Celebrating the 21st convocation of SCMS Cochin School of Business

29 April, 2014, Kochi: The 21^st Annual Convocation of the PGDM programme of SCMS Cochin was held as a glittering ceremony at the Prathap Nagar campus, Kalamassery on April 29, Tuesday. Mr. Mohan Sivanand, Editor‒at‒large, Readers Digest, India Ltd was the chief guest on the occasion. He presented diploma certificates to the batch 21 PGDM students of SCMS COCHIN School of Business. As many as 168 students received their diplomas on this day.

“One of the most critical requirements to become a successful professional is to be very careful in serving your co-workers and preserving your relationships”, said Mr. Mohan Sivanand in his convocation address to the outgoing students. Business organisations are becoming more and more system-based and rule-based with growing modernization. Consequently, personalized approaches and relations are becoming progressively uncommon. This is going to be a serious challenge to the new generation of managers, Mr. Mohan Sivanand cautioned.

Dr. G.P.C. Nayar, Chairman, SCMS Group presided over the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nayar stressed the need for a continual improvement of the quality of our professional education in order to make it comparable to world standards. And that would necessarily require more investments. Without additional investments, it is not possible to improve the quality of our education, Dr. Nayar explained. Mr. K.I. Viswanathan, Vice President, Marketing Division, ITC Ltd was the Guest of Honour. He explained the importance of the correct mix between smart work and hard work in the managerial sector. 

Ms. Manjusha Muraleedharan of PGDM batch 21 secured the Chairman’s Gold Medal for the best academic performance. Ms. Jayeetha Putatunda got the Best Outgoing Student Award for overall performance. Ms. Neelima and Ms. Minu. C. Nair also received medals for best academic performances. Prof. P.C. Pillai, Group director, SCMS, welcomed the gathering. Dr. V. Raman Nair, Director, SCMS, administrated the oath. Prof. K.J. Paluse and Dr. Filomina P. George, Deans of SCMS, also participated in the convocation ceremony.

Studying MBA in India is definitely a better idea

At present studying abroad especially MBA has become a fad. More than the course structure or the university, the word ‘abroad’ plays a vital role among the students and their parents. MBA is a comprehensive degree that enhances your career and boosts your ability to achieve higher at work. It has nothing to do with going abroad and studying.

In fact, there are many proficient MBA colleges and B-Schools in India that has better curriculum and prospects than abroad schools. Yes agreed, most of the top notch MBA schools of the world are in abroad but India is not lacking behind either. Doing MBA in India vs. Abroad has quite a few advantages. They are;

•   MBA in India teaches the business ethics followed in the country which you might not grasp if learnt abroad
• Studying in your home country gives you the added security and freedom
•  MBA in India’s fee structure is cost effective when compared to international B Schools
• You will be guided to different corporate for training and internship. The organization structure and business management varies in each country. Therefore, if you study MBA in India, acquiring a job and molding into it will be easier.
• Indian MBA courses are completed in 2 years where in abroad the program is very short. Studying in India will give you wider scope and knowledge as the time duration is more. You will gain more practical knowledge as well.

      All you have to do is select a MBA college which trains you in all aspects of business management, a college that concerns with the student’s welfare and growth, that teaches using modern methodology and techniques and provides you more practical and in job knowledge. 

      

      In India, MBA collegesin Kerala are well reputed and highly established.

Mr. Prem Kumar, CEO, Eastern Condiments shares his over three decades of management experience in a session that hits the right notes with students of SCMS Cochin School of Business

It’s not very often that students from B Schools get to interact with industry stalwarts with over three decades of experience. But that’s exactly what happened during the Industry Institute Interface (III) session held recently at SCMS Cochin School of Business. Students had an opportunity to listen to and gain from the experiences of Mr. Prem Kumar, CEO of Eastern Condiments. And needless to say they utilized this opportunity to the fullest. 

Eastern Condiments is one of the biggest brands in Kerala and as the CEO of the company, Mr. Kumar works towards building its reputation further. An MBA graduate with 33 years of experience in Sales & Marketing, he has worked in different industry sectors including Trade & Rural Marketing, Training & General Management. He has also worked with several global brands like Gillette, Horlicks, Aquafresh, Panadol, Lucozade and Ribena, Sundrop and Dainik Bhaskar. 

Hence it was only natural that there was a lot to gain from his experiences, which is one of the major aims of these sessions in the first place. They are designed to ensure that students get an exposure to real industry dealings and trends, which broadens their horizons to a great extent. Mr. Kumar on his part did just that by offering students insight into the secrets of sales and marketing. “You have to make a difference. Secondly, you have to understand your consumers, only then will you be able to convince them,” he said.

Mr. Kumar talked about his own experiences with different noteworthy brands he has worked with and helped students understand the difference between classrooms and real world corporate life. He also stressed on the fact that the time of academic learning was important for students and they should make the most out of it. “Quantitative skills are important and you need to understand the business environment as well. That means you have to get your basics right and now is the best time to do that,” he emphasized.

As Mr. Kumar was talking of his own journey from a management student to a successful corporate professional, his words resonated with the gathering and had a deep impact. But he reminded the students that their personal life journey was of importance too. “You need to build on your skills and evolve every day to change the environment we are living in. Communication and storytelling are two important aspects of management and they can only be learned through personal life journey,” he said thoughtfully.

