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Just in:   • Biden administration forgives $4.7 billion loans to Ukraine  • Women entrepreneurs driving innovation, growth in gem & jewellery sector: Smriti Irani  • India’s export outlook brighter as manufactured goods gain share: RBI  • India’s consumer durable makers to log 11-12 pc growth in FY25  • SEBI’s proposal on SME IPOs: striking a delicate balance  Last updated: 14 Nov, 2024   2014 - Year end review of Indian MSME sector SME Times News Bureau | 26 Dec, 2014 The MSME sector in India is diverse in terms of its size, levels of technology employed and range of products and services produced.    Read more.... 2014 - Hope amid despair greeted India's realty industry Vinod Behl A mixed bonanza greeted India's realty sector in 2014 with anomalies that were plaguing it for some years now still at play, but a stable government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with promises of reforms, gives rise to much hope among stakeholders.    Read more.... 2014 - IT industry dons innovation in year of double-digit growth Fakir Balaji | 22 Dec, 2014 Recovering from a slowdown and sustaining a double-digit growth, the USD 120-billion Indian IT industry had a remarkable 2014, consolidating operations and using disruptive technologies, which ensures innovation to shed the old and adapt to new products and services.    Read more.... 2014 - Year of two-wheelers for Indian auto industry Venkatachari Jagannathan | 20 Dec, 2014 The growth story for the Indian automobile industry in 2014 rode on the two-wheeler segment and not on passenger cars or commercial vehicles, as high interest rates and a stuttering manufacturing industry kept a check on demand.    Read more.... US firm using India model to create IT jobs for women Arun Kumar | 16 Dec, 2014 A leading Information Technology (IT) services company is using a programme developed in India to create jobs worldwide and train and place minority women in high-quality IT jobs in 10 cities across America.    Read more.... BJP-Congress tension will hurt reforms Amulya Ganguli | 06 Dec, 2014 It has long been said that the economic reforms are irreversible. Moreover, the Left claims that both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are on the same page on this subject since they both pursue what the Communists call "neo-liberal" policies.    Read more.... Taking stock of India's present policy environment Amit Kapoor | 03 Dec, 2014 During the past few weeks, notable changes have happened in the external and internal policy environment that merit attention. On the external side, there were three notable events. In our opinion, one of these has a relatively short-term impact while the other two will have a long-term bearing on India’s economy in the years ahead.    Read more.... Modi's six months: Pursuing his own line and pace Amulya Ganguli | 26 Nov, 2014 Looked at from one angle, the six months of Narendra Modi's tenure may be a cause of disappointment for some.    Read more.... IPR policy and India's competitiveness Amit Kapoor | 19 Nov, 2014 India's current Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime is at the cusp of a major change. The past year has been quite momentous for India’s IPR regime. It is because one is witnessing a shift in India's policy priorities with respect to broad measures that have been undertaken by the newly-elected government in the sphere of Intellectual Property.    Read more.... Khadi goes chic, turns money-spinner Nivedita | 18 Nov, 2014 Khadi, once the dowdy sartorial symbol of India's independence movement, is now trendy and makes the cash registers ring.    Read more.... After foreign equity, realty industry needs funding reforms Vinod Behl | 10 Nov, 2014 Global investors are increasingly looking at property investment in India due to global economic improvement and better transparency and investment climate in India.    Read more.... Modi government's foreign policy overdrive Ranjana Narayan | 03 Nov, 2014 Barring most of the African Union countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have met leaders of most countries of the world by the end of December 2014, pointing to the heightened stress on foreign policy by the new Indian government that took power on May 26    Read more.... Poor rural youth poised for improved placements under new scheme Prashant Sood | 27 Oct, 2014 Poor youth from rural areas of India can look forward to improved placements in a range of areas, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, hospitality and retail, with the rural development ministry working on several innovations in its skill development scheme to make it an effective intervention in efforts towards poverty alleviation.    Read more.... Get quirky in gifting this Diwali Shradha Chettri | 20 Oct, 2014 From induction cookers that can play music to lamps made from recycled wine bottles, to ethnic wear with handmade tribal art and customised cupcakes and macaroons - here's a chance this Diwali to get quirky and stand out when you present gifts to your loved ones.    Read more.... India needs holistic infrastructure development Amit & Sankalp | 14 Oct, 2014 Infrastructure is instrumental in basic development as well as in increasing the speed of doing business.    Read more.... 'Make in India': A Lion's step to boost manufacturing Nirendra Dev | 07 Oct, 2014 A high spot of the economic scene in a normal circumstance in a parliamentary democracy is the presentation of the budget. But this fiscal, the major highlight could be the launching of 'Make in India' campaign by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 25, 2014.    Read more.... From inspiration to ideas, new age work space offers it all Shweta Sharma | 30 Sep, 2014 Co-working spaces are being hailed as the new generation work space.    Read more.... IPR and India's competitiveness Amit Kapoor | 23 Sep, 2014 Intellectual Property Rights are important from the standpoint of maintaining present as well as ensuring future competitiveness.    Read more.... No stops for Modi in US Arun Kumar | 15 Sep, 2014 Not long ago, Narendra Modi was not welcome in the US. But the US is now pulling out all stops to woo him when he comes calling at the White House as India's prime minister at the end of this month.    Read more.... Initiatives by DIPP on improving 'Ease of Doing Business' in India SME Times News Bureau | 09 Sep, 2014 Govt is committed to remove all bottlenecks and develop India as a manufacturing hub. A number of measures have been taken by the Government in that direction.     Read more.... Modi tones up governance, lays out policy roadmap Prashant Sood | 29 Aug, 2014 Narendra Modi has sought to mark his first term as prime minister with some distinct initiatives in terms of both policy and governance style - direct communication with the people, faster decision-making, a disciplined bureaucracy, thrust on innovation and technology, cleanliness, rural transformation and kindling a can-do spirit in the people.     Read more.... Guidelines on CSR and Sustainability Sutanu Behuria | 25 Aug, 2014 In the last few years, the pioneering initiatives of DPE in promoting awareness of the concept of CSR in the public sector enterprises in India through issue of guidelines on the subject, and regular interface with the management of CPSEs to ensure adherence to the guidelines in letter and spirit, has resulted in widespread understanding and acceptability of CSR in the country.     Read more.... Dot Bharat domain to soon hit screens Aparajita Gupta | 18 Aug, 2014 India, with its existing 243 million Internet users, is all set to get a 'dot Bharat' domain name from this month that will help bridge the digital divide and accelerate e-governance. This will be soon followed by web addresses in six regional languages.    Read more.... 'Online commerce will compliment physical retail stores' SME Times News Bureau | 11 Aug, 2014 Does a new paradigm of digital consumerism in India, which has a market share of USD 15 billion today, spell doom for the brick and mortar retail shops? Realignment in industry, yes, but physical retail stores are here to say, experts feel.    Read more.... Modi's Nepal visit: Unfurling vision of an integrated South Asia Saroj Mohanty | 05 Aug, 2014 Flying in to Kathmandu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he wanted to forge a "new relationship" with Nepal that could serve as a model for regional partnership in South Asia. After his two-day visit, it is apparent he has succeeded to a large extent and opened in his own words a "new chapter" in ties with the Himalayan republic.    Read more.... Is mobile wallet a distant dream in India? Aparajita Gupta | 28 Jul, 2014 Despite a huge unbanked population and 700 million cell phone connections, the concept of mobile wallet will take some time to become popular in India as people are still unaware of its larger benefits like financial inclusion, even as the standards to make it functional are yet to be in place, experts maintain.    Read more.... Changes you must keep in mind while filing IT return Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 17 Jul, 2014 The government has introduced several changes in the process of filing Income Tax returns to ensure increased compliance, disclosure and transparency.    Read more.... BRICS nations must demonstrate their soft power through their media Li Congjun | 15 Jul, 2014 In the past few weeks, I would sometimes watch the reruns of the exciting World Cup matches. My disappointment at the absence of Chinese footballers on the pitch was somehow mitigated by the fact that many products and services for the event are from China.    Read more.... Highlights of Union Budget 2014-15 SME Times News Bureau | 11 Jul, 2014 Government committed to implement GST at the earliest; issues raised by states to be resolved    Read more.... Highlights of Railway Budget - 2014 SME Times News Bureau | 08 Jul, 2014 Highlights of the railway budget presented in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda:    Read more.... Jaitley's budget mustn't sell rupee short Vatsal Srivastava | 05 Jul, 2014 The Iraqi crisis and the possibility of an oil supply shock have shown how quickly things can change in the foreign exchange market. The global macro risks that have merged out of the Middle East in recent weeks have pushed crude prices higher by about five percent and this in turn has led to the rupee breach the all important psychological 60 mark to the dollar.    Read more.... India's Deficits Amit Kapoor | 05 Jul, 2014 Over the past few years, we have heard of all sorts of deficits that have been ailing India.    Read more.... Modi Govt: Challenges mount after fresh beginning Prashant Sood and Anjali Ojha | 25 Jun, 2014 It has been an energetic start to the new government but challenges are already beginning to show. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led the efforts to streamline governance by pitching for speedy decision-making in his first month in office and taken the first of "tough" measures as his government tries to revive a sluggish economy and nudge some Congress appointees to quit gubernatorial offices.    Read more.... A year after Uttarakhand tourism still reeling from flood tragedy Shradha Chettri | 23 Jun, 2014 A year has passed since the great floods hit the picturesque Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, but the tourism industry on which the state is so dependent has clearly failed to bounce back, and the effects of the tragedy are still reverberating.    Read more.... Theme for rupee still remains gradual depreciation Vatsal Srivastava | 13 Jun, 2014 It has nearly been a month since the historic BJP electoral sweep. We have seen equities climb to record highs on expectations that the Modi government led reforms will finally unlock India’s true economic potential.     Read more.... Narendra Modi: From provincial to prime ministerial Saroj Mohanty | 07 Jun, 2014 It has been an extraordinary journey for the man, an outlier, who does not belong to any of the country's enduring political dynasties or to the socio-cultural elite.     Read more.... Salt story: 'Solar Salt' M.V.S. Prasad | 02 Jun, 2014 India exports salt to 20 countries; about 28 pc of SMEs contribute in its total production.    Read more.... Corporate India in strength at Modi's inauguration SME Times News Bureau | 27 May, 2014 Gautam Adani was there and so were the Ambani brothers, Anil and Mukesh, as a galaxy of corporate leaders marked their presence among the 4,500 guests at the grand inauguration ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here Monday evening.    Read more.... Challenges facing Narendra Modi Parthasarathy Chaganty | 24 May, 2014 The prime objects of the new government should be economic growth, inflation, FDI, GST etc.    Read more.... 'Prime Minister Modi will rework, repair foreign ties' Ranjana Narayan | 17 May, 2014 As India makes way for a new BJP-led govt, with the elections keenly followed by major world powers, foreign policy experts say the regime change is a signal to the world "that the world's largest democracy is alive and kicking" and that the thumping majority gives "Prime Minister Modi" the mandate to rework and repair relations.    Read more.... Can child labour be eliminated in India? Shweta Sharma | 10 May, 2014 According to the Census 2001 figures there were 12.6 million working children in the age group of five-14 years.    Read more.... Will economy look up post-elections? Outlook is gloomy Amulya Ganguli | 03 May, 2014 Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's confession that the government made a mistake by taking the foot off the accelerator of economic reforms might reflect not only the past but also the future. The reason is that the deceleration may continue even if there is a change of guard in New Delhi.    Read more.... The land of artisans: Raghurajpur, Orissa Sucharita Sahoo | 29 Apr, 2014 The land of artisans: Raghurajpur, Orissa    Read more.... Election Special: Do more for science and technology, politicians told Sahana Ghosh | 22 Apr, 2014 Notwithstanding their inclusion in the 2014 Lok Sabha election manifestos, the promises on promoting science and technology must be translated into "solid action" by the political class or else India's goal to become a developed nation would remain a pipe dream, say experts.     Read more.... Rupee upside capped at 57-58 against US dollar Vatsal Srivastav | 08 Apr, 2014 A rush of money back to the developed markets, coupled with domestic fundamental challenges such as dwindling foreign exchange reserves and high inflation, pushed the rupee to an all time low of 68.8 against the dollar in the next couple of months.    Read more.... SME financing in the current economic scenario Amitabh Verma | 03 Apr, 2014 SMEs typically do not have "deep" pockets. Their key challenge often is access to "funding".    Read more.... 'Manmohan legacy of growth stunted by price rise, graft' Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 01 Apr, 2014 As Manmohan Singh steps down less than two months from now as the prime minister of Asia's third-largest economy, he will be credited for ushering the fastest-ever growth, but his legacy will also be mired somewhat by serious allegations of graft against his government and sharp rise in prices, opinion makers maintain.    Read more.... Factsheet of MSME; sector contributes around 9 pc of GDP PIB Factsheets | 25 Mar, 2014 MSME sector contributes around 9 percent of GDP. It accounts for around 30 percent of the total exports and around 45 percent of the manufacturing output.    Read more.... The post-election economy - light at the end of the tunnel? Keer | 13 Mar, 2014 As Bill Clinton said, "It's the economy, stupid". Many of those with their eyes upon the 2014 Indian election would agree. With the rupee hitting record lows last year, there are few who would argue that the economy should not be one of an incoming government's main priorities.    Read more.... 2014 polls: Congress down, BJP far from Mission 272 Amulya Ganguli | 11 Mar, 2014 Next month's general elections may prove to be the most significant ever because they can determine the fate of the Congress' first family. It is open to question whether in the event of the party's defeat, as is anticipated, the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty can continue to play its present dominant role.    Read more.... Virtual Clusters - An initiative by Ministry of MSME PIB Features | 04 Mar, 2014 The Virtual Clusters concept consists of a dedicated Web portal to be hosted by the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).    Read more.... How realistic are Chidambaram's fiscal projections? Arvind Padmanabhan | 19 Feb, 2014 One would have expected Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to go a little easy on the fiscal deficit front, given that he presented an interim budget in an election year. But far from it, he has promised to keep the fiscal deficit -- the difference between total projected expenditure and revenues from sources like taxes, loan recoveries and other receipts - on a tight leash. Are the numbers realistic?    Read more.... Highlights of interim budget for 2014-15 SME Times News Bureau | 17 Feb, 2014 The following are the highlights of the interim budget for 2014-15 presented in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister P. Chiddambaram on Monday:    Read more.... Scheme for individual innovator to become an entrepreneur M. P. Singh | 07 Feb, 2014 The Ministry of MSME provides assistance of 75% to 85% of the project cost up to max Rs 8 Lakh per Idea.    Read more.... Modi-led stable govt doesn't assure new bull market Vatsal Srivastava | 03 Feb, 2014 Indian equities have witnessed a few choppy trading sessions following the US Federal Reserve's announcement to further taper its monthly bond buying program by USD 10 billion to USD 65 billion a month. The emerging market currency sell-off has also added to short term bearishness. But the stabilization of the Turkish lira and the South African rand in the latter half of last week will most likely lead to an improvement in trading sentiment in the emerging market space.    Read more.... UP government at cross-roads: Deliver or perish Brij Khandelwal | 27 Jan, 2014 When BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi boasted at Gorakhpur about his 54-inch chest, he indirectly highlighted the shortcomings of the Uttar Pradesh government.    Read more.... 'Exploitable Potential' to 'Credit Potential': NABARD shows the way Dr. K. Parameswaran | 21 Jan, 2014 As an annual exercise, NABARD takes up a detailed exercise in all districts across the country for mapping the credit potential that is expected to stimulate balanced growth. Here, the emphasis is mainly on the key stake holders in the development process - the district administration, implementing departments, banks, farmers etc.    Read more.... Reforms and measures undertaken by CBEC to facilitate trade PIB Feature | 11 Jan, 2014 Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has been an early starter in introducing reforms and substantial reforms have already been carried out in the Central Excise laws and procedures since 1994.    Read more.... Manmohan: Making way for Rahul, with a sting in the tail Amulya Ganguli | 04 Jan, 2014 The only occasion when the prime minister perked up during his otherwise somewhat insipid press conference was when he castigated Narendra Modi in uncharacteristically abrasive terms, thereby giving the latter a taste of his own bitter medicine.    Read more.... Year 2013: Achievements & initiatives of MSME Ministry SME Times News Bureau | 27 Dec, 2013 MSMEs are important for helping the country achieve 8 pc plus growth of the economy with enhanced equity in distribution of income and therefore, are considered as engine of growth in the economic development of the country.     Read more.... Lokpal Bill: Salient features of landmark bill SME Times News Bureau The salient features of the amended Lokpal bill passed by parliament on Dec 18:    Read more.... Mexico's reforms: Implications for India's energy security Deepak Bhojwani | 16 Dec, 2013 On Dec 1, 2012, when he became President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto had his mind made up. He realized that the pulsating Mexican economy - whose GDP growth slumped to 1.3 percent in 2013 - needed some structural reform to take the next leap forward.    Read more.... Clear Indian imprint & win at Bali global trade talks Arvind Padmanabhan | 07 Dec, 2013 The landmark trade reform deal reached Saturday at Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali leaves a distinct Indian imprint in ensuring that the rights of an emerging economy in addressing its food security concerns cannot be sidestepped just to show some movement forward for a rule-based global commerce.    Read more.... Trade, travel hit by rupee slump, Bangladesh violence Sujit Chakraborty | 02 Dec, 2013 With the depreciation of the Indian rupee against the dollar and political turmoil in Bangladesh, trade between the northeastern states and India's eastern neighbour has been enormously affected, officials and traders said.    Read more.... Firozabad outgrows bangles, crafts glass lamps, chandeliers Azera Parveen Rahman | 19 Nov, 2013 If you think Firozabad when you talk of glass bangles, then think again. For this Uttar Pradesh town is now crafting intricate glass lamps that dazzle in homes in countries like Kuwait, Spain, Dubai, Australia, France, and the US.    Read more.... Speech by the President, Pranab Mukherjee at 33rd IITF SME Times News Bureau | 16 Nov, 2013 Trade Fair is a reflection of the strength of Indian entrepreneurship and mirrors the progress made by SMEs.    Read more.... India spreads its wings in Asia-Pacific region Saroj Mohanty | 16 Nov, 2013 "India is so situated that it is the pivot of Western, Southern and Southeast Asia. Though not directly a Pacific state, India will invariably exercise an important influence there. India will also develop as the centre of economic and political activity in the Indian Ocean area in the Southeast Asia and right up to the Middle East."    Read more.... New Australian Govt. flags better ties with India Rekha Bhattacharjee | 08 Nov, 2013 With a change in government in Canberra, ties between India and Australia are likely to experience another upswing. New Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has made better relations with India as one of his government's top foreign and trade policy priorities.    Read more.... Only 2 pc MSMEs aware about cloud computing: Study Saurabh Gupta | 30 Oct, 2013 Only 2 pc MSMEs are aware about 'Cloud Computing' and out of which 4 pc units are adopting cloud services, said a CII-IMRB research paper.    Read more.... Diwali round the corner, but footfalls in malls go down SME Times News Bureau | 24 Oct, 2013 Indicating a bleak Diwali this year, malls across the country have reported a sharp decline -- as high as 35-40 percent -- in footfalls by festive shoppers, a new survey has revealed.    Read more.... Indian fashion industry headed for big time: Neeta Lulla Nivedita | 19 Oct, 2013 Neeta Lulla has seen multifarious changes in the industry and says business is booming thanks to the fashion awareness of the people and their fondness for dressing up.    Read more.... Policy perils keeping India's realty industry static Vinod Behl | 09 Oct, 2013 Amid the economic downturn, it's crisis time once again for India's realty sector. Policy glitches are once again creating roadblocks for the revival of the sector.    Read more.... Belgium sees plenty of promise in Indian economy Tarun Basu | 04 Oct, 2013 Indian business may have their reasons to despair about the state of the Indian economy, but the view from the 'capital of Europe' is decidedly different.Princess Astrid , the sister of present King Philippe, a strong supporter of India, is leading a large 350-strong business delegation to India next month, as Belgium remains upbeat about the potential and prospects of the Indian economy, say Indian officials.    Read more.... 'Ordinance may be scrapped but PM unlikely to resign' Prashant Sood | 01 Oct, 2013 The controversial ordinance on convicted lawmakers may be junked by the government in the next few days, but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is unlikely to resign over the perceived undermining of his authority by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, feel former bureaucrats who have held key positions in the government.    Read more.... India reclaiming global leadership on climate change Rajendra Shende | 24 Sep, 2013 When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh launched India's National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2008 and its target to reduce energy intensity, he was hailed as a global leader for taking bold steps to address the issue. More recently, India has received a wake-up call from climate-driven tragedies such as the floods in Uttarakhand and the dire droughts of 2012 and and Manmohan Singh is once again returning to a leadership role.    Read more.... Five steps India must take to restore global confidence Rahul Singh | 10 Sep, 2013 The recent Global Competitiveness Report 2013-14, ranking India at No. 60, leaves no doubt that these are exceptionally dire times for the Indian economy. This World Economic Forum report of Sep 4 puts India 31 places below its emerging market peer China and barely ahead of Russia; it is India's lowest rank in this survey.    Read more.... Food security bill: Salient features SME Times News Bureau | 03 Sep, 2013 The National Food Security Bill, 2013 passed by the parliament Monday gives right to subsidised food grain to 67 percent of India's 1.2 billion people and provides for penalty for non-compliance by public servants. The bill's salient features include:    Read more.... What's dragging rupee down: Speculation or economics? Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 26 Aug, 2013 The rupee, which was valued at around 55 to a US dollar in January, now trades as much as 18 percent lower at 65 to the greenback. Against the British pound sterling, it has breached the 100-mark. Each passing day is seeing a new low.    Read more.... Textiles Exports: Ways Ahead Amit Guin | 17 Aug, 2013 Indian textile and clothing sector adds about 14 pc to industrial production and 4 pc to GDP.    Read more.... The volatile journey of Indian rupee since independence Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 16 Aug, 2013 The Indian rupee, which was at par with the American currency at the time of independence in 1947, hit a record low of 62.03 against the dollar recently. This means the Indian currency has depreciated by almost 62 times against the greenback in the past 66 years.    Read more.... Do not dismiss food bill: It will have ripple effect Vaibhav Gupta | 12 Aug, 2013 There are several lacunae in the bill, and these must be filled if the targeted beneficiaries are to profit from the landmark measure. However, even if one agrees that the bill could be stronger, there are several worthy reasons why we should support it and not stand against it.    Read more.... Owner's concerns v/s employee's concerns Rajesh Shetty | 09 Aug, 2013 The corporate dynamics today has taken a complete new turn. Companies are spending huge amounts of money and resources on employee engagement and training, largely focusing on employee retention and efficiency enhancement.    Read more.... Realty watchdog bill needs matching reforms for efficacy Vinod Behl | 06 Aug, 2013 A recent survey by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs has dubbed the real estate sector as the second worst industry after telecom in terms of quality of service. This, it said, was causing a monetary loss of Rs 32.3 crore (USD 5.5 million - though the figure is only a tip of the iceberg) due to delayed delivery and poor quality of houses. Add to this the funding crisis, unaffordable property, rising delivery defaults, falling sales and plummeting investor confidence, and the picture is complete.    Read more.... Are fresh MBA graduates ready for the industry? Namrata Kath Hazarika | 02 Aug, 2013 One surefire way to impress a potential employer is having a MBA degree on your resume. It will definitely make a solid image on the employer who knows you have the great idea or product, which will help to get the job done. However, its your first day on job and your employer feels you are not the right candidate. Now, without wasting anymore time you have to search for the next new job once again.     