Making Things Happen,One Project at a Time

THE HOUSE MAGAZINE OF GODREJ & BOYCE MFG. CO. LTD., VOL. 12 NO. 5, SEP-OCT 2013

MAKING THINGS HAPPEN, ONE PROJECT AT A TIME.

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REMEMBERING GANDHIJI Every year on 2nd October, we remember Gandhiji, the father of our nation. In the context of business, the best way to remember Gandhiji is to reflect deeply, once again on what he said about customers. Surely, his wise words would help us go farther than the mumbo jumbo of ‘customer centricity’ that we come across all the time.

“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises.

He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him.

He is not an interruption to our work. He is the purpose of it.

He is not an outsider to our business. He is a part of it.

We are not doing him a favour by serving him.

He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.”

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Editorial

MANAGING PROJECTS A core competency for enhancing the bottom line.

It is widely acknowledged by our businesses that we need to develop the competency of managing projects for improving performance. This imperative has come into being because our customers in B2B businesses are looking for more comprehensive solutions to their problems or are asking for turnkey solutions to reduce complexity at their end and shortening of the timelines. Projects are inherently complex and risky. If the associated uncertainties and risks are not managed well, then the chances are we may land up losing heavily- financially, besides scaring our reputation for years to come.

Internally also, the major and the smaller changes are put in place by successfully implementing hundreds of projects. The projects involving the development of new and innovative products, new processes, new facilities, new IT applications, and the like are the key building blocks of our strategy for enhancing our competitiveness. In the same wake of things, small improvement projects need to be implemented well to make existing processes more efficient and less wasteful.

On 26th October, we celebrated the birth centenary of Dosabai Godrej-Naoroji, the only sister of Sohrabji, Burjorji and Naval Godrej. She was a compassionate person who used to care for all in abundance. We share with our readers the advertisement released and a short note on how we plan to celebrate her centenary.

To give our readers a perspective on how projects are managed in our businesses, we have stories from Godrej Precision Engineering, Godrej Process Equipment, Godrej Appliances and Godrej Construction. We also have two interesting

articles on increasing the speed of new product development and the role and responsibilities of a project management consultant. A concept note describes in brief a few basics of project management for enhancing shared understanding of the topic.

Godrej brand ambassador, the well known actor Aamir Khan visited our campus and interacted with different audiences. Manasi from SMG writes on these interactions as to how they inspire our people to live by our brand values.

The 9th annual lecture organised by our Archives had Dr. Indira Chowdhury talk to the audience on the topic of oral history and its role in capturing the past more comprehensively. It was a great talk and Vrunda captures its essence in her piece. Dr. K.A. Palia writes about Godrej Alumni, Dr. Yezdi Godiwalla, who was recently bestowed upon an honour for being an outstanding teacher.

The job of a project manager is a demanding one and more so, to become world-class. To give a glimpse of what this entails, Venkat reviews the book ‘The world class project manager’. Do take some cues from the book, they are helpful.

The theme for the next issue of CHANGE is ‘Engineering Matters’.

Your feedback and contributions are welcome, as always.

Happy reading!

Indrapal Singh

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Contents

4

Celebrating Dosabai’s Birth Centenary

04

Effective Project Management

08

Calandria For India’s First 700Mw Nuclear Power Plant

10

Completing More Projects On-Time And Faster

14

18 2

Project Management Consultant (PMC)

18

Managing Change – One Project At A Time

20

Rainwater Harvesting To Replenish Groundwater In Pirojshanagar

22

26

Edit Board

The World Class Project Manager

26

Felicitation Of The Godrej Family

28

Kaizen Exhibition- 2013

30

Aamir Khan Visits Godrej

34

Our Stories Our Histories

36

Anil Verma | Head, Edit Board

Nalini Kala | Edit Board

Deepak Banota | Edit Board

38

Nariman Bacha | Distribution

‘A Teacher Is Many Things’, So Are You, Yezdi:

38

Warex Certification

By CII: Chandigarh And Ahmedabad Warehouses

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For private circulation only.

No part of the magazine can be reproduced in any form without due permission of the editor.

You can mail your contributions, suggestions and feedback to: The Editor, Plant 11, 2nd Floor, Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., Pirojshanagar, Vikhroli (W), Mumbai 400079, INDIA or email us at change@godrej.com Published by Indrapal Singh on behalf of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.

CHANGE helps you enhance your knowledge Those who wish to learn more about Project Management could send in their requests for learning resources, to the Editor at ips@godrej.com

Design & layout by thought blurb thoughtblurb.in Photography by Shivaji Ghag Printed by Silver Point Press Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Visit us online change.godrej.com

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Dosabai Godrej-Naoroji 26th October 1913 - 24th March 2005

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CELEBRATING DOSABAI’S BIRTH CENTENARY Honouring those who count the most in delivering compassionate care.

By Parampal Singh

“

Ta k i n g i n s p i ra ti o n f r o m D o s a ba i’s l i fe, we decided to celebrate her bir th centenar y year th r o u g h t h e i n s ti tu ti o n a l i s a ti o n o f m ea n i n g f u l initiatives for nurses.

”

N

ot much is known about Dosabai-

important touch-points at the frontline of

Godrej Naoroji’s life, but whatever little

healthcare and their skill and compassion

is known is both, inspiring and important –

can go a long way in ensuring a positive

inspiring due to the scope of her contribution

healthcare experience for patients and

at the grassroots level of healthcare and

their families.

important as it sets the tone for the kind of good work that we need to do.

1. Nurses and doctors of GMH with the Godrej family members

A short function to honour her memory was held on the 25 th of October, 2013

Taking inspiration from Dosabai’s life, we

(the eve of her birth centenary) at the

decided to celebrate her birth centenary

Godrej Memorial Hospital (GMH). It was

year through the institutionalisation of

chaired by the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation

meaningful initiatives for nurses. Why

and attended by their trustees, Godrej

nurses? Nurses are the unsung heroes of

family members viz. Adi, Jamshyd, Nadir,

the medical profession. They are the most

Pherozaben and Navroze, the trustees of 1.

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2.

3.

the Godrej Memorial Trust, GMH doctors,

Mr. Jamshyd Godrej also announced

nursing staff and a few G&B employees.

that the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation will

The function was moderated impeccably

be donating 3 ambulances to deserving

by Persis Banaji, the CFO of the Hospital.

healthcare facilities or to NGOs that

Both Adi and Jamshyd Godrej shared

work with such facilities. He said that

warm, personal memories of their aunt,

the Foundation is keen to donate fully

Dosabai during their respective speeches.

equipped, advanced cardiac life support

Additionally, in keeping with Dosabai’s

ambulances which could cost as much as

philosophy of caring with compassion,

`15 lakhs each. Such support would go a

Jamshyd Godrej announced the Dosabai-

long way in ensuring timely and life-saving

Godrej Naoroji Award for Compassionate

assistance to the community in the vicinity

Care. This award is intended to nurture

of Pirojshanagar.

and recognise compassionate care among nurses at GMH.

In the area of capability enhancement for nurses, the Foundation is looking to

The awards will be given by the Pirojsha Godrej Foundation across 4 categories:

set up a scholarship for nurses who have

• Clinical nursing in the ward [two recipients]

higher studies. For existing nurses, GMH will

• Clinical nursing in the critical care facility (ICCU / ICU) [two recipients]

experts which will impart cutting edge

• Staff and patient management [one recipient] • Staff development (education and mentoring) [one recipient] The entire process has been designed to be fair and unbiased with nomination by peers as its central premise. Additionally, inputs from their seniors and even patients will be taken during two levels of evaluation. In each of the 4 categories, the awards will include a cash prize of `1 lakh for the winner and `50,000 for the runnerup (wherever there are two recipients).

Awardees will get recognition within GMH, a specially designed lapel pin that they can

completed their diploma and wish to pursue be organising a lecture series by eminent knowledge and best practice in the field.

Dr. Suhas Gangurde proposed a hearty vote of thanks and stated that the GMH stands committed to providing value healthcare to all.

The evening concluded with a bit of a surprise. All the nurses present were called to pose for a group photograph with the Godrej family members. The media personnel present loved the spontaneity and the vibrant picture found its way into select newspapers on the following day.

With Dosabai’s picture in the background and beaming smiles all around, it made for an appropriate conclusion of the event.

wear and a certificate.This will be an annual

We now look forward to the implementation

award and will be given on International

of the initiatives announced in Dosabai’s

Nurse’s Day – May 12th of every year.

memory…the best is yet to come.

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2. (L-R) Jamshyd Godrej, Pheroza Godrej, Adi Godrej, Nadir Godrej and Navroze Godrej at the centenary celebration 3. (L-R) Dr. Suhas Gangurde, CEO - GMH, Percy Fauzdar, Trustee - Godrej Memorial Trust, Behram Wadia, Trustee - Pirojsha Godrej Foundation and Keki Elavia, Trustee - Godrej Memorial Trust

Dosa, Pirojsha Godrej’s daughter, was, well, different.

the aged and the afflicted; her warm and caring presence

What else can be said about someone who preferred to

often helped pave the way towards recovery. These

live simply and devote her life towards the greater good?

selfless acts were not limited to people, a variety of animals also benefitted from her kindness.

Dosa was just eight when her mother passed away, but she took it in her stride

Knowing

and did her best to fill the void by taking

encouraged her and Dosa qualified as a

care of her brothers Sohrab, Burjor and

nurse with the Red Cross. During the

Naval, so that their father could work hard

Second World War, she joined the

at the growing business.

her

temperament,

Pirojsha

Voluntary Ambulance Services and mobilised

Inspired at a

groups of

very young

women to

age by the

help with the

efforts made

war effort.

by her uncle

She enjoyed

Ardeshir and

driving the

her father

ambulances

towards the Swadeshi movement, she gave up even the smallest luxuries, in spite of Sohrabji insisting that she need not do

herself, and in the morning, when the engines

was anything but a homebody. She loved the outdoors and jumped at every chance to ride horses,

cold

and

the

batteries low, she was the first to volunteer

Well-read and forthright in her views, she

were

to

hand

crank

the

big

engines. Her work at the Naval Hospital, INHS Asvini continued well into the 1980s, helping the needy in her own way.

motorcycles and even drive heavy vehicles, if she could get her hands on them.

In her birth centenary year, we would like to honour her spirit of service towards one and all by continuing to do

Dosa was a compassionate soul who always took care of

good work, quietly, just like she would have had us do.

