NEWS ITEMS ON INDUSTRY STRUCTURE, TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS, STRATEGIC DECISIONS, GLOBAL BUSINESS TRENDS, CORPORATE PLANNING, CORPORATE STRATEGY, ETC.



2000 News (January - June)


ET: 3 Jan 2000
p.1: Infosys voted India's most admired company, followed by HLL, Wipro

1. Infosys Technologies
2. Hindustan Lever
3. Wipro Infotech
4. Asian Paints
5. Reliance Industries
6. Larsen and Toubro
7. Satyam Computers
8. Ranbaxy
9. NIIT
10. Johnson and Johnson		11. Colgate Palmolive
12. P&G
13. Glaxo
14. Nestle
15. Citibank
16. Pepsi
17. Sony
18. ICICI
19. American Express
20. ITC		21. Cadbury
22. HDFC
23. Tisco
24. Jet Airways
25. Maruti Udyog
26. MRF
27. Britannia
28. Coca-cola
29. Hero Honda
30. Gujarat Ambuja

p.8: Arthur Andersen asked to draw up IDBI infotech plan
p.8: Auto, textile, farm sectors to be hit hard by QR phase-out pact
p.13: Orissa: Power Story
p.14: MTV goes local, to launch India-inspired products
Investor's Guide: p.5: Investing rules that have stood the test of time; p.6: Fund management through 1964-1999

ET: 4 Jan 2000
p.1: Tata cos split Falcon 2000 bizjet 7 ways (shared resource)
p.5: Brain finds it easier to follow action-bsed instructions
p.5: East India Pharma to launch a slew of new products this year
p.26: Giving new dimention to computer graphics in US

ET: 5 Jan 2000

ET: 6 Jan 2000
p.1: L&T board may sell off 9 businesses for Rs. 3000 cr
p.1: Dabur India seeks minority partner for foods division
p.3: Panel sets deadline for compliance to corporate governance code (Kumar Mangalam Birla Committee)
p.7: Intel announces strategy for developing Web appliances
p.9: E-commerce warns traditional market leaders
p.11: BPL plans elite management cadre to attract best talent

ET: 7 Jan 2000
p.8: Sony debuts Internet music, personal TV devices
p.9: Siemens scraps plans to divest stake in software arm
p.9: Wipro unveils plans to grow toiletries, lighting businesses
p.17: Gates outlines vision of network households
p.17: (Steve) Jobs to stay with Apple
p.20: Managing globalisation in the new millennium
Corporate Dossier: p1: (Infosys, HLL, and Wipro); p.2: The industry honours list; p.3: (Most admired companies)

ET: 10 Jan 2000
p.9: Electronics cos cashing in on convergence boom
p.12: Lupin to set up R&D centre at Pune
Investor's Guide: p.3: An exercise in revitalisation (corporate restructuring at Wockhardt Ltd.)

ET: 11 Jan 2000
p.1: RBI frustrates insurance plans of SBI, ICICI, IDBI
p.1: AOL, Time Warner click on merger (Also ET: 12 Jan 2000, p.22)
p.7: IBM to rally around Linux for future computers

ET: 12 Jan 2000
p.7: AI plans more joint flights, Virgin-type core-shares
p.13: (RPG, Tata Brand, Gujarat Ambuja, Melstar)
p.25: Bajaj Auto draws strategy to face Honda
Brand Equity: (last page) The Millennium Brand: Matiz (Daewoo Motors)

ET: 13 Jan 2000
p.1: Say goodbye to dot com... http://www.icann.org/
p.6: Readymade profits (SME garment companies)
p.11: (Utkal Alumina, Indo Flogates, Apple, Benckiser)
p.20: Names of Tata group companies...

ET: 14 Jan 2000
p.10: ANZ plans doorstep banking...
p.17: US govt in favour of splitting Microsoft
p.22: City's 'House of Banphool' to move into herbal cosmetics
Corporate Dossier: Apps on Tap, Indian Oil, The Millennium Brand: indiainfo.com

ET: 17 Jan 2000
p.10: Citibank trains guns on small, medium businesses
p.13: SmithKline, Glaxo may clinch deal today

ET: 18 Jan 2000
p.1: Glaxo, SmithKline enter into $187-bn alliance (Also p.16: ...has no strategic impact: BASF, Bayer; p.27: www.glaxosmithkline.com already there see http://www.register.com)
p.1: Godrej Soaps plans to spin off chemicals divn into separate co
p.9: CRISIL acquires INFAC brand from IPRS
p.16: Branded 'atta', salt cook up a success story

ET: 19 Jan 2000
p.22: HLL plans corpus for Generation X
Brand Equity: (last page) The Millennium Brand: V.I.P. (luggage)

ET: 20 Jan 2000
p.7: Why Linux makes sense for India
p.8: Global tailors (SME garment exporters)
p.9: Mather & Platt proposes scheme to demerge into 3 cos

ET: 21 Jan 2000
p.1: Telstra walks out of marriage with Modi; There is going to be a lot more brand loyalty
p.8: Oregon town becomes first dot com city in the world
p.17: iMac fuels Apple past estimates
Corporate Dossier: The Sumantra Ghoshal Series (on continuous corporate renewal); knowledge management; Satyam; Sharp; All in a day's work ('Learning Centre'); (last page) The Millennium Brand: Finolex

ET: 24 Jan 2000
p.15: Mannesmann unveils future Internet strategy
p.15: Malaysia bank merger activity at fever pitch...
p.18: With ESOPs you just can's think of leaving your job
Investor's Guide: p.5: Portal Combat

ET: 25 Jan 2000
p.1: Of all ISPs in the slot, who's the swiftest of the lot?
p.1: Chivas at your local store? (Import of foreign liquor)
p.10: HTA in co-operative alliance with Asatsu
p.11: (Baron, Hitachi, Aiwa)
Focus: Aviation in the new Millennium

