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www.advancedge.com Editor-in-Chief Kamlesh Sajnani
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Address for Correspondence Advanc’edge MBA, IMS Publications, A Division of IMS Learning Resources Pvt. Ltd., E Block, 6th Floor, NCL Bandra Premises,
Nobody is infallible or omniscient.
This is probably one of the most obvious statements I’ve ever made. And I believe that you should try and remember it as well, especially now, when you’re on the threshold of the CAT. You see, one of the traps that I’ve seen a lot of you who are preparing for tests like the CAT fall into is this trap of forgetting your fallibility. When you’re faced with a question that you didn’t answer but you feel that you should have, many of you tend to feel demoralised. That affects how you perform in the test going ahead from there. The same feeling hits when you come across a question that you can’t make head or tails of. I hope you’re getting my drift. At these times, you must remember that you’re not omniscient. In fact, a proof of this is that some of you might not know the meaning of the word “omniscience”! But that’s alright, as long as you keep your mental balance and steady frame of mind. Of course, I’m not saying that you should ignore it completely if you find something you don’t know; you should make the attempt to find out if you’ve realised that you’re ignorant of something. But just keep in mind that it’s not the end of the world. This is one of the “tips” that I can give you, that you should remember in the run-up to the CAT, which is less than a month away as you’re reading this. There are several other such Dos and Don’ts you will find in this issue’s cover story. Go through them thoroughly, and use these tips. They’ll surely put you on a path towards a high score in the CAT, maybe even garner you the haloed 100 percentile you’re striving for. I wish you the very best.
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Contributors Dr Suresh Srinivasan, Nupur Agrawal, Jeevan Jyothi
Best wishes to all CAT aspirants from the IMS family
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C ONTEN TS 06
NOVEMBER 2015
24
COVER STORY
41 Dos and Don’ts for CAT takers
CORPORATE WORLD Curbing global warming: India’s plan for 2022
32 Modi US visit 2015 36 Dell takes over EMC:
Good move or suicide?
CORPORATE INTERVIEW
DIVANSHU DUBEY Head-Assets and Project Material Management, KEC International Ltd.
10 SNIPPETS
News in brief
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42
ALUMNI SPEAK
Of energy, festivals, Uncle Bala and Mahabs
46 COUNTDOWN
Top highest paying management jobs
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Disclaimer : The views expressed in the articles by contributors and others are not necessarily those of the Publishers, unless specifically stated therein. While no effort is spared in ensuring the accuracy of the information published herein, readers are advised to reconfirm the current facts before acting upon any such information. The Publishers regret their inability to accept responsibility for any inadvertent errors of commission or omission in this issue. Readers are recommended to make appropriate inquiries before incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in this publication. The publishers do not vouch for any claims made by the advertisers of any products or services. The Publisher, Printers or Editor shall not be held liable for any consequences in the event of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without prior permission from the publisher.
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cover story
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Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
cover story
41 Dos and Don’ts for CAT takers The time has come. There’s less than a month left for the CAT now, and the countdown has truly begun. In this article, we bring to you a list of tips you should follow to make the most of your CAT. Vinayak Kudva National Head – PG India, IMS
W
ith less than 30 days left for the CAT, the moods and anxieties are varied. Some of you will be studying hard, some may be fine-tuning the strategy, some of you will be looking for
shortcuts, while a few will be quite confident! In this article, we shall give you a list of Dos and Don’ts in the run-up to the CAT on November 29. So here’s what you need to do
from the last 30 days until two days prior, what you should be doing on the day before the CAT, what you absolutely must keep in mind on CAT, i.e., D-Day, and finally, what will help you on the day after!
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Have a positive attitude Be positive, you know you have prepared well, and that positivity will help you keep your spirits high and give you confidence. If YOU believe YOU can, only then will YOU taste success!
Set/review your goals Give yourself a goal for the CAT (if you haven’t yet), and if you have already done so, see how you can achieve it. Decide your daily study hours; create a study plan, and stick to it.
Firm up your test strategy
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Now is the time when you fine-tune your test-taking strategy to perfection. Target sectional and overall scores and the order in which you will attack the questions within a section. Also, finalise the time you have allotted yourself across areas and questions.
Practise with a purpose Now is the time when you have a definite objective to your practising. Don’t simply take simulated test after test just for the sake of it!
Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
Practise with a PC, practise with friends Since the CAT is a computer-based test, it’s quite obvious that you should be practising on the computer. And look for friends who have a goal similar to yours. Group preparation can be very helpful, giving you various perspectives that will help you during the CAT.
Be disciplined in your practice Make sure to practise in a distraction-free environment. Take a practice test like the actual test, and focus on the task at hand. Keep track of time while you’re practising. You will soon know what a 10 or 20 or 30 minute stretch feels like!
Create formula charts for ready reference Post these charts on your bedroom walls, cupboards, study table, PC desktop — in short, wherever you will be forced to see them on a regular basis.
Don’t cram! At this juncture, with less than a month, don’t try to mug up anything, or cram new concepts into your head. If you haven’t understood a concept by now, it certainly won’t lodge itself in your brain overnight.
cover story Questions to solve per day Choose these questions randomly across areas and question types. } Solve 35 to 50 Math questions per day. Time: 100-120 minutes. } Solve TWO DI sets every alternate day. Time: 30-45 minutes. } Solve TWO LR sets every alternate day. Time: 30-45 minutes. } Solve 20 to 25 VA questions per day. Time: 30-45 minutes. } Solve 1 RC passage per day. Time: 30 minutes.
Have a positive attitude If YOU believe YOU can, only then will YOU taste success!
Don’t overstrain yourself For instance, taking three simulated or mock tests back to back is quite a bad idea.
Find out where your test centre is Make sure you know how to reach there, how long it’ll take to get there, and plan accordingly.
Be ready with all you need to carry Don’t wait till the last minute to collect everything. Remember to carry your admit card and
Have a positive attitude If YOU believe YOU can, only then will YOU taste success!
Wake up early Have a healthy breakfast and leave for the test centre with everything you need to carry.
Reach the test centre well in time
Warm up right before the test You can solve a few easy questions to get into
Make sure you take this test regularly and analyse your performance, review your progress against set benchmarks. Execute your test strategy and build your test stamina. Also, try and take the test in the slot in which you’ll take the CAT. This will give you an idea of how you will perform.
Don’t keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel! You need to endure the length of the journey to reach the end.
the required ID proof as mandated.
Relax in the evening Take the evening off to do something fun and relaxing. And don’t do anything stressful that might disrupt your emotional balance.
Don’t overeat, and don’t under-eat
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In short, don’t upset your normal routine. A healthy stomach will keep your mind healthy, which will get you a healthy CAT score!
Get a good night’s rest Make sure you get enough sleep the night before, since you need to be fresh and alert on D-Day!
“Math mode”. But remember, don’t check to see if you got them right, as it might prove counterproductive!
Do not indulge the proverbial nerd You may find several test takers with papers and books in hand, still preparing. Don’t interact with them, as it may put pressure on you.
Finish all necessary chores before the test After all, it’s not a good idea to get Nature’s call during the test! It will break your concentration, and hamper your score.
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Reach the centre well before the reporting time. Plan for unforeseen circumstances like traffic or a strike.
Take a simulated test every 4 to 5 days
Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
cover story
Have a positive attitude If YOU believe YOU can, only then will YOU taste success!
Execute your test strategy Solve questions in the pre-decided order you had been using to solve the simulated or mock tests.
Be ready for surprises The CAT is known to have sprung surprises in the past. If you encounter such a surprise, keep calm and tweak your test strategy accordingly.
Keep an eye on the timer Move from one question to another, one area to another without overspending the time you’d allotted for them. At the same time, don’t keep checking the clock constantly. It will only increase your anxiety.
It’s okay to take longer for some questions Balance the longer time you take on some questions with the lesser time you take on others.
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Don’t try every question Avoid the temptation of attempting every question, sometime even at the expense of time. This may hurt your score more if you miss out on easier questions.
Have a positive attitude If YOU believe YOU can, only then will YOU taste success!
Don’t agonise over what happened
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It doesn’t matter how good or bad your performance was, don’t mull over how you fared, or what could have happened better.
Avoid discussing with friends Frenzied discussions with friends about the test are best avoided. It may only serve to instil fear or anxiety in you. Avoid doing it to others yourself, too!
Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
Don’t get stuck on a question It’s easy to get bogged down by a single question, and keep trying to solve it. Don’t make it an ego issue, and don’t let any question disrupt your pace or focus.
Keep an eye on options Plug in the answers and/or eliminate them. And don’t over-calculate. Determine the amount of calculation needed based on answer choices.
Don’t hesitate to mark “None” option If you believe they’re right, don’t hesitate to mark “None of the above” type options. They have an equal probability of being right.
Avoid careless mistakes A perfect example of this when you mark the wrong option after you’ve got it right!
