Prologue: Starting a series post is a risky business – if you do not get time to post the sequel fast enough, the original post conveys an incomplete meaning and starts receiving unfavorable comments. That is what happened to my previous post. Anyway – better late than never – here is the second and concluding part of Innovation = ...... As I argued in the previous post, without innovation, it is not possible to reach the echelons of global trade and difficult to oust competition. Going further, not just international competition, even domestic trade and indigenous industry is unlikely to prosper without innovation. Any new innovation, fuels a chain of many other parallel mini-innovations to be done around the central theme. For example, the 1-lakh-small-car by Tata Motors requires new initiatives in each of its ancillaries – from upholstery makers to tire makers. On the other hand, how much internal business does an Oracle implementation in the U.S. generate back home in India? One co

Eavesdropping is crime, especially in corporate circles. I had no intention of committing this crime, but I could not ‘unlisten’ the very excited and loud description of a to-be-given presentation that this individual was narrating on the phone. “I will talk about the market scenario, then about emerging India, then how we are globalizing our business model and ……” Of late, I have got tired of the incessant chant in politico-industrial circles – knowledge superpower India, emerging India, global positioning etc. Some have already placed India on the highest pedestal in the IT industry while others are modest enough to just lay claims over the top position by 2010/2020. While it is true that, Indian companies with their Global Delivery Model, low-cost-highly-educated workforce and strong process orientation, are sure taking on the IBMs and Accentures of the world right from the front – but they are far from snatching the turf from these global majors. More so India poses no threat to Am

I was cruising through the Western Express highway (in Mumbai) when I noticed the road broadening work going on alongside the road. Giant excavators were cutting through the cliffs on the sides and the rubble (actually large stones) was being removed by other gigantic off-highway trucks. I could't but appreciate the 'might of man'. My thoughts moved to the wonders on the world - the pyramids of Egypt, The Great Wall of China and our own Taj Mahal. The gigantic structures made in ancient mediaeval times are a but a reflection of not only engineering skills but more so of hard labour. The city of Mumbai in fact is a wonder in itself - a group of 17 small islands being made into the most happening city of India. In fact 50% of South Mumbai ('town area' as people here call it) is built on reclamation land. It is difficult to imagine such monuments and cities to be built in the present day world. How did the ancient civilizations do it? The answer probably lies in the wo

Well . . . World baad mein . . . I am sitting on a CGPA Time-Bomb. My exams start tomorrow; and am terribly short of reading . . so this post over I don' t hope to make any posts for the next 5 days (unless exams are that frustrating ki post maarna pade) :P OK now turning to the world . . as a part of Global Economics I learnt that a. International Trade is good for all countries and the world as a whole b. Any trade barrier may sound good for producers in an economy in the short run but is detrimental to the consumers always, and also harmful for growth of industry in the long run c. All countries need foreign capital for their progress and a trade deficit helps in increasing Current Account deficit of nations which in turn helps in faster rate of economic growth (now that's a bit tricky, won't dare to elaborate) d. The US dollar has become the world currency because US has a very very high trade deficit. US actually has been living off debt from other nations. The pu

One of the topics often discussed in Indian MBA classrooms is core competency; probably because the theory was given by CK Prahlad; the Business guru of Indian origin. But is core competency model really true? Let’s take a few successful firms. Wipro was primarily a FMCG products company till 1980, when it diversified into technology. Today Wipro is one of the 3 technology giants of India with Infosys and TCS. Its revenues are fully dependent on its Technology arm. The extent of restructuring is so high that Wipro's website has no mention of its FMCG business any more See More Another giant, ITC was incorporated in 1910 primarily as a cigarettes company. But soon it started diversifying. Its Packaging & Printing Business Division was set up in 1925. In 1975 the Company launched its Hotels business, and entered the Paperboards business in 1979. In 1990 ITC set up the International Business Division (IBD) for export of Agri-commodities. In 2000, ITC's Packaging &

Didn't go to office today.... and am now in a techy-entreprenuer mood... Ever since I have read "from Pepsi to Apple" I have my own analysis of it, quite contrary to what the author said in the book... Let me start by describing the book... It is about this guy (the author) called John Sculley who left an illustrious career in Pepsi to become the CEO of a then small firm Apple Computer Corp. Apple was found by Steev Jobbs a 19yr old youngster along with Mark Marculla and Steve Wozniak. After 2 yrs of its inception, both partners except Jobbs wanted to exit executive responsibility of the co. and the board was of the view that Steeve was too young to become the CEO... so they decided to hire an external CEO... mr. Scully was a potential candidate but none of the headhunters could convince him to join the co. Here Steeve came in and himself sold the idea to John Scully, who then was fascinated with Jobbs... then in course of time views of Mr. Scully and Jobbs rifted and so