That is Jagdish N Sheth for you, the Charles H Kellstadt professor of marketing at the Goizueta Business School, Emory University, Atlanta and the globally acclaimed marketing guru known for concepts like relationship marketing and the ‘rule of the three’, which incidentally is the title of his forthcoming book. Dr Sheth was speaking at the inaugural lecture of the knowledge series presented by the Delhi-based telecom training organization Academy of Telecom Management (ATM).

Well, as most of us know, Dr Sheth is supposed to be a consumer marketing guru. But after listening to him, that seems too narrow a description for someone whose reflections on global economic change, telecom business, technology, competitive strategy, and of course, consumer marketing, are so profound.

If he is known to be a marketing guru to the world, he is respected as one of the most influential voices on telecom deregulation within the US. So when the Indian telecom executives were offered a presentation by him on a platter by ATM (that too on something so relevant as profit drivers in telecom business), it was hardly surprising that almost the who’s who of the telecom services industry in Delhi turned up to listen.

Some of the thoughts of Dr Sheth could radically change the way they do—and more importantly view—their businesses. One such idea is the separation of wholesale service and network business, sooner than later. "But aren’t all new Indian private operators like Bharti, Reliance and the Tatas doing just the opposite—trying to be everything to everyone," asked VOICE&DATA. "They will have to change soon," came the answer, unequivocally. "If they have to provide everything, they should not build the networks. Otherwise, it becomes too costly to be a profitable business," he said, adding, "Companies like AT&T, which wanted to provide all services, have failed miserably."

Dr Sheth touched upon his rule of three, and shared his views on cross-industry consolidation, next-generation business economics and implications of integrated networks. ATM will be inviting a few more star speakers, as part of its knowledge series. It also plans to take up policy research.

Shyamanuja Das