“CONSOLIDATION OR GROWTH?” POPY’S PREDICAMENT

Popy Umbrella Mart, a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), is a success story for creativity and innovation and organizational change. By bringing hundreds of innovative products in Indian umbrella market it stands first to bag ISO 9001:2000 in umbrella manufacturing. Popy bagged the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award in the year 1999 for its efforts for bringing out quality products and for achieving excellence of operations in the field of umbrella manufacturing. Popy’s quality standard became the benchmark for ISI specifications for umbrellas in India. Popy is an inspiration to those who are reluctant to start business in Kerala, for fear of organizational culture and industrial climate, and an example of correct blending of experience with modern management for bringing excellence in performance. Popy has gone through a growth period and reached a critical mass ? its “moment of truth”. With the chairman and managing director having different views on the company’s future, getting them to agree on the choice of growth strategy might perhaps depend as much on developing the right automation technology as on agreeing to expand production beyond the state. Which route should Popy take on its northward march? That is a question awaiting an answer