Made forINVESTING INTHE FUTURE
Youth & Education
AGSM MBA STUDENT MAGAZINE | ISSUE 8 | NOVEMBER 2014
Intellectual property - More than signs of origin
Coffee with cover letters“The Unexpected” - A powerful source of differentiation
1000 grapes in a bottle
No right answer to a healthier diet
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From the Editor’s LabFor the past two months, if we were to indulge ourselves with local and international news, we could see the multitude of risks that companies would need to manage. Some companies may be affected by PayPal spliting from eBay or the political unrest in Hong Kong to the global spread of Ebola or the nation being put on high alert of terrorist attacks.
As leaders and managers, how good are we in identifying and managing the risks associated with events which are happening around our businesses?
Share your views with STARmag via email:[email protected]
Editor-in-ChiefAce Yu Leng Choo
Originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Ace Choo moved to
Perth, Australia about 10 years ago to pursue a Bachelor of
Science (Biomedical) and subsequently a Master of Infectious
Diseases from the University of Western Australia (UWA).
After 5 years as a medical researcher and laboratory manager
in UWA, she aims to achieve a triple threat status with an
AGSM MBA: a medical scientist who dabbles in the arts and
skilled in business management.
Page 2-3 photo | Close-up of a Rangoli made by full-time AGSM MBA students for Diwali celebration
CONTENTS
From the Editor’s Lab 2
FEATURE
Made for Investing In the Future 4Youth & Education
IN FOCUS
No right answer to a healthier diet 8
1000 grapes in a bottle 10
Intellectual property 12More than signs of origin
Coffee with cover letters 14
“The Unexpected” 16A powerful source of differentiation
Editor-in-Chief | Ace ChooLayout designer | Ace Choo
Copy-editors | Jisha Ramachandran | Prasad Giribalan | Suryakirti Singh
Creative Contributor | Sankshep Vashisht
AGSM STAR Magazine (STARmag) is produced by MBA students from the Australian Graduate School of Management
(AGSM). This magazine is not for sale and intended only for educational and research purposes.
All published works are of the opinions of the individual authors and do not represent the view of AGSM or UNSW.
The ‘STAR Magazine’ logo is put together by Ace Choo using ‘Sommet’ fonts designed by Jeremy Dooley and ‘Cash Currency’
fonts designed by Jayde Garrow.
The blue and white AGSM logo remained the property of UNSW and any unauthorized use are strictly prohibited.
All rights reserved.
Website | http://stusoc.agsmclubs.com/
Corresponding email | [email protected]
STAR 32 AGSM
Cover page | (From left) Christopher Chong (MBA student), Ms. Sanghamitra Bose, Mr. Ranjit Singh,
and Sanjit Kewalramani (MBA student)Photo credits | Ace Choo
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The AGSM Social Impact and Women in Leadership clubs proudly presented the Investing in the Future event with the goal of exploring the function of not-for-profi t (NFP) and non-governmental organisations (NGO) working within the space of Youth and Education internationally and within Australia, and the roles in which MBA students are able to contribute their skills and knowledge to these organisations. Our clubs were incredibly honored to have in attendance, Ms. Sanghamitra Bose, CEO of a Delhi-based civil society organisation Sshrishti, and Mr. Ranjit Singh Dosanjh, an AGSM EMBA currently involved in the mentoring of disadvantaged youth and young adults within Sydney.
Sshrishti has been working to educate over 2000 children from Indian slum environments for over 10 years, after having fi rst started in 2003 in the living room of Ms. Bose. She discussed the beginnings of Sshrishti where despite no knowledge of how to run a not-for-profi t and little money, Sshrishti stemmed out of a strong sense of commitment and passion to providing a solid education for the early years of development for disadvantaged children living in slum clusters of Indian cities, deprived of their basic rights.
These children mostly belong to the families of migrant labourers who migrate from economically disadvantaged areas to major cities, such as Delhi, to earn a living as unskilled labourers. Due to the migratory nature of their own lifestyle and of their parents, the children miss on regular schooling and mostly drop out and become child workers.
