Book Title: Globalisation, ICT and Developing Nations
Sub-Title: Challenges in the Information Age
Author: Sumit Roy.
Publisher: New Delhi, Sage Pub.,
Year of publication:2005, No of Pages:247 p., tables,Price: $30/Rs.340.
ISBN 81-7829-487-7.
‘Globalisation, ICT and Developing Nations: Challenges in the Information Age’ authored by Sumit Roy, a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Department of economics, City university London, is focused on the critical relationship between globalisation and Information and communications technology(ICT). It is not an exhaustive study of globalisation but aims to complement existing texts. The analytical framework is based on a comparitive political economy approach and offers conceptual and policy insights into the core themes interlocking globalisation.
The force driving globalisation in the 21st century is undoubtedly Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Enabling instant communication over vast distances and in real time, ICT has far-reaching implications for transnational relationships. However, the core relationship between globalisation and ICT, a major area of inquiry, has hitherto been somewhat neglected and inadequately studied.
Focusing on this important relationship, this book emphasises that increasingly non-state institutions, as opposed to the state, are transforming economies. The author also highlights the critical need for developing regions to shape ICT which can stimulate development and usher in the information age. This book emphasises that increasingly non-state institutions, as opposed to the state, are transforming economies. The author also highlights the critical need for developing regions to shape ICT which can stimulate development and usher in the information age. Globalisations historic process encapsulates a vision of shared universal values, goals and measures to advance society. The contemporary phase of globalisation according to Roy, has served to extend and remold relationships. Contemporary globalisation is complex and is constantly redefined as world trends keep shifting and changing. The relationship between gobalisation and structural change unfolds integration and fragmentation. Attempts to create a homogenous world are matched by social forces opposing such moves.
Sumit Roy provides a comparative study of the political economies of East and South Asia (particularly India) and Africa which enables new analytical and policy insights into the linkages between globalisation and ICT.
With its original approach and fresh analytical and policy insights, this cogent and well argued book will be of interest to students and teachers of globalisation, economics, new media, development studies, politics and international relations. Policy makers, too--especially those in international aid agencies--NGOs and multilateral bodies will find it invaluable.
Johnson Thomas
johnsont307@gmail.com
Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Globalisation, international political economy and structural change. 3. Globalisation, information and communications technology and development. References. Index.
"The force driving globalisation in the 21st century is undoubtedly Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Enabling instant communication over vast distances and in real time, ICT has far-reaching implications for transnational relationships. However, the core relationship between globalisation and ICT, a major area of inquiry, has hitherto been somewhat neglected and inadequately studied.
Focusing on this important relationship, this book emphasises that increasingly non-state institutions, as opposed to the state, are transforming economies. The author also highlights the critical need for developing regions to shape ICT which can stimulate development and usher in the information age.
Sumit Roy provides a comparative study of the political economies of East and South Asia (particularly India) and Africa which enables new analytical and policy insights into the linkages between globalisation and ICT. Among the key features of this book are:
· It discusses the concepts and policies underscoring the shift from state to non-state institutions in furthering the impetus of globalisation as also its implications for development. This is set against a backdrop of the transition from an agricultural to an industrial and eventually an information-based society.
· It explores the scope of different developing regions to participate in globalisation based on a comparison of their experience of growth and development--namely, the different phases of integration, disintegration, marginalisation, and reintegration into the international economy.
· It explores the ways in which policies on ICT can be both a challenge and a unique opportunity for paving the way for development.
With its original approach and fresh analytical and policy insights, this cogent and well argued book will be of interest to students and teachers of globalisation, economics, new media, development studies, politics and international relations. Policy makers, too--especially those in international aid agencies--NGOs and multilateral bodies will find it invaluable."
Monday, February 22, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Customer Value Investment, Gautam Mahajan, Book Review by Johnson Thomas
Book Title: Customer Value Investment
Sub-Title: Formula for sustained business successes
Author: Gautam Mahajan
Response, Business Books from Sage publications
www.sagepublications.com
Paperback edition, 187 pages , Price:Rs.295/-
ISBN 978-0-7619-3604-6
Gautam Mahajan, the internationally acclaimed expert in Business Strategy, Management and globalisation, resident of Interlink services Pvt.Ltd(an international consulting firm) and former President of the Indo-American chamber of Commerce has authored this book in the interests of Customer Value Management(CVM). In his own words , “Ever since I discovered that satisfaction did not lead to loyalty, which led to the concept of Customer Value Management, I have been interested in promoting CVM, it’s art and it’s science. It has been proven that creating a competitive advantage through customer value leads to increased market share, profitability and shareholder value,” he says. Gautam is CVM Inc.’s associate in India. He is also one of the finest consultants in the field. He has great ideas and practical advice and it’s all there in this book of his. He definitely delivers what he promises.
The customer is the ultimate driver of business. Customers buy products and services which in turn give them added vale , which in-turn lends a winning edge to one company over the other. The customer-in-center concept is the USP that Gautam uses to rng added profitability to companies big and small. Gautam’s book tells us why CVM is important and it’s main focus is on it’s implementation. Through this book he shows us how a company transforms itself into a customer-centric organization and what are the benefits that accrue thereafter. Gautam Mahajan makea a strong case for CV Investment by companies. He shows us how this special outlay can bring in sustained business success, generating a huge return on investment(ROI) and improving the value of the company for it’s stakeholders. In this book he literally shows us step-by-step, how the customer juggernaut gets right behind the company to spell it’s long-term success. Gautam uses examples to show the different ways in which a company can invest in the customer. The book explains how companies can move beyond customer management and satisfaction to loyalty, become market leaders and improve business results, understand the value they provide to customers, improve service quality and loyalty, set up customer Circles and build customer conduits, understand competitive strategies and pre-empt competition and measure customer capital. He also answers many other business questions while extolling the virtues of CVI. He also explains how superior customer value ensures loyalty and creates an emotional bond with the brand, thus leading to increased market share and profitability. This is a classic must-read for all business executives. It works as a powerful and practical guide to make businesses of any size successful by truly lacing customers at the center of it’s business strategy. This book is extremely user friendly and easily readable. But will the powers that be in Organizations both big and small stoop to reading this book? Only time and the depletion of the long waiting list at the consumer courts will tell the truth on this one.
