Intellectually and technically incompetent; advertisement and money driven, it’s an annual joke

The ranking agency is yet to be determined, the methodology yet to be formulated, the parameters still to be decided – but the marketing team is already haunting a B-School management for advertisements like a swarm of irritating mosquitoes. Be it business magazines or financial newspapers or news weeklies – it is a cool way to earn a few extra bucks – the annual B-School rankings. Magazines and newspapers apart, some ranking agencies have also floated websites to attract advertisements and earn as well while they “unbiasedly” rank the same B-Schools!!!

The ranking agencies (often one man shows existing solely to rank B-Schools annually) don’t have any competence or intellect to even determine criteria to rank B-Schools. Most of them go pathetically wrong even while trying to do quantitative pre poll predictions but are all boasting of accurate (though mostly qualitative and perception based) B-School rankings. The magazines which try to tie-up with more known market research agencies somehow seem to have an amazing manipulative hold over them – one look at it will reveal it to even a layman. Tough to believe that internationally acclaimed market research companies can come out with such jokes in the name of rankings. One wonders whom were they getting the questionnaires filled by??? Defunct institutes which haven’t innovated their courses in the last decade, institutes which hardly have 10 permanent faculty members, institutes about whose MBA course, students don’t even know of (!) are all there in the top!!! Institutes whose faculty members don’t do any industry consulting or even research for that matter, are there too!! Technology institutes whose only claim to fame are a few extra acres of grassland with no management expertise are also there! Institutes whose names wouldn’t even figure in any recruiters top 20 wish list are ranked in the recruiters top 10 as well as the overall top 10 B-Schools. And every editor – most of them, barring one or two, not qualified or educated enough to comment on management education – has a comment on how B-Schools need to be and how they think (whatever their intellect) that their B-School ranking is the best. They even go up to the extent of exploiting the media space (not owned by them) to take out their petty jealousies through frivolous comments!!

No, I don’t need to laugh at these ludicrous rankings and their so called reputed agencies – the public is already doing that. Seven rankings – seven media houses – seven agencies and… none of them seem to have any similarity (barring of course the top four names to bring credibility to their rankings).

Try to argue with these rankers and you will hit a wall – oh, these were based on perceptions of industry people – of course who can debate perception studies? Who perceives? Who cares! Nobody – till somebody like me takes out a perception study on journalists too!! Or some institute

which believes in the judicial system of the country files a multi crore defamation case on them, asking them to reveal the data collection details to the public.

The bigger question though is what should be the correct criteria for B-School rankings and how to do it credibly. To me, B-School rankings need to do the following.

1. Academic institutions should be judged by the education they impart and its quality of faculty and not by the placements. Rankings need to bring in front of people the B-Schools which have the best course content and faculty. At the most there could be a separate ranking of best B-School and best placements so that institutes are not looked upon as placement agencies but are given academic respectability. Placements are important but if given extra weightage to judge an academic institution makes it favourably inclined towards institutes who have enjoyed a historical bias in the minds of the recruiters. The more the weightage on placements the more these institutes will repeatedly get high ranks and the more people will be fooled to believe that they are the best. It’s a vicious circle.

2. Judging the quality of education is more of a qualitative thing. The key is in getting a huge number of leading experts (in the case of Oscars the number of voters are 6000+ to avoid any individual bias) on management like Ratan Tata, Narayan Murthy, M.S.Banga, Gursharan Das, Bibek Debroy, Arun Maira, Ashok Soota etc. giving their votes after going through the course contents and faculty details of the qualifying B-Schools.

3. Quantitative parameters like – no. of credits taught in each B-School, no. of permanent faculty members, amount of industry consulting done by each institute in terms of revenues, no. of research articles and cases developed every year, no. of international faculty members coming to teach, percentage of students going abroad to do projects, no. of Laptops per student – should be used to rank B-Schools in the parameters related to course contents, faculty, industry interface, research, global initiative and modern technology.

4. No ranking agency should be allowed to have any business interest with the institutes it ranks like running a website where the institutes advertise.

5. The entire process should be audited by a reputed firm like PWC or E&Y so that editors can’t manipulate rankings on the basis of their whims and fancies or other non ethical considerations.

6. The entire process and details of the above ranking should be made available for the common man through a website for the final seal of transparency.

Surprisingly IIPM’s name also features in these rankings often in spite of IIPM’s regular questioning of the credibility of most of these rankings. IIPM believes that it is the #1 B-School in India in terms of education, faculty, research and consulting, international exposure to the students and infrastructure. Whenever IIPM is ranked anywhere in the top 10 IIPM mentions it in its ads. As the Dean of IIPM, I mostly don’t agree with the ranking criteria but I do realise we have to live with it and keep voicing our opinion on the required changes in the methodology etc. of these rankings – till the changes really take place.