An intelligent and educated guess is okay Make sure you don’t guess wildly, since there are negative marks for incorrect responses. At the same time, don’t be overcautious, as answering too few questions to increase your accuracy won’t get you far.
Stay optimistic Don’t lose hope midway if the questions seem too difficult. Just remind yourself that the scoring is relative.
Don’t disclose networks
questions
on
social
Remember, you’ve signed an NDA, so you must not disclose questions on the public domain.
Reward yourself Go for a party, outing, dinner or a long drive. After all, you’ve just crossed the first and biggest hurdle to your success! To find out more, and what else you can do from now on, or to watch a video version of this article, visit www.advancedge.com. A
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Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
corporate interview
‘Work experience is essential before MBA’ ...feels DIVANSHU DUBEY, who has had quite an eventful journey since he joined the Armed Forces. Now, he is the HeadAssets and Project Material Management with KEC International Ltd. In an interview with Alolika Banerjee, Dubey shares what it was to bid adieu to the Army life, manage a score of 750 in the GMAT to get into IIM Ahmadabad, and onward to two more management degrees from Stanford University and University of Pennsylvania – The Wharton School, through an online curriculum. Q. Share with us your stint with the armed forces. It was my childhood dream to be a part of the Armed Forces and I thoroughly enjoyed the 12 years of my life there. In fact, now that I am part of the corporate world and have seen both the worlds, I would like to say that the ethics and culture that I now follow in this commercial domain had been deeply ingrained from my Army days. What is mostly taught in the management curriculum is actually a reaffirmation of what we learnt in our stint with the Army. In fact, even a few years in the Army gives a training which is priceless. I studied engineering first and then joined the Army as an engineer for the forces. Naturally the work required me to be a part of numerous rescue operations. From demolition work, to rescue or restoration, the Army is always the last resort. I myself was personally involved in controlling the flood situation and providing aid to the victims of the Bihar floods. My entire stint with the Army is very close to my heart, since the learning curve was excellent and I had the personal satisfaction of doing something meaningful in those 12 years of my life, the essence of which I will carry forever.
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Q. After being part of the Armed Forces for years, how difficult was it to go back to the world of academics and focus on the management degree? There is a huge myth about the Army in that there are no academics associated with it. The fact is that exams are held every six months! We had to constantly upgrade ourselves through extensive learning and research and then assess ourselves through tests. For instance, a colleague of mine, who had served the Army for 20
Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
years, spent nearly 35 per cent of his time either studying and appearing for tests or teaching on certain courses in which he specialised.
Q. A GMAT score of 750 is a spectacular achievement. How did you prepare for the test? I prepared for the GMAT very systematically. I followed the instructions in the GMAT website diligently and prepared myself for one-and-a-half months during my spare time, while I was still in the Army. I am grateful to my commanding officer because he allowed me exemption from certain sports and fitness activities that were essential elements of our regimented military life. That period was extremely crucial and gave me some time to prepare myself for the GMAT. As we all know, the GMAT has two parts — Maths and English. People are mostly good in either one of the subjects, so the overall score is hampered. The Math portion is mostly a cakewalk for most Indian students, because its standard is mostly what they learn in Class XI or XII. They score low in the verbal section. But I am an avid reader, which is why my vocabulary has always been better than most people. So that took care of the verbal section. And since I’m from an engineering background, Math was not a problem. I did reasonably well in both, so my percentile considerably high. (Smiles)
Q. What made you pursue other management degrees from Stanford and Wharton as well? (Smiles) I would say that giving repeated tests and assessing myself continuously is something I have imbibed from my years in the Army. That life taught me
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Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
corporate interview the essence of training and re-training myself, seeing what my potential is and what I can achieve. So I am just following up with that. Even now, I am currently doing a course from a British university on smart cities. So in my own way I’m still trying and updating myself.
Q. Your army days have been very different from the corporate life you are leading right now. Which life suits your personality better and why? Having your basic grooming in the Armed Forces prepares you for anything in the world. The propensity to adapt and change to the varied situations in life is something that I learnt from my stint in the Army. I can’t really say which life suits me better, but what I can say is that I have learned to adapt to things faster.
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Ahmedabad had given me an international exposure as well. We had exchange programmes, which made us visit foreign universities. I feel IIM Ahmedabad or any top B-school in India provides an opportunity and curriculum that are comparable to any of the best management colleges internationally. The faculty is sound and there is a chance to get placed outside the country as well. So, studying in the top B-schools of India becomes extremely lucrative. However, if you exclude the top 10 or 15 B-schools of India, the differences would probably emerge.
Q. So, are you saying that there are no special advantages of studying in the foreign universities?
Education in the West certainly has its own share of advantages. The infrastructure, facilities, campus and Q. What made you forego the very coveted army work ethics on foreign shores are fantastic and, perhaps life and pursue the corporate domain? on these few fronts, they score brownie points over The Armed Forces is certainly a hallowed profession and Indian management institutes. And these facilities can it was my dream to be a part of it. But be as basic as better access to Wi-fi! after serving in it for 12 years, I had to I would like to add that the faculty look into my family concerns as well. and trainers there are much younger THE PROPENSITY I had my children and, with time, than the professors here in India. frequently relocating to different Otherwise, there is no dearth of TO ADAPT TO cities started becoming unfeasible. It and intellect here at the top DIFFERENT KINDS talent was certainly a very tough decision. Indian B-schools, where the quality of Many people advised me against education is absolutely cutting-edge OF SITUATIONS it, since I had already completed 12 and of the highest level possible. IN LIFE IS years. In 8 more years I would have been eligible for the coveted Army Q. According to you, which SOMETHING THE pension. But weighing the pros and give a bigger boost to a ARMY TAUGHT ME. would cons, it was a calculated decision. person’s career – an Indian or an Moreover, I felt that if I left after 12 international MBA degree? years when I was relatively younger, I will give a very practical example my earning potential would be much higher than if I left from the point of economy. If a person gets an MBA after 20 years; I wouldn’t have to be dependent on the degree from a foreign university, it’s difficult to pay off Army pension either. the loan of around `80 lakh to `1 crore with the kind of salary the person will get in India. Moreover, looking at Q. What would your dream job be? the economic scenario around the world, it is not easy to I would to start a company where there would be self- get a job abroad. I have personally seen quite a few guys managed teams along with the latest cutting edge getting placement offers abroad, while many others management principles, but the whole setup would had to come back to India and search for jobs and toil be run like an Army unit. And that could do anything. extremely hard to repay the education loan. For example, my current company is into construction However, if a person gets an MBA from among the projects. So my own company could also take care of top B-schools in India, the loan burden is comparatively that, or service industry, or ecommerce, or retailing. smaller, and there is also a chance of getting a job in another country. So a person who is self-financing his or Q. You have degrees from Stanford and Wharton her education must make the decision of choosing the as well as IIM Ahmedabad. How different was right B-school very strategically. It is important to weigh your experience with these institutions? the pros and cons early on before taking the final call. I did my full-time management course from IIM I feel it is also essential to have a few years of work Ahmedabad. Later, I did online management courses experience before concentrating on management from Stanford and Wharton. However, my stint at IIM education. And by work experience, I don’t mean
Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
corporate interview
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Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
corporate interview just a couple of years. I believe a minimum of three to four years is important to understand a job and know individual preferences, so that you end up choosing the right stream and institute for your management education. Most of the time, freshers are not sure about what they want and take a decision depending on their peers’ choices. If you choose your stream and institute sensibly, the value that you gain from an MBA degree helps you to steer your career successfully further.
Q. How does your military background help you in your corporate life, except from perhaps making you more disciplined and regimented? You see, time spent in the Army shapes your outlook and perspective towards life completely. I will take a small example – communication – which is an integral part of the corporate life and grows to become more and more important as one rises up the professional ladder. I would like to say that the training for the right kind of communication is best taught in the Army. There are certain simple things that are lacking in many leaders in the corporate world today. For example, when you have to appreciate a subordinate, you should do it in public, but when you have to chastise or criticise someone, it needs to be done in private. I feel that the basic behavioural manners suitable for a corporate environment are ingrained in me because of my Army background. These are extremely helpful when I conduct myself on a day-to-day basis. Other things like making a decision impartially, keeping a cool head even in the craziest and most tension-ridden scenarios are things my Army training has taught me. Moreover, adjusting to a corporate setup is not the easiest of things for many. But the military training is such that the adjustment ability gets ingrained into your system.
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Q. What or who has been the biggest influence in your life so far?
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I would like to believe that the Army life that I have led
Image used for representational purpose.
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is the biggest influence in my life. I have interacted with senior officers who had been extremely dedicated and passionate towards their respective duties. That inspires me even today to put in my best and bring about a difference. In the Army, military history formed a very important part of the curriculum, and we had to study biographies of great military leaders. These people were not only great fighters but inspirational thinkers as well. So when I studied those biographies I wanted to incorporate their principles into my life as well. Apart from these, my parents and my wife are also important influences in my life – people who have always encouraged me to give my best in whatever I do.
