Christmas is related to giving gifts. The practice of giving gifts, which goes back to the 15th century, contributed to the view that Christmas was a secular holiday focused on family and friends. 

Cities like Goa, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai are home to thousands of Roman Catholics. Therefore, midnight mass is considered to be an important part of the grand Christmas celebration in India. All the family members get together and walk to the church for the mass. After the midnight mass a big Christmas feast of wonderful delicacies is consumed by the participants of the mass. The midnight mass comes to an end after the beautifully-wrapped gifts are exchanged. Christmas celebration adds beauty to the cities because every church is generously decorated with Christmas adornments like Christmas star, lot of flowers, aromatic candles, and glittering lights.  Christmas brings ecstasy in the surroundings with twinkling lightning, traditional tree décor, and Christmas songs playing non-stop.

In Christian households, preparations for Christmas begin at least a month in advance. People get their homes whitewashed and indulge in spring cleaning of the house to give it a fresh new look and then decorate the Christmas tree and decorate the ‘crib’ which symbolizes birth of Jesus.  Christmas Crib exhibits figures of baby Jesus, Mother Mary, Joseph, angels kings and so on. You’ll always find a star in every Christian home you visit as it represents birth of Jesus. It holds a very special meaning for them.

Unity in Diversity: In South India, Christians light big earthen lamp on their roofs to symbolize that Jesus is the light of the world. In north-west India, the Christians narrate the Christmas story and sing melodious carols in their own dialects. In south-west India devotees go on a fast from the 1st December until the midnight mass service on 24th December. 

Goa because of its sizeable Roman Catholic population, and also due to the Portugal influence, follows many western traditions. The locals add sparkle to the area by beautifying the churches, streets, market areas, and houses with dolled up Christmas trees, hanging star-shaped lanterns and going around the neighbourhood singing traditional carols. The most famous traditional treat, second to the sumptuous fruit cake, is ‘nevaries’ that resemble small pastries stuffed with dry fruits and coconut. Another famous sweet is ‘dodol’ which is like a toffee that has a perfect blend of cashew and coconut. On Christmas Eve, families host parties and feasts. Traditional Christmas dinner with roast turkey or chicken and drinks are highlight of the feast. People head to church for the midnight mass service where the church bells are rung to announces the arrival of the Christmas Day. Possibly Goa is the best place to celebrate Christmas in India.

In North-East India especially Meghalaya has a considerable population of Christians who celebrate the birth anniversary of Christ with pomp and splendour. During Christmas the North-East Indian cities looks most picturesque. The streets, the churches and the homes are decorated with beautiful lights and one can easily feel the excitement in the air. The Churches see huge crowds with bands playing soulful gospel music. The beauty of the region, its food and the general excitement for Christmas makes being here a memorable experience.

Kolkata which had a colonial stronghold during British regime has a very strange relationship with Christmas. Even though there aren’t many Christians in the city leaving out the Anglo-Indian community, Kolkata is a place in India where Christmas celebration is like its own festival. The churches are decorated, the streets are lit up and people of all ages go out for shopping. For many though Christmas means the delicious cakes and the bakeries in town are usually overflowing with customers during Christmas.

In north-west India, the tribal Christians of the Bhil folk, go out night after night for a week at Christmas to sing their own carols the whole night through. They go to surrounding villages singing to people and telling the Christmas story.

In Daman and Diu, the festival has a different charm and is celebrated with a Portuguese flavour. A big variety of cultural shows are organised.  Visitors can see Corrindinho Portuguese folk dance by the residents. Vibrant lamps brighten the night sky. In fact, Daman and Diu are the best places to spend Christmas celebrations.

Pondicherry is known as the French town of India, which is quiet and serene due to it facing the blue Bay of Bengal. This city is unique in its architectural character and a remarkably well-preserved heritage. During Christmas, this town lights up with bright decorations and the festive atmosphere of Christmas. The beautiful ancient architecture, beautiful beaches, and the quintessential French cuisine make it a favourite place to celebrate Christmas.

Finally, the message of Christmas is about hope, sharing, love and it is also about good deeds. God helps those who believe in helping others.

The four levers of strategy, also known as the “Levers of Control” is introduced by Harvard Business School professor Robert Simons. These are belief systems, boundary systems, diagnostic control systems, and interactive control systems. These levers are tools managers use to implement and adjust business strategies by inspiring purpose, setting limits, monitoring performance, and guiding future strategy development. These are important because they help managers balance the pressure between freedom and control, enabling them to guide their organizations toward strategic goals by ensuring commitment, defining acceptable behavior, monitoring performance, and stimulating future strategy. 

Belief Systems

These are the formal and informal values, such as vision, mission, philosophies and goals. The purpose of these values and beliefs define the organization’s core purpose and inspire commitment of all stakeholders. An organization’s belief system is a set of principles, values, and assumptions that guide its employees’ thoughts, behaviours, and decisions. It provides a framework for understanding the level of competition in the industry. It helps defining purpose, and conducting business, and is often expressed through mission statements, credos, and core values. These systems influence strategic direction and shape the organization’s culture.

I am giving here example of Marico Ltd for understanding the levers of strategies. Marico’s belief system is known as “The Marico Way,” centres on innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth to make a positive impact on all stakeholders. This ethos is built on a set of core values and a “people-first” philosophy that treats employees as valued “members”. The Marico Way guides the company’s actions and how it behaves in everyday business. It has enabled Marico to create a unique culture. For Marico, People and Culture have always been at the core of success.  Their purpose is the reason for their existence.

Marico is people-centric because it prioritizes its employees through initiatives like its “People First” ethos, focusing on a culture of trust, transparency, and empowerment, and by providing flexibility, investing in talent development, and linking employee growth to business goals through its GROW framework. The company’s strategies, such as the hybrid work model, are designed to enhance employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity.

Boundary Systems

These systems establish the acceptable limits of freedom for employees, outlining what is not allowed to minimize risk and define the territory for experimentation and competition. A boundary system of an organization defines the limits of its operations and authority, whether they are internal or external. This can include management systems like rules and procedures to set limits on employee freedom, or specific systems that manage the interaction of the organization with its external environment, such as IT interfaces or a framework for environmental responsibility.

Marico’s “boundary system” is defined by its strong corporate governance framework, ethical code of conduct, risk management structure, and the policies and practices that promote a culture of decentralization, empowerment, and meritocracy. Instead of rigid, top-down control, the system is guided by organizational values and transparent processes that allow employees—whom the company refers to as “members” to operate with autonomy within clearly defined ethical and strategic limits.

Diagnostic Control Systems

These are traditional management control systems used to monitor, measure, and control costs, prices, and efficiency, aligning employee behavior with strategic goals. A diagnostic control system is formal system organizations used to monitor outcomes and correct deviations from performance standards. It involves tracking progress toward goals through metrics like budgets, key performance indicators (KPIs), and financial reports to ensure the business strategy is being effectively implemented. These systems are often used in a “management-by-exception” approach, where managers focus their attention on significant deviations rather than day-to-day operations.

Diagnostic control system at Marico is a traditional management control framework used to monitor and measure performance against pre-set goals and strategic plans. Drawing on Robert Simons’ “Levers of Control” framework, this system allows top management to ensure that employees are on track to achieve intended strategies without constant direct supervision. For example, quantifiable outputs are measured against a pre-determined standard. Results are compared to the standard to identify deviations. Actions are taken to correct the deviations and get the organization back on track. Marico implemented an integrated IT system, including SAP, to improve supply chain visibility and efficiency. This system provides real-time data to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) like stock levels, order generation, and forecasting accuracy.

For its Bangladesh unit, Marico implemented diagnostics to identify and fix flaws in the sales and distribution network. This allows management to improve and align sales performance with business strategy based on specific insights.

Interactive Control Systems

These systems force managers and employees to focus on new strategic uncertainties, stimulating dialogue and learning to guide future strategy and innovation. Interactive control systems are management tools that managers use to directly and frequently engage with their subordinates on issues of strategic uncertainty. These systems are a key part of a company’s overall management control framework, focusing on tracking new ideas, triggering organizational learning, and adapting the organization’s strategy in response to changing circumstances. Examples include regular strategy meetings, innovation workshops, and cross-functional teams where managers challenge assumptions and employees are encouraged to propose new initiatives.

While a specific, public facing “Interactive Control System” at Marico is not detailed in the search results, the company’s annual reports and corporate governance documents reveal a control approach consistent with Robert Simons’ “Levers of Control” framework. In this model, an interactive control system is a formal management tool used to encourage learning and adaptation in response to strategic uncertainties.

Interactive control systems at Marico consist of digital tools and automation used across its supply chain, manufacturing, and consumer engagement, which promote dialogue and innovation rather than merely monitoring performance. These systems involve real-time data analysis and employee involvement to address “strategic uncertainties” and adapt to changing market dynamics, distinguishing them from simple diagnostic or automated systems.

