Tatalog: Eight Modern Stories from a Timeless Institution

by Harish Bhat

TATAlog
Log (English) = Record-keeping device
Log (Hindi) = People

From steel to beverages and from supercomputers to automobiles, TATA companies have broken new ground and set new standards of excellence over the past two decades. TATAlog presents eight riveting and hitherto untold stories about the strategic and operational challenges that TATA companies have faced, and the forward thinking and determination that have raised the brand to new heights.

Among the engaging and inspiring stories told here are those of Tata Indica, the first completely Indian car that succeeded in the face of widespread cynicism; the jewellery brand Tanishq that has transformed one of India’s largest industries; and Tata Finance, which underwent several tribulations yet demonstrated the principles which Tata stands for.

Written by a TATA insider, TATAlog reveals the DNA of every TATA enterprise—a combination of the virtues of being pioneering, purposive, principled and ‘not perfect’, along with tremendous human effort.

Genres: Business, India, Nonfiction, Management

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 15, 2012

Reviews

[Vishnu Chevli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got to learn some inspiring business cases

Nice read

[Vismay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple and lucid account of the triumphs, trials and tribulations of the pioneering Organization we call the TATA. This reads just like one of those logs of Captain Kirk in Star Trek, except for the fact that this Enterprise (TATA) is very much on Earth, yet its heart is set on the stars.
An Organization boasting of many firsts in various sectors, we get to know what happens behind the scenes, the inherent philosophy which this Organization adheres to in Tata Log . These people had the balls to go out in uncharted terrain, face the heat and set the stage on fire...
TATA truly is an inspiration.
So, don't say Goodbye, say TATA!!!

[Jitin Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always wanted to read success stories fro the vast conglomerate TATA.
This book amply fits into those collections of sucess stories from TATA, India's corporate with a heart.

This is one organisation which you will admire more after reading this book.

It tells you the story of India's first indegeniously manufactured Car; Indica, India's fastest supercomputer EKA, about TATA steel winning the prestigious Deming Prize, which is again the first steel company outside of Japan to win so.

This book is easily digestible and will make you realise the importance of TATA for India's prosperity and pride in the world.

Enjoy reading!

[Piyush Udhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Key Learnings:

1. 4Ps of Tata: The Tata group is a Pioneering, Purposive, Principled and Not Perfect organization.

2. The Tata Indica story (Pioneering)

-- Building the first Indian car in the 1990s was a very ambitious goal. Tata Motors was courageous and bold enough to venture into a place where no one had gone before, attempting to do something that no one had done before in India.

-- Despite working very hard and meticulously, there can be setbacks and poor performances along the way. Key is to not get bogged down, to accept that there is need for change, to take feedback from customers and passionately work towards improving the product.

-- Aptly follows these lines of Mr. Ratan Tata, "Think Big. Lead. Never Follow."

3. The Tata Chemicals & Okhamandal story (Purposive)

-- Excellent lesson in community leadership and engagement for businesses. Greatness of the Tata group that they acknowledge surrounding community as an important stakeholder in the business.

-- Highlights the importance to take small steps from our end to increase trust with stakeholders.

-- Tremendous focus of the Tata group to create SELF-SUSTAINING / SUSTAINABLE business as well social entities.

4. The Tata Finance story (Not Perfect)

-- It takes courage for an organisation to publicly accept that something wrong has happened. The Tata group did not simply brush the issue under the carpet. Rather, they stood up, conducted an honest and unbiased evaluation of the situation and took responsibility (promising to pay back all liabilities and every penny of depositors). Not just making false promises, but making provisions for following through with the commitment.

-- The group enforcing strict punishment and legal action against those involved in the wrongdoing and unethical practices tells a lot about the character of the Tata group. It strengthens the culture and reinforces the fact in the employees that unlawful and unethical practices will not be tolerated at any cost.

5. The Tanishq story (Pioneering)

-- Idea received strong backing from the Chairman because of huge market potential and excellent team. This supportive behaviour from the leaders encourages an attitude to constantly keep innovating and confidently experimenting with good ideas that are outside the sphere of core competencies; ultimately leading to building bigger businesses.

-- Understanding the market, competitors and customer's view point is very important in any business. The Karatmeter strategy was a master stroke as it helped break the false confidence of Indian consumers in family run jewellers of close acquaintance and draw the customers towards Tanishq.

6. Second career for intelligent women story (Purposive)

-- Leaders should understand the necessity to offer good salaries to attract and hire intelligent and skilled people.

