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Is taking a Drop Year in 2020 a good career strategy? – IILM’s Advice for Students

General Blog, IILM University, , ,

While the whole world is battling Corona, there are many students who have their own battles to wage. This is especially those who have appeared for Class XII exams and they may be worried for their future. A few exams of CBSE students are still pending. The results are yet to come. It is a critical year for them, given their decisions to take admissions in graduation. Some of them were aspiring to go abroad. Now all their dreams seem to be at a standstill.

Well, dear students and their equally concerned parents – The government regulations are no way indicating a pause in education – they have stated in their recent guidelines to delay starting the academic year, but it will begin. You have all options open as you would have earlier. The only thing that has changed now is a shift in the day of commencement of the session. So the question of dropping a year should not occur in your mind.

On dropping a year, one or all of these may happen-
– Your drop year will stay on your CV for the rest of your life. It may affect your candidature for selection, as recruiters are looking for all possible reasons to reject the applicants. You may not even qualify for the selection process, as in several global multinational corporations, a drop in the year is one of the reasons for not shortlisting the profile of the candidate.
– You may be the only one in your class or peer group to sit at home exploring options for the subsequent year- it generally leads to a dip in the motivation level and its not easy to sustain yourself during this time. The morale goes down and depression sinks in.
– You tend to lose confidence in your abilities to start afresh.
– It will also give the impression to any third person that you are not at all adaptable in nature – you do not have the strength to fight it out and brave the circumstances.
– Most importantly, you are still not sure that you will get what you are seeking.

We have all spent more than a month at home, and we do not know till when this will continue. Do not elongate this stay even further – believe me it is going get tougher
by the day. We have already had enough of negativity since the spread of the pandemic – let us not increase the problems in our lives. Make an informed decision about the course you want to enroll in – there are abundant prospects for you. All educational institutions, particularly the private ones are functioning online, and Universities like IILM are all prepared to welcome students in the new session whenever it starts. We are equipped to conduct both online and offline classes. Our faculty are developing innovative pedagogies to make the class more engaging. We have been ensuring that there is no academic loss for the existing students and the learning did not stop a single day during this lockdown period. We have finished our course syllabus for the semester, have conducted Club activities, we have done mentoring sessions, we have guided students for dissertation, we have conducted guest sessions for the subjects we are teaching and we are ready to conduct the exams. We have given ample opportunities for students to intern from home, and
almost all our students have their WFH summer internships in place. As faculty, we are working hard to respond to the situation to the best of our capabilities.

If you were aspiring for a foreign degree, as of now, you should take admission in an Indian Institution for now, and perhaps go abroad for your post-graduation. By that time, you will become aware of your career interests and you will be mature enough to take care of yourself. These next two years will be trying times, and your adamant desire to go to foreign shores may end up being an obstacle for your successful career. Things will certainly become normal – but how soon none of us know. When International borders and travel will open, it is unknown. And how soon they will start accepting applicants and student candidatures for admissions is also not clear.

But what is known for sure is that our career path has to be charted by us alone. Dropping a year has never been a good strategy. And in a world of uncertainty, it is a strict no-no. Based on my experience of two decades, I can only say that think positive, explore available options and get a stress-free life for yourself. Let these turbulent times not affect your careers.

Authored By
Dr Sona Vikas (Associate Professor – HR & OB)

Before its back to normal-Pause and Reflect

Blog Catgeory, IILM University,

So we get these forwarded messages of how lockdown 2020 is treating us and how long we will be suffering in this self-imposed isolation. Satirical jokes about Husband-wife, working moms and home schooling, work from home and work at home, binge eating as well as pollution levels down to nil to be able to see far far away keeps all of us amused.

And in the evening, when the rush of emails and pending work cools off and we are not expected to be logged on to any more meetings; a silence grows with a hounding question; Is it going to be like this forever? Will work structurally change where employers have realized financial viability of having people work from home and its efficiency? How are we going to cope with so many changes and so soon?

Clear blue skies, constant birds chirping, reduced pollution levels and an acceptance which was missing in the first week of #stayathome makes me realize the importance of slowing it down.  We all are compelled to take life easy while crumbling mental blocks to expect and deliver perfection and find peace looking at a messy home, jumbled up time schedules, eating boring home food and mostly not having a choice to step out.