Ms. Bose discussed Sshrishti’s current
MADE FOR INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
STAR 5
initiatives include computer and digital literacy programs, women’s self-help groups and community empowerment through skill-building and microenterprise at over 10 centres across different cities – 9 within Delhi and 1 in Uttarakhand (Northern India). A part of Sshrishti’s functions continue to encourage children off the streets and into the classroom, often drawn by the promise of a lunchtime meal. With time, a classroom discipline and work ethic develops and children return regularly for lessons. Sshrishti’s workers then aim to gain engagement with the parents of these children through monthly parent-teacher meetings which are often limited by the requirement for the parent to forgo a day’s working wages to attend the appointment.With gender discrimination remaining prominent particularly within India’s marginalised, lower income communities, Sshrishti continues to support the formation of groups for female victims of domestic violence and alcoholism, harassment, and abandonment within these communities.
Mr. Ranjit Singh, in turn, shared his journey in becoming a mentor for disadvantaged youth in Sydney which has stemmed from his own diffi cult experiences as a young adult in Oakland, California and the kindness of those that has supported him in regaining control of his life. Having previously been involved in Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets program, Mr. Singh has now branched out
Mr. Ranjit Singh Dosanjh, an AGSM EMBA student currently involved in mentoring disadvantaged young adults within Sydney | Photo credits | Ace Choo
for Youth & Education
by Christopher ChongChairperson Social Impact Club
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into one-to-one mentoring of his own group of disadvantaged youth with the aim of breaking cycles of substance abuse, domestic instability and guiding these youth to a better future.
For not-for-profi t and community programs such as Sshrishti and that of Mr. Singh’s, funding remains a particular challenge. Sshrishti’s current funding resources remain 85% donor dependent, and 15% coming from individual donors, corporate tie-ups, corporate partnerships and the organisation’s own fundraising activities. In future, there is hope that Sshrishti may have the ability to become partially self-sustainable, but outright self-sustainability remains a remote prospect. Mr.
Singh, on the other hand, has managed to gain some intermittent monetary support from his employer, EFM Logistics, but the majority of the program continues to remain funded by himself.
In exploring the roles that MBA students and alumni can play in developing not-for-profi ts and joining not-for-profi t boards, Mr. Singh lamented that challenges remain in building the strategy and back-end support required for his mentoring program, and should he be able to gain the support of additional members of the AGSM community, this would allow the ability to scale the program.
As for the function of Sshrishti’s board, it
Social Impact Club Chairperson, Christopher Chong (left) with Ms. Sanghamitra Bose, CEO of Delhi-based civil society organisation Sshrishti | Photo credits | Ace Choo
STAR 7
remains with providing advice with regards to organisational actions and fundraising initiatives, and board members (such as MBA graduates) may contribute in a variety of ways including their use of managerial skills and experience, and fi nancial acumen. However, she emphasised the core skills required of NFP members is the ability to communicate with a variety of stakeholders, and carrying a healthy dose of optimism!
The evening concluded with a delicious Indian feast prepared by members of the MBA Class of 2015 cohort. It was a true privilege for the Social Impact Club and AGSM to learn from the wisdom and experience from two guests making tangible impact to the lives
of the disadvantaged of India and Australia. To quote Warren Buffet, ‘If you are in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of humanity to think about the other 99%’, and we hope that the knowledge shared by Ms. Bose and Mr. Singh will stir us to apply thought to how our skills and knowledge can drive development and action for NFPs around the world.
“ability to communicate
with a variety of
stakeholders, and
carrying a healthy dose
of optimism”
CHRISTOPHER CHONG serves as the Chairperson of the AGSM Social Impact Club Committee. Having worked 7 years as a Physiotherapist, he remains passionate about Public Healthcare and has selected the AGSM MBA as the catalyst for the future.
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1 Do not think about eliminating, think about adding | Diet has been equal to restriction, but it should not be that way. Concentrate on adding more vegetables and fruits, that way you will eat less of other foods without necessarily taking them away.
2 Move as much as possible | When we exercise, we make better food choices and we increase our metabolism rate.
3 Sleep well | Sleeping 7-9 hours per day not only helps us rest but also balances our metabolism and hunger. The less we sleep, the more we alter our digestion and hunger hormones.
MARIA JOSE DE LA CALLE is originally from Mexico City and currently studying in the Full-Time MBA program. She is an engineer, wife and passionate Health Coach. She has previously worked at Coca Cola and Google.
No right answer to a HEALTHIER Diet
4 Eat mindfully | Eat slowly and enjoy your food! Savour it and concentrate on what you´re eating. The faster you eat, the more you eat.
5 Balance your meals | Make sure you include fruits or vegetables, proteins and grains on all of your meals. This way you can make sure you are eating all the necessary nutrients.
