Jugaad The power of creative improvisations
Actually I must admit, I had been thinking about writing my thoughts but always had some excuse. I saw my friends blogs recently and decided to start writing in earnest. I had some material I had written a year back... It still is relevant so my next posts would be these old works (sounds respectable) rehashed......
Jugaad ( P ) Pronunciation Key (jew ga.wd)
The quality of being capable of improvisations; creative ability; sometimes used negatively (n).
A new lexicon is being added in the world of business jargon. Just as Kaizen, Poka-yoke, Taguchi’s robust design symbolized a new paradigm in industry and business, an emerging Indian economy is poised to create its own paradigms, none better illustrated than what can be called jugaad or for the uninitiated ‘creative improvisations’. This new lexicon is still being created and it’s driven by those environments from which the new entrepreneurs are emerging. The language of mukkadams, jhol jhals and lochhas till recently looked down upon as crass expression of a rural noveau rich would gain a new respectability with the elite classes.
Statistics and economic forecasts paint a rosy picture of India's future and, for the first time, the phrase "emerging superpower" has a ring of credibility. Indians, have deliberately promoted a spiritual, other-worldly image; whilst amassing personal influence and group leverage. The truth is that the naked pursuit of wealth and power is considered dharma. A cursory glance at our epics would be a good beacon to point us to this obvious truism. (Varma, P. K, “Being Indian- The emergence of Pax Indica”, 2003, Viking)
Today, democracy has taken firm roots because it has proved to be the most effective instrument for the pursuit of power and also because it has empowered people who were earlier denied legitimate representation and provided them upward mobility. That a Dalit, Mayawati, can become the chief minister of India's most populous state is an example. An unabashedly democratic India, where compromise and co-opting are preferred to divisiveness and self-destruction, is the key to building an Indian century.
Given the right milieu, Indians can "emerge as the most resilient and focused commercial operators of the new millennium". This projection is based on many factors, most notably the ability of Indian people to conjure up some ‘jugaad’ and overcome adversity. This enabled creation of one of the largest Asian conglomerates (read Reliance Industries) from small time textile trade to Fortune 500 dominance. ‘jugaad’ and its manifestations is the key to transforming the great monoliths of the yesteryears Tata-Birlas from sluggish elephants to tigers on the prowl. The technological revolution has brought with it a diversity of challenges --- like fighting the Chinese Dragon swamping the low tech segment in its fiery wrath to dodging the American Tomahawks fired thru its pseudonyms read (WTO and IMF). The natural selection in this new world favors those individuals who can harness the power of jugaad and emerge as the new mukkdams of tomorrow. Besides possessing these characteristics Indians also possess a ‘brahmaastra’ that ensures a continued legacy of survival. This is the emergence of a latent pan Indianness, the new supranational and assertive Indian culture riding on the communication revolution. It permeates all aspects of Indian life, from food, art and dress to entertainment and employment.
As with other things in the world, this is constantly being reworked, redrafted and remodeled to suit the requirements of a globalised world and is not an absolute axiom. The challenge is in redefining old ‘lakshman rekhas’ and creating more space for these regional and national identities to not only survive but permeate and spread. My experiences coupled with experiences of friends and acquaintances give me confidence and assurance that the power of ‘jugaad’ will overcome these minor ‘locchas’.
Jugaad ( P ) Pronunciation Key (jew ga.wd)
The quality of being capable of improvisations; creative ability; sometimes used negatively (n).
A new lexicon is being added in the world of business jargon. Just as Kaizen, Poka-yoke, Taguchi’s robust design symbolized a new paradigm in industry and business, an emerging Indian economy is poised to create its own paradigms, none better illustrated than what can be called jugaad or for the uninitiated ‘creative improvisations’. This new lexicon is still being created and it’s driven by those environments from which the new entrepreneurs are emerging. The language of mukkadams, jhol jhals and lochhas till recently looked down upon as crass expression of a rural noveau rich would gain a new respectability with the elite classes.
Statistics and economic forecasts paint a rosy picture of India's future and, for the first time, the phrase "emerging superpower" has a ring of credibility. Indians, have deliberately promoted a spiritual, other-worldly image; whilst amassing personal influence and group leverage. The truth is that the naked pursuit of wealth and power is considered dharma. A cursory glance at our epics would be a good beacon to point us to this obvious truism. (Varma, P. K, “Being Indian- The emergence of Pax Indica”, 2003, Viking)
Today, democracy has taken firm roots because it has proved to be the most effective instrument for the pursuit of power and also because it has empowered people who were earlier denied legitimate representation and provided them upward mobility. That a Dalit, Mayawati, can become the chief minister of India's most populous state is an example. An unabashedly democratic India, where compromise and co-opting are preferred to divisiveness and self-destruction, is the key to building an Indian century.
Given the right milieu, Indians can "emerge as the most resilient and focused commercial operators of the new millennium". This projection is based on many factors, most notably the ability of Indian people to conjure up some ‘jugaad’ and overcome adversity. This enabled creation of one of the largest Asian conglomerates (read Reliance Industries) from small time textile trade to Fortune 500 dominance. ‘jugaad’ and its manifestations is the key to transforming the great monoliths of the yesteryears Tata-Birlas from sluggish elephants to tigers on the prowl. The technological revolution has brought with it a diversity of challenges --- like fighting the Chinese Dragon swamping the low tech segment in its fiery wrath to dodging the American Tomahawks fired thru its pseudonyms read (WTO and IMF). The natural selection in this new world favors those individuals who can harness the power of jugaad and emerge as the new mukkdams of tomorrow. Besides possessing these characteristics Indians also possess a ‘brahmaastra’ that ensures a continued legacy of survival. This is the emergence of a latent pan Indianness, the new supranational and assertive Indian culture riding on the communication revolution. It permeates all aspects of Indian life, from food, art and dress to entertainment and employment.
As with other things in the world, this is constantly being reworked, redrafted and remodeled to suit the requirements of a globalised world and is not an absolute axiom. The challenge is in redefining old ‘lakshman rekhas’ and creating more space for these regional and national identities to not only survive but permeate and spread. My experiences coupled with experiences of friends and acquaintances give me confidence and assurance that the power of ‘jugaad’ will overcome these minor ‘locchas’.
posted by Entropy at 1:20 PM
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