ValueNotes_In the News

ValueNotes and its analysts have been widely quoted in reputed international business media and trade journals. Our research has been referenced by publications such as The Economist, New York Times, TIME Magazine, Wall Street Journal, BusinessWorld, India Brand Equity Foundation, Lighting India, Mint, Infrastructure Today, and the Times of India.

 
Dec 2021 - Industry Today
Indian Research and Insights industry to grow 2x by 2026 to $4.2 billion
The Market Research Society of India launched its inaugural edition of the Indian Research & Insights (R&I) Industry Report. According to the report, the Indian R&I industry is expected to grow at a 12-14% CAGR to $4.2 billion (INR 31,300 crore) by 2025-26, compared to $2.1 bn (INR 17,200 crore) in 2020-21. Moreover, India is fast becoming the global analytics hub, with international markets accounting for 3/4th of its revenues. MRSI partnered with ValueNotes as the research partner for ensuring methodological objectivity of the report.
Dec 2021 - IndianTelevision
India is fast becoming the global analytics hub
According to a report launched by the Market Research Society of India (MRSI, India is fast becoming the global analytics hub, with international markets accounting for three-fourths of its revenues. During 2020-21, marketing analytics services accounted for 52% of the total Indian Research and Insights industry revenues, while traditional market research and syndicated / publishing services stood at 32% and 16% respectively. MRSI partnered with ValueNotes as the research partner for ensuring methodological objectivity of the report.
Dec 2021 - ET Brand Equity
Indian research and insights industry to reach INR 31,300 crore by 2026
During 2020-21, marketing analytics services accounted for 52% of the total Indian Research and Insights industry revenues. By 2025-26, analytics services will account for 59%.
May-July 2021 - Fourth Leap
Video Analytics - The Coming Revolution
The Covid crisis has substantially accelerated this evolution as video communication is now the norm - for meetings, education, marketing, recruitment, conferences… and much more. At the risk of sounding repetitive – this is only the beginning. Video analytics is fundamentally disruptive, and will alter our lives in ways we cannot even think of today.
Mar 2021 - Computer Weekly
India is becoming a hotspot for IoT
Then there are challenges around integration and connectivity. The lack of common standards is a worldwide issue with IoT, but in India it stops businesses from getting the full power out of this technology. The country is early in the adoption curve and integration is a big issue, apart from other factors like network connectivity and machine downtime.
Mar 2021 - Dataquest
When tech met money: what next in fintech saga
2020 was a tipping point for fintech players. The question now is where they move next - and how they react to platforms, apps, and incumbents coming to the party. Analysts have a strong feeling that 2021 would bring opportunities and challenges, stronger than before, for the players that exist and the ones that have started emerging.
Oct 2020 - Business Exchange
Businesses you can start with under INR 5 lakh
A slew of business opportunities have emerged during the pandemic. On the other hand, employment has declined. With a minimum investment of INR 500,000 (USD 7,000), there are various business opportunities in India - food trucks, beauty salons...
Aug 2020 - FnBnews.com
Business will not return to normal before 2021, but F&B sees growth
The pandemic is possibly the closest comparison to the Great Depression. Debt is rising to record levels, supply chains have been disturbed, and demand in most sectors is weak. The question on everyone’s mind is how long is this going to last? How are business leaders across the world addressing the disruption?
Jun 2020 - Computer Weekly
Inside India: The world’s IT powerhouse
The Covid-19 pandemic is turning out to be a big fork in the road for many companies. But what about the industry that keeps the lights on for them? Arun Jethmalani, managing director of ValueNotes, believes India’s IT industry is resilient enough to overcome the odds. Without IT, the pandemic would have been a bigger disaster than what it has been. The world needs new ways to look at software. "If we [India] can make it, the globe will look at us with a huge appetite."
Apr 2020 - Financial Express
Attempt to restart industrial activity in Pune derails
Arun Jethmalani, MD, ValueNotes, a research and consulting firm, said some consistency was needed and you cannot ask companies to open one day and close the next... By shutting companies the disease will not go away so might as well start in some fashion else we will have a different magnitude of problem and lot of social pressures. The path has to be clear and governance transparent, he suggested.
Feb 2020 - RIND Survey
Leveraging data: Mindset comes before technology
Arun Jethmalani cautions that data collection and technology may be fine, but solving business problems and making the right decisions are crucial. He talks about the poor quality of data - incomplete or incorrect information, and missing data fields that are critical for analysis. Technology, he says, is not the problem; it’s the mind-set. - see page 12
Jul 2019 - afaqs!
Coke's premium smartwater is made 'the way clouds are made'
In the packaged drinking water segment, India has close to 200 bottled water brands. Of these, Bisleri's Vedic and NourishCo's Himalayan are the big players at the premium end, of which a 500 ml water bottles costs between Rs 30-50, as against, a normal packaged drinking water bottle of Rs 10. According to a report published by ValueNotes most of the current players in this segment are serving specific regions, with their focus still on urban tier I cities.
Oct 2018 - exchange4media
We want to make healthy habits a part of consumers' lives - Unibic Foods
Aarti Iyer, marketing head of Unibic Foods, speaks about the uniqueness of the brand, their marketing campaigns, and the company's biggest strength is the way in which they bring innovation and freshness into their products.
Jun 2018 - Economic Times
Insights: How to prepare your car for the rainy season?
The rainy season is a refreshing change from the scorching summer. Heat waves and sweating give way for soothing showers. However, things can change quickly and rainfall can be extremely threatening. According to a 2016 Nielsen and ValueNotes survey, the inability of car drivers to adjust to the changes in roadways because of heavy rains was termed as one of the main reasons for accidents in Mumbai.
Jun 2018 - Mint
Amy’s Kitchen plans manufacturing unit in India
Amy’s Kitchen Inc., the California-based manufacturer of organic ready-made frozen foods, is looking to set up a manufacturing unit in India in next couple of years as the company is planning to develop India as a processing hub for exports.
Apr 2018 - Pune Mirror
Parallel alignment
They say you can’t have your cake and eat it too. And in the race to juggle a million things every day, many of us can barely cover two bases: home and office. Yet, there are those mavericks among us who go the distance and do more, exploring their interests - who manage to balance challenging work profiles as well as their follow their heart.
Mar 2018 - Bakery Review
Evolution in breakfast tables
The changing lifestyle of Indian consumers has changed the way the breakfast table looks in many urban homes. The days of a typical Indian breakfast seem to be over. Today, healthy ready-to- eat and cook options are adorning many a breakfast table.
Feb 2018 - Bakery Review
The flow of dark delights
Despite the not-so-encouraging economic climate of India in recent years, it would be an understatement to say that the chocolate market in the country is growing impressively. A ValueNotes research report indicates a promising future for chocolates... dark chocolate is expected to be the fastest growing segment among Indian consumers.
Jan 2018 - Aabshaar Mineral Water
Bottled water market growth in India
The bottled water market in India possesses a huge growth potential, with its current market proliferation advancing much faster than the carbonated drinks market. In spite of the fast growth rate, thriving in the mineral water industry is a challenge due to current market conditions and industry operations.
Jan 2018 - Food & Beverage
India gets ready to eat
A gowing number of working women and millennial population, combined with hectic work schedules and mushrooming of retail chains, have been the key factors towards increasing the popularity of ready-to-eat products in India.
Nov-17-Tata Trust website
Tata Trusts conclude a unique library educator’s course in Bhopal
The ‘Parag’ initiative of Tata Trusts announced the successful conclusion of a unique Library Educator’s Course (LEC) for professional development of library practitioners. Designed for librarians, teachers and other practitioners, the initiative focuses on setting up and running vibrant children’s libraries. LEC has been designed to help practitioners to imagine a library as an open and creative space for all children.
Nov-17- Krishi Jagran
Characteristics of an ideal warehouse
The estimated loss of agricultural produce due to inadequate post-harvest infrastructure and an ineficient supply chain management is approximately Rs 600 billion every year. Nearly 30-40% of horticulture produce is wasted annually. Most warehouses and logistics providers do not have adequate scientific and technical facilities to store and transport perishable commodities like seafood, fruits, vegetables etc.
Oct-17- Tata Trust website
Tata Trusts and Bookworm Trust conclude a first-of-its-kind library educator’s course in Goa
For large percentage of first generation learners, school libraries can be the best source to access children’s literature. However, 74% of schools did not have functional libraries (Valuenotes, 2013). Education research also emphasizes the importance of children engaging with reading beyond textbooks and course-related material to diversify their range of reading material and broaden their horizons.
Oct-17- South China Morning Post
Cities that ban single-use plastic bottles
Hong Kong stands alongside Seoul, Tokyo and Taipei as the city with the highest disposal of waste per capita. Last year 480 billion plastic drinking bottles were sold across the world; fewer than half of the plastic bottled drinks were collected for recycling. The consumption of bottled water is growing much faster than carbonated drinks in India. The country's bottled water industry was valued at 60 billion rupees (HK$7 billion) in 2013 and is expected to grow to HK$19 billion by 2018, according to intelligence firm ValueNotes.
Sep-17 - WITSA (World Information Technology and Services Alliance)
Asia Pacific economies leading in digital revolution
The Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organisation (ASOCIO) and The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) released their inaugural research paper on the side-lines of the joint session of the World Congress on IT (WCIT) 2017 and the ASOCIO Summit. The report - authored by ValueNotes - outlines key policy recommendations for consideration in developing a digital agenda in the region.
Sep-17 - Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization (ASOCIO)
Reimagining the Digital Era
A research paper - authored by ValueNotes for ASOCIO (an ICT federation representing 24 economies in APAC) - on the digital transformation agendas and initiatives in Asia-Pacific economies. The objective of the paper was to suggest suitable collaborative action steps towards transforming APAC into a truly digital region.
Aug-17 -Business World
Let Indian companies lead the growth in the beauty care market
Regulation in beauty care products and services and its enforcement is where urgent action is needed to empower Indian businesses in this sector to sustain the loyalty of their consumers and to best position themselves to compete with the international players for 'a growing slice' of the forecasted exuberant growth.
Aug-17 - Fundamatics
The Future of Work
Every technology disruption has led to job losses, and destruction of entire industries or professions. But this time around, we appear to be in a veritable technology storm. Not one, but many (many!) technologies are supplementing and accelerating each other. Some call it convergence?! (Authored by Arun Jethmalani... Fundamatics is a magazine published by IIT Bombay Alumni Association)
Aug-17 - Money Control
Why you should have a financial vision for the future
Let's begin by asking ourselves the most basic question about finance. What do we want out of your financial life? Most likely, each one of us has a blurry idea. Although, crystal-clear clarity is not a mandate, having a vision is tremendously supportive. Now, here comes the tricky part! As astonishing as this may sound, many tend to confuse need and vision…
Aug-17 - Construction Opportunities
Demand floors expectations
Manufacturing is among the high growth areas powered by PM Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. Also, India is now a major manufacturing nation with its emerging status of a global manufacturing hub. All this adds up to a robust demand for industrial flooring in the long run.
Jul-17 - FnBnews.com
Bread sector valued at $0.53 billion in 2015; growing at nine per cent?
White bread is the most popular category, contributing 75% to the total sales of bread products. The demand for brown and fruit bread is estimated to increase further, due to an increasing urban consumer base and a rise in health awareness about nutritional food.
Jun-17 Business India
The second coming
It’s another wave of Ayurveda! And, this time, it’s riding on the benefits plank of ‘herbal and natural’. A new generation of Ayurveda firms have whipped up a virtual tsunami in the FMCG industry, forcing even global heavyweights such as Unilever to acknowledge that these firms have resulted in slowing growth rates for the incumbents.
Jun 2017 - Indian Express
Why are beauticians in Delhi choosing not to service clients in posh salons?
The increasing corporatisation of the beauty business has further complicated things. They thrive only on exchange of services, thereby monetising the returns of the labour, bringing them under the organised labour sector. On the other hand, the unorganised sector - embodied by small end parlours - still accounts for the larger share in the business.
Jun 2017 - Just-Food
India bread industry believes Bimbo's entry could spark more deals
Grupo Bimbo, the world's largest bakery products group, has muscled its way into India with the acquisition of a majority stake in local packaged bread group Ready Roti India. Logistical and supply chain issues make India's bakery industry challenging but some market watchers expect Bimbo's move to be followed by other multinationals attracted by the industry's growth.
May 2017 - Economic Times
Mexico's Grupo Bimbo to buy majority stake in Harvest Gold
The Mexican group wants to expand its base in Asia, and as India offers a huge opportunity, the group has decided to grow inorganically in India. According to a research report by ValueNotes, the bread industry in India grew at a CAGR of 9% over the last three years and was valued at Rs 3,300 crore in FY15. The industry is expected to grow to around Rs 5,300 crore in FY20.
May 2017 - Financial Chronicle
Swadeshi Punch
There was a time in India when ‘phoren’ was regarded as in. FMCG, clothes, wellness, apparels, the brand recall of all things made out of India, were considered as the touchpoint of success. This period, needless to say, precedes the rise and rise of Patanjali. Such has been the dominance of the saffron clad Baba Ramdev’s swadeshi thrust that it would be a myth to proclaim any longer that big brands are all foreign.
Apr 2017 - Oxford University Press
Research and Competitive Trends in 2014 in India
This article, authored by ValueNotes’ managing director, Arun Jethmalani, was published in the second edition of Services Marketing - Text and Cases. The book, published by Oxford University Press, has been specially designed to meet the requirements of post graduate students of management. Essential concepts related to services marketing are explained lucidly with the help of Indian and global examples, exhibits and case studies.
Apr 2017 - Deccan Chronicle
Fast moving India and it's hit goods
According to a survey by ValueNotes, Baba Ramdev’s huge fan base built around the themes of yoga, health and swadeshi were early adopters of his products, and this allowed Patanjali to experiment with a wide range of products. “They became unpaid marketeers. This helped Patanjali reach customers across India."
Apr 2017 - Asian Age
Fast moving India and it's hit goods
Certain brands leave such a deep impression on minds of consumers that they have become synonymous with a service or a product. Google’s search, for example, has become a verb while Xerox — a company that makes photocopying machines - is synonymous with any kind of copying. But such phenomenal success is not the exclusive preserve of foreign companies. India has several companies that overshadowed multinationals in their respective fields, even becoming household names.
Mar 2017 - The Dollar Business magazine
How a concoction of patriotism and brand can work
A couple of decades ago if someone told you that a monk could give seasoned business masterminds a run for their money, you would have taken it in jest. Not today. For Baba Ramdev and his Patanjali Ayurved has proved the naysayers wrong. Merging yoga with ayurveda, and of course politics, this bearded guru in saffron robes has prepared a concoction of 'brand and patriotism' that millions in India love to savour without batting an eyelid.
Mar 2017 - The Dollar Business magazine
Patanjali arrived just in time to ride the Ayurveda wave
In an exclusive interview with The Dollar Business magazine, Arun Jethmalani (managing director of ValueNotes) talks about Patanjali and what has worked for the company and what hasn’t.
Feb 2017 - BBM Magazine
Global biscuit market and Turkey
Global sweet biscuit market grew by 3,2% from 2010 to 2014, reaching a total market share of 42,750 billion dolars in 2014. The source of this growth was mainly Asian countries, particularly India.
Feb 2017 - Mint
Peepul Capital buys out Lighthouse Funds stake in Unibic India
Mid-market private equity investor Peepul Capital has acquired the stake of Lighthouse Funds in biscuit maker Unibic India. According to market research firm ValueNotes, the biscuits and cookies industry in India was valued at $2.41 billion in FY2014 and growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% over the last three years.
Feb 2017 - Corning
Corning works with Micromax to deliver Corning Gorilla Glass on new Vdeo series of smartphones
A recent consumer poll conducted in India, which is the second largest smartphone market in the world, highlights the needs of India’s critical value-segment smartphone category predominantly serviced by devices ranging in price from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 ($75 to $150). The study focuses on the participants’ expectations and performance of devices they currently own.
Feb 2017- Nasscom
The IT-BPM Sector in India - Strategic Review 2017
India’s IT-BPM industry is projected to grow ~8% in FY2017 to USD 154 billion. In light of the very disruptive emerging technologies, the industry is re-imagining itself to become the Digital Solutions Partner for the world. This report analyses the IT-BPM market size by segments (IT services, BPM, ER&D, Software Products and eCommerce).
Feb-17-FirstPost
Analytics segment most attractive in the Indian KPO sector
The rate at which digital data is being generated today is growing exponentially, to say the least. The world’s installed capacity to store information will reach nearly 100 zettabytes by 2020, if it continues to grow at the current rate, according to a report by Policy Exchange, a UK think tank.
Nov 2016 - The Telegraph (India)
Parle magic with chocolate
Parle Products, the country's leading manufacturer of biscuits and confectionery, announced its foray into the Rs 6,000-crore luxury chocolate segment with the launch of Friberg - a super-premium chocolate brand imported from Belgium and Switzerland. The Indian chocolate market is expected to grow to Rs 12,200 crore in 2019 from Rs 5,800 crore in 2014, according to market research firm ValueNotes.
Oct 2016 - The Hindu
Venture-funded, hot idlis in your kitchen
In 2012, Sequoia Capital, invested Rs.3 crore in iD Fresh Food, a Bengaluru-based ready-to-cook idli and dosa batter-making firm. The follow-on investment of Rs.35 crore by another India-focused tech fund, Helion Ventures, was an endorsement for the fact that the Indian convenient-meal sector is poised to grow.
Oct 2016 - Business Today
Road to a secure future
That Indian urban consumers do little about securing their financial future is a well-established fact. For instance, a recent study by HDFC Life and ValueNotes pegged The Indian Urban Consumer's Financial Planning Index at 62.7 on a scale of 100, which is quite low. Ignoring financial planning can have consequences for your future well-being and peace of mind.
Sep 2016 - Mint
Harvest Gold looks to raise $50-60 million
Harvest Gold is holding discussions with private equity firms and strategic investors, including Modern brand, which is owned by Everstone Capital-backed Nimman Foods, to raise money. The bread and bakery firm is looking to raise somewhere between $50-60 million from investors in lieu of an equity stake.
Sep 2016 - Financial Express
Here’s why Chennai is fast emerging as a logistics hub
A warehouse in India is usually a shed with four walls, no ventilation, no temperature controls and, lacks hygiene. According to ValueNotes, a warehouse management system is essentially a man with a notebook keeping track of the inventory that comes in and leaves the premises. Due to the lack of modern warehousing facilities, the industry is now facing a huge gap between demand and supply.
