Dear all,
On one of the WA groups of HRs, Administrator of the groups, Mr Rajaram Thorve, has raised the above topic for discussion. I have given replies to the questions. These are as below:
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Dear Mr Rajaram Thorve,
My reply is as below:
1. Let us first understand the meaning of the word certification. Certification is nothing but validation of the level of knowledge that the student has acquired. To acquire a certification, one has to do some education course. Knowledge acquired through the education course give us a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world;
2. In the education course, a theory is taught. These theories are not developed in vacuum. Researchers go to the field, gather data and later do the analysis. This analysis helps them in developing theory. This theory is nothing but a tentative insight into the natural world. The student may not get chance to verify the concept but it helps in understanding an unknown world. Theoretical knowledge helps in avoidance of the repetition of the mistakes committed in the past. Benefit of learning theory is that one does not have to learn through trial and error.
3. Nevertheless, just acquiring certification or learning theory is not sufficient. The knowledge gained has to be applied also.
4. Though the question does not ask directly, indirectly it asks should we hire “experienced” persons or “qualified” ones? But then in a country like India, experience is euphemism for the length of one’s career span. After acquiring knowledge, when one applies it, there are successes and failures. Therefore, ability to distinguish between what could succeed or fail should be called as experience. But then Indians have difference belief altogether!
5. Notwithstanding, what is written above, the education gives edge over non-education. Consider the following examples:
a) A person who has studied Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode of Instrument will certainly handle workplace conflict in better way than the one who does not know this model.
b) A Purchase Manager, who does not have degree in Supply Chain Management (SCM) will never understand the concept of the material movement across the chain. He will never understand various costs associated with the business. Rather he will concentrate on just squeezing his suppliers while buying material from them.
c) Who are better suited to work in R & D department? Do we employ workers because they have worked long time on some machine or Engineers?
d) Humanity has been using horse-cart or bullock-cart since time immemorial. But then why the humanity waited till nineteenth century to invent motor car? Why it was not done earlier notwithstanding having experience of thousands of years of riding on horse-cart or bullock-cart?
e) Humans learnt to do agricultural activities about 10,000 years ago but the tractor was developed in 20th century. Why it took almost 12,000 years to develop the tractor? Where was the experience of thousands of years?
f) In India, a section of society claims that doing a business is in their DNA. In that case, India should have many companies in Fortune-500 list. But then how many companies do you find in this list? Just seven! Why this contradiction though business is in their DNA?
Final comments: - The US economy grew phenomenally because US entrepreneurs attracted educated youths from the world over. These entrepreneurs used outsiders’ education and talent to give something new to the world. They always accrued benefits of investing in talent. In contrast, Indian businesspersons never used domestic talent. India is paying hefty price for this false belief on the concept of “experience”.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar
On one of the WA groups of HRs, Administrator of the groups, Mr Rajaram Thorve, has raised the above topic for discussion. I have given replies to the questions. These are as below:
+++++
Dear Mr Rajaram Thorve,
My reply is as below:
1. Let us first understand the meaning of the word certification. Certification is nothing but validation of the level of knowledge that the student has acquired. To acquire a certification, one has to do some education course. Knowledge acquired through the education course give us a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world;
2. In the education course, a theory is taught. These theories are not developed in vacuum. Researchers go to the field, gather data and later do the analysis. This analysis helps them in developing theory. This theory is nothing but a tentative insight into the natural world. The student may not get chance to verify the concept but it helps in understanding an unknown world. Theoretical knowledge helps in avoidance of the repetition of the mistakes committed in the past. Benefit of learning theory is that one does not have to learn through trial and error.
3. Nevertheless, just acquiring certification or learning theory is not sufficient. The knowledge gained has to be applied also.
4. Though the question does not ask directly, indirectly it asks should we hire “experienced” persons or “qualified” ones? But then in a country like India, experience is euphemism for the length of one’s career span. After acquiring knowledge, when one applies it, there are successes and failures. Therefore, ability to distinguish between what could succeed or fail should be called as experience. But then Indians have difference belief altogether!
5. Notwithstanding, what is written above, the education gives edge over non-education. Consider the following examples:
a) A person who has studied Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode of Instrument will certainly handle workplace conflict in better way than the one who does not know this model.
b) A Purchase Manager, who does not have degree in Supply Chain Management (SCM) will never understand the concept of the material movement across the chain. He will never understand various costs associated with the business. Rather he will concentrate on just squeezing his suppliers while buying material from them.
c) Who are better suited to work in R & D department? Do we employ workers because they have worked long time on some machine or Engineers?
d) Humanity has been using horse-cart or bullock-cart since time immemorial. But then why the humanity waited till nineteenth century to invent motor car? Why it was not done earlier notwithstanding having experience of thousands of years of riding on horse-cart or bullock-cart?
e) Humans learnt to do agricultural activities about 10,000 years ago but the tractor was developed in 20th century. Why it took almost 12,000 years to develop the tractor? Where was the experience of thousands of years?
f) In India, a section of society claims that doing a business is in their DNA. In that case, India should have many companies in Fortune-500 list. But then how many companies do you find in this list? Just seven! Why this contradiction though business is in their DNA?
Final comments: - The US economy grew phenomenally because US entrepreneurs attracted educated youths from the world over. These entrepreneurs used outsiders’ education and talent to give something new to the world. They always accrued benefits of investing in talent. In contrast, Indian businesspersons never used domestic talent. India is paying hefty price for this false belief on the concept of “experience”.
Thanks,
Dinesh Divekar