Associations In South India: A Plan Gone Wrong?

Associations across India have been routinely making news for the various
activities that they are doing and the issues that they are involved in.
However, what is surprising is that the apex body of all the associations of
Tamil Nadu, Confed-ITA, is the one that is most active while the other
asso­ciations have been maintaining a low profile. Associations like
Chennai-based G-10 Computer Dealers Association, Information Technology Traders
Association (ITTA), IT Traders Welfare Association (ITTWA), Twin Cities Computer
Dealers Association (TCCDA) Hyderabad, Deal-IT Association (Mysore), Hubli IT
Traders Association, Thrissur IT Dealers Association, have hardly witnessed any
activity of late. Even Bangalore-based Associa­tion for Information Technology (AIT)
has been keeping a low profile.

According to PN Prasad, VP, Confed-ITA, “People are very busy in the trade
and they don't have much time to dedicate for other activities. Nowadays they
have started to work seven days a week. Ultimately they don't have any time to
spare for their family.”

Then there are those who accept that ego issues play a vital role in
preventing partners from attending events or meetings organized by the
association. Take Chennai for instance, there are four to five major
associations in this region alone, but none of them are active and largely
because of the inability of the partners to find time for association
activities.

Executive members of the associations refuse to speak up and don't want to be
quoted. This gives the impression that partners are not interested in joining an
association or its activities. The question of not having any issues to address
does not come up in a market like Chennai. Speaking about the same, a dealer in
Chennai, on the condition of anonymity said, “There are various issues in the
market and it will keep arising, as we can't expect any trade without issues.
However, it seems that people have the confidence to solve their own issues
without the need of

any association,” the dealer commented.

Post the emergence of Confed-ITA, there has been some amount of momentum in
the formation of new associations and existing one's becoming more active. A
couple of associations from Chennai even joined Confed last year. Shedding light
on the scenario in Chennai, Prasad, VP, Confed said, “As far as Tamil Nadu is
concerned there are 14 associations under Confed's belt and upcountry
associations like have been active when they have had issues. However,
associa­tions in Chennai are not very active. The lack of time and a vast market
can be reasons for people in Chennai not showing a keen interest in association
activities.”

Post the emergence of Confed-ITA, there has been some amount of momentum in the formation of new associations and the existing local bodies have become more active

Issue-based

There are a couple of associa­tions like Hubli IT Association, Deal-IT
Association, which become active only when an issue rocks their region. Dinesh
Jain, Secretary, Hubli IT Association said, “In upcountry regions like Hubli,
the proprietor has to take care of each and every aspect of the company. When it
comes choosing between their business and the association, the former is given
priority. However, when there is an issue, we partners unite and fight for a
solution.” Once that problem is resolved partners return to their regular
activities. Apart from that, no regular or even occasional meeting takes place.
Deal-IT Association, Mysore, functions in a similar fashion. Partners get
together only when there is an issue and drift apart after that. “We were very
active a few years back but slowly things started getting worse. People are busy
with their businesses. Only when there are some issues in the market or with any
trader, we come together and fight for that,” said KS Venkatesh, VP, Deal-ITA.

While channel partners do feel the need for an association, at least for
resolving their issues, they don't have time to devote to it. Weighing the
importance of an association and after lying

low for a long time, a few associations like Thrissur IT Dealers Association and
TCCDA Hyderabad, are looking forward to reviving their associations.
Incidentally, in 2004, TCCDA was rated at number three in the 'Best Association'
survey done by DQ Channels. However, slowly the participation started decreasing
and as of today there is almost no activity in the association. “Slowly all of
us are understanding the necessity and importance of an association. We have
found a place for our association and are looking to restarting our activities
soon,” claimed Suresh Kumar, VP, TCCDA. Similarly, Thrissur IT Dealers
Association has also regained their touch after being idle for a long time. The
association recently conducted a meeting on piracy related issues. “The existing
dull market has provided us some time to think about our association and further
improve its activities. We do have a lot of issues in the market and have
planned to take it forward by taking certain important measures,” said Sunil
Kumar, President, Thrissur IT Dealers Association.

Measures

Associations in South are putting in various efforts to ensure that partners
don't lose interest in the association activities. “We conduct various programs
for partners, apart from the technical trainings. These activities ensure that
partners don't lose interest in the meetings conducted by associations,” said
Vinod Kumar, President, Malabar IT Dealers Association (MITDA).

According to Prasad of Confed, the meetings need not be internal meetings or
restricted to partners alone. “Regular meetings can do wonders for partners.
They can go for a general outing and can also take their families too. Such
activities will dissolve the difference between the small and big traders, which
in turn would solve any internal confusions and ego issues among traders.

Many associations like Vellore and Puducherry have been doing a lot of such
activities.” Thrissur IT Association has charted out a plan to stop partners
from coming forward only when there is an issue. “We have decided to take up
only the issues of those partners who are actively involved in association
activities and the rest will have to manage themselves,” informed Kumar of
Thrissur IT Dealers Association. Bangalore-based AIT is planning to conduct
programs to enhance their partners' skills and grow further. “We will educate
partners about the laws and taxes, which are most important from the traders'
point of view,” informed Jayessh Mehta, President, AIT.

With challenging days ahead, no single man can turn the world upside down,
however a group of partners, united under an association, can take on any
challenge.

NR Sethuraman

sethuramannr@cybermedia.co.in

(With inputs from Subbalakshmi BM in Bangalore)