6. Unicon Ltd. and Nahata Communications provide Cable T.V. network in adjacent areas of Delhi. After some time the market was slowly taken over by big cable companies. Both Unicon Ltd. And Nahata communications understood the competition and decided to come together so as to increase their markets share. This strategy helped them in cost saving through economies of scale as they could cover more areas now. It led to the overall growth of both the companies.
(i) Identify the enterprise growth strategy adopted by the two.
(ii) State the benefits that the companies have after this arrangement.
Solution:
(i) A market extension merger takes place between two companies that deal in the same products but in separate markets. The main purpose of the market extension merger is to make sure that the merging companies can get access to a bigger market and that ensures a bigger client base.
(ii) Following are the benefits that the companies have after this arrangement:
(а) Synergy: Synergy is the most essential component of mergers. In mergers, synergy between the participating firms determines the increase in value of the combined entity. In other words, it refers to the difference between the value of the combined firm and the value of the sum of the participants. Synergy accrues in the form of revenue enhancement and cost savings.
(b) Acquiring new technology: To remain competitive, companies need to constantly upgrade their technology and business applications. To upgrade technology, a company need not always acquire technology. By buying another company with unique technology, the buying company can maintain or develop competitive edge.
(c) Improved profitability: Companies explore the possibilities of a merger when they anticipate that it will improve their profitability.
(d) Acquiring a competency: Companies also opt for Merger and Acquisition to acquire a competency or capability that they do not have and which the other firm does.
(e) Entry into new markets: Mergers are often looked upon as a tool for hassle-free entry into new markets. Under normal conditions, a company can enter a new market, but may have to face stiff competition from the existing companies and may have to battle out for a share in the existing market.
(f) Access to funds: Often a company finds it difficult to access funds from the capital market. This weakness deprives the company of funds to pursue its growth objectives effectively. In such cases, a company may decide to merge with another company that is viewed as fund-rich.
(g) Tax benefits: Mergers are also adopted to reduce tax liabilities. By merging with a loss-making entity, a company with a high tax liability can set off the accumulated losses of the target against its profits gaining tax benefits.
V. VALUE BASED QUESTIONS
1. Write short note on discipline in dealing with competitors.
Solution:
Each entrepreneur is expected to be a member of healthy competition. Unhealthy competition leads to downfall of the enterprise in the long run. Discipline in dealing with competitors, always leads to better quality products and more consumer satisfaction. Depending on illegal activities, malpractices etc. for getting major share of the attitude is undesirable. Every producer has the right, to sell. This right could not be taken away.
2. Write short note on Legal Responsibility.
Solution:
Every entrepreneur is expected to fulfil all its statutory and legal responsibilities. This is the duty of each entrepreneur. He must pay license fees, taxes, social security contributions, minimum were; interest on loans, dividends, etc. well in time. Moreover any recent changes in the laws must be taken care of. Enterprise comes under many laws like, Factories . Act, Minimum Wages Act. Payment of Wages Act etc. Fulfilment of legal aspects is the legal as well as moral duty. Violation of laws leads to punishment or fine. This leads to loss of goodwill, affects faith of shareholders and also results in loss of money, time and energy.
3. “Synergy can be a positive or negative T outcome of combined efforts”. Explain with the help of an example.
Solution:
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the term ‘synergy’ is derived ; from the Greek word sunergos, meaning “working together.”
"When two or more people or organizations combine their efforts, they can accomplish more together than if you added their accomplishments achieved separately." Positive synergy is sometimes called the 2A + 2B = 5AB effect. Individually each subsystem can produce two units of output. And if we combine their efforts and work together effectively, the two subsystems can produce five units of output.
Mergers and acquisitions are corporate- level strategies designed to achieve positive synergy. The 2004 acquisition of AT&T Wireless by Cingular was an effort to create customer benefits and growth prospects that neither company could have achieved on its own values:
- offering better coverage,
- improved quality and reliability,
- a wide array of innovative services for consumers,
- broadening the firm’s product or market mix will result in a higher level of performance.
When two or more people or organizations combine their efforts, and if they can produce less than. If added their accomplishments achieved separately. Negative synergy can be called the 2A + 2B = 3 AB effect. When an individuals operating alone can each produce two units of output. However, with negative synergy, the combination of their efforts results in less output than what they would have achieved if they had each worked alone.
Negative synergy can result from:
- inefficient committees, business units that lack strategic planning,
- poor functioning of joint efforts,
- inefficient workers,
- if one of the individual dominate and control the group decision or less effective group decisions.
4. Read the following case study of an Shri Jhunjhunwala and write down the values that can help him to bring a positive change and sustain growth in the enterprising world?
Shri Jhunjhunwala is an Entrepreneur Shri Jhunjhunwala of Varanasi is a businessman engaged in the production of “Jhula Vanaspati”. He started his business career from a humble beginning. He had a small retail shop of oil and ghee. His earning was limited and not sufficient to meet the needs of his family. He started looking for an opportunity to earn more. One of his relatives owned an oil factory which was running at a loss. The relative was willing to sell it. Jhunjhunwala thought he can run the factory and earn profit out of it. He bought his relative’s factory. The factory took a new birth and today it is earning huge profit. “Jhula Vanaspati” is now a reputed brand of ghee in that part of the country. He says business is an opportunity, it involves risk and it is a challenge.
Solution:
- Adaptability: It is the ability to adjust to new situations-and find creative solutions to problems.
- Opportunity: It means a chance to do something new. When his problem is solved by him in a challenging way, he find opportunities.
- Competitiveness: It also implies that competition is perceived as a challenge which motivates the entrepreneur to strive harder. The advertisements that we see in newspapers, journals and on TV will indicate the continuous competition among entrepreneurs and how they constantly strive to maintain their competitive edge. For a successful entrepreneur competition is a tonic for further growth.
- Confidence: Self-belief is a very important trait of all successful entrepreneurs. They strongly believe that they can do what they set out to do.
- Dedication: All successful entrepreneurs are consumed by a goal or purpose. As project champions they are dedicated to fulfillment of their vision.
- Vision and Drive: The ability to see the end results of one’s goals while working to achieve them and the desire to work hard to accomplish one’s goals are other important traits of successful entrepreneurs.
- Honesty: A successful entrepreneur is invariably honest. Contrary to popular beliefs all great entrepreneurs have always had the commitment to tell the truth and deal with people fairly. It is one trait that guarantees sustainable growth.