With the global economy beginning to show some signs of recovery, it may just be the time for managers to start re-positioning their organizations for growth in 2010 and beyond. As per Goldman Sachs, India's economy is likely to grow at a slower pace of 5.2 per cent in 2009 before picking up speed again next year to clock an over 7 per cent growth. However, unless this macro growth is supported by improved productivity and performance, it may not be a lasting growth story. This quest for productivity touches different sectors - large companies, government, agriculture and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

In our view, organizations will have to scale the three main barriers to improving productivity: Insufficient management planning & control, Inadequate supervision and Ineffective communication. Addressing these barriers is one of the key ways leaders will be able to make a major difference in building their organizations for today and for the future. Creating the right structures, bringing clarity to roles and responsibilities, effective communication, linking pay to performance and commitment to constant improvement is the path to creating market-leading organizations.

In this issue, we have explored this theme from the Leadership, Managerial and HR perspective. We have included stories from the government, corporate sector, SME, and family business to bring a holistic picture to our readers.
We discuss how a good blend of familiness and professionalization can help take growth oriented family-run businesses to the next level and how a combination of internal improvements and regulatory enhancements can improve competitiveness of SMEs. . In our Global Perspective section, Robert Kaplan, Harvard Business School Professor and Former Vice-Chairman of Goldman Sachs, discusses how leaders who prepare their organizations for the downside help their organizations in spotting opportunities – in good times and in bad.

Our cover story showcases Croma, Tata Group’s comsumer electronics megastore, to illustrate the organizational planning, processes and execution that is necessary to turn the vision of a unique customer experience into reality. Finally, our editorial team explores how the deployment of 5.5 million polling officials and 2 million security personnel for 714 million people to vote, makes the Indian Elections a great example of efficient results-oriented manpower management.

We would like to thank all our readers who sent us their comments and support after our inaugural issue and look forward to hearing from you. Please explore our website, www.peoplematters.in, and send us your comments and feedback.