DOSABAI GODREJ-NAOROJI BIRTH CENTENARY

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EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT Things to watch out for.

By Rajesh Alreja, Godrej Process Equipment

“

Assuming that the end results are good but the processes followed are not appropriate then the performance can be considered as below par.

T

”

he journey of becoming world class

because the project undertaken could be

in managing projects is an arduous

new in its nature or the expectations and

one but worth embarking upon. There exist

the technologies involved unfamiliar to

disciplines, methodologies and softwares

the executers. Many a times a few tasks

for managing projects – small and large.

which are seemingly simple could become

But to create an ongoing practice in which

difficult to complete because of site and

projects are managed well routinely, it is

regulatory conditions, environmental rules

essential to understand clearly three or

and statutes which are difficult to adhere

four fundamentals. Once we are clear on

to in practice.

the basics then we can identify the factors which derail the successful and profitable execution of projects.

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What is project management?

Project management concerns managing of resources assigned to a project so that

What is a project?

the planned goals are achieved. Thus,

It’s a plan or scheme, an undertaking

project management can be defined as

requiring a concerted effort arranged by

achieving the desired results in a way that is

mutual agreement and accomplished

satisfactory to all the project stakeholders.

together. On the basis of this definition, all

Managing of projects involves coping

of us would have managed a project one

with uncer tainties and risks. Some

time or the other. Even organising a party

experts even go to the extent and say

for friends is a project by itself. All projects

that all project management is nothing

have definite beginnings and end, as well

but managing of risks in the project well.

as budgets and timelines for completion.

In managing of a project the end results

In business situations the end condition is

as well as the processes followed count.

decided upon by the customer and very

Assuming that the end results are good but

often it is not clearly articulated upfront.

the processes followed are not appropriate

Once the goal of a project is reached, it is

then the performance can be considered

considered completed. Some of specific

as below par. In today’s highly regulated

tasks in a project could be quite complex

environment, adhering to right process is

and not well understood at the beginning

essential to avoid penalties. In practice,

these requirements makes the task of a

remedial actions if one agency fails to

more important thing to do is to practice

project manager more challenging as he

fulfill its obligation within the stipulated

and learn to anticipate uncertainties. The

has to now focus on both the end results

ti m e l e a d i n g to l o s s e s to t h e ot h e r

third thing to do is to focus on building

and the processes deployed.

affected agency.

processes that are robust and flexible.

Some things to watch out for successful completion of projects are as below: Contract document In practice the contract document becomes a governing factor for the tasks to be completed and the payments to be received. There could be several ‘ifs and buts’ which, if not clarified upfront could lead to delays, disputes and ultimately financial loss. The attitude of ‘we will take

Requirement of Critical resource Whenever a critical resource is required for a project which is either in short supply or is very costly, any changes in the schedule for requirement of this resource can lead to severe losses. For e.g., a very heavy duty crane required for erection at site if kept idle can wipe off the total profit of the project or a carter ship waiting at port can cause heavy losses.

care of it later’ often proves to be a risky

Seasonal variations

one, as once the contract document

This factor needs to be considered when

is signed and accepted, it is difficult to

due to changes in timeline of the project, if

make alterations. Thus, it is advisable

some activities move to a time period when

that wherever possible a draft contract

the season is not suitable for carrying out

agreement be thoroughly vetted prior to

the activites or the time/cost involved

its acceptance. In case of government

changes drastically. For example, if the

a g e n c i e s w h e re s t a n d a rd c o n tr a c t

site activities shift to monsoon period or

documents are enforced upon, one must

shipping activities through certain areas fall

study carefully the pros and cons as well

in winter when the waterways are frozen.

as the financial impact of the clauses which are not acceptable normally. Experience and check lists could be of help here.

Scope definition

necessary to track all changes however small and use it as opportunities. However,

and does not define the scope in detail or

inability to manage change can lead to

has some clauses such as ‘as required for

disastrous results.

mutually discussed and agreed’.

First of its kind

the client to reduce chances of failures.

Involvement of multiple agencies

some situations, prototyping could prevent costly failures.

Thus, effective project management is not about huffing and puffing day in and day out but it is about a disciplined way of working together which is based on anticipation and certain proven techniques executed by an inspired team of people lead by an exceptionally competent project manager. Quite demanding.

acceptance as per contract. Issues like

as the costs at site are substantially high.

clarify the assumptions and discuss with

the history of experience is a good idea. In

inspection/clearances as the basis of

finish, appearance etc. can lead to losses

may turn out to be incorrect. It is better to

much improved results. Also, learning from

back charges as this negates any prior

with a new customer, working with a

could be making some assumptions which

risk at the planning stage could lead to

This is a term generally put in most

damages in transit, subjective issues like

potential risk involved in the project. We

simple act of identifying and understanding

contracts and can lead to penalties and

being done first time, whether it is dealing

even working in a new country, there is a

minimising adverse effects. In practice, the

Acceptance at site

If the project involves anything that is

new product, using new technologies,

stages of the project are essential for

do not make money in the normal scope

The scope document is generic in nature

and exclusions and any other work ‘to be

both at the planning and implementation

Change management in project is both a

and make money in the changes. It is

It is better to define both the inclusions

valuable. Similarly, managing project risks

risk and an opportunity. Many contractors

with the client which affects the project.

can mean different things to various parties.

which if cultivated could prove to be highly

Changes

Generally this is a major cause of dispute

successful completion of the project’. This

And lastly, agility for reacting proactively

In closing, a few comments on coping with uncertainties. Uncertainties are by definition ‘unpredictable’, therefore not amenable to any specific guidelines.

However, uncertainties can be mitigated effectively if certain approaches are followed as mentioned here. The first thing to do is to cultivate a mindset which

Wherever multiple agencies are involved

expects and accepts uncertainties. This

in a project, there are chances for dispute

kind of positivity diminishes the fear of

leading to losses. The boundary conditions

uncertainties and leaves the minds and

as regards to be scope and handover

energies of people free for finding ways to

needs to be defined clearly and also the

cope with them. The second and perhaps

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CALANDRIA FOR INDIA’S FIRST 700MW NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The story of the best ever Calandria manufactured in India.

By Team Godrej Precision Engineering

“

Many ingenious routines were developed for performing specific operations, which improved quality and eliminated rework.

”

I

n the year 2010, Godrej Precision Engineering (GPE) won an order for

supplying and transporting a humongous Ca l a n d r i a fo r In d i a’s i n d i g e n o u s l y developed 700MW Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Until 2010, Indian scientists and engineers at Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) had designed and built NPPs of up to 500MW only. Those in the nuclear field know very well that designing and building 700MW NPP is altogether a different ball game and a hugely challenging one at that.

Calandria is called the heart of a Nuclear Reactor. The core reactor assembly is comprised of horizontal axis cylindrical vessel known as Calandria with two end shields at both ends. It comprises of

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392 horizontal fuel channels coming out

1.

from the end shields at both ends. Fuel channels are aligned with the axis of Calandria and both horizontal and vertical reactivity control mechanisms oriented perpendicular to the axis of Calandria.

The overall size of the Calandria that GPE manufactured was 8.3 meters X 5.4 meters, having a shell diameter of 7.9 meters and wall thickness of 32mm of S.S. 304L. Calandria has 122 radial and non-radial nozzles oriented at different locations along the circumference. The equipment and the accessories weighed approximately 80 tonnes.

Having won the order, GPE engineers went to work, preparing a project plan to generate critical and parallel paths for the project. Though the time allowed for the completion of the project was 36 months, GPE managed to complete the project in a record time of 30 months only, to the surprise of other manufacturers and to be honest, to that of the NPCIL project management cell as well.

The completion of this project in the record time was achieved on account of two key interventions namely, 1. The project plan and its rigorous monitoring day in and day out, and 2. The deployment of Kaizen initiative for improving quality, productivity, safety and eliminating wastages. Drilling a little deeper, it is easy to see that a well thought out project plan, upgraded regularly, threw up the issues that needed to be taken care of for adhering to the timeline. Regular team

teamwork was simply superb and the team was on the top of the project so to speak,

1. The Calandria

from the day one. Added to this were the issues of efficiencies and finding of better ways to do things. It is here that the Kaizen initiative helped a great deal with about 216 Kaizens successfully implemented for numerous improvements. The project was completed with zero accidents.

Many ingenious routines were developed for performing specific operations, which improved quality and eliminated rework.

Overall the Kaizen initiative not only boosted the involvement of everyone on the project but it also helped them to develop newer ways of doing things; be it in manufacturing, measurement, handling of the equipment and the like.

reviews played a huge role and GPE’s

The story of Calandria has one more

team of young engineers learnt for the first

dimension and that is of ‘complexity of

time, what it was like to work in a project

manufacturing’. Manufacturing Calandria

team. Everyone contributed individually,

poses huge manufacturing challenges

everyone built on the ideas of others,

as it calls for ver y high precision in

everyone took the place of a colleague

welding distortion control, ovality control,

when he was not present and so on. The

alignment and orientations of nozzles and

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2.

2. Team GPE 3. Right first time approach - Calandria under manufacture

so on. All welds had to undergo 100% radiography. Added to the manufacturing complexity was the challenge of handling of this huge and heavy equipment for carrying out different operations. This massive 80 tonne, thin shelled job was inverted nearly 25 times and was turned on its axis innumerable times. A special infrastructure was created for this task, which included a special heavy duty fabrication floor plate, dust free enclosures, a special floor-mounted tool post for the Vertical Turning Lathe, radiography enclosure, and lastly, the widening of the main gate for transportation.

The specific feats that were achieved for the first time are mentioned below: 1. Use of a robot for the plasma cutting of all nozzle openings, in sequence which drastically reduced machining time.

2. Pre-machining of nozzles using a 3D inventor model which served as an input to CNC machine to generate accurate and precise asymmetric weld-edge.

3. All final machining of the nozzles were done using damped boring bars for a good surface finish and accuracy.

4. Nozzles OD machining and weld-edge preparation was done simultaneously by deploying a portable CNC Machine in

3.

addition to the horizontal boring machines.

5. Welding of nozzles carried out in 4 stages without inserts, using TIG + SMAW processes.

6. Machining of the Main shell which was initially planned on the horizontal boring machine with 4 settings in horizontal condition was replaced with an innovative technique and the machining was carried out on a Vertical Turning Lathe in a single setting using two tool posts specially designed and assembled for the purpose.