ET: 26 Jan 2000
p.1: Govt. kick-starts divestment process: 51% of IA on the auction block
p.1: Hind Lever wins bid to take over Modern Foods
p.5: 'Cultureal Shock' major HR issue with workers in global cos
p.6: Singtel, C&W HKT in bid to form Asian telecom giant; Maulinex to exit microwave, vacuum cleaner segments
p.7: Sun, Oracle, PwC in tech deal; Ask Jeeves to buy Direct Hit...; Bharti seeks partner in long distance project
p.7: Penniless UK students sell site for GBP 10 mn (Their site: http://www.student-net.co.uk)
p.14: BoB staff ready for revamp

ET: 28 Jan 2000
p.3: ICICI in pact with Compaq-led group for payment gateways
p.6: Backward integration to go out of fashion in the CTV business
p.7: Computer Associates, Red Hat in Linux partnership
p.10: Sterlite appoints Anderson to review operations
p.11: Cummins India makes entry into power generation; PwC, Bharti BT plan facility to make WAN easier
p.19: Coke to cut 20% of global workforce on Q4 loss; Deutsche Tele, Sprint to sell off Global One stake
p.21: 'Hot' skill concept to hit India soon
Corporate Dossier: Levi Strauss, research on alliances (p.2), The Bombay Store, Wal-Mart, Nokia (p.4)

ET: 31 Jan 2000
p.1: Air-India to rake in Rs.30 cr per year from Virgin deal
p.10: Portals Ltd. makes bid to set up first pvt bank note paper mill
p.11: DCA calls for greater responsibility of company directors
p.15: Amazon.com trims 2 % of workforce
p.16: Leatherland (report on leather footwear business)

ET: 1 Feb 2000
p.1: IDBI says no to Essar FRN bailout, asks co to mend books; India Inc keeps fingers crossed over QR phase-out
p.6: Net at work: Reinventing Oracle, the McDonald's way
p.7: IBM makes netwroked PCs run on Linux
p.11: Samsung to address customer complaints vis Web
p.11: 'Buy' the Way: Corporates in purchase mode...

ET: 2 Feb 2000
p.1: Net revolution to last 25-50 years...; Windows 2000 faces closed doors in India on US nuke sanctions
p.3: Mergers to be important function in new age business strategies
p.5: BA plans GBP 600-mn revamp in bid to redefine travel
p.9: Wipro strikes strategy pact with Microsoft
p.11: Mutuals vs. Banks; Japan's New Banks
p.12: Secondary domain name best bet in dot com jungle
p.20: (TATA) Group restructuring is not going too slow, says Tata
p.25: Europeans at centrestage of mergers and acquisitions mania
Brand Equity: Brand new Tata;

ET: 3 Feb 2000
p.4: Good teamwork... says Deshpande (Chairman, Sycamore Networks)
p.4: 2-yr quarantine for PSU directors taking up pvt. jobs
p.5: financial guru comes to Mumbai to inspect his new AMC (Gary C. Wendt, GW Capital)
p.10: Japan worker under pressure to accept pay cuts, gain security

ET: 4 Feb 2000
p.1: ICICI to float holding company for .com ventures
p.1: The sun never sets on Indo-US IT collaboration: Celeste (Mr. Richard Celeste, US ambassador to India)
p.7: The business of disinvestment
p.8: (SME auto parts units)
p.9: Atcom plans to network retailers online, install POS systems; (Intel, Parke-Davis, Britannia)
p.16: AV Birla group may forge power venture with MRPL
p.17: Hewlett-Packard to announce Kodak alliance
p.22: Coalition says Linux ready for upcoming Intel chip
Corporate Dossier: p.1: LML Ltd (Deepak Singhania, MD); p.3: Orchid Chemicals; (Last page): The Millennium Brand: Carrier

ET: 7 Feb 2000
p.1: Reliance Petroleum (RPL) may place 5% equity with global crude suppliers...
p.1: Convergence Index soars 602%...
p.8: The human face of markets
p.8: Citings: (From The Dance of Change)
p.10: Bank on the banks
p.10: (The ET indices: Mindex, Lifex, and Brandex)
p.12: MNCs outperform domestic cos...
Investor's Guide: Stocktrading.com (net trading for the small investors)

ET: 8 Feb 2000
p.1: BFL Soft buys MphasiS ...; RPL enters global markets, exports petrol at Rs.20-cr loss; Dishnet first ISP to receive DoT okay for global gateway
p.5: Revamp Mode (about SAIL)
p.8: TUs derail reopening of Dunlop unit; Piaggio to make India global hub for 2, 3-wheeler engines
p.8: Those with work-ex come out tops at IIMC placements; Infy bags award for excellence in corporate governance (see ad on p.18)
p.9: Commercial vehicle giants dogged by excess capacities
p.10: Need for change in financial architecture; Unfavourable capital structure of steel cos...
p.18: (Advertisement: GoI institutes award for excellence in corporate governance)


Excellence in Corporate Governance
Nominating Criteria

existence of institutions like audit committee
discharge of social, employee obligations and welfare
concern for the environment
ethical code of conduct
enhancement of shareholder value
investor-friendly procedures and practices
frequency and content of communication of financial data to public and shareholders
representation of independent directors on the board
prescribed accounting standards and disclosure in the annual report
p.23: Net appliances forecast to surpass PCs in 2002

ET: 9 Feb 2000
p.1: Single excise rate structure in Budget...
p.7: IBM to launch PCs designed specifically for web access
Brand Equity: (last page) The Millennium Brand: Sterling

ET: 10 Feb 2000
p.7: NIIT thinks up services for Net start-ups
p.10: (Gillette, HM, Dunlop)
p.11: (ITC Infotech, Carrier Aircon, Daewoo Motors, Glaxo)

ET: 11 Feb 2000
p.8: India wakes up to e-volve web strategy
p.9: NRB Bearings acquires SRF’s Shriram Needle
p.17: Microsoft faces another legal battle, EU launches $1-bn probe
p.21: Customers shun CTVs, view stocks as better investments; Country Inn plans to invest Rs.100 cr in budget hotels
Corporate Dossier: (CEOs: Murthy, Raju, Dadiseth, Ramdorai); Apollo Hospitals

ET: 14 Feb 2000
p.1: 3 MNCs rule 15% of India’s drug market (global pharma mergers)
p.6: Treading on IT (Orissa holds a lot of promise)
p.10: IIMC students plan portal to provide info on B-schools
p.10: ESOP is going beyond being just e-sop
Investor’s Guide:

ET: 15 Feb 2000
p.4: SAIL recast plan…
p.10: TISCO may forge marketing pact with overseas co

ET: 16 Feb 2000
p.6: Recipe for folding up Indian car industry
p.8: SCHIL to focus on retail investors…
p.9: Philips plans to make things even better
p.9: Samsung breaks chaebol ethics code, poaches on LG
p.10: RBI unable to publish defaulters’ list; Anytime anywhere banking facilities soon for BoI clients
Brand Equity: (TESCO; Cartoon Network)
International Times: (Telecom technologies, policies, etc.)