Director Ved Rahi’s film Prem Parbat (1973) did not release and has got forgotten by now. The film stars Rehana Sultan, Satish Kaul, Nana Palsikar, Agha and Hema Malini in a special appearance. Sadly, the print of the film got destroyed.  One major contributing factor could be usage of nitrate which is  highly flammable, and in the decades of fifties and sixties there have been several devastating fires in studios because of usage of nitrate films.  

The film has music by Jaidev with lyrics by Jan Nisar Akhtar. Though this film didn’t release, it became famous for one of its blockbuster songs. “Ye Dil Aur Unki, Nigaaho Ke Saaye”, written by Jan Nisar Akhtar and sung by Lata Mangeshkar in Pahadi Raag.   This song is engraved on minds of listeners. This song was recorded with just five musicians, all stalwarts including Shivkumar Sharma on Santoor and Hariprasad Chaurasia on Flute.

Yeh dil aur unaki song has become immortal, in my opinion it is one of the greatest compositions by Jaidev. It was on the top ten songs on Binaca Geet Mala which was a weekly countdown show of top filmi songs from Hindi movies. It was popular and had millions of listeners. Binaca Geetmala used to be broadcasted on Radio Ceylon from 1952 to 1988 and then shifted to the Vividh Bharati Service of All India Radio network in 1989 where it ran until 1994. It was the first radio countdown show of Indian film songs and has been quoted as being the most popular radio program in India during its run.

The film is the story of an orphan girl, whose loyalties are segregated between her aged husband and a young forest officer she has fallen in love with. Being the wife of the old Choudhari, she is conflicted about her love for another man. Rehana Sultan plays the orphan girl in the movie. She is one of the best actresses known for her emotive roles.

Raag Pahadi is a popular raga based on folk music. As its name suggests, it originates from the mountainous region. It resembles two other ragas which display the rich cultural heritage of folk music: Mand from the Rajasthan region and Pilu from the Hindi heartland. It is a light raga and resembles more like a ‘dhun’. It is very popular in Hindi music and sometimes simulates multiple echoes. Pahadi is mostly sung in the lower and middle octaves and the raga emotes yearning of a lover, tranquil in union, serene in separation, powerful enough to achieve eternal union, but resigned to the painful parting ruled by destiny.

Lata Mangeshkar has sung the song soulfully giving justice to Jaidev’s melody. Please listen to the song.

Abstract

The Neo-Freudian Theory highlights the influence of culture on personality. Cultural norms and values shape our beliefs and attitudes, which, in turn, influences consumer behavior. A product or advertisement that aligns with cultural values is more likely to resonate with consumers.  Consumers’ reaction to the market and products that reflect individual personality. People purchase products that match their traits and tailoring marketing content by studying consumers’ personalities can increases engagement and conversion. It can help build a deeper connection and a better understanding of the target market.

Freud’s theory of id, ego and super-ego

According to Freud, the id is the source of all intuitive/psychic energy, making it the primary component of personality. It’s the fundamental component of personality that is present from the birth of a human. This aspect of personality lies in the entirely unconscious mind.  The unconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that remain on the outer surface of our conscious awareness.

The conscious mind contains all the thoughts, memories, feelings, and wishes of which we are aware at any given moment; whereas the unconscious mind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness. The id is very instinctive in nature and instigates erratic/impulsive behaviours. It is the impulsive part of our mind which responds directly and immediately to basic urges, needs and desires. The personality of the newborn child and toddlers is driven by id.  It is unorganized, demanding, adamant, illogical, moral-less, instinctual, selfish and unconscious. It is driven by the pleasure that strives for instant gratification of all desires, wants, and needs.  Consumers often are driven by id to satisfy their wants and desires. The id drives Conspicuous (which means visible) consumption is the spending of money on luxury goods and services to display financial power to the public. Robust sales of luxury cars and fine art and artifacts have helped push the global luxury goods market higher than €1tn (£700bn), according to a new report, despite slowing demand for personal luxuries such as jewellery and handbags. The annual report from consultancy Bain & Co. Chinese consumers accounts for 31% of global luxury sales, followed by US consumers at 24% and Europeans at 18%.

According to Freud, ego arises and develops from the id and ensures that the impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the real world. Ego eventually emerges to moderate between the urges of the id and the demands of reality. The ego functions in the conscious, preconscious and unconscious mind. The Preconscious is dormant parts of the brain that are readily available to the conscious mind, although not currently in use. An example of preconscious mind is having readily available data in mind for giving clarification of a situation. When we brainstorm in a business meeting, we get the data stored in mind just in on spur of the moment to clarify our point. Freud used this term to make clear that self-consciousness is a part of the unconscious, not all of it, which is to say that the subdued does not comprise the whole unconsciously. The ego is the component of personality that is responsible for dealing with reality. It operates on facts and realism. The reality weighs the costs and benefits of an action before deciding to act upon or discard impulses. Maturated people handle their id impulses to be satisfied through a process of delayed gratification. The basic function of the ego is based on patience.

The last component of personality is the superego. According to Freud, the superego begins to emerge at around age five. The superego holds the internalized moral standards and ethics that we acquire from our parents, teachers and society. Superego gives us a sense of right and wrong. The superego provides guidelines for making judgments. Therefore, it is important to train your children from age 0 to 5 with a proper sense of moral values.

The superego has two parts: the conscious and ego ideal. The conscience superego includes information about behaviours that are viewed as bad by parents and society which are often forbidden and lead to bad consequences, punishments, or feelings of guilt and remorse. The ego ideal includes the rules and standards for behaviours that the ego aspires to achieve; for example, acquiring higher educational degrees, acquire special skills in life, mastering an art etc. 

Neo-Freudian theory

Neo-Freudian psychologists were thinkers who agreed with many of the fundamental beliefs of Sigmund Freud but changed and adapted the approach to incorporate their own beliefs, ideas, and opinions. Psychologist Sigmund Freud proposed many ideas that were highly controversial, but he also attracted several followers.

Many of these thinkers agreed with Freud’s concept of the unconscious mind and the importance of early childhood in personality development of people. There were, however, a few points that other scholars disagreed with or directly rejected. Because of this, these individuals went on to suggest their own unique theories of personality and cognition. The neo-Freudians, generally agreed with Freud that childhood experiences matter, but de-emphasized sex, focusing more on the social environment and effects of culture on personality.  From beginning man has assumed that woman’s nature is more complex and foreign to the nature of man.

Neo-Freudian Disagreements

There are a few different reasons why these Neo-Freudian thinkers disagreed with Freud. For example, Erik Erikson believed that Freud was incorrect to think that personality was shaped almost entirely by childhood events. Other issues that motivated Neo-Freudian thinkers included: Freud’s importance on sexual urges as a primary motivator, Freud’s lack of emphasis on social and cultural influences on behavior and personality, and Freud’s negative view of human nature.  The neo-Freudians felt that Freud’s theories focus too heavily on psychopathology, sex, and childhood experiences. Instead, many chose to focus their theories on more positive aspects of human nature and the social influences that contribute to personality and behavior. Though neo-Freudians were influenced by Freud, but they developed their own unique theories and perspectives on human development, personality, and behavior.

Major Neo-Freudian Thinker Carl Jung and Analytical Psychology

Carl Jung and Freud once had a close friendship, but Jung broke away to form his own ideas.  Freud once viewed Jung as his protege, but their disagreements eventually led to the breakdown of their friendship and professional relationship. Jung referred to his theory of personality as analytical psychology and introduced the concept of the collective unconscious. He described this as a universal structure shared by all members of the same species, containing all the instincts and archetypes that influence human behavior.

Jung still placed great emphasis on the unconscious, but his theory placed a higher focus on his concept of the collective unconscious rather than the personal unconscious. Like many other neo-Freudians, Jung also focused less on sex than Freud did in his work.

Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and founder of the school of analytical psychology. He proposed and developed the concepts of the extroverted and introverted personality, archetypes, and the collective unconscious. The issues that he dealt with occurred from his personal experiences. For many years Jung felt as if he had two separate personalities. One introverted and other extroverted. This interplay resulted in his study of integration and wholeness. Jung’s perspective on personality is quite insightful; he wrote that what appears to be random behavior is the result of differences in the way people prefer to use their mental capacities.

Introverts are known for having fewer connections in their life, but these connections are usually much deeper. Extroverts think as they talk or let’s say that talk as they think.  The process for introverts is much different and it’s so internal that you can’t make out outwardly that anything is happening. An introvert could be sitting in corner thinking about the meaning of life or could be solving some grave problem of his organization. Just because they are not more vocal about everything does not mean they are not passionate about life. Introverts feel things just as deeply as extroverts; the difference is that they are simply not very effusive about it.  Perhaps their thinking process does not frequently involve others.

