Firstly, congratulations to all us fellow Indians! Our favourite word ‘Jugaad’ has been added to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (OALD). This news has given us as much happiness as we get when we ‘do some Jugaad’. For those of you who are new to this word, Jugaad is an everyday Hindi word that refers to the innovation that occurs under constrained circumstances.
So, how does Jugaad work? It basically is the option of choosing an alternative to your requirement. This could either be because of financial crisis or inaccessibility. Well, in daily life, opening the hems of your child’s uniform because he has outgrown it, churning lassi in a washing machine for your Punjabi, joint family guests, or connecting a phone with your laptop to charge it when there is no electricity- all these are Desi Jugaad tactics. However, these tactics can grow into larger ideas and make innovative products for business. It not only leads to the productive use of time, but it also saves money.
Why should we legitimate Jugaad for business?
Jugaad happens when people need products they can’t get their hands on due to financial constraints, most of the time. So they look for alternatives that are accessible, applicable and affordable.
It’s logical for businesses to create products for the Jugaadu needs because it is cost-efficient to the end consumer and most of the time, innovative. So it is a win-win situation for both the sides.
Let’s look at some of the best examples for this!
1. Two-wheeler umbrella
During the monsoons of 2017, all of us have seen the curved plastic shield on scooters and bikes. It is a little canopy that protects you from sun and rains. A crazy little invention, this is one of the most Jugaadu ways of protecting yourself from the rain without wearing a raincoat or spending money on a rickshaw/cab. This is truly the Baap of all Jugaads! This has made a lot of business in our country. On an average, it costs around Rs. 800-2500, per unit, depending upon the type, material, and quality.
2. The Godrej Chotukool
This is India’s first mobile food and beverage cooler. It is a mini refrigerator that consumes only 62W, thus lowering its running cost. It goes into sleep mode; cuts off electricity after attaining a cooling temperature of 10°C inside. It also works on an inverter and has a capacity of 35 litres. It is affordable too (costs around Rs. 5000).
A perfect Jugaad for a portable and affordable fridge so you can go on trips with your family and friends without worrying about the boiling water bottles in Summer.
How Jugaad plays a significant role in the development of India:
CAMTech India along with GE Healthcare started an initiative called Jugaad-a-thon that focused on developing healthcare facilities for rural India. It gathered engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs, designers and a lot more people from various fields to expand innovative healthcare technologies. The event happened in 2015 with an outlook of transforming reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health in and outside India.
Similarly, there are a lot more organisations that run on the idea of combining Jugaad with business to create infinite possibilities regarding possible development for our people. The Srishti Institute of Art, Design, and Technology showcased work from GRIDS (Grassroots Innovation Design Studio), which is a project that throws light on developing ideas by the National Innovation Foundation. Some of their executions are a road cleaning bicycle and an electronic device that sifts rice.
So all this is good, but what about your business? Can you use some Jugaad there? Here are 3 Jugaadu tips that you can use!
1. Get movable furniture for your office. In case you have to move your workplace, you can take your furniture along without needing to spend money and time on new desks and infrastructure.
2. Try co-working. If you’ve got yourself an office bigger than your requirement and some of the desks remain unoccupied, share it with another company. Allow them to use the space and both of you can split the expenses. This is just like having a roommate when the budget is tight!
3. Colourful workspace helps to keep productivity intact. If you cannot spend on painting the whole office, get colourful frames and posters with inspirational quotes written on them.
The journey of the word Jugaad has transformed from ‘doing it by hook or crook’ to ‘never giving up’. Sometimes, not having enough resources can lead to better transformations. It makes us think more and come up with an alternative, sufficient enough to fulfill the needs of our surroundings. It also breaks down stereotypes, social barriers and pushes boundaries further, so innovations are born. For us Indians, it was just a word to use techniques to fix things so that they don’t fall apart immediately. Innovate and continue this tradition, just don’t stop. So, mere yaar, karle kuch jugaad!
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