SCM

RFID-enabled supply chain : Key benefits in retail sector

-- Prof. Pankaj M Madhani

Retailers face various issues like stock-outs, inventory management, product recalls, theft, shrinkage and product counterfeiting. RFID deployment may help them in solving such problems as supply chain partners will have the ability to foresee the movement of inventory, goods and customer demand, enabling them to plan ahead. The major strength of firms in current era of competitiveness lies in their ability to communicate in real-time with their trading partners. Firms must enhance visibility in supply chain by strengthening communication network and deploying RFID for checking movement of products. This article brings out the importance of RFID as a tool to enable real-time visibility in supply chain.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

COVER FEATURE

Coordinating brands globally

-- Don Sexton

A common and difficult problem in international marketing concerns the coordination of brands across country markets. There are strong arguments to standardize the brand position everywhere _ resulting in more efficient use of resources and less confusion among customers. On the other hand, if customer needs vary across country markets, then there are strong arguments to localize the brand position. Often headquarter managers prefer a standardized position while country managers prefer a localized position. This article presents a systematic approach for resolving this issue.

© 2007 Donald E Sexton. All Rights Reserved.

KINOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT

Learning from failures and moving ahead

-- Sumati Reddy

Failures are natural events on the path to success. One has to learn lessons from the failures, improvize upon the steps and move ahead by putting in all efforts. This article provides important points of learning and reflection for business leaders. Failures are more common than success. It is said that failures are stepping stones on the path to success. After all, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the US handled a spate of failures and successes in equal measure. If one were to look at the trend in his career history, one would find a gradual progression in his career from the time he was defeated for state legislature in 1832 until the year he was elected as the President in 1860-a journey of 28 years.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

SUCCESSION PLANNING

Succession Planning : Do we really need it?

-- Sumedha Shandilya

Everybody talks about Succession Planning being a necessity for organizations but most of the organizations do not go beyond designing them. Execution of the process is something, which is rarely acted upon even if it is only the zeal and commitment that is required is absent. In most organizations, selection of CEO is taken as a part of regular recruitment process but it is not just one of the HR department's routine activities. The performance of the CEO determines the fate of corporations, whose financial health collectively decides the well-being of a country and directly or indirectly ours. This article tries to find the reasons behind the need for Succession Planning in today's global market, where due to the increase in magnitude at operational and market level, the organizational processes have become more complicated requiring greater expertise to run it and the increase in stakes cannot allow any disruption or vacuum at the top level.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

HRM

Emerging trends in managing human resource

-- Prof Dharmesh K Mishra

With the world becoming a global village, companies are increasingly expanding their presence across the world. This has resulted in the challenge of managing a more demanding and a culturally diverse work force. Organizations are becoming flatter in their hierarchies resulting in more open communication channels than ever before. This has resulted in faster redressal of issues, increased transparency and in establishing a culture of trust within the organization giving scope for new trends.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Business transformation outsourcing

-- S Jaya Krishna

Business Transformation' is crucial in today's volatile, competitive and regulated business environment to achieve sustained and radical improvements in business performance. Competitiveness, agility, innovation and customer service are the core capabilities for this transformation. However, the expertise, technology and resources required for incorporating such transformational capabilities are very often inadequate or absent in most firms. Business Transformation Outsourcing, a partnering initiative to leverage the expertise and resources of a third party/service provider, is the cutting-edge strategy to build these capabilities and realize true business transformation (i.e., increased revenue, market share, shareholder value and customer satisfaction) when internal resources, competency and time are constrained.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

LEADERSHIP

Strategic leadership

-- Prof. S V V S Vara Prasad

Today's constantly changing business environment requires strategic leaders who can envision a future for their organization and then shape the flow of internal events consistent with external changes. This article sums up the required components of strategic leadership to translate vision into reality. The business environment in the 21st Century has become highly volatile and hypercompetitive. To be successful and to survive in this environment, organizations require strategic leaders. Strategic leadership is concerned with providing the direction and inspiration to effectively ensure a competitive fit between the organization and its environment.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

EXECUTIVE GREED

CEO compensation : No moralizing trivia

- -Amit Singh Sisodiya

Given the fact that the debate over CEO compensation has just begun, it would be difficult to say how bad is the situation in India! Yet, it would be imperative to put in place a system of checks and balances to prevent US-style fiascos. Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's remarks on soaring CEO salary graphs at a recent CII conference might not have shaken the CEO fraternity, but it definitely has stirred a hornet's nest. While some have even dubbed it as `moralizing trivia', as reported in the popular media, a handful of expert reviews have come pouring in pink dailies trying to argue and justify the Sensex-like gains in top executives' compensations at India Inc.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

M&A

India Inc.'s overseas acquisitions in FMCG and FMCD sectors

-- R Puratchimani

This article discusses Indian FMCG and FMCD companies' overseas acquisitions. India Inc .'s first big bang acquisition was in the FMCG sector. It was Tata's acquisition of UK-based Tetley. Through this acquisition, Tata Tea got access to Tetley's strong worldwide distribution network and its strong brands. Many Indian firms have acquired companies abroad in the FMCG and FMCD sectors. The author discusses Godrej's acquisition of Keyline Brands, a UK-based firm and Rapidol, a South Africa-based firm, and Videocon's acquisition of Thomson Color Picture Tube (CPT) business.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

M&A

Microsoft's Yahoo play : Google beware

-- V Venkateswara Rao

One of the biggest buyouts in the history of Microsoft's long list of 86 deals over the year, the acquisition of Yahoo, if it materializes, could turn out to be the ammunition the software giant badly needed to fight Google. The world's software major, Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Internet portal company, Yahoo. The joint venture could create an Internet advertising powerhouse which would pose a threat to the rival industry leader Google. Microsoft has been under pressure to get the market share in the rapidly growing online advertising business. The company's MSN division is in the third position after Google and Yahoo in the online search market.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

M&A

UB-Air Deccan : The kings of good times

-- Y Chandra Sekhar

In a volte-face, Air Deccan joins hands with the liquor baron and the self-styled `king of good times' Vijay Mallya. The strategic acquisition of 26% stake that will be done through his company, UB Group, is sure to shackle rivals. Air travel was a daydream for the common man until about four years back. A former army soldier decided to take a plunge in the air. An air trip in a helicopter, en route to Goa from Bangalore in 2000, sparked a passion in him that saw him create India's very first low-cost airline to cater to the aam aadmi (common man). He is Captain G R Gopinath and his dream machine is Air Deccan, which he established in August 2003.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved

CASE STUDY

Coca-Cola in Japan From role model to role reversal

-- Amjad Khan, Souvikdhar

The Coca-Cola Company's Japanese operation, Coca-Cola (Japan) Co. Ltd. (CCJC), was considered to be a role model for the company's other global operations. CCJC also contributed to one-fifth of The Coca-Cola Company's annual profits. However, the situation started changing from 2002, with a decline in the sales volume of CCJC. Since the beginning of 2006, a number of steps have been initiated by the management of CCJC to turn the fortunes of the company around.

© 2007 IBS Case Development Center. All Rights Reserved.

BOOK REVIEW

The rise of India : Its transformation from poverty to prosperity

-- Author: Niranjan Rajadhyaksha Reviewed by Swaha Shome

The Rise of India, a book written by Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, an eminent author, offers an interesting read about how India transformed in the last century. The author has identified six revolutions which made India reach its current position, but his analysis goes beyond the positive side of this rise to its downside. He argues that despite India's growth, adequate reforms are required towards reducing inequality. Poverty remains a persistent problem and unless productivity is increased, globalization will benefit only a few.

© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved