ksa-isb&m e-magazine september 2010 issue
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Knowledge, Skills & Attitude.......The 2nd issue of students magazine from the ISB&M College.....TRANSCRIPT
―Business is the Business of HR‖
KSA-Knowledge Skill & Attitude
Vol I, Issue II
International School Of Business & Media
Yashi Pandey
1st Yr PGDM
From the desk of Editor
Hi,
How’ve you been folks? Last month’s issue was busy speaking
about various events that took place. And this time we are back with
a bang. Our KSA believes in changes so this issue comes up with the
theme “Business is the business of HR” as HR share 2010 is round the
corner.
For an exceptional business performance, it’s important that human
capital becomes a strategic partner in the business. Human resource
function forms an integral part of corporate policy & strategy and
HR managers plays a pivotal role in management of people in
striking progressive integration of conceptual values with
operational values.
There is a growing school of thoughts that conflicts can stimulate an
energetic and dynamic working environment that shakes apathy and
compliancy to its core. Conflict is a part of our daily life and in
order to maintain and promote a fair and productive work
environment for the employees the organization must encourage the
resolution of workplace conflict.
―There are incalculable resources in the human spirit, once it has
been set free‖. We value your precious articles and feedbacks, and
are invited by our magazine. Hope you enjoy reading and have a
conflict free ―LIFE‖& ―ORGANIZATION‖.
Vol.I, Issue II
Senior Advisor:
Amit Das
Managing Editor:
Bhargav Trivedi
Shruti Mahato
Nisha Yadav
Chetan Chandak
Editor of the Month:
Yashi Pandey
Editor:
Rajlakshmi (Correspondent)
Team Members:
Aishwarya Tiwari
Ritesh Weginwar
Ashesh Taparia
Contributing Writers:
Prof. Nutan Thingujam
Prof. Tripti Dhote
Rohit Tibrewal
Bhargav Trivedi
Sumit Mehta
Supreet Kaur
Rajlakshmi
Malvika Singh
Cartoonist:
Swapnil Kale
Administration Office:
Tech Cell,
ISB&M Nande Campus,
Mulshi Taluka,
Pashan Sus-Road,
Pune -411 042
Tel: 020 - 66754652
Contact us at:
―Don't just have career or
academic goals. Set goals to give
you a balanced, successful life. I
use the word balanced before
successful. Balanced means
ensuring your health,
relationships, and mental peace
are all in good order‖. – Chetan
Bhagat (noted writer)
High rising aspirations,
unachievable dreams, spiraling
ambitions, narrowing deadlines,
taxing targets, uptight schedules
sky high expectations; lack of
time and space! The outcome
deteriorating mental and
physical health and an inability
to enjoy the very pleasures of
life for which we toil almost
24x7.
L
I W
F O
E SUCCESS R
K
D F
I A
E M
T I
L
Y
Juggle It Right!!! ---- Prof.Tripti Dhote
Life in the current context
is nothing but short of a
race track wherein each one
of us no matter what, where
and how are running really
fast and making frantic
attempts to live up with the
demands of this fast paced
scenario. In doing so we
have ostensibly created a
tight rope for ourselves
trying to balance our
professional and personal
lives, but ultimately failing
due to an absolute mismatch
of goals and priorities.
The entire focus is on a 7
lettered trap called
SUCCESS. In the run we
sub consciously neglect our
personal lives inclusive of
family, friends, relations,
diet, sentiments and even
primary responsibilities of
regular life.
Prof. Tripti Dhote
The result – a complete imbalance caused
by deteriorating health and lack of mental
peace impacting on the professional front
as well.
So what is the solution? ―Under promise and over deliver‖ suggests David Samuel, store manager, leading Sound Solution Company in Pune. ―Take only what you can handle. Prioritize your work in terms of the least and the most important and never bring your work home‖ Work life balance is a must in the current scenario. But it is a joint effort. While organizations need to create a healthy work culture, employees need to mould their attitudes and discipline themselves. The bottom line is both professional and personal lives are equally important. One needs to don the role of a juggler and skillfully manage the key balls of life, without dropping a single ball. Creative thinking, innovative approach, spirituality and a proper time management will definitely assist you to master the art of juggling. The ball of life is in your court. JUGGLE IT RIGHT!!!
