Tech Mahindra completes Satyam merger, retains own name

NEW DELHI: Software firm Mahindra Satyam was formally merged with its parent Tech Mahindra to create the country's fifth largest software services firm. 

"Over the past 4 years we worked through the statutory and legal issues, our teams worked closely on the ground to integrate processes, eliminate overlaps, leverage best practices and deliver enhanced value toour shareholders," Tech Mahindra Executive Vice Chairman Vineet Nayyar said at a press conference here. 

The board of Tech Mahindra and Mahindra Satyam had approved the merger on March 21, 2012. After an approval the Mumbai High Court, the merger had been awaiting clearances the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which gave the nod on June 11, 2013. 

Nayyar announced that Milind Kulkarni will be the CFO of the combined entity. 

On the path ahead, Tech Mahindra Managing Director CP Gurnani said: "We will continue to focus on telecom and manufacturing. And we strongly believe that by 2015 we will be a $5 billion company." 

The Mumbai-headquartered company now has an employee strength of 84,000 serving 540 clients across 46 countries. Its revenues are at USD 2:7 billion. 

The combined entity now has 11 locations in India and 15 overseas for BPO operations and software development.

Read More

Google calls EU antitrust proposal

BRUSSELS: Google said on Monday it had done a good job coming up with concessions to allay EU antitrust concerns it blocks competitors in web search results, as it sought to deflect criticism the proposals would serve only to reinforce its dominance. 

The world's most popular search engine has been under investigation for nearly three years by the European Commission, the EU executive. 

More than a dozen companies, including Microsoft, British price comparison site Foundem and German online mapping company Hotmaps, have accused it of squeezing them out of the market. 

Google proposed concessions in April, hoping to end a case which could otherwise lead to a fine of up to $5 billion. It offered to label its own products in internet search results and make it easier for advertisers to move to rival platforms. 

Its competitors, asked by the Commission to comment on the proposals, said the plans would actually strengthen Google's dominance of internet searches by forcing rivals to compete among themselves, and would also raise their costs. 

EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said Google would almost certainly be asked to improve its proposals. 

However Google's general counsel Kent Walker said on Monday that its offer went far enough. 

"Our proposals are meaningful and comprehensive, providing additional choice and information while also leaving room for future innovation," Walker said on the company's Europe blog. 

"That's why we focused on addressing the Commission's specific concerns, and we think we did a pretty good job." 

Walker's were the first substantial comments Google on the matter since it made its offer. 

If the Commission decides Google's proposals resolve the competition concerns, they can make the commitments legally binding for the company. 

The US Federal Trade Commission ended its investigation into the same matter without any significant action in January, handing Google a major victory.

Read More

What Dell, HCL Tech are doing to motivate employees

MUMBAI: A group of employees at Marico recently came together to modify a junkyard in the office premises and convert it into a sports arena. At Siemens, an employee team at its Worli office in Mumbai started a yoga class,the objective was not mere health and fitness but also bringing cross-functional people together for better collaboration at work. 

Like Marico and Siemens, Edelweiss Financial Services, HCL Technologies, Dell, Nielsen, Philips India are among several companies focusing on leveraging selfforming groups to bring employees together for fun and engagement, as well as to translate that to work. 

Self-forming groups are becoming increasingly relevant in an environment of prolonged financial slowdown as they help motivate employees without involving huge investments for the company. "The future of HR is to facilitate selfforming teams to come together. 

It is the biggest form of employee engagement," says Shaily Gupta, group head, human resources, Edelweiss Financial Services. Self-forming groups are one form of empowering employees to connect and form strong social bonds with colleagues, adds Ashutosh Telang, executive vice president and global head-HR at Marico. 

The HR at Edelweiss is currently facilitating groups such as running club, adventure club and photography clublike-minded people can come together and engage in their hobbies and interests. The company's internal social network PING also helps people with similar interests to come together, share and learn. 

At Marico, such teams include community development groups to create awareness on health and safety, working mothers groups, and a self-formed cricket team. Providing employees an empowered environmentthey have the freedom to form groups based on common interests or facilitating such group formation improves social bonds and overall engagement. 