Johnson Thomas
Sub-Title: Formula for sustained business successes
Author: Gautam Mahajan
Response, Business Books from Sage publications
www.sagepublications.com
Paperback edition, 187 pages , Price:Rs.295/-
ISBN 978-0-7619-3604-6
Gautam Mahajan, the internationally acclaimed expert in Business Strategy, Management and globalisation, resident of Interlink services Pvt.Ltd(an international consulting firm) and former President of the Indo-American chamber of Commerce has authored this book in the interests of Customer Value Management(CVM). In his own words , “Ever since I discovered that satisfaction did not lead to loyalty, which led to the concept of Customer Value Management, I have been interested in promoting CVM, it’s art and it’s science. It has been proven that creating a competitive advantage through customer value leads to increased market share, profitability and shareholder value,” he says. Gautam is CVM Inc.’s associate in India. He is also one of the finest consultants in the field. He has great ideas and practical advice and it’s all there in this book of his. He definitely delivers what he promises.
The customer is the ultimate driver of business. Customers buy products and services which in turn give them added vale , which in-turn lends a winning edge to one company over the other. The customer-in-center concept is the USP that Gautam uses to rng added profitability to companies big and small. Gautam’s book tells us why CVM is important and it’s main focus is on it’s implementation. Through this book he shows us how a company transforms itself into a customer-centric organization and what are the benefits that accrue thereafter. Gautam Mahajan makea a strong case for CV Investment by companies. He shows us how this special outlay can bring in sustained business success, generating a huge return on investment(ROI) and improving the value of the company for it’s stakeholders. In this book he literally shows us step-by-step, how the customer juggernaut gets right behind the company to spell it’s long-term success. Gautam uses examples to show the different ways in which a company can invest in the customer. The book explains how companies can move beyond customer management and satisfaction to loyalty, become market leaders and improve business results, understand the value they provide to customers, improve service quality and loyalty, set up customer Circles and build customer conduits, understand competitive strategies and pre-empt competition and measure customer capital. He also answers many other business questions while extolling the virtues of CVI. He also explains how superior customer value ensures loyalty and creates an emotional bond with the brand, thus leading to increased market share and profitability. This is a classic must-read for all business executives. It works as a powerful and practical guide to make businesses of any size successful by truly lacing customers at the center of it’s business strategy. This book is extremely user friendly and easily readable. But will the powers that be in Organizations both big and small stoop to reading this book? Only time and the depletion of the long waiting list at the consumer courts will tell the truth on this one.
Johnson Thomas
Monday, January 25, 2010
Business to Business Marketing,Book Review by Johnson Thomas
Title: Business to Business Marketing
Authors: Ross Brenan, Louise Canning, Raymond MacDowell.
ISBN: 978-1-4129-1970-8
Sage Publications www.sagepub.co.uk
Paperback Edition, 359 pages, Price:
The expression business to business marketing is synonymous with ‘business marketing’. It is therefore important not to suppose that business to business marketing is synonymous with marketing goods and services to the manufacturing industries. Over the period 1978-2003 there has been a prominent trend away from manufacturing employment and towards service sector employment. So this book certainly seems opportune at a time when B2B employment seems to have to become the most return-heavy form of employment for the young and fresh out of college wannabes.
Modern economies are becoming increasingly service orientated. In fact the service industries account for close to 75% employment in such countries as Australia, Canada, UK and USA in 2000 and the trend is towards even higher levels of service sector employment.
This book under review acknowledges that Business to business marketing involves both the processes of marketing mix management and of relationship/network management. The chapters inside have interesting case studies and theory that provide some essential background definitions, addresses the question of buying and selling processes in organizational markets, useful information about organizational buyers and buying teams, examining the interaction between buyers and sellers in a business relationship, discuss the importance of customer value and look at the ways in which marketers seek to organize te strategic effort to enhance the value that they deliver to customers, importance of marketing ethics, key analytical processes in business to business marketing, business to business marketing management, integrated marketing communications in B2B marketing management, marketing communications methods deployed at the level of the inter-firm relationship, communications within inter-firm relationships, how to manage a firm’s portfolio of customer relationships and management of routes in markets.
'Business-to-Business Marketing’ will help students examine views that argue for or against B2B marketing being simply a variant of consumer marketing or only concerned with inter-organizational relationship management. Written from an European perspective and recognizing that organizational markets can be very different, the ideas and examples used in this book are as claimed by the authors, based on the latest research and scholarship and hence of great import to all connected with or belonging to the B2B industry.
Johnson Thomas.
Authors: Ross Brenan, Louise Canning, Raymond MacDowell.
ISBN: 978-1-4129-1970-8
Sage Publications www.sagepub.co.uk
Paperback Edition, 359 pages, Price:
The expression business to business marketing is synonymous with ‘business marketing’. It is therefore important not to suppose that business to business marketing is synonymous with marketing goods and services to the manufacturing industries. Over the period 1978-2003 there has been a prominent trend away from manufacturing employment and towards service sector employment. So this book certainly seems opportune at a time when B2B employment seems to have to become the most return-heavy form of employment for the young and fresh out of college wannabes.
Modern economies are becoming increasingly service orientated. In fact the service industries account for close to 75% employment in such countries as Australia, Canada, UK and USA in 2000 and the trend is towards even higher levels of service sector employment.
This book under review acknowledges that Business to business marketing involves both the processes of marketing mix management and of relationship/network management. The chapters inside have interesting case studies and theory that provide some essential background definitions, addresses the question of buying and selling processes in organizational markets, useful information about organizational buyers and buying teams, examining the interaction between buyers and sellers in a business relationship, discuss the importance of customer value and look at the ways in which marketers seek to organize te strategic effort to enhance the value that they deliver to customers, importance of marketing ethics, key analytical processes in business to business marketing, business to business marketing management, integrated marketing communications in B2B marketing management, marketing communications methods deployed at the level of the inter-firm relationship, communications within inter-firm relationships, how to manage a firm’s portfolio of customer relationships and management of routes in markets.
