IIPM Editorial

Thursday, November 8, 2012

what he has done in real estate?

Not many have achieved this globally. But he wants to do in hotel industry what he has done in real estate. By siddhartha nahata

The spokesperson of ITC Welcome Group Hotel explains, “Both of them are totally different businesses. The common factor might be the layout of the property, but after that in the hotel business you enter into services, which is different from real estate. You need to have specialisation in logistics, manpower, and maintaining standards.” This is amplified by Nisheeth Srivastva, Director, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), who claims, “There are many differences between the hotel and real estate industry. The dynamics of the hotel industry are way too different, but at the same time a real estate player also has an advantage of having his own experience of property layout.”

Well, Singh has decided to walk on this untreaded path. The plans are gigantic and they can make DLF the number one hotelier in the country, ahead of Indian Hotel Company (IHC). IHC has a room inventory of 9,000 rooms and plans to double it in the next two years. But DLF has chalked out a mega plan of 25,000 rooms spread across different segments (luxury, business, leisure & recreational). Actually, DLF has made headway in implementing the plan. The construction of 6,000 rooms is under process across major cities and tourist destinations.

Singh’s confidence can be measured by the fact that he plans to list the hotel division (along with the separate listings of other divisions). DLF’s company spokesperson says that “work towards the listing of the hotel division is on track and has made significant advancements.” The plan looks perfect. To make his journey an easier one, Singh has struck deals with the world renowned hotel majors like Four Seasons and Hilton. The sharp-minded Singh was quick enough to gauge the importance of inorganic growth to make it big in the hotels business. Recently, DLF acquired the global leading luxury hospitality chain Aman Resorts for $400 million giving it a presence in the international hospitality realm. Such deals will help DLF to master its skills in crucial areas such as manpower, logistics, and supply chain.

Read more......

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

POVERTY: DONATIONS

Peace, pride and prosperity can’t be imposed, bought or sold

Economic boom of Botswana and shrinking future of Zimbabwean economy proves how quality of governance makes vast difference in last few decades. The history is not different in most African countries. Moreover, illiterate local tribal leaders, corrupt politicians, officials, local police, mafias have left nothing good in their countries.

The World Bank urges developed nations to aid poor countries. They are doing so. External annual aids to Africa are going to touch $25 billion by 2010. Aid is really not helping them. Peace in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola, Ethiopia and Eritrea is in progress and even Congo is now better than what it was a year ago, as they all strived for it. Aids have put these countries on crutches. Over-dependence on aids has discouraged entrepreneurial spirits, proactive participation on revenue generation and fuelled bribery, corruption et al. The World Bank has to keep in mind that pride and prosperity can neither be imposed nor be bought or sold. Those who have fought and strived for development, have achieved it. But will the World Bank heed to this?

Read more.....

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

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Voices from within & outside

Capt. G. R. Gopinath

While on one hand, Modi did much for the urban population in Gujarat, on the other, he also made efforts and opened up various facilities for the rural masses. Moreover, he did everything fast and therefore the result was there before everyone to see within a short interval of time.

Founder, Deccan Aviation

Sushma Swaraj

Citizens are realizing what they are lacking in today’s time. At the grassroots, people are much more informed. So development is becoming a very important factor not just in deciding who wins but also who does not win. Also, Congress could not come up with an issue. And that led to their defeat. BJP MP, Rajya Sabha

Abhishek Manu Singhvi

Quick fix generalisation can be dangerous. The general rebuke of development is also too amorphous, to become the sole determinant of victory or loss. Does this mean that the BJP didn’t develop when it lost the union election in 2004 or for that matter Maharashtra assembly or the Haryana assembly and so on?

Congress Spokesperson & MP, Lok Sabha

Rajiv Pratap Rudy

If you look at the UPA government, PM Manmohan Singh is undoubtedly treated as a honest man but the perception of him giving a strong political leadership is completely absent which does not advantage the political party he represents.

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links

IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

Monday, November 5, 2012

Tau Tau in Haryana!

