Executive Focus

Q. What is the business agenda for the coming year?
A. Our vision is to continue to build a strong and profitable network of exchanges; to expand and provide liquidity and risk management solutions to the developing and emerging economies of our region; and, to identify national and regional markets for our products. Our domain expertise will enable us to introduce trading in new asset classes on our tech-centric exchange platforms in different regions. We will vigorously pursue our mission of increasing access to markets.

Q. What is the next project you wish to undertake?
A. While my role encompasses technology and operations, my role as the Director of HR is surely the most challenging. Our HR vision is to make our company the most preferred employer, which I am sure we will soon achieve.

Q. What HR initiatives are being taken up for this?
A. Some of our HR initiatives include:

1. DOST (Dedicated to On-Boarding Support and Training): Assigned to every new joinee for three months.
2. AIMS (Acquire, Improvise and Maximise - Skills): In-house learning and development initiative to regularly conduct functional, technical, and development programmes.
3. Group HR Zone: Online HR interface for members to avail various HR resources such as policies, procedures, articles, etc. It also provides information on training and development and performance management activities
4. Listening Post: Dedicated to employee grievances and concerns. A senior HR professional conducts a one-to-one discussion with the employee to understand the concerns. These are taken as action points for improvement. We also have an anti–harassment cell.
5. Employee HRIS: Automated self-service modules such as Leave Management, Payroll Processing, etc.
6. Group interaction events: Such as the recently concluded JOSH 2011, our Annual Sportz Meet.
Our people practices have won us many awards and accolades, such as: award for Innovation in Retention Strategy in the Employer Branding Awards 2009-2010; Global HR Excellence Award 2009-2010 for the most innovative HR practices; and, Excellence in HR through Technology and Innovation in Recruitment strategy at Employer Branding Awards 2011. Our top three goals in becoming the most preferred employer are: a powerful and highly-valued employer brand; high levels of employee engagement; an environment which can engender an unparalleled and global learning experience. click here to read more....

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Moulding Young Minds for a Better Tomorrow

Updating curricula to match the ever-changing industry demands is key to preparing students for future, shares Mr. Ashok Mittal,Chancellor Lovely Professional University, in his over 600-acre sprawling campus. “We are the people producing products for India Inc. We need to change the curricula and make it fit its requirements. So, a university should go to industries, get their requirement and then change the curricula accordingly.” At LPU, he says, the syllabi is updated every six month. The board reviews it on the basis of feedback from students and faculty members. The queries basically revolve around the syllabi and how effective it is. “To top it all, we send our curricula to the industry for feedback. This is why I say industry interface is very important in getting the curricula designed,” says Mr. Mittal. One needs to understand that students have friends studying in various institutions and they have this tendency of comparing the best and the worst things. So, LPU ensures high quality educational system. As majority of the LPU processes are online, identifying students’ needs is no problem, he points out.

LPU recommends and has an instruction plan which ensures that same curriculum, schedules and evaluation processes are being followed in all sections and classes. It has a class strength of 60 and every student has a user name and password. Click here to continue reading....

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Patriotism as the big idea !

Are patriotic ads necessary reminders to today’s consumerist and self-absorbed generation about the history of our great Republic and her Founding Fathers? Or mandatory, annual exercises of lip-service following tradition, in typically sarkari manner? 4Ps B&M’s Consulting Editor Monojit Lahiri attempts a checkout.

It’s really quite interesting … and not at the same time. Every year, each time a birth or death anniversary comes around, the nation suddenly goes freeze frame on all scams and consumerist distractions, and slips into the (studied?) sombre, restrained, sober patriotic mood defining the moment! PSUs and corporations (forever on-the-make) quickly leap on to this bandwagon with ads eulogizing the theme of the day and connecting it – with different degrees of credibility and success – to their organisation’s brand values and vision. Question is: Is this for real? Genuine pieces of communication celebrating the spirit of a momentous day with galvanizing, insightful, uplifting & creative evocation of words and visuals that touch a chord... or merely hollow posturing, doing the done-thing for the sake of political correctness?

“It’s plain, unadulterated waste!” 20-year-old Akhilesh Varma comes on strong, firing on all cylinders convinced that this “humbug has just got to stop!” The Pune-based MBA student’s take is simple. The intent is all wrong. “Do these PSUs and corporations really understand, care and feel the importance of this day? For them it’s a platform to advertise/publicise the connect between the occasion and their organisational product/brand, values any-which-way, and this is clearly evident from the amateurish, predictable, boring sycophantic prose and corny visuals presented. Who commissions them, who creates them, who looks at them, reads them and remembers them must remain a closely guarded secret between them... And does anyone give a damn about these ads the next day when they grace the-dustbin?!” says Varma.

