Know the story of a MBA dropout who went on to become a multi-millionaire chaiwala (meaning tea seller).
A 25-year old MBA dropout now runs a cafeteria with more than 50 outlets throughout India. Prafull Billore, founder and owner of MBA Chaiwala started this organization in the year 2017. He is also TEDx and Josh Talks Speaker. He has featured in BBC, CNN, TOI, ZEE and other such platforms. He has also delivered lectures in many colleges, including IIM Ahmedabad.
Prafull belongs to a small town Dhar in Indian state Madhya Pradesh. He was pursuing MBA from Ahmedabad University. He also started doing a part time job at McDonald’s to have an experience of professional work. Soon he lost interest in his studies and left midway. He also realized that earnings at this rate would never make him rich.“How will I become a big man if even after MBA I’d work like this?”says Prafull.
In the year 2017, he started a tea cart on SG Highway in Ahmedabad. Despite opposition from family and friends, he saw nothing wrong in MBA Chaiwala which stands for Mr. Billore Chaiwala. Initially, he struggled with tea making. But he knew that tea being the most preferred drink in India, people will drink it anyway. Soon he mastered the art of making tea. Moreover, seeing an English speaking man selling tea, people were fascinated by his cart. His tea cart started gaining popularity. He also tried different things like organizing cricket matches, ludo games, and also put up a whiteboard where people could leave messages for their dear ones.
After running the tea cart for two years, Prafull expanded into a franchise café in Bhopal. Once started off as a cart, MBA Chaiwala now runs 50+ stores throughout India and plans to open 100 outlets by the end of this year.
The young entrepreneur has also set up a MBA Chaiwala Academy. A combination of his inspiring storyline and his adeptness on social media led to a large following, which he says played a pivotal role in establishing his brand. He talks about entrepreneurship on social media, pointing out the limitless possibilities open to everyone who wants to pursue their goals.
Degree-based learning restricts you to explore as the path is already defined. But in skill-based learning, you get to explore and feed your curiosity.
On 8th December 2005, it was decided by United Nations General Assembly that 4th April of every year will be observed as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. It aimed at creating national mine action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war pose a serious threat to civilians with the joint efforts of the United Nations and the countries as well as other relevant organizations.
Theme: The 2022 theme of the United Nations Mine Action Service is “Safe Ground, Safe Steps, Safe Home.”
Safe Ground is the name of the global campaign “turning minefields into playing fields,” It works for creating a safe environment for development by clearing the earth of landmines and other explosive hazards. The campaign was launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in 2019.
Safe Steps is about the apprehension faced by the civilians when they move around not knowing whether that step would be their last step.
Safe Home aims to restore the personal and communal security of individuals and communities after a conflict has ended.
History: In 1997, Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, commonly known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention was opened for signature. 164 countries ratified to it. On 12 November 2006, the Secretary-General hailed the entry of force of Protocol V on explosive remnants of war from the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. In December 2008, the Convention on Cluster Munitions was opened for signature. This move was welcomed by the Secretary-General. 108 states supported this convention. In 2018, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) convoked and led the drafting of the United Nations Mine Action Strategy 2019-2023. The strategy had two major aspects – accountability framework for the United Nations System and Theory of Change for the United Nations engagement in mine action.
Since its inception over 20 years ago, UNMAS has attempted to address the needs of affected people as well as the dangers of explosive hazards faced by civilians, peacekeepers, and humanitarian personnel.
Significance: In celebration of International Day for Mine Awareness, people are encouraged to consider providing assistance for mine action efforts, raise awareness of the hazards posed by landmines, and work towards eradicating them.
At first, this concept of “main idea” can be tricky for young students, but after you teach it to them, they will be able to identify the main idea easily. Here are some ways to help with teaching main idea to students and help them better understand this concept.
The main idea is basically what the passage or story is all about. Students get confused sometimes because the story might also talk about something else with great detail, but may not be the main idea or focus of the overall story. These are called “supporting details.” In order to distinguish some story details from the main idea, the entire story should be read, and not just bits and parts of the story. Supporting details will be smaller details that will support a more broad idea. Remember that the main idea is broad and general, and the supporting details are more complex and detailed.
