Taxi aggregator <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> today said it has signed an agreement with <keyword id="46283" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nissan">Nissan</keyword> Motor India to procure cars for lending them to new drivers. 
 
In September, Ola had set up a separate unit -- Ola Fleet Technology. It had announced an initial investment of Rs 500 crore to buy cars and lease them to new drivers as it looks to expand its driver network and compete head-on with rival Uber. 
 
The programme has a dedicated capital of over Rs 5,000 crore that will be infused for scaling up the leasing programme in 2016. 
 
"Ola had recently rolled out a cab-leasing programme for driver-partners for which cars will now be purchased from both Nissan and Datsun brands," Ola said in a statement. 
 
It, however, did not disclose the number of vehicles that will be procured under the partnership. 
 
Ola plans to partner more car makers to add over one lakh vehicles on its platform through its cab-leasing unit by end of 2016. 
 Through this partnership, Ola's subsidiary will make available vehicles to Ola <keyword id="4753561" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="driver-partners">driver partners</keyword>, creating employment and subsequently entrepreneurial opportunities for hundreds of thousands of them, Ola Vice President, Strategic Supply Initiatives Rahul Maroli told PTI. 
 
"We look forward to more such partnerships in the coming months, to creating mobility options customised for the Indian market," he added. 
 
Ola had roped in Maroli from LeasePlan to lead its leasing business. 
 
Nissan Motor India Managing Director Arun Malhotra said the growth in the cab industry has been remarkable in the past couple of years in India. 
 
"Nissan has a strong presence in the fleet segment globally and in India, we see a great potential. Our flagship models from both Nissan and Datsun brands are well equipped to cater to the fleet segment offering the much sought after features like space and fuel efficiency," he added. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Ola joins hands with Nissan to lease cars to driver partners

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Matthew DeBord/BI</div></div></div>I won't beat around the bush here: at just over $46,000, our 2017 Nissan 370Z Nismo Tech represents an incredible value for the money in sports cars.You just have to get over how boringly excellent it is.The legendary "Z" cars have been around for decades. The very first 240Z, badged as a Datsun, hit the streets in the US back when Led Zeppelin was releasing it first album in 1969. The whole Z-car idea - affordable, dependable performance in a 2 seater - seemed to have run its course with the 300ZX. Production was halted briefly in the late 1990s before Nissan revived it with the 350Z. The 370Z Nismo Tech (Nismo is Nissan's high-performance division) that we borrowed is the most recent iteration of the Z's rebooting. Nothing has really changed in terms of the basic Z-car pitch: we got a relatively powerful V6 - straight motor, no turbos or superchargers - a 6-speed manual transmission, and a fastback design where a hatch provides a decent amount of cargo space and the lack of back seat aims for sports-car credibility.The 370Z does its thing and does it well. So has it always been, and so shall it always be.Here's what it was like to enjoy that level of solid execution:

The Nissan 370Z Nismo Tech is the definition of predictable excellence in a sports car

After e-tailers and rental car sector, major car manufacturers including <keyword id="44883" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Maruti-Suzuki">Maruti Suzuki</keyword> India, <keyword id="596" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hyundai">Hyundai</keyword> Motor and <keyword id="42747" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tata-Motors">Tata Motors</keyword> are offering various schemes this festival season, including discounts of up to Rs 37,000 to push up sales. 

	Market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) is offering cash discounts, ranging from Rs 5,000 on its hatchback Celerio to Rs 35,000 on entry level Alto800. 
 

	Besides, the carmaker is giving discounts on other models including Wagon R, Stingray and Dzire but no such offers are on recent launches like Ciaz. 
 

	"Customers are already responding very positively to our current sales promotion schemes and booking is seeing an uptrend. For the forthcoming festive season the excitement has begun," MSI Executive Director (M&amp;S), RS Kalsi told PTI. 
 

	The company has already introduced six festive and limited editions like Alto 800 Onam edition, WagonR Avance, Swift Glory, Alto K10 Urbano, he added. 
 

	"Many more festive models are in pipeline including automatic and SHVS (Hybrid). And of course, we will soon bring the premium hatchback Baleno to the Indian customers. Bookings for Baleno are due to open next week, after we share the information about the car," Kalsi said. 
 

	Rival Hyundai Motor is offering the maximum discount of Rs 37,000 on its entry level model Eon, followed by i10 and Grand i10 (Rs 27,000 each). 
 

	The carmaker is also offering discount of up to Rs 28,000 on compact sedan Xcent and Rs 15,000 off on mid-size sedan Verna. There are no discounts on high selling models i20 and recently launched compact sports utility vehicle Creta. 
 <keyword id="4581" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="general-motors">General Motors</keyword> is offering exchange bonus of Rs 20,000 on Beat and Rs 30,000 exchange bonus on Cruze. It is further giving off on other models like Sail (hatchback and sedan), multi-purpose vehicle Enjoy and Tavera. "This is a great time to purchase <keyword id="55200" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chevrolet">Chevrolet</keyword> cars, as customers will get the best value for their money along with complete piece of mind giving them a truly satisfying ownership experience," General Motors India, President and Managing Director, Arvind Saxena said. Japanese car maker <keyword id="46283" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nissan">Nissan</keyword> is also offering discounts adding up to Rs 25,000 on Datsun GO+ for orders booked in the month of October. It is also giving benefit worth Rs 22,000 on Datsun Go. 

