BT Net Specials Archive

November 28, 2006

Taxing Times
The phase-out of central sales tax is yet another move towards ushering in the national goods and services tax (GST). The compensation to the states, in lieu of CST phase-out, will include revenue proceeds from 33 services currently being taxed by the Centre as well as 44 new services of an intra-state nature that will be traded by the states. However, VAT is the way forward, though much needs to be done to iron out the anomalies in the current VAT regime.

India, Ahoy!
Indian investments overseas are growing and how. For instance, total Indian investment in Latin America and the Caribbean has topped $3 billion (Rs 13,500 crore) so far. The latest investment is by ONGC Videsh, which acquired an oilfield in Colombia for $425 million (Rs 1,912.5 crore). Earlier, ONGC bought an offshore oilfield in Brazil for $410 million (Rs 1,845 crore).

Surging Inflows
Private equity (PE) investment in India more than tripled in 2006. PE firms invested $7.5 billion (Rs 33,750 crore) in 299 deals in India last year, up from $2.3 billion (Rs 10,350 crore) in 2005. Two of the most significant investments during the year were KKR's acquisition of the Indian software business of Flextronics International for about $900 million (Rs 4,050 crore) and Providence Equity Partners buying into telecom firm Idea Cellular.

Japan Calling
This is the age of Asian dominance, and fittingly, two Asian giants, India and Japan, are embracing each other for mutual advantage. The recent visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Japan has highlighted the fact that Japan is now, more than ever, eager to enhance and upgrade commercial ties with India. An analysis of the trade basket.

Inclusive Growth
To achieve a 10 per cent growth rate, and sustain that over time, the Eleventh Five Year Plan will emphasise investments in agriculture. Agricultural GDP has been growing (limping?) along at 2 per cent since 1996. A new strategy, including one for a second Green Revolution, is urgently needed to take India to the next level of development. An analysis.

Calling Rural India
There are over 170 million telephone connections in this country, but rural India is still lagging behind. Rural teledensity is only 3.5 per cent (against the national average of 16.6 per cent); not surprisingly, there are no telephone connections in over 30,000 villages. A look at the strategies being implemented to connect rural India to the rest of the country.

Flying High
The Indian aviation industry is growing at a rapid pace, thanks to air transport deregulation, emergence of new operators, lower fares and large untapped demand for air travel. The numbers tell an interesting story: India will require an estimated 1,100 aircraft. The average annual passenger traffic growth in India through 2025 is estimated at 7.7 per cent, well above the world average of 4.8 per cent and China's 7.2 per cent.

Bars Of Gold
The global gold industry is flourishing, largely fuelled by Asian demand and a weak US dollar. The boom is probably only halfway through since prices bottomed out in 2000. Since 1800, the boom and bust cycles have averaged about 10 years. While production is down, the value of gold purchased today is up 47 per cent from a year ago. The super-cycle of high metal prices is seen to be spurred largely by demand from China and India. An analysis.

Global Glut
Just-in-time inventories are turning into just-too-much at companies around the world; they may become a drag on global economic growth. Companies may idle workers and production lines to clear out the excess. Factory inventories rose faster than sales last quarter for the first time since 2001, according to economists. This time, companies have been caught by the slump in the US housing industry and the mid-year run-up in energy prices that undercut demand.

Trading With Neighbour
There are no takers for Hu Jintao's bid for a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, but the Chinese President's recent visit has come at a time when Chinese companies are aggressively eyeing opportunities in India. China and India signed a pact on investment promotion and protection. The two sides also set a target of raising the annual volume of their bilateral trade to $40 billion by 2010. An analysis of Hu's visit and the impact on bilateral trade.

The New Prescription
The clinical research industry is poised for big growth. From a negligible share in the late nineties, the market grew to $70 million in 2002 and is now valued at $100-150 million. The industry is set to garner $1-1.5 billion in revenues by 2010, says a McKinsey report. Amidst the euphoria over explosive growth, the sector is reporting a massive dearth of experienced clinical research employees. In other words, scaling up is a challenge.

Emerging Carbon Market
The global carbon trading market grew to nearly $22 billion in the first nine months of the year, more than doubling over the previous year. China and India are leading the clean development mechanism market, according to the World Bank. Up to the end of September, Asian countries accounted for 84 per cent of total volumes in the CDM market. India has a 15 per cent share of the market, up from 3 per cent in 2005.

Placements Aplenty
It's raining opportunities this year at the summer placements of management colleges. Global investment banks, consulting firms, etc., all are lining up to hire the best brains. Intern stipends too varied, depending on the location and jobs offered. For interns based in India, stipends for the two-month stint ranged from Rs 90,000 to Rs 4.5 lakh. International stipends ranged from $12,000 to $22,000. A look at the job mart.

New Games Biz
What are young, urban Indians playing? Computer and internet games are finding growing numbers of takers. With Xbox and other gaming consoles entering many Indian homes, the rules of entertainment are surely changing. There are a variety of game titles now available-including racing, sports, action and adventure. A guide for gaming enthusiasts.

Following Uncle Sam
US consumers have been one of the main engines of global growth for the past decade. But now, as America's housing boom threatens to turn into a bust, many forecasters expect the economies of China and the rest of Asia to slow. However, this time, the fate of the rest of the world will depend largely upon whether China and the other Asian economies can decouple from the slowing American locomotive. An analysis.

July 14, 2006

Child's Play
India is the largest kids market in the world. The Rs 20,000-crore market is expected to grow at 25 per cent per annum. The branded kids wear market alone is worth around $600 million and is estimated to touch $850 million by 2010. Over 90 per cent of the Rs 2,500-crore toy market is unorganised, and there is a huge potential for organised players to expand. An analysis.

The Net Effect
The spending on e-governance is expected to cross Rs 4,000 crore this year, according to a survey. This is 30 per cent more than last year's figure of Rs 3,014 crore. By 2009, it will touch Rs 10,000 crore. To put it in perspective, India spends close to Rs 1,00,000 crore on the social sector, and e-governance can speed-up government projects and plug leakages. A look at how the e-governance initiative is spreading in the country.

Secure Cyberspace
Many web sites contain design flaws, thus, exposing them to hackers. Much of the data indexed by search sites can be misused, and site owners may not realise that sensitive or confidential information is so readily available as part of a search index. As more businesses put up web sites, the danger of hacking is increasing. A look at how to secure web applications.

Rural-Urban Divide
The rural-urban divide continues despite a high growth rate. According to the 61st round of the National Sample Survey, apart from rural-urban wage differentials, gender differentials are very much a part of the present-day Indian economy. The urban regular wage earner earned Rs 194 a day, which was one-and-a-half times the rural average of Rs 134 a day in 2004-05. Interestingly, the wage gap is most pronounced among graduates. An analysis.

The Asian Agenda
Is a region-wide free-trade area a realistic goal? So far, 183 free trade agreements have either been signed or are being proposed or negotiated across Asia. The share of intra-regional trade has risen to about 55 per cent last year from 40 per cent in the early 1990s. Aside from trade in goods, there is a need to focus on free trade in services. Given the stalled WTO talks, it is vital for Asian countries to pursue further market opening and structural reforms.

Portable Numbers
With department of telecom setting April 2007 as the deadline for mobile local number portability, consumers are gearing up to expect better services. According to telecom regulator TRAI's consultation paper, 30 per cent of mobile subscribers are likely to port numbers. However, there is opposition from incumbent operators. In the United States, they moved the court, in Europe, they delayed the process till the regulator put its foot down. An analysis.

Rising Remittances
The remittances from overseas workers and professionals are soaring. Back in 1990, a bare $2.1 billion flowed in from overseas Indians, but by 2005 the figure had risen to $24 billion. In fact, India is now on top of the remittances heap; it accounts for a quarter of all remittances worldwide. According to the World Bank's Global Economic Prospects of 2006, transfers to South Asia outstrip traditional exports as forex earners.

The Multi-taskers
Modern families are racing to squeeze in more and more work into their daily lives, according to a study by Yahoo and OMD media firm. Computing and communications devices had people cramming an average of 43 hours' worth of activity into a typical 24-hour day by "multi-tasking". Mexico, India and China had the highest multi-tasking rates. The changing landscape of modern families may be a challenge for marketers.

Cutting Down e-Waste
Some 20 million to 50 million tonnes of e-waste are produced each year, most of which ends up in the developing world. Many technology firms are eliminating certain chemicals and offering recycling schemes to help customers dispose of obsolete equipment. Yet, there is a wide variation in just how green different firms are, according to environmental lobby group Greenpeace. A status report.

The Building Boom
Is an asset price bubble building up in the real estate market? Flats in posh Mumbai areas sell at the rate of Rs 50,000-70,000 a sq. ft. and housing plots in Gurgaon are going for Rs 1 lakh a sq. yard. This may sound like music to those who have been clinging on to their assets, it portends danger to buyers. The high real estate prices keep the majority out of the housing market and make the dream of owning a house more distant.

The Learning Curve
India's investment in education-as a percentage of GDP-is lower than not just of countries in the West but also some of the emerging economies, including China. The percentage of population in the relevant age group enrolled in higher education too is the lowest among countries with which it must compete. Clearly, there is a need to scale up substantially the physical infrastructure and attract better faculty by offering market wages.

Trading Times
Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's economic diplomacy is taking new wings, here's more cheering news. Trade between India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) is set to touch $10 billion (Rs 47,000 crore) in 2007, an UNCTAD study has indicated. From a mere $200 million in 1998, Indo-Brazil trade touched $2.5 billion in 2005 and is expected to be $3 billion in 2006. India-South Africa trade similarly has grown to $4 billion in 2005.

Change In Climate
Industrialised nations' emissions of greenhouse gases edged up to their highest levels in more than a decade in 2004 despite efforts to fight global warming. The figures, based on submissions to the UN Climate Secretariat in Bonn, indicate many countries will have to do more to meet the goals for 2012 set by the UN's Kyoto Protocol. What are the implications for the world at large?

Flying High
Asia, led by India, will fly high. The region will witness the second highest growth in international air traffic till 2009, says a report by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). West Asia (which the report treats as distinct from the rest of Asia) is projected to grow the fastest. The report estimated a worldwide growth of around 5 per cent. In India, the number of international passengers is expected to grow 20 per cent.

The Middle Path
The middle income group (MIG)-those with an annual household income of Rs 2-10 lakh per annum-is expected to increase at 13.7 per cent per annum over the next four years against 12.2 per cent over the last four years, says NCAER. Further, the size of the lowest income class will shrink from the current 72 per cent to 52 per cent. This is expected to significantly boost the sales of consumer durables.

Net, Net Gain
Indians are taking to the world wide web in a big way, outpacing the US and China in terms of online population. The total online population, aged over 15 years accessing the net, in India rose 7.8 per cent to 18.02 million in June, from 16.71 million in March. The growth in the country's online population outscores the rise of 2.7 per cent in the world's online audience size, which rose 713 million in June, from 694 million in March this year. A look at the unfolding revolution.

Surge In Exports
Indian exports are on a healthy track, touching $100 billion this year. Merchandise exports for 2005-06 rose approximately 25 per cent over the previous financial year. Exporters have widened their market base. In 2004-05, services exports grew 71 per cent to $46 billion and by January 2006 had surpassed the previous year's performance with 75 per cent growth. Interestingly, Indian companies are making gains in non-traditional areas like Africa and Latin America.

New Harvest
Reliance Industries, ITC, Godrej and Pepsi are just a few companies eager to enter contract farming in a big way. These companies are looking at the irrigated field of western Maharashtra to pursue investment plans. An analysis of how far contract farming has come, and what needs to be done to plough ahead. Will contract farming mean more jobs, regulated farming and changing crop patterns?

Soaring Suburbs
Suburbs are the new growth engines. Gurgaon, Noida, Thane, Howrah, Kancheepuram... the list is endless. With the realty boom continuing, suburbs are fast catching up with cities in spreading the consumer culture far and wide. With the rising population in suburbs, marketers now have a new avenue to spread their message. A look at how suburbs are leading the way.

Trading Days
The World Trade Organization talks may have failed, but developed and developing nations have very little to gain from stalling negotiations. Nations are already trying out new permutations and combinations in forming alliances, and regional blocs; free trade agreements are the order of the day. An analysis of the gameplans of various regional economies in furthering their interests.

E-Learning Takes Off
In the knowledge economy of the 21st century, the power of e-learning is unfolding at a furious pace. IDC estimates the e-learning industry is about $10 billion in size. Education over the internet is big business, and IBM, Microsoft, NIIT, among others, are raking in the moolah. Large banks and other training-focussed institutions and universities worldwide are turning to web-based classrooms for disseminating knowledge.

The Middle Path
The Indian middle class is seen as the driving force behind the retail revolution in the country as well as its future economic growth. Incidentally, this group, along with its counterparts in China, Russia, Brazil and other emerging economies, has outscored a host of who's who in the global arena in a list of Top 50 People Who Matter published by Fortune. A look at how the middle class has evolved over time.

Sailing Season
There's no two ways about it; India needs better port infrastructure. A beginning has been made on this front-more than Rs 55,000 crore is expected to be pumped into the sector. There are other problems as well: the growth contribution of the western ports is more than 68 per cent compared to 9 per cent in the case of the eastern ports. The sector now has the opportunity of putting its ship in order, correcting regional imbalances and starting afresh on an even keel.

Parade Of Professionals
A world trade organization committee has come up with suggestions to make licensing and qualification requirements and procedures more transparent and less restrictive for professionals. The push for mutual recognition of degrees wherever possible is good news for Indian professionals seeking work opportunities in the US and other developed nations. An analysis of the obstacles in the path of Indian professionals and the way forward.

Oil On Boil, Again
Oil is hitting new highs after a US government report showed strong fuel demand in the world's top oil consumer. Prices also drew support from international tensions ranging from Iran's nuclear ambitions to North Korea's missile tests. Adjusted for inflation, oil is more expensive now than at anytime since 1980, the year after the Iranian revolution. A look at how oil is affecting economies, and what's in store for nations.

Driving The Market
India is becoming key to the growth plans of global auto makers as its emerging market and low-cost manufacturing base offer an alternative to rival China. To cite just one example, Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp has said it would build a new compact car in India for Nissan Motor Co to sell in Europe. India's passenger vehicle market is only a fifth of China's, but is forecast to nearly double to two million units by 2010.

Date With Dragon
The 44-year-old freeze in trade relations between India and China across the 14,600 ft Nathu la border thawed. For the moment, trade would be restricted to 29 items for export from India and 15 for import. There are demands that the border trade should widen to full-fledged Sino-Indian bilateral trade that can actually benefit the economies of both nations. A look at the wider trade options for both the Asian giants.

