{"id":1909,"date":"2020-03-19T09:16:17","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T08:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/?post_type=reflexicon&p=1909"},"modified":"2025-11-20T12:07:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T11:07:52","slug":"agreements-and-achievements-mico-in-the-german-bosch-archive","status":"publish","type":"reflexicon","link":"https:\/\/www.projekt-mida.de\/en\/reflexicon\/agreements-and-achievements-mico-in-the-german-bosch-archive\/","title":{"rendered":"Agreements and Achievements \u2013 MICO<\/span> in the German Bosch Archive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Jose\u00adfine Hoff\u00admann
<\/strong>Pub\u00adlished in 2020<\/strong>
DOI<\/span> 10.25360\/01\u20132022-00024<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image: Motor Indus\u00adtries Co. Ltd., Bangalore<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Table of Con\u00adtents<\/strong>
Intro\u00adduc\u00adtion<\/a>  |  \u201cHis\u00adtor\u00adi\u00adcal Com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adtion\u201d by Bosch<\/a>  |  Bosch (in) India<\/a>  |  The Records<\/a>  |  Research Out\u00adlook<\/a>   |   Archives<\/a>   |   End\u00adnotes<\/a>   |   Bib\u00adli\u00adog\u00adra\u00adphy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Com\u00adpa\u00adny archives hold the mate\u00adri\u00adal\u00adized pos\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adties for firms to empha\u00adsize their his\u00adtor\u00adi\u00adcal sig\u00adnif\u00adi\u00adcance and to cre\u00adate their tra\u00addi\u00adtion and can there\u00adfore be impor\u00adtant for cor\u00adpo\u00adrate iden\u00adti\u00adties and brand\u00ading. Sys\u00adtem\u00adat\u00adic \u201chis\u00adtor\u00adi\u00adcal com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adtion\u201d[1]<\/a> estab\u00adlish\u00ades the company\u2019s image for board mem\u00adbers, stake\u00adhold\u00aders and employ\u00adees, as well as for out\u00adsiders, cus\u00adtomers and part\u00adners. As a mat\u00adter of fact, one can hard\u00adly speak of \u201cthe\u201d com\u00adpa\u00adny archive, as there are few over\u00adar\u00adch\u00ading rules, and archival stan\u00addards are \u2013 sim\u00adply put \u2013 devel\u00adoped by the respec\u00adtive company\u2019s inter\u00adests. The expe\u00adri\u00adences of researchers work\u00ading with such archives will dif\u00adfer enor\u00admous\u00adly, depend\u00ading on the com\u00adpa\u00adny. This arti\u00adcle sheds light on the head\u00adquar\u00adters\u2019 archive of one of Germany\u2019s biggest glob\u00adal com\u00adpa\u00adnies, Robert Bosch GmbH\u2019s archive in Stuttgart, Baden-Wuert\u00adtem\u00adberg, and shows its poten\u00adtial for research on Indo-Ger\u00adman eco\u00adnom\u00adic relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gen\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly speak\u00ading, many large and still active com\u00adpa\u00adnies such as Bosch store their own records, where\u00adas many small\u00ader and medi\u00adum-sized com\u00adpa\u00adnies that ceased to exist have deposit\u00aded their hold\u00adings in the respec\u00adtive state\u2019s eco\u00adnom\u00adic archive (Lan\u00addeswirtschaft\u00adsarchive<\/em>) or anoth\u00ader suit\u00adable larg\u00ader archive, e.g. the com\u00adpa\u00adny J.M. Voith, which was active in India simul\u00adta\u00adne\u00adous\u00adly with Bosch and whose mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal can be found in the Wirtschaft\u00adsarchiv Baden-Wuert\u00adtem\u00adberg, WABW<\/span>.[2]<\/a> In the lat\u00adter case, the company\u2019s col\u00adlec\u00adtions usu\u00adal\u00adly become one sin\u00adgle hold\u00ading, as they are inte\u00adgrat\u00aded into an exist\u00ading archival structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Com\u00adpa\u00adny archives hold mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal that ranges from adver\u00adtis\u00ading posters and pho\u00adto albums through cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addences, con\u00adtracts and bal\u00adance sheets to tech\u00adni\u00adcal draw\u00adings and arte\u00adfacts, such as the end prod\u00aducts of man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00ading from dif\u00adfer\u00adent time peri\u00adods. In order to cre\u00adate a space to dis\u00adplay those arte\u00adfacts, there may be a cor\u00adre\u00adspond\u00ading muse\u00adum, as is the case at the Daim\u00adler AG<\/span>\u2019s com\u00adpa\u00adny archive, which is also based in Stuttgart. This direct con\u00adnec\u00adtion to an insti\u00adtu\u00adtion deter\u00admines the pro\u00adfile of the com\u00adpa\u00adny for the pub\u00adlic and reveals the impor\u00adtance that com\u00adpa\u00adnies ascribe to retain\u00ading con\u00adtrol over the material\u2019s inter\u00adpre\u00adta\u00adtion. Rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtion\u00adal claims are there\u00adfore inher\u00adent to the nature of com\u00adpa\u00adny archives and the files that are con\u00adsid\u00adered wor\u00adthy to con\u00adserve. Besides, com\u00adpa\u00adny archives are cer\u00adtain\u00adly not cre\u00adat\u00aded with the inde\u00adpen\u00addent researcher in mind, but for inter\u00adnal pur\u00adpos\u00ades or on legal grounds. The effects this has on the inter\u00adac\u00adtions between user and archive have to be considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many