Taking charge and leading reinvention: some insights

Abstract

This paper presents the insights obtained from a study of reinvention efforts of five Preliberalization Indian Organizations (PLIOs) in India. It delineates the process of taking charge and the phases in reinvention. PLIOs—public sector undertakings, subsidiaries of multinational companies, corporations set up by large business houses, and cooperative enterprises — found themselves at crossroads as the economic reforms with their thrust on competitiveness, globalization, and privatization unfolded. The business challenges posed by the reforms were accentuated by the changes in the communication and information technologies that broke the distance and time barriers. In addition, the PLIOs had to grapple with new ideas, concepts, frameworks, and processes in managing organizations. They had to build capabilities to face new entrants with superior experience and reach and compete for a share in the domestic and international markets. They also had to build capabilities to explore new opportunities. The gap between what needed to be accomplished and what the organizations were immediately capable of accomplishing was significant. The leaders of the organizations studied