PODCAST · business
Counterpoint Podcast
by Vector Consulting Group
Welcome to the Counterpoint podcast, brought you by the Vector Consulting Group.Each episode will explore how systems thinking combined with rigor of causal thinking of hard sciences can be applied to design breakthrough solutions for complex and chronic business problems across industry segments. The focus of each podcast is to validate the theoretical constructs behind these innovative solutions and to discuss the practical aspects of implementing them.
Episodes
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Ep# 80 Designed, not measured. Redefining productivity in New Product Development.
In this episode of the Counterpoint Podcast, Devidas Kulur, Partner, Vector Consulting Group, explains why NPD productivity must be designed, not just measured. Learn to avoid 'metric traps' by focusing on system flow, reducing WIP, and leading with context.
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Ep#79 The ticking shelf. The overlooked economics of store profitability
In this episode Dr. Shelja Jose Kuruvilla talks about the ‘ticking shelf’ in retail, the ageing inventory crisis, which has a direct impact on store-level profitability. She also suggests how this can be addressed by ‘discipline of churn,’ and prioritising throughput.
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EP#78 Government intervention and role of individual companies
In this final episode of our conversation with Mr. R.C. Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki, we explore what truly drives manufacturing success - government reform or company-level action.
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Ep#77 Rethinking productivity in project execution
Are late tasks really a sign of inefficiency? In this episode of Counterpoint, Shubham Agarwal challenges how productivity is measured in projects and explores a better way to improve execution, focus, and outcomes by managing flow, not timelines.
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Ep#76 Leveraging financial discipline for long-term strength
In this chapter, Mr. R.C. Bhargava talks about a philosophy that quietly powered Maruti’s success: financial discipline built on frugality, internal resource creation, and ethical leadership. At a time when many businesses chase scale through aggressive borrowing and cash burn, Bhargava shares…
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Ep#75 Mastering customer loyalty for long-term success
In this chapter, Dr. R.C. Bhargava, talks to Satyashri Mohanty, about how Maruti focused on improving the customer’s car buying experience (pre and post purchase) to build long term customer loyalty. Previous episodes: Episode 1: https://bit.ly/VCG_Podcast_Ep65 Episode 2:...
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Ep#74 Rethinking growth in the steel fabrication industry
Why do players in steel fabrication industry stay small? Discover the root causes that prevent players in the steel fabrication industry from scaling beyond a certain size. In this episode, Kaustubh Sanzgiri, Consultant at Vector Consulting Group delves into how the industry can evolve and the...
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Ep#73 Treating Vendors as Partners
In this 3rd episode, Mr. R.C. Bhargava shares how Maruti's approach of treating vendors as partners in growth and supporting them with technical know and timely payments led to sharing of productivity gains. It also helped build the auto components industry in India. This discussion offers…
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Ep#72 The Equipment Enigma: Rethinking the approach to new product development (NPD)
As global demand for industrial machinery soars, why are Indian manufacturers struggling to seize the moment? In this episode of the Counterpoint Podcast, we explore why India’s equipment manufacturers are at crossroads and how they can improve their workflows to be more competitive.
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Ep#71 How did Aditya Auto reduce its working capital requirements and improve on-time delivery
Aditya Auto, a leading auto component supplier, was struggling with long lead times, missed OEM schedules, and high working capital needs. In this episode, Mihir Jayaram (CEO) and Suresh Seturaman (CFO) share how the company moved from a forecast-driven system to a pull-based replenishment model,...
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Ep#70 How Aditya Auto reduced NPD lead times and improved R&D throughput?
In this Counterpoint Podcast episode, Tejas Jayaraman, CTO, Aditya Auto, and Tejas Manoor, Senior Project Engineer, Aditya Auto talk about how they transformed their R&D process. They delve into how Aditya Auto went from missed OEM milestones and customer escalations to implementing a global...
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Ep#69 From chaos to control - Shifting to a pull-based system in agri-equipment
When crisis strikes, some systems collapse—others adapt. In this episode, we dive into how one agri-equipment company turned a massive supply chain breakdown into a powerful advantage by shifting from a push-based to a pull-based model. What caused the chaos, and what bold changes helped regain...
