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TATA GROUP PROFILE  The Tata Group comprises 98 operating companies in seven business sectors: information systems and commun i ca t i ons; engineering; materials; services; energy; consumer products; and chemicals. The Group was founded by JRD Tata in the mid 19 th century, a period when India had just set out on the road to gaining independence from British rule. Consequently, JRD Tata and those who followed him aligned business opportunities with the objective of nation building.  The Tata Group is one of largest and most respected business conglomerates, with revenues in 2006-07 of $28.8 billion (Rs129,994 core), the equivalent of about 3.2 per cent of the country's GDP, and a market capitalization of $66.9 billion as on February 21, 2008. Tata companies together employ some 289,500 people. The Group's 27 publicly listed enterprises among them stand out names such as Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors and Tata Tea have a combined market capitaliz ation that is the highest among Indian busin ess houses in the privat e sector, and a shareh older base of over 2.9 million. The Tata Group has operations in more tha n 80 countries across six continents, and products and services are exported to 85 countries.  The Tata family of companies shares a set of five core values : integrity, understand ing, excellence, unity and responsibility. These values, which have been part of the Group's beliefs and convictions from its earliest da y s, continue to guide and drive the business decisions of Tata companies. The Group and its enterprises have been steadfast and distinctive in their adherence to business ethics and their commitment to corporate social responsibility. This is a legacy that has earned the Group the trust of many millions of stakeholders in a measure few business houses anywhere in the world can match.

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TATA GROUP PROFILE

  The Tata Group comprises 98 operating companies in seven business sectors:

information systems and communications; engineering; materials; services;

energy; consumer products; and chemicals. The Group was founded by  JRD Tata

in the mid 19th

century, a period when India had just set out on the road to

gaining independence from British rule. Consequently, JRD Tata and those who

followed him aligned business opportunities with the objective of nation building.

 The Tata Group is one of largest and most respected business conglomerates,

with revenues in 2006-07 of $28.8 billion (Rs129,994 core), the equivalent of 

about 3.2 per cent of the country's GDP, and a market capitalization of $66.9

billion as on February 21, 2008. Tata companies together employ some 289,500

people. The Group's 27 publicly listed enterprises among them stand out

names such as Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Motors and Tata Tea

have a combined market capitalization that is the highest among Indian

business houses in the private sector, and a shareholder base of over 2 .9

million. The Tata Group has operations in more than 80 countries across six

continents, and products and services are exported to 85 countries.

  The Tata family of companies shares a set of five core values: integrity,

understanding, excellence, unity and responsibility. These values, which

have been part of the Group's beliefs and convictions from its earliest days,

continue to guide and drive the business decisions of Tata companies. The

Group and its enterprises have been steadfast and distinctive in their

adherence to business ethics and their commitment to corporate social

responsibility. This is a legacy that has earned the Group the trust of many

millions of stakeholders in a measure few business houses anywhere in theworld can match.

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TATA MOTORS PROFILE:

 Tata Motors Limited is India's largest automobile company, with revenues of 

Rs. 32,426 cores (USD 7.2 billion) in 2006-07. It is the leader by far in commercial

vehicles in each segment, and the second largest in the passenger vehicles

market with winning products in the compact, midsize car and utility vehicle

segments. The company is the world's fifth largest medium and heavy

commercial vehicle manufacturer, and the world's second largest medium

and heavy bus manufacturer.

  The company's 22,000 employees are guided by the vision to be "best in the

manner in which we operate best in the products we deliver and best in our

value system and ethics." Tata Motors helps its employees realize their potential

through innovative HR practices. The company's goal is to empower and

provide employees with dynamic career paths in congruence with corporate

objectives. All-round potential development and performance improvement is

ensured by regular in-house and external training.

  The company has won several awards recognizing its training programs.

Established in 1945, Tata Motors' presence indeed cuts across the length and

breadth of India. Over 4 million Tata vehicles ply on Indian roads, since the firstrolled out in 1954. The company's manufacturing base is spread across India -

  Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) in the east, Pune (Maharashtra) in the west, and in the

north in Luck now (Uttar Pradesh) and Pant agar (Uttarakhand). A new plant is

being set up in Signor (close to Kolkata in West Bengal) to manufacture the

company's small car. The nation-wide dealership, sales, services and spare

parts network comprises over 2,000 touch points. The company also has a

strong auto finance operation, TML Financial Services

Limited, supporting customers to purchase Tata Motors vehicles. Tata Motors,

the first company from India's engineering sector to be listed in the New York

Stock Exchange (September 2004), has also emerged as an international

automobile company. In 2004, it acquired the Daewoo Commercial Vehicles

Company, Korea's second largest truck maker. The rechristened Tata Daewoo

Commercial Vehicles Company has launched several new products in the Korean

market, while also exporting these products to several international markets.

