ISSN 2278 - 7852
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VOLUME XXIII | ISSUE 2 | JULY- AUGUST 2014
THE MONTHLY MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE
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FRUGAL
INNOVATION
As Albert Einstein famously stated: "One cannot
solve a problem with the same mind set that created
it in the first place." Frugal innovation is the ability to
generate considerably more business and social
value while significantly reducing the use of scarce
resources. It's about solving-and even transcendingthe paradox of "doing more with less".
Dear Friends,
If one ever conducts a survey on the most-used
words in the domain of management then they
would surely be 'efficiency' and 'effectiveness'.
Managers' role is difficult because they have to
bring one not at the cost of other. And the only
way to optimize this triangle of time, cost and
quality is through innovation. As it normally is
the case, the application of this concept far
preceded the devising of a term for it. That's
why the annals of management are replete with
the stories where entrepreneurs, leaders and
managers have accepted the challenge of
scarce-resources and have beaten it through
the innovative frugality.
This issue is a tribute to this concept which has
continuously been recognized or reinvented
through newer terms, be it 'frugal innovation' or
'Jugaad'. It covers a gamut of stories related to
the people who have championed this theme,
and also brings to you works of those authors
who have played an instrumental role in
propagating the concept. We hope that this
issue would help you in reviewing your
paradigms towards resource management and
in rekindling the desire to innovate.
Mr. Sandeep Naolekar
Editor Indore Manager
LESSONS FROM
CARLOS GHOSN, CEO,
RENAULT- NISSAN
26
4
Editor
Mr. Sandeep Naolekar
Associate Editor
Mr. Sandeep Atre
Editorial Board
Ms. Chani Trivedi
Ms. Divya Goel
IMA Team
Dr. Rachna Tiwari
Mr. Jaspreet Jeet Singh
Ms. Harshita Tiwari
Ms. Suman Agrawal
Mr. Prakash Mehra
Mr. Devilal Purohit
Designed by
VB&A
A FRUGAL AND
FLEXIBLE APPROACH
TO INNOVATION
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INAUGURATES
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Contents
Editors's Message
Editorial
Board &
Team IMA
28
TOP 10 FRUGAL
INNOVATIONS IN INDIA
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Create "good enough" products that deliver high
value for money:
THEME ARTICLE
LESSONS
FROM CARLOS
GHOSN,
CEO, RENAULTNISSAN
Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of
the Renault-Nissan Alliance, famously
coined the term "frugal engineering"
in 2006. He was impressed by Indian
engineers' ability to innovate costeffectively and quickly under severe
resource constraints. And under
Ghosn's leadership , Renault-Nissan
has proactively embraced frugal
engineering and become one of the
world's leading producers of both
electric cars as well as low-cost
vehicles - two of the fastest growing
and most promising market segments
in the global automotive sector.
Recently, in New York, we participated in a
panel discussion organized by the Asia
Society called "Jugaad Innovation:
Reigniting American Ingenuity" (you can
watch a video here). We were honored to
have Ghosn as our key panelist. During the
panel discussion, Ghosn explained that
Western automakers must sacrifice the
"bigger is better" R&D model and adapt to
frugal engineering.
In today's resource-constrained
environment, Western firms are feeling the
growing pressure to "do more with less" that is, deliver more value to customers at
less cost. CEOs of these firms can emulate
four best practices initiated by Carlos
Ghosn at Renault-Nissan:
Over-engineering products is no longer sustainable both for economical and environmental reasons.
Rather, Western firms need to make simplicity a key
tenet of their innovation process by developing "good
enough" offerings that deliver significant value for
money to cost-conscious consumers. For example, in
2004, Renault launched Logan, a small, no-frills
family car. At a starting price of $10,000, the car is
built with drastically simplified product architecture
and minimal components. In addition to a strippeddown, modern design, Logan is reliable and energy
efficient. As a result, it has become Renault's bestselling car across recession-weary European markets
as well as in many emerging markets. Building on
Logan's success, Renault has now developed an
entire line of low-cost vehicles (under the brand Dacia)
all modeled after Logan's technology platform.
Foster healthy rivalry among global R&D teams:
CEOs may find it difficult to persuade R&D teams in
the US and Europe - used to abundant resources and
pushing the technology frontier for its own sake - to
embrace frugal innovation. Yet engineers and
scientists love challenges. Western CEOs can create
challenges for global R&D teams by introducing
artificial constraints that foster a sense of urgency
and healthy rivalry that can lead to frugal solutions. In
one instance, Ghosn requested three different R&D
teams - one each from Japan, France, and India - to
come up an engineering solution for the same
technical problem. The teams came up with solutions
of equal quality - yet the Indian engineers' solution
cost only one-fifth of what the French and Japanese
engineers' solutions cost.
Tap partners in emerging markets who excel at
innovating more with less.
Rather than relying exclusively on in-house R&D
teams to develop frugal solutions, companies in
developed economies need to connect with
entrepreneurial organizations in emerging markets
that have a knack for innovating on a shoestring.
Recognizing that even its least-expensive pickup truck
was five times costlier than the Indian market could
a f f o rd , N i s s a n e s t a b l i s h e d a n R & D a n d
manufacturing joint venture with Ashok Leyland, an
Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer. Ghosn
recounts with humor how Dr. V. Sumantran,
Send your top executives to emerging markets to
cultivate the jugaad mindset:
Ultimately frugal innovation is not just about doing
04 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
19.Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you. - Oprah Winfrey
Non-Executive Vice-Chairman of Ashok
Leyland, paid a visit to the basement of
Nissan's technical center in Atsugi, Japan
and pointed to a four-generation old Nissan
pick-up truck. He told Nissan's baffled head
of product planning: "Give us the design
specs of this vehicle and our Indian engineers
will use it as baseline to develop a greatlooking yet affordable and robust pick-up
truck fit for the tough Indian roads." And they
did it. The result is DOST, an entry-level pickup truck with a starting price of Rs 3.7 lakhs
($6,600). Since its launch in September
2011, DOST has garnered more than a third of
India's hypercompetitive light commercial
vehicles market. The Ashok Leyland-Nissan
joint venture now plans to introduce DOST in
other emerging markets in Southeast Asia
and the Middle East.
20.Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days. - Zig Ziglar
more with less. It's about learning how to innovate
under severe constraints and turn extreme adversity
into an opportunity for growth. But it's hard for
Western executives to cultivate this frugal, flexible and
inclusive mindset - which we call jugaad - in resourcerich and relatively stable Western economies. That's
why Ghosn dispatched Gérard Detourbet, a senior
executive in Paris who was in charge of RenaultNissan's entry-level cars, to India. From his new base
in Chennai, Detourbet will be leading the development
of a "global small car" - an entry-level car priced at
around Rs 3 lakhs ($5,200) that will first be
commercialized in India and then introduced in other
emerging markets like Brazil, Indonesia, and South
Africa. When Detourbet returns to Renault-Nissan's
headquarters in Paris, he is poised to bring with him
the jugaad mindset he honed in India. As Ghosn, a
Brazilian-born French national of Lebanese descent,
explains: "We don't go to emerging markets to just
bring back a product, but to learn something - like new
processes or a whole new mindset.”
To win in today's resource-constrained global
economy, Western CEOs must follow Ghosn's lead in
embracing frugal innovation. By inculcating the
jugaad mindset within their enterprise, Western CEOs
will be able to build a resilient organization that can
deliver significantly more value to customers using
fewer resources.
Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/2012/07/frugalinnovation-lessons-from/
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 05
THEME ARTICLE
JUGAAD:
THE INDIAN
WAY OF LIFE
Jugaad is a word most commonly heard in India. It implies quick fix solution to any problem. It is a common
phenomenon observe on the streets of India in small ways like fixing things with safety pins, turning
cycles into a mobile shop of necessities, selling clothes by displaying it on the trees and many more..
