The director's role in a company is all-encompassing. He is the nerve-centre of the organisation and is expected to perform like a generalist specialist. But, most professionals who get appointed as directors of companies lack the all-round experience to bring about transformational changes in their respective organisations. They invariably get appointed to this top position because they have excelled in specialised, narrow-focussed jobs. But, to do well in this new dispensation these professionals need to be re-oriented.

The Institute of Directors (IOD), a registered non-profit apex body of directors based in New Delhi, takes up the challenge of improving the competitiveness of Indian business through top management training. Says Ashok Kapur, secretary-general of IOD and joint secretary, ministry of consumer and affairs and supplies, ``The change that we propose will begin with the top management, much like the Chinese proverb that cleaning of the staircase begins at the top.''

IOD endeavours to bridge the gap between business development and quality awareness in India by conducting regular quality awareness programmes. In step with this objective, the institute is organising two mega events in Mumbai from 12-14 February 1998 -- The 8th World Congress on Total Quality and Qualex '98, an international quality exhibition.

The events are being organised with support from the Institute of Quality Assurance, the UK, and a number of national quality organisations. The keynote address will be delivered by Sir Terence Harrison, former chief executive of Rolls Royce and co-chairman of Indo-British Partnership Initiative.

IOD informs that ``The Congress will offer an opportunity for Indian managers to learn the state-of-the-art skills on TQM and related subjects. Over 40 one-day tutorials cum workshops will be conducted at major industrial centres in India on subjects like TQM, Business Process Re-engineering (BPR), Benchmarking, Integrated Management Systems, Leadership Excellence, Taguchi methodology. Those who complete 8 tutorials successfully will be awarded a post-graduate diploma in quality management from the Worldwide Quality Management Network, the UK.''

``The tutors will include international names like Yoshio Kondo, John Macdonald, Graham Wilson, James Pyle and PJ De Vries.''

The Golden Peacock National Quality Award will also be presented at the Congress.

Why is India lagging in quality consciousness? According to Dr Madhav Mehra, chairman of Worldwide Quality Management Network, and president of IOD, ``There is no leadership in India with regard to quality movement.

Unfortunately, quality did not find a mention even in Chidambaram's dream budget. India is perhaps the only country not to have a nodal organisation for building quality awareness.''

Adds Kapur, ``The government needs to evolve a quality measurement system. There is no accredition body in India for organisations conducting quality certification.''

Says Mehra, ``GDP growth was projected at 6-8 per cent, but actual growth was less than 5 per cent. Industrial production and exports experienced a slump, and FDI too has showed a decline. These trends indicate to one fact -- an acute lack of quality in the management our industries.''

Adds he, ``We are all good at conducting analysis and making reports, but very poor at implementing them.''

The IOD seminars and workshops assist managers in the implementation of their action plan vis-a-vis quality goals.

Says Lt Gen J S Ahluwalia, vice-president, IOD, ``The feedback on our conferences are very encouraging and the participation is growing each year. 50 top CEOs from Dhaka had attended a full day's programme with us.''

Says Kapur, ``We are developing a quality programme for the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi.''

He feels that TQM holds the key to ending corruption in the government circles. Says he, ``Why not introduce ISO 9000 in the way the government departments function. The departments will then look at customer requirements, design an appropriate system, define processing and delivery of service.''

Says he, ``Anybody who avoids transparency has got something to hide.The main local chapters of IOD are based in Calcutta, Mumbai and Bangalore. Membership is open to both institutions and individuals. In the initial phase, individual membership was open only to directors and senior managers of companies. But, now young entrepreneurs are also being absorbed within its folds.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.