BIONICS: “A lot Like Life”

BION-IC (Life-Like) literally means imitating the nature.

Science and Engineering have been the two most fascinating fields known to the humankind since ages and when these two fields come together, they create Bionics.  

“Bionics” is technically defined as the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the designing and engineering of systems and modern technology. It is basically the flow of concepts from Biology to engineering. Imagine conceptualizing an Information System for a hospital based on the mechanism seen in the nervous system of a butterfly. Seems impossible? Well, with the Bionics the impossible becomes possible.

Bionics also includes inventing new innovative structures which can mimic the damaged natural body organs or parts. By using a similar technology, we can increase the chances of acceptance by human body. The development in the field has reached to a level where they can incorporate electronics and pneumatic mechanisms of considerable complexity into the Modern prosthetic limbs often giving the feel of a real limb. Imagine how easy it would be for a person with no legs to accept an artificial limb that looks and functions like an original one.

Few examples of body parts and the biomaterials and biomedical devices that can be used to replace damaged or diseased body parts are as follows:  

1.    Artificial Joints: Artificial hip joints are made from materials like stainless steel-polyethylene or cobalt-chromium alloy-polyethylene combination.

2.    Pacemakers:  A pacemaker is a battery-operated device intended to stimulate contraction of the heart at a certain rate. 

3.    Crowns and Dentures: Recent developments have led to innovations of metal-ceramic crowns and have led to an increase in strength of these structures. Dentures (false teeth) are generally made from acrylic for ease of fabrication.

4.    Cochlear Implants: It is an artificial device that can replace a damaged ear and help in hearing. It is designed to stimulate nerves inside the inner ear, thus producing a hearing sensation. The technology involves converting sound into electrical impulses, which can be used to stimulate the auditory nerves, sending a signal to the brain, which finally creates a hearing sensation.

5.    The iron lung: Artificial lungs are not a new development. The history can be traced to 1940s where the “iron lung” was used in treating polio.

Bionics can prove to be a life changing technology for a lot of people and with more and more development happening in the field with each passing day, the field can prove to be of a real help to the healthcare industry. 

-Ms. Ginny Kaushal,

 Faculty, INLEAD

Images Courtesy- Google Images

GST – why India needs it?

The 15^th month young NDA government is all set to keep its prestige at stake for the early passage of the much controversial GST bill. So much so that it is even considering having a special session for the same next month.

The main question that arises here is why is the NDA that opposed the bill for ten good years during the Congress regime is so curious to get it passed now. Here, in this article, I will try to find answers for all that. Before we begin, let’s first understand what GST actually is and what it means to India.

What is GST?

The Goods & Services Tax or GST is a comprehensive tax levy on manufacture, sales and consumption of goods at a national level. One of the biggest taxation reforms, the GST will hopefully integrate State economies and boost overall growth. It is set to be implemented from 1^st of April, 2016. There is an expectation of a boost of about 2% to nation’s GDP with the GST bill in place.

Currently, through a tax credit mechanism, taxes are being paid at all value addition level, at each stage of sales and purchase in the supply chain. For example, a manufacturer has to pay tax when the goods are rolled out from the factory. The goods are then again taxed at the point of retail.

In the GST system, both Central and State taxes will be collected at the point of sale. GST proposes to replace most central and state levies with one single tax.   In fact,  all indirect taxes like excise  and sales tax, value-added tax, central sales tax, entertainment tax, luxury tax, octroi, lottery tax, electricity duty, state surcharges, etc. on all products (except alcohol, tobacco & petroleum) will be replaced. This will benefit individuals as it will bring down the prices, and lower prices will lead to greater consumption which will eventually benefit the company.

What type of GST is proposed for India?

India is planning to implement a dual GST system, where there would be a Central GST (CGST)   and a State GST (SGST). Currently, the rate is expected to be around 14-16%. After this rate is decided, the states and the center will decide on CGST and SGST.

The GST has been implemented in about 140 countries, with France being the first to do so in 1954. Brazil and Canada follow a dual system of GST which is the same as being proposed in India.

Opposition to the GST within India:

There are some states that are in opposition of the enactment of the GST, like manufacturing states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu. This is because the GST is levied on buyers or where goods and services are being consumed. On the other hand big consumer states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Kerala would benefit, with huge collections from multiple points of sale primarily due to their size of population and its consumption habits. The states (especially the manufacturing ones) which may lose out on their earnings want an assurance that their revenues will be protected. Finance minister, Mr. Arun Jaitely, has been reiterating the fact that there would be compensation to states who would suffer revenue losses for at least five years after moving to the new regime. This compensation would be to the tune of a 1% additional levy on the GST for loss of revenues. The GST has been passed  its Lok Sabha test where the BJP has a majority but is stuck in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has waved the red flag since the party feels that there could be a cascading effect of the 1% ‘entry tax’.