I do hope that very soon we would have B-School rankings which would follow the above suggestions and look more credible. Till then – like so often in today’s times – love and B-School rankings will continue to be bought by money.

Radio one FM 95- The radio station organized an RJ Hunt in the city of Ahmedabad! All RJ aspirants thronged to various places to try their hands on the scintillating experience of going on air… The Hunt was very unique of its kind with lots of youth from various well-known institutions participating in it.

IIPM Ahmedabad students also participated in many activities; filled with full of fun and challenges… All IIPM students were first divided into groups and then they had to undergo some eventful activities. Two teams from IIPM Ahmedabad got selected for the final round wherein they were given an opportunity to host a show on Radio FM 95,
which was indeed thrilling for them.

Kavan Buch, Rahul Sinha, Kanwarbir Singh and Nakul Trivedi were the college champions for RJ hunt. These four students scripted, & conceptualized the script with a new sound of FATAAFAT generation. Students hosted the show with one principle “THERE ARE NO RULES.” IIPM Ahmedabad students got superb response and also stood second in the competition. One of the IIPM students got an offer to be full time
RJ and host the night show daily.

If you are one of those who suffer from the ‘bites’ of the quizzing bug, and SRK happens to be your silver screen matinee idol, then, thank your stars as you have just hit the jackpot!

Something what the students of IIPM also did, when they experienced a whirlwind called ‘Shahrukh Khan’, who, also happened to be their Quiz Master for their prestigious event called ‘Dare’09′.

This event was jointly organized by IIPM, the largest B-School on the planet along with ‘4Ps Business and Marketing’, one of the most widely read Business and Marketing magazines in the country.

When SRK is at the helm of things, it totally becomes needless to say that, a lot of razzmatazz and glamour must have been the vital elements of the event. So much so that, one of the rounds that was based on Shahrukh Khan himself!

The quiz saw the clash of the top 6 teams (out of the 150 plus which participated), viz., IIFT Delhi, Judge Business School- Cambridge University, ITM- Mumbai, NITIE – Mumbai, UNC- -Kenan Flagler and IIFT-Kolkata.

Not just that, amidst the event, SRK added yet another fan in his ever-increasing fan base, in the form of Prof. Arindam Chowdhary, who went on to say that “Shahrukh’s presence in the event will obviously add the kind of glamour and brand value that such a world-class event so dearly deserves, as no brand in this country is as big as him”.

On his part, Shahrukh Khan said, “I would like to thank IIPM, ‘4Ps Business and Marketing’ and Arindam for giving me this opportunity of hosting the Dare ‘09.

I have always enjoyed quizzing – be it onscreen or with my kids, and I believe quizzing helps in expanding one’s knowledge, so would like to thank IIPM for all good things they have been doing in various fields.”

Shahrukh also added that he has known Prof. Chaudhuri since a long time and has been a great fan of his book “Count your chickens before they hatch” as he just loved the title. Some SRK gyaan this!

This was Shah Rukh Khan’s hattrick as a quizmaster, courtesy management guru Arindam Chaudhuri.

After hosting a successful season II of KBC and Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain?, SRK was in Delhi to host the 4Ps business and marketing quiz DARE ’09 at the IIPM campus.

And he played an honest quizmaster, as he admitted that the speech he delivered before starting the quiz was the one he’d used at a Young President’s Organisation event some time ago. “I’m sorry, but I’m recycling it,” he said, before telling the management students that they should become “CEOs, COOs, CFOs, UFOs and as many FOs as they could in their lives. My friends tell me my kids will become great corporate people because they finish lunch in two-and-a-half hours. More power to power lunches!”

And, do we read this as a change of heart or simply a Freudian slip? While talking about his films and the other two Khans — Aamir and Salman — in the same breath, the superstar referred to the latter as a friend. It may be recalled that the two Khans have not been on speaking terms ever since they sparred over allegedly a remark made by SRK at Salman’s girlfriend Katrina Kaif’s birthday party.

King Khan said, while spouting gyan to the students,’’’I’m the most successful failure. My mother didn’t live long enough to see me become a superstar. Ab pata nahin Delhi mein yeh word use karte hain ya nahin, but there were times jab meri kudki ho gayi thi. Kudki is when you lose everything and you’re on the road. I equated poverty to failure at one point in my life. I didn’t want to be poor. So I did Deewana, a film that Armaan Kohli had refused. I did Baazigar that my friend Salman didn’t want to do. I acted in Darr because Aamir turned it down and I worked in Dil Aashna Hai because Saif refused it. These films paid well and I was working to avoid unemployment. When Dilip saab (Dilip Kumar) and I were watching my Devdas, I asked him, ‘Why did you do Devdas?’ And he said, ‘Pata nahin. Tab ek lakh rupaiya mila tha’. Then success happened… My speech ends. Normally, people clap now.”