Q. Moments of failure are part of every journey. How has failure propelled you to move ahead in life and acted as motivational? In any journey of life, no matter how perfect it might be, failure is an integral part. Without failures, one cannot progress in life. In the Army, there was one particular exam that I couldn’t clear, and that affected me so much that I was keen to prove a point and do exceptionally well in my next test. Perhaps that was why I did well and could manage a score of 750 in my GMAT. Life is a journey where success and failures keep happening. So failures should not make one cut short that journey but propel them to move forward towards success.
Q. What is the toughest decision that you have had to make in the last few years? I guess that would be my decision to leave the army. It was a big decision. There is an aspect of financial security along with the haloed prestige associated with this field, and letting all that go was certainly not easy. Many people, even my near and dear ones, discouraged me at the time. So going against all the opposition and standing by my decision was a tough choice to make.
Q. Any word of advice for MBA aspirants who will be entering the corporate world soon? All I want to say is that you need to choose your B-school very intelligently. Research a lot before selecting the right institution for yourself. And whatever you choose must be your own individual choice and the right fit for you. You must not come under any kind of duress or peer and societal pressure and opt for an institute. It will be great if you can gather some years of experience before venturing into the world of management, not immediately after your graduation or engineering. After working somewhere for a few years, you can pursue your management studies. In the long run this will be a big push to your career. A
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Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
alumni speak
Of energy, festivals, Uncle Bala and Mahabs Life at the Great Lakes Institute of Management in Chennai is an energetic one, filled with activities, lectures and fests, and of course, the random party. A Great Laker tells us about her stint at the institute.
C
ame 18th of April and I had my bags packed for a journey that I was eager to embark upon. A journey that I thought would make me attain my goals. But over the year, I realised that the journey would ultimately never come to an end. Our Dean, whom we fondly called “Uncle Bala”, told us in his introductory speech during the orientation week that striving for excellence is a continuous endeavour, and we would need to keep striving to attain excellence. Within a short span of time, I knew I was in the right place, one that knew its purpose of existence.
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The beginning We had our outbound training shortly after the orientation. This was a totally different and novel experience in itself. Through various team exercises and activities, we learnt the principles of team work, trust and patience. The outbound training really got our entire batch to interact, and by the time we could even remember each other’s names, we were laughing and sharing our experiences as if we had been friends for years. In the next week, our excitement and energy naturally started kicking in. The lectures really made me realise the wealth of knowledge that the professors at Great Lakes possess, along with
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a plethora of ideas and the energy to encourage more ideas from the students.
An energetic life The energy within the campus is always sky-high, as if Great Lakers never sleep. From holding interviews for different committees from 9 pm to 2 am, to partying throughout the night for some random reason, everyone is flush with energy all the time. It is
WE KEPT CHALLENGING OURSELVES EVERY SINGLE DAY AND PUSHING OURSELVES OVER OUR LIMITS. almost as if sleeping more than the bare minimum is a waste, as one might miss out on something going on in campus! The assignments to be submitted at 11:59 at the end of the day make the life of Great Lakers even more exciting. It’s as if we were challenging ourselves every single day and pushing ourselves beyond our limits. The campus is always buzzing, and I guess that is
Nupur Agrawal what makes this place so cherished. There are cricket matches, football matches and shuttle wars going on until 3 at night. There is a feeling of oneness that that runs very deep and is felt by all the 600 people on campus. Guest lectures would be scheduled every Thursday, when eminent personalities from the corporate world came to tell us about their experiences and learning over the years. This gave us a very good exposure to the scenarios that we would face in our corporate life ahead.
The wonder of “Mahabs” Being situated just nine kilometres away from the world heritage site of Mahabalipuram (colloquially reduced to the inevitable Mahabs by Great Lakers), we decided to explore this wonderful place. The sunrise at Mahabs beach is an experience that can only be felt and
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alumni speak not expressed in words. Mahabs is home to the ancient temples of the Pallavas. There are some good restaurants in Mahabs which we would visit whenever we gleaned some time out of our schedules.
Activities galore One of the highlights of the life at Great Lakes is the way festivals are celebrated here. From Janamashtami to Dussehra to Durga Puja, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Holi, Lohri, Eid — all festivals are celebrated with full vigour and in the true spirit. Getting traditional delicacies on the day of the festival would have us all wanting for more and more celebrations! Then there is our annual fest L’Attitude in December. We had participants from many leading B-schools joining in the various events at our fest. We even had Sunburn performing as part of the Pro night, and left all of us really excited!
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Placements The placements activities were on in full swing during the months of November and December. Helping each other by holding mock interviews, practice GD sessions, getting our blazers ready for the big day. All these memories are still fresh in my mind!
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Bidding farewell A year passed and the day arrived when we had to bid goodbye to a place that had been our home, where we came to believe that nothing is impossible to attain if we have the determination to make it possible. And more importantly, we were taught to achieve it with integrity. Bidding goodbye to this place was not an easy task, and there were few dry eyes around. But then I saw the writing on the wall of the Gajendra Gardens. It read “Welcome to the Great Lakes
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student silhouette
Classroom discussions boost our learning S
tudying MBA at Great Lakes is a completely new ball game for me. The best part about this place is I get to interact with an amazingly cosmopolitan crowd. My peers come from as varied backgrounds as psychology, business, literature and so on. Someone had once told me that in MBA a person learns more from peers than teachers. And that’s absolutely true. Even during our Jeevan Jyothi casual discussions I get to learn something new and interesting from them every day. It’s only been three months and I am so proud of the faculty. Each one of them is a storehouse of knowledge and their explanations even on serious topics have a lucidity that makes learning very easy. I thoroughly cherish the classroom discussions that we have. Our professors introduce a topic to us, explain it for thirty minutes and then leave it to us to brainstorm. These discussions and debates give us the impetus to research and improve our learning so that we put up a decent show in class. I am indebted to Karma Yoga programme where we reach out to underprivileged villagers and try and make a difference to their lives. Some of my seniors made toilets for them and improved the sanitation condition of the area significantly. One of them taught the women to make paper earrings, which we sold at a stall in our campus. Learning, games, lectures, competitions and so much more are my world now. Recently I participated in an app promotion contest and was one of the 17 to get selected from all across India! My dream is to join my father’s business and I feel my learning here at Great Lakes is invaluable. This is what an MBA degree does to you I feel, gives you an edge so that whatever you do later in life you stand out and shine brighter over and above the others. The writer is a first year student at Great Lakes. Family”. It dawned on me that I was now a part of the family called Great Lakes and was a Great Laker for life. This brought a smile to my face as I sat in the cab to leave for my calling, my career, a smile that still touches my face whenever I think of Great Lakes. The hectic class schedules, the EOD deadlines, the CCD sandwiches, the late night group discussions, the mess food, the Chennai heat, the beautiful beaches
of Mahabs, the guest lectures, the dancing at festival celebrations, the placement week, the lush green campus, the Ganesha temple — I don’t know where this list ends. But I do know — and this makes me proud — that I’m a Great Laker for life. A The writer is an alumnus of Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai.
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Top 10 Highest Paying Management Jobs
Job surveys and placement data analysis time and again have shown that even when a country is burdened with an unfavourable economy, management jobs tend to remain reasonably competitive among people. Research shows that along with being lucrative, management positions are very much in demand because of the interesting job roles and the wide spectrum of work that they offer. Naturally, management opportunities are the most sought-after and in-demand now and will be so in the next decade as well. Here's the list of the 10 highest paying management jobs these days.
Chief Executive Becoming a chief executive of a company is one of the most lucrative things to happen to a person's career, not only in terms of the monetary beneďŹ ts but the enviable perks associated with it as well. Job Role: The work involves extensive planning, coordination and overseeing operational activities of companies. Chief executives work hard to make sure that their companies meet their goals and for that they have to work in a variety of public and private-sector industries. Although they earn, on average, the highest salary of all management positions, they also work extremely long hours and are essentially responsible for the success of their companies.
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Management Analyst Along with an enviable pay package, management analysts who are also referred to as management consultants sometimes, enjoy an independence which is extremely rare in a conservative corporate setup. Naturally, there is a keen competition in this field, which makes this type of job attractive to many. Job Role: Management analysts are hired by companies large and small to analyse company data and propose ways management may improve an organisation's profits, efficiency or structure. Judging from the standpoint of economy and employment curve, statics show that management analysts' jobs are predicted to increase by 24 per cent from 2008 to 2018.
Public Relations Manager Survey says Public Relations Managers' jobs will surge 13 per cent globally within a decade. However with the increasing influence of social media in all possible spectra, experience with an understanding of new media becomes important for new job prospects in public relations in the coming decade. Job Role: Depending on the type of organisation and the scope the position offers, public relations managers supervise the entire public relations department. The job can be as interesting and varied as direct publicity programmes, which are designed to improve a company's image, confer with top management officials to produce annual reports on the financial status of the firm, work with marketing and advertising staff to ensure message consistency and handle internal communications such as corporate newsletters or company events. The best part of the work of PR managers is that after gathering substantial work experience and developing good contacts, they can work independently and start firms of their own.
