I recently posted this on Business Week CBS ED forum:
I can't recollect but I read somewhere recently that uncertainity clouds the judgement. In the book, a study was conducted where people were given the following scenario:
"You have given your final exam. You are not sure how you did and you may either pass or fail. The results will come out tomorrow. However, you get an excellent deal online to holiday in Hawaai but the deal expires today. What will you do?"
Most of the respondents said they won't take the deal.
Now everyone will agree It makes sense. You don't want to splurge when you don't even know whether you will pass.
Now the study conducted the same experiment but this time you knew you had passed. Will you take the deal. Most of the respondents said they will take it to celebrate the ocassion.
This again makes sense. Doesn't it?
Again the same experiment but this time you have failed. Will you take the deal? Most of the respondents said they will take it just to get away from depression and come back recharged.
This response also makes sense.
So, what do we conclude. That the people should take the deal irrespective of whether or not they know whether they will pass or fail. But because of the uncertainity they are not able to make objective decisions. When the outcome is unknown our judgement is clouded.
So, in my situation, rationaly speaking, I should not obsess over the result and should move on. But then I am just as irrational as any other human and until the results are out F5 is my favorite key.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
1994's MOST BIZARRE SUICIDE
One of those forwards which greet you in the morning. I have no idea how true it is.
At the 1994 annual awards dinner given by the American Association for Forensic Science, AAFS president Don Harper Mills astounded his audience in San Diego with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:
On 23 March 1994, the medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head. The decedent had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit suicide (he left a note indicating his despondency). As he fell past the ninth floor, his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast through a window, which killed him instantly. Neither the shooter nor the decedent was aware that a safety net had been erected at the eighth floor level to protect some window washers and that Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide anyway because of this.
Ordinarily, Dr. Mills continued, a person who sets out to commit suicide ultimately succeeds, even though the mechanism might not be what he intended. That Opus was shot on the way to certain death nine stories below probably would not have changed his mode of death from suicide to homicide. But the fact that his suicidal intent would not have been successful caused the medical examiner to feel that he had a homicide on his hands. The room on the ninth floor whence the shotgun blast emanated was occupied by and elderly man and his wife. They were arguing and he was threatening her with the shotgun. He was so upset that, when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife and pellets went through the window striking Opus. When one intends to kill subject A but kills subject B in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject B.
When confronted with this charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant that neither knew that the shotgun was loaded. The old man said it was his long standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her - therefore, the killing of Opus appeared to be an accident. That is, the gun had been accidentally loaded.
The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun approximately six weeks prior to the fatal incident. It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother. The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.
There was an exquisite twist. Further investigation revealed that the son, one Ronald Opus, had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led him to jump off the ten- story building on March 23, only to be killed by a shotgun blast through a ninth story window.
The medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.
At the 1994 annual awards dinner given by the American Association for Forensic Science, AAFS president Don Harper Mills astounded his audience in San Diego with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:
On 23 March 1994, the medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head. The decedent had jumped from the top of a ten-story building intending to commit suicide (he left a note indicating his despondency). As he fell past the ninth floor, his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast through a window, which killed him instantly. Neither the shooter nor the decedent was aware that a safety net had been erected at the eighth floor level to protect some window washers and that Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide anyway because of this.
Ordinarily, Dr. Mills continued, a person who sets out to commit suicide ultimately succeeds, even though the mechanism might not be what he intended. That Opus was shot on the way to certain death nine stories below probably would not have changed his mode of death from suicide to homicide. But the fact that his suicidal intent would not have been successful caused the medical examiner to feel that he had a homicide on his hands. The room on the ninth floor whence the shotgun blast emanated was occupied by and elderly man and his wife. They were arguing and he was threatening her with the shotgun. He was so upset that, when he pulled the trigger, he completely missed his wife and pellets went through the window striking Opus. When one intends to kill subject A but kills subject B in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject B.
