IIPM’s Entrepreneurship program is superior to standard MBA programs

Price rise: Oil's certainly not well

2011-02-08T10:55:00.000+05:30

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With inflation raging at an all-time high, this was the wrong time to hike fuel prices
Vishwa Bandhu Gupta
Former Additional Commissioner, Income Tax

The mounting public anger over the constantly increasing fuel prices is making New Delhi very nervous. Yet, it might seem that several important ministers in this government are suffering from some mental condition that compels them to repeatedly revert to the oil price issue much in the manner of a needle stuck on a cracked gramophone record.

First, in this year's Union Budget, Pranab Mukherjee hiked the prices of petrol and diesel, and then petroleum minister Murli Deora raised them even further. As if these were not enough, Manmohan Singh then went ahead and completely linked the price of diesel to international prices. This came after the PM had announced last June that he was not going to link diesel to international processes. The aam aadmi is at the receiving end of this blatant volte-face.

After fuel prices shot skywards, Opposition parties initiated a strike that hit normal life in the country for a few days. Schools closed down, businesses shut their doors and transportation ground to a halt with many flights and trains being cancelled. Even the nation's biggest trucking union sided with the strike, further complicating matters. But what the Opposition parties failed to do was call the government's bluff. The government was garnering Rs 100,000 crore as import and excise duties on gas and petroleum and subsidising Oil Marketing Corporations (OMCs) only to the extent of Rs 70,000 crore. If you take the gallon rate of petrol and diesel in American gas stations and convert that price into Indian rupees, the petrol rate comes to about Rs 37 per litre and the price of diesel to not more than Rs 24 a litre.

Governments the world over are doing their best to starve off fiscal deficit. India has taken to upping the cost of fuel to cover its overheads. The blunt truth is that it should bring down the import and excise duty for petrol and diesel to a near zero rate. The Indian people are being misled, cheated and completely lied to. The government covers the losses of OMCs but keeps silent about the nearly Rs 100,000 cash garnered by the ministry of finance. India's aam admi is being told the story of losses and not that of profits. The government might go to the extent of linking even cooking gas cylinders to international prices. The bottomline is that UPA-2 is working for the interests of big business. Petroleum price as quoted in the news generally refers to the spot price per imaginary 'barrel' (159 litres) of either WTI/light crude as traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) for delivery at Cushing, Oklahoma, or of Brent as traded on the Intercontinental Exchange for delivery at Sullom Voe. The price of a barrel is dependent on both its grade, determined by factors such as its specific gravity or API and its sulphur content and its location. The vast majority of oil is not traded on an exchange but on an over-the-counter basis. Other important benchmarks include Dubai, Tapis, and the OPEC basket. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) uses the imported refiner acquisition cost, the weighted average cost of all oil imported into the US, as its 'world oil price'.

The demand for oil hinges on global macroeconomic conditions. According to the International Energy Agency, high oil prices generally have a large negative impact on global economic growth. Others argue that the run-up in oil prices over the past few years actually led to an acceleration in global growth. The huge surpluses built up by oil exporting countries were recycled through sovereign wealth funds and the banking system greatly increased investments in emerging markets and helped hold down interest rates in the US.

China's oil demand and growth may be making headlines, but the world's fifth-largest crude oil producer is undergoing decelerating growth in oil consumption and is more a price taker than a price driver, says a new report. Only 19 per cent of China's energy needs are met by oil and the country's oil dependence is weakening. China expects lower consumption growth due to economic rebalancing and efficiency improvements. Oil demand in the rich, industrialised countries of the West already appears to have peaked and the trend in developing economies is toward an ever-smaller increase in the amount of oil consumed for every extra unit of economic growth. In India we have failed to undertake basic oil price reforms. Do away with excise on hybrid vehicles of mass transportation, and lower taxes on such cars. Make Indian Railways run on electricity grids that consume little energy.

Oil prices, in future, given the current bad shape of OECD economies, can only fall and not rise. This was just not the time for increasing oil prices. Food inflation is running at 20% at wholesale prices and 90% people do not have full two-course meals to eat.

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Fans blame octopus for Holland's defeat in 2010 WC final

2011-02-04T10:51:00.001+05:30

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Rage against Paul
Thiruvananthapuram was witness to a unique protest last week. This time around the demonstration was against Paul, the octopus that predicted that Spain will beat Holland in the final of the 2010 World Cup Football held in South Africa.

Dutch fans converged on streets, carrying placards and shouting slogans against the psychic octopus. A group of youth, some wearing orange T-shirts, even carried a placard with the picture of Paul. Thomas Benanson, a die-hard Holland fan, who participated in the procession, said: 'The prediction of Paul led to the downfall of Netherlands in the final. They had reached this position without losing a single game in the tournament. The prediction must have knocked down players' confidence. That's why we protested against Paul.'

Benanson and friends had a strange companion to protest against Paul. Kerala's rationalists are up in arms against Paul, but for a different reason. Sreeni Pattathanam of Bharateeya Yuktivadi Sanghom said that Paul's prediction was nothing but commercialisation of superstition. 'The successful campaign of using Paul, proves one thing that human beings are intelligent enough to utilise a creature like an octopus for their gain,' said Sreeni.

V.A. Gireesh, journalist with a Malayalam newspaper attributes the youths' demonstration to Kerala society's over responsive nature. 'We are used to take out any issue to streets creating trouble to fellow citizens. If political parties can do this why can't a bunch of football lovers. That is how we react,' said Gireesh.

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Students can now do engineering courses in Tamil language

2011-01-31T10:47:00.000+05:30

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Mother tongue advantage
There is good news for students who want to read engineering courses in their mother tongue. Some colleges in the prestigious Anna University, Tamil Nadu, are offering Bachelor of Engineering Degree courses (Mechanical and Civil engineering) in Tamil language.

The courses have been a huge hit as some 99 students have chosen BE in Tamil. Mannar Jawahar, vice-chancellor of Anna university, told TSI: 'Civil engineering can be studied in Tamil in 11 colleges of Anna University and mechanical engineering in 12 colleges. In the next year we will expand this to other disciplines also.''

Mohanraj of Kavundanur in Namakkal district is the first student to take admission is such a course. 'I have no hesitation in studying engineering in Tamil. I may need to know English while seeking job. I can hone my language skills later on,'' he told TSI. Despite high score, Mohanraj opted for the course in Tamil because of his love for the language. Besides, he feels that it will be easy for him to master the subject.

But there are many who are not impressed. Dr. Kalanidhi, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, said: 'When a student studies technical courses in Tamil, he can understand the subject easily, but he cannot get jobs outside the state, not even in Bangalore. In some way he is handicapped. In Japan those who studied in Japanese are struggling. Are private companies in Tamil Nadu ready to give jobs to students who take Tamil as a language to study B.E?''

P.R.Subramaniam, a lexicographer from Mozhi trust, said: 'Imparting education in the mother tongue is good. But before that there are certain steps that each university should take. They should rope in subject experts who could easily translate books into Tamil. Besides, from time to time it should also be upgraded so that new changes are incorporated in the books.'' Also, he suggests students studying in Tamil to improve their knowledge of English so that it could help them get a job.

But Mannar is not worried. He said: 'Nothing to worry about. There are many job opportunities in civil and mechanical fields in the state. That is why we started teaching these courses in Tamil. We will make sure that books are updated every four years. Students who are taking the course in Tamil will also be guided in English language skills.''

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HEALTH SECTOR: PUBLIC VS PRIVATE

2011-01-29T11:39:00.003+05:30

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End of healthcare boom?!?
Ruining public health services is no solution to solve healthcare prob
India's healthcare industry is growing at a rapid pace, with a growth rate of 12 per cent '' driven by higher life expectancy and income, along with transforming demographics, and arrival of life-style diseases vis-'-vis chronic ones! The healthcare market in India is expected to touch $70 billion in 2012 from being half of that in 2007. Mckinsey has approximated a figure of 315 million to be insured by the end of 2010 across the country, which otherwise would have to bear the grubby and sordid environment and substandard facilities of government health centers. No wonder there are one million casualties from curable diseases every year, with very little admittance to specialists, especially in the rural areas as 80 per cent of them have clamored in the cities. Only 400 million in our country can reach specialists portrays a very gloomy picture, leading to deaths or aggravation of diseases for the unfortunate rests. Not only specialists, there are shortages at every level in government hospitals with 24 per cent admitted are below poverty line. The expenditure on health is 4.9 per cent, of which government spends a meager 0.9 per cent with rest 4 per cent being private expenditure. The states involvement in providing standard medical facilities to its masses is even worse ' as a percentage of budgetary allocation its investment has fallen from 7 per cent in 1990 to 5.5 per cent at present. Consequently, India's availability of hospital beds is abysmally low, when the global average is 3.6 beds per 1000, India has shamefully 0.7 beds.

The government, since the last few decades has systematically broken the backbone of public sector healthcare facilities leading to mushrooming of private sector units. There is a comprehensive failure of our government in providing access to basic healthcare of our people. Out of 11,25,000 medical practitioners, only 1,25,000 are involved in public sector units. The urban rural divide is lopsided as well. The cities constitute 59 per cent of all health practitioners although majority of our population live in rural areas. 60 per cent of all doctors in Maharashtra live in Mumbai which comprises only 11 per cent of the state population. Having said government's apathy towards improving health facilities in rural areas, in 2009-10 annual budgets however it has announced an increase of Rs.40 billion.

Behind the glitzy settings of private sector demand for monetary splurge, through avoidable diagnostic treatments, surgeries and other unethical practices has made the patients staggering for fund. Almost all developed nations have an organized health system, with government contribution of 60 per cent to 100 per cent ' with only exception of the United States ' whose treaded path we are following. Before we sum it up, it must be noted that high-end private hospitals, who were charging exorbitantly from the patients blessed with cashless mediclaim; can no longer do it as private sector as well as public sector insurance companies have denied this facility in select cities (it will extended soon in other cities as well) marking the end of a 'healthcare boom' phase. We should not be following American example as 30 million of it's own population is refuted of any kind of medical insurance, with have and have-not gap is widest and ever increasing!

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Master's voice: Discipline can't be imposed

2010-12-28T17:23:00.000+05:30

IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri: The New Age Woman

Corporal punishment can't be condoned but teachers need options to tame unruly students

SP Srivastava
Principal, DAV ACC Public School, Kymore, Katni

When I had joined school more than two decades back, circumstances and situations were altogether different from what things have become today. Earlier, students used to truly respect their teachers. Teachers used to command immense respect in the larger society as well. That was teaching's golden period. Since then, the society has undergone a tremendous transformation. Nowadays, the teacher-student relationship has become commercial. Teachers see a student more as a commodity than as a student. This statement, of course, cannot be held in generalisation as there are lot of teachers even these days who regard students as their responsibilities and who really care for their well-being. However, it is difficult to deny that moral values have changed now and nobody is unaffected by this wave of change. In our days those teachers who were stricter used to get more respect. Students could not even dare to complain about teachers to their parents.

Corporal punishment cannot be supported at all. Beating a child cannot solve his or her problems. However, there are certain things which need to be understood properly. For example, understanding science obviously demands an aptitude suited for the discipline. Parents force children to study science. The teacher understands that the student does not have the aptitude but he is helpless. As a result, he is compelled to force the student to study science more and in the process he might end up punishing him or her.

In our times, 'Spare the rod and spoil the child' was the universal truth. Nowadays, the concept has completely changed. Educationists agree that corporal punishment should not be condoned. I do agree with the point of view that physical punishment cannot do any good to any student. What is more important is to make a student realise his mistake. This can be done by other means too.

In a class of 50 to 60 students, it is certain that three to four students will be wild enough to destroy the atmosphere of the class. It is equally true that nobody can make them realise their mistakes, they are simply not ready to accept they are wrong. In such a situation, what should be the reaction from a teacher who is under immense pressure to finish the syllabus on time? These children enjoy at the cost of other students. Teachers must have options and alternatives to deal with such students. There are also students who take private tutions, they do not pay attention in class and thus destroy the quality time of other students. These days parents have become more possessive of their children as most have only one or two children. So they fear for their kids. They become more insecure. When they come to know that the teacher has punished their son/daughter, they immediately rush to the school and complain to the school administration. When a teacher is warned in front of parents he feels humiliated and later becomes indifferent to students. This is a scary scenario. The future of a child depends much on the taecher and if the teacher becomes indifferent to them, their overall growth suffers.

Incidents of corporal punishments are now widely reported in the media. There is hardly a day when we do not find such reports in newspapers or on the news channels. However, mediapersons fail to understand the gravity of the matter and they usually file biased reports in which the teacher is the perennial villain and the student the victim. They should go a bit deeper into the matter and should be able to differentiate on a case to case basis.

I feel, amidst the clamour for complete ban on corporal punishment, maintaining discipline in school is becoming increasingly problematic. Students, these days, are very smart. They know very well that teachers cannot punish them, he is teethless.

This situation encourages him to take undue advantage of the situation. Discipline cannnot be imposed, it comes from within. The need of the hour is to internalise the process of discipline and education simultaneously. Parents cannot shirk away from their responsibilities. They should devote time so that their children can share their feelings.

I fully accept that children should not be punished for silly reasons. Even the Central Board of Secondary Education has categorically stated that corporal punishment should be banned in schools.

But teachers must have options to tame unruly children.

I believe in positive action. Instead of beating the children, they can be asked to work in the garden or collect waste from the school campus. This way they will learn important lessons in life.

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

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KERALA FASHION: Iconic sari gets recognition

2010-11-18T17:10:00.000+05:30

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It is all the rage in Kerala and other places, including Delhi

Balaramapuram village is at the centre of attraction after Kerala’s iconic “Balaramapuram Sari’’ has received Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection through Geographical Indications Act (GI Act).

The village is extremely popular in the state for producing such a wonderful sari. Thousands of weavers make the traditional Kerala Kasavu Sari for women and Kasavu Mundu for men in off-white with golden borders in this six square kilometres textile land — near Thiruvananthapuram. They are designed to be worn specially on propitious occasions. According to industry sources, about 27,000 handlooms operate in the village to produce these saris. The weavers — shaliyar community — use traditional throw-shuttle pit looms, fly shuttle looms and make cotton fabrics with pure zeri (kasav) or coloured yarn.

Hundreds of families, including women, are fully involved in weaving these saris. More than 200 cooperative societies are active in this area. They are fully involved in the production and distribution of the products. The Balaramapuram textiles are sold throughout Kerala through Hantex, and the exclusive shops of zeri textiles like Kasavu Kada and Karal Kada. “We never depend on mechanised systems like dobby, jacquard and jala. The imagination of the weavers and the excellence in silver covering and the gold plating of the silk make Balaramapuram matchless. We have no professional designers and fashion consultants. Our clothes are pure eco-friendly and survive for long,’’ says B.AnilKumar, a weaver at Balaramapuram.

Balarampuram sari is famous for its varieties. One can select saris from the price range of Rs 500 to 40,000. The weavers say that the North Indians, especially Delhiites, are fond of these costly saris. The gold, silver content of the zari is the significant factor which adds the brand value of the Balaramapuram clothes. “The present protection under the IPR confirms its uniqueness,’’ says Anilkumar, a trader.

But most of the weavers are apprehensive about the special protection. Besides, they fear that the traditional art may die as youngsters are not joining the profession. Of late their biggest worry has been the arrival of mechanically produced Kasavu sari that is available in the market for only Rs 100. Since then, the Balaramapuram sari has been facing a stiff competition.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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Winning: the Mirchi way

2010-08-27T17:49:00.000+05:30

In the recent Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2009, R2, Radio Mirchi emerged the clear leader with over 46.5 million listeners. However, Big FM despite having the largest number of radio stations in its kitty, continues to lag behind the leader and the first mover in the private radio space Radio Mirchi.

Even in the eight key markets (of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune and Ahmedabad ), Radio Mirchi leads with the largest cumulative listenership of 15.4 million. Red FM follows with 7.2 million listeners. Sujata Bhatt, EVP, Strategy and Marketing, Radio Mirchi said, “We welcome the IRS, R2 data .Our lead over the next player is still 128% higher – more than double! We are the clear No.1 in the top 8 cities.” The IRS is the only source of radio listenership that gives a fairly accurate measure of national reach and listenership. The R2 round also indicates that listenership leads of Mirchi are stable and listenership numbers of others who followed the footsteps of Radio Mirchi are slowly but steadily stabilising.

