NEWSLETTER
A House Journal of
IEEE Kerala Section
Volume 11 Number 02
April - June 2002
As a student of Physics, I took more interest in Dynamics than Statics. Heat transfer was more relevant than static thermal properties, kinetic energy appealed more than potential energy. Economists of all hues worry about wealth distribution namely flow of wealth rather than just wealth creation. Every piece of software can be modeled as flow of information - changing information in form, space and time. Complexity of design is not measured by the number of modules in a software system but by the degree of their interaction, which is nothing but the amount of inter-module information flow.
Every industry claims that knowledge lies at the "heart" of its business. Life ceases when the heart is not dynamic. Does it not imply that managing knowledge means enabling movement of knowledge from one form to another, from one place to another and from one era to another? But we are all worried only about archiving and storing knowledge. We give less importance to its retrieval by the right person at the right time and in the right form. We proclaim that the half-life of knowledge is just a few months but we do everything to entomb it rather than letting it flow freely. We believe in filling the knowledge silos with whatever we can lay hands on. We strategize that our customers should get what they need rather than just buy what we sell. Translated inwards, knowledge management strategy should address the concerns of seekers of knowledge rather than thrusting down their throats what we consider knowledge.
In today's Supply Chain Management, godowns and warehouses have no place. The only inventory is the one that is currently moving in trucks. Customers place their orders directly with the manufacturer and manufacturing takes place "just-in-time". Nowhere is the model more manifest than in the software industry. Hence phrases such as knowledge base and knowledge repository become an anachronism in our business. Knowledge needs to be continuously created. There are limits to reusing old knowledge - if you squeeze a lemon too hard you hit the bitter taste!
We swear by tacit knowledge gained through relationships, which are intrinsically dynamic in nature. We recognize that we benefit more by attending a conference than by reading a book. But we turn a blind eye to elements of technology available for implementing the dynamism - elements of technology we ourselves have invented to solve the flow requirements in other application domains. The quality of water flow is a function of the quality of plumbing. The quality of knowledge flow cannot be different - the right communication infrastructure would ensure quality flow of knowledge. Knowledge management happens when communication within and outside is made robust.
Lastly, let us recall that energy is not linearly related to flow (read velocity), but follows a square law. Hence increased flow of knowledge would result in quadratic increase in returns. K-ware 2002, our section's annual seminar theme for this year would discuss various dimensions of Knowledge ware by eminent and experienced speakers from academia and industry. Make sure you are there. For further details visit our website.
R.Narayanan
03-04-2002
"Surveying using GPS", Satheesh Gopi, Asst. Marine Surveyor, Hydrographic
Survey Wing, Port Department, Government of Kerala.
05
to 06-04-2002 Region
10 Committee Meeting at Bangkok.
10-04-2002 "Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology-Exciting
Possibilities", N.T Nair, Vice President, CMS Computers Ltd., Thiruvananthapuram.
13-04-2002 Second meeting of Executive Committee of IEEE Kerala.
17-04-2002 "Explosive Devices for Aerospace Applications", C.B Kartha,
Group Director, Space Ordinance Group, VSSC.
01-05-2002 "Road Accidents, its Mechanics & Psychology", Subhash Chandra
Bose, former SE, PWD, Government of Kerala.
17-05-2002 World Communication Day-"Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) for all: Empowering People to Cross the Digital Drive".
05-06-2002 "World Environment Day" Celebrations.
08-06-2002 Third meeting of Executive Committee of IEEE Kerala Section.
19-06-2002 "Post September 11 Scenario-Cyber Security", P.R.Chandran
former D.G.P, Kerala.
03-07-2002
"Reliability Aspects of Satellite Launch Vehicles", K. Sudhakara Rao, VSSC.
06-07-2002 Creativity@Work! Exploring New Alternatives - a seminar
by GOLD at Amphitheater, ER&DCI, Thiruvananthapuram.
06-07-2002 Special Executive Committee meeting of IEEE Kerala at Hotel
Horizon at 13.00Hrs.