It is known that introverts are quieter and tend to feel more energized from spending time alone, while extroverts are louder and gain fortification and energy from being around with others. Extroverts often exhibit qualities of charm, magnetism, and affiliation, while introverts tend to be creative and prefer to work alone. But it’s not always black and white: we all coexist on this planet – introverts and extroverts need to work together manifesting qualities of each depending on the circumstance. And being an introvert doesn’t mean being a recluse: introverts can often be amiable social butterflies in their own quiet way.

Alfred Adler and Individual Psychology

Adler was one of the early members of Freud’s psychoanalytic discussion group that met each week in Freud’s home. He played an essential role in establishing psychoanalysis but eventually broke away from Freud’s ideas. Adler believed that Freud’s theories focused too heavily on sex as the primary motivator for human behavior. Instead, Adler placed a lesser emphasis on the role of the unconscious and a greater focus on interpersonal and social influences. His approach, known as individual psychology, was centred on the drive that all people must compensate for their feelings of inferiority. The inferiority complex, he suggested, was a person’s feelings and doubts that they do not measure up to other people or to society’s expectations.

Alfred Adler created Personality Theory which he called Individual Psychology because he believed that people are unique, and each one requires a different treatment. Adler initially followed Sigmund Freud’s teachings, but he disconnected after a disagreement. Freud’s theory says that human behaviour is driven by sex. Adler’s Personality Theory says that the base of human behaviour is to overcome the feelings of inferiority. This is the fundamental difference between Freud’s and Adler’s theories. Adlerian therapy is a short-term, goal-oriented, and positive psychodynamic therapy based on the theories of Alfred Adler. Adler focused a good deal of his research on feelings of inferiority versus superiority in people; besides the number of obstacles, one faces in life. He also observed that each one craves for a sense of belonging in one’s own community and society.  According to Adler, feelings of inferiority can result in irrational behaviour. But, in the right setting, an individual can be motivated to strive for greater success. Adlerian therapy focuses on how individual personality is interconnected with society at large.

Usefulness of the theory: Adlerian therapy is useful in any type of psychological disorder or mental illness. Adlerian therapy may be used in combination with other therapeutic approaches such as insightful counselling, music therapy or art therapy as it best suits the needs of the individuals involved. An Adlerian approach can be employed with children, adolescents, adults, individuals, couples, families and business organizations. Especially for understanding consumer behaviour.

Erik Erikson and Psychosocial Development

While Freud believed that personality was mostly set in stone during early childhood, Erikson felt that development continued throughout life. He also believed that not all conflicts were unconscious. He thought many were conscious and resulted from the developmental process itself. Erikson de-emphasized the role of sex as a motivator for behavior and instead placed a much stronger focus on the role of social relationships. His eight-stage theory of psychosocial development concentrates on a series of developmental conflicts that occur throughout the lifespan, from birth until death. At each stage, people face a crisis that must be resolved to develop certain psychological strengths.

Erickson’s eight stages of psychosocial development:

1. Trust vs Mistrust 0-18 months: This is the first stage of human development. The child builds trust in this stage. Infants develop based upon the quality their caregivers give them to meet their basic needs. If these needs are not consistently met, they develop suspicion, distrust, and anxiety. The basic virtue in this stage is hope. According to Erikson, the trust versus mistrust stage is the most important period in a person’s life because it shapes a child’s views of the world perpetually.

2. Autonomy vs Shame 18 months –3 years: Autonomy versus shame is the second stage of Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. This stage takes place between the ages of 18 months to around age to 3 years. According to Erikson, children at this stage are focused on developing a greater sense of self-control. The child in this stage tries to become self-reliant. The basic virtue in this stage is will. In this stage a child develops a sense of personal identity which continues to influence his/her ego identity and development for the rest of life.

3. Initiative vs Guilt 3 – 5 years: During the initiative versus guilt stage, children begin to assert their power and control over the world expressing it in their play and other social interaction. The basic virtue in this step is purpose. They start exploring lot of things. During this stage, it is important for caregivers to encourage their exploration and to help children make appropriate choices. Caregivers who discourage or act unresponsive may cause children to feel ashamed of themselves and this may affect them in overly depending upon the help of others.

4. Industry vs inferiority 5-12 years: This stage occurs during childhood between the ages of five and twelve. The virtue in this stage is competence. Children at this stage learn to read and write, do homework, to do sums, to do things on their own. School and social interaction play an important role during this time of a child’s life. A child’s social world expands considerably as they enter school and gain new friendships with peers. Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities.

5. Identity vs Role Confusion 12-18 years:  During this stage of adolescence children explore their independence and develop a sense of self. In this stage success leads to an ability to stay true to oneself, while failure leads to confusion and a weak self-image. Children who don’t have a strong sense of their own identity can easily get influenced by others. This stage is crucial because if the children get wrongly influenced, they get into drug addiction, gambling and other dire habits.  The virtue in this stage is fidelity.

6. Intimacy vs Isolation 18-40 years: The major concern which arises in minds of humans at this stage is of love and intimacy in relationships with other people. Isolation occurs when a person fails to find a partner and fulfil the urge of sexual intimacy. If they don’t find a partner, they feel lonely and inferior. The basic virtue at this stage is love.

7. Generativity vs Stagnation 40-65 years: This is the seventh of stage of Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. This stage occurs during middle adulthood. The term generativity was coined by Erikson which refers to establishing an ethnicity/a culture/ a base which will guide the next generation. Generativity also refers to “making your mark” on the world through creating or nurturing things that will outlast an individual. A generative person instigates a change. The virtue in stage is care.

8. Ego Integrity vs Despair 65 onwards years: Erikson identified that at this stage a person faces internal conflict which involves reflecting on one’s life and feeling either satisfied and happy with one’s life or feeling of deep sense of regret. Basic virtue in this stage is wisdom.

Karen Horney and Feminine Psychology: Karen was a German psychoanalyst who practised in the United States during her later career. Her theories questioned some traditional Freudian views. This was particularly true of her theories of sexuality and of the instinct orientation of psychoanalysis. She is credited with founding feminist psychology in response to Freud’s theory of penis envy. She disagreed with Freud about inherent differences in the psychology of men and women, and she traced such differences to society and culture rather than biology. She is often classified as Neo-Freudian.

Karen Horney was also one of the first to criticize Freud’s depictions of women as inferior to men. Horney objected to Freud’s portrayal of women as suffering from “penis envy.” Instead, she suggested that men experience “womb envy” because they are unable to bear children. Her theory focuses on how behavior was influenced by several different neurotic needs.

She asserted that male realities cannot describe female psychology or define women’s gender by virtue of the lack of experiences of voices from girls and women. As a woman, she felt that the charting out of trends in female behaviour was a neglected issue. Women were regarded as objects of charm and beauty which clashed with every human being’s ultimate purpose of self-actualization.

Women, according to Horney, traditionally gain value only through their children and the wider family. She de-romanticized the Victorian concept of how a marriage bond should be. Horney explained that the “monogamous demand represents the fulfilment of narcissistic and sadistic impulses far more than it indicates the wishes of genuine love”. Most notably, her work “The Problem of the Monogamous Ideal” was fixed upon marriage. Her essay “Maternal Conflicts” attempted to shed new light on the problems women experience when raising adolescents.

Horney believed that both men and women have a drive to be ingenious and productive. Women can satisfy this need normally and internally; to do this they become pregnant and give birth. Men satisfy this need only through external ways; Horney proposed that the striking accomplishments of men in work or some other field can be viewed as compensation for their inability to give birth to children.

Contributions of the Neo-Freudians to the field of psychology and buyer behaviour

While the neo-Freudians made important contributions in shaping the field of psychology, their theories were also the subject of criticism. They took a highly philosophical approach and lacked empirical, scientific support. Jung’s theories, for example, were primarily rooted in his observations of dreams, mythology, and legends. Erikson’s work, for example, influenced the field of developmental psychology with its emphasis on how social and cultural factors impact human development throughout the entire lifespan. Adler and the other neo-Freudians’ also influenced the work of psychologist Abraham Maslow, who developed an influential hierarchy of needs to explain human motivation. Karen Horney disagreed with Freud about inherent differences in the psychology of men and women, and she traced such differences to society and culture rather than biology.