April 30, 2006

Monsoon Tourism Takes Off
Tourism is the second largest industry in India, generating over 25 million direct jobs. In recent times, monsoon tourism has seen a big boom, thanks to price cuts in holiday packages, attracting budget tourists. With the south-west monsoon setting in, tourists are being offered a unique ambience of the season for unwinding and rejuvenation. A look at the new tourist season.

Outsourcing Pulse
The Indian medical transcription outsourcing industry is on its feet again. The latest Nasscom report shows at least 150 companies are engaged in medical transcription in the country. The sector is clocking an annual revenue aggregate of about $240 million (Rs 1,104 crore). There is more to come, what with hike in healthcare costs in the US and increasing regulatory emphasis on digitisation of medical records.

Small Is Beautiful
IBM, Cisco, Oracle, EMC, Microsoft, HP, Intel and other big companies are chasing small and medium businesses with diverse product offerings. According to market research firm Access Markets International, there are over 7 million SMBs in India. Their IT penetration is relatively low; less than 2 per cent of their turnover. Analysts suggest their information solution needs are growing at 150 per cent a year.

Widening Video Ad Market
The $12.5 billion global online advertising market is poised to grow. As broadband penetration increases, eMarketers are eyeing opportunities to tap the online video ad market, which is set to cross $1.5 billion by 2009. With major portals such as AOL and Yahoo re-inventing themselves to showcase more multimedia and interactive elements, sky seems to be the limit.

Flying High
Outsourcing is taking wings and how. Flight training is moving overseas with aviation boom creating a huge shortage of commercial pilots in India. The country will require anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 pilots to fill cockpits over the next six years. Eyeing the market, institutes in the US, Canada and Australia are offering tailor-made courses. A look at the flying season.

New Look
The botox craze is on. Plastic surgeons' clinics are full. According to a recent report, more men in India are opting for plastic surgery than those in America. Executives, teachers, housewives are ready to spend big bucks on a variety of dramatic operations-nose jobs, liposuction, among others. With beauty becoming more than skin deep, here is an analysis on the new health market.

Checking Card Frauds
India is not the biggest market for credit cards, but it is among the fastest growing markets. Yet, scamsters have already started targeting the growing industry. With the result, credit card frauds are eating into the wafer-thin profit margins of banks and payment operators. Now, the banks, payment operators, and card manufacturers are trying to innovate safety features faster than the fraudsters can crack them. A look at the latest innovations in 'plastic' technology.

Talent Hunt
The rapid growth in the IT and BPO industry is expected to lead to a shortage of manpower in the coming years. Currently only 50 per cent of the engineering graduates in the country are employable. If the top IT companies continue to grow at the current pace they will absorb all of this. Experts argue that the government should take steps to improve the existing education infrastructure in the country.

New Prescription
The rapid growth in the IT and BPO industry is expected to lead to a shortage of manpower in the coming years. Currently only 50 per cent of the engineering graduates in the country are employable. If the top IT companies continue to grow at the current pace they will absorb all of this. Experts argue that the government should take steps to improve the existing education infrastructure in the country.

Food For Thought
After several years, India is buying wheat from international markets. The government has announced plans to purchase 3.5 million tonnes. The decision is prompted by rising prices in wheat markets where the government has been unable to compete with private domestic purchasers. A look at food trade flows, and what’s next.

E-commerce: The Road Ahead
With distances being bridged by e-commerce, the value of transactions across cyber space in India is projected to hit Rs 2,300 crore in 2006-07. The online business is proving to be a boon for new age entrepreneurs as this saves them the initial investment in a store.

Fixing FTAs
The debate on free trade agreements continues to rage. With Asean putting pressure on the Indian government to lower tariff on imported items, the opposition to FTAs is expected to grow. With even UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi expressing reservations on FTAs, what is the best way to protect the domestic industry and the farm sector?

Trade With Neighbour
Bilateral trade between Pakistan and India almost doubled to cross the $1-billion mark last year. The $400-million increase in the year ending March 2006 was attributed to the launch of a South Asian Free Trade Area Agreement (SAFTA) and the opening of rail and road links. A look at the growth prospects between the two countries.

BRIC Vs The Rest
The BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations should surpass current world leaders in the next few decades if they do not let politics prevail over economic issues. Experts caution that despite the vigorous growth, BRIC countries are vulnerable to losing direct foreign investment due to excessive government control and lack of clear rules for the private sector.

Tackling Trade Issues
With the missing of mini-ministerial deadline, and World Trade Organization talks in a limbo, developing nations are in a fix. India has made it clear to the WTO Director General Pascal Lamy as well as to the developed world that clash over farm subsidies by the us and Europe bodes ill for all. A look at the evolving trade strategies of the developed and developing nations.

Summer Rush
A buoyant economy, with increasing disposable incomes, is fuelling the growth in India’s tourism industry. More Indians are travelling now than they have ever done in the past. A look at what the tourism industry can expect this summer.

Labouring Market
Globally, a ‘flexible’ labour market seems to have become the mantra of those pushing for high growth. In India, an amendment to Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, is being discussed. Will it mean just hire and fire? A look at the issues and what they mean.

Will Indians Play?
The video and computer games market is now worth billions of dollars. As more and more Indian homes get wired, there are opportunities galore for the enterprising. Will India, known for its software and animation skills, be able to increase its market share in the global gaming pie?

February 13, 2006

Retail Boom
A retail boom is sweeping across India. As talk of opening up of foreign direct investment gains momentum, will single brand retailers show the way? With the growth of malls, multiplexes, and hypermarkets, is consumer really the king?  

The Big Crisis?
Millions of people in the world are deprived of potable world. With big water firms not keen on investing in poor countries, developing nations are at a loss to quench the thirst of their population. Is water the next big crisis?

Export Scenario
For the first time, Indian exports have touched the golden mark of $100 billion. That’s also an impressive 25 per cent growth in exports in fiscal 2005-06 over the previous year. A look at the sectors performing well, and those that are languishing.

Green Future
Agriculture contributes one-fourth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and has around 410 million people relying on it. Low farm productivity and lack of investment in farming have led to a decline in growth rate. A look at the farm policy and what lies ahead for the country’s hinterland.  

Health Check
India’s healthcare delivery mechanism may not match global standards, but medical tourism is set to boom in the country. Medical tourism can prove a real moneyspinner, but before that we need to overhaul the medical system. A look at what needs to be done to get the prescription right.

Wrong Call
Irate calls are a mainstay of customer service work in any country. Experts believe centres in India became targets of a vicious campaign a couple of years ago when the us economy took a nosedive. The stress caused by abusive calls is seen as one of the reasons for high attrition rates at call centers. A look at how BPOs are coping with it.

Insurance: The Challenge
India is poised to experience major changes in its insurance markets as insurers operate in an increasingly liberalised environment. It means new products, better packaging and improved customer service. Also, public sector companies are expected to maintain their dominant positions in the foreseeable future. A look at the changing scenario.

Trading With Uncle Sam
The United States is India's largest trading partner. India accounts for just one per cent of US trade. It is believed that India and the United States will double bilateral trade in three years by reducing trade and investment barriers and expand cooperation in agriculture. An analysis of the trading pattern and what lies ahead.

Road Ahead
A recent survey pointed out that India's roads, airport and port sectors require a steep Rs 2,60,000-crore investment in the next six years. To speed up infrastructure development in the country, a well-defined regulatory mechanism is the need of the hour. A look at the government policies in the sector and India's growth prospects.

Trade Battle Hots Up
The never ending fight between European Union and the US has taken another twist. The EU has threatened to impose up to $4-billion-worth of sanctions on the US, after the WTO upheld a ruling that the latter failed to end an illegal tax rebate for exporters. Analysts believe that us now has three months to act to avoid the reimposition of retaliatory measures. A look at the flare up.

The Security Angle
The use of information and communication technologies is often seen as a means for making improvements, but in practice it is not all good. The challenges and threats including manipulation, disclosure, modification, or damage and loss of data is also a part of it. Understanding information security is equally important for both developed and developing nations to protect their information assets. Will they be able to tackle this growing menace?

Campus Notes
After the Indian government's approval to the Indian Institutes of Management to set up shop abroad, IIM-Bangalore's ambitious plan to open a campus in Singapore is finally ready to take off. IIM-A is also taking the first plunge in Singapore as it plans to start a management course in collaboration with the Essec Business School. Is this phenomenon of Indian B-schools going abroad the next big thing?

e-Credit: What Next?
In most developing countries financial service providers are not yet in a position to use modern credit risk management techniques. Many developing economies still need to establish functional credit information systems in order to improve the quality of financial information. Will they?

BPOs On The Move
In the past two years, the BPO sector has recorded above 50 per cent growth year-on-year. The entry of new players has resulted in poaching of employees. Salaries at the entry level have risen 10-15 per cent, while zooming 25-30 per cent at the top level. A look at the changing trends in the BPO sector.

Rural Mural
The government has launched one of the country’s most ambitious efforts to tackle rural poverty. The National Rural Guarantee Scheme promises 100 days of work each year for one member from each of India’s 60 million rural households. A look at past schemes, and what the future holds for the masses?

November 3, 2005

Oil On Boil
A surge in oil prices to almost $70 a barrel on concerns about the restart of Iran's nuclear programme only hints at what may lie ahead? Experts believe prices could soar past $100 a barrel if the UN Security Council authorises trade sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation and Iran curbs oil exports in retaliation. A look at the unfolding energy scenario.

Scrolling E-Tourism
As consumers increasingly look for tailor-made vacations, e-tourism is taking a new shape. Now, search engines are allowing customers to find the best value or lowest price for air tickets and hotels. Here is a look at global trends.

'The Intel Brand Has To Move Beyond The PC'
As its marketing head for five years, he's credited with having turned the Samsung Electronics into a globally cool consumer electronics brand. For 51-year-old Korean-American, Eric Kim, Vice President & General Manager (and Head of  Marketing) , Intel Corporation, the challenge now is to change  how the world sees the chipmaker, not a PC-component maker, but the enabler of a digital lifestyle. On a recent visit to India, Kim spoke to BT's Shailesh Dobhal. Excerpts.

INTERVIEW WITH GIOVANNI BISIGNANI
After taking over the reigns at IATA, Giovanni Bisignani is in the cockpit directing many changes. His experience in handling the crisis after 9/11 crisis is invaluable. During his recent visit to India, Bisignani met BT's Amanpreet Singh and spoke about the challenges facing the aviation industry and how to fly safe. Excerpts.

"We Try To Create A Joyful Work"
K Subrahmaniam, Covansys President and CEO, spoke to BT's Nitya Varadarajan.

"It's Not All About Pay Cheques"
Pramod Bhasin, President and CEO, Genpact, speaks to BT's Archna Shukla.

"We Create A Company For First Timers"
Vineet Nayar, CEO, HCL Comnet, speaks to BT's Sahad P V.

"Every Employee Should Feel A Part Of The Success"
Aditya Puri, Managing Director, HDFC Bank, speaks to BT's Anand Adhikari.

"Never Go Public With Your Disappointment"
Niall S K Booker, CEO, HSBC, speaks to BT's Krishna Gopalan.

"Infosys Is A Fair And Democratic Employer"
Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani speaks to BT's Rahul Sachitanand on the company's people practices. Excerpts.

"We Try to Create a Joyful Workplace"
Mindtree CMD Ashok Soota spoke to BT's Rahul Sachitanand.

"Some Churn Is Always Good"
C.P. Jain, Managing Director, NTPC, spoke to BT's Ashish Gupta.

"Our Purpose Is Enabling Human Potential"
Sapient's Co-Managing Directors Soumya Banerjee and Changappa Kodendera field questions on the company's culture to BT's Amanpreet Singh. Excerpts.

"I Don't Believe In Time Cards"
Sasken CEO and Chairman Rajiv Mody speaks to BT's Rahul Sachitanand.

October 7, 2005

Omnicom Growth Curve
 The Omnicom Group comprises three global advertising agency networks - BBDO, DDB and TBWA. In India, the presence is through RK Swamy/BBDO, Mudra and TBWA/Anthem. Omnicom Group Inc's Vice Chairman and President & CEO, Asia Pacific, Michael Birkin spoke to BT's Krishna Gopalan on the way forward for his conglomerate in India. Excerpts.

Jessop & Company rises from the ashes

Q&A: Dr Kevin Freiberg, author, on low-cost airlines

Global Franchise Architects plans to expand in India

Outsourcing to Symphony Services

The Philips India story

The rebirth of HR consultants

IT's newest dirty secret: over-invoicing

Perlecan Pharma: Dr Reddy's latest gambit

June 19, 2005

Retail Conundrum
The entry of foreign players, and FDI, could galvanise the retail sector and provide employment to thousands. Left parties, however, feel it would push small domestic players out of jobs. What is the real picture?

The Foreign Hand
Huge spikes and corrections in the BSE Sensex have lately come to be associated with the infusion and withdrawal of capital from foreign institutional investors (FIIs). Are India's stock markets becoming over dependent on FIIs?

Changing Equation
Mid-rung Indian pharmaceutical companies such as Lupin, Torrent, Strides Arcolab and others are looking at global acquisitions to bolster their product portfolios and growth prospects. Will the strategy pay off?

State Of Apathy
Lesson from Mumbai: India's cities are dangerously ill-prepared to tackle nature's fury. Here's what India's CEOs think of her urban hell-holes.

Fly Cheap, But...
Low-cost is the way to go for India’s booming airline industry. But is airport infrastructure ready for the coming flood?

Q&A: Dayanidhi Maran
In an exclusive interview to BT, the Minister for IT & Communications elaborates on 3G spectrum allocation and other issues dogging the sector.

Fuzzy Logic
Now we have two actors reading the day’s news on a leading news channel. Are we trivialising a serious genre?

Adieu, Cricket?
Narain Karthikeyan, Sania Mirza and Pankaj Advani, among others, could end cricket’s domination of India’s mindspace.

Bike Wars
The battle for dominance of India's bike market intensifies with Bajaj Auto's launch of the 175-cc cruiser Avenger at a competitive Rs 60,000. Its rivals, though, aren't sitting idle, and promise a virtual bonanza for the consumer.

Security Check
First, it was Mphasis. Then, the Karan Bahree sting operation by UK tabloid, The Sun. The bogey of data security appears to be rearing its ugly head in right earnest. How can the Indian call-centre industry address this challenge?

Redefining Consumer Finance
Jurg von Känel, a researcher at IBM's J. Watson Research Centre, 
and his colleagues are working on analytical software that would simplify consumer finance and make it more secure as well. An oxymoron? Känel doesn't think so.

