IIPM Editorial

Whose country is it anyway

2011-02-07T11:24:00.000+05:30

INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES

Belgium's got to be one of the quirkiest countries around - so quirky, that by the look of things, it's unlikely to remain a country for long. It reminds me of those couples that bring home a dog and a maid, fight over the two till the neighbours come home and then get divorced, leaving the house to the dog, the dog to the maid and the maid to the neighbours.

In my very first hour in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the European Union, I was warned at the airport to be 'careful' about my luggage''Moroccans..!! They just snatch and run'. All the way from the airport to the city, I could see women in braids or head scarves and young Arabs and Africans in clothes two sizes too big. Dirt and construction material lined the roads and the whole place looked rather depressing. If I'd slept through my journey from Delhi to Brussels and woken up in the bus transporting me from the airport, never ever would I have guessed that this was the first city of the first world'

Just for the record, I have had the good fortune of knowing some excellent North African professors who teach in Switzeralnd and Paris and I know that just like there are all kinds of Indians on the railway platforms of London, there would be all kinds of Moroccans and Congolese on the streets of Brussels. Yesterday, the Third World became the Third World because it lost its riches to colonisers who put those riches to good use and emerged as the first world. Today, some from the Third World pack their bags and leave for the First World in a bid to reclaim a fraction of those riches for themselves. Most do so through legitimate means, while others, marginalised and alienated and without the utility badges of their better educated Third World brothers give in to their frustrations and angst and take to crime in the host nation.

And the host nations react with varying degrees of tolerance. You see, they all have a lot of guilt to deal with. Their colonial past doesn't sit easy with their present day image as the standard-bearers of democracy. And a country like Belgium has more than its fair share of skeletons in its colonial cupboard. In the late 19th century, King Leopold II of Belgium, in the garb of a humanitarian, colonised the Central African region that we today know as the Democratic Republic of Congo. He sent in his private army called the FP (Force Publique), equipped with modern weapons and a directive of exploiting the region and looting its mineral wealth and collecting ivory and rubber. The latter especially was a precious commodity at this time because J. Dunlop had just come up with his pneumatic tyres.

The native Congolese men were indentured as bonded labourers, and were responsible for procuring a fixed amount of rubber. Their women and children were held hostage until the men returned with their quota of rubber and were often raped or killed or both anyway. Often their hands were chopped off as punishment or trophies. The FP was supposed to use bullets only for executing humans, not for hunting. And yet the FP would shoot animals for the pot or fun and then chop the hands off a living person to prove that the bullets had been used to kill a man. Millions' millions died either at the hands of or because of the actions of the FP. A single word of protest could lead to whole villages being burnt. The imperial boot squashed native toes, fingers and heads with unbridled and unrivalled savagery in the Belgian Congo, and the wounds haven't healed yet. Known today as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Leopold's legacy hangs heavy here'DRC lies devastated, assaulted every day because of its riches ' for aren't the most beautiful and bounteous often the ones most ravished.

Now see if you can fathom this'last week I spoke to you of the Holocaust memorial at Breendonk' Belgium still weeps for the thousands who died there during WW II. And yet Belgium is na've enough to have a memorial statue for King Leopold depicting him as a ruler 'bringing civilisation' to an African child. And then some conscientious Belgians cut off the statue's arms to remind their countrymen of the butchery carried out in Congo in the king's name.

Later, Antwerp was a big relief after Brussels. In fact it's a beautiful city with wide roads, leafy boulevards, exquisite mansions and parks. But no one seems to live here. You just don't see people. Interestingly, some of the biggest houses here are owned by Gujarati diamond merchants. On the streets here too, people remind you about being careful with your bags and wallets. In one of Antwerp's prime shopping areas I chanced upon a brawl'two Moroccan lads were screaming and rolling on the pavement like nine-pins while a tall Congolese man was laying into them with his bowling-ball like fists. Regular shoppers, Indian tourists, Belgians, and other African immigrants, watched open-mouthed until the big guy walked away with words of advice for the Arab boys, and the Moroccans got up, licked their wounds and disappeared into a store. No one intervened, no cops no security officers, no one.

The immigrant problem is one of the Belgium's gravest' many second or third generation immigrants make more money on the dole than they would have at low paying jobs and so they live off public money and while away their time looking for trouble. They are full of anger and hate because they feel that discrimination would keep them away from real jobs anyway so why bother and the religious divide doesn't help. Besides the spiraling debt, Belgium's immigrant problem is another powder-keg on a short wick, threatening a country teetering on the edge of political collapse because of fractious fault-lines that divide the Dutch-speaking Flemish in the north and French-speaking Walloons in the south'

So is Belgium worth the trip? Sure is' as an Indian in Belgium, you begin to realise that India's relative unity in diversity has indeed been no mean feat. Secondly, it is the land where chocolates and beer I'm told have acquired a unique seductive flavour, thirdly, once you get talking, the people are always polite and ready to help and lastly you should go there for the fairytale lands of Bruges, a town trapped in time and the great green valleys and forests of Ardennes, where roam the once extinct Aurochs, the wild ancestor of European domestic cattle' the sublime beauty of these mountain forests and the quaint charms of the land that time forgot more than makes up for all the quirky bits' so keep walking'.

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Yamaha YZF-R1

2010-09-13T15:11:00.001+05:30

Technical Specifications
Engine type- Liquid cooled 4-stroke DOHC
Maximum Horse power: 133.9kw (182.1PS)/12500r/min
Maximum torque: 115.5N. m(11.8kgf.m)/10000r/min
Overall length: 2070mm

The beast: This is a killer machine that will leave you raving and ranting for super bikes thrill. This beast comes with the crossplane crankshaft design. The D-MODE (or drive mode) with rider-selectable throttle control navigates to program YCC-T performance features. The press-formed fuel tank offers a 3-D simulation technology giving the user an unmatchable experience... at least that’s what’s promised!

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.
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Sensex to shine in 2010?

2010-08-27T17:16:00.000+05:30

How will the year unfold for Dalal Street? Will Sensex regain its lost glory? These are some questions that continue doing rounds in our minds even when the Sensex welcomes the year 2010 on a positive note. Experts do claim that the markets are poised to rise this year.

Dinesh Thakkar, CMD, Angel Broking believes that in 2010, the markets would build on the gains put up in 2009. As per him, the acceleration in the economic activity would hasten the earnings growth for India Inc, supporting the up move. Further, the strong liquidity inflows are unlikely to die down on back of the strong fundamentals and quality of earnings produced by India Inc., supported by reasonable valuations. In fact, as per Thakkar, banking and infrastructure are the sectors that will be out-performers in 2010, on the back of a pick in economic activity and high spend on infrastructure. Others too expect the market to make a new high in 2010 on lower volatility. N. Jayakumar, CEO, Prime Securities, is bullish on the midcap space and advises a bottoms-up approach. Moreover, contrary to what people believe, the year will be low on volatility the principle reason being that a lot of companies are planning to raise money in 2010. Prithvi Haldea, CMD of PRIME Database, believes that there is lot more to come in 2010. It’s quite clear that since October 2008 (when Sensex fell to around 8,000 levels) to January 2010 (Sensex is currently around 17,000 levels), the Sensex has regained ground considerably. But irrespective of that, what is necessary for retail investors to understand is that in a growing economy like India, savings options with much lesser risk rates provide considerably significant returns. And given how infidel stock markets are, it might be better to invest in an LIC policy than on stocks!

Manish K. Pandey

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 enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
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With hope, all the way

2010-07-12T15:55:00.000+05:30

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

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 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
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IIPM - Admission Procedure
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IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)

ITC placed a huge order of 4.5 crore

2010-06-17T16:12:00.000+05:30

Experts claim that the Indian Premier League is all set to become the next big licensing property in the country, though it is still in nascent stages. “It is just the beginning and we believe licensing will prove to be a major source of revenue for teams participating in the tournament in years to come,” explained a spokesperson for Delhi Daredevils. But reaching that platform will not be a cake-walk by any means as Marya of License India complains, “They have no clarity on what they want to do with their brands till now. But we will be happy to pitch in if they invite us,” he adds, making a public sales pitch for IPL licensing.

In fact, for marketers in India, licensing opportunities are coming in droves from a cross-section of categories and even people. India’s national religions, Bollywood and Cricket are two potential platforms that are just waiting to be tapped. Brand analysts in fact, go so far as to say that even sundry politicians in India – at least the ones with a pan Indian image – also present a great opportunity for the future of brand licensing in the country. “If Obama can do it, why can’t our politicians,” they say. Barack Obama’s ‘Change We Need’ campaign and merchandise sold like hot cakes in United States during and after the 2008 Presidential Elections. And by the way, who says Bihar is backward? Here’s some news to feed on. The state may be falling off the map so far as human development indicators are concerned, but so far as licensing of hot political brands is concerned, this one leads from the front. Already Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar are saleable properties in Bihar, and fire-crackers, dolls and even fodder branded in their names sells like hot potatoes here.

Speaking about Lalu, Marya has a line to add, “Brand Lalu has a lot of unlocked value attached and even today, if copyrighted and utilised well, it will sell like anything.” He however warns that in the case of political brands, there are hardly any which sell beyond a time frame of 5-10 years, of course, the Gandhi brand being the big exception here.

Commercial, character or political, fact is, brand licensing has arrived in India to stay. Nicholas Bloom, AVP – Brand Management, Beanstalk Group remarks, “For licensees, acquiring rights for a particular brand empowers them to intensify their market share in the category and often results in gaining incremental shelf space at retail.” What companies here should note is that having a prominent brand licence can open-up new channels or regions for a licensee’s product(s), that were previously unavailable and can also help a licensee acquire additional licenses or even raise capital.

Surely threats of brand-overstretch or misuse do exist, but does that matter when examples of brands (Electrolux and Anchor) that made more money from licensing activities than from sales of their core products, abound? Sometimes, the brand becomes the father of the basic product; and as far as making money goes, it outruns and outlives even the core product. Go ahead people, indulge in the power and prowess of your super brand!

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.
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

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ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

2010-05-21T15:28:00.000+05:30

Rural and under-served community hold the key to success in India, but to get hold of it, one has to be as customised as Max Vijay and Operation Attack

Since liberalisation, customisation of products and services has caught the fancy of the marketers like never before. This has not only helped the companies to add some good meat to their toplines and bottomlines, but has also proved quite handy to them when it comes to tap the under-served markets.

In fact, two such novel concepts that recently joined the bandwagon are Max Vijay (by Max New York Life Insurance) and Operation Attack (by Castrol India Ltd). While Max Vijay empowers the lower strata of the society by giving them a 5 in 1 advantage (flexibility, convenience, simplicity, life cover and savings), Operation Attack, from Castrol’s arsenal aims at providing farmers with the first hand technical knowledge on how by using CRB Plus engine oil they can protect their tractor’s engine even at 300 degree centigrade temperature. Though, these two concepts operate in different domains, but at the end of the day they certainly serve a single purpose – benefit the rural mass.

Both initiatives aim at bringing about a revolution in the industry by benefiting a large chunk of the population, so far untapped and under-served. Sharing his view on the success of Operation Attack, Rajeev Govil, Marketing Manager – Agri & Old Gen avers, “The high visibility activation campaign conceptualised and implemented by the agency in the key rural markets across the country innovatively communicated the brand proposition – ‘protects engine even at 300 degrees C’ – to create the desired impact. The overall campaign more than met the program objectives and resulted in creation of buzz and mass conversions.”

If Operation Attack is for better longevity of the engine, then Max Vijay with its unique concept of ‘Bima Gullak’ wishes for the long life of a poor villager. The company claims that this new product is entirely different from any other existing financial products, from start to finish. For the uninitiated, the policy can be started with a premium amount as low as Rs.1,000 and subsequently top up payments can be made at Rs.10–2,500 per day. Commenting on the impact of Bima Gullak, Anil Mehta, Senior Director, Max Vijay says, “Currently we have sold 80,000 Max Vijay policies, thus touching the lives of over 3.5 million Indians.” In fact, through Bima Gullak the company is now planning to touch the lives of over three million households over the next three years.

But then, just launch of a product/service or presence of a vast target group is not what solves the problem. Taking it to the masses is also equally important. And in both these cases the respective companies have left no stones unturned in achieving the same. While Operation Attack reached out to 17 states using Bus Talkies and live technical demonstration, Max Vijay on its part has now made itself available in 23 states. Moreover, considering that insurance is a complex product, the insurer has roped in corporate agents, NGOs, Financial Institutions, et al, to reach out to the underserved segment.

But, be it Max Vijay or Operation Attack, the underlying fact remains the same – customisation is the key if you want to unlock the wealth that lies at the bottom of pyramid.

Gyanendra K. Kashyap

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.
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

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Yahoo’s latest “It’s Y!ou” rebranding campaign

2010-04-26T15:31:00.001+05:30

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

However, the question is: is this another ploy by Yahoo! to grab new users too, who for long have served the consumer ranks of its competitors? “Yes, it’s both about retention of old ones and getting new users onto the Yahoo! vehicle. In short, it’s ‘Grow and explore’,” shoots back Mathur. Obviously, this is yet another attempt from Yahoo to make its brand indispensable to Indians (and users globally). But has such rebranding strategy worked in the past? And will Yahoo succeed? As far as Harish Bijoor, noted brand analyst is concerned, he doesn’t seem to agree completely with Mathur as he opines, “When it comes to the softer side of online technology like browsers or search engines, brands find it tougher when it comes to returns from just re-branding, as users are very loyal to the particular browser or search engine. So if Yahoo! is actually looking at acquiring new consumers, at the cost of its competitors, it will prove a very difficult proposition.” And what about payoffs? Bijoor opines, “I don’t believe the payoff will be as solid as the company expects it to be, because it is only a little change of identity and product offering that we are looking at in this case. And again, the great loyalty factor will play against the expectations of Yahoo!” On the other hand, Mathur justifies the investments as, “We are looking at personalising and customising the brand Yahoo! And our payoffs will definitely touch our expectations...”

$100 million is indeed a great deal, for Yahoo, being a company that has its roots in technology, could have invested a great part of this amount in something more concrete, like offering a newly innovated service. To this Bijoor adds, “Yahoo could have gone single-handedly through the route of harvesting young people who are just new to the market. The problem is that Yahoo is preaching to the converted, which is really futile! They could do something for new users, maybe something like a Kids Google, that could cater to age group eight years and above.” A slightly different-minded Kapoor however feels that, “This campaign repaints Yahoo! as more vibrant and fresh, as a young and trendy service, and it should do a world of good to Yahoo!” Providing a different solution to the proposed payoff matrix, Diptarup Chakraborty, Principal Analyst, Gartner, hints at a potential sell-off of the brand, “The brand has lost a lot of value and weight in the recent past, and this campaign only appears to be increasing the brand value of Yahoo! to make it more appealing and attractive to potential bidders.”

And how will competitors react? “I do not believe that the competitors need to even react as this outlay is clearly a cost for Yahoo which will eat into its bottom line,” explains Bijoor. While Chakraborty doubles up on the same, a rather assertive Ptak states, “They will be very glad that Yahoo! has spent $100 million to so little effect. It should motivate them to invest much more heavily in technology to create new offerings and services for their customers.” Yes, $100 million is a big sum anyday, but at the moment, it appears to be the best bet for Yahoo! Mathur and his Yahoo! India team is hopeful, and who knows, Yahoo!, Yellow and its yearning, might just click!

