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Bausch & Lomb India eyes greener pasture and rolls out its new ad campaign. But will it succeed in its latest endeavour? Or will it lose out to competition? angshuman paul explores...

‘Eyes speak more than words’ and Bausch & Lomb (B&L) seems to be following this statement quite literally. This is also evident in their latest TVC, ‘Ankhon Ki Antakshari, Khelte Raho.’ Whether playing Antakshari will help B&L in the long run will depend on its consumers, but the million dollar question is, why is B&L suddenly upping its promotional activities. And if you look at the India story, B&L has ably steered its ads as a clinical and eye care company. So why has the company shifted its ad strategy from an informative one to the trendy type we are seeing today? 4Ps B&M analyses the shift in the promotional strategy of Bausch & Lomb Eyecare (I) Pvt. Ltd. and reveals to you, what’s propelling the eye-care company to target a new class of audience.

After completing one and a half decade in India, B&L commanded a whopping 70% market share of the Indian eye care market. Of course, conquering the market where contact lenses per se were considered a luxury fashion accessory, was not easy. But B&L did it through immense marketing resourcefulness and exceptional pluck. They rolled out a slogan coined as ‘Optics India 2000’ and by 2000 the company had in fact made a dent in the traditional glasses and spectacles market. But till 2000, B&L was perceived as a fashion accessory company rather than an eye care company. And this was primarily because of the company’s strong connect with Tom Cruise and Ray Ban. For globally, Ray Ban was under the umbrella of B&L. It was, however, much later in the year 1998 that B&L globally hived off its popular sunglasses venture to deepen its focus on its eye care business.

Globally, B&L wanted to position itself as an eye care company and the same sentiments were reflected in its India strategy also. So post 2000, the company’s ads paid more heed to establish B&L’s clinical eye care side, with a clear emphasis on the comfort side of soft lenses. Such strategy enabled the company to develop an edge and filled the gap delivered by the momentary setback laid by the hiving off of Ray Ban. According to Harish Natarajan, Managing Director, Bausch & Lomb Eyecare (I) Pvt Ltd., “Sunglasses was a big business for us. Without that we needed to focus more on eye care. We created a competitive edge for our soft lenses, which helped us create a strong market.”

Product innovation and promotional activities helped the Indian division of B&L to bounce back and make up for the losses caused after bidding adieu to Ray Ban and soon it conquered the market. But rather than enjoy the fruits of supremacy B&L soon had to contend with competition from Johnson & Johnson, which was slowly and steadily capturing the market with its positioning for the youth. Entry of new players like Fresh Look & Zeiss, which with their wide range of colour lenses were beckoning GenNext, were making a dent in B&L’s market. Their zealous effort was making contact lenses more popular as a fashion accessory, rather than an eye care solution positioning that B&L had. This really disturbed B&L, driving its market share southwards. Sources within B&L also confirmed to 4Ps B&M that at the beginning of 2008, B&L’s market share had declined by 20-30%.

Increasing market share and regaining its lost glory, became crucial for B&L. Work thus began for revamping B&L. Right from its campaigns, to its offices, everything had a facelift. The moment you step inside B&L’s office, a tangible zest can be felt in the air. Slogans like ‘If you don’t take care of your customer, someone else will’ is ubiquitous in the sprawling office. But that is not enough to cajole the consumer and they started a marketing research exercise to find a way to connect with the consumer. “We felt that there was a need to connect with the youth and for that we wanted to come out with new ads. Ads that will show the colourful side of B&L, but without compromising the brand image of the eye care company,” explains Natarajan. So promoting the brand as a fashion accessory was strictly ‘no’ and they rolled out ads to entice the younger generation. This was brilliantly done in the antakshari ad, where a young man tries to lure his girl with ‘Ankhon Ki Antakshari’ and conveys the comfort side of the product. Affirms Anurag Bhalla, Creative Supervisor, FCB Ulka, “The ad conveys the comfort side of the brand, showing that you can put it on a continuous basis, without any hassle. Compared to the earlier ads, the new ad is very trendy, yet never disturbs the image of the company as an eye care company.”

