Mankind 4.0

Faculty, IILM Graduate School of Management, IILM Institute for Higher Education21 MayDr. Anjali JindalCampus Life, Career, IILM, IILM Blog, IILM Graeter Noida, IILM GSM, Industry 4.0, Marketing 4.0, Student Engagement

Humans are ever-evolving- This phenomenon is triggered by their needs and wants that are required to be fulfilled for survival; well sometimes for luxury too. Every kind of change that takes place in the world develops mankind in certain ways that makes them a little more capable. There are no limits to what humans can do, but it is only discovered when they face a crisis. This is the perfect time to move up the ladder of maturity and once again prove that nothing is superior to humans and nothing can end this mankind’s reign on earth.

What happened so far?

2020 is the year that escalated the revenues of the News Industry and Media Houses. A series of events have been taking place globally which have had a large impact, rather a very negative impact be it to people, biodiversity, climate, or economic growth. The Australian bushfire, Delhi communal riots, coronavirus pandemic are just a few examples to site. The effects of the pandemic have been the most massive so far, so huge that the world has come to a standstill. Lives have been lost exponentially and so have the hopes of people of going back to normal ever again. There is going to be the start of a new normal soon after there is some control over this situation. The pandemic has had far-reaching consequences on human behavior and there have been unforeseen innovations and development taking place concerning a new lifestyle.

It is the beginning of a new era with changes influencing healthcare, consumption, values, society, education, politics, finance, economy, and so on. Such humanitarian revolutions had been taking place from time to time with the genesis of civilization. Firstly, it was the discovery of fire, secondly, the rise of agriculture and thirdly, the industrial revolution. Perhaps a technology revolution is on its way because that’s the only way to keep things going in this crisis. Just when the world was moving towards technology adoption at a very rapid pace, the Covid19 pandemic has fuelled this phenomenon.

Re-shaping industry and economy

All the sectors that are likely to be dominant from now on are healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, education, and social welfare. There will be a significant influence of technology either in the form of virtual reality or artificial intelligence, in all these sectors. The new economy will be technology-driven. Disruptive innovation is going to be a focus point. Social welfare also will gain significance. All of it will be facilitated by public-private partnerships which can lead to socio-economic development. The need for the hour is to focus on all these areas so that the world is ready to face such a pandemic again without severe loss. Otherwise, the economic depression cycle will continue for a prolonged duration. The cycle goes on like this- business exists for profit and no production leads to no sales and hence no profits. The capability to employ becomes less. So, companies only hold on to very essential employees to meet demand when the economy picks up. Subsequently, people lose jobs or have the fear of losing jobs and buy less, consume less. So demand goes down and profit automatically goes down. It is evident that revenues are falling and both consumption and production are going down paving a path towards economic recession. However, post the pandemic, the countries with a zero growth rate will be looked upon as an attractive business hub as compared to the countries with a negative growth rate which is going to be common after this catastrophe.

Life comes first

Many of the best paying jobs only facilitate the exchange to make money and serve the no wider purpose to society. This leaves us with huge consulting firms, the advertising industry, and the financial sector. Health care and social care never got the limelight as they were considered “unattractive”. Looks like in the present-day people are realizing that there’s more than making money to survive. A much wider approach to life needs to be followed. Life should be valued more than anything else. Nobody anticipated that a microorganism can devastate the most evolved and developed organism on earth; the humans. This is a signal that the next phase of evolution has arrived where we need to reconsider our way of life. The priorities need to be altered and a more vigilant human needs to take shape.

A transition in lifestyle

Post the 1918 Influenza pandemic, many lifestyles, and hygiene etiquettes were being followed that were never imagined about earlier, yet are a part of our daily routine in the present day. Similarly, there will be some concrete transitions now. Just to cite an example, as social distancing is so essential, multistory buildings might become history. Too many people jammed in one apartment is undesirable. We need more open spaces with better ventilation. Filtration and neutralization of air and water will become mandatory. The home will be the new office for jobs that don’t essentially require movement and physical interaction. Work will be digitized to the farthest extent. The internet will be more accessible and the blood of information flow. Traditional jobs will be replaced by robots. Education delivery will become blended and rich. Globalization will move towards localization. Countries will try to be self-sufficient by having an entire supply chain within the country borders. Country borders might be closed except for extremely essential exchanges and international trade will be redefined. Social welfare, poverty reduction, education, and employment will be prime concerns. In addition to this, people will value their jobs, focus on productivity. Family life will be back, eating nutritious home food with the family together, interacting, bonding, all of it which was somewhere lost in the mechanical life will revive. The scarce resources will be better utilized for needs first and then wants.

