DR EDGAR WHITLEY is Reader in Information Systems at the Information Systems and Innovation Group in the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has a PhD in Information Systems from the LSE. His research and practical interests include global outsourcing, social aspects of IT-based change, collaborative innovation in an outsourcing context, and the business implications of cloud computing. He is also an expert in identity, privacy and security...

-The Indian Express   The finance ministry has come to an agreement with the department of industrial policy and promotion about what the government’s policy towards foreign direct investment in retail should look like. This means the retail FDI proposal will be placed before the cabinet soon, and hopefully will be cleared as soon as possible. Currently, only 51 per cent foreign investment is permitted, and only in stores selling a single...

How do you quantify happiness in a diverse nation like ours? Growth levels, value-based structural changes, what can affect it? Life is Elsewhere?     Bhutan’s GNH: Based on the Buddhist doctrine of harmony with environment and fellow beings besides material comfort     UNDP Human Development Report: Ranks nations on quality of life—adjusted real income, life expectancy, education etc     World Values Survey: Started in 1995, it explores impact of social and political changes...

-PTI Home Minister P Chidambaram has expressed concern over the data collection process of Unique Identification Authority of India saying there was real chance of inclusion of non-usual residents and creation of false profile in the project which may compromise internal security. In a letter to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Chidambaram said the process of the National Population Register being prepared by the Registrar General of India have been...

-The Telegraph A Centre-appointed committee of experts has declared the Kudankulam nuclear plant safe, prompting the group opposing the facility to say it is unlikely to participate in further talks to resolve the standoff. “We have found the plant to be safe and any fear about the after-effects of its commissioning is not based on scientific facts,” A.E. Muthunaygam, convener of the expert committee, told reporters at nearby Tirunelveli today. The comments followed...