Alliance University signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Dundee, Scotland, UK to promote international excellence in higher education. The two universities agreed to cooperate in the areas of faculty exchange, student exchange, joint research and other academic aspects. The academic programs for cooperation as envisaged in the MoA include Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degree courses in the areas of Business Management and Engineering.
The recently published annual B-School rankings study by CNBC-TV18—'India's Best B-Schools 2012'—ranked Alliance University School of Business as follows:
It's a matter of pride to note that Alliance University School of Business is ranked among the top 3 business schools in South India.
| Editorial Team: | |
|---|---|
| Managing Editor: | Dr. Anubha Singh |
| Editor: | Dr. Sudarshan Seshanna |
| Sub Committee | |
| Chairperson: | Dr. Abhijit M. Nair |
| Members | Dr. Thomson Rajan Kolath Representatives of all departments |
| Executive Secretary: | Mrs. Surekha Shetty |
| Student Representative: | Ms. Taniya Khurana |
| Design: | Mr. Madhwacharya |
| Photo: | Mr. Balaji G. M. |
| Email: | insights@alliance.edu.in |
1. What are the top-of-the-mind concerns of marketers who engage deeply with consumers in emerging markets?
There are three key concerns of marketers who engage deeply with consumers in emerging markets. First, emerging markets are highly diversified, fragmented and local. It is, therefore, difficult to generalize who the consumer is. Hence, marketers who are used to rolling out standardized marketing plans with respect to product, promotion and price are likely to fail. Second, in emerging markets, competition is also local. Furthermore, it is usually from the unorganized sector and is very cost competitive. Therefore, the organized branded manufacturer must learn how to be a low cost marketer with better quality to successfully compete with local, unbranded products. Finally, the key issue in an emerging market is inadequate infrastructure and access to market. Often, the existing distribution systems are controlled by incumbents and are not capable of warehousing and merchandising branded products. Therefore, it is often necessary to develop your own distribution and logistics as well as agents. This has been successfully done by mobile phone operators all over the world, including India. By the way, this has been the key strength of many Indian public sector enterprises including LIC, BSNL, India Post and Indian Railways, since they are mandated to serve rural India.
2. Emerging-market economic growth indices relentlessly outpace that of advanced economies and thus receive the undivided attention of scholars, entrepreneurs and global corporations alike. Does robust economic growth translate into optimistic marketing potential? What strategic opportunities do you see exist for global corporations in emerging markets?
The future of global corporations lies with emerging markets whether you are a consumer packaged goods (CPG) company such as Coca-Cola or Unilever; or whether you are a telecom handset maker such as Samsung, Nokia or HTC; or a telecom operator such as Vodafone. In fact, Roberto Goizueta, the late Chairman of Coca-Cola Company, when asked on how Coca-Cola can deliver revenue growth with aging populations in his key markets such as Japan and Europe, his answer was simple:If Coca-Cola can increase consumption in China alone from three bottles per capita per year to 100 bottles per capita per year,
he can deliver as good or better growth in the present century than what it did in the last century. This has led Coca-Cola to invest US$6 billion in China and US$4 billion in India respectively in bottling plants.
This future of global enterprises in emerging markets is the same as in other industries such as consumer electronics, power generation, aerospace and even in commodities such as steel, copper and aluminum as also for agriculture commodities such as wheat, rice and corn.
3. Do consumers in emerging markets behave differently from those in advanced economies? How well have business firms in emerging markets understood the nature of consumers and crafted solutions in response to changes: both incrementally and radically over time?
Consumers in emerging markets have the same basic needs and aspirations as others. However, what they lack are income, access and know how. Therefore, what is needed is to make the products and services more affordable and accessible. Also, it is crucial to educate them especially in rural India on how to use modern branded products within their context. For example, how can they use products with interrupted supply of electricity or the lack of running water.
Business firms in emerging markets have started to learn about this. For example, CPG companies have made shampoo more affordable by offering it in single use sachets. Today, they have the largest market in Mexico and are more profitable. Similarly, when Coca-Cola introduced a smaller bottle priced at Rs.5 in India, its sales improved dramatically. Finally, Avon Products developed and invested in its own distribution by organizing one million agents in Brazil, including in the remote villages on the Amazon River. Brazil is now Avon's biggest and more profitable market.
4. What tools of differentiation do marketers use to connect and communicate in creative and engaging ways with consumers in emerging markets?The traditional tools of research and promotion have to change to accommodate illiteracy
and dialect based languages. With the universal reach of mobile phones and especially smart phones, marketers are using them as "listening posts". For example, there is an app on Blackberry that enables all the people in the network to take pictures anywhere they are and gather information about market behavior, and send to all at once. This grassroots approach to observing and sharing market intelligence provides more grounded insights than the traditional consumer insights through data analytics.
Similarly, marketers are using both mobile technology as well as event based marketing to accommodate the lack of mass media in rural markets. They are also engaging corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to bond with their customers.
5. Well over three billion people inhabit emerging markets, which makes this the largest single agglomeration of consumers. How do marketers arouse and propel consumers to participate in the marketing process? Are there universal drivers of consumer cognition that find widespread applicability in the context of emerging markets that help marketers to listen to and understand consumers in superior ways?
You are right about the size of emerging markets, which are now aspiring to become brand conscious middle class consumers. It is estimated that the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) consumers who are defined as those who earn less than US$ 2 as income daily (US$700 per year) constitute a US$4 trillion market segment; the largest of any other demographic segment!
The universal drivers are the same: make your product more acceptable, affordable and accessible than competition. I have just published a book with my colleague Raj Sisodia, titled The 4 A's of Marketing (Routledge, 2011), articulating on this concept cased out on more than 600 research projects and case studies, which were carried out by our MBA and Executive MBA students.
6. How successful have marketers been in identifying and responding to the needs of consumers in emerging markets, particularly as these needs may be poorly articulated, or alternatively, not articulated at all?
Marketers are becoming better at understanding emerging markets for two reasons. First, emerging markets are no longer peripheral to their companies
They are becoming mainstream and core to their future. Second, the colonial mindset about emerging markets is giving way to a reverse innovation mindset. For example, General Electric decided that in order to globally compete against multinationals from emerging markets, they need to learn about how they innovate affordable and accessible medical instruments. This has led to R&D, innovation and new product development in China and India with the expectation that there will be global markets for them in other emerging economies such as Africa as well as the neglected markets in the U.S.
Successful marketers are now engaging in emerging market immersion by their leaders as part of their leadership development. Also, they are promoting managers from emerging markets to become global leaders. This seems more prevalent among managers of Indian origin who have studied abroad and thereafter pursued professional careers in global corporations based in U.S., Europe, Japan and other foreign markets.
7. What are typical consumer characteristics in emerging markets? What are the key lessons that global corporations can learn and implement to serve consumers better?
There are three typical consumer characteristics in emerging markets. First, these consumers are aspirational and seek to usher in the modern age by forming typical middle class households. They are, therefore, first time buyers of branded packaged products and services. Second, emerging market consumers are excellent savers, since there is no guarantee of the
future. Third, they are very value conscious. Since these consumers have limited resources, they want to ensure that they get value for their money. This is often a problem for global companies who are in the premium segment and are unable or unwilling to offer products at more affordable prices. Finally, there is strong word of mouth communication among emerging market consumers especially in smaller towns and villages.
