CHAPTER - 3

PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND GLOBAL ENTERPRISES

a. Departmental Undertakings –
Features
Part of Government-Central or State
Under direct control of the ministry
Funds comes directly from [Link]
Employees are Govt. employees.
Examples:- Railways
Defense
Post and Telegraphs

Merits
Effective control
Public Accountability
Suitable for national security
 Demerits
Lack of flexibility
Delay in decision making
Red tapism
Political interference
Unable to take advantage of opportunities

b. Statutory Corporations
They are created by Special Acts of the Parliament which contains their powers
and functions, rules and regulations regarding their employees and its
relationship with government departments.

Features
Statutory Corporation is fully owned by the Government.
It is having a separate legal entity.
Its employees are not government employees.
Board of Directors are appointed by the government
It prepares its own budget and can retain its earnings which can be used for its
business.
Profit is not the main motive.
It has public accountability.
Usually it is free from all types of interference.

Merits
Free from undesirable government
The government does not interfere in their financial matters.
It is relatively free from red tapes and can take quick decisions.
Its policies are subject to parliamentary control which ensures protection of
public interest.

Limitations
A statutory corporation’s actions are subject to many rules and regulations.
Government and political interference have always been there where huge funds
are involved or in major decisions.
Where there is dealing with public, corruption exists at a larger level.
The Board of Directors may misuse their powers and indulge in undesirable
practices.

c. Government Company Meaning: -

According to The Indian Companies Act, 1956, a government company is a
company in which not less than 51% of the paid up capital is held by the central
or state government or both. Subsidiary of a government company is also
considered as a government company.
Eg: 1) Hindustan Machine Tools Ltd. (HMT)
2) Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL)
3) Steel Authority of India Ltd.

Features
It is created by the Indian Companies Act, 1956.
It is having a separate legal identity.
Its employees are appointed according to the rules contained in the
Memorandum and Articles of Association of the company.
It is exempted from the accounting and audit rules and procedures.
It obtains funds from government shareholdings, private shareholders and
capital market.

Merits
It can be easily established.
It has a separate legal entity.
There is no undue departmental interference in the working of the company.
It can curb unhealthy business practices by providing goods and services at
reasonable prices.

• Changing Role of Public Sector

Public Sector was started to achieve the following objectives:
To speed up the economic growth of the country
To achieve a more equitable distribution of income
To create infrastructure facilities
To develop all parts the country equally Performance of the Public Sector was
poor due to unorganized plants, out dated technology, underutilization of
capacity, over staffing, trade unionism, political interference etc., So the
government, in the Industrial Policy 1991, introduced the following reforms in the
public sector.
The number of industries reserved for the public sector was reduced from 17
to 3 industries namely atomic energy, arms and rail transport.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed between a public sector and its
administrative ministry defines its autonomy and the targets to be achieved.
Equity shares of public sector units are sold to private sector and the public
which is known as Disinvestment.
Loss making public sectors which are potentially viable will be restructured and
revived through the Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR).
Public sector units which cannot be revived will be closed down.
A National Renewal Fund was created to retrain and redeploy retrenched labor
and to compensate employees seeking voluntary retirement.
Global Enterprises/Multinational Companies
Meaning: - A global enterprise is one which owns and manages business in two
or more countries.
Eg:- Unilever Ltd, Coca cola, LG, Samsung, Hyundai Motors, Proctor and
Gamble, etc.

Features
A global enterprise has huge capital resources.
It operates through a network of subsidiaries, branches and affiliates in host
countries
It has its headquarters in the home country which controls all branches and
subsidiaries.
It uses advanced technology to provide world class products and services.
It employs professionally trained managers.
It has vast access to international markets.
It has advanced research and development departments which are engaged in
developing new products and superior designs of existing products.
It uses aggressive marketing strategies.
It usually enters into agreements with local firms in the host countries.

• Joint Ventures
Meaning: A joint venture is a business partnership between two or more
companies for a specified purpose.
Eg : Hero Honda, Maruti Udyog, Birla Yamaha Ltd, etc.

Benefits
A joint venture has greater resources and capacity.
It has access to advanced technology
It has access to new markets.
It can produce products at a lower cost.
It has ideas and technologies to develop innovative products and services.
When one party in a joint venture has well established brands and goodwill, the
other party gets its benefits.

• Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Public Private Partnership means an enterprise in which a project or service is
financed and operated through a partnership between Government and private
sectors.
Features
It facilitates partnership between public and private sector.
It is related to high priority projects.
It is suitable for big projects whose gestation period is long.
Revenue is shared between government and private enterprise in the agreed
ratio.
It is used in the government projects targeted at public welfare.

