While no limit texas holdem may dominate in the coverage of the poker
world today, thanks to the televised World Series of Poker, there are
a lot of different poker games you can play. In fact, there are a lot
of different versions of texas holdem poker, including sit n go poker.
So what is sit n go poker? And how does play differ from “regular” texas
holdem? And most importantly, how do you play sit n go so you can make
more cash?

No limit texas holdem tournamnet play and no limit texas holdem sit n go
are both no limit texas holdem poker games. But NL Holdem tournaments
and NL Holdem Sit n Go games are two entirely different animals. And this
means your poker game plan has to be different in sit n go if you want to
be successful and cash.

No limit sit n go’s are very different from cash games and a much shorter
verion of multi-table no limit tourneys. The blinds shoot up fast (every
10 to 20 hands or so) and before you know it make up a big part of your
stack. To stay in a sit n go game, you have to get more aggressive as
the blinds increase.

Of course, a key to winning texas holdem sit n go games is to be more
aggressive as the blinds go up, NOT to be more reckless as the blinds
increase. Having a plan is the difference between aggressive and reckless
and most likely will be the difference between cashing and not cashing.

In sit n go games, you don’t want to be aggressive initially. Only play
premium hands for the first few blind increases. This will keep you from
losing chips you’ll neeed later when the blinds go up. You don’t want to
find yourself short stacked early or you might as well call it a night.

Playing only premium hands initially may also have an added benefit. Later
in the sit n go game, when you’re being more aggressive, your opponents may
be more likely to fold against you because they’ll think you have a top hand.

When’s a good time to kick it up in your texas holdem sit n go game? If you’re
in late position and it’s folded around to you and the blinds and antes will
increase your stack by more than 20%, go all-in. Most times you won’t get
called.

Eventually, as the blind increase, it will become a stealing war as everyone
has to get aggressive because the blinds are so big relative to their stacks.
This is where you need to pick your spots and become aggressive. You’ll find
yourself taking bad beats a lot but that’s the nature of sit in go no limit
texas holdem. When people get more aggressive with wacky hands, the cards
won’t always fall your way.

Remember, keeping your chips early will allow you to be more selective in
being aggressive later, giving you better odds of coming out on top in no
limit texas holdem sit n go play.

Learn the secret money making tips to mastering Texas Holdem Poker so you can quickly and easily ramp up your poker playing skills for more profits. Check out Freddie’s poker site at http://www.winningtexasholdempokertips.com right now for lots of free info and a special report.

Bare root roses are not very pretty when they arrive at your door. They’re dormant stock and brown roots, but since there’s no chance of transplant shock, they’re a great choice for beginning your rose garden. They’re grown in fields, dug out in the fall, put into cold storage, then shipped to you. You can then plant them in early spring in virtually any part of the country.

One advantage of choosing bare root roses is the selection. You have a much wider range of choices then in a standard nursery. Depending on where you live, you can plant as early as February, which allows the root system to become well established earlier. You usually get better first year growth, as well as better quality roses.

When your bare root roses arrive, their very survival depends on you doing a few things. First, plant them as soon as possible, or store them in moist soil. You definitely don’t want them to dry out! The heeling in process, as it’s called, is just laying the roses on their sides, and gently heaping loose soil over the roots. Be sure to keep the soil moist until you plant them. Before that however, you’ll want to inspect the roses immediately. Any damaged roots or canes should be snipped off with clean, sharp pruning shears. You don’t want disease or rot spreading, specifically root and crown galls, so act quickly.

Additionally, you should soak the roots overnight in either willow water, or add a little rooting activator to the bucket of water. This contains a synthetic Vitamin B1. This will aid in dehydrating the roots. Save the water for later planting use. Next prepare the hole for planting. It should be one and a half times as deep and one and a half times as wide as the root system is long. You’ll want to support the rose’s root crown by mounding some soil around the hole.

If you’ve properly prepared your soil, enhancing it isn’t necessary. If your soil lacks nutrients, add a little bone meal or ground phosphate rock to the hole bottom. You can try adding a touch of kelp powder into the hole too for added health. Plant according to your hardiness zone. In all cases you’ll want to spread the roots down, and over the top of the mounded soil, into the holes bottom. Equally distribute the roots around the mound. Never wrap roots around the rose. Remember, placing them properly will ensure good growth.