There are also opinion leaders in those communities. It is, therefore, important for the marketers to be aware and sensitive to them.
8. What are the critical success factors for marketers in emerging markets? Why do marketers fail and what lessons can be learned from the most celebrated of failures in emerging markets?
The key success factors for marketers in emerging markets are cultural sensitivity and perseverance. Most failures can be attributed to these two factors. Often, the company's brand name, logo, slogan or its promotion encounters issues of cultural sensitivity with respect to faith, gender or ethnicity resulting in market failures.
Similarly, emerging markets require perseverance. It takes time to establish yourself and begin to get a return on your investment. It also requires long term commitment. In addition, political uncertainty creates great anxiety as it is seen happening with Arab nations in the Middle East. Many companies exit too soon and often regret it later.
9. How do marketers unleash the power of differentiation and value creation in emerging markets? What are the key tools of differentiation for marketers and how effective are these strategies in ensuring the distinctness of market offerings?
The key tools of differentiation and value creation can be summarized in one phrase: "think local, act local", especially in large diverse countries such as India, China, Brazil and Indonesia. You cannot go national in these markets. You must start regionally or locally. You must understand local brands and local distribution. You can then differentiate not as much in the factory as in the market.
10. How is value creation defined in emerging markets? How can a marketer measure value creation?
Value creation is the same everywhere. Does the consumer or customer get more benefit than what is paid for: the greater the ratio, the better the value.
In emerging markets, this does not happen with better performance but with better affordability. Therefore, value creation for emerging markets is making and marketing acceptable quality products but at affordable prices.
11. While simple and frugal innovations that offer tailor-made, socio-economic solutions to consumers have often proved to be successful in emerging markets, do marketers then need to redefine marketing innovation and its success in these markets?
Market innovations are already redefined in at least four ways. The first is reverse innovation as I mentioned earlier. The second is frugal innovation and the third, improvisation. In other words, it is an iterative process and similar to that of software development. You offer first generation innovations and improve on them constantly based on market experiences and feedback. Finally, the biggest issue facing emerging market development is sustainability. Therefore, the fourth area of innovation has to do with mindful production and consumption.
12. What are some of the exemplary marketing innovations that have endured in emerging markets, which are worthy of praise and emulation in other marketing contexts?
There are several exemplary innovations that have endured in emerging markets. The first one is Inca Cola, a soft drink in Latin America which survived competition from Coca-Cola. It became a cult brand. A second example is LIC and its offerings for life insurance in India. It has endured for more than fifty years. The third example is that of the telephone kiosks in India offered by the Department of Telecom (DOT) to franchisees in remote parts of India that have greatly enhanced connectivity in the hinterland areas. The key lessons are the same as stated before. Make products more acceptable, affordable and accessible. Of course, there are several well known jingles and advertising campaigns which have been successful in emerging markets over time.
Sales and the salesperson may by definition and as per the pecking order in an organization be the underdog of the marketing function. But take a closer look and you might discover that in the changing dynamics between buyers and sellers, the relationship between marketing and sales has changed and it is now one of equals.
Marketing is incredibly important. But if marketing goes wrong, it is often times sales that has to come to its rescue. In product marketing, marketers are all too familiar with situations where the grandest of marketing strategies come to naught and the products do not reach the target segment of consumer. While marketing managers can at best debate the next big marketing opportunity and come up with ideas that work in the medium or long term, it is the humble salesperson who takes the bull by the horns and through some brilliant moves, salvages what might include "offloading" products in new territories or to new customers at an "attractive price". In situations such as these, it is sales that wins the day for the marketer!
When it comes to consumer insights, who else knows the consumers as intimately as the salesperson—who thinks, talks and breathes "consumer". The most sophisticated of market research techniques are found to be somewhat deficient in capturing real-world insights of consumer
perceptions and needs—a process that the salesperson cancan initiate through mere intuition.
Who else can establish deep bonds and enduring relationships with the customer other than the salesperson? While brand campaigns and mass media advertising connect and communicate with consumers, these do so at an arm's length and do not bond with the customer or even win trust and commitment to the same level of engagement as the salesperson.
Is there a problem customer who can spread negative publicity and potentially cause serious harm to the company's reputation? Count on your best salesman to negotiate the company out of complex situations and win difficult customers over. It may be astonishing but true that many a time, the public relations and client management expertise of the salesperson can surpass even that of the CEO!
Advertising may reach larger audiences, but could also be a high spend and high risk adventure. Sales are slower but more sure and measurable in the long run. However, companies that cultivate an excessive marketing bias and take decisions not based on a reality check with sales tend to commit costly mistakes. For example, the most sophisticated of market research techniques failed to appreciate true consumer perceptions and attitudes towards the mighty and invincible, Coca-Cola. A formula change based only on research and indifferent to the opinion of the salesperson resulted in a disaster for the brand. Similarly, multinational companies with an ethnocentric orientation paid a price for not designing products with features which were blindingly obvious as essential for Indian conditions: refrigerators needed
door locks to prevent theft; cars had to come with higher ground clearance; and audio systems had to be louder! Sales, is the sine qua non of marketing. It always had to be so. Sales management is today being increasingly viewed as mission critical for the success of the business venture.
As an economy grows and competition intensifies, differentiation opportunities based on product, price or advertising strategies narrow. Therefore, effective personal selling becomes key to survival.
In India, the last couple of decades has witnessed a journey from a seller's market to a buyer's market and there has been a remarkable transformation in the manner in which organizations perceive the importance of the selling function. Selling is no more viewed as an adjunct to manufacturing or finance. Budgetary allocations for sales have been enhanced and there is an increasing emphasis on sales staffing, training and development across a spectrum of industries. Sectors such as insurance, retail, telecom, real estate and consumer durables are hiring salespersons in very large numbers with the size of the sales force in insurance and retail running into thousands. As the economy and consumption grow, these sectors require the maximum 'physical reach' with millions of customers in large and expansive territories. It is reported that in the USA, 13 per cent of the work force is presently employed in sales. While no corresponding figure for India is available, the number is expected to be equally significant. Salespersons are no longer the unsung heros of marketing, with numbers being significantly elevated. In terms of titles, salespersons' professional titles include designations such as business development executives, client relationship
executives, customer acquisition executives and so on. Compensation in terms of salaries and incentives has also significantly risen for salespersons. What is more, sales effectiveness has been significantly enhanced through technology adoption across the function. Laptops and communication devices aid the salesperson to be in continuous touch with their managers where customer queries can be addressed in real time during the sales call. Additionally, DVDs, web sites and sales force automation software packages are excellent facilitators in improving sales effectiveness.
The salesperson is now fully integrated with the rest of the organization and provides critical inputs and specifications to new product development and price point fixation. Marketing programs can only be implemented subsequent to a buy-in from sales. Salespersons represent the voice of the customer and the salesforce is even consulted on strategic decisions by members of a company's board, at times bypassing several levels in the organization. Henry David Thoreau may have believed that customers will beat a path to the company that makes the best mousetrap thus making sales redundant. But the agenda of companies has certainly changed since then. Customers are now inundated with choices, and parity on most marketing aspects is the norm. Marketers certainly need someone to tell customers why its mousetrap is better. That is why selling will continue to reign supreme.
