Category Archives: Economics

BCCI and Indian Cricket – Monopolies are Never Good

Posted on September 30, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

Last week the returning winners of the Twenty20 World Cup, jammed up traffic in Mumbai. Sharad Pawar, the BCCI President and also Union Minister for Agriculture, cancelled all his appointments to receive the Indian cricket team. There was a big … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Economics, India | 4 Comments

Old Retail vs Farmers – Now It Gets Interesting

Posted on September 9, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

A couple of months back, I wrote about Kerela’s ban on organized retailing. Most readers agreed that it was wrong-headed. But there was some skepticism about my claim that organized retailing would be beneficial to the farmers. Well, here’s the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Economics, India | 8 Comments

Auto-rickshaws in Mumbai

Posted on September 1, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

  There is much good to be said about autos in Mumbai. They are generally available in plenty at all times of the day. And to a lesser extent even in the middle of the night. They generally charge by … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, India | 22 Comments

Number Games – BEST TV Advertising

Posted on August 26, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

Among business newspapers in India, Business Standard is good and is constantly improving; Mint is new but very good too. Both have an online presence [B-S Mint] and do not have irritating pop-up ads. The B-S site is not password … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Economics, India | 12 Comments

Sound and Fury – the 123 Agreement

Posted on August 19, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

I’m in India right now and over the weekend have been on a forced diet of the news channels. Top of the news menu is the possible fall of the government over the 123 Agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation between … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, India | 8 Comments

Kerala Ban on Organized Retail – What’s the Logic

Posted on July 10, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

Kerala is all set to ban organized retailing. An article in the FT quotes C. Divakaran, minister for food and civil supplies: The mood of the people is against the entrance of Reliance in the retail sector. We are going … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, India | 25 Comments

Trip to IIM Ahmedabad

Posted on July 4, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

Last weekend I made a trip to my alma mater – IIM Ahmedabad. Prof. Arvind Sahay who teaches Marketing and is the Chairman of the PGP X program, invited all the entrepreneurs from my batch (and his). Ten entrepreneurs from … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, India | 10 Comments

In Mumbai

Posted on June 27, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

Landed in Mumbai a couple of days ago. Sahar airport has improved quite a bit in the last 2 years that I have been flying into Mumbai. It is far from the kind of airport that one would expect the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Economics, India | 17 Comments

Leadership Challenges – the Fog of Economics

Posted on June 10, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people. – William Butler Yeats The world’s biggest issues today are economic issues. They are about growth, inflation, unemployment, income distribution and so on. Many other issues are … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, India | 11 Comments

The difference between KBC and a lottery

Posted on April 15, 2007 by Basab Pradhan

“Kaun Banega Crorepati” (KBC), India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” is watched by between 15 and 20 million Indians. In parts it is great entertainment. But a part of it is pretty darned close to a lottery.

Posted in Economics, India | 10 Comments