Celebrated dancer and passionate champion of Indian art, culture and tradition, Sonal Mansingh however refuses to be cynical or irreverent and brings her own spin to the table. In fact, she raises a counter-question. “Why do we remember or commemorate birth/death anniversaries of our parents, grand parents and loved ones? Do we remember them, everyday? Why do we celebrate festivals relating to Lord Rama, Krishna, Ganesha and the entire pantheon? Are they on our radar, all the time? No… but there are two simple reasons. One, because it is a part and parcel of our rich, cultural heritage and ethos… something that is an intrinsic part of our DNA. It comes naturally to us, Indians. More importantly, in an increasingly Google-driven and technology-led time with consumerism’s signature tune of I-me-myself blasting away, these ads epitomize the values and vision of our great departed leaders, what they lived… and died for. They serve as role models and inspirational benchmarks so critical in today’s materialistic and confused times. It tells us that human values of love, courage, truth and pluralism make for a rewarding life. I believe they should be viewed positively and there is much to be learnt from these ads,” Sonal tells 4Ps B&M. Filmmaker Muzaffar Ali agrees. While he concedes – being an ex ad-man himself! – that many of these species may not quite make the cut as torchbearers of great advertising “the heart is in the right place and the intent is spot-on. That matters most. What’s wrong in using these events to showcase our amazing composite culture and all that a true great Republic and Democracy symbolizes? I know patriotism may not be as cool as Kolaveri D, but to mock and ridicule these ads is poor form.”

Neither veteran advertising professional Tara Sinha nor Ogilvy’s Executive Creative Director Sumanto Chatterjee unfortunately are on the same page – or book – with the arty twosome. While Tara believes “it is a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money and reams of newsprint with zero returns,” Sumanto admits, “it is silly posturing and shadow boxing with communication capsules that strain, mostly unsuccessfully, to achieve a cosmetic connect between the organisation/brand and the event of the day. Totally unconvincing and irrelevant, they usually end up devaluing the entire meaning of the occasion.” Both believe that it would be far more effective if the money spent could be used for people-specific, community-related programmes addressing key causes and concerns to better their quality of life and god knows, there are scores of them! “Event management not brain-dead advertising is the need of the hour,” says Tara.

So what gives? While it is unfair to totally dismiss all ads and communication appearing on these days as garbage, a serious rethink and review by the powers that are is definitely in order. After all, surely these ads have an agenda beyond blindly following herd-mentality, as suggested by their acerbic critics? Mile Sur Mera Tumhara… Hamara Bajaj, Pepsi’s amazing freedom ads commemorating India’s 50th year of Independence are some outstanding examples of how to achieve a memorable brand-fit that enhances brand equity of the product while not devaluing the essence of the occasion. The critical task is to convert this challenge into an opportunity that resonates with the reader in an engaging way. After all, don’t special days warrant special ads?

Can they do it? Will they do it? Let’s wait and watch...

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012

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Emerging Online Retail Trends

Smartphones, Tablets and Internet...all of them are changing the consumer’s shopping experience for ever. As gadgets find more takers, shopping through devices is hitting new highs. While 17% of the U.S. tablet users check out products through their devices on a daily basis, close to 13% of the U.K.’s smartphone users have started doing a real-time price comparison on their handsets. And 36% of smartphone users in the U.S. buy products through their phones while present at stores.

Phone shopping on the rise

A survey conducted on UK-based consumers, who use smartphones, found that the most common use is to find out a store location, while taking a picture of the product remained the second most popular retail-related activity performed on smartphones. A look at the top 10 activities indicates that users are increasingly using their smartphones to gather information and key details of products before purchasing products and services. This is evident from the fact that activities like contacting friends and family via text, comparing prices and finding best buying deals via smartphones are on the rise.

Using tablets for shopping

Nearly half of the tablet owners in the U.S. made a purchase on their tablet indicating the growing importance of this media channel to the e-commerce market. For that matter, tablet users exhibited considerable use of their devices through out the purchasing process. While 56% looked up for product and price information for a specific store, close to 54% read consumer reviews and ratings before they purchased. Considering the increasing use of tablets, for retail brands, the platform may soon become a very critical part of their comprehensive digital marketing strategy.

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How Customers Influence the Evolution of New Products

Innovation is happening all around. But companies that are careful in understanding how consumers use a particular product are the ones which succeed in the long run.

