Quarter 7 - Week 4

Hey, it's already week 4! Time's just flying by... it's not felt this way before, all the previous quarters I've had to count as the weeks go by. Maybe it's because it was like the end of the year, and the weather here's so... sleepy. Not much to talk about from class, the same old stuff, just some new learning and insight, week after week. They better put out some assignment or exam soon, before I completely chill out.

E-business Models and Strategies

We discussed a bit about an online retail model, about this venture called WebVan and how it works, and there was this other case about how the Zara fashion store used IT to ramp up on efficiency. While there was less song and dance today, we spent more time trying to analyse these using models. Apparently, these models have withstood the test of time, and so we were trying to tinker with them and apply what we learnt from the cases within these models to understand what could make these ventures successful.

Research for Marketing Decisions

A whole lot of theory, and I kept falling away. I'm sorry, but this guy is brilliant at making you wander off. You don't fall asleep in his class, you just.. wander. Anyway, he was talking about different types of research... when do you actually do research (apparently, only if secondary research doesnt answer your questions. Secondary research is something like, already available research, done by some other firm). Just thinking about it makes me feel sleepy.

Marketing Communications

Prof's a little calmer after last week's furious outburst about us and our meandering. Anyway, this week we were still discussing about Comparative advertising, and then moved on to understand Corporate Advertising. It's actually pretty cool to see that while general advertising talks about some product, or some feature that has a particular target group, Corporate advertising is more about communicating a lot of messages to different groups, sometimes using the same ad. Honestly, I didnt even know that people spend so much time while thinking about what to put in ads. I just zap them when it comes on TV. I feel guilty doing that nowadays.

I think those damn TV guys know that, and hope to make me watch more ads just out of plain guilt.

Anyway, simple week, passed very quickly. It just feels so... different... having closed the last year, and started the new one, in just one weekend at college.

Quarter 7 - Week 3

With such amazingly cold and foggy weather in IIMB, it's surprising why people would want to even get out of bed. You enter the campus, and you notice the fog enveloping everything beyond the second floors. The trees are enveloped in mist, and all the people around are walking around with sweaters and scarfs, blowing into their sheltered palms, while remembering the case for the day. Oh, and we had classes on Christmas Day. Not just classes, we had a test. Just like the day before on Christmas Eve. IIMB's way of wishing us all Merry Christmas.

E-business Models and Strategies

On the first session, we were warmly greeted by this guest lecturer who happens to be a VC. It looks like he was primarily in the tech-venture space, (well duh, this is a e-business course, and honestly, which VC is not in the tech-venture space?), and he went about explaining how they select their ventures. Since this is the second VC we're seeing (the last was in ENVC last quarter), they're slowly losing their godly unreachable status. It is so cool to see them as human, as people who can make their fair share of mistakes, and who're just trying to make some money out of money. Lot of very interesting facts about how VCs fund startups.

The second session was about Petstore.com. Entirely about how every dollar they got in revenue would boost their share value by 300$, about how they needed a big gorilla like Animal Planet to help them compete with the other pet sites, and the assumptions they were making about future growth and potential and conversion rates. Was a pretty cool class as we looked at the different aspects about getting started in the business of pets, and as to what seperated the online model from the brick-and-mortar model.

Research for Marketing Decisions

Honestly, even though I'd hate to admit it, I must. These tests are a good thing. For one, I actually read the chapters so I can come prepared! So, now I know a lot more about the difference between a marketing research decision, and a marketing research problem. It's not just words. Then a little linking in of all that hypothesis mumbo-jumbo that we learnt waaaay back in quarter 2. We also had a bunch of case presentations by some members from the class, and the prof was correcting us wherever we made the mistakes. Our group was one of them. As it turns out, we didnt realize we had the case study till the night before, and then a whole amount of panic and rush, and we got the stuff done by the end of night! (See how we don't say EOD, it's EON for us. It's a reality. Really, get prepared!)

The test by itself was all left unto God, for in Him, we trust. Taking his name after ticking off an option in a Multiple Choice Test, does atleast leave you with some confidence to attempt the next question. Honestly, why DO we have exams with scores and everything? It's not like we have to prove ourselves to the companies that come for placements... we DONT get placed! We're here for the learning! Someone tell the profs!

Marketing Communications

We had a test in the first session which honestly wasn't all that difficult. But I'm very confident in my skills to surprise me and show just how grateful I should be to just pass. Anyway, the cases themselves are fun as always. We were still discussing the Coke and Pepsi case, and in the second session we moved onto Advertising Wars like Tide and Rin, Horlicks and Bournvita. Honestly, when I read the case, I was rolling with laughter... these ad guys have loads of fun at the expense of their competitors. All their tongue-in-cheek ads... it's just too bad that people are actually converting from one brand to the other. Takes all the fun out of poking fun at the other.... or does it actually add to the fun? :)

It's so easy to derail the class due to the open-endedness to prevail. The prof really does try to keep us on track, but she kind of lost it in the second session. And then, something happened that hasn't happened to us in almost 5 quarters.