Tapas Sen, Chief Programming Officer, Radio Mirchi added, “I am thrilled to see the IRS R2 results. It is a thumping endorsement of our mood based programming strategy which has obviously gained wide consumer acceptance.” The results clearly reiterate Radio Mirchi’s leadership in the segment.

Pallavi Srivastava

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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Through the frosted glasses in Daizo Ito’s swanky office in Gurgaon, one can clearly see the growth and chaos bustling in and around Gurgaon.

2010-07-15T16:09:00.000+05:30

But an unconcerned Ito is focused on only one thing: how to convert the Japanese behemoth’s missed chance in India into an opportunity to make Panasonic a trusted household name in the country. By Aditi Prasad

The thrilling World Baseball Classic (WBC) finals held at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium earlier this year saw Japan and Korea slug it out for the title, with underdog Japan winning the championship on the back of the team’s super pitching form. Some commentators believe that the photo finish WBC event irrevocably established that baseball was no longer just an American game. But for some others like Daizo Ito, Panasonic India’s Chief Executive, it signified much more than that viz. the curious case of the Indian consumer durables market where Koreans monopolise the segment at the cost of global Japanese heavyweights like Panasonic. Japan beat favourites Korea in the WBC finals, and Ito now has a plan, if not to beat, then at least, join the ranks of the Korean biggies in India’s Rs.26,000-crore durables market.

“We are no longer pussy cats, but hungry tigers,” Ito avers, with a roar, his towering personality almost dwarfing his swank cabin in Panasonic India’s premises at Gurgaon. For those who came in late, Panasonic was one of the first consumer durable companies to have spotted the India opportunity way back in the 90s, much before LG and Samsung soared into the limelight. In Ito’s own words, when he was sent by Chairman Nakamura to take charge of Panasonic’s India operations 18 months ago, he was “shocked” to see Panasonic languishing near the bottom, at 16th position in brand awareness among all its rivals. “In most other Asian countries, we are at the number 1 or 2 positions competing with either Sony or Samsung,” he laments.

Not that the big guys at the company headquarters in Japan were caught napping. Instead, all these years, Panasonic had been merely looking at China as their big growth engine. With the result that today, China contributes almost 8% to Panasonic’s global turnover; while India’s share stands at an embarrassing less than 1% of the behemoth’s global revenues. Ito however is in town to challenge status quo. Reputed somewhat as a turnaround man within Panasonic, the man has, to his credit, turned around the fortunes of Panasonic UK and has also taken his company to the number one position in Thailand over the last few years. Now his eyes are fixed on India. “Panasonic’s 100th anniversary is in 2018 and my gift to our headquarters on that occasion will be to make Panasonic India a stark success,” he avers smilingly. Ito has already got off to a good start. The last year has seen Panasonic jump from relative obscurity to right under the floodlights, courtesy a big budget marketing blitz with a host of ambassadors, including the new heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor and even the Bachchan father-son duo for their ECO initiative.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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With hope, all the way

2010-06-21T15:05:00.000+05:30

December 7, 2009 will witness world leaders from 192 countries gather at Copenhagen to attend the most coveted conference – the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The conference will supposedly decide the future of our planet, which may go into oblivion if a definite framework on limiting carbon emissions before the expiry of Kyoto protocol is not formulated. UN, in its endeavour to connect with the general public, has devised a cause-related campaign with the leading ad agencies of the world (including O&M, McCann Worldgroup, Euro RSCG, MPG, Draft FCB, Tribal DDB, Colle+McVoy, Saatchi & Saatchi, Digitas, Interbrand) by the name of Hopenhagen, which signifies a more hopeful way of living in the future without any adverse effects of global warming. Seems that the mantra of hope propagated by US Prez Barack Obama will find solace in all the major ‘changes’ taking place in the world.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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IT’S NEO, IT’S NOW!

2010-06-01T15:22:00.000+05:30

And the good start of the ODI tournament reflects that the channel’s efforts have worked. As per aMap, the fourth India-Australia ODI got a TRP of 2. Neo Sports’ Marketing Head Abhishek Verma, says, “We are very happy with the initial response to the tournament. And these are aMap ratings… The TAM ratings for cricket matches are generally double of that of aMap. Moreover, as it is becoming a close fight for the series we are expecting an average TAM ratings of 8-9 points for the entire tournament. The advertisers’ response to the tournament has also been good. Neo Sports got eight sponsors on board, including brands like Hero Honda, Tata DoCoMo, Gillete et al. In fact, DoCoMo has joined in as a sponsor for the entire six month season on Neo cricket The ad rates are Rs.3.5 lakh for a 10-second slot for bulk buyers and for usual buyers, it is Rs.4 lakh. This is at-par with the much hyped IPL 2 ad-rates. When quizzed about the warm response from advertisers for the Hero Honda Cup despite the recent bad performance of cricketing events on TV, a media planner said, “Any India playing cricket attracts eyeballs. That’s why bilateral tournaments with India get a very high rating and wider reach, compared to a tournament or a Twenty20 cricket (excluding IPL). This is because there is no fear of India getting knocked out. And that’s why advertisers are excited about the India-Australia series.” Neo cricket is expecting Rs.150 crore revenues from the ongoing HH Cup alone. For the six month long season the channel expects ad revenues approximating to Rs.500-600 crore. This figure is close to 40% of the entire advertising spend on cricket in a year (Rs.1300-1500 crore).

But the question is with channels like ESPN (seasoned in sports broadcasting globally) and SETMAX (that has some of the hottest cricket properties), will a two year-old channel like Neo cricket be able to make a space for itself? On the face of it, this may look like a herculean task, but Neo has been doing well on the back of the telecast rights for all international and domestic cricket played in India. In fact, the channel became the most watched sports channel in 2008, with a market share of almost 28%.

And keeping in mind India’s fascination for cricket (at least when the Men in Blue are around), Neo is sitting on a gold mine... at least till it owns those telecast rights!

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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When Spin Doctors give the PR Push

2010-05-17T17:51:00.001+05:30

How different it is to build a political brand as compared to a corporate brand through PR activation? Well, it’s similar... but not identical!

It was during April-May this year that all of us were subjected to the frenzy created by the political parties and their choice of leaders in a run up to General Elections. Political posters, advertising spots, hurried activities and flurry created by rallies screamed all through the day to ‘vote-for-me’ pleading candidates. The distorted images of leaders wrestled for attention, holding onto the voters’ index finger. A while later you found yourself in the ballot booth, conscious of the fact that your vote counts, though subconsciously sending off similes of candidates who successfully incarcerated your attention.

Yes, welcome to the world of ‘undeciders’! And being in this special ‘undecided’ category, you happen to prove all exit polls wrong and make the unthinkable happen. You end up voting for a candidate who has been able to communicate his achievements effectively. The man, or the woman, you voted for may be as good as the competition, but he or she has scored in terms of efficiently and effectively communicating with the buyer; read voter in this case. The situation at a hyper-market is so much alike. Building a political brand is similar to building a consumer brand – similar, but not identical. To build a consumer brand, a product is needed to position against a target group. A political brand, on the other hand, is developed to strike functional and emotional values to an electorate despite the difficulty of defining the market place. The single most distinction towards PRable communication between a consumer brand and a political brand is the ‘value proposition on offer’ around which a consumer brand is built. A political brand is positioned on the basis of the history of the political party, credentials of the political leader and the character that is to be highlighted on the block. These three fundamentals of communication for a political brand make it a tad complex over a consumer brand. The political brand must signify party lineage ably supported by credible manifestos and policies. The party’s credibility typically has a huge rub off on the positioning of an individual leader. Similarly, soiled reputation of a colleague on the political brand can hamper the desired image. There are often multiple opposing brands in one party, more so for Indian electorate where allies come together to form a ruling party or an opposition. For instance, the Congress has a certain brand image and equity, and its allies and political leaders have their own brand image. The PR strategy needs to inculcate such details, especially while positioning a leader at constituency level. For a consumer brand, the brand positioning is devoid of sub-brands and complicated alliances. The attributes of a consumer brand reach out to a specified target audience nationally.

With the evolution of media sphere and increased public scrutiny, corporates and politicians alike are under intense pressure to act transparently and hence the need to communicate. PR perhaps gives them the edge on any other medium to communicate effectively to the target audience, as PR places exposure through third party endorsements and brings about credibility. While PR communication for a consumer brand is more forthright and is based on key characteristics, a political brand is more focused on building an emotional quotient with the target audience. In western countries, Political PR is often referred to as spin doctoring. While the term spin doctors may have some negative connotation, it essentially includes selectively presenting facts and quotes that support one’s position. Spin doctoring carefully times the release of certain news so it can take advantage of prominent events. In India, while Consumer PR has evolved to a large extent, Political PR is still carried on a selective basis with the sole intent of managing media exposure during the election process. However, with PR coming of age, it is only time that political PR will gain ground and be a part of the political team at a more strategic level.

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

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Can Piaggio ride faster?

2010-04-26T15:17:00.000+05:30

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

As per the latest reports, Piaggio has plans to launch brands like Gilera, Aprilia and Derbi (a small motorcycle), alongwith the much-popular Vespa brand. “If Piaggio will enter the Indian two-wheeler market, the Vespa brand will definitely be there. But it’s too early to talk about the other possible brands,” adds Chopra. But what convinces Piaggio to mark a re-entry after a long 10 years? “The Indian two-wheelers market is one of the fastest growing after China in the world. Moreover, its attractiveness ensures that competition will get all the more intense going forward,” shares the market leader’s top honcho, Shinji Aoyama, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooters India limited (HMSI). HMSI enjoys more than 50% market share in the scooters segment. When quizzed on his vision for the two-wheeler market, Piaggio’s Chopra agreeingly states, “We at Piaggio see a huge opportunity in the Indian two-wheeler market and we would not like to miss out on the same.” As per industry sources, the company will be manufacturing two-wheelers at its manufacturing plant at Baramati, Maharashtra, where its three-wheelers are currently being manufactured.

In fact, Piaggio is also equally bullish on the three-wheeler segment and it plans to roll-out variants in petrol, CNG and LPG by end-2009. “We pioneered the LCV segment in the country and we are the market leader despite the fact that there was a big market that Piaggio wasn’t catering to,” avows Chopra. The company is also planning to launch a mini truck – a half-tonne 4-wheeled truck by early 2010. But the biggest task would be to win the consumer’s trust when it comes to the two-wheeler segment for Piaggio. The company will have to spend bigger bucks to ensure closer ties with the consumer. The already comfortable position of Piaggio in the three-wheeler segment, will help the company in both the branding and distribution aspects.

However the top spot in the scooter segment for now surely remains a distant dream for Chopra, as the situation now is a whole lot different to what it was back in the 90s. Can Vespa make this ride easier? For now, your guess is as good as ours!

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
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WESTERN UNION

2010-04-10T12:48:00.000+05:30

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

GOAL: To deliver a consumer intent increase of 25% and transaction increase of 15% for the company.

STRATEGY: To bridge the gap between family and the earner (who is abroad) on special occasions and festivals.

CHALLENGE: With Chennai being single largest market in India, the task was to develop a different brand identity in order to differentiate and position it as a service that delivers beyond functional benefits.

IMPLEMENTATION: On Pongal, WU created a unique consumer touchpoint: LIVE ON RADIO phone call to a loved one abroad and also an SMS exchange of both phone numbers. Next, a 15-day promotional blitz invited participation using spots on FM channel Hello along with on-ground mall engagement.

EFFECTIVENESS: The campaign reached out to 1.1 million people, with over 5,000 families connected via phone and 100 of those connected live on the radio. WU transactions for the quarter grew at around 24% versus the same quarter year ago. It also garnered a 43% increase in ‘Preference & Intent’ levels for the WU brand in Chennai.

Neha Saraiya

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

Music is no longer a priority but their ratings are zooming northward. Gross Rating Points grew 150% in 2009

2010-03-17T13:01:00.000+05:30

and over the last three years, the channel has been growing consistently by over 100%.

Ninteen year old Anchit, a second year B. Com student at Delhi University, is single-mindedly focusing on becoming a Roadie. He has been appearing at the show auditions for two consequetive years now, but has not been able to make it so far. The failed attempts, however, have not discouraged Anchit’s spirit to live his dream. “I am sure next year I will clear all the rounds and become a Roadie. I will prove myself,” he resolutely told 4Ps B&M.

And there are millions of Anchits out there. Their biggest aspiration in life is to become a Roadie. Just click on the Orkut community for the seventh season of Roadies (auditions to go on-air in November 09’) and you can see for yourself the cult following for the show. It’s not just about the over 90,000 registered members, but go through the discussions and polls and you realise that becoming a Roadie is considered the single most significant achievement here. It’s coveted! It’s a badge! A status symbol! And so is Hero Honda Karizma! In the show, the Roadies take their respective Karizma through grueling terrains, harsh weather conditions and of course their own impatience… What started as a unique publicity campaign woven on travel and youth is now reaping rich dividends for India’s largest bike maker. Adds Anil Dua, SVP-Sales & Marketing, HH, “We have doubled volumes and market share in the premium segment in the last two years.” Incidentally, Karizma is the most aspirational bike in HH’s portfolio.

The best part is that MTV’s marketing success stories are no longer linked to just Roadies or Karizma. More and more marketers are putting their bucks where their mouth is and are showing more trust in MTV when it comes to engaging consumers. Last few years have seen a slew of ‘branded’ reality shows on MTV including Vodafone Splitsvilla, Airtel Connected, Pulsar Stuntmania, Kurkure Rock On, Kingfisher Fast & Gorgeous and so on. Today, when marketers think MTV, they certainly seem to think beyond the 30-second spot! Take the channel’s latest hit Pulsar Stuntmania. The show got an average TRP of 0.8 which is impressive keeping in mind that big ticket reality shows on GECs get an average TRP ranging between 1-3 points. What’s more impressive however are the results for the Pulsar bike, which has registered a 30% jump in sales after the show’s launch. An elated Milind Bade, GM Marketing (two wheelers), Bajaj Auto says, “We are in for the second season of Pulsar Stuntmania…The work is in progress. We are just giving it some breathing space but we will be on air again, some time next year…” And that statement brings us to another interesting fact. Most such engaging and compelling marketing associations on MTV have been going on for years. Pepsi Youth Icon has been around for 10 years, Hero Honda Roadies is entering its seventh year and Splitsvilla is preparing for its third season. And why not? Unlike the general pattern on Hindi General Entertainment Channels (GEC’s) where subsequent season TRPs are lower than the previous one; many reality shows on MTV have been doubling their ratings season after season. The season’s average rating for Roadies 6 was 3.11 – more than double the ratings for Roadies 5 (1.5). Similarly, the season average of Splitsvilla doubled from 0.65 in Season 1 to 1.5 in season 2. “Big time youth appeal and a strong connect with the target audience is what makes MTV really tick,” says Naresh Gupta, EVP Planning, Publicis India.

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

IIPM Related Links
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

‘Let go’ in this festive season

2010-03-02T15:25:00.000+05:30

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme

Is consumption environmentally unfriendly? Is that why austerity is being proposed? Not really. Organic foodstuffs are more expensive than ordinary fare just as environmentally clean solar power is more expensive than dirty power from coal. The supposed positive relationship between consumption spending and the carbon footprint is tenuous – junk food and environmentally unsound material can often be consumed in large amounts since they are cheap. So consumers should not confuse austerity with sustainability or with responsible behaviour.

There are of course many, as I have already mentioned, for whom austerity is imposed by the slimness of their pay packets compounded by the recent steep rise in the prices of essentials. The communal way of life offers an escape for them – getting together for community festivities, complete with decorations and self cooked food instead of the expensive gaiety of restaurants and private fireworks. Not only do riches not always make you happy, you do not have to be rich to be happy. Our festivals are a time for social interaction which is not only cost-less but allows one to afford trappings – good food, lighting, fireworks – that solitary efforts cannot.

To summarise, I would advocate a “festival as usual” approach. If you have a lot and feel ashamed to spend it all on yourself, then spread the merriment around. You can remain “green” while consuming and also not go green with guilt – one man’s spending is another man’s income. If you do not have enough, think of grand festive alliances instead of austere seclusion. Do not kiss your festive inclinations goodbye. The show must go on.

