AWARDS AND REWARDS; CARROT AND THE STICK!!!

Readers must be wondering what the above topic has to do in a food technology blog like this one. Motivation to do some thing unusual has to come either from the brain in the case of normal human beings or is forced through coercion. While human motivation is not generally food connected, for animals, coercion through food or punishment is the normal practice. There are some interesting things one can discern by looking at this very ordinary subject about which very few think about, under normal circumstances.The dictionary meaning of an award is 'some thing given to some body as a prize'. While the noun is used mostly with a positive connotation, as a verb even death sentence given to an indicted person can be indicated as 'awarded'. In contrast 'reward' is a recompense for work, merit or services and has always associated with some thing positive. Thus there is a fine distinction between these two liberally used words. Awards can be bestowed on some individual or a group of individuals with exemplary accomplishments in different fields by the society, organizations, governments and industry mostly on an annual basis . Rewards are linked to economic compensation given for extra work out put beyond the call of duty. The bonus paid to workers is really a reward for their performance though the trade unions politicize this as a deferred compensation.

What about the 'carrot and stick' idiom used very commonly by all and sundry? Carrot is a good vegetable but how come it is associated with rewards? Till recently eating raw carrot was not a common practice but the advent of salads makes eating raw carrot slices or pieces nutritionally attractive. Other wise raw carrots form one of the vegetables fed to non-carnivorous animals in many zoological gardens. According to the dictionary, usage of the word carrot became common to signal rewards for persuading some one to do a job. "Carrot and stick" idiom signifies 'the hope of reward and the threat of punishment as a means of making some body try harder' and thus has nothing to do with the literary meaning of the words used.

How far the society has deviated from the true meaning of the above words to day! Awards are sought, lobbied for, coaxed, forcefully taken by threats, politically manipulated, distorted and neither the giver nor the receiver has any qualms about the perversion that has taken place before our very own eyes! A skeptic society has hardly any confidence on the process of conferring awards and hold poor opinions about the caliber of most of the recipients.

Hectic canvassing by over-ambitious or greedy persons to 'get' the awards at 'any cost' and lack of transparency in the process of 'awarding', make many truly great people shun most of the awards, let alone apply for them. How inappropriate the system can be gauged from a recent news report of an Indian professional organization conferring some life time achievement award in food technology to an American citizen working for a multinational soft drink company who is not known to be a student of food technology any time in her life. Obviously this is a unique case where an award was thrust on some body who did not consider much about the organization or about the value of the award. Probably the award route was chosen for some one in the organization to develop personal 'net working' at the expense of the organization. This is indeed a sad reflection on the moral and ethical values prevalent in to day's world and the "chalta hai" attitude of the hapless common man who has to tolerate such spectacles with a grin!

If awards and rewards system is being grossly abused in the country, what alternate option is there for use as a tool to mantain and boost productivity in all sectors of the society? Carrot and the stick? It is time for introspection.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/

INTERNATIONAL 'RECOGNITION'- THE ART OF GETTING IT

Mysoreans were supposed to have been 'thrilled' on the Xmas day by reading an "inspired" editorial in a local paper that a 'son of the soil' food scientist has achieved the pinnacle of glory by becoming the president of an obscure organization about which practically no one in the country is aware of. Though this person was a member of this organization comprising of 'mutual admiration society' folks from a few countries and was 'elected' president for 2008-2010 more than two years ago, why this news suddenly became a topic for an 'editorial' is a mystery. India is 'blessed' with many so called 'scientists cum politicians' who do not leave any opportunity to 'garner' awards, titles, positions of power and pelm, be in the media if possible every day preferably with their color photographs, be a chief guest, special guest, VIP guest, key not speaker, etc , though their actual contribution to the the development in the country needs a microscope to see. IUFoST is a conglomerate of many non-governmental national organizations of food science and technology controlled by developed countries and the Indian body AFST(I) had found to its dismay long ago that it does not serve the purpose of national interest to continue as a 'paid' member of IUFoST. IAFoST is an exclusive club promoted by this body to reward those influential in their own country by virtue of their position or those who actively canvas for getting membership of the Academy to bloat their bio-data for personal glorification or boosting their career. Currently there are two 'members' from India who 'got' into this body (no one knows how?) and there appears to be a competition between them as to who will garner more number of awards from wherever they are available. One of these had recently the ignominy of 'retracting' a paper published in the reputed periodical PNAS of USA as it was found to be not based on reproducible scientific data. This was all the more reprehensible because the paper was reported to have been 'peer reviewed' for the periodical by one of the 'famous' agricultural scientists who had set up a research foundation in his own name with the award money he got for his 'achievements' some years ago. It is instances like these which generate skepticism regarding the genuineness of innumerable awards being sponsored by all and sundry. What credibility the food scientists working with them will have amongst the industry, the public and the governments, especially when technologies developed by them are offered for commercialization? Of course Indians are immune to getting shocked at these episodes as even the national and state awards have become a laughing stock due their politicization lately. Any thing is possible in an era when degrees and awards can be purchased at a price from some of the organizations that operate all over the world. Before publishing such 'inspired' reports, the media have the responsibility to verify and corroborate the claims. Being in Mysore no body would have missed the sorry spectacle of this newly acclaimed international food scientist being sent back from Delhi without allowing to take over as Secretary to GOI under mysterious circumstances and his going out of circulation for almost 6 months. Scientists are supposed to be humble with high humility and pursue truth even under adverse circumstances. Here we have examples in the field of food technology the very anti thesis of such virtues expected from a honest scientist. The credibility of food scientists and technologists is at stake and it is the collective responsibility of them to reassert and reclaim the lost ground because of the blemishes of a few amongst them who can go to any extent to turn focus on themselves sacrificing the interrests of their organization and colleagues. Just like the 'beauties' being trained by many specialized schools for achieving the much coveted Miss World or Miss Universe titles, probably the pioneers like those mentioned above, with wealth of experience in notching up one award after another through their well horned skills can even think of setting up a training center at the evening of their life when no more awards are there for picking!. This Center can help future scientists with uncontrolled satiety for ' name and fame' through short cuts by transferring the art and skills they have in attracting international recognition at any 'cost'! Here are prayers for the redemption of Indian food science and technology from the clutches of "Award Seeking Pioneers". V.H.POTTY http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/