Encourage diversity of ideas, Indian businesses told

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, SEPT. 8. The task of achieving sustainable global competitiveness requires that entrepreneurs should turn their outfits into ``entrepreneurial organisations'', infusing a common purpose and vision across the enterprise.

This is among the ``take aways'' that more than 700 managers got from the three-day 28th National Management Convention of the All India Management Association (AIMA), which concluded here today.

The points of consensus that emerged, as per the summary presented at the valedictory session, included the need for Indian businesses to acquire skills in knowledge management and encourage diversity of ideas. ``Entrepreneurial behaviour'' should be valued as an asset and not subject to ostracism. ``Three successes out of five attempts should be considered much better than one attempt and one success'', it was stated.

Developing a global outlook while shaping strategy, reengineering business processes with customer insight-driven sales and marketing, efficiency in manufacturing, procurement and supply chain management and resort to outsourcing for non-core operations were listed as tasks that would make a reality of the slogan ``we can do it'' that marked the spirit behind presentations by experts, industrialists and professionals at the convention, which had been designed by Accenture.

``Communicate, communicate, and communicate'' the vision and objectives of the business to all personnel for effective change management, said Dr. J. J. Irani, Director of Tata Sons, and former head of Tata Steel, delivering the valedictory address. Outlining the multi-pronged strategy that Tata Steel had adopted since 1991, and especially in the last three years, to emerge as one of the most competitive producers in the industry in the world (vide World Steel Dynamics), Dr. Irani said neither the ``lions'' in industry not ``gazelles'' could afford to lag behind the rest if they wanted to survive in the competitive environment.

The first Lifetime Achievement Award of the Madras Management Association (MMA) was presented at the convention to Mr. R. K. Swamy, doyen of advertising and former president of the AIMA and the MMA. The AIMA awards were given to the best State-level management associations and teams of young managers. The ``best young manager of the year'' award was conferred on Ms. Kanchan Shahi of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), New Delhi.

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