Value Architecture – Snapshot of the Company’s Business Model

For an entrepreneur is very important organize his key operational activities to make fundamental business decisions with respect to ‘focus’ — the strategic relevance and prioritization of these activities to achieve a developmental milestone; ‘locus’ — where you should geographically conduct these activities; and ‘modus’ — the way in which these different activities are executed. At the business model level, the focus, locus, and modus of the entrepreneur’s activities represent the company’s output, so represents the unique way in which a business executes its strategy to the market. Focus: Focus decisions are related to the strategic importance and allocation of a company’s resources to business activities, like where to invest additional resources or disinvest resources. The entrepreneur has to focus his attention on what business activities demand priority, resources, and attention. The key decision process here is to prioritize which activities to focus on during a specific stage of growth Continue reading

The Mines Act 1952

The mines act, 1952 which was enacted to amend and consolidate the law relating to the regulation of Lob our and safety in mines came into force with effect from July 1, 1952. The act extends to whole of India and it aims at providing for safe as well as proper working conditions in mines and certain amenities to the workers employed therein. For the purpose of the act, a mines means any excavation where any operation for the purpose of searching for or obtaining minerals has been or is being carried on and includes, i) all borings, bore holes and oil wells. ii) All shafts, in or adjacent to and belonging to a mine whether in the course of being sunk or not. iii) all power stations for supply electricity solely for the purpose of working the mine or a number of mines under the same management; iv)   Continue reading

Customer Segmentation Analysis

The buying behavior of customers will vary by segment, such as the elderly, the affluent, where people live, and so forth. If you want to understand how to compete, then you should understand the purchasing processes — who is buying what from whom? You can start your analysis with various customer segments and then test each hypothesis to see if this segment is buying the product or service. This type of analysis, referred to as customer segmentation analysis, helps the organization focus on those segments that provide the greatest growth.  Customer segmentation analysis identifies and profiles promising target customers so that you can reach them with optimal marketing mixes. All consumer markets contain many subgroups of customers and prospects who behave differently, have different hopes, fears and aspirations, and have different purchasing behaviors. Segmentation enables a company to craft individual marketing plans that hit the “hot buttons” of each consumer Continue reading

Syndicated Loan – Syndicated Lending Process

Syndicated form of raising finance came into existence when the size of individual loans got bigger and banks thought fit to share the risks with other lenders. The concept of sole bankers was no longer feasible when a large amount of funding was involved. Moreover the syndicated mode of financing has two important features, namely, amount (risks) and administrative saving (documentation to be one principal lender). There will be one principal lender who will finance and the other participant lenders in the syndicate will share the risks in a predetermined share. Governments of countries as well as the corporate sector are tapped the syndicated loan route. As the size of the individual loans increased, individual banks found it difficult to take the risk single handed-regulatory authorities in most countries limit the size of the individual exposures. Hence the practice of inviting other banks to participate in the loan, to form Continue reading

Merchant Banking Services: Credit Syndication

Credit syndication also known as credit procurement and project finance services. The main task involved in credit syndication is to raise to rupee and foreign currency loans with the banks and financial institutions both in India and abroad. It also arranges the bridge finance and the resources for cost escalations or cost Overruns. Broadly, the credit syndications include the following acts; Estimating the total costs. Drawing a financing plan for the total project cost-conforming to the requirements of the promoters and their collaborators. Financial institutions and banks, government agencies and underwriters. Preparing loan application for financial assistance from term lenders/financial institutions/banks and monitoring their progress including the pre-sanction negotiations. Selecting the institutions and banks for participation in financing. Follow-up of the term loan application with the financial institutions and banks and obtaining the satisfaction for their respective share of participation. Arranging bridge finance. Assisting in completion of formalities for drawl Continue reading

Corporate Environmental Reporting

Corporate Environmental Reporting can be defined as a catch-all term that describes the various means by which companies disclose information on their environmental activities. It is important to distinguish between the terms environmental reporting and corporate environmental reports (CERs). Corporate Environmental Reports (CERs) are only one form of environmental reporting defined as publicly available, stand-alone reports issued voluntarily by companies on their environmental activities. Environmental reports can be considered a sort of small world where many crucial points in the relationship between a company and its stakeholders meet together. There can be said to be three categories of environmental disclosures: Involuntary disclosure – the disclosure of information about a company’s environmental activities without its permission and against its will. Examples of involuntary disclosures are environmental campaigns, press and media exposes and court investigations. Mandatory disclosure – the disclosure of information about a company’s environmental activities that is required by law. Continue reading