Life on earth is precious and with every passing day, facing challenges and changes, mankind has always learned to adjust and endure. With this optimism, we can hope that with time we will evolve to a stronger, more sensible, and responsible being and harmoniously share the planet with our fellow beings. We need to make some quick lifestyle changes and inculcate healthy habits. With our efforts, we can have a better and happier ending to the year 2020 and have a successful decade ahead.

Please comment and share your views on how the Human Race will evolve in 2020.

By Manisha Kar Dr. Anjali Jindal

IGSM/PGDM Student Assistant Professor (OB & HR)

Zero Waste in Fashion Design

Faculty, General Blog, IILM University20 MaySeema Chaudharyfashion design, pattern cutting, zero waste fashion

Keywords: Sustainability. Zero waste patterns, zero waste, Pattern making

Limited resources and climbing cost have been the seeding ground for concepts that are new to our 21st century. Concepts like sustainable development, circular economy and ethical businesses have been focus of discussions for the past two to three decades. When applied for fashion design industry we are talking of how to save the resources in terms of limiting yarn and fabric wastage in current manufacturing process. The extent and amount of wastage is alarming in our factories and fabric wasted and discarded in cutting process is a matter of concern. It is a concern not only because it ends up in landfills, but also the fact that fabric is one of the main costing head of any garment. If we can save on fabric in Cutting Room of manufacturing unit it is a win-win situation for both maker and user.

It is estimated that as much as 15 percent of the fabric is wasted in any cutting plan. However, this was not so a few centuries ago. History is the evidence that limited resources were kept in mind while designing and making garments in any culture. Japanese Kimono dress is cut from rectangular shapes of Patterns which leads to zero wastage. Our traditional Indian garments like panelled skirt (Lehanga) and tunics for men and women (Kalidar Kurta) are some of the best examples of how not to waste fabrics in pattern cutting process. These garments were comfortable, gave interesting silhouettes and didn’t give up on the fitting aspects to the wearer. The saree is an excellent example of zero wastage in fabric – the saree is usable as soon as it comes off the loom, and you don’t need to cut or sew this classic costume of India. The versatile nature of this costume show possibility of a rectangular six yards of fabric draped in several styles on a woman’s body. Similarly, ancient costumes of Roman and Greeks were rectangles or circles that were draped around the body without much of cutting and stitching involved. People respected and took care that fabric which was made with so much of hard labour on hand operated looms, is put to the best usage.

Greek “chiton” for men and women were draped rectangular piece of fabric

Different Saree drapes

What can we learn from history of clothing? The zero waste concept was first coined in start of 21st C by Warren Snow in New Zealand in year 2000. Soon the concept caught on with US government programs for recycling at grass root level. Soon it caught on with Australia, Europe and Asia as well. In 2003 in Wales, Zero Waste International Alliance was discussed and formed with the mission to divert minimum 90 percent of waste from landfills and incinerators.

In Fashion Industry, Zero Waste clothing refers to little or no waste of fabric in their production. Before the garment reaches the consumer, we have to plan, design and manufacture garments in such a way that least of fabric and other resources are wasted. Patterns are the bridge between the fashion sketch and final garments. Hence, a Pattern maker is an import link in sustainable fashion chain. The usual process of Design as taught and practiced in design schools and industry is to sketch the idea of design from a trend and mood board, then the sketch goes to pattern master who makes the patterns of that style and cutting takes place as per the required design. However, once we flip the concept of making garment from design first to plan No-wastage first, we will notice that pattern planning comes as an important starting point. The fabric type and width is an important aspect and it has to be first considered as a deciding factor rather than final silhouette. The process becomes more logical than inspirational, as we usually are flexible in making our designs more in tune with our goal of not wasting any fabric. Another idea that is catching on is to recycle the strips of old garments or surplus fabric pieces into strips which are then again woven, crocheted or inter-laced into new garments.