ET: 17 Feb 2000
p.1: Dotcom oversubscribed: 4,000 respond to McKinsey’s Net call
p.4: Campuses abuzz with dream jobs
p.7: A story of hardships for hardware; Internet 2: the sequel
p.8: Chrysalis Capital to pick up stake in http://www.eGurucool.com
p.9: Bates follows parent, finds focus in India
p.10: Joint Family (Cluster of SMEs; Tiruppur)

ET: 18 Feb 2000
p.1: Window on India: Microsoft launches Windows 2000
p.5: Sony, Intel mull futuristic home networking alliance (technological co-operation)
p.10: Growth in insurance sector will be similar to that in IT, say experts; UK’s insurance business…
Corporate Dossier: (pp.1 and 2: Spread the Cream: Share your goals and values)

ET: 22 Feb 2000
p.23: AV Birla group, Sun Life working on HR policy to retain talent
p.23: Power contribute a mere 11 % to ABB revenue

ET: 23 Feb 2000
p.1: Govt. bails out IFCI with Rs.189-cr aid, Rs.400-cr issue
p.7: British Banking
p.20: Unilever to cut 25,000 jobs over next 5 years
Brand Equity: p.4: (customer relationship marketing)

ET: 24 Feb 2000
p.1: Kaki leaves Lever in good health, net up 33 p.c.
p.4: The branding paradigm (Indian software co.s are conspicuous by their absence in the global branded software market)
p.7: Media empires growing bigger than ever
p.8: Infy starts work on software campus in Orissa
p.9: PwC evolves new business model…; DCM Shriram; Heinz; Kodak

ET: 25 Feb 2000
p.9: Cos give serious thought to their ‘real reputation’
p.22: Towards revival (on the Indian small scale sector)
p.23: BA, European airlines plan joint Web venture
Corporate Dossier: p.4: These bricks click (Lego Toys)

ET: 28 Feb 2000
p.1: MNCs lose to IT stocks in M-cap stakes; Govt. plans to cut fertiliser, food subsidies by Rs.6000cr; Bumper harvest for Y2K batch (campus placement); Tata Tea enters brave new world with Rs. 1870-cr Tetley acquisition
p.12: Debt to be raised against future cash flows from Tetley
p.13: AIG to acquire TCS offshore software unit
p.15: BBC to privatise 2 arms to raise funds
p.16: Nabisco, Danone to jointly bid for United Biscuits; eBay set to bid for Sotheby’s; GM’s Saturn unit to idle two plants to cut inventory
pp.17-19: [An ET special report] Convergence…; Will the middlemen die?
Investor’s Guide: p.8: Knowledge businesses are at the forefront

ET: 29 Feb 2000

pp.4-7: [Economic Survey: 1999-2000] IT boom…; Govt’s SSI policy
p.9: ‘We are looking at strategic alliances and partnerships’
p.10: Creeping divestment in SAIL likely; BPCL unveils India’s first petro card; Videocon logs into convergence era with new product line
p.12: CMC joins hands with Ramco to bolster ERP arm
p.13: NY life, Max JV to offer sectoral insurance policies; Rabobank to underwrite GBP 181m to fund Tetley buyout
p.21: Rich Germany turns to poor India for tech salvation
Economic Survey ‘99-00: 8 pages
Also see http://www.economictimes.com/budget2000/ecosur01.htm
Brand Equity: Ringing in… (Ad spend of IT, dotcoms, media & entertainment companies); Heinz; Orange; The Millennium Brand: Bata

ET: 1 Mar 2000
Union Budget 2000-2001 [16-page supplement]
Also see http://www.economictimes.com/budget2000/index.htm

ET: 2 Mar 2000
p.1: Tatas, Birlas ring in $1bn cellular union
p.7: NRI Web czars use their millions to build brain trust
p.9: Start-ups’ next move: repopulating the world; Crystal gazing with a futurologist
p.12: Microsoft goes mobile, finally: Co to gobble up Israeli techie
p.13: AOL, Time Warner vow Web access to cable

ET: 3 Mar 2000
p.5: NTPC keen to securitise WBSEB dues from May
p.7: Silicon Valley may be hurt by overtime law; Microsoft, Intel unveil small business network device; Infospace removes dotcom from title; German invitation to IT pros snowballs into controversy
p.10: SBI, HDFC set up India's first credit information bureau
p.11: Aptech launches new B2B initiative; Royal Challenge ready for brand makeover; Kodak plans supply chain management programme
p.12: Post-sale, Britain soaks in Tetley's 163-year-old history
p.14: Japan's biggest insurer to enter India
Corporate Dossier: p.1: Under the Shell (CEO: Royal Dutch/Shell); p.2: If you know it do it (knowledge management)

ET: 4 Mar 2000

ET: 6 Mar 2000
p.3: Growth rate of software cos likely to drop…
p.7: (ET in the Classroom) What is an ESOP?
p.12: Satyam plans teaching holidays for techies
p.13: Max India plans IT foray, to invest Rs. 125 cr
p.15: (An e-com feature)
Investor’s Guide: p.5: At Ford, e-com is job 1

ET: 7 Mar 2000
p.1: Alcan may file for divorce with Indal; Jhawars to float co to oversee knowledge business
p.11: RPG; Pernod Ricard; M&M; Grasim (Grasim earnings may be hit by Budget)

ET: 8 Mar 2000
p.21: AMD unveils first ultrafast chip (1 gigahertz)
Brand Equity: The Millennium Brand: Asset International http://www.assetint.com/index.htm

