Business to the Buddha

Author: KRD Pravin

  • A cup of tea







    I see at this cup of tea kept upon my table. Oh yes this cup is full of tea :)… I have to consume it… I have heard a tagline (Cafe Coffee Day an Indian Coffee chain) – “a lot can happen over coffee”. Let me replace Coffee with Tea.

    ‘A cup of tea’, it actually relates to many industries. The packaging industry, the cup/disposable cup manufacturing, tea company, tea farm, sugar (if added), Milk, Energy (utilized in making tea as well as manufacturing/processing other parts). Energy goes to a different tangent again – how produced, how transmitted etc. So this simple cup of tea kept on my table makes me think about so many things. Wait let me drink it, it is getting cold and horses of my mind are running unnecessarily. Whatever is the case this cup of tea has made me think of ‘interdependent co-arising’.

    ‘Interdependent co-arising’ is a concept in Buddhism. This concept states – everything in the world is dependent on other thing and things evolve together. [This is my understanding of the concept…]

    If we extend this concept to business – observe the value chain of any business. The cup of tea I was thinking about is a perfect example of Interdependent co-arising. I read a concept proposed by Prof Mohan Sawhney (of Northwestern University) – ‘metamarket’. Metamarket is a cluster of complementary product. The complementary product actually belong to diverse set of industries. This goes again to the cup of tea and a very basic as well as vital concept for each one of us to understand – interdependent co-arising.

  • Cause…







    Two thousand five hundred years ago, a man (The Buddha) said – there is suffering, there is cause of suffering, there is a solution and the solution. After so many years, we understood the cause and effect relationship, yet we experience sufferings…

    Japan was hit by a major earth quack, economy of big super powers is still struggling, inflation is rising, corruption (in India at least) etc. These are macro problems, there are many micro problems happening daily in life of each one of us. Yes there is suffering.

    At the first place, we are ambitious, in last five hundred years we have progressed so much. We tried solving so many riddles, went on moon too, still there is suffering. Is our being ambitious a cause of suffering? We want money, power and respect in society, is that a driving force? Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory seems pertinent to me here. I was reading todays DNA (Daily News and Analysis) – a newspaper in Mumbai. Front page first item today is on Suicide and how to avoid that. I was wondering the real issue of facing the problem (cause of suffering) is not issued, why? I think we are avoiding the real issue.

    No doubt there is suffering, there is a cause of suffering too. The question to ask is – what is the cause? If a man (The Buddha) could find solution and suggest it to us 2500 years ago why cannot we do one of the two possible things?
    1. learn the solution he preached
    2. try to find our own solution

    If one (the Buddha) person could do it so many years ago, why cannot we do it now? We are evolved (I presume) and we can solve our sufferings… we at least have a (many paths) path. Path suggested to us by many masters in the past – Jesus, Prophet and many Indian Masters in the past have preached. Still after many hundreds of years we have not moved from – there is suffering, and there is cause of suffering… when are we going to move to the next step of solution…

    The macro problems I wrote above, can be solved when we start solving micro problems, it is collective wisdom which would play a major role when we are individually wise.

  • Fruit will arrive in its season…







    We talk about long term sustainability, but want to gain in short term. Shareholders want quick dividends as well as long term performance of the company. If reserves and surplus (R&S) are given in dividends where would company get money for growth. In such cases our actions and desires conflict. I initially thought about the Japanese currency crises in similar fashion (common cause Vs individual gain). Though later Prof Mankad told me that the reason of the appreciation of Japanese Yen could be the computer triggered buying/selling, the way people put stop loss trigger in share trading.

    In operations, different departments try to optimize their performance, what happens to the overall performance? It is synergy that matters rather than the individual performance. Thats where ‘Theory of Constraints’ plays an important role to achieve global optimum against the local optimum.

    I was thinking about the same for some time in a different fashion. What is long term goal of an organization and an individual? How do both the goals meet and how to build synergy between individual’s aspirations and organizations perpetuity? Why did the question arise at the first place? A branding expert told us that marketing managers want to start new brand building exercise (to gain in short term for writing on their resume – ‘I started this initiative’) and move to next level. New manager comes he/she too does the same. Short term gains are there for the marketing manager; yet for long term the brand is diluted perhaps no one knows what would the brand stand for in future. I believe, Sataym fiasco started similarly – to show the investors that Satyam is growing, numbers were made up.