A new book on the block ' Jugaad Innovation' talks about
how jugaad can help you find great solution to problems
and can turn any adversity into an opportunity.
We got chatty with the trio and they had a lot to say to us on
this topic which is widely growing and sweeping through
companies. Here's a look at what they had to say.
The 3 authors, Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu, Simone Ahuja,
talk about this phenomena that is helping MNC's to develop
breakthrough paths to grow in this competitive market.
Today, global companies are talking about Jugaad as an
effective approach to innovation. Meanwhile, jugaad is
practiced in all Indian homes on a daily Basis, without
giving it a second thought. What are some of the lessons
that multinationals can learn from simple Indian
households?
A little more on about this dynamic trio:
Navi Radjou is an innovation and leadership strategist
based in Silicon Valley. He is also a World Economic Forum
faculty member. He advises C-level executives worldwide
on breakthrough growth strategies. Navi is also writing a
book on new models of leadership.
Jaideep Prabhu is the Jawaharlal Nehru Professor of Indian
Business and Enterprise at Judge Business School,
University of Cambridge. He has taught executives from
ABN Amro, Bertelsmann, BP, BT, IBM, ING Bank, Nokia,
Philips, Roche, Shell, Vodafone, and Xerox.
Simone Ahuja is the founder and principal of Blood Orange,
a marketing and strategy consultancy with expertise in
innovation and emerging markets. She regularly presents
and consults to Fortune 500 companies across sectors,
and contributes to a Harvard Business Review blog.
06 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
This is a great question. It is exactly because jugaad and
the jugaad mindset is so inherent in Indians that Indians
are well poised to apply the principles of jugaad to business
practices. While jugaad can refer to quick fixes and low cost
solutions, such as using a 2L Pepsi bottle to store pulses,
use as a planter, a showerhead or even as chappals, it's
also a very important mindset. The frugality and the flexible
rather than linear approach to problem solving exhibited in
many Indian households is a highly effective one that
companies can and must learn to augment structured
innovation processes and to grow, particularly in times of
economic volatility. Moreover, jugaad innovation is a great
complement to more structured innovation processes,
which leads to the creation of scale.
21.To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles - T.F. Hodge
One of your favorite stories or ideas that you came across
while writing this book?
There are so many outstanding and inspiring stories of
jugaad innovation, particularly grassroots examples. One of
those SELCO, founded by Harish Hande, a company that
destroyed the myth, that the poor cannot afford and
maintain clean technology. SELCO distributes solar energy
to more than 200,000 rural households across India. For
us he epitomizes the frugal, flexible and inclusive mindset
of a jugaad innovator. First, he bootstrapped his venture
with very limited resources and iterated on his model until
he found one that works for him - ultimately, a highly
innovative system of grassroots entrepreneurs who buy
solar light and rent and distribute them on a daily basis. He
added tremendous value not only for the communities he
served, but also for the micro-entrepreneurs with whom he
partnered which in turn sustained his own business model.
Another important finding that emerged while researching
for and writing this book is that jugaad is not unique to India.
In fact, similar approaches to innovation exist in many
emerging markets including Brazil where it's called jeitinho
and China, where it's called zizhu xuangxin - and even in the
US, particularly among Generation Y and entrepreneurs,
where there's a growing DIY or do-it-yourself movement
building that also calls for a frugal, flexbile and inclusive
approach to problem solving.
Name 2 good companies practicing jugaad and how?
The Tata group is an example of an Indian company that
practices jugaad. The Tata Nano is an outstanding example
of the application of the principles of flexibility, frugality and
inclusivity that are the hallmark of the jugaad mindset. So
too with the Tata Swach. GE Healthcare is an example of a
Western multinational that practices jugaad in India and
elsewhere. The company used jugaad principles to develop
a range of low cost ECG machines in India that it has also
sold in other emerging markets as well as the West.
Before writing this book did you read any books on
jugaad?
While we hadn't read other books on jugaad, we conducted
interviews with hundreds of grassroots entrepreneurs,
corporate leaders and others in India to really understand
the essence of jugaad. Interestingly, we found it means
different things to different people depending on
geographic region and socio-economic status, etc.
We took all of these insights and distilled them into a
definition of jugaad that underlines the best of it - a frugal,
flexible and inclusive approach to problem solving and
innovation. In a sense, it is an amelioration like "hacking",
which at one time had a negative connotation and now has
found its way into the business lexicon with many
corporations conducting hackathons to find solutions to
problems. In this same way, we have extracted the best of
jugaad since so many principles of jugaad innovation can
benefit society at large.
Any tips on how can a startup
company initiate and practice jugaad
right from day one?
Startup companies (and the
entrepreneurs that lead them) are the
very epitome of jugaad. Our book and
its principles are inspired by such
companies and individuals. So for us
to be telling startups how to apply
jugaad would be a bit like us teaching
fish how to swim! That said: two main
principles of jugaad that are useful to
startups are:
1) always look to get more with less
(i.e., be frugal) and 2) always look to
challenge conventional wisdom and
look for non-linear solutions to
problems (i.e., be flexible).
What made the 3 of you collaborate on such a project?
All three of us have unique perspectives that
complemented our background and academic research for
this book. It began with ethnographic research for a film
series that Simone's company, Blood Orange, was creating
for a corporate client who wanted to better understand
innovation in emerging markets and how it may be relevant
in the West. For the series, Simone brought in Navi, then an
analyst at Forrester whose focus was innovation and
emerging markets, as an innovation consultant for the
series. Ultimately, Navi left Forrester to work with Jaideep,
a marketing professor at the University of Cambridge's
Judge Business School, who was heading the Centre for
India & Global Business there. Navi later brought Simone in
as a consultant for the Centre. Much of our respective work
was done separately, but with common themes particularly
around innovation and emerging markets so it made sense
for us to bring our interests and information together in a
book like Jugaad Innovation.
Would the 3 of you be collaborating in the future also?
Absolutely. The three of us continue to write articles on the
subject of jugaad innovation and frugal innovation for the
Harvard Business Review blog and publications like Fast
Company, BusinessWeek as well as many newspapers in
India and the US. We also pursue individual study of jugaad
based on our professional backgrounds, and share these
learnings with each other. We won't say yet whether a
Jugaad Innovation sequel is in the works, but there certainly
is a lot more ground to cover around this subject!
Source: http://jugaadinnovation.com/jugaad-theindian-way-of-life/
22.You cannot run at full throttle when applying your mindset to all of the different things running through your head.
Focusing is the key to manifesting your desires." - Stephen Richards
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 07
THEME ARTICLE
THE CEOs FRUGAL
INNOVATION AGE
CEOs should encourage R&D teams to move away from
pursuing over-engineered "perfect products" - which today's
thrifty customers find too expensive, hard to use, and ecounfriendly - and focus instead on developing"good enough"
solutions. By "good enough," we don't mean stripped-down
versions of existing high-end products. Such quick-fix
solutions could leave customers feeling less than satisfied,
and designers would inevitably have to return to the drawing
board down the road to undo the problems caused by such
half-baked solutions. Rather, engineers of large firms need to
create affordable solutions from the ground up - by heeding
the advice of
John Maeda, president of the Rhode Island School of Design,
who notes: "R&D engineers must make frugal simplicity the
core tenet of their design philosophy. They must design for
the 'real world' by practicing… 'radical incrementalism' - which
is doing more with less."
Emerging markets like Africa, India and China offer Western
engineers a great training ground to practice frugal simplicity.
For example, Siemens, the German industrial giant, is using
its R&D teams in India and China to develop minimalist
solutions that deliver higher value to customers.
