Rationale For Unrelated Product Diversification For Indian Firms
Rationale For Unrelated Product Diversification For Indian Firms
Rationale For Unrelated Product Diversification For Indian Firms
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IJEMR February 2017 - Vol 7 Issue 02 - Online - ISSN 22492585 Print - ISSN 2249-8672
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Center for Monitoring the Indian Economy (CMIE). Other important sources of information
are: SEBI website, Exchange (NSE/BSE) website, moneycontrol.com, Press releases issued by
company, and exchange information published in leading financial newspapers.
3.2 Criteria for Selection of a Company for Study
The companies chosen for study must satisfy all of the following criteria:
1. Turnover of company should be at least 500 Crores in the reporting year company is
diversifying.
2. Firm should report sales in two or more unrelated businesses.
3. The company must be listed on NSE/BSE.
4. The event of diversification must have been occurred between FY 2000-01 to FY 2009-10.
5. Company should have been remaining listed at least for 4 years after diversification.
3.3 Sample and Size
For the purpose of this study, stratified sampling technique is used. The population is divided
into various industries. According to resource based theory, firms can deploy resources and
exploit its resources to achieve its goals and create sustainable competitive advantage over
competitors. (Wernerfelt, 1984; Barney et. al., 2001) Large companies have access to large
resources that enable them to deploy resources in new businesses to achieve competitive
advantage. So, this study is limited to large companies from leading industries. Top 5
industries in terms of turnover are chosen for study. From each chosen industry, five largest
diversified firms in terms of turnover fulfilling set criteria who have unrelated business
interests are chosen for study.
4. Analysis of Diversification Decision of Sample Firms
4.1 Sector: Oil and Gas
Indian Oil Corporation is the largest firm operating in refining and marketing of petroleum
products. In 2004, company diversified into manufacturing of petrochemical products. This
diversification can be explained through resource-based theory. Indian Oil already has facility
to produce petrochemicals at refineries. Indian Oil can leverage existing distribution network,
brand image, and human resources in petrochemical business. Bharat Petroleum, another
refiner and marketer of oil and gas diversified into E&P business in 2003. The E&P business is
entirely new line of business where Bharat Petroleum cannot leverage its tangible or intangible
resources. However, this diversification can be seen as backward integration. Diversification of
Bharat Petroleum in E&P business can be seen as an attempt to mitigate risk by having more
control on supply chain. Essar Oil was in oil exploration business. Company diversified in
refining and marketing of oil business. This diversification decision also can be seen as an
attempt to mitigate risk through forward integration. Similarly, GAIL, a dominant player in oil
and gas transportation, and manufacturing of petrochemicals, diversified into extraction of
crude petroleum and natural gas. This diversification decision can be seen as an attempt to
mitigate risk through backward integration. The transaction cost theory explains why firms
diversify through vertical integration.
Reliance Industries, the largest private company in India, was a dominant player in oil
exploration and refining. Company diversified into a number of unrelated businesses
including oil marketing, retail trade, and telecommunication. The diversification decision of
Reliance Industries is unlikely to find cognitive relatedness, or seen as an attempt to mitigate
risk. This diversification decision may be a part of managements vision to create a
conglomerate where different clusters of related businesses are controlled and operated by
different divisions. In future, Reliance Industries can spin off different divisions into
independent companies. The diversification decision of Reliance Industries can be explained
through market power theory.
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business. But, diversification of Punj Loyd in petrochemical business does not seem to have
any cognitive relatedness. This diversification decision can be explained through Agency
theory. Another example of diversification of engineering company in unrelated business is by
Apar Industries into manufacturing of automotive lubricants under license agreement with
ENI, Italy in 2007. While ENI is the worlds eighth largest automotive lubricant manufacturer,
Apar Industries does not have any tangible or intangible relatedness with lubricant
manufacturing business. Thermax Limited diversified into construction and maintenance of
power plants. There is cognitive relatedness between existing line of business of Tehrmax and
the new business firm entered in. Termax can leverage its know-how and talent pool in new
business.
4.5 Sector: Power Generation and Transmission
NTPC is the largest power generation company in India. In 2002-03, NTPC diversified into
power trading and consultancy business. Tata Power, another power generation company, also
diversified into power trading business in 2004-05. These diversification decision can be
explained through transaction cost theory. Through diversification, NTPC and Tata Power aim
to reduce transaction cost and have more control on distribution network. Reliance Infra
diversified into construction and maintenance of power plants business in 2004-05. Reliance
Infra has entered into a business where it can leverage its know-how and intangible resources.
Power Grid, the largest owner of electric grid, entered into wired telecommunication activities
through its telecom venture PowerTel in 2001. While there is no direct relationship between
two businesses, Power Grid leverages its existing infrastructure in new business. Power
Trading Corporation, a leading provider of power trading solutions, diversified into financial
services in 2006 through its arm PTC India Financial Services Ltd. Though in first glance
there seems to be no relatedness between two businesses, close examination of business of
PTC India Financial Services Ltd. reveals that company provides total financial services to the
entities in energy value chain. The activities of the new business of PTC include extending
debt to power projects in generation, transmission, distribution, and fuel related
infrastructure. So, there is cognitive relatedness between the existing business and new
business of PTC. However, this diversification decision can be seen as creation of a new line of
business which can be explained through market power theory.
