A Challenge to an Ad World – A Case Study

When I was working on my previous Article “Time-pass Crazy Q&A”, an idea had crept into my mind to write an independent post on the subject titled here. The roots of the idea go deep to a Gujarati Weekly Magazine ‘Chakram’ (Crazy Guy), now known as ‘Chandan’ (Sandalwood). Now-a-days, I am not in touch with the said Magazine; but when it was in its flourishing times, a regular post of Q&A was being published under the Heading “Ajab Savaalo-naa Gajab Javaabo” (Wonderful Answers to Astonishing Questions). This very thing had inspired me to write down a specimen post on Crazy Q&A.

But, now I come to the track of my subject and give a very cute surprise to my Readers that ‘Chakram/Chandan’ is the only a Weekly Magazine without Advertisements even today. In July, 2005 ‘Chakram/Chandan’ had celebrated its 30th Anniversary as an ad-free publication. The Limca Book of Records noted its achievement of completing 30 years as an ad-free publication of a Magazine. If we go to the brief past of the Magazine, it is observed that it was first published in our India’s Independence year 1947 from Ahmedabad by Noormohammad Jussabhai well-known as Mr. N. J. Golibar. His son Mr. H. N. Golibar took the charge of the Magazine in 1971. During the initial tenure of Mr. N. J. Golibar and for further more 5 years, the Magazine had published some ads; but from 1976 to till date no ads have been published in this Magazine. I have marked the following positive aspects in the backgrounds of its achievement:-

(1) It was a Gujarati Magazine among rare of its kind in those days which entertained the people with its humorous content.

(2) Much of the content was generated by the editor and his family members hence there was a lot of cost reduction due to savings of any compensations to Authors.

(3) One more fact was that people bought the periodical paying a very handsome price and its circulation was about more than 1,00,000 copies.

(4) It was sold at Book-stalls on Railway Stations and Bus Stops. It is beyond our imagination how he would have extended his clientele circle. A note-worthy basic fact is that it could create a wide circulation only with its meritorious content. In commercial term, it can be said that the content is the king.

(5) Many popular features of the magazine reveal the secret of its popularity. One of them is a cyclic publication of crime or horror thrillers and another is a column of satirical jokes titled Atom and Fatakdi (big cracker and small cracker). ‘Wonderful Answers to Astonishing Questions’ was also an important section of the Magazine.

(6) Its present editor Mr. H N Golibar popularly known as Bholabhai is continuing also the tradition of publishing serialized mystery stories

(7) About 75 per cent of its circulation is as stand sale. Its 40 per cent readers are in Africa, UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand wherever Gujarati people live. The strength of the publication lies in its strong committed readership.

(8) It is an innocent and civic Magazine, full of humor content-wise, and the members of families of any age can read together with no any fear of vulgarity.

During my early age, ‘Chakram’ was sold at the price of 4 Annas (Present INR 0.25) I have witnessed many people reading ‘Chakram’ interestingly in public ignoring own status. A friend of mine openly advertised with the words as ‘If you wish to sharpen your intellect, ‘Chakram’ is the only Magazine that can help you a lot.”

When I am nearing to conclude the post, I would like to disclose the mystery of the owner’s last name as ‘Golibar’. Mr. Nurmohammad was an ordinary hawker selling lemonades (Aerated Drinks) in four-wheeled Hand-barrow shouting 12 for an Anna in its Gujarati version as “Lo Anna-ni Goli Baar (Twelve)”. His father was a businessman, but he never thought to join with him. He did all kinds of jobs. He used to give commentary at the time of silent movies and when movies got the voice, he became silent. But, his enthusiasm of doing something was never silent and he did show his great achievements in his publications as mentioned above.

I would like to say that when Internationally famous Magazines like ‘Time’, purely dependent on Commercial Ads, had to pass through financial crisis some years ago; an ordinary Magazine – ‘Chakram-Chandan’ will complete its non-stop 62 years in July, 2009 successfully with no any support of Ad revenue.

