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Jun 26, 2005Spandan: Looking for an Indian "YouTube"?Here is a great application for a YouTube-like service in India. You don't need to be an IT programmer or even an expert. If you are a blogger then you probably can do this easily. The Spandan theatre group seems to embark on an ambitious, and much needed, project of pulling together information about 15,000 theatre groups in India, including video clips of shows. We think there's a better way than their current approach. Find a hosted streaming video service (monthly or yearly subscription), capture the shows using your garden variety Quicktime/Real video programs and leave the rest to the hosting service. Attach a blog or any interactive component to the site. Do we really need Chief Minister-level involvement to do this sort of thing...? more >> and Spandan website >> May 28, 2005Open your eyes with DrishyaThere is a false perception that entrepreneurship and examples of actions that make a difference are to be found only in high technology, where only "starting companies" qualifies. Self-centered techno-geeks, consultants and wistful journalists perpetuate this myth. OK, so that's probably a little too vitriolic, but we at Slowread are frustrated with the deadwood that's called Indian press, and we can't seem to find any noteworthy stories to highlight. So, after a long gap, we were yanked off our sweet bottoms when we saw this news item. What a terrific idea! May we also suggest Giovanni Pastrone's Cabiria, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton to add to this list? ... more >> Feb 13, 2005Amartya Sen InterviewAmartya Sen. "Incentive is an extremely serious issue. One can't ignore incentives and just say we will do the right thing no matter what the result is. However, people often underestimate the reach of incentives. Incentive is not just a desire for more income. Incentives include wanting a fulfilling life." That, in a nutshell, is the essence of free-market thinking. And there is a straight line that connects this essence to the thinking that is required for corporate executives and aspiring high tech managers in India. Calls for that maturity in professionalism in Indian professionals are nothing but a simple reminder that your fellow team members too have this desire for a fulfilling life... more >> Jan 16, 2005Animation industry, still on the starting blockWith a unique diversity and richness in state-by-state culture, native stories, India is a veritable treasure chest of material for animation industry. But, once again, it comes down to expertise, skill-sets and originality. Glorious opportunities continue to go untapped... more >> and a collection of related articles >> Dec 27, 2004Barriers to Indians: Near-zero professional skills"I've made many presentations over the years in India. I've noticed that Indians don't take criticism well. They get very offended." There it is. A no-nonsense assessment of Indian high-tech community. Until this generation of managers learns to be professional and self-confident, any aspiration for entrepreneurial success is only a misplaced optimism... more >> Dec 18, 2004Nov 28, 2004Complacent Indian textile businessCaution. Self-delusion zone ahead. While the backward looking labor laws and entrenched interests are surely a problem, a more alarming trend is the lack of killer, well ok, the competitive attitude from the business community. China is not a problem? No self-respecting business person should be so complacent. Reminds us of what someone said: "When you are falling from a 100-story building, until the 50th floor, it feels like flying"... more >> and more >> and more >> Oct 24, 2004Paan shops (decentralized) and Sabzi mandis (centralized)This insightful article, by Sangita Joshi is a good read for anyone thinking of exploring retail business opportunities in India (and oh by the way, don't think too much about that "market hierarchy" remark, sounds too bookish to us)... more >> Oct 17, 2004Pune's Software Technology ParkA broad sweep at what's happening in Pune. The threat is not from banning outsourcing to India, but from (lack of) infrastructure... more >> Oct 3, 2004Song and dance is not contentProvocative, investigative news programs need not look for segmentation, they cut across all segments. So the question of "how many TV channels are enough" in Indian market should not arise at all. A better question is, when are we going to get past the inane, "filmi songs" centered version of entertainment. When is the last time anyone has seen a good Indian TV drama based on, well, Indian literature? (and please don't ask what "Indian" literature means)... more >> Sep 19, 200451 to Japan, 20 to China, 13 to South Korea and...To India, just one direct flight service from US. If this article is right, then is there any other reason why Air-India should not be scrapped? ("As things stand, even if a US airline wants to increase the number of flights, it cannot, because of an agreement between the two countries dating back more than 50 years. Under this bilateral agreement, the US cannot increase the number of flights unless there is a corresponding increase by a "designated'' Indian operator (Air-India) by the Indian government, so that revenues are equally shared. Indian private airlines are not allowed to fly to the US as the government wants to retain Air-India's monopoly.") We suppose all those IT outsourcing service providers are happy with being abused by Air-India day in and day out as they schlepp back and forth... more >> Jun 19, 2004May 29, 2004Indian dance: a "Furacao" in every measureIf you ever wondered about the myriad complexities of the Indian dance, think of its energy as Elis Regina plus Ella Fitzgerald caught in a kaleidoscope of nuances... more >> May 16, 2004"It's not your fault"OK. So we grant you that economically disenfranchised turned the tables on the incumbent. But, tell us, since when did poor and lower middle class people start noticing a cop's uncouth behavior on the street, enough to cast their vote to change it? It is surprising to see how little the mainstream media picked up on the underlying lessons from this election: an economic growth driven largely by hired-gun consultants to overseas does not solve any problems. Just creates more cash for consumption. Real economic growth happens when small business entrepreneurs make products that solve an average person's problem. Where is the innovation and real management?... more >> Feb 7, 2004Dazed and confused?A business activity that makes products comes first. Analysis, synthesis and opinion formulating of this activity is economics, which comes after. If you have a choice, we goad you into doing the former everytime and all the time. That's putting the horse before the cart, where it belongs. We guarantee you, as soon as you start a business and get busy, all this opinion-making will appear, so