Ebooks
I have published a few e-books to share ideas on various subjects. I discuss some of them below. You can click the title of the e-book or the link mentioned below. They are available for free download on scribd.com site. The entire list of e-books is available here.
Process Documentation & Improvement
Factory floors of large companies are embodiment of best allocation of people and resources working at optimum levels on a consistent basis. Yet, offices often lack the same regimen. They are more people-centric and work processes are more ad-hoc. Some of the people and resource organisation techniques used in factories have been tailored for office use. Office TPM and 5S have transformed some cabins. The work-processes, however, do not seem to get the same attention.
In my work life I have attempted to identify and document the processes. Early attempts were ad hoc and led to development of a strategy I outline below. I used this documented strategy, modified versions actually, to identify and thereafter improve office processes. The processes in question were often mundane like emails to interested prospective clients, or ignored like process for selecting dealers. In the three offices I have attempted these two were spectacularly successful. In the other case the processes were documented but not improved, a part success.
Download the "Process Documentation & Improvement" e-book here.
World without poverty is one of my dreams! And I fuss over it in lot of ways. My readings of current writers on Poverty suggest that we need a view on life of the poor. This e-book is an attempt to express the same. It is my contribution to understanding and eradication of poverty in the world. Briefly it covers three main aspects:
How poor get poor?
I look at three phases over which a household gets into a poverty trap. This, I believe, is critical to understand as it harbours solutions to the poverty problems. Further, it also leads us to a basic framework for solving the poverty crisis everywhere.
Snakes and Ladders Approach
Getting a community out of poverty needs a customized solution. Each community faces its challenges (snakes) but has opportunities (ladders) hidden within its structure. This framework may be used to build a customized approach for the community.
Structural v/s transient poverty
One of the central idea I want to highlight is the difference between temporary poverty - one that household can get out of versus structural poverty - one that seduces the household into believing that they can get out of poverty.
Download the e-book "Future without Poverty" here.
I have put together some thoughts on How Cities develop? in the form of an idea-book. Please feel free to download it below. Real estate development in every city is unique. Still hidden within, are certain principles that are common. To understand it, we need to understand two central concepts. First, how town evolve and second how evolution happens within a town. I propose a seven phase model explaining how a population surrounding a business or factory transforms into a town. Through the transformation we point to some important developments in terms of people and their work.
The idea book postulates a growth model called “Affinity Factor Model” to explain how localities develop within a town. “Affinity factors” are those that drive the citizens towards them – e.g. business district and schools are key affinity factor. The models help us understand why airports, usually built outside city limits, attract residential populations. Or, on a lighter note, we can guess where a company will locate its office! We also derive a method to understand relative pricing between different areas. Further, we look at fundamental ideas for knowing if house prices are higher.
I also propose a structure of township centered around a workplace, based on first principles.
Download the e-book "How Cities Develop?" here.
Investing in Real Estate Developers
Investors got fantastic returns investing into real estate developers. However, as times become difficult, it is important to separate the grain from the chaff. I present some bits of knowledge I collected while analysing real estate developers. These, I hope, will help investors identify the great developers and thus make better investment decisions. The list is to be read in addition to prudential investment and valuation principles and practices.
Download the e-book " Investing in Real Estate Developers" here.
Growth Phases of Telecom Companies
Telecom Service Providers are mass consumer high technology companies. The telecom service provider does not simply grow. These companies transform from voice telephony operators to bandwidth service operators and finally into a holding company for other telecom companies. The following IdeaPaper details those five phases of transformation. I have also given some key characteristics of each phase.
Download the e-book "Growth Phases of Telecom Companies" here.
The growth potential of any telecom company is a function of Tele-density and MOU. Yet, the concept of tele-density and MOU have not been understood well. A few innovations in the past few years have added new life to both these variables in ways analysts have failed to grasp.
Download the e-book "New Teledensity Paradigms" here.
I would love to hear your feedback on the e-books. Please email me at rahuldeodhar [at] yahoo [dot] com.