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Computer & Information Systems Manager Computer and information systems management positions are all set to surge by nearly 17 per cent by 2018, as technology in today's world continues to advance and data security issues become increasingly complex.
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Job Role: Computer and information systems managers (also known as information technology managers) plan, coordinate and oversee technology-related activities within an organisation. They determine the information technology needs of a company, and then implement programmes to see that the specific needs are met. They also direct and oversee the work of other information technology (IT) workers. The best part about IT managers is that they can work in a variety of fields that rely on technology. However, just like the job helps them take home a six figure salary every month, it also demands extensively long hours and intense hard work for days at a stretch sometimes. Advanc’edge MBA October 2015
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Human Resources Manager x
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Again one of the most sought-after career choices for years now, Human Resources Managers play monitors in a company. So, without being owners of the company they work in, they get to extend authority over employees across all departments, irrespective of their seniority as well. Job Role: Human resources managers oversee the entire administrative functioning of a company, and that includes recruitments, taking interviews and hiring of employees as well. The managers in this position look over the work of individual recruiters and consultants who are tied with the parent company. Most importantly since they deal with the higher authority and know the nuances of the company well, they serve as an important link between the management and employees of a company.The requirement of the HR goes beyond mere hiring and firing of the employees. Human resources managers play a pivotal role in strategising policy planning; overseeing benefits and compensation, and helping companies attract and retain the most qualified employees.
Architecture and Engineering Manager Not only paid handsomely, Architectural and Engineering Managers enjoy an enviable status in the corporate set-up. Job Role: Architectural and engineering managers plan, coordinate and oversee projects in architecture and engineering. Their work involves them to 58work on projects and develop new products and designs, or work to identify technical problems with current projects. As managers, they must know how to implement budgets for projects, assess equipment needs and hire and supervise employees.
Sales Manager
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Survey shows that globally sales managers' jobs will surge nearly 15 per cent within a decade. Even though ridden with the tension of meeting deadlines on an everyday basis, sales managers are among the highest paid professionals within the management circuit. Job Role: Sales managers direct their organisation's sales department. Sales managers are in charge of distributing products or services to customers and clients. They set goals for sales, assign territories to their subordinates and agents, and establish training programmes. They analyse sales data to determine the potential and inventory requirement as well as monitor customers' preferences, in order to maximise profits and aid in product development.In short, sales is the department which helps in ensuring that the company makes money and naturally it comes as no surprise that sales managers also manage to draw that lucrative pay package themselves.
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Financial Manager Financial managers oversee the financial health of an organisation and it goes without saying that they play one of the most crucial roles in a company. As per predictions from global surveys, jobs in financial management will increase by 8 per cent within a span of a decade, globally. Job Role: Financial managers help devise long-term financial goals for their organisation, and implement these plans through investment activities, financial reports and analysis of market trends. They typically work closely with other managers to make financial decisions for the company. They are in charge of implementing cash-management systems as well as developing strategies and implementing long-term company goals. However, since financial managers enjoy substantially good pay package, applicants who are interested can expect to face keen competition for financial management jobs, with most jobs going to those with a master's degree and certification.
Construction Manager
Demand for the work of construction managers is soaring with time and that has been proved now with survey showing that within a decade there will be an increase of 17 per cent of construction managers' roles globally. Job Role: The work involves strategising and planning along with managing construction projects and that involves managing a major59 construction workforce as well. The best part of the work of construction managers is that it allows them the independence to be self-employed and pick up freelance assignments.
Marketing Manager One of the most sought-after career options in the corporate sector today, marketing management graduates are the in-demand professionals in today's competitive corporate scenario.
The marketing manager is required to work with sales, public relations and product development to ensure the success of each and every marketing programme.
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Job Role: Right from planning and strategising a concept, marketing managers also oversee a campaign in order to generate interest in a service or a product. Their work also demands them to identify markets for their specific company's products and develop strategies for generating maximum profits for customer satisfaction.
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Curbing global warming: India’s plan for 2022 Now that carbon emissions and the rising volume of greenhouse gases have finally been identified as a very real threat to Man, countries both developed and emerging are slowly responding. How does India’s plan look in the overall scenario? Dr Suresh Srinivasan
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he theory of human activitydriven carbon dioxide emissions, and the resultant global warming that has a potential to trigger natural disasters, is now more or less established and globally accepted. However, the extent to which the global mean temperature will rise is still being debated. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assesses that over the current century, there is a high likelihood of the global mean temperature increasing in the range of 1.1 degrees to 6.4 degrees Centigrade.
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The Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 sets the modern day agenda for global nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Developing countries, however, contend that the cumulative accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by developed economies has resulted in the current problem of global warming. Hence more responsibilities and commitment need to come from developed nations. Around 192 countries signed the protocol, but not more than 40 states have committed to reduce emissions. Subsequent rounds of discussions in Doha in 2012 and in
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Lima in 2014 have worked to bring in more commitments to emission targets and to create a legal framework that would obligate all major polluters to pay for carbon dioxide emissions. However, these discussions have not been successful. Countries like China, India and the US, for example, had taken a stand not to commit them legally to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Forthcoming conference
Paris
climate
Recently, the United Nations has sought emission reduction plans from its member countries, termed as “nationally determined
contributions”, leading up to the Paris climate conference in November. Although these plans are merely an indication at this point in time, they are likely to be discussed and negotiated at the conference. India has submitted a plan ahead of the conference, where it has committed to cut the “intensity of carbon emissions” by around 35 per cent by 2030, from 2005 levels. The intensity of carbon emissions that India has proposed is interesting, and will require a bit of explanation. It denotes the ratio of a country’s carbon emissions to its economic output; this means that while India will not commit
Greenhouse gas emission is the biggest cause of global warming, which is now recognised as a “real” threat.
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corporate world to a target of reducing carbon emissions in absolute terms, it will reduce the ratio of its carbon emission to its gross domestic product (GDP). This statement essentially means that eventually, being a developing economy, India will continue to increase its carbon footprint and the associated emissions as its economy has to grow leaps and bounds over the next 10 to 20 years, but it will however restrict the proportion of carbon emissions to its growing GDP.
Targets of UN, US, China vis-àvis India Contrarily, the US and China have committed to absolute targets by which they will reduce their respective carbon footprints. China has announced that its carbon emissions will start to drop by 2030, and the US has committed that it will make a reduction by up to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2025. India, meanwhile, has not given any such commitment, but has instead said that its emissions will grow in absolute terms. However,
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given that India is the world’s third largest carbon emitter, it is highly unlikely that the UN will accept India’s proposal to reduce intensity of carbon emissions, without clearly committing to a target for such reductions. The agenda for the UN will be to reduce global warming to less
INDIA HAS COMMITTED TO CUT ‘INTENSITY OF CARBON EMISSION’ BY AROUND 35% BY 2030, FROM 2005 LEVELS. than 2 degrees Centigrade over the duration of this century. For this to be achieved, every member country needs to commit absolute numbers of reduction in carbon emissions, which will translate to around three billion tonnes of carbon emission reductions for
India. From an Indian perspective, this may not be tenable, as it has a target to increase its economic growth to double digits over the next two to three decades. More importantly, it has to double its annual coal production in the next five years to more than one billion tones, which will further fuel greenhouse gas emissions.
Is India’s stand justified? The stand India has taken is understandable and not totally unrealistic. Other emerging economies will certainly support a similar proposal and will also take a similar stand. These economies have to grow substantially over the next two decades, and are expected to be major drivers for global growth. If they commit to restricting carbon emissions, however, they will eventually be unable to their growth targets. However, if these economies argue that their target is to grow at any cost, even from an environmental perspective, they would appear to be irresponsible, especially since global warming is Continued on Pg 30
INDIA INC: AT A GLANCE IT companies’ results encouraging IT companies are important for the Indian economy, as more than 50 per cent of India’s GDP comes from the services sector. The recovery of Infosys and its recording of one of the highest quarterly growth rates in several quarters is very positive news. Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka has now managed to stabilise the company, which is now poised for a more stable growth in the coming quarter. However, Infosys warned of slower growth in the second half of the current fiscal year. This view is also shared by Wipro. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) and HCL Technologies, though, said there was no unusual weakness in business, over the second half of the year.
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IndiGo on the way to IPO Low cost private airline IndiGo has recently filed its financials with the Securities Exchange Board of India for an initial public offering (IPO), which shows the company is in fact quite profitable and has one of the lowest cost structures for any airline around the world. IndiGo managed to become the largest airline of India within a short span of 10 years since it launched its services. Till date, the company has been privately held, and its financials had not been available for the public. However, it was considered to be the only profitable airline.
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corporate world targets. If emerging economies are
energy sources (solar, wind, etc) as well as developing green belts and forest cover.