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.

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Retail in the time of slowdown

2010-04-10T13:03:00.000+05:30

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

Pragya Singh,
Senior Consultant, Technopak Advisors Pvt. Ltd.

However, since organised retail penetration is higher in the big cities, most of the organised retailers did see an impact on their sales. In fact, the slowdown has been a reality check for retailers to take stock of their operations and strategy, especially after most companies scaled up number of outlets at a fast pace, in unviable locations, at exorbitant rentals, charting out ambitious expansion plans and relying on debt in the last few years. Slowdown or no slowdown, the reality would have struck sooner or later. So, it can also be argued that this was in a way not completely undesirable.

The retailers have therefore focussed on putting their house in order through repositioning, renegotiation, restructuring, reconfiguration, and replanning towards robust & efficient business models to develop a stronger proposition and profitability. While some of these strategies would benefit in the long term, others like price-cuts, making organisations too lean etc. can be a double-edged sword and may hit back in the long term.

Some strategies adopted include more empowerment to sales staff by a leading sportswear retailer and increased incentives for added sales by a major electronics retailer. Another leading hypermarket/ department store retailer is resorting to relocation or shut down of stores, which are economically not viable or where rentals are more than market rates, while several leading retailers are trying to lure consumers through extended sale seasons /value merchandise/ freebies and innovative marketing schemes targeted at ‘consumer savings.’ A leading international apparel retailer is looking at repositioning its store by adding space and making the items more affordable.

Other strategies adopted by retailers include:

l Consolidating the operations of various formats to reduce overheads and achieve economies of scale;
l Restructuring of supply chain by reducing inventory and logistics costs to reduce working capital requirements;
l Renegotiation of rentals which have already seen a significant drop across cities;
l Rationalising the HR overheads;
l Resizing of outlets to make them more profitable;
l Focusing on core formats for long term growth;
l Increasing margins by pushing their private labels;
l Negotiating better credit terms and price from vendors;
l Being more selective in expansion unlike before

Organised retail in India is only 15 years old and going through a very steep learning curve. In the first phase, retailers were busy setting up the front-end business and now it has entered a new phase where they are taking a hard look at their business fundamentals, operations and strategies. With the economy now getting back on track, perhaps the best phase in Indian retail sector will come in the next five years, when the sector would see major expansions by the national and international players and at the same time consolidation and operational efficiencies would start reaping benefits.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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

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

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

Monojit Lahiri examines the reason for the demise of Onida’s Devil, the latest in a list of disappearing mascots

2010-03-22T12:44:00.000+05:30

Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

First things first. Why are mascots created? Be it the Energiser Bunny, the MGM Lion, the McDonald’s clown Ronald, the Merrill Lynch Bull, the Eveready Cat, Smokey the Bear, the Jolly Green Giant … don’t they still reverberate endearingly in public memory, projecting their own brand of charm? Smart, evolved and insightful marketers unleashed these characters with a clear focused agenda – create something memorable in tune with the architecture and value of the brand and project it in a warm, human way that will connect simply and easily with the prospective customer. Make the inanimate come alive in an entertaining and public-friendly way so that, soon, it acquires a life of its own. Leverage it creatively to fuel brand recall.

In recent times, however, this thinking has gone in for a re-think! Be it the adorable Murphy-baby, HMV dog, Asian Paints Gattu, they’ve all exited. Even the iconic Maharajah was handed his walking slick and hat (crown?) before the Air India biggies realised their blunder and brought him back. Thank God, the Amul mascot still cavorts around … As this goes into print, Onida’s ‘Devil’ has been put to sleep – the symbol that epitomised the brand and show-pieced several memorable ad campaigns. What’s behind these dramatic shifts? A hysterical anxiety to be perceived as modern, contemporary, tuned-in and global in today’s competitive and cluttered market? A pitch for relevance and the here n’ now, soft focusing mushy sentimentality and obsolescence? Global companies don’t seem to be in such a tearing hurry to bid their mascots goodbye … why us?

Sid Ray, Executive Director of Response (Kolkatta) fires the first salvo. While he completely goes along the way the KFC and McDonald’s mascots have been successfully retained (even when the look and feel of their focus has been Indianised) he reckons that the Devil is a different kettle of fish. “It is possible that the marketing team felt that with capital investment involved in an age of heavy-duty competition, techno-onslaught and product features playing a key role, the Devil and the slogan have been rendered obsolete. They don’t fit into the scheme of things”. Dipankar Mukherjee, VP – Marketing, Ideas (East) agrees. “Competition, technology but most importantly cost structures have, I guess, forced them to re-look and re-invent their focus. Mascots anyway are cute and stuff but at crunch-time, they are unlikely to influence the purchase intent. Other more compelling, market and consumer-driven aspects come into play”. However, both agree that often, new teams, have a tendency to sling out everything that the old team had brought to the table – just to signal their entry and prove a point!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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

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

IIPM Related Links
IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year

60 MINUTES WITH PAWAN MUNJAL

2010-03-02T12:44:00.000+05:30

It took us months of constant badgering to catch up with Pawan Munjal. After all, his schedule is packed for weeks ahead with power lunches, conferences and dealer meets. In between he also sewed up multi-million deals for HH’s sponsorship of Champions Trophy and the 2010 Hockey World Cup. Phew! Quick, over to him...

ON TOPLINES & MARKET SHARE

4Ps B&M: Your topline success is because you got it right or Bajaj got it wrong?
PM: I won’t comment on competition but as far as HH is concerned, we got our strategy mostly right. We decided what we wanted to achieve and went about it systematically.

4Ps B&M: What about January when sales were flat? Did you fear that your topline strategy may backfire?
PM: Long before the economy saw the fiscal meltdown or the slowdown hit, the Indian two-wheeler industry was already facing a crisis because of retail finance. But even in a declining industry we were able to maintain growth. We were doing better than the industry. Yes, stagnant sales earlier this year were a cause of concern. (Pauses) Particularly because we were also spending a lot of money, investing in our new plant at Haridwar, building capacity etc. Obviously, as a company, we knew that this was a challenge. But we could see that we were doing better than the rest of the industry. So we said, let’s use this adversity as an opportunity, build on it and go all out on advertising and brand building.

4Ps B&M: So you plan to cross the 4 million mark by the end of this fiscal?
PM: (shrugs) I don’t know where the 4 million figure has come from. But despite all the gloom around the economy, we are sure to exceed that.

4Ps B&M: And will market share go beyond the 60% plus as on date?
PM: The target is the numbers and market share will follow.

THE NEW POSITIONING

4Ps B&M: HH is known as a 100cc bike company. Are you now aiming for a premium position?
PM: (shakes his head) I think what you are talking about is how outsiders perceive us. Inside Hero Honda, we’ve known for a long time that we don’t want to be a leader in just one segment. We want to be a leader in the complete sense of the word, not just in sales, market share and bottomlines. We want to be seen as a prized company to work for. In terms of HR we should have the best practices; in terms of fiscal prudence, we should have the best practices. Coming back to the premium segment, but people forget that we were the first to enter the segment with CBZ.

4Ps B&M: Yes, but that was in the 1990s. Somewhere, Bajaj won that race?
PM: (nods sadly) you are right. In that premium segment we did not manage leadership. But last couple of years we decided that we have to have leadership across segments. We should not be seen as a company for the rural masses only, selling fuel economy products. So we refreshed our portfolio in the segment and have been growing at almost 40% in the segment. We want to be a company that the youth would like to be associated with. And that is why we have been consciously associating with youth centric programs like MTV Roadies, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and others. Sports is also youth and we’re involved in cricket, golf and now even hockey.

4Ps B&M: And have you been successful in changing that perception?
PM: We’re not there yet. But the perception is slowly changing. We’re moving in the right direction. And it’ll happen soon!

4Ps B&M: So is there a plan to move into the 300-350cc bike segment?
PM: I personally think that the cc of an engine does not matter so much, unless you’re talking 1000 or 1500cc. For the rest, what matters is the image, the aura and the youthfulness of the company. And the last few years, we’ve invested heavily in advertising, marketing and branding. Big budget ads, any worthwhile show on TV, and all big sporting events, you would have seen Hero Honda everywhere. The idea has been to leverage the buzz created.

4Ps B&M: That’s why the shift from Desh Ki Dhadkan to Dhak Dhak Go?
PM: Yes! We launched Dhak Dhak Go in 2008 that is when we really sharpened our focus on the premium segment. Dhak Dhak Go was an evolution from Desh ki Dhadkan to make our brand more youthful and energetic.

4Ps B&M: Now you’ve brought back ‘fill it-shut it-forget it’. Is that not back to fuel efficiency positioning?
PM: Over the years we were doing so much else that the Fill it-Shut it-Forget it thought was forgotten. But fuel efficiency is still the most important buying criteria for consumers in India. Competition is forever touting mileage. The idea to get back the popular slogan was not to talk about numbers and tom tom that we give 90 or 80 kilometers. We wanted to remind consumers that we were the ones that started it all and tell them to start reliving their past.

ON PERSONAL STRENGTHS

4Ps: What makes Pawan Munjal tick?
PM: Relationships. One of the biggest pillars of HH is relationships across stakeholders – people within the organisation, the whole value chain, dealers – it’s actually a strong well-knit team. Take the Haridwar plant. Going from 0 to 4000 units per day, without the backing of suppliers, and with an entirely new team was not easy. But it happened because of relationships and a professional work environment.

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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...
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Don't trust the Indian Media!

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S. Maheshwari, CEO, RNCOS, E-Services

2010-02-18T15:56:00.000+05:30

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

“Riding the crest of India’s IT success, Infosys has always set high standards for excellence. It has played a key role in implementing best practices and setting standards in corporate governance and HR management in India. As a key player in the knowledge industry, Infosys has recognized the value of its human assets in maintaining and increasing its strategic competitiveness. The Company has earned India stupendous reputation of a high quality software development destination which has traditionally been known for its low-cost, low-level software solution provider. So, it is justified to call it the “trailblazer” of Indian IT industry. major developments in the Indian IT sector, in recent years, could not have been possible without brand Infosys”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
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Tata Tea Ltd.

2010-01-29T16:33:00.000+05:30

IIPM conceptualized the grand final of Dare ‘10 — the most prestigious of international B-school student quizzes

Entry Price: Rs.775
Target Price: Rs.1,325
EPS: 97.85
P/E: 8.65
Time Duration: One year plus
Rationale: Tata Tea has seen strong improvement in the market share for its ‘Premium’ and ‘Agni’ brands in the domestic market. The tea prices have remained firm in last couple of months and it is expected to remain firm considering stable production and increasing demand. It is also looking at expanding in the overseas market.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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Who said it’s getting murky at Merc?!

2010-01-16T14:38:00.000+05:30

4Ps B&M: Do you believe that the increasing competition will pose a threat to your leadership position and especially are the aggressive launches by BMW a point of worry for you?
WA: For us, the important thing is to have a set of satisfied customers as it will be the only factor, which will drive sales & profitability going forward. If you look at India overall, we believe that we have a very good product portfolio and network density. We are currently investing Rs.150 crores in the network itself, both to increase its reach and to ensure that the Mercedes Benz retail experience is the best in the country.

4Ps B&M: When you talk about increasing the reach, are you referring to opening more dealerships in the Tier-II and Tier-III cities?
WA: The expansion will definitely happen in the Tier-II and Tier-III cities basically driven by two things, one is the overall situation of the city i.e. how many people are making what kind of money and how many cars are already on the road. These are some parameters that will determine where we will set up the shop next. The way we set up is in a very structured manner i.e. we will set up the service centre first, moving to sales and then slowly upgrading the sales & service experience to ensure that we give the best retail experience. If you look at the metros, we have new investments coming up there too. We are opening a new showroom in South Bombay, Gurgaon. In fact, by the first half of 2010 we will have 20+ new facilities across the country.

4Ps B&M: You also mentioned about upgrading your retail experience, what is that all about?
WA: This is an investment to upgrade our facilities for e.g. we are moving from a smaller facility to a relatively larger facility so that the consumer can savour more of the Mercedes brand.

4Ps B&M: Is it something like a boutique showroom, which BMW did recently?
WA: BMW is relatively new to the country and so are their investments. We are making all the possible efforts to ensure that Mercedes is not left behind. But I don’t think we will do a boutique showroom rather we will focus on opening significant showrooms, which will give an opportunity to the consumer to experience what Mercedes brand is all about and also experience our product portfolio.

4Ps B&M: But the per cent growth that BMW filed was almost double that of Mercedes in the last fiscal. Do you believe that it will pose a threat to your leadership position?
WA: That’s particularly because of the lower base that they have. If you look at the growth of Audi, it is currently three times to that of BMW.

4Ps B&M: Agreed but BMW again has a target of 3,000 units this year and if Mercedes does almost the same the company did in the first half (1500 units) don’t you think it will be a threat to your leadership position?
WA: For us the important thing is to have the right product and the right processes in the right year in front of the Indian consumer, which will drive both the sales and profitability going forward. We have a good position in the C & the S-class segment and we will roll out the E-class soon, which globally outsells competition.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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The BIG Man’s Holy Grail...

2010-01-11T14:47:00.000+05:30

Behl is banking on BIG TV’s present Pay per View (PPV) bouquet to deliver. The DTH player has recently spiced up its PPV offerings with live shows, exclusive concerts, et al, while other players have stayed with mere movie content in the segment. BIG TV, in fact, was the first player in the industry to come up with a monthly subscription plan for movies in their PPV bouquet, enabling customers to view them anytime during that month as opposed to charging separately for each featured movie being offered in that month. “The response for our PPV services has been very encouraging,” agrees Behl, confident about the imminent success of their strategy. After all, as per estimates, India’s PPV segment is estimated to grow at 16% annually to log revenues of $11.3 billion by 2012. Behl is hoping for the segment to emerge as a key driver of the DTH business not only in India, but the whole of Asia. His hopes are not misplaced. Independent market research has shown that India will remain a leading PPV market in Asia with superior growth prospects in the near future.

“Over the next few years, Reliance BIG TV expects PPV to contribute nearly 10% of its revenues,” says Behl. No wonder, Behl is now also planning to introduce sports and events content in its PPV bouquet. Having already bagged the rights for the commemorative concert for Michel Jackson – ‘Live In Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour’ – the company is also in talks with other Indian and international content providers to offer more such content on their platform. Behl says that they are also looking at adding more meat to their overall content strategy. BIG TV is lining up a slew of interactive features and a major revamp of its filmed entertainment content, besides bringing in whole new range of channels, which were not available to Indian TV viewers in India till now. Rumour has it that BIG TV will be offering the entire FOX bouquet to its consumers shortly.

The other strategy that Behl is deploying to beat rivals in the segment has been drawn from his experience while working with HUL’s Vim brand almost a decade ago. “Consumer Insight is the key. While with HUL, I visited my rural consumers and even washed utensils in their homes to understand customer psyche,” he says, adding that he is planning to conduct a similar exercise at BIG TV to find out what more services could the viewers want and need. Besides, the focus is also on providing the latest technology (ahead of competitors) to consumers. With this in mind, BIG TV had launched DTH services on the MPEG 4 platform (while others like Dish TV and Tata Sky are still sticking with the MPEG 2 platform).