She yelled. Softly.

Pretty much everything about "Stop acting like nursery kids" in a nicer way. "Stay on track", "discuss the case", "dont ask me about some ad that was aired that has absolutely no relevance to this case", "I am serious! Dont derail to some other disconnected ad!" to the awesomest insult I've heard in a long time "First you dont read the case for the day, then you dont watch the ad videos that I've collected for you, then you come and ask me about some absolutely unrelated ad and want me to explain why that happened! What is WRONG with you people? FOCUS!"

I love college.

Quarter 7 - Week 2

I'm beginning to think that it's a bad thing to get two whole weeks off at the end of the quarter. It's already the second week, and I have absolutely not been preparing for the cases. And the best part.... I don't give a damn. I should be walking into poles and pillars in office, in a zombie state of mind... but no, I seem to be concentrating at work. Can you believe it?? Concentrating... at WORK? What's the matter with me...

E-Business Models and Strategies

Our first session involved a case study of Monster.com, and its path from a small startup, through its acquisition and its ongoing spreading state. It was quite interesting to see why Monster.com had an edge over its competitors (mainly the paper/hard copy industry), and where the papers had an edge over them. End message was lightly connected to how easy it should be for e-business models to scale, and not to forget that.

The second session was with a guest speaker, (yes.. this early in the course. If you're shaking your head, remember that we had a guest speaker in B2BMM last quarter, in the first week itself!). He had helped to set up a system which allowed talented IT employees in the rural cities/second tier cities to work without having to come to the glamorous cosmo/metros. Apparently they work a little more on a cost-plus model, as they're giving existing companies a scare when they are charging half the price that's being quoted out here in Bangalore. Very interesting session... even though the speaker was a little easy to flummox with "MBA-ready" questions.

Research for Marketing Decisions

Yaaawwwwns and double yaawns...it's a good thing he's still on the basics. It might be easy to catch up with the actual content, as time passes by. Anyway, this week he spoke about the "lifecycle" of market research. About how we formulate a problem, prepare the questionnaire, sample it, and then actually take the survey, make some conclusions and present to the client.

Marketing Communications

This week was all about what kind of ads suit what kind of products. What are the factors you should consider for low involvement ads, high involvement ads, inspirational or transformational ad, and what not...

The next session was about how Coke and Pepsi went about their advertisements, and introduction into the Indian market. We even were asked to check out a few selective videos of the ads used, and keep in that in context. One of the major insights out of today was about how localized advertisements are being used, but also that the global theme is still at play. Only the actors may change, but the theme remains the same.

And now, back to the books... let's see if I can understand something after all.

Quarter 7 - Week 1

Wow, it's been a *REALLY* long time away from this blog... I almost missed it so much! Who else has such a regular chance to rave and rant about the week's classes and ask why I'm doing this course?? The last two-three weeks have been nice, quiet and peaceful. Especially when we had only projects and no final exams for the last quarter!

Having said all that, first weeks have always been my favorite. That's when we get introduced to the new courses, and watch in complete awe as some stupendous teachers either keep you wide-awake or in deep sleep. Deep sleep has been missing for almost two quarters... until now. Read on!

E-business Models and Strategies

Oh yeah! That's more like it! These are the 'well-named courses' that everyone keeps thinking are being taught at IIM. Well, I am doing this now, and I'm thoroughly pleased with the choice. The prof has this pretty unique way of peering at you, and cracks some pretty decent jokes, and succeeds at keeping the class upbeat. Best of all, he gave a new look at strategy, one that at least I haven't noticed too strongly in other strategy courses. But then, that's the thing about strategy courses... they're not all really the same.

We studied CEMEX and ITC's eChoupal initiative this week. While the case spoke mainly about the e-component and how it benefited the business, the prof chose a more interesting angle at it. He compared how CEMEX used e-Stuff to organize and make efficient the customer-demand side of things, while eChoupal tried to make efficient the supply side of things. Nice way to contrast, and suggest as to why such initiatives succeeded, and what we might need to do if we try to implement something similar at work or any new e-ventures we start! Similar to B2BMM from last quarter, I keep hearing "value" thrown around a lot! :)

Research for Marketing Decisions

Yaaaaaaaawwwnnnnn!! I really was looking forward to this course, imagine how depressed I was when I was concentrating on the almost unheard buzz of the tube light above, or the whisper of the AC than the far more audible sound from the professor. Yes, yes, the guy seems incredibly knowledgeable, but there's something to him. The very moment he opens his mouth to talk, you immediately have the strongest urge to inspect your book or any surrounding object.