There are five types of bare root roses available in the United States. These include the Hybrid Tea-large flowers, about 30-50 petals per stem, one bloom per stem; Grandiflora have large blooms in clusters on the stem; The Floribunda have continually blooming, compact clusters of blooms on each stem; The Climbers include the types above except they climb and spread; and finally there are shrub type roses, which grow to be 5 to 15 feet tall and wide. They’re self-cleaning so you don’t need to deadhead them. David Austin’s unique group of hybridized roses (typically called English Roses) belong to this class.

Adding bare root roses to your landscape has, not only the outlined benefits, but they add interest to your garden with their many types and colours. Bring some into your life, and you won’t ever want them to stay forever — and they almost do.

Glenn Cutforth is a writer, graphic designer and publisher of quality eBooks at http://www.MaxxPublishing.com

If you’re interested in getting started with your own Garden, visit his
website Lawn and Garden Magic at http://www.LawnandGardenMagic.com, where you’ll find a wealth of information, tips and resources.

One of the most common questions that I get asked each day is, what exactly is an IVA?

An IVA is a preferable option to bankruptcy and stands for the term “Individual Voluntary Arrangement”.

It’s basically a formal arrangement between you and your creditors to pay a pre-agreed amount of money towards your debts on a monthly basis, typically over a term from three to five years. And providing all the pre-agreed payments are paid at the agreed times, the remainder of your debts are written off by your creditors.

Quite often this can mean that you effectively walk away from up to 75% of your debts in a matter of weeks.

IVAs can also be set up with just an up front lump sum payment, (if and when funds are available), or a combination of a smaller lump sum payment and a lower monthly payment over a pre-agreed period of time.

Now obviously, individual voluntary arrangements are NOT suitable for everyone. They are structured to help people in certain circumstances to improve their debt problems without the need to file for bankruptcy.

The qualifying criteria and the amount of debt that can be written off very much depends on who your creditors are.

As a general guide, if you owe more than £15,000 spread amongst three or more different creditors, it’s possible that you’ll be eligible to apply for an IVA, but it’s recommended that you speak to the IVA centre to find out if this would be the best option for your specific circumstances and level of debt.

Should an IVA not be an option for you for some reason, many IVA companies will also be able to help you to take advantage of a debt management plan which can quite often involve a reduction in your debt repayment amount and also freeze all future interest payments and charges.

The benefits involved with dealing directly with a professional IVA or debt management company are that you can tap into their experience of dealing with creditors for people in situations just like you and also they are acting solely on your behalf, so have only your best interests in mind when negotiating an appropriate debt payment plan.

Most IVA and debt consolidation centres are professionally qualified, so fully understand the legal aspects involved with each stage of the IVA application process and any possible debt management plan they may feel is a suitable solution to your particular financial situation.

If you feel an IVA might be the answer to your debt problems, take some time to speak to an IVA centre today!

Peter O’Sullivan is a professionally qualified financial consultant, specialising in providing debt solutions and free IVA advice to anyone in the UK who feels their finances are becoming difficult to manage. To find out how he can help you to deal with your debts, call 0800 056 9695 or visit The IVA Centre today, for your copy of his latest Special Report entitled, “7 Things You Must Know About IVA’s!” This is a limited time offer, so get your copy today, before it’s too late!

Studies have shown that childhood obesity is not going away, in fact, it is on a steady incline. A study in the United States showed that over 15% of children in the US ranging from ages 6 to 17, with some of the cases including children who are up to 19 years old, as being obese. Unless something is done about this epidemic, the statistics are going to continue upward. Thankfully, the situation concerning childhood obesity can be prevented and rectified.

Most of the factors that contribute to childhood obesity are avoidable and preventable factors. Some of the reasons for childhood obesity, according to the American Obesity Association, are lack of physical activity, poor eating habits, when children are exposed to others who promote sedentary behaviors, and socioeconomic stresses. There is one factor that cannot be helped and that is genetics. When a child has genetics from an obese background their chances of becoming obese greatly increase.

Obesity is not just a matter of social concern; it is also a health concern that can lead to problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, skin problems, and high cholesterol if left untreated. Children who are obese can look forward to problems such as joint deterioration, cardiac issues, and even possible death.

