Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts

Friday, May 3, 2013

“There are certainly more drivers apart from price”

Dr. Manish Gupta, Director – IBM Research, India asserts that innovations for the Indian market aren’t only about bringing down the price points

B&E: IBM has been driving a lot of R&D activity from India. What is your view on reverse innovation potential from this market?
Dr. Manish Gupta (MG): I am not parochial in this regard. I am not claiming that innovation will only happen here, it will happen in all parts. I feel that cost is just one aspect, and we in India often make the mistake of equating innovation with low cost. A lot of times, people talk about how can you bring down the cost. That’s only one form. In our work, we have seen several different drivers for ‘reverse innovation’. They can be related to the scale and price point, and they may simply be linked to different needs unique to the Indian market, which does not mean they are necessarily low cost. I prefer to use the term leapfrog innovation for this kind of innovation, where you have to rethink a solution, take a different approach to solving a problem, and then you can apply the same ideas to other markets.

B&E: What drivers do you see that will enable more of such innovation coming from India?
One driver is often scale, which many other people have pointed out. Often, the scale of what you see in a country like India and China is much higher as compared to the US. One example is what our own lab colleagues have done in the context of telecom accounts. As you know, IBM provides the entire IT infrastructure for telecom companies like Bharti Airtel and Vodafone. We deployed a solution in one of the telecom accounts in India I cannot name. We developed a first of a kind solution where instead of having different kinds of analytics applications working on their own copy, of what is call detail record data, we have brought in a streaming data solution. As the data gets generated, even when the data is new, different apps start their own processing. You have the data flow through different applications. While it was driven initially by scale & price point, it delivered some real business value, as the company can now access the same day’s data rather than the four days old data it accessed earlier. It has been pitched to the likes of AT&T, et al.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
 
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Classifications

Business & Economy presents an in-depth analysis of India’s 100 most profitable companies for the financial year 2012

The ruling trio
Combined together, three sectors – BFSI, Metal & Mining and Engineering – represent 60% of India’s most profitable companies in FY2012. Engineering corporations have made the most of growth opportunities. Their sectoral share increased from a paltry 3% to a substantial 14% within just one financial year.

Changing equations
As of now, the Indian economy is experiencing significant pressure. But with last year’s recovery, the B&E Power 100 list has seen some change, and most of it for the better. As compared to 30 companies last year, 58 companies have moved up in the list during FY2012, while only 27 have gone down compared to 49 last year.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Time to unleash the green growth

Be it climate change, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, or ecosystem degradation; green economics can weave together these strands. According to ‘TEEB’ report, ecosystem delivers essential services worth $21 to $72 trillion a year while the commercial opportunities in natural resource sector alone could be between $2.1-6.3 trillion by 2050. The implication: green and growth can go hand in hand.

Seeking Competitive Gains
Given the prevailing environmental and economic challenges, countries and corporations have come up with policies and strategies in order to shift towards cleaner and greener business practices along with green innovation. The International Energy Agency (IEA) is of the view that greener business practices will have important economic pay-offs in terms of resource efficiency. IEA estimates that 17% (approximately $46 trillion) increase in energy investment is required globally between 2010 and 2050 to deliver low-carbon energy systems, which will consequently yield a cumulative fuel savings worth $112 trillion. As a competitive factor, companies are seeking competitiveness gains through clean and green technology investment.

Environmetnal Challenges

OECD, in its recent report, states that the impact of economic activity on environmental systems are creating imbalances which are putting economic growth and development at risk. As a matter of fact, existing loss of biodiversity and degradation has already had dramatic consequences for business; soil erosion in Europe is estimated to cost 53 euro per hectare per annum. A 2007 report of the World Bank estimated that the cost of excessive use of groundwater in China was in the range of 0.3% of GDP (the cost fell largely on the agriculture sector). The TEEB 2010 report estimates the annual economic loss caused by introduction of agricultural pests in the US, UK, India, Brazil et al to be more than $100 billion.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, March 25, 2013

“Our Company has Grown over 10 Fold Since 1995”

Julien Mininberg, President & CEO of Kaz Inc., one of the leading Producers and Marketers of High Quality Branded Consumer and Healthcare devices Globally talks about the Company’s Growth, R&D and Strategic Importance of India as a Market, to B&E’s
Issue Date - 03/03/2011