6 Drink plenty of water | It´s very easy to confuse thirst with hunger so make sure you are well hydrated during the day. Your pee is the best indicator!
by Maria Jose de la CalleMBA Student Class 2015
Photos supplied by author
One-third of the world´s population is over-weight or obese. Now more than ever, we need to take care of our health and of our food choices. Additionally, what we should be eating has become a very confusing topic. Paleo, Raw, Flexitarian, Gluten-Free, Detox, Vegetarian… they all claim to be the healthiest diet and promise on making you lose weight. So you must be wondering, how do I know what is the best one for me? I am sorry to tell you there is no right an-swer, and that the only one who can answer this question is you. We are all different and so what works for one might not work for others.
But don´t frighten! Here are some basic guidelines that you can follow to guarantee being in the best shape possible without over complicating yourself.
7 Eat the food you like | If you do not like kale or spinach, don´t worry! Find other green vegetables that you like and eat those.
8 Eat as close to nature as you can | The more ingredients something has, the less benefi cial it probably is for you. Eat whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and organic animal protein.
9 Don´t be afraid to cook | Ready to eat meals and restaurant food tend to be packed with extra stuff we don´t really need. Try to cook at home as much as possible
and don´t be afraid to do it! There are multiple sites online that can help you get an easy healthy meal ready in 30 minutes.
10 Listen to your body | No one knows what works for you more than your own body. Learn to listen to it; it is the most perfect machine ever made. You feel terrible when eating dairy? Switch to soy or almond milk. Feel great when exercising? Probably your body needs it, so do it more often!
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A 1000 grapes in a bottle, but not a single gripe.
One rarely hears of wine getting any negative publicity and for good reason. Cigarettes will Kill, Lager breeds Louts, Spirits cause sparring in the streets but wine has medicinal powers. Wine is to alcohol what Sir David Attenborough is to nature, a narrator that can transport you into a land of harsh droughts, wild beasts or freezing oceans only to come out the other side more enriched and in better shape than you started.
Well documented is the effect red wine has on the heart, due to its richness in antioxidant chemicals called fl avonols which help to stop arteries becoming clogged up. Other research shows that wine consumption prevents Alzheimer’s disease and that regular ‘moderate’ drinkers tend to live longer than teetotallers. Personally I think it slows down aging - maybe in years to come it will be discovered to be the basis of eternal youth.
Individual varieties of wine are even thought to be good for particular ailments. A light white such as Chablis, for instance, is rich in manganese and helps soothe joint pain associated with arthritis. Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly high in resveratrol, which has been shown to fi ght cancer, heart disease and to stave off Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Others swear by champagne as an indigestion remedy, I fi nd this questionable given it only adds to the acid, but maybe they were referring to the numbing effects. Women
Having spent 10 years in fi nancial services, he is looking to broaden his horizons. Aside for debating NIGEL HAWTIN enjoys competitive sailing and is a partner in an online wine business.
1000 GRAPES in a bottle
facing the menopause might like to try a red Burgundy to boost the circulation. All this for less than the price that you would pay for the 1.27 kilos of grapes that go into a bottle.
But like Sir David does not bore you with biology, neither should wine become a cough mixture with a price tag. The reason wine makes you live longer, live richer is because it can turn your life into black and white fi lm, set in Paris in 1942 with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman playing your leads; a life you want to make longer. It opens up a world with many opportunities, one you may end up with for the rest of your longer life but there again married people live longer. But women beware; you are more susceptible to the charms of wine (due to some unromantic metabolic fact which involves the word enzyme).
So to the dark-side, that must bring balance to force of wine. The wine snob. The bore. The person who thinks they can taste forest fl oor. My advice to you is to smile and nod and realise that they will gain none of the benefi ts as they stress over the “ignorance” they think they are faced with, straining to taste Lanoline in their wine.
Don’t be an Oenophobiac, and don’t fear the snob, live wine and enjoy life.
by Nigel HawtinMBA Student Class 2015
Phot
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A good friend of mine, who had moved to Australia from Europe, recently challenged me in a discussion about Australia’s capacity to innovate and produce valuable intellectual property with the question ‘what good invention has ever come out of Australia?’ Somewhat surprised by their lack of appreciation of what Australia has contributed over the years, I quickly rattled off a list of famous inventions.
