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Lahore Management Summit 2009

Fortunately I got the chance to be in the organizing committee of Lahore Management Summit 2009. This event was hosted by Nutshell & TIE. The theme of the conference was “Management in Turbulent Times-The Way Forward”. All the speakers had a chosen a topic which revolved around this main theme. It’s not possible to write about all that was disused there, however I am going to try & narrate the crux of the 9hr long event.

One thing on which everyone agreed & believed was that we should not give hope in any case. Yes, these are difficult times but then these are the very times when success is available if you are able to provide solutions.

Another focus point was the leadership. Here again examples were quoted about some of our great cooperate leaders which made me realize that we need to stop whining about the lack of leadership qualities of our people. A bit of organization is required to bring this talent to the for-front.

The role of a positive media was also discussed & during different presentations specially that of Badar Khushnood, Country Consultant Google Inc. Pakistan we got some very positives aspects of our country which I believe that our media has failed to promote. For example the fact that we are at number 3 when it comes to the usage of the internet even with one of the lowest literacy rate.

These were the three main points which turned our pessimistic approach to a more optimistic one for which I was personally quite glade…;-)

Now for small summaries of the topics which different speakers spoke on.

As the summit was divided into three sessions. I was not able to attend the first one as I was at that in the team which was handling the registration of the guests. The topics of that session were:Recession, Survival & an Opportunity.Managing in Turbulent Times-The way forward

The second session was a panel discussion on “The Leadership Challenge-Sustaining Growth., Expanding the Boundaries”, The panelist talked about different challenges that we all are facing not just in Pakistan but the world over & how with innovation these challenges should be faced. Every company will go through the cycle of good & bad times but it’s the way that these companies specifically their leadership’s reaction to such circumstances, that determines whether they are to survive of perish just like some of the very grand names that we have witnessed collapsing. During this session emphasis was also given on the use of blogging for discussions.

Mr. Haroon Bhatti (Director People Excellence & BPI, Telenor Pakistan) presented on “Why Change is Bad”. His main point was that most of the time change does not produces the intended results & also the company does not reviews whether the change introduced has been approved by the customers or not. He said that his statement was not to be taken as a thumb rule but that according to his observation & experience, as in organizations personal interests exceed the organizations interests.

This was followed by Mr Tahir Basharat Cheema (Managing Director, PEPCO) who talked on “Efficient Energy Use in Turbulent Times”. He gave a much elaborated presentation loaded with statistics about the past & present situation. He also told the audience as to what are the measures that he is taking to improve this situation & what potential exists.

Mr. Fredrik Nillson (Managing Director, Oriflame Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited was the first speaker of the third session. His topic was “Harnessing Sustainable Growth in Emerging Markets”. He took the example of his own company & explained that it is not compulsory to follow the pattern which everyone is following. Being a cosmetics company their main marketing style is by the word of mouth & their stronghold is direct sales. Adopting this approach has proved fruitful for them & they have invested happily in Pakistan & don’t regret the decision.

Next was Miss Sheeza Mohsin Dhanani (CEO, Complete Solutions & Leadership Strategist, USA) & her topic was “Managing Talent & Organizational Conflict during a Downturn”. In her interactive presentation she first laid the ground work by discussing the common patterns which we adopt for conflict management. Then she cleared the difference between what’s the right strategy & what’s the wrong one. The conclusion was that you should not just be depending on one individual which in the most cases is the boss to look after the conflicts. Instead every individual should develop this habit to become a conflict manager. Adopting this patter will help in the efficiency of the work.

She was followed by Dr. Khalid Javed Chawdhry (Member; Board of Trustee, TiE Global Inc). His topic was “Entrepreneurship opportunities in the Downturn”. He’s a MBBS doctor & a banker as well. He served in USA for 26 years & then came back to Pakistan. His focus was how to exploit the opportunities which still exists it’s only the matter of exploiting them. Answering to a question he said that his concern was that we have a lot of talent but the problem is of financing & he is concentrating on this aspect.

Mr. Badar Khushnood (Country Consultant, Google Inc., Pakistan) presented on “Marketing in Challenging Times”. He was the one who gave the figures on where Pakistan stands on internet usage etc. Focus on blogging & other tools related to the IT were his focus as new mediums for marketing as the trends are changing.

The ceremony was closed with the address by Sartaj Aziz.

