Domination November 2011

VOLUME-II ISSUE-11
NOVEMBER 2011
NEWSLETTER FROM DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE
Road of Opportunities - The New Market in Africa (05)
Editorial
Dear Readers, It's November, the month of celebration and jubilation!!! Starting with the auspicious occasion of "Id"; as we strawl down the post-monsoon days the mood of the hoipolloi swings to that of boisterousness and piety with Guru Nanak Jayanti round the corner. As all of you come back from the vacations; we bring another fresh edition of the Domination to perk up your busy schedule with some newfangled ideas and fresh food for thought. We phase in with the all novel opportunity analysis of the 'Plateau Continent': Africa. For eternity the land of Africa has had the dubious distinction of being a laggard, the so called "Land of Apartheid". The land which has witnessed the barbaric slavery system, undue and umpteen interventions by the western world, the autocratic rule of the megalomaniac despots is finally rising. With the political uprising in many countries, as the sovereigns take large strides towards achieving a democratic government, the door to a plethora of business opportunities has also been flung open by the influx of large
02 | DOMINATION, NOVEMBER 2011
sums of foreign investments and big MNCs hailing from major economic players in the world trade like China ,US and India."Is Africa A New Market for Future" provides an insight from close quarters. They say 'Need is the mother of invention". But as science goes strength to strength in exploring and utilizing the surroundings of environment, the unending desires of the human psyche keeps delving new wants and wishes. So when the obviously limited endowment of the human brain is exhausted; whom does he look up to for a new idea ?? Yes it's the mother nature again; providing the perspicacity wrapped under the veil of her very modus operandi; for our researchers to tap. The article "Nature's smart ideas" covers a few of such subtle cases of the nature providing working models for nuances and innovations in the domain of product designing. Because as the famous adage goes - "Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous.
So, where do we take the next stop ?? Where else other than the facebooks and twitters. Yes, in the article "Online social media and impact" we look take a look at the burgeoning trend of social sites being used for corporate strategy and business advertising purposes. Following the fortuitous and efficacious attempts of Cadbury Wispa, Tata Nano , Barack Obama's presidential campaign and the Arab uprising ,the social networking has emerged as the new age platform to communicate with the masses. But this sword cuts both ways as even the slightest chink in the interaction with followers has the potential to end up as a gaping hole and turn all the efforts to a mere fiasco. The article "Online Social media and it's impact" analyzes this Gennext phenomenon. Ever thought of what is common between solving a jigsaw puzzle, making a strategic business decision or framing a generic policy for the bourgeois? Yes, it's the bigger picture that matters. The
cognitive 'Pas de deux' of conceptualizing the next paltry step ,vis-a-vis the bigger output is what is called as systems thinking and forms the basic
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE
Editorial
backbone of solution of all sorts of problem from puzzles to administrative decision making. Let the doctrines of systems thinking and counter intuition sink in with our article 'System's Thinking-Getting the bigger picture'. Now time to invigorate our minds with some palpable problems back home. The article "Economic Langour from Global vantage point" does just so by attempting to dig deep into reasons and solutions of the impasse called 'Inflation'; which has flummoxed the RBI and the Government alike. This is the second edition in the running being authored and collated by the joint efforts of both the years; the eclectic synergy of experience and fresh vigor . As the season of fasting and feasting sneaks through , the 'Domination' strives to enrich your information base and leverage prudence in a variety of areas .Hoping that the zest and joviality of the festive season will bring happiness, good fortune and good health to all our readers , its Team Domination wishing everyone happy Reading and "Happy Id-ul-Zuha" !
s - Regard on ti Domina Team
03 | DOMINATION, NOVEMBER 2011 DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE
Contents
Newsletter Team
Aditi Joshi Anuj Mody Anurag Agrawal Chetna Yadav Manav Kaushik Mukesh Rathi Pawan Upadhyay Prateek Tomar Rajneesh Kumar Ruchi Gupta Saumya Dani Saumya Verma Sayantan Shibi Singh Shruti Goel
Systems Thinking Online social media: Its impact Natures Smart Ideas Is Africa the new market for future
08 12
15 18
Economic langour from a global vantage point
21
Design Team
Anurag Agrawal Saumya Verma
There is a flower at my desk
27
25
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE
Roorkee - 247 667, India Tel: +91-1332-285014, 285617 Fax: +91-1332-285565 Email: domination.doms.iitr@gmail.com Website: www.iitr.ac.in/departments/DM/Pages/Index.html
Qutopia
22
DoMS da Evince
For private circulation only 04 | DOMINATION, NOVEMBER 2011 DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE
Cover Story Think Different
(Today) I am going to drop the interim title, announced Steve Jobs at the MacWorld Expo in San Francisco in January 2000. The Crowd erupted with shouts of Steve! Steve! Steve! The pace of clapping hands quickened, then feet stomped, and, finally, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. I work with the most talented people on the planet, at Apple and Pixar, he added, These jobs are team sports. The world suddenly realized that Steve Jobs had grown from being an arrogant executive to a manager. Time had eroded
his invincibility and his elitism and made him realize just how human he was. He could stand in front of thousands and honestly and genuinely thank those who worked for long hours to make Apple a success. The journey is the reward Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ron Wayne started Apple in Jobss garage in April 1, 1976. Steve Wozniak hand built the Apple I and Jobs handled marketing. Jobs could be charismatic, even mesmerizing, but also cold and brutal. Steve could call up people he didnt
know and make them do things, Wozniak recalled. In 1982, Time magazine claimed, Jobs practically singlehandedly created the personal computer industry. On one hand, Jobs was a creative visionary, on the other hand he was a dreadful manager. I have always liked Steve but I have found it impossible to work for him said Jeff Raskin the project in charge of Macintosh. In 1985, Jobs resigned from Apple after losing a power struggle with the board of directors. Then, he started a new company named NeXT. The NeXT years
Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie


