At M&M, we can clearly see the connection between our brand image and that of our country. Just like our country, we as a company have broken the shackles of a stereotypical image and are being taken seriously as a global player. Not to forget that we started off almost in the same time period - when our country attained independence. Both of us have transformed a lot in the past six decades and have shown great potential and fuel to go further.
As a kid I had a great fascination with the globe. Observing it and trying to figure out details about strangely named places, it was all about giving food to my thoughts...to my dreams.
What is it that fascinates a business-conglomerate to go global? Business, growth, money... some will even say fame and brand building. But then there is also another aspect to it - recognition. Recognition for both the company itself and for the country it belongs to. The very fact that a company calls itself a 'German-Multinational' or a 'Japanese-Multinational' reflects this point. You may call it some sort of symbiosis, where the company uses its country as an initial brand-ambassador and then thrives to become a brand-ambassador for the country itself. For example, one of the first thoughts that came to mind on mentioning Japan is its electronics heavyweights. For automobiles pioneers it's Germany and Italy.
MNC Products as a reflection of Culture and Ethos
Mahindra & Mahindra is experiencing the same in the automotive sector with its increasing global presence. Today, when we enter a new global market, we are seen as an Indian company. A company that brings, with its name, the images of Indian culture, colours, tradition, hospitality and even music and spices. M&M today stands as one of the few foremost flag bearers of a changing India. An India that is developing into a major superpower, an India that is ambitious and an India that is now prepared to embrace the world with open arms.
Catching the attention of customers in a new market can be a tricky deal and converting that attention into sales is a step further. The question is, "what is it that a customer searches for in a multinational product?" It's the cultural footprint of a different country, a country that holds a specific image in some part of his brain. He looks for the values that the company brings with it.
Being an Indian company we have the biggest advantage of our country's image as a very hospitable country, a country where one gets welcomed with a lot of warmth and love. We are also seen as a country with much diversity, shaping the expectation of getting something very different from what other companies and countries have to offer.
Now a days, many a company is trying to claim the flag-bearer spirit of the 'Indian Multinationals". M&M comes as a natural choice, even an iota of doubt doesn't exist in there.
Also, there is a 'life cycle' vision even in the way Indian companies are moving out now a days. This is just a moment in the growth curve. I believe no company should become infatuated with the current stage, no matter how glorified it is. Ultimately, national boundaries will be disfunct - economic groupings will be stronger, and then the true global enterprises will appear, in a truly globalised world: why should the globe have so many colors!
Hi Rahul,
I am sure you have eaten Pizza…probably in your nearby restaurant. Haven’t you? That’s what globalization is all about. No matter what stage of growth curve the recipe is, it will always be an Italian Cuisine. It might get customized with the tastes of different countries, but the recipe will never loose its intrinsic value. Globalization is not about losing color but about bringing a native color out of the country and let it mix with other colors to create a new shade.
If a company loses its core values & specialty in an attempt to please everyone around, that will be the biggest mistake on the company’s part. The idea is not to copy the best in the world…it’s about analyzing it and adapting it to suit the skeleton of one’s self…its about being the best yet unique!