Building a High-performance Organization: Anna Bhau Ajara Shetkari Cooperative Spinning Mill

Abstract

This case highlights the noteworthy success of a cooperative organization located in a small and undeveloped village Ajara in the Kolhapur district of the state of Maharashtra (India). It traces the progress of this small cooperative sector spinning mill from its conception in the late 1970s to its successful transformation as a profitable export oriented unit in 2014. The case underlines the diverse challenges the organization faced and the initiatives taken by the government to overcome those. It is an important account of how a combination of visionary leadership coupled with strategic decision-making enabled a struggling organization to establish itself into a distinguishably successful one. The application of progressive management policies and practices are documented. This case also illustrates the role of a cooperative organization in the context of socio-economic development of rural India.