How customers use a technology generates important information about its performance, design, and operational characteristics. As customers began to use the automobile in hilly and wet terrains, for example, they learned about issues with waterproofing and engine power. What customers learn plays an important role in the technological development of the product.

However, customers may use the technology in different ways. Previous research observed that urban customers used the car primarily for transportation, but some farmers used it as a stationary source of power on the farm. Often, these various applications converge to a dominant use of the technology – transportation still is the primary use of automobiles. Nevertheless, variation and dominance in use influence what is learned and expected of the technology, influencing subsequent technological changes.

Prevailing theories on innovation and industry change explain technological development as an evolutionary process in which certain technological designs get selected and retained. Early on in the automobile industry there were several different engine designs, but the combustible engine emerged as the dominant design within the industry. The selection and retention of certain technological designs significantly impacts competition within the industry and influences which companies thrive or fail. However, these theories focus on the technological development within an industry without paying much attention to the learning processes associated with customers applying the technology.

In my research titled “Dominant Use, Technology, and Industry Evolution,” I consider the role customer learning plays in this evolutionary process, in particular, the effects of variation or dominance in use. Establishing a dominant use during the early introduction of a technology helps establish its agenda and stimulates industry growth. If the dominant use persists, it further reinforces the technological standard. However, extended use of a technology can facilitate customers learning new uses that change how they evaluate it, leading to new market opportunities. Finally, the competitive impact of a radical new technology depends in part on how customers actually use it. If customers use the new technology as they did the old, then established firms have an advantage even if they have difficulties developing the new technology.

To illustrate his point, I extensively analyse the history of how the manufacturing industry used manufacturing planning software – applications that help these firms plan and manage the production of their products. Records of meetings of industry professionals and contemporary surveys, as well as data from industry analysts, software firms, and consultants, makes a case for why competition within industries like software is best explained by looking more broadly at how customers actually use the products.

Dominant Use and Software Industry Growth

The manufacturing industry’s use of planning software can be divided into three evolutionary periods: 1954 to the 1970s, when software was first introduced and culminated with Material Requirements Planning (MRP) becoming the dominant use; the 1980s, when manufacturers expanded their use; and the early 1990s, when a radical technological change occurred and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) emerged as a dominant new use.

When the computer was commercially introduced, large manufacturers were some of its earliest adopters. To make these machines useful, they developed many different software applications, including manufacturing-oriented applications. These early adopters were concerned about managers thinking that these programmes would replace them, so they purposely focused on automating existing routine tasks. General Electric’s well-publicised implementation at its Major Appliance plant in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1954 exemplified this perspective – it focused on “eliminating the drudgery of office work” and avoided automating managerial decision processes in fear that the manager would “throw his hands up in despair.”

Surveys during this time indicate that manufacturers implemented a wide variety of software applications, ranging from inventory control to machine planning to production planning systems. By the early 1970s, however, this variation started converging toward the dominant use of MRP, largely because of the efforts of the “MRP Crusade” by the American Production and Inventory Control Society. MRP represented a new methodology to manage inventory requirements, and the software systems integrated managerial decision-making with the routine tasks. By 1975, it was estimated that 700 manufacturing firms had implemented an MRP solution.

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Advertising - Hotspots and Rankings - They came, we saw and everybody reviewed!

An ad is a product of painstaking craftsmanship. Various elements, ranging from positioning of the product, clarity of the idea behind the product to visibility of the brand, its persona and the power of communication have to be intelligently weaved together. But while some ads manage to rewrite preset creative benchmarks, some go the wrong way, fall by the side and fail to excite viewers. In this section, we review three ads that came out tops, for the right and also for the wrong reasons.

Almost there

Advertiser: Indigo Airlines
Baseline: On time
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy

4Ps B&M Take: To be honest, we really didn’t want this ad to be on this side of the table. Having fawned over it for a week, not ranking it as one of the top three hurts us. But there is a reason behind this decision; we might like the creative, but then it has to also be ranked from the perspective of how well it was comprehended by the target audience. You see, for the whole first week we coincidentally saw this ad on muted TV sets (in our office), thus getting attracted by the visuals and visuals alone; with which we still don’t find any fault. In fact, the concept of a flight crew doing a charged up Broadway musical to explain the vision and mission of the airline along with its working procedure, advantages, expertise and a subtle brief on the services that it provides makes for a very interesting watch (but of course, copied from the Facebook ad). Wieden has adopted a very fresh approach to airline advertising; moving away from the industry standard of showcasing the aircraft fleet with the crew donning a very professional and boring run of the mill demeanor. Not only is it drawing everybody’s attention, but it has also managed to reach out to its target audience – the well bred frequent fliers – and convince them to at least give them a chance. It scores huge on brand recall; but some would argue that the commercial is a tad too long. And if you happen to be in front of the TV for more than an hour a day, chances are you would have seen this commercial several times and that is when it starts to lose its appeal – although the girls featured look as attractive the nth time as they did the first time (duh! but yes, we love them!). Add to it the fact that there’s practically no levity. Outstanding cinematography, super positioning, zero humour, and they missed the top 3!

