Cover Story
- Take a look at eight global case studies that promise to spark dozens of ideas for Indian businesses.CASE STUDIES: Ford | Toyota | GE | Cemex | Toshiba-UPS | Burberry | Hollard-PEP | Safaricom
- The authors of Monitor's analysis explain their choice of case studies and the lessons to be learnt from them.
- Ford added a host of pioneering digital features to improve consumer experience in its efforts to innovate and maintain its market leadership. MORE CASE STUDIES ON INNOVATION: Ford | Toyota | GE | Cemex | Toshiba-UPS | Burberry | Safaricom
- Toyota emerges as as an example of a global company regaining its glory with its innovative ideas. Its consumer-centric innovation helped in establishing connect with young consumers.OTHER CASE STUDIES: Ford | Burberry | GE | Toshiba-UPS | Hollard-PEP | Safaricom
- GE realised that it was operating in a world where environmental issues are right in the centre of all its key stakeholders' agendas. Rather than perceiving it as a threat, GE saw it as a potential and innovated its business in a way that was committed to clean energy.MORE CASE STUDIES ON INNOVATION: Ford | Toyota | Cemex | Toshiba-UPS | Burberry | Safaricom
- Mexican cement giant Cemex grew its profits and enlarged its market by helping the poor to help themselves. The cement manufacturer studied the savings and credit habits of the poor to formulate a novel scheme of financing.OTHER CASE STUDIES: Ford | Toyota | GE | Toshiba-UPS | Burberry | Hollard-PEP | Safaricom
- The partnership with UPS enabled Toshiba to drastically speed up its laptop repair service and benefitted both companies.
- The traditional British clothing brand decided to gain a competitive edge by focusing on providing an enhanced customer experience - combining British fashion designs and in-shop boutique displays, with cutting-edge technology.OTHER CASE STUDIES: Ford | Toyota | GE | Toshiba-UPS | Hollard-PEP | Safaricom
- In many parts of Africa, there is a tradition of holding elaborate and expensive funerals, the costs of which are typically prohibitive for the vast majority. Hollard, a South African insurance firm, teamed up with retail giant PEP to provide insurance for typically expensive funerals.MORE CASE STUDIES ON INNOVATION: Ford | Toyota | GE | Cemex | Toshiba-UPS | Burberry | Safaricom
- Safaricom's initiative, enabling Kenyans to transfer money safely using mobile phones, has proved hugely popular.
Spunkier and more vibrant clothing for winter
As the days turn shorter and the nights grow long, fashion fights back with a vengeance and emerges bolder, spunkier and more vibrant than before.Explore Champagne and return intoxicated
Champagne may not be on your travel itinerary but give the home of bubbly a chance and return intoxicated.Tracing cultural diversity through drinking cultures
Swigging malts like the Scots or guzzling beer with the Danes, let's trace cultural diversity through drinking cultures.George Calombaris spills the beans on food, family, inspiration and his journey
George Calombaris, published author, one of the most celebrated and influential chefs in the world, and judge on Masterchef Australia; spills the beans on food, family, inspiration and his journey.All-new business class on the Turkish Airlines A330-300 from Delhi to Istanbul
The all-new business class on the Turkish Airlines A330-300 from Delhi to Istanbul.Check the desirability quotient of new products in the market
Camera makers Lytro recently unveiled a new model that allows you to adjust the focus on your photos after you've take them.Upcoming events in December and place to visit
With a presence in more than 60 countries, the Carlson Group's Radisson chain of hotels has made its American debut in the Windy City.The legendary Royal Enfield has been redesigned and upgraded
The legendary Royal Enfield has been redesigned and upgraded. We take it for a spin on the dunes outside Jaisalmer.Review: Belgian patisserie Debailleul and Mezzaluna
Debailleul isn't the first Belgian patisserie to hit Indian shores, but it certainly sets the bar high with its superlative spread.Raymond Weil's Olivier Bernheim choices
"There are different kinds of love, but they all have the same aim. Possession"Mumbai airport: Which are the best places for food, drinks
For your next long stopover at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Anamika Butalia takes you through the best places where you can say cheers and tuck in before flying out. Take the work out of working out and get fitter in style. Try motion gamingAntonio Capaldo tells the story of winemaking culture
Not far from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius lies Feudi di San Gregorio. Its heir, the 34-year-old Antonio Capaldo tells us his story; one of local grapes and the culture of winemaking and the drinking that follows from them. Get to know wine, the way the Romans did.The Chivas Studio is back with an uber cool and exemplary repertoire of artists this December
The Chivas Studio, haute luxe and creative platform is back with an uber cool and exemplary repertoire of artists this December. BT-Honda Pro-Am tournament: It was all about having fun in Kolkata
It was all about having fun at the Kolkata chapter of the BT-Honda Pro-Am tournament.
Anonymity on the Net is a thin cloak and getting thinner
Anonymity on the Net is a thin cloak and getting thinner.
Some business leaders still believe in meeting people personally than going virtual way
Sometimes business leaders need to shun e-mail and step out of the office. Infrastructure at Crossroads: The Challenges of Governance is a bit of a letdown
Given Gajendra Haldea's background, the book is a bit of a letdown.Book India Inside is gung-ho about India-centric innovation
This book by two London Business School professors is gung-ho about India-centric innovation.
