Cover Story
- Driven by the lack of legitimate savings schemes for the rural poor, inadequate regulations and political patronage, hundreds of illegal Ponzi schemes masquerading as collective investment schemes or chit funds have sprung up across India.
- The industrial town of Haryana became a refuge of hundreds of chit funds based in Kerala after the southern state enacted the Kerala Chitties Act, 1975. This led to an exodus of chit funds from Kerala to other states, especially to Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, where similar laws were not promulgated at the time.
- R. Thyagarajan, Founder, Shriram Group says it is not the lack of regulation that is fostering such scams but unbridled RBI regulation.
Your cover story on how Google has opted for a new tech path which will change public life.
The Oreo case study is undoubtedly one of the best in recent times
BT receives scores of responses to its case studies. Below is the best one on Oreo in the March 31, 2013 issue Your cover story Is Brand IIT Broken? (May 12), highlighting the deplorable condition of the IITs, should be appreciated.
MGNREGS comes under fire
Shoddy execution and poor utilisation of funds dog the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), according to the Comptroller and Auditor General's report.ownturn: Placements at top MBA institutes seem relatively unaffected
At the second-rung institutes, including the new IIMs, however, campus placements appear to have been impacted by the slowdown. For instance, IIM Shillong succeeded in getting more companies to the campus this year, but saw a sharp drop in the number of offers.A completely independent body must oversee the working of the CBI
A completely independent body, directly answerable to Parliament, must oversee the working of the CBI.News that you may have missed last fortnight
The Supreme Court has questioned the Z-category security given to Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani. His Mumbai residence Antilla (in pic) will be guarded by a swarm of Central Reserve Police Force personnel armed with AK-47 rifles.Cereal prices soar as the government stockpiles grain
In April, government's granaries had a stock of 59.6 million tonnes of foodgrain, mainly wheat and rice, which was almost three times the stipulated buffer needed to meet shortages.
People who made news last fortnight
Starring: Shinya Ejima, Thomas Andersson, Sunil Lalvani, Jayanti Chauhan and Yogesh Malik
Book review: From Smart to Wise Acting and Leading With Wisdom
Truly wise CEOs find a purpose that transcends personal gain, says this book.
Leaderspeak: Metropolis Healthcare's Ameera Shah
Ameera Shah, MD & CEO, Metropolis Healthcare admires Mahatma Gandhi.
Review: Samsung Galaxy S4
The five-inch Full HD screen with its crisp and vibrant homescreen redeems the product. The display - 441 pixels per inch - made video watching a delight.
Email is evolving to meet the needs of smartphone users
Email is evolving, especially to meet the needs of smartphone users.
The oldest MNC in India - Siemens still going strong in India
Nearly a century-and-a-half after constructing the London-Calcutta telegraph line, the German engineering giant is still going strong in India. The company's progress in India has been in sporadic bursts. It founded its India unit in 1922, but it was only after independence that it started expanding.The oldest MNCs in India: Castrol stayed in India despite unfriendly business environment
The global lubricants manufacturer stayed put in the country despite unfriendly business environment which scared many others. Castrol has a 25 per cent share of the Indian lubricant industry, and is well ahead of MNC rivals such as Mobil and Shell. Our special package, "The Oldest Multinationals in India", celebrates the journeys of some of the top global companies in India. The Indian arm of StanChart, which opened its first Indian branch in Kolkata in 1858, is today the third-largest contributor to its global profits, after Singapore and Hong Kong. Full coverageThe oldest MNC in India: GE has many firsts to its credit
From setting up the country's first hydropower plant to pioneering the BPO industry, GE has spread its wings to several sectors in India. The company employs more than 14,500 people in the country. It supplies equipment to run nuclear power plants. It sells jet engines and locomotives.The Oldest Multinationals in India
Our special package, "The Oldest Multinationals in India", celebrates the journeys of some of the top global companies in India. Business Today chronicles the stories of eight companies through some of the turning points in their corporate lives. Full coverageThe Oldest Multinationals in India: HUL is closely linked with ups and downs of India's history
India's largest consumer goods company has been closely linked with the ups and downs of the country's history.The oldest MNCs in India: SKF has survived high tariff barriers and labour problems
Swedish company SKF has survived high tariff barriers and labour problems to hold its own in the bearings market.The oldest MNC in India - GlaxoSmithKline now owns a high profile brands in two distinct businesses
Remembered for its iconic baby foods, GlaxoSmithKline now owns high profile brands in two distinct businesses - pharmaceuticals and consumer health-care.The oldest MNCs in India: Philips got some things right and some things wrong
Trying hard to adjust to a changing environment, Philips got some things right and some things wrong.
Pink tourism grows as a niche category in India
Many online travel agencies have sprung up to facilitate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) travel in India. Even some regular travel portals have begun organising special packages for this section, while others are seriously contemplating doing so.Etihad's investment may help debt-laden Jet Airways recover
Etihad's investment is the lifeline that may help Jet Airlines deal with a debt burden of more than Rs 13,000 crore. For Etihad, the deal doesn't just give the Gulf carrier a foothold in one of the world's fastest growing aviation markets. It also helps the airline build the sheikhdom into an intercontinental transfer hub.What prompted Y.K. Hamied to go for a management change at Cipla
Y.K. Hamied steps down as managing director of Cipla in February. His decision to function as non-executive chairman from April 1 and other management changes are significant. The move is part of a major transformation aimed at propelling the company into a new orbit.Indian managers are fantastic but they have never managed overseas: Gautam Thapar
Gautam Thapar, Founder and Chairman of the $4 billion Avantha Group, which includes Ballarpur Industries and Crompton Greaves, talks about his group's prospects, the state of the economy, and much else in an exclusive interview.
Cell phones being increasingly used to access job opportunities
Own a smartphone? Want a new job? You can now use the former to look for the latter. Many recruiters have lately begun using mobile technologies to seek out prospective candidates.
Policy Prescriptions for the Global Crisis
The formation of the eurozone and a half-century of globalisation have rendered once-proven macroeconomic policies ineffective.
Case study: 7-Eleven shows a brand can benefit from adapting to a local market
7-Eleven is known in the United States as a convenience store chain where customers can grab snacks, drinks and other everyday products on the go. In Indonesia,7-Eleven has been positioned as a trendy spot where young people spend time, surf the Internet and meet friends.
