Come rain or floods, there is nothing that has stopped the Dabbawallas of Mumbai from reaching to their customers. The fail proof supply chain management, which has received the six-sigma certification, has attracted the attention of B-schools and businessmen. The association has been accredited to having followed the best practices even though the code of conduct is unwritten, the 5,000 odd dabbawallas semi-literate, and they hardly depend on the technology. So what is so stunning about the Dabbawallas that is creating waves across the world?
There are various theories of ethics, which is reflected in the working style of dabbawallas. The Consequentialism theory maintains that the majority of an action depends on the non-moral consequences that the action brings about. Even with a meager salary the dabbawallas ensure that they reach their customers come rains, or floods, or strikes. In a world, where the companies are spending a lot of money to improve their image, the basic thing that they should concentrate on should be to fulfill their promise to their customers--ensure timely delivery of quality products to their customers. This would not only help build the brand's image, but also help build a credibility which would leverage the company above the competition.
Philosophical Relativism teaches that the most important aspect is not what one believes, but being aware one's own feelings, beliefs, and values systems. By acting thusly and making one's own choices, one develops one's own values. All the dabbawallas belong to the same community; it makes the inter-group communications and leaves no scope for ego clashes. The people going to the same neighborhood ensure that they have their lunches together, which reinforces the team spirit and keeps them united. The people are the most important asset to any company, which means that the companies should ensure that they hire the right person and assign him the right job. Not only do the abilities of the prospective employee matter, the companies should ensure that it shares the same cultures and values with its employees--which would ensure that the goals of the company are easily met.
Utilitarianism states that the moral standard should be promotion of the best long-term interests of everyone concerned. The fact they have not even a single police case against states that they rank very high, when it comes to ethics. They treat their customer as God and take full care to ensure that the customer should always get the right box. Also, thorough police verification is done whenever a new person is recruited onboard, to ensure that the credentials and high standards for the association are maintained. Similarly, the values carried by the company should be reflected in its employees, and its products. If the customers are able to relate to these values, they would remain loyal and think about the company.
Principle Ethics states that principles are merely value states or guidelines to actions. The rules are strict when it comes to their dressing-white kurta-pajama with a Gandhi topi and an ID card around their neck. They are fined if found indulging in any activity which can bring shame to the association. Companies should ensure that its employees follow the code of conduct, which would not only bring discipline on the floor, but also bridge the gap between the various hierarchies. The code of conduct would reflect the strong belief of the company on rules and regulations, leading to an increase in the customer's trust.
A classic lesson that can be learnt from the dabbawallas is to keep things simple. Even though majority of the dabbawallas are semi-literate, they have followed the best practices, to ensure error-free delivery of the dabbas, from the home to the customers. The simple coding of the dabbas with various colors and codes ensure that all the dabbawallas are able to locate the destination of the dabbas. Thus, if companies have to connect with their customers, they should ensure that their products are simple to understand and use
The reason that the dabbawallas are creating ripples across the business world is due to their tight knight association, which is firmly grounded on values and ethics - a must learn lesson for business professionals across the globe.
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