Friday, November 30, 2012

Gotta stay longa' in tonga

Located in the South Pacific, the Kingdom of Tonga is one of the most picturesque and pure of the Pacific Island nations. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a new visitor or one of those old travellers re-visiting; the sheer liveliness of this place is definitely going to get you glued here for at least a good week. Nestled between the Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands, Tonga is the heart of the most happening holidays you would ever want to go for.

If you’re a party person then Tonga is the perfect place to be as it gets you the most happening parties you could ever go to. But if partying is just not your thing, then simply hit one of those deserted beaches and enjoy the waves hitting the shore while you sip on a refreshing coconut juice. Water-sport lovers have a host of activities – ranging from exhilarating dive trip to surfing, kayaking and canoeing – on this wonderful island. Tonga, for you information, is not just about parties, and beaches only. There are a whole lot of things of interest to any tourist in Tonga. So how about heading towards Mapu’a ‘a Vaca Blowholes just to see what the place has in store for you? Stretched over a 5 km range along the south shore of Tongatapu, these geyser-like fountains which shoot up as high as 98 ft are formed when maximum amount of seawater goes up through natural vents in the coral limestone. ‘Mapu’a ‘a Vaca’ meaning ‘Chief’s Whistles’ are definitely one of the most famous attractions in the whole Kingdom of Tonga, making it the most visited sight in the whole of the archipelago. Thinking where to go next, then make a quick visit to Mu’a, an archaeological sight containing one of the richest archaeological remnants of Tonga. The place boasts of nearly 28 royal stone tombs (15 are monumental) and are built with enormous limestone slabs carried by canoes either from nearby sights like Pangaimotu or from far away sights like Futuna. One of the interesting structures of Mu’a is the ‘Langi Namoala’ which has a fine example of ‘fonualoto’ which means ‘vault for a corpse’ on top. It was said that the vault was the burial site of a female chief but is now surprisingly empty.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.


 
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Build, operate, lease, tarnished!

How road construction projects have got affected due to stupidity

The enduring inflation is not only preoccupying the finance ministry but also hampering India’s growth story. General road construction project cost has jumped by almost Rs.1 crore for every kilometre due to the rise in input cost by 25%. This is mainly due to the rise in prices of steel and cement. Interestingly, inflation is not what is killing road development. For example, the government’s decision to liberalise international borrowing norms for companies will allow construction companies to raise credit up to $500 million. This may to a large extent fulfil India’s infrastructure investment demand of Rs.7,91,000 crore. This liberal dual-beneficial commercial borrowing will help companies to raise funds and fight inflation as well. What in reality is playing truant is allocation of funds. As per local municipalities, sufficient funds are not allotted to meet their demands and needs. The authorities need to understand that these frequent delays are hampering the growth story beyond calculation. The 5,846-km-long golden quadrilateral highways have already gone Rs.12,000 crores in excess. Projects under JNURM [that are largely affected] have the potential to revive urban India but are becoming bureaucratic hells.

One needs to learn from Public Private Partnership models like used in airports privatisation, telecommunications et al. Public projects needs to be modified and twisted to suite the public-private model. This will ensure projects meet deadlines and budget without compromising on quality! Sadly, in India, any world-class model is either criticised ad nauseum or is simply disregarded as a one-off wonder!


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Raj unleashes 'Goonda' Raj

MNS's demonisation outside Maharashtra may consolidate its votes

An egotist nephew walks out of his clan frustrated that the nepotistic patriarch would prefer his son as his successor come what may. He burns with rage to prove his political prowess. When he writes (or someone else does it for him) he talks of strategies that Congresses across the world have employed. First hand lessons in politics (of hate) from his uncle are embedded deep within him. He knows that ‘insiders’ vote when ‘outsiders’ are demonised. He swiftly identifies the ‘bhaiya’ outsiders. The strategy works! He hits the headlines on TV, is highly popular on the Internet, is spoken about (read against) in the courts & corridors of power. Having demanded apologies from the greatest Indian movie star, he emerges as a pan-Indian hate symbol.

Raj Thackeray, the nephew of Balasaheb Thackeray knows how to play his cards. The Bombay High Court slammed the Maharashtra Police on September 25 for failing to take an action against him. A modern day Tughlaq that the Maharashtra government has allowed him to be, he ordered that all the sign boards in the global city to be changed into a language that he has known ever since he wore his first pair of knickers. The 'don'-ish order was largely followed. Later, a trader’s body approached the Court bringing that reprimanded the Maharashtra Police. Signboard makers may decide to work free for Raj when he contests the upcoming assembly elections. But then accepting his dictats may jeopardise Maharashtra's image. Assembly elections in Maharashtra are scheduled for next year. As far as poll history goes, Thackeray won 35 seats in 10 municipal corporations in February 2007. He is now a formidable power waiting to make a bigger killing. Prominent voices in Maharashtra oppose Thackeray’s tactics, albeit with a cautious approach. “Mumbai is a cosmopolitan city.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

ISRAEL: ELECTIONS

There are tremendous expectations from the new Kadima Chief; will she be a hawk or a dove?

She shall also have to understand that Israel cannot afford manifesting the divide between Fatah & Hamas as some of her predecessors relished doing. Also, she has to understand that Hamas is a reality and she shall have to take them in confidence in order to achieve a long-lasting peace. Palestinians will like her to stop and reverse the process of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.

The spread of West Bank settlements – accelerating this year despite the talks – undermines Israel’s claim that it is serious for peace. Then there are Israel''s perpetual problems with Iran. Though a US-Iran clash seems unlikely, speculations are rife that Israel may take a unilateral action against Iran. Livni, a pragmatist will need to counter the pressures from hardliners to repeat the actions her country took against Iraq and Syria. Livni knows that a slight flare-up on this front may “obliterate” a good portion of the globe.