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You

IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
IIPM B School : King Khan, Bollywood Badshah and Quiz Wiz — that’s Shah Rukh Khan for you

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF TOI...

2010-02-19T16:12:00.000+05:30

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme

India Poised, Lead India, Teach India to Let’s make this Vote Count in 2009, TOI has transformed its ‘information’ brand imagery to one of ‘empowerment’ over the last three years, says Pallavi Srivastava...

But ask Rahul Kansal, Brand Director, The Times of India (TOI), about TOI’s marketing initiatives in the last three years and he is quick to explain that content remains king for this 171 year old brand. “Marketing is secondary. For us, content is most important. Nearly 90% of our efforts go into improving content regularly, to make it engaging for readers,” says Kansal. And if that sounds a tad too pat coming from the brand head of an organisation that unabashedly celebrates marketing in its success, simply consider the manner in which the daily has consistently changed form and design to keep pace with its rapidly evolving target audience. Starting from the mid nineties, it transcends initiatives like more colour on TOI pages, leaner look, celeb columns and juicy Page One stories that interest and involve the youth - India’s fastest growing demographic. “We moved away from overdose of policy and politics and included lifestyle based news,” adds Kansal. With the result that today, TOI leads the charge among all English dailys in India with a total readership of 13.3 crore (as per IRS 2008).

TOI launched its first TV campaign in 1998 titled ‘A day in the life of India’. Campaigns, launched in the last few years, like Lead India and Teach India have not just allowed TOI to hog premium positioning as market leader, but the accompanying ground activation has kept the masses engaged with the brand like never before. Yet, Kansal says that their marketing budget over the last year has been just Rs.10 crore. He explains the reason as the heavy focus on print and outdoor ads in their campaigns. “For us, swearing to the idea is more important and that makes it effective,” he adds. Take for example, Teach India campaign that was rolled out in August 2008. TOI invited volunteers to take out some time from their routine to teach poor kids. The campaign got a massive response, with over 95,000 volunteers coming forward to take on the job. In July this year, a second round of applications for Teach India were invited and it netted about 30,000 additional volunteers.

Kansal asserts, “We don’t want ourselves to play the role of a passive provider of news. to our readers. We want to be a facilitator. We want to empower our readers to play a larger role in the making of a new India.” And that’s precisely what the future from Brand TOI is going to look like viz. making TOI readers connect to their “Idea of India” that is...

Shivanandan Pare
COO, Bigadda
“It is difficult for me to imagine India without Times of India for the basic fact that it is one of the oldest and most credible brand when it comes to news for the masses. It has given us brands like R.K. Laxman’s common man. it is impossible to imagine the daily without laxman’s cartoons. i associate TOI to a newspaper for india’s common man. Times of India is more of a habit in an average Indian’s life.”

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You

IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
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Brand Performance

2010-02-05T15:56:00.000+05:30

What Microsoft has done to jump to No.4 in this category. Read on to find out

The most prominent entry to this coveted list is that of Microsoft.

Absent last year, Microsoft has jumped straight to the fourth position. Brand Performance increased becasue Microsoft focussed more on the ‘right retail outlets’ in India tying up with big organised players like Staples, Chroma, Reliance et al, which offered it greater shelf space and therefore greater visibility.

Microsoft also brought forth a fusion of style and science. Other new entrants are SBI, Infosys and HDFC. Even though the prevailing high interest rates proved to be a damp squid for SBI & HDFC, they came out as the ultimate winners thanks to the special home loan schemes the duo offered. What’s more, the moment RBI cut rates, both SBI & HDFC were quick to follow suit.

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
IIPM Best B School – EVENTS
IIPM conceptualized the grand final of Dare ‘10 — the most prestigious of international B-school student quizzes

Faith Healing

2010-01-18T16:15:00.000+05:30

Walk into any ‘Art of Living’ centre (an NGO started by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that claims to uplift humanity by bringing peace at the level of the individual, society and the world as a whole) and what startles you is the number of youngsters gathered there for spiritual healing, shattering preconceived notions that it was a place for ‘senior citizens’ who want to make the best of their retired life by enhancing their spiritual self. “Why don’t you opt for the YES+ course?” was the question that was thrown at us no sooner we walked into one such centre in South Delhi. Straight from a marketing text book, eh?

In fact, not only Art of Living, even institutions like International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON), OSHO World, Patanjali Yogpeeth (Baba Ramdev), et al, are all places where gurus claim to offer peace of mind for battered souls. Girish Bhardwaj, a new entrant to the Art of Living course who has already undergone two stages – the Basic and Advanced Courses – avers that “his perception towards life has changed” after attending these sessions. And if you thought that spirituality comes free, welcome to the world of materialistic spiritualism - the course fee ranges anything from Rs.1,500 to Rs.3,000 (for a week long session).

So, what is it that prompts a Gen-X youngster to be a part of such centres. And more importantly how do centres attract such huge crowd?

Well, if you market your courses with tags like ‘Self Development’, ‘Stress Management’, et al, any person in the present scenario would be sure to lap it up. Don’t mistake us. We don’t disagree with the basic premise of such courses, which have almost become food for many souls in today’s stress filled society. What we are only bringing out is the manner in which modern marketing techniques are now being applied to this otherwise spiritual journey! Despite being low on ads in mainstream media, these centres have a huge presence on the Internet and that is one way they manage to attract tech savvy people like Girish. “Having read some books I got all the more confused. Thanks to the Internet, I chanced upon Art of Living,” points out Girish. Moreover, word-of-mouth certainly seems to be one of their key marketing strategies. “You become happy and you would like your near and dear ones to become happy too and that is how it’s marketed” he adds. There’s even a fair bit of showbiz involved in the business because many gurus spend big bucks to buy TV time that allows them to reach out to masses, organise mass jagrans in well-off neighbourhoods and even hire PR agencies to spread their enlightened word to the stressed out world!

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
1 lakh copies sold in less than 10 days of Arindam Chaudhuri’s “Discover The Diamond In you”
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better By Swati Sharma
Events at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

INDIAN BANKS GETTING SET FOR A WHIRLWIND GLOBAL TOUR?

2010-01-11T16:42:00.000+05:30

But therein rises a devil’s advocacy question: Is it really essential for Indian banks to go the M&A route? As Jagannadham Thunuguntala, Equity Head, SMC Capital comments, “It’s better to first scale up in the Indian market, before trying uncertain terrains in the global market. India itself has a huge potential. Considering the banking penetration rate, banks do have a huge opportunity to grow organically within India than without...” There is surely weight in the argument that for banks that have not yet leveraged their competence within India, it’s senseless just to shore up foreign operations simply to play to the gallery. Vaibhav Agarwal, Senior Analyst-Banking reiterates, “I believe that the domestic market in India is amongst the attractive markets globally, offering far higher profitable growth opportunities. On the other hand, the risk-reward trade-off and avenues for profitable growth in competitive global markets do not appear to be the best fit for Indian banks in this phase of their growth. That’s why we prefer banks (at the market place), which are more inward-focused.”

Moreover, the possibilities of inorganic growth within India are also endless. With a lot many small banks still existing in the market, the industry is due for a serious phase of consolidations as shown by the recent merger of HDFC Bank and Centurion Bank of Punjab. The marriage pushed HDFC Bank to the position of India’s third largest bank in terms of market value. But, it’s not only the potential of the domestic market that is keeping Indian banks away from tasting global waters. There are more roadblocks on this global path. The foremost concern is in the lack of advanced risk management systems. Experts believe that Indian banks lack adequate skill to even adopt these systems quickly. Technology too plays a vital role, not only because it has a direct impact on a bank’s business model and process quality, but as it also affects the bank’s distribution channels radically. For Indian banks, which still trail their global counterparts in application of advanced technologies, handling the global consumers would certainly be a tough call. Besides, adoption of new technologies itself will end up increasing costs and besides, they’d also have to invest in changing their accounting principles to adhere to international standards. Adds Bimal Jalan (see interview on page 64-65), Ex-Governor, RBI, “For going global, banks must also follow India’s regulatory system to ensure that the main company remains safe.” But that is business logic put simply. The fact remains that with international valuations languishing at brilliant lows, there is no better time to takeover a foreign bank than now. And then, not every deal is as bad as Jaguar, is it?

In the meantime, some Indian banks are doing all in their means to entice the global customer (not just NRIs), offering attractive interest rates and unique banking options through multi-channel strategies. For instance, ICICI Bank Canada and UK offer unique HiSave accounts to customers. True to name, these accounts offer a higher interest rate on deposits than prevailing rates, ensuring a virtual flood of applications to the bank. When launched in 2005, ICICI UK had to even turn many applicants away as it had not expected such rave response to its HiSave ads. If Indian banking’s baby steps into global stardom are having such an impact, wonder what the full stride will bring in its wake?

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better By Swati Sharma
Events at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

Everyone loves a good slowdown

2009-12-21T16:00:00.000+05:30

Uh... okay, not everybody! But our edit team prowled the roads of India Inc. and zeroed in on a few companies and brands that are loving every burst of the recessionary winds that are playing havoc with the economy. What helps is that India’s slowdown is actually defined as 6% growth. And the smart ones have been making all the right moves to convert the supposed crisis into an opportunity. Now that the green shoots of recovery are showing up all over, the 4Ps B&M team brings you the key strategies of some over-performers who defied every rule in the book and made the best of bad times.

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).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
1 lakh copies sold in less than 10 days of Arindam Chaudhuri’s “Discover The Diamond In you”
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better By Swati Sharma
Event at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM Admission Detail
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

The first ones to break the news of Jackson’s death

2009-11-03T13:07:00.000+05:30

An auction event organised by Julien’s auctions (of Darren Julien), sold a Jackson album ‘Goin’ Back to Indiana’ for $33,750. The auction also featured other collections of Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. Social networking sites have also not let-go this opportunity and have done everything possible to give their users real-time updates.

Twitter and Facebook are alleged to be the first ones to break the news of Jackson’s death. Twitter saw up to 5,000 Jackson-related messages being posted per minute and eventually his death emerged as the most discussed subject on the portal. Facebook saw a similar response; with the number of postings tripling during the hour after the news of Jackson’s death broke. Talking on these marketing techniques, Barry states, “Some companies license rights to use a dead celebrity’s image, movie clips, or music and incorporate those things into TV ads or promotional materials. Others just pay homage to the dead celebrity to gain a marketing association with the individual.”

Even IT giants are getting enamoured by the potential of this mammoth business. Corbis, the digital image company set up by Bill Gates, has bought a Beverly Hills company, which owns the image rights to more than 50 deceased celebrities. Corbis takes a 20% cut of the profits from any endorsement, double the usual rate for a living celebrity endorsement. Even celebrity Promotion Companies like CKX rely heavily on dead celebs for their bottom-line. They purchase the intellectual property rights and thus churn out huge money.

And if you thought that only the big brands and consultants can take advantage of legends that have passed away, you could not be more wrong. Just walk the streets of New York, London or Rio De Janeiro and you’ll see markets flooded with Che Guevara, Marilyn Monroe and now even Jackson merchandise, ranging from T-shirts, handkerchiefs and coffee mugs to sundry decorative brick bracks. True, dead celebs make for hot brands, hotter than even the living ones! May their souls Rest In Peace!

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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THE AXA EFFECT

2009-09-01T12:58:00.000+05:30

IIPM Admission Detail

In July 2006, Bharti ventured into the financial services sector along with the France-based AXA Group with Bharti AXA Life Insurance, General Insurance and Investment Managers. Their performance in the first year of operation was nothing to write home about. Not only did the life insurance business fail to meet the social sector obligation, it had an equity share capital base of just Rs.1.1 crore as compared to others like Shriram Life Insurance (launched in 2005) and Future Generali (2007) who had a base of Rs.125 crore and Rs.185 crore respectively in their first year. Sure, Bharti AXA has picked up since then and recorded a 1355% growth in first year premium collections in FY 2007-08, but does the company have the potential to bring in the next big leap for Bharti? Tough! Given that the Indian market is largely uninsured and under-insured, on the face of it, there does seem huge potential for private insurers to cash in. But Bharti AXA has largely concentrated on the urban market so far, with limited focus on the mass market - lower income sections, semi-urban and rural markets. Moreover, Bharti AXA’s high-cost operating model has been unable to yield profitability in the low ticket high volume business. N. Wadhwa, MD, SKI Capital Securities, sums up, “Bharti entered the sector without appropriate knowledge and expertise.”

There are others who believe that given Bharti’s stature and reputation in the Indian market, it should be easier for them to get customers for their financial businesses. Asserts Ashok Jainani, Vice President – Research & Market Strategy, Khandwala Securities Ltd, “In my opinion, Bharti’s insurance business will succeed mainly because it is a very capital intensive industry and Bharti AXA has the support of its telecom business and can perhaps even take leads from Airtel’s subscriber base.” He further explains that there is a huge untapped mass potential in both urban and rural areas, which has not been exploited. “Bharti AXA may not be the number one player in the segment it operates in, but it will surely prove to be a profitable venture,” Jainani explains. He may have a point given that Bharti AXA recorded a whopping 511.8% growth in industry-wide premiums received in H1 FY’09 as compared to last year. But even then, the insurance sector has a long gestation period. And with deeply entrenched players like LIC and ICICI Prudential in the reckoning, even if Bharti AXA does well in the short to medium term, it will take time to join the league of numero unos in the business.

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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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Are you ready to become a chatter-box?

2009-08-19T16:49:00.000+05:30

IIPM Best B-school

Brand: Reliance Comm.
Agency: Leo Burnett

Bol India Bol increased Reliance Mobile’s (RM) subscriber base to about 46 million in the FY2007-08. In fact, RM’s revenues shot 34% at Rs.14,468 crore and its profits surged a whopping 612% . Phew!!!

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

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If this doesn’t glue you, what will?

2009-07-28T13:02:00.000+05:30

Shahrukh khan is coming to IIPM - IIPM 4Ps Quiz

Brand: Fevicol
Agency: O&M
Fevicol’s shadow campaign was and is still considered a masterpiece. It struck a chord with consumers by tickling their funny bone. The shadow sticks to the shutter, enabling the brand to construct a sturdy association with Yeh Fevicol ka jod hai, tootega nahi (bonding). This one sure took Fevicol to its next level of ‘bonding’ with consumers!

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

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‘Zav’iation is now in vogue!

2009-07-14T15:29:00.000+05:30

IIPM only B-school in India to be Ranked Ahead of The IIMs in so Many

Kishor Zavery, Chairman, Zav Airways, in an exclusive to 4Ps B&M 4Ps B&M: How feasible is it to enter a turmoil hit sector and what are your plans to tackle the same?
KZ: I don’t think this is a time of turmoil in the sector. Our main target is to provide the common people with better services in comparison to others. We are coming up with mid-size aircrafts; seat capacity mostly of 70/80. During our operation, we expect 95% occupancy. Whereas, the big-size crafts with 200 seat capacity are currently operating with just 50% occupancy. The additional 45% occupancy is clearly one of our plus points.

4Ps B&M: What are the challenges that you need to be wary of?
KZ: There is no major challenge as such. The north-eastern region has always been neglected in terms of connectivity. So we witness a sky-high demand for air-taxi services. Looking at this potential, we are entering into the sector. The West Bengal Government and the North-East council are helping us to venture into the market. We are not worried about our competitors in the sector. We would rather, welcome healthy competition in this neglected north-eastern region.

4Ps B&M: Pls share some of your strategies to make Zav’s presence felt?
KZ: Our basic strategy is to provide economical air travel. As we want to connect various destinations with maximum comfort at reasonable prices for our customers. We plan to have a pan India presence in the coming future. Beside fulfilling the aviation need in Eastern and North eastern part of India, providing quality and on-time services with better safety to our customers is high on our to-do list.

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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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All hands on the deck, Captain!

2009-06-30T17:49:00.000+05:30

Shahrukh khan to Host IIPM 4Ps Annual Business and Marketing Quiz

Great ads, greater roll-out plans, greatest financials... but ‘talent-crunch’ might just play the spoilsport!

Advertising, branding, positioning, geographical outreach... and any other progressive act that you could possibly cook up, were ‘once’ considered just the forte of private sector banks and their foreign counterparts. Not any more! The public sector banks (PSBs) have shed their conservativeness, for good and are tired of being branded as laggards. Today, their approach towards broader outreach, customer acquisition & education and product offerings is anything but the mark of a self-satisfied, complacent public banker. IDBI Bank is one such name, which has opted for an overdrive as far as re-positioning and re-branding are concerned. The project finance institution turned bank, is leading the race and is aptly recasting its business model, strengthening itself through organic growth strategies and basking in the sun of glorified financials!