NGOs realise the need to train their mid-level leaders in worldly skills
NGOs have realised the need to train their mid-level leaders in worldly skills.
People who made news
Starring: Manisha Girotra, Neelam Chhiber, Ashish Joshi, DR Arunachalam Murugiah Arun
Timex Group's Vass Dev Wadhwa admires Jack Welch
Timex Group's Vass Dev Wadhwa admires business leader Jack Welch
How different things work
The ATS is a 30 to 40 member special unit of the Maharashtra police, headquartered in Mumbai. It was first set up in the early 1990s to counter modern-day terrorism, but abandoned in 1993.President and CEO of Carlson Hubert Joly on expansion plan in India
Hubert Joly, President and CEO of Carlson, a global hospitality and travel management company that boasts of hotel brands such as Radisson, Country Inn and Suites, Park Inn by Radisson, and Park Plaza, was in India recently to take stock of Carlson's development pipeline. The environment ministry slaps a show-cause notice on Lavasa Corp. for allegedly failing to get clearances for its hill city project.Family businesses drive Asian economies
The Walt Disney-UTV Entertainment Television deal
Walt Disney Co, owner of 50.44 per cent of UTV Software Communications Ltd, offered to buy all outstanding shares for as much as Rs 2,010 crore in July 2011.Quotes from business leaders at World Economic Forum's India Economic Summit
Today, people need everything faster and better. We have to make sure rules are redefined so we can meet the aspirations of that 25- or 26-year-old youngster, says Mukesh Ambani, Chairman, Reliance IndustriesReview: A hi-tech 3d led TV and Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro
A hi-tech 3D LED TV and a classy android mobile device.Karnataka makes access to basic services a public right
Karnataka joins a select band of states in making access to basic services a public right.Implementation of public distribution system may not be easy
Computerisation will no doubt clean up PDS, but implementation may not be easy.Two senior ministers carry on their feud as fair practices get sidetracked
Pranab Mukherjee and P. Chidambaram have carried their public feud, which broke out over the issue of 2G spectrum allocation, into a new realm.News and events of the fortnight
The gloves are off: Usually, Indian industry praises the government in public and saves its grievances for closed-door meetings.American businesses eye India's lucrative solar components market
The US is turning the heat on India to change the way India is building grid-connected solar plants under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. Under the mission, the bulk of procurement is being channelled to India-based manufacturers, which has irked the Amercian administration. They want India to open its doors to overseas manufacturers.Meaning of the word Clocksucker
Clocksucker means an unproductive employee afflicted with poor time management skills; a waste of company money.
Must-have dishes for winter season
Ingredients taste the most delightful when they're in season. With winter now upon us, we had some of the top chefs in the country tell us what their must-have dish is for this season.
How to react to stock market rumours
Market rumours often rattle share prices. Here's how you should react to the buzz. 'India's Best Banks was one of the most comprehensive surveys'
India's Best Banks 2011 (November 27) was one of the most comprehensive surveys conducted of the country's banking landscape.
'Two airlines are doing everything to ensure Kingfisher collapses'
Kingfisher Airlines' chairman Vijay Mallya says he is in discussions with an investor who has made me a proposal that could be upward of Rs 1,000 crore.Petro prices dictated by political rather than economic calculations
Political considerations appear to be throwing the government's price decontrol experiment off course. Price revisions seem to be dictated by political rather than economic calculations.Bagrry's faces tough competition
Shyam Bagri brought the highly nutritious bran to India's breakfast table. But now he faces tough competition. With PepsiCo dominating the oats market with its Quaker Oat, and companies such as Marico, Britannia and Dr. Oetker all entering the breakfast cereal category over the past year, Baggry needs to buck up.Self-declared, electronic system cuts corruption and processing time at checkpoints in Karnataka
A self-declared, electronic system cuts corruption and processing time at checkpoints in Karnataka, and other states are following suit.Slow-moving agrochemicals sector is suddenly booming
The formerly slow moving agrochemicals sector is suddenly booming. Apart from farm labour shortage, several other developments are fuelling the increasing use of agrochemicals. Crucially, farmers are becoming more aware of their benefits.A stroke of financial genius and oodles of luck will save Vijay Mallya's airline
Kingfisher chairman Vijay Mallya has faced rough situations earlier, but the chances that he will be able pull a rabbit out of the hat this time are slim. Only a stroke of financial genius and oodles of luck will save his cash-strapped airline with a debt of Rs 7,500 crore.
Indians spending more and more on imported spirits
Indians are spending more and more on imported spirits as they acquire a taste of the world. IRDA chairman J. Hari Narayan on the state of the general insurance business
J. Hari Narayan, 63, Chairman, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, or IRDA, travels incessantly on work.Why private life insurers are struggling to find their groove?
Even a decade after the sector opened up to private companies in 2000, nobody is rejoicing except LIC, which still enjoys 69 per cent market share. Be it customers, agents, the regulator or the promoters of private life insurers, everybody has a sob story to tell. They can see exciting times only if the government relaxes FDI guidelines to 49 per cent. 'The next decade will see focus on quality growth'
The Indian insurance sector is also likely to witness the emergence of the online channel as a key component of distribution strategy. 