Read more.... Biden visit: Can India live up to US expectations? C Uday Bhaskar | 29 Jul, 2013 US Vice President Joseph Biden's recent visit to India (July 22-25) may not have led to any major breakthrough, but provided a valuable opportunity to renew the high-level political contact between the two countries at a time when there is some concern in India that the Obama administration is not paying adequate attention to the bilateral relationship.    Read more.... Why Brand Experiences Matter Ankur Kalra | 19 Jul, 2013 In this world of abundant choices and easy options what is it really that makes your brand better than the others? Don’t all shampoos promise to makes your hair softer, silkier and smoother? And what deodorant does not guarantee drop dead gorgeous women getting inexplicably attracted to you? In a market where each product is as good as the next, experiential marketing makes all the difference.     Read more.... Don't have a store? Participate in exhibitions Natalia Ningthoujam | 19 Jul, 2013 A glitzy store in a posh area is what many aspire for, but few achieve. Fret not! Apart from social media, exhibitions are seen as a potent platform to promote products and services.    Read more.... The significance and role of Company Credit Report (CCR) CIBIL Consumer Relations | 16 Jul, 2013 A good credit history plays a crucial role in determining the ability of a business to borrow money. Lenders today check the Company Credit Report (CCR) while determining the credit worthiness of companies.    Read more.... A month later, Uttarakhand still counting losses Mohit Dubey | 16 Jul, 2013 The tourism sector, the lifeline of the Uttarakhand economy, is in tatters.    Read more.... Indian firms must listen to customer chatter Sanjiv Kataria | 15 Jul, 2013 When I sat down to pen my thoughts on the status of the burgeoning Rs. 85,000 crore (USD 19 billion) Business Process Outsourcing industry (loosely referred to as BPO, Call Centers, ITeS and now BPM), I was confident that I would be able to complete my 800-word comment well before the deadline.    Read more.... Reforms can help improve sentiments towards rupee Vatsal Srivastava | 02 Jul, 2013 In the financial markets, every trader has his own style, methodology and a favourite list of fundamental and technical indicators which is developed over time to be consistently profitable. But there is one golden rule subject to absolutely no modification: “You don’t fight the Fed”.    Read more.... GI Tag: Varanasi-Mau-Bhadohi leading in UP Saurabh Gupta | 26 Jun, 2013 Varanasi, Bhadohi and Mau clusters, the three very renowned districts of Uttar Pradesh (UP), are now having the Geographical Indications (GI) tag.    Read more.... The "Blocked Mindset Challenge" faced by SMEs in India Tanveer Shaikh | 25 Jun, 2013 About 80 pc of SMEs die out before their 5th year and only a few thousands amongst the potent SMEs are listed on the Stock Exchange.     Read more.... To Look East, India must first transform its northeast Rajiv Dogra | 13 Jun, 2013 Every time there is a prime ministerial visit to East or Southeast Asia, we dust up the two-decade-old placards and begin to wave them. The fading lettering on them proclaims that India is 'Looking East.' But as a nation, our attention span is limited. Therefore, the moment the visit is over we climb up tiredly into the attic to deposit the placards and to keep them there till the next visit.    Read more.... UCA law brings both opportunities & threats to Indian manufacturing exports in US Dr. Tamanna Chaturvedi | 06 Jun, 2013 Current industrial scenario is so dynamic that any new development has widespread repercussions around the globe. The impact of these developments has been quite visible in case of our manufacturing exports wherein a fall in shares of traditional items like textiles, leather and leather manufactures, plastics, glass and glassware etc have been witnessed primarily in our largest traditional market of the US.    Read more.... Development not at cost of environment: Expert Fakir Balaji | 06 Jun, 2013 Noted ecologists and green activists Wednesday cautioned the government against aiming 8-9 percent GDP (gross domestic product) annual growth at the cost of environment and sought a balanced approach towards sustainable development for a equitable society.    Read more.... List of pacts signed recently between India and Thailand SME Times News Bureau | 31 May, 2013 Treaty/MOUs signed during the Visit of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Thailand (30-31 May, 2013)    Read more.... Opportunities galore for small business owners Franchise India | 27 May, 2013 One can start own venture on small scale with less initial investment and infrastructure requirement and operate it successfully with relatively low working capital and still expect to make substantial earnings.    Read more.... Scenario of pharmaceutical market in India Harjeet | 27 May, 2013 The pharmaceutical industry in India is most progressive and advanced among all the developed and developing countries. The industry has provided great employment opportunities to thousands of people, apart from contributing greatly towards the Indian economy.    Read more.... Return of US dollar, end of gold run Vatsal Srivastava | 20 May, 2013 The time has come for financial market participants to stop looking at the world through the prism of a goldbug.    Read more.... BRICS: Changing the paradigm of international relations Deepak Bhojwani | 20 May, 2013 India, a motive force behind the founding of BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - has shown the world the importance of the development of democracy. By focusing on cooperation rather than competition, these five emerging world powers have shown that they are capable of changing the paradigm of international relations and promoting the democracy of development.    Read more.... Golden fibre making inroads into road construction Rohit Kapoor | 11 May, 2013 The first thing when we hear about coir comes to our mind is traditional items like mats, baskets and ropes, but it is not the case anymore.    Read more.... SMEs most aggressive adopters of ERP Sudheer Nair | 08 May, 2013 Over the last decade or so, information technology has taken some giant steps and this exponential growth has changed the way we live and interact with the world. No wonder information technology has enabled many small and medium businesses to carve a niche for themselves.     Read more.... Assistance to MSMEs to compete in international market PIB Feature | 06 May, 2013 MSMEs are complementary to large industries as ancillary units and contribute enormously to the socio-economic development of the country.     Read more.... eBiz: Easing Business Amit Guin | 06 May, 2013 Initiating a new business or setting up a new industrial unit in India is a cumbersome process.    Read more.... GI may change face of Indian creator, community and traditional art Saurabh Gupta | 27 Apr, 2013 A GI tag has been recognized as intellectual property of a particular country or region or locality.    Read more.... RP Goenka: 'Friendly' takeover tycoon and remarkable man Sankar | 26 Apr, 2013 Rama Prasad Goenka (who died April 14) was decidedly the most remarkable man I have seen in my life's journey. The world need not be told that R.P. Goenka was a great businessman. What was more remarkable was that he was an extraordinary human being, rich not only in bank balances but richer in human values, always keen to understand the world and enjoy the company of the people around him.    Read more.... 'Business angels' driving entrepreneurial movement Shudip Talukdar | 20 Apr, 2013 'Business angels' are taking the initiative to help budding entrepreneurs set up and manage their own start-ups successfully in a highly competitive environment.    Read more.... Highlights of Annual Supplement (2013-14) to FTP 2009-14 Source: PIB | 18 Apr, 2013 Find here the Highlights of Annual Supplement (2013-14) to FTP 2009-14    Read more.... Indian investment in Latin America Mercatrade.com | 11 Apr, 2013 When Goldman-Sachs coined the term BRICs, they could have little idea of what effect this economic block would have on trade in Latin America. Representing Brazil, Russia, India, and China, the BRIC group of rapidly developing economies are seen as the lynchpin for Latin America’s financial autonomy.     Read more.... Time running out for India-EU free trade talks? Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 09 Apr, 2013 Trade and investment talks between India and the European Union (EU) could be in limbo for years, if not concluded in 2013, as the 27-nation grouping is likely to shift its focus to a trade deal with the US.    Read more.... 12 billion mobiles in next 10 years Prasanto K. Roy | 08 Apr, 2013 One kilogram. That's what it weighed, the bulky prototype used for a wireless phone call by a Motorola engineer in 1973. For the real milestone 10 years later, a 790-gram Motorola DynaTAC made the first call from a commercial mobile phone, in a Mercedes in 1983. That makes the mobile 30 years old, and not the 40 that's being reported.    Read more.... You are not over yet Pascal Nyasha | 05 Apr, 2013 The recession has swiped across the world. Many wounds were left and many today wallow in deep pain. All your savings may be gone and you are left with nothing. Many lost homes and other assets.    Read more.... Service industry must strive for excellence Amit Chaudhery | 04 Apr, 2013 Emerging amid liberalisation and increasing integration with the global economy, India's service industry offers tremendous potential but also poses daunting challenges.     Read more.... BRICS has arrived, so will the mortar Arvind Padmanabhan | 01 Apr, 2013 With Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa concluding in Durban a cycle of one summit in each country, the BRICS bloc, in a rather short span of time, seems to have arrived as an influential voice on the geopolitical space and some decisions like a development funding arm for poor and emerging economies, when executed, will have the potential to even challenge the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).    Read more.... In race for Africa, Indian elephant rivals Chinese dragon Rohit Bansal | 25 Mar, 2013 Call it a deliberate clash of dates or mere coincidence, the Indian elephant and the Chinese dragon were caught courting Africa on exactly the same dates this month!    Read more.... Measures to check cheating of investors by unscrupulous companies K. K. Pant | 25 Mar, 2013 Cheating of investors by unscrupulous companies takes many forms, such as: ‘vanishing’ after raising money through public offers; illegal collection of deposits in violation of Section 58A of the Companies Act, 1956    Read more.... Online libraries re-kindle the thrill of reading Azera Parveen Rahman | 25 Mar, 2013 When was the last time you visited a library, browsed through the hundreds of titles, and finally borrowed a book that evoked your interest? Online libraries that promise to offer nearly the same experience have caught the readers' fancy and are rekindling a lost love.    Read more.... The levels of leadership Pascal Nyasha | 19 Mar, 2013 For decades, there has not been an agreement on the true meaning of leadership. The definitions, explanations, understanding and paradigms of leadership are as diverse as the scholars on the subject.    Read more.... Nepal reducing poverty faster than India: Oxford study Prasun Sonwalkar | 19 Mar, 2013 Nepal and Bangladesh are reducing poverty faster compared to India, according to a new study based on the multidimensional poverty index developed at the University of Oxford and used by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in its Human Development Reports.    Read more.... Silk Sector - Boosting the national economy PIB Feature | 11 Mar, 2013 Silk has been intermingled with the life and culture of the Indians. India has a rich and complex history in silk production and its silk trade dates back to 15th century.    Read more.... Budget'13: How realistic are Chidambaram's numbers? Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 04 Mar, 2013 Finance Minister P. Chidambaram proposes to contain the fiscal deficit at 4.8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during 2013-14 despite an aggressive 30 percent surge in plan expenditure and nearly 12 percent increase in overall spending. Experts, however, are sceptical.    Read more.... Budget: UPA finally moving towards capitalism Amulya Ganguli | 03 Mar, 2013 Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's claims to be a reformer may have received a glancing blow with the 10 percent surcharge on the super-rich in Thursday's budget proposals, but the fall of the axe on 42,800 people who earn Rs.10 million a year is small price to pay for his reluctance to take more drastic steps against the wealthy.    Read more.... 'Maghreb region should be next focus of India Inc' Ranjana Narayan | 25 Feb, 2013 The Maghreb region comprises Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia and contributes 20 percent of the African continent's gross domestic product (GDP) though it has only nine percent of the population - around 85 million    Read more.... This will be a make-or-break budget for UPA Amulya Ganguli | 23 Feb, 2013 With 10 state assembly elections this year and the general election in the next, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) faces possibly its sternest challenge since it returned to power in 2009.    Read more.... The arrival of leadership Pascal Nyasha | 19 Feb, 2013 It is interesting studying the evolution of management from the classical theorists until this time. The emergence of people like Fredrick Taylor in the nineteenth century brought in the concept of scientific management.    Read more.... Weavers of Happiness Amit Guin | 18 Feb, 2013 The Chanderi sarees of Madhya Pradesh have created waves in the world of fashion by alluring the customers with its pleasant colours and spectacular designs.    Read more.... FDI - Building Future - Ready MSMEs Deep Kapuria | 11 Feb, 2013 MSME sector is continually embattled with intractable issues like limited access to credit and institutional finance, technological obsolescence, limited market access, and skilled manpower shortage.    Read more.... Beware of being catfished online! Sasha Horne | 08 Feb, 2013 Catfishing, a term coined from the 2010 film "Catfish" documenting a young man's supposed romance with a woman he met through Facebook who in fact did not exist, has come into sharp focus following an embarrassing story involving Manti Te'o, a football star with the University of Notre Dame.    Read more.... A look at corporate failures Pascal Nyasha | 05 Feb, 2013 WHEN a foundation on a house is destroyed, the house cannot keep standing, it will crush to the ground.     Read more.... Investment opportunities for NRIs in India Amit Guin | 05 Feb, 2013 The Government has taken various steps to promote investments by Indians living abroad, in India.    Read more.... The power to change is in you Pascal Nyasha | 29 Jan, 2013 In life there are so many things that we wish were different or we regret having done or said. There are unions that we regret having entered into while many of the situations around us may be so bad that we hope we could escape even from life itself.     Read more.... Obama's big plans for India: What to expect? Saroj Mohanty | 28 Jan, 2013 As US President Barack Obama heads into his legacy-shaping second term in office, assumptions, expectations and suggestions abound about what his administration could mean for India with which he professes to have enduring ties.     Read more.... Reinvent yourself this year Pascal Nyasha | 22 Jan, 2013 Re-invention is one of the most important things in a person's life. In life we go through so many experiences and sometimes we emerge relinquished out of them.     Read more.... Initiatives to boost manufacturing growth Saurabh Chandra | 22 Jan, 2013 The Global economic turmoil has impacted the overall economy in general and industry in particular. This is quite evident from the deceleration witnessed in the performance of industrial sector in the recent past.    Read more.... What leadership is really about? Pascal Nyasha | 15 Jan, 2013 ON several occasions that I have met aspiring or established leaders there has been one question that I have been asked: What is leadership really about?    Read more.... Assam's silk village: Weaving does not pay Azera Parveen Rahman | 14 Jan, 2013 In Assam's Sualkuchi village, the rhythmic click-clock of the loom reverberates everywhere. Every house has a loom and in it the xipini, or weaver, weaves exotic mekhla chadors, the traditional Assamese attire, with an adept hand. Of late, there has however been a decline in the number of weavers, as weaving is no more seen as a paying proposition, changing the warp and weft of 'the silk village'.    Read more.... Stretch your wings, it's time to fly Pascal Nyasha | 08 Jan, 2013 Some people can "fly" but they had forgotten how to "fly". So they forgot. Some people completely do not know they can "fly". So they never did Some people had "flown" before, but forgot how to. So they never remembered. Some people know they can fly, but never try because they are surrounded by F-E-A-R. So they quit. Some people want to see others "fly" first before they "fly". So they waited. Some people wait for a mentor to teach them how to fly. So they waited. Some people "flew" before and fell down, so they claimed that "flying" is dangerous and useless. So they whined and quit.    Read more.... Ratan Tata: Responsible leadership, conscious capitalism Santhosh Babu | 07 Jan, 2013 Much is written and known about the business success of the Tata Group, the global acquisitions and Ratan Tata's role in them. Here's a look at Tata, who steps down as chairman of this $100-billion global empire Friday, not just as a successful business leader but also as an ideal role model who is responsible and authentic, while integrating inner values with outer actions.    Read more.... 2012: Achievements and initiatives of the Ministry of MSME SME Times News Bureau | 28 Dec, 2012 MSME sector has proved to be an engine of growth in the economic development of the country.     Read more.... 2012: Bumpy ride for automakers but road ahead seems smooth Venkatachari Jagannathan | 27 Dec, 2012 The Indian auto industry hopes the New Year will usher in good times again with some tax cuts, economic revival and better sentiments after a year marked by low volumes and labour unrest at some units.    Read more.... How to discover yourself Pascal Nyasha | 26 Dec, 2012 Last week I shouted, "Don't die before discovering yourself" and in this article I deal with what it takes to be able to discover yourself. The very first step towards discovering yourself is a painful one that many people choose not to experience. It is a conscious commitment towards facing the challenges of life even those that pose danger to your life.    Read more.... Modi's success can deepen BJP's divisive image Amulya Ganguli | 24 Dec, 2012 The three-dimensional images of himself which Narendra Modi projected simultaneously in several cities during the election campaign in Gujarat have been further boosted by the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) success in crossing the firewall of 117 seats which it won five years ago.    Read more.... Exploring the roots of leadership Pascal Nyasha | 18 Dec, 2012 It was a great pleasure going through the hundreds of feedback in response to my recent article. It was most humbling to meet people who came all the way from Gweru, Marondera, Bulawayo and Bindura just to discuss the article and its implications on us as leaders. Leadership starts from the family, community, national and international level.    Read more.... Jute - The Golden Fibre PIB Feature | 18 Dec, 2012 India is the largest producer of raw jute and jute goods. Export performance of jute sector crossed USD 383 million during 2011-12. This year's target has been set at USD 500 million. The exports included diversified products like jute floor coverings, wall hangings, decorative fabrics.    Read more.... Supervision beyond borders Sirjjan Preet | 13 Dec, 2012 Setting up of a supervisory college by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), each for State Bank of India and the ICICI Bank Ltd.    Read more.... Three pillars to effective leadership Pascal Nyasha (SME Times guest author) | 11 Dec, 2012 Three are three pillars that are central to leadership, which are knowledge, understanding and wisdom.     Read more.... What impedes Australia, India ties? Rekha Bhattcharjee | 11 Dec, 2012 While there has been a flurry of visits to India by high-powered Australian trade delegations and politicians, observers are baffled by the slow pace at which the bilateral ties are growing.     Read more.... The power of personal branding Pascal Nyasha (SME Times guest author) | 02 Dec, 2012 YOU make an impression by how you look, influence by what you say and make an impact by what you are.    Read more.... Data security and India-EU trade negotiations Sameer Pushp | 01 Dec, 2012 It is said that data is the new raw material of business; it is the new oil which fuels the business and livelihood on this planet. Technological progress and globalization have profoundly changed the way our data is collected, accessed and used. "Data is a precious thing and will last longer than the systems themselves," say Tim Berners-Lee.    Read more.... What kind of leader are you? Pascal Nyasha (SME Times guest author) | 25 Nov, 2012 Many leaders are not very much aware of the kind of leaders they are. Such create blind spots in one's leadership and depending on how strong the blind spots are, it is recipe for disaster.     Read more.... Reviving the dying Kashmir silk industry M. L. Dhar | 24 Nov, 2012 Silk has been one of the cherished heritages of Jammu and Kashmir with sericulture activity in the valley finding mention in ancient Sanskrit scriptures including Rajtarangni. The queen of the fabrics, Kashmir Silk has ever cherished the passion of consumers for its lustre, purity and fineness.    Read more.... Congress should educate party, people on reforms Amulya Ganguli | 20 Nov, 2012 There is little doubt that the Congress's recent public rally in the national capital and then a Samvad Baithak, a closed-door, inner-party discussion session, in nearby Surajkund are signs that the party is gearing up for the next general election, which is only 18 months away, as Sonia Gandhi reminded the audience.    Read more.... Behind the Obama win: An insider view Latha M. Srinivasan | 20 Nov, 2012 It was the sheer hard work of his campaign volunteers and extensive ground game that won Barack Obama his second term as US president.    Read more.... Diwali for exporters as Yuan hits record high Mithun Dasgupta | 16 Nov, 2012 It was a happy Diwali for the Indian export community, thanks to the Chinese Yuan that rose to a record high this week.    Read more.... Arvind Kejriwal: Can he make an impact in politics? Parthasarathy Chaganty | 12 Nov, 2012 No individual has dominated the Indian political space more than Arvind Kejriwal in recent weeks.    Read more.... Enhancing competitiveness of MSME sector through cluster development PIB Features | 01 Nov, 2012 The need of the hour is a cluster based approach. Clusters are defined as a sectoral and geographical concentration of micro, small and medium enterprises with    Read more.... Is Indian economy turning around? Ashok Handoo | 01 Nov, 2012 For a few months now, the Indian economy appears to be on a recovery path. At least there are enough indications to that. Foremost is the performance of various sectors of the economy.    Read more.... Congress, BJP on a level playing field of corruption Amulya Ganguli | 30 Oct, 2012 It is now clear that both the major parties - the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - will approach the next general election with the ball and chain of corruption tied to their feet.    Read more.... Helping the world understand India's foreign policy Rajiv Bhatia | 30 Oct, 2012 Our fellow citizens are much concerned today with domestic issues, but a small segment of citizenry spends its waking hours thinking largely about India's role in international affairs. Government officials apart, such people are mostly in the non-governmental domain.     Read more.... India's reforms go beyond face value Arvind Padmanabhan | 23 Oct, 2012 The battery of reformist decisions taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh government in the past month not just alter the perception of policy inaction in India, but will also go a long way in reviving the country's slowing economy and stabilise state finances.    Read more.... Discounts, irresistible deals entice virtual shoppers in festive season Rahul Vaishnavi | 23 Oct, 2012 From electronics to jewelry, home decorations to apparel, people high on festive fervor are logging onto various e-commerce websites to shop as they decorate their houses or pamper themselves with ethnic wear, jewelry and a host of other items.    Read more.... Types of small business loans Kushwaha Singh | 16 Oct, 2012 The feeling of doing something on your own, on your own terms cannot be compared. Like all other good things in life, starting something can be extremely time consuming and tough. Since you are responsible for every little thing you have to make sure you take care of every little detail. The first major hindrance any entrepreneur may come across in money.    Read more.... Why BJP opposes foreign investment in retail Amulya Ganguli | 16 Oct, 2012 As the traditional party of banias or traders, the BJP's opposition to FDI in retail is not surprising. There is also an element of cogency is this stance of both the Left and the BJP.    Read more.... Seven small business growth rules unfolded FIHL | 09 Oct, 2012 Business confidence among SME owners has improved significantly as the success and growth rate in this sector is quite tremendous.    Read more.... India's reforms go beyond face value Arvind Padmanabhan | 08 Oct, 2012 The battery of reformist decisions taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh government in the past month not just alter the perception of policy inaction in India, but will also go a long way in reviving the country's slowing economy and stabilise state finances.    Read more.... How to reduce costs while doing business in China Zhang Bochun | 03 Oct, 2012 The second largest economy in the world, China offers multitude of trade and investment opportunities for Indian exporters. This country, with more than 1.3 billion people and so many thriving sectors of economy, has become a dream business destination for companies from all over the world in the recent times.    Read more.... 'I know everything'- confidence killer Awadhesh Devanand Jha (SME Times Guest Author) | 27 Sep, 2012 This article is in continuation to my previous article "Is finance the only hurdle for development of Indian SMEs?" I received comments     Read more.... Will India and China fight a war again? Mohan Guruswamy | 26 Sep, 2012 Most Indians rightly see the 1962 war between India and China, and a relatively small military defeat and the major national panic that followed, as a cathartic event. While 1962 will still be the seminal year for Sino-Indian relations, it is in 1967 that Indian and Chinese troops last clashed -- at Nathu La. Since then, not a shot has been fired across the border.    Read more.... India-EU BTIA negotiations: What is India asking for? Amit Guin | 25 Sep, 2012 The India-EU Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) talks have discussed issues related to trade.    Read more.... All is not lost for the UPA-II Amulya Ganguli | 24 Sep, 2012 The govt will not lost every thing, if present overdrive on reforms revives the "animal spirits" in the economy.    Read more.... Economics trumps politics: Manmohan back in charge Amulya Ganguli | 15 Sep, 2012 As at the time of the nuclear deal in 2008, Manmohan Singh is back in charge again. As the latest series of reform measures show, the hesitancy of the last few years is over and the country has returned to the road of market-driven policies which the prime minister initiated two decades ago when he was the finance minister.    Read more.... Apparel Export Promotion Council's Outlook, Role and Vision Sameer Pushp | 14 Sep, 2012 AEPC is the official body of apparel exporters in India that provides invaluable assistance to Indian exporters.    Read more.... Benefits of online business banking in United Arab Emirates Steve Henderson | 10 Sep, 2012 Thinking of starting a new business in the United Arab Emirates? If so, you're already aware that it's a reasonably absorbing process. A key part to this procedure will be setting up and effectively managing a business banking account. Read on for a quick look at what to expect from setting up an account and how online banking is a great way to organize your company's finances.    