Its newest taglines: “Not just for the big boys” and “Aao sochein bada” also project the inherent strength of the bank, which, for the first time in a decade, has hit a positive home-run – a positive net interest margin and the highest annual growth in terms of deposits and lendings (30%) amongst all banks in the country. And today, the bank is not just making money for its stakeholders but also working towards ensuring ‘some’ tomorrow for industries across the board. Picture this: IDBI Bank Ltd. is leading a group of lenders to arrange $1 billion debt for Air India (after the airline failed to raise funds from European banks to buy Airbus SAS aircrafts); some reverse osmosis at a time when the biggest of names in the vertical are running around with bailout bowls in their hands (and 9 more for bailout nos.2 to 10). The bank is aggressively pursing the dream of becoming the 5th largest bank by 2011-12, from being the current 8th. This would also help improve its low cost current account savings account (CASA) ratio, which is pegged at 15.22% of the total deposits to somewhere close to 40% (which is the standard for other public sector banks).

So there’s some dream, and happily complemented by ambitious financials. Digest this – it is targeting a growth of more than 100% in its business to touch Rs.3.35 trillion by FY2011 as compared to FY2008. Considering that market reports suggest an estimation of Rs.2.1 trillion by the end of the current fiscal, another good year will just see it get there! So there’s it – great dreams, super numbers and big hopes... but not sans challenges! And what’s the catch? Having obtained the much needed licence from RBI to add 200 branches (at present it has 508 branches and 880 ATMs) by March 2009, its expansion plan had to be ‘carried forward’ for lack of managerial staff. Given the fact that IDBI expects its branch network to grow by 40% (which will indeed enable the desired business growth), ‘talent - crunch’ may just play the spoilsport.

For now though, IDBI is staying away from inorganic diet; having achieved much success in the change process, as Yogesh Agarwal, CMD, IDBI Bank happily quotes, “The bank has indeed come a long way from being a pure development financial institution and is currently transforming into a new generation, full-service commercial bank...” Better safe than dead! But considering that its internal growth plans are paying well, there’s no need to be swept away by the M&A wave... Silent waters run deep... But wait! Is IDBI playing the ship, or is’t the ocean itself? Whatever its intentions, it needs all hands on deck – manpower! [And that one was for you, Captain Yogesh!]

Gyanendra Kr. Kashyap

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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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No individual can be bigger than the game.

2009-06-04T15:30:00.000+05:30

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

Interestingly, this statement is especially relevant to marketers who are looking to strike the right shots with their shrinking budgets in a slowdown. Pawan Chabra & Pallavi Srivastava of 4Ps B&M examine why, in humbling times, IPL promises marketers what the best celebrities cannot.

Is thrift the only mantra of the season? Well, market logic dictates that it’s not just about cutting back on your resources (read: marketing budgets) but also carefully analysing where the cost benefit analysis of a marketing investment can work overwhelmingly in your favour. Thus while companies are cutting corners in their marketing budgets, it would all be in vain if they cut the wrong corners!

So faced with the question: In whom to invest? In Hrithik Roshan or Shahrukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders? marketers should pause before answering. For the latter promises an intoxicating, blockbuster combination of Bollywood and cricket. Last year, the combo had sent an adrenalin rush through the veins of marketers and advertisers. Most probably, you’re one of those who doesn’t even need to ask how the combo could generate a high sense of excitement among marketers. The answer is obvious. Lalit Modi! The man gave India an excellent platform to combine the protagonists we’ve mentioned above, by his biggest adaptation of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Just brush up your memories a bit and you’ll be able to easily recall the scenario of the last season when everybody was crazily fighting to grab a share of the lucrative IPL cake in any possible form.

Well, if last year, in the peak of the boom, IPL made some sense, this year, in bust times it makes for indisputable business logic! A lucrative deal under IPL may force marketers to channelise their advertising budget from somewhere else, which may also include dropping expensive brand ambassadors or regular advertising spends. That’s the reason why Coca Cola India prefers Shahrukh’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Daredevils over superstar Hrithik Roshan. One look at Coke’s advertising patterns on TV will reveal that Coke has not come up with an ad featuring Hrithik for a long time (after the last ‘Jashn mana le’ ad commercial). Moreover, the frequency of Coke ads has also relatively gone down. Similarly Sprite (for which Coca Cola India has tied up with KKR) also doesn’t have any brand ambassador as of now (Sania was the endorser of Sprite earlier). Undoubtedly, Coke is spending its marketing budget wisely. Probably that’s the reason why they have tied up with Delhi Daredevils for brand Coke and with KKR for Sprite.

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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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Focus on your brand

2009-05-25T12:09:00.001+05:30

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

Take Maruti Suzuki: The now wholly-owned Japanese brand, it seems, changed gears just in time to survive and thrive despite the slowdown. Though not completely unaffected by the slowdown (the market leader posted a decrease in sales for all three months in the last quarter), in January 2009, Maruti Suzuki bucked the trend and reported a 5.59% increase in domestic sales. A closer look at their figures reveal that their recent additions to the A3 segment (D’zire and SX4) is what is making the numbers look so cool. The segment saw a two-fold growth, selling 6,590 units (even higher than their cash cow Maruti 800) as against 2,939 units in the same month last year.

But managing their brand portfolio well is not Maruti’s only claim to the marketing fame. Over the last quarter of stagnating sales, the motor company went on an overdrive to enhance its market penetration. For one, instead of restricting its annual dealer level discount scheme till the end of December (as it does every year to clear year-end sales), Maruti extended the lucrative cash discounts way into February; next up is their strategic tie-up with Corporation Bank to finance Maruti Suzuki vehicles on an all India basis to enable credit access at a time when banks are antsy about lending too easily; and finally, proactively embracing the ‘voluntary disclosure of fuel economy’ to drive home the message to consumers about their leadership in making highly fuel efficient cars. As per Shinzo Nakanishi, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, the move “would enable customers to make an informed choice when purchasing a car in the market.” Look closely and you realise that all these measures were perhaps aimed at luring those 40 million PSU guys, presently flush with funds they made from the 6th Pay Commission killing. “The recent pay hikes and arrears given to more than 5 million government employees after implementation of 6th Pay Commission report can bring back the lost momentum in the industry,” says Shushmul Maheshwari, CEO, RNCOS.

What did the guys at Maruti do? They revitalised their brand despite and in spite of the slowdown by simply emphasising its core brand proposition – value for money, fuel efficient cars – and increasing its value!

What? You think that was a fluke? Okay, here’s another one!

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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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Have the cars, lost the road!

2009-05-08T15:42:00.000+05:30

IIPM, GURGAON

The company had undertaken some prolific investments in the United States, but now it all appears to be overdone to an extent. While launching the expanded R&D facility in Michigan, Shigeki Terashi, President, Toyota Technical Centre said, “Toyota’s investment of $187 million to advance R&D demonstrates our commitment to the North American automotive industry.” Was this called for? An open question…

As a result of this argument, Toyota after a long hiatus is ready to offload close to 1,000-1,500 regular employees in this crisis. Toyota employs close to 30,000 workers in North America and UK and operates about 11 plants in these regions. The company also plans to trim its workforce further and wants to get rid of more employees through VRS. It is now clear that even for Toyota, the days of halcyon could well be over and a stricter market analysis is the call of the day.

Hit hard, Toyota is already beating around the bush or at least visibly so. Before the entry of the new president from the founder Toyoda family, the company has started working on the ‘Market Vision Plan’. Under this plan, Toyota will be working in a more docile way. For once, the company will be focusing more on product susceptibility to changing market conditions, planning for product launches up to the year 2015 and managing production cycles better. In all likelihood, Toyota must modulate its production in line to the changing demands of the market and must have the flexibility to divert unsold inventories towards more prolific markets.

The last six months have made it clear that even Toyota is not immune to making strategic bloopers. As a result of its aggressive expansion strategy, perhaps gloating from its success of becoming the world’s number one automotive manufacturer; an inevitability that was being talked about for years; Toyota is now making news for the wrong reasons. It has been rightly said, you cannot have too much of a good thing. Now what does Fujio Cho do with all those cars???

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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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Play the masterstroke

2009-04-11T12:07:00.000+05:30

IIPM set to beat economic slowdown

Don’t be exhilarated by falling home loan rates, the best time to buy your dream house is still to come

Time, money and opportunities wait for none. And thus not timing the opportunity stands for loss of money. That’s why Gurus say have patience. After all it has its own advantages, especially for those who are involved with the financial and the real estate markets. And considering the present market conditions one such opportunity seems to be present ‘round the corner’ for those who are waiting to invest in real estate.

As the demon of slowdown slowly creeps into the Indian economy and the government is trying to shrug-off all concerns with its stimulus packages. As part of a good news for aspiring real estate buyers and as a result of the combined effort from the government and the Reserve Bank of India, home loan rates have come down substantially. While the interest rates on loans up to Rs.5 lakh has been restricted up to 8%, the same for loans between Rs.8 lakh and Rs.20 lakh is fixed at 9.5%. Moreover, the above mentioned rates can be fixed for up to five years. Now, with these cheap and easily accessible loans at their disposal, its a natural tendency for many of the aspiring home buyers to jump forward to buy their dream house. But then, they should not forget the rule of timing the market. Because as of now, though we have witnessed a slight fall in real estate prices it’s still far from what is being anticipated. (Some very optimistic valuations show that the prices would go down by 40-50% across India. However, few pessimistic research firms like Macquarie Securities confirm that the price falls in most part of India would be around 25%).

Moreover, the real estate players, who are still holding onto their around 50% profit margin, are set to enter into a phase of debt repayment soon. Considering their present liquidity starved situation, the upcoming debt repayment would mean that they are bound to cut on their prices to be able to realise funds stuck in unsold and halfway through projects. And then we may see some real fall in real estate prices. Going by the logic, it’s definitely not advisable to invest in real estate at the moment, feel many experts. Indraneel Karlekar, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Research & Strategy, ING Clarion Real Estate Securities explains to 4Ps B&M, “The macro economic indicators are not yet favourable for investing in reality and the investors should wait for now.”

However, while playing the ‘wait and watch’ game one must not forget the fact that over-waiting with greed may also dampen their profitability. By the way, did you manage to time Satyam’s scrip? Well, some did. Believe it or not, they have tripled their money!

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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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Khiladi unbuttons!

2009-03-26T12:46:00.000+05:30

1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers

Joining the league of Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Sania Mirza; Akshay Kumar, in 2008, became the global brand ambassador of Levi’s 501 collection. While SRK, Rai and Mirza have been the global faces of Tag Heuer, L’Oréal and Adidas respectively; roping in Kumar for the relaunch of their 501 ‘Live Unbuttoned’ campaign, at a time when he was at the peak of his popularity was definitely a smart move by the honchos at Levi’s. The year also saw international luxury watch brand – Tissot – rope in the new chick on the block, Deepika Padukone. It seems that Indian Bollywood stars are all set to take on their international avatars.

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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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When virtual hopes truly come alive, online...

2009-03-17T15:55:00.000+05:30

IIPM Admission Detail

SANJEEV BIKHCHANDANI, MD & CEO, INFO EDGE (INDIA) LTD.
naukri.com has been the cash cow for Info Edge (India) Ltd. Here is the man who began it all, talking what his prime focus and targets are, pan-sectors, pan-globe!

How has been the journey of Info Edge since inception?
The journey has been wonderful. It had witnessed its own ups and downs. We have a very successful job and matrimony business and we are in the process of creating one in the real estate also. Even our gulf operations are also doing well. Thus, overall we are satisfied with the growth of the business.

Has the global economic slowdown affected your online portals business?
Yes it has affected us, as in this quarter we grew at just 24% compared to a fantastic 60% in the same quarter a year ago. So undoubtedly, the slowdown has affected us. But a major reason behind this fall in growth was a negative externality. It was because of the slump in hiring due to global economic slowdown.

Out of all the portals which one is the most profitable one and why?
The largest in terms of revenue is naukri.com, followed by Jeevansathi.com. But undoubtedly, naukri.com is the most profitable one. Although in Q2 of this financial year we saw a slump in growth, but the overall profitability of the portal has remained high. And as I mentioned about the major reason behind this drop in growth, it is all to blame on the discouraging yet true global turmoil. The reason for naukri.com being the cash cow is that we have the first mover advantage till date.

What are the challenges that you face in your business of online portals?
There are a lot of challenges and the recent one is the maintenance of strong growth amid the present slowdown. Moreover, managing your employees and curtailing expenditures are the other challenges. As we presently have a total of nine businesses, maintaining all their health is a challenge.

What’s your take on the competition in the industry?
You see, we expect that our competition will be more affected by the slowdown than us. Thus we expect that we would come out strongest from the slowdown in every manner.

How much revenue is earned from advertising?
Much advertising comes from job related sites and things. Non-job related sites contribute only 3%-4% of our total revenues. Which are your main target market cities in India, and what are the factors that you consider before moving to a city? Our main target markets are Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune, but we also have presence in Tier I and Tier II cities. But before moving to a new city, we look at the local market and consider factors such as internet penetration and the web traffic.

How do you plan to market your portals in India?
For different portals, different marketing strategies are followed by us. Like for instance, for naukri.com, we sponsor HR events and do direct marketing. For Jeevansathi.com, we do a lot of advertising including online and television advertising along with telemarketing. However for Shiksha.com, we don’t do much of telemarketing but do online and sales force marketing.

How has the real estate slowdown impacted you?
It’s in our interest. Builders need buyers and we are the most efficient way of bringing buyers to builders, and therefore we are used a lot more. So it has affected us adversly.

Do you have any major tie-up at the moment?
Yes, we do have some tie-ups with media publications in the job space. However given a choice we prefer to operate alone.

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).

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According to Prof. Nicholas Stern

2009-03-12T12:07:00.000+05:30

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According to Prof. Nicholas Stern, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, India Observatory, LSE, “The world needs to cut carbon dioxide emissions to 2 tonnes per capita by 2050 and India would need to do the same. Therefore, India needs to look ahead now.” Easier said than done, as – even for the Indian government – to move over to the so-called green fuels in one shot is not only prohibitively costly, but downright impractical.

Add to it the fact that carbon trading, as a concept, and as a monetary unit, still lacks global acceptance. Said Bill Sneyd, Director, Advisory Services, The Carbon Neutral Company to 4Ps B&M, “There is still a lot of volatility associated with the carbon price. This is caused primarily by the economic downturn – the expectation is that there will be lower demand for Allowances under the EU-ETS because companies are contracting (or at least not growing as fast as was expected).” Add to it the fact that there have been growing voices in the EU that post 2012, India and China should be restricted from trading in the carbon market unless they also take mandatory sector-wise energy efficiency targets. Clearly, unless Indian companies learn the art of being as unethical as developed economies and their companies have been, perhaps India will continue getting carbon-date raped!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Lost in childhood memories

2009-02-16T15:57:00.000+05:30

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Games is another media that has given a blow to the comics industry, for comics are a great source of gaming content. “Comics, with the right story line and characterisation, can make a great premise for a game,” says Salil Bhargava, CEO, Jump Games Pvt. Ltd. For instance, in the past Jump has created the hugely popular mobile games based on Virgin Comics’ Shakti series – Devi, Sadhu & Ramayan 3392 AD.

All this combined is painting the print comics industry red. Sales of popular comic books have registered negative growth during the past few years. Statistics for 2005 show that Tinkle, one of the leading children’s magazine of Amar Chitra Katha, went down to 40,000 copies a month from one lakh a year back. Diamond Comics too suffered a similar fate as sales dropped from a good 25 lakh copies a month to 14-15 lakh copies a month. Another possible reason for the decline in sales is the marketing expenses. There has hardly been any kind of a promotional event or advertising exercise or workshops that could evince interest in kids and parents alike. “The cost involved to create comic books is no more simpler with the artist fee soaring, with heavy job opportunities available through media & animation,” comments Clifford.

