Book Review- Drone Warfare: Killing by remote

Wreaking havoc sans the risks

The book ‘Drone Warfare: Killing by remote’ by Medea Benjamin is an excellent work which has very lucidly covered every facet involved with the use of drones or UAVs. The history of combat and warfare has been witness to revolutions which altered the face of the war. The same is happening now with the prolific use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for not just surveillance but also espionage and real time situation awareness of the scene of action. The same UAVs are today delivering payloads on the perceived enemy and the man flying the machine is sitting in an air-conditioned room oblivious of the vagaries of the war ground.

The use of these pilotless aerial flying machines is deemed to be the new game changers when the real man-to-man war of attrition is seemed to be gradually heading to obsolescence. The valor involved in penetrating the enemies’ territory and conducting missions in the face of the enemy fire might become a story of the yore. But there are issues like collateral damage, human rights violation, and breech of privacy as the mission operations of these pilotless flying machines are going to be multifaceted.

Even if these drones will be operated to knock-off an enemy or a militant, questions which immediately pop up relate to how one could confirm that targets are not civilians? How does a UAV ensure it never launches strikes against people not directly participating in hostilities? And these questions are relevant because of the large number of civilian casualties which get reported from Pakistan and Afghanistan which are the epicenter of most of the UAV missions being operated by the USA and UK.

The entire wiring of the intelligence provider, operator of these machines and the people involved in analyzing the received information has huge gaps. Let’s anticipate that signal intelligence or technical intelligence or human Intelligence received from the ground is precise, even in that case the area of operation remains dynamic which poses a risk to innocent life. Precisely these very reasons have brought the Pakistan Government and USA in a confrontation as the lives lost on ground in Pakistan have created a swell of anti-administration demonstration.

A tall man in a robe could be anybody. Even if the target is found to be right, how could one stop the damage in the periphery. There are umpteen examples like 24 Pakistani soldiers killed, one man knocked out in front of the mosque but the projectiles killing another 16 inside the mosque. Also, there are children, women and animals who if not killed are maimed for life. And they are also left with a psychological scar, something like the post trauma stress disorder, which keeps stirring within them throughout the life. Apart from these issues, there are legal and human rights issues, while we keep the battle field or security and defence requirements at bay.

The book is a thorough research on the kind of missions these drones are performing in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya or Iraq. It touches upon the influence of the manufacturers on the administration whether it is USA, UK or Israel which, as of now, have put these drones into maximum use. The research is not just about the bases within these countries but also those bases in Seychelles, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Turkey which are buzzing with these machines and their operators and handlers. Back home, as brought out by Medea Benjamin in the book, lobbies are using every means to push the interest of the manufacturers. The companies involved in defence production like Lockheed martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Limited have other companies like AeroVironment which specialize in mini drones of the size of Humming Birds or wasp and experimenting with technologies which can switch their role as per the need and mission. Medea has very interestingly detailed the web of means employed to grease the wheels to push the manufacturer’s interests and benefits.

Read more...

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman

ExecutiveMBA

Payback Time?

With global diplomacy playing its part and an army showing signs of resilience, the Assad regime in Syria seems to be regaining its composure once again, says Saurabh Kumar Shahi

While the world was focussing on the goings on in the Middle East, the Syrian Arab Army under the leadership of President Bashar al-Assad, achieved a major tactical victory this week in its fight against a mishmash of home grown rebels and foreign mercenaries. The Syrian army successfully captured the tactically important town of Qusayr. And by doing so, it has reopened the transport route between Damascus and Lebanon, something which was closed for more than six months now, while denying it as a resupply line for the insurgents in Homs Governate. There are several versions of how the rebels lost the battle and the town and none of them give a definitive story of what actually happened in northSyria this week. However, there appears to be a growing consensus on why they lost it and are poised to lose further.

The single biggest reason that appears to have started turning the tide is that even after months of fighting, the morale of Syrian Arab Army remains very strong and there is no visible cracks in the military itself. This is an extremely important sign. The army has been stretched thin in the initial 14 to 15 months of unrest. It was also stretched because it had failed to concentrate on key areas.


Also, in the initial days the opposition opened several fronts, especially those where training was being provided by Jordan and Turkey. And that is why deployment was stretched to its optimum to stop these leaks. However, this was less affective as the opposition resorted to hit and run tactics that bled the army quite profusely. This strategy has been changed at several fronts. Broadly the new strategy appears to be on these lines.

First, the Syrian Arab Army decided to withdraw from those areas that were not tactically important or are at least less important than others. This was followed by the consolidation of important areas, which gave the army a chance to mount coordinated attack on the opposition strongholds. It has also helped them withdraw and consolidate arms and weapons in their strongholds and stopping them from falling into opposition’ hands, as was the case in the past. This three-pronged strategy has helped the Syrian Arab Army in not only retaining their strongholds from falling into the hands of highly motived and armed rebels but also recapturing some of those territories it has lost in the last few months.

Apart from this there are other aspects that are very visible. The biggest of them is the army's ability to strongly withstand pressure from the opposition. After months of small and big scale defections and desertions, the Syrian Arab Army has now stabalised and have dropped to a trickle. Sources close to TSI say that during the second half of 2012, an average of 400 to 700 soldiers from the army were defecting every month. That figure has now dropped down to 10 to 12 defections every month, which the sources added, are `very manageable.'

