OPERATIONS-THE CHALLENGES FOR THE DECADE 2015-2025

"What matters is not the idea a man holds,but the depth at which he holds it" –Ezra Pound

1.       Introduction.    The arrival of new technologies heralds a new era for any industry. The induction of new technology has to be a smooth process to maintain and subsequently enhance the operational imperatives of the industry. The decades post World War-II has seen exciting developments and many new milestones have been achieved. The time has come to ponder over the future of the operational imperatives for organizations and the challenges that would keep our imaginations locked on to them for the next decade.

2.       The article takes a broad-look at the critical issues which would be required to be handled to sustain the operations till the new operational capabilities are developed and become mature to replace the existing operations. The aim of the article is to induce a debate within the generation which would be handling the multifarious issues of the next decade.

3.    Old Equipment Challenges.    The biggest challenges for the industries and organizations in the next decade would be offered by the material shortages. Many industries are of vintage nature and the spare support for the equipments which have not been modernized is poor. By 2020, we would be forced to look at innovative and fast track solutions to keep the old generation equipments operations worthy. Thus, there is an urgent need for the industries to to look into their indigenization philosophy and involve more actively with developing equipment support base through their own indigenization cells. Also, it would be ideal to carve out an industry specific Indigenization Vision and implement it within definitive time frames and with an all inclusive industry partnership that can deliver the results.

4.       New Equipment Challenges.  Many existing industries have been retrofitted with modernized equipments. The modernized equipment’s transition onto the operational paradigms is a major challenge. The most vital aspect for sustaining the equipment is the availability of the correct spares inventory. It is crucial that the relevant spares are held in stock and Off–the-Shelf availability is accurate to keep the MTTR low. The pro-active following up of the demands with equipment OEMs is also an activity in itself and a dedicated review by the Operations Managers is a must for keeping the turn-around time to minimum value and streamline majority of the demands issues. The logistics support has to be ruthlessly accurate to sustain the equipments.

5.       The induction stage of the new equipment is preceded by training. The training of personnel cannot be a routine affair and it has to be ensured that the trained personnel are available to maintain the systems/equipments for a long time till the next generation is confident of taking over from them. Also, no modifications are to be carried out into the systems till an independent repair capability is not available. This is a crucial factor and would continue to be a grey area till the repair infrastructure is not in place either with in-house efforts or in collaboration with the OEM.

6.       Training Issues.     The training of the existing manpower is another critical issue for the next decade. With a sizeable lot of experienced manpower getting diversified on to new projects, a handful of old hands would be left to train the next generation. Also, the continuous availability of equipments is a crucial factor to train the new manpower to handle operational complexities. Merely spending time in classroom training and low hands-on-job training may not yield the desired results. Along with the training, the new generation workers would have to learn the subjects such as material management and repair management well within the stipulated training curriculum.

7.       It is a known fact that humans tend to hide their lack of knowledge due to basic fears and this trait can be the waterloo for any industry. It would be prudent at this stage to review the induction policies for next generation workers and managers. Training can be imparted suitably to an individual who can understand the bare minimum terminologies. The induction of certain number of workers with a minimum experience of a mandatory tenure on a similar job profile can be a suitable beginning. They would be armed with a certain amount of exposure in the aspects of material and repair management and can help the fresh ‘out of school’ personnel whilst they undergo the basic training.  

8.     HRD/HRM.   The issues of HRD/HRM need no elaboration. This area would be extremely vital for the industries in the next decade. The HR managers of the industries would continue to grapple with the unusual situation of choosing the future flag. Gone are the days when trends of HRD/HRM were not understood by the individuals. The personnel of today are much more alert and tell-tale signs of career progression are read faster and more accurately.

9.       The loss of experienced hands cannot be compensated and the void created looms large in the form of complex issues. This is a peculiar scenario which hits any organization as it undergoes a transition and the industries of today are witnessing the unfolding of this scenario. The need of the hour is to take measured and careful steps to nurture the talent and enable hiring of capable individuals. The profile pictures of personnel are readily available and a concerted mechanism has to be instituted to retain the talent and ensure their progression. Only knowledgeable men would ensure ticking operations.

