Concepts of Throughput Accounting and Theory of Constraints

Financial Management

Kaizen – Understanding the Japanese Business Philosophy of Continuous Improvement

Operations Management

Role of Leaders in Shaping Organizational Culture

Management Principles

Organizational Culture – Development and Importance

Management Principles

Five Important Organizational Cultural Models

Management Principles

Legal and Regulatory Framework for Mutual Funds in India

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the apex regulator of Indian capital markets. Issuance and trading of capital market instruments and regulation of capital market the intermediaries is under the purview of SEBI. SEBI is the primary regulator of mutual funds in India. SEBI has enacted the SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996, which provides the scope of the regulation of mutual funds in India. It is mandatory that mutual funds should be registered with SEBI. The structure and the formation of mutual funds, appointment of key functionaries and investors, investment restrictions, compliance and penalties are all defined under SEBI Regulations, Mutual funds have to send a seven-year compliance reports to SEBI. SEBI is also empowered to periodically inspect mutual fund organizations to ensure compliance with SEBI regulations. SEBI also regulates other fund constituents such as AMCs, Trustees, Custodians, etc. Reserve Bank of India capital adequacy(RBI) is the monetary Continue reading

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Stages of Venture Capital Financing

The Venture Capital Financing Spectrum The requirements of funds vary with the life cycle stage of the enterprise. Even before a business plan is prepared the entrepreneur invests his time and resources in surveying the market, finding and understanding the target customers and their needs. At the seed stage the entrepreneur continue to fund the venture with his own or family funds. At this stage the funds are needed to solicit the consultant’s services in formulation of business plans, meeting potential customers and technology partners. Next the funds would be required for development of the product/process and producing prototypes, hiring key people and building up the managerial team. This is followed by funds for assembling the manufacturing and marketing facilities in that order. Finally the funds are needed to expand the business and attain the critical mass for profit generation. Venture capitalists cater to the needs of the entrepreneurs at Continue reading

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Franchising Business

Franchising is a style of business which has a lot of different but same branches throughout the world. Franchising business is an arrangement for a continuing relationship in which one party – a franchisor provides an accredited opportunity to another party – the franchisee to do business using its trade name and offers assistance in organizing, training, producing, marketing and managing a good or service in adherence to certain specifications, in return for monetary exchange. The franchisee usually pays a one-time franchise fee plus a percentage of sales revenue as royalty, and in turn gains instant name and recognition, tried and tested products, standard infrastructural design and interior decor, detailed techniques in running and promoting the business, training of employees and on-going help in promoting and improving the product The advantages of franchising from the franchisee’s point of view are myriad. First, the franchisee can benefit from the widely recognized Continue reading

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Inventory Management Practices in Multinational Corporations

Inventory in the form of raw materials, work in process or finished goods is held; to facilitate the production process by both ensuring that supplies are at hand  when needed and allowing a more even rate of production and to make certain that goods are available for delivery at the time of sale. Although, conceptually, the inventory management problems faced by multinational  firms are not unique, they may be exaggerated in the case of foreign operations. For  instance, MNCs typically find it more difficult to control their overseas inventory and  realize inventory turnover objectives. There are a variety of reasons: long and  variable transit times if ocean transportation is used, lengthy customs proceedings,  dock strikes, import controls, higher duties, supply disruption, and anticipated  changes in currency values. Advanced Inventory Purchases In many developing countries, forward contracts for foreign currency are limited in  availability or the nonexistent. In addition, restrictions often Continue reading

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Advertising Response Models

Advertising, being a form of mass communication, reaches numerous people simultaneously. Because it is highly visible and touches our lives, almost everyone has some pet views about it. Advertising produces both intended and unintended results. The intended results serve the objectives of the advertiser such as increasing brand awareness or producing profitable sales. Roland Berman has made the following observations “Advertisements do more than inform or persuade. They eloquently translate feelings and opinions. Through advertising and the media we receive an enormous amount of silent information: how to act in relation to people, property and ourselves. And that information is a barometer, attuned to social change.” (Roland Burman, “Advertising and Social Change,”Advertising Age, April 30, 1980, p. 18.) Much has been researched and written about how advertising works and the effects it produces. However, at the very outset, it is important to appreciate that the nature of subject is such Continue reading

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What is a Lean Supply Chain?

A supply chain is a network of facilities, functions and activities that are involved in fulfilling customer demand. Supply chain is the network of organisations that are involved through the upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of products and services in the hand of the ultimate customer. The coordination within the entire chain is therefore very important. The supply chain covers activities on the business process, procurement, production, inventory carrying, storage, handling and distribution within an organisation. Supply Chain Management is therefore, the integration of key business processes across the supply chain for the purpose of adding value for customers and stakeholders. The size of the business determines the extent of Supply Chain Management it will get itself involved in. Companies invest heavily in Supply Chain Management to give their customers value for their money since supply chain management is Continue reading

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