Monsoon Business
The economic agenda for Parliament this session. And what it could mean for India Inc. if the Government actually manages to get some work done.

June 5, 2005

Sabeer Bhatia
The poster boy of the Internet boom is back, this time with a collaborative software product that he is touting as the next big thing.

Biotech's Allure
The Aditya Birla Group is reportedly mulling a foray in biotech. What is it about the sector that’s drawing India’s big industrial houses like the Tatas, Reliance, and now the Birlas?

Cognac: The Right Stuff
Hennessy gets serious about India with a study-trip-cum-launch on the heritage circuit.

TRI*M Dope
TRI*M methodology says: “happy employees = satisfied customers”. Meet the man behind it: Joachim Schariot.

May 8, 2005

Birds Of A Feather
How much are you willing to pay for intellectual matter? It’s the clash of the ‘penguins’. Penguin, Pearson’s book publishing brand, is all set to test stiff new price points for Hindi books in India. Linux, meanwhile, is still waving the ‘free information’ placard about. Which penguin do trends favour?

Lyrical Liril
Liril soap has gone in for a brand makeover, from package lettering to advertising libbering. The waterfall is now a bathtub, the hot swimsuit is now a red chilly, and the soundtrack takes a mid-twist. 

Plucky Santoor
For a brand of soap named after a musical instrument, Santoor runs a curious ad campaign—featuring a mother who defies age to retain her bridal look. It’s a theme that defies fads.

Café Diversification
This is not about the liquid, it is about the people who consume it, say café chain whiz-kids, and how they are engaged. This argument justifies an interesting variety of diversifications. But is this just a clever way to calm jitters from raw material volatility?

April 24, 2005

Formula Racing
First, it was motoring enthusiasts. Then, it was advertisers. And now, all of a sudden, it seems to be just about everyone around. Formula I racing is attracting interest in a country that's yet to get its first track. And it is altering expectations--of motoring infrastructure, to begin with.

Ferrari Ferment
Is Ferrari all about snazzy design of superb engineering? And how is it that the Formula I circuit is the only place this sports car brand seems to have anything resembling pole position?

Goodyear Gracious
Think Goodyear, think the Goodyear blimp in the sky. The brand remains associated inseparably with the idea of such advertising. But its origin as an accidental innovator is more appealing.

April 10, 2005

Fashionably Chinese
China, say marketers, the kind who believe in touchy-feely research, is better understood not by all the statistics that forever hold economists in thrall, but by what is actually going on in such arenas as fashion. So, what's going on anyway? Here's an attempt to find out. Through a thoroughly unscientific sample survey of China's fashion scene.

Versace
It's a name everyone who can spell 'fashion' has heard of, but a name very few in India can explain the actual significance of.

Jani-Khosla
This duo has been on the Indian fashion scene ever since anyone can remember. But what accounts for their longevity as a brand?

March 27, 2005

Into The Light
So-called ‘below-the-line’ promotional activities, which had gained much prominence in the marketing mix over the past few years, are suddenly under attack on several fronts. Here’s a look at the arguments against below-the-line, and at whether it means more bucks for regular old advertising.

Cola Cash
The cola season lifts off with a cash promotion from Coca-Cola to match a ‘secret agent’ promotion from Pepsi. 

Tea Rejuvenation
Branded tea marketing gets on to coffee territory, even as coffee brands go out to convert tea drinkers to the be any brew.

March 13, 2005

Selling Value Addition
So-called ‘below-the-line’ promotional activities, which had gained much prominence in the marketing mix over the past few years, are suddenly under attack on several fronts. Here’s a look at the arguments against below-the-line, and at whether it means more bucks for regular old advertising.

Loud Cloud
In the battle for cultural mindspace, the portrayal and perception of clouds can be quite revealing. Clouds tend to signify bad news in cold countries, good news in hot countries. But Hollywood is leaning the Bollywood way.

Bunny Habit
In the battle for marketing iconography, the portrayal and associations of rabbits can be interesting, too. On this front, whether it is the magician’s hat, magazine centrefold or alkaline batteries, the West wins.

February 13, 2005

F&B Mythbusting
Just what is happening in India’s booming food and beverages (F&B) business space? One helluva lot, according to Sujit Das Munshi, ED, ACNielsen South Asia. Log on for an exclusive column by him that doesn’t just look at ‘share-of-appetite’ trends that F&B professionals cannot afford to miss, but also junks some preconceptions of the Indian palate.

McSwoop
McDonald’s, with a new CEO back at heaquarters, is lowering a price bait to lure the budget-conscious Indian on-the-move bite-grabber. This fits into a broader strategy of multiplying customers that includes reaching out to McSceptics.

Black N' Blue
Johnnie Walker, having entered upper-crust Indian mindspace ever so discreetly with its understated Black Label campaign, is looking for a new path for its ambulatory ambitions. This time, it’s for JW Blue Label.

From Start To Finnish
Finland invites Indian firms to join hands in mapping the entire hardware-software value chain.

Budget 2005 Online Special
A special Ernst & Young report on the scenario in several sectors pre-Budget, and what they look like post-Budget 2005.

January 30, 2005

Turning One
National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) has turned a year old. And what does it have to boast? Some 550 members and 5,500 users in 400 cities and towns in India. The average trading volumes are in the range of Rs 2,000 crore a day, and increasing numbers of people are getting interested in commodities—especially agricultural—trading.

Marks & Spencer
The retail brand has been involved in a curious takeover battle in the UK. In India, however, it is struggling with the very pertinent question of affordability. Is this brand trying to shake off its elitist tag by snipping prices?

Hanes
This is a brand very few have heard of in India, but has quickly broken the clutter on television through some aggressive advertising that both amuses and makes the viewer wonder. Has this brand a big future in India?

January 2, 2005

FDI Confidence
According to an FDI Confidence Index devised by the consultancy at Kearney, India is #3, up from #6 in 2003, just after China and the US. It sounds very impressive, but just what does it imply? Also, the FDI trend around the world needs to be turned around too. A roundup, online.

China Confidence
The AT Kearney report bills China as the topper of the FDI Confidence chart. Here’s a look at some of the reasons that this whopper of an FDI-puller remains such a hot draw across the world.

US Confidence
The US has always been a hot magnet for FDI, and the reason for that is the most obvious in the world: it is the world’s biggest economy. But that does not mean that the confidence level does not vary.

December 5, 2004

Cities On The Edge
Favoured business destinations Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad could become, thanks to poor infrastructure, victims of their own success. Read in-depth articles on each city. Plus personalised travel logs. Only at www.business-today.com.

Moving On
Diluting stake in GECIS was like a child growing up and leaving home, feels Scott R. Bayman, President and CEO of GE India. In an exclusive interview with BT, he speaks his mind on a wide range of issues.

The New GECIS
Pramod Bhasin, President and CEO of GECIS Global, has ambitions of making the new-look GECIS the biggest and the best provider of BPO services in the world. He speaks to BT on his plans for the company.

Trends 2005

October 10, 2004

The iPod Effect
Now you see it, now you don’t. All sub-visible phenomena have this mysterious quality to them. Sub-visible not just because Apple’s hot new sensation, the handy little iPod, makes its physical presence felt so discreetly. But also because it’s an audio wonder more than anything else. Expect more and more handheld gizmos to turn musical.

Panasonic
What route other than musical would Panasonic take, even for a phone handset, into consumer mindspace?

Motorola
That the ‘sturdy device’ guys should turn to music is a surprise. Or maybe not. Is there synergy?

LG
That the ‘sturdy device’ guys should turn to music is a surprise. Or maybe not. Is there synergy?

Voice Of Bibliographica
Audio books didn't kill paper books. Then came the internet, and web 
books were supposed to be giving book publishers nightmares—till 
Amazon turned out to be the top website, and its chief effect was 
to send paper book sales soaring. So why is anyone still excited about 
audio book releases? Depends on the book's context.

September 12, 2004

Q&A: Montek Singh Ahluwalia
The celebrated Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission speaks to BT Online on the shape of post-liberalisation planning to come. What prompted his return to India, what exactly is the Commission up to, what panchayats mean to India's future, and yes, the relevance of Planning in the market era.

Of Mice...
Mouse-click yourself any which way in cyberspace; why net-surfing plans are such a drag.

If Know Them Better You Must...
Go online for detailed profiles of The 25 Most Powerful Women In Indian Business. For that's the odd thing about power. No matter how well you think you've understood it, there's always something more that you would want to know. Do log on.

August 29, 2004

Farm As A Freeway
The World Trade Organisation’s latest agreement in Geneva has come as a relief to all those countries that had almost given up on Western countries reducing farm subsidies. At long last, they have budged on this sore point of the Doha round. But what about non-tariff barriers? Farm trading remains riddled with problems.

Sugar Trade
Sugar production has its own share of world trade quarrels. A non-sweetened look at the scenario.

Coffee Trade
A roundup of the second most valuable traded commodity in the world. That caffeine thing.

Oil Trade
A quick snapshot of the world’s most heatedly traded commodity. Oil. But not the Moby Dick kind.

August 15, 2004

The Bottle Is It?
With Neville Isdell the new boss in Atlanta, The Coca-Cola Company is busy reinforcing its bottling operations in its strategic scheme of global success. Distribution ‘push’ is the new game. But will this weaken the ‘consumer pull’ of its brand? Will it be more about chiller-space than mindspace?

Whiz Craft
Arrow has slowly been sharpening its appeal. Quiver constancy, though, could still take some time.

Durability Device
Durex is finally talking the brand talk. This may be a strategy that’s too compelling for rivals to ignore.

Ketchup Song
Heinz deserves credit for selling patience, originally, in an accelerating consumer world. Will it get any?

July 4, 2004

Q&A: Jim Spohrer
One-time venture capital man and currently Director, Services Research, IBM Almaden Research Lab, Jim Spohrer is betting big on the future of 'services sciences'. And while at it, he's also busy working with anthropologists and other social scientists who look quite out of place in a company of geeks. So what exactly is the man-and IBM's lab-up to?

NBIC Ambitions
NBIC? Well, Nanotech, Biotech, Infotech and Cognitive Sciences. They could pack quite some power, together.

Neuromarketing
Market research is extending its probing tentacles deep into the consumer brain. Is it any good?

Blind Tests
The classic cola-testing format isn't dead yet. Why blindfolds still help sell fizz.

Attention Span
Telecom, civil aviation and insurance share this in common: they are all markets that have government-imposed entry barriers for varied reasons. This alters the dynamics of competition in these markets, and in different ways. But still, they must all hope for a customer with a long attention span.

June 6, 2004

Market Research Jitters
Market research (MR) has its fans. But these days, you'd have to hunt high and low for them---the result, partly, of what the recent 'exit polls' have done to this statistical discipline's reputation. The problem: people, when asked, often tell you what they think you want to hear rather than what they really think.

Maggi 2 or 5?
Say 'Maggi', you get '2 minutes' in response. But the brand is talking '5' all of a sudden.

Groan Groan
The one '5' Indian can do without is the ghost of the Five Year Plan as central to the economic agenda.

Team Sense
Are smaller teams better teams? Does basketball display better teamwork than, say, football?

May 23, 2004

Competition As Ad Adrenalin
There is nothing like the adrenalin shot of a competitor you can't take your eyes off, according to many a marketer. Competition is just what every brand needs. Has competition from Joyco's PimPom lollipops, for instance, helped Alpenliebe turn in the advertising performance that makes it so popular?

Choice Contest
'Thanda matlab' Coca-Cola owes some of its success to the very very of Pepsi as an archrival.

Lo Limp Scene
Britannia advertising has its own spur in the competition offered by Parle-G, the topseller still.

Airwave Attention
Hutch's campaign achieved what it did in the context of strong airwave rivalry from Airtel's own.

May 9, 2004

Form And Function
Marketers of FMCG products are periodically accused of allowing their zest for 'form' overtake their concern for plain and simple 'function'. Meanwhile, right now, everybody agrees that the industry is in need of some innovative breakthroughs. But of form or function? Should this be an issue?

Tommy Hilfiger
Here's a fashion brand with an interesting identity crisis, new to India.

Vanilla Ice
Under pressure, the world's only 'real' cola takes an interesting new route to consumer mindspace.

Bacardi Mast
With this brand strapped to the mast, the white spirits ship won't be content passing unnoticed.

April 25, 2004

Q&A: Jagdish Sheth
The originator of the 'Rule of Three' and Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing at the Goizueta Business School, Emory University, has been conducting brand workshops in India. But being an Emory professor, of marketing too, the one question he can't escape is what he makes of the Coca-Cola Company's succession quandary.

Apple SFX
Apple Computer wants to target its snazzy technology at Hindi cinema's growing market for special effects.

Lakme First
India Fashion Week is now a brand in itself; but is it in synergy with its sponsor brand, Lakme?

Liril Leverage
Liril Orange Splash? The latest variant from soap brand Liril. Is it indicative of a major makeover?

April 11, 2004

Q&A: Tarun Khanna
When a strategy professor at Harvard Business School tells the world that global analysts and investors have been kissing the wrong frog—it’s India rather than China that the world should be sizing up as a potential world leader—people could respond by dismissing it as misplaced country-of-origin loyalty. Or by sitting up and listening.

Raghuram Rajan
The Chief Economist of the IMF doesn't hesitate to tell the country what he thinks. That’s good.

China Beaters
Advertising, film-making, publishing and NGOs—why China doesn't match India on any of these.

March 14, 2004

Q&A: Donald Stewart
He is Chairman and CEO, Sun Life Financial. A 138-year-old firm with $14.6 billion in assets, it is Canada’s largest financial services company. And he’s been at the helm during one of its most difficult phases. He spoke to BT Online on the insurance business, acquisitions and corporate governance. For excerpts, log on.

Muppet Leap For Disney
Under pressure to show creative sparks, Disney has acquired Jim Henson’s famous Muppets. Surprised?

Mountain Madness
Can Lipton Ice Tea work wonders for HLL? A look at the brand and whether it’s a hot bet this year.

Cherry Shining
Reckitt Benckiser is dusting off Chaplin humour to help revive its brand, Cherry Blossom. Will it work?

February 29, 2004

Institutional Integration
There was a time many decades ago when India's state planners bestrode the economy like giants. To finance the plans, they needed a set of financial institutions that would lend money for all the projects. Then came free market reforms, and they lost their relevance. The solution? Have them turn commercial. ICICI begat ICICI Bank, IDBI begat IDBI Bank. And now it's the turn of the IFCI.

Fastest Growing Companies
There's something about rapid growth that's irresistible. For a run-down of India's 21 Fastest Growing Companies, turn to the contents section of this issue. And if there's some company you would like to know a little bit more about, log on. BT Online presents details of each of the 21 firms' operating circumstances, including details of its competitive arena and how it is placed in it. Fast growers are high risk bearers, goes the conventional thinking. Is this true? Study these 21.

