after graduation and would work towards maintaining it . Others expected to work hard through the week and if necessary on the weekends too!
Dr Blake asked us to work towards achieving a balanced life and gave some personal strategies such as being organized, having goals and remaining fit.

He showed us a slide which talked about “Where are you going?”. There are various factors in life that decide on what we are. Our values, psychological needs, assumptions, expectations, fears, knowledge and skills are some of the factors that determined who we are and where we intend to go. As a leader of tomorrow, it is important for us to figure out what it is that driving us to this pattern. As a leader, it is important for us to have balance in our life, know our real self, set personal goals and practice transformational leadership.

While working out the balance in life, we need to reflect and decide on the question that Dr Blake asked us.

“Is being CEO a destination or a stepping stone”?

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Sunday, May 13, 2007

Lessons from a Team Based Program

Today, I was thinking about the team based learning style at Queen's.For 12 months, we work in teams. 06 people with different personalities, backgrounds,ages, culture,HBDI index are put together to form a "dysfunctional team" and are then subjected to stress (that involves severe workload,deadlines) and asked to produce top quality outputs. And believe me, this is not easy !!

Every year smart individuals folks come to this program - all of them have a lot of accomplishments, track records, leadership experience but this program teaches them something that perhaps they wouldn't have learnt before. You might ask what? I can't describe it. It can only be experienced.

In a team, every one has his or her own strengths and areas to improve and you realize this fact pretty quickly. The personalities are different, yet people have to work together and learn from each other.


In general, there will be team bullies, team catalysts and free riders. You will work with them and learn to deal with them.You solve your problems and emerge as a better person both professionally and personally.

Below are my five big key takeaways from the Team Based Learning program at Queen's.

1.Three C's are very essential when you are in a team: Comprehend ( understand the wavelength of your team member), Collaborate ( work together to achieve the desired results) and Confront ( Discuss face to face when a conflict arises)

2.Personalities can be different, but interests "have to match" in a team.One might be a party guy, other might be a fitness freak. Some body might be fashion conscious and someone might be moody. Keep all that aside when you come to work in a team. The objective is to accomplish a goal and the interests have to be aligned.

3.A team is as good as its weakest link.It does not matter if you have superheroes in the team. The long term sustainability of the team is dependent on the performance of the weakest team member in the team. If he or she is not up to the standards, train, coach, discipline him or her, but make sure that the person rises to the challenge.

4.You are as good as you think..Every body is unique. Every one has a unique strength. So don't make comparisons. Spend that time on something better. Understand your potential and work on your strengths. I repeat, you are as good as you think.

5.Not just appreciate but also learn to accept diversity:.I strongly believe the way we think is a consequence of the way we have been brought up. In this "flat world", we will be dealing with folks from all parts of the world. Diversity adds variety and creativity to a solution. Take time to appreciate it. Accept it and make the best use of it.

A famous Chinese proverb goes: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life". The team based MBA program at Queen's actually reflects that. In one year, you learn the skills, tools, techniques that you will use for the rest of your life -both professionaly and personally.

Queen's teaches you how to fish and feed yourself!

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Who am I?

Results from the Gallup's Clifton Strength Finder:
(My 06 top strengths in random order)


Futuristic: The kind of person who loves to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates you. This picture of the future pulls you forward, into tomorrow.You are a dreamer who sees visions of what could be and chersises those visions.

Strategic: Enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity.


Learner: You love to learn. The subject matter that interest you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting to you.

Intellection: You like to think. You like mental activity. You like exercising the "muscles" of your brain, stretching in multiple directions. The theme of intellect ion does not dictate what you are thinking about, it simply ascribes that you like to think. You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection. You are introspective.

Ideation: You are fascinated by ideas. What is an idea? A idea is a concept , the best explanation of the most events. You are delighted when you discover beneath the complex surface of an elegantly simple concept to explain why things are the way they are. An idea is a connection.

Belief: If you possess a strong Belief Theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These core values affect your behaviours in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction.Your belief makes you easy to trust.