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Ep#68 Harnessing workers as employee assets
In this episode, Maruti Suzuki Chairman R.C. Bhargava reveals how empowering workers to think, suggest, and lead from the ground up drove massive gains in productivity and quality. Learn how voluntary discipline, quality circles, and consistent engagement created a culture of continuous...
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Ep#67 Challenges and opportunities in Pharma quality
In this insightful episode of the Counterpoint Podcast by Vector Consulting Group, Dr. Rajiv Desai, Senior Technical Advisor at the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, joins host Chandrachur Datta to explore the evolving landscape of pharmaceutical quality management in India. A must-listen for…
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Ep#66 The pharmaceutical paradox: A growing market with shrinking margins — What’s the way out?
India has become the world’s pharmacy—especially for the U.S.—supplying affordable generic drugs at an unmatched scale. But behind this global success lies a growing crisis. In this episode of Counterpoint, we go beyond the headlines to unpack the full story. What’s driving the turmoil in one of...
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Ep#65 Role of management in making India a manufacturing hub
In this episode of the Counterpoint podcast, R.C. Bhargava shares how Maruti’s unique management approach helped shape India’s auto sector. Learn key lessons to transform your organisation.
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Ep#64 Quick Commerce vs. Kirana Stores: The Battle for Urban Convenience in India’s Evolving Retail Landscape
In this episode on the Counterpoint Podcast, we talk about how Quick Commerce brands have revolutionised the way urban Indians shop for essentials and the challenges they are posing for age old kirana stores. We also touch upon how the retail landscape in India will evolve.
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Ep#63 Overcoming limitations of JIT in Indian auto supply chain with an agile pull-based system
In this podcast, we delve into the journey of Just-In-Time (JIT) in the automotive industry, exploring its rise, implementation challenges, and the emerging need for a more adaptable pull-based system. We discuss how traditional JIT practices are struggling with demand fluctuations, supply chain...
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Ep#62 What's eating into apparel brands profitability?
In this episode we will talk about our latest whitepaper - From Threads to Trends. This white paper sheds light on the persistent challenges in the apparel retail supply chain and presents forward-thinking strategies to drive efficiency and profitability. It reveals how prolonged lead times –…
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Ep#61 Dealership inventory crisis: What's causing the surplus?
The auto industry thrives on momentum, but what happens when dealerships are stuck with unsold cars? As it has happened in the recent months. Excess inventory can choke cash flow, force heavy discounts, and disrupt the entire supply chain. In this episode, we take a closer look at why inventory...
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Ep#60 How do businesses tackle fluctuating demand, capacity challenges, and operational inefficiencies?
In this podcast episode, hosted by Shubham Agarwal and featuring Chandrachur Datta, Partner at Vector Consulting Group, we dive into the essence of managing operations. Explore how to handle fluctuating demand, manage capacity challenges, and eliminate inefficiencies using strategic buffers. Gain...
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Ep#59 Conversations with Business Leaders: Mr. Abhishek Sharma, VP - Supply Chain, Blackberrys Menswear
Explore the intricacies of supply chain management in this Counterpoint Podcast episode. Join Shubham Agarwal as he interviews Abhishek Sharma, VP - Supply Chain fromBlackberry's Menswear division, revealing how innovative strategies are transforming supply chain operations for better efficiency...
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Ep#58 Conversations with Business Leaders: Mr. B Govindarajan, CEO, Royal Enfield
Discover how Royal Enfield revolutionized its supply chain management with a dynamic Replenishment Model. CEO B. Govindarajan shares insights on overcoming spare parts challenges, boosting efficiency, and bringing customers back to service centers, thanks to improved service and parts availability.
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Ep#57 What drives effectiveness in communication: Data-first or Narrative-first approach?
Dive into the fusion of data and storytelling, uncovering how numbers and narratives intertwine to drive innovation and change. Join us at the forefront of this exploration, shaping the future of how stories are told and understood in a data-driven world.
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Ep#56 Disrupting the Norm: How Fleetguard Filters Redefined Auto Component Industry Standards
Discover the ingenuity behind Fleetguard's approach to inventory and sales that prioritizes performance and satisfaction over traditional incentives. Tune in to understand the dynamics of a business model that thrives on mutual growth, strategic partnerships, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
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Ep#55 Arvind Fashions: Crafting the Future of Retail Supply Chains
Join us on a journey through the transformative world of retail with Arvind Fashions on the Counterpoint Podcast. Host Shubham Agarwal sits down with MD & CEO, Shailesh Chaturvedi to explore their leap towards a more efficient, profitable supply chain. Learn about their strategy for optimizing...