Nevertheless, modalities are being thrashed out and a GST empowered committee would be responsible for the transition to the new taxation regime. There would be constitutional amendments to be done as also discussions with industry associations.

With the rollout deadline of April 1, 2016 looming near and the Congress stalling the entire monsoon session, the NDA government will have to take some serious steps in order to end this tug of war with the Congress.

-Monica Mor

 Senior Faculty, INLEAD 

Life is all about learning!

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi

We all learn something new every day. Consciously or subconsciously, this is a gradual and a never ending process.

We as learners, use our individual methodologies, capacities and interests to learn new things in life. And our learning approach is affected by many factors like age, intelligence, attitude, aptitude, and sensory preferences.

Knowing the learning styles is important for us. No matter which walk of life we are from, directly or indirectly, we are involved in some kind of learning process.

In this article, I will be discussing the VAK learning model by Neil Fleming, which is used by professionals worldwide.

Let’s start by understanding what a learning style actually means.

Ellis (1985) described a learning style as "the more or less consistent way in which a person perceives, conceptualizes, organizes and recalls information.”

Everyone has a preferred or a predominant style of learning. Knowing, understanding and nurturing that preferred style of learning makes your learning process easier and much more exciting. However, this doesn’t mean that a person only learns by using one style. We can use multiple styles at a time or different styles at different point in time.

Talking about the VAK Model, each and every alphabet in VAK has its own meaning. In VAK Model…

V stands for Visual: It means learning by seeing.

Here an individual:

• Absorbs the information by seeing the images, faces, diagrams, charts, pictures and maps
• Learns by observing the body language and expressions
• Tends to pen down the information
• Creates list of information and make notes in an organized manner

If you are a Visual learner, use color coding to highlight important information and carry a note pad with you wherever you go. Cover your room walls with pictures that motivate you   and try seeing more of learning videos.

A stands for Auditory: It means learning by hearing. 

Here an individual:

• Absorbs the information by discussions, speaking and arguing
• Learns by auditory activities
• Tends to have the internal dialogue
• Repeats & paraphrase for the confirmation of the information

If you are an auditory learner, use audio, recording and recite to memorize information. Listening to experiences and discussions has a great impact on you. When you read or learn new thing, try explaining it to yourself aloud. You would learn better and quicker with quizzes and discussions and reading. 

K stands for Kinesthetic: It means learning by movement. 

Here an individual:

• Absorbs the information by involvement, performing activities and movement from one place to the other
• Learns by expressing, acting and moving
• Tends to get distracted if have to just sit for longer without a task in hand
• Excellent motor skills, which means hand eye coordination

If you are a kinesthetic learner, you learn and memorize while in motion and express yourself better through dance, theatre and sports. You learn faster through the sense of touch like using a keypad. You should try to use models and experiments as your typical way of studying.

Lastly, whatever style or model you follow, the one prime factor that is required for effective learning is passion. Passion is like the fuel to the knowledge car. You may take different paths to reach your destination but without the fuel, your car won’t be able to move an inch.

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Happy Learning!

-Priya Bali
 Faculty, INLEAD

Images Courtesy- Google Images 

The Mystery of BOUTIQUE HOTELS!

The hospitality Industry is thriving like never before. New hotels are mushrooming one after another across the globe. With more and more travellers taking the travel way, this boom in the industry is here to stay. 

Courtesy- http://cdn.luxatic.com/

This exponential rise in the Hotel industry has led to a creation of a number of classes which is not only confusing for the guests, but also for the hotel companies, as now everyone has a different interpretation of what each of these classes mean.

Full Service…Luxury… Limited Service…First Class… Select Service…Focused Service… Extended Stay… Seven Star… Five Star Deluxe… Five Star… etc. 

And, here enters the boutique hotels; the confusion around what classifies as a boutique is one of the most interesting unsolved mysteries known in the hotel industry. 

The expectation of a frequent traveller today has moved beyond just comfort and convenience. Increasing number of travellers prefer to be "surprised" — positively of course. Nowadays, they look for properties that are different in look and feel, somewhere where they can get a unique experience while on the go and, their this expectation is fulfilled by the Boutique hotels


The origin of Boutique hotels dates back to the early 1980s. Blakes Hotel in South Kensington, London and Bedford in Union Square, San Francisco, are known to be the first two boutique hotels in the world.

