IIPM B School: August 2010

Friday, August 27, 2010

IIPM Press - INDIAN YOUTH CLIMATE NETWORK at IIPM Chennai

We at IIPM believe that all work and no play makes an IIPMite a dull affair. So keeping this in our minds we decided to have another fun filled event in the calendar of IIPM Chennai. Yes, this time it was IYCN the rocking and environment conscious group in campus in search of the creative geniuses, smart orators, young entrepreneurs and what not, amongst the students of IIPM.

The theme for the event was “The future of green business”. There were exciting events such as “Slogan Writing”, “T-Shirt painting”, “Green Walk”, “New Product Development” and “Short film making”. As usual students of IIPM, Chennai showed the highest level of participation which got them roaring applause from the event organizers and coordinators.

It was a fitting theme and our students did full justice, not to forget that our Dean Prof. Krishnan himself designed quite a cool and green T-shirt!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

IIPM 4Ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

Sudarshan Mazumdar

Director – Marketing & Communications, Fortis & Escorts Group

Talking about the most memorable marketing moments, I can recall five such instances. The first one was in 1995-96 when at Lintas (Mumbai office), I was in charge of the Hair and Care account of HLL (now HUL). We were supposed to re-launch Clinic All-Clear shampoo. At that time, activity in the anti-dandruff category was extremely low and we had to conduct a nationwide study. Through the successful relaunch, we blocked P&G’s great chances in the Indian market, while helping the category grow in India. It became a case study for Unilever’s global team meet. The second instance was in the case of Lifebuoy. I was the VP at Lintas then. We helped revive a brand that had started stagnating. The third was with the case of Rasna, which happened around 2002-03, when through several launches, we revived the brand. We got everything right and Rasna grew by 50% in terms of topline in just a year! The fourth and the fifth were in the case of Fortis and Escorts. In terms of Escorts, we managed to develop it as a brand. Before, people would come to Escorts because they wanted to get treated only by Dr. Trehan. Now they come because they want to come to Escorts. So we managed to change a personality based brand to a healthcare brand. Lastly, the successful marketing of Fortis’ IPO in 2007, where we even conducted roadshows was quite memorable. The result was that the IPO was over-subscribed. Even the brand campaign that we did to help the Fortis brand grow in 2009 with the punchline “Beyond Medical Excellence” made a huge impact to help grow the Fortis brand.

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

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM enters into media education
IIPM makes record 10,000 placements in five years
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

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

IIPM 4ps Business & Marketing - Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

Ravindra Zutshi

Deputy Managing Director, Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd.

My most important marketing moment has to be the launch of Panel TVs, which took the Indian market by storm. Not forgetting to mention, this category was and is still is very important to our success on the Indian sub-continent, and it only therefore makes sense to become more competitively stronger in this regard. The launch of Panel TVs therefore triggered that, by making us stronger and more competitive in a market where consumerism and incomes are rising by the day.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

L. K. Gupta

CMO, LG Electronics India Ltd.

My defining marketing moment came right at the start of my stint with LG in 2007. For years, the category of electronics and durables had been targeting Diwali sales with a lot of promotions and freebies. In 2007, we decided to move away from “offer-oriented” selling in favour of marketing to consumers based on propositions of quality, customer care & trust. LG decided to do away with discounts and freebies that year. The risk was enormous. We devised a pre-Diwali campaign which boldly proclaimed, “No Discounts... no discount on quality, no discount on customer care, and no discount on Your trust”. We exhorted consumers to be smart by saying that when they buy LG, it is “One Wise Decision. Complete Happiness.” This line went on to be a theme for LG’s advertising for the next two years.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Nutrivita PRESENTS 100 MARKETING BRAINS THAT MOVE AND SHAKE INDIA

Tanya Dubash

Executive Director & President (Marketing), Godrej Industries Ltd.

When we formed the Strategic Marketing Group (SMG), we wanted to promote it as a kind of umbrella organisation that will conceptualise marketing strategies across the group and leverage synergies wherever possible. For that we had to go through a series of brainstorming sessions which led to the new logo, the new catch line – We are getting quicker… We are getting faster – and the whole new focus on the young generation. The challenge was to be youthful and do something for the future that benefits all citizens and this needed to be conveyed to our consumers in a big way. So we needed proper marketing. Moreover, most of our top managers embraced the concept of the SMG wholeheartedly and I think it was the greatest marketing moment as it further integrated our team.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

MOVEMENT FROM MASS MEDIA TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media has become the highlight for marketers using Digital Media. While TV took 13 years to reach 50 million users, it has taken the Internet only 4 years.