Also, unlike 2012, there is little discontent amongst the officers corps - evident in decreasing number of defections while all such occurences are now limited to the level of soldiers and that too in the logistics department.

It is also very interesting to note here that the core of the conscription of the Syrian Arab Army that is still very Sunni in its formation, has remained consolidated to this day and there has been no apparent crack in that support base although the rebels have tried to project the unrest as a Sunni versus Alawite conflict.

Similarly, the minority conscripts as well as the officers, drawn from Christians, Druze and Kurds, have stuck it together displaying solidarity and camraderie. 

While the insurgency continues to retreat slowly but steadily, Russia's maneuvering has been successful in deterring any chance of an outright western intervention which was rated high on the cards at one point of time not too long in the past.

“According to the Geneva plan the United States and Russia will convene a conference with the aim to finding some consensual new Syrian government with each side promising to bring its supported party to the table. For Russia that will be easy to do. The Syrian government has always agreed to such talks and is willing to send a delegation that will discuss the various issues and compromises, where required.

But the United States itself has a huge problem on hand. It has little leverage over a large disjointed Syrian opposition. How can it then deliver on the promises it made? There are two identified groups the US is interacting with: the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and the Free Syrian Army through General Idriss. To these groups the US can give or withhold money, equally it can give or withhold arms. But what is the SNC's leverage on ground and who, except the Muslim Brotherhood, does it really represent? And if the U.S. withholds money from them, will Qatar and other sources do the same,” questions noted Middle East expert Bernhard, who has kept a close eye on the Syrian crisis.

Read more....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman

ExecutiveMBA

Travel became a travail

It is dangerous for Indian Muslims to travel to Pakistan as tourists as I realised
FIROZ BAKHT AHMED ,SOCIAL COMMENTATOR AND GRAND NEPHEW OF ABUL KALAM  

My honeymoon with Lahore - my dream city, a place of fun and frolic and home to world’s best institutions like Aitchison College and Punjab University, eateries like Salt’n Pepper Village, Food Street and Zaiqa and water parks like, Sozo Water Park, Joy Land Park and Starlet shoes - has ended. During my second — and perhaps last visit there - from June 4 to June 13, I found ourselves: me, wife and our three children at the Sarwar Road Police Station, Lahore Cantonment.

Through these columns, I implore Muslims of India never to venture into Pakistan as tourists since there is no guarantee that they would return unless they are part of some government delegation. Pakistanis loathe Indian Muslims, terming them variously as enslaved and spies. My children who were enthusiastic about visiting Lahore — a city about which famed Urdu writer Kashmiri Lal Zakir had said, “Jinne Lahore nai vekhya/wo te jamiya hi naiee!” (He, who hasn’t seen Lahore/ He isn’t even born!) - are now absolutely Pakistan phobic.

On June 9, day five of our stay in Lahore at about 5 pm, the children wanted a joyride in Joy Land Park. While we were about to enter the park, we were threatened by ISI sleuths in civil dress who had been following us from Wagha. Without our knowledge, they diverted our three-wheeler towards the Sarwar Road Police Station in the Lahore Cantonment.

In the police station, we were told that we had entered a ‘prohibited’ area. My wife said we were tourists and there were no sign posts in any case. But our interrogators had sinister designs and began preparing papers to throw us behind bars.Even if a tourist unknowingly goes to the amusement park, he can land into the hands of ISI rangers. During the grilling, they kept repeating that Pakistani tourists get even worst treatment at the hands of Indian agencies. My consistent denial demeaned me in their eyes.

We were staying at the prestigious 125-year-old Aitchison College from where our passports, visas etc, were hauled in by the police. I was wondering what threat perception we posed, an enthusiastic bunch of tourists consisting of three school going children, me and wife?

The ISI spies had plotted impeccably to snare us - only to be later victimized as Sarabjits and Surjeets for whom neither Pakistan nor India are frankly much concerned. Our arrest documents were written and passports and other papers confiscated. Fortunately, College bursar Col Mehboob, a retired army man, spoke to the police assuring them of our bonafides. Even that was not enough and I had to call the editor of The Nation. It still took us five hours to get out of the dreadful and scandalous clutches of ISI officers after a written apology.

Pakistan, unfortunately, is run by ISI agents and its military. They are suspicious of all Indians. The `soft corner’ for Pakistan, after this treatment has absolutely vanished, particularly against the country’s intelligence apparatus. Bigwigs there are double faced and can do a ‘U’ turn at the drop of a hat, a reason why that country is on the verge of disaster.

At the police station, I could not help but wonder: the El Dorado that Quad-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah created as a dreamland of Muslims after thousands of sacrifices, is not even a semblance of the dream he had spun. Pakistan’s landscape is dominated by terrorism, corruption, inflation, honour killings and sectarianism - to name just a few burning problems.

Read more......

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman

ExecutiveMBA

If Amazon took six years to break even, so will they. [Will they?]

