Employers = Customers!

India is a maturing country we do not have a civilized and matured work culture as in the western countries. We are progressing from textile/foundry mill work culture to modern day ("corporate") work culture. I guess we are the in middle row now. The mindset of employers are not changed much even after IT revolution in India. To the worst, majority of Indian IT service companies treat their work force as resources ("commodities") in the assembly line as much as raw materials in the manufacturing plants (The IT Project Managers are shop floor supervisors. Apply Six-sigma or Lean principles).

In the times of mindless capitalism, the work force should change their mindset for the survival and peace of mind. Loyalty/trust your employer are the past things which are not applicable any more. The companies wants to make profit for their survival and investor benefits. Treat your employer as your customer and you are as a supplier. The customer is happy as long as the supplier provides high quality product with less cost. Similarly, the supplier can also have the liberty of saying “Get lost, enough is enough” to their customer when their demand is unfair. Think of Supply-Demand theory. Learn this reality and get out of the employer when things are not working for you. There are plenty of companies outside especially new age companies treat you better than big corporate Indian companies (“white collar sweat shops”). If you are talented and innovative, then choose the companies like Google, CISCO and Microsoft. They pay you decent salary and provide options like work from home, flexible working time, etc.,

Jack Welch vs. Al Dunlap

I happened to read an article about "Chainsaw" Al Dunlap, who is infamous CEO, turned ailing companies into profit making companies by means of various ruthless acts, mainly downsizing (Read: firing folks who are not good in handling corporate/work place politics). He later got into series of accounting scams (looks like he is pioneer in corporate scams). I immediately started to think about Jack Welch, former GE CEO who is champion of cost-cutting and downsizing. I immediately "Googled" the term "Jack Welch vs. Al Dunlap". Not exact macthes, but folks in the web space have talked about these former CEOs and their "kind" acts. BTW, Jack Welch too have a nick name like Al Dunlap – "Neutron" Jack Welch. I dont know the exact description of his nick name "Neutron" Jack. I feel its a small thing which middle class - employee class people can do for mighty CEOs. I'm also curious to know who is the "kind-hearted" CEO who has not bothered ("fired") many hapless "employee" class folks and still managed to pull the falling companies from further falling? I heard that SouthWest Airlines managment team is kinder to their staffs? Is that true??

Land of Chocolate

The other day my wife was telling my little son what and all cows can give to us. Milk, Butter, Yogurt, Cheese and the list went for a while. Looks like my son understood what cows can give to us and nodded his head. Next time, he listed all milk products, and included few more items - ice creams, chocolates...Chocolates…mmm. I have started to think like “Homer Simpson”, recalled his fantasy of “Land of Chocolate”. In one episode, Homer was attending an evaluation meeting with nuclear plant’s **new** bosses who bought the plant from M. Burns (yes, Springfield nuclear power plant was taken over by German consortium once, and returned back to Burns). The meeting was about to discuss how Homer can contribute to improve the plant efficiency. As usual, Homer comes with his typical idea for plant improvisation. The employees were not getting enough candies and more candies in the vending machine can improve employee morale. The German bosses replied “Yes, we understand, after all we are from Land of Chocolate”. And Homer says “mmm, Chocolate” and he goes into infamous “Land of Chocolate” imaginary world, where all stuff is made of Chocolate, buildings, humans, rabbits, everything is made of chocolate. Homer runs and bites whatever he could, till his German bosses wakes him up from the “Land Of Chocolate” dream. I'm not sure why Simpson folks call Germany as Land of Chocolate. To me, Belgium is the ultimate "Land of Chocolate" in this planet!

In-built Bookshops!

Ever since I left my last company, my reading has diminished or stopped to nil. The reason: the place where I was working earlier has bookshops and coffee shops within its perimeter. Often, I frequent to those “in-built” bookshops to buy books and pass time. Now, I'm at my own company and that has neither “in-built” bookshops nor coffee shops. I don't know, for some reasons, I never attempted to buy a novel or short story book, though I like novels and short stories. All the time, I look for Scott Adams books (with more Dilbert cartoons) or Kushwant Singh’s books (again, I never attempted to buy train to Pakistan or Sikh history) or some books based on author's weird theory or concept. Once I bought a book titled "Survival of the sickest".

The other time I bought "Freakonomics" by Malcolm Baldwell or Caldwell. After reading tons of positive thinking books, I had developed an aversion to “positive thinking” materials. Btw, still I'm buying and keeping those materials it in my shelves. Next time if you visit me, I will present those to you. One more thing, the same “in-built” bookshops introduced me to Richard Dawkins and his bestseller "God Delusions", "How to make money from day-trading" (that time I was strongly believed, I can make good fortune from day trading") and scientist yet mavericks books (e.g., Richard Faymen).