Retailing ensures that customers derive maximum value from the buying process, relative to the cost of acquiring the merchandise. This involves crucial activities and steps—breaking bulk, assortments, merchandising and category management—before the merchandise is placed in the hands of consumers for retail consumption. Retailers organize the availability of merchandise on a large scale and supply them to consumers on a relatively small scale. In the process, retail organizations provide the accessibility of location and convenience of timing, size of assortments as well as information and lifestyle support. When retailers perform these activities they create and deliver value solutions to consumers continuously, and this through a combination of service, price, accessibility and experience.
Retail solutions aim at providing the last mile of connectivity that link brands with their consumers while delivering value at the most critical point of delivery: the 'last-three-feet-of-sale' at the store. Four types of differentiated retail solutions are designed, developed and implanted into consumer segments by modern retail in response to articulated needs: premium lifestyle-based retailing; lifestyle-based retailing; value-based retailing; and home retailing. This value spectrum reaches consumers in the form of product assortments and services with a major focus on the store, which becomes a point of differentiation.
A highly competitive marketplace makes the marketing task of creating differential advantage on the basis of merchandise, price points, promotion and location, challenging and often difficult to innovate as most stores retail similar or complementary brands in a given line of trade. To enhance the differentiation value of store offerings, retailers attempt to maximize the synergy between tactical cues, messages and suggestions even while communicating these to shoppers to create and heighten the retail shopping experience to new levels of appeal and delight.
The store environment has a significant impact on shopper behavior, which propels retailers to make considerable investments in store design, atmospherics and merchandise presentation. Atmospherics and floor space management are central to all retail formats and assume significant importance in the context of modern retailing as there is a positive correlation between shopping behavior and the physical store environment. The point of purchase settings and design elements of a store such as space, lighting, acoustics, air quality, décor, comfort and cleanliness, impact on a shopper's mood to influence shopping behavior. The store environment can determine the amount of time shoppers spend in the browser mode of
shopping and greatly facilitates the evaluation of store merchandise by the shopper, resulting in customer acquisition, retention, reduced cost of operations and higher floor space productivity—all adding to the store's commercial bottom line.
Store design and visual merchandising are critical elements of retail strategy, which seek to provide unmatched convenience value to target markets of consumers even as these build long-term differentiators in the trading area for the store and its brands. Design elements serve to enhance the appeal of store merchandise by creating the right ambience that aims at prolonging the shopping experience for customers by extending the time spent inside the store to explore and discover the variety of merchandise. Store merchandise on display is categorized under the following goods' offerings: impulse, convenience, shopping and specialty.
The layout and architectural design of a store varies in accordance with the type of store merchandise. In this context, the hypermarket format of a store is positioned as a market
game changer in modern retail. The hypermarket not only stocks and retails food and groceries but apparel and general merchandise as well—a store format essential for generating volumes and economies of scale for retailers. For example, HyperCITY, the Raheja group promoted hypermarket, differentiates itself from other hypermarkets brands (such as Big Bazaar) by offering different product assortments and quality merchandise, which include international brands, imported home ware and apparel. With the average store level profitability at 27 per cent, the hypermarket player seeks to drive profits margins further by becoming more
relevant to consumer catchments with a better store mix of merchandise, increasingly comprising of private label brands in apparel, particularly kids wear and general merchandise. This is apparent from the skewed distribution of store level profits across merchandise categories: while food and grocery contributes to 57 per cent of HyperCITY's revenues, the category yields only 10-15 per cent in gross margins while ready-made apparel merchandise offer healthier margins in the range of 30-35 per cent.
Private label merchandise categories in apparel are major margin drivers for the store as the supplies are sourced directly from vendors, which allows for better control over the costs of production and logistics. HyperCITY is confident of seeking profit margins in the range of 55 per cent on private label apparel and in creating distinct target markets for premium products but in limited shoppers' catchments. For example, while HyperCITY has been able to gain unmatched market traction and success in trading areas such as Mumbai (Malad),
Hyderabad and Bangalore (Whitefield), the consumer acceptability of the hypermarket brand is relatively evasive in cities such as Jaipur, Thane and Bhopal, which do not offer great catchments. With eight stand-alone stores, the retailer now plans new forays in Ludhiana, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Pune.
The flagship tenant-store of HyperCity in Bangalore is located in Royal Meenakshi Mall, which is situated in the southern suburb of the city and offers attractive trading areas that are well populated with upper income shopper catchments. Spread over 60,000 sq. ft. and merchandising over 44,000 stock keeping units, the store is accessible from two locations in the mall: the upper ground floor level faces the main entrance and the lower ground floor of the mall enables shopper traffic direct access to the basement parking areas.
The store architecture is shopper friendly and is planned out in distinct department-type merchandise arrays: the lower ground floor displays grocery and home needs while the upper ground floor retails general merchandise—categories that include electronics, toys, apparel, furniture and sport equipment. The lower ground level draws strong shopper crowds as it retails the core categories for which shoppers travel to the destination: perishables and staples (grocery, fruits and vegetables) and household items. The store atmospherics for the interiors elements are characteristic of hypermarkets and clearly approximate to a free form store layout that provides an informal setting to shoppers while encouraging shopping and browsing behavior.
The store is typified by a lavish and spacious space area planned in an asymmetrical pattern for merchandise display that is heightened by the lack of a false roofing, utilitarian décor, basic tiling covering the floor and florescent tube lights that are fastened to the roof—running through the length and breadth of the store—and spotlights that focus on the merchandise display The store relies on reinforcing the store image of 'hyper' convenience, experience, quality and cost savings for consumers. The hypermarket format as manifest in HyperCity is fast emerging as the next level of interactivity and the destination of choice for the value shopper.
Business education is at a crossroad. In a recent book with a similar title, Srikant Datar and his colleagues at Harvard Business School exhorted b-schools to "rethink the MBA". They identified eight unmet needs in management education across a spectrum of skills ranging from "knowing" through "doing" to "being": gaining a global perspective; developing leadership skills; honing integration skills; recognizing organizational realities and implementing effectively; acting creatively and innovatively; thinking critically and communicating clearly; understanding the role; and most importantly, understanding the limits of models and markets. While analytical skills are celebrated in b-school
portals, little effort is made to appreciate and inculcate equally critical integrative skills. Management education is being taught in silos, says noted Indian academic I M Pandey, hence underscoring the need for an integrative education. Look no further than the recent financial crisis and the once mighty and invincible nations and markets that are now left battered and bruised, to appreciate the importance of 'understanding the limits of models and markets'. For instance, the impending burst of the US housing bubble—that eventually sent the global financial markets into a tailspin—should have been so obvious! Was it not a clear case of "irrational exuberance" (a phrase originally quoted by Alan Greenspan and made immortal by Robert Shiller's book with the same title on the dotcom bust) that blinded the financial institutions and policy makers to the potential multiplier effects of the phenomenon? If only the bastions of financial prudence had paid heed to Peter Senge's
advice on the power of "systems thinking" in his seminal management book, The Fifth Discipline. Senge's prescription of the five basic disciplines or "component technologies" of a "learning organization"—systems thinking; personal mastery; mental models; (building) shared vision; and team learning—is as relevant to today's business graduates. Particularly striking is his conceptualization of personal mastery where people live in a continual learning mode—they never "arrive". Finally, the "being" component of management education is identified by Datar and refers to "the values, attitudes and beliefs that form managers' worldviews and professional identities." Harvard Business School has recently announced the beginning of a great departure from its famed case study approach to a focus based more on ethics and teamwork. The change is motivated by the School's desire to create "leaders of competence and character, rather than those with connections
connections and credentials." Do we need more instances of yesterdays heroes falling from grace—a la Rajat Gupta—to wake up to the importance of personal integrity? A few institutes such as the School of Inspired Leadership (SOIL) and some of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have rightly integrated ethics and spirituality into their curricula in a reflection of the growing consciousness of the need for 'character'. In short, b-school curricula urgently needs an overhaul, and the process has begun—with two rounds of deliberations having already concluded this year at IIM-Ahmedabad and IIM-Calcutta towards laying the roadmap for management education in India. One only hopes for the emergence of a consensus in business academia on the way forward from here.
