Ockham's razor

Just came across this very interesting word in my Wordsmith subscription ("A Word a Day").

It's the idea that other things being equal, among two theories the simpler one is preferable. Why razor? Because Ockham's razor shaves away unnecessary assumptions.

I have been a self-proclaimed entrepreneur for some time now (approx 4 years) and I think, the one challenge which lot of us face in entrepreneurship is “Decision Making”. These decisions weigh heavily on us, as the FUTURE OF OUR VENTURES IS BASED ON OUR DECISIONS. Well, in reality, most of the time we can live with a “Decision gone wrong”, but what we can not live with is a “Decision not taken”.

Principle of Ockham's Razor can help us cut through the cheese (read intellectual diarrhea) and make decision making more efficient.

Train Musings - A Government Job

A government laborer’s perspective

I met this interesting old man (Mr. Ashok Kumar), one of the un-reserved passenger, not carrying a ticket for himself or family, flashing his Railway Labor card going till Khertal (2 Hrs from Jaipur) along with a pregnant lady after attending a wedding at Jaipur.

Ashok is a railway employee (labor) in the Rail-line laying section. His job is to bring Rodi (small stone gravel) to the new track, while other senior members lay the tracks. He joined Railways at a salary of Rs. 1000/- and is now earning a handsome Rs. 12,800/- (after all deductions). Interestingly, he is very clear that after his retirement, he will not get a job even for 1500/- at any shop, as he really does not know anything except to lift weight. He showed me his balding head, stating that he will not be able to do much lifting on the head after retirement anyway.

Ashok is an example of the fact that Indian Railways, is the worlds biggest employer and judging by Mr. Ashok’s salary, pays very handsomely as well. It showcases the apathy of labor class in private sector and why every villager’s dream job is to take up a government job.

I don’t know if paying Rs. 12,800/- (after deductions) for labor work and Rs. 12 million to a manager, are sustainable salary levels. However, we are still a country with 30% population below poverty line, and a large number of Rural youth un-employed by their own choice to take up a government job (at low salary) or a un-realistically high salary (if in private sector). I leave these few questions un-answered:

• Does a once hired-never fired and raise by the virtue of age policy connote correct sentiment for Indian workforce (already showing a lack of commitment and dedication to job)?

• Does the ultra-fat salary package of private company’s management, and a fear of getting fired, reflect appropriate measure of the merit of education and work commitment for the Indian youth?

• Can the concept of stability of job / income (so valued in government jobs) be addressed better to make Indian employee class become equally keen for government and private jobs?

Imagine India

I was reading an article India@75 by Mr. Prahalad and felt it appropriate to adopt from it here:

If we cannot imagine the India we want, we cannot create it.

Adopted from a speech by Mr. C. K. Prahlad

I just posted this though here today, as i have been debating the attitude limitation in Rural India as one of the challenges and came across this.

A very similar thought is shared by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in his book "Ignited Minds". I shall be talking more about the book in my next post at http://www.sahajagrofarm.com/sahaj-blog/