Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Cal Poly MBA India Trip
Final Reflective Blog
July 15, 2013

-Joshua Bingham-

Since coming home to the U.S., I have been asked repeatedly by family and friends if I would return to India. About 99% of the time, I have responded with, “I don’t know.” As of right now, I still do not know. What I do know is that I consider this trip to be one of the most eye-opening and educational moments of my life thus far. The country of India is an entirely different world from what I have grown up in. All of the pre-departure meetings, book reports/blog posts, and discussions with individuals who have already been there, cannot fully prepare you for what you actually face when you first get off the plane. Every sight, smell, sound, and taste is an attack on your senses. You encounter so much all at one time that your brain cannot process it fast enough to catch up. For me, I felt I was numb to my surroundings a majority of the time. I witnessed everything, however I am still in the process of trying to understand all of it. To be honest, I do not think I ever fully will. However, from all of this activity and confusion I learned one very important lesson: STAY HUNGRY. Never stop pursuing your goals; because if you do, there is someone right on your heels ready to take whatever it is you were after.

In this final reflective blog, I will attempt to answer a number of the questions posed on pg. 12-13 in the GSB 563 syllabus to the best of my ability, and at the end I will return to the final statement I made above.

The most important thing I learned, in regards to the country and its position in the global business environment, and how it all ties into my MBA coursework would be jugaar. This word best describes what is taking place within the country. In terms a westerner might understand, I took it to mean, “innovation even with scarce resources and opportunities.” There are countless examples of this phenomenon throughout the country. Indian entrepreneurs and innovators are living and breathing this word every day as they adapt their business models to fit with the Indian market that is dominated by a strong culture and customs. For example, Biba clothing is a dominant force in the women’s apparel market because it continues to innovate with new products and materials that blend modern styles with classic cultural styles at prices that are affordable to the female Indian consumer. The company is not a multi-national that came into the country and set-up shop. It was created from humble beginnings and has grown into a major brand because its founder, Meena Bindra, adopted the practices of jugaar. At the time of its founding, the fact that a woman was running her own business was rare but her persistence and knowledge of what the Indian female consumer wanted is what allowed her company to grow and continue to thrive today.

The importance of continuing to innovate, and persevering even when one faces a lack of resources or opportunities is a lesson that cannot be taught in a business class. Over the course of my one-year program, I learned many of the fundamentals that make a business successful. Yet, you cannot teach innovation or perseverance in the face of obstacles. That can only be acquired through actual experience and Meena Bindra’s company, Biba, serves as an excellent example. This ties in well with the question of what Western product or service could be successfully exported to or offered in India. I think a lot of different products and services could be sold within the country. I felt while traveling around the country that Indian consumers are hungry for Western products. Despite this realization, for a Western product or service to thrive in the country, those who are attempting to introduce it must be aware of all the differences and difficulties that abound within Indian. Nothing is easy or straightforward, therefore a Western entrepreneur or company must adopt the practice of jugaar to make it work. Just because a Western product or service does well in the west, it will have to overcome significant challenges to be just as, or more successful in India. Groupon India, is a great example. The company is huge in the U.S., but within India it has had to adapt to different cultural phenomena in order to work. Like Biba, it has adopted the practice of jugaar and made the appropriate changes to how it operates to obtain a solid supplier and consumer base. For instance, many Indian companies were apprehensive about signing on with the company, Groupon India overcame this apprehension by signing up one of the largest and most prestigious Indian hotel chains, Taj Hotels, to show that they were worthy of notice.

In conjunction with the question from above, what Indian product or service that could be successfully offered to or imported into the U.S. is would have to be its commitment to customer service. The service we experienced in the country was incredible. Lemon Tree Hotels is the first company that comes to mind in this regard. This was also the most striking “best business practice” that I took away from our visit to the country. U.S. customer service is good, but Indian customer service is amazing. The hotel chain takes customer service to an entirely new level. They made sure that we had everything we needed and even went above-and-beyond when abnormal requests were made, like obtaining medicine for certain trip participants. They greeted all of us with a smile and friendly demeanor; and never balked at one single request. This would never happen in the U.S. So many American employees feel entitled to their paycheck and feel that bending-over-backwards to address a customer’s need is below them. What an opportunity for a U.S. entrepreneur. To provide customer service on the same level as Indian customer service in an attractive and affordable environment would revolutionize a number of traditional industries. Not only the hospitality industry, but healthcare, restaurants, and many more come to mind. With India, service is king because in a country of 1.3 billion people, the customer is king. If you do not make him or her happy, there are plenty of other places for them to take their money. That is a lesson many U.S. businesses could learn.

In summation, two of the lessons that developed economies can learn from emerging economies are innovation through adaptability (better understood as jugaar), and striving to provide unparalleled customer service. If done correctly, these two practices could easily set a U.S. company apart from its competitors. In comparison, many developing economies cannot easily adopt U.S. practices for numerous reasons. These include: cultural practices, infrastructure and resource requirements, education, access to capital, etc. Constraints like those just listed represent the major hurdles facing developing economies as they continue to try and break out on the global economic stage. In my opinion, it almost seems easier for U.S. companies to learn valuable lessons from emerging economies than it is for emerging economies to fully adapt the U.S. business practices that have proven so successful over the past 100 years. For those U.S. entrepreneurs who are ready and willing to learn new ways of doing things, there is a wealth of opportunities. It is up to them to take advantage of these lessons or else foreign companies, like Biba, Lemon Tree Hotels, and Puravankara will become much more dominant than they already are.

Returning to may actual day-to-day experiences in the country. When I first arrived in New Delhi, I was immediately hustled by a taxi driver. He tried to sell me on a $150 taxi ride to the hotel, unfortunately for him I have traveled quite extensively before and understood what was going on. I was able to safely, and cheaply, remove myself from the situation and move forward on the trip with no other troubles. I fully understand that one of the goals for this trip was to test my flexibility in dealing with this type of situation; especially if I were to be sent over by a company I may be employed with in the future. Prior to the trip I was fairly confident in my abilities to navigate abroad, I still feel this way. Even though India is an incredibly diverse and chaotic country, remaining calm and flexible is imperative if you are to succeed there. Being open to new experiences and situations allows you to operate smoothly and effectively. Learning to let go and be more open was slightly challenging for me. I like order, and chaotic situations can make me a little anxious. However I was able to overcome these constraints and really enjoy myself on this trip because I knew that I would not survive unless I let go and embraced the chaos of the situation.

There were no real moments where I felt uncomfortable and out of my comfort zone. Other than getting over the initial shock of seeing India for the first time, I fully enjoyed myself and the program as a whole. One of the cultural differences that surprised me at first was the lack of personal space. The Indian people believe that an open space is theirs for the taking. For example, as an American I maintained a good amount of space between myself and the person standing in front of me while in a line. On numerous occasions, another Indian person quickly took up that space with no regard to the fact that there even was a line and that their taking of the open space was even allowed. When explained to me, the whole concept made sense. With a population of over 1 billion people, if you do not take advantage of an open spot, then you will end up getting nothing.

This all goes back to the statement I made at the beginning of my reflection. The most important thing I learned on this trip is to STAY HUNGRY. For me, India represents a country of people that are hungry for success; they want a better life for themselves and their children. If you do not continue to innovate despite a lack of resources or opportunities, and if you do not continue to pursue your goals, then someone who is right on your heels will take up that open space and get the very thing you stopped fighting for. What surprised me most about India was the extreme poverty abundant throughout the country. By the end, I saw it differently. There may be poverty, but there are also many opportunities as long as you are willing to practice the concept of jugaar and stay hungry. Our visit to Puravankara represented this well. The founder of the company, Mr. Ravi Puravankara, started out with absolutely nothing. He ran away from home, became educated, and worked his way up to the top. Now, his company is building affordable apartments for a growing middle-class, which is striving for more opportunities and the promise of a better life. One of his beliefs, as quoted by his son, “I’m not in the business of selling you four walls and a roof. I’m selling you a lifestyle.” It is imperative that one stays hungry and open to new possibilities and opportunities if he or she plans to be successful in this world.

Regardless of all trials and tribulations, India means opportunity.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

India's 12th 5 Year Plan

India’s 12th 5 Year Plan-An Analysis
Cal Poly MBA Trip-2013
Joshua Bingham
June 14, 2013

From the text of India’s 12th 5 year plan it is clear that the Indian government continues to search for ways to maintain a high percentage of growth that will push the country further along into the 21st century and hopefully alleviate some of the many problems the country and its people have been facing for decades. These problems include: debilitating poverty in both rural and urban areas, an inadequate water supply, over-dependence on foreign sources of energy, a lack of sufficient infrastructure, pollution/sanitation issues, etc. The 12th plan focuses on growth of over 9% compared to the actual growth rate of 8.2% which occurred during the 11th plan. The overarching theme of the 12th plan is “faster, sustainable, and more inclusive growth.” These goals are quite ambitious. Especially when one looks at the overall macroeconomic issues not only within the country itself, but the entire world. It was only five years ago that one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression took place. Despite its fast growth in recent years, especially when looking at the average of 8.2% during the 11th plan, India will have to continue to deal with a weak global economic climate. One criticism regarding the proposed growth rate in the current plan comes from the Human Development Index. The trend shows that even though the country has been growing, the balance between said growth and a majority of the population actually benefitting from it, has continued a downward trend. In 2000 and 2005, the country held the 128th and 127th positions. Yet by 2009 and 2011 the country had dropped to the 134th position. In 2009, four Indian billionaires found themselves in the top ten richest people in the world; what was not mentioned was the fact that three out of every ten poor people in the world were also Indian. There continues to be an ever-widening income gap within the country. (“Twelfth Five Year Plan.” Economic and Political Weekly. 29 December 2012. http://www.epw.in/web-exclusives/twelfth-five-year-plan.html.)

