Monday, December 27, 2010

Are they armed to tackle inside corruption

IIPM Prof Arindam Chaudhuri on Our Parliament and Parliamentarians' Work

With an increasing number of armed forces personnel found to be involved in cases of moral turpitude, it is being pertinently asked if the most disciplined system in the country is losing its grip over itself. Mayank Singh wonders

Usually considered to be the most incorruptible institution in the country, the Indian armed forces' reputation has seen some of its sheen waning in the recent years. Call it media activism (or rather over-activism, as Army officers love to call it) or whatever, but an increasing number of cases of corruption within the rank and file of the forces are coming to the fore. Be it the eloping of a colonel with his girlfriend, a lieutenant general accused of sexual harassment by a female colleague or high ranking officers found to be involved in land scams, the impeccable image of the forces does take a beating.

The flurry of media reports about officers of the Indian armed forces getting involved in acts of moral turpitude, deception and treachery has caused much consternation among the masses. What is more perturbing is that it's not just the lower rank officers whose name crop up in connection with corruption, moral or financial. It's the officers of the colonel, brigadier and lieutenant general ranks whose names come up in cases of debauchery and swindles. A.K. Nanda and Avadesh Prakash, both lieutenant generals, are the most recent and well-known examples.

The question is, if our armed forces are getting increasingly corrupt by the day or is it just that now such cases have started coming into the public domain, thanks to an aggressive and prowling media? The former conjecture can be true, so can be the second. May be both suppositions hold water. It depends on what side of the fence you are.

A senior officer in the South Block who has completed his staff tenure blames of sorts the media of 'dramatising' the things. He believes that corruption has not gone up in the armed forces. 'I appreciate that media reports things but sometimes it tends to paint everything black. It should not make generalisations. People don't let the inquiry finish and come out with the results. Officers accused of misconduct are declared guilty,' he says while talking to TSI, on the condition of anonymity.

Vice Admiral (retired) A. K. Singh is of the view that the organisation of the Indian armed forces is still as strong as it used to be, and should not be viewed as if something is wrong with them. He says, 'The system in the armed forces is very efficient and it reacts very quickly. It is a 1.3 million strong force and it may have one or two bad eggs. It gives immediate justice and does not wait for 25 years like in the Bhopal tragedy or the Tehelka case where the only people punished were the people from the forces.' He attributes the targeting of the armed forces by media on the saturation of reports on corruption by politicians and bureaucrats. He adds, 'The public consider the armed forces as the last institution in the country standing upright. It is fed up of the news about politicians and babus.' Some people opine that the armed forces draw their personnel from the general public. Every years lakhs of people vie for limited vacancies in the training institutes like the Indian Military Academy, Officer's Training Academy, Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy.

The editor of defence magazine Purple Berret, Commander Atul Bharadwaj, considers it to be over-fussiness to be so critical of the officers and men getting involved in the unexpected acts and behaviour. He says, 'Why is there so much fuss when the training and value system are strong. The armed forces never try to shield even very senior officers. Major General A. K. Lal was commanding a combat division and he was not spared.'

Armed Forces draw their men and officers from the same talent pool of society. 'In the post-globalisation world, the options have increased and the armed forces, too, are coming close to the society. The officers are leaving forces to join the corporate world. The armed forces have been traditionally kept away from society for this very reason that they do not catch the vices prevalent there,' says Bharadwaj, adding, 'Also keep in mind that there are very few senior positions in the organisation and this makes it vulnerable to all kinds of pushes and pulls and allegations.'

The forces have been at the receiving end because the cases which are filed against them are not defended or reported once they are found to be wrong. The case of Captain Poonam Kaur was found to be totally fabricated where she had alleged her senior colleagues of sexual harassment. The Shopian rape case is the most recent one where forces received an overwhelming negative publicity but when it was found wrong, it did not get any space or airtime in the newspapers and news channels. Same happened in Agartala Military Hospital where a civilian had levelled allegations of molestation against Colonel B. K. Das, which were later found to be incorrect.

The data of human rights violation, too, has a different picture to put forward. In 2006 and 2007, the number of cases reported were 21 and 27 respectively in Kashmir. Out of these 48 cases, 36 were found incorrect and some are still under investigation with three people already punished. Same picture comes up in the northeast as well. In 2006, 2007 and 2008, there were 19, 21 and 14 cases respectively reported. Of these 54 cases, 38 were found outrightly false. In the three legitimate cases, two people have been punished.