In one instance, Siemens' engineers in India - working closely
with their German colleagues - developed a Fetal Heart
Monitor that uses inexpensive microphone technology rather
than the costlier ultrasound technology. This "good enough"
medical device promises to make quality healthcare
affordable and accessible to more people - not only in
emerging markets but also in developed economies.
Create separate brands to sell the company's less
expensive offerings.
CEOs of large companies face a conundrum: they are confronted with a growing number of frugal
consumers clamoring for affordable solutions, yet their existing corporate culture and incentive systems
are designed to support a "bigger is better" business model - not to deliver more with less. As the Age of
Austerity dawns, however, corporate leaders will have no choice: they will have to bite the bullet and
infuse their organizations with a frugal mindset. In sum, CEOs need a frugal innovation agenda.
Frugal innovation is the ability to innovate cost-effectively
and sustainably under severe resource constraints. In our
last blog post, we showed how Carlos Ghosn, CEO of
Renault-Nissan and inventor of the concept of "frugal
engineering", is reinventing his entire company so it can
innovate faster, better, and cheaper in a complex and
resource-scarce global environment.
Carlos Ghosn isn't the only CEO spearheading the frugal
innovation revolution. In our book Jugaad Innovation, we
profile leaders at companies such as GE, Procter & Gamble,
PepsiCo, and Siemens who are also working on frugal ways
to innovate and drive sustainable growth.
These visionary CEOs aren't caving in to Wall Street's
08 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
Given that they might already have well-established brands
for higher-priced segments, to avoid brand dilution,
marketing heads should develop distinctive new brands for
their company's affordable segments. Doing so will reduce
the problems of brand dilution while ensuring greater market
coverage. For instance, many of Renault's affordable entrylevel vehicles are sold under the brand Dacia, which includes
the Logan, the highly successful sedan that sells for about
$10,000, as well as an affordable van, pickup, and even SUV.
Rather than marketing its Dacia products as "low-cost"
vehicles, Renault is cleverly positioning them as vehicles
that are stylish, comfortable, dependable, and affordable i.e., they deliver more value at less88 cost.
Based on our research, we suggest that CEOs eager to do
more with less drive systemic changes across their entire
organization - focusing their change management efforts
on three functions: R&D, marketing, and sales. Specifically,
CEOs must:
Similarly, Siemens is grouping its affordable offerings - such
as the microphone-tech-enabled Fetal Heart Monitor - under
the label SMART, which stands for Simple, MaintenanceFriendly, Affordable, Reliable, and Timely-to-Market. In other
words, Siemens is positioning its SMART products not only as
being less expensive (they are 40-60% cheaper than highend solutions) but also faster to deploy and easier to use and
maintain for customers. Siemens's SMART product portfolio
already boasts more than 160 affordable solutions ranging
from X-ray machines to steam turbines to railway signaling
systems.
Challenge R&D teams to create "good enough"
solutions.
Create incentive systems for salespeople to sell
frugal products.
demands for short-term gains. Rather, they are boldly
restructuring every function in their organizations to boost
their firms' long-term ability to deliver affordable and
sustainable solutions to increasingly cost-conscious and
eco-aware consumers.
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
Western companies must recognize that frugal innovation
isn't just about designing affordable products. It is also
about successfully selling these frugal products in the
marketplace. But successful selling won't happen as long
as salespeople have the incentive to sell only big-ticket
items. Instead, companies will have to align their
salesforce's incentive systems with the corporate strategy
of doing more with less.
Companies can address this issue by reorganizing their
salesforce along brand lines, with different salespeople
responsible for the low-end and high-end segments. This
will also help reduce any internal resistance based on the
fear of cannibalization. Even better, as Renault-Nissan has
successfully proven, healthy internal competition between
divisions could drive sales and marketing personnel
responsible for different brands to be more innovative in
how they reach and keep their respective customers.
Consider that for decades, Procter & Gamble maintained a
homogeneous sales structure, selling premium products to
mainstream middle-class consumers. But as the
purchasing power of middle-class Americans declines, P&G
has restructured its sales force into two distinct groups that
separately target high-income and low-income segments.
This restructuring of the sales function bodes well for P&G,
which is currently engaged in a "frugal innovation arms
race" with its archrival Unilever. Indeed, Paul Polman, CEO
of Unilever, has set a bold goal to double Unilever's revenue
by 2020 while simultaneously curbing its environmental
impact by 50%.
CEOs who are bold enough to implement
this frugal innovation agenda - as leaders
at P&G, Renault-Nissan, Siemens, and
Unilever are doing - will be able to deliver
significantly more value to customers while
saving on costs and reducing
environmental impact. According to the
World Economic Forum, corporations can
save a whopping $2 trillion by 2030 by
implementing frugal innovation strategies
that do a better job of utilizing resources.
In our upcoming blogs, we will share more case studies and
proven techniques that can help you effectively design,
make, and market frugal products and services.
Meanwhile, we are curious to hear from you: Is your
organization, led by your CEO, driving a frugal innovation
agenda? Are you involved with developing and
commercializing affordable, good-enough
challenges you have faced and the lessons you have learned
so far in your frugal innovation journey.
Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/2012/10/the-ceos-frugalinnovation-age/
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 09
THEME ARTICLE
FRUGAL ENGINEERING:
AN EMERGING INNOVATION
PARADIGM
With a vision of mass manufacturing 'the People's
Car', Tata Motors set out to design the least expensive
production car in the world for under Rupees 100,000
(around $ 2,000). When it was launched in late 2009,
it made headlines around the globe; the Nano was
heralded a new breed of transportation. Since then,
sales of the Tata Nano have been disappointing,
leading many observers to brand it as a failure.
Is the Tata Nano a success or a failure? Did they get
the price point wrong? Will it ever really sell outside
India? Questions such as these seem - to us - to miss
the real story behind innovations like the Nano, GE's
portable ECG machine developed in India, or the
Chotu Kool (a cheap replacement for a refrigerator
targeted to rural Indian consumers).
However interesting each of these innovations might
be, (or even how much money these particular
products may lose or make), it is of much more
There may perhaps
not be any better
example of the
dictum that
necessity is the
m o t h e r o f
invention than can
be found in India.
Whether it is a
refrigerator, ECG device or an
automobile, Indian engineers
have brought innovative
products to market by
designing them outside-in.
They have looked not only at the
needs of the market, but
also at what the market
can spend. Readers
interested in learning
how to design more
with less will find
valuable lessons in
this article.
Mr. Suhas Gopinath during the session.
10 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
interest to recognize the revolution in product-design
philosophy that they embody. Carlos Ghoshn, who
heads Renault-Nissan, is credited with coining the
term frugal engineering, to signify achieving more with
fewer resources. Others have described similar ideas
under terms such as reverse innovation, Gandhian
innovation or even "Indo-vation." Whatever the term,
the real story behind the Nano is a radically new
product-design philosophy and a new approach to
innovation.
Global leadership in an industry is often linked to
having demanding domestic market consumers. It is
so partially because Japanese consumers are
extremely demanding when it comes to electronics,
German consumers for automobiles, Americans for
fast food products, and French and Italian consumers
for fashion, so much so, in fact, that one observes
leading companies in these industries from the
vantage point of their respective countries and the
needs of their respective markets.
A similar dynamic is alive and well in India. Innovation
is a direct response to meeting the needs of Indian
marketplace, where consumers are both demanding
as well as budget constrained. According to Guillermo
Wille, former Managing Director at GE India, "the
beauty of the Indian market is that it pushes you in a
corner… it demands everything in the world, but
cheaper and smaller."