Effects of neo-Freudian Theories in Buyer Behaviour

1. Women spend a lot of time trying to find the perfect solution. Men, however, pick the first product that just works for them. Women tend to be more astute consumers than men because they are willing to invest time and energy necessary to research and compare products.
2. Neo-Freudian theory help predict consumer behavior by analysing neural responses to marketing messages. This can help marketers anticipate how consumers will respond to different marketing strategies and adjust their campaigns accordingly.
3. It provides insights into the subconscious and emotional responses of consumers to marketing messages. This can help marketers understand consumer behavior better and design more effective marketing campaigns.
4. Improving product design: It also helps improve product design by analysing consumer responses to different product features. This can help marketers create products that are more appealing to consumers.
5. Testing packaging: Neuromarketing can help test different packaging designs to see which ones are more likely to catch the attention of consumers and influence their buying decisions.
6. At different stages of life consumers demand products that suits their needs. A customer lifecycle describes a buyer’s progression through the different stages of purchasing a product or service. The stages of the lifecycle are reach, acquisition, conversion, retention and loyalty. This concept applies to sales, marketing and customer service professionals, as it helps them understand where a customer is in their purchase journey.
7. Understanding the customer purchase journey is important because it directly contributes to the growth and revenue of a company. It helps the marketers to understand where a customer is in the purchasing process.
8. Awareness of this consumer lifecycle helps marketers to communicate effectively with customers at any stage of the lifecycle.

Outsourcing is the business practice of contracting with a party outside a company to perform services or create goods that usually were traditionally performed in-house by the company’s own employees and staff. Outsourcing is a practice usually started by companies as a cost-cutting measure. Particularly, the non-core areas such as sanitation, security, household, pantry, etc are outsourced by a company. The company makes a formal agreement with the contracted agencies. These contracted agencies are specialized agencies. Services outsourcing in India started in the 1980s and rapidly accelerated in the ’90s. In today’s world where information technology has become critical to business, the meaning of outsourcing has undergone a drastic change over the years.

When organizations decide to go international, they look for ways to tap into new markets and expand their operations with help of outsourcing. Global outsourcing helps businesses get services from countries with lower labour costs, save money and stay competitive.

Organizations prefer lean structures; lean organisations often have cross-functional teams, flexible job roles, and a strong commitment to continuous improvement. This structure aligns with Lean principles, fostering a culture of efficiency, waste reduction, and customer-centricity. And lean organizations prefer outsourcing to cut down on wastage of any sort, especially lean organizations cut costs by employing minimum labor. They also prefer saving on operational costs. Following are some reasons why outsourcing has gained importance in organizations:

Multitasking is inevitable

Multitasking usually hurts employee’s productivity. As a result, organizations have difficulty motivating them and getting the required quality output in their work, thus affecting customer satisfaction. Outsourcing’s potential for further savings is one of the main reasons it is a sought-after strategy. An eight-hour shift could be easily consumed by routine tasks such as answering emails, data encoding, bookkeeping, filing, record keeping etc. These tasks can drain the energy, effort, and creativity of a team, eventually resulting in more employees leaving organization. Employee retention is a big challenge. This is one of the reasons why companies outsource time-consuming tasks to free up their team’s time so they can take on the core aspects of their responsibilities.

Focus on core competencies

The entire idea of an outsourcing strategy is to save money, time, and effort to focus on the core competency of a business. Organizations can focus on their core competencies by delegating small, day-to-day tasks to outsourcing firms. When used effectively, this gives them some control to fight competitors, plus allow employees work-life balance.

Why outsourcing?

Outsourcing, and at times offshoring (the practice of relocating business processes or work functions to another country to cut costs and increase efficiency) remains to be an integral and cost-effective part. Whether outsourcing a business process or manufacturing services, teaming up with an external outsourcing partner allows organizations with several advantages. Most companies flourish when they partner with qualified professionals from external firms. In response to the sudden boom in the industry, organizations have responded positively to the service provided by outsourcing agencies.

Outsourcing is essential globally as companies pave the way to gain access to better services. It ensures prospective employees do not waste their process potential and skills, whether on the other side of the world or behind a couple of time zones.

India is preferred outsourcing centre

India is becoming the world’s largest outsourcing centre. In the global market, all multinational corporations and other large corporations want to reduce their variable and fixed overheads, which has a huge impact on their profits. Information Technology is India’s core competency, but other than IT services, India is a well-known outsourcing nation that also supplies HR processes, financial solutions, data management service, and more. With so many services the country can offer, it is not surprising that many global companies are attracted to India. The following reasons make India an attractive outsourcing centre.

Qualified and skilled manpower

When compared to other countries, India has the largest workforce. On the other hand, the more highly skilled labor is costly to company’s payroll. To avoid rising payroll costs while lowering other expenses, India is the best place to outsource work. India has more work-friendly environment that provides a development model for multinational corporations.  The time zone variations work out as the biggest advantage for outsourcing to India. It is time saving.

Time zone advantage

Due to time zone differences, work is completed at night, resulting in increased efficiency. India’s time zone is advantageous for businesses located in other parts of the world, such as the United States and Europe get advantage in engaging Indian companies in outsourcing. The time difference allows Indian outsourcing companies to provide 24-hour operations, ensuring that projects are completed faster and more efficiently.

Young and English literate labor

India has highest English speaking and very young workforce. Outsourcing problems typically arise when there is a lack of understanding due to a language barrier. However, because English is the medium of instruction in most higher education institutions, many Indians speak fluent or native-level English. This is one reason why foreign companies prefer Indian employees. The Indian workforce is ideal for customer support services because they have no trouble conversing with end-users and addressing their concerns.

Types of outsourcing:

Outsourcing is a multifaceted business strategy, and companies often engage in various types of outsourcing depending on their specific needs and objectives. Understanding these different categories provides insights into the diverse ways businesses can use external power to enhance efficiency while focusing on their core competencies.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)

Payroll processing services, data processing services and tax solutions are examples of horizontal BPO. Vertical BPO concentrates on functional services in specific industry domains such as manufacturing, retail, finance and accounting services and healthcare. Business Process Outsourcing involves contracting out specific non-core business functions to external service providers. Infosys is one of the leading outsourcing companies in India as per NASSCOM, it provides services and operations in Brazil, China, Philippines, Europe, and Australia. As of June 2023, it has over 57,000 employees worldwide and has made an annual revenue of over 1 billion USD in 2022.

It specializes in providing services such as Business Transformation, Master Data Management, Customer Care Solutions, Robotic Process Automation, Finance and Accounting, Annotation, and Legal Services among others. Its solutions include Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Robotics, Data Analytics, AI solutions, and other outsourcing and consultancy solutions.

Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO)

Information Technology Outsourcing focuses on delegating technology-related tasks and responsibilities to external vendors. This includes software development, infrastructure management, network maintenance, and technical support. ITO facilitates companies to stay technologically competitive while leveraging expertise and cost advantages offered by external specialists.  There are other aspects as well that we can include in IT outsourcing. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), utility systems, and cloud-based services are all examples of IT outsourcing services. Several types of industry-specific software development are also included in IT outsourcing such as application development, mobile, web design, web app development, and more. Wipro is one of the leading Big Tech companies. Wipro’s capabilities range across cloud computing, computer security, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, and other technology consulting services to customers in 167 countries.

Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)

Knowledge Process Outsourcing involves outsourcing more complex, knowledge-intensive tasks that require specialized expertise. This often includes research and development, data analysis, and other high-level cognitive activities. Companies choose KPO to access domain-specific knowledge, innovation, and advanced analytical capabilities. Genpact is a leading global KPO services firm that started its humble beginnings in 1997 as a business unit within General Electric to being a publicly traded company ten years later. The firm runs some of the most complex business process operations primarily for Global Fortune 500 companies. Genpact serves various industries such as commercial and consumer banking, consumer goods, energy, healthcare, industrial manufacturing, and retails.

Manufacturing outsourcing

Manufacturing outsourcing result in contracting the production of goods to external suppliers. This is particularly common in industries such as electronics, apparel, FMCG and automotive. Companies outsource manufacturing to take advantage of cost savings, global supply chains, and specialized production capabilities. In India, Coca-Cola works with various bottling partners that manufacture and distribute beverages for the company. Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) is among the largest bottling manufacturers in the country with 16 factories; additionally, it maintains eight contract parking facilities, 20 lakh sq ft of warehousing. It manufactures and sells 60 different products across seven categories such as Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Sprite, Minute Maid, Maaza, Smart Water, Kinley, Limca, Fanta. The company has 115 factories in India, and it is outsourcing services – bottling for more than 20 global beverages.

Accounting

It is one of the most common areas where small businesses choose to outsource. It takes a lot of time and skills to learn all the processes and compliance standards a company requires to meet. However, a skilled accountant can often manage this area for multiple businesses at once. This increases efficiency and saves organization’s money. Patron Accounting LLP is an ISO certified accounting firm based in India and has successfully registered 100+ Foreign Companies in India. Their clients are based out from Dubai, Germany, Australia, USA, UK, Russia & other parts of the worlds.