Role of emotion in conflict resolution in the context of IT industry ----Dr. Nutankumar S. Thingujam
The information technology (IT) industry is growing quickly in India. The IT
professionals usually work in teams and there are various types of conflicts to which they need to respond. Conflict is probably embedded with different kinds of feelings. So, it is important to understand whether different interpersonal conflict resolution styles are associated with one’s ability to identity (such as identification of facial emotional expression), understand (such as understanding the transition of anger into sadness), use (using emotions to facilitate thought), and regulate emotions (or management of emotions). These abilities are collectively called emotional intelligence. Organizational scholars believe that emotional intelligence (EI) can play an important role in organizational and social behaviour. Emotionally intelligent employees tend to use more of the integrating style of conflict resolution in which there is high concern towards self and others. Emotionally intelligent persons, as they hold an ability to deal effectively with emotions, might be more capable of reaching a solution acceptable to both parties. Avoiding style of conflict resolution is reversely associated with emotional intelligence. The reason is that an employee’s lack of ability to deal with others’ emotions and one’s own emotions is related to the use of avoiding style of conflict handling. It is understandable in this case that where a person is not able to deal with the situation emotionally, he tries to avoid the situation. The use of avoiding the situation is seen to be high in such cases.
-Dr. Nutankumar S. Thingujam
It is not easy to schedule an interview with Mr. Ajay Ambewadikar, HR. He remains busy through
the course of the day but our KSA editor Ms. Rajlakshmi fetched one. Alpha Laval is a production
company in the niche area of food, water supply, energy production and economizing and
environmental protection. The very raison d’être of the company is the provision of specialized
products and engineered solutions that helps companies grow and take them to a next paradigm.
Excerpts from an interview:
1. Alfa Laval has a significant contribution in bringing waste water back to life. Do industries recognize the process and will they be able to cope up with the challenges of rapidly growing population and weather conditions? Alfa Laval’s specialty in to separations will surely cope up with the upcoming challenges of weather conditions. Alfa Laval provides the best system and solutions to the industries which helps society for better life. Our Government norms will make it happen that will be able to address environmental issues through best solution available with Alfa Laval.
2. What are the HR challenges faced by giant organizations especially like those spread across the globe in handling a huge pool of human capital? The challenge is to have the network about the
competence and talent available around the world and to make the right use of the same in terms of getting the best results.
3. How important is ―employee motivation‖ in the current scenario? What measures are being taken by your organization for boosting employee morale? It is extremely critical to have motivated Human Resources. We at Alfa Laval provide the best working environment to our employees by having the culture of openness, transparency and informality. This helps us a lot keeping morale always up. It’s people organization. At Alfa Laval we provide full freedom to every individual to handle his task with full of creativity and freedom.
Interview of the Month
That keeps them motivated always. We also ensure that every employee is a part of business and contributing towards business growth through his individual value added activities. The employee is Manager and a Leader at his own position.
4. Retention has emerged as a big threat. How does your organization confront this major challenge? All at point number 3 above helps us retaining people. Yes, we are also addressing the issue of retention by offering efficiency based salary package. We will focus more on providing good environment to our people.
5. How do you rate the Indian work force with respect to global counterparts? Indians are extremely brilliant and creative. We must focus on commitment and keeping thin line on flexibility. We are too flexible many a times.
6. What message would you like to give to aspiring young students geared up for a career in HR? HR function is the most critical function in any organizational growth. In such case the student first should know his/her own strengths and areas of improvement before starting up any assignment. In short, know yourself in and out, that’s very critical. Share feedback, it will help them. Secondly, know the business strategy first and work towards “adding the value to the organization” and do not just continue with traditional HR tools.
Mr. Ajay Ambewadikar could be contacted at [email protected].
Interviewee Rajlakshmi [email protected] 1st yr PGDM
We often hear the term ―conflict management‖, but do we know its real meaning?
In my article, I will not give my ―HR Gyaan‖, but will acquaint you
with the terms in simple words. I will start with the meaning of the
word “conflict”. Wikipedia says that it is actual or perceived opposition
of needs, values and interests. I will give you a simple example.
Suppose, my team member may just want to finish an assignment
quickly while I am more concerned about having it done a particular
way. This is a conflict due to difference in our style of working. Now,
if I keep it with me, it is an internal conflict. This explains the
difference between actual and perceived conflict.
Any clash of interests, values, actions or directions can spark a
conflict. However, conflict itself isn't a problem. Problems result from
the way people handle conflicts. Hence, effective handling of conflict
is very important. This highlights the importance of conflict
management.
Now let me explain the five types of conflict resolution styles.
The Turtle
Turtles deal with conflict by avoiding it. If they can physically leave the situation,
they will. If they can't leave, they will tune out or refuse to talk about it. This
typically results in lose-lose scenario. However, this can be a useful way to deal with
conflict when the issue is minor.
The Teddy Bear
Teddy bears deal with conflict by giving in. Because they want to be liked and to
maintain the relationship, a teddy bear lets the other person have their way. As a
result, the teddy bear doesn't get what he or she wants, and "loses" while the other
person "wins."