firms view schol\u00adar\u00adly engage\u00adment with their vari\u00adety of sources with inter\u00adest, so if the ini\u00adtial inquiry about per\u00admis\u00adsion to con\u00adduct research is suc\u00adcess\u00adful, it is often encour\u00adaged and one finds sup\u00adport from archival staff. How\u00adev\u00ader, it is obvi\u00adous that, on prin\u00adci\u00adple, some com\u00adpa\u00adnies will not be open towards inde\u00adpen\u00addent researchers work\u00ading in their archives. The researcher should treat the archive as the company\u2019s pri\u00advate space, which can mean a nec\u00ades\u00adsary change in habits and approach\u00ades. If inex\u00adpe\u00adri\u00adenced in the field of busi\u00adness his\u00adto\u00adry, she is used to start\u00ading an inves\u00adti\u00adga\u00adtion by going through dig\u00adi\u00adtal or ana\u00adlogue find\u00ading aids, there\u00adby accu\u00admu\u00adlat\u00ading a sense of the con\u00adtext of the files. One can ini\u00adtial\u00adly be thrown off by the invis\u00adi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty of find\u00ading aids and cat\u00ada\u00adlogue struc\u00adtures in many com\u00adpa\u00adny archives. While eco\u00adnom\u00adic state archives will gen\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly have find\u00ading aids avail\u00adable for the researcher, it is a dif\u00adfer\u00adent sto\u00adry for those that are pos\u00adsessed by the firm. In the Bosch archive, for exam\u00adple, the data\u00adbase or cat\u00ada\u00adlogue is avail\u00adable sole\u00adly to the archivists, who will then act as inter\u00adme\u00addi\u00adaries using key\u00adwords pro\u00advid\u00aded by the researcher and by their own knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To respect Bosch\u2019s pri\u00adva\u00adcy reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtions, MIDA<\/span> does not pub\u00adlish details on files and hold\u00adings in the data\u00adbase. The main objec\u00adtive of this entry to the Archival Reflex\u00adi\u00adcon<\/em> is there\u00adfore to dis\u00adpel pos\u00adsi\u00adble con\u00adcerns by guid\u00ading and inspir\u00ading future researchers towards work\u00ading with\u00adin the archive\u2019s bound\u00adaries. The arti\u00adcle does not give a descrip\u00adtion of the orig\u00adi\u00adnal struc\u00adture of the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal, but rather hints at pos\u00adsi\u00adble research routes with the files, while out\u00adlin\u00ading the rel\u00ade\u00advance of Bosch\u2019s activ\u00adi\u00adties in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201c<\/span>Historical Communication\u201d by Bosch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bosch\u2019s com\u00adpa\u00adny archive is part of the company\u2019s depart\u00adment of \u201cHis\u00adtorische Kom\u00admu\u00adnika\u00adtion\u201d (C\/CGC-HC<\/span>). It is locat\u00aded in the cen\u00adtral part of Stuttgart, the South Ger\u00adman head\u00adquar\u00adters not only of Bosch, but also of oth\u00ader glob\u00adal\u00adly known com\u00adpa\u00adnies, a fact that con\u00adtributed to the deep con\u00adnec\u00adtions Bosch shares with oth\u00ader local\u00adly based firms, which can be traced through\u00adout var\u00adi\u00adous archives. One fre\u00adquent\u00adly encoun\u00adters the name \u201cBosch\u201d in the eco\u00adnom\u00adic archive of the state of Baden-W\u00fcrt\u00adtem\u00adberg, WABW<\/span>, espe\u00adcial\u00adly in the hold\u00ading of the Cham\u00adber of Com\u00admerce, Stuttgart.[3]<\/a> Doc\u00adu\u00adments in the Daim\u00adler archive also ref\u00ader\u00adence part\u00adner\u00adships with Bosch in the Indi\u00adan context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bosch archive was estab\u00adlished in 1933 for the occa\u00adsion of a \u201cdou\u00adble jubilee\u201d: 50 years since the foun\u00adda\u00adtion of the com\u00adpa\u00adny and the 75th birth\u00adday of founder Robert Bosch. It was ini\u00adtial\u00adly cre\u00adat\u00aded as a muse\u00adum with a cor\u00adre\u00adspond\u00ading archive. From 1992 onwards, the archive was part of the pub\u00adlic rela\u00adtions depart\u00adment of the com\u00adpa\u00adny until it was assigned to \u201cHis\u00adtorische Kom\u00admu\u00adnika\u00adtion\u201d. The archive com\u00adpris\u00ades 2,500 run\u00adning metres of records that con\u00adsist of var\u00adi\u00adous mate\u00adri\u00adals: writ\u00adten records, tech\u00adni\u00adcal draw\u00adings, pho\u00adtos and around 16,000 arte\u00adfacts, such as spark plugs from dif\u00adfer\u00adent gen\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions.[4]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cur\u00adrent research con\u00addi\u00adtions are influ\u00adenced by the archive\u2019s recent move with\u00adin the city of Stuttgart. Files are stored in an exter\u00adnal depot, away from the office space, hence spon\u00adta\u00adneous order\u00ading of files is dif\u00adfi\u00adcult and orders should be placed in advance. The archive decides on research per\u00admis\u00adsions indi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adal\u00adly, as there is no oblig\u00ada\u00adtion to let every researcher work with unlim\u00adit\u00aded mate\u00adri\u00adals. As defined by the user reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtions, research is gen\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly autho\u00adrized to any\u00adbody who can evi\u00addence \u201clegit\u00adi\u00admate inter\u00adest\u201d in the firm\u2019s his\u00adto\u00adry, so this mat\u00adter should be suf\u00adfi\u00adcient\u00adly explained in the ini\u00adtial approach\u00ading email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The start\u00ading point for a descrip\u00adtion of the pur\u00adpose of an Archival<\/em> Reflex\u00adi\u00adcon<\/em> entry are the box\u00ades: the stan\u00addard grey archive box\u00ades, car\u00adry\u00ading the file num\u00adber in pen\u00adcil, which indi\u00adcates group\u00adings of sev\u00ader\u00adal box\u00ades togeth\u00ader as a hold\u00ading (Bestand<\/em>). Secu\u00adri\u00adty lev\u00adels assigned to each box tend to be set restric\u00adtive\u00adly and per\u00admits are giv\u00aden to each inquir\u00ader indi\u00advid\u00adu\u00adal\u00adly. A box in the Bosch archive is treat\u00aded as a file (Archiva\u00adlie)<\/em> and col\u00adlec\u00adtions of doc\u00adu\u00adments that do not nec\u00ades\u00adsar\u00adi\u00adly belong togeth\u00ader the\u00admat\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly are some\u00adtimes stored with\u00adin the same file. In this man\u00adner, the box \u201c3 0005 1560 L\u00e4nder\u2014Indien\u2014MICO<\/span>\u201d holds doc\u00adu\u00adments that range from 1934 to 1996, con\u00adtain\u00ading news\u00adpa\u00adper arti\u00adcles, cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addences with part\u00adner com\u00adpa\u00adny Mous\u00adsel &<\/span> Co. Ltd., the fac\u00adto\u00adry mag\u00ada\u00adzine \u201cMICO<\/span> Wheel\u201d from 1994, a brochure for the occa\u00adsion of the 25th<\/sup> anniver\u00adsary of the Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Cen\u00adtre in 1986 and a fair amount more.[5]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such mag\u00ada\u00adzines and brochures, which are abun\u00addant through\u00adout the archive, relate to and some\u00adtimes even specif\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly speak of a con\u00adcept called \u201cmile\u00adstones\u201d. It is used as a way to struc\u00adture the cor\u00adpo\u00adrate his\u00adto\u00adry chrono\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly, with achieve\u00adments being the main bench\u00admarks that define the path. Apart from the doc\u00adu\u00adments that are con\u00adcerned almost exclu\u00adsive\u00adly with MICO<\/span> (nowa\u00addays Bosch Lim\u00adit\u00aded) and India, order\u00ading min\u00adutes of spe\u00adcif\u00adic meet\u00adings can be fruit\u00adful. Here, the researcher should pro\u00advide some knowl\u00adedge of the tight\u00adest pos\u00adsi\u00adble time\u00adframe of inter\u00adest. Com\u00adbin\u00ading this time\u00adframe with a search for min\u00adutes (\u201cSitzung\u00adspro\u00adtokolle\u201d, that often even car\u00adry the key\u00adword \u201cIndia\u201d or \u201cMICO<\/span>\u201d in the archive\u2019s cat\u00ada\u00adlogue), the archivist can help locate min\u00adutes of rel\u00ade\u00advant board meet\u00adings etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bosch com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adcates being proud of its long involve\u00adment on for\u00adeign mar\u00adkets. How\u00adev\u00ader, as Johler and Spara\u00adcio (2011: 9) stat\u00aded in their 2011 pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtion on Gas\u00adtar\u00adbeit\u00ader<\/em>:[6]<\/a> a lot can be found about Bosch in the world, but not quite as much about the world at Bosch. This obser\u00adva\u00adtion is def\u00adi\u00adnite\u00adly true for the Indi\u00adan con\u00adtext, as well. Most of the India-relat\u00aded mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal that one is pro\u00advid\u00aded with in the archive will cov\u00ader the actions and the rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtion of Bosch and its Ger\u00adman employ\u00adees in India, while few records illus\u00adtrate a reverse exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Bosch (in) India<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The his\u00adto\u00adry of Bosch in India start\u00aded in the ear\u00adly 1920s with the estab\u00adlish\u00adment of a rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive office in Cal\u00adcut\u00adta. The sales house Illies &<\/span> Co. from Ham\u00adburg import\u00aded spark plugs, mag\u00adne\u00adto igni\u00adtion sys\u00adtems and oth\u00ader auto com\u00adpo\u00adnents to British India. In the begin\u00adning, how\u00adev\u00ader, Bosch was unable to com\u00adpete with the estab\u00adlished British and US<\/span> sup\u00adpli\u00aders. After the Sec\u00adond World War, it was rather dif\u00adfi\u00adcult for Bosch to re-estab\u00adlish itself inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adly in the so-called indus\u00adtri\u00adal coun\u00adtries, since many of its fac\u00adto\u00adries abroad had been destroyed or expro\u00adpri\u00adat\u00aded. They decid\u00aded to con\u00adcen\u00adtrate on promis\u00ading mar\u00adkets that they had pre\u00advi\u00adous\u00adly not giv\u00aden much atten\u00adtion, such as India (see B\u00e4hr\/Erkner 2013: 333).