10 things to give thanks to Steve Jobs for

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Editor

1. The iPod and iTunes. For many consumers, the pint-sized gadget that first hit the scene in 2001 was their first entrée into digital music. At the time, there were other digital music players but none had the staying power of Apple’s iconic iPod, its subsequent versions and offshoots like the iPod Touch. But perhaps even more revolutionary was Apple’s iTunes, the digital media player that launched in 2001. That platform didn’t just become the ubiquitous means by which music was bought, sold and shared, it broke down the old music model that gave record companies ultimate reign over the radio waves. Suddenly, independent musicians and artists didn’t need a record deal to be heard; they can now reach their audiences directly.

2. Not doing it for the money. Long before Citigroup’s CEO Vikram Pandit was taking home $1 a year, Steve Jobs earned a measly $1 annual paycheck. When he rejoined the company in 1997 after being let go from Apple in 1985, Jobs set his salary at just $1. Though the tech pioneer is well-known for his wealth — thanks to his investments in Apple and Disney, among others — he has been quoted as saying “I never did it for the money.” In 2010, his total compensation was again $1, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

3. Focusing on design. The orginal Macintosh computer aside, Jobs’ focus on sleek, light-weight and resilient design has led to a concerted effort among the technology community to deliver similarly ergonomic technologies. Under his reign, dial-up modems, floppy drives and the fax machine got the ax, just to name a few.

4. Inspiring others. Not only do legions of entrepreneurs list Jobs as a source for inspiration, Apple’s ecosystem has helped fuel thousands of other businesses. At present, there are more than 500,000 applications listed on iTunes, and countless other technology firms have sprung up to furnish ancillary products. From iPod battery-life extender Mophie to Apple-accessories supplier Speck to app development firm Sweb Apps, Jobs’ creations for Apple have become critical to so many other businesses. Furthermore, applications developers and programmers have been building off the platform’s specifications for years.

5. The iPad. E-readers, computers and mobile devices were already in existence when the iPad launched last January, but the newfangled gadget nonetheless caught on — and beat record sales figures quarter after quarter. Apple’s iPad — which is expected to get a refresh in early 2012 — also gave rise to new business concepts and uses. More than 90,000 applications have been developed for the iPad alone. Furthermore, other technology firms have since developed their own tablets but none have come close to touching Apple’s success. Hewlett-Packard last week slashed the price of its TouchPad to $99 from the original sale price of $499, as it announced that it would discontinue the product.

6. Wowing investors. A decade ago Apple’s stock was worth $9 a share; today, it’s $372. Second only to oil giant Exxon Mobil, at $345 billion, Apple is one of the world’s most valuable companies.

7. Being a visionary. Just ask HP and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion if Jobs’ laser-like focus on design has been tough to beat. Though, notorious for being a stubborn micromanager, Jobs has managed to steer Apple in the direction of excellence. He is a visionary in the sense that he developed products for consumers that he thought they needed — and they confirmed his hunches again and again.

8. Forcing other corporate giants to be innovative. Thanks to the launch of iTunes, which demanded that songs sell for the low-low price of $1, record companies that wanted to reach consumers on iTunes were forced to comply. In 2007, Cingular moved to redesign its voice-mail system for the iPhone’s visual voice mail. And in 2009, the typically guarded AT&T agreed to offer consumers a month-by-month data plan for the iPad without requiring a signed contract.

9. For proving that a dramatic turnaround can be possible. Once again in charge of Apple in 1997, Jobs struck a deal with Microsoft to help ensure Apple’s survival. Under the arrangement, Microsoft invested $150 million for a nonvoting minority stake in Apple, and the companies agreed to “cooperate on several sales and technology fronts.” Next, Jobs installed the G3 PowerPC microprocessor in all Apple computers, making them faster than competing Pentium PCs. He also spearheaded the development of the iMac, a new line of affordable home desktops, which debuted in August 1998 to rave reviews. Under Jobs’ guidance, Apple quickly returned to profitability, and by the end of 1998, boasted sales of $5.9 billion.

10. Boosting employment. In 1997, the company and its world-wide subsidiaries had just 8,437 regular employees, and an additional 1,739 temporary or part-time contractors and employees, according to SEC filings. As of last September, Apple had approximately 46,600 full-time equivalent employees and an additional 2,800 full-time equivalent temporary employees and contractors.

Source : http://www.entrepreneur.com/

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Cocktail and Dinner @ Mumbai

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Editor

We at Ad Astra decided to catch up with our friends and well wishers in Mumbai by having a small get together over dinner. A majority of the senior leadership team was in Mumbai for this . We had invited people who have supported Ad Astra at a professional level and many of us personally as well.