Everyone is talking about Digital Marketing these days. Politicians, marketers, actors, brands, agencies, the list can go on. Brands are waking up and wondering how to integrate this new medium in to their marketing plans. Agencies are working out innovative way to engage customers. It’s the hot new topic & everyone is wondering how to get a piece of this pie. So what is Digital Marketing? Wikipedia defines it as ‘the promoting of brands using the Internet, mobile and other interactive channels.’ It encompasses providing any kind of brand solution on the Internet. This could be anything from developing a website, to creating an online banner campaign, search marketing or social media. Brands are increasingly using social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to engage their audiences with their brands. In fact, social media has become the highlight for marketers using Digital Media.

According to Eric Qualman, the author of Socialnomics, social media is not a fad. It is a fundamental way in which we communicate. His book highlights some interesting facts:

- Social Media has overtaken porn as the number one activity on the web.
- Research shows that it had taken TV 13 years to reach 50 million users, whereas it has taken the Internet only four years!
- Facebook added 100 million users in less than nine months.
- If Facebook were a country, it would be the worlds 4th largest.
- 34% of bloggers post opinions about brands and services.
- 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations. Only 14% trust advertisements.

In India as well, Internet usage is no longer niche. Internet penetration has increased from 16 million users in 2004 to 81 million users now. This is a staggering figure. The business of Internet advertising is also growing at a very rapid pace. According to reports by PricewaterhouseCooopers and The Indian Entertainment & Media Outlook 2009, overall global spending on Internet advertising will increase to $87 billion in 2013, growing at a 7.7% compound annual rate from $60 billion in 2008. And Internet advertising will account for 89% of the overall market in 2013. In India, the highest growth in the Entertainment & Media Industry was recorded by Internet advertising, growing by 69.9% over the period 2004-08 and 85.2% from 2007. Internet advertising is projected to reach an estimated Rs.20 billion in 2013 from the Rs.5 billion in 2008. These figures really demonstrate the strength of the industry. This dramatic growth has also led to a shortfall of trained media professionals to keep up with the demand of the industry. There is just not enough talent. Moreover, there are limited, if any, structured programs to get a comprehensive induction and training in Digital Media.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Will India really be Incredible this year?

With three blockbuster events unfolding in 2010, the Indian hospitality & tourism sector is the catchphrase for the world for this year. Marketers have to ensure that they milk this opportunity to unleash fast paced, sustainable growth

Interestingly, this hints that there is a huge scope of online car rentals and airport transfers also. Rajesh Puri, CEO, Meru Cabs agrees, “ We are currently in the process of up scaling our service to 1,200 as this is the year when we can not only utilise our resources to the maximum but also continue it for the long run.” Then there is also an increasing focus on trains, buses, et al. Also, the role of Web 2.0 media (Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin, et al) is being recognised in a big way. Research points out that recreational traveling in India still accounts to almost 58% as compared to business travel, which is just 42%. Thus, there remains a huge opportunity to target a wider base of travellers.

There is yet another field that is turning out to be cash cow – Medical tourism. According to a report by RNCOS, medical tourism is expected to drive revenues to the tune of worth $2.4 billion by 2012, with a growth rate of 27%. “We estimate that a foreign tourist visiting India during CWG will be happily willing to spend around Rs.10,000 to Rs.35,000 on an average for Ayurvedic expertise in various spa and herbal centers,” divulges an employee of a Delhi based ayurvedic facility. Besides this, there are many other small business (including tented accommodation, Home stays, Bed & Breakfast among many) which are mushrooming. Ramesh Ramanathan, MD, Mahindra Holidays and Resorts Ltd. (MHRIL), says, “We want our presence to be recorded in every market segment, especially with a large number of expected tourist influx.”