were torture for him, as he was forcibly alienated from his true love. The tough love made him wiser and more mature. At NeXT, Jobs was able to indulge all of his instincts, both good and bad. He was unbound. The result was a series of spectacular products that were dazzling market flops. This was the true learning experience that prepared him for the great success he would have on his return to Apple. As Jobs later said in his Stanford speech, I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. In 1996, Apple bought NeXT and Jobs became the interim CEO of Apple in the next year. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication Design is a funny word. Some people think design is how it looks. But, of course if you think deeper, it is really how it works. To design something really well, you have to get it. You have to really grok (a geeks word meaning to understand something thoroughly by having empathy with it) what it is all about, Steve Jobs said in an interview. Right from the beginning at Apple, he believed that great industrial designa colorfully simple logo, a sleek case for the Apple IIwould set the company apart and the sleekly irresistible iPod, the iPhone and the most recent iPad. Thinking beyond the box We are here to make a dent in the universe, otherwise why would we be here? said Jobs, We are creating a completely new consciousness like an artist or a poet. His vision and perfection made him the most influential inventor of the digital age. He was one of the few men who dissolved art in technology. He transformed music industry with iTunes and iPod. He changed film industry with animation movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and others from Pixar Studios. He redefined the personal computer and turned telephony on its head while he was at it. He was tenacious in the extreme, his toughness never most evident that the last few years in his fight for his life. Stay hungry stay foolish Sometimes life's going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what
Think Different
Sometimes life's going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love
didnt necessarily mean a
complex design loaded with plethora of features. It just meant the opposite. He preached, The way were running the company, the product design, the advertising, it all comes down to this: Lets make it simple. Really simple. His superior taste for design is evident from products like iMac,

make its products distinctive. A great design

I did. You've got to find what you love, said Jobs. He was brave in dealing with a series of crisis in his life. There is no reason not to follow your heart, he said. In 2004, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and he underwent surgery. Four years later, he had a recurrence of cancer. Even as Jobs was focused on future and kept gifting human kind with innovative products, he became increasingly aware that an end was inevitable. Remembering that Ill be dead soon is the most important tool I have ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, said Jobs, Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. In October 5, 2011, Jobs died due to complications from relapse of his previously treated pancreatic cancer resulting in respiratory arrest.
Think Different
Article By -
Sayantan Chatopadhyay sayantanuit@gmail.com

Perspective
Is Africa the new market for future..
Termed as DARK CONTINENT in the pages of history, countries of Africa were regarded as backward in terms of economic as well as technological development. This was the common perception which floated in the past. In addition, the recent political unrest and turmoil in Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Algeria etc and the civil war in Ivory Coast have also strengthened the belief that African countries are fields of enormous uncertainty for business firms and executives. Moreover, poor infrastructural development,
natural disasters in terms of famines and extreme poverty and illiteracy results in very scarcely skilled human resource. Over the years, these factors have built an image that Africa is not the country which can be converted to or utilized as a business ground. But this is just one face of the coin. In business world, executives always analyze every single aspect of an opportunity. Now let us look at some of the interesting aspects and happenings of African countries. Africas collective GDP was al-
most equal to that of Brazils or Russia as per the reports for the year 2008. In recent times, the real GDP growth rate of countries like Congo, Zimbabwe, Nigeria etc are well over 8.5% and above all is Angola with 11.1%, which shows that African countries are shedding their old image and are growing very rapidly in comparison to the world economy. Also, Africans have spent almost 35% more than the $635 million that Indians have spent on buying goods and services in the year 2008 and it is pre-


dicted that if continued on the same trajectory, consumers will buy around $1.4 trillion worth of goods more than Russians, but interestingly, less than Indians projected $1.7 trillion. Probably that is why India has been regarded as the potential market of world. In the same way, seeing these trends, African countries could be identified as a potential future market. In fact, it has been said in IMF forecast that in the next five years, 7 of the 10 fastest growing economy will be from subSaharan Africa. The real concern lies in identifying segments where a potential profitable market could be built, developed and strategies could be implemented on the basis of present factors, future concerns and the risks involved in those areas. Let us analyze a few sectors and industries which could be or which are being seen as future targets and arena for business by executives. The major hurdle for countries of Africa in their growth story is that they lack technological infrastructure. So, the area ket has to concentrate on strategies that fit into the consumers budget. In that way only it could live up to its expectation of worlds fastest growing mobile market. One more aspect is that the real focus is on big investments such as cable technology etc. The other markets such as services, software are still very less intervened. Probably, because the African countries still use networks built on obsolete technology. The recent announcement of Infosys to deepen its roots into African market is an encouraging sign in this regard. The key factor in this market will remain product innovation and new technologies as anywhere else but companies need to understand that these are not sold under the buzz word but as a part of the long term returns and advancement can be supported by right infrastructure
The African countries, because of their ample natural resources, urbanization, rising living standards and new introduction to technological advancement, are potent -ial markets to look for .
Is Africa the new market for future

