Strategies to Tide Over Competition Distinctive Competence: is nothing but a set of unique capabilities that certain firms possess allowing them to make inroads into preferred markets and to gain advantage over the competition. Human brain is the greatest think tank and it evolves new methodologies of business management from time to time in order to sustain as well as win the race. Planning is the key factor that decides the rise or downfall of a business empire. “Where we are?” and “Where we want to be in the next few years?” is how every business leader’s basic thought process must be, without which he cannot proceed further in the competitive corporate environment. If we call planning as the basement of a building, then it should be very precise, clear cut and robust so that the business empire built on this basement will never collapse and it will also serve as a role-model for everyone who aspires to set his foot in the corporate business world. At the corporate level, strategic planning helps to establish the Purpose Mission and Objective for the firm as a whole and “outlines the overall plan to attain them.” Strategy is nothing but a unique set of action plan that will distinguish you from your competitors and make you have an edge over them. Likewise strategic planning is nothing but thinking out of the box to” CREATE YOUR OWN NICHE MARKET” in the business environment. STRATEGIC COMPETENCE takes you to the top of the ladder; but to withhold your position you need to formulate innovative ideas to tide over the challenges in the market. Strategic planning facilitates this process by giving you time frame to complete your short term objectives and long term goals.   Infographic Courtesy: The 4 key sources to seek insights for marketing planning Planning for SBU’s: Business level planning is done for the enterprise’s STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNITS or SBU’S. These are individual” cash cows” that makes your business noteworthy and also brings in constant revenue to run your other units successfully even in periods of recession or if a particular product is not that successful as you might have expected it to be. I shall compare a business plan to a travel plan. Both involve planning, resources, capital, marketing and so on. . . Both have starting points but a business plan and its objectives never end and you can never come back to the starting point in a business as that of a travel, because you only expand and grow to greater heights in a business provided your plan is pucca. And also the strategy seeks the integration and control of marketing, finance, production and human resources at the functional level. Strategic Plans at different functional levels: Strategic plans at different levels must be integrated to ensure that they work in tandem and reinforce each other, thereby contributing to the corporate level strategy adopted for the entire corporate group. I would call strategic planning as” INTELLIGENCE DESIGN CHOICE ACTIVITY “adopted by a corporate and it has become an inevitable feature in the directory of the business world....

Export can be in the form of merchandise (goods) or services (invisibles). When an entrepreneur wants to spread out his scope of business activity beyond the territory of his nation it is called export, whence he has to prepare himself to confront the challenges prevailing in the global market. How to go about Export? Business by itself calls for discipline whether you talk about your credit policy, quality of your product or services, on time delivery, payments, fund rotation, human resources management and the like. The taste of success in the domestic market gives you the necessary confidence to spread your wings far and wide. To be a part of the global market, you are expected to imbibe not only more discipline and order but you should be very thorough about the procedures and policies of the country, to which you are planning to export and the various legal formalities pertaining to your business activity. How to Export From India Pic Courtesy: Procedure to Start Export Business from India What will be your plan of action if your merchandise is disapproved of its quality after reaching the destination or the shipment gets destroyed due to some eventuality? To combat contingencies we have to have a representative working for us in the chosen place of activity who would report and handle the proceedings. Pre-Requisites for Exporting Goods: How many people do you think who have acquired the desire to export their products have a clear idea about the steps involved in starting an export business? First you have to secure the IEC CODE (import export code) from the DGFT (Director General of Foreign Trade) that comes under THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. What is IEC Code? Import Export Code (also known as IEC) is a 10 digit identification number that is issued by the DGFT (Director General of Foreign Trade), Department of Commerce, Government of India. Info Courtesy: Shiprocket.in It is also known as Importer Exporter Code. It is mandatory for companies and businesses to obtain this code to start a business that deals with import and export in the Indian Territory. It is not possible to deal with export or import business without this code. While exporting you get the following edge over others: Exposure to forex marketExposure to diversified cultureExposure to varied laws and legal formalitiesExposure to business risks which you must take up as a challenge Having businesses in various countries is better than having all businesses in one country. It saves you during periods of economic recession. You experience market growth by entering into different and new markets; Asian and European markets are flooded with traders from all around the world since these regions enjoy a locational advantage in the world map and well connected through the sea and land. RBI Policies: Exporters must be aware of the fact that RBI policies are very severe when it comes to foreign exchange. So you should have proper informational inputs from the correct source and your capital has to be invested accordingly. Slide Courtesy: Import and Export Policies and Procedures Exploring unfamiliar and exotic markets is very difficult as they are always dynamic. You should see to it that you keep yourself posted with updates on INTERNATIONAL FINANCE, LENDING RATES etc. Also Read: 10 key steps to export success You can make a small business big and beautiful by adding some flavor to it like, Right time to launch your product in the global scenario, People’s preference being given priority by doing some demographic survey, Attractive campaigns and of course Your unendurable passion for business will do the rest to make your venture a successful one. Read...

