'Marilyn' syndrome

Why do Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) joint ventures break up so frequently? Asked the question at a press briefing in Delhi, Pawan Goenka, M&M’s president, automotive division, couldn’t provide an answer but he did say the group had earned itself a label, as he discovered during a recent visit to the US. “I do not know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing but we have been referred to as the Marilyn Monroe of Indian industry,” he said tongue-in-cheek, adding, “But in each of our tie-ups, we have parted ways amicably and both our former partners, Renault and Navistar, continue to support us in our operations.”