where companies have identified huge potential is the IT and the telecom sector. It all started with launch of MPESA in 2007, which started from the rural areas and has now transformed into $1.8 billion share, accounting to almost 5% of the GDP of Kenya. The recent announcement of investment by IBM and the Indian giant, BHARTI-AIRTEL to provide IT services for the next 16 years to the African countries shows the strategies of both the companies to enter into the market. This sector is not only attracting the foreign investors but also the local players which are taking loans from banks and participating very actively there. But one needs to understand the fact that a majority of the population comprises of very less income group people. So, mar-
and R&D. Wide spread internet adoption is undoubtedly the next big thing that could change the face of continent, providing another very attractive potential market to invest and get returns. Currently, the


consumers there are very fickle minded and could go where they get a lower price and large bandwidth. So, if someone asks for a thumb-rule in this type of market, that is same as anywhere else - honesty, straightforwardness, and good services, maintaining brand encouraging more use of internet could be recommended. Another area to youths (age between 15-24 years). The idea is not only to export your products into African market but to tap the huge cultivable land and youth labor not contributing to agribusiness and with the use of new technologies, develop a high of square kilometers of water for hydropower yet millions of people go without electricity. The presence of Nile and other rivers also provide great resources in term of hydroelectric power generation. Not only hydroelectricity but also geothermal is a major area to tap in African continent and the encouraging for sign is that their utilization power generation
look forward in African countries is Agribusiness industries. Africa is estimated to have 60% of worlds remaining uncultivated land and in todays world where there is shortage of food supply; this potential of Africa could be utilized as a business industry. Same old problems and challenges are there in these sector i.e. old methods, lack of farm inputs, absence of dynamic agribusiness strategies etc. A very interesting fact is that the average age of farmers in Africa is around 60 while the rural population comprises of 60% of growth there. African continent lacks substantially in power sector and infrastructure. These two areas provide a huge potential for investment and business. In fact, the slow economic growth of many sub-Saharan countries is because of energy crisis they are facing. And the resources to provide Energy and electricity are huge. For example the Republic of Congo has millions agribusiness market
has been started. Wind and solar energy are also resources tapped. to But be the
major concern in this sector is the amount of investment. For any power plant, the investment is huge and for further developing it into business market, you need support of government. The political unrest is the major factor which could keep investors away as the risk is huge in terms of investment. Because of very poor infrastructure in African continent, this sector could be viewed as a huge opportunity sector. In fact, China has identi-


fied the potential and Beijing has emerged as major financer of infrastructure projects in Africa. Actually, because of poor infrastructure, the transportation cost and timing of supply are almost 2 to 3 times in Africa. So, if this sector is improved and services in this sector be provided effectively, this will not only emerge as a service market with substantial gains but also prove very beneficial for other business segments in reducing their cost of production and strengthening their supply chain. Some other areas where opportunities are huge are the soft drink market, heavy vehicle ( bus and truck), mining, caustic soda market etc. In the same way, Cummins, who is itself major player in mining in Nigeria now eyes on West Africa for its project. The presence of natural resources in abundance is the reason of these strategies. Ashok Leylands enthusiasm to invest in African market is the result of huge demand of Chinese buses there. And other Indian players like Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra are also willing to tap African market. Similarly, Soft drinks industry is experiencing a fast growth in per-capita consumption of drinks from 85 litres to 116 litres. The soft drinks industry has an advantasge of Africa being a warm continent but this is not the main reason behind this rise in demand. Both the automobile and the soft drink sectors are influenced by growing urban population and increase in income of people in Africa. In fact, most of the demand and potential is due to rise in standard of living and urbanization. Today 40% of the population is urban population which is almost equal to that of China. So the African countries, because of their ample natural resources, urbanization, rising living standards and new introduction to technological advancement, are potential markets to look for and excel into. The same old principles of honesty, providing quality and customers need and delivering value proposition with efficient and strong supply chain will prove as key methods to establish any company in a segmented market.
Article By -
Pawan Upadhyay pawan.domsiitr@gmail.com

Perspective Natures smart ideas...
Is Nature smarter than Man? Yes; at least Leonardo da Vinci thought so. He had once said Those who are inspired by a model other than Nature, a mistress above all masters, are laboring in vain. Leonardo could not help but be inspired by the engineering genius nature. He observed the wings and flight of birds and bats and designed the Ornithopter flying machine. The modern day helicopter is based on this concept. The Wright Brothers also derived inspiration for their airplane from observations of flight of pigeons. So, Man
learnt to fly by mimicking the flight of birds. But can birds fly faster than modern fighter jets? Scientists say that a hummingbird in love is the fastest thing on two wings - for its size. It experiences gravitational forces that would make a trained fighter pilot faint from the stress. Does this answer our question? Mimicking Natures design In recent times, Sto Corp. has developed an exterior coating for buildings by copying natures design. It is called Lotusan and is inspired by lotus
effect. Lotus leaves have surface-textures that deal with water molecules differently than most other plant leaves. The surface of the lotus leaf interacts with water molecules such that the water rolls off the leaf and takes the dirt with it. Thus, the leaf gets clean when it rains. This is called the Lotus Effect. Lotusan mimics the molecular structure of the lotus leaf in such a way the lotus effect that Lotusan developed resists the growth of mold, mildew, and algae because water does not stay on its surface. Water runs off a Lotusan-