How does all of this affect businesses, both domestic and Western, operating in the country? For one thing, the plan’s proposed growth rate sounds beneficial for businesses. A proposed higher growth rate will demand larger disposable incomes to boost consumption and spending on investments. Regulations on businesses may even be reduced, or eliminated altogether. One point made in the plan is that private investment has been around 36% of GDP, however this phenomenon has recently slowed due to the weak global economic climate and the increase of global energy and commodity prices. (India 12th 5 Year Plan; 15) In order to achieve a proposed growth over 9%, these pressures must be overcome and investment will have to rise above the previous 36% of GDP. This will not be an easy task for businesses to accomplish due to three main issues mentioned in the plan. These are: an over-dependence on foreign energy sources and their associated high costs, an inadequate water supply, and the need for better education and skill development.

First, India’s over-dependence on foreign energy sources and their associated high costs. According to the plan, to support a 9% growth rate in GDP, India’s supply of energy will need to increase by 6.5% per year. This is very ambitious, especially for a country which has very little of its own natural resources. For 2010-2011, 76% of India’s oil came from foreign sources and this number will grow to 80% by the end of the 12th plan in 2017. The same goes for natural gas, 19% to 24%. Coal will also increase from 19.8% to 22.1%. This growth in the importation of outside energy sources will keep prices high and put a damper on an increase in business investment. The plan states that it is imperative for the country to expand exploration and production of domestic natural resources. It goes so far as to mention the phenomenon of the U.S. shale gas revolution and the possibility of bringing that type of development to India. However, to increase exploration and adopt new technologies, like hydraulic-fracturing, will require more investment either by the government or private industries that receive assistance or benefits from the government. One other issue is the negativity associated with hydraulic fracturing, not only in the U.S. but around the world. Use and contamination of water resources is a big criticism facing hydraulic-fracturing, and for a democratic country facing a shortage of water and pollution, this will prove difficult when it comes to convincing the public.

In addition, the overall theme of the current plan mentions achieving higher growth in a “sustainable” manner. This is to be accomplished through a promotion in energy efficiency and a transition to more sustainable sources like hydroelectric and nuclear power. The plan states: “Increased energy efficiency is the only way to contain energy demand without jeopardising growth and it must therefore receive high priority in the Twelfth Plan.” (India 12th 5 Year Plan; 29) Yet, to achieve higher energy efficiency will require newer standards that will certainly increase costs in the short run and could maintain those higher costs in the long run. The plan mentions better labeling of equipment and appliances, a transition to more efficient residential lighting, higher efficiency standards for industries that account for a large percentage of the country’s energy usage, and even the installation of more efficient agricultural water pumps in rural areas. These higher costs will again be harder to pass off with businesses and the public.

It is clear that India’s energy resource problems will continue to be an issue for businesses operating in the country which could very well put the percentage of investment lower than the 36% of GDP previously achieved. This will not support the proposed growth of over 9%. Like energy, India’s inadequate water resources pose a problem to businesses as well. With 16% of the world’s population and only 4% of its usable water, India has been facing water issues for years. It is imperative that water resources be used in an efficient and sustainable manner. The country does experience a heavy amount of rainfall every year, but the creeping effect of climate change is causing unneeded problems. Droughts are becoming more prevalent, putting pressure on the existing water supply and damaging the food supply. Droughts and their negative effects only help to increase prices and strain the economy. Businesses that have to pay higher costs will not be focused on investing which will not help the proposed growth in the 12th plan. The solutions outlined in the plan mention improved pricing strategies in regards to the use of groundwater, and the establishment of a National Water Commission to monitor compliance with the national water strategy. These are good first steps. However, one example of the huge challenges India must overcome is in its urban water usage. About 80% of water used in cities is disposed of as waste and over 70% of that waste is left untreated. Better pricing strategies are certainly needed and the standing-up of a National Water Commission is a good idea, but the problem is much larger and will require massive amounts of investment, organization and cooperation to fix. Until water is no longer an issue within the country, businesses operating in its borders will experience not only higher prices in their production and operation, but also a drop in demand as water and food prices rise for the general public.

Lastly, the need for better education and skill development should not be left untouched. Businesses require a good supply of qualified workers to maintain their operations and increase growth. If the 12th plan is to reach its proposed 9% growth rate, investment must be made to improve education and further develop the trade skills which are imperative for a developing economy such as India’s. The government should play a big role in this area to ensure that education throughout the country is not unbalanced and that the skills being taught in the trades hold-up to acceptable standards. The private industry should also play a role though as private businesses are the ones which will benefit the most from a better educated and skilled labor force.

-India 12th 5 Year Plan; 96

Education is, without question, important to the growth of the Indian economy. In regards to businesses operating within the country, the teaching of trade skills is crucial for industries that have a high employment potential like manufacturing and construction. This is one of the less dire problems facing the country and businesses operating within its borders. But, it is also the one that businesses could have a large impact on. Striving to improve education and trade skills will not only help their operations in the long run, but could help solve the more dire problems like those mentioned above: inadequate water supply, dependence on foreign energy sources and their associated high costs, etc.

The 12th plan does a good job of identifying the problems and outlining possible solutions. However, when it comes to businesses operating in the country, these problems pose a huge threat to their future success. If not dealt with in a determined enough manner, the businesses will be unable to invest and help reach the proposed 9% growth rate.

2.) What are some of your key observations and takeaways from the 12th Five Year Plan?
As I mentioned in my answer to the first question, the proposed growth rate of more than 9% seems a little ambitious. The outlook for the global economy is still not positive. Negative economic issues in Europe in regards to debt and austerity measures continue to roil international markets. The U.S. economy is currently improving yet is still fragile and some say will never return to its former glory. Closer to India is China with its own political and economic issues which the world focuses on daily. Needless to say, the overall macroeconomic issues do not favor a growth rate of 9%. In addition, the country will not be able to maintain such a high growth rate if it does not deal with structural issues that have plagued it for decades: education, health/sanitation, water, energy, etc. I feel that the solutions to issues outlined in the current five year plan provide a good foundation to work from. However, these problems are so large that it will take more than five years to solve them and at some point India will reach a tipping point where rapid growth will not continue until positive changes have occurred.
One interesting section in the plan was titled, “Towards Comprehensive Health Care.” At first look, one might think that there are much larger problems facing the country that are more important to focus on than providing universal health-care. Yet, the plan states that it is imperative to define a broader health strategy “which includes service delivery for a much broader range of conditions, covering both preventive and curative services.” (India 12th 5 Year Plan, 87) India’s continued development will depend on the rising of health and sanitation standards. In order to become a more developed nation the standards of living must rise for a large majority of the population and that will begin with better health and sanitation. One important area to focus on is preventative health and improvements in the services available to rural citizens. “One of the major reasons for the poor quality of health services is the lack of capital investment in health for prolonged period of time.” (India 12th 5 Year Plan; 90) Programs have been initiated to try and address so many of the issues facing those in rural areas, however their funding or resource base is not sustained. Improving the lives of India’s rural citizens will go a long way in improving the overall health of the country. Moving towards a comprehensive health care strategy is an early, smart and responsible strategy for the Indian government to pursue.

India could very well achieve the 8.2% growth rate it has proposed in its current five year plan. However, as it mentions numerous times throughout the plan, the overall macroeconomic issues and internal challenges facing the country may put a damper on that proposed growth. I do think it has a good chance of reaching its proposed level of growth but it must also focus on building up the economic power of its lower classes so that the disparity among incomes does not continue to grow and eventually cause the country’s economy to stagnate. Fixing the country’s infrastructure problems, water shortages, dependence on foreign energy, health/sanitation issues, etc. are incredibly important issues which if dealt with properly will set the country up for success in future decades. In regards to the economy not reaching the proposed level of growth, I doubt this will cause any negative impacts for India or the U.S. The 12th plan is just that, a plan. Governments throughout the world make plans every year to improve the economy or change policies, yet they do not always achieve these goals. One possibility is that the percentage of investment may fall as investors become wary of policies that the government is not able to follow through on.