February 15, 2004

Q&A Ratan Tata
The complete interview with the Tata group chief. What's on him mind, and what he makes of the under-Rs 1-lakh-car idea.

Moody's Upgrade
This debt rating agency has an image of being unpredictable. Yet, its recent upgrade of Indian debt is no surprise, really.

February 1, 2004

Q&A Frank Pallone
US’s best-known Congressman in India airs his views on his country’s outsourcing angst---and on India’s trade prospects.

India's Education Edge
Can India sell itself as a globally competitive source of education? Given the cost differences, it’s not an absurd question.

Fighting Fakes
All those music and movie discs finally stand a realistic chance of mounting an assault on software piracy.

Handset Happiness
The mobile phone market has been in a frenzy for a year. A look at what's next in its ever-charged evolution.

Crunch Craze
As those desktop data-crunchers called PCs get cheaper still, a quick projection of this crucial market's future.

January 4, 2004

Three Digit Mark
India’s forex reserves are just about to scale the $100 billion mark—yippee! Is it time for a relook at the pile-em-up strategy?

Market Size Matters
Forget the bric-view of ‘emergence’. Think US vs China vs Europe vs India. It’s all about becoming the single largest consumer market.

Q&A: Glenn Meakem
Meet the co-founder of FreeMarkets, an online sourcing solution firm that hopes to redefine our b2b understanding.

War On Spam
E-mail users have welcomed the global war against spam. But tame the Internet? Won’t work. Good.

Dow 10,000
For the first time since May 2002, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has topped 10,000. Is this a bull signal?

December 21, 2003

Consumer As Art Patron
Is the consumer a show-me-the-features value seeker? Or is she also an art patron? Maybe it’s time to face up to it.

Brand Vitality
Timex, the ‘Billennium brand’, sells durability no more. Its new get-with-it game is to think ahead of the curve.

Spoiling Oneself
Of the big brand launches of the year, Tata Indigo was perhaps the most visible. So: how did it do?

Global Grip
Reliance Infocomm, however, was the most keenly watched launch of the year. A performance review.

Big Stuff
The biggest ever brand to sneak into town, Marlboro—saddled with a witty send up by an anti-smoking ad.

December 7, 2003

Ad Asia 2003 Round-up
The Indian ad industry came back from Jaipur enlightened. True or false? Hmmm. To answer this question, BT Online recounts everything that happened that could have even a marginal bearing on the subject. It would be simpler to answer in a word, but then, this is about advertising...

Q&A: Christopher Prox
Here's the man famous for advising Nokia to keep its cellphone handsets 'human', on brand innovation.

Q&A: L. Wundermann
"Advertising should be relevant, relevant, relevant," says this direct marketing expert, quite simply.

Q&A: Scott Bedbury
Meet the man who got Nike to 'Just Do It' and Starbucks to think 'experience, experience, experience'.

November 23, 2003

Ad Asia 2003 Round Up

Motherhood In Advertising
Motherhood appeals in Indian advertising were once assumed not to change very much. well, guess what?

Universal Advertising
So, which shall it be for the Indian market--universally watchable or culture-specific ads? The debate.

November 9, 2003

Reliance Results
A look at how the ever-stable Reliance Industries Ltd has done, lately.

Hindustan Lever Results
A look at how the market-tossed Hindustan Lever has done, lately.

October 26, 2003

Absolut Advertising
Which Indian ads are likely to keep the Ad Asia-2003 crowd, to converge on Jaipur, busy this autumn? Some guesses.

That Timing Thing
Timing the market can be done even by retail investors, some bold advisors have said. What, really, do they mean?

Software Round-up
A quick look at the Indian software sector as stock analysts would see it. Have there been changes?

Polymers Round-up
A look at Indian polymers—the commodity cycle, demand escalation and state of the industry’s margins, worldwide.

Oil Round-up
What concerns analysts in the oil sector, apart from disinvestment, are the issues of international demand and price volatility.

October 12, 2003

Gates Against Malaria
Bill Gates, who claims to watch the efficiency of each dollar he spends, has put down $168 million to combat malaria.

Age Discrimination
The UAE wants to kick all expats above 60 out of their jobs. A fine start to the IMF/World Bank meet in Dubai, eh?

Pears On
HLL’s Pears, the original one, is using a striking new form of consumer engagement.

Anything Black
AC Black is up to some peculiar tricks in its advertising. What’s this 
brand up to?

September 28, 2003

Kashmir On The Map
After a succession of false starts, this might actually be something worth taking note of. The World Travel and Tourism Council has joined hands with the Jammu & Kashmir government to promote the state as an international tourist destination for just about anybody who appreciates natural beauty. The plan.

Cancun Round-Up
The drumbeats on the way to Mexico were low-key, but audible enough. Now that the World Trade Organisation is back in pow-wow mode and India has attained some clarity on what the country’s trade agenda is, it’s time to do a quick round-up of the Cancun meet.

Cheap Drugs
After years of hair-tearing and hand-wringing, the world is finally coming round to some sort of agreement on the whole problem of patent-priced drugs being beyond the reach of the neediest in many parts of the world. Compassion may have played a role. But has also business sense? A look.

August 3, 2003

Q&A: Jagdish Sheth
Given the quickening ‘half-life’ of knowledge, is Jagdish Sheth’s ‘Rule Of Three’ still as relevant today as it was when he first enunciated it? Have it straight from the Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing at the Goizueta Business School of Emory University, USA. Plus, his views on competition, and lots more.

Q&A: Arun K. Maheshwari
Arun Maheshwari, Managing Director and CEO of CSC India, the domestic subsidiary of the $11.3-billion Computer Sciences Corporation, wonders if India can ever become a software product powerhouse, given its lack of specific domain knowledge. The way out? Acquire foreign companies that do have it.

Last Of The Beetles
Having sold some 21 million units, the world’s most enduring—and some would say endearing—four-wheeler model has finally been phased out, more than half a century after it made its debut. The last Beetle rolled off Volkswagen’s assembly line in Puebla, Mexico, on July 10, 2003. Presenting, a brief tribute.

Cost Of Debt
So, what is the real cost of government debt? Good question. Because it may just be time to prepay some of it.

Rating Season
A first-timer’s guide to the very elementary basics of debt rating in India. An alphabet soup, explained for the debt-innocent.

Windshield Safety
Even windshield repair firms have to make strategic choices. And emphasising safety is probably the winning choice.

July 20, 2003

Q&A: Jan P. Oosterveld
Meet a Dutch engineer who describes his company as "too old, too male and too Dutch". This is Jan P. Oosterveld, 59, Member, Group Management Committee & CEO (Asia Pacific), Royal Philips Electronics, a $31.8-billion company going through tough times. His mission is to turn Philips market agile and global in outlook.

Bio-dynamic Tea Estate
Is there a way to rejuvenate tea consumption? Rajah Banerjee, the idiosyncratic owner of the 1,500-acre Makai Bari tea estate, among India's largest, thinks he has the answer to the industry's woes: value-added tea. 'Bio-dynamic' tea, to use his phrase. Here's a look at some of his organic and flavoured tea experiments.

Déjà Vu Smokes
They're familiar. But then again, maybe not. We're talking about two just-launched cigarette brands. There's Jaisalmer, relaunched with a clean-cut yuppie in an intensely Rajasthani setting. And then there's Silk Cut, a smoke that reminds one of the Gallaher Group's purple-pack original. Can they succeed?

Etcetera

Phase-outs
First Ford Escort vanished from showrooms. Opel Astra will be next. Are the life-cycles of car sub-brands shortening?

Fair & Young
It leverages Fair & Lovely's brand equity, but is a new brand (under Pond's). The strategic intent remains hazy, though.

Railway Broadband
A first from India-internet access aboard running trains. Broadband at that, too. Is the Railways savvier than we thought?

July 6, 2003

Q&A: Subrah S. Iyer
As Chairman & CEO of the $140-million Nasdaq listed WebEx Communications Inc, Subrah Iyar is in an enviable position. His company has been ranked No. 1 in a recent Forbes’ listing of the fastest growing tech companies. With a CAGR of 186 per cent over the last five years, he’s the man to listen to on growth.

Confer Different
‘Here’s to the crazy ones…’ begins the classic ad. Except that there’s not a murmur in the conference hall. In fact, there is no hall. It’s a virtual seminar. The delegates use VSAT-linked PCs to get across to panelists Samit Sinha of Alchemist, Harish Doraiswamy of Adidas and Kalyanmoy Chatterjee of TN Sofres-Mode.

Lions At The Gate
To most Indians, Cannes is about films and Aishwarya Rai. To marketers, Cannes is about brands and brand endorsers. To adfolk, Cannes is about roars and lions (okay, when the beaches and bikinis are done). Presenting a quick report on the Cannes adfest, and a quick review of the roarers and howlers from India.

Etcetera

Maruti IPO Results
Now that India's most talked-about IPO in ages is closed, it's time to study the results—and what they mean for other IPOs.

Negative Interest
Thanks to inflation, interest rates have gone negative. This may be just a blip, but then it had better be just a blip.

RIL's Oil Strike
Yemen is where Dhirubhai Ambani worked as a petrol pump attendant. It is also where Reliance has struck oil.

June 22, 2003

Q&A: Lothar Pauly
Meet Lothar Pauly, board-member of Siemens, a brand that’s No. 3 amongst GSM handsets worldwide, but is not even in contention in India. Pauly, who was in India for some big-bang launches, shares his perspective with BT Online on the mobile market, the non-threat of CDMA and the challenges of 3-g telephony.

Inflection Racing
If mobike marketers in India are so competition-happy, it is because the market here was the original ‘liberalisation-test’ one (with the Indo-Jap ventures of the mid-80s) and has grown a lot, since. One rule: overtake on the curves. But where are these curves?

CAS: People Friendly Avatar
After a loud season of protests against the proposed Conditional Access System (CAS), the Indian government is showing mild signs of relenting. The system will remain, but will be tweaked around a bit in an effort to make it adequately ‘people-friendly’. Here’s a look at what this might actually entail.

Etcetera

Changeover
Chandigarh was first, Delhi might be next. With more cellphones than land phones. But when will India copy the pattern?

Highway Update
The Golden Quadrilateral is one of India's most talked- about projects. Presenting a brief progress report.

Info Update
Meanwhile, India continues to add on new internet, telecom and satellite TV connections. The latest numbers.

June 8, 2003

Close Reading Leaves
Economic research data is supposed to be fairly straightforward. And so it is, for most countries. But countries alone are not the only economic zones there are. Which is why the National Council For Applied Economic Research is studying state-wise performance, on a grant from the Canadian High Commission.

Brand Culturalisation
Brand this, brand that, and now, brand culturalisation. Reaching for your gun? Don’t. It’s not the latest attempt in marketing jargonisation for the merry purpose of higher obscurity and greater reader bewilderment. It is something that brand marketers ought to pay attention to. Because it pays.

Moving Mountains
Here we have them. Some of the brain teasers that you should be familiar with if you want a job at Microsoft, or any of the other brain seekers in techland. At least according to William Poundstone, author of the book, ‘How Would You Move Mount Fuji?’ We present some of the best puzzles.

Etcetera

Strong Money
Just how strong can the rupee get? Or is it about how weak the dollar gets? A quick analysis.

Tech Impact
The impact of the strong rupee on India’s tech sector. Should IT exporters worry about competitiveness?

Differentiation Wins
Is differentiation of IT service exports the best way out of the clutches of a weakening dollar?

May 11, 2003

Q&A With Jack Dangermond
Meet the President of the California-based Environmental Systems Research Institute, a $480-million Geographic Information System (GIS) company. The man was in Delhi recently to sign an MoU with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) for the 'Mapping Your Neighbourhood' project. So what's this all about?

Village Women
Could Hindustan Lever be on to something big? Its Shakti project is a micro-credit programme that intends to get rural women organised into self-help groups, and that too, in such a way that raises their purchase budgets manifold. This just might be the way to crack the rural scene. A look at the potential.

Reliance Infocomm's Retail Emphasis
With all those many many sales agents still prowling the country, Reliance Infocomm, the marketer of IndiaMobile, has decided to increase emphasis on its retail channels to get all those millions to sign on for its CDMA mobile services. Here's a look at this shift in prospect-nabbing strategy.

Netphone Burst
Internet telephony is proving to be a big hit around the world. Here's a look at the prospects it has in India.

SARS Burst
Has the dreaded SARS virus finally gatecrashed its way into ever-so-immune India? Let's hope not.

Gamma Ray Burst
Harvard scores again, as an intellectual brand, by decoding the meaning of a spectacular gamma ray burst in March.

April 27, 2003

Family As Unit Study
Across the world, market research tends to use the individual as the unit of observation. In the Indian context, using the family would make better sense. With this in mind, J. Walter Thompson got Research International to embed its researchers with some 24 Indian families. The results? Log on.

Hearts, Mind and Budgets
On this, there is near unanimity: public relations (PR), whether you call it halo management or anything else, plays a reasonably fair role in the way money is made. Why, then, is PR still regarded as the mistress who must forever stay in the shadows? Is the PR industry in need of a PR job?

Fight For The Challenger Role
Market battles are typically seen as two-horse races: the numero uno and the challenger. That’s what makes Telco’s recent displacement of Hyundai as the Indian car market’s No 2, and challenger to Maruti Udyog, so interesting. Will it change the dynamics of the marketing game?

April 13, 2003

Q&A: Charles J. Fombrun
“There is a direct correlation between reputation and market capitalisation. Reputation has to be treated as an asset, measured as an asset.” Thus spake Charles J. Fombrun, reputation guru, Professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, and Founding Director of the Reputation Institute. For more, log on..

Q&A: Keith Smith
Keith Smith—not to be confused with a Hot Springs Arkansas-based egg marketer by the same name—lives in Hong Kong, as the boss of an idea-hatchery. More specifically, as the Regional Chairman of the Asia pacific operations of TBWA. His most significant ‘business coup’? Swinging the Wonderbra account.

Global Picture
India is supposed to be a market that’s in assorted stages of evolution all at the same time. When it comes to telecom, however, that’s a pretty apt description for what’s happening worldwide—with technology standard battles far from settled, and new developments scorching all ingrained knowledge. A global round-up.

Abby Grabby
A report on this year’s Abby Awards for advertising. Some surprises, some well-expecteds.

In A Huddle
Small telecom operators Escotel, RPG, Spice and BPL are teaming up against the market’s biggies.