10-07-2002 "Eco-Tourism in Kerala Thenmala - A case study", K.G. Mohan
Lal, Director, Eco Tourism, Govt. of Kerala.
17-07-2002 "Intelligent Agents", B. Raveedran Pillai, Deputy Director,
LBS Centre for Science & Technology.
24-07-2002 "Liquid Crystalline Polymers", C.K.S Pillai, Regional Research
Laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram.
25-07-2002 "K-ware 2002"-National Conference on Knowledge Management
organized by IEEE Kerala Section, at Hotel Residency Tower, Thiruvananthapuram.
26 to 27-07-2002 "AISC 2002"-All India Students Congress, at Thiruvananthapuram
organized by IEEE Kerala Section. Venue: Hotel Residency Tower, Thiruvananthapuram.
31-07-2002 "e-waste - The New Eco Problem", N.T. Nair, Vice President,
CMS Computers.
25-09-2002 " High Reliability Power System Design", one day distinguished
lecture programme by Keene Matsuda, at Hotel Horizon.
24 to 26-10-2002 National Seminar on Ancient Indian Sciences with
a Special Focus on Vedic Mathematics by Academy of Sanskrit Research at Guru
Nanak Dev Engineering College, Bidar.
5 to 7-11-2002 XII Swadeshi Science Congress organized by Swadeshi
Science Movement at Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram.
Focal theme: Food Security through Sustainable Technologies.
15 to 18-12-2002 International Conference on Personal Wireless Communications
2002 (ICPWC-2002), New Delhi.
20 to 21-12-2002 ACE 2002-28th Annual Convention and Exhibition of
IEEE India Council organized by IEEE Calcutta Section, at Science City, Kolkata.
Encryption & Internet Security
Philip John presented the topic "Encryption & Internet Security" on 02-01-2002. A user who wants to do any transaction on a public network would like to ensure that his transaction is secure and not tampered with by any third party. Recent happenings in the world are making people more and more security conscious. The talk provided an overview of the different security mechanisms one can adopt in an Internet environment. The public key infrastructure, which is at the root of secure transactions over the net, was emphasized in the talk. The talk also covered major security protocols that are currently being used in the Networking scenario.
Making a great workplace
On 09-01-2002 S.C Gupta presented "Making a great workplace". How does one measure the strength of an institution? What questions to ask, how to weigh the answers and what correlation do the answers have with the performance of institutions? These were the issues for a research project for several years in a well-known organization. They analyzed answers to ten crore questions put to employees and correlated the answers with the performance of entities. Analysis revealed that answers to twelve questions capture the most important information. The talk presented these questions and sought the views of the audmience.
ISDN
R. Rajaram delivered a talk on "ISDN" on 16-01-2002. ISDN stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. It is a design for a completely digital telephone/ telecommunications network. It is designed to carry voice, data images, video, everything you could ever need. It is also designed to provide a single interface (in terms of both hardware and communication protocols) for hooking up your phone, your fax machine, your computer, your videophone, your video-on-demand system (someday), and your microwave. ISDN is about what the future phone network, and information super highway, will look like (or would have looked like).
Capturing the Mainstream Market
On 18 Jan 2002 a talk by KT Chandy, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY was arranged at IIITM-K, Park Center, Technopark. Thiruvananthapuram on "Capturing the Mainstream Market: Scaling Mission Critical Functions Across the Chasm". Despite the collapse of the dot com bubble, the importance of high tech products in today's economy cannot be over-emphasized. To succeed in today's demanding environment high technology firms must rapidly capture mainstream market segments. This requires firms to swiftly "cross the chasm" between those segments and the early adopter segment (Moore 1991). K.T Chandy explained all these aspects especially in different relevant areas.
