| Recently, during a discussion with Suman, a | | | | business-models" and work ina) renewable energy;b) |
| co-worker in the car while stuck in a traffic jam on | | | | promote 'sustainable' organic agriculture;c) water |
| the way to a client meeting in Gurgaon, I shared the | | | | security;d) environment sensitive products' |
| vision of transforming Srijan into a company in which | | | | development and marketing;e) health - through |
| all its members collectively manage the growth, | | | | preventive alternate medicine and practices;f) |
| direction, etc. In response, Suman said, we already | | | | micro-financeg) Consulting - to help Indian companies |
| have a good work environment within the company; | | | | become efficient and effective;h) EducationSrijan is |
| and why we should think of such measures at all?I | | | | already working on building a 'consulting' division within |
| tried but could not provide an answer; and asked him | | | | our company through association with a couple of |
| to allow me to write down why, as I am better | | | | highly-recognised management consultants, and began |
| expressed that way. On the way back, I did manage | | | | our first project in 'assessing water security' of |
| to provide an answer, but decided that I would still | | | | villages in hilly regions of Uttaranchal.We are already |
| write it, to share it across our company and possibly | | | | working in the sector of micro-finance, though |
| consider publishing it in a supportive media publication, | | | | currently at a personal level. I recently lent our |
| to let the idea rub-off on other companies as | | | | domestic-help a few ten-thousand rupees to enable |
| well.Unlearning the ways of the worldIn the last few | | | | purchasing land in his village, which would in the years |
| years, I have been deeply influenced by books such | | | | to come enable him to become independent and an |
| as "Built to Last" and more recently by "Maverick" | | | | entrepreneur. Who knows, he may get to run a |
| and "Seven Day Weekend" by Ricardo Semler talking | | | | Petrol pump one-day on this piece of land which is on |
| of his experiments with 'democracy at work' in his | | | | the road leading to Chilka lake. The only condition |
| company Semco in Brazil. I have also been influenced | | | | remains that once he is doing well for himself in the |
| by the late Sh. P.L. Tandon, the first Indian chairman | | | | future, he would help others in-need and with an |
| of HLL, and well-known economist, with whom I had | | | | opportunity, become independent as well.Initiatives at |
| several late evening discussions on 'management' with | | | | SrijanSo, how does all this relate to my discussion |
| the heart.To add to all this, we have an advisor to | | | | with my colleague, mentioned at the beginning? Well, |
| our company who believes in complete transparency | | | | the only 'humane' and 'sustainable' way to grow and |
| at the work place, as a basic tenet to 'building great | | | | diversify into these areas, is by involving a group of |
| companies' of the future.Through months and years | | | | inspired people to work towards these 'shared |
| of training, or may I say, 'questioning' and then | | | | common goals'. It makes this movement (or the |
| 'unlearning' the 'thought paradigms' and 'values' taught | | | | company) much more stable, sustainable and one |
| to us by society, have I now begun to initiate | | | | that lasts.Such a company could only provide a 'loving' |
| processes which are transparent, idealistic, and really | | | | and 'balanced' environment, required for creating new |
| how, companies must run.Purpose of a | | | | brilliant ideas, which will give new direction and new |
| businessFirstly, each company must have a reason to | | | | areas of business and thus, profits to the company; |
| be in business. Earning as much money as possible', | | | | and a more equitable society.The challenge is to find |
| having the best car, foreign trips, etc. for the | | | | the right kind of people. A company must share and |
| promoter and his/her family, could be the motivation. | | | | 'live' its culture rather than talk about it. It is what |
| However, this reason alone creates the insane world | | | | one 'does' and not what one 'says' that will help put |
| we live in, with such huge inequities that 60%-70% | | | | in place such a culture.At Srijan, we have a good |
| of our population lives 'below poverty line'. Now, I | | | | work environment. Inspite, of being small, we are |
| refuse to be drawn into the technicalities of the BPL | | | | now able to afford better salaries for our people. We |
| category; people, actually much more than the | | | | have recently redesigned our office to improve the |
| percentage above, are struggling daily to meet their | | | | environment and the ambiance, thus making the |
| daily basic survival needs. This is poverty; and I do | | | | work hours more comfortable. In order to bring in |
| not care if they earn the US$2-3 subscribed as a | | | | transparency in management, weshare information on |
