Sovilo Technologies

Fire is not seen until one firestick rubs against another, though the fire remains hidden in the firestick. So does the Lord.. Remains hidden in the body until He is revealed through the mystic mantram.

Google could owe Oracle Corp. billions of dollars for using Oracle-owned Java programming code in its Android operating system on mobile devices, an appeals court said, as the years-long feud between the two software giants draws near a close.

Google’s use of Java shortcuts to develop Android went too far and was a violation of Oracle’s copyrights, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled Tuesday. The case -- first filed in 2010 -- was remanded to a federal court in California to determine how much the Alphabet Inc. unit should pay. Oracle had been seeking $8.8 billion, though that number could grow. Google expressed disappointment and said it’s considering its next steps in the case.

The dispute, which could have far-reaching implications for the entire software industry, has divided Silicon Valley for years between those who develop the code that makes software steps function and those who develop software programs and say their “fair use” of the code is an exception to copyright law.

“It’s a momentous decision on the issue of fair use,” lawyer Mark Schonfeld of Burns & Levinson in Boston, who’s been following the case and isn’t involved. “It is very, very important for the software industry. I think it’s going to go to the Supreme Court because the Federal Circuit has made a very controversial decision.”

Google Could Owe Oracle $8.8 Billion in Android Fight Google could owe Oracle Corp. billions of dollars for using Oracle-owned Java programming code in its Android operating system on mobile devices, an appeals court said, as the years-long feud between the two software giants draws near a close.

Managerial decision making is complex, fraught with certain risks and may go wrong altogether !

1. Time Consuming

A lot of precious time is consumed for decision making. Individual decisions take a lot of time because the manager has to study the merits and demerits of all the alternatives. He also has to take advice from many people before making a decision. All this consumes a lot of time. Group decisions are also time consuming. This is because it involves many meetings and each member has to give his opinion. This results in delayed decisions or no decisions.

2. Compromised Decisions

In group decisions, there is a difference of opinion. This results in a compromised decision. A compromised decision is made to please all the members. It may not be a correct and bold decision. The quality of this decision is inferior. So it will not give good results on implementation.

3. Subjective Decisions

Individual decisions are not objective. They are subjective. This is because the decisions depend on the knowledge, education, experience, perception, beliefs, moral, attitude, etc., of the manager. Subjective decisions are not good decisions.

4. Biased Decisions

Sometimes decisions are biased. That is, the manager makes decisions, which only benefit himself and his group. These decisions have a bad effect on the workers, consumer or the society.

5. Limited Analysis

Before making a decision the manager must analyse all the alternatives. He must study the merit and demerits of each alternative. Then only he must select the best alternative. However, most managers do not do this because they do not get an accurate date, and they have limited time. Inexperienced researchers and wrong sampling also result in a limited analysis. This limited analysis results in bad decisions.

6. Uncontrollable Environmental Factors

Environmental factors include political, social, technological and other factors. These factors are dynamic in nature and keeps on changing everyday. The manager has no control over environmental factors. If these factors change in the wrong direction, his decisions will also divert and go wrong.

7. Uncertain Future

Decisions are made for the future. However, the future is very uncertain. Therefore, it is very difficult to take decisions for the future.

8. Responsibility is Diluted

In an individual decision, only one manager is responsible for the decision. However, in a group decision, all managers are responsible for the decision. That is, everybody's responsibility is nobody's responsibility. So, the responsibility is diluted.

What type of manager is she?

When it comes to work, there is hardly anything that she is uncomfortable. She is smart and efficient and she expects nothing less out of her teammates. More than 15 people report to her directly or indirectly. Mediocrity is a big no-no and no mistakes and errors go unpunished. However, the excellence she desires isn’t always forthcoming from her team members and she has to micromanage her projects.

If managing-with-an-iron-fist is ever applicable to a manager, it is to her. It shows in her dealings on the desk. She likes to dominate, control the flow and rhythm of work so that outcomes are on the lines of expected quality and timelines.

Does it sound too familiar to you? Is micromanagement good or bad?

Well, I often talk about empowering my staff and avoiding micromanaging them. Sometimes very bad things happen when you micromanage your staff with too much attention to detail.