ET: 9 Mar 2000
p.7: Alliances key to success in Internet age
p.8: Indian brands will top in 5 yrs (branded software)
p.9: Gumstick first of Linc’s strategic product range; SOL Pharma readies revival blueprint for 3-way split
p.10: You’ve got money in your inbox…
p.16: ICICI Bank, Satyam two New Age success stories
p.21: Microsoft CFO hints at anti-trust settlement

ET: 10 Mar 2000
p.1: Checked out: Rise in outbound air traffic…
p.1: Deutsche takes over Dresdner in $30-bn deal, to cut 16,000 jobs
p.1: Usha Martin plans 4-metro cell network
p.7: Small cars mean small profits, Mr. Schrempp
p.9: AI to go to the slim gym, many jobs at stake; Wockhardt move on life sciences unit fails to pay off
p.16: IA dares to fly destinations vacated by Air-India; Gridco among SEBs going in for major revamp
p.17: Intel follows rival AMD… (see ET: 8 March 2000, p.21)
p.18: Apex, Cybex merger…
p.20: Survival tactics (Lagan Jute Machinery)
Corporate Dossier: e-education (p.1); Jet Airways (p.1); intelligence (p.4)

ET: 14 Mar 2000
p.1: Brand anarchy…
pp.4-5: The Quarterly Report Card (Industry-wise)
p.8: Microsoft and Andersen Consulting in $1-bn pact to form JV; IBM teams up with Motorola for wireless business access… forms partnerships with Nokia for hand-held devices
p.12: True leadership is not about being macho
p.13: Pepsi agri-division develops new production processes
p.14: The idea of letting banks sell their capital is excellent

ET: 15 Mar 2000
p.5: IIMC launches campus-wide network, new site
p.9: ANZ Grindlays; Bank performance
p.19: Fiat, GM unveil alliance…
Brand Equity: Horlicks; Titan;

ET: 16 Mar 2000
p.1: Free net access for Calcutta…; Germany to grant 20,000 work permits…; Govt. to decontrol ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) prices…
p.3: Indo-US knowledge pact… (New Horizon Sectors)
p.7: Enhance the product life (ERP, SCM, CRM, CPC)
p.9: Canadian Pacific; Balrampur Chini; Berger Paints; Dunlop
p.12: Xerox, Sharp, Fuji Xerox tie up to take on HP
p.14: HSBC enters niche global banking
p.20: Toy Story: Lego and Leo in Landmark Deal

ET: 17 Mar 2000
p.1: Banks can now throw hat into insurance ring; VSNL acquires 30% stake in indiainfo.com for Rs.200 cr
p.5: Canadian insurance co (Manulife Financial) quits India; Prudential norms prescribed for housing finance cos
p.6: Billionaire to chip in with $100m for Net university
p.10: Ranbaxy acts global to market asthma molecule; RBI to streamline market monitoring system
p.11: Svedala Industri (Swedish construction equipment major) plans spread in India via M&As; Global Telesystems; PwC
p.19: BMW; GM; VW
p.23: (Advertisement) Corporation Bank and ICICI Bank to share their ATM networks
Corporate Dossier: HCL (Shiv Nadar); TV18; The Millennium Brand: Greater Noida

ET: 20 Mar 2000
p.1: (Infotech) Cos rope in trained psychologists for conducting interviews
p.8: RBI offers way out to banks not qualified to enter insurance

ET: 21 Mar 2000

ET: 22 Mar 2000

ET: 23 Mar 2000
p.8: Indian Airlines’ privatisation
p.10: VSNL, MTNL chalk out plans to go global
p.11: The cup that cheers: Good times brewing for tea companies
p.26: Rover union chief seeks better alternative
p.27: Rivalry heats up Japan’s retail banking sector

ET: 24 Mar 2000
p.1: Kumar Birla consolidates empire, buys Indal for Rs.1008 cr cash; Times Group, Citigroup in portal JV
p.24: Metal Block (on Metal Box India Limited)
Corporate Dossier: Take it from the top (on leadership); Motorola; (last page) Hanging loose with the grapes.

ET: 27 Mar 2000
p.1: What’s the future going to look like? Here’s a peek
Inestor’s Guide: p.5: It is time for rules in cyberland

ET: 28 Mar 2000
p.12: Tata Fin set to emerge as banking entity (also 29 Mar, p.12)

ET: 29 Mar 2000
p.1: ICICI Bank first Indian bank to list on NYSE; TCS developing software to retain investors with transferable jobs
p.3: BSES to offer Net services via optical fibre networks; Mail.com http://www.mail.com hires Digvijay Singh as CEO to form India.com
p.5: Air India… (privatisation)
p.12: IBA revamp within two years…
p.21: Autonomy’s new tool may put search engines in the dustbin http://www.kenjin.com
Brand Equity: The Millennium Brand: Wills Navy Cut

ET: 30 Mar 2000
p.1: Rollicking start: Debit card…
p.5: Solutions in time (e-biz applications)
p.9: Nedungadi Bank plans to change ‘regional’ image
p.17: Satyam US arm unveils VisionCompass software
pp.22-23: Calcutta Metro Railway

ET: 31 Mar 2000
p.1: Maharashtra Inc hands over GT Hospital to Wockhardt
p.10: Ernst & Young, IIMC create corporate governance code
p.11: HP setsup e-speak centre in Bangalore
p.12: Top notch business club comes to India with governance news
p.13: Elevators
p.25: (Advt.) The IIM Indore Times
Corporate Dossier: Just move it, Mr. Godrej (Godrej Group’s restructuring); E-survey; Nahata’s Googley: Himachal Futuristics Communication Ltd. (HFCL); The Millennium Brand: Glaxo

ET: 3 Apr 2000
p.10: Uco Bank hires NIBM to prepare corporate plan
p.14: TCS-Web Health portal ranked 7th… http://www.webhealthcentre.com/ (Ranked by: http://www.worldnetwork.com/)
Investors’s Guide: p.8: Filtering Dotcoms (terms in e-language)

