I have been experimenting RSS Readers and RSS Feeds. After looking at many and experimenting with many tools, I have finalized with Outlook RSS Reader.
Yes! - I am becoming a Microsoft User - may be one can say that I am becoming a Manager. :-(
I got to know Guy Kawasaki's Blog - How to Change the World, he refers to an interesting article, a must read.
The article is called “Data Visualization: Modern Approaches,” and it’s in Smashing Magazine. The article is really an eye-opener.
You must look at the Video @ TED site - about how the world population, life, age is changing, amaging data representation.
All examples around graphical representation of music items are really cool.
I would suggest that you look at this,
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Transition Blues #13 : Women in New India
I work for an employer where a very high percentage of the new hires are young women, fresh from Colleges. This started the thought process that has resulted in this thought:
The changing demographics (Younger People), focus on women education (Free school education) and pure merit (Marks, GPA) based admission process is resulting in more women getting into Engineering schools.
Overall women are sincere, hardworking and perform better in different selection examinations; as a result, The Knowledge Industry selects more women. In knowledge worker industry, percentage of women is anywhere between 40% (IT Services) to 60% (BPO).
It is elating to see growing percentage of women in workforce in India. It is an essential step in building foundation of new India. Nevertheless, Why am I still concerned?
I believe India is not ready for handling this change in social fabric, specifically the speed at which this change is happening.
In India, the issue is not about diversity, but about how to deal with diversity in a Male dominated, collective group oriented society.
The Indian society is not yet ready for financially secure, independent women. The work culture in the knowledge industry is weird by any work hour norms - taxing work hours (60-90 hrs) are not suitable for traditional joint family. I am also not sure that work culture is ready for Women Managers or Women Leaders.
I have yet to see companies proactively planning for the impact of life changing events like getting married, having baby or having to take care of older parents or older in-laws in a joint family. Moreover, majority of India, outside of cities, is not ready for single women traveling, moving around freely- this security is an essential need for Women Executives.
To be fair, many women are at positions of power, at positions of making change, for better, but the cost is much higher than equally positioned male.
More I interact with women around me, at work, outside work, I can feel the pressure, and I can feel the hope and frustration arriving due to lack of respect – directly or indirectly given to women.
Did I see this in USA? I did, but the frustration level was not this much, pressure was not this much. American women are certainly more independent than current Indian Women. This building frustration, this building of emotions is what bothers me, concerns me. This can make or break new India.
The changing demographics (Younger People), focus on women education (Free school education) and pure merit (Marks, GPA) based admission process is resulting in more women getting into Engineering schools.
Overall women are sincere, hardworking and perform better in different selection examinations; as a result, The Knowledge Industry selects more women. In knowledge worker industry, percentage of women is anywhere between 40% (IT Services) to 60% (BPO).
It is elating to see growing percentage of women in workforce in India. It is an essential step in building foundation of new India. Nevertheless, Why am I still concerned?
I believe India is not ready for handling this change in social fabric, specifically the speed at which this change is happening.
In India, the issue is not about diversity, but about how to deal with diversity in a Male dominated, collective group oriented society.
The Indian society is not yet ready for financially secure, independent women. The work culture in the knowledge industry is weird by any work hour norms - taxing work hours (60-90 hrs) are not suitable for traditional joint family. I am also not sure that work culture is ready for Women Managers or Women Leaders.
I have yet to see companies proactively planning for the impact of life changing events like getting married, having baby or having to take care of older parents or older in-laws in a joint family. Moreover, majority of India, outside of cities, is not ready for single women traveling, moving around freely- this security is an essential need for Women Executives.
To be fair, many women are at positions of power, at positions of making change, for better, but the cost is much higher than equally positioned male.
More I interact with women around me, at work, outside work, I can feel the pressure, and I can feel the hope and frustration arriving due to lack of respect – directly or indirectly given to women.
Did I see this in USA? I did, but the frustration level was not this much, pressure was not this much. American women are certainly more independent than current Indian Women. This building frustration, this building of emotions is what bothers me, concerns me. This can make or break new India.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Transition Blues #12: I drove to office today
I drove to office today. I guess the transition started 6 months ago, is coming to a closure. What did I learn in these "Unlearn to American Driving" attempts?
Driving in India is an Attitude not skill. I am skilled driver in America, but I had a safe, within boundaries, careful attitude. Driving in India is about dealing with ambiguity, uncertainty and chaos. Moreover, you need to be an aggressive driver, something that is not expected or not encouraged in USA.
One more learning is that you need to get comfortable with crowd and 2-wheelers. The willingness to accept a 2-Wheeler standing 1 inch apart of willingness to close mirror so that he can go ahead at a crowded junction is a must to safely drive in India.
Also, you need to drive with less data, more on Gut. You have to be able to drive like a "Running Back" carrying ball. You see everybody coming at you, but you have to chart a path, left, right, left, straight, left, right, you are responsible for moving ahead and you have to move ahead :-)
I do see lot of accidents on Highway where the traditional Indian Style does not work, where American Style is needed. Most of the accidents result in serious injury and fatality. I am seeing lot of positive improvements on implementing rules. Next week I am buying a sticker to put on my car "Proud to Follow Traffic rules in Pune".
More later....
Driving in India is an Attitude not skill. I am skilled driver in America, but I had a safe, within boundaries, careful attitude. Driving in India is about dealing with ambiguity, uncertainty and chaos. Moreover, you need to be an aggressive driver, something that is not expected or not encouraged in USA.
One more learning is that you need to get comfortable with crowd and 2-wheelers. The willingness to accept a 2-Wheeler standing 1 inch apart of willingness to close mirror so that he can go ahead at a crowded junction is a must to safely drive in India.
Also, you need to drive with less data, more on Gut. You have to be able to drive like a "Running Back" carrying ball. You see everybody coming at you, but you have to chart a path, left, right, left, straight, left, right, you are responsible for moving ahead and you have to move ahead :-)
I do see lot of accidents on Highway where the traditional Indian Style does not work, where American Style is needed. Most of the accidents result in serious injury and fatality. I am seeing lot of positive improvements on implementing rules. Next week I am buying a sticker to put on my car "Proud to Follow Traffic rules in Pune".
More later....
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