'Business-to-Business Marketing’ will help students examine views that argue for or against B2B marketing being simply a variant of consumer marketing or only concerned with inter-organizational relationship management. Written from an European perspective and recognizing that organizational markets can be very different, the ideas and examples used in this book are as claimed by the authors, based on the latest research and scholarship and hence of great import to all connected with or belonging to the B2B industry.
Johnson Thomas.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Ghosts,Occult and Exorcists, Parur Ganesan
Just released !
GHOSTS, OCCULTS & EXORCISTS
Parur S.Ganesan’s latest !!
This book contains 10 real ghost experiences of the author
(5 relating to North Parur (Kerala) & 5 of Mumbai)
plus
very interesting experiences with Miracle men
Price Rs.170/-
(by cheque/Demand draft/Money order in favour of S.Ganesan payable at Mumbai)
( free courier delivery anywhere within India)
Contact:
S.Ganesan 28/103,”Vidya” Pestom Sagar, Chembur,Mumbai-400089 (Phone 25222525)
The Mysterious Life After Death
Schism between the metaphysical and the physical
Parur S.Ganesan
Ghosts and God have many things in common-their existence has always been under challenge. They exist only for the believers. Non-believers known as atheists, rationalists, or agnostics strongly contest the very concept. No one has won this eternally favorite slugfest. Those who believe in God have legions to narrate of their experiences. Similarly, many believe in ghosts and have stories to narrate of their personal experiences. In both, the belief is born out of personal experience. A recent survey by a leading newspaper in Mumbai reported that 55% of those whom they interviewed believed in ghosts, while as many as 25% have either seen ghosts or have had ghost experiences. Strangely, the two schools of thought have been maintaining their beliefs and disbeliefs from time immemorial all over the world perpetuating the confusion of the metaphysical and the physical,
The ancient Greeks, Romans, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists- all believe in extra terrestrial influences. Many feel that there are certainly some things beyond our realm. In Japan and China, as in India the belief is manifested through worship of spirits of the departed. For the Chinese, an ancestor is not just some one to honour, but also some one whose needs must be met and maintained. The living is obligated to tend to the wants of the dead by continuous offerings or risk consequences. Ancestor worship is also prevalent in Australia and Pacific Islands. To the Africans, ghosts are a part of their social living and thinking.. The Shamans of Mexico also are great believers of ghosts and spirits.
Plato did believe that there existed something within the huge vacuum between the world and the immortal world. Ancient Tibetan literature, the Old Testament and Hindu mythology contain several references to ghosts and spirits. Ghosts, Gobblins, Gnomes, Ghouls, Apparitions, Vampires, Witches, Imps, Werewolves and other wild spirits are several manifestations of this mysterious life after death. In the medieval period Shakespeare in England, Dante in Italy and the intelligentsia in general were influenced by the concept of spirits and ghosts. The Western mystical circles do talk of an "astral plane" as also of heaven, hell and purgatory. While heaven is a state of bliss and hell is payback for sins, purgatory is a correction center en route to heaven. Hindus do believe in karma and life after death situations.
Scientists believe that without physical proof, all notions of God, ghosts, angels, the (Holy) spirit and even soul itself and consequently life after death are worthy only to be discarded. Science does not accept out-of-sensory objects. To the rationalists, hell and heaven are poetic imagination and so are reincarnations and transmigration of souls. They hold that belief in ghosts and for that matter even God is childhood impressions inerasably stamped in a virgin and all absorbing mind carried forward for generations by the community. According to them ghost experiences should be dismissed as freaks or a hold-over created by mind arising out of paranoid or paranormal experiences. Thus there is a schism between science and metaphysics.
The believers contest that ghosts are real and about physical. They embody in shadowy forms of people who cannot find a way to leave the world, out of attachment or unfulfilled desires.. .Real ghost experiences have been recorded and confirmed by many occupying exalted and high positions in society including celebrities. Scientists may dismiss these experiences coming out of an esoteric frame of mind, often conditioned by the environment they live in ; they externalize these beliefs by giving them a form and shape. Thus the conflict zone between the skeptics and the believers has not been bridged.
While on this topic, the thought provoking and analytical findings of Padma Vibhushan Shri.V.R.Krishna Iyer, former Judge of the Supreme Court needs special reference.
Justice Shri.Krishna Iyer who was propelled to study this subject since 1973 after his wife's unexpected demise has conducted, in his typical trait, extensive and intensive search and research on the vexed question of life beyond death.. His conclusion is that death is a transition and not a termination. It is a punctuation mark and not a full stop. After discussing this subject with many eminent researchers world over with polarized views on the life after riddle, Mr. Krishna Iyer has also discovered the big answers to the ever perplexing riddles of karma, reincarnation, transmigration of souls, Extra Sensory Perceptions (ESP), Near Death Experience (NDE), with factual foundations.
In Japan many children do remember World War II with identical experiences. To the Tibetans when the Dalai lama dies his reincarnation is predetermined. Old Testament does consider reincarnation possible What explanation have rationalists to give on a Buddhia Singh at five taking to Marathon in Orissa, or to a little Srinivas of Tamil Nadu playing at ease, difficult classical tunes in mandolin at the age of four explaining to a spell bound audience the concept of each note (raga)? Recently, a four year girl living in a remote village of UP claimed that her real name was Kalpana Chawla, the astronaut who died in the skies four years ago in the US space shuttle crash. She has been narrating to her illiterate parents details of her journey in the space shuttle and how she died in the crash. To every one's surprise, she also mentions the name of Kalpana's father. San Francisco based reincarnation researcher Walter Semkiw's book "Born Again" has documented past lives of several celebrities in various fields. These include actor Shah Rukh Khan as reincarnation of the famous Bengalee dancer and actor Sadhana Bose and Amitabh Bacchan as reincarnation of Victorian actor Edwin Booth in his past life. The book further identifies President Abdul Kalam as Tipu Sultan reincarnate.
