The India Scene

Madagascar is in the Indian Ocean by Douglas Scott

Madagascar is a beautiful island in the Indian Ocean, off the south eastern coast of Africa. It is ringed by golden beaches and palm trees and with an interior that is resplendent in its variety, from grassy plateaus to volcanoes and opaque forests and natural reserves.

According to local legend, the island was first inhabited by the Vazimba, a race of white pygmies. These people, if they existed, were displaced by successive waves of Polynesian migrants from the Malayo Indonesian archipelago, from as early as the sixth century AD. In the ninth century, Madagascar was a major trading power in the western Indian Ocean. Moreover, ancient ruins indicate an extensive Arab presence on the island around that time. Bantu tribes from mainland Africa later settled on the west coast. The first Europeans arrived in the mid 17th century. Several French settlements were established on the south east coast but were destroyed within 30 years.

At the time, Madagascar supported several kingdoms along its coastline and, in the central highlands, the kingdom of the Merina, which was the dominant ethnic group. From their fortress city of Antananarivo, the 19th century kings gradually conquered the coastal kingdoms and by 1830 most of the island was under unified Merina control. The success of the Merina was partly due to a well-worked strategy of playing off rival European colonists against each other: in particular, the British and the French.

In 1948, the Malagasy people sought to re establish their independence through armed insurrection. They were unsuccessful, but the uprising paved the way for independence, which came in 1960. Philibert Tsiranas PSD Party ruled with the support of France and the people of the coastal regions until 1972, when highland agitation against French influence prompted the Army Chief of Staff, Major General Ramanantsoa, to assume executive power for the purpose of pursuing a more nationalistic policy. Three years later the military government resigned after selecting Lt Commander Didier Ratsiraka as Head of State. A gradual civilianisation of the government culminated in 1977 in elections to the National People’s Assembly, which were won by the sole legal party, Avant garde de la Revolution Malgache.

Recent years have been marred by political, economic and meteorological crises. Indeed, some may be deterred by the levels of poverty on this island and the enormous gap between rich and poor. Nevertheless, Madagascar dazzles with its rich wildlife, with a large majority of its species unique to the island, and found nowhere else on earth. Of the popular creature, the lemur, there are over 10 different species alone. The island is a mass of unusual and colourful flowers and other flora. In terms of biodiversity alone, Madagascar really is one of a kind.

Douglas Scott works for The Rental Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Madagascar Rental Site

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

India Has Ample Talent for Outsourcing by Mike Batta

Once in a way, media stories come up which say that India will soon face a severe crunch of talent. This may be an attempt to question or even derail the Indian success story of offering outsourcing and off-shoring services to the world. But such critics and doomsday predictors are proved wrong by a recent global survey that has clearly brought out the fact that there is no dearth of talent, especially in the IT field in India.

In fact, the study says that the shortage of talent is of little consequence in the sub-continent as compared to the other nations of the world. A global employment service reporting company, Manpower Inc says that only 13% of employers in India are finding it difficult to fill their employment positions. This survey, conducted across 33000 companies in 23 countries, established that 40% of employers in the world face a severe talent crunch.

Mexico with 78%,Canada with 66% and Japan 58% lead this fearsome crisis of inability to fill positions. Therefore, at just 13% India’s problem appears insignificant. However, even in India, certain categories of jobs like sales representatives, accountants, marketing and PR executives, teachers and IT professionals are difficult to fill.

World over, this shortage is not limited to IT or manufacturing sectors. The demand for blue collared jobs like drivers, laborers, electricians as well as nurses, chefs is much more than the supply. This is mainly due to ageing population, low birth rates, migration of people and tendency to take up own businesses.

India’s problem of shortage in IT and manufacturing fields is very low mainly because India is already recognized as the next tech super power. As a testimonial from one of the users of the India’s omnipresent outsourcing business says “India has grown to be a powerhouse in IT, with business in excess of $20 bn. Their main advantage is the English speaking population that can easily understand and deliver an English speaking country’s requirements. Raviv Zoller, President and CEO of Ness Technologies, Israel adds, “My company performed well in India because we have grown organically”. He recommends that any outsiders looking into doing business in India should adopt a policy of constant listening and learning in India. He credits the Indian managers of guiding his company well, being sensitive to their requirements and the basic desire to grow. He also says that it is best to employ local managers because they understand the local culture best.

