Growth and Comfort Do Not Co-Exist

The rules of the game have changed. We often hear about terms such as globalization, triple bottom line, more for less for more, disruptive innovation, sustainability, technological revolution, social responsibility, ethics, governance and the list goes on. 

To keep abreast with these dynamic changes, there is a dire need for students to develop a global mindset, hone their leadership skills, greater awareness of self and context, holistic thinking skills, develop empathy and ethical perspectives and Soft Skills. This means stepping out of the comfort zone.


Also Read : How to Get Internship at Google

Some of the key aspects that will change the game for nations, corporates, communities and individual opportunities are listed below. You need to check for these newer metrics while scouting for the Business School of your choice and your personal aspirations. 

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Quotient Sustainable models to transform lives in various sections of society (people and geographies) that have not been reached out to yet Inclusiveness, Diversity and a Holistic Approach Sensitive to changes and opportunity readiness owing to Internationalization and T-shaped professionals

As quoted by President and CEO of IBM "Whatever business you're in, it's going to commodities over time, so you have to keep moving it to a higher value and change". Hence as students it is imperative that evaluation parameters for measuring B-School suitability for future ready careers moves beyond percentiles to holistic personality, physical infrastructure to mind structure, faculty ratio to quality of engagement. 

This is surely the way to move from a package-driven career choice to a career choice that leads to overall quality of life. 
Some of the key initiatives that we at Welingkar have initiated towards preparing our students for these key game changers are: 
A focused approach to nurture students as Global citizen managers and our AAA approach is a step to further advance in that direction. 
AAA is an acronym for Acquisition, Application and Assimilation of knowledge. 

The approach emphasizes students to learn through application of acquired knowledge and as the next step delve deeper to make meaning of the knowledge acquired and experience by understanding one's roles and responsibilities towards business, relationships and society as well as understand one's beliefs and values which influence/guide one's actions and decisions.

Include courses such as the "Integrative Manager" wherein through team teaching, multi-disciplinary concepts are taught to nurture an integrative thinking mindset. Establish an innovation lab: "Innowe" our innovation lab has nurtured and incubated several students' new ideas/ projects; which have been well appreciated by Industry and this has been possible through integrating the philosophy of design thinking and innovation across all programs at WeSchool.

Provide students' with global and rural exposures and opportunity to engage in several projects and initiatives such as DMagics, GRLI, SIFE, Udaan and Munijan have sensitised them to their role as an individual to make a difference and give back to society. The "Speak for Smiles"

Series gave students a golden opportunity to learn from stalwarts such as Dr. Nitin Nohria, Indra Nooyi, K V Kamat, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Paul Polman, just to name a few. It is our earnest desire to disseminate our knowledge and experience with not only WeSchool students, but to society at large.

Professionals of the future need to have the depth of domain knowledge and the width of overall perspective and sensitivity of the organization and community. So it is not about asking if you should focus on specialization/business sector or overall perspective. It is about having both of it. More often than not we hear that an HR professional to be successful, he needs to understand business needs and challenges, and so on for other functions. So check if the BSchool you are evaluating is focused on BOTH.

At WeSchool, students have the choice of a large bouquet of programs, within which they can pick a specialization and also have a vertical / sector that they want to focus on. My favorite example is that of one of our alumni with a Bachelors in Management Studies background, who chose the E-Biz program, specialized in Marketing with vertical specialization in Retail. This got her off to a successful and fulfilling career with Infosys. Customized and specific combinations are what the future is about: about nurturing T-shaped professionals. However, "Growth and comfort do not co-exist.", so you will have to make some difficult choices and unlearn and relearn the new paradigms of career development through management education.

The author is Prof. Dr Uday Salunkhe, Group Director of WeSchool
To avail more information on the two-year full-time PGDM program for 2012-14 intake call on 022 24718300; Extn 4739,4740,4741 or log on to www.welingkar.org Visit http://blogs.welingkar.org/

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Mumbai - A Perfect Blend of All the Career Opportunities for MBA Aspirants

Mumbai is the mainstream harbor of entire India when it comes to trade. It’s the big daddy that affects the overall population of this country. In fact, the growth of India begins from here only. It’s the financial hub of the country where all the commercial activities are done in full swing. Besides being considered as the financial capital of the country, it possesses the cultural heritage too which gives it an edge over other cities in many ways. On the whole, people from all parts of the country make a trip to this buzzing city to accomplish their most cherished dreams. 

What sets it apart from other cities of the country is its widespread culture of giving space to all religions without any discrimination. This unique legacy makes it one of the most sought-after cities to visit in the country. The first great thing to emerge from such a friendly atmosphere is the coming together of people from different walks of life to celebrate the diverse festivals of one another. All it does is they get spiritually cleansed and creates brotherhood.

As people travel to this part of the country in millions annually to pursue their dreams, they will need a stable roof to live under, making it densely populated. In addition, the world of cinema, which has its roots etched beneath its soil, is another inspirational calling for people to land here. Or it could be simply said that the city nurtures a blend of modernity and ancient glory quite sincerely.

Hub of higher education:-

When it comes to higher education and the enormous scope that is there for the candidates to make the most of, the city excels ahead of its rivals. Hence, if anybody who has a lot of interest in management and in so doing wants to pursue his or her MBA degree, Mumbai is the right place to go to without wasting any more time. MBA from Mumbai is truly one of the best choice.

It has long been the much preferred destination among the education seekers in various fields like research, architecture, IT, animation-related things and so on. With such great excellence in education provided by its doubly remarkable educational entities, the literacy rate could only be expected to stay on top rather than sinking low. It’s around 82.91% at the moment.  Thanks to a number of world class B-schools Mumbai has in its womb producing superb executives each year, the ratio of literacy has just skyrocketed.

Career Opportunities: Industries based in Mumbai:-

India wasn’t that much affected by the grueling recession, which hit the entire globe back in 2008 and many countries just went broke as a result. Even if the Indian economy was a bit hit by the crisis, its overall market remained in good shape. As the richest city of the country, the market of Mumbai has grown bigger and bigger with foreign companies putting in their money in almost all sectors like Telecom, Real Estate, Information Technology, Health, Banking and Financial Services, Consulting and Retail. More or less, India has been standing as happily secure as it could because of great minds that come out of the best B-schools in the country.

Some of the leading companies whose headquarters are situated in Mumbai are: Tata Group, Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla Group, Reliance Communications, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, 

State Bank of India, Essar Group, ICICI Bank, Larsen & Toubro.

The industrial segments based in Mumbai include companies like:

Telecom-Bharti Airtel, Aircel Ltd, Vodafone, Tata Teleservices Ltd, MTNL, Reliance Communications Ltd

Insurance- Tata AIG General Insurance Company Ltd, Bajaj Allianz, Reliance Life Insurance, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance

Media-DNA (Daily News Analysis), The Times of India, The Economic Times, Midday, The Asian Age, The Hindustan Times, The Indian Express

Banking Sector-Yes Bank, Deutsche Bank, HSBC Bank

Healthcare-Lilavati Hospital & Research Center, Bombay Hospital, P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Jaslok Hospital, King Edward Memorial Hospital

There is no dearth of MNC companies coming to Mumbai to set up their luxury offices here for business purposes. But the already established business hubs where they are moving to so rapidly include posh places like Nariman Point, Worli and Bandra among others. 

Yet, there are other emerging parts of Mumbai which are developing fast enough to catch attention of companies that seem to be interested in the policy of expansion.

Navi Mumbai

It’s the other developing fraction of the city which is converting into a busy commercial hub. Whether it’s IT, ITES, SEZs and other businesses related to rail/road transport, logistics and shipping, everybody wants to occupy the properties in this rapidly changing landscape. As it changes into a working place for Mumbaikars, they would like to live in close proximity to their offices. This will trigger a huge demand for residential areas to blossom like a beehive.

Not surprisingly, Navi Mumbai is the new modern heaven for software companies. It’s the one place where the number of software companies is too high in comparison to other parts of Mumbai.

Industries based in Navi Mumbai

IT-TCS, Hewitt Associates, Hexaware Technologies, Mastek, Intellenet, Enser Communications, Wipro, L& T Infotech, CMC, Aptech

Media-HT media, Times Television Network, NDTV Network, CNBC TV 18

Telecom- Reliance Communication, Tata Indicom

Hospitals- Fortis, MGM, Wockhardt Sterling

No wonder Navi Mumbai also known as New Bombay is today the hub of emerging markets where both the Indian and foreign companies are opening their offices. As it’s not far from Mumbai and has great infrastructure to provide for the players seeking to do business, it is attracting big businesses. In fact, Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport is 30 km away from this place. The Reliance group of companies is also present over here. Besides, there is a well-built International Cricket Ground in Navi Mumbai.

Lower Parel 

Lower Parel is the latest new emerging hub for big business. Corporate houses are showing a great deal of interest in setting up their offices in this area. Moreover, it is home to many media agencies and BFSI companies. There are large commercial complexes being built to set the mood rolling. There is no issue of travel being poor. Rather, it’s quite fantastic as it is well connected to western, central lines and Bandra Worli.  The corporate houses are searching for more space to extend their activities which is hardly possible in Mumbai as it’s already sitting on the edge of congestion. In this respect, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Lower Parel and Malad-Goregaon are proving to be exciting alternatives in terms of more expansion.