This plan clearly strives for higher growth than the last plan. The country will depend on this high growth to keep developing the country and make it more powerful on the global stage. The plan also aims for better future conditions. The focus on energy and water represents these long-term goals. Without improvements in these sectors the country will stagnate and possibly lose some of the momentum it has already built up. The health of its people is also a big aim in this plan. As I mentioned above, the health and wellness of India’s citizens is imperative if it wants to continue to grow. Sick and destitute individuals can not help the economy grow as more resources are needed for their care. In addition, outside investment will not pour in if investors do not see potential in the economy.
I do not think these priorities differ all that much from ours in the USA. Citizens of different countries throughout the world always want things to be better; there is always room for improvement. India takes a more planned approach to their issues than we do here in the USA. We let market forces take control and believe in less government intervention. Arguments as to whether or not this is good or bad continue and probably will for the foreseeable future.

5.) What were some of the accomplishments (and failures) from some of India’s previous Five Year Plans?
When looking over the history of the previous five year plans, it is not surprising that in many of them growth rates were not reached. It is impossible for a government to come up with a target rate and expect everything else in the world to fall into place so the target growth rate can be reached for one country. Wars, famines, recessions/depressions, natural disasters, etc. can not be accounted for and all cause serious problems.  For example, in the third plan, from 1961-1966, the Sino-Indian war caused an increase in prices which resulted in inflation. Also, funding was shifted to the defense industry and away from areas which needed it the most. An interesting accomplishment is the rise of the IT industry during the sixth plan. One of the aims for this plan was rapid industrial development which paralleled the rise in GDP of 5.4% compared to the planned 5.1%. Not only did speedy industrial development take place, but huge improvements were made in the communication and transportation sectors as well. The history of the five year plans is very diverse. There are many instances where the plans did not reach their goals due to outside pressures which set them back or destroyed them all together. It seems rare that any of the plans actually achieved the goals they set down. Rather, they seem more like guides. (“Five Year Plans of India.” http://www.slideshare.net/Ravit4/five-year-plans-of-india.)

No I do not think this type of strategic planning is possible in the USA. In some cases, it would be of help; for instance in education, healthcare, water, and energy. These are all areas which face a number of challenges. Yet, the recent effort to institute universal health care met incredible levels of opposition. Energy is another area that causes heated debates. The current surge in natural gas production has many people hailing the arrival of an energy revolution in the country. Others criticize the environmental destruction that extraction techniques have and may continue to cause. There is a stigma in the USA of government becoming too large and possessing too much power over the country’s citizens. Special interest groups put a lot of pressure on congressional representatives to get what they want and the common good is not always present when these groups get together. I feel that trying to institute a five year plan in the USA would only cause unneeded distractions for the country. Honestly, there would be such a mass outpouring of negative responses to such an attempt that it would take twenty years for the first one to ever be released. I would not personally vote for a constitutional amendment that instituted five year plans as I feel more bad than good would come from it. There is already too much political division within the country that there is no need for more. What will really be interesting is whether or not India continues to come up with five year plans as it develops further, or will it eventually let the markets fully take over. This remains to be seen.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Billions of Entrepreneurs
Author: Tarun Khanna
ISBN: 9781422103838
By: Joshua Bingham

Billions of Entrepreneurs by Tarun Khanna is an in-depth analysis through a case study approach of China and India: their history, rise, and future. From the introductory chapter, Khanna looks at numerous topics and then provides examples from both countries to show how each of them is dealing/not dealing with them. The topics are wide-ranging and cover things like health-care, the construction of cities and infrastructure, and even the soft power of the Bollywood film industry in India. Khanna breaks his work down into three main sections. The first, Foundations, looks at the governments within China and India and their approach towards managing two completely different developing entities with massive populations. His analysis of the challenges that each of the governments have faced, and continue to face is quite eye opening. The history of each country is full of trials and tribulations, and how their governments have evolved to address issues like information accessibility, infrastructure development, and the financial system, only adds to those trials and tribulations.

The next section, Enterprise, focuses on the business activity of each country. Between the two there are stark differences in how business is conducted. Due to the dominance of the Communist Party in China, entrepreneurship is minimal. Khanna even mentions in the book how the government is the main entrepreneur in the country and much of the country’s success can be attributed to government initiatives and direction. Foreign companies attempting to enter the Chinese market do not do so easily either. Khanna uses Microsoft as an example of one corporation that jumped through many hoops in order to gain the favor of the Chinese government. A big question waiting to be answered is what will happen in the future to this relationship between government and business in China. Currently, “doing business in China as a truly private enterprise is not something to wish for, and doing business with China requires understanding the nuances and connotations of the term private, which means something quite different in the West.” (138) However, as China continues to grow the government will not be able to control everything forever as inefficient state-run enterprises and corruption are stirring discontent among the Chinese people. In contrast, India’s government has never been considered efficient. In his analysis of the German company, Metro Cash & Carry, Khanna points to massive government inefficiency in the agricultural wholesale market and how Metro entered the fray to bring order and efficiency. Despite its obvious improvements, the company continues to be hamstrung by government intervention and bureaucracy.

Lastly, Future, is a look at the current ties between India and China and how they are being exploited to benefit both of the countries. One of the most interesting chapters is, “Old and New Roads to Mandalay,” which begins with a review of the tensions between India and China over the past four decades due to Chinese domination in Tibet and then concludes with the opportunities available to both in Burma. In the remainder of the third section, Khanna looks at the soft power Bollywood possesses, not only within India, but also in China. He then analyzes the relationship the two countries have in regards to Buddhism and how it can be exploited to further each of their computer software and hardware capabilities. He finally rounds out the book with a look at General Electric (GE) and the success it has experienced in the two countries; using the company as an example of the effort it takes for a foreign company to establish itself in these challenging markets. “It has taken GE more than a decade of effort in each country, preceded by a less substantive commercial presence lasting nearly a century, to figure out how to profit from being in China and India and to contribute substantially to both countries.” (296) Khanna determines that the success GE has experienced is due to the symbiosis of its operations in each country.

Relevance of Billions of Entrepreneurs:
To say that the rise of China and India over the past two decades is impressive would be an understatement. Their ascension onto the world stage has been the focus of many books, newspapers/magazines, etc. China’s economy is becoming so large it is predicted to overtake the U.S. in the next 10 to 20 years. The size of their individual populations is equally staggering; over 25% of the world’s population resides in China and India. As they both continue to grow, the roles of these two countries on the world stage will evolve. Whether they will be positive or negative roles remains to be seen.

Despite their rapid growth and development, there are still challenges facing both countries. Democracy in China is a hot topic these days. The Communist Party is performing a delicate balancing act in trying to maintain control over the country and its population while at the same time embarking on projects to expand the free market and eradicate corruption all in order to quell dissent. In regards to India, millions of its people still live in horrible conditions of poverty. The government is a messy democracy with a massive bureaucracy, which has proved itself incredibly inefficient. If India ever wants to become a truly developed nation, the government must take a bigger stand in reducing poverty and providing opportunities for its entire population to rise and flourish.

Khanna’s book is an excellent work for anyone interested in the rise of China and India and how their rise may, or may not, alter the dynamics of international relations, the global economy, business, politics, and even entertainment. Although it was published six years ago in 2007, the book is still relevant today. However, what happened yesterday does not always predict what will happen tomorrow. If challenges and inefficiencies are not correctly addressed, the futures of both China and India could be very different from what is being predicted. It is important for those involved in government, economics, and business to try and fully understand all that is going on in these two countries or else the change that continues to occur will blindside those who are not prepared for it. This is why Khanna’s book is so important.

Agreements with Billions of Entrepreneurs:
I really enjoyed this book. Not only is it well written but the detail and in-depth analysis is what really set it apart from similar works. The number of interviews Khanna performed and the hours he spent combing through other informational sources is impressive to say the least. Khanna’s organizational layout is also very interesting; addressing individual topics and then providing examples of how they are dealt with in each country was quite engaging.

One of the sections that intrigued me the most was in Chapter 10, “Barefoot Doctors and Medical Tourists.” Particularly “Mother Teresa’s Heart Surgeon.” (214-218) I had already read about Dr. Devi Shetty’s hospital in Bangalore and all the amazing work he is doing there, yet Khanna’s interview shed new light on some unknown details. For instance, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Dr. Shetty’s hospital, has its own department devoted to expediting the visa process for foreign patients looking to obtain care at the hospital. According to Khanna’s interview, Dr. Shetty originally wanted the department established so that Pakistanis seeking medical treatment would be able to get it. This bit of information was very uplifting. India and Pakistan have been at odds with each other ever since the latter broke away in 1947. In fact, the 2008 Mumbai attacks were blamed on Pakistani terrorists who may have been supported by the ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence service. Here is a man setting an example on how to ignore differences and focus on what is most important, the health and wellness of the people.

The most interesting aspect of his story is that even in a developing nation like India, where poverty remains a huge problem, Dr. Shetty has found an innovative way to provide excellent medical care to all who walk through the hospital’s doors. His focus on keeping costs low to make it affordable to help everyone is very different from developed nations where medical costs continue to rise despite advanced technology and medical practices. This is an excellent example of Khanna’s analysis regarding China and India. Dr. Shetty’s entrepreneurial attempts are representative of the private sector in India: innovative, independent, and efficient. Compare this to China where entrepreneurship leaves a bad taste on the tongue of heavy-handed government officials.

