I failed to mention a couple of things in yesterday's blog. The first is that my first shower here was an event in and of itself. As I was showering, when I pushed on the soap dispenser to get more soap it crashed to the floor. Being that it was made of plastic it cracked open and the contents spilled onto the shower floor. So for the rest of my shower I had to reach out to the hand soap dispenser over the sink. After a couple of minutes I noticed that the drain wasn't working, and because of that the spilled soap was starting to effervesce, making a soapy mess. And to top it off the shower floor is not divided from the bathroom floor so my entire bathroom floor filled with soapy water - ick! While the cleaning staff immediately resolved the drain issue, I have not been provided with a replacement soap dispenser.
At breakfast a little mouse raced across the dining room floor - he was cute as can be!
Today was the first day of class. The lecture was "Incredible India." The professor talked about how in the U.S. we manage our individual selves, meaning we are independent, but that in India people are interdependent. The family supports you through to the highest level of education you want to go, but you must then sacrifice for your family for the rest of your life.
He spent a lot of time emphasizing the many positives that occur within Indian society and to dispel some myths. For instance, he said that snake charmers and elephants don't roam the streets, as far as I can tell thus far, that is true. He also provided a lot of statistics to try to impress us with how advanced the country is, such as, India is the largest producer of milk and leather goods. I thought that since cows are sacred here it is contradictory to be producing so much leather! Inquiring about it, he stated that they make leather from bulls. Given the bad temperament of bulls, I would like to see what the ranches are like that raise them.
He showed us several clips about innovative business models that have occurred recently in India. ITC e-choupal is a company that has improved the plight of farmers who were being cheated by produce brokers via manual measurement of their products. This company uses only electronic scales. By doing so they have eliminated a level of business cheats, and made it possible for farmers to get fair prices. Another company, SKG Sangha, created some biogas technology by creating fuel from cow pies and then turning the remaining ash into a sludge that is then turned into compost fertilizer. This has helped reduce pollution because the burning of the cow pies takes place in an enclosed system. Production rates and produce quality have also improved. Given that, from the moment I stepped off the plain I noticed that the air was quite polluted, this biogas technology is a good thing for all of us. Additionally, the fact that crop productivity has gone up the standard of living for rural people is being raised.
During the lecture when the professor became critical of the U.S. response to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, and then contrasted it to how India responds to tragedies, I think we were all highly insulted. The reason being, his conclusions probably came from what he saw and heard in the media, which of course failed to point out the positives that occured by Americans - like the fact that firemen went into the WTC at their own peril, citizens donated over a half billion dollars in relief after 9/11, and that companies sent truckloads of needed items to assist in the aftermath of both calamities.
He also stressed how M.S. Swaminathan created a Green Revolution within India by bringing hybrid wheat technologies to the country. And that the Swaminathan Research Foundation is being proactive in trying to avoid another tsumnami disaster, and other water related disasters. Rather than waiting for the government to do something, the Foundation is planting mangroves along beaches to act as a first break against surges. My question is, how does this affect the ecosystem along the beaches? Will it negatively impact some species that live there?
Monday, December 31, 2007
SILK CITY!!!
Saturday night after dinner, most of us headed out to FabCity, Mysore's version of a Wal-Mart, although it is much, much smaller. It had four levels; the first was filled with sundries and groceries, the second level had clothing, the third level was not very full and basically had clearance merchandise, and the fourth level was empty. Upon walking in the front door we drew a lot of attention and stares, obvious foreigners. There were many vegetables that I had never seen before and don't know how you would prepare them - like banana stems. In the produce section there was a person weighing people's produce, the customers crowded around him vying for position to get their items weighed. I have noticed that the concept of lines is a novel one for Indians. For instance, at the Bangalore airport, while going through security everyone was surging and jockeying to get into position - no line whatsoever.
Sunday morning I woke up early (for me) and headed down to breakfast. There were many Indian dishes available, as was fresh fruit and cereal/milk, both of which I passed on in an attempt to ward off Montezuma's revenge. There was quite a bit of discussion about whether the water in the hotel is safe to drink. On each floor there is a drinking water station with a filter for customers. So the management must realize the water in the plumbing is not good for a visitor's own plumbing. But I mentioned that, even though there is a filtration system we don't know how effective it is, and who knows if the manufacture paid off some government official to avoid having to meet some standard. Always the skeptic, I am. But, from our readings, it is quite evident that in India the culture is such that the means of getting one's wanted result is not what matters, the result is. Pay-offs and bribes occur on a regular basis and are considered okay, as long as they are not ridiculously lavish. Even if a person wants to hold himself to a high standard, the pressure to meet expectations can be great, tempting one to skirt the rules in order to meet them.
