Knowledge Management

We all love lower taxes. As taxpayers we don't like giving our money away, as politicians they love to please us...after all its a government FOR the people BY the people. But there is no such thing as a free lunch, as my friend Shuvam Misra keeps repeating to me. SOMEONE has to pay. Its either people who can't afford to pay for everything themselves or its public property. An example is our public library system. Its a shame to see a natural resource so thoroughly neglected. Museums too, barring a few, are an eyesore... no they are heartbreak. We will not go into the long list of things that have to struggle for less and less funding like fish in a polluted pond struggling for oxygen.

The Prime Minister of India has created a "Knowledge Commission" to understand how India can "sharpen the Knoweldge Edge". In the meantime the production of knowledge is undergoing change. The reduction on government education means that less resources are going into schools and universities. While often parent's fund a child's school education, there are also issues about who invests in capacity building, better teacher training, etc.

But to me the matter of concern today is research in universities. Time was when the best research was conducted in universities and the results of this research was published in journals that were virtually free to other academicians. Increasingly research is restricted and more and more is done by private firms that fund research projects in universities too. The discoveries they make become proprietary to the companies and hence not available for public knowledge. The crisis in pharmaceutical sciences is just one such example. Roche is at present making a killing because of the bird flu pandemic (no it isn't a pandemic of the flu..yet..but a pandemic of anxiety, with people stocking up on the drug, some already beginning to take it as preventive...while the virus itself seems to have mutated into resistant strains).

The universities funded by public funds would do research on fundamental science while companies adapted fundamental science to suit their needs. The basic thought was always available free to anyone who could make good use of them. Somebody said "Information wants to be free", well it does seem that knowledge thrives in an open ecology and Universities provided just that environment for cross pollenation of ideas. Schools in the United States are meeting their costs through sales of Cola through their vending machines. Institutions of higher learning like the Indian Institute of Technology (note, this is not a pure science instute like TIFR or IISc) get funding from their alumni. Here is an interesting approach to the problem. IP2IPO is a firm that tries to convert the Intellectual Property of Universities in the United Kingdom to commercial ventures similar to the way NASA tries to spin off space research into products and services that can be used by consumers. I found them interesting. But the scotsman says that Scottish Universities are not happy with the "Exclusivity" that they require.

I wonder what is the next step in the struggle for funds by universities?

A force more powerful

My introduction to video games started when I played PACMAN on a green screen that run on DOS. Those of us who managed the computer lab at the Humanities Dept. of IIT Bombay were divided on the usefulness of this game. There were those who said that computer games were a waste of resources, machine and human. There were others who thought it was a good way to get people to actually sit down in front of the computer screen and start using the thing. I remember the day I opened the EXE file and changed the name of the characters to people I knew!!

Why did I play the game? Because it was a good way to get your mind off work. Because after your brain had grappled with the discourse of thesis writing and the ontology of one's own existence, it was nice to play something that didnt require thinking. Thats the reason why I still play computer games.

The reason why I don't play computer games any more is because I have watched my children play games like Postal, Doom, etc. The glee and happiness of seeing a man machine gunned and then crawling, crying out in pain. Even those were easy, but when STRATEGY games came along, where you build cities or run business simulations... I decided enough is enough. Thinking is what i do for WORK when I am relaxing I don't want to think.

Now here is a computer game about Gandhi's NON VIOLENCE!! Breakaway Games are interesting guys who are trying to use Computer Games for social change. I read about A Force More Powerful first on Wired.com, a favourite haunt of mine. Time for me to consider Computer Games all over again!

The Wired article talks about how Ivan Marovic, a member of the Serbian non-violent resistence partnered with Breakaway Games to create a tool to train people in non-violent civil resistance. Now thats an eye-opener for anyone who thinks that non-violence died a peaceful death with Gandhi! Read what Mother Jones has to say about it here.