So, what is the way out for our beloved colourful characters in the comic strips? Giving the characters a Bollywood touch is one way perhaps. The Indian psyche always react to their on-screen idols. Having them as comic characters would in fact give our old comic strips a fresh and contemporary look. Also with the Bollywood craze increasing abroad, the comic book industry could actually benefit from the huge NRI fan base of actors scattered worldwide. The industry should also look at the rich heritage of mythology and folklore that our country has. “We need to tap them through comics rather than trying to imitate the western super heroes alone. There has to be an even blend to suit the palates of today’s consumers. The style has to be adapted to tell the story the way world wants. We also need to have strong domestic comic themes and characters to sustain longer and face competition,” says Ramaprasad. A potential market that has so far been neglected is hinterland India. The huge rural populace is still addicted to their daily dose of comics. “Using information channels and media, the comic industry guys should tap the big potential in rural and regional market, especially for low cost titles,” advises a senior illustrator in the comic industry.

Be that as it may, our comic book makers need to sit up and re-look at their business models, and ensure that the joy of reading comics does not get lost in oblivion in the future.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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A FIELD DAY FOR THE MEN

2009-01-19T15:53:00.000+05:30

IIPM, GURGAON

The US banking sector isn’t for the boys anymore and the going may not be easy even for banks that avoided the sub prime trap, but lack scale. Time for critical decisions, says sunanda roy of 4Ps B&M

Just pick them up if your ‘chopsticks’ (read: financial strength) are strong enough! That’s the scene today at the breakfast tables of banking giants that managed to ride the turmoil; because fallen banking giants who have been swept of their feet by the financial storm, make for easy pickings today...

“Wall Street’s leading investment banks have either disappeared or been transformed by the credit crisis,” state Patrick Armstrong and Morgan McGowan, Assistant Economists at Moody’s Economy.com. At the beginning of 2008, there were five major US investment banks that did not also have commercial banking operations: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns. The first two have now become bank holding companies, subject to greater regulatory scrutiny and tighter restrictions on their activities. Bear Stearns was sold to JP Morgan Chase in a deal brokered by the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department in March. Lehman Brothers was forced to declare bankruptcy, and Bank of America acquired Merrill Lynch. More recently, of course, Citigroup and Wells Fargo are locked in a takeover battle for Wachovia. The US banking system, which was highly fragmented for a long time, has seen enormous consolidation as a fallout of the credit crisis. “Four of the top 15 financial institutions in terms of market capitalisation in the S&P 500 stock index at the beginning of the year have gone away in recent weeks and we may see some more going away,” intimated Neena Mishra, Senior Banking Analyst, Zacks Investment Research. Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup, which collectively held 21.4% of the country’s deposits at the end of last year, now hold 31.3% of the deposits. At the beginning of the year, Bank of America was at the top of the list, with a market cap of $183 billion; it’s now in second place with $138 billion. JP Morgan Chase was in the third place at the beginning of the year, but has moved up to the first with $141 billion market cap.

JP Morgan entered the current downturn in a sound capital position and with significantly fewer problem assets than its peers. It has been taking advantage of its relative strength by picking up assets cheaply. The bank also benefits from better goodwill with creditors, counter parties, and even government officials. “JP Morgan indeed appears to be among the relatively limited number of banks that have the capital strength and competitive position to absorb such transactions”, feels Gregory T. Siegel, Equity Analyst, Credit Suisse.

We may see further consolidation in the banking space as bigger players seek to build up their position and may be assisted by regulators in doing so, as we observed in the past few deals. Ultimately, we will see the US banking scenario dominated by the few survivors. For consumers, it would mean lesser bargaining power but also the convenience of a wider array of offerings from one shop. JP Morgan, Bank of America and Citigroup have all bulked up recently. They are all large depositories and all universal banks at this point. “Goldman and Morgan are still pure investment banks, but in a new regulatory structure. It would not be surprising to see them evolve more towards the universal banking model,” added Matthew. With recent deals, it looks as though we may be headed towards a meaningful consolidation wave of US banks. Smaller banks may find it harder to continue alone, while strong larger banks may stand to benefit. Stronger medium-sized banks could conceivably migrate higher to larger-bank status, given the likelihood of a fewer number of large global banks. “In general, we’re seeing the ultimate triumph of the commercial banking model,” opined James Kim - Editor in Chief - Finance, FierceMarkets.
Moreover, banking power will now be concentrated in the hands of a few large banks, notably the big three JP Morgan, Bank of America & Citigroup. The rest, will, of course face the critical choice of whether they should look to make a giant leap; or wait for the right set of chopsticks!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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A real mover & shaker

2009-01-08T13:40:00.000+05:30

IIPM, GURGAON

With 25% share of the online ad pie, Interactive Avenues has big names in its kitty

When a company wants to advertise using traditional media like print or TVC, the obvious choices are the JWTs and Rediffusions of the ad world. But with alternate media forms like digital, online, OOH, et al, becoming more popular the very same companies look at new agencies with expertise in the new media forms. Although online advertising accounts for just 1% of the $5 billion advertising market, it has still become a favourite place for agencies to park their moolah. Interactive Avenues, which started shop in 2006, is a self-proclaimed specialist in offering creative digital marketing solutions to advertisers and marketers. In its two years of existence, the agency has cornered almost 25% of the online advertising pie in India.

With over 200 digital marketing campaigns for biggies like ICICI, AOL, Future Bazaar, Colgate Palmolive, Reliance ADAG, Tata Mutual Fund and ITC Foods, Interactive Avenues has a successful track record, thanks to its presence across all verticals, making it a full service digital agency, wherein all digital services are housed under one roof – from media services to creative, from search marketing to social media optimisation, from SEO to analytics. “Our aim is to be a leader in each aspect of digital marketing, be it creative, display or search on the Internet and mobile,” states Anjali Hegde, Co-Founder & VP, Interactive Avenues.

Interactive Avenues took advantage of being a first mover in the digital marketing arena & had received funds from Sequoia Capital India to boost its business. The agency works as a consultant and partners with clients to ensure that their business objectives are achieved using digital media. The idea is to provide value added counsel with the advertisers and publishers, in order to participate in the overall marketing process of the companies. In 2007, Interactive Avenues created ‘Attack of Germosaurus’ viral campaign for promoting Oral Health Month, Travelguru ‘Reserved for You’ campaign, etc. The agency has a number of firsts to its credit – country’s first digital Agency of Record with ICICI Bank, first Google Video ad & first honoree at Webby Award. All this has given Interactive Avenues an edge over others.

What’s more? With the number of Internet users increasing in millions, Internet search along with display will add many zeroes to the agency’s profit figures. Asserts Hegde, “Our pitching strategy is generally centered on one big idea, which would provide the most creative solution to the client’s marketing objective. We also take a long term view of the business to ensure that the ideas presented are cost effective, scalable & sustainable. We go after clients, who in the long term, would benefit from the digital space. All our plans are directed towards becoming a dominant player of the digital ad market, when it becomes 10% of the total ad market.”

What makes Interactive Avenues stand apart from others in the same genre is its ability to help advertisers understand the true potential of the digital medium. “It feels really great when advertisers and publishers take pride in our work,” adds Hegde. Well, now you know that there is a thinking agency that aims to help advertisers meet their ‘Business Objectives’ using digital media.

Neha Saraiya

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Getting ready for a brand blitz? Wait...

2009-01-05T13:33:00.000+05:30

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Typically, the bigger the brand, the more the chances of it being picked up by counterfeiters to copy, fake and sell. From shampoo, batteries, auto components, clothes to DVDs-CDs, prescription drugs and electrical equipments, every product in every industry is vulnerable. Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Executive Director and Deputy CEO of Mount Everest Mineral Water Limited (another bottled water brand facing the onslaught of smart fabricators) explains, “The counterfeit market is impacting not only companies and their consumer base but also affects the country’s growth.” Incidentally, the government is losing over Rs.9 billion every year, due to sales tax accruals from such unauthentic products.

Market watchers confirm that highly popular and advertised brands are the most likely victims of counterfeiting or piracy, targeted because of their demand and the ‘aspirational’ tag attached to them. The FMCG sector is reportedly losing Rs. 80 billion every year due to counterfeiting, where as SIAM estimates the size of the counterfeit auto parts industry at between Rs.44-63 billion. Says Zaheer Khan, Chairman, EIPR: “Companies spend huge amounts on advertising to increase market share by 1-2%. Anyone losing 10-20% share due to counterfeiting is a huge revenue loss.” Adds Aakash Taneja, Executive Director, Institute of Intellectual Property, FICCI, “Estimates suggest that Bollywood alone suffers losses to the tune of Rs.30 billion every year with films alone suffering Rs.20 billion annually to piracy.” The black market for pirated software in India stands at a whopping $1.275 billion. You do the math!

On their part, more often than not, companies turn a blind eye. After all, imitation is the best form of flattery, right? And if only 2-3% counterfeiting of your brand is there, you wouldn’t bother. But Khan says that it’s important to have checks and balances. “Counterfeits can never stop, but can be brought down to manageable limits. Limits can be defined by brand-owners only,” he says.

Vedavalli Rangan, Industry Manager, ICT Practice, Technical Insights, Frost & Sullivan adds that while in the short run, imitation may seem the best form of flattery (seemingly enhancing brand awareness), “in the long run, the company loses out on its brand image.” The impact is felt largely in rural parts of the country, as illiteracy and low-awareness makes identification of brands synonymous with their packaging. The task of the fake manufacturers becomes explicitly easier in such cases, as they retain similar packaging with minor name modifications - a la Bonds for Ponds, Flair and Lovely for Fair & Lovely, Abibas for Adidas, et al.

The government, investigation agencies and IPR enforcers are making best efforts to track and tackle the menace, but in a country boasting a huge and diverse market, not to mention a less-than-stellar record of coordination among enforcement agencies, the counterfeit industry is flourishing and how. Entrepreneurs like Komla and Das are being born every day. And while the trendy marketer can hardly afford to shun advertising, the only solution in sight appears to be further strengthening brand awareness, reach and penetration, so consumers are not taken in by ‘Demin’ instead of Denim!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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The primary market is in a deep slumber

2008-12-18T12:42:00.000+05:30

IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence

The primary market is in a deep slumber. Even the renewed indications of a global meltdown have just started creeping in. So the simplest thing for the companies planning to dive into the capital markets now is to wait and watch, feels Gyanendra Kashyap...

Samat is literally terrified at the mere mention of an IPO (Initial Public Offering); and why not, his euphoric success in terms of gains from IPOs has dampened like never before. Little did he realise the strong correlation between the primary and secondary market – as the secondary market tanks the primary market goes in for a long slumber. Like anyone else he too was taken in by the fact that the 2007 success story of IPOs (wherein 3 out of every 10 gave returns of more than 100%, 3 eroded the shareholders wealth and the remaining gave returns much higher than the benchmark index) will continue in 2008. To add to the greed of Samat and his ilk, the January sell out of the largest IPO, Reliance Power, which sucked Rs.100 billion out of the market within minutes, laid a solid foundation for bullish expectation from the market in the future to come. But unfortunately, the bullishness started and ended there. What happened to Emaar MGF and Wockhardt’s fund raising plans thereafter is well known. Well, the secondary market which was at its meteoric heights early on in the year has so far tanked over 30% and moving parallel the primary market offerings have also witnessed a sharp decline (35 in first 7 months of 2008 as compared to 65 for the same period in 2007).

Meanwhile, one can see a few gladiators marching ahead to reverse the situation. But, the question remains, will the forthcoming big IPOs be able to woo institutional as well as retail investors and help the market get going? Samat who has burnt his fingers avers, “Capital markets and investor sentiments determine the success of an IPO; as compared to last year the public markets today are not so receptive to IPOs.” Sounds logical indeed!

The non receptiveness of the market was very much evident during the Emaar MGF IPO process, wherein despite two rounds of price cut and a deadline extension it failed to attract investors and finally had to withdraw the IPO from the market. A very similar story holds true for Wockhardt. Both the companies moved out of the market citing the adverse market conditions. The fact that IPOs just do not happen in a free fall corrective market is reflected by the retardation in the number of listings (75, 96, 112 and now 35 respectively in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 year to date).

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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The banking revolution begins now!

2008-12-04T13:16:00.000+05:30

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But issues like security & inter-operability need to be addressed first

Banking is all set to don a new face with mobile convergence...
Navin Thangiah, Director, Market Development,mChek

The mobile phone has revolutionised the way we interact with each other; everyone and everything is just a phone call or an SMS away. Consumers are now demanding the same convenience and instant access in other aspects of life; ‘anywhere, anytime’ has become the norm. Businesses have realised this trend and are exploring ways to satisfy this demand.

The mobile phone is today our personal ‘smart’ device and our mobile number has become our primary identity. One of the first applications of this is in the field of ‘identity management’; use of the mobile phone as a personal authentication and authorisation device. This is at the core of most mobile wallets, a mobile application residing on the consumers mobile and accessible only with a PIN that is created by the user on his phone and hence known only to the consumer. A financial and transactional layer is then built on top of this platform. The transactional layer comprises of various financial instruments like a credit card, debit card, bank account that the consumer can ‘add’ to his mobile application and use as the source of funds for transactions. The transactional layer enables the application to interact with a common payment network that allows the money to be sent to the biller’s account.

While the concept is simple there are many practical issues like security, inter-operability and simplicity that need to be addressed before choosing the right solution. In fact, mChek solution is now focusing on building a simple secure platform that can work across banks and operators without influencing their existing relationship with their respective consumers.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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HP LaserJet M1522n MFP

2008-11-10T15:43:00.000+05:30

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Technical Specification

Print speed (black, normal quality, A4) Up to 23 ppm; Print quality (black, normal quality) Up to 600 x 600 dpi (1200 dpi effective output); Maximum output capacity (sheets) Up to 125; Duplex print options Manual (driver support provided).
PRICE: Rs.21,599
WARRANTY: 1 year limited warranty

A number of features like the 2-line LCD text display, alphanumeric buttons, navigational buttons plus 2 LEDs (setup, up, ok, down, back, cancel) along with copy buttons (start copy, reduce/enlarge, lighter/darker, quality, number of copies) and 2 scan buttons (start scan, scan to) makes this printer sparkle. The product is embedded with software like HP Toolbox FX, HP LaserJet Scan, TWAIN 1.9 or WIA scanner drivers, Readiris PRO text recognition software. The printer consumes 410 watts of maximum (active/printing), 325 watts maximum (active/copy or scan), 10.5 watts maximum (ready/sleep). All these features not just make the print quality awesome, but also with the sort of speed it can print pages at, this printer is just the right choice for business entities.

Marketers’ delight: For corporates, it is certainly the right choice. One time investment and one can simply forget all print-out related problems as this is one answer to all those problems

Tester’s Note: Pros – The printer has a user friendly interface (ease-of-use) and spectacular print speeds. Con – The copy mode for graphic/visual is a real letdown as most people buying a multi-functional printer intend to use it at least in part as a photocopier.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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ACER Aspire 5920

2008-11-05T12:44:00.000+05:30

IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS

Technical Specification

Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate; Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 / 2 GHz; RAM: 2 GB / 4 GB (max); Screen Size: 15.4; Storage Capacity: 200 GB
PRICE: Rs.74,990;
WARRANTY: 1 year

Acer Aspire 5920, though bulky is a great choice for consumers who are looking for a media friendly laptop with a highly portable HD DVD player, which can be plugged into their home theatre systems. The high end features further include HDMI-out, S/PDIF, and Dolby Home Theater sound. The machine also has a long battery life, with storage HD capacity upto 200GB! However, issues like a wobbly display, and too glossy a screen result in distractive reflections and a low native resolution. So what’s the distinguihing feature available at this price point? As per a South Delhi dealer, “It’s the Nvidia 8600m GT video card. Though it’s not the DDR3 version, yet it can be counted amongst the fastest 8xxx GPU.”

Marketers’ delight: It’s a definite yes for movie lovers, with surround sound enhanced capabilities.

Tester’s note: Pros – Dolby 5.1 surround sound. High-quality webcam. Con – Screen resolution poor.

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).

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The Russian economy faced a trial by fire in 1998, but has been on the rebound since

2008-10-22T15:04:00.000+05:30

IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA

There were too many reasons which led to the financial crisis of 1998 in Russia. It wasn’t obviously a one year thing but a long-lasting line of developments, which “prepared” the crisis. It was the absence of well thought out economic policies, weak monetary and fiscal conditions, a full collapse of control mechanism as far as the execution of laws was concerned, and, certainly, the unfavourable external conjuncture with the Asian crisis that led to the downfall of the ailing Russian economy.