Life before this lockdown was living a rush life; the experience to be everywhere and experience everything will certainly come back to us very soon. We all are wishing to return back to those experiences with a spirit of determination and hope that everything will be OK one day.

But before leaving our homebound lives and getting back into action, please let’s not forget why we are here. Did we learn something relevant out of this? Are we going to embrace self-isolation or just avoid seeing this quality time with self as a bad phase of 2020?

If we can just take with us where we are coming from to where we are going in the near future and accept that all life forms are important, so respect; we need each other, so empathize and to never take anything for granted- not a day, a person or a thing.

If we can just remember to be grateful to see beauty in finer things in life and be easy on self I think we have learnt our lockdown lesson well.

“Life becomes more meaningful when you realize that you will never get the same moment twice”.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         OURPOSITVE.COM

 

Brand Storytelling the New Normal

Brand Storytelling the New Normal

Faculty, General Blog, IILM University,

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, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

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”.

Pathways to Accomplish Goals

Faculty, General Blog, IILM University

Pathways to Accomplish Goals

Life is jam-packed with agendas and timetables. It is all designed at attaining certain goals so that we can measure our triumph. Be it students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, or CEOs, regardless of title and age, each person has goals to achieve.

What is your goal? Travel to your desired destination, lead a team, realize a milestone in your profession, top an exam, learning at a reputed college, pursue an interest, be an innovative entrepreneur or simply develop a yoga posture correct? Whatsoever the goal, it involves a certain level of thought, preparation, designing, and execution. Nonetheless, the question is how to achieve these goals? Let’s dig deeper into exactly how you emphasis on your goals and accomplish them.

Focus on the following pathways to attain your goals:

  • Discover the 3Rs of goals – Relevant, Rational and Realistic.

Relevant: Make sure that the goal you have fixed for yourself comes out to be useful once you attain it.

Rational: Target for something viable and attainable. Let’s say your objective is to visit the moon in the coming few years. Has there been a spacecraft developed for the common public? Or do you plan to be a cosmonaut? If none of these, then do not put yourself up for dissatisfaction.

Realistic: Aiming realistic goals is conceivable when you do an analysis of your SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). Noncompliance with impractical goals will only discourage you.

  • Set minor sub-goals.

Goals are long term, with time limits that are years away, instigating you to be slack and relaxed now making you unsystematic and unplanned. Building smaller targets will make the main goal look more attainable and will also give you a sense of path and perseverance, and reinforce your focus on your long term goal.

  • Nurture common interest groups.

Be in an accurate environment. For instance, if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, join entrepreneurial/start-up groups. These groups can share their valued experiences and skills. Further significantly, they can motivate when you are unenthusiastic and dispirited.

A goal initiates as a dream. Therefore, it is vital that you dream and visualize. Nevertheless, without a design and some strategy to act upon, it will stay a reverie. Remember that a goal worth attaining will implicate certain changes in you. Eventually, the effort essential for realizing goals is a blend of vigor and skillfulness. You will have to discern and discover your distinctive capabilities.

Dr. Rachna Madaan

 

Into the better ‘designed’ world

IILM University, , ,

Pandemic, a term we never thought we will come face to face with in a lifetime. Our lives have become a Sci-Fi movie that prepared us for times that have never been seen but have always been imagined. With the fear of what will happen next, the fear of crashing economies’ and stock markets, the global health alarms; India prepares for the unprecedented times of crisis and the new world will find new opportunities and new pathways. The world as we discuss now will move into a “Better Designed World”, How?

EMPATHY is the key

The home isolation and the confinement have forced the human mind to find alternatives in life and forced to look at life from a new perspective. With new ideas emerging, we need to look at new ways of understanding if these ideas can be successfully applied and turn into good design.

When we learn design process and apply design thinking to our thoughts to generate creative & innovative ideas, Empathy plays a key role in making successful design. Our very ability to put ourselves in others situation and understand the decisions one would make & look through their perspectives, generates the existence & meaning of Empathy. Though none of us can fully experience things the way someone who is actually going through it, but we can attempt to get as close as possible, and we do this by putting aside our own assumptions and choosing to understand the ideas, thoughts, and needs of others instead.

