IIPM Press Release

Congress needs to relaunch itself to remain relevant

2012-01-24T16:52:00.001+05:30

It should be similar to what Land Rover did in Europe

I feel there is a reason why brands are relaunched every few years. It becomes difficult for a brand to change itself as quietly as the world changes, hence, they are relaunched to stay relevant with the times. The reason why the Indian National Congress was launched way back during the 19th century, was primarily to espouse the cause of India’s independence. But, today India has moved on. The way of life in the country is different, but the Congress continues to hold on to an old illustrious past – a past which a majority of Indians (which comprises 60% youth) don’t really care about.
Today, the issues affecting life in India are changing every 10 years. Therefore, Congress has no choice but to relaunch itself in order to remain relevant. Doing so dramatically is the need of the hour. Moreover, a half-hearted, unplanned approach wouldn’t work. I know they are trying to go about the changes and re-organising the party, but it’s too slow to be noticed by people.
If I were the one spearheading the rebranding, I would have latched onto what Anna Hazare was doing, instead of opposing it. I would have projected that we were willing to help pass the Lokpal Bill in every way possible. In one shot, they would have revamped themselves and the masses would have noticed and appreciated that sharp and dramatic change.
The kind of re-launch I am talking about needs to be characteristic in nature. It needn’t be a re-launch in terms of just posturing. It should be similar to what SUV maker Land Rover did in Europe. It knew that off-road vehicles were no more being actually used off road by automobile enthusiasts. SUVs had become more of a style statement rather than a mode of vehicles to cruse around off-road African jungles. So it went for a complete and dramatic overhaul in order to appeal to the new European consumers. The new product carried forward the solidity of its history but with looks that were more relevant in the current scenario.
Today, I feel corruption is a bigger issue than terrorism or even an attack on the nation, for it affects the life of the masses on a daily basis. An attack, say from China, might leave us weak but we will eventually get over it after some days or months. In fact, in contemporary times, you don’t want to occupy another nation, unless of course you are America! And terrorism is not necessarily pervasive across the nation. On the other hand, corruption is. It touches our lives everyday, right from getting a ration card to even a train ticket.
Therefore, I don’t understand why politicians are not accepting Anna Hazare? It only helps their cause of getting closer to voters and gaining the trust of people. What the Congress Party needs is to be seen as someone serious about being the party of the future. Someone who is genuinely in the business of politics with a motto of sincerely and efficiently running the country.

Congress needs to re-brand itself as well, in order to signal the change. Like they once changed to “Congress I” they need to call themselves something new , “Congress Plus”, for all I care. They are a solid party. Others don’t have the wherewithal or even the experience to run a large country like India. I think the way they have managed a coalition government for so long couldn’t have been pulled off by others.
Congress has to stop ‘just saying’ and ‘actually start acting’. The overuse of words often renders them irrelevant. Take the example of “transparency” and “poverty” – two words so oft used by politicians that the former is reducing, and the latter only growing. Stop saying we’re doing it. Do it and deliver results. Establish that we will not take any leader with criminal antecedents, even if it means losing. People will notice that.
For any good relaunch, we need to first re-energise the product. And for that, they first need to change internally and intrinsically, have regular core party meetings, punish leaders who are not delivering and measure performance. Don’t just prepare manifestos for the sake of it. Ensure your leaders deliver on them, and those who don’t, take them to task. This is what can make Congress the party of the future, which could have the wherewithal to take the country forward.
I know such steps wouldn’t guarantee a victory in today’s Indian political set-up, where muscle power (both physical and monetary) work at the grass root level. But then who is responsible for that? Isn’t it the political parties themselves? It’s they who stop the enforcement of laws that would act against criminalisation of politics, and debar criminals from elections. If Congress takes the cudgels of both internal and external good governance, it might miss some trees, but at least the woods will be calling for it louder and clearer!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

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“Multi-dimensional media buying is a strategic need”

2011-12-27T16:23:00.002+05:30

Anwesh Bose, Branch Head, North & East, Mudra Max-Media, has been involved with media planning and buying for the past 13 years. In this interaction, he discusses media buying in the indian context.

On October 30, 2011, Omnicom, the second largest advertising and media network in the world announced that it would be acquiring a majority stake in the Anil Ambani led Mudra Group. The deal had significant implications and also pointed towards the rise of India as an important market, which perhaps no business can afford to ignore. In order to understand the evolution, dynamics and future prospects of the Indian media buying industry, we caught up with Anwesh Bose, Branch, Head, North & East , Mudra Max-Media. He Joined Mudra in April this year from Dentsu India Group where he worked as Chief Growth Officer. He has prior experience of 13 years in media buying and planning. In this exclusive interaction with 4Ps B&M, Bose shares his views on the challenges facing the Indian media buying industry and how social media is the next big thing which will shape the future of media buying agencies.

As it is with every other industry, the media buying sector too is unique in form and substance. What do you think are the fundamental challenges that media buying agencies in general experience?

The fundamental challenges experienced by media buying agencies today are that of the people who are engaged in the process of buying. In most cases the personnel know how to buy but are not knowledgeable enough in terms of what to buy. To add to that, most media buying agencies are given to creating buying silos, which is only harming the industry. A media buyer is supposed to know the rationale and logic for buying so that he/she can keep in mind the perspective and the strategy behind the media-buying plan. Also, the fact that it is planning that leads to buying and not the other way round is something which everybody in the industry should appreciate.

With consumerism on the rise in India, how has the role of a media buying agency evolved over the past several years?
Consumerism has given rise to heterogenous consumption… the result is visible in the media fragmentation that exists. Media fragmentation has made the task of the media buying agency very challenging as the advertiser is looking at returns on media investment models rather than only on returns on media delivery models. Therefore, there is an imminent need for multi-dimensional media buying strategy.

What do you think has been the most significant event or set of events to contribute towards shaping the media buying industry into its present shape?
Media fragmentation (explosion of choices), media access formats (DTH, CAS, etc), unknown metric of consumer consumption of media in rural India, rise of digital & explosion of mobility, to name a few.

How has 2011 been in terms of growth vis-à-vis 2010. What are you projection for 2012?
The Indian media & entertainment (M&E) industry bounced back in 2010 registering a growth rate of 11% compared to a mere 1.4% in 2009. The advertisement expenditure is estimated to grow by CAGR of 15% till 2015.

How do media buying agencies in the Western world differ from their peers in the high growth developing nations?

The demographics, psychographics, media choices and literacy levels in the Western world present a different landscape to media buying agencies there, which can be very different to that faced by media buying agencies in the developing countries. In countries like India, media buying is seen as a cost whereas in the Western countries it is seen as an investment.

What determines the growth and decline of media buying agencies in general?

The economy is the best measure of the growth and decline of media buying agencies. In a vibrant economy, advertisers spend more, agencies buy more and the advertiser & agency make more money. The reverse is applicable when the economy is not doing well.

What kind of an impact do ‘medium disruptions’ have on the way media buying agencies work? It is about being aware and knowledgeable of the technology shifts and the ways in which they are influencing media consumption that is or will lead to medium disruptions. The agencies that are investing in knowing and learning about these shifts will have the edge (Know-l-edge).

How has the growing popularity and widespread acceptance of digital media influenced the media buying business?

It has influenced the advertisers more than it has influenced the agencies. For most media buying firms, digital is terra incognito, thus they feel safe in either letting the business be taken by a ‘digital agency’ or they get into a ‘strategic alliance’ with a digital agency. But we seem to be learning fast… the leading media buying agencies are setting up digital verticals and very soon the mid & small set-ups would look at strategic tie-ups with independent digital media specialists.

Which trends are most likely to shape the media buying business in the years to come?

Multiple media access platforms and avenues along with media convergence will result in multi-dimensional media buying approach in the very near future. Agencies that have already invested or are making investments in scaling their knowledge of multi-dimensional planning will be the ones that will benefit.

Sellers want volumes. Buyers, discounts. Who will win?

2011-12-13T17:07:00.004+05:30

Come festive season, white goods will start appealing more to consumers. Which way will the balance tilt in the buyer-seller equation is hard to predict.

Nothing symbolises the great cultural divide between ethnic India and much of modern America more than the very months when the hustle and bustle in the name of festivities begin in these geographies. This year, just like in the past, while marketers in India are already warming up for the annual rapture, those in America know that they have yet another quarter to go before the carols fill the air.

They know their audience, do the marketers in India. They know the time too. The murmurs and the amens make that obvious. As for the consumers, they love the message of the season that come in the form of discounts on various labels. The sudden rush of spoilt-for-choice emotions in the buyer category, make the messengers loved too, especially if you talk about the Rs.65,000 crore-a-year topline earning consumer durable sector. For their lot, the weeks leading to Dushera and Diwali festivals each year, mark a season of overflowing coffers that provide them adequate spiritual nourishment for the rest of the financial year. How?

That the plasma screen and refrigerator-buying consumers will exercise their right to splurge lavishly during the festive season is a given in the Indian market. But the consumer durable players in the hope of making the most of the excitement generated do their bit too. Most even prefer going easy on their marketing expenditures for most part of the year, so that they can get generous in their efforts to attract eye balls during the festive season. As per a market expert, the target for most consumer durable companies is to be able to generate on average, 30% of their annual sales during the three month period leading to end-November, after spending as much as up to 33% of their advertising and marketing budget during the same period.

No different is the plan this year, despite a non-impressive performance by the sector so far in FY2011-12, which primarily reflected the impact of persistently `est rates on demand for consumer durables. During April-July 2011, the category showed a y-o-y growth of 4.2% [lower than the IIP growth of 5.8% for the period], as compared to a much higher 18.4% during the same period last year [higher than the IIP growth of 9.7%; as per the Central Statistics Office & ICRA]. Most cons. durable players have lined-up various initiatives to lure the buyers. For instance, players like Sony, Panasonic, LG, Samsung, Sansui and Godrej are betting big on both the flat panel TV and the home appliances categories. The idea is to achieve more than 50% y-o-y jump in sales during the mid-September to end-October period this year.

Samsung, which reported sales of Rs.16,740.5 crore in the country in FY2010-11, is eyeing a 30% rise in sales during the two aforementioned months. The company plans to dole out freebies worth Rs.150 crore to lure customers during the 45 day promotional campaign ‘Samsung Smart Utsav’ (which started from September 15, 2011). With a new line up of slim TVs, and mass-targeted washing machines, the aim is to achieve Rs.2500 crore in sales during the festive period alone. Surprisingly, the other chaebol LG does not sound all-optimistic about the festive period. As compared to 2010, it has reduced the festive season marketing budget for this year by around 15% and hopes for a y-o-y jump in sales of 25%.

Japan-bred Sony is betting big on its Bravia range of TVs (which contribute to 35% of its TV sales) to achieve a 30%-plus sales growth with a turnover target of Rs.2000 crore during the season. It has introduced 15 LED TV models, with sizes ranging from 22 to 65 inch. Sony has allocated Rs.155 crore as marketing budget for a 360 degree multi-media campaign “The Rebirth. LED TV”. This will include both ATL & BTL activities, such as TV and print commercial, online, PR, outdoor and shop-front. While talking about his expectations for the month ahead, Masaru Tamagawa, MD, Sony India, says, “Our clear focus is on the Bravia range, which is the biggest contributor to our sales. We aim to sell 400,000 units of Bravias during the festive period.” Sony’s other focus area will be its Cybershot camera segment, where it has launched about a dozen low-end models to increase penetration and sales.

“You can Expect Newer Trends...”

2011-11-15T17:04:00.001+05:30

Growing Demand for Sources of Entertainment, and a Fight for Supremacy over multiple vehicles will define The Future of Media Consumption.

The youth and the mature group – both form an integral part of your target audience. And in the recent past, due to changes in the trend of media consumption, both groups have evolved in preferences and expectations. What changes – in media consumption trends – have you observed in the recent past?
Well, for starters, the overall consumption of media has definitely gone up, especially in the last 18 months. The Internet has certainly helped in fuelling demand for international music amongst the youth. While on one end, the youth is getting back to international music per se, the more mature audience is willing to experiment with classic international music. What’s best – earlier, their preferences were only restricted to music. But in recent times, they have gradually shown an inclination to long format programming, and shows like ‘America’s Got Talent’.

So, you do confess that there have been notable changes in trends. Which are the most important ones that have shaped media consumption patterns?
Every few years, a new pattern emerges. During the mid-90s, there were just 12-15 channels and MTV was a rage. Slowly, Indi-pop became popular, and then came the flurry of daily soaps. All it takes is someone to think smart, unite a larger mass and thus set a trend. What Colors’ launch has done is also a paradigm shift in programming, which is coupled with pro-social messaging. And it is still cutting through the clutter. Similarly, in the reality entertainment space, we have moved from the more serious KBC to accepting a glamorous Khatron Ke Khiladi. There was a time when VJs were a big phenomena. Not any more. So, it has all got to do with the way the country is evolving. The television industry in India is very young right now. It is barely a decade-and-a-half old. You can expect newer trends to come by as the years pass.