	"We are celebrating this festive season by offering special benefits to our customers and an attractively priced Datsun line-up for the Indian customers," Nissan Motor India, Managing Director Arun Malhotra said. 
 

	Another Japanese carmaker Honda is also offering benefits of up to Rs 47,000 on its compact sedan Amaze and multi- purpose vehicle Mobilio. 
 

	In addition, Tata Motors is introducing a special festive season offer under which customers buying Tata cars between October 1 and November 15, stand a chance to win a minimum cash back of Rs 2,000 going up to Rs 50,000. 
 

	The auto major is also looking to launch celebration editions of various models including Bolt, GenX Nano range and Safari Storme, beginning October 13. This range will be on sale till November 15, 2015. 
 

	The company would also introduce Indigo model with special celebration kit and Zest celebration edition as part of the scheme.

	 
	 
	(Image credits: petridishchronicles)

Planning to buy a car? This festive season is the best time for you

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Matthew DeBord/BI</div></div></div>I won't beat around the bush here: at just over $46,000, the 2017 Nissan 370Z Nismo Tech we recently tested represents an incredible value for the money in sports cars.You just have to get over how boringly excellent it is.The legendary "Z" cars have been around for decades. The very first 240Z, badged as a Datsun, hit the streets in the US back when Led Zeppelin was releasing its first album in 1969. The whole Z-car idea - affordable, dependable performance in a 2 seater - seemed to have run its course with the 300ZX. Production was halted briefly in the late 1990s before Nissan revived it with the 350Z. The 370Z Nismo Tech (Nismo is Nissan's high-performance division) that we borrowed is the most recent iteration of the Z's rebooting. Nothing has really changed in terms of the basic Z-car pitch: we got a relatively powerful V6 - straight motor, no turbos or superchargers - a 6-speed manual transmission, and a fastback design where a hatch provides a decent amount of cargo space and the lack of back seat aims for sports-car credibility.The 370Z does its thing and does it well. So has it always been, and so shall it always be.Here's what it was like to enjoy that level of solid execution:

The Nissan 370Z Nismo Tech is an excellent sports car that's hard to fall in love with

