Mohan’s musing: It’s no more, “more the merrier” mindset…………a metaphorical sharing of views

The duel between the two ladies both vehemently arguing…returning from walk, I decided to indulge into inquiring….

I knew one of them; the regular in our street who sells flowers and I also knew that over a period of time she has sort of established a monopoly in the area and in the process controlling the price and the quality of supply in her own ways. I suspect that she has studied during her spare time Michael Porter’s “5 forces Model” – Sole seller, she set the sale price and of course no substitutes.

However this morning she had a new challenge in the form of a new entrant and possible rivalry that could change the dynamics - opening up of choice for the buyers and also in the process bringing in the bargaining power of the seller.

I left knowing well the seasoned lady will shoo the new entrant out and I moved on.

Flipping through the paper over coffee, I almost fell off the chair… the flower vendor like reactions from all the interest groups and quarters to the news item of the HRD ministry’s plan to set up one IIT and IIM in each state.

Driving to office, it was coming again and again on how the mindset of some people does not change; be it the unknown street corner flower vendor or the renowned    country’s intellectual centers.

Control the supply ….. Control the sale price…...systemically choke the competition……. The strategy is the same the dynamics are the same. Just the players are different.

“Where the knowledge is free” Tagore must be uncomfortably rolling in his grave today