GD: Status or money….? November 24, 2006
Posted by Sandeep in Articles.Tags: college, money
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Ok, today in college we had a very hot discussion over what should be the cause of concern while looking for a job: status or money?
First things first, I was in the favour that money should be the priority. Now meanings, “money” mean salary you would get, and according to the group, “status” means “respect”,”goodwill”,”power”,”authority” you would enjoy while working on the job.
Ok, I was of the view that money should be the foremost concern. Why? very simple. On this world money is everything, and it is the primaryneed of everyone. We can survive without respect and status, but not without money. 3 basic needs: food, clothes and shelter can only be acquired with money, (not wth status). We can’t deny money, wether we disclose it or not, wether we accept it or not, there is a hidden monster inside all of us that go crazy over the thought of having more money. In bussiness context, as I am a BBA student, the prime motive of the bussiness is to earn profit (READ: Bussiness is not a charity)
Secondly, one of the group members was of the view that money is not prime, he said, “we all start with no money and later on earn it”. A completely false statement, nobody starts with zero money. What about the money and things that we inherit from our parents. Anotherone in the group stressed that what is the need of the moneyif there is noone whorespects you andyou don’t enjoy goodwill.He said, suppose, you comein a mercedz and no-one greets you, then what isthe use of having such an expensve car. Let us see in real life, I would definitely greet a person whocomes in a super hi-fi car (even ifI don’t know him, perhaps lateron he would letme enjoy a smooth ride on it, leave itthat is the another case). Concluding, that we will definitely enjoy good status and get respected if we have money. NOTE: money can earn status, but status can’t earn you money (if status is not considered authority in organization hierarachy)
Consider his example: On one job you are getting Rs. 20,000 and you are not getting respect or recognised (think of bad things), and one job you are getting only Rs. 10,000 but also getting respect and enjoying good status (think of good things). Which will you choose? (In case you want to participate, do e-mail me your viewsat graysandeep@yahoo.co.in )
I said the one with the Rs. 20,000. It is a basic thing, we can’t start with zero salary, but we can start with zero status. It is easily understood, that in an organization we have to build up our reputation and our goodwill. It is not 100% assured that you will get respect and status straighway as you join the job. You have to build your status and with your own efforts you have to rose tostardom.
Some group member put forward his view that, will you enjoy working in a an organization where no onelistens to you and you don’t have any status, or one in the organization where you get respected, everybody listens you. (enjoy good status etc.)
Very simple, it depends. If my boss does not listens me, it is not mine fault and will notblamehim for that. He is my boss, and boss isalways boss, he has the right to do anything, because he pays me for that.In second case, if mysub-ordinates do not listen me, being a superior I can penalise them. In both the cases, situation can be compromised.Nobody can compromise with money, because we all want money, afterall this why we are in bussiness.
I illustrate this with an example, what if I offer you a job in a multi national company as a post of CEO and say you have to work there for the rest of your life but you will not get any pay, will you work? Let me know your answer.
Ok why is money is so important for me, because I want money. As simple as that, hey, I am not uncle scrooge, but I don’t want to be dependent on my parentsfor the rest of my life. I want to be financially independent.
Coming back to the topic, one of the active participants of the group gave another not-so-real example. Not so real because production manager can not get paid more then the GM.
Consider his viewpoint: Which job will you choose from the following two: Production manager with 15,000 or General manager with 13,000.
I said, one with the post of General Manager. (Here status is considered as the authority or position in a organization). NOTE: I gave importance to status here.
But what if I give you a similar viewpoint, consider the following. (It is also a not-so-real). I offer you two jobs. One having salary of Rs. 1,00,000 and I say you only have to do your work in isolation or nobody will respect you, listens to you(no status etc. think of bad things again). And another job with salaryofRs. 10,000 (Ten thousand only, in case youhave problems counting the zeroes,don’t mind I have this problem since childhood). But you enjoy good status, everyone respects you, you enjoy good status (good things blah blah). Which one will you choose?
I would be a fool If I chose the one with the salary of 10,000.Isn’t it foolproof?
Last but not least, by writing here in, if I hurt someone’s viewpoint or sentinments. I feel sorry with the excuse that there can be slight differences in the perceptions of the individuals. Some may like money (as I do), some may like good status (as other group members do). Remember, the glass that may seem half full to me may seem half empty to you.
And what about the outcome of the GD, conclusion was thatstatus was more important than money with teacher contributing the viewpoint that she would herself go in for the status.
I don’t feel loosing, becaue I know I am right, there is nothing to lose there, and I am still firm on my stand, but I would have been more happier if my group members would have agreed to me.
Bye and take care for now…
Moving towards employee oriented business November 24, 2006
Posted by Sandeep in Articles.Tags: business, employees
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It has been the traditional approach of the business; consumer is and always remained the focus of business activities. After all, it is because of the customer that the business exists. We know it, the prime motto of the business is to serve and satisfy the customers (leaving apart the profit making thing). However, in this era of increased globalization and liberalization, where the businesses are heading towards new heights of success and complexity, they are the employees who are being crushed to the extreme of their abilities to make the business grow and leave the customer happy and smiling.
Employees are always exploited and they always suffer at the end of the day, while on the other side customer is being satisfied and business is making huge profits. Why we are giving so much attention to the customers? Or is it that our employees are obsolete for us. Definitely not, after all employees are who keeps the organization running. Let us examine a situation, where a customer is not satisfied with the product. It is usual for him to rant and rave the salesman, but when everything ends up in the hands of the supervisory or management it is the customer who wins, and employees always feel embarrassed and low. In many cases, it will follow the resignation of the employee or dropped rate of performance.
Why is that we call the customer care of our mobile phone network operator and start using abusive language with the customer care executive about the number of dropped calls we are getting, when at the first place he has nothing to do with functioning of the network . And he can not complaint it to the management, because he is appointed to attend the customers and make them satisfied.
Why is that air hostesses do not complaint to their captain about the kind of comments and exploitation they are facing from the customers, because they know that customers (who are always being pampered with good kind of hospitality) are what keeps their airline flying.
Why is that a lecturer keep on ignoring the bunch of irritating students who keep bothering him, because he know that nothing is going to happen, simply because college runs on their money.
The answer is the business culture that has evolved over the period of the time, which gave undue attention to the customer leaving behind the employees and ignoring their mental satisfaction. However management is realizing that employees are the important assets of any business, challenging the tradition that customer is very important. Employees drive the success of any company and are the backbone of the business operations. And now Human Resource Management and Manpower Inventory are introduced into every segment of the business to take care of the human assets.
When the companies are realizing the huge costs involved in the recruitment process of the talented employees and the amount of money that goes into their training and development as well as orientation, they have started to treat the employees better now. They are doing everything to retain the best talent with them, to cope with the cut-throat competition in the industry. Organizations understands now, there competitors can match the production techniques, operations and processes, but they can’t match with the talent their employees have.
The need of the time does not demand whole focus on the employees, but simply requires the balance between meeting the demands of the customer and the employees. That customer should come first, but even employees should not be made to sit at the back seat when the business is accelerating at a fast pace towards the success and profitability. The time has come to move from customer oriented business towards a employee oriented business
