Knowledge@Wharton

Finding Success for Indian Business Books Lacking a Western Touch

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:45:39 EST

Professors of Indian origin teaching at Western business schools have had notable success in penning books about India. Books including C.K. Pralahad's The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid and Tarun Khanna's Winning in Emerging Markets: A Roadmap for Strategy and Execution have built significant followings among Indian readers. But many Indian writers from the nation's own premier business schools have yet to see their books catch on, barely managing to sell a few thousand copies. One explanation, experts note, is that the professors don't practice what they teach -- marketing.

Can New Delivery Models Help Fix India's Health Care Woes?

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:30:25 EST

The statistics tell a stark tale: India's population is 1.2 billion and growing. The country has a GDP of US$1.85 trillion but health care spending is only about 5% of that. India's nine hospital beds per 10,000 people are far from adequate. Although much attention is focused on infectious diseases like malaria or HIV, incidences of chronic or "lifestyle" ailments such as diabetes and heart disease are growing. At the recent Wharton India Economic Forum held in Philadelphia, a panel of experts discussed various models for the country to capitalize on its own innovation and expertise to deliver affordable care to those most in need.

Physical Education and Sports Make Inroads in India's Schools

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:00:50 EST

A new chapter is unfolding in Indian schools. As administrators and parents realize the importance of sports in academia, entrepreneurs are pitching in to offer professionally managed sports and physical education programs. Experts tell India Knowledge@Wharton that this trend is in keeping with India's economic growth, but caution that schools need to sharply monitor outsourced sporting activities.

Film Personality Boman Irani: 'An Actor Has to Feel Unfulfilled'

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:06:00 EST

Film and theater actor Boman Irani was introduced to cinema at a very young age. But he took a meandering path to becoming an actor. His first job was working as a waiter. He then sold burritos at the family store, and later became a photographer. Getting into acting was almost an accident. Today, with more than 60 films under his belt including hits such as Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and 3 Idiots, Irani has also forayed into television. The problem with Indian cinema, he notes in this interview with Wharton professor Kartik Hosanagar, is that there is a lack of good scripts.

Entrepreneurs Meena and K. Ganesh: Looking for the Next Disruptive Business Model

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:10:24 EST

Meena and K. Ganesh are India's best-known entrepreneur couple. Over the past two decades, between them they have built and exited four successful ventures at a total valuation of US$300 million. Currently strategic investors in five e-commerce start-ups, the couple is also contemplating a new venture in retail health care delivery. In an interview with India Knowledge@Wharton, the duo said that they are "looking for the next disruptive model using technology and the Internet."

Luxury Resurfaces in India, Cutting a Wider Swathe

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:40:19 EST

Branded luxury has always existed in India. The fashion houses of Europe had regular customers in the many hundreds of princes and princelings of British India. Independence brought austerity and a socialist mindset. Today, however, with newfound prosperity – even in the rural heartland – luxury is making a quiet comeback.

Numbers Mask Changes in India's Media and Entertainment Industries

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:16:18 EST

Strength in numbers was the focus of this year's FRAMES conference, an annual event focusing on India's media and entertainment sector. Panelists at the conference, which is organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), noted that as the second most populous country in the world, India boasts a potential audience for projects behind only China in terms of size. But amid the salivating over the market's potential, there was also talk of other trends -- such as the entry of big business into the media sector -- that could have significant impact.

MokshaYug Access: Providing Opportunities and Income for India's Rural Poor

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:42:24 EST

India is the largest producer of milk in the world, but its yield per cow is extremely low. MokshaYug Access (MYA), a Bangalore-based rural supply chain solutions company, is educating farmers on best practices in dairy farming and animal husbandry, and helping them to increase the yield, as well as improve the quality of milk. With deep farmer engagement, a strong R&D focus and market access, MYA leadership say they can provide income certainty for the rural poor. Experts tell India Knowledge@Wharton that MYA could be a new role model for the dairy segment.

Philanthropy in India Is Taking Its Own Route

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:20:52 EST

Philanthropy is the flavor of the month in India: Wipro chairman Azim Premji recently became the first person in the country to sign up for the Giving Pledge, a commitment by the world's richest people to dedicate the majority of their wealth to charity. P.N.C. Menon, founder of the Sobha group, has promised to devote half of his fortune to philanthropic efforts. In Mumbai, the Dasra Philanthropic Week brought together some key players to discuss the roadmap ahead for charitable giving in the nation. Among the key themes that emerged was the realization that philanthropy in India must go its own way.

