Thursday, October 30, 2008

While the West is both excited and paranoid about India’s potential, the average Indian is still not empowered as the polity continues to wither India

Very few sitting in India would not hold countries like France in awe. And even fewer sitting in this part of the world would believe if one is to say that an average Frenchman or a British is today as much paranoid aboutThe silence of the lambs... the increasing clout of the Indian economy and Indian Inc as outsourcing to India is becoming a key issue in the US presidential elections. Out on a casual walk on the streets of Paris, chances are high that an average Indian would first of all be asked if he is a Pakistani or a Bangladeshi. Even before the shock and the sheer disgust of being equalled with a Pakistani or a Bangladeshi overwhelms one, the realisation dawns that however much India might go ahead in the race, racially the Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis would still be the same for an average European. So when one visits those places, quite often one has to take the pain of explaining that ‘we are Indians and not Pakistanis.’ Prompt would come the reply, ‘What are you doing here then? There’s so much happening in your own country!!’ If your are on an educational trip, the sarcastic smile would be complimented with a shocking reply, ‘Thank God you are not here for a job’ or ‘What is there to learn from France or Europe? Don’t you see how they are busy splitting it all up in the name of unity? Don’t you see the way they are encouraging the formation of smaller countries like Kosovo? All the jobs are in any case shifting to your country and your neighbour? And now what is that is left to learn?’ Such replies are common and not unjustified either. But it also proves the sheer irony and vindicates the old adage which says that the grass is always greener on the other side of the river....Continue

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

Read also :-

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Can we educate the regulator?Can we educate the regulator?

Over the decades, he has emerged as one of the most respected entrepreneurs of post-Independence India and nurtures the powerful corporate legacy of the Godrej family. He is very optimistic about India’s future. And yet, when B&E asks Adi Godrej about one single issue that could derail India. he unhesitatingly says ‘education’. “The State has to encourage private sector participation in education. There is no other option. It is the private sector that made the third rate telecom and aviation sectors in India world class. It is the private sector that will do it in education.” And of critical importance is the FEI (Foreign Educational Institutions: regulation of entry and operations, maintenance of quality and prevention of commercialisation) Bill, 2007, that had to be shelved last year by Arjun Singh due to stiff opposition from the Left. Granted that the current UPA government has just about a few months left to go before it is election season.....Continue

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

Read also :-

Saturday, October 11, 2008

It’s all in the family!

It’s time to stop blaming one’s work schedule for those increasing waistlines, and join hands with your nearest and dearest to fight the bulge and stay healthy.


A family that sweats it out together, stays together!

Although improving one’s self image doesn’t pass off as the latest lifestyle trend, the new progressive means of achieving the same have always been the talk of the town. Most often, the pace of life (or just the excuse of it) keeps one from joining regular work out sessions be it a flexi-hour gym or a 24-hours-open lush green park near one’s residence. The solution lies in incorporating exercise into your daily life, by making it a family affair. There are surveys that have proved that children prefer exercising with parents, and we dare say, time spent playing and exercising together is time well spent. More and more people are realising that family work-outs result in not only a good looking family but also one in harmony with each other.

One has the option of setting-up domestic exercise equipments at home, or if one faces cost constraints, then the cheaper option is to pick up videos of yoga, aerobics etc. and practice them together. Another latest trend and a more sustainable technique of shedding those extra kilograms is to call the trainer home, who will also wait in your house till you make up your mind to get into your sports gear! “It is difficult to be on your own when it comes to work-outs,” say the Mathurs who have a Yoga instructor visit their home and train the family together.....Continue

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

Read also :-

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Too Lee’ttle, too...

Lee’s exit looks positive, hopefully the law will take its course

‘Once bitten, twice confident’ – Though antipodal, the tad goes well with Lee Kun-hee, Chairman of the world’s largest electronic company – Samsung Electronics. Lee, son of Samsung group founder Lee Byung-chul, resigned from his post on April 21, 2008 following his alleged involvement in the slush funds scandal. And along with him resigned his son and heir to the company, Lee Jae-yong and Vice Chairman Lee Hak-soo. But before one thinks that the allegations against Chairman Lee might be a mite too heavy (as being opined by company insiders and even some analysts), one perhaps forgets that in 1996, Lee was fully convicted on the charges of bribing ex-presidents of South Korea. It was only a presidential pardon (!) that allowed him to return to the company, and that too, at the helm of affairs! But the bigger question now is, will Lee’s resignation actually work positively for the group? Or is it the clichéd tale of too Lee’ttle, too late?

An alumnus of George Washington University, Lee took over the baton in 1988. It was under his leadership that Samsung Electronics became one of world’s leading manufacturers of semiconductors. In January 2008, a special investigation was carried out, instigated by Samsung’s former Chief Lawyer Kim Yong-chul, after he issued public allegations of financial irregularities....Continue

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

Read also :-

Friday, October 03, 2008

samsung: market expansion

Will the 3-pronged plan work?

Nine million potential customers every month – a figure hard to ignore, even if you’re an ‘also-ran’ in the mobile handset market, and a fact hard to overlook even if you’re Samsung (the current no.3, way behind the market leader Nokia). But wait! Just like any other ‘wanna-be-a-winner’, Samsung too has rolled out a three-pronged strategy to establish its dominance over the growing Indian handset market.

Besides launching five handsets (and signing up actor Aamir Khan), increasing its handset unit’s manpower count by 50%, it is also heavily into revamping of its distribution channels thereby increasing its reach within the Indian market to 85% (from the current 55%). In view of the same, two regional distributors – SSK (Western region) and Link (Eastern region) were also added to its existing North & South network. It has also cracked exclusive contracts with 40 Nokia distributors, with an aim to create a dent in the market leader’s strong position. Shushmul Maheshwari, CEO, RNCOS also thumps for the positive as, “Samsung’s launches will benefit from its enhanced distributor network, and the distributor agreements will prove advantageous.”....Continue

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

Read also :-