Vagaries of the changing times seem to be hitting the armed forces as well. The game of maligning fellow officers to knock them out of the reckoning for the higher posts has been happening, but the way issues of corruption and infighting are coming to the fore does talk of a decline in the discipline and the standards. These will have to be curbed before the forces totally lose their credibility as being the most ingenuous institution of the country.


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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Saturday, December 11, 2010

S. T. Coleridge to R. H. Brabant

Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was a English lyrical poet, critic, and scholar, whose Musical Ballads, written with William Wordsworth, started the English Romantic movement. Though he's really merely famed today for his poetry, Col's contributions to the area of criticism and English language were several. For example, he not only create verbally the word 'selfless,' he brought in the word 'aesthetic' to the English language. In the following letter to his friend, Brabant, Coleridge talks about intricasies of life.


Monday Morning, march 13, 1815
Calne,

I missed the opportunity of sending the parcel on Saturday, by an Hour: and without affectation I did not think the contents of the inclosed Letter justified the expense of postage.'If you should have time to look over Dr Williams' larger work, in addition to what I have remarked in the slips of Paper, you will not fail to observe a sophism grounded on the admitted fact of the incapability to act aright in minds habitually vicious.

This, we all know, constitutes the difference between a crime and a vice: and makes the latter, even tho' comparatively trifling in each individual act, more hopeless and therefore of deeper Evil than any single Crime, however great: if only it be not such as involves as the condition of it's possibility, a prior vicious Habit.

This, I long ago observed, is the dire Curse of all habitual Immorality, that the impulses wax as the motives wane'like animals caught in the current of a Sea-vortex, (such as the Norwegian Maelstrohm) at first they rejoice in the pleasurable ease with which they are carried onward, with their consent yet without any effort of their will'as they swim, the servant gradually becomes the Tyrant, and finally they are sucked onward against their will: the more they see their danger, with the greater and more inevitable rapidity are they hurried toward and into it'.

Now from this fact Dr Williams deduces, that the inability to will good is no excuse for not doing so'in genere, and without reference to the origin of the inability'forgetting that our conscience never condemns us for what we cannot help unless this 'cannot in praesenti' is the result of a 'would not a preterity''all more Evil is either cum voluntate or de voluntate'. N.B. a voluntas causata is a contradiction, unless as causa sui.'Take Dr Williams's own instances'suppose the man stated as utterly incapable of loving God to have been created with this incapability, and you no more blame him than you blame a rattle snake for his Poison.'All Law human and divine acknowledges this distinction'as in the criminality of murder committed in drunkenness, and the impunibility of the same act committed in madness''.

Yours

S T Coleridge


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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A state of Disarray

IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board

In a part of India where nothing seems to work, the steel cities are a saving grace. By Saibal Chatterjee

A river named Subarnarekha – ‘streak of gold’ – runs through it. But even as the price of the precious yellow metal crosses the Rs 19000 per 10 grams mark, the stocks of the crisis-ridden state of Jharkhand continue to be in free fall. Is anybody surprised?

Well, you might be a touch baffled if you happen to be a denizen of the steel city of Jamshedpur, which is in more ways than one an oasis of order surrounded by a choppy sea of chaos. Its neatly numbered streets are tree-lined and perfectly carpeted, its parks are well looked after and its numerous residential colonies and markets are wrapped in an orderly feel. The upkeep of the city is done by the Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO), a Tata Steel subsidiary. No wonder.

But drive just a few minutes away from the JUSCO-maintained part of town – into the messy suburb of Mango or the grimy industrial belt of Adityapur – and you know you are in God-forsaken Jharkhand. The private enterprise-public governance divide could not be any sharper than it is here.

In Jamshedpur, JUSCO is responsible for power and water supply, municipal solid waste management and maintenance of roads and parks. No matter what the power situation is in other pasrts of the state - it is usually very bad – the street lights of this city are always aglow from sunset to dawn.

In every civic sphere that one can think of, Jamshedpur usually runs like a well-oiled machine. Much the same is true of the other steel city of Jharkhand, Bokaro, which is a bustling industrial hub located on the banks of the Damodar. Like the rest of Jharkhand, it abounds in natural beauty.

Nature has indeed been gloriously kind to Jharkhand. Unfortunately, the politicians of the state have been anything but. As one drives from Dhanbad to Jamshedpur, Ranchi or Ghatsila, the splendour of the sylvan landscape can take your breath away on a clear day. But this is Maoist country, just a landmine away from mayhem. You cannot afford to let your guard down. Wherever possible, commuters in these parts prefer to travel in a convoy, seeking safety in numbers.

