Week 7: Less than 3 weeks to the Hilary D-Day

Yes, the time is fast approaching for our Hilary term exams. This was the penultimate week of lectures in this term and each subject has reached a stage from where the next week classes will be more of the revision classes along with a few final concepts. This week had nothing much going on except working on EP project for which the schedule of presentations due in the 9^th week of Hilary was announced.

Last Monday we discussed about the need for a firm to "Go Public" & make additional equity offerings. We also talked about why the firm would ever take the recourse back to being a “Private” company.


In Tuesday’s Marketing class, the discussion was around moving from a value proposition to the Brand. Indeed companies face tough time in devising appropriate brand strategies that can provide company with a better customer acquisition and at later time with effective “Customer Relationship Management (CRM)” practice can have better customer retention rate.


Wednesday, the discussion was concentrated around the concept of “Applying Process Thinking”. Key objectives of the session were to discuss the feasibility of ideas about process thinking in different settings. We also attended a talk on “Managing a firm in Crisis” by Mr. Anjan Lahiri, Executive VP of Mindtree Consulting. Mr. Lahiri’s passion and commitment about the company and the work he does was clearly reflected in his dynamic approach to the topic. He indeed is a kind of man I would love to work with.


On Thursday we focused on the issue of “Power and Politics” in different kinds of organizations. When I look back at history, I can correlate the topics discussed with my experiences in Infosys. Don’t take me wrong because it is always the people who bring in the aspect of P&P in the organization.


We also attended the much awaited and worked upon event of the term, “The Saïd Business School Venture Fund” (SBS’s version of Dragon’s Den). The fund was born last year at one of the forums in Saïd, where Sir Philip Green (UK Retail King) proposed that he is ready to put forward $500K towards a venture fund, if Mr. David Bonderman (Founding partner of Texas Pacific Group) agrees to do the same. Four finalists, selected out of 83 initial contestants, presented their business plan to the panel of Sir Philip Green, Mr. David Bonderman and Sir Victor Blank (Chairman of Lloyds TSB Group) for an investment from the venture fund. In the end, two of the four got the funding for their business as Mr. Bonderman and Sir Green kept audience entertained with their witty remarks. The other dignitaries present were Mr. Wafic Saïd (Benefactor and founding Trustee of Saïd Business School), Dr. John Hood (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford), and Professor Collin Mayer (Peter Moores Dean of the Saïd Business School).


On Friday, we shifted our focus to the ‘Role of the corporation in the Global Economy’, primarily from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) perspective. In recent years, in the wake of the globalization impact on the developing world, companies are carefully addressing their debatable social responsibilities, be out of moral obligations or under government pressure. Moving away from the level of “a hands-off approach towards CSR”, companies are taking every step to ensure being “a role model CSR company for other businesses". General Motors has sponsored a film about AIDS in the world (A CLOSER WALK).


Saturday was one of the occasional sunny day in Oxford and an Indonesian Cultural Nite organized by the Indonesian Students Committee. I couldn’t attend the same considering had a lot to finish for my EP with presentations and documents all going through number of revisions before the baseline version can shape up. The Lunar Eclipse was witnessed by millions around the globe. Few images of the same captured at different places around the world are available at LUNAR ECLIPSE.


Sunday was back to normal rainy day in Oxford and I decided not to step out of my house, enjoying the day sitting inside. 'HOLI', the festival of color was celebrated in India today with loads of vigor and enthusiasm. People throw colored powder and water on each other. Feasts and celebrations continue till later in the evening. I miss the true nature of this festival and the delicious sweets prepared on the occasion. Well instead of playing colors in India, here I was without any regret finishing my last practical work assignment and reading for the formal works due by end of this month. I apologize that I have not been able to write more about the “Value Pricing Thermometer” but surely will discuss this in next couple of days.


And yes, the biggest event of this week for me on personal front was that I decided to go home (India) during the term break. But still the travel date is four weeks from now and I cannot wait till then but before that have got exams to deal with.


Good Night and Good Luck!!!