On refl ection, despite listing some truly wonderful technological achievements, I sold the place short. Innovation is so very much more than inventions, though inventions are often what are fi rst thought of when discussing innovation or intellectual property. In fact, even if I hadn’t been able to come up with that list, Australian businesses are collectively brimming with intellectual property, whether they realise it or not.
To many, intellectual property is a vague legal concept that seems troublesome, expensive and best left to legal professionals, if considered at all. When there is everyday business to be getting on with, it can be diffi cult to see how IP can be relevant. A lot of SME’s, startups and entrepreneurs may not realise that they already have, are likely creating and are certainly using intellectual property.
As a simple example, every entity has a name. That name may or may not be accompanied
CAROL KANE is a patent attorney based in Perth, where she is undertaking the EMBA after refl ecting during a career break in Scotland, that she needed a better understanding of business. In between working and studying, she can often be found out running or helping to rescue retired racing greyhounds.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
More than signs of origin
by a logo. Either or both of these can be a trade mark, serving to identify the entity and hopefully distinguish it from competitors. Over time that trade mark becomes associated with the reputation of the entity. Logos, names, words and other ‘signs of origin’ can be protected through registration as a trademark (often a relatively straightforward and inexpensive exercise), preventing others from using the same or similar mark and trading off the reputation of the entity.
Most businesses will also have copyrighted works, for example in the content on their website, or the code behind proprietary software. Many will have valuable confi dential information, from customer databases to advertising strategies. Some may have created an original and innovative design, or invented or improved a product, method or service. These and more fall within the scope of IP.
There is no doubt that innovation helps to develop and maintain competitive edge and Australian SMEs develop their fair share of innovation. However, it is no longer enough to simply innovate. With ever increasing competition, to maintain competitive edge it is necessary to also capture the value of IP and implement effective IP management. If managed successfully, IP can help to achieve a number of business objectives including securing collaborative opportunities, securing investment and mitigating risk of litigation.
by Carol KaneEMBA Class 2015
Business leaders are thus well served by informing themselves about the importance and practicalities of IP and its management so as to be able to determine the optimal combination of formal, registered IP rights (e.g. patents, trade marks) and complementary protection methods (e.g. trade secrets) most appropriate for their enterprise in the context of both their own limited resources and external market factors.
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Snippets of IP Australia website (http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/trade-marks/) | Photo credits | Ace Choo
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The fi ne smell of roasted beans and freshly baked French toast - A perfect breakfast on a sunny morning. What more can one ask for? Sipping my coffee as I was refl ecting on the AGSM journey so far, lots of good memories cross my mind: The exam madness, the movie nights, the party after party, and the after-parties which never seem to end. The midnight walks at Coogee beach and all the poker drama. Suddenly I felt a jolt. I was shaken up to the reality. It is 24th September and I am supposed to be submitting the applications for job positions in one, two, three, four or may be fi ve companies.
In a nanosecond, as explained by Daniel during his industry insight session, the information started fl ourishing in and out from all corners of my brain. The phone which
Above are the thoughts of TULIKA BAIROLIYA, a full time MBA student with no experience in journalism, but nine years in a stable career in the now not-so-stable banking industry. While working with the retail and commercial markets she believes in focussing on peoples’ interest more than their positions. And she hopes you enjoyed your coffee with cover letters as much as she did.
Coffee with COVER letters
normally never stopped whistling was silent as dead, an indication that the entire cohort is covered in the cover letter madness. To solve the trivia of making every cover letter personalised I thought of putting my picture in each one of them posing with their company badge.
Now, no matter how hard I tried to follow Prof. Will Felps’ advice to have a sticky idea, nothing seemed to be working. May be if I had to post the hard copy of the resume, I would have stuck the cover letter and resume together (Well, something sticky). The coffee which was as cold as ice were no longer in my periphery as I was busy looking for the competitive edge in each of the consultancy fi rms. What stood out was amazing: now the challenge was not only to differentiate myself
by Tulika BairoliyaMBA Student Class 2015
Tulika Bairoliya (middle) with fellow MBA students (from left) Stella Lee, Derrick Wong, Enrique Munoz Revello and Praveena Airani | Photo credits | Ace Choo
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but also to differentiate these companies from one another.
After spending the entire day reading about the companies, I could bet that each of us who has worked on this cover letter madness knew more about those companies than anyone else. What started as a lovely sunny day with a cup of coffee ended up being a “Coffee with cover letters”.
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Koreans are many things: A country with zero natural resources; broke after the
Second World War and with the third highest population density in the world.
