Greetings from SIMCON - SIMSREE Consulting Club ! Attached is the May Edition of BEACON (Monthly Newsletter from SIMCON). We have started quiz prizes from last month. First entry with maximum correct answers wins surprise prizes. The first winner is included in this newsletter. Few Highlights: Industry insights from Mr. Korekar Analysis of ZS Associates Logistics sector analysis

1. Mail to:
simcon.simsree@gmail.com
I N D U S T R Y I N S I G H T S B Y
M R . G O V I N D K O R E K A R
1
K N O W Y O U R C O M P A N Y :
Z S A S S O C I A T E S
2
S E C T O R A N A L Y S I S –
L O G I S T I C S : M O V E , S T O R E
& D E L I V E R
3
C O N S U L T I N G W O R L D
N E W S
5
M A Y Q U I Z 6
F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E O N
P A G E 2 A B O U T
Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education
MAY 2013
B E A C O N BE-A-CONSULTANT
Issue: 7
INDEX
A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM SIMCON - SIMSREE CONSULTING CLUB
1 . I N D U S T R Y I N S I G H T S B Y M R . G O V I N D K O R E K A R
From this issue onwards, we have started a new ‘Industry insights’ column.
Through this column we hope to bring to you amazing industry insights from industry
professionals themselves.
We start off our column with views of our very own alumnus Mr. Govind
Korekar (1998 Batch). Mr. Korekar has twelve years of leadership experience in the
management consulting with a focus on Finance Transformation, Customer Transfor-
mation and on the technology Transformation. Currently he is leading an India-
focused effort at Deloitte Consulting which aims at enabling the firm to compete suc-
cessfully in the Indian market. It is a strategic assignment to enhance the business
value delivered out of India. Prior to this he has worked with JPMC, Citi bank and Birla AT&T communications.
SIMCON is thankful to Mr. Korekar for meeting us amidst his busy schedule & sharing his views! Below are some
of the excerpts from our interaction. We hope that these interactions will help students at our college.
Q. What transformations have cloud technologies brought to the financial services sector and how are these being
adopted by the customers /clients? What kind of demands do clients make these days with respect to technology?
Banking and insurance companies are not really keen on adopting cloud technology for financial services because they are
averse to share client information. There are various reasons for it, one of it being the regulatory norms that are stringent when
it comes to client data protection, security and privacy. Secondly the competition is pretty intense and there is still a certain lack
of confidence in the security which various applications using cloud technology provide. Having said that the various advantages
that cloud systems offer like lesser cost, faster installation and increased efficiency have definitely made their mark and have
led to many NBFCs like Bajaj finance adopting software like Salesforce.com for CRM functions. However a domain like Private
Equity where client confidentiality trumps ease and convenience will not opt for cloud based technology as we see it today.
Also, in the future financial institutions may opt to use cloud technologies for CRM, but for actual financial functions like say
payouts they will still prefer in-house infrastructure.
Q. What opportunities do you see in Indian Market with respect to financial consulting?
The reach of the banking industry is increasing rapidly and the government is giving out licences for expanding in the tier 2 and
tier 3 cities which will lead to bank branch network growth by many banks like Standard Chartered, ICICI etc. For such a massive
expansion they would need financial advisories and other consultants along with increased resources to match the scale. Also,
today many small scale banks like Ratnakar bank have come up, who are playing the valuation game. They are trying to build up
a brand and a network which would place their valuation much higher than their net worth. So, such banks would be keen to be
a part of Mergers and acquisitions which again need an expert consulting advice on taxation, technology integration, under-
standing whether the core values and business models of the two brands are aligned or not. Also IRDA has come up with new
set of guidelines for products which will come into practice from July. These guidelines will decide the way products are de-
signed, priced etc and hence the companies would need advisories to ensure that they are compliant to these norms. So, the
next two years look really good for consulting in FSI domain.
Q. What are the Skills that we need to develop if we want to get into the consulting domain?
To be a consultant, one of the mandatory things that you need is technical knowledge about a domain as well as be well versed
with the industry. Also, articulation skills are very important for a consultant. Many a times clients are not very clear with what
exactly they need, so the onus falls on the consultant to gauge exactly what the pain point is and how to go about resolving it
and presenting the solution to the client. Also there is no certain path to get into the consulting, because today consulting exists
in every sector and every domain. Today there are several boutique consulting firms which cater to a specific sector and indus-
try, so if you have built up a domain expertise you can become a sought after consultant.