The beatles

In my leadership class, each person presents the leader that he or she admires. This is followed by (in the next class) two people who present a critique on that person as a leader. Today we concluded the critique on John Lennon as a leader. Other leaders that they talked about were Micheal Jackson, Jesus Christ, Alexander of Macedonia, etc.

But the Beatles got me thinking. The convergence of management and art is something that I have been thinking about for a while now. Last year in the leadership class there was a paper connecting leadership to the conductor of an orchestra (Mintzberg, H., -Nov1, 1998 HBR) That was quite an interesting approach. The conductor has no "POWER" over the orchestra, and he doesnt make them obey him.

The Beatles on the other hand, remind me of the power of a "band". If the conductor has a solitary influence over the orchestra, The Beatles worked together to create an impact... not among themselves but ont he world around them. Perhaps we are looking at the wrong picture? Maybe when mapping leadership, its wrong to look within the organization? If a music band can be an example of leadership, how can one look at the metaphor in management?

How about a small group of people coming together (not an organization that continues to grow into a mammoth), just a small group of people who know that they can make an impact. They would compose "songs" or projects. But these songs, once composed will have a life of their own, a significant part of the band will be focussed on making new songs, rather than on managing production lines of CDs for their existing songs. Am I rambling? I am sure there is an interesting metaphor there, I am not sure if I have actually written it well enough.

The Power of Anonymous

Being anonymous is a very powerful thing. When I was young I read a book of aphorisms and many of them were marked "Anon". I remember going to my father and telling him that this "Anon" (who I thought must be somehow related to the Biblical "Aron") was a very insightful man. It was then my father laughed and told me that Anon stood for "Anonymous".

I have always allowed people to communicate with me anonymously because I know that there are those who have difficulty revealing their identity when speaking. In many of my classes I tell people how they can send me anonymous email. It is important to hear from them, if only not to be carried away by self-serving biases. The world is divided into those who want to provide anonymous speech online and those who would like to do away with Anonymity. For example while one group of people try to shut down anonymous remailers and provide accountability for each piece of information through tracking IP addresses, etc. There is another group that tries to provide bloggers with tools on how to put up information anonymously!

Yet, whether it be in chat rooms, on bulletin boards like this there are rude people everywhere. Online I have met more than one person who refuses to talk to me because I am an Indian and because Indians are fast earning a reputation for making comments full of rudeness and hatred. On the other hand, many of my (Indian) friends have stopped using internet communications for the same reason. So maybe the vast majority of us are rather decent human beings even when we are anonymous. (For an interesting take on anonymity, see the movie "Hollow Man")

But there is no denying it hurts. Especially when someone decides to target you individually and specifically. I guess everyone has to put up with it, if you have a public mission. When the most recent salvo arrived, it stung as if I was slapped. When reading through the words like these, you see nothing but mockery and insult when there is no pulling the punches. This is the worst side of anonymous. Its hard to not wonder...is he/she a student of mine. Is Mr. Anonymous sitting in a class of mine, perhaps silent, but observing, judging?

Read comments by "Anonymous" on this linke scroll down for the discussion.

http://mathaifenn.blogspot.com/2005/10/gandhi-i-hate-and-love.html#112996836983799514

My answer to Mr. Anonymous is the following:

1. I am truly sorry if I have said something that is of a gaseous nature. Especially if its misleading. But the beauty of this medium is that you can choose to ignore it. Do you choose to come back again and again because of its gaseous nature? Or because I try honestly and sincerely to respond to your concerns?
2. Thanks for making that connection between me and Arindam Coudhary. That really made me stop and think. Given the current controversy over IIPM all over the blogspace, I wonder if he REALLY IS like me? Just an ordinary guy trying to do what he can given the life he has to live. Maybe we judge him too based on snippets rather than trying to understand what he is trying to say? Perhaps so many people who believe in him know something that you and I don't?
3. Yes, I admit that my post was more provocative than informative. I don't have all the answers. But I have first hand experienced the power of non-violence, in a fight I got into after 7 years of martial arts training. I am convinced it works. Not against "The noble britishers" but against punks on college campus where my "experiment with truth" happened. But then again, I am sorry you never heard about my experiences or wished to share them.
   

