A Case Study on Family Enterprise with special reference to Illa Sawmill, Siliguri, West Bengal

Abstract

It is often said in management that well defined starting plans, followed by well defined strategies and continuous market studies for growth and competitors helps an entrepreneurship to grow into a successful business. This fact is reflected from the story of Swaraj Kumar Ghosh, founder of the Illa Sawmill located in Siliguri, West Bengal. Siliguri located at the strategic geographic location (namely Siliguri Corridor or Chicken’s Neck) connects North- East India, Darjeeling Himalaya, Sikkim, Nepal and its economy standing on Three T’s –Tea, Timber and Tourism. So Sawmill Business which naturally follows supply of timber should get its due boost considering Siliguri location. But several odds like-unfavorable government decisions, competitors unlawful strategies, competitive products to timber related products has thrown lots of competition in front of Swaraj. This study focuses on the long battle fought by a person, who was an engineer, left it to be an entrepreneur and successfully erected his entrepreneurial business through his earnest endeavor. Alongside of Swaraj the study also touches the story of his son Debraj who left his lucrative multinational job to join his family business. Lastly the objective is to bring up the facts that played for Illa Sawmill to become the oldest sawmill in Siliguri runs successfully.