Alliance University signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Dundee, Scotland, UK to promote international excellence in higher education. The two universities agreed to cooperate in the areas of faculty exchange, student exchange, joint research and other academic aspects. The academic programs for cooperation as envisaged in the MoA include Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degree courses in the areas of Business Management and Engineering.
About Dundee University
The University of Dundee is one of UK's top institutions for teaching and research over a broad range of disciplines and has 19,000 students and over 3,000 teaching staff. Dundee University is ranked 140th among the world's top 200 universities in the Times Higher Education 2010-11, World University Rankings and features among the top ten UK universities for teaching and learning (Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2010).
The University is organized in four colleges: Life Sciences; Arts and Social Sciences; Art, Science and Engineering; and Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing.
The School of Business Alliance University has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Paris School of Business, Paris, France detailing academic collaboration. As part of the MoA, the two institutions agree to collaborate in the International MBA; MBA in Luxury and Fashion Management; MBA in Artistic & Cultural Activities; and Executive DBA programs.
About Paris School of Business
Paris School of Business is part of a larger network of schools, The Paris Schools of Management (Pôle ESG). Founded in 1975, Pôle ESG is a private institution made up of five Business School Units (ESG Management School, ESGCI, ESGF, MBA ESG, and Paris School of Business) which are located on four campuses in the heart of Paris.
Paris School of Business is one of handful of schools, accredited to the highest International & American academic standards, that offers the possibility for students coming from all over the world to study abroad in France (70 + nationalities are represented at Paris School of Business) with specializations in international business and management, and in the heart of the largest integrated Economic Zone of the world, the European Union, with courses taught entirely in English, from Bachelor and Masters degrees, to Doctorate and Executive Education programs.
Alliance University continues its initiatives to invite and host renowned international faculty from around the world to teach its students. Recently, the School of Business hosted Dr. Denish Shah, Assistant Professor of Marketing, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University (GSU), USA.
Dr. Shah is an Assistant Professor of Marketing and the Assistant Director of the Center for Excellence in Brand and Customer Management at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Dr. Shah has more than eight years of industry experience working with multinational corporations. His industry background, coupled with academic training in marketing, helps him to focus his research on issues that link marketing strategies to firm performance. Dr. Shah's research has been published in premier outlets such as the Journal of Marketing, Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Sloan Management Review, Marketing Research and the Journal of Service Research. His research publications have earned three best-paper awards and a finalist position for a practice prize competition. His doctoral dissertation has been recognized with an award at three major doctoral dissertation competitions.
At Alliance University School of Business, Dr. Shah taught Direct and Database Marketing and International Marketing Research subjects to marketing specialization students.
"It was a rare pleasure to be a part of the joint program of Alliance University and University of Bedfordshire. I have been deeply enriched by both learning experiences. My faculty at Alliance University have helped me to develop strong conceptual clarity while my mentors at Bedfordshire facilitated in me critical thinking and application of subject-matter expertise to real-world scenarios. Also, a professional stint with the Co-operative Group, UK has helped in my understanding of the UK retail market and shopper behavior as well as the marketing strategies and supply chain management practices of retailers in this market. I express my deep gratitude to Alliance University for facilitating this great learning opportunity."
Office of International Affairs, Alliance University recently announced the award of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarships to two students of the School of Business (MBA, Batch of July 2011). The students, Shweta Tewari and Tapinder Kaur Raina, were selected as full-time exchange students to pursue the summer semester of 2012 at the Berlin School of Economics & Law, Berlin, Germany. These students received the award of scholarships amounting to a total of 4,700 euros (Rs. 3, 25, 555 lakh).
The University expresses its high appreciation on their achievement and hopes that they will perform exceptionally well in their semester abroad and bring laurels to the University.
About DAAD
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a publicly-funded independent organization of higher education institutions in Germany. Each year DAAD and its Regional Branch Offices, Information Centers and faculty around the globe provide information and financial support to over 67,000 highly-qualified students and faculty for international research and study. The DAAD itself does not offer programs of study or courses but awards competitive, merit-based grants for use toward study and/or research in Germany at any of the accredited German institutions of higher education. It also awards grants to German students, doctoral students and scholars for study and research abroad.
"Studying overseas has always been my dream and I am thankful to Alliance University for helping me to take the first step through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) merit scholarship. I am thrilled and eagerly looking forward to the exchange program at the Berlin School of Economics & Law, Berlin, Germany. I am positive that my summer semester abroad will be a great learning experience for me."
"I warmly thank Alliance University for providing me with this opportunity of studying abroad for a semester on the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) merit scholarship. Alliance has been instrumental in shaping my personality and career. I feel very motivated and extremely thrilled to be studying at the Berlin School of Economics & Law, Berlin, Germany."
"I feel so fortunate to have been chosen as a recipient of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) scholarship. The student exchange program that I pursued at the Berlin School of Economics & Law, Berlin, Germany was a life changing experience and greatly accelerated my learning curve. The international exposure, which was culturally enriching, helped to transform my personality too and made me a confident and independent person. Thank you Alliance University!"
By Ilka Endress (Ilka was an exchange student at the School of Business from the University of Applied Sciences, Germany).
My peers in Germany often asked me, "why India?" and my response to them was simple: "I love to explore new cultures and India is a country of cultural diversity." I am truly enamored by the multilingual, multi-ethnic and multicultural reality that is India where each state has its own culture, language and unique traditions.
Moreover, India is among the fastest growing emerging economies in the world. Travelling to India and studying for an academic semester at Alliance University, Bangalore was a unique opportunity. I was able to satisfy my cultural curiosity and get insights into its business world.
During my stay in India, time never stood still. I met a wide spectrum of people from diverse ethic and cultural backgrounds at Bangalore. I also travelled to explore and discover other parts of the country. India is a country of opposites. On the one hand, there is great potential and development and on the other, many people still live in poverty in rural areas. I was given the chance to participate in an exposure visit to a Bangalore-based NGO, Youth for Seva.
For me it was a unique experience to visit rural India, interact with people living there and get an insight into their lives and daily challenges. At the NGO, I learned that every volunteer can make a difference. Volunteering is based on passion and it is love and happiness that you get in return that makes it worthwhile. Business managers should acquire social skills and initiate activities that are beneficial for society at large.
Alliance University is located in the Indian city of Bangalore, India's "Silicon Valley" and is truly an international city with a great cosmopolitan culture.
Thanks to Alliance University, I was not only able to experience the diversity of Indian culture but also gain deep insights into its economy and business, which helped me to developed personally as well as academically. Additionally, the exchange program at Alliance University taught me the willingness to learn, experience and think across frontiers.
