A recent KPMG survey highlights the huge potential for banks to grow their market with the rise in mobile phone subscribers in India. The most profound impact of mobile banking and payment services is that they provide the non-banking population with access to modern financial services, giving them tools to improve their living standards. Innovative m-banking services are fast arriving in the market.
Some employees have alleged that close to 20 employees of the troubled Satyam Computer Services have been promoted to the I-1 and I-2 bands (representing assistant vice-president and vice-president levels) and also received a salary hike of 20-40 per cent. The timing has caused much resentment with some employees taking up the matter with the human resources department.
Hindustan Unilever has many firsts to its credit. Now, it adds one more. India's largest fast-moving consumer goods company has found a new way of keeping in touch with its employees -- present and former.
"Nearly 83 per cent Indians have an online friend. Netizens are fast opening up to newer technologies such as instant messaging, social networking and texting that are being used to strengthen relationships to keep kids, parents and grandparents connected," said David Freer, vice- president (consumer business -- APAC & Japan), Symantec.
The Godrej group is revising its investment plans and revisiting its growth targets for the current financial year, as well as for the next five years, in anticipating of a higher GDP growth rate now that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government is firmly in the saddle for a second term at the Centre.
Driven by their dream to start their own venture, they almost scandalised their families when they launched a company Tachyon in 2000, right after college with a paltry investment of Rs 400,000.
Even as large fast moving consumer goods companies like Hindustan Unilever and ITC struggle with their volume growth, mid-tier FMCG companies like Godrej Consumer Products, Marico, Dabur and Nestle have reported strong spurts in volumes as they focus on inorganic growth and rural markets, according to industry experts.
If you have been using the same old mouse on your computer for a long time, then you might be surprised to learn the new features that a new mouse sports. Optical and laser technologies are fast replacing the rolling ball that used to adorn the underbelly of the old mouse.
Already, top leisure properties like Leela Kempenski, Goa; Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa; Radisson Resort & Spa, Alibaug; Royal Orchid, Goa and Mysore; and Club Mahindra Varca Beach Resort, Goa, are enjoying a near sell-out. Most hoteliers are maintaining their room rates, while some are throwing in joint packages involving discount coupons. Some have reduced room rates by 15-20 per cent.
Prominent luxury hotel groups like JW Mariott, Royal Orchid, Taj and Intercontinental are using the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament to offer promotional food and beverage (F&B) packages to lure more customers in a sluggish economy.
On a week's visit to India to plan for business in 2009 and also to attend the wedding of India chairman Arvind Sharma's daughter, Tom Bernardin, chairman and chief executive officer, Leo Burnett Worldwide, announced changes in its global leadership council for a tighter integration of Asia Pacific with the Chicago headquarters.
According to a survey conducted by the Deloitte and Data Security Council of India, 37 per cent of wireless networks had no encryption at all, followed by 49 per cent using a lower-level protection like Wired Equivalent Privacy encryption and just 14 per cent using security layers like Wi-Fi Protected Areas (WPA and WPA2) to secure their networks.
Among the minority who are relieved at the rising heat are consumer durables' companies and retailers. Air conditioner (AC) sales are picking up in anticipation of a hot summer.
Disney Publishing Worldwide (India), a division of Walt Disney Company (India), has announced a licensing agreement with local publisher Junior Diamond to publish Disney comic books, both in English and Hindi.
Now, watch customised election news on your TV. Big TV, a Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group venture, is launching election-based interactive services that will be provided by its content partner CNN-IBN.
Blogertize does not require bloggers to spend time to promote their blogs. That's the job Bhatia's site would do. It creates a link (in the form of an image) to a blog that would be placed on Blogertize for a minimum of three years at prices starting as low as Rs 750. "Without spending even a single minute on our website, bloggers stand to make thousands of dollars per year just by placing the link to our shopping portal on their blog," says founder Dushyant Bhatia.
Data from web analytic firm Comscore shows that last year, social networking traffic saw a surge of a whopping 51 per cent in India. Social games are simple games such as word puzzles, antakshari or quizzes. Also referred to as Gaming 2.0, this form of gaming does not require high-end PCs or 3D graphics. ComScore reports that networking sites like Orkut, Facebook, MySpace, iBibo and Hi5 draw maximum number of social gamers.
The company, which has liquid detergent brands like Ezee and liquid cleaning agent brands like Godrej Dish Wash Liquid and Kiwi Kleen, is looking at companies that have good brands and distribution networks, largely in household care (detergents, cleaning agents segment) and haircare, with focus on colours and hair dyes. "Given the right opportunity, the company will spend around $100 million (Rs 5 billion)," said a source close to the development.
McDonald's, for instance, plans to invest Rs 120-150 crore (Rs 1.2-Rs 1.5 billion) for expansion in the current year. It will add 40 new outlets across India (it has 155) and open 40 kiosks, dessert and beverage service counters. Says Vikram Bakshi, managing director (north and east)" "We will maintain 30-35 per cent growth rate this year as well."
As April Fool's Day draws closer, Windows XP and Windows 2000 users are being advised by security experts to brace themselves against the third variant of the deadly Conficker worm which may begin a new cycle of spreading spam, stealing data or carrying out online scams.
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