"There is no scope for error - that adds to the stress level at work"

The early seeds of the Private Equity industry were sown as early as 1946 when the American Research and Development Corporation urged private institutions to set up funds for the soldiers returning from World War II. The Private Equity Industry has since seen a drastic growth with its existence as an entity coming into being in the 1980s with Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts. Today it is one of the most sought after employment destinations by management graduates around the globe despite its stringent entry barriers. Let us delve deeper into what it means to be in the Private Equity Industry, or even more fundamentally, what the term ‘Private Equity’ means. Private Equity (PE) is a term used very broadly to indicate assets in the form of equity or securities in a company that cannot be traded publicly; PE funds raise money from various sources for a period of seven-ten years and then invest in private equity as defined above either in nascent companies or public companies with a view to turning them around. The basic logic behind the emergence of PE funds was that publicly traded companies are often forced to concentrate more on immediate shareholder interests and short term returns. This often does not permit them to focus on longer term achievements. Once the company is acquired by a PE fund, they can concentrate on long term profitability and growth. Once a PE fund takes a stake in an operating company, it usually gains operational control as well.

(Read more…)

 

"There is no scope for error - that adds to the stress level at work"

Most of us are familiar with the term “insurance”, though a majority among us might not be aware of the various intricate nuances and ramifications of this business. To put it in simple words, insurance to a common man would mean cover through compensation against any potential future risk or threat in lieu of regular payments, known as premium. Insurance applies to individuals, corporations, vehicles, equipments etc and thus can broadly be classified as life and non life insurance. Life insurance covers life risks whereas all others fall under the category of non life insurance. Some job roles in this sector, such as those in actuarial services, are highly specialised and require pertinent specialized knowledge; others, such as that of financial advisors are open for all graduates. You may be baffled with basic terms like “endowment”, “term plan”, “annuity” and so on; incidentally these fundamentals would be cleared in your MBA curriculum. Moving over from the fundamentals, let us now analyse the current market situation and potential in this segment, as this information is extremely crucial for all on the brink of a career decision. Let us explore the current market propellants and understand the raison d’être behind insurance business emerging as the most promising business in the entire financial services segment.

(Read more…)

 

"In a customer driven scenario, you need to be able to make decisions in a fraction of a second"

According to AT Kearney's annual Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), India is the most attractive market for retail investment. According to industry estimates, the Indian retail market, which is the fifth largest retail destination globally, is slated to grow from the US$ 330 billion in 2007 to US$ 427 billion by 2010 and US$ 637 billion by 2015. Simultaneously, modern retail is likely to increase its share in the total retail market to 22 per cent by 2010. According to a study by Deloitte Haskins and Sells, organised retail has increased its share from 5 per cent of total retail sales in 2006 to 8 per cent in 2007. The fastest growing segments have been the wholesale cash and carry stores (150 per cent) followed by supermarkets (100 per cent) and hypermarkets (75-80 per cent). Further, it estimates the organised segment to account for 25 per cent of the total sales by 2011. Driven by changing lifestyles, strong income growth and favourable demographic patterns, Indian retail is expanding at a rapid pace. India has one of the largest number of retail outlets in the world. Of the 12 million retail outlets present in the country, nearly 5 million sell food and related products. Though the market has been dominated by unorganised players, the entry of domestic and international organised players is set to change the scenario.

(Read more…)

 

"The work requires aspirants to be alert, agile, with lot of physical stamina"

As we, as a nation, take rapid steps towards being a developed nation and with our ever-increasing and unappeasable demands as consumers, our new improved lifestyles, we cannot ignore the role of “Media” in this process of evolution. Media has tremendous impact in shaping our societies, life style and personalities. “Media” with its diverse channels of communication touches upon our everyday lives closely – be it the morning newspaper, or the music in our favourite radio channel, or our favourite TV serial – the list is endless. Media is a term with which we are familiar from quite an early age and the influence of which on our lives is easily perceptible. It seems that the demand for this segment is continually increasing and we never get to have enough. This is probably the impetus for mushrooming of multiplexes, malls, gaming zones and other entertainment zones. Even the channels in our television and radio keep increasing. All these explicitly point towards the ever-mounting demand of the insatiable Indian consumer and the growth potential this segment beholds.

(Read more…)

 

"The work requires aspirants to be alert, agile, with lot of physical stamina"

Micro financing has come of age today with its pioneer Bangladesh’s Muhammad Yunus of the Grameen Bank fame receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Multilateral lender, the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB), defines it as the provision of a broad range of financial services such as deposits, loans, payment services, money transfers, and insurance to poor and low-income households and their micro-enterprises.

(Read more…)