So, you retreat to the safety of Dimna lake, an artificial water body constructed by Tata Steel 13 km outside Jamshedpur, at the foothills of the lovely Dalma hills, or to the lush green Jubilee Park in the heart of the city that is lit up in many hues when the sun goes down. There is much here to commend.

A recent study commissioned by the Union urban development ministry has ranked Jharkhand among the worst states in India in terms of sanitation. However, Jamshedpur and Bokaro figure among the 50 cleanest cities of India. Of the 423 cities surveyed across the country, the former ranks 7th and the latter 48th. Ranchi, the state capital which was until 1967 the summer headquarters of Bihar, is placed a lowly 118th on the list. And therein lies a tale. Mango, which is in Jamshedpur but isn't a part of the Tata Steel command area, is 279th on the list, while Hazaribagh is 310th and Adityapur 399th. Endemic poverty, widespread squalor and an air of lawlessness are visible wherever you go, be it Ranchi, Dhanbad or Hazaribagh. Little has changed in these places since Jharkhand became India's 28th state. If anything, things have only deteriorated.

A road that emerges from the Dhanbad railway station and winds its way into the heart of town provides a classic demonstration of what is wrong with this part of the country. For three decades and more, this thoroughfare and the connecting lanes around it have remained exactly the way they were in the 1970s. Progress has bypassed this street and chaos reigns supreme on the stretch. Traffic rules in Dhanbad are followed more in the breach. People of this congested city where the coal mafia calls the shots are resigned to their fate.

When Jharkhand came into existence nearly ten years ago, a spark of hope had been ignited. But the potholed roads of Dhanbad have remained untouched by anything positive that might have happened in the rest of India. When Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in his hometown, Ranchi, he does drive around in his Hummer, but the ride in a chaotic city can be anything but a humdinger. Ranchi, once known for its salubrious climate, is now just another small town struggling to keep pace with unplanned urbanisation.

And it isn’t just the exploited tribal population that is deserting the state in search of a better life elsewhere. In the Civil Services Examinations of 2009, two girls schooled in Ranchi, Iva Sahay and Tanvi Sundriyal, ranked first and second among women candidates. But when it came to choosing their IAS cadre, they skipped their home state and instead opted for Rajasthan and Uttarakhand respectively. Political instability, a rising crime rate and rampant corruption have made Jharkhand a difficult place to work in.

Disillusionment runs deep in Jharkhand and it is difficult not to be caught in the debate surrounding the need to empower the indigenous people of the state. At the moment, the balance is loaded heavily against the marginalised tribal communities. In Ab Aur Waqt Nahin (Running Out of Time), a 2006 documentary film made by Abhijay Karlekar, an Adivasi says: “Sarkar badalne se kya hota hai? Hamari bhasha to woh samajhte hi nahin hain (So what if the government changes? They do not understand our language).”

The indigenous population of Jharkhand, which has been at the forefront of India’s industrial development strategy since Independence, has been left out of the growth curve. In the industrial units of Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Bokaro, the presence of tribals in the workforce is rare. Unskilled, they are condemned to look for odd jobs as daily wage labourers because agriculture has become an increasingly unviable option for the marginalised.

The tribes that the state was carved out for are today in grave danger of dropping off the map. If they do, will Jharkhand survive?

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Monday, November 15, 2010

KITES: From soar to sour

IIPM Prof Rajita Chaudhuri: The New Age Woman

TSI Five-O: Weak narrative thread tied to a gorgeous looking canvas of locales and action
Pushed back release dates, pre-release hype and controversies, mega bucks marketing had all combined to raise anticipation and expectations to such high levels for “Kites” that I wouldn’t be surprised if the audience showed up with their own little checklist. Hrithik-Barbara chemistry? Check. Kickass action sequences? Check. Hrithik dancing like only he can? Yeah, baby! A crisp narrative that zips you through the two hour runtime smoothly? Uh oh. Great background score? Check. Songs to fit the mood? Erm...ouch!

Make no mistake, “Kites” is an impressive crossover attempt with its technicals very sound. From action to sound mixing to editing, it looks slick and exciting whether it is the nefarious hue of the neon lights of Vegas or the unforgiving pain of the New Mexico desert. But the story somehow contrives to become clumsy after a superb opening with J (Hrithik Roshan) falling in love with Gina (Kangana Ranaut), the daughter of casino mogul, Rob (Kabir Bedi, little screen time but suave as ever). Gina’s brother Tony (Nicholas Brown) is betrothed to Natasha (Barbara Mori) but J and Natasha fall for each other and decide to run away, leaving a vengeful Tony on their trail.