Belief in mystical science is based on experience. In the beginning few will accept it, but over a period, with repetitive experiences one gets into the belief system. We die and come back as somebody else, carrying with us certain karmik tendencies. People claiming to have total recall of previous life, are still looked at with amazement.
=================
.* The author was in the Indian Economic Service and later Director, Garware Polyester".GHOSTS, OCCULTS & EXORCISTS-" a book written by the author narrating his own real experiences with ghosts and sprits is being published shortly.
GHOSTS, OCCULTS & EXORCISTS
Parur S.Ganesan’s latest !!
This book contains 10 real ghost experiences of the author
(5 relating to North Parur (Kerala) & 5 of Mumbai)
plus
very interesting experiences with Miracle men
Price Rs.170/-
(by cheque/Demand draft/Money order in favour of S.Ganesan payable at Mumbai)
( free courier delivery anywhere within India)
Contact:
S.Ganesan 28/103,”Vidya” Pestom Sagar, Chembur,Mumbai-400089 (Phone 25222525)
The Mysterious Life After Death
Schism between the metaphysical and the physical
Parur S.Ganesan
Ghosts and God have many things in common-their existence has always been under challenge. They exist only for the believers. Non-believers known as atheists, rationalists, or agnostics strongly contest the very concept. No one has won this eternally favorite slugfest. Those who believe in God have legions to narrate of their experiences. Similarly, many believe in ghosts and have stories to narrate of their personal experiences. In both, the belief is born out of personal experience. A recent survey by a leading newspaper in Mumbai reported that 55% of those whom they interviewed believed in ghosts, while as many as 25% have either seen ghosts or have had ghost experiences. Strangely, the two schools of thought have been maintaining their beliefs and disbeliefs from time immemorial all over the world perpetuating the confusion of the metaphysical and the physical,
The ancient Greeks, Romans, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists- all believe in extra terrestrial influences. Many feel that there are certainly some things beyond our realm. In Japan and China, as in India the belief is manifested through worship of spirits of the departed. For the Chinese, an ancestor is not just some one to honour, but also some one whose needs must be met and maintained. The living is obligated to tend to the wants of the dead by continuous offerings or risk consequences. Ancestor worship is also prevalent in Australia and Pacific Islands. To the Africans, ghosts are a part of their social living and thinking.. The Shamans of Mexico also are great believers of ghosts and spirits.
Plato did believe that there existed something within the huge vacuum between the world and the immortal world. Ancient Tibetan literature, the Old Testament and Hindu mythology contain several references to ghosts and spirits. Ghosts, Gobblins, Gnomes, Ghouls, Apparitions, Vampires, Witches, Imps, Werewolves and other wild spirits are several manifestations of this mysterious life after death. In the medieval period Shakespeare in England, Dante in Italy and the intelligentsia in general were influenced by the concept of spirits and ghosts. The Western mystical circles do talk of an "astral plane" as also of heaven, hell and purgatory. While heaven is a state of bliss and hell is payback for sins, purgatory is a correction center en route to heaven. Hindus do believe in karma and life after death situations.
Scientists believe that without physical proof, all notions of God, ghosts, angels, the (Holy) spirit and even soul itself and consequently life after death are worthy only to be discarded. Science does not accept out-of-sensory objects. To the rationalists, hell and heaven are poetic imagination and so are reincarnations and transmigration of souls. They hold that belief in ghosts and for that matter even God is childhood impressions inerasably stamped in a virgin and all absorbing mind carried forward for generations by the community. According to them ghost experiences should be dismissed as freaks or a hold-over created by mind arising out of paranoid or paranormal experiences. Thus there is a schism between science and metaphysics.
The believers contest that ghosts are real and about physical. They embody in shadowy forms of people who cannot find a way to leave the world, out of attachment or unfulfilled desires.. .Real ghost experiences have been recorded and confirmed by many occupying exalted and high positions in society including celebrities. Scientists may dismiss these experiences coming out of an esoteric frame of mind, often conditioned by the environment they live in ; they externalize these beliefs by giving them a form and shape. Thus the conflict zone between the skeptics and the believers has not been bridged.
While on this topic, the thought provoking and analytical findings of Padma Vibhushan Shri.V.R.Krishna Iyer, former Judge of the Supreme Court needs special reference.
Justice Shri.Krishna Iyer who was propelled to study this subject since 1973 after his wife's unexpected demise has conducted, in his typical trait, extensive and intensive search and research on the vexed question of life beyond death.. His conclusion is that death is a transition and not a termination. It is a punctuation mark and not a full stop. After discussing this subject with many eminent researchers world over with polarized views on the life after riddle, Mr. Krishna Iyer has also discovered the big answers to the ever perplexing riddles of karma, reincarnation, transmigration of souls, Extra Sensory Perceptions (ESP), Near Death Experience (NDE), with factual foundations.
In Japan many children do remember World War II with identical experiences. To the Tibetans when the Dalai lama dies his reincarnation is predetermined. Old Testament does consider reincarnation possible What explanation have rationalists to give on a Buddhia Singh at five taking to Marathon in Orissa, or to a little Srinivas of Tamil Nadu playing at ease, difficult classical tunes in mandolin at the age of four explaining to a spell bound audience the concept of each note (raga)? Recently, a four year girl living in a remote village of UP claimed that her real name was Kalpana Chawla, the astronaut who died in the skies four years ago in the US space shuttle crash. She has been narrating to her illiterate parents details of her journey in the space shuttle and how she died in the crash. To every one's surprise, she also mentions the name of Kalpana's father. San Francisco based reincarnation researcher Walter Semkiw's book "Born Again" has documented past lives of several celebrities in various fields. These include actor Shah Rukh Khan as reincarnation of the famous Bengalee dancer and actor Sadhana Bose and Amitabh Bacchan as reincarnation of Victorian actor Edwin Booth in his past life. The book further identifies President Abdul Kalam as Tipu Sultan reincarnate.