With the health crisis around the world, every individual sitting in any part of the globe, can understand the fear and emotion each one is going through. Current times have given birth to humanity with a new definition. We can feel, acknowledge and understand each other and empathize with one another with utmost sensitivity. This by far is the strongest basis we can create to define any design problem in the process of design.

The Design Process

We ideally follow a four step design process. We go through the stage of DEFINE: where we define our problems; RESEARCH: where we research on various aspect related to our design problem; IDEATE: we generate the pool of new ideas from our mind cloud and map it with the practical solution and; PROTOTYPE: where we actually make our real time solution and test it to success.

 

In this entire process of the design our core remains intact to culture and empathy, this global crisis has brought the culture on a common platform and empathy to the front foot. We look forward to more successful new ideas and make this world a better design for humans and the entire Eco system to live in peace and happy times.

From Me to US generation

There are steps people have taken to acknowledge their biases and to move beyond their own worldviews to try to understand those held by other people. The crisis has given humanity a jump from the “Me Generation” to “US generation”. The responsibility shouldered on not just one self but on every individual to achieve a greater good has made a symbolic reference to “US” existing in this world and in reality has made us more empathetic towards humanity and environment.

And that my friend is the key to the Better designed World.

CONCRETE: A Trending Material for Interior Décor

Faculty, IILM University

CONCRETE

A Trending Material for Interior Décor

Concrete is the best way to add an industrial look into your home decor. The industrial look in the interior has made a hold for a while now, and it’s showing no marks of decelerating. While we aren’t all lucky enough to live in an old transformed warehouse full with genuine industrial elements, there are easy ways to give our homes that distinctly urban feel. So Designers have started to add on Concrete furniture, Concrete Accessories, Concrete Room Styling, Concrete Bathrooms, Concrete lights.  When people hear “concrete,” they often think it’s going to be extremely heavy, ugly stuff only fit to sit in parks and bus stops. But most people are now realizing modern concrete furniture can be just as elegant, nearly as light, and far more durable than other furniture materials. Starting with its incredible durability and aesthetics, Concrete has become a trending material in Urban home décor.

Functionality & Aesthetics

  • Concrete can hold heavyweight, resists scratches and scores, and is highly heat and cold resistant. It will never warp, though it may develop hairline cracks that are non-structural and often enhance the beauty of the piece. While corners and edges can damage, it generally happens when the table being dropped or some heavy object hits it.
  • Sealers make concrete very stain resistant. Spending a few minutes waxing the table every few months with beeswax or concrete floor wax (not automotive wax) will further protect the sealer and extend the stain resistance for decades, and the table can be resealed after many years if needed. The sealer we use is a penetrating densifier (water-based chemical solution), Sealer hardens the surface and makes the concrete less porous so liquid can’t easily penetrate the surface. Sealers change the chemistry of the concrete itself and do not affect the look of the concrete.

Image 1 

  • Can be refinished and repaired more easily than some materials. Chip offs can often be filled in and mostly or nearly completely repaired, with no experience with concrete required, just by grouting with matching cement (though it depends on what kinds of aggregates and cement used to get a complete match). Other materials like glass and acrylic can be very difficult to refinish at all.
  • Concrete furniture can easily go from indoor to outdoor without the need for a different sealer that changes the look of the concrete-like often is the case with wood. Since UV, heat, moisture, cold, and freeze-thaw cycles have little effect on our concrete, you don’t have to worry about bringing in the concrete in extreme weather.
  • Non-toxic and food safe. No or negligible amounts of VOCs (Volatile organic compounds) are emitted by concrete, concrete is not flammable.
  • It’s really not that heavy. In fact, hollow concrete can enable shapes and sizes of tables that would be extremely heavy if made of wood or steel, and stronger than tables made of lighter materials like plastic or ceramic. GFRC (glass fibre reinforced concrete) techniques give concrete a nice solid weight that’s not back-breaking but feels very durable.
  • Easy to keep clean with just soap and water.
  • Concrete can take almost any shape, colour, many different textures, and tons of different impressions. It’s arguably one of the most versatile materials for furniture and design in general, with its combination of strength and freedom of appearance. It can appear machine-finished and glossy, or handmade and textural.

