E-mentors

I will highlight some important things that I could pick from the e-mentors sent by one of our professors here:-

Comscore recently published the growth in Internet audience for Asia Pacific region, with India registering highest growth for the first time. According to the figures, India stands 3rd after China and Japan in the total number of Internet Audience.

A.T Kearney in their report, “Growth Opportunities for Global Retailers” has ranked India at No.1 position consecutively for the second year. The report sees Indian retail Industry to grow exponentially over next few years. The ranking has been done for 30 upcoming global economies. It is based on 4 broad categories namely - Country Risk, Market Attractiveness, Market Saturation and Time pressure for a new entrant to start retail business. India, as per the report, ranks highly on Market saturation and time pressure as compared to China and Russia. The aggregated score for India stands at 92, followed by Russia at 89 and China with 86.

Indian Automotive Sector: At present there are 15 manufacturers of passenger cars, 9 manufacturers of commercial vehicles, 14 of 2/3 wheelers and 14 of tractors besides 5 manufacturers of engines. The industry has an investment of more than Rs.50, 000 crore in 2002-03 which is slated to go up to Rs. 80,000 crore by this year end. The Indian automotive industry has already attained a turnover of Rs.1, 65,000 crore ($34 billion USD). The contribution of the automotive industry to GDP has risen from 2.77% in 1992- 93 to 5% in 2005-06. The auto companies have a manufacturing capacity of over 95 vehicles per annum.

Here is the Vision statement for Indian Automotive sector by Indian government
To emerge as the destination of choice in the world for design and manufacture of automobiles and auto components with output reaching a level of US$ 145 billion accounting for more than 10% of the GDP and providing additional employment to 25 million people by 2016

Reforms India needs to implement to achieve its 2050 vision:
o Improve governance
o Raise educational achievement
o Increase quality and quantity of universities
o Control inflation
o Introduce a credible fiscal policy
o Liberalize financial markets
o Increase trade with neighbours
o Increase agricultural productivity
o Improve infrastructure
o Improve Environmental Quality

10 facts about Indian middle class
1. An average family of 4.3 people lives typically in a 900sf apartment; 71% own properties, but only 9% have a mortgage
2. 19% own cars, 100% of households have TVs, 91% have mobile phones and 20% have credit cards
3. Household savings are low at 13% of annual income; mainly to meet emergency needs, healthcare and education costs.
4. Risk aversion is high: 84% have not taken loans, only 11% have invested in equities (this is changing fast)
5. Land and properties account for 51% of wealth, with 30% in cash and deposits
6. Half of households have seen their income rise in the past 12 months, of which one-third saw income rise more than 20%
7. 63% of respondents expect their income to increase in the next 12 months
8. Slightly more than half say governance has worsened in the past 10 years; improving the economy and reducing corruption are seen as top priorities for the government.
9. Children’s future and education a key concern and priority; other major concerns are rising prices and medical costs
10. Very high aspirations for children with 43% wanting their kids to get a master’s degree and 29% a doctorate

Indian Television Industry
The Indian entertainment Industry is bubbling. With broadband making in-roads in Indian homes, the line between a Television Set and home computer is decreasing. With launching of various Indian channels on You tube and Hindi movies getting released purely on the internet, we are taking a leap forward in every way possible. And we have not yet even seen the power of IPTV.
• First and foremost is, The Reliance – Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group (ADAG), who are widening its foray into media and entertainment sector with announcement of more than a dozen channels in Entertainment and Non-Entertainment space.
• UTV Software Communications is planning to launch a news channel soon, having launched a youth channel last month. It has plans to launch multiple channels in different languages
• INX Media will launch 12 channels in entertainment and news
• TV18 and Viacom’s joint venture Viacom18 will roll out a Hindi entertainment channel in addition to several niche channels
• BAG Films & Media is planning entertainment and lifestyle channels NDTV has announced a few non-news channels

Dairy major Amul, Life Insurance Corporation of India and mobile manufacturer Nokia have emerged as India’s top three brands according to Asia’s Top 1000 Brands, a survey conducted by Media, an advertising and marketing publication. Nokia, the global mobile handset maker as also been judged as the leading brand across Asia.

Reebok announced sometime back that they are setting up the largest retail store of Reebok Worldwide in Hyderabad, India. Taking retail to new heights, Reebok’s new store offers the finest shopping ambience to customers with products displayed by categories such as ‘Running’, ‘Walking’, ‘Aerobics’, ‘Tennis’, ‘Cricket’ and ‘Lifestyle’, to help customers make better purchase decisions. Built across 2 floors with individual customized sections for fitness, sports, lifestyle etc, the store offers a world class shopping experience. It’s the only single brand store with an escalator built inside the store with two floor high glass wall carrying footwear, built in a circular fashion around it. So it’s literally a ride through a maze of footwear, giving you a complete sense of the brand coupled with an over whelming sense of stylized shopping and delight of choice. With the focus on service and exceptional ambience paramount to Reebok’s objective to providing an experiential shopping experience, the newly opened Reebok store promises to offer a larger-than-life feel to the customers.