E-commerce’s fight against brick-and-mortar format is public enough. Especially with the rise in count of web-shoppers in India, dotcom outlets are fast becoming common nouns. But there is much left to overcome before they start making money By Bachan Thakur

The last two decades have seen a transformation in the Indian retail landscape. From mom-and-pop stores to supermarkets and malls to online buying; the change has been radical.

A busy lifestyle and the convenience that online space provides, is leading Indians to shop with their fingers. But, online shopping is still in its infancy in India. There are barriers that prevent it from becoming popular faster than it actually is. Questions regarding credibility of merchants, doubts over quality of goods, security regarding online payment gateways, and mostly the culture-based attitude of our cash-oriented society are only a few. But all this has not deterred a host of e-commerce players in India, like Flipkart, Jabong, Myntra, Indiatimes, Snapdeal, Homeshop18, Yebhi and others, from wooing the Indian customer with world-class services and products.

No surprise then that these players are investing heavily on product differentiation, technology, customer service and advertising. That these players want themselves to get heard and seen is good news.

In recent months, players like Jabong, Groupon, Snapdeal, Myntra and eBay have particularly become loud about who they are and what they have to offer. A recent market report by eMarketer shows that online advertisement spending in India has grown from $0.25 billion in 2010 to $0.48 billion in 2012. Online portals are thus working hard to build brand recall. Be it online marketing through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or improving visibility on offline vehicles like TV, Print and Radio, these e-tailers are investing big bucks in promoting themselves.

So the fight is on – differentiate, impress buyers and get cash flow positive. But that is where the problem lies. E-tailers in India haven’t still learnt the trick of making money from this much-hyped virtual shop business. A 2012 Technopak Report confirms this. The frenzy to attain a critical mass of consumers through whom they can start to make money is leading to consumer acquisition through heavy discounting (even lower than costs) and mass media advertising, resulting in very high customer acquisition costs (about Rs.1,000 to Rs.1,400 per customer as per various industry executives). Thus, to differentiate and gain consumer loyalty, e-tailers are fighting it out on the pricing front.

As such, the e-commerce business in India is increasingly become a game where the last man standing may turn out to be the biggest loser! Little wonder that this space has already witnessed consolidations. According to data compiled by Microsoft’s India Accelerator Programme, of the 379 technology product start-ups launched until October 2012, 193 were e-commerce firms, and 87 of these – including Shopveg.in, Taggle.com and Letsbuy.com – have ceased to exist. Letsbuy.com was bought by Flipkart in February 2012, while Myntra acquired Exclusively.in. Online retailers like Lensstreet.com and Dealivore.com also saw closures in 2012.

In due course of time, strategic shifts will take place in the e-commerce space, and more smaller and non-serious players will get wiped out, leaving behind clear leaders. As per Rajesh Nahar, CEO and Founder, Cbazaar.com, “E-commerce businesses in India should have a very smart balance in planning organic and inorganic growth of customer acquisition and revenue. The moment a company tries to accelerate inorganic growth by acquiring customers at a high cost and offering products at discounted rates, it will get very hard for it to get into the profitable zone.”

The Indian e-tailing story has also appeared very promising to investors. These investments have enabled players to grow and scale up quickly. Investment in the online retail space exceeded $500 million in 2011. But failure rates of e-tailers is disheartening.

To stay alive in the business, e-tailers have already started tweaking their business models. One example is Flipkart. It started in 2007 as an online books retailer, but has today extended its portfolio to media (games, music and movies), mobile phones (and accessories), personal care products, home appliances, watches, belts, bags, luggage and toys. Unlike two years back when all you would have heard of in the name of Snapdeal was discount coupons for various services, today, 95% of its offering basket is filled with products!

Limited availability of brands in Tier-I and II locations is driving consumers to shop online. And e-tailers are paying attention. One of them is Jabong. The company has put in place 55,000 special packaging units (as on January 2013) to ensure the shortest possible time of delivery. At present, the company offers same-day delivery only across metros. In 2013, tier II cities would enjoy the facility. And by 2015, expect the company to replicate the same across tier III towns. Says Manu Jain, MD, Jabong.com, “In 2013, we will ensure that we follow the same day delivery concept in tier II cities as well.”

E-tailers are experimenting with new methods to engage end-consumers. Trends like cash-on-delivery (COD), replacement of goods if found unsuitable, delivery-post-trial et al are on a rise. States Sharat Dhall, President, Yatra.com, “We have invested aggressively in consumer-friendly processes...” This fight against brick-and-mortar has become loud already. But the traditional retail format is not going anywhere soon. Think of the challenges that online companies face. India has over 6500 e-commerce companies and most of them are struggling with problems relating to payment options, logistics, infrastructure and consumer service. An e-tailer can tempt a consumer once, but if the erosion of trust starts from the very delivery stage, that brand can expect little in the name of word-of-mouth marketing.

Read more....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year

BBA Management Education

Book Review: Our Moon Has Blood Clots

The agony of deracination

Our Moon Has Blood Clots by journalist Rahul Pandita is not a mere personal memoir that begins when he, as a 14-year-old, was forced to leave Srinagar amid shrill cries for azadi the Kashmir Valley. It revives the memories of Rahul and thousands of Kashmiri Pandits of the good life they had in the Valley, of how they built it and  how suddenly they were evicted from their own homes and turned into refugees in their own country, and how they suffered in exile. It also tells us how they continue to suffer in exile.