When confronted with this charge, the old man and his wife were both adamant that neither knew that the shotgun was loaded. The old man said it was his long standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her - therefore, the killing of Opus appeared to be an accident. That is, the gun had been accidentally loaded.
The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun approximately six weeks prior to the fatal incident. It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother. The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.
There was an exquisite twist. Further investigation revealed that the son, one Ronald Opus, had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led him to jump off the ten- story building on March 23, only to be killed by a shotgun blast through a ninth story window.
The medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Cornell - Johnson Interview
I had my Johnson interview on 10/28 with an alumni. It was a very pleasant experience. The interview started of on a totally unexpected question. Unexpected not because I was not prepared for it but because I didn't expect it to be the first one. I was expecting a more conventional "tell me about yourself".
My 1st question was why did I pick Cornell. Most of the interview was based on determining the "fit" with Cornell. He wanted to ensure that I had done my research on the school. He also touched upon my goals to ensure that Cornell would be able to deliver it.
The entire interview was very conversational. The alum was very candid and I was impressed by his truthfulness. I asked him about his experiences at Cornell. He also told me a little about his career. He also adviced me on what I should do at Cornell to make the most of my time there (all depending on being selected).
All in all it was a fairly nice interview. I think I was able to put through my goals and why I chose Cornell fairly convincingly. Now, as he explained, its all upto the admissions committee.
My 1st question was why did I pick Cornell. Most of the interview was based on determining the "fit" with Cornell. He wanted to ensure that I had done my research on the school. He also touched upon my goals to ensure that Cornell would be able to deliver it.
The entire interview was very conversational. The alum was very candid and I was impressed by his truthfulness. I asked him about his experiences at Cornell. He also told me a little about his career. He also adviced me on what I should do at Cornell to make the most of my time there (all depending on being selected).
All in all it was a fairly nice interview. I think I was able to put through my goals and why I chose Cornell fairly convincingly. Now, as he explained, its all upto the admissions committee.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
F5
That's the button that's getting all the beating these days. All I do is refresh, refresh and refresh some more the status page for CBS.
In between I manage to go to BW forums and sympathize with fellow applicants who are in the same boat.
In between I manage to go to BW forums and sympathize with fellow applicants who are in the same boat.
WAIT
The toughest part about applying to b-schools is not how to explain the GPA, not the GMAT, not even the introspection for essays and certainly not writing the essays. The toughest part is the wait. And also the most annoying part.
There are different falvors to wait.
There are different falvors to wait.
- 1st one is when you submit your application and wait for it to be complete. This is where the admissions committee reviews the application to ensure it is complete in all respects. This is the part where you are least concerned. Atleast you know in the worst case scenario you could correct anything that went wrong.
- Once the application is complete you wait for that elusive interview invitation. This is where your application is reviewed and the admission committee decides whether they want to spend any more time on you. If you do not get interview invitation soon you start getting anxious and want to know what's happening.
- The final one is when you have been interviewed and are awaiting final decision. In this case it depends on whether the school follows rolling admissions. If it does not then you are at peace and know the results will be out on a particular date. If it does then God help you. Life becomes an endless wait. You wait every instant for the decision. Your heart skips a beat whenever you are refreshing the status of the application. You become obsessed with BW and try to dig up any statistics which might indicate what is happening.
All those waiting for final decision for a school with rolling admissions - God bess your souls.
Kanbay acquired by Capgemini
Kanbay, the company I work for, has been acquired by Capgemini. The initial report (management talk) suggests that there are not going to be any forseeable lay-offs.
From my friends, who shifted to Capgemini from Kanbay, I have heard that the culture of Capgemini is similar or even better than Kanbay. Additionally, Capgemini are supposed to be good paymasters. All this sounds good. It will take some time for things to fall in place. A clearer picture will emerge only in Q1 of 2007.
There are questions that all the employees have but due to the secrecy of the deal there are no answers with anyone except the senior managers. They will be preparing a presentation and the information will trickle down. The presentations (open house) would be a good time to ask questions that I have.