7. The Eka story (Pioneering)

-- An incident shows the humbleness of Mr. Ratan Tata, when he apologises the project leader because an employee left. GREAT LEADERS ARE EXTREMELY HUMBLE.

-- Always have a solution oriented approach to any problem that you are facing. There is no problem in the world that cannot be solved using optimal resources. Highlights the importance of having a large network and good contacts (like the Russian scientists) and knowing what will get people to work for you.

8. The Tetley story (Pioneering)

-- The Leveraged Buyout arrangement for acquisition was quite amazing. The loan financing terms were truly genius - mortgage for the loan being the future cash flow of the company to be acquired! Simply genius!

-- Importance of persistence, grabbing opportunity quickly, thorough due diligence and learning from past mistakes. Not being bogged down by the challenge of buying a company 3x the size. Always striving to find a way, a solution.

-- Important to note the stance of Tata group - they publicly backed the move, but financing had to be arranged by Tata Tea. Again, focus on creating self-sustaining ventures.

9. The Tata Steel story (Excellence)

-- Tremendous focus on business excellence and total quality management.

-- The courage to venture out of comfort zone and not being a frog in a well. Constantly improving and not settling.

[Prakhyath Rai · Rating 4 out of 5]

TATAlog presents eight riveting and hitherto untold stories about the strategic and operational challenges that TATA companies have faced over the past two decades and the forward thinking and determination that have raised the brand to new heights. From Tata Indica, the first completely Indian car; to the jewellery brand Tanishq; and Tata Finance, which survived several tribulations,

TATAlog, written by a Tata insider, reveals the DNA of every TATA enterprise—a combination of being pioneering, purposive, principled and ‘not perfect’
An insider, Bhat chose to write about stories from Ratan Tata’s tenure—and as it happens, they’re being printed just as that tenancy is coming to an end
This is one of the lovely non-fiction books that I have read which talks nationalism in true business terms.

The pride of our nation indeed.
In some places the story telling was too droning and too conceited self but overall, it’s a decent read. I have learnt so much about the TATA group now

[Venky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over an enduring legacy spanning a phenomenal 150-odd years, the TATA Group has come to symbolize the tenets of integrity, intensity and indispensability. With an uncompromising bent of mind in so far as the sphere of business ethics is concerned, this conglomerate has transformed itself from a fledgling textile manufacturer into a virtual pride of India - a crown jewel whose Mantra is diversity and motto quality.

In this refreshing work, Harish Bhat, an 'insider' shares his perceptions regarding the various factors that motivate and drive business at TATAs. Selecting eight stories of inspiration, the author attempts to unravel the 'TATA Way of Life', a path defined by honesty and paved with innovative ingenuity. The tackling of the shambolic Corporate Governance fiasco at Tata Finance, the endeavours of TATA Motors to bring out the Indica as the first indigenous 'India-made' car; the unrelenting determination of TATA Steel to bag the prestigious Deming Award for Quality; the audacious yet ruthlessly focused bid of TATA Global Beverages to acquire Tetley Tea, the fascinating Second Career Internship Programme ("SCIP") for women taking a break from their career, TATA's ambitious foray into birthing India's first super computer "EKA", and the empowerment of Okhamandal's villagers from forced farming to exquisite handicraft artisans, courtesy the TATA Chemicals Society for Rural Development ("TCSRD"), all capture the core of the TATA ethos and vividly demonstrate the credo underlying their business.

This behemoth with a presence from salt to steel is not just India's most visible architecture of economic growth, it is in fact a benchmark and a gold standard for conducting business with an undying commitment to quality, credibility and society.

TATA LOG - A peoples adventure of aspiration!

[Gregorius Gerry Purnomo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tata Group is one of the largest conglomerate in India. Its businesses range from beverages, retails, jewelries, steel producers, chemicals, automotive to IT services. It also had acquired global brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover and Tetley tea. Tata Group can maintain its success for more than 150 years thanks to its Tata Way. Tata Way marks out four distinguished characteristic of the company: Pioneering, Purposive, Principled, and not Perfect.

The book explains in short but detailed manners about ten events that show how Tata Way shaped the company's action and plan. Below is the summary of some events.

1) Tata Indica, the very first Indian car
In 1993, Tata Motors, which has been successful as trucks and commercial vehicles maker, decided to venture into making cars. With support and commitment from Tata Group, Tata Motors was able to make Tata Indica, the first Indian car, sporting futuristic design and ample space room to accommodate larger size of typical Indian family. Although it is design in Italy, the whole components are sourced locally and the manufacturing process is also in India. This opens up future opportunities for other cars' components supplier and car makers.