Hrithik and Barbara’s romance provides some lovely moments in the film and while Barbara is commendable, Hrithik shines bright with his earnest effortlessness. Less earnest is the rest of the cast and the script because both seem to run out of juice in the second half. Anurag Basu constructs a gritty and painful tale but at its heart it’s a simple Bollywood story with a Hollywood face lift. It’s worth a watch no doubt, but like a kite that has been cut from its thread and now lies torn among the branches of a tree, its utility is ephemeral.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM BBA MBA Institute: Student Notice Board
Run after passion and not money, says Arindam Chaudhuri
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Many corporates have their own CSR programmes

ANURADHA MAJUMDER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SWAYAMANURADHA MAJUMDER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SWAYAM

Many corporates have their own CSR programmes? What is it that further motivates them to invest in social sector through NGOs?
Where is corporate funding? We do not get any and neither are we interested in it. I can tell you one of our experiences. To provide relief to some of the poor women, who were subject to domestic violence and now wanted to have own source of income, we approached a corporate body of the city that was running its own CSR programme. They assured us to train and accommodate these women in some kind of jobs like room-service in hospitality sector. Keeping their requirements in mind we had send few women, but despite their eligibility the ladies were denied of the jobs. This is what you call CSR. I will not name the company. However, we were able to provide jobs to some of these girls at different petrol pumps in the city with the help of the franchisees.

There are several celebrities that can be seen associated, both directly and indirectly, with some or the other NGO? What are your views on the same?
Of course, presence of celebrities does make the task easier, as they are public figure and with them, the issue get publicised. Eminent rock singer Usha Uthup, film director Aparna Sen, drama and film critic Samik Bandyopadhyay were present in our different programme. In fact, Usha Uthup sang for two hours in a public programme and totally free of cost, just for the cause. These people have helped us to popularise our cause.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Award Conferred To Irom Chanu Sharmila By IIPM
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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The best advice

NARESH GOYAL
CHAIRMAN, JET AIRWAYS
“I try to maintain complete transparency in my principles and never compromise with them. I don’t remember precisely who gave me this advice, maybe it came from my own learnings in the corporate world.”

ARNAB GOSWAMI
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, TIMES NOW
”Well, largely I’ve been pretty much doing my own thing without following anyone’s advice. But I recall that at the time I was quitting NDTV a few years ago, my friend Uday Shanker (Star India CEO) advised me on the merits of flying solo. He said that ‘one’s real abilities are not tested until and unless they fly solo’. I joined Times Now and have not looked back ever since.”

AMIT BURMAN
VICE CHAIRMAN, DABUR INDIA
“My father always advised me that you should think about the welfare of Dabur first and then only cater to your personal emotional needs. I took that advice and today don’t regret passing the baton of Dabur Foods to a professional.”

M.A. MADHUSUDAN
CEO, VIRGIN MOBILE INDIA
A dear colleague of mine once told me that if you feel that something is right and it can give positive results just go ahead and do it – don’t deliberate too much. I treasure this mantra.”

ANN OLLESATD
AMBASSADOR, ROYAL NORWEGIAN EMBASSY
“I learned a lot from my daughter and one of the best advices she gave me was to be courteous to everyone, but to share your private thoughts with only a few. Also, India as a country always advises on the importance of living in harmony. ”

CHANDER M SETHI
CHAIRMAN AND MD, RECKITT BENCKISER
“Never howl on any situation, rather try to take all possible benefits from it.”

B.S. NAGESH
MANAGING DIRECTOR, SHOPPER’S STOP
“The best advice that I got was from one of my friends who advised me never to force people into anything. Consensus is better.”

ARVIND SHARMA
CHAIRMAN AND CEO, LEO BURNETT INDIA
“I got this advice in the first week of my MBA at IIM-A by Professor Balakrishnan. He said, you must define the problem correctly and chances are that you will solve the problem correctly.”

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Monday, June 28, 2010

Waiting for the dawn...

Moreover, the bank has not just increased its ad volume, but it has also worked on a new branding strategy altogether. Right after the hurdle, it came across last year, the bank was quick enough to tweak its communication strategies. It moved away from its arrogant communiqué of ‘lead life on your terms’ to the ‘power of belief’. The new campaign not only echoed a soft voice of communication, but also presented the bank, which till then believed in aggressive growth alone, in a different manner altogether.

However, the biggest turning point for the bank could be its change in focus on the operations front. The bank, which once discouraged its customers from going to its branches and promoted the use of ATMs, is now persuading customers to visit its branches. Perhaps, it expects that a direct contact between the bank and the customers will not only help create a better relationship between the two, but also strengthen customers’ faith on the bank. Keeping that in mind, the bank has also reduced its huge army of direct selling agents by almost 70% with a target of zero reliance on any outsourcing for business acquisition and collections by next year. This certainly will help the bank gain some ground in the eyes of the customers, who have been irritated for the irrational behaviour of those external recovery agents.