In the meantime, I hope I get good news from the B-Schools that I have applied too. I am particularly concerned about Columbia. Since they have rolling admissions and I haven't heard anything so far, I am getting a little anxious. I keep refreshing the Stats in the hope something might change but nothing does. I don't expect to hear anything from Chicago & ISB interview before 15th Nov. Cornell results will come out by 17th Nov (I am interviewing on 28th Oct).
So, whether it is about Capgemini acquires Kanbay or about business schools, there is currently too much uncertainity.
From my friends, who shifted to Capgemini from Kanbay, I have heard that the culture of Capgemini is similar or even better than Kanbay. Additionally, Capgemini are supposed to be good paymasters. All this sounds good. It will take some time for things to fall in place. A clearer picture will emerge only in Q1 of 2007.
There are questions that all the employees have but due to the secrecy of the deal there are no answers with anyone except the senior managers. They will be preparing a presentation and the information will trickle down. The presentations (open house) would be a good time to ask questions that I have.
In the meantime, I hope I get good news from the B-Schools that I have applied too. I am particularly concerned about Columbia. Since they have rolling admissions and I haven't heard anything so far, I am getting a little anxious. I keep refreshing the Stats in the hope something might change but nothing does. I don't expect to hear anything from Chicago & ISB interview before 15th Nov. Cornell results will come out by 17th Nov (I am interviewing on 28th Oct).
So, whether it is about Capgemini acquires Kanbay or about business schools, there is currently too much uncertainity.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Alonso & Renault - F1 Champions
The season is over. The results are out. Renault has won the constructors championship and Alonso is the 2006 champion. The result is identical to last year.
The championship (both constructor and driver) went down to last race this year. Last year Renault was challenged by McLaren all the way to the last race (the driver championship was over by then).
The races were close and unfortunately I missed most of the season. One disadvantage of being in US.
The championship (both constructor and driver) went down to last race this year. Last year Renault was challenged by McLaren all the way to the last race (the driver championship was over by then).
The races were close and unfortunately I missed most of the season. One disadvantage of being in US.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Application Status
I have completed almost all the applications. The schools I have applied to so far:
Columba Business School - Interviewed on 10/16 (applied 9/20)
Johnson School of Management (Cornell) - Interview scheduled for 10/22 (applied 9/20)
Indian School of Business - Application under review (applied 9/20)
Chicago GSB - Application under review (applied 10/15)
Lets see what happens next.
Columba Business School - Interviewed on 10/16 (applied 9/20)
Johnson School of Management (Cornell) - Interview scheduled for 10/22 (applied 9/20)
Indian School of Business - Application under review (applied 9/20)
Chicago GSB - Application under review (applied 10/15)
Lets see what happens next.
Internet Explorer 7
My first post from IE7. It will take time getting used to it.
One thing I wished that tabbed browsing should have been the default option while clicking on the link. Or probably they should have given a choice.
One thing I wished that tabbed browsing should have been the default option while clicking on the link. Or probably they should have given a choice.
Sunday, October 8, 2006
MNC Customer Service
I don't dislike government, its the lack of focus on the customers that I hate. However, the MNC's are also not that great either.
In US, I find that customer service of many MNCs is as bad as the government departments. Atleast in India the customer service was better. The people there were more polite. Not so in US.
Firstly, you have to wait ridiculous amount of time listening to promotions just to be able to speak to someone. Once you get through and explain the problem you find its the wrong department and you are then transferred to another department. Again you have to start from the begining and explain it all over again.
In India 24/7 really means 12/6 (i.e. 12 hrs in a day for 6 days). In US 24/7 really means 8/5 . I mean sure you can talk to them but if there is a problem that needs a person to come and have a look at then those are the hours that they work.
So unless you are a big fish and have the clout don't count on MNC customer service being any better than government beaureaucracy.
In US, I find that customer service of many MNCs is as bad as the government departments. Atleast in India the customer service was better. The people there were more polite. Not so in US.
