Cambridge Service Alliance’s Post

Reflecting on an Incredible Year! This past year has been a journey of growth and achievement. Here's a snapshot: Academic Pursuits:  - Started my International Business MSc at Maastricht University, pursuing a double track in Strategic Marketing & Organisation: Management, Change, and Consultancy.  - Completed my first-year courses and pursued an elective in Management Information Systems.  - Passed my thesis research proposal on immersive technologies and team communication effectiveness. Professional Development:  - Obtained the Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate (6-month program).  - Obtained the Google AI Essentials Certificate.  - Obtained the IBM Excel Basics for Data Analysis Certificate.  - Graduated from the McKinsey Forward Program (10-week program on essential skills). Work Experience:  - Worked as a flex worker at Soapbox, contributing to numerous successful events. Looking ahead, I am excited to continue my studies and finish around February next year. Here's to another year of learning and growth! #InternationalBusiness #MaastrichtUniversity #ProfessionalGrowth #Google #IBM #McKinsey #TakeAStepForward

#operationsresearch #industry "Operations Research, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Decision Sciences", none of these name fly with CTOs, CFOs, COOs, etc. based on my experience in industry. Successful operations research applications in industry are best (sometimes only) acknowledged by the INFORMS community. One may think stating that "we do mathematical optimization" would solve people's confusion. Not really. Too many claim that they "do optimization"/"are building optimizers" while they are actually applying rules sequentially (there is nothing wrong with applying rules sequentially, however it's not optimization). Becoming invisible/being invisible is real.

Columbus while on his mission to discover India ( but discovered America ) wrote journals and kept logs and other records with diligence . He wrote "Though the way is long and the seas unkind , we will stay the course , for I know we are destined to succeed." It shows that he set goals ( when he says we will stay the course ) and goals coupled with his skills and determination led to discovery which changed the course of world. " Measure what Matters " written by John Doerr who was associated with Google and Intel describes OKR's ( Objectives and Key Results ) as a simple system which can give 10X results . He describes the OKR system with lot of examples and is a good read - although the book gets slightly repetitive at times , but is well worth it . He learnt this system from Andy Grove , former CEO of Intel , who had adapted this system from MBO ( management by objectives system ) as propounded by Peter Drucker in his 1954 classic , " The Practice of Management". The central idea of the book is ; a) organization or a person's productivity is enhanced by specific , hard goals . b) in OKR system , Objective (Oin OKR )stands for long term direction and KR stands for Key Results or outcomes which you seek in short term c) Focus on things that matter and then have a metric for it Let's assume you are in EV Car Industry then your objective may be ; " We want to be No .1 in the EV Car space (by sales ) by 2025 " Key Results for this quarter may be ; 1) Launch 5 models at different price points 2) Have a driving range of 1000 km 3) Have the fastest charging time in the industry of say 10 minutes You would not choose : "Having the best Calendar in the industry" as your KR -as this is a minor thing . All in all , a good book . Larry Page ( Google Founder ) wrote foreword for the book and credited OKR system for driving 10X growth at Google, so the system proposed should be effective , I suppose . To your learning ... Cheerio #productivity #strategy #marketing #sales #consulting

What is Operations Management? Operations Research? What’s in a Name? Despite my privilege of speaking on TV and radio, meeting with the press, and engaging with government officials, I am often referred to as an economist. Google has also classified me as an economist. While I don’t mind being seen as an economist, I cannot pretend to be one. When I contacted Google to change my identity, I was informed that operations management is not listed as a field. When I introduce myself as a professor of operations management, my hosts often appear confused. This confusion is not new. Having taught operations management for 39.5 years, most students consider me a business professor. INFORMS has grappled with our identity for decades. It’s too late for me to push for change, but I believe major organizations such as INFORMS, Production and Operations Management Society (POMS), and Decision Sciences Institute must collaborate to define our field to the world. We have contributed so much to the world including maritime logistics, military logistics, total quality management, Toyota production system, Amazon's logistics and distribution systems, supply chain management, etc. If we don’t, we risk becoming invisible. Then we have no one to blame but ourselves. Mohandas Gandhi — 'If you want to change the world, start with yourself.' I now refer to myself as a #supplychain #professor. Some may think it is more narrow, but at least I do not need to explain. #academia #logistics #supplychain