Sep 2016 - Mint
Mondelez to invest $15 million in global research centre in Maharashtra
Mondelez International, the maker of Cadbury chocolates, said it would invest about $15 million in building a global research, development and quality hub in Thane, Maharashtra. The investment is part of its $65 million outlay to develop a global research, development and quality 'Network of the Future’ at nine locations around the world over the next two years.
Sep 2016 - India Today
Patanjali is a holy threat to India's FMCG giants
Seldom does a new company become the focal point of discussion at strategy meetings of FMCG giants. A company can take up to several decades to establish itself in the FMCG sector. Yet, Patanjali Ayurved, set up merely a decade ago, is challenging multinational companies such as Nestle, P&G and Unilever.
Aug 2016 - Economic Times
Financial freedom eludes Indians: HDFC Life survey
According to HDFC Life's Life Freedom Index, while Indian consumers are jittery about their ability to meet their goals, they are making efforts to improve their state. - based on a report published by HDFC Life in collaboration with ValueNotes
Aug 2016 - Mint
Financial knowledge of Indians continues to remain shaky
Although Indian consumers understand the need to plan their finances well ahead in life, they fail to review and realign their plans as per the varying events of their lives, according to the latest findings of the Life Freedom Index’s 2016 edition said a report by HDFC Life. - based on a report published by HDFC Life in collaboration with ValueNotes
Aug 2016 - Mashable India
Pedestrian safety tips during the monsoon
There’s no shortage of advice each monsoon, from how to keep your hair from getting frizzy to fashion tips for braving the rains. Tips and advice about how pedestrians should expect to handle wet roads. It’s time we changed that. According to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, someone loses their life every four minutes to a road accident. The chances of that happening during the monsoon increase sharply.
Aug 2016 - Indian Express
Chevrolet India launches campaign to spread road safety awareness
One of Chevrolet India’s key values is to keep the customers at the centre of everything and the monsoon season was just one of the several opportunities to connect, engage and educate them on the importance of being careful on road.
Jul 2016 - Chevrolet India
Chevrolet launches Drive with Care Initiative
To create awareness amongst motorists and promote road safety during monsoon, Chevrolet India today launched the Drive with Care initiative. A dedicated campaign page on the Chevrolet website will be created to educate the public with insights on traffic accidents and tips on what pedestrians and drivers can do to be safer on the road during rainy days.
Jul 2016 - Chevrolet India
Chevrolet India survey : Driving during rains considered as one of the worst driving scenarios by Mumbaikars
Chevrolet recently commissioned a study on road accidents in Mumbai, conducted by Nielsen and ValueNotes. ‘Driving during rains’ is considered as one of the worst driving scenarios by 50% of the respondents, followed by driving in the dark/night (22%). South zone has the lowest number of road accidents between January 2014 and April 2016.
Jul 2016 - ET BrandEquity
Drive with Care', says Chevrolet via its new ad campaign
To create awareness amongst motorists and promote road safety during monsoon, Chevrolet India launched the 'Drive with Care' initiative. The company recently commissioned a study on road accidents in Mumbai, conducted by Nielsen and ValueNotes, to learn more about road accidents during the monsoon season.
Jul 2016 - AdGully
Chevrolet’s Drive with Care hits hard at the road safety issue: Jack Uppal
To help make road safety a top-of-mind concern for everyone, especially during the monsoons, auto major Chevrolet has rolled out its ‘Drive with Care’ campaign. AdGully spoke with Jack Uppal, VP - Marketing and Customer Care, General Motors, to know more about this initiative.
Jul 2016 - Advertising Age
Chevrolet takes charge of road safety during monsoon, launches special drive
With an aim to create awareness during the monsoon season, Chevrolet has rolled out a Road Safety Campaign. Jack Uppal of General Motors said, "With the 'Drive with Care' film, which hits hard at the road safety issue, we aim to... and bring about the attitudinal change to be safe on the road and to care for others at the same time. The campaign gives on-road insights and urges you to think and ponder over your approach towards road safety."
Jul 2016 - afaqs!
Chevrolet paints the town wet
Considering road accident casualties during the monsoons and to ensure road safety, auto giant Chevrolet has launched its 'Drive with Care' campaign'. As part of the campaign, Chevrolet has also released a video that shows innovative road signs using hydrophobic paint, which can only be seen when wet.
Jul 2016 - The Hindu
North, east Mumbai most mishap-prone in rains: survey
Dindoshi, Vikhroli and Chembur have emerged as the top three accident-prone areas of the city during the monsoon, according to a survey based on road accident data compiled between January 2014 and April 2016. North and east Mumbai reported the highest number of accidents during this period, while south Mumbai contributed the least, thanks to comparatively better road conditions, driving discipline and enforcement of traffic rules.
Jul 2016 - India Today
Poor road signs, lack of warnings cause most mishaps in Mumbai
Two-thirds of the motorists in the megapolis, known for its potholed roads in the monsoons, have blamed the poor road signs and lack of warnings as the main reasons for the mounting accidents, according to a survey. There are not enough road signs and warnings during the rains which are leading to higher road accidents in the city during the monsoons, said the survey commissioned by Chevrolet (GM India).
Jul 2016 - Financial Express
Driving during rains’ considered one of the worst driving scenarios by Mumbaikars: Chevrolet India survey
Auto-maker Chevrolet recently commissioned a study on road accidents in Mumbai, conducted by Nielsen and ValueNotes. It found that ‘driving during rains’ is considered one of the worst driving scenarios by Mumbaikars (50%), followed by driving in the dark/night (22%).
Jul 2016 - Shifting-Gears.com
Driving during rains is the worst experience for Mumbaikars
With the arrival of monsoon, maintenance of cars becomes a big concern for all the vehicle owners. Chevrolet recently commissioned a study on road accidents in Mumbai, conducted by Nielsen and ValueNotes. The top three common concerns faced by the respondents during rains are poor road conditions like potholes, open manholes, slippery road etc. (65%), over speeding or rash driving (63%) and drink and drive (54%).
Jul 2016 - Mumbai Mirror
Dindoshi, Chembur, Vikhroli most accident - prone during rains
A recent survey on road safety in Mumbai, commissioned by Chevrolet India and conducted by Nielsen and ValueNotes, reported 25,402 road accidents between January 2014 and April 2016. South Mumbai was the safest zone.
Jul 2016 - Bangalore Mirror
The luxury of good chocolate
It is popularly believed that it was the Mayans who first discovered and cultivated chocolate. Apart from drinking a version of hot chocolate (a bitter concoction of cocoa beans, water, chilli and cornmeal), they also used cocoa beans as currency believing it to be worth more than gold dust.
Jul 2016 - SakalMoney
Only 9% Indians get health insurance for short & long term health problems
HDFC Life conducted a survey of the current state financial freedom in India. The survey showed that a whopping 91% of Indian consumers do not have a comprehensive health insurance plan that would cover all of their short and long term health contingencies. - based on a report published by HDFC Life in collaboration with ValueNotes
Jun 2016 - Infrabuddy.com
ValueNotes Strategic Intelligence shares its latest research on the Indian waterproofing products market
Currently valued at INR 2600 crore (~USD 380 million), the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% to reach INR 5000 crore (~USD 735 million) by 2020. The central government’s Housing for All initiative – through which it aims to build 2 crore (20 million) houses by the end of the program – will add another INR 400 crore to this figure.
Jun 2016 - Economic Times
How India is taking its first brave bites of gourmet chocolate
In Bruges, the Flemish city of canals and picture-perfect vistas, Dominique Persoone's The Chocolate Line is just one of the 50 shops selling handmade chocolate. This is a glimpse into the world of luxury chocolate and the experimentation there. From a chocolate-sniffing contraption — with which you can snort a cocoa-herb mix — that Persoone made for a Rolling Stones bash to the impossible-to-eat 100% Madagascar bars, chocolate snobbery is on the rise the world over.
Jun 2016 - Nasscom (community)
Digital India to drive BPM growth
This July will witness the completion of one year since the central government launched the ‘Digital India’ initiative to usher in a digital revolution in the country. A recent report published by NASSCOM in collaboration with ValueNotes estimates that schemes like e-governance, e-Kranti and ‘Information for all’ are expected to result in a demand for BPM services...
Jun 2016 - Business Today
Safety in a Bottle
A growing distrust in the purity of water has fuelled the packaged drinking water and water purifier businesses in India. And a public perception that bottled water is pure and safe, fuelled by intense advertising, has led to the sales explosion.
May 2016 - Economic Times
Middle-aged Indians best health planners: HDFC Life survey in association with ValueNotes
Nearly half of Indian consumers (49%) across four categories - Young Aspirants (20-30 years); Proud Parents (30-45 years); Wisdom Investors (45-60 years) and Smart Women (25-45 years) - don't have a health plan.
May 2016 - Business Standard
Health planning lowest among young Indians, according to HDFC Life in association with ValueNotes
Health planning is still lacking among Indians, especially young Indians, according to the HDFC Life’s Life Freedom Index. The health planning index indicated the lack of health planning across all the four categories. It observed that Young Aspirants had the lowest HPI, while Wisdom Investors were the highest - suggesting that the focus on health increased with age.
May 2016 - Down To Earth
A bite of cancer?
A new study, by Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has found residues of potassium bromate and/or iodate in many types of bread. These chemical food additives have been banned by many countries for their potentially adverse health effects.
May 2016 - Times of India
ITC moves into luxury chocolates with Fabelle
Diversified FMCG company ITC has moved in to the high end chocolate segment in the country with its brand Fabelle which will be sold in boutique stores in the company's luxury hotels. Fabelle is set to redefine the luxury chocolate segment in India.
Apr 2016 - Mint
Cadbury maker Mondelez bets big on Andhra plant
Mondelez International has started production at its $190 million factory in Andhra Pradesh, its largest plant in the Asia-Pacific region. The company plans to make the 134-acre plant a vital supply hub in Asia. The plant will help Mondelez bring down distribution costs, expand capacity and add flexibility in meeting consumer needs.
Apr 2016 - Mint
Mondelez looks at cookies market to return to high growth
Mondelez India will try to capture a slice of the morning cookies market and return to the double digit growth rate in India. The launch comes five years after its entry into the category with Oreo cookies, a premium biscuit, in 2011. The opportunity is huge because India’s biscuit market is fragmented, and format driven. India is a long-term story...
Apr 2016 - Economic Times
Domestic business process management market may grow 21%: Nasscom
The domestic business process management (BPM) market could grow at a compound annual growth rate of 21% over the next five years to Rs 50,000 crore, generating over 3-lakh additional job opportunities for third party BPM providers even as they move to tier-III and tier-IV cities, according to a Nasscom report authored by ValueNotes.
Mar 2016 - Business Standard
Mapro spreads the jam
Mapro Foods, Maharashtra's homegrown jams, syrups and chocolates brand, is stepping out of its comfort zone. It has instituted a team of professionals to guide the company on to the national stage and is talking to Barry Callebaut to launch its own brand of premium chocolates.
Mar 2016 - Mint
So, what’s your plan of action?
If you, too, don’t know the right answers to financial planning questions, you don’t have to worry. Qualified financial advisers are there to address such questions and hand-hold you through the process of planning, and finding products and long-term solutions. What is important, however, is that you recognize the need for financial planning.
Feb 2016 - Concrete Plant International
Opportunities in India’s building materials sector
The Indian prime minister has launched an ambitious initiative to build 20 million houses for the urban poor over the next seven years. Not an easy given the number of hurdles that need to be overcome. However, even if the initiative is only partially implemented, it will offer tremendous opportunities for suppliers of building materials.
Dec 2015 - Wall Street Journal
When India analysts make 2016 stock predictions, don't bank on accuracy
It’s that time of the year, when analysts make predictions about how Indian stocks will perform next year. But, with their dismal track record from last year, should they bother? After Indian markets rose 30% in 2014 and investors were expecting big reforms in the economy, analysts were bullish going into 2015. All major global brokerage firms predicted the market would rise 15% to 20% this year.
Dec 2015 - Infrastructure Today
Housing for all - Opportunities galore
The overall target of two million houses under the 'Housing for All by 2022' programme seems unlikely to be fulfilled given the implementation challenges. But on the business front, even if only 30 percent of the target is achieved, the opportunities for suppliers of building materials are tremendous.
Oct 2015 - Mint
Company FDs look good, but do be careful
While borrowers are rejoicing as loan rates have started to fall, depositors are feeling quite the opposite. The Reserve Bank of India on 29 September cut the repo rate - the rate at which it lends to banks - by 50 basis points. As a result of the rate cut, banks are starting to lower their rates.
Sep 2015 - Business Standard
Strategy: Scripting a 'Modern' story
There is an anecdote about Modern Foods, the Hindustan Unilever bread and bakery division, which was recently acquired by Nimman Foods, an Everstone-controlled company, for an undisclosed consideration. HUL swooped Modern up, way back in 2000 from the government...
Sep 2015 - BusinessWorld
Atlas Copco ranked top as best compressor brand by ValueNotes
Atlas Copco has been rated the best industrial compressor brand in India in the ValueNotes BrandMeter survey. The country-wide survey of 300+ end-users and the trade (dealers, distributors & EPC consultants) ranked Ingersoll Rand, Kaeser Kompressoren, Chicago Pneumatic and Kirloskar Pneumatic amongst the top 5.
Aug 2015 - Global Growth Markets
Reaching rural med tech markets in India
In order to tap opportunities beyond the metros and tier I cities in India, healthcare devices suppliers need to do much more than enhance their distribution networks and sales reach in smaller cities and towns. Most medical device suppliers are primarily focused on the metro and tier I markets in India.
Aug 2015 - Bakery Review
Baking Breads Sounds Good Business
The consumption of bread in India has increased significantly over the years. In a fast moving urban India, the role of bread is only expected to increase. It seems evident that bread making can be a lucrative business for an entrepreneur or would be entrepreneur in India.
Aug 2015 - Mint
Mondelez India seeks bigger bite of rural pie
With value-driven metro markets already in its grip, chocolate maker Mondelez India Foods Pvt Ltd is looking at expanding its rural reach to boost sales volumes. Mondelez India is seeking to boost growth, which has fallen to single digits despite price hikes as Indians consumed fewer chocolates in the first half of 2015.
Jul 2015 - Confectionery News
India’s first aerated chocolate - Mondelēz brings bubbly platform to fastest growing emerging market
Mondelēz International has launched what it claims is India’s first aerated chocolate by bringing Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk Bubbly to the world’s fastest growing chocolate market. A recent report by ValueNotes forecasts a CAGR in India's $966m chocolate market of 16% up to 2019, driven by the premium sector and dark chocolate as discposable income grows.
Jul 2015 - Financial Chronicle
Premium bottled water hits a new high in India
Premium packaged drinking water is fast acquiring the proportions of a fad across India. Easily available at fine dining outlets and five-star hotels, these bottles are increasingly being paired with good food and high-end wine by those who can afford to pay for them.
Jun 2015 - RIND Survey
Keeping your finger on the pulse of the customer
High customer loyalty indicates that your company is doing a key part of its job right. It also means that you have to try less hard to increase sales. You get repeat customers, and customers talk about you with others they know, and these referrals lead to new customers. Your overall customer acquisition cost goes down.
May 2015 - BakeryAndSnacks.com
Premium promise: Indian bread market to hit $0.81bn by 2020
Sliced white bread remains king in India but there is huge promise in premium as consumers become more experimental and health conscious, says a ValueNotes analyst.
May 2015 - Financial Chronicle
Want to measure customer loyalty? Try NPS
What should you do to gauge customer loyalty? You only need to ask your customer: “Will you recommend my product/service to your friends?” The answer to that question is measured as net promoter score (NPS), which is increasingly used worldwide to gauge customer loyalty.
May 2015 - Food Navigator Asia
Bread market expecting to see double-digit growth
India's bread industry has seen 9% growth over the last three years to a market worth Rs 33bn (US$510,000) - a long way from the '90s, when bread was perceived by consumers as no more than a basic breakfast item.
May 2015 - APN NEWS
India’s bread industry to reach INR 53bn by 2020
In India, bread has evolved from being perceived as a breakfast food item to being a confectionary item for some customers. Over the years, increasing disposable incomes, urbanization, and changing consumer preferences and lifestyles have given a boost to the bread industry.
April 2015 - India Now (IBEF)
Light of Opportunity
Fuelled by government initiatives and led by LED, the lighting industry in India has bright prospects. With lighting accounting for ~20% of the power consumption across the country, there is a drastic need to shift to more energy efficient lighting sources. LED promises to light the way.
April 2015 - Lighting India
India's outdoor lighting segment
India's outdoor lighting market currently stands at around INR 2,500 crores. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17% over the next five years to reach INR 5,500 crores. The key drivers for growth include government investment in infrastructure and rural electrification, and the development of new industrial projects.
Mar 2015 - Italian Food Magazine
India's confectionery market is ballooning
In the next four years, the Indian confectionery market is expected to increase by 71%. The industry which was worth close to 1,3 billion US dollars in 2013, is expected to reach 2,2 billion US dollars in 2018. This rise is mainly due to these phenomena: the growing Indian middle-class consumes more gums and jellies and chocolate continues to be high in demand among children.
Mar 2015 - just-food
BRICs and beyond: Can Mars challenge Mondelez, Nestle dominance in Indian chocolate?
Mars Inc plans to step up investment in the Indian chocolate sector by investing in local production. The Indian chocolate market is dominated by Mondelez International-owned Cadbury, with Nestle becoming a somewhat distant second. With strong growth in demand and a growing tendency for consumers to trade up to higher-margin products, could Mars' push in India challenge the established players in the market?
Mar 2015 - Sweets & Snacks World
Premium biscuits in India
India’s biscuit and cookie industry was valued at INR 145 billion (US $2.41bn) in financial year 2014, of which Britannia and Parle, account for 61 per cent of the market share, according to a ValueNotes report entitled Biscuits and Cookies Industry in India: 2015-2019.
Mar 2015 - Confectionery News
Premium Indian chocolate race heats up with Cadbury Glow and Kit Kat Senses
Mondelēz’s Cadbury Glow and Nestlé’s Kit Kat Senses have joined India’s rapidly growing premium chocolate market. A recent report by ValueNotes predicts India's $996m chocolate market will register a compound annual growth rate of 16% up to 2019, driven by the premium sector and dark chocolate as disposable income grows.
