Letter to BS: Can the Indian manager be even more successful abroad?

This refers to R Gopalakrishnan’s column “Recipe for success” (October 29). While the writer rightly suggests the attributes that Indian managers should have in order to succeed abroad, the success stories of Indians making a mark in foreign land reveal that their talent flourishes in a supporting environment. When the environment promotes healthy competition in which merit alone is the consideration for growth and where opportunities are available for making use of their expertise, Indians are second to none. Which Indian company would have given as much scope to Sundar Pichai as Google does for talent utilisation? When an Indian company, Infosys, hired Vikas Sikka, the experiment failed because the environment and opportunity were both missing.

The same applies when contribution to management thought. India lacks the canvas to conduct long time research such as the Hawthorne studies. The process of recognition is also bureaucratic. Research is neither a lucrative profession here nor one with high rewards. When the same Indians go to the US, they shine. Our education system is not geared to meet the aspirations of the millennial generation. They are hungry to exploit new technology and ideas but have to contend with the same old rote method of teaching. The country is wasting its talent.

Y G Chouksey  Pune

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: 

The Editor, Business Standard

Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg 

New Delhi 110 002 

Fax: (011) 23720201  ·  E-mail: letters@bsmail.in

All letters must have a postal address and telephone number