So, where do the most interesting opportunities lie over the next 2-3 years, as far as media vehicles are concerned?
See, content is king. It will remain the king. The question is – how accessible can you make it? For instance, all the promises related to 3G will take shape only if you deliver on them. There are no LCD TVs in cars as yet; basically, it’s just about platforms. It’s a question of penetration. Mobile will have a larger penetration in the times to come, but at the moment, it is mostly at the entry level. Today, you have 565 channels on DTH, and it is important to understand what can keep the consumer glued to a particular medium. While mobile has the accessibility factor – which is why you see youngsters accessing social media through the mobile phone – you would notice that the TV sets are also on at the same time. And that’s where the fight begins.

Too Much, Too Soon for New-age AD Kids?

2011-10-11T17:35:00.001+05:30

Why Are today’s Youngistan in Adville Losing the Wow Factor? 4PS B&M‘s Consulting Editor Monojit Lahiri Investigates

It’s always been there, but in recent times the whisper seems to have amplified into a veritable roar with guys who are recruiting or looking for talent. The problem, they say, is two-fold. One, chronic shortage of appropriate talent in a booming business scenario – with more seats than right bums, available – has forced them to kick ‘existing talent upstairs’, irrespective of maturity or experience, with out-of-whack remuneration packages; and then pray like hell that miracles (read: grinning, satisfied clients!) happen. Two, frequently sit back and helplessly watch some of the really gifted kids enjoying hyper-designations at hyper-speed have a blast... and then job-hop! So, whatever happened to good ol’ loyalty, dedication, experience and maturity and the Guru-Shishya thingamajig?

Subhash Kamat, head honcho, BBH, is first off the block & cuts to the chase in a flash. He believes the trend has largely to do with policies relating to recruitment, training and retaining talent with the appropriate appreciation-reward factor. “As economies head north, it is critical for industries to scale-up & keep pace with this growth in terms of vision and values. This has not happened with our Adbiz. Recruitment & Training – at most agencies – continue to be given short shrift, a cosmetic, line-job thing, dumped the moment there are budget constraints. Same with rewards. Mentoring too seems to have taken a hit. How many Piyush Pandeys do we have as inspirational leaders?” Kamat tells 4Ps B&M. He adds to this the prevailing disease (impatience) of today’s generation & their mad hurry to step-on-the-gas & move to the next stop – account, task, career, whatever! “Tough to fight that, my friend,” ruminates Kamat.

The National Creative Director (NCD) of Bates 141 appears to be more circumspect. Sagar Mahabaleshwar reckons that that was then, this is now, and since change is the only thing that is constant, this churn is inevitable. “Not only in Adland, the world is changing rapidly across the board and so adaptability with speed and quality is the ruling mantra. In this scenario, unfortunately, traits like loyalty, solidity and steadfastness – admirable traits as they are, revered and cherished back then – have taken a hit. That’s where the youth score. No wonder there are tonnes of under 35 guys and gals rocking big designations with confidence and effectiveness,” Mahabaleshwar tells 4Ps B&M. However, he concedes that the exact opposite also happens and magnanimously takes a part of the blame. “We were lucky in getting someone like Piyush to mentor us, as friend, philosopher and guide. Have we been able to provide that kind of personalised leadership to our kids? I guess it cuts both ways,” adds Mahabaleshwar.

Ogilvy’s hot-shot creative ‘dude’ Sumanto Chattopadhyay is up next and brings his own special spin. “Right at the outset I have to say that we in Ogilvy have been extremely lucky in this area. The reason is that, unlike most other agencies, we have a definite process and our Creative Directors (CDs) are trained, ready and in-the-groove professionals, fully aware of the implication of what a CD stands for in a holistic way, when they hit that slot,” says Chattopadhyay. In fact, his observation is that in many agencies, talented creative kids who, however, still have to gain maturity and are at least “four levels away from the designation are scooped up and made CDs, which would never happen here. The result is that the “too much, too soon” factor kicks off, big time. A CD is not just about doing great creative work. It has a much larger canvas and has to deal with motivation and leadership as also managing clients, colleagues, bosses, juniors and of course creativity that entertains and empowers. I think, as our record shows, we have been able to hold up this model pretty decently. No major hiccups – ever!”

Insurance print ad trends: 2010

2011-09-27T17:15:00.003+05:30

In an exciting and dynamic category like Insurance, The role of The Intermediary is changing; hence The Role of collaborative communication is becoming even more challenging. The Industry players have apparently realised this critical need for Integration, as is evident from the Indian Insurance Industry print ad trends for the year 2010.

Changing Perception

Advertising, in any form, has become inevitable to the success of any product and insurance is no exception. Having realised the criticality of making a differentiated offering and building salience, insurance companies are leaving no stone unturned in the process of promoting their products. Be it LIC in the life insurance domain or standalone health insurers like Apollo Munich, Max Bupa or Star Health insurance or Oriental General Insurance, each one has upped their ad spend in the print medium. As a result, this has led to a gradual shift in the perception of insurance.

Aggressive Marketing

‘Insurance is sold not bought’ seems to be the underlying fact upon which insurers base their ad spending. Ever since the insurance bill was passed in 2000 and with the entry of private players, there is a slew of never seen before aggressive marketing and advertising strategies. Nevertheless, insurers seem to have realised that instead of pushing policies down the throat of the customers, it is better to educate them and offer guidance - an approach that is slowing paying off. On both the fronts insurers have relied heavily on print ads; however to woo customers, life insurers seem to take the print route more than non-life insurers.

Deliver he will; the package and results

2011-08-02T16:02:00.007+05:30

Under his leadership, Safexpress has won several accolades. But can he make the company stand tall against global giants? Finds Angshuman Paul

Vineet Kanaujia
GM – Marketing, Safexpress Private Limited

With over six million square feet of warehousing space and 566 destinations spread across the length and breadth of the country, Safexpress today can proudly boast of being the largest logistics service provider in India. However, things were not as right for it as it seems today, when 15 years ago the company started its corporate journey. It was like any other unorganised logistics player in the country – striving hard to get noticed.

Although Vineet Kanaujia’s entry into this embittering logistics war happened only a few years back, when took over the reins (as GM Marketing) of Safexpress, he has retained an extraordinary and iron-clad focus on the fundamentals of marketing. Kanaujia started his career with HCL and went on to work with ConAgra Foods and Samsung. Post this, he joined Safexpress. Having impeccably positioned brand Safexpress as the ‘market leader’ in the logistics industry, Kanaujia has radically enhanced Safexpress brand equity in India in a very short span of time.

In fact, for his incredible contribution in establishing Safexpress as one of the foremost brands in the country, Kanaujia has been conferred several awards and accolades which include ‘Brand Leadership Award’ by World Brand Congress, ‘Professional of the Year Award’ by Express Logistics & Supply Chain Council, as well as the highly coveted ‘Best CMO of the Year Award’ by the CMO Council, USA. So what was the strategic intent that pushed Safexpress so far and ahead? “Our holistic marketing strategy,” Kanaujia replies confidently, “It’s that which has worked so brilliantly for us. We have carved our own niche amongst the most elite brands in the country by consistently focusing on each and every aspect of marketing.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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The Bindass Atyachari Strategy Exposed!

2011-07-19T16:30:00.003+05:30

“What Am i? Don’t you dare slot me! Name me. Fit me. Patronise me. Don’t go by...” It’s The ‘BINDASS Guru Mantra’ that’s topping the charts. 4Ps B&M unveils the man behind the madness

“If you know of a person who might be cheating on their significant other, prevent Emotional Atyachaar, call 5059995 and report!” It’s mad, sounds utterly stupid, yet the Bindass formula is rocking the Indian TV space. Known for its dominance in the youth space, generating content which is innovative and cutting edge, UTV Bindass launched the 2nd season of the most talked about and sensational reality show Emotional Atyachaar. Nikhil Gandhi, Business Head, UTV Bindass shares the madness with 4Ps B&M (yes, exclusively):

How has been the journey of UTV Bindass?
2009 was an important year for us. Our business grew by 300% q-o-q. So that is one of the fundamental changes which happened over the last year. We came up with innovative shows which connected well with the target group. We started off with the Big Switch, Emotional Atyachaar and to top it all we did a very strong brand campaign. This gave us a strong playback positioning, identification and recognition in the youth space.

What is your target market and how does advertising work for your channel and target audience?
We attract any brand that caters to the youth. The age group 15-24 is our core target group which extends into 15 to 34 by virtue of preference. We have 356 brands on air at present and the remaining 10-15 which are off the list would be in line soon. We are launching two more shows this month and have increased our ad rates 4 fold. So all of that put together, the revenue model has become a very robust process.

What has been your strategy behind converting music centric viewers to youth centric ones?
We were the first to launch a youth entertainment channel and given its success, other music channels followed suit and launched the same kind of content that we already had. It was the other way around for us that we put music on our channel as an add-on just to be categorized with the MTVs and Channel Vs of the world. We were the first movers in the youth space and coined the term YEC beyond GEC.

How important is music as a genre for your channel? How have you dealt with the reality format?
Music is an ingredient which connects with the target group. It’s one of the important ingredients required for a youth channel and yes, we do play music. In fact we have music of the finest quality. With reality, there are various genres. There is fiction, reality and game show. In truth, there is also horror reality, our relationship reality like Emotional Atyachar and Splitsvilla, there is action reality like Dadagiri and Stuntmania; so there are different genres within reality. We have held on to the format, expanding into various genres within the format.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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Why Lufthansa isn’t a niche brand anymore!

2011-03-21T15:50:00.001+05:30

Sangeeta Sharma, Manager Marketing, South Asia, Lufthansa in conversation with lufthansa4Ps B&M reveals the critical importance of gathering customer intelligence

Most domestic airlines and some international ones too are advertising on TV; do you think it works? Does Lufthansa also have similar plans?
Yes and no. TV is the quickest medium but cannot hold the brand on its own. I think one should go into TVCs after certain recognition as a brand. What is really important is to have a great marketing mix and to make sure that the money is being utilised effectively. If we can achieve that through an effective marketing mix, then TV is not important. We were the first ones to do TV tickers and they really worked very well for us.

In that case, are you saying that TV advertising doesn’t make sense at all when it comes to the aviation industry?
I think that TV is a way to engage customers while others are done to create awareness about the brand. If you have not established a relationship with your customer, if you have not created enough awareness about yourself, then even a television commercial will fail to achieve its objective. So according to me, TV should be used as a tool for customer engagement. We have advertised using other media like radio and a lot of BTL activities. We are there where the customers are least expecting us.

How have you measured whether your BTL activities have proven to be effective?
We do not do anything that we cannot measure. We tap everything through direct mailers, portals. There has been a special mix for this. We know exactly how many hits the website receives, the entire traffic. Customer intelligence is very very important and we keep that in mind. We have engaged our viewers through SMS contests giving out Lufthansa goodies and have received enormous replies. We wanted to give the brand some life and subsequently, got some good 18,000 hits on the website. We got responses from all major cities We knew exactly who we were talking to. We were bang on! It is important for us to know whether our campaigns have worked or not, because everything has to give an ROI; otherwise, the campaign is not relevant.

Today, we have a significant lot of travel portals. Do you consider them competition?
We do not think portals are giving any competition to us. In fact, they work like agents for us. We have a contract with makemytrip.com, which works with us very closely. They are not competing with us. They are working alongside. These distribution channels are very helpful.

Any plans to increase the number of routes?
Airlines are growing because there is more demand. We have 49 flights, 200 destinations in 81 countries. Lufthansa thrives on network. Network is our biggest strength and nobody can beat us at that. We have a JV with Star Alliance that makes it even more efficient for us.

In all, in terms of marketing and advertising, what kind of an edge does Lufthansa have over others?
In the last 2-Maybe years ago, it was [niche], but not anymore. Today, we do not want to be tagged as a niche brand. We want to diversify our target audience and this is a progressive change. You will see us everywhere possible.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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GAUTAM AHUJA, MD, AHUJA CONSTRUCTIONS TELLS SHEPHALI BHATT ON WHY ONE NEEDS TO HAVE AN ‘EYE FOR DETAIL’ IN HIS BUSINESS

2011-03-16T17:48:00.002+05:30

Does it happen at times when your ‘eye for detail’ becomes a liability for you?
It is definitely frustrating at times because you keep pushing yourself for the better. You are never content with the work you deliver, but that’s the beauty of this trait. It ensures that you will never deliver mediocrity at any point. At the end you want the buyer to go out with a happy face. That’s what gives you job satisfaction.

You seem to travel a lot. How has that helped you extract the best lessons in business?
Traveling gives you amazing exposure. You are able to catch the latest trends, explore what is being appreciated by people globally and what is it that the indigenous consumer needs at this point. It is only courtesy traveling that we brought Italian marble into Indian construction when every other player in the market was offering simple or vitrified tiles. It was a risk worth its while; you need to dare to do such things. In our business, you have to put the money first, long before the customer starts paying you the rewards.

Which leadership style gets your vote and why?
I strongly vote for a combination of a style that is authoritative as well as supportive. There are times when you have to lead the army, while at certain occasions you have to be a good team person. Both are essential for being a good leader and I come to the table with both.

What are the nuances of creating a great brand like yours?
Innovation should be at the core of every activity undertaken under your leadership. You have to keep thinking out-of-the-box at all times. Customer focus should definitely be the key element for any organisation irrespective of its genre.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......

