What makes his career so exceptional is the simple fact that aspiring young managers in India today look up to him than anybody else. The year 2008 has been an especially tough one for the group. His brainchild, the Nano project, was set back by political disturbances in Singur, West Bengal, where the manufacturing plant was sabotaged by political protestors. There was also the terror attack on the city of Mumbai, where the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel (owned by the Tatas) was held hostage by terrorists. These have not only harmed the group’s business interests, but have also taken an emotional toll on Mr. Tata himself. Yet, he has remained as calm and collected as he is renowned for; and has never let his bad fortune affect his adherence to core principles and values of the Tata family and the Tata group. More than any other aspect of his business career, it is for his personal aura that he will be most remembered. Even if the acquisition of Corus and Land Rover don’t prove to be as fruitful as they were meant to be, his work ethic, his conviction and their translation into bold actions, will continue to be a source of inspiration for the new crop of managers in India. And it is fitting to end this essay by quoting R.GopalaKrishnan, Executive Director of Tata Sons on Ratan Tata’s style of leadership: “Rather than telling them (executives) what to do, he (Ratan Tata) asked them what they liked to do and how they would advance that goal. It is a very empowering form of leadership, rather than a directive form of leadership.” (Case 10, Center for Management Research, 2008) And despite being very patriotic, Ratan Tata has not limited his vision to India alone. For example, Ratan Tata’s perspective on going global was not just to increase profits,; it was also intended to “creatively engage” in the economic development of the countries of operation. Classic examples of this vision are countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, where the Tata group is set to make major inroads. It would be a fitting end to his illustrious career, if the Tata group can really become a global brand and create presence in different parts of the world.
References:
“Tata Juggernaut Stirring”, Business India, www.tata.com, April 30-May 13, 2001.
“The Shy Architect”, www.economist .com, January 13, 2007
Kunal N. Talgeri & Sriram Srinivasan, “The Countdown Begins Now…”, www.outlookbusiness.com, February 09, 2008.
Robyn, Meredith, “Tempest in a Teapot”, www.forbes.com, February 14, 2005.
“I Always Envisaged Tata Could be a Global Group: Ratan Tata”, www.markets.moneycontrol.com
Official website for the Tata Group: www.tata.com, retrieved on 1st June, 2010
Center For Management Research, Case 10: Ratan Tata: Leading the Tata Group into the 21st Century, 2008