Copenhagen and the Online IIM-CAT - a comparative case study

Big projects are interesting to study. They give insights, learnings and raw material for case-studies! Studied thoroughly, a researcher can draw parallels between two seemingly different projects. This is what we call 'connecting the dots' also, in a sense.

Let me try to connect two such disparate dots - the ongoing Copenhagen Climate summit, and the recently concluded online IIM-CAT.

What are the attributes common to both the projects?

1. Both are grand projects. The scale is big, really big.
2. The stakeholders in both projects have a lot to lose, if the projects don't work out well.
3. Both projects have a lot of moving parts, making the number of variables large.
4. Both projects have allowed a lot of time for the project owners to plan their moves.
5. Both will determine the destiny of large institutions linked to them.

Now, let us see how the project owners in both have behaved!

1. In both cases, the project owners have acted thoroughly selfishly. The stakeholders' interests have not been kept primary and supreme.
2. Assumptions, assumptions, assumptions! Both have had more than their fair share of these.
3. Project owners in both cases are acting shamelessly, and disregarding large scale public opinion.
4. Course correction in both cases is pitifully trivial, although signals are aplenty.

But, a few quick definitions first. Who are the "Project Owners" in each of the two cases? In the first case, the world governments and their groupings are the owners. In the second case, the IIMs and Prometric (and NIIT) are the owners. Who are the "stakeholders"? In the first case, every human being on this planet is a stakeholder directly. In the second case, at least 15 lac people are (2.4 lac CAT takers + another 5 members per family) direct stakeholders, and several others are indirect ones.

Let us see what will happen if the projects do not turn out successful finally

1. The world suffers, and those who design the policies that run the world suffer (poetic justice!)
2. The brand IIM suffers a strong dent (but nothing more really)

My prediction:

As far as Copenhagen is concerned, I have already expressed my views in an earlier blog much before the summit started. It will be a dud. I have strong reasons to believe that these summits will not bring the kind of "DESPERATE, IMMEDIATE, STRONG" carbon emission reductions needed to really effect large-scale reversal of climate change. I feel so because these reductions will necessitate large scale lifestyle adjustments for the rich nations - which they will most likely never do. Fewer, smaller cars; smaller, less heated homes; smaller, less fancier vacations - all this is too much for them to deaddict from. So, that's really bad news for all of us. I am sorry to be the harbinger of this :-) but cannot stop from yelling from the rooftops that the capitalistic lifestyle model is just not right for this planet. It's proven, it's there for everyone to see... and humanity cannot collectively take a decision to reverse it now. Duds.

As far as the online IIMCAT is concerned, my prediction is that the IIMs (assuming the test organisers and policy makers have the slightest modicum of decency left) will scrap the process for 2009 and revert to a paper-pencil format at least for this year. A fresh tender for 2010 will be floated and Prometric + NIIT will get a big boot. No matter what happens, students have been the sufferers.
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