As the pandemic continues, life and work keeps evolving. Many of us face new challenges as we juggle work/life balance. The time is ripe to rethink how we work and how we interact with our customers and partners. There is no better time than now, to improve processes and differentiate yourself from your customers. Dr. O discusses the need to change, create, and innovate, while sharing how he is working remotely and the new challenges he faces, especially working in three time zones.
Indian companies have gone global, and are dominating key industries. I recently read the book India’s Global Powerhouses by Nirmalya Kumar. This great resource shows how India’s global powerhouses are focusing on lucrative high-margin markets in the developed world while maintaining low-cost bases in India.
This episode will review several of these global Indian firms which have dominated their respective markets. Indian firms are innovating and building low-cost business models to reach India’s masses and still be profitable. They combine frugal engineering and innovation, along with a low-cost business model to provide a growing customer base around the world.
The Mongol Empire was founded by Chinggis Khan (aka Genghis Khan) and became the largest contiguous empire in history stretching from the Sea of Japan to the Mediterranean Sea and the Carpathian Mountains. In the 13th century the Mongols redrew world boundaries, consolidating smaller countries into larger ones. Mongols still controlled India in 1857 and the last ruling descendant, Alim Khaim, emir of Bukhara, was still in power in Uzbekistan in 1920.
So why are we talking about the Mongols on a business podcast about strategy and innovation? Well, the Mongols were some of the most innovative societies ever. Mongol leaders ruled the world with an iron fist but created amazing innovations in military, economic, and social life. As business professionals, we can all learn and be motivated by the amazing changes the Mongols brought to the world and their ability to adapt and change based on different circumstances. Also, their strategies and tactics can be incorporated into business to allow you and your organization to become a leader in your market.
What’s happening Fanatics. Welcome back to The Business Fanatic podcast; your weekly business podcast of all things strategy and innovation. I’m your host Dr. O and this week’s topic is John Deere and the history of Deere & Co.
What is more iconic than seeing a green tractor or combine in the middle of massive field of corn? Well, those green farm machines are probably Deere & Co. vehicles. And that iconic leaping deer logo that we all recognize has been used by the company for over 150 years.
John Deere created an iconic global company that helped transform America. The development of Deere’s iconic “singing” plow helped farmers conquer the Midwest and created America’s breadbasket. With the help of Deere’s products, farm output doubled from 1840 to 1860 and then tripled from 1860 to 1890.
Allowing for the settlement of the American Midwest and the ability to feed the growing population of America, Deere was instrumental in the growth of America in the 1800s.
The story of John Deere and the history of Deere & Co. is a great example of creativity, ingenuity, and an entrepreneurial mindset that never stopped inventing and innovating. John Deere and his son Charles are synonymous with American ingenuity and entrepreneurship and their story is another great example of how a single idea can transform individuals, groups, communities, and countries.
Peter Drucker is another one of the gods of business that many people have not heard of or studied. His writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation. He was also a leader in the development of management education, developing the first MBA program at Claremont Graduate University for professional business people. He also is known for creating the concept of management by objectives or MBO, and he has been described as “the father of modern management.”
