IIPM-INDIA

Businesses too small to let fail

2012-02-16T16:14:00.002+05:30

Why do small businesses have such a high rate of failure? What can be done to lower it?

4Ps Business & Marketing, in a strategic alliance with the new york times service, presents a column by howard Schultz, Chairman, President and CEO of Starbucks corporation

This is such an important question right now because so many struggling economies around the world desperately need their countries’ entrepreneurs and small businesses to succeed. The jobs that small companies provide and the high-quality goods and services their employees produce can give powerful boosts to a faltering economy.

Unfortunately, studies show that about half of small businesses fail in their first five years – for a variety of reasons. Insufficient capital. Inexperienced management. Lack of – or incorrect – focus. An irrelevant product or service that does not meet or inspire market needs.

But let’s assume a company gets all of the above right – even though capital is hard to come by these days. The company can still sink if it does not attract and engage the right people.

Let me take a step back to make my meaning more clear. The hardest part of building a company at the outset is recognising the need to invest ahead of the growth curve, and then having enough capital to do so. The kinds of investments I’m referring to are ones you’d expect: materials, inventory, technical infrastructure, marketing, real estate.

Generally, the largest investments are in pay and benefits. This is where many small businesses get into trouble: By trying to minimise “people”-related costs, a small-business owner can inadvertently stunt the company’s growth. That said, investing in people is not just about spending money. It’s also important to expend intellectual energy on ways to inspire great work.

So, to answer this question more directly, small businesses have such a high rate of failure because their leaders do not put enough money or time toward employing, retaining and maximising top talent.

When I speak to small-business owners, I encourage them to follow a few guideposts:

LOOK FOR CHARACTER AS WELL AS SKILLS WHEN HIRING

Even in a down economy with high unemployment, the pool of the most talented people in any given area is shallow. That pool gets even shallower when the bar for hiring is skills PLUS strong character. This is the pool you want to hire from, even if it takes a little longer to fill a role.

Interview people through the lens of building a culture of trust. Ask yourself: How will they lead – by instilling fear or by encouraging greatness? How will they treat their direct reports, suppliers or customers – with respect or with condescension? Over the years, I have seen that character is more important than experience. People can learn the nuances of a job, but passion for doing the right thing cannot be taught.

Remember, the first people in the door will hire the next generation as you grow, so layer the organisation with teams that are smart, respectful, collaborative and just plain nice.

TREAT COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION AS A STRATEGY, NOT AN EXPENSE

Back in the late 1980s, at the beginning of my management of Starbucks, I wanted to be the retail employer of choice. I felt that I could achieve this only if, after hiring bright, friendly people to work in our shops (and our offices), I paid them more than the going wage in other restaurants and stores. I also had to offer benefits that were not available elsewhere.

Doing so came with a price. Back then, health-care costs were soaring and most companies were cutting benefits – much like today. Some of my investors accused me of irresponsibly raising expenses when the company had yet to turn a profit. I explained my position with data, showing that competitive pay and benefits would increase retention for existing employees and thus cut recruiting and training costs. Ultimately, my argument to investors proved true.

That was a long time ago, but treating overall compensation as a strategy for success, and not just an expense, remains critical. Today’s pay and benefits mix should be a sustainable blend of things beyond merit pay – stock options, retirement-account-contribution matches, tuition reimbursement, health-care coverage – that each hold value and add up to a total package that addresses people’s well-being on several levels.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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IS TODAY’S FILM CRITIC MORE MARKETER THAN INTERPRETER?

2012-01-25T17:15:00.002+05:30

In an age of crass consumerism, has the Film Critic sold off his soul to market forces or does he still bring a special, enriching perspective to the table? 4Ps B&M’s Consulting Editor Monojit Lahiri probes this delicate terrain with some articulate individuals

It started with a casual conversation regarding the forthcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to be held in Goa, on the 23rd (November 2011). Created to showcase the best of engaging & interesting Indian – and global – cinema, film festivals have always attracted the true-blue cognoscenti and cinema buff of the discerning kind, desperate to sample a life beyond Bollywood! Where there are film fests, can film critics be far behind? In today’s world – especially with Bollywood booming and blitzing all over the place in all-consuming fashion – can a real committed, dedicated film critic ever hope to survive? Should he, under the circumstances, review and re-invent his role to be part-marketer, part-interpreter?

Respected, veteran Film Critic Saibal Chatterjee is first off the block with a zinger. “I don’t think it’s a question anymore, but a solid factual statement!” he says. In fact, he is of the firm belief that this breed – film critics – is slowly getting marginalised and residing mostly in the world of blogs or little magazines. “What you got today are mostly reviewers who dole out opinions that are reader-friendly, touching the surface areas of the film in a glamorous way. It is completely in keeping with the mood of the times where cinema is perceived as a product to be consumed by the largest volume of consumers, possible. So, marketing, branding, advertising and promotion skills take precedence over knowledge, scholarship or insight. Pitching it right to a dumbed-down readership is the name of the game. In this scheme of things, where does the poor film critic feature?!” Chatterjee tells 4Ps B&M.

Communication specialist Bikram Ohri begs to differ. He believes that we live in nano-second times where reverence and sanctity to anything out in the public domain needs to be reviewed. “Boss, movies in India are entertainment products. Can we please stop worshipping them, wait breathlessly for that magical ‘Eureka moment’ and cut to the chase?! The critics mandate today is clear: Blend commentary in a cutting-edge way that entertains as it enlightens. Also, please go easy on the heavies! As the great Hollywood Director Billy Wilder once said If you are lookin’ for art, hell, go buy a Picasso. If you’re lookin’ to have fun and be entertained, hey, welcome aboard!” says Ohri. Joining the party is a noted film critic who refuses to formally participate or divulge her name for professional reasons. “It’s all very well to talk about art, sensibilities and values but with the corporates entering the scene with their deep pockets, the equation within the system and industry has dramatically changed. Film criticism, an intrinsic part of this universe, has been impacted as well. There are no two ways about it,” she tells 4Ps B&M.

Film Critic Mayank Shekhar brings his own spin to the table. “Some very novel things have happened in the last few years in the industry that has certainly impacted the role of the film critic. For one, there is this new entity called Trade Analyst. It is a vague term but this person seems to grab a lot of space in the electronic and mass media. It presupposes some kind of academic/scholastic background but it really is about ringing up distributors from all centers to get box office collections! Does that answer the definition of a film critic? Then there is the smart, sharp and subtle co-opting of some members of the fourth estate by Bollywood to ensure popular reviews and feel-good notices in the media,” says Shekhar. He explains that all this is a byproduct of the huge budgets powering big-ticket Bollywood projects. Therefore the marketing machinery has to go full steam to reach, persuade and seduce the audience into seeing the film. “However all is not lost, but yes, it is a tricky and challenging calling!” he adds.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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HCL Launches Console

2011-07-19T16:05:00.001+05:30

HCL has become the first Indian company to launch handheld consoles. It is set to take on international gaming giants like Sony & Nintendo. According to industry estimates, there are about 300,000 handheld consoles in India and the segment is witnessing a year-on-year growth of around 35 percent. HCL ME-converged devices comprise multimedia options like imaging, voice recording and recording TV programmes on the consoles. But while HCL is going after the usual gamers with this new surprise, Nintendo and Sony have already made their mark in the Indian and global markets. Moreover, they are now coming up with a new 3DS handheld that enables 3D gaming. It’s a strategic move for HCL, but with competition on its heels, ‘tough times ahead’ is an understatement.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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LG's introduces new all-in-one touchscreen PC

2011-06-13T12:34:00.002+05:30

Korean giant LG Electronics has unveiled an all-in-one touchscreen PC developed in partnership with Intel at the ongoing Computex technology exhibition in Taipei. Called LG V300, the PC will feature Film-type Patterned Retarder (FPR) display which is presently used in LG's Cinema 3D TVs.

According to LG, the TV will include second-generation Intel Core processors, 3D FPR display, a triple camera system for multi-touch capability and In Plane Switch (IPS) screen technology that creates a 178-degree viewing angle. Featuring a 23-inch full HD LED LCD display, the all-in-one LG V300 packs two sets of light weight polarised glasses for the 3D experience. At mere 44.65mm thickness, the PC's connectivity options include 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and choice of either DVD drive or a Blu-ray drive.

As for the OS, the PC will come with Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows Home Premium. The users will have an option to choose from Intel's Core i3, i5 or i7 processors. For memory, the PC packs 8GB RAM and up to 750GB hard drive. The PC will also include full support for Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) to enable data sharing between devices. It will also support Intel's Wireless Display (Wi-Di) to wirelessly stream content to TV.

LG V300 is expected to launch in Korea in July followed by markets in Europe, Middle East and Asia.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Cover Story - B-SCHOOL SPECIAL

2011-01-22T15:39:00.002+05:30

The European Venture Capital Association data says that while US and UK had the “broadest and most developed PE markets in the world (ranked at number 1 and 2),” such investments had also led to dramatic innovation and stunning economic growth too! Let’s view India’s situation. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2005-06 worldwide survey shows that India is “second from bottom” in promoting environment for private equity. Apax Partners add in their Future Trends in Private Equity Investment Worldwide report, “India has the second worst environment for private equity,” as India is globally last in terms of ‘Market Opportunities’ (for Private Equity).

Says Nathan Kievman, Founder & CEO of DemingHill, a US based corporate social media consulting & marketing firm, “In my opinion, business schools should have entrepreneurship as a subject. In my MBA experience, I had a great deal of traditional book work coupled with hands on business plan development. Though I found a great deal of value from this later as I started my own firms, the experience left a huge void in practical knowledge of what really matters in a business.”

Indian B-schools definitely need to have a national economic view on entrepreneurship encouragement than a myopic view about simply being management educators. Newer programmes need to be introduced that are not rated as traditional MBA courses, but purely as entrepreneurship programmes – similar to how Babson College is rated globally. When Indian B-schools learn to do that, would be the time when India will truly have educators who are transformational rather than just being inspirational. Till then, the B in the B-schools will connote much more than the grade.

Amir Moin

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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The on-going Rin versus Tide public spat has taken ‘comparative’ advertising to a newer, more dangerous level.

2010-10-11T16:42:00.003+05:30

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting

Some label it ethical & cool, while many use adjectives like outrageous & unethical to explain this shift. what’s with this new trend of combative and in-your-face name-calling? a check-out.

In the beginning came innocence. The grass was green, the sky was blue and God above sat smiling at his blissfully contented creations… man, beast, nature, products. But over time, frown-lines replaced the divine smile, and the pleasant sounds gave way to cacophony! Life below was getting complicated at a fast pace, and peace was fast becoming a word of the past, as more and more mortals were earning the ‘consumer’ tag! Worse, for sellers, the tool of ‘slander’ remained the only one to project their offerings in a better light that their counterparts’; and thus comparative advertising was born.

The basic thrust of this genre was to highlight product differentiations in an exciting, entertaining and imaginative manner, designed to impact the prospect’s mindset (no matter how marginally) towards a shift in perspective, triggering-off a purchase intent. Today, champions of this mode of advertising believe that differentiation is indeed the foundation of good marketing and compelling differentiation, the hallmark of a great brand. But when eccentricity seeps in, it becomes a double-edged sword. Why? Because, it tends to undermine both, the confidence and appeal of the brand in question – so handle with care!

Critics however lambast this form of communication, branding it a pathetic example of poorly done advertising, symptomatic of “lazy creativity and lazy creative thinking. If it is blindly pursued, it only goes to prove that the company wanted to make its way round the process of seeking unique consumer insights, the foundation of a great brand idea and a solid consumer proposition. Finally’ in these silly, childish, exhibitionistic skirmishes played out in full public glare, one tends to forget who started the spat, who ended it and what the fight was all about! Besides, in these sensation-seeking times, public memory is woefully short and before long, it only becomes the next big “tamasha”!

Ad-watchers believe that this genre really took shape and impacted popular imagination with the well-recalled Coke v/s Pepsi face-off in US, during the 1970s. The audacious and hugely innovative Pepsi, achieved a startling breakthrough in the world of comparative advertising, when it had the guts to re-position the much-loved, iconic and established family beverage Coke as “My Father’s drink” and Pepsi as “The choice of youth…a new generation! Years later, Pepsi India threw a credible punch back at Coke, welcoming Coke to India in a masterstroke of a creative line: “Coke & Coca-cola are trademarks of the Coca-Cola Company. Pepsi is the choice of a new generation!” Point taken.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Early 2009 was a watershed of sorts for India’s ad-land. Over the last few months, six honchos of leading agencies

2010-07-01T13:36:00.003+05:30

– JWT, Leo Burnett, DDB Mudra and Grey – had quit their cushy jobs and dived into their respective entrepreneurial journeys to stake their claims to fame. many scoffed, some sniggered and a few even laughed-out-loud. But no one’s laughing now. the renegades, with their nimbler set-ups have snatched away some big clients from their muscled counterparts and are dreaming of more... new paradigms are being set in India’s ad-world. Catch them first with 4ps B&M’s Surbhi Chawla & Neha Saraiya...

Having meandered through life, trying to sell everything – from Carrier ACs to his soul – Calcutta-born and bred Malayalee Brijesh Jacob decided to settle for a career in advertising. The pay wasn’t good, but he took the decision more to escape Calcutta’s merciless heat, which any ‘selling’ job invariably involved. Jacob was lucky. A few years later – during which he ran through many agencies, a Mass Comm. diploma and a shift to Mumbai – Jacob landed the top creative job at Grey Worldwide. For most, it would have been a time to rejoice, let their hair down and lose themselves in the bliss of a cushy life! Not for Jacob. He gave up his snug job in August last year with the intent to start his own restaurant chain. But life had other plans. It January 2009, Brijesh met Deepak Nair and Vinod Moolacherry and now partners with them in not one but two ad agencies of their own – 22 Feet (digital agency) and White Canvas (full-service agency). While the foundations for White Canvas were laid three years ago, 22 Feet is the new infant in his arms. “We felt that there was no ‘creative’ online agency in India, at least one that went beyond virals,” shares Jacob.