Google TV – just a “Hobby” or a “Habit”?

2011-01-11T15:27:00.000+05:30

In a recent survey conducted by Frank N. Magid Associates, 40% of the respondents voted for the fact that they desired to connect their Internet browsing PCs to their TV sets. Google has an answer – the Google TV. It’s another thing that there have been others before who have tried the same; Apple TV for instance, which has gathered such a small fan following that Apple calls it a “hobby”. So will Google TV be written off as “another hobby” or will it become a habit for the world?

The grapevine has it that brands like Sony, Logitech & Intel will be integrating Google TV into the PC and TV. But the most pertinent question that uninformed TV watchers and netizens (who have not heard of so much as the MSN TV or the Apple TV) are asking is – what on Earth is Google TV? It’s a “box” (like the “set top box”) that would accompany the idiot box. It runs on an Android 2.1 platform, uses Google Chrome as the browser and also has Flash 10.1 version for live streaming of videos. Therefore, a TV still, but more intelligent as it enables viewers to directly download content from the web – so, a web-integrated TV!

So what’s Google TV’s bet? Unlike others in the past, the big daddy of online ad-revenues wants to make its offering a habit for the 3 billion TV users worldwide (Note: The figure excludes TV viewers in China!). Imagine the revenue-earning potential through ads, with the Google TV finding a place in markets around the world. The problem why we haven’t heard much about either Apple or MSN TV is because they never saw the world beyond Obama-land. And Google knows that too well!

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.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

The new logo that Indian Railways is planning to bring will mark an end of an era in Indian Railways

2010-12-22T17:50:00.001+05:30

Currently, one can easily spot the 16 stars within the current Indian Railways logo that represent Railway’s administrative zones in the country. As the largest transporter of the country, the Railways initially started with six zones in 1950 and expanded progressively to 16 in 1996. Not many Railways employees that 4Ps B&M touched base with could provide clarity on the current logo’s history, fewer still could recall when the logo was introduced. The Delhi Railway Museum apparently believes that the Indian Railways logo was created somewhere in the 1952-53 period. But still, would it matter if the logo changed? Would there be more people who’ll start signing up for Indian Railways once the new logo is in place?

“The [current] logo of the Railways is what people connect to very strongly with and there is no business sense in changing the logo as it will leave a task of establishing it once again in the hands of the railway officials,” explained Jagdeep Kapoor, CMD Samsika Marketing Consultants, who mentions that it would perhaps be better if the Railways were to invest in making the current logo more visible to consumers. Says Prasoon Majumdar, President, Global Strategy and Investment Consulting (GSIC), “To say that a logo change is not required simply because the past logo did not work, is not the right approach. In fact, it builds a stronger case that perhaps a new logo would work better. But yes, given that the Railways earns most of its revenues and profits from the freight forwarding sector rather than the civilian travel sector – which is close to loss making – a logo change would be useless unless targeted at the profit target market – here the commercial sector. And there is a big case that if the intent is making money, then much more could be made by reengineering processes than by logo changes.”

Now what would be the Railways’ next move? A brand celebrity? We’ll discuss that too...

Pawan Chabra

INTO MY DRAWING ROOM... AND NO MORE?

2010-11-15T18:13:00.001+05:30

The appearance of mobile phones into our lives has started to blur the lines between what is private and what is public at an alarming rate

We have always had a clear cut demarcation between public and private lives. The whole concept of a ‘drawing room’ in our homes is our concept of public life. Drawing rooms are meant to be the public face of homes. This is where the guests are welcome, this is where the family achievements are showcased, and this is where a lot of showmanship is practiced. Drawing rooms are projections and they are designed to leave a good impression. Then there are the other rooms of a home. They are private, they are out of bounds for guests, and this is where the family retreats and keeps its affairs away from the public gaze.

Essentially homes strike a balance between an intrusive welcoming public space and reclusive non-welcoming private space. A line is always drawn between the two spaces and everyone at home knows where one stops and the other starts. While there have been debates about where the division between public and private space should be, and the debate often relates to where a line should be drawn rather than about abolishing the line entirely.

In our culture, it’s drilled into our heads from a very early age that ‘familial matters’ should never be discussed in front of ‘outsiders’ and should always remain within family. If a family can keep its matters private, it can keep its honour sky high.

However, the coming of mobile phones in our lives has started to blur the lines between private and public at an alarming rate. For one the mobile phone has entered spaces that were always deemed private and were out of bounds. And subsequently they have allowed people to share moments, memories, secrets and desires that were always private and were always hidden. Yes mobiles are extension of our lives, but they are removing the sacred line.

HAS TODAY’S ADVERTISING LOST THE PLOT?

2010-10-19T16:11:00.001+05:30

In the hysterical anxiety to engage and entertain an impatient and promiscuous youth-oriented target base, is advertising forgetting its basic agenda – of informing, convincing and selling? 4Ps B&M investigates

In the Hollywood of the late fifties and early sixties, anxiety, confusion and hysteria had set in due to movies not being able to engage the viewer in a way they were expected to. The reason? Television had entered the scene and the earlier ‘captive’ audience suddenly had a compelling choice not to watch the stuff they didn’t choose to. So what did Hollywood do? The secret, trick, knack, art – call it what you will – that the big daddies of movies used was to understand the strength of their medium and then strike at the core philosophy. Instead of trying to improve the substance of movies to compete with the meaningful serials coming on television, they upped the ante by ballooning the budget, scale and spectacle of movies in a way that the twenty-one inch idiot box could never hope to match! In other words, rather than giving more arty movies (meant for the ‘intelligent’ viewer), movie houses went for the larger-than-life metaphor, showcasing surrealistic scenes that could only be, if at all, imagined. And it worked liked nobody’s business! It seemed that the world was made up of more people wanting dunce, yet spectacular screen entertainment, than meaningful ‘stuff’, a reality that exists till today.

The question is, is today’s advertising scene echoing a déjà vu? Due to the changing scenario, is the ad fraternity mistaking (perhaps correctly so) style for substance, form for content? Are frivolity and entertainment the new games in town? Is engagement – at any cost – the prime motive, totally obliterating the basic agenda of advertising which supposedly was to inform, persuade and sell? Look at the latest ads around you – from that car ad showcasing a smiling celebrity in the throes of pleasure, to that cell phone service manufacturer imploring you to jump on the next tiger you see on the road to of course ‘save the tiger’, the intent is clearly to catch the viewer’s attention, than to educate him about the exact qualities of the product. What gives? Is the ad-world finally over the edge?

IIPM Broadcasting News - GID Club - Jaipur. Human Chain at Jal Mahal.

2010-08-28T10:46:00.001+05:30

As a few hundred stood hand-in-hand to form a Human Chain, a diverse army of curious onlookers marched out a phalanx of hypotheses to explain this phenomenon. In the calm of the dawning dusk, yet another fragment of the Great Indian Dream was revealed.

The GID Club, Jaipur in strategic alliance with Center For Civil Society, NGO, formed a human chain on the 29th June’10 at Jal Mahal-Jaipur.

The message to be sensitized to the masses and media was “Recognition of Street Vending as a legal form of livelihood”.

One of the biggest chunk of India’s Unorganized Sector are the street Vendors, who under constant exploitation are compelled to live a life of poverty and looked down as a nuisance and encroachers of sidewalks and pavements. However, they do contribute significantly to the budget of every middle class household, providing 'affordable' as well as 'convenient' services by their self generated means of employment.

IIPM Annual Event - AAGMAN - 21st July 2010 - IIPM Delhi/Gurgaon

2010-08-27T10:41:00.003+05:30

After long hours of practice, many sleepless nights, those forgettable fights and some unforgettable moments, Aagman for the batch of SS/ 2010-12 was conducted on 21st July 2010 at Airforce auditorium. What began as carefree get-togethers for auditions, long practices, and competition, ended as one of the better experiences !

After the traditional lightning of the lamp by Prof Rohit Manchanda (Dean HRD, IIPM), the night proceeded with an enthralling performance by the IIPM band, comprising of Samuel David Dennis and Gurusharan Randhawa.

IIPM choreography teams set the stage ablaze as they performed on the latest chartbusters. There was a live bull fight, beautifully depicted in the form of a choreography act presented by Nishita Mahajan and Allen Robertson. Students from IIPM Gurgaon also performed on a medley which they called – Monsoon Delight and the crowd cheered on. Simranjeet singh and Akhilesh Rana got all the applause as they performed their comic acts to whet the crowds appetite.

Then came the most awaited event for the evening. The fashion show! This year, the fashion police at IIPM went beyond the usual as they depicted a fashion war between aliens and robots, took us to the glitz and glamor of bollywood and had us rejoice in a FIFA carnival.

Aagman 2010 had all the ingredients of a perfect show. Flawless emcees, terrific performances viewed by a wonderful audience.

IIPM 4Ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

2010-08-26T10:58:00.000+05:30

Prashant Singh

VP & Country Head, Agency & Direct Sales, Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Company Ltd.

I think joining IDBI Bank as its first sales employee and then setting up one of its largest, productive and profitable direct sales team within a year was an achievement I always cherish. The team acquired over 50,000 retail customers in the northern region, in the first year of operation. But I was lucky enough because I repeated those moments once again in the year 2005, as one of the founder members of Deutsche Bank’s Retail Banking business in India. My team acquired the first 25,000 retail customers in just nine months of operation, which once again was a remarkable achievement.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

IIPM 4Ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

2010-08-25T11:49:00.002+05:30

Mohan Goenka

Director, Emami Group of Companies

It was the launch of Fair and Handsome brand in 2005 that came as a challenge for the company but is perhaps one of the most important for our company. We wanted to enter a virgin territory of Men’s fairness cream in India. Through our market survey, we found out that this need among Indian males existed and chose to bring men out of the skin colour closet by launching ‘Emami Fair and Handsome’. We perceive this more as a ‘landmark concept’ than just a product. Emami that way has been the first mover in the category by the launch of Emami Fair and Handsome. It is a brand that created the men’s fairness cream segment in 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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

2010-08-23T14:01:00.000+05:30

Shashank Srivastava

CGM-Maarketing, Maruti Suzuki

The launch of WagonR was one of the very important milestones in the history of Maruti Suzuki. However, the best marketing moment which I believe is very close to my heart will be the increased marketing efforts that we made in the southern regions of the country. Maruti Suzuki was till then known as a carmaker which wasn’t very strong in the Southern region of India, but with the increased marketing efforts and the timely launch of new products, sales caught up in the Southern region really fast.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

WHY HUMOUR PAYS IN AD LAND

2010-08-20T16:36:00.001+05:30

In the stressful times we live in, laughter – well packaged – can be a huge high and the ultimate bridge between a brand and its consumer

Everything considered, humour makes people more conducive towards the brand, socking it a solid “feel-good” factor, presenting super-high comfort levels… all of which makes it easy to connect with the brand in an effortless sort of way. It has been noticed that beyond any sales tool, humour invokes a special kind of collective intimacy that is hard to match. Remember, logic can make you think a product is a sensible choice, but only humour can make you lean towards it, invite participation that triggers a joyous recall. Fish swim. Snakes bite. Pandas eat bamboo. But hey, only humans laugh! Laughter is the common currency that humans use to make life rock, and advertising – for its turn – is perpetually pressing the H-button to persuade people in believing that their products and services make for a better life… So the alliance of the two is really a match made in heaven!

In a tense and pressure-ridden world that we inhabit, humour in advertising is getting to be increasingly an intrinsic part of the process largely because advertising as a form and the way it is consumed has radically changed. Says Santosh Desai, “It is undoubtedly an unwelcome and intrusive medium but what has happened in the last few decades is that we have consciously trained people to become consumers and see the world largely from a consumption filter. The strike-rate overall has been pretty good. In earlier times, the 8-reasons-why-you-should-buy-this, delivered in BBC-style English, worked. Today, it doesn’t. People are not looking for gyan but fun, entertainment, a laugh. No heavies.” This has led to substance and content being forced to take on and entertainment spin… Why go far? Isn’t news (presented and packaged – in both print and television – in a stylish, glossy and eye-catching manner) entertainment? Woo, romance, seduce, dazzle, threaten, warn, beg, plead, tease – but for heavens – entertain! If you want to grab attention or eyeballs, what better way than tickling the funny bone?

Today, in a world brutalised by pain, poverty and human suffering, stress, pressure and anxieties, the creator of funnies are the new superstars, because all said & done, even the most hardened sceptic & cynic will agree that, at the end of the day, humour is way better than tumour!

Monojit Lahiri

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

ORANGE ALERT, BROWNIE POINTS & GREEN BEHAVIOUR

2010-08-19T15:31:00.002+05:30

Consumers will be willing to pay premium for a direct tangible benefit of a green product, if it reduces exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals at home

When a customer uses a green product he derives two kinds of benefits – a direct tangible benefit (a greater suitability of the ‘natural’ product) and an intangible benefit (of helping the planet). A consumer will surely pay a premium for the first category of benefits, like, say, organic food if it reduces exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals at home.