Disagreements with Billions of Entrepreneurs:
Khanna’s focus on case studies and in-depth analysis is one of the reasons the book is so good. However so much of it makes reading the book feel like a chore at times. I found myself having to set the book down to take a break while reading certain sections. There is so much information that it can be overwhelming. A good example is Chapter 9, “Village Engineering and Reengineering.” (189-212) This analysis of rural village organization in China and India, either by government or private interests, was very dense and full of acronyms that were hard to keep track of. Under the section in the chapter, titled “Mao’s Chinese Divide and Deng’s Orchestrated Capitalism,” it felt like Khanna tried to stuff every detail of Mao’s collectivization efforts and Deng Xiaoping’s reforms into five pages.

Another section serving as an example was Chapter 13, “Buddha and Software.” Khanna uses the analogy of Buddhist monks being brought from India by envoys of Emperor Sing of the Han Dynasty in 67 C.E. and the spread of Buddhist beliefs to China as a prologue to the spreading of Indian programmers and their software to China in the 21st century. “Just as Indian monks made court-sponsored journeys to translate Buddhist texts in ancient China, Indian software experts are being lured by the Chinese state to convert their software prowess into a form that can benefit the Chinese.” (286) Khanna does make a good point in this chapter that cooperation between China and India on technological endeavors would benefit both of them. India has the expertise in software, and China the expertise in hardware. A positive relationship between the two in that industry could become a powerhouse in the global economy. Yet, like his analysis in “Village Engineering and Reengineering,” Khanna’s description of the Buddhist history between the two countries, all to set up his belief that the two can benefit from each other’s expertise in software and hardware becomes lengthy and almost tangential.

Closing Thoughts:
Overall, Billions of Entrepreneurs is a very good book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and learning more about these two interesting countries. Without question, their further rise and development will have an impact on global dynamics. The government or business that ignores this is already setting itself up for failure. Khanna does not pull punches in describing the pros and cons of each country. In fact it is quite a breath of fresh air to read an author who makes it clear that both of these countries still face numerous challenges; he does not get caught up like many in the mass-media who proclaim that the rise of China and India is the end-all be-all of the 21st century.

In relation to our upcoming trip, after reading this book, I am only more interested in visiting India and experiencing the country and its people for myself. Khanna paints a picture of a vibrant country with so much going on that it overwhelms the senses. I am excited for this opportunity and all that I will learn from the trip. If I learned anything from Khanna’s book, it is this: the world is changing, in many ways for the better, and if you want to be successful in it you have to understand the differences that distinguish all of its different elements. Establishing relationships with an eye to the future is what separates the good from the bad.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Defending India

The 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks were incredibly organized and efficient which made them that much more violent and fear-inducing. The show Frontline on PBS recently did a special on one of the men, David Headley, an American by birth, who helped plan the attack. His commitment to detail during the planning process was impressive if not disturbing. Following the attacks, millions of people throughout the world were shocked by the violence and India was unofficially declared "unsafe". Now, over four years later, as we prepare to visit Mumbai, many of my friends and relatives still question the reasoning behind our trip. I have to constantly tell them that India is a safe place and that we will not run into trouble while there. However, Americans have a horrible fear of Southern Asia due to their lack of education and past experiences with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, current tensions with Iran, and a sour relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan. How do you set their fear at ease, especially when the attacks happened over four years ago? One way is to get them to stop focusing on the 24-hour news bonanza. American's are addicted to the constant squawking coming from "qualified" media sources. This has only helped fan the flames of fear and insecurity. We must remember that the whole goal of terrorism is to instill fear; an attack may kill or injure innocent people, but it is the psychological effect afterwards that terrorists are striving for. When people are scared of traveling to another country, or even doing business in that country, then the terrorists have won. The media is terrorism's best friend; it unknowingly helps spread the fear.

In regards to India's reaction to the attacks; no matter how well a people or nation may prepare for such an event, there will always be surprises. There is no possible way to monitor every person in every location, regardless of how rich a country may be. Openings for terrorists to take advantage of will always be there, and that is exactly what happened in Mumbai. The only way to prevent future attacks from happening is to learn from the previous ones and take appropriate measures; that includes not letting the fear run rampant, because that is exactly what they want. As the post mentions, India's best counter-terrorism policy is resilience.

Friday, December 7, 2012

The Post-American World
Author: Fareed Zakaria
ISBN: 978-0-393-06235-9
By: Joshua Bingham

Fareed Zakaria’s book is an analysis of how the political and economic structure of the world has been radically changing throughout the past decade. Beginning with the September 11th attacks in 2001, the rest of the world saw how the United States, no matter how powerful it might have appeared, was not immune to the dangers lurking in the shadows. At the beginning of the second chapter, Zakaria writes, “Imagine that it is January 2000, and you ask a fortune-teller to predict the course of the global economy over the next several years.” (Pg. 6) That would have been impossible. As we all know, following the attacks, the U.S. embarked on two costly wars that turned into some of the longest military engagements the country has ever undertaken. In addition, leading up to 2008, the U.S. economy began unraveling which led to a meltdown in its financial system. The shock from this reverberated throughout the world causing many other economies to begin experiencing problems of their own, like the Euro Zone. In addition, and one of the main focuses of Zakaria’s book, was “the rise of the rest”. China and India, two nations that have definitely experienced their own problems, began to expand their position on the global stage. For instance, China has grown so much that it is now the world’s second largest economy in terms of GDP. It is the rise of developing nations like China and India, and the prevalence of internal problems in developed nations like the U.S., that has radically changed the structure of the world. The United States may still be the dominant player, yet its overall power and influence is waning.

It must be mentioned that despite the title of the book, Zakaria’s argument is not that the United States is going to crumble away over the next decade, far from it. It is instead a reference to the change of a U.S. dominated world into one dominated by globalization. His argument is that, as mentioned above, the world is changing and new competitors and challenges are emerging. The U.S. is still in the best position, compared to any other country, to continue to be the dominant player. However, it must make changes in how it operates and interacts with the rest of the world. It must practice the ideals its political system and economy are based on: freedom, democracy, and a competitive capitalist system. The U.S. became the world’s superpower following WWII, despite fighting a “cold war” with Russia, and has remained the superpower up to present day. Where it goes from here will be determined by how it responds to “the rise of the rest”.

Zakaria supports his arguments by looking at how the western world, especially the U.S., has influenced the governments, economies, and cultures of the rest of the world. From Japanese businessmen wearing suits, to cell-phones outnumbering toilets in Africa, to the wildly popular films coming out of Bollywood. Next, he looks at the two rising powers of the world, China and India, and how their growth is expanding their influence. He then compares the U.S. to the British Empire and how its demise during the late 19th century and early 20th century has similarities, and differences, to the current U.S. situation. Finally, he looks at the U.S. and makes recommendations as to how it can remain in the dominant position while being accepting of globalization. The U.S. should not shut itself in, but must become more open to the opportunities that globalization is presenting and take full advantage of them.

Relevance of The Post-American World:
Zakaria’s work is exceptionally relevant for the times we are living in right now with its focus on the changes over the past decade in regards to globalization, the decline of U.S. supremacy, and the rise of nations like China. However, the version I read was published in 2008, prior to the outbreak of the global financial crisis. A newer version, “Release 2.0”, was published in 2011 and addresses those events and how they have further dampened the power of the U.S. What is also interesting is that even though this book addresses important global topics, events continue to move very fast; too fast for a comprehensive analysis to be written on the subject of globalization and how the U.S. should react. Already, the Chinese economy seems to be slowing down and the heavy-handed role of its government continues to cause tensions both internally and externally. India also faces massive wealth inequality and, like China, a stagnating economy. Regardless of these challenges, both of these countries will continue to grow. Yet, a new crop of up-and-comers is entering the picture. The MIST countries (Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, and Turkey) are growing rapidly and claiming their spot on the world stage. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency just announced at the end of 2012 that the U.S. will become the world’s largest oil producer by 2020, and possibly energy-independent by 2030. (“U.S. Oil Output to Overtake Saudi Arabia’s by 2020.” Bloomberg News, 12 November 2012) The pace of change is so fast that new developments like those mentioned above continue to affect the global landscape quicker than anyone can properly analyze them. Zakaria’s work will probably not be very relevant in a couple of years; such is the way of the modern world.

Despite the rapid pace of change, Zakaria provides the necessary background of globalization and analysis of key global players; the recommendations presented at the end of the book (Pg. 231-250) remain relevant for any politician, businessman, or student who is trying to better understand the current effects of globalization on U.S. power and how the nation should respond. American politics and business can no longer remain solely focused internally. To be successful and competitive, they must move outside their realms of comfort and operate on the global stage. This fact has been obvious for some time, but it continues to become more and more important. This is the perfect book for any individual, or group, who has realized that fact and wants to take advantage of it.

