What should he do?

NO.4 IIBMS – “ WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, ANYWAY ?”  IIBMS – “ WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, ANYWAY ?” It was past 4 pm and Purushottam Kshirsagar was still at his shopfloor office.  The small but elegant office was a perk he was entitled to after he had been nominated to the board of Horizon Industries (P) Ltd., as workman – director six months ago.  His shift generally ended at 3 pm and he would be home by late evening.  But that day, he still had long hours ahead of him. Kshirsagar had been with Horizon for over twenty years.  Starting off as a substitute mill-hand in the paint shop at one of the company’s manufacturing facilities, he had been made permanent on the job five years later.  He had to formal education.  He felt this was a handicap, but he made up for it with a willingness to learn and a certain enthusiasm on the job.  He was soon marked by the works manager as someone to watch out for.  Simultaneously, Kshirsagar also came to the attention of the president of the Horizon Employees’ Union who drafted him into union activities. Even while he got promoted twice during the period to become the head colour mixer last year, Kshirsagar had gradually moved up the union hierarchy and  had been thrice elected secretary of the union. Labour-management relations at Horizon were not always cordial.  This was largely because the company had not been recording a consistently good performance.  There were frequent cuts in production every year because of go-slows and strikes by workmen – most of them related to wager hikes and bonus payments. With a view to ensuring a better understanding on the part of labour, the problems of company management, the Horizon Board, led by chairman and managing director Avinash Chaturvedi, began to toy with the idea of taking on a workman on the board.  What started off as a hesitant move snowballed, after a series of brainstorming sessions with executives and meetings with the union leaders, into a situation in which Kshirsagar found himself catapulted to the Horizon board as workman-director. It was an untested ground for the company.  But the novelty of it all excited both the management and the labour force.  The board members – all functional heads went out of their way to make Kshirsagar comfortable and the latter also responded quite well.  He got used to the ambience of the boardroom and the sense of power it conveyed.  Significantly, he was soon at home with the perspectives of top management and began to see each issue from both sides. It was smooth going until the union presented a week before the monthly board meeting, its charter of demands, one of which was a 30 per cent across-the-board hike in wages.   The matter was taken up at the board meeting as part of a special agenda. “Look at what your people are asking for,” said Chaturvedi, addressing Kshirsagar with a sarcasm that no one in the board missed.  “You know the precarious finances of the company.  How could you be a party to a demand that simply can’t be met?  You better explain to them how ridiculous the demands are,” he said. “I don’t think they can all be dismissed as ridiculous,” said Kshirsagar.  “And the board can surely consider the alternatives.  We owe at least that much to the union.”  But Chaturvedi adjourned the meeting in a huff, mentioning, once again to Kshirsagar that he should “ advise the union properly.” When Kshirsagar told the executive committee members of the union that the board was simply not prepared to even consider the demands, he immediately sensed the hostility in the room.  “You are a sell out,” one of them said. “Who do you really represent – us or them?” asked another. “Here comes the crunch,” thought Kshirsagar.  And however hard he tried to explain, he felt he was talking to a wall. A victim of divided loyalties, he himself was unable to understand whose side he was on. Perhaps the best course would be resigned from the board.  Perhaps he should resign both from the board and the union.  Or may be resign from Horizon itself and seek a job elsewhere.  But, he felt, sitting in his office a little later, “none of it can solve the problem. Question: What should he do? IIBMS – “ WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, ANYWAY ?” At Global Study Solutions, we take immense pride in our ability to offer specialized support to students pursuing various programs at IIBMS (Institute Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies). Our dedicated team comprises experienced professionals who excel in crafting precise and well-researched solutions for assignments and case studies across different disciplines and courses. Our commitment to aiding students in achieving academic success aligns perfectly with the educational standards upheld by IIBMS Institute (Institute Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies). We understand the importance of delivering high-quality, customized solutions that meet the unique requirements of assignments and case studies within the institute\’s curriculum. Whether in MBA, EMBA, GMS, DMS, or any other programs offered at IIBMS Institute (Institute Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies), our team is equipped to provide expert guidance and meticulously crafted solutions. We prioritize accuracy, originality, and timely delivery; ensuring students receive the necessary assistance to excel academically. We are dedicated to fostering an environment of academic excellence and providing dependable support to the esteemed students of IIBMS Institute (Institute Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies). 