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 >>