As a brand name Google is arguably unmatched in the world. The fact that the proper noun has become a commonly used verb – ‘googled’- says it all. But while a brand can be the most recognisable in its particular arena, it does not necessarily translate into being the most successful.
Now, yes admittedly Google is by far the most successful company in its market but it still needs to court favourable opinion. If its shiny image is dulled then its profit margins could diminish and that is not a bottom line it wants.
So despite its dominant global position, Google’s board would have been concerned this week to have learnt that the search engine titan had fallen out of the Covalence Ethical Ranking survey’s top ten.
Google ranked 12th among the 36 multinational technology firms included in the study, while Intel, Xerox and Dell finished in the podium positions. Apparently, the search giant performed poorly in three criteria: human rights policy, information to consumers and support to politicians.
Why? One word – China.
The fact that Google bowed to state pressure and allowed its Chinese version to block certain search terms and websites is the reason for the black mark against its name. The Covalence Ethical Ranking survey definitely does not award points for censorship and the denial of information to flow freely to users.
The publishing of the survey is a bad news day that will reduce the sparkle on Google’s proud badge of ethics. The lesson to be learnt – don’t compromise your standards, it’s never worth it!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Tatas, RIL, Infosys among top 50 innovative cos
New York: Three Indian entities — Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL), diversified conglomerate Tata Group and IT bellwether Infosys Technologies — have entered BusinessWeek magazine’s list of world’s 50 most innovative companies, topped by iPhone maker Apple.
The league of innovative firms also has NRI Lakshmi Mittal-led world’s largest steel producer, ArcelorMittal. Among the 50 companies, Tata Group ranks 13th, Reliance Industries 15th and Infosys 26th. Tata Group and Reliance Industries have been ranked ahead of American industrial conglomerate General Electric (17), German car manufacturer BMW (20), Japanese auto firm Honda Motor (22) and telecom major AT&T (23), among others.
However, while the Tata Group slipped in ranking from the sixth place in 2008, Reliance Industries has improved its previous year’s 19th rank. Infosys was not in the list in 2008. BusinessWeek has placed ArcelorMittal at the 35th spot.
Among the top five, Apple is followed by Internet search giant Google at the second position. Both companies have retained their respective ranks from last year. Japanese auto maker Toyota Motor, software major Microsoft and Japan’s Nintendo are at the third, fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
The rankings are based mostly on a Boston Consulting Group survey of about 2,700 senior executives worldwide. “The final list weighed the survey results 80 per cent, stock returns 10 per cent, and three-year revenue and margin growth 5 per cent each. In the case of privately held companies, BusinessWeek used metrics equal to industry performance to compare financial data,” the magazine said.
About Tata Group, the magazine said, “Tata can still dazzle, even if its takeovers, since 2007, of steelmaker Corus and Jaguar Land Rover look ill-timed now. After making Asia’s fastest supercomputer, the $85 billion group just launched a $2,000 minicar — the Nano.”
On Infosys, the report said of all of India’s IT giants, Infosys “has been the most conservative when it comes to acquisitions, giving it plenty of cash to spend now if it choose”.
Writing about ArcelorMittal, the magazine said CEO Lakshmi Mittal blazed a trail as he assembled the first truly global steelmaker. “But even a lean structure and low-cost mills are not enough to offset a plunge in the industrial output and steel prices,” it added.
Other companies in the top 10 are IBM (6th), Hewlett-Packard (7), Research In Motion (8), Nokia (9) and Wal-Mart (10).
The league of innovative firms also has NRI Lakshmi Mittal-led world’s largest steel producer, ArcelorMittal. Among the 50 companies, Tata Group ranks 13th, Reliance Industries 15th and Infosys 26th. Tata Group and Reliance Industries have been ranked ahead of American industrial conglomerate General Electric (17), German car manufacturer BMW (20), Japanese auto firm Honda Motor (22) and telecom major AT&T (23), among others.
However, while the Tata Group slipped in ranking from the sixth place in 2008, Reliance Industries has improved its previous year’s 19th rank. Infosys was not in the list in 2008. BusinessWeek has placed ArcelorMittal at the 35th spot.
Among the top five, Apple is followed by Internet search giant Google at the second position. Both companies have retained their respective ranks from last year. Japanese auto maker Toyota Motor, software major Microsoft and Japan’s Nintendo are at the third, fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
The rankings are based mostly on a Boston Consulting Group survey of about 2,700 senior executives worldwide. “The final list weighed the survey results 80 per cent, stock returns 10 per cent, and three-year revenue and margin growth 5 per cent each. In the case of privately held companies, BusinessWeek used metrics equal to industry performance to compare financial data,” the magazine said.