    Effectively, the question to ask is – how many times we look at the bigger picture? The question goes back to Why are we doing what are we doing? I recall Prof Lopez digging deeper and probing us to the fundamental reasons and the importance of asking right questions. Where does the bug stop?

    In school we learnt couplets (termed as Doha in Hindi) of a mystic Kabir, one of them was –
    धीरे धीरे रे मना धीरे सब कुछ होय
    पानी सीचे रे घणा ऋतू आये फल होय
    Literal translation (courtesy) of the same is –
    O mind! everything happens at its own pace, slowly
    Gardner may water a hundred buckets, fruit arrives only in its season.

    I am hopeful that some day those questions would be answered and we individually and collectively would balance between the long term Vs the short term perspective. there would not be much (if not any) of opportunism. We as human beings will evolve. I am optimist, “…fruit will arrive in its season…” and we are nearing the season.

  • To Sir, with love…







    I watched a movie sometime back – To Sir With Love. The long and short of the story is – To Sir With LOVE. I want to thank all my teachers for making me what I am. The following lines are dedicated to all my teachers, those who have taught me outside or inside the class. The Buddha’s of my life, who taught me – either the Buddha’s way or the business way.

    The time has come,
    For closing books and long last looks must end,
    And as I leave,
    I know that I am leaving my best friend,
    A friend who taught me right from wrong,
    And weak from strong,
    That’s a lot to learn,
    What, what can I give you in return?

    If you wanted the moon I would try to make a start,
    But I, would rather you let me give my heart,
    To Sir, with Love

    Thank you so much all of you, you made a great positive impact on my life.

  • Chhoti Si Baat (Small things…)







    This post is dedicated to all my friends whom I met exactly one year back at SP Jain Center of Management Singapore Campus. Video on the link of Youtube. This is a song from an old Hindi Movie (Chhoti Si Baat). Bold are the lyrics in English for my international friends… for Phuong – please don’t try to learn Hindi from the below translation you may get confused 🙂

    Na Jaane Kyu, Hota Hai Yeh Zindagi Ke Saath
    Achaanak Yeh Mann, Kisike Jaane Ke Baad
    Kare Phir Uski Yaad Chhoti Chhoti Si Baat
    Na Jaane Kyun …
    I wonder why, this happens with life
    this mind suddenly remembers
    small things about someone; after he is gone
    I wonder why

    Jo Anjaan Pal, Dhal Gaye Kal, Aaj Woh
    Rang Badal Badal, Mann Ko Machal Machal
    Rahen Hai Chal, Na Jaane Kyun Woh Anjaan Pal
    Saje Bhi Na Mere, Naino Mein
    Toote Re Hai Re Sapno Ke Mahal
    Na Jaane Kyun …
    Those unknown moments,
    happened earlier,
    are playing in mind today I wonder why
    Without you my dreams of palace are shattered
    I wonder why it happens with life

    Wohi Hai Dagar, Wohi Hai Safar
    Hai Nahin Saath Mere Magar Ab Mera Humsafar
    Idhar Udhar Dhoonde Nazar Wohi Hai Dagar
    Kahan Gayi Shaamein, Madhbhari
    Woh Mere, Mere Woh Din Gaye Kidhar
    Na Jaane Kyun …
    The road is same the jorney is the same
    my eyes are searching for my companion
    I wonder why…
    Where did my evenings go
    where did my days go
    Wonder why is this happens with life
    suddenly this mind
    remembers small things
    about someone after he is gone
    I wonder why…

    Good luck to you all, do well. It was a wonderful learning experience with wonderful classmates and Professors.

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL6Sc9SU5jE]

  • The Business, the Buddha and both…







    The Business
    What is business? Trade is the underlying concept of business and exchange of one thing for the other is trade. Earlier trade was based on barter system. Later, with the introduction of the concept of money, more sophistication was added to trade e.g. business. Based on a very basic definition of business, I can say life is a business, you trade relations; in fact you trade pretty much everything in life. On a tangent, even the so called most emotional feeling a human being has e.g. love, seems like a trade in today’s depiction of art. Though, love is a sacred feeling which should not be a trade.