However, some of the enthusiasm at BIG TV has not really translated into action. At the time of launch only, BIG TV had announced that it would be coming out with a DVR based set top box that would allow consumers to record and pause live TV. But it’s almost a year now (and Tata Sky and Sun Direct have already launched the technology) and there has been no news from BIG TV of the same. Quiz Behl on that and he is prompt with his reply. “We will be offering it shortly. We are looking at providing more options to customers to choose from,” he says. The plan is also to price the DVR competitively for which BIG TV guys are currently exploring all options to offer modified DVR sets at a cheaper price. The strategy may actually stand Ambani junior’s DTH ambitions in good stead - and allow him to prove his prowess in yet another consumer-centric business.

As for Behl, the uphill journey has only just begun and requires a great deal of hard work. But then, his almost child-like passion for everything has already become the stuff of legends at ADAG. Sources who work closely with him never cease to sing paeans about his involvement with everything big and small. “Unlike other CEOs who delegate more, he worked round the clock during the BIG TV launch, rolling up his sleeves with the rest of us to ensure it went smoothly,” says a team member on conditions of anonymity. Added to his deep well of marketing expertise and seeking spirit about consumer insights, this focused approach is precisely what has endeared him to Anil Ambani. This BIG man is certainly turning out to be one big asset for the ADAG camp!

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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.
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BSNL resurrects…

2009-12-15T15:03:00.000+05:30

mahindra holidays’ initial public offer (IPO) seems to have revived the moods of many. So much so that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) is once again planning to bring its $10 billion IPO to floor. BSNL had announced last year to come out with its IPO. However, BSNL’s ambitious plans were sidelined due to opposition from Left and worker and employee unions. The stock market meltdown also crashed BSNL’s hopes to go public. Following the victory of the UPA regime with an overwhelming majority has once again revived BSNL’s reveries as the state run telecom operator now hopes to get a nod from the newly formed government. And it is also hoping to negotiate with the employee unions to a good effect. As per Kuldeep Goyal, Chairman, BSNL, the company will start with the (employee) unions once it gets the green signal from the government. Sources close to developments suggest that the government is planning to sell 10% stake in BSNL to raise around $10 billion with a paid-up capital of Rs.50 billion. BSNL, which garnered revenues to the tune of Rs.450 billion in FY 2008-09, is preparing itself to step on the gas and go on a mega expansion spree. Goyal has confirmed that BSNL is not only looking for telecom licenses in African countries, but eyeing probable acquisition opportunities. Though BSNL already has cash balance of Rs.300 billion in its books for the expansion projects, materialisation of the IPO will definitely be very timely and help in raising funds for expansion. Also, with declining average revenue per user (ARPUs), BSNL is also contemplating to join hands with a strategic foreign partner. Not only will it improve the company’s valuations (pegged at $100 billion), but will also enahnce BSNL’s brand equity. BSNL today is a laggard in the burgeoning Indian telecom sphere and is in talks with foregin players like AT&T, who are waiting to enter the Indian market. BSNL, like any other PSU, has a conventional management with a traditional working style. Joining hands with a strategic foreign partner will change that perception and turn around its fortunes.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Monojit Lahiri examines this new phenomenon, loaded with contradictions

2009-10-26T12:44:00.000+05:30

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Grab this. On the one hand, today more than ever, we reside in a global planet. On the other, the cute something-for-everybody and one-size-fits-all solution is simplistic, naïve and hopelessly obsolete in year 2009, right? No man is an island, is another view countered immediately, substantiated by the fact that man is ultimately the product of his roots and environment and therefore his version/vision of life is bound to be influenced and informed by it. God, so what gives? Is a global campaign – attempting to speak in one language across countries and people in a charming, persuasive and effective manner – a load of bullcrap? Or is it eminently possible if the basic lingua-franca of cutting-edge advertising (clarity, simplicity and imagination) creatively leveraged?

Ad Guru John Hegarty sets the ball rolling by rooting strongly for it and offers solid arguments. “If Hollywood, music and Picasso manages to do it, why can’t advertising? Aren’t we supposed to be specialists in a business mandated to bring brands and people together? Physical borders are man-made. The skill of truly great advertising practitioners is to generate ideas that are border-less. The real communicator looks at areas that unite – not divide – people,” he says. He admits that there will always be (political, ethnic, religious) differences between people, but when it comes to consumer behaviour and responses to brand messages and what they want out of it, amazingly, the similarities are stronger than people care to believe…! Another Dada Simon Sherwood endorses this view full-on and says that “unfortunately agency networks, mostly, are structured in ways that lend credence to the fact that different markets are different from each other. This creates confusion in both perspective and focus.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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On a road less travelled

2009-09-01T11:18:00.000+05:30

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They’ve just launched their premium hatchback Ritz. But deep within the Maruti Suzuki headquarters, the only discussion ruling the strategy war room is about the unexpected results that their new-found rural strategy has reaped. That, perhaps, is a key reason why they have suddenly decided to not withdraw the Maruti 800 from the market.
By Pawan Chabra

India’s largest auto behemoth, Maruti Suzuki has made a little known change in their marketing strategy. Last year, they set up a separate, well-oiled sales and marketing department for India’s hinterlands. Of the 15,000 sales executives working with Maruti Suzuki all over India today, almost 2500 are these newly-appointed Rural Dealership Sales Executives (RDSEs). Young, energetic and raring to make their individual mark on their corporate bosses sitting in New Delhi and elsewhere, these lads have managed to add up significant numbers to the overall sales figures of the company even in these tough times. So much so that sales in rural areas, which used to be around 3-4% of total sales till last year, are hovering close to 9% this fiscal.

Managing Director Shinzo Nakanishi cannot but help gloating. “We saw the slowdown hitting urban demand much before others did. So we immediately decided to expand our presence in the rural areas.” To say that the strategy has paid off will be an understatement. The decision made sense, especially as various estimates projected that only 19 out of every 1000 people in rural areas own a personal mode of transportation. Besides, even the availability of finance became difficult for urban customers due to a steep rise in interest rates. In contrast, customers do not normally depend on bank loans to buy cars in rural markets. No surprise then that Maruti Suzuki made a beeline for the high-growth hinterlands and surprised everybody with the booty they discovered, especially in Karnataka’s rural areas.

Apart from a strategic rural foray, the company also devised a planned approach to attract more corporate customers and from June last year, they also began specifically focusing on central government employees, relatively insulated from the downturn in the economy. What added to the appeal of central government babus and bankers as potential car buyers was the hefty arrears they had received, thanks to the recent 6th Pay Commission windfall. In the corporate segment too, Maruti has seen a growth of almost 60% plus in its sales. Another key strategy implemented late last year was to enhance the focus on PSU’s to finance cars.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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Kuch toh log kahenge, says Moto to the yuva...

2009-08-19T16:31:00.000+05:30

IIPM Best B-school

We all know that the handset market is ruled by Nokia, but 2006 saw the rise of Motorola in India. MotoFlip was their entry level vehicle and the beauty of this campaign was that it targeted the youth with the ‘looks expensive but costs less’ proposition. Was the campaign effective? Well, it certainly enhanced Motorola’s brand appeal and even market share rose from 9% to 13% that year. What’s more, ask Motorola and they’ll tell you that till date the sales of these entry level phones are going as strong!

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

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Sindoor: A cultural symbol for millions of Indians...

2009-07-28T12:44:00.000+05:30

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Brand: ICICI Prudential
Agency: Lowe
ICICI Prudential used the greatest metaphor Sindoor – which encapsulates protection, for the purpose of concept selling in life insurance and communicating the generic benefit of protection. “Use of an Indian cultural symbol at once endeared the campaign to millions,” says Brand Guru Santosh Desai. Results were equally overwhelming; research conducted by ORG Marg put ICICI Prudential with highest score on image parameters like safety, services, good returns, et al. Between February 2001 and 2002, the company’s ad and brand saliency improved tremendously and helped it get a lead over other private insurers. And next, came Jeetey Raho! Still wondering why ICICI Pru is the biggest private insurer in the country?

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

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Does Creativity have an Expiry Date?

2009-07-13T17:48:00.000+05:30

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Ogilvy’s hot-shot spoof champ (of Sprite fame) Ajay Gehlaut steps on the gas, straightaway. “It’s sad, but true that awe, respect and reverence for the grey-haired brigade is a thing of the past. In today’s world, speed with quality is the name of the game and youth appear to be hotter players in this space.” He points to a galaxy of young NCD’s, CD’s, even CEO’s (Prasoon Joshi) warming the hot-seat – something unthinkable two decades ago. “In this digital age, five years is considered decent experience. In the gaming scene, you have whiz kids at age 16! Its freaky, man! Information not wisdom is the new mantra.” Shyam Benegal, the iconic film-maker – who started out as a copywriter! – brings his brilliantly evolved spin to the table. “While all this energetic, excited, hi-octane stuff is true, one must realise that it is restricted only to the ad scene, which is only one narrow aspect of the creativity base/universe.” Benegal says that it is not a new thing at all. In earlier times too, youngsters defined the adbiz “and either you were kicked upstairs – or kicked out!” However, today out-of-the box and freak-out stuff seem to be the hot tickets and clearly the younger lot is much better at it than the oldies. Why? “Because as you grow older, maturity arrives and with it a sense of perspective, rationale and analysis – none of which really contributes to the free-for-all creativity demanded from today’s adland.” Structure, discipline, training have all evaporated into thin air. A very special, hallucinatory kind of mood and colour seems to be the flavour of the day, a willful suspension of disbelief stretched to the ultimate limit.” Chetan Verma, Corporate Communication Chief, PowerGrid, brings his informed views to the table. “I definitely think creativity comes with an expiry date and the reasons are simple. Never before has almost any product/service category enjoyed such huge youth-specific target groups and in this environment, thinking young [hence] is a must. Also, adaptability, flexibility and thinking-on-your-feet to hit the ground running are attributes that lend themselves much more to the younger lot than oldies. In a nano-second, consumer-driven world where tastes, beliefs, wants, needs and desires change at an alarming speed – frequent based on impulsiveness – no prizes for guessing which constituency can best track it - and crack it! Admittedly, there are spaces and segments that engage the older lot, but [everything considered] creativity and youngsters are indeed made-for-each-other.” Interestingly, the two kids who come on next, to wrap up the debate, beg to differ! Spiky, the hip-hop Creative Consultant at Leo Burnett, Mumbai, believes that age has nothing to do with creativity and cites the examples of M.F. Hussain, Piyush Pandey, Pops and Mohammed Khan, who remain icons. “Fads, fashions and trends admittedly are stuff beyond their bandwidth but there is an entire universe that need their specialised attention, skill and finesse. I think experience and maturity provides invaluable value-addition.” Shubhra Tandon, the young and attractive servicing dynamo – DraftFCB Ulka, Delhi – agrees totally. “I think, too much hoo-haa is made of this under-25 war-cry. Sure, its true, but c’mon yaar, there is life beyond the FMCG world!” A sharp head on young shoulders, Tandon believes that at the end of the day, advertising is neither about scoring brownie points, jargon-flashing nor a cold recitation of facts and figures. “Its about establishing a connect with life (and people) based on experience and human insight that are likely to touch, move (and therefore) convince more people to come around to their way of thinking”. A smart agency, she believes is one that has a blend of both. “Remember confluence – not conflict – is the most desired viagra in these recession-hit times!”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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IPL 2009 has been relocated to South Africa. Good; now we’ll have zoo animals cheer their hearts out! satish chapparike does a safari check...

2009-06-25T14:33:00.000+05:30

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

Eden Gardens, Kolkota… May 24th, more than one lakh noisiest spectators packed inside the world’s biggest cricket ground. The final ball of IPL – 2009 is due. Kolkata Knight Riders’ Ishant Sharma is striker and Mumbai Indians’ Sachin Tendulkar is getting ready to bowl that death ball. One ball and four runs and the most coveted IPL trophy would land in the kitty of the home team. If not, 1987 kilometers away from Kolkata, on the shore of Arabian Sea, Mumbai will celebrate! A slow flighted delivery from Tendulkar lands on the off stump and turns slightly towards leg. Sharma lofts the ball towards deep long on and the ball disappears into the sky beyond the giant flood lights of Eden – a Six & crackers light up the sky above Eden Gardens! The stadium erupts. Knight Riders are champions of DLF IPL-2009.

Imagine the same situation at Wanderers in Johannesburg in South Africa on May 24th, Sunday evening. Even if the same script turns into a reality in South Africa, the atmosphere in and around Wanderers will not be the same. Here, Kolkata will not erupt with joy in the same manner. There won’t be more than 35,000 spectators there and most of them will not be Indian cricket lovers. At this moment, the only option for Indian cricket lovers is to watch the IPL-2009 on television, lifelessly.

So, why has this happened? Well, because cricket in India is no longer just a sport. It is lucrative business! An investment of around Rs.1,000 crore amasses more than Rs.10,000 crore in 36 days! Exciting cricket in the foreground, glamorous cheer leaders in the background, Bollywood stars and business tycoons in the VVIP gallery, million dollar sponsorship deals, thousands of spectators in the stadium and more than 60 million television viewers across the globe… And now to top it all, the venom of politics has also been injected into it. The result? Everyone is benefited except the true cricket lover who wanted to be at the Eden Gardens (or Chepauk or Chinnaswamy Cricket stadium) to catch the excitement first hand.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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Handing over the reins of the company to outsider CEOs is not the latest twist in the tale for Dabur...

2009-06-03T11:25:00.000+05:30

But it sure has helped the company to wade through troublesome waters, growing from an ayurvedic company to a complete beauty and healthcare giant. Research had proven it before, Dabur has proven it again. What next now?Angshuman Paul answers...

You’d have heard of many slumdogs turned millionaires (no reference to that film here; read the editorial for it). And no surprises – we know of one too; not exactly a slum dweller though, but one who rose up the social and capital ladder, from a small pharmacy in Kolkata to a posh green office in Kaushambi (Ghaziabad)... Yes, Dabur, a Rs.3,000 crore ayurvedic-product manufacturing company, owns it!

So what’s there to tell beside the dramatic surge of Dabur’s brand valuation over the past years? Run through the management cadre and you’d understand how Dabur has managed this feat, not often associated with ayurvedic companies! Change in management style is what has helped the company to a great extent, change from being a family-run business to a professionally-run organisation. So what’s the latest where earnings are concerned for the herbal giant? Call it a change in management that has turned things around for Dabur, but surprisingly, even during times when most pharma companies are being weighed-down by losses, Dabur’s financials sit pretty, having posted a smashing y-o-y topline growth of 19.9% for Q3, FY 2009 to touch Rs.779 crore. Of course, many experts (like Angel Broking) claim that there was a significant 4-5% contribution of the associated price hike in the overall growth in profitability of Dabur, but the truth also is that the topline growth was primarily due to the swashbuckling advancements made by its International Business Division, which on a y-o-y basis grew by a handsome 48.2% during Q3, FY2009, led by markets like Egypt (85%), Bangladesh (65%) and North Africa. What’s better? As per analysts at Angel Broking, the estimated net sales for the company for FY2009 also stands at a handsome Rs.2,818 crore, a growth of 19.3% y-o-y, and the highest in the past three years! Great numbers, and perhaps enough to give many investors smiles; but that’s perhaps where troubles start surfacing...