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suc\u00adcess came grad\u00adu\u00adal\u00adly: accord\u00ading to the rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive\u00adly designed \u201cA Short Mem\u00adoir of Bosch India\u201d (Bosch Ltd. 2014: 17), Bhailal Patel from the Bosch com\u00adpa\u00adny Kino-Bauer sug\u00adgest\u00aded estab\u00adlish\u00ading a base in India short\u00adly after inde\u00adpen\u00addence. Fol\u00adlow\u00ading this, the year 1951 marks an impor\u00adtant year in the his\u00adto\u00adry of Bosch in India. It is the found\u00ading year of the Motor Indus\u00adtries Com\u00adpa\u00adny Ltd. (MICO<\/span>), of which Bosch instant\u00adly bought 49%, upon dis\u00adcussing larg\u00ader invest\u00adments in the Indi\u00adan auto\u00admo\u00adtive indus\u00adtry with Daim\u00adler-Benz (B\u00e4hr\/Erkner 2013: 333). MICO<\/span> was found\u00aded by K.C. Var\u00adma and Raghu\u00adnan\u00addan Saran as a sub\u00adsidiary of Ghazi\u00adabad Engi\u00adneer\u00ading Co. (GEC<\/span>), the main dis\u00adtrib\u00adu\u00adtor of Bosch prod\u00aducts in India at the time (see Bosch Ltd. 2014: 15). Things moved fast from here onwards: MICO<\/span> became the sole dis\u00adtrib\u00adu\u00adtor, and after the Indi\u00adan state imple\u00adment\u00aded restric\u00adtive import reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtions, a fac\u00adto\u00adry was set up at Adugo\u00addi, Ban\u00adga\u00adlore in 1953 to man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adture spark plugs, noz\u00adzle hold\u00aders, fil\u00adters and fuel-injec\u00adtion pumps by Bosch license. A tool-room appren\u00adtice\u00adship scheme was imple\u00adment\u00aded in the same year, a Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Cen\u00adtre fol\u00adlowed in 1960.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 1961, 2,000 peo\u00adple worked at the Ban\u00adga\u00adlore plant, which had already start\u00aded export busi\u00adness, and 57.5% of MICO<\/span> shares had been bought by Bosch, an act that Herdt (1986: 105) described as \u201cstrength\u00aden\u00ading the tech\u00adno\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal umbil\u00adi\u00adcal cord to MICO<\/span>\u201d. The affil\u00adi\u00ada\u00adtion with MICO<\/span> as a \u201cself-suf\u00adfi\u00adcient and strong\u201d exam\u00adple of a Bosch part\u00adner man\u00adi\u00adfest\u00aded itself in the moti\u00adva\u00adtion to invest and in the ubiq\u00adui\u00adtous will to diver\u00adsi\u00adfy pro\u00adduc\u00adtion along with India\u2019s chang\u00ading indus\u00adtri\u00adal mar\u00adket (Ibid.: 106). Large sums were invest\u00aded in MICO<\/span> plants in India in the late 1960s and ear\u00adly 1970s: a sec\u00adond plant was installed in Nasik in 1969\u20131971, a third in Naganatha\u00adpu\u00adra in 1988. Prod\u00aducts from the Nasik plant were export\u00aded to the Fed\u00ader\u00adal Repub\u00adlic of Ger\u00admany (FRG<\/span>) and oth\u00ader coun\u00adtries around the world, while the Naganatha\u00adpu\u00adra plant con\u00adtributed to diver\u00adsi\u00adfy\u00ading pro\u00adduc\u00adtion. By acquir\u00ading oth\u00ader com\u00adpa\u00adnies in var\u00adi\u00adous sec\u00adtors of engi\u00adneer\u00ading, such as con\u00adtrol and motion tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies etc., Bosch out\u00adput became addi\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adly diverse in India over the years, as well. The part\u00adner\u00adship with MICO<\/span> would go on, and in the late 1980s, the sec\u00adond-largest num\u00adber of Bosch employ\u00adees out\u00adside of Ger\u00admany was based in India (behind Brazil; B\u00e4hr\/Erkner 2013: 425) until even\u00adtu\u00adal\u00adly, in 2008, MICO<\/span> was renamed Bosch Limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though the Ban\u00adga\u00adlore plant ini\u00adtial\u00adly strug\u00adgled to make a prof\u00adit, most pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtions by and about Bosch stress its con\u00adtri\u00adbu\u00adtion to the growth of India\u2019s auto\u00admo\u00adtive indus\u00adtry (e.g. Langenscheidt\/Steinruecke 2011: 84; Herdt 1986: 106; Bosch Ltd. 2014: 17, 37\u201339). Bosch com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adtors were gen\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly more trans\u00adpar\u00adent about the role of their own finan\u00adcial and busi\u00adness inter\u00adests than some oth\u00ader Ger\u00adman com\u00adpa\u00adnies in India were. Bosch being one of the first com\u00adpa\u00adnies to get involved in devel\u00adop\u00adment aid, for exam\u00adple in the con\u00adtext of the pro\u00adduc\u00adtion of water pumps for agri\u00adcul\u00adture, is an achieve\u00adment notably ver\u00adbal\u00adized (Herdt 1096: 107; see also Bosch 1961: 111).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In their rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive por\u00adtray\u00adal of big Ger\u00adman com\u00adpa\u00adnies in India, Lan\u00adgen\u00adschei\u00addt and Stein\u00adruecke stat\u00aded that a part of Bosch\u2019s abil\u00adi\u00adty to grow in India was due to dis\u00adtrib\u00adut\u00ading account\u00adabil\u00adi\u00adty amongst Indi\u00adan agents: \u201c[This] has also widened the scope of respon\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adty for local man\u00adage\u00adment and devel\u00adoped Indi\u00adan tal\u00adent\u201d (2011: 84). State\u00adments that hint at aid in devel\u00adop\u00ading a new Indi\u00adan work\u00adforce are found through\u00adout the archival mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal, too. The afore\u00admen\u00adtioned brochure for the Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Cen\u00adtre from 1986 speaks about the \u201chuman fac\u00adtor\u201d that has to \u201ckeep pace\u201d with new machin\u00adery, illus\u00adtrat\u00ading the gen\u00ader\u00adal strug\u00adgle of fac\u00adto\u00adries to adjust train\u00ading facil\u00adi\u00adties to par\u00adal\u00adlel tech\u00adno\u00adlog\u00adi\u00adcal advances.