It can be safely said that Tziporah Livni’s name is as ambiguous as her traits. Tziporah means “little bird” in Hebrew. What we don’t know is that whether this little bird will turn out to be a hawk with claws or a gentle dove. 


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

He leaves behind much more than a defeated dictator in Iraq

He may be the most unpopular president in modern times: a reckless, unilateralist cowboy. But history will be kinder to George W. Bush than contemporary caricatures. After eight years, he leaves behind much more than a defeated dictator in Iraq. Closer ties to India, a pragmatic relationship with China, and the pressure he applied to Iran will pay dividends for years to come. By David Frum

Now, the values shared by the United States and India may emerge as the most important geopolitical fact of this century. Other foreign-policy legacies of the Bush years include signing of new bilateral trade agreements, the world’s first convention on cybercrime, the wise decision to give Hugo Chávez enough rope to hang himself, and the continued successful management of the US-China relationship. Conversely, if Iran is allowed to follow N. Korea into the nuclear weapons club, it could well be the failure to act against the other two thirds of the “axis of evil,” not the willingness to act in Iraq, that’ll be regarded as the most important decision of the Bush years.

“the iraq war has made america less safe”
Prove it. In the two decades leading up to Bush’s presidency, the United States and its allies were struck by a rising number of increasingly ambitious, aggressive, and deadly terrorist attacks. The hijacking of TWA Flight 847 in 1985. The Berlin disco bombing in 1986. The Buenos Aires bombings in 1992 and 1994. The assassination of Kurdish exiles in Berlin in 1992. The World Trade Centre bombing in 1993. The Paris subway bombings in 1995. The plots to attack New York monuments & Pacific Ocean jetliners in 1995. The Khobar Towers bombing in 1996. The East Africa embassy bombings in 1998. The USS Cole in 2000. And 9/11.

Now compare that with the period since the invasion of Iraq. Since 2003, former state sponsors of terrorism have behaved much more cautiously. Libya, for instance, has retired from the business altogether. Where terrorism has existed outside the Middle East, it has steadily declined in both effectiveness and sophistication. The Madrid bombing of 2004 was less sophisticated than 9/11. The London subway bombings in 2005 were less sophisticated than Madrid. And the plots foiled in Germany, in Canada, and at Heathrow Airport in the summer of 2006 were all less sophisticated than the London bombings.

The US homeland has enjoyed almost complete immunity from acts of international terrorism, and the plots that have come to light have been reassuringly amateurish in their conception and attempted execution. Even in the Islamic heartland, terrorism is waning. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s attack on a wedding at a Jordanian hotel in 2005 soured Arab Middle Easterners on the al Qaeda movement. Al Qaeda’s commanders in Iraq have publicly acknowledged that their bloodthirsty tactics have alienated local residents—and left their movement in dire straits. It would be absurd to attribute this improving trend line solely to President George Bush. But it would be equally absurd to deny that things are now improving.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.


Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Which ‘part’ do you like?

Led by huge demand, the Indian auto components sector is all set for a glorious future

The auto components industry could be the next big thing for India after software, pharmaceuticals and BPO. Sounds astounding?! Digest this: As per the automotive mission plan 2016, the auto industry plans to attain a domestic turnover of $145 billion by 2016 and provide more than 25 million jobs. So, with such huge plans it’s only natural to expect a parallel growth rate for the industry if not more.

Certainly the auto components industry has been one of the fastest growing (at a CAGR of 20% since 2000) manufacturing sectors in India. In fact FY 2007-08 saw the industry soar with exports crossing the $4-billion mark and investments touching new highs ($7.2 billion). What more, the industry experts estimate the global sourcing of components from India to double from the current $2.95 billion to $5.9 billion in 2008-09, and touch $20 billion by 2015 (ACMA)! All thanks to the escalating demand from both within India, and overseas. “Indian auto component industry is today emerging as one to be reckoned with. With more & more global auto majors setting up manufacturing facilities in India the industry is poised to grow,” N. K. Minda, MD, N. K. Minda Group, a leading component manufacturer tells B&E. Certainly, it’s because of these factors the domestic auto components industry is heading for a whopping 18% growth in the near future. Even the export market is estimated to reach $2.7 billion by the year 2010 (ACMA). However, what is more striking is the fact that exports to OEMs and tier I suppliers now constitute over 75% of total exports as against a mere 35% in the early 1990s.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Finally, the right brew?

Lavazza’s attempts to gain synergies from Barista seem to be working well so far

Just as Indians developed a growing passion for eating out, they have also developed a phenomenal penchant for coffee. The land of tea drinkers has indeed created an exorbitant café market of Rs.8 billion (according to Technopak Advisors) and the organised coffee chain in the urban market is growing at a breakneck 35% per annum. It is no surprise that the organised coffee chain has been brewing hot over the past few years. But interestingly, successive owners of Barista have failed to take the heat.

The company has been through three changes in ownership in a time span of just six years, and four CEO changes in a time span of five years. A coffee chain started by Amit Judge of Turner Morrison, Barista was sold off to Sterling Infotech Group (65% stake for Rs.300 million) and to the Tatas (remaining 35%). Maverick NRI businessman – C. Sivasankaran, who owned Sterling Infotech, has a penchant for acquiring companies but no intention to hold them for the long run; even the Tatas. So the Tatas sold off their stake to Sterling and finally Sterling sold it to Italian coffee major Lavazza.

“The Indian coffee market today is emerging as one of the biggest markets in Asia. We wanted to be here and our research team indicted that Barista is the best,” announces Dan D. Labar, President, Barista Coffee Co. Ltd. The market buzz is that Lavazza injected a cool $120 million in Barista for the acquisitions, though Labar refuses to officially comment.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)