What are your thoughts on the success or failure of these two initiatives? Tata Corporation has recently announced that it will manufacture, and sell later this year a four passenger vehicle that will sell at around $2100. At that price it will be the cheapest car in the world. The Nano is a safe affordable, all weather vehicle aimed at hundred of thousands of families in India who would otherwise have bought motorcycles. The Indian Ministry of Development on the other hand has announced that, it will develop and distribute an ultra-cheap tablet PC, the Sakshat which will retail at 35 US dollars equivalent to 27 Euros. The computer is aimed at students and low-income groups especially in the rural areas of India. The two initiatives are likely to succeed because of several reasons. First, is because of the fact that these products are targeted towards a market segment with a huge untapped potential. The millions of people in the low end of the market have been neglected in the past and no products have been developed for this market segment. These people have been ignored by manufacturers in the past because they were thought to have no buying power. Secondly, the initiative is likely to succeed because the price cost of owning and using the products is affordable. The Nano costs about $2100 and its fuel consumption is very low at 50mpg. Likewise the tablet PC costs $37, a price so low that IT experts doubt whether it would be attainable. The PC can be powered using solar power therefore those not connected to the power grid are not affected. These costs are within the reach of many ordinary people who compose the target market. In addition these products despite their low prices do not compromise on quality. The Nano meets all the safety and environmental requirements which makes it’s as safe as any other vehicle to drive. The tablet PC on the other hand has advanced features which are found in modern tablet PC such as Android software for browsing the web, it is Wi-Fi enabled, has a seven inch screen, USB ports and 2 GB memory. In conclusion the products are most likely to succeed as they target a huge unexploited market; the products are affordable and the government minister is determined that the project must succeed whatever it takes, on the other hand the Tata management has put in place mechanisms such as expansion of manufacturing plants in order to ensure that the project succeeds. Ethical Issues It is commendable that the two organizations seek to bring useful products to low-income groups and the underprivileged in the society. The Nano affords the poor, a safe, all weather, and comfortable car while the Sakshat computer enables millions to be integrated into the global IT revolution. The two products put aside the strong profit maximization motive and instead aim to help the underprivileged in the society. Despite being cheap, they do not compromise on quality and standards and the burden of maintaining and operating the product is minimal (50mpg) or zero when solar powered. The negative imperative is that the cost of producing the tablet PC may require government subsidies which IT experts feel is not what the people in the rura