Tag Archives: introduction

What is the Goal?

Photo credit: Psychology Today

This post is written by Debbie Watkins, SBI Resident Adviser for the bKash project in Bangladesh.

You may or may not have read the underground classic “The Goal” – a novel by Eli Goldratt that manages to make Just-in-Time manufacturing both understandable and entertaining. In the book, the main character, Alex Rogo, is a production manager whose plant is facing closure. A chance meeting with a previous associate, Jonah, and their subsequent long-distance discussions, enables Alex to identify the root of the problems and thus turn the plant’s fortunes around.

Jonah provides guidance not by giving answers, but by asking Alex questions – and by working through the answers to these questions with his colleagues, he is able to gain a deep understanding of the way in which demand-driven manufacturing works, and where his plant is failing. One of the first questions that Jonah asks him is, “What the goal of your company?” After a few false starts, Alex finally realises that the goal of his business is not to make things, or even to sell things – but to make (more) money. Continue reading →

Welcome to Banking Beyond Branches

The focus of this website, “Banking Beyond Branches,” is driven by the notion that financial services in the form of brick-and-mortar infrastructure is simply not enough. With geographical, regulatory, political, and socio-economic barriers, financial services currently do not reach everyone in emerging markets. At the same time, there is no single answer for the issue of access to finance. As SBI works with financial service providers who are striving to take banking beyond conventional branches, we hope to capture key insights and practices for a wider audience to spark discussion and feedback – and in doing so, mutually strengthen the understanding of what it takes to create financial inclusion for all.

Through this portal, we look forward to learning as well as sharing our work, insights, and analysis – both from the latest happenings in the markets we operate in and from the perspective of the international experts that make up SBI’s team. We welcome your feedback, questions, and discussion along the way.

SBI is in the business of innovation. Whether the objective is to ensure rural access to finance in a country with no existing banking system, to mobilize savings in institutions that historically focus only on lending, or to help leading financial service providers reach previously underserved populations, SBI develops solutions that apply flexible, creative, and responsive approaches to local market realities. You can read more about SBI from our website. You can also follow SBI on Twitter.