Apart from traditional advertising, B&L is also focusing on below-the-line activities like offering trial packs at a price easy on the pocket (earlier B&L never offered such trials). It’s hard to digest the fact, but such offers are even motivating FCB Ulka’s Anurag to go for contact lenses. But then why wasn’t he using it till now and using glasses (especially when he’s the creator of contact lenses ad)? “I need my glasses only to read, so to that extent I don’t put on glasses regularly. But yes the ads really convey how putting on contact lenses is very comfortable. Even now I am thinking to opt for contact lenses,” replies Anurag. To achieve their vision and to cash in on their earnestly generated goodwill, the ads are trying to woo not only GenNext, but also the glasses users. And soon, there won’t be just one but several Anurags who will be browbeaten (sweetly!) to go the contact lens way.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Making ‘MAX’ sense of connectivity...

The WiMAX technology is expected to revolutionise connectivity as it is known today...

Shyam Kaushal, Director, WIMAX Forum (India)

Analysts say that WiMAX is overhyped. Do you agree?
I think that it is not an overhype. The 3G people are talking about their platform for the last 5 years. They are doing it, because they are afraid that WiMAX will have the first mover advantage. 3G is a communication technology extended to data whereas WiMAX is a data-centric technology. India has a large market; the target of 20 million by 2010 is actually nothing compared to the potential 1.2 billion people. So, I don’t think there is any hype about WiMAX. To be honest, we should be doing more publicity.

On the size of investment needed both globally and in India.
Investment in global telecom sector is about $24 billion. Over the next 2-4 years, about half a billion dollars are expected to be invested in India for WiMAX.

Mission & challenges of the forum in India.
It is to support private companies, the government and the people of India to enjoy the benefits of WiMAX. The emerging technology promises to deliver wireless broadband services to rural and urban areas. The foremost challenge are the spectrum availability, which is under resolution by relevant government authorities and the price sensitivity of Indian market, especially residential.

Is WiMAX a substitute for Wi-Fi? Why is it a disruptive technology?
No, while WiMAX provides the last mile connectivity, Wi-Fi is a technology which operates in an unlicensed standard of 2.4 GHZ. It is meant for a small area. My laptop has got a built-in Wi-Fi chip. The forthcoming new laptops will have WiMAX-enabled chips. So in the future, consumers will buy devices like laptops, PDAs with a plan like that for mobile connections now. With WiMAX, one can use the same laptop everywhere, whether at home or office. That is a great advantage and which is why it is called a ‘disruptive technology’. We will start looking at the way we handle the broadband very differently.

Why is India slow in adapting WiMAX?
This is simply because of a lack of spectrum being released by the Government. Devices are already available, operators and vendors are there in place. Once WiMAX technology is in proper action, the operators will use innovative ideas for profits and consumers will benefit from better services. Therefore, everything is really waiting for the spectrum allocation.

With Telsima Communications, will Tata succeed?
Yes, Tata will be successful in its endeavour. It will not face any hurdles except spectrum availability. Besides this, Tata Communications is very competitive and Telsima is a very competent vendor on its part. Both of them have all the end-to-end solutions in place.

Who will be the biggest player of WiMAX in India?
I think BSNL would be a prominent player. Reliance Communications, Tata Communications, Bharti, Aircel, MTNL will also be important. BSNL has been chosen for rolling out India’s WiMAX network. WiMAX is being deployed in six major cities already. BSNL is deploying ten base stations in the first phase including rural districts in Haryana.

Will the quality of services be a major issue of concern?
The quality of the service and the speed will be assured; this is because WiMAX ensures that only ‘certified’ products are in the market. We have a certification process in a very open manner where you have to send the products through a series of tests like Radio Performance testing and Interoperability testing. We only have open standards and have no IPR (Intellectual Property Right) issues. So, I hope we would meet the quality standards with WiMAX.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Creative Inspire 5.1

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Technical Specification

6 Watts RMS per channel (5 channels), 12 Watts RMS, 40Hz ~ 20kHz frequency response, 75dB signal-to-noise ratio, Bass control on the subwoofer, magnetically shielded satellite speakers
PRICE: Rs.6,599;
WARRANTY: 1 year

Taking advantage of a front centre speaker, Creative Inspire 5.1 provides the best music entertainment experience. When combined with Sound Blaster Audigy or Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 sound cards, the system can realistically simulate 5.1-surround sound with Sound Blaster 4-channel sound cards using Creative’s proprietary CMSS upmix technology. Further, it comes along with a reinforced wood sub-woofer with a built-in amplifier, adjustable bass control, and 5-inch driver that delivers the required power and punch that make your movies, games and music come to life.

Marketers’ delight: For consumers who want a surround sound experience at an affordable price.

Tester’s Note: Pros – Surround sound. Affordable. Cons – Weak bass. Needs extra sound card for full utilisation. Consumes a lot of power.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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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The great Indian hope trick!