The audience was held in rapt attention throughout the session, which was brought to a close by Mr. Kumar as he offered management aspirants tips for their future. “Find your domain of occupational interest. Keep yourself abreast with the current issues and most importantly, know your strengths and weaknesses,” he stated. The student gathering had got what they’d hoped for from the session, but Mr. Kumar had a parting shot to leave them with. “Information is power but too much information is paralysis,” he said amidst huge applause.

Speech of Mr. K. I. Vishwanathan, Vice President, Marketing Division, ITC Ltd. in the 21st Convocation Ceremony of SCMS Cochin School of Business

Dear Students,

It indeed gives me immense pleasure to be here today in your midst, on this happy occasion. It is of great benefit to experienced managers like myself to be among such youth since you bring a lot of energy to the forum - energy to work hard, energy to think smart , energy to innovate ,energy to achieve - and I can soak up some of the energy. Read More....

Mr. Vinu Peter, HR Functional Consultant at IHTS Softwares reveals helpful HR secrets to students at Industry Institute Interface session held at SCMS Cochin

Students pursuing their PGDM program at SCMS Cochin School of Business recently had an opportunity to listen to Mr. Vinu Peter, HR Functional Consultant at IHITS Softwares, deliver an inspiring talk. Mr. Peter was invited at the institute as a part of a Industry Institute Interface session that SCMS Cochin focuses on to ensure that its students get exposure to the real world of management.  Throughout his talk, Mr. Peter not only offered students an insight into the life of a successful management professional but inspired them to achieve greater things in their careers as well.

Mr. Peter is a known name in the world of HR after gathering years of experience working in the field. He used to work as Vice President, HR at Choice Group of Companies and has climbed up the success ladder over the years. So he knew exactly what he was talking about when he said to the gathering, “Chase excellence in your career and success will follow. Enjoy what you do otherwise you will be forever dissatisfied with the kind of work you do,” was his helpful advice to the students looking forward to their future careers.

Mr. Peter had instantly managed to build a bond with the young management aspirants in the crowd, who will have to grapple with several doubts and questions during their professional journeys. But there was one thing he wanted students to be clear about; that job happiness and satisfaction are two completely different things. It made a lot of sense to students who were looking to have more of their questions answered during the session that touched upon important elements of the big transition towards being a professional.

According to Mr Peter, a lot depends on candidates’ resumes. “The importance of writing a good resume cannot be overemphasized. You cannot simply copy paste it because an HR professional will see through it instantly. We need to see that your resume has been written genuinely,” he said to the students. He also urged them to be prepared for everything in the future, including a small presentation they’d have to make. Only when they have been prepared well can they add value to the listeners, he added.

Mr. Peter was definitely adding a lot of value to the session that had the gathering in rapt attention. One of the highlights of the session was the fact that he often drew on his own experience to drive a point home with his audience. He talked about how he might not have ever used some of his learning in any aspect of his life. But that didn’t mean one students should be dissatisfied when they have to understand the meaning of learning certain courses or subjects. It was a remark that resonated with the gathering.

As a parting shot, Mr. Peter stressed on the importance of sharing knowledge, which is a good way to learn. He also asked them to, “Make time for entertainment and your passions while you are focussed on your careers. It adds flavour to your life.”

Celebrating the 21st convocation of SCMS Cochin School of Business

29 April, 2014, Kochi: The 21^st Annual Convocation of the PGDM programme of SCMS Cochin was held as a glittering ceremony at the Prathap Nagar campus, Kalamassery on April 29, Tuesday. Mr. Mohan Sivanand, Editor‒at‒large, Readers Digest, India Ltd was the chief guest on the occasion. He presented diploma certificates to the batch 21 PGDM students of SCMS COCHIN School of Business. As many as 168 students received their diplomas on this day. 

“One of the most critical requirements to become a successful professional is to be very careful in serving your co-workers and preserving your relationships”, said Mr. Mohan Sivanand in his convocation address to the outgoing students. Business organisations are becoming more and more system-based and rule-based with growing modernization. Consequently, personalized approaches and relations are becoming progressively uncommon. This is going to be a serious challenge to the new generation of managers, Mr. Mohan Sivanand cautioned.

Dr. G.P.C. Nayar, Chairman, SCMS Group presided over the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nayar stressed the need for a continual improvement of the quality of our professional education in order to make it comparable to world standards. And that would necessarily require more investments. Without additional investments, it is not possible to improve the quality of our education, Dr. Nayar explained. Mr. K.I. Viswanathan, Vice President, Marketing Division, ITC Ltd was the Guest of Honour. He explained the importance of the correct mix between smart work and hard work in the managerial sector. 

Ms. Manjusha Muraleedharan of PGDM batch 21 secured the Chairman’s Gold Medal for the best academic performance. Ms. Jayeetha Putatunda got the Best Outgoing Student Award for overall performance. Ms. Neelima and Ms. Minu. C. Nair also received medals for best academic performances. Prof. P.C. Pillai, Group director, SCMS, welcomed the gathering. Dr. V. Raman Nair, Director, SCMS, administrated the oath. Prof. K.J. Paluse and Dr. Filomina P. George, Deans of SCMS, also participated in the convocation ceremony.