The Continuum: A Blog by PHI Learning

PHI Learning, a trusted name in academic publishing with 62 years of excellence, offers affordable, NEP 2020-aligned textbooks, expert-authored content, and global reach, driving academic progress in higher education.

Author: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.

  • The Relevance Of Counselling In Business

    The corporate organization is a place where we spend approximately one-third of our lives, thus it plays a very significant role in shaping our behaviours and personalities. Some of the basic human issues at work place, if not checked properly can destroy the system. Hence, we as a manager owe a great deal of responsibility to manage it more effectively. A little bit of inner drive, motivation and knowledge about the ways to handle human behaviour will make this process smooth.

    Unfortunately the concept of counselling is greatly misunderstood and is quite unacceptable to the business world. Some of us either assume that we are born counsellors, and therefore, do not require any guidance with respect to counselling skills or are simply not ready to accept this concept as an intervening variable in determining the effectiveness of an organization. This is hardly surprising, given that many people in business have not been exposed to a counselling style of operating. The techniques used by professional counsellors can be used by managers but only if he or she understands the concept of counselling, recognizing the implication of the skills that he or she is applying and knows when it is appropriate to use these skills.

    One has to remember that key to success in any organization today lies in its ability to harness the potential of employees—which comes if managers begin to understand and utilize the skills of counselling. Use of counselling skills in business organization is still a relatively new concept and one that has tremendous potential for increasing individuals and their organizational effectiveness.

    In the Indian context, we have an old age tradition and culture of counselling as an acceptable mode of human relationship, but we are yet to acquire the modern scientific tradition of professionally trained counsellors, especially for business organizations. It is, therefore, necessary to have a book that talks about approaches of counselling specially designed for business.

    With these forethoughts in mind, Dr. Kavita Singh in her book on ‘Counselling Skills for Managers’ has made an attempt to help the managers in business organizations and budding professionals to develop their counselling skills, and be able to apply them appropriately in the right situations with the desired outcomes.

    Her book, published by PHI Learning, provides some insight into handling behavioural issues at work place by developing counselling skills.

    Want to be a successful manager or a corporate leader? Grab your copy now!!!

     

  • The Role of NEP 2020 in Creating an Inclusive School

    Inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children a fair chance to go to school, learn and develop the skills they need to thrive. It means all children in the same classroom and in the same school with equal learning opportunities despite their disabilities or languages they speak. Inclusive education system values the unique contributions students of all backgrounds bring to the classroom and allow diverse groups to grow side by side, to the benefit of all—children, parents, society, and country at large.

    Inclusive education is about ensuring access to quality education for all students by effectively meeting their diverse needs in a way that is responsive, receptive, respectful and supportive. Students participate in the education program in a common learning environment with support to diminish and remove barriers and obstacles that may lead to exclusion.

    The latest provision in the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, approved by India’s Union Cabinet in July 2020, encourages, and promotes “Barrier-free access to Education for all Children with Disabilities.” India’s first Education Policy was initially established in 1986 and last revised in 1992. Since then, India needed a change in its entire Education Policy. The New Education Policy describes the much-awaited new reforms that India was looking for. These adaptations are designed with special consideration for children with impairments and those from low-income families. The focus of this new rule’s implementation is on two things– Imparting knowledge and training faculties on how to teach children with specific disabilities. These norms are made keeping in mind the Right of Persons with Disability Act-2016 to provide barrier-free education to children with disability. According to the NEP, children with disabilities will be able to participate equally in all aspects of the educational system.

    The major challenge this system faces is the progress of children at a slow pace. All students are different and therefore have different individual needs. Similarly, children with different disabilities have differing needs. Hence, it is important to choose the right type of inclusive education for the students based on their individual needs, and to get appropriate outcomes, the inclusive education system requires amendments at all levels of society, especially at the level of school and teaching instructors. The first and foremost requirement is the teachers’ training. The instructors or teachers dealing with special children must be well trained as per the needs of the children. Thus, under the New Education Policy, a provision has been made that all teacher education programmes must include instruction on how to teach children with specific impairments. Ensuring the inclusion and equal participation of children with disabilities, the students will be enabled to fully participate in the regular schooling process from the foundational stage to higher education.

    The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act 2016 defines inclusive education as a ‘system of education wherein students with and without disabilities learn together and the system of teaching and learning is suitably adapted to meet the learning needs of different types of students with disabilities’. This Policy is in complete consonance with the provisions of the RPWD Act 2016 and endorses all its recommendations with regard to school education. Barrier free access for all children with disabilities will be enabled as per the RPWD Act.