pedantic. When you feel that way, good things will happen to you. With that said, here is a four-part series by Arun Shourie. Read every sentence carefully as it's cast in gold. ... Part 1 >> Part 2 >> Part 3 >> and Part 4 of 4 >> Jan 31, 2004Watchout Wi-MAXLaying out new fibre-to-the-curb massively in these days of broadband wireless raises serious questions. But again, if you are a nimble entrepreneur, you'd take the recently standardized 802.16-based point-to-multipoint boxes and go-to-market fast. Just make sure you cover TV with your box (hint to box makers: need a sub-$100 802.16 CPE box that talks to an analog TV.) And oh yes, there is this minor detail of acquiring spectrum licenses (2GHz-11GHz space.) Does Reliance know anything on the latter that you and I don't? Something curious is brewing here... more >> Jan 24, 2004Outsource this!One more stark example of how this runaway economy is, well, running away from the the very ones we care most: our parents. It is not as easy as putting the provident fund management in the hands of the marketplace for high rate-of-return - the inherent market risks may be too volatile - and the problem really is not the rate-of-return yet. The issue is of a business process automation (BPO-geeks, are you happy now?.) Instead of living large on borrowed engines of growth from overseas, here is a case for spurring your own private economy to get going... more >> Jan 16, 2004The Big SleepMalaise. That's what it is. A gaint centipede blocking the arteries of human dignity and inebriating the IT-entranced wet and green behind the ears generation that doesn't know revolution from a software program if it bites them on their ass, to paraphrase a rocker who smoked life and burnt down the house. Rape is a holographic malaise in the society. If one commits the crime, an entire generation pays the price. If you don't speak out, you are as guilty as teaching your children it... more >> Jan 8, 2004It's the economy, ......Concluding part of Arun Shourie's insightful article:"The way to develop a large domestic IT market is for the industry to come up with solutions and products that meet real needs". This is the core message that needs to be repeated over and again, until the mainstream's juvenile glorification of trade unions (people activity) is replaced by a creative economic activity... more >> Jan 4, 2004Overcoming techno-geek thinkingOf course Mr. Shourie is doing what he always does, encourage and revitalize. Nevertheless, you and I have to think beyond the here-and-now. We are alarmed by the second bullet, "We are today one of the principal knowledge-generators in this field." Knowledge-generators are of no use to an economy that needs to solve problems. And the issue here is more than a choice of words, it is of knowing the difference between knowledge (read: technology) and a full-fledged product... more >> Dec 28, 2003Doctors with no strings attachedWhen we earlier noticed Teledoc (Dec 6, "Case Studies" section) we thought it was a one-off effort, until we learned of this emerging telemedicine service. Innovative. Apt. Makes a lot of sense... more >> Dec 23, 2003Radio to the "user," lands finallyRecommendations of this "radio committee" may at last drag this entertainment (don't get us wrong, industry watchers have indeed found it entertaining all along, watching the song and dance of the govt.) sector kicking and screaming into the relevance it needs to thrive. Or may be it's too late if the internet radio has its way... more >> Dec 19, 2003Stop this backdoor manIt is fascinating to hear these socialist wolves howl on the insufficiencies of a democracy even as they are cloaked in its woolly comforts. Whenever someone argues that democracies work "because of the confidence that the masses repose in the integrity and responsiveness of their governments," we suggest you rush and close the back door, because that's where from these old statist hags are storming the barnyard... more >> Dec 13, 2003Booming animation sectorFrom virtually nothing in 2000 to an estimated $1.5B (~2.5% of global market) in 3-5 short years, the animation production in India can only grow as affordable set-top-boxes (see below) unclog the broadcasting channel... more >> and more >> Dec 6, 2003Can you build a $50 TiVo?
Dec 3, 2003Pharma regulationEntrepreneurs with bio and pharma interests are sure to find this swift progress of the govt. on the regulatory efforts interesting... more >> Nov 30, 2003Opportunities in market segment researchThis latest overview of the country's consumer market segments actually hints at a big opportunity, if you are good at market research. Note the inset box on unreliable nature of the data... more >> Nov 22, 2003Time to grow upHere is an example of the continuing paucity in the thinking... more >> With pockets of country making economic strides what you need is a quantum leap in the quality of the insight and awareness. Grasp and hold forth those ideas that strike the heart of this new reason to hope, instead of a pedantic, dissertation-style classification of political class. Start with James Buchanan >> Nov 17, 2003Beware of the noise...Don't mistake consultants and fund managers (who are usually first to show up at a party) for real entrepreneurs. Real economies are built by real product builders who bet on the economy and not on the stock market. As long as the govt. derelicts on its duty of providing basic services and to get out of the way of these entrepreneurs, real engines for economic growth, like the ones discussed in these articles, are buried in the noise... more >> and more >> Nov 14, 2003Don't kid yourselves...All this IT outsourcing and deregulated economy is all fine, but make no mistake, an average Indian is still woefully clueless and hasn't yet shown the will to learn the essence of innovation culture: those of us who attended universities both in India and US will relate to this article immediately: that unfettered - the uniquely American - horse sense that instills the excellence in the teaching and research culture in US vs a wooden, jaded, expression-less and a depressingly numb atmosphere within the walls of universities in India...more >> Nov 10, 2003Book Review "Reintegrating India..."A review of Reintegrating India with the World Economy by Professors T.N. Srinivasan and Suresh D. Tendulkar...more >> and ...more >> Nov 6, 200320/20 on "Path to 2050" - Part IIBarrier #2 in the way of the 'Path to 2050:' an overemployed manufacturing sector that has virtually remained stagnant over the years. Why do we bother with govt. when the solution may lie in the growth of large private manufacturing firms with flexible pro-labor best practices?...more >> Nov 3, 200320/20 on "Path to 2050"A key obstacle on the 'Path to 2050' is lack of education infrastructure, as this article laments. The answer may lie in by-passing govt. altogether and let free-market entrepreneurs give it a shot, with