sealed building and takes off the dirt with it. Lotusan is selfcleaning just like the lotus leaf. Consider the example of selfcooling termite moulds. Termite mounds are able to maintain the temperature inside their nest to within a degree, more sustainable. The reason is that man-made systems and products exploit resources in linear ways, refining them by high energy intensive methods, using them inefficiently and ultimately disposing them as waste. volves collecting cardboard waste from local shops and restaurants which is then shredded and sold as horse bedding; once soiled, the cardboard is collected and put in a worm composting system. Worms sustained on this diet are harvested and fed to Siberian sturgeon, and finally the caviar produced by the sturgeon is sold back to stores and restaurants. Thus a linear process, by which the cardboard would have ended up as a landfill, is transformed into part of a closed loop system, at once conserving resources and earning revenue. Can the business world use a closed-loop system? In 2010, Walmart, the worlds largest retailer, adopted a closed-loop business model, in which recyclable waste products produced at the customers end were used in manufacturing new products for sale at Walmart. P&G, the worlds largest consumer goods company, also has set the following targets:
Natures smart ideas...
even when the outside temperature might be fluctuating by 40 degrees or more. So by mapping the structure of the
tunnels inside termite mounds, design high rise buildings that have no
architects have been able to
Those who are inspired by a model other than Nature, a mistress above all masters, are laboring in vain. - Leonardo Da Vinci
air-conditioning. In the ecosystem, one organisms
They're able to stay cool using only 10% of the energy of a conventional building of the same size. East gate centre in Harare, Zimbabwe is one such example. This process of solving human problems using natures design is termed Biomimicry. The central idea behind biomimicry is that nature has already solved many of the problems we are dealing today. Closed-loop system Natures design, as discussed above, is not only much more efficient than ours but also
waste becomes anothers nourishment which is termed as a closed loop system. Thus a closed loop system is a highly resource efficient system. Is it possible to artificially create a closed-loop system? Consider the example of ABLE Project. It is developed by the Green Business Network in Kirklees and Calderdale in United Kingdom. It manages to transform a low-value material into a high-value product and generate money at each stage of the process. The project in-

Powering its plants with 100% renewable energy.
Natures smart ideas...

ject is one such example. The proposed design of this project is to create vast greenhousescum-power-plants in the desert. This project is inspired by Namibian fog-basking beetle, which has evolved a way to gather fresh water in the parched Namib desert. In the day, its matt black shell radiates heat; during the night, it becomes slightly cooler than its surroundings, causing fog to condense on its shell. In the morning, the beetle tips itself up, and lets the water trickle into its mouth. The project imitates the beetle producing food, energy and fresh water. Sea water pumped in from the
Using 100% renewable or recycled materials for all products and packaging
coast evaporates at the front of a greenhouse, creating a humid environment suitable for growing crops. The water then condenses on the matt black pipes at the back of the greenhouse. The system produces five times the fresh water requirement of the greenhouse. It also has twice the energy output of other solar-powered plants. Thus, as discussed above, it is possible to mimic natures smart ideas and create closedloop systems. Natures design is far more efficient and sustainable than ours. As Aristotle once said, In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.
Having zero consumer and manufacturing waste go to landfill
Designing products that delight consumers while maximizing the conservation of resources
NIKE Inc. the worlds largest seller of athletic footwear and apparel has the corporate vision of adopting a closed-loop business model in near future. Are there examples of biomimicry being used in a closed-loop system? The Sahara Forest Pro-
Article By -
Sayantan Chatopadhyay sayantanuit@gmail.com

Perspective Systems thinking - Getting the bigger picture
When we try to assemble the jigsaw pieces of organisational world, one important tool comes to rescue called Systems Thinking. In Simple terms, it is a way to view systems from a broader perspective and understand the micro structures, patterns and cycles rather than focussing on specific events in the system. This unique approach to problems is interwoven with system dynamics which was founded in 1956 by MIT professor Jay Forrester. To ingrain the concepts of systems thinking, understanding
Systems is a pre-requisite which cant be ignored. A system is a web of interrelated and interdependent components that complete the complex whole. Our body has various systems like circulatory, respiratory etc. The sales department in an organisation is another example. Every system has some common characteristics:

fectly. System should trigger a change on feedback. System should maintain stability by adjusting, based on feedback. Coming back to systems thinking, its application on most difficult types of problems have been found quite effective where apparent solutions have failed and a need to raise the level of thinking has been found. Its use can be associated at individual as well as in organisations where com-
A purpose within a larger system.
Specific arrangement of systems parts so that the overall system works per-


plexities exist at every next step before reaching a solution. To make the understanding on this issue clearer, we need to analyse the real world examples like the one which follows. In 1993, a peculiar event happened in Bangalore whose repercussions affected various systems and gave us a reason to know Systems thinking in a better manner. Farmers were lathicharged during a protest and in that order government signed on a suicide note. It all started with a weed called Parthenium Hysterophorus which affects the growth of crops and its pollination creates asthmatic problems to the people who come in contact. When people complained, government acted upon the issue by forming a committee to look into the matter. In due course of time, they were able to come up with a natural solution, a beetle called Zygogramma bicolorata which fed on parthenium. But the story did not end here. Eventually, beetles ran out of Parthenium and started eating sunflowers in nearby farms. When farmers ran out of options to control them, they protested and governments response came with a lathicharge. Now, where can we put systems thinking in this matter! First we need to identify the flow of events. Or say use the power of minds eye. Parthenium weed > City people affected > Complain to govt > Expert committee formed > solution found in beetle > Beetle ate Parthenium. When entire mind focus is on solving symptoms of the problem ,we find a plausible solution but the root cause remains unaddressed which gives rise to unintended consequences. In scientific terms, we call it counter-intuitive type 1. Missing the connectivity in nature is a basic reason for CI-1.This happens in various dimensions including national level policy decision making where we have all kind of experts analysing all kind of situations. Some classic examples are: King toad problem in Australia, elk problem in yellow Stone Park. World of allopathic medicines are full of CI-1 situations. In counter-intuitive type 2, when we reach to the solution for a problem, an anti-problem arises. The primary reason for this phenomenon is: working against the flow in nature. It can be related to a titration experiment where an extra drop leads to a sudden change. In phrasal term, last straw on camels back. Common example: consider a controversial movie which gets a ban. It attracts the interest of people and that pulls them to watch it. Another instance happens to be in beetle bailey cartoon where, to solve the problem of increasing number of rats an incentive of 1 $ was introduced which led to more breeding of
Systems Thinking - Getting the bigger picture
Great souls who walked this planet had eternity and universality as their window of perception. What we can do is to enlarge the window to learn the way systems work.