Status on Electricity
On 23-01-2002 a talk on "Status on Electricity" was held by V.V. Giri. The talk covered the important provisions in the various statutes on Electricity, both Central and State. Viz Indian Electricity Act 1910, Indian Electricity Rules 1956, Electricity (Supply Act) 1948, Electricity Regulatory Commission Act 1998, Kerala Electricity Duty Act 1989. The discussion focused on the duties, responsibilities and interests of consumers and suppliers. The topic also dealt with the salient features of the new Electricity bill introduced in the Parliament. How the provisions of the new bill would affect the Electricity Industry in the country was discussed with emphases on the role of the State Government and the interests of consumers.
Energy from Biomass
A talk on " Energy from biomass" by D.Subhakar was arranged on 06-02-2002. Energy from biomass is the oldest form of energy man has been using for a long time. Modern man still depends on it. In the villages, use of biomass for heating and cooking is very common. From using three stones as a stove, we have moved to smokeless, energy efficient chulhas and portable chelas. We have also found alternate methods of energy generation other than combustion. They include anaerobic digestion, gasification and pyrolysis. Anaerobic digestion produces methane, which is a combustible gas and the digested sludge, is a good fertilizer. Gasification is a process in which biomass is burnt in reduced oxygen atmosphere. The producer gas is combustible and the total process has an efficiency of above 60%. Pyrolysis is combustion of biomass in the absence of air to produce bio-oils. Another area, which has attracted recent attention, is conversion of waste to energy especially with the case of municipal solid wastes. The lecture discussed various biomass to energy conversion processes, technologies involved, types of devices used, its applications and economies in detail. Advantages and disadvantages of various technology options for waste to energy conversion were also covered. The effect of these energy conversion technologies on the environment was also described.
Biotechnology
A talk
on "Biotechnology-An overview and its application" by V. Thankamany was arranged
on 20-02-2002 at The Institution of Engineers, Kerala State Centre. The members
of various professional bodies were presented on that occasion.
Biotechnology is a combination of microbiology and a collection of new technologies aimed at making new products or to improve existing products. Scientists have developed exact methods for breeding healthier and more productive livestock, improved nutritional value of foods and feeds, varied crop varieties, pest control agents and vaccines. Biotechnology can be applied to convert the garbage into methane alcohol or manure. "Golden rice" was developed in which the rice itself contains Beta-carotene properties and more vitamins, which helped the people of weaker sections to get the extra nutrition from rice itself. The large-scale production of plant seedlings through tissue culture and commercial production of new formulations of antibiotics are also modern.
My
Vision
An
extract from APJ Abdul Kalam's speech
I have three visions for India. In 3000 years of our history People from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards, The Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not done this to any other nation. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, and their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. Why? Because we respect the freedom of others. That is why my first vision is that of FREEDOM. I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started the war of Independece. It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us.
My second vision for India is DEVELOPMENT. For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is the time we see ourselves as a developed nation. We are among top 5 nations of the world in terms of GDP. We have 10 percent growth rate in most areas. Our poverty levels are falling. Our achievements are being globally recognized today. Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation, self-reliant and self-assured. Isn't this incorrect ?
I have a THIRD vision. India must stand up to the world. Because I believe that unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go hand-in-hand. My good fortune was to have worked with three great minds. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai of the Dept. of space, Professor Satish Dhawan, who succeeded him and Dr.Brahm Prakash, father of nuclear material. I was luck to have worked with all three of them closely and consider this the great opportunity of my life.
I see four milestones in my career :
ONE: Twenty years I spent in ISRO. I was given the opportunity to be the project director for India's first satellite launch vehicle, SLV3, the one that launched Rohini. These years played a very important role in my life of Scientist.
TWO: After my ISRO years, I joined DRDO and got a chance to be the part of India's missile program. It was my second bliss when Agni met its mission requirements in 1994.
THREE: The Dept. of Atomic Energy and DRDO had this tremendous partnership in the recent nuclear tests, on May 11 and 13. This was the third bliss. The joy of participating with my team in these nuclear tests and proving to the world that India can make it, that we are no longer a developing nation but one of them. It made me feel very proud as an Indian. The fact that we have now developed for Agni a re-entry structure, for which we have developed this new material. A very light material called carbon-carbon.