Peter J. Leitgeb, President & CEO, The Claridges Hotels & Resorts, adds a cautious note, “Although we are starting a new property this year summer but I think one should not over-do or bank too much on a certain year. I mean post the events, a major issue shall be to deal with those extra properties developed during the period as the inflow of tourists will not remain the same.” Add to this the fact that the development also ignores the issues of mammoth eviction and environmental damage linked to the construction. So it is advisable for players to retain healthy balance sheets and do ensure that they are growing their assets in a sustainable manner. That does not mean that they exercise too much of restraint either. It’s the right time to increase their customer base and realign their businesses for fast paced growth. For the opportunity that presents itself in 2010 is too compelling to miss.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

OLD TUNE WITH A NEW THROTTLE

It would be a real challenge to come across an Indian who wasn’t inspired by India’s ‘unofficial’ anthem, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, that was first promoted on Doordarshan in 1988. 22 years on, the same iconic song has been revived with new characters. Does the throttle work? 4Ps B&M gives the inside view

At the same time, it has also to be accepted that it is a sheer delight to see visuals featuring the Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his two sons Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash playing the same raga (in the backdrop of the heritage structure Charminar) or Aamir, Shahrukh and Amitabh Bachchan in the same song. Or consider Ustad Zakir Hussain and his bothers, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Rahul Sharma playing the santoor (with the Qutab Minar in the backdrop), Anoushka Shankar, the ever improving Siva Mani drumming away on water. Set amidst the backdrop of the Taj hotel (the centre of 26/11 episode), Big B’s baritone voice serves the purpose well.

Commenting on the initiative, Kailash Surendranath, the brain behind Phir Mile Sur, tells us, “It has been an incredible journey creating Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, which was a mosaic of so many different personalities from various walks of life and regions in India.” Kailash is now planning to shoot Sachin Tendulkar for a new addition to the advertisement. The locations, the people, the costumes et al have been chosen to relieve the nostalgia. It is indeed true that the present version is heavy on the Bollywood front with 22 of India’s biggest superstars (out of 68 icons who have lent their support to this initiative) and does not have the participation of those many representatives from the field of business, science and technology. “But then, the brand recall and immediate association increases voluminously with the usage of superstars,” says Planman Motion Pictures’ Shubhoshekhar.

Brand Guru’s Uppal adds, “To an extent, the nostalgia related to Mile Sur Mera Tumhara is surely evoked. It gives an opportunity to revive the old memories through Phir Mile Sur.” Uppal goes on to add that lyrics are the positive linkage in the current version. Despite a few shortcomings, what is worth acknowledging is the fact that each artist speaks about a cause, a reason why the new throttle has strong supporters too, one being Marten Pieters, MD and CEO, Vodafone Essar, who tells 4Ps B&M, “Phir Mile Sur captures the true spirit of contemporary India and will hopefully also resonate with new generations.”

And that’s where the answer lies. One has to realise that the generation of today may not be able to recognise the maestros of 80s and early 90s, and that perhaps necessitated the idea to reinvent the best patriotic advertisement till date. In other words, the current version is but a rediscovery for today’s younger demographic against the backdrop of the events which have rocked and shocked the nation (26/11 et al). The present version, to a large extent, reflects the enthusiasm of modern India, with a chutzpah that India of the 21st century can relate to and with a theme whose relevance can never ever be undermined with the passage of time.

Gyanendra Kashyap & Neha Saraiya

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND ROADBLOCK ADS

Roadblock advertising is a clutter breaking, eyeball catching sales idea. But the catch lies in proper execution

T he roadblock for Fastrack that we did in 2009, is yet another innovation from Zoom to rise above the marketing clutter and do something innovative and unique. The Fastrack Roadblock was not a pre-conceived idea that we sold. It was, in fact, a response to Fastrack’s need for a solution that was clutter busting and delivered a huge impact with a sufficient number of eyeballs.

Roadblock was one of the many suggestions that we generated and ultimately executed. Fastrack had six new commercials, which debuted on Zoom on one particular day. All the ads were set up in a very unique video-chat setting.

What we had suggested was a 100% devotion of the channel to provide an engaging platform for viewers. In fact, we took it one step further and created our own promos for Zoom, in the same format as the Fastrack ads. This gave the entire exercise of roadblock, a fabulous seamless feel.