T h i s i n n ovati o n h e l p e d u s ac h i eve

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improved accuracy and reduction in

4.

cycle time.

7. Distance laser was used to correct the ovality of the shell which reduced human efforts and ensured accuracy.

8. Development of Hard Facing technique for meeting stringent acceptance criteria for the bearing surfaces of the keys holding the Calandria in the vault was carried out in-house.

9. The set-up for the inner housing was carried out using a special fixture and an optical instrument which improved accuracy and reduced checking/ inspection time.

The team GPE successfully realised the job which was not only right, the first time but was also ahead on the time schedule normally achieved by highly experienced

engineers would like to achieve. It was a Herculean task, and carrying it out is remarkable”.

manufacturers. It is a classic case of

Mr. Purohit also appreciated Godrej’s

‘ingenuity pays’, be it in project planning,

concern for the environment. He said,

be it in manufacturing technology or be

“The care and concern for the environment

it in inspiring team members to work in a

shown by Godrej to the extent that

way they have never worked before.

transportation of Calandria is planned

The project was completed in the record time of 30 months, due to the u n sti nte d s u p p o r t a n d g u i d a n c e of NPCIL and through the tireless efforts of team GPE.

4. Reliable transportation

without distortions and residual stress

ensuring least possible harm to any trees and plants around, shows the emotions and feelings that have gone into the very blood of this organisation.”

With this benchmark project under the belt, GPE has gained the confidence

On 24 th March 2013, the Calandria

of NPCIL for carrying out similar highly

was flagged off for its onward journey to

challenging projects in the future. Godrej

Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant. To witness

has now emerged as one of the key

the flag off, NPCIL’s CMD, Mr. K.C. Purohit

partners of NPCIL for India’s nuclear

was present with his entire senior

p owe r g e n e rati o n. T h e te a m GPE is

leadership team. His words on the

indeed very proud of this achievement and

occasion were, “I take this opportunity

is now looking forward to fabricating ‘End

to thank the young engineers of Godrej

Shields’ for the nuclear reactors- the last

and Mr. Kaustubh Shukla for his modesty.

critical equipment yet to be manufactured

It was a big challenge but it was executed

by them.

very well. Calandria, an important part

All this in the spirit of ‘Can do’ brought

of a Nuclear reactor was made to the

alive and embraced 116 years ago by

precision which the nuclear Industry

our founder Ardeshir Godrej. We stand

demands and more importantly to the

committed to traverse on the path

precision that NPCIL designers and

shown by him.

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COMPLETING MORE PROJECTS ON-TIME AND FASTER Enhancing project performance is profitable.

By Manoj Agarwal, MD - Thru-Put Management Systems Pvt. Ltd.

“

Managing execution is about releasing the potential latent in each person and using that potential to gain significant economic advantage and secure jobs in the future.

”

P

rojects can take many weeks to a few years for completion. Whether

building homes, bridges or airports; designing, building and commissioning plants and equipment; researching, developing and launching new products; government or private, large or small, executing single or multi projects, reducing project completion time accelerates the accrual of benefits and releases the critical resources earlier so that more projects can be undertaken.

Dr. Eli Goldratt’s Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) has been adopted by project organisations and professionals worldwide to shorten the delivery times by 20-30% and increase financial productivity by 15-25%. CCPM is a project management methodology designed to ensure that the projects are completed

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on or ahead of time, within the allotted

prevent the stampede, a queue must be

budget and delivering on the full scope. It is

formed to enable everyone to exit as fast

altogether a different way of planning and

as possible. Forming a queue in a burning

executing more projects faster. It is a way

building and ensuring that each one moves

to deploy the principles of the Theory of

out as fast as possible, requires leaders

Constraints (TOC) in project environments.

who inspire, encourage and discipline in

CCPM explicitly recognises the impact

order to draw the best out of people.

of uncertainties and specific human

In a government owned defense facility,

behaviors in situations where limited

we formally introduced project priorities.

resources are shared by multiple projects.

The planned start and finish dates of

CCPM provides concrete mechanisms

projects were revised to target a minimum

such as project prioritisation, full-kitting,

of 25% of reduction in project timelines.

task management and buffer management

The higher priority projects were started

to deal with the impact of uncertainties and

and finished earlier. The lower priority

human behaviors. These mechanisms help

projects were started later. As a result,

managers execute projects exceptionally

the resources could focus more on higher

well despite of the prevailing constraints

priority projects. The work-in-process

and uncertainties.

(WIP) was reduced and the peak number

Superior results are achieved through simpler planning which converts overall

of simultaneously active projects came down from to 18 from 22.

organisational priorities into Red, Yellow

Lower WIP increases the overall flow while

and Green (RYG) signals to synchronises

making life easier for people. This defense

everyone, every day. This enables tighter

facility eventually reported project timeline

execution by strictly following the RYG

reductions of 6% to 33%, and in one case

priorities through teamwork and transparency

a high of 50% reduction was achieved.

under formally defined responsibilities which are based on mutual trust.

Francis Fukuyama has said, “Widespread distrust in a society imposes a kind of tax on all forms of economic activity – a tax that high trust societies do not have to pay”.

CCPM explicitly impacts human behaviors. The results are a consequence of greater trust between people generating ‘the speed of trust’. This article seeks to explain how project speed and overall project performance increases using some of my real life experiences with companies in India.

Leadership and teamwork It all starts with an enlightened leadership, creating conditions for exemplar y teamwork. The first big results come by addressing the competition for limited resources caused by individual project managers who are jostling with each other to get the resources for ‘their’ projects.

The leaders focus critical resources for faster completion of higher priority projects by clarifying overall project priorities, and setting aggressive timelines for each project.

The above can be best understood by a simile. In a burning building, if people make a dash for the exit, a stampede results. To

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One key manager from this organization had reported that their throughput increased by 43% in 1 year.

They could nearly double the rate of dispatch of jobs. This was mainly due to following the practice of starting the job only when the full kit status was attained and the jobs were scheduled according to the list of overall priorities.

Planning is priceless Over last 10 years, I have observed that the understanding, appreciation and acknowledgement of real interdependencies can be greatly improved in most project teams. The current practices also force most people to build significant buffers in their task time estimates. The CCPM method creates results by putting these time buffers to better use.

The formal planning process under CCPM involves the creation of ‘project buffer’ to protect on-time completion and ‘feeding buffers’ to protect the work on the ‘Critical Chain’. If you equate the work on the Critical Chain as an ambulance carrying a heart patient to the hospital, Prepare well to prevent avoidable delays and risks Before planning as per CCPM, it is essential to implement formal ‘full-kitting’

that says everyone else (e.g. nurses) must schedule their work so that the ambulance is never allowed to wait.

rules. Any significant work-package is

This method of planning creates the

authorised to start only when the entire

conditions for a ‘relay-race work ethic’ in

kit is ready in all aspects.

execution. All participants must pool their

As work on high priority projects is completed at a faster rate due to increased focus, the managers handling lower priority projects concentrate on completing their ‘full kits’.

A Heavy Engineering company maintains a formal priority list of over 600 projects which are owned by various business units. These projects share facilities and resources that are spread across various departments and are managed by over

16

then feeding buffers implement a rule

buffers for reliable delivery. Transparent, pooled buf fers are necessar y for establishing the foundation for the ‘speed of trust’ in execution.

“We have reduced the cycle time for BrahMos Assembly to 63 days from 85 days, which includes a project buffer of 25 days. These results are an outcome of specific decisions taken and adhered to in practice by the entire team.” – S.M. Vaidya, GPS

50 project managers. In this company,

Execution is about developing people,

we introduced a ‘Manufacturing Kick-Off’

daily and systematically

meeting to verify the ‘Full Kit’ checklist for

The CCPM enabled way of managing

a project before material of that project

projects is really about the bosses

is allowed to enter the shop. In case the

coaching their subordinates. Working with

full kit status was not there for a particular

individuals, sitting alongside to help them

project then the next project which has the

overcome the barriers they perceive. The

full kit status was released. As a result, the

bosses clarify how the changes will affect

project managers began to focus more on

them and help them grow into better

completing full kits before booking time on

engineers, better resource managers and

the shared resources.

ultimately into better project managers.

Just like an on duty ambulance is

“As of today, at G&B the implementation of

empowered with different rules, people

CCPM methodology is in a nascent stage.

entrusted with execution of ‘red tasks’ are

To compete effectively and grow profitably,

formally authorised to ‘work in a different

the CCPM methodology ought to be

way’ and are systematically coached

deployed more aggressively in various

by their bosses to use that authority for

areas such as new product development,

securing and improving the performance

manufacture of capital goods, software

of the business as a whole.

development and construction projects.”

Managing execution is about releasing

– The Editor, CHANGE.

the potential latent in each person and

Manoj Agar wal is a Mechanical

using that potential to gain significant

Engineer from IIT-Mumbai, with a post

economic advantage and secure jobs in

graduation in Industrial Engineering

the future. High speed project execution is

and Operations Research. He has

like running a relay race. The next runner

p i o n e e r e d a n d implemented TOC

can see the baton approaching, prepares,

solutions in project and operations

and takes a start in time to collect the

environments in leading engineering

baton while already running.

organisations both in public and private

When CCPM was implemented for the first time in Tata Steel, for a project involving re-lining of a blast furnace, the project team met every day at 0930 hrs to review and update ‘red tasks’ and to ‘recover project buffer’ that might have been lost. Mr. Suman Biswas, Head TQM, TOC Program – Supply Chain & Operations explained: “Due to our existing practices, we had a culture where meeting task commitme nts was conside re d sacrosanct and consequently committing to aggressive project targets evoked fear of failure. CCPM brought about a culture of aiming for aggressive completion targets through focus and teamwork, but minus blame. In the very first project of Blast

sector. He is a certified TOC expert who is regularly invited by the leading industry associations such as CII and the others to conduct workshops on TOC solutions.

“

As of today at G&B, the implementation of CCPM methodology is in a nascent stage. To compete ef fectively and grow profitably, the CCPM methodology ought to be deployed more aggressively in various areas such as new product development, manufacture of capital goods, software development and construction projects.

”

Furnace re-lining, the shutdown time was brought down by 23%. The subsequent projects showed a trend of cycle time reduction of about 15-25% over the first one. We can now undertake shutdowns with less stress and virtually no delays, facilitating higher production.”

Conclusion CCPM represents a major paradigm shift in project management over the last sixty years. It is really a management methodology that challenges the way the business is carried out, the way people are managed and the very nature of engagement with clients and suppliers. To help businesses implement and manage projects according to CCPM methodology, software systems, training programs and implementation support are available.

