Source: The Hindu, Thursday, june 30th, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Learning "Sanskrit" is becoming cool among the youth in India
Source: The Hindu, Thursday, june 30th, 2011
GenNext gears up to take control at India Inc
The elevation of Wipro chairman Azim Premji's elder son Rishad as the vice-president (V-P) of the information technology (IT) giant is the latest in a series of sons and daughters of India Inc's promoters moving in to charge at the top.Last year, Shravin Mittal, the 23-year-old Bharti Airtel scion, had joined as manager, Bharti Airtel International- Netherlands (BAIN), the company's subsidiary.
Before being promoted as VP, Rishad Premji was chief strategy officer (CSO) at Wipro. The latest move is said to be in line with a succession plan that has long been speculated about.
However, a Wipro spokesperson said, "According to our company policy, we don't comment or make an announcement outside about our internal promotions." Rishad joined Wipro in July 2007 as business manager in the banking and finance division. In 2009, he was promoted as general manager of investor relations and was made CSO in September, 2010.
An MBA from the Harvard Business School and BA in Economics from Wesleyan University, Connecticut, Rishad worked with Bain Consulting and GE before joining Wipro.
Shravin was meanwhile instrumental in BAIN's highprofile acquisition of mobile and data services operator Zain Africa. Before joining BAIN, Shravin had worked with JP Morgan Cazenove as a technology analyst.
"Unlike earlier, business families or promoters nowadays educate the young generation and through business exposure and training make sure that they are in a position to take up bigger responsibilities," said P. Vijayakumar of the Center for Social and Organisational Leadership (CSOL) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
"These young generation leaders are exposed to the interactive and structural tools that need to be used in strategic and day- today decision making," he said. Sidhartha Mallya, 23, son of liquor baron Vijay Mallya, was integrated in the UB group's top-level management at the age of 18. He has played an important role in formulating the company's marketing strategy.
Sidhartha's leadership helped UB group acquire Glasgowbased whiskey maker Whyte & Mackay in 2007. Later in 2010, Sidhartha joined United Spirits as the deputy general manager for new sales outlets.
According to brand consultant Harish Bijoor, the induction of GenNext into family-run businesses is a natural phenomenon. "They will imbibe the culture of the company better," Bijoor said.
In 2009, Roshni Nadar, daughter of HCL founder Shiv Nadar, joined her father's company as chief executive officer (CEO) at the age of 27. Prior to that she had served at the Shiv Nadar Foundation.
A one-time television producer, Roshni had studied Social Enterprise Management from Northwestern University.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
As a young entrepreneur, Pallavi Gopinath, the daughter of Captain GR Gopinath, played a key role in the launch of Air Deccan, India's first lowcost airline. Having three master's degrees — in media, literature and aerospace — she joined Deccan 360 as a management trainee in 2008.
TVS Group's managing director Venu Srinivasan's daughter Lakshmi Venu, 27, who recently got married to Infosys scion Rohan Murthy, joined as vice-president of Sundaram Clayton Ltd, the holding firm of TVS Motors. She studied economics at Yale University and has a PhD in manufacturing management from Warwick University.
Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/GenNext-gears-take-control-yahoofinancein-2362959437.html?x=0
Before being promoted as VP, Rishad Premji was chief strategy officer (CSO) at Wipro. The latest move is said to be in line with a succession plan that has long been speculated about.
However, a Wipro spokesperson said, "According to our company policy, we don't comment or make an announcement outside about our internal promotions." Rishad joined Wipro in July 2007 as business manager in the banking and finance division. In 2009, he was promoted as general manager of investor relations and was made CSO in September, 2010.
An MBA from the Harvard Business School and BA in Economics from Wesleyan University, Connecticut, Rishad worked with Bain Consulting and GE before joining Wipro.
Shravin was meanwhile instrumental in BAIN's highprofile acquisition of mobile and data services operator Zain Africa. Before joining BAIN, Shravin had worked with JP Morgan Cazenove as a technology analyst.
"Unlike earlier, business families or promoters nowadays educate the young generation and through business exposure and training make sure that they are in a position to take up bigger responsibilities," said P. Vijayakumar of the Center for Social and Organisational Leadership (CSOL) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
"These young generation leaders are exposed to the interactive and structural tools that need to be used in strategic and day- today decision making," he said. Sidhartha Mallya, 23, son of liquor baron Vijay Mallya, was integrated in the UB group's top-level management at the age of 18. He has played an important role in formulating the company's marketing strategy.