This was the first time that this conference was taking place in Lahore. Before this event has always taken place in Karachi. Hopefully everyone left the Crystal Hall of Pearl Continental Hotel, Lahore full of optimism as when we were entering the hotel the addition of security measures was a sight. The change in the entrance gate, sand filled drums etc. However, after listening & interacting in with people who were full of hope & ready to materialize their imagination the mood changed with a 180 degree angle

Product-loving Entrepreneur's Dilemma

According to a leading entrepreneur in Pakistan, services and products (both a form of business) are as if two opposing realities, as the difference between these two modes being very sharp. He observes that a service (for example, the job of a surgeon which deals with standard cases) requires the service provider to execute what he's best at in the best manner in order to 'create value'. The problem with making a new product, however, according to him, is that there's no repetition involved to save the day; rather, every time a company commences to develop a product that must be different from what is being offered in the market, it needs a whole new set of capabilities, technical expertise and organizational skills just to innovate a product, not many products. Moreover, another dilemma is that this, unlike providing tedious service(s), consumes an excessive amount of energy and resources. "Burn rates", like stakes, are very high.

Thoughts please?

Use Dark Colors in Your Presentation Slide Background

Try to use dark colors in your presentation slides background, especially if you're presenting to executive. Why? Simple. Dark color is not a color at all, it's the absence of a color. Therefore, 'it's soothing to the eyes'. Moreover, your audience are allowed to narrow down their focus on the written words. Steve Jobs perhaps made a good use of this principle.

(This tip was bestowed on us by our strategy professor.)

Entrepreneurship: Cure for Our Hundred Material Sorrows

Note: I wrote haphazardly this little post to introduce our field of entrepreneurship to an audience of position holders of all boards of Pakistan in Punjab. Many of them are becoming doctors, engineers, scientists, biologists, bankers, etc. The original post is here. Please improve on it and give your feedback.

***

Entrepreneurship is about starting up new business(es). The only way a new firm can make business is by delivering something that has not been offered, or, "to create products that people need but have yet not imagined." This involves a lot of 'innovation' to be done that goes beyond mere 'invention'. Hence, we have much more practical and feasible solutions for everyday problems. And, above all, entrepreneurship - like life - is about integrative thinking and action. Cross-pollination of different fields, technical and non-technical expertise goes into making innovative products and solutions for the benefit of a greater number.

The most innovative firms, like IDEO, are ones where the teams, that develop and make innovative solutions and products for real life problems, consist of people from very diverse backgrounds. IDEO, for example, was once given the task of reinventing the shopping trolley. Now imagine, you're to make a much better trolley, that is more safer, effective and efficient and cheaper, would you need biologists, marketers, psychologists, etc. to make such a product? Yes, you do in entrepreneurship to make breakthrough, cheap and efficient products.

What would be better than integration of different parts of knowledge, in our world so ruthlessly compartmentalized? With this integrative approach towards making use of knowledge, and knowing a process to innovate better products (that is Design Thinking, click to know what it is), would lead us to eliminate poverty, save energy, and make practical things that solve everyday problems. To end this post by giving a little example of how entrepreneurship, the art and science of doing business, is helping poor countries prosper and save their resources, I just need to mention about the 100 Dollar Laptop Project; One Laptop for Every Child, which is backed by world's major transnational corporations:

"Mission Statement: To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future."

Read more about the project, its vision and technical aspects (hardware and software), here.

What is Design Thinking, the art and science of innovating practical ideas?

There's no best way to teach and show what the process "design thinking" is; and how it's related to entrepreneurship than by showing the following four (qualitatively only two) videos.









What are your thoughts? Do you think it will help us innovate new products at FEA?

Free Rotman (PDF) Magazines

Here is a link to at least 11 free Rotman Magazine of Rotman School of Management, Canada:

http://www.asiaing.com/magazine/26.html

This link also includes more than 50 other magazine titles.

But first read Fall 2008's magazine, and the article Too Hot to Handle (Pg # 28) on conflict resolution that may arise in management team that makes decisions.

http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/pdf/fall2008.pdf

Is disorder is more efficient than order

Have you ever observed that many busy, working people, who are really competent and intelligent, have their study rooms, offices, etc., full of disorder, almost as chaotic as Pakistani society? Do you think it is negative and inefficient to have disorder rule over one's living place(s)? i feel this, others may relate to it, that disorder is a good friend of mine. It does not bother me, rather it helps me by saving my time which would have been consumed in establishing the order, which never stops to diminish. Disorder is natural to happen, it'd take place, look what entropy says, but can it be really more productive than having order in 'working places'?