[7]<\/a> Spe\u00adcial atten\u00adtion was giv\u00aden to sec\u00adtors that required high-pre\u00adci\u00adsion han\u00addling skills, such as man\u00adu\u00adfac\u00adtur\u00ading fuel-injec\u00adtion pumps. Since the MICO<\/span> Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Cen\u00adtre col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adrat\u00aded with the Indi\u00adan gov\u00adern\u00adment in devel\u00adop\u00ading the Appren\u00adtices Act of 1961, the means of train\u00ading at MICO<\/span> did not mere\u00adly have the\u00ado\u00adret\u00adi\u00adcal ties to the reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtions of train\u00ading on a nation\u00adal lev\u00adel. The Cen\u00adtre itself explained its impact in the fol\u00adlow\u00ading words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n[Man] can only be as effec\u00adtive as he is allowed to be by his rela\u00adtion\u00adships with men and machines. Hence, to be a con\u00adtribut\u00ading mem\u00adber of his group, man has to be in har\u00admo\u00adny with his work\u00ading envi\u00adron\u00adment. Espe\u00adcial\u00adly as tech\u00adnolo\u00adgies reshape work\u00adshops and oth\u00ader work\u00adplaces, and machines gain in sophis\u00adti\u00adca\u00adtion, the human fac\u00adtor has to keep pace. The answer lies in train\u00ading and devel\u00adop\u00adment. The devel\u00adop\u00adment of human resources can\u00adnot be left to indi\u00advid\u00adual ini\u00adtia\u00adtive. It has to be built into a planned pro\u00adgramme and imple\u00adment\u00aded as a con\u00adscious and sus\u00adtained effort. This has been the guid\u00ading phi\u00adlos\u00ado\u00adphy in MICO<\/span>.[8]<\/a>\n\n\n\n

When West Ger\u00adman com\u00adpa\u00adnies began to invest in India by build\u00ading fac\u00adto\u00adries in the 1950s, they soon com\u00adplained about a lack of skilled work\u00aders on the ground. Many stat\u00aded that Indi\u00adan grad\u00adu\u00adate engi\u00adneers had not under\u00adgone any prac\u00adti\u00adcal train\u00ading at all when they were led to the machines (see Hunck 1963: 70). The impor\u00adtance of prac\u00adti\u00adcal skills in con\u00adtrast to aca\u00add\u00ade\u00adm\u00adic knowl\u00adedge was hence\u00adforth stressed. At MICO<\/span> Voca\u00adtion\u00adal Cen\u00adtre, grad\u00adu\u00adate engi\u00adneers and oth\u00ader uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty-edu\u00adcat\u00aded per\u00adson\u00adnel were trained in man\u00adu\u00adal skills in one-year cours\u00ades. Appren\u00adtices who had not under\u00adgone aca\u00add\u00ade\u00adm\u00adic edu\u00adca\u00adtion before were trained for three years as \u201ctrade appren\u00adtices\u201d. They were trained as elec\u00adtri\u00adcians, fit\u00adters, grinders, machin\u00adists or mill\u00adwright mechan\u00adics.[9]<\/a> Infor\u00adma\u00adtion of this sort is eas\u00adi\u00adly locat\u00aded in the records at the Bosch archive, since sta\u00adtis\u00adtics and sum\u00admaries of MICO<\/span>\u2019s per\u00adfor\u00admance were com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adcat\u00aded through the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal pub\u00adlished for stake\u00adhold\u00aders and the in-house mag\u00ada\u00adzines, as well as in stored reports or arti\u00adcles by third parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Records<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most\u00adly in Ger\u00adman, some\u00adtimes in Eng\u00adlish, the records date from approx\u00adi\u00admate\u00adly the 1930s onward and are suc\u00adces\u00adsive\u00adly extend\u00aded. These ear\u00adli\u00adest files on Bosch in India most\u00adly relate to sale hous\u00ades sell\u00ading Bosch prod\u00aducts in India, such as GEC<\/span>. As the com\u00adpa\u00adny from Stuttgart was prepar\u00ading to col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adrate, infor\u00adma\u00adtive mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal of a gen\u00ader\u00adal sort about India and its econ\u00ado\u00admy was col\u00adlect\u00aded. The files reveal con\u00adsid\u00ader\u00ada\u00adtions of prof\u00aditabil\u00adi\u00adty and strate\u00adgies to get involved on the Indi\u00adan mar\u00adket. After the involve\u00adment with MICO<\/span> had been estab\u00adlished, the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal rep\u00adre\u00adsents the expan\u00adsion of the com\u00adpa\u00adny, grouped around core ele\u00adments such as plans for the con\u00adstruc\u00adtion of fur\u00adther plants in Nasik and Naganatha\u00adpu\u00adra. Cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addences that are found in the box\u00ades addi\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adly deal with the Bosch sales part\u00adners in India, data on import\u00aded prod\u00aducts or for\u00adeign exchange devel\u00adop\u00adments. Oth\u00ader types of files, like the occa\u00adsion\u00adal min\u00adutes of board meet\u00adings of