This can be a useful way of dealing with conflict on occasion. In relationships,
couples often take turns being the teddy bear. For example "I'll see the chick flick
with you this week if you'll come to the action adventure movie with me next week."
However, someone who always gives in at work may one day feel they have had
enough and announce "I quit."
Conflict Management ---- Supreet Kaur
Supreet Kaur
2nd year student, (HR)
The Shark
Sharks deal with conflict by going on the
attack. Their purpose in a conflict is to
satisfy their own needs by any means
possible. Their behavior is aggressive and
they may use verbal attacks or
manipulation. To a shark, the desired
outcome in a conflict is "I win, you lose"
or "I win, I don't care what happens to
you."
While it sounds like an unethical way of
dealing with conflict, there are situations
where being a shark may be appropriate.
For example, if you are in an emergency
situation or if you are in a conflict with a
shark, you might respond like a shark
yourself.
The Fox
Foxes deal with conflict by trying to find
a compromise solution. Their aim is to
resolve the conflict with both parties
feeling they are getting at least some of
what they want. While this may seem like
a win-win way of dealing with conflict, in
fact there is also a lose-lose element to it
as both parties typically have to give
something up.
For example, in the situation where you
and your co-worker both want the same
day off, a compromise might be when you
say, ―I will take the morning off while
you may take the afternoon off‖.
The Owl
Owls deal with conflict by collaborating.
This means both parties work together with
the aim of coming up with a mutually
satisfying solution. The aim is to have a
win-win situation.
While it's the most desirable outcome, the
reality is that it can take time to reach a
win-win solution, and you probably don't
want to spend hours trying to reach
agreement about minor matters such as
where to go for lunch. None of these modes
is wrong to use, but there are right and
wrong times to use each. So, one should
exercise his/her judgments before using a
particular style.
How might you select your conflict
management style?
You must find out the answers of the
following questions before deciding the
conflict management styles:
How important is the issue to you?
Do you have the energy for the
conflict?
Are you aware of the potential
consequences?
Are you ready for the consequences?
What are the consequences if you do
not engage in the conflict?
I hope after reading this article, you know when to be a
shark or an owl when you face a conflict.
―Conflict is the gadfly of thought. It stirs us to observation and memory. It instigates us to invention. It shocks us out of sheep like passivity, and sets us at noting and contriving.‖
Conflict might escalate and lead to nonproductive
results or conflict can be beneficially resolved and lead
to quality final products. Therefore, learning to
manage conflict is integral to a high-performance
team. Although very few people go looking for
conflict, more often than not, conflict results because
of miscommunication between people with regards to
their needs, ideas, beliefs, goals or values. Conflict
management is the principle that all conflicts cannot
necessarily be resolved, but learning how to manage conflicts can decrease the odds of
nonproductive escalation.
Physiologically, we respond to conflict in one of two ways—we want to ―get away from the conflict‖ or we are ready to ―take on anyone who comes our way.‖ Think for a moment about when you are in conflict. Do you want to leave or do you want to fight when a conflict presents itself? Neither physiological response is good or bad—it’s personal response. What is important to learn, regardless of our initial physiological response to conflict, is that we should intentionally choose our response to conflict.
Your perception of conflict has a direct impact on how it plays on in your personal life. If you embrace conflict and see it as an opportunity to better a situation or a relationship, then you'll take on the challenge of seeing the confrontation through, regardless of how difficult it may be, because you know that the ultimate benefit of working through an issue will be worth it in the long run for both you and your working relationship with the other party. Take on the issues that matter to you and/or that impede you from being as effective as possible on the job and let the rest go. Life's too short to be wasting any of your valuable time and energy on issues that ultimately don't matter or that don't impact you in a detrimental way. Successfully managing conflict means having the ability not only to bring an issue to resolution but also to do it in a respectful, collaborative manner with the other party. One without the other will greatly diminish your results.
Productively engaging in conflict is always valuable. Practicing one’s conflict management
skill leads to more successful engagement in conflict with outcome of relief, understanding,
better communication and greater productivity for both the individual and the team. We
should manage our conflict more effectively so that instead of wasting our energy on
burdensome task such as systemic conflict, we can utilize it in a meaningful manner.
Rohit Tibrewal
President (Student Council) 2nd yr PGDM (Marketing) [email protected]
Conflict Management -----Rohit Tibrewal
Maverick,
Before I write first article of mine for this magazine, let me first admit that I am a lazy
bum. I hate making efforts. I think the only form of exercise that a man must do is exercise
his brain. If I ever write an autobiography, it would be titled ―Rest, Eat and Sleep‖.