Faculty research is a fundamental part of scholarly activity in any research university. Alliance University School of Business organizes several research seminars to encourage constructive dialogue about topics of importance to academics and to describe the essence of research questions and major findings of scholarly works published in peer-reviewed journals. The speakers include accomplished scholars from prominent universities world-wide and the members of the Alliance faculty. The Faculty Research Seminar series bring fresh perspective to the world of practical affairs in management, facilitate cross-school colleagueship and give faculty members of Alliance University and other international universities a forum for academic exchange. It also identifies the sometimes-less-than-obvious commonalities and complementarities among various departments and scholars. The Seminars open to all faculty and doctoral students, provide a forum for in-depth discussions on the latest research by high-impact faculty scholars.
Alliance University School of Business is committed to supporting a diverse community of faculty scholars who make a difference in their fields, inspire in the classroom, and serve as leaders in intellectual communities. Faculty members who publish papers in refereed journals or who publish books are recognized through awards which are announced and made known to all faculty members. Eight distinguished, full-time faculty members were selected as recipients of the Alliance Research Excellence Award 2011. These scholars compiled outstanding records of research achievement through the publication of papers in eminent scholarly journals.
Recipients of the Alliance Research Excellence Award 2011
Alliance University School of Business has demonstrated its research-centric philosophy by laying an excellent foundation for pursuing its quest for knowledge creation and knowledge dissemination in all fields of importance as it moves towards shaping a fully integrated knowledge society. The School has ensured a sense of balance and a climate of collegiality that allows for important issues to be explored with the rigorous application of the full range of research methodologies—clinical, empirical and experimental—as appropriate to the needs of the problem under study. Alliance University places a high value on scholarly activities and intellectual contributions in basic, applied and instructional/pedagogical development research. Faculty members are encouraged to develop a broad view of intellectual contributions and to explore innovative forms of scholarly activity as well as to consider both traditional and new outlets for the dissemination of the results of that scholarship. Presented below are details of select faculty publications that have contributed to scholarship and intellectual thought.
PUBLICATION CATEGORY: JOURNAL
Dash. M, Dutta A. and Sabharwal M. Seasonality and Market Crashes in Indian Stock Markets, Asian Journal of Accounting & Finance 2011, Vol. 3, No. 1.
Abstract: The study examines the presence of seasonal effects in monthly returns and the effect of market crashes on monthly returns in Indian stock markets. The results of the research provide evidence for a month-of-the-year effect in Indian stock markets: particularly positive November, August and December effects, and a negative March effect. Further, the findings indicate that the incidence of market crashes reduces the seasonal effects. The paper can be accessed at:http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ ajfa/article/ view/997/885
PUBLICATION CATEGORY: BOOK/BOOK CHAPTERS
Sengupta D. and Ramadoss S. Employee Engagement, Biztantra, New Delhi, 2011.
Sections of the excerpt (featured in the Hindu Business Line, August 12, 2011): Mr. N. R. Narayana Murthy, Founder of Infosys, once quipped that one of his worst fears was that the young employee who "walked out of his campus at 5 p.m. one day would not turn up the next day." CEOs and HR managers agree that keeping employees engaged is the only way to keep them away from the company's exit doors. In their book, Employee Engagement, academician Debashish Sengupta and HR practitioner S. Ramadoss have demystified, defined, illustrated and strengthened the case for Employee Engagement (EE). The article can be accessed at: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/article2347571.ece
PUBLICATION CATEGORY: POPULAR & BUSINESS MEDIA
Titus. R. Getting a Hold on Social Media, Hindu Business Line, March 14, 2011.
Excerpt: 'The Mumbai Police, in a bid to connect with everyday people, hosted their Facebook page. But what they didn't expect was what people did. The Facebook page created to allow Mumbaikars to post pictures of traffic offenders saw them upload pictures of cops accepting bribes, riding bikes without helmets, and even describing in detail a few cops' corrupt ways. But to the police's credit, they took the people's response well and used it to better their own policing. This event serves as a warning to every organization that is, or wants to be on social media. Most firms seem to think that social media is about setting up a Facebook page or a Twitter account and ensuring there are a few posts or tweets on it. What they don't grasp is the changed 'communication dynamics' that accompanies the adoption of a social media communication platform. There are five points that firms must internalize to understand this 'altered' communication dynamic so that they can adapt.' The article can be accessed at: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-new-manager/article1535273.ece
February 4-5, 2012
Post Economic Meltdown Era - Challenges & Strategies
Organized by Banaras Hindu University in Association with the Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia and Alliance University.
June 17-19, 2012
Global Information Technology Management Association Thirteenth Annual World Conference
Hosted by Alliance University School of Business.
July 27-29, 2012
Inaugural AIM-AMA Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium
Organized by the Academy of Indian Marketing - American Marketing Association and hosted by Alliance University School of Business.
July 29-31, 2012
Second Annual International Conference on Innovations in Marketing in Emerging Markets
Organized by the Academy of Indian Marketing and hosted by Alliance University School of Business.
The world visionary thought leader, Dr. Jagdish N. Sheth visited the Alliance University campus recently and delivered a talk on the topic, "What Does it Take to be a Great Research University?" He exalted Alliance University's virtues and discussed the University's aspiration to become one among the top 100 universities globally.
To achieve this aspiration, Dr. Sheth shared his perspectives on how Alliance University must improve on ten critical success factors. Faculty, staff and administrators all came together to thank Dr. Sheth for his presence, insights and interaction.
Dr. Jagdish N. Sheth is a renowned scholar and world authority in the field of marketing.
His insights on global competition, strategic thinking and customer relationship management are considered revolutionary. Dr. Sheth is the Charles H. Kellstadt Chair of Marketing in the Goizueta Business School at Emory University, USA.
Prior to this, he was a distinguished faculty member at the University of Southern California, the University of Illinois, Columbia University and the Massachussetts Institute of Technology.
Professor Sheth has published more than 200 books and research papers in different areas of marketing and business strategy. Many of these are considered classic references.
He has worked for numerous industries and companies in the United States, Europe and Asia, both as an Advisor and as a Seminar Leader. His clients include AT&T, BellSouth, Cox Communications, Delta, Ernst & Young, Ford, GE, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nortel, Pillsbury, Sprint, Square D, 3M, Whirlpool, Wipro and many more. He is also on the Board of Directors of several public companies including Cryo Cell International, Wipro Limited and Shasun Chemicals & Drugs Limited.
Faculty Development is essential to an institution's growth. Recognizing this imperative, Alliance University provides a number of initiatives for faculty members to improve their knowledge base, acquire proficiency in new areas, interact with peer groups and learn from experts. The Office of Dean in collaboration with the Office of International Affairs organizes various Faculty Development Programs for faculty and staff of the University. These programs build pride in the School; enlighten faculty about what other scholar-colleagues are investigating; inform curricular planning; and encourage cross-disciplinary research dialogue.
A faculty development program entitled 'Business Research Methods' was conducted by the School of Business on December, 13 2011. The resource person of the program was Dr. Prashant Palvia, Joe Rosenthal Excellence Professor at the Bryan School of Business and Economics, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), USA.
The program included deliberations on various research topics such as approaches to conduct research in business and management. While focusing on information systems research, Dr. Palvia explained how a variety of approaches including, qualitative and quantitative, case study and design science among others, could lead to useful additions to the literature. He also described a taxonomy of research models in information systems, which could be used as a guide to research in more general business and management topics.