B&E: Kaz has been selling healthcare devices for over 90 years now. How does its current product portfolio look like and how much do you sell globally?
Julien Mininberg (JM): Kaz is a worldwide leader in healthcare products and small domestic appliances, with annual revenues of over $500 million and is today operating in more than 65 countries. Our healthcare products portfolio primarily comprises of Vicks and Braun thermometers, Vicks humidifiers and Vicks vapourisers. Kaz is not just the market leader in these product categories in North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia, but also a #1 worldwide in thermometers with its patented Braun infrared ear thermometers. The small domestic appliances are primarily Honeywell air purifiers, heaters and fans, and are sold all over the world.

B&E: So, how many brands are you exactly associated with?
JM: Kaz licences four world-class brands globally. This includes Vicks, which it had licensed from the Procter & Gamble way back in 1995. The Vicks name has been trusted by moms and families across the globe for over 100 years and sells products worth more than $1 billion annually. India is a very important part of Vicks’ global equity. In order to compliment the existing line of Vicks products in India, such as Vicks Vaporub (which consumers already know and trust), we plan to bring high quality, reliable products to this strategically important market under the Vicks brand name. Kaz also licences products under the Braun brand name from P&G for thermometers and blood pressure monitors. Kaz’s Braun Thermoscan ear thermometers are preferred by medical professionals worldwide and are the #1 consumer ear thermometer in most countries where they are sold. We also have brand licences for Febreze and Honeywell. We are the oldest, largest and most global licensee for both P&G and Honeywell. In the last three years, Kaz has been recognised by P&G twice and has been awarded for excellence. Honeywell too has consistently featured Kaz as their best licensee.

B&E: What do you think will work best for you in India – cost leadership or product differentiation?
JM: Our strategy is to bring the world’ best technology and quality to the Indian consumers under the Vicks brand name at a value that is relevant for a task as serious as that of taking care of the health of a human being. In fact, we plan to introduce an increasingly broad line of Vicks thermometers, vapourisers, vapour inhalants & humidifiers, all designed to improve the lives and well being of Indian consumers. In addition, we will also be launching our Braun infrared ear thermometers in India.

B&E: What about your future strategies and growth plans?
JM: The company has grown over 10 fold since 1995. All this has been possible through a combination of organic and inorganic growth which we plan to continue with in the near future. Today, more than half of the Kaz total revenue comes from the sales of healthcare products such as Vicks and Braun (we sell over $100 million worth of products every year under each of these brand names) and as such will continue to focus on these two brands in the near future as well. We have just started in India, and are aiming at a 500% growth in the next three years.
 

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, November 30, 2012

Common Wealth of Nations

From Wealth of Nations to Common Wealth of Nations

In Common Wealth, the author Jeffrey D. Sachs, Professor of Sustainable Development at Columbia University and special advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the Millennium Development Goals, has elaborated upon some actions that are necessary to fulfil the hopes of generation in building a world of peace, sustainable development and Common Wealth.

These include learning about this generation’s challenges to become acquainted with the underlying science of sustainable development, travelling to see other places and cultures to understand the common interests and aspirations that unite all of us, starting or joining organisations committed to sustainable development i.e., Muhammad Yunus began Grameen Bank and gave life to the world-wide microfinance revolution, Paul Farmer started Partners In Health, Norman Borlaug helped to establish the wheat research institute CIMMYT and thereby helped feed the world, promoting sustainable development through social networking sites, getting politically engaged, demanding our politicians to honour government’s promises and donating time, dollars, and the energy to social networks.

Global survival in the long run will be achieved by recognising that the vast majority of people in the Middle East, China, India, and the rest of the world, just as in the United States, long for their own prosperity and security, not for domination over others. Our fears can easily get the best of us. We must therefore train ourselves and orient our policies to understand the world not only as we would see it but how others see it as well. That is the key to appreciating our common fate, and Common Wealth, on the planet.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

It pays to love George Bush!