Boutique hotels distinguish themselves from others on the basis of their small size . For a property to be considered a boutique hotel, it should not have more than 100 rooms, but shouldn’t be that  small either. Hotels with less than 10 rooms are generally not categorized as a boutique hotel. It can There could also be a Boutique wing of a big hotel. The boutique section feels like a separate hotel. It has its own reception desk, lobby, and decor. Guests can quickly sense a more exclusive identity and better service in a Boutique hotel. For example, Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace in Vegas, has a quiet enclave within the massive Caesars Palace casino-hotel.

A Boutique Hotel offers ultra-personal service.   They are eccentric and can surprise and delight guests with winsome touches. A Boutique hotel has a special focus on Food and Beverage. Most of the boutique hotel houses outstanding restaurants and bars; celebrity-chefs and offers stylish lounges. The Taj Campton Place in San Francisco has a bay area two-Michelin-star restaurant Campton Place.

   W St. Petersburg Hotel, Russia

A Boutique hotel is not generic, or bland. It strives to be one-of-a-kind, and has an independent attitude. The designs can range from Modern or Designer Decor with a Quirky Touch. For example, W St. Petersburg Hotel in Russia has a fantasy décor which resembles a space-age disco. 

So, if special attention, best food and services are on your check list for your ideal hotel, a Boutique Hotel is the hotel for you.

-Bindu A. Menon

Senior Faculty, INLEAD 

Land Acquisition Bill: The Battle continues

With the BJP and the Congress party entering into a to and fro squabble battle about the Land Acquisition Bill, the real party bearing the brunt here is the so called “Janta” (Public). For people who aren’t much aware about this burning issue of the Indian Politics right now, here’s a rundown of events in the now in-famous Land Acquisition Bill.

Courtesy- http://ste.india.com/

The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement Bill (LARR) 2011, was introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2014. Two similar bills were earlier introduced in Lok Sabha in 2007. These bills lapsed with the dissolution of the 14^th Lok Sabha. After making the First Amendment in the Land Bill 2011, it was passed in the lower house on 11 March 2015 among strong protest from BJP allies as well as from the opposition.  The Allies who protested include Mazdoor Sangh, Bhartiya Kisan Sangh & Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram as well as AIADMK.

As expected, the bill is facing opposition in the Upper House and is being dubbed by the Congress party as “anti-farmer”.

Courtesy- www.jansatta.com 

What is Land Acquisition?

Land Acquisition in India is the process by which the Union and the State Government in India acquires private land for the purpose of infrastructural facilities or urbanization of the private land, and provides compensation to the affected landowners for their rehabilitation and resettlement. There is a significant difference between acquisition and purchase, where the former implies compulsory takeovers. Till 2013, land acquisition had been governed in India by the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

Highlights from the Bill that are a cause for controversy

(A)   This Bill enables the Government to exempt five categories(Defense, Rural infrastructure, Industrial corridors, Affordable housing and Infrastructure including PPPs where Govt. owns the land.) of projects from the requirements of:

(i)    Social Impact Assessment (SIA), which was earlier mandatory,

(ii)   Restrictions on acquisition of multi-cropped land, and

(iii) Consent for private projects and public private partnerships (PPP) projects.

All these have been shown a red flag as there could be wrongful utilization of land acquired. 

Further, there is usage of ambiguous terms to define the above mentioned five categories.

(B)   The Act would apply retrospectively, if an award has been made five years earlier and compensation has not been paid or possession taken. The Bill would however exempt any time period which was under stay order by a court.

(C)   According to the Act, the head of the Government department responsible for land acquisition would be guilty for any offense by the department.

Situation right now on the LARR Bill 2015

As of 4^th of August 2015, according to Economic Times, Modi Sarkar has beaten a retreat and is willing to compromise on amendments suggested by the opposition bench. To name a few:

(i)  The Chapter IIIA that was inserted which dealt with exemption from getting “consent” & “Social Impact Assessment” has been removed;

(ii)   Then, provisions for exempting acquisition of 1km on both sides of an “industrial corridor” has also been done away with;

(iii)    The clause on Accountability of senior Govt. official has been removed.

With the Joint Committee of Parliament seeking more time to finalize its report on the contentious land acquisition bill, the bill will only be able to see the day of light in the winter session of the Parliament now. 

-Monica Mor

 Senior Faculty, INLEAD

Effective Patient-Physician Communication - Key to Effective Patient Care

          News Headlines:  Communication breakdown leads to Patient Death

A 67-year-old patient, referred to emergency with a suspected transient ischemic attack. He was seen by a junior doctor on duty, who arranged a CT scan for the following morning. The radiologist was not able to report the scan straight away, but the patient was told that he could go home and that his doctor would be contacted in due course with the result of his tests.Two weeks later, the patient was found dead. 

