Working for an MNC in India

MNC employment used to be the 'in' thing in early 90s with HLL / P&G etc attracting the bext talent. Then came the IT wave and people opted for companies which could offer attractive ESOPs. In this case, Indian companies had clear advantage as compared to MNC.

However, MNC dominated finance and consulting since late 90s.

I have worked for both types. Let me give my takes on working for an MNC.

Positives: Good salary, laid back culture, lesser accontability, normal career progression till you agree to do whatever the boss says.

Negatives: slower decision making, big politics, people interested in only pleasing bosses and lesser in doing right things for business, indian culture but boast of global parentage, something will happen globally and local employees will have to contribute their share (appreantly, reverse is not true).

In my view, MNC working in India is good for non enterpreneurial, process driven, mediocres..
remained Only Indian companies could

Is business like an army

Is business like an army?? This question have been there on my mind for many years. I had read in books that most of the management concepts came from army. It was very well documented in 'Art of War' by Tsun Szu.. But I never believed as army is much more disciplined.. you can do something while you cant do others. Cost of not doing either is reasonably high.. Businesses are not so rigid and still humane... And specifically in India, where 'chalta hai' attitude is still prevalent across organisation...

However, my view changed today. People are sacrificed in both to save the house..

Life in financial services job

Life has become monotonous.

One comes to office every day and thinks that all the theories of decoupling no longer holds.
The strength in the US dollar is not explainable. Big financial mess and the currency is getting stronger. i am sure if this were to happen in a developing country, currency would have had a free fall.

Obviously one keeps on thinking through out the day all the issues, but does not get any answer. Logic does not hold any more.

So, i thought why to use the brain for something which still remains a big question. i am sure we will get the answer sooner.

So, i thought I should use the time available for reading more and try to understand newer things that i never got earlier on.

Also, I try to go home on time and spend time with family

Today's fall in the market

Indian stock market is falling everyday like there is no tomorrow. you come in the morning and check bloomberg, market opens down and the spiral keeps on increasing. increasingly the question is where is the bottom??

there was a survey done recently by a leading brokerage firm and they found Indian fund managers to be most optimistic in Asia. if you apply contrarian approach (buy when every body is selling), may be we are still not closer to the bottom. And it could fall more..

recent article in one of the leading finance magazines said that stocks could get cheaper in the next 6 months..

my view is the bottom could be when forward PE of Nifty goes to 12 - 13..

debt is much better investment today..