Jagdish Acharya is another advertising stalwart who recently embarked on his entrepreneurial journey, leaving a 15-year stint as creative head at Mudra DDB. Although he launched his agency in January this year, the groundwork started sometime ago. K. D. Singh, Chairman, Alchemist Group, had invited him for a ‘friendly’ second opinion on the creative strategy for his brand, Republic of Chicken. “At the meeting I was intensely speaking my mind and suddenly he said ‘why don’t you start your own agency. Take my account for starter and I need the New Year campaign coming from you,” says Acharya. That was end-November. The next thing Acharya knew was launching that agency and bagging Republic of Chicken as his first account. His small outfit has no office. The team is encouraged to work from home whenever they are at their creative peak. A virtual office, he feels, cuts out the formality and hence the name Cut The Crap for his agency.

Unlike Brijesh and Jagdish, not everyone goes for a swim without testing waters first. And that’s was Sukumar Menon’s approach when he floated Black Swan. He first thought of his own independent agency in January 2008, but he simply let it drift. “I was uncomfortable about leaving my comfort zone. There comes a stage in most careers where people either buy into the system or develop a new belief system. Though I was sure that I didn’t want to choose the former, it was difficult to cut the umbilical chord,” he explains. Then one day, Sukumar got an offer from an old friend, and that’s when he made up his mind to go on his own.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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The Occult OF Seven

2009-09-17T13:26:00.001+05:30

They are different in many ways, yet similar in many others. Some of them belong to affluent families with political connections, while some have been brought up in a typical pro-education middle class fashion. Some of them have fancy degrees in marketing or advertising while many of them were just born with profuse raw talent and learnt everything on the job. They have been fickle yet focused. They have been clueless about their paths yet cognizant about their journey. As much as they are adored, they are envied just as much. And yet, there is the strangest connection in this creative coven. They started their journey at different times, trod different paths, only to arrive at a similar destiny: the occult, as we call it. What binds these seven is that single-handedly, they have conquered the creative cosmos of television and have been, in many cases, the singlemost reasons that their respective firms have been fantastically successful. Some of them work with General Entertainment Channels, some have been bitten by the youth channel bug, others are working with production houses, while a couple of them have even started their own production outfits. And almost all of them have some journalistic background hidden in their lineage... Pallavi Srivastava of 4Ps B&M presents, India’s most radically – and effectively – creative people >>> The Occult of 7

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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I’m ‘G’enuinely (de)’M’otored!

2009-09-07T12:04:00.000+05:30

The beginning of June was the end of GM’s painful attempts to stand as an independent company. The Obama administration has provided $30 billion as aid for the company. But is the comeback possible?
By Pawan Chabra

“I laid out what needed to be done to save two of America’s most storied automakers - General Motors and Chrysler. These companies were facing a crisis (that was) decades in the making,” explained American President Barack Obama, in an announcement that would have broken the hearts of millions of Americans, though they had long seen it coming. June 1, was the fated date when the world witnessed another American iconic brand getting ripped apart on the papers, when the 100 year old ailing General Motors (GM) filed for bankruptcy under the Chapter 11 treatment.

Although the Obama administration will be providing another $30 billion in aid (apart from the $20 billion given earlier) and have a controlling 60% stake in the company, the Obama administration has announced that it has no interest in running the company, which, in plain words, signifies that Obama’s auto task force will not interfere in the day to day operations. Moreover, the Canadian and Ontario governments have also given a helping hand as they are putting in $9.5 billion for a 12.5% stake. The Government is aiming at a leaner GM, which will include more job cuts, dealership closures, plants shutting down and shedding of brands. GM is planning to close 14 US factories and three warehouses to cut on its operating costs, affecting its 20,000 workers. The company is aiming to bring the total number of plants in US from the current 47 down to 33 by 2012.

In fact, the company may also shed brands like Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Hummer. As the Government plans to split the company into two parts; out of which, one will be the new and ‘so-called’ healthy GM and the other the old GM will comprise the sick assets of the company. This will be done through a Section 363 sale, which would transfer the new GM assets to an entity owned by the US and Canadian governments, the United Auto Workers(uaw) union and the company’s unsecured creditors. Obama frankly explained the importance of the company to US citizens as he said, “In the midst of a deep recession and financial crisis, the collapse of these companies would have been devastating for countless Americans, and done enormous damage to our economy – beyond the auto industry.” But will this landmark streak of communism in the ‘die hard capitalist US’ be able to give the Americans their pride back?

Going by the example set in the recent past of Chrysler, there’s surely a ray of hope. Though many experts claimed just before Chrysler was planning to file for bankruptcy that it will lead to a collapse and sales will fall down very drastically; that didn’t happen. Rather, the company recorded higher sales figures for May than that of April. But as San Oppenheim’s auto analyst Christian Breitspecher elucidates, “GM is very large and different from Chrysler and restructuring the company will take a lot more effort and time as compared to Chrysler.”

Chrysler has already taken some bold steps in the form of closing production units, cutting on franchises and more importantly, announcing their plans in the electric segment. As Obama predicted that Chrysler needs a two-month reorganisation, the destination is more or less in sight now, as Italy’s Fiat will be taking over its healthy assets. There is no denying that GM has a much more complex structure. But a way out could be listening to the consumer and providing cars they need; in particular, smaller, fuel efficient cars. The leaner structure and the earlier mentioned $30 billion should help the company to clear its debts and be capable enough to match the likes of Toyota. A ‘new and healthy’ GM is expected to be launched in about 60 to 90 days as a separate and independent company. Obama made it pretty clear that the Government is funding GM with only one goal and that’s to, “get GM back on its feet, take a hands-off approach, and get out quickly.” Legendary GM CEO Alfred Sloan once said, “If you do it right 51% of the time you will end up a hero.” Well they do not have that leeway, since this could be GM’s last chance. In fact, they could consider getting out 51% faster in time, if at all!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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How the ‘men’ beat Honda

2009-08-21T12:22:00.000+05:30

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Brand: Maruti SX4
Agency: Lowe

Swift transformed the way people looked at Maruti; but SX4 ensured that people knew that Maruti could also make big cars. Men are back was the key reason why SX4 could outshine market leader, Honda City, selling 3000 units as against Honda’s 2656 units in the very first month of its launch. Manly, eh?

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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NARESH GUPTA, EVP-PLANNING, PUBLICIS

2009-08-03T12:59:00.000+05:30

IIPM Best B-school

1. Incredible India campaign. It made the world seek India out
2. Pulse Polio made people get out of their homes and inoculate their child on the chosen day
3. Maggi’s ‘2 minute’ campaign
4. Coca-Cola’s ‘Thanda’ campaign
5. Nirma campaign highlighted the power of inherently Indian idea

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Adding winds to the wings!

2009-07-22T12:52:00.000+05:30

IIPM Alumni Officially on Facebook

Spreading wings is an inherent activity for a growing bird. And that’s what exactly Suzlon Energy, the Indian wind turbine maker, did in 2007. To add winds to its wings it acquired REpower for Rs.73.14 billion in a hard fought bid battle against its French rival, the Nuclear Energy Group, Areva and others. Well, the effort hasn’t gone waste, as along with a 60% stake in REpower, Suzlon has also pocketted the 10% market share enjoyed by REpower in the international energy market. “Suzlon has gained from this acquisition as it has helped it to extend its reach in the global wind turbine market,” agrees Vinay Nair, Oil, Gas & Energy Analyst, Khandwala Securities.

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“The overall political and economic scenario are surely challenges...”

2009-06-22T12:49:00.000+05:30

The Most Revolutionary Concept In Education PLANMAN CHE CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, Supported by IIPM India’s Leading B-School

Shantanu Das Gupta,
VP, Marketing, Whirlpool of India

4Ps B&M: What kind of profits would you expect this summer?
We are expecting good sales/growth this summer. This is primarily due to the fact that we have recently launched a slew of new products across our range. Also the indications are of a hotter summer this year (as compared to a relatively cool summer last year).

4Ps B&M: What new products would you be launching this summer?
We have recently launched a slew of new products across our range. We have revamped our range of washing machines with 11 new models across our top load and front load range with innovative features like 1-2-3 wash and ‘Sports Wash’. We have launched new models of frost free refrigerators and air conditioners with unique MPFI technology. We will further unveil new products as the year goes on...

4Ps B&M: Your marketing strategy?
We are focusing on new product launches, which offer superior value as compared to our competitor’s. These are being promoted all across the country with appropriate awareness and huge conversion campaigns.

4Ps B&M: Is there any product category in which you intend to increase your presence?
We are focusing on consolidating on the already significant presence in ACs and increasing our presence in water purifiers & microwave ovens...

4Ps B&M: Do you think that this season will improve your situation?
If the reference is to the macroeconomic scenario, then we cannot comment. As far as Whirlpool is concerned, we have been growing so fast. We expect the growth to continue across all our categories and we will witness a significant gain in market share too.

4Ps B&M: What are your growth targets for the mid-term?
We have grown at more than 20% in most of our key categories during the past, and expect the trend to continue.

4Ps B&M: Cut in excise duty, reduction in petrol prices and CRR are important for the consumer durable segment. What’s your take on that?
We are sure that such moves by the government will help boost consumer sentiments. More significantly though, we would like to bank more on our own initiatives. These initiatives are aimed at providing better products and value to the consumer as compared to competition and gaining share.

4Ps B&M: What are the challenges that you foresee?
The overall political and economic scenario are surely challenges which the entire industry is facing. We are equally affected and are sure of our ability to withstand the same..

4Ps B&M: Your retail plans...?
We work very cohesively with all our trade partners, including traditional and modern trade formats. We have increased our presence to more than 12,000 outlets across India, and are continuously working on the same.

4Ps B&M: Last year, you increased prices due to increase in input costs. What about this year?
Commodity prices have shown a softening trend over the past few months. However, this trend will have to be sustainable in the long run for it to impact pricing. Nonetheless we are providing products with a high- value proposition...

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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I hope we’ll see the end of frivolous expenditure...”

2009-05-05T17:14:00.000+05:30

IIPM - Admission Procedure

4Ps B&M: How has been your entrepreneurial journey so far?
SC: It has been a difficult journey but at the same time an interesting and challenging one. I feel that we have been able to make a difference.

4Ps B&M: How do you see the competitive landscape in the broadcasting business in coming years?
SC: We may see interesting changes in the sector. Competition will surely intensify. Broadcasters who have sound fundamentals will be better equipped to take on the challenges. Channels that were launched with no clear differentiation or viewer base will have to learn to become more customer focused or be forced to exit. It is reasonable to foresee some signs of consolidation in the crowded GEC market through strategic business alliances.

Also, cost-cutting will have to give way to looking at cost-effectiveness and achieving higher levels of productivity. I hope we will see the end of frivolous expenditure in meaningless fare, frills and promotions. The financial crisis is an opportunity for more efficient players in the industry to improve their competitiveness and market share.

4Ps B&M: New channel launches have led to a lot of churn in human resource at Zee. Your take?
SC: We never believe in over-doing things. Last year when new channels were launched many of our people were offered and taken at three to four times of the salary they were drawing here. We wished them good luck. We continued our journey in Zee the way we have been conducting it so far. We never over expand and we never were over ambitious. There were some conflicts at senior level as some people in the senior management felt that we should also spend like others are spending. But we said no to that. That’s why there were some exits at the senior management last year. If new channel launches are happening and they are spending huge money we would not be affected. We would keep our heads down and let the storm pass.

4Ps B&M: How is the slowdown affecting the media industry?
SC: There is no reason for India to participate in this slowdown because India’s economy is by and large (around 86%) dependent on domestic demand. But yes the businesses are getting affected by it. It is affecting the media industry too but it is all psychological. The growth in TV industry was estimated to grow at 18-20% but we think it will come down to 15%.

4Ps B&M: Any new business areas?
SC: At the moment our focus is to carry on the existing plans that are already there. As we have announced we are getting into Out-of-Home advertising business. Apart from that the focus is to run the existing businesses properly and see how the economic situation emerges in the next couple of years before we do any new thing.

4Ps B&M: How do you see the media industry shaping up in few years?
SC: It will be growing. From the customers’ point of view, I am confident the days ahead will bring them a wider variety of interesting programming. Our group has led the way to providing more regional content in entertainment and news. All this will boost advertiser confidence. The Indian market is big so the cable industry can also find room to grow along with digital penetration. Viewers can expect more entertainment value for their money .

4Ps B&M: How do you rate Rupert Murdoch as an entrepreneur?
SC: He is a strong entrepreneur and a risk taker. My own belief system (being a strong entrepreneur and a risk taker) has been very much similar to his (Rupert Murdoch). (Smiles) And that has been confirmed during my alliance with him.

4Ps B&M: How important is succession planning at Essel Group?.
SC: We give due importance to succession planning at all levels. Youth is well represented in our group companies, and rightly so. India has the world’s largest proportion of youth and this is evident in Essel Group. Most of our CEOs and Business Heads are young executives, selected on the basis of their capability, potential leadership, & willingness to innovate. I believe in delegation and empowerment.