Many designers use the draping technique to arrive at garment designs than sketching to start with. In this technique, you drape a piece or pieces of fabric on the dress form to make 3 dimensional garments straight on a dummy. The approach is open ended and gives room for experimental drapes and unusual functional details. Another approach is to weave that much panel of patterns that is required – Direct panel on Loom, it is something like whole garment system where yarn is fed into the machine and out comes the garment – No fabric is produced and yarns make directly the shapes of panels or patterns required for the garment. These techniques are expensive and not many can afford its cost.

Some famous designers who have worked with zero waste in their design approach are – Zandra Rhodes, Julian Roberts, Holly McQuillan, and Siddharth Upadhdhya for his Direct Panel on Loom approach.
Zandra Rhodes was one of the pioneers in the zero waste concept in the British fashion scene. Her simple, geometrical cuts are famous with celebrities. Julian Robert is an exponent of zero waste throughout the process of design, Cut and make through his inventive method of pattern cutting called “Subtraction Method”. He starts with less of planning and more of creative risk, cutting the fabric, manipulating on dummy and sewing in unusual ways. Here, in his own words –“Design comes last, not the first” and one enjoys the accidental innovations in the process.

“It (Design) is discovered by chance at the end of the prototyping process, not at the beginning where it would be a limitation or precondition. So to me ‘designing’ is making, it’s not making a pretty picture and then passing it on for more skilful hands to realise and bring it to life” – J. Roberts in an interview on January 30, 2019.
(source: https://subtractioncutting.tumblr.com/post/132676352496/vocal-reverse-subtraction-cutting-lecture-today)

Holly McQuillan wrote the first book on this concept in 2016- Zero Waste Fashion Design, whereby she expresses her concern that problem is bigger than we think. A prominent personality in Sustainable fashion, she continues to research and teach the same to her students at Massey University, NZ.

Julian Roberts draped dress using Subtraction Method

Many young designers are adopting this concept in their brands. One of the interesting one is Dr. Mark Liu who applied mathematical equations to make patterns in such a way to save onto a lot of fabric being wasted. Karen Glass is another one to be inspired from. She hunts scraps from various factories and joins these pieces in an artistic way to make forever fashionable ensembles. Daniel Silverstone is working on same lines – to join pieces that are discarded into new patterns that make it look artistic and one of a kind.

Denim pieces patchwork by Daniel Silverstone

The functional need gives rise to design intervention. The function remains top priority. The less is wasted, the more is saved of every resource – labour, money invested, materials, ideas; and, most importantly, there is always so much already produced in society, can we not reuse that itself?

Circular economy as a concept can be a reality for every business. Given the risks in supply chain and system becoming too complex, we need simpler strategies to solve issues. We should not be making new solutions to solve a problem that existed due to a failed solution. That is a never-ending game, and we can see the repercussion of over-dependence on systems now. Basically, we should stop passing bucks – “my waste is government’s responsibility, Or, what consumers do with their clothing is not my concern”, etc. etc. The time has come to take responsibilities and contribute for everyone’s well being rather than being self centered as a business strategy. And, clever planning to reduce waste of fabric is one small step for a big issue facing our garment industry today.

Website References:

1. https://thefashionadvocate.com/blogs/news/julian-roberts-is-an-avid-sustainability-advocate-the-inventor-of-subtraction-cutting
2. https://eluxemagazine.com/fashion/zero-waste-designers/
3. https://textilevaluechain.in/2020/03/12/zero-waste-pattern-cutting/
4. https://www.modopactua.com/pdf/LEARN_Zero-waste_ENG.pdf
5. https://hollymcquillan.com/category/sustainable-design-practice/zero-waste/page/2/

ART THERAPY- DISCOVER YOURSELF

Campus Life, Career Development (Placement), Center for Emotional Intelligence, Faculty, General Blog, Guest Blog, IILM Graduate School of Management, IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM Undergraduate Business School, IILM University15 MayMegha KochharArt, art therapy, channelizing energy, Coaching, healing, IILM keeps students motivated, inner growth, optimism, psychology, stress management, Transformation, Well being

“Mirror is a reflection of our faces and Art of our Souls”

Art has the ability to change and transform lives, in profound ways. When words fail, we turn to images and symbols to narrate our stories. Through art we can reach out to people with our stories and find a path towards transformation and healing.