It is up to the businesses to benefit from the CCPM methodology and change their work culture and practices for good.

17

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT (PMC) -ROLE, RESPONSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES

Balancing interests of multiple stakeholders successfully is rewarding.

By Raghavendra Prabhu, Director, Project Management - Colliers International

Q

uite some time ago, I recall having read a Chinese adage that when roughly translated, I am told, meant - ‘A journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step’. Although the underlying philosophy of this proverb could echo in the several walks of our everyday life, nowhere else would it be more profoundly relevant, I reckon, than in the field of Project Management. We start with a single step as we embark upon an arduous and challenging journey, with profound trust that mutual commitments are delivered. That the Project Manager (PM) would use all diligence and available resources to work within accepted parameters and meet the client’s requirements on cost, time, quality and safety. And for a PM, no matter how many times that the project plan is made, demolished or altered, he continues to rebuild, re-plan and re-commence his efforts. It is in the end, but a team’s undying love for accomplishment and the collective strength of their tremendous conviction to deliver, that perhaps determines project completion and success.

Roles of Project Managers Regardless of what the client expects of PMs or the stage of the Project that they are brought on board by clients, a PM is required to deliver a serious responsibility in several ways: - As a prime Project adviser to the client, he is required to recommend the best possible, suitable and practicable processes on all strategic and pivotal nodes of the Project.

- As a hands-on technical expert, he needs to weave workable solutions to the innumerable challenges on site, and - Above all, perform the role of a leader, who inspires his team and carries forward collaborating teams. The (Hindu) science of ‘Karma Yoga’- being passionate about one’s work while continuing to be detached (probably from the benefits/results) is totally applicable to the role of a Project Manager. Although he continues to advice in the interest of the Project, he is required to adapt continuously to every decision taken by a client and forge ahead with work, carrying his team/s along.

If he plays the role of an advisor on the one hand, his prime responsibility remains to keep the clients informed of the likely consequences of every decision that the client makes. Regardless of the decision therefore, to inform him ahead of his decision making, of the pros and cons of the solution/s at hand and the likely impact that each of them would have on the Project, be it in terms of cost or time. Such analysis, along with his professional and independent recommendation of the best of available solution needs to be submitted to a client for him to make a judicious decision. Each time, this needs to be clearly communicated, explained and dutifully recorded. And then, that a client’s decision be honored. This responsibility to help client make informed decisions, remains significant from day 1. Whether in their recommendations for the selection of a design team or for the finalising of a design, material specifications or selection of vendors, validation of design Basis Reports or Project strategy, the interplay between the client and a Project Manager is indeed a marriage of sorts. Not bereft of its uniqueness, it is a relationship whose maturity is constantly tested by myriad of challenges. Like in any association, it is essential that they recognise their individual strengths, understand their limitations and respect their roles.

18

Additionally, should their basic values match, the Project could be a sprightly bloom of the season and a fountain of everlasting joy. Basic values like ethics and integrity therefore, should be the unquestionable parameters in a search that a client undertakes while shortlisting a Project Manager as a suitable partner for a successful long haul Project delivery.

Challenges on a Project?

Claims towards escalation, non-tendered items, deviations, idle charges, rework, while client driven liquidated damages towards delay and counter claims, are rife. However, if trust and high integrity values form the basic bedrock of the relationship, a lot of issues could be resolved through dialogue and negotiations. And a lot of this can be visualised ahead in time, by an efficient PM whose job it is, to ensure fair resolution.

Other than these, since a lot of planning and strategising happens chiefly in the Preconstruction stages, it is here that we probably need to plug some gaps. Let me begin with a few critical typical issues here: • The budget outlay for the Project- A lot depends on budgeting and hence getting it right is essential. Over budget and you have lost an opportunity for the surplus. Under budget and everyday would pose new challenges. If serious in nature, under budgeting could lead to re-tendering entailing change of (layout) plans, diluting specifications, eventually resulting in a colossal loss of productive Project time and even embarrassment in the marketplace. The benchmarking of a Project is very often, key to accomplishing the client requirements and is tied to the Project Managers’ understanding of their brief. The design ethos, their vision of a complete project and their acceptable delivery standards.

• The dynamics of budgeting: There are a clutch of dynamic external factors as well, that affect budgeting- market conditions/general availability of work in the Industry at the time of launch of the project, availability of funds with the client and their credit worthiness as perceived in the market, duration of the Project (even the no. of national budget sessions that the project lives through in its lifecycle), procurement process and its timing as desired by the schedules and escalation costs captured as contingencies in the outlay. A good Project Manager would

usually have his own costing drawn up parallel to the costs prepared by design consultants. Disagreement with the specialist consultants’ costs need to be marked and highlighted clearly. Should a Project manager have a significantly lower cost to that of a Co-consultant, it would be incumbent on the Project Manager, to arrange for a vendor agency (of agreed standards) and deliver the works as well. This captures the serious nature of budgeting exercise and how carefully vendor categories need to be picked and budget rates need to be drawn out for each work package.

• Client indented materials: It is another key aspect and needs to be weighed together with scale of the Project, value of client subscribed material/s and the long term view of a clients vis-a vis the Project.

If the estimated savings accrued from client indented material is not significant as compared to the threat/consequences of a possible delay in its procurement/ availability, it might be worth including it in the contractor’s scope. Naturally like anywhere else, if this logic is applied blindly, it would not work for any client. While client aspirations to save are high and important to be met, a Project Manager requires falling back upon his learning’s from the past, look ahead into the Project at hand, judge the implications of the matter based on participants involved and advice, being brutally honest. A client needs to reciprocate with maturity and assimilate the facts, before deciding.

• Timelines- Project Managers are not magicians. And even if some of them do sell magical ideas in a pitch for bagging work, it is incumbent on clients to realize that magic may not be true. It is for them to recognise honest submissions and credit them accordingly. All this, to explain the importance of arriving at realistic timelines for a Project. With all safety standards that require to be scrupulously followed on a site, our seasons of festivals, holidays and consequent labour crises, available and applicable construction tools/technology/ equipment’s a realistic schedule drawn up by an experienced Project Manager would be the best service he owes a client. Additionally, time permitting, a joint technical constructability review of the Project along with the designers, might help their aim to expedite development plan/areas and fronts that could proceed

faster and therefore initiate a scientific sequence of construction phase/s.

Although it isn’t a single remedy solution to all problems, I have found that the single largest bane in managing multiple vendor partners and collaborators is very often their individual preferences for priorities.

Agreeably, every vendor would have their own priorities. But it is paramount that they work towards a common agreed priority – whether time based or cost bound or about quality or safety consciousness.

An ‘Alignment Session’ including clients, Project Managers, Designers and Vendors could work wonders, in bringing about a sense of responsibility to individual participants and spark a holistic ownership philosophy towards the Project.

The greatest challenge: Not because I speak from the position of a consultant but also since I as well, have had the chance to play the role of a client in my professional career, I yet dare proclaim that the greatest challenge of all remains that of finding/being a good client. Certainly not to be (mis)construed as a good paymaster (although that wouldn’t ever be a complaint), a good client is probably, a master at balancing.

Balancing aspirations, with a practical outlook, in view of the limitations that the Construction Industry itself faces today. I am also reminded of the oft heard proverb in Sanskrit – ‘Yatha Raja, tatha prajah’, (as the king proceeds so do his subjects).

Although there are many contributors to the success of a Project, simply because the responsibilities of the client transcends and subsumes the others, he is very often, the King. And a lion’s share of the Project’s success should deservingly, be given to a good client.

A good client is rare and hence like anything precious, remains invaluable. A keepsake for life. I’m only glad that I was fortunate to serve one at Godrej IT Park Plant 02, Pirojshanagar, Mumbai.

“

The interplay between the client and a Project Manager is indeed a marriage of sorts.

”

19

MANAGING CHANGE – ONE PROJECT AT A TIME A bottom up initiative that boosts profitability.

By Pankaj Abhyankar, Godrej Appliances

“

PMO is one of the more successful initiatives of GA, in terms of delivering benefits in a sustaining way and employee participation.

T

20

”

he Project Management Office (PMO)

costs savings, particularly in the non-

process at Godrej Appliances (GA),

manufacturing areas. Speaking from my

initiated in 2004, is now nine years young

own experience over last two decades,

and has grown to become a key business

I would like to state that the PMO is one

process for Godrej Appliances. The PMO

of the more successful initiatives of GA, in

process has matured and it is no longer

terms of delivering benefits in a sustaining

a mere appendage to drive the ‘cash

way and employee participation. In

release’ initiative. It is now a major vehicle

the recent CII-EXIM assessment, the

for change.

assessors singled out the PMO process

Over these nine years, 700+ projects

of GA and applauded it to our delight.

executed till date have delivered cumulative

It would be interesting to understand

annualised savings of close to 300+ Cr.

the PMO at GA from the perspective of

The PMO process has grown in stature

Change management as it would yield

at GA as a business process to manage

many insights for coping with economically

key projects besides driving ‘cash release’

difficult times, particularly for executing the

related projects.

chosen strategy.

Despite the host of options available

In this article, I am attempting to articulate

to drive improvements, it is worth noting

the elements which I feel contribute to the

that the GA management has chosen to

success of the PMO process at GA. The

rely on the PMO process as an umbrella

elements that I have dealt with here are by

process for managing improvements and

no means exhaustive but are in my opinion

at the top of my charts. I beg the readers to

take over and the project will get brushed

bear with me as I share my views.

aside. I could easily connect with the

The Inherent simplicity of the PMO tops my list of the reasons that has made it a success. The underlying principles are simple and can be tutored by the use of 8-12 slides even to rookie graduates.

The pickup of the process is quick. At GA, perhaps unwittingly, but thankfully, we have kept the templates and formats simple and framework flexible as well as accommodating. Many of us fall in the trap of making new initiatives very complex with an overdose of complicated formats, rules and structures. Not surprisingly, the people required to work on the initiative begin to resist what they are asked to do, ultimately slowing down the implementation.

and irrespective of the financial payoff. A formal recognition ceremony goes a long way in driving motivation. We must learn to celebrate success and there are many innovative ways to do it. At GA, we have the ‘Appliance league of Champions’, where monthly nominations are made by the immediate superiors. The winners get their work published on the intranet and receive an appreciation letter from the COO plus a gift card. Several PMO project leaders have won this contest and relished it.

message of the video and its relevance for the PMO process of GA. The ruthlessly candid weekly reviews, at the same time, each week have been the hallmark at GA. We have been doing this without knowing about its importance since the early years.

