SOCIAL MEDIA 49 Most of Malaysian Indian Business magazine fans are online between 10am till midnightf. Timing is EverythingWhen it comes to your Facebook posts, timing is crucial. Whilethere is no general rule for best time to publish a Facebookpost as optimal timing depends on your fans and industry,monitoring and comparing which days and times bring youthe most response on your posts can help you decide whento post in the future.Having a general idea of what your typical Facebook follower’sschedule like can help in these decisions, as well.g. Attention GrabberSharp, bright colour, creative and different images andmemorable text gets immediate attention from fans. Attentiongrabbing post including advertisements are the among mostengaging post among Facebook fans. OCTOBER 2014 |
50 MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE • by Palani MurugappanApplying various“What-If” Analysisusing Microsoft ExcelundersTanding a scenarioAscenario in Excel is a set of values that can be substituted automatically to cells that are used in aspects of calculations. For a single cell, you havethe option of specifying multiple values and switch to seethe effect of the different results. For example, you can havea set of values for best case, worst case, and normal casescenarios. If you are looking at a revenue based model, thenthe best case scenario will give you the highest revenue,and the worst case, the lowest revenue. This is done withoutchanging the original values but stating these values withina scenario. To understand this, let us examine the followingscreen capture.currenT revenue modeLThe following example looks at the sales of a café sellingprimarily “nasi lemak” as its main source of revenue.In the above screen capture, let us assume that to breakeven on a monthly basis, the café need to sell a minimumof 1000 normal, 600 chicken, and 500 nasi lemaks everymonth, which generates a revenue of RM9050 per month. | OCTOBER 2014
51MANAGEMENT SOFTWAREconsTrainTs WiThin The revenue modeL name text box. Highlight the cells B9 to B11 in the Changing cells text box, which reflects the current quantity required toBefore one applies any scenario to a model, you will need to be sold every month to break even.clearly specify the constraints involved. For example, let usassume these are the following constraints for our revenue We have just createdmodel above. a scenario for the best case situation. The above figures To register the data stated are our entered, click on the constraints on a monthly basis. In button. other words, the café can produce a The Scenario Valuesmaximum of 1200 normal; 800 chicken; and 600 sotong nasi dialog box is displayed.lemaks per month. Here, key in the maximum valuesappLying a scenario that can be produced for the normal, chicken, and sotong nasi lemaks in the respective text boxes as illustrated below. Upon keying in the figures, click on the To understand how button. The Best Case scenario has now been recorded. scenarios work, let us apply a best and You will be returned to the Add Scenario dialog box next. worst case scenario to the revenue model above. To do this in Excel, you will need to activate the Scenario Manager by clicking on the Data tab. Click onthe What-If Analysis drop down arrow and choose ScenarioManager by clicking on it (as outlined below).A blank Scenario Manager dialog box is opened. To record the Worst If the user had Case scenario, created any previous scenarios, it will be key in the following displayed inside the Scenarios section; figures. Let us otherwise you will see the message assume the worst as above i.e. “No Scenarios Defined. case scenario is Choose Add to add scenarios.” when manages to sell only half of the normal figures as illustrated. To commence Type Worst Case in the Scenario name text box. As you had selected the Changing cells earlier, you do not haveadding a scenario, click on the button. In the to make changes here again to select the cells. Key in the following figures i.e. 500 in cell B9, 300 in cell B10, and 250Edit Scenario dialog box, type “Best Case” in the Scenario in cell B11. OCTOBER 2014 |
