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Showing posts from February, 2016

Is "Free Basics" Really "Free?"

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"There is no free lunch!"- and FB is offering it--sometimes calling internet.org and sometimes "Free Basics". This so called "Free Basics" is a direct threat to the concept of "Net Neutrality". Here is why: 1. It is a threat to entrepreneurs: When the services, say for example, like WhatsApp, are offered free under this scheme. This will initially please the users for being free, but in long run, this will create a monopoly of WhatsApp as users will not use any competing messenger because they will have to pay data bill to use any other messenger. Thus, any young entrepreneur, who wants to launch a competing messenger will find it very difficult to launch it as no surfer will be ready to try this product for which they will have to pay the data bill. 2. It is a threat to privacy: When one will access the any service under "Free Basics", one will have to visit access the server / website of that service through the p

Being Employable...

'Skills India' is one of the most talked about initiatives of Mr. Narendra Modi. Should it succeed, it will really make India one of the most competitive countries in the world. While a lot has been written about the lack of skills or employability among the graduates of India, I thought it would be prudent to share my thoughts about it too. Hope it will be useful. My effort here is not to indulge in any sort of preaching or advising --rather, I would like to share inputs based on my numerous interactions with practicing managers. Here are the skills, which according my experience, matter in getting a good job / placement:  1. Street Smartness: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the few cricketers who has got a lot of success due to his street smartness. He is unconventional, a good reader of the game, a risk taker and a doer. The same way, today's bosses need people who are quick learners, problem solvers, go-getters and result oriented. So, one of the aspect to remain em

Facing a Job Interview

I have been teaching for a decade now. During this period, I have delivered numerous lectures at various places. One particular topic, on which I have been asked to deliver lectures, has been, something as simple as - "How to face a job interview?". I have a lot of tacit knowledge about it. So, it is time to make it explicit! Here we go: >> Prepare Well: Before appearing for the interview, prepare well. Prepare a five sentence introduction about yourself. It should include, your name, your qualification and current work designation, at the most -- one sentence about family, and any special qualifications or achievements, which are relevant to the post for which you are being interviewed. Do not boast about the achievements of your father or grand father--the interview is about YOUR CANDIDATURE. E.g. my father is an IAS / MD etc. or my grandfather was a freedom fighter. Also make sure to study (not merely surf or visit) the website of the company whic