Mumbai’s Dabbawalahs
Mumbai’s Dabbawalahs

Kiran Kumar Kolluru
Rajeev Gowrishetty
Venkat Ramana Ammu
Ayomidaey
Tolu
Kiran Kumar Kolluru
Rajeev Gowrishetty
Venkat Ramana Ammu
Ayomidaey
Tolu

Table of Contents Page Numbers Executive Summary | 4 | Issues and Identification | 5 | Environmental root cause analysis | 6 | Alternatives | 6 | Recommendations | 7 | Implementations | 8 | Monitor and Control | 8 | Conclusion | 9 | References | 10 | Exhibits | 1112 |

Executive Summary
My decision is to provide the Appropriate Information and research on the Mumbai Dabbawala or tiffin bearer operation has been chosen as a best practice, as it is broadly perceived as an
Exceptional case of six sigma execution in the Indian connection.
This is a meal delivery system in the extensive mega polis of Mumbai, where many workers and employees prefer home-cooked meals for lunch.
This is currently a highly efficient and low cost delivery solution, which has astounded logistics professionals all over the world. The main objective of the report is to analyses the business model of the Mumbai Dabbawala best practice and to evaluate the potential transferability of the best practices to urban logistics processes in other cities across the world. Before focusing on the Mumbai Dabbawala case study, basic information of India and the city of Mumbai is presented along with the institutional governance framework, transport policies, existing transport related problems and measures undertaken to mitigate the existing problems.
The commitment and dedication, each Dabbawalas, like any other businessman, has to bring some capital with him. The minimum investment is two bicycles (approximately Rs.4,000), a wooden crate for the tiffin’s (Rs.500), at least one white, cotton kurta-pajama (Rs.600), and Rs.20 for the trademark Gandhi topi (hat)
This provides a better perspective of the environment in which the Dabbawala are operating, but also allows visualizing the essentials of the system and its potential for replication in other cities. The case study demonstrates that the informal sector is also capable to develop a best practice in the urban freight logistics. It shows how urban public transport system can be exploited for urban freight movements in cities where cheap, regular and reliable public transport services are available. The main findings of the evaluation of this case study is that the Dabbawala system has demonstrated how a highly efficient and low cost delivery solution can be developed with a positive impact on city, citizens and companies by suitably combining factors of inexpensive manpower availability, perpetual demand, urban transport infrastructure, unique traffic flow pattern and intuition based management practices.

Issues:
In developing economies, pollution, poverty, and depletion of natural resources affect businesses, and present challenges, especially to sustainable enterprises the Dabbawalas depend heavily on public transport infrastructure.
As India’s population continues to increase, it will bring about more pollution from motor vehicle emissions, and create stress on existing road networks. This could affect the delivery times. In addition, Mumbai has inclement weather during the monsoon season which usually is a harbinger of disease.
This creates difficulties for the Dabbawalas in making sure the food is transported in a safe manner from a sanitation standpoint. Over time, as the Dabbawalas clientele increases, their challenge lies in developing strategies to cope with increasing population, disease, saturated infrastructure, and greater expectations. This would also add to the problems of on-road parking issues which would ultimately aggravate the traffic congestion levels on major arterial roads

Environmental root cause analysis
Environmentally speaking, the process focuses on reducing energy use and toxic emissions by using public transport enhancing recycling of materials through using the same dabba over and over as opposed to fast food containers and wrappers, which are typically use and throw maximizing the use of renewable resources and basically being an eco-efficient process. From a social standpoint, the system enhances workplace conditions by providing a decent place for employee development through mentorship and trust. In addition, the Dabbawalas business model is big-hearted in nature. 1. The Dabbawalas system does not Effect directly to the pollution in the city of Mumbai because as described earlier, the use of environmental friendly vehicles in the full logistics chain has a tremendous positive environmental impact on the city and its citizens. 2. As no gas-powered vehicles are used for this logistics system, fuel consumption and hence direct emissions such as such as CO2, CO, from their activities are totally eliminated, although indirect emissions from use of trains could be included in their carbon footprint.

