Carnival of the Capitalists

Am back from a trip to Coorg, and just in time for The Carnival of the Capitalists, the webs premier carnival on, what else, business and everything that relates to it in some way.

Welcome to interim thoughts..., a blog on business in India. This is perhaps the first time that the carnival is being hosted out of India. Bookmark it for future visits to know the business environment in India with a global perspective plus some thoughts on design, culture and economics with a streetside eye. After the plug, lets plunge into the Carnival right away.

It is nice getting to put the carnival together. I have grouped the posts into a set of sub headings depending on the topic they deal with.

So grab a cuppa coffee and sit back for the best in business reading this past week on the web. I have included some tidbits on India subtitled Info in some of the sections. Let me know if I missed anything or pause to leave a comment!


People, Careers, Leadership

Professor Piderit puts forward a case for reinventing jobs and careers in this post which is a collection of three links and her thoughts on the same.

At China manufacturing digest is a post on how US and China are dealing with immigrant issues alongwith other market factors.

Here's a contrarian leadership post over at Slow leadership.

Over at Project management digest is a post on The Basic way to motivate and tips on the same.

Can we learn anything from jerks who succeed at the workplace? Execupundit seems to think so.

At the Careerintensity blog, is a post on "Success Magnet Qualities"


Risk, Finance. Insurance and Investment

Henry Stern, LUTCF presents a nice read on GM subsidising Viagra and how it contributes to the bottomline of GM and its cars. Nobody needs it more than GM itself. This is really unbelievable.

A second part to Why Finance is like Baseball at View from a height is a good read. Dont miss the first one too.

The Radical libertarian introduces Reverse Insurance. I did not even know it existed.

Let others pay for your gas. Invest in gas companies and laugh all the way to the bank seems to be the underlying message at Anes Home.

Whats the distinction between singles and home runs? Here's an investment primer at The Real Returns.

Small Business Buzz talks about Personal Savings in Decline. Is this a trend the world over?

Is limiting the downside always a good idea? Before you say yes, read this here at Bizinformer.

Do you know how to calculate your personal rate of return? Check out how, at AllFinancialMatters.

Mighty bargain hunter tells us the correct way to get business ideas from biz opportunity magazines.

A rundown of upcoming economic indicators and US Treasury auctions for the week at Financial options.

There is an old market saw about how the leaders from one bull market are not the leaders in the next bull market. Read it at The Big Picture.

Watch out for companies that do their 401(k) match in their own stock over at Ask Uncle Bill.

Slightly offbeat, but this one is about receiving money from parents during college and beyond. Should they really pay to sustain your lifestyle? In India, they always do; very few work and study at the same time.

Info: The Indian stockmarket is on a roll and how.

Shareholders and Company policy

Now that Microsoft and Dell are value stocks, what are the implications asks Daniel Mark Harrison.

Professor Bainbridge responds to "Increase shareholder Power" here.

Info: Heres an old post of mine on CSR in India.

Greens and Sustainable energy

An interview with Peter Kinder, the president of Boston-based KLD Research and Analytics where he looks at the forces driving CSR at Sox First.

While on greening of corporations, here is an excerpt from an interview with H.Lee Scott, Walmart CEO.

Just what are the tax breaks on Hybrids? Read on at Blueprint for Financial prosperity.

Unlike some other pundits, James Hamilton of Econbrowser sees a number of good ideas in the President's new energy proposals and actions announced last week.

Big Oil wont miss the bus for alternative energy sources, writes the American Sage. I hope nobody misses this opportunity for the sake of the earth!

Info: India has a long history in sustainable living, but newer lifestyle changes are taking us closer to the Western model.

Gas prices

Why short term proposals to alleviate the cost of gas will do nothing at Jackdied.com

The proposed $100 government rebate for the cost of gasoline is no better than weatherstripping the peephole of one's front door from Gongol.

A fearless freemarket solution for reduction of gas prices.

Lots on gas prices. Heres a round up of the same.

Info: In India, the gas prices (petrol, diesel as we call gas) subsidy is a long story. Diesel is subsidised for the use of trucks and the transport sector but we have luxury diesel cars now which use subsidised fuel. LPG cylinders for the home sector are subsidiesed. Our oil companies are bleeding using taxpayers money, but there is no shape of any reform on the horizon.

Money and Millionaires

At Free Money Finance is a post on new facts on the number of millionaires in the US and some tips on how you can become one of them! Simple Enough.


Politics

Where were all the politicians when god was distributing logic? Canvassing for votes, I think. At Soccer Dad is a post on the necessity of logic rationing.


Productivity and Work culture

Heres a post at Freelance pro on Notebook hacks to organize your life.

Over at the Six Sigma blog, a post on the best Six sigma black belt project at Delphi.

Can strategy be an alternative to work culture of a firm?

Heres a great thought from Evelyn Rodriguez, in the business world everyone believes that the grass is always greener somewhere, anywhere, else but the task they're doing.

Open Source

At Open Source Business is a post on a forum to share open source experiences and another one on Education and free open software.

Wiki way to business is a post that tracks how busineses are learning to harness Wiki.


Entrepreneurship

Greg of The Retail Store blog chronicles his own home based business - an internet home business to be precise. Almost makes you want to take the plunge.

Jeff Cornwall at The Entrepreneurial Mind on how failure is a prerequisite to success.

Marketing, Branding, Customer service, Shopping

Jack Yoest experiences the panda cam at Washington DC Zoo and uses it as a metaphor for branding.

Viral marketing goes old school is the title of this post at Blog businessworld.

Jim Logan says, Customers do not care about your business and I think he is quite right in this assessement.

Marketing in Niches, sitting pretty talks about a new niche. Read about it here.

Under fire for using bureaucracy to avoid settlements, the warranty department circulates to senior management testimonials from satisfied customers.

Is there a cost in not answering the phone? Read about it at fivecentnickel.com

Average revenue per user (ARPU) is a common busines performance metric. Average revenue per user relation (ARPUR) incorporates social networking information. This one from Douglas Galbi.


Last but not the least, Miscellaneous:

Global watch has a post on how airlines are fighting the battle of the low cost airlines, perhaps in a slightly wrong way.

SLV, the first Silver ETF makes it debut. Read aboout it at My first million at 33.

Workers Bees on how blogs are still not very well known even in high tech circles. Shows how much ground is yet to be covered.

Adrian Savage says, Procrastination may be good. I will try this one later. Meanwhile, Hooters opens in china and why golf is bad for the boardroom.

Happy reading, until the next CotC here.

Update: Minor edits and some information added on India in some of the sections to give an idea of the state of business in India.