About Tata Group, the magazine said, “Tata can still dazzle, even if its takeovers, since 2007, of steelmaker Corus and Jaguar Land Rover look ill-timed now. After making Asia’s fastest supercomputer, the $85 billion group just launched a $2,000 minicar — the Nano.”
On Infosys, the report said of all of India’s IT giants, Infosys “has been the most conservative when it comes to acquisitions, giving it plenty of cash to spend now if it choose”.
Writing about ArcelorMittal, the magazine said CEO Lakshmi Mittal blazed a trail as he assembled the first truly global steelmaker. “But even a lean structure and low-cost mills are not enough to offset a plunge in the industrial output and steel prices,” it added.
Other companies in the top 10 are IBM (6th), Hewlett-Packard (7), Research In Motion (8), Nokia (9) and Wal-Mart (10).
Indian IT industry to help in US economic recovery
Washington: India's information technology industry should start hiring in the US to help in its economic recovery as the US is always going to be its biggest market, the industry association's head has suggested.
The restrictions on H1B visas in the US "absolutely is a concern," Pramod Bhasin, president and chief executive of outsourcing firm Genpact and the new chairman of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), said in an interview with Forbes Asia.
"We've met the concerned people in Washington and expressed our views. Any abuse of the visa system must be stopped, and Nasscom will help to do that," he said.
"That said, I believe that we should be hiring in the US and thereby participate in its economic recovery," Bhasin was quoted as saying. "Several of our companies are already looking to create employment in the US It's the ideal time to get the best talent."
Asked about Nasscom's strategy to address the protectionist wave in the US, Bhasin said there's a lot of protectionist noise today, but the Indian industry "should respond to the reality, not the rhetoric."
"American companies are not going to turn away from global intellectual capital. The US is always going to be our biggest market," he said.
Calling backlash against outsourcing due to layoffs around the world as "a big issue that we're facing," Bhasin said Indian "industry isn't responsible for these layoffs, which have been caused by other factors."
"We're working with governments around the world to make ourselves heard. We bring real value to global companies, and it would only hurt them if they dispensed with our services," he said.
Asked about the industry outlook for this year, Bhasin said last October they had estimated an annual growth of 13 percent over the next two years after ending the last fiscal year with an overall increase of 16 percent. But that's "no longer achievable."
"Although we expect to grow at a lower pace this year, our sector will still outgrow other sectors," despite the recession as "the fundamental premise of our business remains unchanged," he said.
"We see ourselves as part of the solution to the global recession," Bhasin said noting "that ours is still a small industry; our biggest firm has revenues of only $6 billion. We still have a lot of runway ahead."
Source: Indo-Asian News Service
The restrictions on H1B visas in the US "absolutely is a concern," Pramod Bhasin, president and chief executive of outsourcing firm Genpact and the new chairman of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom), said in an interview with Forbes Asia.
"We've met the concerned people in Washington and expressed our views. Any abuse of the visa system must be stopped, and Nasscom will help to do that," he said.
"That said, I believe that we should be hiring in the US and thereby participate in its economic recovery," Bhasin was quoted as saying. "Several of our companies are already looking to create employment in the US It's the ideal time to get the best talent."
Asked about Nasscom's strategy to address the protectionist wave in the US, Bhasin said there's a lot of protectionist noise today, but the Indian industry "should respond to the reality, not the rhetoric."
"American companies are not going to turn away from global intellectual capital. The US is always going to be our biggest market," he said.
Calling backlash against outsourcing due to layoffs around the world as "a big issue that we're facing," Bhasin said Indian "industry isn't responsible for these layoffs, which have been caused by other factors."
"We're working with governments around the world to make ourselves heard. We bring real value to global companies, and it would only hurt them if they dispensed with our services," he said.
Asked about the industry outlook for this year, Bhasin said last October they had estimated an annual growth of 13 percent over the next two years after ending the last fiscal year with an overall increase of 16 percent. But that's "no longer achievable."
"Although we expect to grow at a lower pace this year, our sector will still outgrow other sectors," despite the recession as "the fundamental premise of our business remains unchanged," he said.
"We see ourselves as part of the solution to the global recession," Bhasin said noting "that ours is still a small industry; our biggest firm has revenues of only $6 billion. We still have a lot of runway ahead."
Source: Indo-Asian News Service
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