2. 2 . K N O W Y O U R C O M P A N Y : Z S A S S O C I A T E S
Page 2: BEACON
Sources:
ZS Associates is a privately owned American consulting company, founded on September 21, 1983, by Kellogg School of Manage-
ment marketing professors Andris A. Zoltners and Prabhakant Sinha. The company employee strength is over 2000. It has provided pri-
marily sales and marketing consulting to over 700 clients. Around 85% of these clients are in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical
products industries, while the remaining 15% are from the high tech, telecommunications, transportation, consumer products and financial
services sectors. ZS Associates was placed 3rd in the 2013 Vault Pharmaceutical & Health Care Consulting practice area and 14th in the
overall rankings. Their top Clients are Merck & Co , AstraZeneca , Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi.
Head-quartered in Evanston, Illinois , the company has ten North American offices (including Boston, Chicago, Evanston, Los Ange-
les, New York,Philadelphia, Princeton, San Diego, San Francisco, and Toronto), six European offices (including Frankfurt, London, Milan,
Paris, Zurich, and Barcelona), and four offices in Asia (including New Delhi, Pune, Shanghai, and Tokyo). ZS Associates was named the sev-
enth best consulting company to work for in 2009 by Consulting Magazine. "Consulting" magazine named Sandra Forero , Principal at ZS
Associates as a "Top 25 Consultant" in its May issue.
ZS Associates
Parent Company ZS Associates
Category Sales & Marketing Consultancy
Sector Consulting
Tagline/ Slogan Unleashing potential
USP They are established by the marketing professors of Kellogg School of Management
STP
Segment Companies looking for consulting solutions
Target Group Healthcare care industries
Positioning Marketing experts for healthcare industries
SWOT Analysis
Strength
1. It was founded by the marketing professors of one of the best Business Schools of marketing.
2. They were awarded as one of the top ten best consulting company to work for.
3. Majority of their clients are in pharmaceutical, biotechnology & medical products industries.
4. They were ranked among the top five in the Pharmaceutical & Health Care Consulting practice
area
Weakness
1. They have not been able to reach out to a lot of countries specially the emerging economies
2. Lesser known consultant brand compared to market leaders
Opportunity 1. They have opportunities in emerging economies in the world.
Threats
1. The limited expertise in business area could be a threat.
2. They immense threat from economic recession
Competition
Competitors
1. McKinsey & Company
2. Booz & company
Source: www.zsassociates.com

3. 3 . S E C T O R A N A L Y S I S – L O G I S T I C S : M O V E , S T O R E & D E L I V E R
Page 3: BEACON
The Indian transportation and logistics industry is poised at a crossroads along its growth trajectory. The developments have
spanned across all modes of transportation and logistics services including rail, road, air, ports, water and warehousing. A sophisticated lo-
gistics sector should constitute the backbone of a large, mature economy and thus, from Indian context; current developments, shortcom-
ings and feasible solutions for the same becomes an extremely crucial subject. Changing demographics like increasing migration to urban
areas, increased domestic production and growth on niche industries add to the complexity of logistics sector.
Key Area Current Status Pain-points Implemented / Proposed Solutions
Air
Air contributes to only 1% by vol-
ume of total trade but has share
of 29% in trade value. Within air
cargo, international cargo contrib-
utes to about 67%
Majority of cargo traffic still limited
to metro cities' airports
Development of new cargo traffic hubs at
Tier II cities by rising domestic volumes,
freight handling services by low-cost air-
lines, and enhanced connectivity.
Lack of cargo handling and storage
infrastructure at airports
Development of separate cargo terminals
and satellite freight cities with multi-
modal transport, cargo terminals, cold
storage, automatic storage and retrieval
systems, and the mechanized transporta-
Ports
Maritime traffic through ports
contributes to 90% by volume of
total international trade but has
share of 70% in trade value. East
coast ports present significant
development opportunities.
Lack of private investments in port
development leading to inefficient
operations and stagnant port capac-
ity
"Maritime Agenda: Vision 2020" is a gov-
ernment initiative aims to encourage pri-
vate investment in both major and non-
major ports.
This aims to get private investment of
66% and 99% in development of major
and minor ports respectively.
Sluggish growth rate of port capac-
ity and development of new port
projects
Coordinated coastline planning and dili-
gent approval of projects, not only from
an environmental but also a commercial/
business standpoint, is the need of the
hour.

4. Page 4: BEACON
Rail
India’s rail network is the largest in
Asia and the second largest in the
world (behind the US). Two-thirds of
freight in India is transported over
medium and long distances, for
which rail transportation offers sig-
nificant time and cost savings.