In our research, we found that India was building a
capability for frugal engineering. Given that this
appears to be a practice that is taking root in China
and other emerging markets, we conducted extensive
research on frugal engineering. We discovered many
examples that in turn led us to identify six underlying
principles or pillars on which such frugal engineering
efforts often seem to rest. We describe these
principles in this article.
Robustness
India is a harsh environment in terms of the huge
variances that occur in operating conditions in that
country. Such a setting affects the priorities that drive
product development and innovation. This means not
just extremes of temperature, but an erratic supply of
electricity and peak-load ratios unheard of in the
West.
Nokia has gained a dominant share of the Indian
market and has hired more people there than in any
other country except for its home base of Finland.
Each of Nokia's three Indian R&D centres is an
integral part of the firm's global R&D infrastructure.
Product features developed for the Indian market
include a dust-proof keypad and face, a torchlight and
nonslip sides for a better grip during humidity, the
bane of the monsoon season. It is quite conceivable
that these are features that a Finnish inventor in
stable, cool Nordic conditions might never imagine.
Portability
Space constraints and the need to transport products
to rural areas over poor transportation links highlight
the importance of portability in India. Small and
lightweight become highly desirable product
attributes. Think again of the MAC 400i ECG, and
consider the miniaturization efforts that are
necessary to achieve this kind of portability in a
product class that typically ascribes no value at all to
portability.
Defeaturing
Defeaturing consists of feature rationalization, or
"ditching the junk DNA" that tends to accumulate in
products over time. With Indian consumers, firms can
avoid implementing features that do little to enhance
the actual product. Siemens supports its innovation
efforts in India with a billion-euro investment devoted
entirely to developing and adapting products for the
local market. Currently, Siemens employs seventeen
thousand people who work on 42 products that
eventually will be sold in India and exported to other
markets. Most of the prototypes are developed and
held in strict secrecy, but leaks hint at the possibility of
solar-powered X-ray machines, fetal heart monitors,
steam turbines, and road traffic management
systems. The CEO of Siemens, Peter Löscher, alluded
to the potential: "These products require a different
kind of innovation. What counts here is simplicity, not
sophistication."
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 11
Leapfrog technology
Service Ecosystems
It may seem a contradiction, but some infrastructure
gaps in India have positively affected Indian
innovation: they have forced entrepreneurs and
companies to adopt technologies that make relying on
existing infrastructure (creaking and unreliable as it is
in many ways) simply irrelevant. Indian engineers
have invented a battery-powered, ultra-low-cost
refrigerator resistant to power cuts; an automatic
teller machine for rural areas; and even a flour mill
powered by a scooter. People in the West, with its
constant access to electricity, have little motivation to
pursue such innovations. The Indian mobile phone
industry is the poster child for leapfrogging over
infrastructural constraints. A limited fixed-line
infrastructure created an opportunity for mobile
phones to reach many more people. Mobile telephony
is also relatively cheap, sharable, and easily repaired.
And thus, a new frontier of global innovation opened in
India.
The conventional wisdom in marketing is that
reaching demanding cost targets requires low
variability, or a one-size-fits-all mentality. Selling large
volumes requires that a product appeal to multiple
segments, each with slightly different needs.
Displaying innovative thinking, Indian firms resolve
the dilemma by using efficient service ecosystems.
While these ecosystems achieve low costs, they also
highlight product features and thus broaden the
product's appeal. Today, it is easy to see a plethora of
small repair shops and other businesses that have
mushroomed around population centres in India. The
use of these service ecosystems-which comprise not
just parts and repair but financing as well-can help
firms enlarge their product markets. For example,
Selco, which designs simple, low-cost systems that
combine solar panels and storage batteries, has
installed solar lighting systems in 100,000 homes in
rural southern India. A two-light home system can cost
around $200, or 10,000 rupees-expensive,
considering that the company's customers earn less
than half that in a month. So Selco assembled an
aggressive financing package with various local rural
banks that provide financing to 85 percent of Selco
customers; the repayment rate for solar loans is about
90 percent. In addition, service support personnel
visit customers once every three months during the
first year to ensure that the system is working properly
and to collect batteries for recycling.
Megascale production
With its massive population, India
has market segments that if
captured, can help firms drive costs
down so that they can produce on a
massive scale-megaproduction. The
costs of component manufacturing
for the Nano, for alternative energy
products, or for mobile handsets in
India, similarly reflect the scale at
which these products can be
produced. The health sector in India
is another example, where having one
billion plus potential patients leads
to process revolutions that lower the
costs dramatically compared to
prevailing world prices. The low-cost
cataract operations performed at the
Aravind Eye Hospital are a prime
example of this.
For companies in emerging markets, developing
innovative products and launching them across the
world, especially for end consumers, powerfully
enhances corporate reputation and brand equity.
However, as NASA's space program demonstrates,
when the focus is on exploring the frontiers of science
without a budget constraint, the United States is
unmatched in its innovation capabilities. Therefore, it
is not surprising that the majority of the Nobel prizes
awarded for science go to academics at U.S.
universities doing basic research. Such basic
research develops new knowledge, which may or may
not have any immediate real world applications. It is
often curiosity driven and funded by university or
government grants in order to build the long-term
competitive advantage of the country. It is hoped that
over time, some percentage of this new knowledge
created will result in breakthrough products and
services. India, and even China, despite the latter's
intense focus to do so, cannot easily compete with
developed countries in this domain in the foreseeable
future.
IMA ACTIVITIES
IMA HR FORUM MEETING
MAXIMIZING
SOCIAL MEDIA AS A
RECRUITMENT TOOL
30th April, Wednesday, 2014
IMA organized 'HR Forum Meeting' on the topic "MAXIMIZING
SOCIAL MEDIA AS A RECRUITMENT TOOL" on Wednesday, April 30,
2014 at IMA Meeting Room.
Social media is a powerful recruiting and sourcing
tool for organizations. It takes the old networking
adage of hiring based on "who you know" to a new
level. The ability of employers to tap into these social
networks is quickly becoming an indispensable
resource. IMA organized the HR Forum Discussion
inviting experiences & ideas from the HR's of various
companies.
The companies that participated in the discussion
IMA HR Forum Discussion
were Narmada Extrusions, Idea Cellular, STI Textile,
TUV Rhenland (I) Pvt. Ltd. ,QMS Management
Consultant, Diaspark, Deccan Diesels & National
Steel.
Participants during IMA HR Forum Meeting
12 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 13
IMA ACTIVITIES
IMA ACTIVITIES
WORKSHOP DETAILS
WORKSHOP DETAILS
DEALING WITH
DIFFICULT PEOPLE
HOW TO HANDLE BUTTERFLIES
IN THE STOMACH
th
9 May, Friday, 2014
IMA's Training at Doorstep
28th February
Workshop
on2014
"Dealing With Difficult
People" on Friday, May 9, 2014 at
MAN Trucks Pvt. Ltd, Pithampur &
Monday, May 12, 2014 at Kirloskar
Brothers Ltd., Dewas.
Indore Management Association (IMA) has organized
its Training @ Doorstep, a one-day Workshop for the
corporate people on Friday, 9th May 2014, at MAN
Trucks India Pvt. Ltd, Pithampur & 12th May 2014, at
Kirloskar Brothers Ltd., Dewas. The module for the
workshop was: "Dealing with Difficult People" and
Speaker for the session was Mr. Amber S. Arondekar,
Founder & Mentor of Powertrain India.
Human beings are the only living resource that an
organization possesses and hence it is important to
know how to deal with them and why it is important to
deal with them. As managers, we need to understand
that it is not people who are bad, sometimes it is
situation and circumstances that force them to
behave in a particular manner. Reflecting on the skillwill matrix, facilitator, Mr. Amber Arondekar said that
it is important to understand the skill-will
combination of employees, and assigning them a
particular place on the matrix, suitable for them,
helps deal with them.