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Banks increase their exposure in the Indian realty sector; and the US sub-prime crisis can take a walk...

Realty seems to be the latest crush of the banks which are on a prowl for partners who can fetch them higher returns. The abundant opportunity in the real estate sector and the returns that can be minted off, are what have lured the likes of Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, Lehman Brothers et al, who are busy hitching private equity deals with leading realty sector players like Unitech, BPTP, Lodha Group and Ramprastha Group (see chart above). “The Realty sector is the most lucrative option with ever growing demand for infrastructural developments, especially in the NCR region,” justifies Arvind Walia, Group Director, Ramprastha Group. With the growth numbers being forecasted in the scale of 25-30% on a yearly basis, the realty sector’s reality seems to be illusorily encouraging! Ashish Agarwal, Real Estate Analyst, SSKI could not agree more, “Real estate industry is on a rise driven by the increase in demand of residential housing and official infrastructure.”

One should realise that with even million dollar investments, the foreign banks have managed to grab only a percentage of the total shareholding, vindicating the increased valuation of the domestic realty firms. For example, Deutsche Bank has bought 40% and 25% of Ramprastha and Lodha Group respectively, while Citigroup has supposedly picked up 40% in BPTP. This is not to forget other private equity majors like Merill Lynch, Deshaw, and even Bennett Coleman et al who have always been into the foray of investing into the sector. “Many banks have dedicated property funds, which are invested in such developers,” clarifies analyst Ashish.

And there lies the nail in the queen’s bed! While people like Walia of Ramprastha overzealously claim that banks “have zero risk involved and are going to earn unheard of returns,” warning voices are already being heard from people like Amit Majumdar, Banking Analyst, Angel Broking, who says, “Market volatility, land title disputes, approval clearance and many more are thorns in the paths for these investors.”

Amit Saxena, CEO, Planman Financial is more acerbic, “It is ridiculous for foreign investors to be blind to the clear dangers of domestic real estate firms simply folding up because of rising costs!” And rising costs all over the board, including raw material, labour, cost of capital, and almost all related to the dangerously rising inflation rate.

As on April 15, 2008, the US subprime losses have been forecasted by IMF to almost touch a gut wrenching $1 trillion! That’s equal to India’s GDP itself! If India’s real estate sector crashes any day – and the dangers are always present around the corner – these foreign banks, as one expert put it, “would simply be hanging on to the great Indian hope trick...” Then why don’t these banks take immediate precautions? Amit Saxena patiently explains to us, “If it were as simple as that to make these banks tread a safe path, the US subprime crisis would never have occurred, would it?” Well, would it?

Ratan Lal Bhagat

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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MILIND DEORA - Walking his talk

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MILIND DEORA
Walking his talk

Suave, well-articulated and a management graduate from Boston, he could have been one of the many examples of India’s brain drain. But he chose otherwise. The man in question is 31-year-old Lok Sabha MP Milind Deora. Son of Murli Deora, Milind was one of the youngest MPs to enter parliament at 27. So, is Milind just another face of dynasty politics in India? Rahul Sinha, BJP, State General Secretary, West Bengal seems to agree as he says, “He hasn’t been able to make a mark yet.”

Milind could prove his detractors wrong. Voters agree that he has been tirelessly working towards affordable housing, schools, playgrounds and hospitals. One of his prominent works has been the free computerisation of schools. From Janasampark meetings with constituents, to appearing on TV channels to put forth his views, he has proved he is more than his father’s son. He frequently meets his people at regular intervals and lends a patient hearing to their woes. Follow up responsibility is given to the local Congress municipal corporator. Says Manas Bhuiyan, Congress Legislature Party leader, West Bengal, “He has proved his voters right... As 65% of India’s population is below 35, Milind being of the same age group and representative of them, would definitely play an important and pivotal role.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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SHASHI THAROOR - Master of great prose

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SHASHI THAROOR
Master of great prose

He is the man who has carried the Indian dream of becoming a prominent force at the international level. The one who represented India for the UN Secretary-General post in 2006. Though he was defeated, he did bring some honour to the country as he was the second best choice of the voters. Shashi Tharoor actually represents the Indian dream of emerging as a global super power in world map. His career with the UN dates back to 1978 when he joined the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva. As an author of repute his novels and books portray the picture of an emerging India. In his book ‘The elephant, the tiger, and the cellphone’ he has painted a true picture of the country from its old days to the modern India. His books are his true fame to claim. Some of his finest works include ‘Reasons of State’, ‘The Great Indian Novel’, ‘The Five-Dollar Smile & Other Stories’, & ‘India: From Midnight to the Millennium’. His economic and social philosophies have not only been appreciated and acknowledged worldwide by the elite minds, but have also brought glory to the country too. Undoubtedly, the man will lead from the front to make the next century the Indian century.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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...and the ones who won’t

