Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad

WANSON (INDIA) PRIVATE LIMITED

In A u g u s t 1975, during a session in business policy in one of the Institute's management development programs, the 'casew r i t e r and the participants were involved in a discussion o n t h e role of leadership and ideology in building a business. One of the participants suggested, with some degree of conviction: "If y o u wish to s e e the importance o f ideology in a real life business situation in India, g o to Wanson of Poona. You w i l l see how the personal philosophy of Mr. A.S. Bhathena, its founder and Managing Director, has been at work in creating an enterprise which has come to bear his distinctive v a l u e s . " The participant said that his company had excellent_ business relations with Wanson. He had also recently met Mr. Bhathena in a seminar organized by the B o m b a y Management Association and was greatly impressed by the latter's social conscience which, he felt, was r e f l e c t e d in each of his actions. The participant s a i d t h a t he w a s unusually m o v e d by Mr. Bhathena's remarks at t h i s seminar: "It is not possible for government agencies alone to t a c k l e t h e f o r m i d a b l e nation building problem. It b e h o o v e s men in i n d u s t r y a n d business, along with other professional men, to give a helping hand in uplifting the masses and uprooting mental poverty of the people which is at the root of our national rot. T h i s cannot be achieved unless men in senior management shed their patronising attitude of superiority towards lesser men w h o have not received the benefits of education and other pre-requisites of m e n t a l gr o w t h . " On return to Ahmedabad the casewriter decided to pursue this lead and learn more about W a n so n I nd i a and Mr. Bhathena. The Company as of 1976 Wanson India was incorporated as a private