    The Buddha
    Here, I want to state I am neither a Buddhist nor supporting Buddhism (any -ims for that matter), I am just associating the business to the longest lasting systems (which are generally religion) in the world. I may write on Islamic banking in future or stories of Jesus. The idea is to keeping eyes and ears open to learn that is how I could relate to Business and the Buddha, and still learning. I found words of wisdom of the Buddha relating to many places in businesses be it Singapore, Western world, India or other places, and that is what Business to Buddha made sense to me.

    … And the business and the Buddha
    There is relationship between business and the Buddha, in future the businesses would be more evolved and we would have more than profits in our mind. I got to watch this Video of Money Control earlier and this is one such instance where we might see an evolution in corporate thinking process. I will take an example on ‘interdependent co-arising’ (a concept of Buddhism) in some future blog. This video is on “Business Sutra” broadcast on CNBC, the link of the same is here relates to the same concept. Indian Walmart – the Big Bazaar – has a dedicated Chief Belief Officer (Dr Devdutt Pattnaik), we might see more involvement of ‘perhaps not belief‘ but social causes in business e.g. CSR.

  • I will only show you the path…







    (A correction, in the title ‘I’ stands for ‘the teachers’ and ‘you’ stands for me or ‘the students’.)

    I have had privilege of meeting Prof Mankad recently, it is always a pleasant experience meeting him. I realized he always has something very meaningful to share and his opinion are always very well thought off, I have a lot to learn from him. While talking to him I realized that many good teachers have given a message – ‘I will only show you the path; YOU have to walk through the road.’ When the Buddha told the story ‘Finger is not the moon’ the message was –

    1. Do not stick to the finger e.g. me, because this (finger) is only a way to show you the path
    2. Get directions and pave your path. It was a message for Ananda – app dipo bhava (in Pali language) Meaning ‘Be a light unto yourself’ when you are done with identification of path
    3. Walk through the path

    Prof. Mankad taught us Macroeconomics, gave us an Financial Times in the exam to write about any current affair why? To make us start reading FT. Prof Moradian made a statement in a class ‘I will only show you the path, you have to walk through it’ (which is the title of the blog). Prof. Lopez gave us inputs on life beyond books and ‘learn to see’, e.g. did you go to Vivocity (a mall in Singapore)? Did you see this or that? What can you infer from that? Prof Ram Kumar gave us assignments wherein we had to go to market and see the performances of brands on ground. Prof Sohan Shah, gave us sleepless nights (believe me we all enjoyed the grind) while giving us assignments on marketing communication, I am pretty sure that each student of the class (perhaps some non marketing students too Ankit Jain and Rahul Krishnan) can independently workout a plan on integrated marketing communication. They have showed us the path, its our responsibility to walk through the road.

    *What I understand is the Buddha was not in favor of a religion; even it happened in case of many more spiritual masters. Why? Because as time passes the directions become rituals, systems you see! When rituals become the ONLY path to be followed it creates conflicts in individuals mind and actions. Therefore the best thing is – to learn the lessons critically and walk through the road towards the goal keeping lessons in mind rather than the literal content of the message.

    I thought to write about four noble truths and eight fold path, then I asked myself, does it make sense to connect everything of Buddhism to Business or literal Buddhism to Business? Is not it important to concentrate on messages and see whether it fits in the business context?

    * Apologies, if I hurt someone’s belief, though I didn’t intend to do anything like that.

  • Learn Non Stop, continued…







    In continuation of my earlier blog on the mistakes I made in my MBA and what I learnt, I received responses from my friends specially would want to mention two here – Sanjan and Prof Subba Iyer. Thank you both for taking time and responding to me. I talked to Sanjan and here is what he wrote to me (I liked it and asked if I can post that on my blog?), so here is what he write – …I have always believed that every mistake you make in your life is like a beacon which guides you constantly on to the right path; the only condition being you got to interpret that beacon in a correct way and bingo! There comes into play your prudence and judiciousness.

    Thank you Sanjan for the kind words. So here are next few mistakes and what I learnt from them.

    7. In management nothing is black and white (especially in marketing, the engineering mind with numbers always thinks in binary); learn to differentiate between gray and grayer (Prof Lopez, had a tough time teaching me – an engineer – this thing)

    8. Try to do the most challenging thing. I always thought since I didn’t watch TV for many years now, I cannot help making good advertisements. In the class of Prof Sohan Shah (Marketing Communication) making advertisement concept used to be a challenge and I used to shirk by doing other team assignments. The very next week of the end of Marketing Communication course our team (Ankit Jain, Kaushik Deb, Sandeep Shukla and I) was adjudged second-runner in Ad Mad competition.