Yes, Dead. You read it right.

What went wrong?

The hospital in which the patient was admitted was changing their systems from paper records to electronic records. The radiologist had lodged his report in the electronic system, but this had not been transferred to the patient’s case notes, hence it could not be communicated to the doctor which ultimately costed the patient his life.

The current scenario

Courtesy- http://healthbizinforma.com

According to the Joint Commission, which is a United States-based organization that accredits health care organizations and programs in the United States, “Medical Errors” appeared on the National Center for Health Statistic’s list of the top 10 causes of death in the United States,—ahead of accidents, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as AIDS, breast cancer, and gunshot wounds. If such is the case with developed countries,we can only predict the situation in developing and under-developed nations. More specifically, the Joint Commission cites “Communication Failures” as the leading root cause for medication errors, delays in treatment, and wrong-site surgeries, as well as the second most frequently cited root cause for operative and postoperative events and fatal falls.

The way ahead

Responding to the current scenario,International bodies like JCI (Joint Commission International) have introduced International patient safety goals which focus on the importance of effective communication in healthcare settings and how it leads to patient safety. National standards like National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare (NABH) have also emphasized on the need of effective communication regarding treatment, prognosis, discharge and patient rights.

Safe practices and effective patient-centered communication is the basis of quality care. The first visit for a patient is a crucial encounter that can either lead to the development of a therapeutic patient-doctor relationship or end in patient harm or extreme dissatisfaction. The entire process from entry to discharge has to be completed within a stipulated time frame and hence it becomes imperative for all the crucial communications to be made within that time with regard to treatment plan, possible complications, medication, prevention techniques etc.  A review of reports from the Joint Commission reveals that communication failures were implicated at the root of over 70 percent of sentinel events.

Courtesy- www.medicineforchange.com

Patient Physician communication plays the most vital role in building a good doctor patient relationship and eventually good care. While modern and sophisticated technologies may be used for medical diagnosis and treatment, inter-personal communication is the primary tool by which the physician and the patient exchange necessary information. Hence, the healthcare facilities need to make extra efforts in ensuring that they treat the patient with the best Patient Physician communication along with the treatment.

Ginny Kaushal, 

Faculty, INLEAD 

How to build a Houseful event?

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” - Paul J. Meyer

The few hours before the event are the most nervous times for an event planner, as it is the time that they have to face that one big litmus test, the test of audience attendance. So, whether you are organizing a convention, product launch, dealers meet or a customer event, the size of your audience will hold testimonial to the success of your event. It’s a fizzle when an event manager spends countless hours and money in planning an event and only a pint-size of the expected attendees turn-up. Empty chairs are the bane of every event planner’s existence, thus the following suggestions can be considered by event planners for improving the attendance of their events and keep this bane at bay.  

• Research upfront & feedback afterwards: Try to find out what your prospect attendees are (do’s & don’ts) looking forward to in an event and try to accommodate as much as their requirements as you can. After all, they are the ones whom you’re organizing the event for. Further, since you’re an event planner and planning events is an ongoing process for you, make sure to take feedback from the audience after the end of the event about the things they liked and didn’t like in the event. 

• The venue is at a convenient location, which is notable and affordable: The venue chosen should be accessible and not very expensive so that it suits the pocket of all the attendees. Further, a notable event location draws more crowd and buzz as people are already aware of the location and scale of events taking place at that particular venue. Kamani auditorium and India Habitat Centre are some of the most famous and affordable event venue locations in Delhi. 

• Right date and time: The time of the year, day of the week and time of the day, all make a difference when it comes to audience attendance. For example, mornings are great for seminars, after work is great for appreciation/networking events and weekend afternoons and evenings are preferable for weddings and concerts etc.  

• Save the dates: Save the dates reminders should be sent out early to the target audience as it gives them time to plan their calendars well in advance and assure their availability at the event.

• Incentives for early check-inn or arrivals: Discounts/vouchers are a great marketing strategy for early registrations or last minute walk inns. 

• Personalized invitations:  A handwritten invitation or an invitation with some kind of personal touch e.g., name etc. garners more attention and makes the audience feel special.

• Overlapping with identical events: In case of 
an allied event is planned for the same time/day when you’re planning to hold yours, it’s recommended to look out for other options available as having two large scale events will only eat out into each other’s success and none of the two events will be benefited.

• Entertainment & lively activities: The event manager should make sure to include some extracurricular activities and fun time into their event schedule if the duration of the event is for a complete day or so. 