March 30, 2003

Telecom Brand Game
Been watching the CDMA-versus-GSM battle from the edge of your seat, have you? Good, battles for the technology standard are always exciting. But what about the brand battle? Is the market really as commoditised as it appears? Here’s a brand-versus-brand look at the business.

Cup Of Whoahs
So, now that we’ve reached the grand finale of the great game to glue eyeballs, and Sachin Tendulkar is crowned the Big Winner, let’s take a good hard-nosed business look at the real winners. A good hard look, that is, at what the Cup’s biggest stakeholders—the advertisers—achieved over the season.

Nasdaq Survivors
After the Great Dot-bust of 2000-01, here’s the story of the survivors.

March 2, 2003

Q&A: Kunio Sebata
The President and CEO of the $3.8-billion Hitachi Home and Life Solutions Inc tells BT Online about what it’s like to operate independently in India, the company’s past relationship with the Lalbhai Group in the air-conditioner market, its faith in joint ventures and its current plans for India.

Q&A: Eran Gartner
As Vice President (Operations), Bombardier Transportation, Eran Gartner, outlines what would make his company such a hot pick to build Bangalore’s mass transit system. It isn’t just about creating a network and vanishing, he claims, it’s also about transferring modern technology to the local operations.

Brand Mapping
So which brands are winning the audience attraction game at the cricket World Cup? It’s early days yet. But the strategic intent of most players is already on display, and one may assume there won’t be too many tactical shifts as the Cup progresses. Or will there? Here’s a quick round-up of all the advertising action.

Bond Reversal
Bond prices are falling these days, and the yield trend has reversed. This is making banks nervous.

Global Alignment
Big global advertisers like to have a single agency handling their brands worldwide. Is this wise?

February 16, 2003

Retail Learning Curve
The Indian retail revolution, experts said, would go faster—with the benefit of the West’s experience already there to begin with. But more and more retailers are discovering that retail in India is not the same as retail anywhere else. This places a premium on being higher up the local learning curve.

The Fatty Fight
No, not about obese consumers waving fists at fat food marketers. But India’s many bathers wondering whether their soaps have adequate ‘total fatty matter’—an issue of the 1980s that has made a zombie reappearance. But bathers have choice, don’t they… so what’s the fuss all about?

Tack of The Clones
Viagra’s many clones in India are trying to use smart branding as an attention-getting tack. They may not be as deeply researched as Viagra’s new US rivals (these are new formulations rather than clones), but they do tell you a thing or two about the state of the domestic erectile dysfunction market.

Corolla Hits The Tarmac
Just how much should a car that's sold 30 million units worldwide, sell in India? Try 10,000 to start with.

Dr Reddy's Setback
Novartis has quit further development of one of Dr Reddy's big hope formulations. But all's not lost.

Eli Lilly's Huminsulin Shot
Having crashed prices in the Indian market for Huminsulin, Eli Lilly tightens its loyalty grip on Indian diabetics.

February 2, 2003

Q&A: James Z. Li
“If you can’t compete with Chinese manufacturers, come buy them.” So says James Z. Li, Managing Partner of E.J. McKay & Co, a Shanghai-based m&a advisory. And he’s using this line to spearhead his India thrust, selling himself as an acquisitions consultant. China has bargains Indian firms mustn’t miss, he says.

Coca-Cola’s Price Offensive
Fizz and advertising. Advertising and fizz. That’s what the cola wars are supposed to be about. And then along comes Coca-Cola India, and decides to add a new—some say obvious—dimension to the game: pricing. It’s an experiment in Mumbai on a few brands. Could it reshape the cola battleground?

Eyeing Foreign Shares
Finally. Indians, long used to being trapped within Indian borders and forex restrictions, have been freed to use dollars for the purchase of shares abroad. But don’t rub your palms in glee just yet—there’s a restricted list of stocks you can buy. Still, it’s time you got attuned to foreign stockmarkets as well.

Gilts Go Retail
Government securities delivered huge returns last year. Now at last, retail investors can join the game.

Gold Rush
In a war-frightened investment environment worldwide, gold is soaring beyond the wildest expectations. Should you buy or sell?

Oil Outlook
The great guessing game for crude oil has gained momentum. Here's a look at some of the scenarios.

November 24, 2002

Two Slab Income Tax
The Kelkar panel, constituted to reform India’s direct taxes, has reopened the tax debate—and at the individual level as well. Should we simplify the thicket of codifications that pass as tax laws? And why should tax calculations be so complicated as to necessitate tax lawyers? Should we move to a two-slab system? A report.

Dying Differentiation
This festive season has seen discount upon discount. Prices that seemed too low to go any lower have fallen further. Brands that prided themselves in price consistency (among the consistent values that constitute a brand) have abandoned their resistance. Whatever happened to good old brand differentiation?

Ultimate Cruising Machines
India’s luxury cars market now boasts of some of the gleamers that one gets to see on foreign roads. Mercedes has just launched its latest E-class car, days after the global bestseller Toyota Camry hit Indian roads. Honda Accord, Ford Mondeo and Hyundai Sonata are other contenders. But are they selling?

Mercedes E-class
The lowdown on the Mercedes E-class, launched at about Rs 30 lakh.

Compact Sells
Are monstrous light-flashing music systems history? Catch the new trend.

Dollar Accounts
Resident Indians can run dollar accounts now. Should you open one?

November 10, 2002

Q&A: Anshu Jain
The London-based Anshu Jain, Head of Deutsche Bank’s Global Markets division and member of the bank’s Group Executive Committee, was in Mumbai for a day recently. He spoke to BT about trends in global debt markets, banks’ appetite for coprorate risk, derivatives and the implications for India.

Travel Agent Blues
India’s big travel agents are feeling the heat. Commissions are getting squeezed, even as big-ticket travel—overseas particularly—is suffering. So, how are the travel biggies coping? Innovations. Ever paid a consultancy fee for your holiday advice? Better get used to it.

Life Wars
Life insurance as a battleground? That’s exactly what this newly-opened-up market has become, with one insurer after another rushing to dangle a price-cut to lure customers. HDFC Standard Life, ICICI Prudential, OM Kotak Mahindra, and now Birla Sun Life are at it. A report from the frontlines.

Toyota Camry
Launched at Rs 18.5 lakh, will this luxury sedan from Toyota succeed in setting the Indian tarmac ablaze? A spot report.

Final Cut
At the mid-term credit policy review nears, is the RBI going to slash the key benchmark Bank Rate again?

Banking On Bonds
The Reserve Bank of India observes that banks are overexposed to bonds. Is this cause for worry?

October 13, 2002

The 800 Rolls On
For a product dismissed for being too 'underpowered' to stick it out in the competitive era, the A-segment Maruti 800 is doing remarkably well. Yes, for a while it did look as though it would be the moped of four-wheelers, with B-segment cars assuming the 'minimum requirement' tag. But the 800 is the 800. It still sells.

Kinley Lays It On
In marketing terms, it's perhaps the coup of the decade-if reports are true that Kinley has gained a small lead over generic-to-the-category bottled water brand Bisleri. But then, Kinley isn't just another contender for this high-action game. It ranks as one of India's finest local brand launches of recent times.

Hyundai Pays Back
Settled, then. First LG, and then now Hyundai. The Koreans are getting quicker returns from the Indian market than the other foreign investors who've proclaimed themselves here for the 'long haul'. Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), the fully-owned subsidiary of the Korean chaebol, is repatriating dividends already.

Disowned Success
The highs and lows of Gilbey's, an MNC play in the mass-market liquor market.

Growing Pains
Thums Up looks for a better role than that of Coke's guerrilla sidekick.

Stability
Why S&P's downgrade didn't ruffle the market for Indian rupee bonds.

September 15, 2002

Q&A: Douglas Nielson
Douglas Nielson, Chief Country Officer, Deutsche Bank, India, speaks to BT Online on what the bank has in mind for India, particularly its plans in the asset management arena. Equity research, as Nielson says, will emerge as a key differentiating factor in this business, and that’s exactly what Deutsche is working on.

Bean’s A Bean
Or is it? While coffee beans, the second most important commodity traded in the world, have hit historic lows, poor things, cocoa-bean prices seem to be headed for the stratosphere. Why this divergence? And how is it reshaping businesses (such as coffee shops and chocolates) based on these commodities? A round-up.

Pepsi’s Tull Act
PepsiCo India, having entered India in the late 1980s as a farm output processor that also sells fizz, and then having turned into a fizz marketer that also sells potato chips, has decided to get farm-savvy all over again. Reports indicate that it wants to help Indian farmers produce better oranges—and farm seaweed.

Long Bond Is Back
The government is bringing back the 30-year bond. Will insurers be the only takers?

Bank Rate Bottom
Can the RBI’s bank rate go any lower than the present 6.5 per cent? The scenario.

Inflation Watch
WPI inflation inches back above 3 per cent. Does this mark a reversal of the downward trend?

September 1, 2002

Q&A: Vijay R. Parekh
As President, International Consumer Card & Small Business Services, American Express Bank, Vijay R. Parekh has quite a lot on his agenda. In an exclusive interview with BT Online, he describes his global financial services (GFS) strategy, where it fits into the bank’s global picture, and more.

Identifying Patterns
So, was India in football frenzy during the FIFA World Cup, or not? Just what sort of viewership did the matches tot up? Which were the favourite teams? Presenting, the findings of a TAM Media Research report. The final, by the way, clashed with an India-England cricket match: which do you think won out?

Coca-Cola's Divestment
Coca-Cola India had committed itself to divesting 49 per cent of its equity in its bottling operations by mid-2002. Now, it’s ready to meet the commitment. Sort of, anyway. There won’t be that much-expected IPO, but a private placement of shares in Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages. All’s well that ends well?

Hit Hard
Did you think GDP growth of 4.5 per cent for 2002-03 would be bad? CMIE has just revised its projection to 3.1 per cent.

Rupee On A Role
The Indian rupee has hit a six-month high against a weakening dollar. A blip in the chart?

Industrial Growth Up
After last year’s misery, reports suggest industrial growth is reviving this year.

August 18, 2002

Durable Defiance
The Indian consumer market for durables has defied the direst predictions of market cassandras. Category after category, from CTVs to refrigerators, is showing buoyancy in an otherwise gloomy scenario. Is this a market trend—or just the result of some smart marketing by a few players? An investigation.

Question of Reliability
Foreign tour operators are fed up with India, and are fast deleting ‘India’-specific pages from their websites and brochures. Could this be happening? Well, passenger traffic is down, and could fall further. The reasons are many. Among them, what’s seen as an uninviting stance of the Indian authorities.

Revival Hopes
Whatever happened to the LML vs Bajaj saga? It’s not quite history, if LML’s Deepak Singhania has his way. He has a strategy worth Rs 210 crore in place to lift the sagging fortunes of his company. By October 2003, he plans to match his portfolio with that of Bajaj—and sell around 58,000 units a month. Can he do it?

Call Money Dips
Call money rates have been under 6 per cent for some time now. A round-up.

British Gas In India
British Gas, having bought Enron’s offshore assets, is ready for action. A look at its plans.

GM-Maruti-Fiat
The broad contours of a three-way automotive alliance that everyone is trying to figure out.

July 7, 2002

Nasscom Does Some Brain Racking
Slowdown or not, NASSCOM is still eyeing Indian software revenues of $77 billion by 2008. Just what will make it happen? To get a strategy together, it got some top minds to meet in Hyderabad at the India it and ITEs Strategy Summit 2002. A report on what came of it.

Net Telephony Kicks Off
It’s supposed to shrink the world like nothing before, thanks to super-cheap voice carriage over the Internet. Dozens of players have descended into the arena, and the competition promises to be hair-raising, as each makes a headlong dash for customers. A round-up of the latest action.

Citi Recrafts Corporate Banking
What’s long been suspected is true. Citibank is responding to the challenge of heightened corporate banking competition by rebuilding its services. The emphasis? Client relationships. Relationships that involve not just new initiatives in strategic risk management, but also partnership on managing value-drivers.

Q&A With Ashraf Dimitri
The CEO of Oasis Technology, a key provider of e-payments software, tries to win over converts to a new system.

Destination India
Sultan Bin Said Al Qasimi, a member of Sharjah’s ruling family and investment banker, wants Gulf petro-dollars to flow into India. Here’s how.

BusinessWire Gets Tapped
BusinessWire, one of the leading business newswire services, has struck an agreement with IPAN’s online feeder service, Business2Media.

March 3, 2002

China's India Inc.
A clutch of Indian companies is exploiting opportunities presented by our neighbour to the North

The Online Best Employers Package
Didn't get enough in print of the BT-Hewitt Best Employers in India survey? No problem. We've put together an exclusive online package that takes you deep inside the top 10 companies. The reports, filed by our correspondents in Delhi, Mumbai, and other bureaus, look at everything-people practices, compensation strategies, leadership styles-that makes these companies great places to work in. Click here for the complete lowdown.

February 17, 2002

The Salary Slump
After being sandwiched for years, the middle manager may finally be 
closer to getting his just share of the salary sweepstake. According 
to experts, the next fiscal will see them getting bigger increments.

Stanley Fischer Unplugged
He has the rare distinction of having advised through  the half-a-dozen economic crises of the 90s. But now Stanley Fischer is calling it quits at the IMF, and joining Citicorp as Vice Chairman. In India recently, he spoke on IMF, India, and the recession

January 6, 2002

No Revival Yet
How seriously do we take the CII-Ascon’s prediction that an economic revival isn’t happening any time soon? The catch may be in the 45 per cent weightage given in the study to the manufacturing sector.

Show Me The Money
Balancing the books is going to prove an uphill task for the government as it struggles to make up for the Rs 26,000-crore shortfall in tax collections this fiscal.

December 23, 2001

The BT-Gallup Best
Cities Survey
Data makes you drool? Click here for the nuts-and-bolts of BT-Gallup MBA's Best Cities for Business 2001 survey. Among other things, you will find here who we surveyed, which cities, what are the exact parameters we used, what each of the six category of respondents said about the top cities, and how the final ranks were calculated. Come, have your fill.

Thank Parentage
''ISB's mission is to become a research-driven international management institution that grooms future leaders for India and the world,'' says Pramath Sinha, Dean of the Hyderabad-based Indian School of Business (ISB). BT visited the campus recently to take stock of ISB's first six months.

December 9, 2001

Mahajan vs BSNL
On the one hand, it’s a question of fairplay. On the other, a question of competitive advantage. So, is the Communications Minister Pramod Mahajan right in asking the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd to cancel its tenders for cellular equipment? For, without that the state-owned fixed-service provider won’t be able to go ahead with its plans of launching cellular services countrywide. For our take on this, click here.