Now that the ground is set let me tell you little more about my thoughts, am not
talking about anyone else for two reasons, one I am too self absorbed to think of anybody
else, two, well who cares.
I love contradicting commonly held beliefs. You
might agree or you might disagree with me, I am happy and
satisfied with both cases as I at least made you think. That’s
my main motto. The one belief that I today want to
contradict is ―Specialization‖. I don’t understand the notion
of the world rewarding you to study more and more about
less and less. I feel this concept narrows a person’s view
point, it limits our thinking and we start concentrating on the
micros of the world rather than trying to embrace the world
in totality.
I think that a person should know a little about as
many things as possible. Maybe pick up all aspects of running
a business and understand a little about all of it. This way you know a business in totality
and stand a better chance to take a strategic decision then had you known only say,
marketing. Everything goes hand in hand, we cannot remain ignorant by saying that
―Finance is not my thing‖ etc. This limits our thinking and understanding. We should stop
clinging to the past, start coming out of old habits, were several hats, take up a new
challenge. Otherwise imagine a situation 10 years down the lane when you are still stuck in
middle level management when you are good at taking orders and executing them, but the
top management does not find you suitable for being one among them.
One of the ways of doing so is start reading books on diverse topics, start travelling go
to unknown places, pick up a random conversation with a street side vendor. Start being a
part of every discussion. See how you will walk out richer with every conversation. Most
importantly find something that you love doing.
Sumit Mehta
2nd yr PGDM (Marketing)
The Next Step ----Sumit Mehta
The battle is on. The battle of talent, the battle of
attitude, the battle of skills; and it has become a headache
for HRD to preserve the workforce. Retaining Work-Force
is a woe to the HR world. There is always a fight between
traditional theories of hiring employees. Either to select
cerebral people offering high salaries and don’t invest in
their training and on the other side, select good enough
people with fair salary and invest high on their training. At
the end of the day, for a company, what matters is the
higher efficiency which gives higher throughput.
After a lot deliberation, I can zeroin on the below two factors:
1. Engaging work force attitude with the complete hierarchy
2. Synchronizing salaries of the employees with the goals achieved
Scene 1: At the time of hiring, company should invest in the hiring process, considering these
two factors. There have been cases when organization doesn’t hire a candidate just because of
the attitude characteristics, though person is high on credentials. Hiring personnel think, this
guy might not “fit-in” in the culture of the organization.
Scene 2: 15 hrs of daily labour, neck wrecked and eyes puffed – day-in and day-out – and at
the end of a month, what a custodian of the organization gets? - paltry moolahs. But if,
organization shells out judiciously on their employees according to the work allotted and the
“goals achieved”, employees could attach themselves with the work they do. Thus, decline in
employee turnover and increase in throughput; and thereby recovering the cost.
Viz.
Training + Salary = Throughput
Bhargav Trivedi
2nd yr PGDM (Marketing)
www.imnomore.blogspot.com
ROI- By Investing on Workforce --Bhargav Trivedi
“Once you come out of your shell, the performance gets stupendous.”
I got an opportunity from my respected teacher Ms. Vinita Chopra of Written Analysis
of Cases and Communication to give a presentation on „Social Customs of Canada‟ which let
me get rid of my hesitation and boost confidence in me.
Some facts of the matter discussed under the respective presentation were such as - Canada is
the second largest and one of the wealthiest countries of the world. The culture is a mix of
population, language, religion and customs. Canadians are very friendly in nature and they
pass smile looking at you though you are a stranger to them. They normally greet by a firm
hand shake accompanied by a direct eye contact and a sincere smile. Instead of using
someone’s first name they prefer to use surname. Canadians are very punctual, when invited
to a party, they reach on time and go home early; they usually take a box of chocolates,
flowers or a bottle of wine with them. Canadians do
not generally interrupt someone who is speaking. They
consider it rude not to let a person complete their
thought and entering in the discussion and they
communicate more by spoken words rather than non-
verbal expressions. They like their space and prefer to
be at an arm’s length when speaking to someone.
Canadians are reticent to discuss their personal life
with business associates. All these and a lot more of
interesting facts were discussed by me to make the
presentation more interactive.
Through this presentation I learned how to prepare a presentation, how to present your
views in order to make presentation more interactive and lively; as well as time management.
I also learned how to maintain good eye contact with the audience, role of body language,
confidence, voice modulation and pitch to make a presentation effective and interesting. The
activity helped me to hone my presentation and communication skills and also let me
recognize my latent talent.
Malvika Singh
1st yr PGDM
Presentation Of the Month –Malvika Singh
Nuts’ --- Swapnil Kale
Nuts’ ---Swapnil Kale
Team KSA
Welcomes You all
to join the
BANDWAGON!!!