Working with India: The Softer Aspects of a Successful Collaboration with the Indian IT & BPO Industry

by Wolfgang Messner

Globalization requires effective international and cross-cultural collaboration. When project teams from Western cultures first come into contact with colleagues from the Indian IT and BPO industry, prejudices against the new and unknown are typically amplified. This book is a start on the journey of cultural appreciation for managers, project leaders, and offshore coordinators working together with Indians. It is also a resource for business managers and company strategists seeking to understand the softer aspects behind the headlines that the Indian IT and BPO industry so frequently creates. Being both academically well researched and an account of the author’s many years of personal experience in India, the book opens with a description of cultural dimensions that help to break down culturally driven matters. It provides background information about India as a country and a social system. Examining the development and current status of India’s IT and BPO industry, it moves on to describe the dynamics of its workforce. The book then provides practical information on how to communicate, negotiate, and interact with Indian colleagues, and intelligently utilize expatriates. It closes by formulating recommendations for a more effective collaboration.

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book. It has a mix of information - some history, some business practice, some background about what work life is like in India, and some explanations of cultural differences.

The writing style was a bit more like a journal article, rather than a book, and I had to keep reminding myself that it was written by a German author and that's why the perspective was a little different, but it was well worth reading. I think the many charts and tables will be outdated quickly (if they aren't already), but they do provide evidence that Messner has done his research and is not merely stating opinions, and they will still show how things were during the year the book was written.

Overall, this book is quite interesting, and well worth reading.

[Gerold · Rating 5 out of 5]

when you are in touch with india - this book gives quite a good insight into the differences between cultures