  Today two-thirds of heavy commercial vehicle exports out of South Korea are

from Tata Daewoo. In 2005, Tata Motors acquired a 21% stake in Hispano

Carrera, a reputed Spanish bus and coach manufacturer, with an option to

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acquire the remaining stake as well. Hispano's presence is being expanded in

other marks.

In 2006, it formed a joint venture with the Brazil-based Marco polo, a global

leader in Body- building for buses and coaches to manufacture fully-built buses

and coaches for India and select international markets. Tata Motors also

entered into a joint venture in 2006 with Thornburg Automotive Assembly

Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market the company's pickup

vehicles in Thailand. In 2006, Tata Motors and Fiat Auto formed an industrial joint

venture at Ranjangaon (near Pune in Maharashtra, India) to produce both Fiat

and Tata cars and Fiat power trains for the Indian and overseas markets; Tata

Motors already distributes and markets Fiat branded cars in India. In 2007, Tata

Motors and Fiat Auto entered into an agreement for a Tata license to build apick-up vehicle bearing the Fiat nameplate at Fiat Group Automobiles' Plant at

Cordoba, Argentina. The pick-up will be sold in South and Central America and

select European markets. These linkages will further extend Tata Motors'

international footprint, established through exports since 1961. While currently

about 18% of its revenues are from international business, the company's

objective is to expand its international business, both through organic and

inorganic growth routes. The company's commercial and passenger vehicles are

already being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East,

Australia, South East Asia and South Asia. It has assembly operations in

Malaysia, Kenya, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Russia and Senegal. The foundation

of the company’s growth is a deep understanding of economic stimuli and

customer needs, and the ability to translate them into customer-desired

offerings through leading edge R&D. The R&D establishment includes a team of 

1400 scientists and engineers. The company's Engineering Research Centre was

established in 1966, and has facilities in Pune, Jamshedpur and Luck now. The

ERC has enabled pioneering technologies and products. It was Tata Motors,

which developed the first indigenously developed Light Commercial Vehicle,

India's first Sports Utility Vehicle and, in 1998, the Tata Indicia, India's first fully

indigenous passenger car. Within two years of launch, Tata Indicia became

India's largest selling car in its segment. The ERC in Pune, among whose

facilities are India's only certified crash-test facility and hemi-anechoic chamber

for testing of noise and vibration, has received several awards from the

Government of India. Some of the more prominent amongst them are the

National Award for Research and Development Efforts in Industry in the

Mechanical Engineering Industries sector in 1999, the National Award for

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Successful Commercialization of Indigenous Technology by an Industrial Concern

in 2000, and the CSIR Diamond Jubilee Technology Award in 2004. The company

set up the Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) in 2005 in the UK.

  TMETC is engaged in design engineering and development of products,

supporting Tata Motors' skill sets. Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company

and Hispano Caracara also have R&D establishments at Gunsan in South Korea

and Zaragoza in Spain. The pace of new product development has quickened

through an organization-wide structured New Product Introduction (NPI)

process. The process with its formal structure for introducing new vehicles in

the market brings in greater discipline in project execution.   The NPI process

helped Tata Motors create a new segment, in 2005, by launching the Tata Ace,

India’s first indigenously developed mini-truck. The years to come will see the

introduction of several other innovat ive vehicl es, al l rooted in emergingcustomer needs. Besides pr oduct development, R&D is al so focus ing on

environment-friendly technologies in emissions and alternative fuels. Through

its subsidiaries, the company is engaged in engineering and automotive solutions,

construction equipment manufacturing, automotive vehicle components

manufacturing and supply chain activities, machine tools and factory automation

solutions, high-precision tooling and plastic and electronic components for

automotive and computer applications, and automotive retailing and service

operations.

  True to the tradition of the Tata Group, Tata Motors is committed in letter and

spirit to Corporate Social Responsibility. It is a signatory to the United Nations

Global Compact, and is engaged in community and social initiatives on labor

and environment standards in compliance with the principles of the Global

Compact. In accordance with this, it plays an active role in community

development, serving rural communities adjacent to its manufacturing locations.

