Business and Management Practices in South Asia

A Collection of Case Studies

Arijit Sikdar, Vijay Pereira, Arijit Sikdar, Vijay Pereira

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9789811313981
• eBook ISBN: 9789811313998
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business Strategy
• Index: Business

This book presents case studies of South Asian companies that have strategic business implications, highlighting the complex interplay of business and social dynamics in South Asia. This region is a wide agglomeration of very different countries that share somewhat common cultures and issues and yet it is torn apart by religion and politics. There is an abundance of local entrepreneurship but a widespread institutional void. The book investigates how local companies survive and thrive in this environment and discusses those companies that have withstoodthe competitive pressureof MNCs, depicting their management and business practices. In today's world, where multinationals are so omnipresent that their management and business practices are considered as the de facto recipe for success, there is a need to have an alternative view that challenges the ubiquitousness of multinational management practices. The case studies in this book focus on the business and management practices of local organizations in South Asia and thus provide that alternative viewpoint of how to achieve success in South Asia. Exposing readers to a local perspective on doing business in South Asia, it is a valuable resource for students and practitioners of management.

© The Author(s) 2019

Arijit Sikdar and Vijay Pereira (eds.)Business and Management Practices in South Asiahttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1399-8_10

Begin Abstract

Overseas Courier Services, Pakistan: Logistics Operations at Central Region

Muhammad Naiman Jalil¹ and Eesha Shah¹

(1)

Suleman Dawood School of Business, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

Muhammad Naiman Jalil (Corresponding author)

Email: [email protected]

Eesha Shah

Keywords

Logistics operationsTransportation operationsRoute planningLogistics network designMathematical programming

End Abstract

Introduction

‘We need to reduce operational costs. Our network operations are inefficient and costly. We are spending more than what we’re earning. It is simply not sustainable’, said Ashhad Ullah. ‘Every day, I receive numerous complaints from our corporate customers in Karachi, stating that parcels are not delivered to their relevant customers in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Islamabad and Peshawar on time’.

It was 26 December 2012. Ashhad Ullah—General Manager of OCS Pakistan Pvt. Ltd. was chairing a meeting at central region’s headquarter in Lahore. Rising fuel costs and increased competition were worrisome as these had resulted in smaller industry-wide profit margins. Customers were increasingly demanding greater efficiency and timeliness for parcel and cargo delivery services.

In today’s meeting, Taimoor Ahmed—(Regional Operational Manager) was also present. ‘Our primary operational costs are transport costs for inter-city and intra-city transportation. We can perhaps try reducing them. But I’m afraid, that this may lead to further deterioration in parcel delivery performance. Moreover, our regional headquarter is located in a congested area. We should follow TCS (the industry leader) as an example and move the regional headquarter near the airport, outside the city’, Taimoor said in a slightly frustrated manner as this argument had been repeatedly presented to no avail.

Ashhad pondered about the potential capital expenditure involved, but said: ‘Make a business case and I promise that I shall seriously look into it’.

A Brief History

Overseas Courier Service (OCS) first originated 50 years ago in Tokyo, with the main purpose of providing quick delivery for newspaper publisher’s publications. OCS’s, quality courier services are spread across 240 countries delivering 70 million business packages annually. In 1986, OCS Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited began operations as an independent courier services company. Currently, OCS Pakistan is delivering across 100 countries and 240 worldwide destinations. Its primary focus is parcel and cargo handling services within Pakistan. Currently, it has around 212 pick-up points in Pakistan with services ranging from overnight, same day, bulk shipment delivery, etc. OCS has always been known for...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Front Matter
• Business and Management Practices in South Asia—A Prelude
• Road to Growth: House of Brands, Branded House, or House Blend
• Leading Change in the Social Sector: A Bottom-up Revival of Two Weaving Clusters in India
• Internationalization of Bangladesh Banking Sector: Lessons from an Emerging Economy
• Bangladeshi Banking Innovations: A Case Study on Mobile Banking
• bKash: Revolutionizing Mobile Financial Services in Bangladesh?
• Pakwheels.com—A Period of Transition!
• The Expansion of Online Travel Portal—MakeMyTrip
• Reliance Jio—Late, but the Latest and Later?
• Overseas Courier Services, Pakistan: Logistics Operations at Central Region
• SUN Rises from RANBAXY: Supply Chain Strategy of an Indian Pharmaceutical Company
• Hope in Their Hands: Seeing Hands Nepal
• Doing Business in South Asia: Critical Issues and Future Opportunities
• Back Matter