Watch out for that rock

Advertiser: Big Rock
Baseline: Fashion, Budget Shaadi
Agency: Ideas@Work]

4Ps B&M Take: Our views on this advertisement are not a result of an urge to whine. The complaints are inspired solely by the advertisement. Starting with a bad concept followed by poor execution, the ad is further marred by a poor sense of humour/unappealing cast. No matter how hard you try, it becomes extremely difficult to justify the logic behind this commercial. Why would you be interested in watching someone styling the chest hair of his customers on TV, no matter how imaginative the designs might be? And just how does it connect to the brand to be promoted? For almost the entire campaign, you are left wondering about the purpose of the advertisement, if not to sell some new form of hair trimmers that style only your chest hair. The only way the ad connects with Big Rock is that the viewer is hit by a big rock when he learns of the true intent and purpose of the advertisement. Equally bad is it’s sister commercial themed on budget shaadi. In this one, you can’t even comprehend that there is a budget shaadi going on, let alone realise why such a wedding was depicted. The idea of showing weird businesses is really to convince viewers that any business can work with a website (like it did earlier). But chances are high that you will change the channel before the message can be driven home.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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Arindam Chaudhuri
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MARUTI AND VW TWEEK SMS MARKETING WITH AN INTERACTIVE TINGE TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER

SMS Marketing is enjoying its time in the sun for indian firms. But the Dark ‘Spam’ Clouds on the Horizon Persist

There is an obscenely high probability that the last text message you received, which purported to market some product or service for your brilliant benefit, was summarily deleted from your mobile’s inbox within two seconds of your reading the initial lines. If the response rates are so low, how is it that companies – and leading ones for that – are still opting for sms marketing? Does sms marketing hold promise as a relevant marketing tool?

“Cost is one big factor which is attracting many companies to use SMS as a medium to connect with the consumer,” says Monik Mehra, founder of My SMS Mantra, a New Delhi based sms list broking company, which provides sms push engines for companies like Cantabil India. List brokers like My SMS Mantra have now mushroomed like nobody’s business as they have large verifiable databases of mobile subscribers. The better ones even have demographic data on such subscribers, making the SMS marketing engine more target effective.

Irrespective, with the increasing use of this medium by the real estate, retail and stock broking industries, SMS Marketing has taken in the tinge of spam marketing. “Often, the consumers simply delete the text even without reading,” shares Anuj Kumar, ED-South Asia at Affle, one of the leading mobile media and marketing solutions companies.

Industry watchers expect the spam trend to continue, more so as demographic filtering of the subscriber data is not of the highest quality. The realty sector has been one of the perpetrators of this spam issue. Accepts Ravi Saund, Head-Business Development, CHD Developers, “Out of the total texts we send, only 10% consumers revert and out of those, close to 10% convert into a final sales,” adding that people have clearly started getting irritated with the concept of SMS marketing. Saund laments the absence of demographic profiling, mentioning how globally, database selling is such a huge business proposition because of the simple fact that the data is available based on various parameters. “India too, will have such a scenario, but only in years to come,” says Saund.

Still, several players from the automobile industry, like Hyundai, Tata Motors, Volkswagen, Maruti Suzuki etc back SMS marketing to the hilt as even one conversion is a bonus for them. While Volkswagen used SMS marketing to increase awareness about the Polo on a huge scale, market leader Maruti Suzuki has also started marketing via texts recently. “The response of SMS marketing activities have been better than expected. In fact, it can be explained by the high cell phone penetration and its frequent usage for all kind of information and interaction,” says Lutz Kothe, CGM – Marketing, Volkswagen Group Sales India. Maruti Suzuki on its part launched an SMS contest for Eeco, which generated a record 2.4 lakh entries. “As it offers a decent cost-value relationship, we also use it for our after sales services,” mentions Shashank Srivastava, CGM – Marketing, Maruti Suzuki India.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
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