4Ps B&M: You are quite passionate about Vipassana. Comment!
SC: Yes, I am passionate about Vipassana. When we observe silence for 10 days at the centre, we realised it is the only time one spends with oneself. Otherwise, you are working for something or the other including your own ego. Vipassana helps to control that. As for me, Vipassana has helped me to control my anger.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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SCI Bytes

2009-02-24T13:04:00.001+05:30

Scans reveal the truth
If you thought that you had no connection with the extinct dinosaurs, then it’s time for you to think again! With the use of modern technology like a CT scan of a dinosaur bone, palaeontologists have discovered a small tumour that speaks of being the oldest evidence of cancer in fossils.

Water, water, everywhere
Every year thousands of old and young die from drinking unclean water. Now new technology is making it possible for people worldwide to have drinkable water. All you need to do is to stir in some powder! Sounds unbelievable? PUR from Procter & Gamble may not have US approval just yet, but it’s already being used in Haiti, Africa, Kenya, Pakistan and other countries across the globe.....Continue

2009-02-18T13:43:00.000+05:30

But now – with public anger in India mounting by the day – another attack on it by Pakistani terrorists could very possibly force Pakistan to come clean and lay all its cards on the diplomatic table. As for India, it too is in a Catch-22 bind. If it responds belligerently, it plays into Pakistan's hands. And if it rules out military action, it will almost certainly be perceived to be toothless. The only other route is to mount a sustained diplomatic offensive, so that Pakistan's allies – notably America and Britain – will be persuaded to further pressure the Pakistani government-army combine to roll up its terrorist networks.

Will this work though? Consider: the United States – and the new government of President Barack Obama in particular – has long been hoping that the Indo-Pak peace process will succeed, and the Islamists in Jammu and Kashmir isolated. And it is in pursuance of this aim that the US is so insistent that Pakistan's civilian government cooperate with India in tackling cross-border terrorism.

Foreign Minister Qureshi could not but have heeded the Americans – as became clear in his address at the envoys' conclave. "Please let us resume the composite dialogue," he urged India. "We believe all problems can be resolved through bilateral talks." And to make it sound like a genuine heartfelt offer, Interior Ministry Adviser Malik said he had directed the authorities to complete the probe within 10 days. Yet in the same breath – no doubt for domestic consumption – he also warned that if push came to shove Pakistan would not hesitate to engage in a military conflict. Note that Pakistan and India have fought three wars in the 61 years of their existence, nearly fighting the fourth in 2002.....Continue

False Play

2009-02-11T12:48:00.000+05:30

To put all rumors to rest, Eva Longoria Parker has denied being a part of the film "The Avengers". Apparently, all that was written about Longoria playing ‘The Wasp’ in the movie had no truth to it. However, she did tell Ryan Seacrest before the Golden Globe awards that if given an opportunity, she would love to be a part of the superhero tale! But the question still remains – what were the comics for?....Continue

Not even mangoes, please…

2009-01-30T13:13:00.000+05:30

Gurudas dasgupta, CPI MP, West bengal

It was around 1986. A prominent company was evading taxes for long. CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta garnered all the evidence and sent it to the concerned authority. Later, a huge amount of tax was recovered. As per government rules, Dasgupta was rewarded with a percentage of that recovered taxes: he got Rs nine lakh! And bought his first luxury car… no way: he gave away a large amount from this to help the hundreds of children of people who were dying in the Khalistan movement in Punjab! The rest was divided between Punjab Kesri newspaper group and Kolkata-based Punjab Festival Committee, both of which were fighting for the cause of these orphans!

Dasgupta was born in Borishal (now in Bangladesh), but migrated to Kolkata, completed his education and started working as a school teacher. Already popular as a leader of the Communist Party of India’s students wing, he finally opted for whole-time activism. Dasgupta was most vocal against the Stock Market Scam during Narsimha Rao government and his revelations forced the government to set up the first Joint Parliamentary Committee, where as a member he exposed the Harshad Mehta-led scam.

It was during this period that one of the top industrialist families of India sent him baskets full of the costliest variety of mangoes, but he returned them without so much as allowing the carriers inside his house. Later, his house was ransacked thrice to recover the incriminating documents, but still he did not budge from his position.....Continue

Despite talk about American decline, the world is not prepared for a post-American era

2009-01-14T13:51:00.000+05:30

The point was driven home at the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Beijing this autumn, where European and Asian leaders explored ideas for a new global financial structure. For much of the past 60 years, it would have been impossible to hold such a fundamental dialogue without US participation. Today, it is almost becoming a new global norm that neither the international committee nor the US is prepared for.

Despite talk about American decline, the world is not prepared for a post-American era. As irksome as some of its actions have been, particularly over the past eight years, the US remains the world’s most critical champion of the progressive values that have lifted hundreds of millions of people out of abject poverty and political repression. If the US were to play a relatively smaller role in world affairs, and no other system was created to pick up the slack, these values could be at risk.

Although many states now hide behind an alleged universal principle of inviolable state sovereignty, for example, would the international community go back to the old model where states did whatever they wanted to their citizens within their own borders? Do countries around the world believe that they will be better off if the global trade system breaks down or international shipping lanes become less secure? Are countries like China willing to step up and pay their fair share of dues to keep the UN running (China currently pays 2.1 per cent of UN dues, compared to more than 25 per cent for the US), or to capitalise revised international financial institutions or the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria? Unless other countries step forward for the common good, a post-American world could quickly become a far more frightening environment than what it would replace.....Continue

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The Sunday Indian

“I am just a party worker”

2009-01-09T16:26:00.000+05:30

Who do you think was responsible for the party's success in Rajasthan?

I attribute the party's victory to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Congress workers and the good work done by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre. It is also the victory of the people of Rajasthan. A befitting reply to the grave mistakes committed by BJP.

Will the Congress, which is short of a majority, be able to form a government in Rajasthan?

Yes, Congress will form the government here. We are not short of a majority…some of the independents are in touch with us and as it is, we are much above the required figure needed to form a government.

What do you think were the reasons behind BJP's debacle?

I am not the one to comment on other parties. All I know is that the people have given their verdict. The voters have voted against poor governance. All-round failure and corruption had become the hallmark of the Vasundhara Raje government during its five-year regime. There was a difference between what the BJP said and what it did in the state. In almost 27 incidents of police firing, 91 farmers were killed, the Meenas and the Gujjars felt agitated and cheated.

Who would be the next chief minister of the Congress in the state?

In Congress, a leader is chosen democratically and the party would announce the name at an appropriate time....Continue

Has national security gone to the dogs? If not, then it must…

2009-01-08T11:29:00.000+05:30

Training is imparted in obedience, action, refusal of food given by strangers, scent discrimination, tracking, explosive detection, property guarding, spotting and attacking. The first phase of the 9-month training gives stress on basic skills, obedience drill and agility exercises. The second phase is tougher with explosives and narcotics detection, anti-smuggling operation, guarding and searching and causality detection. Every dog is assessed at the end of the training. Three retired BSF personnel impart training to the dogs at the Academy. Training for the first batch, consisting of high pedigree dogs including five German Shepherds and seven Labradors, and their 24 handlers, began in January 23, 2008. The next batch of 18 dogs is ready for training. “The selection of high pedigree dogs is done with meticulous care. Usually, the price of dog varies from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000, depending on its pedigree. The price for Labradors with six pure generations may go up to around Rs 80,000,’’ says Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and Academy In-Charge, Alexander Jacob.

It is in fact the cost factor that is one of the main deterrents in the optimum deployment of dogs, apart from their own physical limitations. Says J A Khan, IG, Operations, Border Security Force, “The contribution of a dog to the detection of bombs and IEDs is 60%, and that of machines and equipments is 25%, while human success at it can be only quantified at 8%. But there’s a huge cost factor involved. The right pedigree had got to be usually imported, then trained for a year. If not properly used, the dog could die in 2-3 years. In fact, the life of a dog is reduced as much as we use her/him to sniff. Then there is required a personnel solely dedicated to the handling of dogs. There thus results a serious mismatch in requirement and availability. But that is not to deny that if used in a judicious manner, they can be a huge support. Loyalty, as you know, is an unquestionable trait with them.”....Continue

People hate the dirty face of partisan politics, says Priyanka Rai

2009-01-03T12:08:00.000+05:30

The muck started flying from the time the first bullet sang. The Sangh Parivar went into a celebratory mood, as it felt sure that now the Congress had had it… clean sweep for the saffron, they partied. Congress leaders were going through the last motions of the Delhi polls, and pundits in both 24 Akbar Road as well as 9 Ashoka Road went into huddles, working out intangible election mathematics. And in the end, Congress felt that the solid, uncompromising hit back by the country got it the edge and Sheila Dikshit could, just could, win.

After his Mumbai visit, Advani said in his Rajasthan campaign, “Despite the Supreme Court verdict, Afzal has not been hanged. I often feel if Afzal were named Anand Mohan or Anand Singh, he would have been hanged a long time ago." Incumbent Vasundhara Raje, in a tight battle, said: "Though the terrorists got into Taj and Oberois hotels in Mumbai, we have seen how this government has failed to check terrorism." Interestingly, Narendra Modi had described Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare as antinational a week back. But today, Karkare is a martyr for whom Modi has offered a crore of rupees in compensation. It is precisely this kind of filth that got the public’s goat.

And there seems to be a reason for this sort of politics. What the public is saying – though may be not in so many words – is that none of the national parties have a national agenda: they just stick top their partisan interests. That's the real tragedy of democratic India. Each party seems so insecure that for them national security is a non-issue. By hook or by crook, they want the votes, come to the power and stick to it.

The people today do not believe Shivraj Patil’s ‘owning moral responsibility’ and resigning. Sonia Gandhi’s ubiquitous hands were obviously turning the strings that ran the puppets to stem a Congress slide during the coming polls. Media coverage of Patil changing three suits in a span of a few hours of the serial blasts in Delhi had enraged the masses, but there was no expression. BJP points out to the more than 200 blasts during the UPA regime. Home Ministry’s official statistic says it has come down quite a bit from the blasts during the BJP-led NDA regime. Then why resign now? ....Continue

Om Mathur, an RSS pracharak drafted in the party for more than 25 years, has been made the BJP chief in Rajasthan since January this year.

2008-12-23T16:52:00.000+05:30

There are reports that the Chief Minister neglected the organisation during the past five years, refusing to meet even her own ministers. And there is dissension, so how are you managing the cadre?
Such things happen only due to lack of communication. I came here in January this year and tried to remove the discrepancies. I organised regular meetings between the party organisation and the government. Ever since, all government decisions are being taken in consultation with the party.

How true are reports of Vasundhara Raje’s corruption?
They are absolutely false. Why didn’t the opposition raise these issues inside the Assembly during the past five years of BJP rule? Why are such things being raked up only during the past 20 days through newspaper advertisements? In any case, people living in glasshouses do not have a right to throw stones at others.

Vasundhara is also being accused of being too arrogant, even more arrogant than Narendra Modi. How do you explain that?
Every person has a distinct personality and working style. Those seeing her from a distance may call her arrogant, but those who know her closely know how sensitive and magnanimous she is. Vasundhara is a lady of action, vision and quick decisionmaking.

What impact would the BSP have in these elections?
Rajasthan has traditionally been a state with only two parties. There was never scope for a third party. Election results would bear me out on December 8....Continue

Sun,sea and span

2008-12-22T11:43:00.000+05:30

Inhaling the fresh ocean breeze while a cool subtle wind blew my hair away from my face, ignoring the 6 lanes of cars zipping by and the numerous diverse people walking and conversing by me, I was lost in my own world enjoying one of the beauties of California. Standing on the Golden Gate Bridge, bundled up with a light layer of clothing, I began my 2.2 mile walk across the bridge on one of my frequent visits to San Francisco (SF).

However, what made this trip unique was that I had decided to see SF from a tourist point of view, like I had in 1989, during my first visit.

The highlights of San Francisco-day-life are just as exciting and varied as the infamous SF nightlife. From a walk or drive down the world’s most crooked street, Lombard Street, to a cruise to Alcatraz Island, the infamous escape-proof prison meant for the most dangerous criminals until June 11, 1962, when two prisoners broke out and yet died while swimming in the cold waters of San Francisco Bay. Originally built and used as a lighthouse, the ‘Rock’ (as it is locally referred to) has now become a favourite tourist destination, for which daily ferry rides from Pier 33 take place every 30 minutes to allow visitors to experience the ocean and also give them a guided tour of the prison and its history. Alcatraz is known to have held famous prisoners such as Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud and Alvin Karpis.....Continue

Abbas-hamas head-on again

2008-12-17T17:10:00.000+05:30

The Palestinian Authority's central council has designated to appoint Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian president. It is largely a figurative office, as a Palestinian state is yet to be formed. The position has been vacant since Yasser Arafat's death in 2004.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abbas – who is facing a mounting challenge from Hamas to the authority of his rule – threatened that unless the Palestinian resistance group decides to reconcile with his Fatah movement, he is going to annouce fresh elections. Abbas threatened to issue a diktat early next year that will make both Presidential and Parliamentary polls mandatory. His term in office ends on 9 January. Hamas hurriedly discarded the bid, saying the thought itself was “unconstitutional".

“It's a symbol indicating the political problem that Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and his group are facing while he is going to lose his official position as the (president) of the Palestinian Authority,” said Mahmoud Zahar, a key political figure in Hamas......Continue

Who is Lt. Col. Srikant Prasad Purohit?

2008-12-13T16:03:00.000+05:30

Well neither did it appear to anyone else until investigations of the Malegaon blasts after the arrest of Hindu activist, Pragya Singh, led the trail of the deadly explosions to Purohit and a retired Major, Ramesh Upadhaya, amongst others.