The workshop was conducted by IMA at Man Trucks,
Pithmapur & Kirloskar Brothers Ltd., Dewas and was
14 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
10th May, Saturday, 2014
Indore
Management
28th February
2014 Association's
Professional Women Forum
organized a workshop on "How to
Handle Butterflies in the
Stomach" on May 10, 2014 at IMA
Meeting Room.
speaker does. This process of overcoming the
problem should begin with a full understanding of
why & where the problem exists.
The participants included IMA's Women Forum
Members, Professionals & Students. The fruitful
session concluded emphasizing various ways to
control stage fear & confidence building.
Mr. Amber S. Arondekar in discussion with the participants during the
IMA Training at Doorstep workshop at MAN Trucks India Pvt. Ltd, Pithampur
Mr. Amber S. Arondekar in discussion with the participants during the
IMA Training at Doorstep workshop at Kirloskar Brothers Ltd. Dewas
attended by all first and second line managers of the
company.
The companies that participated in the workshop
were - MAN Trucks India Pvt. Ltd., Rajratan Global
Wire Ltd., STI Textile, Cipla Ltd., Indore Composite,
Rosy Blue, Capital Via, Pinnacle Industries Ltd.,
Kirloskar Brothers Ltd., Vippy Soya, H&R Johnson,
Diaspark, Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. and many
more.
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
Indore Management Association's (IMA)
Professional Women Forum had organized a
workshop on "How to Handle Butterflies in the
Stomach" on Saturday, 10th May 2014, at IMA
Meeting Room, Jall Auditorium. The Speaker for the
session was Ms. Sweta Khandelwal, Director
Speech Craft. Ms. Sweta Khandelwal is a highly
experienced trainer and associated with many
educational institutes of Indore. Her forte lies in
communication & soft skills.
Ms. Sweta Khandelwal explaining various aspects of speech building
with the IMA Professional Women Forum Members.
The workshop explained how to overcome stage
fright, nervousness & other inhibitions associated
with it. It also created an understanding in various
aspects of speech building.
Ms. Sweta Khandelwal discussed that in the
corporate world we have to be ready with the perfect
communication all the time, may it be business
report reading, presenting power point presentation
and so on. She said that the stage fear can be
overcome as a professional & as a experienced
IMA Professional Women Forum Members during the workshop.
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 15
IMA ACTIVITIES
IMA ACTIVITIES
WORKSHOP DETAILS
IMA CENTER OF EXCELLENCE (COE)
PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
LIVING IN MORE THAN
ONE WORLD
9th May, Friday, 2014
IMA organized Evolution for
Excellence Workshop on:
"PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM" on Wednesday, May 14,
2014 at Hotel Sarovar Portico,
Indore.
th
28
February
2014 of Excellence
Organised
Center
(COE) on "Living In More Than One
World" on Tuesday, May 20, 2014
at IMA Meeting Room !
Mr. Om A Singh Chauhan in discussion with the participants during the
IMA EFE Workshop at Hotel Sarovar Portico, Indore
Indore Management Association (IMA) organized its
one-day Workshop for the corporate people on
Wednesday, 14th May 2014, at Hotel Sarovar
Portico, Indore. The module for the workshop was:
"Performance Management System" and Speaker
for the session was Mr. Om A Singh Chauhan,
Corporate Trainer.
Om Singh spoke on the above subject at a daylong
seminar held under the aegis of Indore Management
Association. Mr. Singh pointed out that the balanced
scorecard has evolved from its early use as a simple
performance measurement framework for nonfinancial performance measures to a full strategic
planning and management system.
Mr. Singh concluded with his remark that even
Medium and Small Businesses need to adopt the
BSC methodology to align its Vision to execution and
have a clear internal external communication of its
mission
16 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
20th May, Tuesday, 2014
The participants during the IMA EFE Workshop at Hotel Sarovar Portico, Indore
The companies that participated in the workshop
were -Jaideep Ispat & Alloys, Cummins, Pinnacle,
Indira, Securities Pvt. Ltd, Sonic Biochem, HEG Ltd.,
Rajratan Global Wire , Sigma Chemicals, Methodex
Systems Ltd., CHL Group of Hospitals, Ruchi
Infrastructure Ltd., SS Global, Ruchi Group, Capital
Via, STI, Anik Industries Ltd. , Indore Composite Pvt.
Ltd., Permali Wallace Pvt. Ltd.
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
Indore Management Association organized a
Center of Excellence session on "Living in more than
one world" for its members. The program was
organized on Tuesday May 20, 2014 at IMA's
Meeting Room, Jall Auditorium, Indore. The Speaker
for the session was Lt. Col. (Vétéran) Dr. VK
Gautam, Président, NCPO, New Delhi (Parivaar)
Managing Director, CAPE Assessment Center
Ahmadabad and a Philanthropist. He is also the
President of Parivaar, a largest NGO of the world
which is dedicated to the cause of disables.
At the outset the speaker mentioned about five
questions that are to be asked to face the
challenges of the unprecedented opportunities in
the world today, for the attainment of our ambition.
These questions were based on the combination of
our strength and self-knowledge.
The session sensitized the audience and certain
techniques of self management were also given,
stating how to balance the wheel of life by
maintaining the congruence of various aspects; to
be a success in personal, career and social life.
Dr. VK Gautam during an exercise with the participants at IMA's
Centre of Excellence evening program.
Dr. VK Gautam in discussion with the participants at IMA's
Centre of Excellence evening program
Dr. VK Gautam with the participants at IMA's Centre of Excellence
evening program
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 17
IMA ACTIVITIES
UNITED CONSULATE
INAUGURATES
AMERICAN BUSINESS
CORNER AT IMA
Mumbai - U.S. Principal Commercial Officer Ms. Camille
Richardson today inaugurated the American Business Corner
(ABC) in partnership with the Indore Management Association in
Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Ms. Camille Richardson presenting the MOA Certificate to
Mr. Vijay Goyal - President IMA
A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ( I TA ) s t r e n g t h e n s t h e
competitiveness of US Industry, promotes trade and
investment & ensures fair trade laws and
agreements. It also works to improve the global
business environment and helps U.S. organizations
compete at home and abroad.
He also discussed that the goals of this joint, U.S.
Trade and Investment Expansion partnership are to
increase awareness of the economic benefits of
trade; educate the public on trade activities as a job
creation and growth strategy and to encourage U.S.
businesses interested in exporting and foreign
businesses interested in investing in the United
States to seek the assistance of ITA.
The Indore ABC is the second such initiative in
western India, the first being in Surat, Gujarat. ABCs
allow the Foreign Commercial Service to organize
programs, visits, events and disseminate
information on U.S. Government programs to
connect Indian buyers to U.S. suppliers, and Indian
investors to opportunities in the United States.
Indore Management Association welcomed the
esteemed guests to the Inaugural Ceremony of
American Business Corner & the prestigious
partnership of International Trade Administration,
US Department of Commerce with Indore
Management Association.
IMA ACTIVITIES
Speaking at the occasion, Ms. Camille Richardson
said, "The American Business Corner in Indore will
foster new trade and investment links between the
United States and India, helping create jobs in both
of our countries.
The selection of Indore
underscores our belief that much of India's future
growth will come from cities like Indore."The
members present appreciated & congratulated
Indore Management Association for this prestigious
collaboration with US Department of Commerce.
Companies who participated in the Inaugural
Session were:
Rosy Blue, Gabriel India Ltd., Gajra Gears Ltd,
Emorphis Software Tech, Tata Precision Industries,
Diaspark Inc, Jaipuria Institute of Management,
Innovative Clad Solutions, Trump Crown Pvt. Ltd,
Eco Build Engineers, ABS Softech, Divergent
Software Labs, Davesman India.