Mar 2015 - APNNEWS
Focus shifting to the premium segment in the biscuits and cookies industry
Until recently, biscuits and cookies were considered to be a product of mass consumption in India. However, with changing tastes and preferences, and increasing affluence among Indian consumers, manufacturers are experimenting with a variety of products leading to a higher growth in the premium segment.
Mar 2015 - Food Navigator Asia
Biggest biscuit consumer set for fast growth and premium charge
Indian biscuit manufacturers are now aggressively moving into the premium segment as the world’s biggest cookie consumer shifts its tastes upmarket. Biscuits are gaining popularity, and account for around 72% of sales in the country's bakery segment.
Mar 2015 - Confectionery News
Mars plans $160m plant in ‘high priority’ Indian market
The company signed an MOU with the Maharashtra Government for its 'Mega Project', a greenfield plant in Pune. The firm will invest Rs 1005 crores (over $160 million) in the facility, providing 200 jobs. India is a high priority market for Mars.
Mar 2015 - Lighting India
Recessed luminaires segment set to grow at a CAGR of 18% till CY 2020
Gone are the days of tube-lights and light bulbs protruding from walls and ceilings. Today consumers are looking for not just lighting applications, but also energy efficiency and aesthetics. Besides corporate houses and retail shops, even residential houses flaunt fancy luminaires. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jan 2015 - APN NEWS
Faucets manufacturers focusing on Indias tier 2 & 3 cities
The faucets market is concentrated in tier I and larger tier II cities due to higher disposable incomes and more brand awareness among consumers. But now, players in the organized sector are increasing their focus on tier II and tier III cities, as well, given the rise in the number of construction projects...
Jan 2015 - Confectionery News
Dramatic decline in Asia cocoa grind as emerging markets slow
Asia’s cocoa grind dropped 17.2% in the fourth quarter after an economic slowdown in China, adding another cocoa processing decline to the world jigsaw. The decline is linked to slow economic growth harming consumption and lower profit margins for cocoa processors.
Jan 2015 - CIOL
Tired with BI? Here’s some ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘why’ of CI
Several CI gurus bemoan the supposedly low-end, data collation efforts that they claim are erroneously passed off as legit CI activity. How many times have we heard that information gathering is not CI? We’re then told that the quality of insight is what defines good CI. Like all humans, we love to hear that what we do is “sophisticated”.
Jan 2015 - Infrastructure Today
Growth in store
Currently valued at approximately Rs 750 billion, India's warehousing industry is mainly driven by the retail boom, infrastructure growth, and the floursihing e-commerce industry. Rising industrial production and growth in purchasing power are creating an increasing demand for warehouses in the country. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jan 2015 - Electrical & Power Info
Switchgear & control gear industry in India
The switchgear and control gear industry in India will witness growth owing to government initiatives such as R-APDRP (Restructured Accelerated Power Development & Reforms Programme) and RGGVY (Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana), and the capacity addition plans in the power sector in the country. This report was published by ValueNotes.
Jan 2015 - International Organization of Scientific Research (IOSR)
Study of lifestyle trends on changing food habits of Indian consumers
Global markets offer a plethora of options to Indian consumers. There is a clear shift in consumer tastes and preferences. The objective of this paper was to identify the key lifestyle trends that have emerged over the dozen years or so – and understand the way they are changing food habits.
Dec 2014 - Education Insider
Online examinations - Not novel anymore
The education system in India has been evolving and the last few decades have seen it grow the fastest. The government’s target of increasing GER from 18% to 30% by 2020 is a big step for a large country like ours.
Dec 2014 - Confectionery News
Rajhans builds arsenal to be India’s premium choc leader with Hoppits launch
Rajhans (Desai- Jain) Group has launched premium chocolate brand Hoppits under the Schmitten umbrella as it aims to become India’s leading luxury chocolate firm.
Dec 2014 - FoodNavigator-Asia.com
Spice up the Indian premium chocolate market, says taster
Multinational chocolate manufacturers are failing to cater to Indian tastes and should experiment with spices such as green cumin and saffron, according to India’s only professional chocolate taster. He speculated why manufacturers had not been more experimental in the world's fastest growing chocolate market.
Nov 2014 - Outsource magazine
Why marketing, branding, and communications by offshore providers are so ineffective
Marketing and branding challenges among outsourcing providers have been a topic of great interest recently. This is a complicated topic, and has puzzled many savvy business professionals in the industry for some time…
Nov 2014 - Bakery Review
Indians loving chocolates more
Urban India’s love affair with chocolates is getting mature. In fact, the relationship of India with chocolates is a long one and has gone through various evolutions over the decades. Over the years, the market positioning and consumer profile of chocolate products have undergone significant changes in India.
Nov 2014 - Infrastructure Today
Opportunities in the cold chain sector
India's integrated cold chain industry requires a good push, particularly if we want to combat the over 40% loss in annual produce. How will the National Food Processing Policy help reduce the wastage of persishables and improve the supply chain? This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Nov 2014 - Economic Times
Farmers turn to start-ups for cold storage solutions
With a third of their vegetables and fruits going waste due to spoilage, farmers are turning to start-ups such as Ecozen, ColdStar, Promethean and Coolify for providing access to solar and hybrid-powered cold storage solutions.
Nov 2014 - Bernama
Outsourcing Malaysia, MDEC & Talentcorp team up to tackle graduate unemployment
Outsourcing Malaysia, an initiative under the National Information & Communications Technology Association of Malaysia, has joined hands with Multimedia Development Corp and Talent Corporation to address the unemployment rate in shared services outsourcing industry in Malaysia.
Nov 2014 - Outsource magazine
Six mantras for choosing the right offshore business research partner
There are a large number of companies offering business research services across offshore destinations like India (which is the most favoured one), Malaysia, Philippines and several others. How can you ensure that you select the right offshore research partner? This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Oct 2014 - Outsource magazine
Ten tips for doing business with Indians
We Indians have a lot of quirks. No doubt, people from other cultures have their quirks too, but arguably, we Indians have more of them. Maybe it’s because we’ve had thousands of years of civilisation to acquire these idiosyncrasies, or… This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Oct 2014 - Confectionery News
The new world of chocolate: How is consumption in emerging markets developing?
The emerging BRIC and MINT markets consume less chocolate than developed nations, but levels are rising. While Russia is the only emerging market to feature in the top consuming nations and has the highest chocolate consumption abong the BRIC and MINT nations, Turkey and India have been earmarked as the ones to watch for the future.
Oct 2014 - Outsource magazine
Is your offshore research partnership in good hands?
It is people who create effective relationships…or destroy them. And this certainly holds true for research offshoring partnerships. No doubt research offshoring relationships need to have robust institutional and process frameworks at their base. You need a comprehensive contract, service… This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2014 - CFO Connect
Have you planned for your retirement?
Early planning for retirement is imperative today with increased longevity and the urge to maintain a similar lifestyle in one’s post retirement phase. According to the HDFC Life ValueNotes Life Freedom Index, consumers are skeptical about the adequacy of their financial plans to meet their desired standard of living throughout their lifetime.
Sep 2014 - Hindustan Times
Indians warming up to the dark side of chocolate
Bought a bar of dark chocolate? You just contributed to one of the fastest growing segments in India as chocolate-makers turn to darker shades of brown. As Indians turn more health conscious and their tastes mature, the demand for dark chocolate, which has just a 9% market-share currently, is growing by leaps and bounds.
Sep 2014 - Confectionery News
Untapped potential for chocolate makers in rural India
Chocolate makers are circling the rural Indian market as it is where the majority of consumers reside and infrastructure and incomes have improved drastically, says an analyst at ValueNotes.
Sep 2014 - Pune Mirror
Bitter is the new sweet
In this festival season of giving in India, what do you expect to receive: dry fruit, traditional Indian sweets or some chocolates? My guess is it's going to be the last mentioned. Marketing strategy pushes for bitter chocolates based on health grounds as sugar content is lower.
Sep 2014 - Food Navigator-Asia
Indians getting sweet on chocolate thanks to Cadbury revolution
Largely due to Cadbury’s marketing nous, India’s chocolate market has changed dramatically since the ‘Nineties, with consumers eating more and different varieties, a new report has highlighted. Back in the early ‘Nineties, Cadbury used an advertising campaign to redefine the concept of eating chocolates, shifting the focus from “just for kids” to the “the kid in us all”.
Sep 2014 - FoodBev.com
India's chocolate industry expected to grow 16% by 2019
Since the 1990s, per capita consumption of chocolate has almost trebled, from 50g in 2005 to 120g in 2013, according to a new study by business intelligence company ValueNotes. Increasing disposable incomes, a rising trend in gifting chocolates rather than traditional Indian sweets, and surging sales of dark chocolates are all providing a major boost to the industry.
Sep 2014 - APN NEWS
Demand for dark chocolate to drive India’s chocolate industry
Milk chocolate is currently the most popular category in India, contributing to 75% of the total sales of chocolates. Dark chocolate, with only a 9% share of the market, is expected to be the fastest growing segment due to its health benefits and and evolving preferences of Indian consumers.
Sep 2014 - RIND Survey
Data everywhere... but only a drop of insight
These days it appears next to impossible to ignore big data and analytics. Big data is the next big thing, and analytics will provide answers to all our problems. When we're stumped, big data will tell us what to do. And if big data doesn't have the answer, we can look at “small” data. And if we have no data, we can always... This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Aug 2014 - Hindu Business Line
The cooked-up story
Markets overseas are ravenous for ready-to-eat desi food. Indian kitchens still prefer home-cooked meals over convenience, but will that change soon? With trained chefs and domestic help in short supply, restaurants and households are turning to ready meals to serve authentic Indian food quickly and economically.
Aug 2014 - The Outsourcing
Malaysia: Emergence of a new outsourcing destination
Malaysia has gradually reduced its dependence on agriculture, and the economy is now largely driven by the service sector. Outsourcing is one of the emerging sectors in the country, and is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the near future. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Aug 2014 - Hindu Business Line
Cold storage firms eyeing hot business
Logistics companies, such as Gati and Snowman, are planning to raise capital to fund expansion of cold chain facilities. With exports of meat and poultry products growing and demand for processed food and dairy products rising, the logistics industry expects a jump in demand for such services.
Aug 2014 - Food Processing Bazaar
India’s heat & eat food industry to nearly triple by 2019
The heat and eat food industry in India, valued at Rs 2,370 million ($39.5 million) in FY 2014, has been growing at a CAGR 18% for the last three years. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22% in the next five years till FY 2019 due to rapid urbanisation, increasing disposable income, and an expected improvement in retail infrastructure.
Aug 2014 - Agro & Food Processing
Heat-and-Eat food industry to reach INR 6.4bn in India
India’s heat and eat food industry is currently dominated by the top five players, viz. ITC, MTR Foods, Kohinoor Foods, Gits and Tasty Bite Eatables. ITC and MTR together contribute to about 49% of the market share, while the other three players make up 35% of the total production of heat and eat food.
Jul 2014 - Global FoodMate
India heat & eat market forecast to achieve 22% CAGR
According to researcher ValueNotes, while the ready to eat (RTE) food category was first introduced in India in 1987, it was not well received by Indian consumers due to the dependence on traditional cooking. In the early 2000s, with the advent of new technology that improved the shelf life of products, RTE products began to gain popularity.
Jul 2014 - Market Research World
How to use rating methodology to make business decisions
A friend was looking to move his office. He finally zeroed in on two places but was unable to choose between the two. Place A was closer to home, but B was larger and had a better ambience. Place A was cheaper and quieter, but B was a longer commute for the other employees. The pros and cons went on... This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jul 2014 - Food Navigator-Asia
Relatively new heat-and-eat segment to nearly treble by 2019
Although still young and relatively small, India’s heat-and-eat food industry is in the midst of tremendous growth that will see its size nearly treble by 2019, according to new research. The category is largely export-driven as it is yet to establish a firm footing in the Indian retail market.
Jun 2014 - The Outsourcing
Do you measure customer loyalty?
Customer loyalty in particular is of immense value to any company. High customer loyalty indicates that your company is doing a key part of its job right. It also means that you have to try less hard to increase sales. You not only get repeat customers, but you also get referral leads. Your overall customer acquisition cost goes down. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jun 2014 - MyIris
Infrastructure to boost India's industrial compressors industry
India's first reciprocating compressors manufacturing plant was established in 1965 by Ingersoll Rand. Since then, the country's industrial compressors industry has come a long way. The total market was valued at INR 33bn in FY 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9% to reach INR 50bn in FY 2019.
Jun 2014 - The Outsourcing
Customer Perception: One size does not fit all
Typically, in a Voice of Customer (VoC) study, marketers seek to understand customer perceptions across various parameters - pricing, brand, quality, after sales service, and so on. And at the end of the exercise, they want aggregated scores on a numeric scale. If they get a decent score, they assume that things are fine. But are they? This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jun 2014 - Outsource magazine
Malaysia: emergence of a new outsourcing destination
Recently when I was in Kuala Lumpur for one of my projects, I had a tryst with the developmental saga of Malaysia. Whether it was the infrastructure or the economic sentiment within industries, the country left an impact on my mind. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
May 2014 - Hindu Business Line
Where governments have failed, industries rake it in
The provision of clean drinking water is a duty that has been enshrined in the Constitution of India. But due to the quality of both surface and groundwater sources, access to good quality water continues to remain a challenge. There are companies that are capitalising on the drinking water issues in India.
May 2014 - Business Standard
India's packaged bottled water industry to reach Rs.160 billion by 2018
The top five players - Bisleri, PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Dhariwal, Parle - currently dominate India's packaged bottled water industry accounting for 67% of the market. While they struggle to penetrate the small non-tier cities and towns due to poor infrastructure, smaller players are building a presence in regional markets. The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22%, to reach Rs.160 billion in 2018.
May 2014 - Food Navigator-Asia
Booming bottled water market still has space for local players
Rising awareness of safety and hygiene following incidents of waterborne diseases in major cities across India has seen the consumption of packaged bottled water in India grow fivefold since the late ‘Nineties.
May 2014 - Hindu Business Line
Packaged bottled water market could triple by 2018
Rising health awareness and easy availability could help nearly triple the packaged bottled water industry to Rs 16,000 crore mark by FY 2018, says a report by ValueNotes. The total bottled water market was valued at Rs 6,000 crore in FY 2013 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22 per cent, the report estimates.
May 2014 - Outsource magazine
How technology is transforming Indian elections
Today’s buzzwords are mobility, big data, analytics, social media, and digital. These technologies are expected to drive the future competitiveness of corporations. India’s general election 2014 is the latest example of how today’s technologies can provide enormous competitive advantage. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2014 - Outsource magazine
Will the Indian elections have an impact upon outsourcing?
For many of us in India, Election 2014 appears qualitatively different from previous elections. Of course, the noise levels are higher and much more money is being spent to generate the noise, but there are several fundamental changes. But will anything change? This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2014 - RIND Survey
How mobile technology is empowering companies
As connectivity improves across India and the world, mobile technology will be more widely used, and possibly new Competitive Intelligence applications will emerge. Usage, too, will spread from FMCG to other consumer goods, and possibly even non-consumer goods. For management and managers, actionable intelligence for sales, distribution and marketing will now be a single click away. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Mar 2014 - Outsource magazine
Lost in the noise: Is big data real, just hype – or both?
These days it appears next to impossible to ignore big data and analytics. Big data is the next big thing, and analytics will provide answers to all our problems. We will make better marketing decisions, acquire more customers, improve profitability and beat the pants off competition. So what are we waiting for? Is this real, or hype promoted by people who want to sell us expensive hardware, software or services? This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Mar 2014 - Pharma IQ
Market Intelligence - Why the sales force isn’t enough
When a company is able to accurately assess the competition by gathering competitive information, it is in a better position to build differentiation for their company, thereby accelerating its growth in the market. One of the biggest challenges is to create a way of collecting, analyzing and archiving market intelligence.
Feb 2014 - HDFC Life
Early financial planning - A parenting victory
The concept of parenting has undergone a drastic change over the years, and most of it is a result of economic, social and cultural factors. Today, apart from working, mothers are also active participants in family decisions. In recent times, the cost of raising a child has risen considerably. For instance, education costs have skyrocketed.
Feb 2014 - Infrastructure Today
Will FDI in retail help?
India's retail sector is booming, with its organised sector estimated to reach new heights in the coming years. What does this strong growth, coupled with FDI in multi-brand retail, mean for one of the country's biggest bottlenecks in the supply chain? Shilpa Eguvanti analyses the reality behind the retail investment-cold chain correlation. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jan 2014 - Voice of the Independent
India’s perishable pitfalls and potential
India's potential for rapid growth in perishable exports is undeniable. It is currently the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world and has the potential to provide for its domestic market as well as markets in Asia, North America and Europe. The problem and a potential brake on this growth is the country’s lack of infrastructure to support this growth.
Jan 2014 - Paul Writer
In Conversation: Sanjay Tripathy, HDFC Life
Understanding customers is crucial for successful delivery of any brand strategy. In 2011, HDFC Life launched Life Freedom Index study in collaboration with ValueNotes. The study gave us significant insight into the state of mind of our consumers and their needs and aspirations. We have intensively used these insights to create better products and communication and hence deliver a better overall brand experience.
Jan 2014 - The Outsourcing
India: Growth of non-voice services
Of the total global BPO industry, the contribution of offshored services is just under 30%, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~18% for the next 3 years. India is still the most preferred destination amongst buyers. However, for voice-related services, the Philippines has taken over as the market leader... This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jan 2014 - HDFC Life
Financial planning: First step to money management
According to the HDFC Life ValueNotes Life Freedom Index survey, urban women score 61.4 (Financial Planning Index) on a scale of 1 to 100. The survey concluded that even though women score better in terms of comprehensiveness of financial plans, they are not realigned and reviewed appropriately or frequently enough.
Dec 2013 - Free Malaysia Today
Outsourcing Malaysia to set up talent council
Outsourcing Malaysia plans to set up a talent council next year to attract an experienced workforce into the outsourcing industry and close the talent requirement gap currently faced by the industry. The council will play an advisory role on the type of programmes, so that they can reskill and upskill their talent and then be absorbed into the industry.