The best way to prevent childhood obesity is to make sure that your home is a loving and supporting environment. Make sure to avoid non-nutritional foods, limit media time, and try to provide a good example that your children can follow.

Some of the tips that you can follow to prevent childhood obesity and keep your child healthy are:

• Enroll your child in some sort of physical activity after school. It doesn’t have to be competitive but physical exercise of some type.
• Invest in the new interactive physical games that are now on the market (like DDR Wii games)
• Walk your child to school if it is convenient.
• Take the weekends to go on walks or hikes.
• Give your child physical chores to perform like mowing the lawn or raking leaves.

Healthy eating is one of the best ways to prevent childhood obesity. Some of the ways that you can promote healthy eating habits:

• Limit the number of chocolates, junk food, and candy products that you buy and keep them out of sight from your child, instead provide them with good and healthy food.
• Consult a nutritionist to talk about better options to choose from.
• Introduce your child to new foods that he or she may not have tried.
• Make sure to be an active participant in your child’s life and know what they are eating. Pack their lunch for school if you need to.
• Keep the snacks that you offer your child healthy.

You must always remember that a child does not make himself or herself obese voluntarily. There are emotional or physical issues that must be diagnosed by a physician as well as treatment. Make sure that as a parent or a caregiver you provide a loving, supportive, and healthy home so that your child will feel safe while reaching their goal of a healthier lifestyle.

A webmaster of Obesity Therapy website; a one stop obesity resource center.
http://obesity-therapy.most-effective-solution.com

The first step that needs to be taken in regards to tests for women is make sure that ovulation is occurring every month. If it is not then this could explain the problem. There is more than one way to find this out. A woman can check her ovulation at home by using a basal body temperature to make note of any changes that occur in her morning body temperature over a period of several months. Another option is to record the texture of the cervical mucus she has over a period of many months. There are also home ovulation test kits that can be purchased at grocery stores or pharmacies. A physician can also check a female patient’s ovulation by way of blood tests and also if necessary, an ultrasound of the ovaries. If the patient is found to be ovulating as she is supposed to be, then other tests will need to be conducted.

The next step would be for common fertility tests to be done such as an endometrial biopsy which tests the health of the uterine lining; hormone tests which measure the balance of female hormones; measurements of how well the thyroid is functioning (a TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone level that lies somewhere between one and two is believed to be right for pregnancy to take place) and a laparoscopy which makes it possible for the doctor to clearly see all of the pelvic organs.

A pap smear to look for any signs that there may be an infection or cysts is a necessary diagnostic test for infertility problems. Accompanying a pap smear is usually a pelvic exam that seeks to root out an infection or any kind of abnormalities. A test that is often done for infertility is a hysterosalpingography. In this case x-rays are used in order to look for physical abnormalities that might be affecting the fallopian tubes or the uterus. A special dye is injected into the vagina that makes its way to the uterus and this dye clearly shows up on the x-ray. This test makes it possible for the doctor to see if the dye is able to effectively move through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes. This test therefore helps locate blockages if there are any. A blockage could make it difficult for an egg to travel down the fallopian tubes (both must be checked with the dye) and to find its way to the uterus. Blockages can also prevent sperm from reaching an egg.

For more information on Infertility Problem and Treatment, please visit Causes of Infertility where you can quickly and easily find information on all topic related to infertility.

Current statistics indicate, that home based businesses are among one of the fastest growing sectors of the U.S. economy. Millions of people have discovered the freedom and convenience working from home can bring them. As long as you get your work done, you can create your own work schedule, and the only person you have to answer to, is you! You may just need a little inspiration and guidance to help you decide which home based business might work for you. Let’s look at some basic steps you should take to reach your goal of working for yourself.

The first thing to do is brainstorm. Write down any idea you have about anything you’re good at. Do you have a particular skill or talent? Write it down! Even if you don’t think you’re strong in many areas, perhaps you’re a fast learner. Everyone has something they can do. Find that something by narrowing down your ideas to the ones you’re drawn to the most. It has to be something you’ll enjoy, because loving something will drive you to work hard at it to make it work, even if it takes time.

Once you’ve decided what you can offer, whether it’s a product, or a service or both, you must do a lot of research. For instance, who are your competitors? Explore their websites and ideas. What can you offer that they don’t? There’s always something you can do to make your business a little more unique then someone else’s. Be creative with this one! Don’t discount any of your ideas as worthless or silly.