ET: 4 Apr 2000
p.9: The future belongs to hybrid organisations
p.10: Caltext eyes Indian cos for consolidation; Padmini Polymers to sell off plastics divn for Rs.50cr
p.11: To have and to hold: Cos get into expansion mode
p.12: E&Y lists survival tools for drug cos
p.21: IBM develops process to make chips 30% faster; Success is dependent on business focus, not heritage
p.25: Boeing hopes to fly high in 2000 after market slump

ET: 5 Apr 2000
p.1: ITC plans to relocate new businesses divn in Delhi; Microsoft broke anti-trust laws…( also p.21); Sterlite to demerge telecom business…; B2B is where the action will be…
p.3: DSPML shuffles top management
p.4: ‘Most of the dotcom ventures are likely to fail’
p.5: Bank Not One (…being a broad bank is no substitute for being a good bank)
p.7: IDBI; HFCL; TISCO; Siemens
p.8: Across World to set up data centre in Mumbai to facilitate online banking; HPCL to enter new world via IT foray; Cummins for complete change in marketing strategies
p.17: Netscape hopes ‘less’ is ‘more’ with new browser software
Brand Equity: Oil for one… (hypermarket petrol pumps)

ET: 6 Apr 2000
p.1: Where is the fizz? Coke writes off $400-m assets in India
p.6: ‘The strategy really is to move upmarket’
p.7: M-commerce… (mobile commerce); Log out the old… (people issues in dotcom cos); Hi-tech gateways; Strategic banking; Digital revolution…
p.10: http://www.ikisan.com/ (for farmers and agriculture)
p.20: AOL chief sees second Net revolution round the corner
p.22: Coke goes local: tones down growth targets

ET: 7 Apr 2000
p.6: Roadblock to dedicated road fund cleared
p.7: Samsung focuses on India as key alpha CPU hub
p.8: Apollo Hospitals to provide medical care at IOC outlets
p.19: Microsoft comes out with full-page ad in self-defence
Corporate Dossier: Whirlpool; SAS Institute; KPMG; The Millennium Brand: Orion (ERP system)

ET: 10 Apr 2000
p.1: MTNL, Reliance Group co get nod for international gateways
p.1: G. P. Goenka sells Stone India’s railway business to Wabtec (also p.12)
p.8: ‘Bureaucrats can’t revive a sick enterprise’
p.11: NIIT launches virtual corporate university in US
p.16: Experts call for paradigm shift in approach to cyber laws
p.18: BAe in merger talks with Boeing
Investor’s Guide: p.8: Too many eggs…

ET: 11 Apr 2000
p.4: What is the Internet gateway policy?
p.9: How do we tackle slums?
p.11: L&T, SAP join hands to focus on engg., construction sectors; HFCL bags 20% of DoT optical fibre order (see ET: 5 May 2000)
p.12: MMTC plan to integrate steel business
p.13: Srei International seeks RBI nod to set up local area bank
p.21: Renault, Volvo in talks over truck alliance; Advt: (Supply-chain integration at L&T, Electrical Business Group)

ET: 12 Apr 2000
p.5: German Banking: Death of a deal (Quite some merger; then quite some mess.)
p.7: UshaComm; Leading Edge; Philips; JVSL
p.8: Parekh formulates remedy for a healthy pharma sector
p.9: Chase buys Flemmings… (acquisition)
p.17: IBM unveils database software to speed up Internet searches
p.19: McDonald CEO’s salary rises 36% to $3.4 million
Brand Equity: p.4: At the Chaebol Cybermail

ET: 13 Apr 2000
p.1: Mobius (of Templeton) thinks tech party will end sooner than expected; Satellite channel bosses head for dotcoms
p.4: Universal bunkum (on bank mergers)
p.5: The e-dabbawala is not far
p.16: http://www.zeenext.com/
p.17: Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola join hands for Net security
p.18: Crisil study reveals hard facts about Internet companies
p.19: http://www.baazee.com/

ET: 14 Apr 2000

ET: 17 Apr 2000
p.3: Nasscom to register domain names in 17 Indian languages
p.5: Tea industry irked on credit withdrawal by auction houses
p.10: GPG ropes in Athreya to pen corporate plan; Dotcoms prosper in the sanctity of five-star hotel lobies
p.13: Stop press: Share all information in a convergent media
pp.18-19: Success.com: Andhra Pradesh
Investor’s Guide: p.8: From securities to securitisation

ET: 18 Apr 2000

ET: 19 Apr 2000
p.13: Microsoft dangles carrots to staunch flight of staff
p.15: Final blueprint for Thapar group ready; Lego toying with plans to launch e-tail venture in India
Brand Equity: Cat by the tail (category management); Buying to conquer (Kuoni Travel’s acquisition of SITA Travels)

ET: 20 Apr 2000
p.1: Lufthansa, Deutsche Post plan largest airfreight company; Tisco steps into the knowledge world with new work mantra
p.4: SAIL solicits govt. help to sort coalition hurdles

ET: 21 Apr 2000
p.5: Nalco defends decision on Intl Aluminium take-over
p.7: Isro to open centre for crop yield prediction
p.8: Challenge of trans-national communities
p.11: Microsoft pits sleeker Pocket PC against Palm; Sun Micro may pour millions in India.com; HP heralds PC-less printing; And now .shop, .banc, .edu…
Corporate Dossier: The shape of dots to come; Moov over MNCs; The Millennium Brand: LexSite.com

ET: 24 Apr 2000
p.3: Massive workforce, losses may ground AI’s divestment plans; At Teoco everyone runs the show, literally; Old Economy cos are moving to tackle the tech scenario
p.6: New Economy does not mean IT only
p.7: Survival strategy: Raje asks SSIs to modernise
p.11: Leading Edge to hive off software product unit
p.13: Hope for paperless office buried in paper
Investor’s Guide: p.5: Banking on change

ET: 25 Apr 2000
p.1: Alternative medicine in revival mode
p.4: Domestic tea producers feel the pinch of globalisation
p.5: A truckload of woes sweeps the Indian highways; Samsung to leverage home appliances…
p.10: [Advt.] ‘Papa, what were you doing during the Internet revolution?’; [Advt.] Free job site http://www.alltimejobs.com/
p.14: Tech shop boys: Indians step into cybermalls
p.15: SBI to focus on IT, insurance, gold
p.17: Tata Ryerson plans overseas steel service centres; [Advt.] http://www.dimensionsonline.com/
p.18: US states may seek Microsoft break-up; Sony weighs tie-up with Fuji to boost digital TV business
p.20: Recasting PSUs