Agreements with The Post-American World:
This book is very well researched and written. Zakaria brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to the subject. It is refreshing to read something that is not so politically motivated these days. In fact, that ties in perfectly with one of the underlying themes of the book. Zakaria addresses three main shifts that have taken place over the past 500 years. Beginning in 1405, during the dark ages of Europe, China was a strong power. It sent out massive fleets of ships in order to proclaim its dominance over other Asian powers. However, due to political decisions during the middle of the 15th century, these voyages soon stopped and China turned inward and reversed the political, economic, and cultural progress it had been making. It was at this time that Europe began rising from the ashes and setting out to explore the world for itself; of course we all know the story of Columbus in 1492. According to Zakaria, this represents the first shift, or better known as “the rise of the west”. This rise was well represented by the expansion of the British Empire and the Industrial Revolution. The second shift took place between the end of the 19th century and the end of WWII. During this time, the British Empire was declining economically. The U.S. had taken over the lead when it came to industrial production and England had spread itself too thin in regards to its empire; a notable example being the Boer War during the turn of the 20th century, which not only cost the British Empire a lot of money, but also its international reputation as well. This was the time for “the rise of America”. The U.S. continued to grow rapidly, and following the decimation of Europe after two world wars, the country was in the perfect position to proclaim its dominance.

I think Zakaria makes a good comparison between the decline of the British Empire and the current situation of the U.S. For example, the Boer War, which was a major headache for England, is very similar to the U.S. war in Iraq, which did more harm than good for the country in regards to cost and respect. Although Zakaria sees many similarities between the past British Empire and the current United States, the reason for British decline was more in terms of its economy. In contrast, the main challenge of the U.S. is more about its political system. Ours is broken and dominated by partisan politics. Less and less seems to be accomplished these days by our elected officials; the current “fiscal cliff’ negotiations being a perfect example. In order for the U.S. to remain relevant during the third shift, or “the rise of the rest”, it must get its political house in order or else it will go the way of the British Empire. This is one of Zakaria’s arguments that I fully agree with. Part of the problem is also the media and the fear it induces within the population; major media outlets have been split along conservative and democratic lines. The news is no longer “news”; rather it has simply become individual networks of opinions, which inflate the political and economic situations to levels that induce fear into even the most hardened of individuals. “America has become a nation consumed by anxiety, worried about terrorists and rogue nations, Muslims and Mexicans, foreign companies and free trade, immigrants and international organizations. The strongest nation in the history of the world now sees itself as besieged by forces beyond its control.” (Pg. 251) The U.S. must cure itself of the political divide and fear, which is currently raging, and re-orient itself towards policies that are in line with the current global trends. If it allows divisive politics and fear to prevent it from opening up more of itself to the world, it will turn inward and lose the progress it has made, just like China did during the early to mid-15th century.

As mentioned before, the recommendations at the end of the book are extremely relevant, the second one even more so for what I have just discussed. “Build broad rules, not narrow interests.” (Pg. 238) Due to “the rise of the rest”, the U.S. is slowly losing some of its power as the dominant player on the global stage. Yet, this is only natural; great powers cannot remain great forever. The best strategy for the U.S. is to accept this and utilize it to its advantage. Instead of trying to dominate every situation, which is impossible in today’s world, the U.S. should “create a structure of rules, practices, and values by which the world will be bound.” (Pg. 238) This structure should be in line with the country’s own ideals of freedom, democracy, and competitive capitalism. Having a political system that does not get anything done, or a financial system that is based on shadowy practices, is not the way to go about this. For the U.S. to be successful in the globalized world, it must live up to its own ideals and practice what it preaches. In doing this, the rest of the world will follow as it has for the past 100 years, regardless of their growth rates, and the U.S. will no longer continue to exhaust itself trying to dominate every situation.

Disagreements with The Post-American World:
I only have a few disagreements with Zakaria’s work. First, I felt like the first couple of chapters presented a lot of information that seemed all over the place. I understand this is a tough subject to cover in a book with little more than 250 pages, but it still seems that in the beginning the author did not fully know the direction he wanted to take. In the second chapter alone, “The Cup Runneth Over,” Zakaria addresses how the world is currently a much more peaceful place than people believe, then he goes into a nine page analysis of the “Islamic Threat.” Following that analysis, he addresses his theory of the three major shifts over the past 500 years, “the rise of the west,” “the rise of America,” and “the rise of the rest.” In another section within the same chapter, he covers the effects that an increase in population and the rise of developing nations will have on the world’s resources. Nationalism is also addressed. As these developing nations grow, they will become more individually empowered, which may in turn cause tensions to flare up between countries. It is not until the fourth chapter, eighty-seven pages in, that the information becomes more controlled when Zakaria looks at the rise of China. The information was very interesting, but there was a lot of it and it was not well controlled. If Zakaria was trying to give an impression of the chaos that is globalization, he definitely accomplished that in his presentation of information for the first three chapters.

Second, I feel that Zakaria’s claim in the sixth chapter, that higher education is “America’s Best Industry,” is a little much. (Pg. 187-191) I do not disagree that the U.S. has some of the best higher education institutions in the world. However, many colleges and universities do not support a global focus. In order to be competitive and successful, the U.S. must have educated individuals who are encouraged to broaden their focus outside of the country. There are immense opportunities for the U.S. to take advantage of throughout the world. Yet, these individuals must have the knowledge to be able to operate within different countries, among different cultures and languages. American higher education remains too centrally focused. We have thousands of foreign students who come to our institutions and receive a first-class education, and in the end they are in a better position because they have experience with two, or more, cultures. They are better able to adapt to different environments and have a more global perspective. Programs like the trip to India in June 2013, is a perfect example of how higher education should support a global focus. Until that time, I disagree with Zakaria’s claim that America’s best industry is its higher education industry.

Closing Thoughts:
Overall, I liked Zakaria’s book and the argument he presents. I would definitely recommend this book to all college students, politicians, and business leaders. The U.S. may be facing some tough challenges; however, none of them are so large that they cannot be overcome. We must become more globally focused. “Generations from now, when historians write about these times, they might note that, in the early decades of the twenty-first century, the United States succeeded in its great and historical mission-it globalized the world. But along the way, they might write, it forgot to globalize itself.” (Pg. 48) The U.S. is in a good position to remain the dominant player on the global stage, but it must not forget to globalize itself and live up to the ideals that are at its core: competitive capitalism, democracy, and freedom.


The John Warner School

Sixth Form study

General advice

Studying in the Sixth Form will involve a great deal of time spent in independent study. You will need to take responsibility for your own learning.

This will involve you working at home in the evenings and at weekends. You must learn to manage your time effectively as it is now required that you are in 540 hours of study per year.

It is a good idea to make a homework timetable at the start of the year so that you make sure you are spending enough time on your work as well as giving yourself time to spend on other activities.

You may start a part time job, but make sure that it doesn’t get in the way of your academic studies.

You will have time on your timetables when you are not in lessons; these are not free periods but time when you should be studying independently. It is recommended that you spend 4-5 hours of independent study for each subject per week.

Some study periods may be supervised study in the Sixth Form Study Centre, where a member of staff is available if you require help.

You will need to plan your study time carefully to make sure you meet deadlines and don’t fall behind with your work.

You will also need to organise where you go to study.

Your attitude to learning is EXTREMELY important.

Positive feelings will help brain cells connect which improves learning.

Your brain learns valuable information faster if it is important.

So, think - what will I get out of learning?

 It might be going to college or university; good job prospects; an apprenticeship; improving your future; a good career; improving your confidence or proving to yourself that you can do it!

Give yourself short term and long term goals.

Make sure you give yourself rewards for short term goals. Do something you enjoy, such as going to the cinema; going out for a meal; spending time with friends etc.

A short-term goal could be completing a piece of coursework so that you are free for the weekend.

Build up your confidence by setting short achievable targets which will help create a positive attitude to learning.

A long-term goal may be working towards a place at university or college.

Regularly remind yourself of your long term and short term goals.

People who lose motivation usually lack confidence, direction and focus but this can be overcome by using the above simple techniques.

Useful sites


Monday, January 18, 2016

How to Study the Bible

4 Steps to Reading the Bible

1. Selection - What do I study?
            - Pray
            - Pick a passage
2. Observation - What do I see?
            Study different translations, commentaries, Bible dictionaries, Bible encyclopedias, interlinear Bible (Greek and Hebrew to English), Bible handbooks, and Bible atlases, time lines, and topical Bibles.

A. Look at the Text
            Who are the people in the passage?
            What are the important ideas in the passage?
            When did this occur?
            Where are the places in this passage?
            What is the literary genre of this passage? Is it poetry, narrative (story), Epic, Priestly Writings, Law, Liturgy, Lament, Teaching, Prophecy, Gospel, Parable, Letter, or Apocalypic Literature?

B. Look at the Context
            What comes right before and right after the passage?
            What events are happening in the original time period?

C. Look at the Historical Setting
            When was the passage written?
            Where was this passage written?
            Who is the author?
            Who is the audience?
            What was the original purpose for this passage?
3. Interpretation - What does it mean?
           A. Language
                        What is the meaning of each word in the original language?
                        How are the significant words used in other places in Scripture?
                        How does the genre effect the text?
                        What is the sentence structure?
                        Why are these particular words used?
                        Compare the passage in other versions of the Bible?

           B. Historical
                        How does the historical, sociological, or historical situation affect this text?

            C. Theological
                        What truths are taught about God?
                        What truths are taught about human nature?
                        What does the passage tell us about sin or about salvation?
                        What does the passage say to the church?
                        What does the passage say to me as an individual?