Over 258 pages, the book records over how hundreds of people were tortured and killed and how about 3,50,000 Kashmiri Pandits were uprooted during the last three decades. Pandita, who is the author of the bestselling Hello, Bastar: the Untold Story of India’s Maoist Movement and co-author of the critically acclaimed The Absent State, narrates how Kashmiri Pandits were at the receiving end of the atrocities of 14th-century Sikander Butshikan, the 18th-century Afghan Durranis, the 1947 Qabuli Raid. This, in a way, gives the rader the sense that exile was virtually pre-ordained for the Kashmiri Pandits.

Pandita presents a deeply personal, powerful and unforgettable story of Kashmiri Pandits by narrating his own sufferings and tragedy that equally fell on the community. More gripping and moving is the massacre of 23 people in Wandhama, Ganderbhal district. Vinod Dhar, who, as a  14-year old, was the sole witness to this cold-blooded butchery of his near and dear ones, currently works in the State Secretariat. Dhar realises how this one particular incident in his life has left a psychological scar on him.

Pandita, who has reported extensively from war zones in India and elsewhere, tries to establish that the madness of Islamic fundamentalists against Kashmiri Pandits enjoyed popular support and complicity of ordinary Kashmiri Muslims. “Killings of the Hindu minority,” Pandita writes, “had turned into an orgy; a kind of blood lust. By April 1990, the mask was completely off. It was not only the armed terrorist who took pride in such killings – the common man on the streets participated in some of these heinous murders as well.” This is the central theme. The author shows how Pandits became a target of a brutal ethnic cleansing. He points to the case of telecom engineer BK Ganjoo, who was shot dead in his attic by militants after a neighbour directed them to his hiding place.

Similarly, he sees a trend in how the leading actors showed callous disregard to the plight of the Pandits while the organs of the state were aiding and abetting locals in usurping their properties. For instance, 12 days after leading lawyer and Kashmiri Pandit leader Tika Lal Taploo was killed by militants in September 1989, the then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah performed a small piece of classical dance along with Yamini Krishnamurthy during a cultural function at the Martand temple. Later, the CM assured that militancy would end soon.

In the backdrop of a multi-party delegation visiting Kashmir, a veteran communist leader Reshi Dev, who was a Kashmiri Pandit, appraised CPM leader Harikishan Singh Surjeet and asked him to raise his voice against the brutality that had been unleashed against the Pandit community.  ‘Aisee baatien chaleti rehti hein (such things keep on happening)’ he shot back.

The tide soon turned against India with a series of bomb blasts against symbols of Indianness - India Coffee House, Punjab National Bank, Press Trust of India.

Moulded by numerous narratives, incidents of anti-Hindu feelings experienced as a teenager and shabby treatment meted out as a refugee in Jammu, Pandita also takes on the Indian intellectual class that has refused to acknowledge the suffering of the Pandits and how the Indian media, who see the brutalization of Kashmiris at the hands of the Indian state, has failed to see how the same people also victimized another people (read Kashmiri Pandits).

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year

BBA Management Education

Hurt and humiliated

Ajay Rana analyses the sorrow and despair of the Indian cricket fan as a star-studded team turns lambs at home

Sachin TendulkarIndian cricket is writhing in pain. It has been beaten and bruised. The so-called tigers at home are being humiliated and their millions of fans are deeply hurt. Diehard fans of Indian cricket are worried because their team is surrendering very tamely. Zillions of Indian cricket fans are frustrated because their heroes are not showing the mettle that they have been known for, at least in home conditions.
The top half of the batting order is looking shaky and the tail is not wagging at all. Spinners who hardly spin the ball are always in the limelight. Pacemen who could hardly beat a batsman's defence are not at all in a hurry to work on their bolwing technique. Above all, the super boss of Indian cricket, Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI), is not at all worried with the steady decline in performance.

The administration has found a new stock market in Indian Premier League (IPL) and they are pretty satisfied with the ever increasing revenue of IPL. N Srinivasan and company seem satisfied with the four hours of nonsensical drama. They have hardly any time to discuss India's future in test cricket.
Diehard fans have been cornered and they are feeling dejected. The anguish of Indian fans was well addressed by former India captain Rahul Dravid when he took part in the latest 'BBC Test Match Special'.

“A lot of people are upset not just by losing but the manner of the defeats. India won three tosses and had the wicket in their favour in Mumbai and the best of the batting conditions here in Kolkata but they just haven't been able to capitalise or put up a fight,” said Dravid.
After the disappointing loss at Kolkata the selection committee led by Sandeep Patil pushed Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan out of the Indian squad. It doesn't require a great cricketing skill to understand that these changes were just cosmetic and some of the players have been made scapegoats.

The matter was duly raised by former India captain Sunil Gavasker as well. In the series the biggest culprit were those players who threw their wicket after settling down well in the middle. But these issues were either overlooked or selection committee was told just to ignore this.
The fans feel ignored because the Indian cricket administration has always preferred to protect their own interests instead of protecting the interests of Indian cricket. What is required for Indian cricket has never been their priority. When former India selector Mohinder Amarnath started spilling the beans the administration tried to refute all the allegations. But he has already opened a can of worms.