lessons borrowed from Agastya experiment (see "Case Studies" category)...more >> Oct 31, 2003Amartya Sen's ClassicA re-presentation of Amartya Sen's "Development as Freedom" (reading Fareed Zakaria's "Future of Freedom" alongside should draw interesting parallels)...more >> Oct 23, 2003Prosperity and de SotoA balance-sheet approach to a critique of the state of the economy misses the mark entirely on what drives a free-market economy: innovation and entrepreneurship. Over and over again, systemic viewpoints make a fatal mistake of ignoring the people: read Hernando de Soto...more >> and more >> Oct 21, 2003Reporting Economics WellInformed journalism can be hard to find in the field of economics, especially in the nation where private-business ownership is just beginning to be recognized as an instrument of progress: Anne O. Kreuger of IMF on reporting economics well...more >> Oct 19, 2003Time to kill the likes of BPCLGobs of prime market segments are being allocated to govt-sponsored companies which are handpicked to perform "social obligations": what it really is, is a twisted notion that belittles people as unthinking and mindless parasites...more >> Oct 17, 2003B.G. Verghese's "Breaking the Big Story"An essential reading for a glimpse into the state of journalism in the country, B.G. Verghese's book "Breaking the Big Story" features nine essays by authors of the original stories. A book review ...more >> ...publisher's (Penguin India) synopsis... more >> Oct 8, 2003Utility AdvertizingHere is an intriguing idea: let the private industry pay for the electricity to keep my TV on and watch commercials. Why not?... more >> Documenting debates: Anyone?You don't have to be a high-falutin' "entrepreneur" to get started on this: just bring your federalist papers knowledge and a skill to translate... more >> Zakaria's "The Future of Freedom"A view of Fareed Zakaria's "The Future of Freedom" from the midst of Indian politics...more (book review) >> "India Unbound"Reviewing "India Unbound," a book by Gurcharan Das, Thomas Sowell writes "the kind of hi-tech success that Indians had achieved in Silicon Valley they now began to achieve in India "...more (book review) >> Damn the damsDams in India are "huge, wet cement flags that wave in our minds" and have "become a very cynical corrupt enterprise..." says Arundhati Roy...more >> |
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May 30, 2005Girlie men, meet Real Girls - IIWe just saw this follow on story, just three days after the original report... more >> May 28, 2005Girlie men, meet Real GirlsHere's an opportunity, for any Indian blogger local to this town, to spread the wildfire of self-motivation. Go talk to these gritty girls and with their permission make this a big deal story on your blog. Lionize the responsible police officer for his good deed, provide a contact address for other girls to take action, talk about it on your blogs. Create a forward moving momentum for other girls to help muster their courage. In short, for once go write something independent, useful, not about yourself and not about congratulating each other ad nauseum... more >> Feb 13, 2005Bamboo craft: entrepreneurs needed"Many bamboo and cane craftsmen, who were recently in New Delhi to showcase their artefacts, feel helpless despite various government schemes to promote the craft. Voicing their concerns, they say though the government does try to provide a platform to them in form of exhibitions across the country, the underlying “lack of entrepreneurship” in these endeavours defeats the whole purpose"... more >> Dec 30, 2004Tsunami story: it's the people who make the difference"When the magnitude of the tsunami that hit the Tamil Nadu coast became known by Sunday afternoon, two software engineers working for an Bangalore IT firm immediately packed their bags and landed in Cuddalore."... more >> Nov 28, 2004Opportunities in funeral servicesAs heart-breaking as these kinds of stories are, they all point to a problem that begs a solution, which an entrepreneur can deliver. Dignity, in death, is brushed aside by the necessary expediency, lack of money and a sheer busy-ness of the hospitals. Opportunity: Set up a company that offers the front-to-back services of taking care of all the post-death arrangements. Sell this service to families as a sort of a death insurance program, much like funeral insurance in US. Next, extend this pool of funds to offer free service to those who cannot afford it, much like the social security benefits in US... more >> Nov 6, 2004Textiles: India vs. ChinaThis doom and gloom article on the state of Indian textile industry actually points the way to the future. What happens when quotas are removed? Competition kicks in, forcing these mills to be productive and efficient. Fragmentation is not always a problem, it can be an opportunity. Entrepreneurs and investors shouldn't be discouraged by head-in-the-sand labor laws dragging this sector. Bring the power of internet to change the business model... more >> and more >> Oct 24, 2004Zardosi name tags for high tech city
Oct 12, 2004Opportunities in diagnostic industryIf there is a description of a problem, hence a description of a business opportunity, more clearly articulated, we haven't seen one. Take a look at the plight of the health care diagnostic laboratory industry today: "Much of the equipment that we buy are manufactured outside India and are closed systems. The manufacturers do not heed our pleas for a regular supply of reagents and sera. They make available only big-sized packs, which, given the short shelf life, go waste after a time. This increases our costs." Seen from a jaded resident Indian point of view, this reeks with the same old bureaucratic inefficiency. Seen from an entrepreneurial perspective, it is an area ready to wrap a business plan around... more >> and more >> Oct 3, 2004The McKinsey trap - IThe unfortunate aspect of the IT awakening in India is, almost all of it is in the software consulting industry. And guess what, there is probably no industry that is farther away from having real impact on real economies than this technology-oriented software sector. And consultants like McKinsey never had to deal with real products, so there was an easy match: naive Indian politicians and business folks thinking they are in the game when they teamed up with these consultants...... more >> Sep 19, 2004Opportunities in Weaving IndustryConsider this. There has always been, and will be, a market for this technology. Resources are plenty and highly skilled. Capex is miniscule. With the right business management, pricing strategy and creative productization, the weaving industry can be a compelling sector for entrepreneurs. Think of this as a technology waiting to be productized. What are you waiting for? Someone should pick this up... more >> Jun 9, 2004Possibilities for eLocuterAn entrepreneurial opportunity lurking in here can be