<ul><li>India’s car makers as well as two wheeler companies, from Hero Moto to GM, are in a fix as local lockdowns are forcing plant shutdowns.</li><li>The surge in COVID-19 cases has also dented consumer demand. People are even cancelling earlier orders.</li><li>A survey of dealers, including the ones of Maruti Suzuki, shows that sales in April may be down anywhere between 30% to 70% across major states. </li><li>This also poses yet another threat to millions of people employed in the sector and the slump could cascade into consumer products as well.</li></ul>Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked state governments in India to implement full lockdown only as a last resort. So far, in the face of the second wave of COVID-19 infections, complete statewide or national lockdowns have not been announced but the <keyword id="20077" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="automobile-industry">automobile industry</keyword> in India ⁠— the fourth largest in the world⁠— has a story of its own. A drastic, and sustained, rise in COVID-19 cases across the country have caused localised lockdowns, forcing auto makers and dealers to temporarily shut down their facilities. Not only have new orders fallen, people are even cancelling the bookings made earlier. In states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, dealers are reporting 40% to 60% fall in sales compared to the pre-COVID data i.e. year ending March 2019, according to Motilal Oswal which surveyed dealers across major states. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">State </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Estimated fall in April 2021 sales (vs FY19) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">40% to 60% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">30% to 40% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gujarat </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">30% to 70% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Rajasthan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">30% to 50% </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: Motilal Oswal report dated April 17, 2021. And, so production also has come to standstill... Hero MotoCorp, one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers, has <a href="https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/two-wheelers/motorcycles/covid-19-fear-hero-motocorp-halts-production-plants-worldwide-till-31st-march/74754257">announced</a> a nationwide shutdown of its plants for four days between April 22 and May 1. The maker of the popular Splendor bike said that despite its 4-day shutdown and production halt, it will not have an impact on its ability to meet demand, according to the company’s exchange filing. General Motors, the US-based car maker, fired all its 1,419 employees in its Talegaon plant in Pune. The company’s director of communications, George Svigos, told <a href="https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/gm-india-to-lay-off-1419-workmen-at-talegaon-plant-invokes-sec-25-of-the-industrial-dispute-act/82107319">Economic Times</a> that no vehicles were manufactured in the last four months. If this seems like déjà vu of the story that unfolded in the first half of 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. From <a href="https://www.carandbike.com/topic/maruti-suzuki" data-type="tilCustomLink">Maruti Suzuki</a> to <a href="https://www.carandbike.com/topic/hero" data-type="tilCustomLink">Hero MotoCorp</a>, Indian companies are already facing the heat. All the top ten automobile companies in India have seen a decline in their share prices in April, with some of them registering a double-digit decline. All automobile makers are facing the heat <div type="image" title="Auto stocks performance in April 2021" msid="82195352" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Share price of the top 10 automobile companies in India.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The negative consumer sentiment and the possibility of another lockdown has had an impact on auto ancillary makers as well. However, some of them have managed to weather the storm for now. <div type="image" title="Ancillary auto stocks performance in April 2021" msid="82195370" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ancillary auto companies share price.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> This will have collateral damage too “If the markets are shut, then demand will fall. Any prolonged shutdown will mean demand will go down. Production cannot continue if sales stop. You can’t run factories if dealerships are shut. It doesn’t make sense,” RC Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki (India’s largest car maker) told <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/lockdowns-not-a-solution-will-hit-economy-force-workers-to-leave-maruti/articleshow/82172302.cms">TOI</a>. The impact of lockdowns and curfews will have a spillover effect on auto dealers as well. John K Paul, managing director of Popular Vehicles, one of Kerala’s largest Maruti Suzuki dealers, told <a href="https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/lockdown-in-6-states-to-impact-31-of-indias-car-market/82154934">ET Auto</a> that he expects retail sales for the last year to be down 45%-50%. The slump in auto sales last year led to large scale layoffs in the auto sector and the same threat looms large again. The future’s looking bleak One could take heart from the swift recovery in car sales after last year’s lockdown but that miracle may not repeat itself this time. Optimism is scarce and people have lesser savings than they did last year. So, the pent-up demand may be missing this time around, according to analysts. Making matters worse, both two wheeler makers and car makers have had to increase prices due to the shift to BS-6 models (with less emissions) as well as a rise in raw material prices. The rise in price may be a deterrent for those on the fence about buying a new vehicle. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Models </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">BS6 models Price hike (compared to April 2020) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"><a href="https://www.carandbike.com/tvs-bikes/apache-rtr-160" data-type="tilCustomLink">TVS Apache RTR 160 Rear Drum</a> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+14.7% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hero Moto: Deluxe SS </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+8.3% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;"><a href="https://www.carandbike.com/bajaj-bikes/pulsar-150" data-type="tilCustomLink">Bajaj Pulsar 150 ABS</a> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+7.2% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Royal Enfield Classic 350 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+6.5% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Honda Activa 5G DLX </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">+6.4% </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: Motilal Oswal The big companies may even recover later. Another slump in the sector may be fatal for many small businesses that depend on the big industry for their survival. Millions of people who work in the sector, directly or indirectly, are likely to save more expecting hard times ahead. That is if they still manage to keep their jobs. The reduced consumption is likely to take a further toll on the economy. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/elon-musk-tesla-is-reportedly-looking-for-a-showroom-space-in-india-picks-an-exec-to-lobby-for-them/articleshow/81969189.cms">Elon Musk's Tesla reportedly shortlists New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to open its first showrooms in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/elon-musk-announced-now-you-can-buy-tesla-cars-with-bitcoin/articleshow/81667459.cms">You can now buy a Tesla with Bitcoin, tweets Elon Musk</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/nissan-india-to-increase-prices-of-all-models-for-nissan-and-datsun-from-april-1/articleshow/81647750.cms">Nissan India to increase prices of all models for Nissan and Datsun from April 1</a>

There is a virtual lockdown in the world’s fourth largest automobile market

India-made cars failing safety tests isn’t new. This time the list includes some of the most popular models like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Renault+Kwid&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Renault Kwid</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Maruti+Suzuki+Celerio&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Maruti Suzuki Celerio</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Hyundai+Eon&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Hyundai Eon</a>. Each of these cars has received zero stars for safety. The Maruti Suzuki Eeco and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Mahindra+Scorpio&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Mahindra Scorpio</a> met the same fate. 
 
The sad fact is that while the country may be the sixth largest automobile market, it doesn’t have its own NCAP. India is also expected to jump to the fourth spot by 2020, skipping ahead of the likes of South Korea and Germany. 
 
In case you remember, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Global+NCAP&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Global </a><a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Global+NCAP&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">NCAP</a>'s first India crash test was 3 years back. It saw the Tata Nano, Maruti Suzuki Alto800, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and VW Polo, where almost all cars except the Polo fared badly. The next round in 2014 with the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Datsun+GO&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Datsun GO</a> and Maruti Suzuki Swift also had disappointing results. 
 
Other markets like the US, EU, Australia, China and even some major South East Asian nations have their own vehicle safety standards, but not India. These tests by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Global+NCAP&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Global NCAP</a> are critical to drawing the Indian government’s attention to possible life-threatening injuries Indian car-buyers are prone to while driving. 
 
These tests require some basic safety regulations to be met. This includes having dual airbags as standard, and having a certain amount of structural integrity. Needless to say most test vehicles failed on both counts. 
 
The only ray of hope is that some car manufacturers like Mahindra and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Renault&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Renault</a> are taking such tests seriously. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Mahindra&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Mahindra</a> now offers airbags as at least an option on every variant of the Scorpio and KUV100. It’s also promised to update security standards, and claims almost 75% of Scorpio customers choose the air bags variants. Renault has also said it’ll rework the Kwid to make it safer. 
 