According to insiders in the army, Purohit was given the critical responsibility of raising 41 Rashtriya Rifles, a dedicated counter-terrorism force that operates out of Kupwara, in northern Kashmir. Kupwara remains one of the main points of infiltration of terrorists from across the Line of Control. His tenure in Jammu and Kashmir ended in January, 2005, while serving in the Awantipora-based 31-Counter Intelligence Unit of the MI. Well informed sources say that Purohit’s involvement in the cloak and dagger game dates back to his days in the crucial MI in a Kashmir valley defined by civil war conditions - days where for a military intelligence officer, it would often become very difficult to differentiate between foe and friend. Like all sensitive intelligence assignments, the job demanded establishing contacts with jehadis, a task considered vital for reading the rival’s mind. The purpose: to pick up and collate information and tactical intelligence.

According to the ATS, during one of the raids, the army seized 60 kg of RDX which, later Purohit informed his colleagues, had been dutifully dumped into the Jhelum river. In reality, it was smuggled into Maharashtra by the army officer and his accomplices and subsequently used in the explosions. Military sources told TSI that Purohit was later moved to Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh for pursuing a Chinese language course at the Army Education Corps College – his parent cadre - from where he was arrested by the ATS.....Continue

It's not just America that is celebrating the historic Obama victory. The entire world is in raptures, reports Solana Larsen in this special despatch

2008-12-10T12:30:00.000+05:30

Obama said he depended on the national citizen movement that made him President to end the devastating economic crisis the country suffered in the eight years under President George W Bush. "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America — I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there," he said amid cheers. This was indisputably one of the most hotly contested elections in US history. Voters stood in record-busting lines that snaked around city blocks, and dared to hope what had seemed impossible two years ago when a first-term African-American senator from Illinois announced that he was running for President.

The jubilation was equally unprecedented. On election-eve 28-year-old Indian blogger Aditi Nadkarni felt impelled to record, "I couldn't vote for Obama. But I wrote him." The young cancer researcher from India who lives in Rochester, Minnesota has been sharing her thoughts on the presidential elections on the South Asian group blog Desicritics.com. Here, she has recounted her personal experiences as an immigrant in the United States and raged against some supporters of John McCain for highlighting Barack Obama's middle name "Hussein" as a disqualifying trait. Indeed for weeks the campaign led by McCain and Palin had been attacking Obama for his alleged association with "a domestic terrorist" from the 1970s. And for some these false alarms actually worked — leading them to drum up wholly unwarranted fears about Obama's religion and ethnic heritage. Was Obama a Muslim? Was he an Arab! That was how it had gone!....Continue

Urgent provisions needed to rescue the poor and destitute

2008-12-04T14:45:00.000+05:30

Haris Gazdar, an economist associated with Collective for Social Science Research based in Karachi agrees that at least five per cent additional population has been pushed below the poverty line in recent months. He said it was high time that the government introduce an employment guarantee scheme on the lines provided by India to combat poverty. "In fact, the Pakistan People's Party manifesto has such a provision, but it has not been implemented as yet," he said. Also he added that the poorest sections of the populace should be provided social security and a cash support programme, while their children should be ensured food support at schools.

Bengali who has been the National Coordinator Benazir Income SupportProgram (BISP) and Member National Finance Commission, believes the extent of economic crisis in Pakistan today is structural. He points out that it was in the making for 30 years but was aggravated during the last eight years. "Without the policies followed in the last eight years, we would have lasted a few more years but we were heading for a doom," he told The News on November 2.....Continue

Revive economy: key challenge for the new PM elect

2008-12-01T13:24:00.000+05:30

IIPM Publication
At a time when the global financial meltdown has had a dreadful impact on a host of countries, to which the New Zealand and her 4.2 million denizens are no exception, the key challenges before Key remain: slump in the housing prices, 25 per cent drop in currency’s value, 33 per cent fall in the stock markets, and above all, the worst recession in almost a decade due to which the $130 billion New Zealand economy contracted in the first half of 2008. In fact, the economic health of the country is so bad that its central bank has already slashed the interest rates by 1.75 percentage points since July.

To address all these challenges and unemployment in the country, which is at a five-year high, John Key has already proposed to cut income taxes and redirect spending to roads and a high-speed Internet network to help create jobs. He also has plans to instruct the head of various departments to undertake a line-by-line review of their spending so that money can be saved. Moreover, Key is even targeting to attend Asia Pacific Economic Forum in Peru to get external help. But until then, the trader-turned-politician will have to go through tough times to manage the country. ....Continue

rollins’ stones irk the boss!

2008-10-24T14:48:00.000+05:30

Falling market share pushed Michael to come back in 2007 to regain the reins and push aside Kevin Rollins, who he had named his successor in 2004. Rollins had worked at Dell for over a decade, handling varied positions like Senior VP, Corporate Strategy (1996); President, Dell Americas (1996-2001); President (2001-2007) and CEO during 2004-2007. It was Rollins who commenced a campaign in 1997 called “The Soul of Dell”, which paid off highly in altering the company’s culture. And also the man behind the push for a $60 billion annual sales target. Rollins had engineered the alliance between Dell and EMC, which results in $100 million sales per quarter, as per industry sources.....Continue

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

Read also :-

Under attack!

2008-10-21T11:25:00.000+05:30

Ranbaxy won’t be affected much

Daiichi’s acquisition of the Indian Pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. has stirred the hornet’s nest in the pharma industry. And the talks about the deal haven’t even died down when Ranbaxy has to face yet another glitch in the form of adulteration charges in its drugs from the US authorities: the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Justice. Ranbaxy’s stock faced a severe knocking since, falling by 18% to Rs.437 as on July 18, compared to Rs.538 on July 10, when the controversy broke.

It was a foregone conclusion that Big Pharma would not be happy with the deal, which merges a generic giant with an R&D major. But the matter became more complicated due to the statement made by Malvinder Singh, Chairman & CEO, Ranbaxy, to the press on July 18, when he said, “All these issues have emerged after the deal with Daiichi Sankyo... an MNC is trying to derail Ranbaxy’s deal with Daiichi Sankyo.”...Continue

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Mom, can I have a ministry too?

2008-10-11T12:51:00.000+05:30

Is portfolio shuffling a born trait or can it be learnt? B&E’s deep review

A few months ago, a research done by the most prestigious Yale University revealed that Indian politicians are extraordinarily intelligent. Well, we should mention they prove to be equally intelligent as ‘fund’ (or should we say, ‘post’) managers to have learnt how to arrange ministerial portfolios to minimise political risk.

Some months ago, when UPA coalition partner, DMK leader Karunanidhi, called back Minister of Communications and IT, Dayanidhi Maran, who was replaced by another party loyalist and Environment Minister A. Raja without any stated specific reasons, even the Prime Minister had no say on it. And Minister of State for Home, S.Rogupathy, another loyal DMK leader, was brought to the Environment Ministry. Similarly, in the era of the NDA government, Suresh Prabhu, who was the then Power Minister, was also forced to leave the Ministry and was replaced by another party leader Anant Geete, a protege of Shiv Sena Chief Raj Thakeray.....Continue

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Surge, then upsurge

2008-10-07T13:11:00.000+05:30

Iraq will not heal till the last of the US occupiers remains on its soil
As was all along suspected, the US military "Surge" in Iraq invited an Upsurge: this one involving rival Shia clans. For the first time the dissonance between US strategic thinking and the ground situation in Iraq is as clear as the ultimate outcome is clouded, considering nobody in Washington is really sure about how many soldiers should stay around and for how long. (Quitting for good being out of question because that would look too much like defeat to allow for dressing up as victory – cowboy style. Also, what about the oil and the reconstruction booty, buddy? ) The much publicised surge did bring down violence – but expectedly the good news lasted only for a while. For hardly had the fruits of the good David Petraeus' work begun to register than the Bushies decided the time was ripe to wipe out the formidable Mehdi militia.

Actually, as the widening crisis shows, the time was anything but ripe. And with the Americans disregarding Sadr's repeated desperate calls for a ceasefire, it is clear to all that they will stop at nothing till the oil has been fully and permanently tapped, in keeping with Uncle Sam's scheme of things. Basra in southern Iraq, the stronghold of Sadr, is an oil-rich region – and what was the illegal war waged for if not for the oil?....Continue

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Unmade for each other

2008-09-27T16:08:00.000+05:30

Indeed all privately doubt that any of this is for real

The Presidents of Sudan and Chad have agreed to cease hostilities “in principle”. Yes only in principle: for hardly had the words been uttered than the rebels, whom the pact officially aims to subdue, dismissed it as “meaningless”.

This of course is not the first time that Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir and his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby have “agreed” to cease warring – a war complicated by rebels of various stripes in the territories of both. (In Sudan they allege the country’s western part has been deliberately neglected to favour the Muslim North.) Under the latest non-aggression pact a monitoring group, comprising foreign ministers from both countries, will “ensure” that no more blood is shed.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

Read also :-

The ‘flu’ that grounded a state

2008-09-22T16:25:00.000+05:30

After battling with massacres and riots, WB’s cup of woe still runneth over with the attack of the killer virus!
The legendary town of Hamelin infested with rats (sans the rescuer Pied Piper) comes to mind as soon as one hears of the Bird Flu menace in West Bengal that has engulfed nearly the entire state by infecting 13 districts and 42 blocks with the pestilent H5N1 virus. The city of Kolkata is under siege by the deadly virus. And, before the death knell sounds for the metropolis, government bigwigs in the Writers’ Building have taken all possible actions to circumvent the spread of the virus into the city, such as, banning entry of all the poultry products in the city. The posh Salt Lake City (satellite town of Kolkata) in fact, has not only banned the entry but also sale of chickens & ducks. However, according to a police officer, the fool proof implementation of such a plan is next to impossible. For instance, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has allowed entry of products from 14 authorised poultry farms.

The state has incurred colossal losses worth Rs.500 crores in poultry business and above three lakh people have lost their source of livelihood since the virus was first detected in Margram in Birbhum district 12 days back. Making a choice between human life over chickens by worldly standards of rationality, the culling process continues, albeit slowly. By far 200,000 chickens have been culled (as on 29th Jan’06), while 300,000 chickens will be culled in the next few days. The cost of losing one’s source of livelihood (indemnity) as announced by the State Finance Minister, Asim Dasgupta is a meagre Rs.500 per affected family. While he claims of giving the compensation money on the spot during the culling operation, the B&E team’s findings from a primary source deduce otherwise.

In spite of the world despising the ‘sick’ birds that are relished when in the pink of their health, the heart of their owners reaches out for them, every time it is about killing them in the name of culling.

It was recently that about 45 chickens were found dead in the Nolpur village of Howrah district. “We took the initiative and sent the blood samples for testing,” said Sunil Bagh, a member of the Gram Panchayat in a concerned voice. Three days later, reports confirmed that the chickens were indeed infected with Bird Flu. As a result, the district magistrate arranged for culling within 10 kms radius of Nolpur (that included seven Gram Panchayats). “More than 2,000 chickens have been culled as of 26th January (in the undergoing operation) with an estimated loss of Rs.70,000”, said Mr. Bagh. Amidst the culling of infected birds, while several poultry owners grieved at the loss of money, several like Kiran Naskar who owned close to 300 birds fretted, “My chickens were not even infected, therefore culling of all chickens wasn’t right.” To most, it is about the industry and trade loss, while to many who own the birds as pets, it is like losing a loved one. Thirty-two year old, Shaikh Ludh Rahman, who owned six chickens and four ducks, handed them over, on his own, half-heartedly, to the culling team. So did Younous Mallick who had 12 chickens and repeatedly said, “We weren’t into the business, we loved them.”

Another newly infected area, the historical city of Budge Budge had a relatively different atmosphere. The vibes were more of fear and concern for well-being of the people than trade and business. Forget about, pitying the poor little souls under ‘operation culling’ that are going through the highly contagious bird disease, said to rarely infect humans. The panic at the sudden outbreak of Bird Flu in the area was clearly visible in everybody’s eyes, right from the rickshaw-puller to the gram Panchayat members. To add to the woes, the process of culling the infected birds couldn’t begin in Goborjhuri village where 100 birds were found dead in a single day, since the confirmation reports in this certain case were pending. Anxiety was at peak when the Panchayat Pradhan, Mokhuri Doloi haggled with the authorities and urged them to “Please solve the matter quickly for us”.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative
Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
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Recent liberalisation will boost investments

2008-09-20T14:55:00.000+05:30

“Policies were aimed to provide healthy competition, and level-playing field”
In a high growth sector, there is no need to trim staff. With the sector booming, every one can be accommodated, Union Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel, tells B&E’s Ranjit Bhushan in an interview. The minister, who is credited with turning around the civil aviation ministry in his four-year-stint, adds that far-reaching changes are going to be brought in its FDI policy to encourage private investments.

Your tenure has marked a definite turnaround in the prospects of the civil aviation sector. What do you attribute this upturn to?

The aviation sector has evolved over the past few years. The change in mindset in both the public and the private sectors has led to more competition, competitive and affordable fares, and more passengers. The reasons are clear and strong policies of the government have been aimed at providing healthy competition and level playing field to both the public and private players. The government has played a great role as being a facilitator in this sector. Your speech at the US-India Aviation Summit last year was impressive.

What are the gains that you see accruing from the deal? Also, technologically, the US aviation industry is light-years ahead of us. Which are the areas of common interest between the two countries?

The purpose of the US India Aviation Cooperation Programme is to improve coordination of US assistance to the Indian civil aviation industry, including the identification of aviation training and technical assistance meets, communication meets, and improving coordination with the US Government entities including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), US Trade and Development Agency (USPDA) and the US Department of Commerce.