But then, changing the way they operate alone won’t help it much. The internal workforce too has to deliver the best to the customers. Krishnan agrees, “No doubt, under Chanda Kochhar the bank is trying to regain lost grounds through advertisements and removal of external recovery system. But until and unless the bank improves its services it won’t be able to gain back the trust of its stakeholders.”

In the mean time, the bank is also working on its asset quality and capital adequacy, which actually brought them the crisis last year. As a result the asset quality of the bank has shown some signs of stabilisation. In absolute terms, the Gross NPAs of the bank have declined marginally, both on a y-o-y basis by 3% and on a sequential basis by 2%, to Rs.9,201 crore. In terms of capital adequacy too the bank is now at a stronger position. Explains Vaibhav Agrawal, VP – Research, Banking, Angel Broking, “Driven by a large net worth capital adequacy of ICICI Bank remained strong at 17.7% (Q2 FY09-10), comprising a substantial Tier-1 component of 13.3%. This puts the bank well for the imminent improvement in credit growth as the GDP outlook continues to improve.”

Moreover, as a part of its strategic change in focus and restructuring, the bank has now largely exited all its businesses outside its core competency including the small-ticket personal loans, which kept on bringing troubles every now and then for the bank. It has also reduced its non-India related exposures in international business. Though the books of the bank still do not reflect the results of such initiatives, analysts like Vaibhav believe that the bank is now well poised to grab the opportunities that would come in its way on account of the recovery. Investors too recognise the fact. As a result the share price of ICICI Bank has rallied from merely Rs.350 at the beginning of the present fiscal to over Rs.900 today.

However, the critical challenge for the bank will continue to win customers’ faith. K. J. Singh, CEO, Evolve Brands avers, “Riding on its campaigns since the beginning of the year, ICICI Bank’s image has certainly come a long way compared to the situation at the end of last year. However, service deliverance and right marketing strategies would help the bank in the long run.” Though the bank’s brand value has recovered by a fair margin as on date, critics say that it still has a long way to go. Apart from ad campaigns, the bank also needs more transparency in its operations, which perhaps has been a key reason for complaints against it in the past. By now, they’ve surely understood how even the smallest of ‘glitches’ can turn out to be an ultra-expensive ‘marketing’ proposition if customers lose faith in them?

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Don't trust the Indian Media!

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IIPM Related Links
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

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

Monday, June 14, 2010

NO CHILD’S PLAY

The success of child insurance plans actually rest on the need to secure one’s child’s future and fulfill their dreams. And this is exactly what Bharti AXA is targeting at as Mathur further adds, “Child Insurance policies are designed to keep money aside for higher education and further requirements of the child until he/she is completely self-sufficient. Hence, through our products, we aim to ensure that the dreams and future of children are safeguarded, even in the case of an unfortunate eventuality befalling the parents.”

However, all these plans can be fruitful for the insurers only when they manage to change the orthodox attitude of the general Indian parents. As a matter of fact in India, parents are not too keen on insurance products for their child’s education. Thus, the insurers (through advertisements/ agents/ advisors) have moved to the basics and talked to them about the financial implications they are likely to face if they don’t save enough for the D-day. The simple point raised by these campaigns (Max, Bajaj, Aviva, HDFC SL, et al) in a way has awaken and reminded them of their responsibility – to ensure their child’s future. And thus it has given a boost to the insurers. Anisha Motwani, Executive VP–Marketing and CMO–New Markets SBU, Max New York Life Insurance discloses, “The Karo Zyaada Ka Iraada campaign has successfully impacted our brand metrics in terms of brand awareness & consideration scores. With the launch of the campaign in Aug’08, Max New York Life witnessed an increase in brand awareness scores from 64% (Aug’08) to 73% (Nov’08).”

A similar line of thought comes from Aviva with their “Education is Insurance” campaign, wherein cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar (brand ambassador of Aviva) says, “Mein bhi ek pita hoon, aur mein yeh samajhta hoon.” The statement by the legend vividly captures the essence of the very idea that when it comes to children even the greatest cricketer is just another concerned parent. And no doubt, the Aviva, which holds 2.5% market share in the life insurance industry, has seen some real benefits accruing from the campaign over last one year. Share of revenue from child plans has grown smartly from a paltry 3% to a respectable 15% during the period.