As they say there is a lot between the heaven and earth than just dreams. Art therapy has a therapeutic way of rooting the idea of creative expression that fosters healing our soul and leading us towards mental well-being. For years art has been a very communicative way to express our feelings. When we were young we would instinctively use painting, drawing, sketching to communicate and express our emotions, but as we grow, and maturity hits us we often forget the beautiful impact art had on our lives.

Through Art Therapy patients are provided with a safe place where they can explore not very pleasant feelings like fear, anger, aggression, unfulfilled expectations. Feelings that they would otherwise avoid to talk about. Rightly said “Art speaks where words end.” The field of Art and artistic people has always intrigued me. It feels like artistic people see life through a very different lens. They have immense waves of creativity within and so they life seems so sorted and calm. I wonder how various forms of art give them so much of peace. I guess the only reason why their life is so peaceful is that it’s not humans, but a form of art that is communicated as a Peacemaker and Healer adding the Art Therapy to experience the solace within.

Going back to Ancient history, art has been one of the oldest ways to communicate through wall carvings, sculptures, and paintings right from the Indus valley civilization. It is seen that when a person is unable to speak about his pain, they resort to expressing their feelings through Art.

Healing is totally an internal process which has a lot to do with a sense of positivity and inner strength. Ask an artist and they will enlighten you about the therapeutic impact Art has on them. Art Therapy is a type of expressive therapy that enhances a person’s emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being through the process of creativity. By art we mean everything that stirs our consciousness and inner strength to challenge our mind. This is the process where artistic expression helps lots of people to develop positive feelings, solve problems, change attitudes, boost their self-concept and be more content with themselves.

Art is like a life saving jacket in a world that’s growing crazy. Art keeps you grounded in your roots. It has a meditative impact to develop patience in life. We have to make a choice today either “let Art enter your world or you enter into the World of Art.” Choice is yours to discover the artist in you.

Remember friends Art is not a skill, but an expression and it really does not matter if you think you cannot draw or create. It’s an outlook towards life, which can be seen in the form of a new hobby, learning music, anything that keeps you occupied and for which you feel the desire to create time and it’s so becoming a part of your life in spite of the busy schedules you have as it heals you from all the stress that you’ve been carrying as a baggage of life.

It’s practically applicable and as a life skill trainer and therapist, I have seen my students experiencing the magic of art therapy in their lives. A group of IILM students took this initiative to apply this therapy for the first two weeks and shared such positive results in their level of expression, understanding of situations. One common response was that they learnt to respond rather than react in stressful situations.

Art Therapy gives people medium to express their feelings and problems and tread a happier life that is real and serene in nature. Art as a therapy has proved to be a powerful weapon to combat illness and spread well-being. It allows you to be yourself with no Form and that’s the Beauty. So let’s join hands together to inhale positivity and exhale creativity.

To connect on knowing more about the profound value and benefits of art, colors and visualization therapy write to me on megha.kochhar@iilm.edu

Emerging Technologies Bandwagon: IILM Embraces the New Normal!

Faculty, General Blog08 MayDr Shweta NandaEmerging Technologies, Market Intelligence, New Technology, Vehicle technology

As the Global thrust on Emerging Technologies magnifies, IILM is ready to embrace New Age application areas such as Market Intelligence, Logistics, Text/Data Mining, Gaming, Consumer Electronics and Vehicle technology to name a few.

Call for New Profiles: The Best B Schools are tracking the Industrial Shift towards Market Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence & Cloud Computing lead profiles. The New Normal calls for the inclusive growth of E-Commerce, Ed-Tech, Supply Chain/Logistics, Health and Medical Devices and Start-Ups/ Patent filiations. Start-ups uphold tremendous learning opportunities.

Era for Startups/ IP creation:

The New Normal has also opened door to startups and venturing capabilities. Indian Start-ups have continued to show an increased focus on IP creation, as Indian companies and start-ups filed over 60% of the technology patents out of a total 6500. As an eye-opener to many, these were filed in the US by India domiciled companies during the period 2015 -2019. While international companies accounted for only 23%. Artificial Intelligence accounted for majority number of patents while Cloud Computing took the top spot in terms of growth.

Call to Strengthen Global Network:

With the help of our strongest asset-Stakeholders, we have been able to come up with the Knowledge Repository & Skill database updated at par with the industrial requirements. The new normal has strengthened our ties with networked Global Partners to foster the academic and application based research.

