Methodology

These case studies relate to the following five organisations selected out of a list of the corporate businesses in Gujarat which met our criteria for a purposive sample as detailed in Chapter 1, and which agreed to participate in the study. The field work for developing these case studies was carried out between July 2001 and June 2002.

• Excel Industries Ltd.

• Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd.

• Tata Chemicals Ltd.

• Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF Ltd.)

• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd. (IFFCO Ltd.)

These business organisations have plants and facilities in several states of the country. Visits were made to the offices and plant facilities of these organisations at the sites indicated below:

• Excel Industries Ltd. in Mumbai, and Bhujodi and Mandvi, Kutch district

• Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd. in Kodinar, Junagadh district

• Tata Chemicals Ltd. in Mithapur, Jamnagar district

• GCMMF Ltd. in Anand, Kheda district

• IFFCO Ltd. in Kalol, Gandhinagar district.

The community development initiatives of Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd., Tata Chemicals Ltd., and IFFCO Ltd. are coordinated from the same premises as the plant facilities. The special community development interventions of GCMMF Ltd. are coordinated from premises different from their plant and offices in Anand. The head office of Excel Industries is in Mumbai, but their focused community development initiatives are coordinated from Bhujodi and Mandvi in Kutch.

Meetings and discussions were held with key persons in the business operations as well as in the separate community development organisations set up by the above listed enterprises. People interviewed were asked to define empowerment from their own life and work experiences.