I've got to learn to concentrate in boring lectures. This just wont do. Luckily, I remember something of what he said. This week he was basically talking about the different types of Market Research, Strategical Market Research, how you go about such things, and current well-known players in this industry.

Marketing Communications

That's another course with the word "Marketing" in it! Looks like I might specialize in a topic that I am not so keen on, if I keep picking subjects like this! But the course seems interesting. Lots of funda types, but it seems quite necessary. This week was about a case study on the Park hotels and restaurants, and we tried to analyse if they were doing a good job of advertising. On the first glance, their ads looked very captivating. But trust our prof to turn our heads and tell us differently!

What our prof said and described in detail, is that the effect/image that Park was trying to convey wasn't really getting done through their ads. While they were aiming for a hep/young crowd, and their hotel ads showed good captivating looks, the fact is that Park's hotels were lesser of a sensation than their restaurants and niche pubs/discs. So, the effort should have preferably been on maximizing the visibility of the experience, rather than what they had now. A lot more interesting ideas on how you integrate marketing communications, where all you get to advertise and so on so forth. Seemed quite interesting... and the prof's pretty sweet too! ;)

Well, that's it... only three courses this quarter. Might drop in for the fun of it, on any other course in the other slot... but I dont think that's very likely. Or sane. Sigh.... I was actually missing college, it feels so good to be back here! Just imagine, a couple of quarters ago I would crib about the little holiday time I had, now I actually look forward to this. Am I addicted already?

Quarter 6 - Week 10

Except for a couple of assignments, the last week of classes went by quite uneventfully. We still had one quiz and one guest lecture, but compared to the last few weeks, they went by easily. Maybe because it was the last week, so it's the extra enthu that comes up... whatever it was, it was easy gliding.

No standing ovations though, maybe it was the seniors' influence, they've been through this for 10 quarters... we had a few guys from our class giving an ovation, but they were drowned out amidst the hustle-bustle of bags being pulled up all around them. I miss the standing ovations...

Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation

This week only had presentations from all the teams, 10 minute lightning pitches of their ideas. Some interesting, some not-so-interesting, but all-in-all, a sufficient easy-to-relax week of classes in ENVC.

Social Entrepreneurship

The prof invited us to think about how to bring about large scale change, and pretty much reminded us about the key lessons from the last few weeks. Spoke to us about how it's important to keep it sustained, of how the power ought to be with the people as they know what's best for them etc. etc. Since I already heard all this, not too much enlightenment in the last class. But one thing for sure, this is an awesome course. The kind of learning I've had in this class was worldly, not theoretical. This is the kind of valuable rare experience that I was looking forward to from IIMB, and I was not disappointed in the least!

B2B Market Management

The first session was all about reseller channels, and the kind of power struggle that can happen between a supplier and their channels. Not too much takeaway, maybe because I had already read the book for the day's quiz. So, though it was practical experience, it was very easy to draw parallels to the theory in the books.

The second session was about Aurolab. This is the technology, research and development and manufacturing side of the Aravind eye hospital. It's strange to sit in the same room as some of the movers in this enterprise, after all the case studies we've done on them. And they come across like normal people... with normal pains, normal worries. Except that when they talk of the actual problems, they're dealing at higher levels. But still... they seem human. This session was more of an interaction with the Aravind system, and our students obviously questioned and needled the two guests a lot! Why they did this, why not this? Reason for this... etc. etc. Again, not too much takeaway, I blame the last quiz! Made us learn way too much! ;)

International Business Negotiation Skills

The venerable prof still stays true to his tradition. Just like he did in Marketing 101, he brought a pack of sweets and distributed it amongst us on the last day of the course... he really stands behind that "ritual" principle that he keeps talking about. It was a slow and thoughtful wrap-up as he closed the class, and asked us for some highlights of what we got from the course. Sombre session, but it was interesting to see people come up with different insights on negotiations. Simple, so simple.

And so, I'm done. Through an insane stroke of luck, I dont have exams this quarter, quite a few of the others do. So a double weekend for me! All I gotta do, is finish two projects, and I'm all set to enjoy two weeks of pure bliss!

Quarter 6 - Week 9

Whenever we get a weekend holiday in the midst of the course. it never fails to knock me out of my routine. The opening books at 9 PM, falling asleep while sitting on the chair at 9:03 PM, and the waking up at 1 AM and realizing that you fell asleep, and then really going to sleep with the warm thought that you "read" something, all this is replaced by blissful sleep at 10 PM everyday. When finally college opens its wide gates again to you, you grimace, growl, grunt and present your slides on the way in. And yet, you rebel by not reading the cases and sticking your nose up at those who do...

Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation

The first session was taken by a guest lecturer, one of NSRCEL's first successful ventures. He spoke to us about the journey and how he made it through all those times. A very easy-going guy, but appearing to be the quiet introvert types, he gave us some pretty interesting insight into what goes on in an entrepreneur's mind. The next session was a case study, but like I said, I wasn't paying attention or even read the case. What's that weird feeling, why do I think I'm so cool?

