The world&rsquo;s most admired companies excelled at driving accountability right down through their organizations, while the rest of the sample were significantly less good at holding people accountable. The other companies tended to hold people accountable for metrics, instead of the strategy, and did not follow through, letting executives &lsquo;off the hook&rsquo; (see Figure 1). The most admired companies reinforced accountabilities by monitoring and managing performance. The best organizations reinforce accountabilities through a very strong focus on managing poor performance, through the use of forced distributions and through standardized global processes.

Driving accountability

Business Standard

TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs) Hyderabad and themauka.com, a platform for learning, hiring and placement operations for students, employers and colleges, have announced a 12-month fellowship programme for budding entrepreneurs.

Fellowship programme for budding entrepreneurs launched

A brand is the way a brand behaves &mdash; some brands can extend themselves to include other verticals; when they become successful, people salute them. Look at Virgin, for instance. The brand has a diverse portfolio with airlines, hotels, even islands.

Brands like Samsung and Apple inspire me: Ajay Bijli

Unlike in factories, waste is usually hidden when it comes to services.

Lean principles for services

With the emergence of independent advertising agencies, large advertisers, such as PepsiCo and Airtel, are partnering with different agencies on a project basis rather than dealing solely with the agency on record.

The multiple choice question

This is one of those campaigns that defied all norms. The thought was huge, the execution was not in line with conventional tea communication&mdash; it took a bold client to bite it.

'We shifted the category codes to reflect the mood of young India'

The top 10 business bestsellers

    Name the brand whose &lsquo;Sing for Me&rsquo; vending machines in Sweden accept Christmas carols as payment.

The Strategist Quiz (#285)

    The company that was established in the 1890s made Cigars and Cigarettes out of chocolate as an alternative to the tobacco variety.&nbsp;During the Second World War, the company&rsquo;s machine shop even turned out parts for US Navy&rsquo;s antiaircraft guns. Name the company.

Answers to last week`s quiz (#284)

Even as majority of the 18-30 year old young adults in India (Gen Y) love the convenience of online shopping, three out of four Gen Y respondents stated that they do not trust most internet sites to keep their private data safe, according to a latest Cisco report (Click on graphics)

Gen Y online shopping trends

Indus League, set up in 1999 by eight ex-Madura Garments executives with just two brands, have grown its portfolio to nine, including Indigo Nation, John Millers and Scullers.

The key to brand success

While there are many open events, India has few serious round-robins. The All India Chess Federation- Airports Authority of India Cup fills that gap. The last edition featured superstars, Fabiano Caruana and Hou Yifan.

Chess (#1025)

Whether they or their parties like it or not, the battle of 2014 will be between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. Aditi Phadnis on how the next year will pan out for the two.

The challengers

As another year draws to a close, it is fitting to talk not about the past, but the future. And, so, here&rsquo;s a selection of Indian wines to watch out for next year.

Ring in the new

Once upon a time, I almost died. Well, I almost died twice, the second time being when my raft overturned in the freezing Zanskar river in Ladakh and I got caught underneath it &mdash; but the first time was at a Morisson concert in New York in the 1990s. Many more people than strictly necessary seemed to have shown up for the event, and just before the musician appeared on stage they turned off all the lights, and everyone got very excited and pressed forward in a great crush that almost powdered my sternum. Forcing my way out of that crowd is the closest I&rsquo;ve ever come to hand-to-hand combat.

To the barricades

One of the first meetings Neeraj Kumar held after taking over as Delhi Police chief in June this year was with a group of NGOs over rape and other sexual crimes against women in the capital. Soon after, Kumar proposed that CCTV cameras be installed in over 1,000 public places, including 490 highly-sensitive spots. Despite the police chief&rsquo;s intentions, a 23-year-old was raped and brutally wounded inside a bus recently. And when protesters congregated at the India Gate lawns, Delhi Police used raw force to drive them away.

Should be 'with you, for you, always'

He is not young and competes in a non-conventional sport, but Shiva Keshavan &mdash; India&rsquo;s only luger &mdash; is certainly a name to watch out for. Keshavan won the Asian Championship this year and will compete in his fifth Winter Olympics in 2014. A medal at the Winter Olympics will cap a remarkable career for Keshavan.

Remember these names

I plan to purchase a diesel hatchback for my daily commute of 50 kms. I have a budget of Rs 7 lakh. Given that diesels tend to have more frequent service intervals and spares cost more too, when compared to petrol cars, I am concerned about the long-term ownership cost. I plan on keeping the car for a long while. Please suggest the best diesel hatchback for my requirements, keeping in mind low cost of ownership, good driving dynamics and driving pleasure.

Small wonder

Ravi Bajaj recently celebrated 25 years in the fashion industry. The year 2012 saw the maverick designer foray into interiors through Fashion Living by Ravi Bajaj &mdash; a company that designs high-end residences.

Shimmer and shine

The American rapper who has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, will sing popular hits like &ldquo;Snoop&rsquo;s Upside Ya Head&rdquo; and &ldquo;What&rsquo;s my name&rdquo; on his first two-city tour in India, across Pune and Delhi.

The gig guide

The stylish new A-Class will join the fray in 2013, making it the most reasonably priced three-pointed star in the country. When it comes in, the A-Class will most likely start under the Rs 20-lakh barrier and will make for a great entry-level model to undercut the other Germans. The A-Class comes with a pretty sporty design and a feature-packed interior, which will go a long way in attracting younger buyers to the brand.

Launch party

- Find Specials News, Features, Analysis and more at Business Standard. Full coverage of Goafest 2014

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