Nothing endures but change. This is most true in business. But change brings in its wake both opportunities and challenges. To face the ever changing BusinessScape, one needs to change too. A few change when they see the light, a few more when they feel the heat; but most perish without a trace. LIBA Insight '06 will throw insightful light on precisely what the change is and how to manage it, in three of the most exciting areas in business management - Retail, Banking and Human Resources.   

Retail in India seems to be hotter than what was hottest ever in the history of Indian BusinessScape. The drivers of change here are the increasingly demanding Indian consumer and competitive BusinessScape. Retailing in the FMCG, the Consumer Goods and the Telecom sectors are three of the most 'happening' sectors witnessing massive opportunities and challenges. The last mile connection is becoming more lively and experiential, with manufacturers and service providers collaborating, even with competitors, to deliver value hitherto unknown.  Pressures in urban market are driving firms to rural India. And manufacturers and service providers face now the ultimate threat of Organized Retailers, including the Global ones. The organized retailers seem to have deep financial resources and the right techniques. Shifting of market power from manufacturers and service providers to the Organized Retailers seems inevitable. The fate of mom & pop stores also seems unattractive. Yet the organized retailers too face challenges in terms of product categories that they can profitably offer and manage. Branding organized retail firms is a challenge in itself. Scale of organized retailing introduces new complexities that involve using IT for managing the supply chain and the customers. For the organized retailers resources in these areas seem scarce.  Every player in the Retail arena, be it the manufacturer / service provider or the organized retailer or the unorganized one, face tremendous opportunities and challenges. What are they? Visit LIBA Insight '06 for clarity.

Consumers and competition are driving tremendous changes even in the deregulated Banking industry. New growth drivers lie in new markets, such as the rural markets, and innovative new products. Some highly innovative new products in credit cards, loans, and insurance seem to have captured the fancy of the customers. Banks seem to find new markets even through cross selling and up selling diverse products to existing customers. Such opportunities for growth seem to arrive with a flip side of risks. Public sector banks have turned on the white heat of competition back on the nouveau private sector banks. Interest rates seem more volatile. Possible implementation of Basel II norms on capital adequacy requirement, risk based supervision and market disclosures makes one wonder if managing risks were the core activity of a banker. Risks seem to only accentuate with the sector being opened up for Global players in 2009. Possibility of arrival of global players with scale impels many Indian banks to look at consolidation as an option. What are the new growth drivers of banks today? What are the new issues in Risk Management should the banks consider? Is consolidation inevitable? Is it an opportunity or a threat? Participate in LIBA Insight '06 to find answers.

Changes in the Retail, Banking and other industries seem highly uncertain and chaotic. It requires the organization itself to change. They are impelled to be innovative, nimble footed, flexible, knowledge sharing and globally integrated even for mere survival. Advancements in technology help manage some of the imperatives. However, the key differentiators seem to be the employees themselves. Market place seems to change faster than the employees trying to keep pace with the market place. This differential pace brings to fore many challenges in human resources management, calling for innovative HR practices. Also, tackling changes in the marketplace leaves employees stressed, dissatisfied and low in motivation. Employees with the right kind of mindset seem rare. The challenge accentuates with the business being no more restricted to local market places but having gone global. Firms need global managers with qualities such as having a global perspective, having soft skills, being technologically savvy and possessing cross-cultural sensitivity. Who is a Global Manager? Can one be trained? What are the challenges in preparing employees to face a chaotic ever changing BusinessScape? What are the best practices or innovative ways in training and retaining the right set of manpower to manage change?  Be a part of LIBA Insight '06 National Management Symposium to seek insights.