10.   Conclusion.   The Organizations/Industries need to take a concerted decision regarding their lifespan and growth patterns, the methodology to rejuvenate them on time and retention of the best men. This is the time to firm up the requirements and work towards the same with a concerted vision. The efforts need to be continued vigorously and it is critical to understand that change is a constant subject. Any organization that develops its future vision with a firm look on diverse factors would have a better chance to survive.

11.     The aim of the article is to re-examine future circumstances for the today’s organizations and industries. Any further suggestions/comments on the article to induce a further fruitful dialogue on this subject are most welcome.

THE 40 MILES- A TRIBUTE TO THE WORLD WAR-1 INDIAN SOLDIER

It was a hot and humid morning in July 1979 in village Bahadurpur of Meerut district. Subedar Major (SM) Hukam Chand was ready to undertake a journey for the one last time. Hukam Chand was a frail man ,81 years of age and knew that his end was near. His 4th son Lt Col Suresh Kumar had come to the village on his annual leave along with his 09 year old son Subodh Kumar. SM Hukam Chand wished to show them his legacy of World Wars that he had fought for the British Empire. The three boarded the twice a day bus to the village Mubarakpur which lay 40 miles away from Bahadurpur. Young Subodh Kumar was excited about this journey as he clutched his grandfather's hand all through the dusty and bumpy ride to Mubarakpur.

 Hukam Chand was born into a peasant family and left his house to join the Royal British Artillery in 1913 at the age of 15 years. His father wanted him to be a teacher but Hukam Chand had a dream to become a soldier. His induction into the Indian Army was at the time when the World was coming under severe Geo-political crisis. Hukam Chand soon found himself on a ship to France. The World War-1 erupted on 28 July 1914. Although a resurgence of imperialism was an underlying cause, the immediate trigger for the war was the 28 June 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo. This set off a diplomatic crisis when Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia, and international alliances formed over the previous decades were invoked. Within weeks, the major powers were at war and the conflict soon spread around the world. Hukam Chand became one of the over one million soldiers that India contributed to the European, Mediterranean and the Middle East theatres of war. Hukam Chand soon converted into a tall strapping young man even as his Artillery Regiment saw first action in France. He transformed with his rich experience during the War and traveled extensively to various theatres of War.

Hukam Chand came to be regarded as a Gunner of repute and soon was a master handler of the 10 pounder guns, 15 pounder guns and 3.7 inch mountain Howitzers. He rose in ranks and within World War-1 scenario, traveled extensively to various Indian Army locations to train and qualify the troops. At the end of the WW-1, Hukam Chand returned to India and continued his trysts with the Royal British Artillery. He got married and raised a large family of 04 sons and 01 daughter. Hukam Chand saw difficult and tough action during the War. Setting off on a British cruiser with land legs, he saw men around him huddled together as the steam Ship tossed and turned in the sea storms and narrowly escaped prowling enemy Submarines. The food habits had to be altered to withstand the rigors of new climate in France and other foreign destinations. The only connect with his family back home was an occasional letter, whose contents would outlive their relevance by the time the letter arrived to New Delhi from Meerut. Almost 60,000 soldiers around Hukam Chand lost their lives in WW-1 and many were grievously injured. Hukam Chand kept his nerves as many around him perished and as the "Chief of Smoke", he would ensure obscurement of the battlefields with his mastery on his guns fire power.

Hukam Chand did not rest after the World War 1 was over. Soon he saw himself leading his men onto World War-2. The Royal British Artillery had come to be known as "The Indian Regiment of Artillery" in 1935 and Hukam Chand by then was a respected Subedar. He fought valiantly at every front in World War-2 and finally rested his uniform at the end of World War-2 in Egypt when the Indian artillery was christened as "The Royal Indian Artillery". For one last time, Hukam Chand began his journey again on a Steam Ship back to India. He was by then a Subedar Major. His eyes welled with tears when for one last time he looked at his favorite powder and guns and his battery men saluted him for his love, affection, tutoring, mentoring and guidance.The British Empire honored Hukam Chand with a 300 Bigha Jagir 40 miles away into the Village Mubarakpur!!