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I am 16…
Everybody loves to see a fresh young gal making her entry into Bollywood, but there’s a thin line between looking fresh and young, and looking like a pre-pubescent teenybopper. Hansika, needless to say, is the latter. So much so that, after watching Aap Ka Suroor people wanted to sue Himesh Reshammiya for child molestation! It’s not Himesh’s fault though, Hansika would look awkward even against Shahid Kapur. Grow up girl…oh and we almost forgot about the acting….it’s forgettable!


Family’s black sheep
Remember the second daughter of Tanuja and the niece of Nutan? She acted in a stormy movie called Neil ‘n’ Nikki. But if you can’t recall her face then don’t be too harsh on yourself. Only a select few could look beyond her cleavage-revealing tops and two-sizes-too-short skirts. To be in the shadow of a grand actor like Kajol can never be easy. But to make scrambled eggs out of the charisma that your family enjoys in tinseltown is flabbergasting. What’s next, eh? Voice-overs for cartoons?


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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
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Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!
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No Hurd’le in his path

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HP has posted gains again this quarter, leaving Dell chasing behind. Will it retain the lead?

In a scenario where tech investors are scouting for different propositions to safeguard their portfolios from the possible global recession, Hewlett Packard (HP), numero uno in terms of global revenues amongst PC manufacturers, has once again surpassed analyst expectations, with yet another wonderful quarter under the leadership of Mark Hurd. “Robust consumer and mobile PC sales across all regions were the two main drivers of HP’s overall growth. The company experienced the strongest growth among the top five vendors in the fourth quarter of 2007, as its shipments increased 23.3% in the quarter,” said Mikako Kitagawa, Principal Analyst, Gartner. Well, not only did Hurd bail out HP from doldrums back in 2005, he also made sure that HP retained its tag of being the leading computer manufacturer. Initially, in 2006, Michael Dell did pose a strong threat with Dell placed neck to neck with HP in global PC shipments. However, things changed slowly with Hurd’s renewed focus on emerging markets. Consequently, during Q4 2007, 69% of HP’s total revenues came from outside US, thus largely safeguarding the company against recessionary issues. Interestingly, this strategy also helped Hurd to counter the growing prowess of Dell to an extent that while HP’s market share has increased from 15.9% to 18.2% since 2006, Dell has struggled with its market share decreasing from 15.9% to 14.3%. “HP remains well positioned for profitable growth as we continue to focus on our numerous cost initiatives and improve our market coverage,” says Mark Hurd, CEO of HP.Amusingly, even now, Hurd is at a crossroads, confronting several challenges. Having implemented cost cutting and operational improvement measures, there remains little room for further improvements in efficiency. Moreover, after a few dismal quarters, Michael Dell is taking all possible measures to address cost and productivity across Dell’s entire operations, while revamping its strategic outlook by refreshing its product cycles with a renewed focus on cost & design.Dell also made public his intentions to embrace an indirect marketing model. Matthew Wilkins, Principal Analyst, iSuppli agreeingly asserts, “Despite a renewed focus on its PC business, and the return of Michael Dell to the company’s helm, Dell’s channel business is taking time to ramp up and will have an impact on company sales.” Well, with Dell’s new strategy scheduled to gather momentum during 2008, juxtaposed against HP’s focus on the emerging markets, Dell & Hurd will soon be at loggerheads, yet again. And yes, with these two spending sleepless nights, there are two others who will have a sound sleep – the investors and the consumers!

Edit bureau: Devdeep Singh

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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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The retail revolutionary

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Despite the setbacks in 2007, Reliance Retail has drafted new plans to open specialty stores in 2008

Much has been talked about Reliance Retail’s elephantine project and its aggressive expansion plans. But what most of us are unaware of is the fact that the Reliance strategists are set to create new and different kinds of splashes in the Indian retail market. Spearheading this movement is an astute thinker-performer, who is charting out a new road map for the group. Yes, after being browbeaten by political parties, and restricted by traders and shopkeepers who came out on the streets to oppose Reliance Fresh outlets in 2007, Reliance Retail’s President, Raghu Pillai, has decided to think afresh in 2008. He’s deft and determined, and in an exclusive conversation with B&E, this leader revealed his new mantras.

