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COVER
FEATURE
"ECOFIN
provides cutting-edge solutions through its domain expertise,
technology competency, and project management panache."
-- Koushik Rudra
ECOFIN
Research Services was incorporated in 2005 in Hyderabad with
the objective of providing customized, analytical, cost-effective
and timely research services to overseas clients, anytime
and anywhere. The primary focus is to provide investment research
and IT solutions in the finance domain. Recently, ECOFIN has
taken up more specialized work such as fund management and
fund raising. As of now, ECOFIN has its delivery center in
Hyderabad, which is equipped with the best infrastructure
facilities and intellectual talent.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
HRM
Diversity
: The need for a new paradigm
-- A V Vedpuriswar
More
and more organizations these days are emphasizing the need
for diversity. They are putting in place various mechanisms
and processes for creating a diverse work force. Yet many
of these moves are viewed with cynicism and ultimately fail
to make a tangible impact on the business. At best they are
considered politically correct and seen to be serving the
interests of traditionally disadvantaged or underrepresented
groups such as women and linguistic/religious minorities.
At worst, they are considered steps that have to be taken
to stay on the right side of the law to avoid social/sexual
discrimination suits. This article examines how diversity
initiatives can be leveraged to deliver business value for
organizations.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
HRM
Mentoring
: A guide to excellence
-- Soumya Sagiri
Day
by day the world is becoming more complex and decision-making
has become a critical aspect of management. When fresh talent
enters the corporate world, he faces a tough time and badly
needs a person who can show him the right path. A mentor is
one who takes the pain on behalf of the protégé and shows
the right path to ensure his success. Nowadays, mentoring
has become the lifeblood of a successful organization. This
article talks about different facets of mentoring and also
explores the ways to bridge the gap between fiction and reality.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
STRESS
MANAGEMENT
Executive
stress management
-- Dr. Sailaja and Vani Vasakarla
The outlook of organizations in these modern times has
shifted from considering their employees as mere people working
for them to real assets, the valuable human resource they
own. They are getting more concerned about the well-being
of their employees. But the cutthroat competition, the deadlines
for the work, the changed time schedule, etc., are making
employees experience stress. This is affecting the health
of the employees which ultimately affects the organizational
health also. Hence, organizations are encouraging stress management
and are giving more importance to stress audits.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
MANAGEMENT
Organizational
culture : A metaphor for conflict resolution
-- Madhuri Modekurti and Kunal Gaurav
Though
culture is primarily an intangible and abstract entity, its
presence in organizations has to be realized because of its
impact on the relationships and organizational effectiveness.
With diversity increasing at the workplace, the magnitude
of cultural dimensions is expanding and tending towards multi-cultures.
The constructs of culture provide ways and means by which
conflict can be resolved in organizations. In the light of
such a shift, understanding and gaining on the cultural front
will certainly offer an edge to organizations the world over.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
BUSINESS
STRATEGY
The
role of corporate center in diversified corporations : How
can it add value to their underlying businesses
-- Swarup Kumar Dutta
The
value-added paradigm of corporate centers has been debated
at large and emphasis is laid on whether these corporate centers
are adding sustainable value to their underlying businesses
or destroying value. This article highlights four possible
ways by which diversified corporate centers can add value.
Primarily, corporates can identify the competitive advantages
that each of them possesses uniquely by either adding value
by direct/indirect involvement of the corporate center in
trying to achieve either economies of scale for cost reduction
or increased value through knowledge creation and sharing.
The focus of this article is to identify the key value-adding
processes of corporate centers and the roles and key skills
they require on sustainable basis.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
TECHNOLOGY
DEPLOYMENT
Technological
forecasting and planning : Changing trends
-- B V Cadambi
Technological
forecasting provides businesses with insights into future
technologies that can be used to enrich their strategic plans.
The awareness level was low in the past as firms perceived
it to be of low utility. Large capital requirements too acted
as a deterrent to its use. This, however, has changed over
the years. This article describes the changing trends in technological
forecasting and planning that could be studied for possible
growth in future.© 2007 IUP . All Rights
Reserved.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
MORTGAGE
BLUES
Bear
Stearns : Subprime's burns
-- Amit Singh Sisodiya
The subprime mortgage meltdown, representing mainly advances
to the poorer American home buyers exposes the risk of investing
low cost funds in collateralized debt obligations when cost
of borrowing goes up and housing prices fall. Over the years,
Bear Stearns, formed in 1923, built a formidable reputation
as one of the savviest bond players. However, this reputation
was shaken badly as in June this year, it disclosed that bad
loans in the mortgage and fixed income business affected it
badly in probably one of the worst-ever crises in more than
eight decades of its existence.
© 2007 IUP . All Rights Reserved
CASE
STUDY
Automobile
Industry in Russia : The growth potential and the competitive
pressures
In 1991, the Soviet Union disintegrated into different
countries and the major country to emerge was Russia. As Russia
started to liberalize, its economic policies changed and it
gradually moved towards a market-driven economy. Incomes of
Russian consumers are rising and they are demanding more choices.
Amid this makeover, the Russian automobile industry, which
was till recently dominated by the state-owned players, is
now witnessing a change. Automobile manufacturers around the
globe are keen to set up manufacturing facilities in Russia-to
serve the Russian market, and also export to different countries.
Global players such as Toyota, Nissan, Renault and Volkswagen
plan to set up massive manufacturing facilities in Russia.
So, as competition increases, Russian carmakers face numerous
challenges to capture the market. State-owned companies like
AvtoVaz have to gear up to withstand competition from foreign
carmakers.
© 2007 IBS Case Development Center.
All Rights Reserved.
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