Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011

Germany: Hanover - Hannover

Walking around Luxembourg city centre part 1.

Brussels Travel Guide

Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG--Chicago Cars Direct HD

Airbus' A320 Family: the best keeps getting better

Volkswagen History part 1 (by UPTV)

Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum

Sightseeing in Berlin, Germany

City - Bremen | euromaxx

LOST in AMSTERDAM

GERMAN REUNIFICATION *LIVE* CNN,CBS 1990

FDI in retail to benefit farmers, create many jobs: Anand Sharma

Mobile Banking and Financial Inclusion

FDI in Retail - Is it a Boon or Bane?

It was exactly six years back in November 2005, that after my brief visit to Hong Kong and having witnessed the retail markets and malls there, I formed a firm opinion that we should have more and more FDI in Retail.

In a debate published in the ICFAI Reader (monthly publication from Hyderabad), in a panel comprising of myself, Mr PT Giridharan, Mr Sundar Sankaran and Nitisha Patel, I was very forceful in stating that it was time for India to invite or allow more and more FDI in Retail.  During the NDA regime at the Centre, the retail market was opened up and the buzz words were 'India Shining' and "Feel Good Factor".  Unfortunately, these slogans did not give the desired impact to the political system.  However, the successive governments have been favourably disposed to allow more FDI than the 26% prevailing then.  I advocated it to be raised to 74%, if not the current debate of 100%.

If an ordinary citizen and an academician can foresee the markets and investment opportunities six years back, why not the planners and policy makers instead of fighting in the Parliament wasting public money?

Is FDI in retail in national interest?

Sunday, November 27, 2011

B-School Affaire, Mumbai

It was a different experience on Saturday the 26th Nov in Mumbai receiving an Award for TAPMI for Best B-School with Finance Curriculum at a program arranged by Best B-Schools Affaire with Dewang Mehta Memorial Committee.  The prime organisers were Dr RL Bhatia and Dr Prasad Medury with respective credentials and involvement.  I was just watching the spectacular event at Taj Lands End Hotel in Bandra (West).  I had more than one reason to travel from Manipal to Mumbai for this event.

Incidentally, I was to meet my nephew Sai Abhishek (Patnaik), a management student from IPE, Hyderabad in the race for an Award besides Vatsala (Mumbai) and Sai from Delhi on tour.  Interestingly, the program at 7 pm started with a national anthem (dedicated to 26/11 victims - for 3rd anniversary) and the first item was felicitating about a dozen Vice Chancellors from different parts of the country.  I wonder, why UGC or MHRD / GOI does not do such events to best educationists every year on Sept 05.

Later, it was the turn of many prominent B-Schools like ISI, MDI, ISB, IIMK, IIML, IIM-Shillong, SP Jain or KJ Somaiah (of course TAPMI too) et al as also the leading and promising B-Schools to be honoured for various achievements.  There may be some bias or favouritism if not publicity through sponsorship but it is inevitable.  Certainly, there was encouragement for competitive spirit and research in management education for a large number of faculty members, management students and B-Schools, closing with a sumptuous dinner.   

Rupee vs Dollar

Three Pillars of a B-School

Thinking of good governance at a premier B-School in India, I was planning to write an article.  The three pillars for this, according to me are Ownership, Leadership and Scholarship at the B-School by the important stake holders, the Faculty Members.  I have had the good or bad fortune of working under at least four or five leaders (or Directors?) for over twelve years in two leading B-Schools in senior positions.  Unfortunately, I witnessed a few shortcomings among these leaders like insecurity, indifference, inexperience and indecisiveness.  This is very sad in today's highly competitive, modern and challenging days for Management Institutes of Excellence.  The other stake holders like Students, Recruiters and Alumni are highly demanding like Value for Money if not Return on Investment!

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : RBI communicates dollar/rupee shift

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : RBI communicates dollar/rupee shift

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : HDFC Bank, Vodafone India launch mobile banking product for rural coverage

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : HDFC Bank, Vodafone India launch mobile banking product for rural coverage

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Wholesale banking!

Wholesale Banking

My article may have to be amended.  I had collected at least 54 prefixes to the term 'banking' by today.  And, now I come across another although I knew it before.  

