AvantGarde

Editorial (Oct’11)

Dear Readers,
While the month of September winds up with bitter tragedies of deadly earthquakes and sad demise of Pataudi Jr, October has started with a sense of fear of markets plunging down and  recession hitting the corner of our minds.
To relax our nerves, We, at IIT Kanpur have ended the month of September with IME [...]

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The Legacy of Steve Jobs – The Curious Future of Apple after Steve Jobs calls iQuit

There have rarely been occasions in history when one man has revolutionized an entire industry over and over again. Surely there have been myriad innovations in science, technology, arts, literature, sports etc. but there hardly has been a person who has consistently reinvigorated a whole sector for decades. He has been a standout performer in [...]

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CAG – The Present Day Lokpal

In a huge democratic setup like ours, where finances for Government’s performance are provided mainly by the general masses in form of taxes, a frequent inspection regarding the correct use of this money becomes a significant process. For these purposes related to all the central and state governments’ monetary transactions, an auditing team is formed [...]

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MicroFinance – Current Status and Growing Concerns in India

Executive Summary
Microfinance sector has grown rapidly over the past few decades. Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus is credited with laying the foundation of the modern MFIs with establishment of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh in 1976. Today it has evolved into a vibrant industry exhibiting a variety of business models. Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in India exist as NGOs [...]

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Treading The Path of Expansion

After prolonged deliberation, Reserve Bank of India released guidelines for the players seeking entry in the banking world. While for some it might prove to be a tryst with destiny, others are bound to get a setback. Banking has long been envisaged as a ladder to climb the tree of success for the fruits of [...]

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The Coming Era of Mobile Transactions

I was inspired to write on this topic after facing a telling incident of how a non-technocrat traditional astrologer in Rajasthan (India) used mobility services for money transfer! It so happened that a kirana shopkeeper in Hyderabad sought the astrologer’s service for his horoscope. This could be prepared by sharing the shop-keeper’s birth time and [...]

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Online Term Insurance: Premium and Process Analysis

Overview
Company Overview
Berkshire India Ltd. is a majority owned non-direct subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. It started its operations in India in 2011 and is currently a licensed corporate agent of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Ltd., selling their products directly to retail consumers through its own Internet portal BerkshireInsurance.com. Currently, its product offerings are limited [...]

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Domain or Consultancy – What Comes First?

Few years back, in early winters, a consultant came over my desk while I was in my office. He was young, freshly graduated from a premier management institute, ever smiling and had a charming personality.  I was working at client’s site and he was supposed to join me as a consultant for a very specific [...]

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