Summing up to say, three more feathers in crown of his success have been added recently in May, 2009 that Mr. H. N. Golibar has launched (1) Puzzle Magic (2) Magic Fun; and (3) Science City. I hope that the team of MBA students locally at Ahmedabad may visit ‘Chakram-Chandan’ office just to know as a case-study how an unqualified self-employed Professional has conquered high summits of his glorious success.

Regards,

– Valibhai Musa

 

 

William’s Tales – 2nd Anniversary with 100 Posts

I feel illimitable pleasure to share my glad tidings with members of my blog family. Today marks the 2nd Anniversary of “William’s Tales” with its score of 100     posts. Being it a self-propelled blog, I had to work hard, but with no any physical or mental fatigue even at this age of 68. In the length of this period, many friends and strangers have mobilized me and motivated my creative works. List of all those behind my blog is very long indeed, but lack of space forbids me to enumerate all.

With apology of many un-named supporters of mine in this Article, I would like to remember and thank some who have helped me during my 2nd year of blogging. They are:

 

Effects of Section 40 (B) of Indian I.T.Act

Today, I am here on my Blog with a special Post which perhaps may not concern to most of my Readers who are not involved in business. Actually, this Article was written for my community members of Accounting and Taxation on PeerPower, an Exclusive web site of Times Group for Professionals only; but, being the same to be extensive to the limit of number of certain words, I thought to publish it here. Our family businesses fall under various categories of firms such as Proprietary, Partnership, Private Company as well as Professional. We are not purely dependent on our Tax Consultants and therefore we take keen interest in Taxation and its planning limited to our own concerns for fair discussion with them prior to finalize the documents of taxation.   

To make my Article precise, I’ll discuss only the provision of   Remuneration to Partner/s under Section 40 (B). Up to Ass. Year 1992-93, the Partnership Firms (Both Business and Professional) were levied Firm Tax; and over and above, the Partners also had to pay Individual Personal Tax on share of profit earned from the firm. Thereafter, as per provision of Financial Act 1992, the Partnership firms have to pay tax on total income at the flat rate of 35% and later on from Ass. Year 2006-07at the rate of 30% with applicable Surcharge as well as Education Cess. The Partners have to mention their share of profit as Non-Taxable Firm Profit in their Income and Expense A/c and such income is tax exempted u/s 10 (2-A).

As per above Financial Act of 1992, some notable provisions were made in Clause 40 (B) and accordingly the working partner/s are allowed to have Firm Management Remuneration. Following Table indicates what amount the working partner can have based on Book Profit of the firm. Remuneration to partners can be paid only to working partner/s authorized by the partnership deed. It should not pertain to period prior to partnership deed and must not exceed the limits prescribed.

 

Rivalry of two retail trade sectors in India

It is very interesting to observe the people divided mostly into two groups of competition for one or the other goals of their own. From individuals to nations, all are in race to go ahead from their rivals. Subjects and goals of such rivalries may be many. Here in this brief Article, I am going to discuss the ‘Rivalry’ of two sectors of Retail Trade. Both strive for the same customers or the markets. These two retail sectors will be named further as ‘Former’- An Unorganized Small Traders’ Group, serving the society for not only centuries but millenniums; and ‘Latter’ – The Organized Mall Culture, recently developed during the last two decades and growing fast throughout the world.

The back and forth between these two retail sectors is rapid. I just remember an old Hindi movie “Toofan Aur Diya”. The title may be taken in English version as “Lamp (lit with kerosene with no shield of glass) against whirl-wind”. Here, as an observer, we can watch the exertions of the weak with the strong. Let us see how long this competition does go on and what its future would be. It can be presumed that this ‘Rivalry’ may end with either of the two outcomes – one, as per Charles Darwin’s theory “Survival of the Fittest”; and the other the “Co-existence of Both”. Whether we Love it or hate it, the organized retail sector is to stay everywhere. On the basis of viability of business, some units of both the retail sectors may close their shutters for ever or may shift elsewhere, but all of them are never to quit the battle field of their rivalry.