Belief in mystical science is based on experience. In the beginning few will accept it, but over a period, with repetitive experiences one gets into the belief system. We die and come back as somebody else, carrying with us certain karmik tendencies. People claiming to have total recall of previous life, are still looked at with amazement.
=================
.* The author was in the Indian Economic Service and later Director, Garware Polyester".GHOSTS, OCCULTS & EXORCISTS-" a book written by the author narrating his own real experiences with ghosts and sprits is being published shortly.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Leadership in the era of Economic Uncertainty:The new rules for getting the right things done in difficult times, Book review, Johnson Thomas
Book Review
Johnson Thomas
Book Title: Leadership in the era of Economic uncertainty
Sub-Title: The New Rules for Getting the Right Things Done in Difficult Times
Author: Ram Charan
Hardcover Edition, 139 pages, Rs.375/-
Publisher: Tata McGraw-Hill
www.tatamcgrawhill.com
We are well into the downturn, Organisations are combating the steep recession by gifting their employees with pink slips, some even asking them to take a voluntary cut in their pay cheques while others are shutting down non-performing subsidiaries, there are even others declaring bankruptcy and getting taken over for a pittance by some proficient players in the market. Cash and credit are dwindling, sales forecasts are dismal, the job pool is shrinking and morale is sinking. For business leaders it has become a challenge to stay afloat and fight the beast of recession without losing out on core competencies and profiteering. This is not a time to reflect or back out from the fight. It’s a time to act, decide and energise the workforce with urgency and shrewd leadership. During this time of grave uncertainty, others are looking to you for strength and guidance. Are you up to it? is the question!
Ram Charan, world renowned adviser to business leaders and corporate boards, best-selling author and award winning teacher, known for his insights into business problems and real-world practicality in solving them, is out with his quick-fix mantras for corporate leadership in crisis. His book ,’Leadership in the era of economic uncertainty: New Rules for getting the right things done in difficult time’ is timely and opportune. Ram Charan is the author/co-author of nearly fifteen books including ‘Boards that Deliver:Execution’ written with former Honewell CEO, Larry Bossidy was on the New York Times bestseller list for nearly three years and has almost two million copies in print. Ram’s books have an interactive style, his approach is real-world and practical and his lessons are worth paying heed to. In this concise and easy to practice guide, Ram helps you steer your business through the quagmire of contracting markets, cash shortages and ongoing uncertainty. Ram’s insights have depth and knowledge behind it, they are essentials for every business in these sink or swim climes. Provided you practice them, they will ensure that your business emerges much fitter and stronger than the rest of the competition. His mantras are not something that learned businessmen are unaware of, they are sensible practices that should be practiced at all times to ensure strength and invincibility of the business. Ram points out the necessity for cash flow to be vigilantly protected, cash must be used much more efficiently, he opines. He wants business leaders to use ground intelligence, develop better understanding of customers, reevaluate pricing strategy and use cost cutting strategically to survive the storm and position their business to thrive in the aftermath. He makes great use of examples and case studies to illustrate learnings of how leaders at DuPont, Hanesbrands, Wipro and other companies which used his techniques to great and profitable effect. The language is simple enough, business leaders of all shapes and stature are likely to understand and want to implement these resoundingly successful techniques. Read the book and you are sure to know what is to be done to get your company out of the red and into the green! It’s like telling someone overweight that they need to watch their diet and exercise to become leaner and fitter and more appealing. It’s definitely not something that goes down well with most people though. If you are intelligent enough, you will sift through the defensiveness and reach out to the deeper meaning of Ram’s truths. The choice is yours!
Johnson Thomas
Johnsont307@gmail.com
Johnson Thomas
Book Title: Leadership in the era of Economic uncertainty
Sub-Title: The New Rules for Getting the Right Things Done in Difficult Times
Author: Ram Charan
Hardcover Edition, 139 pages, Rs.375/-
Publisher: Tata McGraw-Hill
www.tatamcgrawhill.com
We are well into the downturn, Organisations are combating the steep recession by gifting their employees with pink slips, some even asking them to take a voluntary cut in their pay cheques while others are shutting down non-performing subsidiaries, there are even others declaring bankruptcy and getting taken over for a pittance by some proficient players in the market. Cash and credit are dwindling, sales forecasts are dismal, the job pool is shrinking and morale is sinking. For business leaders it has become a challenge to stay afloat and fight the beast of recession without losing out on core competencies and profiteering. This is not a time to reflect or back out from the fight. It’s a time to act, decide and energise the workforce with urgency and shrewd leadership. During this time of grave uncertainty, others are looking to you for strength and guidance. Are you up to it? is the question!
Ram Charan, world renowned adviser to business leaders and corporate boards, best-selling author and award winning teacher, known for his insights into business problems and real-world practicality in solving them, is out with his quick-fix mantras for corporate leadership in crisis. His book ,’Leadership in the era of economic uncertainty: New Rules for getting the right things done in difficult time’ is timely and opportune. Ram Charan is the author/co-author of nearly fifteen books including ‘Boards that Deliver:Execution’ written with former Honewell CEO, Larry Bossidy was on the New York Times bestseller list for nearly three years and has almost two million copies in print. Ram’s books have an interactive style, his approach is real-world and practical and his lessons are worth paying heed to. In this concise and easy to practice guide, Ram helps you steer your business through the quagmire of contracting markets, cash shortages and ongoing uncertainty. Ram’s insights have depth and knowledge behind it, they are essentials for every business in these sink or swim climes. Provided you practice them, they will ensure that your business emerges much fitter and stronger than the rest of the competition. His mantras are not something that learned businessmen are unaware of, they are sensible practices that should be practiced at all times to ensure strength and invincibility of the business. Ram points out the necessity for cash flow to be vigilantly protected, cash must be used much more efficiently, he opines. He wants business leaders to use ground intelligence, develop better understanding of customers, reevaluate pricing strategy and use cost cutting strategically to survive the storm and position their business to thrive in the aftermath. He makes great use of examples and case studies to illustrate learnings of how leaders at DuPont, Hanesbrands, Wipro and other companies which used his techniques to great and profitable effect. The language is simple enough, business leaders of all shapes and stature are likely to understand and want to implement these resoundingly successful techniques. Read the book and you are sure to know what is to be done to get your company out of the red and into the green! It’s like telling someone overweight that they need to watch their diet and exercise to become leaner and fitter and more appealing. It’s definitely not something that goes down well with most people though. If you are intelligent enough, you will sift through the defensiveness and reach out to the deeper meaning of Ram’s truths. The choice is yours!