rats for the benefits attached.

In Thane and Jalandhar, this case happened for real and people responded in same fashion. How to resolve these problems: To address the root causes of the problems as explained earlier, what is needed is a larger window of perception. In this connection, Donella Meadows used a simulation model in 1972 of earth systems which predicted that earth will reach the limit of economic growth in 150 years. This is a cumulated effect of missing infinite connectivity and using me today as window of perception to solve systems problems. Great souls who walked this planet Article By Mihirkul Vikram mihir517@gmail.com had eternity and universality as their window of perception. What we can do is to enlarge the window to learn the way systems work. For a manager, understanding the importance of integration of knowledge and people is a top priority in order to achieve the desired goals.
Systems Thinking - Getting the bigger picture

Perspective
Online Social Media & Its Impact

In this age of online social media, it has become imperative to be active on social networking sites and be the first mover in online advertising and promotion. The statistics show that there are over 100 million people on twitter and 750 million active users on facebook. Anything that is posted on these sites goes viral in a fraction of minutes. Everyone gets to know about any thing, trivial or sensational that is happening in any corner of the world. Most organizations have learnt the power of this medium and are leaving no stone unturned in capitalizing it. Unlike the print media or electronic media, where the companies have to invest in advertising, online media comes for free. Anyone can post anything from anywhere and moreover the online promotion gets propagated among the global populace all by itself. Customer loyalty in the age of online social media is a big issue as the customer is well informed and he also makes sure that his neighbour/ online friend is well informed too. If a customer perceives that a product is good, he propagates the information in positive light and he does the same in negative light if he perceives that the product is bad. Online information flow is similar to a town hall gossip, only difference is that the reach has grown to exponential proportions. The paradox of online media is that, while you launch a blitzkrieg of promotions, any slip or any negative image has an equal potential to be propagated as widely as possible.
Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da EVince | Regardez Ieconomie


A couple of days back, Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group tweeted a video link on twitter which showed a Mahindra Scorpio pulling out a car stuck in mud somewhere in South America. The same video link had prompted few other links which showed Scorpio either getting overturned or getting involved in some accidents. This was just a small example of the paradox online media poses. Most seasoned users of social networking sites understand this paradox and are careful in the way they project way motivates them. So he is connected to people not only outside his organization but also from within on twitter. This is a novel way of bonding with the people who work for you and can be emulated across the industries. If you follow Barack Obama on twitter, you may realise that tweets are drafted with utmost themselves on these sites. Once Shah Rukh Khan stated that he doesnt work for himself but works for the brand SRK. Similarly, the users who are cautious work for the brand they are projecting as themselves. So maintaining an online profile is an art which needs to be mastered. Again taking the example of Anand Mahindra who has over 350,000 followers on twitter, he not only tweets regularly about Mahindra products but also voices his concern for social causes. Also, he tweets about contributions from his employees and in a care as in case of press releases from the Presidents office. Indian politicians have lot to learn before they could capitalize on the social media to connect with the people. The minimum effort they can put is to avoid creating controversies with their tweets and that doesnt mean closing the account and stop tweeting altogether. Film makers like
Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan use the social networking sites to interact with their fans and launch promotional online events for their films. The marketing which starts well before the release of a film ensures that enough hype is generated that the movie recovers its cost in the opening week itself. In case of soon to be released movie Ra.One, the producers have been releasing teasers, videos and posters in a phased manner over last six months and subsequently have been successful in creating the hype


around the movie. They have has the potential of an invisible weapon which is capable of
The paradox of online
also launched online merchandise for kids and hope to capifar. talize on the hype generated so
media is that, while you launch a blitzkrieg of promotions, any slip or any negative image has an as widely as possible.
The online social media is a
equal potential to be propagated
powerful tool if one understands and masters the art of using it. But at the same time it
Article By -

brewing a revolution and bringing down governments.
Jagadish Vema Jagadish.vema@gmail.com

Its wise to learn, its GOD like to create
Chlorophyll
There is a flower at my desk..