Image 2

  • Concrete can have a more “natural/raw” look than many other surfaces, especially when aggregates are exposed or there are organic impressions. Concrete also arguably has a warmer feel, both on the eyes and hands, than steel, glass, or wrought iron, especially. Certain concrete colours can even compete with darker woods for warmness.

 

Every inch needs a focal point. Since concrete finishes is a visually substantial material, it gives a stack of visual weight to the room. This means it will directly draw the eye and powdered the space.

Image Credit:

Image 1: https://www.sandberg.co.uk/laboratories/construction-materials/hardened-concrete-testing.html

Image 2: http://useofcement.cembureau.eu/2019/01/23/self-healing-concrete-friendly-bacteria-fixes-cracks/

 

 

Does Financial Literacy help in developing “Financially Smart Individuals”?

General Blog, IILM University, , , , ,

Making informed financial decisions is the key to effective financial planning. Every individual is required to deal with many financial decisions daily. Easy availability of a wide range of complex financial products in the market has led to a situation of “Paradox of Choice”, Killins, R. N. (2017) for the Individuals. It is thus imperative for individuals to be financially literate. To be equipped to make decisions, people must have an understanding of the basic financial concepts. Lack of such understanding may result in unproductive decisions. Financial choices relating to investments, savings, borrowings, retirement planning, estate planning, etc are effective and more productive if made by financially literate people.

What does Financial Literacy mean?

Financial literacy is achieved when an individual has access to the information about the various products and services available in the market; the information is achieved through an authentic source; the individual can comprehend that information in a way which results in informed financial decisions, thereby leading to financial betterment and well-being. 

According to OECD INFE, financial literacy has been defined as “A combination of awareness, knowledge, skill, attitude, and behavior necessary to make sound financial decisions and ultimately achieve individual financial wellbeing.”

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has defined financial literacy as “the ability to make informed judgments and to take effective actions regarding the current and future use and management of money. It includes the ability to understand financial choices, plan for the future, spend wisely, and manage the challenges associated with life events such as a job loss, saving for retirement, or paying for a child‟s education.” 

Basic understanding of the various financial products and services and the applicable framework of risk-reward forms the broad base for achieving financial literacy. Individuals must, therefore, appraise the key determinants of financial literacy and how they impact our daily lives. This can be the only way to wiser financial planning and welfare maximization, both- at the individual level and for the society as a whole. 

What are the key determinants of financial literacy?

The ability of individuals to control their Financials, how well they make their ends meet and their approach towards choosing appropriate products reflects an individual’s money management skills. An Individual’s level of financial planning, however, depends on the provision for Savings, knowledge about investments and attitude towards financial planning. Whereas financial knowledge of an individual can be assessed based on their understanding of key concepts such as inflation and compounding; and their knowledge about the concept of diversification. Thus, money management, Financial Planning, Financial Knowledge and Understanding are the key determinants of Financial Literacy levels. OECD INFE (2011), S&P FINLIT (2014).

 

Conclusion: 

As per a Global Fin Lit survey by Standard & Poor‟s Financial Services LLC (S&P) only 24% of adults or less are financially literate in India, S&P Fin Lit Survey (2014). Among the group of emerging economies, India stands at the lowest level in terms of financial literacy. This proves that financial literacy is yet to be given priority by Indian citizens. Being in a situation where 76% of its adult population in India does not understand even the basic financial concepts, the need of the hour is to refurbish the savings and investments approach of the Indian Households and develop financially smart individuals. 

 

http://www.oecd.org/finance/financial-education/49319977.pdf

http://gflec.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/3313Finlit_Report_FINAL-5.11.16.pdf?x87657

Killins, R. N. (2017). The financial literacy of Generation Y and the influence that personality traits have on financial knowledge: Evidence from Canada. Financial Services Review, 26(2), 143-165.

Covid-19 –Political Obligation & Government Compulsion

Alumni, IILM University

The current state of epidemic not only urges the government to take harsh measures but also the people to cooperate with it for their own survival. Letting go of their right of self-preservation the people need to understand that the measures are for their own good.