How feasible is India’s plan?
Economies across the world have pledged to reduced their carbon footprint in the fight to reduce global warming. now finally being believed to be a “real threat” to mankind. Hence, on balance, developed nations cannot be too imposing on developing economies to cut emissions, while emerging economies need to cautiously balance their mix of renewable energy and fossil fuel in their energy basket, such that their economic growth ambitions are not hampered.
The way out? Developed economies need to consider emerging economies as their allies and partners in the process of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and support them liberally with finance, technology and knowhow to achieve global
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not developing and their growth is reduced, it is well known that this could substantially impact the developed economies. The recent Chinese slowdown which is playing havoc globally is ample proof of this fact! Hence, global warming is not the problem of developing economies alone, it is a shared problem where developed economies are major stakeholders. For a moment, even if we assume that the UN accepts India’s proposal, how will India reduce its carbon intensity? Are we being realistic? Are these proposals feasible? Such a target can be achieved by replacing traditional fossil fuel-based energy sources (coal, oil, gas) with renewable
India has a grand plan of 175 Gigawatt renewable energy target by 2022. The estimated costs of reducing the carbon intensity to committed levels is pegged at around US$2.5 trillion over the next 15 years, which translates to `165,00,000 lakh crore. Just to give an order of magnitude, India’s entire GDP is pegged at US$2.0 trillion. Where will India get access to such humungous finances? This is over and above the estimated US$ 2.0 trillion which it needs to spend on creating the necessary infrastructure in terms of roads, ports, airports, power plants, etc. India has been lobbying with the US and Europe and has requested developed countries to support developing countries with access to finance and technology. In summary, India’s proposal, per se, may not be acceptable to the UN. Even if accepted, the viability of achieving the same will still remain questionable. A
INDIA INC: AT A GLANCE Volkswagen scandal The saying that there is no shortcut to successful business seems to be coming true; however successful a company has been for decades, shortcuts are likely to be exposed, it being only a matter of time. That is exactly what has happened to German company Volkswagen, one of the most successful and trusted automotive companies in the world for decades. Volkswagen has been alleged to have systematically manipulated its emission levels. This not only affects Volkswagen but the entire German auto industry, where most trusted brands of luxury carmakers like Mercedes Benz and BMW come from.
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Yahoo! lagging behind in search engine space All is not well with Yahoo! in the search engine space, with the company struggling far behind their competitors Google and Microsoft Bin. The company is currently valued at close to US$30 billion, but all the valuation comes from its small investment stake in Chinese e-retailer Alibaba and other equity investments, leaving its core search engine at virtually a zero value. Yahoo is planning to hive off its Alibaba investment, which has also taken a significant dip due to Alibaba’s underperformance, which is closely linked with the Chinese economy slowdown.
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Dell takes over EMC: Good move or suicide? One of the largest ever tech acquisitions — $67 billion — sees Dell taking over cloud computing and data storage player EMC Corporation. With this move, Dell plans to shift from its PC focus and enter the enterprise solutions space in a big way.
Dr Suresh Srinivasan
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ell, one of the top three personal computer manufacturers in the world, has recently announced the largest acquisition ever in the history of technology history: Its acquisition of EMC Corporation, one of the largest players in cloud computing, data storage, IT security and Big Data space. The deal is set at an estimated price of US$67 billion. The objective of Dell to acquire EMC is to jointly position the portfolio of both the companies under one roof that will have a mix of consumer business as well as enterprise solutions. Dell has proposed to serve its customers with an array of products and services that will include personal computers, servers, software, storage, big data, analytics and business intelligence services in the world.
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Dell’s objective The computing business can be broadly classified into different, but distinct segments — the consumer business (personal computers, printers and peripherals) and the enterprise business,
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serving the corporates (enterprise computing, storage, networking, cloud, big data, analytics). The acquisition is in line with Dell’s strategy to steadily move away from the mature and slowlygrowing consumer and personal computing business to the rapidly growing enterprise solutions business. In order to achieve this, Dell delisted itself from the stock markets in 2013 and has been focusing on building enterprise capabilities. Desktop and personal computing continues to be Dell’s mainstay (around 50 per cent of the company’s revenue), while the remaining comes from software, services and networking. With the PC business has become highly competitive and the market
matured due to the growing popularity of smartphones and tablet devices, Dell’s profits have been steeply declining over the last few years. Currently, Lenovo and HP lead the global PC industry with 16 per cent market share each, followed by Dell at 10 per cent. Today, data centres, servers, networks and software are extensively deployed by companies to support complex websites that constantly track valuable customer data and support mission critical systems and business processes. Dell intends to position itself in this lucrative market and compete with the likes of IBM, Amazon Web Services (AWB), Google Cloud, and a growing number of start-ups that have been making waves in this area.
Dell’s strategy since 2009 Dell’s aspiration to move into enterprise solutions started way back in 2009, when it acquired Perot Systems for US$3.9 billion. Over the last five years, it has spent close to US$15 billion in services capability acquisitions. The most recent
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Dell CEO, Michael Dell EMC acquisition — pegged at $67 billion — will be an important milestone in Dell’s history. With the combined revenue reaching close to $80 billion per annum, the consumer and personal computing business of Dell will now reduce to 30 per cent of its overall revenue. To that extent Dell is moving in the right direction of becoming a serious enterprise solutions player.
EMC and its competitors
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offering a more or less similar product at the same price point as EMC. Competitive rivalry is very high in the storage business — Amazon operates its AWS platform from a number of geographical regions in the world. Microsoft Azure is also an aggressive player in this space. NetApp is also extremely aggressive and now is already a Fortune 500 player. IBM’s smart cloud computing business offering is considered extremely valuable by its clients, as it provides a number of other enterprise services in addition to cloud. HP is also not far behind. Its cloud business is a set of solutions that offers public cloud, private cloud, hybrid cloud, managed private cloud, and other cloud services. To complicate this further, a number of start-ups are entering this space. During the last five years, venture capitalists and private equity funds have invested more than US$6 billion in over 100 start-up companies like Virident, Maginatics and Nutanix.
DELL’S ASPIRATIONS TO ENTER THE ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS BUSINESS STARTED BACK IN 2009. rivalry, EMC is not in a position to differentiate its storage hardware products from the competition and charge a higher price, since such a business is highly price sensitive and hence would provide very little margin. The profits from this business are falling, and yet, this is where EMC is making most of its money. From Dell’s perspective, it is a big challenge to make this business more competitive and thereby secure a return on the $67 billion it has invested in EMC over the next few years.
The overall business of EMC can be broadly broken down into two categories — the storage hardware business and the high The structural integration end software and services-based challenge networking, analytics and data Competition challenge for The biggest challenge Dell will security business. Dell face in acquiring EMC will be in The storage hardware Due to such high competitive its ability to integrate the EMC b u s i n e s s business into has a huge itself, so that opportunity, the combined as companies businesses around the achieve the world are likely i n t e n d e d to spend close synergies and to $40 billion gain competitive per annum to advantage. This move their data means that the and computing complicated to cloudstructure of based services. EMC needs to However, it is be appropriately pretty much a integrated with “commodity Dell seamlessly, business”, with so that the Dell and EMC have to contend with competitors customers of
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other players in the cloud space.
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corporate world both the companies do not see a drastic change to the way they are being served. If not, dissatisfied customers moving over to the competition will be inevitable. More importantly, the corporate culture of both the companies has to be integrated. If not, a number of senior and junior-level employees may exit the company. Especially in such technology acquisitions, the acquirer cannot afford to lose valuable employee skill sets, as often, the very purpose of acquisition is to acquire such skill sets, which is where the value in EMC resides. It is well known that research has shown more than 70 per cent of the acquisitions to fail as the companies are unable to seamlessly integrate, post the acquisition. Given that both EMC and Dell are large and complex companies in terms of structure, the integration challenge gains more prominence; it remains to be seen what Dell’s approach to this will be.
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The competitors’ approach It is interesting to see how
Top 10 acquisitions in technology 1. Time Warner acquired by AOL. Acquisition cost $106 billion. 2. WhatsApp acquired by Facebook. Acquisition cost $19 billion. 3. Compaq acquired by HP. Acquisition cost $18.6 billion. 4. Electronic Data Systems Corp acquired by HP. Acquisition cost $13.9 billion. 5. Veritas acquired by Symantec. Acquisition cost $13.5 billion. 6. Motorola Mobility acquired by Google. Acquisition cost $12.5 billion. 7. PeopleSoft acquired by Oracle. Acquisition cost $10.3 billion. 8. Autonomy acquired by HP. Acquisition cost $10.24 billion. 9. Skype acquired by Microsoft. Acquisition cost $8.5 billion. 10. Sun Microsystems acquired by Oracle. Acquisition cost $7.4 billion. competitors have been approaching this business in terms of structure. While Dell will now have both the consumer and enterprise business under a single umbrella, HP recently simplified its structure by breaking down the company into two — splitting its enterprise and consumer businesses into two separate companies. eBay recently split up its ecommerce business and its PayPal business into two separate companies. The objective of these
initiatives is to make each of the businesses more lean and agile and more focused, and provide “pure play” leadership that can grow the individual businesses. This growth would be higher in comparison to what would have been achieved had the businesses been held together under one single company. Will Dell be able to attempt such a structural change during the merger of EMC business with itself? This is something that we need to wait and watch! A
INDIA INC: AT A GLANCE Western Digital to buy SanDisk The technology space is heating up rapidly. After Dell’s acquisition of EMC, Western Digital has announced that it will buy SanDisk in a $19 billion deal. Both these companies are in the memory chips and drive business. SanDisk comes with an expertise in semiconductors that are at the heart of a fast-growing type of computer storage. The acquisition gives Western Digital access to the growing market of NAND flash memory chips, which store data in mobile devices and are increasingly being used in hard drives in computing.