Summarize
Break the story down and talk about each paragraph after it has been read. Sometimes students have very short attention spans, and so summarizing each paragraph and helping them understand what they just read is the most helpful. Reading comprehension is what should be established before the concept of main idea is introduced.
Practice is key!
The more often students practice finding the main idea, the quicker and easier finding the main idea will become. Students need practice so that as the context and stories become more complex, the easier it will become for them to understand. Their reading comprehension will also improve as well.
Make it fun
If you assign the same assignment over and over, students will become annoyed or frustrated that they keep having to do the same thing over and over. Try switching it up without them realizing. Instead of using the words “main idea” try using a different language. To also help them practice, let the focus of the assignment be something different, like asking questions about the store. For example “What did Charlie find when he opened his candy bar?” and then in going over the answers, simply ask the students, “what do you think the main idea of the entire story was?” Focusing on the main idea, does not have to be the main focus every single time you have the students read, but help them to try and understand and find what the main idea is each time.
Finding Clues
If your students are not understanding what the main idea of the story is, help them to find clues in the store. Have them look at titles, key words, and first and last sentences. Also opening and closing paragraphs should be focused on. Try looking at the photos if there are any. Key words will be words that are bolded in the reading, or they could be headings and titles. All of these will help to hint at the main idea, but they do not always. Oftentimes the title will help you figure out what the main topic of the story will be. This is your first step to help you determine the main idea.
Pre-reading
A good starting activity to do with the students would be to have them just use these clues and to take some guesses before starting to read. Have them look at the cover, look at the pictures, look at the titles and chapter headings and make their guesses. What do you think the main idea could be just by observing before you even begin reading? This will help get their brain in the right mindset and will help them to be looking for more information about what the focus of the story will be about.
It is a known fact that Indian constitution is the world’s lengthiest constitution. The Constituent Assembly took 2 years, 11 months and 17 days to complete the celebrated task of drafting the Constitution. We always talk about the Drafting Committee headed by Dr. BR Ambedkar, Father of Indian Constitution; but many still do not know that there were 15 great women who contributed in the drafting of constitution. Let us have a look at the lives of these remarkable ladies:
Ammu Swaminathan – Born in 1894 in Palakkad, Kerala, Ammu Swaminathan belonged to an upper caste Brahmin family. She was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and took part in India’s struggle for independence. After independence, in 1946, she became one of the members of the Constituent Assembly of India. She vocalized on fundamental rights and directive principles. In 1952, she was elected a member of the Lok Sabha and then to Rajya Sabha in 1954. Later in 1960, she also served as a President of the Bharat Scouts and Guides. With keen interest in movies, she went on to become the Vice President of the Federation of Film Societies and the Censor Board.
Dakshayani Velayudhan– Dakshayani Velayudhan was born on 4th July 1912 in Ernakulam, Kerala. She belonged to the lower caste Pulayar community. She was the first Scheduled Caste woman graduate in India, a science graduate, a member of the Cochin Legislative Council. She and her husband, R. Velayudhan were the first scheduled caste couple in the parliament.
She advocated for untouchability, forced labor, reservations, and separate electorates for Dalits.
Begum Aizaz Rasul – Begum Qudsia Aijaz Rasul, born on 2nd April 1909, was the only Muslim woman in the Constituent Assembly. She hailed from a princely family of Malerkotla, Punjab. She entered into electoral politics in 1937 when she was elected as a member of the U.P. Legislative Assembly. She played a key role in popularizing hockey for Indian women. She presided the Indian Women Hockey Federation for 20 years. She was also the president of the Asian Women’s Hockey Federation.
She was a member of the Minority Rights Drafting Subcommittee. She opposed the reservation for minorities in legislative assemblies, the partition of India and feudal practices like the zamindari system.
She herself defied many traditional norms like the purdah system.
She was awarded the Padma Bhushan for her contributions to social work in 2000.