The programme will be funded with the assistance of USTDA and would enhance safety, operational efficiency and system capacity of the aviation sector. The Union government has also approved a Memorandum of Agreement with the US in the civil aviation sector, which will provide the framework for seeking assistance of the Federal Aviation Authority in developing civil aviation infrastructure in managerial, operational and technical areas, as and when required.

You talked about attracting FDI, about more US involvement in Indian aviation. Is that going to be a reality?

The Union government on 30 January, 2008 liberalised and enhanced the FDI policy in the civil aviation sector. This is expected to greatly boost investments by not only American, but also other foreign companies in Indian aviation.

The market share of national carriers has gone down with more private competition coming in. And a lot of it has happened during your tenure as the minister. Do you see a situation wherein the national carriers could become minor players in the company of many private operators, big and small? Although the number of passengers carried by the national carriers has increased considerably, registering a growth of almost 25%, the market share has been impacted due to the entry of private airlines, availability of low cost carriers, decline in capacity share, and delay in acquisition of new and latest technology aircraft. However, a number of initiatives have been undertaken like acquisition of new aircraft, merger of Indian and Air India, aggressive marketing and sales initiatives, which has resulted in marked improvements in market share.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
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Silence – hardly a golden virtue!

2008-09-02T16:15:00.000+05:30

Microsoft’s Sync redefines the in-car-entertainment system

How about talking to you iPod or your mobile phone for that matter? Imagine if you could actually command these gadgets to perform different functions. And what if you could do all that while driving your car?

Well, this might sound like an excerpt from a 2020-based Sci-Fi movie but this has actually been made possible by Microsoft, which has developed Sync, which is a fully integrated and voice activated in-car-entertainment system, for the Ford motor Company . “Sync offers hands-free phone operation and iPod or any other MP3 player connectivity. It’s built on a software platform that is upgradeable and will allow us to offer new features by simply upgrading the software” says Derrick Kuzak, Group VP, at Ford.

In fact, with Sync, an individual actually gets to master the complete in-car entertainment and communication system. All you need to do is connect your Bluetooth enabled device with Sync and its innovative voice command feature will follow your commands and will enable you to make calls from your mobile, read aloud your text messages and play your favorite music, without disturbing you while driving.

While on one hand, Sync is completely transforming the in-car-entertainment market, which earlier just constituted of a good audio system and may be an additional GPS device, tech companies are already gearing up to the consumer expectations of “seamless connectivity while on drive”. One such product is SIRIUS Travel Link, which will provide people with the required data while they are still driving. “This service from SIRIUS feeds important data right into our vehicles. It is easy to access and always available”, says Jim Buczkowski, Director of Electrical Systems Engineering at Ford.

With the technology companies infusing revolutionary features like Sync and Sirius Travel Link to the dashboards, one thing’s for sure – boring, and silent long drives would soon be deemed a thing of the past.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

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Taking stock

2008-08-26T16:15:00.000+05:30

Are there lessons for all from assassination of Benazir?
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has been perhaps one of the most tragic incident in recent history. This incident not only has weakened the cause of democracy but has also thrown Pakistan far into a zone of no return. While many have been trying to play down the entire incident as just the continuation of the Pakistani legacy of military coups and assassinations, this episode of the same has put the future of South Asia at a real crossroad. Now that the dust is settling down and things are relatively coming back to normalcy, are there important lessons and observations to be drawn from this tragic happening? Well, to start with, Benazir’s assassination once again brings forth an increasingly menacing trend of this era, i.e. nations are subject to more risk from within, than from outside.

For rest of the world, nothing could have been better than to see the gradual restoration of faith in democracy in hearts and minds of the average Pakistani and releasing him/her steadily from clutches of fundamentalism. It’s some elements within Pakistan, aided by global fundamentalism, which have given a death knell to restoration of democracy in Pakistan. In the same league, for an LTTE, it makes more sense to continue with mayhem than to find reasonable political solutions for the cause of Sri Lanka’s Tamil minorities and thereby putting Sri Lanka at risk more from within than outside.

The same is the case of Bangladesh which through its ascension as well as assertion of fundamentalism is increasingly proving that, once, it was rightly called East Pakistan. Today Bangladesh, and Nepal too has more threats from within than without. A wider scrutiny of Asia at large and even of Europe would vindicate that the same malaise is plaguing them too, be it IRA is UK, ETA in Spain or PKK in Turkey. For the whole of 20th century, nations put more resources to mitigate external threats. And in their quest to securing external boundaries, they literally undermined the problems germinating within. As a result internal security was always considered less of a priority than external security.

The trend is continuing even now with billions of dollars of budget being put to buy weapons for conventional wars whose probability is decreasing by the day while most nations are thoroughly ill-equipped to deal with an omnipresent virtual enemy. India in this case is no exception either. In fact the level of internal distrust that is prevailing in Pakistan is evident from the fact that the Musharraf regime had to involve the Scotland Yard to demonstrate its commitment for a fair investigation.

The other striking observation from the entire Benazir death saga has been the reaction in India. There was perhaps not a single soul in India which was not in grief and which didn’t share solidarity with the beleaguered Pakistan. The wrong-doings of Pakistan in the past didn’t come in the way of expressing shock and shedding tears for someone who, for an average Indian, was a little more than just another politician of a rogue Pakistan. There was an attachment much beyond that. Perhaps the virtual bondage of the umbilical chord cut in a hurry still having its presence felt. And it is perhaps because of this that it is not just a need but a necessity for India to see that Pakistan doesn’t collapse. In that case, when history would be written half a century from now, it would not be Pakistan but India’s brethren that collapsed, would be sculpted in history books.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
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IIPM Campus

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Apart from consumers

2008-08-25T16:44:00.000+05:30

“Whilst we continue to grow, our mantra to hire people with the right kind of attitude and then training them has served us well in building an extensive learning and development proposition to empower our people with the domain knowledge,” reveals Das. The work environment in ICICI Prudential Life is committed to creating a learning environment and a performance driven culture, which is reinforced through effective performance management of the employees.

The first step in the performance management comes in by linking individual performance objectives to business objectives and evaluating the performances consistently. Asserts Das, “We’ve pioneered the frontline capability development through a strong performance management system that has enabled us to provide our employees with an accelerated career path from the very first day.” The HR think tank of the organisation has also put in place a robust career acceleration program that links training & certification of frontline employees and a strong talent management program for employees in middle & senior management cadres to identify their strengths & development areas and then groom them for leadership roles later.

Going by management guru Jack Welch’s prescription, ICICI Prudential Life too strives to provide a high performance meritocratic work environment with differentiated rewards and recognition opportunities for its top talent. Das adds, “As one of the key players in the high growth sector we also use ESOPs as an effective tool in value creation for the middle and senior management, which helps in creating ownership within the organisation”. Most financial companies have been struggling with a nerve-wracking problem called ‘attrition’. To tackle this problem in an effective manner, ICICI Prudential Life has devised an attrition dashboard that helps track attrition for each function and location. Looks like the program has worked, as 80% of the senior management have been with the organisation for over five years now.

For ICICI Prudential Life, the “Jeetey Raho,” philosophy not only works for the consumers but also for its vast workforce. And for this vast employee network, ICICI Prudential Life’s mantra is to ‘stay and grow with us’ and this is what keeps this organisation ticking.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

Real-estate industry work

2008-08-13T15:21:00.000+05:30

So how does the real-estate industry work in SL? As I said earlier, you start with 512 square meters (16 by 32 meters). You could buy more from Linden Labs (in real world currency) for an additional fee that they call Tier. This could range from $5 a month up to $295 a month for an entire island which would be 65,536 square meters. You could also pay a one time flat tier of $1,675 instead of a monthly thing. Also, just like the real world, you could book your favourite plot of land for $30 if you don’t have the money and pay later. But interestingly, it does not end there. Just like our housing societies, you need to pay a monthly maintenance charge to Linden Labs. This is calculated on the amount you own. The more land you own, the more you pay. So, based on the current tier system, your starter 512 square meters would cost an additional $5 per month, 65,536 square meters of mainland will cost $195 and an island would cost $295 per month. You could also buy land from another resident or purchase it at a Land Auction. Pretty much like an eBay auction, land auctions are extremely popular in SL. What starts with $40 ends up selling at $2000 at the end of a week. In-world sources say that over 15 million square meters of land has been sold in Q1 2007. If I may draw a real world analogy, we are talking about a property boom very similar to what’s happening in India right now.

And just like the real world, this property phenomenon has created a new breed of virtual real estate moguls in SL. The biggest example is Anshe Chung (Chinese-born language teacher Ailin Graef living near Frankfurt, Germany in the real world) who is the first online individual to become a millionaire from profits earned entirely in a virtual world. Dubbed as the virtual Rockefeller and featured on the cover of Businessweek, She owns 36 square kilometers of land and a few million Linden Dollars in cash not to mention shopping malls, store chains, virtual brands in SL. Liz Bartlett’s Livingston Properties (www.khyri.com/livingstonproperties) sells prefabricated housing in SL for as low as 900 Linden dollars along with agent and building services. And the most interesting one: popular american real estate brokerage firm Coldwell Banker (www.coldwellbanker.com) has set up shop in SL selling and renting its own tracts of land in areas like Ranchero, Crowfoot, Elboya, Gorbash and Scurfield.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
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The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

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Waterhead region

2008-08-13T15:12:00.000+05:30

The place I appeared once I logged in for the first time is the Orientation and Help Island. This is where you learn the basics of SL. This is where SL teaches you about Avatars, transport, mouse movements & communication. The first place I saw after that is called the Welcome area. It is the starting point for all newbie residents in the SL world. Originally, the Welcome area was in Natoma in 2002 which moved to an area called Ritch in 2003. Currently, SL has three welcome areas: the Ahern/Morris region, another in Lime/Plum and a newer one in the Waterhead region. Arriving at the Welcome area can be a bit disconcerting. You will see humans no doubt but also aliens, devils, vampires, furries, animals, insects, robots. You may even see a dragon. Usually there is a Linden or two patrolling the welcome area, available for advice. I learnt the hard way not to accept advice from strangers. Some folks will come and try to sell you strange items. Sell? How am I supposed to buy stuff in a virtual land? Well, this is where I learned that SL has its own currency called Linden dollars (L$). Premium accounts receive a weekly stipend (paid in Linden dollars). That’s one of the special features. And since the real world payment can be tendered in L$, there is an actual currency exchange rate of around L$ 270 to one US dollar. In-world currency exchanges and ATMs allow residents to change real world currencies to L$. It took me some time to come to terms with this fact – a virtual currency that has real value!

Stay in the welcome area for as long as you take to familiarise yourself with this new environment. Only when you decide to set up a home for yourself should you venture out. This brings us to the other special feature of premium membership and of SL itself. Premium membership comes with 512 square meters of land. This is actual virtual land that you own in SL. And this is where the fun begins. You can do anything you want on this land. Using the tools provided in SL, you can build your dream home or build a store to start your business. Build some strange but interesting structure that everyone will come and see. Buy an island and create your tropical paradise, modify the landscape, expand it, maybe build your own continent. And if you lack imagination, you could just sell it to someone willing to buy it from you in Linden dollars – the in-world currency. Why would you want to sell your land? Well, you could buy some more land with it. Or use the money to fund your virtual bookstore. For the last three years, thousands of residents have bought land to build their houses, offices, nightclubs, spas and resorts.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

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IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...
The Hindu : Education Plus : Honour for IIPM
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domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs

What to look for in a fund?

2008-08-12T14:44:00.000+05:30

It all depends on your risk appetite and the investment’s raison d’être

While investing in any mutual fund the most important factor to look for is the investment objective of that particular fund and how well does it tally with an individual investor’s financial g oal. Once the same is established and the fund category is selected the investor should focus on the following key elements:

Pedigree and track record of the fund house promoting the mutual fund. This is extremely critical as it would speak of the discipline culture that is followed while making investment decisions for the fund. Mutual Fund business is not only about managing investor’s money, but it also involves managing trust. Hence parentage and track record of the fund house becomes an important parameter in fund selection.

Secondly, for an already existing fund it is important to look at its long term performance, consistency and sector composition. A fund depicting a volatile performance record is avoidable as it may give astonishing returns under certain market conditions, but can fail miserably under other market conditions, not offering a safe avenue.

For a new fund, detailed understanding of the fund’s investment pattern and focus is critical. Since the new fund does not even have a track record to support it, hence investor must focus on understanding what is it that the mutal fund is offering and does a similar fund already exist in his portfolio or not.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

Top Articles on IIPM:-
IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...
The Hindu : Education Plus : Honour for IIPM
IIPM ranked No.1 B-School in India, Management News - By ...
IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
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Hulked out!

2008-08-11T16:41:00.000+05:30

Whoever let him loose?

‘Hulk’ing oil prices have gripped the world, and the problem isn’t rising consumption. karan mehrishi of 4PsB&M takes a closer look

What goes up must come down? How one wishes this was as true for oil prices, which, besides defying gravity, have upset the budgetary calculations of millions of households across the world; not to mention bringing entire governments to their knees. When oil prices breached the $110 mark, analysts were of the opinion that prices would stabilise themselves as consumers would abstain from consumption as soon as they feel the pinch. Those analysts have been caught on the wrong barrel... er... foot, since oil prices are now touching $130, and a super spike to 200 is now considered possibile.