thought through along the following lines: if you understand sounds, decipher their meaning and can respond back, then there is really no up-front need to understand how to write and read. Entire civilizations were this way in their formative years. So, if you can design a software that lets you communicate using sounds, there's a lot you can do. Most importantly, you can let in sound-speaking (ok, couldn't resist the pun) peoples into, the Internet! Where can we find these sounds? All Indian languages are phonetic. Sounds then become developmental and business opportunities. We at Slowread have held an opinion for sometime now that the more sophisticated the literacy requisites become for participation in knowledge-economy, the more conspiratorial and Ivy-leaguish it looks (which, in case we need to elaborate, is a bad thing) so this eLocuter idea just may be the way out... more >> and the download site for eLocuter v2 >> May 29, 2004The ultimate residence for entrepreneurs - KudumbashreeWe are convinced if Kudumbashree were to have been located in Silicon Valley (either one) it would be christened a revolutionary venture incubator for the emerging rural economies. It is. All its venture leaders are indigenous "entrepreneurs-in-residence." They know their markets, they have the right people, the right products and a terrific sense of marketing where it matters. And they are wildly successful. Are you watching, Mr. Hernando de Soto? ... more >> and more >> May 22, 2004Our Life Our FilmListen to city-dwelling mandarins on why the recent election results are bad for country, and you'll find clear sources of the endemic inaction: something else must happen before they can act, as if democracy is a lockbox that exists independent of their cynism. Excessive intellectualization can do that to you, if you are not careful. Well, here is a story that demonstrates, quite literally, that an earth-shaking calamity is no excuse to whine. We'll take these class distinctions any day: "Researched, shot and directed entirely by the eight women, Our Life Our Film essentially takes a look at not only the destruction wrought by the earthquake in physical terms but also the more harmful psychological effects it has had on its victims"... more >> May 16, 2004A "self licking cone"We at Slowread always look for an opportunity to incite economic activity as a way to obviate the government's role. This time, in a curious way, the goals of MNCs (multi-national corporations) and the jobs-first-reforms-later signalling from the new "leftist" power may be aligned after all. MNCs are not only struggling to contain their labor costs, but their end markets in the west are saturating as well. Sooner or later someone will build and tap into end markets in India, China only to realize that unless they employ indigenous labor, the costs are just too high... more >> Jan 31, 2004Rural Relations - a genuine customer study
Jan 11, 2004Eye on the ballMake no mistake (ok, that's a bit hysterical but...), people should not be required to, nor should they be expected to, be innovative just to meet their basic livelihood needs. Economic activity germinates only after you and I stop worrying about procuring our next meal. Good governments take care of these basic needs of the people and get out of the way. The demonstrated weakness of a free-market economy is that it has so far proven unable to make up for govt.'s inability to provide for these basic services. Think of a poverty-line as an imaginary "1.0." Most "economic growth" results in an amplification effect: makes poor more poorer (like squaring a less-than-one quantity) and rich more richer (squaring a more-than-one quantity.) Now the question to ask is: how can you frame a business proposition that draws more and more people into that more-than-one zone so that they can participate in the economic activity... more >> Jan 4, 2004The Les Concierges storyIn a sector not particularly known for a technology play for its survival, sheer execution defines whether you live or die. Les Concierges is an example of how a rock-solid focus on delivering to your customer can help you succeed... more >> and the company website. Dec 28, 2003Right medicineWhen you pare down the emotions and look closer into the clinical trial issue, there is a tremendous opportunity for a group of entrepreneurs: set up a private enterprise and manage a database of willing and able volunteers and have drug companies pay the access fee for clinical trial subjects. It is an asset if you manage it. Hard to do but better than incriminations of exploitation... more >> Dec 19, 2003Reality checkGenuine economies thrive on innovation, sort of rolling up the sleeves to solve a problem. Borrowed economies based on the techno-babble of outsourcing are like most software companies: filled with head-in-the-sand programmers writing solutions that look for a problem. It is the same thing at the societal level. With an essential, and necessary, dose of realism this article reminds us all to keep our eye on the ball ... more >> all the same, here is a case where software actually helps: a program for mentally handicapped children... more >> Dec 6, 2003The Teledoc storyWireless and health care to hard-to-reach areas. A perfect example of social entrepreneurship (the emphasis on the latter almost always guarantees the social dimension to kick-in sooner or later)... more >>... Teledoc website >> Nov 22, 2003Potty-training in business thinking
Nov 17, 2003Heart and SoulA strikingly simple way to know people - no verbose speeches here - at their intense yet smiling moments...more >> and when you are done, read the two articles immediately below in this section once again. Nov 10, 2003This "Supreme Court" needs a workoutThe manner in which the Law Commission, the Supreme Court and the government has behaved in the recent ruling on the sexual assault exposes an appalling symptom among the judicial and governing classes: that these guys actually may be incapable of comprehending the heinous nature of the crime...more >> Nov 6, 2003Road to PerditionA nation that ridicules and dehumanizes its women has only one way to go: hell in a handbasket. Taliban proved it. And the Indian judicial system is vying for that same benchmark...more >> Nov 3, 2003Asian HeartA new business model is shaping up in the form of doctor-owned hospitals. Innovative and interestingly enough, can put doctors, patients and entrepreneurs on the same page: also, this one is ready to hire a CEO/COO...more >> Oct 28, 2003Agastya - an experimentThey say they are all doing it for free. But don't let it dishearten your business intuition. Consider it as a zero-dollar investment, which is a standard project-management practice to kick-start a project, in a future that can only grow compounded. And Agastya is a success-story that is still in the making...more >> see IN CHILDREN'S OWN WORDS (If you are interested, visit