It is an open secret in Indian cricket that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who once had the Midas touch, has lost all his magic and the captain of the Indian cricket team is just trying to shield his place and position. Why is Sachin still playing Tests? Who will ask Dhoni to step down? Why has India only one opening pair which fails every time? Has Indian cricket (especially the Test team) slumped to an unexpected low? Instead of getting any positive solution the fans get frustrated to read an important point raised by Rahul Dravid, “People talk about attitude and say (the players) don't care because there is too much money in the Indian Premier League. That's one side of things but the main thing is their lack of skill and ability, which is more worrying for me. It raises questions as to the talent and quality of players coming through.”

Read more....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman

ExecutiveMBA

“True entrepreneurs don’t start rich”

Stephan Gary Wozniak, Co-founder of Apple Inc., in an exclusive interview with B&E talks about the notable traits of successful entrepreneurs, and how he rates the late Steve Jobs as an entrepreneur-leader

B&E: How do you define “entrepreneurship”, since you were key to creating Apple as a company, and what prime qualities should an entrepreneur possess?

Steve Wozniak (SW): I don’t have a good definition of entrepreneur. I’d go with the popular opinion. It’s usually a young person but could be an older person who is young at heart. It’s a person who wants to start a company and get going on his or her life toward making a lot of money.

B&E: How critical is passion as a success factor for an entrepreneur to succeed?

SW: Some entrepreneurs are motivated by passion to do a particular thing. Others just want any opportunity to have a business of their own. They all want to, at least partly, escape from working for others on this project. Usually entrepreneurship involves creation and engineering. Bright engineers get ideas and become entrepreneurs to bring them to fruit. Often an engineer or scientist creates some sort of working model in their home or garage first.

B&E: And what do you have to say about young graduates who make a mark in the world of entrepreneurship?

SW: These days many graduate from college with entrepreneurship training and they look for ideas or come up with ideas with little or no understanding of what it will take or if it’s possible. They assume that once they get funding for an idea on paper they can find engineering as a resource anywhere in the world. This is the business graduate. The best is when both disciplines, engineering (science) and business, are in the same person.

B&E: How would you rate the late Steve Jobs as an entrepreneur and what were his top qualities (and weakness, if at all) as an entrepreneur and a leader?

SW: Steve was one of the greatest. He didn’t do the engineering but he understood it better than pure business types. He always recognised the importance of it and hired the greatest engineers. I was his key in the early days but he did not make a mistake. In later times it was clear that he understood the importance of all the departments of a large company and insisted on hiring some of the best people in the world in every one of these departments.

B&E: So you say that for Steve Jobs, being around engineers helped him emerge as a successful CEO-leader?

SW: When Steve was young he had a huge spirit to form a company as a way to bring his great ideas to the world. He thought fast and had ideas about everything and he was very outgoing about it. He was around a lot of engineers and knew when gold had struck, with the Apple II.

Read more......

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman

ExecutiveMBA

“There are too many airlines in India to form a cartel!”

Gordon Bevan, Aviation Expert & VP, UBM Aviation, tells why price-fixing isn’t enough a sign to prove a cartel in progress in the Indian aviation space

B&E: Instead of worrying about cartelisation by airlines in India should a regulator like DGCA or AERA not allow them sufficient time to heal their wounds, whichever way possible?

Gordon Bevan (GB): India must look at what airline competition has produced. Irresponsible market share wars have delivered massive passenger growth, driving down average fares, yet no profits have been made by a majority of India’s airlines. Now uncontrollable external costs are dampening passenger demand. This will hit those airlines that are able to survive low fares through high demand stimulation. Perhaps competition or monopolistic behaviour control needs to be extended to those sectors of industry – like OMCs – that supply the airlines.

B&E: About a month back, former Chief of the erstwhile Air Deccan complained that airlines in India are involved in price fixing and cartelisation, and that the It is quite easy to retell golf club chatter as fact. It is quite another to prove that both cartelisation has been executed in intention and deed, especially in a court of law. Capt. Gopinath’s assertion was that Indian airlines colluded to limit the ‘floor’ on airline ticket pricing. It is entirely possible that airlines would wish to limit the decline of yields and would wish to somehow influence this decline. Whilst this is possibly an aspiration, it is likely to be unenforceable.

B&E: So you don’t think there is a cartel operating?

GB: Cartelisation of an industry requires that all players abide by the informal rules. And there must be a payback. Each of India’s airlines has its own break-even as each airline has a different cost base. Set the floor at Spicejet’s rates and all airlines will lose money, set it at AI’s and everyone will make profits. There are too many airlines in India to conform to a cartel pricing regime.

B&E: In August, the DGCA had observed that the price differential between a FSC like Jet and an LCC like IndiGo is wafer-thin! Isn’t this enough proof of cartelisation?

GB: This gap may be true. It is not proof that cartels exist. It may be the lowest that airlines are prepared to drop their fares to. Wise companies understand their bottomline and know the cost of production. We have experienced the effects of airlines selling below cost in India – clearly a sign that no one was abiding by any commercial sense let alone a price-fixing deal. If cartelisation exists, then it has done a lousy job protecting ailing carriers thus far.

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

 

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

 

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year

BBA Management Education

It's time to get organized

Syria’s disorganized opposition forces cannot make an impact until they stand united to attract international community to a single platform to help them

Syrian opposition activists regularly express disappointment with the level of international support that they receive. Although the last meeting of the so-called “Friends of Syria” (a group of countries that convenes periodically to discuss Syria’s situation outside of the United Nations Security Council) brought more financial aid, the degree of genuine outside commitment to their cause remains questionable.

The US, the EU, Turkey, and most Arab countries agree that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime is no longer legitimate. They have intensified sanctions against the government, and have provided different kinds of support to opposition groups. Some states have delivered automatic weapons, ammunition, and rocket-propelled grenades. But arms deliveries have dried up, and the rebels’ pleas for anti-aircraft weapons remain unanswered.

Moreover, neither Syria’s neighbors nor Western governments are willing to intervene militarily. Indeed, despite expressions of solidarity, they have refused to establish a protection zone for Syrian civilians along the border of neighboring states, or to impose a no-fly zone for Syrian military aircraft. As a result, Syrian opposition groups believe that they have been left to confront Assad’s brutal regime alone.

But Syrian oppositionists must recognize that the lack of decisive international action is not only the result of Russia and China vetoing any meaningful action in the Security Council, or NATO countries’ unwillingness to enter into another war in the region. In fact, the international community is waiting for Syria’s disorganized opposition to transform itself into a coherent, effective force as much as the opposition is waiting for the international community. This entails forming a common platform that represents all relevant groups, including the Local Coordination Committees, the Syrian Revolution Coordinators Union, and the Free Syrian Army’s military councils.

The Syrian opposition needs to establish an umbrella organization accepted by all, including the de facto civilian and military leaders who have emerged locally over the last year and a half. These groups already share a common goal – to bring down Assad’s regime – and most of them (with a few ultra-militant exceptions) hope to build a peaceful, inclusive, and democratic state.

Influential opposition figures – such as former parliamentarian and political prisoner Riad Seif and the SNC’s former leader, Burhan Ghalioun – have proposed promising strategies for forming such an umbrella organization. For example, a “group of wise persons” who do not seek political positions could oversee the creation of a provisional council that includes all relevant political groups and coalitions, the military councils, the business community, and religious leaders.

Read more....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

 

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

 

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman

ExecutiveMBA

Reverse innovation/exnovation

All that you wanted to know about the leading principles that drive innovation excellence, from those who created them

While innovation isn’t exactly suited to the short term mentality that affl icts most Indian companies, the impact of innovation on corporate sustainability can hardly be overestimated, as is indicated by numerous studies. Dr.Nam D. Pham, Managing Partner, NDP Consulting, attempted to assess the impact of innovation and IP protection on the US economy and concluded that IP intensive industries “create jobs and spur economic growth as results from high investments in research and development”. They were found to have output and sales that were over twice those of non-IP intensive industries, paid their employees around 60% more; and their R&D spends were around 13 times more than the latter.

Clearly, companies today need to take the innovation challenge head on and meet a variety of challenges right from the product idea to commercialisation to protecting its IP. This cover feature, which is a joint study between the Tuck School of Business (ranked number 1 in the Economist’s ranking of full time MBA programs globally last year), B&E and IIPM Think Tank along with primary research insights from the Indian Council for Market Research (ICMR), presents remarkable insights from global thought leaders on how companies can make innovation a success. Prof. Vijay Govindarajan, Earl C. Daum 1924 Professor of International Business and Founding Director, Tuck’s Center for Global Leadership (who has been ranked 3rd on the Forbes list of “World’s Most Infl uential Business Thinkers, 2011), presents a snapshot of his benchmark research on the phenomenon of Reverse Innovation (a term coined and popularised by him along with his colleague Prof. Chris Trimble, Faculty, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth). He elaborates on the need for MNCs to start innovating from scratch for emerging markets (which are the new hubs of potential), and then bring these products back to developing and even developed markets; rather than relying too heavily on glocalisation. Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri, Hony. Director, IIPM Think Tank and Editor-in-Chief, Business & Economy, and Prof. A, Sandeep, Group Editorial Director, Planman Media, provide us a glimpse of their rather counter-intuitive, yet immensely relevant philosophy on ‘Exnovation’. They assert that companies, rather than consistently innovating, should instil strong process orientation to ensure maximum impact within the organisation and in the market place beyond for every innovation they do. Looking at the manner in which MNCs are latching on to the Reverse Innovation wave, B&E delves into the various need gaps that these companies are targeting, how they are attempting to commercialise the innovations in new markets and the learnings in that regard for Indian firms.

Read more....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman

ExecutiveMBA

Asian bond market report

Capital flows into emerging East Asian bond markets remained strong as investors chased yields during the first half of the year. Relatively strong economic fundamentals, interest rate differentials, and the potential appreciation of regional currencies acted as the key pull factors for these countries to offer higher yield on relatively longer tenure bonds.

