Business Standard

Strategic tools for the practising manager

KIT

Image

Technopak Advisors New Delhi
THIS WEEK: THE OFFICE SUPPLIES MARKET
 
The office supplies retailing market in the country is estimated to be around Rs 17,000 crore, with the largest contribution coming from categories such as desktops, office furniture, computer peripherals, writing instruments and so on.
 
The market is expected to grow fast and reach Rs 63,000 crore by 2016-17, fuelled by the growth in IT hardware categories such as desktops, computer peripherals and so on.
 
The market is highly unstructured and thus leads to high levels of inefficiency in the value chain.
 
The size of The organised sector in the stationery industry is minuscule with no established player in the segment in India.
 
The number of stores that offer variety in terms of price points, brands and sizes is low in the Indian market.
 
The top 20 cities account for almost 50-60 per cent of the total office supplies business.
 
However, with increased economic activity in the country, the office supplies industry is poised to clock impressive growth rates led by categories such as computers and their peripherals, furniture and so on.
 
Selections from management journals
NUGGETS
 
Research into the spending habits of consumers in emerging markets sheds light on how retailers can succeed in serving this growing segment. In China the fierce competition from local companies combined with a consumer preference for Chinese brands present challenges for multinationals looking to enter the market. Women do the bulk of apparel shopping in India, often buying for the entire family, but men still exert an influence over purchases. Companies must find formats and marketing approaches that appeal to both groups.
 
How half the world shops: Apparel in Brazil, China, and India
The McKinsey Quarterly,
November 2007
Read the article at www.mckinseyquarterly.com
 
With record write-downs reported and Stan O'Neal out as Merrill Lynch CEO, just what's on the horizon for the firm as NYSE Euronext's John Thain replaces him? Experts at Emory University's Goizueta Business School offer their thoughts on the future for Merrill and for the investment banking industry in general "" elaborating on the road ahead after the sub-prime debacle and the need for leadership to exercise restraint when following an industry trend.
 
Merrill Lynch: After write-downs, O'Neal's ouster, & Thain's appointment
Knowledge@Emory,
November 14 - December 11
Read the article at http://knowledge.emory.edu/
 
Rebuilding an ailing company is the kind of challenge John Chidsey, CEO of Burger King Corporation, likes to undertake. The process, he explains, is about "making employees and franchisees believe we work together to strengthen the Burger King brand." Chidsey offered his perspective on rebuilding companies, strengthening brands, and infusing innovation during a recent lecture at Emory University's Goizueta Business School.
 
Burger King CEO John Chidsey on innovation, trust, and "The King"
Knowledge@Emory,
November 14 - December 11
Read the article at http://knowledge.emory.edu/
 
The sun is shining brightly at the moment on virtually all the world's emerging market economies. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose nearly 45 per cent in the first nine months of 2007, with the IMF forecasting economic growth rates of 8 per cent or higher, versus 2 per cent to 3 per cent for the OECD nations.
 
Indeed, it's been difficult lately to find an emerging market anywhere that hasn't outperformed the developed world. Does all this fair weather for developing markets denote a permanent change in their fortunes? The topic was debated by a panel of experts at the recent Wharton Finance Conference in New York City.
 
Emerging market mania: Is it different this time?
India Knowledge@Wharton,
November 16 - November 29
Read the article at http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/
 
In a span of four days earlier this month, Google launched an initiative to enable social networking tools to work across dozens of web sites and rounded up 33 partners to develop software to power a new generation of cell phones. While these efforts illustrate Google's determination to keep expanding its territory, they also increase the challenges faced by the $200 billion company. Where is Google headed?
 
Google: In search of itself
Knowledge@Wharton
November 14 - November 27
Read the article at http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/
 
Turn on the Internet, pick up your telephone or cell phone, read a newspaper or watch television: no matter what the communication vehicle is, polls and the reporting of poll results are ubiquitous. Yet how accurate are polls? Can they be manipulated? And which polls are the most reliable? Knowledge@Wharton interviewed the experts.
 
Polling the polling experts: How accurate and useful are polls these days?
Knowledge@Wharton
November 14 - November 27
Read the article at http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/

 

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Nov 27 2007 | 12:00 AM IST

Explore News