I knew that my post would draw some flack (btw your information, my class on Gandhi was followed by a discussion of Godse and his reasons). I am new to this game and I am only learning how to respond to arrows like this. I could have deleted the first message, I chose to respond. In this post I choose to respond to all my anonymous friends (brothers?) - if you have a point to make, please do so, but also bear in mind that there is a human being who reads this and who has feelings like everyone else. However, I dont wish to be drawn into a flame war, one on one. So if there is nothing substantially new, I will consider this my comprehensive answer to your statements and move on. Perhaps you should consider writing your own blog, too!

Thank you very much for writing to me.

Me and Cleopatra

Unusual insect
Originally uploaded by Intrepid wanderer.

During my last birthday (don't even ask how old I am), I went to bed feeling lonely in a foreign land. But imagine my suprise to find beautiful long haired Cleopatra spent the night with me in my appartment. I bet you haven't had a birthday like that!

When I first saw Cleopatra, I had no idea who she was except that she is beautiful. Then I did some research online until I found her full title, Scutigera Coleoptrata (Click on the link to read more about her and her family.) It is amazing how you can find out almost anything on the Internet. I envy the children who are growing up in today's world.

The Gandhi I hate and love

Today I gave a two hour lecture in Armenia followed by screening of the Attenborugh's epic, Gandhi (1982) which one 8 Oscars. The lecture, though part of my leadership class, was thrown open to the entire university. In the lecture, I spoke about Gandhi, the man I love and the icon I hate. The man I love was a person whose sincerity to his search for the truth was uncompromising. Sure, I dont define the truth his way, and I certainly define much of ethics quite differently, but there is no doubt that at a time when the world went through two world wars, there was a man who thought non-voilence was possible.

(Before anyone else, let me be the first to admit that I am naive and I dont understand the complexities involved in this issue. Honestly, I would RATHER NOT KNOW.)

The Armenian genocide, where 1.5 million Armenians were killed between 1915-16 is a topic that is something that is very much a part of Armenian Consciousness. I told them we managed to finish off 1 million of our own brothers (muslims and hindu) without an enemy! I said it was a matter of national shame. Someone in the class asked "

"who suffered more, Hindu or Muslim?"

I answered "it doesnt matter, they were all brothers"

I told them how the noble weapons of satyagraha (literally meaning "The seeking of the truth", Gandhi's form of Civil Disobedience - strike) , fast, etc. once noble tools forged from the fire of moral expediency have become reduced to what they are now. How the Khadi, which was once a rallying point is now an object of ridicule.

Worst of all the Gandhists of today, to whom Gandhi is nothing but a relic, who hold on to the past in a away that Gandhi himself would never have done.

In my lecture I also talked about Kasturba, perhaps with even MORE moral courage than Gandhi himself who could follow a man through fire... for ideals that were not her own.

In short, the whole thing was fun. But I also stood up and said that

"I can say, without shame, that I think of Pakistani as my brother as much as an Indian is. I believe one day we will live as brothers and this madness will seem like a distant dream"

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.
_____John Lennon

Big Pussy

Big Pussy
Originally uploaded by Intrepid wanderer.

Probably the most talked about statute of Yerevan, Fernando Botero's Cat that sits at the foot of the cascade in Yerevan.

Code crackers out there are free to make what you like of this post.

India Pakistan

Just when will this madness end? One of the worst disasters to strike the region ever has happened, people on both sides of the artificial borders are suffering, dying. And we still talk about line of control? Isnt it time to say enough is enough? To accept our brothers as brothers? To live in peace and harmony? Call me stupid, but I think its time to stop this. I was hoping at least THAT much good would come from this huge tragedy?

And yet everyones STILL fighting about LOC?!?!?!

" Why the dispute over Indian army help?"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4337856.stm

A coconut necklace..40 YEARS OLD!

necklace
Originally uploaded by Intrepid wanderer.