Dec 2013 - HDFC Life
Women sense insufficiency in their financial plan
According to the Financial Sufficiency Index (FSI) derived from the HDFC Life ValueNotes Life Freedom Index report, Indian urban women score 62.7 in financial sufficiency. While the figures seem impressive, there’s a catch - although, the urban woman follows a moderate level of financial discipline, she is not confident about the sufficiency of her plans in meeting immediate financial requirements.
Dec 2013 - Warehousing and Logistics International
How Goods and Service Tax (GST) will revolutionize warehousing in India
Until a decade ago, warehousing in India was synonymous with a shed, four walls, no ventilation, no temperature controls, and a lack of hygiene. A warehouse management system was essentially a man with a notebook keeping track of the inventory that came in and left the premises. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Dec 2013 - HDFC Life
5 steps to successful financial planning for urban women
Women of today are strong economic contributors to the society. A woman tends to save, which is her natural predisposition, yet she is not at par with men when it comes to creating wealth. Indian urban women score low in financial awareness of various life events and products. There is a glaring gap between product knowledge and event awareness.
Dec 2013 - SupplyChains Magazine
India’s cold chain industry to double in value by 2017
India’s integrated cold chain industry – a combination of surface storage and refrigerated transport – has been growing at ~18% for the last three years. The industry, currently valued at INR 245 billion (FY 2013), is expected to reach INR 520 billion by 2017, growing at a CAGR of 20%.
Dec 2013 - CII Institute of Logistics
India's Warehousing sector to grow at 18% till 2017
The warehousing industry in India, valued at Rs 74,500 crores in FY 2013, has been growing at 15% for the past three years. The industry will grow to about Rs 1.44 lakh crores and the growth momentum will be driven by Government policy initiatives and greater private sector participation.
Dec 2013 - HDFC Life
Top 6 reasons explaining the importance of retirement planning
The concept of retirement in India has undergone a paradigm shift in the last couple of years. Retirement opens a whole new chapter for many individuals, when they pursue the ‘work they love to do’ and convert their hobbies to professions. There’s an increasing trend of individuals opting for voluntary retirement as they reach the other side of 40s and live for over 85 years.
Dec 2013 - Warehousing and Logistics International
Refrigerated cold chain - will it pick up heat in the near future?
While India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, the country's integrated cold chain industry is nascent and is witnessing a wide demand-supply gap. Cold storages at production zones are archaic in nature. The lack of cool rooms and refrigerated transport is causing more than 40% losses in annual produce.
Dec 2013 - HDFC Life
Winning women over
Financially independent women who are active purchase decision makers are quite a highlight of this decade. This may sound clichéd by now, but the economic power of women is revolutionary and represents the largest market opportunity in the world.
Dec 2013 - SustaiNuance
Cold Chain woes leading to food leaks
India has around 5400 cold storage units, but can only store less than 11% of the country’s total produce. While 105mn MT of perishable produce is transported across India annually, only 4mn MT is transported via reefers. To address the gap in demand and supply, the Indian government has introduced multiple initiatives...
Dec 2013 - HDFC Life
Financial awareness: A pre-requisite for financial planning
Despite being smart, confident, stylish and multitaskers, women are still dependent on the men in their lives to direct their finances. According to HDFC Life ValueNotes Life Freedom Index survey, 42% of urban women chalk out their financial plans with the help of their friends and relatives. But why would an educated, urban woman spin away from drafting her own financial plan?
Nov 2013 - Business Standard
Reel gets eerily real...
In the past, the Indian National Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family have been very sensitive about the portrayal of their members on the silver screen. As the country gears up for the most fiercely fought general elections in recent memory, are producers of TV series capitalising on the politically charged atmosphere?
Nov 2013 - MyIris
India's warehousing sector to grow at 18% till 2017
The warehousing industry in India, valued at Rs 745 billion in FY 2013, has been growing at 15% for the last three years. The industry will grow to about INR 1,440 billion by 2017. The unorganized sector will continue to dominate, currently accounting for 92% of the industry, according to ValueNotes.
Nov 2013 - The Sauce
Leveraging opportunities in tier 2 & 3 cities in India
A number of tier 2 & 3 Indian cities have come into reckoning as the growth drivers of the future, attracting large investments as they possess a significant cost advantage – in terms of land prices and manpower. As tier I markets have reached saturation, companies across sectors are now looking at these markets for future growth. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Nov 2013 - Business Circle
Malaysia’s outsourcing industry poised to take on the world
It was not too long ago that Malaysia was seen as a “less attractive” outsourcing destination than rivals such as India and the Philippines. Malaysian outsourcing players continue to face an ongoing struggle to convince buyers that it is a viable regional outsourcing destination. This perception is likely to change now that a ValueNotes study has indicated that Malaysia has a lot more going for it as an outsourcing destination.
Nov 2013 - Newswire
Malaysia: The captive outsourcing hotspot
Looking specifically at the BPO sector according to ValueNotes an Indian based BPO analyst firm about 15 percent are captives in the Shared Services space and of the balance only about 20% are servicing the international market. The sector is skewed towards the ITO sector with about half of the businesses represented in that area and 35 per cent in pure BPO.
Nov 2013 - Business Circle
Time for outsourcing players to collaborate
The sheer size of the global outsourcing market, with powerhouses such as India and China, presents Malaysian providers with opportunities for collaboration. It is no wonder then that ValueNotes recommends in its report that outsourcing companies in Malaysia “look for business partners offering outsourcing services in India and other countries with whom they could form joint ventures or partnerships that will help Malaysian companies in gaining global presence and technical knowhow.”
Oct 2013 - IndianBeauticians.com
Beauty salons are big business in India
Virtually every big company that has a presence in the salon business is on an expansion drive. Several companies that run beauty salons are setting up training institutes. If the big boys are expanding, it’s because business is growing at impressive rates.
Oct 2013 - SustaiNuance
Bright side of the grid
Smart metering becomes a topic of curiosity. In the future, smart meters and grids can be deployed to monitor and improve the supply of several resources like water, power, gas and fuel as well as for tracking logistics and end-sales. The difference (or edge) achieved by utilities will depend upon the data provided and their analysis of it.
Oct 2013 - The Star Online
Outsourcing industry set to double in growth by 2017
Outsourcing Malaysia (OM), an initiative under the National ICT Association of Malaysia (Pikom), released its second industry report titled ‘Malaysia’s Global Services Outlook’. Malaysia, among all outsourcing countries, had the highest ‘infrastructure availability’ worldwide ranking at 32nd spot, compared to India, which was ranked 84th.
Oct 2013 - Business Today
Outsourcing industry to double in growth by 2017
Outsourcing Malaysia (OM), an initiative under PIKOM, shares that the outsourcing industry in Malaysia is set to double in growth by 2017. The strong and diverse language capabilities, strategic geographic location, stable business and economic environment as well as strong government and industry association support were listed as some of the key factors that make Malaysia a viable outsourcing destination.
Oct 2013 - The Edge Malaysia
Outsourcing industry in Malaysia is set to double by 2017 - PIKOM
The outsourcing industry in Malaysia is set to double in growth by 2017 with a CAGR of 15% from its current 2012 revenue of US$1.7 billion. The research findings, by ValueNotes, revealed the urgency for Malaysia to move away from playing the numbers game in outsorucing and from the entry-level outsourcing sector.
Oct 2013 - Lighting India
Current state of solar lighting in India
Water is the most abundant natural resource on our planet, but it is scarce when it comes to using it for energy. This makes sunlight the most easily and widely available natural resource. It doesn't take much effort to convert this energy - available for the most part of the year in India - into a usable form. This article was authored by ValueNotes
Sept 2013 - CFO Connect
It's all about money honey
Urban women are strong economic contributors to society. They are increasingly setting up small to medium scale businesses, or co-operative self-help groups. These contribute to their families' income and to the nation's GDP. The urban woman is sophisticated, and understands the importance of being financially self-reliant. Yet, many are reluctant to be involved in their own financial planning.
Aug 2013 - DNA
Rupee at its nadir, but exporters still glum
With the value of the rupee against the dollar at an all-time low, exports should be blooming, right? Wrong. Exports are lagging despite the slide of the rupee, as clients have toughened rate negotiations. There is no reason to be over-optimistic...
Aug 2013 - The Star Online
Outsourcing industry poised to enhance Iskandar Malaysia development
The outsourcing industry is expected to be one of the key growth sectors in the economic development of the Iskandar Malaysia region in Nusajaya, Johor. On the whole, Malaysia has around 300 industry players within the outsourcing sector to date and charts an industry growth rate of around 12% per annum.
Aug 2013 - Mint
Financial prowess of wisdom investors
HDFC Standard Life Insurance in its survey, HDFC Life ValueNotes Life Freedom Index: Wisdom Investor, interviewed over 400 wisdom investors (WI) from 11 cities across India. The survey finds that tier I WIs are more confident about the sufficiency of their financial plan and their overall feeling of financial freedom is relatively higher than that of their tier II counterparts.
Aug 2013 - Firstsource
Publishing outsourcing: Current challenges & issues with publishers and offshore providers
This white paper, based on extensive research and interviews with publishers around the world, highlights the challenging and controversial issues facing outsourcing publishing services. This white paper was authored by ValueNotes.
Aug 2013 - RIND Survey
Can we use social media for research in India?
Market research is all about 'connecting the dots' when it comes to obtaining data, analysing and drawing conclusive insights. In recent years, traditional market research methods are complemented with new techniques. There is a lot of buzz around social media. Social media research can be successfully used as a research tool, but it has its limitations in India. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jul 2013 - SCIP Insight
SCIP India: Competitive intelligence is the future
In March 2013, the SCIP India chapter partnered with the Amity Institute of Competitive Intelligence and Strategic Management as the knowledge partner at their CI conference titled "Competitive Intelligence is the Future: Intelligence Drives Success".
Jul 2013 - TRANS Asian Research Journals
Indian stock market - Review of literature
As a part of the process of economic liberalization, the Indian stock market has been assigned an important place in financing the country's corporate sector. This research paper reviews the past, current and future trend or prospects of the Indian stock market, and provides guidelines to investors on how to maximise profits with minimal risks.
Jun 2013 - Times of India
Banks, insurance companies roll out special offers for women employees
With most urban women following some form of financial discipline, banks and insurance companies are looking to target them with specialized offerings. In fact, in a survey by HDFC Life ValueNotes Life Freedom Index last year indicated that almost all urban women followed some level of financial discipline.
May 2013 - The Hindu
The business of looking good
The beauty care market in India is big right now. A 2012 Price Waterhouse Coopers/FICCI report said the market, worth between Rs 230-Rs 245 billion, is growing at 20 to 25 percent annually. However, actual numbers (of salons/spas) are hard to come by. Back in 2004, Pune-based research firm ValueNotes, estimated that India had over 61,000 beauty salons in towns that have a population of over one million.
May 2013 - PrintWeek India
E-Book spurt in the education and comic segments
In 2012, adult e-book sales increased by 33.2% to reach USD 1.25 billion, representing 25.8% of all sales in the adult trade segment compared to 20.4% in 2011. More than half of publishers’ content is “digital waste” - 65% of e-book publishers have converted less than half of their legacy titles into e-books. As a result, the outsourcing potential for e-book production in the trade segment is still high. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
May 2013 - Lighting India
Indian lighting industry
LED is the new buzzword on the lighting canvas around the world, and India is no exception. Driving on the back of energy efficiency and environment friendly, LEDs are set to take over as a front runner in the industry, surpassing CFLs and FTLs in the next five years. CFL manufacturers need to realign strategies to counter the changing industry dynamics. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2013 - The Sauce
Realizing the potential for KPO in Poland
The Polish BPO and Shared Service Centre (SSC) industry was worth USD 3.4 billion in 2012, an increase of 20% from the previous year, according to ASPIRE. KPO constitutes about 6% of the Polish BPO market. This is negligible compared to countries like India and the Philippines, where the outsourcing market exceeds USD 10 billion annually. However, Poland has certain unique strengths which attracts investment to this sector. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2013 - Business Standard
Ayala & Actis investee firm Integreon sees management churn
Lokendra Tomar, the COO and head of corporate strategy at Integreon, is among several of the top management who have left the firm to join Elevate in the recent past. The sudden churn in management is also reflective of how the LPO market is shifting. The LPO sector has grown to almost $750 million market size, employing almost 9000 people in 2012, and is projected to continue to grow at over 30% for the next five years.
Mar 2013 - The Outsourcing
Grabbing a slice of analytics pie
The tremendous opportunities and growth potential in the analytics segment have attracted a variety of entrants. And it’s not all just hype. While big players, such as Accenture and IBM, have gotten into the sector in a huge way - multi-service providers, consultants and pure-play analytics providers have also established themselves well in this US$5.3 billion global market. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Mar 2013 - SustaiNuance
Bill-dings get better
A green home is still a novelty, an odd, quixotic piece of amazement for many of us. If we were being introduced to a green home, the first responses would likely be of those of exclamations and the compliments would come next. And then, of course, curiosity takes over. What’s the biggest differentiator?
Mar 2013 - Outlook Money
Tips for a new homemaker
Among all the new things a woman is introduced to, one is managing household expenses. So, for all those newly wedded brides, here’s a ready reckoner on how to manage your household expenses.
Mar 2013 - The Sauce
Emergence of prediction in eDiscovery
2013 looks to be a slow growth year for Legal Process Outsourcing. 45% of the buy-side enterprises surveyed in the “State of Outsourcing 2013 Study” said that they had no plans to outsource or were going to decrease the scope of their LPO projects in the next 12 months. Only 19% plan to venture into a new LPO partnership or increase the scope of their ongoing LPO relationship. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Mar 2013 - Mint
Urban woman moving towards financial liberty
A survey by HDFC Life Insurance and ValueNotes shows that the Indian urban woman is becoming financially independent and has a higher sense of financial liberty. She is actively planning for her child’s education, health expenses and monthly instalments, while her financial freedom also allows her the liberty to indulge in other luxuries such as family holidays, vacations and durables.
Feb 2013 - St Louis Post-Dispatch
Law schools should offer an 'O'Wendell'
The structural changes underfoot in the legal profession have wreaked havoc on the psyches and balance sheets of an entire generation of law students. With clients no longer content to underwrite on-the-job associate training, law firms are finding it uneconomical to hire new grads.
Feb 2013 - The Sauce
Impact of evolving ops in the Philippines
The offshore market for outsourced publishing services stood at an estimated USD 780 million in 2008. India had the lion’s share (85%) followed by Philippines (14%). While Indian offshore revenue will cross USD 1.2 billion by 2012, the portion of the global pie relegated to the Philippines will also increase. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Feb 2013 - PrintWeek India
E-publishing: the right foot forward?
With publishers having requirements from print to digital or web, Indian firms are eyeing advanced capabilities in composition, service production, digital conversion and e-books. Today, the way a book is ‘produced, delivered and consumed’ is getting transformed.
Feb 2013 - Business Standard
Winning women over
Financially independent women who are active purchase decision makers may sound like a cliché by now, but the fact is that the economic power of women is revolutionary. This demography, which represents the largest market opportunity in the world, is an irreversible trend.
Feb 2013 - The Week
America's nosediving law-school applications: By the numbers
Applications to U.S. law schools have plummeted to a 30-year low. With tuition rising and jobs increasingly scarce, more and more students are apparently concluding that the time and money it takes to get a law degree just won't pay off.
Feb 2013 - BusinessWorld
Building a green home
Real estate in India, responsible for about 30% of the total electricity consumed in the country, is expected to grow at 30% every year. The need of the hour is to reduce expenditure related to energy and scale down its consumption. Green buildings, a fast emerging concept in the country, are seen as a solution to this problem. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jan 2013 - Forbes
Does America need 202 law schools?
The US has 202 accredited law schools. Sure law schools are highly profitable for the professors and administrators. But radical changes in the way law is practiced means that the high tuitions imposed on aspiring lawyers to get that law degree are less likely to pay off.
Jan 2013 - Sourcing Electricals & Lighting
Lighting industry - Not riding into the sunset
A report predicts that the Indian market will not give up on CFLs soon, even though their price advantage over LEDs may begin to diminish within a few years. The market will most likely shift first from GLS to CFLs, and eventually to LEDs in the long run.
Jan 2013 - APNNEWS
Indian Lighting Industry - CFL manufacturers need to realign strategies
Until a decade ago, the Indian lighting industry was dominated by fluorescent tube lights and incandescent bulbs as they were widely available, affordable by the masses, and easy to install. But with the advent of more energy efficient solutions, the balance has been gradually changing.
Jan 2013 - Economic Times
Senior management churn hits LPO pioneer Integreon
There are signs of trouble at Integreon, one of the pioneers of the knowledge process outsourcing industry and among the first to offer legal process outsourcing services. Tensions have been simmering for some time in the firm, starting with a falling out between the investors and management in 2011.
Jan 2013 - The Sauce
New guidelines to affect LPO in Australia
Australia is an emerging destination for Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) providers looking to expand their client base in new geographies. The Australian legal industry is estimated to be worth USD 21 billion and the majority of the business comes from corporations in Australia. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jan 2013 - Businessworld
Lessons From Monitor
The bankruptcy of consulting firm Monitor Group surprised many, especially followers of the firm's founders - strategy gurus Michael Porter and Mark Fuller. Monitor, known for its high quality work, was considered to be a top ranking strategy consulting firm. What lesson does the Monitor story have for competitive intelligence and strategy professionals? This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jan 2013 - Outlook Money
Stay for the long haul
Successful outcomes from investments, especially equity mutual funds, require investors to stay invested. If you understand the nature of equity MFs, you wouldn’t exit prematurely or lose the opportunity to grow your corpus. And, SIPs are the best possible way to invest in them.
Dec 2012 - Financial Chronicle
Data analytics can help reduce return of e-commerce products
“Returns” is a word that most e-commerce companies hate. Understandably so as it involves repackaging, reimbursing and losses to already narrow profit margins in the e-retailing business. Apart from the usual reasons - wrong orders, mismatched expectations and damaged products - cash-on-delivery (COD) is also a culprit that causes returns. Smart analytics can help companies to minimise returned goods and hence improve profitability.
Dec 2012 - The Sauce
E-Books: The game changer
The Book Industry Study Group’s research has shown a massive acceleration of e-books adoption by consumers in the final quarter of 2010, and the start of 2011, when e-books took off in earnest. For the remainder of 2011, the growth of e-book buyers slowed down. Digitization will increase as readers increasingly turn to mobile devices to consume their reading content. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Dec 2012 - Devworx
Survey on the impact of collaboration on productivity
Among the major findings that outlined the ValueNotes study was the fact that employee productivity improvement remained consistently a major priority for collaboration infrastructure, with cost reduction maintaining a close second choice as the next move. Sustainability on the other hand was among the least priorities.