http://www.agastya.org/) Oct 24, 2003DharaviWhat is it about Dharavi that defies any efforts to improve its economic conditions? May be it's time to put aside the stereo-typical "asia's largest slum" view and look at it for what it can be: a source of tremendous economic opportunity to tap into. For example: dense clusters of closely-situated human resources are an ideal demographic for WLAN-driven economies...more >> and more >> Oct 19, 2003Out with Section 155(4)Men are allowed to rape women who are deemed of "loose morals," or if they have eloped with their boyfriends. Just who are these people? If you said Taliban, then think again. They are the justices of Indian Supreme Court ... more >> Oct 15, 2003Delhi's Homeless Shelters: a prospect for call centers?How about turning these home-less shelters into call-centers (how hard it would be to train the "home-less"?) ...more >> Oct 11, 2003Take all your social software ideas and go hereTake all your social software ideas and go here: and these folks know the key to development: "the only way for Adivasis to progress is to convert forest villages into revenue villages..." more >> Oct 8, 2003Twelve-year old and IndependentWhat the twelve-year old children shoot in India to make their voice heard, is not for the faint-hearted: what more do you need to extend a helping hand?...more >> Reverse Migration?For European software professionals, "work experience in India" is becoming a sought-after qualification that is motivating them to relocate to India...more >> Suicides by farmersHere is a deadly problem that can use a social entrepreneur with a free-market bent: while acccess to credit is on the rise, suicides by debt-trapped farmers continue...more >> World-class calibre hurt by wrong-headed policiesWaiting to be rescued by private entrepreneurs: with a world-class calibre in skill and product quality this industry suffers from wrong-headed government policies...more >> Hutatma ManagementThe Hutatma model would baffle management gurus who believe that only men in suits are qualified to manage... more >> Low-budget AirlinesEntrepreneurs, undeterred by low capital, are changing the face of budget airline industry. A short-haul Southern route for $20...more >> Village NetworksCommerce in inner villages can be surprisingly open to networking solutions where benefits are easy to derive... ...more >> |
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Jun 5, 2005What's happening at the India energy front?A breadth-first view of the state of Indian energy sector, Part I. Articles like these provide a start for anyone wishing to comprehend the crisis-laden landscape... more >> May 28, 2005Economics for elementary levelLearn basic economic thinking from Inside The Vault, a St. Louis Fed publication... more >> Feb 13, 2005Trends in Indian banking"According to unconfirmed reports, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved a proposal from the government to amend the Banking Regulation Act to permit banks to trade in commodities and commodity derivatives."... more >> Jan 16, 2005License Raj is still alive and kickingNumber of days it takes to start a business in Jordan: 36. In India? 89. That is a full quarter. Crazy... more >> Dec 27, 2004Opportunities in legal professionNow there is news about entrepreneurial opportunities for legal profession... more >> Nov 28, 2004A multi-billion dollar entrepreneurial opportunityWhichever way one cuts it, come January 2005, a multi-billion dollar market opportunity starts to shape itself. Why is this not just another late 90s like internet boom hype? Because this time, in this instance, it's all about how best entrepreneurs apply the supply-chain software technology to capitalize on this opportunity, not just how cool of a technology they can come up with. Real men apply technology to solve problems (a la Jerry Sanders III)... more >> Oct 24, 2004Arun Shourie's "Governance - And The Sclerosis That Has Set In"Sweeping Indian press, or a random India-based blog, from afar is like looking through a kalaidoscope. Lots of fast moving colors, but nothing sticks. After a while one is tired and suspicious of repeating patterns. Practically useless. Except, once in a while an H. L. Mencken-like solidity arises: Arun Shourie. His new book "Governance - And The Sclerosis That Has Set In" is reviewed here ... more >> and here more >> Oct 12, 20041996 Interview with Edward PrescottThe 2004 Nobel Prize for Economics is awarded to Edward Prescott & Finn Kydland. Here is a somewhat dated interview with Prescott by The Region... more >> Oct 3, 2004The McKinsey trap - IIThis is not the first time we are being critical of the consulting profession. Check out our June 03 '04 entry in the "Economy" section. There is a fundamental misconception of what it means to be in business, when you have to ask someone else to solve your problem. Inexperience. Diffidence that comes along with it. And a readiness to state the obvious.... more >> Sep 19, 2004What is product-based thinking, anyway?
Jun 19, 2004Reminiscing James BuchananFor most of us, the urges we feel to emanicipate and "help the needy" are simply temporary spikes in our passion, no different from being enamored with an idea. Seasonal. The needy are simply reassuring puncutation stops on our way to blissful ideation into reclusive academia. Nevertheless, once in a while someone dares to look beyond the ivory-tower and find that, oh my god, there are real people! And they move and carry their differences along with them! A thought-provoking look at the notion of participation. "Most management projects do not take into account the fact that the community they are going to be working with is made up of people placed very differently. It is assumed in most cases that once provisions for participation have been made, people would participate. No thought is given to how a community is not a homogeneous whole but is made up of people whose roles are determined socially and culturally – roles of class, caste and gender."