I would urge all project managers to get this vital aspect dovetailed into their process of managing projects.

At GA, in the initial years, we did give

In conclusion, I would like to caution the Change initiative leaders about the importance of building adaptation and flexibility elements in their initiatives. In this volatile and uncertain world that we live in, new initiatives will soon become the dinosaurs and fade away unless they are adapted and aligned to the changing times.

cash rewards and payouts for PMO projects. But, in the recent years we have encouraged people to include PMO projects in their KRA’s and Goals.

Successful projects have been rewarded and the young brigade now gets a chance to showcase their project progress to the

Direct Linkages to the bottom line. Let us

Business head. People are incentivised!

face it, the easiest and best way to get top

Token rewards too work as a gratification

management’s attention and commitment, is to show them the money! Unlike many other initiatives, where the project leader 350

needs to cajole and beg the CEO / Top Management for their attention, at GA

265

716

111.1 Cr

319.7 Cr

2012-13

Total

300

we have our Business head, Mr. George Menezes, who personally drives the

250

254

process, taking its ownership. For

53.6 Cr 200

President, unfailingly and enthusiastically chairs and drives weekly PMO reviews every Monday afternoon!

Right at the stage of inception, the PMO got it right by getting the finance people to play an active role of tracking the

Savings in ` Cr

the past nine years, Mr. P.D. Lam, our

21 35

150

33.3 Cr

49.3 Cr 100

29

11

5.9 Cr

4.1 Cr

2007-08

2008-09

41 93

14.7 Cr

46.5 Cr

50 7 0

1.2 Cr 2004-05

financials of the projects and linking it with the income statements of the business.

2005-06

2006-07

No. of Projects

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

Financial Year

Employee Participation in PMO

Over the years, this process has matured for the business and today, for each of the projects the financial outcomes are accurately audited, tracked and evaluated

100%

90%

for their ongoing bottom line impact.

80%

Last year, I had an oppor tunity of viewing a short training video titled ‘The

76% 75%

4 Disciplines of Execution’ by Franklin Covey. In the video, Mr. Covey talks about the cadence of accountability and goes on

50%

42%

40%

to say that for success in execution, the project meetings must occur every week, at the same time. In these meetings, the

25%

‘Whirlwind’ (the typical day-to-day tasks) are kept aside and for those 15-20 minutes a day only the project is reviewed and discussed. Covey further says that, if we

0%

Sales & Marketing

Sourcing

Service

Manufacturing

Design

Employee Participation in PMO

don’t do this, then the ‘Whirlwinds’ will

21

RAINWATER HARVESTING TO REPLENISH GROUND WATER IN PIROJSHANAGAR A web of projects can help us become water positive.

By Tejashree Joshi, Godrej Construction

“

Conscious collection and storage of rainwater to cater to demands of water, for drinking, domestic purpose and irrigation is termed as Rainwater Harvesting.

”

Harvesting (RWH) scheme to artificially recharge the ground water. This system is commonly used for regular recharging and rejuvenation of subsurface aquifers, whether dried or in use. The quality of

W

ater Management Project of G&B was initiated in 2010 under the

ground water is known to improve when fed continuously with rainwater.

Greener India vertical of the overarching

Basically, there are two ways of harvesting

CSR initiative of Good & Green, and was

rainwater, from surface runoff and from

meant to proactively address water-related

rooftops. In urban areas, the rainwater

risks by leveraging the available resources

flows away as surface runoff. It could be

and generating newer ones. Another aim

arrested and used for recharging aquifers.

was to achieve ‘Water Positive’ status for

Similarly, rooftop rainwater can be harvested

G&B at Vikhroli after taking into account

as the roofs act as the catchment areas.

the large amount of recycled water. The

The water collected from the roofs can

umbrella initiative of Water Management

be either stored in a tank or diverted to a

has more than 35 projects in its scope,

recharging system. This method is highly

of which significant one is ‘harvesting

cost effective for augmenting the ground

of rainwater to replenish and augment

water levels.

the ground water resources’, which is

The project:

described here:

22

‘Catch the water where it falls’ is the key idea implemented in the form of Rainwater

The RWH project was planned to be taken

Rainwater harvesting is the process

up at a number of potential locations

of augmenting the natural filtration of

within the Industrial Garden township

rainwater into the underground geological

of Pirojshanagar. The project aims at

formation by suitable artificial methods.

harvesting of rainwater amounting to more

‘Conscious collection and storage of

than 50% of the total annual fresh water

rainwater to cater to demands of water, for

consumption. This is to be achieved by

drinking, domestic purpose and irrigation

recharging the subsurface aquifers using

is termed as Rainwater Harvesting.’

bore wells during monsoons.

To achieve the set objective, it was

The hillock on the hillside acts as a

necessary to determine the number of

natural aquifer cum subsurface reservoir

recharge bores required. Surveys and field

for the storage of huge quantities of

tests were carried out for determining the

harvested water.

recharging rate per bore well at the Hillside and the Station-side colonies as well as in the industrial premises. A number of locations were identified where storm water is accumulated in high volumes or flows at high rates during the rainy days.

Topography and Geological features of the area were studied and Geophysical explorations and tests were carried out

Before designing RWH system, it is required to carry out Recharging Capacity tests at each bore locations.

Some studies done at the Hillside colony indicated approximate yield of 80,000 to 2,00,000 LPD per bore well and recharging capacity to the extent of average 1,00,000 LPD per bore well. Good potential

for determining the water level and profiles 1.

of aquifers for determining optimum recharging bores.

Hillside colony located on the west in Pirojshanagar has a comprehensive and well maintained storm water drainage system. The rainwater falling in the colony area, the streams and the waterfalls from the hill flow through the storm water drains ultimately pouring into the Thane creek - the eastern boundary of Pirojshanagar. This catchment area has a large potential for capturing rain water. Also, it is an upstream area, whilst the other areas of Pirojshanagar Township lie on the downstream towards the creek. As a result, surface and subsurface water drainage primarily ensues from here elsewhere. Thus, harvesting water at the hillside helps replenish the ground water levels in the rest of the Pirojshanagar.

Trend: Ground Water Consumed v/s Rainwater Harvested 160.00%

400 360

1. Rainwater harvesting in Industrial Premises, Vikhroli

140.00%

350 138%

138% 120.00%

300 261 Thousands

250

100.00%

252 82%

80.00%

200 183

151 60.00%

150 132

40.00%

100 108 50

0

109

20.00%

0.00% 2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

Estimated (FY13-14 ) (CUM)

Groundwater Consumed (CUM)

Water Harvested (CUM)

Water Harvested (%)

30 RWH structures commissioned Rainwater recharged >100% of total ground water consumption

23

2.

locations were identified and selected

budget was ably accomplished by the

for the RWH scheme for the years

Construction Enginering Services team of

2011 to 2013. Our in-house team of

Godrej Construction. It’s a good example

Environmental engineers studied the

of sound project management.

locations and designed specific Rainwater Harvesting units for ensuring optimum recharging results.

The Design of RWH system: is diverted to the filtration unit. The water

is 38% more than the total annual ground

passes through three chambers for

water consumption for industrial activities

Sedimentation, Filtration and Desilting

at Pirojshanagar. As of today, the work for

respectively. Ultimately, the water passes

30 recharge bore wells is completed at the

through the small storage reservoir to the

Godrej Hillside and Station side colonies

recharge well.

and the industrial premises. At least 40

special ‘V - Wire’ Screen is used to cover the exposed borewell pipe. The two layered V - Wire screen is filled with filtering media, as it ensures that all the water that passes through it is adeqautely filtered. The sytem has three layers of filters to ensure that the water getting recharged is free from silt and contaminents. The excess water is stored in the Artificial Aquifer surrounding the recharge well through the openings in the

24

has offset more than 45% of G&B’s annual fresh water consumption. Also, this quantity

bore shaft which is covered at the top. A

walls of the well. This ensures maximum infiltration through the recharge well.

3.

Until today, at G&B we have harvested 3,45,000 cubic meters of rainwater which

The water from the storm water drain

The Recharge well consists of a deep

2,3. Rainwater harvesting in Industrial Premises, Vikhroli

The results so far:

recharge bore wells are necessary to achieve the objective of RWH project. The remaining 10 are planned for completion in the coming months.

Project Monitoring: Since July 2012, monitoring the groundwater levels at all the bore well locations in Pirojshanagar is started at a monthly frequency to check the changes occurring in the subsurface water levels before and after extraction of ground water during the year. The data generated will help us to develop an actual profile of subsurface water for entire

The detailed designs were developed by

Pirojshanagar. It will also help us to monitor

the Environmental Engineering Services

the changes occurring over a period of time

team and the difficult and critical work

to get an exact profile of the subsurface

of onsite execution of the designs as per

water for estimating the effectiveness of

the schedule and within the estimated

the RWH project.

HISTORY OF RAINWATER HARVESTING The term rainwater harvesting is often

ponds. Most of the tanks or ponds were

used today, however, the concept is not

utilised in agriculture works. Traditional

new to India. Water harvesting techniques

water harvesting systems were bawaries,

have evolved and developed centuries

step wells, jhiries, lakes, tanks etc. These

ago. System of collecting rainwater and

were water storage facilities for domestic

conserving for future needs has traditionally

and irrigation demands. The traditional

been practiced in India. Around the 3rd

systems were time-tested wisdom of not

century BC, the farming communities

only appropriate technology for rainwater

in Baluchistan (present-day Pakistan,

harvesting but also water management

Afghanistan and Iran) and Kutch (present-

where conservation of water was the

day India) used rainwater harvesting for

prime concern. People were themselves

irrigation. In ancient Tamil Nadu, rainwater

responsible for maintenance of water

harvesting was done by Chola kings.

sources and optimal use of water to fulfill

Rainwater from the Brihadeeswarar temple

their needs.

was collected in Sivaganga tank. During

To conclude, it can be said that we

the later Chola period, the Viranam tank

have centuries long heritage of rainwater

was built (1011 to 1037 CE) in Cuddalore

harvesting in our country. To solve

district of Tamil Nadu to store water for

today’s problems, we need to understand

drinking and irrigation purposes. Viranam

our deeply embedded cultural and

is a 16km (9.9 mi) long tank with a storage

historical knowledge and modernise its

capacity of 41,500,000 cu.m. Rainwater

applications using today’s technologies.

harvesting was done in the Indian states

Also, equally important is to take on

of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and

personal responsibility for the water

Chhattisgarh since ancient time. Ratanpur

that we consume individually, in families,

in the state of Chhattisgarh had around 150

and collectively.

