Players such as IGNOU and state open universities that offer courses primarily through traditional offline modes, such as printed study material and periodic contact programs, dominate the distance learning market in India. However, with the proliferation of smart devices and the increase in Internet penetration across the country, it is expected that more number of institutions will start providing online

and blended distance learning programs.A major reason for the rise in demand for distance learning is the imbalance in the demand and supply of higher education in India. Vendors are emerging in the market to provide technological support through partnerships with institutions to aid higher education institutions with infrastructural drawbacks and meet the learning needs of students. These vendors not only cater to student population but also to working professionals.Another prominent trend that is expected to gain popularity in the distance learning market in India is the adoption of the small private online course (SPOC) model to deliver distance learning to assure better retention along with peer learning compared with massive open online courses (MOOCs).

The sales in department stores in Germany are declining owing to the growth of other retail formats like discount stores, shopping malls, and e-commerce websites. Players like Hertie, Horten, Wehmeyer, and Bilka that were popular among generations of German shoppers have shut down operations. Closures of more

department stores in the country are likely to occur during the forecast period. Such closures will offer opportunities for urban development and for retailers with other

successful formats like shopping malls as these stores are located at very busy and centralized locations.Online retailing is becoming increasingly popular among customers, particularly in the mid-market consumer segment. However, the in-store shopping experiences are still important for purposes of touch and feel, information collection, and purchases. Thus, omnichannel retailing is an emerging trend in the market.

Welcome to Deloitte’s annual Global Powers of Retailing report. This report marks the 20th year of identifying the 250 largest retailers around the world and analyzing their performance across geographies,sectors, and channels.Over the last 20 years we have seen a seismic shift in retail and the customers that retailers serve.Consider that in 1997, the inaugural year of this report,

today’s average Amazon Prime customer was just 16 years old, AOL was pioneering social media, and handheld virtual pets were the hottest-selling toys.Today, handheld (or wearable) digital devices are ubiquitous and a younger, social customer has come of

age. We are living in an era where customers are in the driver’s seat more than ever before and they are craving authenticity, newness, convenience, and creativity. We are living in the customer-driven economy.

The implementation of goods and service tax (GST) in 2017 will benefit a lot of industries due to the reduction in the number of indirect taxes and transparency in the system. The logistics sector will be one of the major beneficiaries owing to the reduction in taxation and less frequency of inter-state inspections. Reduced operational cost in the logistics sector will lead to increased spending on telematics systems in the logistics sector.The telematics market in India is evolving and is finding applications in many industries. The auto insurance sector has been the greatest beneficiary of increased telematics system adoption in India owing to the reduction in claim rates from telematics installed automobiles. Insurance companies have been engaging in many promotional measures to promote the use of telematics in the commercial vehicle segment.

The cloud computing market in Latin America is growing at a significant growth rate in the wake of widespread use of cloud computing solutions in small and mediumsized businesses (SMBs) in Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. Leading vendors have invested in setting up data centers across Latin America to expand their cloud business in the domestic market. Large enterprises are subscribing to advance cloud computing technologies such as OpenStack.Microsoft has transformed its cloud offerings through advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.The automation of operational processes in industries such as manufacturing, and the use of analytical tools to predict consumer preferences and market dynamics should boost the implementation of cloud computing solutions. Vendors are investing in industry-specific cloud solutions to support the requirements of Industry 4.0 in the manufacturing sector. The adoption of industrial cloud solutions is high in
the Americas and is projected to gain ground in the emerging markets as well. Telecom companies in Latin America are revamping their infrastructure to build intelligent information and communications technology (ICT) solutions to transform networking systems, especially in emerging markets. In 2016, Telefonica Peru partnered with Huawei, a leading Chinese telecom company, to construct ultrabroadband (UBB) network across Peru. The ICT reforms across Latin America will help enterprises to increase digitalization in operational process. Digitalization
across industry verticals such as banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) and telecom will boost the demand for cloud computing services in emerging markets.

Substantial increases in birth rates in some countries such as India and Indonesia are proving profitable for manufacturers of baby food and infant formula products. The baby food and formula market in the US is expected to register moderate growth with a CAGR of 2.71% during the forecast period.This report covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the baby food and formula market in the US for the period 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the retail sales of baby and toddler food and formula in terms of revenue and volume.

The Australian vegetable-growing industry is an important part of Australian agriculture, contributing around 6 per cent ($3.4 billion) to the gross value of agricultural production in 2014–15 (ABS 2016).Between 2006–07 and 2014–15, the estimated average farm cash income of Australian vegetable growers remained relatively steady, although both average total cash receipts and average total cash costs increased. This reflects an increase in the average size of vegetable-growing farms.In 2015–16 (the most recent survey year) average farm cash income of Australian vegetable-growing farms is estimated to have increased to around $249 000 per farm. The financial performance of vegetable farmers improved in all states except South Australia and Western Australia.

Based on geography, although the Middle East dominates the market, the adult diaper market is still in its infancy stage.In the Middle East, the demand is shifting from value adult diaper to premium adult diaper due to increasing disposable income and improving healthcare infrastructure
in these countries. However, the transition from value adult diapers to premium products is still in the early stage and is disparate across the countries of the Middle East.In this report, Technavio covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the adult diaper market in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for 2016-2020. For the purpose of arriving at the market size, the study considers the revenue generated from the retail
sales of the following types of adult diapers in the MEA market: Pad-type adult diaper, Pant-type adult diaper, Flat-type adult diaper.

The logistics business environment in Brazil has been affected by structural bottlenecks such as shortages in public infrastructure, political instability,recessionary environment, and low integration into global trade.This report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the 3PL market in Brazil for the period 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, this report considers the revenue generated by 3PL providers.