High cost in terms of money, time and
energy in supply of goods and services
from industry to market
Dedicated Freight corridors giving high speed con-
nectivity to important ports and urban clusters.
India’s rail infrastructure suffers from
chronic under-investment, due to which
its potential for freight movement re-
mains largely untapped
The PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model should
be encouraged for the development of the route
network, as well as for the modernization of
coaches through the transfer of technology. Pri-
vate freight terminals should also be set up for
bulk and container handling.
Roads
Roads continue to constitute the
most significant component of In-
dia’s logistics industry, accounting
for 60 percent of total freight move-
ment in the country. National High-
ways constitutes about 2 percent of
total road network and accounts for
more than 40 percent of total road
freight.
As compared to growth rate of cargo
movement via roads, growth rate of road
network has been very sluggish. Also,
quality and construction standards lag
behind those of the developed countries.
To encourage private players, the Government has
announced several incentives such as BOT
schemes, declaring the road sector as an industry,
providing 100 percent tax exemptions in any con-
secutive 10 years out of 20 years, duty free im-
ports of certain identified construction plants and
equipment, FDI of up to 100 percent, and in-
creased concession periods (up to 30 years).
Lack of common platform for road trans-
porters and traders to organize road
transport sector
Creation of an efficient marketplace similar to
Stock Exchange or Commodity Exchange.
Absence of real time traffic information
and support system enabled using IT
Collaboration of Fleet Exchanges with the existing
Road Traffic Offices (RTO) could be a win-win with
Fleet Exchanges providing an Online Real Time
Technology platform while RTOs providing the on
field support.
Domestic
Waterways
Water as a mode of cargo move-
ment contributes only 8 percent by
volume of the India’s cargo move-
ment.
Despite its potential as a cost-effective
and environment-friendly mode of trans-
port, its share in the modal mix contin-
ues to lag behind other developed coun-
tries.
Consistent focus and relevant action is required
for growth of Infrastructure & core capacity. En-
courage small ports for movement of domestic
language. Increase vessel capacity to facilitate
fewer vessel voyages and, thus, help reduce port
congestion.
Warehousing
Applications of inventory manage-
ment on a just-in-time (JIT) basis,
concepts like vendor managed in-
ventory (VMI) are becoming popu-
lar. Government bodies play major
role in agricultural warehousing
while Industrial warehousing is still
majorly unorganized.
Outdated designs not compatible with IT
infrastructure and not unable to cater to
requirements of storing perishable
goods, medicines etc.
Existing small warehouses need to be replaced by
large, modern warehouses that incorporate global
standards such as tall designs, modular racking
systems, palletisation, and the use of automation
and IT.
Lack of a reserved storage areas nearby
producer or market dedicated for ware-
housing infrastructure and government
incentives given to encourage moderni-
zation and organisation of warehousing
sector
Development of FTWZ (free trade warehousing
zone). As a concept, FTWZs offers significant value-
addition opportunities to multiple industries by
virtue of being deemed foreign territory. The
FTWZ concept plays a pivotal role by offering a
world-class, single-window solution for multiple
logistics activities, with special focus on EXIM flow.
It is widely believed by industry experts that with
excellent infrastructure, mechanization and regu-
latory incentives, the FTWZ model offers signifi-
cant potential to save costs in the overall supply
chain.
Contd. From page 3

5. French consulting market shrinks to 3.7bn euros
The French consulting market contracted in 2012, with revenues shrinking by around 2.5 per cent to €3.7bn. According to report the
number of factors responsible for such situation includes a poor macro-economic situation, the maturity and sophistication of clients,
and a fierce focus on cost-cutting by French companies, making it difficult for them to justify using consultants. Of the nine major in-
dustries tracked, consulting revenues only grew in the Energy & Resources and Pharmaceutical sectors. Financial services and
manufacturing, which remain two of the biggest consulting sectors, accounting for around half of all consulting spend in France, ex-
perienced a mediocre 2012 – leading to a substantial impact on the overall market.
Facebook: a tool to attract clients?
Consulting firms are increasing their Facebook usage to focus on specific topics and build relationships. According to Source Informa-
tion Services in the report “Facebook, thought leadership and consulting firms”, companies are using this social media to build their
brand and highlight issues and experiences with potential clients. Social Media and Facebook can benefit consulting companies be-
cause it provides insights about the topics the public is concerned . According to the report, IBM, Accenture, Deloitte, McKinsey, and
PwC Quarterly have passed the 100,000 likes barrier. As companies provide comments on key topics, they are valued by readers and
encourage further interaction with potential clients whilst disseminating the company’s brand. Although no. of likes can demonstrate a
page’s potential audience, that metric cannot measure the level of engagement between the audience and firms.
