Business not as usual

Even as global rating agencies are taking a close look at the economic ups and downs of different countries with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in astronomical proportions, India too joining the league, although slowly but steadily, the nation’s States, including Karnataka among the leading regions, have also started talking business with the catchy phrase Ease of Doing Business invoking both facts and tall claims of facilities supportive of business. The nation’s business fraternity of all hues don’t seem to be impressed by the publicity bestowed by incumbent governments of the few States offering allurements including land area for establishment of industry at no cost and even financial partnership. Past experience of trusting the governments and facing unanticipated hurdles, primarily the proverbial red tape, continue to discourage many well-established corporate sector entrepreneurs. One is prompted to recall the unsavoury statements by a former Chief Minister of Karnataka provoking a top brass in IT sector to threaten to move out of the State.

The factor of acumen to prove staying power in business without sliding into a state of bankruptcy, traditionally, is associated with some well-marked social sections in the land’s population. As if to make business an inclusive pursuit, it has graduated as an academic subject, thus resulting in the emergence of Business Schools dime of dozen.

Austria-born American management guru Peter Ferdinand Drucker (1909-2005) immortalised himself as an educator and author by laying the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business enterprises. The various statements of advisory from hard-boiled business folk may help those who have jumped into the whirlpool of business. They have gone on record saying: Failure is not the end of anything, it is the beginning of success. An enchanting statement like nothing succeeds like failure may restore hopes in many who have chosen business as their means of livelihood. Drucker’s diktats seem to have come in capsule form attributed to Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) whose work ‘Think and Grow Rich’ was rated as 10 best-selling book of all times. His prescription ‘A quitter never wins, a winner never quits’ can be highly reassuring.

Even as business schools across the country, far exceeding the number 1,000 seem to be in business as usual as it were, two areas that are luring people to do business seem to be (a) Jump into the political pool and (b) Start a school, in that order. For many who have chosen either of these pursuits, it may be business not as usual, given the too-well-known money-power’s role for success.