Transcript

B:- Interviewee A:- Interviewer

A:- Can you please give an idea of your job role and background of your company.

B:- I joined Mahalaxmi enterprises after graduation as a project engineer for having the field
experience. Mahalaxmi enterprises is a auxillary company of Maruti Suzuki, making bolts, nuts,
crankshafts for organization, it has over 250 employee in India. Hierarchy is somewhere flatter
in the company with many smaller teams working at ground level. Different teams working in
isolation on different projects. Even in my on-site project, there were 6-7 teams working on a
completely different area. Right now after 10 years I am acting as head of operations and
making sure the smooth operations of the company. I also take part in strategic decision making
for company with other family members.

A:- How would you compare the performance and operations of this business(family owned) to
major competitors in your industry, do you feel any difference?

B:- It has been very long since I joined the company and I feel that there are some differences
that exist in the firm in terms of how the company operates and takes decision’s. Structure of
organization is somewhere more flatter in comparison to other professionally owned
organization’s with teams acting in silos and directly reporting to higher authorities, therefore
high accountability exist for lower end employees. Along with this more power is also handed
over to lower end employees as teams are acting in sylos. This structure I feel allows one to take
quick decisions and help him to make a bond with company and participate in companie’s
growth. Apart from this members of family working in the firm are strongly bonded by the
values of the family, which has been in their family from starting and all the members have a
strong belief in it.

A:- Alright as difference exist between the two organizations, what do things are the other
paradoxes impacting the performance and whether it is good or bad ?

B- Definitely there is a difference existing, and I talk about paradoxes impacting performance, I
felt it definitely affects the performance but the point is that it is not always in one direction.
Sometimes it is in favour of organization but sometimes it adversely affects the performance of
company especially when some grudges imerge out between family members. As relation among
the members extend far from being professional, in this case any tensions in family reflects there
effects in decision making and strategic management of the company, which adversely effect the
company and on the same end this relation helps to make a strong bond of values and maintain
integrity even in tough times like covid, and sail the business through it.

A:- So how do you get it or what are the qualities that you feel helped a family business amid
covid?

B:- As I already about the strong bonds and family virtues tightly holding all the members
working in organization. Apart from this one in family business is focused on increasing the
overall all family wealth with a family code of conduct and has a emotional connection with all
the assets and business that has been handed over a duration of time, this makes him work
exceptionally amid tough times. Along with this in family business there are many family
reunions and informal meeting among the members helping them to emerge as a strong team
from just a group of people. This team action help them to work more efficiently and in one
direction. Structure of the company, which talked about earlier also helps employees in company
to connect with firm and understand decisions taken in tough times.

A:- You told about tensions in family members, what are the sources of these tensions, whether
they arise while working or passed on from family matters.

B:- I would say both, many times there are personal grudges among family members or arises
with time and these grudges passes on to professional behaviour resulting in lack of
communication, this gap affects the proper analysis and decision making for the future path of
the firm. Apart from this tesions also arises while working in company, sometimes one member
feels that they are not being heared off, or being sidelined from strategic decision making and
feel to be remote. Along with this as the family tree expands and new generation enters there is
very high chance that tensions can get their entrance at this point. As few members may not take
part in business practices with that much intensity as a matter of interest, sometimes younger
generation Is more enthusiastic and not find themselves comfortable in following families
protocols and code of conduct. This effects the other members of same age group and tension
arises between the members. One more case can happen when one or some members of the firm
tries to focus on their individual interest rather their in the direction of companies interest, due to
which the values the family inculcated throughout the generations, the importance of family, the
importance of mutual help gets reduced.

A:- Have you directly felt the harmful effect of politics when you reward or chance was cut
down and given to someone else because of politics?

B:- This is something everyone feels at a particular point. Even if you are not the best competitor
for a particular task to pretend that you are the best one over that and they think they are the most
deserving one who deserves that particular award. I do happen but I tend to think not in that
direction. there were awards been given like best developer or something and you think you are
the most deserving one but it's your impression which leads you to achieve that award along with
work. I have seen people who were just involved in such politics, they use to transfer emails to
everyone to show that they are working. so it happens and people with such activities sometimes
get recognized. But I tend to keep all this on the positive side and take it as motivation because in
the final run you will learn all these things.

A:– What is firms take on nepotism and how does employees feel about it?

B:- In our organization there are certain protocols that we have to follow before joining the
executive positions in the organizations. New generations and younger family members are
needed to have on ground and field experience for a certain span of time. Although this
sometimes creates tensions amid younger members but I feel this is necessary for a member as it
is very much important to get integrated with companies culture and employees. Employees are
given much autonomy in operations decision but strategic decision of firm has very less or no
intervention from them this I think would definitely let their moral down and make them less
enthusiastic to achieve top positions in company.

A:- What changes do you feel are taking place in companies in terms of structure ?

With upcoming times a more younger generations are being involved in the business there are
structural changes occurring , younger generation is more inclined towards professionally
operating a firm and would want often changes in code of conduct. Therefore, I feel that in the
future company will be handled more professionally and family members integrity will be
reduced.