Himani Chandna

Pfizer to lose patent of drug Viagra, Indian companies gear up with copycat versions

Pfizer’s patent for the formulation of Viagra, used to treat impotence in men, ends in the US in 2020.

How will 2017 be for the job market? Find out

Planning to change your job this year? Might not be a good idea! You might not find many job openings in 2017. The job market is headed for yet another dull year with many employers already on ‘wait and watch’ mode. In fact, hold on to your present job as companies might start handing out pink slips, recruitment experts warned.

Digital management, data analytics, to be top job drivers next year

Next year, your boss will expect you to learn digital management skills, data analytics, and back-end software programming.

Pharma firms focus on OTC to hedge price cap

Facing regulatory challenges due to price control, pharmaceutical companies, specialists in selling prescription medicines, are increasing their focus on over the counter (OTC) drugs.

Soon, all medicines may be sold online

Even though the online sale of drugs is considered illegal, the drug committee in its report submitted to the health ministry has give it a go ahead.

Violations force government to train pharma workers

Since the reputation of India that is known as the pharmacy to the world is at stake, the government has begun sending health ministry staff to drug manufacturing hubs to train workers in good manufacturing practice. The training sessions will continue for five years.

No card machines, no cash: Medicine sales decline 20%

Painkillers, antibiotics and medicines for cough and flu, mainly those that are purchased for daily use, have seen the highest decline in sales.

Now B-schools to take a page out of demonetisation

Popular business schools, including Faculty of Management Studies, MDI Gurgaon, SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), among others, are planning to introduce projects or chapters on demonetisation to understand how the move will help curb black money.

Social media turns good medicine for doctors, hospitals

Social media – WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Viber – is slowly evolving into more than a platform for sharing pictures, videos and chats. From searching doctors to posting feedback about hospitals and treatments, they are helping doctors reach out to patients, guide them for treatments, provide post-surgery counselling and create close-knit support communities.

Demonetisation takes the sheen off gold sales

Buyers are shying away from buying gold, the traditional favourite for parking money, thanks to the ongoing cash crunch and the fear of coming under the tax radar.

Lower salary hikes likely next year; hiring shrinks in major sectors

Employees are expected to see an average 10% increase in salary in 2017 -- lower than the 10.3% rise doled out this year. However, after taking into account the inflation effect, the hike would be a meagre 4.8%, according to the latest report by global consultancy Korn Ferry Hay Group.

Demonetisation could take away 400,000 jobs;e-com to be worst hit

With demonetisation set to reduce India’s economic growth by 1% over the next one year, the job market is likely to see over 400,000 job cuts.

Firms line up measures to ease payday woes for staff

Indians need cash, especially to pay domestic helpers, newspaper vendors and milk-sellers, among others.

Global play schools eye India play

Teaching is no more only about chalk and duster. Chances are your child is likely to learn colours, numbers and shapes while playing soccer as well.

We have to reinvent footwear business for the Indian youth: Thomas G Bata

It was a hectic day for Thomas G Bata. He had just launched a new Bata shoe store in Ambience Mall, located in south Delhi’s swish Vasant Kunj area.

Steps of change: Iconic footwear brand Bata heads for a makeover to lure youth

With youth on mind, Bata is heading for a makeover. It also displayed its new youthful range of footwear during an event in New Delhi on Saturday.

Companies take the discount route to lure consumers

Companies, including Flipkart, Amazon, Grofers and Pepperfry, are offering attractive discounts to win over consumers.

Women are as ambitious as men: Survey

It’s official. Women are as ambitious as men.

Cash crunch: Firms offer costly drugs, devices on EMIs

Finding it tough to buy expensive medicines and medical devices due to the cash crunch? Worry not, help is at hand. Leading drug and medical device makers have found ways around the problem.

Tata Vs Cyrus Mistry: Lessons from the battle for Bombay House

The ongoing war of words between Rata Tata and Cyrus Mistry in one of the biggest boardroom coups in India’s corporate history offers multiple learnings, for both employees and bosses, claim human resource managers.

Adidas launches Rs 21,000 shoes made with waste

Ever thought of wearing a pair of shoes made with junk floating in the oceans? German Sportswear company, Adidas, has broken new ground with its new range of shoes made from recycled ocean waste. It will launch 60 pairs in India as well.

Tata-Cyrus spat has a new address: B-school textbooks

In the Tata-Mistry scuffle, the lesson will be on ‘how strong governance principles and processes could be when some of the key stakeholders have fundamental differences on one or more areas’.

Trump’s anti-tariff stance on drug import cheers companies

Donald Trump’s win in the US presidential elections may create a new set of opportunities for Indian generic drug makers. Trump is expected to remove the restrictions on drug imports as he said this would give American patients greater access to drugs manufactured abroad.

Part of your salary comes in cash? Employers likely to change pay structure

Do you get part of your salary or reimbursements in cash? Then your employer may have to re-think the remuneration rollout.

B-school grads look for work security, ditch startups for summer internships

New Delhi B-school graduates are not just shedding their entrepreneurial ambitions, they are also shying away from picking internship offers at startups, thanks to household names such as PepperTap, AskMe and Tiny Owl shutting shop last year.

Crocs to open 55 new outlets in India

Eyeing the Indian market, Crocs plans to set up 55 more company-owned outlets and 450 multi-brand retail points by next year.

‘Sick’ PSU Hindustan Antibiotics looks at global market to boost earnings

A ‘sweet’ relief for diabetes patients as drug prices drop to half

According to a conservative estimate, a diabetic on gliptin treatment saves more than Rs 9,000 a year on medicine.

Too much of Ramdev on TV? Patanjali in an ad drive

Do you get the feeling that you are seeing more and more of yoga guru Baba Ramdev these days while surfing TV channels and even social media? Little wonder -- Ramdev’s brand Patanjali has increased its on-air advertisement manifold and become the third biggest advertiser in India behind Hindustan Unilever and Dettol-maker Reckitt Benckiser.

DCGI may ban 300 more fixed-dose drugs

After banning almost 350 fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs, government is evaluating a ban on 300 more such drugs.