Devi Lal’s political capital is depleting

Devi Lal, ‘Tau’ to the world of politics in Haryana & Deputy Prime Minister for two short terms, is one of the founders of the state, in the mid 1960s and is seen as the natural inheritor to the Chottu Ram legacy, the legendary Jat leader of pre-1947 Punjab. He became Chief Minister, riding the anti-Emergency wave in 1977 and since then, dominated the state like a colossus. A member of Congress till 1971, he became a bitter anti-Congress leader for the rest of his political life. He won simultaneous elections from two constituencies in the anti-Congress wave of 1989, from Rohtak in Haryana and Sikar in Rajasthan. Son and former Haryana Chief Minister, Omprakash Chauthala told B&E: “My father gave the respect that farmers needed. He practically built Haryana and laid down the foundation of a strong agricultural society. That is why he is worshipped here.” Chauthala, aware that the Assembly elections are still far away, is looking for a national role for himself, in any United Front Government that may come to power in next general elections. His sons, Ajay & Abhay, too are waiting in the wings. While Ajay is a MP, Abhay is content with state politics.

Read more......

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

Friday, November 2, 2012

THE WORLD NEEDS DUBAI!

B&E UNDERTAKES A FINANCIAL PRIMER ANALYSIS ON THE ECONOMIES THAT HAVE A HIGHER PROBABILITY OF COLLAPSING THAN DUBAI... AND SOME MORE!

Dubai sent shockwaves across the world when the news broke out that Dubai World, Dubai’s chief investment vehicle, wanted to defer its repayments on all or part of its $59 billion in debt. Dubai World alone is responsible for almost 75 percent of the entire debt of Dubai, which stands at $80 billion. Although post 25/11, when the news broke out for the first time, the ruler of Dubai did release an official statement comforting global investors (specifically on December 1, 2009 – the global financial markets stabilized a bit after that statement), but the world is still keenly looking forward to December 14, 2009, as that is the day when bonds worth $3.5 billion for Nakheel – the real estate arm under Dubai World and the company behind the prestigious palm shaped manmade islands – become due. A great deal of Dubai’s future and global investors’ fate would be determined on how the company deals with the bonds issue!

In fact, for getting the right perspective of what is happening to Dubai, one has to peep into Dubai’s recent history. Today’s crisis is not a result of any overnight occurrence, but has been something that has been brewing over the years. And the answer lies in the growth model which Dubai appropriated for itself almost a decade and a half back. The manner in which this particular emirate grew in the last one and a half decades, dwarfing all conventional growth models, is no secret! Long back, the rulers of Dubai – the Makhtoum family – realized that with depleting oil reserves, they had to find out an alternate development model which was different from the traditional petro-dollars model adopted by most economies in the Gulf region. So, for the past one-and-a-half decades, the focus was mainly towards transforming Dubai into a real estate heaven, and a financial and trading hub of the entire Gulf region. Initially, Dubai faced a lot of criticism with respect to its growth model (as it embraced Westernization) from the other nations in the Middle East region, including the other emirates of UAE; but gradually with time, it became the darling of investors.

Read more......

Thursday, November 1, 2012

An Italian hamlet

Stretching over 50 km along the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most intriguing coastlines in Europe. Deep valleys run down to the sea, confirming the conventional interplay between land and sea. The coast is made up of soaring limestone cliffs terraced with scented lemon groves. For some of the most scenic coastal villages in the world, Amalfi is also listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. While savouring the Coast at twilight is a fantastic pleasure, renowned for its rugged terrain, Amalfi is fast becoming the numero uno choice for trekkers!

Once in Amalfi, a visit to The Cathedral (Duomo of St. Andrew), decorated with modern mosaic, is a must. It has a magnificent portico with pointed arches and The Crypt contains the remains of the Apostle St. Andrew. The Arsenal is located on the left of the ‘Porta della Marina’, one of the oldest doors through which soldiers ventured into the sea. Renowned for its emerald green waters, Emerald Grotto, is set in the charming bay of Conca Dei Marini.

Located along the entire stretch of the coast are small towns like Positano, Amalfi, Ravello and Salerno. Statle 163 – the road connecting these picturesque towns – is built around mountains, and provides a breathtaking view of the sea.

The pearl of the coast – Positano, is considered to be one of the most striking and expensive places in the world... a “vertical” village with houses organised in a coloured cascade along the hills. The town itself is an engineering marvel; soak up the sun as you hit Santa Croce, or simply climb up the terraces of Villa Rufolo and Cimbone at Ravello, where visitors can admire a wonderful panorama. Of late, Ravello has been gaining popularity because of its Festival Internazionale di Musica. While town hopping, Correale Museum and the Piazza Tasso, the cathedral in the charming town of Sorrento, with its hidden creeks and picturesque beaches makes for time well spent.

Read more.....

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

UNIONS: SOCIALIST NO MORE

The good and bad of trade unions

Thirdly, unions have been gradually diverting from their original objectives. With political support, they have been trying to take on countries at ransom. Unions like The Communication Workers Union, International Trade Union Confederation or World Federation of Trade Unions became too powerful, politically motivated, and subsequently, disastrous with their agendas. Unions no longer protected the interests of the poor rather worked towards the benefit of political parties.