    School buildings must be refurbished and schools will be supported for providing all children with disabilities accommodations and support mechanisms tailored to suit their needs and to ensure their full participation and inclusion in the classroom. In particular, assistive devices and appropriate technology-based tools, as well as adequate and language-appropriate teaching-learning materials (e.g., textbooks in accessible formats such as large print and Braille) will be made available to help children with disabilities integrate more easily into classrooms and engage with teachers and their peers.

    The Latest book on CREATING AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL, published by PHI Learning, addresses all the above issues and meets the demand of the NEP 2020 to make learning successful. So, if you are a student of education or a teacher at any school in any capacity, Get your copy now and avail our discount offer …!

     

  • Creative Branding Strategies Digital Marketing

    Creative branding is the process of building a company’s brand identity. In your organisation’s digital marketing efforts, developing a strong brand identity is necessary. This is since your branding communicates to potential clients and customers what your organization is all about. It creates an image of your brand in the customers’ minds and helps them visualize your brand’s goals, values, and mission. This is the information which customers are ultimately looking for when they are trying to choose out of several competing brands. Companies must show customers the core values behind their products.

    Creative branding is more than a brand image –

    Creative branding is the process of establishing your company’s identity. When a company applies innovative and unique marketing strategies, it becomes recognizable. A branding strategy is how your company interacts with customers. It is the process of creating a unique presence in customers’ minds and ensuring loyalty. Your branding is invisible. It is how your company comes across – it is your brand’s public image. Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos defines personal branding as “what people say about you when you’re not in the room”. This definition extends to organizations.

    Creative branding is essential –

    Good branding tells your story in an instant. It clarifies what makes your brand unique. A great marketing strategy seeks to attract clients with an emotional connection. A personal connection with customers helps a brand gain the reputation it seeks.

    Good branding defines your goals both to the customers and the company. It helps guide your company’s advertising and marketing strategies.

    Creative branding can help differentiate your brand from competitors. Here are 5 creative marketing strategies –

    Make an emotional connection – A powerful brand strategy appeals to clients’ emotions. People act on instinct more often than they make rational decisions. Focusing on your clients’ core values and beliefs brings them closer to you.

    Your branding is how clients perceive your business. Your marketing strategy should be centered around the emotional value of your product. This establishes what your brand stands for.

    A great example is Nike’s Marathon Runner ad which salutes the last place runner. The ad promotes bravery and overcoming challenges, making the brand relatable to everyone. It attaches emotional depth to Nike’s products.

    Have a unique positioning – A company’s positioning is the image of it in the minds of its customers. It is how the customers tell a company apart from its competitors.

    A unique positioning involves offering a customer experience that competitors do not. This could be a trademark design or an innovative customer service strategy. A unique position sets your company apart from competitors. It is your brand’s selling point.

    Focus on a niche – Another branding strategy is to target customers through a niche product. This method is separate from positioning. Positioning involves offering a unique product in a competitive market. A niche is a segment in a competitive market that has less competition.

    The more unique your niche is the less room for competition. An urban planning company could find its niche in sustainability through solar power. An interior design company could offer a particular form of minimalist design.

    Set yourself apart in your industry through expertise.

    Optimize the customer experience – A brand should connect with customers on a personal level. One method of doing this is by segmenting your audience to optimize the user experience. Practice “omnichannel” marketing by providing services on all marketing platforms. Your brand should cater to each audience segment and each platform.

    This method helps provide a personal touch to the customers’ experience. It focuses your marketing strategy on customers’ needs, encouraging customer engagement and loyalty.

    Offer a competitive product – “Word of mouth” is a very effective marketing strategy. Satisfied clients are likely to promote your brand to their contacts. This form of reach is invaluable.

    Your brand should update its products in line with the latest technology. Have a competitive product, competitive pricing, and excellent customer service. Your brand identity is your promise to your customers. Good branding is when you keep this promise.

    Creative branding connects the service and the client

    Creative branding is essential to companies in Digital Marketing. This is because the industry offers a service that should suit clients’ personal needs. In this sector, companies create clients’ and customers’ identities in the market by managing their online channels Your Digital Marketing strategy should align with your brand’s needs to build your brand personality and meet your organization’s goals. A clear and concise branding strategy ensures the company communicates well with clients and customers. A strong brand identity establishes its core values in an instant.

