India Business Checklists: An Essential Guide to Doing Business

BRAIN FOOD

Rupa K Bose

 

With a population of over a billion, India is one of the world’s largest markets. In recent years, its economy has been expanding at a rate of 6 to 8 per cent annually and companies are rushing in to tap this growth.

But for foreigners unfamiliar with its culture and federal system, doing business in India presents many obstacles.

Not to worry. Help comes in the form of a new book published by John Wiley and Sons (Asia) and written by international business consultant Rupa K Bose.

An easily accessible and practical guide, the book starts by introducing the reader to India’s history and culture and shows how its financial system evolved.

Targeted at the busy expatriate professional who may otherwise be floored by the complexity of doing business in India, the book takes the reader through the process of setting up a business, such as getting the needed documents, approaching the relevant authorities, meeting regulatory requirements and as well as observing proper etiquette.

Also included are travel tips, climate information as well as a list of holidays.

And for those looking to live in India for an extended period, the book provides practical advice such as getting student visas for their children and the need for a backup electricity system because of the frequent power outages.

Case studies of multinational companies, such as Coca-Cola, that have set up offices in India, are also provided to give detailed real-life examples of the issues involved in doing business in the country.

With its extensive explanation of all aspects of doing business in India in short, easy-to-read chapters, the book is an essential resource for foreigners looking to take part in the country’s growth.

ONG DAI LIN

From TODAY, Succeed – Monday, 20-April-2009

Dim Sum Leadership

BRAIN FOOD
John Ng

Like a dim sum spread, it provides small bites of information for easy digestion, perfect for time-crunched managers in need of advice.

If you are looking for advice on any aspect of leadership, this book wouldbe a handy guide. From the character of a leader to how a leader develops talent, it takes a practical approach in describing aspects of good leadership by taking values often neglected and presenting them in easy-to-read chapters.

A running theme through the book is the ethics and integrity of leaders. For example, in a chapter discussing team leadership, the author advises one to live “a life of integrity” in order to lead effectively. In another section describing competent leadership, the author devotes a chapter to the importance of kindness, which for instance, can take the form of recognising an employee’s contribution.

Written in a personal tone, the book is an easy read that does not overwhelm the reader with too much theorising — it reads like well-meaning advice, rather than a sermon on what works and what doesn’t.

But the book’s aim to deliver bite-sized pockets of advice is also its drawback: While it allows the reader to read each chapter on its own without having to go through the whole book, the various parts can feel disjointed at times and the book doesn’t effectively convey as well-rounded a picture as it could. More detailed case studies of good and bad leadership would also have conveyed the message more effectively and provide more examples for readers to identify with.

Nonetheless, in touching on values rarely discussed in many books about management — such as kindness — the book is still a refreshing read.

LIN YAN QIN

Dim Sum Leadership is available at major bookstores at $28.00 (excluding GST).

From TODAY, Business - Monday, 13-April-2009

Brain Food: Drug Truths

DRUG TRUTHS: Dispelling the myths about pharma R&D

Dr John LaMattina


Big pharmaceutical companies have produced numerous life-saving medications that have benefited many patients. However, they are also often thought to be money-minded by charging a lot of money for their drugs.

In this book, former president of global research and development at drug company Pfizer, Dr John LaMattina, seeks to dispel some of the misconceptions about drug development in the industry.

The book is divided into four parts. The first two parts discuss the drug discovery process to treat cardiovascular diseases and the role that pharmaceutical R&D plays in healthcare. The second half of the book discusses the profit considerations of the industry and its future.

The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a time of mergers, reduced R&D budgets and staff cuts. Dr LaMattina predicts that the industry will see more consolidation, increased safety studies on drugs and more research on different drugs.

But do new medicines add to healthcare costs with little benefit?

Does the industry spend more on advertising than R&D? And does the industry take too long to discover new drugs? These are some of the notions he sets about to dispel.

Narrated with concrete examples of the research and clinical efforts behind bringing a drug to the market, the book offers an insider’s account of the reality of the drug discovery process.
ONG DAI LIN

From Today, Succeed
Monday, 30-March-2009

The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make

When I started reading on Hans Finzel’s book The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make, I immediately caught some insights and truths, and I couldn’t help to juggle in my mind the organizations and leaders that I know, especially those that I am close with. But the sad truth to all the thoughts that’s racing in my mind, flashing back and forth, is the truth of how far they are from the fundamentals, or, as I believe, truth of what I have just read. Frustration and misery to the max.

I plodded on, and every time I gain a new insight, my mind races back to the same issues and events that I am very sure were a deviation from the standard that was laid out in this book. Or should I say, the leaders that I knew were committing ‘the top ten mistakes leaders make’.

Gladly I have gone through my own share of mistakes, and I have learned, by God’s grace.

Should you be interested in the book, check it out here.

First Post on my Leadership Learning Blog

I have been reading some books, not many, but even with the few books I am able to finish, I am learning a lot. And with this blog, I wish to record much, if not all, of the insights I gain from such exercise – and since beneficial, I intend to continue.

And together with my learning, I will be posting some of my observations and comments in contrast to the reality we find in our organizations we come across with, and how they either apply the precepts and guidelines, or how far they deviate from the recommended rules and styles of leadership.

I know one already: “Consensus is the negation of leadership” – from John Maxwell’s Talent Is Never Enough book.