ET: 26 Apr 2000
p.1: Ideas apart, dotcoms need revenue model
p.5: [Full-page Advt.] HLL Chairman Mr. K. B. Dadiseth’s speech (see also p.10 for news)
p.6: Virgin; IA
p.14: Microsoft vows to fight US justice dept.’s break-up bid
p.15: Hate-driven web-sites to be studied
Brand Equity: p.1: Shirt thru’ your heart (branding story from the AV Birla group); p.4: Class Action (marketing of British higher education service)

ET: 27 Apr 2000
p.11: Nothing is safe: Not even your money in the bank
p.15: Conscofe renamed Tata Coffee Ltd., plans expansion

ET: 28 Apr 2000

ET: 1 May 2000
p.1: Shifting priorities of UK parent worry Avery India…
p.7: What are V-sats?
p.13: BSE plans to go public…
Investor’s Guide: p.5: The fall of a dot-com

ET: 2 May 2000

ET: 3 May 2000
p.1: India in 10th position among nations with most dotcoms
p.5: BHEL valuation exercise…
p.13: An English Autumn (StanChart take-over or Grindlays) (also ET: 4 May 2000, p.1 and p.4)
p.14: Rollatainers, ITC to part ways ‘amicably’
p.17: Intel to set up interactive firm with Excalibur; Just click on the mouse and rule the country cyber style
p.18: Size does matter, Banks get into the act; Who will slip into Vaidya’s shoes at SBI?
p.21: Baron to shed ‘family-run’ image; Back to basic: Many cos are reinventing Ayurveda
p.22: Microsoft launches media blitz to fight split
p.28: World’s largest life insurer widens reach
Brand Equity: Philips; Toyota; Yahoo!

ET: 4 May 2000
p.1: Priya cinema owner goes globe trotting
p.4: Sify offers unlimited Net access for Rs.299/ month; UK accountants body unveils new syllabus; Germany to issue green cards to Indian, non-EU IT pros
p.6: IBM in strategic deals with four software firms
p.7: LSE (London Stock Exchange) and Frankfurt agree to merge
p.8: A new strategy for rural telecom; Is your organisation still in the 19th century?
p.10: IFC to pick up 10% stake in Vysya Bank

ET: 5 May 2000
p.4: Indian leather industry…
p.5: AI to sell more planes…
p.7: B2B will drive e-comm…
p.12: Alcoa-Reynolds merger to affect alumina supply; The Sun does not set on McNeally’s empire
p.14: Futuristic growth… (HFCL)
p.15: Sarville sopts 60 talents in Ballarpur Ind
Corporate Dossier: Aptech; TVS-E; Exodus Communications

ET: 8 May 2000
p.1: Small is beautiful…
p.5: Green is in…
p.10: It’s all hollow out there on the Web
p.14: Puja Entertainment to acquire 200 movie halls
p.15: Exide Ind goes on rural marketing drive; Ramco boosts product portfolio
p.17: Three auto cos tie up to make world car
Investor’s Guide: p.8: The Insider: Hot and Sweet: (Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. is the lowest cost producer of sponge iron in India)

ET: 9 May 2000
p.7: E-speak…
p.8: Large steel buyers to lose out in e-world reveals WSD study (http://www.worldsteeldynamics.com/)
p.9: Microsoft plans curbs on business practices

ET: 10 May 2000
p.1: Guj Ambuja buys additional 4% stake in ACC…
p.6: http://www.buckleyourshoe.com/
p.9: Corporate valuation: Take care of your kitty
p.10: Lufthansa to offer e-mail, Net surfing facility to passengers
p.11: Oracle unveils ‘amazing $199 computer’

ET: 11 May 2000
p.1: Mobile truth: Hutchison to buy 49% in Usha Martin in largest all-cash deal
p.3: GIC reinsurance role may be changed; Indiatimes search, an e-lectrifying experience
p.8: Hands-on but without dirtying them
p.9: Armed with SCM (supply chain management)
p.11: Banking panel suggests new laws for securitisation
p.13: Bombay Club returns to its favourite whipping boy

ET: 12 May 2000
p.1: UBS to buy Alfa Laval…
p.5: PM forms panel to look into population control methods
p.7: IBM dares Sun with three new servers; UK plans spy centre to fight cyber crimes
p.10: Microsoft rejects break-up plan…
p.11: Titan recasts operations as business units, COOs at helm
p.13: TVS-E in pact with Modular Systems

ET: 15 May 2000
p.12: Winds of change: Move to ensure smooth implementation of corporate governance code: Sidharth Birla resigns from six group cos
p.15: British Airways looks for alliance with Dutch KLM

ET: 16 May 2000
p.1: Hutchison Max to buy 36% in Fascel for Rs. 360 cr
p.3: Ayurveda aphrodisiac to give Pfeizer a run for money
p.5: McKinsey; Autonomy http://www.autonomy.com/
p.6: Strategy for dealing with drought
p.9: Microsoft admits browser flaw helped hackers
p.18: Big brother… (insurance software)

ET: 17 May 2000
p.1: Reliance plans ESOP package
p.7: Escotel to invest Rs. 400 cr in fibre optic backbone
p.8: A new IIT every year; Governance again
p.9: Risk management: Custom-make your model
p.13: Weak Euro seeks policy co-ordination
p.15: skumars.com to buy 30,000 high-end PCs from IBM
Brand Equity: p.4: Britannia Industries

ET: 18 May 2000
p.1: Spain’s Terra Networks to buy Lycos…; It isn’t crunchy time for biscuit makers
p.7: SAP makes a point; How to set up a private ISP
p.9: Is the ASP model for real?
p.13: WPP; Berger Paints; Aptech
p.13: Microsoft, Compaq to set up Competence Centre