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No.1 IIBMS – TRAVAILS OF A TRAINING MANAGER IIBMS – TRAVAILS OF A TRAINING MANAGER Ashwin Kumar, who had recently joined System, as a training manager, was feeling uneasy at the end of his first meeting with Pesu Shroff, the managing director of the company. Systems was a ten-year old unit employing 300 people.  It had a turnover of Rs. 25 crore the previous year.  The company traded in several products – both domestic and imported.  Nearly 80 percent of its turnover came from selling electronic component products which were assembled locally from imports of semi knocked – down kits.  The landed cost of its imports was about Rs. 10 crore last year.  The products had an assured demand in the country, with smuggled goods from Taiwan and Korea providing whatever little competition there was.  The company had been operating in a seller’s market for years and, as a result, most of its activities were production oriented rather than market oriented. Early during the current financial year, the Government of India had announced, as a part of its economic liberalization strategy, several policy measures which made imports costlier.  All imports had to be financed by exports – there were restrictions on margin money and interest rates for working capital had shot up at one stroke.  With little export income in its account, Systems had no choice but to discontinue importing SKD kits. The company management had three option before it. First, to build up its domestic trading activity rapidly ; second, to assemble at least a few of the component products from raw materials sourced locally and third, pursue after-sales service aggressively both to generate revenue in the short run and to establish an enduring client-base for the company’s products in the long run. Invariably, this meant that the survival of Systems depended on how quickly it could train its people – beginning from a handful of sales engineers – to become  market – centred and customer – friendly in their approach to business. “ The days of easy revenue money are over for us,” Shroff had told Kumar, who had a formal training in HRD and had been an officer in the training cell of a multinational firm before signing up with Systems.  “We have to compete now in the marketplace and sell hard to be able to secure orders.  Times are changing.  We have to change too.  And that is where you come in.  It will be your responsibility, as the training manager, to ensure that people here acquire marketing skills,” he said, adding, as a clincher, “Frankly, have always felt that a salesman is born, not trained.  I have had no belief in non-technical training.  In fact, have found no need so far for a training manager at Systems.  But I am prepared to do anything to get more sales.” That punching was what had made Kumar uneasy.  But he decided to let it pass.  Over the next few days, Kumar got busy evolving specific training packages for workers, shop – floor supervisors, administrative staff and senior functional executives and an intensive module for field salesman.  Deciding to start with the salesman first, he met the sales manager to ask him to depute 10 salesmen for a training session the next day.  The sales manager was skeptical and only half – heartedly consented to release people for the two – day training. The session was a disaster.  No one showed any interest in the proceedings. In fact, one of the salesmen came up to him during the coffee break and said, “You see, all this is a waste of time.  Take the client for a drink and you get the sale. It is as simple as that.  It has worked in the past and it will work in the future.” Kumar laughed it off but the message had been delivered. The attendance for the second day session was thin.  This lack of interest was again obvious at the session for workers next day.  The works manager who had originally agreed to the idea was vague about the absence of so many workers at the training session.  “They are sick, I believe,” he said, making no attempts to hide his feeling that to him to whole thing was a big joke. Kumar had encountered such resistance in the company where he had worked earlier.  He also knew that his training capsule was very effective.  He was aware that training needs were universal for all companies and so were the training techniques which were also easily transferable from one set of working conditions to another and from one industry to another.  He also knew that he had the aptitude and interest to become a professional trainer. But Kumar began to realize that he had made a few tactical errors in his particular case.  He should have perhaps asked Shroff to personally inaugurate the training session to give the whole exercise an air of formality and, more importantly, of authority.  He should have perhaps started with the module for senior executives first. “I must find a way out of this and bring everyone round.  There is simply no way I am going to accept failure. Whatever damage there has been must be undone.  I must do something,” he said to himself. 1)  What should he do? IIBMS – TRAVAILS OF A TRAINING MANAGER At Global Study Solutions, we take immense pride in our ability to offer specialized support to students pursuing various programs at IIBMS (Institute Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies). Our dedicated team comprises experienced professionals who excel in crafting precise and well-researched solutions for assignments and case studies across different disciplines and courses. Our commitment to aiding students in achieving academic success aligns perfectly with the educational standards upheld by IIBMS Institute (Institute Indian Institute of Business Management & Studies). We understand the importance of delivering high-quality, customized solutions that meet the unique requirements of assignments and case studies within the institute\’s curriculum. Whether in MBA, EMBA,