After breakfast a group of us headed out to do some shopping. Our autorickshaw ride was absolutely wild! At any moment we would surely crash head-on with a bus, slam into a cow, run down a pedestrian, or fly through the air as we hit a gigantic speed bump. It felt as though we were inside of a video game, weaving back and forth, all the noise of horns blaring, close calls, and near sideswipes.
Along the main commercial street there is an abundance of small shops, shoe stores, tailor shops, sundrie shops, jewelry stores - and SILK SHOPS!! What a blast. The proprietor gladly pulled dozens and dozens of items from his shelves for us. I fell for the scarves. And the price was incredible. Beautiful, soft, luxurious silk scarves for about 1/10 of what you would pay for them in the U.S. Because there were so many of us buying, the owner gave a 10% discount. I was the last one to pay, and since my purchase was large I tried to negotiate a 20% discount, but the owner wouldn't budge. I told him if I come back later this week I expect a larger discount, and he said okay. It turns out that this silk shop has been in the family for over a hundred years. I am guessing that this may be commonplace in India because it is hard to move from one social level to another with the caste system that is still in place today.
Although the government is trying to eliminate the caste system, doing so involves changing thousands of years of customs - not an easy nor quick project to complete; and it is evident as you watch people address and respond to one another. There is deference by those of lesser stance, and little eye contact. As I speak to people that are in a lower caste, even just to say "hello" or "thank you", it seems to make them uncomfortable, or they seem surprised when I look them in the eye or shake their hands.
For dinner we were taken to a palace that is now a hotel. It was built in 1921 for the visit of the Viceroy. It is located such that it has a view of the entire city, and you can see the Maharaja's palace off in the distance. We were given a tour by the chef, which seemed a bit odd. We had a welcome dinner with faculty from the University. It was fun to visit with them and compare and contrast things such as air quality in Mysore versus Minnesota, and our Master's programs to their postgraduate degrees.
Sunday morning I woke up early (for me) and headed down to breakfast. There were many Indian dishes available, as was fresh fruit and cereal/milk, both of which I passed on in an attempt to ward off Montezuma's revenge. There was quite a bit of discussion about whether the water in the hotel is safe to drink. On each floor there is a drinking water station with a filter for customers. So the management must realize the water in the plumbing is not good for a visitor's own plumbing. But I mentioned that, even though there is a filtration system we don't know how effective it is, and who knows if the manufacture paid off some government official to avoid having to meet some standard. Always the skeptic, I am. But, from our readings, it is quite evident that in India the culture is such that the means of getting one's wanted result is not what matters, the result is. Pay-offs and bribes occur on a regular basis and are considered okay, as long as they are not ridiculously lavish. Even if a person wants to hold himself to a high standard, the pressure to meet expectations can be great, tempting one to skirt the rules in order to meet them.
After breakfast a group of us headed out to do some shopping. Our autorickshaw ride was absolutely wild! At any moment we would surely crash head-on with a bus, slam into a cow, run down a pedestrian, or fly through the air as we hit a gigantic speed bump. It felt as though we were inside of a video game, weaving back and forth, all the noise of horns blaring, close calls, and near sideswipes.
Along the main commercial street there is an abundance of small shops, shoe stores, tailor shops, sundrie shops, jewelry stores - and SILK SHOPS!! What a blast. The proprietor gladly pulled dozens and dozens of items from his shelves for us. I fell for the scarves. And the price was incredible. Beautiful, soft, luxurious silk scarves for about 1/10 of what you would pay for them in the U.S. Because there were so many of us buying, the owner gave a 10% discount. I was the last one to pay, and since my purchase was large I tried to negotiate a 20% discount, but the owner wouldn't budge. I told him if I come back later this week I expect a larger discount, and he said okay. It turns out that this silk shop has been in the family for over a hundred years. I am guessing that this may be commonplace in India because it is hard to move from one social level to another with the caste system that is still in place today.
Although the government is trying to eliminate the caste system, doing so involves changing thousands of years of customs - not an easy nor quick project to complete; and it is evident as you watch people address and respond to one another. There is deference by those of lesser stance, and little eye contact. As I speak to people that are in a lower caste, even just to say "hello" or "thank you", it seems to make them uncomfortable, or they seem surprised when I look them in the eye or shake their hands.