Although in countries like Sweden, UK, Germany and Japan, a large portion of the labour is unionised safeguarding worker interests, in many other countries, unions are hated for their political affiliations. Until unions move away from this destructive mode, the time is not far when they’re finally made illegal!

Read more.....

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Depressed? Your barber could help!

When one’s near and dear fail to understand the trauma one’s going through, could a hairdresser or a taxi driver help deal with the stress and get suicide off their mind?

In India, one person commits suicide every eight hours and half of them are in the age bracket of 20 to 45. The highest suicide rates in the world are in South India, where 50,000 cases are reported every year, with the total cases in India being 1,54,000! Bengaluru is India’s suicide capital where 35 in every 1,00,000 people commit suicide! These figures are increasing at an alarming rate and most of the people committing suicide are the breadwinners of the family.

One of the methods of preventing suicide is to simply listen to a depressed person. Dr. Vimal Kumar, a psychiatrist, says, “Most of these people express their desire to talk and we should not take it lightly. If you don’t have a solution, take the person to a professional or to someone on whom the person has some kind of confidence. Majority of patients who are about to commit suicide indicate a day or two before. The most common myth is that those who talk about suicide don’t commit suicide, which is really unfortunate.”

Belfast, in UK, witnessed 30 suicide cases in a period of six-weeks this summer. Now, from the hairdressers and taxi drivers to the Marks & Spencer staff, all are being trained to spot people who might be contemplating suicide and are being given basic counselling skills. This is done because it is believed that people, who might be thinking of taking their lives, are more comfortable talking to complete strangers rather than their families or friends.

Read more......

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

Monday, October 29, 2012

Our ‘copy’right!

WTO finally pulls up errant China

China has had so many issues with patents that it could actually patent its expertise on restricting intellectual property and on giving nightmares to copyright owners! The dragon has lost yet another trade battle with the US in the World Trade Organisation in August 2009 – it’s third loss to the US since last year.

The gilded cage that China has created by restricting imports of DVDs, music, books, software is described by the panel as discriminatory and not in line with the policies of WTO. In 2007, 11.7 million Americans were employed in these copyright industries and foreign sales totalled $126 billion in 2007 – thus, the damage done to American businesses is significant. The international theft of all kinds of intellectual property has resulted in the loss of 750,000 American jobs. And because of its sheer size and lousy copyright laws, China has long been the focus of American and global concern.

Read more....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links

IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Why one bird in hand is better!

k. m. birla is at a crossroads – to combine or not to combine is the question. neha saraiya states the raison d’être behind the best possible option...

Imagine a young CEO, who happily acquires a 51% stake in L&T’s cement division (named as Ultratech) for a whopping Rs.22 billion and then soon after sends a letter to his board of management warning them about the bumpy road ahead... That is Kumara Mangalam Birla, a man who had apprehensions about the problems that the massive year-2004 acquisition would cause to the company in the long run. Even as many woke up with the hangover from that deal, there was another major announcement from Grasim Industries on June 11, 2009 – a further purchase of 11.5% stake in L&T Cement! Surprisingly, all went well and in fact much better than expected... That was five years back.

It’s 2009, and the 42 year-old Birla is faced with another question – should he combine his brainchild Grasim Cement with the foster child Ultratech? The move to merge the entities will definitely make the duo, the largest player in India’s cement industry, with an annual combined production capacity of 42 million tonnes, overtaking others in its ilk, which includes biggies like ACC, Gujrat Ambuja, et al. But what if structural issues actually creep into this process of consolidation? Before answering that, taking a look at the company’s performance during FY2008-09 becomes important. The company which has a host of businesses under its umbrella (including Viscose Staple Fabric – VSF, cement, chemicals, textiles, iron ore, et al) recorded a net profit of Rs.21.87 billion, with top line collections of Rs.18.04 billion.

So, while the bottom line fell by 5% as compared to the previous year, what makes Birla happy is the fact that revenues of his main cement business grew by a double-digit 13% y-o-y, touching 20 million tonnes in capacity. Of course, the infrastructure development thrust given by the Indian government helped, but the question stands – are the other eggs in his basket worrying Birla? Admits Adesh Gupta, Group Exec. President and CFO, Grasim Industries in an exclusive conversation with B&E, “Despite higher energy cost and the economic slowdown, cement business maintained its operating profit in FY’09.

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face