The roadblock as a generic tool is one of the most impact-oriented, clutter busters available. However, if it is not properly executed to wear the skin of the channel, this can result in viewer irritation. As such, we would never propose such an option in isolation and would rather insist that there is a primary resonance between the channel’s DNA and the brand’s imagery. Once these two are successfully balanced, this media innovation called a roadblock, becomes an eyeball grabber that works for the entire brand, the channel and the viewers.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

WHAT’S BUZZING THE BUZZ?!

Be it handycams, mobile phones, laptops or the latest hot wheels, all of them created enough waves in the Indian market in the last fortnight.

METRO 5200

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
• 3 Megapixel Camera with flash
• TFT display with 16M colours
• Bluetooth 2.1 & USB 2.0
• Price: Rs.7,439

GOOGLE IT THE SAMSUNG WAY: After creating waves with its Star and Corby series; Samsung is back with its Metro 5200. This new 10.9mm slim slider is available in dual tone colour which comes with a number of multimedia features such as pre-loaded Google mail and search options, video editor, Bluetooth 2.1 & USB 2.0 for quick and easy file transfers.

Videocon Satellite LCD TV

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
• Single remote for LCD and DTH
• Anti Glare Technology
• 2,00,000 : 1 Mega Contrast Ratio
• Price: Rs.12,990 onwards

DIRECT IS ALWAYS CORRECT?: Videocon has recently launched an LCD TV which is empowered with DTH technology. This television provides hassle free experience of a Satellite TV as it comes with just one remote for both LCD and DTH. The product has a 2,00,000: 1 mega contrast ratio and anti glare technology giving an overwhelming experience to the user.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Can Shera add shine to Brand India?

There are also the bursts of expectations being seen from the herds of middlemen and brokers, who are waiting to seize this galactic opportunity with both hands. This is quite expected (Vijay Malhotra, VP, Indian Olympic Association, calls CWG 2010 a ‘middleman’s delight’). Be it your friendly neighbourhood restaurant-man or the super-flying travel-man, their lot is celebrating already with FICCI predicting residents of the National Capital Region to spend a staggering $2 billion! According to Assocham, the event will create job opportunities for approximately 50,000 skilled professionals, with around 70 new hotels likely to be commissioned over the next three years. Beat this, to outrun the rest, the first two weeks of this year alone saw the emergence of five new recruitment agencies. Large unused or underdeveloped spaces of lands are also being given out to builders in the name of renovations. One key example of such a case is the Rs.700 crore being given out to middlemen for allotment to spruce-up prime areas in Connaught Place like Palika Bazaar. When 4Ps B&M contacted authorities in the Palika Bazar Shopkeepers Welfare Association, they claimed no such monetary allocation has been done yet. One such official is Vinay Kumar, General Secy. of Palika Bazar Shopkeepers Welfare Association who claims that, “We have just got clear instructions to renovate and improve the market, but till date, we have not received any funds from the government.”

But for each non-positive voice, there are ten encouraging comments too. And then there are businessmen who are contemplating to maximise their revenues indirectly, one such being Subhinder Singh Prem, MD of Reebok India Ltd. “We do have big plans with the Commonwealth Games, and we are looking forward to selling merchandise which would highlight the theme of the Games,” announces Prem. Reebok is planning to roll-out merchandise and accessories in a tie-up with the CWG 2010. Reebok is not an exception though, with Nike too eyeing opportunities to flash around Shera, the mascot of CWG 2010 on its products (for the record, Shera was designed by Pralay Kumar Mukherjee, and as per sources, the mascot rights are being sold at an incredible Rs.1 crore). However, the glitch here is that in order to win the contract, both companies will have to shell out huge sums to the organisers!

While there are concerns over the geographical location of the Commonwealth Games village spread over an area of 118 acre, the bigger concern for the moment is the lack of sponsors. Yes, you read that right! As true as it is that this is arguably the biggest event for the National Capital Region after the 1982 Asian Games, it is an inarguably bigger truth that brand India, which the CWG 2010 represents, is falling short of sponsorship cheques despite the main event being just eight months away! As far as numbers go, to date, the CWG 2010 has only four official partners, which include Hero Honda, NTPC, Air-India and Central Bank. What is holding brand India back?

Saturday, August 14, 2010

“There is a need to develop flexible labour laws in India.”