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Ep#54 The Bottom Line Blues: Understanding Real Estate Companies' Financial Challenges
Delve into the dynamics of the real estate market with our latest Counterpoint Podcast episode. Understand the puzzling decline in Internal Rates of Return (IRR) despite a thriving demand. Tune in to this episode to access expert analyses and discover actionable strategies for enhanced...
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Ep#53 Product range: More isn’t always profitable
Tune in to the latest episode of the Counterpoint podcast where we delve into the complex issue of managing an ever-increasing product range within companies. In this insightful episode, Arvind Rana, Partner, Vector Consulting Group dissect the dilemmas faced by organizations, from conflicting...
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Ep#52 Core conflict of Pharma labs
Pharma labs often need help with non-conformances, which hurts their business significantly. Over time, they have only been able to make minor tweaks in their processes, but they have not yet zeroed in on the core problem – Cognitive Overload. Achal Saran Pande, Partner at Vector Consulting…
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Ep#51 Unmasking the true cause of quality issues in Pharma labs!
Join us in this eye-opening episode as we plunge into the world of USFDA warning letters hitting pharma companies worldwide. Analyst error often takes the blame for quality issues, but is it truly the culprit? Let's delve deeper with Abhinav Srivastava, senior consultant at Vector Consulting…
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Ep#50 Vector's Decisive Competitive Edge in the Consulting Industry
There couldn't have been a more fitting topic to commemorate the 50th episode of the Counterpoint Podcast. In the previous episode, we delved into how Vector ensures flawless implementation and execution of solution elements for our esteemed clients. In this episode, we unveil the second and…
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Ep#49 Idea and its Execution: What’s the missing link?
Whenever we have a brilliant idea in our heads, we tend to get attached to it and sometimes become obsessed with it. However, more often than not, the idea remains just an idea, never seeing the light of day. Obviously, an idea is valuable only when it is implemented and implemented well. In this...
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Ep#48 Find hidden capacity in manufacturing plants
Manufacturing companies tend to be unaware of the 'Real Capacity' of their plants. Typically, companies make an estimate of their capacity based on a 'median' product mix they manufacture, capacity defined by equipment suppliers, or experience over time. This then becomes a benchmark used to...
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Ep#47 Vector's toolkit for thinking clearly (Part 2): Understanding the importance of deep causal thinking in management
Vector Consulting Group has developed a unique thinking process that combines the work of great philosophers such as Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Karl Popper, scientist David Deutsche, and management guru Eli Goldratt. This approach that we call the Scientific and Systems Thinking approach, has been...
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Ep#46 How to ensure a successful product launch
Thanks to all our listeners for the phenomenal positive feedback that you gave us for Season 1 of the Counterpoint Podcast. We are now back with Season 2. Companies launch new products and services frequently with the intention of offering customers new experiences while increasing their own…
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Ep#45 Not so Agile: Part II - How to transform the software development process
In the first part of this 2-episode series on software development, we discussed the challenges posed by both Waterfall and Agile (scrum) methodologies and why using these could lead to a loss in productivity. We had promised to come back with a new solution that can overcome these challenges and...
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Ep#44 Meeting Fatigue: How can we make meetings add more value?
'Meetings, meetings, everywhere, no value added!' Is this true for your organization too? Do you also have endless number of meetings every day? Do you also feel that you are just moving from one meeting to another without accomplishing anything or deciding on a concrete way forward? We know that…
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Ep#43 All improvement projects may not add value: How to do less and yet gain more
It is not uncommon for companies to have multiple improvement initiatives underway at the same time. But very often these projects are delayed or don’t deliver the results envisaged when they were initiated! Vector has helped many companies undertake very successful transformation projects. So…
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Ep#42 Not so Agile: Challenges in Software Development
In this podcast we visit the challenges posed by Waterfall and Agile (scrum), the most popular methodologies for software development. While examining Agile, Anantha helps us question some of the assumptions behind few of its practices like - working with small ‘self-sufficient’ teams, keeping...
