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Posted on 12/20/2007 3:56:27 AM PST by samsonite
India likes to trumpet its corporate successes, and this week the emerging global power had plenty to shout about with the appointment of Indian-born Vikram Pandit to head troubled financial giant Citigroup. But even as it celebrated, India Inc. was also up in arms over perceived slights to its ability to run two of the world's most prestigious brands.
India's currency comes of age, spurring complaints among exporters and bringing cheer to wealthy globetrotters
First, a group of U.S. Jaguar dealers said they opposed the possibility that Ford, Jaguar's owner, might sell the British luxury car brand to an Indian firm. Two of the three firms that Ford has shortlisted as potential purchasers are Indian: Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors. The dealers said that the sale to an Indian company would hurt Jaguar's image. "I don't believe the U.S. public is ready for ownership out of India of a luxury car make," Ken Gorin, chairman of the Jaguar Business Operations Council, told the Wall Street Journal. "And I believe it would severely throw a tremendous cast of doubt over the viability of the brand."
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Instead of the iconic “Jaguar” on the hood ornament, perhaps we’ll get a pachyderm instead..
These are not government acquisitions. This is private money being exchanged for private companies. Rathan Tata is a very wealthy individual, and is putting his money where he pleases.
And, it seems that once Ford took over ownership of Jaguar the Television and Radio ad narrators began pronouncing the name “Jaguar” with a very distinct British accent. As in, Jag U ar.
http://www.rediff.com/money/2007/dec/20tata.htm
Tatas demand apology from Orient-Express
| December 20, 2007 09:45 IST Last Updated: December 20, 2007 15:26 IST The Tatas have sought an apology from Orient-Express Hotels for its "libellous" remark that sought to show the Indian conglomerate's hospitality business in poor light. In a strongly worded letter to OEH's CEO Paul White, Indian Hotels vice-chairman R K Krishna Kumar said, "The purpose of this letter is not to pursue a dialogue directly with you but to set the record straight on our intentions in approaching your company." The Indian Hotels executive added that given Taj Hotels' reputation as one of the world's most trusted brands in hospitality, he felt compelled to correct the misinformation that has been circulating in the news media as a result of the letter written by White. White in a letter to Indian Hotels had said that tying up with the "predominantly Indian" hospitality firm will erode the US hospitality chain's brand image. "We ask OEH to publish a formal apology to Taj Hotels using the same channels that OEH used to publicise its letter to Taj Hotels, including posting the apology on its global web site," Kumar said. "Taj Hotels is a proud Indian company, and it will persevere with its global expansion strategy. Indian companies will continue to play a meaningful role in the ongoing global economic integration... Enterprises and individuals must... adapt to these fundamental economic changes... those with a fossilised frame of mind risk being marginalised." Queries sent to White's office by PTI remained unanswered and officials at his London office said he had gone on leave and would return only by January 2. White's letter had triggered strong reactions from the Indian industry and government officials, who cautioned against any move to sabotage Indian companies' global expansion plans. Kumar's letter, dated December 19, a copy of which was filed with the market regulator Securities Exchange Commission in the US where OEH is listed, came in response to a letter written by White on December 10, in which he had rejected an alliance proposal from Tatas. "Having received and carefully read your letter dated December 10, my initial reaction was one of surprise. I could only infer from the language and tone of the letter, which was highly misinformed and unduly aggressive, that it could not have been written by a senior member of OEH's management team and supported by the company's board," Kumar said. Kumar further wrote, "I thought perhaps it was written on your behalf by an over-zealous adviser and released before it was properly vetted by your office. However, as time passed and your team commented publicly about the letter and its contents, it became clear to me that this letter was indeed written with your full consent." "This was extremely distressing to me, as Indian Hotels found the letter to be pejorative, inaccurate and libellous," he noted. Kumar said that he had proposed a meeting "only to explore the identified opportunities for working together and any responsible company would have engaged in a conversation with its single largest shareholder."
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Crap is crap...no matter which country is producing it.
My wife used to work for the voicing company that did those ads with that actor. She asked him about that pronunciation and he said “I don’t know where in the bloody hell they got that. No one says it like that.”
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“Rathan Tata is a very wealthy individual, and is putting his money where he pleases.”
Uhhh, Dude...
As will the consumer put it’s money where it pleases...
Jaguar hasn’t been a real luxury sports car for decades - the last serious Jag was the XKE. We call the Jaguar a “Ford-you-are” now, but what the cars have lost in cachet they have gained in reliability (so I’m told - haven’t had one since the XK150). If it goes Indian, there’ll be no gain in cachet and we’ll get even less than British reliability. Who’d buy an Indian Jag other than an Indian doctor?
Indian Jaguar:
1) Put your key in the ignition and get put on hold for 20 minutes before the engine turns over.
2) Any minor mechanical problem will be ‘fixed’ via complete replacement of the engine
IBM's PC division is owned by China's Lenovo. I wonder where the consumers have been putting their money...
something tells me outsourcing is about to go on steroids.
I recall taking the ex car shopping one day soon after the new Jags came out. She asked the rep where they were and the woman pointed across the lot. The ex said, no those are Taurus’s, where’s the new Jags?
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