We have started a new quarterly lecture series at work. Our first speaker was a representative from the Mumbai Dabbawalas -- a 125-year old trade formed by a network of 5,000 men with the complex task of delivering 200,000 home-made lunches each day from suburban homes to downtown offices in the city of Mumbai -- all within a period of approximately 3 hours.
Dabbawallas (dabba = box & walla = man --> "box man") are largely illiterate rural workers who use nothing more than 3 - 4 symbols painted on the dabbas to determine where they should be delivered.
The organization has been recognized as one of the most reliable supply chains in the world and in 2002 received a Six Sigma rating by Forbes Magazine. The BBC produced a documentary on them -- and the organization has been invited to speak at many of the top b-schools like Harvard.
What's really amazing is that the organization uses no technology and that they rely on public transportation for getting around the city. Other than the local trains -- they only use bicycles and/or their feet to get to/from the homes & offices.
Excellent lecture -- although a bit too preachy at the end (and a bit too long at > 2 hours)
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