Talking about Bajaj Allianz’s new campaign on child plans, Head of Marketing of the company Akshay Mehrotra avers, “It targets parents with a simple and honest question, put forth to them by their children, ‘have you planned for my future?’. This direct communication aims in awakening parents to their responsibility to financially plan for their child’s future.” As per the company the campaign emanates from the thought of having a clutter breaking message on the child plans in the crowded life insurance industry. The campaigns directly point out the importance of planning for the future of one’s child. Interestingly, despite the fact that there is already a rush of child plan campaigns, this particular one from Bajaj Allianz have not gone unnoticed. As per the official sources, Bajaj Allianz has received SMS and calls from as many as 7,500 parents who wanted to plan for their child’s future within the first four days of the launch of the new campaign (the campaign was launched on October 25, 2009).

It is true that child plans are not new to the Indian insurance market and also that the plans put forward by the insurers are not very different from each other both in terms of features and deliverables. But then, the way the insurers are marketing the ‘old wine in new bottles’ and creating awareness among the Indian parents is certainly praiseworthy. However, what is more crucial for the insurers is that they have to add depth to their products by these campaigns. Because, if they fail, their brilliant effort in creating the buzz may finally end up landing them no where. After all, even good ads kill brands too. Hope they know this.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here

Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

Thursday, May 27, 2010

New, insane endorsement-economics is blitzing B-town. Does it add up to make sense?! Monojit Lahiri tries to decode this new phenomenon...


Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com

Celeb Advertising & Brand Endorsements have always come with the territory in Adville – especially in the last decade and a half. The Big B, SRK and M. S. Dhoni have (for example) rewritten the rules game to showcase every conceivable FMCG product category, attracting fee-deals that could wake the dead … or finance a couple of five-year plans of newly, independent countries – which ever came first! Revered icons with proven track record, their insane package (swear advertisers) is in direct proportion to their astonishing connect with every section of a celeb-hungry nation and thumping brand-equity they invest in the products they endorse. Fair enough … although TAM surveys and reports continue to indicate that less than 10% of the consumer-base of these ads actually purchase the products these (or any) stars endorse. Despite this, the fever rages on…

If that is difficult to fathom for the sane and logical mind, imagine hearing about new stars nowhere near the power and glory of the older lot, with no great earth-shaking track-record, charisma or mass-appeal (‘theek-theek’ according to a young Bolly-junkie) demanding and scooping up crazy paychecks on the endorsement front. Ranbir Kapoor – with one spectacular dud and one decent hit – is said to be hitting the Rs.4 crore mark! Imran Khan, with one decent hit and two dabbas is reportedly asking Rs.3.5 crore per endorsement. (It’s another matter that no one is playing ball, as yet!) Deepika Padukone – possibly the most successful of the lot – is in the Rs.2 crore bracket with Genelia D’souza, a little behind with Rs.1.5 crore. Interestingly, all of them (except Imran) have tripled their endorsement fees in the last few months and – well – are getting takers! So, who’s lost it, guys – the Advertisers, these new kids or the celeb-hungry bozos dedicating their life and times to B-town moves?

“The Dodo Advertisers who believe that casting a celeb will instantly rock their product’s image and bottom lines!” That’s the iconoclastic Pritish Nandy, forever ready to tilt at windmills. While it is totally true that movie stars and cricketers are perceived as the nation’s most glamorous, popular and favourite role-models, Nandy believes that there are two bigger truths defining the space “both advertiser-driven. One is the desire to do a quick kill in terms of public attention without the appropriate consideration to the brand fit. Two, the hysterical anxiety to be seen with these stars to go up the social ladder among his peer group.” The best advertising (ZooZoo, HDFC, Vodafone) don’t need to pursue this track, says Nandy, and are none the poorer for it. Ogilvy’s resident dude Sumanto Chat comes in next. He believes that it has to do with the huge youth-connect that these star-kids enjoy in a space and categories that cater to youngistan. Then, of course, there is a celeb-struck nation and finally “a leg-up in image for the Advertiser and his company!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

Friday, May 07, 2010

WHEN SCIENCE MEETS POLITICS!

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India

Columnist Shobhaa De feels that Brand Abdul Kalam represents simplicity, humility and wisdom. “As President, he brought a great deal of down-to-earthness at the imposing Rashtrapati Bhavan,” she says, adding that Kalam’s compassion towards the underprivileged sections of society, and for children in particular, touched a billion hearts. The son of a boatman (he sold newspapers to fund his school tuition fees), who finally occupied place of pride as the Indian President (2002 and 2007) – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam continues to command immense brand value in India’s political and social sweepstakes. Hailed by many as India’s Missile Man for his work on the development of ballistic missile and space rocket technology, Kalam also played a major role in the famous Pokhran-II nuclear test of 1998. Whether you bow to his intellectual will that helped India touch the highest frontiers in science and technology or his unambiguous love for children, this brand commands a huge premium...

