Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • April 2010 (Revised March 2011)
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Tata Nano The People's Car

By: Krishna G. Palepu, Bharat N. Anand and Rachna Tahilyani
  • Format:Print
  • | Pages:24
ShareBar

Abstract

The case explores how Tata Motors, India's largest automobile company, developed the Nano, the world's cheapest car. The case focuses on the translation of Ratan Tata's (chairman of Tata Motors) vision of a safe affordable car for the masses by Ravi Kant, managing director of Tata Motors into the Nano Project. The case raises questions around breaking the price-quality barrier and changing existing internal processes to accommodate revolutionary new ideas. The dilemma of success—Tata Nano was a runaway bestseller—left Tata Motors debating how large a bet they should make on the Nano and what kind of capacity commitment this requires.

Keywords

Price; Globalized Firms and Management; Disruptive Innovation; Emerging Markets; Business Processes; Quality; Competition; Auto Industry; Manufacturing Industry; India

Citation

Palepu, Krishna G., Bharat N. Anand, and Rachna Tahilyani. "Tata Nano The People's Car." Harvard Business School Case 710-420, April 2010. (Revised March 2011.)
  • Educators
  • Purchase

About The Authors

Krishna G. Palepu

Accounting and Management
→More Publications

Bharat N. Anand

Strategy
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • April 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Velong: Rethinking “Made in China” (B)

    By: Krishna G. Palepu, Billy Chan and Nancy Dai
    • April 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Setting a CEO Agenda: Ole Rosgaard at Greif

    By: Krishna Palepu and Kerry Herman
    • March 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Silicon Valley Bank: Gone in 36 Hours

    By: Jung Koo Kang, Krishna G. Palepu, Charles C.Y. Wang and David Lane
More from the Authors
  • Velong: Rethinking “Made in China” (B) By: Krishna G. Palepu, Billy Chan and Nancy Dai
  • Setting a CEO Agenda: Ole Rosgaard at Greif By: Krishna Palepu and Kerry Herman
  • Silicon Valley Bank: Gone in 36 Hours By: Jung Koo Kang, Krishna G. Palepu, Charles C.Y. Wang and David Lane
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College.