With the foundation of its rich heritage, Tata Motors today is etching a refulgentfuture.

Manufacturing:

 Tata Motors owes its leading position in the Indian automobile industry to

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its strong focus on indigenization. This focus has driven the Company to

set up world-class manufacturing units with state-of-the-art technology.

Every stage of product evolution-design, development, manufacturing,

assembly and quality control, is carried out meticulously. Our

manufacturing plants are situated at Jamshedpur in the East, Pune in theWest and Luck now in the North.

  Jam s h e dpu r :

Established in1945, the Jamshedpur unit was the company's first unit and is

spread over an area of 822 acres. It consists of 4 major divisions - Truck

Factory, Engine Factory, Cab & Cowl Factories, and the Novus. Engineering

Division, which has one of the most versatile tool making facilities in the

Indian sub-continent.

L u ck now:

 Tata Motors Luck now is one of the youngest production facilities among

all the Tata Motors locations and was established in 1992 to meet the

demand for Commercial Vehicles in the Indian market.

Ut t a r a k h a n d

 The company has set up a plant for its mini-truck, Ace, at Pant Nagar in

Uttarakhand. The plant will begin commercial production during the

course of the year.

Research:

Research & Development:

Research provides the much-needed inspiration for the birth of new

ideas, which in turn breathes new life into products. World-class

automotive research and development are key factors that contribute to

the leadership of the Company.

Engineering Research Centre (ERC):

  The Research Centre at Jamshedpur regularly upgrades components and

aggregates. A well- equipped torture track enables rigorous and exhaustive

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testing of modifications before they are used as regular fitments.

Safety (CRASH TEST FACILITY):

For Tata Motors, safety is of paramount importance. This avenue

provides no room for the slightest margin of error.

  Tata Motors ERC is the only high-tech facility in India to evaluate the

degree of passenger safety in the event of any high-speed impact. Through

a special crash test facility. Different types of accidents are simulated; the

results analyzed, and put to use in the development of a vehicle that

satisfies stringent international safety norms.

Special high-speed cameras record test crashes at the rate of 1000

frames per second. An accident, for instance, at the speed of 50

kilometers per hour, lasts one eighth of a second.

Minimizing Noise (ANECHOIC CHAMBER):

Anechoic chamber is a highly sophisticated noise and vibration laboratory,

the nerve Centre of which is a vast chamber lined with 88,000 cones

projecting at various angles from the walls and ceiling. It is one of its kindsin India and is developed completely with in-house facilities.

Designing and Styling (CAD CENTRE):

 The CAD centre is equipped with 53 state-of-the-art CAD stations and

the latest software. The CAD centre is a vital organ of ERC's Cab Design

Section. CAD designing involves development of vehicle specifications,

styling interiors and exteriors, reviewing the styling from the engineeringand aesthetic points of view, virtual prototyping to check for design

acceptability and feasibility of manufacture.

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 TATA NANO

  Tata Motors' plans would produce, in real terms, by far the cheapest

car ever made. An Indian car may soon earn a parking place in history

alongside Ford's Model T, Volkswagen's Beetle and the British Motor Corp.'s

Mini, all of which put a set of wheels within reach of millions of customers after

they rolled onto the scene. Tata Motors  is developing a car it aims to sell for

about $2,500 the cheapest, by far ever made.

# Source :( NYSE: TTM – newpeople)

Tata Nano - The little car that might change theworld

TECH SPECS:

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Length :3.1Width :1.5Height :1.6To seat : 4Engine : 643cc, 2-cylinder, all-aluminumPower : 33 BHPPosition : Engine, battery at rear endBoot : In frontFuel : PetrolFuel injection : MPFIFuel consumption : 20kmpl.AC : Only in deluxe versionPassenger side mirror : NoPower steering : NoPrice : $2500 at dealer + VAT + transport cost.

Base version approximate on-road price:$3000

Body : All-steelSafety features : Crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts,

2 A-Pillars

Suspension : Independent front and rear

Seldom do we see cars that rewrite the history books even before they are seen

running around on the roads. And hardly ever do we see cars that vow to put

the nation on four wheels. The Tata Nano is one such car – a car that has been

in the news for quite a few years, for reasons good and evil. Nano is a car

which has breathed into life due to one man. Give credit to Mr. Rattan Tata

for his determination to build a low cost family car that has come true, finally!