<a href="http://indianautosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mahindra-Scorpio-Global-NCAP-crash-test-1024x682.jpg">Image Source</a>

India will be the world’s fourth biggest
automobiles market by 2020, and it is doesn’t have its own safety standards

These days whenever Maruti gives the shout of credibility with its Alto being the best small car of the decade, there’s a honk followed by a feeble head lamp. It’s <keyword id="6371021" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Nano">Tata Nano</keyword> promising an enhanced feel every now and then. Ever since the much talked about (thanks to the then opposition and now CM of <keyword id="6357783" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-Bengal">West Bengal</keyword>, Mamata Baneerjee) Tata Nano came into being its has undergone some kind of changes in every <keyword id="106984" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="edition">edition</keyword>. While most of the time, the changes have remained limited to cosmetic, this time Tata Nano is quite serious of the makeover. 
 As Tata rolls out the all new NextGen Nano, the Indian carmaker seems to be more concerned about <keyword id="154361" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="feedback">feedback</keyword>, interestingly both urban and rural. Cars in India have mostly been known for its suitability with urbanity. However Tata Nano being priced quite low, it’s appeal has extended even to the small towns and villages where driving a car is considered a luxury. 
 Talking to 1500 Nano owners , Tata has zeroed on the fact that Indian <keyword id="624" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Women">women</keyword> like coloured interiors. At least that’s what Girish Wagh, Tata Motors' <keyword id="192401" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="senior-VP">senior VP</keyword> told the media recently. 
 While smoothness in drive was <keyword id="6357415" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="missing">missing</keyword> in the Nano, the new edition of NextGen Nano adds to the comfort with electric power-assisted steering systems and AMT (automated manual transmission), a hype Maruti is encashing on with its Celerio. With a 5th speed gear in auto transmission , Tata’s new Nano sounds like a super powered entry level car. 
 
While Nano with diesel engine is on cards, NextGen Nano has a small bootleg fit to store a strolley and two hand bags. While 624 cc/37.4 bhp engine at rear still remains the same, the growling like autorickshaw sound seems to have disappeared from inside. 
To enhance safety, the front has been enabled to the frontal-crash crumple zone. 
With competition breathing warm on the shoulder, Tata Nano has to do something to grow in the car market. The Indian car market, which is yet to pick up speed in recent years, has seen quite a few revolutions. While Maruti is doing well with Alto 800 and Alto K10 in the low priced market, new players including Datsun is reshaping the market in this segment. 
 
 (Image: Zigwheels)

A luggage boot space, automatic
gearbox-that’s what the Nex Gen Tata Nano has to offer

It’s been barely three weeks since <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=taxi+aggregator">taxi-aggregator</a> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ola+cabs">Ola</a> launched its newest ride-hailing service <keyword id="3291107" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola-Micro">Ola Micro</keyword> and the company is already beginning to reap the results of the category. 
 According to Anand Subramanian, <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword>’s Senor Director, Marketing and Communications, what Ola as a platform managed to achieve in a span of three years, Ola Micro accomplished the same results in just three weeks. 
 “In three weeks, we have put up a category (Ola Micro) which is already 50 per cent of all of <keyword id="1042120" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uber">Uber</keyword>'s daily bookings in the country. The rate at which Micro is growing, it will be larger than their entire brand within a month," claimed Raghuvesh Sarup, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Categories at Ola. 
 
At Rs 6 per km and a minimum fare of Rs 50, Ola Micro is the company’s cheapest offering. Available in seven cities as of the moment (Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune), Ola Micro has been garnering significant traction with the company seeing thousands of bookings every day. On offer are rides in cars like Datsun's GO, Suzuki's WagonR and Hyundai's EON when anyone rides with Ola Micro. 
 
Subramanian added that Ola Micro has been primarily introduced for the ‘short distance commute’ sector- thus giving customers an economical solution. He further said that the Micro will be sort of an ‘onboarding platform’ for new users. 
 
“Our data shows that about two-thirds of the people who tried Ola Micro were new users, so that’s an encouraging development,” claims Subramanian, adding that it will be the first AC cab ride at such a jaw-dropping price for a lot of people. 
 
The launch of Ola Micro was a result of the company learning the Indian market, trying to understand the needs of their users and finally executing the idea. 
 
“We understand that India is a group of micro markets, each of which come with different needs. As a brand, it’s important for us to not only fulfil those needs, but also to ensure that every market is taken care of,” Subramanian further adds. 
 Citing the example of <keyword id="2517392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola-Prime">Ola Prime</keyword>, the company’s luxury offering with wifi, he says that the Prime was intended to target individuals heading for meetings or official work and he attributed the company’s meticulous understanding of the needs which led to Ola Prime being a runaway hit, so much so that they’ve had to add an extra 20,000 sedans in the last couple of weeks itself to meet soaring demands. 
 
“Our competitions has also tried different permutations and combinations around wifi-enabled cars, but have failed to achieve any success.” 
 
