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'It is important that our executive MBAs experience India' |
Q&A: Phil Rosenzwieg, Professor, Strategy and International Management |
Chitra Unnithan / Ahmedabad February 15, 2010, 0:18 IST |
The executive MBA programme at Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD) is ranked among the top 20 such courses worldwide. As part of the course, the institute conducts a Discovery Expedition to India. Phil Rosenzwieg, professor of Strategy and International Management, and his students recently visited India as part of the expedition. Rosenwieg spoke to Chitra Unnithan about his experience. Edited excerpts:
What is the Discovery Expedition all about?
EMBA Discovery Expeditions are real-time lessons on exploring new trends and ideas, and evaluating their relevance for participants and companies. They include visits to the likes of Silicon Valley and Shanghai. Our programme involves work with company-specific assignments, along with three Discovery Expeditions to other parts of the world. Our goal is not just to learn about the economy and business challenges but also to learn about the social and environmental issues.
After Shanghai and Silicon Valley, why did IMD choose India for the discovery programme?
India is a very important part of the world stage today. It is very important that our executive MBAs experience India. India is a global power in the making, if it manages to achieve anywhere near its full potential over the next few years. Our visit to India sets us up nicely for our next trip to Shanghai in May, as there are many points of comparison and contrast between these two giant nations — economically, socially, politically, environmentally, and more.
What were the take-aways from India?
India is also a place of stark contrasts, often positioned side by side: abject poverty next to western luxury and sophistication; global corporations (both Indian and foreign) next to grassroots entrepreneurship. IMD Executive MBA participants visited leading companies including Infosys Technologies, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Zensar and interacted with speakers who talked about issues like entrepreneurship, advertising in Indian culture, spiritual life, and microfinance. The participants stayed in Mumbai where they witnessed the full range of urban life — from Marine Drive to Dharavi, a slum of more than a million people. The group also travelled to Pune, and visited villages east of Pune to understand rural issues, including education and agriculture.
And last autumn, five leading companies (ICICI, Tata Motors, Wipro Water, Zensar, and Jaipur Rugs) identified two projects each, which groups of students began to work on in December, first on a remote basis, then during their time at IMD from Jan 17-23, and then while in India, finally making presentations to the client firms on this month. Perhaps this was the most valuable part of the Discovery Expedition.
How important is India as an education market for IMD?
India is highly important as a country for us to learn about. It has not, so far, been a large market for IMD, but we hope that will improve over time. We have had a few Indian nationals doing our EMBA, and would like to have many more.
The founder and trustee of the Jaipur Rugs Foundation, Nand Kishore Chaudhary believes in supporting the rural artisans and weavers in a way that they transform themselves into entrepreneurs and take the industry to a new level. Jaipur Rugs Foundation was earlier known as the International Research and Development Institute. The foundation’s model propagates the idea of a facilitator that bridges the underprivileged and unemployed with the government.
JRF’s website now has new sections for the viewers to interact. So if you want to browse through all the information pertaining to carpets, weavers, want to leave your comments or suggestions or want to be abreast of the recent changes and developments in the industry or foundation, do visit us at:
http://www.jaipurrugs.org/news.htm
http://www.jaipurrugs.org/JRF-Article.htm
http://www.jaipurrugs.org/2-JRF_Article.htm
Owing to the growing population, the means and standards of living in
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Simply creating carpets & rugs & making India a global champ in the home furnishing sector are not the only priorities that define the Jaipur Rugs role. Jaipur Rugs is one large family which considers its artisans, weavers & workers an integral part of this one big family. And, thus, the upliftment of these dedicated weavers is one of the topmost priorities of the company's development strategies.
To develop weavers and their family, Jaipur Rugs Company formed its social unit known as Jaipur Rugs Foundation in 2004. Jaipur Rugs Foundation is now involved in several economical and social programs of govt. and other agencies to uplift the quality of life of weavers & their families. We deals and works for the betterment of the carpet industry keeping the following goals in mind:
JRF is dream of its founder Mr. N. K. Chaudhary, who worked along with rural artisans for 30 years. He firmly believes that each carpet is the aesthetic sense and inner feelings of artisans, which is their power of expression. At present JRF has ensured sustained livelihoods to 25000 artisans in wool reeling, dyeing, carpet weaving, repairing and many downstream jobs in the production chain. We constantly strive to link the livelihoods of poor with markets and to bring them in the mainstream. Today weavers need to understand end customer and vice versa.
Achievements:
· Sustained Livelihoods to 25000 artisans
· Our intervention has provided additional income of Rs18000/annum to each artisan.
· The capacity building programmers have developed skilled human resource, capable to meet global challenges.
· Local youths employed as service providers to mobilize, generate awareness, ensure quality control and deliver services to artisans.
· Women constitute 80% of total artisans. Hence, a greater space for women empowerment
· Another 30000 artisans can be employed for the work.
· Linkages of artisan for insurance, health, banking through ICICI Lombard, artisan Health cards, and access to banks has enabled us to mitigate risks of artisans.
· Assured buy back arrangement through Jaipur Rugs Co. Pvt. Ltd has given surge and sustainability to the clusters.
· Some local success stories from rural India have began to surface.
While implementing various projects across several villages in
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Indian carpets often reflect the influence of Persian designs yet they have made a unique place for themselves by their exquisite patterns, attractive colors and elegance. The typical knotted Persian carpet weaving reached