IIMK TO HOST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COOPERATIVES IN TRANSITION IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION

Cooperatives were the earliest form of organisation of working people in the world. Over the years, they exemplified the importance of worker cooperation and underlined the potential of organisation, solidarity, mutual assistance and unity of action of the working class in a capitalist society. Indeed, the idea of cooperatives had its origins in utopian socialism; earliest proponents of cooperatives held the romantic view that socialism can be grafted into the capitalist system using cooperatives as an instrument. Over the years, Co-operatives have grown as a collective management of social production, thereby creating a strong alternative institution of Business and Management.

BARRIERS TO WEALTH CREATION

By Prof. Mahesh P. Bhave

Prof. Mahesh P. Bhave

Around mid-1980s, I was puzzled by a simple question: Why is India poor? What are the causes of the wealth and poverty of nations? I realized only later the very question prompted Adam Smith’s 1776 classic,  An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. 

One conclusion I reached was that entrepreneurs were responsible for wealth creation. The state had a supportive and an enabling role. The state, I hoped, would at least not be an impediment.

Assuming entrepreneurship is the way, what prevents entrepreneurs from starting new ventures quickly? I reached a surprising conclusion – absence of the right information, in a timely way, resulting in uncertainty reduction. The faster the uncertainty reduction, the closer entrepreneurs were to business launch.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Centre for Marketing in Emerging Economies (CMEE) organizes the 2014 Annual Conference of the Emerging Markets Conference Board at the IIM Lucknow, Noida Campus in Noida, India on 9-11 January 2014.

This conference aims to provide a platform for a distinguished group of speakers and participants who will discuss debate and share their insights in furthering understanding on marketing theory and practice to listen and understand consumer voice in the context of emerging markets. Such a group includes leading academic researchers from business schools as well as experts from the world of marketing practice. In consonance with the growing opportunities available to consumers for expressing their opinions, and for firms to track consumer engagements, this conference sets an agenda for “Listening to Consumers in Emerging Markets.”

For more details click here

NIFT Hyderabad is conducting an International Conference, on Fashion, Retail and Management (ICFRM), “Reflections-2014”, on 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th of January, 2014 at NIFT Hyderabad Campus. The conference would focus on the theme “Contemporary Issues and Trends in Fashion, Retail and Management”. The 1^st International Conference on Fashion, Retail and Management (ICFRM) is a unique interdisciplinary forum for the presentation of advances in research and development in the areas of fashion, retail and management. The conference will bring together leading academicians, researchers, business practitioners, consultants, designers and students.

For more click on  “Reflections--2014” 

Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore invites paper submissions to The 13th Consortium of Students in Management Research (COSMAR), COSMAR 2013, on 15^th & 16^th November 2013, at the Department of Management Studies, IISc. Bangalore

The Consortium of Students in Management Research (COSMAR) is an annual Research Consortium organized by the Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
For more information please click on COSMAR.

FDI IN MULTI-BRAND RETAIL: FOR WHOSE BENEFIT?

By Prof. Sthanu R Nair

Prof. Sthanu R Nair

The Congress led UPA government allowed 51% FDI in multi-brand retail in September 2012 overruling strong opposition from various quarters including some of the UPA allies. The move invited serious criticism from several quarters with regard to its overall contribution to the growth prospects of Indian economy and its adverse impact on traditional retailers and small businesses. The government strongly defended its move by arguing that its multibrand retail FDI policy features some unique provisions which would safeguard the interests of the traditional retailers, small scale industries and the nation as a whole. The three specific safeguard measures referred vociferously by the government and the supporters of FDI in multibrand retail at that time are (see Table):