Contemporary Courses:

The New Normal further opens up avenues for online courses like Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python, Improving your business through a culture of Health, Introduction to linear models and matrix algebra, Data wise a Collaborative process and many more.

The Many Avatars of a Teacher – A Facilitator in Learning

Center for Teaching Research and Learning, Faculty08 MayDr Oly Mishrafaculty members at IILM, Teaching

Teaching is a noble profession, it is often said. This is undoubtedly, true . Teachers play a crucial role in the lives of their students. At every stage of a student’s life, there is a teacher who leaves an everlasting impact on his or her mind. Such is the importance of the role of a teacher in the Indian culture that he or she is considered next only to God. While the primary job of a teacher is to impart knowledge, there are many more dimensions to what a teacher can impart to his or her students. The bond between the teacher and the student strengthens as a result of the holistic learning that a student experiences.

Changing role of Teachers:

The teacher’s role has undergone many changes with time. It has transformed from being a sage on the stage to becoming a guide on the side. The role of a teacher has now become more of a facilitator in the learning processes. As a facilitator, they encourage the students to think out of the box. This is done by providing the students with the tools to learn and creating a comfortable environment for learning. The provision of a conducive environment to the students helps to elicit responses from them, challenge their thoughts, and ultimately extend their capacity to learn.

Requirements to be a facilitator:

The faculty members at IILM create productive classroom environments with their dynamic teaching methodologies. The aim is to inculcate and develop the skills in the students that they will need in the future. This requires proper planning and good preparation of the teacher so that they can handle any queries that may come up in the class discussion. The learning goals and outcomes are decided beforehand, for each course keeping in mind the industry norms and requirements. A detailed plan is prepared for the development of these skills sequentially. This includes the combination of online and offline resources, case studies, role plays, group activities, etc. The faculty member will make certain that the classroom sessions revolve around the material provided and give direction for the discussion. They also intervene when a necessary concept needs to be discussed.

Teacher’s Facilitator role and B-schools:

The facilitator’s role is more vibrant than any other role of a teacher as they always have to be on their toes. This helps in a stronger understanding of the concepts by giving more independence to the students in the learning process. The age-old method of one-way communication by the teacher i.e. lecturing has now made way for the facilitator role. This has implications on the way the classroom activities are designed. Effective facilitating will only be possible when the activities are less modeled and less supported. The freedom to explore and apply the concepts learned in the classroom is the need of the hour. This is all the more required in B-schools for producing managers who are ready to tackle any unforeseen event. Thus, the teacher now facilitates students to think rather than providing them ready-made knowledge. This not only prepares students to face the uncertainties in the business world but also makes the classroom sessions more interesting and lively.

Consumerism or Spirituality: Learnings of Kabir Das for Gen-Next

Faculty, General Blog, IILM Graduate School of Management, IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM University, Uncategorized03 MayDr. Kumar Saurabh

According to a Mckinsey report, the spirituality among the Indians is decreasing while consumerism is on a rise. For the very same reason, India is now known as one of the biggest market places in the world. The things which used to be luxury for our grandparents and parents have now become necessities for us. Also, our parents used to buy things for a lifetime but we buy things for just a few years or even for just months. This kind of shift in temperament is visible in various other studies also as when the whole world is now moving towards contentment we are still on the path of dissatisfaction. On the one hand, when the entire world is moving towards spirituality Indians are tilted towards consumerism.

GDP Growth to Happiness Index

The world has moved beyond mere economic development to the well-being of individuals. Presently, the growth of a nation is just not reflected in terms of GDP growth figures rather it is being measured in terms of happiness index. Since 2012, the United Nations have also come up with a study on the happiness of people across countries each year to recognize the happiness quotient of people and their well-being in place of economic development only. Since the beginning, India consistently ranked at the lower strata of countries in the world’s happiness ranking. The same story continues even in this year also as according to World Happiness Report 2020, the performance of India is very dismal in terms of ranking on Happiness Index as it ranked at 144 out of total 156 nations much below than the neighboring countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka which are ranked at 66, 92, 107 and 130 respectively.