Johnson Thomas
Johnsont307@gmail.com
Friday, March 20, 2009
Whistling in the Dark;21 queer interviews Edited by R Raj Rao & Dibyajyoti Sarma, Review by Johnson Thomas
Book Review
Johnson Thomas
Title: Whistling in the Dark
Sub-Title: 21 Queer Interviews
Edited by R Raj Rao & Dibyajyoti Sarma
Paperback Edition, 264 pages, Price: Rs. 375/-
ISBN 978-81-7829-921-1
Sage Publications
www.sagepublications.com
In 1999 a few former residents and R.Raj Rao, got together to form the Queer Studies Circle, a support group that was concerned with the intellectual , cultural, social and political aspects of being gay in India. They believed, a stage had come, thanks to worldwide propaganda, when homosexuality came to be seen as synonymous with HIV/AIDS and they wanted to veer away from this grim penchant and focus on the celebration of gayness itself. At meetings which were held in the Department of English, University of Pune, they encouraged people to talk so that they could get acquainted with their personal histories.
It was an attempt to put these histories on record and the people who came to these meetings were given pointers about queer sex identities and an attemot was made to find out how each of these people belonging to specific identities, viewed themselves with respect to societal obligations which they may or may not have entered into. The idea for this book took shape during those meetings and interviewees include several people from countries like Canada, Spain, SriLanka, Mauritius and even Iran. They also include MSM’s from plebian society such as auto rickshaw drivers and masseurs. Interviews were facilitated in a relaxed ambience in different locations and over a period of time. The aim was to present the life stories as they actually exist, without vetting or editing them in the interest of propriety. They were also aiming for a work of non-fiction, that like fiction, would be able to sustain the interest of the general reader.
The facilitators were seen to be out gay men, icons, who could be taken to be one amongst them and therefore it was easier to get the interviewees to open up with as much honesty as possible. The writings encompass several issues that have troubled the community over the years. The attempt to start an MA level course on Alternate Sexuality, Naz foundation’s case for repeal of article 377, cultural taboos reinforced by heterosexism, issue of masculinity, patriarchy, paedophilia, the metaphor of third world colonization, AIDS, the use of condoms, religion and sexuality, the use of aliases among gay men and lesbians and homosexuality in prisons are some of the issues that find prominence in the writings that have been chosen to be among the 21 queer interviews entrenched in this book. Co-editor Dibyajyothi Sarma was also responsible for the incisive probing that lead to the thought provoking narratives that have been included in this book. These narratives go beyond the commonplace and conventional, providing a rare insight into the private lives of people, some of whom were( at some point of their lives) forced to live their true lives in hiding rather than leave themselves open to the ridicule of society and imprisonment due to the antiquated laws of our country. This book is a revelation of sorts for those who have little understanding of issues that arise due to unconventional sexual preferences. It can also be a useful resource for PG students, academics and any and everyone who has an interest in humanity and social welfare.
Johnson Thomas( johnsont307@gmail.com)
About the Editors
R Raj Rao: A professor in the Department of English, University of Pune, India, he is the author of the cult novel ‘The Boyfriend’ which has also been translated into French and Italian. He has another novel all set for release called ‘Engineering College Hostel.’
The cult film ‘BomGay’ was based on six of his poems. Rao is the public face of Indian Gay writing all over the world.
Dibyajyoti Sarma: He wrote his M.Phil thesis in Western Queer Theory and how it differs from Indian Queer experience. His book of poems ‘Glimpses of a Personal History’ and published in 2004. He is also working on his first novel.
Johnson Thomas
Title: Whistling in the Dark
Sub-Title: 21 Queer Interviews
Edited by R Raj Rao & Dibyajyoti Sarma
Paperback Edition, 264 pages, Price: Rs. 375/-
ISBN 978-81-7829-921-1
Sage Publications
www.sagepublications.com
In 1999 a few former residents and R.Raj Rao, got together to form the Queer Studies Circle, a support group that was concerned with the intellectual , cultural, social and political aspects of being gay in India. They believed, a stage had come, thanks to worldwide propaganda, when homosexuality came to be seen as synonymous with HIV/AIDS and they wanted to veer away from this grim penchant and focus on the celebration of gayness itself. At meetings which were held in the Department of English, University of Pune, they encouraged people to talk so that they could get acquainted with their personal histories.
It was an attempt to put these histories on record and the people who came to these meetings were given pointers about queer sex identities and an attemot was made to find out how each of these people belonging to specific identities, viewed themselves with respect to societal obligations which they may or may not have entered into. The idea for this book took shape during those meetings and interviewees include several people from countries like Canada, Spain, SriLanka, Mauritius and even Iran. They also include MSM’s from plebian society such as auto rickshaw drivers and masseurs. Interviews were facilitated in a relaxed ambience in different locations and over a period of time. The aim was to present the life stories as they actually exist, without vetting or editing them in the interest of propriety. They were also aiming for a work of non-fiction, that like fiction, would be able to sustain the interest of the general reader.
The facilitators were seen to be out gay men, icons, who could be taken to be one amongst them and therefore it was easier to get the interviewees to open up with as much honesty as possible. The writings encompass several issues that have troubled the community over the years. The attempt to start an MA level course on Alternate Sexuality, Naz foundation’s case for repeal of article 377, cultural taboos reinforced by heterosexism, issue of masculinity, patriarchy, paedophilia, the metaphor of third world colonization, AIDS, the use of condoms, religion and sexuality, the use of aliases among gay men and lesbians and homosexuality in prisons are some of the issues that find prominence in the writings that have been chosen to be among the 21 queer interviews entrenched in this book. Co-editor Dibyajyothi Sarma was also responsible for the incisive probing that lead to the thought provoking narratives that have been included in this book. These narratives go beyond the commonplace and conventional, providing a rare insight into the private lives of people, some of whom were( at some point of their lives) forced to live their true lives in hiding rather than leave themselves open to the ridicule of society and imprisonment due to the antiquated laws of our country. This book is a revelation of sorts for those who have little understanding of issues that arise due to unconventional sexual preferences. It can also be a useful resource for PG students, academics and any and everyone who has an interest in humanity and social welfare.