52 MANAGEMENT SOFTWAREClick the button to register the figures youhave just entered. As we are only considering two scenariosi.e. Best and Worst case scenarios, you should see the two summariZing a scenariodisplayed in the Scenarios section as illustrated. Click on the Best Once you have seen the results of the best and worst case Case scenario, followed by scenarios separately, you may opt to have a summary of the button. As you can see, both scenarios together in a separate sheet. To do this, click the revenue model figures are updated on the button. A Scenario Summary dialog box is automatically to reflect the best case displayed. scenario. Click the button. A summary is created in a new sheet called Scenario Summary.The café makes a best case total revenue of RM11,300 for To recap, you can have as many scenarios as you want forthe month. various analysis. The Scenario Manager within Excel is one of the better ways to analyze the many scenarios that youAlternatively, if we had selected the Worst Case scenario may encounter in your day-to-day work.and clicked on the button, the café’s The above examples and analysis are only a glimpse of what can be achieved utilizing Excel. Excel is one of thetotal revenue will be very low at RM4,525 for the month asin the diagram below. | OCTOBER 2014
53MANAGEMENT SOFTWAREbetter tools to perform analysis of raw data. Many are users Palani Murugappanof Excel, but not many are exploiting Excel. As illustrated H a v i n g b e e n a corporate trainer for thein the inventory system example above, once you are able last 14 years, Palani specializes in trainingto perform analysis, you can gather useful information from participants how best to perform datathe raw data within the inventory system to enhance your analysis from company’s raw data anddecision making skills. concluding from the information gathered by harnessing Excel’s built-in functionsg Notes: Current Values column represents values of changing cells at time and features. A HRDF certified trainerScenario Summary Report was created. Changing cells for each scenario are and author of 51 books to-date on varioushighlighted in gray. software applications, Palani is passionate on what Excel can do, and how best to present data in different formats.More information is covered in his website. He can be reached at: [email protected] www.avimursolutions.com
54 DID YOU KNOW?DID YOU KNOW?PUVANESAN SUBENTHIRAN Award, recipient of the PIKOMis founder member, Group Chief Technopreneur Excellence AwardExecutive Officer and Managing at the ICT Leadership AwardsDirector of Privasia Group. The 2009, Winner of the Young Indianleading ICT and business process Entrepreneur Award 2009. and isoutsourcing player in Malaysia was acknowledged by Society Magazinelisted on the ACE Market of Bursa as one of the 100 people you mustMalaysia in May 2009. He graduated know in Asia. He is also an activewith BA (Hons) in Accounting and industry player in the promotionFinance from London South Bank University and holds of information and communication technology activities ina Diploma in Economics from the National Council for Southern Malaysia and has been appointed as the SecretariatEducational Awards, Ireland. He is a Fellow of the Association of the Johor Broadband Stakeholder Group and the Chiefof Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a Chartered Executive Officer of MSC Cyberport Sdn. Bhd., a publicAccountant with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA). private partnership spearheaded by the State Government of Johor to expand the MSC Malaysia roll-out to the Iskandar SURESH THIRUGNANAM is Chief Malaysia. Operating Officer of the JobStreet RAMASAMY K. VEERAN is Group, whom responsible for the the founder, Managing Director operations and customer care of Merchantrade Asia Sdn Bhd a Class the Group. Suresh obtained his A Money Services Business licensee Bachelor