It was an early morning appointment on an exceptionally wintry day, but Pillai was dot on time. Punctuality may well be his middle name, because that set the tone of the interview. “I had to rush for this interview and I didn’t manage to have breakfast,” he confessed as he readied himself for a bite, and B&E’s questions. The first question that came to our mind was the obvious one: is Reliance Retail prepared for future challenges?

“Oh yes, and it’s not only our claims. Our statistical growth figure proves so. In spite of the baseless allegations against us, in a time span of just 13 months, we are present in 13 states and in 11 formats,” came the pat reply from Pillai. He believes that in the long run, no one can stop the Reliance retail juggernaut.

Bucked up with such confidence, he is testing the water for newer options. Since the most successful mantra for retail lies in creating a house brand, Reliance is trying the same. Affirms Pillai, “We will venture into new formats and, in the coming year, we will focus on creating our own brands as the margins are always high in one’s own brands. But, at the same time, we are also open to the option of having exclusive tie-ups with other brands.” So, what exactly is this grand Reliance Retail blueprint?

After having kickstarted Reliance Trend, which deals exclusively with garments, the company will get into four new segments. It will have specific and special stores that will either sell health and pharma products, jewellery, auto components and accessories, and home-related products and services. Without getting into too many details, Pillai claims that all these specialty stores will be up and running by 2009 or the beginning of 2010. Reliance Retail will manage 580 stores of all kinds, and will present in all Indian states. The only doubt, say industry sources, could be in the case of Uttar Pradesh, where Chief Minister Mayawati has decided to stop the expansion of organised retail.

But then, all the retail players seem to eyeing exclusive tie-ups. And even giants from other sectors wish to enter the retail arena. And who knows how the protests against organised retail will pan out in the future? Tell Pillai all these, and his response is immediate. “There’s room for everyone to grow. When it comes to the protests from the kirana stores, I can’t recall any small shop shutting because we are operating in a particular state. However, now we are also focusing on collaborations with people involved in the supply chain, like farmers. This time, our rural initiatives are more full-fledged as we are testing the water to uplift the social status of the villages where we will be operating.”

Clearly, Pillai is experimenting with ITC’s e-Choupal-like model. But the shrewd Pillai will strategically avoid those villages, where the tobacco major has expanded its arms. Obviously, Reliance doesn’t want to ruffle too many weathers, especially the corporate ones.

In addition, before the Bentonville beast Wal-Mart, comes to India, Reliance Retail hopes to spread it wings in every nook and corner of the country. However, Pillai denies that his company is worried about Wal-Mart. Reliance’s plans, he says are a part of its growth strategy. In fact, Pillai doesn’t wish to follow Wal-Mart’s economical-pricing model. “We don’t want to become the Wal-Mart of India, and we have never made such punch lines on pricing. We believe in giving the best quality at the lowest possible price. At the same time, our products should match with the tastes of the consumers. In retail, two things are necessary – understanding consumer behaviour and having a strong supply chain. Success depends on these two parameters as the space-layout problem is a macro problem, which has to be faced by all players,” elaborates Pillai.

In fact, Pillai is optimistic about his team. He believes that in a venture like retail, one needs to have a sturdy and experienced team as a lot of collective decision-making is required. “You can’t be autocratic in a business like ours, and we might start our day a bit late, but we work six days and we know what our responsibilities are. As a leader, the focus should not be on how many hours people spend in office. Rather, it should be to help people take up responsibilities,” explains Pillai. A true leader cannot be created by digesting management theories, and Pillai’s philosophy is that a leader is born through circumstances and that there’s no definition of an ideal leader. So when asked about his ideal leader, he refused to comment: “In our organisation, we are motivated to take risks, whether we are a leader or not. We are buyers for execution and no post mortem is done. So, in Reliance, there is always some sort of projects happening.”

In spite of activities in the Mumbai head office, Pillai knows how to find time for personal life. This workaholic leader does take time out to devote time for his family. “My family is in Chennai, and I manage to meet them on week-ends. I am happy with my work, and this happiness helps me to manage things earlier. I start my day with swimming, and I often mange time to go for holidays or adventure,” comments Pillai.