Sigma Chemicals, Swan Finance Ltd., Neocorp
International, Ad-ManumPackagings Ltd.
Percept Swift, Omega Rubber BM Jain & Co, CH
Edgemakers, Gramco Infratech (P) Ltd. Nai Dunia
Absolute Training Solution, Niraj Engineering Co. (P) Ltd.
CSC India, IPS Academy and many more.
Ms. Camille Richardson duing the inaugural ceremony of
American Business Corner at Indore Management Association with
Mr. Jagdish Verma, Mr. Vijay Goyal & Mr. Shamit Dave.
The program started with the lightning of lamp &
ribbon cutting ceremony signifying the opening of
the American Business Corner at Indore
Management Association. MOA & Certificate was
also presented by U.S. Principal Commercial Officer
Ms.Camille Richardson.
Mr. Vijay Goyal, President - Indore Management
Association said, International Trade
18 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
Ms. Camille Richardson introducing the American Business Corner.
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
The guests during the inaugural session of American Business Corner at Indore Management Association.
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 19
IMA ACTIVITIES
IMA ORGANIZED 'HR FORUM MEETING' ON THE TOPIC
WHY SHOULD WE HIRE
SLOW & FIRE FAST?
30th May , Friday, 2014 at IMA Meeting Room
IMA organised 'HR Forum Meeting'
on the topic "Why Should We Hire
Slow & Fire Fast?" on Friday, May
30, 2014 at IMA Meeting Room. It
was a discussion which emphasized
the modern approach of "hire slow
& fire fast"
In a time of massive youth unemployment around the
world, the principle of "hire slow, fire fast" may seem
insensitive. However, for few reasons this approach
is more compassionate than the alternatives.
Third, trying to force someone to be something they
are not is neither sustainable nor humane. It doesn't
20 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
Pensol Industries Limited, Kodixodel Ltd. Webgility
Software Pvt. Ltd., Premier Biosoft, E Morphis,
Diaspark Infotech, STI Textiles, National Steel, Indo
German Tool Room, Cap & Seal, Piramal, LIC,
Mahindra, GSIMR, Scientech.
Indore Management Association organized a Tête-àtête with Mr. Anurag Batra, on the topic "Impact of
MEDIA in innovating & managing governance in
future" & with Mr. Suhas Gopinath on the topic
"Seeing GLOBE through WEB", on Tuesday, June 10,
2014 at 7:00 p.m., Hotel Fortune Landmark, Indore.
Mr. Utkarsh Trivedi, EC member IMA welcomed and
introduced the guest speakers to the members
present which & the program followed by the floral
welcome of the speakers. Mr. Vijay Goyal, President
IMA, proposed the welcome note.
Participants during the HR Forum Meeting
Mr. Anurag Batra belongs to first generation
entrepreneurs and is currently serving as Chairman of
India's most respected and widely acknowledged
business magazine BW | Business World.
He also serves as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of
exchange4media group which includes
exchange4media.com-India's leading media
industry website, PITCH-India's only Advertising,
Marketing and Media Magazine, IMPACT-The
Marketing.
First, it doesn't serve the world to create bloated,
bureaucratic companies that will slowly die. We need
healthy, growing companies capable of sticking
around for the long run.
Second, it isn't compassionate to keep one person but make their whole team struggle as a result. We
need teams in which everyone can trust each other
to do a great job. If "hire slow, fire fast" sounds harsh
or mercurial, consider how harsh it is to allow a whole
team to be held hostage by someone who should not
have been hired in the first place. And while we're on
the subject, lacking courage is not the same as
having compassion.
IMA ACTIVITIES
Discussion during the HR Forum Meeting
serve people to keep them in the wrong role, giving them
the same negative feedback week after week, month
after month, year after year. So, to "hire slow, fire fast,"
start by being absurdly selective in who you hire.
Mr. Anurag also serves as Joint Managing Director of
India's leading fortnightly magazine Governance Now.
He is also an honorary advisor to India's leading
website on fashion,, and leading auto website, besides
mentoring many budding entrepreneurs. Mr. Suhas
Gopinath at the age of 14 was recognized as the
world's youngest certified Professional Web Developer
through his project coolhindustan.com. Mr. Gopinath
was very assertive to be an entrepreneur and wanted
to encourage the youth, he set up Globals in the year
2000 from an internet shop and has drastically
scaled up Globals as one of the fastest growing
Technology companies focused in education, as
featured in The Economist.
At the age of 16 he was recognized as the world's
youngest entrepreneur by CNBC and e Business,
Canada. With this at the age of 17 he was recognized
as the World's Youngest CEO by leading Medias across
the globe including BBC, Washington Times, The Age,
etc., including Limca Book of Records. He is also
designated as the resource person for various B
Schools in India and abroad for entrepreneurship, and
A d v i s o r y B o a rd m e m b e r a t I I T B o m b a y
Entrepreneurship Cell.
The European Parliament and International
Association for Human Values conferred "Young
The discussion was fruitful. Various companies that
participated in the discussion were-
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
Mr. Anurag Batra during the discussion with the participants.
Mr. Vijay Goyal, President IMA welcoming Mr. Anurag Batra & Mr. Suhas Gopinath
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 21
IMA ACTIVITIES
IMA'S EVOLUTION FOR
EXCELLENCE WORKSHOP
Achiever Award" to Mr. Suhas
Gopinath at the EU Parliament,
Brussels. In 2008, the prestigious
World Economic Forum announced
Suhas as one of the "Young Global
Leaders" and he became the
youngest member ever in the World
Economic Forum's history.
Mr. Anurag Batra emphasized that
the good governance is all about how
citizens, leaders and public
institutions relate to each other in
order to make change happen. The
media shapes in large part what
people think of the issues and
institutions that affect them. It is
The participants during Tete-a-tete.
critical to the formation of public
Mr. Suhas Gopinath apprised about SMAC, Social
opinion. A free media is fundamental to any
mobile analytics & cloud. He shared his experiences
definition of democratic good governance.He also
about various challenges he had faced during his
apprised that IMA has passion & I haven't seen such
journey as an entrepreneur. He discussed the ways
a passion in any association I have visited. He
through which social media has been amazingly
shared that digital media is changing the impact by
occupied by the businesses. The session was rich &
giving the example of Modi's Campaign. He quoted
enthusiastic & was appreciated by all. The
that - Its necessary to be financially strong, else one
companies who participated in the program were:
would take shortcuts. Last but not the least he
concluded with the saying that ; Be a positive catalyst
always, money will come by its own.
Mr. Suhas Gopinath during the session.
22 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
IMA ACTIVITIES
Davesmen India, Sigma Chemicals, Ad-Manum
Packaging Ltd, Neeraj Engineering, Capital
Constructions Pvt. Ltd., LIC of India, Gajra Gears Ltd.,
Rajratan Global Wires Ltd, Capital Via Global Research
Ltd., Jaideep Ispat & Alloys Pvt. Ltd., Sonic Biochem
Extractions Ltd. CAPCO, Sacos Indigo Pvt.Ltd.,
Mahindra, Mittal Corp Limited, Vastramber, Accures
Legal, Cipla Ltd., Rosy Blue, Matchbox, DCBS Indore,
Choithram International, Percept Swift Advertising Pvt.
Ltd, Atul Polychem, Directorate of Distance Education
DAV, Indore Patel Audio Visual, Radisson Blu Hotel,
Anik Industries, Power Train, Neocorp, Truba College
and many more.