There is a flower at my desk It doesn't blossom, but it brings smile to my face Every time i look at it, i get mesmerized by its grace There is a flower at my desk....... I wonder who kept it there, who would have so much time to spare I can't help it rather i don't care, I waste my time locked in my thoughts I stare Sometimes when it glows, in that dim evening light Wish i could get lost in it, I think someday I might There is a flower at my desk....... It waits for me from dusk to dawn wondering why I left and where could I have gone It's always there for me, helping me in situations of extreme pressure wish I could tell that cute little damn thing, it has made my desk(rather me) a lot special There is a flower at my desk....... Now there is only one thing that i fear I don't want that flower to disappear I know we both are bonded with an unexplainable tie seeping into my soul that beautiful apple of my eye There is a flower at my desk.......
Poem By -
Manav Kaushik manav2502@gmail.com

DoMS-da-Evince
Amitesh Jasrotia is 2004 batch pass out of DoMS, IIT Roorkee. He is currently working as Manger Ad Sales at Zee News. He is an avid reader of management literature. bookjelly.com, his personal website is an outcome of his strong inclination towards management literature.
Q. What are the common challenges faced in the sales and marketing field of Media? A. At a broader level, the challenges you face while working for a media organization or for that matter, a bank or an FMCG remain more or less the same. Media industry is structurally a little different because here you need to tag two ends one at the client (people who give you the business) and the other at the media agency (people whod bridge the gap between you and client, you can think them of as intermediaries, too) and this is the foremost challenge for anyone working in media sales. a) Know your product. You cant just walk into a clients office, make your sales/ marketing pitch and accept him to buy your product/service. Remember, that guy must be
meeting 50 other people everyday and 10 out of those 50 might be your direct competitors. So, in addition to knowing the strengths of your channel or publication, knowing the weaknesses of your competition is essential. If you working for a TV or a radio channel, knowing where your channel stands vis--vis competition in terms of Reach, Frequency, GRPs, CPRPs, is invaluable. b) Know your client and agency. Knowing your client may not be enough to seal the deal; you need to know the inside out of your agency, too. You should be aware of the whole hierarchy at both the agency and the client end. For example, HP (Hewlett-Packard) has three divisions IPG (printers division), PSG (PCs, laptops) and TSG (technology solutions). OMD, HPs media agency, has dedicated people who work on different divisions. So, as a media sales person, if you are not aware of who takes care of what, and who reports into whom, it will hinder the information flow and ultimately, the revenue. c) Know the right people and share a good relationship. Media is a highly relationshipdriven industry. Merely knowing people is not enough; knowing the right people and having good terms with them is important, too. A soar relationship with a head media planner or a principal media buyer can easily ruin your chances of getting your channel or publication into the media plan. Besides, healthy relationships can also get you good references which are quite pivotal to land-

DoMS-da-Evince
ing jobs in media industry. d) Good negotiation skills. A: I had a great time working at Times Internet. In terms of experience, I must say my time at Times shortened my learning curve in sales. I joined Times in year 2005 when TIL had just launched Timesjobs.com and they want to hit the ground running against such entrenched competition as Monster.com and Naukri.com. It was my first full fledged stint in sales and admittedly, I wasnt very confident to start with. I took some hard knocks initially but then gained confidence as I cracked into new accounts. Zee News is different in terms of the product that I am selling. Other than that, both organizations are fantastic places to work in. Q: What has been the most challenging role in your career so far? A: I would say my most challenging role so far has also been the role I would like to forget about. Its an important lesson that I have no hesitation to share with my fellow DomLimited and how it is sonians. When I decided to switch over to Business Standard from Times, I had no real urgency to change. My move had more to do with climbing up the food chain in media industry than anything else. At Business Standard, I was offered the responsibility of generating revenue from Special Features. For the uninitiated, Special Features are the 4pager supplements that often come along with the main newspaper and unlike the regular supplements such as Brand Equity and Corporate Dossier (ET) which are editorial-driven, they are sales-driven or paid. In short, they dont add anything to paper but are just a revenue -generation gimmick. Aware as I was of the difficulty that comes with Special features, I still took up the assignment. However, soon I realized the trials and tribulations of selling something that has no visibility, no demand in the marketplace. In 10 months time, after doing a couple of feature, I quit. Big lesson learnt: When you know you are riding a dead horse, dont beat it and try to be a hero, just dismount! It different from Zee News? Competition in media is proliferating everyday and if yours is not the top channel or the top publication, then youd better be good at negotiations. Now, how good you get at negotiations goes in direct proportion with how many negotiations you have been into, i.e., experience. Q: What are your roles and responsibilities with Zee News Ltd. and how did they change over your association with the group? A: At Zee Business (part of Zee News ltd.), my key responsibility is to generate revenue from FCT (Free Commercial Time/TV Commercials). At the same time, I am also expected to retain my clients from last year and make new acquisitions as well. Not much has changed, candidly, from the time I changed over to Zee News. At the end of the day, Sales, in whatever avatar it is, is a revenue/target-driven job. Q: How was your experience working with Times Internet

DoMS-da-Evince
took me 10 months to take a decision I knew was inevitable after only 2 months in the job. Q: How has DoMS, IIT Roorkee contributed to your success? A: DoMS, IIT Roorkees contribution to my professional life has been a significant one. I can vividly recall how a couple of initial class assignments instigated my interest in brands and advertising. I still may not have fully reached the place I foresaw myself 7 years back but the journey has been an enriching one, intellectually, all credit to the roadmap I drew for myself at DoMS. The inputs from professors, the values and the ethos of the institution sensitized me to explore the strengths that I never thought existed in me. I strongly believe in IIT Roorkees motto Sharam Bina Na Kimapi Sadhyam (Without something new. It was almost palpable. This initiative to invite alumni for interactive sessions itself shows that DoMS has come a long way. Q: Any message for the readers, especially the current batches of DoMS? A: a) Dont kill your dreams, realize them. Even if it takes you long, trust me, youll enjoy every waking hour towards the materialization of your dreams. b) A GPA of 10 or a GPA of 5 isnt going to decide where you will end up in life. Its the point (a) that will. c) Take up life-lasting habits like reading and writing (I took up reading) and cultivate them. They are a great way to relax, to bust tension and to keep up with the world. hardwork, no achievement is possible) to me, this motto serves as the proverbial North Star. Q: How was your experience during your recent visit to DoMS IIT Roorkee and what were the salient changes that you noticed? A: I had been looking forwarding to visiting DoMS since my last visit in 2008. And, I felt was glad when the visit doubled up as both a leisure and an educational one. I wont go into how the physical architecture over the campus has improved since thats a tad irrelevant vis--vis the improvement in mental architecture I noticed. It was a privilege to interact with the current batch and I must say during my talk, I could feel the intensity and the zeal to learn