Due to straight result of globalization, the Latter is increasing at the speed of light stretching the feet towards even smaller cities. Some Social Activists have started their movements against the Mall Culture with their slogans as “No more Shopping Malls in India”. One of such Activists, Medha Patkar says, “Opening of a mall in a city puts an end to the business of thousands of hawkers and traders. This mall culture will plunge the middle class into a greater financial crisis and turn hawkers into beggars.”

On the other hand, quite contradictory to above, ICRIER (a renowned think tank) commissioned by the Ministry of Commerce to study impact of the Latter on the Former reported that they both can co-exist. How surprising the finding is that a lion and a hare can live together in a den as we might have read in some fables in our childhood days. It is easy to say ‘Nothing is impossible in the world’, but somebody has humorously commented as whether we have ever tried to insert back the tooth paste once pressed out from the tube!

I have studied the Report with a bird-fly-view and noted as over all that ICRIER has, no doubt, sought opinions from various people concerned to the studies; but at the same time, we should bear in our mind that it is not all the time necessary to believe that few opinion givers represent the views of all the people. Just to have fair and authentic opinions, the Researchers should take into consideration many factors and particularly intellectual standards of the opinion givers. We have witnessed many Reports of Commissions and findings of Opinion Polls, not only in India but worldwide, and found that realities and such calculative results have no match of their ends. We all know that when Saddam was in power, he had gone under the exercise of having mandate of the people of Iraq and showed to the world that 98.5% of the population was in favor of his dictatorial rule of Government. But, when he was finished, the very same public had destroyed the statues of Saddam erected in public places.

While summing up, I would say that the casting votes are in the hands of the customers and they only can play a role of a king-maker whom the crown of success is awarded. Any sector, whether be a traditional retail street shop or a big mall, will have to create good relationships with customers and attract them to pay frequent visits to their respective business premises. They would need to win the trust of the customers with standard quality of goods, fair price, genuine weight & measurement and prompt services after sale. The customer will never compromise with these fundamental expectations. A trader, in any status, may fool the customer for one time, but not all the times. Now-a-days, the customer everywhere has become more aware of his best interests as well as laws of consumer protection. Those days have gone when they were easily cheated and exploited.

– Valibhai Musa

 

A Last Tribute – સંવેદનાના સૂર (સૌજન્ય લેખ)

Click here to read Preamble in Gujarati
After having gone through my previous Blog “As if Mr. Jeff is alive!” some of my Readers requested me to publish the Article written on Mr. Jeff by Janab Naseer Ismailee in “Gujarat Samaachar” under the title “Sanvedna-na-soor”. Accordingly, find the same scanned and attached with this preface.

I would like to quote Henry Ford in his words as “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress and working together is success.” The Article to be represented here will seem to be self-explanatory to my Readers how my friend Mr. Jeff became a successful man in his field. The author of the said Article has mentioned only one episode, but I am the witness of his such hundreds how he solved the personal problems of his customers just like a member of their families. He could do all this because his heart was filled with compassion for humanity and also he always put others before him.

Mr. Jeff always respected his customers. He behaved politely with some rude customers also and never hurt their feelings or insulted them. His ‘let go’ nature never allowed him to create any problem with the customers. His such attitude can be understood very well through one more quotation of Khalil Gibran as “If the other person injures you, you may forget the injury; but if you injure him, you will always remember.” Mr. Jeff was such a self made man through experiences and struggles of his life. He had a positive and faith-filled outlook on life and towards other people also.

Mr. Jeff’s body is now in the grave, his soul is in heaven; but his sweet memories will always remain alive in the minds and hearts of the people who came in contact with him in any kind of relations.

May his soul rest in peace in heaven.

With best regards,
– Valibhai Musa

Dtd.: 7^th September, 2007
sanvedna-na-soor (સંવેદનાના સૂર)