ET: 19 May 2000
p.4: Indian software pros are high on tech but low on etiquette
p.6: Network Sol unveils first payment gateway
p.7: boo.com goes bust…; Compaq to make servers in India
p.11: Terra-Lycos may force rivals into new deals ; US govt. finds Microsoft remedy insufficient
p.17: Ceat works out three-pronged plan to counter Chinese threat
Corporate Dossier: Drop dead deadly deals (on recent mergers)

ET: 22 May 2000
p.1: Alstom, National Power decide to pull out of Pipavav project
p.13: Italian group keen on JV with CK Birla co
Investor’s Guide: p.3: Generating heat… (Carrier Aircon); Moving up the value chain (Orient Information Technology)

ET: 23 May 2000
p.1: Assets of merged entities to be criteria for dominance (competition law); HLL out to win the heart and purse of rural India
p.4: SAIL seeks pvt role in moderinisation
p.6: DVC: Powerpoint
p.8: May our tribe increase
p.11: Lintas swings into the cyber act with virtual ad agency
p.18: Credit Lyonnais accurate forecaster, Goldman last on list
p.21: Britannia revamps dairy business, eyes larger marketshare
p.28: Is convergence technology a threat to the print media?

ET: 24 May 2000
p.1: Titan to storm Swiss camp with Le Papillon
p.5: IOC’s Rs.8,312 cr Paradeep refinery to be most advanced
p.7: Dowry demands: AI suitors will insist on certain charges (AI needs a strategic partner)
p.9: Mutual funds and insurance: The inseparable twins
p.10: Toysmart.com decides to cease operations
p.11: IBM builds chips for rival computer systems; Bizcool.com IIM (L) ink pact on online education; Yahoo! offers stock investment option
p.12: Sahara channel plans to reach break-even point in thirty months
p.14: Honda, British Airways
p.17: Dabur board sets up shareholder panel… (Corporate governance)
Brand Equity: Britannia Industries; Lintas India; Smirnoff; Unilever

ET: 26 May 2000
p.1: TCS…; Future is in the Net, not just in the chips
p.4: Air-France may emerge as the strongest suitor for AI
p.8: IT Bill to facilitate e-Governance…
p.10: Ready to wrestle (life insurance sector)
p.12: Judge favours three-way split of Microsoft
Corporate Dossier: WAP (Wireless Application Protocol); The Millennium Brand: Elecon

ET: 29 May 2000
Future of the Future: The Millennium Series (12-page supplement)
Investor’s Guide: p.5: Just a click away… (Internet-based trading)

ET: 30 May 2000
p.9: E-mail eats into telephone territory
p.12: A core competence view of IA sell off; There is an opportunity in boo’s downfall
p.13: Is competition policy necessary? City with a past and a future (Pune)
p.21: KMFL (Kotak Mahindra) to converge businesses…
p.28: Govt. at sixes and sevens over framing of convergence laws

ET: 1 June 2000
p.1: Lafarge offers Ramco Rs.1,500cr for complete take-over of Madras Cements (Clarification by Madras Cement ET: 2 June 2000, p.18)
p.5: Steel prices set to soar 5% on greater demand
p.7: Power (feature)
p.8: ‘We are going all out to promote cycling’
p.9: (m-commerce, third industrial revolution)
p.10: Blue Circle, Birlas to cement blockbuster deal
p.11: The changing workplace-II
p.12: Real Estate (feature)
p.14: New Sara Lee chief plans to overhaul co
p.17: Leo Brunett, MacManus for largest media group; Naresh Malhotra abandons KPMG for GIV chief’s post

ET: 2 June 2000
p.1: Exim Bank looks for a new tag; Advt.: Steel Exchange India (India's first on-line forum for the Steel Industry) http://www.steelexchangeindia.com/
p.2: Advt.: IDBI Bank introduces Smart Card
p.13: Losing your bearings in Legoland park
p.14: Extending co-operation (The West Bengal State Co-operative and Development Bank Ltd.)
p.19: Usha India abandon plan to enter insurance industry
p.26: Advt.: IDBI Chairman’s speech
Corporate Dossier: Group Sony; Eicher Motors; http://www.FooFoo.com

ET: 5 June 2000
p.7: (Advt.) NMIMS: PG Diploma in Family Business Management
p.8: ‘Internet has changed many perceptions’
Investor’s Guide: p.5: The media magic, 2000

ET: 6 June 2000
p.1: Drop in sales forces CTV cos to cut production by 10-15%
p.3: Is the Satyam-Cricinfo deal overvalued?
p.4: A brain vs. brawn debate: Premji
p.7: Appointment Ad: Shaw Wallace & Co. Ltd: Chief—Strategic Planning [“…facilitating planning and strategizing the business goals & objectives to ensure sustained growth of the company. Identifying key strengths and weaknesses, scanning the environment, assessing the value chains and formulating future plans…”]
p.9: ‘Indian pharma industry is on a high-growth curve’ (Pankaj Patel, MD, Zydus Cadila)
p.10: Cos seek suitable partners to consolidate position (RPG, AT&T)
p.11: Info system audit catches Net fancy
p.15: Govt. wants NBFCs regulated by new agency
p.17: Dabur to cut debts…

ET: 7 June 2000
p.1: Orient Express: Hindalco set to become giant of the East
p.5: Oil cos’ naptha charges hit IPPs (Independent Power Producers); Benefits of Orissa industrial policy fail to reach SSIs
p.9: IBM has to focus on high-growth areas
p.13: TCS to go global with industry-specific software

ET: 8 June 2000
p.1: Something in the air: BA, KLM discuss merger (also p.12); Machines, and not men, to be the heaviest users of Web
p.3: (Advt.) Bata India: Chairman’s Speech (A L Mudaliar)
p.9: Welcome to click and conquer world
p.15: SAP plans B2B joint ventures, to acquire cos in India
International Times: Amazing Australia

ET: 9 June 2000
p.1: Judge orders Microsoft split…; Bell Labs president (Dr. Arun Netravali) foresees big increase in bandwidth (Also: p.3: ‘Wireless no match for fibre optic’; p.9: Lucent spreads net in India with new Hyderabad facility)
p.5: Indian scientists find memory switch in brain
p.9: Manaksia group to diversify into aluminium degreasing (The group is a leading producer of bottle caps and closures)
p.10: Renovating Life (on LIC)
p.13: Commodity Guide (Granite, Sugar, Aluminium, Soybean)
p.20: Group on convergence resolves bandwidth issues
Corporate Dossier: Serial Entrepreneur (Prakash Bhalerao); See you… (Design of workspace at Monsanto)