Durgabai Deshmukh – Lady Deshmukh was a freedom fighter, politician and a public activist for women liberation. She founded the Andhra Mahila Sabha in 1937. She was also the founder chairperson of Central Social Welfare Board. She was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and following his footsteps participated in Salt Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience Movement. She was the first chairperson of the National Council on Women’s Education, which was established by the Government of India in 1958.
She was the only woman in the panel of chairmen in the Constituent Assembly. She proposed issues like inclusion of national language, judicial independence and human trafficking.
Hansa Jivraj Mehta – She was born on 3rd July 1897 in a Nagar Brahmin family in Baroda, Gujarat. As advised by Mahatma Gandhi, she participated in various freedom movement activities. In 1926, she was elected to Bombay Schools Committee. In 1945, she presided the All India Women’s’ Conference. She represented India in the Nuclear Sub-Committee on the status of women in 1946. In 1947–48, while with the UN Human Rights Commission, she changed the language of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to “all human beings are born free and equal”, highlighting the need for gender equality. She held different posts from 1945-1960 – the vice-chancellor of SNDT Women’s University, member of All India Secondary Board of Education, president of Inter University Board of India among others. She also wrote several books in her lifetime.
Kamla Chaudhary – She was a story writer in Hindi. In 1930, she participated in Civil Disobedience Movement and was arrested several times. In 1946, she was elected to the Constituent Assembly from Uttar Pradesh. She was the Senior Vice-Chairman of All India Congress Committee. Throughout her life, she worked for education of girls in villages and backward areas. She encouraged the Khadi and Village industries which had the potential to provide employment of young women.
Leela Roy – Born on 2nd October 1900, she was the only woman of Bengal in the Constituent Assembly. She was the first woman to get admission in the University of Dhaka and completed her M.A. She was the founder of Dipali Sangha, Chhatri Sangha, Dacca Mahila Satyagraha Sangha, Bengal Provincial Congress Women’s Organization and Jayita Mahila Sanghati. In 1931, she started publishing Jayasree, the name being suggested by Rabindranath Tagore.
She was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1946, after her release from prison suffered due to participation in Quit India Movement.
Malati Choudhury – She was one of the first women Marxist leaders in India. She played an important role in Indian independence movement. She was born on 26th July 1904 in Bihar. Her ancestral origin was Dhaka. She was a Gandhian and during the Salt Satyaghraha, she and her husband joined Indian National Congress. In 1933,she founded Utkal Congress Samajvadi Karmi Sanghalong with her husband which came to be known as the Orissa Provincial Branch of the All India Congress Socialist Party. She had also set up Bajiraut Chhatravas, Utkal Navajeevan Mandal and the Postbasic School at Champatimunda, near Angul, Orissa.
Purnima Banerjee – She was an active participant in Salt March and Quit India Movement, and thereby, was also imprisoned. Her steadfast commitment to socialist ideas was one of the most striking aspects of her speeches in the Constituent Assembly. Being the secretary of the Indian National Congress Committee in Allahabad, she was responsible for organizing trade unions, kisan meetings and work towards rural development.
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur – She was born on 2nd February 1887 in Lucknow. She was the first Health Minister of India in 1947 and remained in position for next 10 years. She played a crucial role in establishment of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi and became its first president. She was also a contributory in setting up Indian Council of Child Welfare. She was the Chairperson of Indian Red Cross Society for 14 years. She served as president of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Tuberculosis Association of India, and the St. John’s Ambulance Corps until her death.
She was named TIME Magazine’s Woman of the Year in 1947.
Renuka Ray – In 1934. She became the legal secretary of the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC). There, she submitted a document titled ‘Legal Disabilities of Women in India; A Plea for a Commission of Enquiry’. She supported a uniform personal law code, and said that the position of Indian women was one of the most iniquitous in the world. She was a member of Central Legislative Assembly in 1943. She served as a Minister of Relief & Rehabilitation, West Bengal during 1952-57. In 1959, she headed a committee on Social Welfare and Welfare of Backward Classes, popularly known as Renuka Ray Committee.