It was liberalisation of prices and extrusion of domestically produced goods from the Russian market, which consequently decreased the tax base along with budget revenues, eventually leading the way to the budgetary crisis. Real tax rates were increased, but the collection of taxes was very poor. According to several sources, only 16% of the total enterprises paid taxes in Russia in 1998 with 40% of the economy functioning in shadow. Money laundering was prospering too. Actual inflation figures were intentionally lowered by decreasing social taxes and increasing deferred inflation (currency depreciation, non-payments, increasing of internal and external State debt, et al) which was already out of the State’s control way back in 1995-96. Attempts to curb this inflation with decreasing of money base led to a shortage of cash to serve commodity turnover. This absence of cash to pay taxes & salaries intensified the budgetary crisis and resulted in a flow of non-payments and high volume of barter deals.

Moreover, monetisation of the Russian economy was at 10% of GDP while the common figure for developed countries stood at 70% of GDP. If the State has no revenue, it has to either issue money or issue debt. Russia chose the second variant. The government started to finance budget deficit through borrowing. GKO pyramid started to develop and was promoted with non-residents getting an access to this market, which also fed speculative blowing of Russian stock market (in 1996-1997 it grew by almost 5 times) and further refusals to pay back debts, which the was not possible for the country to service. Privatisation led to the appearance of the institution of private owners, many of which were not effective. It also brought a spike of crime. However, I could not say that everything was done wrong. The situation was difficult and I am sure that in many cases there was no alternative in decision making.

Liberalisation was essential for the transition to market economy. In the result of a deformation of planned communist economy, GDP fell sharply: ~25% cut from GDP was due to a decrease of war production, ~15% cut due to a decrease of the production of consumer goods of low quality, which were previously bought due to the absence of alternative choices. However, on the other hand, the ruble was depreciating in the currency market and its declining demand was partially explained by the fact that companies, for example, could not care less about paying taxes because of the poor State control.

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.
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RAGHAV BAHL - (network) 18 till he...

2008-10-17T14:08:00.000+05:30

IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA

RAGHAV BAHL
(network) 18 till he...

R aghav Bahl is a successful Indian entrepreneur in the field of Media and Entertainment. His media group ‘Network 18’ has done phenomenally well in the past some time. It’s a big expansion plan that Raghav has been working on for his group in the past few years. He is building a well-rounded media entity. He has conceptualised a successful business model, he has launched many successful television channels in the past some time and there is no stopping him. Cliché as it may sound, but for Raghav, ‘sky is the limit’. I really expect his media empire to flourish in the coming years, especially when other prominent media personalities & media houses are joining him in his pursuit to make ‘Network 18’ a goliath in the Indian media terrain. Raghav is a man who’s made his mark in the Media industry. There is a lot more to witness for the world from his side. He is an entrepreneur with an acute business sense and a pioneer. He is truly an inspiration for all Indians. With his unparalleled passion for media, he promises to take Indian media fraternity to newer heights this century.

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.
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The world’s most dangerous jihadists no longer answer to al Qaeda.

2008-10-06T13:02:00.000+05:30

IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA

The first wave to join al Qaeda was Afghan Arabs who came to Pakistan and Afghanistan to fight the Soviets in the 1980s. They were, contrary to popular belief, largely well educated and from solidly middle-class backgrounds. They were also mature, often about 30 years old when they took up arms. Their remnants still form the backbone of al Qaeda’s leadership today, but there are at most a few dozen of them left, hiding in the frontier territories of northwest Pakistan.

The second wave that followed consisted mostly of elite expatriates from the Middle East who went to the West to attend universities. The separation from family, friends, and culture led many to feel homesick and marginalised, sowing the seeds of their radicalization. It was this generation who traveled to al Qaeda’s training camps in Afghanistan in the 1990s. They were incorporated into al Qaeda Central, and today there are at most about 100 of them left, also in hiding in northwest Pakistan.

The new, third wave is unlike its predecessors. It consists mostly of would-be terrorists, who, angered by the invasion of Iraq, aspire to join the movement and the men they hail as heroes. But it is nearly impossible for them to link up with al Qaeda Central, which was forced underground after 9/11. Instead, they form fluid, informal networks that are self-financed and self-trained. They have no physical headquarters or sanctuary, but the tolerant, virtual environment of the Internet offers them a semblance of unity and purpose.

Take the case of Mohammed Bouyeri, perhaps the most infamous member of a network of aspiring jihadists that Dutch authorities dubbed the “Hofstad Netwerk,” in 2004. Bouyeri, then a 26-year-old formerly secular social worker born to Moroccan immigrants in Amsterdam, could also trace his radicalisation to outrage over the Iraq war. He became influential among a loosely connected group of about 100 young Dutch Muslims, mostly in their late teens and born in Netherlands. The network informally coalesced around three or four active participants. Mostly they met in Internet chatrooms. Other popular meeting spots included Internet cafes or few apartments of the older members. The group had no clear leader and no connection to established terrorist networks abroad.

On Nov. 2, 2004, Mohammed Bouyeri brutally murdered Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh on an Amsterdam street, nearly sawing off van Gogh’s head and pinning a five-page note threatening the enemies of Islam to his victim’s chest. Bouyeri had been enraged by van Gogh’s short film, Submission, about Islam’s treatment of women and domestic violence. After the murder, Bouyeri calmly waited for the police, hoping he would die in the gunfight that he expected would follow. He was only wounded and later sentenced to life in prison. A series of raids against other members uncovered evidence of more diabolical plans.

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.
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

Why the fears

2008-09-27T13:51:00.000+05:30

IIPM - Admission Procedure

Michael O’Hanlon of Brookings Institution, who specialises in US national security policy, explains that “if the Pakistanis thought we were scheming to try to go after their nuclear weapons to prevent the possibility of a worst-case scenario, they would be quite put out, to put it mildly, and they would take measures like distributing those warheads even more than they already have. So, we do not really want to encourage this line of reasoning within the Pakistani military.” According to him, the ideal situation for Pakistan would be to keep the fissile material separate from the delivery vehicle. “Maybe, it is even separate from the rest of the bomb in all likelihood.”

Given this context, the question that many experts are asking is about the future course of US action. As Frederick Kagan, a military historian, puts it: “The US simply could not stand by as a nuclear-armed Pakistan descended into the abyss. But I do not envision and do not argue for any unilateral American option even under dire circumstances.” Instead, O’Hanlon says that America “is better off with a policy of quietly working with the Pakistanis to improve their procedures and safeguards.”

Another expert, Thomas Donnelly, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, is also in favour of “continuing to engage Pakistan, or trying to influence things internally.” The last words come from David Albright, President, Institute for Science and International Security, Washington: “In the event of an emergency involving Pakistan’s nuclear assets, the US should be prepared to act quickly if Musharraf asks for assistance.”

Why the fears

A few Pakistani scientists have close links with terrorist groups
Pakistan’s army is becoming more religious and Islamised
If Musharraf distributes the nukes, the problem aggravates
No one knows if the fissile material is separate in Pakistan
The US doesn’t know how to deal with Pakistan or Musharraf

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.
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

Want improvement? C’mon let’s conduct an annual survey

2008-09-22T15:10:00.000+05:30

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Annual employee survey is nothing more than an eye-wash that companies carry out in the name of ‘continuous improvement’

Que: My company runs an annual employee survey in the name of “continuous improvement,” but nothing ever really changes. Now, my boss has asked me to come up with a better way. Frankly, I think the whole “polling the people” thing never works. Shouldn’t we just switch to a town meeting approach? (Name Withheld, Waterloo, Iowa)

Ans: It’s so easy to hate polls, isn’t it – especially now? Everywhere you turn, you’re bombarded with dozens and scores of “expert” surveys about who’s going to win, where and by lastly how much. Then, a few hours later, the poll results change, or turn out to be totally way off, and the pundits (literally!) start hyperventilating. You are left thinking that – as you put it – the ‘whole polling the people thing’ doesn’t actually tell you much about anything. Maybe political polls have their own flaws – obviously; they are an inexact science – and sure, company-wide ‘town meetings’ do in fact tend to generate meaningful debate. But effective employee surveys are, in fact, a form of polling that really works. The key, of course, is the word effective. Unfortunately, too many employee surveys concentrate on the kind of incidentals that get a lot of nattering in the hallways but rarely matter outside company walls. Maybe that’s why nothing meaningful ever seems to change at your company after the results come in.

Effective surveys are devoid of the usual triviality about parking spaces & lunchroom. They’re usually hard-hitting and totally confidential. They focus on the issues that really matter.

And they do so by delving deep into four distinct areas. Firstly, they probe whether employees truly buy into the company’s mission and its major initiatives. Look, leaders can pontificate all day, but the future that they desire will never arrive if employees do not reaaly understand why a change in direction will advance the organisation’s competitive position and as a result their own careers.

That’s why, if you’re moving from a product-driven to a service-driven strategy, for instance, make sure your survey asks employees how much they agree with statements such as, “I clearly understand the role service plays in the success of this business,” and “I support the use of our best engineering talent to upgrade the technology of our service offerings.” Never assume buy-in. Measure it.

Second, effective surveys probe whether managers walk the talk. There’s something inimitably motivating about a manager who does what he says he will and lives the company’s values. Surveys, by dint of their confidentiality, can shine a light on this key driver of employee engagement. They can test how managers behave when it comes to fighting bureaucracy or promoting on merit. Further, they can measure whether senior management is in touch with reality by asking for each employee’s level of agreement with the statement, “What I read about this company in the newspaper & annual report is consistent with what I experience at work everyday.”

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).

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He’s On A New High

2008-09-10T15:40:00.000+05:30

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Siddarth Mallya has the tenacity, ambition and the aggression of his flamboyant father. By ROMSHA SINGH & NEHA SARAIYA

He made his first public and business appearance on May 8, 2005, during the launch of Kingfisher Airlines. It turned out to be one of the most important days of his life, and not because it was his birthday. It was because his father, the flamboyant Vijay Mallya, patted his 18-year-old son, and gave him the best possible gift. Junior Mallya became the official heir to the Rs.60 billion UB group. Siddarth Mallya became a director on the board of United Breweries (Holdings), the holding company.

The King of Good Times, Vijay Mallya, has always celebrated, launched and introduced new products or companies with aplomb and in style. His son’s grand entry into the family business seemed to be no exception. But then, as they say, there are always two sides of a coin; in this case, immense power came with even more immense responsibilities that were directly put on Siddarth’s shoulders. The immediate question that everyone around asked was ‘whether the young son was ready for the new job’.

He will step into shoes that seem several sizes bigger. “Vijay Mallya’s is a personality-driven organization, so it will not only be big shoes for Siddarth to fit into, but a tough act to follow. In the near future, when he joins, UB will try to consolidate its position in every sector,” says an equity analyst in Arihant Capital. From a stage where he was written off by observers, thanks to the burgeoning debt burden of UB group, Vijay emerged as the world’s second largest liquor manufacturer. Can his son do the same in new sectors like infrastructure, and emerge as a strong player in them? Answers Sayed Sagheer, an aviation analyst at PINC Research, “It depends upon what type of grooming he is getting. He could come with fresh insights, and take the group to another level.” Although not much is known about Siddarth, and he’s quite young, there seems to be a business streak in this heir-apparent. After his schooling from Wellington College, London, he’s currently pursuing his graduation from Queen’s Mary, UK. But already, he has acquired the tag of a ‘self-made man’. In his school days, he ran a small business, selling freebies and merchandise to make a quick buck.

People who know him say that Prince Siddarth follows the mantra of ‘work hard, party harder’, which has become common among NewGen middle and upper classes. But he supplements it with a disciplined routine, which he follows as it keeps him on his toes. What’s important is that the son shares a friendly relation with his dad, and is keen to follow his footsteps. Like Senior Mallya, who joined UB at a salary of Rs.400, Siddarth hopes to go through the grind before taking over managerial responsibilities.

Siddharth, who currently resides in London with his mother, has a fetish for sports like hockey (his favourite), squash and cricket. While we know all about Vijay’s love for flying high in his private Boeings, floating rapidly over water in his yachts, and racing fast and furious in his Formula I cars, Siddarth is pinned to the ground. Despite his diamond-like life that includes socialite evenings with the glitterati, he does care to remember the social responsibility work that the UB group is engrossed in.

Fortunately for Siddarth, his father has already done the good job. Today, UB group’s brewing division rules the Indian liquor market with a market share of 37%. As a brand, Kingfisher is globally recognised and sells in 52 countries, including India. In the recent past, the group has acquired national sorghum breweries in South Africa and is aggressively strengthening its market position globally. May be, by the time Siddarth takes over the management reins, the group would have grown manifolds in the liquor business.

At the moment, it seems that Siddarth is likely to acquire the same aggression and ambition. In fact, after Vijay Mallya’s much-hyped takeover of Shaw Wallace, the son was all praises for his dad. Was it just a son-dad obsession, or was the child learning the tricks of globalised business? “He is a young guy and is likely to follow both backward and forward integration,” asserts a liquor analyst. Adds Arpit Agarwal, Research Head, Arihant Capital, “Infrastructure is a huge opportunity for any global player like the UB group. Siddharth would be joining with a lot of new energy.”

However, there are several grey areas that both Siddarth and his group will need to grapple with. The first will be to manage the merger between Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan. Although Vijay Mallya will handle the tricky marriage for the next few years, it will be the son who will have to devise strategies to make it the Number 1 aviation player in India, especially after the proposed Indian-Air India merger and the expected Jet Air-Air Sahara integration. Most experts think that the aviation sector will continue to bleed for a few more years. So, it will be up to Siddarth to turnaround the financial fortunes of the airline, which incurred an annual loss of Rs 2,000 crore.

Then there’s a question mark on the future of dad’s dream and pet project of bringing Formula I racing to India through a tie-up with MOI family named as Orange India. The price tag of the deal between the two is a cool €88 million. May be, Siddarth is not involved in the initial stages, but he will need to ensure that the project turns out to be a success, as well as profitable. The son will be the one who will have to establish Formula I in India. Formula I can easily turn out to be Failure I for him.

Clearly, Siddharth has to make the right moves to ensure that UB group reaches newer heights during his reign. Luckily for him, there are many who feel that he has the instincts and the abilities to achieve this objective. “When children take over corporations, they bring about a lot of value addition. Siddharth’s mindset will be different as he is an altogether different personality,” opines R. Vaidyanathan, an aviation analyst at CII. We just hope that the Mysore cub finally roars like a tiger.

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 :-
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Diplomatically chicaning out of it

2008-08-25T17:04:00.000+05:30

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Ronen will rock if the nuclear deal goes through in 2008

Ronen Sen, India’s ambassador to the US had a tough time in 2007, when he inadvertently described the politicians opposing the Indo-US nuclear deal as “headless chickens.” The ambassador who has been lobbying hard in the US for the deal was obviously peeved at the prospect of deal going down the drain. Although like a true diplomat, he did apologise to the Parliament for his comments, he went back to the US to pursue his agenda, to see that the nuclear deal goes through before Bush Administration is rendered in-effective. He certainly has a task cut out for 2008 & will be busy as the year begins.

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
The Hindu : Education Plus : Honour for IIPM
IIPM ranked No.1 B-School in India, Management News - By ...
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Time-please...

2008-08-19T13:03:00.000+05:30

IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence

all that they don’t have, is time

The fundamental idea of maintaining a lively, accountable and fruitful Parliament as a central body, is to nurture democracy. Since last few years, the Indian Parliament has been more in the news for needless controversies. Since its inception in 1952, the Lok Sabha sat for over 100 days every year. But since 1988, the Lok Sabha sittings have dropped down to about 80 days a year. As if this decrease was not enough, from the year 2003, the Lok Sabha sat merely for 74 days in a year. Studies reveal that, there were merely 53 sessions in 2004, 85 sittings in 2005 and 77 sittings in 2006, and this year i.e. 2007, just 49 sittings have taken place. Ironically, there essentially hasn’t been improvement in proceedings even after the ascent in the number of educated members in Parliament. Often the educated and the suave do not turn-up for sessions and if they do, their contribution remains minimal. The current winter session of Parliament is also a short one. The government is planning to wrap it up by November 30, 2007 under one pretext or the other. For all the big talks of the aam admi, it is unfortunate that when it comes to debate about their well being, the Parliament finds it difficult to spare time. If it costs about Rs.26,000 per minute to run Parliament, one can gauge the loss that is incurred due to abrupt closing of sessions. Well, if they don’t want, let them not go there to debate. How about using this money to give fodder and shelter to the hungry and homeless instead? Isn’t that better democracy?

