In 1995, the famous Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai, India, developed a course that would give lay people basic skills needed for maintenance of ophthalmic instruments. The result? Soon, they were able to care for equipment at a fraction of the cost it would have taken to create a separate, specialized service staff.

Seemingly small process changes can make a huge difference to a resource-strapped organization, and can often be exported to wealthier settings. Learn how management ideas from poor countries can transform management practices in the rich world >>

Posted by Vijay Govindarajan at 12:05 AM | Permalink

Can you imagine living on a budget of $28 for lunch at work for a whole year?

The Akshaya Patra Foundation in India has found a way to feed a child daily for the entire school year on just $28. Add an average government subsidy of 50 percent, and $28 ends up feeding two children for the year. This is a fraction of the cost of similar programs in other parts of the world.

Read the blog post at HBR >>

Posted by Vijay Govindarajan at 8:48 PM | Permalink