There were meaningful interactions with the 55 faculty participants who attended in the program and Dr. Palvia fielded questions that ranged from the practical value of research to the key aspects of a manuscript that journal editors consider when reviewing a paper for publication. Research scholars in the Doctoral Program of the School of Business also had the opportunity to interact with Dr. Palvia.
Dr. Prashant Palvia is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Global Information Technology Management (JGITM), and is on the editorial boards of several journals. He has authored close to 100 articles in the top Information Systems and Business journals and has presented over 170 papers at international conferences.
Brand and Customer Management Concentration in collaboration with J. Mack Robinson College of Business Georgia State University, USA
Today's competitive global business climate with global markets becoming more integrated and international corporations growing exponentially demands the need for global business knowledge. Through international collaborations, Alliance University School of Business is committed to providing students with tools and education to thrive in a global economy.
To infuse global perspectives into the MBA curriculum, students specializing in the marketing area were offered an international certificate program titled, 'Brand and Customer Management Concentration' in collaboration with J. Mack Robinson, College of Business, Georgia State University, USA. The certificate program involved the engagement of world-class faculty, researchers and innovators who delivered cutting edge information and provided experiential learning. The Certificate Program in Brand and Customer Management focused on the creation and management of profitable long-term relationships with customers. The subjects contained in this certificate program emphasized on the use of information and communication strategies in researching, selecting, entering and competing in global markets. The concepts and skills taught in the certificate program covered strategic business models for relationship marketing; the acquisition and retention of profitable customers through direct and interactive techniques; and the use of appropriate multichannel communications including growth-oriented innovation strategies for creating higher profits for the firm and greater degrees of customer loyalty as well as customer satisfaction among the profitable customers.
National Education Day
National Educational Day is celebrated on November 11 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, a great leader and nationalist as well as independent India's first Minister for Education. Dr. Azad contributed immensely to the cause of education in the country and to pay tribute to the leader National Education Day was celebrated at Alliance University on November 11, 2011.
On this occasion, the Student Affairs department of Alliance University organized an essay competition and exhibition based on the life and work of Dr. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad.
Prometheus
Prometheus, the student club of the Finance area at the School of Business held the finance area competition, ENIGMA, on November 3-4, 2011. 35 teams with over 70 students participated in the competition where they were tested on general awareness and concepts in finance. The event included a treasure hunt, which culminated in a balance sheet preparation competition by the teams. The winning teams were rewarded with prize money and a salutation.
Marketrix
Marketrix, the student club of the Marketing area held a 'best marketing idea' competition, The Incipience'11, on October 4, 2011. The competition was conducted to judge the best participating team that delivers the most innovative ideas on new products and services. The competition aimed at testing the skills of innovative thinking among students and assessed their knowledge about new products and services, competitors, pricing, positioning and market launch. Participating teams were encouraged to launch their product in an innovative manner and were evaluated on the originality of the idea and its potential.
Praxeis
Praxeis, the student club of the Operations Management area held The Strategicon, a competition that tested students on their proficiency with concepts and terms in game theory and strategy. The competition was held on October 12, 2011where participants were required to use constructs in game theory to make bids on the opposing team. Sportspersons (cricket players and teams) were used as wagers and the cricket team of the participant that earned the maximum credit points was the winner of the event.
Book Exhibition, Central Library
Alliance University Central Library organized a book exhibition, which was held on November 17-18, 2011 at the Central Library. Over 2,500 book titles and educational resources were displayed at the exhibition by two Bangalore-based book sellers: Knowledge Book House and Book Paradise, who were invited to participate in the book exhibition by the University. The book exhibition was inaugurated by Mr. Shivakumar Mathada, Registrar, Alliance University and was attended by Dr. KVSM Krishna, Program Director, School of Business; Dr. S.B. Kittur, Librarian; Mr. Kiran Gautam, Dy. Director, Human Resource Development; and Mr. I. N. Prakash, Deputy Librarian. The exhibition was visited by faculty, academic administrators and students on both days, and the University faculty selected several renowned book titles with the aim of augmenting the overall collection of the library.
Alliance University has increasingly felt the need for students to get oriented to the development sector and become active contributors to society at large as well as work ceaselessly to upgrade and offer services to the underprivileged and lower economic strata.
The CSR department strives to sensitize students to various NGO settings and trains them to interact with the NGO staff and beneficiaries. To fulfill its mission, the CSR department invited a Bangalore based NGO, Youth for Seva (YFS ) to orient students on exposure visits to NGOs as well as provide information on the status of health and education at the national level. As part of its CSR initiatives, the University organized workshops and exposure visits between August 23 and September 30, 2011 to NGOs in rural and urban areas located in Bangalore
The NGO workshops hosted speakers from:
These exposure visits helped the students to:
Collaboration with Youth for Seva:
Alliance University collaborated with YFS to plan and organize exposure visits to NGOs as well as arranging for speakers at workshops and conducting feedback sessions for the students.
YFS, Bangalore was founded in April 2007 to mobilize youth volunteers with different time commitments to contribute meaningfully to the community. The mission of YFS is to inspire youth to volunteer, connect them to grassroots projects and provide ongoing support and training to other volunteers and the NGOs. YFS is present in Bagalkote, Bangalore, Belgaum, Mysore, Shimoga, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune.
YFS coordinated student visits to:
Student experiences:
1. Ramkrishna Mission, Bangalore:
"I have learnt and experienced a lot many things at the Mission. These visits have taught me to be a responsible citizen and the importance of contributing volunteer energy to society at large. I thank YFS and Alliance University for organizing these visits for students." Robin Baby, MBA, Batch of January 2011 – 2013.
"The visit to the Mission gave me a sense of happiness, peace and positivity. Working with the school children at the Mission made me feel guilty for ignoring so many things in life which these little children would have treasured. To sum it up, it was a great experience and I thank Alliance University and YFS for giving this opportunity to experience the other side of life." Mohammad Ashraf Basarikatti, MBA, Batch of January 2011 – 2013.
2. Little Sisters of the Poor, Bangalore:
"It was a wonderful opportunity given to us by Alliance University to serve the aged and the infirm. I would try my best to visit this organization quite often and would like to volunteer service to the beneficiaries. The smile on their faces brings so much satisfaction to our souls." Annapurna, MBA, Batch of January 2011 – 2013.
3. Shree Ramana Maharishi Academy for the Blind, Bangalore:
"The exposure visit was truly exhilarating and it touched my heart. I would recommend all students to undertake such visits, as it would help to them to develop compassion within themselves. I applaud the efforts of the CSR department to have taken the initiative for organizing such a wonderful experience for us." Sunil R. Kaushik, MBA, Batch of January 2011 – 2013.
4. S VYASA:
"I have learnt the importance of yoga and its benefits in making me fit, both physically and mentally. I believe that yoga can make me stress free and help me to study. The visit has taught me the importance of social responsibility and contribution to society at large." Robin Baby, MBA, Batch of January 2011 – 2013.
5. YOUTH FOR SEVA:
"The volunteers of Youth for Seva revitalized me. The dedication of these volunteers inspires me to be a part of serving society in ways that are possible and rewarding." Robin Baby, MBA, Batch of January 2011 – 2013.