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
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
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Deccan Herald - IIPM ranked as top B-School in India
India eNews - IIPM Ranked No1 B-School in India
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domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs

Maharashtra

2008-08-12T16:50:00.000+05:30

IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence

You might have seen this place in films or you might have heard more about it from someone who knew less. But yes, humans flock to this destination. Surprising though; it’s not the call of the wild! samar sharma on a trip to this human jungle...

When you think of Mumbai, think movies... We’d like to change this one – when you think of Mumbai think Maharashtra, movies and much more! Listen to what gets Hitesh Patel, Executive VP, Kingfisher Airlines glued to the city – “One has to look out for infrastructure before investing. Mumbai and therefore Maharashtra, is the most lucrative destination for investment in the country. Everyone wants to come here and do business...’’ Literally speaking, he is no different from the millions who flock to the ‘land of dreams’, everyday.

According to the Gallup Survey 2003 and FICCI-FDI Survey 2005, Maharashtra has been recognised as the top state destination for investments. The state today boasts of about 58 SEZs in total – one of the largest in the country. The SEZ schemes carry huge incentives and are transparent, therefore attracting capitalists from all across the world. Even otherwise, the government has drafted widely-acceptable policies to create an investor-friendly environment as Vikram Akula, Founder & CEO, SKS Microfinance Pvt. Ltd. asserts, “Maharashtra is the third state we invested in as it has a huge untapped market. The government has always been cooperative & doesn’t interfere in our projects. With an investment of Rs.296 crore and with a member count of 2.3 lakh we will only increase our investments in this state.’’ Textile zones like Butibori and Ambarnath are perfect examples of the infrastructural growth in the sector which commands around Rs.2,400 crore in annual investment at the state level. This top cotton producing state plans to achieve textile exports worth $50 billion by 2010; quite achievable as experts feel. Next, to talk of the Mumbai airport (which controls 35% of the country’s total freights), the Mumbai International Airport Ltd. is doing a good job, connecting Mumbai to the world. Mumbai also accounts for 90% of India’s merchant banking transactions, and yes, the BSE and NSE are bloodlines for India Inc!

IT and ITeS are another platform that Maharashtra banks on today (thanks to the Pune IT hub). Educational institutions, film industry, art and culture, beaches, wildlife and therefore tourism & agri-tourism, these three definitely help the state government earn for all its worth. Of late, the government also has private players to build better infrastructure.

There is however a problem with the state today – that of an ever-growing population. Mumbai is more or less choked and other cities like Pune are following suit.

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
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
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Abhijit Awasthi, National Creative Director, O&M

2008-08-06T12:45:00.000+05:30

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

Abhijit Awasthi, National Creative Director, O&M: Shekhar is a very restless guy and I really like that about him. He always wants to do something different and he keeps on trying hard to do that. He has got an absolute brilliant sense of music and is exceptional when it comes to things like radio. All I can say is that he has a brilliant ear and audio capabilities. He is someone who is quite rooted and therefore can connect well with the person on the street. He has got loads of experience behind him, is an exceptional team player and builds his team very well. He is also an exciting guy in terms of always trying out new stuff. All in all, this one’s a very happy guy, which is also reflected in the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk commercials he has worked on.

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!

Now that’s what we call hatke

2008-08-01T13:07:00.000+05:30

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

Cool solutions to your everyday problems. With this advertising mantra, Virgin Mobile encourages you to think out-of-the-box

When Richard Branson decided to ring a bell in the land of the snake charmers with his Virgin Mobile, one expected it to be in a slightly hatke ishtyle. And no doubt, the launch ads of Virgin Mobile do not disappoint any on that count. Literally yelling its arrival to all and sundry, Virgin Mobile in a span of just two weeks brought out two very catchy TV commercials that instantly caught the eyeballs of their target audience – the Gen Y. Rajeev Raja, Executive Creative Director, Bates David Enterprise (the ad agency that handles Virgin Mobile account), shares with 4Ps B&M, “The brief that was given to us, was simple – to launch a mobile brand for the youth.”

No doubt, both ads are a standing testimony of how to ‘Think Hatke.’ In the first ad, the parents of a young girl are overtly perturbed when they realise that their daughter has no interest in boys. The girl then easily manipulates her parents and gets their permission to go visit Goa with her boyfriend, Tensing. And all this while her father (literally!) extols the virtues of going out with young boys to his daughter. The second ad further solidifies Virgin Mobile’s youth connect. Caught by a traffic policeman for jumping the red light, a young lad uses his strong presence of mind to easily wriggle out of the tricky situation. The youth calls his friend who imitates as the lad’s father and instead of trying to bail his son out; he berates him for getting caught. The mollified policeman lets the lad go, not realising that he has been royally duped by the youngsters.

The ads bring out that the GenNext Indian youth is not just a rebel, but he also knows how to manoeuvre a situation to come out a winner. Raja further explains, “The Indian youth does not go on morchas and sit on dharna’s or react in an offensive manner. They have a rather cheeky manner to bail them out of the situations.” It is this facet of the Indian youth that has been wonderfully projected in the first two commercials of Virgin Mobile – a girl planning to go to Goa with her male class mate and a lad escaping the fine he had to pay a traffic cop for jumping a red light.

The ‘Think Hatke’ campaign has also been created keeping in mind, the international flamboyant persona of Virgin Mobile that is derived from Sir Richard Branson. Raja points out, “Sir Richard Branson is the one person who stands for reverence & panache, and these values have also been embedded as the brand values for Virgin mobile.”

The third commercial that has recently gone on-air, shares the fun element of its predecessors, but also talks business at the same time. With the call rates already hitting rock bottom, the new ad talks of ‘Get paid for the incoming calls!’ So far, Virgin Mobile has got the right set of ingredients, to break the clutter and get its share of eyeballs. Nevertheless, it plans to get bigger and better as the days progress and is calling out loud, ‘Watch out for me!’

Surbhi Chawla

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).

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Golden handshakes

2008-07-22T12:17:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

Get savvy about the biggest private equity deals over the last year, the biggest dealmakers and what Venture Capitalists look for when zeroing in on potential start-ups! Also in this package, meet the stalwarts at Saif Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners to get a grip on their India strategy. Plus, columns by entrepreneurs who made it big with timely PE investments...

Remember the March 2005 $560 million Warbug Pincus – Bharti Tele-ventures deal? In total, Warbug Pincus infused $300 million into the company and by the time the Private Equity (PE) firm exited Bharti Tele-ventures, it had mopped up a staggering $1.3 billion. Overnight this deal thumb tacked India as a Mecca for global PE investments. Not that PE players did not operate in India before this, but Warbug’s bulging back pocket at the time of exit did take the lid off India as a hot PE destination. If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, merely glance at how the value of PE deals skyrocketed between 2005 and 2007. From $2,183 million in 2005, total value of deals jumped to a staggering $17.4 billion in 2007 (see table), an increase of a jaw dropping 744%.

Interestingly, while PE investments and Venture Capital (VC) funding are clearly demarcated propositions in the USA (where VC funding only refers to investments in early stage and expanding companies); in Europe, VC funding covers all stages. Traditionally, PE players can be described as firms that invest in companies, which already have some revenue base and have future growth potential via restructuring or bringing in new products, services and technology.

However, a cross-section of market watchers opine that in emerging markets like India, the distinction between the two is increasingly blurring and both these terms are used synonymously and as proxies. According to Harish H V of Grant Thornton, “In India, PE is understood as capital being invested typically through a LP (Limited Partnership) structure by domestic and international institutions to take reasonable stakes in unlisted and listed companies through private placement and also buyouts.” For the purpose of this listing of the biggest deals in India over the last year, we will use the term Private Equity to describe the industry in its entirety.

Interestingly, the Warbug deal in 2005 not only rocked the Indian streets by being the biggest stock trade, but also sent shivers to the boardrooms of global PE firms. SMC, a Private Equity firm reckons, “It (Warbug-Bharti) was a landmark deal suggesting the absorption depth of Indian corporate at the investment stage and hence, bringing India on the global radar of PE Funds.” In fact, in 2007, India raked in the highest amount of Private Equity, comprehensively outstripping China, which attracted only $8.3 billion PE investments during the same period. The future seems even more enticing.

Evalueserve forecasts show that by the year 2010, India will see a staggering $20 billion worth of PE receipts. “Our research also shows there are more than 366 firms currently operating in India and another 69 are planning to start their operations soon. In total, they seem to have amassed $48 billion earmarked for investments in India during the next three and a half years, (July 2007 – December 2010),” says the latest Evalueserve report. As of today, ‘shooting northwards’ is how one can easily describe the gargantuan increase of PE investments in India. As discussed earlier, PE investments are not an alien phenomenon and have been quite prevalent in the country for more than three decades, even playing a significant role in the Silicon Valley story. It was in 1975 when Risk Capital Foundation become the first VC-PE to kickstart its operations in India. After that, many Indian institutions like Industrial Financial Corporation of India (IFCI), ICICI, among others, started mushrooming all over the place. There was no considerable action in the Indian VC-PE space until the end of the mid and late 90s. With the dot-com boom, the VC-PE phenomenon got a shot in the arm and in 2000, the value of deals skyrocketed to $1.16 billion. Then post the dot-com bubble bust, investments plummeted and reached a low of $470 million in 2003. But since 2004, there has been a secular rise in PE inflows.

The broad umbrella of Private Equity also encompasses some new deal variants that perhaps need mention. Consider the case of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., which has bought stakes in different companies in consideration for modest cash payment along with branding and advertising agreements with the investee company. These fall under Private Treaties. There are many big names like that of Dainik Jagran, HT Media, Dainik Bhaskar and Network 18, which are known to be associated with Private Treaties (by already having or planning to spin off new departments for the same).

Then there are Buyouts. Harish defines a buyout as an “acquisition of a significant portion or a majority control in a more mature company. The acquisition normally entails a change of ownership.” The Gokuldas Exports-Blackstone deal falls into this category, where the latter bought a 70% stake (includes 20% through open offer) in Gokuldas Exports. Next, is the burgeoning breed of Sovereign Funds. Here, funds are managed by central governments of various countries for picking up stakes in companies. Names like Temasek Holdings and GIC, both managed by the Singapore Government, are the protagonists in this breed of funds.

Of late, especially in India, even Hedge Funds have started functioning as de facto PE players. Traditionally, unlike PE investments, Hedge Funds usually have a very short term horizon. According to Evalueserve, “As per our analysis, currently there are more than 10,200 Hedge Funds worldwide, which cumulatively have more than $1,800 billion under management. Since VC, PE and other alternative investment-related firms also have approximately $1,800 billion under management, together these two groups currently manage approximately 6% of all assets under management worldwide.” Consequently, it is gradually becoming harder for many Hedge Funds to find good opportunities. The aftermath is that many Hedge Funds have therefore begun acting like PE firms investing with a ‘longer time horizon,’ especially in India.

Prime examples of Hedge Funds in India include D. E. Shaw, Farallon Capital Management, Old Lane Management, among others. Moreover, after SEBI’s restriction on Hedge Funds, they cannot freely trade in stocks, giving them less opportunity to bow out quickly. Financing costs are also an exit barrier for Hedge Funds, given that the short positions entail higher financing costs than long positions in India.

But amidst the obvious opulence, certain structural problems shouldn’t go unnoticed. Currently, Private Equity contributes the most to the Indian Foreign Direct Investment kitty. According to Sumant Batra, Kesar Dass B & Associates, “Conservative estimates suggest that PE investment could multiply manifold if the central and state governments were to take some long overdue initiatives to create a friendly public policy environment for PE investments.” He stresses that simplification of procedures, new assessment of archaic and outdated laws et al, are needed to nurture PE investments.

But there is also a sting in the tail. Many PE funds have been coming through the Mauritius route and analysts think that the RBI might tighten norms to stop this inflow of ‘black’ Indian corporate money to come back to India. If that happens, PE deals could be in some trouble. For now, the PE knell is tolling deafeningly for India and despite all hindrances, India seems to be on the forefront of global PE map. The large volume of PE investments in India in 2007 stands quiet testimony to this fact. The $17.14 billion PE deluge last year was overwhelming; and if market watchers are to be believed, deal-sizes and numbers are only set to get bigger in 2008. But before that, here’s your chance to take stock of some of the biggest deals which hogged the limelight in the year gone by…

Investee: Bharti Airtel & its arm

Investor: Temasek Holdings & others

Investment Value: $2.90 bn (cumulative)

Says, Harit Shah, Angel Broking, ”The last few years have seen the telecom infra sector acquire great potential, which is why PE players are falling over themselves to invest in such companies. The deals are meant for multiplying money. While telecom is a capital intensive field, the investment will reap good returns. As for Bharti, it will use this amount in expanding its present network. The risk gets overshadowed as Bharti is an experienced player in the sector and is likely to use the money well. Almost all investors in this club deal are financial investors, and not strategic ones. They will be looking at creating value for the business in the next few years, as was eminently visible when share prices shot up, just after the deal took place.”

What can be bigger than a deal that peddles names like Temasek (Singapore government’s investment arm and the largest PE player in India), Goldman Sachs, Macquarie, Citigroup, India Equity Partners, Investment Corporation of Dubai, AIF Capital and India’s leading wireless company, Bharti Airtel. In December 2007, in the largest ever ‘club deal’ by PE players in India, the seven global investors bought a 9% stake in Bharti Infratel – the hived off tower arm of Bharti Airtel – for a whopping sum of $1billion, valuing the unit at a staggering $12.5 billion. While clubbing gave the PE players the benefit of risk sharing, it reduced needless competition for acquisition targets. Before this deal, in July 2007, Temasek Holdings alone had invested about $1.9 billion in Bharti Airtel (for a 4.99% stake), which ultimately made way into its tower business. Bharti Infratel owns over 20,000 telecom towers and holds about 42% stake in Indus Towers (the recent JV between Bharti, Vodafone and Idea), with over 71,000 sites. Recently, PE firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co picked up another 2-2.5% stake in the company for $250 million.

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 :-
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The new Mr. 21st century India

2008-07-18T15:35:00.000+05:30

IIPM, GURGAON

Sutanu Guru on the indomitable man and his group

It is 1992 and India is in turmoil. The year will end with demolition of Babri Masjid. The Indian stock markets have gone into a tailspin after the unveiling of the Harshad Mehta scandal. Dhirubhai Ambani is unveiling the momentous blueprint of a backward integration strategy that will catapult Reliance into one of the largest companies of the world. Dr. Parvinder Singh of Ranbaxy and Aditya Birla are crafting strategies that will catapult their corporate empires into truly global entities.

Amidst the bedlam, a reticent, shy and soft spoken inheritor is fighting his demons of legacy and satrapy. In the heartland of the empire that he inherited, at Tata Steel, company Chairman Russy Modi has declared war on Group Chairman Ratan Tata. The colourful and loquacious Modi invokes the legendary legacy of the still alive J. R. D. Tata and pleads with the patriarch to not let Ratan destroy the Tata Empire. Other satraps like Chairman Darbari Seth of Tata Chemicals are planning their own insurgencies. And corporate pundits by the end of 1992 start publicly wondering and outspokenly ponder if the Tata edifice will also not come crashing down, a la Babri Masjid.

Fifteen years down the line, on January 10, 2007, in a hall packed with photographers, journalists and frenzied visitors jostling each other for a view, the six feet tall Ratan Tata gracefully limbers out of the 624 wonder to resounding applause, the demons have finally been laid to rest. Pausing for deep breaths and visibly emotional, the sarcastically combative Ratan Tata says, “R. K. Pachauri (Nobel laureate) will not have nightmares and Sunita Narain (Green activist) can sleep at night.” Both Pachauri and Narain had expressed concerns that Tata’s dream Rs.1 lakh car will cause severe pollution and congestion problems on Indian roads.

As the world raved and rivals looked on grudging admiration, the man and the group that were once written off by pundits had unmistakably arrived as the undisputed number one multi-national conglomerate to emerge from India. Gushing it may sound, but some new fans are already comparing Ratan Tata to Henry Ford, the man who created the first auto revolution in the world and his car Nano to Model T, the first car in the world to be accessible to workers and the middle class. Says renowned management thinker who has written the powerful book, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, “There is great excitement because Tata Motors has introduced the global auto industry to a whole new consumer segment.”