of Science in Mechanical in Malaysia, Merchantrade offers Engineering from the Massachusetts remittance and money changing Institute of Technology in 1989 and services at 62 branches and at 150 a Master of Science in Mechanical agent locations nationwide, placingEngineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Merchantrade as the MSB licenseein 1989. with the largest number of agents in Malaysia. Merchantrade’s estimated market share for 2013 is 16.5% for remittance MR. KANAGARAJ LORENZ or segment among MSB players in Malaysia. Mr Ramasamy better known as Raj Lorenz joined is also serving as the President of Malaysian Association of GHL Systems Berhad as Group Chief Money Services Business which was newly established to Executive Officer in September 2011 represent the money services business industry at national and was subsequently appointed level. as Executive Director in November MATHAVAN CHANDRAN Founder and Chief Executive 2011. He has qualifications from Office iGene Sdn Bhd has created a “digital autopsy Institute of Chartered Accountants system” which is essentially a software-based procedure in England & Wales, Institute of using high-powered computer imaging that provides three-Chartered Accountants in Australia, and Malaysian Certified dimensional capabilities to view and “dissect” the dead body.Public Accountant. Raj Lorenz was employed for a duration The Universiti Pertanian Malaysia graduate has also secureof more than 12 years with Citibank, both in Australia and some RM70 million investment for 20% stake in iGene SdnMalaysia. Raj served 10 years as the Managing Director Bhd. The company also received RM7.5million funding fromof eNETS Pte Ltd (“eNETS”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Venture Capital Management Bhd (MavCap) duringNETS. Raj is an accountant by training, having qualified in its research and development stage of the digital autopsyLondon as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants system. The company plans to expand its presence in Unitedin England & Wales. He is also a fellow of the Institute of Kingdom by building at least 18 facilities there.Chartered Accountants in Australia and is a member of theMalaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants.GANESH KUMAR BANGAH is the Founder and GroupChief Executive Officer of MOL Global Pte. Ltd. He hasbeen certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as theyoungest Chief Executive Officer of a public listed companyin Malaysia. He was a top nominee for the Ernst & YoungEmerging Entrepreneur of the Year - Malaysia 2004 & 2007awards, Winner of JCI 2009 Creative Young Entrepreneur| OCTOBER 2014
TODAY I LEARNED 55projection population of malaysia(percentage)percentage of malaysian indianmale vs femaleg Source: Department of Statistics, Malaysia OCTOBER 2014 |
56 EVENT COVERAGE LET’S MEET UP GET CONNECTED I BUSINESS SESSION“Tremendous business opportunities available within people of India origin,” Arikrishnan Subramanian, Editor Malaysian Indian Business Magazine revealedby during Let’s Meet up Get Connected Business Session. Headded that we just need to establish strong business networkamong ourselves and understand the nature of businessoffered by members of the community so that referral bearsfruitful economic development.A private company, Advance Vision Services Sdn. Bhd.organized the professional business networking with aimto drive economic growth and initiate business transactionsamong Malaysian Indian and people of India origin globally. Itwas supported by Agenda Suria Communication Sdn. Bhd. theorganizer of Global Indian Festival, endorsed by Klang IndianChamber of Commerce and Malaysia South Asia Chamber ofCommerce brought together some 120 Indian businessmenfrom Klang Valley for second time.One of most sought after master coach Dr. Michael Gagneshowcased the importance of business branding while ChiefExecutive Office of Agenda Suria Communication Sdn. Bhd.Mr. Jaggarao Simancha spoke ways of reaching consumerswith participants. | OCTOBER 2014
