Goodness - an investment that never fails.

Everyone is well aware of how difficult the external environment has been for companies large and small in virtually every industry across the globe, particularly over the past few months. Many of us have felt the impact personally and professionally. At a time when our economic, business and political landscape has drastically changed, and its easy to be distracted.Yet, the goal is to stay focused and find ways to keep moving forward.I continue to reap of the benefits of this MBA program, through increased knowledge and enhanced confidence - boxing on with optimism. And when the economy does rebound, we will be ready to fully utilize the strong advantages of an Ivy feature.

With only a semester to go, counting the number of months, weeks and days before graduation, is only natural. Soon it will be down to clocking the hours, minutes, and seconds. As obvious as it is, time has truly zipped through during the program and we sense the little time left to experience it.With that in mind and with all that is going on in the external environment, I really had a blast during our last December social at the Palisades ebar. I was also thrilled to attend the recent holiday party at the Cornell club. (Psst..managed to submit my last course semester deliverable i.e. Reflections Journal paper on IT strategy in time, so that I could get to the party.Yes, time management rocks!) It was great to meet the Dean, the program office staff, faculty, fellow class mates, the 10's and the 08's at the party. When I met the fabulous alumni, I thought to myself - it's only a matter of time, when I become one.

So during this well deserved academic break, I have decided to soak fully in it, celebrating the holidays with family and friends, spending my time with fun and relaxation, to refresh and recharge for the year ahead.I hope to try and use this time to reflect on all good that was accomplished this year, personally, professionally and academically. Oh yes, also prep for the Supply Chain Management and Financial Statement Analysis courses coming up in Ithaca, in January!

Wishing you a restful, safe holiday season, and accept my very best wishes in the New Year.

Talk you again in 2009!

Different strokes.

I recently traveled overseas to India's capital - New Delhi, as part of our Global/International project requirement this semester. I was visiting Delhi after a gap of several years and this brought a fresh perspective to my whole experience. A wide angle view was enhanced thanks to the some members on my team who noticed typical characteristics of Delhi that perhaps an erstwhile Indian like me, wouldn't have instantly perceived to be anything out of ordinary. A few minor examples include... seeing cows on the streets 'chilling out', ascertaining a rationale for the words 'horn please' plastered on every possible truck in the already noise polluted Delhi, were among the many amusing observations :)

The trip involved spending nearly a week attending pre-planned project related business meetings. There is tremendous value in actually visiting a foreign market, even though nowadays you tend to have abundant access to market research information available online. Visiting a country of choice, for the prescribed academic reasons, helps students obtain a 'hands-on' understanding of key business drivers and additionally provides critical insight into the market's cultural landscape. This market visit helps students unlock the realistic impact of a competitive value proposition for a business plan or feasibility study, as derived for the product or service of choice.

On such trips you definitely spend a lot more time with team mates, which is otherwise not possible during class weekends. This provides expanded opportunities to form simplified yet solid impressions of your team mates. It can be a discovery process where you effectively learn how important it is to adapt, accept and/or address differences when working as a team. For some this can be a wonderful experience, or not, as a team's goals are often affected more by gaps between various friendships on the team. So inspite of our sleep deprived and jet lag driven schedule, we decided to squeeze in time for social activities, visited a few touristic sites and still have fun during our trip.

Overall, the visit was educational, memorable and far from boring. Now that we are back at base, its crunch time to prepare for our final Global project presentation and associated paper due next week. Not forgetting the upcoming assignments that our due for the IT strategy course as well. Yup.. its gonna be a geeky Thanksgiving weekend for sure!

WSJ Article.

Hello friends!

Yesterday my name appeared in the WSJ, as a minor reference in context of a very interesting topic - relationships that develop in business schools.Thought I must share the same with you.Below is the link, which can also be found by going to WSJ.com, clicking on the "Careers" tab and then clicking on the "Executive M.B.A" tab. It is on the upper left side.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122400555255933007.html

Hope you enjoy this read as much as I did !

WSJ Report details:
Date:OCTOBER 23, 2008, 10:27 A.M. ET
Topic: Six Degrees of E.M.B.A. Relationships
Students in Executive M.B.A. programs say they've hired each other, formed businesses together and even married classmates.
By:Emily GlazerSpecial to The Wall Street Journal

..and time makes more converts than reason.