  Took long it did, but the Nano came in a beautiful form. Touted as world’s

cheapest car by a far cry, Nano has been the talk of the town around the globe.

Head honchos of big organizations have been pouring in by numbers to have a

look at this engineering masterpiece. We bring you some interesting bits.

 You will be wondering why I am talking about the dimensions of the Nano, since

all of you know that it is a rather compact and tiny machine. It is because

I have good reason to talk about the dimensions. You see, the Nano is

going to be faced with Maruti 800 as its main rival. But you could throw in the

Alto and Zen Estilo to mark out some design and packaging aspects. Just to get

things in perspective, Nano is over 230mm shorter than 800 in overall length but

the wheelbase advantage of 

155mm over the offering from Maruti makes sure that the Nano is more

accommodating than the 800. Tata has managed to squeeze out a 60mm

advantage in width and Maruti 800 falls short of about 100mm in height. So in

essence, you get more legroom, better shoulder room and room more than

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enough for a turban, if you wear one! But before you enter inside, you are

bound to gape in admiration at the beautifully crafted curves of this micro car. I

personally feel that the front has a lot of Zen Estilo written on it, but manages to

look really funky and cool.

  The mono-volume design establishes a sea of change from the two-box layout

of the 800. What it ensures the Nano with is extremely short overhangs and

tight packaging. For a car of this size and image, the Nano is an extremely sexy

looking car with futuristic design cues. The bonnet line is steep and unites

together with the bumper in a seamless way. Though there is no ‘grille’ per se,

the front has a incorporated in the bumper which has a distinct air dam running

across in between them. In profile, the Nano resembles Mitsubishi’s latest small

car ‘i’. The rear of the Nano is somewhat recognizable. The tail lamps are

inspired from elder sister, Indica. So this is a very compact hatchback, yes? Nomy friend, you are massively wrong. Even I was dumbfounded when I

discovered that the Nano cannot be called a Hatchback – a word so true to the

way the small cars are. The reason for this is because it does not have a hatch!

 The tail gate cannot be opened owing to it being joined together with the boot

sill. This makes accessing the engine a pain in the bottom. But a hatchback it

will be called still. The back side of the Nano is made attractive by the mid

mounted exhaust pipe which peeps out of the aggressively designed bumper.

The ultra-secret people's car for India - the Tata Nano - ishere. How will this car change the way India, and thedeveloping countries drive?

 The Nano is disruptive tech – makeno mistake.

 The world's car manufacturers have expressed all shades of opinion in the run-

up to the Tata Nano. Suzuki has said that it is impossible V W said it is not

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what they want to do. DaimlerChrysler said they think it is an important market

 Tata is trying to tap.

 There was no way Tata could design a car the conventional way. So went at it

on a clean slate. And seems to have pulled it off. The rear engined car will

have a small boot for luggage storage in the front. In the process of developing

the Nano, Tata Motors has added 40 patents to its kitty.

This car, if it becomes a hit, will make every auto company change the

way it works and look at the volume market. Not only in India, but in

entire Asia and every third world country. Offering mobility for the masses is

big business. The VW Beetle did that, and so did Henry Ford.

Environmental Impact 

In India, a car like this can crowd the streets, forcing the government to improve

infrastructure - and as the evolution of the Western industrial society

demonstrates, affordable cars can be a major force for change. But till that

happens, this is a car that can seriously crowd the streets - and make life a bit

tougher in the short-term.

 The car will have a two-cylinder 624-cc petrol engine with 33bhp of power.

It will also have a 30-litre fuel tank and four-speed manual gearshift. The carwill come with air conditioning in the deluxe version, but will have no power

steering. I know, that's pathetic power by American and Western standards. But

Indian maximum legal speeds are way lower than them - and Tata Motors

anyway claims that the car is as fast as the Maruti 800, India's original People's

Car that . The car will have front disk and rear drum brakes. The company

claims mileage of 22 km pl in city and 26 km pl on highway.

 The $ 2500 is the dealer price - the actual price on the road might be approx Rs.

$3000. The car launched is being avidly watched by the auto industry around the

world.