Dec 2012 - The Sauce
Data security & quality measures quell buyer concerns
Law firms and corporate legal departments have been outsourcing to LPO service providers for over a decade now, primarily routine and labor-intensive tasks such as document review. While the practice of legal process outsourcing is growing, many in the legal profession remain wary. Client confidentiality is a major concern and some law firms are reluctant to send work overseas. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Dec 2012 - APNNEWS
Collaboration trends, 2012-13
The Collaboration Trends Survey Report 2012-2013 by ValueNotes covers the preferences of management for collaboration technologies that impact enterprise productivity; explores the methods enterprises are deploying to manage costs; and lists key collaboration insights across the industry, from SMEs to large enterprises.
Dec 2012 - The Outsourcing
Engineering Services Outsourcing
Compared to outsourcing IT and other business processes, Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) on a global scale is a relatively recent trend. ESO is commonly practised in industries such as automotive, telecom and aerospace. It is a means to increase flexibility, reduce fixed R&D costs, and gain efficiency through specialisation and scale effects.
Dec 2012 - Money Guru India
Why women are far behind men in retirement planning
Are women planning for their retirement, and why do they need to plan for it? Empirical evidence suggests women have fewer working years and less time to save compared to their male counterparts. This is because of the traditional roles that women play in our society that leads to disruptions. Besides, women outlive men in India.
Dec 2012 - Business Standard
HDFC Life launches two new pension products
HDFC Life Value Notes Life Freedom Index, a survey conducted earlier this year to understand the current state of financial planning in urban India, revealed that consumers are skeptical about the adequacy of their financial plans to meet their desired standard of living throughout their lifetime.
Dec 2012 - The Asian Lawyer
The original outsourcers head out
For almost a decade, they were the public face in the West of Indian legal outsourcing. But last month, the co-founders and co-CEOs of Pangea3 exited the industry that they helped pioneer. The duo left as they had agreed after Thomson Reuters acquired Pangea3 two years ago. But both men insist that their leaving doesn't imply that the market for LPOs has peaked, or that they got out at the top.
Nov 2012 - Law Council of Australia
14 trends to watch with LPO
General counsels (GC) are increasingly dealing directly with LPO suppliers and cutting law firms out of the equation. This shift means law firms have to get used to engaging with both GCs and LPO suppliers. It is not enough these days to simply be a great lawyer. Leading lawyers must have the capacity to also manage the LPO process for clients.
Nov 2012 - Financial Chronicle
Low awareness, not cost, hindering LED adoption
Contrary to popular opinion, cost does not seem to be the major deterrent for LED adoption in the country. It’s the misconceptions and lack of awareness about the evolving technology, say industry experts. Most consumers do not understand the role lighting plays in total energy consumption and hence conservation.
Nov 2012 - Outlook Money
Press ‘I’ for IPOs
In the past two months, the Union government and SEBI announced a raft of reforms measures to make the Indian stockmarket more accessible and attractive for retail investors. The optimism could turn into euphoria if the currently moribund primary market could get revived with successful IPOs and follow-on public offers (FPOs).
Nov 2012 - BusinessWorld
Observe Your Way To Success
Ethnographic research is valued for the depth of insights it can offer. It is a critical, but surprisingly underused tool in a country like India, with its diverse economic, social and cultural population. There is little doubt that ethnographic research will command a greater importance in researchers’ toolkits in the future. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Oct 2012 - The Sauce
A case for outsourcing XBRL services in India
With different accounting standards being used across the world, financial experts wanted a global standard in an electronic format to easily capture and communicate financial information between businesses and other users such as analysts, investors and regulators. Four years ago, a common platform was developed by XBRL International Inc. using XML syntax. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Oct 2012 - The Lawyer
Outside line
If ever there was a champion of legal process outsourcing (LPO) it is surely BT Global general counsel David Eveleigh. He is happy to sing its praises - cheap, efficient, necessary for bulk. One area where the industry is seeing growth is India. Indian consultancy ValueNotes expects LPO outfits in the country to make $1.1bn (£690m) in revenue by 2014.
Oct 2012 - APNNews
Design and Animation Industry: Operating margins attractive, but declining
India is known to have one of the largest entertainment industries in the world, second only to Hollywood. The country has the potential of becoming a significant destination for outsourced animation and visual effects services. The revenue of Indian pure-play service providers in the industry grew at a CAGR of 27% from 2007 to 2011, while aggregated revenue increased by 18% year-on-year in 2011.
Oct 2012 - Business Standard
Operating margins declining in Design & Animation Industry
Pure-play design and animation firms in India grew at a CAGR of 27% from 2007 to 2011. While operating margins of these companies are attractive so far, they are now declining. Unattractive returns and low interest coverage have been raising questions on investments. The aggregated return on capital employed (ROCE) for the companies, has been in single digits during the last four years and was a meagre 6% in 2011.
Oct 2012 - BusinessWorld
Future Is Here. Read The Signals.
All new trends and changes in technology, society, economy, etc., start with small shifts in opinions or behaviours. Weak signals are these faint indications of macro changes that are poised to take place in the future. They are of tremendous value to organisations as they allow them to anticipate what the future will be. The company that recognises the trend first stands to gain an advantage over its competitors. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Oct 2012 - Market Research World
Business & Market Research Outsourcing: Revenue growth of pure-play providers almost at a standstill
Up until 2007, the business and market research outsourcing segment in India prospered with high revenue growth, good margins and returns. Five years on, it is a very contrasting picture. The pure-play KPO firms in India catering specifically to this segment have seen growth fall rapidly since the 2008 global financial crisis. Annual growth rates dropped from 60% in 2007 to 3% in 2011.
Oct 2012 - Outsource Magazine
Malaysia: truly Asian
There is no doubt that the Malaysian tourism sector has benefited massively from the brilliant tourism campaign “Malaysian - Truly Asian”. Sometimes the brilliance of an advertising campaign is its inherent simplicity. On the other hand the ICT- BPO sector has struggled to coalesce behind a single united branding message that the sector can rally behind.
Oct 2012 - Revenue Cycle News
Healthcare Offshore Revenue Cycle Outsourcing
In our current fast paced business environment, the healthcare industry has not kept up with the general business industry and their outsourcing initiatives. That said, healthcare executives are now more accepting of outsourcing than they have ever been. Healthcare revenue cycle outsourcing offers many opportunities for cost and operational improvement.
Oct 2012 - SustaiNuance
Twighlight inspired! Why not?
In the last few years, people, institutions, and governments have started itching to turn their surroundings green. Green buildings, once the hallmark of homes that our great-grandparents lived in a matter-of-factly manner, were wiped out by words like 'progress', 'advancement', and 'fashion. But they have condensed back into visibility for all the right reasons. See page 20
Oct 2012 - CIOL
Debt major worry for ESO
The latest research on the Engineering Services Outsourcing (ESO) sector states that return on equity of pure-play ESO companies in India slid from 34% in 2007 to -5% in 2011. With annual growth rates of 30 to 35% between 2007 and 2009, revenue decreased by 21% in 2010. Debt has als become a major concern for medium-sized companies, it highlighted.
Oct 2012 - RIND Survey
Outsourcing imperative for publishers
Circulation and advertising sales - the main revenue streams for publishers in the newspaper and magazine business - are drying up. Publishers are looking to outsource internal processes as a management strategy. But they make some common mistakes - lose sight of the long-term strategic drivers for outsourcing, reach a premature decision through an ill-defined selection process. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - SCIP magazine
Ethnographic research for success in India
Like many other emerging markets, India provides a prime location for applying ethnographic research as a tool for developing product and communication strategies. The country is a a highly diverse and fragmented market, with wide differences in income levels, economic development, education, literacy, culture, languages, and government regulations. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - CIOL
A Police that comes way too early
Criminals follow patterns. Period! Can that mean anything for IT folks? Ever heard of a technology called 'predictive policing'? It is something that is based on predictive analytics and functions on the following premise – Criminals follow patterns, and with analytics, law enforcement agencies can help determine where the next crime will occur and sometimes prevent it.
Sep 2012 - YourStory.in
Pure-play Indian publishing service providers have seen a 34% decline in revenue
ValueNotes has called for financial prudence from KPO players to overcome declining revenues in outsourced publishing services. India leads the market globally, accounting for more than 80% of the business from leading academic and scholarly publishers based out of Europe and the US, providing varied services for their journals, books and digital products.
Sep 2012 - The Sauce
Quick, call Analytics! We have a crime to detect - Cops use big data!
Across the world, especially in urban regions and cities, crime has been rising for the past few years. To effectively solve this problem, a new kind of technology known as “predictive policing” based on predictive analytics has been developed. Criminals follow patterns, and with analytics, law enforcement agencies can help determine where the next crime will occur. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - The Sauce
Unearthing more value from outsourcing in the mining industry
The global mining industry has been facing major challenges over the past three years, but the factors affecting the industry are moving to a new level of extremity. These issues are acting as a roadblock for mining companies to improve collaboration and streamline operations globally, comply with international regulations and enhance government and community relations. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - KDnuggets
Analytics segment most attractive in the Indian KPO sector
The analytics segment is least affected by the global economic slowdown; Revenue of pure-play analytics firms in India, lead by MuSigma, increased rapidly at a CAGR of 38% from 2007 to 2011. India Analytics has evolved tremendously and it is no surprise that it is currently the most attractive segment in the Indian knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) sector.
Sep 2012 - Techcircle.in
Pure-play analytics segment weathers 2008 slowdown
The analytics vertical weathered the 2008 economic slowdown to evolve as the most attractive segment in the Indian KPO sector in 2011, according to ValueNotes. Among the pure play analytics companies, MuSigma topped the Service Provider Evaluation ranking in 2011, with Fractal Analytics and Active Cubes enjoying the second and third positions.
Sep 2012 - ComputerWeekly
Businesses offshoring analytics work to India
Data is king and companies are looking for ways to save money and improve the processes related to making use of data. Suppliers in India providing analytics services grew at almost 40% a year between 2007 and 2011despite the econominc turmoil. Research firm ValueNotes says analytics as a segment of the KPO sector in India has been particularly strong.
Sep 2012 - Biztech2.com
Analytics segment most attractive in the Indian KPO sector
The rate at which digital data is being generated today is growing exponentially, to say the least. Companies are now extracting value from their big data to gain actionable insights on their competition and business environment. Analytics has evolved tremendously and it is no surprise that it is currently the most attractive segment in the Indian sector.
Sep 2012 - Global Services
Indian KPO industry at the crossroads
The knowledge process outsourcing industry in India has come a long way since the early years of the millennium. Most companies managed to survive the debilitating impact of the global financial crisis, but now in 2012 the industry stands at the crossroads. There are now about 200 companies in India providing KPO services to international and domestic customers. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - The Monitor
India: Bring on the Wal-Mart greeters
The Indian government has announced economic reforms that would allow Wal-Mart retail stores to enter India in a bid to increase foreign capital flows and rebuild the current government's tarnished credibility on the subcontinent and abroad. The move ends three years of policy inertia and headlines dominated by corruption. The ruling Congress Party is now trying to move the conversation away from the subject of corruption by demonstrating it can still get major initiatives done.
Sep 2012 - Businessworld
Lest you topple...
Cognizant toppled Infosys from its #2 position in the June quarter this year. The news was significant but not surprising. Significant because Infosys had held its position for a long time, and it was hard to imagine it would ever lose it. But it wasn't surprising as history dictates that leaders rarely, if ever, sustain their position for ever. Competitive advantage cannot be taken for granted by organisations; it needs to be continually renewed, nurtured, and reinvented. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - PrintWeek India
Outsourced publishing services in India thrive with financial prudence
Knowledge Global Limited (KGL) has topped the service provider evaluation ranking in 2011 and shown strong financial credentials across parameters. KGL has reported the highest revenue, backed by industry leading margins and high returns to its shareholders. Other companies that have stood out for their financial performance are Altivolus Infotech, Integra, Quadrum and KiwiTech.
Sep 2012 - APN News
Outsourced publishing services: Financial prudence critical for survival
The revenue of the outsourced publishing services industry in India has seen a 34% decline in the past two years. Large-sized service providers were the most affected, with their revenues in 2011 being less than half of that in 2009. An increase in interest expense has caused the net profit margins of medium-sized companies to be negative despite positive operating profits.
Sep 2012 - The Sauce
Outsourcing analytics solutions for increasingly thirsty cities
Amid worries of decreasing water supply, outsourcing service providers, such as IBM, see a huge opportunity. The company is in talks with urban local bodies to introduce its advanced analytics driven water management solutions. The implementation of this solution is done through a real-time analytics system that tracks and reports on several parameters of the water utility infrastructure. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - The Sauce
Breaching the final barrier of outsourcing - Marketing KPO
In-house marketing teams of organisations are facing pressure to achieve a greater return on investment on their shrinking marketing budgets. Marketing functions can be outsourced at half the cost of keeping them in-house. However, since most industries consider their sales and marketing information as highly confidential, they are reluctant to outsource it. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Sep 2012 - BPM Watch
Outsourcing challenges in publishing
A steep rise in costs and a fall in revenues are prompting the companies in the publishing industry to outsource some of their internal processes. However, in most cases the strategy fails for them because of the lack of clarity in selecting the right outsourcing partner and not developing the right strategy to drive a long-term outsourcing relationship.
Aug 2012 - Investment Mantra
Why are child education plans gaining importance?
The biggest worry amongst parents today is the rising cost of education, as highlighted in a recent survey conducted by ValueNotes for HDFC Life. 3 out of every 5 parents listed child education as a primary concern in planning their finances. Similar results were reflected in a study conducted by Life Freedom Index on urban Indians, where 59% of the participants listed child education as their main concern during financial planning.
Aug 2012 - Global Outsourcing Association of Lawyers
Writing in US style remains language issue for India's LPO industry
Not many lawyers, unlike freedom fighters, would rue being "children of Macaulay" these days. The dollars and pounds are ringing in, thanks to Thomas Babington Macaulay's legal foundation. The laws of most former British colonies have similar foundations and in India, Macaulay set up an educational and legal framework that would create a class of persons, Indian in blood and color, but English in taste, opinions, morals, and intellect.
Jul 2012 - The Sauce
Clear leaders emerge: Financial health of Indian LPO firms
The global economy continues to be in a fragile state. Businesses across industries are feeling the strain as they are forced to scale back and revaluate their business models. The legal process outsourcing (LPO) industry is no different. But despite experiencing a slowdown since 2008, there are clear indications of revival. The growth in the LPO industry in India is being driven by the large pure-play Indian LPO companies.
Jul 2012 - Financial Express
Retire rich: Planning for women
Life Freedom Index, a survey conducted by HDFC Life in association with ValueNotes reveals that only 13 per cent of urban women are extremely confident about the adequacy of their financial plan to meet all their lifetime needs. There is always an overconfidence bias in these surveys. This brings us to the larger question: are women planning for their retirement and why do they need to plan?
Jul 2012 - CIOL
North India Blackout: Waking up powerless
A fault in the Northern grid - under the purview of Power Grid Corporation - affected several Indian states, causing a massive outage. It took the country a while to restore the situation. Why? Industry experts ponder over some serious issues... Stricter SLAs and penalties for grids, balancing demand-supply loads, addressing gaps in error detection, better surveillance helicopters, full-proof back-up plans, and faster ways of fault isolation.
Jul 2012 - Outsource Magazine
Can little Sri Lanka compete on the global BPO stage?
There is a plan on the table on economic cooperation between China and Sri Lanka, which will only help to create more awareness of what the ‘new’ Sri Lanka has to offer. To put ‘new’ Sri Lanka in perspective we need to look at what’s happening in India, the Philippines and also China. Needless to say Sri Lanka can never compete against the sheer size and scale of India and the Philippines, but it can carve out a BPO niche where it has skills and expertise.
Jul 2012 - Global Services
Inside the world of numbers
Today, all organizations operate in a global environment that is set at the backdrop of cut-throat competition and regulatory pressure. Business decisions, predictions, introduction of new products... all these decisions should be drawn after analyzing accurate data. Business analytics arm an organization with quick and insightful decisions that assist an organization in managing its performance and creating value. (see pg 106)
Jul 2012 - Life 365
Gain the competitive edge
An interview with Varsha Chitale - a director at ValueNotes - where she shares some insights on why it is crucial for organisations to gather competitive intelligence on their business environment (competitors, customers, distributors, technologies, politics) to survive.
Jul 2012 - The Outsourcing
New Mantra To Increase Marketing ROI
Customer Engagement' is known to be one of the more successful methods in attaining the elusive 'brand loyalty'. Organisations are increasingly looking to leverage social media as a medium to achieve customer engagement as they encourage discussions regarding their brands. However, most companies are still trying to optimise their social media strategy. Chief marketing officers (CMOs) are struggling to get the balance right. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Jun 2012 - Financial Chronicle
Slowdown in the west triggers boom for LPOs
A segment that is thriving because of the downturn in USA and Europe is legal process outsourcing (LPO). More the legal hassles of developed countries, better the prospects for outs­o­ur­cing services providers. Ho­wever, while large companies are benefiting out of the slowdown, smaller ones are struggling to survive.
Jun 2012 - Governance, UK
Indian corporate boards
The article discusses the current state of corporate governance in India, and argues that culture and composition are hindering the effectiveness of Indian corporate boards. The piece, authored by ValueNotes, was published in Governance (www.governance.co.uk), a UK journal focused on corporate governance. (refer pg 10-12)
May 2012 - Mint
Are young Indians managing finances well?
According to a survey conducted by HDFC Life and ValueNotes, the Indian urban consumers’, between the age group of 20 and 30 years, sense of financial sufficiency, liberty and adequacy appears to be marginally over-estimated, given their low financial planning score and poor awareness levels. A significant percentage of respondents said they rely on advice from friends/ relatives, and are most worried about health expenses followed by child’s education while chalking out their financial plans.
May 2012 - Outsource magazine
Legal Process Outsourcing: has it reached a tipping point?
Most independent observers are in consensus that LPO is on the rise. However, greater insight beyond this overly simplistic soundbite is difficult to come by. One of the challenges in gauging the rate of uptake for LPO has been reluctance, at least until relatively recently, on the part of many law firms and legal departments to publicly acknowledge their LPO relationships.