    The reason I believe is, there was just one thought in our mind, we have to do this no matter what. We saw other teams making far better videos and we knew our team does not stand a chance in terms of videos, yet there was only one thought in our mind – we will stand there and present what we have in our mind. Thanks to the Branding Club (Swyl Saksena, Sahil Lihala and Neha Saini) you helped me imbibe a lesson.

    9. Consistency, this was the reason for being judged as the second runners in the event. Consistency matters in day-to-day life too. It does not mean that one has to be consistent wherever he/she is, consistency means improving consistently

    10. However small is the idea, stay with it, nurture it and try to explore possibilities. Our team (Neha Om, Murtaza Bakir, Shafaat, Tarun Kushwaha and I) worked on a business plan which prima-facie was “hum!”, “ok”, “yes we can think of this” at last won best business plan in an open competition

    11. Whenever something goes wrong; review, review and review what went wrong? Mistakes are the best tools to learn.

  • Journey itself is the destination, so learn non-stop…







    As a ritual which every B-school aspirant has to perform, I also wrote B-school essays before joining my MBA program. I remember one of the phrases of one essay the most – “…making mistakes that will cost nothing in a classroom environment…”. I knew I will learn from the mistakes as well. I feel, a failure teaches long lasting lesson then a success. I have learnt a lot from the mistakes during last couple of months. I am sure, I am going to live with and implement these learning in coming time.

    With a lot of disappointment I started writing this blog after my exam of Pricing Strategy. Then I realized thank god I did not commit the mistake in business; one incorrect pricing and revenues and profits take a beating. I started writing my mistakes and learning, so that I can revisit what I should not do and what I learnt. This would remind me that the Journey itself is the destination, so learn non-stop. Here are few of the lessons –

    1. Never believe in the forecasts, forecasts are correct hardly 15-20% of the times. I bet Murtaza and Avanii would agree with me 100% on this.

    2. Start early (in B-School simulation too), starting early and keeping the momentum going; it helps

    3. Always have a “to do list” and prioritize work – for this I wrote funny statement which only a few could understand “Tomorrow is your exam (sense of urgency), day after tomorrow you will die (prioritize your work, before dying what would you do?)”. I used to do this but here in my MBA this has been reinforced to an even greater extent

    4. Failing to score well in exams is alright, but failing to learn a concept and missing to use concept is a punishable offence – “a crime”. I learnt pricing strategies concept, explained the same to my friends and yet in the exam forgot to apply that. There is no ifs and buts for this crime

    5. I always write my blog on one concept ‘collaboration’, I observed this in outside world, I used it a lot in my MBA and that is the way for the future of businesses

    6. Ask questions, better to be stupid for some time. I have been stupid in some classes (recently, in class of Prof Lopez and Prof Ram Kumar) but that is better than assuming something incorrect

    To be continued in next blog…

  • Next is what?







    I was reading a newspaper, the question came in mind – next is what? For a moment Samsung mobile advertisement came in my mind. So keep guessing, next is what for Samsung (off late for Nokia too)? Jokes apart, the question is serious, forward looking and for soul searching.

    The question is very natural, after completing graduation person asks him/herself – what next further education or a job? The question is still there and will always be there in our mind – thinking species.

    In terms of existence and growth of an organization this question is apparent. Organizations think of short term and long term strategies, I have heard some plan for next 25-50 years too and they do it sincerely every year. So, the question “Next is what?” is an eternal, perennial question.

    Next is what, was the question at the time of independence for India. Singapore became a part of bigger Malay nation in 1960’s with a vision of The Next. Though it failed, what makes us feel really great about Singapore is – the vision of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He rose to the occasion and see where is Singapore in forty years of its independence. Singapore has emerged as an economic power and hub for Asia Pacific, I admire leadership skills of Mr Yew.

    Next is what? is the question currently for Egypt too. What we learnt in strategy planning is – scenario planning and what.. if analysis. Egypt needs an able leader one similar to Mr Yew of Singapore and make long term agile strategies and take short term actions to realize those plans.

    After Egypt, Algeria, Yemen and Bahrain are protesting, “Next is what?” for Egypt is the question to ask and this is equally pertinent for these other countries. We will see the results in coming time.