Sarojini Naidu – Sarojini Naidu, popularly known as the Nightingale of India, was the first Indian woman to be the president of the Indian National Congress and to be appointed as an Indian state governor. She participated in non-cooperation movement. She had an active participation in Indian politics and worked with Mahatma Gandhi. She was popular for her literary mastery and was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1914.
Sucheta Kripalani – She was born in June 1908 in Punjab. She was an active participant in Indian independence movement and joined Quit India Movement. She set up the All India Mahila Congress in 1940. She was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and remained in office till 1967. She was the first woman Chief Minister of India.
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit – She was the sister of Jawahar Lal Nehru. She was the first woman to hold a cabinet position in pre-independence India – minister of local self-government and public health. She was India’s ambassador to Soviet Union, United States, Mexico, Ireland and Spain during different time periods. She presided the United Nations General Assembly in 1953. She became the first woman to hold this position.
Annie Mascarene – One of the first women to join the Travancore State Congress, she later became a member of its Working Committee. Among the 10 candidates for the parliamentary elections, she was the first woman from Kerala to be elected. She also served as a Minister in Charge of Health and Power for a brief period.
My child is so engrossed in TV and internet, how to make him read books?
How can I develop reading habits in my little one?
Sounds familiar, right? This is something every mother is facing nowadays. With so much exposure to the virtual world, making your children read has become a daunting task. I am sharing 12 simple yet effective tips and tricks to help you inculcate reading habits in your children:
Read him stories regularly – Make it a habit to read at least one short story to your child from one year age. Even a one page story will do. He may not understand everything but soon he will develop interest in your stories.
Let him sit on your lap and read out loud – This physical connection between the parent and child makes your toddler comfortable. Read loudly. Books read aloud to children stimulate their imaginations and expand their knowledge. He will enjoy the story listening session. Soon you will notice that he is also trying to read with you.
Set a fixed time for his reading – Make your tot realize that reading is as essential as other daily chores like eating, playing, sleeping and like. To inculcate this feeling, set a fixed time for his reading. It may be 30 minutes in the morning or 30 minutes in the evening. You can set the time as per your convenience.
Gift books – Make your baby’s special occasions more special by gifting him books. There is more to the phrase “books are a gift of life”. Books always make better gifts than toys.
Don’t over-expect – Each child is different. Don’t put high expectations like “my kid will read for this and this much time everyday”. You should not bother if he is giving a short span of time to his books. Let him progress at his own rate. Your pushing can disconcert your kid’s interest towards reading.
Let him read anything of his choice – Your little one may love reading Doraemon stories or Barbie stories and you think like “This has no value”. Don’t fret. Let him read whatever he likes. You must not force him to read things of your interest. Remember, developing early reading habit is what matters and not the content your kid is consuming. Just see to it that it is age appropriate.
Create a reading environment – Studies reveal that a kid belonging to a reading culture family tends to adopt early reading habits as compared to a kid from non-reading culture. Make him accessible to books in every room of the house. Surround him with books. In this way, he will grab different books at any time and read them.
Set yourself as a role model – Now this is something that matters the most when it comes to your child’s reading habits. Toddlers tend to imitate their elders. If they see their parents engrossed in devices, they will tend to do so. Present yourself as a reader to them and they will shortly start following your footsteps.
Make conversations about his latest reads – Make the reading process more engaging. Ask your kid questions from his latest read. Let him express his opinion on what will happen next. You may also ask him to write a summary of the story he just read. In this way, he can learn vocabulary and also enhance his writing skills.
Let him re-read – Your baby is reading the same thing over and over? That’s a good sign as it shows his interest towards reading. Your child learns more about a story each time he reads it again. It also improves his fluency and comprehension skills.
Take them to bookstores – Take your kid to a nearby bookstore or local library. Let him pick books of his choice. This has two-sided advantage. Firstly, your child realizes that you respect his choices. Secondly, he will garner immense curiosity to read the book as he chose it himself.
Connect stories with real life – Make your junior read things that relate to daily life. Gift him a book on friendship stories, inspirational stories or fables. This will make his read more engaging and interesting.