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Ep#41 Conversations with Business Leaders: Antony Cherukara, CEO, VST Tillers Tractors
Agri-equipment manufacturing companies tend to have a major challenge in managing operations since demand is significantly dependent on seasons, level of rainfall, festivals, etc. Mr.Antony Cherukara, discusses how by adopting a pull-based supply chain, companies can become flexible enough to...
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Ep#40 Pharma Operations: Supply Chain challenges and sustainable ways to overcome them
In this episode of the Counterpoint Podcast, we bring into focus the challenges that the pandemic has caused on the already disrupted supply chains of pharma companies in India and across the world. Achal Pande first gives us an analogy from the way train networks function to explain the real...
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Ep#39 Vector's toolkit for thinking clearly (Part 9): Mystery analysis - continued
In the last episode on Mystery Analysis, we set the groundwork for why and how to do an analysis that would help us reveal the causality behind our post-implementation results. We also touched upon two concepts or approaches that could be used for detecting the mystery. This episode goes into...
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Ep#38 Vector's toolkit for thinking clearly (Part 8): Mystery analysis
We are back with the Thinking Processes series. In the last episode of the series, we had promised to discuss about 'Mystery Analysis'. So, this episode elucidates the kind of analysis that is required to be done post-implementation of a change initiative if the results do not match expectations....
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Ep#37 Irrelevance of Seasons in the Fashion Industry with Anindya Ray, CSO & CHRO, Arvind Fashions Limited and Sachin Jain, Senior Partner, Vector Consulting Group
The fashion industry is known for its seasonality, for the seasons bring with it the need for change in the entire range of clothing. But for the clothing companies, this poses a big challenge, the challenge of huge inventories that are left behind with every switch of a season. Moreover, the...
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Ep#36 Why individual targets do not drive accountability?
It is important for effective control of organizational activities to establish clear accountability for desired outcomes. Hence, there is a practice of using KPIs or KRAs or a related term to define individual targets. But what if we claim that these individual targets do not achieve their...
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Ep#35 End-to-End Pull Distribution | From Pilot Phase to Scale Up
In the previous episode of this series, we discussed the challenges and probable pitfalls of implementing a pull distribution strategy as against a conventional push system. We left off the discussion at the end of the pilot phase. In this episode, we chart out the journey from the end of the…
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Ep#34 Is direct distribution of the full market possible?
Why is it that even though many companies realise that there is significant sales loss because they are not available in the huge number of small outlets, they still do not try for direct distribution of the full market? Is it really possible? Why is it that the industry conventionally uses...
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Ep#33 Conversations with Business Leaders: Saket Agrawal, Managing Director, MSP Steel and Power Ltd.
Commodities like steel are a challenge to differentiate based on product features. So, conventionally, steel companies are forced to compete almost solely on price/margins to win orders from customers/dealers. Unfortunately, 'price' is very difficult factor to sustain as differentiator. However,...
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Ep#32 New Product Development in Auto Sector: Challenges and Solutions
Enormous workload, high uncertainty and heavy dependence on external suppliers all have together made the task of new product development in the auto segment is very challenging and stressful. The process is riddled with rework, problems in production stabilisation, and delays in launch. However,...
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Ep#31 End-to-End Pull Distribution | Managing the challenges of transformation
The pandemic brought a totally new level of uncertainty in the business of distribution companies. Detailed plans and forecasts went haywire for many companies. But there were still that stood out from their counterparts in the industry who had unique supply chains designed for agility. These...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the Counterpoint podcast, brought you by the Vector Consulting Group.Each episode will explore how systems thinking combined with rigor of causal thinking of hard sciences can be applied to design breakthrough solutions for complex and chronic business problems across industry segments. The focus of each podcast is to validate the theoretical constructs behind these innovative solutions and to discuss the practical aspects of implementing them.
HOSTED BY
Vector Consulting Group
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Counterpoint Podcast have?
Counterpoint Podcast currently has 80 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Counterpoint Podcast about?
Welcome to the Counterpoint podcast, brought you by the Vector Consulting Group.Each episode will explore how systems thinking combined with rigor of causal thinking of hard sciences can be applied to design breakthrough solutions for complex and chronic business problems across industry segments....
How often does Counterpoint Podcast release new episodes?
Counterpoint Podcast has 80 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Counterpoint Podcast?
You can listen to Counterpoint Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Counterpoint Podcast?
Counterpoint Podcast is created and hosted by Vector Consulting Group.
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