The Road Ahead

As lats process got kicked off at IIMA, the temperature on campus started rising in chilling winter here. Last few weeks I was busy and bored with polishing my CV. Believe me it is most time consuming and daunting task before placements. Your have to write about all you done in last 25 years in less than 25 lines !! and that also in glorified language to differentiate.

This word is not that simple as it looks. It is the RULE of the game. People come to IIMs so that they can get brand to gain differentiating power. Once they land up here they realize there are plenty like them around and that make them restless. Then starts rat race for one more level of differentiation and if that is not enough one more .......

I had willingly or unwillingly seen or been part many of these rat races over last two years.When everyone was getting ready for the final race I was not sure what to do. The 'placement holiday' (one can oops out of placement and come back anytime over next 2 years) created some more confusion.The confusion is finally ended in my recent visit to Pune. I doused my 'entrepreneurial spirit' and winded my 'off the track' plans to take a safe road ahead. I also started believing Dash who once said "IIMs are nothing but placements agencies make best use of them"

Kingfisher's Innovative Business Model

The Kingfisher-Deccan JV is yet to prove the test of time but before that I witness great synergy between them last week. When I booked my air ticket online, I seen there were two choices one offered by Kingfisher and other by Deccan. There was small note below Kingfisher flight saying that this flight is operated by Deccan Airways. I was confused which one to choose so I checked few more details. I conclude that as the flight numbers and prices offered were different these two flights must not be same. So with the expectation of getting better 'service' and food during journey I happily put my money on Kingfisher.

When I landed at the airport in Mumbai, I was shocked to see there were no such flight operated by Kingfisher. This was nothing but the Air Deccan's flight which they claimed Kingfisher's operated by Deccan. I kept wondering on why the hell they charged premium from me ??

My disappointment is aggravated by seeing a male cabin crew greeting me at the doors of plan (who said Deccan has changed !!! ) . When I took my seat I realized both seats next to me were vacant. After some time one of that was occupied by an Air Hostess. I realized that by no way she looked like Air Deccan's crew. After talking with her I came to know she was from Kingfisher. The last thing I should do is to complain about this incidence. But I couldn't stop myself doing that. She also wondered how this can happened.

I realized one more innovative lesson on creating synergy and yes I realized why I paid few more bucks !! I missed Kingfisher's food but thankfully not its service :)

From classrom to boardroom !!!

Imagine you get a chance to meet Businessperson of Year and discuss his business strategies over coming years sitting next to him in his boardroom. That was most interesting part of my one day journey from classroom to boardroom last week !!!

My new year started with this opportunity. As a part a project on 'Enterprise Solution for Poverty' we got chance to meet leading corporates and their leaders last week. Though I was highly pressed for time, I can't stop myself from joining this project team ( which consist of students from IIMA, HBS, MIT and Stanford) during their Mumbai visit. During this we met with CEOs of Tata Chemical, Godrej and Mahindra & Mahindra.

The project consists study of the corporates who are working in the areas like products,services and agri business which will affect life of masses especially farmers. We studied business like rural distribution, cash and carry, retailing and financial services which are targeted at bottom of the pyramid market. Though these corporates are doing it for profit in this process they are including people who yet to get taste of fruits of development.