Read more.... Is finance the only hurdle for development of Indian SMEs? Awadhesh Devanand Jha | 04 Sep, 2012 Whenever and wherever I meet the entrepreneurs from Indian SME, the only reason I heard is raising finance being reason for their companies’ slow growth and performance.     Read more.... Want to start small business? Avoid these mistakes FIHL | 04 Sep, 2012 For many people, starting small business of their own is like a dream come true. But . . .    Read more.... Can Walmart and corner stores co-exist? Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 03 Sep, 2012 A fierce debate is raging in cyberspace over the cost and benefit of foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail as the Indian government has once again begun working for its rollout as a 'must do' economic reform. And most say there is enough room for global giants like Walmart and the unorganised small retailers to co-exist.    Read more.... India's Gems & Jewellery Industry: A Dazzling Success Story PIB Mumbai | 28 Aug, 2012 India's gems and jewellery industry is a bright star of the economy, and one of the important foundations of the country’s export-led growth.    Read more.... Biotechnology Information Network M.V.S. Prasad | 28 Aug, 2012 Bioinformatics is attaining greater significance in the life sciences research and industry and hitherto unexplored areas of biology.    Read more.... Major rules for making small business ideas successful FIHL | 21 Aug, 2012 To help you start a new business of your own, here are some golden rules that can help you go a long way.     Read more.... Mend land policy to push realty, infrastructure Vinod Behl | 20 Aug, 2012 The relaxation of rules by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on transfer of government land in a bid to speed up public-private partnership (PPP) projects in infrastructure sector is, indeed, significant. Especially so when economic growth has dipped to a 9-year low, amid infrastructure and realty projects hanging fire due to delayed approvals.    Read more.... Expanding circle of influence: Importance of mentoring in business world Staff Reporter | 13 Aug, 2012 Ambition and talent, along with access to capital and mentoring, can take the young pretty far. The entrepreneurial fecundity of an ecosystem has direct impact on its economic prospects.    Read more.... Tourism - Providing inclusive growth and promoting employment PIB Features | 11 Aug, 2012 Tourism has been recognized as one of the major engines for inclusive growth and employment.    Read more.... Course on foreign trade to help SME exporters SME Times News Bureau | 06 Aug, 2012 Aiming to provide the relevant knowledge about foreign trade to SME exports, FIEO and BIMTECH, jointly announced the commencement of a new Six month Diploma course in Foreign Trade.     Read more.... New corporate initiatives push artistic talent in India Madhusree Chatterjee | 06 Aug, 2012 A handful of initiatives that have brought big business houses to promote visual art with incentives and new platforms is trying to open an alternative door for Indian art in the face of shrinking government support and a market slump.    Read more.... Freedom, bondage hand-in-hand for Kashmiri designer Radhika Bhirani | 04 Aug, 2012 Kashmir is a spiritual valley with art, crafts and textiles all over the place.     Read more.... Pranab won't be rubber-stamp President Amulya Ganguli | 31 Jul, 2012 Pranab Mukherjee's relatively uneventful, to use a post-operative surgical term, journey to Rashtrapati Bhavan is one of the Congress' few success stories of late. What made it possible was the unforced errors of its opponents, who were apparently guided by blind antipathy towards the Congress rather than a realistic assessment of their position.    Read more.... IT-BPO - A key sector of Indian economy M.V.S. Prasad | 31 Jul, 2012 The year 2011-12 was marked by growing global uncertainties. Global recovery has stalled, growth prospects have dimmed and downside risks have escalated.     Read more.... Social media adoption by SMEs Sirjjan Preet | 23 Jul, 2012 Social media in India is growing at 100% and by 2014, 129.3 million Indians are expected to join the social media forums. According to eMarketer, fastest growth in social networking this year will come    Read more.... Affordable housing hit badly in real estate slump Vinod Behl | 22 Jul, 2012 Amid economic slowdown, the drastic fall in home absorption rates this year is a matter of serious concern. The high property and home loan rates have taken the toll of sales, leading to large inventory build up.    Read more.... Online reporting system of mineral transaction Sanjeev Kumar Sundriyal | 17 Jul, 2012 In its continues effort to bring more transparency the Mines Ministry has developed an On-Line Registration and Reporting System under rule 45 of MCDR, 1988 of mineral transaction to facilitate the submission of monthly returns of iron ore.     Read more.... 3 Easy Small Business Marketing Ideas Wesley Murph | 17 Jul, 2012 If you own and operate a small business, then surely you're interested in adding more new customers... referrals and repeat sales to your bottom line.     Read more.... Still 'chasing the monsoon' to lift India's fortune IANS | 03 Jul, 2012 No other weather phenomenon, perhaps, captures the attention of Indians as does monsoon, a shortfall of which can not just send the economy reeling, and people sweating, but also alter the fortunes of governments in power.    Read more.... Rekindling hopes: PM signals a course correction Arvind Padmanabhan | 02 Jul, 2012 When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met with the senior officials from North Block earlier this week after taking charge of the finance ministry again, his speech was short and to the point. But the message that went out was loud and clear with an added but important acceptance for the first time - that there was indeed a widespread public perception of policy paralysis in the government and he wanted the situation to change as fast as possible.    Read more.... 10 myths about industrial product design Prakash V. Unakal | 28 Jun, 2012 Why India must become more aware of product designs - June 29 is World Industrial Design Day.    Read more.... Latin America - energising India Deepak Bhojwani | 21 Jun, 2012 Latin America has remained at the periphery of Indian political and economic strategy, having presented no significant challenges, received marginal Indian migration (mainly in the Caribbean/Atlantic), and, depending on the country, having limited or no historic or cultural connections with India.    Read more.... G-20 Summit Declaration SME Times News Bureau | 20 Jun, 2012 Text of the G-20 Summit declaration in Los Cabos, Mexico, June 18-19    Read more.... Social, savvy and secure SMB Anand Naik | 16 Jun, 2012 The advent of social media today has been a boon for Indian SMBs who are acknowledging its increasing value as a business tool. As more users sign up each day on social networking platforms the potential customer reach is phenomenal and thus today social networks are irresistible to marketers. Social media campaigns today, find appeal across many verticals.     Read more.... Infrastructure Debt Fund Shamima Siddiqui | 15 Jun, 2012 India has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies during the past decade. However, infrastructure development has not kept pace with the growth in the rest of the economy. Realizing this, India initiated an ambitious reform programme in all infrastructure sectors.    Read more.... Bringing the economy back to high growth path Dilip Ghosh | 11 Jun, 2012 Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh called a meeting of Ministers and Senior officials of the Infrastructure Ministries - Power, Highways, Civil Aviation and Shipping & Ports on 6th June, this year. The purpose was to devise suitable measures to bring the economy back to high growth path. Indian economy which had been growing at 9 percent per annum for the past eight years, grew only at 6.5 percent in 2011-12 and in the last quarter of the financial year the growth rate was 5.3 percent. Such turn of events, made the Government take suitable measures to reverse the down turn.    Read more.... Survey on business promotion via social media for SMEs SME Times News Bureau Today social media is playing an increasingly vital role in business marketing. Unfortunately, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are not getting nearly as much out of their social media marketing efforts as they should be.    Read more.... Highlights of annual supplement to FTP 2009-14 SME Times News Bureau | 05 Jun, 2012 The Government on Tuesday released the annual supplement to India’s Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14.    Read more.... Green economy: Does it include you? A. N. Khan | 02 Jun, 2012 This year the World Environment Day theme is "Green Economy". The Green Economy is defined as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity,     Read more.... Doing trade, driving down to Myanmar just got easier Rahul Dass | 31 May, 2012 Indians may soon be able drive down to Myanmar and do business with a country that is perfectly situated to play the role of an economic bridge between India and China and between South and South-East Asia.     Read more.... Soft Skills Development: An integral component of HRD Dr. K. Parameswaran | 29 May, 2012 Come summer and we see a rush of summer schools coming up even in the smaller towns in India. These schools offer short term training to school and college students in everything from acupuncture to horticulture!    Read more.... Absence of Big Idea leaves Congress without direction Amulya Ganguli | 28 May, 2012 Blaming factionalism for the Congress's recent electoral setbacks, as Sonia Gandhi has done, can be regarded as a somewhat facile explanation, considering that internal rifts have been a part of the party's genes dating back a century to the clashes between Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Gopal Krishna Gokhale, between Mahatma Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose and between Indira Gandhi and the so-called "syndicate", represented by the old guard in the Congress at that time.    Read more.... 'Global brands can generate jobs in India' Nivedita Sharma | 21 May, 2012 International brands can generate job opportunities if their entry into India is facilitated, says Montblanc, a century-old German company known for its timeless luxury pens, watches, eyewear, leather goods and fashion accessories.    Read more.... Recruiting talented freshers for SMEs: Internships the solution Karthikeyan V | 18 May, 2012 Recruiting talented and relevant college graduates has always been a real challenge for small & medium enterprises (SMEs). This challenge stems from the fact that most of the students are keen to join MNCs through campus recruitment. The other avenue: the job portals, provides a huge number of resumes and makes the job of identifying relevant students laborious & time-consuming.    Read more.... Kashmiri handicrafts: Arts and crafts nurtured for centuries Ghulam Abbas | 15 May, 2012 Jammu and Kashmir is not only home to the vast cultural and ethnic diversity but also the heaven for arts and crafts that have been carefully nurtured for the centuries.     Read more.... Cost-effective marketing secrets of SME marketing experts Myles Anderson | 14 May, 2012 Whether your business is old or new, you can't stop advertising your product or service. And for most starters, small business marketing often mean cold calling potential buyers and making walk-in clients very satisfied. But are these small business marketing ideas still effective in this day and age? Or is Internet marketing becoming the next norm for small or big business.    Read more.... As China dumps in India's solar market, domestic industry shrivels Richa Sharma | 07 May, 2012 India's National Solar Mission may be offering huge opportunities to global players but the domestic solar industry is bleeding owing to poor policy and stiff competition from foreign companies, especially the Chinese.     Read more.... DISHA: A mission to strengthen ethical sourcing for apparel trade in India Sameer Pushp | 03 May, 2012 Recognizing the important linkages between ethical trade and economic growth, the Ministry of Textiles Government of India, asked Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) to work on the compliance code for ethical sourcing for the Apparel Exports from India.    Read more.... A small step towards dignity of labour Sarita Brara | 01 May, 2012 May 1st is International Labour Day. There was a need for Indian model of inclusive innovation that focused on the poor and the common man.    Read more.... Bloggers: Latest brand ambassadors to sell products Azera Parveen Rahman | 24 Apr, 2012 A friend asks you to try a product she vouches for. Chances are you will go ahead and buy it the next time you see it on the store shelf. It's all about credibility - a factor that's making brands turn to a new medium, blogging, to market their products.    Read more.... Failure to tackle green issues could hurt growth: Ecologists Mithun Dasgupta | 24 Apr, 2012 The Indian government's failure to formulate effective policies to address environmental issues would risk causing economic growth to lag, warn environmentalists.    Read more.... Small and medium enterprise insurance Nasreen Haque | 17 Apr, 2012 While the headlines usually cover large enterprises, the truth is that SME accounts for the vast majority of any nation's businesses: from Egypt to the United Kingdom, nearly 98 percent of all businesses are SMEs. Most insurance brokers receive the majority of their revenue from small and medium enterprise insurance.    Read more.... Pak fashion fraternity eyes franchises, collaborations in India Priyanka Sharma | 16 Apr, 2012 Pakistan's fashion fraternity has welcomed India and Pakistan's decision to open more trade routes and hope to expand their reach by collaborating with Indian wholesalers, brands and opening retail outlets in New Delhi.    Read more.... Glowing times for online jewellery retailers Radhika Bhirani | 06 Apr, 2012 There was a time when gold jewellery or diamonds and other precious stones were only bought from the trusted family jeweller. Now the trend is changing, with more people open to buying jewellery online.    Read more.... Design Clinics Scheme for MSMEs of manufacturing sector PIB Info-Nuggets | 04 Apr, 2012 The total scheme budget is Rs.73.58 crore, out of which Rs.49.08 crore will be the Government assistance and the balance amount will be contributed by the beneficiary MSMEs.    Read more.... Tibetan self immolations: Why isn't the world listening? Vijay Kranti | 03 Apr, 2012 A long chain of self immolations by Tibetan youths negates the oft repeated Chinese claims that everything is fine inside Tibet.    Read more.... Pakistan 'Negative List' for imports from India SME Times News Bureau | 28 Mar, 2012 The Government of Pakistan recently released the list of items which are not importable from India.    Read more.... Virtualization - Simplified for SMBs Anand Naik | 23 Mar, 2012 Virtualization allows Small and Medium Businesses to reduce, reuse, and retire existing server platforms.     Read more.... Realty industry has little to cheer from budget Vinod Behl | 22 Mar, 2012 The latest national budget has given India's realty sector a short shrift, despite its stated objective to create conditions for growth, focusing on domestic-driven growth recovery.    Read more.... e-Marketing to boost SMEs David Parks | 20 Mar, 2012 In the present-day scenario, marketing plays a pivotal role for any company to carve a niche for itself.    Read more.... Budget: A manuscript of good intentions? Arvind Padmanabhan | 16 Mar, 2012 It has made all the right noises about the need to reform and prune subsidies, and even extends incentives to tax payers. But without targets, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's 7th union budget remains a manuscript of good intentions for the Indian economy.    Read more.... Will government now hobble towards 2014? Amulya Ganguli | 13 Mar, 2012 The assembly election results are not all good news for the country, the government that leads it and states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.    Read more.... Increasing opportunities for women-led bizs in India Arun Kumar | 12 Mar, 2012 An American organization that connects women-run businesses to multinational corporations around the world plans to help women business owners in India to sell their solutions, create economic prosperity and deliver jobs.     Read more.... Making housing affordable: Realty industry needs budget boost Vinod Behl | 06 Mar, 2012 With the realty industry still not out of the woods, stakeholders are eagerly awaiting this year's budget to crack the frozen property market.    Read more.... Wind Energy: A nature’s bonanza for eternity Dilip Nigam and Gargi Malik | 06 Mar, 2012 Throughout history, wind energy has been harnessed in many ways. Centuries ago, wind power was used to sail ships and windmills were used to grind the grains, pump water and cut wood.    Read more.... NSIC -- nurturing the MSME sector Ruby T. Sharma | 25 Feb, 2012 The National Small Industries Corporation Ltd., a Public Sector Undertaking under the administrative control of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was established in 1955    Read more.... 'Budget 2012 should give thrust to innovation, technology adoption' Rajiv Bhalla | 24 Feb, 2012 NEC India looks forward to a more holistic approach towards budget 2012. Not to miss, we expect it to be progressive in terms of giving thrust to innovation and lay greater emphasis on adoption of technology in varied sectors. In today’s scenario, there is increasing deployment of IT in the growing fields of education, retail, healthcare and public safety & security. As in FY 2011, we hope to see further momentum in these sectors.    Read more.... e-Procurement system for transparent governance PIB Feature | 21 Feb, 2012 Procurement of goods and services is one of the important activities of the Government.    Read more.... Why SC judgment on telecom a blow to govt Arvind Padmanabhan | 21 Feb, 2012 However much Communications and IT Minister Kapil Sibal may seek to defend the government, the verdict on telecom licences by the Supreme Court has dealt a severe blow to the credibility of the government, particularly when the very edifice of the executive -- that of framing and executing policies -- has been lambasted.    Read more.... Eurozone crisis an opportunity for Indian IT: Expert Ranvir Nayar | 14 Feb, 2012 India's Information Technology sector is well placed to take advantage of the current Eurozone crisis as an increasing number of companies will look at "offshoring" as a way to cut their costs, says an expert with a leading consultancy.     Read more.... Bizarre case of India vs the Internet Prasanto K. Roy | 14 Feb, 2012 It isn't just one angry Indian against Google and Facebook. Internet freedom is on trial in India! The ham-handed, state-backed censorship of Salman Rushdie at the Jaipur Literary Festival earlier this month grabbed headlines -- "The Republic bows before the Mob".    Read more.... India needs to rebuild its telecom narrative Rohit Bansal and Manoj Kumar | 06 Feb, 2012 Telecom sits on the top of the incredible India story. But the mess, evident in the award of second generation (2G) licences, shows how at least six principal characters worked overtime to deface it. To borrow from the cricketing cliche, and but for the Supreme Court (SC), this team of public functionaries snatched defeat from the jaws of global telecom sweepstakes.    Read more.... Indian coal sector needs to enhance production PIB Feature | 04 Feb, 2012 The Coal sector in India has continued to remain vital and of fundamental importance for the growth of Indian economy. India is on the path of rapid growth. High economic growth and increased economic activities would create much larger demand for energy and predominantly of coal.     Read more.... Starting an import export business: Basic guide for beginners Jayden William | 29 Jan, 2012 Starting an import export business needs a proper guidelines and understanding of the foreign market. Before starting an import or export    Read more.... A new word for Chinese diplomacy -- 'duplimacy'? Ravi M. Khanna | 24 Jan, 2012 "China wants to develop long-term friendship and cooperation with India." So said the Chinese official who held border talks with Indian officials this week. He also predicted a "golden period for India-China relations" in the near future. What he did not say, but sceptics like me heard him say between the lines, is that all this is possible only if it is done on China's terms.    Read more.... Thrust to potential entrepreneurs: Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme for MSME PIB Feature | 23 Jan, 2012 First generation entrepreneurs in MSE sector find it difficult to access credit from the organized banking sector.    Read more.... SAARC can bring real cooperation in South Asia Ravi M. Khanna | 16 Jan, 2012 At last India and Pakistan, it seems, have woken up to the need for genuine cooperation in South Asia where countries of the region start depending on each other for those crucial products which they now import from the West. This way they will pay lower freights and at the same time contribute to the economic growth of the region.    Read more.... How to do market entry research for China's industrial sectors Dezan Shira | 16 Jan, 2012 When considering entry to China's industrial sectors, some foreign investors think in terms of China as an emerging economy.     Read more.... Indian automotive industry on a high growth trajectory PIB Feature | 09 Jan, 2012 We have come a long way since the Automotive Industry in India was delicensed. Today, this sector is one of the shining examples of what can be achieved in a relatively short span of time with the right kind of support of the Government    Read more.... What is really going on in our world today! What on earth will it take? Peter John Palms | 05 Jan, 2012 What is the Federal Reserve System? The answer may surprise you. It is not federal and there are no reserves. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve Banks    Read more.... 2012 IT predictions for SMBs Ajay Goel | 03 Jan, 2012 As we approach 2012, Indian SMBs are planning IT initiatives for next year. Virtualization is at the top of the list for many. It is no longer just an enterprise technology and is increasingly being adopted by SMB organizations.    Read more.... Indian economy hit by high inflation, slowing growth Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 28 Dec, 2011 Even though India performed better than most emerging economies despite the global economic slowdown and the Eurozone crisis, 2011 for it was largely marked by a phenomenon which no country desires -- slowing growth with high inflation.     Read more.... Textile Ministry targets USD 32 bn of exports in 2011-12 SME Times News Bureau | 27 Dec, 2011 The Indian Textiles Industry has an overwhelming presence in the economic life of the country. Textiles sector contributes 14% of industrial production, 4% of GDP and 10.63% of country’s export earnings. It provides direct employment to over 35 million people, which includes a substantial number of SC/ ST, and women. The Textiles sector is the second largest provider of employment after agriculture.     Read more.... 2011 - Year of tech, tweets, tablets and telecom Prasanto K. Roy | 27 Dec, 2011 The year Steve Jobs died was a busy one for global tech -- the rise of the iPad, the spread of pay-as-you-go cloud services and the turmoil in the smartphone market with iPhone and Android knocking out RIM BlackBerry and Nokia.    Read more.... Exports held out despite slowdown but 2012 outlook cloudy Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 27 Dec, 2011 Despite the global downturn and major fluctuation in the value of the rupee, India's merchandise exports logged a robust rise during 2011 with experts attributing this to the government's focus on product and market diversification.    Read more.... Durban climate talks: What it means for India? IANS | 16 Dec, 2011 At the recently concluded UN climate change talks in Durban, the world agreed to a new global climate change regime by 2020 to bring down emissions to save the planet. But cutting carbon emissions will be a tough task for India in the years to come as the country needs to balance its development trajectory with transition to a low carbon economy.    Read more.... Is Indian handloom dying a slow death? Nivedita Sharma | 14 Dec, 2011 Their handspun silks and cottons are sold for thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of rupees and top names endorse their products. But the humble hands that weave classy, elegant fabrics that the world admires are living in penury.    Read more.... Five reasons why India can't censor the Internet Prasanto K. Roy | 13 Dec, 2011 In just 24 hours, in the Facebook alumni group of St Stephen's College, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal's ratings crashed faster than that of US President Barack Obama or what former telecom minister A. Raja, now in judicial custody over second generation (2G) spectrum case, ever had.    Read more.... India's myopic politicians derail reforms Amulya Ganguli | 10 Dec, 2011 India is passing through a dystopian nightmare. The scene is as gloomy as it can possibly be. High inflation, low investment, falling growth rate and a widening gap between the rich and the poor, as testified by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), have been compounded by the government's policy paralysis which has been diagnosed by an unnamed Congress minister as a symptom of Parkinson's disease.    Read more.... FDI in Multi Brand Retail - (Feature) Dhiraj Singh | 05 Dec, 2011 The Government has decided to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) upto 51% in multi brand retail.     Read more.... Cost effective CSR initiatives for SMEs Roland Poitevin | 05 Dec, 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR activities are an integral part of any professional organization.    Read more.... Top 5 tips for a small business start-up Dr. Mark D. Yates | 29 Nov, 2011 Economists are gracing our TV screens and newspapers proclaiming that the current economic downturn has finally bottomed out, and that we are about to turn the corner of the current credit crunch.    Read more.... More global firms eye Indian construction equipment market Fakir Balaji | 28 Nov, 2011 More and more global firms are keen to enter the fledgling Indian ECE market through subsidiaries or joint ventures to cash in on the opportunities in the booming infrastructure sector, industry experts said.    Read more.... Pakistani traders do brisk business at IITF Rohit Vaid | 21 Nov, 2011 Traditional cotton textiles with embroidery, aromatic spices and handicrafts are among a wide array of goods that have emerged as huge hits for the Pakistani contingent at the annual India International Trade Fair (IITF) as they reported brisk sales even during the business days.    Read more.... How to create a low budget, high impact marketing plan Writuparna Kakati | 21 Nov, 2011 Why you should bother with a marketing plan for your business?     Read more.... Use Internet for sourcing buyers Anand Choudhary | 21 Nov, 2011 The integration of information and communication technologies has revolutionized the modus operandi of any business. Today, the Internet has changed the entire world, transforming it into a global village.So much so that today almost every international trader across the world is setting up his virtual office on the Internet, where he can deal with his clients sitting in any part of the world just with the help of his laptop and mobile phone.    Read more.... Who is robbing parliament's dignity? Sudip Mazumdar | 15 Nov, 2011 As the peoples' uprising against a venal political class in India shows no signs of abating, a strange din is evident in some debates and comments.     Read more.... Export plan necessary for SMEs to make overseas gains David Parks | 14 Nov, 2011 Developing an export plan is a crucial step for exporters, both small and large enterprises, to maintain a high growth rate. Going by the significant presence of SMEs in the Indian export sector    Read more.... Innovation: Changing the Indian MSME Landscape Virbhadra Singh, Minister MSME* | 05 Nov, 2011 Innovation is the key factor, given the current global scenario, the only way that Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can remain competitive is by adopting innovation as a key business strategy.The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has taken several initiatives to encourage MSMEs to continuously innovate in terms of creation of new products, new processes and new services.     