Abdul Majeed, Leader - Automotive Practice, PwC talks about the challenges and the rising input costs

Indian tyre manufacturers have been facing a tight situation for the past many months now. Abdul Majeed, Leader - Automotive Practice, PwC throws some light on the potential of aftermarket sales...

B&E: The tyre manufacturers have been increasing prices for the past couple of months. Does that spell out some positives for them?
AM: Rubber prices play a major role in the manufacturing of a tyre and the price of natural rubber has been on a fluctuating drive over the past 12-18 months. If you look at the sentiment in the market, then the prospects of the tyre industry are robust as many OEMs are firming up plans to make their presence felt in the Indian market. However, the whole automobile market is operating under very tight margins currently and hence makes the hike in the aftermarket a profitable proposition for the tyre manufacturers as the margins in supplying to the OEMs are quite thin. What the tyre manufacturers are looking at whenever there is a significant rise in the input cost, they try to pass it on to the customer and I believe they will continue to do it in times to come as it makes the business sustainable. The bright light in the whole concept is, the more number of vehicles will be on the road, demand will only get high. As the penetration level is low in India, the long-term story for the automobile industry is very bright. It may face some short-term blips like interest rate hikes or input costs rise but the long-term prospects are very bright. Moreover, the purchase of new vehicles can be postponed but one cannot postpone the purchase of tyres in the aftermarket after a point of time. However, for the price of tyres coming down a lot depends on the movment of the rubber prices and coupled with other economic factors, there is no choice other than passing it on to the customers as otherwise they will start bleeding.

B&E: Apart from price hike due to the input costs, there are major labour issues that tyre manufacturers are facing. What is your take on that and can you throw some light on some other challenges in the domestic market?
AM: The labour issues is simply because of the fact that our labour laws are very rigid in nature which is pushing the OEMs to go for the contractual labour. Hence, as the contractual employee is not a part of the regular employees of the company, there is a point of time where the demands of the manufacturers and the labour do not match. As long as we don’t work on our labour laws, it will not help much either the labourers and the manufacturers as well. There is a need to develop flexible labour laws in India that will focus on ways that will benefit both the parties. Apart from the labour issues, the level of competition is certainly going to go up. Moreover, the fact that OEMs will always try to push the price down via the high volumes even in the situation where the normal prices are going up may prove to be a challenge for many of the tyre manufacturers. In fact, getting the right distribution channel may not be an big challenge for many companies but will be a hurdle for many global players as India is diverse and vast in nature.

B&E: The import of tyres in the Indian market from places like China and Thailand has risen up in the past few months. Do you see this as a long-term threat for the Indian players?
AM: That is more of a short-term challenge because of the gap in capacity and demand and this gap is being currently filled through Chinese imports. However, a lot of investments are in the pipeline in the past 12-18 months and the capacity is expected to go up soon. Apart from this, it is very important for the tyre manufacturer to maintain its quality as a lot of innovation is happening in the market but a manufacturer should keep in mind that the quality is intact in this process to ensure success in the market.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Soaring popularity meter

In a recent exercise by Twitter authorities to ascertain personalities with maximum number of followers on the website, Genelia D’souza featured in the top 20, beating several celebrities from various walks of life. Though a curious feat, she is very happy about it and wishes to thank all responsible for it! Considering that Twitter is seen as a popularity barometer these days, our hearty congratulations to Genelia!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

"Intel and Qualcomm are two different competitors!”

Eight years back, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) promised to become ‘the’ Intel-killer. It still does. With a modest market share of 12.1% in the microprocessor space, AMD believes that its Fusion and Vision technologies will work magic in the notebooks & mobility devices platforms and enhance consumer experience radically. B&E’s steven philip warner discusses AMD’s status and strategies with Marty Seyer, Global Chief Strategy Officer, AMD.