MICO<\/span>, Annu\u00adal Reports, bal\u00adance sheets, sta\u00adtis\u00adtics and ratios, are scat\u00adtered over the boxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With\u00adin com\u00adpa\u00adny archives, hold\u00adings are often part\u00adly relat\u00aded to impor\u00adtant board mem\u00adbers or oth\u00ader deci\u00adsion mak\u00aders, e.g. after inher\u00adit\u00ading their pri\u00advate papers. This par\u00adtic\u00adu\u00adlar form of orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtion shows inter\u00adna\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adi\u00adty as an obvi\u00adous aspect of the busi\u00adness. High-rank\u00ading employ\u00adees or chief board mem\u00adbers trav\u00adelled around the world fre\u00adquent\u00adly and left cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addences, reports, sched\u00adules and min\u00adutes. In the ear\u00adly 1950s, Bosch also built fac\u00adto\u00adries in Aus\u00adtralia and Brazil and got more involved in the Japan\u00adese mar\u00adket by sell\u00ading licens\u00ades (Herdt 1986: 154\u2013156). The simul\u00adtane\u00adity of these ven\u00adtures is mir\u00adrored in the box\u00ades at the archive. Attend\u00ading impor\u00adtant nego\u00adti\u00ada\u00adtions in India and in Brazil with\u00adin a short time span, the records by the most impor\u00adtant deci\u00adsion mak\u00aders are then stored close to one anoth\u00ader, some\u00adtimes even in the same box or fold\u00ader, and can open glob\u00adal per\u00adspec\u00adtives for the read\u00ader. Trips were planned metic\u00adu\u00adlous\u00adly, with dupli\u00adcates and quin\u00adtu\u00adpli\u00adcates of the trav\u00adel sched\u00adules, whether it was for the vis\u00adits of high-rank\u00ading Indi\u00adan employ\u00adees to the FRG<\/span> or the oth\u00ader way around, or, for exam\u00adple for a vis\u00adit of Abid Hus\u00adsain, who came to Stuttgart to vis\u00adit the com\u00adpa\u00adny in 1988 in his role as a mem\u00adber of India\u2019s Plan\u00adning Com\u00admis\u00adsion.[10]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the Ger\u00adman men on the Bosch side, the name Hans Merkle is men\u00adtioned with high fre\u00adquen\u00adcy in the records relat\u00aded to MICO<\/span> . Merkle was man\u00adag\u00ading direc\u00adtor of the finan\u00adcial depart\u00adment from the late 1950s onwards and then con\u00adtin\u00adued to shape the busi\u00adness through\u00adout the decades as chair\u00adman of the man\u00adage\u00adment board (1963\u20131984, which is a cru\u00adcial time peri\u00adod for Bosch\u2019s activ\u00adi\u00adties in India). An hon\u00adorary mem\u00adber of the man\u00adage\u00adment board, he passed away in 2000. In the \u201950s, \u201960s and \u201970s, the Bosch man\u00adage\u00adment board includ\u00aded up to more than a dozen men at the same time. Anoth\u00ader name that can be pin\u00adpoint\u00aded in rela\u00adtion to India is Paul Stein, who was in Bosch\u2019s legal depart\u00adment from 1953 onwards and left the MICO<\/span> direc\u00adto\u00adry board in 1989. To the pub\u00adlic, he was not as rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive as Merkle, but his influ\u00adence was cer\u00adtain\u00adly not small, as his sig\u00adna\u00adtures on many cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00addences indi\u00adcate (see also B\u00e4hr\/Erkner 2013: 311). The Indi\u00adan MICO<\/span> men are less often vis\u00adi\u00adble in the Stuttgart archive, even though some stand out, such as Bhailal Patel. Patel was a mem\u00adber of MICO<\/span>\u2019s direc\u00adto\u00adry board from 1955 onwards and became chair\u00adman in 1969 and Pres\u00adi\u00addent of the Indo-Ger\u00adman Cham\u00adber of Com\u00admerce (IGCC<\/span>) in 1963\u20131964. He remained chair\u00adman emer\u00adi\u00adtus until his pass\u00ading in 1983. At the fes\u00adtiv\u00adi\u00adties for the 25th<\/sup> jubilee of MICO<\/span>, for which Merkle had also trav\u00adelled to India, Patel gave a speech that can be found in the archive and that speaks of the his\u00adto\u00adry of MICO<\/span>, the busi\u00adness rela\u00adtions, the agree\u00adments and the achieve\u00adments made in the course of the col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtion.[11]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal like Patel\u2019s wel\u00adcome speech, col\u00adlect\u00aded news\u00adpa\u00adper arti\u00adcles that men\u00adtion Bosch in India or MICO<\/span>, brochures and so on con\u00adsti\u00adtute the major\u00adi\u00adty of the records avail\u00adable to researchers. Rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive are also inter\u00adnal\u00adly pub\u00adlished things, such as the scat\u00adtered ver\u00adsions of the fac\u00adto\u00adry jour\u00adnal \u201cMICO<\/span> Wheel\u201d. Many of these inter\u00adnal pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtions were meant for stake\u00adhold\u00aders. An intrigu\u00ading thing to stum\u00adble upon in this mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal, besides the unique infor\u00adma\u00adtion on the factory\u2019s con\u00adcerns, is the adver\u00adtise\u00adments. They are not nec\u00ades\u00adsar\u00adi\u00adly for Bosch or MICO<\/span>, but most\u00adly for oth\u00ader West Ger\u00adman com\u00adpa\u00adnies that were active in India in one way or the oth\u00ader. For exam\u00adple, many com\u00adpa\u00adnies put up a one-page adver\u00adtise\u00adment in a mag\u00ada\u00adzine on the Hanover Trade Fair in 1984, dis\u00adtrib\u00aduted amongst com\u00adpa\u00adnies by the Indo-Ger\u00adman Cham\u00adber of Com\u00admerce (IGCC<\/span>), e.g. com\u00adpa\u00adnies like Otto or Bharat Fritz Wern\u00ader.