A Poster

That's a "Official Objectified one-sheet poster" I found on the site from where I picked up the previous video. All it has got to do is with contemplation. Contemplate on the products you can see in there, all of which you are familiar with. Then ask questions about them and see that previous video and try to relate design thinking with it (here's an HBR article by world's leading design thinker Tim Brown: click here).

Image source.

On Design Thinking, A Design Film

"Watch a clip from Gary Hustwit’s latest documentary, Objectified, which focuses on the design of everyday objects and the people who create them. Several IDEO-ers are interviewed — Tim Brown, David Kelley, and Bill Moggridge." Here's its website to see what's more about it. Follow Gary on twitter.

'How to Quit Your Job and Start a Company'

Guy Kawasaki takes an interview of Pamela Slim, 'a coach and writer who helps frustrated employees in corporate jobs break out and start their own business', on "how to quit your job and start a company to change the world". Read the interview. A must read, to say the least.

How to remain ever more creative while protecting your ego from egoism?

The talk speaks for itself. (Notice: No PowerPoint. The magic of storytelling.) Basically, the author and creative writer, Elizabeth Gilbert talks "about a different way to think about creative genius". Essential for those busy in creative acts and groundbreaking for those willing to be creative.

(Visit the site if view is not perfect: http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/453)

A Personal View on "Coke vs. Pepsi" Talk at FEA

Daily Jottings

25 April 2009

Saturday

I’m in Sargodha now. I reached here yesterday night. We would not have got delayed on our plans, if I had left the college at time, and not have spent time on tea with my senior friends. We came back to their hostel (whereas I live in my home in Lahore), after attending a talk-cum-presentation on “Coke vs. Pepsi”, at least that was the topic chosen earlier; but later (during the presentation) we found out that since one student was absent of the two, the presentation will focus sharply on Coca Cola, so to say a partisan view of the latter, whereas a comparison between the two, however, will be carried out. The moderator of the talk praised generously the tenacity of the one presenting team member, who despite being singled-out, carried on and presented almost a 1-hr discussion, not to mention again, singlulary.

The primary concern of the presentation, however, was two-fold, with varying degree of focus. The first being, in terms of order of presentation, to present a brief history of the firm as start-up; its start-up idea; and the evolution of the company till this day, the way we know it now. And, secondly, first in importance though, the “marketing strategy” of the firm through-out its career that spans over more than a century.

Presentation was structured accurately, unidirectional, even though the presenter was to present from two different perspectives – i.e. its start-up story and its marketing strategy through-out its career – the two perspectives seem to be now integrated, thus we enjoyed it. And, because the two perspectives found a common focal point, since they’re well merged, the audience didn’t feel tattered between the two.

The only thing I am critical of the presentation/talk, irrelevant of its content, was its being called a talk, although it may never have been claimed to be, but at F.E.A. we only talk about “talks”. This was not a talk in the strict sense of the word. Nay, only the flavour of it was missing. If only it was more open, natural and playful the way a talk is, it would have been a talk, not to emphasize whether a talk is superior to a presentation.

Why We Only Talk about Startups at FEA?

The purpose of F.E.A., as has been sufficiently told, is to study and discuss multinational and local start-up firms and corporations. Although we have discussed mostly established firms, nonetheless we narrowed down our focus to their initial days. But, it would be better that we study and discuss non-established firms and enterprises alone. The reason for it shall partially be explained in the following lines.

Having said enough about our aim, that we study and discuss start-up businesses and dislike going into the later (and more glorious) periods of the established firms and industries (firms don't produce, whereas industries do), the question arises, as we've been questioned as to why we narrow down our focus on the start-up days of the firm?