Marketing & Sales

When it’s time to grow business, an outside marketing firm can be very useful to help quickly. The seven functions of marketing are marketing information management, financing, product and service management, pricing, promotion, selling, and distribution. To help the business grow, we need each area to come together and build a productive marketing approach. Indian pharma firm, Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals has picked up its second marketing partner in the US. Last year it tied up with Par Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of US-based Pharmaceutical Resources, for marketing its oral cephalosporin formulations in the US.

Administrative Tasks

When running a business, it is quite demanding for organizations to perform administrative tasks on their own. It starts from taking phone calls, schedule customer appointments, make travel arrangements, manage email accounts, facilitate staff, handle payrolls and much more. Post Covid, outsourcing is in practice across the globe. The globalization of outsourced goods and services is highly effective in helping enterprises to drive their profitability. A lot many factors are instrumental in increasing its widespread acceptance. Cheaper salaries/wages, impressive currency exchange rates, and a wider range of facilities are the prominent reasons for its growing success. It is surprising to note that over 67% of businesses now outsource their administrative activities to third parties.  

Customer Service

For businesses that deal with customers mainly online or over the phone, prefer to outsource their customer service strategy to a call centre or chat service. Customer Satisfaction is the top goal for every business. The key criterion in achieving this is timely transfer of information. Call Centres typically assist organizations in achieving this. Genpact Ltd, WNS Global Services, 3i Infotech, TCS BPO, IBM Daksh and 24/7 Customer Pvt Ltd some of the famous customer care service providers. 

Shipping and Logistics

Today e-commerce is become part of our life. The arrival of e-commerce and m-commerce (mobile) has transformed the entire retail sector.  Retailers are tapping multiple channels for selling their merchandise; from traditional stores, using catalogue, through the internet and more and more via smart phones and tablets, no stone is left unturned. For surviving the competition in the e-commerce world distribution has become key component of the business. Supply chain and logistics experts have become key players. They assist in services right from strategic locations for Distribution Centres (DC). Outsourcing logistics is when a company uses an external provider (third-party 3PL, fourth party 4PL) to handle various supply chain functions. These can include a mix of shipping, storing, packing and/or delivering a company’s physical goods, from raw materials all the way to the finished product.

Blue Dart Express Ltd. an Indian logistics company is South Asia’s premier express air, integrated transportation & distribution company. It offers secure and reliable delivery of consignments to over 55,400+ locations in India. Blue Dart is a provider of choice for its stakeholders due to its customer centric approach and aims to further strengthen this partnership. As part of DHL Group’s DHL eCommerce division, Blue Dart accesses the largest and most comprehensive express and logistics network worldwide, covering over 220 countries and territories, and offers an entire spectrum of distribution services including air express, freight forwarding, supply chain solutions, customs clearance etc. It offers a complete suite of online services for shipment preparation, package tracking, shipment rates and tools for international shippers and small businesses.

Research

Global industries have realized that apart from technical support and software development, India is also a great place to outsource research and analysis services. Presence of specialized resources with multi-domain expertise, combined with exceptional processes have made India an ideal outsourcing destination for high-end processes like financial research analysis, market research analysis, and business research analysis. Today, India has taken over other outsourcing destinations like China, Russia, and the Czech Republic because India provides highest cost savings, excellent operational efficiency, access to skilled professionals, and quality services.

The present and future of the pharma companies will see a huge R&D, sales and marketing network spread across geographies, and their infrastructural costs can grow exponentially. Therefore, pharma companies need to adopt technology that can offer dynamic lines of communication between the global markets and their manufacturing and research centres in India. Ultimately, India’s growth as a global player depends on its ability to overcome challenges and given the scenario outlined, integrating, and facilitating cost-effective communication is a major benefit for India.

Human Resources

Human resources encompass any tasks in a business related to hiring, onboarding, or managing the team. The most common type of outsourcing in this area is to work with a recruiting service to bring in qualified candidates for a new position. However, there are options for outsourcing training, benefits administration, payroll, and time and attendance issues as well. Human Resource Outsourcing is a practice in which an organization hires a third-party organisation to handle its human resources activities and administrative tasks. In other words, HR outsourcing is the process of receiving work previously completed by corporate personnel from sources outside the company. ABC Consultants in India is among the top 10 HR Outsourcing companies.  They are one of the best leading recruitment brands of India who have shaped the career of 1,65,000 professionals in 50 years. Their network is widespread across 8 main Indian cities with over 465 consultants. ABC Consultants believe in providing customized recruitment solutions across 24 industry practices. They have developed long-standing relationships with their existing clients because of their high-quality output. Their vision is all about “Building Careers”.

Often people come into your life, and you know right away that they were meant to be there. They are meant to serve some sort of purpose, to teach you a lesson, or to help you find the purpose of your life, some backstab to make you realise that all is not good, some come to show you the direction. People do not just randomly appear into our lives, there is a reason behind it.

Everyone we meet comes into our life, or crosses our path, for a purpose, though it may not be clear at the times. It may be years before we learn what the purpose was. Some will teach us something we need to know. At times we meet a person who helps us to fulfil one of our needs. So, some people come to assist you through a difficulty; to provide you with guidance and support; to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They seem like godsent, and they are.

Ramkrishna Paramahans met (Narendra) Vivekananda in November 1881, at the house of Surendra Nath Mitra. The meeting was not planned, it was a coincidence. Ramakrishna asked Narendranath (the pre-monastic name of Vivekananda) to sing. Impressed by his singing talent, he invited him to Dakshineshwar Kali Temple. Narendra accepted the invitation, and the meeting proved to be a turning point in the life of Narendra. Initially Narendra did not accept Ramakrishna as his master and found him to be an exaggerated, obsessive man.  But eventually he became one of the closest people in his life. Ramakrishna reportedly shaped the personality of Narendra and prepared him to dedicate his life to serve humanity. Vivekananda served the Indian freedom struggle as one of the most inspiring and intellectual leaders. He gave the young freedom fighters beliefs and motivation for the Indian freedom struggle. He was looked up to as a source of motivation by great leaders such as Aurobindo Ghose, Hemchandra Ghosh, Mahatma Gandhi, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.  He was the chief disciple of the 19th-century mystic Ramakrishna and the founder of Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Vivekananda is also considered a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the West and is credited with raising the profile of Hinduism to that of a world religion.

Vivekananda meeting Ramkrishna had a purpose. Certain people are destined to come into our lives. Yes, I believe that certain people are in fact destined to come into our lives, they come to improve us in some way, or we feel a strong connection with them, they were destined to come to us. That is why people have mentors, best friends, Guru. if two souls are destined to meet, the universe will always find a way to make the connection. Even when you lose all hope, certain bonds cannot be broken. They show us who we were, who we are and who we can become. Amidst everything, nature will always find a way.

According to this view, the ultimate purpose of life is to find joy, contentment, and satisfaction in one’s pursuits and relationships. This might involve building closer connections with loved ones, pursuing activities and hobbies that bring happiness, and working towards goals that bring a sense of fulfilment.

It was chaotic day at Kurukhestra station. There was commotion aboard the Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdi train when a 61-year-old passenger named Narendra Mohan fell unconscious on in the morning. Calls were made randomly to find a doctor to treat the 61-year-old passenger. Dr. Manoj Gupta, a Panchkula-based cardiologist, proved vital in saving the life of Narendra Mohan. The patient is a diabetic and resident of Chandigarh who was visiting New Delhi.

Dr Gupta was travelling on another train – the Kalka Shatabdi when an urgent call for a doctor came through. Usually, people don’t respond for such calls, but Dr. Manoj Gupta rushed to the scene, he found the passenger, in his 60s, in a critical condition, displaying heart attack symptoms. With no pulse and no breathing. Dr. Gupta immediately administered Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to revive him, aiming solely to save his life as he was alone. The universe will always find a way to make the connection. Most people believe that the goal of life is to achieve happiness. According to this view, the ultimate purpose of life is to find joy, contentment, and satisfaction in one’s pursuits and relationships. This might involve building close connections with loved ones, pursuing activities and hobbies that bring happiness, and working towards goals that bring a sense of fulfilment. Some people get satisfaction working for society quietly. They don’t make a noise about it.

Balbir Singh Seechewal (born 2 February 1962) is a Sikh who led an anti-river pollution crusade in Punjab, India. He is fondly called “Eco Baba” for his philosophy of belief in self-reliance added with act of strengthening the environment. Balbir Singh is a staunch believer in the essence of the Gurbani (Sikh term, very commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib). He has restored life into the 160 km long Kali Bein rivulet of Beas River in Doaba region of Punjab.