3-6-3 Rule of Banking

 3-6-3 Rule of Banking

I wish banking was so simple.  Gone are those days that you can accept deposits at 3 %, lend at 6% and go for playing Golf at 3 pm.  It is just impossible in today's technology and highly volatile world.  Interest rates keep fluctuating wildly.  Information keeps flowing from several directions - authorisedly and unauthorisedly too. Moreover, whatever has been lent may not be secure that repayments would come automatically.  All these have got to be managed, particularly lendings and investments.  Many a times the business of banking is affected by both internal and external factors.

Two more prefixes for 'Banking'

After having almost finalised an article with 52 types of banking titled BTB - Beyond Traditional Banking, today I have come across two more prefixes - Home Banking and Interstate Banking!  The total number has now gone up to 54!  I need to revise the article before it is published in "Pratibimb" the in-house e-magazine of TAPMI.  I would love to deal with each of them in brief, at least in respect of those non-traditional terminology in order to arrive at a comprehensive picture of Banking today.

HORIZON 2011- The Finance Conclave #1/5

Sunday, November 6, 2011

"Occupy Wall Street"

50 Prefixes to "Banking"

Prefixes the word Banking have been fascinating me in recent weeks after my reading about Shadow Banking and Palm Top Banking.  I went on searching from all possible sources only to trace fifty such prefixes.  I am compiling these to write an article soon with a title Beyond Traditional Banking (BTB).

Very interestingly, as I was moving forward today I hit upon two more terms viz., Transaction Banking and Wholesale Banking.  With this my inventory would be fifty two.  And then, still I see that out of the twenty six alphabets in the English language, I could only use nineteen of them the left over being H, J, K, Q, X, Y and Z.  Here I given a link to  http://www.finextra.com/fullfeature.asp?id=1636.  There is a full report on Transaction Banking 2011 too for those who are interested in working further to know more.

Regulation or Governance of India's Private b-Schools

Regulation of Private B-Schools in India

I firmly believe that public or private b-schools in India be regulated in an era of reforms.  GOI ministers of HRD made unsuccessful attempts to regulate IIMs a few years back and learnt lessons well.

The private b-schools are competing with the public sector and are endeavoring to deliver their best.  That is the real spirit of reforms.  What Ms Naina jacob dealt with in her article in Business Line of 4th Nov is more of a grievance of some wrong practices or mis-management by the authorities and can not termed as calling for good governance or regulations.  In fact, there has been a legal issue going on between the leading private b-schools and the regulator on the issue of guidelines in December 2010.  

Saturday, November 5, 2011

BI Best B-Schools Survey 2011 and before...

Business India Best B-School Rankings 2011

TAPMI was rated as 15th Best B-Schools in 2011 by The Week magazine recently.  There is no change in its ranking last year (2010).

And one more ranking from Business India.  TAPMI again is at no. 28 Best B-School in 2011 (same as in last year ie., 2010).  A visit to the captioned web page of Business India for B-School Ranking Surveys it undertook in the year 2000 provides rich information on various aspects of Management Education in India, Ranking, Research, Publication, Global Management scenario and so on.  

Business Line : Features / Mentor : Mobile banking for financial inclusion

Business Line : Features / Mentor : Mobile banking for financial inclusion

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : Bancon 2011

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : Bancon 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Beyond Traditional Banking (BTB)

I read in one of the last month's Business World (weekly magazine) issue, an article titled "Palm-Top Banking" and was fascinated to list down all varieties of prefixes to the word close to my heart - Banking.  And today, in the Business Line (daily news paper) a long article on "Shadow Banking in China".

In my over four decades of banking (and non-banking too) career including teaching at MBA level for about twelve years, I came across more than forty such prefixes.  If only I go on listing out these terms, the size of the blog runs into pages and loses its charm.  Besides the traditional terms, I would like to share the new ones that I would be working on and write an article soon.  These are: Ethical Banking, Green Banking, Lombard Banking, Shadow Banking, Village Banking, Eco Friendly Banking, Sustainable Banking, Inclusive Banking and Barefoot Banking.  I am sure many of my students would feel strange.

Heard about Shadow Banking?