Where's The Auto Policy
Originally, it was supposed to be unveiled last year, and then in March this year. But the industry is still waiting for the contentious auto policy to come—in whatever shape. Now, it is back with the Cabinet Secretary for tinkering. Will the wait be worth it for auto-makers?

Oil Pool Deficit: Whither?
With the war in Afghanistan coming to an end, the prices of crude oil should now begin to soften. For India’s burgeoning oil pool deficit, that’s good news. But if the winter in the northern hemisphere proves severe, prices may firm up again.

November 25, 2001

ABB's New Makeover
On October 1, 2001, Ravi Uppal started his second innings at the Rs 793.27-crore ABB India. This time, as its CEO. Since then, he has toured to all the eight manufacturing locations in India and met up with more than 4,000 of the employees. His objective: double turnover by 2005.

Tete-A-Tete
The Fourth R Inc. is an international leader in computer education for children between 3 and 17. Currently, Fourth R India has a nationwide network of 45 centres and 20,000 students. The company’s worldwide CEO Robert McCauley spoke to BT’s Vinod Mahanta about his plans for India and global trends in children’s computer education.

Patently A Problem
Arguably, it’s one of the best pharma companies in India. Still, the Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Lab has found itself buffeted by one controversy or another this year. Only last October, Nicholas Piramal hauled up DRL for allegedly duplicating its cancer drug. And in November, a US-based firm sued it for infringing its Prozac patent.

November 11, 2001

On Low Heat
Under T.T. Jaganathan, the Chennai-based TTK Group has tried hard to change. It has and still continues to have some of the best known brand names in the industry, including Prestige, Tantex, Durex, Kohinoor, Kiwi, and Woodward’s. In spite of all this, the group, which had a turnover of Rs 500 crore in 1995, still hovers around the same mark in 2001. What is it that Jaganathan is unable to mend?

Sahara Spreads Its Wings
Having failed miserably to address the needs of the corporate travellers’ market, U.K. Bose of the nine-year-old Air Sahara is planning to hit back at his rivals who are suffering due to paralysed air travel.

Timex's New Track
Ever since it split up with its former partner, Titan Industries, things haven’t been the same for the American watch-maker. But its new CEO, Kapil Kapoor, is making a valiant comeback attempt. He recently launched a Matrix range of watches to take Titan head on. If marketshare is any indicator, Kapoor’s strategy may be working. But it’s a tough battle ahead.

The Guv's Remedy
For banks, the 2 percentage point cut in cash reserve ratio (CRR) is a windfall. And the half a per cent cut in bank rate will encourage borrowing. But will the RBI governor's move help revive the economy?

October 28, 2001

Futures Hope
Giving in to a long-standing market demand, the Finance Ministry is likely to allow futures trading in 31 individual stocks by the end of October this year. Marketmen are hoping that this facility, which allows deferred payment, will send the market volumes back to the pre-badla levels. BT spoke to investors and market operators to find out how much of the current gloom will lift because of the futures trading.

Steelmakers Forge An Alliance
Courtesy the Confederation of Indian Industry, a number of large steel makers—Tata Steel, Sail, Essar, Jindal Vijayangar, and Ispat—are forging an alliance to buck the slump and reclaim international markets.

Maruti: Back In The Black
It’s been the winning season at Maruti Udyog. For one, the market leader has grown its sales by 6 per cent, even as the overall market shrunk by as much. More importantly, the car major returned to profitability at the end of the first half of 2001. What did Managing Director Jagdish Khattar do right? And can he sustain the profits?

Software's Third Quarter
If there's one industry that should be reeling under the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on America, it should be Indian software. Sure, companies are projecting a slower pace of growth. But that could be 30 per cent!

October 14, 2001

The BT-1,000
Not one, not two, not even 500, but 1,000 of India’s most valuable companies. A BT web exclusive and your ultimate guide to corporate India’s value creators and destroyers. Plus, we give you the average marketcap data for the first half of this fiscal for all the 1,000 companies. Who says there is nothing like a free lunch, huh?

India Internet World
The techies came, the marketers came, and even a few VCs came. But conspicuous by their absence were dotcoms, who as recently as last year, had laid a virtual siege at India Internet World 2000. Click here for the lowdown.

Tete-a-Tete With Stuart Moore
Not long ago, Stuart Moore was one of the hottest CEOs on Wall Street. His technology e-consultancy, Sapient, was going places—until the crash came along. But Moore isn’t calling it quits. In fact, he’s back with a big plan, and this one involves making India the hub of Sapient’s new global delivery model. An exclusive interview.

Titan's Tough Turnaround
The watch major ended its 2001-02 first quarter with a loss. The quarters to follow could bring even more bad news for Titan. Reason: although it controls half the Indian watch market, Titan is facing stiff competition from Swiss brands. Tomorrow, the Chinese will be here too. Just how will Titan strike back?

September 30, 2001

H-P + Compaq = More Hardware
Fine, snagging Compaq makes H-P the biggest personal computer vendor in the world. But services—a more profitable and relatively recession-proof business—does not get any better at the new entity, particularly in India. Saving grace: its new and formidable server portfolio will give both IBM and Sun a run for their money.

We Also Make... Basically, Money
It doesn’t matter who pays the shareholder his cheque, as long as it keeps coming and gets better every time. Or so thinks steel major, Tata Steel, whose new Managing Director B. Muthuraman is now talking of investing in basic telecom services. Will steel and telecom jell?

BSNL: Big Bully?
It controls 99 per cent of India’s 30 million fixed phone lines, and now Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. wants to squeeze its smaller competitors out of business by insisting on higher interconnect charges. And even as the new private players watch helplessly, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is turning a blind eye to BSNL’s bullying.

Interview: P.C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group
A cook to the rich and famous embarks on his own entrepreneurial journey. Business Today’s Debojyoti Chatterjee catches up with Munna Maharaj in Calcutta.

September 16, 2001

Why We Need A Good Drought
Economists may speak about how a good monsoon could stimulate a recovery in the economy, and metereologists may crow about how this has been a good monsoon for the country, but Business Today’s Ashish Gupta argues that the need of the hour is an acute drought. It would at least ensure that the piled up stocks in the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns are used up and the corporation is able to buy up produce from the farmers at a fair price.

Organised Play
As demand for play-schools for sub-kindergarten kids increases, the industry takes its first tentative steps towards being organised. Already, franchise-driven play-schools have made appearance in metros like Mumbai and Delhi. Business Today’s Shailesh Dobhal reports.

Sweet Comes The Polythene Pack
Unlike branded salt, branded sugar hasn’t really taken off as a category. Will things change now with the entry of sugar-major Dhampur Sugar into the market? Business Today’s Vinod Mahanta investigates.

A Wannabe Media Capital
Forget hardware and software, the Dubai administration suddenly declares its ambition to become the media-capital of the world and launches efforts to attract media companies to set up base in the city. By Business Today’s Vinod Mahanta

King Of The Kitchen
A cook to the rich and famous embarks on his own entrepreneurial journey. Business Today’s Debojyoti Chatterjee catches up with Munna Maharaj in Calcutta.

September 2, 2001

HCL: Twenty-Five Years Later
Last fortnight, the HCL Group, India’s first technology conglomerate, turned 25. BT’s Ashutosh Sinha takes a look at the fortunes of the group over the past two-decades-and-a-half, and its plans for the future.

Interview: Joe Santana, CEO, Timex
Once considered the best way to dress the wrist, Timex watches have lost some of their sheen in the global market. In India, the company is in the process of turning around its fortunes after the break-up of its relationship with Titan. Santana, the company’s President, CEO (and owner), spoke to BT’s Vinod Mahanta on the road ahead for the brand.

The Gartner Panel Discussion: Complete and Uncut
The entire transcript of the BT-Gartner Panel discussion on the future of Indian infotech industry. Plus, a Business Today online exclusive: the Gartner Hype Cycle customised to map the progress of Indian IT.

What Kind Of A Man Are You?
Once you’ve read the story on the Indian male in this issue (page 58), log on to www. business-today.com and take a simple interactive that’ll tell you what kind of man you are.

Indian Fashion: Form Over Substance?
The recently-concluded Lakme India Fashion Week raises some old Qs about the viability of the Indian fashion industry that still remain unanswered. BT’s Abir Pal tries to get to the bottom of these queries.

August 19, 2001

Trading Charges
The controversy over the US 64 debacle gets murkier by the day. The former Chairman of the Unit Trust of India, P.S. Subramanyam, has told the Central Bureau of Investigation that the finance ministry had instructed the institution to favour investments in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. If the pressure mounts on Subramanyam, some skeletons may come tumbling of the ministry's closet.

ERP Still Makes Sense
First came the hype, and then the hue and cry. Overwhelmed by the drop in demand and increase in marketing costs, corporate users of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) allege that the technology has not delivered what it promised. But Debashish Chatterjee, Director (Supply Chain) at SAP Asia, has a different take on this. He says that ERP always meant integrating various functions within an organisation. And that people don't realise technology is just a piece in the entire supply chain management process.

Online Troubleshooting For PCs
Did you know that 65 per cent of all crashes of notebooks are software-related? Or that two out of three times, it is that minor glitch in the software that makes your PC hang? T. Raghunandan, CEO of the Bangalore-based Spectra Insignia, does, which is why he thinks there's more to be made fixing such bugs online. Get the lowdown here.

Boom: -n. A Sudden Activity In Commerce
Here's to ewe, yew, and you: a dictionary for often confused words, one for synonyms, one for antonyms, and another one on Chinese idioms, just like that. The market for dictionaries, as you must have guessed by now, is booming, with nearly 200 kinds of them choking book shelves at shops.

August 06, 2001

Lé Affairé Ciprofloxacin
It’s a well-known success story: In 1999, Ranbaxy sold the molecule of a once-a-day dosage form of anti-infective ciprofloxacin to Bayer AG for $ 65 million plus royalties in a milestone-linked deal. Now, with reports surfacing of Bayer testing a similar molecule developed by another company, there are several questions being raised about the future of Ranbaxy’s molecule and, at a larger level, on the intricacies of such licensing deals themselves. Business Today’s Suveen K. Sinha analyses the impact of this development on Ranbaxy and the Indian pharmaceutical industry.

A Unique Transformation
This is the first time it has happened in the history of corporate finance. The B.K. Birla-Akzo Nobel venture Century Enka has put forth a proposal that envisages the conversion of equity to debt, the opposite of the traditional practice of converting debt to equity through the issue of convertible debentures. BT’s Dilip Maitra explains the logic behind this transaction which will have the same impact as a buyback of shares, without the accompanying immediate cash outflow.

Only In India
It’s the death of corporate imperialism again. Only, now it’s the turn of direct selling MNCs like Amway and Tupperware to adopt unique-to-India strategies. BT’s Vinod Mahanta profiles the changing strategies of these companies.

Our Man in Orlando
New partnerships, new branding, and an aggressive focus on marketing—a new Computer Associates, call it version 2.0, was in full view at the CAWorld 2001 at Orlando, Florida. The fourth largest software company in the world wants to tap the entire enterprise for e-business. And it wants the world to know that. BT’s Ashutosh Kumar Sinha reports. 

Top

July 21, 2001

Getting Started At The Indian School Of Business
No B-school launch could have attracted more attention. As the first batch of students who will get to do an MBA at the Indian School of Business lands in Hyderabad, BUSINESS TODAY's E.K.Sharma pumps some flesh to get to know the kind of people who're now on the fast track to becoming Masters of the Universe. A sampling: one student is a decorated war hero; another a doctor-mother.

The Maharaja's Return
There are still some doubts over the disinvestment of Air India, but here's some good news for interested parties: after seven years of losses, the national carrier Air India is set to post a profit, meagre as it may be at Rs 21.50 crore, this fiscal. BUSINESS TODAY's Ranju Sarkar goes behind the scenes to chronicle an unlikely success story.

The Whole Nine Yards
There are consulting firms and there are universities, but ever heard of a total solution provider that wears both hats. Australia's Deakin University, which has just launched its consulting operations in India, does. BUSINESS TODAY's Vinod Mahanta writes on a new approach to training and problem solving.

The BT-Omam Consultants Senior Manager's Salary Survey
The comprehensive salary tables of senior managers across the 100 companies and the 13 sectors covered by the survey, with break-ups et al. The perfect guide to check whether you're overpaid or underpaid. 

Audit Scan 
New India Assurance, a public sector insurance company, lost a premium worth Rs 83 crore by devising a special package for Reliance Industries (on the latter’s initiative), even though it was possible to cover the risks under the existing procedure. Auditguru M.V. Ramakrishnan analyses a CAG report on this.

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July 06, 2001

The E-mantra 
Just when you thought people had grown tired of it, a remixed version of the vowel-hyphenation hits India. business-today.com brings you two exclusive reports: the first on the emerging e-manufacturing lexicon; and the second on how Microsoft is forging alliances with a clutch of State governments to help them with their e-governance initiatives.

Tagore To Gates
That’s the jump West Bengal wants to make. Like many other States, it has an IT policy and wants to go the Bangalore and Hyderabad way, although, of course, neither Karnataka nor Andhra has a Tagore or a Ray to speak of. But the lack of an entrepreneurial culture and the unavailability of trained techies could prove a dampener.  

The Stars Have It
Crystal balls are in demand in India’s Silicon Valley. Convinced that if something is going wrong with their business, the stars must be to blame, a clutch of Bangalore-based software companies is turning to astrologers.

The Standards Game  
Realising that the simplest way to tap global markets for emerging technologies is to be part of consortia that define standards, companies like DCM Technologies, Hughes Software Systems, Sasken Communications and HCL Technologies have gone ahead and done just that.

Time To Hire  
In an expected fallout of the US slowdown and the consequent crisis in India’s hi-tech industry, companies realise that it has never been easier to hire.  

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June 21, 2001

Angel With A View 
With the first three start-ups it funded, Tracmail, India-Life, and Peerless Audio becoming market leaders in their respective domains, the Boston-based veecee firm View Group’s Indian arm is busy incubating a clutch of new ventures in-house in the erstwhile Kamala Mills in Mumbai. Check this space.

Powering The Power-Centre
A 51 per cent stake in each of the Delhi Vidyut Board’s three distribution companies is up for sale. Reliance Power, Tata Power, China Light & Power, AES India, BSES, CESC, and the A.V. Birla group have expressed their interest in acquiring it.  

Indian IT Companies: Looking Without
Silverline, NIIT, and Covansys have already set up development centres outside the country. Now, several of their peers may follow suit. Click here to get the full picture.

HLL's Nalgonda Experiment  
An in-depth field report of how HLL is using self-help groups to distribute its products in Andhra Pradesh, and what it will take for the experiment to succeed.