FOUR: One day an orthopedic surgeon from Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences visited my laboratory. He lifted the material and found it so light that he took me to his hospital and showed me his patients. There were these little girls and boys with heavy metallic calipers weighting over three Kg each, dragging their feet around. He said to me : Please remove the pain of my patients.
In three weeks, we made these Floor reaction Orthosis 300 gram calipers and took them to the orthopedic center. The children didn't believe their eyes. From dragging around a three Kg. load on their legs, they could now move around ! Their parents had tears in their eyes. That was my fourth bliss!
Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why? We are the first in milk production. We are number one in Remote sensing satellites. We are the second largest producer of wheat. We are the second largest producer of rice. Look at Dr. Sudarshan, he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.
I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert land into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news. In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign TVs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology. Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance ?
I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14-year-old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is : She replied : I want to live in a developed India. For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. You must proclaim.
India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation. Allow me to come back with vengeance. Got 10 minutes for your country? YOU say that our government is inefficient. YOU say that our laws are too old. You say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke, the airline is the worst in the world, and mails never reach their destination. YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits. YOU say, say and say.
What do YOU do about it? Take as person on his way to Singapore. Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a face - YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. You are as proud of their Underground Links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs.60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent to Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity. In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai.
YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah. YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, " see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else." YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 kmph) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, "Jaanta hai sala main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost." YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and News Zealand. Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will thrown papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alient country why cannot you be the same here in India? Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay Mr.Tinaikar had a point to make. "Rich people's dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place," he said. "And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels?
In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that here?" He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place not are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity. This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse?
"It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry." So who's going to change the system? What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not I am. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his had. Or we leave the country and run away. Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England. When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to a abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.
IEEE Education Support Activities
There is a growing population of engineering students in Kerala. IEEE, as the global professional body of reputation, has decided to have a formal programme in support of engineering student community. The following committee of Senior Members of IEEE has been formed to have a focused support.
K Kesavasamy, Senior Consultant, TCS (Convener), S.K.Pillai, President, NeST, NAP Thampy, Director, ER&DC, Ramesh C Dutt, President, INTSYX, C.V Anil Kumar, Professor, Chengannur Engineering College. The committee has decided to have the following two activities under IEEE.
1 Seminars in particular colleges / common places (Audience - students and/ or teachers, depending on the topic).
2 Guidance support for student projects.
To encourage coming up of more IEEE Student Branches, both the supports will be restricted to IEEE Student Members only. The IEEE Education Support Committee (IEEE - ESC) has already conducted one programme under Item-1. K. Lalitha Prasad, Senior Consultant of Tata Consultancy Services, along with his colleague Shoney Sivan, conducted a two day workshop on 'Linux' for the students of Chengannur & NBSP Engineering College during April 26 - 27, 2002. About 30 students participated in the workshop and the programme received a lot of appreciation from the students.
IEEE - ESC requests all IEEE members, who are willing to be the project guides for the engineering students, to register their names with topic of their interest with Meera.S of TCS (meeras@tvm.tcs.co.in). There is no obligation on the part of project guides for hardware/software resources. Only intellectual support is required, that too not exceeding three to four hours, a month.
IEEE - ESC also request for the volunteers to conduct seminars / workshops for engineering students. The interested members may kindly register their names with the topic of their interest at meeras@tvm.tcs.co.in . You may kindly spread this message to all your colleagues in your organisation, who would be interested in participating in the above two activities. Meera is requested to update the database with the following information.