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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Chrysler desperately needs strong alliance partners like Fiat to move towards more fuel efficient cars, analyses Karan Mehrishi of 4Ps B&M

2009-05-25T11:39:00.000+05:30

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A part from auto parts, they were providing R&D support to Chrysler not very long ago. Now all that French auto parts supplier Faurecia is providing Chrysler is legal headaches to add to its financial ones. Faurecia claims that Chrysler had promised to pay R&D costs in addition to the parts costs for the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Sebring, Dodge Avenger and Nitro and Jeep Liberty; costs amounting to some $110 million. Fancy those misleading names by the way. Chrysler is neither ‘cruis’ing in the market, nor is it in a position to ‘avenge’ the competition, ‘dodge’ trouble or, for that matter, at ‘liberty’ to dictate terms with its suppliers!

It isn’t new for Chrysler to fall in trouble with alliances or mergers. Interestingly, it seems to be getting into another big one - with Italy-based Fiat Auto. Apparently, Chrysler is coxing Fiat to supply much needed small car technology; in return the Italian can have access to a 35% stake (through an unbinding agreement of course) in whatever it can salvage. All the best with that!

More seriously, though, Chrysler needs all the support it can get, even if it means going back the dreaded alliance route, else it may not even be able to survive an alliance with itself now. In this downturn hit economy, the big three are under state obligation to turn ‘consumer pocket friendly’ – a thought that they had banished from their cerebral cortex for almost fifty years. If not, the Detroit majors might not get the federal bailout package, that’s apparently helping their CEOs sleep well at night. However, out of the earmarked $12 billion, Chrysler is eligible for less than $4 billion with the rest going to bigger brother GM. In order to meet the incumbency, Chrysler now desperately wants to churn out small cars that will appeal to ‘poorer’ customers, who may have had enough of ‘big on engine-big on size-low on quality’ American cars. Fuel guzzling is not in fashion anymore and Fiat is the best fit at this time. The Turin-based manufacturer supposedly has the world’s foremost repertoire of small car making techniques and offers cutting edge designs. Fiat also holds the patent for the class leading CRDi diesel technology that’s taking the world by storm. Through a significant stake in Chrysler, Fiat on its part can have access to the larger American market and can market its lesser known brands like Lancia and Alfa Romeo to the affluent Americans. Also, there now appears to be a possibility where American customers will start looking beyond the fuel guzzling v8s and seriously consider the next generation diesels from Fiat’s stable. Convincingly, there now appears to be a great deal of synergies between the two partners and finally some rationale in the relationship will prevail.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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Citigroup has once again resorted to restructuring – this time, however, by shedding off its decade-old strategy...

2009-05-08T12:56:00.000+05:30

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Citigroup has once again resorted to restructuring – this time, however, by shedding off its decade-old strategy of becoming a financial supermarket and splitting into two. But will it be of any help? MANISH K. PANDEY analyses...

Some companies have it in them, some don’t. We are talking about the ability to rewrite history. That’s what Citigroup did some ten years ago when it decided to provide investment advice along with traditional banking. Unfortunately however, Citigroup is now going through the painful process of giving up that strategy in a not-so-historic way.

As cost cutting measures and pink slips are failing to provide the bank with much needed succour, CEO Vikram Pandit seems to be at his wits’ end looking for a saving grace. And interestingly, but not surprisingly, he has realigned Citigroup’s current dealings into two separate businesses – Citicorp and Citi Holdings. Raison d’être: to free up capital and save the group from the collapse – may be his last attempt to make Citigroup stand on its feet!

With Citicorp, Pandit now plans to focus on leveraging the competitive advantages of the group’s global banking business and through Citi Holdings – which will be made up of brokerage and retail asset management (including Smith Barney, Nikko Cordial Securities, Nikko Asset Management and Primerica Financial Services), local consumer finance (including CitiFinancial and CitiMortgage in the US, and consumer finance operations across the globe) and a special asset pool – he wants to keep an eye on group’s riskier assets and hard-to-manage ventures. “With lower risk and a streamlined set of businesses, we expect Citicorp to be a high-return and high-growth business. And with Citi Holdings, we will tighten our focus on risk management and credit quality for businesses with strong market positions but that are not central to our core franchise,” avers Pandit. In fact, Pandit has also agreed to give up control of the Smith Barney brokerage to Morgan Stanley and even plans to sell the CitiFinancial consumer-lending unit and Tokyo-based Nikko Asset Management, once the hive off process is complete.

Certainly by doing so he can now strive to further reduce operating costs and allow Citigroup to sell or spin off any of Citi Holdings assets to raise cash but then is it actually going to be profitable is the question that is doing the rounds in many minds. “There are certainly ‘good bank’ and ‘bad bank’ components in Citigroup’s balance sheet, and our assumption is that with a role for the government, Citi can find a profitable path. But without treasury involvement, the path will be more dicey,” Mike Englund, Chief Economist, US-based Action Economies tells 4Ps B&M. No doubt the new move is a sort of back to basics – to focus on the pure banking by shedding off the idea of creating a financial supermarket – but then it doesn’t change Citi’s business model at all. The move only separates the business on paper with Citi’s current problems lying intact.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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Nightmare times to knock on guilty celebrity-endorsed doors… Jail for brand ambassadors! Hefty fine for companies! Monojit Lahiri investigates...

2009-04-09T13:54:00.000+05:30

IIPM set to beat economic slowdown

Okay guys, the sublime, never-ending and blissful honeymoon that the celeb Brand Ambassadors elite club [read: Bollywood & cricket stars] enjoyed, pocketing insane mega-bucks by endorsing brands for companies, could have hit a killer road-block! The new Companies Bill 2008 proposes to toss any – or every – celeb into the slammer for up to three years, if found guilty of being party to propagate misleading claims and inducing customers to buy the product advertised. The companies involved are under the scanner as well. If found guilty, they will have to shell out a cool Rs.50 lakh [from a piddly Rs.1 lakh, earlier] in fine, for cheating and frauding the unguarded consumer. However, there is one bright spark. The Prosecution will have to ‘conclusively prove’ that the celeb endorser was aware he/she was making a false statement or representation – or that he/she did what he/she did, without ascertaining the facts.

The ad-frat, industry & celeb-management guys appear dumbstruck at what, they believe, is a ‘draconian’ move. Hot-shot photographer Atul Kasbekar leads the charge by going on record stating, “This is ridiculous! How on earth can a celeb be held responsible for worms in the brand of chocolate he endorses?!” Sanotsh Desai, head honcho of the Future Group, believes that the dice is – very unfairly – loaded against the celebs. “A penalty of Rs.50 lakh for the company and jail sentence for the celebrity is absurd.”

Anuja Chauhan, Executive Creative Director, JWT (whose debut novel The Zoya Factor is making big waves with the chick-lit diwanas) brings her own spin to the table. “I think its a good idea... specially if the brand endorser is endorsing the brand as himself... as in as Shahrukh Khan as opposed to as Rahul/Raj, or as Amitabh Bachchan as opposed to as Dadaji or whatever... and specially when the brand is targeting a lower or more rural SEC of consumer who truly take what the celebrity says to be the Gospel Truth. When some international brand comes to India and tries to woo me, I don’t know the brand, I just know the endorser. He’s the guy I totally believe in, he’s the one who introduces me to the brand and vouches for it. It’s like a friend introducing a stranger to you. So if the stranger takes you for a ride, you will go to your friend only, and say, yaar tooney toh mujhe duba hi diya...”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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Tickling your ‘Dzire’

2009-03-26T12:34:00.000+05:30

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

Maruti’s sedan version of Swift took the auto industry by surprise, when it was launched in May. Priced competitively at Rs.4.49 lakh, Maruti Suzuki’s Swift Dzire was intelligently positioned for the aspiring middle class, who with their growing incomes wanted to upgrade to sedans, but were unable to do so, because of heavy price tags. Swift Dzire became an instant hit with as much as six months wait-list. It fit the bill of a stylish entry level sedan and not too heavy on the pocket either. This one made the cut with minimum marketing budgets!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Another ‘City’ ready to sleep!

2009-03-17T12:58:00.000+05:30

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The irony in this case is that Circuit City’s closest rival Best Buy (who has also eaten Circuit City’s share of earnings) recently registered $2.15 billion in operating income, maintaining a surplus due to which many market experts are considering that City’s quagmire is a case of internal mismanagement. But then there is an another set of market experts who still expect many more retailers to stand in the chapter 11 list in times to come. Doron Levy, President, Captus Business Consulting, who belongs to the latter category, asserts, “We will see some more bankruptcies in the near future, but I really see consolidation on the horizon for many chains. Some have really strong business models, but are not managed correctly. I do have some specific retailers that I could foresee going into bankruptcy and eventually disappearing form the retail landscape all together.” Talking on the same lines, David .J. Livingston, retail consultant, DJL Research points out, “I think we will see an onslaught of closings among the small specialty stores located in shopping malls. This will result in the downfall of several real estate investment trusts which own these malls.” Though unfortunate, but retail is always affected in some or the other way from the roadblocks in the growth of any industry for that matter. So, the position of the retailers in the economic chain today is simply determined by what they sell. The slowdown in spending, though, would have an impact virtually across the horizon.

It’s not only retail outlets who are tightening their belts; online retailers are also joining the bandwagon as they are cutting their marketing and promotional budgets to stay profitable. Adding to that, online retailers are using tactics like free shipping to attract more buyers. And the decision seems wise enough. As per a study by Hitwise, the click-rate of online retailers is going down drastically. But then, market experts are still very much in favour of growth in online retail in the coming times. The annual holiday survey by Deloitte, clearly showed that Online spending is the 2nd best shopping destination for consumers after discount departmental stores. And the sheer power of online retailing gets more clear if we go by growth figures as National Retail Federation has announced a 2.2% projected growth in overall retail sales, which stands too low in comparison to the 12% projected growth in the online sphere. So, we can be sure of one thing – online retail will grow in times to come due to the simple reason that the fundamentals are quite compelling at the moment.

But you can’t be that sure of the growth in the overall retail sector as the prevailing turmoil may not end in the short-run. The only point favouring the growth of US retail industry is that there are many big retailers like WalMart, Tesco et al who are still in an expansion mode. Livingston emphasises, “Even though the economy has been difficult, there are still many retailers expanding. Wal-Mart continues to build stores with varied formats. Target is building, Tesco is building. Perhaps not at a fast pace, but they are.” But we can expect many more not-so-huge retailers going out of business in times to come. This will surely be one Christmas that they won’t forget in a hurry.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Investigates the paradox of why the bigger polluters will gain more in carbon trading in future!

2009-03-09T14:48:00.000+05:30

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The emission reduction scheme is based on ‘cap and trade’ wherein the total annual emissions are capped and the market allocates a monetary value to any shortfall through trading. Businesses can exchange, buy or sell carbon credits in international markets at the prevailing market price. Over the years, it has become a source of earning revenue in developing countries. And how? Companies in this part of the world are typically less polluting (as they’re less ‘producing’) and the extra credits are sold to firms in developed countries. But strangely, in the future, it would surely be the more polluting companies that would stand to gain from this system of carbon trading.

But first, some more facts. This market is continuously growing and has been attracting huge investments. Investment banks (like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch et al) have been active players and many carbon funds have been set up, with investors in those funds either planning to use the carbon credits that result from those investments for compliance purposes directly (e.g. with the EU-ETS), or simply as investments to sell. The ICECAP fund run by Natsource is an example of this. China (thanks to its large size, economies of scale in originations, favourable investment climate), which has quadrupled its number of projects in the pipeline from January 2007 to March 2008, dominates the global carbon market with 73% share in terms of transacted volume followed by India.

It is also a fact that India has gained a considerable share in the carbon trading market and companies have reaped in huge profits. Torrent Power, which recently switched over from a coal-fired power plant to natural gas (in a bid to reduce GHGs) earned 3.2 million carbon credits (this translates to whopping earnings of €54.14 million). In 2007, two projects of JSW Steel were awarded 5.4 million carbon credits (out of which one project was issued 4 million carbon credits). Examples like these will make it easy to understand why companies try hard to grab a part of the carbon credit market. It’s easy million dollar earning. As a matter of fact, India Inc. can exploit numerous business opportunities in developing low carbon technologies, an area which is expected to grow to $3 trillion per year by 2050.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Never say die... till U’re dead!

2009-02-16T14:37:00.000+05:30

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As a matter of fact, the sector as a whole has also been marred by stringent RBI regulations which does not make life any easier for players like Omaxe. The central bank has increased interest rates to control inflation, besides restricting fund flows in it. “As the availability of funds from banking sector is being restricted for the Real estate players – both big and mid-size players are compelled to borrow from the High Net-worth Individuals (HNIs) at high interest rates of about 20% which is not helping their cause anyway,” explains Wadhwa. Omaxe and party have got another setback from foreign inflows too with the global crisis looming large over and with the investors keeping doors locked in the wake of the US financial crisis.

Nevertheless, Omaxe seems to have solved the cash-crunch puzzle to fund its mega projects. It has strategically opted for debentures to accelerate the pace of completion of its projects as Goel explains, “To mobilise large funds, Omaxe has taken the route of debentures for the consistent endeavour of completing all our projects on time.” Strengthening the financial standing of the company, Omaxe has also paid 60% of the total term facility of Rs.3.0 billion taken from Indiabulls Financial Services Limited. Also it has paid-up the entire outstanding sum on debentures issued to LIC Mutual Fund. Despite the fact that the term facility was for a period of 3 years, this was done to strategically prepay the loan in order to free up the equity. Omaxe is also planning to retire the outstanding of Rs.1.2 billion shortly. So in the face of such a cash crunch, is the plan of ‘going public’ in the pipeline too? “No,” confirms Goel. Issuing an Initial Public Offering (IPO) is one aspect of fund raising which the company wants to stay clear of looking at the currently volatile market. Moreover the company’s total debt of $600 million (which carries an annual interest rate of 16%), also has to be taken care of, as investors get restless by the day.

Omaxe has also unleashed plans to concentrate more on affordable housing projects in the price range of Rs.3 lakh to Rs.10 lakh to fight the dying demand in high-end housing. It has planned out investments totalling $20 billion to develop 10 lakh ‘affordable’ homes for low-income consumers. “The need for affordable housing is driving the real estate industry now. Our prefabricated township and affordable rate & reservation based allotment are the USP of the project making it a hot cake,” explains D. P. Srivastava, Vice President, Omaxe Limited.

So there you are – troubles indeed for Omaxe and others in the realty market, but one ray of hope is the mid and low-income Indians who may just be willing to spare their dimes for some value-for-money asset as Srivastava further justifies, “Omaxe will develop the corridor and build affordable housing units by using cost-effective technologies and using land-sharing techniques...” All is therefore not lost. With the RBI slashing CRR rate twice in quick succession, about Rs.600 billion is expected to be pumped into this sector. Troubles galore, but that ray of hope on the horizon may just keep Omaxe and party going. “Never say die... till you’re dead,” is the way to be for all in the sector; for now...

