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August 2013
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Shimada
My name is Kambei Shimada. I am a ronin. I have no disciples This is how the leader of the group of masterless samurai or ronin as they came to be called introduces himself to
his disciple to be in Kurosawas Seven Samurai. The setting is familiar, explored in straight remakes like The Magnificent Seven or our very own Sholay. A village, under attack from a group of bandits seeks to hire samurai, with the promise of only two meals a day, nothing more. He continues to reflect both humility and wisdom with what he says next. Youre embarrassing me, youre overestimating me. Im not a man with any special skill. But Ive had plenty of experience in battles, losing battles all of them. His final attempt at dissuading the boy is more direct. I cant afford to take a kid with me. He even tries self deprecation and a show of his world weariness, which he seldom shows until the pyrrhic finale. Im tired of fighting, maybe its my age After a just a little more pleading, he does take the young man along after all. Soon he is aiding his master in the recruitment process, one which is to become a staple in future classics like The Guns of Navarone and even the new superhero film The Avengers.
Swarup Gupta
A Post Graduate in Economics from Calcutta University and a Management Graduate from IMI Delhi, Swarup is a Writer, Critic and an Economic Affairs Analyst. He is also an exponent of Hindustani Classical Music of the Agra Gharana. He currently works as Quality Control Analyst with Zacks Research India and is based at Kolkata.
W h a t s I n s i d e
Contd. in page 7
Ramesh Ranjan
is the Vice President HR Services at Schneider Electric India and is responsible for providing HR Shared Services support to all the Business Units of Schneider Electric in India. He is a Human Resources expert with over 27 years of experience.
HR is seen as a Strategic Business Partner in Schneider Electric and our mission is Inspiring People to Power the Future. Driven by our values of Care, Connect, Commit and Challenge, we focus on connecting people with the organization through various programs like Engaged individuals, engaged leaders and engaged environment to provide a Total Employee Experience which enables HR, managers and employees to adopt a Shared Talent Mindset. Our HR Strategy is to enable
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HR to be the Strategic Business Partner Managers to be the primary developers of Talent Employees to be the actors in their own development
Contd. in page 4
HR GURU
Contd. from page 2
What are the initiatives taken by Schneider to build and nurture human capital?
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Build organizational capability to drive large-scale transformation focusing on change mgmt, cross BU collaboration, employee engagement and organization culture Develop technical and behavioral learning solutions for employees Design and support development of key talents through 3Es (Education, Exposure & Experience) Building Talent from within (build vs buy), by encouraging Internal Talent Mobility and building a pipeline of talent Build a robust succession plan by identifying and nurturing high potential employees
What is the role of HR in supporting inorganic growth of companies through Mergers and Acquisitions, Joint Ventures?
In M&As and Joint ventures,HR needs to get involved right from the due diligence period and study the people issues, history, values, environment, profile of leaders, compensation, etc and make a fair, realistic assessment of the As is and FIT situation and place all cards before the acquisition team. After acquisition, companies shouldnt rush into forced integration and a cooling period is essential to enable both the parties to understand each other. The parent company should appreciate the uniqueness of the new company, be open to exchange of ideas and best practices and create a conducive environment for smooth integration. Hence HR plays a vital role in balancing the cultures of the two organizations, building bridges and creating a positive environment that will bring synergies to the acquisition.
PEOPLE
You need to find your people.The earlier in your career the better. No job is ideal without the presence of shared sensibilities.
OPPORTUNITY
Good sign : You like the people a lot-you can relate to them and you genuinely enjoy their company. In fact, they even think and act like you do. Cause for concern : You feel like youll need to put on a persona at work. After a visit to the company, you find yourself saying things like, I dont need to be friends with the people I work with.
Good sign : The job gives you the opportunity to grow as a person and a professional, and you get the feeling you will learn things there that you didnt even know you needed to learn. Cause for concern : Youre being hired as an expert and upon arrival you will most likely be the smartest person in the room.