    Interested in strengthening your organization’s brand identity and image? Check out some of our excellent Digital Marketing textbooks to learn all your need to know about how to effectively build your brand. Log on to www.phindia.com.

     

     

     

  • Metro Operations And Their Management

    Economic Development and Economy of any country relates directly to its infrastructure  and urban transport system of which Metro systems plays a significant role. In India, the continued support of Government over the past decades led the development of a wide range rail-based mass transport systems across the country.

    Although the metro system is considered as a sub-system or extension of railways, the nuances of metro operations are very different from that of mainline railways. Operations and maintenance services in Metro systems include various functions and services, such as train service operations, station operations, customer service, ticketing and fare collection, control centre management, security management, asset management planning and deployment, rolling stock maintenance, stations and depot facility management, track and structures, signaling and traction power maintenance and many more functions.

    Today, however, several metro rail systems in India are in the different phases of design, construction, and operations. DMRC has always been at the forefront to support these metro rail systems by sharing its experiences. Every metro rail system has to traverse its own journey, but there is no need to reinvent the wheel every time.

    The solutions to the challenges faced in O&M of Metro systems should be handy to the managers. Hence, in dearth of literary work on Metro operations and management, the authors have made a sincere effort to bring out a comprehensive book addressing the needs of the professionals and the future managers. They have shared their wide experience and expertise on various aspects of MRTS, starting from the planning, execution, operations, maintenance and management for the future development in the field of MRTS. The book covers key areas in metro railway operations management and discusses important issues, supported with case studies, to be considered while planning a metro system to ensure efficient operations.

    Simply, the book is a concise yet comprehensive guide to metro operations, and is a must-read for all professionals and the scholars who aspire to be metro managers. 

    Incredible endorsement and foreword by the Experts— Dr. E. SreedharanDr. Mangu Singh, and Mr. Vikas Kumar

    Visit us @ www.phindia.com and Grab your copy now…!

     

     

  • Top 4 Benefits Of Using E-Textbooks

    As eBooks become popular amongst readers, all tech-savvy young students want to read their textbooks in electronic format. More and more academic textbook publishers are beginning to publish e-copies of their textbooks. Although hardcover and paperback books are still sold more than eBooks, sales of eBooks have been on the rise worldwide. It is commonly said that eBooks can transform the way we read books and we at PHI Learning agree!

    This is why we have come up with our top 4 reasons to buy your textbooks in e-book format. Are you considering buying your textbooks in eBook format instead of print copies? Read on for the top 4 reasons to buy an eBook.

    One Device, Many Books:

    eBooks can be easily stored on most devices, making them highly portable due to the easy transportability of digital devices. Whilst print books are less compact and sometimes heavy, you can easily carry thousands of eBooks in a device that fits in your pocket! Often, eBook reading platforms will help you access your books across all your devices, making your eBooks accessible to you no matter which one of your devices you are using. Some devices on which people read eBooks are: E-readers, Tablets, IPads, Smartphones and laptops.

    eBooks are better for the environment since they are read on a digital device. Creating digital books saves paper whilst also saving printing costs for publishers. Print book publishing uses around 3 million trees each year. E-books save all those trees from being chopped down and also help publishers save on raw materials, the production process in the printing press, and the final shipping of the books.

    eBooks often cost less than print books since fewer raw materials are required to produce an eBook as compared to print books. Often, readers can save money by purchasing books in e-format.

    Access texts anywhere, any time:

    Since eBooks are portable and can easily be carried around, they are highly accessible. You can access your whole library across all your devices since most e-reading platforms these days enable users to sync multiple devices together. This means that you can read any of the books in your library no matter where you are or which of your devices you have access to.

    This is especially convenient for students and working professionals. These young people can read their hefty textbooks whilst commute to and from work, anywhere on their college campus, or during their free time. E-textbooks are useful for people who have very busy lives. They enable people to carry all their textbooks with them in a single device, no matter where they are.

    Digital books need to be published on an eBook platform that is reader-friendly and capable of making eBooks as accessible as possible. All of PHI Learning’s eBooks are published as Adobe Digital Editions. This platform is amongst the most advanced and updated eBook hosting platforms. We also offer IP Based or Cloud Based access on our platform for those who want to order in bulk.

    Most students prefer eBooks:

    Although many readers prefer the look and feel of a physical copy of a book, eBooks have better functionality. This could make eBooks a preferable option for most students. For higher education students who work on their laptops and other electronic devices, eBooks are a convenient student resource. Students who need access to multiple textbooks (often too many to carry around with them) can easily carry their books on their laptops. Students can access their texts easily on their devices whilst studying – no matter where on campus they are. No matter which one of their numerous texts they need, students who often have active lifestyles can carry all their textbooks around with ease.

