Shakti’s Key Features
The Shakti project is a unique one considering its whole settings and operations. This project has various key features that make it distinguishable. The Shakti project can be said to have strong points. It is clearly an elaborate selling plan that has brought about successive selling and improved significantly the lives of those who are involved with it. The main positive aspect of operation that has been brought out and realized by the Shakti project is the incorporation of women in its selling strategy. This aspect has enabled the women to gain financial progress. Considering the fact that the women in rural India have been marginalized in the past, giving them opportunities to shine and consequently empowering them economically is a very positive aspect of this project (Rajan & Rangan, 2007, p 8). Further, the Shakti project, by giving out loans for business start up, and consequently allowing large paying periods with low rates is advantageous in a large way to the women involved. Therefore, one can start a business without any difficulties, and consequently end up paying the loan without much pressure, considering the little amount of 200 rupees that are required at the end of the month (Rajan & Rangan, 2007, p 9). However, this project does not lack any drawback. For instance, the fact that the project has outplayed men in its strategy is negative. The fact that the inclusion of women is a vital and positive aspect of the whole scenario does not mean that the men should not be included. There are many men who would impact positively in the sales arena of the products in question than the women. Therefore, giving them a chance to compete with the women is something that should have been given high priority. Further, by enabling a diversified group of individuals as sales persons, the project would have seen better results than posted previously.
Motivation for Shakti Initiative
The success for the Shakti project is evidently a superb one. The journey to growth and the realization of the high profits and turnovers in the end result is what had been the aim for the Shakti project. Looking back at the whole steps and journey taken by the concerned individuals in the project, one would not label the whole scenario as an easy one. There have been challenges and consequently the individuals were able to tackle properly them. The motivation is one of the factors that seem to have been the source of the vital strength for the whole project. Though not entirely, the motivation to succeed and move on could be linked to the fact that the rural market was untapped and not wholly ventured. It can also be said that the project derived its motivation from the fact that it had incorporated women who were once marginalized and was making them financially stable and economically sound. This factor was an obvious motivation to the involved women as well and therefore, working well for the project and giving their best on the project was the expected result. This had the effect of ensuring that the project was a huge success.
The fact that the Corporate Social Responsibility also played a big role in bringing of motivation cannot be overlooked. Further, when Dhall believed that he had to look for alternative sources of money other than grants, and the fact that he could get the money, he set out a very good trend (Rajan & Rangan, 2007, p 12). This obviously meant that the initiative had to go out of its way, in ensuring success despite withdrawing from receiving or relying on grants.
How our Organization views its Global Opportunities
Engaging and selling of goods or services in the international market is clearly very important. It is a step that may end up bringing huge and massive returns to the concerned organization. Often, there is always a chance and gap that needs to be filled in the international market, especially in the third world countries, a factor that can be of positive returns to the involved company. The organization am involved in has not yet ventured to any outside country initiatives. This organization seems to be viewing the opportunities available in the outside world as risky and not profitable. This organization seems not to notice the breakthroughs made by globalization and technological advancement; this process has helped interconnect regional markets into one big market. There are numerous opportunities that are also very profitable in the outside world that the organization should consider seizing. The difference of the currency of the United States with that of other countries, with the Unites States being on the upper hand, makes even this process much profitable. My organization should consider this factor seriously, since the changing rates of the dollar to most of the third worlds’ countries are favorable to them. Further, the availability of cheap but equally effective labor in these regions should be of great consideration by the organization. Coupled with low taxations rates, readily available and cheap raw materials for production, it is evident that the end result is going to be positive to the firm. Maximized profits are hence obviously going to be released. Therefore, my organization should be able to carefully consider these aspects and therefore gain confidence in venturing in the international market.
REFERENCES
Rangan, K.V. & Rangan, K.V. (2007). Unilever in India: Hindustan Lever’s Project Shakti.
Havard Business School.