B&E: AMD has had a rather modest time during the past few years. But it’s still willing to bet on the “next era” of computing. Could you share something about AMD’s future launches?
Seyer: As the only company in the world that develops and designs both x86 CPUs and discrete Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), AMD will play a critical role in pioneering the next era of computing with the first Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) that combines graphics & computing technologies onto one chip. This new processing approach, which AMD calls Fusion, uniquely capitalises on the company’s strengths, while forging into new technology that is designed for a better, faster, more seamless computing experience. Directly tied into our Fusion approach, looking ahead, AMD has a strong focus on enabling a complete computing experience with stunning graphics, accelerated application performance and video capabilities to fulfil consumer demand

B&E: Late last year, AMD settled a $1.25 billion anti-trust complaint with Intel. What are the benefits from this settlement to AMD and what’s your growth strategy for 2010?
Seyer: The November 2009 legal settlement with Intel paved the way for both companies to look ahead and finally compete on a level-playing field. We enter 2010 with one of the strongest platform & technology roadmaps in our history. AMD’s strategy is to continue delivering exceptional platforms, serving as a one-stop-shop with the essentials for customers across server technology, client platforms & graphics.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

“India is an excellent fit..."

GE India CEO John Flannery affirms that the country is at an early stage of devel opment and GE has a number of solutions for its growth problems in an interaction with virat bahri of B&E

B&E: India's manufacturing capabilities have often been criticised on a general basis and comparisons have been drawn with China. What has your experience been?
JF: I think it is on a case by case basis. There are industries and companies that are more advanced than others. India is on a strong platform in terms of manufacturing capability, some of the service and technology sectors are advanced. We have a very high opinion in this sense of the capability of a company like Triveni. We see a lot of instances like that. It is changing very rapidly. So I think that the notion that China has a manufacturing capability and India does not is getting very stale and very generic. Obviously all those things are also tied up with the infrastructure development. Rail transport, moving materials around, et al are connected with efficiency in production. I think the government is very publicly and aggressively channeling resources into that and I don’t think that there is any debate on whether that needs to be done or the benefits of doing that. So we at GE are very bullish on all that is happening in the country.

B&E: What are your main considerations while looking for a JV partner for local manufacturing?
JF: Our primary strategic objective as a company is to make our business more local and ensure we have the right products at the right prices reaching the right customers. So we look at partnerships in that context – how can they help us either on the product side, manufacturing and supply chain or in distribution. Beyond that, we also look for companies with excellent management and with a business philosophy which is compatible with our approach.

B&E: You talked about the weaknesses in infrastructure in India. Will you be investing in supply chain as well?
JF: Yes. A part of the overarching thing for us is to make the business model work. And that encompasses all aspects of the business. That includes product design, features, cross points… what is going to be a successful product offering in the country and how we do the engineering. We have a lot of engineering resources in India so we have that in place. What we don’t have a lot of is manufacturing. We will be investing not only in supply chain partners but also in our manufacturing capabilities.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Israel: Keep the faith

The tour started on a serious note. In fact, serious is a definite understatement. I would rather call the experience solemn. How else would you describe a place which has been the point of the Crusades for centuries, where all the three People of the Book go to pray within 500 metres of each other, a place whose religious diversity would shroud the entire region’s polity for an eternity? Climbing up the stairs of old city, I took the same path that Jesus Christ had taken en route to the Church of the Holy Sepulchur where he was crucified. Amid the frenzy of the faithful gathered all around, I managed to kneel down and touch the stone on which the Pilate drove the nail in. That touch proved to be fateful, setting the mood of my trip. While quick visits to the Wailing Western Wall, holiest place for Jews, and the Dome of the Rock, holy to both Jews and Muslims, only added to the heavy weather forming within myself, I did not have recourse to a load of feni to take care of the faith overdose. There was the lovely Kosher wine from the Golan Heights but I will come to it later.

I was in Jerusalem, a city where history and faith, civilisation and myth, ethnicity and religion make an incendiary broth.

The city exacts an opinion about it. I found it thoroughly captivating but eerie, maybe the present-day political situation of the region adding to the tension in the air. There is something extreme about this place; it never lets you relax even if it be an endless stroll through the Arab or Jewish quarters.

The next day turned out to be a whole lot different. It involved a visit to a kibbutz, Israel’s equivalent of a commune. Today, socialism has been totally replaced by nationalism and community interplay by private ownership. Well, one could argue if Zionism was a desired conclusion of the community experiment but this isn’t the proper forum. Just a stone’s throw from Kibbutz Ein Gadi, was the Dead Sea, lowest point on earth. The proverbial dunk in the mineral-rich waters proved to be refreshing, while being afloat all the way.