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Positive outlook for aviation cos The traditionally loss making Indian aviation companies are looking up in terms of performance. Both Jet Airways and SpiceJet have reported profits for the recent quarters. While Jet Airways has been streamlining its operations under the leadership of Cramer Ball, a turnaround specialist, SpiceJet has managed to pull itself to profitability within two quarters. The weakest link in the Indian aviation sector remains Air India, which needs to be privatised.
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snippets
News in brief Italian company Ferrero Rocher to invest `367 crore in India Italian chocolate maker Ferrero Rocher has said to invest `367 crore in India. This will be the company’s biggest investment so far in the country, and will be mostly done to ramp up its pro production facility and distribution network. The maker of Kinder Joy chocolates and Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread entered the country seven years ago and its brand Ferrero Rocher is ahead of the country’s largest chocolate maker Mondelez in the premium gifting category. In terms of revenues, it is within striking distance of Nestle’s chocolate division, with annual sales of over `1,000 crore.
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ome H e re a re s i nt e re st i n g t it bit s f ro m st o ve r t h e l a m o nt h
Infosys to hire 20,000 from campus at last year’s salary Infosys plans to hire 20,000 people via campus recruitments this year and pay them an average starting salary of `3.25 lakh, in line with what it did last year. India’s second largest IT services provider also said that it would hire the same number of interns that it did last year, but increase the stipend to `10,000 from `4,000 per month currently. Infosys also said that it was training its new employees for five to six months and a significant change in course, nature, curriculum, and training methodology had seen significant improvements in the pass rates.
Demand for Hindi books surges by over 60 per cent: Amazon Demand for Hindi books has seen a rise of over 60 per cent in the past six months, according to a top Amazon India official. This surge is mostly attributed to the increasing Internet penetration and ease of buying Hindi books online. During this period, the selection of Hindi books has risen by close to 40 per cent. The Amazon Hindi bookstore was launched in April 2014 with over 23,000 titles. Since then, it has been offering a vast selection of books ranging from literature and fiction, inspiring biographies, children’s books, classic novels by famous authors including Premchand, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Kamaleshwar, Yashpal and a selection of the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award winning books.
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After clearing tests, Maggi to come back soon Nestle India, maker of Maggi noodles, has said it has received test results from all three laboratories mandated by the Bombay High Court to test Maggi noodles samples. ‘All the 90 samples, covering 6 variants, tested by these laboratories are clear with lead much below the permissible limits,’ the company said in a statement. The maker of Maggi instant noodles said it has conducted over 3500 tests representing over 200 million packs in both national as well as international accredited laboratories and all reports are clear. In addition to these, various countries including USA, UK, Singapore, Australia and others have found Maggi Noodles manufactured in India safe for consumption.
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snippets Alibaba gets CCI nod for acquiring 4.14% stake in Snapdeal Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba now has anti-trust regulator CCI’s approval for buying 4.14 per cent stake in Snapdeal. It was announced in August that Alibaba Group and Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology, among others, would invest USD 500 million (about ` 3,269 crore) in Snapdeal. Meanwhile, Global e-commerce major Amazon. in said shoppers from tier II and tier III cities besides mobile users accounted for major chunk of business during its ‘The Great Indian Festive Sale’. There was a 400 per cent increase, on a daily basis, in the number of new customers to Amazon.in and majority of them were from tier II and tier III territories.
India’s mobile wallet market likely to cross $11-billion mark by 2022 India has emerged as one of the fastest growing mobile wallet markets in the Asia Pacific region, courtesy, the increasing penetration of smartphones as well as tablets. 6Wresearch, a global market research and consulting firm, said in a report that India’s Mobile Wallet Market is projected to reach $11.5 billion by 2022. In financial year 2014-15 alone, m-wallet transactions registered a startling growth of more than 130 per cent as compared to last year’s figures. The market gets a boost from strong consumer confidence and surging mobile Internet subscribers, the global market research and consulting firm revealed.
Flipkart sells 5 lakh mobile phones in 10 hours India’s largest online platform Flipkart has sold 5 lakh mobile phones in 10 hours, in its ‘Big Billion Days’ sale, since sales of mobile phones started at midnight on October 14th. This figure sets a record for the highest number of mobile phones sold in India in a short period of 10 hours in any platform, either online or offline. Flipkart ‘Big Billion Days’ sale has also set new benchmarks of 4G adoption in India as 75 per cent of the mobile phones sold during this 10-hour period were 4G phones.
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75.8% of Indians willing to start a business in current economic environment: Survey The campus placement for IIM Calcutta’s one-year residential programme for executives has seen a rise of 24.8 per cent in the top salary offered to the students, as compared to the last year. The highest annual salary package has been offered at `33.7 lakh per annum. The average salary for the eighth batch of Post Graduate Programme for Executives also saw an upward graph climbing 21.6 per cent from the last year to `22.69 lakh per annum.
Infosys topples HDFC Bank as the third most valued company
New research by Kaspersky Lab and B2B International shows that last year one in four Internet users had at least one of their online accounts hacked, leading to unauthorised messages being sent out in the user’s name. This often resulted in loss or theft of personal data. In addition to this, 32 per cent of respondents know of someone whose account has been hacked. The kind of accounts targeted by hackers include email (11 per cent), social media networks (11 per cent), and online banking or shopping accounts (7 per cent), sites that many consumers use on a daily basis.
IT major Infosys has recently surpassed private sector lender HDFC Bank, becoming the third most valued Indian firm in terms of market valuation, with TCS leading the top 10 companies chart, followed by RIL. A rally in the stock market past week saw the combined market valuation of top eight Sensex companies surge by `50,464.51 crore. HDFC Bank came behind Infosys in the ranking of top-10 companies last week. At the end of the week, Infosys commanded a market valuation of ` 2,69,489.03 crore. This was ` 432.68 crore more than HDFC Bank’s m-cap of ` 2,69,056.35 crore.
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25% of Internet users had an account hacked in 2015: Kaspersky Lab
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snippets Maruti Suzuki reaches wage settlement, workers bag `16,800 monthly salary hike
Wal-Mart’s India sales dip 32 per cent in 2014 World’s largest retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc’s Indian unit posted first ever decline in its sales figures after parting ways with its key client Bharti Retail and halting store expansion amid an ongoing internal probe into alleged corrupt practices. The alarm bells were rung first when Wal-Mart India’s revenue dropped 32 per cent to `2,992.7 crore in the year ended December 2014. With no new stores opened during the year, the wholesale company narrowed its loss to `232 crore, according to filings with the Registrar of Companies. About two years ago, Wal-Mart agreed to buy Bharti’s 50 per cent stake in their wholesale business that operated Best Price Modern Wholesale stores.
After about six months of negotiations, Maruti Suzuki India has reached a wage settlement with its three labour unions, entailing employees an average salary increase of around `16,800 spread over three years. The wage hike of about 38 per cent will take effect retrospectively from April 1 and will be valid till March 31, 2018. The wage agreement with workers at its Manesar and Gurgaon plants will set a new benchmark for the automobile industry in India. According to a source, the monthly cost to company in 2014-15 for a worker would be a little over `50,000, a month, which is better than the industry average.
Govt unlikely to meet ‘Make in India’ targets on jobs, manufacturing: survey Considering the rate at which the Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative is progressing, its target of creating 100 million jobs and achieving 25 per cent of GDP from manufacturing sector by 2022 may be difficult to meet, says a recent survey. Though the performance of the manufacturing sector has improved in the past few months, the progress is not enough to achieve the targets of ‘Make in India’ drive, according to a joint report by research firm The Boston Consulting Group and apex industry chamber Confederation of Indian Industry.
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Shakespearean plays to be made fit for this generation
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Shakespeare’s language is too difficult for this generation and the solution is to make it intelligible for the mass, feels the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. It recently announced that over the next three years, it will commission 36 playwrights to translate all of Shakespeare’s plays into modern English. Many in theatre circles have known that this day was coming, though it doesn’t lessen the shock.
