‘Migrant’ has become a label that declares someone a perpetual outsider
India My Land

‘Migrant’ has become a label that declares someone a perpetual outsider

The creation of a new class called the migrants makes us forget that they are people and all rules that apply to people, apply to them as well. Many ask, “Why are the migrants leaving? Why can’t they be persuaded to stay? Surely, they would stay if food was actually being provided?” and so on. Passengers wait for their train at New Delhi Railway Station. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, “migrant” and “migration” were emotionally-neutral words used to describe Indians who have moved their residence from one part of the country to another, temporarily or permanently. Now, with due respect to the media and to the wise people who speak on behalf of them, the word “migrant” has acquired an emotional charge, value judgement and social stereotyping, and a new slice of society called “the migrants” has been consecrated. “The migrants” is now shorthand for a people who are poor, homeless, hungry, neglected […]

June 5, 2020 0 Comments
‘Migrant’ has become a label that declares someone a perpetual outsider
Policy Perspective

‘Migrant’ has become a label that declares someone a perpetual outsider

The creation of a new class called the migrants makes us forget that they are people and all rules that apply to people, apply to them as well. Many ask, “Why are the migrants leaving? Why can’t they be persuaded to stay? Surely, they would stay if food was actually being provided?” and so on. Passengers wait for their train at New Delhi Railway Station. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, “migrant” and “migration” were emotionally-neutral words used to describe Indians who have moved their residence from one part of the country to another, temporarily or permanently. Now, with due respect to the media and to the wise people who speak on behalf of them, the word “migrant” has acquired an emotional charge, value judgement and social stereotyping, and a new slice of society called “the migrants” has been consecrated. “The migrants” is now shorthand for a people who are poor, homeless, hungry, neglected […]

June 5, 2020 0 Comments
Plenty of food for thought in the post-lockdown world
Consumer Trends

Plenty of food for thought in the post-lockdown world

For food ordering apps, the lockdown has been a boon. (Photo: HT) Upper class modern millennials are the ‘weaned on Maggi’ generation, who grew up to become the Swiggy generation, even ordering in their Maggi Continuing on the theme of how Indian consumption will change after covid-19 and the lockdown, today’s column looks at urban upper class food consumption. I had said in my earlier column that consumer attitudes and behaviour will not change much except for income-driven economizing, though additional new opportunities were presenting themselves if only suppliers were ready to tap into them. Upper class modern millennials are the “weaned on Maggi” generation, who grew up to become the Swiggy generation, even ordering in their Maggi. Although there usually was a cook with the key who made something basic for sustenance, ordering in from a range of hole-in-the-wall to fancy restaurants was preferred because it was not just easy, […]

May 17, 2020 0 Comments
The DNA of Consumer India will remain unscathed after covid-19
Consumer Trends

The DNA of Consumer India will remain unscathed after covid-19

Investors are well-advised to track the supply side as carefully as they are tracking the consumer side CoronavirusCovid-19 Marketers and investors are increasingly wondering how consumption will change post covid-19 and the lockdown. The obvious answer is that everyone is going to be less well off, and consumption will shrink. In an earlier column we modelled the amount at risk. People will spend on necessities first (could include replacing a broken phone or refrigerator, not just food and school fees). For getting a piece of the “nice to have but can do without” expenditure, there will be a fierce cross category battle (buy an iPhone now, paint your house next year or downsize the wedding and give the newlyweds a car instead). The Indian consumer toggles seamlessly between ‘stretch’ and ‘settle’ behaviour—in good times, “whatever I can afford plus one price-performance level up” (stretch) and in bad times “let’s stay […]

May 11, 2020 0 Comments
The DNA of Consumer India will remain unscathed after covid-19
Demand Drivers

The DNA of Consumer India will remain unscathed after covid-19

Investors are well-advised to track the supply side as carefully as they are tracking the consumer side CoronavirusCovid-19 Marketers and investors are increasingly wondering how consumption will change post covid-19 and the lockdown. The obvious answer is that everyone is going to be less well off, and consumption will shrink. In an earlier column we modelled the amount at risk. People will spend on necessities first (could include replacing a broken phone or refrigerator, not just food and school fees). For getting a piece of the “nice to have but can do without” expenditure, there will be a fierce cross category battle (buy an iPhone now, paint your house next year or downsize the wedding and give the newlyweds a car instead). The Indian consumer toggles seamlessly between ‘stretch’ and ‘settle’ behaviour—in good times, “whatever I can afford plus one price-performance level up” (stretch) and in bad times “let’s stay […]

May 11, 2020 0 Comments
The DNA of Consumer India will remain unscathed after covid-19
Business Strategy