What’s in a name? A lot! Use your brain power and think of a good name for your business that could draw people in. Compile a list of everything that pops into your head, and then do internet search engine searches to see if these names are taken, and in what capacity. It doesn’t cost too much to copyright a business name, and if you have a good one — do it quickly!

Designing your website is very important! If you happen to know someone who can help you, it doesn’t hurt to take advantage of that golden opportunity! Hiring a website designer can cost a bundle. If you have a budget for it, ask for quotes and make sure you see samples of work done previously. Otherwise, you’ll have to try to do it yourself, which isn’t impossible. If you’re ambitious, there’s software and free website templates available to help you along. Think it through. People shop with their eyes first, so to speak.

You’ll want to have your business name in as many places as you can, and free is best! Try search engine listings such as Google, Yahoo, AOL, and MSN. Learn the basics of search engine optimization because, again, this is a huge component in attracting clients to your site.

The most important thing is to take your time! Do it properly. You want to spend time ironing out every last detail before launching an online business. You, of course, can always improve as you go along, but try to be as polished as possible to make an immediate positive impression on prospective clients. This means you should read all you can about starting online businesses, and the particular kind of business you wish to start. Attend any seminars or free lectures offered at libraries, convention centers or universities. Sometimes you can sit in for free in accredited university courses, as long as you don’t expect a credit. Knowledge is power!

Hopefully you’ve found something here to inspire you to begin your journey. Believe in yourself, love what you do, and chances are with hard work and determination you’ll be successful with your online home business dream!

Glenn Cutforth is a writer, graphic designer and publisher of quality eBooks at http://www.MaxxPublishing.com

If you’re interested in getting started with a Home Based Online Business, you’ll find a wealth of information, tips and resources at his website, Guide To Online Success at http://www.guidetoonlinesuccess.com

Most fast food restaurants nowadays are catering to the need for people to eat healthily and nutritional information will be supplied to assist with their customer’s diet programs.

McDonald’s has changed various foods in their menu and you will find all the nutritional information on their website along with tips from the renowned trainer Bob Greene. There are meal suggestions and the total calorie and fat intake for each meal. They also now sell salads, fruit and yogurt, and apple dippers. So now the kids can have Happy Meals while mom enjoys the other tasty diet alternatives.

Chick-fil-a is one of the fast food restaurants that do not serve “fast food” as it were. There menu does not include processed foods and they have a variety of healthy choices like the char-grilled chicken sandwich, chicken salad, and chicken salad on wheat bread. There are carrot raisin salads, fruit cups, and even chicken soup. They also have low fat dressings and mayonnaise.

Subway also has low calorie subs and now offers a Fresh Fit Meal. This meal is a 6 inch sub with a side choice and a bottle of water. The side can be raisins, apple slices, or baked chips and there are also salads. The sub sandwiches include 8 subs and 3 mini subs that have less than 6 grams of fat. Their website also has weight loss and exercise tips.

Zaxby’s also has chicken, although most of it is fried, but they have a good selection of salads with light dressings and char-grilled chicken sandwiches. You can also substitute the fries with celery or carrot sticks and the nutritional information can be found on their website.

Wendy’s has included weight loss tips and tools on their website. There is a gluten free menu and they also have a diabetic menu list. They also now have salads, grilled chicken, and baked potatoes. This puts Wendy’s right at the top as far as diet goes.

Taco Bell also has an option if you are on a diet tat you may not be aware of. They have the Fresco option, which means that you can substitute the salsa for any other sauce or cheese and with 15 low fat choices you can lower your calorie intake by 25 percent by ordering this way.

Applebee’s offers 8 Weight Watcher friendly entrees and also have a Weight Watcher’s desert that has 230 calories. All the entrees have 400 calories or less and they offer weight loss tips, Weight Watcher pointers and nutritional information on their website.

A webmaster of Obesity Therapy website; a one stop obesity resource center.
http://obesity-therapy.most-effective-solution.com

Releasing Anger

My mouth hurt too much to eat. I shouted at my family when they tried to reach out to me. I pounded the boxing sandbag everyday. My whole life was disrupted. It was one side of the coin; depression was on the other.

Isn’t the goal of any life to achieve happiness? What stands in the way? Emotions and energies that linger on. Many people have these emotions - do you?