The presence of B-schools in these areas is another plus point for such a rapid development like ITM Business School in Navi Mumbai.

Industries based in Lower Parel

Some of the companies that have made their presence felt in Lower Parel:

IT-AGS Infotech, Mediaware Infotech Pvt. Ltd

Telecom-Tata Communications, Idea Cellular LTD

Media- Thomson Reuters, Star News Channel, News Television India Ltd.

Hospitals- KEM (Municipal Corporation Hospital), TMH, Wadia Hospitals

These two new hotspots are better connected with road transport and also have mind-blowing infrastructure. They are close to both the domestic and International Airport.

As Mumbai gets bigger in scale with the focus shifting towards South Asia in particular, the future seems to be bright. There would be a sea of changes happening with the big corporate from outside bringing in their services to this very influential city.

B-schools based in Mumbai

From the start, Mumbai has been the favorite for excellent education and its evidence can be seen in top class B-schools the city has invented with a mission to produce intelligent managers for business purposes. These B-schools are well-equipped to do the same. For doing MBA in Mumbai the most sought after B-schools are:

Tata Institute of Social Sciences-

This institution is internationally reputed for its contribution to the field of social science. It’s also known for playing an important role in the field of social policy, planning, intervention strategies and human resource development. The other courses offered by it are post-graduate and doctoral programs in social sciences, personnel management, industrial relations, health and hospital management and social work. It also provides M.Phil and Phd programs. It ensures 100% placement for its candidates getting offers from sectors like BFSI, FMCG companies like Hindustan Unilever, Proctor & Gamble, Nestle, Nokia, etc.

Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) -

It’s the third oldest B-school in the country and has got a superior place in terms of imparting good knowledge in management studies. The courses meted out by it are Executive MMS and MMM (Master of Marketing Management). It focuses aggressively on meeting the local challenges as well in the backdrop of global understanding. The sectors like BFSI, FMCG, Telecom, etc are the recruiters coming to this B-school every year.

SP Jain Institute of Management & Research-

This B-school comes among the top colleges in the country, offering courses in marketing, information management, international business, finance etc. Besides, the other courses it offers are family-managed business programs and e-commerce.

Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies-

NMIMS is amongst the many leading research and teaching institutions of the country. The courses offered here are business, pharmacy, commerce, distance education, engineering, science and architecture.

ITM Business School-

ITM offers courses in international business, retail & marketing and human resources are offered by this B-school. The recruiters are BFSI, Telecom, FMCG and so on.

Asian Institute of Communication & Research-

AICAR is also one of the leading B-schools in the country. It believes in producing world quality leaders who can step out in real world and participate in its service and commerce. It offers courses such as Marketing, Financial Services, Communication, Human Resource, Banking, and Finance. The companies coming to AICAR are BFSI, Telecom, FMCG, Media etc.

K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research-

K. J. Somaiya offers courses such as Post Graduate Diploma in Management, Master of Management Studies and Master of Computer Applications, Post Graduate Diploma in Management-International Business and Post Graduate Diploma Management in Retail Management. It offers part time courses as well like MMM, MFM, MIM etc. The recruiters who pick up the candidates from this B-school are IT, Telecom, BFSI etc.

Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research-

Welingkar offers courses such as PGDM in Marketing, Retail, Finance, HR, Systems, Operations), PGDM E-Biz, PGDM-Business Design, MMS etc. The sectors like BFSI, Telecom, IT, FMCG, etc.

It’s not just this. There are other B-schools besides the above ones which are remarkable too.

Mumbai is already known as the paradise of commercialization, triggering enormous growth in all sectors. In a word, it’s the most happening city of the world where everything is accessible and people can easily make the most of what it provides. It’s quite stunning. When it comes to transportation in the city, it has got everything in place which makes for a pretty exciting traveling experience.

Talking about an array of opportunities prevalent across Mumbai, people in search of better jobs will definitely move down to this flamboyant city. There are too many leading corporate houses doing business in the city, making it the most favorite hotspot for job seekers in various adventuresome fields. More importantly, the presence of media houses shedding light on what’s going on in the neighborhood adds onto the unfolding excitement.

Being in Mumbai means a fusion of modernity going hand in hand with the ancient heritage. As it is the financial capital of India and the outsiders see it as a big opportunity for investments, it is naturally inevitable that the lifestyle of Mumbai would get affected. That’s why it’s the next generation city for the entire globe to notice attentively.

No one can feel unexcited in Mumbai. It has got everything for everyone. Then there are ways to entertain oneself in a contemporary style such as going to the pubs. There is also a lot of good sightseeing in the city that takes away one’s breadth like the Gate of India, Elephanta Island, and Chowpatty Beach and much more. All in all, it’s not possible to remain inactive and sober if one is in Mumbai. 

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