25

THE WORLD CLASS PROJECT MANAGER A dream project is one that adds value; that matters; that makes a difference; that leaves a legacy and that makes you a star.

By Venkatesh Easwaran, Godrej Security Solutions

“

The viewpoint that no one can motivate another i s a n eye o p e n e r t h a t should motivate one to pull his/her own strings rather than being a puppet.

”

W

hat would the most common

about going full time will find it useful to

responses be if one is asked to

decide if a project management career is

define a manager? Controller of things,

a worthwhile transition point before moving

people, activities, finances etc. Perhaps, a

to consulting/people management. The

student might enthusiastically refer to an

career progression of a PM with shift of job

MBA, but how many of us would answer,

focus from work management to people

‘projects’? Few I guess…probably because

management is clearly outlined. The book

all of us are unintentionally involved in some

describes skill sets particular to a project,

type of a project perpetually and hence,

provides tools to measure ones position

deem it common place enough to be

vis-à-vis those skills and helps develop

undeserving of the title of ‘manager’! But

plans for skill acquisition. It also provides a

then, the ‘project manager’ does exist and

list of questions asked of PM candidates in

so does ‘The World Class Project Manager’

interviews. It’s appreciable that the authors

(WCPM) who manages smarter, faster,

are candid in their opinions as can be

harder and with fewer resources. Wouldn’t

judged from James’ response to the query

it be a delight to have a guide to aid us

posed by a techie, on human relations.

graduate from PM to WCPM? Fortunately, there is one in book titled, what else, ‘The World Class Project Manager’ by Robert Wysocki and James Lewis.

and organisational complexity for our understandability. Among the 7 tools

Being a successful project manager

detailed for assessing self skills, HBDI talks

(a position of great visibility and risk) is

of PM’s being a mix of conceptual thinkers,

difficult because of operating in an ever-

detail lovers and analysts. Additionally, a

changing and usually hostile environment.

WCPM must possess 54 skills including

A PM needs to strike a balance between

good interpersonal skills (undertaking a

the conflicting objectives of meeting

little begging at times!) for dealing with the

deadlines and being creative. He/she also

human side of the equation like massaging

need to surmount obstacles to career

the egos of marketing people who don’t

growth which may be limited by his/her

like being managed, managing chaos and

own creativity and initiative.

managing external aspects/environment

Our book defines the dedicated and occasional PM based on time invested in learning the tools of project management.

The trap confronting occasional PMs is

26

The authors categorise projects into four types based on its technical

like customers and vendors apart from internal aspects. The authors goad us to answer four important questions to help us decide on the kind of PM we want to be.

often facing a losing situation with escape

The reader is also introduced to concepts

not in sight. Occasional PMs, unsure

like visible skills, hidden traits, functions,

tasks, levels to measure cognitive abilities

of all political behaviour is to gain and

and ‘MSTKS’ - competency characteristics

keep power/control which can be tackled

(which I have taken the liberty of calling

through artful diplomacy and exceptional

as 5 ‘mistakes’ in SMS lingo!). Use the

political skills (note the principle of

comprehensive tool in chapter 4 to assess

reciprocity and WIIFM).

self competency on 5 categories of skills. Similarly answer 3 questions in the categories of work, play and fantasy to get further insights of self and also ascertain if you are an ‘innovator’ or ‘adaptor’. By categorising problems into open/close ended, the book shows how to prevent failure by correctly defining the ‘problem’ to be solved and avoiding the ‘ostrich response’.

The book counsels organisations to create the right conditions for functional groups to synergise with project teams and thereby avoid self-destructive tendencies.

There are succinct guidelines to HR for selecting people for project management jobs. The importance of processes for project selection, review and cancellation is realized when the authors inform us

The leadership aspect of the PM

that it takes 2-5 years for organisations

touches upon his/her ability to manage

to reach maturity in project management.

relationships, comprehend the operating

By the authors’ own admission, they have

environment correctly, survive and thrive

practiced project management for 35

in it. The advice proffered about spending

years and are yet to come across a project

budget money as if spending own money

that went according to plan! Ultimately, the

and ensuring early payback makes perfect

book reminds us that projects are people -

sense. Readers interested in developing

not equipment, materials or PERT diagram

mastery in self and projects should

and project management does not begin

contemplate embracing the 3 insights

or end with installing MS Projects!

and 10 lessons on offer, which put the spotlight on the mindset, attitudes and internal qualities that PMs and their teams need to adopt, to avoid sinking in personal and project quicksand. The book is ‘kind’ enough to provide information of the worst practices that an organisation can follow.

The authors say that exceptionally good technical workers do not make good PMs. The book recommends avoiding the ‘good soldier syndrome’ and having a plan to manage project influencers (who could be both friends and foes) as critical success factors for the project. Tips on conflict resolution and the importance of us taking a vacation from ourselves are valuable. The viewpoint that no one can motivate another is an eye opener that should motivate one to pull his/her own strings rather than being a puppet. So is the insight on ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality causing energy sapping adversarial relationships!

Our book advices aspiring PMs to possess a professional development plan containing a realisable mission whose progress is measurable. A mentor who is supportive and directive rather than extensively skilled in counseling or psychology also helps. Delving into the topic of managing politics in projects, the authors help us realise that the purpose

27

FELICITATION OF THE GODREJ FAMILY Carrying forward the tradition to strengthen the bonds.

By Chaitali Rambhad, Godrej Construction

“

Navroze Godrej addressed the audience as his extended family which created a visible wave of appreciation and excitement amongst all.

”

I

n the season when goodwill and

customers, partners, suppliers and also within G&B and the society at large for sculpting a brighter future for all. He emphasised upon the urgency to innovate, change and embrace new technologies to forge forward our 116 years old legacy.

festivities are in the air like each

Members of Godrej family presented

year, the Dussehra-Diwali function was

awards to the business units and to

celebrated with great zeal and splendid

the individual employees for their

arrangements at Pirojshanagar on October

outstanding achievements.

25, 2013 under the Chairmanship of

Vijendra Petwal, Vice Chairman – Central

Mr. Anup Mathew, Business Head, Godrej

works committee, addressed the function

Construction. The function had the theme

with a message, “build stronger relationships

of ‘Building Stronger Relationships for a

with all our stakeholders, especially the

Brighter Future’.

customers for an overall progress of the

The evening was graced by Mr. Adi Godrej, Mr. Jamshyd Godrej, Mrs. Phiroza Godrej, Mr. Nadir Godrej and Mr. Navroze Godrej.

The program began with an enchanting welcome song and the Vande Mataram sung by the students of Udayachal School.

This was followed by an interesting act put together by G&B employees to convey the importance of teamwork, mutual respect and affection to build strong relationships for achieving the goals set and perform beyond the expectations of our stakeholders.

The traditional welcome was extended to the members of the Godrej Family by the long serving employees of G&B with some of them having served for 35+ years.

28

building stronger relationships with our

organisation and the nation”. He also emphasised that all the improvement initiatives taken up at the organisational level such as Business Excellence, Kaizen, TPM, Safety, Quality etc. need a very strong teamwork for better outcomes.

This was followed by the talk of Rambali Yadav, Genral Secretary – GBSS, who appealed to the workers to not let the work or production get hampered at any cost and to strengthen teamwork in their respective businesses.

Anil G. Verma addressed the gathering and urged the audience to adopt a customer centric approach. He highlighted that the ‘Customer is the King’ and only our ability to keep him satisfied in all respects would ultimately be the single

Anup Mathew wished everyone a Happy

most important differentiator that could

and Safe Diwali. He emphasised on the

give us an edge over our competitors. He

core values of G&B of Integrity and Trust

also emphasised on the importance of

and stressed upon the importance of

staying united, especially when the state of

affairs across the globe is highly turbulent, so as to emerge stronger when the global pressures ease.

Navroze Godrej addressed the audience as his extended family which created a v i s i b l e wave of a p p re c i ati o n a n d excitement amongst all. He congratulated the team for putting up a wonderful show.

He talked about the incredible potential that lay latent in each business of G&B that needs to be realised. He also urged each and every Godrejite to do so individually.

He stated that our collective efforts have the potential and the power to ‘Change the World’.

In his address, Mr. Adi Godrej mentioned that although the times around were turbulent he was still very hopeful that we as a country and the Godrej Group could emerge stronger from the difficult circumstances. He highlighted the importance of cooperation between political parties for building a stronger nation and within our organisation to achieve higher productivity. He stated that increase in the productivity only could

enhance our competitiveness-a matter of prime importance.

Mr. Jamshyd Godrej congratulated the business teams on winning several prestigious awards and extended his wholehearted appreciation to all the winners. He urged all Godrejites to participate in improvement initiatives like Kaizen and Business Excellence. He expressed his gratification for the fact that all of our businesses had shown good improvements on the safety front.

He emphasised upon the importance of collective efforts for the overall progress of the company and pointed out that if we put in collective efforts then there were ample opportunities available for us to grab and benefit from. He appealed to all the businesses to export more to global markets.

He stated that such initiatives would help our businesses improve the quality of their offerings and competitiveness.

The wonderful and emotionally enriching event concluded with a vote of thanks by Mahadev Duraiswami, Committee member, GBSS followed by the National Anthem.

1.

2.

3.

4.

1. (L-R) Parvinder Kaur, Prem Sagar and Preety Dhiman receiving an award from Mrs. Pheroza Godrej for winning 1st prize in Total Employee Involvement Award at the 6th CII National Cluster Summit 2. A performance by Udayachal school students 3. Members of Godrej family 4. A play performed by Godrej employees

29

KAIZEN EXHIBITION - 2013 Showcasing of Kaizens creates pride of ownership.

By Sujith Nair, Corporate Services

L

“

1.

ast year’s Kaizen Exhibition has created high expectations from us

and therefore this year’s exhibition must be bigger and better than last year”.

These words of Mr. Rajkumar set the tone for the planning of the exhibition. We had a clear idea of the task but converting it into a reality looked tough. What else could we do than to form an enthusiastic and competent team to handle the task.

