Archive for April, 2010
Strategy Workshop for SBU’s
The strategy workshop for SBU’s of East and West zone has concluded and we are getting on with the one for North and South zone .
It is possibly the most important meet of Iffco Tokio where goals and directions are set for the year. Various departments of Corporate office talk about their observations and strategies for the year and have a healthy debate. After the common session is over, the SBU Heads in geographical groups meet the top management committee for goal settings , the support group for underwriting claims IT and like issues and the HR group for ITGI and ITIS human resource support. All the commitments are documented and signed off as MOU. It is hard to change that during the year.
The MD gave a detailed address where the hopes aspirations and directions for the company is revealed. Like this time he mentioned formation of a new training department with a nominated principal and 2 or three permanent faculties and administrative staffs.
MD also mentioned that the target this time will be 1650 crores and a profit of 68 crores need to be done. To achieve this we need to grow by at least 15% .I am sure the SBU Heads who have been attending the workshop would debrief you on the other aspects.
Last but not the least, there was announcement of two internal blogs that have been created. Please make good use of the platforms. A little democracy would not hurt, you know!
( contributed by Joydeep Roy )
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )BURJ KHALIFA
World’s tallest man made miracle is BURJ KHALIFA.
With a height of 828 meters, it is almost double the height from its successor (Taipei 101). Imagine 1000 African elephants or 170 adult blue whales kept on one side and the weighting machine and the materials used for construction of this tower on the other, it is almost the same. Some of the mind blowing records are like… Tallest free standing structure, building with more number of floors, world’s highest elevator installation, and world’s fastest elevator installed, world’s highest mosque, world’s highest swimming pool. If someone wishes to jump from top of the tower it will take ONE AND HALF MINUTES to reach the bottom of the tower at a rocking speed of 220 kmph.
BURJ KHALIFA is a mind blowing structure, having said that “it is quite challenging for the insurers”. Insurers and Risk Managers around the world discuss and debate about the safety and extent of loss that might happen due to any accidents. In any Risk Managers view, following are the key points of concern.
“1. High speed Elevators operating at a speed of 64kmph
2. Wind velocity
3. Gravity and
4. Fire safety”
The tower has designated elevators featuring a “life evacuation” mode, allowing fire brigade personnel or rescue crew to transport occupants from upper portions of the tower to designated discharge levels. Elevators can operate in full capacity on both primary and emergency power. There are highly fire resistant concrete walls surrounding all stairs. To tackle the effect of wind velocity “The building has the changing shape at various elevations/ levels to confuse the wind and avoiding the buckling or twisting effect”. To make the building stable a new concept of “buttress core” was adopted (Y Shaped).Building has three wings and within the buttress core the elevators are placed at the centre “that keeps the building from twisting”.
As regards Fire safety the length of the building from basement to level 160 is fully sprinkler-fed. It adopted on the important strategy and focus moved from evacuation to “ISOLATION STRATEGY”, to be very precise it uses the DEFEND IN PLACE STRATEGY, where the structure is geared towards isolating the problem and protecting the residents within. A crisis command Team is also available and they are operating 24*7 to help occupants.
We normally think ice cubes may be used for fruit juice, food processing, storage, liquor etc… Think differently during construction of BURJ KHALIFA huge quantity of ice is mixed along with the concrete to get a uniform curing and to tackle the cracking of concrete.
(contributed by VIVEKANANDAN G,Chennai )
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 4 so far )POST FROM JOYDEEP ROY
One more year has passed and one more year has been added to our experience.
Each one of us have learnt a different thing during the year depending upon the point of view taken . As for me I learnt that:
As an executive I will have to generate operating margins for our promoters. They are entitled to a reasonable return on their outlay.
Market share is lost faster that it is acquired. You need to protect whatever you have and go on acquiring some as you are bound to lose some anyway.
All stake holders ( employees ,customers, associates , promoters) need to be protected but may not be all at the same time.Before any action is taken the effects that it will have on each of the stake holders need to be considered.
We shall try this year to strengthen the processes in LSCs and Bima Kendra to bring in operational efficiency . We believe operational margins can be generated out of this.
We will improve the technical and managerial efficiency of the employees by trainings and interactions.
We will spread into B & C Class of cities and generate a good spread and profitable business.
We will strengthen and expand channels like Direct ( ME& Sr ME) Individual Agency and Banca (including coop banks) to bring to IFFCO TOKIO profitable business.
We will try to link employee remuneration more closely with business achievements made by them in the direction preferred to by the principal company.
( CEO -IFFCO TOKIO INSURANCE SERVICES (ITIS))
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 14 so far )
GURUKUL 