Government gives nod to birth control injections to women
Indian retirement system ranks last in global pension index: Mercer report
India’s top health advisory body has issued recommendation to introduce injectable contraceptives for women in the national family planning programme. The government seems determined this time as its benefits far outweigh concerns, officials said. Though the injectable contraceptive has been on hold for almost two decades now, the board has observed that injectables are a suitable and feasible method to introduce in the national family planning programme. The government already offers five birth control options – female sterilisation, male sterilisation, IUD, condoms and pills – under the national family planning programme.
As per a Mercer report, the Indian retirement system has been ranked last in the global pension index. The country with the best retirement system globally has been given to Denmark, while Australia, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK have further increased their retirement age to offset the increase in life expectancies. The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index (MMGPI) report 2015 is now in its seventh year, and has measured 25 retirement income systems against more than 40 indicators, under the sub-indices of adequacy, sustainability and integrity.
Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
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Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
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Are you a Brainiac? In this section, we shall explore several different types of questions from the various areas of entrance exams like the CAT, CET, GMAT, etc, and how to best solve them.
Quant
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Q.1
In above figure, BE || FG, Also, FG = 3 cm.
FCB =
CBF will be equal to: 1] 36o 2] 54o
GDE = 90o and ABFGE is a regular pentagon.
3] 72o
4] 108o
Ans: ABFGE is a regular pentagon with side FG = 3. Since, BE || FG and BCF = 90o CFG = 90o o Similarly, DGF = 90 cCDGF is a rectangle. CD = FG = 3 cm. BFG = 108o (interior angle of a regular pentagon) CFB = 108 – 90 = 18o CBF = 180 – 90 – 18 = 72o (in DBCF) Now, DE = BC = 3sin 18o. Now, both the questions can be answered.
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115-[3] Q2.
If f(x) =
1]
and t =
Ans: Given f(x) = \f(t) =
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2] and t =
, then f(t) = ?
3] 2x + 1
4] x
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=
=
=
\ f(t) = x. Hence, [4].
=
=x
Q3.
OABC is a rhombus such that its three vertices A, B and C lie on a circle with centre O as shown in the figure above. If the radius of the circle is 10 cm, find the area of the rhombus. ( = 1.732) 1] 84.6 cm2 2] 86.6 cm2 3] 88.60 cm2 4] 83.60 cm2
Ans: The diagonals of the rhombus bisect each other at right angles. \m CDO = 90o
\ In right angled triangle CDO,
CD =
=
= =5
cm.
\Area of rhombus =
=
=
AC × OB =
× (Product of diagonals)
× 10 × 10
= 86.6 cm2 (
OB = Radius of the circle).
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Hence, [2].
Verbal Directions: The sentences given below, when properly sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Choose the most logical order of the sentences, from among the given choices, to construct a coherent paragraph. A. In the 1400s the Spanish chess theoretician Lucena recommended placing the board such that the light shines in the opponent’s eyes. B. At the top echelons of chess, jockeying for advantage before the game begins is a time-honoured tradition. C. For the past two months, supporters of Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, the two best chess players in the world, have been engaged in a Lucena-style campaign to convince the chess community. D. “Also”, Lucena advised, “try to play your adversary when he has just eaten and drunk freely”. E. The culmination of these pre-game manoeuvres was to have come this week, with each grand master taking on a different computer chess program. (1) BADEC
(2) BADCE
(3) CEBAD
(4) CADBE
AD is a link, as both sentences state the advice given by Lucena. The word “Also” at the beginning of statement D makes it clear that the sequence should be AD. Statement B describes how jockeying is a time honoured tradition while statement A states a specific example of the same. So B, A and D should come
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together in that order. Grand master in E refers to Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik, the two best chess players in the world, mentioned in C. Therefore CE is another link. As Lucena is being introduced in A and the Lucena-style campaign is being talked about in C, BAD should appear before CE. Also, as there is no further information about the grand masters taking on different computer chess programs, E is best suited as the last sentence. Thus, the correct sequence is BADCE. Hence, (2).
DIRECTIONS: This question has four sentences pertaining to a subject, which may or may not be in sequence. One of the sentences is contextually/logically incorrect. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence that is incorrect or inappropriate.
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1] The Zhou centuries were a seminal time for China’s civilization, yet they get short shrift in some history books.
2] The third and the last of the pre-imperial ‘Three Dynasties’ (Xia, Shang, Zhou), the Zhou, supplanted the Shang as the supreme power in the lower Yellow River basin in c. 1045 BC, and would still be there nearly 800 years later.
3] None of China’s subsequent ruling lineages would last more than half as long; in fact the Zhou probably hold the world record for dynastic longevity.
4] In the course of this dynastic marathon, some thirty-nine kings followed one another, mostly in orderly father-to-son succession.
Explanation: Sentences [2], [3] and [4] – which can be arranged in the order [2]-[4]-[3] – all speak about the longevity of the Zhou dynasty, while [1] speaks of the importance of the time period, and its neglect in history books. Therefore, [1] does not fit into the context. Hence, [1].
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paragraph from which the last sentence has been deleted. From the given options, choose the option that completes the paragraph in the most appropriate way.
The idea that our mental terrain decides what information survives in our heads and what gets killed off finds a parallel with a venerable biological theory: Darwin’s theory of natural selection. When we see lions and polar bears, we marvel at how well these animals have adapted themselves to the savannah and the polar ice caps. But no committee of lions sat down and decided that the African savannah would be home. No electoral bear-college voted for a leader who called for polar bears to move to the Arctic.
1] These animals adapt to their environment by instinct, unlike humans, who do so with intelligence.
2] The savannahs and polar regions of our mind exist unknown to us, directing the way we adapt.
3] Our mental terrain has a topography that is as varied as the geography of the Earth, constantly directing us to adapt.
4] These animals did not adapt to their environment; their environment adapted them to it.
Explanation: The paragraph is about the idea that it is the terrain of our mind that decides what survives inside our head and not we. To support this the author cites the examples of bears and lions and their respective habitats. The author says that the animals did not consciously decide or deliberate over their habitats. Since the main idea is about how our mental terrain or our mental environment decides what information survives, the concluding statement has to be about the animals’ environment and not they themselves deciding or choosing their habitat. Only option (4) does this. Option (1) is incorrect as the author is saying that we might in reality be using our intelligence. Options (2) and (3) make generalizations about human beings adapting and do not capture the specificity of the paragraph, which is the information surviving in our minds. Hence, [4].
Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
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49
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Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
WORD DOSE
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50
Being born a woman
Whether she is a passive angel or an active monster, in other words, the woman writer feels herself to be literally or figuratively crippled by the debilitating alternatives her culture offers her, and the crippling effects of her conditioning sometimes seem to “breed” like sentences of death in the bloody shoes she inherits from her literary foremothers. Surrounded as she is by images of disease, traditions of disease, and invitations both to disease and to dis-ease, it is no wonder that the woman writer has held many mirrors up to the discomforts of her own nature. As we shall see, the notion that “Infection in the sentence breeds” has been so central a truth for literary women that the great artistic achievements of nineteenth century novelists and poets from Austen and Shelley to Dickinson and Barrett Browning are often both literally and figuratively concerned with disease, as if to emphasize the effort with which health and wholeness were won from the infectious “vapors” of despair and fragmentation. Rejecting the poisoned apples her culture offers her, the woman writer often becomes in some sense anorexic, resolutely closing her mouth on silence (since-in the’ words of Jane Austen’s Henry Tilney -”a woman’s only power is the power of refusal”), even while she complains of starvation. Thus both Charlotte and Emily Bronte depict the travails of starved or starving anorexic heroines, while Emily Dickinson declares in one breath that she “had been hungry, all the Years,” and in another opts for “Sumptuous Destitution.” Excerpts from The Madwoman In The Attic by Sandra Gilbert, Susan Gubar
MAT CH T HE W O R D S W IT H T H E IR M EA NING S 1. Passive – (pas-iv) (adj) 2. Literally – (lit-ruh-lee) (adv) 3. Figuratively – (fig-yer-uh-tiv-ly) (adv) 4. Crippled – (krip-uh l-d) (v) 5. Debilitating – (dih-bil-i-teyt-ing) (adj) 6. Conditioning – (kuh n-dish-uh-ning) (gerund) 7. Foremother –
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a. In an admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering manner. b. A female ancestor or precursor of something. c. Painful or laborious effort. d. (Of a disease or diseasecausing organism) liable to be transmitted to people, organisms, etc. through the environment. e. Suffering or weakness caused by lack of food. f. Train or accustom someone to behave in a certain way or to accept certain circumstances. g. In a literal manner or sense; exactly. Advanc’edge MBA November 2015
(fohr-muhth-er) (n) 8. Notion – (noh-shuh n) (n) 9. Emphasize – (em-fuh-sahyz) (v) 10. Infectious – (in-fek-shuh s) adj 11. Despair – (dih-spair) (n) 12. Fragmentation – (frag-muh n-tey-shuh n) (n) 13. Poisoned apples – 14. Anorexic – an-uh-rek-sik) (adj) h. Splendid and expensive-looking. i. The process or state of breaking or being broken into fragments. j. Severely damaged. k. Relating to, characterised by, or suffering from anorexia – weakness, lacking energy, anaemic. l. Represent by a drawing, painting, or description – write about. m. A conception or idea of or belief about something. n. Accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance: the women were portrayed as passive victims.