• Use Social Media: Go to multiple social media platforms and create your event. Using various channels to get your message out is essential. Nowadays, social media isn’t just about the youth. People from all generations are there on these platforms and using these platforms can get one maximum visibility and that too absolutely free of cost.

The above mentioned pointers will not only help increase registration/attendance for the upcoming events but also make attendees feel comfortable, lively and more enthusiastic about the event.

Thus, it sums up, “Build it up and they will come”.

-Parul Sardana
 Faculty, INLEAD 

Images Courtesy- Google Images 

Remembering Kalam - A leader, the Nation loved

Courtesy- www.pardaphash.com 

Gordon B. Hinckley once said, “Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.” We lost one such humble soul, when we lost Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. His profile on Wikipedia  reads he was a career scientist turned reluctant politician. However, this reluctant politician is one of the most well respected and loved politician of this Indian generation. Above all, he was a great teacher. His life is a lesson for all. He taught us to dream, to work, to persevere, to succeed, and to excel.

A man of action, a man of distinction and a man with a vision, he dreamt  of a nation of prosperity and integrity. In his book, ‘India 2020’, he shared his vision of developing India into a "knowledge superpower". Dr. Kalam once said, “In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime.” He dreamt  of changing this situation and building an India free of these evils.

Courtesy- http://i.dailymail.co.uk/

The Missile Man, as he was fondly called, was a visionary who felt strongly for the youth of the nation and considered them as the building blocks of a future which was brighter than our present. He said, “Let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow.” He was a man who envisioned a corruption free Indian society and his ‘What Can I Give Movement’ for the youth of India was aimed at defeating  this  social evil. He believed “If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.” Sadly, his this particular dream couldn’t be realized.

Losing him is too great a loss. However, rather than crying over the loss, we should all just take a moment to remember and recall all his contributions and learn from his spectacular life. Even though, he is no longer amongst us, his words will forever guide us, “Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success.”

- Sumit Chakravarty 

  Faculty, INLEAD 

Have you chosen the right venue for your event?

Once the basic details like date, theme and budget are locked in, the next big question that an event manager has to seek an answer for, is selecting an appropriate venue for the big event. In most of the situations, this crucial process of selecting the right venue is the sole responsibility of the event manager.  

The venue of an event is like a glue that will hold your whole event together. To put it simply, you might have an amazing event planned but all that hard work is of no use if the venue of the event is hard to reach to or inaccessible to many. Thus, for an ideal venue, there are a few essential factors that an event planner should consider without breaking the bank. They are as follows:

Location: It is the most important factor in selecting an appropriate event space. An event planner should be convinced that the venue location is accessible to the attendees; both by public and private transport and has an ample space for parking. In addition to this, since most of the events also involve the participation of celebrities, artists nowadays, one should make sure that a decent hotel is a stone throw away from the venue where the stars can be accommodated before or after the event depending on their travel itinerary. For example, Talkatora Indoor Stadium in Delhi is considered an ideal venue for various cultural events. 

Size: The chosen banquet/ball room should have an appropriate seating or standing capacity depending upon the scale of the event. An event planner should make sure that the place is well ventilated and the audience doesn’t feel suffocated even when the venue is jam-packed. This kind of scene is usually witnessed during college fests taking place in College campuses.  

Amenities: An event planner should be satisfied that all the facilities needed for the event like audio-visual, Wi-Fi, registration and information desks, business center etc. are in place at the venue and are well maintained and functional. For Example, during a conference/seminar, one should make sure that all the electric equipments required for the event like projector, laptop, mics etc. are in place as, if any of the above mentioned things doesn’t function properly, the event will prove to be a complete failure.

Price: The net worth of the venue should be taken into consideration. The important thing that an event planner should keep in mind is not to overspend on the venue as it can affect the entire budget of the event. One should be able to gather the costs of all expense items like venue costs, equipment costs, catering services, decoration costs etc. in order to give the best option for the event.

Food & Beverage: It is another important factor to be kept in consideration while finalizing the venue of an event. Catering can be either in house or some venues even provide you with a preferred list of vendors. Various services like kitchen operations, hygiene, methods of preparation, chef etc. should be considered while choosing a particular venue. Always remember, bad food can spoil the sweet taste of a good event.

Site Visit: It’s always recommended to visit the venue once before the event and check out all the facilities for yourself. Until and unless you’re completely satisfied with what they have to offer, don’t sign any agreements with them. An event planner should consider condition of the infrastructure, décor, lighting, restroom, medical access, safety and security, room layout etc. before finalizing a particular venue. Remember Shahid Kapoor’s great tumble during the opening Ceremony of IPL 2015?