With SRK, the quiz was a lesson in speaking into the microphone too. “Go towards the mike like you’d eat a banana and then speak. But remember not to squeeze it. And don’t get any cheap thoughts when I say banana!” he told the participants.

And while SRK’s quizzing had the participants and the audience in stitches, Arindam said, “SRK’s not just the most intelligent star, but one of most intellectual and witty people I know. I guess that comes from his extensive reading and Eco Hons background. And he’s the biggest brand in India. Our association with him sets a forever unbeatable benchmark in B-school events!” SRK added, “I like coming to Delhi – it’s my city, my mom-in-law is here and Arindam, the one man who has better hair than mine, is here too!”

New Delhi: Bollywood ace star King Khan aka Shahrukh Khan was invited by Arindam Chowdhary at IIPM New Delhi.

SRK was here to visit his home town where he was also invited at one of the biggest B-events in the country at IIPM where Shahrukh was asked several questions related to the business studies.

Arindam also organized a press conference with Shahrukh Khan post the program which outcame as a light hearted hour where the actor gave the crazy fans some.

He told that he was fired up with some 70 questions out of which at least he would a=be able to take the answers of at least 20 to home and giggled.

In the hall before a female fan put him up a question, she pasted him a comment saying that he looked smart, to that SRK replied, “You are no less a charm darling.”

Aridam Chowdhary was overwhelmed by Shahrukh’s presence and he said that he and the IIPM are really blessed and honored that Shahrukh was able to divide and give some time to them.

Guest Lecture by Mrs. Meenal Bhatt (Senior Business Analyst)
&
Ms. Namrata Salunke (Associate Business Analyst)
Johnson & Johnson
Date: 17th March 2008
Batch -FW (07- 09)
Profile: Mrs. Namrata Salunke is an Associate Business Analyst. She has done her MBA (Finance) from MIT School of Management, Pune. She has a total experience of 3 years in healthcare & logistics. She is currently working with Johnson & Johnson.

Ms. Meenal Bhat is a Manager- Business Analytics. She has done her MBA (Marketing) from Asian Institute of Management, Manila (Philippines). She has a total experience of 5.5 years in sales & marketing. She is currently working with Johnson & Johnson

Topic: “Integrity Selling”

Integrity Selling is a customer-needs focused strategy that successfully gets salespeople selling more in today’s challenging sales arena. Sales representatives learn a simple, six-step system of selling that gets results. This value focused, integrity-based sales process builds, identifies and develops the customer’s needs. Buyers feel the sales person is not just interested in selling their product, but truly interested in understanding and fulfilling their needs. Buyers have more confidence in the sales representatives and are more willing to make long-term business commitments. This exciting process is for people of all experience levels. Integrity Selling brings important dimensions into alignment. View of selling, view of abilities, values, commitment to activities, and belief in product forms a Sales Congruence Model. Where gaps occur, conflicts of problems arise that either cause failure or low sales performance. Integrity Selling helps bring these dimensions into congruence so sales people are freed from inner conflicts. As a result, achievement drive and stronger sales skills are released. No other sales training available today does this.

AAGMAN 2008 on 24th October 2008
Aagman 08 was an awesome experience for the new batches of IIPM, Ahmedabad as they enjoyed every performance put up for them by seniors and fellow batch mates. Aagman as they call “The Arrival” marks a day of celebration when fresh and new blood is formally inducted into the IIPM (The Indian Institute of Planning & Management) family. What makes Aagman so special is the fact that it is a stage where the students get an opportunity to showcase their talent before Faculty members and seniors. Also the efforts and hard work put in by students, coordinators and guides make this event memorable.

Missing classes for practices, walking into the institute with guitars and drums, students practicing dances in the cafeteria, auditorium and lobby charge up the atmosphere. Practices often start early and get over late and if you think Sunday is a day to rest, you have to visit any IIPM campus during Aagman preparations and you would be proved wrong, the auditorium was buzzing with the activities since morning. All the participants had an opportunity to rehearse and know what it is like up being up on this grand stage. After a traditional beginning to the event, the night kicked off with the mind boggling performances by the students that rocked the audience. From the Dance team to the Fashion show group, from the Play to the Rock Band each performance was breath taking. The dinner that followed was relished by every student and faculty present at the IIPM Campus.