In the year 2000, Balbir Singh decided to put in efforts to stop the pollution and wastage of the water of Kali Bein River because of domestic and industrial waste. Like rest of India, rivers are considered sacred in the state of Punjab. Kali Bein had reduced to nothing but a drain because of all the waste that was being dumped in it. Some portions of the river had even dried up which resulted in enormous water problems in the surrounding farms. Balbir Singh began his campaign by educating local people the importance of cleaning of the river, many volunteers joined him for raising funds with the help of contributions from residents living on the banks of the river which included more than 24 villages. With this amount Balbir Singh and his volunteers’ group could purchase equipment required for cleaning. He had to propagate again and again urging villagers to dispose sewage in a particular place and not in the river. With a clean riverbed, natural springs were restored, and the river started to fill up once again!

The goal of life is a question that has puzzled philosophers and theologians for centuries. It is a deeply personal matter that varies from person to person and can be influenced sometimes by luck.  

Nancy Davis and Ronald Regan (ex-American President) who was basically a famous actor, met on a dinner date to discuss some problems she was having with another Screen Actors Guild (SAG) actress with the same name. The other Nancy Davis was associated with Communist front groups and was in danger of being blacklisted in the 1950s. Nancy asked for help with this problem from Ronald Reagan who was one of SAG Board member. They got attracted to each other, and began dating, and after a nearly two-year courtship were married on March 4, 1952, at The Little Brown Church in the San Fernando Valley, California. It was her first and only marriage and Reagan’s second marriage. 

I strongly believe that no encounter is incidental or meaningless. Each person reflects yourself and an opportunity to learn more about who you are and what you want.

There is no religion in the world which does not highlight the need of surrender to God as the first and the foremost commitment. Surrender is the simplest path to rescue, to relax, to live peacefully in life. In Hinduism, in its holy book ‘Bhagavad Gita’, Lord Krishna clearly says, ‘Abandon all your worries and just surrender unto Me’.

In Islam, a person abides by the five main Pillars of Islam; following the faith means surrendering or submitting one’s will to God. This means that Muslims in their daily life should strive for excellence under the measure of God’s will.

The Christian’s idea of surrender is the concept of surrender to God’s Will. Surrendering to God’s will results in both the surrender of our will to His, in His sovereignty over all things, in which His ways of operating and thinking prevails over humanity’s and Satan’s (Devil).

The Sikhs also surrender to God; they believe true happiness is attained by accepting and submitting to the Divine Will.

Surrendering to God means one doesn’t worry about the outcome of his/her efforts and doesn’t lose sleep if things are not going his way. Also, does not feel morose if things don’t fall into place according to one’s plan. After surrendering to God’s will one simply accepts life as it unfolds, without complaints, discontent, or resistance. God is Universe. To surrender to the universe means pushing yourself through your fears, worries and self-doubts. It means letting go of what you have studied and opening the door to new possibilities. Possibilities that are planned by the universe specifically for you.

Each one of us has a life purpose which is the central motivating aims of our life; the reasons we get up in the morning, the aim we strive to achieve. Purpose guides life’s decisions, it influences our behaviour, shapes goals, offer a sense of direction, and creates meaning. For each person the purpose is different. For some, purpose is connected to vocation, for some purpose is connected to serving society and for some it is cheating the society.

Surrendering helps us let go of expectancies so that when things don’t go as planned or expected, there is no disappointment; instead, there is hope in knowing that everything happens for a reason and has its own timing. Each event takes place at certain time and for a purpose.  A calm state of mind means that you do not become angry or upset, especially in difficult situations. This state in Sanskrit is called ‘Sthitapragya’ which means a person of steady wisdom, the one who has experienced the truth from within, one who is contended.

We fear surrender because we consider it to be somewhat meek state, submitting our power, giving up a sense of self-direction, losing the ability to choose, being enslaved etc, etc.

Surrender goes deeper than that. It is not merely a position that we take during praise and worship; it’s a posture of the heart. To be in complete surrender before God requires our utmost intensity. That everything we are, and we aren’t, every good and every bad or terrible part of us, every inch of our being put down before Him. While doing this, we become vulnerable.

Surrendering to God will deepen our relationship with Him beyond words, but it requires action from within us. It is giving what we are to Him, all the good, the bad, and the ugly. To have strong faith and knowing He will only bring about the best for us. That we are safe in His hands; we are surrounded by His energy, He is with us every inch, every angle.

The action of surrender is life changing. We will never experience more emotional, or spiritual intimacy with our Creator after we surrender ourselves, fully and completely, with our heart and soul to Him.

Music composers are creative people who need inspiration to compose music. Often, the composers tap their inner thoughts, feelings, experiences, memories for creating tunes for songs. They follow the trends in the music world.

As a music lover, I admire and honour the most versatile and lady of few words – music composer of Bollywood Usha Khanna. She is the third lady music composer to enter the Indian film industry after Saraswati Devi and Jaddanbai, it’s worth noting that Jaddanbai was daughter of Motilal Nehru and mother of actress Nargis.

Usha Khanna became famous in her music career in Bollywood with Nasir Hussain’s romantic comedy ‘Dil Deke Dekho’ (1959) starring Asha Parekh and Shammi Kapoor. Her father Manohar Khanna used to work for the Maharaja of Gwalior. He was fond of music, and he wrote poetry. Much later he shifted his base to Bombay, and he started working in the film company of Jaddan bai as a writer. She appreciated his poetry after listening to him in a kavi sammelan. Indeewar, the famous lyricist was a friend of Usha Khanna’s father.

Young Usha used to sing and write mukhdas (first few lines). Once her father told her to sing because she used to sing well. Her father told her that he would take her to the famous producer – director of those days Sashadhar Mukherjee. After listening to Usha, Mukherjee saab told her that she is not a good singer as Lata, Asha. But Indeewar informed Mukherjee that she composed the songs that she sang. Mukherjee couldn’t believe this. Mukherjee gave her a mukhda and asked her to compose a song. When he heard the song, he said that she should become a music director instead of a singer.

She is known for her work in movies like Nishan (1965), Khoj (1971), Hawas (1974), Saajan Bina Suhagan (1978), Bin Phere Hum Tere (1979), Souten (1983), and Paisa Yeh Paisa (1985). During her career as music composer, she gave opportunities to little-known singers who went on to become notable singers like Anupama Deshpande, Pankaj Udhas, Mohammed Aziz, and Sonu Nigam.

Usha is known to composers and write original musical scores in various genres for vocal and instrumental performances. She strongly believes that the purpose of the music is generally to convey an appropriate tone or mood for films.

It interesting to note that in her debutant movie 1959 superhit, Dil Deke Dekho, which included a couple of songs inspired from popular Western tunes. The songs carried the style of OP Nayyar, who was extremely popular those days. Shashadhar Mukherjee wanted songs in particular style. When the songs became a hit, people didn’t give her the credit easily. Many people said that the songs might have been composed by O.P.Nayyar because Usha was just a teenager then. The music world was male dominated then. She was the only female composer. Usha had to struggle the odds to prove herself. She was usually asked to give music for ‘C’ grade films. But she kept on working. She has spent almost six decades in the industry.  

Usha credits Mohammed Rafi’s voice for her success as music director.

She worked with Sawankumar Tak in his movies; she was married to him briefly. Though they separated, both maintained their friendship till Tak was alive.

I give here below some of my favourite songs composed by the versatile Usha Khanna. In the last two songs she has lent her voice by humming in them. Humming is a sound made by producing a wordless tone with the mouth closed, forcing the sound to emerge from the nose. Her humming has made those two songs more precious.

Black Swan Events

The black swan events theory is an analogy that describes an event that comes as a surprise, the event is unimaginable with major effects and it disrupts the economy of nation/world also it harms the lives of people. Black Swan events create a chaos.  In the business world the term was propagated by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a finance professor, writer, and former Wall Street trader. Talab described the 2007-08 subprime mortgage crisis – the collapse of housing market in US when the housing bubble burst because many borrowers were unable to pay back their loans. The dramatic increase in foreclosures caused many financial institutions to collapse. Many required a bailout from the government.

Another black swan event took place In March 2013 in Cyprus. The banks and its customers experienced an acute crisis because of the terms of an agreement to receive financial assistance from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. The original proposal, which included a bank deposit levy on Cypriot bank account holders, was rejected by the country’s parliament because of chaotic situations raised.

Few more black swan effects were 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan in which according to the Japan Reconstruction Agency, nearly 400,000 buildings were destroyed or irreparably damaged and another 750,000 were partially destroyed across the country in March 2011. Nearly 16,000 people were killed and 2,500 are still listed as missing.

More recently the dire effects of Covid-19 when economies of most nations in world suddenly stopped. the pandemic continues to present daunting challenges for governments and international organizations. The economic impacts threaten to undo decades of recent progress in poverty reduction, child nutrition and gender equality. But Covid 19 has worsened efforts to support refugees, migrants, and other vulnerable communities. 