1. N.T. Nair, Vice - President, CMS:
1. Knowledge Management
2. Embedded Systems
3. Relevance of R&D in globalised economy
2. R. Narayanan, Vice - President, TCS: Towards a dependable software
3. S. Neethi, Senior Faculty, TCS : Systems Thinking
4. K. Kesavasamy, Senior Faculty, TCS:
1. Geographical Information System
2. Digital Image Processing
3. Software Engineering through anecdotes
4. Quality Management Systems for Software Development- Kesavasamy
eServices
Capability Model (eSCM)
-
A new Quality Standard for Outsourcing Activities
Compiled by: N.T.NAIR, Editor, IEEE India Bulletin
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled Services (ITES) are the topics in limelight in the IT realm today. While the ubiquitous standard, SEI CMM Level-x, rules roost today among the software companies world over, it does not seem to take care of the specific needs of BPO and ITES sectors. Fully aware of this inadequacy, the US- based Carnegie Mellon University is currently busy putting together another quality standard, eServices Capability Model (eSCM), taking lessons from its own, now popular, SEI CMM certification for software organizations.
The Carnegie Mellon University developed the model using its own research and the expertise of service providers such as Accenture and Satyam Computer Services Ltd. The model should provide companies with information to help them succeed in outsourcing relationships. Dun and Bradstreet's Barometer of Global Outsourcing study indicates that as many as 25% of all outsourcing relationships fail because the client doesn't clearly communicate its needs, costs exceed expectations, and quality of service is poor.
The increasing prevalence and complexity of outsourcing contracts make best practices particularly relevant. "The outsourcing market is exploding, but as companies consider it for the first time, they realize they don't know much about the process," says Michael F. Collins, an Accenture outsourcing practice partner.
First-time outsourcers often have no way to determine the competence of a particular service provider outside of customer references, says Jane Siegel, director of CMU's IT Services Qualification Center. Siegel's team looked at a number of best practices such as the software capability maturity model, which governs application development. when developing the parameters for the eServices model.
The first step to ensuring that a client has reliable service levels and that its service provider meets those service levels is for the client to have knowledge of the contract-negotiation process. "The eServices Capability Model helps clients assess whether or not their service provider will pass muster," says Collins
In response to the growing need for standards to evaluate companies providing information technology (IT) outsourcing services, researchers in the School of Computer Science (SCS) of CMU have developed a methodology to rate outsourcing firms and have established a center to certify their capabilities. Phenomenal growth is projected in the next decade for organizations to outsource IT-intensive business activities, including back-office operations, engineering design, IT-services, payroll, tele-support and tele-marketing," said Prabhuu K. Sinha, Satyam's senior vice president for quality.
"These activities may range from routine and non-critical tasks, which are resource intensive and operational in nature, to strategic processes that directly affect revenues."
Satyam Computers of India will be the first company authorized to use the new Carnegie Mellon evaluation method to appraise IT outsourcing service providers for its clients around the world.
Accenture, a leading management and technology consulting organization and provider of outsourcing services, also has joined the effort, providing funds and placing some of its associate partners at Carnegie Mellon as visiting industrial scholars. They also will assist in the development of the outsourcing evaluation methodologies.
Over the past several years, many kinds of organizations -from manufacturing firms and banks to hospitals- have been delegating computer-intensive activities to external service providers because they lack their own in-house capabilities. But in many cases, they have not been satisfied with the results, said ITsqc Director Jane Siegel, senior systems scientist in SCS's Institute for Software Research International.
"The outsourcing business involves billions of dollars, but right now companies that use these services have no consistent basis for making their selection," she said.
"Our goal is to give organizations a reference model to compare outsourcing providers and mitigate their risks. At the same time, the model and certification method we've developed will enable service providers to differentiate themselves and enhance their operations."
According to Dun and Bradstreet's "Barometer of Global Outsourcing," companies have reported that between 20 and 25 percent of all outsourcing relationships fail in any two-year period. In addition, nearly 70 percent of survey respondents said the outsourcing supplier "didn't understand what they were supposed to do, that the cost was too high and they provided poor service."
The eServices Capability Model (eSCM) contains a set of practices that address the entire outsourcing process and seeks to aid IT-enabled outsourcing providers to form, manage, and improve outsourcing relationships.