ET: 12 June 2000
p.1: MNCs earn higher return on capital
p.3: Stock taking: New study profiles the average Indian stock market investor
p.8: 2B or 2C? That is the question
Investor’s Guide: p.3: DSQ Software; p.5: Deriving Derivative Knowledge

ET: 13 June 2000
p.1: Tata stake in power co to dip to 16-18% after mega-merger; Reliance to connect 125 cities…; Index-based futures trading kicks off quietly on the NSE; Crompton may shut all three Mumbai units
p.9: Telephonica, IBM, Cisco form online B-school (e-ducavia); After China, IBM comes to Gurgaon
p.13: BA eyes early decision on KLM merger
p.16: Maryland varsity chooses Indian co to market new system
p.17: Disclosures in Indian banks well below global norm: Crisil
p.19: Connected marketing

ET: 14 June 2000
p.1: Goldman, Merrill, Morgan to set up e-bond trading system (Effort to improve liquidity in fixed-income market); Gramophone to dance to Andersen beat (strategy)
p.5: NLD (National Long Distance) glasnost opens Rs.15,000cr market
p.7: Kanchi Sankara Trust plans IT park
p.11: (Cadila, HFCL, Scooters India, Elbee Services)
p.11: Future imperfect for Rossell employees

ET: 15 June 2000
p.5: Cirrus Logic unveils system-on-chip to create home servers
p.6: Competition: Get set, ready, go (on the competition law)
p.7: B2B, or not to be, that is the question; ‘Architects of Internet world’ has designs for India
p.8: The new breed (innovation by SMEs)
p.9: (Nestle, Cognizant, Encyclopaedia Britannica)
p.10: Rabo India profit rises

ET: 16 June 2000
p.1: White heat: Milk majors fight for territory; Insurance cos ready for moment of truth
p.3: Sebi launches a slew of derivative products…
p.4: Telecom sector to see huge investments soon: NK Singh
p.5: AI to buy aircrafts to meet open skies challenge
p.16: Asahi Bank mega-merger dissolves
p.19: (Sandvik, Godrej, ICICI)
Corporate Dossier: Tata Group; Learn how, don’t know-how

ET: 19 June 2000
p.1: Zee to invest Rs. 2,400 cr on 26-city Internet, IT cable link; Pvt. ISPs overtake PSU rivals
p.7: With middleware technology, IBM has its finger in every pie
p.8: ‘The Indian market is difficult to predict’ (Chosaku Toda)
p.13: Tata Tea, Rabobank road-shows syndicate funds for Tetley deal
p.18: (See the Dilbert cartoon)
Investor’s Guide: p.3: Strategically positioned to prosper (Global group); Growth with concerns (Cyberspace Infosys Limited)

ET: 20 June 2000
p.1: Draft ICE Act…
p.12: The origin and future of money
p.16: (Shipping Corporation of India)
p.21: E&Y to chalk out corporate strategy for Unitech

ET: 21 June 2000
p.1: Transparency ranks India as 28th most corrupt nation (72nd among the 99 countries ranked); Meet Clarkeson, the mother of all gurus
p.10: ‘We specialise in information architecture’ (Satish Jha)
p.11: M&A in Banking: Oh! Those hurdles on the way
p.16: Tamil Nadu Millennium Strategy
p.18: Centre rejects Indian Bank’s plea for Rs. 1700 cr revival package
p.19: (Advt.) India’s first Internet and telephone health service http://www.medybiz.com/
p.21: (Lucas-TVS, Apollo Tyres, Titan)
p.28: (Advt.) B2B IT exchange http://www.Itnation.com/
Brand Equity: The soft truth (Quantum Market Research); Beer and now (Foster’s)

ET: 22 June 2000
p.1: BIFR asks IDBI to invite bids for JK Synthetics takeover
p.6: SBI buys apartments…
p.9: E-banking…; Build a dot corps, not just a dot com; How should Net ventures be valued?
p.10: Merger Magic
p.17: (Fiat; RPG - Rabo Bank; Group Usha; Wipro Peripherals - Kilburn Reprographics)

ET: 23 June 2000
p.1: RBI hints at easing capital account convertibility norms (also see 28 June 2000, p.1); OPEC move to hike production unlikely to hit crude prices
p.5: FIPB okays Enron’s energy management service proposal
p.6: Relocating a new hope (Haldia Refinery)
p.7: DCA considering amendments to Cos Act to facilitate e-com; PwC suggests revamping of SCI into three profit centres
p.8: ‘We are seeing the internationalisation of talent’
p.19: Ford eyes portals for strategic deals, plans new models
Corporate Dossier: TCS; Panasonic

ET: 26 June 2000
p.1: Born-again US market forces power MNCs to quit India
p.10: On the reliability of public forecasts; It’s not enough to privatise airlines

ET: 27 June 2000
p.14: Zee Tele hives off publishing arm, to focus on broadcasting, infotech
p.17: Sundaram Fin to bow out of financial services business; Shonkh to set up convergence solution unit in Bangalore

ET: 28 June 2000
p.1: Hindalco hunchos take over at Indal, plan quick integration
p.13: Sony launches new hand-held computing device
Brand Equity: p.3: Timex; p.4: Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport

ET: 29 June 2000
p.5: Virgin enters into interline booking tie-up with IA
p.9: Logistics for a faster, efficient future

ET: 30 June 2000
p.9: OECD frames global norms to guide MNCs
p.10: Can dotcoms survive the stock market?
p.12: Ford-Daewoo combine to give MUL run for its money
p.13: IBM unveils world’s fastest computer; Say goodbye to PCs: annual expo welcomes hand-held gizmos
p.19: New kid on the Net: L&T asks BCG to draw up e-com plans; Greaves seeks PwC expertise for major revamp exercise
Corporate Dossier: (last page) The Millennium Brand: myiris

July - December 2000

This indexing service is provided by Debiprasad Dash to encourage students to reflect on current business and economic affairs.