May 2012 - Economic Times
Young Indians want to spend on clothes, gizmos but not financial advice
They splurge on mobile apps, apparel and eating out but very few young Indians want to spend on getting the right financial advice. A recent survey says that only 1 out of every four young investors goes to a professional advisor for financial advice. Of the 404 young investors surveyed in 11 cities across India, 31% said they chalked out their financial plans themselves while 39% said they relied on advice from friends and relatives.
May 2012 - Press Institute of India
Embracing digital, key to survival
As the number of people owning a mobile phone continues to increase by the hour, for publishers it is the perfect platform to catch people on-the-go. Many are realising it is high time they capitilised on mobile platforms for ad revenue, and some have put strategies in place. In 2011, 83 per cent of magazines in the US made content available on mobile devices, indicating that publishers are maturing fast. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
May 2012 - Press Institute of India
Scripting a success story isn’t easy today
Print, they say, will never die. At least in India, it seems certain it won’t, judging by the continued increase in circulation/readership figures as well as new editions launched. Even so, there are lessons to be learnt from the developed world, which has seen many a newspaper fold up. Making news available on-the-go across platforms as varied as print, online, tablets and mobile is easier said than done. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2012 - Financial Express
Poor governance in Indian companies
So, what exactly is to blame for the collapse of iconic brands during the economic crisis? Sad state of corporate governance where risk management is at the bottom of priority, says a study done by Hunt Partners and ValueNotes. Risk management is increasingly seen as a key governance agenda, and needs more attention at the board level. About 31% of the companies do not have their board’s involvement to systematically address corporate risk management.
Apr 2012 - Economic Times
Young India low on financial awareness
Young Indians (20-30 years) score low on financial awareness and planning, a study released by HDFC Life, in association with ValueNotes, has found. While this does not point to complete absence of financial planning, it is not aligned appropriately with financial goals. 'This is a result of poor awareness about financial events. The Young Aspirants are not completely aware about the merits of goal-based planning,' notes the study.
Apr 2012 - The Sauce
Social media driven analytics for better insights – An emerging opportunity
This year's Oscars had all the usual drama. In the hours leading up to the award's ceremony, the Twitter-verse was abuzz with predictions. And, all this time, a team from IBM was monitoring the activity on Twitter using Senti-meter - a tool that tracked all the sentiments from Twitter before, during and after the Oscars to predict the winners and losers. Analytics, as a technology, has evolved from sifting through existing data, to a more proactive version producing up-to-the-second reports, analysis and trends. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2012 - Mint
Company boards focus on compliance, not better governance
Directors of Indian companies do not measure their effectiveness adequately and more needs to be done to involve them in risk management, a study on the state of corporate governance has found. At least half the independent directors surveyed stated that their boards “hardly ever evaluates its own effectiveness”. Even those boards that measure effectiveness do so mostly through self-assessment.
Apr 2012 - Business Line
Invest differently, woman
Your idea of a holiday is a jungle safari in South Africa. His is to lounge on the couch at home. Why then, must women mimic men in their financial decisions? Or worse, completely leave their saving and investment choices to men. Yet, mutual fund advisors, insurance agents and financial planners say this is what many Indian women do. Here are four compelling reasons why women should invest differently from men.
Apr 2012 - The Sauce
Australian banks prefer mature model for BPO
As the credit market slows, Australian banks are under pressure to maintain profits. The four largest banks in Australia by market capitalization are planning on a major restructuring through outsourcing. The initial trend is predominantly ITO, including system maintenance. Infosys is currently fulfilling Westpac’s need for IT services. A successful outsourcing relationship here could mean a foot in the door for its BPO service line, thus opening up the field for other BPO service providers. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2012 - Economic Times
Factor in inflation while making investment plans
External factors such as inflation, government regulations, interest rates and volatile stock markets can have a major impact on the financial planning exercise of an individual. Interestingly, however, a survey conducted by HDFC Life in association with ValueNotes reveals that only 30-36% consumers take inflation into account during financial planning. It was surprising to note that people do not acknowledge that external factors can significantly impact financial needs.
Mar 2012 - Business Standard
Anna and the butterfly of the coal fields
Anna Hazare is back where he loves to be - Jantar Mantar and the front pages. The big boys such as the government float around like a butterfly, wearing out the opponents and buying time for that one killer sting. The government seems to be playing the butterfly trick in the latest controversy around Coal India. UK-based hedge fund TCI, an investor in Coal India, has been writing to the management, board and the government, on various governance issues for almost a year.
Mar 2012 - Outlook Money
Slash your tax bill
It's tax time and most of us are frantically trying to invest in tax-saving instruments before the fiscal ends on 31 March. Equity-linked savings scheme (ELSS) is one of the popular mutual fund (MF) types that savvy investors look at during the tax season. But there is another category of MFs that offer decent returns at lower risk with no additional tax burden - the Fixed Maturity Plans.
Mar 2012 - Business Standard
Financial freedom eludes Indians
The number of rich may be going up in India, but urban consumers are still not sure whether their financial plans are adequate to allow them to spend their lives in dignity. What’s worse is that the degree of freedom that consumers perceive themselves to have, appears to be overestimated on a rather contrasting backdrop of low financial awareness.
Mar 2012 - Financial Express
At Kirloskar, GenNext starts taking charge
In what marks the entry of the fifth generation of the family into business, Alok Kirloskar, son of Sanjay Kirloskar, has taken over as MD of SPP Pumps, the UK subsidiary of Kirloskar Brothers. The move comes at a time when the business faces headwinds of an economic slowdown in Europe. Alok has 124 years of legacy behind him to help him navigate the tough business terrain. He is being groomed for greater responsibilities at Kirloskar Brothers, the flagship company of the $2.5-billion Kirloskar Group.
Mar 2012 - Times of India
Financially disciplined, but not financially free yet
Today's Indian urban independent woman is still not completely financially free. Her sense of financial planning, sufficiency and adequacy are not well-founded due to poor financial awareness. To make women approach more financial advisors, it is necessary to keep the communication jargon-free. High-sounding words such as your typical risk profile, asset allocation and the like don't help the cause of financial planning, says Pratibha Kurnool, chief solutions manager, ValueNotes.
Mar 2012 - Zee News
Urban Indian women have low financial freedom
Even as their number is rising, the financial freedom of urban, working women in India is low and needs significant improvement, says a survey conducted across 11 cities. The Life Freedom Index score for urban women at 58.3 on a scale of 100 indicates that their financial freedom is low and needs significant improvement. The Indian urban woman needs improvement in areas like financial planning, sufficiency and adequacy. For the majority of urban women, children's education is at the top on their priority list when they chalk out their financial plan followed by health expenses, family holidays and house rent/EMIs.
Mar 2012 - Outlook Money
Fixed income: find the right role
You might have heard your father or uncle share their experiences about how they managed to create and preserve wealth through conservative investment vehicles like fixed deposits. But, with the world around you and your finances changing rapidly, does their advice still hold true? Well, yes and no. Fixed income securities typically generate a steady stream of income and can help you generate good returns, but cannot create wealth on their own.
Mar 2012 - Moneylife
Urban Indians have low awareness for insurance products
Urban Indians are not very aware about insurance products and their investment planning is not aligned with their current needs, says a survey by private insurer HDFC Life and ValueNotes. The Life Freedom Index will serve as the primary benchmark for indicating how financial free an Indian urban consumer is in terms of her financial awareness and planning. Indian urban consumers' current sense of financial freedom is low.
Mar 2012 - Financial Express
HDFC Life to target urban women with new products
The Life Freedom Index reveals that 83 percent of urban women follow financial discipline while 17 percent were extremely disciplined in adhering to financial plan and management. The study said that urban women were not completely financially free and needed improvement on aspects such as financial planning, sufficiency and adequacy. 56 percent of urban women considered their child's education, while 33 per cent preferred financial planning for managing health expenses.
Mar 2012 - Financial Express
Urban Indians have low awareness for insurance products
Urban Indians are not very aware about insurance products and their investment planning is not aligned with their current needs, says a survey by HDFC Life and ValueNotes. Urban consumers have a long way to go before achieving a complete state of financial freedom. Child education is their primary concern. The sense of financial liberty appears inflated given the inadequacy in their financial planning and awareness levels; but they have realised the necessity of financial planning.
Mar 2012 - Economic Times
Indian urban consumers' current sense of financial freedom is low
HDFC Life, in association with ValueNotes, today launched its inaugural Life Freedom Index report where over 1,600 respondents were interviewed across 11 Indian cities. The survey reaffirms that Indian urban consumers have realised the necessity of financial planning. However, their plans lack comprehensiveness. While 35 per cent of urban consumers rely on their social network of friends and relatives for financial planning advice, only 27 per cent seek professional help.
Mar 2012 - Business Line
Urban Indians over 45 most 'financially free'
The inaugural edition of an Index by life insurer HDFC Life and research firm Value Notes on 'financial freedom' of urban Indian consumers reveals that investors aged 45 years and above have the highest degree of 'financial freedom' with a score of 63 on 100. This compares with a Life Freedom Index of 58.3 among all urban Indian investors. Tier 2 cities (59.3) show a higher sense of financial freedom then their counterparts in Tier 1 cities (57.8), according to the report.
Feb 2012 - DNA
With $16bn deals, US health reforms can energise software companies
Software and outsourcing firms are expected to reap contracts worth upto $16bn down the road, thanks to the US healthcare reforms announced by President Barack Obama in 2010. Indian firms are expected to bag half of these opportunities by 2015, by way of healthcare consumerism, care management, ICD-10 transformation and electronic health record implementations across health insurance and healthcare.
Feb 2012 - MCCIA magazine
Competitive Intelligence - A growing discipline in India
With competition on the rise in India Inc, companies need to be prepared to combat threats from their competitors. They must arm themselves with up-to-date information on their business environment. Although firms in India have always monitored their competitive environment in an informal manner, the discipline of 'Competitive Intelligence' is very nascent in the country - but it is a growing one... This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Feb 2012 - Outlook Money
Calls that disturb
The Gujarat government backed 20-year bonds from Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam (SSNNL) in 1994 was a dream for many investors. They promised 17 per cent return payable in slots of 7, 11, 15 and 20 years. They were issued at a discounted rate of Rs 3,600, and promised Rs 1.11 lakh, after 20 years, for every bond. But SSNNL called back the bonds in 2008 , saying it could not pay the ‘high’ rates promised.
Feb 2012 - HDMA
India's Growth Story - Illusion Or Reality?
Looking back, 2011 has been a year of turmoil, both in India and abroad. As the economic and political drama in India unfolded over the year, the Investment Confidence Index (ICI), a barometer for measuring India’s investment sentiment, reached its lowest in the past year and half. The ICI for December 2011, which is based on a pan-India survey of retail investors, advisors and corporates, clearly reflects that confidence over the Indian economic situation is weakening across the board.
Feb 2012 - CIOL
A peek into PIPA
SOPA (Stop Online Privacy Act) has started a huge undercurrent of virtual noise, voice and choice. With PIPA (Protect IP Act) and Europe’s ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement) etc, the debate gets simpler and fuzzier at the same time. While many continue the big wave of protests, in an interview with CIOL, ValueNotes' analyst Deepti Krishnan shares an incisive and objective dissection of the many dimensions of the buzz around the Internet’s biggest bete noire as of now.
Feb 2012 - PrintWeek
Hub India for publishing outsourcing
India is considered to be in the front when it comes to preferred destinations for publishing outsourcing. Top on the outsourcing agenda for media and publishing houses are activities like advertisement outsourcing, digitisation of media records, entity/element extraction, editorial archiving, print on-demand, format conversion (print to e-book/e-magazine, pdf, XML) and cross-compatibility and standardisation of services across different mediums like the World Wide Web and mobile devices.
Feb 2012 - BusinessWorld
Small But Growing
Publishing outsourcing is gaining a lot of traction and momentum in India. According to ValueNotes, the $1.5 billion global publishing outsourcing industry is valued at $1.2 billion in India and employs 74,000 people in 2012. India is the leader in publishing outsourcing services, followed closely by Phillippines, which is the preferred destination for the Asia-Pacific region and non-English speaking countries.
Feb 2012 - Moneylife
Investor confidence declines over past year
Retail investor confidence has faded in the last few months. Investor confidence faltered 28 points since September 2010 reaching its all time low. India Inc and the advisor community are marginally more optimistic compared to their July 2011 lows. Bank confidence recovered by 18 points from July 2011, while IFA confidence plummeted to touch its lowest.
Feb 2012 - Economic Times
Sensex to touch 20,000-mark by June
The stock market barometer could rise to 20,000 by June, up from the present 17,000-level, despite subdued business confidence. The Investment Confidence Index remained almost flat between July and December 2011. Although investment sentiment currently appears subdued, the optimism about global and Indian economic growth is improving marginally.
Jan 2012 - Scip.insight
SCIP India kicks off in Mumbai
SCIP started its voyage in India with its first meeting held in Mumbai in December 2011. Charter members also discussed their vision for SCIP India as instrumental in laying down definitions and standards for competitive intelligence practitioners in India, as well as what they hoped to gain and give back to the CI community through their participation in SCIP India.
Jan 2012 - Financial Express
Investors expect Sensex at 20,000 in June
According to the latest Investment Confidence Index, 48% retail investors and 76% advisors expect the BSE benchmark Sensex to trade between 17,000 and 20,000 in June this year. For the last two quarters, the Sensex has been trading 15-20% lower than the expected level.
Jan 2012 - Business Standard
HNIs and advisors more optimistic than retail investors
Although the overall investment sentiment currently appears subdued, the optimism about global and Indian economic growth is improving marginally. Most interestingly, corporate, advisors and HNIs are now more optimistic than they were in July 2011, even as the mass of retail investors have become more pessimistic.
Jan 2012 - Global Services
Knowledge services will be most important in 2012 growth strategies
As IT and BPO companies realign their growth strategies to meet changing buyer demands, many have realized the importance of expanding their product and service lines to include knowledge services (or knowledge process outsourcing - KPO). There is a growing trend to focus on exploring lateral growth even as they build on existing capabilities and strengths. (this article was authored by ValueNotes)
Dec 2011 - Financial Chronicle
Amid sluggish growth, BPO industry saw big M & A deals
Mergers and acquisitions were the flavour of the Indian BPO industry in 2011. Organic growth was a bit sluggish due to uncertain global macroeconomic conditions. Ironically, more acquisitions were made reportedly for the same reason. Valuations were low and hence fair amount of consolidation happened in the industry during the year.
Dec 2011 - Outlook Money
Inflation bites into the cake
As an investor, the exposure to uncertain markets and tepid revenue growth might have dragged down the prices of the stocks you hold. According to conventional wisdom, the FMCG sector has always been a good bet to tide over torrid times. So, when it comes to India’s biggest biscuit-maker Britannia, stock gurus have always shown interest, but are there any dark clouds in the horizon?
Dec 2011 - Financial Chronicle
Growth paradox
Central Statistical Organisation data that say that GDP grew by only 6.9 per cent in the second quarter have sparked off a debate on what the growth will be by March. Will India be able to grow above 7 per cent in the financial year ending March 31 or will it slip below this mark?
Nov 2011 - India Business Law Journal
As the tide begins to turn & LPOs go mainstream
The India Business Law Journal published a report to examine the long term sustainability of LPO service providers, and to discuss the tremendous traction LPOs have seen globally. It also presents the winners for its third annual Legal Process Outsourcing Awards. This piece was published in India Business Law Journal - www.indilaw.com.
Nov 2011 - Business Standard
Taxman to milk Rs 80k cr from transfer pricing
The ghost of transfer pricing has returned this year to haunt multinational companies doing business in India and Indian companies with a big presence abroad. The cash-strapped government is looking at huge adjustment orders, running into a few billion dollars in some cases, as a way to improve the tax mop-up.
Nov 2011 - PrintWeek
Why India makes a perfect publishing partner?
Just like its economy - emerging at a growth rate of 8.8% - India’s publishing industry is expanding at a rapid pace. Ranked as the sixth-largest publishing industry in the world, India has its entire gamut of publishing activities and services available in-house. An annual output of 90,000 books, with 19,000...
Nov 2011 - Global Services
Destination strategy - what makes/breaks it?
The news about most of the offshoring deals that have gone kaput have probably not even seen the light of day. Sceptics in the buyer organisation would have voiced their “I told you so” opinion, and vendors would have put this down as another lesson learnt. Every unshared experience is only likely to give way to similar instances of failed deals between the buyers and vendors, eventually contributing to the notion of the difficulty of outsourcing. (this article was authored by ValueNotes)
Nov 2011 - The Outsourcing
M & A activity: Warming up to growth
The business process outsourcing industry has evolved rapidly over the past few years. Also, with organic growth drying up due to the global financial crisis, companies are looking to inorganic avenues to jump-start growth. Typically, acquirers are companies that are flush with funds, have an aggressive growth and globalization strategy. The reasons for this increase in M & A are diverse.
Oct 2011 - Outlook Money
To Be or Not to Be...
To be, or not to be, that is the question… Like Hamlet, we, in our financial lives, are at a crossroads many a time. Should you buy an apartment in the city and benefit from the developed infrastructure even though the huge home loan will disrupt your monthly budget? Or should you go for an affordable suburban apartment? If your retirement and child’s education coincide, which takes precedence? These common dilemmas can easily make or break your finances.
Sep 2011 - Outlook Money
Confidence hit by the environment
With the markets see-sawing, it is no surprise that a recent survey by JP Morgan Asset Management and ValueNotes showed that confidence among retail and corporate investors was low in the last quarter. When questioned on their current investment strategy, 40% of the retail investors wanted to preserve their capital and 35% of them maintained a cautious outlook towards their investments. Only 10% were willing to takes risks.
Sep 2011 - Moneylife
Indian Investment Confidence slumps to lowest in two years
The Indian Investment Confidence Index is at its lowest in two years, due to the combined impact of the global economic slowdown, high domestic interest rates and inflationary concerns, according to a survey conducted by JP Morgan and ValueNotes across eight cities in July. However, a majority of investors and advisors in India expect the benchmark Sensex to trade between 20,000 and 22,000 by the end of this year.
Sep 2011 - Financial Chronicle
Investor confidence slides
The Indian Investment Confidence Index (ICI), a quarterly exercise that seeks to capture the sentiments of retail, companies, as well as financial advisers on investments and the economy, has weakened 8.5 points from the past quarter. In effect, the score at 123.8 has touched its lowest since the index’s inception in August 2009 by JP Morgan Asset Management India in association with ValueNotes.