Read more.... Will India be the next Dubai? PR Newswire | 03 Nov, 2011 In line with its increasing economic might over the past two decades, India has recently begun foraying into the tall buildings market, with Mumbai leading the way and other metropolitan cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore and Delhi following suit.    Read more.... 3 summits in a month: Manmohan set for intense global diplomacy Manish Chand | 01 Nov, 2011 Taming the international financial crisis, evolving an East Asia architecture and infusing new energy into South Asian integration -- Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has an action-packed November as he heads to three multilateral summits, juggling different regions and agendas.     Read more.... Now real estate sector needs reform Vinod Behl | 31 Oct, 2011 The Supreme Court ruling banning real estate transactions on the basis of power of attorney and making sale deed compulsory for property sale is a welcome step that will make secondary market transactions fool-proof.    Read more.... 7 steps to creating a successful SME marketing plan Robert L Moment | 25 Oct, 2011 SME marketing is all about determining the needs of your target market and then providing solutions to meet those needs.    Read more.... India-Pakistan ties: More than good looks needed Amulya Ganguli | 25 Oct, 2011 Every new initiative to improve India-Pakistan relations generates a faint stirring of hope.    Read more.... Blogging and Small Business Marketing Karen Scharf | 18 Oct, 2011 Blogging is an excellent way to supplement your small business marketing. However, there is a great deal of confusion about exactly what role the blog plays in small business marketing and how it helps you to make money.    Read more.... NIESBUD- Developing Entrepreneurial Culture Ruby Thind Sharma | 14 Oct, 2011 NIESBUD is one among several Institutions functioning under the Ministry of MSME.    Read more.... Reinventing Mobility – The Automotive Industry in India Press Information Bureau | 11 Oct, 2011 India has come a long way from the days when the automotive industry in India was characterized by limited choice, old technology, obsolete designs and endless waiting period to be a proud owner of a vehicle.     Read more.... Export marketing: Money pit or golden egg? Kylie Hargreaves | 11 Oct, 2011 Many export businesses make the mistake of focusing their business plans and efforts on creating the "best" product or service they can in the hope that the offering will then "sell itself".    Read more.... Technical textiles : a sunrise sector Rita Menon | 30 Sep, 2011 Technical Textiles is the sunrise sector of the textile industry in India, with a current market size of Rs 57,000 crores and a growth rate poised to take off from the present 11%, to almost 20% during the 12th Five Year Plan. India has all that it takes to harness this technology oriented sector, and provides a huge opportunity, both as an investment destination, and as a robust market for technical textiles.    Read more.... Tourism in India : An Overview Samir Sinha | 27 Sep, 2011 Tourism is recognized as a powerful engine for economic growth and employment generation. The tourism sector is the largest service industry in the country, its importance lies in being an instrument for economic development and employment generation, particularly in the remote parts of the country.     Read more.... Let us reduce greed to stop corruption Anil K. Rajvanshi | 26 Sep, 2011 Anna Hazare broke his 12-day fast on Aug 28 amid great jubilation at the Ramlila Maidan and elsewhere in the country. Most of the media and some of his associates called it a major victory for fighting corruption while others termed it a shallow one and a circus with no promise of a strong Jan Lokpal Bill in sight. The truth lies somewhere in between.    Read more.... India's quest for South-South cooperation Sameer Pushp | 22 Sep, 2011 Global economic recession and instability that we witnessed recently has given rise the need to forge new mutually beneficial business partnerships which will ultimately act as engine of economic growth and socio-economic development. The older alliances and cooperation seems to be withering out and failing to meet the need of the changing times. The quest for the exploration of the newer paradigm led to the birth of an idea called South-South Cooperation (S-S Cooperation) - it’s about the tremendous force of solidarity, which can help overcome even the biggest challenges confronting the world.    Read more.... A simple guide to selecting and registering a domain name Manish Dalal | 19 Sep, 2011 An Internet presence has become essential to promote your business.    Read more.... Ozone Day - An entrepreneur must know Kalpana Palkhiwala | 16 Sep, 2011 Every year September 16th is celebrated as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.    Read more.... Market study fundamentals Patrick O Connor | 13 Sep, 2011 Market studies are performed to evaluate real estate market conditions with regard to an existing or proposed property. The focus of a market study details competition within the submarket, the strength or weakness of the submarket. Also, market study indications that the submarket will continue to improve or weaken and how the existing or proposed subject property is likely to perform within the submarket.    Read more.... Marketing and management Forest | 13 Sep, 2011 Ever since Arthur (Red) Motley's insightful description of marketing, it is now common knowledge that marketing is a common place process which goes on not    Read more.... The top 10 reasons your online marketing fails Dr. Keith Webb | 06 Sep, 2011 Internet marketing, online marketing, e-marketing and web marketing are just the same terms to describe the use of the internet in marketing and promoting your products, services or business.    Read more.... PM's Dhaka visit to bring new deals Rahul Dass | 06 Sep, 2011 Accompanied by five chief ministers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh travels to Bangladesh Tuesday on a visit that experts in both countries believe will transform ties between the neighbours and take relations to a new trajectory.    Read more.... Promoting growth of MSMEs through tool rooms PIB Features | 30 Aug, 2011 In today’s fast paced global business scenario, technology has become more vital than ever before. Its development and absorption are the key ingredients for the overall economic development of a nation.    Read more.... Materials Handling Middle East poised for strong edition this month SME Times News Bureau | 23 Aug, 2011 Materials Handling Middle East 2011, which will take place this month in Dubai, is poised for a strong edition.    Read more.... Textile Sector - A Powerul Means of Inclusive Growth SME Times News Bureau | 23 Aug, 2011 The textile sector, which is second largest employer after agriculture and accounts for 2% of the GDP, is a powerful means of inclusive growth in the country.    Read more.... Forget .coms, your name alone can be an internet address James Jose | 16 Aug, 2011 Forget confusing web addresses! Soon if you just type SBI on your browser you can to go to the web site of the State Bank of India or by merely typing SpiceJet, the airline's portal opens before you -- no .com, .net, .in, .org or .edu.    Read more.... Indian entrepreneurs, get your act right Mohita Nagpal | 16 Aug, 2011 The combination of acting and business is unusual. All of us have a pretty broad background in business. A couple of us have worked in business... one is an accountant. Besides, we have all done additional training.    Read more.... Constant rate hikes have further burdened realty industry Vinod Behl | 09 Aug, 2011 It is a matter of concern that credit growth, both for home loans and on the exposure to real estate developers, has hit a speed breaker due to repeated interest rate hikes. Industry statistics show the growth rate of loans to developers came down from 43 percent in January to just 11 percent in May this year.    Read more.... Protecting your SMB customer - How can you help? Ajay Goel | 08 Aug, 2011 The relationship between a customer and partner has been traditionally that of a seller and customer, wherein the partner used to provide solutions and service support, in some cases.    Read more.... MSME enhancing growth and development of leather sector S. K. Basu | 02 Aug, 2011 The Indian Leather Industry occupies a place of prominence in the Indian economy in view of its substantial export earnings, employment generation and growth.    Read more.... Tips to successful small business marketing Rolando Valdes | 02 Aug, 2011 If you own a small business then I am sure you will want to get the best small business marketing than you can have for it.    Read more.... Govt. needs to look beyond monetary reforms Writuparna Kakati | 26 Jul, 2011 As feared but expected widely, the Reserve Bank has hiked its policy rates again today. With headline inflation remaining consistently above the 9 percent mark since December, 2010, the move was nothing but expected by marketers, analysts, bankers and the industry alike.    Read more.... India-Bangladesh border 'haats' reopen - after 40 years R.R. Kharmujai | 26 Jul, 2011 Meghalaya resident Tengrak Ch Marak grew up on stories about his father's trading days at the 'haats' on the border with what was then East Pakistan. Those markets have reopened after 40 years, throwing up huge opportunities for trans-border commerce for people like him in India and his counterparts in Bangladesh.    Read more.... Impact of social media on SMEs Andrew McCauley | 19 Jul, 2011 As technology advances and effect the business environment, small business strategy has taken on a whole new meaning. In the past small business strategy was focused on the growth of local businesses and looking for clientele in a very small area of coverage.    Read more.... Successful brand marketing strategies for internet marketers Linda Saville Trempe | 19 Jul, 2011 What are brand marketing strategies and how can implementing brand marketing strategies help an online business? Just like a bricks and mortar business, an online business also needs to suggest a positive image to the customer. Regardless of what many people believe, branding is much more than creating a company logo and using a specific color theme. Brand marketing strategies have to include the purpose, focus and image of the business.    Read more.... Online marketing scams and how to spot them Linda Saville Trempe | 12 Jul, 2011 There are multiple online scams just as there are also many reputable online marketing programs. Just as with anything we choose to become involved in, caution should be exercised. So how do we spot online scams? What are some of the factors we need to look for to help us spot online scams?    Read more.... Getting craftspeople connected to mainstream fashion Madhusree Chatterjee | 11 Jul, 2011 Indigenous craftspeople in India are getting connected with the mainstream fashion industry through a crafts and design revolution.     Read more.... Going guerrilla in marketing Writuparna Kakati | 05 Jul, 2011 History is full of guerrilla war stories where tiny armies defeat more heavily armed opponents and win....    Read more.... Marketing strategy for small & medium enterprises (SMEs) Rita Sharma | 05 Jul, 2011 Pressures of brand and budget have somewhat marred the marketing success of SMEs.    Read more.... SMEs - ways to counter phishing? Rita Sharma | 28 Jun, 2011 Phishing attacks on SMEs have increased recently as most of them do not have potential IT division and the technology to tackle the cybercrimes.    Read more.... Email marketing - tips for writing a good business email Rita Sharma | 28 Jun, 2011 Email messages are like technology mingled with creativity. Use of simple yet powerful words in a Business E-mail can persuade your customers to buy the product, can help you build a long lasting relationship with clients, and can create your image in the market.    Read more.... Research the market to succeed in business Rituparna Kakati | 21 Jun, 2011 No business can succeed without having a close understanding of the market where it woks in.     Read more.... Internet marketing: pay less to get more Writuparna Kakati | 21 Jun, 2011 Internet has brought the world into our finger tips making communication easier and less costlier.     Read more.... Entrepreneurial & managerial support for SMEs through incubators PIB Features | 14 Jun, 2011 Recognizing the importance of micro and small enterprises, which constitute an important segment of Indian economy in terms of their contribution to country’s industrial production, exports, employment and creation of entrepreneurial base, the Central and state Governments have been implementing several schemes and programmes for promotion and development of these enterprises.    Read more.... Feasible cluster development model - a perspective for development of MSEs Sanjeev Chawla | 14 Jun, 2011 As far as competitiveness of products of Indian MSEs vis-à-vis cheaper imported products is concerned, strong clusters based on common viewpoint and common work-plan may be the practical solution.    Read more.... Convincing your boss on an effective small business marketing plan Namrata Kath Hazarika | 03 Jun, 2011 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the ones faced with immense constraints when it comes to accessing finance, due to which SME owners usually show reluctance to part his or her hard-earned money into a new marketing idea.    Read more.... The power of marketing intelligence Onesimus Smith | 31 May, 2011 Marketing intelligence (MI), according to Cornish, is defined as "the process of acquiring and analyzing information in order to understand the market (both existing and potential customers); to determine the current and future needs and preferences, attitudes and behavior of the market; and to assess changes in the business environment that may affect the size and nature of the market in the future."    Read more.... Logistics management, supply chain solutions and their advantages Mike Arthur | 31 May, 2011 Efficient logistics management goes a long way in determining the strong positioning and marketing of the products in the industry. The company in turn earns a positive name and win applauds and appreciation from clients and customers.    Read more.... Guerrilla tip: build a small business website Jaime Lim | 24 May, 2011 As a guerrilla small business entrepreneur, you explore every possible media to constantly keep your small business in front of your target niche market. Using brochures, t-shirts,    Read more.... Business analyst for the small business Mrlee | 24 May, 2011 The small business holder can profit just as intensely from a business analyst as a large corporation. There may be time when the business analyst sees the big picture when thesmall business holder can only see the stand line. The new small business may not     Read more.... How learning basic bookkeeping could boost your small business Andrew Montecillo | 17 May, 2011 Bookkeeping can be learned easily either in a physical university or online. It helps to know the numbers and have the basic knowledge of debits and credits.    Read more.... Converting clicks to customers Manish Dalal | 04 May, 2011 The Internet today has become a powerful tool for businesses to influence their customers and market their businesses irrespective of their size and market reach.    Read more.... Time to go green for Indian SMEs Writuparna Kakati | 03 May, 2011 The environment trend has been around and it is the best time for our SMEs (Small and Medium Businesses) to go green. As the problems of global warming gaining urgency, a massive number of companies, both small and large, from all over the world are showing interest to implement a green strategy into their business to address climate change.    Read more.... Common Internet marketing mistakes small businesses make Michael Rey | 03 May, 2011 Owning and operating a small business is very unpredictable and competitive. So, it is very important for small business owners to apply efficient     Read more.... Towards transparent transactions in realty industry Vinod Behl | 04 May, 2011 The recent announcement by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai), the apex body of builders, to impose a code of conduct on some 10,000-odd members to bring in transparency in real estate transactions is a welcome step.    Read more.... How to tackle small firms' big hiring woes Writuparna Kakati | 23 Apr, 2011 The story repeats itself once and again - in every small and medium enterprises: the new employee hired has an impressive resume, he interviewed like a champ, the background investigation came back with no blemishes. However, his first week on the job, and you find that he is not the right person. Now, you have to start all over again!    Read more.... Generating maximum inquiries through B2B portals Moonis Rehman | 20 Apr, 2011 B2B portals have emerged as a viable option to do business online in a much cheaper and cost-effective way.    Read more.... Clusters development – a tool for sustainable growth of MSEs Sanjeev Chawla | 14 Apr, 2011 Clusters are regional agglomerations of Micro and Small Enterprises including other stakeholders, having common challenges, common bottlenecks, common opportunities, common developmental agenda    Read more.... 'Business case' for corporate social responsibility Manish Desai | 12 Apr, 2011 Over the past several decades, the Tatas have established Trusts, which enabled setting up of institutions like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research    Read more.... Tips before you decide on doing business online Moonis Rehman | 06 Apr, 2011 Doing business online is indeed a cost-effective way to promote and expand your business.    Read more.... Regulation only way to weed out graft in realty sector Vinod Behl | 05 Apr, 2011 A recent survey by a global consultancy, dubbing the real estate sector in India as most corrupt, has come as a shocker for industry captains struggling to improve the tainted image of the sector. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said black money in realty was an unfortunate reality.    Read more.... E-business - be a part of the change SME Times News Bureau | 05 Apr, 2011 Couple of years ago internet was just a tool to send e-mails and search the web. But with the changing India, Internet has become a hub of e-business.    Read more.... Pricing strategy in a business Writuparna Kakati | 04 Apr, 2011 In general terms, price is the amount of money needed for purchasing something; in marketing, price is one of the four aspects of marketing mix; in business and economics, price is "the assigned numerical monetary value of a good, service or asset".     Read more.... Building trust to increase online sales Rituparna Kakati | 29 Mar, 2011 Trust is essential for business transactions. In online business, it has always been the biggest challenge to establish one's credibility and build trust. Now a days, anyone can build a website for a few hundred rupees and start some kind of e-business. But to earn the trust of the customers and to succeed in business is not as simple as building a website. You must have establish your credibility in order to earn customers. But how can you do that?...is the biggest question!     Read more.... Are you ready to start your business? SME Times News Bureau | 29 Mar, 2011 The prospect of wealth or job satisfaction led many of us to start in new business everyday. Needless to say, it is exciting as well as full of challenges. Any business involves risk and need careful attention especially at the initial stage. But generally what goes with a business start up is exuberance of enthusiasm which may result in great blunders.     Read more.... Finding new customers - a big challenge before SMEs Shubhajit Chakraborty | 22 Mar, 2011 A planned promotion and effective marketing strategy is the key to success for any business.    Read more.... Industrial output and growth: challenges, interventions and prospects Sameer Pushp | 18 Mar, 2011 The Indian economy in value term is the 12th largest; it is the fourth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) and second fastest growth wise    Read more.... 'Indian SMBs don’t act until It’s too late' SME Times News Bureau | 15 Mar, 2011 According to a survey findings, half of the Indian SMBs that have implemented disaster preparedness plans did so after experiencing an outage and/ or data loss.    Read more.... Flexi HR policies make working attractive for women Arpana | 08 Mar, 2011 Flexi working hours, childcare facilities at the office, working from home and understanding husbands. Women professionals are moving up the corporate ranks and managing home as well with aplomb, thanks to changing human resource policies and supportive spouses.    Read more.... Familiarising with import export business Vivien Tierney | 07 Mar, 2011 No country can survive without importing and exporting things. The import export business is thus a valuable business instrument that helps nations deal with each other and improve mutual economies. Buying from another country is an import whereas selling to a country is an export transaction.    Read more.... Business leadership skills: setting priorities Marcy Amaro | 07 Mar, 2011 Have you ever wondered why some people seem to always be on top of the world? They are always smiling, their hair is never out of place, they have time for coffee between board meetings, and yet, they are always at the top of the leader boards in their department. How do they do it?     Read more.... The evolution of LED and beyond Rajeev Singh | 07 Mar, 2011 The lighting industry was a witness to the sudden emergence of solid-state light source, which saw its best in the form of light-emitting diode (LED).     Read more.... Finding small business idea that works Asep Onde | 01 Mar, 2011 Starting a small business can be frightening and requires plenty of careful planning. There are many small business ideas which can be beneficial as well as economical.    Read more.... Beware of hidden costs in your small business Maryjean Howe | 01 Mar, 2011 Obvious costs are usually planned for. However, hidden costs will drain your money and time without your knowledge. These costs in fact are not hidden, but get overlooked when you factor in the major expenses. If you are aware of the hidden costs, you can avoid unpleasant surprises. Besides, small business costs can be reduced to a certain extent by managing the hidden costs.    Read more.... Hopes and aspirations at a small town fair Vidya Bhushan Arora | 21 Feb, 2011 The whole atmosphere seemed to be charged with enthusiasm and hope at the small town fair.    Read more.... Things required to be done to make your small business successful William Smith | 14 Feb, 2011 Many of the people think they are not meant for regular employment and do not want to work under any boss. It is very much possible that these people may not be of sound financial background and they may want to get ahead with Small business and gradually    Read more.... Essential management principles for every small business Mel Luigs | 08 Feb, 2011 The success or failure of the vast majority of all small businesses has little to do with the desire, marketing scheme or the great idea that created the business.     Read more.... Small business bookkeeping: make your small business big Alvis Brazma | 08 Feb, 2011 Bookkeeping is such a task that requires accuracy and extra attention of the person who is performing it.     Read more.... Risks, rewards of abandoning wired access for Wi-Fi in enterprise Shalendra Singh | 31 Jan, 2011 A wired network has long been considered a standard feature in any organization, big or SME, offering speed, reliability and security that could not be matched by any wireless solution.     Read more.... Rate hike - why RBI is wrong again? Writuparna Kakati | 25 Jan, 2011 As expected, the RBI has finally gone for more monetary tightening on Tuesday, raising its short-term lending and borrowing rates by 25 basis points - a move to rein in rising inflation but which could further slow down the nation's sluggish industrial growth, as experts believe.    Read more.... BOOK REVIEW - And the Award for Best SME of the Year Goes to... Writuparna Kakati | 25 Jan, 2011 The Book 'And the Award for Best SME of the Year Goes to...' explores this aspect. Packed up with information, skills and approaches, this book could certainly be a hands-on guide foe CEOs running a small business in India.    Read more.... Indian cos will benefit from defence offsets policy Vivek Lall | 24 Jan, 2011 India's rising economic capacity has enabled the funding of its defence modernisation capabilities over the past two decades and as one of the largest global military spenders, the country has the third-largest defence procurement budget in Asia.    Read more.... New & innovative schemes for tech devpt of MSMEs Uday Kumar Varma | 22 Jan, 2011 The Ministry has been implementing various schemes for the promotion and development of MSMEs.    Read more.... Image Matters: Why a business email address is important Manish Dalal | 21 Jan, 2011 E-mail has undoubtedly emerged as one of the most popular communication mediums online and it has revolutionized how businesses interact and transact with each other.    Read more.... What's different about small business marketing strategies? Scott Ewart | 18 Jan, 2011 Small business marketing strategies are a breed of their own, and not something that can be easily or effectively spun off of the marketing plans of huge, multi-national corporations. The plans for smaller businesses, and especially home based ventures, are relatively unique to this business type.    Read more.... Building a successful small business Kendrick Ayers | 18 Jan, 2011 Owning and maintaining a very successful small business can have its challenges but if you know what you are doing, everything can really work out great for you. There are many helpful tips that you should learn, if you are the owner of a small business and then by learning about these tips you should have the ability to have a very secure and profitable future.    Read more.... Planning - the key success factor in export business SME Times News Bureau | 17 Jan, 2011 Operating an export business is exciting, adventurous, and financially rewarding. At the same time, it is full of challenges and risks.     Read more.... Key to success in small business - dynamic leadership Chris Call | 11 Jan, 2011 Every small business owner starts out with the dream of watching his small business grow until it is no longer small. Every small business leader is looking for ways to make his small business more successful.     Read more.... What awaits Indian exporters in 2011? Writuparna Kakati | 05 Jan, 2011 It seemed that as 2010 began, everywhere we looked there was recovery. Indian exporters, after hit hard by the previous year's storm, were looking forward to better times, a lot of which they have really seen later throughout the year.    Read more.... SMEs: New technologies to look for in 2011 Vineet Sood | 30 Dec, 2010 Technology is changing the way we do business. 2010 has been a year, where one saw convergence of home and business, due to the devices that people brought into their workplace and the way networking gripped the world of business too.    Read more.... Year of taming the China dragon Manish Chand | 29 Dec, 2010 The Chinese dragon hissed and sweet-talked by turns, but the lumbering Indian elephant surprised many towards the year-end by asserting itself, compelling an aggressive Beijing to discreetly stop stapling visas for visitors from the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.    Read more.... Economy revives in 2010 but inflation, reforms sore points Gyanendra Kumar Keshri | 29 Dec, 2010 The year's first three quarters with over 8.5 percent growth marked a revival of the Indian economy in 2010, but the year also ends on a tart note due to high inflation, a virtual status quo on key reforms and allegations of some serious financial scams.    Read more.... Strategic advantage — do you have one? Writuparna Kakati | 27 Dec, 2010 When you hold the strategic advantage and your opponents do not, situations start unfolding in your favour    Read more.... Starting a small business — how to work smart not hard Roy Derrick | 27 Dec, 2010 More people dream about starting a small business than they do about going to college or seeking promotion. However, owning a small business is more than just a full time job, it can become your lifestyle.    Read more.... Nitish Kumar: runaway winner as person of the year Amulya Ganguli | 24 Dec, 2010 In the season of scams when political reputations are at their lowest ebb, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stands out as a remarkable exception.    