Table-1 lists the companies, its existing line of business, diversification into new business,
year of diversification, possible rationale for diversification, and appropriate theories that can
explain the diversification decision.
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Table-1: List of companies, diversification area, year of diversification, and applicable theory
Company Existing Businesses Diversified Into Year of Remarks Theory used to
Diversification Explain
Diversification
Decision
Sector: Oil & Gas
Indian Oil Crude refining, oil and gas Petrochemicals 2004-05 Forward Integration Transaction Cost
Corporation marketing, and oil and gas Theory, Resource-
Limited transportation based Theory
Reliance Oil Exploration, Refining, Retail Network 2006-07 Creation of new line Market Power Theory
Industries Limited and Marketing of business
Bharat Petroleum Oil and gas refining and Oil exploration 2006-07 Backward Transaction Cost
Corporation marketing Integration Theory, Resource-
Limited based Theory
Essar Oil Limited Oil Exploration, Refining, Oil refining, oil 2008-09 Forward Integration Transaction Cost
and Marketing marketing Theory, Resource-
based Theory
G A I L (India) Gas transportation, Oil Exploration 2006-07 Backward Transaction Cost
Limited petrochemicals Integration Theory, Resource-
based Theory
Sector: Steel
Steel Authority Of Iron and Steel manufacturing Cement 2007-08 Forward Integration Transaction Cost
India Limited manufacturing Theory, Resource-
based Theory
Tata Steel Limited Iron and Steel manufacturing Mining of hard coal, 2007-08 Backward Transaction Cost
Mining of lignite Integration Theory, Resource-
based Theory
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Jindal Steel & Iron and Steel manufacturing Power Generation 2007-08 Leverage of tangible Resource-based
Power Limited and intangible Theory
resources
Jindal Stainless Iron and Steel manufacturing Architectural and 2006-07 Leverage of Resource-based
design solutions for intangible resources Theory
stainless steel
companies
Bhushan Steel Iron and Steel manufacturing Power Generation 2005-06 Leverage of tangible Resource-based
Limited and intangible Theory
resources
Sector: Automobile
Maruti Suzuki Manufacturing of motor Selling motor 2002-03 Selling Market Power Theory
India Limited vehicles insurance complimentary
product, cross-
subsidizing
Mahindra & Manufacturing of agriculture Manufacturing of 2007-08 Leverage of tangible Resource-based
Mahindra Limited equipment, Manufacturing of passenger vehicles and intangible Theory
commercial vehicles resources
Tata Motors Manufacturing of commercial Selling pre-owned 2008-09 Leverage of tangible Resource-based
Limited vehicles, utility vehicles, and vehicles and intangible Theory
motor parts resources
Ashok Leyland Manufacturing of heavy Manufacturing of 2007-08 Creation of new line Market Power Theory,
vehicles tanks, reservoir, of business Agency Theory
and defense
products
Amtek Auto Manufacturing parts and Manufacturing of 2009-10 Creation of new line Market Power Theory,
accessories for motor vehicle railway locomotives of business Agency Theory
Sector: Engineering
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Larsen & Toubro Construction of building, Power generation 2007-08 Creation of new line Market Power Theory,
Limited construction of rail, roads and distribution of business Agency Theory
and bridges
Punj Lloyd Limited Construction of roads and Construction of 2006-07 Creation of new line Market Power Theory,
railways, Manufacturing of urban of business Agency Theory
electric equipment infrastructure
Crompton Greaves Manufacturing of electric Electric power 2007-08 Creation of new line Market Power Theory,
Limited equipment, Manufacturing of generation, of business Agency Theory
domestic appliances, transmission, and
Electrical and other distribution
construction activities
Apar Industries Manufacturing of electric manufacturing of 2007-08 Creation of new line Market Power Theory,
Limited equipment automotive of business Agency Theory
lubricants
Thermax Limited Manufacturing of fabricated Construction and 2003-04 Leverage of tangible Resource-based
metal products maintenance of and intangible Theory
power plants resources
Sector: Power Generation and Transmission
NTPC Electric Power Generation Power trading, 2002-03 More control on Transaction Cost
Consultancy distribution Theory
network
Power Grid Electric Power Transmission Wired 2001-02 Leverage of tangible Resource-based
Telecommunication resources Theory
Reliance Infra Electric Power Generation Construction and 2004-05 Leverage of tangible Resource-based
maintenance of and intangible Theory
power plants resources
PTC India Ltd Power Trading Solution Financial Services 2006-07 Creation of new line Market Power Theory
of business
TATA Power Electric Power Generation Power trading 2004-05 More control on Transaction Cost
distribution Theory
network
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6. Conclusion
Out of the sample of 30 companies, 6 companies took diversification decision driven by
vertical integration. Diversification decisions of 8 companies were driven by creation of new
line of business to have more market power. Diversification decision of 8 companies were
driven by leveraging tangible and intangible resources. In power sector, two companies
diversified to have more control over distribution network. The diversification decision of
Maruti Suzuki was to sell complimentary product and create opportunities for cross
subsidizing. In oil and gas sector, vertical integration has been major rationale behind
unrelated diversification. Creation of new line of business has been a motivation for unrelated
diversification mostly for private sector companies, especially in engineering sector. There is
no single dominant rationale for unrelated diversification among Indian firms. The unrelated
diversification decisions of Indian firms are mainly driven by vertical integration, leveraging
tangible and intangible resources, and having more market power through creation of new line
of business.
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