IBM Global Truck Study - Insighful One..

10,000 hybrid trucks would reduce diesel fuel use by 7.2 million gallons per year

In an attempt to help the world turn Greener and help Truck Manufacturers transform their businesses, this study revealed three stunning findings as external forces to the Truck industry -

1. Technology - 71% of respondents feel so. Telematics will play a key role here.
   
2. Globalization - 54% of the executives feel so. This once happened to the light vehicle manufacturing industry - It's going to be a tough battle!
   
3. Sustainability - 48% of respondents feel so. With environmental and human safety regulatory bodies working hard to to bring in safety norms, this is going to be an area for the Truck industry to seriously look at.

A total of 91 executives across 13 countries were interviewed to complete this study. More information can be sought here.

Human Habits - A Survey

Dear Readers,

Here is a request to you - Need Your help in completing this very small survey on Human Habits. It will be great if you could complete the 12 questions in the survey and also forward this link to your friends and Tweet this article!

Here is a link to the survey - http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/194165/what-do-you-do

Thanks and I really appreciate your help here!

Identifying Hidden Talents

Here is an interesting read I came across on Harvard Business. Pasting it below as I may want to revisit this article sometime in the future..

In today's economy, finding external talent to fill your company's needs isn't always possible. Nor is it always necessary. By paying attention and asking the right questions, you will likely discover myriad hidden talents among your existing employees:

1. Turn a compliment into an interview. When congratulating an employee on a job well done, ask exactly what helped her succeed. By better understanding her process, you may uncover an unseen strength.
2. Ask why employees prefer certain tasks or projects. Preferences can be a view into someone's talents. An employee might enjoy a project because it involves a product she cares about or because it gave her a chance to design surveys. Knowing which will possibly uncover talents.
3. Inquire about dreams. Ask your employees what they would do if they had their career to do over again. Peoples' dreams often include an aspect of themselves they don't regularly share.

Cloud Computing - Ubuntu Linux - IBM

Cloud Computing has been such a hot topic in the market today. Open Source software has been a major role player in today's technology world that is steadily marching towards a more standards-based model. And, Linux has (for long) been a strong contender to bring in open source into the users' personal computers.

IBM's Smart and timely move could very well be one of the first major steps in the creation of a truly open personal computer platform. On the 23rd of September, IBM announced the partnership with Canonical and other Partners to offer Cloud and Linux-based Netbook Software in Africa.

More on my thoughts on this move, and the potential of this partnership would come later. But for now, here is the video where Mark Shuttleworth, Founder, Canonical, shares his thoughts on this partnership.

Here is a link to the official Press release by IBM.

Back after a Six Month Holiday..

It's been six months since I last updated my web log, and a lot has changed since then....except the Chennai heat! I was a bachelor six months ago and now a happily married guy. My Geni family tree has grown two-fold since what it was six months ago...thanks to my wife! My blog subscribers have grown by 1/3rd without any active posts :-) (and received a lot of comments on some of my older postings). The Chandraayan-1 moon mission ended prematurely (though claimed to have completed it's primary mission).

There are a bunch of other changes that the world has seen in these six months. More importantly, the world seems to have gotten slightly better on the economic front and 'started' to head-out of one of the worst hit recessions of these times.

About these and more other interesting happenings that we are blessed to witness in the months to come, I'm looking forward to being active on my virtual space now on. See you soon with something to chew upon...