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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The bigger you get, the better for you... Mr. Rohtas Goel, CMD, Omaxe Ltd

2009-01-19T15:10:00.000+05:30

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Are the big builders and brand names easing out the small and mid-size developers?
The real estate sector is heading towards being the favourable for end-users. A stable economy and rising inflation rate have forced companies to cut costs. This has resulted in a lot of struggle ahead for mid-size developers with small projects. Small and mid-size developer need to join hands to build big projects together.

During this cash tight situation will small and mid-size developers and their small projects find it difficult to complete their projects on time?
Banks are going slow on funding a real estate project and the prices of land, materials and labour have increased two fold. Small and mid-size property developers are in a cash-tight situation finding it difficult to meet their project deadlines and only big developers with large budgets, brand names and mega projects would be able to make it.

Will only big developers with large budgets, brand names and mega projects be able to survive this slump? Or is there still hope for small and mid-sized players?
Larger players with mega projects will be able to survive this slump since they can identify with end-customers and match their expectations with superior performance.

Small and mid sized players who are not able to strategise their business in the current market scenario and who have less expertise in the development of real estate will surely feel the liquidity crunch. These players can only survive by consolidating their expertise to complete a project. This is between one developer who has land but no resources and the other who has the resources.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Now IIPM's World-Class Education... for everybody!!
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monojit lahiri attempts a checkout to this disturbing phenomenon of kids moving away...

2009-01-08T13:13:00.000+05:30

IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS

Creative. Fun-biz. Arty. Glamorous. Culture-specific. Intellectual. Cerebral. Idea-driven. Business/market-friendly. Life-enhancing… Advertising has always spawned a zillion descriptions and definitions. It was that rare calling that fused mystique with market-forces in one magical sweep. It was that rare profession that embraced both the pin-striped B-School types and the bindas Art-College guys without hiccups or hassles. It was that rare career-path that attracted the brightest and best creative minds, desperate to be liberated from the stereotypical jobs (Law, Engineering, Medicine, Bank, Government) available in the market to explore avenues that informed, engaged, entertained, even empowered. Whatever happened to that magnetic pull? Why is Adland losing its allure as a desirable career-destination? What has triggered this deadly drought?

Motorola’s Senior Director, Sales and Distribution (India and South West Asia), Lloyd Mathias is convinced that it has to do with the slew of alternative career-choices available (on a silver platter) to today’s bright kids. “Where were the choices, even a decade and a half ago? It was all so closed, restricted and stereotypical. Also, tradition and convention played a much bigger part, so one usually followed the path that was safer and risk-free. Today the spread available allows for more adventuring,” shares Mathias. He also believes that money plays a huge part in this dramatic re-alignment, “The kind of packages that fresh B-School grads are offered can be mind-blowing.” Finally, he points to a distinct lack of iconic and inspirational leaders whose vision and values prompted, persuaded and motivated an earlier generation to go for it. “Today, it appears to be an each-for-himself and god-for-all situation! It’s more individual personalities – than team – that are celebrated. Maybe it defines the times we live in…,” he adds.

Sid Roy, Executive Director of the Kolkata- based Ad Agency, Response agrees, “In these consumer-driven times, bright new-age kids, confronting the perils of peer-pressure every day, fall victims to the big-bucks syndrome. Quite natural. The options. The packages… and most importantly what it promises them in terms of lifestyle statements… no Ad Agency job can touch that! Also, the profile of this new-gen – unlike the previous one – is different. It’s about impatience, speed and now! Experience and Gray-haired eminence has been buried. It’s performance today that matters! How the work impacts bottom lines!” Roy believes that while all of this is not a bad thing, it has led to “a generation of net-literate, Googled, book-illiterate types. A constituency that lacks vision, values or wisdom and hopes to compensate by getting all of life’s answers through the Internet. Scary!”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Now IIPM's World-Class Education... for everybody!!
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

Changing agencies is not a good idea

2009-01-05T12:42:00.000+05:30

IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS

But have clients got their priorities right? Pressure, competition, cut throat rivals, breaking the clutter, media fragmentation, accountability and delivery apart, in the final analysis, is it really a good idea to change your existing agency? Brand-building does take truckloads of creative and emotional intelligence. And perhaps agency B may not really be able to deliver the same EQ to your brand as perhaps agency A did. “Yes! Changing agencies is not a good idea. After all, a constant agency adds continuity to the brand proposition,” says Chauhan of Rediffusion.

He could be right! You only go back to the 41-year-old Amul butter campaign, famous for puns on current events, to know that stable brand management is vital. Sylvester DaCunha of DaCunha Associates is the man responsible for the campaign’s vitality since the beginning. Even Fevicol (Fevicol Ka Jod) trails a similar path with its two decade old relationship with agency O&M. B. O. Mehta, President, Pidilite Industries told 4Ps B&M: “The brand has grown with Ogilvy, they know the DNA of the brand, which it would be difficult for any new ad-agency to take up.”

Or take Nike globally. Ever since ad man Dan Wieden coined the ‘Just Do It’ slogan 20 years ago, the brand has stayed with the same agency and prospered in the process.

But for that kind of an enduring relationship, passion and honesty are the two key ingredients. Agencies must treat the brand as their own babies and clients must give agencies the status of ‘partners’ not ‘vendors’. The only way out of this current client-agency quagmire is for agencies to move back up the value chain. Kamath of Star India concurs. “The real opportunity for the industry now is to go back upstream and become a consulting partner again.” Kamath has a valid reasoning.

The moving up the value chain has already started, with communication strategy outfits like ‘Naked Communications’ hitting the scene in the west. Described by the Washington Post as the ‘future of advertising’, Naked considers itself as the conductor of the brand communication opera, works corroboratively with existing agencies (creative, media, digital and BTL) and simply ‘partners’ the client. Naked understands the future as getting all folks to be responsible for the brand together. Basically, the world’s changed and marketers know it. It’s up to agencies now – they must wake up and smell the coffee! As a fitting sign off to this piece, we bring to you Jon Wilkins, the founder-partner of Naked Communications (see adjoining page), spelling out the future course of advertising in India and across the world, as he sees it!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Now IIPM's World-Class Education... for everybody!!
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

Up, Close & Personal with Adi

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

IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS

It was raining incessantly. When we reached the Godrej complex for a 9:30am appointment, we were fairly certain that the patriarch Adi Godrej would probably be late because of the rains & clogged roads. We were wrong. He had apparently reached office about an hour before us! “I appreciate things, which are pre-arranged and I start my day very early so I can give time for everything,” affirms Adi. In a freewheeling interview with 4Ps B&M, the man behind Godrej shares his views on India Inc., leadership style, his passion and more...

4Ps B&M: Has the recent logo change been good for Godrej’s positioning?
AG: Yes. The message needed to be conveyed that Godrej has moved consistently with time and we are changing faster. This was communicated well through the logo change.

4Ps B&M: How do you think Godrej as a group has evolved over the years?
AG: The Godrej Group has always moved in lockstep with the Indian consumer’s progress. As India has evolved, so too has Godrej. Today, more than 400 million consumers use one or the other Godrej product everyday. We are rapidly increasing this number through the creation of innovative products and global standard brand management practises.

4Ps B&M: Once a market leader in various verticals, Godrej has slipped on sustaining its position in some of these verticals. Do you think the recent changes will help Godrej to regain its lost glory?
AG: Godrej has grown consistently over the years. We maintain our strong position in a number of our flagship categories. We have constantly remained the second largest toilet soap manufacturer in the country, we are leaders in the hair colour category and are the largest manufacturer of household pesticides in Asia through our Godrej Sara Lee joint venture. Our appliances business is also among market leaders.

4Ps B&M: But isn’t India changing faster than Godrej is?
AG: India today is extremely different than what it was 15 years ago. The mindset has changed and I have no hesitation in saying that today’s generation has confidence which is more than us. It’s so nice to work with young people. I know there is a huge difference between my working style and today’s generation. But that’s where team work comes in and we as a group have changed with India.

4Ps B&M: You are an India Inc. veteran. From where you stand, do you think China is changing faster than India?
AG: Another 3 to 4 years and China will grow faster but still we will have the highest diversity in demography. I also feel that our capital productivity is relatively better and lots of young entrepreneurs are now representing India. This first generation entrepreneur without any strong business family base are doing superb. Sunil Bharti Mittal and G.M. Rao of G.V.K are notable among first generation entrepreneurs.

4Ps B&M: Does this mean the end of the legacy of time honoured family run businesses like yours, Tatas and Birlas?
AG: Family run businesses have always done well in Europe and USA and India is not an exception. If you notice, family run businesses just have the legacy of a family, but are actually run by non-family persons. They are also being run by professional MBAs and they have the potential to make it as large as seen on the global scale. Moreover, most successful family run businesses have a competitive spirit and good succession planning.

4Ps B&M: How are you focusing on succession planning and who would carry the legacy of Godrej? Tanya?
AG: Tanya is heading the Strategic Marketing Group and she’s doing it very well. But apart from her, there are other members from the next generation of our family who are very buoyant and keen to learn something new. Navroze, is also learning very fast. In fact, that has been our policy. Whosoever from our family joins the organisation, should necessarily go through training.

4Ps B&M: What are the key challenges in front of Godrej and also in front of India as a country?
AG: For the Godrej Group, as with any large employer in a rapidly growing economy, attracting, retaining and managing talent is a priority. Together with this, the need to constantly delight consumers means that we need to continue innovating our ideas flawlessly. From a macro perspective, I think poverty is a major challenge for India and we are still lacking behind in terms of literacy rate.

4Ps B&M: What’s your leadership model and in your eyes, who’s an ideal leader?
AG: Earlier I followed a military command; everything has to be in due time and perfect. But soon I realised I was wrong. I now follow team work, where any of my employees can come to me anytime. I think a leader is one, who’s admired rather than who creates an atmosphere of fear. That’s the reason my favourite leaders are Mahatma Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher and Jack Welch.

4Ps B&M: You where just 17, when you went overseas to study mechanical engineer. But, then you switched to management. Why?
AG: I was too young when I was enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I planned to study mechanical engineering as I was too young to think of the future. But later I realised that my family business would require me and I should opt for management.

4Ps B&M: What makes the owner of Rs.75 billion Godrej Group, who can afford the costliest products, use a simple Godrej shaving cream? Is it because Adi Godrej wants to be a self brand ambassador for his company?
AG: I have brand ambassadors like Katrina Kaif, Hrithik Roshan and people prefer watching them rather than looking at me. I believe our products are world class so I use them. My mother who was a school teacher always taught me how to be simple and never to forget humility. I miss her a lot. I believe that what Indian masses can use, I can use. So, it’s not only the Godrej shaving cream, in fact, I often change my bathing soap also, but the precondition is that it has to be a Godrej brand.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Now IIPM's World-Class Education... for everybody!!
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

Electrifying boon for storage devices

2008-12-04T12:00:00.000+05:30

IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS

Hybrid hard drives for mass storage will increasingly emerge as a high value solution

Rajesh Khurana,
Country Manager, Seagate Technologies

With the explosion in user generated digital content, Internet penetration and emergence of digital devices that require backup in many forms, storage is finding newer applications and usages in new verticals. Nearly 44% of Seagate revenue is being generated from the Asia-Pac & India is a key focus area for Seagate.

In the coming years we’re going to witness exciting developments in storage market – in terms of technology & products as well as emerging verticals. This will be true globally, and India will be no exception. The traditional market in India (PC and enterprise storage segment) will continue to grow and is still the prime segment in volumes. IDC has estimated that the country is now consuming 2.5 million PCs per quarter and this is still a growth market. The Indian server market for instance sees a growth rate of 15% year-on-year.

But now we will see the emergence of new applications consequent to increasingly digital lifestyles, professional & personal digital storage going mobile and data of all kinds – personal photographs, videos and music, work-related data, enterprise information, all being on demand – anytime, anywhere. Consider this – Gartner has estimated that half of business travelers by 2012 will not be carrying their laptops with them when they move. This could give rise to an entirely new class of “pocketable” devices – UMPCs, mobile Internet devices, high-end smartphones, personal entertainment devices.

Among the newer emerging application areas will be digital video surveillance systems, rapidly becoming ubiquitous, empowering a broad variety of security solutions throughout banking/finance, casinos/gaming, retail/commercial, corporate, government (internal security, law enforcement). All of these will be storage-enabled. The hotel industry alone will spend $82 billion on electronic security. Consumer electronics (CE) is another emerging field of application. The rapid acceptance of digital entertainment and a need to store those files in an inexpensive medium is accelerating HDD integration into CE products. Improved broadband speeds enable home networking, which lets consumers tap a PC’s hard drive for storage. The gaming market, both with portable devices as well as networked/web-based gaming, is just taking off in a big way. HDDs for the gaming devices demand a combination of capacity and size.

SMEs are now looking for cost-effective storage solutions, particularly in the NAS and SAN applications. The established brands often are unable to provide the economical solutions where investment may be in line with what SMBs generally plan for their annual outlay on IT infrastructure. This is emerging as a huge market opportunity.

One of the most revolutionary pointers to the future is the move towards ‘green computing.’ We’ll see the emergence of ‘hybrid’ hard drives for mass storage in certain applications as a key technology trend. Hybrid drives, essentially offer a combination of magnetic media based storage and flash storage. While traditional HDDs remain the largest part of market, hybrids will increasingly emerge as a high value solution. IDC estimates that by 2012, shipments of storage drives (currently at around 400 million units) would go up to about 850 million units per year. And approx. 12-15 % of these would be hybrid drives.

At Seagate, we’ll continue to look at new and emerging market segments that are poised to grow exponentially in India – these include the application-specific hard drives for consumer electronics segment, the security and surveillance segment and the very demanding gaming segment. Seagate will also see the further expansion of the recently introduced initiative of retail access points in smaller towns, this will take its brand directly to consumers in such locations.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Now IIPM's World-Class Education... for everybody!!
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

Sony Bravia KLV-46W300A

2008-11-10T12:17:00.000+05:30

IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS

Technical Specification

Screen Size – 46 inch (117cms); Display resolution – 1920x1080p; Response time – 8ms; Dimensions (WxHxD) – 1120x782x307
PRICE: Rs.1,65,000
WARRANTY: 1 year

The Sony Bravia LCD truly reflects the best picture quality standards in its category. Takakiyo Fujita, GM-Marketing, Sony India says, “Sony’s 46 inch (117cm) W-series BRAVIA features BRAVIA Engine 2 which incorporates full digital signal processing technology in all high-quality image processes, thereby maximising the features of display devices and producing sharp, vibrant, life-like images.” It promises the advanced backlight module WCC-CCFL that gives the brightest picture with the improved advanced contrast enhancer and dynamic contrast of 33000:1. The three way high-definition multimedia interface gives you maximum pleasure as far as picture quality is concerned; and this little reason for post-purchase cognitive dissonance amongst its buyers. The USB allows you to gain easy access to the music players and other devices with PC connectivity. With a four-way surround sound feature, the high-quality sound plays a big role in marking the product’s success.

Marketers’ delight: Sony Bravia has arguably the best the picture quality and powerful sound systems amongst all 46 inch LCDs available in the market.

Tester’s note: Pros – Sharp picture. Excellent connectivity. Built-in photo viewer. Comprehensive video settings. Cons – Thin-sounding speakers. No backlight for remote control which makes it unfriendly.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Now IIPM's World-Class Education... for everybody!!
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...
4Ps Power Brand Awards 2007
When IIPM comes to education, never compromise
IIPM is A World of Career
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

The art of war...and losses!