Why Everyone Wants CMC  
It’s not the most happening IT company around, but Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Tata Consultancy Services, and Wipro are fighting it out for a 57.3 per cent stake in the company. Just what is it that makes CMC the hottest company in town?

An Encounter With James E-Dodd  
Dr Dodd, the Chairman of European Telecommunications and Technology (ET&T) talks to BT about the plans of his company to enter the managed data services market in India. Go here to find out more about the man and the company.

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June 06, 2001

Can Things Really Get Better? 
Not in the near term. And that, for a company at the bleeding edge of innovation globally. But the only way Philips India can become cost-competitive is if it overhauls its manufacturing practices. But that's a tall order.

The Business-Today.com Interview
The man who sparked off Microsoft's intent to create a development centre in Hyderabad, the company's Group V-P, Orlando Ayala, speaks to BT's Ashutosh Sinha on a recent visit to India.  

One Year After
A Year into operations, Haldia Petrochemicals' Rs 5,170 -crore facility seems to have overcome some teething trouble. Now, if its promoter Purnendu Chatterjee can make it viable too.

The New JCT  
Samir Thapar has finally managed to restructure JCT. Part of the business has been sold, and the rest has been transformed. Now, he has to ensure the company succeeds in its core businesses--nylon yarn and textiles.

Siva's Next Step  
Master arbitrageur C. Sivasankaran, recently in the news for his Rs 2,500-crore offer to the Government of India for 5 Mhz of spectrum, wants to be, surprise, surprise, India's telecom king.

Jute's Hot  
That's what the Kolkata-based Champdany Industries believes, and it has launched an entire range of jute offerings (including garments) to back this belief.

AuditScan  
Audit guru M.V.Ramakrishnan takes a look at a CAG report on "Member of Parliament, Local Area Development Scheme'. The Scheme has hardly served its main objectives. A significant part of released money was not utilised, while a large number of projects remained incomplete. And the list goes on.   

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May 21, 2001

Oracle Of Hyderabad 
Want to know where the Sensex will be next month? Or, better still, what stocks to buy to make a killing? Just call on Someshwar Rao Nookala-a former chemical engineer and productivity consultant, but of late a stockmarket psychic. One of his predictions is that SEBI will continue to be the mess it is. A caveat: he likes charging in dollars.

Non-Voting Shares
What was expected to be a major tool for financial restructuring for the corporate sector has turned out to be almost a non-starter. Under its new guidelines, the Department of Company Affairs will allow differential voting rights only to profitable companies. Not surprisingly, the stragglers are cribbing.  

A Messiah Called Malavalli
It may well turn out to be a new movement in education if Kumar Malavalli has it his way. Malavalli, a 56-year-old US-based NRI, is in the process of setting up two almost-free learning centres in his home state of Karnataka. Malavalli, who co-founded a storage area networking company Brocade Communication (market cap: $8 billion on the NASDAQ), will offer multi-media education at Rs 10 a month.

ESOP's Fables  
Once upon a time, it was a passport to riches and an early retirement. But today, stock options are worth just about their weight in grammes. Fearing resentment across ranks, some software companies are offering additional stock options at lower prices. Still, going by the looks of the stockmarkets, there is no guarantee the effort will be worth it.

Airbus On Wheels  
Who wishes you welcome aboard, brings you a cold towel, and offers you sweets? An airbus, right? Yes, but the one that's doing all this in Bangalore is an inter-state, double-decker bus service. Launched in the first week of April, Bluelines are unique in many ways. For one, the buses, which ply the Bangalore-Chennai route, are country's first low-floor double-deckers (named Lexia DD) specially designed under the mechanical guidance of Mercedes Benz of Germany.

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May 06, 2001

The BT-TERI Green Companies Survey 
Two years after we first started work on the project, the Business Today-Tata Energy Research Institute survey of environmental practices and their best practioners in corporate India is finally out. The findings are revealing. For one, bigger companies are better at taking care of their surrounding environment. For another, exports aren't the driving force behind the greening and, finally, it pays to be green. For the big picture, click here.

Mutual Fund Scoreboard
  The last quarter (Jan-March, 2001) was a great time to be an investor in debt mutual funds. Interest rate cuts in the US buoyed sentiments in the Indian bond market. The average annualised return for the quarter in debt funds was much higher than the returns posted by any other debt-based investment on a post-tax basis. Click here for a lowdown on the best and worst of debt funds.  

The Snafu At Satyam
  Even as the Hyderabad-based Satyam Computer Services' board met to consider its fourth-quarter results, a technical glitch on its website caused the result to go live on its web page. The displaced results were accessible to surfers around the world for nearly an hour before it was replaced by an older page. A couple of websites even downloaded the incomplete results and displayed it on their own sites. The story behind the leak.

Tete-a-tete Withy Joshua Chernoff  
He probably windowshops more than any woman in this world. For good reason. As the head of at Kearney's US retail practice, Joshua Chernoff makes a living checking out-and advising-retailers. Recently in India, Chernoff spent a week eyeballing major stores. But, as he told BT in an exclusive interview, it may be a long time before the retail experiment gains critical mass. And the big reason, he believes, is the curb on foreign direct investment in the sector.

Auditscan  
Permissiveness in defence purchases has deep roots in India's distant past. For instance, the country's Frigate Project Office in Glasgow was set up to undertake extensive market research in Europe and create a competitive process for purchase of major components and systems for frigate building. But it was never allowed to be set up by the Naval headquarters. Former Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General, M.V. Ramakrishna, tells you the whole story.  

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April 21, 2001

Escorts' New Economy (H)itch 
For over a decade now, the Rs 3,000-crore Escorts Group has been on a change mode: exiting ailing businesses and entering those with promise. Under pressure in its traditional businesses of engineering and automotives, Chairman Rajan Nanda announced with much fanfare at the flagship's Annual General Meeting on August 22, 2000, that the group's strategic thrust would be on new economy. Two years after, the foray is faltering.

Friday Corp's Big Push
Set up as a three-member outfit, the Delhi-based Friday Corporation is now 52-employee big. Recently, it snapped up rival Matrix Information Services in a bid to consolidate its position as a content provider.  

Watch It
Gold is old, and silver is in. At least when it come to wristwatches. At the recently concluded Watch and Jewellery festival in Basel, Switzerland, the 'white look' was all pervasive. Taking a cue, watchmakers in India are coming out with their own range of 'silver watches'.

Cool Cab Clones  
Four years ago when air-conditioned cabs descended on Mumbai, they were seen as an elite offering. Their growing popularity, however, is forcing the black-and-yellow cabs to go cool, not all of whom are happy. Go here to find out why.

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April 06, 2001

Gallo In India  
It sells one out of every four wine bottles in the US. It owns the largest, second-largest, and the third-largest vineyards in the world. And now, Ernest & Julio Gallo is planning to toast the Indian consumer. BT looks at the company's post-quantitative restrictions (QR) strategy.

M-CRM: New Buzz  
Online modes of interaction, conducting business and shopping are in for a major overhaul, courtesy the galloping count of mobile phones. Tomorrow, the customer's needs will be served over his cellphone, anywhere and anytime.  

TBWA's Talent Hunt 
It isn't content being one of the world's largest agencies. It also wants to become the most talented creative shop. Recently in India, TBWA's President and CEO Worldwide, Michael Greenless, explained to BT just why his company's Gene Pool initiative is such a great idea. Experts from an interview.

DuPont's Tech Whiz   
Keeping the information systems of one of the largest science companies in the world is a lot of serious work, but one that Robert Ridout immensely enjoys. In an interview to BT, DuPont's Chief Information Officer reveals his India plans.

AuditScan  
Everybody's heard about Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and Employment Assurance Scheme. What few know, however, is that the ambitious employment generation schemes have been repeated failures. M.V.Ramakrishnan looks at a damning review of the schemes put out by the CAG. 

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March 21, 2001

Elbee's Turnaround 
After three years of continued losses, India’s second-largest player in the express service business has turned the corner, and even hard-nosed investors are talking of taking a relook at the scrip. Can Elbee sustain the turnaround?

Teachers of Fraud
In a software-crazy nation, dubious computer institutes are making soft-targets of eager students. Surprisingly, it isn’t just some hole-in-the-wall computer education institutes that are taking people for a ride.  

Retry, Covansys
Fortune may have selected Covansys as one of 100 fastest growing companies in the US, but the company’s bottomline does not seem to be keeping pace with its topline. Now, its CMD, Raj Vattikuti, is looking to his homeland, India, and three segments, for help in bouncing back up.

Hyperabad  
It has a Hi-Tech City and several software companies for tenants. But is all the hype surrounding Chandrababu Naidu’s Hyderabad worth it? With Naidu yet to deliver on his promised infrastructure projects, many of the city’s new corporate guests are beginning to have second thoughts.

Tete-a-tete 
Kumar Malavalli represents the quintessential Silicon Valley Indian icon: outstanding technical skills, unimagined riches (networth: $600 million) and a down-to-earth demeanour. But the co-founder of Brocade Communications is not your conventional under-30 software techie millionaire.  

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March 06, 2001

Insurance Wars 
Two of the new insurance wannabes, HDFC Standard Life and ICICI Prudential Life, have hit the market with their first set of insurance products. At best, they look like market leader LIC’s clones. But there’s a reason for it, say the two new entrants: save innovative products for later. Besides, they are counting on their superior service to steal a march over LIC. BT checks out the insurance battles in the making.

To The US Overnite
There’s a new courier guy in town: the US postal service. Courtesy Overnite Express, the American postal department—which handles 46 per cent of the world’s card and letter mail by volume—has arrived in India to offer competitively priced service to the US from any of the SAARC countries.  

NASSCOM '01
It was the annual jamboree for the IT sector. But two issues were on everyone’s lips—the shortage of talent to fuel the IT sector and China as the next software superpower.

Tete-a-tete 
He edits one of the most influential magazines on information technology, although he’s just 33 years old. The last time Red Herring’s Editor Jason Pontin came to India, he predicted the death of dotcoms. But this time his chips are on biotech.

Auditscan  
PDS Scam: The CAG report on Public Distribution System (PDS) reveals that food subsidy isn't trickling down to the needy consumers. Instead, the beneficiaries are rich farmers and sugar barons.

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February 21, 2001

Advertising Ambitions 
The French advertising major is on a global buying spree, and the mood is getting reflected in India. It snapped up Bharat Dhabolkar's agency Zen in 1999 and, in January this year, the Delhi-based Maadhyam Communications. Headed by a young CEO, Praveen Kenneth, Publicis India has a long road ahead to trudge. It must build up its brand equity and  consolidate the business it has bagged so far.

Re-revamping At ICI
Ever since Aditya Narayan took over as the CEO in 1996, ICI has been on a change mode. First it sold off some businesses, hived-off some others into joint ventures, and then reduced its work-force by a quarter. Yet, the paints and chemicals company hasn't made any significant topline or bottomline gains. Does Narayan have a new plan? 

Simply Sachets
There's nothing that they won't pack in them: shampoos, oils, talcum power, toothpaste... Suddenly, sachets are everywhere, in every conceivable size, and all markets big and small. Just what is fuelling the sachet revolution?

Tete-a-tete 
Rich Ryan, Rockwell Software President, inaugurated his Indian subsidiary's first hi-tech centre in Bangalore. In an interview with BT, he talked about how India could  emerge as an important centre for developing solutions for its clients worldwide.

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February 06, 2001

Southerly Disturbance 
There’s a battle brewing between Hyderabad and Bangalore to be the preferred destination of local and foreign investment. The former touts its infrastructure-building efforts, the latter, its focused approach.

Tete-a-Tete(s)
Anil Gupta, visiting professor, Stanford Technology Ventures Programme, and professor of strategy at the Univ of Maryland, speaks to BT on the Indian IT scene and his forthcoming book on creating a globally dominant business.  

Arun Oberoi, the worldwide head of HP’s software businesses, sheds some light on the company’s non-hardware thrust.

A School For Telecom
The country’s first specialised school for telecom management, the Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management is making waves.

Snippets 
Dishnet DSL’s hospitality industry oriented marketing strategy.
Solar Power could well solve all our power problems.

The Looking Glass 
The company that inherited Ray-Ban from Bausch & Lomb redesigns its market-approach strategy.

Auditscan 
Oil Slick: The CAG report on administered  prices of petroleum products throws up some anomalies in the oil pool account. An audit-investigation by M.V. Ramakrishnan.

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January 21, 2001

The Dilbert Company 
Great employers are not born, but made. Ditto, the worst employers. But what makes one company a great place to be in and another the abode of gloom? Why do some companies manage to attract talent despite their lower pay and longer hours, while some others must make do with the second-best? In other words, what makes a bad employer?.

Management Fads: 21C
Uncertainties, technological disruptions, M&As, and new waves of competition will find corporations scrambling for quick-fix management solutions. BT peers into the future to pin-point the manager's millennium fads. .

Survivors Of the Auto Industry
With the global economy shifting into a lower gear, the time is ripe for a shakeout in the automobile industry. Global realignments will necessarily impact the Indian market too. Who'll survive the coming shakeout? BT investigates.

Market Wager 
Where will the tech-heavy Nasdaq be in June, 2001? At 5,000 or 1,500 points? And what about the BSE? BT invites a few stockmarket soothsayers to make their predictions.  

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January 06, 2001

Toon Dreams 
The Chennai-based Pentamedia Graphics may not have made a mark in mainline software, but its work in digital animation is winning it global raves. It already has wrapped up some hi-profile projects like Sinbad: Beyond the Veil of Mists. Its CEO V. Chandrasekaran is now aiming for more international orders.

Teach The Teachers
PC-penetration is the top-most priority in order to wire up India's schools. Three years ago, the Maharashtra Government started giving computers to needy schools, but soon realised that the teachers were not trained to handle them. A case study in using infotech in education.

Super Gas
It is the world's largest LPG company, and is now vying for the top slot in India. SHV Energy's director on the executive board, Gisbert J.J. Van Den Brink, was in India recently, and he told BT what the company's plans are for the sub-continent.

Interview: Mark Beistman 
B2B electronic commerce software provider Commerce One (NASDAQ: CMRC) is reaching into Asia with its 'Many Markets, One Source' tagline. In an exclusive interview, Mark Beistman, Commerce One's Senior Vice-President Worldwide (Sales & Marketing), talks about trends in the B2B space, and how India can play a role.

Fashion Awards
Madura Garments, Peter England, and Shoppers' Stop (headed by B.S. Nagesh) won the top draws at Images Fashion Awards 2000.

Audit Scan
Are domestic producers of fertilisers getting more than a fair deal from the Government of India? The state's auditors seem to think so.

