A critical analysis of my Subjects

I have been getting a lot of assignments these days and all the assignments are just about critically analyzing a topic. I have become so critical now, that I am going to critically analyse my subjects.

Organizational behavior: I was reading the chapter on Motivation. Interestingly, there was a mathematical formula to calculate the motivation to people. How the hell can you calculate motivation? Either you are motivated or you are not. Each individual has his or her own reason to be motivated. A manager has to just figure that out and motivate the person accordingly. Useless subject!

Marketing Management: It is interesting to read it. But I think you do all the study of marketing in hindsight. You can never guess what strategy would work for the company. All you can say is "Ahh! see this strategy worked for us." You can only appreciate things once they have been successful. There are so many factors that affect consumer choice that you are bound to miss at least one. And you would be so unfortunate if the one you miss is the one on which the consumer's choice depended. Spend gazillions on all the market research and still you can't be sure if your product would work or not. Haven't you seen Bollywood movies. Who had thought dabang would work!

Economics and Business Management: Absolutely logical subject, one of my favorites. But it is all theory, can it be put into practical use? Noo!! with "all other things constant" how can it predict the demand and supply in real economies? Had it been a little more predictable we wouldn't have had the recession!

Accounting and Financial Management: One subject that makes some sense. But too number crunching, too many formulas and therefore a thousand interpretations of the same thing. A thousand ratios to choose from and each ratio will give you a different opinion of how the firm is doing. So whats the use? No wonder Satyam was so successful in its heydays!

Now I am wondering what is the use of pursuing a management degree, if all I have to learn is either impractical or useless.

The concept of "the thing"

I am going to do the impossible. I am actually going to define or at least try to define the concept of "the thing". I have always looked whether people possess "the thing" or not. And till now I have found only one who has "the thing" and he very well knows it. There are two other who partially possess "the thing" but they have some points they work on and if they are able to conquer those things greatness will be theirs. Ahh! prophecies about the future leaders. Naah! not yet there is still time. These three people have achieved something till now, and I had prophesied before itself that they have it in them. I know they can do so much more just that they shouldn't get carried away with what they have.

So what is the concept of "the thing".  It is really something very abstract. The one person who knows about it keeps one asking me what it is. But I never had an answer because I just know when I see "the thing" in the person. It has now almost become like a joke between us. So let me brace myself and try to define the characteristics of a person having the thing. Some of the character traits that these people possess are that they are down to earth, have amazing interpersonal skills, understand people well, are confident about what they do, sensitive, brave, good speakers, good analytical skills, a wide knowledge base, are particular about things but yet not picky, are open to ideas, have a firm holding of their principles, and they just know how to get things done. You can possess all this yet you can not have "the thing". The proportion of everything has to be right. It just got to be the right mix. And only I can judge it. ;)

So do I possess the thing? Unfortunately, not till now. I am working on it! I am too much of a pushover and have really bad memory! And of course I know myself too well to see myself doing anything great in life. (down to earth!! Ahh I possess at least one of the traits :P). For all I know there is one another person who is going to enter my list. But I have to spend a little more time with her, get to know her a little better and to tell her that she has "the thing".

Now don't get discouraged if I haven't told you that you possess the thing. Maybe you do, I just don't know you that well. My criteria might be harsh but they are not wrong.

Me

A laughter here,
a smile there.
It is difficult to see
what is really inside of me.
Its a deep conundrum that evades even me.
So how can I tell what to really be.
It is the concoction of thoughts that prevails,
for my mind is always searching for the details.