The eSCM examines activities related to the design, deployment and delivery of an outsourced service. It also addresses other aspects associated with successful outsourcing including a focus on: (1) the activities leading to the formation of outsourcing relationships and (2) the practices used when outsourced services are transitioned back to the client or terminated. Since the primary focus of existing quality models is mostly on the execution of a contract, the eSCM addresses activities critical to successful outsourcing in the pre-contract, and post-contract phases of the outsourcing process, in addition to the contract execution phases. Where applicable, the practices have been defined so as to be complementary with existing quality models. A major goal of the eServices Capability Model is to encourage IT-enabled service (ITES) providers to build continuously evolving, improving and innovating organizations that can proactively respond to evolving client requirements.
The eSCM will be accompanied by multiple capability determination methods. These methods will enable service providers to determine their current capabilities. The appraisal methods will also enable clients to compare multiple potential suppliers with respect to the same capabilities measured in a consistent manner. Carnegie Mellon trained and authorized external agents will do qualification and evaluation of organizations.
The eSCM model, at present in the pilot stage, will be released in the next two months, as per Bill Hefley, Associate Director, IT Services Qualification Centre at CMU. Currently, five pilots are being run, involving 3 US and two Indian companies to validate the model. Over 200 Indian ITES companies are closely watching this scenario.
Under eSCM frame work, there will be five capability models for the companies to get assessed, starting from the initial level 1 model. The eSCM best practices framework provides direction on measuring and improving the value of outsourcing relationships by way of enhanced productivity, reduced cycle time, decreased transaction costs and improved time to market. The certification programme from CMU offers a seal of assurance about a BPO/ITES provider's capabilities and performance. Clients can be confident of high quality and reduced risk in their business transaction with a certified service provider.
Today, 32 of the 58 organisations assessed at SEI SEM level 5 globally are based in India. Soon the news would be centering around eSCM certifications, as we are about to witness a boom in the outsourcing domain.
Ethics and individual character are extremely important so far as culture of a country is concerned. The character of the individual and his knowledge are inter-related and very vast as profound as the sky. It is as wide and deep as the ocean and is inexhaustible and infinite. Our culture is packed with abundant philosophical truths, which help to fetch laughter and cheer into the world of fears, conflicts, confusions, joys and sorrows in our life.
Integration of personality of an individual, empowers him of facing dynamically all the challenges in his life, which is the major criterion in nation-building effort. It is quite natural that professionals probably pursue and look at the path of applying new and advanced technologies in their work area. They are doing excellent job by fulfilling the technological purpose through sincere efforts. The knowledge they acquire, share or transfer among themselves lead them a step ahead in availing the opportunities inherent in the drastic changes in our world and our technology.
Of course the advancement is increasingly coming through successful performance; that too dependent on the desire and thought of the individual. Determining new areas of needed expertise and programmes to support these needs have important role in the mind and emotional energy. All human aspirations are embedded in thought and are steered by the emotional energy. In this context, a quote on the universal principle of emotional energy, states, "Energy flows desire and thought" is extremely relevant and significant. This principle is sometimes called 'The Principle of Activity'. It is true that wherever we direct our desires and thoughts, energy flows.
We are living in a planet of energy. With strong desire and mental request one can transfer the invisible energy from the body to other destinations. Many of us may think of the reality of this statement and seem as hearsay and fantasy. Thinking, feeling, sensing, etc, lead us to our personal experiences of 'reality'. Practice and observation will commensurate with the work involved in this phenomenon. Gentle and moderate practice is necessary for those who are interested in self-understanding and self-revelation to emerge gradual sensation and awareness towards what is left unknown and unexplainable.
These experimental results through practices imply that man can uplift himself and evolve to a higher state of being. The more we know the more we realize that it will never be enough. The knowledge we create ourselves is so enormous that it seems impossible to achieve the goal initially. Practice has proved this to be true in exploring sources of energy in our body as well as in the universe. There are exhaustive theories and related schemes for the achievement of this goal laid down by different practitioners who have devoted their life in this discipline centuries back. The investigation through this available knowledge is obligatory; thereby the progress in the development of human personality and self-improvement can be achieved.
