Durability of Competitive Advantage

Durability of competitive advantage  determines how long the competitive advantage can be sustained and is considered in terms of the ability of competitors to imitate through gaining access to the resources on which the competitive advantage is built. The key to investing is not assessing how much an industry is going to affect society, or how much it will grow, but rather determining the competitive advantage of any given company and, above all, the durability of that advantage. The products or services that have wide, sustainable moats around them are the ones that deliver rewards to investors. —Warren Buffett (1999) The durability of competitive advantage of a company is a function of three factors: the height of barriers to imitation, the capability of competitors, and the general dynamism of the industry environment. 1. Barriers to Imitation Barriers to imitation are factors that make it difficult for a competitor to copy Continue reading

Financial Derivative Types: Options – Definition, Types and Benefits

In the volatile environment, risk of heavy fluctuations in the prices assets is very heavy. Option is yet another tool to manage such risks. As the very name implies, an option contract gives the buyer an option to buy or sell an underlying asset (stock, bond, currency, commodity etc.) at a predetermined price on or before a specified date in future. The price so predetermined is called the ‘strike price’ or ‘exercise price’. Option is a contract that provides a right but does not impose any obligation to buy or sell a financial instrument, say a share or security. It can be exercised by the owner. Option offers the buyer, profits from favorable movement of prices say of shares or foreign exchange. Writer: In an options contract, the seller is usually referred to as a “writer” since he is said to write the contract. It is similar to the seller Continue reading

Types of small groups in business scenario

There are two major types of small groups, primary and discussion groups. The primary group is more informal in nature. Members get together daily or very regularly. The primary group is less goal-oriented and often there is conversation on general topics and not discussion on specific topic. Primary groups are not bound by any rules and are highly flexible. Discussion groups are highly formal. These are characterized by face-to-face interactions where group members respond, react and adapt to the communication of other participants. A discussion group has one or more leaders. Members of discussion groups have common characteristics-geographic location, social class, economic level, life style, education level, etc. finally, members of a discussion group have a common purpose or goal. The strength cohesiveness and longevity of the group depends upon the type of goal. One important type of discussion groups is the problem-solving group. Such groups are of four types Continue reading

Professionalism in Human Resources Planning

Human resource planning determines the human resources required by the organization to achieve its strategic goals.  Human resource planning is the process for ensuring that the human resource requirements of an organization are identified and plans are made for satisfying those requirements. In human resource planning people are the most important strategic resource for an organization. Whereas HR Planning generally concerned with matching resources to business needs in the longer term, although sometime address shorter-term requirements as well. HR Planning also looks at broader issues relating to the ways in which the people are employed and developed in order to improve organizational effectiveness. So HR Planning plays an important role in strategic human resource management. Professionalism in HR planning The first part of professionalism  in HR Planning is understanding the customer, the customer requirements and providing customer satisfaction. HR is increasingly viewed as a service; a service both to employees Continue reading

Importance of Organizational Culture in Strategic Management

Culture plays an important part in our society. It refers to beliefs and codes of practice that makes a community what it is. It also plays the same role in organizations. A strong organizational culture will provide stability to an organization as it has significant influence on the attitudes and behaviors of organization’s members. Most of company’s top managers have a strong awareness that the culture of a company is crucial to everything they do and plays irreplaceable part in their success. However, not many companies can admit that they can describe their culture and fully understand how important it is in the success of their businesses. There are various explanations and elements to define organizational culture. For some, it means top management beliefs and values about how they should manage the organization and conduct the business. For some, it is an evolutionary process relating to people that creates unique Continue reading

Customer Service Strategies in Banking Sector

Today, banking sector is seen as a catalyst in economic growth of a country and, lot is expected from the banking fraternity. The recognition of banking, as a tool for all inclusive growth by economists, financial planners, reformist etc has made it an important sector in the Government’s planning of economic growth. The banking sector in India is there fore witnessing tremendous changes because of political, social and economic changes that are taking place domestically and internationally. The concept of banking, which was earlier restricted to accepting of deposits from public for the purpose of, has also undergone sea change. Today the banking sector is seen as a vehicle for all inclusive economic growth, social responsibility and equiv-distribution of national resources. Today banks are wooing existing customers, prospective customers by offering new facilities, products, and services in order to retain/increase their base in market. The way the banking has changed, Continue reading