An understanding of Histrionics Personality Disorder
As the name suggests, Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD) is a condition in which a person behaves melodramatically or inappropriately to seek attention from others. Their self-esteem depends on approval from others and not on their self-worth. They have an enormous desire to get noticed by others.
HPD belongs to a group of conditions called “Cluster B” or “Dramatic Personality Disorders”.
It is commonly found in females than in males and can be noticed from adolescence.
Symptoms:
Act dramatically towards every situation. They exaggerate their expressions but they lack sincerity.
Feel restless unless they are not getting others’ attention.
Tremendous emotionality.
Rapid shifts in mood or temperament.
The tendency to commit suicide due to inattention.
Naive and get influenced by others easily.
Extremely cautious about their appearance.
Their conversations are allusive and impressionistic, but lack detail.
Believe relationships are intimate than they are in reality.
Causes:
The causes for such behavior are still unknown. However, this condition can be attributed to:
A person with a family history of histrionic personality is more susceptible to this condition.
This disorder also tends to occur due to learning such behaviors from mother or any other family member in the past.
Lack of punishments or criticisms can generate this condition in a child when he/she grows up.
Appreciation or rewards only on certain approved behavior or completion of some approved tasks.
Self-centeredness.
Treatment:
The most opted method is psychotherapy. The psychotherapist uses verbal and psychological techniques to converse with the patient. The aim is to improve the patient’s general coping skills.
Another approach is psychodynamic psychotherapy. The psychotherapist gains a deeper understanding of the patient’s emotions and mental processes.
Comprehensive techniques such as yoga and biofeedback may also help people with personality disorders control their inner feelings.
Medications are not used for HPD patients unless they exhibit other symptoms like anxiety and depression. In such situations, they are prescribed drugs like antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics.
Diagnosis:
Differential diagnosis is the most preferred method for diagnosing HPD. Mental health professionals use this technique to rule out other disorders or medical conditions that may cause the symptoms.
Prevention:
Currently, there is no known way to prevent histrionic personality disorders, but treatment might be able to alleviate many of the related problems.
HPD Vs BPD:
There is a fine line of difference between histrionic personality disorder and borderline personality disorder. Though HPD and BPD are similar in fact that both have attention-seeking nature, manipulative behavior, and rapidly shifting emotions but BPD is self-harming in nature and has feelings of deep voidness and unstable self image (identity disturbance).
There was a time when the Indian circus shone in its full glory. Circus industry was loved by people of all ages alike. What happened to this industry now? Where have the artists gone? Why its luster is fading away? How Indian Circus did come into existence?
Origin:
India has a long tradition of street performers and travelling entertainers. But the origin of the Indian Circus in today’s form dates back to the late nineteenth century.
Philip Astley, an English equestrian and circus inventor, credited Vishnupant Chatre as the originator of Indian Circus. He initiated this art form in India under the patronage of the Raja of Kurduwadi. Chatre was in charge of the stables of the Raja. He was an eminent equestrian and singer. He founded The Great Indian Circus and had its first performance in 20th March 1880. His team performed throughout the country as well as foreign territories such as Ceylon, South East Asia and North America. The audience admired him everywhere. The only place where he could not match the size and magnificence of his competitors was North America. So he decided to continue his pursuit within India.
During his tour in Tellicherry (Kerala), Chatre met Keeleri Kunhikanan, a master of martial arts and gymnastics. Keeleri was appointed as an acrobats trainer in The Great Indian Circus. In 1901, he opened a circus school at Chirakkara near Tellicherry, which later became the circus epicenter of India. The school produced a long list of performers who later started their own circus companies. Some of these companies were Grand Malabar Circus (1904), Whiteway Circus (1922), Great Ramayan Circus (11924) etc. Thus, Kerala became the “Cradle of Indian Circus”.
To honour the legacy of Keeleri Kunhikannan, the Government of Kerala started a Circus Academy in Thalassery.
Keeleri Kunhikannan is regarded as the “Father of Indian Circus”.
In its full glory:
Circuses were a major form of spectator entertainment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With a team of various range of artists including clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and other performance oriented artists, circus attracted huge crowd whenever they visited a city. They have enraptured their audiences since many years. But today their survival has become a question mark.