The DNA of Consumer India will remain unscathed after covid-19

Investors are well-advised to track the supply side as carefully as they are tracking the consumer side CoronavirusCovid-19 Marketers and investors are increasingly wondering how consumption will change post covid-19 and the lockdown. The obvious answer is that everyone is going to be less well off, and consumption will shrink. In an earlier column we modelled the amount at risk. People will spend on necessities first (could include replacing a broken phone or refrigerator, not just food and school fees). For getting a piece of the “nice to have but can do without” expenditure, there will be a fierce cross category battle (buy an iPhone now, paint your house next year or downsize the wedding and give the newlyweds a car instead). The Indian consumer toggles seamlessly between ‘stretch’ and ‘settle’ behaviour—in good times, “whatever I can afford plus one price-performance level up” (stretch) and in bad times “let’s stay […]

May 11, 2020 0 Comments
Wider cost-benefit analysis will determine if WFH is a success
Policy Perspective

Wider cost-benefit analysis will determine if WFH is a success

The current narrative around WFH does not accommodate diverse income groups and women workers. The bandwagon of opinion that work-from-home is the amrit (nectar of immortality) that the covid manthan (churning) has yielded is growing and speeding down an implementation path that is long on profit-and-loss benefit and short on people-centricity. Corporates love the cost savings, but a fuller analysis will show that it is a double-edged sword to be handled with care, quickly accruing quantifiable savings for companies, but risking slowly accumulating costs for employees and organizations, perhaps not quantifiable early on but not un-measurable. Implement work from home (WFH) by all means, but after data-driven weighing of costs and benefits all around. We would like to see an equivalent level of discussion on the people dimension as we are seeing on cost savings. Decision-makers, likely older, with older children, better paid, hence living in larger houses with better […]

May 4, 2020 0 Comments
Wider cost-benefit analysis will determine if WFH is a success
Business Strategy

Wider cost-benefit analysis will determine if WFH is a success

The current narrative around WFH does not accommodate diverse income groups and women workers. The bandwagon of opinion that work-from-home is the amrit (nectar of immortality) that the covid manthan (churning) has yielded is growing and speeding down an implementation path that is long on profit-and-loss benefit and short on people-centricity. Corporates love the cost savings, but a fuller analysis will show that it is a double-edged sword to be handled with care, quickly accruing quantifiable savings for companies, but risking slowly accumulating costs for employees and organizations, perhaps not quantifiable early on but not un-measurable. Implement work from home (WFH) by all means, but after data-driven weighing of costs and benefits all around. We would like to see an equivalent level of discussion on the people dimension as we are seeing on cost savings. Decision-makers, likely older, with older children, better paid, hence living in larger houses with better […]

May 4, 2020 0 Comments
Only half of India’s household consumption will come through post covid
Business Strategy

Only half of India’s household consumption will come through post covid

The so-called middle class, which is actually India’s richest 20% of households, accounts for 36% of consumption expenditure. India’s household consumer demand is vulnerable and skittish because of dismal occupation demographics, lowly paid and uncertain livelihoods for most Low food inflation and protection of urban salaried jobs may make it better, a spoilt agricultural season may make it worse The ongoing discussion on the prognosis for consumer demand is currently based on extrapolations from supply-side data and macro-economic variables. This column aims to supplement it by providing household-level data on consumption, a “people-view” of those who cause this demand to happen. India’s household consumer demand, the jewel in its gross domestic product (GDP) crown, is vulnerable and skittish because of dismal occupation demographics, lowly paid and uncertain livelihoods for most; and because most Indian households have very little “surplus income”, money remaining after covering their routine expenditure, leave alone their […]

April 20, 2020 0 Comments
Only half of India’s household consumption will come through post covid
Demand Drivers

Only half of India’s household consumption will come through post covid

  The so-called middle class, which is actually India’s richest 20% of households, accounts for 36% of consumption expenditure. The ongoing discussion on the prognosis for consumer demand is currently based on extrapolations from supply-side data and macro-economic variables. This column aims to supplement it by providing household-level data on consumption, a “people-view” of those who cause this demand to happen. India’s household consumer demand, the jewel in its gross domestic product (GDP) crown, is vulnerable and skittish because of dismal occupation demographics, lowly paid and uncertain livelihoods for most; and because most Indian households have very little “surplus income”, money remaining after covering their routine expenditure, leave alone their non-routine requirements and emergencies. Consumer demand commentators have been generally reluctant to link the dismal occupation demographics to consumer demand, beyond monsoon-dependent agriculture and, after demonetization, small business owners and their employees. The covid-19 pandemic has forced us to acknowledge […]

April 20, 2020 0 Comments
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