If I am allowed to write in more detail, I'd only mention one point in favor of the criticism against FEA's paradigm just mentioned. An entrepreneur's genius doesn't lie merely in his successful launch of the venture. Much more difficult challenges are to be faced after the successful launch. Growth, the point I want to raise, is such a big issue and challenge to be dealt with. Growth means not just profit - but a whole series of new challenges and problems before the entrepreneur.
The genius of successful entrepreneurs like Micheal Dell, Steve Jobs, Bill gates, Richard Branson (Virgin group), Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines), who "actively guided their ventures successfully through the years of growth", lies in their adaptive capacity to deal with change, and change is always 'actively' resisted than embraced. Starting up is only a part of the picture.

Our answer in defense to the paradigm we're following is, for the sake of clarity and much more:

1. Learn how to write on the clean slate first, then talk about dealing with change and growth. The biggest advantage of starting a business to the entrepreneur is that he has this clean slate before him on which he can draw and design the organizational structure the way he likes and thinks to be fit. By knowing the art of starting up will give that practical knowledge of how to write and design, in the first place.

2. Learn the essentials first. This includes, to name the two most essential elements of a business enterprise, 'business model' and 'business strategy'. No matter how much growth your firm may have, these two things are only immutable.

3. Keep things simple, don't exhaust them. Learning about change management and growth is no doubt a fundamental aspect of doing business, only baby steps will lead you to think of these things. Keeping things simple will make you more practical and give you more clarity where to start from and where to head.


I believe there are much, much more advantages in gaining expertise about start-ups at this stage than I can imagine. Please give us your feedback and share your insights.

15 Questions You Need to Ask about Apple Inc.

Here are those 15 questions regarding Apple Inc. (as a start-up) that we (Billal Naeem, Osama Hafeez and I) tried to address and answer in our talk on Apple. Your insights and ideas are most welcome.

1. What was the underlying vision(s) in the minds of Apple's founders that led to its birth and further sustenance?

2. How did they implemented their naive ideas, and how did they manage their initial but crucial days?

3. From where did the funding of such IT firm come; and how did Apple finance its business venture?

4. How did Apple gain a competitive edge/advantage in its early days over its direct rivals, such as IBM?

5. What were the factors that made Apple so popular among its targeted market which resulted in 334 million of dollars a sale revenue in only a few years?

6. Is Apple a game changing player; or does it just play the game it find?

7. What are Blue Oceans? It is said that blue oceans of business universe are such areas where the growth potential, value-creation, and profits are unprecedented. Did Apple created any such blue oceans? (Due to time shortage we couldn't shed some light on this part, it has been explained in the previous post.)

8. Cutting from your past to invent what's new is a trap many managers often fail to see and become a victim of. Did Apple ever fall into this trap?

9. In order to create a win-win situation for yourself and your competitors, you've to embrace your worst enemies: Did Apple recognize the possibility of such a win-win strategy?

10. Apple has a name in spending on R&D. Has R&D helped Apple grow? Did Apple resort to R&D in most crucial times like of downturns?

11. Focus is critical for effective leadership. How does Steve jobs provide focus in Apple?

12. Apple's success is not completely based on leadership, of course there has to come a lot of contribution from the bottom. What is the main criteria by which Steve Jobs hire people?

13. How do Steve Jobs co-ordinate, or in other words how does he ensure that the organization stays on its vision?

14. Why do we love Macs?

15. What is the organizational culture in Apple?

Please give us your feedback.

Review of Talk given by Khurram Javed Mir

Last wednesday we had an awesome talk given by Khurram javed Mir former CMO of Kraysis and presently CMO (cheif Marketing officer) of Kualitatem. The key points that he highlighted from his own experience were:

1. Team work is utmost important, you need to have coherent stakes inorder to run an enterprise. He also said, if your are having conflicts between the top tier management then you should better withdraw rather then carrying on the business. Team comprises of non-techy and techy people, the essence of the succes of the business depends upon the co-ordination of the team because you can't do everything yourself

2. Idea

He talked about that behind every disaster there is an opportunity. I think we all remember the Rikshaw idea that he gave. Along with an idea you need to have a strong determination and you need to have a flare which keeps you on the road. He talked about exploiting the right oppurtunity at the right time. He talked about idea process which was about idea generation and implementation of that idea at the right time.

3. Money

You need not to have a money-motive behind establishing an enterprise, because that will eventually drown your entreprise. You need to have some strong flare which keeps you motivated to keep up a business

4. Research?

Before going onto the market you need to have a rigorous research about your market and atleast you should know that you are plunging into right direction

Comment plz.

FEA

Osama Hafeez