Broaching the topic of competition, when asked to comment on Uber’s claim of being larger than Ola in a month, Subramanian was quick to respond, “Keeping loose claims aside, it’s a known fact that Ola has the majority of the market share- at around 75% as compared to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=uber">Uber</a>.” 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Micro
alone will surpass Uber’s India business within a month, says Ola

There's something about India as a market that's enticing the behemoths of automobiles. And they're coming in hordes. 
 The country now ranks among the top markets for Japanese automobile companies like <keyword id="6911" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="suzuki">Suzuki</keyword>, Yamaha, <keyword id="20630" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Honda">Honda</keyword> and <keyword id="6374528" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Toyota">Toyota</keyword> among others. 
 Although thanks to Maruti Suzuki's market leadership in the car segment, India has been topping Suzuki's global markets both in terms of volumes as well as revenues, now the situation is being replicated by other Japanese biggies like Yamaha, Honda and Toyota as India moves up the global pecking order. The <keyword id="47445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Indian-market">Indian market</keyword> now ranks among the top five markets globally for almost all the top Japanese automobile brands, according to an Economic Times report. 
 Take Honda Cars India, the four-wheeler local subsidiary of <keyword id="189945" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Honda-Motor-Corp-">Honda Motor Corp.</keyword> Thanks to some top-gear growth in the last two years, India now ranks as Honda's fourth biggest market by volumes. Said Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president, marketing &amp; sales, Honda Cars India: "India ranks after the top three markets of US, China and Japan globally thanks to our good growth run for the past two years. HCI clocked 41% growth 2014-15 selling 1.89 lakh units up from 1.34 lakh units the year before. In 2013-14, we clocked a growth of 83% year-on-year. Leaving out the luxury cars, Honda is the fastest growing car brand in India. Our current market share in India is over 7%." 
 
Honda's top-gear run has prompted the Japanese car maker to expand capacity at its second plant in Rajasthan from 1.2 lakh units to 1.8 lakh units. "Our target is to sell 3 lakh units in India by 2016-17." 
Ditto for fellow Japanese brand Yamaha which now pegs India just after its global top market Indonesia. Said Roy Kurian, VP-marketing and sales, Yamaha Motor India: "India will become Yamaha's second largest volume market after Indonesia by year-end though there will be quite a large gap between the No1 and No2 markets. Earlier Vietnam used to be our second largest market but that is now expected to slide to No3 in the pecking order." Yamaha is already adding another 1.8 million units (in phases) thanks to its new plant in Chennai. Along with its existing plant in Surajpur, the fresh capacity will take Yamaha's total two-wheeler production in India to nearly 3 million units. 
 
For Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Thailand, Indonesia and India comprise the troika of "significant markets" in the Asia Pacific region. "India stands pretty tall in Toyota's gameplan and is the third market after China and US in terms of importance," said Shekar Viswanathan, vice-chairman and whole-time direct, Toyota Kirloskar Motor told ET. 
 Even relative newcomers like <keyword id="46283" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nissan">Nissan</keyword> are stepping on the gas for some India action. Said Arun Malhotra, MD, Nissan Motor India: "India is one of the largest hubs for the investment that the Renault-Nissan Alliance has envisaged for a very competitive market like India. Our manufacturing facility is the largest that the Alliance has developed so far across the world with a production capacity 480,000 units. India is the first, among other growth markets across world with a production capacity 480,000 units. India is the first, among other growth markets across the world where Datsun made a world debut."

This is why Honda, Suzuki and Toyota love India

What does it take for a brand to make it right through the consumers’ heart? Echoing the needs of the consumers that can be served by the product, putting the message across in a creative way to make its own identity and sometimes, taking a slice out of the daily dramatic soaps. Indians love drama but they are also happy with dal chawal. Indians are always on the verge of mixing trend and tradition in its own way which makes marketers emphasise on the emotional quotient of the people.
	 Last year we saw the father figure from Barjatya movies and a common face in television serials, <keyword id="11647" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Alok-Nath">Alok Nath</keyword> aka ‘<keyword id="314387" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Babuji">Babuji</keyword>’ rising in the ‘most trending’ charts. First on Twitter and later jokes and memes flooded the Facebook. What caught the attention of the people was the fun take on the ubiquitous nature of the characters portrayed by actor Alok Nath in many movies and daily soaps. Now, interestingly, we find Alok Nath featuring in television commercials of some big <keyword id="31174" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="brands">brands</keyword> (for example Snapdeal’s Diwali ad and more recently <keyword id="46283" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Nissan">Nissan</keyword> GO+ ad). Wondering what could have driven the brands to play around with a popular trend for TVCs, we face an array of questions. 
	
		The Father-figure Phenomenon 
	 
	
		Apparently ‘Babuji’ is a normal character popularly found in almost every Indian family and there is nothing new about it. The jokes on him are fine, even Alok Nath himself is sporty enough to accept them. But this is a trend that is set to go out of trend after a while. There is no futuristic approach to these TVCs or that have they come up with some real great creatives that takes the entire ‘Babuji’ hoolah to the next level.
	 
	
		Then what is the purpose of these TVCs? Should we say that the brands in order to cope up with the social media highs and lows are ready to invest good amount of money on a temporary thing that might wither away in a while? Or should we say the brands are taking trends more seriously rather than originality and creative output? If we take a look at some of the other trends that the brands have followed recently like, Kapil Sharma from Indian Comedy Circus, the big selfie trend, is it sending across a message that the advertisers are waiting for something to happen, rather than making something happen? We dig in deeper to try and find out whether this approach of advertising a trend was a hit or miss.
	 