Indices heading south again

Unresolved sovereign debt issues in the United States and the ongoing Eurozone debt crisis has jolted investors’ confidence on global asset markets. Rising risk aversion has sharply dragged down global equity markets, particularly in the aftermath of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) downgrade of US sovereign debt. However, considering the baseline scenario, MSCI indices show that the Emerging Europe stock markets have been the worst affected lot since the 2008 financial crisis. And the scenario has been further aggravated by the sovereign debt crises in mature markets and the potential impact on the wider economy. This has led investors to re-think their definitions of risk-free and risky assets and prompted safe haven flows into gold, the bonds of higher rated corporates.

Us stands tall at the top spot

As suggested by an Asian Development Bank report, demand for local currency (LCY) government bonds picked up in the middle of 2010 and remained strong throughout the first half of 2011. Overall, there has been a bullish flattening of yield curves in most markets; in many cases there has been a downward shift of the entire yield curve. Total LCY bonds outstanding in emerging East Asia grew 2.4% on a quarterly basis in 2Q11 to reach $5.5 trillion, with growth driven more by the region’s corporate markets rather than its larger government markets. The most rapidly growing corporate bond markets in 2Q11 were Indonesia (8.9%), the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (6.3%), Malaysia (4.9%), and Singapore (4.7%).

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri

and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

 

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

 

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

Fare the Well, Dear Mr. Governor

Amidst recurring controversies regarding Governors serving The Political Interests of The Centre, A debate to either Abolish or Relook The Constitutional position of The Governor is The need of The Hour.

The position of the Governor which was conceptualised by the founding fathers of India’s constitution to provide for an independent and impartial post which would rise above partisan interests and raise his conscientious voice in the event of a crisis or conflict in a state, has unfortunately disappointed us on more occasions than one. Recurring controversies of Governors being seen working in a partial manner and even dubbed as “political agents” has dampened the integrity of the post and calls for an urgent need for reforms of the highest order to protect the larger national interest of fair governance. The question here is whether it is time for India to totally abolish the post of Governor or not.

While one might believe that the current turmoil in Karnataka has led us to prompt this debate, one look in the recent past reveals cases where Governors of states in both the UPA and NDA regimes have not only acted partially; they have also tried to overrule the electoral mandate. Apart from the recent furore created by the BJP in the case of H R Bharadwaj and E S L Narasimhan, serving governors of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, former governors of Bihar and Jharkhand Buta Singh and Syed Sibte Razi also came under immense scrutiny after having invited a party in minority to form a government, thereby obstructing the NDA to come to power. During the NDA regime too, there was the case of Arunachal Pradesh where the Governor played a very dubious role in the formulation of the government after Gegong Apang switched sides.

According to senior political expert Subrot Kamal Dutta, “The past 20 years have seen people with political background being nominated to the Governor’s post, which has definitely declined its dignity. Even the Supreme Court has come down heavily on the Centre over the conduct of the Bihar and Jharkhand governors in the past. The post of the Governor has to be apolitical, and only people with relevant judicial and constitutional experience should be nominated. Impetus has to be on each individual to keep the post as apolitical as possible.” Taking a fair view on the ongoing turmoil in Karnataka, one could contest that Governor Bharadwaj was only carrying out his duties by acting to ensure that an individual under scanner for alleged acts of corruption to the tune of Rs.5 billion does not stay at the helm of affairs. After all, the constitution legally provides for the Governor to act against corruption, which is what Bharadwaj did. Even if we were to believe that his actions were not influenced by the Congress, his stand invited the ire of the BJP who blamed Bharadwaj of acting hastily only to divert the nation’s attention from reports of the CWG and 2G scams that the UPA was reeling under. Either way, the Governor’s actions, even if justified, stand to lose credibility on account of political gimmicks, the kinds unlikely to end anytime soon.

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
IIPM – FLP (Flexi Learning Program)

INTERVIEW: THE AMBASSADOR OF GEORGIA

B&E: Keeping in mind the current scenario, do you think that Russia will ever agree for negotiations?
ZK: Georgia is ready to talk with Russia, but only under one condition – full respect of Georgian territorial integrity and sovereignty. Knowing the position of current Russian leadership, we have little hope. This is because Russian leaders, namely Prime Minister Putin and President Medvedev, have expressed unwillingness to discuss, enter into a relationship and negotiate with the present Georgian leadership. This once again confers that the objective of Russian incursion to Georgia is not only meant to occupy but also reverse the political regime of our nation. Regarding the Russian military presence in the region, it does concern us and seems to be a threat. But I would say it is not only a threat for Georgia but also another attempt of Russia to show the rest of the world that they are running the show in Caucasus region. It is also a demonstration that Russia is averse to peaceful political solutions of any problem arising in the region.