4. Life Application - How does this apply to my life?
            How does this passage apply to the contemporary situation?
                        How do we apply this passage to our modern day assumptions, values, and goals?
                        What principles apply to our society today?
                        What does this passage say about social issues?
            How does this passage apply to me personally?
                        How do these principles apply to the church?
                        How do these principles apply to my friends and family?
                        How do these principles apply to me personally?
                        How does this passage effect my moral decisions?
                        How does this passage effect my personal goals?
                        What am I going to do with what I learned?
                        How does this passage impact my relationship with God?
What personal goals am I going to set in my life to apply these principles in this passage? Pray for God to help you apply the principles in the passage to your life.
Do not “proof-text.” (Take verses out of context.)
Do not be too literal. Ex: Matt 5:29-30
Do not ignore cultural, historical, and literary background of the Bible.
Do not read your own ideas into Scripture.


"Political parties are like poets, born, not made."

–James A. Garfield

Center Party:

Centrism is characterized by positions that involves support of a degree of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy. Centrists generally want to avoid a significant shift of society either strongly to the left or the right. The term Third Way is often associated with centrists. Centrists in the United States may be more prone to lean liberal on social issues while leaning conservative on economic issues, although this is not always the case.

Perhaps the most successful centrist effort of all time was H. Ross Perot in 1992, who ran for president as an independent and garnered nearly 19% of the popular vote. Centrist-like 2016 presidential candidates include John Kasich, George Pataki and Jim Webb.

The Party Leader of the Center is Edmund Bannister. Email him here.

Left Party:

Left-wing politics are generally characterized by supporting social equality, often in opposition to social hierarchy and social inequality. They typically involve concern for those in society who are perceived as disadvantaged relative to others and a belief that there are unjustified inequalities that need to be reduced or abolished. Leftists are generally social progressives who favor Keynesian economics and the welfare state, as well as a concern for environmental matters. Left-wing politics can range from the center-left, with examples including social democrats and social liberals, as well as the ultra-left, which can include communists and anarchists.

Leftists are generally associated with the Democrat Party in the United States and 2016 candidates include: Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders.

The Party Leader of the Left is Emily Doyle. Email her here.

Right Party

Right-wing politics are generally characterized by the view that some forms of social stratification or social inequality are either inevitable, natural, normal or desirable. Hierarchy and inequality may be viewed as natural results of traditional social differences and/or from competition in market economies. Rightists generally favor smaller government, laissez-faire capitalism and some sort of government support for an established religion. The right can range from center-right, like the British Conservative Party, to the ultra-right, which can include fascists and authoritarianism.

Rightists are generally associated with the Republican Party in the United States and 2016 candidates include: Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and Scott Walker.

The Party Leader of the Right is Jose Trejos. Email him here.

Social Party

Make sure to check out our Facebook page to find out when the next Political Union Social is!


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Physics & Astronomy Colloquium

March 8 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Speaker: Kelsey Johnson (UVa)

Title: How were the most ancient objects in the universe formed?

Abstract: Ancient remnants from the early universe surround our galaxy.  These relics, know as “globular clusters” have the potential to provide insight into the prevailing physical conditions during an epoch that cannot be directly observed.  While some progress has been made, and we now know globular clusters can still be formed during extreme episodes of star formation in the relatively nearby universe, the actual physical conditions that give rise to globular clusters has vexed both observers and theorists for decades.  With the new capabilities of the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) we have the ability to probe the birth environments that gave rise to these ancient objects for the first time.  This talk will give an overview of progress that has been made, and highlight the importance of using chemistry to help us understand physical conditions in the interstellar medium.

Back to colloquia schedule

227 Gallalee Hall
514 University Blvd.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 United States
+ Google Map


Date of Award

Summer 1-1-2011

Document Type

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Aerospace Engineering Sciences

First Advisor

Penina Axelrad

Second Advisor

George Born

Third Advisor

Hanspeter Schaub

Angles-only orbit estimation of geosynchronous objects is a unique challenge due to the dense population of clustered geosynchronous objects, the singularities of and perturbations to geosynchronous motion, and the error inherent to experimental observations of geosynchronous objects. Passive optical tracking of geosynchronous space objects has traditionally been performed by ground-based sensors, and the capability has advanced significantly through the introduction of space-based angles-only tracking. This research addresses three key facets of geosynchronous orbit estimation accuracy: improvement to the accuracy via appropriate coordinate modeling, empirical characterization of achievable ground-based angles-only estimation accuracy, and analytic modeling of the space-based angles-only estimated uncertainty. This research develops and analyzes improvements to geosynchronous orbit estimation based on high-fidelity dynamic modeling with a specialized set of coordinates designed specifically to address the geosynchronous orbit conditions. The use of an appropriate representation, the GEO elements, enhances the orbit estimation accuracy compared to the more traditional inertial Cartesian state space representation of geosynchronous motion. Simulation and experimental studies demonstrate that GEO element estimation better recovers the in-track motion than inertial position and velocity state estimation. The short-term estimation accuracy given ground-based tracking is characterized empirically using the Wide Area Augmentation System satellite reference ephemerides. The results show that 10 meter accuracy is possible given short sampling intervals (10 to 30 seconds) and long nightly track lengths (3 or more hours). Several tracking scenarios are found to meet accuracy requirements on the order of 100 meters. The observability of relative states using space-based angles-only tracking of geosynchronous objects by a geosynchronous sensor is analyzed, and first-order analytic expressions for the predicted uncertainty of the along-track separation and intersatellite range are developed assuming space-based passive tracking. The uncertainty models are validated via Monte Carlo analysis. The results demonstrate that 1 hour of continuous space-based passive tracking can estimate the range to the order of tens of meters, and 12 hours produces range uncertainty on the order of meters. The outcome of this research is a set of methods to improve the performance of geosynchronous orbit estimation, and an enhanced understanding of the accuracy possibilities of angles-only ground-based and space-based geosynchronous orbit estimation.


dimanche 23 mars 2014

What Big Data Mining Means for ERP

A lire sur: http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/inside-erp/what-big-data-mining-means-for-erp-59295
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software allows a business to consolidate previously separate data into a single application. This means that finance, sales, production, and other business functions use the same application, and the data for that application are in a single database. This has several implications. Because all of the data are stored in the same place, it is much easier to analyze data from multiple business functions. Because so much more data are in the same place, new tools are needed to analyze the data.

What is Big Data?
Big data simply refers to data sets that are too large to be stored or analyzed using traditional tools. Big data has become more and more important over the past several years as more data are collected on a regular basis. To understand what big data means, it must be analyzed. That is done using data mining.

What is Data Mining?
Data mining is the application of a wide variety of statistical techniques to big data sets. Data mining is usually used to predict outcomes or events, but it is also useful to detect trends.

Data mining is crucial in today’s business environment. It allows a business to extract the most information from its data. This, in turn allows the business to make better decisions and forecasts. Businesses that are not mining their data are losing out on a chance to leverage what they already have; the competition is not making that mistake.

Data-mining ERP
Because ERP software combines the information from several areas—finance, sales, production—it is a vein of data gold for the business to mine. Most major ERP vendors, such as SAP and Sage, offer add-ons or other products that can be used to mine ERP data. Others provide built-in functionality for many data-mining techniques.
ERP data can be mined in a variety of ways, depending on the use case.

Predictive modeling can be used to forecast future events and trends, such as the demand of a product. This technique can leverage data from sales and production to create better models of how much product a business may need at any given time. It can also be used to determine which first-time customers will be likely to remain customers and which will not. By predicting future outcomes, the business has more information with which to make decisions about strategy. Leveraging the data in the ERP system through data mining improves those decisions greatly.

Clustering can be used to find like groups of things. This technique is similar to segmentation, but unlike segmentation, where the user predefines the groups into which that things will be placed, clustering uses mathematical and statistical algorithms to determine what belongs in which group. This allows the data to speak for itself, relying on the preconceived ideas of the relationship between things. Clustering can be used for many things, such as suggesting and advertising future products.

Big data mining allows a business to leverage the data it is currently storing in its ERP system to make decision and improve processes. The combination of ERP and big data mining means more money through reduced costs or increased sales for the user.

About the Author

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Want to have your interest piqued? Just want to browse through some projects? Well here's the page for you!

Please skim through all of these before you choose one to read, because if you read them by order the ones at the bottom will always get less views.

This page lists and puts links to all the projects we have here on the wikia, along with the logo and an intro. So people who just want to browse through some projects and see what they're about can look at this.

Feel free to:

  • Alter any information that is got wrong or want to add to
  • Add new projects
  • Change the format if it seems appropriate

Future of The WorldEdit

Earth 5 million years from now

Evolutionary Continuum

Community Project

What is the fate of life after present day? What forms will meet extinction or evolution? Such is one of the most discussed subjects of speculative evolution, and evolution in general; there are many documentaries showing future evolution, such as The Future is Wild and After Man: A Zoology of the Future. This page is a prediction of what will happen to the fauna of the world, from various million years from the future. The Future of the world is a community project, but unapproved animals go in the candidates section. This project might not be believable in your eyes, this is because of the great differences from The Future is Wild. Please don't alter the project too much, like deleting a huge number of creatures.