Just look at the corporate stars who shone in 1992 when Ratan Tata and his group were battling for survival to see how far the man and his group have gone in the global sweepstakes. Harshad Mehta is dead. Nobody talks about Russy Modi and Darbari Seth anymore. Most home grown business families that dominated India Inc. till the 1990s have disappeared from the benchmark Sensex, if not entirely from India Inc.. After a great headstart, the late Dr. Parvinder Singh’s global legacy at Ranbaxy is floundering of late. The late Aditya Birla has left a stronger legacy as his son Kumarmangalam has taken decisive steps to emerge as a global metals player. Even Mukesh Ambani has now publicly admitted that future growth will come from global acquisitions and global markets.

Yet, none match the tenacity, panache and strategic vision with which the Tata group has been systematically going global. In 2000, when acquiring global companies and brands was perhaps not even a gleam in the eye for Indian entrepreneurs, Tata Tea pulled off an audacious gamble by acquiring the British company and brand Tetley for a then whopping 271 million British Pounds. In 2004, Tata Motors quietly acquired the commercial vehicles division of Daewoo. Around the same time, Tata Steel had acquired a majority stake in Singapore based Natwest Steel. In 2007, the Tata group made a killing ($523 million) when it sold its 30% stake in US based Energy Brands Inc. to Coca Cola for $1.2 billion. In 2004, group company VSNL Ltd. emerged as the biggest carrier of telephone traffic in the world by paying $130 million to acquire Tyco International’s undersea telecom cables.

And then came the killer deal in 2007 when Tata Steel acquired the controlling stake in UK based steel giant Corus for a whopping $13 billion. The strategic move catapulted Tata Steel to the fifth position in the global steel sweepstakes with another Indian L. N. Mittal as the top dog. The year 2008 promises to be yet another blockbuster year for Ratan Tata and his group. And not just because of frenzy generated by the small car Nano. Tata Motors is clearly the frontrunner in the race to acquire two powerful global auto brands, Jaguar and Rover from Ford Motors. And who can forget the blistering pace at which Tata’s Taj group of hotels is acquiring prime properties in overseas markets?

Just imagine: this is the man and this is the group whose epitaphs were being written breathlessly by pundits back in the 1990s. Says a lot about pundits, doesn’t 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).

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B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
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The other critical reason

2008-07-15T17:06:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

We move to yet another critical, breakthrough area – the Indianisation/desification of advertising. During the seventies and even eighties, advertising was dominated by the firang influence. If you had a certain kind of background, accent and interest, you were inducted. So how did the Piyush-Ranjan combine manage to put it on its head & change the equation so successfully? “I think two things influenced this movement. One, the dynamics of the marketplace & consumer profile was changing and we were quick to spot it and zero-in. Two, it had also to do with me, my background and beliefs. Even before Ranjan came in, the first blow had been struck with the chal meri Luna, Fevicol, Asian Paints and Cadbury. Ranjan’s presence only fast forwarded the agenda. Both, he and I, went to the same hallowed institution called St. Stephen’s College, but demonstrated that it did not necessarily mean compromising on our vision of the Indian reality – roots! We were proud to earn our spurs not through niche, elitist, south Bombay-driven work, but communication that cut across boundaries and worked with consumers in the market place. We democratised this sacred, exclusive, precious, in-the-closet animal called creativity and took it to the streets in a fashion that entertained and delighted.” But ad-guru Alyque Padamsee does not seem totally floored with O&M’s work, just as he points out, “There is no doubt that Piyush has successfully turned O&M into a solid brand, partly by doing some outstanding creative work & partly by his media persona. The point is – has O&M, in recent times, really produced amazing brand building campaigns that are both memorable & hot-sellers? Beyond Hutch and Fevicol, I don’t know... In my book, great advertising has always been selling the product before selling the agency.”

The other critical reason (Piyush believes) that hugely helped this gene of advertising, was the life-transforming advent of TV! As a medium, it was truly mind-blowing with a direct, democratic, no-holds barred connect with the masses. English was not the lingual franca of the junta; Hindi and the other regional languages were. So if you didn’t have a command or knowledge of the idiom, or an ‘in’ about the people you were addressing, you were out on a limb. TV rang the death-knell of the erstwhile hero – the English language print writer. It also marked the end of the fancy, cone-size-fits-all kind of advertising. “We, at O&M, were however hugely upbeat about this transition & embraced it with alarming speed and passion. David Ogilvy had stated that we hire gentlemen with brains. We started hiring gentlemen with balls! It caught fire. Everybody wanted to work with us... and with the average age of the agency around 28 – it was literally a youth-quake!

What were the reactions of the big boy, David O, the industry in general and the public, at large? “David was always very supportive and enthusiastic of material that went out of our India offices. Unfortunately, while all this was happening, he was in semi-retirement mode and not keeping too well either, but his blessings always stayed with us. The industry, by and large, was supportive and encouraging and I must specially mention the name of late Mr. Subash Ghosal of HTA. He was simply amazing! I remember... how at large & formal advertising events & parties, he would point at me and tell the biggies in the business – he’s the future of the Indian advertising!”

Has it been tough for a creative person to wear two hats and perform as well? Isn’t there a dilution in core competence? “It was Ranjan’s idea way back in 1995 or so, that I take over the portfolio of Manager, Bombay branch of O&M. He said that since I led anyway and people respected me across the board, it was a logical step up...” So that’s how he moved on... and then became the Executive Chairman and NCD. He adds, “I see myself primarily as a leader playing in form, performing captain of my team, O&M. I am here to inspire and motivate my flock, nurture and encourage them, protect and defend them from the champions of brain-dead stereo-type advertising and allow them to freak out in any which way they wish, without the fear of losing their job. They must feel wanted and secure in the space to fly. That is my job...” He says that he didn’t feel any change earlier on and nor does he feel any change today. “I suffer from no delusions of grandeur and am completely aware of what I can do and what I can’t.

I have an extremely capable team of colleagues – Mr. S. N. Rane, who is the co-Chairman, COO & CFO; Mr. Pratap Bose, the CEO – who are brilliant at what they do and I consider myself fortunate in having such excellent professionals. The secret is: Give each person the freedom to do what he’s the best at. Don’t interfere or play God. That place is already taken!” But is it just all about Piyush? Well, it certainly seems so, and pops Sridham, National Creative Director, Leo Burnett, doesn’t seem too happy about it as he states, “I think they deserve all the accolade coming their way. The Cadbury girl’s dance on the field in early 90s set the tone of O&M getting it right vis-à-vis the Indian pulse and over the years they have been doing some wonderful work. However, of late, I find a dip in their quality – specially Fevicol. Too many agendas seem to have crept in diluting their earlier focus. Also most of the creatives coming out of O&M seem to be speaking in Piyush Pandey’s voice. Individuals must be encouraged to find their own voice...”

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
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IIPM Campus

“New Indians driving this desi genre,” says Rohit Ohri, Managing Partner, JWT Delhi

2008-07-12T11:43:00.000+05:30

IIPM - Admission Procedure

The consumers of today’s India are becoming more & more socially conscious. So it becomes important for brands to strike the right chord with audiences. But one must be careful that the social cause picked up, must be relevant to the product category so that it adds credibility to the brand. Take for example the Surf ad ‘ek bucket paani rozana hai bachana’ or Lifebouy ‘little Gandhi’ or more recent Hero Honda ‘Jo chalayenge naye India ko wohi chalate hain Nayi Hero Honda CD Deluxe’.

All of these have one thing in common, the social cause picked by these brands are related to the product category and hold relevance to the target audience. Take the Hero Honda CD Deluxe ad for that matter which epitomises the great Indian commuter and his eternal quest of striving and moving up the social ladder. The film talks about this young architect who rejects a lucrative job in the US to contribute to the infrastructure boom in the country by designing the world’s tallest building. A heart touching story (not to forget the dialogue ‘main aa raha hun India’) which showcases the protagonist as an integral contributor to rising India!

Here we captured an excellent opportunity to position the product, which promised to be an extended personality of the average young, middle class Indian, who has been basking in the new found confidence of the booming economy that has resulted in abundant job opportunities. The big idea is that the Progressive Young Middle Class Indian has arrived and he’s making his presence felt with his undaunted spirit to strive hard and move up in life. It is people like him who are actually fuelling the rapid growth of the great Indian middle class which means business. This new Indian knows that the opportunity is here and up for grabs and they are making the most of it.

Though such a social revolution has been sweeping every young Indian it was imperative to create a conduit through mass communication and amplify the current mood which would augment a goose bumpish feeling and reinforce the coming of age of the Great Indian Middle Class. Because it is this New Indian which is making the New India Shine!

(The author heads JWT Delhi, the agency behind behind the Hero Honda CD Deluxe campaign)

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
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In Sixth Gear

2008-07-09T11:51:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

Diesel Swift and sexed-up SX4 helped Maruti to reach admirable heights

With an incredible 61 points lead over the industry average, Maruti Suzuki won the JD Power’s India customer satisfaction index study for the eighth time in a row. Fictional as it sounds, India’s largest car maker even bettered global heavyweights like Honda and Toyota by 73 and 98 points, respectively. After firmly establishing itself as a low-cost compact car producer, Maruti company has established itself in higher segments too.

Explains Car India’s Vikram Gaur, “Maruti has consistently upgraded its models and understood the Indian psyche better than competition. The brand positioning has been such that the company has transformed itself into a ‘quality manufacturer’ from being just a ‘cheap manufacturer’.” Surviving in an excessively unfaithful & cruel market, Maruti has proven itself and has most definitely evolved.” True, for it has managed to retain its marketshare despite past critical conclusions that it had lost its way.

Its glorious moment this year was the launch of SX4. Initially, analysts argued that the model’s positioning was as faulty as Baleno’s (Maruti’s prior effort at cracking the C segment). The Baleno was large, well-engineered, and expensive; it was targeted at customers who wanted style and comfort. However, buyers overlooked the Baleno when confronted with the Hondas and Mitsubishis. It seemed that the same would happen to SX4. But SX4 surprised everyone with a dream rollout selling close to 30,000 units in seven months. “The SX4 is a radical product. While being positioned in a segment lower than Toyota Corolla and similar models, it offers features which are not present in even these entry-level luxury cars,” adds Gaur. For once, Maruti had a sexed-up model.

Later this year, the company launched its much-awaited Swift Diesel with an engine that was developed at the new facility in Mannesar. With its looks, the petrol Swift had already mesmerised customers. Maruti quickly converged Swift’s looks with cost efficiency that led to the development of the sophisticated multi-jet diesel motor. This was critical as Tata Motors had stolen the thunder in the diesel compact car category.

But surprisingly, Maruti didn’t opt for a head-on collision with Tata’s Indica. Instead, the former created a new segment – B+ diesel despite critics’ contention that the company should have launched diesel versions of its more popular B segment cars. “We identify gaps in the market and then give the consumer what she/he wants,” says Mayank Pareek, CGM (Marketing) Maruti Suzuki. True, for Maruti has invariably updated its models at almost the right time. The Zen, for instance, has been replaced with Estilo, while Wagon R has been updated with an LPG alternative.

It has also been quick to learn from bad experiences and quietly transform them into positives. Take the example of the Grand Vitara XL7, which was Maruti’s attempt to make a mark in the higher segments. Aware of its brand’s limitations, the SUV’s image was more Suzuki centric, rather than Maruti’s. It did click a bit with rich customers, but it didn’t prove to be enticing to the brand-obsessed buyers in this segment. Especially as the XL7 was considered expensive for the brand it represented.

But when Maruti launched the new Vitara this year, it overcame most of these issues. For one, the new model was priced Rs.5 lakh cheaper than rivals’ products like Honda CRV. It also had a smaller engine under its bonnet and, obviously, it became more affordable. As usual, it created a new segment of consumers who eyed the CRV but couldn’t afford it.

What proves Maruti’s tactical success is that Honda too is planning to introduce a smaller engine in its new version of CRV. This is Maruti’s marketing blueprint: test waters before making the kill. “Models like the Baleno and the older Grand Vitara were part of strategic launches in order to get a market feedback” explains Pareek.

Such customer responses may prove to be critical for the company. As competition hots up in the small compact segment, which is Maruti’s bread-n-butter, it will need to seek extra market share in other segments, where it is a weaker player. This will happen when Tata Motors launches a car priced at Rs.1.5 lakh, and others vie to match that benchmark price. So, getting into higher segments is like a hedging and defensive strategy for Maruti, as it is bound to lose market in the small segment.

However, Maruti managers view this differently. “We are a complete car company and, therefore, we are also concentrating on premium segments. It is really not the case that the outlook of Maruti is changing” answers Pareek. Clarifies Jagdish Khattar, MD, Maruti Suzuki, “We are present in all segments. If you have noticed, all the launches last year were in the compact segment.” It is clear that while small cars will remain Maruti’s USP, higher segments too are important. Whichever way it happens, Maruti will slowly and steadily make its way into the elite ‘full model range’ club.

But the transition will surely not be a cakewalk. As public transportation improves in the metros, especially Delhi and Mumbai that are two major car buying centres, global oil prices shoot up, and several players introduce low-cost models, Maruti will need to quickly re-strategise itself, redefine its philosophy, and re-energise its engines. Or else, it will find itself on low gear, or handbrakes.

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.
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

Here’s how 4Ps B&M and ICMR got together to pick India’s best and the brightest companies of 2007

2008-07-08T17:21:00.000+05:30

IIPM, GURGAON

The list of most admired is an exhaustive report card brought out in collaboration with the Indian Council for Market Research, on the reputations of respective Indian companies. The survey was conducted in different phases. We started with the S&P CNX 500 list. The NSE 500 were chosen as the base because of their broad-based benchmark of the Indian capital market for comparing portfolio returns vis-à-vis market returns. The S&P CNX includes only those companies which have a minimum listing record of six months and must have demonstrated high turnover and trading frequency. The list of companies represents about 90.30% of total market capitalisation and about 80.02% of the total turnover on the NSE as on March 30, 2007. Another reason for choosing the NSE 500 as base was that these companies are dis-aggregated into 72 industry indices viz. the S&P CNX Industry Indices. Industry weightages in the index reflect the industry weightages in the market.

Subsequently, the team diligently went through the list to shortlist the top 125 companies. These companies were further shortlisted by the 4Ps B&M editorial team based on the performance of the companies in their respective sectors over the last one year, including compiling and sorting the 100 companies’ financials for FY ’07 (Profit after Tax, Earning per Share, Sales & Market Capitalisation). The number of employees employed by respective companies in FY ’07 was also taken into consideration.

In the second phase, the ICMR team (led by Shivalee Kaushik & co-ordinated by Ankuna & Sakshi Syal) conducted an opinion poll of these 100 companies, based on the parameters of reliability, innovation, employability factor and investor confidence (investor in the company as a brand and as a company). The respondents were asked to rate each of the companies on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is low and 10 is high on each of the parameters. The sample size for this survey was 4000 respondents across the five major cities of India (namely Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai & Bangalore).

In the self-descriptive tables on the ensuing page, companies under each category have been sorted on the basis of PAT for FY ’07, market capitalisation as of 30th November 2007 and number of employees (based on their individual annual reports).

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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S. RAMADORAI... CEO & MD, TCS

2008-07-07T16:52:00.000+05:30

S. RAMADORAI... CEO & MD, TCS
When growth only means donning the leader’s hat!

Nurturing and catapulting an Indian IT company to make it a $3 billion Asian leader is not easy. But it’s not impossible too! Well, that’s what S. Ramadorai, a Delhi University, IISc & California University alumnus and today, TCS CEO & MD feels as he says, “Learning is a continuous process which does not end with formal education...” And it is this very thought, led by strong vision that has helped establish the credibility of TCS as an organization focused on ongoing professional development while curtailing its attrition rates. It’s thus not without reason that this Padma Bhushan recipient has managed to set superior benchmarks in the Indian IT industry. He has also received many honours like CNBC Asia Pacific’s prestigious ‘Asia Business Leader of the Year’ award & the ‘Management Man of the Year’ award by the Bombay Management Association – and all for someone who was just an engineer at TCS in the 1990s. How’s that for growth?!

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)