The opposition to organised retail is not deterring the expansive plans of Reliance Retail. It’s into a nascent mode, but is brimming with potential and hopes to back in action soon. “We have got our plan and we are making sure we offer different and value added services to consumers. We will develop the country’s best supply chain,” promises Pillai. It seems to be a noble cause that can also reap rich benefits for the company. As we bid him goodbye, he said that Reliance’s efforts will result to a radical change in retail and it will emerge as the country’s largest retail organisation. “The concept of marketing is going to change in India as lots of revolutions will happen. As the country’s socio-economic status improves, there’ll be new changes in India. What is good for consumerism is something that no one can stop,” predicts Pillai.

B&E edit bureau: Angshuman Paul

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION
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Lowly Asians...

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Discriminated everywhere

Discrimination never leaves Asian (especially South Asian) alone, be it inside the boundaries of their motherland or outside. According to a recent report, many Asian-American voters faced discrimination from voting officials during 2006 mid-term elections in the United States.

The report alleges that poll officers were hostile towards Asian-American voters, particularly those not fluent in English. Moreover, 83% of voters who were asked to show identification, for authentication, which was not required. The Asian-American communities are primarily immigrants (670,000 persons) and covered under the provisions of the Voting Rights Act. With America having more than 10 million Asian-Americans which accounts for 3.6% of its population, this type of discrimination will create a serious threat to voting patterns. These discriminations are just not confined to the US but can be even experienced in other developed countries like the UK and Canada.

Asian migrants who came to the US in search for better lifestyle and jobs may soon neglect these election and other political participations, if such biased treatment and persecution is practiced.And you call yourself democracy.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Kyunki... it runs in the blood!

IIPM : EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

When Jeetender jump-started a one-of-a-kind family saga...

In the biggest Bollywood blockbuster of the year, Om Shanti Om, King Khan played a junior artiste who was able to fulfil his dream of being a superstar in his next life when he was reborn in a filmstar’s home. Consider a more realistic version now, the life of one of India’s biggest superstars Mr. Ravi Kapoor, aka Jeetendra aka Jeetender. He started off as a junior artiste and devoid of any support from the big shots in the industry, he struggled for years and ultimately managed to get the world at his feet, all in the same lifetime. His two children have done him proud too, for while Ekta sits pretty as the ‘K’ween of the telly, Tusshar’s carving his very own position in Bollywood too.

Jeetender started his career in the 1950s when V. Shantaram gave him a chance as Sandhya’s double in Navrang. Intuitively judging his true calibre, Shantaram gave him his first big break in the film, Geet Gayaan Patthron Ne, in 1964, but it was with Farz that he really came into the limelight and cu-cuckooed into the hearts of his fans. Flaunting some truly fly dancing moves in Mast Baharon Ka Main Aashique, Dhal Gaya Din and Kitna Pyara Vaada, he soon earned the appellation of the Jumping Jack. While the audiences were going gaga over his dance, his trademark white tee-trouser and shoes made him the new style icon.

Stardom brought with it name, fame and many gorgeous dames. He moved out of the chawl to a posh house in south Mumbai’s Colaba area. But all of this did not change Jeetender’s love for his childhood companion, Shobha. He promised to marry Shobha if Bidaai, a film which came to him literally as a life saviour, did well. On October 31, 1974 Jeetendra and Shobha tied the knot and Bidaai went on to celebrate its golden jubilee. This was just the beginning of a long journey of about 200 films. Jeetendra had all that it took to become the No.1 hero; his films consistently achieved commercial success and he became one of the most bankable actors though that didn’t help him impress the critics much.


He always played characters that held on tightly to their middle class values and were hence mighty close to his heart. He also experimented with some serious cinema and acted in movies like Gulzar’s Parichay, Khushboo and Kinara, where he sported a bespectacled look. While these films won him many accolades and much respect in the industry, he chose to work mostly in more commercially viable films like Judaai, Asha, Pyaasa Sawan, Maang Bharo Sajna and Ek Hi Bhool. This was followed by Deedar-e-yaar, his home production co-starring Tina Munim and Rishi Kapoor, which sadly turned out to be a complete setback for Jeetendra.

But like they say, no one can keep a good man down for long. At this juncture, he signed many films with Chennai-based filmmaker T. Rama Rao, that paired him up with Rekha and eventually all of them turned out to be big boxoffice draws. This made him an instant hit with the masses and marked the ultimate high point in his career. But with his astounding success came a lot of criticism too for taking up films like Himmatwala, Mawaali and Tohfa, where he was paired with Sridevi.