Practice permits successful flow of energy through the human body, to release an avalanche of power and strength, energy and vitality, thought and action in addition to a wide range of thought provoking topics of contemporary nature. It helps to remove the anxiety-state neurosis, magnified dejection and misplaced compassion. It gives a cool and calm condition both physically and mentally, which helps to take right decision and action in their endeavourer. An analytical outlook towards the life and the energy that holds within and outside the body is established for which one need not pore over volumes to know about it.
The need
to stimulate the professionals in everyday life is to take the initiative
and explore immense capabilities, which are in dormant stage in the body.
Also to expect satisfactory answers to all questions before him in order to
make him a dynamic man of action, an intellectual in personality, and to experience
an unique way of right living. The main obsession is to awaken and prepare
to receive the resources available in the universe.
K Gopalan Nair
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GOLD(
Graduate of the Last Decade)
Visit to the Technopark by Students of
NISH -
A Report
On 22 May 2002, the GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Chapter of the IEEE Kerala Section organized a visit for a group of thirty students from National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) to TOONZ India Pvt. Ltd. (Toonz) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) companies located in Technopark, Trivandrum.
NISH, a nonprofit, autonomous institution, was set up in 1997 with the support of the Government of Kerala to serve as a comprehensive, multipurpose institution for the total rehabilitation and education of the speech and hearing impaired.
The thirty students, doing the Diploma in Software Systems program, accompanied by two of their instructors, first visited Toonz. Toonz has already made its mark in the field of animated pictures and cartoons. At Toonz, they were first briefed about the various activities that went on behind making a cartoon. These include the main artist making a rough sketch of the characters, the artist's assistants doing the "Cleanup" of the character, the main artist again drawing at least eight main actions of this "cleaned up" character, etc. When the character is ready with the actions, the backgrounds are prepared manually. These images are then scanned and they are ready for use after being animated and edited using different animation software tools. The visitors were surprised to know that it could take almost 24 images for making a one second of cartoon.
A collection of several animated cartoons made by Toonz, was screened. Shobha Mammen of Toonz took the students around the Toonz Animation Studio and its facilities to see the artists in action and to see all the procedures in the making of an animated cartoon.
The students then were taken to the Corporate Training and Education Center of TCS. K. Kesavasamy, senior faculty and K. Lalita Prasad, Training-in-Charge, talked to them. The students had a lot of questions to ask these senior IEEE members, about the various activities of TCS, the way the training activities are conducted etc. They were also shown around the premises and had many of their queries answered when the networking of TCS - Trivandrum was explained in detail. After the three hour long visit to the two Technopark companies, TCS provided the students with light refreshment.
The feedback mails later received from the students indicated that they left with a sense of satisfaction. Some of the mails read as follows: "…..able to understand all the activities that surrounds a software firm. Able to see many things that were taught in class. Wish to experience more programmes like this." and "…..all the arrangements were more than what we expected. The talk by senior software professionals were exciting. Hope that in near future similar programmes would be conducted."
Aju Thomas Abraham of TCS, who is also a GOLD member of the IEEE Kerala Section led the group during the whole visit. Murali and Shirley of NISH were the interpreters of the students.
The IEEE-GOLD Kerala Section wishes the students of NISH all the best for their future.
- Meera S
|
Raja Nagar
Vadakangulam-627 116 Tirunelveli Dist.
Dr.Sardar S A Raja |
NEWS FROM ASIA PACIFIC REGION
StandardsAsia
is Single Source to Learn About and Access Technical
Standards from the IEEE and Other Sources. The standards community in Asia now has its own Web site, www.standardsasia.net. Launched by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE-SA), a major developer of international standards, the site is the first in Asia to provide a focal point for the Asian standards community.
The multidimensional site supports those who want to learn about, participate in, and access technical standards, especially in the fields of information technology, telecommunications, and power and energy. It also serves IEEE-SA's volunteers, members, customers, and international partners in Asia by integrating information on the associations' offerings with regional and global news tied to standards and links to other standards development organizations (SDOs).
