Advantages of Value Added Tax (VAT)

In the advantages part we will first look after the broad coverage of VAT in the Indian market. Then we will consider the level of security the Indian VAT is having on our revenues. Obviously the selection of items to be covered by VAT in India will be given a bullet to think upon and at last we will check out the co-ordination VAT in India will be having with our existing direct tax system. 1) Coverage : If the tax is carried through the retail level, it offers all the economic advantages of a tax that includes the entire retail price within its scope, at the same time the direct payment of the tax is spread out and over a large number of firms instead of being concentrated on particular groups, such as wholesalers or retailers. If retailers do evade, tax will be lost only on their margins because Continue reading

What is Investment Portfolio?

Meaning of  Investment Portfolio A portfolio is a collection of securities. Since it is rarely desirable to invest the entire funds of an individual or an institution in a single security, it is essential that every security be viewed in a portfolio context. An investment portfolio comprising of different types of securities and assets. As the investors acquire different sets of assets of financial nature, such as gold, silver, real estate, buildings, insurance policies, post office certificates, NSC etc., they are making a provision for future. The risk of each of such investments is to be understood before hand. Normally the average householder keeps most of his income in cash or bank deposits and assumes that they are safe and least risky. Little does he realize that they also carry a risk with them — the fear of loss or actual loss or theft and loss of real value of Continue reading

5S – Japanese Concept of Workplace Improvement

What is 5S Concept? Simply put, 5S is a method/Japanese concept for organizing a workplace, especially a shared workplace (like a shop floor or an office space). It’s sometimes referred to as a housekeeping methodology, however this characterization can be misleading because organizing a workplace goes beyond housekeeping (see discussion of “Seiton” below). The key targets of 5S concept are workplace morale and efficiency. The assertion of 5S is, by assigning everything a location, time is not wasted by looking for things. Additionally, it is quickly obvious when something is missing from its designated location. 5S advocates believe the benefits of this methodology come from deciding what should be kept, where it should be kept, and how it should be stored. This decision making process should lead to a dialog which can build a clear understanding, between employees, of how work should be done. It also instills ownership of the Continue reading

Fixed Exchange Rate System

A fixed (or pegged) exchange rate system is one where governments or central banks set official exchange rates and defend the set rates through foreign exchange market intervention and monetary polices. Under this system, the currency is pegged to another currency (or basket of currencies) and the central bank promises to exchange currency at a specified rate against the other currency. Each central bank actively buys or sells its currency in foreign exchange market whenever its exchange rate threatens to deviate from its stated par value by more than an agreed-upon percentage. For example, India pegs its Rupee to the U.S. dollar at a rate of 45 rupee per dollar. The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) must always be willing to buy rupee with dollars or to buy dollars with rupee in any amount at the fixed rate of 45 rupee per dollar. Otherwise, there could be excess supply of or Continue reading

Exchange Rate Regimes: International Gold Standard (1875- 1914)

Though in Great Britain currency notes from the Bank of England were made fully redeemable for gold during 1821, the first full-fledged gold standard was adopted by France   in 1878. Later on United States adopted it in 1879 and Russia and Japan in 1897, Switzerland, and many Scandinavian countries by 1928. An international Gold Standard is said to exist when; Gold alone is assured of unrestricted coinage There is a   two way convertibility between gold and national currencies at a stable ratio And gold may be freely imported and exported. In order to support unrestricted convertibility into gold, bank notes need to be backed by gold reserve of a minimum stated ratio. In addition, the domestic money stock should rise and fall as gold flows in and out of the country. In a version called Gold Specie Standard, the actual currency in circulation consists of gold coins with Continue reading

Four Approaches to the Determination of Exchange Rates

In simple terms, it is the interaction of supply and demand factors for two currencies in the market that determines the rate at which they trade. But what factors influence the many thousands of decisions made each day to buy or sell a currency? How do changes in supply and demand conditions explain the path of an exchange rate over the course of a day, a month, or a year? This complex issue has been extensively studied in economic literature and widely discussed among investors, officials, academicians, traders, and others. Still, there are no definitive answers. Views on exchange rate determination differ and have changed over time. No single approach provides a satisfactory explanation of exchange rate movements, particularly short- and medium-term movements, since the advent of widespread floating in the early 1970s. Some approaches to exchange rate determination: 1. The Purchasing Power Parity Approach Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) theory Continue reading