Hukam Chand reached his village Bahadurpur in early 1946 and by then the winds of freedom were castling the air all over India. The Quit India Movement was at its peak. Hukam Chand by now was a tired man. He had left his home in 1913 and had spent almost 33 years away from his near and dear ones. He had responsibility to fulfill for his kith and kin. His wife Neelam Devi had toiled hard to bring up their children as Hukam Chand toiled away in the big Wars and he was now the big feather under whom she wanted to rest. The land decree arrived at his home in July 1947 and Hukam Chand had a look at the Jagir allotment orders. It was a hot and humid July afternoon and Hukam Chand had no strength to travel 40 miles to secure the land amidst the ongoing partition frenzy and then to travel to Meerut to claim the lands!! He signed a document and gifted the lands to his childhood friend Mehar Singh. He requested him to take charge of the lands if he could secure and claim them. Mehar Singh claimed the lands in his own name 40 miles away from Hukam Chand's resting abode and began his life afresh with his family.

The July's afternoon sun was at its zenith when Subedar Major (Retd) Hukam Chand arrived at village Mubarakpur with his son Lt Col Suresh Kumar and grandson Subodh Kumar. The three looked at the vast tract of land which lay ahead of them but for which they had no rights of claim. The gallant soldier survived both the World Wars and traversed miles and miles on land, sea and even air to meet the commitments of his Regiment but the last 40 miles proved to be much bigger and harder than any other distance.The Jagir was his but he was not the Jagirdar. As he clutched young Subodh's hand, he said," Promise me that you too shall serve the Indian Artillery and make me proud." The master "Chief of Smoke" had again fired his big cannon into the impressionable mind of his young Grandson. The Jagir was gone but Hukam Chand remained the true Jagirdar who had motivated countless men to fight for the Nation's pride.
          

Today, Subodh is a third generation Artillery Officer in the Indian Army. This July,Subodh and I traveled the distance of 111 miles from New Delhi to re-visit the Jagir of Subedar Major Hukam Chand. As the July sub reached its zenith, Subodh and I reached Mubarakpur. As we stood at the edge of the Jagir lands, Subodh picked up the soil from the lands that lay ahead of us and then let it go, As the soil fell back, Subodh exclaimed,"I am proud of my Grandfather, Sir. "

Salute the true Indian Soldier for his large heart, cultural values, moral courage and ethos. 

THE HAPPINESS QUOTIENT

Mario Gotze scored a solitary goal for Germany in the extra time during the Football World Cup finale at Brazil. The kick that he gave the Adidas's Football catapulted the 80 million Germans into a frenzy of happiness and unparalleled joy. The ball flew into the Argentinian Goal Post and the entire German population exploded. Their world came to a standstill and their happiness touched its zenith. The happiness of the German Team's Captain Philipp Lahm knew no bounds and he announced his retirement from the international football at the ripe age of 30 years to continue to soak in the joy of this remarkable victory. The now united Germans  further strengthened their bonds as 11 Men in their national colors swept the Globe's largest watched sport.

           

Happiness comes from within and surely has a large role to play in human lives. The happy humans keep the Numerator value high and always minimize their Denominator values. The quotient of happiness multiplies many folds with a big and strong numerator.

           

Way back in time, we were happy children. Our ancestral house had large courtyards and we had wooden toys. These toys had various shapes and there were moving variants also in the shapes of bus, carts and train models. The lack of pollution and simple food habits kept our energy levels high  and we stayed chirpy the whole day. Another happiness for us those days used to be ant fields in the courtyards. Most afternoons me and my friend would get around under the Guava trees and see the ants at work. We would keep a piece of bread in the middle of the ant fields and then see the various types of ants coming over to gather their food. The groups of ants which reached the food faster would swell early and try to move the bread piece towards their home. Soon it would be fight for survival and the bigger ants would invariably pull the piece away. We would then drop another piece nearby and see the amazing turn of events of these small creatures. Moving their antennas we would watch various ants carrying out multifarious activities and the common aim was to move the bread piece closer to their home. At the mouth of the ant home, they would give a massive push and the food would disappear inside. The work of these ants rarely finishes and they are always active and walk large distances to make their lives meaningful. Probably, they keep the Numerator Value (Food in their case) very high and Denominator Value (lack of will to work) very low and keep their happiness quotient at a high pedestal.