    A study by McGraw-Hill Education in partnership with Hanover Research involved 3000 students who voiced their digital preferences in college education. The study found that most students enjoy digital experiences. In the study, 84% of students said that digital technologies enhance their education. Many students write their subject research online on their laptops whilst others do their exam prep on their digital devices. Keeping eBooks handy on a device that is being used for all other college work could be especially helpful to these students. Students can also benefit from links to external websites. Such links can only be included in eBooks but not print books.

    E-textbooks can offer students interactive features such as audio/visual elements and online review questions. Print books, in comparison, cannot contain such features. Many students prefer to learn on their devices rather than with borrowed textbooks. E-readers enable students to view textbooks on their devices. For young students, being able to study on their devices is very important.

    Digital publishing is changing the publishing industry across all genres of books. This is especially true for textbooks. Textbooks are more often purchased by young college students who are more likely to purchase eBook copies.

    Customize how you read:

    eBooks enable users to adjust the text as per their preferences. Users can change the font, size, and colour of the text they are reading to customize their reading experience. Most e-readers and devices allow users to adjust the screen’s brightness, warmth, colour, and also feature pre-designed screen settings which can make reading easier for the readers’ eyes. Most devices have a “read in the dark” feature and allow readers to adjust the font size for better readability.

    Many e-readers even have a “read aloud” feature. This allows readers to continue reading your texts after a long day of hard work – even when their eyes are tired from reading! This feature also helps readers understand pronunciations and is particularly useful for those with impairments that prevent them from reading. EBooks are, therefore, especially useful for students since these extra features help them to study with ease.

    The only way readers can customize their reading experience with printed books is by marking pages or highlighting text. eBooks offer ample opportunities for helping the readers make the book they are reading their own. eBooks can contain audio, videos, and external links. Readers can bookmark pages with ease and also use the “word-search” feature to search for certain keywords or terms. eBooks also allow readers to write lengthy notes on each page of the book which can pop in and out of the screen as needed. This feature is especially useful when it comes to textbooks since students often need to write long notes whilst studying. Often, students’ notes can be so long that one page in a textbook produces a full page’s worth of study notes. Making such lengthy notes directly on the textbook is impossible in printed books. However, it is possible on most e-reading platforms. This makes e-textbooks especially suitable for many students who like writing notes.

    We at PHI Learning believe e-textbooks are extremely useful for students. We believe eBooks are easily transportable, customizable, easy to store, convenient, and particularly valuable for students. These features are particularly useful for young students who usually prefer technology and like to study on their digital devices. At PHI Learning, we publish eBook versions of all our print books. Accessible on various e-reading platforms, our e-books are created with the intent to enhance the convenience and reading experience of students and teachers. Our e-textbooks enable students to customize how they study, transport their textbooks conveniently, and access their books no matter where on campus they are.

    Interested in purchasing an e-textbook for your current or upcoming courses? Check out all our curriculum-based texts on our website www.phindia.com.

    All our textbooks are aligned with the set syllabus at top universities nationwide. Our books are so well-designed to align with the existing college syllabi that the AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and the UGC (University Grants Commission) have recommended our textbooks after finding them suitable for the curriculum they already had set in place. So do check out our eBooks and grab some convenient and helpful student resources for yourself! https://www.phindia.com/PHI/AboutEbooks

     

  • Indian Knowledge System: Retaining India’s Glorious Ancient History

    India, a land of sages and seers, is well known for its rich cultural heritage and exuberant diversity. Also, it is known as one of the oldest civilizations in the world. In addition, great scholars and scientists of ancient India gave birth to various scientific theories that laid the foundation for modern science and technology. One will be surprised to know that many theories of modern day mathematics were already known to Indians in ancient times. But due to lack of proper documentation or knowledge dissemination to the counterpart or next generation, as compared to the Western world, contributions made by Indians did not find the place they deserved. Still some of the groundbreaking contributions by them have been acknowledged, some are still unknown to most.

    Snorkelling deep into the sea of scientific discoveries, one can find that the Indian calendar is considered the oldest in the system. It divides an approximate solar year of 360 days into 12 lunar months of 27 or 28 days. The resulting discrepancy was resolved by the intercalation of a leap month every 60 months. Time was reckoned by the position marked off in constellations (nakatra) on the ecliptic in which the Moon rises daily in the course of one lunation and the Sun rises monthly in the course of one year.