Prabhakar Raghavan’s appointment as Google’s Chief Technologist 🌐 reflects something I’ve noticed—leaders who’ve lived across cultures learn to think differently. It’s not just about technical skills, but about developing the ability to adapt, challenge assumptions, and navigate ambiguity. These experiences sharpen problem-solving and encourage looking beyond familiar approaches. Raghavan’s path—from IIT Madras 🎓 to leadership roles in the U.S.—shows how moving between worlds builds flexibility and creative thinking. It’s this mix of discipline and insight that positions him to steer Google through the fast-evolving landscape of AI and search. 🚀 With markets changing quickly, it’s this kind of perspective—formed at the intersections of different experiences—that keeps companies like Google ahead. Congrats to Prabhakar on a well-deserved new role! 🎉 #Leadership #IITMadras 🎓 #AI #Innovation #Google

Hello connection! Do you know how google's data driven decision making works? 🚀 Harnessing the Power of Data-Driven Decision Making at Google 🌐 Google’s data-driven approach is a key reason for its success. By leveraging vast amounts of data, Google ensures decisions are based on facts, not just intuition. From product development to operational efficiency, every step is backed by data analytics, machine learning, and continuous iteration. This method enhances innovation, reduces risks, and ensures scalability. Learning from this model, businesses can unlock their potential by integrating data into every facet of their decision-making process! 👋 Special greetings to CMA (USA) Vaibhavi Shah and CA Pranit Jain, CMA (USA), FPA Edutech– your insights and leadership always inspire me! #DataDriven #Google #DecisionMaking #Leadership #Innovation

With the rapid advancements in AI and digital transformation, there has been a significant surge in MBA applications, as professionals look to future-proof their careers. Many see an MBA as the key to gaining the leadership and analytical skills necessary to navigate and lead in an evolving business landscape. This trend highlights the growing importance of being adaptable in a tech-driven world.

The Expected Value Mindset: How to Make Smarter Decisions About Your Future People often romanticize about the exceptions, like Dolly Chaiwala or the Vada Pav girl, who achieve success despite humble beginnings. But the truth is, for every one of them, there are countless others struggling to make ends meet. We conveniently forget that for every Dolly chaiwala, there's a Sundar Pichai or Satya Nadella, who leveraged their elite educational backgrounds to achieve unparalleled success. Thinking in expected value is a crucial skill. If you simulate randomly 1000 tea sellers and 1000 individuals from top-tier institutions like IITs, IIMs, FMS, Stanford, or Harvard, the expected value of economic success would be vastly different. The latter group would likely have a significantly higher expected value, due to the advantages conferred by their elite education. It's essential to recognize that success is often the result of a complex interplay between talent, hard work, and opportunity. While it's inspiring to see exceptions like Dolly Chaiwala, we mustn't ignore the broader trends and expected values that shape the world. #statistics #decisionmaking #strategy #sundarpichai #satyanadella #google #microsoft #iit #iim #eliteeducation

Great experience during our second F2F. One of this with a the great professor Dr. Akram Awad who provide us incredible valuable knowledge about the future impact of technology in society with his Digital Transformation class! Thanks for your dedication and passion! #IEBusinessSchool #GOMBA24 #DigitalTransaformation #GlobalMBA

In the current age of AI and automation this topic is so relevant for everyone to understand how AI will shape the future jobs ! Such an exciting topic and with excellent speakers from best tech firms in the world today . Looking forward for this session on Jan 4, 2025 Register now at https://lnkd.in/g-CWeigj