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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

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

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

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

Friday, April 09, 2010

What an Impact!


IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

so it turns out that Walmart’s ambitious five-year long ‘Project Impact’, to redesign the overly cluttered stores and to create a shopper-friendly environment by reducing the merchandise, has resulted in declining sales of the Bentonville retail major. Reason: Less merchandise on display and losing on to millions of square feet of merchandise space has affected per square feet sales. So what should be the way forward for Walmart? Abandon the project, or continue with it? “Changes generally don’t go too well with consumers. Starbucks’ sales were impacted similarly when it underwent a transformation last year and Starbucks was forced to go back to its original positioning. Cutting down on unwanted merchandise may be impacting sales currently, but in the long run, it will help Walmart to rationalise its SKUs,” avers Beth Higgins of Euromonitor.

Savreen Gadhoke

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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

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

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

Thursday, March 25, 2010

AEGON RELIGARE - AGENCY: MEDIACOM


Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

CHALLENGE: Being the 18th private player to enter the overtly cluttered insurance sector (which not only had similar products & services, but also much the same communication); grabbing TG’s attention toward the brand was the challenge in front of this brand.

SOLUTION: Contrary to the predictable conventional launch, the brand engaged TG by generating curiosty around the brand by a two-pronged strategy: devising communication that fosters interest in the brand and reaching out to him where he is most susceptible and responsive. Eye-catchy acronym ‘KILB’ – “Kam insurance lene ki bimari” created awareness about the need to evaluate the correct amount of insurance cover required. Phrases like ‘Kya aapko KILB hai?” created instant inquisitiveness amongst TG.

TOUCH POINTS: The brand reached out to the TG at relevant touch points – sometimes even by entering his daily routine so that KILB could gain maximum attention. New media was created and used innovatively – screensavers, ‘KILB +ve’ stickers beneath nameplates in offices, seal marks in newspapers, viral CEO mailers, financial portals, et al.

RESULT: Overall, the slickly executed campaign managed to generate over 42,000 leads for the brand agents – almost double the number usually generated by top players in the category who work with nearly 50% higher budgets.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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

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

IIPM Related Links
IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Many would like to forget the tyrannical dictators, but a new AIDS awareness campaign uses them to portray AIDS as a mass murderer.

Sheer shock value makes this one worthwhile says Aditi Prasad

Creative Director at the Hamburg, Germany-based ad agency Das Comitee, Dirk Silz can’t believe that the one campaign, which has managed to win him global recognition may never see the light of the day. But that is precisely what may happen if AIDS associations across Europe have their way. The 45 second video campaign, created by Silz, shows a couple having sex. Towards the end the face of the man becomes that of Adolf Hitler. The closing message: ‘AIDS is a Mass Murderer.’ The campaign also includes radio spots, music videos and posters featuring Saddam Hussein and Josef Stalin. “Until now 28 million people have died of AIDS all over the world. And even today more than 5,000 people succumb daily to the deadly disease. We knew we’ll have to make a hard campaign and so zeroed in on the cruelest mass-murderers in history – Hitler, Stalin, and Saddam Hussein,” Silz told this magazine in an e-mail interview.

Designed to promote World AIDS Day in December and scheduled to run on German TV and movie theaters, the campaign (posted on YouTube till recently when it was pulled off for hurting sentiments) has expectedly set off a storm of protests from organisations representing people with AIDS across Europe. They believe that the ad, commissioned by Regenbogen (an AIDS charity in Germany) seems designed for little more than shock value and is downright offensive to HIV infected people. Even the National AIDS Trust, which coordinates World AIDS Day in Britain, has distanced itself from the commercial believing that it further stigmatises HIV positive patients.

Whether or not the campaign sees the light of the day, the sheer reach of the World Wide Web and particularly YouTube has ensured that both Silz and the campaign have already earned more than their five minutes of fame in the global advertising industry. Affirms Silz, “We thought that the campaign will polarise in Germany because of Hitler. There may be just a local discussion on whether it’s okay to make advertising with Hitler. But interestingly, we’ve got e-mails from England, France, US, Canada, Spain, Venezuela, South Korea... People from 125 counties visited our homepage to view these ads.” If the idea was merely to get everybody talking about AIDS again, this one’s sure achieved it. And Silz certainly has no regrets about giving the face of Hitler, Stalin and Saddam to perhaps the most controversial virus to hit mankind!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

“We will change your outlook” - The Sunday Indian on B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED! A must read...
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
1 lakh copies sold in less than 10 days of Arindam Chaudhuri’s “Discover The Diamond In you”

IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
IIPM B School : King Khan, Bollywood Badshah and Quiz Wiz — that’s Shah Rukh Khan for you

Monday, February 22, 2010

You are under my umbrella!