It feels like been a bizillion days since my last blog entry.I promise I have good excuses and I have a lot to report. I have been busy at work, having taken on more responsibility and executing newer projects. Thank God again for Lotus Notes and scheduling my entire life on it! Alas - that great summer break, post the close of the first year at business school, seems like a distant memory now.

The visit to Ithaca this time around was influenced by a compass of familiarity. A very different feeling from what the innocent '10s were perhaps experiencing as they took their baby steps orienting themselves into the program.I have discovered, well the obvious - the first year truly is the building block towards success in the second year. There is a world of difference between the second year of business school and the first. To start with, the workload is of a different caliber. You also have the advantage of knowing what is expected of you and how long it takes you to complete class assignments and other requirements. Let me attempt to illustrate.. for example, take a huge bowl of fundamentals from our memorable Statistics course, then add a table spoonful of Managerial Finance, blend this with chilled Corporate Finance core concepts, next spice this up with a soft dash of French/German essence, and finally sprinkle a few M&A ingredients .. and Vola..you get a tasty course in Valuations!

This awesome Valuations Principles course as well as the course that covered practical applications of Marketing Strategy concepts,were both, a cool way to start our third semester. Professor Vithala Rao's Marketing Strategy class had a decent portion of the grade based on class participation and how well we prepare for the cases discussed in class. This means (well at least for some) to fiercely wave hands high in the air and hope that he calls on you when you are confident about a certain topic and cower if he brings up a topic you aren't so sure about :)

The courses that follow in Palisades i.e. International Finance and Managerial Decision Making, frankly,are two highly engaging courses. I guess having your own study group and an exciting Global project assignment has a lot to do with it. I wondered how 'diverse' this group could get. Aren't we all type - A overachievers after all? I feel really good about the prospects for my 'self-chosen' team mates.We are five intelligent, creative, group-oriented individuals 'with humility'. I'm not sure where it comes from - maybe it comes from being team sports driven in high school, or a patient yet persistent sales professional, or maybe it comes from just being first generation American with an entrepreneurial view - all of which, the individual sees his or her own accomplishments, however great they may be, in light of the relative overarching success.

Top Executive MBA programs are, typically, full of folks who are accustomed to being superstars in their old field. Once in business school, they are thrust into an environment where they are surrounded by other superstars. For me, this keeps things in perspective and helps me rationalize the true impact of my accomplishments. There are people in my class who have defied far greater odds and have achieved far greater things. Take for example our classmate Jim Bridenstine who co-owns the first independently owned team in the world's most exciting new sport, the Rocket Racing League.Do check out his website at http://www.bridenstinerocketracing.com/

Honestly, I'm constantly finding myself grateful for my classmates insights, experience, and well, their attitudes too, and for being definitely privileged to be associated with this highly acclaimed academic heritage here at the Johnson school.

Plerking.

The weather has been fantastic this past weekend, and it triggered a hope to start this post with a quote from a famous Johnson school Cornell EMBA love poem. Unfortunately, I doubt if there are any, atleast none that I know off. Well, I wonder why. With late nights spent discussing discounted cash flows and cracking several business strategy cases, you would think that can be good use of spare time. Jokes apart, you have really don't have the time in class or perhaps at the ebar in Palisades, for writing poems or candlelight dinners. Yet, amazingly, a few couples have formed during the program, and I know of at least two, across the '08 and '09 batches.

For the most part, in our hyper-social '09 world, only with time, do speed dial conversations get replaced by more normal interaction, where you can get to the bottom of people's personalities, not just their personas. These individual perspectives can be clarified as new groups are formed every semester, when we are given the opportunity to work closely with class mates as team/group mates. That is when 'the plerk' begins, a combination of play and work, and that, my friends, is the ultimate success in the business of just being you.

The next semester consists of the global international project, which is a key program deliverable. For this team based effort, we get to choose our own team mates, instead of school assigned teams. This choice compounds the fact that the learning experience will be a function of the team you choose or become part of. Ah yes, must remember opportunity costs not sunk costs!

During the past school weekend we had many prospective students sit in one of our strategy class sessions. In a brief hour, they obtained a fairly good exposure in business strategy fundamentals. It was interesting to see that these prospects seem to understand the emphasis of socializing in the Johnson school. I found a few of them deeply engaged in conversations with some of 09's, curious to have their questions answered, simply eager to discover more about the program. As I was talking to one visitor, I was thinking and telling myself, emm.. this was me, before I started the program. Looking back, with nearly a year completed, I know for a fact now that the Cornell Executive MBA program is definitely devoted to breaking you down (Oh yeah .. Corporate Finance:))and building you back up as a stronger person, with the academic mind rigorously renewed. At the same time, it is, has been and will be a memorable plerking experience for me.