"The forums not only enable employees to have fun but provide platforms to connect, celebrate, express themselves, learn and bond at the workplace. The outcome is a more connected, content and productive workforce," says Marico's Telang. Progressive companies are even leveraging such groups to shape people practices and policies within the organisation. 

This year, HCL Technologies reshaped itster of 'Employees First Council' to evolve an 'Employees First, Customers Second' strategic model to be "employee-led, management-embraced." The council was started in 2008 to provide staff an opportunity to express their passion. "It will enable employees to have a role in shaping policies for themselves and for their colleagues," says Prithvi Shergill, chief human resources officer. Instead of having just a certain set of employees in leadership positions or HR to do that, employees take personal accountability for the change they wish to see in the organisation, he adds. 

The employees group started with five councils: Community Service, Grey Cells (focused on quizzing and other intellectual interests), Sports, Personal Talent and Wellness. Later, two more councils, though focused more on work, were started - Women Council and Ambassador Council (focused on representing the HCL brand). 

HCL also has Interest Clubs, which are primarily online platforms for the employees with common interest to connect. There are eight such clubs: Clic - The Photography Club, The Foodies Club, The Pet Club, The Toastmasters Club, Library On Demand, HCL Record breakers, The Polyglots corner and Bikers' Club. These clubs use the company's internal social networking platform 'MEME' to bring together like-minded people who wish to share tips, pictures, and knowledge. 

Siemens has facilitated collaboration groups across different locations wherein employees periodically come together to discuss various issuestransportation, road accidents, safety and health, and suggest solutions. "These are not only self-forming but self sustaining groups. People different functions, who have perhaps never met, get to see and know each other," says Ramesh Shankar S, executive VP - HR at Siemens. The company is currently in the process of launching its internal social network as a collaborative tool for staff. 

Adds Madhavi Lall, head-group employee relations, group HR at Standardtered Bank: "The benefits are several: one gets to know people across functions and interact with them in an informal environment; it helps foster bonding and the competition develops team spirit." Among its groups, in the West, the recreation club organises indoor game tournaments during the monsoon as well as hockey, cricket and football tournaments. 

Nielsen has various clubs include Hit F5 (employee fun club), wellness club, dance club, and a soon-to-be-launched cooking club. " an engagement perspective, these clubs help keep employees morale and passion," says Sheen Sunny Akkara, ED-HR, Nielsen India & South Asia. Dell has a number of interest groups that are formed and run by the employee: the runners group, photography club, quizzing club, toastmasters club, cricket club and cycling club. 

"The groups provide employees an opportunity to pursue their hobbies with colleagues, resulting in a stronger professional bond," says Ritu Rakhra, HR director, Asia Talent Services. At Philips, the largest self-formed group is called JOSH: it drives small fun-at-work initiativesquizzes. Employees have also formed interest groupsphotographers club, trekking group, etc. 

"Forumsthese break the monotony of work and help teams connect across the organisation," says Yashwant Mahadik, VP, head of HR India & Indian subcontinent.

Read More

Digital burn-out? Tips for technology detox

ARIS: Tired of checking your smartphone every few minutes for new emails, likes or retweets? Do you spend more time looking at your device than chatting to your date? Are you close to a digital burn-out?

Fear not, an increasing number of options are available for those seeking to detox technology, wallpaper that blocks Wi-Fi to internet-free holidays and software that forces you off addictive sites. 

"People connectthe time, everywhere, in every position lying down on their bed, at the restaurant, in the waiting room," says Remy Oudghiri, a director at French polling firm Ipsos and author of a book on the subject. 

More and more people own devices that allow this. In the United States, over half of adults now have a smartphone, while more than a third own a tablet computer. 

"This sudden surge in connection possibilities, after the initial period of enthusiasm, prompts every user to reflect on how to continue to enjoy life while taking advantage of their connection. How to avoid becoming dependent," Oudghiri said. 

French researchers have come up with one solution, creating a special type of wallpaper that blocks Wi-Fi, which materials company Ahlstrom is busy developing further with the aim of putting it on the market next year. 