A dying industry:
Indian circuses are on the verge of extinction. Only a few circuses are left in India today, down from 300 two decades ago. The circus managers predict that soon no grounds will be left to hold a circus. Some of the reasons for this downfall are:
Indian circus companies keep their affairs as trade secret. It is mostly hereditary affair and confined within a few people. This acts as a barrier in entry of efficient persons.
The companies feel that circus acrobatics require intensive training from childhood. Earlier children as small as 10 years of age were trained to become circus artists. In light of Supreme Court’s ban on child employment below the age of 14 in 2011, the companies are facing a dearth of human resource.
A popular genre of performance and attraction for the audience ceased to exist when the government of India prohibited the use of wild animals for entertainment purposes in 1997.
With access to television and other forms of e-entertainment, the circus acts have no longer remained unique. The majority of acts which were once exclusive to the circus are now performed on television, including juggling, acrobatics, gymnastics and aerial acts
Indian families consider circus as a risky profession and do not allow their children to choose this as a profession. We do not see dynasties of artists in India as seen in Western counterpart.
Circus artists retire at an early age of 40. After which they are left with no other option but to do manual work. Lack of security discourages new people to take up this profession.
Suggestions:
Here are a few suggestions to revive this traditional art form:
Circus can be used to make the dying arts more appealing to the masses. This would attract more viewers.
The government should provide for financial protection to the artists post-retirement. At present, Kerala is the only state to provide pension to veteran and needy artists.
Learning circus acts is similar to learning an art form. The government should set up circus training academy to promote this art as a profession. It should be similar to sports academy; with a well-defined syllabus and regular academics.
The companies need to update themselves to attract the younger generation. Mr. Gopinath Muthukad, a noted magician from Kerala, announced to launch a show called “Circus Castle” in Thiruvananthapuram that would combine circus acts with magic tricks.
I find it heartwarming that despite of enormous challenges faced from television and internet, Indian circus companies are trying to get back to life and revive their grandeur in the entertainment realm.
Anyone who works in sales has probably heard about category management at some point. It’s a crucial thing for business people! After all, it’s only through utilizing category management can they really guarantee that they don’t lose their positions in the market or their profits.
Category management stands for the organization of product categories, which solves everything in our modern world. Recall your last trip to the store: how long did it take for you to find yogurt? You know it belongs in the category of dairy products, which is why it is located on the shelf next to the milk. Imagine if yoghurt was classified, for example, as a dessert; how long would it take you to find it? Category management oversees the organization of retail space, both offline and online! It is the categories you need to develop when creating online store browsing, managing your range of products, and developing the design of your website.
Additionally, category management involves working with procuring. For example, knowing what every category of your products includes and what KPIs it is supposed to meet helps you choose only the best suppliers and negotiate the most favorable terms of collaboration.
Due to poor-quality category management or the lack of thereof, an online business can lose up to 30% of its customers, so a professional category manager is worth their weight in gold. So, what are their duties, and how do you bring maximum results to your business? We will tell you below.
What does a category manager do in e-commerce?
The main responsibilities of a category manager in the area of e-commerce include:
Analyzing data to determine market trends and consumer needs;
Developing strategies for category management;
Developing tactics for category development, merchandising, and promoting specific product items;
Communicating with suppliers, building long-term relationships and concluding favorable terms of cooperation with the best price-quality ratio;
Placing orders and dealing with procurements;
Placement of product categories to achieve maximum results;
Cooperating with the marketing and sales department within the company to ensure transparency and efficiency throughout all business activities;
Determination of the most competitive and profitable prices for product categories;
Demand forecasting and prompt replenishment of stocks;
Budgeting and cost optimization.
5 tips for becoming the best category manager in e-commerce
Category management is a true art that requires special training and exceptional skills, especially in e-commerce. Here are some tips on how to work effectively with categories:
1. Communicate regularly with suppliers and stay up to date
The primary task of a category manager in e-commerce is to ensure a steady flow of goods or services. Check your suppliers’ certificates and financial stability periodically, set stringent deadlines, and supply performance guarantees. Any fluctuation in the market can lead to trouble for suppliers, which, in return, means problems for yourself.