Alternatives:
Dabbawala Mumbai is facing an issue with transportation, their modes of transportation during their work day includes bicycles, push carts, and public trains.
The Dabbawala system is accessible to the changing demand for this service. As sorting, handling and transport of tiffin boxes are done manually, manpower forms the main resource for adapting production capacity. Scalability of the Dabbawala service is ensured by a well-developed apprentice program that ensures adequate personnel or slack capacity to service is available at all times to cater to sudden changes in demand. In case the demand drops, the apprentices are temporarily laid off who then seek other employment sources during slack periods. * They can eradicate this issue by using the Information technology. * Introducing pollution free Vehicles till they reach the public’s railway station. * Using the express trains at their peak delivery time rather than using the local Sub urban trains. * They should be allocated in a separate compartments in order to free from their strenuous train journey.
Recommendations:
Delivery system efficiency:
I would recommend Dabbawala should be allocated in a separate compartments in order to free from their strenuous train journey.
Because Dabbawala logistics system use walking, bicycles and suburban trains as the 3 modes of collection, transport and delivery of the dabbas to their customers.
Mixed traffic in Mumbai roads to a large extent aggravate congestion problems in the CBD areas during peak hours. As common road space is utilized by the Dabbawalas during morning peak hours for the movement of the dabbas. This induces congestion especially near the railway station. On the other hand, Dabbawalas are instrumental in reducing traffic congestion if seen from another perspective.

Implementations:
The Dabbawala system is unique, home grown model developed by a group of individuals with little or no formal education in the area of logistics. It has been unique to the city of Mumbai. Although it has been tried in other cities and the brand name used in other cities for marketing purposes, the scale of operations and size of network of the Mumbai Dabbawala service network is not found in any other city in India. So, comparison of measures is not possible.
There were no changes like any infrastructural changes made in Mumbai city to support the activities of the Dabbawala logistics services.
In Mumbai, the unique distribution system is demonstrated by the transfer of the dabba through the hands of at least 4 Dabbawalas during its door to door journey. This exclusivity can be attributed to the generally linear topography of the city and the presence of the suburban railway network both of which have facilitated the creation of the delivery service * On the local suburban trains, a dedicated goods compartment for the Dabbawalas on local suburban trains plying during the period and days of their operations (10am – noon and 2pm to 4 pm) will offer comfort to the Dabbawalas in their strenuous train journeys and to the other travelers. * Use of information technology to market their services, attract job seekers and offer better opportunities to their workforce. * The Dabbawala service is registered with the Just Dial local search engine in Mumbai who provide the mobile numbers of Dabbawalas operating in their area.

Monitor and Control: * Introduction of express delivery service with a pick up at 11am. * Working with marketing agents like the brand management teams to distribute product samples along with dabbas to the offices. * Standard dabbas given way to more elaborate and colorful packaging according to customer requirements. * Advertising of the dabba service by putting stickers on the dabbas.

Conclusion:
After a brief overview of the business model of the Mumbai Dabbawala service system was analyzed. One of the remarkable achievement of the Dabbawala system has been that change in the last 120 years since its inception, has not affected the success of the Dabbawala system.
This can be attributed to a number of success factors as listed below: * The Dabbawala system is based on strong value and ethics of service to society by delivering food. This is a source of motivation to its members. * The delivery system has evolved a simple system to handle large operations with negligible error. * The organizational model is almost flat with 3 tiers. It relies on a modular, scalable and flexible system with sufficient extra capacity

The Dabbawalas are an incredible team, they have survived for over one hundred years, through wars, through political crisis, the technological craze and the Blackberry revolution. But they are still intact. They have a record of no strikes against management in a socialistic country such as India, and they are always on-time, even though the rainiest days on the planet. Their creativity and ingenuity have kept them alive.
When telephone services were at a premium in India, the Dabbawalas encouraged housewives to use their system to communicate with their spouses by placing little chits inside their boxes. The husbands enjoyed the chits as much as the food. Thus, the Dabbawalas were able to “think outside the box” and broaden their capabilities given very limited infrastructure.

Standard Coding of the Dabbawalahs.

References:

http://healthmarketinnovations.org/sites/default/files/Dabbawalas%20of%20Mumbai

http://www.inovamais.pt/turblog/dissemination/TURBLOG_D3.9MumbaiFV.

http://www.isixsigma.com/community/blogs/4-reasons-dabbawala-supply-chain-succeeds-while-corporate-giants-struggle/

http://tmimtjournal.org/Pdf/Poceddings/Track3/Track3_Paper1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTkGDXRnR9I

http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-topstories/delivered-flipkart-partners-with-mumbai-dabbawalas-to-navigate-city-streets/article1-1335764.aspx

https://www.google.ca/search?q=mukadam+dabbawala&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=zIgoVbHFG4P5yAS__4GYBA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#imgrc=3bM7VqunCFVEFM%253A%3Bsy78UxDWEABOqM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimage.slidesharecdn.com%252Fmumbaidabbawallas-presentation1-090905074939-phpapp01%252F95%252Fmumbai-dabbawallas-presentation1-10-728.jpg%253Fcb%253D1252154990%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.slideshare.net%252Fguest408b4a04%252Fmumbai-dabbawallas-presentation1%3B942%3B728