COVER STORY

Merger in the Skies: Jet Consolidating Strength

- - D Satish and Smitha Deshpande

The deal between Jet and Sahara is a landmark in the history of Indian civil aviation as it signals the beginning of the much-awaited consolidation in the industry. However, Jet Airways will have to go through the turbulence of merger pains and face opposition from its competitors.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

FINANCIAL MARKETS

IPO Scams: System Failure or Careful Manipulation?

- - D Satish and Smita Despande

Recent IPO scams have not only highlighted how susceptible Indian markets are to manipulations but they have also exposed the loopholes in the system. They are a real cause of concern for the genuine investors.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Chinas Booming Service Sector: Threat to India?

- - N Janardhan Rao and Feroz Zaheer

The rise of Chinas service sector should be perceived as an opportunity, rather than a threat, to improve Indias capabilities and efficiency.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Indian Healthcare: Gaining Global Recognition

- - N Janardhan Rao and Feroz Zaheer

Indian hospitals are fast gaining global recognition through international accreditation bodies.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Fair Trade: Gathering Momentum

- - D Satish and Surendar Vaddepalli

Fair trade is increasingly catching up across the globe, offering benefits to producers in the third world.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Airline Alliances: The Way to Go

- - Fariba E Alamdari

Alliances are the best means to operate under the current international regulatory regime.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Indian Telecom: Low Price - High Volume Game

- - D Satish and Surendar Vaddepalli

Indian telecom players are cutting prices to drive up volumes. But is the strategy sustainable?

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Oil Refining in India: Upbeat on Global Demand

- - N Janardhan Rao and Ravi Babu Adusumilli

As shortage of oil refining capacity in the US and Europe is looming large, India, with surplus refining capacity, is likely to capitalize on petro-product exports.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Oil Refining: Future Strategies

- - Bhamy Shenoy and Gürcan Gülen

As India adds to its refining capacity, it should simultaneously pay more attention to improve infrastructure to import crude oil and transport petroleum products as much as possible using the far cheaper and safer alternative of pipelines.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Real Estate: Private Equity to Fuel Growth

- - D Satish and Surendar Vaddepalli

With the real estate market in India growing handsomely in recent times, every reputed investment firm is looking to capitalize on the opportunities real estate has to offer.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Employees Union: Destination BPOs

- - D Satish and Surendar Vaddepalli

Just when the outsourcing industry in India is booming, unionism has become a reality in this industry. How will this affect the industry?

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Hybrid Cars: Get, Set, Vroom!

- - N Janardhan Rao and Feroz Zaheer

Hybrid cars seem to be the immediate solution for the soaring oil prices and a better environment.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

CORPORATE STRATEGY

Lucent Technologies: Trouble Bells Ring

- - Amit Singh Sisodiya and Sailaja Mannava

The networking equipment giant is facing tough times, again.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

CORPORATE STRATEGY

Air France-KLM Merger: Cruise Control

- - Amit Singh Sisodiya and Sailaja Mannava

Despite initial skepticism, Air France-KLM merger has taken off smoothly. However, some apprehensions still remain.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

CORPORATE STRATEGY

Apple Computer: iPod and the Aftermath

- - Amit Singh Sisodiya and Akhil Tandulwadikar

In spite of its phenomenal success with iPod, the iconic portable digital music player, Apple needs to crank up its innovation machine to drive its future growth.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

US Conglomerates: Break-up Times

- - Amit Singh Sisodiya and Akhil Tandulwadikar

Companies that became behemoths through wide-scale mergers and acquisitions, look to become lean by dividing their businesses.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

INTERNATIONAL FINANCE

Reforming Chinas Stock Market: Long March Ahead

- - N Janardhan Rao and Ravi Babu Adusumilli

It is a long march for Chinese capital markets, in order to catch up with international standards.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

INDUSTRY

Small Cars: Bumpy to Fast Track

- - N Janardhan Rao and Ravi Babu Adusumilli

Given the huge untapped potential in the Indian economy and the desire to own a car among the middle-class segment, India can emerge as a manufacturing hub for small cars.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

PERSPECTIVES

Mittals Moves

- - Amit Singh Sisodiya

Never in the modern history of an industry was one man given so much importance.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

PERSPECTIVES

End of Green(span) Years for Economy?

- - GRK Murty

Alan Greenspanthe most intently watched central bankerhas become the `missing variable of tomorrows economic predictions.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

ROUND TABLE

General Motors

In recent times, the debate over the fate of General Motors (GM) has only heated up as time appears to be running out for the worlds no.1 carmaker while it struggles to save its future. Accumulating pension and healthcare obligations coupled with falling market share continue to haunt the auto giant from Detroit. The problem is that being a gigantic company, no solution seems to be perfect. Does that mean that the company has reached the end of the road? The invited eminent experts like David E Cole, Chairman, Center for Automotive Research, Michigan, USA; Peter M DeLorenzo, Automotive Consultant and Editor, Autoextremist.com; Arthur C Wheaton, Workplace & Industry Education Specialist, Institute for Industry Studies, Cornell University, USA; Steven Szakaly, Economist, Center for Automotive Research, Michigan, USA; and Charles Fleetham, President, Project Innovations Inc., USA, to share their perception on what the future holds for GM.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

APOLITICAL

Indo-US Nuclear Deal

: From Known to the Unknown

- - grk

The debate on the Indo-US Nuclear deal has reached its zenith with a group of former ambassadors urging the government "to share with the people of India all that they are legitimately entitled to know" about it. Given the heated discussions it has generated, the deal merits businesses attention.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved

BOOK REVIEW

Mergers: What Can Go Wrong and How to Prevent It

- - Patrick A Gaughan

This book provides the reader with a powerful blueprint on how merger failures can be avoided. It draws the readers attention towards real world examples and sources of the failures, followed by lessons that executives can learn before entering into similar deals and avoiding similar mistakes.

© 2006 IUP . All Rights Reserved