Sep 2011 - Economic Times
Sensex set to touch 22,000-mark by December
The stock market barometer Sensex is set to touch the 22,000-mark by December from the present 16,400 levels, despite a decline in the overall business confidence. Investment activity of retail investors in mutual funds has revived significantly since the last quarter. The current corporate confidence level has hit an all-time low since its launch in July 2009.
Sep 2011 - Business Line
Marketmen expect Sensex to breach 20K by year-end
Forty four per cent of the investors and advisors said the Sensex will breach the 20,000 mark by December. Older investors, aged between 60-65 years, showed a surge in their confidence in the market during this quarter. Of all the geographies where this survey was carried out, the Delhi/NCR displayed the highest level of confidence. Independent Financial Advisors in Mumbai were the most “despondent of the lot and their confidence is the lowest this quarter.”
Aug 2011 - The Charter
Interview: Varsha Chitale, Director at ValueNotes
In an interview with The Charter, Varsha shares how her CFA qualification has helped her in her career. She also talks about ValueNotes' plans to create a competitive intelligence community in India. The Charter is a magazine for the Chartered Financial Analysts fraternity in India.
Aug 2011 - Financial Chronicle
Ajuba plans to invest $5m in India
Healthcare BPO, Ajuba Solutions projects its revenue growth over the next three years to close to 25%. The company is confident of growth opportunities boosted by Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare reforms in the US. According to ValueNotes, implementation and maintenance of EMR/EHR systems is a global $20-billion opportunity.
Aug 2011 - Financial Express
Lavasa responds to pre-conditions, awaits decision
Construction activity at Lavasa, Pune - being developed by Hindustan Construction Company - has been at a standstill for the last nine months. The stop work order issued by the ministry of environment and forests is yet to be withdrawn. The ministry is expected to pass its order regarding Lavasa Corporation in a week.
Aug 2011 - CDI Global
M & A deals in India telecom sector likely to soar
More than 21,000 M & A deals were announced in 2010, with its total value exceeding USD 1.9 trillion. Of this, the telecom sector accounted for $163 billion worth of deals, as compared to $99 billion worth of deals in the sector in 2009.
Aug 2011 - CDI Global
Indian M & A falls in Q1 2011 but prospects still bright
The first quarter of 2011 saw a decline of more than 60% in the number of M & A deals, as compared to Q4 2010. This was primarily due to high valuations and increasing uncertainty about macroeconomic factors such as fiscal deficit, interest rates and inflation, all of which made corporates watchful.
Jul 2011 - AIMA Australia
How can Australian firms unlock the big fat Indian market?
With global economies struggling to recover from the grips of recession, Australian companies need to seek alternative avenues for growth. India, with its exponential economic growth and burgeoning middle class, presents a unique and promising opportunity for Australian businesses.
Jun 2011 - ACORD
Cloudbursts
With the rapid evolution of cloud services, organizations looking for the storage and processing power to run large scale analytics have a growing range of on-demand services at their disposal. Analytics is a "bursty" activity, meaning that analysts focus on different data sets of different sizes and complexity on an unpredictable schedule.
Jun 2011 - Wall street Journal
India Inc. dividend payouts rise 12% in FY11 despite global slowdown
At a time when advanced economies are struggling to emerge from a prolonged slowdown, India Inc. has been growing strong and rewarding its shareholders with a healthy increase in dividends. Dividends paid by the 30 bellwether companies constituting the BSE benchmark Sensitive Index…
Jun 2011 - Financial Express
US healthcare reform offers opportunities for Indian cos
The US healthcare reform, announced by President Obama, has thrown huge opportunities for Indian BPO, KPO, ITeS, revenue cycle management, and electronic medical/health records (EMR/EHR) companies as healthcare providers in the US are facing a tough time to meet the deadline.
Jun 2011 - SCIP Insight
Should you trash competitor profiles?
Competitor profiles are perhaps the most frequently produced competitive intelligence output. But they are also probably the least critically evaluated because we have always done them; it never occurs to us to question why. It is the analysis and recommendations that are valuable to an organization.
Jun 2011 - Outlook Money
The best for your next
With the equity market remaining volatile and gold at an all-time high, real estate might provide better returns. In the brave new world that India is today, not only do people buy a home to live in early in life, but they are also increasingly opting for a second home.
Jun 2011 - Wall Street Journal
Candy boxes are ok, but no kettles please
As Reliance Industries shareholders walked out of the company's AGM, each got a coupon for Pastonji's ice cream. The treat is a way for the company to say "thank you" without violating the guidelines set out by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India on companies giving gifts to shareholders.
May 2011 - Global Services
The offshore analytics landscape
An interview with Reetika Joshi - a project manager with the ValueNotes Sourcing Practice - on an HfS research report that she co-authored, titled 'Where offshore analytics is heading in 2011'.
May 2011 - Global Services
The growth trajectory for the BPO industry
The outsourcing of business processes has gone well beyond the labour and cost arbitrage and is not discussed as key drivers any more. The current phase in outsourcing is about getting the right partners to transform your business. Discussions are now around transformation and outcomes. (this article was authored by ValueNotes)
May 2011 - Business Standard
Investor confidence at all-time low: Survey
The JP Morgan Asset Management - ValueNotes Investment Confidence Index (ICI) has recorded the biggest fall in its history, dipping to an all-time low. For the first time ever, the confidence in India’s economic growth has broken out of the 147-154 range to end at 136.1, denoting a cautious outlook.
May 2011 - Financial Express
Fear factor enters financial community
The Indian financial community is trading the cautious path as their faith in the India economic story is weakening largely due to inflation and a consequent tightening of money supply, according to a survey by JPMorgan Asset Management India and ValueNotes. The Investment Confidence Index...
May 2011 - Hindu Business Line
Investor confidence falls in Q4
Investor confidence in India has declined substantially on a sequential basis from the third to the fourth quarter of FY11, says a JP Morgan - ValueNotes investment confidence survey. All investor categories - the retail, corporate and the financial advisor communities - displayed a decrease in confidence.
May 2011 - Business World
Inflation and confidence deflation
It doesn’t take much to see that investor confidence in the equity markets has waned somewhat. What the seventh wave of the Investor Confidence Index (ICI) survey shows, however, is that this confidence began declining long before, perhaps as early as at the end of 2010.
May 2011 - Fortune
The rise of the permanently temporary worker
It's a glass half full/half empty situation. Well, maybe American employers just stole half a glass from their workers. The rise in temporary worker hires may be a smart business move, insulating employers in a volatile economy, or it could be creating a permanent wedge of cheaper, benefit-less workers…
May 2011 - Fidelity Worldwide Investment
India steps up battle against inflation and corruption
The survey of investor confidence in India conducted by JPMorgan Asset Management and ValueNotes released in January found that corruption along with inflation “kills confidence” in India. In recent weeks, the government took the next significant steps in surmounting these challenges. On May 3, India's central bank raised interest rates for the ninth time since March last year in a bid to contain inflation.
Apr 2011 - CIOL
SLAs: The Achilles heel of IT contracts
They say, inking a compact and favourable IT contract is a ‘promethean’ task in India. If you want to make it a strong one, SLAs or Service Level Agreements or any of their other siblings need a real good homework. The big question is – are you ensuring that your expectations are written…
Apr 2011 - CIOL
Predictive Analytics - where the real money is
Subjective and human elements are still formidable to automation when it comes to real power of analytics. Analytics is coming up strongly as a horizontal service; it has also become more and more vertical-cut. Industries like insurance, media, pharma and banking are apt examples.
Apr 2011 - Financial Chronicle
Distribution a challenge in e-publishing
The digital revolution may have changed the dynamics of the publishing industry but distribution of content remains a challenge. Four out of five publishers globally now digitise content but still struggle to properly distribute it online, say industry players. The most notable threat is that of a...
Apr 2011 - Publishing Perspectives
The Indian Invitation: Why India makes a perfect publishing partner
Just like its economy - emerging at a growth rate of 8.8% - India’s publishing industry is expanding at a rapid pace. Ranked as the sixth-largest publishing industry in the world, India has its entire gamut of publishing activities and services available in-house. An annual output of 90,000 books, with 19,000...
Mar 2011 - Deccan Herald
Plenty of career opportunities in LPO firms
Industry experts opine that India is fast emerging as a better investment destination. This creates a big pool of opportunities for young lawyers in India as they stand to benefit not only in the domain of experience by getting a chance to do quality and multi-jurisdictional legal work but also finding…
Feb 2011 - Christian Science Monitor
Why India's PM Singh pledging sharper attack on corruption
Corruption scandals have emboldened the opposition and stymied the Indian Parliament’s winter session. But the pressure isn’t just political. The business community has also weighed in calling for a “war” on corruption. Now, a survey released finds that domestic investors in India cite corruption...
Feb 2011 - Times of India
Corruption new confidence killer
Corruption has emerged as the new confidence killer with 19% of retail investors, 8% of corporates and 16% advisors are terming it as the second most negative economic indicator in the current scenario after inflation, according to JP Morgan Asset Management ValueNotes Investment...
Feb 2011 - Businessworld
Cracks in the growth story
Corruption is haunting the government and it is also giving retail investors a queasy feeling. The sixth round of the JP Morgan Asset Management-ValueNotes quarterly survey reveals that a significant number of retail investors and advisors have voted corruption as the most negative...
Feb 2011 - Deccan Herald
Towards online assessments
While the decision by the CAT committee to go online was in the right direction, it was marred by technical glitches and virus attacks in the 2009 edition. Despite criticism and mounting pressure to go back to the traditional pen and paper method, it was praiseworthy that the CAT committee decided...
Jan 2011 - MBAUniverse.com
CAT, NMAT, MAT… computer based exams on the rise in India
With success of CAT 2010 and NMAT 2011, the future of e-Testing seems positive in India. The IIMs and NMIMS have already tested the water and now is the turn of various Management Institutes who are likely to embrace Computer Based Testing (CBT) in near future.
Jan 2011 - Christian Science Monitor
The outsource trend: It's not just call centers in India anymore
A decade ago, it would have been unthinkable for major British companies to send their legal work overseas. But often, Indian lawyers can do the work at an eighth the cost. Developments within India’s outsourcing industry have also made the country a more compelling destination for legal work.
Jan 2011 - Global Services
Engineering Services - An Outsourcing Evolution
An increasingly competitive market for engineering services has made outsourcing indispensable to the industry, more so following the downturn. Engineering services outsourcing is likely to skyrocket from $15B in 2010 to around $200b by 2020. A recent ValueNotes survey found that traditional design and manufacturing services... (this article was authored by ValueNotes)
Jan 2011 - Connecticut Law Tribune
Proposed bill would regulate overseas document review
State Rep. Patricia Dillon recalls a conversation with some constituents about five years ago in which someone said, “There’s one kind of work they’ll never be able to outsource and that’s legal work.” Then a second voice chimed up. “They’re doing it now.” The most common scenario is that…
Jan 2011 - Law.com
E-discovery moves in house
Segmentation is effective when work can be directed to low-cost providers. The trend towards outsourcing e-discovery to offshore LPOs has been running strong with Valuenotes, an Indian consulting firm, forecasting the Indian LPO market to grow from $440 million in 2010 to $1 billion by 2014.
Jan 2011 - Outsource Magazine
The LPO industry begins to consolidate
Perhaps the most significant activity indicative of the direction of the industry as a whole, took place last month with the most high profile acquisition to date of a LPO provider when Thomson Reuters, Inc. (TRI) acquired Pangea3. Only a week earlier, UnitedLex acquired LawScribe.
Dec 2010 - MoneyToday
A measure of confidence
Higher education, one of the fastest growing sectors in India, would grow much faster but for the resistance to change. A survey by ValueNotes has found that several university heads and academicians concede the importance of ICT, but defer adoption on the grounds that present manual processes are more than enough to meet...
Dec 2010 - Knowledge@Wharton
Indian outsourcing companies think strategy even as pressure mounts
It's not just attitudes that are affecting the outsourcing industry. The recession over the past few years has forced many U.S. companies to cut costs. And though outsourcing to India may be the more economical option, political pressures have meant a slowdown...
Nov 2010 - Frankfurt Book Fair
GlobaLocal - the return of the colony
The Indians are famous for their printing companies. But why is the Indian publishing industry itself not using the Indian service providers? Or are they? Two out of three publishing services are already outsourcing, states Vivek Shenoy from ValueNotes.
Nov 2010 - Financial Express
LPOs catch Indian lawyers
Indian lawyers need to pull up their socks. LPO firms need them more than anytime before. Recent months have seen a significant increase in the demand of lawyers by these outsourcing firms in India, courtesy increased legal work from foreign clients and the restructuring of their offered services.
Nov 2010 - Hindu Business Line
Retail investors more sanguine about India than corporates
Retail investors and advisors have been showing much higher confidence in the Indian markets and investment opportunities available to them than corporations, said a report on investor confidence released jointly by JP Morgan Asset Management and ValueNotes.
Nov 2010 - Outlook Money
Save More, Earn More?
The RBI is looking at deregulating the interest rate on savings accounts. The interest rate, currently at 3.5 per cent, is the only rate that is regulated in the banking system. Given its huge impact on the common man, any decision in this regard would be significant.
Oct 2010 - Outsource magazine
Location, location, location
More recently Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) has emerged as a genuine strategic consideration for law firms and corporate legal departments looking to control legal costs while concurrently improving efficiencies through re-engineering their legal service delivery operational models. The most appropriate location for an LPO engagement or relationship is a crucial discussion.
Oct 2010 - Business World
Displaying strength
The strong growth exhibited by the Indian economy in the past few quarters - especially when many advanced countries are grappling with sluggish recovery from the financial crisis - is boosting investor confidence. The fifth round of the JP Morgan Asset Management-ValueNotes quarterly survey…
Oct 2010 - Mint
Populism the catch for minority investors
Investor groups and analysts are stepping up scrutiny of minority investor protection at publicly traded state-owned firms as the government restarts its Rs 40,000 crore divestment programme for the year with the IPO of Coal India Ltd. The idea of government being the policymaker, owner and manager is clearly not working...
Sep 2010 - Financial Times
Indian stocks: bubble or no bubble?
The Bombay Stock Exchange index Sensex surpassed the 20,000 point mark for the first time since January 2008. So the question on everyone’s mind on Tuesday was: can this rally be sustained - to break a new record high - or is this already a new bubble?
Aug 2010 - Wall Street Journal
Amateur investors bullish despite experts’ doubt
Could it be that once again, individual investors are late to the party? A recent survey reveals that individual investors have become more confident about their investments lately, even as financial advisers - supposedly the experts - have been getting pessimistic. Analysts found that individuals have more faith now in the....
Aug 2010 - New York Times
Outsourcing to India Draws Western Lawyers
India’s legal outsourcing industry has grown in recent years from an experimental endeavor to a small but mainstream part of the global business of law. Cash-conscious Wall Street banks, mining giants, insurance firms and industrial conglomerates are hiring lawyers in India for document review, due diligence, contract management...
Aug 2010 - Financial Chronicle
Older investors more bullish on economy
Old is no longer just gold, they are getting bold too. Generally considered to be risk-averse and much less optimistic about life, these grey-haired investors (50-55 years of age) seem to be more optimistic about the Indian economy than hot-blooded youngsters. The seniors have become more bullish even as the confidence...
Aug 2010 - Businessworld
Treading In Positive Zone
The current stock market behaviour might not be awe-inspiring, but the findings of the fourth round of JP Morgan Asset Management-ValueNotes survey reveal that investment confidence among retail investors is on the rise. For one, India’s long-term prospect still excites small and big investors alike.
June 2010 - The Economist
The growth of legal outsourcing: Passage to India
As law firms and corporate legal departments face mounting pressure to cut costs, an increasing number are choosing the Indian option. Last year, Rio Tinto, an international mining group, moved a tranche of legal work to Indian lawyers at CPA Global to save a fifth of its legal costs. Others are following. Though India’s LPO industry…
May 2010 - Mint
Bank of India seeks mutual fund re-entry
The country’s fourth largest public sector lender, Bank of India (BoI), is planning a re-entry into the asset management business five years after scrapping its solo venture and is looking for a foreign partner this time around. The bank is ready to divest up to 49% and has identified a handful of potential partners, both existing ...
May 2010 - Business Standard
Knowledge process outsourcing sector attracts PE
Companies that have domain knowledge in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector have started appearing on the radar of private equity (PE) players. These firms are covered under the broad umbrella of the knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) sector. Unlike BPO, KPO is a very niche segment. Revenues from the global ...
May 2010 - Business Standard
Legal process outsourcing on firm footing
In the first three months of 2010, LPO firm UnitedLex received more Requests for Information than it did in the whole of 2009. The offshoring legal services business in India is still small - annual revenues account for less than 4% of total BPO revenues - but it was among the fastest-growing segments of the BPO business...
May 2010 - Businessworld
Aiming for high scores
Educating people is a lucrative business without doubt. Conducting entrance examinations to put people into colleges is perhaps equally profitable. At last count, at least four home-grown players and a couple of foreign stalwarts were eyeing a piece of the Rs 5,240-crore higher education examination market. University entrance ...
May 2010 - Outlook Money
Bonds are forever
The average investor would rather go for unrated, risky corporate deposits rather than rated corporate bonds. Why? As Pratibha, lead analyst at ValueNotes says: “Access is limited by underdeveloped distribution channels and low investor knowledge.” Another important reason is the lack of liquidity in the retail debt market. But what is it ...
Apr 2010 - Hindustan Times
Investor optimism ebbs to caution
The “widespread optimism” showed by the investment community in September 2009, has been replaced by “cautious optimism”, according to the findings of the Investment Confidence Index (ICI) of JP Morgan Asset Management India and Valuenotes. “The results of the third wave of the ICI suggest a sense of measured optimism ...
Apr 2010 - Economic Times
Sensex to scale 19K by June: JP Morgan survey
The stock market barometer, Sensex, is set to touch 19,000-mark by June from the present 17,500 levels, in spite of the decline in the overall business confidence, says a JP Morgan-ValueNotes survey. Among the eight cities where the survey was carried out, the investors in the nation's financial capital are the most optimistic as they ...
Apr 2010 - CIOL
Piper's justice in Oracle land?