Qutopia
Its Exquizite, Kills your Quriosity and adds to your Quizdom. Need we say more? Qutopia A Utopia of the
best Biz Quiz Tidbits to wreck your brains! Rush in your answers to domination.doms.iitr@gmail.com,
prateekdps89@gmail.com before 30th November, 2011. The winner will have their names published in the
next issue. Also, person getting the highest score in the current quarter (July-Dec 2011) will get a gift voucher. Answers in the next issue of DoMination.
Section A
(1 Point for each correct answer)
1. Identify the logo?
2. What does Adidas stand for? 3. Identify the famous mens clothing brand whose name can be inferred from a particular shape in the following logo.

Qutopia
4. ISO 4217 is the international standard describing letter codes for what?
Section B
1. Which large India retail chain proudly describes itself as 'The Family Store' in its advertisements? 2. Which company built the WW2 Spitfire? 3. Identify the logo?
Section C
1. Identify the logo.
Winners of Qutopia - 20 1. Ajay Kumar (Batch of 2011-13, DoMS IIT Roorkee) 2. Ruchi Gupta (Batch of 2011-13, DoMS IIT Roorkee)

Regardez Ieconomie

If the month of August has seen uprising in Global Economy, the September nevertheless has quavered further the Economic situation. The European Debt Crisis has persisted with the lack of competitiveness of the old Western Economies, the claim of the prescient about the much hyped Greece Meltdown looks ever so imminent, but the question remains when ,and to add further how much the rest of the World will be affected by it . As Long as Greece remains on the brink, the already-induress global economy will continue to feel the echoes in its own strife for status-quo. But the question which niggles is how come Greece, a small European Union country; start a chain of economic disturbances which in all probability and possibility percolate through the entire globe? It could be explained as follows. Greece Banks will take an immediate hit, and the investments of European Central Banks (ECB) in Greece Government for its borrowing will be nothing more than scraps of paper. Once there is a default in formal and final admission, that country cannot pay; the European Banks holding Greek Bonds will have no choice but to spill out their losses. Further, stocks of Financial Institutions having European Banks Bonds will flounder. But at present all the major players in this turmoil are holding their cards close to chest, and none of the European Banks are willing to disclose their investment in Greece. No one can actually quantify the damage to the world if Greece is allowed to


sink. The Leaders, Policymakers are not willing to take a chance as if 2008 crisis is still etched in their mind like an iron clad indentation. But unlike 2008 when the 'birds of same feather flocked together' the policymakers around the globe were speaking in a very and notwithstanding the gloom makes a very weak case for Rate hikes. The double digit inflation, which refuses to be tamed despite sustained increase in key policy rates by RBI, seriously suggests the policy conundrum of our Government. pact not only to the individual firms and sectors but also to the government. Rupee has appreciated by 23 paise to Rs. 45.85 per US Dollar at the beginning of the month, now the Rupee has ended at all time low since May 2009 at 49.455 per US Dollar. The reason behind this in general is the global sell offs in shares and the US currency extended gains against major economy but the main cause of worry is Europes Debt Crisis. The trembling Rupee might adversely affect the interest of the investors. The depreciated Rupee might augur well for IT Firms like TCS and Infosys, since it improves the realization in Rupee terms.TCS which derives 53% of its revenue from US Market and Infosys which has 2/3rd of the revenue from US, would definitely be benefited from a Rupee Slide. The firms which export most of their produce are very likely to gain from the depreciation of local currency. While the import oriented firm like SAIL, STERLITE, Reliance Industries, BPCL (Crude Oil is mainly Imported) etc are likely to lose.
similar and optimistic tone to tackle the after-effects of Lehmann Brothers there are different opinions bankruptcy,
about the Greece situation. Even BRICS in the last summit,
But the question which niggles is how come Greece, a small European Union country; start a chain of economic disturbances which in all probability and possibility percolate through the entire globe?
didn't have any common say about helping out Greece. Lets now analyze the domestic situation vis a vis the effects of Global tremors and weak Policy making which has further worsened the inflation and deceleration of the economic growth of India. Reserve bank of India Governor D Subbarao must be a troubled man these days, as he is being very reserved when it comes to rate hikes. We have seen the difference in opinion between RBI Governor and UPA Government on Rate Hikes. The domestic slow growth in addition to turmoil in global economics Many of the rate sensitive sectors would
be much better off in case RBI has done with Rate hikes like Auto, Infrastructure Capital Goods and Banking. There is no consensus among the fund managers over RBIs future policy course, some believe RBI will continue on Policy Tightening with another 25 bps rate hike, while some says it will take pause because rate hikes not helping India on Inflationary front. The US Dollar- INR rate of exchange is an important indicator of investor sentiments and can significantly im-


