Can Electric cars be Big Business? ask M&M

Mahindra & Mahindra has acquired a 55.2% stake in Bangalore based Reva Electric Car Co. Ltd, which will now be known as Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd. M&M had earlier taken the initiative for ‘Sustainable-Mobility’, as it had been promoting green technologies by providing cars like the diesel hybrid Scorpio, hydrogen Alfa three-wheelers et al; the Reva acquisition evidently comes close on their heels. But globally, electric cars haven’t made the kind of business sense that their initial promise had showed – even Reva underwent these issues. Then what’s the logic in M&M taking Reva’s stake? M&M’s takeover move has been made due to a wider perspective – and that is backward integration. Reva’s electric technology will now be adapted into M&M vehicles. M&M has also been working on an electric version of its Maxximo mini truck. But the takeover springs up a few issues. In September 2009, Reva and GM signed a partnership to produce an electric version of the new Chevrolet Spark in India. Would this partnership undergo any changes post this takeover? If that happens, it would be ‘electrifying’, to say the least.

Vineet Singh

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

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Arindam Chaudhuri
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Planman Consulting

INTO MY DRAWING ROOM... AND NO MORE?

The appearance of mobile phones into our lives has started to blur the lines between what is private and what is public at an alarming rate

Just for an example look at what youngsters are doing on Facebook. I am assuming that most people who are on Facebook are attitudinally young. It has become a complete ecosystem where the youngsters do far more than just status updates. From events to places visited to playing games to endless chatting, youngsters keep finding newer ways of interacting and connecting.

If that was all, then it should not have been an issue. The real issue is the amount of private moments, desires and emotions that are posted on online spaces for the whole world to see. There is no dearth of moments people are posting: honeymoon pictures (always private), private parties (not open to all), and even family reunions (is everyone on one’s friends list interested?)

So how is this blurring of public private space going to affect the world of branding? And why should the world of branding be even interested? Well there is are two issues credibility and authenticity that we will have to battle.

Social media has always been seen as a more influential medium than conventional communication channels. Opinions and conversations posted on Social Networking sites are more trusted and valued. I am not sure in coming days this will remain as sacrosanct as it is portrayed today. Will you trust the comments from a group of ‘friends’ who in your opinion have been more open than others?

The second issue is of authenticity. Brands always want to build authenticity in their DNA. Part of building authenticity involves keeping things private, hidden, secret. Will this new all baring, all sharing audience respect this attitude from brands? Will the brands be eventually forced to abolish the line between private and public that they have held sacred become a liability? As always, maybe the emerging reality will lie somewhere in between!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

HAS TODAY’S ADVERTISING LOST THE PLOT?

In the hysterical anxiety to engage and entertain an impatient and promiscuous youth-oriented target base, is advertising forgetting its basic agenda – of informing, convincing and selling? 4Ps B&M investigates

Priti Nair, Managing Partner BBH, in fact disagrees, “Even a couple of years ago, there were many more creatively adventurous ads. Today, maybe a fall-out of the recession, a lot less risk-taking ads are seen. Most stuff is focused, direct… boring. I think we need to push the envelope a lot more.” Lloyd Mathias, President and Chief Marketing Officer, TataTel, brings his own spin to the table, “Like any other social medium, advertising reflects the mood of the times. The simplistic inform-persuade-sell mode worked beautifully for a long time but once communication became sophisticated, technology entered, there was a paradigm shift. Multi-tasking became the order the day. It is not uncommon to see today’s kids on the mobile while hitting the net, right? So in this age of Youtube, Twitter and Facebook, advertising content has to keep pace. It can’t be as direct, naïve and simplistic as it once was. The new-age consumer would dismiss it, straightaway.” Besides, adds Mathias, for hard-core information and details about products and services that are in the hi-ticket category, the net provides it all; one doesn’t have to depend on advertising. “The job [of advertising] today is to primarily push the brand in an endearing fashion that triggers the recall factor.”

Abir Chakravarti, VP Bates, believes that the rules of the game have changed, “The famous AIDA principle – Attention, Interest, Desire, Action – works only in parts, with most of the focus on the first two. In today’s proliferating brands and media avenue universe, the function of advertising has dramatically altered. Unprecedented brand promiscuity among the youth has demanded an unprecedented focus on grabbing their attention. Also, for the entire AIDA principle to work, a 360 degree spin is required. We live in different times and advertising is trying to keep pace. Sure, there are plenty of occasions when guys and brands go over the top. That’s an irresponsible cavalier approach and totally uncalled for!” And Ujjal Sinha, CEO of the Kolkata-based Genesis Advertising, has the last word. He believes that by and large, today’s ad guys have lost the plot. “In their anxiety to go global, they seem to be aping the West. There is a definite sense of insecurity powered by the mistaken belief that the more bizarre, big budget and spectacular the ad, the more it will resonate with the public. It’s a giant leap in the wrong direction…” Now that is another story altogether.

Monojit Lahiri

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM Career News - Career opportunities for Young MBAs in Today’s corporate world - Symposium at IIPM Bhubaneshwar

On 26th June 2010, 4Ps Club of IIPM Bhubaneshwar organized a symposium on the topic, “Career opportunities for Young MBAs in Today’s corporate world”. The guests for the event were Dr. Saroj Kumar Mahapatra - Senior General Manager HR, POSCO India Ltd, Mr. Binod Gopal Mukherjee, Zonal Head Religare Securities and Prof. T.K. Chatterjee who played the role of moderator in the entire event. Both the speakers had stressed on the core importance of the marketing vertical of their respective industries. Dr. Mahapatra emphasized on special importance of B2B marketing process and the careers associated with it where as Mr. Mukherjee threw some more light on how challenging the careers in B2C marketing process are, taking Broking industry as a special case. It was a real value addition for the young & dynamic future Managers as they got a 360 degree picture of their prospective careers in the corporate world.

IIPM Broadcast - Investment Summit In Indian States - IIPM Ahmedabad

The objective of the event was to harness the knowledge of Management students and make them understand and learn- how one can attract investors to a particular state/region/territory by communicating the Value of their state to the investors, which includes improved transport system, better skilled and semi-skilled labor, safety, security, health, emergency services, accommodation and tourism facilities which all are some lasting legacies of Indian states. The event basically focused on ways to uncover the knowledge,creativity and talent of management students who have just started their management studies .

Students had to present the scope of the given state. Also, they had to market their state with respect to the available natural resources, which is a key economic driver. Ideal representation of the cultural aspects can attract investors in their State.

Ecstatic Celebration erupted at IIPM Ahmedabad for the event Investment summit in India. The Event was very colorful and full of Joy, filled with the colors of the different states and tastes of the different culture of Indian states. Students were very participative and had put lots of hard work to make the event possible. The Event was all about Promoting the state in front of Juries and to convince them that their state is the best place to invest.

Students were to find a particular Industry, which would have immense scope for growth. They have to market their project with respect to the availability of the Natural resources as well as the other resources available in the state like, Road, Rail, Airport and Power resources. Economic drivers and the state’s cultural aspects as well as the Literacy rate of the particular state.

All in all the event was a Joy to watch, students of IIPM are very creative, they have shown how Management aspirants can learn real life Management Learning through this kind of Entertaining event without having any stress.