Johnson Thomas( johnsont307@gmail.com)
About the Editors
R Raj Rao: A professor in the Department of English, University of Pune, India, he is the author of the cult novel ‘The Boyfriend’ which has also been translated into French and Italian. He has another novel all set for release called ‘Engineering College Hostel.’
The cult film ‘BomGay’ was based on six of his poems. Rao is the public face of Indian Gay writing all over the world.
Dibyajyoti Sarma: He wrote his M.Phil thesis in Western Queer Theory and how it differs from Indian Queer experience. His book of poems ‘Glimpses of a Personal History’ and published in 2004. He is also working on his first novel.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A Space of her Own & Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India
A SPACE OF HER OWN
Personal Narratives of Twelve Women
edited by: Leela Gulati & Jasodhara Bagchi
ISBN: 0-7619-3315-8
Published : March 2005 Pages : 276 Price: Rs.340 Paperback Edition
Publisher: SAGE India www.indiasage.com
WOMEN HEROES AND DALIT ASSERTION IN NORTH INDIA
Culture, Identity and Politics (Series:Cultural Subordination and the Dalit Challenge, 5)
Author: Badri Narayan
Published : September 2006 Pages : 186 Paperback Edition
ISBN: 0-7619-3537-1
Publisher: Sage India www.sageindia.com Price: Rs.295.
Very often myths are more influential than reality, they also give new meaning to reality. Memories too often help to triumph over an oppressive present and the past is often invented in new forms to overcome such a present. This can be seen in the case of many historically marginalized communities who give new interpretations to their past to suit the needs of their present in order to move towards a better and brighter future. The Dalit castes of UP in north India form one such group. This group though large in numbers has always been looked down upon and reviled by the hegemonic upper castes who are small in number. The volume, Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India explores cultural repression in India and ways in which it is overcome. The book studies the burgeoning Dalit politics in North India and shows how Dalit women heroes (viranganas) of the 1857 Rebellion have emerged as symbols of Dalit assertion in Uttar Pradesh and are being used by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to build the image of its leader, Mayawati. Our caste-ridden society subaltern castes have had an inhuman, subjugated existence for a very long time. Over a period of time they began to resist upper-caste hegemony and began the quest for political and cultural space. With awareness setting in, the Dalit identity is taking a concrete shape today. Among the factors contributing to this evolution are politics and the process of fashioning alternate history through the resurrection of memories and myths regarding Dalit heroes – both men and women – of yore covering the time span ranging from the two epics to the more recent 1857 War of Independence and even later.
On the other hand the collection of twelve narratives, A Space of Her Own focuses not so much on women’s subservient position vis-a-vis men, but on women’s relations with each other. With the authors locating their personal struggles within those of three generations of women in their families, these narratives span a period of over a 100 years, and intersect both the private and public domains. Each narrative in A Space of Her Own is a tale of how the author fought to establish her own personhood and create a sphere of autonomy where she is able to make decisions to nurture herself and those around her.
While demonstrating how myths and memories of the role of Dalits in India’s freedom struggle are employed for constructing identity, and then reconstructed for political mobilization, Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India narrates some of the tales used to develop political consciousness at the grass-roots level. It also reveals how stories picked up from among the people themselves are reinterpreted, packaged and disseminated orally and via pamphlets, describing how gods, heroes and other cultural resources of each caste are converted into political capital by giving them a visual image through calendars, statues, posters and memorials and also shows how the BSP creates and recreates historical material to expand its electoral base.
Four themes emerge prominently from the narratives in A Space of Her Own, reflecting on the emotional lines of matriliny within the social structure of patriliny. They include the role of the renegade predecessors in the family who set out a pattern of independence that paved the way for her inspirational act, the presence of mothers or grandmothers who come forward in situations of stress to exhibit unforeseen strengths, stories of obstacles overcome and stories of external social change that shaped the lives of these women. Eight of the narratives were written for a workshop of women’s lives hosted by the center for developmental studies in Trivandrum. 12 narratives form the core of this book edited by edited by Leela Gulati formerly at Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvanthapuram & Jasodhara Bagchi West Bengal Commission for Women, Kolkata .The authors include women of substance namely; Bagchi herself, Zarina Bhatty, Priti Desai, Nabaneeta Dev Sen, Carolyn Elliott, Leela Gulati, Arlie Hochschild, Saroja Kamakshi, Maithreyi Krishna Raj, Vina Mazumdar, Vijaya Mehta, Sushil Narulla, Mary Roy and Hema Sundaram. Each narrative is a tale of how the author established her own parenthood. Several of the authors recount how previous generations of women found personal space under the ‘bushel of domesticity’.
Badri Narayan of G B Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad, author of Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India has attempted to examine the relationship between cultural politics and the democratic participation of marginalised communities of UP. He also highlights "hidden issues related to identity construction, which underlie the obvious issues related to the fulfillment of basic needs and socio-economic development`85" and how they are used to mobilise the Dalits at the grass-roots level.
Based on field studies and secondary information, the author outlines the politics of dissent which uses historical and cultural resources as identity markers in political mobilization. This book, therefore, becomes invaluable for students of politics, sociology and history and all those engaged in Dalit studies.
It is inevitable that in Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India the BSP, especially the Mayawati factor is given due attention here and that’s not a minus in any form. The Mayawati faction has emerged because of social malaise and it’s only fair on the part of the author to recognize that fact. What is important about this book though, is the community-wise examination of the evolution of Dalit consciousness in UP. And this especially makes this book an invaluable text , well researched and lucidly told!
It is stories such as in A Space of Her Own ,when repeated over generations, have the power to inspire women to live with dignity and to create and defend lives for themselves, their families, and the women who follow them. The book dwells at length on women in relation to other women within families. It does not follow the trend of caricaturing the mother-in-law daughter-n-law stereotype. Here women together derive strength from ea ch other and is therefore a revelation. Can these narratives be considered the social history of previous generations? They are certainly not eyewitness accounts of the past and can be seen to be clearly mediated by each authors contemporary effort to express herself and her own reasoning of her life story so far. Despite this short-coming this book has all the makings of a more often than not realistic construct of a historic past.
Johnson Thomas
Personal Narratives of Twelve Women
edited by: Leela Gulati & Jasodhara Bagchi
ISBN: 0-7619-3315-8
Published : March 2005 Pages : 276 Price: Rs.340 Paperback Edition
Publisher: SAGE India www.indiasage.com
WOMEN HEROES AND DALIT ASSERTION IN NORTH INDIA
Culture, Identity and Politics (Series:Cultural Subordination and the Dalit Challenge, 5)
Author: Badri Narayan
Published : September 2006 Pages : 186 Paperback Edition
ISBN: 0-7619-3537-1
Publisher: Sage India www.sageindia.com Price: Rs.295.
Very often myths are more influential than reality, they also give new meaning to reality. Memories too often help to triumph over an oppressive present and the past is often invented in new forms to overcome such a present. This can be seen in the case of many historically marginalized communities who give new interpretations to their past to suit the needs of their present in order to move towards a better and brighter future. The Dalit castes of UP in north India form one such group. This group though large in numbers has always been looked down upon and reviled by the hegemonic upper castes who are small in number. The volume, Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India explores cultural repression in India and ways in which it is overcome. The book studies the burgeoning Dalit politics in North India and shows how Dalit women heroes (viranganas) of the 1857 Rebellion have emerged as symbols of Dalit assertion in Uttar Pradesh and are being used by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to build the image of its leader, Mayawati. Our caste-ridden society subaltern castes have had an inhuman, subjugated existence for a very long time. Over a period of time they began to resist upper-caste hegemony and began the quest for political and cultural space. With awareness setting in, the Dalit identity is taking a concrete shape today. Among the factors contributing to this evolution are politics and the process of fashioning alternate history through the resurrection of memories and myths regarding Dalit heroes – both men and women – of yore covering the time span ranging from the two epics to the more recent 1857 War of Independence and even later.
On the other hand the collection of twelve narratives, A Space of Her Own focuses not so much on women’s subservient position vis-a-vis men, but on women’s relations with each other. With the authors locating their personal struggles within those of three generations of women in their families, these narratives span a period of over a 100 years, and intersect both the private and public domains. Each narrative in A Space of Her Own is a tale of how the author fought to establish her own personhood and create a sphere of autonomy where she is able to make decisions to nurture herself and those around her.
While demonstrating how myths and memories of the role of Dalits in India’s freedom struggle are employed for constructing identity, and then reconstructed for political mobilization, Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India narrates some of the tales used to develop political consciousness at the grass-roots level. It also reveals how stories picked up from among the people themselves are reinterpreted, packaged and disseminated orally and via pamphlets, describing how gods, heroes and other cultural resources of each caste are converted into political capital by giving them a visual image through calendars, statues, posters and memorials and also shows how the BSP creates and recreates historical material to expand its electoral base.
Four themes emerge prominently from the narratives in A Space of Her Own, reflecting on the emotional lines of matriliny within the social structure of patriliny. They include the role of the renegade predecessors in the family who set out a pattern of independence that paved the way for her inspirational act, the presence of mothers or grandmothers who come forward in situations of stress to exhibit unforeseen strengths, stories of obstacles overcome and stories of external social change that shaped the lives of these women. Eight of the narratives were written for a workshop of women’s lives hosted by the center for developmental studies in Trivandrum. 12 narratives form the core of this book edited by edited by Leela Gulati formerly at Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvanthapuram & Jasodhara Bagchi West Bengal Commission for Women, Kolkata .The authors include women of substance namely; Bagchi herself, Zarina Bhatty, Priti Desai, Nabaneeta Dev Sen, Carolyn Elliott, Leela Gulati, Arlie Hochschild, Saroja Kamakshi, Maithreyi Krishna Raj, Vina Mazumdar, Vijaya Mehta, Sushil Narulla, Mary Roy and Hema Sundaram. Each narrative is a tale of how the author established her own parenthood. Several of the authors recount how previous generations of women found personal space under the ‘bushel of domesticity’.
Badri Narayan of G B Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad, author of Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India has attempted to examine the relationship between cultural politics and the democratic participation of marginalised communities of UP. He also highlights "hidden issues related to identity construction, which underlie the obvious issues related to the fulfillment of basic needs and socio-economic development`85" and how they are used to mobilise the Dalits at the grass-roots level.
Based on field studies and secondary information, the author outlines the politics of dissent which uses historical and cultural resources as identity markers in political mobilization. This book, therefore, becomes invaluable for students of politics, sociology and history and all those engaged in Dalit studies.
It is inevitable that in Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India the BSP, especially the Mayawati factor is given due attention here and that’s not a minus in any form. The Mayawati faction has emerged because of social malaise and it’s only fair on the part of the author to recognize that fact. What is important about this book though, is the community-wise examination of the evolution of Dalit consciousness in UP. And this especially makes this book an invaluable text , well researched and lucidly told!
It is stories such as in A Space of Her Own ,when repeated over generations, have the power to inspire women to live with dignity and to create and defend lives for themselves, their families, and the women who follow them. The book dwells at length on women in relation to other women within families. It does not follow the trend of caricaturing the mother-in-law daughter-n-law stereotype. Here women together derive strength from ea ch other and is therefore a revelation. Can these narratives be considered the social history of previous generations? They are certainly not eyewitness accounts of the past and can be seen to be clearly mediated by each authors contemporary effort to express herself and her own reasoning of her life story so far. Despite this short-coming this book has all the makings of a more often than not realistic construct of a historic past.
Johnson Thomas
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