	
		The Snapdeal Diwali ad had set a record featuring 28 popular faces from television in 50 commercials. No matter, how path-breaking approach it was, there is no denying that it was more of a gimmick than actually establishing a unique tone of the brand. This is because Snapdeal has always been starting from its inception in the limelight for attractive offers to lure the audience.
	 
	
		Unlike Flipkart or Amazon who have been consistent in creating an identification of the brand, Snapdeal has been creating aggressive campaigns of Sale ads and not any creative route to set the brand tonality. Now, among all those stars Alok Nath was a face who we all identified with, but suddenly in trend taking cues from his quintessential dialogues. The question is how much this move is going to affect a consumer?
	 
	
		The twitter trend where ‘Babuji’ found popularity is still restricted to a certain section of the consumers. Trends on Facebook, twitter are mostly limited to the social zone only with sharing, liking or commenting and then after few months moving on to something new. Is it possible for a customer who is not at all influenced by the social trends to be convinced enough to buy a product watching that commercial only? The huge discounts will interest him/her lot more than Alok Nath who is just a moment on social media.
	 
	
		Coming to Datsun Nissan Go+ TVC, the MPV car is all set to hit the right notes with variant features, quality and at a most desirable price. Apart from some loopholes like not having airbags and ABS the car is banking upon its feature of more space, an essential thing that most Indian families love to afford.
	 
	
		So, with the target audience being middle class and upper middle class, why has this brand brought in faces like Ayushman Khurana and Alok Nath is a debatable issue. The dialogue between the two actors emphasize on the USP factor of the car that is the extra space. Here we get a middle-class approach when Alok Nath is saying, we can adjust and then the catching up with the trend comes in where Ayushman reassures things are different in new Nissan Go+.
	 
	
		The ad gets aired while the trend of Alok Nath has almost died, and Ayushman (definitely a known face) is not significantly in news. Period. So, while the creative execution remains nothing impactful does it connect the brand properly? The message is sent across, but there is no way the brand can be recalled.
	 As far as the car television commercials in India are concerned, it is a very obvious thing to talk about a family with grandparents with their grandchildren, but the executions previously have been lot better. Don’t we all still remember Innova car ads? The Innova ads were more successful mostly because actor <keyword id="6355923" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Aamir-Khan">Aamir Khan</keyword> had introduced the car in so many ways throughout the campaign. 
	
		Capitalizing on a Social Trend?
	 
	
		When Nissan was on the way of introducing a brand new car in the market would not it have been more feasible if they had started with a fresh campaign and not by taking help of an ongoing trend that hardly bothers people anymore?
	 
	
		In both the cases, did we find that Alok Nath is trending back again on Twitter as a result of his appearance in the TVCs? Did the ‘babuji’ factor contribute to the brand in a different way or were the brands accommodating their messages to fix in the man of the moment on social media?
	
		Manish Porwal, MD, Alchemist Marketing &amp; Talent Solutions, gives us an interesting insight on why some brands are going by the trend.
	 
	
		“Advertising is all about trends or creating trends. What is important for the country at that moment is crucial for advertising. These ads will run few times and then it will move on. This is not a strategic move but going with the trend”, explains Porwal.
	 
	
		He continues, “These characters are already established. Advertising are lot more expensive now, if they want to create such a character it might take a few years. So, at a lesser cost these characters can be used to send across a message. Thirdly and quite importantly, these characters will not overpower the brand. Today if they want to use the top-notch celebrities, they often become the news themselves instead of the brand.”
	 
	
		On the other hand, brand endorsing expert Harish Bijoor is of the opinion, “Brands love to capitalize on the minds of the consumers. Not just today but using the ongoing trend has been a practice since the popular Hindi movie villains like Pran or Amrish Puri as Mogambo. The advertisers always eye the comic sphere of the mind. And as far as the longevity of the ad is concerned, it depends on how the concepts are implemented. It is surely not a strategic move, but a brand tactic.”
	 Advertisements are indeed all about convincing people to spend some money on what makes them happy. In an attempt to reemphasize on the emotional quotient of consumers, advertisers often take help of moments like festivals, special occasions, <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> and Cricket that engage people. But while in doing so if such a large amount of money is being spent, some creative aspects or something that has long-term significance can be aimed at. Flipkart had set an example of saying the same thing, but in such a quirky manner in the campaigns featuring kids. Fascination for cars to Indians means a lot more than apparent. Why not treat them with more care? And as far as using the ongoing trends are concerned, ‘Babuji’ is a character who we all knew but for a while enjoyed the funny side of it. If there is any necessity of connecting him with any brand, why not re-establish the character targeting another crucial sphere of audience i.e. the senior citizens and hold onto him for a little longer? Trends are something that will come and go, but advertisements are meant to be impactful, resonating and something that remains with us for a long time. 
	
