December 2008 — Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)
The E-Commerce Edge

As the global financial crisis clips the wings of business travelers, and as a new generation takes over at Hong Kong's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), these companies are increasingly going online to save costs and reach new customers. Jolene Tan, a senior business analyst at market research company Synovate, said SMEs are increasingly looking to local websites as a way to market their products and services and, in some cases, are moving away from large search portals.

December 2008 — China Daily
Coca-Cola seeks anti-trust nod for Huiyuan deal

The Coca-Cola Company submitted an application for anti-monopoly approval to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) for its $2.3 billion takeover of premier domestic juice maker China Huiyuan Juice Group. "This is certainly a very significant step for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the beverage market, given that this is the first time that the Chinese antitrust law faces a challenge," said Tao Lin, head of China at Synovate Business Consulting.

October 2008 — The Telegraph
10 ways to ride the bad times

The worst is yet to come. Management students graduating from business schools in 2009 will face the real brunt of the current global economic crisis, warn experts. For starters, high paying industries like investment banking and financial services will not recruit next year, says Kris Lakshmikant, CEO and managing director of the Bangalore-based recruitment firm The Head Hunters. "Day One companies such as Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs that visit the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) campuses will not be recruiting next year. About 10 to 15 IIM graduates are recruited by these companies," says Lakshmikant. He adds that consulting companies like McKinsey will also go slow on recruitment.

March 2008 — Channel NewsAsia
NUS introduces Master's degree in landscape architecture

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has launched the first Master of Landscape Architecture Programme which will start this August.

January 2008 — The Financial Express
Don't force-fit products to customer needs

"One of the major concerns client sometimes have is to be advised by consultants who have never "lived" in their industry," says Christophe Grimont, consulting director, APac, Synovate Business Consulting.

January 2008 — The Australian
Tokyo Aussie build up lucrative niches

The influential Australians in minerals and energy are based in Melbourne, Perth and London and are rarely found in Tokyo, writes Tokyo correspondent Peter Alford

February 2007 — Chain Store Age
Global Retail: Report From India

Wal-Mart's announcement of its agreement with Bharti Enterprises has resulted in plenty of activity. Much has been written in India about the repercussions of the "Wal-Mart Effect," even though the U.S. retail giant's role in the joint venture is restricted to only providing back-end support to its Indian partner (Bharti will be setting up the stores on its own, on a franchise basis).

December 2006 — Global Market Briefings
Doing Business with India

Now in a completely rewritten, updated, and expanded second edition, "Doing Business With India: A Guide to Investment Opportunities & Business Practice" under the expert editorship of Roderick Millar (a specialist in personal finance, business start-ups, development economics, and management education) continues to be the definitive instructional guide for any entrepreneur or corporate CEO wanting to do business on the Indian subcontinent.

June 2006 — The Financial Express
Experience is the key

When Whirlpool US executive Scott Phillips invited locals to get a first-hand experience of jazzy kitchen appliances, his company risked inventing the first-ever Insperience Studio in Atlanta.

April 2006 — Business Standard
Consulting Capers

Synovate Business Consulting is two years old in India, and considering that most people think that Synovate offers only market research services, a client list of 30 in business consulting is not bad at all.

April 2005 — Asian Banking and Finance
Bank jobs on the downturn but don't blame ATMs

Asia's top banks are decreasing their employee numbers, despite an improving economy. Are ATMs to blame?