An adventure is defined as an exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold and usually risky undertaking with an uncertain outcome. Adventurous experiences are known to deliver psychological and physiological benefits to participants and create greater wholesomeness of personality. Alliance University's Adventure Club promotes the
participation of students in a number of off-site adventure sports. Some of the prominent activities organized by the Adventure Club include mountain biking, rock climbing, mountaineering, kayaking, scuba diving and base jumping, among others. What these endeavors have in common is to allow participants to excel in sports that involve a degree of risk,
uncertainty and result in self-discovery. The adventure sports as envisaged by the Club teach participants self reliance and teamwork and even compel them to leave their comfort zone: elements that not only result in better health, improved self esteem and increased confidence but which also permeate all aspects of an individual's life.
Adventure sports at the University also offer unparalled opportunities of managing fitness levels among student participants and are a terrific way to cross train. Trained instructors accompany students to remote settings and expose them to a variety of uncontrolled environments (weather, terrain, natural obstacles and other challenges) that stimulate and build on survival and team skills.
While adventure sports and outdoor activities push participants to stretch out of their comfort zone, students also benefit
from activities that build confidence, promote well being and even enable them to break free of negative thinking. While such sports enhance personality development—rock climbing, mountaineering, kayaking, scuba diving and other such activities carried out in a natural setting, in particular, also help students to improve communication skills, trust and teambuilding where they learn to work together to achieve a common goal.
Above all, the adventure sports activities offered by the University to students provide them with unmatched opportunities to challenge themselves and to learn from team experiences. Such involvement not only delivers the emotional and physical benefits of adventure but also allows, students to demonstrate impressive progress in improved problem solving even as they exhibit a positive mental attitude in their interpersonal communication.
Alliance University School of Business hosted a Finance Summit on November 5, 2011, which was organized by the Centre for Industry Interaction and the students' Finance Club. The summit aimed at engaging industry practitioners, students and faculty in the sharing of views and perspectives on the current market scenario in finance and banking, and in particular on topics such as equity markets, fixed income and foreign exchange markets in India.
Eminent speakers at the summit included Mr. Ramana Kumar Chegu, Head - ALM, Financial Markets, ING Vysya Bank Ltd, Mumbai; Mr. Arun Kumar. R., VP – Credit Products, India, Fixed Income Division, Asia Pacific Nomura Capital (India) Pvt Ltd, Mumbai; and Mr. Samir Shah, VP and Head - FII Sales, Trust Capital Services India Pvt Ltd, Trust Group, Mumbai.
The summit was inaugurated by Dr. Madhukar Angur - Chancellor, Alliance University who in his address highlighted the important role and legacy of the banking sector
as a prime driver of economic growth in India. Even while recognizing the role of banking and financial institutionsin creating economic wealth, Dr. Angur commented on the need for a more enlightened perspective on the future role of these institutions, particularly in enhancing the quality of life of stakeholders through responsible growth and financial inclusion.
He also emphasized on the need for business schools to nurture and build young business leaders with a vision to deliver innovations in finance to a larger segment of the Indian population and called upon them to play a decisive role in ensuring that these benefits reach society at large. Guest speakers from industry spoke on the top-of-the-mind issues challenging finance managers in India and students gained useful practitioner insights from these experts.
Mr. Ramana Kumar, ING Vysya, presented new and innovative financial instruments
such as corporate bonds, offshore fixed income markets, arbitrage, and FII debt investments;
Mr. Arun Kumar, Nomura Capital India, focused on the operations of money markets, market opportunities in asset liability management, investment outlook and rupee rate cycles in Indian banking; and Mr. Samir Shah, Trust Capital Services analyzed new forms of FOREX trading such as algorithmic trading, its utility for high frequency traders and the diminishing dependence of retail investors on financial institutions.
The summit concluded with lively and engaging panel discussions between students and the guest speakers who fielded a variety of questions on the euro crisis, concerns over the future of securitization among emerging economies and the current topic engaging Indian bankers—deregulation of the savings bank rate. The summit saw participation by over 200 students from the University, and its proceedings were covered by the local print media.
The placement scenario at the Alliance University for 2012 looks positive and promising in spite of challenging global economic conditions. Alliance University with its strong corporate relations, a process that is actively assisted and reinforced by a competent and highly motivated Student Placement Committee, has succeeded in attracting the best of companies from various sectors for campus placements. Even though the market and media reports indicate a slowdown in the economy, the University's commitment to be strongly associated with the corporate world has continued to result in strong placements for its student-graduates: 22 per cent of the Batch of 2010-12 have already secured job offers in around 19 companies and this too during the months of November and December 2011 alone—with TCS and HCL
Technologies topping the list of prominent recruiters. These graduating students placed in world-class companies will assume roles and responsibilities across positions in sales and marketing, finance, operations and human resources and across industry sectors such as IT, automobiles, BFSI, retail, consulting, manufacturing, media and research. The Office of Career Advancement and Networking will continue to demonstrate an exemplary record in placement facilitation with many more recruiter organizations expecting to visit the campus soon.
As an alumnus of the class of 2007, I fondly reminisce about my exhilarating student days at Alliance University School of Business.
The living and learning experience at Alliance University was unmatched for its excellence. What is particularly memorable is the ethos of the University that emphasized respect, integrity and empathy. The spirit of its ethos is perhaps best reflected in the oath that graduates of the University were required to owe allegiance to during their convocation ceremony and one which vests the onus on the alumnus to maintain the highest standard of quality, integrity and commitment towards work and society. To this day, the University's oath remains sacrosanct and is proudly displayed on my work desk.
The expectations of the University—
a relentless pursuit of excellence from its students as well as its deep commitment to ensure strong professional careers for its graduates—has helped build deep engagement and a lifelong connect of its alumni with their alma mater. My postgraduate program of study in management was rigorous and demanding, laying great emphasis on the acquisition of subject-matter expertise and academic preparation for a career in management, while our faculty—well-accomplished experts in their domains and many of them world class—selflessly mentored us to success. We were also encouraged to be sensitive about the need to make an impact on others and to understand the importance of team work.
A good part of our learning at the University was strongly complemented by its efforts to impart professional development to its graduates and mould wholesome personalities. Students were motivated to participate in a range of value-enriching activities such as management competitions and contests that not only reinforced their academic learning but honed skills of communication and articulation among its graduates. Today, as a management practitioner and marketing professional I head Vestian's practice for South India, and I am delighted to say that Alliance alumni are professionally recognized by their employers and many have even performed wonderfully well in rewarding careers in industry.
Taniya Khurana
Indian society appears to be at crossroads with increasing contradictions emerging between social groups agitating for a people's voice to be heard and the political class that seems to abdicate on its mandate to govern the country responsibly.
This strongly manifested itself in the recent upsurge that followed Anna Hazare's insistence on the introduction of the Lokpal Bill in the national parliament in an attempt to bring to book the perpetrators of corruption in public office.
But as much as we need a vociferous society, we are also in need of a powerful state that delivers corruption-free governance to the second most populous nation in the world.
The body politic of India has come under a scathing attack from civil society groups in recent times as there is widespread resentment on the lack of transparency in the Indian parliamentary system, particularly with reference to a number of political scams involving the misuse of public money and which were concealed from judicial scrutiny for quite some time.
With the 2G scam prominently featuring in the media and given the magnitude of embezzlement by convicted parties, the outcry on the lack of accountability further raises questions on the fast eroding credibility of the political system and its manipulation by powerful lobbies. India is at an inflexion point, at least as far as civil society watchdogs seek to implicate the senior bureaucracy and the political system in a bid to unravel the intricate web of corruption in public office.