2) Second Career Internship Program
In India, only 22% of female graduates enter the workforce. Then, only 52%/of the women in junior positions ever make it to middle management. While some is due to gender discrimination, there is another reasons: women drop out from workforce and never come back, mostly due to family commitments. In 2008, Tata Group decided to launch Second Career Internship Program (SCIP). SCIP aims to welcome back talented women who drop out from workforce. With flexible work schedule and carefully crafted internship program, SCIP give these women confidence and necessary skills to ease back to workforce after a long break.

[Vasishta Bommakanti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the stories, the tales of Tanishq,Tata SCIP and their acquisition of Tetley stayed with me.

In the story of Tanishq it is inspiring to understand how the people involved have turned it into the brand that it is today despite its slow start in the market during its inception. It highlighted impact and necessity of strong brand management to make things work.

Tata SCIP hightlights the group's efforts in trying to give it back to society. It brought up some alarming numbers of how only 22% of the women graduated every got into work force in India and how the numbers dwindle even further by the time it reaches the level of Mid-Level management. The numbers might be a bit dated by it draws our attention to how much work needs to be done in this case.

Tata's Tetleys acquisition was probably one of the biggest ever global acquisitions by an Indian company. The story details the efforts and the commitment showcased by everyone involved to make it successful.

The rest of the stories somehow could not hold my interest on the wh.ole. Tata's first car was interesting in parts though

[Avishek · Rating 5 out of 5]

First hand account of all things TATA by a TATA insider. You can't ask for more. The book lets you into why the Tata Group is the way it is and its operating ethos. The best part is that its not a "TATA is Great" book. It doesn't shy away from pointing out some of the short comings and also accounts things that didn't go well. Its an account of 8 of the defining stories related to The Tata Group which give you a glipmse into the TATA WAY. And in the intial pages when you read that the Tata Way is Pioneering, Purposive, Principled and Not Perfect, you get start trusting that you're going to get an honest account and Harish Bhatt doesn't let you down.

[Niket Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

To judge the truthfulness of this book, would be a daunting task because one could never know the real truth behind the 8 absolutely fantastic tales from the company that is respected in India for its vision in the future.

The 8 stories, described in the book tell the story of why Tata is so well respected, doesn't only tell us the good pioneering stories but tells us what Tata did in it's own Tata way to make these ideas a successful ones and what it does to keep the respect it has in the eye of the public.

All in all, good read can be finished in a few sittings.

[Manish K Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A glance at some of the stories from the biggest corporate house in India. The account serves the stories with an extra slice of humility, and overdoes it so very often that you start suspecting whether it was this humility that holding back TATA for all those years.

The thing you get it that general management practices in India still have a long way to go (esp in Quality control and Productivity) - given that TATA pretty much defines the upper limit.

[Sumathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully brings out the Tata philosophy. The piece on Tanishq is riveting , particularly the closing words by Xerxes Desai on its future. Similarly the piece on 'Second career internship program for women'. If anything, the writing is a tad sycophantic but I guess one cant help it when you have been with Tata that long!

[Akshat Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing book on not only how TATAs do it, rather how any individual/institution/organisation should function. What is the importance of perseverance and sheer determination with hard work and detailed decisions and actions. Loved it.

[Harsh Arya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Largely a monotonous account of the happenings at the Tata group. Perhaps the only bit I liked about the book is the author's frequent acceptance of the group's shortcomings during the course of the projects covered in the book.

[Anuradha Goyal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairy Tale like stories from 8 Tata Companies. Detailed review here: http://www.anureviews.com/tatalog-by-...

[Dipali Bhutada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book, because I came across many things which I should be proud of (and I was unaware of them earlier). Even otherwise, Book is good, explains ups and downs of 8 TATA companies.

[Himanshu Upreti · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the standout examples of Tata's remarkable vision is the Tata Indica project. In the late 1990s, when the Indian automotive market was dominated by foreign brands, Ratan Tata believed in India’s potential to create a fully indigenous car. Despite skepticism, his commitment to innovation led to the creation of the Tata Indica – a symbol of India's engineering prowess and self-reliance. The book by Harish Bhat goes into the details of what all transpired to make it happen.

The Tata Indica project exemplified key principles of Ratan Tata’s leadership:

1. Belief in India’s capacity for world-class innovation
2. Persistence in the face of challenges
3. A focus on products that serve the broader needs of the Indian market

The Tata Indica may have faced hurdles initially, but its success proved that bold dreams can be achieved with perseverance and belief in one’s vision. It stood as a testament to Ratan Tata's confidence in India’s potential.

Beyond the Indica, another standout example of his foresight was Tata’s acquisition of international brands like Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in 2008. Many were skeptical of whether an Indian company could turn around such iconic British brands. But under Tata’s leadership, JLR thrived, becoming a symbol of the Tata Group's global ambitions.

[Vivek Ranjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"TATA LOG" is written by Mr. Harish Bhat. Mr. Harish Bhat is Brand Custodian at TATA Sons. He also author of An Extreme Love Of Coffee, The TATA Saga, The Curious Marketer, TATA Indica -"The Very First Indian Car"

This book is inspired by the TATA Group, there are 8 inspiring different stories and each story is proof of the core value of TATA Group. Each story provides great insights into critical aspects of nation building approach. The TATA Group in this book described as Pioneering, Purposive, Principled and not Perfect.

My favourite inspiring story is "Tanishq Sets the Gold Standard". I strongly recommend this book to each and every one who wants to know about TATA Group. Do read this book and let me know in the comment section below.

[Goutham Jayaprakash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harish Bhat tells us eight thrilling stories that the TATA Group companies have faced and how they overcame many tribulations.

This book gives us an inside into the TATA way of business.
The story of Indica and EKA tells us how they are the pioneers and innovators of the business.
The story of SCIP & Okhamandal tells us they are giving back to society.
The story of TATA Finance shows us how they have uplifted the trust of all the people invested in them.
The Story of Tanishq and Teltley tells us the commitment and effort of all the "TATA LOG".

This book is so gripping that it will surely make you want to finish in a single go.

[Akhil Ramolla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many companies don't stand beyond 30 years. I have been wondering what makes Tata companies very resilient. How do they have different cultures in each of their companies, But a feeling of The Tata way connects all of them, how? That motivated me to read this book.

The writer gives a brief of the Tata way and makes it visible in multiple stories across the organization which is spread over years, months, and even one event session.

cons: this is the second tata book I have read. the first one was fully focused on the story of air India. which was a very deep story. the current book does not have a deep story.
The group should reduce variance in the culture by hirearchy

[Shivang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring stories from the Tata Group that describe the 'Tata mindset'. Each story provides valuable insights into this Tata mindset which is ingrained in every senior leader of the Group. For businesses, this and other books by Harish Bhat are a gospel in customer centricity, giving back to the society, corporate governance, innovation, corporate culture and leadership. I strongly feel that in addition to Kotler's 4Ps (Product, Place, Price, Promotion) business students should also be taught the Tata's 4Ps (Pioneering, Purposive, Principled and 'Not Perfect'). Looking forward to read more about this behemoth.

[anuj · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 P r not just what sir kotler defined, 4 p are also the pillars of strong foundation on which the great institution of tata is based

No one's perfect n so are not the tatas but the grace lies in accepting the fact and striving to be one.
The timeless tales are of the people/companies which have in some form or the other in some stage of your life would have dealt with you.

Read about them to read about the 4 Ps of the Tata way.

[Abhinav Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Tata Log' provides a captivating insider's view into the world of Tata, unraveling the ethos and values that have shaped one of India's most iconic conglomerates. With anecdotes and insights, Bhat brings alive the fascinating stories behind Tata's success and its impact on society. The book is not just a corporate journey but a celebration of values, leadership, and innovation. A compelling read that offers inspiration and a deeper understanding of the Tata legacy."

[Amartya Mitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proud moments for a resident of Jamshedpur

This is an exquisite piece of art. I have been associated with the Tata group since my birth as my father was a respected employee of Tata Steel. My regards for the Tata Group went up a trillion times after knowing these stories. Would be blessed to work at a Tata Organization and serve humanity

[Manoj Ekkundi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for an amalgamation of the many inspiring victories and many insightful tribulations that TATA Group has endured over its decades of existence, and also looking for a simple yet grasping depiction, then this is perhaps the best book for it. I am particularly in awe of the apt level of detail the author has carefully delved into. A must read on TATAs.

[Neeraj Bagi · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I respect the Tata enterprise/ institution, I felt this book was a tad bit boring. It's a good read for people interested in learning about the values and beliefs of the Tata enterprise, but I felt it was rather too stretched with its stories.

[Yash Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book, you will realise that the company so close to you is so prolific in nature.

[Subashree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read about the group of Tata companies!

[Sarweshwar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read in recent times. Inspirational book showcasing eight modern stories from a Timeless Institution.. Thanks Harish Sir for articulating the Tata Way..

[Parth Vaidya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice illustrations of culture in Tata