The exhibition committee was formed with Mr. V.S. Ramesh as the head and Suruchi Trivedi and I as the members to support him along with Priyanka Bhosle and Roxanne Fernandes. The agency, VISCOMM was represented by Shueab Khan. As this was the second year that we were executing the exhibition at the G&B level, all of us were quite familiar with 1. (L-R) V.S. Ramesh, Sujith Nair, B.K. Rajkumar and Reginaldo D’souza - Kaizen Exhibition Organising Committee Members

the issues involved and in fact were well versed to tackle them.

The first thing we did was to make a Gantt Chart and we ensured that every detailed activity was captured and monitored. Maintaining the timelines was a challenge considering the scale

“

The exhibitor’s displayed g reat en th u s ia s m a nd energy in displaying their Kaizens even though there was a regular stream of visitors throughout the two days.

”

30

2.

3.

of the project. Review meetings were held frequently to ensure the project was on track. In the initial meetings many concepts were discussed and there were heated debates. Finally it was decided that this year the exhibition should have a theme and it was decided that the Kaizens must be exhibited on the basis of ‘result areas’ so that awareness and focus on these areas is built. A separate stall was planned for Office Kaizens to promote improvement activities in offices.

The agency presented a theme called ‘Saptarang’, meaning seven colors, to represent the 7 result areas of Kaizens namely Productivity, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Safety, Morale and Environment.

An audio visual was prepared to introduce the theme to the audience and it was highly appreciated by all.

Then began the arduous task of collecting Kaizens from all the Businesses for each of the result areas mentioned

detail and ensured that every business was represented at the exhibition in the best possible way.

2. Vijay Crishna inaugurating the exhibition 3. Exhibition stalls - result area wise

An important concern related to poor footfalls of workmen to the exhibition

above. Much care had to be exercised

last year was resolved by Mr. Anil Verma

for ensuring their conformance to the

committing to lend support to the Kaizen

guidelines. Here Reginaldo D’Souza

Council by providing transport facilities.

from Godrej Process Equipment gave

The Corp P&A team under the guidance

his support for managing the vast data

of M.K.S. Prasanna and respective

skillfully which helped us to adhere to

DPH’s worked out a plan which ensured

the timelines. The Business Coordinators

that workmen from each business were

submitted their best Kaizens for all

transported to the venue in time, thereby

the areas and an evaluation panel was

enabling large footfalls.

formed to select the best Kaizens for

Annual Kaizen Exhibition was held on 1st

displaying as it was impossible to display

and 2nd October, 2013 at Plant-13 Annex.

all of them. The panel comprising of B.K.

The event started with an opening speech

Rajkumar, V.S. Ramesh, Vasuki Harnahalli,

by Mr. Rajkumar where he mentioned

Reginaldo D’souza and myself discussed

how the team has tried to meet the

in depth each and every entry in great

expectations and was looking forward for

31

4.

greater participation as compared to last

done by our volunteers Vijay Pawar, Sandip

year. The exhibition was inaugurated by

Pisal, Dinesh Salunkhe, Sagar Dalawde

Mr. Vijay Crishna by lighting the lamp with

and Nilesh Parab from Security Solutions.

Mr. B.K. Rajkumar, Mr. H.N. Khumbatta, Mr. Dara E. Byramjee, Mr. Anil Lingayat, Mr. D.K. Sharma, Mr. Shamsunder Gawde and Mr. Rambali Yadav. Later, on the Audio Visual on the ‘Saptrang’ theme was released by Mr. Vijay Crishna and was played on screens placed at different locations. The exhibition was then opened to all visitors for two days. Along with the exhibition, the central area on the 4th floor had installations depicting the Kaizen journey since the formation of the Kaizen Council and the milestones related to development of the Kaizen Management system. The panels also featured the details of teams which had won various external competitions. The

The exhibition was visited by many members of our senior management team and they greatly appreciated the efforts put in by the members of the Kaizen Council. Our president Mr. P.D. Lam was highly appreciative and he said, “I had the most exhilarating morning today talking to workmen and the management staff in the exhibition about the improvements done by them. The pride and ownership displayed by them is highly appreciable.”

He also mentioned that “Kaizen is not a tool, it’s a passion and a dream and it is the only thing which will differentiate us from our competitors.”

The

exhibition

was

judged

by

Kaizen Wall of fame also displayed the

Mr. Jayanth Murthy of the Kaizen institute

Kaizen sheets of the past winners of the

of India and Mr. P.M. Janagiraman from

Annual Kaizen Competition since 2009.

the CII TPM club. On the 2nd of October in

The stalls were designed such that each result area was displayed separately and each kaizen would have an exhibitor with an alternate person to assist him for exhibiting their improvements. The exhibitor’s displayed great enthusiasm

the awards ceremony the winners for the best exhibits were announced. The best exhibit award in the workmen category was won by Godrej Appliances and the prize for the best Office Kaizen exhibit was won by Lawkim Motors group.

and energy in displaying their Kaizens

Finally I would like to thank the Kaizen

even though there was a regular stream

Council members for their constant

of visitors throughout the two days. The

support and encouragement to make an

crowd management at the exhibition was

event of such a scale, a great success.

32

5.

4. Vijay Crishna addressing the audience 5. Suruchi Trivedi compering the opening session (Page on right) Snap shots from the Kaizen Exhibition

33

AAMIR KHAN VISITS GODREJ Bringing alive ideas that make life brighter.

By Manasi Narasimhan, Strategic Marketing Group

“

This interesting and inspiring discussion brought forth the similarities between the brand Godrej and its ambassador.

”

the world better or drawing of sketches on the theme. At Udayachal Schools, the students were asked to draw/paint on the theme. Over 750 entries were received

A

amir Khan, the noted actor, is ideal to be the brand ambassador of Godrej,

as he is curious, innovative, and has high ethical standards. He mirrors vividly what the repositioned brand Godrej stands for - modernity, innovativeness, empathetic understanding of the needs of today’s consumers, and an innate urge to develop and provide solutions that truly make the lives of Godrej consumers brighter.

A a m i r K h a n v i s i te d G o d r e j o n 5 t h August, 2013, and the objective of his visit was to build awareness about the theme ‘Ideas that make life brighter’, and take it

and the overall quality of the entries was high indeed. This made the task of selecting winners very tough. Finally, 12 winners across the different age groups were selected and were invited along with their families for a special felicitation with Aamir Khan. Aamir autographed each winner’s work and posed for a photograph with each winner and his/her family with his wife Kiran Rao. A little later, Parmesh Shahani, HeadGodrej India Culture Lab, interviewed Aamir Khan where wide ranging topics were discussed in an open, transparent and interesting manner. The discussion

forward through numerous interactions

was attended by 300 Godrejites. This

and discussions with our employees,

interesting and inspiring discussion

their children, business partners and the

brought forth the similarities between

students of Udayachal Schools. Multiple

the brand Godrej and its ambassador.

events were organised, back to back, to

Parmesh did a great job.

make the most of the two hours that Aamir Khan was with us.

34

involved writing about the ideas to make

To take the theme to a larger audience, all the businesses across Godrej Group

A contest was organised across all

were requested to invite their key dealers

Godrej locations in India, for the children of

and partners to have a free flowing open

Godrejites to bring alive the brand tagline

house discussion with Aamir Khan. About

Ideas that make life brighter. The contest

150 Godrejites attended the open house

discussion with Aamir Khan. Gaurav Chopra

1.

and Suruchi Trivedi of G&B moderated this ‘open house’ successfully. Aamir kept the crowd in splits with his candid answers for the queries about his favourite foods. He also mentioned that Kiran Rao shops only at the Godrej Nature’s Basket to buy the food items that he relishes. When asked which was his favourite Godrej product, he had some difficulty in picking one. He said that his favourite products were the Godrej Interio’s sizzle dining table with the built in hot-plate, the dwellings built by Godrej properties, and Good Knight having dual action mode. In his view, these products were unique and innovative.

It was indeed a day to remember for

2.

all the Godrejites, their children, and the business partners who interacted with him. The entire event was put together by a multi-disciplinary team that worked closely and hard to put together multiple events that lead to this once in a lifetime final event. Corporate Communications teams of G&B and GILAC had put in long hours of work for organising and promoting various events leading to this final event. G&B’s security and admin teams also provided valuable support in numerous ways. Thank you all!

3.

1. Mr. Adi Godrej with Aamir Khan 2. Aamir Khan with Godrejites and key dealers of Godrej 3. (L-R) Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao and Parmeshwar Godrej

35

OUR STORIES OUR HISTORIES Oral history brings the past alive, helping us to find our uniqueness.

By Vrunda Pathare, Godrej Archives

“

In India, the field of business history is evolving and until recently no one had at tempted to use oral history for reconstructing the past.

”

“

W

e forget things when we have no one to tell them to.” - this was

the line that kept lingering in my mind after I watched the film ‘Lunchbox’ a few months ago. Hundreds of stories pass by us everyday. Some are heard, some remain unheard. Unheard stories vanish into the oblivion. History, I am sure, would be different if these unheard stories were recorded and added to the known history, making the history richer. Oral histories are now beginning to get accepted as a useful strand of the ‘mainstream’ history.

Oral history is increasingly used by the historians, sociologists, and the activists to unravel the past and present it with many new viewpoints added.

In India, the field of business history is evolving and until recently no one had attempted to use oral history for reconstructing the past. Corporates are people too and the real stories may emerge from the memories of the people including employees who might have experienced the company at the closest. Dr. Indira Chowdhury, a well known expert on the subject was invited on 3rd September, 2013 to speak at the annual lecture organised

by Godrej Archives at Mumbai. Speaking on the topic, she brought forth in a very engaging and professional manner the significance of oral history in the framing of

Dr. Chowdhur y, drawing upon her extensive experience of undertaking oral history work at Indian Institute of Management Kolkata (IIM-C) spoke at length about the debates that took place in 1960s as to how management subjects were to be taught. She also elaborated as to how the alumni of IIM-C benefited by the ‘lecture and teach’ approach for management studies opted for at IIM-C. Quoting from an interview of Ajit Balakrishnan, the founder of Rediffusion - a well known advertising agency, and a Web pioneer, she said that he considered the ‘classroom teaching’ approach followed at IIM-C as a good grounding education for his success as an entrepreneur. She recalled Balakrishnan saying, “With this new way of looking at business, we saw ourselves as revolutionaries. When you have the self-image of a revolutionary, you don’t need to copy others; you do your own things.”

many years oral history was dismissed by

Further, she mentioned as to how IIM-C’s respect for the academics was what lay behind its support for Prof. Chattopadhyay when he was arrested under an accusation

the mainstream historians as subjective,

(false) of being a Naxalite ideologue.