Spokesman Robin Guillaud says there has already been significant interest in the invention. Schools in particular have made enquiries, keen to prevent students spending too much time hooked to their smartphones. 

According to an Ipsos survey, nearly a third of French people now feel the need to disconnect, with similar trends recorded in other countries. 

Separate research the same firm found that in 2006, 54 per cent of the French population felt people spent less time together due to the advent of new technologies, a figure that leapt to 71 per cent last year. 

Companies have latched onto this lassitude, particularly in the tourism industrysome hotels and resorts offer digital detox packages. 

The upmarket Westin hotel in Dublin, for instance, gives guests the option to surrender their smartphones and tablets on check-in and provides them with a detox pack that includes a tree planting kit and a board game. 

But it comes at a price 175 euros ($230) per person per night. 

Other firms are offering more in-depth packages to really get away it all. The US-based Digital Detox organises tech-free retreats to remote places in the United States or escape destinations such as Cambodia. 

"Some of it is marketing", said Thierry Crouzet, a blogger who went cold turkey and disconnected for six months. 

"There are loads of places that are tranquil. No need to book a tour operator that takes you to the North Pole." 

The 49-year-old wrote a book about his experience called "I unplugged", after suffering a digital burn-out that saw him so craving technology that he would sometimes check his email, blogs and Twitter at night. 

"I see a lot of blogger friends who are easing off. Nearly everyone gradually takes breaks. We're realising that at the end of the day, it (technology) doesn't nourish us," he said. 

But Crouzet admits that as a blogger who was going to write a book about his experience, it was easier for him to disconnect than it is for thousands of people who rely on email for work. 

As a result, some companies are implementing measures to try and relieve employees being contactable 24/7. 

German car maker Volkswagen, for instance, in 2011 decided to stop sending emails to thousands of employees' BlackBerrys between 6.15 pm and 7:00 am. 

And for those who just cannot resist Facebook, Twitter or Google+, the website anti-social.cc offers software that disables a list of distracting sites provided by the customer for a specified time period. 

Whenelse fails, internet rehabs are starting to spring up, such as reSTART, which bills itself as the first retreat centre programme in the United States. 

According to its website, most of those they treat are between 18 and 28, and have checked in because they have had difficulty finishing college due to their internet use, or establishing and maintaining off-line relationships. 

The programme aims to teach participants about healthy eating, getting good sleep and how to address difficult emotions head-on rather than escape online. 

The jury is out, however, as to whether those hooked on technology suffer an actual addiction. 

"I wouldn't use the word addiction, I'd use the word dependence," said Oudghiri. 

"And it's not the same dependence as drug dependence as you can free yourself of it more easily."

Read More

'Indian govt not aware of methods used by hackers'

NEW YORK: Public authorities in India are vulnerable to cyberattacks as government and corporate leaders in the country are shockingly not even aware of the dangers and sophisticated methods used by hackers, a senior UN official has said. 

"The recent hacking of Council of Indian School Certificate Examination and CBSE websites by a 20 year old student has once again demonstrated the vulnerability of public authorities in India to cyberattacks," said Babu Lal Jain, senior adviser to the UN Office for Partnerships, said. 

"Though the attack was sans any malicious motive and caused no damage, it was to prove in the words of the perpetrator, how unsecure the sites were on which depended the fate of millions of school-leaving students trying to enter into careers of their choice," he told PTI in an interview. 

"What to talk of taking counter measures, shockingly a majority of Government and corporate leaders in India are not even aware of the dangers and sophistication of methods employed by the hackers these days." 

Not only the state and military secrets coveted by the other state spying agencies as well as economic and commercial intelligence of value to business rivals, the hackers these days have no qualms in selling the information they steal to the highest bidder, including gangs engaged in credit card frauds and other criminal activities, he said.

Besides the young techies and nerds who indulge in hacking for fun and as a challenge to break into important and tightly secured sites, crime syndicates are on the prowl to steal passwords, account details and personal information to indulge in illegal money transfers, ATM withdrawals and other damaging activities. 