[12]<\/a> Not only do the adver\u00adtise\u00adments sig\u00adni\u00adfy who was active in India at the time, they often include much length\u00adi\u00ader texts than what is com\u00admon today, pro\u00advid\u00ading infor\u00adma\u00adtion about activ\u00adi\u00adties, rhetoric and world view. For exam\u00adple, a MICO<\/span> adver\u00adtise\u00adment in the IGCC<\/span> mag\u00ada\u00adzine offers insights into its tar\u00adget group by equat\u00ading \u201ctra\u00addi\u00adtion\u201d (rep\u00adre\u00adsent\u00aded by a pho\u00adto of two hands carv\u00ading ivory deity fig\u00adurines) and \u201cmod\u00adern tech\u00adnol\u00ado\u00adgy\u201d (two hands hold\u00ading a small met\u00adal machine part), stat\u00ading that the \u201cIndia of today is a hap\u00adpy blend\u201d of both.[13]<\/a> Adver\u00adtise\u00adments like this catered to con\u00adser\u00adv\u00ada\u00adtives as well as progress enthu\u00adsi\u00adasts, and to the blend of both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This mag\u00ada\u00adzine and oth\u00ader pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtions by the IGCC<\/span> that Bosch col\u00adlect\u00aded also show the kind of infor\u00adma\u00adtion and guid\u00adance that was sent to Bosch and oth\u00ader com\u00adpa\u00adnies and was being stored there. Espe\u00adcial\u00adly the IGCC<\/span>\u2019s infor\u00adma\u00adtive out\u00adput can be of great val\u00adue for research on the Indo-Ger\u00adman eco\u00adnom\u00adic entan\u00adgle\u00adments of the lat\u00adter half of the 20th<\/sup> cen\u00adtu\u00adry, as they pro\u00advid\u00aded not only guide\u00adlines, but also con\u00adcrete sta\u00adtis\u00adtics, such as lists of firms that were look\u00ading for export part\u00adners.[14]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Research Outlook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Though this overview could by no means be exhaus\u00adtive, inter\u00adest\u00ading out\u00adlooks for pos\u00adsi\u00adble future research derive from the engage\u00adment with the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal. Gen\u00ader\u00adal\u00adly, the archive can relate to research areas of Indo-Ger\u00adman eco\u00adnom\u00adic col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtion, tech\u00adni\u00adcal edu\u00adca\u00adtion, busi\u00adness his\u00adto\u00adry and the his\u00adto\u00adry of tech\u00adni\u00adcal devel\u00adop\u00adments. There are many pos\u00adsi\u00adble routes for research with the Bosch archive and, as far as is known, there has to date not been an inten\u00adsive aca\u00add\u00ade\u00adm\u00adic engage\u00adment with the Bosch-MICO matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The archive shows com\u00adpa\u00adny ethics, val\u00adues, pol\u00adi\u00adtics, visions, ide\u00adolo\u00adgies and inter\u00adests that one can cer\u00adtain\u00adly inter\u00adpret regard\u00ading their rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtion in India. The lens of the Ger\u00adman archival mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal can help broad\u00aden per\u00adspec\u00adtives, as the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal pro\u00advides pos\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adties to trace sto\u00adries of transna\u00adtion\u00adal\u00adi\u00adty and glob\u00adal con\u00adnec\u00adtions. Con\u00adnect\u00ading the find\u00adings from the Bosch archive in Stuttgart with oth\u00ader archival mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal, such as the afore\u00admen\u00adtioned state eco\u00adnom\u00adic archives, the com\u00adpa\u00adny archive of Daim\u00adler Benz or the Nation\u00adal Archives of India (which held dis\u00adcus\u00adsions on the Appren\u00adtices Act 1961 and on import reg\u00adu\u00adla\u00adtions affect\u00ading MICO<\/span>), will sure\u00adly be a chal\u00adleng\u00ading but reward\u00ading approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trac\u00ading busi\u00adness net\u00adworks through these archives offers the oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adty to include small com\u00adpa\u00adnies in the research as they become vis\u00adi\u00adble through their part\u00adner\u00adships with large enti\u00adties such as Bosch. Busi\u00adness links will reveal and reflect cer\u00adtain dis\u00adcours\u00ades of the time, of dif\u00adfer\u00adent approach\u00ades to trade or part\u00adner\u00adship, and of pos\u00adsi\u00adbly chang\u00ading and vary\u00ading con\u00adcepts of \u201cthe firm\u201d. The Bosch archive offers pos\u00adsi\u00adbil\u00adi\u00adties to uncov\u00ader nuanced his\u00adto\u00adries in the mate\u00adr\u00adi\u00adal and to place them with\u00adin cor\u00adpo\u00adrate his\u00adto\u00adry, but also out\u00adside of it. In the end, one has to read the records in a way that appre\u00adci\u00adates and prob\u00adlema\u00adtizes the rep\u00adre\u00adsen\u00adta\u00adtive nature of the records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Archives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robert Bosch GmbH, His\u00adtorische Kom\u00admu\u00adnika\u00adtion (RB<\/span>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wirtschaft\u00adsarchiv Baden-W\u00fcrt\u00adtem\u00adberg, Stuttgart (WABW<\/span>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Endnotes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