15. Resolutely – (rez-uh-loot-lee) (adv) 16. Starvation – (stahr-vey-shuh n) (n) 17. Depict – (dih-pikt) (v) 18. Travail – (trav-eyl) (n) 19. Sumptuous – (suhmp-choo-uh s) (adj) 20. Destitution – (des-ti- tyoo -shuh n) (n) o. The complete loss or absence of hope. p. Make (someone) very weak and infirm. q. Give special importance or value to (something) in speaking or writing. r. Used to indicate a departure from a literal meaning of the words; metaphorically. s. Something unpleasant, which appears attractive and misleading. (Culturally limited by unpleasant and misleading options.) t. Poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself.
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A quiz to boost your General Knowledge 1. Name the woman who won the very coveted Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books of the Year award for her book Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet. The book investigates the Anthropocene Age, the epoch in which we currently live and how humans are changing the planet, for the better and for the worse. a. Bill Bryson b. Christopher Jean c. Gaia Vince d. Martiana Higgs 2. Name the famous personality who has been appointed as chairman of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The chairperson’s position had been lying vacant after the tenure of former UPA appointee Kushal Singh ended in October last year. a. Varuna Bharghava b. Kushal Singh Kapoor c. Chandra Premalatha Singh d. Stuti Narain Kacker
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3. Name the famous figure who has been appointed as India’s next G-20 Sherpa. a. Ramesh Chand b. Aravind Panagariya c. Suresh Prabhu d. Sindhusri Khullar 4. These birds are often called the ‘farmers of the forest’ as they disperse the seeds of many tropical trees and keep the forest alive. Unfortunately, this particular species is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
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Name the species. a. Hornbill b. Great Indian Bustard c. Toucans d. Myna
5. He will be replacing Ashok Mukherji as India’s new permanent representative at the United Nations when the latter retires soon. Name him. a. Amarendra Khatua b. Syed Akbaruddin c. Navtej Sarna d. Gautam Bambawale 6. This driver won the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix title of Formula One. With the win, this Japanese driver had his eighth victory of the season. Who is this dynamic driver? a. Lewis Hamilton b. Kimi Raikkonen c. Nico Roseberg d. Sebastain Vettel 7. Name the technology giant that has agreed to provide Wi-Fi hotspots at 500 railway stations in India. a. IBM b. Microsoft c. Google d. Facebook 8. Mina is a small city located inside a low lying valley in the province of Makkh and is often referred to as the city of tents. In which country is Mina situated? a. Kuwait b. Saudia Arabia c. Oman d. Iraq
9. Name the country that will be hosting the BRICS U-17 football cup in 2016. a. India b. Spain c. Brazil d. Argentina 10. Cotopaxi is a beautiful snow covered active strato volcano. Name the country in which it is located. a. Italy b. Ecuador c. Cuba d. USA 11. This Australian author Michael Robotham has won the year’s best crime writer for his novel Life or Death, after he received the prestigious UK Crime Writer’s Association Gold Dagger award beating other shortlisted authors. Name him. a. Rolf Harris b. JK Rowling c. Michael Robotham d. Robert Galbraith 12. This state will be hosting the Fourth International Tourism Mart (ITM) from October 14 to 16. International buyers and media delegates from 27 countries are participating in this year’s ITM. Which is this state? a. Sikkim b. Jammu and Kashmir c. Madhya Pradesh d. Rajasthan 13. She has been awarded the senior citizen award for Iconic Mother for the year 2015 from
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President Pranab Mukherjee for successfully bringing-up her children despite great odds. Name her. a. Sunabeda Singh b. Leelaben Chhabildas Gurjar c. Yashodara Malpade d. Jayadevi Thayi
14. In October 2015, name the country whose flag was raised for the first time at the United Nations? a. Angola b. Suriname c. Palestine d. Jordan 15. Michael Phelps Swim Clinic was launched recently in an Indian city. It was launched in association with Gameday Arts as India became the first international venture for the programme. In which city was it launched? a. New Delhi b. Bengaluru c. Secunderabad d. Jalandhar 16. He has been considered to be one of the greatest living English-language dramatists ever, hailed by the Englishspeaking world as the Chekhov of his land and the universally accented voice of his country. Such an amazing man was Brian Friel. Recently he passed away. Which country did he belong to? a. Scotland b. England c. USA d. Ireland
18. Name the sport with which The Presidents Cup is associated. a. Hockey b. Snooker c. Golf d. Swimming 19. Name the person who was adjudged Best CEO of a Multi National Company for 2015 at the Forbes India Leadership Awards. a. Samit Ghosh b. Uday Shankar c. Harsh Mariwala d. RC Bharghava 20. According to a National Institute of Solar Energy estimate, India has the solar potential of 750GW. Name the state that has the maximum solar potential capacity in India. a. Madhya Pradesh b. Uttar Pradesh c. Gujarat d. Rajasthan 21. China defeated this country to capture the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship title. Iran finished third in the tournament. Name the country which China defeated to win the championship. a. Japan b. India c. Singapore d. Philippines 22. Which is the company that has been ranked in the top in terms of brand value globally? a. Apple b. Google
c. Coca Cola d. Samsung 23. These are dense towering vertical clouds associated with thunderstorms and atmospheric instability. These are formed from water vapour and carried by powerful upward air currents. These clouds can form alone, in clusters, or along cold front squall lines. These clouds are capable of producing lightning and other dangerous severe weather, such as tornadoes. What are these clouds that are capable of producing severe thunderstorms and hailstorms? a. Cumulonimbus b. Stratus c. Cirrus d. Cumulus 24. Name the player who won the 2015 Wuhan Open Women’s Single title. a. Serena Williams b. Venus Williams c. Simona Halep d. Petra Kvitova
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25. In which field did Sheila WattCloutier of Canada win the 2015 Right Livelihood Awards for her work? a. Gender equality b. Water conservation c. Climate change d. Child rights 26. Where did India’s first court powered by solar energy recently get inaugurated? a. Jaipur b. Jharkhand c. Telangana d. Cuttack 27. The scientists of the National Institute of Oceanography have discovered new coral reef site and named it Angria Bank. Name the ocean by whose side
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17. Recently, the government of a state has started a scheme for adoption of wild animals in zoos and deer parks for their conservation and protection. The scheme was launched on the occasion of Wildlife Safety
Week, which was observed from October 1 to 7. In which state was this scheme started? a. Haryana b. Kerala c. Hyderabad d. Assam
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this new coral reef site has been discovered. a. Indian Ocean b. Bay of Bengal c. Arabian Sea d. Java Sea
a. October 9 b. October 10
c. October 11 d. October 12
28. The 13th World Spice Congress will be held here from February 27 to 29, 2016. The theme of the biennial global event will be ‘Target 2020: Clean, Safe and Sustainable Supply Chain’. Name the city which will be the venue for this event. a. Thiruvananthapuram b. Jodhpur c. Kolkata d. Ahmedabad 29. The CORPAT is a bilateral maritime exercise between two countries. Which are these two countries? a. India and Indonesia b. India and Myanmar c. India and China d. India and Srilanka
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30. Name the cyclist who was crowned King of Himalaya in the 11th Hero MTB Himalaya 2015. He had won the race in 2013 as well. a. Luis Leao Pinto b. Peter Butt c. Andi Seewald d. Pau Zamora
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31. Name the place where DRDO has set up the world’s highest Terrestrial Research Centre at 17,600 feet above sea level. a. Leh b. Ladakh c. Srinagar d. Anantnag 32. The United Nations General Assembly has declared which day as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face around the world.
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How to Play Fill in the grid so that every horizontal row, every vertical column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1-9, without repeating the numbers in the same row, column or box. You can’t change the digits already given in the grid. Every puzzle has one solution. Hint: Don’t fill in numbers at random. While filling a particular square, write numbers 1-9 on a pad and start eliminating those numbers that already appear in the same row, column or 3x3 box.
ANSWERS SuDoKu
GLOBESCAN 1. c
2. d
3. b
4. a
5. b
6. a
7. c
8. b
9. a
10. b
11. c
12. a
13. b
14. c
15. b
16. d
17. a
18. c
19. b
20. d
21. d
22. a
23. a
24. b
25. c
26. b
27. c
28.d
29. a
30. a
31. b
32. c
WORD DOSE
For more similar puzzles, visit: www.sudoku.com
1. n 6. f 11. o 16. e
2. g 7. b 12. i 17. l
3. r 8. m 13. s 18. c
4. j 9. q 14. k 19. h
5. p 10. d 15. a 20. t