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
Indore Management Association (IMA) has organized its one-day
Workshop for the corporate on Thursday, 26th June 2014, at Hotel
Sarovar
Portico,
28th February
2014Indore. The module for the workshop was: "Managing
Conflict at Work Place" and Speaker for the session was Lt. Col. Dr. V
K Gautam, Corporate Trainer and MD, CAPE Assessment Center
Conflict can be a serious issue in an organization
by building spirit de corps. Col. Gautam covered
and lead to closure of a business, if not, surely there
various aspects; starting from causes, process and
could be a loss of productivity or may lead to losing
various schools of resolutions techniques,
good people from an organization. It must be
supported by use of Instruments' to find out the
understood that all conflicts are not bad, as long as
approach in life of participants and for application of
they are functional. Hence, it is important to
the subjects, real industry cases were discussed.
incorporate additional aspects; like conflict
Col. Gautam also pointed out that conflict in the
process, cognitive dissonance, negotiation and
organization is must and useful, as long as
bargaining and techniques to solve conflicting
organizational interest comes first and it is
issues at work place. It is also pertinent to note
functional for the good health of the organization,
that superior, colleagues and
s u b o rd i n a te r e l a t i o n s p l a y a
paramount role at work place. One
should be clear that the employer and
employee relation is a key success in
any business. To maintain such
coordination and respect for each
other high degree of understanding is
required, like more wisdom than
intelligence. Hence, both the sides
have to understand each other's
stance for developing a conduciveenvironment with collaborative
IMA's Evolution of Excellence Workshop by Lt. Col. Dr. V K Gautam.
approach for better results
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 23
IMA ACTIVITIES
IMA ACTIVITIES
IMA'S HR FORUM MEETING ON THE TOPIC -
BOOST EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT
27 June, Friday, 2014 at IMA Meeting Room
IMA organized HR Forum Meeting
on the topic "Boost Employee
Engagement" at IMA Meeting
Room on Friday, June 27, 2014
Participants in discussion with Lt. Col. Dr. V K Gautam
with one simple principle, ' if organization grows- all
grow; all grow- I grow; I grow-all grow, and if all groworganization- grows'
(b) They would be able to perform better in various
echelons of command or as a team player in the
system.
IMA organized HR Forum Meeting on the topic "Boost
Employee Engagement" at IMA Meeting Room on
Friday, June 27, 2014
Participants attained multi-prong benefits:
(c) Participants also enhanced their capability, with
regards to; how to lead, understand the scenario at
work place and manage to make a worthwhile place
of work for self and others by understanding the
conflict handling intention and managing it,
professionally. Col. Gautam
concluded that conflict is
inevitable and we should
convert into productivity with
precision. The companies
that participated in the
workshop were -Cipla,
Jaideep Ispat & Alloys,
Capco, Cummins, Pinnacle,
Indira Securities Pvt. Ltd,
Idea, Sonic Biochem, HEG
Ltd., Rajratan Global Wire,
Sigma Chemicals, Capital
Via, Anik Industries Ltd.
D&H Secheron, E Morphis.
As said by Steve Jobs, "The only way to do great work
is to love what you do."
(a) Participants understood the latest concept of
"conflict management"; whereby, they could
improve their true understanding of conflict process
and converting conflict into a useful dialogue.
Participant in discussion at the workshop with Lt. Col. Dr. V K Gautam.
24 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
Participants during the HR Forum Meeting.
Leaders who understand engagement and its
benefits actively take steps to build on it. Those who
don't understand it tend to wonder why attendance
levels are decreasing or disability claims are
increasing.
Engaged workers stand apart from their not-engaged
and actively disengaged counterparts because of the
discretionary effort they consistently bring to their
roles. These employees willingly go the extra mile,
work with passion, and feel a profound connection to
their company. They are the people who will drive
innovation and move your business forward.
The companies that participated in the meeting were
- E Morphis, Innovative Clad Solution , John Deere,
LIC , Tuv Rhenland (I) Pvt. Ltd., Methodex System,
National Steel, Sonic Biochem, EHS Consultants,
Hotel Sayaji Indore, Grasim Chemical Division
Pratibha Syntex & many more.
IMA HR Forum Meeting Discussion.
Participants during discussion at IMA HR Forum Meeting.
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 25
Book Review
A FRUGAL
AND FLEXIBLE
APPROACH
TO INNOVATION
By Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu
and Simone Ahuja
The book has hundreds of examples such as these
drawn from India, China, Brazil, Kenya and a whole
lot of other places. All of them work on six principles:
If you have grown up in India, the
word "Jugaad" is something that
we have lived it. It means finding an
innovative solution to a problem
arising out of ver y limited
resources. I remember how, two of
my friends used to buy one textbook
between them and then tear it into
half, study from it and then
exchange their halves to continue
studying. It made limited resources
go a long way.
This book written by Navi Radjou, Jaideep
Prabhu & Simone Ahuja is about a frugal and
flexible approach to innovation for the 21st
century. The book begins with Simone's
meeting with Mansukh Prajapati who has
designed a fridge that costs Rs 2500/-,
made out of clay (it is called Mitticool) and
runs without electricity. Prajapati's
innovation has made it possible for even
people in rural India have access to cool
water and the option to store fruit and
vegetables for upto three days. Prajapati has
no degree in engineering. In fact he didn't
even finish school. That is jugaad innovation
at its best.
In India, such examples of human ingenuity
are part of common folklore. On the way to
Agra, I have seen diesel engines fixed on to a
cart to create an ingenious version of
motorized transport. I have seen them being
used in rural Punjab. The locals call these
vehicles Jugaads.
26 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
•
•
•
•
•
•
Seek opportunity in adversity
Do more with less
and act flexibly
Keep it simple
Include the margin (alized)
Follow your heart.
Before you draw the conclusion that Jugaad is for
those who cannot afford the real stuff, the book
also has drawn on examples from the Fortune 500
companies to see how they are leveraging the same
principles to drive innovation in a resource
strapped world. Facebook, Google, PepsiCo,
Philips, Renault-Nissan to name just a few all
feature there. And yes, the Nano story is there too
along with examples from Siemens, Suzlon, Yes
Bank to show that frugal innovation maybe the way
forward for everyone.
Many organizations ask
themselves how they can build
an entrepreneurial culture
where the employees are
unafraid to try out new ways of
doing business.
For them I want to point out an
article the authors wrote called
Six Job Skills to Recruit for in
New Hires
• Resilience • Frugality
• Flexibility • Simplicity
• Empathy • Passion
These six traits are translations of the same six
principles of jugaad innovation applied to the
individual. The next time you hire, try to ask the
candidate for candidates when they have overcome
massive resource constraints and still met their
goals.
Consumer behavior in many developing countries is
very different from what we see in other parts of the
world. I can't think of too many countries where you
can buy a single cigarette. When the priciest
shampoos are packaged in sachets, they make the
same premium brands accessible to a larger set of
consumers who may not be able to afford the same
shampoo in a 500ml pack. The Nano is a great
example of making a car accessible to people who
couldn't. Prof Vijay Govindrajan has been running
his $300 house challenge for some time.
The world has been talking about Frugal Innovation
to deal with a world that is grappling with
unemployment, recession and rapid depletion of
the earth's resources. I loved the book because it
tells us to stop over engineering products that add
features that consumers never use but which drive
up the cost anyway.
Think of the features that exist in your cell phone or
your camera that you have had to pay for but have
never used. Software that is bloated with useless
features has been called bloat ware. They add
useless features that make the price put of reach of
the masses. So maybe the authors could have
avoided doing a hard cover version of the book and
stick to making these ideas accessible to more
readers who cannot afford to buy a copy for
themselves. Maybe they could give the book to
libraries in the poorest parts of the world at a no
profit price or even free to make sure more
innovators get inspired by the stories.