| benchmark by World Bank or IMF to define the | | | | the company's billing to its customers, each other's |
| 'poverty line'.When I formed Srijan, we did not have | | | | salaries are known to all key people, including the |
| much of a reason, except generating financial | | | | normally hidden perks to the top management. |
| security, so that I could be involved in areas of | | | | :-)Although, everyone does not have an opinion in all |
| political reform in this country. Over the years of | | | | decisions, we still ensure that everyone is consulted |
| training and 'unlearning', it is now a personal dream to | | | | or apprised before any major initiatives. All of us, in |
| create a 'great company' which works for a larger | | | | capacity as Account Managers, build relationships with |
| purpose than fulfilling the gluttonous appetite of the | | | | our customers. There are 'strategic consultants' |
| shareholders or promoters or even the employees, | | | | associated with us, who are encouraged to make |
| for money.So what is Srijan's purpose?Srijan will work | | | | project bids, building customer relationships, deliver |
| in areas of 'national significance' such as those which | | | | the work - independently, without bothering with the |
| address the social needs of the people of the | | | | bureaucracy of control-based centralised Project |
| country, and in-turn the world at large.We believe | | | | Management practices. Quality does not suffer at all. |
| that Information Technology and Media, both of | | | | We trust that we are dealing with adults, who are |
| which culminate in the Internet, has the power to | | | | aware of Srijan's 'quality practices' and the 'code of |
| transform lives of millions, by giving them a voice, | | | | conduct'.This is not where it ends. We have a |
| and an opportunity to come together, share and | | | | long-way to go in creating a company led by its |
| learn from each other. Srijan will continue to work at | | | | people. There is still a lot of unlearning to do, to |
| the forefront of this revolution.Over the last few | | | | create a truly great company. However, our open |
| years, we have seen the power of communities at | | | | and transparent management practices, often inspired |
| work, where one person's willingness to share his | | | | by the leadership of our highly-charged advisors, will |
| university project code, has culminated in an OS | | | | ensure that new inspired initiatives keep cropping up, |
| which has challenged the might and monopoly of | | | | leading us to new directions and new business |
| Microsoft, in a manner that no large corporation in | | | | initiatives within the company, which will help achieve |
| the world has been able to do. Linux, is getting | | | | and expand our 'purpose'.Rahul Dewan |
| mature, and its acceptability increasing by the day. It | | | | Managing Director |
| has given birth to an Open Source movement which | | | | Srijan Technologies Pvt. Ltd. |
| is giving the power of choice, affordability and | | | | Dewan is the Managing Director of Srijan |
| security to the end-user. It is for the first time, in the | | | | Technologies Pvt. Ltd., an IT company based in India. |
| last 30 years or so, that small businesses are being | | | | Under the guidance of J. Sen Gupta, his mentor and a |
| able to afford IT for increasing their business | | | | Management Consultant with over 30 years in the |
| efficiency. Small IT companies, such as ours, are | | | | industry in TQM and Organisation Development, Rahul |
| being able to find a niche for themselves in the | | | | worked on bringing democracy at his workplace as |
| product segment by adopting and learning various | | | | well. Initially, sharing revenue statements with people |
| Open Source products and implementing them for | | | | at Srijan, was unimaginable, out of apprehensions that |
| customers. The sense of appreciation in most | | | | they may either think the company is not too |
| companies using open source products is quite high, | | | | profitable (we're doing very well now) or on the |
| and sooner or later, they do contribute to the | | | | other extreme may think, that they were earning |
| movement and the community in effort, money or | | | | much less than the company's earnings; however, |
| materials. Srijan remains at the forefront of this | | | | none of this happened, and although people are more |
| movement, with its specialisation in helping customers | | | | vocal about their expectations and desires (this is |
| in the Small-Medium Enterprises, Government, | | | | exactly what we wanted to achieve), their is a more |
| Education and Social sectors, use 'information' and | | | | loving environment we have been able to create in |
| 'knowledge' gainfully for their business/purpose | | | | the company. Sengupta, enthused by the way Srijan |
| enhancement.Information Technology is only the | | | | is re-creating itself, has recently agreed to join it |
| beginning. At Srijan, we dream that in the near future | | | | full-time. |
| we shall be able to diversify and create "successful | | | | |