New PleistoceneEdit

Woolly mammoth

Evolutionary Continuum

Dormant Project (Whanggoldpaw)

It's the dawn of a new Ice Age. Ice sheets extend as far south as Paris in the northern hemisphere and as far north as Buenos Aires in the southern hemisphere. North America's western great plains have become desert. A majority of South America is Grassland, only the Amazon River houses the rainforest of South America. Europe has become increasingly colder, while Asia has become dryer and more mountainous. Russia, Australia and Antarctica have relatively stayed the same, though the fauna changed drastically in Australia and New Zealand, as invasive and introduced species start to change the ecosystem drastically.

Eocene SplitEdit

Eocene Split

Alternative Evolution

Dormant Project (Myotragus)

The Grande Coupure, at the end of the Eocene epoch, was one of the most drastic faunal turnovers of the Cenozoic era. During and (much more so) after this time the world started to drastically cool as tropical forests gave way to grasslands and the once diverse Paleogene megafauna started to decline. Many well-known beasts from brontotheres to creodonts started to decline. This was a new age. The age of the pecorans and carnivorans; and the and the age of grass, and ice, feeding on the loss of the great Eocene forests, and with them all of their flora and fauna.

Then the world started to become an icehouse. The ice caps started to develop. The ice age began. An unimportant primate from the African savannah became a skilled hunter and conquered the world. And it was driven by the savannahs where it evolved, a result of the sudden domination of the grasslands in the Miocene.

But this timeline is different. Grass never fully diversified, inhibiting the development of the ruminants, with the Pecora, one of the most successful recent groups of mammals, on the brink of extinction. The split happened in the Priabonian, 35 million years ago, meaning that more of the unfamiliar Eocene fauna was kept, and the Neogene fauna was almost nonexistent. The world stayed in greenhouse climate for the rest of the Cenozoic. And thus, an entire new Earth was created.

Silent SkiesEdit

Silent Skies Template

Astrobiology/Alternative Evolution

Dormant Project (Myogratus)

In the long history of the world, never before was there such a spectacular leap of faith taken about by nature. Four and a half billion years ago, a planet the size of Mars, now dubbed Theia, slammed into the proto-Earth. The molten rock spun off into space, where it would be pulled together, forming the Earth's only satellite, the Moon. This event, the giant impact and the result it had on the history of Earth since then, has changed life as we know it; seasons, stability and perhaps it had been the instigator of life for our world.

However, this project will look at a completely different world, or should I say, worlds, for in this universe, Theia (the Mars-sized planetoid that struck Earth, leading to the Moons formation) does not strike the young Earth, and, like fate, gets trapped within the boundary of the habitable zone. In the long history of the world, never before was there such a spectacular leap of faith taken about by nature. Four and a half billion years ago, a planet the size of Mars, now dubbed Theia, slammed into the proto-Earth. The molten rock spun off into space, where it would form the Moon known today. This event, the giant impact and the result it had on the history of Earth since then, has changed life as we know it; seasons, stability and perhaps the instigator of life on our home world.

Thalassa: The Diamond in the Roughness of SpaceEdit

Thalassa logo

Dormant Project (JaggerButtermilk)

Thalassa is a moon that orbits Theia, a water cloud jovian, its atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen, and other hydrogen-rich compounds such as methane. Theia orbits a yellow dwarf called Polyphemus. Discovered by an expedition at the mid-twenty first century, it was one of the most amazing things that had happened to the human race for decades. To the cultures of Earth, Thalassa is mysterious, primal and terrifying. Despite this, a glimpse of the planet from space will show the planet is brimming with life due to the abundance of flora and clear atmosphere. Depending on the position of Thalassa, three or four moons could be visible from its surface. Together with the bioluminescent plants and the number of moons visible, the night is a spectacle, and truly dark nights are uncommon.

Dormant Project (Harekiller)

Home to the top jawed bottom eyed exoanimals.

Animula, Latin for a piece of soul or life, is another sanctuary for life; a planet quite similar to earth, but due to evolution's randomness in establishing traits, is home to creatures awe-inspiringly different superficially, behaviourally and fundamentally to life on earth, down to their very cells. When humans, in in midst of a new foray into space by means of wormhole genesis, discovered this amazing life-filled planet, scientists had at last found conclusive evidence that life did indeed exist out of earth, and not just tiny extremeophilic life; life that was multicellular, sophisticated, intelligent, and all the more astonishing (and massive because of Animula's lower gravity).

What if the Asteroid Missed?Edit

What if the Asteroid Missed

Alternative Evolution

Solo Project (KaptainWombat)

What if the Asteroid Missed? This is one of the biggest questions that paleontology has asked. Would dinosaurs continue to dominate megafaunal niches? Or would they eventually surrender their spot to the other great animals, the mammals or the crocodilians?

Terra ChordataEdit

Terra Chordata

Astrobiology/Evolutionary Continuum

Dormant Project (Marcello27)

This is a terraformed planet with a difference. Instead of a high invertebrate diversity and a low chordate diversity, it is the other way around. There were six chordates and only one invertebrate introduced. The lifeforms introduced are listed below:

  • Diatoms
  • Cyanobacteria
  • Green algae
  • Various microbial algae
  • Echiniscoides sigismundi (tardigrade)
  • Branchiostoma lanceolatum (lancelet)
  • Branchiostoma floridae (lancelet)
  • Epigonichthys hectori (lancelet)
  • Epigonicthys australis (lancelet)
  • Clavelina moluccensis (tunicate)
  • Oikopleura dioica (tunicate)

Triassic DivergenceEdit

Phytosaur and Synapsid

Alternative Evolution

Dormant Project (Streszhoun)

After the Permian-Triassic extinction, the most important extinction to the dominance of the dinosaurs was the Triassic-Jurassic extinction. While there are many competing theories as to the cause of this extinction, its impact was undeniable. The pseudosuchians and phytosaurs (which were arguably the dominant tetrapods at the end of the Triassic) went extinct or into severe decline except for the Crocodiliformes; Conodontophora, non-ammonitid ammonoids, and dicynodonts went extinct entirely; and numerous other groups were decimated. This great turnover in terrestrial fauna allowed the dinosaurs (in direct competition in many cases with their distant crocodile-line relatives) to come to prominence, and most of the groups defining the "Mesozoic Marine Revolution" evolved after this event. What would have happened if the Triassic fauna had lived to see the Cretaceous-Paleogene Mass Extinction? What if these great groups had not gone extinct?

Dinosaurs of the Ice AgeEdit

Alternative Evolution

Dormant Project (Cryptile33)

Between the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, about 145 MYA, was a time during the age of dinosaurs when the world actually started to cool down due to a minor glaciation. However, what if there wasn't any volcanic activity after the glaciation? How much more severe would the world get? What groups would go extinct if this happened? What groups would evolve? Would the non-avian dinosaurs survive the K-T mass extinction in this alternate timeline?

Frozen in TimeEdit

Frozen in Time

Alternative Evolution

Semi-Dormant Project (Marcello27)

Imagine a world where life has been pushed to its limits. Where the life is nothing like anything you've ever seen, yet looks vaguely familiar. Where ice rules the world, and not an inch of liquid waters covers the ocean. Imagine a world frozen in time.

What was the driving force of evolution during the Phanerozoic eon? None else than the recovery from the snowball earths of the Cryogenian. But this recovery was lucky, and if the large amounts of volcanism signaling the end of the Cryogenian and the dawn of the Ediacaran didn't happen in time, the world would be stuck with an ocean surface as hard as rock. All animal life could perish, and the Precambrian would never end.

What if this was the case? I will lead you through a though experiment which shows what may have happened if the Cryogenian glaciations lasted until the Triassic of our timeline. In this world, volcanism and CO2 are at zero and 50 ppm respectively. This is because the buildup and breakup of the supercontinent of Rodinia have stopped plate tectonics almost completely.

The split happened not at the end of the Cryogenian, but at the end of the Hadean eon, after the formation of the Earth. The Late Heavy Bombardment lasted less than 1 million years because of a random change in Jupiter's orbit which stopped it from staying in sync with Saturn. The Earth cooled much more quickly, and this had an effect on plate tectonics. Starting about the same as the plate tectonics in our timeline, the process slowed down because of the quicker cooling of the Earth, and by the breakup of Rodinia, this had accumulated enough to stop volcanism. The CO2 dropped quickly, and the Cryogenian glaciations became yet more severe, and without break.

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Glenda Jackson MP

The Labour MP for the marginal constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn, Glenda Jackson. She became a Member of Parliament in 1992 and has also had a successful acting career.