2008-11-04T11:18:00.000+05:30

Now IIPM's World-Class Education... for everybody!!

Toyota continues being hit despite expanding operations; the whys...

Let’s be honest! The double digit growth rate witnessed by the domestic auto market simply rocks. Between April-March 2007-08, 1,203,531 cars were sold in India and manufacturers are finding it hard to meet the unfathomable demands. As a consequence, competitors like Hyundai, Honda, and our protagonist Toyota Kirloskar too are all set to expand capacities in India.

According to market reports, Toyota will invest close to $340-360 million for a new plant near Bangalore, which is expected to have an annual capacity of 100,000 units, taking the total capacity of Toyota to nearly 150,000-160,000 units. Srinivas Krishnan of BS Motoring spoke to B&E, “Toyota wants to increase capacity simply because it wants to sell more cars here.” Ironically, Toyota continues suffering hits to their net earnings despite being operationally efficient.

Where is Toyota going wrong? With a vibrant automotive market, India offers a major opportunity towards future sustainability, but only through massive volumes; an area which Toyota has still not mastered. Toyota – which is already facing strong competition from rival Honda in the D segment, where the former’s Corolla has been a casualty at the hands of the latter’s Civic – is thankfully chalking out plans to launch a new small car in India, based on Toyota’s iQ concept. “Toyota is developing an all new small car for the Indian market,” says Krishnan. But the fact is that Honda, with its planned launch of the smashing small car Jazz, seems to have taken the lead here too. The answer to Toyota is quite simple – mass appeal cars! Or of course, learn Sun Tzu’s The Art of War...& Losses!

Karan Mehrishi

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

To Bear or not to...

2008-10-22T13:20:00.000+05:30

IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA

According to Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics, Stern School of Business & Chairman RGE Monitor, “The credit losses could reach to $1.7 trillion as corporate losses piles up.” With more than 45 of the world’s biggest banks, including Citigroup Inc., UBS AG, Wachovia & Northern Rock reporting a combined $232 billion in asset write-downs and credit losses since the beginning of 2007; the estimates arrived at by the likes of Roubini seem to be more than obvious. For the yet uninitiated (surely there aren’t many of those!), the world’s largest bank Citigroup is in talks to sell $12 billion worth of loans at a loss as part of an effort to shrink its balance sheet, while UBS AG’s share price has plummeted in the recent months after it reported a loss of $18 billion in US subprime crisis.

Is the ghost of 1929 returning to haunt the US? Going by the recent developments in the US it is quite certain that be it Clinton, McCain or Obama, the new American president will be elected against the backdrop of a shrinking economy and on assuming the reins of power corridors, will face months of economic malaise. In all probability, the credit crisis scenario in the US will initially only worsen before improving.

When the leaders of the Federal Reserve Board and the government met on the weekend of March 14-16, they were panicked and fearful of a financial meltdown. A day back, on March 13, 2008; the fifth largest investment bank of US, Bear Stearns, citing reasons of intensified financial constraints, had advised the Federal Reserve and other government agencies that its liquidity position had significantly deteriorated and it would have to file for bankruptcy the next day unless alternative sources of funds were made available. As a part of the conclave, JP Morgan Chase turned out to be the dominating player negotiating and demanding big time collateral and guarantees to buy out Bear Stearns and alleviate the fears of Wall Street. According to risk guru Nassim Nicholas Taleb, “Banking is a very treacherous business, because you don’t realise it is risky until it is too late. It is like calm water that delivers huge storms.” It is ironical that Bear Stearns, regarded as one of the most prestigious on the Wall Street, would become the biggest victim of the credit crunch that has roiled the market since last August, and be acquired for a pittance. Barely a year ago, their shares traded at $159 and JP Morgan Chase left no stone unturned to bring the financial giant to its fold at just $2 a share (share prices were later raised to $10 a share).

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

SALIM-SULAIMAN - brothers in harmony

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

IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA

Hum Tum, Fanaa, Dhoom, Dhoom II, Krrissh, Namaste London, Chak De! India… Besides being among the biggest hits of the past two years, these movies have also had some lovely music and each of these films owe their chart-topping numbers to the duo Salim-Sulaiman. Salim Merchant and Sulaiman Merchant started out with commercials, moved on to composing for Indi-pop albums like that of Shweta Shetty, and began composing background scores for movies around the mid 90s. They first came into notice when they composed music for the movie Hamesha, but it was with Ram Gopal Varma’s Bhoot that they truly made it big. Since the past three-four years, almost every big banner production has picked Salim and Sulaiman to compose the background scores of their movies.

Salim and Sulaiman have been raking in awards at the annual award functions too. From Filmfare Awards to IIFA Awards to Star Screen Awards, their talent has been recognised and rewarded by all. The duo is tremendously optimistic about their future and that of Bollywood. “Right now, Bollywood is at its peak. We (the industry) really are doing world class music,” said Salim. Revealing their plans for the future, Salim said, “We are also talking to a lot of people in US for independent American films.”

“We want to start a music school in India, which would concentrate on western classical music. There are a lot of classes and gurus from gharanas, who train you in Indian classical stuff, but a western classical school where a teacher teaches you the violin, is what’s missing and is what we want to get into. We have some string players and orchestra players but we think that 10 years later we won’t have any string players. Western classical music is a big part of our Indian music industry. We need orchestra players in our country. It’s our dream and vision to leave behind something for the industry that has given us so much,” said Salim.

For such dreams and for melodies that can inspire more to dream, Salim-Sulaiman are brothers we’re placing our bets on for the coming years.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

Can Pakistan’s weapons fall into the wrong hands? By saurabh shahi, shahid hussain and mayank singh

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

IIPM - Admission Procedure

It’s an issue that grabs the mainstream headlines at regular intervals. It’s also a debate where, depending on the existing situation, the importance of supportive or critical voices of nations, diplomats and experts keeps fluctuating wildly. Recently, when two Pakistani nuclear scientists were ‘kidnapped’ near the country’s north-western border with Afghanistan, several Indian experts thought that the duo had actually ‘defected’ to terrorist group, Al Qaeda, to offer their services to build a nuclear weapon.

These believers in ‘rogue nukes’ pointed out that similar incidents had happened in the past. “Pakistan’s top nuclear scientists, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood and Chaudhry Abdul Majeed, met Al Qaeda members on two occasions in 2000 and 2001, and shared sensitive nuclear secrets. As far as the kidnapping of two scientists is concerned, I don’t say that they are going to join hands with the terrorists. But it has happened once, and I am not sure that it’s not going to happen again,” says Reshmi Kazi, Associate Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis in India.

Adds Brig. Gurmeet Kanwal (retd.), Director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies, “Three Pakistani nuclear scientists were arrested and handed over to the US intelligence agencies in 2001. Two of them were senior scientists, who had set up an NGO, Ummah Tameer-e-Nau, after their retirement, and its membership comprised nuclear scientists and military officers known to have close links with Taliban, former Afghanistan’s conservative-religious regime, which gave a safe haven to Al Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden.

In India, such conclusions gain credence, especially when advisors like M.K. Narayanan, National Security Advisor, espouse similar sentiments. A month ago, without naming Pakistan, he said that “credible reports suggest that the region has been both a source and destination for proliferation of weapons of mass destruction material and equipment, a situation that is a cause for concern. A great threat to stability from nuclear weapons in the hands of volatile states cannot be discounted.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

Maddening déjà vu

2008-09-22T13:19:00.000+05:30

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Mr. Chidambaram faces stark choices all over again

As Dalal Street – along with many other streets from Tokyo to New York – started behaving like a new jet aircraft whose pilot has lost control, one couldn’t but help wondering about the days in mid 1990s when the C. R. Bhansali scam had put paid to the hopes raised by Mr. P. Chidambaram as Finance Minister. The stock market scam then was also associated with two things. First, it was tantalisingly close to and linked with the East Asian melt down of 1997. Second, elections were in the horizon and Mr. Chidambaram threw fiscal caution to the winds by announcing huge Fifth Pay Commission hikes for government servants. Back then, the US economy was still not as profligate a borrower as it is today. Nor were China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela swimming in dollars.

It is 2008 now and there is a strong sense of déjà vu. Stock markets around the world – particularly in Asia – have been tumbling like nine pins on fears of a recession in the US economy. India is no exception except the fact that the economy and Dalal Street are far more integrated with global financial markets than they were in 1997. It will probably be a matter of time before the latest Indian stock market scam is unveiled. Mr. Chidambaram is the Finance Minister who has been often dreaming about dream budgets. General Elections are not too far away. The Sixth Pay Commission has already submitted most of its recommendations for pay hikes for bureaucrats. So don’t be surprised if Mr. Chidambaram surrenders to UPA realpolitik and one of his colleagues announces a huge pay hike for government servants – without a single word on administrative reforms recommended by successive pay commissions.

As it happened after 1997, there are huge chances that Mr. Chidambaram may not remain the Finance Minister because his government will probably be voted out. But once again, his successor will have to struggle with the havoc that has been created by tumbling markets, panicking economies and ‘no comment’ finance ministers who pay more attention to electoral compulsions than their own convictions. Who said history doesn’t repeat itself again and again?

Sutanu Guru

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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King fissure or Dare Deccan?

2008-09-06T16:49:00.000+05:30

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Kingfisher’s takeover and proposed merger with Deccan raises questions...

Just a few handful of days after Vijay Mallya announced that Kingfisher would merge with Air Deccan, came the announcement of Mallya’s 46% stake ownership in Air Deccan going up to 50% through a block 4% purchase on Indian stock exchanges. But really, despite all the pricing advantages that the acquisition of Air Deccan provides to Kingfisher, B&E tells you why this merger makes little logic!

But even before understanding the ramifications, one has to clearly differentiate between an acquisition and a merger! Acquisition simply means the purchase of shares of one company (Air Deccan in this case) by another (Kingfisher Radio, a Vijay Mallya company). Both companies remain separate legal entities despite the acquisition. A merger, on the other hand, means that the two companies cease to exist separately, and are seen in legal terms as one new company (with perhaps different brand names within the new entity). Given this, Mallya’s issues are as follows:

Legal issues:

It’s akin to the difference between a live-in relationship and a marriage. Till the time the two companies remained separate, any financial exigencies of Air Deccan remained legally isolated within that airline itself. But now, Kingfisher – and in turn the UB Group – would become lawfully liable to pay for all such financial demands that Air Deccan might have to pay. Given the bloodbath already present within the industry, such a merger move seems highly questionable, when an acquisition was already giving the best of both worlds to Kingfisher, which takes us to our second point... Financial issues:

Gopinath had commented previously to us, “We’re aiming for profitability by 2008 and will achieve it!” Well, with a combined accumulated loss touching an outrageously scandalous Rs.20 billion (Rs.9.923 billion for FY’ 07 alone), this merger seems to have put paid to those plans too!

Branding issues:

Once the merger comes through and Air Deccan becomes a Kingfisher division (rather than a different company), the highly benchmarked Kingfisher brand could be crucified on the altar of consumer perception. A fear much real now as there have been confirmed reports of Air Deccan passengers who, after their flights have got cancelled, were given tickets on Kingfisher. With horror tales all abound about LCC flights being cancelled at the drop of the hat, Kingfisher’s pristine brand value is bound to start falling alarmingly if consumers cannot differentiate between the two brands in the coming months.

Operational dis-synergy: One logic of the merger could have been that after the merger, Vijay Mallya, without being questioned by shareholders, could have easily utilised all the capacity of Air Deccan – from pilots (which Kingfisher requires by loads), to maintenance infrastructure, to parking bays, to airplanes themselves! Though Vijay Mallya has mentioned that there would be one management team for both airlines, with a Wall Street Journal publication now reporting that Captain Gopinath has confirmed both airlines would be kept operationally separate, even this concept of synergy falls down!

Shareholder value decimation:

This factor is the most important for any CEO. It was perceived that the merger announcement could reduce the Kingfisher share worth, but would necessarily improve Air Deccan’s share value as shareholders would feel their brand image is being catapulted into the big league. Let’s see what really happened! Well, on December 18, 2007, Air Deccan’s share was trading at around Rs.316. With the news of the merger, Deccan’s share price plunged by almost 15% in a single trading session; and continues to languish! By the last closing of trade on December 26, 2007, Deccan Aviation had already lost a huge Rs.5.7 billion in stock value on the bourses!

The positives:

Still, it’s not the end of the world yet. In fact, just based on the acquisition (and not because of the merger), there are huge pluses. Already, the combine has emerged as the largest domestic carrier in the country with 570 daily flights, connecting 69 destinations across the country, a feet they’re managing with a smashing fleet of 78 aircrafts! That’s larger than that of even Indian, the government airline, which has 74 aircrafts! With the largest combined market share in India (around 32%: DGCA data), the kind of quasi-monopoly pricing the combine could demand might be enough to change the profit equation within a period of three years. Of course, with Kingfisher’s 106 new Airbuses (including 5 superjumbo A380s) and Air Deccan’s 54 A320s scheduled for delivery over the next 5-7 years, infrastructure support (including parking bays) could prove to be quite a major stumbling block.

Clearly, the acquisition of Air Deccan notwithstanding, the subsequent proposition of merger seems to be made with less positioning and financial standing. Well, when we asked Gopinath about the similarities he sees with Mallya, he divulged, “Our interests and lifestyles are ‘totally different’! We sometimes get together and enjoy each other’s company, but that’s it...” Well Sir, we hope you both continue ‘living-in’ this relationship rather than jumping into marriage! They say marriage lasts seven lives...

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Retailing brand India

2008-08-25T16:51:00.000+05:30

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Meeting the Western challenge head-on and exporting brand India abroad

Perhaps the toughest and most daunting challenge that any minister faces in India is the man who runs the Union commerce and industry ministry. Kamal Nath has to ensure that the relentless rise of the rupee against the dollar doesn’t lead to a slow down or even a reversal in export growth. With the INR continuing its unprecedented appreciation, exporters are already crying hoarse about lost orders and the sceptre of millions of jobs being lost. Nath also has to lead the Indian delegation when the First World and the Third World sit together again in 2008 to break the deadlock that has stalled WTO negotiations. In 2007, his pugnacious remarks on the double standards practised by the developed nations have been quite controversial. Clearly, Washington and Geneva are terribly fond of the man. Then again, the minister has to somehow ensure that his two pet projects within the country – SEZs and FDI in organised retail do not get stalled by activists and the Left. In between, he has to find time to play a key role in the Assembly elections that are due soon in his home state Madhya Pradesh. A formidable agenda indeed.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Private schools...

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

IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence

...can provide ‘Education for all’

Henry Fielding once said, “Public schools are the nurseries of all vice and immorality” … the statement is of assistance in slapping the claims of the reverential policy makers who vouch for public schools.

The United Nations promised “education for all” in the Millennium Developmental Goal (MDG) by 2015. Beats the wit out of anyone that how on Earth will it be possible with only 25% of all schools in Ghana being government schools, 34% of such schools in Lagos state of Nigeria and only 35% such schools in slum area of Hyderabad and equally contemptible percentage of government schools in other underdeveloped countries! So does that mean that the UN MDG is wearing that confident look only because it banks on the private schools? Private schools might charge more fees, but that again is only because they deliver quality. And why are private schools subjected to such badmouthing, anyway when even the not-so-well-to-do families choose private schools over government schools? Seriously, the umpteenth claims of “education for all” which try and promote public schools do not hold any water … because education in true sense owes gratitude to private schools only.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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The Godrej Gameplan

2008-08-13T12:39:00.000+05:30

IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence

The yesteryears locksmiths have made a huge effort to shake the rust off their staid brand image... Will the ‘Preity’ magic work for them?