Even as India is becoming the global hub of outsourcing and is on its way to achieving a technical super power status, the Indian government also has supported well with improving the education infrastructure. This effort will ensure continued supply of talent to cater to the ever increasing demand from countries all over the world. Even the people in the remotest village in India have realized the importance of world class education and skill building in order to achieve India’s economic success through the outsourcing route.

Indian Tradition has always encouraged hard work from times immemorial. Education is recognized as the magic wand that can lead one to riches. Even a roadside tea vending boy, Sarvan says ” I too can be a big man if I go to school”. This statement epitomizes the feelings of the country’s population. With this kind attitude and approach India can never face shortages on talent front. Indian Tradition will ensure continued supply of rich talent to the global markets.

MJ Batta writes job outsourcing related topics and hosts a job outsourcing research site at Outsourcing America and a special outsourcing report at How Companies Outsource

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

Software Development In India Has a New Name as Outsourcing Business Explodes by Mike Batta

Software Development companies in India normally hire many staff members, some times 100 (for medium size operations). They think of many ideas to retain the employees who carry out the work outsourced to them by their clients. One idea is to give them a bonus in the form of slips to get commitment from the older employees. This means that the new employees are more or less sheltered from immediate exposure to customers and can learn the outsourced jobs properly. These bonuses ensure that employees motivation level remains high, they deliver good results on even larger scale. The senior staff of these companies help their employees get better prospects and good job opportunities.

Retention awards - Plans by Software Development India.
The employee turnover (churn) has increased so much that many IT companies are now forced to organize and manage their employees in a professional manner. These organizations that take up the outsourced work use benefits like extra perks, medical insurance, general insurance to retain their employees. This fact has been confirmed by many Yahoo groups and Google groups that discuss HR activities and developments in the outsourcing industry.

Inspite of the best efforts of organizations delivering the work that is outsourced to them, many employees do leave their current organizations. This is mainly due to ever increasing attractive perks and benefits that many companies offer to attract the best talent in the industry. Therefore, like the allegory “One cannot sneeze with his eyes open”, it would be foolish to expect that a company can retain all its employees for ever. There may also be some employees that feel insecure continuing in the same company for long period of time.

While the overall subject is “outsourcing” and completion of outsourced work, each company in this field is unique in its own way. Many employees who seek “change” do leave their company in search of better exposure to new technology, handling bigger teams. In such cases the employees leave inspite of best efforts from their current organisation. They are the pioneering kind of people who are looking for that “extra” experience in this very competitive outsourcing industry.

All said and done no company can ever retain all its employees. They can however change, adapt and modify their strategies, norms and culture of their office or administration. Even this will not stop employees from feeling bored or fatigued. Disincentives like bonds for minimum work period after joining do not work. Positive motivation through bonus etc also have little effect on the segment of employees who are bent on looking for a change.

Outsourcing companies usually tend to trust those suppliers whose staff have been in the company for a long time, the company is stable and the staff are comfortable with their work environment. Any form of additional pressure or harassment can lead to various personnel problems. This inturn leads to the dissatisfaction and finally problems. The work produced by such staff is not upto the mark. For outsourcing companies, it is not just the profits but also the employee turnover that matters. High level of employee turnover means extra expenditure in recruiting and training more staff.

MJ Batta writes job outsourcing related topics and hosts a job outsourcing research site at Job Outsourcing and a special outsourcing report at Why Companies Outsource

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

Massage Your Head The Indian Way by Kevin Pederson

Massage, a revered form of healing is in practice since decades. Touch which is a vitally important to human well being takes the form of skilled and sensitive massage. Beside relaxing and revitalizing an ailing or tired body, it communicates warmth, reassurance and a sense of self worth. Massage is an ideal way to ease anxiety, worries and soothe tight muscles resulting from tension and stress. There are many kinds, variations, styles and sequences of massage, influenced by local traditions, used in different parts of the world.

Indian head massage is one of the most popular forms of head massage also known as “Champissage” is characterized by a sequence of massage movements.