Part of the exhausting life is a manic energy for new trends. When something is “hot”,
it takes off like a tsunami and everyone clamours to be part of it. Then just as abruptly,
it runs out of steam as everyone loses focus and jumps on to the next trend. The
exemplary example of someone who dared to be different was Hyundai Credit Card. They
were also aided by competitors who were too conservative and unimaginative to compete.
Until it was too late.
HYUNDAI CREDIT CARD
In 2003 Hyundai Credit Card was the smallest, least successful and least reputable
of all the credit cards. It was on the verge of collapse with one last roll of the dice left.
Mr Jung (one of the rare people in Korea who had an MBA) decided he wanted to get Hyundai Credit Card known as THE card for
successful, trend-conscious Koreans.
When you think of credit cards do you think of interest rates? Mileage points? OR do you
think of being trendy and cool? What would you have thought if a credit card company in your home country took the approach of the
Hyundai Credit Card?
Mr Jung decided a differentiation opportunity existed. In his view the industry was very
conservative, predictable and boring. He invested EVERY dollar he had in
differentiation based on design.
“The UNEXPECTED”A powerful source of
differentiationby Stella Lee
MBA Student Class 2015
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Hyundai Card Travel LibrarySources | http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2014/07/19/a-travel-library-
designed-to-inspire-wanderlust/ | http://www.knstrct.com/interior-design-blog/2014/7/3/exploratorium-hyundai-card-travel-library
Photo credits | Nacása & Partners Inc. (http://www.nacasa.co.jp/)
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He asked: Who is the most famous and distinctive designer, in or outside of Korea? He made a point to always hire the most distinctive people. The outcome was unique: Have you ever had a credit card the size of a key chain decoration? Have you ever had your credit card delivered in something as fancy as a jewellery box? Have you ever had one delivered to work so you can open it in front of your colleagues?
He took the same approach and changed the design of all the desks, stationery and other materials at the offi ce where his staff worked. He wanted the image inside and outside the company to be that Hyundai Credit Card is creative, stylish and unique. Soon people were making trips to the offi ce for tours.
Then he built a unique large library in a prime location in Seoul. The library contained 13,000 books from 65 different countries. 8,700 of these had never been seen in Korea before. 3,000 of these no longer were printed. Of course, the library is only open to Hyundai Credit Card holders and their invited guests.
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After university STELLA LEE found herself in the magazine industry focusing on lifestyle drivers of winners in the Korean society. She later chose to move to the conservative world of fi nancial services. Her move into fi nancial services was partly motivated by the story of the Hyundai Credit Card.
Hyundai Credit Card is now the most successful credit card in Korean history. It has revenues over US$1 billion and 15% of the Korean market. And most people assume it is the 15% any credit card company would dream of choosing. It is known to all Koreans and automatically conjures the image of successful, smart, and trendy people.
Winners have a Hyundai Credit Card. And everyone hopes one day to be a winner.
Hyundai Card Travel LibrarySources | http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2014/07/19/a-travel-library-designed-to-inspire-wanderlust/ | http://www.knstrct.com/interior-design-blog/2014/7/3/exploratorium-hyundai-card-travel-libraryPhoto credits | Nacása & Partners Inc. (http://www.nacasa.co.jp/)
Stella Lee | Photo supplied by author
STUDENT SOCIETY (STUSOC) COMMITTEE MEMBERSPresident
Virginia Kane | [email protected]
Vice President
Frederik Mayeres | [email protected]
Finance Manager
Arun Pandiyan | fi [email protected]
Communications Manager
Ace Choo | [email protected]
Alumni Relations Manager
Bhuvan Bhushan | [email protected]
Events Manager
Davydd Kelly | [email protected]
Technology Manager
Sumit Yadav | [email protected]
Business Manager
Chris Jordan | [email protected]
STUSOC CLUBS CONTACTSPresident Consulting Club
Ankit Kothari | [email protected]
President Entertainment, Sports, & Events Management (ESPM) Club
Sanjit Kewalramani | [email protected]
President Finance Club
Dan Wong | fi [email protected]
President Innovation, Commercialization & Entrepreneurship (ICE) Club
Enrique Kike Munoz Revello | [email protected]
President Marketing
Rony Kristianto | [email protected]
President Public Speaking and Debate Club
Sankshep Vashisht | [email protected]
Liaison Social Impact Club
Christopher Chong | [email protected]
President Women in Leadership Club
Kirsten Brito | [email protected]