Institutional Narratives (stories).

Dr. Chowdhury acknowledged that for

36

self-serving or simply too biased to be taken seriously. Institutions including the Corporates were averse to history itself, let alone oral history and putting aside the entire endeavour as irrelevant. But this mindset has slowly begun to change and now there is a widespread consensus which acknowledges that there is value in studying how the events of the past are remembered; what is remembered and what is not. It is no more just about what happened, but it is also about how the memory of what happened is formed and how it gets changed over the years.

IIM-C strongly supported him and when he was finally released, the institute sent a car to pick him up. Whatever people might feel about his beliefs, IIM-C stuck to the principle that the Professor had a right to hold and express his beliefs. Dr. Chowdhury working on the institute’s oral history was apprehensive as to whether the faculty members would share their views on this and other highly sensitive issues with her. But the faculty members proved her wrong. The faculty members showed keen interest not only in expressing their views on the above topic but they freely expressed their views on the ongoing tussle between the government and the institute about the funding of the institute.

The faculty stated that the government was trying to assert its control over the working of the institute by exercising control over its funding.

Dr. Chowdhury shared with the audience the details of her work in the field of oral history undertaken by her at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. She spoke about how Dr. Homi Bhabha managed the institute in its early years. Dr. Bhabha had certainly unorthodox ways of functioning. He would consult many of his colleagues but in the end would decide to do exactly what he thought that ought to be done. Dr. Bhabha’s way of working became very clear during an interview of Dr. Obaid Siddiqi taken by her sometime back. Dr. Siddiqi told her as to how Dr. Bhabha’s decision to induct him- a molecular biologist, into an institute dominated by the physicists and the mathematicians resulted in a widespread reactions and objections. Notwithstanding all of which Dr. Bhabha firmly stood by his decision and went ahead with the appointment of Dr. Siddiqi, who later went on to lead the institute of molecular biology at Bangalore with distinction.

Sharing her experiences, she stated that oral history has to listen to all the voices irrespective of the levels of the hierarchy of an institution they emanate from. The voices emanating from different levels of an institution lend multiple perspectives to the evolving narrative. She cited an example of D.J. Narwekar, a glassblower at the TIFR, whose interview revealed as to how science institutions in those days (early ‘50s) had to make themselves most of the laboratory equipment required by them. He also remembered as to how he

had put together a spectroscope that was later used for analysing the samples of moon rock acquired by the TIFR.

1.

Concluding her talk, she said that oral histories will be useful to the companies who wanted to unravel the real essence of their organisations. She also said that the oral history should be treasured as it was a trans-generational knowledge – an asset that can help the company to communicate, cogently, its values and philosophy to the next generation.

I am happy to add here that at Godrej Archives, we have already begun the process of interviewing our former as well as long serving employees and our long standing dealers to trace and put together the lost pieces of Godrej history.

All in all, it was a wonderful presentation on oral history by Dr. Chowdhury and everyone present in the audience liked it greatly. The talk was extensively covered in the leading print media a few days later.

2.

1. Mr. Nadir Godrej at the 9th Godrej Archives Lecture 2. Godrej Archives Team with the speaker Dr. Indira Chowdhury, Mrs. Pheroza Godrej, Mr. I.P. Singh and Mr. Anil G. Verma

37

‘A TEACHER IS MANY THINGS’, SO ARE YOU, YEZDI. A remarkable honour for a remarkable teacher.

By Dr. K.A. Palia, Corporate Finance

“

Forty years later, he still loves to talk about his association with Godrej, and cherishes Godrej values with great pride and gratitude.

”

D

r. Yezd i H. G o d i wa l l a h a s b e e n h o n o u re d b y t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f

Wisconsin - Whitewater, USA, with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s highest and prestigious, ‘W.P. Roseman Excellence in Teaching Award’ for 2013.

Those who know Yezdi well, are delighted by this very well-deserved honour and recognition for his true commitment to excellence in teaching, and in providing challenging, suppor tive and enriching learning environment to his students – from all over the world. I see this honour as a pinnacle of his academic eminence.

Although a prolific writer, he puts his students ahead of his own commitments and schedule.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s formal announcement at a ceremony described him as a prolific researcher,

38

he brings current international issues and

1.

practices into his classes. One of the greatest gifts he brings to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is an open, intelligent and kind mind. He gives all students an opportunity to excel in a welcoming yet challenging environment.

His career is filled with thankful students and alumni – past, present and future.

Af ter completing his BA (Hons.) from Ranchi, and Post-graduation in Management from IIM-A, Yezdi joined Godrej & Boyce in 1968, when Mr. N.P. Godrej and Dr. K.R. Hathi decided to hire the best talent in business administration.

Five years later, he left the Company and enrolled as a Ph.D. student in Business Administration at Oklahoma State University (OSU), USA. Forty years later, he still loves to talk about his association with Godrej, and cherishes Godrej values with great pride and gratitude.

university and consulting in the fields of Strategic Management, International

With his encouragement and support,

Management, Marketing Management,

and his help in securing my admission

Social Responsibility, and organisational

as a Special student, I enrolled for Ph.D.

theory and behaviour. He has conducted

in Business Administration at OSU in

numerous professional conferences and

January, 1975. Even during those days,

seminars for executives and small business

as a Graduate Teaching Associate (GTA),

owners. He has to his credit three books

he was considered as a brilliant teacher,

on Strategy Management, 40 articles in

by the faculty and students alike. I vividly

scholarly journals, many book reviews

remember his hard work, commitment

and panel discussions, and presentation

and conscientious nature, in teaching

of over 125 papers to various professional

three different courses in 1976-77 at

and academic bodies.

the OSU, and an American Professor’s remark: “Yezdi, at your salary, this is sheer exploitation.” Thankfully, Yezdi never suffered from such negativity or a sense of victimhood; this has been one of the key lessons that I learnt from Yezdi. Later, I literally stepped into his shoes and taught Management and Business Policy, as a GTA, at OSU for two years, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Aside from teaching, Yezdi has over 4 5 ye a r s of ex p e r i e n c e i n i n d u s tr y,

1. Dr. Godiwalla receiving the W.P. Rosenan Excellence in Teaching Award

In 1977, when Yezdi left for WhitewaterWisconsin, to start his academic pursuits, I gifted him a lovely book with the title ‘A Teacher is many things’. Thirty-five years later, after being nominated for the award by his department and college, in his supporting materials for application, Yezdi had quoted my endorsement in that book: “A Teacher is many things, so are you, Yezdi.” We need more Yezdis in this world to make education of youth more meaningful and rewarding.

39

WAREX CERTIFICATION

BY CII: CHANDIGARH AND AHMEDABAD WAREHOUSES Good warehousing ensures Customer Satisfaction at competitive costs.

By B. Ganesh, BCM – Godrej Commercial, Chandigarh branch

“

The process was initiated in May 2013 with the submission of a detailed application to IOL which was followed by a video conferences between the IOL team and our Commercial teams.

”

T

o put into place a process which

improvement are identified with a strong

ensures that our warehouses are

emphasis on continual improvement.

managed well, Godrej Commercial took a decision to offer two of our warehouses for the assessment, to be conducted by the CII Institute of Logistics, Chennai. CII Institute of Logistics (IOL) offers a certification called WAREX, which involves a thorough study and assessment of warehousing operations on a host of parameters such

40

Mr. D.V. Vora, our Regional Commercial Manager, nominated the Tepla warehouse of Chandigarh Branch and Ahmadabad Branch warehouse for the certification. The process was initiated in May, 2013 with the submission of a detailed application to IOL which was followed by video conferences

as Administration, Infrastructure, Intra-

between the IOL team and our Commercial

Infrastructure, Technology, Operations,

teams. All the required information was

Risks & Safety. The management systems

provided through a set of questionnaires

which are in place at the warehouse(s) are

sent by the IOL. The process is rigorous

validated by the IOL. Good practices

and demanding, as the information given is

followed are captured and areas for potential

subject to verification by the IOL.

1.

Once the IOL team at Chennai was satisfied that they had adequate information, dates for the site visits for Chandigarh and Ahmadabad were fixed and the on-site assessment was carried out. The process was detailed and rigorous and we learnt a lot from the experienced assessors.

1. CII WAREX Team from Chennai at Tepla Warehouse, Chandigarh Branch 2. Mr. D.V. Vora, RCM and Mr. B. Ganesh, BCM Chandigarh receiving Silver Plaques & certificates from Mr K.V. Thomas, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution at BWC “Building Warehousing Competitiveness-2013” Conference on 22-23 October, 2011 at The Hyatt Regency, Mumbai

It’s a matter of pride for us that both the nominated warehouses were certified

2.

for ‘Silver’ level of WAREX certification system. It was a great pleasure for our RCM, Mr. D.V. Vora and me to receive the certificates at a special event during the ‘Building Warehousing Competitiveness – 2013’ conference held on 22nd and 23rd October 2013 at Mumbai. Mr. K.V. Thomas, Minister for Consumer Affairs – Food and Public Distribution, gave away the plaques and the certificates.

We convey our sincere thanks and congratulations to commercial teams of Chandigarh and Ahmedabad to Mr. D.V. Vora, Mr. Manoj Ganjawalla and Mr. Vikas Choudaha for their guidance and support during the entire journey of certification.

41

A GRID FOR CLASSIFYING PROJECTS “Everything should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.”- Albert Einstein and risk increase, so do the needs for planning and

calls for a careful evaluation of these parameters as

documentation. Experienced project managers use

they apply to the project selected for execution. In

their intuition, developed over the years to gauge the

general, more complex or higher the project risk, it

nature of projects and select appropriate classification

would require tighter controls such as more frequent

for using tools, planning systems and documentation.

reviews and tighter thresholds for the performance

This intuitive process gets refined through experience.

measurement and the like. Furthermore, as size

Here is a grid for your use.

High

Managing projects of different size, risk or complexity

Large Complex Project

Large Complex Project Supplies

Staffing Schedule

Project’s Risk or Complexity

Task

Supplies

Risk Mgt Plan

Staffing Schedule

Risk Mgt Actions

Task

Network

Network

Large Complex Project

Task Management To-Do List

Risk Mgt Plan

Supplies

Shopping List

Staffing Risk Mgt List

Low

Task

Schedule

Small

42

Project Size

Large