Follow up with the Managers (Participants) of Ist Indo German Managers Training Programme

A delegation of 21 SME Managers visited Germany as a part of Indo German Managers Training Programme (IGMTP) organized for a month in October-November 2009. The managers were from varied sectors like publishing, health care, automobile components, industrial automation, tourism, health care, human resource management and handloom & textiles. These managers were designate proprietor, head-marketing, managing director, head- research & development etc

Managers attended Indian leg of training in Delhi for 15 days and then went for a month long programme in Germany which incorporated training, attending seminars, exhibitions, visiting companies and having a close look at the factories.

To accommodate both the programme's focal point - economic cooperation - and address the central interests of managers which was business development, some training seminars were designed to be interactive and involved experts from different branches and areas (e.g. How to do business with Germany I and II). This meant managers profited from a number of different experts and the opportunity to use these contacts to initiate their own businesses contact, a process that took place a number of times.

            Sector Wise

Participant came back contented, with new business opportunities. The contacts that they established in Germany materialized in to long term technology sharing, knowledge exchange, improved work culture and most importantly joint ventures, signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Export/ Import contracts for quite a few.

On conducting a follow up study with the managers of 1^st IGMTP, we are pleased to know that every manager had great things to say about how visit to Germany has been a milestone in the enhancement of prospects for their business and themselves.

They enthusiastically share their experiences of being with German counterparts. For instance, one of the young business managers said it has encouraged in inculcating the value of time and delivering services to the client in the perfect and time bound manner. Others found Germans' professionalism, precision and care for detail worth adapting. Many got inspired from their perfectionism; focus on highest quality levels and R&D. Quite a few incorporated Germans' work cultures, HR practices and aggressive marketing tactics in their company's strategy. Others said there is lot to learn from Germans' good visual controls on shop floor, plan and utmost priority given to safety & security.


Many came back confident, better prepared for multicultural experiences and with improved business communication skills.

Managers found this IGMTP promising but advise to the future aspirants that if you are interested in doing business with Germany, be prepared with your company presentation, brush up your presentation skills and must do online hunt for the type of company you are interested in to maximize the benefit during stay.

Most important was the striking of business deals at international level- while some entered in to joint ventures; others signed MoUs and some entered export and import contract. For instance Mr. Lalit Ahuja, proprietor, Hydraulics &Pneumatics entered a JV, signed MoU and started import. Similarly Mr. Harsh Mehta, Director, Vortex Electronics Pvt. Ltd. also signed a MoU and an import contract. The import and export of products also formed an important component. Seven managers negotiated concrete deals / agreements (S.M. Tripathi, R. Jain, Lari, V. Jain, M. Gupta, Badni, Ahuja). Mr. Harjodh Hanspal, Head- Marketing & New Plant Development, MAG Filters & Equipments Pvt. Ltd. incorporated in their factory the technology he witnessed in Germany.

Many women managers were able to crack business deals for their entrepreneurial venture and respective companies. As, this visit bought a JV and MoU for Neena Nair, Product Manager of Chemtrols Industries Ltd and a MoU for Pallavi Saxena, Assistant Manager, AUM Impex Pvt. Ltd. For Inna Khanduja, CEO-MD of Interec IT Global Executive Search it culminated in JV.

Mr. Khalid Lari was one amongst the most benefited as he went to Germany with a very exact idea of what he wanted to accomplish. He made excellent use of the programme and used the new knowledge and contacts it provided in the textile industry and fair trade, two areas he wants to combine, to work on projects he would like to realise. He collaborated with the Ost-West GmbH, a chamber of commerce that realises and supports international projects. Based on the groundwork he laid here, he submitted an application for fair trade certification in India. He also reached agreements with Caletto, the Kosmos Natur commercial agency, the AJS Fashion Agency and Kokon GmbH with respect to export and supply chain.

In a nutshell all the managers accept that this programme is an excellent platform to learn, for international exposure, improving the growth & development prospects and an opportunity to witness & adapt cost effective and efficient business process.