As attractive as the Nano is on the outside, the same cannot be said for the

interior. The plastics feel cheap and it is here that you begin to feel the

concern towards the price that Tata was aiming at. The rudimentary knobs and

switches point towards the use of materials which would be better off in tractors

twenty years old! Dreary and uninspiring by any measure, that’s what one can

say about the interior quality and looks. What impressed me though was the

layout. Spacious and functional, the dashboard has a curved look which can

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prove beneficial when it comes to storing items. The Chevy Spark started it for

the small cars and the Nano continues on what seems to be the current trend.

 The instrument binnacle is mid-mounted and the center console has a swooping

form which houses all the important knobs and air con vents. Speakers for the

audio system have been incorporated on the rear bench just under the seat

area.

 The speedo is calibrated to a top whack of 120kmph though we shall reserve our

statements on that

till we test the car thoroughly. Cash saving activity has gone a bit too far with

the sun visor, there’s only one! Please Tata, please, have mercy on the people

who will sit on the passenger seat, only to find no sun visor to protect their skin

from sun or no vanity mirror for women (men too, going by the current fashion!)

to put the make-up on. The center console, forming a crest in the middle of 

the dash, can be worrisome if you happen to be as tall as Raj pal Yadav. The

seats have integrated head restraints, like in the hugely popular, Hyundai i10.

  Yes the Nano will be deprived of a lot of creature comforts but to satisfy your

salivating mouth, Tata will offer the top end version with air con, power windows

and power steering. This car is destined to be exported too, so provision for

ABS and airbags will also be there for sure. The floor mounted four-speed

gearbox wasn’t smooth as silk but would give the 800 something to takeinspiration from. Roominess is what this compact car from Tata is all about.

Four average sized Indians will find themselves enjoying their ride.

SAFETY 

Passes crash tests. Side impact test yet to be done, but Tata is confident about

it. It has 2 A-pillars on one side to better meet safety norms. No airbags. Airbags

are still not a required feature in India. But you have crumple zones, intrusion-

resistant doors, seatbelts and anchorages.

A four wheeler is safe than a scooter. So to begin with, the huge two wheeler

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population of India gains a safety benefit. But will it pass the safety

requirements of a large car or even a high technology compact? Unlikely.

But this one that rides scooters and at risk every day.

And so here it is. If Tata Motors is right, we could be witnessing a serious

disruptive force and one that might kick-start India on to a high growth path.

Successful mass market mobility does that to a

Country.

Mechanic

Everyone, and it does not discount the motoring journals, expected the ‘One

Lakh Car’ to have a Plastic body. But boy did Tata play it big there! Contrary

to everyone’s belief, the Nano is a metal- bodied car with four full-blown doors

to ease the ingress and egress. This is a unit-body construction but makes use

of a sub-frame which adds to the strength in addition to providing support for

drive train and suspension units. The suspension has a story of its own

altogether! Well, Tata engineers said that since the rear-biased weight

distribution led to some scary moments while testing the car, they had to

optimize the suspension setup and add a fair amount of other eccentric but

equally helpful technical add-ons like fatter rear tyre while the battery box

and fuel tank are placed right underneath front occupants.

 The engine is what has been the buzz word around the car. It is an all-aluminum

two cylinder engine displacing 624cc with two valves per cylinder driven by a

single overhead camshaft. The bore and stroke are nearly similar giving it a

‘square’ form. Making the Nano move will be the power of 33 horses which will

peak out at 5500rpm while 48Nm of turning force will be supplied at a meager

2500rpm which should help the drivability of the car. The Nano will transmit

its small amount of power via a 4-speed cable operated gearbox with thefourth being an overdriven ratio. Tata is working on developing an automatic

gearbox as well but that will not be available when the car gets launched later

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this year. In addition to the 624cc petrol engine, the Indian auto giant might

also bring out a common-rail diesel engine (700cc) which might be of the same

architecture as the one

seen on Tata Ace.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Article 1: What gave Nano a head start?  The Nano could potentially challenge the conventional wisdom within the autoindustry that wholly

new concepts do not live long enough. New launches basically add a whistle

here and a bell there to the plethora of existing models. Indeed, in more than 70

car launches worldwide, there have been not more than a handful of seminal

shifts within this industry.

But the Tata offering has come to topple all those casts by reordering the

status-quo. The whole story seems to strike two notes at once. The first one is

true to the old adage among businesses that the wise profit from giving that

which profits their customers; the second dares to contrarily create and nurture

a space that others overlooked or even rejected.