Very Short Answer type Questions (1 Mark)

1. Name the types of public sector enterprises?
Ans. i) Departmental undertakings
ii) statutory corporations
iii) Government company
2. Name the organization which is considered as a part of Government
Company only?
Ans. Departmental undertakings
3. Where national security is concerned, which form of public enterprises is
most suitable?
Ans. Departmental undertakings, because they are under the direct control
and supervision of the ministry.
4. Mention any two examples of departmental undertakings?
Ans. i) Post and Telegraphs
ii) Indian railways
5. Name the organization formed by passing a special act of the parliament?
Ans. Statutory Corporation
6. Mention any two examples of statutory corporation?
Ans. i) Food Corporation of India
ii) Life Insurance Corporation
7. Name the company in which at least 51% shares are kept by the
government?
Ans. Government Company
8. In whose name the shares of a government Company are purchased?
Ans. The President of India
9. Why is the ‘Government company’ form of public enterprise preferred to
other types of organizations?
Ans. Because it enjoys maximum autonomy in all management decisions
and actions. There is no undue departmental interference in the working of a
government company.
10. Mention any two examples of a government company?
Ans. i) Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
ii) Hindustan Machine Tools Limited
Long Answer type Questions
11. What is public, private partnership? Explain its features.
Ans:-The following points should be explained
Helps partnership public sector and private sector
Related to high priority projects
Suitable for big projects
Public welfare
Sharing revenue

12. “Multinational companies are a blessing to the developing countries.”

Comment on this statement.
Ans:-The following points should be explained
Huge capital resources
Centralized capital
Expansion of market territory
Advanced technology
Product innovation

13. What are the benefits of entering into joint ventures?

Ans:- The following points should be explained
 Increased resources and capacity
 Access to new market and distribution networks
 Access to technology
 Innovation
 Low cost of production
 Established brand name

14. Name the form of public sector enterprises that is constituted as an

autonomous unit by an Act of Parliament? Explain any five features of such
an organization?
Ans:- Statutory Corporation.
The following points should be explained
Statutory Corporation is fully owned by the Government.
It is having a separate legal entity.
Its employees are not government employees.
Board of Directors are appointed by the government
It prepares its own budget and can retain its earnings which can be used for
its business.
Profit is not the main motive.

15. (a) Mention six causes responsible for inefficiency of government

enterprises?
 (b) Give any three distinctions between a statutory corporation and a
government company.
Ans:-a) The following causes should explained
Performance of the Public Sector was poor due to
unorganized plants,
out dated technology,
underutilization of capacity,
over staffing,
trade unionism,
political interference
inefficient management

16. What was the role of public sector before 1991?

Ans:- Public Sector was started to achieve the following objectives:
To speed up the economic growth of the country
To achieve a more equitable distribution of income
To create infrastructure facilities
To develop all parts, the country equally
Generation of employment
Defense Requirements
Check over concentration of economic power

17. What are the benefits available to the government company?

Ans:- 1. Easily established
2. Separate legal entity
3. Enjoys autonomy
4. Curbs unhealthy business practices
 HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills)

1. Can the public sector companies compete with the private sector in terms of
profit & loss efficiency? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. No, public sector companies cannot compete with the private sector in
terms of profit & efficiency.
Following are the reasons for this:
1. Public sector enterprises (PSEs) are owned by the government which has
social services as the main motive. They do not operate fully on commercial
basis. They are launched to achieve social objective like development of
backward region, creation of employment opportunities, etc.
2. Working of public sector enterprise is subject to interference of the
government. Autonomy &flexible enjoyed by PSEs are only in name.
3. Due to the bureaucratic control, the management is very poor inefficient.
They are managed by bureaucrats & not by professional.

2. Public sector enterprises have played vital role in the economic development
of India. However; government of India vigorously pursues the policy of
disinvestment of such units. What is the rationale of disinvestment at this
time?
Ans. Public sector enterprises played a significant role in the economic
development of India by filling gaps in the industrial sector, generating
employment opportunities, balance regional development, check over
concentration of economic power & so on. despite their impressive role,
public sector undertaking (PSUs) in India suffered several problems
shortcoming such as excessive overhead, under- utilization of production
capacity, inefficient management, low return on investment or even losses,
etc. Therefore, government of India pursued the policy of disinvestment of
sick PSUs. Disinvestment involves the sale of the equity shares to the private
sector& the public, i.e., reducing equity of the government.

3. State any three situations wherein Government Company is the most

suitable form of organizing public enterprises?
Ans. Government Company is the most suitable form of organizing public
enterprises in the following situations:
1. When the government wants to control a company in the private sector
without nationalization because of financial or employment crises, e.g.,
Indian iron steel co.
2. When the government feels necessary to promote & develops a field of
economic acidity, e.g., STC.
3. When the government wishes to launch an enterprise in association of
certain private interests, domestic or foreign, e.g., Hindustan Machine Tools.
4. What motivates a company to go global?
Ans. Desire to expand its business motivates a company to go global. If a
company wants to enjoy the fruits of larges-cable production (i.e., increased
profit reduces costs), it needs a bigger market spread over too many
countries.