... more >> Jun 3, 2004An inhumane economyHis first mistake was to call on McKinsey (who knew the new economy dilettanti would reach this far to spread their ashes and dust!) We should all remind ourselves the words of Wilhelm Ropke in his 1960 classic A Humane Economy, "Society as a whole cannot be ruled by the laws of supply and demand, and the state is more than a sort of business company...the sphere of the market, of competition, of the system where supply and demand move prices and thereby govern production, may be regarded and defended only as a part of a wider general order encompassing ethics, law, the natural conditions of life and happiness, the state, polities, and power"... more >> May 22, 2004Book review "Lawlessness and Economics"Review of a thought-provoking new book, "Lawlessness and Economics: Alternative Modes of Governance" by Avinash K. Dixit (Princeton) ... more >> and click to access Chapter 1 (pdf) >> May 16, 2004Refresher on "reforms"Frankly, half the problem is in the language. A word like "reforms" sounds, well, so old-style, so common-wealthish. But who are we to pick a bone, as long as it spelled out in specifics... more >> Feb 7, 2004Opportunities in retail industryThe beauty of domestic retail sector is it is only at the incipient stage and will soon gain traction. Perfect time to offer a compelling software suite of products for the small-business retail stores. Don't let anyone stop you saying the market is saturated or dominated by big guys. Retail business is synonymous with the diversity in the product varieties, meaning there will always be opportunities. A comprehensive overview of the industry... Part 1 >> Part 2 >> Part 3 >> and Part 4 of 4 >> Jan 31, 2004Under wraps - until nowCompare this fine piece with a textile garment and we'll learn a few useful things. When you shape and fit it to a different kind of human activity, the whole marketspace changes. You go from addressing a need to fulfilling a want. Here you are not solving a problem, but creating a desire. In a nutshell, this goes to the heart of business-to-consumer marketing and distinguishes it from the business-to-business marketing. Writing code for an overseas business problem is easy compared to what you need to do to design and build products that appeal to this vibrant domestic consumer. Whoever solves the supply-chain problems here, will own this space. That's where the rubber meets the road... more >> Jan 24, 2004Textile supply-chainIf you get past the juvenile fixation on "made in india-branding" buzz, you'll see interesting patterns in the textile market that you can use to plan your product strategy: for example, unlike the two prime seasons of back-to-school and Christmas in consumer electronics in US, every festival in an Indian state is a prime season you can target to put the product on the shelf. Right there it gives you a hook to enter into the textile supply-chain with time-to-market as your prime focus... more >> and more >> Jan 11, 2004Mimophants in the kitchenThey represent the rotten entrails of a failed bureaucracy. Failed the needy and effectively brought the country down to its knees. So Miss. Young Entrepreneur of the year, we introduce you to your enemy, the IAS. They are slowly encroaching and chewing away into the heart of one of most vibrant promises of the future - at the GEAC. Be careful. This enemy is really powerful... more >> and more >> Jan 4, 2004Tracking acquisitionsPublic statements by nearly every acquiring company official emphasize on the revenue boosting effect. So, is people integration an after-thought? Global corporate history teaches us that most acquisitions don't work. Especially if they are meant to merely increase revenue. But with little to prove by way of real innovation, Indian enterprises may not have much of a choice. Just know that it is an uphill task to make them work, especially with such geographically dispersed locations... more >> Dec 23, 2003Interview with Raghuram Rajan"The entire [banking] sector, in the longer run, needs to be upgraded in terms of technology, skills, supervision, regulation, etc.," says Raghuram Rajan, the youngest and first Asian Director of Research and Economic Counselor at the IMF... more >> Dec 19, 2003Electricity Act 2003One way to feel the pulse of the economy's solid grounding is to watch for the vertical-to-horizontal transitions in industry sectors (it's a good thing: the semiconductor value chain, for example.) The Electricity Act may have just that desirable effect... more >> A near pacific view from California, for a comparative study... more >> Dec 13, 2003A "socialist" economyEmployment elasticity ("the extent to which additional output creates additional demand for jobs") has dropped 76 per cent over the past 17 years ending in 2000. Well, wouldn't this be more or less what happens in a welfare-oriented reform? You consume more but don't want to work more. A warning signal to the economy that ignores private and business entrepreneurship... more >> Dec 6, 2003Capex boomExpect an investment upwards of $40B (billion) to go into some two thousand private and federal projects, across the breadth of the economy in the next 6 to 12 months. This exhaustive report is bound to make young entrepreneurial minds squirm with possibilities and an urge to be there when it unleashes... more >> (Note: Rs 1000 crore ~ US$220M) Nov 30, 2003Keep on trucking...A roundup of the recent hi-tech employment boom in the country... more >> and this chief minister is an IIT graduate and means business... more >> Nov 22, 2003This is no trader joe...An insight into the slowly but surely brewing revolution in the market for power. The real question to ask is: how is this going to help the distribution of it to the remote villages... more >> Nov 17, 2003Start with a gripe-list...In this splendid piece of reporting, we learn the "what" of the problem and it is now up to us to go fix it... more >> and concluding part of the Road Ahead >> Nov 14, 2003Road AheadA high-level overview of the economy. Though in all of nearly 1700-words of this essay by a "planning commision" official there is not a single mention or a call to instill a culture of innovation or entrepreneurship, it makes a good read to catch up on the state of the economy and the future that lies ahead...more >> Nov 12, 2003Labor "reforms"Any time a federal govt. drives "reforms," they have a suspiciously feedforward nature - with no provision for the consumer to close the loop. The labor "reforms" discussed here show in the workings of the govt. a striking ignorance of even the basics of how market-driven economies work in relegating a passive role to the laborer... more >> (For what its worth, the November 06, 2003 article "20/20 on "Path to 2050" - Part II" in "Articles and Opinions" section is related.) Nov 10, 2003Elevator PitchHere's playing by the rules: reasons to invest in India described in short 30 second slides each (and notice the slides are limited to ten)...more >> and for those Hyderabad-bound, you are in good company...more >> Nov 7, 2003Beyond de SotoCutting through a maze of intertwined issues that confuse a layman, this article goes right to the heart of how free-market economy works and lays bare where threats may lie. Timely and a future classic ...more >> Nov 3, 2003"Roosters to Robots"And now "Roosters to Robots": a second set of six economics lesson plans from writers around the world, for students of ages 7 through 19: a must for all school students in the country... more >> Oct 30, 2003Metro AGA "Wal-Mart" for retailers. Huge. Cheap. Causing ripples in the market. All this means only one thing: the middle-class Indian economy is picking up the steam...more >> Oct 23, 2003Old MacDonald to Uncle Sam"Old MacDonald to Uncle Sam": six economics lesson plans from writers around the world, for students of ages 6 through 18: a must for all school students in the country... more >> Oct 17, 2003Goldman Sachs' "The Path to 2050"Goldman Sachs' report "The Path to 2050," released this October, says some findings are "startling": Indian economy may overtake Japan's by 2032 and China will put Germany behind in mere four years from now. A perspective from India... more >> ...the report itself can be found here... Oct 11, 2003Market-reforms = Social inequality?Here is a dose of cold water in your face: the market-based reforms are fundamentally anti-constitutional. So where do we go from here? ...more >> Oct 8, 2003Field lessons for software product marketeers