Some known facts

Not too long ago, many pundits within the industry had held that small cars such

as the Maruti 800 have outlived their use and must, therefore, pack up. Yet, just

into 2008, a glowing Mr. Rattan Tata drove on to the stage in his Nano, that

sports a far lower powered engine and which may soon storm the Indian roads.

Surprisingly, many of the same pundits who had bemoaned the twilight of Maruti

800 have now begun to celebrate the business sense that the Nano exudes. It

looks like, in any case, the Tata Nano project has defied textbook constructs of 

successful venturing.

In fact, we knew for good reasons that there is much less money to be made in

small cars. We also knew that products conceived for specific markets have

less possibility of success than those visualized on a global basis.

And, admittedly, auto majors with a wider, deeper portfolio of cars are rightly

believed to be able to gain more profitably from a radical but relevant offering.

Such manufacturers, it is often acknowledged, are able to reap from the

economies of scale that can be got from sharing the costs of design,

manufacture and retail, among their entire product line-up.

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Small-car concept

  The Tata project bore none of the above usual stamps of success. Yet it is

pretty hard to term Nano anything but a success going by the reception it

received. This perhaps indicates that the real game is one of strategy.Underlying concepts and attitudes. Ironically, Tata's capture of the "small car

concept" is in itself hardly path-breaking.

One recollects that when the Maruti 800 was introduced around the mid-1980s,

it was, even after adjusting for the then stronger rupee, an immensely

affordable car (well below a lakh of rupees). It was, in fact, India's first small,

sweet car.

But, over time, the sweetness of Maruti 800 - rather than the real demand

for small cars - had diminished. That was primarily because of its price,

which kept on surging.

What is certainly path-breaking is the price tag of the Nano. Even if we went all

the way back before all those price rises and income growth spread over the

past two consecutive decades, Nano's price would have still generated a

landslide sales record in the mid-1980s.

The price element

And, what is important is, where a pre-liberalized mid-1980s represented

stunted buying power, "today's India" that is to receive the Nano, represents

greatly enlarged buying power.

  This, in effect, gives the Nano an exceptional welcome thrust. Besides the

element of price-point - where Tata Motors led the pack on a wide margin -

almost every other major car company in the world seems to have otherwise

 just as seriously investigated small cars.

If anything, notwithstanding the environment dimension, the persistently high oilprices of 

the present decade have, in fact, made all makers gravitate toward more fuel-

efficient, smaller cars. The key question, then, is: With so many auto firms

zeroing in on small cars, how did Tata Motors achieve such astounding price

levels? Indeed, when global industry majors were talking about a small car with

trendy, tiny engines, they were all, in effect, attempting to scale down on what

they were traditionally good at: Medium and big cars.

Two perspectives

Unlike Tata Motors, almost none of the global majors had paid due attention to

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the thought of an all-new small car. There is, for sure, a big difference between

scaling down a big-sized car to a viable small size.

 The gamut of idea generation, concept, design, making, retailing, and so on,

differs a great deal between the two perspectives. The first perspective tweaks

to fit what is already on hand, whereas the second creates afresh to fulfill what

is widely sought.

Consequently, the processes that color the making of an inexpensive and

cheerful car are not at all 'Cheap'. Understandably, those processes have to be

richer in innovation, bolder in imagination, nimbler in evaluating and, of course,

shrewder in putting together the pieces (ideas, hardware, and Costs) appealingly.

Taking the lead

 The stalwarts of the car industry never quite saw 'small cars' as 'small cars'.

Here is where Tata Motors strode ahead, giving Mr. Tata and his team a head-

start. The Nano, then, brings home the truth that lacking certain advantages

can actually prove more rewarding.

 The car industry, unlike the insurance industry, which enjoys safety cover

from reinsurance, has never been able to obtain a guaranteed cover for

assured success.

One could say that the future Nanos would certainly get their shots of incremental improvement. So, too, would be the approaches of many other

aspiring small-car makers, after taking note of this primordial shift.

# Source: The Hindu Business Line — February 5th, 2008

Article 2: Tata to ride Nano to Geneva Motor Show

 Tata Motors' Nano, easily the world's most talked-about car these days, will make

its international debut at the 78th Geneva Motor Show in the first week of March.