By carefully weighing all of these factors, an event planner can pick the venue that’s perfect for all those who are attending the event. Whether you’re choosing a professional event venue or a wedding venue, these factors will ease the decision-making process and ensure everyone has the best day (or night) they could possibly have. So, take your time and choose carefully.


-Parul Sardana
 Faculty, INLEAD 

Images Courtesy- Google Images

Life is an experience - To be lived and learned

“There is not a human being from whom we cannot learn something if we are interested enough to dig deep.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Life is a full of experiences. Every day we experience something new either by chance or by choice, and it changes our perception about ourselves and others. To feel, live and learn from these experiences, we are blessed with diverse emotions like happiness, sadness, pain, love, relief and struggle etc. These emotions give a different meaning to these experiences and help us understand life in a better way.

Often we sit back and wonder -why is life so biased towards us? Or why do we only encounter all the problems at the same time?

We need to understand that sometimes these obstacles are actually a blessing in disguise, only we don’t realize it at that point of time. It’s not the people or situation but our reaction towards them which changes our perception. Life keeps moving on, situations keep changing; people keep on entering our lives. So, in a nutshell, we can’t go back and change our past. All the mistakes we make and experiences we gain, prepare us for the future and make us strong enough to face whatever may come in our path.

In this fast-paced life, a FAST guide is what you need to be successful in true sense. The following FAST guide will help you to live your life to the fullest and learn from the bittersweet experiences that life has to offer.

Fight with your fear:  All of us have some fears in life. Fight them rather than being a quitter. Facing our fears is the first step towards success. Further, the feeling of looking back and seeing how we overcame these fears on our own by just making an effort is an extraordinary feeling.

Appreciate nature: To be a nature lover doesn’t always mean taking a break from your regular life and spending a handsome amount of money to go to some exotic location. The next time you venture out of your house for work, take a minute break and look around. There’s nature everywhere, it just takes the right eye and vision to see it. You can even start with a simple nature walk early morning; explore gardens at your nearby places, or simply cherish the rain sitting in your balcony with a hot cup of coffee.

Solitude: Our body has a unique way to rejuvenate and replenish its energy. Make sure you give your body an off day once in a week.  Take time away from the hustle-bustle of life and look inside to understand yourself better.


Travel: “To move, to breathe, to fly, to float; to gain all while you give; to roam the roads of lands remote; to travel is to live.”  Every place on this earth, from a remote village in Rajasthan to an urban city like Mumbai, has something new to offer. Make sure to include travelling in your lifestyle as a person as “the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

With this FAST guide in hand, you will not only survive but also live and enjoy this beautiful gift of life that god has bestowed upon us.  Always remember, “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”


- Priya Bali
  Faculty, INLEAD



Images courtesy-Google Images  

Can Hospitals Infect You?

Imagine going to a hospital fully fit and fine for a regular checkup and returning home with a deadly infection. Seems highly impossible? Well, here’s some food for your thought.

 What are these Healthcare associated infections?

A healthcare associated infection or more commonly known as hospital acquired infection is an infection which a patient acquires from the hospital or healthcare facility. The risk of acquiring such infections increases with the duration of the stay in the hospital. These infections occur worldwide and affect both developed and developing countries. What may come as a surprise to many, infections acquired in health care settings are among the major causes of death and increased morbidity among hospitalized patients. They are a significant burden both for the patient and for public health.

What the Healthcare professionals can do?

A situation as grave as it appears, has ironically a contrasting and a very simple solution. A measure as simple as hand washing practiced by healthcare professionals can bring down the rate of hospital acquired infections by a staggering 96 percent. This means that instead of 10 out of every 100 patients, only 1 out of 100 will suffer from Healthcare associated infections.

What the healthcare organizations can do?

In order to provide good quality and safe care, the healthcare professionals must not only possess knowledge and skills but must also develop positive attitudes towards infection control guidelines. In the current scenario of health care field, very little is known about the provider’s Knowledge, Attitude and Practice regarding infection control. Hence, it becomes imperative for healthcare organizations to ensure measures to assess these parameters of healthcare workers in Hospitals.

Regular monitoring of the knowledge levels of staff and continuous training in form of Lectures, Workshops, CMEs, Seminars, Conferences etc. will not only help in improving the current levels of knowledge of the novice but will also ensure reinforcement of facts and practices for the already trained staff. It will further also help in inducing a positive attitude among the hospital workers and eventually lead to a patient safe environment.

So, I urge the healthcare Industry to move towards an approach where the hospitals are recognized as institutions where the unhealthy can recover, not weaken.

