ASBM Business Updates is a Weekly Selective Compilation of Business News from Various Sources. To find details follow the link.
BANKING
Barclays
is introducing video banking, with face-to-face calls. Critics fear more branch
closures. Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/Rex Features
Barclays
is to offer a “video banking” service that allows customers to have a
“face-to-face” conversation with an adviser via their smartphone, tablet or
computer, wherever they are in the world, whatever the time of day. The bank
said the move was “a UK banking first”.
The
service will be rolled out from 8 December, with Barclays claiming it
represented “a watershed moment for the way people do their banking in the UK”.
However,
while some will see this as a welcome glimpse of the future of banking, others
may fear it is a precursor to more branch closures. In the first nine months of
this year Barclays closed 54 branches, although it opened nine during the same
period.
Other
banks are also shutting branches; in October, Lloyds Banking Group revealed
plans to close 200 as it “digitises” its business.
BUSINESS
Cookies, the new darling of the Indian biscuit
market, look all set to see a big corporate battle between Britannia and ITC for leadership. The Rs 6,800crore segment is the
fastest-growing among different segments of biscuit industry and has dethroned
glucose as the biggest segment already. ITC is now planning to make inroads
into the lucrative mid premium cookies segment now ruled by Good Day of
Britannia, the undisputed king of the segment with over 90% marketshare.
The FMCG-to-tobacco-to-hospitality conglomerate is introducing Sunfeast Mom's Magic in the mid-premium cookies segment. The industry insiders feel that the move by the FMCG giant is aimed at garnering a sizeable share of the mid-premium cookie segment. Mom's Magic is available in two variants - Rich Butter and Cashew & Almond, which is also available in Good Day stable. The range is priced at Rs 10, Rs 15, Rs 20 & Rs 30. "Sunfeast Mom's Magic is the brand's Endeavour to broaden its base in the cookie segment, the largest segment in biscuits," a source in ITC said. According an industry expert, Sunfeast is already the third largest player in the cookies segment in India and offers differentiated products across price segments.
The FMCG-to-tobacco-to-hospitality conglomerate is introducing Sunfeast Mom's Magic in the mid-premium cookies segment. The industry insiders feel that the move by the FMCG giant is aimed at garnering a sizeable share of the mid-premium cookie segment. Mom's Magic is available in two variants - Rich Butter and Cashew & Almond, which is also available in Good Day stable. The range is priced at Rs 10, Rs 15, Rs 20 & Rs 30. "Sunfeast Mom's Magic is the brand's Endeavour to broaden its base in the cookie segment, the largest segment in biscuits," a source in ITC said. According an industry expert, Sunfeast is already the third largest player in the cookies segment in India and offers differentiated products across price segments.
INDIA BUSINESS
Indian
government's decision to offer e-visa facility to international tourists from
43 nations will encourage more businesses to travel to the country and spur
growth, Australia
India Business Council has said.
"This
certainly is a great initiative as it will encourage many more businesses to
travel more readily to India which will in the long run contribute to a
stronger Australia- India business & trade relationship," AIBC
national vice chair Sheba
Nandkeolyar said. Welcoming the new Indian government's decision of
offering e-visa facility to international tourists from 43 nations, including
Australia, Nandkeolyar said the new move would contribute to "stronger
business and trade ties between the two sides."
"We
often receive desperate calls from Australian businessmen who request us to
help them expedite their business visas to visit India for business
purposes," she said.
"E-visas
on arrival would make it much easier for businessmen to travel to India,"
Nandkeolyar said adding that, "AIBC is very pleased with the launch of
this new initiative."
She
said the new initiative would also open up medical tourism and spur tourists
growth for India.
INSURANCE
Tech
Mahindra has announced the launch of Usage Based Insurance (UBI),
a big data and predictive analysis driven platform for auto insurers. It allows
them to adjust premiums according to actual usage patterns of individual
drivers instead of industry averages. The platform is flexible to fit to the
growing needs of global insurance enterprises, where the market is expected to
grow $100 billion plus by the end of the decade.
