Lifestyle - How will Nano impact the society ?

Parth Shasthri

AHMEDABAD: Will the Nano be just a “people’s car” ? Will it influence the ‘chintan,’ ‘manan’ , ‘karma’ and ‘shraddha’ of its employees?

The Nano is more than just a car, if one goes by a unique research work being carried out by an 82-year-old psychotherapist, who says the car will symbolize the new work culture in Indian companies and boost the self image of Indians.

Dr Kanu Bhatt, based in Canada, is carrying out his second doctoral thesis on the work culture of Tata’s Nano plant in collaboration with Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). He is focusing on how workers see their duty as a self-fulfilling exercise and as a spiritual experience.

“I will be working on five aspects -- Chintan, Manan, Karma, Shraddha and Mukti -- and find out how a car plant can be a fulfilling mission . These Indian ethos can be imbibed in the day-to-day working. It will be interesting to see how employees of the plant will integrate them in their work,” said Bhatt. He is in India now to conduct interviews for his thesis, along with his other activities.

“The focus of the thesis is not just the process, it is about how the workers feel about it. If Nano works as a brand, it will showcase Indian talent and efficiency to the world. When I talked to some foreigners about the Nano project, they were sceptical as they see India as country of trade union uprising, bandhs and red tape. They are not sure about the pricing. According to their standards, such a car is a distant dream,” he said.


WHAT HIS RESEARCH IS ALL ABOUT

Chintan: Employees will get time to think and introspect on their duties. Employees can suggest changes that suit the work culture.

Manan: Employees will be encouraged to share their introspection and observations with co-workers . The management can also be incorporated in the process.

Karma: Fulfilment of objectives will provide a sense of duty and achievement to workers. The entire process will be seen holistically and every car will be considered a result of a collective effort.

Shraddha: It is the trust in oneself and others. Employees will be trained in business philosophy and spiritualism, helping them in boosting confidence.

Mukti: The Indian market will see a paradigm shift from a stereotypical image of a factory employee. Successful project completion will have India competing with China and Japan for skilled workers.