    India has always been the land of great mathematicians. The value of pi, used in calculating the area and circumference of a circle, was first calculated by Baudhayan. What is known as Pythagoras theorem today already appeared in Baudhayan’s Sulva Sutra, which was written many years before the age of Pythagoras.

    We all know that Aryabhatta, a pioneer in the field of Mathematics, was the first to devise a decimal system of numbers and place value system writing numbers the way we do in these modern days. He wrote Aryabhattiya in the fifth century. Discovery of zero enabled Aryabhatta to find out the exact distance between the earth and the moon. Also, he contributed immensely in other areas of Mathematics including trigonometry and Beejganita (algebra) — the topics of modern day Mathematics.

    Brahmagupta was the first mathematician to give the formula for the area of a cyclic quadrilateral in the seventh century. His contributions to geometry are significant. In his multiplication method, he used place value in almost the same way as it is used today. He introduced negative numbers and operations on zero into mathematics. He wrote Brāhmasphuasiddhānta through which the Arabs came to know our mathematical system.

    Jain gurus knew how to solve quadratic equations. Guru Mahavira or Mahaviracharya, in the ninth century, wrote his book, ‘Ganitsarasangraha’ which is the first ever text on arithmetic in present day form. The text explains rules for adding fractions of unequal denominators by finding niruddha or L.C.M (least common multiple). Thus, long before John Napier introduced it to the world, it was already known to Indians.

    Indians made remarkable contributions to the field of Astronomy, called Khagolshastra in ancient India. Aryabhatta contributed greatly to the field. Astronomy was studied to have accurate calendars, a better understanding of climate and rainfall patterns for timely sowing of crops, finding the dates of festivals, navigation, calculation of time, and sketching of horoscopes. The traders used this knowledge to study tides and the stars before crossing the oceans and deserts, especially during night.

    Furthermore, age old traditions in India like greeting people in Namaste form, wearing toe rings by women, throwing copper coins into rivers, applying tilak on the forehead, bells in temples, applying henna in hand and feet, eating while sitting on floor etc. are all based on scientific reasons.

    Jantar Mantar Jaipur, a stone sundial built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II in 1734 is famous for its meticulous architecture and mathematical accuracy. This astronomical observatory has amazed scientists and astrologists worldwide. The structure was used to tell time in the ancient days based on the position of the Sun and the direction of the shadows. It has been designed skillfully to also predict the movement and position of other celestial bodies in space.

    If the history of medical science is traced back to its origin, it probably starts from an unmarked era of ancient time. Many techniques practiced today have still been derived from the practices of the ancient Indian scholars. Sushruta is considered the “Father of Plastic Surgery.” He lived in India sometime between 1000 and 800 BC, and is responsible for the advancement of medicine in ancient India. Charaka, the ‘Father of Ayurveda’, in his book ‘Charaka Samhita’ had mentioned about 340 plant types and about 200 animal types. The book contains ancient theories on human body, etiology, symptomology and therapeutics for a wide range of diseases. Charak Samhita is the most referenced treatise in Ayurveda by students, scholars, teachers, physicians and researchers.

    In view of creating awareness among students about these valuable discoveries and contributions made by ancient Indians that created and strengthened the fundamentals of modern science and technology, Ministry of Education, Government of India has established IKS division with a vision to promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research on all aspects of IKS, and disseminate IKS knowledge for further innovations and societal applications. Moreover, the New Education Policy (NEP) has also provided a clear trajectory for imparting IKS in the higher education curriculum, necessitating a book of this kind in several higher education institutions in the country in the days to come.

    Further, a course on IKS has been mandated by AICTE, and PHI Learning, in support of the policy, took initiative to publish the first-ever text on this interdisciplinary subject for holistic development of students. This unique text is a culmination of multiple efforts of the authors to fill in the gap for offering a required course on Indian Knowledge System (IKS).

    The book seeks to introduce the epistemology and ontology of IKS to the Engineering and Science students in a way they can relate, appreciate and explore further should there be a keen interest in the matter. Beginning with the key concepts and a concise introduction to IKS, the book provides certain foundational concepts applicable across all domains of Science and Engineering. Hence, the readers are invited to navigate through all four sections of the book step by step….

    Click https://www.phindia.com/Books/BookDetail/9789391818203/introduction-to-indian-knowledge-system-bhat-mahadevan-nagendra