E-Commerce Business Models – Highly Recommended Internet User Statistics in India: 100 Million unique internet users 25 Million Facebook users 20 Million Youtube users 10 Million tweeters Ecommerce market size: 46520 Crores Role of Trade and Commerce: Trade and commerce play a decisive role in boosting up a country’s economy. An economy is said to expand only when a country concentrates on bringing a radical change in its commercial activities. Needless to say, the invention of computers and computer based services, has revolutionized the industry of commerce, where trading is done online. The emergence of “E-Commerce” is a real benefit bestowed on the traders to sell their merchandise in a popular platform called internet. E-commerce has overturned the history of retail selling market, due to the unanimous support of the consumers. Lifestyle Changes: The changing life styles of consumers have led to the evolution of e-commerce as an appealing alternative to terrestrial retail network. Everything has been made simple and easy. All kinds of services are available for the consumer at a mouse click’s distance. Internet gives him the privilege and liberty to happily surf through the net, from the cool confines of his house, to finalize and order a product or service of his choice. Payment systems are again made easy, through PayPal or credit or debit cards, electronically verified and authorized. So, why would consumers wait in a long queue to avail a specific service or drive down to the market place for purchasing their merchandise anymore, when e-commerce presents them all in a platter at their door steps? The Internet – Virtual Market Place: Internet serves as the virtual market place, where exchange of goods and services are quick and convenient. Many big corporate companies have started selling their products online, to manage the stiff competition posed by other competitors and small online vendors. Online presence is necessary to accelerate your profits and retain your market share. Through e-commerce, you also stand a chance to win over the interests of various sections of a society because of global internet penetration. The following list would give you a fair idea about the extensive penetration of e-commerce cutting through various economic layers. You can compete globally with other big merchants, as this is a virtual market arena, devoid of any geographical boundaries. Your prerequisite would be a computer terminal with high speed internet connection and a valid bank account. Electronic fund transfer through Real Time Gross Settlement and Net Banking, through which you are able to receive and transfer funds immediately. Online business works round the clock, so you are accessible 24/7, that really helps you to increase your sales and thus your profit margins. There is no need for credit sales, until and unless you have a dealer network to which you have to extend credit facilities. Payment of tax, electricity bills, telephone bills are now made online through the internet. Firms are able to cut down their costs, in terms of infrastructure, marketing, holding inventory, customer relationship management, information processing etc. , The highlight is, you also get instant feedback on the price and other features of your product or service, that helps you to employ pricing and promotional strategies. Travel industry, consumer electronics, shipping industry, Companies producing fast moving consumer goods, car rentals and so many other industries are thriving in the web market, thanks to e-commerce. Talking about the shortcomings, I must say that internet has not touched millions of people yet across the globe, to enable them to enjoy the benefits and privilege of this new economic system-commerce may not suit certain sectors of business like perishable food items, where time is an...