Even though some factions believed that a super spike, prices exceeding $200 per barrel, will be an eventuality, some analysts have a separate opinion. “I don’t think prices of crude will cross $200 per barrel simply because it’s too high. We are at the $120-130 range and consumers and governments have already started to contribute significantly,” says renowned oil expert Sebastian Mallaby, Fellow, Counsel on Foreign Relations (CFR), to 4Ps B&M.

However, there is still no respite from the reality of the impending oil shock and stakes are indeed high. According to Petro India’s Shantanu Saikia, “There is a fair amount of volatility, it all depends on what rice the demand-supply equilibrium is settled at. However, this is not a violent shock; prices can stabilise in 5-6 years, but it should be understood that this is an era of high oil prices.”

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

Top Articles on IIPM:-
IIPM makes business education truly global-Education-The Times of ...
The Hindu : Education Plus : Honour for IIPM
IIPM ranked No.1 B-School in India, Management News - By ...
IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
Moneycontrol >> News >> Press- News >> IIPM ranked No1 B-School in ...
IIPM ranked No. 1 B-school in India- Zee Business Survey ...
IIPM ranked No1 B-School in India :: Education, Careers ...
The Hindu Business Line : IIPM placements hit a high of over 2000 jobs
Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
IIPM Delhi - Indian Institute of Planning and Management New Delhi ...
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs

Satbir Singh, CEO, Euro RSCG

2008-08-07T14:10:00.000+05:30

IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

Satbir Singh, CEO, Euro RSCG: There are few people in advertising who respond to ‘talented’ and ‘nice.’ Anand is one amongst them. He was first introduced to me as a ‘Hindi’ copywriter. However, in the three years that I have known him, Anand has shown that ideas have a universal language. I would like to speak about the ‘bajaate raho’ campaign that we created for Red FM. Once I handed him ‘Bajate raho’ as the foundation, Anand took over the project with his team and created what I would safely say is the best work for any FM channel. It gave the channel a distinct voice and identity. What’s more, it picked up several awards at the Abbys and Goafest as well.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

It’s raining... ...matches, mixes and moolah

2008-08-05T14:48:00.000+05:30

The Indian Premier League is spawning off a slew of affiliated products and services that are basking in the reflected glory of India’s biggest sporting spectacle ever, says siddharth nahata

A staggering sum of $724 million is what BCCI auctioned the eight IPL franchises for; $1.5 million is what star player MS Dhoni fetched when he went under the hammer; Andrew Symonds went for $1.35 million, while the others went for similar hi-flying, though under-a-million sums; Sony Entertainment Television-World Sports Group combine pocketed the 10-year telecast rights for IPL at a mind-numbing Rs.40 billion. And that’s just for starters. The Indian Premier League (IPL) has kicked off a nuclear chain reaction of sorts, with not only the incumbent businessmen (read: franchise owners like Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallya, Shahrukh Khan, etc.) raring to make multi-million dollar profits, but even spawning off an entire list of ancillary industries that are betting on making more than just a quick buck off the ongoing IPL craze. Be it the advertising business, restaurants and eating joints, the sports goods & apparel industry, almost every related sector is grooving to the beats of India’s biggest sporting spectacle ever.

To begin with, the cricket goods industry is going through a cyclical upturn. The Jalandhar and Meerut based world-class sports goods companies, Sanspareils Greenlands (SG) & BDM sports goods, have seen a significant surge in their order books. A senior executive at SG told this magazine that, “Orders have gone up by over 20% thanks to IPL. Not only there’s an increase in demand from players’ camp, but local clubs are also giving more and more orders.” As per his dealer feedback, individual sales in stores have gone up by a significant percentage. “Sales of medium price range goods have received the maximum boost,” he adds.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Growth @ doctor’s advice

2008-08-04T15:13:00.000+05:30

MedPlus is on an aggressive organic expansion mode...

Health is Wealth – retail behemoths to pharma companies seem to have taken the statement too seriously as they chalk out massive plans to make a fortune from pharma retailing. Starting from Ambanis and other retail rajahs to pharma majors like Dabur, all are betting huge on the country’s most promising sector. But for them, it’s a recently developed penchant and even today, most pharma retail plans rotate around north India. So what about south India? Well, for them too, the storyline lacks no punch. And there is one hope that changed the direction of retail winds towards Kanyakumari; a young doctor from Hyderabad who felt the need to introduce organised retailing of medicines in south India. With such a mission and bucked up with his business knowledge (an MBA from Wharton School of Business), a fine summer morning saw Madhukar Gangadi rolling out MedPlus.

“The beginning was not so easy and there was lack of capital. There were also manpower problems as it was difficult to find people who had the experience of running a pharma retail store. But we never compromised on our mission to provide genuine medicines at lower prices,” reminisces Madhukar Gangadi, CEO of MedPlus Heath Services Pvt. Ltd. But his entrepreneurial experience made him overcome such a problem. Moreover, to battle competition from local pharma shops, MedPlus started adding value to its services. For instance, in case of non-prescribed drugs, the salesmen explains the pros and cons of the drug, electronic patient record mechanism system et al. “We also hired people with medicinal background who could recommend certain medicines to consumers. Addressing convenience for consumers, it made sure that atleast one store was present in every neighbourhood,” shares Madhukar. Such a strategy indeed gave Medplus a competitive edge. Today it can boast of 300 outlets spread across Bangalore, Chennai and Pune. The company minted an exorbitant turnover of Rs.100 crore for the fiscal year ended 2007-08, which speaks out for its growing magnitude.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

There’s niche within the mass

2008-08-01T16:08:00.000+05:30

And marketers are searching with a magnifying glass

Earlier this year, when flamboyant business tycoon, Richard Branson launched Virgin Mobile services in India (in collaboration with Tata Teleservices), marketers and industry veterans left no opportunity unutilised to scoff at him. At a time when all existing operators are pursuing a similar strategy of getting as many subscribers as quickly as possible, Virgin shocked veterans by targeting the 550 million strong niche of Indian youth instead. Prasad Narasimhan, CFO, Virgin mobiles, shares, “We target youth as they talk twice as much and SMS thrice as much. They are also the first to adopt any value added service.” Branson has found his niche in the otherwise mass marketed wireless communication sector. He is catering to that segment within the mass which is likely to spend on data based mobile services (where the future of telecom services lies) and drive big moolah into his bank account. With half a dozen more telecom players to debut in the Indian landscape, aiming at a niche audience can actually prove to be the winning strategy, given that the mass strategy has already been deployed and won by the likes of Airtel, Reliance, Vodafone and BSNL in any case.

Even the Indian media and entertainment landscape is tilting toward the niche format, given the media clutter and resultant fragmentation of mass media audiences. Take television for instance. The high TRPs that entertainment news has been fetching, 24X7 News channels have resulted in the launch of channels completely dedicated to Bollywood news (E-24 from BAG Films’ stable) and Lifestyle oriented content (Zoom, NDTV Good Times, et al). Viacom 18, an offshoot of the ever expanding Network 18 and US based Viacom, also intends to launch a host of niche channels in the TV space. In fact, most media houses find niche TV channels a promising market, with some even mooting ideas for highly special interest channels like Golf, Motoring, Gardening, et al. Yash Khanna, Senior VP, Corporate Communication, Star India explains, “Globally niche channels are popular and the main earnings for these is from subscription revenue. Once broadcasters in India too are able to get considerable revenues through DTH and other addressable systems, niche channels will kick off in a true sense.” Advertisers too welcome the possibilities of such channels with open arms. “The sharper the audience a channel delivers, the better for the brand,” avers Naresh Gupta, Head of Planning, Publicis.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

Real estate ruled in 2007. A look at the potential target sectors for 2008

2008-07-31T15:52:00.000+05:30

Real estate ruled in 2007. A look at the potential target sectors for 2008

After getting a brief idea about ‘what lies beneath’ and ‘what’s on surface’ the time has come to get a hang of ‘what lies ahead’. Amidst the rollicking PE investments that are sweeping various sectors of the Indian economy, one truth stands out for sure – the ‘sunrises’ of today might be the ‘twilights’ of tomorrow! And as we say this, we dare to add the natural truth that most definitely, some new sector(s) will lead the lap in the race to woo investors. Here’s a primer…

Statistics reveal that the year 2007 was ruled by sectors like real estate and telecom that counted first when it came to the PE favourites category. And this comes as a no surprise as it fell quite in line with the promises that these two sectors held. Therefore, investments in companies like GMR Infrastructure and Bharti Airtel were some of the noteworthy deals in these above mentioned sectors. In terms of percentage value share for the year 2007, sectors like real estate & infrastructure management led the pack, attracting 36% of the net investment share. It was followed by others like Telecom, Banking & Financial services, Media, Entertainment & Publishing and IT & ITeS, which garnered 18%, 17%, 5% and 4% of the total pie respectively. And now talking about what’s bound to happen in the future, let’s consider the following figures. According to a PE firm, SMC, “There are 366 firms claiming to be operating in India and another 69 that are raising capital with plans to be operating soon. Approximately, over 400 funds are active or about to be active in Indian markets. In total, they seem to be sitting on $48 billion to be invested between now and December 10, 2008.” What this clearly proves is that there is no dearth of money flowing into India through the PE route. However, which are the target sectors for these deeppocketed sharpshooters is still a critical and cloudy question to ponder over.

Sudhir Gupta of Planman Financial feels that, “Sectors like education, especially e-education, will rake in big PE money in the coming future. Then there are also other sectors like healthcare, which will also attract huge PE investments.” Well, believe it or not, from career counseling to preparatory tutorials to vocational training companies, education is one of the sectors, which is enticing PE firms big time. 2007 was a great year for healthcare and it seems it will of course remain in vogue. The year saw a whopping $400 million being poured into this sector, and this fad is still far from becoming history. Currently pegged at $34 billion, the healthcare sector is expected to grow to a whopping $40 billion by 2010. “We are certainly looking at buyout opportunities in the domestic pharmaceutical space this year,” opines Sanjiv Kaul, Managing Director, Chryscapital Infrastructure. Sure enough, a look at the figures would prove that the pharma industry has also been a roaring success amongst the money-laden PE firms.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Investee: RCOM Ltd.’s arm

2008-07-30T17:09:00.000+05:30

Investor: Fortress Capital, HSBC, et al

Investment Value: $337.5 mn

According to Anil Dhirubhai Ambani, Chairman, RCOM, “We are excited about the tremendous growth potential in the Indian telecom infrastructure business. Our strategy to create a separate company for infrastructure businesses has resulted in tremendous unlocking of value for over two million RCOM shareholders. RTIL, as an independent telecom infrastructure provider, has significant growth potential and is on track to become the leading player in India. RTIL will be listed in the future and provide investors another attractive opportunity to participate in India’s incredible telecom growth.” RTIL has already filed the draft Red Herring prospectus with SEBI and would hit the capital market soon to raise an expected Rs.6,000 crores from the public.

Reliance Telecom Infrastructure Limited (RTIL), the hived-off tower business subsidiary of Reliance Communication (RCOM), shelled out 5% of its stake to seven investors – Fortress Capital, George Soros, Galleon, GLG Capital, HSBC, DA Capital and Newsilk – for Rs.14 billion in July last year. The deal put the valuation of its tower business at about Rs.270 billion. The Anil Ambani owned RCOM is one of the first telecom companies in India to separate its tower business. RTIL builds, owns and operates communications towers and related assets under long term contracts. The company intends to invest Rs.46.23 billion in setting up 16,000 towers by 2009.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Hottest ‘News’ on FM

2008-07-29T16:31:00.000+05:30

If TRAI has its way, FM stations will not just belt out Bollywood numbers but also news

Late for office. Missed your daily dose of stock movements. Don’t fret and put undue stress on your grey cells, for now you can know the stock movements while driving! Confused? We’ll explain. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has finally given the green signal for the FM channels to broadcast news on their respective stations. So now, not only the stock movement, but you can also tune in to the latest happenings in the political and business world, with just a flick of the radio channel.

TRAI has suggested that FM radio broadcasters should be permitted to broadcast news using content from AIR, Doordarshan & other authorised news channels. In a recent report revealed by TRAI, the broadcast regulator recommended that to sustain the growth evinced in FM Radio sector, major policy decisions should be taken and these include allowing FM channels to broadcast news under certain FDI parameters. And TRAI believes that this would help those people, who hitherto lacked access to information, without any costs that are attached to the Internet and TV services. A nobel cause indeed!

Ravi Shankar, Former I&B Minister had once said, “In India, news sells.” No doubt the big daddies of radio business are all set to test the water to mint moolah from news broadcasting. According to Munish Puri, COO of Mirchi Movies, Times Information Media Ltd., “News broadcasting has a bright prospect as news in radio will reach a larger target audience than TV can ever imagine. And at the same time, one can generate more sponsors & investors.”

Well, generating investors might not be difficult, what with the regulator already gung-ho about allowing as much as 26% in news broadcasting. At present, FDI allowed in radio channels is 20%. The increase in FDI will be a shot in the arm for these radio channels. A spokesperson from TRAI told 4Ps B&M, “Allowing more FDI will also motivate more and more foreign players to come in, which will create a profitable market fetching in more sponsors and advertisers.” But it’s not only the FM channels that will milk super colossal profits from advertisers once broadcasting of news on FM channels is in full sway. Recognised media agencies such as AIR, Doordarshan, PTI, UNI too will also get a boost and more mileage out of this. But all this will only be possible, once the government gives its stamp of approval. However, FM players are pretty optimistic. Echoes Tarun Katial, COO, BIG 92.7 FM, “I hope the government will implement these recommendations soon.” If and when the government actually allows FM channels to broadcast news, it might create a dent in the foundation pillars of the existing TV news channels, as they’ll also have radio channels to contend with for market share. “No not necessarily. In spite of so many TV news channel mushrooming, print media has not been affected. So radio news can’t disturb TV news channels,” feels a media analyst from CII. So after TRAI, it’s time for the government to tune in to the radio channels for more news.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Full service advertising agency

2008-07-28T14:11:00.000+05:30

Being a full service advertising agency, Webchutney not only creates virals, but also performs traditional media planning functions and buys appropriate space for their clients. “A client from travel, finance or insurance industry would look at search engines like Google as a more preferred destination rather than display advertising. But an FMCG brand would want more of branding and would want media display advertising to be more prevalent. So our media plans are tailor-made to suit the respective needs of our clients.”