Sidhartha's leadership helped UB group acquire Glasgowbased whiskey maker Whyte & Mackay in 2007. Later in 2010, Sidhartha joined United Spirits as the deputy general manager for new sales outlets.
According to brand consultant Harish Bijoor, the induction of GenNext into family-run businesses is a natural phenomenon. "They will imbibe the culture of the company better," Bijoor said.
In 2009, Roshni Nadar, daughter of HCL founder Shiv Nadar, joined her father's company as chief executive officer (CEO) at the age of 27. Prior to that she had served at the Shiv Nadar Foundation.
A one-time television producer, Roshni had studied Social Enterprise Management from Northwestern University.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
As a young entrepreneur, Pallavi Gopinath, the daughter of Captain GR Gopinath, played a key role in the launch of Air Deccan, India's first lowcost airline. Having three master's degrees — in media, literature and aerospace — she joined Deccan 360 as a management trainee in 2008.
TVS Group's managing director Venu Srinivasan's daughter Lakshmi Venu, 27, who recently got married to Infosys scion Rohan Murthy, joined as vice-president of Sundaram Clayton Ltd, the holding firm of TVS Motors. She studied economics at Yale University and has a PhD in manufacturing management from Warwick University.
Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/GenNext-gears-take-control-yahoofinancein-2362959437.html?x=0
Friday, June 24, 2011
Involvement and crowd-sourcing: the new brand mantra
As the online tools and websites are enabling youth to achieve wider social interactions and knowledge, the broader offline communities are in decline unless the community is providing something more than just “community feeling and interaction” (ie. Class differentiation, social status, safety, religious identity, patriotism etc.). If the individuals/ brands are not included in the “cloud” of “peer factors” and immediate inner circle they are less and less interested to interact/ connect with them. Social media can be a spring board for the brands to interact with the young consumers and use the crowd-power of float ahead. According to David Fischer, vice president advertising and global operations, Facebook, FB currently has 25 million users in India (number three position in the world largest internet users list) and the figure is hardly 10 per cent of the total Indian population! According to the report, From January, Municipal Corporation of Delhi has also started using Facebook for users to post problems for immediate action on areas like sanitation and garbage cleaning and the response is amazing!
The Bangalore based adventure accessories company Wildcraft has 637,802 fans in their Facebook page who actively participates in discussion on new product range, new store locations and promotes Wildcraft’s new products via Word Of Mouth. In return, Wildcraft gives them the tips on adventure, cool sports, allows them to upload their adventure photos (they share or contribute content related to their expeditions and outdoor adventures with each other) and obviously offers the “adventure gears”. Gaurav Dublish, director, Wildcraft stated that every post on Wildcraft Facebook page receives 400 comments on an average and about 500 photographs have been uploaded by followers on the page so far. Wildcraft crowd-sources ideas (through Facebook) related to design and colours to develop new products through suggestions by fans.
Lay's (Frito Lay) took an initiative to involve consumers by 'Lay's be a little Dillogical'. This concept was initially launched to make a strong connect with the youth - talking about what one wishes to do versus what one has to do. After successfully launcing the media ad, they took the idea a bit further and launched the 'Give Us Your Dillicious Flavour' campaign which was spread over three phases, the campaign first asked consumers across the country to send in their entries with flavors and tips . The response got 1.3 million entries and the judges chose four winning flavors. In the second phase of the campaign, the selected - Cheesy Mexicana, Tangy Twist, Mastana Mango and Hip Hop Honey & Chilly - flavours were piloted in the market with the theme 'Bachega sirf tastiest'. The four winners were chosen and “Mastana Mango” emerged as the winner with over 15, 77,891 votes out of the total 41, 64,886 votes given by consumers! Sagar Devruhkar Mastana (who sent the flavor) got to take home Rs 50 Lakh and 1 per cent of the sales turnover of the flavor.