- Ms Ginny Kaushal
Faculty,INLEAD 

The Greek Economic Fallout

Everyone who keeps abreast with current affairs would know or at least would have heard about the great Greek crisis and wondered, how did Greece manage to land itself in such a serious economic soup? Well, this situation didn’t occur overnight. Here, we give you a quick rundown of events that have led to one of the most beautiful nations on this earth, land in one of the worst economic slump of the century.

A Brief History 


In January, 1999, a currency named Euro was created, which economically tied together 19 European nations watched over by the European Central Bank, with each country having its own budgetary and taxation policies. Countries were benefiting from the common bond for a long time, but slowly the Euro zone bubble started to burst. Greek crisis started 6 years ago with its own fiscal profligacy. The country comes under the category of PIIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain) within the European Union; and all these countries have solvency issues.

Andreas Papandreao

How it all started? 

It all began when Greece joined the European Union in 1981. The country then had an acceptable debt to GDP ratio of about 28% and a budget deficit of about 3% of GDP. However, over the next 30 years the situation deteriorated. Issues started with Prime Ministership of Andreas Papandreao in 1984, when he started doling out lavishly unrequited welfare measures. His party, the PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) had won over the electorate with promises of liberal welfare measures that were populist in nature.

The condition worsens…

The PASOK party alternated in power with another party called the New Democracy. Both parties continued to bestow benefits on the citizens that were tough on the government exchequer and ended up creating a bloated and protectionist economy. A Greek man with 35 years of public-sector service could retire at a ripe old age of 58, and a Greek woman could retire with a pension at an age as early as 50 under certain circumstances. Perhaps, the most infamous example of undue generosity was the prevalence of 13th and 14th-month payments to Greek workers. Soon, as a result of rampant tax evasion, low productivity and eroding competitiveness, Greece’s economy started to falter and it had to resort to massive borrowings to bolster its economy.

In 2001, Greece joined the Eurozone and received support from other European nations once it adopted Euro as its currency. Soon after, the Greek economy boomed but, at the cost of rising deficits and a ballooning debt load. Moreover, the measures that had been taken by the Greek government had been exhausted well above the limit set by the EU’s Stability and growth pact. At the time, Greece’s debt to GDP ratio was 103%, way above the EU limit of 60%. Greece’s fiscal deficit was also 3.7%, higher than EU limit of 3%. By Jan, 2012, the Greek and German sovereign bonds widened by 3,300 points, which was a huge figure and eventually the debt to GDP ratio moved up to an astronomical 180%. The last straw was an announcement by the then PM of Greece that the fiscal deficit was actually 12.7% more than the originally announced figure.

This prompted the European Union to force the Greek government to announce austerity measures, which the current PM, Alexis Tsipras, put to a referendum. Austerity measure implies that citizens would have to reduce their expenditures for a long time to reduce the ballooning debt of the economy. These measures also include the official actions taken by a government during a period of adverse economic conditions, to reduce its budget deficit using a combination of spending cuts or taxes, or a mixture of both. At the referendum, 61% voted “No” & 38% “Yes”, for the austerity measures proposed by the government for the economic rejuvenation. There was the fear of Grexit, i.e Greece’s exit from European Union, and eventually the Government decided against the austerity measures as voted by its citizens.

The Current Scenario

The European Central Bank.
Courtesy- www.assets.bwbx.io/

Of late, there has been news that the European Central Bank has loaned 2 billion Euros for loan repayment and another 4.6 billion is on the way. The country now has a staggering loan amount of about 7 billion Euros that they have to repay to the International monetary Refund. Overtime, how the young Greek Prime Minister handles the solvency issue and infuses life into the economy, is a thing to watch out for.

-Ms Monika Mor,
 Senior Faculty, INLEAD 

Top 5 Management Lessons to learn from Narendra Modi

Source-www.archive.financialexpress.com

Crisp personality, clear vision, exceptional orator and enthusiastic nature, this is Narendra Modi, the 14th Prime Minister of the largest democracy on this planet, India, best described for you. And, 26th May, 2014 was the historic day that this charismatic leader took oath as the first Indian Prime Minister born after Independence, in a first of a kind oath taking ceremony attended by who’s who of Politics, Bollywood, Sports and the Indian Corporate Industry.

Winning a total of 282 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Narendra Modi proved that their win wasn’t just a fluke or anti-incumbency vote against the Congress.  So, what changed for BJP from the 2009 general elections to the one held in 2014? The answer is, Narendra Modi.

Here are the top 5 management lessons that one can learn from the “ultimate manager” as he is jokingly called by his opposition.  