Small wonder, with its 360o approach, Webchutney continues to beckon clients from almost all sectors. Some of its big-ticket clients include Google, Infosys, HBO, Tata, eBay, MSN, Indiatimes and the works! In fact, Microsoft has been its clients for more than seven years now. Says Nanda, “For the Chitthi aayi hai viral that we launched for Microsoft MS Outlook 2007, we used a 3D concept, which was successful.” Other campaigns that have brought recognition include the Makkad Man for Desi Martini, Thaakur Ka Inteqaam viral for Wrigleys & KBC viral for Airtel.

The Rs.20 crore agency, which won an international award in the interactive category at Adfest, Singapore, and several awards at Abbys and AAAI Goafest 2007, claims to let its work speak for its achievements. There are also some big plans for 2008. States Nanda: “2008 is definitely going to be an exciting year, not only in terms of virals but also in the social networking platform and the social media space.” Given the berserk speed at which Webchutney is travelling, rest assured it won’t be long before the entire industry catches the raging ‘viral’ fever.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

IIPM, Arindam Chaudhuri, management guru, renowned management guru, iipm-article, the Sunday indian, news weekly, iipm-press, Guru economist, business

2008-07-26T12:47:00.000+05:30

With acquisition of BEA, will Oracle now beat IBM?

Oracle’s quest to become a heavyweight in the middleware segment and its subsequent acquisitions of technology vendors doesn’t seem to be getting over. In 2004, it fought a hard battle to get its hands on PeopleSoft for $10 billion. It went ahead and acquired Siebel Systems for $5.8 billion in 2006. Even 2007 saw Oracle get Hyperion Solutions for $3.3 billion. And now on Jan 16, 2008 Oracle added yet another name to its impressive portfolio with the acquisition of BEA Inc. for a sum of $8.5 billion.

Analysts from Gartner feel that Oracle’s acquisition will have major repercussions in multiple markets that include the integrated service-oriented architecture governance market, as Oracle did not have a competitive product in this market. This acquisition also puts in Oracle in the comfortable number two spot in the middleware market, trailing behind IBM.

So, after PeopleSoft, Siebel Systems, Hyperion Solutions and BEA, what next for Oracle? David Mitchell, analyst at Ovum, told 4Ps B&M, “I expect that Oracle’s appetite is still not satiated. My hunch is that the next move will be in the industry-specific applications category.” Whatever might be the next move for Oracle, the acquisition of BEA will place it better to fight against its rivals like IBM and Microsoft, but it is certainly not enough to snatch the number one spot from IBM.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

Power

2008-07-22T16:26:00.000+05:30

Power hath many faces, with the most prominent being money and clout. The billionaire Ambani brothers are easily at the crest of both. With a personal net worth of Rs.2.15 lakh crore...

...Mukesh claims the fame of being the richest man in India. Estranged brother Anil follows close behind in the region of Rs.1.83 lakh crore... Besides, their respective clouts in the corridors of power – both business and political – make up the stuff for legends. While the former is bent on revolutionising the oil sector by building the world’s biggest oil refineries, the latter is not far behind scripting a remarkable success story, with his telecom, media and financial services arms. Not only this, since their split, the Ambani duo are exploring newer avenues to expand their respective empires. If Anil is ambitiously charting success strategies for the financial domain with Reliance Money, he’s also keen to dominate the power sector with his Reliance Power. On the other hand, Mukesh is changing the dynamics of India’s organised retail party, with his ambitious Reliance Retail project. The sibling rivalry, which took off with the market capitalisation war between the two at the time of their separation in 2005, is now a full-fledged warfare, where the winner will take it all.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)

IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)

IIPM makes business education truly global

The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)

IIPM Campus

$port$ and $$

2008-07-21T12:06:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

What’s new about the business of sports in India? Nothing and everything, says 4Ps B&M’s Steven Philip Warner

Business and sports, or rather the business of sports is a global scheme beaten into shape and pronounced with impeccable style from time to time, by one business tycoon or the other. And the storyline woud read no different when it comes to the Indian sub-continent where huge money has flowed into the game of cricket, with big names in business themselves willing to take strike, moving beyond just acts of buying some $1000 worth 10-second TV spots or sponsoring players, teams and some well-flavoured series for millions of dollars. “So what’s so new in this context?” is what you’d question. Well, nothing and perchance everything!

Yes, indeed the business of sports has existed in the game of limited and test cricket, but today this enthusiasm seems to be spreading out to other games as well. And even in cricket, there’s not just one name willing to take that chance; there’re a host of bigwigs garnering enough interest in matters far beyond just buying ad spaces and sponsoring individual players! The reason behind these moves being obvious media coverage and added mileage to their brand equity as Santosh Desai, Brand Analyst justifies, “Really, it is a matter of fact that no matter how rich you are, you have an inclination towards sports. But there’s more to the whole case here; there’s of course a business edge to it all. Brand building being one, the other one is that sports is one thing which automatically gets you public attention and there is no such difference between media and sports in today’s scenario.” And how about buying off an entire team? Seems unconventional when we’re talking about India, but that’s precisely what’s radical about the manner in which capital is being piped into Indian sports. However, much as these developments create excitement, there are concerns about the sudden increased fervour as well as Harish Bijoor, Marketing Analyst discloses, “All of a sudden, every one in India Inc. seems to be excited about the business of sports. Surely, it’s a bubble waiting to burst! The valuations are so high at the moment. However, in the medium-to-long term, this bubble will surely rupture and everyone will realize their slip-ups…”

But the investors seem least bothered. And if you haven’t heard about it, after Subhash Chandra of Zee fame launched the Indian Cricket League, there’s India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani keen on buying off the Mumbai team from the Indian Premier League (IPL, from the stable of BCCI). In the same breath, read about Anil Ambani aspiring to pocket the Delhi team. Speculations are also rife that Shah Rukh Khan of Bollywood and Russel Crowe of Hollywood are lining up to snatch up a team or two from IPL. And cricketers? Well, they can’t be far enough, can they? After Kishore Biyani of Pantaloons and Future Group fame found a willing gladiator in Sachin Tendulkar, we’ll most likely see this unusual partnership sweep away a team from the IPL too.

Names galore even with floor prices of each team touching as much as a spectacular $50 million each for a 10-year franchise! And why just cricket? Talk about Indian soccer too with Sunil Bharti Mittal announcing his $25 million investment (in association with the All India Football Federation, AIFF) to raise standards of talent for the sport in India by establishing a National Football Development Programme called the Bharti-AIFF Academy in Haryana or Goa. Talking about the initiative, Mittal remarked, “We have become too obsessed with cricket and the time has now come for us to develop football in the country. I am starting with a few hundred crore, but I assure you I am ready to invest any amount of money for whatever it takes for the academy and a few other initiatives…” Well said indeed, but then aren’t the stakes rising with every extra rupee invested? Surely, his vision to globalise Indian football and watch India play in the Soccer World Cup comes at a time when India Inc. seems focused to provide more than just a clerical vacancy to sportsmen.

Then there is Vijay Mallya of the United Breweries and Kingfisher Airlines fame who is burning tracks with his investment of $100 million in his dream Formula 1 team Force India proves that sports in India carries a meaning much beyond just cricket or even hockey! When asked about the whole development, Mallya’s knee-jerk response is, “I can’t comment on why other industrialist are associating themselves with sports, but in my case, it’s the sheer passion in me for Formula 1 sport that has brought me to this point. I have big plans lined up for F1 in India…” And what do the experts say? Binit Somaia, Regional Director, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation asserts, “Many corporate houses have business interests in multiple sectors. Provided that there is a strong executive team in place to manage the various divisions, there is no reason why Mallya should not expand his horizons. Formula 1 ties in well with the lifestyle businesses and it has the potential to provide excellent global exposure to his brands.” Even Santosh Desai confirms the same as, “The F1 purchase goes with Mallya’s targets and his persona. Nobody wants to invest in a sport like hockey and there are very strong reasons for the same!”

Talking of automobiles, there’s Apollo Tyres with its investment of Rs.100 crore in developing Indian tennis. So while there is so much at stake considering the crores being invested, a question arises: Won’t this prove detrimental to the businessmen who seem to be devoting more than their share of the clock to issues beyond their business arenas? Precious time wasted – yes that’s the very concern we’re pointing to here. However, Harish Bijoor discards this concern as he remarks, “Like Mallya is investing in F1 and Mittal in football, I am more interested and concerned about the money than their time that they would have to spend on it. However, when reality dawns, they would realise their mistakes and whether they are paying too much for it.”

True enough, there is no doubt that the various capital infusion moves will give increased mileage to the respective commercial however, the risks are no less apparent. And worse, it might just be too late before the participants realise this… Surely, much play and no work will make the Jacks of India Inc. dull boys, very dull!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

Protest

2008-07-18T12:36:00.000+05:30

Reliance’s retail dreams have turned into a nightmare with protests across many frontiers. Will the protests rein in Mukesh Ambani or further fuel his ambitions?

The senior Ambani’s titanic retail plans with Reliance Fresh has hit a roadblock with the unorganised sector and political parties in the states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh rising tall against it. However, such protests have only given Reliance Fresh much publicity and when 4Ps B&M caught up with Raghu Pillai, President, Reliance Retail on his take on such ‘Protests’, this is what he had to boldly proclaim: “We are not doing anything illegal and neither are we manipulating any social norm. So nobody can stop us from doing anything along these lines and all the protest made against us is totally baseless. In spite of the baseless allegations against us, in a time span of just 13 months we are present in 13 states and in 11 formats. People say that our presence will force the unorganised players to close shops but can anybody actually prove that? There’s room for everyone to grow and when it comes to the protest from kirana stores, I couldn’t recall even a single local unorganised shop being shut because we were operating in that particular state. However, now we are also focusing on collaboration with other people involved in the supply chain like the farmers. But that’s not because of the protest, rather it’s a part of our growth strategy. As the country’s socio-economic state improves, there’s bound to be many changes in India. And what is good for consumerism will ultimately happen. Nobody can stop it, whether in the name of social awareness or in the name of protecting unorganised players. No protest will work against us or stop us from growing.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)

IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)

IIPM makes business education truly global

The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)

IIPM Campus

Truly Blessed!

2008-07-17T17:20:00.000+05:30

It might be new in the ad world, but this agency is fast learning the rules of the game…

How many times have you come across an organisation, or even a person for that matter, that fits in quite well to its name? We are sure you can count the number on your fingers. But, for Blessings Advertising, it’s the name that says it all. The reputation that this budding agency has carved for itself in the ad world, only few blessed ones can achieve that in such a short of time. And for this, the agency cites its own reasons too.

“While designing a campaign for any of my clients, I just follow one mantra: To keep the profit bells ringing for our client and for us,” says an unreserved Amandeep Singh, Director, Blessings Advertisng who along with Ramandeep Kaur co-founded the agency precisely 8 years back. Well, ask him about the reason for naming the venture as Blessings and prompt comes the reply, “I wanted to keep a name by which I always feel protected, hence Blessings.”

According to Singh, “the industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. Especially the year 2007 has showcased some really brilliant work and set benchmarks for everybody to match. There is no room for run-of-the-mill advertising in today’s world.” Undoubtedly, Singh has fast learnt the rules of the game and so has the agency by carving a niche for itself in the direct marketing and sales-boosting promotions. Clearly marking a distinction between ATL (above the line) and BTL (below the line) advertising media, the core competency of this agency lies in the fact that it has always been close to its consumers by directly involving them in their campaigns. “For the consumer, any ad is the reflection of the endorsing company and not the ad-agency and we always keep that in mind,” asserts Amandeep.

Further adding, he says, “We have always maintained a long-lasting relationship with our clients. This has helped us to know them better and efficiently deliver what is expected out of us.” A perfect example of this is the below-the-line promotional campaign for Horlicks, undertaken by the agency, which resulted in over one lakh school children being served Horlicks. Some of its other satisfied clients include Magppie, Omaxe, Eros Group, FnS, Alpha-G Corp and Maishaa.

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)

IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)

IIPM makes business education truly global

The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)

IIPM Campus

Small is the new BIG

2008-07-12T13:13:00.000+05:30

At first, Reliance Mobile planned to use Dhoni in this TVC... but he was busy!

Kids have literally been ruling the Indian ad arena for quite sometime now. With ads like ‘Daag acche hain’ to ‘I’m a Complan boy’ – the new age kids have grown to be a consumer class and ready to make the world their playground. The latest addition to this cute ‘little’ genre is the Reliance Mobile advertisement showing young ones in the age group of 6-10 years, padding up to fulfil their cricketing dreams.

India has always been a cricket savvy nation, where cricket is a religion and cricketers worshipped as gods. However, the debacle in West Indies early this year left cricket enthusiasts cynical and even the staunchest advertisers shied away from the game. Cut to September 2007 and the game of cricket got a new lease of life with World Cup T20. But, the big names in the advertising arena were missing. That did not deter Reliance Mobile from becoming the official sponsor of the T20 World Cup. With the usual high decibel promotions surrounding the World Cup missing, Reliance Mobile tried to cash in on these chhote matches, using cutesy kids who chanted, Chhote match, bade sapne.