New Accounting StandardsWith the new corporate accounting standards introduced in 2002, the financial reporting is expected to take a significant leap forward...more >> Private Enterprise AccountabilityPrivatization hindered by politics or a sign of responsible governance? Remember accountability? The HPCL-BPCL episode... more >> Motor Insurance AutomationA classic case of a business problem looking for a software solution - automating data sharing among motor insurers. Any takers?... more >> Time for LLP legal entity?The long-awaited corporate LLP entity takes one step closer to reality...more >> Triple-digit growth in Insurance industryEven as the top ten life insurance companies enjoy double, triple-digit growth...more >> there's plenty more opportunity in a land of a billion people... more >> (Note: Rs 10 crore ~ US$2.2M) Bimal JalanHe helped achieve the sharpest drop in retail lending rates, a virtual boom in consumer and home loans and he had held the second most important economic job in the country ...more >> |
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Jun 26, 2005Biotech reaches $1B (billion)An informative breakdown of growth areas in this emerging sector in India... more >> Jun 21, 2005IBM+Hyderabad = Now we are serious!It looks like it's only a matter of time before the leap is made from software-services centric growth to real products growth... more >> Jun 5, 2005Fab deals minus energy = nothing at allFirst there was a deal for fab for ASICs in Hyderabad, now there's another one for memory chips in Kerala. Here's the imperative for cleaning up the energy sector... more >> Feb 13, 2005Opportunities in Drug Information System"We get the database from the United States. We nearly spend Rs 2.5 lakh/annum for subscription of the data. We also collect information from authenticated websites. We scrutinise all the information and provide our comments on the modality of treatment using different drugs". Great idea, but in the hands of state govt., expect information system to be sub-par in quality. We think this should done by a venture-funded private enterprise. Read a related suggestion we made back on December 28, 2003, "Right Medicine" under "Case Studies" category... more >> Jan 16, 2005Coming up short where it countsIC design expertise is in short supply. Naturally, because folks in India rarely ever seem to think in terms of products other than software... more >> Jan 2, 2005Hindi web browserCall to action. If you are interested in investing in the technology that could change the landscape of Indian web presence, then call Mr. Jagdeep Dangi. Right off the bat, we suggest, strongly, to aa) ditch the Internet Explorer and port his Hindi-language web-engine to Firefox and bb) start applying the same computing model to other Indian languages... more >> "Jagdeep Singh Dangi, Ward no.2 behind cooperative bank, Station area Ganj-Basoda (Distt. Vidisha) Madhya Pradesh India-464221., Mobile:9826343498, Phone:07594-222457" (extracted from his letter to prime minister Manmohan Singh) Dec 27, 2004Now, CAD/CAM design outsourcingAn important distinction between design outsourcing and manufacturing outsourcing is this: manufacturing is all about cutting costs by improving efficiencies and lower labor costs. Design is about the skill-sets and mindsets. Even as Indian high tech economy braces for this opportunity, the key lies in evolving around this distinction... more >> Nov 28, 2004Possibilities for a fab-less semiIf this semiconductor fab deal goes through, it can propel the entrepreneurial engine that much closer to products-based thinking. Of course there's always a possibility that we will see a spawning of IP and technology-centric EDA companies. Nevertheless, even if a single, successful fab-less semi emerges out of this project, it's worth the wait... more >> Oct 3, 2004The Avenues India story
Sep 18, 2004Planting seeds for semi fabA step in the right direction. Wherever volume rules, fab plants have a chance to survive... more >> Jun 9, 2004Radiophony - voice over wirelessWhat struck us immediately when we first learned of Radiophony is the tremendous promise it offers for the school children in rural India. Whoever says that groups can only be formed on the Internet? Spawn a few hundreds of these FM broadcast stations, put a kid in charge of content generation, broadcasting and let'em rip. Pretty soon you'll have an unleashing of dreams. Done this way, literacy will increase on its own. Give this "pull" strategy a chance... more >> May 27, 2004Multi-lingual phrase book
May 22, 2004Biotech reality checkVoices of the biotech community. Their comments are full of opportunity spaces... more >> May 16, 2004First steps in ambulatory servicesWhen hospital services start to compete on core competencies to attract consumers, we know the "reformation" is working:"They don’t have to be run like hospitals. In fact, it is a business establishment that requires very good management skills"... more >> Feb 7, 2004Background checks
Jan 31, 2004National Internet ExchangeAn overview of the recently formed National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI)... more >> and a website largely strewn with broken links...http://www.nixi.org/ Jan 24, 2004Biotechnology Guide 2003-2004The Biotechnology Industry Organization has just released a 120-page "Editors' and Reporters' Guide 2003-2004" on biotechnology. The full document can be downloaded from here PDF (566KB) >> Jan 8, 2004Right to marketIn this jostling for "exclusive marketing rights," we once again see the triad of the firm, the market and the law undergoing growing pains. Competition and a firm conviction that marketplace is where you must compete are the forcing functions in this hustle. Keep'em coming... more >> Jan 2, 2004Undermarketed: desktop PCNo matter how clunky these boxes are, PCs are still the keys to unlock economic activity. Lowering price barriers is the best way to make this happen and you don't need a whole lot of innovation to do this. Just a savvy understanding of your customer's needs and marketing to them. Case in point: a good desktop PC in US can be bought for under $500 (bells, whistles included) while a comparable notebook costs twice as much. Why is it that in India a desktop PC is still priced higher than a notebook?... more >> Dec 30, 2003Low cost PC?Long ignored, the issue of high tariffs on personal computer imports seems to finally get the attention it deserves. For all that talk of the boom in the economy, the inability of the indigenous entrepreneurs to product a low-cost PC may say something about the lack of the requisite thinking for a products-based innovation. So finally it is the much-maligned industry lobbyist group that may come to rescue... more >> Dec 23, 2003Deep fades in Wi-Fi licensingNeither the 2.4GHz band nor the higher UNII bands are unlicensed. So, the Wi-Fi deployment drags on. May be we need speakeasies to break this inertia on the part of regulatory committees... more >> Telecom billingOpportunities in telecom billing: the key to being successful in software is to make a shift from the hired-gun mentality of "services" to building real products that deliver these services... more >> Dec 19, 2003AIRy fairy spin zoneThis article is so full of misguided opinions and wrong-headed views of how media economics work, that we thought we'd just point to it as an example of the statism still rampant in business journalism... more >> and now for a little bit of a real insight, look at this OECD paper on media mergers to get a perspective on the complex issues involved in broadcasting and media... PDF (1.6MB) Dec 13, 2003Rise in applications support
Dec 3, 2003DakNet Wi-FiWhile WiFi service providers are yet to make any money, the infrastructure-poor economy of the country might find perhaps a more valuable place for it: a silent, faceless "middleware" that usually does the bulk of the heavy-lifting, enabling you and I to happily enjoy the "e-seva" like conveniences...more >> Nov 30, 2003"Prospect Theory"In a sign of continuing maturity, the focus is now expanding from leaf-level scatter and gather to more complex decision-oriented equity valuation and research. This will only mean an expansion of interesting areas of development, like behavioral economics etc...more >> Nov 22, 2003The n-Logue dialogWhen their markets are changing, successful companies actively respond to this change, crafting winning strategies. This is why an enterprise is always a better alternative to a govt and since both are capable of providing basic services, you are better off encouraging free-market enterpreneurs trying this and that. Case in point: the n-Logue telephony experiment...more >> Nov 17, 2003Supplier growth in biotechA compehensive analysis of the influence of the growth in biotech on the suppliers in this sector and there are many opportunities to fill the gaps ... more >> Nov 12, 2003Here the tail still wags the dogIn this case, the Indian press got it all backwards. The inane focus on the service-providers' cost-benefit equation in covering the latest telecom ruling makes one wonder if the press has put on blinders on its already myopic view of who matters most (remember consumers, the source of real revenue?): case in point, this article... more >> while the next view is palatably neutral... more >> Nov 10, 2003Striking the Right CordIt is a first of its kind in India. A commercial enterprise that lets you store placental blood in cold storage. And this stem cell-rich cord blood repository promises to revolutionize the treatment of blood disorders in children...more >> and more >> Nov 7, 2003Kerala district targets 100% wirelessOver 600 wireless internet access (always-on) centers. Initial coverage may be sparse - one center for 1000 to 1500 "households" - but the best part is there is a local entrepreneur behind each one of these centres...more >> Nov 5, 2003Enterprise Internet ConnectivityA round up of dominant modes of internet connectivity employed by Indian enterprises. The findings are not surprising but lurking in here is an opportunity for DSL in the SOHO segment. In the long run, however, wireless may be easier to deploy...more >> Oct 31, 2003SME and ITWhen business awareness graduates from rich products to issues of "reach," the supply-chain, category branding, inventory, distribution, it's a sign the country's growth is rapidly solidifying from within...more >> Oct 26, 2003Biotech hurdlesIn a rare display of a dynamism that can only help the budding Indian biotech industry the alarming concerns of biotech industry leaders are addressed by a policy maker in a response that is detailed and specific to the issues ...more >> Oct 21, 2003BioentrepreneurshipGet out of your comfort zone. Dream. Biotech entrepreneurship requires business talent - or a collaboration with who has it. Until innovation and risk-taking is inbred in the society, learning-to-achieve is a tough exercise. Dr Krishna Ella hits the nail squarely on the head...more >> Oct 17, 2003Indian Telecom: Parts 2, 3 and 4 of 4Parts two, three and four of the continuing sterling analysis of Indian telecom industry by Arun Shourie... Oct 15, 2003Indian Telecom: Part 1 of 4In Part 1 of a four-part series, Arun Shourie provides an illuminating analysis of what ails Indian telecom industry...more >> Oct 11, 2003OK Wi-Fi is here. So what?Wi-Fi hotspots in US have been near-failures in revenue generation so far. But the market just might be favorable where internet access penetration is low and increasing...more >> Fight your business drag-onsIf you have big plans for a business in India, don't ignore these "bull in a china's shop" stories - or you'll miss this "wave" too...more >> Can "Brown" do this?An undertaking of monumental significance: world's first disaster management database. ...more >> Oct 8, 2003Business-model driven softwareAn Indian company's attempts for a sensible dog-wag-the-tail solution in a generally head-in-the-sand global software industry... more >> OEM and ODMTelecom, datacom manufacturing industry (i.e., ODM/OEM) is rapidly making its presence felt...D-Link being a case in point...more >> Biotech Industry ReportA first of its kind in depth and breadth, this report is a comprehensive survey of biotech industry in India...more >> (Note: Rs 10 crore ~ US$2.2M) Telecom Churn RateWith one of the lowest telecom penetrations, why is the churn rate in the Indian market hovering at six percent?... more >> BioinformaticsBioinformatics, one of the fastest growing areas in the country, aims to grab a not-so-trivial global marketshare...more >> Biotech is getting hotAs a sign of gathering momentum, entrepreneurs are starting to take over the hot biotech field...an overview...more >> a Genome Valley in Hyderabad...more >> Product Development"More multinational companies are setting up not just back-end operations in India but also product development centers and research labs" ...more >> |
If you can put together a set-top box with cable modem+pvr under a sub-$50 bom (bill-of-materials) cost, there is business to be made here: a whole lot of it (sell it to operators and they can afford to give it away free to subscribers on a $120 customer acquisition cost) as the volumes are significant...