'An oft-bandied number holds caution for New Business Families'
An oft-bandied number holds caution for India's New Business Families
(Cover Story, April 17): only four per cent of family businesses survive
beyond the third generation.
Continuity challenge
An oft-bandied number holds caution for India's New Business Families (Cover Story, April 17): only four per cent of family businesses survive beyond the third generation. A break in family business seems almost inevitable as it grows. Sooner or later an individual has to stand on his feet. Individual identity and ego break a family business. The worst competition comes from siblings if both are in the same company. Monetary considerations, too, can ruin relations. The best relations among siblings come about only if they have separate and independent businesses, where there is no competition in the businesses and wealth is equally divided by parents.
Mahesh Kapasi, New Delhi
Art of giving
John Alexander, Director in India for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, sheds light on a worthy cause for philanthropy (Say Yes to Strategic Philanthropy, Focus, April 3). Universal childcare is an achievable objective. Well-known billionaires of the country should join hands with the Gates and Warren Buffett to channelise resources for the needy.
S .R. Gadicherla, Bangalore
Green model
I read with immense interest the ITC case study on tree farming (Tree Farming Yields Bumper Harvest, April 3). I think this has been a unique model which has not only benefited the company but also the region in which the paper manufacturing plant is located. I must say it is a commendable effort by ITC and more businesses can adopt tree farming or rather afforestation to help farmers. I hope ITC can expand this programme in the coming years.
Manoj Singh, Mumbai
Nuclear reaction
God forbid something like Fukushima happens at our nuclear plants (Lessons for India, April 17). We would be nowhere in handling it compared to Japan's disaster management. At a time when India is pushing for a bigger pie in nuclear energy, it becomes all the more important to have a proper disaster management in place rather than wait for a disaster to happen.
Bal Govind, Noida
An oft-bandied number holds caution for India's New Business Families (Cover Story, April 17): only four per cent of family businesses survive beyond the third generation. A break in family business seems almost inevitable as it grows. Sooner or later an individual has to stand on his feet. Individual identity and ego break a family business. The worst competition comes from siblings if both are in the same company. Monetary considerations, too, can ruin relations. The best relations among siblings come about only if they have separate and independent businesses, where there is no competition in the businesses and wealth is equally divided by parents.
Mahesh Kapasi, New Delhi
Art of giving
John Alexander, Director in India for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, sheds light on a worthy cause for philanthropy (Say Yes to Strategic Philanthropy, Focus, April 3). Universal childcare is an achievable objective. Well-known billionaires of the country should join hands with the Gates and Warren Buffett to channelise resources for the needy.
S .R. Gadicherla, Bangalore
Green model
I read with immense interest the ITC case study on tree farming (Tree Farming Yields Bumper Harvest, April 3). I think this has been a unique model which has not only benefited the company but also the region in which the paper manufacturing plant is located. I must say it is a commendable effort by ITC and more businesses can adopt tree farming or rather afforestation to help farmers. I hope ITC can expand this programme in the coming years.
Manoj Singh, Mumbai
Nuclear reaction
God forbid something like Fukushima happens at our nuclear plants (Lessons for India, April 17). We would be nowhere in handling it compared to Japan's disaster management. At a time when India is pushing for a bigger pie in nuclear energy, it becomes all the more important to have a proper disaster management in place rather than wait for a disaster to happen.
Bal Govind, Noida