Interview: D.S.Parekh
BT's Roshni Jayakar interviews HDFC Chairman Deepak S. Parekh.

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December 21, 2000

The Commercial Vehicle Crunch
Pummelled by higher taxes and diesel prices, and the slowdown in economy, commercial vehicle sales are down by 20 per cent between April and October, 2000. With overcapacity still haunting the industry, manufacturers fear that next year may not be any better.

The Category Killer
It’s the biggest consumer electronics retail chain in South India. And now it wants to get bigger still. BT met up with Kodandaraman Setty of Vivek’s to find out what his plans are for the ambitious category killer.

Interactive TV & Radio
They are the toys for the new-gen netizens. And, sure, they sound cool. But will they work? Click here to get a low-down of what the various industry experts think of these.

Interview: Paul Laudicina
He’s A.T. Kearney’s expert on foreign direct investment. Recently in India, Laudicina spent time with BT to say what’s right and wrong with India’s FDI policy.

Consumer e-electronic
Bitten (late though) by the internet bug, several major Indian consumer electronics companies are putting internet-enabled gizmos on shop shelves. BT goes shopping.

Delhi's Smokestacks
Unregulated and unhindered, small industries—often located in residential localities—are choking the city’s lifeline. Is the situation beyond help?

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December 6, 2000

The Limited Mobility Imbroglio
Basic telephony services providers have requested the government that they be allowed to offer the CDMA- based limited mobility service as part of their licence agreement. Cellular service providers, expectedly, are up in arms against this. BT’s Ashutosh Sinha presents a bird’s eye view of the latest telecom squabble.

i-Flex’s Challenge
Citicorp International Technology Limited (CITL) is now i-Flex, a company that wants to be a challenger in the international software products arena. BT’s Pooja Garg assesses its chances of success.

Tete-a-Tete(s)
Leslie L. Vadasz, one of Intel’s founders, now heads the company’s veecee business. BT’s Ashutosh Sinha met up with the man during a recent visit to India. BT’s Roshni Jayakar caught up with Robert Rubin, now on the board of Citigroup, and talked to him about the bank’s India plans and other matters financial. And BT’s Roop Karnani spoke to Prakash Bhalerao, an angel investor from Silicon Valley, who has, in the last 10 years, 40 start-ups to his credit with a 100 per cent success rate.

Auditscan
In this month’s edition of Auditscan, former Additional Deputy CAG, M.V. Ramakrishnan, takes a look at the results of the government’s efforts to spur industrial growth in backward areas through the ‘centres of excellence’ concept.

e-Snippets
The digital studio boom in India: will it pay off? India’s first mobile portal, miZone, kicks off.

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November 21, 2000

LIC: Raring To Go
The insurance industry is now swarming with aspirants, big and small. The most threatened by their entry is the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). But as its competitors are likely to discover, the state-owned insurer is a financial powerhouse with a range of products and services.

IBP: Suitors Galore
It is the first state-owned oil company to be privatised. Not surprisingly, the list of IBP’s suitors is a virtual who’s who of the oil world. But given the complexities involved, it may be a long while before the company changes hands.

Netcontinnum
A Silicon Valley-based firm, which recently opened an R&D centre in Bangalore, Netcontinnum is launching a slew of internet infrastructure products. And Avalon Resorts, part of RCI, refurbishes its Web strategy—with surprising results.

The Internet Story
The internet, they say, is the ultimate democracy. Not for much longer, it seems. Soon there will be some users more equal than others, courtesy the emergence of ISPs offering exclusive premier services to their users. BT looks at one such service, clubonnet, from Vedanth Worldwide.

Hi-Tech Bhubhaneshwar
Infosys and Satyam already have addresses in this city. And Wipro and Tata Consultancy Services could soon be joining. Say hello to, Bhubhaneshwar— India’s next IT metro.  

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November 06, 2000

All About Bluetooth
Named after 10th century Danish ruler Harald Blatand (Bluetooth), this revolutionary wireless technology could well catalyse the emergence of the mobile internet every one has been speaking of. Business-today.com gets up close and personal with the toothful wonder..

Tata Steel On Top
Ten years after it first embarked on a quality journey, Tata Steel has shored up quality enough to beat 106 odd other companies in the Tata Group and win the first JRD Quality Award. A story of how Tisco did it.  

Enter Bollyweb
Bollywood goes dot-comming as stars succumb to the lure of the wonder world of the web. Now, do they teach dotcommming at acting schools?

Management Help
In a bid to create one of the widest knowledge networks in the country devoted to practicing management pros, the Hyderabad-based talent management company TMI Networks launched themanagementor.com in August this year.  

The Mutual Scoreboard
The second BT-Mutual Funds India (www.mutualfundsindia.com) study takes a cross-category look at the performance of mutual funds in the second quarter.

Interview
Compaq's e-store promises customized PCs. But, just how will they deal with the channel conflict? BT's Pooja Garg interviews Paul Blinkhorn, Vice-President (Commercial Personal Computing Group), Compaq Computer Asia-Pacific.

e-snippets
Yet another travel site! Business-today.com profiles makemytrip.com to see if it has not missed out anything in the packing of a business plan. And reviewing navinmail, a new global voice messaging service.

The Fine Art of Sickquisitions
West Bengal government has perfected the art of taking over and running no-hope private sector duds. A look at what this practice entails..  

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October 21, 2000

CBI's Cyber Cop
As the nation’s top crime buster, R.K. Raghavan manages a mean team at the Central Bureau of Investigation. Now, he is tying up with corporate brainiacs to crack hi-tech crimes. In an exclusive interview to BT’s Ashutosh Sinha, Raghavan explains just how.

Telex Is Dead (Full Stop)
Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd has decided to take telex off its life support system. Sure, it was cheap. But ever tried sending a bulk message?

Viral Marketing
Chances are you’ve seen it in your inbox: chain e-mails that urge you to forward them to as many people as possible. A look at the marketer’s super spam.

Maruti Alto
It’s the newest car off the embattled company’s production lines. Will it light up the auto major’s dimming fortune?

Battling Executive Stress
Stress can kill people and bottomlines, which is why companies are fighting back with all the techniques they can lay their hands on.  

Dell On-line
He sells more boxes on-line than any other computer company in the world. And he wants a big chunk of the PC market in India. Michael Dell of Dell Computers shares his plans for India with BT’s Ashutosh Sinha in an e-mail interview. Exclusive.

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October 06, 2000

A Meeting With An e-25
BusinessWeek named him one of the 25 most influential people in the New Economy. BT’s Sunit Arora interviewed the Kellogg School’s Mohanbir Sawhney on opportunities and concepts in e-space. An exclusive tete-a-tete.

DRL’s Venture Ambitions
The Reddys of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories are making a small, but significant foray into the venture financing business.

e-snippets
All about two new Web-sites—icicicommunities.org, targeting the social welfare sector, and matmanage.com, an e-procurement site—and a new concept, viral marketing.

CEO Visitations
Jack Welch of GE, Bill Gates of Microsoft (yes, we know he isn’t a CEO), Michael Bonsignore of Honeywell, Robert Bishop of Silicon Graphics—everyone was here in September. Do these CEO visits mean anything to India? Or are they just glorified sales calls (not that there’s anything wrong with sales calls) we shouldn’t unduly be worried about?

dot.hindi
To draw non-English speaking people to the Net, i-DNS, a Silicon Valley-based company, has come up with multi-lingual domain names. BT investigates.

Amex Purchase
American Express Bank has just launched India’s first corporate purchasing card—an expense management solution designed to help corporations achieve process and purchasing efficiencies, while retaining financial control.

Blue Mountain Secrets
It's end of the road for the terminally-sick Hindustan Photo Films, says a CAG report. But is the government up to doing the right thing?

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September 06, 2000

Fashion inc
Or hype sink? To even be considered part of an industry, India’s fashion-designers must focus on building brands, launching off-the-shelf ready-to-wear lines, creating channel networks, and striking alliances with global fashion majors. Purists may see the 4 Ps of marketing in these requirements, but can Indian designers acquire the relevant skills to do this?

The Lure Of Suburbia
OK, so it’s old news that companies and people are moving to the suburbs. With inner cities getting crowded, that was certain to happen. But what does the phenomenon mean for marketers? Are we likely to see the emergence of a distinctive suburban shopping behaviour?

The Making of a Net-news Co.
BT catches up with Geert Linnebank, the Editor-in-Chief of Reuters Plc., to find out how the news-wire transnational reinvented itself in the digital age.

More From Print
Suresh Prabhu, the Union Minister for Fertilisers, shares his views on the new fertiliser policy with BT’s Seetha and Ranju Sarkar. And Rediff.com CEO Ajit Balakrishnan defends his pure-play strategy in a discussion with BT’s Sunit Arora and Pooja Garg. Full transcripts of the interviews.  

Access Agonies
With too many ISPs battling it out for too few customers, there’s only one way the industry can go—towards consolidation. BT profiles a shakeout waiting to happen.

Biz-Snips
Nuggets on business: from the state of the Indian chemical industry, to the latino craze that’s sweeping though everything from music to liquor.

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August 21, 2000

The Science of Advertising
An exclusive tête-à-tête with Peter Hamilton, Regional Director (Asia Pacific) and Executive Vice-President (Worldwide), McCann- Erickson Worldwide, on what goes into the making of a great advertising campaign.

Forget e; go mmmm
All said and done, it's just a change in the alphabet. With e-Commerce in the doldrums in India, BT examines the viability of m-Commerce, or mobile commerce.

Browsing...
Palm-computing is not in vogue as yet. But a Bangalore-based software company, Integra Micro Systems, has recently announced what it claims is "India's first palm-based browser". BT probes.

Strength in numbers
On the heels of freshly-forged alliances with search engine major Lycos and Shopper's Stop, Indbazaar.com is rushing into a slew of tie-ups. An intensive browse through its strategy to grab the eyeballs.

Being the coolest?
With its thunder stolen by upstart air-conditioner brands, a shaken Carrier Aircon sets to work on regaining its numero uno status.

The Age of e-Alliances
Desperate for reach, richness and riches, dotcoms are striking alliances to stay and swim.

Auditscan
L'Affaire Indbank: Just The Tip Of A Scamberg.

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August 06, 2000

Believe In The Net
Consumer durables and telecom services major BPL's new e-foray (bplnet).

Who's Afraid of FEMA?
By enacting the FEMA without the complementary money laundering bill, the government has left gaping holes in forex regulations.

The Art of incubation
Professor Nitin Nohria, the Richard P. Chapman professor of business administration and the Chairman of the Organisational Behaviour area at Harvard Business School, talks about the incubator phenomenon.

The BT Study
Indian Mutual Fund Industry

Another Satyam Acquisition
Why it makes sense for Satyam Infoway to buy an US-based on-line mall that is focused on India.

A Tale Of Three Sites!
BT's take on sites in the news. This time round, BT's Rakhi Mazumdar and Roop Karnani surf through the murky worlds of fashion, construction, and films.

B2B Blockbuster
The country's largest B2B player is a company that few people have even heard of: Tata technologies. The details.

Growing add-ons
An incisive analysis of the booming peripherals market in the country.

Another Tupperware Party
The network marketer claims to be the first of its kind to break-even in India. Is it time to celebrate? A look at what makes the company's strategy tick.

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July 21, 2000

Still Bullish on India
Mark Russell, Worldcom's 33-year-old General Manager for South Asia, discusses his company's India plans.

The Road Ahead
Associated Cement Companies (ACC) has concocted a miracle mixture that enables concretisation of roads in two days time without any digging.

Re-engineering: the LG-Way
Kwang Ro Kim, the 45-year-old CEO of LG Electronics India, is using the rules of the Golf greens to achieve difficult business targets.

Rocking to the Band-X Rhythm
Calling itself a 'net market' for bandwidth, Band-X has embarked on an expansion spree.

Leveraging the genome
a few Indian companies--like Ranbaxy Laboratories, Biological E, and Bharat Biotech--have kick-started projects that seek to tweak the genomic data so as to formulate diagnostics, or identify new ways of treating genetic disorders.

Can This Early Bird Fly
Among the pioneers of India specific search engines, 123india.com is seeking to expand its subscriber base through broadband services, WAP-enabled services like WAP-enabled e-mail, and instant messenger.

AUDITSCAN: The Telecom Tripwire: Contradictions Galore
There seems to be no end to the government's fumblings in the telecom sector. M.V. Ramakrishnan discusses a CAG report which chronicles the sorry tale of broken promises and failed checks.

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July 06, 2000

Billed to death
After much confusion, the government has decided to have only one bill--the Communications Bill of India--that will address the issues related to convergence of technologies.

"E-business does not have magical attributes"
Peter Willeme, partner at Arthur Andersen, speaks on e-Commerce taxation.

"Bureaucracy is the stumbling block"
Mayur Madhvani, CEO of the Kampala-based Madhvani Group, explains why he has steered cleared of India, touted as one of Asia's most attractive markets.

The Indian environment isn't conducive to investment: Raj Loomba
An interview by Ranju Sarkar

The Compulsive Acquirer
A profile of Sunil Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises.

India Inc.'s fitness freaks
The health hoopla is not just about illness and mortality, but about good old money. Be it corporate hospitals, round-the-clock doctors or plain pampering of managers, health is business.

Tata Honeywell is buzzing again
The juices are flowing once again at Tata Honeywell Ltd. (THL). After two years of relatively flat growth in 1996 to 1998, the Pune-based automation and control major is on the roll.

Gen-X Business School
Indian School of Business, as anyone associated with it takes pains to point out, isn't just another B-school.

"Classroom will not become obsolete soon"
McKinsey & Company's CEO Rajat Gupta is the moving spirit behind the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. On a recent trip to India he shared some of his thoughts on the school with BT.

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June 21, 2000

AUDITSCAN: Bharat Earth Movers Ltd.
Crying Out For Disinvestment

''Sales In India Have Not Matched Our Expectations''
Chosaku Toda, 59, Director of Matsushita Electrical Industries, which markets the Panasonic brand of CTVs, shares his thoughts on the Indian CTV market and vision for the future.

'''NRIs Do Not Invest In India Because Of Bureaucratic Hurdles'' 
Why are the mega rich NRIs not funnelling at least some of their wealth to their mother country? G.P. Hinduja, President of the Hinduja Group, tells why.

''Loss-Making Companies Should Be Sold To Prevent Further Losses''
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ram Naik, 66, firmly believes that the government should retain its control over the cash-rich oil companies.

''Disinvestment Is A Process Of Revival''
Arun Jaitley, the Union Minister for Disinvestment holds forth on the conceptual framework of disinvestment, but clams up on specifics.

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