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The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.
Over the past decade the world’s corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the West’s most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of India’s Infosys Technologies, Brazil’s Embraer and South Africa’s MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is India’s Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.
There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates’ shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to India’s business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.
The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Koc’s food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage in
diversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce “frugal” products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the world’s cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise that—for the time being at least—these diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with “old-fashioned” conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.
Q.
According to the passage, which of the following could be among the “plenty of reasons to doubt the durability” of the emerging-market conglomerates?
I. Unethical accounting practices
II. Access to cheap capital in their country of origin
III. Their political connections
IV. The quality of management
Their disrespect for shareholder opinion
  • a)
    I only
  • b)
    III, and V
  • c)
    I, III and IV
  • d)
    II, III, and V
  • e)
    All of the above.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the ...
The passage mentions “susceptible to scandal” and “witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes”. Bribes are possible only if the company has unethical accounting practices, hence there is adequate data to support statement I.
“Close relations with their national governments,” justifies statement III.
Statement IV is supported due to - “others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios.”
There is nothing in the passage to support “cheap capital” or “disrespect for shareholder opinion .
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.
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The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.Which of the following could be the best example of emerging-market multinationals stitching their way around in underdeveloped markets?

The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.Based on the comparison in the passage, which of the following most accurately distinguishes an emerging-market multinational from a Western conglomerate? 1),

Group QuestionAnswer the following question based on the information given below.When I first read about the fascinating Star Wars deal between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, my reaction was that this was a simple diversification story. But then I realized that it is more complex than that; the obstacles in the form of skewness preference, adverse selection, and moral hazard are strong enough to make deals like this probably quite rare.The story itself is very simple and Business Insider tells it well. Back in 1977, George Lucas was making his Star Wars film, and Steven Spielberg was making Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Lucas was worried that his Star Wars film might bomb and thought that Close Encounters would be a great hit. So he made an offer to his friend Spielberg, All right, Ill tell you what. Ill trade some points with you. You want to trade some points? Ill give you 2.5% of Star Wars if you give me 2.5% of Close Encounters. Spielbergs response was, Sure, Ill gamble with that. Great. Both films ended up as great classics, but Star Wars was by far the greater commercial success and Lucas ended up paying millions of dollars to Spielberg.At the time when neither knew whether either of the films would succeed, the exchange was a simple diversification trade that made both better off. So why are such trades not routine? One reason could be that many films are made by large companies that are already well diversified.A more important factor is information asymmetry: normally, each director would know very little of the others film and then trades become impossible. The Lucas-Spielberg trade was possible because they were friends. It is telling that the trade was made after Lucas had spent a few days watching Spielberg make his film. It takes a lot of due diligence to overcome the information asymmetry.The other problem is skewness preference. Nobody buys a large number of lottery tickets to diversify the risk, because that diversification would also remove the skewness that makes lottery tickets worthwhile. Probably both Lucas and Spielberg thought their films had risk- adjusted returns that made them attractive even without the skewness characteristic.It is also possible that Lucas simply did an irrational trade. Lucas is described as a nervous wreck ... [who] felt he had just made this little kids movie. Perhaps, Spielberg was simply at the right time at the right place to do a one-sided trade with an emotionally disturbed counterparty. Maybe, we should all be looking out for friends who are sufficiently depressed to offer us a Lucas type trade.Q.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

When I first read about the fascinating Star Wars deal between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, my reaction was that this was a simple diversification story. But then I realized that it is more complex than that; the obstacles in the form of skewness preference, adverse selection, and moral hazard are strong enough to make deals like this probably quite rare.The story itself is very simple and Business Insider tells it well. Back in 1977, George Lucas was making his Star Wars film, and Steven Spielberg was making Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Lucas was worried that his Star Wars film might bomb and thought that Close Encounters would be a great hit. So he made an offer to his friend Spielberg, All right, Ill tell you what. Ill trade some points with you. You want to trade some points? Ill give you 2.5% of Star Wars if you give me 2.5% of Close Encounters. Spielbergs response was, Sure, Ill gamble with that. Great. Both films ended up as great classics, but Star Wars was by far the greater commercial success and Lucas ended up paying millions of dollars to Spielberg.At the time when neither knew whether either of the films would succeed, the exchange was a simple diversification trade that made both better off. So why are such trades not routine? One reason could be that many films are made by large companies that are already well diversified.A more important factor is information asymmetry: normally, each director would know very little of the others film and then trades become impossible. The Lucas-Spielberg trade was possible because they were friends. It is telling that the trade was made after Lucas had spent a few days watching Spielberg make his film. It takes a lot of due diligence to overcome the information asymmetry.The other problem is skewness preference. Nobody buys a large number of lottery tickets to diversify the risk, because that diversification would also remove the skewness that makes lottery tickets worthwhile. Probably both Lucas and Spielberg thought their films had risk- adjusted returns that made them attractive even without the skewness characteristic.It is also possible that Lucas simply did an irrational trade. Lucas is described as a nervous wreck ... [who] felt he had just made this little kids movie. Perhaps, Spielberg was simply at the right time at the right place to do a one-sided trade with an emotionally disturbed counterparty. Maybe, we should all be looking out for friends who are sufficiently depressed to offer us a Lucas type trade.Q.Lucas said to Spielberg, All right, Ill tell you what. Ill trade some points with you. You want to trade some points? Ill give you 2.5% of Star Wars if you give me 2.5% of Close Encounters. From the above, we can assume that