However, in my own experience with leading diverse set of technical staff, with executives and in my own leadership roles, I know there are times when micromanaging is essential. All managers dream of having staff to whom they can toss work or a project and know it will get done and done well. Those staff may ask for input and help as needed, but they should reliably get the work finished with expected quality, timeliness, expertise, innovation and outcome. The reality, though, is that there are a number of circumstances that can require your close supervision and attention to detail; where you have to micromanage.

A balance is a must between micromanagement and freedom. This balance helps bring creativity and innovation which helps resolve complex problems with little more independence and brings delightful satisfaction to staff for owning the solutions. There have been rare few who understand my this style of balancing act and I love to work with them.

Criticizm vs Creativity

Brainstorming groups generate more ideas when the members are encouraged to criticize one another. If no one ever criticizes and argues, you are not likely to give up on old ways of doing things, let alone try new ones!

Open-mindedness is receptiveness to new ideas !

Many times, despite we already know; to some degree, the answer to a certain technical or non-technical problem, we still discuss it with other staff, colleagues and friends in office environ. This is often done to suffuse a culture of open-mindedness and improvement while leaving open a window pane for fresh perspectives, thoughts and ideas which may culminate into something useful.

We have always admired our staff for being open-minded and given them enough freedom so that they can open up further and express their opinions on wider range of issues, be it technical or otherwise during informal talks or chats.

Encouraged them to speak up for anything, against anything happening in office, their observations, criticize us and help us gain insight into where all we have the scope of improvement in general in office or particularly in anyone as an individual.

Even allowed them to kick-up a fuss and make their point and we have never felt odd or bad.

This has been relatively easier for some staff because they are so much more open in true sense. Specially, the confident and out-spoken among the staff are the ones who pick-up the nuances of what to convey and how to convey it right with right notes !

Though, it should be noted that same may not always be true for other colleagues or management execs who may not be that much receptive to thoughts external to them. Though they should improve over a period as open-mindedness helps bring synergy when people get chance to have their say in certain levels of decision making.

Everybody has its own unique work style though. As colleagues and friends, we have to understand who works how so we can discover ways to how best we can be productive with most of the people we work with on different projects.

Building an institution

Building an institution vs running a cash flushed startup requires a different mindset. Long-term sustainability of the business is more important for real success of everyone involved in the eco system around the business.

So, product features, services and revenues should be aligned to larger goals when you are attempting to create an eco system to channelize energy for sustainability of the business.

If the investment or cash flow plummets, it may force the businesses to fight for survival or hamper their plans for rapid growth. So a strategic sustainable growth model works ! This requires very minute planning of everything involved. A greater focus on operational strategy and efficiency holds the key for larger game plan.

Mobile strategy for emerging economies

Emerging economies are different, huge and a bit scary. Despite, being geographically smaller, compared to developed economies like the US, these emerging markets are the fastest growing economies in the world. As of now, emerging markets together contribute to about 60% of GDP. Up from just under a half, a decade ago. Ever since the financial crisis happened in 2008, these economies have contributed more than 80 percent to the global growth.

The heightened Internet pe*******on rate and ever-increasing smartphone user base make these markets intimidating to many entrepreneurs and app startups. Often entrepreneurs enter these emerging markets by replicating their developed economy focused mobile strategy. The fact is – a mobile strategy that worked in developed economies seldom works in the emerging economies.

Therefore, entrepreneurs and startups must think twice before making a move. As an app startup, you need to overcome the learning curve and understand a great deal about these markets before taking your chance.

Remember, “A good understanding and a better preparation to enter these markets will bless you with huge rewards”.

What is holding back startups to challenge the big business?

More recently, economists have begun pointing the finger at big business. The evidence is largely circumstantial. The slump in enterpreneurship challenge to keep fighting the bigwigs has coincided with a period of increasing concentration in nearly every major industry.

Youtube, Instagram and hundreds of lower profile startups chose to sell out to industry heavyweights like Google and Facebook rather than take them on directly.

What is behind this trend?

- Possibly, increased regulation, at both the state and central/federal levels, may be burdensome for new businesses.

- The tech giants have likewise been accused of using the power of their platforms to favour their own offerings over those of competitors.

- The collapse of the market for home-equity loans in few countries, resulting in harder access to much needed capital for growth.

- Big business is smart and is entering into many areas where startups face heavy challenge from them.