 Hobbes had once stated “Out of it, any man may rightly spoil or kill each other, in it none but one. Out of it we are protected by our own forces, in it by the power of all. Out of it no man is sure of the fruits of his labor, in it all men are. Lastly out of it, there is a domination of passions, war, fear, poverty, slovenliness, solitude, barbarism, ignorance, and cruelty, in it, the domination of reason, peace, security, riches, decency, society, elegance, sciences and benevolence”. This is a situation which seems to persist in India and around the world currently. When the people are anxious and cautious at the same time. When the citizens are looking towards the sovereign for the answers to their questions and support for their well-being. There is peace and havoc; there is ignorance and awareness that simultaneously persists.

Here the measures of a complete lock-down by the Indian Government at the early stages has been up lauded across the world. Yet the Indian populace even in this state seems to be defying the government orders as a part of their leisure routine not understanding the severity of the situation. The recent incident of the conglomeration of crowds at bus stations is sheer ignorance on their part against the world wide pandemic.

The government of India needs to be praised that they have been working on meeting up with all the flaws in the scenario and bringing in satisfactory measures in the social, economic and health scenario. It is now up to the people of India to understand the severity of the situation and heed to their obligation towards the state which is abiding by the dictates of the state.

COVID – Ray of Light amid Darkness

Faculty, IILM University

World’s economic growth will be severely impacted amidst the coronavirus lockdown causing enormous disruption across multiple sectors. According to Dun & Bradstreet’s latest Economy Forecast, the probability of countries entering into recession and companies going bankrupt has increased and India is not likely to remain decoupled from the global meltdown. Industries’ worst-hit shall be among Financial, Textile, Electronics, Tourism and Aviation and all those sectors (Pharma, Chemicals, Shipping) where the supply chain has been disrupted due to worldwide lock-downs. The crisis continues unabated and there are simply too many variables to control for.

However, I am trying to find a silver lining in the dark grey tunnel. There are a few sectors that have seen an unprecedented hike in customer queries, product demand, and usage. Being home quarantined the general public at large is getting hands-on experience for digital services and the majority of corporates are working from home using digital platforms. Interestingly enough, once these businesses have begun their journey towards a digital/app-based business model and environment, it is highly unlikely they will go into reverse. This might just be the beginning of an altogether different business world with newer models gaining momentum. The coronavirus shut-down in China unfolds a big opportunity for India in those sectors where China is a major exporter. The epidemic has also underlined the importance of over-reliance on Chinese products in the Indian market and it is high time that the government encourages Indian manufactures to step up local production, which can be used to India’s advantage.

Telecom, Broadcast Services

As the number of Covid-19 cases mounts, the nation urged its citizens to stay at home and practice social distancing. This move shall aid the telecom sector as Indians consume more and more data. Consumers are expecting the internet to work round the clock to enable them to function seamlessly. In January and February, when China—the epicenter of the virus outbreak—was under lockdown, the revenue of telecommunication services rose 1.5 percent compared to last year, according to the data released. The fact that people are keen to entertain themselves, working from home or accessing educational resources and online courses; has thrust the telco industry into the limelight. The success of almost every element and facet of society is dependent on the success of the telecommunication industry and authorities are putting in a lot of measures to cater to their customers not only for daily life needs but also for emergency services. Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL), Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm have deployed senior technical staff and smart hands at their network management war rooms to closely monitor critical operations and ensure uninterrupted mobile and broadband services amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown with temporary food and stay arrangements at their data centers. Other than Telcos, Broadcast Service Providers like Cable Operators and DTH Industry are also in for a favorable time with consumers gaining on the Watching TV time. Globally the TV viewership has increased by approx. 12% if compared pre and Post Lockdown.

Cloud Computing

For the cloud companies, the coronavirus outbreak is effectively forcing some organizations through a very rapid digital transformation project, to embrace the cloud and mobility trends. The cloud computing segment has been on the rise for years, as more employees find themselves restricted to their homes more workloads will have to be migrated to the cloud to ensure the business can function without disruptions. Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud are the obvious beneficiaries as market leaders while other traditional players might have to reinvent their business models. This could act as a catalyst for accelerating the already fast-blossoming cloud segments.