              

In the courtyard, the Guava trees were always under an attack from the chirpy parrots. These birds would keep attacking the Guavas and many a fruit crop was damaged by their sharp beaks. The parrots would only attack the guavas on trees and not which would fall down after their attack. We would keep an eye on these birds and use our Diwali guns to scare them away. Our happiness quotient used to be high playing and enjoying with the parrots, ants, crows and sparrows. We would excitedly look forward to the next day and the next noon time play after the school. The frenzy of the large happiness quotient is unparalleled. The Germans are basking in it and so did we all as young children. The quotient starts shaking as we grow big and when we start increasing the value of the Denominator in our lives. Our demands and desires are the first shake-up points for the small denominator of our childhood. The Happiness Quotient's graph plunges up and down as we fiddle away with its fragile values.

              

The 11 men kept their momentum up and met the challenges of Lionel Messi and his 10 men with grit and determination. The barriers could not be broken by both the sides for the first 90 minutes. The eyes watching these 22 men kept glued to their antics and waited for that miracle moment. The moment did arrive but after 113 minutes into the grand finale. Mario Gotze controlled a cross with his chest and in one fluid motion volleyed the ball past the Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Romero and inside the far post from five yards out. Germany were world champs after 24 years!! The Happiness Quotient soared high as all the denominator values crashed and crumbled to almost zero. 

Our endeavor must be to keep the Happiness Quotient on an upswing. Keep the chin up and take the challenges head on with grit, determination and courage of conviction. Candor is the need of the day and is surely an add on for the Numerator of life.

THE BLACK FOX NIGHT

18 Jul 2014 witnessed yet another rocking night for Foxies. Foxies in dashing Black conglomerated at DSOI, New Delhi and raised the Fox Spirits yet again.

               

The evening began on a sombre note as Rudra Jadeja/61 led the remembrance for his venerable course-mate & CSM -61 Late Gp Capt AK Dwivedi. Foxies also paid homage to Foxies who have faded away in 2014.

                

The event then turned towards the Fox Release of VIRENDER KAPOOR/FOX/40's new book "THE WONDERFUL BOSS". The senior most Fox on Ground Zero was SP VERMA/FOX/29 and the youngest Fox was AMBUJ KUMAR/FOX/97. The book was released by the youngest Vixen SONIA FERNANDES w/o AMIT OSCAR FERNANDES/FOX/94.

                

Soon, the buzzing Foxies were narrating tales of the yore and immersed themselves in Fox Spirits.  Foxies from 40th Fox (Virender Kapoor, Subir Ahluwalia and Davinder Singh) met with a 43rd Fox (Rajiv Khanna) after 43 years!! Mates from 76th Course (BR Singh, JS Rana and Sameer Kanwar) met after 1989 when they had left the Fox portals!! Fox from 52nd Fox (Alok Bajpai) and the Fox from 53rd Fox (NS Bawa) met after 1977!! The event headed late into the night and in the end -THE FOX JOSH eclipsed the weather and Delhi did not witness any rains!!!
              

As Foxies melted into their dens for the night immersed in ever cherubic FOX nostalgia, the one slogan again rocked the mind- SODA, LEMON, GINGER,POP- FOX SQN ON TOP. 

              

Kindly click the link below and enjoy the nostalgia:-
  

https://plus.google.com/photos/101238588481972006061/albums/6037639205800786225?authkey=CM6OhrHlvoenWg

THE HIDDEN TRUTH

From the good ol' days two things are common amongst many of us- The Phantom Comics and The Horlicks (Novaltin for some). 

Phantom was a classic character- The Ghost Who Walks. Mr Walker, as he was known in Denkali, was an avid milk drinker. Clad in a long coat, trademark hat and dark glasses, Walker would walk into the city's Bar, order a tall glass of Milk and then beat the hell out of goons. His trademark rings would leave an indelible ink mark on the face of the goon and the print of the punch always remained. Walker would then merge into his jungle den where his trusted friends including the Dwarf King Gurran and majestic Diana would energise Walker into their own Phantom. We never saw the eyes of the Phantom and his occassional forays without his mask (and of course with lovely Diana into his private beachfront!) only revealed his chiseled physique and muscular frame. The beauty of the Phantom episodes was that each Phantom deeply resembled his predecessor and the theory of genomes never mattered! Who , then does not want to be a Phantom and have a progeny which is an exact copy of the father.