EASY DOES IT: EASY ON POCKET, EASY TO LOCATE, EASY ON CONSCIENCE

The morphing into a green consumer depends on three Cs actually: cost, convenience, and concern for environment. So Raghvendra Rathore, the designer, has designed a lifestyle software for iPhone, called iCarbon. It helps calculate individual carbon footprint – the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by an individual. It then offers solutions to neutralise your carbon rating. Patrick O. Brown of Stanford University tells you that animal livestock has a greater green-house effect than all the cars, trucks, and planes in the world. So why not turn vegetarian, or, better still, a vegan. Diets are malleable either way. 30 years ago nobody drank high fructose corn syrup. Now it is dominant part of the American diet. As western diets move into China, people there are eating more beef.

As regards cost-or-price-it is almost automatically assumed that green products would be more expensive since their cost of production would be higher. True, but if they are produced through the same processes that are used to make their less environment friendly counterparts. But why can’t we be innovative? Embedding a sustainability mindset upfront into product design and process engineering will yield competitively priced products. If P&G can do it, so can others. Nano has spurred all car makers into thinking about frugal engineering, manufacturing, and running. Wipro has launched a Greenware range of desktops and laptops which are fully compliant as per the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, yet are competitively priced. Titan and Nokia run exchange scheme to take back discarded products – so as to recycle them – and, at the same time, reduce the effective price for the buyer. Alternatively price parameters have to be redefined by de-emphasising the initial high prices, and making customers focus on total cost – of acquisition, usage, maintenance & disposal.

Thus buyers of green buildings are being made to appreciate the fact that the incremental cost of the green options gets paid back in 3-5 years only. Finally, the convenience factor. A crucial point to note is that even if attitudinally consumers are ‘active green’ behaviourally they remain ‘passive green’. Easy accessibility is the key here. Even if the green niche is very small currently, the Future Group has managed to push sales by offering better display and exclusive racks for organic foods and products. Nature’s Basket followed a different route. The shop offered groceries to bring in the footfalls. Then there was a campaign to push her towards organic and such products.

The key takeaway thus is, Generation Y (18-28 age group) is sold on environmental issues. In order to make green marketing certain ground rules must be kept in mind and followed: One, consumer must be aware of, and concerned about issues that your product professes to address. Second, he has to feel that he will make a difference by using a green product. Third, he has to believe your claims. Fourth, the product must perform. Finally, if you’re charging a premium, he must be convinced about its justification.

K. K. SRIVASTAVA, Advisor, IIPM Business Press

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

LORD KRISHNA THE GOD OF LOVE TOTALLY FASCINATES ME

2010-08-18T14:47:00.002+05:30

Anthony Lau, Executive Director, Hong Kong Tourism Board on what he loves about India

What do you love about India?
It’s Indian curry. I have a lot of Indian friends in Hong Kong so I eat Indian food at least once a week. I also like Indian history & culture.

What about drinks?
I usually take light drinks, say water (laughs). I also like to have Diet Coke.

The historical character from India that fascinates you the most.
Lord Krishna – the God of love and music– totally fascinates me.

Your favourite Indian destination.
Well, I am looking forward to going to the Taj Mahal. I’ve been there many times. But have failed to see the Taj properly till now. I would like to do that once at least.

Do you plan to visit it this time?
No. I shall be visiting the Taj Mahal on my next trip. Because of the tight schedule this time it won’t be possible. But I am really looking forward to paying a visit next time because I have been totally taken aback by its beauty.

What kind of literature do you like?
Well, I read a lot of fiction.

Your favourite book and characters.
My favourite book is Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer.

If given a chance to become invisible for a day, what is it that you would like to do?
First of all, I would like to play golf. Secondly, I would also like to take a walk in the mountains of Hong Kong.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

WHEN SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

2010-08-17T17:14:00.001+05:30

First Rajshri Productions, then Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies Entertainment and now Yash Raj Films. What is it that’s bringing these movie mavericks to the idiot box? 4Ps B&M does a checkout with some eminent industry insiders...

Are you intrigued by the gigantic budgets that Indian filmmakers keep throwing around? Or by the collections these movies allegedly make? And does that make you think that television is a poor cousin of film? Think again! It’s no more the situation actually. In fact, it just might be the younger and wealthier sister.

Chew this: In 2008, while the Indian film industry was worth Rs.109.3 billion, TV was pegged at a whopping Rs.240.5 billion. For 2009 too, while the estimated figure for films is Rs.109.2 billion, for TV it’s pegged at Rs.262.7 billion. And if the ‘FICCI-KPMG Media & Entertainment Report 2009’ is to be believed, then this trend will continue in the near future. As per the report, in 2013 the film industry is estimated to reap in Rs.168.6 billion while TV is estimated to make a mind-boggling Rs.472.6 billion. “Not to forget that the phenomenal projected growth for TV (14.5%) is much higher than films (9.1%) and the overall entertainment industry average (12.5%) during 2009-2013,” says Shubhoshekhar Bhattacharjee, CEO, Planman Motion Pictures.

The most buzzing TV debut (among film makers) in the recent past is Yash Raj Films Television (YRF TV) on Sony. And it’s not just YRF! Shah Rukh’s Red Chillies Entertainment is already exploring the space with successful shows like Tere Mere Beach Main (hosted by Farah Khan). Rajshri, which had its first television stint in the Doordarshan era with a show named ‘Paying Guest’, too started its second innings on TV five years ago with Wo Rehne Wali Mehlon Ki on Sahara One. Currently, it has a show on-air on Zee TV titled ‘Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli’. Further, there are several individual filmmakers, including names like Vikram Bhatt and Anubhav Sinha.

Rauf Ahmed, Ex-Editor Filmfare says, “It’s the huge financial potential offered by TV that is luring filmmakers towards the small screen. Moreover, films are becoming a riskier business by the day.” Zee TV’s Fiction content Head, Sukesh Motwani agrees with Rauf. He feels that in terms of returns, TV is more stable compared to films which are comparatively vulnerable. Further, it’s also about offering a complete entertainment bouquet. As Rafiq Gangjee, VP, Marketing & Communications, YRF points out, “Getting into TV content seemed like a natural progression in our (YRF) growth.”

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

The lesson we never did learn!

2010-08-16T15:52:00.001+05:30

To bring together people who could teach and those who wanted to learn, ToI launched the Teach India campaign and made ‘Let’s learn to teach’ the clarion call

THE TIMES OF INDIA

CAMPAIGN: Teach India

AGENCY: JWT

MEDIA SPENDS: Rs.2.5-5 crore

OBJECTIVE: To achieve 5,000 volunteers who could be trained to teach. The contact points included individuals (who could teach and were willing to donate their time), NGOs (working with illiterate children), schools (to provide space) and companies (to sponsor the initiative).

STRATEGIC CHALLENGE: The key challenge was the unenthusiastic response from consumers. The uphill task was to communicate the hard-hitting realistic future of brand India – a future which was trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty including 75 million children. While most problems faced by the education sector (like under-equipped schools, high rate of dropouts, caste & gender bias, politicisation, et al) needed massive infrastructural investment, ToI took the onus of catering to the problem of shortage of qualified and equipped teachers. The strategic challenge remaining convincing Indians to commit themselves.

BIG IDEA: Despite being home to a large mass of highly educated Indians, only a few educated volunteer to teach. Why? Past qualitative research revealed that though the educated class wanted to contribute, they didn’t have a platform to do so. ToI trained volunteers, provided eager students waiting for teachers, matched their locational requirements with NGOs, and made ‘Let’s learn to teach’ their clarion call. Volunteers were asked to spare two hours per week for this cause. Aamir Khan too volunteered for the programme.

COMMUNICATION TOUCH POINTS: Principals, CEOs, housewives, collegians, professionals, et al, were contacted. 28 direct response ads in print, 3 TVCs with multiple edits, 10 outdoor creatives, bookmarks, car stickers, elevator stickers were created. Digital media, hoardings, events, et al, were also used.

EFFECTIVENESS: The first 10 days of the campaign saw over 10,000 volunteers sign up, close to 60 NGOs recruit students, 32 schools donate space to conduct classes, 31 companies support the initiative (both in terms of sponsorship and volunteers), 550,000 visits to the website & 6000+ video downloads (Source: Client Data). While Aamir continues to teach for two hours every week, 2 million children (at the last count) have benefited from the Teach India cause.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Hayward’s wayward BP ways?

2010-08-13T15:58:00.001+05:30

B&E’s Steven Philip Warner talks to various global oil & climate experts from the likes of Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Standard & Poor’s, Argus Research, JBC Energy & Varda Group to find out what awaits BP’s fate? Will BP, which as recently as two months back was the second most valued oil major in the world, disappear?

The Niger Delta, which has 606 oil rigs, today caters to 40% of the crude oil imported by US – perhaps a reason for the US Congress to ignore the wrongdoings in Nigeria. On May 1, 2010 (ten days after the BP spill), US giant ExxonMobil spilled about 1.1 million gallons into the delta for a week before the leak was stopped. It was ignored. The locals are demanding $1 billion in compensation. That will be ignored too. Beats us why the US Congress has not questioned Exxon. As per the Nigerian govt. figures, more than 7,000 spills occurred in the region between 1970 and 2000, with Shell accounting for more than 1,000 of the cases. In 2009 alone, Shell was responsible for a leakage of more than 14,000 tonnes of oil in the region. Was it even questioned?

6.1 million gallons is Hayward’s crime to date. If Exxon could have been let go off with just $507 million in charges after the 10.8 million gallons spilled in 1989 (following which, “Exxon tried to limit its liability by undertaking destructive technologies in attempts to show it was trying to ‘clean-up’ such as hot water washing and fought through the courts challenging the compensation claims from those impacted by the spill,” as Kelly Rigg, Exec. Director of Varda Group tells B&E), why ask BP to create a $20 billion “slush fund”? But BP won’t mind. And neither will Hayward. He knows, once a substantial amount of restoration to BP’s public image has been done, he’ll be replaced.

[As we go to print, Hayward has already started handing over his daily operational work to Bob Dudley (MD of BP), and will hereon look after its UK operations.]

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Rich poverty

2010-08-12T15:55:00.003+05:30

Orissa’s development confounds

The general notion is that economic prosperity and improvement in living standards of people go hand in hand – but the Indian state of Orissa seems to be a contrast to this. The state, enriched with a bounty of natural resources, remains a backward state when it comes to all the possible measures of standards of living.

Despite recession, investment plans of India Inc. in Indian states increased exponentially from Rs.13,80,099 crores in 2008 to Rs.15,94,203 crores in 2009. India’s leading states that attract the highest amount of investments are Gujarat, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh with their individual share being 15.4%, 12.6 and 8.1% of total investments attracted by Indian states, respectively. Orissa is a rare example of attracting investments exceeding Rs.6 lakh crores in mineral-based industries. Orissa also is host to 33% of India’s total iron reserves, 50% bauxite reserves, 95% nickel reserves, 98% chromite reserves and 24% coal reserves.

There were 49 MoUs that have been signed up with various steel promoters for setting up of plants in 2009, with total investments worth about Rs.2,00,846 crore. The estimated production capacity is about 74.66 million tonnes per annum of steel, according to the government sources. Reliance Energy announced setting up a 12,000 MW power plant with Rs.60,000 crores investment. Bhushan Steel and Strips also announced their plans of increasing their capacity of producing steel from 3 million tonnes to 9 million tonnes with an additional investment of Rs.15,000 crores, apart from Posco, Tata Steel, Jindal Steel and Power, Sterlite Iron and Steel Company, and Essar signing MoUs.

At the same time, while 85% in Orissa live in rural areas, 47% of them live below the poverty line. Overall, 42% people live below the poverty line. In absolute numbers, in 1992, there were 141 lakhs living below poverty line in Orissa; in 2005, this figure had reached 152 lakhs. The annual per capita income of state citizens was Rs.14.795 compared to the national average of Rs.37,490 in 2009. One would have expected citizens of Orissa to be amongst the richest in India. They’re the third most poorest in India.

Akram Hoque

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Satisfied with the performance of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi?

2010-08-11T12:56:00.001+05:30

The lady from Italy has proved to be the BJP's ultimate nemesis. By maintaining a dignified distance from running the government and by astute handling of allies and party members, the UPA supremo has approval ratings double than that of L.K. Advani. Never in the forefront, she has been ably assisted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee among others.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Friends forever

2010-08-10T13:07:00.000+05:30

“I’ll be there for you…” ran the title track of the hit sitcom Friends, and six years after its last season, two of the protagonists are still very much there for each other. Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox Arquette (Rachel and Monica respectively in the show) have been best friends for years, and when Courteney recently won an award for excellence in television at the Women in Film Awards, Jennifer was there for her, cheering and clapping enthusiastically!