The necklace, that my student Aneta is wearing is made of dry coconut flesh and some seeds strung together by a nylon thread. It was given to her by her mother-in-law, who in turn got it from HER mother, who picked it up from Egypt!

Now you know how to make jewellery that is treasured and can last half a century!!

An Evening of Magic: Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra

An Evening of Magic: Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Originally uploaded by Intrepid wanderer.

This was a performance for the beginning of the "Italian - Armenian friendship days" A wonderful experience

Want to travel to yerevan?

Hi,

If you want to see yerevan, you could take a look at some pics that I uploaded. You might like the place? Who knows?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seethis

Legal Disclaimer: Can they do this?

I hate lawyers, but then I guess I am not in the minority there. If anyone read the fine print in most of the legal clauses we would not do business with the firms that they try to protect so much. Having nothing better to do, I do read the fine print sometimes. Its absurd to see the lengths they go to protect themselves, especially if you are an India Public Sector Service. Quite typically you call such an organization and ask who you are speaking to, and they refuse to give their name. Is this a Weberian approach of treating everyone in a nameless faceless way?

I recently was exploring how to do a wire transfer from US to my State Bank of India Account. On the SBI website I found a helpful document appropriately called "RMT-1" and titled :

A Step-by-Step Guide for Completing the Remittance Application

Given below is the fine print that I picked up from this document. As you read it, please remember that this is from a bank that is in the business of transferring money. To me it sounds like "If you give us your money, we do not promise to reach it anywhere and take absolutely no responsibility if it is lost." Maybe I got it wrong?

CONDITIONS GOVERNING ISSUANCE OF WIRE TRANSFER This Bank agrees to send at the expense and risk of the customer a message directing payment in foreign funds in the amount and manner indicated. The Bank does not warrant that the transfer of funds will reach the payee. It may make use of any branch, or correspondent, agent or sub-agent and shall not be under any liability for any errors, negligence, suspension or default of any of them or for any failure to identify the payee or any mispayment by any of them nor shall the Bank be under any liability for any errors, mutilations, delays, mis-delivery or failure of delivery in the transmission of any message in connection with this transaction whether or not in code or whether by mail, postal service, telegraph, cable, wireless radio or otherwise, or for any suspension of any such means of transmission or for any imposition of any censorship, exchange control or other restriction, all such risks being bome by the customer. Under no circumstances shall the Bank be liable for any consequential damages of any sort.

MY own legal disclaimer:

Everything on this blog may or may not be true and the author holds NO responsibility for any content written here. I wish the New York Times thought of this before that journalist had to go to prison!

Proud to be an Indian!

...that was the title of the email I received. It talked about how G Vaidyaraj, discovered two large diamonds. Apparently they were worshipped for centuries in his household and no one knew they were diamonds until recently. Fortunately Mr. Vaidyaraj never asked for his share of treasure that he found... or he would have bankrupt the entire country... because

" .... The cost of single diamond exceeds the GDP of USA + UK.
India can buy virtually 7 developing nations...."

I decided to do a little bit of I-Arch (what I call Internet Archeology) to find out more about this and I typed in "proud to be indian" and I found out that this is a mantra that is chanted again and again, as if it took some repetition before you could believe it?

Google said "proud to be indian" has been indexed 14, 300 times.

Not happy with that, I did some cybersearching on G Vaidyaraj and his diamonds. Vaidraj + diamonds yeilded only 976 results. But its amazing to take a look at what they are. Click on the previous link to see the results. While the whole email was pasted virtually everwhere, no one had either proved or disproved the claims mentioned in it. I guess we believe what we want to believe. So I recommend if you want to find diamonds that are that big, you have to go here. In the meantime I keep getting tons of forwards about the greatness of India and Hinduism. STOP dont you know its EMPTY vessels that make more sound?

Mathai

PS. If you want to hear a more credible story about an Indian diamond, try The Great Mogul Diamond, by clicking here! Its a story waiting to be made into a book like dan brown or a modern version of Indiana Jones.