ISBInsight is the Flagship Research Periodical of the Indian School of Business
Family firms were a part of the social and economic fabric of India even before the advent of British rule. Families and communities organised themselves to counter the institutional voids in access to capital, labour and protection of various rights. Family firms gained further prominence during the era of the managing agency system. They had substantial economy-wide influence due to sound …
Read More »India has witnessed a sharp decline in female labour force participation in recent times. Approximately, three out of four women over the age of 15 in India are neither working nor seeking employment.1 In fact, the participation rate of Indian women (ages 15 and above) in the labour force stands at a dismal 23.6%, which is one of the lowest …
Read More »More than 90% of the businesses in India are family-owned.1 A large number of them do not remain together beyond three generations and many do not survive the impact of family disruptions on the business.2 Thanks to increasing academic interest in the subject and pioneering efforts by industry bodies, awareness about family governance in India has increased substantially. In multiple …
Read More »ISBInsight: Professor Ramachandran, could you set the context for us for CSR in India? Kavil Ramachandran: In the last few decades, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an integral part of the public discourse with academicians, practitioners, policy-makers and media laying stress on equitable outcomes through business-society interactions. This is also contextual because there is a greater concern about sustainability of all kinds across the …
Read More »Two Minute Read Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared at the 2018 World Economic Forum at Davos, that “time’s up” for gender inequality.1 His remark has bearings for the global community. At 130 out of 160 countries, India has one of the worst Gender Inequality Index ranks for a large emerging economy, according to the United Nations Development Programme report. 2 It …
Read More »ISBInsight: What was unique about VelvetCase, a made-to-order fine jewellery company, that got you interested in writing a case on them? Dr Nupur Pavan Bang: Traditionally, people go to the jewellery store or the local jeweller with whom they are comfortable. They look at the pieces that are available in the store and buy the product. On the other hand, VelvetCase …
Read More »How can women contribute to building family businesses as long-lasting enterprises? What does the future for women look like in terms of leadership of the firms? How can women add greater value to board level discussions? On August 6 and 7, 2018, the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at ISB conducted a tailor-made programme for women belonging to business …
Read More »The year 1991 ushered in a new dawn for the Indian economy with economic reforms across sectors. The entrepreneurial spirit among Indians took advantage of the opportunities, and a new class of family businesses—the standalone family firms (SFFs)—emerged. In a paper titled Family Business 1990-2015: The Emerging Landscape published by the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at the Indian School …
Read More »Case Summary Dr K. Anji Reddy founded Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (DRL) in 1984. Since then, the company has grown to become one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in India. The company professionalised early on, and over the years, the family members defined and refined their roles for the efficient and effective running of the company. Dr Reddy passed away on …
Read More »When India became independent in 1947, few business ‘houses’ like the Tatas, the Birlas, the Mafatlals and the Walchands had substantial controlling power on the entire economy, due to their sound financial position and diverse activities. Though, none of them had a monopoly in any industry (Chaudhuri, 1972). The period from 1947 to 1990 was characterized by high tariff rates, …
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