Meticulous Project Management Fundamental Aspect of a Project: Planning is the fundamental aspect of any management system as it sets the direction or pathway, which the firm has to follow in order to accomplish the goals and objectives of an organization. In a project management or a process management, planning is the key function followed by preparation of a proposal or a report that analyses and defines the resources necessary to carry on the project. This project report can then be sent for evaluation by an expert consultant to determine the feasibility and viability of the project.   Organising to Get the Desired Result: A project undertaken has to be meticulously planned and organized to achieve the desired result in the given time frame. One has to understand that a project differs from a process in that, it involves fixed time fame and cost frame.Say,for instance, your firm is rewarded with a project to design ERP solutions for a big corporate company. What will be step one? You will try to gather all the details regarding organization structure and hierarchy, people involved and their designations, availability of physical resources, whether the corporate firm is technically equipped, product portfolio, strategic business units and their viability, distribution channels and so on., As one is aware, enterprise resource solution software integrates production, marketing and human resource departments to facilitate even flow of information and quick execution of orders without any time delay.   Picture Courtesy: Project Management and Leadership Champions Data Collection: Data collection is inevitable and has to be precise to attain your set goals. The next logical step will be deciding the time frame and allocating resources (human and other physical resources) to carry on the project. If you feel that the delivery deadline cannot be met with, you have to immediately inform your sponsors about the time delay and extend your time frame for the project to materialize. On -Time Delivery: Projects that involve production and delivery of goods depend on the manufacturing cycle time and delivery lead time. Implementation becomes a cake walk if your business plan has incorporated, 1) well laid down step by step procedures, 2) leverage for uncertainty in the external environment and 3) focus on proper communication. Communicating the entire project plan as per the intentions to the people concerned is very vital for the success of a project, because people should understand, what needs to be done, what is one’s role, and the strategies evolved by the management. PERT and CPM: Program evaluation and review techniques (PERT) and critical pathway method are some of the tools that help in ascertaining the progress rate of projects. These tools help in identifying specific milestones and activities that are to be carried out in a sequential manner and also to estimate the time required for each activity, with a help of a network diagram. A very interesting and simple video explaining how to determine project duration using critical path…. Success of a project management is determined by Decision making ability Communication skills Negotiation techniques and Time management skills, of the project manager and also depends on how well it protects the interests of the stakeholders involved. A project is a comprehensive team effort with the budget and time well within the scope of the...

How can we define Business? Business is an important institution in the society. Be it for the supply of goods and services; Creation of employment opportunities; Offering better quality of life; Contribution to the economic growth of a country; the role of business is crucial. The subject of business is as interesting as its role in society. The more one reads about it, more interesting does business become. To be successful, you have to have your heart in your business, and your business in your heart. – Thomas Watson Sr. Entrepreneurial activities The increasing number of business schools and institutions signify the importance and the need for training the students on rudiments of business management. Developing countries encourage entrepreneurial activities and view it as a strategy to improve the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). More business activity means increased per capita income and increased standard of living. A business must make profit to succeed. Profit is income minus outgo. It is the main incentive for starting a business. Business people weigh each of their decisions in terms of making profit and avoiding loss. In a corporate environment, business has to aim for wealth maximization apart from profit maximization to increase the shareholder’s wealth in the long run. The scope of business is indeed vast. It all depends on how well you have analyzed and understood the nuances of your business activity, in order to survive and sustain in the market. Supply Chain The supply chain in a business activity involves numerous links in the form of manufacturers, supplier of raw materials to the manufacturer, dealers, logistics, intermediaries, consumers, bankers, advertising agencies, insurance agencies and so on. All these elements have to function in a coordinated manner for the benefit of the consumer. Now days, business has become customer-centric rather than product-centric. This serves both the purpose of product development in lieu of customer needs and customer satisfaction. The multitudinous activities involved in bringing raw materials to the factory and the end product from there to the market constitute business. In addition, a business activity has to comply with legal restrictions and government regulations. A business is also expected to discharge its social obligations to consumers, employees, owners and to other interest groups, which have stakes in business directly or indirectly. Planning and organization Planning and organization are two key principles in running a business enterprise as planning sets up a concrete premise on which action plans can be developed and organized activities assures definite success. Modern business is dynamic. Future business will be knowledge based and brainpower will be in greater demand. Organizations have become flat. Eight to twelve organizational layers have been reduced to two or three. Gone are the days of sheltered markets, subsidies, licenses, quotas and restrictions. Businesspersons are asked to stand on their feet, to eliminate inefficiencies, cut down costs and improve productivity. LoL! It might be said that it is the ideal of the employer to have production without employees and the ideal of the employee is to have income without work. –E. F....