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

The curious case of gourmet food

2010-08-09T16:41:00.001+05:30

While many international restaurant brands are already in India, a host of others are lining up to commence operations. But almost every CEO B&E met for this story lamented the over-policing by the government... We take a quantitative stock analysis! by Vareen Gadhoke Ray & Swati Sharma

Variety, they say, is the spice of life – a fact that Lee Iacocca (former CEO, Chrysler) vouched for in his autobiography. He mentions that when his parents immigrated from Italy to the US, his father Nicola started a hot dog restaurant, Yocco's Hot Dogs, (apart from two other businesses). And then the infamous 1929 Wall Street Crash happened, wiping out the savings of millions of Americans in one shot. Iacocca writes that while most other businesses in America collapsed, the restaurant business kept thriving – because people wanted to forget their worries. So customers kept streaming into Yocco's Hot Dogs, and business never seemed to go down. His family saw those times through relatively easily because of that. Iacocca was five years old then, but the lessons remained with him throughout his life. Almost everybody knows Iacocca worked in Ford, and then headed Chrysler till his retirement in 1992. Not many know that in 1998, Iacocca became the Chairman of the LA based restaurant chain, Koo Koo Roo Inc.

The anecdotes are placed simply to prove a point – the restaurant industry is interestingly one of the Indian economy’s best kept secrets. Fast food chains, QSRs, fine/casual dining, cafes, bars & lounges, food courts, take away kiosks, et al, from across the world have set up shop here. With a slew of customised product, offerings and pricing strategies coupled with an armoury of aggressive expansion plans, the restaurant sector (which is growing at 5-6% per annum) is now worth a huge Rs.430 billion! But strangely, there's generally never any kind of a brouhaha over this sector within India – no particularly data-heavy media reports, no statistics, no intrinsic analysis... So B&E decided to go one-up and bring a collation of the latest status of this industry, and the challenges that stand within.

The Economics of Food

Notwithstanding its increased prominence in recent years, the restaurant industry has a history of being fragmented & unorganised, and often suffers the consequence of being compared to the small sweet shops & roadside snack outlets spread across the country. In a market dominated by the unorganised players, the organised segment is estimated to be Rs.70-85 billion [as per "Indian Restaurant Industry 2010", a White Paper prepared by National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) in association with Technopak Mindscape]. The organised segment of the restaurant industry forms 16-20% of the total restaurant market of Rs.430 billion.

In spite of the slowdown, the restaurant industry in India is still expected to be one of the fastest growing, with a growth of 5% plus until 2011. The organised segment is in fact expected to grow faster than the overall restaurant industry, at 20-25% per annum. And given the faster growth of the organised segment, its share of the pie is expected to increase to 45% (to a size of Rs.280 billion). The reasons for this growth are two fold. First, the growth of current and new organised players, and second some of the unorganised operators becoming organised.

As per a Technopak report, by 2015, the restaurant industry will become Rs.625 billion plus. While this is a fast paced growth, had the Indian restaurant industry occupied a similar share of GDP as the restaurant industry of the US occupies of the US GDP, its value would be Rs.1,800 billion, so the untapped potential is immense. Among the various formats, QSRs & cafes have had the maximum growth over the last few years. While most other countries in the Asia region witnessed single-digit growth, QSRs are expected to grow at 15-20% over the next five years.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

‘V’iciously ‘A’bnormal ‘T’ax!

2010-08-07T15:06:00.001+05:30

Inter-State VAT variations are proving to be the chronic ulcer for trade and commerce in the country. And the problems are visible. Will the yet to be implemented GST prove a breather? by Savreen Gadhoke

During the bygone month and a half, Kapil Soni, a resident of Gulmohar Park in New Delhi, has never visited a gas station in the capital city to refill his hatchback’s diesel tank. Not that his hatchback has a mileage that guarantees an on-road time that lasts six weeks, but he prefers to avail of the service rendered by a remote gas station in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) which falls on his way to office. Reason: The Value Added Tax (VAT) levied on diesel in Delhi was raised from 12.5% to 20%, effective April 1, 2010, which made diesel dearer by Rs.4/litre in Delhi. For Soni, a 33 year-old who belongs to the salaried class, that implies savings in excess of Rs.1,200 a month; talk about precious dimes!

This outflux of diesel buyers from Delhi has cost the petrol pumps in the capital city about Rs.350 million in net earnings within just the first month (April 2010) of the increase in VAT. As industry sources confirm, revenues of diesel sellers have dipped by 40% in Delhi and is expected to fall further by around 80%. Understandably, the worst affected are the oil shops that lie in the border areas of the capital. A field enquiry suggests that those in areas like Ghazipur, Anand Vihar (East Delhi) and Dilshad Garden (North-East Delhi) have seen their monthly revenues fall by as much as 70%.

There is another negative spillover. The month of February 2010 saw the minimum wage levels of unskilled labour being increased by 33.5%. At a time when revenues have fallen, it becomes hard to imagine how the gas station owners can adhere to the rule of wage increase.

So do they have an answer to this bonehead play? The gas station parties believe they do – retaliate. Adopting a demonstrative method, the Petrol Dealer’s Association (PDA) of Delhi and NCR has announced that petrol pumps in Delhi will go on a 24-hour strike every Monday, starting May 14, 2010, so long as the VAT increase is not annulled. As of date, there have been three such day-long shut downs at the pumps – on April 9, May 14 & May 24, 2010. The Association has also threatened to go on an indefinite strike from June 14, 2010, if its demands are not met.

The predicament of the gas station owners in Delhi is just one of such instances, where variable Inter-State VAT is bringing about great inconvenience to trade and commerce. While these variations have negatively impacted businesses in certain states, they have also given rise to smuggling and black marketing. This defeats the intention of introducing the very system of VAT in 2005. It was conceived with a view to make accounting more transparent, to cut trade barriers, curb tax evasion and boost tax revenues. Items were classified into various categories such as essential, nonessential, luxury items with taxes ranging from 1% to 20%. VAT rates for each State is decided by the individual State Governments, and this has led to non-consistency in the taxes levied on similar product categories.

Poultry is one example of how variation in VAT has affected the trade between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Kerala has depended on Tamil Nadu for poultry supply, for decades. There was no State tax applicable on poultry till Kerala agreed to the VAT regime. Thereafter, consumers buying poultry had to pay 12.5% more on the purchase of poultry in Kerala, while the commodity was kept free of VAT in Tamil Nadu! The effect – during 2004, around 2 million live birds were transported from Tamil Nadu to Kerala, post-VAT, the trade almost came to a halt. This gave rise to smuggling of live birds from Tamil Nadu into Kerala to bypass VAT and earn that 12.5% on bottomlines by the traders. The act has become so severe and organised now that even after the strengthening of check posts on borders by the Kerala government, smuggling continues through parallel roads and country routes.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Touch me not!

2010-08-06T12:13:00.001+05:30

From healing touch to heeling touch… Women have an incredibly wider spectrum of influence than one could have ever anticipated!!

Have you men ever walked into a shop and felt incapacitated as a negotiator, and had to deal with the brunt of a raw deal that may have burnt a hole in your pocket? Isn’t it true that our female counterparts have an edge when it comes to negotiations and bargaining? Not only that; it has been observed that men accompanied by women folk may also feel much more confident and far more secure while closing deals or simply venturing out. A recent study in New York shows that the reassurance of a woman’s touch can influence decisions made by men. It finally stands to logic why women always get their way and it won’t be a surprise if another study showed that women are in fact always aware of the fact that men feel empowered when they are around! Now, the million dollar question that remains is why are they still given the tag of the ‘weaker sex’?

Women sure have accomplished almost everything that was earlier considered a man’s forte. And in some cases they have achieved even greater feats. Be it personal chores or strategising in a corporate forum, women are omnipresent. Although, some chauvinists and uninitiated introverts donning the garb of shyness, moving further into their cocoons (read wimps) might beg to differ and still vouch for male bosses and colleagues, just so the equations remains ‘simple’. It is a known fact that men would score way lesser than women as far as emotional quotient is concerned. This largely fuels the debate that claims women are better managers, because women colleagues and bosses have greater people management skills, and empathy tops the charts on their priority lists. One might have noticed that while being served in any of the airlines where air hostesses as well as flight stewards are on duty, a passenger might get agitated if a male steward falters, but a reassuring smile from the hostess pacifies even the most irate guest.

It is natural to drop one’s guard while in conversation with the opposite sex; let alone the female touch in question. It is a fact that opposites attract, and it is not a matter of self deprecation if such a scenario comes to the fore because “Complex interplay of hormones and pheromones released during an inter-sex conversation is postulated to hinder abstract thinking, instant decision taking abilities, rationalisation and may influence intuitive abilities,” says Dr. Vinant Bhargava, Physician, Sir Gangaram Hospital.

From legendary epics of ‘Mahabharata’ and ‘Ramayan’ (not to forget Kekai’s tantrums in Ramayan which led to the exile of Lord Ram) to the present day ‘home frontiers’ and ‘cut-throat corporate arenas’, women have succeeded in turning the tables everywhere. It’s not the women who are at fault here. It’s human tendency to take advantage of a situation where undue leeway is being provided for one to behave as desired. Female touch is probably not the only driving force providing reassurance to an individual or the confidence to go ahead and bear risk. Point to be pondered here is that is there a possibility that it could be the ‘human touch’ which is the stimulant? A group of friends or a confidant is not subject to any caste, creed or sex. Hence how one deals, invests or operates around or without one’s support system is an individual’s call. The only disclaimer is ‘offer documents may be subject to market risks… please read the offer documents carefully before investing!’

Ravi Inder Singh

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

So what do we do about burning cars?

2010-08-05T16:00:00.001+05:30

As car manufacturers double up efforts to ensure cars don’t catch fire, it is important for customers also to understand how they might be ‘the’ problem in such incidents. by Pawan Chabra

Many similar Ajays and Pramods in the Indian market have literally put their lives at stake and eventually ended up spending lakhs just for saving a few thousands. According to data provided by Indraprastha Gas Ltd., there are around 170 certified CNG kit suppliers in Delhi alone, but consumers still visit local suppliers and get the uncertified kits fitted. Further, the technology is still crude. Cases of leakages in the CNG pipe or problems in the valve of a vehicle are a daily affair at several CNG stations. “The technology has been just lifted from western countries. It needs some refinement so that it can adapt the Indian climate,” says Ramesh Kumar Gautam, an employee at one of the CNG stations in Delhi.

The story is no different with the LPG-kit fitted car owners. In fact, some car owners use gas cylinders that are meant for household use. “We refrain from selling our alternative fuel empowered cars in regions where the alternative fuel is not available as it encourages unsafe practices,” reasons Mayank Pareek, Managing Executive, Sales & Marketing, Maruti Suzuki. He adds that though Maruti is working on developing CNG and LPG variants of its models, it will only happen once the network for these fuels fully develops in India.

Undoubtedly, car manufacturers are doing their bit to control such incidents, but then no one has a control on unsafe practices undertaken by individual consumers. For instance, in western countries, the after-sales market is equally divided between authorised service stations and multi-brand car workshops. But in India, customers prefer to go to the neighbourhood garages rather than visiting an authorised service centre to get their car serviced. Moreover the concept of multi-brand car service shops has still not picked up. “The trend and magnitude of neighbourhood garage shops is almost exclusive to India. Having said that, the trend is changing and consumers prefer authorised showrooms over the neighbourhood garage shops,” Jagdish Khattar, former Maruti head honcho and current MD, Carnation Auto tells B&E.

All this clearly indicates that just as car manufacturers need to be put under the scanner for service defects, there is a need to reinforce safety measures and the government should persuade consumers to follow the same either by incentives or by increasing the cost of non-compliance.

With inputs from Danish Reyaz

Pawan Chabra

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Finally, a wrong move?

2010-08-04T12:56:00.001+05:30

You can look at it as an advantage or as a drawback, but when Apple makes any kind of play, it is bound to invite numerous discussions, debates and scrutiny. The same is true for its latest acquisition of Intrinsity. Is Steve Job’s new penchant for semi-conductors the ‘wrong move’ that experts had been waiting for so long? by Amir Moin

Another aspect of this whole episode is how this will change the dynamics of the industry. Apple chips are based on a design that competes with Intel’s for the fast-growing market of small to mid-size consumer devices, ranging from smart phones to tablet computers. So if Apple prompts other tablet manufacturers to use a similar chip in their products, Intel could see red. Intel also supplies microprocessor’s for Apple’s computing devices and would rue losing such a high profile client.

Custom made chips, if successful and pathbreaking, will come with unique hardware features that are hard to copy and will set Apple apart from vendors who manufacture their products using off the shelf components already available in the market. However, manufacturing chips from scratch is also an extremely risky proposition because such chips are so complex and expensive to make.

In mobile computing, the right kind of chip design can provide a tremendous, differentiated competitive advantage. Apple is even abandoning the traditionally open software-development model. The iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad are all but closed to third-party developers who don’t use Apple’s software-development kit (SDK) and the Apple-filtered App Store. With all this, Apple is tightening its hold over mobile platforms and the huge revenue potential of a fully closed system may encourage Apple to further accelerate this development. All these developments may have huge implications for Apple but given the drive of Apple to be different; this acquisition is poised to bring paradigm shifts in the industry only if Apple convinces other vendors to use its custom made chips instead of what are already available off the shelf.

Apple’s stock price fell significantly post the acquisition announcement (m-cap collapsed from $245 billion on April 26, 2010 to $233 billion on May 7, 2010, though recovering to $238 billion on May 12), showing the lack of faith even extremely loyal investors have in Steve’s latest move. This was also because of news of Google’s Android phones beating Apple’s iPhones in US Q1 (Jan-Mar 2010) sales. With all this in the background and performance issues creeping up fast in iPad customer feedback (Jobs has still not launched iPad in Asia, Australia and Europe), Steve the Goliath needs the latest gambit to give returns too fast to get the heat of his back. But hey, since when has he started caring about what others think of his strategic moves?