Anger and sadness colours everything you do in your life. Every interaction; every moment. You have to deal with it, or it will kill you.

The Incredible Hulk isn’t so fun in real life

I suffered from anger issues years ago. My emotions were pent-up. They often described me as a gentle and polite man; and I struggled to preserve that image.

When I blew up, I blew up. I became verbally abusive and irrational. It hurt the people who were around me and loved me the most. I spiralled down into a deep depression that lasted for more then a year - and badly worsening physical health.

Anger leads to rage. Rage leads to broken families and relationships. Emotionally, you will be strained and miserable. Physically, it takes a toll on you - and is often linked to serious illnesses like cancer.

When you take steps to conquer yourself, though, you drop all that emotional weight. You feel like a new person. Your self-esteem and confidence grows as you begin to master yourself. And you’ll have taken a major step towards true happiness. What more do you need to know?

Understanding it

First you have to understand anger. Anger is not “negative”. It is simply an energy; an emotion. It serves as a protection system. When you get angry, it is a sign that something or someone is infringing on you or your rights.

It is only when you can’t handle anger properly that it becomes blind rage. That is what we have been cautioning against. When it overloads and you start being abusive or violent, it has become toxic.

What do I mean? Emotions are like vegetables. When they are fresh, they are fine. But when they’ve been in the fridge for a long time, they go rotten. They explode to the surface or they kill you from the inside.

How to deal with Anger

There are many exercises for releasing anger before it becomes toxic, regardless of which methodology or therapy you choose. I’ve stripped all of them down to the essentials here.

Note that you need to do this a few times. Pain comes in waves, and often one attempt won’t be enough to release all that pent-up energy.

Step One

There are many causes of anger or sadness; bad parenting, childhood bullies, past lovers. Trace it back to the roots, understand it, and try to give it a voice. This is vital. Don’t skip it.

Step Two

Find a safe location. Somewhere you can scream and act out your anger. You can be alone, or you can be with a person you trust and who won’t be afraid.

Step Three

Let it out! Scream it out and act it out! There are vocal and physical components. Both are important ingredients.

Feeling weird or self-conscious is normal. Don’t give up. Sometimes you feel like you can’t do it. Something is holding you back. Keep trying; it’ll come.

So: Scream it! Even if it’s just a string of vulgarities, do it! Become the yell. Scream until your whole body trembles from head to toe.

At the same time, do something physical.

a) Kneel like you’re praying. Find a large pillow. Make a hammer fist with your hands (Not a boxing style fist, you might hurt your wrist). And start pounding the pillow with all your might until you can’t go any more.

b) Twisting might feel better for you. Find a towel, and twist it like you are trying to wring out every last drop of water.

Step Four

Repeat. Do it until one day all your repressed anger is gone. It might take weeks, it might take days, it’s different for everyone, but you will know it when it happens.

What’s next?

Usually what follows the release of anger is the sadness and grief that comes with it. Read the next in this series of articles for this at the Urban Monk website.

Note: If it is something that you cannot handle, do not feel ashamed to seek out professional help. And avoid self-destruction; numbing of the pain with alcohol, drugs, or other risky behaviour. I paid for such behaviour physically and emotionally for nearly a year after - and I’m one of the luckier ones.

This article is for educational purposes only. You and you alone are responsible for what you do with it. By reading this you agree that he will assume no liability or responsibility to any person or entity for any loss or damage related directly or indirectly to this article.

Would you like to live in bliss and find success in any calling?

That article was just the start - Visit Personal Development - the teachings of the Urban Monk for even better free articles in all areas including emotional mastery, self-esteem, confidence, masculinity, social & dating skills, spirituality, finance, boxing, and martial arts.

Are you worried about your child? Do you feel your daughter or son is out of control and you do not know what to do? Would you like to find out the common causes of the problems and the solutions?

As a Marriage, Family Therapist for 27 years, I have learned a lot about the mistakes many parents make that lead to serious problems. I am not pointing my finger at the parents and blaming them. I know that they mean well and are doing their best with the information that they have. Unfortunately, we are not taught how to parent and the children do not come with a manual. That is the cause of the problems.

I have had wonderful success with a process I developed called HART, which stands for Holistic And Rapid Transformation. The following case study will demonstrate major mistakes and wonderful solutions.