When I first read about the fascinating Star Wars deal between Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, my reaction was that this was a simple diversification story. But then I realized that it is more complex than that; the obstacles in the form of skewness preference, adverse selection, and moral hazard are strong enough to make deals like this probably quite rare.The story itself is very simple and Business Insider tells it well. Back in 1977, George Lucas was making his Star Wars film, and Steven Spielberg was making Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Lucas was worried that his Star Wars film might bomb and thought that Close Encounters would be a great hit. So he made an offer to his friend Spielberg, All right, Ill tell you what. Ill trade some points with you. You want to trade some points? Ill give you 2.5% of Star Wars if you give me 2.5% of Close Encounters. Spielbergs response was, Sure, Ill gamble with that. Great. Both films ended up as great classics, but Star Wars was by far the greater commercial success and Lucas ended up paying millions of dollars to Spielberg.At the time when neither knew whether either of the films would succeed, the exchange was a simple diversification trade that made both better off. So why are such trades not routine? One reason could be that many films are made by large companies that are already well diversified.A more important factor is information asymmetry: normally, each director would know very little of the others film and then trades become impossible. The Lucas-Spielberg trade was possible because they were friends. It is telling that the trade was made after Lucas had spent a few days watching Spielberg make his film. It takes a lot of due diligence to overcome the information asymmetry.The other problem is skewness preference. Nobody buys a large number of lottery tickets to diversify the risk, because that diversification would also remove the skewness that makes lottery tickets worthwhile. Probably both Lucas and Spielberg thought their films had risk- adjusted returns that made them attractive even without the skewness characteristic.It is also possible that Lucas simply did an irrational trade. Lucas is described as a nervous wreck ... [who] felt he had just made this little kids movie. Perhaps, Spielberg was simply at the right time at the right place to do a one-sided trade with an emotionally disturbed counterparty. Maybe, we should all be looking out for friends who are sufficiently depressed to offer us a Lucas type trade.Q.Maybe, we should all be looking out for friends who are sufficiently depressed to offer us a Lucas type trade.From the above statement, the author implies that

The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for CAT 2024 is part of CAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the CAT exam syllabus. Information about The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for CAT 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for CAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for CAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice The passage given below is followed by a set of questions. Choose the most appropriate answer to each question.Over the past decade the worlds corporate pecking order has been disturbed by the arrival of a new breed of plucky multinationals from the emerging world. These companies have not only taken on Western incumbents, snapped up Western companies and launched exciting new products, but they have challenged some of the Wests most cherished notions of how companies ought to organise themselves. Many emerging-market multinationals are focused companies that are admired in the West: the likes of Indias Infosys Technologies, Brazils Embraer and South Africas MTN. But others are highly diversified. In some ways these groups look like throwbacks to old-fashioned Western conglomerates such as ITT. But in other ways they are sui generis: much more diversified and readier to blur the line between public and private. The most remarkable of these is Indias Tata group, active in everything from cars to chemicals and from hotels to steel; Tata is so big that several of its companies are important multinationals in their own right. But others are also global forces: they include Alfa from Mexico, Koc Holding from Turkey and the Votorantim Group of Brazil. And dozens more are trying to break free of their national moorings. Tarun Khanna, of the Harvard Business School, calculates that such organisations are the most common business form in emerging markets. In India about a third of companies belong to wider entities. In Hong Kong 15 families control more than two-thirds of the stockmarket.There are plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of these business groups. Many of them have thrived because they have close relations with their national governments. They are far too susceptible to scandal (witness the current furore in India over the sale of mobile-phone licences to favoured groups involving bribes). Others are incapable of managing their diverse portfolios. Western stockmarkets habitually apply a discount to conglomerates shares. Yet there is more to these groups than cronyism. A growing number of them are proving that they can compete in global markets as well as in sometimes rigged local ones. The Boston Consulting Group lists the rise of diversified global conglomerates as one of five trends that will shape the future of business. Mr Khanna reckons firms that belong to Indias business groups frequently outperform free-standing companies. Such groups developed partly to deal with the problems of operating in places where governments are frequently incompetent and markets are hopelessly underdeveloped. Western management gurus love to advise companies to stick to their knitting. But in emerging markets your knitting may be your ability to stitch your way around underdeveloped markets rather than just your ability to manufacture a particular product.The business groups are nimble decision-takers and have proved strikingly successful at seizing opportunities in other emerging markets. Kocs food-retailing business, Migros, has expanded throughout the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. Carlos Slim has extended his telecoms empire across Latin America. Tata also suggests that there may be yet another advantage indiversification: the ability to develop skills across a wide range of businesses. Not only are various Tata companies trying to produce frugal products such as the Nano, an ultra-cheap car. They are pooling their resources: Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Chemicals and Titan Industries co-operated to produce the worlds cheapest water purifier. In the long run most of these emerging conglomerates are likely to follow the same path as Western companies: focusing on their core activities and buying ever more services from the market. But Western companies also need to recognise thatfor the time being at leastthese diversified giants have plenty to offer. Western firms may need to form joint ventures with old-fashioned conglomerates in order to win entry to fast-growing emerging markets. They may even find that they have to embrace diversification as they try to compete in these markets. The best emerging-market companies have learned a great deal from the West in recent years. It is time for Western multinationals to return the compliment.Q.According to the passage, which of the following could be among the plenty of reasons to doubt the durability of the emerging-market conglomerates?I. Unethical accounting practicesII. Access to cheap capital in their country of originIII. Their political connectionsIV. The quality of managementTheir disrespect for shareholder opiniona)Ionlyb)III, and Vc)I, III and IVd)II, III, and Ve)All of the above.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice CAT tests.
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