Matsushita Electric of Japan is among the world's largest consumer electronics companies. Half of its sales and a quarter of its workers are, however, outside Japan. The case describes the operations of Novino Batteries, one of two nearly identical Matsushita joint ventures in India that were established in 1972. The case mainly focuses on the management of the Indian workforce that is currently producing over 12 million dry batteries a month on a three-shift basis in a highly competitive industry. Novino has been cited as the most Japanese of all the Japanese joint ventures in India. It follows a great deal of Matsushita's cultural practices implemented by seldom more than two expatriate Japanese managers at a time. These include morning assembly, uniforms, open plan seating, flexible jobs, suggestion scheme, cultural and sports programmes, education and training, etc. The result is a young, disciplined and dedicated workforce producing highquality products consistently over time. Information about the world battery market and Indian competition is provided along with brief descriptions of the manufacturing process and maintenance activities. Selected physical and financial data are also provided.