India post: The road ahead

Abstract

The Contemporary Concerns Study focuses on India Post and the proposed IT Modernization Project of India Post. We have analyzed the current status of India Post. This includes its organizational structure, various products and services offered the aspects of human resource and technology. Financial analysis of India Post was carried out to understand its various sources of revenues, costs and reasons for net losses. SWOT analysis of India Post is presented to understand its position in the current scenario. The study also focuses on the recent initiatives taken up by India Post to cope up with the changing dynamics. We have analyzed two major post offices in the world, United States Postal Service (USPS) and Japan Post, due to their widespread presence across their countries. The analysis of USPS focuses on its operations, products and services offered, Universal Service Obligation, its, monopoly status. Japan Post, due to the recent developments leading to its division and privatization, provides unique perspective towards postal operations. Each division of Japan Post has been analyzed on the basis of its financial performance and business strategy to understand the hugely profitable nature if its business. The study then has presented multi-crore IT Modernization Project ‘India Post 2012’ which envisions to transform India Post into technology enabled self-reliant market leader. We have done cost-benefit analysis in a qualitative way to understand the potential of the project. Finally, based on the analysis of the India Post, post offices worldwide and IT project; we have recommended strategic and structural changes which need to be implemented to take benefits of current trends and the technology infrastructure.