Sans Bush, the nuclear pact would not have happened; it marks a paradigm shift in US's India policy

I will not term what has transpired as a Nuclear deal between India and US as a mere pact. It is, in fact, a process that has led to the end of international sanctions against nuclear commerce with India. These sanctions came into force when the US passed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act in 1978 and thereafter norms were set up for the 45-member Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG). Apart from ending India’s nuclear isolation and clearing the way for easier exchanges of technology pertaining to nuclear energy and other dual use technology items; the NSG clearance has now given us the opportunity to cooperate with countries like France and Russia so that we can expedite our moves towards energy security and self–reliance in the development of our indigenous fast breeder reactors.

Now, it is not just something that moves us into close cooperation with the US. Readers should remember that the Americans have not built any new reactor since 1982. Secondly, US firms like Westinghouse are not all American. The other prominent firm General Electric is there, and has shown a readiness on part of the US to treat India and deal with India as a serious partner.

I would say that the shift is extremely significant, having negotiated with the US on nuclear issues for four years, both in Delhi and Washington, between 1976-1980, at the time when US sanctions were coming into place. I never thought I would see such a paradigm shift in our relationship with the US during my lifetime.

The deal went ahead despite the efforts of China to equate India with Pakistan with regard to the nuclear sanctions. It was part of the greater Chinese policy to contain India. Transfer not just of conventional weapons but also nuclear weapons designs and technology to Pakistan is a part of this policy.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

“India is critical to world’s progress”

In an exclusive interview to B&E’s pathikrit payne, Sir Richard Stagg, British High Commissioner to India speaks about India’s incredible future potential and the positive impact of its outsourcing business...

B&E: How do you look at the transformation of India from the time of Independence to now when it is an emerging powerhouse?

RS: We view it as an amazing achievement of India. The transformation especially in economy, society and the way in which the country worked in the last 60 years. India has an enormously important role to play in the world. India is a model of how democracy and development can go hand in hand as it has just been shown in the elections, which went off so well. So we view India as a country which has emerged on the world’s scene. It’s now the fourth biggest economy in the world by PPP. It’s critical to almost all critical issues that the world faces, be it trade rounds, development sphere, agreement on climate change, international sponsor to financial crisis. India has put itself in the centre of major issues, which reflects the success of its governance.

B&E: Is there paranoia in the UK about the economic resurgence of India and it becoming an outsourcing hub, as it leads to job losses in UK?

RS: In the case of India, there’s genuine welcome from almost every political group in UK. UK is very comfortable with the companies using outsourcing as one of the ways to make their business more successful. From our perspective, it makes no sense to constrain the competitiveness of our companies by limiting their ability to outsource. We will not succeed as an economy just by competing for relatively low skilled jobs, which can be done at a lower cost elsewhere. We have to accept that the only way we are going to succeed as a country and as an economy, is by moving up the value chain by doing higher value added tasks. So the government’s challenge is to ensure that as the low skilled jobs leave UK, we provide training and up-skilling to the people affected, so that they can do higher value work in the economy.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
 
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, August 31, 2012

Global Investment Guru Jim Rogers

Global Investment Guru Jim Rogers, who Co-Founded the Quantum Fund along with George Soros (The Fund Returned 4,200% in ten years, as compared to the S&P 500’s 47% in the same duration), believes that commodities are a strong investment avenue for indian firms, and that the govt. should cooperate to make india inc. more profitable

Then again, Indian tourism also has a bright future, as even the Chinese can come to India easily now for the first time in 300 years and tourism can be of great potential especially when there is peace between India and China now. The natural resources in India especially mineral wealth ensure a great future and with reforms coming up in infrastructure and the promises made by the government on infrastructure, therein lies a huge potential. If India finds competent companies to look on and manage these sectors, all of them have a very bright future.

But, India is failing to attract investors because no one wants their money to be blocked, as investors will never want to move their money out of US or Australia to a country like India where their money is almost trapped. Bonds are one of the best investment options and I really want to look up to the bond market in India, but it is not open. India has a huge population and many people can invest in bonds but the problem lies in the fact that the currency is not convertible and rigid barriers to entry of foreign investors does not allow the Indian bond market to open up properly. It is one of the best times to open up the bond market, making India a hot investment destination and Indian companies the biggest profit making corporations in the world.

