This issue of the magazine focuses on the topic of ‘women in the workforce’, on which global business leaders Vinita Bali and Dr Jackie Freiberg present their unique and distinct views. Vinita Bali, who has been on the board of Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) since 2010, believes that we need to look at equality of opportunities and not just gender parity. While Dr Jackie Freiberg, a business owner and author, underlines the need for organizations to create a ‘we for we’ culture. The issue also explores new business concepts such as building a fit organization. Dan Markovitz, Markovitz Consulting, shows the way to build and lead a fit company; Sangeet Paul Choudary, Platformation Labs, explains why and how businesses should move beyond linear flow of value and adopt the platform approach. In an interview, Dave Norton, author of Digital Context 2.0, explains how the omni-channel approach is no longer effective in attracting the new-age consumer. Facebook or twitter—which is a more effective advertising medium? Zafar Rais, Mindshift Interactive, addresses the dilemma. R Edward Freeman and Mark E Haskins, Darden School of Business, ask companies to foster a culture of active communication and encourage employees to speak up. In our regular sections, we have Stephen Kozicki, co-author of Persuading for Results, busting the myth, ‘Is more content always more persuasive?’ In First Serve, we look at the customer service practices of global retail giant Marks & Spencer. It is the merchandising and licensing industry that is under the scanner in the Vertical Focus section.
The Smart Manager, India's first world-class management magazine, was founded in 2002 by eminent business historian Dr Gita Piramal with Harvard Business School Dean, Prof. Nitin Nohria with the mission of updating managers and business practitioners in India with the latest thought-provoking strategic ideas from experienced, world-class managers, academics and consultants from across the globe. Over the years, the magazine has carried articles authored by illustrious management gurus such as the late CK Prahalad and Sumantra Ghoshal, Jack Trout, Ram Charan, Gary Hamel, Gay Haskins, Jagdish Seth and Lynda Gratton. We believe that "managers are the best teachers of managers" and most of our articles are written in the first person by top-tier CEOs such as Kumaramangalam Birla, Sunil Mittal, Aditya Birla, KV Kamath, Santrupt Mitra, Rajeev Dubey and S Ramadorai. We also have relationships with a number of B-schools around the world, apart from most top-level schools in India. The Smart Manager hosts the Tata Consultancy Services Smart Manager Case Contest, the most prestigious competition of its kind in the Indian print media. The contest, with a cash prize of INR50,000 per issue, sees wide participation from national and international business managers and students. The 'Smart" in The Smart Manager is an acronym for Strategy, Marketing, Analysis, Resources and Technology. Truly useful knowledge when you need it 24 x 365, year after year.