MyndGenie: Taking Mental Fitness to the Masses

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:45:45 EST

MyndGenie, a Bangalore-based start-up, is offering phone-based coaching for mental fitness. Its objective is to make the techniques of behavioral sciences simple, accessible and affordable enough to be offered as a consumer service. But, in a country where any coaching to do with the mind has an element of stigma attached to it and is viewed with suspicion, can MyndGenie weave its magic? Experts tell India Knowledge@Wharton that MyndGenie's biggest challenge is in articulating its value proposition and breaking through this mindset.

India's Union Budget Steps on Foreign Investors' Toes -- Again

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:25:03 EST

India's Union Budget last year carried a seemingly innocuous reference to tax avoidance, which spooked many foreign investors. Now, a different finance minister, P. Chidambaram, has done it again. The response to the budget was overshadowed by a reference to tax residency norms, causing markets to fall as foreign investors thought they were being targeted. The government later clarified that there was no such intention. But was there a message between the lines? Is Chidambaram telling foreign investors that they can't take India for granted?

Is India Wooing the Wrong Dollar-surplus Segments?

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:17:17 EST

India needs dollars; the country has to pay a huge oil import bill every year. The nation's merchant exports are not adequate in the absence of a strong "Made in India" image. Foreign direct investment, money pumped into the markets by foreign institutional investors, and remittances by non-resident Indians are all being targeted. But are the government's priorities misplaced?

Can India Harness Its Knowledge Capital Despite Its Scale and Complexity?

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:43:17 EST

At a recent conference in New Delhi, speakers reiterated that the ability of a nation to use its knowledge capital would be a key factor in determining its success. Given India's demography -- more than half its population is below the age of 25 -- harnessing its knowledge capital assumes even greater significance not just for the country but also for the world. However, India's problem is its size and complexity, experts say.

Mobile Medical Vans: Overcoming India's Last-mile Health Care Challenges

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:19:43 EST

Some 700 million people live in India's 636,000 villages, which have only 23,000 primary health care centers among them. The Wockhardt Foundation has started Mobile 1000, an initiative to provide free primary health care to remote regions in rural India using mobile medical vans. So far, it's working. But can it be scaled up?

Carmakers Turn to Expats to Steer Their Business in India

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:00:17 EST

Most multinationals hire an Indian executive to head their business in India. Their logic is simple: India is a complex market, and locals know best how to navigate its many twists and turns. So why is the automotive sector on a different track? Why do most carmakers bring in expats to steer their operations in India?

Corruption in India: Multinationals Join the Accused

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:08:56 EST

India has been beset by a number of big-ticket corruption cases in recent times. The scandals have so far largely involved politicians and local companies. Now several multinationals are coming under scrutiny, though the magnitude and the issues are quite different. Is it just an attempt to divert attention from the real scams or is corruption a way of doing business in India?

Family Physicians Make a Comeback in India

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:41:12 EST

Primary health care in India has been a rather neglected sector, suffering from poor quality and low service levels in many areas. As a result, patients tend to go to large hospitals for even the most basic health care needs, a practice that leads to unnecessary medical interventions and also higher medical spending. A new breed of entrepreneurs is now looking to revive the concept of the family physician in the country. The biggest challenge they face is attracting good doctors and the ability to scale their operations.

India's Aspiring Banks Line up for Licenses

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:06:44 EST

The Indian government and industry want more banks. So far, the regulator that authorizes the creation of new financial institutions -- the Reserve Bank of India -- has resisted the move. Recent changes in statute have left it with no reason to object, however, and the agency will issue new licenses soon. Still, no one expects more than a handful of aspirants to get the green light.

India's Demographic Dividend: Asset or Liability?

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:30:17 EST

India is getting younger as the rest of the world is graying. By 2020, the average Indian will be only 29 years of age, compared with 37 in China and the U.S., 45 in Western Europe, and 48 in Japan. This means an increase in the working-age ratio and a "demographic dividend." But, as a recent panel discussion held at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for the Advanced Study of India pointed out, the big challenge is getting these young people ready for the modern job market.

India Learns the Value of the Chief Learning Officer

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:46:44 EST

Today more than ever before, organizations are facing learning and development challenges among their staffs. For emerging economies like India, the role of the chief learning officer (CLO) is becoming more critical as organizations struggle to keep pace with change in their new global environments. At the same time, annual CLO events are becoming richer in their diversity. India Knowledge@Wharton reports on the latest meeting, held in Mumbai recently.