It's a piping hot deal. But while chasing away the rats of competition is a good idea wouldn't the Oracle-Sun deal lead to the Piper taking along some important people too? As some industry-watchers answer, it could well be a wise bow-out than an edge-out. The line-up of erstwhile Sun Microsystems' big enchilada towards the exit ...
Mar 2010 - SCIP magazine
Actionable analysis in an imperfect environment: A guide to CI in India
Competitive intelligence (CI) professionals are capturing market intelligence and evaluating growth opportunities in emerging markets like India. However, India can overwhelm even the most astute CI practitioner, as many traditional methodologies don't work in the Indian context. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Mar 2010 - CDI Global
M&A in Indian Telecom: A tale of twin opportunities
Recent trends in the Indian telecom market, the world’s fastest growing, point to an abundance of investment and M&A opportunities. Between 2000 and 2007, the largest providers (Airtel, Reliance, Vodafone, BSNL, Idea) grew in dominance, squeezing out smaller competitors, via a combination of organic and inorganic growth. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Mar 2010 - Epoch Times
United States losing its R&D edge
As companies seek to cut costs and expand research, many are looking to outsource research and development (R&D) to other countries - particularly China - often at the expense of U.S. scientists and researchers. China is charging ahead with its 15-year "Medium-and Long-Term Plan for Science and Technology Development," ...
Mar 2010 - DNA
Despite CAT fiasco, online exams are here to stay, say academicians
The first online common admission test (CAT) last year may have had a bad run, but senior academicians have given a thumbs-up to this new version of exam. However challenges such as reservations on infrastructure, suitability of the test format and equating between ...
Mar 2010 - Financial Chronicle
Indian varsities averse to adopting online exams
Higher education, one of the fastest growing sectors in India, would grow much faster but for the resistance to change. A survey by ValueNotes has found that several university heads and academicians concede the importance of ICT, but defer adoption on the grounds that present manual processes are more than enough to meet...
Feb 2010 - Law Society Gazette
How legal process outsourcing is changing the legal landscape
LPO is an emerging phenomenon that most lawyers will already have heard about. India has seen the greatest expansion in the LPO industry, as senior lawyers and general counsel in the west begin to acknowledge that Indian lawyers can do the work of junior associates for a fraction of the cost of a City salary.
Feb 2010 - Financial Chronicle
Indian publishing BPOs get low rating
Chennai may be considered the global hub for publishing BPO services but the efficiencies are still low, says a survey conducted by ValueNotes. Though publishers have been outsourcing for over two decades to Indian companies, they are far from satisfied.
Jan 2010 - Economic Times
Intermediate Capital buys 47% in LPO firm CPA Global for GBP 440 million
Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) bought a 47% stake in legal process outsourcing firm CPA Global. Availability of services like litigation document management and contract management at low costs in India is driving the LPO boom, and thus high valuations of these companies. There is a direct saving about 40%-50 % by shifting the job offshore.
Jan 2010 - Business Standard
Publishing: India remains top outsourcing destination
India remains the destination of choice for content, design, media distribution and other outsourced publishing work. Sixty-six per cent of respondents in a recent survey said they would prefer to outsource publishing and pre-press work to India over competitors like the US, UK, China, Australia and the Philippines.
Jan 2010 - Global Services
Buyers consider LPOs immature for high end services
The last two years were no cakewalk for the LPO industry, with law firms laying off employees and corporate counsels shrinking their budgets. Amidst this chaos, the service providers are still struggling to gain the confidence of buyers in offshoring high end services.
Jan 2010 - Bar & Bench
ValueNotes launches proprietary methodology; top rating for CPA Global, Integreon, Pangea3
ValueNotes has launched a methodology to rate LPOs. The 'Sourcing Prism', a research tool that serves as a guide to vendor capabilities, rates a company on three parameters - Services Maturity, Sustainability and Strategic Intent. The results of the methodology have declared CPA Global, Integreon and Pangea3 as 'Pacesetters' in the LPO segment.
Dec 2009 - World Association of Newspapers
Outsourcing can be a solution
Outsourcing is by no means new to the newspaper industry: in fact, newspapers have used freelancers for some time, but some think that it should be taken much further. There are concerns people have with outsourcing... However, it might be a necessary risk if newspapers are to succeed in charging for their content as there is currently very little differentiation between news sources.
Dec 2009 - Economic Times
No language barrier for India's LPO industry
Not many lawyers, unlike freedom fighters, would rue being "children of Macaulay" these days. The familiarity of the English legal system gives an advantage to Indian companies in as much that they just don't perform the clerical function given to them, but also end up doing more than what they are just paid for.
Nov 2009 - Financial Chronicle
India is hub for publishing BPOs
From mere typesetting, the Indian publishing BPO services industry is fast moving towards offering value-added services such as editorial work. The digital explosion has opened up several offshoring options including end-to-end operations starting from typesetting to graphics to physical printing of the content in India.
Nov 2009 - Business Standard
Positive outlook on investment in India, says survey
The prospect of a global economy recovery has driven confidence across the board, supported by a sustained confidence in the domestic economy, says a survey conducted in September by JP Morgan Asset Management, in association with ValueNotes.
Oct 2009 - Business Today
Investing via social networks
There is a growing tribe of investors who no longer consult their neighbours or colleagues or listen to market pundits on business channels, and instead prefer to connect with likeminded people online for sharing investing tips and making investment decisions.
Sep 2009 - Mint
MF buying falls after scrapping of commissions
The mutual fund industry’s worst fears seem to be coming true: distributors are not finding it worth their while to service small investors who, in turn, are either buying units online or directly at MF outlets
Sep 2009 - Financial Express
Engineering services outsourcing to reach $40 billion by 2020
The engineering services outsourcing (ESO) market, which is estimated to grow to $40 billion by 2020 from the current level of $2.5 billion to $3 billion, presents a huge potential for Indian IT companies.
Aug 2009 - Mint
Retail investors most optimistic, shows survey
Retail investors are more confident than corporate investors and financial advisers about economic recovery and its impact on markets, said a recent survey by JPMorgan Asset Management India and ValueNotes, a Pune-based research firm. According to the confidence index in India, a first of its kind, on a scale of 200, retail investor confidence stood at 138.3.
Aug 2009 - The Star
Outsourcing joins billion dollar club
Outsourcing in Malaysia has just become a billion-dollar business as revenue for the sector has jumped 18% to hit the US$1.1bil (RM3.6bil) mark this year. Rather than relying on plain-vanilla call-centres, there are niches that local outsourcing companies could strive to fill.
Jul 2009 - National Law Journal
India Beckons to U.S. Lawyers
Although some U.S. lawyers view outsourcing to India with dread - particularly vulnerable contract attorneys doing document review - for a lucky few, India offers an opportunity to get management experience, more client contact and a stake in a growing area of the legal business, not to mention a travel adventure.
Jul 2009 - Financial Express
Offshoring publishing business will double to $1.2 bn by 2012
Due to changing corporate patterns, the existing economic climate, poor spending on advertisements and high printing costs, global publishing houses look at India for more offshoring of publishing services. India is distantly followed by the Philippines, and other countries including China, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
Jun 2009 - Times of India
Indian e-learning outsourcing on high value curve
The Indian e-learning outsourcing segment is poised for a quantum leap as the players in this space, helped by the latest technology, are targeting high value opportunities likely to come from advanced markets such as the UK and the US in the next two years.
May 2009 - Business Today
Call of the small town
BPOs earned an estimated $12 billion export revenues in 2008-09, while the domestic segment fetched just $2.4 billion. But, while offshore BPO services have been growing at a CAGR of 37 per cent, their domestic counterparts are doing 50 per cent. For domestic clients, labour arbitrage is not a key driver for BPO growth.
May 2009 - Financial Times
Law and disorder
Many Indian lawyers today remember working for no pay when they first qualified. Until 1996, bright graduates preferred to go into management consultancy where salaries were up to four times higher than the legal remuneration. Today, India's legal services sector is booming, spurred on by the growth of legal process outsourcing and the rapid rise of commercial lawyers in private practice law firms and multinational companies.
May 2009 - Hindu Business Line
Only 3% of law firms in UK, US offshore back-office work to India
Despite mounting cost pressures, only three per cent of law firms in the UK and the US have 'offshored' their back-office functions to Indian LPO vendors. And this is largely due to lack of conviction about the benefits of offshoring and concerns surrounding data security and quality of work, according to a report from research firm Valuenotes
May 2009 - The Complete Lawyer
Four trends will change the face of the paralegal profession
Companies with corporate legal departments in India include DuPont, Cisco Systems, and Morgan Stanley, according to ValueNotes. The Indian legal services industry will more than quadruple to $640 million by 2010 from $146 million in 2006, ValueNotes said.
Jan 2009 - Financial Times
Law firms fuel the demand for offshore services
India's legal process outsourcing industry - focusing on such areas as patent research, contract management and litigation support - generated revenues of just $225m in 2007, according to ValueNotes, an Indian-based research company.
Dec 2008 - Economic Times
LPO firms may find it difficult to attract talent: Survey
Legal Process Outsourcing (LPO) firms may find it difficult to attract talent as career with an LPO was found to be the least preferred among law students, a survey conducted by ValueNotes, a leading provider of business information, has said.
Oct 2008 - BusinessWeek
Outsourcing shops feel the street's pain
In the first half of 2007, financial companies around the world handed out at least 48 major outsourcing contracts with a total value well in excess of $5.5 billion, reports ValueNotes. The first half of this year saw just eight such contracts with a total reported value of $767 million.
Sep 2008 - Hindu Business Line
Newspaper publishing outsourcing industry on growth mode
Shrinking profits and across-the-board cost cutting by newspaper organisations globally are acting as a propeller for the nascent newspaper publishing outsourcing industry in India. Contrary to what is happening in the Indian newspaper industry, newspaper firms abroad - especially in the US and some parts of Europe - have been battling growing pressures on margins in the last few years.
Jul 2008 - Hindu Business Line
Patent offshoring sector to grow at 35%
The widespread impact of the US patent reform act of 2007 coupled with the multi-fold increase in patent applications globally will see the Indian patent offshoring industry clock $2.06 billion in revenues by 2012 end, at an annual growth rate of 35 per cent.
May 2008 - Washington Post
U.S. Legal Work Booms in India
Legal process outsourcing is being called the next big thing in Indian business. It marks India's climb up the chain of outsourcing jobs - from low-end, back-office service functions in call centers to high-value, skilled legal work. In the past three years, the legal outsourcing industry here has grown about 60 percent annually.
Apr 2008 - TIME Magazine
Call My Lawyer... in India
While the Americans learn, well-trained lawyers in secure offices in Mumbai, Bangalore and Gurgaon, who typically earn $6,000 to $30,000 annually, do legal grunt work. Outsourcing is blossoming in the legal profession, which is known - and often despised - for its high prices.
Feb 2008 - Business Standard
Bioinformatics market to double by 2010
The Indian bioinformatics market is poised to double by 2010 - from $32 million (Rs 120 crore) to $62 million (Rs 240 crore) by 2010. The survey noted that the need to optimise costs and increase research has lead to the increased adoption of bioinformatics tools and services.
Feb 2008 - The Times Of India
Mkt research biz to touch $800m
Globalisation and competition have given rise to many new areas of service and market research is just one of them. As companies are willing to spend millions on market research, firms have sprouted up everywhere to do the job for them. As the industry consolidates, market research is fast becoming a big opportunity for the outsourcing sector as well.
Oct 2007 - Global Services Media
American, British newspapers to offshore services worth $3.75 Bn
As US and UK based newspapers battle revenue shortfalls, newspaper publishing outsourcing to India takes off. The Indian newspaper publishing services sector sees an opportunity to offshore publishing services worth $3.75 billion. With 2,800 daily and weekly newspapers, the revenue of the newspaper industry in the US and UK accounts for $75 billion
Sep 2007 - BioSpectrum Asia
The CRO power
Due to the recent economic slowdown in the west, the outsourcing business in life sciences, especially pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceutical business, has shown a surge. Also, drug sponsors increased their reliance on contract research organizations
Aug 2007 - The New York Times
U.S. firms outsource legal services to India
Clients are pushing law firms to send basic legal tasks to India. One incentive for corporations to send legal work overseas is that ethics rules compel law firms to disclose their profit margins. Traditionally, law firms charge clients markups of as much as three times what they pay associates and contract attorneys.
Aug 2007 - The Economic Times
It's time for retail offshoring to take a leap
Everyone knows how India's retail sector is poised to take off and we will be among the top five retail markets in the world in the next 10 years. But that is only one part of the big story. For making the most of the retail boom worldwide is another sunshine sector that is - the IT and ITeS.
Aug 2007 - Bloomberg
Jones Day, Kirkland send work to India to cut costs
Bruce Masterson, chief operating officer of Socrates Media LLC, asked his outside counsel to customize a residential lease for all 50 U.S. states in 2003. The firm's estimate: about $400,000. He rejected that price tag and hired QuisLex, in Hyderabad, India, which did it for $45,000.
Apr 2007 - Mint
Pharma offshoring will present a $7 billion opportunity by 2013
Outsourcing of drug discovery research is slated to show the highest growth of 26% a year as global pharmaceutical companies are increasingly turning to Indian vendors offering drug discovery research using newer techniques at much lower costs.
Mar 2007 - Times of India
Revenue from healthcare BPO to triple by 2011
More than half of the US hospitals are directly or indirectly offshoring various components of healthcare services, offshore vendors can now expect more end-to-end work, according to a recent report by Pune-based market research firm ValueNotes.
Feb 2007 - Financial Express
BPO revenue cycle services earnings to hit $410-m by 2010
The Indian share of BPO revenues from the offshoring of revenue cycle management (RCM) services were estimated at $125 million for 2006, and total revenues from this segment are expected to reach $410 million by 2011.
Nov 2006 - Economic Times
Desi CAs pen US tax returns
After doctors, lawyers and engineers, Indian CAs are troubleshooting for Americans now. Shortage of good accountants there is leading to outsourcing of tax returns to India. This year, 3.6 lakh US tax returns were prepared in India. And the numbers are growing.
May 2006 - Times of India
Medical transcription back in the pink
It was almost a cottage industry in the 90s, only to lose steam in 2000. But if you thought the medical transcription industry in India is history, think again. Latest studies reveal that it is raring to take off yet again. And this time, the future is well chalked out.
May 2006 - DNA
Medical transcription scripts a revival
You could call it the rise of the phoenix. A report by ValueNotes says the once written off medical transcription outsourcing industry is set for a major revival. Revenues could soar from $195 million to $647 million by 2010. At that point the sector will employ 52,000 people, against 18,000 now.
Apr 2006 - Financial Times
Legal work in pastures new
When a multinational company makes an acquisition, due diligence on the deal is often carried out by a handful of top law firms and typically performed by highly paid junior staff. However, in an upcoming acquisition financed by a UK bank in the FTSE 100, the lawyers carrying out due diligence are in fact from India.
Mar 2006 - Red Herring
Legal outsourcer gets $4m
The outsourced legal services industry in India employs about 1,800 people and earned revenue of around $61 million in 2005, according to a study by ValueNotes. “The revenues of the legal services outsourcing industry in India are expected to reach $0.6 billion by 2010 and cross $1.3 billion by 2015,” said the study.
Jan 2006 - Hindu Business Line
Legal services offshoring may earn $600 m revenue by 2010 (December 2006)
With the maturing of offshoring and increasing acceptance of India as a destination, a range of non-customer relationship management and non-transaction related services requiring not just skill but "knowledge" are being increasingly offshored, with legal services emerging as one area that has generated significant interest, according to ValueNotes.
Sep 2005 - Hindu Business Line
Indian offshoring in publishing vertical to touch $1.1 b by 2010
Indian offshoring in the publishing vertical is expected to touch $1.1 billion by 2010, according to ValueNotes. Current publishing outsourcing revenues in the country are estimated at approximately $200 million. The global opportunity for publishing outsourcing is estimated at $8.1 billion, which would be valued at an estimated $4.86 billion if off-shored.
Sep 2005 - SiliconIndia
Publishing outsourcing to India to touch $1.1B by 2010
After the outsourcing of technology and BPO jobs, the next big offshoring business in India will be in the publishing vertical. According to the report by ValueNotes, the opportunity to use India as an editorial and publishing base will only increase in the coming days as publishing firms realize it adds value to them to outsource these works.
Apr 2004 - Hindu Business Line
Investor confidence in NDA Govt high: Survey
An on-line pre-election investor survey of the stock market by ValueNotes suggests that investor confidence in the present Government is quite high and that investments will increase significantly if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returns to power. The survey sample comprised primarily of individual investors (86 per cent), brokers and sub-brokers, technical analysts, research analysts, portfolio mangers and investment advisors.
Mar 2004 - Hindu Business Line
Indian companies lack focus on web strategy: Survey
A survey conducted by ValueNotes to gauge web site effectiveness strategies employed by Indian companies has found that most Indian companies lack a ‘focused strategy for their online presence’, with 72 per cent of senior management interviewed in various companies saying that their objective was merely to have a ‘web presence’.
Jan 2004 - Hindu Business Line
Beauty salon business gets good facelift, says study
The beauty salon market in the country has been growing steadily over the last few years. As at the end of FY 2003, there were an estimated 61,000 salons in towns and cities with a population in excess of 10 lakh which racked up an aggregate turnover between Rs 1,493 crore and Rs 1,805 crore, according to ValueNotes.
Nov 2003 - Forbes.com
Dell cancels plan to send jobs overseas
Despite Dell's sudden pullback from its outsourcing to India, the Indian business process outsourcing market is expected to reach $1.8 billion this year, according to Investrend Research affiliate ValueNotes, which calls the phenomenon the "Decade of the BPOs."
Sep 2003 - Economic Times
Rising stock has its own dangers
Without getting into the debate on whether the market is overheated, it is apparent that rising stock prices have considerably altered the factor of safety for value investors. It has become next to impossible to find cases of gross under-valuation, except possibly in some thinly traded or turnaround stocks. Most stocks that were "cheap" in April have corrected to reflect more accurate valuations. This article was authored by ValueNotes.
Apr 2000 - Hindu Business Line
ValueNotes for corporate info
Looking for information on the corporate world without surfing the Internet for hours? Try the ValueNotes.com site soft launched in Pune on Wednesday. According to Mr. Arun Jethmalani, founder of the site, it is the first search engine dedicated to the Indian corporate and financial sector.
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