I am a woman above anything else.

Time does fly and it seems like Easter was just yesterday. With only three more class weekends to wrap up the first year of business school, in some sense, I'm already missing it. Remembering all the stupendous moments over the year, the group telecons, the late nights, the breezy bites during break time, the ebar conversations, the scribbles on whiteboards, the skits, the presentations.. but amid the toil, there was definitely laughter. Oddly, I found that strangely do-able. Hey, if it isn't hurting, it isn't working!

I hope you had a fun filled weekend. This past weekend 'the gals' of our class decided to head out for a casual get together and dinner after class. Our evening at Nyack's cozy little restaurant (http://www.lanternausa.com) was timely. No particular reason for this celebrated night, then again since we are rational MBA students and being that we are also cool business women - we had to have a planfull approach to executing this event. Yup, emails back and forth, discussing possible restaurant choices, finalizing a meeting date, and other logistical coordination. In any case, it boiled down it being about us fabulous Cornell EMBA '09 women meeting up for dinner, and doing what they love to do when we had a few moments i.e. 'just chilling'.

I am proud to be part of a Cornell Executive MBA batch with the maximum number of female students in the program, ever. We have some really smart, dynamic and impressive woman executives in the '09 class. I am glad to know and to be acquainted with all 21 of them.

As a South Asian American woman, 'culture' is so very important and is very much part of my identity. I recall that the first lesson I learned as a South Asian woman in corporate America, is that I don't have to compromise my values, but I really must master how I articulate them. Why do I bring this up? Being a first generation Indian American woman - networking with women executives in the program, each from diverse professional, personal (some single, some married with no kids, some with kids) and cultural backgrounds, makes me rationalize and appreciate as to how we as real American women authentically engage in all facets of our lives and manage to do so, all while undergoing the program.

Women power is definitely to the fore today and is significantly embraced by the Cornell EMBA program.

Doing versus Knowing.

The past school weekend with the final exams for Operations and Microeconomics and zipped up; I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. YES indeed! After crunching those Operations exam questions, soon followed (within less than hour's break) a deep dive into the Microeconomics exam. Having two exams executed consecutively one after another, and on the same day, was a first time occurrence for the 09's and we successfully executed the same.

I will have bitter sweet memories of those Monte Carlo and Littlefield simulations,amongst other useful tools learnt (@Risk, Solver etc) during the Operations course. The best parts of this course were, actually the simulation games, not forgetting that fun beer game! While some exercises were ever so time consuming and to some extent therefore annoying, it did in fact actually concertized the topics we learnt in the class. With the Microeconomics course, I am glad that I have progressed towards understanding what it takes to start thinking like an Economic Naturalist. I also suspect that decision trees will play a useful role in my life.

And in other news...Through a democratic voting process the 09's elected their class reps comprised of 3 female reps and one male. Girl power rocks! I like to take opportunity to wish Eliza, Karen, Raju & Tricia the best with their class rep responsibilities. I was nominated to run as well, but decided not to proceed with the same. Nevertheless, made my vote count (just like it did count during the recent NJ primary:))

In late Feb, the newly-formed Alternative Investments Club and the Private Equity Society hosted an interesting Private Equity at the Cornell Club. Although I could not attend the event, the president of the club(Elie) shared that the event was a resounding success.It showcased reasonable representation from current as well as alumni students, across almost all Johnson school MBA programs. The meeting featured presentations on the legal and valuation issues raised by Fair Value Measurements, as well as a discussion of the legislative environment with respect to private equity.

During the next couple of weeks we will be marching forward, tackling the next two courses namely, Business Strategy and Corporate Finance. I have recently commenced a new role with American Express, that will directly involve applying these two topics in my everyday work. The timing of these two courses and my new role have come at a more opportune moment. I am hoping that these courses will continue to endorse the academic rigor that is synonymous with the Johnson school. It may be also overtly applicable to real world business challenges, that we as executives face or will face in our careers.