With most of the critical infrastructureelectricity grids, ports, railways, airports, banking and financial services etc dependent on the Internet for efficient working, real time information and communications, the dangers of hackers in league with terrorist groups disrupting essential services and causing large scale economic and social chaos cannot be over emphasised, Jain said. 

After loading a standard anti-virus and firewall software, most of the authorities and corporate entities in India feel that they have secured their systems and network cyber intrusions.

Read More

Looking for part-time job? Your search ends here

Tina Ahuja is a mother of two children aged eight and six. She had to quit her job at IBM India,she was managing the IT helpdesk, to take care of her children. But soon she realized that she could still work part time and contribute. So, she started to look for jobs that allowed her the flexibility to manage both her commitments at home and her professional aspirations.

She found the kind of part-time projects she was looking for through a Bangalore-based hiring start-up Krow. in, which posts jobs with flexible projects. Tina now works for an e-commerce website for children's clothing called Unamia, and provides training for employees.

"The compensation is not that important for me. It is a tiny percentage of what you can make doing this full time. But it's part time and it's fair. I do find the work intellectually challenging," she says.

Krow.in was the brainchild of Anilesh Seth, who headed Supervalu India, LG Soft India, and Qatalys Software as CEO. During his stint at Supervalu India, he wanted to create a training programme for retail and found that hiring someone full time was not feasible. That's when the Krow idea struck him.

"Just as we had 'just in time' principles in management, I wanted to see if I could get skills for 'just some time'. Many companies are looking at hiring completely differently today. Attrition and management of expectations of employees has become a problem," he says.

Anilesh set up the company in April 2011 along with Darshan Chinappa and Narayan Krishnaswami of HR consultancy firm Talking Heads. Krow targets people who cannot work full time but have skill sets that companies look for. They look at providing jobs for home makers, seasoned professionals and retired professionals.

The website asks applicants to give a brief of their professional experience, as also their location so as to provide for additional flexibility. The company also targets start-ups. Anilesh says flexible resources is the only way start-ups can survive and many cannot afford to hire someone full time.

Rahul Krishnarao, founder and managing director of Yell Fore Consulting and who has used Krow, says a lot of their work is project-based.

"We usually just need people for about 3-6 months. So we want people on contract and not on our payrolls. In one instance we needed an aviation consultant and we were able to freeze it within a week with Krow," he says.

Krow went live in October 2012 and has about 5,000 people signed up for their service and 150 companies posting jobs. Anilesh says that about 47% of their demographic are women and half of them are home makers. About 43% are seasoned professionals and 10% are retired professionals.

Read More

Nasscom receives 4,000 applications for start-up programme

As part of the recently launched '10,000 Start-ups' programme, National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) recently released insights on the tech entrepreneurial landscape announcing the receipt of 4,000 applications for angel funding and acceleration. Nasscom had started inviting applications for the 10,000 start-ups programme on April 5 and closed applications on May 30. 

Som Mittal, president, Nasscom, said, "We have close to 14,000 entrepreneurs over 80 cities registering with the programme who submitted about 4,000 applications. We will now about 20-25 start-ups for angel funding and incubation." He further added, "Through a comprehensive evaluation process carried out by our partners, we will also about 150 start-ups that would undergo rigorous mentoring by our members, programme partners and other industry partners." 

The application procedure revealed some insights about the emerging tech entrepreneurship landscape in India. Out of the total applications received, close to 23% of the applicants were Bangalore, closely followed by 20% applicants Delhi NCR. Another trend that came to light was that one in every five applications was filed smaller towns. With reference to the demographics of the applicants, over 70% applications came applicants under the age of 30 and about 15% applicants were women.

About 25% start-ups aimed at providing solutions pertaining to education and skill development. The retail vertical had 18% applications followed by media (15%) and healthcare (11%). a technology point of view, a whopping 66% of the applications came for web/internet start-ups, followed by mobile start-ups occupying a share of 24%. Applications Cloud and Big Data were at 16% and 11% respectively.

Read More