OPTIONS
Every job you take is a gamble that could increase your options or shut them down.
OWNERSHIP
Working to fulfill someone elses needs or dreams almost always catches up with you. Good sign : You are taking the job for yourself, or you know whom you are taking it for, and feel at peace with the bargain. Cause for concern : You are taking the job for any number of other constituents, such as a spouse who wants you to travel less or the sixth-grade teacher who said you would never amount to anything.
WORK CONTENT
If a job doesnt excite you on some level-just because of the stuff of it-dont settle. Good sign : You are taking the job for yourself, or you know whom you are taking it for, and feel at peace with the bargain. Cause for concern : The job feels like a job. In taking it, you say things like This is just until something better comes along or you cant beat the money.
Good sign : The job gives you a credential you can take with you and is in a business and industry with a future. Cause for concern : The industry has peaked or has awful economics, and the company itself, for any number of reasons, will do little to expand your career options.
Feeling good about your job will help to make you more productive and open to opportunities for growth. So, it is wise to invest time and effort in identifying the right job for you. After all, a career is not just about landing a job; it is about landing the RIGHT job.
Dipankar Banerjee
is a mechanical engineer and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta. He is the former HR Head of several organizations, Professor, Trainer and Coach and OD Specialist.
Recruitment
That recruitment takes up much of the first half of this three and a half hour epic, is difficult to ignore. Shimadas dilemma is twofold: He requires competence, but has little to offer for it. The technique which he employs is to get his young recruit to stand hidden by the entrance of a hut, stick in hand, ready to strike the applicant as soon as he enters. The first such samurai easily deflects the blow and disarms the young man. Shimada immediately apologizes and explains his situation. The gentleman in question is angry and insulted, since he is worth more and leaves. But the situation with Gorobei the archer is quite different. He hesitates while entering the hut and breaks into a little laugh. Please, no jokes, he says. Shimada slaps his thigh in delight and Gorobei joins the risky venture just for the fun of it. The archer goes on to recruit another team member, who says hes from the wood-cut school, simply because hes chopping wood at the moment. His major qualification is that he is good company in adversity even though his fencing is second class. One hire comes easy. Shimada chances upon his former lieutenant Kato, who also survived their last battle together. Kyuzo, the master swordsman with the ability to kill with a single sword stroke, initially declines the offer, since he is interested only in perfecting his art. Ultimately, he does end up joining the group. Luck, both good and bad, cannot be ignored in such matters. The maverick Kikuchiyo, who is initially the comic element of the film, simply tags along, despite continued rejections. His erratic behavior and rustic demeanor are contrasted by such amusing details like a false birth certificate. It claims he is a thirteen year old girl. But he immediately proves his worth. When the villagers hide on seeing the samurais approach, he rings out the warning bell. Almost immediately they scurry out as Kikuchiyo, played by possibly Japans greatest actor Toshiro Mifune, laughs in their faces. This duality, this love-hate relationship between the employer and employees, will be touched upon many times in the film.
Taking charge
Kurosawa had this immense need to be understood by his audience. One of the devices he employs is a map of the village created by Shimada, played by Takashi Shimura, who appeared in 21 out of the masters 30 films. Shimada soon decides that three outlying houses cannot be saved. The occupants of these dwellings refuse to defend the rest of the village and participate in training and military maneuvers. They rush away, angry and complaining. And this is the moment Kambei Shimada chooses to change his style from a democratic one to one which is distinctly authoritarian. He draws his sword for his first time and addresses the errant team members. PIck up your spears, he says. When they refuse to comply, he chases them, sword in hand till they literally fall back in line. Then, well past an hour and a half into the film, he makes his first speech in a stentorian voice, a distinct contrast from his usual soft spoken nature. The outlying houses are three, the village has twenty, We cant endanger twenty houses for three. Remember thats war, youre all in one boat. He who thinks only about himself, will destroy himself, too! Such selfishness will not be tolerated.
I N T E R M I S S I O N