The name that once was an indomitable leader of the Indian white goods industry – Godrej & Boyce – is making an effort to come back into the reckoning. The makeover may have been kicked off post the dawn of the new millennium, but recently these activities have been renewed with a fresh vigour. Even the mother brand, after its logo change (which from the monotone red, is now vibrant and colourful) denotes that Godrej is no longer satisfied with just being a trustworthy brand, instead being contemporary and hi-tech is the new mantra.

The new-look Godrej is a welcome relief from the Godrej of yesteryears. The dull TVCs then were supported more by technical details of products than anything else. Remember the PUF ads, where a sturdy man (dressed like Spiderman) used to describe the technical details of Godrej refrigerators to the Indian junta. “The guiding principal for all Godrej communication has been to stay away from gimmicks that would mislead the consumer,” affirms Priyanka Udeshi, Design AVP and Client Service Director, JWT. She adds that innovations and technology were always stated up front and all claims made in the commercials were backed by research. The strategy, at that time, enabled Godrej & Boyce to create an edge against other desi players (like Allwyn and Kelvinator) and helped the consumer goods major to dominate the market. However, with the entry of the Korean chaebols in the late 1990’s, Godrej’s empire was shaken up. Outshined by the slick ads of foreign players, brand Godrej started to loose its sheen. Even senior officials from Godrej & Boyce accept that they had lacked in promotion and branding activities as compared to the new foreign entrants in the market. But no more! “We felt that the time has come to reposition and change our branding strategy. The bid was to showcase the stylish side of the brand and connecting it to generation next,” reminisces Kamal Nandi, VP-Sales & marketing, Appliance Division, Godrej & Boyce.

Hence begun the process of rejuvenating the brand, as reflected in recent ads. The company began with roping in a brand ambassador for the first time (the ‘bubbly’ Preity Zinta), and followed it up by unleashing a series of ads that showed the colourful side of the brand. “Preity’s association with the brand has been well thought in terms of brand fit and hence has been re-validated time and again,” elaborates Priyanka. More recently in 2006 – Godrej launched the Eon range as its imagery driver, keeping in mind the shifting purchase parameters and lifestyle trends of the Indian youth. Preity has been the face of this brand extension too.

And it’s not only via advertising that Godrej plans to remain relevant to today’s customer. In order to move with the times, last year, Godrej Eon launched the widest variety of colours in its product range. This year too, the Godrej camp plans similar innovative offerings. Explains Priyanka, “A recent example is the launch of the new Godrej Edge refrigerators that deliver fastest ice making, coupled with five star energy ratings,” adding that the range is all set to be advertised in a product centric fashion.

Godrej may be reinvigorated and looking to give a tough fight to rivals that dare to cross its path, but hey, while Godrej has been planning and plotting its comeback and stylish makeover, competition has not been sitting idle either.

Angshuman Paul

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Surjo Dutt (31), JWT

2008-08-06T13:11:00.000+05:30

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

Surjo Dutt (31), JWT. A college dropout who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. After all, it is important in the advertising industry that one makes a good start and it was just his luck that he started at JWT. “It is a great learning place with some fantastic people around me that helped polish me,” he reminisces. So much so that he has stuck around at JWT for nine years now and feels that it is the environment at this agency that drives him further. Work might be similar at other agencies and ‘moolah’ too would not be a substantial differentiator, however it is the environment that matters to him and keeps him going. A complete bike freak, Surjo is dying to work more on the Hero Honda account that JWT has. He does not consider himself creative enough and is still trying to figure out what creativity is. He has worked on a number of top notch brands like Pepsi, Nestlé, Hero Honda, ESPN, but is humble enough to call all his work fairly decent.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

2008-08-04T12:58:00.000+05:30

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

The final challenge is infrastructure. Given the existing facilities at Indian airports, with Jet & NACIL owning up to 80% of overnight parking bays in Delhi & Mumbai (the two international stations in India), other players will have to wait before they can start receiving additional wide-body, long distance aircrafts from Boeing and Airbus. With lack of infrastructure in Indian airports, players are incurring huge losses and are unable to expand their scope of services.

Further, Indian carriers deploy 355 aircrafts on domestic routes presently. With another 195 aircrafts to be received by 2011, the total will touch 550. With total domestic passenger count touching 78.4 million as per 4Ps B&M projections (refer Figure 3; the figure being 78.8 million as per CAPA), footfalls are clearly not enough for airlines to make profitability on just domestic routes. Moreover, with average prices having risen by 18% over last year, this passenger volume prediction is based on an optimistic approach, which makes it all the more dangerous for domestic airlines’ financial health.

Mhatre explains this situation as follows, “Considering current capacities that domestic carriers are building up, I feel we would be in a situation where capacity will exceed demand if players do not fly international.” The picture appears prettier on the international front where there are fewer players and the forecasted traffic growth of 15% till 2010 means that passenger count will touch about 22.1 million as per 4Ps B&M estimations (refer Figure 3; 25 million as per CAPA) – clearly enough for ensuring profitability on international routes. Even Surbhi Chawla, Aviation Analyst, Angel Trade confirms, “The average yield per passenger for an airline in the domestic sector, whether budget or full-service is about Rs.2,000-2,700. In the international sector, the average yield works out to about Rs.20,000-25,000 per passenger. In a highly competitive environment, where domestic full-service carriers have been competing for market share with budget carriers, it makes great sense for them to fly on international routes.”

Then, there is of course the competitive onslaught of other LCCs, which ply on international routes, but then as experts feel, there is enough room for everyone as far as international skies are concerned. Hence, LCCs as a threat factor can be ignored for now. Mhatre feels that, “LCCs playing on international routes would not prove challenging because there is enough room for everyone. On international routes, LCCs and Full Service Carriers can peacefully co-exist.”

But the $4 billion question still persists. Should investors part with their hard earned moolah to fund the over reaching ambitions of domestic carriers who are already in the red? Perhaps they could refuse, but then domestic carriers are an integral part of India’s economic development; they just have to mend their ways, or rather bend their planes… toward international skies that is.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

Read these article :-
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IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
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India Cements Ltd.

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

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

Investee: India Cements Ltd.

Investor: Fidelity, ABN Amro, HSBC, et al

Investment Value: $137.67 mn

The capital raised through this deal will give the much-needed impetus to ICL’s expansion plans. Substantiates V. M. Mohan, ICL, Joint President (Corporate Finance), “We are in the process of raising capital to fund a Rs.1,450 crore expansion plan that would double its cement production capacity to 18 million tonnes over the next two years, and to set up a 40-50 MW captive power project and buy two ships for coal transport. The QIB issue is a part of that.” The company may also reduce their debt balance through these issues.

Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) – Fidelity, HSBC, ABN Amro, among others – in a deal worth Rs.592 crores bought 7.5% stake in India’s third largest cement firm, India Cements Ltd. (ICL) in December last year. Considered to be the largest cement player in South India, the company boasts of seven manufacturing locations, spread over Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. ICL issued 20.78 million shares at Rs.285 per share, including premium, to these QIBs. With an objective to become a pan India cement manufacturer (and plans to increase capacity to 18 MTPA by December 2010), the company wants to use the net proceeds of the issue primarily for capital expenditure and other expenditure support. They also plan to finance new projects through this issue. The cement maker is setting up two plants in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, besides having several mining leases in these two states. Considering the boom in the domestic infrastructure and real estate market, the demand for cement has been going up for some time; and ICL is poised to benefit from this latent potential.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

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The local driver

2008-07-18T15:36:00.000+05:30

IIPM, GURGAON

Most experts are sure that the Indian buyer will fall in love with the Nano. A survey by Invest India Market Solutions predicted that as many as 12.8 million households can be the potential buyers of the Nano, or other entry-level cars. Of this, 1.6 million will buy a small car in 2008, and the figure is more than the annual sales of 1.2 million. More than half of the new buyers will be from rural India and small towns, and many will be those who were planning to buy a two-wheeler, but will opt for a car now. Another report by Crisil is less optimistic. According to the rating agency, Nano’s pricing brings down the cost of ownership of an entry-level model by 30%, making the car more affordable for households with annual income of Rs.2 lakh. The new price point translates into a 65% rise in the number of families that can afford a car. “At the significantly redefined threshold for car ownership in India, car sales... have the potential to increase by 20% over the annual sales expected in 2007-08,” it concluded.

McKinsey’s recent study on India’s auto and auto components industry reached similar conclusions. Based on a survey among auto executives, it stated that “the Indian domestic market will continue to be dominated by small cars.” It quoted a senior executive, who said, “I believe India will remain a small car market. The medium-size car market will grow but the small car segment will grow a lot faster.” In fact, by 2009, almost 50% of Indian households may be able to afford an A1 or A2 car, compared with less than 15% who will be in a position to afford a mid-sized model.

There are two factors that will encourage this trend. The first is affordability. Shriram Pistons’ A. K. Taneja told the McKinsey surveyor that affordability will restrict sales growth of larger cars. He added: “It is not only the cost of the vehicle in the showroom, it is also the total cost of ownership.” One has to account for the attitudes of the Indian consumer. “Indians are savers, they are frugal, they are cost conscious,” Taneja is quoted, saying in the McKinsey study. Clearly, Tata is on an autobahn, where millions are waiting in queue to zip, zap, zoom away in their Nanos.

However, there are some who differ with the above logic. Mohit Arora, Director (India), J.D. Power Asia Pacific, feels, “While small cars in India usually mean the cheapest car, it is not necessarily the same internationally. Even in Singapore, the (compact) Jazz (by Honda) is more or less the same price as the (mid-sized) Honda City.” Before the launch of the Nano, Shinzo Nakanishi, MD, Maruti Suzuki, which is Tata Motors’ main competitor, had told reporters that “Tata’s small car won’t impact us much.”

In addition, there is always the ‘snob’ factor that will play on Indian buyers’ minds. They will reject a model only to differentiate themselves from the masses, or to become a part of the so-called ‘happening’ crowd. In the 1980s, Maruti 800 sold not just because of the price, but also because of these two reasons. It definitely gave a ‘smug’ feeling to buyers of owning the latest model. Moreover, the 800 performed better than the existing Fiat and Ambassador and delivered on styling, technology and comfort. Of course, there are the environmental-related critics of the Nano.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

Read these article :-
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global
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No pain, no gain? Says who?

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

Say bye bye to drills!

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

Dude, when was the last time you had your cavities filled without a drill being used? No, no, we are not referring to the day half your teeth popped out after you got smashed up on the jaw for teasing ‘em damsels (yeah, yeah, you didn’t do it!) but to the smashing new method of drill-free cavity removal, which, as per NBC involves, “a laser that works without damaging surrounding tissues.” The advantages of this ‘bitingly’ innovative procedure are, ahem, a huge mouthful! Not only is the new laser tecnique specific and precise (ergo, protecting the teeth as well as the surrounding tissue), but it also results in no bleeding of the gums and no post-operative pain! “More so, laser treatment for a cavity removal is not very cost effective and we face many problems when a hard tissue is to be cut. It would be great if this technology comes to India and is economical too” opines Dr. Rajesh Talwar, Head of the Department, Fortis Hospital.

But the best part perhaps is that you don’t even have to use any anaesthesia during the operation! So Mr. Beau Brummel, the next time you visit your dentist for filling up those rock shelters you’ve carefully nurtured inside your hepcat mouth, ask for a pain-free treatment! Hey, we’ve heard some surgeons closer home are already practicing such drill-free methods! Just that they seem to be using, er, their bare hands... Still interested dear Zorro?!

Edit Bureau: Pooja Priyadarshini

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
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IIPM Campus

The German elite…

2008-07-12T11:44:00.000+05:30

IIPM - Admission Procedure

Broadly divided into SUVs, Super luxury saloon, Sport & Coupe’, these sub-segments of super luxury auto mart aren’t called ‘pigments of conspicuous fantasy’ for nothing! Mercedes Benz (representing DaimlerChrysler), which has been the first entrant in India, operates in most of these segments to leverage its strong hold on the market. Apart from C, E & S Classes, rest of the segments are filled by CBU (Completely Built Units) imports.

BMW, on the other hand, is new but like Mercedes has its own assembling plant in India. The Munich based company churns out freshly minted 3 & 5 Series from its Chennai plant, while importing the rest of the model range including the 6 & 7 Series. For now, Volvo & Audi directly import their XC90 & S80 and A4, A5, Q7 & A8 model ranges from Sweden & Germany, respectively. Legendary maker of air cooled sports cars (now back to conventionalism), Porsche sells its entire range in India and that includes the mighty 911 Carrera, Cayenne & Boxter. Interestingly, unlike most of its competitors, Porsche was keener in directly importing its cars from Germany! While speaking on the issue Porsche’s Wills told 4Ps B&M that, “We do not intend to produce or assemble Porsches here as these cars are known and expected to be ‘Made in Germany’.” It is believed that this is perhaps part of Porsche’s strategy as the company competes head on with boutique car makers like Ferrari & Lamborghini (also available in India).

Despite the onslaught of competition, DC India claims that it has doubled its growth rate from last year. Of course, in the saloon segment, Mercedes Benz still holds a dominating position, but seems to be puffing and panting in the SUVs and sports cars segment. What’s more, high end SUVs are fast becoming a rage in India. Accordingly, the handsome Audi Q7 and the ravishing Porsche Cayenne have been doing brisk business here. However, Merc’s SUV – the M Class – is not even doing half the volumes enjoyed by these new entrants. Reason? Mercedes’ lower brand equity when it comes to radically stylish products in the country, or at least that’s what auto analysts unilaterally declare.

Even Mercedes Benz’ convertibles (SLK & SL) have fallen to more specialised sports car makers like Lamborghini & Porsche. Analysts say that India’s young blood is fired more by these fresher brands in India. Further, the ‘driver oriented’ appeal of BMW & Porsche is taking away prospective buyers from conservative branding strategy of Mercedes. DC India may have to brand its cars for the younger generation consumers as well, who are driving the market now.

Apart from these seemingly surmountable difficulties, Mercedes, along with BMW & Audi, is facing another hurdle! Like in the West, even in India, there is a gradual shift toward more exquisitely priced car brands such as Rolls Royce, Bentley & Bugatti! Since the number of millionaires & billionaires in India are climbing, conventional luxury car makers are finding it hard to hold on to the ‘done this–done that’ types. It is becoming increasingly tough to cater to the needs of an extremely small consumer group, especially one not tied down by conventionalism. “Rich Indians have the money and resources to experiment with cars and therefore brand loyalty is not a differentiating factor!” points out Vikram Gaur of The Car Magazine. As of now, Mercedes is playing the ‘quiet opulance’ (uh! unexciting for the younger bunch) card in its communication with consumers; BMW is focussing on driver appeal; and Audi is banking on its innovative streak and selling the Quattro (all wheel drive system) that it has pioneered.