Overall, I loved the book and its zillion examples of
human ingenuity. Certainly recommend that you get
your top management team to read it. That may
inspire them to hire a different breed of innovators. I
for one certainly believe that innovations often
spring from the human effort of overcoming
insurmountable constraints. The satyagraha
movement was a jugaad solution to neutralize the
superior firepower and army of the rulers.
Gandhiji' had talked about the principles that today
go by terms such as "Bottom of the Pyramid" and
"Jugaad Innovation" long before these had been
taken over by management pundits. Think about it.
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 27
6
TOP TEN
TOP 10 FRUGAL
INNOVATIONS IN INDIA
1
2
In consultation with local communities, Frugal Digital developed Darshana,
a low-cost lunch box projector for use in schools. The projector is fitted with a
small USB 2.0 port and uses a phone touch screen as a trackpad.
8
4
5
28 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
Mehtar Hussain and Mushtaq Ahmed from Assam built a bamboo windmill for
around $100 to pump water from a small paddy field. The invention has now
been adopted by Gujarati salt workers, who are some of the poorest people in
the state, to pump brine water. Petrol-powered pumps consume huge amounts
of fuel, at a cost of around $1,000 each year. The wind-powered pump runs at a
fraction of the cost.
Paresh Panchal's bamboo splint-making machine makes it possible for
people in isolated villages to make incense sticks at low cost. Bamboo splintmaking has been done manually for years using knives, which can be
tedious, time-consuming and risky. The machine was awarded at the 7th
annual presidential grassroots innovation awards in March, 2013.
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
D. Renganathan, developed a mechanical tree climber which can be used for
scaling palm and coconut trees. Climbing trees for harvest is difficult and
dangerous work -- the tree climber designed by Renganathan uses a 'fourlock pin' system to prevent falls. The device now sells across south Asia.
Frugal Digital also developed Clock Sense, a monitor converted from an old alarm clock
which can easily assess temperature, pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, respiration
rate, blood sugar. It is cheap to produce and can be assembled from components which
are easy to find across India. The indicator provides simple information: red means the
patient should be taken to the hospital immediately, yellow indicates that an
appointment with a doctor should be made, green indicates good health.
9
GE's Vscan is a pocket-sized ultrasound device being utilized in both
developing and developed regions of the world. Launched in 2010, the handheld tool costs just $7,900 (compared to traditional ultrasound consoles
which can cost as much as $150,000) and has improved access to
advanced prenatal care in areas of rural China, India and Africa.
3
Mansukhbhai Jagani's motorcycle-based tractor is both cost effective costing roughly $318, and fuel efficient -- it can plow an acre of land in 30
minutes with just two liters of fuel.
7
The Mitticool Fridge was developed and launched by Indian engineer,
Mansukhbhai Prajapati (pictured), in 2006. Made entirely from clay, the
device costs roughly $50 and uses no electrical power. It can keep items of
food fresh for up to five days and has been a valuable addition to rural
communities in India.
Professor Anil Gupta shows Hollywood film director James Cameron a
biomass gasifier invented by Raj Singh Dahiya. Dahiya was born into humble
circumstances, but taught himself engineering from a young age. The
gassifier -- developed over 20 years -- creates fuel from farm waste bringing
power to otherwise isolated areas of the country to light houses, filter water,
and run mills.
10
Staff monitor a ward of a Narayana Hrudayalaya clinic in southern India.
Somewhere between Walmart and a low-cost airline, the chain of medical
centers aim to bring affordable healthcare to the masses. The organization's
founder, Dr. Devi Shetty, even believes he will be able to conduct heart surgery
for as little as $800 (compared to as much as $100,000 for the same
procedure in some hospitals in the U.S.).
A woman is interviewed by a citizen journalist CGNet Swara, a voice portal
that allows rural Indians to dial-in via their mobile phones and listen to local
news reports for areas where there is often little media coverage.
11
12
Indian prosthetics organization, BMVSS, say they can produce an artificial limb
for as little as $45. This compares to upwards of $10,000 dollars for a similar
procedure in the U.S. Thousands of Indian amputees who would otherwise be
unable to afford expensive medical procedures have benefited from BMVSS
and their "Jaipur Foot" program since it was established in 1975.
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 29
HEALTH SECTION
MONSOON SPECIAL:
TIPS FOR
HEALTHY EATING!
After the long blazing spell of summers, one fervently
waits for the rains to descend upon the weary dry
earth. Monsoon showers come as great relief and we
all become overwhelmed by this beautiful gesture of
nature. But in this heavenly weather we often forget
about hygiene and later this carelessness spells
doom for our health.
Monsoon diseases are mostly waterborne hence it is
of utmost importance to consume boiled and
purified water during these days.
Monsoons bring with them health irritants like
allergies, infections and indigestion. But you need
not worry because experts say that all these
problems can be averted if we practice small
variations in our eating habits and adopt a healthy
diet. With monsoons, the heat subsides but the
humidity surges and that proves detrimental to the
body`s digestion. These problems can escalate if we
don't give heed to our dietary habits.
HEALTH SECTION
According to dieticians, humidity levels are high during
the monsoon because of which the capability of the
body to digest is at its lowest. In such a case, it is
important to avoid heavy and oily food as the digestion
becomes very weak and it might lead to an upset
stomach. Street food should be strictly avoided, so
well it's time to resist all the advances from that
nearby chaat stall and control your cravings.
In this season,
we should try to
The humidity acts as
concentrate on
an arch enemy for your
light food. This
skin. The skin gets
requirement
very oily and prone to
can be fulfilled
harmful infections.
by the increased
Problems such as
intake of green
pyodera, boils, change
leafy vegetables
in skin colour
which builds
dullness, rashes and
i m m u n i t y
patchy skin also arise.
besides being
Drink ample amount
very light on the
to water to keep these
problems at bay.
stomach. Fruits
are the perfect
food for this
season as they
restore energy.
But before
consuming vegetables and fruits we should
remember to wash them thoroughly as they also
carry the risk of infection.
Avoid fresh fruits, which have been pre-cut or peeled
and kept in the open. Go for mangoes, apples,
pomegranates and pears and avoid watermelons
and muskmelons. Enjoy mangoes this season but
don't gorge on them completely as too much of it can
lead to pimples and boils.
Foods such as barley, brown rice and oats are the
stomach`s best friend during the monsoon season.
Add a dash of garlic to soups, stir fries and curries
which will help build the body`s immunity.
The intake of dairy products should be considerably
reduced as they have maximum susceptibility to
contamination by germs. So, instead of milk switch to
its alternative yogurt.
Fungal and bacterial infections are rampant because
of the humid weather. This damp weather breeds
infection and invites diseases such as dengue. Eat
hot and properly cooked home food. Cast off food
which has strange odour, mould or appearance.
Cover all the food items always and never expose
them to the air. Apart from it, always keep your hands
clean and wash them properly after every meal.
Skin allergies can also soar in this weather so the
people who are prone to frequent allergies and
pimples should keep a strict check on their diet.
Spicy food should be avoided at all costs because
spicy food stimulates the circulation and raises body
temperature, which leads to skin irritation, allergies
and diseases.
The humidity acts as an arch enemy for your skin. The
skin gets very oily and prone to harmful infections.
Problems such as pyodera, boils, change in skin
colour dullness, rashes and patchy skin also arise.
Drink ample amount to water to keep these problems
at bay.
So, with these tips eat safe, remain healthy and enjoy
the divine showers.
Source :
http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/health-news/monsoon-special-tips-forhealthy-eating_22452.html
30 INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014
23.Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.- Alexander Graham Bell
I try to learn from the past, but I plan for the future by focusing exclusively on the present. That's where the fun is.- Donald Trump
INDORE MANAGER | JULY-AUGUST - 2014 31