Cover Story
- SRK isn't just a superstar on the silver screen. He's poised to rub shoulders with the best of India Inc by scaling up an empire that extends from film-making to visual effects to cricket.See pics-->
- After a disastrous flirtation with corporatisation in the mid-'90s, Amitabh Bachchan has more to show for his efforts in his second wind.
- Films are his bread and butter, and endorsements his jam. Aamir Khan, in contrast to SRK, has fewer irons in the fire but he's as effective.
- Shah Rukh Khan smilingly admits that punctuality is not one of his virtues, having made us wait five hours for the first interview.
Leaderspeak
The leadership lesson I remember bestDon't go crazy during the good times, and neither become despondent during a downturn. How to increase focus at work
Lack of attention can hurt your health and career alike. Livescribe Pulse Pen captures what you are writing (a nifty sensor near the nib does the trick) and stores it in its 2 GB memory. Is Jaisalmer, the Golden City situated in Rajasthan's Thar Desert, in danger? Perhaps, if you believe ‘Threatened Wonders 2010' list compiled by UK's travel magazine Wanderlust. Spirited moves
What do Diageo, Moot Hennessy, Foster's, Red Bull and Carlsberg have in common in India? All these companies had Pradeep Gidwani, 45, play a role in setting them up. "You must be a top player in your business segments"
Abhi Talwalkar, President and CEO, California-based LSI Corp, has steered the chipmaker in a different direction by refocussing on semiconductor solutions for networking devices.FTA stimulus for Indo-ASEAN trade
India's foreign trade is set to see a big jump with its free trade agreement (FTA) with ASEAN, the world's largest and covering a market of almost 1.8 billion consumers, coming into effect from January 1, 2010. Does the access and speed of Internet has a correlation with economic prosperity? The latest state of the Internet report by Akamai Technologies, Inc. seems to suggest so. That's not because people in rich countries simply buy faster Net connections-it has something to do with the policies that actively promote building superior broadband infrastructure, given its incalculable economic benefits. "I'd rather be a really good one-term President than a mediocre two-term President"— Barack Obama, US President, to ABC NewsWho should consume, who should invest
The West wants Asia to consume more. That, however, may not be the best strategy for a growth-seeking region, argues HDFC Bank MD Aditya Puri. The cost cuts effected in the face of economic meltdown have led to a complete overhaul of cost structures in several companies. Law Minister Veerappa Moily has now queered the pitch by asserting that the Department of Telecommunications could not sell something it did not own. Global demand, the most significant economic indicator, was the first casualty of the economic downturn that had spread out of the US to the world in September 2008.Packaging, the fifth P of marketing
Packaging is the latest area that is seeing a raft of patent registrations by corporate India. The Electronics City Elevated Expressway in Bangalore has been opened to public. As Avatar keeps smashing one box-office record after another, its writer-director James Cameron has become an industry in himself-at least in the size of his financial achievements. There has been a spurt in trading volumes on currency futures contracts on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX-SX).Dragon drives into the Indian auto components market
At the recently concluded Auto Expo in Delhi, Chinese components makers were out in force with a 100-plus exhibitors taking up 5,000 square metres of display space."We plan to open 100 hotels in India"
Hilton Group, the fourth-biggest hotel chain by rooms, has embarked on an ambitious plan to scale up operations in India.Reality check of India's state of green
It takes more than nature's endowments to remain sustainable shows a new study on Indian states' green performance. Making of an Indian MNC
A unique business model is helping TVS Logistics clock the fastest growth in the industry and spread operations across the world. Dismantle Licence Raj in higher education
In India, a Licence Raj approach has ensured a capacity constraint which artificially magnifies the value of becoming a university... You increase the supply and this value disappears.Make takeover code M and A-friendly
The Takeover Code should be amended with the objective of removing ambiguities and ensuring that its provisions reflect the best practices adopted globally.Failures make a businessman, success makes a star
No one allows a big star to make mistakes or to fail. Whereas business is actually a series of successes and failures. The skill lies in quickly setting your failures right. The IPL's revenues are booming but with some higher costs up ahead, its challenge will be to sustain its early advantage with innovative marketing and targeting of new audiences.How to drive private sector into solar power
The entry barrier of huge capital costs— people forget running costs are virtually negligible—can be addressed by innovative financial structuring. Young mentors at Nokia
As the telecom giant transforms itself from a devices company to one that provides complete mobile solutions, its top management learns vital lessons through "reverse mentoring". Radio roadies
In under three years, a whole new industry has been born, that of radio taxis. And in 2010, you'll be seeing a lot more of them on the road. Microfinance institutions are finding new avenues to raise funds. But are they enough to allow the poor to borrow at lower rates? MTV converts its "viewers" into "users" by transforming its programming and, therefore, its business model. IPL spelt big bucks right from its birth. But in 2010, the league has taken a big leap forward and the business is set to explode by the time IPL 4 comes around. PricewaterhouseCoopers faces its toughest test in its 138 years in India—partners pulling away as it builds back its cred. Here's how it is at the inner circle of India's top audit firm.PwC can bite the bullet, like it did in Japan
The lessons are clear: PwC will not hesitate in suspending, dropping or replacing a member firm in its network. After several deaths and rebirths, disinvestment is back as a big-ticket reform. And the timing is good—it's the only reform that can stimulate demand without straining the fiscal deficit. Sky-high capacity targets and lollipop tariffs may spur investor frenzy in the nascent solar energy business. "Multi-family offices" are busy grabbing clients as super-rich families depart from private and priority banking to get a more personalised (and hassle-free) way to grow and protect wealth. Choose the right 80C option
The various tax-saving instruments can fulfil all your financial objectives if selected with care."The mandate of your ELSS fund should match your risk appetite"
This year will be more volatile for equity investments and will depend on how the Budget, monsoons, etc., pan out. BT-Ernst and Young deal watch
Himadri Chemicals and Industries' preferential allotment of equity shares to private equity firm Bain Capital for some Rs 590 crore will help the Kolkata company to grow its business. How much should an executive make?
As the US takes a hard look at top executive pay packages, does India Inc., too, need to introspect? Two views from experts.
Entering uncharted waters
Harrisons Malayalam is transforming from a pure play plantation company to an FMCG player in search of growth. Can it succeed in making this sea change?
Map me this
Google and Nokia have both made free turn-by-turn navigation applications on mobile devices. Are they any good? Keeping Employees Happy
The Best Companies to Work For (BT cover, Feb. 7) offers the perfect playbook to keep employees engaged and committed. Not very clever?
The authors make an honest attempt to explain how companies should manage their most gifted and intelligent people. However, the book falls short on several counts. 