Read more.... Managing employee performance effectively Ryan Fyfe | 20 Dec, 2010 To effectively manage the productivity in an organization, managing employee performance is a necessity. There are performance standards for routine jobs that most employees need to match and if there are incentives for better performance, the healthy competition among employees raises performance levels all round.    Read more.... Value added vs. buyer satisfaction Eric Mulford | 20 Dec, 2010 From a consumer stand point the term "value added" means nothing. It does not give great value to the product itself. The baseline value of the product will have to stand on its own. This definition of what adds value is really a consumer driven thing.    Read more.... Buoyant Indian IT industry rebounds but remains cautious Fakir Balaji | 19 Dec, 2010 Recovering from global tech meltdown, the resilient Indian IT industry returned to high growth during a tumultuous 2010 but is cautiously optimistic about 2011 in view of the economic uncertainty in Europe and the US, which account for 80-85 percent of its export revenue from software services and back office operations.    Read more.... Building a trade wall to offset India-China differences Manish Chand | 18 Dec, 2010 Despite largely negative media perceptions of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's just-concluded visit, the Indian government considers the talks a "success" where India got China to address over USD 20 billion trade imbalance and conveyed its core concerns on Kashmir.    Read more.... Good year for exports SME Times News Bureau | 16 Dec, 2010 Smiles returned to the faces of Indian exporters in 2010 after nearly 12 months of pain suffered by them due to recession in advanced economies.    Read more.... Marketing management - is this necessary? Steve Johnson | 13 Dec, 2010 Marketing management involves choosing target markets that not only get new customers but also retain the existing ones.     Read more.... Does team building help staff morale? Kevinlee | 13 Dec, 2010 First things first. When you hear the word team building, what comes into your mind? Maybe some of you may answer team building as    Read more.... How innovative is your organization? Jan Stringer West | 06 Dec, 2010 Innovation can take many forms. An organization develops a new product or service. A new business model offers customers a new brand experience. A new strategic partnership is formed, resulting in new customer segments and new distribution or communication channels.    Read more.... What is your Swot? Terry H. Hill | 06 Dec, 2010 An effective tool that assesses and identifies opportunities and risks is a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a business venture or project. Once a clear objective has been identified, a SWOT analysis can be highly effective in the pursuit of the objective.    Read more.... Indian economy- the march continues Ashok Handoo | 29 Nov, 2010 The forward march of the Indian economy is continuing on the expected lines. The comfortable indicators promise to drive the economy out of the slowdown it faced in 2008-9, when the growth rate dipped to 6.7 per cent, after experiencing a 9 per cent growth for five consecutive years.    Read more.... Cos look to reap bounty from social media Madhusree Chatterjee | 25 Nov, 2010 Social networking sites are beginning to change the face of business in a digitised India with companies adopting a marketing mix of online campaigns, promotions in print, television as well as road shows to reach out to people.    Read more.... Top five information protection tips for SMBs Vineet Sood | 18 Nov, 2010 A cornucopia of possibilities has opened up for SMBs, in today’s dynamic and challenging business environment, making them key contributors to the economy.     Read more.... India holds the key to developing countries in fuelling growth of MSMEs Gurdip Singh | 16 Nov, 2010 A recent phenomena witnessed on the Indian economic scene is the liberal approach adopted by both State-owned and private Banks in lending to the Medium and Small Enterprises.    Read more.... Is there a China-India race in Africa? Rajiv Bhatia | 15 Nov, 2010 Once again Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted recently, while answering a journalist, that the world was large enough to accommodate the growth ambitions of both India and China    Read more.... Effective PR for a small business on a budget Shana Keith | 09 Nov, 2010 If yours is like most small businesses, you can't afford the luxury of a PR department, much less a dedicated PR agency or even one employee responsible for external communications and PR. However, this business function is critical as the world of communications continues to expand with new applications, demands and opportunities like social media networks.     Read more.... Taking your small business to the next level Katrina Sawa | 09 Nov, 2010 What do you do to stay ahead of your competition? You might want to consider the following tips to help you to expand your business and take it to the next level.     Read more.... Getting your small business off the ground and running Kendrick Ayers | 02 Nov, 2010 Many people have what they think is a great idea and would love to set up their own small business. The problem many of these people face is how to fund this idea, to get the business off the ground. Unfortunately many of these ideas never come to fruition because of these lack of funds, where in reality there are many avenues people could take to find this initial start-up capital.    Read more.... How to enter a new market? William King | 02 Nov, 2010 Businesses have always dreamed to stretch their market share in their respective industries. For this they have always looked for new ways    Read more.... SMEs' success only key to economic recovery PR Newswire | 28 Oct, 2010 If there is one single key to reducing world poverty and ensuring a global economic recovery it could be this - making sure the world's small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) succeed.    Read more.... India's 'Look East' policy has strategic goals Mahendra Ved | 26 Oct, 2010 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's three-nation visit to Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam marks a reassertion of India's resolve to pursue its "Look East Policy" to achieve its strategic, geo-political and economic goals.    Read more.... Participating in an exhibition - tips for a fruitful experience | 26 Oct, 2010 Exhibition is one of the most effective marketing methods for enterprises. At the same time and the same place, the most important producers and purchasers in some industry get together.    Read more.... Customizing your product offering for the global market Carol B. Webster | 19 Oct, 2010 Once you’ve decided on a target market for exporting your product, you need to think about what changes you may need to make to your product for it to be successful in an international market.    Read more.... Best practices for small businesses Greg Heslin | 16 Oct, 2010 Small businesses can often be beaten out by larger competitors simply because they have better practices than small businesses.    Read more.... Five characteristics of highly flawed small business advertising Jeremy Cohen | 11 Oct, 2010 Behind every disappointing small business advertisement there is at least one reason for its failure. The good news is that any flaw with your advertising can be corrected, if you are willing to try new ideas.    Read more.... Customer service principles Glen Hamilton | 05 Oct, 2010 What do these companies have in common, Southwest Airlines, Neiman Marcus, Marriot, Disney, and Enterprise Car Rental?    Read more.... Squeeze maximum results from your marketing budget Stuart Ayling | 28 Sep, 2010 A common problem for all businesses is not having enough money to put into place all the possible marketing ideas. Quite simply, promotional opportunities exceed the budget available.    Read more.... Pricing strategy, tactics and decisions Writuparna Kakati | 24 Sep, 2010 Pricing is an extremely important decision in marketing strategy. While pricing, for a firm, is a direct source of revenue, at the same time pricing decisions involve strategic marketing variables to meet competition. Price must cover the costs while leaving some profit but without making customers feel a pinch.    Read more.... Diversify your business Celesta Lee | 21 Sep, 2010 In business, diversification is the equivalent to not put all your eggs in one basket. This is sound advice to many aspects of our lives but    Read more.... The promising Indian exports scene Ashok Handoo | 20 Sep, 2010 When the Commerce Ministry released the country’s Foreign Trade policy document for 2009-14, in August last year it envisaged to reach the export target of $200 billion in 2010-11.     Read more.... The marketing mix for small business marketing Nate Stockard | 14 Sep, 2010 All marketing resources will eventually talk about your marketing mix, but what do they mean exactly? Marketing mix is a term that the marketing world tries to hold as a private term that only the industry knows about, but as a small business owner, you need to understand how to plan and implement your marketing mix.    Read more.... 7 questions to ask yourself before starting a business Bernadette Doyle | 13 Sep, 2010 It is very important that we ask questions and get answers for them before we star a business...Here are some:     Read more.... Personal selling - when and how? Writuparna Kakati | 02 Sep, 2010 One of the most ancient techniques of marketing, personal selling was widely used when large scale production was unknown and the market size was limited. But even today, personal selling could an effective tool for companies to target individual prospects more specifically.     Read more.... India marches on the growth path Ashok Handoo | 02 Sep, 2010 After 8.6 percent quarterly growth rate, it is now 8.8 percent.    Read more.... Battle ahead for govt. in allowing foreign retailers James Jose | 30 Aug, 2010 Foreign investment in multi-brand retail may snowball into another tussle between the Indian government and the opposition in the next few weeks, leaving for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a nifty balancing act to reconcile the vast differences between the supporters and opponents of the move.    Read more.... Bangalore phobia will only hurt Western economies Sanjiv Kataria | 27 Aug, 2010 The Indian information and communication technology (ICT) industry and Indian software professionals have earned global kudos for exceptional technical prowess, meticulous software development skills and quality processes for over two decades.    Read more.... Plan your export strategy Emily Ralph | 25 Aug, 2008 A number of small business owners fail to plan their export activities in advance. They often tend to enter or invest in a foreign market without screening its potentials or risk factors.    Read more.... Indian designs sparkled at jewellery week Shilpa Raina | 20 Aug, 2010 Unlike apparel fashion weeks where designers take inspiration from the West, designers at the inaugural India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) showcased jewellery that had distinctive features from across India.     Read more.... Advantages of direct marketing Steve Sellwood | 17 Aug, 2010 Direct marketing is a marketing tool which comprises activities such as direct mail, telemarketing, mail order, direct response advertising and email marketing.    Read more.... Inclusive growth through Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Dinesh Rai | 12 Aug, 2010 The MSME sector contributes significantly to the manufacturing output, employment and exports.    Read more.... Corporate or business Etiquette Prof.M.S.Rao | 09 Aug, 2010 The research paper focuses on the meaning of business etiquette and what constitutes business etiquette. It elaborately explained about a confident 'Hand shake', 'Dress code', 'Business cards' and 'Handling people' at the work place. It dwelt at length about 'Interview Etiquette', 'Mobile Etiquette', 'Telephone Etiquette', 'Office Etiquette', 'Dining Etiquette', 'Email Etiquette' and 'International Business Etiquette'.    Read more.... Business returning to old world values, the Tata way Madhusree Chatterjee | 09 Aug, 2010 In the footsteps of India's Tata Group - which is hunting for a successor right now - business houses across the globe are resorting to old world values of community service to sustain themselves in the long run, says British business historian Morgen Witzel.    Read more.... Market segmentation – how does it contribute to organizational success? Shameena Silva | 06 Aug, 2010 Before we go into look at the ways in which market segmentation contributes to the success of any business it is vital to understand what market segmentation is in the first place.    Read more.... Why is international market research so important? Cindy King | 03 Aug, 2010 Market research gives businesses essential information on customers, competitors, and market. Most businesses claim to understand the value of this research because they are using this information to sell their product to their clients.    Read more.... Using a consistent network marketing strategy Tahmina Ghani | 26 Jul, 2010 The difference between network marketing success and failure is a well-developed strategy. People in this business succeed because of tested and undeniably sound strategies.    Read more.... Defining moment expected for corporate mergers, takeovers Jagannadham Thunuguntla | 19 Jul, 2010 There is widespread anticipation regarding possible revision of the threshold limit for mandatory open offers for the purpose of takeovers from current level of 15 percent to 25 percent. If that eventually happens, interesting shareholders' activity can be expected in several listed companies.    Read more.... 10 Steps to surf web safely PR Newswire | 17 Jul, 2010 Play it smart this summer: Don't give cybercriminals a key to personal, financial information when traveling or staying home.    Read more.... Right time to take a turnaround: Marketing Road Map Ashwin Merchant | 15 Jul, 2010 Difficult time always brings new opportunities for forward looking marketers, businessmen and    Read more.... Does small business marketing need much planning? Nate Stockard | 13 Jul, 2010 Small business marketing is small, as noted by the name, but too many times business owners think that small business marketing is too small for planning, budgets, or strategies. Since small businesses usually have little or no marketing budget and are concentrating on just keeping the doors open, owners, more times than not, neglect their marketing planning. No business should exist without marketing planning and strategies!     Read more.... Why does your business need a good marketing plan? Cash Miller | 13 Jul, 2010 A marketing plan is a written document that details the necessary actions to achieve one or more marketing objectives.     Read more.... Branding, positioning and differentiation Scott White | 05 Jul, 2010 Why don't identical twins don't have identical first names? Though they may look the same, they're not. Just ask their parents. Even as newborns,     Read more.... A simple guide to selecting & registering a domain name Dr. Shekhar Kirani | 30 Jun, 2010 An Internet presence has become essential to promote your business.    Read more.... Internet opens up national & international markets to SMEs Sridhar Seshadhri | 28 Jun, 2010 To say the Internet will fundamentally change the way businesses operate and go to market would be disingenuous.     Read more.... Strategy for sustained growth Ashok Handoo | 25 Jun, 2010 A leading economic think-tank, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), has estimated that the Indian economy is set to grow at 9.2 percent in the current financial year.     Read more.... India's interest in Latin America must go beyond World Cup Dave Ramaswamy | 23 Jun, 2010 There is an important reason why enthusiasm for South America should persist beyond the World Cup: The Mercosur countries of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are global agriculture superpowers as well.    Read more.... Tips to keep small businesses financially healthy PR Newswire | 23 Jun, 2010 Rick Kahler, president of Kahler Financial Group, advised that higher government debt could put upward pressure on interest rates.    Read more.... What makes a successful internet advertising campaign? Derek Rogers | 22 Jun, 2010 A successful internet advertising campaign is essential for getting the most out of your online business. In order to accomplish this goal certain elements or conditions must be met. One of the first things is to determine what successful means for you and your business.    Read more.... How to audit your business strategy Andrew Carey | 15 Jun, 2010 Nearly all the major initiatives undertaken by corporate executives today are called "strategic". With everything having high strategic importance    Read more.... Doing business with South Africa Manish Desai | 11 Jun, 2010 South Africa was a major trade partner of India prior to 1946 and accounted for 5 percent of India's total exports then    Read more.... Vatva Industrial Estate - a success story led by SMEs Garima Sahai | 08 Jun, 2010 While the small and medium enterprise sector in the country has been bowing to numerous infrastructural challenges and reeling under demand slump, particularly in the export front, the Vatva Industrial Estate (VIE) has set an example with an annual turnover of about Rs. 2500 crore and an export of about Rs. 1500 crore.    Read more.... Don't Get Mugged Online - Protect yourself from internet crime PR Newswire | 07 Jun, 2010 Being smart is not enough to protect yourself from online scamming. There are fake websites popping up every day. We may not be able to completely stop it, but there are ways to significantly reduce the risk of becoming a victim.    Read more.... Intelligent Data Management and the lifecycle of information Satyen Vyas | 01 Jun, 2010 IDM helps companies strategize on how to manage data right from beginning to the time it is deleted.    Read more.... Fertiliser sector reforms will attract fresh investments Satish Chander | 31 May, 2010 The fertiliser sector in India has been through difficult times in recent years. Stagnant production, no fresh investment and poor financial health of the units were accompanied by high     Read more.... Busting myths associated with online success Dr. Shekhar Kirani | 25 May, 2010 With more and more people using the Internet to browse and purchase products and services in India, an online presence for your company makes good business sense today.    Read more.... India's promising economic outlook Ashok Handoo | 24 May, 2010 In the export sector, the story has been both encouraging and discouraging.     Read more.... Target marketing - a strategy for business success Shameena Silva | 21 May, 2010 The main aim of any organization is success. In other words, what they really look for is to increase their profits by way of satisfying the needs of the customers    Read more.... Dropshipping, import & export and global sourcing Dylan Sun | 17 May, 2010 Dropshipping is accepted by the society as a profession and gateway of sorts to import and export if not global sourcing and it is getting feverishly popular by the years. Dropshipping is safer than import/export and instant than affiliate marketing. Be warned, pitfalls in dropshipping, unlike in import/export or global sourcing, are terrible that your business can crash quickly.    Read more.... Trade fairs- are they still relevant for export marketing Dr. Amit Kumar Chatterjee | 13 May, 2010 Are trade fairs still relevant? In this age of Internet and electronic commerce - how valid are trade fairs? Let us examine the issue threadbare.     Read more.... The elements of targeted global marketing Terry Detty | 08 May, 2009 Global marketing is nothing but marketing done on national and international level and which involves understanding the similarities, dissimilarities and taking advantage of the opportunities to attain the goal. Concentrating on global marketing is as important as concentrating on domestic marketing if a company is aiming to increase sales.    Read more.... Take inspired action for business growth Loren Fogelman | 04 May, 2010 Instead of business growth being a vacuum separated from my personal life, I realized there is an ebb and flow. How I approach challenges, whether personally or professionally, is a similar process. These strategies have helped me continue to grow my business.    Read more.... Monetary policy and inflation K R Sudhaman | 01 May, 2010 In developed countries monetary policy which is unveiled by the central bank periodically is mainly aimed at keeping inflation low. In India as well as many other developing economies central banks have twin objective of controlling inflation and pushing growth.    Read more.... Iceland's volcanic ash hit India's exports as well Sushma Ramachandran | 26 Apr, 2010 Even as India's airlines were struggling to get back to normalcy after weathering the global recession, the volcanic ash from Iceland has given the industry another jolt while also affecting the country's exports.     Read more.... X-Axis: The Indian way of doing business Arun Kumar | 15 Apr, 2010 A uniquely 'Indian way' of doing business, which has fuelled an economy that even in perilous global times remains a dynamo, is essentially based on a simple philosophy - "think in English and act in Indian", say four Wharton professors.    Read more.... Consumer focused ideas key to success Ashwin Merchant | 12 Apr, 2010 Good ideas or Great Idea! A sudden flash of inspiration that hits you and ... you’ve good product.     Read more.... Balancing growth with efficiency for medium sized businesses Satyen Vyas | 01 Apr, 2010 CIOs are walking new ground as they seek to improve competitive business advantage in an economic downturn - balancing the pressure to reduce capital expenditures against unprecedented opportunities to increase productivity and stay on the forefront of innovation.    Read more.... Africa is destination next for India Inc Sushma Ramachandran | 29 Mar, 2010 The move by India's top telecom player Bharti Airtel to acquire the African assets of Kuwait's Zain marks the biggest foray of a domestic company into the continent. The landmark deal, estimated at $10.7 billion, raises the level of Indian investments in Africa to $16.7 billion.    Read more.... How entrepreneurs will succeed by doing less Bill Dueease | 26 Mar, 2010 Michael Gerber wrote a very popular book entitled The E-Myth Revisited about the myths of entrepreneurship. He explained that entrepreneurs must have three skills to win.    Read more.... Rifle or shotgun? Choose the right marketing weapon Writuparna Kakati | 19 Mar, 2010 In today's diverse market, it is not possible for a SME to serve all buyers in the entire market even for specific product or service category.    Read more.... Zooming Indian auto industry needs more road space to grow Sushma Ramachandran | 14 Mar, 2010 Automobile production seems to have done its bit to ensure that overall growth of the manufacturing sector     Read more.... Marketing planning, a must for SMEs Writuparna Kakati | 05 Mar, 2010 Many small and medium businesses fail to plan their marketing activities efficiently and throw money here and there. And they reap what they sow. In contrast, firms which map out their marketing efforts intelligently can earn more success, reduce marketing costs and increase effectiveness to a significant level.     Read more.... What the new Indo-Saudi strategic partnership aims at Aroonim Bhuyan | 03 Mar, 2010 A new Indo-Saudi strategic partnership set in place during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Saudi Arabia Feb 27 - March 1 is set to redefine issues of terrorism, energy security and trade and investment between countries that were once removed not just by geography but history and politics.    Read more.... Budget of fiscal prudence and inflationary push Sushma Ramachandran | 27 Feb, 2010 A budget of fiscal prudence, but with underlying inflationary potential. This sums up Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's federal budget for 2010-11 presented in the Lok Sabha Friday -- the fifth for the 74-year-old politician.    Read more.... Mukherjee has room to budget for lower fiscal deficit Arvind Padmanabhan | 22 Feb, 2010 Having opened the purse strings to weather the ills of global slowdown the past two years, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee appears set to re-start the process of fiscal consolidation in the national budget for 2010-11 to be presented Friday with the twin objective of pushing inclusive growth and containing prices.    Read more.... Budget expectations for a rebounding economy - challenges ahead S. Sethuraman | 19 Feb, 2010 There is a ground-swell of expectations for the Union Budget for2010/11, the second since UPA returned to power in May 2009, to be presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on February 26.     Read more.... Fiscal stimulus exit – to be or not to be Ashok Handoo | 18 Feb, 2010 As February 26, the date for presenting the budget in Parliament, draws closer the challenges before the finance minister are many.    Read more.... Oil pricing reforms essential to stabilise economy Sushma Ramachandran | 15 Feb, 2010 Politics and economics rarely mix well. This has been highlighted in the case of energy pricing where good economics says fuel prices must be raised, but political will is clearly lacking.    Read more.... Continuous product development Manish Tanwar | 09 Feb, 2010 New product development has always been an essential part of the marketing of a firm. From research on customer preferences to product positioning and segmentation, forecasting and then testing, it has been widely used to have a deeper understanding of methods and use of information about the customer in the design, testing, launch, and management of new products.     Read more.... Marketing framework for a new business Katrina Sawa | 02 Feb, 2010 One thing I've found in my many years of entrepreneurship is that smart marketing is the key to success. I've worked with so many different types of small business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants from a    Read more.... Food inflation due to government policy delays Sushma Ramachandran | 25 Jan, 2010 Even as food prices continue to rise inexorably at over 16 percent, the government has finally taken steps to curb the spiralling price inflation that has been hurting all sections of society, especially the poorest of the poor. And Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is in the eye of a storm over remarks that milk prices may go up as shortages are being reported by several states.    Read more.... India-ASEAN: Trade in goods agreement P.K. Dash | 20 Jan, 2010 In 1991, India announced its 'Look East' Policy with a view to seeking greater engagement with East Asian countries building upon its historical links with these countries. India became a sectoral dialogue partner of the ASEAN in 1992.    Read more.... Exporting business - How export agents and distributors work Aana Sharma | 16 Jan, 2010 As an exporter or manufacturer who is keen to step into international market, you should better initiate in a secure and planned manner for export import trade. One fairly safe and secure way is to establish indirect exports and see the response.     Read more.... Exporting to overseas retailers - are you ready? Dr.Amit Kumar Chatterjee | 11 Jan, 2010 Exporting directly to small overseas retailers is a comparatively new phenomenon, brought about by Internet.     Read more.... Balance of economic power shifts to developing nations Andrew McCathie | 05 Jan, 2010 The Group of 20 (G20) is likely to face a test this year of its new-found role as the world's top economic forum.    Read more.... Stepping into an 'Indian decade' of growth and uplift Arvind Padmanabhan | 02 Jan, 2010 Supported by a foundation of robust growth, India Friday stepped into the next decade of this millennium seeking not just to fulfil the aspirations of its billion-plus citizens but also assume its role as an emerging economy the world today looks at with respect and admiration.    Read more.... Copenhagen: Success for some, catastrophe for most Joydeep Gupta | 28 Dec, 2009 Politicians and bureaucrats from large developing countries and some developed ones are congratulating themselves for having protected their traditional industries    Read more.... Indian MSMEs discouraged in public procurement: Study Saurabh Gupta | 24 Dec, 2009 The Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are discouraged in public procurement mainly due to unavailability of financial guarantees, lack of knowledge about tender procedures, new opportunities and large size of contracts, according to a recent research study conducted by Milagrow - IMT Center of Excellence.    