Looking back, Jeetendra says he has worked hard to be where he is today. He didn’t have a film background nor did he have a godfather in the industry. He had to go through a lot to feed his family. “It was sheer hard work, passion and the zing-thing called luck, which helps you achieve something in life. But then when I look at today’s youngsters, who are much more passionate and focussed, I feel I haven’t done anything in life.” His daughter, Ekta Kapoor, who along with mum Shobha is running the shots at Balaji Telefilms – which revolutionised the Indian TV industry – and son Tusshar Kapoor, who won acclaim for his performances in films like Khakee and Shootout at Lokhandwala – where he played the role of the real-life gangster Dilip Buwa – have most definitely given their father reasons to feel proud.

But then is it any different for a star son or daughter? “No, not at all, contrary to popular belief, things have not been very easy for these star kids,” says Jeetendra. “Being from a film background doesn’t really help one in making it big in the industry.” He questions, “Can I put creative inputs for Ekta? Can I make Tusshar dance like me? It’s ultimately your talent and your own hard work which helps you succeed in life. Being a celebrity son or daughter sets certain parameters and these expectations make it very difficult for the kids. It burns my heart to see my child work so hard. We started off from a chawl with very little money but my children got all the pleasures of life. In spite of a lavish life, Ekta has struggled and lived a very hard life. She had operated from the garage in our house for more than six years. And you must understand that she didn’t have to do all this... They could have chosen to live a comfy life.”

Tusshar agrees, “Family legacy surely makes getting an entry into the film industry easy but after that you are on your own. Eventually you are judged on your own merits and what comes your way is based on your own credentials. It cannot make your movie do well. Ranbir was a star son and gave a great performance in his debut film but then did that make his film do well?” He also feels that media is kinder to underdogs and is comparatively harsher to star kids. “Thankfully, I was never really compared to my father, probably because I have a different personality and have played roles very different from what he has played in the past. Could be also because audience never really had any expectations from me. I think the audiences are very clear of what Tusshar Kapoor is all about,” he sums up. And that probably makes his life easier and free of the towering shadow of the ‘great’ within the family.

Piercing through the silhouette of their predecessor’s success, this new generation of the Kapoors have surely taken that one extra step to raise the bar really high for their future generations and this is what makes them very special in their own rights. On being asked if this is another Kapoor dynasty in the making, Jeetender is prompt to answer, “Oh they are a huge dynasty and as far as we are concerned, only time can tell.” True, it is difficult to predict what the future holds but for now, this family epitomises success and believes that legacy is not all about what one is born with but what one makes of its blessings.

B&E edit bureau: Prasidha Menon

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Frustrated king frustrates Chavez

IIPM’s 36th Glorious Year of Academic Excellence

The king should have shown restraint in dealing with a head of state

The kings & queens across the EU were once considered to be endowed with divine powers. Centuries have gone by since the “divinity” was taken off the European kings. Was the Spanish King, Juan Carlos, too nostalgic at Ibero-American Summit, not to realise his own limits? When Venezuelan President Chavez interrupted Spanish premier Zapatero & called former Spanish premier Jose Maria Aznar a “fascist”, the king lost his temper retorted, “Why don’t you shut up?”

The king’s breach of diplomatic protocol has stirred up a Hornet’s Nest as many European leaders & intellectuals tried to turn the blame on Chavez. For them, Chavez is the one who creates problems at every international summit because of his outburst against the Westerners. “It is now widely assumed that, when President Chavez appears at international summits, there will be some high profile dispute. The only thing unusual about the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago is that it involved the Spanish king, who is normally above politics. The king’s comments were well received in Spain.” Victor Bulmer-Thomas, Associate Fellow at Chatham House, told B&E. “Chavez is certain to pursue his claim that the Spanish king was aware of the coup against him & supported his overthrow. This will not help the bi-lateral relationship either,” Victor added. King Carlos left the summit venue when Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega also joined Chavez to hit out at privatisation and Spanish business sector. Would this incident affect the relationship between Spain and Latin America? We will have to wait and see.

B&e edit bureau: John Stanly

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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An investor friendly approach!

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An investor friendly approach!

It’s the ease in legalities which facilitates investments in the state
Nilesh Shukla, Dy. Director of Information, Office of the Resident Commissioner, Government of Gujarat

"Gujarat, the land of businessmen doesn’t need any introduction. It’s said that if you want to make money, go and learn it from Gujaratis. But then, apart from that what is it that makes it a favourite destination among those seeking a fortune..."