Black swan events cannot be rationalized; their occurrence devastates nations and economic rebuilding takes time and efforts. By definition, governments, organizations and society cannot fully prepare for Black Swan events. Since they are random and unexpected, they are almost impossible to anticipate, and thus to prepare for.

Green Swan Events

A green swan refers to an unforeseen environmental catastrophe attributed to climate change. It is a large-scale event connected with global warming and the impacts of pollution that could trigger a systematic financial crisis worldwide with negative implications. Green swans are risks created by human behaviour that includes pumping pollutants into the environment, destroying natural ecosystems such as forests and water catchment areas, and destabilizing climates. John Elkington, the man who originated the Triple Bottom Line, and has authored 20 books, and founder of sustainability consultancy named Volans, introduced the term Green Swan in his book “Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism”.  

According to his book, Elkington adds, Green Swans are “solutions that take us exponentially toward breakthrough” or “systemic solutions to global challenges, solutions that tap into positive exponentials.” They deliver “exponential progress in the form of economic, social, and environmental wealth creation.” Elkington also adds, “Too often, Black Swans take you exponentially where you don’t want to go, whereas Green Swans take you exponentially where you do want to go.”

The melting of the glaciers, a phenomenon that has intensified in the 20th century, is leaving our planet iceless.  The fast melting of glaciers is affecting Antarctica and Greenland which are affecting the ocean currents, as massive amounts of very cold glacial-melt water entering warmer ocean waters is slowing ocean currents. And as ice on land melts, sea levels will continue to rise. Top geologists say that many countries near the sea will vanish in another 20-30 years.

Carbon dioxide concentrations are rising regularly because of the fossil fuels that people are burning for energy. Fossil fuels like coal and oil contain carbon that plants pulled out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis over many millions of years; we are returning that carbon to the atmosphere in just a few hundred years.

A good example of a Green Swan, according to Elkington, is the adoption of electric vehicles. It started out very slow, out of sight for most people. But gradually, and largely propelled by Elon Musk, it has accelerated step by step. It has now reached the exponential part of the curve, the point of no return, where it is rapidly embraced at increasing speed, disrupting the entire car industry on the path toward creating environmental, social, and economic wealth.

Dependence on solar energy is another example of Green Swan effect. Solar energy can help to reduce the cost of electricity, contribute to a resilient electrical grid, create jobs and spur economic growth, generate back-up power for night-time and outages when paired with storage, and operate at similar efficiency on both small and large scales.

Similarly, rain water harvesting reduces soil erosion, stormwater runoff, flooding, and pollution of surface water with fertilizers, pesticides, metals and other sediments. It is an excellent source of water for landscape irrigation with no chemicals, dissolved salts and free from all minerals.

White Swan Event

A white swan event is highly anticipated depending on available information and accurate forecasting. It is sure to occur. Its impact is easy to quantify. Human errors are usually considered the cause of such events.

Nasim Taleb uses the White Swan theory to explain events of dramatic proportions that had been predicted. A classic example he gives is of COVID-19. The pandemic had been predicted by many people before, including by Bill Gates in TED talk in 2015. The Governments of different nations in the world chose to ignore the warnings until too late.

Stocks markets are an excellent example of white swan event. They are also volatile and unpredictable because of the continuous flow of news, announcements, international data points, etc.

The crypto currency market is another example of a white swan event. Since its creation over a decade ago, it has experienced tremendous growth. While there are always periods of bear market conditions, the crypto market behaves like a pendulum that swings upwards and downwards. In the crypto market there are scalability difficulties, which means they may not be able to process enormous quantities of transactions at once. Due to the extraordinary volatility of most cryptocurrencies, investors don’t trust even in the most popular ones like Bitcoin. The volatility of the value of a particular cryptocurrency makes it difficult for investors to forecast their continued profitability in the future.

Conclusion

Black, Green and White events are radical in nature, they are a part of our life. In true sense the world has become VUCA. The acronym of VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. The world is experiencing a crazy spin of events because too many uncertainties have plagued it. These days you don’t see linear organisations, they hardly exist. Most organizations exist by adapting complexities and by behaving resilient.  We see new trends and practices in society which are seemingly evolving very fast. The world of business demands flexibility and adaptiveness. Traditional and outdated approaches do not work. Black, Green and White Swan events will occur constantly and we will have to face them powerfully. 

In Human Resource Management employee motivation is very important because it enhances the level of commitment, energy and innovation. The job of HR is strategic in nature because it addresses the issues related to people. Human mind is most complex and working with minds continually is a tedious and time-consuming process. HR needs to measure employee wellbeing by measuring their motivation.

Here below are some of the famous motivation theories:

Abraham Maslow’s need hierarchy

Abraham Harold Maslow was an American psychologist. He developed a model of hierarchy of needs to explain human motivation. His theory proposed that people have a number of basic needs that must be met before people move up the hierarchy to pursue more social, emotional, and self-actualizing needs. The pyramid of needs is explained as below:

Physiological Needs

The theory generally is portrayed as a fairly rigid hierarchy in shape of pyramid. The physiological needs are at base which include food, water, clothing, sleep, shelter and reproduction. These are the basic necessities for any individual’s survival.

Safety Needs

After physiological needs come Safety Needs. These include protection from bad elements in society, security, law and order, stability, strength and freedom from fear. Once a person’s basic needs are satisfied, he requires safety and security as want for order and predictability sets in.

Social Needs

These include friendship, family, friend’s circle, memberships of various groups and clubs, work group, educational qualifications, salary, community belonging etc, in short, each person seeks affiliation in society. 

Esteem needs

This category includes achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige, self-respect, and respect from others.

Self-Actualization needs

This is at the peak of need pyramid. This includes realizing personal potential, self-fulfilment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences.

Maslow felt that there was a clear distinction between gaining love and gaining respect or esteem. He felt that people get respected for their exceptionality and mastery. As individuals, we naturally wish to excel or be exceptional, to be noticed for our unique talents and capabilities. Each one has some measure of self-esteem and confidence; at some point in time, we try to raise the bar of our performance, and once we achieve mastery, we automatically gain the psychological freedom to be creative and grow further. The growth gives us wisdom and the wisdom make us generous to others for sharing our mastery.

Maslow noted that the order in which these needs are fulfilled need not always follow this standard of succession. For example, for some individuals, the need for self-esteem is more important than the need for safety.  Another fact is age, race, cast, creed, gender, height, weight, money, status has got nothing to do with the order of achieving each need.

Many other motivation theories are born out of Maslow’s Need Pyramid Theory.

Alderfer’s ERG theory

Clayton Paul Alderfer was an American psychologist and HR consultant known for additionally developing Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Alderfer’s ERG theory of 1969 condenses Maslow’s five human needs into three categories: Existence, Relatedness and Growth. All three include material and physiological desires. 

Existence needs

These include need for basic material necessities. In short, it includes an individual’s physiological and physical safety needs. Housing, clothing, food, health are the needs for basic existence.  Maslow’s physiological and safety needs fall under this category.

Relatedness needs

These include the individual’ ambition to maintain significant interpersonal relationships. We all feel the need of belonging to individuals and groups in our personal and professional lives. We all try to maintain relationships with significant others like family, friends, co-workers and employers. We like to cherish social esteem. This means to be recognized and feel secure as part of a club, social organization, group and our extended family. Getting public fame and recognition nourishes our self-worth.  Maslow’s social needs and esteem needs fall under this class of need.

Growth needs

These include need for self-development. Growth need refers to the necessity for personal growth and self-discovery which a person continues throughout his life. For Maslow, a person is always ‘becoming’ ‘developing.’ A person never remains static. At every stage of life person grows mentally and physically.  The realization or fulfilment of one’s talents and potentials and fulfilment of those is called self-actualization.

McClelland’s achievement motivation theory

David McClelland’s Human Motivation Theory helps to identify motivating drivers of people. This helps to praise them and give feedback effectively. McClelland states that every person has one of the three main driving motivators: the needs for achievement, the need for affiliation and the need for power. These motivators are not inherent, we develop them through our culture and life experiences. Each person is motivated by either one of these motivators – power, affiliation and achievement. In each person, one of these drivers is usually more dominant, but the others are present.

Power

If an individual’s predominant motive is power, they are motivated to influence others and take control. Power must not be perceived negatively, when it is pursued for the right reason, it is found tremendously powerful.  McClelland found that power-motivated individuals were best suited for leadership positions within a company. If they were able to effectively delegate tasks in the workforce, they were often able to be successful leaders. 

While history has seen some power-hungry rulers such as Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Pol Pot and Idi Amin who used their power for cruelty we also have examples of some good leaders such as Subhash Chandra Bose, Nelson Mandela, M.K.Gandhi and presently Narendra Modi.    