Moreover, if further depreciated an already weak Rupee could also negatively impact FII Inflows into the Indian Markets as investing in India is becoming costlier, and there is always a Flight Risk involved with FII. Rupee Depreciation along with a randomly sputtering US Economy and the opposite signals sent by current European Debt Crisis could further crimp foreign investments. phenomenon This was Growth seems to be a question mark, a sort of impasse for Indian Economy. Falling Rupee does not augur well for the inflationary situation which has kept RBI on its toes. As India and its citizens ride the joy wave; buoyed by the rapid economic growth rates and newly explored bilateral ties; there is still a million dollar question alarmed RBI as year again hiked the interest rates; in its 12th hike in last 18 months. But even the RBI Governor lacks both the logic and the words to explain how such steps will reduce the demand for food or for that matter the food inflation. So what really is at the helm of such extreme food inflation? Some say the bourgeoning middleclass and hence the increased urban demand is the culprit; as the increase in food production has not been keeping up with the swing in demand. Export which still remains unearned How to Tame hunger. After hanging in the economic firmament; like the sword of Damocles, for well over two years, Food Inflation hit 9.78% in August this year. This rapid increase in food inflation combined with the sky rocketing oil prices; has troubled the haves and the have-nots alike. As a contingency measure, as it has been doing all along, an of food items is too insignificant to affect inflation anyways. Indian against Rupee Dollars finally amidst rose the
highly noticeable on the so called Doomsday in Dalal Street, 22nd September 2011. The BSE Sensex has taken a steep downfall since October 2008, i.e.it nosedived 704 points to a pitiable 16361.15 and the Nifty index fell 209 points to close at 4923.65. The deepening European Debt Crisis and the prediction of another Rate Hike by Reserve Bank of India is yet another reason for this huge downfall in the Stock Markets. Now talking about the plight of the hoipolloi, Inflation versus
speculation that Reserve Bank of India has started to sell dollars in the Forex market at around Rupees 49.8 per dollars. Unlike countries like China, India allows Rupee to float freely according to market situation, but RBI might not allow Rupee to fall further.


According to latest data, India's food inflation eased to 8.84 per cent for the week ended September 10 against 9.47 per cent a week ago. Fuel price index climbed to 13.96 per cent as compared to 13.01 per cent. The primary articles index was at 12.17 per cent compared to 13.04 per cent a week earlier. Although India is still doing well on Exports front, but overall Indian Growth is beginning to slow down, developments in Europe and the US threaten further damages. India needs a sustainable Growth plan, unlike the earlier times when India resorted to the panacea of aggressively boosting domestic demand through easing of Monetary Policy and strategic fiscal expansions, for any and all pains in the neck. One can earnestly hope for revival of Global Economy and Capital Markets to revive supports to Private Investments up to a certain extent. The Projects like Delhi Mumbai Corridor can prove to be a boon for fetching more investments. The Political uncertainties like 2G case proceedings, red tapism, crony capitalism and embezzlement of huge amount of black money, are making the Indian market even more dubious and destroying the moral fabrics of the nation. The Government needs to ensure whether it wants to stay on the policy of disinvestment to cover the fiscal deficit targets, or to have definite Monetary policies because the gravity of the situation suggests India to take a proper and firm stand on economic front and imbue the grim of the prima facie economic stupor with positive hues of de facto growth rates and de jure authenticity of the Jan lokpal. AMEN!!!
Article By -
Shibi Singh shibi.singh@gmail.com Jubin Mohapatra jubin59@gmail.com

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE ROORKEE - 247667, INDIA Comment/Feedback Mail to : - domination.doms.iitr@gmail.com Follow us :Blog Page- http://domsiitroorkee.blogspot.com/ Twitter Page- http://twitter.com/#!/doms_iitroorkee Facebook Page- https://www.facebook.com/pages/DoMS-IIT-Roorkee/156383884413349

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VOLUME-II ISSUE-11

NEWSLETTER FROM DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE

Road of Opportunities - The New Market in Africa (05)

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE

s - Regard on ti Domina Team

03 | DOMINATION, NOVEMBER 2011 DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, IIT ROORKEE

Economic langour from a global vantage point

There is a flower at my desk

Cover Story Think Different

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

didnt necessarily mean a

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

make its products distinctive. A great design

Sayantan Chatopadhyay sayantanuit@gmail.com

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Is Africa the new market for future..

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Is Africa the new market for future

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Is Africa the new market for future

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Is Africa the new market for future

Pawan Upadhyay pawan.domsiitr@gmail.com

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Perspective Natures smart ideas...

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Natures smart ideas...

architects have been able to

air-conditioning. In the ecosystem, one organisms

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Powering its plants with 100% renewable energy.

Natures smart ideas...

Having zero consumer and manufacturing waste go to landfill

Sayantan Chatopadhyay sayantanuit@gmail.com

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Perspective Systems thinking - Getting the bigger picture

A purpose within a larger system.

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Systems Thinking - Getting the bigger picture

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

rats for the benefits attached.

Systems Thinking - Getting the bigger picture

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Online Social Media & Its Impact

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da EVince | Regardez Ieconomie

Online Social Media & Its Impact

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Online Social Media & Its Impact

The online social media is a

equal potential to be propagated

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

brewing a revolution and bringing down governments.

Jagadish Vema Jagadish.vema@gmail.com

There is a flower at my desk..

Manav Kaushik manav2502@gmail.com

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

1. Identify the logo?

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie

1. Identify the logo.

Perspective | Chlorophyll | Qutopia | DoMS da Evince | Regardez Ieconomie