Ratan Tata once said that only a fool will not invest in Gujarat. To some extent he was right. Today, Gujarat is well known as an ‘Investors Destination’, not only in the country but also in the world. Even the Chief Minister of State, Mr. Narendra Modi holds similar views as he fondly exclaims, “If you want to make money, come to Gujarat and if you want to waste it, you can go anywhere else.”

So, what is it that makes Gujarat a popular destination among investors? After all why this state attracts industrialists more than anyone else does? Well! There is more than one reason for it. But, before giving any of them, I would like to share two simple facts here.

Firstly, anywhere in India, when children grow up, their parents teach them alphabets but in Gujarat they teach them arithmetic which proves that Gujaratis are business minded people and entrepreneurship is in their blood. Secondly, it is the ease in government legalities which facilitates investments in the state. For this I would like to share an interesting instance. Just few months back, one industrialist who wished to establish a venture in Gujarat made a provision of Rs.5 to 6 crores to get clearance for his files and documents from the government. But his experience was totally different. Not a single penny was spent by him for it and he got all the clearance in time. He wondered, “Is it possible anywhere else across the country?” This young industrialist from northern India was extremely impressed by the government’s positive approach.

Thus, the primary reason for Gujarat becoming the hub for corporate investments is its liberalised thinking and adopting ‘single window procedure’. This helps it in reducing the barriers of trade and simultaneously increasing business in the state.

Gujarat leads the nation in special economic zones (SEZs), chemicals & petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles & apparels, power, ports et al. During the last ‘Investors’ Summit’ a total of 363 MoUs were signed amounting to Rs.4.61 lakh crores. Another plan which is attracting exorbitant investments by big corporate is the flourishing SEZs in Gujarat. The government has approved total of 51 SEZs till now and many more are in the pipeline. You’ll be surprised to know that Gujarat is the only state in the country which has privatised its ports. In fact, it’s one state that has done phenomenally well in all spheres. Even in agriculture and tourism sectors the state is not far behind. The annual income from agricultural sector has increased from just Rs.34 billion to a whopping Rs.90 billion over the years. Moreover, the government is planning to cover around 18,000 villages with broadband connectivity in the near future which will help farmers and traders to market their products directly through e-business. However, it’s just not investments that seem flowing into the state. Even tourists find it hard to stay away from it. It’s the rich culture and scenic beauty that makes Gujarat a hard-to-resist place on their travel map. In fact, after organising the Kutch festival the flow of foreign tourists has increased considerably, making Gujarat a hot spot for tourists from all over the world.

So as its glorious past, the future too seems golden for the state. Thus there is no doubt that Gujarat is one of the favourite destinations for investors because of forward looking government policies and the well developed infrastructure in place. Surely with this high, the investments are expected to be double in the coming years.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

Read these article :-
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B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
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The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
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Anisha Sarin (31), Rediffusion DY&R.

IIPM Ranked No. 1 B-School In Global Exposre - Zee...

In a country like India, it is very difficult for anyone, especially a woman, to reach the pinnacle of success without a formal education. But if a person wants, s/he can even move mountains. At a tender age of 18, after dropping out of college, Anisha was ready to take on the big bad world and prove her mettle. But instead of a bagful of certificates and diplomas, she only had her creative abilities to show for herself. After struggling it out in a number of small agencies, she got her first big break when she joined Grey. After a three and a half year stint with the agency, she moved on to FCB Ulka, where she worked for over two years. But the highest moment in her career came when she joined Rediffusion three months back. “This year at Rediffusion has been the most defining moment in terms of opportunities, like-minded people and a lot of big pitches,” she says. And today she is the proud recipient of the Silver Pencil at the One Show in New York for her work for Premsons Bazaar. She has also worked on campaigns for Taj Hotels, Crosswords and Economic Times. But she believes that her best is yet to come and is confident that it will be pretty soon. She is now eagerly awaiting her Himalaya Mineral Water ad, which she is currently working on. A true and sincere craftswoman, she is pretty open even while praising the competition. Totally impressed by the Sony Bravia campaign done by rival agency JWT, she candidly admits that she wishes that the ad was, in fact, done by her.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

Read these article :-
ZEE BUSINESS BEST B SCHOOL SURVEY
B-schooled in India, Placed Abroad (Print Version)
IIPM in Financial times (Print Version)
IIPM makes business education truly global (Print Version)
The Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)
IIPM Campus

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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