It has been rated the top B-School in India for extensive ‘Global Exposure’ it provides to its students

The Indian Institute of Planning & Management (IIPM) has been rated as the top business school in India for the extensive ‘Global Exposure’ it provides to its students, followed by IIM (A) and IIM (B) at rank two and rank three respectively, claimed the IIPM.

The ranking was conducted by ‘Zee Business Best B School Survey’ with leading international research firm Synovate.

IIPM also achieved 7th rank as the best business school overall, 8th rank for Best Industry Interface, 9th rank for Best Placements and 9th rank for Best Course Content. IIPM placed 165 students in international firms this year followed by ISB with 111. The next best international placement figure by any other school did not touch even 35.

GOP

As part of its Global Outreach Programme (GOP), professors from top Ivy League universities like Harvard, Yale, Wharton, Stanford, London School of Economics, Oxford etc visit IIPM to conduct joint workshops with IIPM faculty for Indian corporate fraternity and teach IIPM students. World renowned gurus like Philip Kotler, Zig Zigler, Stephen Covey have also taken exclusive sessions with IIPM students.

GOTA

Under the aegis of IIPM’s Global Opportunities and Threat Analysis (GOTA) programme, all of IIPM’s more than 3,000 students visit Europe or America or other developed nations for two to three weeks to get first hand international exposure of how the best in the world work. They visited hundreds of world organisations like World Bank, ILO, United Nations, WTO, big corporations like Nestle, Honda, IBM, BMW, FIAT, Citigroup, and universities like IMD and many more in the recent past, the IIPM claimed.

Venue: IIPM, Mumbai

The G-40 club enabled the students to understand how search engines like Google can be used more effectively to carry out secondary research. The session covered topics like:
1. How search engines rank pages, outline of the Google Pagelink Algorithm
2. How to expand search results, basic and / or operations
3. How to restrict search results
– Tag: inurl
– Tag: allinurl
– Tag: intitle
– Tag: allintitle
4. How to use/not use slang
5. Using technical lingo
6. How to create a good search phrase
7. Excluding words from searches
8. Searching by File type
9. Searching for financial information
10. Combining above techniques for better results.

Planman Consulting on behalf of IIPM, as a part of their Global Outreach Programme, regularly conducts & initiates compelling Chief-Executive forums, copartnering with faculties from the world’s foremost institutions and organizations like Harvard, MIT, Yale, Kellogg, Columbia GSB, Chicago GSB etc. Founded in 1996 by renowned economist Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri, Planman Consulting started its operations as an offshoot of IIPM with 25 years of research of the global economy undertaken by leading researchers & academicians. Planman is a management consulting group and hence, in all its business interests, Planman incorporates an extremely high level of consulting commitment for its clients. Wherever, whenever, however, Planman attempts to improve dramatically the process and performance of global corporations through its consulting enterprise. IIPM is one of the leading and most respected business schools in India. Live case studies and industry examples of IIPM & Planman have been noted and honored at diverse institutions and organizations. The value that IIPM & Planman commit to bring to corporations is that of thrilling change and dynamic vision; and these programmes are a furtherance of such commitment.

If you are facing even one of the following challenges in your business, then the Chief-Executive Forum workshops by faculties from HBS, Yale, MIT, Columbia, Chicago GSB, Planman Consulting, IIPM etc would be extremely critical for you and your senior management.

. How to use techniques to scan the competitive environment and analyze multi-factor industries
. How to replicate strategic models and implementation techniques of industry leaders
. How to optimize financial investments & corporate venture funding
. How to strategically transform brands and dramatically re-focus multi-product & multi-service organizations
. How to maximize relevance of human resources in achieving growth targets
. How to leverage e-Business to radically alter competitive dynamics.

Being a part of the Chief-Executive Forum, these workshops by international faculties would utilize discrete and diverse training methodologies to educate, train, elucidate, debate and sometimes to demolish various business management perspectives & orientations. Case studies, research findings, questionnaires, group discussions, lecture sessions etc would form integral ingredients of the knowledge experience. Participants are informed that relevant pre-workshop preparation that is generally advised by international faculties needs to be necessarily completed before designated sessions of the respective workshops. Much of the contents that participants shall get exposed to during the workshops, are proprietary material of IIPM, Planman & international faculties. However, participants are encouraged to share various contents and material provided during the workshop with relevant team members after taking appropriate permission. Participants are also encouraged to directly contact their workshop faculties for any required consulting, guidance or clarification. On successful completion of the programme, participants shall be awarded a joint certificate from faculties undertaking the respective programme.

The Chief-Executive Forum is preferred by CEOs, Presidents and decision makers who have the power to decide the path their companies follow. Relevantly, many of these power managers also bring their team members & colleagues to this forum to share and analyze the implications of various strategic perspectives.