The first major clash between Rahul Bajaj and his son Rajiv was over the Boxer. The motorcycle was Rajiv's very own project and it was actually selling very well in the market. Of course, there were a few problems.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/my-way-or-the-highway/articleshow/340012.cms?from=mdr
The first major clash between Rahul Bajaj and his son Rajiv was over the Boxer. The motorcycle was Rajiv''s very own project and it was actually selling very well in the market. Of course, there were a few problems.
Under-cutting Hero Honda by Rs 8,000, the Boxer was making a loss of Rs 1,200 per bike. And it had quality problems, so warranty costs were high and replacements parts were in short supply.
Those were the days when resistance to the younger Bajaj was at its peak. The headstrong son was said to be operating with a coterie of young engineers, who had no respect for the great patriotic traditions of Hamara Bajaj. The company was split into two organisations, the larger of which owed allegiance to the old guard, as personified by chairman Rahul Bajaj; and the younger lot, who were working with Rajiv. The two parts functioned in parallel and everyone had to take sides. I never consulted with dad on what I was doing,� says Rajiv. “I didn’t want to have a pooch-pooch-ke management in my operations.�
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/my-way-or-the-highway/articleshow/340012.cms?from=mdr
The first major clash between Rahul Bajaj and his son Rajiv was over the Boxer. The motorcycle was Rajiv''s very own project and it was actually selling very well in the market. Of course, there were a few problems.
Under-cutting Hero Honda by Rs 8,000, the Boxer was making a loss of Rs 1,200 per bike. And it had quality problems, so warranty costs were high and replacements parts were in short supply.
But Rajiv had set a target of reducing the manufacturing cost of the Boxer by Rs 4,000 and he was sure the gamble would eventually pay off. Then a close friend of Rahul Bajaj went and said that the Boxer was ruining the great reputation that Bajaj Auto had built over the decades. It was like someone had waved a red flag at a bull,recalls Rajiv. My father wanted to pull the plug on the Boxer right then. I told him I'd resign and leave if he did.
Those were the days when resistance to the younger Bajaj was at its peak. The headstrong son was said to be operating with a coterie of young engineers, who had no respect for the great patriotic traditions of Hamara Bajaj. The company was split into two organisations, the larger of which owed allegiance to the old guard, as personified by chairman Rahul Bajaj; and the younger lot, who were working with Rajiv. The two parts functioned in parallel and everyone had to take sides. I never consulted with dad on what I was doing,� says Rajiv. “I didn’t want to have a pooch-pooch-ke management in my operations.�
RA Jain was the man in the middle in those trying times. He had worked with the senior Bajaj for nearly 40 years and was a trusted lieutenant. Despite the age difference, Jain had become a friend to Rajiv — who persuaded him to stay on as executive director beyond retirement. Rajiv recalls the situation: “I’d go over to Mr Jain’s office to tell ..
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