The Bangalore based adventure accessories company Wildcraft has 637,802 fans in their Facebook page who actively participates in discussion on new product range, new store locations and promotes Wildcraft’s new products via Word Of Mouth. In return, Wildcraft gives them the tips on adventure, cool sports, allows them to upload their adventure photos (they share or contribute content related to their expeditions and outdoor adventures with each other) and obviously offers the “adventure gears”. Gaurav Dublish, director, Wildcraft stated that every post on Wildcraft Facebook page receives 400 comments on an average and about 500 photographs have been uploaded by followers on the page so far. Wildcraft crowd-sources ideas (through Facebook) related to design and colours to develop new products through suggestions by fans.
Lay's (Frito Lay) took an initiative to involve consumers by 'Lay's be a little Dillogical'. This concept was initially launched to make a strong connect with the youth - talking about what one wishes to do versus what one has to do. After successfully launcing the media ad, they took the idea a bit further and launched the 'Give Us Your Dillicious Flavour' campaign which was spread over three phases, the campaign first asked consumers across the country to send in their entries with flavors and tips . The response got 1.3 million entries and the judges chose four winning flavors. In the second phase of the campaign, the selected - Cheesy Mexicana, Tangy Twist, Mastana Mango and Hip Hop Honey & Chilly - flavours were piloted in the market with the theme 'Bachega sirf tastiest'. The four winners were chosen and “Mastana Mango” emerged as the winner with over 15, 77,891 votes out of the total 41, 64,886 votes given by consumers! Sagar Devruhkar Mastana (who sent the flavor) got to take home Rs 50 Lakh and 1 per cent of the sales turnover of the flavor.
Contemporary Youth marketing strategies
After my decade long experience with youth and youth-aspired brands/ products, the best youth marketing strategies appear to be more of an organic fruit garden, where the trees (read consumers) are nourished and pampered to deliver more fruits, and those fruits are being used to create more trees!
In this process, the trees will happily grow as well as the garden (read brand). Moreover, the trees are not only growing but also suggesting what kind of manure should be used and what is the best landscaping method to increase the “homeliness” and “coolness” of the garden! In an organic manner, they are informing the kind of expected “pest attack” to the gardener each moment…they are shouting loud to make sure that the gardener understands that the garden is built with the trees but not the gardener’s investments! The feel of “being used” to mint money is diminishing. Today, the profit, of a brand is the byproduct of “interaction”, “sharing space” and “peer commitment” to be at the core inner circle rather than just selling products. Unfortunately, most of the brands in India have no clue about the evolving semiotics of youth or they are taking them “for granted”!
The youth in India, is excepting wide degree of choice to interact and play with the brand elements to feel “at home” with the brand. The young influencers are creating their own identities and “personal brands” by combining and mutating with the peer characters, web-influences and media perception which are becoming most important criterias for a brand to understand and implement in their brand elements. As we all know, the “brand loyalty” is fossilized but they are selectively loyal to those vital elements of a brand that touches their personal aspiration, identity and sentiment and is important to create a unique identity to the peers.
In this process, the trees will happily grow as well as the garden (read brand). Moreover, the trees are not only growing but also suggesting what kind of manure should be used and what is the best landscaping method to increase the “homeliness” and “coolness” of the garden! In an organic manner, they are informing the kind of expected “pest attack” to the gardener each moment…they are shouting loud to make sure that the gardener understands that the garden is built with the trees but not the gardener’s investments! The feel of “being used” to mint money is diminishing. Today, the profit, of a brand is the byproduct of “interaction”, “sharing space” and “peer commitment” to be at the core inner circle rather than just selling products. Unfortunately, most of the brands in India have no clue about the evolving semiotics of youth or they are taking them “for granted”!
The youth in India, is excepting wide degree of choice to interact and play with the brand elements to feel “at home” with the brand. The young influencers are creating their own identities and “personal brands” by combining and mutating with the peer characters, web-influences and media perception which are becoming most important criterias for a brand to understand and implement in their brand elements. As we all know, the “brand loyalty” is fossilized but they are selectively loyal to those vital elements of a brand that touches their personal aspiration, identity and sentiment and is important to create a unique identity to the peers.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Rural contribution as CSR initiatives spreads in India
Snapdeal.com Nagar. It's a real place. A village, ironically where 25% off on Victoria's Secret doesn't mean a thing.
While us of the urban variety wouldn't acknowledge it past a search on Google Maps (which couldn't find it!), it does exist. It is, in fact Shiv Nagar, a village in UP which is now under the care of India's biggest online group buying brand. Adopted as a part of Snapdeal.com's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) efforts, the portal will look after the village, managing it's infrastructure, water, the local school and hospital.
