Ganjam Nagappa & Sons: An International Heritage Brand

Case study
1. What is the core & unique competitive strength of the Ganjam
Brand? Reasons for perpetuity across 125 years.

Indian jewellery has a unique set of variations in them. They are not
only made by putting gems and metals together but they have a
meaning and designs are symbolic. India has it’s own designs, art
and craft of making jewellery. This uniqueness was maintained only
by the Ganjam people who made the jewellery.
They very cleanly observe and replicate the designs of Indian culture
while making the jewellery. They also see to that there is no
degradation of Indian culture. India has many different parts and
different cultures in it. Ganjam never compromised in following the
culture or tradition while designing the jewellery, this is one of the
biggest strength for them to sustain in the market. Ganjam is the only
brand which was following the traditions even while making the
jewellery. They were the only brand to follow the traditional methods
even while designing the jewellery. This following of traditions made
them unique in the market and attracted many customers towards
them. The kids were also thought and bought up by teaching those
traditions from young age itself. As the kids were thought with
cultures and traditions from young age they showed up interest in
continuing the family business. The generation by generation never
stopped teaching traditions and cultures to their younger ones, which
made them to be stable in the market for 125 years. The main reason
for perpetuity across 125 years was they never thought of starting or
changing of the business model they believed in there family business
and made them continue till date.

2. What transformation has the family business undergone from the

founder to current generation? What were the significant
contributions of each generation in the journey of this age old family
business?

First when ganjam has started the business of making jewellery they
were only following the cultures and traditions of the ancient times.
They were working for Kings at those times but later they started
their business for common people. Later on generations have started
a research on gems and started to bring up proper stones for proper
people by the reference of astrology. The next generations have even
completed their degree in gemmology which added a value point for
them. They have made up designs according the combinations of
gems that are to be attached, this attracted the customers more and
by holding proper degrees they were more reliable to consumers. Not
only the transformation of jewellery with attaching of gems but also
they took up the brand name across the globe. They have also
received many awards in jewellery making from united kingdom.
Each generation tried to expand the business in such way that their
was no issue with the traditions and cultures which they followed.
They were never deviated from the heritage of the Indian culture
mainly from south-India.

“Excellence in Quality” was another important value that was part of

Ganjam’s DNA.
“For us, earlier - the King was our Customer. Now our customer is
the King”, says Umesh Ganjam.

These lines were said by Umesh Ganjam, even though their market
was changed they never changed their way of making the jewellery.

3. How does the family transfer the rich heritage, values and
traditional age-old knowledge/practices to the future generation?
How are they effectively managing succession of skilled craftsmen
across generations? How are they retaining customers who value
their traditional heritage designs?

They believed that traditional practices and cultures should not leave
the family or known to others. They orally passed the rich heritage,
values and traditional age old knowledge or practices for future
generations. The craftsmen families were also treated with respect
and dignity. They never let their children go away from the business.
Even craftsmen have started teaching the right values to their kids
from young age so that they would continue in making the designs.
They retain their customers by their goodwill from forefathers and
maintain the same. The assure the quality of the jewellery and never
allow their traditions go away, this made the consumers more
satisfied and they also built a good relation with this family and made
them built their trust over them. Conversations with the family
reflected unanimously that the women in the family played a key role
in keeping the family together and contributed in many ways towards
the development and continuity of the family business. As they strictly
follow the heritage of consumers they don’t loose their consumers.

4. What is the family’s collective vision for future? On what aspects

of governance and professionalization of the business does the family
need to focus upon?

The family’s vision is to bring up the Indian culture into the global
market and make India proud for it’s heritage, traditions an cultures.
They can also focus on the traditions of other countries and try to
make designs according to them. They can also take people from
local areas and start up a production house at that place and follow
their own traditions.