Leaders enjoy power when they possess ability to influence others. Power is required for attaining organizational and institutional goals. Power is a doble-edged sword if not used properly, it destroys organizations.

Achievement

If an individual’s predominant motive is achievement, he will be satisfied only after achieving. Achievement-oriented individuals change the situation or the location when they want to. When achievement becomes need of a person, he/she chases the achievement.  Such individuals do not like working in groups because they do not like having limited control over the outcome. Instead, they prefer to do work where the results are clear and visible. Successful entrepreneurs are achievement-oriented. They value accomplishment and the intrinsic rewards that go along with achieving difficult goals. It is a strong motivator for most business owners. Some excellent examples of achievement-oriented people are M.S.Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Dhirubhai Ambani, G.D.Birla, Azim Premji etc.

Affiliation

If an individual’s predominant desire is affiliation, they are essentially motivated by social connections. The need for affiliation itself as an emotional drive towards being liked and accepted. Individuals with a high need for affiliation desire having agreeable and collaborative working relationships with others and a pleasant social environment.

People who have a strong drive for affiliation, are ready to fit in a group by hook or by crook. Belonging to others is a primary human need.  They are flexible they try to please others. They value their relationships in life the most. These individuals appreciate familiar situations and familiarity everywhere in life. They are unlikely to leave their work location. They also do not like working alone and try to avoid disappointing their co-workers and managers at all costs. Even though affiliation-motivated individuals work well in a team, they are often not the best employees. They are not motivated to do better as they are contented to stay in their position. There is no drive to improve their employee status or their personal position, which makes them not so effective workers.

Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory

Fedrick Herzberg’s behavioural theory is considered as one of the oldest theories that describes job factors which inspire employees. Herzberg was a contemporary of Abraham Maslow who had coined the need pyramid theory. Psychologist Fredrick Herzberg tried to find answer to a most pertinent question in 1950s and 1960s, what people want from their employment, what makes employees satisfied in an organization? He conducted a study by asking people to describe situations in which they felt really good, and really bad, about their jobs. What he found was that people who felt good about their jobs gave very different responses from the people who felt bad. Person to person they varied.

Hygiene factors

These are the job factors which are essential for existence of motivation at workplace. The hygiene factors symbolize the physiological needs which the individuals want and are expected to be fulfilled in their work place. However, these do not lead to positive satisfaction for long-term. Therefore, they are also called dissatisfiers. But, if these factors are not present, they lead to discontent. In other words, hygiene factors are those factors which pacify the employees.  Salaries, fringe benefits, canteen facilities, position, work culture and job security are hygiene factors in a job.

Motivators

The other feature is called motivators or satisfiers. These are linked to employee motivation which arises from built-in or dependent conditions on the job itself. The motivational factors are referred to as self-worth or self-respect. This is an important part of employment for many. Self-esteem is more important for numerous people. A person’s overall sense of self-worth or his personal values adds productivity to his style of working. The motivational factors for gratification include recognition, responsibility, job satisfaction, contests, achievement, opportunities for growth, anything that helps in advancement of career. The realization and fulfilment of one’s talents and potentials help these employees in achieving actualization. Herzberg’s motivators can be described as Maslow’s self-esteem and self-actualization which is an innate drive for some employees. 

Reinforcement theory by B. F. Skinner

Reinforcement theory is a psychological principle suggesting that behaviours are shaped by their consequences, and that individual behaviours can be changed through reinforcement, punishment and extinction.

Behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner was instrumental in developing modern ideas about reinforcement theory. According to Skinner, a person’s internal needs and drives are not important areas of concern because their current behaviours follow the law of effect and are based on the consequences of past behaviors. This means that behaviors can be altered or manipulated over time.

There are four types of reinforcements: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, extinction, and punishment. Positive reinforcement is the application of a positive reinforcers.

Positive reinforcement

one of the key ideas in the reinforcement theory of motivation is that positive reinforcement can with rewards reinforces desired behaviours. For example, appreciating an employee with a certificate, a holiday package, a promotion etc.

Negative reinforcement

Negative reinforcement involves the removal of disgust or aversion of the employee towards his work example is some penalty. This can be done with counselling with mentoring an employee etc.

Punishment

It’s used for maintaining a positive and productive work culture. Example is issuing a warning letter, reprimanding habitual late coming etc.  

Extinction

Extinction reinforcement theory is a strategy in which employees are neither praised nor reprimanded for their work product, behaviour or team interaction. In this management scenario, workers don’t run the risk of workplace humiliation, but they also forego recognition for a job well done.

When a person feels isolated from his/her group of acquaintances, family, friends, society the person feels alienated. The experience of being isolated is dreadful. When a person feels ignored, or left out alone, his enthusiasm and spirit of working drops.  Employees become emotionally separated from others and their own feelings when they feel alienated. Feelings of alienation can happen without the employees or their manager realizing it.

Adams’ equity theory of motivation

Adam’s Equity Theory, also known as the Equity Theory of Motivation, was developed in 1963 by John Stacey Adams, a Belgian psychologist known for workplace behavior. When people exhibit inappropriate behavior in the workplace, everyone suffers. Equity Theory is based on the idea that individuals are motivated by justice. In simple terms, equity theory states that if an individual identifies an inequity between himself and a peer, he automatically will adjust his working style to make the situation fair in his own eyes. As an example of equity theory, if an employee learns that a peer doing exactly the same job as him is earning more money, he may choose to do less work, thus feeling justified in his own eyes.

The structure of equity in the workplace is based on the ratio of inputs to outcomes. Inputs are the contributions made by the employee for the organization. Inputs for instance come in form of the number of hours worked (effort), the commitment shown, the enthusiasm shown, experience brought to the role, personal sacrifices made, responsibilities and duties of the individual in the role. Outputs are the result an individual receives as a result of their inputs to the organization. Some of these benefits will be tangible, such as salary and promotion, but others will be intangible, such as recognition and appreciation. Common outputs include salary, bonus, pension, annual holiday allowance, company car, company home, stock options, recognition, and promotion.

The more appealing and enjoyable the organization culture is, the happier their employees will be. It is not possible for a worker to be genuinely engaged when they are unhappy. Employees keep comparing with each other in regards to salary, perks, recognition and promotion. By cultivating a strong corporate culture, organizations increase the chances of good employee engagement. And, engaged employees are more likely to be great advocates of the organization brand. When organizations maintain rational inputs and outputs, they get clarity in defining equity. Equity is defined as an individual’s outputs divided by that same person’s inputs. Adam’s Equity Theory goes a step further and states that individuals look around and compare their promotions and perks to others in the same industry. If they perceive an inequity then they will adjust their inputs to restore balance.

Vroom’s expectancy theory

Victor Harold Vroom is a business school professor at the Yale School of Management. His expectancy theory of motivation is the belief that an individual chooses to behave in a particular way based on what could bring him the most beneficial outcome. Vroom’s expectancy theory assumes that employee behaviour results from conscious choices to maximize pleasure. Vroom noted through his study that an employee’s performance is based on individual factors such as personality, skills, knowledge, experience and abilities.

Vroom says that an individual’s motivation is affected by how much he is valued in his organization and rewards associated with it. This act is called Valence. Employers must recognize that employees will put efforts which will generate good results which Vroom calls Expectancy.

Valence

Valence refers to the emotional orientation of people with respect to outcomes (rewards). The depth of the want of an employee for extrinsic satisfaction includes money, promotion, time-off, leave benefits etc. For intrinsic satisfaction rewards such as sense of fulfilment, sense of achievement is important. Management must find out what an employee values – extrinsic or intrinsic satisfaction.

Instrumentality

Instrumentality is the perception of employees as to whether they will actually get what they desire. Sometimes the boss promises additional perks or benefits  – often the promises are not fulfilled. Management must ensure that promises made must be fulfilled.

Motivation is a function of valence, instrumentality and expectancy. M = V x I x E

Locke and Latham’s goal-setting theory

Dr Edwin Locke and Dr Gary Latham spent many years researching the theory of goal setting, during the time spent on the research, they identified five elements that need to be in place for individuals to achieve goals.

Clarity, Challenge, Commitment, Feedback and Task Complexity.

Clarity

A clear, measurable goal is more achievable than one that is poorly defined. The most effective goals have a specific timeline for completion.

Challenge

The goal must be little challenging in order to achieve it. If the goal is easily met, it becomes a plain achievement.

Commitment

one needs to put thoughtful effort into meeting a goal. When you share your goal with someone else in order to increase your accountability you will put in efforts to achieve that goal.

Feedback

For achieving a set goal one must learn to take feedback from genuine people from time to time.

Task Complexity

If a goal is especially complex, make sure you give yourself enough time to overcome the learning curve (involved in completing the task. In other words, if a goal is really tough, make sure you give yourself some padding to give you the best chance at succeeding.