EVENT COVERAGE 57“We plan to organize Let’s Meet up Get Connected Business Session at all major cities in Peninsular Malaysia within nextsix months’ time en route to GLOBAL INDIAN ENTREPRENEUR MEET 2015 [GIEM 2015] scheduled to be held at KualaLumpur in June 2015 concurrently with Global Indian Festival 2015,” says Ms Bhawaani Visunathan, Director of AdvanceVision Services Sdn Bhd. GIEM expected bring closer some 2,000 Entrepreneurs of India origin from Asian region. From Left:Mr Jaggarao Simancha, CEO Agenda Suria Communications Sdn Bhd, Mr S. Arikrishnan, Editor Malaysian Indian BusinessMagazine, Directors of Advance Vision Services Sdn Bhd Mr Cletus De Rozario and Ms V Bhawaani.g Photo Credit: Agenda Suria Communication & G2 Photograph OCTOBER 2014 |
58 MIB CALENDAR INTERNATIONAL EVENT Malaysia Event 1 The conference of indian socieTy of organ TranspLanTaTion 1 food & hoTeL penang 30 October - 01 November 2014 05 - 07 November 2014 Aurangabad, India Straits Quay Convention Centre (SQCC) Penang 2 food service expo 30 October - 01 November 2014 2 kL Wedding expo Hyderabad International Trade 07 - 09 November 2014 Exposition, Hyderabad, India Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre 3 Led LighT asia 3 maLaysian furniTure & 29 September - 01 October 2014 furnishings fair Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 14 - 16 November 2014 Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre 4 heaLThcare WorLd asia 29 September - 02 October 2014 4 maLaysia inTernaTionaL Wedding & Suntec Singapore International banQueT exhibiTion Convention & Exhibition 14 - 16 November 2014 Mid Valley Exhibition Centre 5 inTernaTionaL faciLiTy Kuala Lumpur managemenT expo 29 September - 01 October 2014 5 baby & kidZ fair penang Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 28 - 30 November 2014 D Piazza Mall, Penang 6 gLobaL conTroLs in sTem ceLLs 05 - 07 November 2014 6 biomaLaysia & bioeconomy The Biopolis, Singapore asia pacific conference & exhibiTion 19 - 21 November 2014 7 broadcasT & media Tech ThaiLand Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre 18 - 20 September 2014 Impact Exhibition & Convention Center 7 hi design asia Bangkok, Thailand 05 - 07 November 2014 Shangri La Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa 8 in-cosmeTics asia Kota Kinabalu 04 - 06 November 2014 Bangkok International Trade & 8 privaTe & inTernaTionaL schooL fair Exhibition Centre, Bangkok, Thailand kuaLa Lumpur 08 - 09 November 2014 9 Thai properTy expo Mid Valley Exhibition Centre Kuala Lumpur 07 - 09 November 2014 Conrad Bangkok, 9 maLaysian furniTure & Bangkok, Thailand furnishings fair 14 - 16 November 2014 10 ideaL bride norTh QueensLand Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Wedding expo 02 November 2014 10 fLood conTroL maLaysia Jupiters Townsville, Townsville, 20 - 21 November 2014 Australia Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur | OCTOBER 2014
60 ANCIENT MEDICINE • by P. Annantharajan \"Wherever flax seed FLAX : NATURE’S SECRETbecomes a regular food item TO GOOD HEALTH among the people, Flax plant is one of the world’s oldest cultivated crops there will be better health\" with evidence dating back thousands of years, it has small and narrow leaves that are less than an inch long. - Mahatma Gandhi Flax seeds are of two basic varieties - golden yellow - brown with almost similar nutritional values and equal amount of | OCTOBER 2014 short chain Omega 3 fatty acids. Flaxseeds are scientifically known as Linum usitatissimum means ‘very useful’. It is a multifarious crop where every part of the flaxseed plant is utilized commercially, either directly or after processing. The stem yields good quality fibers having high strength and durability. Flax has been used until 1990s principally for the fabrication of cloths (linen) and papers, while flaxseed oil and its sub-products are used in animal feed formulation. Human consumers are returning back to use due to its countless health benefits.