Video conferencing and collaboration

Although there is no substitute for a face-to-face meeting, alternatives have to be sought today amidst the quarantine. Businesses are encouraging meetings to be conducted via video links rather than email to ensure effective communication and ensure the well-being of employees. Contact with colleagues via video link is not perfect by any chance, but it might be an alternative to get the job going and aid remote working. Microsoft is an obvious beneficiary here, it announced last week the number of daily active users for its Teams collaboration suite increased by 12 million. Zoom Video Communications, a remote conferencing service company headquartered in San Jose, has seen share price increase by 130% since the beginning of the year. More corporates are turning to companies like ON24 to purchase webcasting and webinar services to ensure lead generation projects can continue. Some companies are being forced to adopt a digital transformation and some of the remote working capabilities might be retained in the long-term looking at the costs and benefits.

Electronic payments

Physical cash is already becoming a thing of the past with electronic payments in vogue, and the COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated this. Merchants like Visa, Mastercard, and AMEX are already benefitting from these trends. Some retailers and vendors are now accepting only digital payments and this in the long-term could force the majority of customers into adopting digital payments. While some from the traditional generations still resist the use of digital currency but the refusal to accept physical payments by some shops, will force consumers to adopt digital payments and encourage the use of digital currency.

Online Grocery and Food delivery

With the rush on supermarkets persisting as the days turn into weeks, online grocery delivery companies are seeing a surge in popularity. Online shopping delivery service Ocado suspended its website last week, telling customer demand exceeded its capacity to deliver. The share price for Ocado has surged this month, though it did decline once it announced it would temporarily stop taking orders. Buying of everyday grocery and other necessities are being routed to online sellers like Amazon, Big Basket and Grofers encouraging the trend of contactless grocery delivery at doorstep. Food delivery by Apps like Zomato and Swiggy has also witnessed an upward trend amidst the lockdown.

Streaming, gaming and video content platforms

This is perhaps the most obvious example of a beneficial segment. Video streaming will see a boom as parents will need to occupy children, while adults will also need entertaining as pubs, clubs, theatres, parks, beaches, holidays and gigs all disappear. OTT players like Netflix and Amazon Prime are already popular among the young generation and there has been an enormous surge in the number of newly added subscribers. All streaming platforms could benefit, while Disney+ is launching at a good time to capture the attention of European consumers. In terms of video platforms outside of streaming, YouTube is enjoying particular success. Not only are there those who are trying to entertain themselves, but there is also millions of hours of information (some much more accurate than others) on the pandemic itself. From a gaming perspective, with the usual entertainment venues shut down, consumers will need more options to be entertained at home. Microsoft Xbox, Google Stadia and PlayStation are likely securing additional subscriptions as well as in-game purchases.

Savvy corporates

For those corporations in a more fortunate cash position than others, the shock to the financial markets could be viewed as an opportunity. Softbank is a perfect example. On March 23rd, Softbank announced it was selling off certain unnamed assets to fund a second share buyback program. Combined with the first announced on March 13, Softbank will be able to retire 45% of Softbank shares which are currently on the open market. Share buyback programs could be viewed as a way to protect a corporate strategy from short-term influences and aggressive investors.

Environmental Healing

A large amount of air pollution we breathe comes from traffic. With many countries on lockdown, the levels of traffic pollution have plummeted. Satellites have picked up very large decreases in levels of NO2 (primary from diesel) in all industrial regions of the world and the ozone layer has finally begun healing. We expect the fine particulate matter (PM) has similarly reduced. Big reductions in pollutants will also come because people are no longer traveling. It is too early to say whether these improvements will offset any of the mortality from Covid-19, or other health problems due to being confined indoors.

Such a tiny silver lining can hardly make up for the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. But these preliminary numbers demonstrate that this global health disaster gives us time to re-think and an opportunity to assess –
i. which aspects of modern life are absolutely necessary
ii. what positive changes we need to adopt in our daily lives and
iii. the amount of restructuring required by mankind on a global scale.
I leave you with these questions to ponder for the rest of the lockdown while we are in a fight for survival and existence.
Every situation teaches us what we haven’t learned until now and having experienced this global pandemic in our lifetimes we all need to take big-time learning from hereon!