"StandardsAsia embraces all aspects of the standards world," says Tsuneo Nakahara, Executive Advisor to the C.E.O. of Sumitomo Electric Industries. "It is both informative and practical. It can help people and organizations obtain the standards they need, learn about standards under development, and even find out how selected Asian companies are using IEEE standards. It also provides updates on IEEE and IEEE-SA activities in Asia. In short, it is an excellent resource for anyone interested in using or creating technical standards."
Ben Johnson, President of the IEEE Standards Association, says the IEEE-SA created the site to help foster the use and creation of technical standards in Asia. "This web portal illustrates the interrelatedness of the standards world," says Johnson, "which extends from those who help create standards to organizations that offer them to companies that use them. The site also reinforces the many benefits standards offer, especially the return on investment companies gain when they help develop them."
As a service to those who visit StandardsAsia, the StandardsShop (TM) area makes it convenient for anyone in Asia to purchase the technical standards, specifications, and guides they need from the IEEE and other standards developing organizations. "IEEE standards are referenced by and often used in conjunction with standards from other organizations," says Johnson. "StandardsShop is provided as a convenience to the portal's visitors." The site offers those in companies, trade organizations, government, academia, and other sectors throughout Asia such options as:
- The ability to learn about and join new IEEE standards efforts.
- Links to Web sites carrying international and regional finance and economic news relevant to standards
- Links to IEEE "Standards Zones" to explore standards in specific technologies, such as wireless telecommunications and microprocessors.
- Access to approved standards, either directly through the IEEE or from third parties.
- Links to IEEE's international standards partners, such as the International Electrotechnical Commission, International Organization for Standardization, and International Telecommunication Union.
- Profiles of volunteers from Asia involved in standards development and how Asian companies are using IEEE standards.
- Help in becoming an individual or a corporate member of the IEEE Standards Association.
- Details on the IEEE's standards process.
The site has many other aspects. For instance, it provides access to the IEEE Registration Authority, which assigns Ethernet addresses and local and metropolitan area network names, addresses and identifiers. It also allows visitors to link to the IEEE Industry Standards Technology Organization, which supports standards and technology development by industry consortia, alliances, forums and other groups.
About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) is an organization that develops internationally used and recognized standards. The IEEE uses an open, broad consensus-based process, which brings diverse representatives of industry together. IEEE standards set specifications, performance criteria, and procedures to ensure that products and services are interoperable and perform as intended.
IEEE-SA
has a portfolio of over 870 completed standards and more than 400 in development.
Over 10,000 members worldwide belong to the IEEE-SA and voluntarily participate
in standards activities. For further information on the IEEE-SA see: http://www.standards.ieee.org.
Call
for nominations
R-10 Outstanding Volunteer Award
Dead line: 30 Nov, 2002.
For details: Y.N. Liu, Award Committee Chairman
e-mail: y.liu@ieee.org
R-10 Award Winners
1995 Anthony
E Gascoigne, Victoria Section
1996 N. Vyaghreswara Rao, Hyderabad Section
1997 Yung Kwon Kim, Seoul Section
1998 Demetrios N Logothetis, NSW Section Kalavendi J Sarma, Hyderabad Section
S.Gopakumar, Kerala Section Seung Hong Hong, Western Australia
1999 R.G Gupta, Delhi Section
2000 Fashi Ahamed Masood, Karachi Section
2001 H. Kalyanasundaram, Bombay Section Kondapadi Viswanath, Hyderabad Section
Andrew Parfitt, NSW Section Dalma Novak, Victorian Section
Section News
NI College of Engg: IEEE has approved attaching the student branch of Nurul Islam College of Engg. from Madras Section to Kerala Section in view of the geographical proximity.
Women
in Engg : IEEE has approved the formation of Women in Engineering Affinity
Group in the Kerala Section. Only a handful of sections in IEEE have formed
such a group.
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