Firstly, you have to wait ridiculous amount of time listening to promotions just to be able to speak to someone. Once you get through and explain the problem you find its the wrong department and you are then transferred to another department. Again you have to start from the begining and explain it all over again.
In India 24/7 really means 12/6 (i.e. 12 hrs in a day for 6 days). In US 24/7 really means 8/5 . I mean sure you can talk to them but if there is a problem that needs a person to come and have a look at then those are the hours that they work.
So unless you are a big fish and have the clout don't count on MNC customer service being any better than government beaureaucracy.
Government Inefficiency
Lately, I have read a lot of articles (mostly mises.org newsletter) on government interference and its effect (usually bad). And I agree with it, though I do really would not go to the extreme of no goverment at all.
As an Indian I have witnessed the resources wasted by a government organization. The best way to go forward is to get the government out of as many sectors as possible. This will not only utilize the resource in best possible way but also reduce corruption.
Nowhere is the improvement in service & reduction in prices more evident than in the Indian telecom sector. Just few years back it was a pain to get a telephone connection. The sector was then opened to private players. Everything that has happened since then is revolutionary. In October 2000, I got my 1st cell phone. The price of an incoming call was 4 Rs/min and it was same for outgoing call. And this was the prise was in Mumbai I am sure the prices elsewhere would have been higher. However, as more and more players entered the market the prics fell. Reliance entered and the prices dropped drastically. Today, any one who wants a phone can have one.
How did this happen? Well, as soon as the government opened the sector enterpreneurs saw and opportunity and grabbed it. No government regulation forced Reliance to charge 40 paise/min for a call on top of giving away cell phones for free. It was the competetive market place which decided Reliance's strategy.
As a result of privatizaton, the government arms (BSNL & MTNL) were left with no choice but to offer the same services. I am sure this will reduce corruption atleast in these departments. The people if they are not happy with BSNL / MTNL have an option. They do not have to wait indefnitely for a phone connection.
In every sector the government has privatized the services have become cheaper and better. Examples include Air Travel (contrast Air Deccan with Indian Airlines), Banking (contrast ICICI with SBI). Even though the efficiency of private sector will not be evident on day 1 of reforms they do become evident few years later.
As an Indian I have witnessed the resources wasted by a government organization. The best way to go forward is to get the government out of as many sectors as possible. This will not only utilize the resource in best possible way but also reduce corruption.
Nowhere is the improvement in service & reduction in prices more evident than in the Indian telecom sector. Just few years back it was a pain to get a telephone connection. The sector was then opened to private players. Everything that has happened since then is revolutionary. In October 2000, I got my 1st cell phone. The price of an incoming call was 4 Rs/min and it was same for outgoing call. And this was the prise was in Mumbai I am sure the prices elsewhere would have been higher. However, as more and more players entered the market the prics fell. Reliance entered and the prices dropped drastically. Today, any one who wants a phone can have one.
How did this happen? Well, as soon as the government opened the sector enterpreneurs saw and opportunity and grabbed it. No government regulation forced Reliance to charge 40 paise/min for a call on top of giving away cell phones for free. It was the competetive market place which decided Reliance's strategy.
As a result of privatizaton, the government arms (BSNL & MTNL) were left with no choice but to offer the same services. I am sure this will reduce corruption atleast in these departments. The people if they are not happy with BSNL / MTNL have an option. They do not have to wait indefnitely for a phone connection.
In every sector the government has privatized the services have become cheaper and better. Examples include Air Travel (contrast Air Deccan with Indian Airlines), Banking (contrast ICICI with SBI). Even though the efficiency of private sector will not be evident on day 1 of reforms they do become evident few years later.
Why is US standard railroad gauge 4' 8.5"??
Why is US standard railroad gauge 4' 8.5" ?
The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them inEngland, and the US railroads were built by English expatriates.
Why did the English people build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroadtramways, and that's the gauge they used.
Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built thetramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.