We had invited some HR Heads as well as Operational Heads to join us for cocktails and dinner at The Vivanta by Taj President, 90, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai. It was an  overcast August evening.  Most of the invitees showed up and we were very touched by their warmth as well as the effort they put in by joining us.

Nirupama and Jayanthi were great hostesses and took a lot of trouble to get all the details right. The ambience and menu and the service was great. We had Mr Bagha Singh who came by to wish us. Even though hid doctor had advised him to avoid going out. Kavita Hurry and Vivek Hurry came but rushed back in a hurry.

Sanjoy Bose, our long term ally as usual kept us in good spirit and often in splits as well. Roy Joseph, Tojo Jose, David  Rasquinha, Devrajan and Chitra Andrade assisted him ably. Nirupama , Kalyan, Jayanthi and I were more than happy to join in.

Author Bio: Gayatri Krishnamurthy leads Consulting Business. She is responsible for new business acquisition and also analyst interactions with experience across Industry domains. You can reach her directly at gayatri@adastraconsultants.com

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Humor and Humanism in HRM

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Editor

Human Resource Management (HRM) has assumed tremendous importance during the last few years. I am a HR Professional retired after three decades of experience in all facets of HR function. When I travel down the memory lane over these years, many scenes appear on the landscape of my mind and bring in a smile on my face. To narrate a few:

Distortion in Communication

I had just joined as a HR Trainee in a Multi National Company in Mumbai. One morning, our Gardner Ram Kadam came to me in a very aggrieved mood and told me in Hindi that his “bhai” was drowned in the nearby canal which was flooded after the previous night’s heavy rains. He explained in detail the difficulty in pulling out the dead body from the water as it had bloated after too much intake of water. I condoled him earnestly on his irrevocable loss.

However, I was surprised to find that he was still in the Factory Compound at a time when he was supposed to be busy with the cremation of his brother’s body. I reported the incident to my boss the HR Director, who immediately went out of his’ office to meet Kadam and pay his condolences. After a while, he came back to my office with a smile on his face. He informed me that it was not his bhai who was drowned but his bhais (buffallow) which met the fatal accident. I cursed myself for my poor knowledge of Hindi causing this confusion.

Mistaken Identity

Amita was our new recruit selected from a Prestigious HR Institution after Campus interviews. Her first assignment was to help HR Director in recruitment. She brought in several Tests for selection. Visitors were very few in the factory as it was far away from the City proper. One day she was expecting a candidate shortlisted for an interview. The Receptionist was told that one

Balasubramaniam will come for interview and she should be informed as soon as the candidate arrives. The receptionist promptly informed Amita who was eagerly waiting to administer her newly developed psychological test. He was called in and was seated. Amita told him in detail how to answer the paper and the time allotted. When she handed over the Question Paper and a Pen, the Candidate asked her innocently why he should take a test as he came to see his friend working in our Engineering Division. Gopal – that was his name – also a South Indian was wrongly identified as Balasubramaniam, who subsequently came for the interview

Assumed Authority

I still recollect an interesting incident that happened while I was working in our corporate office. Employees’ Union had just entered the office then. The management was not ready to handle the sporadic incidents threatening the discipline. My friend Prabhakar Rao was a junior Manager looking after the Distribution Department. His Assistant John was the General Secretary of the Union who thought that his work was only that concerns the Union. Rao was not bothered about John’s nonperformance but only about his diminishing authority and ability to influence others in the department to get work done.

He used to call John to his Cabin to have discussion on various subjects other than office work. He told me that once he called John and asked him whether he had seen “Sholay”. John who was not interested in Hindi Movies replied negatively. Rao with a pointed finger told him a little loudly “John, you must see it. It is excellent.” The other Employees looking towards the closed cabin were surprised to see their boss in an aggressive mood dictating to the Union Leader. Rao was displaying his authority to others in his own way to achieve his goal of establishing acceptance of his subordinates.

Right Person at the Right Place

Pharma Company, I was working had many Parsi Employees. Many of them had their surnames derived from Professions or Businesses of their ancestors. We had Doctors, Vakils, Engineers and Daruwallas with us. Incidentally, the Director of our Medical Diison was a ‘Doctor’ not a medical doctor but a PhD in Pharmacology. The Executive Secretary of our Engineering Division was an ‘Engineer’.

On a lighter vein, there was a discussion on our lunch table and a resultant suggestion that Mr. Vakil, our Sales Manager should be transferred to the Legal Department and the HR Department must take the initiative to implement it.

Author Bio: M A Menon is HR Mentor at Ad Astra. You can reach him directly at menon@adastraconsultants.com

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