Foreigners who visit ashrams take a liking to these places and periodically visit the place. The rare few choose to stay. Robert Macfarlane was raised a devout Catholic who came here in 1970 and remained for seven years. Since then, he is spending his bachelor's life alternately here and in USA. He is a personification of mental resourcefulness, especially when it comes to matters mechanical. It is in 1985 we were introduced to PARA annual conference. PARA is a retailers' association of audio video dealers in USA and Canada. That was a time the market sounded a signal that their time was over and they should close shop. For one full year, Robert Macfarlane and his partner were invited by members of PARA to study their companies. Since then, they have both addressed Para annual conferences several times. We know the industry inside out. In view of our extreme expertise in matters of PARA, last year the association invited Robert Macfarlane to prepare a manual which every member could use as a daily guide.
It is a Blue Book for these members. Our long work with PARA was a total success. At the lowest level, members have doubled their business. At the top, results are phenomenal. One owner of 3 million sales in 1986 rose to 700 million recently owning a chain of stores. He said to Macfarlane, "Though I have never engaged you both as consultants, I have been at each PARA conference without fail. I can tell you with truth, I have noted down every suggestion you ever gave and faithfully implemented it." Bob -- we call Robert Bob - is an idealist who will avoid any occasion to earn money. He used to say that a dollar sign was never inviting. He is primarily an ideal sadhak, secondarily a Management Consultant. This book, rather the Manual, is not confined to PARA. Its theme is universal.
This manual deals with all aspects of business -- sales, inventory, administration, advertisement, personnel, finance, capital, organisation, market, etc. In short, from the time the raw material is purchased till the final product is sold and cash realised, the Manual deals with every function. Rewritten for any other industry, it will be as good elsewhere. It is meant for all industries. Its scope is wider, as the entire idea on which this manual is based are the Truths of Life. It goes farther. That is based on the Theory of Creation of Cosmos adumbrated by Sri Aurobindo in The Life Divine. I would personally wish to have it rewritten for the industries in India so that Indian industries and businesses may use it with benefit. Owners of companies, especially in India, are not enamoured by written instructions. They need a consultant in flesh and blood to sit by them and SPEAK out the ideas day in and day out. Most of them would prefer to appoint such a person permanently on their staff, not learn from them and do it themselves.