Streamline Training & Documentation: Tata Group's Management Training

Monday, October 29, 2007

Tata Group's Management Training

In researching an earlier post that commented on business practices of India's Tata Group, I spent a good deal of time trying to learn more about their training. At the time, I came up dry, but now a BNET blog entry by Jeff Palfini has arrived in my inbox that provides some information on the subject.

Palfini explains that Tata's management training program, which extends over a full year, has been in place for over fifty years. Apparently, its prestige and attractiveness to MBA graduates declined as the year 2000 approached. This led to updating to its current format, which consists of four segments:

15 weeks in sales and marketing

15 weeks in manufacturing and operations

15 weeks in corporate strategy, finance and human resources

7 weeks in one of the company's rural locations — for exposure to the life of ordinary Indians

You can read the Tata Group's own description of the TAS program (on which Palfini's report apparently draws) here. Tata's goal is for TAS to assist in recruiting "high-achieving young postgraduates from leading business schools each year" and to train them in a way that enables "lifelong mobility, across companies, industries and functions" by imparting "that macro view of business which is critical in preparing young professionals for general management."

After their year of training, Tata's management recruits receive their initial job assignment, which is the first step in an individualized five-year development plan. To help them progress, each participant works with a mentor.

Palfini attributes Tata Group's recently improved standing in the eyes of Indian business graduates in significant measure to the TAS program and what it represents for career building.

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Labels: Employee development

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