Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Sunday 27 January 1980

PRODUCTIVITY

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity
Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year (ave).

27 Jan 1980

To:
General Managers/
Joint General Managers/
Deputy General Managers.

Sub : PRODUCTIVITY

Enclosed please  find a copy of  an article appearing  in the Fortune Magazine of December 3, 1979.

I  have  underlined  a  few  statements  which  would  be  of specific interest.

According   to   the   author,  a   negative   influence   on productivity  during  66-73  period, saw  the  surge  in  the number   of   young  people   entering   the   labour  force. Disproportionately, large number of young  people lowered the average skill and experience  in the work force, reducing the productivity.

I  enclose herewith  data/graph  of  the  age-profile of  our Powai based  work force,   in  L&T, does  our own  experience reinforce the American experience?

I draw your  attention to the factor  listed on page  80 i.e. 'deterioration  in attitudes  towards work'.   This has  some parallel with our own situation.

Page 86 speaks of

1.  Company-wide productivity improvement programmes
2.  Incremental shop floor improvement
3.  Spread of 'best practices'
4.  Buying the  best equipment  (not just more  of  the same kind)
5.  Diffusion of knowledge
6.  Innovating managerial know-how  and improving industrial practices.

I hope you will find  the enclosed article and data useful in formulating   future   policies/strategies   while   planning various  resources  including the  human  resource.   I  also welcome  your suggestions  on achieving  appropriate employee mix  (skill as well  as age  wise) from  internal as  well as external source to make the best productivity gains.


H.C. PAREKH

Friday 25 January 1980

BIRBAL & BADSHAH

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity
Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year (ave). 

25 Jan 1985
To:

Dear friends

One day,  Badshah asked  Birbal, "How  many of my  people are honest?".
Birbal replied, 'None'. A shocked Badshah challenged Birbal to prove it.
Next day, Birbal drained the royal swimming pool and sent an announcer around the town.  people were  ordered to  bring a glass-full of milk and empty it in the  swimming pool, during the night hours.
When morning came, Birbal took Badshah to the swimming pool. it was full of clean sparkling water!
"La-hol-walla-Khuvvat! -  Explain this at once, Birbal.  All through the night, I saw by moon-light, people  streaming in with glasses of milk in their hands! ".
"Jahan-Panah, people did come - but with glasses full of water. Each one thought,  when  thousands of others were going to pour milk in the pool,  what difference  could his ONE glass of water make?".
(Unfortunately, 'the story does not say what the Badshah did to make his people honest'.).
Powai is  not ancient Delhi  and we do  not need a  Birbal to tell us what  happens to "productivity"  when each one  of us think  "well -  what difference  does  it make  to the total production, if just one little myself produces less than expected, when thousands of others are working so hard?".
We know what would happen.  Our children would have no milk - but plenty of water to swim in!!
Let us all

-      work hard
-      be honest
-      prove Birbal to be wrong !

H.C. PAREKH

Tuesday 1 January 1980

THE NINETEEN EIGHTY

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity
Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year (ave).

1 Jan 1980

To:
Dear friends                    

THE NINETEEN EIGHTY

A very happy new year to you all. To your families just as much.
Raj Kapoor, in his  film "Boot-Polish" sings "What is it that you hold in your hands, little children?"
And the  children sing back  "Our future is  what we  hold in our hands; we have the fate at our command".
We all wish, our children could say the same. That is in our hands.
Only we, the people of Powai, could  make it possible for our children to face the future with confidence and courage.
Let us,  therefore  resolve, on  this New  Year day,  to work together for an everlasting "Peace in Powai".
With  more than  7,000 souls  at work,  Powai is  perhaps the largest  "Industrial Democracy"  in  Bombay.  Differences  of opinions  (on how best to resolve problems)  are an essential feature of a healthy democracy.
We must  not allow  our differences  to disturb the  Peace in the  year  of Jesus  Christ  -  1980.   We  owe this  to  our children.
We hold their futures in our hands.

H.C. PAREKH

THE LAST LAP

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity
Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year (ave). 

1 Jan 1980

To:
Dear Shop-Rep,

THE LAST LAP


Annual Sports day has come and gone.

Those of you who were present at the Parel Grounds on Saturday must have been thrilled by the running races

- the 400 meters
- the 800 meters
- the 1500 meters.

If the spectators were so excited, imagine the condition of the participants'. Many months of rigorous training and practice was being tested. And it was the last lap which decided who will win. But then in an individual event only one man can win.

Right now, we the employees at Powai are in the last lap of a Team Event in which we can all win - or all lose!

In our production race, fourth quarter of the year is our last lap (Jan-Feb-Mar). If we want to win (and I am sure we do), we must strain every muscle - every nerve; bring out the reserves of our energy.

You, my friends, have an important role to play in this Team Event because you are the Team Leader. You can ensure that all the members of the team pull together, equally and in the right direction. The Shop Foremen are the coaches. Consult them when in doubt. Hurdles must be overcome with determination.

You will decide whether we will win this 600 working-hour race. The last lap is on and the victory-stand is waiting.

In this race, there can be no spectators!!

H.C. PAREKH