		(Image: BCCL)
	 
	
		About the author: This article has been written by Somrweeta Mukherjee

Why Twitter’s Babuji Is A Darling Of Brands Today?

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:540px"><div class="image"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Boeing_737-529_VP-BHA_SkyExpress%28Russia%29.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></div></div>Global companies struggle with decisions on how much to outsource. Too little means an organization may lose the pricing advantages that can come with using competitive providers worldwide. Too much—or the wrong kind of outsourcing—and quality and knowledge management can suffer.
A panel at a recent Wharton Global Forum in Tokyo titled, "Global Supply Chain Management: <keyword id="6363915" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Outsourcing">Outsourcing</keyword>, Re-shoring, and Near-Shoring," looked at the reshaping of the global supply chain, and how companies choose where and whom to source from in a fast-changing environment. During the discussion, led by Wharton professor of operations and information management <a href="https://opimweb.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/27/">Morris A. Cohen</a>, the panelists suggested that the cheapest solution is not always the best, and that the architecture of supply chains can vary widely depending on the industry and products involved.
<keyword id="6357957" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Boeing">Boeing</keyword>'s supply chain evolves from extensive research into customers and the environments in which they operate, said Beth Anderson, a Boeing vice president. "We go through the entire cycle of designing the airplane and designing the production system, and understanding who our customers are going to be and how we're going to support [the aircraft] once it goes into service."
Boeing's main customer base has evolved since 20 years ago, when 75% of the company's production took place in the United States and Europe, with the rest happening elsewhere. Now, just 25% of Boeing's backlog is in its traditional markets in the U.S. and Europe, with 75% in fast-growing economies like China and India. Thus, Boeing's vast supply chain is evolving to fit its changing market and advancing technologies.
Last year, the manufacturer sourced 783 million parts used to build 600 aircraft. By 2014, it will be bringing in more than one billion parts from a total of 7,500 suppliers to build 700 planes. "It's a vast supply chain and very complex," Anderson said of the 500,000 people in 73 countries engaged in helping to build Boeing products. "It [takes] really well choreographed logistics ... to bring those airplanes together." She noted that even a seemingly simple window shade is sourced from seven suppliers.
Like most manufacturers, Boeing is contending with immense competition, and that means its choice of suppliers has to enhance its competitive advantage. Ultimately, "it all comes down to safety," Anderson said. Each of Boeing's 7,500 suppliers is held to the same standards the company requires of itself. Optimizing its supply chain and other qualities such as fuel efficiency and aerodynamics enabled Boeing to gain 35% in efficiency between 1975 and 1995, but airlines are demanding still more improvements. "Our world has changed dramatically," Anderson noted. "To be competitive, we are working with our supply chain. We're looking at whom we work with, [and] how we change the engineering, the architecture."
Boeing's manufacturing processes have been in the spotlight lately because of the company's high-tech 787 Dreamliner, which suffered from delays, cost overruns and, after its launch, high-profile battery problems. Last week, an empty 787 Dreamliner caught fire while parked at London's Heathrow Airport. Boeing, along with Great Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Honeywell, maker of the emergency device located in the area where the fire appeared to be burning, is investigating the possible causes of the incident.
Ultimately, Boeing seeks to minimize risk and maximize the value of its supply chain by gauging the capability, capacity, collaboration, cash and commitment of its suppliers. It also has to work with aspiring partners in emerging markets such as China, despite potential risks from technology transfers. "It's a balancing act. We don't want to say, 'No, we're not going to share,' because we would be shutting ourselves out of the market. But we have to decide when we have to say no," Anderson noted.
Where, and How Many?
Japanese aircraft maker and defense contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, whose company has worked closely with Boeing on the 787 and other planes, is also balancing its domestic manufacturing base with the need to expand into global markets, said Shigefumi Tatsumi, the company's vice president and general manager for commercial aircraft. The company makes at most 50 of its best-selling aircraft in a month, with lead times that are often over a year. "We have a very flat supply chain, which is not good for the current business environment," noted Tatsumi. Key considerations are location and quality assurance.
Nissan Motors faces similar challenges, according to Vincent Cobee, corporate vice president in the automaker's Global Datsun Business Unit. Nissan's supply chain, like Boeing's, has been transformed by globalization and the emergence of newly affluent markets outside of North America, Europe and Japan. The shift of production to offshore markets to help defuse trade friction ended the traditional reliance of Japanese automakers on marketing through the big Japanese trading houses. That transition was followed by a shift toward localization across many markets.
While Nissan maintains full control over development of its vehicles, it has had to localize supply chains to reduce costs and reach its key markets. The automaker uses several different business models. The premium brand, Infiniti, is competitive with German luxury cars and developed and made in Japan. The global Nissan product is developed in Japan but localized for various markets. Finally, there is Datsun, which Cobee calls a global-local product, developed and sourced locally with Japanese expertise.
For high-tech products, supply chain logistics can be even more daunting, said Kenji Mizuno, a senior vice president in electronics maker Fujitsu's supply chain management unit. Unlike aircraft and cars, Fujitsu's products are often invisible to consumers, but there are similar pressures to ensure that goods are delivered quickly enough to meet customers' requirements. Fujitsu counts among its clients nearly half of all Fortune 500 global companies and it is the world's third-largest IT service provider, with 173,000 employees and 4.4 trillion yen in annual sales.