B&E: Is it the reason why you wish to join NATO? And do you think NATO can help you?
ZK: Joining NATO had been a long term objective for Georgia. It is not something new. Referendums held in Georgia a few years ago demonstrated that more than 70% of the population was supporting Georgia’s aspiration to join NATO. Needless to say that becoming a member of NATO will immediately make us feel that we are a part of the large Euro-Atlantic family. And it would also make us feel safer. By the way, one more reason for Russia to wage war on us in the year 2008 was that Georgia and Ukraine were denied NATO membership because of Membership Action Plan (MAP). Russia took it as a signal that the West is not supporting Georgia any more. At least, the West will not militarily support Georgia if Russia attacks. And this is what unfortunately happened during the 2008 war. But I repeat, we never wanted to join NATO with a view of initiating any military actions to recover the territories. So, Russia perceived European countries joining NATO as their military weakness – especially members of the NATO. Till date, Georgians continue to support our endeavour to join NATO. We will eventually become a member of the NATO family. And thus, we are continuously undertaking major reforms to be compliant to meet the necessary demands of NATO. For example, Georgia participated in the peace keeping operations in Afghanistan with an extended military unit. The Day when all the members of NATO will consider Georgia ready to join, we will be given the green signal.

B&E: You cannot win a war with Russia. Do you have alternative ways to secure that 30% land?
ZK: You are absolutely correct. One has to be a fool to think that Russia can be defeated militarily by any of its neighbours. Also, 2008 war demonstrated the weaker sides, which are quite important. The alternative is very simple – peaceful, diplomatic ways. You can always achieve what you aim for. It only takes more time. For example, you saw Russia retreating from Afghanistan; you have also seen reunification of Germany. However, we are dedicated to find solutions of long term disputes peacefully in order to recover those territories.

Read more....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
IIPM – FLP (Flexi Learning Program)

Small in size, but huge in possibilities

Global fashion and lifestyle brands have suddenly started betting big on tier 2 cities of India. But why? B&E tries to find some answers to this and many such questions that came along its way when it visited one such city centre in the north-eastern part of the country.

A walk down the Deorali Street of Gangtok and apart from Dodrul Chorten, Sikkim’s most revered Buddhist shrine, one thing that is most likely to catch your attention is a huge Tommy Hilfiger store situated in the midst of this busy street bustling with small shops on both sides. Wondering what this $3 billion ritzy global apparel retail brand is doing in a North-East hill station that has somehow been able to save itself from the perils of urbanisation till now. Me too?! Until I met Shailesh Chaturvedi, CEO & Director, Tommy Hilfiger Apparels India, the next day.

“We would now be expanding more in tier 2 cities,’ he told B&E while revealing his company’s latest strategy to augment its presence in India. The company aims at becoming a pan-India luxury brand by 2010 and for this it has already planned to come up with similar stores in other tier 2 cities of the country that include Ahmedabad, Pune, Ludhiana, et al.

Interestingly, Tommy Hilfiger is not alone. Other lifestyle brands like United Colors of Benetton (UCB), Hidesign and Zara have suddenly developed a fondness for tier 2 and tier 3 cities of India. While UCB already has a two storey store in Siliguri (a tier 2 city in West Bengal) and is planning a few more in other small cities; home grown Hidesign too is going great guns and has just established a flagship store in Jaipur. Even Tag Heuer, the Swiss luxury brand, is gearing up to launch its stores in tier 2 cities in the near future. So, what is it that has caught the fancy of global retailers, who, till now, had restricted themselves to metros? Why are they betting big on tier 2 cities?

“With booming Internet and cosmopolitan culture there’s a group of consumers in tier 2 cities of India that wants to own lifestyle brands. In fact, the group always had the purchasing power to own such brands, what it lacked was there easy availability,” reasons Chaturvedi. According to Luxury Market Council of India, 9% of India’s affluent class puts up in tier 2 cities, which says it all about the potential that these beta (tier 2) cities have in store for global retailers. Further, with developed markets in the West reaching a saturation point, leading luxury players across the globe are now concentrating on India. As per Luxurion World 2009, India’s first Ultra Luxury Lifestyle Event held in Mumbai last year, the Indian luxury market is growing at 25% and is expected to maintain this growth rate for at least next 10 years. And the most of it would come from non-metros.

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
IIPM – FLP (Flexi Learning Program)

Vote bank politics

Fighting terror can’t be held ransom to vote bank politics, believes Ranjit Bhushan

The conduct of the union home ministry during the five-year-UPA rule has been blasphemous. If Shivraj Patil became known more for his sartorial elegance and less for insights into the working for India’s internal security structure, his successor P. Chidambaram, who made a good start, has lost political face by throwing out the IPL saying that teams could be attacked like the Lankans in Pakistan. “By doing so, he has walked into the trap laid by terrorists,’’ avers BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad. “The Congress is committed to fight terror. We know how to deal with it,’’ Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi, retorts.

Judged by any neutral observer, it would be safe to say that the UPA government has seen less of terror attacks when compared to NDA. There have been no attacks like the ones on Parliament and the subsequent buildup during Operation Parakram. Even though, it has been business as usual in Kashmir.

Sadly, India remains one of the few countries in the world where the consensus on terror has nearly broken down and can easily pass off as a party dispute – apart from occasional joint statements issued on floor of the Parliament. While Republicans and Democrats in the US frequently disagree, there can be no differences on fighting terror and it cannot be held ransom to the vagaries of vote bank politics. The sooner parties in India realise it, the better and safer it is.

Read more.....

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
IIPM – FLP (Flexi Learning Program)