Surprisingly, it wasn't the company who pitched the name. The villagers, recognizing the extensive efforts on the company's part chose this name, something only done last forJamshetji Nusserwanji Tata (Tatanagar), and Gujarmal Modi (Modinagar).
According the village Sarpanch of Shiv Nagar, Mr. Sureshpal says – “We are thankful to Snapdeal.com for the support extended to our families. It is definitely beneficial to all the villagers, and it will help to address our problems effectively. To express our gratitude we have decided to change the name of our village to Snapdeal.com Nagar".
In just one and half years, Snapdeal has changed the face of how India buys cheap, with over 5 million users .
According to the Snapdeal blog, the idea arose after a brainstorming session on contributing to society. The blog says: "….why not start from grass root level? One of our colleagues, started talking about his native village, Shiv Nagar, where people have to walk for 3 Kms to get water. And that’s where it struck us!"
After two months of discussion, Snapdeal.com became a part of the lives of 2000 villagers and nearby villages. The first phase will see solutions for unavailability of portable drinking water in the form of water pumps.
Source: http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/life-work/now-snapdealcom-nagar-article-ilmx.html
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Insight in the lifestyle pattern of youth at Manipal, India
A survey conducted by Aniketh Dsouza gave an insight about the lifestyle, gadget and internet usage by the youth in Manipal, India. The city of Manipal is the hub of education in India and is a home to 20,000 students every year. This survey gives fresh insight in the lifestyle pattern of youth in India.
The infographic:
Source: http://anikethdsouza.com/marketing/infographic-manipal-youth-survey-results/
The infographic:
Source: http://anikethdsouza.com/marketing/infographic-manipal-youth-survey-results/
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
education and entrepreneurship are the two steps for social independence- case of Bhavna Botta
In India, among the mass youth, education and entrepreneurship are the two steps for social independence.
Bhavna's life and achievements are worth reading :
The eyes have it
by DIVYA KUMAR (published at The Hindu, dtd. 5th June,2011)
Is Bhavna Botta, who has Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, the world's first student to have completed a Bachelor's degree with the use of only her eyes?
The first thing that strikes you when you meet Bhavna Botta is how full of smiles she is. Not surprisingly, she was voted Miss Smiley — and Miss Final Year — at her B.A. Corporate Secretaryship department farewell party in Ethiraj College this year.
It has been a remarkable journey. Bhavna was born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, which means she is unable to walk, write by hand, or communicate verbally. Yet, she has defied all odds to complete her Class XII exams from a mainstream institution, Lady Andal Venkatasubba Rao Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and now her Bachelor's degree from Ethiraj, all using a unique system of communication by ‘eye-pointing'.
“She is definitely the first person in India — and possibly in the world — to have finished a college degree using the eye-pointing system,” says Kalpana, her mother. With this system, Bhavana communicates — and writes her exams — using a chart of alphabets in numbered columns, spelling out what she wants to say by pointing at the columns with her eyes. The chart was developed specially for her at Vidyasagar (a voluntary organisation that works with children and young adults with cerebral palsy and other neurological disabilities), where she studied until Class X. That's what she uses during this interview as well, spelling out her answers so rapidly at times that Kalpana can't keep up.
Foremost on her mind is her emotional parting with M. Thavamani, her principal at Ethiraj College who retired recently, and whom she went to college to say goodbye to. “It was a very unique feeling,” says Bhavna, “something I've never experienced before.”
Thavamani describes the meeting in touchingly similar terms: “It was a very emotional moment for both of us; I can't begin to express the kind of affection Bhavna's shown me, the department and her classmates.”
She adds: “When I first met the child, I did wonder if she would be able to manage. But today I can say that having been Bhavna's teacher — I taught her accountancy in her first year — is something I'm truly proud of in my career of 35 years.”
Like any youngster, Bhavna's fondest memories of her three years in college are of the friendships she formed and of all the fun she's had. The word she spells out most often is ‘fun', amidst plenty of laughter, as her mother talks about her adventures in learning to wear a sari and her insistence on going to the beach even though the salt water plays havoc with her wheelchair.
