When A MBA Lecture is a Movie With Popcorn
May 21, 2010 by theagsmblogger
Filed under B-School Experiences, Business
Its 8 a.m. on a Cold Monday Morning in Sydney, Australia and I have no intention of leaving the coziness of my blanket for at least the next 2 hours, after all there has to be some advantage of being back in school.
I toss and turn in bed for the next 30 minutes trying to heed to the advice of the devil in me, “get your sleep and screw the class” is what it says. At 8:30 am however my conscience gets the better of me and sluggishly I let go of my one and only true love.
As I begin to get ready I start thinking about what would be happening in class today. Chris Jackson, our OB lecturer always uses the most un-conventional methods of teaching. He taught us the art of understanding teams by simulating an F1 Pitstop in class.
He’s showed us advertisements and movie clips to get his message of Organizational culture and design across and then we’ve had classmates make presentations on certain units of the course. The Organizational behavior class has been a fine example of interactive learning, where in we learn not only from the lecturer and the course notes but also from classmates, movies and other things that we see in daily life.
As I start walking towards college, I begin to look forward to the class. What does Chris Jackson have in
store for us today ? He said something about watching a movie called 12 Angry Men, so we would probably be watching a couple of movie clips again about the topics of the day viz. Leadership, Personality and Motivation.
I’m in class at 9:30 am and the first session starts. At 11:00 am Chris announces that the next 90 minutes would be used to sit back, relax and watch the movie 12 Angry Men. Wow, so we would actually be watching the whole movie (see below) with rounds of popcorn and chips going around the class. Now that’s something I didn’t expect when I woke up this morning and I am glad I didn’t listen to the devil.
12 Angry Men is a 1957 American drama film adapted from a play. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the film tells the story of a jury made up of 12 men as they deliberate the guilt or innocence of a defendant on the basis of reasonable doubt. The movie was great example of demonstrating different styles of leadership, ways of dealing with people having varying personalities and motivations and indicating the importance of avoiding “Group Think” in making team based decisions.
These were the points that Chris wished to drive home. The movie was also the basis for two class presentations (see below) that would be presented next week and would be based on learning’s from the movie.
Movie based teaching is apparently a highly effective method of making people learn and has been used to great effect in organizations as well. SBI (State Bank Of India) chairman, Om Prakash Bhatt apparently used this technique to turn around his organization from an ailing public sector bank to one of the country’s leading financial institutions when he showed the movie “The Legend Of Beggar Vance” to a conclave of 25 of the bank’s senior leaders and coupled it with stories from the Bhagvad gita to illustrate the problems plaguing the company.
As I walked back home after the end of the class, I realized how the MBA might be the only few courses in the world where a lecture would comprise of watching a whole movie and learning from it.
DP Money watch - Conart Engineers, A Dark Horse in the Infrastructure Sector
October 11, 2009 by Ashok
Filed under Business, Financial Markets
Conart Engineers is an ISO 9000 / 9001 certified detailed engineering, procurement and construction company specializing in Industrial, Commercial, Residential roads and bridges. The Company has a proven record of successful project completion, with several awards and recognitions. It was awarded the ACCE L&T Endowment Award for excellence in construction. NICMAR-200 has listed the company as one of India’s fastest growing companies in the construction division. This will enable the company to maintain its existing clientele and secure new ones. The Present order position is close to Rs. 30 crores while the Company’s market capitalization is barely Rs. 6 crores. Order book is likely to touch Rs. 50 crores in FY10.
On the Financial front, the Company is doing well. The top line has improved by up to 50 % during the last 2 years, while the bottom line has increased by more than 100%.
| Scrip Code : 522231 Company : Conart Engineers Ltd |
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Results reproduced from BseIndia
The Share is available at P/E of 4 and is an excellent BUY at CMP of Rs. 20. Target price is Rs. 40 in less than a year.
This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision. Neither the author nor his firm accepts any liability arising out of use of the above information
DP Money Watch: Jyoti Limited - A Stock For All Seasons
September 14, 2009 by Ashok
Filed under Business, Financial Markets
Jyoti Ltd. is an ISO 9001:2008 Engg.Co. that caters to the requirements of
- Power (Thermal, Hydel and Nuclear) generation, Transmission and Distribution.
- Agriculture, providing irrigation through pumping systems.
- Water supply and sewerage schemes.
- Defense-particularly Naval and marine establishments.
- Railways.
- Core industries like steel, cement, paper, sugar, fertilizers, chemicals and Petro-chemicals.
Recently, Jyoti Ltd. bagged a prestigious order worth Rs.541 crores, the largest single order in its history and the largest pump order in India, from the government of Karnataka. The pending orders with the company amount to more than Rs 1000 crores versus its market capitalization of less than Rs. 52 crores at CMP of Rs 40. Its most saleable system in India and abroad is the Jyoti Pumping System for large lift irrigation schemes
On the Financial front the company is expected to come out with better results during FY10 and subsequent years.
| Scrip Code : 504076 Company : Jyoti Ltd |
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Results reproduced from BseIndia
Buy at CMP is recommended with atleast one year HOLD. Jyoti Ltd. may turn out to be a multibaggar.