Okay! Why did the wagons use that odd wheel spacing? Well, if theytried to use any other spacing the wagons would break on some of theold, long distance roads, because that's the spacing of the old wheel ruts.
So who built these old rutted roads? The first long distance roads inEurope were built by Imperial Rome for the benefit of their legions.The roads have been used ever since.
And the ruts? The initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagons, were first made by Roman warchariots. Since the chariots were made for or by Imperial Rome theywere all alike in the matter of wheel spacing.
Thus, we have the answer to the original questions. The United State standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches derives from theoriginal specification for an Imperial Roman army war chariot.Specs and Bureaucracies live forever.
So, the next time you are handeda specification and wonder what horse's ass came up with it, you may be exactly right. Because the Imperial Roman chariots were made to bejust wide enough to accommodate the back-ends of two war horses.
The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number.Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them inEngland, and the US railroads were built by English expatriates.
Why did the English people build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroadtramways, and that's the gauge they used.
Why did "they" use that gauge then? Because the people who built thetramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.
Okay! Why did the wagons use that odd wheel spacing? Well, if theytried to use any other spacing the wagons would break on some of theold, long distance roads, because that's the spacing of the old wheel ruts.
So who built these old rutted roads? The first long distance roads inEurope were built by Imperial Rome for the benefit of their legions.The roads have been used ever since.
And the ruts? The initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagons, were first made by Roman warchariots. Since the chariots were made for or by Imperial Rome theywere all alike in the matter of wheel spacing.
Thus, we have the answer to the original questions. The United State standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches derives from theoriginal specification for an Imperial Roman army war chariot.Specs and Bureaucracies live forever.
So, the next time you are handeda specification and wonder what horse's ass came up with it, you may be exactly right. Because the Imperial Roman chariots were made to bejust wide enough to accommodate the back-ends of two war horses.
League of MBA Bloggers
League of MBA Bloggers has list of blogs of past, present and future MBA students. This a good resource to look into. However, this geared towards top US schools.
ISB League has a list of ISB bloggers.
MBA Applicant blogs is another good site.
ISB League has a list of ISB bloggers.
MBA Applicant blogs is another good site.
Life after GMAT
As I mentioned in previous post, GMAT is just one aspect of an application, there are a bunch of other things to be done. Most important in the entire application are the essays.
I have submitted my applications for a few schools. I am in the process of short-listing few other schools and hope to meet round 2 of those schools. I will have 7 years of experience next year. So, MBA starting in fall 2007 is my aim and frankly my last chance.
I have submitted my applications for a few schools. I am in the process of short-listing few other schools and hope to meet round 2 of those schools. I will have 7 years of experience next year. So, MBA starting in fall 2007 is my aim and frankly my last chance.
Challenges
One thing about life - there are challenges at every step.
At one time, when I was in class 10, I used to believe "This is the only time I have to make my life. Study hard, get into Science".
Again, when I was in class 12 "Study hard, get into engineering and my life is made". Then again "Study, get a job". And again "Have a job, think about promotion". And yet again "Have promotion think about long term career prospects, think GMAT". And then "Score over 720 and get into any B-School". And now "GMAT is just one aspect, concentrate on app".
I am sure this will not end there. There will be interviews, B-School studies, job after B-School, the next promotion and so on and so forth. Once something is accomplished the next challenge presents itself.
One thing about life - there are challenges at every step.
At one time, when I was in class 10, I used to believe "This is the only time I have to make my life. Study hard, get into Science".
Again, when I was in class 12 "Study hard, get into engineering and my life is made". Then again "Study, get a job". And again "Have a job, think about promotion". And yet again "Have promotion think about long term career prospects, think GMAT". And then "Score over 720 and get into any B-School". And now "GMAT is just one aspect, concentrate on app".
I am sure this will not end there. There will be interviews, B-School studies, job after B-School, the next promotion and so on and so forth. Once something is accomplished the next challenge presents itself.
One thing about life - there are challenges at every step.
Saturday, October 7, 2006
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