For that to happen, India must open up to capital account convertibility, which is of great significance to corporates around the world. India should actually develop an offshore bond market as most of the Indian citizens don’t have money offshore, and it’s really strange that India still has a non-convertible currency. Indians are investing all around the world but there has to be some money that should even come to India. And investors will always take it as a great opportunity, if they allow reforms. The politicians in India should actually realise the benefits of currency convertibility in a globalised economy. And with the sovereign debt crisis going on in the Europe, investors are sure to move to countries which are not in trouble, and India is certainly a big destination for these investors, as they will prefer their money to be safe in a developing economy than a debt-shadowed economies like in EU.

There is a strict need of reforms in the Indian system to make it a hot destination for the investors. India has a debt to GDP ratio of almost 90%, which is actually alarming and studies show when you reach that level, you do not grow significantly and you have trouble attracting anyone. In India’s case, debt is going to rise continuously. Even if you look at the government’s budget projections, debt is going to rise for the years to come. Without some tap on debt and the non-convertible currency, its surely a big problem for Indian companies to dream about a windfall of profits, as there would be no investments. So while China will continue receiving all the FDIs, India will have to be satisfied with just FIIs. India as a whole and Indian companies should look at various smart strategies to build upon their bottomlines. But they need government cooperation too. The first thing is to look at core strong sectors and encourage the foreign companies to invest in the country. Believe in core sectors, reforms, equity and bonds, and profits will automatically follow.



Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Just don’t miss the woods

Stabilising population growth requires a more holistic approach

One-sixth of world’s population lives in India; and with its current growth rate, it is poised to overtake China by 2040. Its present population of 1.2 billion is a more than threefold increase from 361 million in 1951 – and with a density of 789 persons per square mile, which is one of the highest in the world – it is clear that India’s population control program is a failure from the roots.

While one thought process says that population is actually India’s strength (as more people buying products would mean more GDP), the fallacy of this philosophy is unresolved where the majority of our population (400 million plus) lives below the poverty line, unable to procure subsistence food, leave alone purchase any product. To that effect, India is one of the first nations to launch an official family planning program in 1951, but over 5 decades have passed without substantive success.




Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, August 12, 2012

ICT --> ICT4D

They say ICT4D helps; we say too

The saga of the dot-com bust would have been enough to kill the initial frenzy of Information and Communication Technologies aka ICT, but for the fact that someone somewhere along the line most intelligently raised the concept of ICT to ICT4D (Information and Communications Technologies for Development). Supported even by profit seeking entities, ICT4D allowed a considerable part of Africa, parts of Asia, Latin America, and other developing & underdeveloped nations to leapfrog over many developed nations and their prevailing, slow and archaic infrastructure with a focus on social and economic development.

If Singapore was a developed nation revamping its administration using ICT4D to an extent where public participation in government touched new heights, India was a developing nation where a cigarette major initiated an iconic concept educating villagers how to retail their produce through the Internet; they call the forums e-Choupals.


Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, August 5, 2012

MATHURA REFINERY NAGAR

Though it has been over 25 years since the mathura Refinery nagar came into existence, the township doesn’t seem to have moved a Bit with time. No wonder the people are now opting to move out, finds Vareen Ray
 
The Mathura Refinery Nagar over the years might have grown in size but it lacks a lot of aspirational value. While a little away in the main city, the residential boom has spawned mall culture, the refinery township has a dilapidated small shopping cluster comprising of stores that cater to just the daily needs. A shopkeeper selling stationery tells me, “The shop was allotted to me by the co-operative when the township was created. However, even I stay in the city.” The houses look like they have not been painted for ages; there is a jungle-like feel if you go for a walk within the gated community of Mathura refinery. The IOC township stands no chance when compared to what’s on offer outside – group-housing schemes and proper residential complexes that promises beautiful landscaping and recreational facilities in the form of a Club House. The community centre in the township is nothing compared to the club houses that these developers are creating. Yes, education has a positive side within the Mathura Refinery Nagar – it has a Delhi Public School along with the Kendriya Vidyalaya, where the children of the people working at the refinery easily get quality education. But if work at the refinery gets affected, then sending students to the posh DPS would perhaps no longer be an option, a worry that resonates within the families there.

When Nehru had envisaged that the navratnas of India would help develop townships that would be akin to temples of modern India, he had not thought that for some few of these townships, time could well stop once they were made. It is surprising that for a company as gargantuan and process driven as IOC, a township’s structured development could have been ignored for so long. I returned with a view quite depressing, if not forlorn altogether, that a Nehru’s temple, this surely wasn’t.


Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)