But, for maximum retention, all players will soon have to necessarily deploy multiple branding strategies for respective consumer types. Never mind the obstacles for car makers, these are exciting times for car aficionados in India. Relegated to the status of an insignificant luxury car market for almost 50 years, today India is a battleground for the German elite club. The competitive churn is only adding oodles to the opulent driving dreams of the moneyed Indians. And if George is still nostalgic about leaving DC India’s Pimpri facility, we’d be the first to tell him: “Change is good dear fellow, almost always!”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

National Insurance

2008-07-10T16:16:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

It knows how to turn from red to black. This Kolkata based public sector company registered a net profit of Rs.418.07 crores for the year ending March 2007, as against loss of Rs.114.64 crores in the previous year. National Insurance Company (NIC) has a network of about 1,000 offices, manned by more than 16,000 personnel and is extended over the length and breadth of the country covering far-off rural areas, townships and metros. Away from the territorial boundaries, NIC’s foreign operations are carried out from its branch offices in Nepal and Hong Kong. It boasts of having more than 200 products catering to the needs of various sectors of the economy. “We are targeting a gross premium income of Rs.4,600 crores in 2007 - 08, compared with Rs.3,827 crores last year,” said V. Ramasaamy, Chairman & Managing Director, NIC. The growth in investment income, focus on retail and health insurance is expected to fuel the growth in profitability and premium income, says the company.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

Zee hurls a pithy bouncer

2008-07-09T11:15:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

Down and out for years, they are now back in the reckoning.

On 30th November 2007, the Chandigarh Lions (zipped up in florescent yellow) and the Delhi Jets (decked up in fuchsia pink) descended into the packed Tau Devi Lal Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh to play the opening match of the Indian Cricket League’s (ICL) Twenty-20 Championship. While the applause that greeted the two teams was deafening, the 10 core members of the ICL organising committee stood quietly in the last row of spectators, eyes glistening with emotions. Their days of relentless hard work had paid off. “When we arrived here (Panchkula) 35 days ago, we went to work on a kuccha stadium and it’s sheer joy to witness the transformation,” a team member told this magazine.

Among the biggies who cheered the Lions as they beat the Delhi Jets was the inimitable media turned cricket tycoon Subhash Chandra Goel. Notwithstanding the fact that the Essel Group Chairman’s first series of breakaway cricketing league had not met expectations of roping in enough corporate sponsors, or many much-touted international cricketers, when Chandra faced the cheering crowds in the stadium, he was all smiles. His dream of marrying cricket with entertainment had finally seen the light of the day.

Chandra had another reason to smile! His flagship company Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) had finally shook off the spectre of Star’s supremacy in the television entertainment segment, or at least in certain prime time slots, an elusive chimera for Zee over the past five years. Proving media analysts wrong (who had begun writing obituaries for Zee), Chandra, together with the star duo – son Punit Goenka and the ex-TOI honcho Pradeep Guha – has recreated the Zee magic (or at least some of it) for millions of TV viewers across the country. A commendable feat if one only looks back a few years. In 2001, Zee was ruling the roost, till Star romped home with Kaun Banega Crorepati; built winning kitchen politics serials around it; and nearly annihilated Zee in the ensuing TRP war.

For years, Zee stayed defiant, unwilling to accept that its leadership was robbed overnight, and continued to fight a losing battle. “The situation had reached such a flashpoint that Zee, which till 2001 boasted nine of the top ten TV programs in 2001 was reduced to a naught, with virtually no winning proposition in the top 10,” says an independent media analyst.

But all that changed when ex-TOI honcho Pradeep Guha sauntered into the Zee headquarters in Mumbai in January 2005 – and started singing a different tune. Today, quarterly TAM data allows them 3 programs in the top 10, while Star Plus walks off with the balance 7 programs in its kitty. “It’s a beginning toward a happy ending,” says Ashish Kaul, Senior Vice President, Zee Enterprises, even as he reminisces that Guha’s joining was perhaps the turning point. “No major changes happened in the team, just that we all became focussed on the benefit of the organisation,” he explains. The rest, as they say, is history. Zee gradually took on the task of wining back its TRP share; decisively left behind Sony last year; and is now fighting a winning battle with Star Plus. ZEEL’s Whole Time Director, Punit Goenka believes that Zee has “now become a leader in the time band from 5 pm to 10 pm in the weekdays,” thanks to key shows like Betiyaan, Saath Phere, Dulhan, et al, leading their respective slots.

For investors too, the joyride with Zee has been rewarding in recent times. Analysts says that while other media stocks like UTV, Prime Focus, et al are definitely investor favourites for now, ZEEL is also picking up because of rising profits, on the back of an increase in its ad-rates. In the second quarter of FY07’ the company’s profit more than quadrupled on higher revenues from advertising and subscriptions, with ad revenues up 28% at Rs.220 crore. According to Chandra, “the support of other channel’s rising GRPs will provide the requisite momentum for growth in advertising revenues.”

ICL and Zee’s comeback, combined, the two feats were enough reason for the media & entertainment conglomerate to make it to the 4Ps B&M 2007 list of India’s 100 Most Admired Companies in 2007.

Add to that Zee’s ever growing bouquet of channels, and you have the success saga almost complete. Apart from Zee Cinema, Zee Café, Zee Sports (a winning proposition because of ICL), Zee is also likely to launch its second GEC, Zee Next, by the end of this year, which will serve as an additional advertising inventory.

The icing on the cake is the fact that competition from Star is visibly lacklustre. The third season for KBC drew a lukewarm response and even the flagship K-Brand of soaps are beginning to age. Sometime next year when Star will have to replace its key prime time properties, it will have a tough time in finding suitable replacements, in the increasingly fragmented GEC market. “With audience fragmentation happening faster, where the advertiser will put his money will be a problem for respective media planners to address,” points out Shashi Sinha of Lodestar Universal.

The renewed focus and drive into ZEEL’s onward march came with the March 2006 decision of Subhash Chandra to restructure Zee Corporation, by hiving off the group’s cable, DTH, News and entertainment broadcasting arms into independent listed companies. The decision was prompted by the divergent business models of these respective entities, which analysts claim has been able to bring the requisite chutzpah into the company’s functioning.

A September 2007 Citigroup outlook on Zee Enterprises viewed the restructuring positively “because this has added focus to the business and allays our concerns related to Zee’s investment in DTH, which we believe would have strained Zee’s balance sheet and diverted the focus away from the core broadcasting business.”

Be that as it may, ZEEL is on a smashing comeback trail. The first season of ICL’s debut may have been muted, but Chandra is sure to devise a brand new gameplan for the next season, which will also reverse the fortunes of Zee Sports. In the meantime, if Pradeep Guha can devise a strategy to win back more of those crucial prime time slot from nemesis Star Plus, rest assured ZEEL will have won this battle of entertainment supremacy!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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

TCS

2008-06-23T12:51:00.000+05:30

When IIPM comes to education, never compromise

Down now, but TCS has immense potential to bounce back among the crème in the 4Ps B&M rankings soon

An important player in the booming IT sector, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) boasts of possessing more than 70,000 associates worldwide. Courtesy its fledging state-ofthe- art consulting services and enviable Global Network Delivery Model, TCS recorded revenue earnings of a staggering $4.3 billion for FY07. Agnello Dias, National Creative Director, J. Walter Thompson’s attributes TCS’s success to the company managing to outlast prevailing market trends and ride over them. “They were steadfast with their vision irrespective of the circumstance,” he says. Looking to strengthen its position in the global market, TCS launched “Experience Certainty” during the last quarter, which made it the first Indian corporate to come out with a global branding and marketing campaign. The campaign seeks to promote brand assurance among clients and is a part of the company’s vision to be counted among the top 10 players in the industry by 2010. The campaign backs the brand proposition by claiming that 96.63% of TCS deliverables are achieved on time. However, the Indian consumer does not seem unduly excited. TCS slipped from Rank 29 last year to Rank 51. This could be a spillover from the controversies in Singur and Nandigram that the Tata Group is embroiled in. Even then, 2006 has been quite rewarding for TCS, as business revenues have continued to zoom up.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned M a n a g e m e n t G u r u and Economist) Initiative

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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IIPM, GURGAON
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NOKIA

2008-06-03T16:45:00.000+05:30

IIPM - Admission Procedure

What an eye-popping slip... from rank 3 last year to rank 19 now!

So why has Nokia shown such a sad performance as compared to last year? After all, the Finnish giant has always been a strong brand in Indian mobile market? Sure, volume-wise, India’s consumption of Nokia has been increasing, but the brand appeal has taken a beating with a steady stream of people queued outside Nokia Care Centres lately (growing list of complaints against N-series).

Also Nokia’s continued emphasis on high-end phones has decreased its appeal, as many of the newest users are people with limited budgets. Yet analysts do emphasise on the brand’s massive recall value even today. “Think mobile, think Nokia. It has mobiles for everyone, be it a sober (person) to the ultimate music geek,” thumps Akshun Gulati, Analyst, IndusView Advisors. And indeed it has recently announced quite a few new different models, but value-wise, the market has opened up to other brands like Sony Ericsson, Motorola, even Samsung. This is reflected in the ranking as it slips from Rank 3 to Rank 19 on the 4Ps B&M Most Valued Brands list – a massive loss by 16 points. Nokia, though has never ceased to put tremendous efforts into its brand image. “Nokia Priority dealers everywhere, helps in the branding,” adds Gulati. But clearly, Nokia needs to edge out the negative.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned M a n a g e m e n t G u r u and Economist) Initiative

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‘Absolut’ rubbish!

2008-05-09T11:53:00.000+05:30

IIPM - Admission Procedure

Absolut Vodka goes for a total change

When makers of the once dominant Absolut Vodka had to reposition the brand, they ran a campaign titled “In an Absolut World.” It depicted an ideal world where everything is as perfect as Absolut Vodka. However, today the brand is hardly the “ideal” it claims to be. “We are still a very strong brand in the US. But we do understand that the vodka category has changed and we are working towards reestablishing and reworking Absolut’s position in the category,” states Tim Murphy, Senior Brand Director, Absolut Spirits Company. Absolut is now allocating 20-30% of its advertising spend on mediums like TV, outdoor and digital to succeed.

The vodka was never positioned as vodka but as a fashion statement. The brand has also lost share to a lot of new players. According to trade magazine, Impact, growth rate of Absolut from 2000 to 2005 has been 4.9%, lower than other majors. Time for ‘absolut’ change, right? 4Ps

Edit bureau: Preeti Chaturvedi

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned M a n a g e m e n t G u r u and Economist) Initiative

For More IIPM Info, Visit Below....
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The Sunday Indian - India's Greatest News weekly
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Shall we shoot the analysts?

2008-04-10T15:24:00.000+05:30

ARINDAM CHAUDHURI’S 4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE IIPM...

The Sensex crosses 15,300... and more

“Riddikulus!” That is the antidote incantation used by Harry Potter and his mercurial wizard (and witch) friends to convert the fearsome Bogart monster into a harmless creature. And that seems to be the very charm used by FIIs to convert those innumerable morbid Sensex forecasts – of an impending crash – into historical highs! What else can you say when the Sensex not only crosses the 15,000 mark, but also reaches a never-beforeseen high of 15,341 on July 16, 2007. But then, is it really time for merry-making in Dalal Street or is it too premature a time to be boisterous about the achievement of our spectacular Sensex?

“Long-term prospects remain good apart from a high liquidity presence and a growing appetite of Indian investors, which is likely to keep valuations at stretched levels over the foreseeable future,” exclaimed J. P. Sinha, Director and Head – Research, Ambit Capital to 4Ps B&M. Nikunj Doshi, Fund Manager, Kotak Mutual Fund supported this viewpoint even over the long term to 4Ps B&M, “Both fundamentals and liquidity are favourable right now for India. The positive undertone will continue in the coming years.” Then what was it with all the socalled experts shouting hoarse about over-valuations? “Look at this perspective – it was only a few weeks back that inflation was dangerously high and interest rates much higher! How could any sane investment analyst have supported the theory of spectacular Sensex growth then?” defends Amit Saxena, CEO, Planman Financial, to 4Ps B&E.. Truly, macro-economic factors are more conducive today than before. And with inflation and PLRs seemingly down, the day is not far when the Sensex thunders further ahead. And then? Let’s just shoot the analysts, shall we .

Edit Bureau: Sunanda Roy

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned M a n a g e m e n t G u r u and Economist) Initiative

For More IIPM Info, Visit Below....
Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
The Sunday Indian - India's Greatest News weekly
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Wa’gon R my troubles

2008-04-03T11:39:00.000+05:30

Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

The Wagon R is a small car, but trustworthy!

My Wagon R gives me the freedom of mobility, convenience and power. I think I’ve had some of my most creative ideas whilst I’ve been in my car – the smoothness, consistency of performance, adaptability – all help in removing stress and tension. The car allows my mind to relish and enjoy the ride. Music is the way I love to unwind after a long day and my rides to and from my workplace are really the time I get to be by myself. Since I work in the heart of the town and live almost 20 kms away, the commuting time is almost an hour each way. Most of these days, 2 hours are used to plan, to schedule and also to catch up with myself. For six days of the week, my car and me are on a journey – sometimes of bonding, sometimes of discovery.

My car has also been an inevitable companion for fun times with friends, relatives & colleagues. These are special moments which are memorable. My trips out of town by road, whether on work or on holiday – to Jaipur, Chandigarh, Dehradun or to the hills are all journeys made possible due to the hassle free assurance of my car. In fact, one incident comes to mind. I had gone to Jaipur on a shoot. The crew was following me in a larger, fancier car but midway they had a break-down which took a while to get sorted out. Thankfully, my car gave me no trouble because of its easy maintenance. For me, it has been a three-year long trustworthy love affair between my Wagon R and I.

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned M a n a g e m e n t G u r u and Economist) Initiative

For More IIPM Info, Visit Below....
The Sunday Indian - India's Greatest News weekly
IIPM, ADMISSIONS FOR NEW DELHI & GURGAON BRANCHES
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ARINDAM CHAUDHURI’S 4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE IIPM...
IIPM Economy Review

Membership changes everything. Even what you drive

2008-03-27T12:27:00.001+05:30

Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!

BRAND: American Express
HEADLINE: Membership changes everything. Even what you drive.
AGENCY: O&M

4Ps TAKE: American Express is back with a bang with the visual of (for a change a clean-shaven) Junior Bachchan and the Porsche 911 Targa that hogs in snazzy way (not all of it!) the limelight. The duo ably bring out the single-minded focus which is to promote the Platinum Credit Card of American Express via its latest attraction for all its proud owners: handing over the keys of the iconic Porsche 911 ‘experience’ Targa to them by no other than Abhishek Bachchan. While the USP is undoubtedly Bachchan and the dream car, there’s another attraction – the body copy informs about an unforgettable three day visit to the Porsche factories in Germany along with the thrilling opportunity of a race track test drive of the Porsche model range. What a reward to the prospect! Classy and effective communication; in fact, we’d say great going at express speed!

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

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned M a n a g e m e n t G u r u and Economist) Initiative

For More IIPM Info, Visit Below....
The Sunday Indian - India's Greatest News weekly
IIPM, ADMISSIONS FOR NEW DELHI & GURGAON BRANCHES
IIPM, GURGAON
ARINDAM CHAUDHURI’S 4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE IIPM...
IIPM Economy Review

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