Originated over thousands of years ago in India, Indian head massage, traditionally began as family grooming with mothers massaging their daughter’s hair with oils for long lustrous locks.

Over a period of time, Indian head massage has included massage of the neck, shoulder and face with a blend of shiatsu and acupressure to relax tense areas, rebalance the energy and clear any concentrated areas of negativity.

Since there are several acupressure points on the head, a Champissage is felt throughout the entire body. The massage may be dry or oils may be used. The advantage of using oils for massage is that besides nourishing the hair, it calms the nervous system, as the roots of one’s hair are connected to nerve fibres.

Indian head massage is beneficial to those who are affected by mental and emotional stress. It helps to improve circulation in head, enhance the senses, improve memory and promote clear thinking.

If you’re suffering from headaches, migraines, insomnia, vertigo and depression, Champissage will work wonders. Air conditioning, artificial lightening, slouching in front of the PC, etc often cause stress in the neck and shoulder region. Massaging the neck and shoulder areas in addition to the head massage will bring relief from stress.

Reduces hair loss, premature balding & graying, improves eyesight and concentration due to massage of the temples, eyebrows and forehead. People with chronic spinal disorders such as osteoporosis and arthritis require a more gentle massage. The pressure should be applied according to the need of the individual.

Kevin Pederson manages sites related to Massage Therapy. Massage Therapy was used by early physicians to treat fatigue, illness and injury based on their basic understanding of how the body functions.

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

Booming Indian Property Market by Ravi A

About ten years ago, India was known to have only select handful cities. And ten years later, hundreds and thousands of cities have emerged. Villages have been converted into cities thanks to the boom in the Indian Property market. Shopping malls and skyscrapers are becoming the new face of India. India is actually on its way of becoming a city of imported standards.

The boom in the Indian realty business can be attributed to reverse brain drain, growth of multinational in every part of the country and foreign direct investments. Be it metros like Mumbai, Delhi, etc or small cities like Jaipur and Cochin, the effect of realty boom has been seen in every part of the country.

Today, the real estate industry has been divided into two categories- professional and corporate. Bigwigs like Tatas and Godrej’s have set a benchmark in property dealings. The government has also taken numerous steps to ensure that it is the domestic players who get preference when it comes to dealings and auctions. At the same time, the government is also showing its full support to builders who want to enter the realty market abroad. One example is the Hiranandani group of builders who have bagged a few deals abroad. Thus, this support of the government has only helped the realty sector in India.

The growth in the real estate industry has been ably complemented by the tremendous rise in the standard and quality of construction. Today, constructions in India are very much in competition with those of the world in terms of quality. Also when it comes to residential constructions, the builders are providing lifestyle homes for the buyers. Commercially, beautiful office spaces are being constructed and the emergence of shopping malls has been heartening to see. Also, the builders have become eco-friendly as well. Every construction is being followed with building of gardens or planting of trees nearby.

In areas like Delhi, it is the DLF Group, Ansal, Omaxe and Vatika which have provided the customers with some real architectural beauties. In Mumbai, this work has been done by builders like Rahejas, Pallonis, Hiranandanis etc. In areas like Mumbai, Vizag and Kolkata, it is emergence of SEZs, which is expected to contribute heavily to the growth of the realty industry. The realty industry has also put its feet in the tourism industry. Places like Goa and Pune have seen the construction of several farmhouses and resorts. Also it is because of the real estate boom that villages like Gurgaon have been converted into a big city.

The face of the Indian realty industry is changing very fast. Old is gone and it is the new which is catching everyone’s eye. And this is where our website www.RealEstateSitesIndia.com comes into picture. Be it a metro or a village, the site has the listings of all the realty sites in the country. You name a site and you have its links ready in front of you. Also check out www.pgGuest.com and www.RajComforts.com to find Paying Guest Accommodation and Service Apartments in Bangalore, India.

Mr. Ravi works for aCUBE Technologies. It maintains various websites like www.realestatesitesindia.com, www.pgGuest.com and www.RajComforts.com Copyright © 2008 aCUBE Technologies Email Id: ravi.acube@gmail.com Website: www.acubedesign.com

Article Source: Life Is Cheerful