1) Clarity of thoughts- This is the first and the foremost quality that a manager should possess. Until and unless you’re clear about why you’re in the race, you can’t win it. This is where Narendra Modi scored against his contemporaries.  From the very beginning, NaMo was very clear that his aim was to fix his place at 7, Race Course Road and this is what he confidently projected to others. Seeing his confidence in himself, gave the public the confidence that NaMo has it what it takes to run a country like India and they gave him a whole hearted mandate.

Source- www.deccanchronicle.com

2) Set smaller targets in order to achieve that big target- Mr. Modi’s journey to the top job was an amalgamation of small strategic steps taken one at a time. He very carefully set small, small targets for himself and achieved them at his own self-defined pace.  He started with Gujarat and then slowly, slowly penetrated to the heart of the nation (remember the famous 2013 SRCC speech?).  Hence, in order to achieve that one big target in mind, you need to first set several smaller targets and achieve them one by one.


3) Find the right team- "A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle."  Mr. Modi understood this well. He knew that in order to reach the top, he will have to make his foundation strong.  Starting from Amit Shah to BS Yeddyurappa, he made sure that the people whom he trusted and believed in were in and the people (Sanjay Joshi, Jaswant Singh) whom he didn’t were out.

4) Be the Change you want to see- With initiatives like Make in India, Swacch Bharat and Jan Dhan Yojana etc., Mr. Modi proved that he isn’t just words.  Being the Prime Minister of the country didn’t stop him from picking up a broom in his hands and cleaning the sides of a littered street. He showed the public and his contemporaries how it is done and also how cleaning your own country is not a matter of shame. One needs to give him credit for turning a thing like cleaning streets with a broom in your hand into a thing of social status. Another marvelous use of social media by the Social Media genius.

Source-www.economictimes.indiatimes.com

5) Know your weaknesses and never play to them – No human being is perfect and the person who understands this thing is the closest one can come to being perfect. Taking lesson from his 2013 India Today Conclave debacle where he lost his cool for a few seconds following questions regarding the 2002 Godhra Rights, Mr. Modi has made sure that he never repeats his this mistake ever gain. He knew that media being an essential tool to connect with the public, he can’t afford to neglect this medium completely. So, he turned to rallies, social media and conceptualized Mann ki Baat (a monthly All India Radio broadcast) to overcome his this weakness.  

A Wedding Planner's perspective of the much awaited Shahid Kapoor- Mira Rajput Wedding

One of the most eligible bachelors of Bollywood, Shahid Kapoor, broke millions of hearts yesterday as the ‘Vivah’ actor finally tied the knot with his real life Geet, city girl Mira Rajput, in an intimate yet grand affair at industrialists Shivinder Singh’s farmhouse in Delhi.  From the time Shahid’s wedding news broke out earlier this year, there were speculations all around regarding how, where and when were the impending nuptials going to take place and finally, at last, all these questions were answered yesterday.

The Newly Married- Mr. and Mrs. Shahid Kapoor 

Planning a wedding is no easy-peasy task. Just like Rome wasn’t built in a day, similarly, a wedding cannot be planned in a single day. And, Shahid- Mira’s grand wedding was an example of just that. From getting designed the perfect Wedding cards by Delhi luxury invite designer Ravish Kapoor to arranging the lip-smacking Paans from Jaipur’s famous Annu Mobile Paan Bhandaar, this A-list Wedding, Wedding Planner (whose identity hasn’t been revealed yet) surely had his/her hands full.


A wedding is considered as one of the most important days in the lives of the two people who are gearing up to embark on the beautiful journey called marriage together. Making sure that the two souls get a perfect fairytale start to their fairytale is the Super Manager/ Planner called Wedding Planner. A Wedding Planner is like a director of the film called Wedding who makes sure that the actors (bride and groom) and the producers (read parents) don’t even get a single frown on their foreheads on the D-day of the release (Wedding day).  One just needs to be there with their ideas for their dream wedding and these wonder brains will weave their magic and get everything in line for you and turn your dream into a reality.

Wedding Planning as a field of profession has become a hot favorite nowadays. Though, the profession is slightly demanding, in terms of working hours and schedules, but the rewards towards the end just make up for everything.

So, if making people happy and touring the world for the perfect caterer or destination is something which excites you, then, Wedding Planning is the field for you. And, as for Shahid- Mira’s secret Wedding Planner we would just like to convey, that you lucky man/woman or whoever you are, you just lived the dream of every single Wedding Planner in India. Take a bow for arranging the most beautiful and the ‘The Wedding’ of 2015.

Images Courtesy- Instagram.com/bollywoodreport