Rather than thousands of suppliers, Fujitsu relies on only a handful for each of the many components used in its X86 servers, which Mizuno cited as an example. It buys CPUs from Intel and AMD, and hard disc drives from Seagate and Toshiba. The realities of the supply chain, and high expectations of Fujitsu's customers, mean that Fujitsu has to source parts from suppliers that have moved offshore to China and elsewhere in Asia, and keep costs low, while providing high quality and high reliability and managing grueling time limitations.
Despite the small number of suppliers, Fujitsu must provide servers tailored to meet up to 20,000 configurations, Mizuno said. Fujitsu's solution to the dilemma of scattered suppliers and short delivery times of five or six days is to buy parts from China or from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ship them by sea freight and have them ready for final assembly close to its customers' locations in Japan, Europe and China. "We assemble the products, put them through long tests and deliver. This is the only scenario that allows us to make money and meet all the other requirements," Mizuno noted.
To manage its myriad supply chains, Fujitsu has opted for a "virtual global SCM" (supply chain management system) to decide who will make and deliver products. "We are doing this every day. We look at the customer orders, factory lines and parts supplies. This is the only way we can do it," Mizuno said. Tokyo Electron, which makes the chip sets used in Sony Play Stations and other devices, faces similar requirements for high reliability and quality but has a less open approach to its own supply chain, noted Akihisa Sekiguchi, the company's vice president and general manager for corporate marketing. Tokyo Electron produces mainly for export, though only eight customers account for almost all its business.
No Single Solution
Although it is not that well-known to consumers, Tokyo Electron once was number one in the integrated circuit industry, back when Japan was the leading manufacturer of semiconductors. Now, it is at the top in Japan and number three in the world, with 12,000 employees and $5 billion to $7 billion in annual sales. The firm's manufacturing is all done in Japan, though it ships 90% of its products overseas. "Our R&amp;D is global, but sourcing is domestic," Sekiguchi said. Keeping production onshore works for Tokyo Electron because the components needed to make its tools are made in Japan, and the country's infrastructure can support its manufacturing.
Apart from trials related to years of "endaka," or the high-valued yen, Tokyo Electron's biggest challenge came with the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which forced its factory in Fukushima to close for about two months. The company's workers pulled together to get production back up as soon as possible, though "it takes time to track down 4,000 or 5,000 suppliers," Sekiguchi noted. Calamities like the March 2011 disasters drove home the need to mitigate risk through multi-sourcing. But it does involve costs. "It's not an easy solution," Sekiguchi said. "IP protection is an issue. Geographic location is an issue."
Ultimately, there is no single solution that works in all cases. The question of IP protection is vital to supply chain management, Cohen noted during the panel discussion. But for companies like Boeing, the extremely high degree of regulation typically helps to prevent bogus parts from getting into the industry. "Mostly the regulators do the policing. We just ensure that all the parts have the right documentation," Anderson said.
Automakers like Nissan face much greater risks, given the prevalence of independent auto service companies in many markets. "It's very difficult to guarantee the source of the parts. Our badge is on the car no matter where the parts come from," Cobee noted. "I recommend not using an unauthorized dealer in China."
Partly out of those concerns, some consumers are choosy about the origin of the products they buy. But for IT companies like Fujitsu, although components are made in various places, from Costa Rica to Israel, "we can boast that our products are made only in Japan," said Mizuno. "The real issue is reliability and capability. We do very special tests, and sometimes many components fail. But when we deliver the finished computers, they are very high quality. That's our expertise. They are made and assembled in Japan with our technology."
Tokyo Electron, likewise, uses components from overseas but puts its products through extensive testing before they are shipped. "If components fail, they are dropped," Sekiguchi said of the tests, which extend to the "molecular level. In the semiconductor industry, we buy the product, not the location or the source."
Stretching to reach global markets involves risks, as Boeing's experience with the 787 attests. Yet, outsourcing is something Boeing will continue to do, even if the company found that it went a bit too far with the Dreamliner.
"We had an expectation that our suppliers could do the same things that we do every day. We learned that stuffing an airplane full of parts, [something that] we take for granted, is ... challenging," Anderson noted. "We'll take our expertise and start getting the next new airplane on the books. We're taking advantage of the expertise around the world. We can't believe we're the only ones who can do it." According to Tatsumi of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, working with Boeing is an elaborate process involving hundreds of engineers and a collaboration that has to evolve as the products and market environment change.
Companies must realize that once they have opened the door to collaboration or outsourcing, though, it can never be closed, noted Nissan's Cobee. Given the huge risks of failure for products like automobiles and many other products, "you have to think about not only the benefit for tomorrow but also about whether you can sustain it." To keep a competitive edge requires constant innovation. "You have to innovate more than the others. Yes, we have the daily job of protecting IP. It doesn't take a genius to dismantle a car and reverse engineer it," Cobee said. "The only way is innovation."This story was originally published by <a href="http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/" target="_blank">Knowledge@Wharton</a>.

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