ANCIENT MEDICINE 61 Emperor Charlemange, first emperor of Western Europeconsidered flax so important for the health of his subjects that he passed laws and regulations requiring its consumption.HEALTH BENEFITS OF FLAXSEED flaxseeds highest level of lignans, which have been shown to alter estrogen metabolism, while decrease ovarian cancer riskThe health benefits of flaxseeds are listed as below: and improve health.i. Health of heart iii. Stress Reliever.Due to its nutritional attributes, flaxseed and its components Scientific studies do indicate that flaxseed can ameliorateimprove cardiovascular health. Flaxseed contains about the rise in blood pressure during mental stress. It was also35% oil out of which 55% is Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA). ALA contented from the results that cortisol levels in plasma wereis an essential fatty acid (meaning the human body cannot decreased in groups treated with flaxseed.create this fat and must get it from foods) and a precursorto the heart-disease fighting long-chain omega-3 fatty acids iv. Reproduction Healtheicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA). Flaxseed is the richest source of ALA that has many Flaxseed oil can contribute to a healthy reproductive system.potential heart-disease fighting benefits: Ingestion of about 40g to 50g of flaxseed powder helps in supporting the health of female reproductive organs as well• Reduces blood triglyceride values. as male prostate gland.• Neutral effect on the good cholesterol, HDL.• Reduces blood pressure. FAST FACTS• Reduces platelet aggregation (clot formation) within arterial lining.• Reduces inflammatory response.• May protect against stroke.ii. Prevention against Cancer • Flax or Atasi in Ayurveda is the indigenous medicinal plantIn addition to being the best plant source for the essential fattyacids, flaxseed is also an excellent source of fiber Lignan, a • Known as Ālivitai in Tamilphytoestrogen found to help protect against certain cancers. • 800 times more lignans than anyFlax contains up to 800 times more lignans than other plantfoods. Modern studies suggested the ability of flaxseed to other plantshelp maintain more early stages of cancer due to the fact that OCTOBER 2014 |
62 ANCIENT MEDICINE According to Ayurveda, flaxseed has properties p Hippocrates 650 BC, the father of medicine, like Madhura (balances the skin pH), Picchaila advocated flax for the relief of abdominal pains; and (lubricous) Balya (improves tensile strength or Theophrastus recommended the use of flax elasticity of the skin), Grahi (improves moisture mucilage as a cough remedy. holding capacity of skin), Tvagdoshahrit (removes skin blemishes), Vranahrit (wound vi. Acne and Skin Complexion healing) and useful in Vata. Acne is a common problem particularly with the teenagers.v. Regulation of Sleep Cycle Inflammation is considered to be one of the causes of acne formation. As flaxseed, due to the presence of omega-3 fattyInsomnia is a common problem in most of the people and acids, are beneficial for reducing inflammation; therefore,mainly its major causes are the conditions such as anxiety, they may also help to reduce acne formation by acting as anstress and depression. People suffering from insomnia due to anti-inflammatory agent. Flaxseeds also help to restore thestress can sleep well by having flaxseeds. It is the high level of healthy balance in body and may improve acne.Omega-3 fatty acids and tryptophan in flaxseeds which helpsin boosting serotonin (sleep regulating compound) levels in HOW TO CONSUME FLAXSEEDS?blood. Magnesium also helps in overcoming anxiety, stressand depression, thus enhancing sleep. Magnesium exerts Flaxseed can be taken oil form, whole or ground seed. Addingits effect by relaxing the nervous system and muscles and flaxseed of 30-40gms daily to your diet is easy and beneficialovercoming the night terrors. to almost anyone. If you are most concerned about getting a good plant based source of ALA, you can take flaxseed. If you also want to get the benefits of flax on the digestive system, you need to use the whole seed. Ground flax seed is the form most easily digested, but it only stays fresh for a few months, even under ideal conditions, (cool storage away from light).| OCTOBER 2014
ANCIENT MEDICINE 63ABOVE The best solution is to buy the whole seed, and grind smallFlax Plant amounts everyday add it into meal. As flaxseeds almost do not add any taste, they can be combined with anything- your cereal breakfast, yoghurt, shakes, smoothies, salad dressings, oatmeal, drinks like juices etc. You can even use ground flaxseeds mixed with flour while baking cakes, cookies, breads etc. or while making meatballs, casseroles or any other dish where you think flaxseeds can just blend in. As flax has a high fiber content, start with a small amount initially if you are not used to high-fiber diet and increase it slowly otherwise you may suffer from constipation. To fight against constipation resulting from consumption of flaxseeds, drink plenty of water. If you prefer to have flax meal and any time feel that it is even a little bitter, throw the thing away. If at all your flax meal has a taste, it should be mildly nutty and never harsh. If you are an expecting or breast feeding mother, its better to avoid flaxseeds diet. P. Annantharajan, NDA Practitioner and Natural Treatment Health consultant based in Klang. He can be reached at [email protected] annantha.rajan OCTOBER 2014 |
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