Indian Business Culture

Indian Business Culture addresses the cultural issues related to doing business in India. It looks at the impact of history and politics on business practice, and provides case studies to show how different companies have fared in India. India is one of the most rapidly developing economies in the world. Increasing numbers of multi-national companies are investing in large-scale projects in India, and business is booming. India is also a country of great racial and cultural diversity, often misunderstood by the world at large. Indian Business Culture is ideal for those who want to understand India and its people better, and to enhance your chances of being successful in business there. It provides an objective look at the complexities of conducting business in India. Such insights are vital for risk assessments as well as for negotiations. Rajiv Desai is President of Indian Public Affairs Network, the country's premier public relations/public affairs consulting firm. Mr Desai was media advisor to Rajiv Gandhi in the 1989 and 1991 election campaigns. He is also a journalist and his work has been published in a wide variety of international newspapers and magazines.

An article in the Harvard Business Review once said that the most valuable skill for the 21st century manager is the ability to work across cultures. Around the world, it is increasingly recognized that an understanding of a country's work culture plays a significant part in success at one's job. Every group of people has subtle drivers of behaviour, values and beliefs, an understanding of which could help you navigate your way around the workplace. Indians are no exception. We have some innate strengths that we seldom take credit for. Like the uncommon capacity to deal with ambiguity and to think on the fly; the emphasis we place on forming and sustaining relationships at work; and the willingness to go beyond the call of duty as we see our jobs as an extension of our personal lives. And then there are traits that may confuse the uninitiated at first and need some getting used to - such as saying 'yes' to an assigned task when we actually mean 'no', our flexible attitude to time, and the famous Indian head wag. Based on extensive interviews with corporate leaders - Indians as well as expatriates and repatriates, who offer insider and outsider perspectives on the psyche of the Indian in the workplace - How India Works is a guide to the cultural nuances and complexities of working in India. It will make your life in office a little easier.

This book analyses key theoretical influences on Indian culture in a business context. It shows the interactions between indigenous culture and workplace ethics which is increasingly being populated by multinational corporations. It discusses how the Indian workplace has evolved over time as well as retained some managerial practices dating back to the classical traditions of ancient India. It further demonstrates the changes brought about by globalisation, especially through information technology and business process outsourcing industries. This volume will be useful to the scholars and researchers of business and management studies, cultural studies, Asian studies as well as human resource (HR) professionals.

"This book is based on 40 years of close involvement with India, including two expatriate assignments and decades of research and teaching." "Part I seeks to answer the 10 questions most often posed by Westerners doing business in India, including, "Why do our Indian suppliers constantly miss delivery deadlines?". "When does 'yes' really mean yes in India?" and "Why do our Indian project teams and employees need to be micro-managed?"" "Part II is a practical guide for families moving to India. It addresses such critical concerns as how to find housing. how to acclimate your family to India and its culture, and how to prepare yourself for the challenges you will face day to day." --Book Jacket.

Indian Business Culture addresses the cultural issues related to doing business in India. It looks at the impact of history and politics on business practice, and provides case studies to show how different companies have fared in India. India is one of the most rapidly developing economies in the world. Increasing numbers of multi-national companies are investing in large-scale projects in India, and business is booming. India is also a country of great racial and cultural diversity, often misunderstood by the world at large. Indian Business Culture is ideal for those who want to understand India and its people better, and to enhance your chances of being successful in business there. It provides an objective look at the complexities of conducting business in India. Such insights are vital for risk assessments as well as for negotiations. Rajiv Desai is President of Indian Public Affairs Network, the country's premier public relations/public affairs consulting firm. Mr Desai was media advisor to Rajiv Gandhi in the 1989 and 1991 election campaigns. He is also a journalist and his work has been published in a wide variety of international newspapers and magazines.

The aim of this book is to analyze the nature of European and North American firms' business experience in India with a particular emphasis on understanding the causes of their successes and failure. Part of this is due to the fact that although India resembles the West in some ways, the institutional environment is radically different from that of Euro-American societies. Differences in culture, politics, the economy, and business structure all make it difficult for a Western manager to act accordingly. This book strives to offer Western managers the knowledge they will need to succeed in business in India.

Demonstrates how to get your communications right internationally and ensure that meetings, both face-to-face and virtual, go according to plan. This work provides a framework for understanding any culture in the world, offering strategies and tactics for getting people from different countries on your side.