Having just read the book, HBR’s 10 Must-Reads on Strategy, that I ordered from Amazon India, I am once again reminded of how central brands are to strategy. Not merely product brand strategy, but to corporate strategy. It’s something I have been thinking about for the past couple of decades that I have been unemployed,… Continue reading When Brands Can Guide Strategy and Execution
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
It sounds paradoxical to imagine creating abundance in what is likely to be a year of slowing economic output and growth across the world. We might possibly even be looking at a few years of slowdown, what with the Trump tariffs and the uncertainty surrounding them. But even in the face of slowing economic growth,… Continue reading Creating Abundance in a Year of Slowing Economic Output
I don’t think anything else has featured in the news in the Indian media landscape these past few weeks other than the firing between India and Pakistan forces. The flaring up of tensions between the two countries was precipitated by the terror attack on 26 tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir on April 22, 2025. I,… Continue reading War-War, Jaw-Jaw Over the LoC
Time to turn my attention to brands once again, after all the chaos and confusion that Trump’s tariffs have caused from the start of this year. I must say, though, that if companies have to raise prices of their goods in the US and elsewhere, it ought to be because of a superior dimension to… Continue reading Hardwiring Brands into Products and Services
The world’s most powerful financial elite, comprising finance ministers and central bankers converged in Washington DC last week for their annual Spring Meetings with the World Bank and the IMF. This follows on from the US elections last November where Trump was elected US President for the second, but not consecutive term. Usually, this wouldn’t… Continue reading The Global Economy Lacks Spring in its Step
When I read about the latest tranche of Vodafone Idea equity stake that the government of India is going to have to acquire, as spectrum auction dues get converted to equity, the first thought that occurred to me is “Oh gosh! Soon it will become a PSU!” And we all know the fate of our… Continue reading How Not to Allow Vodafone Idea to Go the Air India Way
We’ve been preparing for this ever since Trump’s election campaign in the US last year: higher tariffs across the board on all countries and all product categories. Now that it is here, the media cannot stop talking about it with its breathless reporting on the subject. No matter what type of media – newspapers, television… Continue reading Let Us Not Get Distracted by Trump’s Tariffs
In all the hype and news flow around AI and technology in general, it appears that there are some changes taking place in a few industries at least that might require us to pay attention. Where these changes might be real and enduring, perhaps it’s time to engage in “What if?” kinds of thought experiments.… Continue reading Implications of Changes in Some Industries: Playing Devil’s Advocate
As an old advertising and brand communications professional in India, I realise that I am writing this post at the time of year when companies gear up for annual appraisals, promotions, increments, etc. It’s a time when employees and company leadership take stock of people’s careers, how they’re faring, what areas of weakness if any… Continue reading What it Means to Be a Woman Professional Amidst So-called Entrepreneurs in India
Peripatetic Perch 