It Happened in India – the story of Big Bazaar and Future Group

I have been seeing the book – It Happened In India – around, and was interested in finding out more about it. The book is about Kishore Biyani – the man who created the retail revolution in India with Big Bazaar, Pantaloons et al. Swaroop has written an excellent review today, including some thought provoking excerpts.

You can read the full review on Swaroop’s blog, but here are some excerpts that I liked:

I interpret life very differently and I have this belief that we all come to this world to kill time. Therefore, we pick up some activity that we like doing and call it our profession. I call this the Time Pass theory.

The central objective for earlier businesses was to bring in stability and consolidation. They were built to enforce order. However, in the new era where nothing remains constant, the dominant theme for businesses need to be speed and imagination. Going forward, companies will be lucky if they can write a five year plan for their business.

The new macro-differentiator can be design. Design is helping companies to sell differentiated experiences and solutions that connect with the consumer’s emotions. It’s no longer about selling products and services alone. Nor is it just about completing transactions. Every time a customer walks in, it is an opportunity to build a relationship and invite the customer to become a part of the transformational scenario. Design management is helping us position the customer at the center of every decision we take and also operate with true entrepreneurial spirit.

Good food for thought!