Amir Moin

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Fiends on the prowl

2010-08-03T13:11:00.001+05:30

A TSI sting operation finds how paedophilia has turned into a thriving business in Delhi, NCR and Mumbai. Taking advantage of kids’ poverty and craze for brands and gadgets, middlemen get rich by supplying minor boys and girls to satiate the desire of sick, rich men, many of them NRIs and foreigners. By Abhishek Kumar and Neeraj Rajput

TSI – What’s your age?
Rupesh – 16 years.
Rupesh – You are also gay, right?

TSI – No, I’m not gay but I like small kids.
Rupesh – But the boys of 10-12 years are not mature enough to do anything with you.
Rupesh – I do have young boys but they don’t know anything.. I mean if you tell them to …they will not do and you will have to do it.

TSI – Yes, I am saying the same thing.
Rupesh – Oh. I did not know about this. Had I known, I would have got your job done. I have children of 10-12 years. I will instruct them and they will do likewise.

TSI – I hope there won’t be any problem?
Rupesh –Not at all. They are my students and I am their teacher.

Maria insisted we tried out Rupesh once but we used his higher age as the right excuse. When we went to meet Rupesh, we got the shock of our lives. Rupesh had told us the children would be 10-12 years but one kid was not even 8 years old. We wondered if he could answer us but found that he was extremely vocal and well-trained.
TSI – Son, do you learn to dance?
Kids – Yes.

TSI - Which all style have you learnt?
Kids - Hip-hop.

TSI - How many more students are there?
Kids – There are 4-5 more.

TSI - Which class are you in?
Kids – Eighth standard.

In the flesh trade, if a middleman is aware that you are loaded, they will do anything that you ask for. We were on the right track. With the help of Maria, we found Rupesh, the real culprit who supplied small children to paedophiles. Rupesh told us that it was going to be the first time for the kids. It was a ploy to make more money as the rates are higher for a ‘fresh’ sex worker.

Rupesh told us that he had already instructed the kids about what they had to do. We asked Rupesh what if the kids went home and told their parents. Rupesh allayed such fears and agreed to be present while we ‘had sex’ with the kids. He further advised us to avoid taking the kids to hotels or guest houses as the risk of being caught was high. He told us that a private place like some friend’s house was preferable.

Then popped the money question. Rupesh asked for an astounding Rs. 25,000. Now that we were done with our work, we had to get out of the deal citing some excuse. So we said we did not have access to a private place and that we were scared of being caught in the act. This infuriated Rupesh who started shouting at us, “These kids know everything. They do have girlfriends and have done everything with them. I am in this business for a very long time. If you are not interested, I will take them to some other client.” He blurted out that his clients came from as far as Singapore, Pakistan, Dubai, Australia and Canada.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Time to revisit the basket & egg theory

2010-08-02T13:04:00.001+05:30

After a long lull, one can finally see some action at Walmart’s India headquarter. But that action seems pretty lackadaisical by Walmart’s standards... Is everything alright? by Savreen Gadhoke

Walmart had entered Germany in 1997 through two acquisitions – Wertkauf Stores (which had 21 stores) and Spar (a chain of 74 hypermarkets). The acquisition of Spar was considered to be a nastily hasty decision as it was one of the weakest German players targeted at low-income groups. Walmart had a self-inflicted hard time providing ‘everyday low prices’ and failed miserably while competing with cost leaders Aldi and Lidl that gave superior price cuts and discounts as compared to Walmart. And we haven’t even come to the retailer’s inability to understand cultural nuances. This coupled with the lack of a strong leadership, and Walmart Germany became a case study for what not to do when you enter a new market. As a result, in four years of their operations, Walmart Germany changed its CEOs four times. Walmart had to eventually pull out of the country in 2006 after selling off its 85 stores to Metro at a massive loss of $1 billion.

Raj Jain, the President & CEO, Walmart India knows these details too well. A closer look at Walmart’s India operations and the caution being displayed by the giant comes out too clear. After having committed $100 million for the expansion of C&C stores across India, Walmart (or rather, Bharti-Walmart) launched only their second store in Zirakpur (near Chandigarh) on April 14, 2010. The launch of the second store comes almost a year after the start of its first such store (branded as ‘Best Price Modern Wholesale’) in Amritsar in May 2009. Two years for two stores? Is this the Walmart we know? Yes, they do confirm they’re planning to launch seven more by this year end. But the mantra behind the success of Walmart in any part of the world has been in achieving economies of scale, i.e. cost advantages achieved by expansion. And with seven stores, it’s anybody’s guess how Bharti Walmart believes it can really achieve economies of scale in India?

More critical is the fact that logistics in a country like India, where different regions specialise in producing different specific commodities, can be a cost efficient exercise only when the expansion plan takes into account the major cash and carry (C&C) purchase belts of India. Till now, it seems Bharti Walmart is satisfied to restrict its operations to just North India and remain a regional player. Even if our prognosis turns out to be wrong in the future – given the promised seven new outlets – the government’s latest decision to cap sales by C&C players to their group front-end companies at 25% of overall sales would put paid to any overly enthusiastic growth strategies the company might have been nurturing.

As per KPMG, this government move can force these wholesalers (like Bharti Walmart) to reduce investment plans by around Rs.8 billion in the immediate term. At the same time, experts like Ashish Sehgal, Executive Director, Infoline, feel that Bharti Walmart need not expand fast as it’s based on a long-term sustainability model. As per Ashish, economies of scale are not achieved solely by expansion but by other factors too like demand, huge customer base, cost control, et al, which are conducive for doing business.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Meaty Proposition!

2010-07-31T13:18:00.001+05:30

Tibetan Mastiffs have seen it all – from fighting knives to going under them and to now becoming Chinese puppy mills’ latest pet

‘MADE IN CHINA’ seems like an omnipresent tag on almost all commodities; be it software, apparel, sports goods or electronics. Locking its jaws yet again on the dog breeding industry, the king of ‘fakes’ has sniffed out huge profits in breeding Tibetan Mastiffs (TMs), for pocket dogs are passé for the Chinese market. Catching the eye of the rich and famous is the giant, large breed, king of the ‘molosser’ tribe, the Tibetan Mastiff. Not a very long time ago pet pooches were considered to be a luxury in China and were difficult to procure, courtesy the stringent rules and regulations pertaining to dog ownership. Also undying protests from various activists against dog meat (considered a culinary tradition) industry made it difficult for people to own dogs for the wrong or right reasons. But now that puppy mills are flourishing world over, dog lovers and meat eaters are going ahead at full throttle to take home a companion for life, or for a juicy steak.

“Having TMs is a status symbol in China and can range from $3000 to over $100,000, so it’s a money game and very few people work towards saving the breed; a lot of dogs are mixed just to get the size in dogs. Small time breeders will mix other breeds to make a dollar, however some Chinese breeders have some of the best TMs ever known,” says leading TM breeder and enthusiast Himmat Singh from Australia. The irony is that if China is trying to flood the global market by once again mass production of this dog, then the quality and breed standards would fall for sure. Not only that, a TM is not for everyone who can simply afford to pay for it. The primitive breed is demanding and needs to be challenged mentally and physically on a regular basis. It is a livestock guardian dog, which needs a compound to run around and also needs a calm assertive owner to maintain leadership over this headstrong powerful breed.

It’s good that China has given a new dimension to the kennel and livestock industry. It cleverly tapped Tibet for the supply of this breed and has been a pro at roping in one of the best breeders for some good specimens. But the increase in puppy mills in the country is evident all over. China has markets in which puppies are sold atop car roofs in streets. Responsible dog owners and people who understand the nuances of dog breeding know that it isn’t a good sign when puppies are made available without papers and information pertaining to their history, lineage, pedigree, parenting or breeding. Also being a place where Saint Bernards were in demand not very long ago because of their size and the amount of meat they provide, Tibetan Mastiffs, who also grow upto 31” at the withers and weigh around 60-100 kg, are not a bad proposition for dog meat lovers.

Size being the hallmark of this pooch, Chinese are attempting to breed its largest specimens ever known, and to become the front-runners in this industry. These powerful and fierce dogs have laid their lives for their masters and companions in the past, and as long as they’re in the hands of sincere dog lovers and genuine breeders, there is no need to worry. The only concern is that they shouldn’t be bred to be put under the butcher’s knife!

Ravi Inder Singh

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Turning the heat on its head

2010-07-30T12:00:00.000+05:30

An early summer and an inspiring growth last year have encouraged consumer durable players to plan aggressive volume expansions. B&E takes a look at the ‘cool’ factors that will enable them to beat the heat by Neha Saraiya

Other fish in the ocean are also busy scaling up their production levels in order to meet the resurgence in demand. Ravinder Zutshi, MD, Samsung India is all set to double the company’s sales volumes in 2010 in the AC category to 1 million units and garner a market share of over 30%. In refrigerators, the market share target for Samsung has been set at 26%, and the company is looking at a 40% jump in sales volume in these two categories in this quarter. Even the Japanese AC player Hitachi is quite optimistic about its plans in India, which is quite evident from the aggressive stance of Gurmeet Singh (Head - Business Planning, Vice President), Hitachi India. The company not only inaugurated its third plant in Gujarat last year (a facility spread on a plot of 85000 Sq. Mtr. with approximately 35000 sq. mtr. of Industrial shed with an investment of Rs.500 million), to augment the production capacity to 4.0 lakh units per annum but is also laying major emphasis on increasing its presence in B & C class towns through an exhaustive network reach by an increase in the appointment of new distributors by 25-30%. In a similar vein, the management team at Whirlpool India is abuzz with activity; as they have been arranging extensive dealer meets since the past 6-8 weeks and are vigorously pursuing their plans to accelerate their volumes since the last 18 months. The company is currently a miniscule player in the AC category (as it sells just 1 lakh units per year currently), and is aiming to escalate the figure to 3 lakh units by end of this year.

In addition to utilising the hot summer months to come closer, or even beat, those ever stiff annual targets, the players have a definite long term agenda in mind as well. After all, in a high growth market like India, this is the right time to grab more market share; which can translate into better unit realizations in the long run; besides helping create a domino effect in the market if used properly. Over the near term, various industry bodies like ASSOCHAM and Ernst & Young are projecting that the electronics and appliances industry will reach a size of $40 billion by 2012 with a CAGR of 11%; and the question in front of each player is what their share will be.

The Indian white goods industry has been witnessing a paradigm shift over the past few years towards high-end and technologically advanced products. So while some players have been ramping up their production levels, others have been investing in better technology to enter the big league. For instance, a technology like 3D innovation is not just coming to TVs and cameras; but is also making its presence felt in refrigerators. Moon Bum Shin, MD, LG India reveals, “The revenues for us totaled Rs.12,500 crore in 2009, and this year we are expecting our India revenues to grow by 20% plus to Rs.17,000 crore in 2010. We have added 23 new models in the direct cool refrigerator category to our existing line-up and we are targeting a turnover of Rs.3,000 crore in the refrigerator segment by end of 2010.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Ek Khiladi, Ek Hasseena… for real

2010-07-29T14:23:00.000+05:30

Sushmita Sen adds another name to her long list of boyfriends and it is none other than Wasim Akram. Buzz has it that the two were spotted hand-in-hand at a popular nightspot and were very comfortable in each other’s company. The two met while judging a reality show Ek Khiladi, Ek Haseena and have been in touch ever since. We hope this guy is here to stay in Sush’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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

We should aspire & work for prosperity””

2010-07-26T15:56:00.000+05:30

In this exclusive interaction with virat bahri of B&E, Dr. Isher Judge Ahluwalia discusses her views on the potential & challenges of the Indian economy

Dr. Isher Judge Ahluwalia plays a phenomenal number of roles apart from her position as Chairperson, ICRIER, which highlight her remarkable contribution to resolving critical issues of Indian economy & policy. Besides being Member, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council, Government of India & Chairperson of the High Powered Expert Committee on Urban Infrastructure by the Ministry of Urban Development, she is on the boards of a number of research institutes in India & abroad; and a recipient of the Padma Bhushan in 2009 for her achievements in education & literature. In the second part of this two-part interview series, she elaborates on issues related to poverty alleviation and urbanisation:
B&E: Analysts seem particularly obsessed with GDP growth & Sensex. What other indicators can help ascertain our economic health?
IJA: These indicators are ultimately only signaling devices. Along with GDP growth, we should be looking at employment growth. Besides, we should look at social indicators like life expectancy, Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate, literacy & immunisation. These are determined by long term factors. When you look at life expectancy, you look at it every ten years; when you look at production in the economy, there is focus on GDP. So nothing by itself will tell you the total story. But I am not advocating happiness index because I know that it can not be measured. I believe we should place more importance on employment. If we do that, we will understand how regressive our policies have been and how they stand in the way of providing employment. Related to that is education and providing the right skills. We keep talking about the demographic dividend. But it could become a demographic disaster if we don’t endow our youth with the skills that the market needs.

