SMG Jahrbuch 2017/18

You travelled over the globe to refer
about the Dabbawalas. What do
you think, can you learn from the Western
companies and what can they
learn from the Dabbawala Association /
India ?
The things that stand out with respect to
western countries is the level of education,
technology and infrastructure, plus the
discipline in the society.
In India we have a very high population
and we don’t have the type of discipline,
education and infrastructure as that of the
western world.
However, the companies of the western
world cannot work without technology. After
education people forget their concepts
and only focus on increments and salary.
The Dabbawalas work without technology
and remember their basic concepts
even though they are illiterate and practise
it in their daily life.
The philosophy of the Dabbawalas is
very simple : if we work well and work hard
we will definitely earn our money.
Harvard Business school made studies on you
and your business, which made you to become a
famous personality ; how much does this inter -
national recognition help you ?
There has been no particular benefit to
the organization in terms of earning more
money or attracting donations or any
other benefits.
But we are very proud of the fact that
we were conducting our business successfully
for almost 100 years and then case
studies were written on us.
In most cases people study first and then
do a business … but we have been running
an organization without any formal education
of the employees for almost 100 years.
We have very good name and recogni tion
but we cannot go abroad for further
business and we are restricted to Mumbai
city itself.
Do you think technology will be of
use in the Dabbawalas daily work in
the near future ?
Some use of technology in the form of
mo bile phones are being used by the Dabbawalas.
However, we do not have money
to invest in and adopt new technology …
new technology also means additional
costs and the customer may be unwilling
to pay additional service charges which
now come at nominal costs of Rs 800 to
Rs 1000 ( CHF 12.– to 15.– ) per month for
delivery of lunchboxes. The new generation
of customers may expect new technology
which we may adopt in the
future.
Where do you expect to be
the Dabbawala Association
in 10 years of time ?
The Dabbawala name is going up every
day. Inspite of technology there are lot
of people who still desire to have home
cooked food and so we believe this
Dabbawala Association will continue.
The day men stop wanting home food
that day this association will stop … till
then the Dabbawala are unstoppable … just
as the sun and moon rises every day so
also the Dabbawalas go to work every day.
Interview : Peter Hartmeier
Geschichtern // SMG Jahrbuch 2017 / 18
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