TRENDS
Video meetings have turned the lens on what lies behind us
From carefully curated backgrounds to pre-recorded options, experts are cropping up everywhere to show us ways to strike a balance between ambience, aesthetic, and right virtue signalling.
BUSINESS
Cairn’s belligerence puts Indian government in a quandary
It continues to be a mystery why a government that prides itself on its departure from the past in every other area of social and political life, is so committed to fighting this retrospective tax dispute that predates its term and has only brought prolonged litigation.
TRENDS
What companies can learn from Liverpool’s growth stall
A slump after a spectacular success is a fairly common occurrence - across individuals, teams, institutions and even companies. The reasons for this 'growth stall' are usually internal.
BUSINESS
Ready and willing, 5G market awaits Indian telcos
In a sign of how soon the market expects users to embrace the new technology, research firm Counterpoint expects 5G smartphone shipment in India to hit 38 million in 2021 itself
TRENDS
Remembering Russi Mody, corporate India’s original maverick
Rustomji Homusji Mody joined Tata Steel as an office assistant. By the time he left, he had quadrupled the company's production capacity and set the tone for India's nascent human resources practice.
BUSINESS
Digital growth can provide momentum to India’s economic turnaround
The rapid embrace of technology across sectors ranging from education to healthcare shows that it is eminently possible for the digital economy to become the pace setter for a return to growth
TRENDS
Will the pandemic lead to big cities losing some of their lustre?
Will more people choose the less complicated life of the village now? Or could the pandemic trigger the big declutter in cities, with better infrastructure for those whose priorities are different?
BUSINESS
Why there aren’t more Happiest Minds waiting in the wings
In order to sight the next Happiest Minds, we may need to look elsewhere, at firms which are differently configured from traditional IT services companies
TRENDS
India needs its moonshot diviners
When the best individuals and companies chase radical - seemingly impossible - ideas to solve problems that affect millions, even billions, of people, that's called a moonshot.
BUSINESS
As Citibank retreats, new MNCs extend their reach
Citibank represents an old business model that is facing intense competition from new, more nimble, technologically advanced players
TRENDS
The European Super League may have been stillborn, but its seeds will linger
The white-faced hypocrisy of it is that many of the clubs that were seeking a guaranteed existence in the European Super League on the basis of their past glories may never have got here had a similar system been in place even 20 years ago
TRENDS
Are you who your mail address says you are?
An ill-considered email address can have lasting consequences. Here's what not to do when signing up for a new mail account.
BUSINESS
India should make a strategic investment in vaccine manufacturers
Despite the current hype, vaccines aren’t a hugely profitable area of pharmaceuticals
TRENDS
Work from home and rest in office
With WFH here to stay, companies must devise ways to separate the home and office again.
BUSINESS
The battle for the COVID-19 vaccine market has just started
The commercial implications of a sizeable portion of humanity taking an annual shot of the vaccine are huge
TRENDS
Why don't cars in India come with Indian names?
The short answer: most car makers believe that the aspirational values that come with buying an automobile in India are best addressed by foreign-sounding names.
BUSINESS
Courtroom win is only a small part of Tata-Mistry battle
After the courtroom win, the Tata group holds all the aces, but it should exercise its power judiciously
TRENDS
Is it time to consign the Olympic Games to history
The lack of transparency in the ballooning budgets for the Olympic Games, as well as the misallocation of this money to an extravaganza that ruins cities for local communities, is, unfortunately, a part of the legacy of what was once supposed to be an event to celebrate excellence and bring people together
BUSINESS
When business leaders speak, keep a pinch of salt at hand
At times the sheer scale of expectations that shareholders, customers, and employees place on CEOs along with the constant scrutiny of their actions, creates a situation where the truth becomes a casualty.
BUSINESS
Fifty years ago too India had a robust gig economy
Fifty years ago, India’s GDP was barely $70 billion. Today, just the gig economy is estimated to be around $250 billion and expected to grow to $455 billion by 2023
BUSINESS
Valli Arunachalam’s battle at Murugappa is for all the women of India
For years, we have seen the unseemly sight of male heirs in India squabbling for spoils of the family fortunes. Yet, the moment a few brave women stake their claim to be considered as part of the business in their own right, all hell seems to break loose
BUSINESS
‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ is painful reminder of notorious NINJA mortgages
The BNPL formula offers shoppers the option of paying for purchase through a series of fixed installments, instead of all at once. It works well for those who don’t have sufficient savings and don’t have the credit record to get a zero-interest credit card
BUSINESS
Ola Electric’s ambitions could leave traditional two-wheeler makers playing catch-up
By not taking a decisive lead into what is the future of mobility, two-wheeler incumbents have left the market open for a disruptor like Ola
BUSINESS
Is there grand design behind free run to fuel prices in India
In most of the changes in the auto industry India has merely aped the West. This time however, with the runaway prices of fuel in the country bucking the trend of falling prices elsewhere, India has to have its own agenda of change