Let me move onto a moment of realization. A few years ago I remember being asked whether I think I control my destiny. I looked at the person and said, 'No one else can'.He went on to tell me that apparently no one controls their own destiny, but those who think they do are more often than not,are more successful than those who believe they don't! Similarly, you don't in business school unless faithfully trigger that learning process, truly understand and interpret the learning impact. This bares inclusion and importance in areas of management or in one's career. Such actions may not be executed only owing to proper education of the management principles underlying them. Rather, out of an inherent instinct and intuition that leads towards that successful learning experience and what this destiny means to those involved in creating it. Bottom line: Do your homework, knock that chip off your shoulder and the world is a much beautiful place.

Knowledge comes from inspiration.

"Normal" life has indeed resumed again. Having completed almost half a year in business school, it has definitely become an integral part of regular life style, with routines established and friendships maturing. This term is looking really good, as we have two immensely gifted and experienced professors in Economics (Lois Gosse) and Operations (David Juran). Each professor teaches their respective and fundamentally diverse subjects in two drastically distinct styles, leading to a unique classroom environment for each course.

In this related context, I like to reflect on an optional yet critical component of a prospective student's EMBA program selection process - attending a class visit. Attending a class session will help you assess if the learning style and also the program's teaching culture, will impart inspirations that can be leveraged for a lifetime. You definitely need to feel inspired by the education you receive - personally for me it was and continues to be a significant factor in the webs of student life, here at the Johnson school.

One... two... three... photography! Attached are few photographs taken over time for your viewing pleasure. All credit to these photographs goes to my friend and classmate Steve K.

Professor David Juran - Statistics class

IBM Palisades Centre

In Class..

Dinner at Associate Dean- Doug Stayman's home in Ithaca

Economics Professor : Robert Frank - guest lecture in Ithaca

Amazing Professor Beta Mannix - MLO class

For those of you who are celebrating, Happy Chinese New Year - Gung Hay Fat Choy! This is the year of the rat and for many, today sets the tone for the rest of the year. So like to use this opportunity to wish plenty of good luck to the incoming/prospective 2010 students.

I can't wait to see you on the other side !

The pendulum swings back.

I hope your new year has kicked off with a good start! So much has happened since the last time we connected, and I am excited to provide you an insight on the same.

The spring 08 semester commenced in Ithaca, on January 7th.I arrived in Ithaca a little earlier than otherwise planned, to attend an optional Microeconomics course related - 'boot camp' and to also witness my first CU hockey game. The game took place on Saturday evening, and was just simply super. Big Red won 4 to 3 against team Niagara! It is an event that will always bring back fond memories of Ithaca, promoting that enthusiastic student spirit. Attending a CU hockey game is a must, if you ever visit Ithaca. The following site has a list of all the crucial chants/ cheers that were heard at Lynah Stadium during the game http://www.elynah.com/?cheers., to help you get into the groove and all pumped up for a game!

On the academic front, I am glad I attended the boot camp on Sunday.It refreshed some of those key basic concepts, and helped me as I prepared for the Economics quiz that followed immediately next morning. Overall, during the residence session I gained fundamental exposure into the world of Negotiations, Cost accounting, Operations and Microeconomics. The Negotiations course had simulation based cases discussed each day and gave an opportunity to team up with classmates with whom I had not worked with before. This made the simulation experience even more enlightening. The Cost accounting course (or as the professor likes to call it -"MLO Part 2") did alleviate connecting the dots between strategic business planning and cost management.

We have two 'mini-traditions' in the Executive MBA program. One is to go to a CU hockey game at Lynah Rink before the residential session starts and the other being students/faculty, once the game is over, visit the home of the Associate Dean, Doug Stayman, for an after game 'celebration' (win or lose, of course). Although I could not attend the dinner that evening, later during the week however I did. Doug and his wife Geri, generously opened their home to all 09's for a dinner event. That event was a good social destresser, as I enjoyed networking with faculty and classmates, over drinks and a scrumptious dinner, that the Stayman's specially organized for the evening.

Another highlight of the residence session, was the delightfully interesting guest speaker talk by Professor Bob Frank.He is one of the authors of our Microeconomics course book.Professor Frank's recent books have attracted international attention, and he is very much in demand for talks to Johnson School and Cornell groups across the country. Do take a look at his personal website http://www.robert-h-frank.com/. He is clearly one of Cornell's star faculty members!

This time around, with only a week's gap, between the session in Ithaca and Palisades, it was surely crunch time to prepare for school deliverables. The best way to approach such circumstances that are bound to cause a wobble in your pendulum swing, is to stay healthy, stay focused, and continue to sparkle with laughter and that sense of humor - all required armor.