           

The stories of Phantom and his strength Milk became legends of our childhood. Each Phantom Comics was read many times over and then excahnged with seniors in school who would then part with their older Phantoms. A glass of Milk with Novaltin/Horlicks was cherished as we imagined the Phantom episodes. Novaltin/Horlicks were prized products and were preferred over the Coca Cola. All families could not even afford these products and at times the parents had to be pestered to get the new box. The unadulterated milk appeared great when the Novaltin/Horlicks mixed with it. The empty metal boxes of Novaltin/Horlicks were then used for storing the kitchen items. I wondered, how the ladies could open the correct box to take out the required item!! It is also true that those days , the boxes were limited as the kitchen items were limited and food choice was limited. But still, the credit goes to the kitchen managers for identifying items even in dark and stored in the same novaltin/horlicks boxes!

         

A visit to relative's house where Novaltin/Horlicks was not served was a pain as the milk had to be taken without the flavor. On such days, only the image of The Phantom forced us to gulp down that milk. Milk remained the paranoia for Indian mothers from times immemorial. We grew on the milk and continue to drink milk, but now added with other variants like Mango, Roohafza, Badam Powder, Coffee et. al.

          

Times are changing again. We have become Phantoms in our own rights and in our own lives. We have our own dens and our own dense jungles where we live in our own caves. However, we could not emulate The Phantom completely. Our food and drinking habits are very different from him. We idolised him but did not follow his habits. As Phantom always said- It is never too late to become good. It is now the time to get back to The Phantom habits. The Novaltin is not coming back to the Markets but Horlicks has surely made a return in various avatars. A glass of Milk is surely not available in today's Bars, but it is very much available in homes. The jungle King's habits are refreshing and energising. Phantom did not have a Smart Phone either- still he reached at the Right Place at the Right Time and delivered that Big Punch. Phew, Phantom- You Rocked Man.

      

So, time to change and get back The Phantom Habits- albeit with the Smart Phone in tow because today's jungles are more denser and it is difficult to find our addresses. So, get that glass of milk with Horlicks-if it is good for children, then surely it is good for adults too.

Cheers

THE OVERTAKING EVENTS

The quantum of operations in various units and formations does have a tendency to overtake the motley humans. The events start overtaking the life as most of us end up planning more than we can actually complete. This happens when we get sucked into the "Yes Boss" category and keep reinventing wheels whilst the actual capability hardly gets challenged.

               

During my days in the field, I closely watched many a colleagues ending up saying Yes to projects and programmes which never fructified. However, they ended up spending a large part of their productive time into somehow struggling to either terminate the accepted jobs or just botching up other operations. At times, their prayers were aimed at the Boss's transfer or promotion so that the target could be then re-defined! This was an ever occurring exercise and happens in many organizations worldwide. The bite is bigger and the chewing capability is lesser than the bite. Before one can finish the next bite has already arrived. Thereafter it is a vicious circle of managing things, events and human beings. The beauty of things, events and human being managements is that all of these are sciences and specialized fields at that. Very few humans have the ability to handle things, events and human beings in a balanced fashion.

              

An average human requires multiple supports from his environment and especially humans in his/her environment to manage the events called Life. Early in the mornings, the streets of Delhi start filling up with more and more vehicles which start finding their space with the already flowing traffic. If you are walking in the Cantt area, you better be careful and especially if you are near a speed breaker. Suddenly you would notice vehicles running in at F-1 Speed and with the human forms crouching and sitting in various positions-most of them close to the steering wheels!!. The brakes would be applied all of a sudden and the cars would certify their strength tests, gears would be meshed half way through the clutch and pedal would be pressed hard again. Even Sebastian Vettel would not try this stint in his Formula-1. If you carefully look at the clock, these events generally happen between 0720-0745 hours. If you are fortunate, you would also see the driver holding a sandwich in the right hand and talking ferociously inside the air conditioned cabin on the mobile which is on a speaker mode on the co-driver's seat!! The poor vehicle pays the price for the event which has taken over the life of the human being in this state.