Read more.... South Asian El Dorado: Is the locus shifting to Abu Dhabi? Sanjay Kapoor | 21 Dec, 2009 There was no surprise in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) when predictably Abu Dhabi's ruling family decided to throw a lifeline to a debt-strapped Dubai. Althoug    Read more.... Gold emerges as a safe haven for investors Sushma Ramachandran | 16 Dec, 2009 With gold prices hitting new highs, the glitter just gets brighter each day. The phenomenal rise in the value of the yellow metal has been a by-product of the global recession as investors, both in India and abroad, are looking for safe products in which to place their funds.    Read more.... 5 small businesses marketing tips Jinger Jarrett | 15 Dec, 2009 Starting a small business can be overwhelming if you've never done it before. You need a wide variety of skills for setting up and marketing your new business, especially if you choose to market online.    Read more.... Indian cement industry – opportunities and challenges Sameer Pushp | 12 Dec, 2009 The glue that holds the infrastructure sector is cement and the growth of cement industry is directly linked to the growth of infrastructure sector.     Read more.... India's high growth offset by rising food inflation Sushma Ramachandran | 07 Dec, 2009 The Indian economy's 7.9 percent growth in the second quarter of this fiscal has taken everyone by surprise, but rising food inflation, which has seen the daily grocery bill shoot up sharply, has dampened some of the euphoria.    Read more.... South Asian SMEs: Explore trade through JV Saurabh Gupta | 04 Dec, 2009 SMEs in SAARC nations contribute significantly towards economic growth and are crucial for poverty reduction due to their contribution to employment and income generation.     Read more.... Business loan: Getting your banker say 'yes' Writuparna Kakati | 01 Dec, 2009 Understanding bankers' mindset has become more important for business firms. While they have been still feeling the brunt    Read more.... Benefits of exporting for small business Naz Daud | 24 Nov, 2009 Somehow, people have the perception that a small business does not export. A business that is going international     Read more.... Canada saved India-US n-deal; it now needs to think beyond Ryan Touhey | 23 Nov, 2009 Canada and India have been reluctant dance partners in decades past for reasons ranging from a heated disagreement on nuclear    Read more.... Getting ready for a tight monetary policy Ashok Handoo | 20 Nov, 2009 The recent statements by the Prime Minister and other leaders, at the national and international fora, about India’s current economic status have one common thread – that the Indian economy is recovering fast and it is time we begin thinking about rewinding the stimulus packages we have been pursuing for the last one year to pump liquidity into the system in view of the global meltdown.     Read more.... Role of B2B portals and Indian SMEs Moonis Rehman | 17 Nov, 2009 B2B portals have set a new paradigm of competitiveness in the business world and it is the new age business model of the ever-changing business world.    Read more.... Yuan as new global currency? It can bode well for India Sushma Ramachandran | 16 Nov, 2009 The fact that World Bank President Robert Zoellick has said that China's yuan may become the global reserve currency over the next 15 years assumes significance not just for the world but also for India. It has the potential to make Indian goods relatively more competitive as the Chinese currency today is highly controlled.    Read more.... Revival of India's merchandise exports on the horizon Sushma Ramachandran | 09 Nov, 2009 The outlook for India's merchandise exports now looks set to improve over the next few months, giving rise to hopes that a positive growth will finally be recorded by January 2010. The exports data for September clearly shows that the rate of decline has dropped considerably, even as global demand has picked up.    Read more.... Indian enterprises face data loss risk: Study Fakir Balaji | 05 Nov, 2009 Increasing use of IT infrastructure by Indian enterprises to enhance productivity and expand operations in a competitive environment has led to growing security risks such as loss of critical data, a study by the intelligence marketing firm IDC (India) Ltd. has revealed.    Read more.... Creativity is a round process Lorraine Ball | 04 Nov, 2009 In a world of fast change and fierce competition, the ability to find new and innovative solutions is necessary for your survival. Thinking power and creativity are your primary competitive advantages. Unlocking new ideas and multiple possibilities begin with a "Round Process". Research - Originate    Read more.... Best practices for small businesses Greg Heslin | 30 Oct, 2009 Small businesses can often be beaten out by larger competitors simply because they have better practices than small businesses. The good news is that there are a number of practices that can translate to small businesses. These strategies and tactics are some of the best-kept secrets and can make a business much more successful in the long run.    Read more.... With farm output poor, India's recovery projections premature Sushma Ramachandran | 26 Oct, 2009 With the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council projecting India's economic growth at 6.2-6.75 percent for the current fiscal, the question arises whether industrial output will rebound sufficiently to make up for the dismal performance of the farm sector.    Read more.... Top 10 marketing concepts for small business Nate Stockard | 20 Oct, 2009 Over the past decade more and more people are getting fired, getting downsized, or getting fed up    Read more.... Collecting information on your competitors Marketing Scoop, LLC | 15 Oct, 2009 Collecting information about your competitors makes good business sense. However, you must do so in an ethical and reasonable way. Competitive intelligence from public sources, customers, and third parties can help businesses anticipate market opportunities, trends and competitive strengths and weaknesses.    Read more.... How to find your own unique selling proposition Donna Williams | 07 Oct, 2009 You’ve probably heard the old adage "If you don’t stand for something, then you’ll fall for anything."    Read more.... Is recession over for the Indian economy? Sushma Ramachandran | 29 Sep, 2009 Are the clouds of recession lifting over the Indian economy as they seem to be over the rest of the world? That is the big question everyone is asking today, whether they be economic analysts or policymakers in the central government and the financial institutions.    Read more.... Does small business marketing need much planning? Nate Stockard | 23 Sep, 2009 Small business marketing is small, as noted by the name, but too many times business owners think that small business marketing is too    Read more.... Advertising pumps up your business image Jeff Williams | 18 Sep, 2009 We have emphasized in this column the critical importance for the small business marketer to identify and communicate with a very specific audience of customers. This process is known as target marketing and your objective is to aim for the "bulls-eye" every time you spend money on marketing.    Read more.... Uneven growth makes India uncompetitive globally Sushma Ramachandran | 14 Sep, 2009 Is India a good place to do business? The answer seems to be it is excellent in some areas and difficult in others. No wonder the Indian economy has risen in one global index of competitiveness and gone down in another on business climate.    Read more.... No winners in West Bengal; losers are its people Amulya Ganguli | 12 Sep, 2009 Venal and irresponsible politicians, acting in concert with anti-social elements masquerading as cadres, have ensured that the faint hopes of reviving West Bengal's industrial sector have again been dashed.    Read more.... Ambani battle over gas cries for consistent government policy Sushma Ramachandran | 31 Aug, 2009 The feud between the two Ambani brothers - Mukesh and Anil - seems to be an unending saga on the lines of television soap operas, with the story becoming increasingly complex by the day and the number of characters involved in each episode rising rapidly.    Read more.... New government's economic drive moves, but in fits and starts Anuradha Shukla and Sanjay Singh | 28 Aug, 2009 The first 100 days of the second edition of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government have had their share of hits and misses in steering the Indian economy, with some ministries able to drive their agenda forward and others yet to draw clear roadmaps, analysts maintain.    Read more.... NMCP: Developing global competitiveness among Indian MSMEs Dinesh Rai | 25 Aug, 2009 The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector contributes significantly to the manufacturing output, employment and exports.     Read more.... 'Delhi is top solid waste producer' FICCI Survey | 24 Aug, 2009 Delhi is the highest municipal solid waste producer in the country followed by Mumbai, according to a survey by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).    Read more.... They put a spin on adventure tourism in Kerala Sanu George | 20 Aug, 2009 Nine years after they quit the Indian Navy, two men here are basking in the success of the adventure tourism company they started in Kerala, with their innovative products even fetching them an award this year.    Read more.... Neighbourhood watch: ASEAN an opportunity for Indian SMEs Writuparna Kakati | 18 Aug, 2009 The recent FTA between India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is big news    Read more.... Boost to automobile and auto component industry S. Subramanian | 17 Aug, 2009 The Indian automobile and auto component industry are often described as the sunrise Industry.    Read more.... Behind India's rise as IT power lies 25 years of C-DOT Sam Pitroda | 14 Aug, 2009 This month marks the 25th anniversary of what is now widely acknowledged to be India's first defining steps towards an information and communications revolution.     Read more.... IT outsourcing: Make the move cautiously Writuparna Kakati | 06 Aug, 2009 Modern day SMEs have become increasingly aware of the different IT based technologies and importance    Read more.... Action plan for successful export marketing Azaz Motiwala Export marketing is a serious issue for most growing companies in today's interconnected global economy. Whether to export or not, where to and how to, are the major questions for companies willing to expand their international markets.    Read more.... Foreign Direct Investment in India Sameer Pushp | 03 Aug, 2009 India is the largest democracy and is fourth largest economy (in terms of purchasing power parity) in the world. India with its consistent growth performance and abundant high-skilled manpower provides enormous opportunity for investment    Read more.... Tastes of India, from streets of India Madhusree Chatterjee | 01 Aug, 2009 Pyrelal Gosar, a street food vendor from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, captures the culinary essence of his state in his wooden cart.    Read more.... Land your dream job - through social networking sites! Vaishali Bhambri | 30 Jul, 2009 Ever thought of logging on to a social networking website to find a job? These sites have become a huge hit with job seekers in India who not only look for career opportunities but also interact with potential employers online.     Read more.... Venture capitalists have little fancy for Indian start-ups James Jose | 27 Jul, 2009 Dreamy-eyed Indian entrepreneurs hoping to talk their way into getting venture capital for their start-ups might as well look elsewhere for funding. It doesn't happen in India, not often anyway, investors and experts in the industry maintain.    Read more.... Recession-hit IT professional settle for low-paying jobs Maitreyee Boruah | 25 Jul, 2009 Till a few months ago, IT professional T.V. George was earning Rs.70,000 per month, plus perks. But after losing his high-paying job, and being unemployed for three months, George, 31, has started giving tuitions in mathematics and physics to aspiring engineering students in his neighbourhood.    Read more.... Selling off sick PSUs: Were they really family silver? Sushma Ramachandran | 22 Jul, 2009 In the brouhaha over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government reviving the public sector divestment process, the old argument about selling the "family silver" has been revived once again. But the problem is much of the so-called "silver" has been tarnished and a large quantity was never silver in the first place.    Read more.... SMEs need to 'manage by walking around' Writuparna Kakati | 08 Jul, 2009 Should SMEs go for 'Managing by Walking Around' strategy?     Read more.... Railway budget 2009-10, a bonanza for people M.Y.Siddiqui | 06 Jul, 2009 The Railway Budget 2009-10, presented by the Union Minister for Railways, Mamta Banerjee in the Lok Sabha    Read more.... How to stay ahead of competition Writuparna Kakati | 02 Jul, 2009 How can a business position itself as a market leader? A business satisfies its customers....    Read more.... Expectations high as Mukherjee readies for national budget Sushma Ramachandran | 01 Jul, 2009 Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee faces a tough job July 6 as he rises to present the first budget of the newly-elected United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, during which he will have to try and keep fiscal deficit under check while meeting the many promises made by the Congress party and its coalition partners during the elections.    Read more.... Recession is ending! Here's what to do Writuparna Kakati | 26 Jun, 2009 Recently, there is a significant jump in confidence that our economy is no longer in freefall    Read more.... Anand Model should be replicated for inclusive growth Animesh Banerjee | 25 Jun, 2009 Traditional growth models are the legacy of the industrialization era that started a couple of centuries ago. The approach meant    Read more.... Five things customers hate about you Writuparna Kakati | 23 Jun, 2009 What's your own experiences as a customer?     Read more.... Indian artisans - crafting a way of life Saurabh Gupta | 22 Jun, 2009 The Indian artisan is fighting hard for the survival of its art, culture and family.    Read more.... It is optimism all around Ashok Handoo | 19 Jun, 2009 Finally, the country has managed to record a 6.7 percent growth in financial year 2008-09, despite the global economy still in the throes of a deep recession.    Read more.... Inflation and how India calculates this rate SME Times News Bureau | 18 Jun, 2009 With India's annual rate of inflation turning negative for the first time, here's all you wanted to know...    Read more.... Online networking: Make it work for you Writuparna Kakati | 18 Jun, 2009 Does online networking work for SMEs? Many small and medium businesses fail to identify    Read more.... International business and India SMEs - an overview LT. COL. (RETD) Nageshwant Roy Vaid | 16 Jun, 2009 During the last few professional decades for international business there has been a diametrically radical mindset shift in focus to not only provide a product but a better product to stated target audience in the world markets.    Read more.... The Basics of Marketing Jeff Blackwell | 15 Jun, 2009 Marketing - A Juggler’s Art. Marketing, in more the one way, is like juggling. This strange analogy will become crystal clear if we take a close look at it. Just like the juggler    Read more.... Benchmarking, an effective management tool for SMEs Writuparna Kakati | 13 Jun, 2009 It was 1970s. Rank Xerox, part of Xerox Corp, was facing difficulties in business. From mid 1960s to the mid 1970s, the profit of the company had rose above 20 per cent. But by the late 1970s, it started losing a significant share of the photocopier market. Some of its Japanese competitors were introducing copiers to the market with very lower prices, and as a result, the company came on the verge of collapse.     Read more.... Getting paid when trading with overseas customers Writuparna Kakati | 09 Jun, 2009 Timely payment is essential for the survival of businesses, particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises    Read more.... India's growth data has brightened revival hopes Sushma Ramachandran | 08 Jun, 2009 A new Indian government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken charge for the second successive term at a time when there appear to be glimmers of light on the horizon for a revival of the economy that had slowed last year after logging an impressive annual growth of nine percent in the preceding three years.    Read more.... Side effect of economic crisis: SMEs more vulnerable to scams Writuparna Kakati | 01 Jun, 2009 The lousy economy has an unexpected victim - Small and Medium Enterprises    Read more.... India – Tea Capital of World: A health drink of century Kritika Kamthan | 29 May, 2009 The tea industry in India is about 179 years old. India being the largest producer as well as the largest consumer of black tea in the world, tea has become one of the most important commercial crops of the country. The commercial production of tea started in India in the late 1830s, before which, the tea plant was growing wild in the jungles of north east Assam.    Read more.... Vote for development will ensure economy tops government agenda Sushma Ramachandran | 23 May, 2009 With the mandate for the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) clearly in favour of development, economic issues will top the agenda of the new government, as it seeks to meet the high expectations of the poor and homeless and fulfil the aspirations of the masses as quickly as possible.     Read more.... Dos & don’ts in doing business with China FICCI MEDIA DIVISION | 21 May, 2009 Is corruption an issue in China? Are Chinese government officials and departments dependable? What about 'side deals' and 'under the table' transactions? The answers to these vital questions would invariably make every businessman worth his salt uneasy while doing business with China.    Read more.... Is easy entry into India Inc. turning talent away from civil & central services? An ASSOCHAM assessment | 20 May, 2009 Current meltdown in economy may have increased students turnout for civil and armed forces, mainly due to security and stability factors through selection process of Union public service Commission (UPSC) but fact also remains that easy availability of good jobs in private sectors is driving people away from civil services, armed forces and other central services.    Read more.... Buy house, don't rent - message from the housing sector Anuradha Shukla | 19 May, 2009 The economic slowdown has hit home sales and sent prices plummeting. The flip side: home rents have shot up.    Read more.... Economic agenda will be more of the same with new govt. Sushma Ramachandran | 13 May, 2009 Even as uncertainty looms large in India over which party or coalition will run the next national government, what has emerged as a given is continuity in the country's economic policies - but for some sensitive areas like lifting the cap on foreign investment and divestment of stake in state-run enterprises.    Read more.... Indian IP laws are the world's most consumer friendly Frederick Noronha | 09 May, 2009 India has been ranked as the country with the world's most consumer friendly intellectual property (IP) laws since its copyright regulations allow citizens great freedom to access and utilise information for educational and development purposes.     Read more.... Why B2B SMEs need to segmentize customers Writuparna Kakati | 05 May, 2009 Sales in any business are most frequently generated through business relationships it establishes. As a business owner, the better you can manage these relationships, the more successful you will grab. But to do that, you need to segmentize your customers to understand their needs better. It helps targeting your potential customers with appropriate offers and sell to them more.     Read more.... Where are your job plans, youth ask politicians Anuradha Shukla | 04 May, 2009 All political parties are swearing by youth power in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. But youth feel politicians are ignoring the basic issue that concerns them in this age of economic meltdown: job losses.    Read more.... Action plan for successful export marketing Azaz Motiwala | 02 May, 2009 Export marketing is a serious issue for most growing companies in today's interconnected global economy. Whether to export or not, where to and how to, are the major questions for companies willing to expand their international markets.    Read more.... Corruption in business journalism: A worrying malaise Sushma Ramachandran | 29 Apr, 2009 The startling order of the markets watchdog recently on the Pyramid Saimira stock manipulation case over the alleged involvement of a business journalist from a leading financial daily should make the media sit up and think hard about the issue of corruption.     Read more.... How SMEs can increase their online sales Writuparna Kakati | 25 Apr, 2009 Most small and medium businesses (SMEs) which have build a professional online presence through their own websites or registering to a B2B portal (or in any other way) often complain that they have never seen much return on their investment, nor even enough queries. Once bitten they never try again.     Read more.... Go organic, live healthy, live green Shilpa Raina | 25 Apr, 2009 'Organic' is in at a time when there is universal advocacy of eco-friendly products, and the Indian market too is responding with a range of things that promise a greener, healthier life.    Read more.... 'Get your software from a cloud, save money' Madhusree Chatterjee | 23 Apr, 2009 As small and medium businesses in India struggle to stay afloat during the global economic slowdown, they are opting for cheaper computing services, and a Boston-based entrepreneur is here to promote his solution, cloud computing, in which software is shared over a wide network of computers.    Read more.... India must have grand strategic design in its foreign policy Rajiv Sikri | 16 Apr, 2009 There is need for new thinking in India's foreign policy. In today's complicated and fast-changing geo-political situation, India has wisely diversified its foreign policy options, but must retain flexibility in order to be able to pursue an independent foreign policy, on which there is an overwhelming national consensus.     Read more.... Elections as fiscal stimulus to pump-prime economy Sushma Ramachandran | 13 Apr, 2009 In these times of financial gloom, the process of elections in the world's largest democracy is bringing with it some sort of silver lining for the economy as large sums of money are being spent by political parties and candidates to ensure victory at the hustings.    Read more.... 'Pink-slipped', they think jobs, not votes Maitreyee Boruah | 11 Apr, 2009 For hundreds of voters who have lost their jobs to the global meltdown - be it IT professionals or garment workers - the election tempo across India has little meaning.    Read more.... How SMEs can win big corporate orders Writuparna Kakati | 08 Apr, 2009 Does size matter? If you are a small business owner, you may probably ask this question to yourself whenever you lose a big order only because your business is looked upon     Read more.... Use web marketing tools to cut advertising costs Moonis Rehman | 06 Apr, 2009 We are in global recession. Ad sales are at record low. Marketing budgets have declined. What started in November 2007 has affected both the small and big players in the industry. This economic turbulence has lead to lay-offs, no new product launches, cut in promotional budget et al. All of us are eagerly waiting for the markets to recover, but no one knows how long will it take? So, how can we cope with the downturn and adapt to survive such situations?    Read more.... How to identify export target market Azaz Motiwala | 04 Apr, 2009 First step of export marketing is to identify target market and market needs where your products or    Read more.... G20 summit: Will it find a cure for the global recession? Chris Cermak and Andrew McCathie | 27 Mar, 2009 The world's big economic powers will hold an emergency summit in London next week amid a deepening sense of despair about the outlook for the world economy and with few signs that major nations have laid aside differences on how to combat the global recession.    Read more.... Kaizen, the Japanese way for constant improvement Writuparna Kakati | 24 Mar, 2009 What was the best thing Japan learned after World War II from the Americans?     Read more.... Opportunities abound for ICT sector despite slowdown David Parks | 21 Mar, 2009 Though small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India are reeling under the pressure of the ongoing economic slowdown, those in the information, communications and technology (ICT) sector are still optimistic about their growth.    Read more.... India will be big technology innovator in next decade Pradeep Gupta | 18 Mar, 2009 Economists have been predicting it, stargazers have been forecasting it, and now the technology trend watchers are saying it - the coming decade is surely going to belong to India.    Read more.... Ethics in workplace: Link it to business success Writuparna Kakati | 16 Mar, 2009 What is ethics? Ethics refers to well based standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans should or shouldn't do. Whether to tell the truth or lie, be friendly or unfriendly, whether to be generous or greedy - all these, and all other questions about how people act toward themselves and one another refer to ethics.     Read more.... The dreaded 'D' word: Inflation in reverse gear Writuparna Kakati | 28 Feb, 2009 India's inflation is dipping at a good pace. Is it a good sign for the economy?....    Read more.... Oh dear! Lower inflation doesn't mean lower prices Sanjay Singh and James Jose | 14 Mar, 2009 Alpana Singh, a homemaker in north Delhi, should be rejoicing that India's annual rate of inflation has fallen to a six-year low. Instead, she is ruing that her household budget has hit the roof.    Read more.... Online ads get in your face amidst money crunch Andy Goldberg | 14 Mar, 2009 Online advertising has suffered almost as much as its print and broadcast siblings from the global economic implosion. But now some of the most important players in the field are fighting back.     Read more.... Go on growing, stop you die Writuparna Kakati | 10 Mar, 2009 Can you remember the early days of your business? There was a dream, an uphill battle to fight....    Read more.... Indian exports decline as world trade growth turns negative Arun Kumar | 09 Mar, 2009 India registered its first every year-over-year decline in exports as world trade growth turned negative in the last quarter of 2008, raising fears of a protectionist backlash, according to a new world bank report.     Read more.... Global economy set to shrink, India loses half a million jobs Arun Kumar | 09 Mar, 2009 World Bank predicts the global economy and global trade would both shrink for the first time since World War II.    Read more.... How do firms gauge effectiveness of internal communications? IANS | 09 Mar, 2009 Most companies consider internal communication important enough for their health, but have no formal methods in place for the purpose.    Read more.... Pre-poll goodies in times of falling GDP growth Sushma Ramachandran | 05 Mar, 2009 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government was looking forward to a "Jai Ho" moment with the electorate after the series of poll sops that have just been announced.    Read more.... Women empowerment and their role in SMEs Jaya Laxmi | 03 Mar, 2009 There is growing evidence all over the world that SMEs play a significant role in national economic development of any country.    Read more.... Corporates can survive bad times without downsizing Shiv Dhawan | 26 Feb, 2009 News of downsizing is bad news for any employee. Though downsizing is a common strategy adopted by organisations to cut costs and keep performance standards high, during the current recession it appears to have become a survival imperative.    Read more.... It is the time for SMEs to go global Writuparna Kakati | 24 Feb, 2009 Do you want to go global? Your business is located in this country, you have invested a lot in people and talent, and you have a competitive advantage in this market. So, why should you go global?     