Is she signing up for a postgraduate degree? Her family is trying to convince her to do so. But her mind's made up and it has been since she was in Class VIII — Bhavna plans to start her own business. “She's geared all her decisions towards this, whether it was taking accountancy in Class XI or choosing Entrepreneurial Development as her elective in college,” says Meenakshi Subramanian, member of Vidyasagar's Disability Legislation Unit (DLU), and Bhavna's close friend and scribe.
She's already decided on the sort of business she's likhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife to do — a socially responsible venture selling organic cotton and ahimsa silk saris and dress materials — and she has friends and family collecting information for her on different aspects.
But when Kalpana talks about family funding the venture, Bhavna protests vehemently — she's determined to start her business with a loan from the National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) instead. Her answer to my question “Why business?” was simply to spell out “independence”.
“What's the next step?” earns a similarly simple response: “Launching the business.” With this plucky young woman's track record, you've got to believe it will happen, sooner rather than later.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/article2076658.ece?homepage=true
Bhavna's life and achievements are worth reading :
The eyes have it
by DIVYA KUMAR (published at The Hindu, dtd. 5th June,2011)
Is Bhavna Botta, who has Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, the world's first student to have completed a Bachelor's degree with the use of only her eyes?
The first thing that strikes you when you meet Bhavna Botta is how full of smiles she is. Not surprisingly, she was voted Miss Smiley — and Miss Final Year — at her B.A. Corporate Secretaryship department farewell party in Ethiraj College this year.
It has been a remarkable journey. Bhavna was born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, which means she is unable to walk, write by hand, or communicate verbally. Yet, she has defied all odds to complete her Class XII exams from a mainstream institution, Lady Andal Venkatasubba Rao Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and now her Bachelor's degree from Ethiraj, all using a unique system of communication by ‘eye-pointing'.
“She is definitely the first person in India — and possibly in the world — to have finished a college degree using the eye-pointing system,” says Kalpana, her mother. With this system, Bhavana communicates — and writes her exams — using a chart of alphabets in numbered columns, spelling out what she wants to say by pointing at the columns with her eyes. The chart was developed specially for her at Vidyasagar (a voluntary organisation that works with children and young adults with cerebral palsy and other neurological disabilities), where she studied until Class X. That's what she uses during this interview as well, spelling out her answers so rapidly at times that Kalpana can't keep up.
Foremost on her mind is her emotional parting with M. Thavamani, her principal at Ethiraj College who retired recently, and whom she went to college to say goodbye to. “It was a very unique feeling,” says Bhavna, “something I've never experienced before.”
Thavamani describes the meeting in touchingly similar terms: “It was a very emotional moment for both of us; I can't begin to express the kind of affection Bhavna's shown me, the department and her classmates.”
She adds: “When I first met the child, I did wonder if she would be able to manage. But today I can say that having been Bhavna's teacher — I taught her accountancy in her first year — is something I'm truly proud of in my career of 35 years.”
Like any youngster, Bhavna's fondest memories of her three years in college are of the friendships she formed and of all the fun she's had. The word she spells out most often is ‘fun', amidst plenty of laughter, as her mother talks about her adventures in learning to wear a sari and her insistence on going to the beach even though the salt water plays havoc with her wheelchair.
Is she signing up for a postgraduate degree? Her family is trying to convince her to do so. But her mind's made up and it has been since she was in Class VIII — Bhavna plans to start her own business. “She's geared all her decisions towards this, whether it was taking accountancy in Class XI or choosing Entrepreneurial Development as her elective in college,” says Meenakshi Subramanian, member of Vidyasagar's Disability Legislation Unit (DLU), and Bhavna's close friend and scribe.
She's already decided on the sort of business she's likhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife to do — a socially responsible venture selling organic cotton and ahimsa silk saris and dress materials — and she has friends and family collecting information for her on different aspects.
But when Kalpana talks about family funding the venture, Bhavna protests vehemently — she's determined to start her business with a loan from the National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) instead. Her answer to my question “Why business?” was simply to spell out “independence”.
“What's the next step?” earns a similarly simple response: “Launching the business.” With this plucky young woman's track record, you've got to believe it will happen, sooner rather than later.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/article2076658.ece?homepage=true
Kaustav at the BBC : Secrets of the Superbrands
Kaustav was interviewed by BBC for youth consumer insights.
See the part here:
See the part here:
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
grassroot youth in delhi
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQGr_EMCfg
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQGr_EMCfg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)