The Hindu Business Line : B-schools ideate for Dabur

Several business strategies are taking shape at the top 20 B-schools across the country. One of them could directly shape the future of Dabur India Ltd. In a unique strategy to net talent from premier B-schools and generate ideas for business growth, Dabur launched a national level case study contest among 20 top B-schools in India. Navigator 2006 could help the company achieve one or all of the following targets it has set for itself:

To double sales and profit by 2010 (from the current Rs 1,866 crore to Rs 3,500 crore)

For a double digit growth in all segments

To increase domestic sales share to 84 per cent and with South India's contribution exceeding 15 per cent.

Revenue share from international markets to grow to 16 per cent of total revenue.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr A. Sudhakar, Executive Vice-President, HR, Dabur India Ltd, said, "Through these case studies, we are looking at suggestions in terms of growing our business, both organic and inorganic."

So far, the company has received 89 entries and Mr Sudhakar expects this number to touch 100. The contest is thrown open to students, either individually or in groups of three from each B-school with no restrictions to the number of entries from each B-school.

Apart from the obvious benefit of generating business ideas for organisation growth, is this also a way of building the Dabur brand among students who could be prospective employees in a year's time? Mr Sudhakar agrees that catching the attention of the B-school student, especially when campus recruitments are only a couple of months away, is also important. In fact, this year a few PPOs (pre-placement offers) have already been made to students of Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi and Indian Institute of Mangement, Bangalore. Every year, Dabur India recruits 15-18 students from premier B-schools in the country as management trainees, apart from 50-60 lateral hires. But, stresses Mr Sudhakar, more than anything, this kind of outsourcing business strategy gives a fresh perspective to the organisation. "In fact, we are planning to make this an annual event with more live case study contests," says Mr Sudhakar.

The entries will be scrutinised and judged by a panel comprising Dabur Board members and select academicians from all over the country. The results are expected to be announced in a month's time, says Mr Sudhakar. Among the B-schools participating in the contest are the six IIMs, XLRI, FMS, NIFT, TISS, BIM and SP Jain. "The winners will walk away with a prize money of Rs 1,25,000," said Mr Sudhakar.

More Stories on : Human Resources | Dabur India Ltd | Healthcare Products

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