When The CEO Shows The Way
“Capital isn’t scarce. Vision is.” — Sam Walton, Founder, Wal-Mart
Four years are long enough to gauge whether or not a government has had the desired impact on the ground. Narendra Modi rode to power promising “achche din”. Going by projections of the government, schemes it has launched — be they the Jan Dhan Yojna, the Swachh Bharat Mission, Pradhan Mantri Ujjawla Yojana or electricity for all — have touched the lives of 22 crore Indian families.
Sceptics may question the claims, but the fact remains that some schemes have, indeed, been runaway successes. Infrastructure has witnessed a boom lately, after years of sluggish growth and inertia under the UPA regime. Electricity has reached the farthest corners of the land. Predictably, the Indian National Congress claims that much of the groundwork had already been done during the UPA era. Yet, there are schemes like the Jan Dhan Yojna too. The Jan Dhan Yojna is the biggest financial inclusion programme of its kind anywhere in the world. Questions no doubt may be raised as to how many of these accounts are effectively active.
So, is the report card sound enough to get Prime Minister Modi re-elected? How does the PM and his government fare on the indices of development? BW Businessworld organised a roundtable of economists to assess the hits and misses of the government, the verdict of which constitutes one of the cover stories in this issue.
We also commissioned twin surveys on the Mood of the Nation and the mood within Corporate India to take stock of the impact governance under Modi has had. The findings are similar. While Brand Modi continues to shine, the popularity ratings have taken a dip compared to the ratings a year ago. This segment includes columns by captains of industry, among others.
If you thought Modi the CEO has done well so far, you may also want to know how CEOs in Corporate India have fared? So in this issue, we also turn the gaze on real-life CEOs who have done well for their companies. We call them the new-age CEOs. So, what are the traits of a successful CEO? Most may say the formula for effective decision-making is combining emotions with logic. But making a decision takes more than that. A lot more goes into fulfilling the role of a leader, who may inspire and motivate others.
He has to be a change agent. He must believe in collective growth. He must set the bar high and he must continuously challenge the status quo. Our profiles of the Most Valuable CEOs show that these industry leaders are all these and more. Our annual issue on the Most Valuable CEOs, we know, is much awaited by industry and leaders.
Our third cover is on corporate governance. We have seen the uncanny regularity with which governance issues crop up, as was evident in companies like Satyam, Kingfisher, United Spirits and Fortis. A special report offers insights into the challenge.
This issue of BW Businessworld has other interesting elements along with regular features, like an incisive interview with Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh, who promises a new health policy for the state.
All in all, a wholesome fare, which I am sure you will enjoy! Keep reading, and do send in your feedback!