This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision. Neither the author nor his firm accepts any liability arising out of use of the above information
Making The Perfect Group Decision: Getting Inside The No
August 23, 2009 by theagsmblogger
Filed under B-School Experiences, Business
Working with teams and groups can often be very tough and time consuming simply because sometimes it becomes really hard to make a decision that everyone agrees to. There are always certain people who will have alternate views and and ideas towards solving a problem. In order to to arrive or make a good decision it is important to acknowledge the voices and opinions of such individuals as they bring to light certain areas not considered by the majority.
At any good Business School, the Organizational behavior classes will teach you that it is necessary to foster Cognitive conflict as it brings out the hidden assumptions that often form the base of ineffective decisions and helps avoid Groupthink.
Recently at one of my lectures at AGSM, I learned about another framework which I thought can prove to be very effective in making group decisions. Called “Getting Inside The NO” it involves the following steps:
- Generate all possible points of view or opinions on a particular issue. The leader should always remain neutral.
- Make it safe for all the members in the team to say ‘NO’. For this it is important for the Leader to use his authority power and create an open atmosphere where people can openly voice their opinions.
- Spread the NO, ask other people in the team and who are a part of the decision making process whether they find the arguments of people with the opposing view better. If so they should be allowed to change their stance.
- Once the members of the group are comfortable with their decisions, start questioning the minority. Make sure to to have a constructive argument with them and include their wisdom in the decision making process.
- During the above process it is quite likely that some people will again change their positions or opinions as a lot of hidden assumptions will come to light. Once the two groups are convinced about their views, ask the minority group the question “What would it take you to come along with us ?“. This step might involve making a few concessions to the decision of the majority but it would help in achieving a consensus.
In this manner it would be possible to arrive at a decision that everyone is comfortable with and is a result of taking into consideration everyone’s opinions. Although it might not be feasible to use this approach at all times it should be used whenever possible.
If you would like to see an example of this approach then I would recommend watching the 1957 film, 12 Angry Men, a movie that is quite well-known in B-schools.
DP Money Watch: Roto Pumps, Diversifying Into The Next Generation Of Pumps
July 18, 2009 by Ashok
Filed under Business, Financial Markets
Roto Pumps Ltd is in the business of creating new thresholds of technology driven innovative pumps which are used in almost all industries like agriculture,beverages,chemicals,construction,cosmetics,dyes,edible oils and many more. Its progressive cavity pumps meet the requirement of most industries.
Roto Pumps was started in 1968 to manufacture progressive cavity pumps as an Import substitute. It came out with its IPO in 1994 and since then has grown at an average growth of 30%. Over the last 3 years, the Company’s revenue has more than doubled from Rs. 24 crores in 2006 to Rs. 54 crores in 2009, and the PAT has increased from almost Rs. 1 Crore to Rs. 3.3 crores during the same period.
| Scrip Code : 517500 Company : Roto Pumps Ltd |
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Results reproduced from BseIndia
Roto is on an expansion and modernization programme, and for this purpose is setting up an integrated R and production facility at its 5 Acre plot in Greater Noida Ecotech XII Sector. During last FY, it has received big orders from Larsen and Toubro and Blue Waters Australia against stiff international competition.This speaks volumes about the quality of the new generation pumps manufactured by Roto.
The share is available at P/E of less than 5, and appears to be a good buy at CMP of Rs. 45.
This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision. Neither the author nor his firm accepts any liability arising out of use of the above information
AGSM: Where Diversity Is A Strength
June 26, 2009 by theagsmblogger
Filed under B-School Experiences, Business
This article was originally published on BusinessBecause. Checkout www.businessbecause.com for great stories from the world of Business and B-schools .
No, this isn’t a pair of world music-loving backpackers doing something they’ll regret when they wake up from a bad trip next week.
My friends Phil from Australia and Rose from Hong Kong are MBA classmates who agreed to take part in a fake Indian wedding to celebrate the end of Diversity Week at the School last week. At AGSM diversity is our biggest strength as we have people from over 30 countries representing all the five continents.
There are eight Indians in the class of 2010 and we decided to showcase our culture with a wedding extravaganza, so we talked these two sports into it.
There’s a lot of talk within the Indian community about racism in Australia and abuse against Indians here, but I’d say incidents like that can happen anywhere. From June 9th to June 12th, 65 students at AGSM had fun exploring the cultures of Europe, Asia and Latin America and two non-Indians were married Indian-style. Need I say more?
Checkout at the original article here.
DP Money Watch - Compucom Software takes rapid strides in IT Education
May 5, 2009 by manish
Filed under Business, Financial Markets
Compucom Software(CSL) was founded in 1990 in New Jersey USA.It started its Indian Operations in 1994 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The Company operates in the following verticals:
1.Software Design, development and maintenance
2. IT Training and Education
3. e-Governance Initiatives
4. Resource Supplementation
5. BPO and Call Centre
CSL has reported excellent financial results for the year ended 31st march 2009.( click here for details). Revenue from IT Education and Training has spurted by 500 % from Rs. 6 crores to Rs. 36 crores YOY. Gross Profit has gone up by 200% from Rs. 8.5 crores to Rs. 26 crores, while PAT has grown by 75% from Rs. 5 crores to Rs. 8.9 crores. This is because of much higher allocation to Depreciation of Rs.11 crores in FY 09 vs. Rs. 1.9 crores for FY08.
CSL has an equity of Rs. 10 crores divided into 5 crore shares of Rs. 2 FV. For FY 09 EPS is Rs. 1.76 and share is available at P/E of 5.2. Going forward EPS is expected to double during FY 10 and forward discounting will be about 2.5. This makes the share at a CMP of Rs.9 a screaming BUY.
This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision. Neither the author nor his firm accepts any liability arising out of use of the above information
DP Money Watch: Liberty Phosphate - A Multibaggar in the Making
May 5, 2009 by Ashok
Filed under Business, Financial Markets
Liberty Phosphate, an ISO 9001:2000 certified, manufacturer of Single Super-phosphate(SSP) and other phosphatic fertilisers seems to be on an expansion spree. It would soon be a company with PAN India presence having new plants in South India. Presently the company has 6 plants with a combined capacity of 725,000 MT per annum. The company markets its SSP under a very strong brand name called “Double Horse”
Recently the management decided to allot 5 million shares @ Rs. 13 per share to the promoters (3 million shares) and its associates, mainly NRI’s (2 million shares). With the allotment of 5 million shares , the company’s equity capital will go up to Rs. 14.43 crores, with promoters and NRI’s holding about 70% of its equity.
On the Financial front, the company is doing exceedingly well, with revenue expected to increase to Rs. 300 crore for the year ended 31st March 2009, compared to Rs. 101 crore for the last year .PAT is expected to touch Rs.12 Crores from Rs. 1.6 crores for the last year.This will give an EPS of Rs. 12.7 vs. 1.7 for the last year. The share is available at P/E of about 1.2 .
The company financials are produced below:
| Scrip Code : 530273 Company : Liberty Phosphate Ltd |
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Financials reproduced from BseIndia
At CMP of Rs. 14 the firm seems to be a multibaggar in the making.
This report has been prepared solely for information purposes and the information contained herein may not be deemed to be an investment advice. Such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. The information contained herein is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing any company, industry or security. The views expressed may change. While the information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, no responsibility (or liability) is accepted for the accuracy of its contents. Investors are advised to satisfy themselves before making any investments and should consult with and rely upon their own advisors whether and how to use such information in making any investment decision. Neither the author nor his firm accepts any liability arising out of use of the above information
Whatever Happens, Happens For The Best
April 26, 2009 by krisdhingra
Filed under B-School Experiences, Business
There is famous saying in Hindi which when translated reads as “Whatever Happens, happens for the best”. It is basically a statement meant for the optimists and indicates that there is always something positive that comes out of any event that takes place.
Take the current economic climate for instance. There is a lot of concern and apprehension in the minds of the students, employed and un-employed professionals about how long the global financial crisis will last and what the future would be like. However not all industries are being adversely affected by the current crisis. Business Schools around the world are witnessing a surge in applications as people realize that this is probably the best time to invest in oneself and go back to being a student.
Business schools however are not taking it easy. The fact that most of the decision-makers who led the world to the current economic crisis were MBA’s has put a lot of pressure on b-schools to change their curriculum so that it addresses real life problems(read here). At the full time MBA program at AGSM for instance the lectures and course contents are being changed so as to include some detail about the crisis and how such scenarios can be avoided in future.
The picture above is what the AGSM MBA is like, except that you can’t afford to keep those binders on the shelves for too long. Most of the subjects that you see above have introduced some component that talks about what caused the current crisis and what we as future managers should do to to avoid it. So while the Organizational behavior lectures talk about tackling and preventing “groupthink”, the accounting classes talk about how difficult it is to recognize and value assets correctly and how in today’s times it’s better to be conservative in preparing financial results.
Our economics classes have taught us that the media definition of a recession(2 consecutive quarters of negative growth) is absolutely incorrect. As we move ahead into the program more changes are being made to make the learning more relevant and practical. A major step in this direction is AGSM MBA Integrative experience, a rigorous 2 week period where the entire Full Time MBA class would work on real life cases where they would have to bring together their knowledge from all the subjects that they’ve studied. Catch the Academic Director of AGSM MBA Programs, Professor Murali Chandrashekaran talk about this in the video below.
So while the global financial crisis of today can be partly attributed to MBA’s, I suppose the good thing is that it is leading to a re-structuring of the curriculum and should lead to smarter future MBA’s who would be able to ensure that a similar crisis does not occur again. Thus we probably can agree that whatever happens, happens for the best
