Principle of Management

summary of the case:

Dabbawala is a person whose job is to carry and deliver food to office employees mainly by
bicycle. It is popular organization in Mumbai city of India and is respected world over whose real
identity is as the Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association (MTBSA), where 5000 people works.
They serve home-made food to the lunch-time hunger twinge of around 2 lakh office employees in
Mumbai. The major reason for this popularity is how these largely uneducated workers handles the
organization with such ease and flawlessly where barely one lunch-box out of 1.6 million goes off
track and along with these they are admired by management gurus. Dabbawala’s must need to
contribute a minimum of amount for two bicycles, a wooden crate for tiffin, white cotton kurta-
pyjamas and white Gandhi cap as they are responsible for organizing elements for organization
themselves. To ensure consumer satisfaction dabbawalas took advantage of technology by offering
SMS based services. Each dabbawala must need to emerge at his location by 9:30 am so that the
Tiffin reaches its destination by 12:30 pm and if customer delays in returning the lunch box by 2
minutes, they withdraw their services because delaying may put at risk for delivering thousands of
lunch box across the city. Hence, they are very particular about time management. The major reason
for this efficiency is some principles and rules followed in their organization. Some of the rules are
they always have to carry their identity card, they do not remove their cap while on duty, they
abstain from smoking and drinking, they do not go on strike, every new hired dabbawala undergoes
a six month probation and is hired only if he suits the working culture. They are very disciplined
and self-directed. They believe in Annadaan is mahadaan (Providing food is great form of charity).
The dabbawalas shows that commitment matters qualification doesn’t, even the ordinary workers
can achieve the extra ordinary. Over the last few years, their subscriber base has been largely
constant. The growing trend of online food ordering and home delivery systems of many fast food
chains which are popular with the people has also affected the dabbawalas.

1
Q. Theory Y, which relies heavily on the self-discipline and self-direction of the employees, finds a
perfect fit in the Dabbawala culture. Critically examine how these Dabbawala’s utilize Theory Y.

Ans. Theory Y was formulated by Douglas McGregor in 1960. People on theory Y view work as
normal as play and rest, they spend the same amount of physical and mental effort in the work as
they spend in their private life. Theory Y believes in positive and intrinsic motivation. It represents
participative management. Theory Y managers have an optimistic and positive belief of their
people. Theory Y is based on the following assumption:

 The subordinates and managers work together and mutually support each other.
 They work in a natural activity like play or rest.
 People of theory Y are self directed and self control and therefore they may not require any
punishment to complete the task.
 People of theory Y solve problems creatively and imaginatively.
 People of theory Y are self motivated to complete their task.

In the above case of Dabbawalas we can see:

I. Time management: Time Management simply refers to managing time effectively so that
the right time is assign to the right activity. Time management can provide better quality
work. Good Time management also enables to work smarter.  Effective time management
plays a vital role in increasing an individual’s productivity . Dabbawalas daily work is to
deliver food in lunch boxes to the office employees, for any delivery service time is the
major element. Dabbawalas report to their duty by 9:30 am to ensure that the food is
delivered to their customer exactly by 12:30 pm. Dabbawalas are very particular about time
management.
II. Team work: Teamwork is very important in an organization as it enables employees with an

opportunity to bond with one another which improves relations among them . Team work
enables to accomplish work more efficiently and faster by maintaining the co-ordination
among the workers. Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association (MTBSA) consists of 5000
workers, there are no managers or supervisor in the system. Every member is self motivated,
trained, empowered to do this job to the best of his ability. They work by maintaining great
co-ordination.
III. Disciplined: Employee discipline is essential for flawless functioning of an organization.
Discipline make sures individuals work as a one unit with their team members to
achieve organization goals and objectives. Without discipline, employees would not only

2
 misbehave but also do whatever they want especially if there is no superior or manager.
Even though without any supervisors or managers, Dabbawalas maintain discipline by
themselves. Some major rules of them, like always carrying identity card, not consuming
alcohol and not smoking while on duty, not removing their cap while on duty etc., shows
their level of discipline. They are self-disciplined and self-directed.
IV. All about customer: Customer are the key factor for success in businesses. Providing quality
services to customers helps growth in business. The Dabbawalas are punctual and
disciplined, they value customer satisfaction by delivering the lunch box always at right
time. They treat their customer as god.
V. Precision: To be accurate and precise at work is what helps an organization grow, profit, and
function efficiently. Dabbawalas handle the organization flawlessly, due to the legendary
handling of logistic by them; no tiffin (dabba) is misplaced. Their main mode of
transportation is bicycle and trains. They are not backup by any technology to remember the
phone number and addresses of their customer, and amazingly their error rate is one in 1.6
million transaction.
VI. Dedication: Most of the Dabbawals are uneducated, but still they handle the organization
with such ease and dedication. Dabbawalas sees their work as worship and have a lot of
pride in it, they believe in “Annadaan is mahadaan” (Providing food is a great form of
charity). They are able to offer world class service as they are committed to offer food to
customer on time.

It is seen that Dabbawalas are less educated, an average person but still this largely uneducated
workforce manages to execute a supply chain operation with such ease and flawlessly and it is the
reason why they are famed all over the world and even they are appreciated by management gurus.
They are very particular about time management, to ensure this flawless timing they are required to
report to their duty by 9:30 am. Even by travelling in local train, as they can’t control the train
neither local trains are on time, yet still they deliver the lunch box to their customer on time. Most
interestingly, despite the lack of computers, mobile technology, or any automated processes, a
dabba goes astray only one in 1.6 million deliveries. They work with great efficiency. In an
organization employee have to follow the command given by their superior or follow the rules and
regulation of the organization. However, in above case Dabbawalas are self-motivated and self-
directed teams without superiors and managers, they follow their own rules like not removing their
cap while they are on duty, carrying identity card every time, not consuming alcohol while in duty
hours. If there is no superior in an organization to command employee or to guide them, they may
misbehave and do whatever they want but, Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association (MTBSA)

3
consists of 5000 workers, they work with great co-ordination and maintain perfect discipline by
themselves. As people of theory Y are self directed and self control and therefore, they may not
require any punishment to complete the task, and they are self motivated to complete their task, thus
it can be said that dabbawalas perfectly fit in theory Y.

In this modern technology era, the growing trend of online food ordering and home delivery
systems of various fast food chains which are popular with the youth has also affected the
dabbawalas but still they are not worry about it and doing their best in their service. In India there
are several online ordering food services available like swiggy, Zomato, uber eats etc. from such
service mostly fast foods are available which are at high rates, but dabbawalas delivers home
cooked food which is healthy and they deliver it always on time even by travelling in local trains
unlike online food services even after having their private vehicles to deliver sometimes they are
late. So, no matter how much the trend of online food ordering is growing, dabbawala reamians
unbothered and do their best in serving their customers.

In this highly technologically advanced age dabbawalas are working absolutely without being
backup by technology. In this case it dabbawalas shows us that commitment matters, qualification
does not.