Benelux consulting market shrinks to under €1.9bn
The Benelux consulting market continued its declining trend in 2012, dropping by 3.1 per cent to €1.87billion compared to 2011. The
report states that the economy of the Netherlands is more biased towards financial services and has been suffering more from the
financial crisis. Financial services consulting across the Benelux region fell by 7.4 per cent. Many consulting leaders recognize that the
market is unlikely to bounce back before 2014, and there is a need to find more inventive ways of finding growth.
Consulting firms plan big as India set to join top 10 health care markets
Driven by growth and action in the pharmaceutical sector, many consultancy firms, and data analytics companies such as IMS Health,
C Marc and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) are looking at expansion of their operations and services in this space. Some of these
companies are also eyeing inorganic growth to increase their footprint and diversify by offering newer services to pharmaceutical and
health care clients. According to estimates, market for such services and delivery in India is currently pegged at around $200 million,
growing over 15% annually. Firms such as BCG and Strategic Decision Group (SDG) are also looking at India as the growing market
for services and delivery. The growth rate of BCG’s business from the health care segment has accelerated substantially in last two
years as it went from 15-20% to 50% as reported by Bart Janssens, Partner and Director, BCG.
Consulting World News
Page 5: BEACON
Sources: business-standard.com, sourceforconsulting.com, communicatemagazine.co.uk
Recommendations:
1. In terms of volumes involved, cargo in India can be classified in a pyramid-like fashion, with each category entailing distinct lo-
gistical considerations.
2. Harmonize and streamline processes across logistics related government bodies, thereby reducing stoppages and touch points
of cargo movements as well as increasing the speed with which goods are transported within, in and out of the country.
3. Set benchmarks and standards for the industry, thereby driving the uniformity of warehouses, storage and transportation equip-
ment.
4. The optimal movement of freight by matching cargo categories with transportation modes will be crucial for expanding volumes
across categories. An integrated transport approach that promotes inter-sector coordination of road, railways and shipping depart-
ments should be developed.
Sources: CII - KPMG Report “Logistics – Game Changers”
ICC – Deloitte Report “Logistics Sector – Present Situation & Way forward”
Contd. From page 4

6. 1.They all had joint ventures with the B K Modi group in India
2.Oil of Olay (now simply called Olay , a brand under P&G)
3.As a first of its kind initiative in India, Yamaha started a new assembly
line for the scooter brand which is run entirely by women employees
4.Vauxhall and Hindustan Motors. The Contessa was a model of a car
based on the Vauxhall Victor FE. The Victor was stopped in 1979 and
the production of Contessa ended in 2002. (Hindustan Motors)
5.Slideshare’s servers from where the portal delivers the slides to users .
Mail Answers To:
simcon.simsree@gmail.com with
Subject= simcon_quiz_may_2013
First Received All Correct Answers will
be published in next month’s Edition.
B E L O W A R E A N S W E R S T O
I S S U E - 6 . A P R I L _ 2 0 1 3
1.Which multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in New York,
US was earlier known by the name "Computing Tabulating Recording Company"?
2.Complete the analogy
The Economist : Big Mac Index : : Commonwealth Bank : ?
3.Identify the logo
4.An idea of providing voice based local search database struck the CEO of this company while working
for Yellow Pages Company named United Database India in 1987. The company has come up with an IPO
issue very recently.
5.Which firm was hired by the US Navy to help prepare for World War 2 in 1940?
QUIZZ TIME !!
Contributions invited: To make this feature a successful effort, we seek continued
involvement and contribution from our readers, that is YOU. We invite articles and trivia on
themes related to consulting. Be it industry news, consulting trends, a joke, a cartoon or
feedback, we are eager to hear from you. So go ahead, do your research, pen down your
thoughts and mail your entries to simcon.simsree@gmail.com.
Best Regards,
SIMCON –SIMSREE CONSULTING CLUB
SIMSREE, B-ROAD CHURCHGATE 400 020, INDIA.
QUIZZ OF MAY 2013
Page 6: BEACON
Prize Gift for the First Entry with
maximum correct answers !!
Winner of April Edition with maximum correct
answers:
Mr. Vernon Fernandes. Congratulations!!