Read more.... Growth in food processing industries PIB Features | 23 Feb, 2009 India stands first in the production of milk, tea and pulses and is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables, rice, wheat and sugarcane.    Read more.... E-commerce in flat lining economy, how to beat the odds Writuparna Kakati | 20 Feb, 2009 What has been the impact of the current economic slowdown on your e-commerce business? ....     Read more.... Prosperity is key to productivity Rajeev Jain | 16 Feb, 2009 Productivity is the tool that can eliminate almost all of the scourges of humanity be it poverty, hunger, disease or war.    Read more.... Interim Budget 2009-2010 - Speech of Pranab Mukherjee   Read more.... Forthcoming vote on account - FIEO wishlist Interim Budget Special | 12 Feb, 2009 In view of the global economic meltdown which has effected the Indian export sector as well, FIEO President A Sakthiel look for the following steps from the Government out of the forthcoming Vote on Account which may provide the much needed support to make the indian export sector competitive and sustainable.    Read more.... Burning issues concerning Indian Handmade Carpet Industry Interim Budget 2009 | 12 Feb, 2009 The origin of Indian Handmade Carpet Industry can be traced back to 16th century.    Read more.... Pre-Budget memorandum of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) Interim Budget Special | 12 Feb, 2009 There is a growing realization that after having experienced an unprecedented growth rate of over 9 per cent in the last four years, our economy has started losing steam.    Read more.... Pre-Budget recommendations for improving competitiveness of BPO export sector Interim Budget Special | 12 Feb, 2009 The Indian BPO industry has been growing and maturing and has established itself a major outsourcing hub.    Read more.... Budget Wishlist: CMAI seeks immediate implementation of GST Interim Budget Special | 12 Feb, 2009 The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) is the pioneer and most representative association of the Indian apparel industry for over four decades.     Read more.... Regulatory capture or fair competition? Charles M. Seeger | 11 Feb, 2009 Capital markets require good regulation. From tax codes to anti-trust laws; from insider trading restrictions to reserve requirements.    Read more.... Executive reluctance: 5 tips for overcoming fear and making the sale Sam Manfer | 09 Feb, 2009 Most sales people quickly boast that they can get to or have 'no problem' meeting with the top executives of their prospects or customers.    Read more.... E-waste management Kalpana Palkhiwala | 07 Feb, 2009 Electronic waste or E-waste is one of the rapidly growing environmental problems of the World. In India, the electronic waste management assumes greater significance not only due to the generation of our own waste but also dumping of E-waste particularly computer waste from the developed countries.    Read more.... Banks need to heed RBI's call to reduce lending rates Ashok Handoo | 05 Feb, 2009 RBI is clearly of the view that banks have yet to pass on the benefits of the previous cuts in interest rates announced by it.    Read more.... What is a vote-on-account? The Indian Constitution says that all revenues received by the Union government and the loans raised by it are to be put into the Consolidated Fund of India.     Read more.... Strategies for achieving sustainable high growth in agriculture T. Nanda Kumar | 02 Feb, 2009 Agriculture sector is the mainstay of the Indian economy, contributing about 18 per cent of the national income and providing employment to more than half of the workforce in the country.    Read more.... Highlights of Union Budget 2008-09   Read more.... Budget 2008-2009 - Speech of P. Chidambaram, Minister of Finance   Read more.... ABCs of Budget   Read more.... Budget Trivia   Read more.... Are there more Satyams out there? Sushma Ramachandran | 31 Jan, 2009 The confessional letter written by Ramalinga Raju in the first week of 2009 about the massive fraud perpetrated at the country's fourth    Read more.... Energy Independence with global cooperation Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel | 29 Jan, 2009 The ongoing global crisis has brought out into the open an important point, that the world is one boat, and we are all passengers. Our chance    Read more.... Development policies for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) in India Dinesh Rai | 27 Jan, 2009 The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has been an integral component of the industrial sector.    Read more.... Brand management and the jigsaw puzzle of recession Writuparna Kakati | 23 Jan, 2009 In economics, the term 'recession' is generally used to describe an economic phase in which GDP    Read more.... Professional client communication Andy Edwards | 21 Jan, 2009 The fact that a large volume of business communication, nowadays, is performed electronically....    Read more.... Business strategies for going global Writuparna Kakati | 19 Jan, 2009 So you want to take the plunge and go global with your product or service. How do you begin? In today’s increasingly globalised world, exporting is crucial for a business' growth and competitiveness. Export business is exciting, adventurous, and financially rewarding but at the same it is full of challenges, risks and complexities.     Read more.... Which advertising media to choose? Writuparna Kakati | 17 Jan, 2009 Advertising, advertising and advertising - that is what can change the fate of a small business. But advertising a small business    Read more.... Branding, an important success factor to businesses Writuparna Kakati | 13 Jan, 2009 In the cutthroat world of business, branding has become one of the most important success factors for every business.     Read more.... Export pricing - SMEs should be extremely careful Writuparna Kakati | 09 Jan, 2009 Pricing is a very important and sometimes the most complex area in export business.    Read more.... Impact of global meltdown on Indian economy in 2009 Ashok Handoo | 08 Jan, 2009 Economists are debating the extent of the impact of global meltdown on the Indian economy in 2009.    Read more.... Is this the right time to start your business? Writuparna Kakati | 05 Jan, 2009 Is it now the right time to start a business? A tricky question at this moment when a slowdown affecting us all.    Read more.... India's Sensex ends 2008 with 52-pc annualized loss James Jose - Yearender | 02 Jan, 2009 The dramatic start for Indian equities market in 2008, which saw a key index scale an all-time high, ended in a whimper, with the global economic meltdown pulling the bellwether down by 52 percent - its worst ever performance.    Read more.... Promotional schemes for the development of MSMEs Yearender - 2008 The ministry is implementing the promotional schemes for the development of MSMEs in the country.    Read more.... 10-point agenda for MSMEs in 2009 Yearender - 2008 The need of the hour is to achieve innovative improvements for the growth of the MSMEs in India.    Read more.... 2008: The Indian Automobile Industry Yearender - 2008 The year 2008 started on a promising note as we witnessed Tata's Nano amidst a slew of launches at the 9th Auto Expo in January in the capital.     Read more.... Top 10 NRI newsmakers of 2008 Yearender - 2008 The selection is based on news value and the degree of interest and concern to NRIs.    Read more.... Realty check for reality industry in 2008 Yearender - 2008 The five-year boom in India’s realty industry came to a crashing halt in 2008, following an acute liquidity crunch, falling sales and rising interest rates.The year, though, started on a positive note.    Read more.... Asia's export-driven economies face slowdown in 2009 Yearender - 2008 There's an old saying among economists, 'When the US catches a cold, the rest of the world catches pneumonia.'     Read more.... Major initiatives and achievements of the tourism sector in 2008 Yearender - 2008 Statistics of Growth in the current year:    Read more.... India-US milestones in 2008 Yearender - 2008 Here is a timeline of major events in India-US relations in 2008:    Read more.... Fair competition for India Charles Seeger | 30 Dec, 2008 Competition, though, has one essential ingredient: fairness.    Read more.... Rewrite your marketing plan for 2009-10 Yearender - 2008 Are we in a recession? No. Will there be a recession in 2009? Probably not. But let us assume....    Read more.... 2008: Watershed year for Indian telecom Yearender - 2008 For a country that stood at the bottom of the pyramid in terms of telecom penetration a decade ago, 2008 was a watershed when India’s subscriber base topped 350 million users to make its network the second largest in the world after China, displacing the US.    Read more.... Positive signs in Indian politics in 2008 Yearender - 2008 Indian politics can be said to have taken a giant step forward in 2008 by showing the politicians that their familiar exploitation of caste, religion and region will no longer yield dividends.    Read more.... Ten issues India Inc has to contend with in 2009 Yearender - 2008 What lies ahead for the Indian economy in 2009?     Read more.... Information Technology (IT) 2008 - a saga of growth with quality Yearender - 2008 India's strides in IT continued unabated in 2008 with a host of impressive achievements.    Read more.... Key business and economic milestones for India in 2008 Yearender - 2008 From the Nano to Dalal street bloodbath to industrial slowdown, Year 2008 saw all.    Read more.... Indian economy - the ups and downs in Year 2008 Yearender - 2008 No other year in recent times saw such wild mood swings in the Indian economy than 2008.    Read more.... Indian textile industry still going strong Year-end special The Indian textiles industry is in a stronger position than it was in the last six decades.    Read more.... The World in 2008: A year of extremes Year-end special The year 2008 can be called a year of extremes that brought despair to millions across the world.    Read more.... Effective customer communication Jonathon Hardcastle | 23 Dec, 2008 Organizations are open dynamic systems for transforming resource inputs into saleable outputs....    Read more.... Investment by Indian Railways on Infrastructure and assets to give fillip to Indian economy Anil Kumar Saxena | 20 Dec, 2008 Over the past few years, Indian Railways has been marching in tune with the requirements of the national economy and it has bettered the targets it set for itself in the process. Indian Railways have emerged as    Read more.... Export prospects and potential for marine products Rajeev Jain | 18 Dec, 2008 The growing population resource imbalances have forced humans to explore the newer avenues to meet their needs. In this connection, people have been looking for sea foods. India with a large area exposed to sea has equally huge potential to reap the benefits be it domestic needs or earning revenue from export.    Read more.... Economic gloom and the silver lining for India Sushma Ramachandran | 17 Dec, 2008 The gloom seems to be overwhelming. After the horror of the Mumbai terror attacks, the news on the economic front has been increasingly dismal. Fortunately, India appears to be better off than many other countries facing the repercussions of the global financial meltdown.    Read more.... Indian economy gets a big push Ashok Handoo | 15 Dec, 2008 The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has been at every occasion assuring the people of the country that his Government would resort to all policy measures –fiscal, monetary, exchange rate and public spending -    Read more.... Overreacting to recession - beware of boomerang effects Dipul Ray | 12 Dec, 2008 With the wrecking ball of recession battering the world economy, Indian SMEs have started cowering    Read more.... Marketing framework for a new business Jody Gabourie | 10 Dec, 2008 Every business needs a marketing framework - but many new small businesses get confused about which steps they need to take first.    Read more.... Moon shots and currency risk management Charles M. Seeger | 06 Dec, 2008 Managing exposure in currency markets requires far less precision than a moon mission.    Read more.... Marketing research: A must for businesses Writuparna Kakati | 05 Dec, 2008 In the present day business world, marketing is all pervasive. We all are exposed to marketing of products, services and ideas almost everyday, and in every arena of our lives.     Read more.... Exports slump: Indian textile businesses should go domestic Writuparna Kakati | 03 Dec, 2008 Due to global financial meltdown, Indian textile exporters, along with others in the traditional sectors like handicraft, carpets, marine products, leather and agro products, are facing some difficult times in these days.     Read more.... The financial crisis: who will help starving countries? Vlad Grinkevich | 01 Dec, 2008 In recent months, the financial crisis has pushed back the food crisis, which had dominated the headlines for the past 18 months. But falling prices and corporate bankruptcies cannot hide an appalling fact - if not starvation, a shortage of food looms large in the future.    Read more.... Ride the storm in a downturn Writuparna Kakati | 27 Nov, 2008 These are challenging times for businesses. The world economy is in turmoil and its impact is being witnessed in industries worldwide.     Read more.... A new financial order needed to prevent future crises Ashok Handoo | 26 Nov, 2008 The adverse impact of global financial crisis on developed as well as emerging economies the world over notwithstanding, India is confident    Read more.... Business strategy fundamentals Tom Wheelwright | 25 Nov, 2008 Over the years, I have met and worked with literally hundreds of business owners. At one time or....    Read more.... Recession proof your business, beat the downturn Writuparna Kakati | 21 Nov, 2008 These days, looking out the window is not pleasant. There's such a heavy storm and thunder outside. Bailouts, bankruptcies, equity market volatility, job cuts, cash flow pressure.... the speed of recent movements in the world economy has ebbed the confidence of everyone.     Read more.... Will G20 take us out of the woods? Andrei Fedyashin | 20 Nov, 2008 The Washington summit of the Group of 20 (G20) industrialised and emerging economies last week arrived at a general agreement on how to cooperate in key areas to strengthen economic growth, deal with the financial crisis, and to avoid similar crises in the future.    Read more.... Critical leadership skills for a recessionary economy Michael Larsen | 19 Nov, 2008 Whether or not we are in a recession depends on your perspective, but, more and more people feel that we are. Why are some people totally unaffected by the downturn and others devastated? As strange as this may sound    Read more.... Getting the marketing groove Megan Tough | 17 Nov, 2008 Wouldn’t it be great to have a year where your marketing efforts were streamlined and got the results you were after? None of us want to struggle with marketing, and yet this is the one topic that continues to be highest in the minds    Read more.... India set to meet the global financial challenge Ashok Handoo | 14 Nov, 2008 When the Asian Financial crisis hit the region in nineties, India was among the very few countries that escaped its wrath.    Read more.... Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for exporters Staff Reporter | 08 Nov, 2008 Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) is the facility provided to exporters for submitting the licence fee through the Internet without visiting the bank for the payment.    Read more.... Indian Economy can overcome global crisis S. Sethuraman | 07 Nov, 2008 India has taken an array of monetary and fiscal measures, in quick succession, to contain inflationary pressures - with the annual rate already moderating from around 13 per cent in August to 10.72 per cent by the end of October    Read more.... Recessionary trends in world economy and its impact on Indian exports Ganesh Kumar Gupta | 06 Nov, 2008 The World economy is in turmoil and its impact is being witnessed by all countries around globe with varying degree.     Read more.... Economy not so bleak, but needs balancing act Sushma Ramachandran | 04 Nov, 2008 The economy seems to be looking up since last week with some positive gains for stock markets and moderation in inflation, giving the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sufficient confidence to take more steps to infuse liquidity into the system.    Read more.... Logistic management: A smart way to reduce cost and increase efficiency Writuparna Kakati | 01 Nov, 2008 Logistics or 'physical distribution' refers to the art of managing the flow of products or material from producer or supplier to the customer or user and is thus concerned with creation of time and place utility.     Read more.... The discipline of innovation P. J. Germain | 31 Oct, 2008 In the hyper competition for breakthrough solutions, managers worry too much about characteristics and personality: Am I smart enough? Do I have the right temperament? - and not enough about the process. A commitment to the systematic search for imaginative and useful ideas is what successful entrepreneurs share, not some special genius or trait. What is more, entrepreneurship can occur in a business of any size or age because, at heart, it has to do with a certain kind of activity: innovation, the disciplined effort to improve the potential of a business.    Read more.... What to do - after the business start-up Donald Yates | 30 Oct, 2008 Small business owners have to think ahead. Now that you are a small business owner – what next?    Read more.... Dealing with inflation and liquidity crunch Ashok Handoo | 27 Oct, 2008 If dealing with the monster of inflation was the top priority until a fortnight ago, it is the financial crisis and the consequent liquidity crunch which has taken the top slot today.    Read more.... Trans LoC trade opens up new vistas of economic progress Mohd. Yousuf Ganaie | 27 Oct, 2008 The much awaited trade relations between the two parts of Jammu & Kashmir resumed after 61 years as 13 one tonne load carriers dressed tastefully crossed the Kaman Post Bridge near LoC.    Read more.... Green business - the way forward for SMEs Writuparna Kakati | 25 Oct, 2008 The environment trend has been around and it is the best time for our SMEs to go green...    Read more.... Why the global recession is also an opportunity for India Prasanto K. Roy | 21 Oct, 2008 The near recession in the US and the global meltdown will, of course, have its impact on India's high-tech industry, as it is one of     Read more.... 10 steps when you need help in your business Martin Haworth | 20 Oct, 2008 Sometimes you have to wing it. So, if you take as much care as is practical, you can take a few risks with those who you have to help you. So don't be afraid to give more responsibility to one of your team, especially if they show promise - give them the opportunity, support and your confidence and often they will deliver way beyond what you expect.    Read more.... Increase your market share to break the back of the beast Writuparna Kakati | 17 Oct, 2008 In the last few months, businesses have heard more bad news than good. Rocketing inflation.....    Read more.... Source for Change - SME with a difference Namrata Kath Hazarika | 15 Oct, 2008 The BPO industry is now working to reach out to the domestic rural areas to provide a good platform to the locals for business networking.    Read more.... Manage your inventory effectively: Avoid stock-outs and overstock Writuparna Kakati | 13 Oct, 2008 The twenty-first century business environment is characterized by fierce competition, rampant change and rapid pace. With globalization, the world has changed into a single market - opportunities has been multiplied and global sourcing of materials has become a common trend even in the SME    Read more.... India weighing political impact of tough economic decisions Sushma Ramachandran | 13 Oct, 2008 The tsunami like financial crisis engulfing the globe has flooded India as well, virtually drowning the stock and currency markets.    Read more.... China's 30 years of reform and opening up Wu Qi | 10 Oct, 2008 This autumn was a season of revelry and national pride for the Chinese. Still basking in the glory of spectacular summer Olympics in August, the whole nation had something else to celebrate as its astronaut became the first Chinese to perform a space walk.    Read more.... Increase your business success through smart planning Rosemary Hossenlopp | 07 Oct, 2008 Do you dream about actually having a weekend off? You get time back into your schedule when you are SMART. No, this isn't about intelligence.     Read more.... Inside the financial tsunami: what brought it on? Arjun Sen | 06 Oct, 2008 The financial tsunami now inundating global economies and markets was brought on by imprudent easing of US lending norms and extreme over-leveraging by giant US investment banks, analysts say.    Read more.... Youngistan to drive India's economy Neena Bhandari | 29 Sep, 2008 As the Indian young generation of consumers go all out to seek new experiences, modern retail is well on its way to becoming the key driver of the country's economy.    Read more.... The myth of exceeding customer expectations Paul McCord | 27 Sep, 2008 The business world is filled with myths, some of which have become guiding principles for many businesses. One of the most nefarious of these myths is currently all the rage: exceeding the customer's expectations.    Read more.... Manufacturing innovation: Key to stand strong and apart Writuparna Kakati | 25 Sep, 2008 Today's businesses face a war; they have to beat their competitors, conquer the customers....    Read more.... Go global before globalization gets you Writuparna Kakati | 23 Sep, 2008 In the twenty-first century, the new global economy has changed the world of business in a profound and indelible manner and political landscape - everything has been changed - and business as well.     Read more.... European Union: A promising market for Indian handicraft exporters Writuparna Kakati | 19 Sep, 2008 Often considered as a cottage industry, the Indian handicraft industry has outgrown its image to evolve into one of the major contributor for export and foreign revenue generation. Today, it is the second largest employment-generating sector in the country providing employment to more than six million people.     Read more.... World economy on the precipice of disaster Jose Ignacio Ramonet | 17 Sep, 2008 For the first time in modern days, three major economic crises on financial, energy and food fronts have merged together, bringing world economy to the precipice of a disaster.     Read more.... Enthusiasm, energy and success: critical keys for providing excellent customer service P. J. Germain | 16 Sep, 2008 There are basically 5 different reasons why nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm.    Read more.... The marketing research challenge Kadence Buchanan | 13 Sep, 2008 Many firms, driven by a need to better communicate with their customers and other stakeholders................    Read more.... The Silk Road - A journey through history Rituparna Kakati | 11 Sep, 2008 The Silk Road created a 'global marketplace' for the first time in human history......    Read more.... Corporate branding strategy - the tips for branding success T. J. Madigan | 11 Sep, 2008 One important question for many businesses is what makes a corporate branding strategy successful? Whether a company is looking to create its own brand or to make it over, ensuring success is a top most goal.    Read more.... Advertising and marketing - corporate branding T. J. Madigan | 09 Sep, 2008 In the cutthroat world of business, every company is consistently vying for the interest and attention of consumers and constantly looking for ways to expand their market. This is the main reason why advertising and marketing corporate branding is a key factor in the success of any business entity.    Read more.... Mobile marketing - right tool for SMEs Sandy Baker | 01 Sep, 2008 Mobile marketing is an excellent way for SMEs to connect to their intended audience in an effective manner.    Read more.... Textile opportunities in Finland: An export snapshot Writuparna Kakati | 30 Aug, 2008 A few days back, I attended a conference on 'Export opportunities in the Nordic countries' and heard several of the speakers refer to Finland as one of the most successful countries in terms of development and productivity growth over the last couple decades.     Read more.... Are you skilled enough to start exporting Writuparna Kakati | 27 Aug, 2008 Operating an export business is exciting, adventurous, and financially rewarding. At the same time, it is full of challenges and risks. But if you are successfully operating your business in your own country, there is no reason why you could not enter into the challenging but must lucrative world of export business.     Read more.... Understanding the importance of marketing Joe Polish | 26 Aug, 2008 There's something that Dan Sullivan taught me, which is his way of looking at tools that you use every day. Think of it as three drawers. Since we're not visually able to draw a picture, picture a three-drawer, little cabinet. The top drawer is labeled "tool belt," and the middle drawer is labeled "tool box," and the third drawer, the bottom drawer, is labeled "tool shed."    Read more.... The curious case of India's oil policy Sushma Ramachandran | 25 Aug, 2008 India's petroleum policies are getting curiouser and curiouser. The latest report on the oil sector by former petroleum secretary B.K. Chaturvedi has proposed a phased raise in oil product prices so that eventually, domestic retail prices are brought on a par with international levels. This is surely an Alice in Wonderland proposal.    Read more.... How to break through your customer’s doubts Kaye Z. Marks | 23 Aug, 2008 Expert marketers and sales people know that product resistance is often part and parcel of selling your products and services. It may be because of a particular concern on the product that’s preventing your prospective customers to buy from you. Or it may also be that they’re hesitant on how effective it can be to their situation.    Read more.... Export strategy - a critical success factor for your export business Writuparna Kakati | 21 Aug, 2008 Your decision to start export operations may be prompted by a range of factors- to increase sales and profit, establish a broader customer base, responding to competition, utilizing excess capacity of your business, etc.    Read more.... Business background check - it pays to know someone else's business Matthew Bass | 19 Aug, 2008 So what is business background check really all about?     Read more.... How to drastically increase your sales Stephanie Gibbs | 18 Aug, 2008 Many times the only difference between closing a sale and being rejected is how one deals with one's customers.    Read more.... Children's wear market in the UK: An export snapshot Writuparna Kakati | 14 Aug, 2008 When Samantha Kline, a resident of the City of London, shops for her son, she always has a very specific look in mind: latest and unique fashion.    Read more.... Controlling inflation without hurting growth Ashok Handoo | 13 Aug, 2008 Has inflation peaked in India? Well, if the international credit rating agency Moody is to be believed it 'may have.'    Read more.... Dealing with tough, hesitant customers Kaye Z. Marks | 12 Aug, 2008 Expert marketers and salesmen know product resistance is often part and parcel of selling products.    Read more.... Negotiating effectively - pros and cons Robert Zangrilli | 11 Aug, 2008 Negotiating skills are a nonnegotiable requirement for success, but few people understand the techniques.     Read more.... RMG opportunities in Taiwan, the hidden jewel of Asia Writuparna Kakati | 09 Aug, 2008 Most Indian businesses fail to realise the potential in Taiwan when looking at markets in the region. They might go to Hong Kong or Singapore and see mainland China     Read more.... Doha trade talks fail, but developing South wins Sushma Ramachandran | 08 Aug, 2008 Headlines can be misleading! The media stories on the recent trade negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva had banners saying "Talks fail" or "Doha Round Collapses". These gave the impression that calamity had struck the prolonged negotiations among its 153 members. But the ground reality was quite different. The talks did fail, but it also had a great outcome, at least for India and all the other developing countries, given the state of play.    