Hot Topics

Eat wisely, as it may tell a lot about you. A study has recently revealed that people, who choose unhealthy food over healthy food in real time, had a lower self-control to resist temptation.
Researchers from Ohio State University in Columbus, USA watched in real time as people's hands revealed the struggle they were under to choose the long-term goal over short-term temptation. But for those with higher levels of self-control, the path to the healthy food was more direct, indicating that they experienced less conflict.
"Our hand movements reveal the process of exercising self-control," said co-author of the study Paul Stillman. "You can see the struggle as it happens. For those with low self-control, the temptation is actually drawing their hand closer to the less-healthy choice," Stillman added. They involved 81 college students, who made 100 decisions involving healthy versus unhealthy food choices.
In each trial, they clicked a "Start" button at the bottom of the screen. As soon as they did, two images appeared in the upper-left and upper-right corners of the screen, one a healthy food (such as Brussels sprouts) and the other an unhealthy one (such as a brownie).
People who moved the cursor closer to the unhealthy treat (even when they ultimately made the healthy choice) later showed less self-control than did those who made a more direct path to the healthy snack. The results showed that those who chose the candy bar at the end of the experiment were those with lower self-control. "The more they were pulled toward the temptation on the computer screen, the more they actually chose the temptations and failed at self-control," Stillman noted.
Those with lower levels of self-control had mouse trajectories that were clearly different from those with higher self-control, suggesting differences in how they were dealing with the decisions. "This mouse-tracking metric could be a powerful new tool to investigate real-time conflict when people have to make decisions related to self-control," he said.
The findings also offer new evidence in a debate about how decision-making in self-control situations unfolds, Stillman said. The research will appear in the journal Psychological Science.

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Good News


agroovebeyond: Seeking strong mind and deep soul....
Non-Smoker with Average body type
South bend, Indiana
Caucasian, Capricorn
agroovebeyond is actively seeking a relationship.
Bachelors Degree
Free Thinker

Getting silly in the kitchen as I often do.

I am Seeking a Woman For Dating
Needs Test Not Completed Chemistry Not Completed
Marital Status Single Do you do drugs? No
Hair Color Bald Eye Color Hazel
Longest Relationship Over 1 year How ambitious are you? Somewhat Ambitious
Pets No Pets

About Me
About me-
A life creatively lived with rich experiences and lessons to draw from
A vast and constantly expanding mind
A thoughtful and considerate personality
A loving heart
Soulfully passionate
A strong and adventurous spirit
A smart ass goofy sense of humor
A humble and blessed soul
Patience and gratitude and an enduring faith
The ability to reflect on and learn from mistakes
A solid work ethic but an ability to chill and enjoy life as well
A commitment to living a health conscious life style
A willingness to make the time and space for someone special
Genuinely honest and a great communicatior
Sincerity and generosity
A willingness to sacrifice for love
A reliable, accountable, and responsible nature
A good degree of self awareness and emotional maturity
Formidable air hockey and putt putt skills ;)

I am seeking someone who is self aware and has a good relationship with themselves. Someone who is strong and secure enough in themselves to be open, vulnerable, and honest. I know it takes time to build that foundation of trust with someone but a lot of having that and finding the right person is being the right person with yourself first. I want someone who values healthy living and cares enough to take care of themselves. I want someone who is as curious and passionate about life as I am and loves to share new discoveries and insights. I hope to share adventures and experiences together with someone who truly knows how to live and enjoy life. Someone who appreciates the subtleties and comedy of life.

I have several gigs that keep my boat afloat. I work with kids running a great after school program, I have a pet sitting business I started a few years ago, I also DJ, produce music, and play some bass. I also have been a regularly published music writer.

Goals/aspirations:Paying off my student loans, putting out lots more original music, DJ'ing in Europe, Getting my music played on the BBC, writing a book, doing some more travel, keeping the funk alive, living a life determined by my own inner values and not those of our often shallow and overly materialistic society.

My musical tastes:
My tastes are very broad and deep, as a musician, DJ, former radio show host, and someone who got a BA studying regional music cultures I have a huge amount of musical awareness. I dig on classic soul/r&b, funk, rare groove, down tempo, 80's alternative, old school and progressive hip hop, reggae/dub/ska, afro-beat, various underground electronic dance musics, Latin, etc. If I was to sum up my tastes in music it would be more towards positive stuff that grooves and has a message. I don't care the genre, if it has heart and soul I can appreciate it.

My tastes in movies:
I have always been a big cinema fan and I worked at a national treasure of a video store when I lived in Seattle and really got an education. I love quirky comedies, documentaries, suspense/thrillers, dramas, foreign, sci-fi, indy, etc.

I think when meeting someone on line it is probably a good idea to keep the first meeting casual, maybe a cup of tea/coffee or something simple. Then if we click and we feel comfortable with each other we can make some more eventful plans for a proper first date. I think there could be lots of interesting ways to spend a first date getting to know each other. A trip to an art gallery or museum, dinner and a movie, seeing some music, a walk in the park or on the beach, a trip to a book store, something fun like a night out at a comedy club or playing putt putt could all be fun.


A NEIGHBOUR from hell who set her dog on police officers, causing them to hide behind parked cars, has been given an antisocial behaviour order (Asbo).

Angela Collingbourne, 44, of Hammond Drive, Lliswerry, Newport, had been served with a house closure order, but offered to accept the two-year Asbo at Caerphilly Magistrates Court on Thursday [OCT 18].

Collingbourne must not cause harassment, alarm or distress to any Newport resident, including shouting and swearing in the street, and causing annoyance; must not cause or incite groups of six or more adults to gather outside her address; and is prohibited from allowing a dog to act aggressively.

District Judge Richard Williams told Collingbourne the order was necessary to protect the people of England and Wales from her antisocial behaviour.

Speaking after the hearing, PC Leanne Wood told the Argus the Asbo would allow police to control Collingbourne's behaviour for longer than the house closure order.

PC Wood said that on September 17, Collingbourne set her dog on police officers, forcing them to hide behind parked cars away from her address.

"Prior to that, there had been violence, shouting, abuse to anyone in general," she said.

"It is very intimidating and people were in fear of reporting it to the police because they didn't want any retaliation.

"This has been going on for a number of years and we have tried Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and injunctions before. This has not been a quick thing.

"Hopefully this will provide some reassurance to the neighbours that we have done something."

Allan Morris, city councillor for Lliswerry, said: "Hopefully the Asbo will serve its aim and the community will enjoy a more peaceful future."


It seems that the management thinking these days is that managers should empower their employees to make decisions and implement the actions behind these decisions. This works great when you have a team and management that has mutual trust with a mutual goal. However, when the manager does not trust the members of the team, or thinks that they have to be the one to make every decision or have input into every task, the empowerment disappears.

Managers that don’t trust those they manage end up micromanaging everything that their employees do. While this approach may work with unskilled and unexperienced workers, it is a major demotivation factor for the skilled and experienced workforce. I know of one team where an experienced member of the team has shown he can make informed decisions about solutions to issues. However, any decision that this team member or any other member of the team makes has their manager going back through the entire decision-making process with the team. As a result, this team member now refuses to make any decisions when asked by junior members of the team, instead routing them directly to the micromanaging manager for the decision. Unfortunately for the manager, it makes them think that they are even more necessary to allow the team to function on a basic level, reinforcing their micromanaging ways.

If you are an unfortunate soul that finds yourself in a work environment with a micromanaging manager that never seeks to change their ways, immediately look for another position because not every manager micromanages their team. I dare say, the most productive teams have managers that empower members of the team instead of micromanaging them.


Analyzing Changing Workloads with the USL

That’s a plot of MySQL database queries per second (throughput) over a one-day interval. Nothing looks unusual about that chart, but that is only because queries per second is one-dimensional.

While the server was working to satisfy those queries, at times it behaved very differently. Plotting the server’s throughput versus the average concurrency highlights the variations. (Concurrency is the average number of queries in-process at a time.)

What is the meaning of these distinct clusters of points, seemingly two separate workloads? You might recognize that the axes I chose are the same as those of the Universal Scalability Law (USL). Applying the USL to each group of measurements will reveal that workloads, not just servers and software, have scalability characteristics. At times, this server’s workload itself is more or less scalable.

As an exercise in visualization, I divided the clusters of points and color-coded them, then mapped those back to the time-series plot. The result follows:

It would not have been possible to guess that the less-scalable, longer-running queries run at the highlighted times of the day. Applying the USL in this fashion can help you understand what types of queries make your system behave less optimally, but to do that you need more granular data—you need per-query measurement, not global summary measurements. I’m only showing the global summaries in this post, but with a system such as VividCortex you can drill down into these types of details.


The Bride of Christ

Andrew Burkhart discusses the Bride of Christ as metaphor. How does it reveal the deep love and affection Jesus has for His Church? And what is our role as the Bride?

The Temple of God

Josh Kouri speaks on the temple of the Old Testament, which was a place of continual sacrifice and contained the presence of God, but only a few had access. How did Jesus, as the ultimate sacrifice, change everything?

The Family of God

Josh Kouri discusses how God, as a loving father, sent his son Jesus to bring us home and answer our soul’s deepest yearning for family.

The Body of Christ

The body of Christ is a beautiful metaphor of what the Church is and what we are called to be. Andrew Burkhart discusses the part we each have in the uniqueness and diversity of the Church Jesus is building.

The Church Important

Josh Kouri kicks off this new series by asking the question, “What is the Church?” What does the Bible say about the Church and, more importantly, what does Jesus have to do with the Church?