Valerie and Jack came to see me because they were having problems with Kathy, their 11-year-old daughter. Jack immediately told me that she was 11 going on 17. He also expressed his concern that Kathy seemed to be very angry, and she no longer wanted to go places with him, or let him in her room to talk. Jack was teary eyed when he described how close they use to be. “She does not want me even to hug her any more”, he exclaimed in a painful voice. “I feel like I am loosing her. Why do they have to grow up so fast?”

Valerie did not know what to do with her daughter. She was upset that Kathy often picked on her 8 year-old-sister, Paula, and constantly rebelled. “Kathy doesn’t talk to me much and after dinner she goes into her bedroom, shuts the door, and won’t come out,” expressed the troubled mother.

I expressed compassion for their situation and recommended that we set up an appointment with the whole family. I suggested that they tell the children that they wanted them to come in to assist the counselor to help them be the best parents they could be.

Kathy looked angry as she walked into the office with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Valerie had previously called to tell me that she did not want to come, and she said she was not going to talk. I had encouraged her to bring Kathy in anyway. I greeted the whole family and asked the children some questions about school, hobbies, friends, etc. to build some rapport. Then I invited all four of them to take turns expressing in a positive way how they would like their family to be.

Valerie began sharing and almost immediately, Kathy blurted out, “She won’t let me go out with my friends!” When I questioned Valerie about the accuracy of that statement, she replied,” This is not a safe world and she is only 11.” Kathy angrily continued, “She doesn’t knock and she just walks into my room and moves things around, and then I can’t find what I need.” Again the mother agreed that she does that because she likes things neat.

Then Jack shared that he wanted to be able to touch her arm and hug her. Kathy yelled, “I don’t want you to touch me!” He also wanted Kathy to be nice and not so angry. At that point I asked who in the family Kathy was modeling after. Valerie sheepishly admitted that she was often angry. She was working full time and felt overwhelmed by all of her responsibilities.

Later the parents were amazed how much Kathy shared. I obviously had succeeded in making her feel safe to share her feelings. You probably can guess some of the biggest mistakes these parents were making by now. The following is an outline that includes the problems and solutions.

1) Mistake: Parenting from your fears.

Solution: The parents teach Kathy how to take care of herself, and create win-win solutions honoring their concerns and her freedom.

Example: Kathy agreed to wait inside the lobby of the theater (not outside in the street) with her friends until one of them or another parent picks them up.

2) Mistake: Not honoring the child’s space or requests.

Solution: Honor the child’s space and listen to what they want and need.

Example: Kathy will put a sign on her door saying, “I love you and I need space.” Both parents agreed to honor it. Valerie was also willing to stop going into her room to tidy up her desk.

3) Mistake: Parent according to the age and not the individual’s maturity.

Solution: Parent according to the maturity of the child (and the present times).

Example: Kathy is very mature for her age and she needs to be treated accordingly.

4) Mistake: Do what I say and not what I do.

Solution: Be the person you want your child to be.

Example: Valerie agreed to work on dealing with her anger constructively so she can be a better model for Kathy.

5) Mistake: Don’t take care of yourself or balance your life and take out your frustrations on your children by being distracted, impatient, and angry.

Solution: Take care of yourself and balance your life so that you can feel good and be patient and loving to your children.

Example: Valerie and Jack agreed to discuss ways he could be more helpful and even hire assistance when needed.

By the end of the family session, Kathy’s arms were resting on her lap and she was relaxed and smiling. The causes of her anger at her parents and sister (her scapegoat) were being resolved. She was willing to hug her parents and thanked them for hearing her.

A month later, Valerie told me that Kathy had given her the most beautiful poem. It expressed how she appreciated her wonderful mother who was also her best friend.

Copyright 2007 by Helene Rothschild, MS, MA, MFT, a Marriage, Family Therapist, intuitive counselor, speaker, and author. Her newest book is, “ALL YOU NEED IS HART!”. She offers phone sessions, teleclasses, books, e-books, MP3 audios, tapes, posters, independent studies, and a free newsletter. http://www.lovetopeace.com , 1-888-639-6390.

Everyone is today concerned about globalization. Love it or hate it, globalization is here to stay! Even political parties that are left behind are willy, nilly forced to admit that it is a phenomenon that is well and truly out of the bottle ! Technology has done what idealogy could not : unite us all into a fraternity of interconnected and interdependent communities.