B&E: Do you believe in the trickle down effect to bring down poverty?
IJA: I prefer the inclusive growth approach. In the late 1970s, the debate was about growth vs distribution. It was assumed that because you needed to redistribute, you accept a certain reduction in growth rate. So we instituted policies presumably directed at redistribution but actually created a situation in which virtually no growth took place. By the end of the 1970s we could figure out that the policies made no dent on poverty and that the percentage of people below the official poverty line remained around 50% through the 60s and 70s. Growth was at the infamous Hindu rate of growth of 3.5%. Distribution did not improve very much. In the 1980s we realized that we were wrong not to focus on productivity at all. If you only talk about distribution and curb all channels that generate productivity and growth, there will be no growth and no improvement in standards of living. The VIth Plan placed emphasis on productivity for the first time. In the 80s, we were able, through hesitant experiments here and there with domestic deregulation – making the process of licensing easier, decontrolling the price of cement, simplifying the trade policy regime – in facilitating the market to work. It was still a closed economy framework. We did not open up to foreign trade and investment. We did not reform the public sector. Even so, we were able to raise the GDP growth rate to 5.5% per annum. We were able to reduce the percentage of people below the defined poverty line to 33% by the end of the 1980s. This proves that you need a sustainable higher growth rate to make a dent on poverty.

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.
“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here
Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com
IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎

Bebo finds a new kick!

2010-07-02T15:24:00.000+05:30

Kareena Kapoor has been signed on for a music video for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which will also feature Matt Damon, Kevin Spacey and Jessica Alba. The video, which is planned to be a part of the opening and closing ceremonies of the event, has gotten the 29-year-old Bebo all excited and she has already started to try a lot of different looks and clothing styles! Bollywood composers Salim-Sulaiman have also composed a track for the FIFA World Cup and will be performing live at the opening ceremony. These Indian artists sure seem poised to proudly kick off the World Cup in style!

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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Dance in the hearts...

2010-06-30T11:54:00.000+05:30

Guru Syed Pasha leads an exceptionally talented dancing troupe of persons with disability at Ability Unlimited Foundation. K Raghav Sharma relates the overwhelming experience…

Ten years back Vijay Kumar was a troubled parent. A resident of Jhilmil colony in Delhi, he was anxious about the future of his child Gulshan Kumar. With his crippled legs, Gulshan struggled to walk. But fate took him to Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha and the course of his life was changed forever. He asked Gulshan to join his Ability Unlimited Foundation (AUF), which works for the empowerment of talented children with disability. Gulshan’s father Vijay was not convinced at first, but an offer of Rs 500 as scholarship and the dream of a prosperous future made him agree. Today, ten years since that rendezvous, Gulshan is no more thwarted by his handicap. He is currently pursuing his 12th standard education and is also earning a decent income as an artist.

Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha has thus brought hope and happiness to hundreds of differently-abled children with his unique and unparalleled concept called ‘Dance on Wheels and Crutches’. For the last 25 years, many like Gulshan have secured a self-reliant and dignified life for themselves at the Delhi-based AUF. Guruji’s flat in Patparganj is fully dedicated to the physically and mentally challenged, despite space constraints.

Wheels are a major part of the 'Bharatanatyam's on Wheels' show that is the result of five years of hard work put in by these children. An unprecedented piece of work in the history of natya, it is specially choreographed for the disabled. Combining the elements of Bharatanatyam, martial arts, Sufi dance, Bhagavad Geeta, yoga and many other arts, it is a sheer treat to watch.

Pasha works with artists whose conditions range from polio, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, autism and other mental, visual and hearing difficulties. On can easily imagine it to be tremendously taxing on one’s stamina and patience.

In his journey, Pasha has known challenges that an ordinary mortal would have found difficult to withstand. “As a guru of the disabled, you should not lose patience. These pains are part of the process and I need to face it anyway. To be frank, I have learnt the significance of patience and peace from these people only,” Pasha said.

Guruji Pasha was fond of dance and other arts since his childhood. “Being a Muslim, it was not easy for me to practice Ramayana, Bhagavad Geeta, etc.” he recalls. “In my childhood I had to face threats and beatings from my community because I was studying these art forms which were essentially Hindu. Around that time, one guru refused to teach me on the same grounds – me being a Muslim. At Navasandhi Nritya too, they said, 'we can’t teach nritya to a Muslim; it is purely meant for Brahmin people.’”

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM enters into media education

IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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The 'W' company!

2010-06-22T14:50:00.000+05:30

The water mafia now steals more than 50%

As darkness descends over Dharavi in Mumbai, a few local slum dwellers creep out of their shanties grasping steel ewers and plastic cans, scrambling over an iron railing fence across the railway lines to meet a crowd around a faucet in a desolate patch on the other side. The place is already burbling with an intense scuttle for water. The hitch? It’s basically the water mafia’s stolen water for sale — this particular faucet draws water from a water tank that belongs to Indian Railways! Such pilfering of water is going on for decades in our largest metropolis, as it struggles to quench the thirst of its ever growing population. Mumbai’s 19 million people demand 6,916 million litres a day; while the city’s limited capacity can provide only 2,900 million litres. The future looks really bleak as the city’s civic authority has warned that its primary water reservoirs have only 71 billion litres of water, enough only to last 200 days. It’s a wobbly situation as state government announced in December last year that water connection will not be provided to high-rise buildings until 2012. To tackle the misery, the state government is in a process to set up three new water reservoirs and a desalination plant. But these steps however, do not deal with the main problem of pilfering, because of which the city looses one-fifth of its water supply. The water mafia operating as commercial water tankers creates false scarcity to enhance their business in connivance with some Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials. In spite of BMC trying to curb the menace, stopping theft is easier said than done — as there is no one to monitor the fissures in the pipelines made by mafias and local leather factories for their business.

The scenario in Delhi is similar — as Delhi Jal Board (DJB) guarantees enough water for its residents — throwing open the question for the reason of scarcity, which in that case seems to be artificially created. It’s the stolen water meant for public usage that is sold back to them by the private operators. Delhi, as per official figures, has 220 litres viz. eleven buckets of water per capita per day — yet there is no accountability of 330 million gallons of water — the government says it loses 50 per cent of its water supply, but cannot explain how! After the loss, the government is left with 110 litres of water per capita per day — which is an absolute shocker!

It is a losing battle in almost every city to try and stop water mafia’s illegal extraction of water and supplying them at a soaring price. Taking out groundwater from their wells and trading it to tanker owners for Rs.100/ per load is a full time business for farmers in the outskirts of Chennai, so much so, that they have given up their original livelihood of agriculture. Is privatisation the answer? People like Alfredo Pascual of Asian Development Bank do think that the private sector “does have a valid role to play—not as the owner of water resources but in providing the much-needed expertise.” That seems to long in coming. For now, we have a parched throat.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

Read these article :-

IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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Celebration of mediocrity

2010-06-16T14:12:00.000+05:30

The result is non-entities and talented people are often thrown together in the same space sending out highly confusing signals… but who cares? The reason is simple. The respect for an artist’s endeavour is not the reason for his/her being a celebrity. The ability to successfully fill media space (what’s new, hot ‘n’ happening!) or splash out in the colour supplement of a popular mainline publication, is. This has led to a frightening celebration of mediocrity.”

Respected editor, publisher, film & theatre critic Samik Bandopadhaya provides his very own, evolved take. “The media – for its own vested interest – continues to create, project and glamourise a particular constituency, which, it believes, are the people who matter. They are the stars; they are the celebrities. I find this whole representation both fake and phony, because, while there will always be the tabloid-hooked, sensation-seeking crowd, there continues to be an entire and vast minority who disagree. They (collectively and fearlessly) root for the true-blue creative animal. Incidentally, these people are not all Kolkata-based but are spread across West Bengal, in small towns, schools, colleges and universities”.

Bengal’s celebrity filmmaker – revered in Bollywood and admired globally by lovers of good cinema – Rituparno Ghosh winds up the debate in characteristic fashion. “I think everyone will agree that art and culture has, traditionally, existed and thrived on patronage. Once it was royalty. Today – in whatever form (editorial, corporate house) – it’s the sponsors. There was a definite spirit of altruism that drove the earlier generation. They were not necessarily painters, poets, dancers or musicians but they genuinely wanted to further the cause of creativity and arts, in their own way. That has changed.” He also points to consumerism as a major factor in this tilting of the scene. “When commodities are transformed and glamourised to brands, suddenly a status factor comes into play. I don’t want any biscuit – I want Britannia. I don’t want any shoe – it has to be Nike or Reebok. I don’t want to eat at any old place – it has to be Sonar Bangla, Taj Bengal or Oberoi… By the same token (whether I understand its nuances or not) I must have a Bikash Bhattacharjee, Hussain, Souza, Raza or an Anjolie Menon painting on my wall. “Sad but true…”

What is your take, dear reader?

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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Is Ukraine an emerging power ?

2010-06-15T16:09:00.000+05:30

The accord signed on April 21 will extend lease of Black Sea Fleet’s key base until 2042

Since Victor Yanukovich became the Ukrainian President, analysts and watchers were expecting a thaw in ties between Kiev and Moscow, but even they have been knocked off by the pace in which things have moved.

Ukraine traded cheaper gas from Russia in swap for permitting the Russian navy to continue a long-term presence in the Crimean Peninsula. The accord, signed on April 21, will extend the lease of the Black Sea Fleet’s key base of Sevastopol until 2042—25 years further than the previous cessation deadline. In return, Ukraine got an instant cut rate on Russian gas until 2020, when the existing deal expires. The concession will cost Russia an approximate $3 or $4 billion a year at existing prices. And after 2017, it will apparently be offset by equivalent cuts in the fresh, higher rent for the naval conveniences at Sevastopol.

While the move has ruffled quite a few feathers both inside and outside Ukraine, the uneasiness at Brussels is worth analysing. While Ukraine emerged out as a sovereign nation in 1991, it has been an issue of concern for the superpowers who have been fighting over its geography and using Kiev as a chessboard all the while. The polls of January 2005, dubbed “The Orange Revolution” by the pro-western media, threw some new players in the game. However, the then President, Viktor Yushchenko’s, pro-west leaning was driven more by emotion and less by strategies. He, with the obvious insistence of Brussels, picked fight with Moscow, who promptly arm-twisted the former on gas. Meanwhile, his patrons, it appears, were too busy fighting among themselves.

EU and NATO membership was Yushchenko’s precedence, yet, the vacillating and futile political beliefs of the EU were quite off the mark from Ukraine’s European hallucination. The EU, to Kiev's dismay, was not successful in assimilating Ukraine into ‘Europe’. Similar to other foreign policy matters, the EU could not achieve a sole foreign policy perceptive towards Ukraine. The EU’s assessment of Ukraine in terms of the ‘EU Neighbourhood Policy’ produced profound disillusionment in the country. This was particularly vital for western Ukraine since people here consider themselves as a European nation, and definitely not as a ‘Europe neighbour’.

Victor Yanukovich, on the contrary, was pegged as pro Russian, but he persisted that Ukraine would carry out dealings with the EU, US and Russia. In that sense his foreign policy can be best explained as one of equilibrium between the West and Russia. However, the key matter here was the viability of this looked-for equilibrium.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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As the world observed the 40th anniversary of Earth Day

2010-06-14T12:29:00.000+05:30

While businesses have systematically and thoroughly abused and mutilated our earth, several companies have begun to implant and implement environment-conscious ideologies in their organisations. From a global perspective, the highest impact is being achieved by an Indian-American according to Forbes. Recently named as the greenest billionaire in the world, Vinod Khosla, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, has been pouring millions of dollars into innovative companies that are into sustainable building materials, solar power and advanced bio-fuels. Meanwhile, organic clothes that spare the earth the scourge of pesticides and chemicals are slowly gaining ground in the Indian market. While several designers have taken out eco-friendly lines, two major apparel brands have recently decided to tread the green mile too. These new lines from Van Heusen and Arrow present 100 per cent organic clothes made out of cotton, linen and have used natural dyes. Vandana Shiva, however, stresses on tying such projects with community-based initiatives to ensure that such ventures sustain in the long haul. Further, in dyeing a regular fashionable outfit, roughly 8000 chemicals are used, besides using heavy metals, creating toxic waste and consuming huge quantities of precious water.

Therefore natural dyes are an essential step for clothing companies. Herbal dyeing, which not only uses natural plants and minerals but also retains the medicinal properties of the herbs, is being seen as the next big trend by many. Says Arun Baid of Aura Herbal Textiles, “We will not speculate that the whole world will change and will go for herbal dyeing, but since the dedication to environment, global warming, carbon points are serious issues, in the near future anybody and everybody will have to be sustainable to survive.”

Going green is becoming so fashionable that at The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) green has replaced the usual red colour of the carpet at the entry. Where Amitabh Bachchan has for long been encouraging eco-friendly behaviour, the latest Bollywood celebrity to join the green bandwagon is Abhay Deol, who has signed up to become the official Brand Ambassador of The Climate Project – India, and for a start has decided to use two separate garbage bins – one for dry waste, and the other for wet waste. The project is aiming to present more concrete solutions through their Teachers Training Programme, where they plan on training teachers in every government and privately-owned school in Delhi about climate change, in time to help the capital get all squeaky and shiny for the Commonwealth Games 2010.