The
solution utilizes the capabilities of Tech Mahindra and AT&T in the areas
of multi-vertical, engineering and infrastructure capabilities. As a result of
this, the global insurers can reduce their claim costs by up to 20%, while
reducing eligible insured driver premiums up to 40%. This Usage Based Insurance
solution is hosted on the seamless AT&T cloud and served through AT&T's
global Machine-to-Machine (M2M) capabilities.
The
initial launch encompasses two products, UBI Lite and UBI Plus. UBI Plus offers
a big data driven approach that takes into account real time physical world
data to provide accurate information.
INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
Samsung
appears to have another metal Galaxy handset on its way. According to recent
information, Samsung's
Galaxy A7 has received FCC approval
suggesting possible release soon. The Korean tech giant has reportedly been
preparing for a new Galaxy release following the launch of the Samsung Galaxy
A3 and the Galaxy A5. Both devices have been metal spinoffs of the previously
launched Galaxy Alpha. The Galaxy A7 this time appears larger with a 5.7 inch
build. According to a report by Trusted Reviews, Samsung has yet to confirm the
A7 but the device has received confirmation from the American regulatory body.
The device goes but the name Samsung SM-A700FD. The FCC listing
gives a closer look at what people can expect from the upcoming device.
Reported specs include a 5.2-inch screen with Full HD Panel and 1080p
capabilities as well as A7 with a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 615 chipset and
2GB RAM. While it may not be on the same level as the Galaxy S5, Samsung did
not hold out on the specs either. It comes with Adreno 405 GPU including a 16GB
internal storage.
ODISHA
BUSINESS
In
an apparent bid to pacify the ongoing agitation demanding establishment of an IIM in western Odisha, the state government today announced
setting up an open university at Sambalpur.
The announcement in this regard was made by Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahi in the assembly today.
"The proposed open university at Sambalpur will be first of its kind in the state. Therefore, its impact and jurisdiction will be vast," Panigrahi said.
Panigrahi said, "The state government has already made provision of Rs 35 crore for establishment and infrastructure of the proposed open university."
Besides contributing to progress of higher education, the open university would facilitate distance education, continuous training and research for students and teachers.
The open university would also help a large number of students, drop-outs and provide need-based quality education in the backward and tribal-dominated districts of the state, Panigrahi said.
He said the varsity at Sambalpur also reflected the state government's steps to eradicate regional imbalance in Odisha.
The announcement in this regard was made by Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahi in the assembly today.
"The proposed open university at Sambalpur will be first of its kind in the state. Therefore, its impact and jurisdiction will be vast," Panigrahi said.
Panigrahi said, "The state government has already made provision of Rs 35 crore for establishment and infrastructure of the proposed open university."
Besides contributing to progress of higher education, the open university would facilitate distance education, continuous training and research for students and teachers.
The open university would also help a large number of students, drop-outs and provide need-based quality education in the backward and tribal-dominated districts of the state, Panigrahi said.
He said the varsity at Sambalpur also reflected the state government's steps to eradicate regional imbalance in Odisha.
_________________________________________________________________
Source of
Information for this issue : Google alert accessed on Google alert on Dec 1 , 2014
We
welcome your suggestions in improving this information updating service.
Knowledge
Is Power. Be Informed, Be Knowledgeable, Be Powerful.
Best wishes
Compilation
Sabita
Sahu
Junior
Librarian
Concept,
Layout and Editing
Syamaghana
Mohanty
Chief
Librarian
Information
and Documentation Divison, Chanakya Central Library
Asian
School of Business Management
Shiksha
Vihar Bhola,
Barang
Khurda Road, Chandaka
Bhubaneswar-754012
www.asbm.ac.in
Tel:
0674-2374832, 2374833
E-mail:
library@asbm.ac.in, chieflibrarian@asbm.ac.in
Sabita Sahu :Junior Librarian Knowledge and Information Services Unit, Chanakya Central Library, Asian School of Business Management, Bhubaneswar. library@asbm.ac.in ; www.asbm.ac.in
No comments:
Post a Comment