The recent media attention on political scams and malfeasance seems to have overshadowed the pressing concerns
related to the pace and direction of India's second generation of economic reform. For India to transit this phase, the Indian political class must ensure that strong reform measures that aim at aligning the national economy with world economy are initiated and followed through with quickness and resolve.
Perhaps an outcome of such solidarity would be a more transparent and accountable political system that is seen as efficient and proactive. The role of India's economist prime minister hence acquires critical significance in steering the right path between political opportunism and economic buoyancy.
Political reform, either by movements led by civil society advocates or, alternatively, by the judiciary will not only ensure that the country moves to a more stable and rewarding system of governance but also provides a strong impetus to economic reform. While the sovereignty of democracy in India is not under threat, its future most certainly is, and if political scams, overtly abetted by bureaucrats are allowed to continue then this will erode the confidence of investors in the Indian economy. The economy will, it is believed with a little introspection find its center.
Even though the 2G spectrum scandal has left behind a high level of negativity and even scarred the national psyche, the judicial verdict in the wake of the scam is perhaps a litmus test that helps to act as a check on the lack of transparency in public office and rings out a warning call to a growing nexus between political biggies, conniving bureaucrats and even, corporates. The jury, however, is still out on how a more enlightened form of political governance can help to rejuvenate the fight against public corruption and ensure that it does not lose its momentum.
Megha Mariam Thomas
As the first decade of the present millennium drew to a close, it is interesting to introspect on the impact of marketing innovations on consumers and markets. Who feature among the most celebrated marketing game changers of the recent decade? Are these the ones who have set the rules of the game in the marketplace or are they the ones who just follow the old set of rules but somehow end up re-making them as well? In fact, after a decade of innovations, game changers—pioneering product and services brands of marketers—strive to make the new rules of engagement for the rest to follow them.
Brands that have passed into legend—Facebook, Apple, McDonalds and Airtel—were perhaps the most celebrated game changers of the decade. Facebook, the social networking site spread across web users in the world at such a blistering pace that if the portal, which connects an estimated half a billion people, were a country then it would be the world's fourth largest. Facebook changed the way web users connected, communicated and created the world of networked communities: allowing marketers, perhaps for the first time, to begin to fathom the power of social networking and its natural concomitant—social media marketing.
Apple is one such example of a brand that was like a stepping stone into the platform of innovation.
Led by Steve jobs, the visionary and the innovator who bought in the rage of ipods, iphones, ipads and Mac books, Apple made a major first mover rule and came up with the statement that, "Apple sells dreams and not products", which was a class apart.McDonalds, the legendary fast food service brand adored by millions, is one such marketer who has changed the game on food hygiene in the quick service restaurant format with its stringent control on quality and the
standardization of product form. The quality control is precise—the number of sesame seeds on burger buns, their dimensions as also that of the lettuce leaves as well as the taste, texture and color of fries, for example, is astonishingly identical across its over 50,000 outlets worldwide. The McDonald's University that specializes in courses on 'hamburgerology', among others and based out of Illinois takes the game changing paradigm to new heights by training the corporation's employees in the art of hamburger making. It is little surprise that simple steps taken by McDonald's to create unparalled differentiation through a game changing role keeps over 50 million consumers satiated and happy each day! This decade also saw the entry of the concept of cars that were now affordable to low to middle income consumers who aspired to upgrade their automobile choice from the rather precarious two wheeler to a swanky passenger car. Ratan Tata, the man behind the Tata Nano, came up with the idea of the smallest car in the world and changed the rules of the game, which had hitherto held that cars are products designed for high income consumers in emerging markets. Airtel, the telecom major, is the market leader in the telecom sector and a trailblazer when it comes to marketing. There was a time when consumers could not even imagine talking on a cell phone subscription plan for more than a minute and then came along heavily marketed connections with amazing tariff plans where they could reach out to anybody located anywhere in the world. Forget minutes, mass consumers could text or talk any number of times thus changing the rule that cell phone subscriptions and handsets were accessible and affordable to only the privileged few. It is perhaps a self-fulfilling prophecy in marketing that it takes just a few brands in the market to make and re-make the rules of understanding, connecting and communicating with consumers while leaving others to follow suit.
M. K. Lodi
The latest social movement, headed by civil society advocates, to shake India is the Lok Pal and a hitherto unknown social activist who was catapulted to instant prominence—Anna Hazare. Having watched the political debates keenly on national television channels it is disturbing for the informed viewer to be just a mute spectator to the disingenuous and selfish attitudes displayed by all the actors involved, including Anna Hazare's team.
For starters, what exactly is the Lok Pal all about? Will it help? Why the sudden emphasis?
It is common to come across experiences that bear testimony to the extent of mindless corruption that has spread like contagion in our society. Here is a simple anecdote. A certain salaried employee of a firm had paid a visit to a builder to register a residential flat in an Indian metro city. And, in spite of having all
documentation in perfect order this individual was "advised" by the builder to pay an amount to the Sub Registrar's office to "facilitate" the work of possession, and even grudgingly paid up. It is upsetting to note that this individual had to pay for a transaction that was clearly a facilitation payment to get the release of the residential flat. Innumerable such examples of corruption in public office have driven the Indian populace to rise in protest. It was a protest long in-the-making and it only waited for a leader to take charge (Anna Hazare).
There are two reasons why the public disgust over corruption is so manifest these days. First, is the magnitude of corruption with political scams so far unearthed valued at astronomical sums of money that has been siphoned off. Secondly, the present government at the centre has done nothing to prevent corrupt practices and on the other hand has consistently turned a Nelson's eye to corrupt decisions and practices. The Commonwealth Games are a case in point: despite the huge public outcry over corruption, poor workmanship and missed deadlines, the Prime Minister did nothing till the eleventh hour, quite literally.
But is the Lok Pal the answer to end corruption in public office and does it call for yet another constitutional amendment? Yes, it is not a perfect remedy to end all corruption, but the alternative is to trust the present political system to deal with it. Our present political system has failed us and it is time to look for alternate remedies. Failing which, an imperfect Lok Pal, which is what it is in the present form, is better than no option. Team Anna is making a mistake: the activists are so focused on a perfect Lok Pal that they are not willing to accept anything less. And the political class is only too willing to postpone the issue on specious arguments that it is not in their interest to legislate something that will monitor them from the outside.
Then what should the Lok Pal bill consist of? Some pointers are presented for the sake of furthering debate on the issue:
1. The investigating agency probing corruption in public office needs to be independent, whether it is the CBI or any other agency tasked with this work.
2. The political class should also be under
its purview as most scams in the public domain involve the political class.
3. There should be Lok Ayuktas in all States; after all, corruption is not merely restricted to central government offices.
4. The entire bureaucracy should be under the purview of the Lok Pal.
If one were to carefully examine the logic behind the arguments of all political parties, it is noticed that they use several disingenuous arguments, legal sophistry and even articulate emptiness to obfuscate the issue and blame the other party for the fiasco while at the same time are absolving themselves of any blame. There is the spurious argument that the Lok Pal is an attack on federalism and that it will be a huge behemoth not accountable to anyone or that it violates the principles of a parliamentary democracy as the parliament is supreme.