Read more.... Poland's RMG imports: Opportunity for Indian exporters Writuparna Kakati | 06 Aug, 2008 Lying at the geometric centre of Europe, Poland is a beautiful country surrounded by the Baltic Sea on the North and the Carpathian Mountains on the south. In the east, Poland ends at the River Bug while the Rivers Oder and Nysa Luzycka form the western border of the country.     Read more.... Sending a great first impression to customers Kaye Z. Marks | 05 Aug, 2008 If you are a businessperson, then you are a salesperson, no matter what your business is.    Read more.... Opportunities in Egyptian MMF textile sector: An export snapshot Writuparna Kakati | 02 Aug, 2008 For most of us Egypt stands for antiquity- a window to humanity's distant past, mankind's greatest glories, achievements and mistakes    Read more.... Argentine textile industry: An export snapshot Writuparna Kakati | 01 Aug, 2008 What is Argentina? "Batter that has not become a cake", says Gabriela Nouzeilles and Graciela R. Montaldo in their co-authored book 'The Argentina Reader: History, Culture, Politics'.     Read more.... Trust vote leads to a feel good factor Ashok Handoo | 30 Jul, 2008 The UPA Govt’s victory in the Parliament on the trust vote has sent a strong message to the country and the world that the Indian economy is destined to move forward, galloping, in the days ahead.    Read more.... Effective email marketing Lawrence & Andy | 25 Jul, 2008 Email marketing is quickly becoming one of the most popular forms of Internet advertising.    Read more.... Opportunity Italiana: An export snapshot of Italian RMG sector Writuparna Kakati | 22 Jul, 2008 A long peninsula shaped like a boot, Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a beautiful country, surrounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea    Read more.... Opportunities in the UK textile sector: An export snapshot Writuparna Kakati | 19 Jul, 2008 India has a diverse and rich textile tradition. It is the second largest producer of textile and clothing in the world with its products being exported to over 120 countries. Recent estimates indicate that the country's textile sector will grow faster in the coming years and contribute a lot to the our overall economy.     Read more.... 10 tips when you need help in your business Martin Haworth | 16 Jul, 2008 By ensuring that you have a great group of people around you, there will be more to fall back on when the going gets tough.    Read more.... Creating a business image that counts Barbara Gabogrecan | 15 Jul, 2008 Many things can contribute to creating the business image that you want and they should all be considered before you rush into having anything printed to promote your business.    Read more.... Ceramic sector in Bangladesh: opportunities unbound Writuparna Kakati | 15 Jul, 2008 Traditionally known for jute and tea exports, Bangladesh's entry in ceramic export market is not that old. But the rapid growth this industry has witnessed is extraordinary. In fact, a silent revolution has been taking shape in this sector for the last few years contributing a lot to the country's overall development.     Read more.... Nuclear power: an Indian perspective Dr. Anil Kakodkar | 14 Jul, 2008 Even as easier access to energy holds the key to bridge widening inequality, nuclear power can play an active role.    Read more.... No brakes in auto sales despite rising fuel price Writuparna Kakati | 12 Jul, 2008 Auto sales in India is at top gear despite all odds, and this time it surprises none.     Read more.... Cuba - the land of unexplored opportunities Writuparna Kakati | 10 Jul, 2008 When Che Guevara, the Argentine hero of the Cuban revolution visited India as a state guest with some Cuban officials, he expressed his interest in establishing economic relations with India.     Read more.... Atomic energy in India: a profile PIB Feature | 07 Jul, 2008 India entered the field of nuclear technology over four decades ago when it was just a fledgling science.    Read more.... Opportunities galore in Mexican software industry Writuparna Kakati | 05 Jul, 2008 Over the last few years, the Indian software industry has been growing at more than 30 per cent annually and expected to cross $40    Read more.... Exchange rate risk: Prevention the best way for SMEs SME Times Research Bureau | 03 Jul, 2008 Exchange rate risk is simply the risk to which businesses and investors are exposed to because changes in exchange rates may have an adverse effect on them. An exporter is likely to find its sales falling or its gross margin shrinking, or both when an appreciation occurs in its domestic currency. Therefore, fluctuation in exchange rate can impact a business, especially SMEs to a significant extent.     Read more.... Food processing sector - new era in Indian economy Vijaylaxmi Kasotia | 30 Jun, 2008 India has transformed itself from a country of shortages to a land of surpluses.    Read more.... Curbing inflation - too little, too late! Sushma Ramachandran | 27 Jun, 2008 With inflation touching 14-year high the big question being asked now is: Did UPA govt do too little too late?     Read more.... Internet: connecting people Esther Kar | 27 Jun, 2008 In its short life, Internet has become an agent of revolutionary change and is one of the fastest tools to promote and defend freedom and to facilitate democratic access to information and knowledge.    Read more.... SMEs to suffer most after RBI's key rate hike Writuparna Kakati | 26 Jun, 2008 Finally, the RBI has increased two key policy rates - the repo rate and the CRR. It is not an unexpected move; after the country's inflation rate reached a 13-year high of 11.05%, economists warned that the RBI might increase its key interest rates as the central bank did earlier this month.     Read more.... Further repo rate hike by RBI will prove fatal to SMEs Writuparna Kakati | 24 Jun, 2008 When the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) increased the repo rate earlier this month (in 11th June; from 7.75% to 8%), India's Finance Minister P.A. Chidambaram     Read more.... Why not be an entrepreneur? Manoj Gupta | 23 Jun, 2008 Small Scale Industries in India have a tremendous potential for turning our teeming millions into entrepreneurs.     Read more.... Doha Development Round: Seven years of failure and uncertainty Writuparna Kakati | 23 Jun, 2008 Now in its seventh year, the Doha round of talks seem making no headway. The WTO (World Trade Organisation) launched it in 2001 and since then the talks have been continually stricken by disagreements, particularly over agriculture.     Read more.... Investment Opportunities in India Gopal Krishna | 19 Jun, 2008 India which is the 2nd most populous country has tremendous opportunities of growth for foreign investors.    Read more.... Indian economy reeling under rising inflation Writuparna Kakati | 18 Jun, 2008 In November 11, 2006 when India's inflation reached 5.29 percent, economists termed it as 'ugly surprise'. Since then it is not so a long time and the nation's inflation has hit a seven-year high of 8.75 percent for the week ended May 31, 2008. The last higher figure was of 8.77 percent for the week ended Feb 10, 2001.    Read more.... Drop shipping: A smart way to do business Writuparna Kakati | 16 Jun, 2008 With the ubiquity and increasing popularity of the Internet technology, online virtual business has opened up a whole new world of opportunity to business entrepreneurs. Parallel to the advancement of this revolutionary technology which has turned the globe into a small village, new business concepts are emerging everyday.    Read more.... Japan- dream destination for Indian jewellery exporters Rituparna Kakati | 14 Jun, 2008 With a rich tradition and continuous legacy of jewellery making, the gems jewellery sector in India has been contributing immensely to the economy of the country. At present, this is one of the fastest growing industries accounting for nearly 20 per cent of total Indian exports. Almost 1.3 million people are engaged directly or indirectly in this field.     Read more.... 'Plus Size' market offers huge opportunities Anand Choudhary | 13 Jun, 2008 India has a very large and growing "Plus size" readymade garments' market.    Read more.... Auto sales in India: hurdling oil price hike, inflation led higher interest rates Writuparna Kakati | 12 Jun, 2008 While higher oil prices have started causing havoc far beyond the petrol pumps, the figures released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) are certainly going to surprise everyone. According the recent figures released by SIAM, India's automobile industry reported an 8.09 per cent rise in its overall vehicle sales in May, 2008. While the domestic passenger car sales registered a growth of 14.26 per cent total two-wheeler sales were up by 7 per cent in May this year.     Read more.... Risk management tips for SMEs Writuparna Kakati | 10 Jun, 2008 In any business, avoiding risks altogether is impossible. But risks can certainly be minimized by monitoring the exposure of a business to different risks and taking appropriate plan accordingly.     Read more.... Market research - key to success in export business Writuparna Kakati | 09 Jun, 2008 Market research is essential for any business to succeed; and while you are going to explore a totally unknown overseas market, it becomes essential- something without which we can never think of success in export business.    Read more.... Export planning- sail your business smart and easy Writuparna Kakati | 07 Jun, 2008 The world, in these days, is a smaller place; thanks to the way in which technology, globalization and export-import trade have changed our way of life. Today, everything is available everywhere- in shops or by order over the Internet.     Read more.... Sales and promotion in an overseas market Writuparna Kakati | 04 Jun, 2008 Effective sales and promotional activities play an important role in the success of any business. As international trade involves more challenges than doing business at the domestic level, careful planning in this field is essential for success. For any overseas market, you must have through knowledge of the customers you target, their requirements, and how to make them buy your products. In this article, our attempt is to offer you some basic idea about all these things.    Read more.... Skill development - need of the hour Anand Choudhary | 30 May, 2008 The transition towards a global economy based on the acquisition and application of knowledge as the driving force depends extensively on high levels of skills in the labour markets of nations.    Read more.... Opportunities galore in China's gems and jewellery market Writuparna Kakati | 29 May, 2008 In September 2005, India's Gems and Jewelry Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), sent a delegation to China to explore the possibilities in China's jewelry industry. The underlying intent was to look for opportunities, and to determine whether China is a potential market or a threat for Indian gems and jewelry industry.    Read more.... Export textile machinery and components to Bangladesh Writuparna Kakati | 19 May, 2008 A strong believer in trade alliances with its neighbouring countries, Bangladesh offers a range of opportunities for Indian SMEs from various sectors. A few decades back, Bangladesh was under military rule with virtually no private sector to speak of. Despite registering a growth of 57% in the Seventies immediately after Independence, and 29% in the eighties, Bangladesh, under the military rule, offered little business opportunities to Indian exporters .     Read more.... Business opportunities for Indian cos in China Writuparna Kakati | 18 May, 2008 Despite the fact that both India and China are competing each other for space in the global markets, there is huge potential in China which Indian companies can explore.    Read more.... Dip in industrial growth: time to change gears Sushma Ramachandran | 16 May, 2008 It's more bad news for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on the economic front, even as it looks forward to the general election in 2009. Industrial growth has dipped to a six-year-low of three percent in March this year. Coupled with raging inflation    Read more.... The growing retail landscape in India Anand Choudhary | 14 May, 2008 Liberalization of the Indian economy and rationalization of business procedures have already ensured a high economic growth with a rapidly expanding base for the manufacturing and high-end services sectors.    Read more.... Managing supplier in import business Writuparna Kakati | 14 May, 2008 In import business, you may face a number of problems arising from language differences, new payment methods, different paperwork requirements and plethora of rules and regulations.     Read more.... Supply Chain Management -can't do without one Writuparna Kakati | 13 May, 2008 'Supply chain management or SCM' - sounds just like a difficult jargon! But, is it really such a difficult concept? Give a closer look and you may find that SCM is instead something very easy to understand, and, of course, not so difficult a strategy to implement.     Read more.... Ideal communication policy for a small business Writuparna Kakati | 12 May, 2008 Resolving the problem of information flow is one of the most serious barriers of a growing SME. Upwards, downwards or sideways- all types of information flow is necessary in any business to keep the staff and customers motivated and clear about what is expected of them.     Read more.... Flow of export credit to the MSME sector need to be increased Anand Choudhary | 10 May, 2008 The SME sector contributes 39% to the country's manufacturing output and more than 34% to the country's exports, as per 2007 data of The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S).     Read more.... Manage employees skillfully, multiply your success Writuparna Kakati | 08 May, 2008 In any business, you need to manage employees and their work. Study has revealed that companies that invest properly in employee management and improvement strategies see significant returns. Managing and taking care of employees results in the employees taking better care of the customers, and that is the way a business can take care of itself.     Read more.... Minimal-risk rules in import Writuparna Kakati | 07 May, 2008 As a businessman, you face challenges everyday. From starting your business to promoting your products, from marketing your goods to exploring a new market- challenge is everywhere in the world of business. You cannot help but face them. In import business, the problems are much more complex, and when things go wrong, solving them can be more difficult and expensive.    Read more.... Slow growth of SMEs attributed to flooding of cheap foreign goods Anand Choudhary | 05 May, 2008 India is today emerging as a global player and is being wooed by the world. Its economy is on the fulcrum of an ever increasing growth curve.    Read more.... Dollar rises as Fed cuts borrowing cost Arun Goyal | 05 May, 2008 The dollar rose against the euro and traded near a two-month high versus the yen on speculation the Federal Reserve will signal that it's close to pausing after six interest-rate reductions.    Read more.... Get ready to grab great import opportunities Writuparna Kakati | 03 May, 2008 In import business, it is very important to find products which give your business a competitive edge. The products might be low priced supplies or totally different products from the available in the market, but what is important is to find out the best supplier and to negotiate the right deal.     Read more.... Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) - the road to a better tomorrow Anand Choudhary | 01 May, 2008 India is developing and when we think of impressive infrastructure facilities coming up in the country then we think about the Golden Quadrilateral, Delhi Metro, technology parks, new airports and the engineering prowess that has gone into it.    Read more.... Import business: an overview Writuparna Kakati | 01 May, 2008 Import business refers to bringing in goods or materials from a foreign country for trade or sale. If you are looking for entering into import business, you need to be very careful and consider some practicalities, such as how to get the goods, the legal requirements, financial issues and many more. In this article, you are going to find some most useful tips about import business.     Read more.... Value Added Tax (VAT): an overview Writuparna Kakati | 30 Apr, 2008 In this age of globalisation, international trade has been expanding at an amazing pace. With this expansion, coincided the global spread of Value Added Tax (VAT). At present, some 140 countries are using VAT as their primary or only consumption tax.     Read more.... Export business strategy - do you have one? Writuparna Kakati | 29 Apr, 2008 Proper planning is the core of any business activity; if you are going to enter into the most competitive world of export, it is, needless to say, an ultimate necessity. Marketing strategy involves selection of a target market, determination of the product price, promotion and distribution policies, marketing plan, and so on without which export business is like a ship without a sail.     Read more.... Writing the ideal business email! Writuparna Kakati | 28 Apr, 2008 Developing effective business emails are significantly different from informal emails. As one knows business people who receive emails want to know the point as quickly as possible.    Read more.... Select the right tactics to attract your customers Writuparna Kakati | 26 Apr, 2008 When developing a marketing strategy for your business, it is probably the toughest part to decide which marketing tactics are to choose from, which will produce the best results. The key to creating a successful marketing strategy lies in the perfect combination of various marketing tools, activities and business decisions.     Read more.... Make the best of the media for your business Writuparna Kakati | 24 Apr, 2008 Your business reputation, profitability, and even existence largely depend upon to what extent the targeted 'public' support your business goals and policies. Through public relations, you can disseminate information about your company and build up, sustain and manage the image you want to project to the public for your company.     Read more.... Staying ahead in business - know what your competitors are doing! Writuparna Kakati | 22 Apr, 2008 Why do you need to know the competitors in your business? Businesses exists in a competitive environment, and the competition may take take different forms. It may be over price, customer service, customization of products, or anything.    Read more.... Be a part of the e-business revolution Writuparna Kakati | 21 Apr, 2008 E-business refers to business done online. A few years ago the Internet was usually though as something not for the common people. But with the changing India, the Internet has become a hub of e-business in these days. E-business is today the up-to-date trend in the world of business, and it is most acclaimed because of some great benefits it offers.     Read more.... Common mistakes when starting a business Writuparna Kakati | 17 Apr, 2008 All business activities come under two broad categories - industry and commerce. When a business produces some goods, it is referred to an 'industry', and when it distributes, it comes under the 'commerce' domain.    Read more.... Different ways to enter into an overseas market Writuparna Kakati | 14 Apr, 2008 In export business, the way you choose to enter into an overseas market plays an important role in determining the success of your business. There are different ways, and which will be appropriate among them depends upon    Read more.... Online advertising - get more for a few rupees less! Writuparna Kakati | 12 Apr, 2008 If you are working on an ad campaign, try going online this time and save few bucks. Online advertising is broad and flexible in its reach and definitely cost-effective....SME Times tells you the advantages of online advertising.    Read more.... For Small and Medium Enterprises, sky is the limit Writuparna Kakati | 11 Apr, 2008 Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly in India, are the backbone of the nation's economy. They constitute the bulk of the industrial base and also contribute significantly to their exports as well as to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or Gross National Product (GNP).    Read more.... Service providers, write your own success story! Writuparna Kakati | 10 Apr, 2008 E-commerce has created a new plethora of opportunities, particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the service sector. Many firms today have successfully removed two major barriers in trade -- the need to travel for business development and the need to establish global credibility.    Read more.... Good Politics v/s Good Economics Rahul Katakey | 08 Apr, 2008 Held as a part of the CII Northern Region's Annual Regional Meeting, the session on "Convergence of Political Leadership and Economic Think Tank Critical to Leverage Northern Region’s Developmental Potential" included a very profound and lively discussion on the subject, “Good Polity & Sound    Read more.... India in for inflation spiral Arun Goyal | 08 Apr, 2008 India which is Asia's third-biggest economy expanded 9.6 percent in the financial year ended March 2007. The government estimates growth at 8.7 percent in the year, but export expansion slows.    Read more.... Key regulations in India relating to a company and its functioning Writuparna Kakati | 03 Apr, 2008 As an entrepreneur, you should have basic knowledge of the regulatory requirements of the country. It is necessary for the healthy functioning of a business organization. In India, the most important regulation which regulates all the affairs of a company is the Companies Act,1956.     Read more.... Design makes the difference in auto sector: Quement Staff Reporter | 14 Jan, 2008 Patrick le Quement is one of the leading design gurus of the world and feels India is of strategic importance. He is currently senior vice-president, corporate design of Renault Group.    Read more.... Delayering Staff Reporter   Read more.... Centralised Registration for Service Tax in Place Arun Goyal | 07 Nov, 2006 The Department of Revenue amended the Service Tax Rules 1994 on 3 November 2006 to simplify the procedure for service tax. A system of centralized registration for service taxpayers who provide services from multi-location is now in place.    Read more.... New Format of Excise Return for Large Tax Payers Arun Goyal | 31 Oct, 2006 Following the operationalisation of Large Tax Payers Unit (LTUs) from 1 October, the department of revenue issued a revised format of ER-1 and ER-3 returns for all central excise assessees on 12 October 2006.    Read more.... Green signal for large taxpayers to register for special treatment Arun Goyal | 17 Oct, 2006 The CBEC notified on 5 October the procedures for large taxpayers to register with special units in the metro cities to get special facilities like transfer of excess CENVAT credit between units by way of simple in house transfer challan.    Read more.... Investment floors and activity definitions to control SEZs released Arun Goyal | 10 Oct, 2006 Faced with the concerted attack on SEZs by the Left, the Commerce Ministry shifted into damage control mode. Commerce Minister Kamal Nath announced that an SEZ will come up only on barren land. The Board of Approvals meeting on 21 September has further said that a multi product SEZ must envisage a minimum investment of Rs 1,000 crores or show net worth of Rs 250 crores.    Read more.... New Bangkok Agreement notified with 464 items Arun Goyal | 12 Sep, 2006 The Department of Revenue notified a long list covering 464 items which are eligible for concessional duty when imported from the four Bangkok Agreement country set consisting of China, Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on 1 September.    Read more.... Meat export banned, only boneless varieties allowed Arun Goyal | 29 Aug, 2006 The DGFT has banned the export of primary forms of meat by a notification issued on 24 August.     Read more.... Three more excise holiday years to Uttaranchal, HP Units Arun Goyal | 22 Aug, 2006 The department of revenue was forced to give a three year extension to the excise holiday for new industrial units in the hill states of Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh.    Read more.... Anti dumping slap on Chinese POY Arun Goyal | 16 Aug, 2006 The Department of Revenue notified a stiff anti dumping duty of 48.6 cents per kilo (Rs 21.87 per kilo) on POY (partially oriented polyester yarn) imports from China on 2 August. Our calculations show that this works out to 45.4 percent on the average of CIF price of imports from China in the April-Dec 2005 data released by the DGCIS.    Read more.... Doha Round Suspended Indefinitely Deferred anti-dumping duty on leather shoes in EU on the anvil Arun Goyal | 08 Aug, 2006 The Doha Round of trade negotiations was put into deep freeze on 24 July, after a meeting of ministers from six key trading nations collapsed over divisions on how to cut farm subsidies and tariffs. Even though Lamy said that some potential compromise numbers were informally floated at the 14-hour long G-6 meeting on 23 July, the divisions on agriculture were so pronounced that industrial tariffs were not even directly addressed.    Read more.... Drawback rates raised with hike in value cap Arun Goyal | 18 Jul, 2006 The Department of Revenue has gone through a heart transplant.    Read more.... DEPB rates cut by one to two percent, exporters disappointed Arun Goyal | 11 Jul, 2006 The Director General of Foreign Trade released a new set of DEPB schedule on 03 July 2006.    Read more.... Zero duty on sugar for three months brings no relief to consumer Arun Goyal | 04 Jul, 2006 The Department of Revenue issued a notification on 23 June to implement the cabinet decision to allow import of sugar to bring the prices down.    Read more.... Target Plus reward cut to 5% with retrospective effect Arun Goyal | 20 Jun, 2006 The entitlement on exports under the Target Plus scheme in this financial year ending 31 March, that is year 2005-2006 will now be cut to a uniform five percent on the growth.     Read more.... New UCP 600 rules from October 2006 Arun Goyal | 30 May, 2006 UCP 600 the successor to the UCP 500 which governs the working of Letters of Credit (Documentary Credit) is likely to be ready for implementation after the final voting in Paris at the ICC Banking Commission meeting on 24-25 October 2006.    Read more.... Gram Udyog Products for 5% Incentive Notified Arun Goyal | 23 May, 2006 The Directorate General of Foreign Trade released the details of Gram Udyog (GU- Village Industry) portion of the VKGUY (Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana - Special Agriculture and Village Industry Scheme).    Read more.... New DFIA Scheme takes off with issue of customs notification Arun Goyal | 09 May, 2006 The Customs finally released the notification for the new Duty Free Import Authorization (DFIA) scheme announced in the April 2006 Foreign Trade Policy.    Read more.... Metal scrap gets one month respite from new supplier registration Arun Goyal | 02 May, 2006 The metal scrap importers have got one month’s breathing space to meet past commitments under the Public Notice issued on 28 April 2006.    Read more.... Supplier registration introduced for metal scrap import Arun Goyal | 12 Apr, 2006 The Foreign Trade Policy released by the Commerce Minister Kamal Nath on 7 April, 2006 has disappointed trade.     Read more.... EU Slaps Anti-dumping Duty of 19.4% Chinese Shoes, Big opportunity for India Arun Goyal | 04 Apr, 2006 Beginning on April 7, the duties on leather shoes will rise progressively from four percent over five months to 16.8% on imports from Vietnam and 19.4% for those from China.    Read more.... Penn G under Anti-dumping Scrutiny Arun Goyal | 21 Mar, 2006 The designated authority in the department of commerce launched an investigation into the dumping of Penn G by China on 16 January.    Read more.... Special CVD restored on cell phones, computer parts Arun Goyal | 14 Mar, 2006 The department of revenue moved swiftly on 06 March to restore the four percent countervailing vat/sales tax duty (known as special cvd in customs parlance) on mobile phones and computer parts by a notification issued on 6 March.    Read more.... Universal special CVD raises special problems Academy of Business Studies | 07 Mar, 2006 SAD, the special additional duty, fathered by Yashwant Sinha in 1998 and then killed by his successor Jaswant Singh was born again under P Chidambaram on 1 March 2006.    Read more.... 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