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


The insurance industry certainly seems to be the cynosure of India Inc. In fact, the industry, which posted a whopping growth to the tune of 45% (life insurance) and 16% (non-life insurance) for FY 2009, is all set to see the entry of new players. Be it Bank of Baroda, Larsen & Tourbo (L&T), Edelweiss or State Bank of India; the renewed interest in the sector certainly signals a positive future for it. While L&T plans to foray into the general insurance business by 2010, Bank of Baroda is expected to commence its life insurance business in the next seven months. Even SBI is expected to start its general insurance business by the end of this fiscal year. Moreover, what is interesting to note is the fact that while there is no clear indication of reforms flowing in from the government, the capital intensive business is attracting the interest of major groups. Perhaps, the low penetration (4% for life insurance and 0.6% for general insurance) and the regulator IRDA’s recent initiative is guiding their decisions. Agrees Debashis Sarkar, Sr. Director & Chief Marketing Officer, Max New York Life Insurance, “The exclusion of mortality and morbidity charges from the cap will ensure that there is no compromise on growth in sales of valuable life cover. This is of critical importance in a country like India where 96% of the households are vulnerable. In addition, the life insurers will not have to resort to cross subsidisation across age groups to meet charge cap. The decision clearly indicates that IRDA wants life insurance to be viewed as a long-term protection product.” This clear cut long term objective from the regulator has further given a boost, not only to the domestic players, but also to the international players. Moreover, despite the current hurdles, it’s certain that the FDI norm will be eased for the sector (sooner or later), a reason why many more are mulling over the insurance business!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You

IIPM - Admission Procedure

IIPM, GURGAON

IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
IIPM B School : King Khan, Bollywood Badshah and Quiz Wiz — that’s Shah Rukh Khan for you

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Airtel has always used strong marketing messages to get to the consumers’ hearts. Surbhi Chawla communicates the true brand within...


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

Raman Roy,
MD, Quatrro, BPO solutions


“Airtel Today, is considered to be synonymous with a force that can bring about a big change in the Indian wireless industry. Today one cannot imagine life without a cellphone, as our entire life seems to be revolving around the same. A mobile phone from a luxury item, has become a utility tool and Airtel has played a very important rolE in bringing about this change. it has also in its own way, played a very important part in our lives. It is very hard to imagine that about 15 years ago, Airtel was not there as a brand or a product. but today, it is difficult to imagine the country without the brand airtel, which stands for being valuable and most innovative. It has a great width and the spread of its network is something that not many can match upto.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
IIPM Best B School – EVENTS
IIPM conceptualized the grand final of Dare ‘10 — the most prestigious of international B-school student quizzes

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Moving beyond the Indian Diaspora

Shah Rukh Khan and his best pal Karan Johar aka KJ have just entered a joint venture with Fox tra Studios to finance and distribute one of their biggest projects so far – ‘My name is Khan’. While Fox Star Studios will distribute the movie in Asia, its subsidiaries, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox, will dole it out in the US and the rest of the world. And if the grapevine is to be believed, the deal, which is pegged to be one of the biggest for an Indian film, is worth about Rs.100-120 crore. This certainly sounds extraordinary, but then, the question is – Is there really a market for an Indian film beyond desi diaspora? And when we say Indian, we mean a film about India, made by an Indian, featuring Indian stars. “After meeting with Karan and Shah Rukh, and hearing their vision for this film, I was deeply affected by this story and I feel that it will touch moviegoers around the world. With Shah Rukh’s global popularity coupled with Karan’s commercial sensibilities, ‘My Name is Khan’ will sure be a global hit,” avers Jim Gianopulos, Chairman, Fox Filmed Entertainment. No doubt, in the last couple of years, brand ‘India’ has become a global phenomena, particularly in the media & entertainment space, be it TV or movies. But then, this is the first time that an Indian movie will be launched globally at such a massive scale and that too beyond the Indian diaspora. So, is King Khan ready for the real test? “Of course he is,” his fans voice together!

Pallavi Srivastava

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM fights meltdown, places 2300 students By Education Mail Bureau
Delhi/ NCR B- Schools get better – Mail Today Survey
Events at IIPM
Detail of all IIPM branches
IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON