Saying No to Jugaad is a riveting account of how the start-up ecosystem in India evolved rapidly in the last 10 years. Ushering in a new turn in the country's economy that shook up existing ways of doing business, start-ups brought together investors and a rare breed of entrepreneurs to create a set of unicorns focused, for the first time, on solving the country's problems. The book busts some of the common myths around e-commerce businesses and describes the evolution of grocery as the mother of all categories in this sector. It also is the story of how start-ups go through different distinct stages as they evolve and mature. The courage needed to hold your ground when the world seems to have a contrarian view, the relentless focus on customer centricity and the emphasis on foundation-building are illustrated through lucid and stirring stories. Entertaining and anecdotal, the book is not a panegyric about the founders or the company but is the story of real people and a real company with real flaws but also several great ideas and moments. Saying No to Jugaad vividly captures the vision, culture and commitment to values which has made Bigbasket one of India's most successful start-ups.

"Jugaad Innovation is the most comprehensive book yet to appear on the subject [of frugal innovation]." —The Economist A frugal and flexible approach to innovation for the 21st century Innovation is a key directive at companies worldwide. But in these tough times, we can't rely on the old formula that has sustained innovation efforts for decades—expensive R&D projects and highly-structured innovation processes. Jugaad Innovation argues the West must look to places like India, Brazil, and China for a new approach to frugal and flexible innovation. The authors show how in these emerging markets, jugaad (a Hindi word meaning an improvised solution born from ingenuity and cleverness) is leading to dramatic growth and how Western companies can adopt jugaad innovation to succeed in our hypercompetitive world. Outlines the six principles of jugaad innovation: Seek opportunity in adversity, do more with less, think and act flexibly, keep it simple, include the margin, and follow your heart Features twenty case studies on large corporations from around the world—Google, Facebook, 3M, Apple, Best Buy, GE, IBM, Nokia, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Tata Group, and more—that are actively practicing jugaad innovation The authors blog regularly at Harvard Business Review; their work has been profiled in BusinessWeek, MIT Sloan Management Review, The Financial Times, The Economist, and more Filled with previously untold and engaging stories of resourceful jugaad innovators and entrepreneurs in emerging markets and the United States This groundbreaking book shows leaders everywhere why the time is right for jugaad to emerge as a powerful business tool in the West—and how to bring jugaad practices to their organizations.

The definitive account of India’s biggest startup that redefined e-commerce, entrepreneurship and the way we shop and live. IIT graduates Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal founded out of a Bangalore apartment what would become India’s biggest e-commerce startup. Established in October 2007, Flipkart began as an online bookstore and soon came to be known for its ‘customer obsession’. As the startup’s reputation grew, so did its value, with venture capitalists in India and abroad lining up to invest heavily in the company that stood for bold ambition, unabashed consumerism and the virtues of technology. Investigative journalist Mihir Dalal recounts the astounding story of how the Bansals built Flipkart into a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse in the span of a few years and made internet entrepreneurship a desirable occupation. But it is also a story of big money, power and hubris, as both business and interpersonal complexities weakened the founders’ control over their creation and forced them to sell out to a retailer whose dominance they had once dreamt of emulating. Flipkart’s auction involved some of the corporate world’s biggest names, from Jeff Bezos, Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai to Masayoshi Son and Doug McMillon, an ironic testimony to the strength of what the Bansals had forged. Based on extraordinary research, extensive interviews and deep access to key characters in the Flipkart story, Big Billion Startup is the riveting and revealing account of how Sachin and Binny Bansal built and sold India’s largest internet company.

The entire universe is a book to read and understand. Nature, environment, human, human behaviors, hunger, thirst, power, lust, love, competition, birds, animals, stars all of these convey mute as well as verbal messages with consistency and inconsistencies to its system and surroundings. Observant, if one is, can capture these and convert these to meaningful words which in turn can help in making a good living environment for one and all. The present book is a compilation of articles written over a period of 12 months starting from May 2018 to June 2019. The authors have expressed their observations and their own interpretations in different moods, melancholy, painful moments and pleasurable instances. Hence, these are, one can say, the manifestation of both conventional as well as unconventional thoughts. We have not limited our expressions to any limits. The articles are written as the words started coming to our mind based on the situation and circumstance of the events observed. We, consciously, have kept the articles in a format that is different from other books. We have discussed the Ramayana as a history rather than mythology, we have also deliberated on beauty as a deeply valued material, we have also written about materials such as narcissism and living with originality. We have also spoken about – life as a practical field and is not to be lived as a moral science classroom. The articles are deliberately kept at random and each article is a stand-alone description. We would suggest readers read any article as the first article and any article as the final article because all articles in the book are independent and mutually exclusive from other articles.

About the Book AN ADVENTURE STORY ABOUT DOGS ON THE BEACH. It’s just before the Mumbai monsoon when the Don and her gang chance upon a mysterious package on the beach, only to find a little puppy inside. Don’s annoyed, her gang is upset. A new puppy spells trouble. For the dogs on the beach, life can be tough. And the new arrival has broken their life’s rhythm. But soon they discover Shingmo the Seventh is actually a sliver of sunshine on the beach. The pack weaves a circle of friendship and love that shelters them all through sun and storm. These unforgettable dogs and their world come to life with Sagar Kolwankar’s beautiful black-and-white illustrations. An adventure with a heart, Woof! is a must-read for anyone who’s exchanged a knowing look with a dog.

This book will prove that every organization's best chance, to survive and become better than ever, lies within itself. Against the decidedly progressive, action-oriented, and above all restless backdrop of disruption, the DNA of established business is starting to realign. It's the beginning of a groundswell that has started to make lean entrepreneurship a core competency within big business. Based on hundreds of interviews, as well as the author's consulting work within companies, Jugaad 3.0 Hacking the Corporation identifies the competencies these corporate hackers possess. It also offers a spectrum of carefully crafted archetypes to help people see themselves in this trend and allow organizations identify the innovators in their midst.

Brands and businesses from across the globe have tried to leverage the India opportunity, based upon simplistic and widely-held assumptions. This book takes a critical look at these myths and contradictions from an inside perspective, presenting a fresh and nuanced perspective on the opportunities that the Indian market offers. It draws upon a wealth of data, from consumer research, market data, macroeconomic research, popular culture and case studies, to provide a thorough and compelling insight into what makes for success in the complex Indian market, based upon two decades of experience.

Updated edition with fresh insights for 2022 ‘PUT THIS ON EVERY LEADER’S DESK NOW!’ Jack Milner, Executive Coach Fans of Matthew Syed, Angela Duckworth, Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Timothy Ferris and Malcolm Gladwell should read The Power of Us now! Why do some organisations thrive while others seem paralysed by inaction? How do we become more innovative? The Power of Us is the result of a three-year journey around the world seeking out highly successful companies from BrewDog and Patagonia to inner city schools and renewable energy co-ops to find the answers. Cultivating people-powered innovation enables everyone to collaboratively work to figure things out. We just need to nurture the mindset and culture that makes innovation an everyday occurrence. Consultant, global thought leader and author David Price shows you how with a practical toolkit of ideas centred on 8 key principles: Trust and Transparency Engagement and Equity Autonomy and Agency Mastery and Meaning Thought-provoking and incisive, The Power of Us is an urgent call for leaders, teams and individuals to challenge the status quo, transform our lives and rebuild a better world for the future. Praise for The Power of Us: ‘Brilliant… If you only read one book this year, make it this one.’ Jamie Smith, CEO C-Learning ‘One of the most important titles of our time on one of the most important topics of our time.’ Jeff Ikler, Getting Unstuck podcast ‘Packed with fascinating case studies showing that innovation often comes from unexpected places and is the result of ordinary people who are willing to go against the grain. Essential reading if you want to imagine a better future and get inspired.’ Sam Conniff Allende & Alex Barker, Be More Pirate ‘…the closest thing we're going to get to a single handbook…of all of the things that we need to do and consider as organisations and leaders…Funny, helpful and engaging and full of actionable ideas and anecdotes. Do yourself and your organisation a favour and read this book!’ Dave Coplin, CEO Envisioneers Ltd ‘Whether you lead thousands or are looking to make a personal contribution to the planet, The Power of Us… is for us!’ Peter Hutton, Director, Future Schools Alliance ‘Thought-provoking and incisive…an urgent call for leaders, teams and individuals to challenge the status quo.’ Tom vander Ark, CEO Getting Smart ‘Truly inspired… A magnificent learning book for now.’ Garry Ridge, CEO & Chair, WD-40 Company ‘A book of our time… will inspire you, drive you and ultimately connect us all.’ Dr Richard Gerver; speaker, author, educator ‘The Power of Us is the first book that captures the cultural forces that power innovation, the structural elements to fuel people power, and the tool-kit to nurture mass innovation.’ Annalie Killian, sparks & honey

An article in the Harvard Business Review once said that the most valuable skill for the 21st century manager is the ability to work across cultures. Around the world, it is increasingly recognized that an understanding of a country's work culture plays a significant part in success at one's job. Every group of people has subtle drivers of behaviour, values and beliefs, an understanding of which could help you navigate your way around the workplace. Indians are no exception. We have some innate strengths that we seldom take credit for. Like the uncommon capacity to deal with ambiguity and to think on the fly; the emphasis we place on forming and sustaining relationships at work; and the willingness to go beyond the call of duty as we see our jobs as an extension of our personal lives. And then there are traits that may confuse the uninitiated at first and need some getting used to - such as saying 'yes' to an assigned task when we actually mean 'no', our flexible attitude to time, and the famous Indian head wag. Based on extensive interviews with corporate leaders - Indians as well as expatriates and repatriates, who offer insider and outsider perspectives on the psyche of the Indian in the workplace - How India Works is a guide to the cultural nuances and complexities of working in India. It will make your life in office a little easier.

Discover eight dynamic principles to help innovation flourish from within. The shelf life of well-established companies keeps shrinking as new entrants replace old ones in rapid succession. Even brands that seemed invincible only a few years ago are in danger of being disrupted by fast-moving startups. In this unprecedented environment, how can any business stay ahead of the market? Companies can no longer assume innovation will “just happen”—it must be seeded, grown, and successfully harvested. They must disrupt themselves. In Disrupt-It-Yourself, bestselling author and innovation expert Simone Ahuja guides readers through the DIY (Disrupt-It-Yourself) system that will sustain innovation and retain DIYers, the employees—or intrapreneurs—most committed to solving the problems of the future, even if it means moving far beyond “business as usual.” Based on her experience working with Fortune 500 companies and extensive research, Ahuja identifies the intrapreneurial archetype and presents eight new principles to foster a DIY mindset and action plan. In a clear, concise style with expert advice and real-world examples, this book provides a new lens to help companies become faster and more fluid, offers easy options to tailor the system to each company’s unique circumstances, and presents strategic lessons—from Keep It Frugal to Make It Permission-less—that open up the full spectrum of innovation and make it sustainable. Using the DIY approach, organizations can build their ability to innovate and create an approach for growth that harnesses the creativity and knowledge of employees at every level.