To be Spiritual Guru

In the World Happiness Report, the main factors considered for the Happiness Index of individuals are the social environment and the ability to make decisions of life. At present when India is urging to be recognized as the ‘Spiritual Guru’ of the world it is the time when we need to dig out the learnings from our own old and probably forgotten literature to improve our ranking by increasing the well-being of Indians. India, a land of sages has a very rich source of wisdom in the form of religious and philosophical literature. India is a country that had philosophers who themselves have not gone through with any formal schooling and even they don’t know the art of writing but they have given us the mantra for content and satisfying life. Considering Kabir Das, a mystic poet, philosopher and saint of fifteenth-century who himself mentioned as illiterate as in his own words about himself ‘Masi kagad chhuyo nahi, kalam gahyo nahin hath’, he clearly said that he neither touched the paper nor hold the pen in his entire life but have given a wonderful message for a satisfying and happy life.

Consumerism

On consumerism, we can take a lesson from the work of Kabir as ‘Maya mari na man mara, mar mar gaye sharer, asha trushna na mari kah gaye das Kabeer’, the meaning of this verse is very apt that if we go for desires then will never be able to fulfill all instead we will lose ourselves by mere running behind them. Desires are like hallucination and they are never-ending, individuals can keep on fulfilling one the other will keep cropping up the very next moment which leaves us dissatisfied and discontent. So, the lesson which one needs to take that one should always look for needs not for desires because needs are limited which can be fulfilled and can be satisfied while desires are unlimited, and falling prey to your desires is like being in a vicious cycle which has no exit route.

Practice Satisfaction

Furthermore, Kabir also said, “Saain itna deejiye, jaame kutumb samaye. Main bhi bhookha na rahun, sadhu na bhookha jae”, with this he wants to convey that don’t be part of a rat race of earning higher and higher which will keep disturbing you and will not let you be satisfied. The desire for higher earnings will keep you in stress and dissatisfied so instead pray to the almighty for the earnings which are sufficient to meet your needs and to look after the needs of your dependents.

So, if we follow this one simple advice of Kabir to be content and don’t be a victim of our desires then one neither feel dissatisfied by comparing oneself with others nor one feels like losing control on ones’ own life. The aggregate of our feelings of contentment will surely reflect and will have a much-improved ranking on happiness index with the use of learnings of our rich cultural heritage in terms of literature.

Now the biggest question is ‘Which side you want to be?’ To be part of the rat race of consumerism or to follow the path of spirituality, guided by sages for ages. To get more on the subject can approach at kumar.saurabh@iilmgsm.ac.in.

Dr. Kumar Saurabh

Assistant Professor-Finance

IILM Graduate School of Management

The Student Teacher Relationship at IILM University

Center for Teaching Research and Learning, Faculty27 AprilSona VikasFaculty, MBA Students, Mentoring, Student Engagement, students of IILM

The bond I share with my students is an incredibly special one. This is a relationship which continues for life and, IILM University has given us teachers this flexibility to not only interact with our students inside the classroom but also outside.

At IILM University, this is a relationship of respect, love and trust. The foundation of this relationship gets laid on day one when a student takes admission. It gets nurtured during the tenure of the student, continuing even after the completion of their program. The teacher is a mentor, a friend, philosopher and guide in the true spirit. The students have long conversations with their teacher – whether it is in a professional area or an academic concern or connecting on a personal level or just generally talking on any topic under the sun. There is seamless communication between the teachers and their students. At IILM University, teachers not only guide them to make informed choices about their careers, but also motivate them to bring out their true potential. They give them feedback so that they improve themselves. The teachers enhance their confidence levels so that they are prepared to face the challenging corporate world. Most importantly, they spend time with their teachers at IILM University. This relationship transcends the boundaries of formalities and the teacher acts as a mentor for the students.

At IILM University, we understand that students are at the cusp of an important juncture in their life, and they need the support of their teachers to hand-hold them in order to take judicious career decisions. IILM ensures that they have a smooth transition from being happy-go-lucky students to sincere and serious corporate professionals. The role of a teacher in shaping the life of the students at IILM is far more critical and serious business than anywhere else. At an age when most of the students are unable to take professional guidance from their parents, the teachers act as an anchor in their lives, giving them the direction they are seeking.

IILM encourages its students to come out of their comfort zones. As teachers, we persuade them to take challenging tasks and set tough goals for themselves. In the process, they emerge as winners, because they also learn the art of accepting failure and moving on in life, even if they are not successful.

