HOW INDIA WORKS: MAKING SENSE OF A COMPLEX CORPORATE CULTURE BY AARTI KELSHIKAR
BOOK REVIEWS BY BINOD
BINOD’S RATING: 6/10
This time we take a temporary diversion from finance/etc to take a fascinating look at a huge tribe that has had and will have a big impact globally.
For many global companies, an India posting is now fairly de rigueur in order to give their executives the exposure and experience of working in a large and growing emerging market. As the HSBC Expat Explorer 2016 report says, “60 per cent of expats believe their experience in India will improve their future job prospects, compared with 43 per cent of expats across the Asia Pacific region”.
But working in India can be challenging. Not because of the pollution, congestion, poverty and overloaded infrastructure but mainly because of the culture.
Yes, there is immense diversity in India – in terms of food, languages, celebrations, customs, dress etc. But while across the country people may talk, behave and think differently, beneath the exterior, there are some common values and beliefs.
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.
And then there are traits that may confuse and frustrate the uninitiated- such as saying 'yes' to an assigned task when we actually mean 'no', excessive respect for hierarchy, the obsession with titles at work, over argumentative nature when it comes to feedback and appraisal, inquisitiveness into other’s personal affairs, the domination of trust and relationships over processes, flexible attitude to time etc.
The book examines the implications of these nuances and how all these get manifested at work.
It’s for the benefit of Indians working in corporate India, for expatriates and to help in the transition of repatriated Indians, who have their share of living and working challenges as they try and reintegrate on coming ‘home’. It facilitates the Indian’s understanding of how he is perceived through a multicultural lens. It highlights some areas that the Indian needs to work on in order to be more effective in an increasingly connected world. For instance, while communicating, sometimes less is more, and efforts matter but so do outcomes.
What one can expect from ‘How India Works’ is to get a feel and flavour of what to expect when working with Indians. The book contains many insights and experiences of people including thirty-six expatriates from countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, South Africa and Lebanon, all of whom are or were based in India at the time of writing this book. With a balance of serious insights and humorous anecdotes, you easily grasp what works and what doesn’t, and how to harness the strengths and work around the gaps.
How India Works is a guide to the cultural nuances and complexities of working with Indians. It will make working with this special set of people a little easier.
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