2. Increase your level of expertise
A category manager cannot know everything in the world. Still, they should strive to achieve this, given that the business’s stability from the perspective of turnover depends on this. You must understand new and old pricing models and keep track of investment results, including costs and risks associated with procurements. Of course, you will need individual professionals (for example, lawyers) for different aspects of this work. However, your task is to consider all the factors and work them out.
3. Plan categories down to the very last detail
The success of category management depends on the effectiveness of the categories you create. And to accomplish this, you must understand your audience and the details of every category by considering its role, purpose, performance criteria, etc. Expanded categories that can grow and develop make it easier to attract profitable suppliers and build strong relationships with them.
4. Use zero-based budgeting
Zero-based budgeting is a budget planning method that does not include the budgets from earlier periods. Instead, budget planning is based on sales forecasts, technical costs, and economic calculations. Since one of the main tasks of a category manager is to justify the created categories and budget requirements, this approach to budgeting in a category management setting is the most appropriate.
5. Don’t forget about digitalisation!
Category management in e-commerce is a top priority for online development and technologies. Therefore, the category manager must quickly implement the most effective innovative solutions in software and electronic systems or services to oversee product categories.
The job of a category manager in e-commerce is much the same as that in traditional retail: it is still challenging but extremely exciting! Perhaps nowhere else can you find so many new experiences, tools, and opportunities than in this field. Just don’t be afraid of using different innovative methods and continually developing both product categories and your professional abilities.
Is the excitement of buying a house taking a toll on your progress? Buying a home is fulfilling, but the process can be a nightmare, and you could also acquire a property that only adds more stress to your life. It requires the right approach, especially in the modern online-oriented world. With the available online listings and resourceful information pools like Hauzisha.co.ke, you can easily browse and navigate the market. As you hit the market, you need to be wary, ensuring you don’t fall into the common pitfalls that could frustrate your quests. Here are the things to avoid when buying a house, ensuring you find and invest in the best property.
Skimping on the research
The online listings make browsing the available properties for sale; this gives you valuable information, but don’t skimp on the research. Even with virtual tours, nothing beats the experience. Check out as many open houses as you can, do thorough research, and get a feel of the real estate market’s landscape.
A significant part of real estate deals is location, and physically visiting the available houses gives you more than you can get from the online experience. You’ll get the vibe the neighborhood exudes, and the feel varying houses hold, making it easier to narrow down the options.
Not doing the math
How much house can you afford? You’ve been saving up, but have you considered your credit rating? Mortgage preapproval is an excellent step as you hit the market. You’ll have a clear picture of how much you can spend on a house. Nonetheless, that’s not the only math you should do. Consider the long-term financial implication.
How will you manage the mortgage payments and expenses of running the house? Buying the dream house is one thing, and keeping it in top shape is different. You need to manage repairs and maintenance, consider concerns such as home insurance, and following its location, property taxes. All such costs should be in your math, ensuring you buy a house you can afford in the long run.
Falling for the flashy aspects
House sellers strive to capture as many potential buyers as possible. The staging includes fancy aspects highlighting the property’s gems. Don’t focus on them, but pay more attention to the bones and structure. External factors aren’t as important as a solid foundation and a house in good shape. Those flashy appliances won’t hold as much value as a roof in good condition, emphasizing the need to ensure you don’t fall for the vivid aspects while ignoring the structural integrity.
Being in haste or too relaxed
If you are in haste, you’ll cut corners even without noticing it, such as skimping on inspections or overlooking flaws that can turn out to be a costly mistake. Start early, understand the market, potential loopholes to consider, and thoroughly inspect a house before making a firm and final offer.
Being too relaxed doesn’t pay off either. You are likely to pass on a great house, expecting to find a better one. The more you skip houses, the less likely it’ll be to capture a great deal, especially as your lowball offers could see great houses slipping off your fingers. Take your time, but don’t be too relaxed. This way, you’ll have enough time to check more details, make an informed pick, and invest in a house you’ll treasure for long.
