The growth of the economy is reflected through the rise in incomes of the people, but development is a wider term, which includes both growth and qualitative improvement in the standard of living of the people and a better distribution of incomes. Development thus involves a rise in the level of income and the level of investments leads to better standard of living in general through growth plus socio-economic changes and development. The inflation is creeping up, to almost 8 percent at times, and this means that the value of money saved goes down instead of going up. In today's less income growth and highly increasing cost of living economy, one has to know how to use his/her savings or idle funds to generate higher returns. A bewildering range of investment alternatives is available. Savings form an important part of the economy of any nation. With the savings invested in various options available to the people, the money acts as the driver for growth of the country. Indian financial scene too presents a plethora of avenues to the investors. Though certainly not the best or deepest of markets in the world, it has reasonable options for an ordinary man to invest his savings. At present an individual has a variety of investment opportunities. As there are different types of investment channels, public get confused when and where they plan to make investment, by selecting the best sort of investment and rejecting the rest is very difficult to the investors. Hence one must pay much attention as regards to investment decision. An investment decision must be made with definite objectives. Before proceeding, the investor should be very clear as to specific requirements and aspirations. It could be a return or capital appreciation or safety or tax relief or any other peculiar factor that a particular investor desires. Depending upon that and on the basis of the objectives, investors make the investment decision by selection. Such a process offers the silver lining of golden return to investors. People invest to multiply their savings in order to fulfill their aspirations for a bigger house, a higher education for their children or a secured retirement for them. To achieve these objectives, the investor has a wide variety of products and services to choose from. One can deposit savings in a bank account, buy shares or bonds on the stock exchange, or buy a life insurance policy or invest in a retirement plan among other investment alternatives. This book highlights the different investment avenues available to the investors, investigates the reasons behind the investment decisions, and identifies the factors influencing the preference of the investors. It also analyzes the investors' attitudes towards a specific investment pattern and puts forth the problems faced by the professionals in the process of building their investment pattern. Saving entails a tradeoff because it requires consuming less now in exchange for later consuming more. While those who sacrifice to save now can themselves enjoy higher consumption in the future, some of the resulting increase in the nation's stock and the related income will also benefit future generations. Thus current saving and investment decision have profound implication for the level of wellbeing in the future and current generations are in a sense stewards of the economy on behalf of future generations.

About the Author

Dr. K. S. AROCKIASAMY, M.Com., M.Phil., Ph.D,, B.Ed., is an Assistant professor and former Head of the Dept of B.com. Corporate Secretaryship, St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, India. He has more than 9 years of teaching experience in UG and PG level. He has published more than 10 articles national journals and edited books. He has presented more than 7 papers in National Seminars and workshop. His specializations are Corporate Restructuring and Accounting. He has organized two national seminars and two intercollegiate competitions....Dr. B. REVATHY, M.Com, M.Phil, B.Ed., Ph.D, DCA, MBA, is an As soc i a t e Prof e s sor in the Department of Commerce, School of Business Studies, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli. She started her career as a Lecturer in Commerce on 05.07.1989. She has to her credit more than 25 years of teaching experience at the levels of UG & PG. She has cleared the SLST examination in Commerce in 1990 and was awarded Doctorate in Commerce in May, 1999. She has presented papers in 27 international seminars and 50 National Seminars & Conferences. She has published 50 articles in national and international journals. She has authored 7 books and also chapters in 47 edited books. 51 scholars are awarded M.Phil under her guidance and seven scholars are awarded Doctoral degree in Commerce. She is a recipient of the award of Excellence in Teaching. She has organized many national seminars, workshops and intercollegiate competitions. She is a member of the Academic councils and is an external examiner for the universities of Tamil Nadu.