While there is a lot afoot to help our earth regain its lost vitality, each one of us needs to treat our planet with respect and love, and behave as a member of one big family. The Dongria Kondh tribe, the businessmen who own the factories, to the school children who planted saplings this Earth Day, are all an intrinsic and organic part of the same family. “We are the last generation that can make a difference. Our generation has a challenge to not only act in our own capacities to reduce our carbon footprints, but in addition we should also get our politicians to take the big decisions that are needed now,” says Vinuta Gopal. “We need to now think of the rights of mother earth, and how that defines our rights,” stresses Vandana Shiva, and leaves us with a thought that will hopefully resound in our readers’ minds long after, “We are an earth family, and this earth family is a child of mother earth, and her rights come first.”

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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WHEN ROADS LEAD TO NOWHERE

2010-06-11T11:46:00.000+05:30

The government seeks further reduction in width of NH

The National Highway development in Kerala reached a cul-de-sac last week when the state government decided to stop land acquisition following stiff opposition from land owners and residents adjacent to the NH 47 and the NH 17. The state government — after an all-party meet — has decided to request the Central government to reduce the width of the proposed National Highway to 30 metres instead of the national standard of 60 metres.

Earlier, the National Highway Authority of India had reduced the width to 45 metres, considering the local conditions. But people were not satisfied. They have succeeded in pressuring the state government to take the issue up with the Central government in New Delhi.

An all-party delegation of state MPs presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But sources say it is unlikely to get special consideration. Most of the states have already started work for 60 metre-wide National Highway and even after the special consideration, Kerala failed to start acquisition work on time. NHAI chairman Brijeshwar Singh, while attending the all-party meet convened by chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, categorically said Kerala could have a highway of 30 metres width. “You can build a road of 30-metre width, but it won’t be a National Highway. It will only be a state highway,’’ Singh told the members at the meeting.

Besides, the NHAI has been accused of being partisan towards hotels and other industrial groups. The locals fear that if they give up the fight, they won’t get the compensation. “The state government is committed to look after its people’s interests. We are sure that a 30-metre wide highway will cater to the demands of the state,” he said. The highway issue had political fallout also. Days after the all-party meet decided to stall the work for highway development, Kerala Congress (J), the party which handles Works Department in the LDF Government, has signalled leaving the front and joining the Congress-led UDF.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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Unleashing a fresh paradigm

2010-06-09T11:05:00.000+05:30

The fifth anniversary of Goafest not only showcased 4,500 ads from all over the country but also witnessed the presence of more than 3,000 delegates across the globe. neha saraiya presents a peek -a-boo into the fest and the key takeaways

As an event that spanned three days and took in innumerable entries, Goafest 2010 was arguably one of the largest platforms for creative and intellectual exchange in the world of advertising. This year, the theme was "Survival of the Freshest". Sam Balsara, CMD, Madison Communications, cites, "After growing at nearly 20 percent year on year for 5 years, the advertising market dipped in 2009 by as much as 10 per cent. It's finally time for agencies to grow and make up for lost time with sharp & new strategies."

Day One at the fest was initiated with a business conclave titled ‘2010: Time to Grow’. The session got off to a flying start with Tom Doctoroff, CEO, JWT, China with many other CEOs of advertising, media and agency organisations debating about achieve desired growth rates. The session highlighted that the global contribution of Indian ad indutsry is just 0.7 per cent and how it needs to be increased. Day two was when the audience was witness to the Media Abbys, in which around 81 entries were shortlisted in round 1 itself by a jury of 51 judges. Maxus scored the maximum wins with 11 medals; while Lodestar Universal and Mudra Max won 3 Golds each. This year, an altogether a new category titled 'Best Use of Never Before Media' was introduced at the fest and it was bagged by Mindshare for the Nike - 'Coming to life with a code' campaign.

The final day was marked by the creative Abbys where Creativeland Asia stole the show by winning 1 Gold, 2 Silvers and 7 Bronze, which took them to rank 4 in terms of number of trophies won. The event, which started off with a bang as Colvyn Harris, CEO, JWT; Sam Balsara, CMD, Madison Communications and Bhaskar Das, Director, Times of India Group marked an entry by riding a SUV from the beach ended on a similar electrifying note with a fire show on the beach, and the extravagant gettogether; where the 'survivors' as well as the rest of them, celebrated the passing of another glorious year of Indian advertising and looked forward to much more excitement in the years to come.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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IIPM Manavata Vikas Awards - An iconic event

2010-06-08T14:14:00.000+05:30

The IIPM Manavata Vikas Award ceremony, which was organized under the aegis of The Indian Institute of Planning & Management (IIPM) on April 15, 2010, was an event notable not only because of the phenomenally eminent awardees, but also because of the presence of some of India’s leading intellectuals, academicians and industry luminaries at the event.

In a country where there are more movie awards and fashion show felicitations than conferences on betterment of poor people, the IIPM-Manavata Vikas Awards have, at the outset, created a new benchmark for being explicitly and unabashedly supportive of socially relevant work targeted towards the destitute and hugely disadvantaged sections of the society. It is supremely unpardonable that India has allowed decades of debilitating poverty to continue growing with hundreds of millions being added to the list every year. Although the IIPM-Manavata Vikas Award might not be effective in the short term in reducing the collective plight of the poor sections, it is but a surety that this is an award series that will gain considerable national momentum in the years to come & much international recognition too.

The awards were divided into two key categories. The first category was the category for contribution to the progress of humanity, management and economics. The second was a special category for contribution towards the upliftment of West Bengal and its people since IIPM’s Manavata Vikas Kendras – centers working towards on-the-ground social support activities – have their roots in Bengal.

The noted and most highly respected awardees, who were felicitated with a gold medallion, citation and a Rs.5 lakh monetary prize, included:

* Famed octogenarian Padma Vibhushan Mahasweta Devi, for dedicating her life towards the upliftment of the tribals — the adivasis, lodhas, shabars, santhals, among others.

* Pradip Bose, for his incisive analysis of political and economic systems, predicting the downfall of Stalinism everywhere and promoting democratic socialism.

* Sunanda Sanyal, for his lifetime dedication to the well-being of students and for his active contribution to restore democracy in West Bengal.

* Dr Ashok Sanjay Guha, for establishing newer perspectives to economic growth theories.

* Medha Patkar, the renowned leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan movement, for her selfless and untiring contribution in taking up causes of the displaced poor.

* Shuvaprasanna Bhattacharya, for his contribution in organising the Bengal intelligentsia to restore democracy in West Bengal.

* Gurcharan Das, former MD of P&G Worldwide and eminent public intellectual, for his contribution to people centric management theories.

* Swaminathan S. A. Aiyar, Consulting Editor of The Economic Times, highly lauded writer and economist, for his contribution in making complex economic problems easily comprehensible to the common man.

* Belur Sramajibi Swasthya Prakalpa Samity, for its contribution in making advanced healthcare facilities available to the poorest of the poor.

The Chief Guest for the occasion was Dr. N. R. Chatterjee (Former Dean, FMS, Delhi University and current Dean – Faculty Development Programme, IIPM). The main speakers at the award event included Dr. Malay K. Chaudhuri (Founder Director, IIPM and Chairman, IIPM – Manavata Vikas Awards Committee), Prof. A. Sandeep (All India Dean, IIPM), and Prof.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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Heavy Metal Entertainment

2010-06-07T11:53:00.000+05:30

A little formulaic but great action and fun to savor

Early on in the film, the soundtrack of “Iron Man 2” belts out AC/DC’s ‘Shoot to Thrill’. The sequel to Marvel’s reboot of the “Iron Man” franchise does shoot to thrill and as a pure fun action movie delivers the goods in style. But after a kick-ass first part, the follow up has a little less mettle. The quirky, dry humour is there and so is the action; even the cast of characters expand but there’s not a lot that leaves a lasting impression.

Of course, there’s no way you will not continue loving Tony Stark aka Iron Man because Robert Downey Jr brings his A game to the role again, expressing the narcissism as well as the insecurity that our superhero has to deal with. His trusted aide James Rhodes (Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard; Howard was marginally better in the role) turns into ‘War Machine’ and Iron Man has a sidekick and, of course, there are the mandatory villains – a rogue physicist bent on revenge because Tony’s dad stole his dad’s secrets (Micky Rourke is menacing yet delightful as Ivan Vanko/Whiplash) and a rival company’s head who wants to see Stark Industries lose control of its proprietary Iron Man suit (Sam Rockwell plays Justin Hammer like only Sam can). Even the government is involved for good measure.

There are some superbly done action sequences (check out the scene where Whiplash attacks Tony Stark’s car at the race track in Monaco) and a great soundtrack keeps the beat up. The only disconcerting thing is the presence of a few too many Iron Man style suits around taking the novelty factor out. Some of the most cracking moments of the film arrive with the appearance of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury; his exchanges with Tony Stark being quite memorable. Perhaps not as illustrious as its predecessor, but “Iron Man 2” is a strong sequel that keeps the neat blend of action, humour and intrigue of the original intact.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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81 civic bodies go to polls in West Bengal

2010-06-04T12:23:00.000+05:30

Professor Biswanath Chakraborty of Rabindra Bharati University, a noted poll analyst, says, “By-polls to a few Assembly seats and elections to 18 civic bodies have been held since the Lok Sabha elections. Results show a vote swing of two to seven per cent against the CPI (M) in various seats and districts. On the other hand, there is a clear seven per cent swing in favour of the TMC-INC combine. According to my estimate, four per cent of these were Left Front voters, one per cent BJP voters while two per cent are either new or floating voters.” Considering the opposition unity index (OUI) and other factors, he says, “It is clear that people are in the mood for a change. So, they are not taking split in the opposition well. However, they are not ready to give a pass to the ruling Left Front. So, they may choose one of the two opposition candidates as the main contestant and vote en bloc.”

However, differences among the opposition blocks have rendered another dimension to this poll. A united opposition could have used the misrule of the Left Front government as a poll plank. In the absence of that, considerations like personality, honesty and behaviour of a candidate would come to the fore. So political issues like development and future policies have been put on the backburner.

But some of the important civic issues have taken a back seat, says Chakraborty. “The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has imposed the condition of repealing Urban Land Ceiling Act, which is paving the way for multi-storey apartments and the urban poor are the worst affected by this development. Slum dwellers are being evicted and some slums are being allegedly burnt down. While this is emerging as a serious civic crisis, players in the fray are silent about it. They are stressing more on the rival party’s activities and misdeeds,” In fact, issues like hike in the property and water tax, citizens’ charter, degradation of ecology and environment are being blissfully ignored during the campaign by all the parties. While the CPI (M) is stressing on Maoist violence, the TMC is hinging on its tirade on CPI (M)-led violence. TMC salvos against the INC are only confusing common voters.

There has been some understanding (read seat sharing) between local TMC and the INC leaders, ignoring the high command’s diktats. Such scenario is emerging in municipalities by the day, perhaps due to the pressure put by pro-change voters. Chakraborty readily agrees. “People want change. For this, one does not have to be a supporter of the Congress or the Trinamool, just social consciousness is enough,” he says.

“The end of the TMC-INC alliance will enable the CPI(M) to prove that the opposition is unstable and its leaders will try their best to convince people likewise. Second, some pro-change voters, disgruntled with recent developments, may keep themselves out of the poll process. And third, middle-class people with government jobs, who have got a good hike in their salaries, may opt for status quo,” he concludes. It is quite likely that voter turnout will be considerably lower. The overall developments definitely do not augur well for the opposition.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

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It’s No ‘Point of no Return’

2010-06-02T11:33:00.000+05:30

Greece’s problem is only temporary and its capital will flow again

It can be a source of envy for anyone from ex-communist world with a distant memory to find the frantic efforts underway to save Greece and other vulnerable southern members of the euro zone. It is not unknown to anybody with interest in Europe, what happened to Russia in late 1990s. Russian Federation declared 90 days moratorium on its debt after floating rouble in August 1998. The consequent crisis led to major depreciation of rouble and liquidation of Russian banking system. Russia ended 1998 with a contraction of 4.9 per cent instead of a small growth that was expected.

However, Russia bounced back with a positive trade balance, as the economy grew 8.3 per cent in 2000 and five per cent in 2001. The recovery took place because of import substitution effect after devaluation; the augment of Russian oil and gas prices for exports; monetary policies; and fiscal policies had affected the first federal budget surplus in 2000!

It was the same story with Poland, which successfully adopted elements of bank recapitalisation and government mediation. After the failure of Balcerowisz Plan, the economy of Poland was in shambles, when the restructuring programme was ratified in 1993 — stating the banks can recapitalise only if they carry debtor restructuring plan to the satisfaction of finance ministry. In case of loan recoveries, banks had a greater authority supported by the court, giving debtor further inducement to restructure. Therefore, banks were in much better financial position with improved credit evaluation that led to increased competition in the financial sector. The outcome of such measures was positive as bank reforms and corporate restructuring were tackled together in an integrated and transparent way. Furthermore, government subsidies to banks also enhanced the quality of debt restructuring.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

Read these article :-

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

THE NEED OF A RIGHT TO FOOD BILL - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

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