 The five-door hatchback that costs just Rs 100,000 ($2,500), making it the world's

cheapest, was unveiled in January this year at the Auto Expo here. Nano would be

among Tata Motors' exhibits at the show, a company spokesperson said here.

Sales of Nano, nicknamed the people's car for its affordable pricing that will make

four-wheelers available to millions of middle-class people who hitherto rode two-

wheelers, is expected to start in the second half of this year.

Although the car has its share of critics, it has undeniably put India on the

global automotive map and has triggered a race among leading car makers to

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match the Nano price-point. Already, car manufacturers Renault and Nissan

are eyeing a $3000 car.

 The Nano, which Tata Motors has said meets all safety and emission norms, will

share the limelight with top marques from around the world that are expected

at the show. This year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show will mark the 11th

year of participation for Tata Motors. Tata Motors' Nano, easily the world's most

talked-about car these days, will make its international debut at the 78th

Geneva Motor Show in the first week of March.

# Source: The Economic Times — February 7th, 2008

Article 3: Indian people’s car

India is one of those developing countries whose economies are expected to be

among the world

leaders by the middle of this century. Its technological skill and financial clout

have already made an impact in the IT industry and the international cricketing

arena, to take just two examples. But the unveiling of Tata Motors' Nano car in

New Delhi yesterday

The headline news is that the Nano will cost only pounds 1,300, thus opening

a potentially huge market in the developing world. But Tata has also stolen a

march on giant vehicle manufacturers such as GM, Ford, Toyota, V W,

Mitsubishi and Renault-Nissan, all of which are looking to expand sales in Asia,

Africa and Latin America at a time when the European and American markets

are, respectively, flat and declining.

 Tata has produced a car that not only costs pounds 500 less than the cheapest

Chinese model, but also breaks technological ground by having a rear-mounted

two-cylinder engine, which both saves fuel and creates interior space. It has

taken out more than 34 patents on technologies used in its manufacture. The

 Tata Group, the country's largest conglomerate, epitomizes the global outreach

of modern India; having acquired the Corus metals company last year, it is now

seeking to buy Jaguar Cars and Land Rover.

 The world's second most populous nation presents a striking contrast between

that kind of industrial clout and the poverty in which most Indians still live. At

one end of the scale are billionaires such as Vijay Mallya, who is promoting India

as a Formula 1 racing power. At the other are the inhabitants

of Mumbai's periphery who lack decent housing, education and healthcare. The

Nano lies between those two extremes: a car built to attract members of theurban middle class who at present perch on motorcycles. That it will add to

India's already acute traffic problems should remind the government of how far

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it has fallen behind in infrastructure development, whether roads, electricity or

water. The Nano is a remarkable first from a country that still exasperates for its

failure to provide basic services.

# Source: As published in The Daily Telegraph, London on January 11th, 2008.

PROBLEM DEFINITION

Marketing Research Problem:

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“To find out the consumer perception on TATA’S NANO inCoimbatore city.”

  TATA’s NANO will be launched on 23rd.

March 2008. There has been lots

of excitement and enthusiasm among the mass for the product. To find

out how the common mass perceives the product and how should TATA

Motors position “NANO” it is important to conduct a research.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:  To know the consumer perception on TATA “NANO”.

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 To find out the awareness level about TATA “NANO”.

 To find out the Acceptance level of people.

  To know about factors affecting purchase decision of TATA“NANO”.

 To find out the target segment for TATA NANO

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 

RESEARCH DESIGN:

Descriptive Research Method

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SAMPLING PROCEDURE:

S a m p l i n g P l a n: Convenient Sampling (Non-Probabilistic SamplingMethod)

S a m p l e S i z e: 2 0 0 r e s p o n d e n t s

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN:

 The research was done on the basis of a structured questionnaire

FIELD WORK PLAN:

200 respondents were interviewed in and around the areas of 

Coimbatore. The respondents were interviewed

LIMITATIONS:  The accuracy of the responses given by the respondents

Data was collected from the limited locations of Coimbatore; therefore

findings cannot be generalized for the whole city or country.

Language was a barrier between the interviewer and the

respondents to collect the responses.

DATA COLLECTION

Data was collected from the following two sources:

PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION:

Primary Data was collected through “SURVEY” using a structured

questionnaire through which the research was able to get an insight in to

the consumers mind and to learn about perception towards “NANO”.SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION:

Secondary Data was collected through magazines, journals, articles and

earlier reports. Secondary Data helped in finding the variables that has an

effect on the perception made by the people towards TATA Nano.