On my part, I feel, it is this bond with the students that completes me as a teacher. It does not matter what time they call or send a message on WhatsApp. It is my commitment to them that they will get a response at the earliest, if not immediate. I do not believe in scolding them. In fact, I do not remember shouting at any of them ever. But it certainly does not imply that I accept whatever they do and say. It also does not mean that I am a lenient teacher. Throughout these 13 years in academics, students have always listened to me and complied to what I would have said. The students of my first teaching batch of 2007 still get back to me for help and guidance. And the reason for it is only one – I treat them as adults and very gracefully put across my point. I do not hurt them, nor do I say anything that I would regret later. I do not believe in taunting them, nor do I ever expose their weaknesses in front of others. I have never embarrassed them by sharing their personal experiences to other colleagues or students.

I conduct myself in such a way, that it gives them the confidence that they can connect with me and take my help any time they want to. This attitude has never let me down. It has made students connect with me, even if I would not have taught them in class. And not surprisingly, I am in touch with all the student batches that I have taught in these years, in some way or the other. I attribute this to the mutual love and respect that exists in my student-teacher relationship. I believe that if we want our students to become good human beings, we must treat them as one.

Brand Storytelling the New Normal

Faculty, General Blog, IILM University12 AprilPamposh Gulati#brandstorytelling, #craftofwriting #contentisking #thenewnormal

The world dynamics has changed. Personal to professional anatomy of living and doing business has gone through massive disruptions. Today’s COVID 19 world has become overly automated and digitally driven. Humanity is becoming the new premium. The web incessantly rewards us with expediency and instant gratification, making the human touch increasingly scarcer and more coveted. And this is when brand storytelling smiles and walks in (drums roll please!!)

Irrespective of the industry, sector, or vertical, businesses should survive and survive well…they have to connect even more intensely with their customers and pull at their heartstrings and engage with them on a much deeper level than before. Brand storytelling is the cohesive narrative that entwines together facts and emotions that a brand induces. It’s not enough to present quality products and services to your customers or a price that they can’t refuse, but it’s now imperative for businesses to begin sharing the story behind their brand’s existence and what really matters to them consistently across all communication channels and platforms. Businesses need to touch on that emotional chord that the customers will evoke every time they interact with your brand. To place long matters short “In a sea of semblance, be unforgettable”.

Today, whether they are existing customers or new ones; they not only require world class products and services, but they also rummage around for something additional, something worthwhile, something to get inspired. Take Apple, as an example. They sell technology, but from the commencement, their audience needed to feel that it absolutely was okay to be brave, bold, and think differently from the crowd. Tesla’s customers need to feel that it’s worthwhile to support the environment and sustainable energy. So, it’s important that when you craft your message for storytelling you think what your customers really need from you.

An effective brand storytelling has a more conversational tone asking for engagement (no strings attached), involving the customer in what you do as a business. Brand storytelling is all about turning your brand into an experience your customers can consume — that’s what will turn customers who pay for your product/services because they need to fix a problem into a rabid tribe that will support your success, be loyal, and come back for more.

That’s how trust builds in and once you have successfully done that, they are more likely to buy from you. The least you’ll have relationships with people who will become your business advocates for years to come.

Storytelling is changing the way of doing business now, it is actually the most ancient and powerful tool for effective education. You know why? Because humans are genetically wired to love and respond to stories. A memorable brand story is exactly the need of the hour. So, go all out and connect your customers to your business in a way that they have a lasting positive impression of who you are and what you stand for, and become loyal clients.

So, it’s time for businesses to stand out and, ultimately, turn into a legacy.

Awakening Digital Media in Remote Areas

Campus Life, Faculty, General Blog, IILM Graduate School of Management, IILM Institute for Higher Education, IILM Undergraduate Business School, IILM University, Uncategorized02 AprilMegha KochharAwakening, changing vision, Common Man, Digitization, Economy, Growth, Print media, Rural Development

The advent of digital media has been nothing short of a revolution for our country. In recent times this importance got highlighted during demonetization and now with the Corona crisis staring at our face. This has also vastly affected our social relationships and the way we perceive issues.