Anyway, since we didn't have Social Entrepreneurship today, I happened to bump into the Startup Saturday sessions here in Bangalore. It was really cool to see the room packed, so much so that the organizers had to bring in plastic chairs to seat those who were standing. Yes, IIMB has plastic chairs... we're not all wood and marble you know. Anyway, I could only listen to two presenters after which I had to go for the next class. The first session was about why and how one should go about an enterprise, and the second was the views of an experienced VC, who injected a lot of dark humour into the entrepreneurial mystery. It was really the best way to spend a free class.

B2B Market Management

Case study, atleast I did it the honour of thumbing through it... I didn't remember much from most pages, but I did remember some thing from the first page. Apparently it was very important, if only I remember what it was. Anyway, to cut a long story short, two cases in two sessions, with absolutely brilliant stories and morals behind them. Too bad I... don't know how we're going to be doing.

International Business Negotiation Skills

No public viewing of the videos we made for our negotiations exercises. Instead, we spoke about the nuances of negotiation. You know all those places/other blog posts where I say "Ahaah! I know wh y I'm paying 8.5 lakhs!"? Well.. this was one of those moments. To give a sneak peek, the more you appear to provide savings based on a particular scenario, the opponent is going to be risk-prone. The moment you make it look like you're going to chop some of the losses, the opponent is more likely to be risk-averse. The moral of the story -> People are rarely rational. Remember who you're negotiating with.

That's when I realized the meaning behind what the prof was trying to say. He was basically saying that the people and the problem are too very different thing. In order to be a successful negotiator, it's important to stay hard on the problem and go easy on the person. A few more such nuggets later, the classes came to an end.

The last week of the quarter lies ahead. Project submissions, exam finals... sigh.. you'd think I would have gotten used to the routine by now after a whole year. What can I say, the IIMB never ceases to surprise.

Quarter 6 - Week 8.5

'Tis the festive season of Diwali, and one of the side-effects of being in B-school is knowing that Diwali is like Thanksgiving in the US. India's mad spending spree happens now... so this is the time of the year that all merchants eagerly anticipate, in the hopes that their sales jump high enough for them to wake up every day in the morning with a good answer to "Why am I doing this business?".

While the rest of India is busy either bursting crackers, or frowning at those who do while holding the placards "Child labour/Noise pollution", some of us had the "privilege" of attending classes over the weekend. As it turns out, next week is placement week for the full-time grad students, so one of our profs in a fit of generosity decided to hold classes this weekend, so they could go and do well in placements next week. Of course, no one asked us corporate students about it, because those who don't want to attend classes, have the option to skip it. Unlike the full-timers, class participation / grades do not matter much to us... not like we're getting placed or anything. We're here for the LEARNING! New people, please get that in your head.. once and for all.. NO PLACEMENTS! ONLY LEARNING!

Social Entrepreneurship

While most of the previous weeks dealt with what are some of the more obvious problems with most of India and her development, from last week onwards, we've been looking into what are the options available to us if we want to make some noise. So this week too, was about understanding the internal working of political parties, the NREGA system, civil movements, and observing how the government is now including more people when they're making decisions, and how citizens themselves are becoming active. It's quite interesting to see that while India itself is apparently democratic, the process of getting into a party and standing for elections might not be. Apparently, in quite a few states, these "tickets" are auctioned off, or selectively given to people. Especially now, I can understand why politicians have "ulterior motives" when they come to power. It's mainly because if they've put in some money to get in, it is no longer upholding the intrinsic motivation to serve the country... it's more like an extrinsic motivation to make some money. No wonder they pull tenders here and there, give and take favours... the system somehow got a little screwed up and shifted from its original version from 60 years ago!

Now, they're looking into inner party reforms, people were approached to find out what would make a difference to them, and what are the things they want to stop. It's very interesting to see the difference between the mindsets of the upper middle class and upper classes, when compared to the others. As an example, the former would say that "Let's go for privatization! The government is inefficient, and it could use all the help it can get!". The latter would say that "Let things stay under the government! If it gets privatized, then the mediocre service we're getting now, we wont get at all!". Apparently, a case in point could be education. When education was only handled by the government, everyone got the "mediocre" quality... but now that there's also private players, elite students are going there... and the poor ones are in these schools. Immediately, there's a huge chance of ignorance that comes in. The two classes don't get to mix with each other, and they dont get to know what's happening on the other side. Not to mention, the other obvious aspect of the difference in education that is given to the two. Immediately, India becomes a land of two classes... where thoughts and actions are SO DIFFERENT from the other. It's a very interesting true-life example of what's happening.

The class went on to explore other aspects as well. I think this pretty much also tells us, why students come in to college on Diwali.