How do traditionalists deal with such a new world order ? The short answer is that they cannot because their analytical frameworks are incompatible with current realities. Moore’s law for example, has ensured that the frontiers of knowledge are constantly expanding. The law postulates that the density of information that can be packed into a computer chip doubles every 18 months or so. This means that computing power is doubling every 18 months thereby enabling undreamed of advances in science, technology and knowledge in general. Who would have thought that it was possible to unravel the mystery of life by cracking the hitherto undecipherable genetic code ? Perhaps the best is yet to come because the pundits expect Moore’s law to be valid till the year 2017 when the limits of computing as we know it would be reached. That’s when sub-atomic computing is expected to take over and keep computational power growing.

All this inevitably means that human beings are getting even more connected every day. Some observers are convinced that the greatest technological marvel of the last century was not the computer chip but the Internet. This is in turn means a networked and therefore globalized world. So, to us in India what are the implications of globalization ?

Change is always open ended so its hazardous to venture into predictions. However, to me, some implications of globalization for management are clear.

Firstly, globalization means a convergence of standards. Therefore, parameters for quality and performance are now not related to our local conditions but to the global norms. This is simply because the markets are global. Therefore, success in these markets demands delivery of global standards, nothing less. There is no hope for any product or service or indeed any organization that does not adhere to global standards even if they are being produced for Indian markets. After all even the Indian markets have gone global because the barriers to entry have been cleared in virtually every industry. The lesson is clear: you cannot survive with lower standards because your competitor is offering global standards to your customer.

Convergence of standards is undoubtedly an effect of technology and competition but it is also equally being driven very proactively by several high power global institutions. For example, the WTO is fostering a transparent rule-based global trading system. The Bretton Woods twins, World Bank and the IMF, are ardent advocates of prudent economic development, trade , fiscal, monetary and other macroeconomic policies; while their prescriptions do not always find ready acceptance or relevance in every country, they are respected sources of research-based advice on sustainable development. The Bank for International Settlements is actively crafting the standards for the global banking industry while the International Standards Organization contributed norms for globally accepted standards for quality (ISO 9000 series) and environment management ( ISO 14000 series).

Secondly, productivity growth will accelerate in India because of the pressure of competition. This will ensure that the laid back approach to work is over, the number of holidays will be slashed and the proliferation of computers across India will accelerate. This is turn will fuel all aspects of the knowledge economy: education, training and services. Though it is fashionable to talk about the global market for software, I am convinced that a significant part of that market is right here in India. The need to increase productivity in every segment of the economy will spur a huge growth in the Indian software industry.

Thirdly, profit margins will narrow to global levels. It is now futile to expect that the usurious margins of the past (20 to 50 %) to continue. Competition from global players in the now opened Indian market has eaten into the traditionally high margins. Soon, companies will have to learn to operate at net margins of around 5 %. Already interest rates have fallen and the benefits have passed through to customers in the form of stable or lower prices. Profitability will now have to come from lower costs from higher volumes and productivity gains. The possibility of raising prices frequently is now more or less like a mirage in the desert. This global reality however does not appear to have sunk in among the ownership and top echelons of management in many companies in India.

Fourthly, if globalization teaches us anything, it is easy information availability and its effect : transparency. Leaders in politics, corporate boardrooms and markets can no longer hide behind opaque shields. Internet, email, data archiving and convergence have ensured that everybody has access to almost everything. For India, the hope of decreasing corruption is now brighter than ritual, moralistic pontification by the psuedo leaders: all the shenanigans will be listed in the public domain and neither the power of the state nor the power of money can stifle the stink. Open societies and the Internet mate to father transparency. Therefore corporate governance, governance by government and compliance all become de facto standards.

And finally, globalization offers the real possibility of improving quality of life for our people by arresting if not reversing the continuous migration from villages to cities. This can happen when the Indian economy becomes not an agricultural economy or an industrial economy but a knowledge economy. We can create the possibility of people earning comfortable livelihoods in their own villages and communities. Therefore, universalization of IT literacy has now to be attached to universalization of primary education. There are very few justifiable subsidies left. However a provision for a subsidy for connectivity and IT literacy in the Union Budget is an idea whose time has come. Surely, this is an investment that will have a huge ROI in the future. After all globalization is all about creating the future!