But that’s not how it all started. Reliance Mobile had roped in Dhoni as the official brand ambassador and were planning to launch an ad campaign starring Dhoni. However, Dhoni was hard-pressed for time and unable to give dates for shooting. States K. V. Sridhar, National Creative Director, Leo Burnett (agency responsible for creating the latest campaign), “Although Dhoni was the brand ambassador, we still did not build the creative around him, as he had very little time before the team descended for the T20 World Cup.”

With Dhoni ruled out, the creative team sat down to script the storyboard, and the common idea that floated around was that of Chhote Match, considering T20 was the smaller version of the 50 over match. This led to the creation of the Slogan – Chhote match bade sapne. And who better to take forward the theme that all good things come in small packages – of course, cute little kids carry cute communication better.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

The real Indian IT Pioneer…

2008-07-10T16:59:00.000+05:30

HCL has a brand new mascot! The seemingly know it all, funny yet globe trotting HCL employee is more then just arrogant. What he truly represents is the changing face of HCL, a company which not only operates in India but is working towards a better global future as well! With its 51,000 employees spread across 18 countries, HCL has become one of India’s true multinationals with interests in diverse genres such as financial services, retail, life sciences and healthcare, telecom, media, hi-tech and manufacturing. HCL Technologies focuses on what it calls ‘transformational outsourcing’ specialising in areas which will have an eventual impact on the future and business as a whole. According to Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL “Since its inception three decades ago, HCL has always dreamt fearlessly and is responsible for many firsts in the computing landscape. We could well be called a ‘pioneer in modern computing’.”

Sitting at $1.5 billion, revenues have been increasing at an incredible 30% per annum and the momentum is strong! Moreover HCL Technologies prides itself as being one of India’s foremost organisations in terms of innovation. With its relentless struggle to maximise its shareholder and business value, India’s fifth largest IT company will invest close to $625 million toward the establishment of three SEZs across the country. The centres will focus on future technologies and their eventual operationalisation. Even though HCL does not find itself as voracious as its other Indian counterparts like Infosys and Wipro, the company still is a force to reckon with. Going by its new found chutzpah, only sky is the limit for this forceful and fearless dreamer!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

Wish to Dish with SRK!

2008-07-09T12:53:00.000+05:30

Dish TV hits back at rival Tata Sky with a charismatic campaign. And here’s the man who is revolutionising DTH marketing in India
Flasback to a few years and you won’t recall any ad campaign by Dish TV. That’s because they were pretty low on the advertising quotient as they were present majorly in cable dry or cable frustrated areas where there was hardly any competition. But as they started moving to bigger cities and the competition heated, the need to advertise was felt. And in 2007 Dish TV got overtly berserk with their advertising endeavours and roped in SRK as brand ambassador. 4Ps B&M caught up with Arun Kumar Kapoor, CEO, Dish TV, for chitchat on their recent branding and advertising strategies

Dish TV was not advertising earlier. Why the sudden focus on advertisements?
Till about Q3 last year, we did not have content from all the bouquets. We did not have Star & Sony content. In such a situation not many metro houses would have been interested in giving up cable and come to us. Soit was a conscious strategy to cater to smaller towns where people were cable-frustrated or cable-dry.

Why have you chosen a celebrity to endorse DISH TV?

Celebrity provides an instant recall to your brand & breaks the clutter in the cognitive space of the consumers. So we have taken a celebrity to strengthen our brand recall.

Why did you choose SRK as your brand ambassador?

It’s a very scientific marketing exercise through which we selected Shahrukh. We shortlisted Shahrukh, Amitabh, Abhishek, Saif, Salman, Aamir & Akshay. We made a graph, plotted these celebrities on the Y-axis and the attributes and brand values of Dish TV on the X-axis. Our brand values are that we are in the entertainment business, have a technology product, are an innovator, possess a vibrant young brand, which is geekish at the same time as it’s a family product. The guy who fitted the best to project all these was Shahrukh. He embodies the brand personality of Dish TV and its values. Moreover, SRK has a warm personality. If you see our advertising, Shahrukh is the celebrity who fits the best.

Why the tagline Wish Karo Dish Karo?

We decided the tagline after long brainstorming sessions. Everything new in DTH has been brought in by Dish TV. Be it DVRs, movie on demands, and active services, so its a brand promise that whatever your entertainment wishes are we will be the first one to fulfil it.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

Become Global Players, but think local HR policies

2008-07-08T17:15:00.000+05:30

Sanjay Jog, HR-Head, Pantaloon RetailBecome Global Players, but think local HR policiesIndia might be on the track of becoming a global player, but careers are on the track of becoming local. The maximum number of people are in the form of frontline, which is what we believe would be true for the entire industry. For us, our stores have to be like neighbourhood stores. Although, our stores are 50,000 sq ft, yet the feel they should provide and, are providing, is that of a neighbourhood store. This means that it caters to the geography of the area where it’s situated within a vicinity of 3 kms. The employees should reflect the values of the area. Therefore, we recruit people from the locality. If it is a locality dominated by Gujaratis, we would have a staff that can speak the language. It will be the same for areas in Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. One needs to realise that people like to converse with others in native languages and this is important for personal touch.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

His children shout, “Take it easy...” but he won’t!

2008-07-07T11:43:00.000+05:30

A. M. NAIK... Chairman & MD, Larsen & Toubro
His children shout, “Take it easy...” but he won’t!
A. M. Naik heads a conglomerate reputed for its technological sophistication, engineering capabilities & professionalism – Larsen & Toubro. Having led L&T through some of its most challenging times, he enabled it to emerge as a truly strong global infrastructure giant. The global perspective brought in by Naik to L&T’s business orientation involved much more than just increasing the international component of the company’s turnover; it meant changing mindsets and institutionalizing systems to benchmark against international standards. And thus, we saw some spectacular breakthroughs into developed nations market such as the US, Canada, the UK, Norway, South Africa & Australia. He also shares a deep concern for social and welfare issues. But at the same time, this modest warrior expresses his tall vision for L&T as, “I want to create many MNCs within L&T. Each of these companies can have footprints in many countries & grow into mega businesses.” Naik is truly an inspiration for all within & without L&T!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

At a time when job-switching is in vogue, here’s a man who believed & acted otherwise...

2008-07-04T13:12:00.000+05:30

London Business School calls him ‘Leader of Organisational Innovation’ and he won the ‘India’s Hottest Young Achiever’ award in 2002! But above all, Vineet Nayar, President, HCL Technologies, is the man under whose able leadership, technology major HCL has bagged awards like the ‘No.1 Specialty Offshore Services Provider’ (CMP 2005) and ‘No.1 IT Services Firms’ (Global Services & neoIT 2006). He’s the guy who radically remodelled the IT company’s culture through a cutting edge “employee first” approach, breaking down hierarchies and enabling HCL’s human resource. Elaborating, Vineet asserts, “The transparency we have adopted in our employee policy, will see HCL customers closer to HCL compared to our competition. That is the reason the trust, transparency, and flexibility as a core value have been instigated.” In an era when job switching is assumed integral to career success, Nayar proved to be an exception, boasting a two decade long and eventful stint with HCL. Participative leadership at its smashing best, combined with falling attrition rates, stock value appreciation and manifold increase in HCL revenues... this one’s proof of what a committed professional is really worth!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

Growth for survival??

2008-07-03T18:05:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

It was believed, till 1954, that it is impossible to run a mile under 4 minutes. A young medical student in Queen’s England, Roger Bannister managed to do exactly that. Fighting a 40 kilometre per hour crosswind, he ran a mile in under 4 minutes creating history of sorts. Deepak Puri, (a mechanical engineer from Imperial College, London) is not much unlike Bannister. He too faced trying odds (his first two entrepreneurial ventures were put paid due to labour militancy in Kolkata), but went on to create history for Indian business when his third venture Moser Baer, actually became the first Indian company to excel globally at manufacturing optical storage devices.

It all started almost a quarter of a century back in 1983, when Moser Baer began manufacturing floppy discs. The year was significant, as in the spring of 1983 itself, the compact disc technology had just been introduced in the United States. Puri, the visionary had clear plans, and by 1998, Moser Baer begun manufacturing CD-ROMs and today stands tall as India’s largest and world’s second largest optical storage manufacturer. In an interview to Planman Media, Puri said, “We are recognized today as a technology-driven efficient manufacturer and are proud to put India on the global technology manufacturing map.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

China was just such a place,

2008-07-03T18:04:00.000+05:30

IIPM, GURGAON

China was just such a place, and few companies who bought or built businesses there, especially in its early days of open-door commerce, escaped a few years of “learning curve” losses. Similarly, a fundamental belief in an emergent technology often means years of struggle before achieving profitability. Insuch cases, you have to hang on. our strategy depends on it.

But prolonged attempts to fix a business where that purpose is gone, rarely make sense.

Without corporate life support – which peripheral businesses usually don’t get, for the obvious reasons – such businesses have no option but to fend for themselves. It’s a slow death for everyone involved.

How much better, then, to give your people their best hope for a better future. The company buying your “failure” usually has grand plans for its resurrection. Fight your inertia, and let them go for it.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

Dramatic paper that electrifyingly shook age-old perceptions

2008-07-03T17:39:00.000+05:30

Perhaps the most dramatic paper that electrifyingly shook age-old perceptions was the one presented in 2004 by stalwart professors Belen Villalonga (Harvard Business School) and Raphael Amit (Wharton), who analysed “all” Fortune 500 firms and proved unequivocally that “when ‘descendants’ (of founders or founding families) serve as CEOs, firm value ‘is’ destroyed!” Villalonga and Raphael further proved that descendant CEOs “destroy value whether or not the family has control-enhancing mechanisms.” If that wasn’t enough proof to convince why companies should believe in professional managers (called ‘outsiders’) beyond the fi rst generation, a 2003 research by London Business School proffered that family businesses “risk their growth potential if they fail to recruit from outside...” Amusingly, this fi nding gets tremendous support from the subsequent benchmark 2005 research paper titled ‘Firm Performance... In Family Managed Firms’ by David Hillier (Leeds University) and Patrick Mc- Colgan (Aberdeen University), which indisputably establishes how family CEO successions are almost always followed by dramatic declines in not only stock performance, but most dangerously, even operating performance!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

SHEER DYNAMITES

2008-07-03T17:36:00.000+05:30

History remembers ‘warriors’ who fought because they shared a common passion, yet weren’t owners of the land... History will also remember capitalistic warriors of India Inc. who fight on and share a common passion, yet are ‘non-owners’... It will!

Capitalism, they say has a fundamental rule – one who takes ‘higher’ risks also deservedly stands a ‘higher’ chance of winning back greater returns! Well, indeed that’s a reference to ‘first generation entrepreneurs’ who invest their lifetime and fortunes into making that single formula work, trying hard to get that single meeting click and spending endless hours walking in the hot sun to get hold of that single customer... and they certainly do deserve those titanic returns and the full right to run their company, for its an established truth that shareholders of an organisation being run by ‘first generation’ owners earn rich returns. But then the question arises, “What about their descendants?” We take a look at successful capitalistic entities around the globe and in India too; and the truth surfaces – professional managers make living easier for the company and provide better returns to its shareholders than ‘descendants’.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

Protagonists of different sorts!

2008-07-01T12:18:00.000+05:30

No matter what they do, they make sure that it’s big, every time... even if the clock is running against them!
Every rise has its fall… only to rise even beyond! With this wise and time-tested belief we unfold this edition’s list of newsmakers, who for a change have made it to our hallowed corridors not for their echoing success, but after seeing billions of net worth being wiped away in a jiffy... Mukesh and Anil Ambani, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Azim Premji and K.P. Singh are names that are constantly making headlines with aggressive growth charts, but this time, they are protagonists of a different sort. A heart wrenching $10 billion of cumulative wealth of these five bigwigs vanished within a fortnight, which was marked by tumultuous times for global equity markets. Undoubtedly, the last few weeks for the famous five richest that India has produced, first got big gains for these tycoons, followed by a bloody bloodbath at the bourses. Only last month, Kushal Pal Singh, Chairman of DLF Group, made the country proud by becoming India’s third trillionaire in rupee terms (as shares of DLF saw some vigorous escalation).

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)

All’s well that ends well!

2008-07-01T12:11:00.000+05:30

Genpact stumbles & recovers on NYSE
“We are the largest BPO in the country, hence we were definitely looking for a premium,” exclaims Pramod Bhasin, Head, GenPact India, with respect to the listing of the company on NASDAQ. But when the winds of misfortune strike, even such impeccable laurels aren’t enough to rest on. When Genpact went public on August 2, its plans lacked one critical aspect - timing. With a global equity sell off happening from Washington to Wellington, Gen Genpact could only manage to sell shares at $14, against a band of $16-$18 and raised close to $500 million. Genpact is the third BPO company to list on an overseas exchange after WNS (NSE) & EXL (NASDAQ). WNS listed at $20 per share & raised $224 million, while EXL shares were priced at $13.5 and raised $67.5 million. “An international listing helps the company with some very obvious benefits such as more liquidity and diversifications of shareholder base,” says Pankaj Karna, Partner & Head, Grant Thornton, India. So, was Genpact caught in the bad weather or was Genpact really overpriced? Perhaps, both. But even then, despite a lukewarm response, Genpact has had a decent run in the secondary market, as the stock ended at $16.75 on day one. Well, tough times seldom last, they say!

For Complete I I P M Article, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist)