The Strategist Quiz (#173)

 

1. Which corporation is considered to be the first to use the technique of benchmarking in the late 1970s? It took all the key parts of business, from production to sales and maintenance, and measured them against their counterparts in other companies abroad as well as at home. 
    
2. Which company is set to become the largest Indian employer in the US by the year-end? 
    
3. For a brief period of one year, the RBI issued notes for circulation in a foreign country. Name the country. 
    
4. This is the only appliances company in India that offers a life-time warranty on its product. In fact, this product was invented by the company in 1963. Name it. 
    
5. Connect a Govinda movie to a consumer durable brand that uses the tag line “the name is enough” and what do you get. 
    
6. This first TV commercial for this organisation was conceived and completed in two weeks, became the most-watched on YouTube, and was aired during the recent Commonwealth Games. Name it and the ad agency behind it. 
    
7. Which brand is associated even today with the home party plan it first held in 1948? 
    
8. This castle was built by one of Germany’s most enigmatic and controversial figures, King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Who was inspired by it and eventually made it a part of his company’s logo? 
    
9. Pradeep Sarkar, who had launched actress Vidya Balan in his film Parinita, had first cast her in a TVC for which brand? 
    
10. Whose logo is this?
    

Ten all-correct entries will receive a copy of David Besanko, David Dranove, Mark Shanley and Scott Schaefer's Economics of Strategy, published by Wiley India (books courtesy: Wiley India). One lucky winner will also receive a cheque for Rs 2,000. Send your entries to strategist@bsmail.in. All entries must carry the postal address of the contestant. Last date for receiving entries: 2 November. Previous winners, employees of Business Standard and Wiley India and their families are not eligible to participate.