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

Table 1

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Percentage Frequency  

55 34

45 176

Table 2

Percentage Frequency  

23 77

77 23

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Table 3

Percentage Frequency  

65 66

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35 44

Table 5

Percentage Frequency  

44 7756 33

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Table 6Percentage Frequency  

44 8256 18

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Table 7

Percentage Frequency  

32 4668 54

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Table 8

Percentage Frequency  54 2846 72

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FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS

1- Table 1 is a tabulation of the respondents with different income group.Of 

100 respondents, 5% are in income category(5,000-10,000),25% are in

income category(10,000-15,000),34% are in income category(15,000-

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20,000)36% are In income category(20,000 & above)

2- Table 2 is a tabulation of the respondents with preference towards

maruthi and tata.60% of respondents prefer maruthi and 40% of surveyed

respondents prefer Tata.

3- Table 3 shows that 52% of the surveyed respondents using maruthi

from 2 to 5 years ,38% from 5 to 10 years ,10% from 10 to 15 years

4- It also shows that 39% of the surveyed respondents using maruthi

from 2 to 5 years ,61%% from 5 to 10 years and no one from 10 to 15

years.

5- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,44% of respondents are of the opinion

that style of maruthi vehicle is excellent,53% as good and only about 3%

showing it as fair.

6- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,32% of respondents are of the opinion

that style of Tata vehicle is excellent,44% as good and only about 24%

showing it as fair.

7- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,53% of respondents are of the opinion

that fuel efficiency of maruthi vehicle is excellent,37% as good and only

about 10% showing it as fair.

8- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,41% of respondents are of the opinion

that fuel efficiency of maruthi vehicle is excellent,33% as good and only

about 26% showing it as fair.

9- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,39% of respondents are highly

satisfied with the interaction of sales person,49% are moderately satisfied ,

12% are satisfied and no one with dissatisfied with the sales person

interaction.

10- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,31% of respondents are highly

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satisfied with the interaction of sales person,53% are moderately satisfied,

16% are satisfied and no one with dissatisfied with the sales person

interaction.

11- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,54% are having petrol version,26%

using diesel version and 20% using petrol with LPG kit.

12- Out of 100 respondents surveyed ,19% are having petrol version,69%

using diesel version and 12% using petrol with LPG kit

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CONCLUSION

Managing a portfolio of close to 100 companies is a mammoth task for

any business house. Questions over acquiring newer firms and divesting

non-performing firms need to be answered on a regular basis. These

questions have become extremely important for the Tata Group as they

have used the inorganic growth route extensively to scale up their

international operations. This article looks at Tata inorganic expansion

and performs a portfolio analysis for the group identifying potential

divestment targets. The analysis leads to the conclusion that it is in the

interest of the newer companies to be a part of the Tata Group to

leverage on the Groups brand equity. As the Tata Group continues to

follow the inorganic route to growth, the challenges of integration need to

be carefully dealt with. It is necessary for the group to take a look at

some of their question marks like Voltas, Tata Teleservices and Tata

Communications. Finally, given the brand equity of the Tata name, it is in

the interest of newer companies to remain under the Tata Group.

In the course of time, the group is expected to make many more

acquisitions across the sectors it currently operates in, particularly in

South East Asia, Europe and the United States. Given the relatively

brighter prospects about the Indian economy compared to other

developed economies, the future strategy also calls for a definite focus on

the Indian market in sectors like steel, automobiles and infrastructure.

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  The future strategy of the Tata group has been summarized quite

elegantly by Rattan Tata in the following statement:

We have two guiding arrows. One points overseas, where we want to

expand markets for our existing products. The other points right here, to

India, where we want to explore the large mass market that is emerging

– not by following but by breaking new ground in product development 

and seeing how we can do something that hasn't been done before.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY 

1. R Srinivasan and Babe Prasad Mishap, 2007, 'Why do Firms

Merge/Acquire: An Analysis of Strategic Intent in Recent M&A Activity 

among Indian Firms', IIMB Management Review , December 2007.

2. Taren Hanna and Krishna Pileup, 2008, The right way to Restructure

Conglomerates in Emerging Markets, Harvard Business Review , July-Aug

1999.

3. Indian Express: Journalism of course dated 7th July 2009