Going at it alone
Sure, the modern real estate market makes the processes more manageable. You can search properties on sale online, make an offer, negotiate, and even conclude the deal with fewer in-person interactions. However, unless you are experienced in real estate dynamics, going at it alone can be a costly mistake.
Hiring a real estate agent helps in many ways. Apart from capturing great deals with their reach and negotiation skills, the agent can help you deal with the extensive paperwork and processes. You can fast-track the process and avoid common mistakes that could see you losing an edge after finding that dream house. Apart from agents, you can also enlist professionals such as lawyers, ensuring that you understand the contract’s fine print.
Not thinking about selling
While buying a house, you may not think about selling soon. Nonetheless, it is crucial, considering that you may have to relocate or want an upgrade. Will the property and its features be attractive in the next five years, or will it require considerable remodels to keep up with the evolving real estate landscape? How about the location, significantly since you can’t change it? The resale value consideration makes it easier to pick the right house.
Ready finances, knowing what you can afford, shopping around, enlisting professional services; you need the right strategy to start house hunting. Avoiding the common pitfalls is easier with a solid plan, helping you find and buy the right house matching your immediate and future needs.
Paranoid Personality Disorder (PPD) belongs to a group of conditions called Cluster A or eccentric personality disorders. Persons with such personality disorders tend to exhibit unusual or abnormal behavior. These people possess unusual thinking. Persons with PPD are always suspicious of others and strongly believe that other people are constantly trying to harm them. Paranoia means illogical suspicion and mistrust towards other people. It is a serious yet often neglected personality disorder.
American Psychiatric Association in DSM-5 states that 2.3% to 4.4 % of the US population suffers from PPD. It is mostly found in males.
Causes:
The exact causes of PPD are not known. However several studies suggest that:
A person’s childhood experiences and past trauma can onset this condition. Childhood abuse, being a victim to bully or other such childhood factors can cause PPD.
Other social factors can also contribute to its cause, such as divorce, financial crisis, never marrying or other socio-economic factors
Family history of schizophrenia and delusional disorders.
Symptoms:
DSM-5 lays that a PPD person has a pervasive pattern of suspiciousness, mistrust and hypersensitivity. Symptoms of PPD include:
There is no ground or logic for their suspicion that other people are trying to deceive them. They “think” that others are trying to exploit them.
They often criticize others but are hypersensitive towards other’s criticisms.
Will be jealous and strongly believe that their partners are being unfaithful.
Are unforgiving and hold grievances.
Due to lack of confidence, they are unable to build healthy relationship with family, friends and colleagues.
Without any substantiation, they believe that they will be betrayed.
They tend to find inner meaning in comments and communications from other people that are absolutely innocent and simple.
Always doubt the trustworthiness of others.
They constantly believe that people are ruining their character and reputation.
Do not realize that their behavior or attitude can be a cause of a problem.
They don’t open up to others on belief that others will use their personal information to manipulate them
Diagnosis:
A health care professional first discusses about symptoms and family history. The patient may also undergo physical examination. The health professional tries to assess the patient’s behavior by asking him about his response to an imaginary situation. Wrong diagnosis may mix up Paranoid Personality with Borderline Narcissism.
Treatment:
PPD persons generally do not recognize that they are suffering from such condition. So they do not seek treatment. Moreover, their treatment becomes a tough job due to their trust issues. They do not believe their psychotherapist. Patients with PPD are not likely to follow their treatment plan and may even question the therapist’s motives. Whenever a patient seeks medical assistance, psychotherapy is the preferred treatment. It includes improving their general coping ability and social interaction and communication skills.
Medications are not prescribed in PPD. However some anti-depressant, anti-anxiety or anti-psychotic drugs can be used if the person has severe symptoms.
Prevention:
There is no definite way to prevent Paranoid Personality Disorder. It may not be possible to prevent PPD, but treatment may allow those who are susceptible to it to find more productive ways to handle situations.
International Journal of Research (IJR) 