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Some Interesting Topics
If you are interested in the Hi-Tech/Telecom/IT sector, here are a few topics that you should be aware of:

1.Nanotechnology
2.RFID
3.Digital Rights Management
4.Industry standards (Blue Ray vs HD DVD, Sirius/XM, etc)
5.Intellectual property
6.Role of IT in specific industries (banking, pharma, retail)
7.Outsourcing/BPO/KPO
8.Role of IT in growth companies versus mature companies
9.For IT organizations - whats better - being innovators or follower
10.New trends in social networking
11.Latest technology trends and their impact
12.BPM

You should also read Knowledge@Wharton and McKinsey Quarterly.

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Saturday, May 12, 2007

I was organizing the folders in my computer when I came across this piece that I wrote for self ( introspection) after the Stage 01 of the MBA program was over.Getting back to school after 06 years, adjusting to the North American Education system posed a new set of challenges.

I took time to settle in the MBA program and after the stage 01 exams were over, I sat down one evening and made a list of things I had to work upon and improve. Call these the lessons learnt or a proactive measure, I was glad that I did something like this.

Here it is ( this was written sometime in July 06):

When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power

Blunders I did in Stage 1 and don’t want to do in the next stage:

1. I did not do the pre-reading for some subjects. This was essential. As a result of this, I was lost in class during some discussions. It became really tough before the exams. Remember, the case studies should be looked at (at least a glance will do).

2. I did not file my papers correctly in the folder. I paid a hefty price for it towards the end as I spent a lot of energy organizing things. Staying organized is painful but helps in the long run.

3. Consolidation of notes. I took notes but then it was all in papers and the result was that I could not compile it or track it.

4. Avoid taking assignments towards the end. The earlier your assignments gets over, the better it is. Work on the assignments with all energy and enthusiasm.

5. Work on Fitness–Play some squash. This is not mandatory but then you’ll feel good and vent your feelings out. Get some good sleep. If the meetings are at 7 PM, catch an hour’s sleep.

6. Don't get tensed. The work load is hectic but keeping your calm is the key to your success. Some subjects will be tough. If you can keep your cool, half the battle is won!

7.A numerical based subject requires you to practice questions regularly. For Financial accounting and Management accounting, work out the numerical. Understanding the concept is not just enough.

8.Don’t compare yourself with others. It is easier said than done. Everyone has their own competitive advantage. You too have one and it will generate result at some time.

9. You now understand your team dynamics; you understand the MBAst program well. The teething problems are done. Make sure you get your best out in subsequently stage.!

10.Ensure that the points you make in the class are worth something. Don’t dominate the air-time in the class. Make a mental note of the number of questions vs quality questions you ask in the class.

11. Can you please keep your room clean?

12. Read the newspaper and keep a track of the articles. The key is to get your self disciplined.

13.Reviewing the course materials every time after the lecture would have made my preparation much easier

14. Please make a list of activities that you want to do and please DO them. Don’t delay. Speed, Efficiency and Time Management is the key.

Mistakes are a great educator when one is honest enough to admit them and willing to learn from them. Time is valuable…Realize that.All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes. All the best for Stage 2.

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Thursday, May 10, 2007

Queen’s School of Business joins Forté Foundation

Queen’s School of Business is pleased to announce it is the first Canadian business school to join Forté Foundation, a consortium of major corporations, top business schools and influential non-profit organizations dedicated to directing women towards business education and business leadership roles, and to enabling corporations to more effectively attract and retain female talent.

Forté’s membership is comprised of 26 leading multinational corporations, such as Eli Lilly, Goldman, Sachs & Co., IBM and Kraft Foods, 27 top international business schools, including Harvard, INSEAD and London Business School, and the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC)

Queen’s School of Business has just named its first Forté Fellows: Sarah Milton and Yan Chen for the Class of 2007 and Rupa Gudiseva and Sanyu Kiruluta have been selected for the incoming Class of 2008. More here

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Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Certified PMP



Time.Cost.Scope.Quality
Stakeholders.Project Manager. Project Team. Sponsor.

Thanks to the IT industry in which I had been working, I kept hearing all the project management lingo all the time. At Queen's, I chose the Project Management Elective and this gave me the required credits for the eligibility.With the work experience I had, I qualified for the PMP exam and gave it a shot yesterday at Toronto.

I Cleared it and am happy that I can add "Project Management Professional" to my resume now ! :)

As for the preperation, I went through the class slides, skimmed through the PM BOK Guide and worked out all the questions in the Rita Book. The exam is pretty straight forward if you have read the chapters in detail once. I followed the elimination technique to zero in on my answers. Here are some notes that I made from the Rita Book, Class Notes and PMBOK Guide.