[1]<\/a>  The Ger\u00adman term \u201cHis\u00adtorische Kom\u00admu\u00adnika\u00adtion\u201d is used main\u00adly by com\u00adpa\u00adnies to engage with their own his\u00adto\u00adry. It is direct\u00aded at mar\u00adket\u00ading, cor\u00adpo\u00adrate iden\u00adti\u00adty and image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/a>  The WABW<\/span> can be found in the MIDA<\/span> Database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[3]<\/a>  Wirtschaft\u00adsarchiv Baden-W\u00fcrt\u00adtem\u00adberg, Stuttgart (WABW<\/span>), Bestand A 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[4]<\/a>  The num\u00adbers are from 2016; the infor\u00adma\u00adtion was received from the archive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[5]<\/a>  Robert Bosch GmbH, His\u00adtorische Kom\u00admu\u00adnika\u00adtion, 3 0005 1560.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[6]<\/a>  Togeth\u00ader with stu\u00addents from the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of T\u00fcbin\u00adgen, Johler and Spara\u00adcio tried to at least part\u00adly close this gap through their pub\u00adli\u00adca\u00adtion and a relat\u00aded exhi\u00adbi\u00adtion, for which they inter\u00adviewed sev\u00ader\u00adal of the for\u00admer work\u00aders who con\u00adtin\u00adued to live in Stuttgart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[7]<\/a>  Robert Bosch GmbH, His\u00adtorische Kom\u00admu\u00adnika\u00adtion (RB<\/span>), 3 0005 1560.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[8]<\/a>  Ibid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[9]<\/a>  Ibid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[10]<\/a> RB<\/span>, 1 017 004.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[11]<\/a> RB<\/span>, 3 0005 1560.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[12]<\/a> RB<\/span>, 1 017 038.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[13]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[14]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Bibliography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

B\u00e4hr, Johannes, Paul Erkn\u00ader, Bosch \u2013 Geschichte eines Wel\u00adtun\u00adternehmens<\/em>. Munich: C.H. Beck, 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cor\u00adpo\u00adrate Com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adtions Team, Bosch India (ed.), A Short Mem\u00adoir of Bosch India<\/em>, Decem\u00adber 2014, https:\/\/www.bosch.in\/media\/our_company\/history\/bosch-in-india-golden-book.pdf<\/a> (last accessed 2 Dec. 2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herdt, Hans, Bosch 1886\u20131986. Portr\u00e4t eines Unternehmens<\/em>. Stuttgart: Deutsche Ver\u00adlagsanstalt, 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hunck, Joseph-Maria, India Tomor\u00adrow: Pat\u00adtern of Indo-Ger\u00adman future<\/em>. D\u00fcs\u00adsel\u00addorf: Ver\u00adlag Han\u00addels\u2013   blatt, 1963.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knel\u00adlessen, Wolf\u00adgang, Kat\u00ada\u00adlog zu der Jubil\u00e4ums-Ausstel\u00adlung im Robert-Bosch-Haus Stuttgart 24. Sep\u00adtem\u00adber bis 16. Novem\u00adber 1986<\/em>. Stuttgart: Ernst Klett, 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lan\u00adgen\u00adschei\u00addt, Flo\u00adri\u00adan, Bern\u00adhard Stein\u00adruecke (eds.), Ger\u00adman Stan\u00addards \u2013<\/em> Ger\u00adman Com\u00adpa\u00adnies in India<\/em>. Cologne: Deutsche Stan\u00addards EDITIONEN<\/span> GmbH, 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johler, Rein\u00adhard and Feli\u00adcia Spara\u00adcio (eds.), Abfahren. Ankom\u00admen. Boschler sein. Lebens\u00adgeschicht\u00aden aus der Arbeitswelt<\/em>. T\u00fcbin\u00adgen: T\u00fcbinger Vere\u00adini\u00adgung f\u00fcr Volk\u00adskunde e.V., 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert Bosch GmbH (ed.), 75 Jahre Bosch 1886\u20131961 \u2013 Ein geschichtlich\u00ader \u00dcberblick<\/em>. Stuttgart: Deutsche Ver\u00adlags-Anstalt, 1961.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jose\u00adfine Hoff\u00admann, CeMIS, Georg-August-Uni\u00adver\u00adsit\u00e4t G\u00f6ttingen<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

MIDA<\/span> Archival Reflex\u00adi\u00adcon<\/strong>

Edi\u00adtors: Anan\u00addi\u00adta Baj\u00adpai, Heike Liebau<\/strong>
Lay\u00adout: Mon\u00adja Hof\u00admann, Nico Putz<\/strong>
Host: ZMO<\/span>, Kirch\u00adweg 33, 14129 Berlin<\/strong>
Con\u00adtact: archival.reflexicon [at] zmo.de<\/strong>

ISSN<\/span> 2628\u20135029<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1969,"template":"","categories":[54],"tags":[117,81,85,116],"class_list":["post-1909","reflexicon","type-reflexicon","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reflexicon","tag-economic-history","tag-geschichte-der-arbeit","tag-labour-history","tag-wirtschaftsgeschichte"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAgreements and Achievements \u2013 MICO in the German Bosch Archive - MIDA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Josefine Hoffmann on the presence of the Indian Motor Industries Company Ltd. 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