Category: Business & History

History repeats itself is an age old saying. Here we take inspiration from history to understand and analyse recent events.

To sin or not to sin?

Compensation premium in sin-industries What makes doe-eyed graduates work for a firm that exploits human weaknesses?  Young graduates often make emphatic declarations that they will not work for companies that engage in morally dubious activities. They profess to work for companies that they can be proud of. As someone who has just graduated, I can … Continue reading To sin or not to sin?

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Bata: shoemaker to the world

Bata is synonymous with school shoes and Bata pricing (Rs. 99 pricing)  in India. However, not many know that company’s roots actually lie in Eastern Europe – in fact, the Indian operations were actually set up by chance. Czech pioneers arrived in India in the 1920s to source raw materials but decided to stay because … Continue reading Bata: shoemaker to the world

ITC: Less of a puff

ITC’s roots go back a century. It was incorporated as Imperial Tobacco Company of India in 1910 and for the first 6 decades of its existence, it was devoted to growing and consolidating its cigarette and leaf tobacco business.  From cigarettes to hotels & what not  The winds changed direction in 1975. Since then, ITC’s … Continue reading ITC: Less of a puff

Book Review: The Third Pillar

The Third Pillar, written by Dr. Raghuram Rajan, was published in 2019. The book has received praise for highlighting the role of communities  from distinguished members of the economics community, such as Dr. Amartya Sen. About the author:  Dr. Raghuram Rajan is a renowned economist who has held numerous important positions in the past, including … Continue reading Book Review: The Third Pillar

COVID-19 Chronicles: How epidemics shape societies

There is too much noise surrounding how the COVID-19 crisis might impact the global economy. Let us take a cue from history to explore how this pandemic might shape our society.

Stock Jobbing in the 17th century

Advances in technology and subsequent emergence of complex derivative products are often blamed for instabilities in the financial markets. But is it the case? Could the 2008 crash and many others be avoided had there been no derivative products? had A dive into the late seventeenth century shows us how the creation of the stock … Continue reading Stock Jobbing in the 17th century

Tulipmania

Tulips, originally cultivated in Turkey, were introduced in theNetherlands in the mid 16th century. The spring-blooming bulb derives its name from the Turkish word ‘tulipan’, which means turban. This seemingly harmless flower gave rise to the first financial crisis in history. Its rarity and the difficulty of cultivating certain variegations made it prestigious to own … Continue reading Tulipmania