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Spidey 03- A different Strategy



One of the case studies in the Project Management Elective was the Pacific Coast Studios.We discussed the pros and cons of the PCS as it focussed on some BIG films and used the money generated from this movie to fund more films or recover losses. We identified risks in this strategy and discussed how the company could control it better.As I watched Spider-Man 03 last week, I was thinking about this case.:)

Usually, one would expect a Hollywood film to be released first in the United States. But this time Sony Pictures followed a different strategy. They released the movie in international market. Yeah, that is actually the trend.Recognizing the importance of the overseas market, Sony launched "Spider-Man 3" in Tokyo on April 16 and launched the movie in Japan on May 1, three days ahead of its U.S. release. The strategy has worked well for Sony.

BIG movies like Spider-Man 03 are called the "tent pole" movies.A tent pole movie is one that serves as a primary support and compensates for a studio’s flop or generates money for future productions.And I assume Sony wanted to maximize this strategy. Spidey 1 and 2 had done very well and with even better marketing budget and special effects this time, the folks behind the movie felt that they could could control the risks.

Spidey 03 has not been getting great reviews in the North American Market.But are the producers really concerned about this ? Not exactly ! The international market is liking the movie a lot.

This report goes to show that Spidey 3 could be India's biggest hit in 2007. The movie is even being dubbed in different Indian Languages."In India,Sony Pictures has released 588 prints of the movie in the country -- 261 in Hindi, 162 in English, 78 in Tamil, 81 in Telugu and 6 in Bhojpuri -- the maximum number of prints for any foreign movie"!!

The same trend is being observed for the Bollywood Market also. The bollywood movies are getting better response in the International Market where a huge population base exists. This is very interesting.! Watch out for the desi versions of Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean hitting your local theaters . You might get to see the movie in your local language even before your American friends get a chance to see it!Have the tables turned? Perhaps ! :)

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25 Trends that Changed America

USA Today, the Newspaper turns 25 on Sept. 15, 2007. They are coming out with solid list of 25 things that changed America. It could be the trends, quotes,stocks etc.
Bookmark this page and have a look at it often.
For now, here is the list of 25 trends that changed America

1 Diversity
(1 of every 8 American is a foreign born!)
2 Fighting for equality
3 Millions living longer
4 It's a small world after all
5 Global warming
6 Gay rights gain ground
7 Are we safe?Fear of terrorism changes our lives.
8 Snuffing out smoking
9 Obesity crisis
10 Tech creates cult of 'me'
11 Spreading out
12 Supersizing
13 Going green
14 A nation divided
15 Luxury goes mainstream
16 The end of Ozzie and Harriet families
17 Diet and exercise boom
18 On the move
The "new" Sun Belt explodes. Phoenix, Las Vegas and Charlotte become major metropolitan centers.
19 High anxiety
Prozac. Paxil. Xanax. Zoloft. Ritalin. Adderall.
20 Electronic cash
21 Living alone
22 College stress grows
23 Sexualization
24States bet on gambling
25 Makeovers for the masses

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Thursday, May 03, 2007

Top MBA Employers



This article was up just a few hours ago and it had to catch my attention. CNN Money lists the top MBA employers. Google tops the list and even beats even McKinsey in the race.

The Top 10
1.Google
2 McKinsey & Company
3 Goldman Sachs
4 Bain & Company
5 Boston Consulting Group
6 Apple
7 Microsoft
8 General Electric
9 Nike
10 Bank of America

The complete list can be found here

What are the few key things MBAs want at their work place?

-Freedom ( Innovation element that scores high at Google)
-Good Work Life balance
-Competetive Compensation
-Good Career Reference ( Prestigious Company name does not matter amuch)
-Leadership Rotational Programs ( Easily one of the favorites here at every school)

More here
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/fortune/0704/gallery.MBA_employers.fortune/jump.html

Places to work in the US:
-New York
-San Francisco
-Chicago
-Atlanta
-San Diego
-Washington D.C.
-Boston


Places to work - InternationalLondon
-Sydney
-Hong Kong
-Paris
-Madrid
-Shanghai
-Singapore
-Tokyo

You can find all the details here

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