Every technology has its drawbacks when used to generate negativism and disorder. Unfortunately these are the perils of our times and in spite of existing safeguards there are implications which have ominous consequences. Though, we have embraced the digital world with open arms, however, it cannot be said for the common man.

It needs no emphasis that more than 70 percent of the population our country resides in the rural areas. Has this population changed its ways and thoughts to imbibe the rudiments of digitization? The answer would not please us. We are still a developing country and cannot measure up to the standards of countries such as USA, Japan or France.

What then should be the way out? The first and the foremost are related to the reach of media. We need to have internet connectivity to the remotest areas which may involve a large amount of expenditure. A way out could be to develop a cyber hub in each village which should be maintained by the district administration and people could flock there and use the mobiles with the available internet connectivity to transact any kind of business or information related activity. It is noteworthy to see that PayTM and such like platforms have been a great force multiplier towards paperless transaction. We need to build up on these existing platforms and extend their reach to the remote areas of the country.

Broadband highways need to come up and get established in a phased manner. The common man needs this technology to augment the agricultural base of the country and build up the resources of our country. The path is long but can be tread upon if the correct impetus is there. I am reminded of a famous quote,

”Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional”.

Age of the Gig!

Career Development (Placement), Faculty31 MarchRituparna Vats

I met my ex-boss at the airport the other day and asked about how life was! She was my senior for 6 years, and was serving the 25^th year of her employment in the company when I exited. We spoke animatedly and one thing led to another. I expected her to say that she was serving her 30^th year in the same organisation but she didn’t. Instead she told me about her fantastic life of doing things at the pace she wants and picking up few projects in the year and that leaves her unoccupied at least for couple of months in the year.

This is when the new high of gig working occurred to me. For the uninitiated, the gig economy is a free market system where organizations and independent workers engage in short-term work arrangements. The word “gig” refers to the transient nature of the job itself.

¹The gig economy definition encompasses all sorts of contingent work arrangements, for example:

Freelancers
Consultants
Independent contractors and professionals
Temps (temporary contract workers)

There was a time when people struggled to find flexible roles and opportunities of that of a freelancer. Not any more – Recently, CNBC reported that the gig economy employed just about one out of three American workers in 2019. These 57 million freelancers represent an increase of about 3 million workers since 2016. While some people freelance to supplement their main income, others rely upon freelancing as their sole source of support. It’s interesting to note that NASDAQ predicted a larger increase, up to 43 percent of the workforce by 2020, in their 2016 report. India alone boasts of 15 million freelancers today.

What motivates the gig workers to take up the flexible roles

Gig workers cherish the independence over the fixed, regular and stable income and job. Uncertainties with respect to work patterns, assignments loom large but they pale against the benefit of having to do work at your own pace.
They remain away from hierarchy, adherence to authority and other corporate conformance. They take up assignments that interest them and avoid the mundane and the uninteresting work
The assignments taken up are more based on choice than need. Parents, family caretakers, and plenty of others have started to understand the benefits of having more control over their schedules. While freelancers sacrifice benefits and in some cases, job security, they gain the ability to set their own hours. Just as important for many, they can choose who to accept work. There is higher job satisfaction and happiness in a choice-based assignment. The key element is commitment over loyalty and committed work creates value and word of mouth to get in more work for the gig worker.
Contract and temporary jobs have always served people as a way to gain experience and get their foot inside a corporate door. As the gig economy continues to expand, Harvard Business Review²made the case that colleges should note the change and do a better job of preparing students for alternative routes to their chosen career fields. These days, the gig economy provides businesses with more than creative talent, including human resources, accounting, software, engineering, and even executive officers.

How does the future look

The key imperative for a gig worker is to lead a life of discipline and commitment as he /she operates in a non-formal setting. Having a sense of direction and purpose, networking and visibility are parts of being a successful gig worker. Being resilient and resourceful keeps him/her afloat in the competitive and dynamic world.

To conclude, freelancing offers a 21st Century solution for flexibility, productivity, and scalability. Even though it has not grown as much as it was predicted, the gig economy will probably continue to provide a large part of the overall economy and increase in size nationally and globally.

References :

¹https://zety.com/blog/gig-economy-statistics

²https://hbr.org/2019/10/universities-should-be-preparing-students-for-the-gig-economy

https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/the-freelance-army-why-many-indians-are-choosing-part-time-over-full-time/1407756/