For dinner we were taken to a palace that is now a hotel. It was built in 1921 for the visit of the Viceroy. It is located such that it has a view of the entire city, and you can see the Maharaja's palace off in the distance. We were given a tour by the chef, which seemed a bit odd. We had a welcome dinner with faculty from the University. It was fun to visit with them and compare and contrast things such as air quality in Mysore versus Minnesota, and our Master's programs to their postgraduate degrees.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Day 1 - Sleepless in Mysore
We finally landed in Bangalore and waited for everyone to get their luggage. Poor Harvey, the one bag he was forced to check at the gate in Chicago didn't arrive. It is in luggage purgatory. We loaded the bus to head out to Mysore. I was happy to see that it was a coach, rather than a school bus. While we were waiting for everyone to get on, the guys who loaded our bags into the storage compartment came on the bus, one after the other, insisting on being tipped. We tipped the first person, and the next two people we told that we had already tipped. They were insistent, but finally after several minutes gave up and got off the bus. A couple of minutes later, their manager came on and started demanding tips - we again stated we had already tipped. I told Al we should get a little session on tipping customs here in India so we know when and how much is appropriate for tipping.
The ride to Mysore was in the dark, but around 6:30 the sun started coming up and we could see what we were passing. Alot of ramshackle buildings, made from materials like tarps, plastic sheeting, and cardboard were along the roadside. It appeared that there is a lot of poverty. There were also many buildings that seemed to be partially built, and then forgotten because the rebar is terribly rusted. What we've heard and read regarding cows in the streets, is true! We nearly crashed into some on the bus ride to Mysore - multiple times.
Upon arriving we were dead tired, but had to wait to check into our rooms until noon. I was pleasantly surprised about the condition of our hotel, especially since while driving from Bangalore we passed several hotels that looked like they were roach motels. The room is very plain, except for the fact that the walls are painted bright orange. It is actually a little disconcerting. After I got checked in and situated in my room, I took an hour and a half nap. Got up took a shower, then headed down for our 5 p.m. meeting. We had a 5 minute meeting that lasted an hour and a half. We were all thinking, if these are the business experts of India, why are they so inefficient at arranging and executing a simple meeting.
The ride to Mysore was in the dark, but around 6:30 the sun started coming up and we could see what we were passing. Alot of ramshackle buildings, made from materials like tarps, plastic sheeting, and cardboard were along the roadside. It appeared that there is a lot of poverty. There were also many buildings that seemed to be partially built, and then forgotten because the rebar is terribly rusted. What we've heard and read regarding cows in the streets, is true! We nearly crashed into some on the bus ride to Mysore - multiple times.
Upon arriving we were dead tired, but had to wait to check into our rooms until noon. I was pleasantly surprised about the condition of our hotel, especially since while driving from Bangalore we passed several hotels that looked like they were roach motels. The room is very plain, except for the fact that the walls are painted bright orange. It is actually a little disconcerting. After I got checked in and situated in my room, I took an hour and a half nap. Got up took a shower, then headed down for our 5 p.m. meeting. We had a 5 minute meeting that lasted an hour and a half. We were all thinking, if these are the business experts of India, why are they so inefficient at arranging and executing a simple meeting.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
International Business Class - India 2008
I must admit that I was not replete with anticipation about the upcoming trip until two days ago. That is when we received the proposed itinerary. As I was looking it over, I sensed the excitement building in me. Since reading it, I have checked out all the companies, temples, palaces, markets, etc. that are on the schedule, via the internet. It looks like this is going to be a great adventure, with so many interesting things to see and do - and we might even learn a thing or two about international business, to boot!
I am also glad that I read Rajiv's e-mail - I'm hoping I can earn my way to a square or two of toilet paper during the trip!
Two years ago for Christmas my mother gave me The World is Flat. I started to read it, but at the time found it to be a real snoozer. This fall for the HR class it was required reading. So I located it on my bookshelf, where it was gathering dust, and it still had the bookmark in it - on page 124. Well, given that it was two years ago, I decided I should start from the beginning. Much to my surprise, I could not put it down. This time around I found it interesting and relevant. I am looking forward to discussing the 10 and Triple in class and hearing if everyone buys into Feldman's theories and/or if there will be solid arguments opposing them.
I am also glad that I read Rajiv's e-mail - I'm hoping I can earn my way to a square or two of toilet paper during the trip!
Two years ago for Christmas my mother gave me The World is Flat. I started to read it, but at the time found it to be a real snoozer. This fall for the HR class it was required reading. So I located it on my bookshelf, where it was gathering dust, and it still had the bookmark in it - on page 124. Well, given that it was two years ago, I decided I should start from the beginning. Much to my surprise, I could not put it down. This time around I found it interesting and relevant. I am looking forward to discussing the 10 and Triple in class and hearing if everyone buys into Feldman's theories and/or if there will be solid arguments opposing them.
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