            

A little later and closer to 0900 hours, one can see the various colors and avatars of humanity inside their vehicles. Along the 28 kms drive from Delhi to Gurgaon, one can see various variations of breakfast right from Idlis, Vadas, Sandwiches of various kinds, juices and the ever dependable aqua. Finally, at the first possible jam, you would notice a leisurely smoke emerging from the cracked open windows and the feeling of satisfaction as the event has been finally captured. In the evening leg, you can again witness humans talking animatedly or ferociously (if it is their better half on the other side and it is a matter of his/her family!!) on their mobiles without caring for the other vehicles and in turn struggling in their low gears on a high speed road. Single hand drivers keep their vehicles on wrong side of the highway and the result is an overall slow traffic. Somebody's event surely starts taking over from hereon again.

           

A painful tooth is a problem but a Blue Tooth is a boon. A mere connect with the Smart Device and it can free both hands to do many other better activities in a moving vehicle. The car makers in India now need to provide a Blue Tooth connectivity as a basic WANT of the Indian Driver. Get into the car, flip the button and your car audio is now your phone audio. This would help Indians to capture a few events before they overtake them and pin the day down hard. Indians are talking and they are now holding the talks far and wide. The talks need to be simplified and actions need to be taken early to keep the cost of negotiations at their lowest end. The events need planning in advance and we cannot be oblivious to the writings on the wall. A Blue Tooth is a must for an Indian on move and one who has to keep pace with the events in a self driven environment. So, cheer up and get that Blue Tooth to keep the vehicle in top shape and save precious lives on the busy highways.

THE DATE TRAP

When we were young we were taught to respect Time. When I joined the Navy, I first hand experienced that Time and Tides do not wait for anyone. As I am moving on with my life , I am convinced that Tides, Times and also Dates do not show any mercy to humans who do not respect these three identities.

              

Times and Dates are intertwined heavily. They both move in tandem and at a great speed. From times immemorial, human beings started keeping a close watch on time. The various activities of mankind started revolving around time as the value of time grew with the rising thinking prowess. An opportune time was all that human beings in various capacities depended upon to strike their desired bargains. The faith around the opportune moment became so overpowering that humans also evolved Astrology. The prediction of dates and times catapulted marauding warriors into Emperors and reduced Emperors into mere fugitives. The vast regions of planet Earth were scourged to meet the predicaments of dates and times.  New states and countries were carved out at the stroke of a particular hour and as the stars crossed the designated paths. Many a destinies were created with the predictions of Dates and Times. At the turn of the last Century, the hype around the Date and Time lead to an Earth wide chaos and many a software and hardware businesses kept ringing the fortune bells of their owners. Such is the brutal power of Date and Time that even a slight disrespect can create havoc into lives.

             

Today, we depend on various mechanism to keep track of the Date and Time. It has been a rather quick journey from the first spring driven watches of the 15th Century Europe to the various technological marvels that adorn humans today. The word "watch" came either from the Old English word woecce which meant "watchman", because it was used by town watchmen to keep track of their shifts at work or from 17th century sailors, who used the new mechanisms to time the length of their shipboard watches (duty shifts). Come what may, no one alive can deny the rush caused by Date and Time in their lives.

             

In-spite of the values associated with the functions of Date and Time, humans end up confused in their race with these identities. The renowned Management Gurus have earned their recognitions around the simplification of the concepts of Date and Time. The essence of each and every facet of Management is the correct analysis of Date and Time. Strike the deal at the correct point and the strategy pays off. The development of the Strategy at the correct point in essence is again a function of Date and Time. The source of correct funding and the correct expenditure/ revenue generation is also a function of Date and Time. The identification of the best manpower also features Date and Time (The Interview!!). The beauty of the victory is celebrated at that Date and Time and a moment later it becomes history. The war continues from thereon again. A botched Date and a wrong Time can lead to dastardly and barbarious acts. The outcome of such horrible acts is again a penalty of lost Dates and Times. The victory is a short feeling of deja vu in terms of Date and Time, however, a wrong act culminates into a great loss of Date and Time.

           

Every human comes at a cross road again and again in his/her lifespan. It is that cross road where the Date and Time take a lead as they are both tireless identities. A good decision and an energetic sprint of life is all that is required to start tracking the Date and Time from the cross road point. Humans need not be Usain Bolts to catch up with Date and Time. It is just a matter of will power and focused approach to meet the situation of cross road head on. Respect thy Clock as Date and Time are the most valuable and most perishable of all our possessions. Check and Mate with Date and Time.