By the middle of the twenty-first century, India will have passed China in terms of numbers of inhabitants, making it the most populated nation on earth. Its land area is also immense, with

India

By the middle of the twenty-first century, India will have passed China in terms of numbers of inhabitants, making it the most populated nation on earth. Its land area is also immense, with 3,287,000 square kilometers (126,900 square miles), making India the seventh largest nation in the world. Although India’s GDP ranking was only in eleventh place (in 2005), the country is developing rapidly in the technological and service sectors and its rapidly growing middle class numbers over 300 million. The origins of the Indus Valley civilization, with settled agriculture and trade with the Middle East, date from around 3000 B.C.

Now the heart of India beats in the densely populated plains of the Ganges, farmed for several millennia. To the north the mighty Himalayan range constitutes the world’s most awesome frontier. To the south lies the peninsula, less fertile than the plains and often politically fragmented. Here the Tamils speak Dravidian languages, far removed structurally from the hundred or more Indo-European languages and dialects spoken in the rest of the country. Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Gujarati are the most widely spoken tongues in this family, which also included Sanskrit in former times.

Pakistan and Bangladesh, after the partition, represent the two other major states on the Indian subcontinent. English serves as a lingua franca in the region, as many of the local languages are mutually unintelligible.

All three countries hope to benefit from extensive outsourcing of services from developed countries such as Britain and the United States. Outsourcing companies have experienced rapid growth in India, whose inhabitants speak English at a level of fluency adequate for performing the services involved. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia and several other Southeast Asian countries (possibly China, too) envisage enhancing their economies through outsourcing, though the Chinese and Indonesians currently lack the required language skills.

However, it is in the field of high technology where India has been surging ahead in the opening decade of the twenty-first century. Bangalore is now another “Silicon Valley,” and there is every evidence that Indians will create a technological gap vis-a-vis other Asian countries and rival the Americans and Northern Europeans in the creation of software and other high-tech products.

Culture

Values

The British Raj left both a social and a cultural influence on many Indians. Commonalities with the British include cricket, tea, army traditions, Oxford and Cambridge elite, protection of accumulated wealth, titles of nobility, admiration for (English) literature, a democratic constitution, parliamentary rule, early industrialism, a class system, the English language as a vehicle of culture and administration, a large civil service, a legal system, and respect for property.

Indians have a special and unique culture that varies considerably from those of East Asia. Their communicative style is more loquacious than the Chinese, Japanese and Korean, and they are as dialogue-oriented as most Latins. Essentially multi-active, they have created a society where privacy is rarely indulged in and even more rarely sought. They make little attempt to conceal their feelings—joy, disappointment and grief are expressed without inhibition.

family orientation	loyalty to a group, often professional
honor of both family and group	arranged marriages
material success and creativity	do-it-yourself mentality
problem solving	fatalism
risk-takers and experimenters	savvy at business

Concepts

Leadership and Status

Indians accept a hierarchical system with its obligations and duties. The boss must be humanistic and initiate promotion for his subordinates. In family businesses the elder son rarely decides what he wants to be—he is born to carry on the trade of the father; the father is expected to groom him for the job. First a good education will be provided. The son must study hard, then the next step will be indicated.

A strong work ethic is visible in Indian commerce, especially when people are working in their own or family business; however, Indians do not work by the clock. There is an easy acceptance of foreigners in business dealings; Indians do not fear foreigners—many invasions have brought familiarity. They are, however, suspicious of the iniquity that the foreigners may bring with them (perhaps a certain fear of division and subsequent loss of national identity). Nepotism is a way of life in traditional Indian companies. Family members hold key positions and work in close unison. Policy is also dictated by the trade group, for example, fruit merchants, jewelers and so forth. These groups work in concert and come to each other’s aid in difficult times.

Space and Time

India is a crowded country, and people are used to living and working close together. Bus lines are real scrambles. Indians are fairly tactile, but a certain restraint is visible regarding closeness in public. Women are clearly subordinate to men. There is also the question of class consciousness, which lessens the tendency to embrace all and sundry.

There is great latitude regarding punctuality, according to class. The reincarnation factor also influences the Indian concept of time. Opportunities need not always be seized greedily. Time is cyclical, so such opportunities will inevitably reoccur (perhaps in another life!).

Cultural Factors in Communication

Communication Pattern

Indian English is old-fashioned, flowery and verbose. It is essentially a human, sympathetic language showing respect and often humility to the listener. It is generous in praise, yet reluctant to criticize, since failure in Indian business may quickly be attributed to bad karma. Indian English excels in ambiguity, and such things as truth and appearances are often subject to negotiation. Above all, the language of the Indian manager emphasizes the collective nature of the task and challenge. India is far from being a classless society, but the groups will often sink or swim together in the hard world of the subcontinent.

Listening Habits

The key to Indian attention is to be eloquent, humble and respectful. They admire a person with an extensive vocabulary. They are willing to listen at length, to enable a relationship to develop, and their aim, in the subsequent feedback, is to make a friend of the speaker. They do not make a difficult audience, but their sagacity must not be underestimated.

Behavior at Meetings and Negotiations

Indians remain polite while modifications are proposed, and repackage energetically to reach an agreement. They hate turning down any business. As far as negotiating style is concerned, the Indians have few superiors. Although highly collectivist in their local group, they develop individuality and brilliance when dealing on their own with outsiders. They are clever at buying and selling. The following points indicate just one pattern of negotiation that an Indian employs with great skill when selling (each successive step may take place after days or weeks of negotiation).

1. I don’t want to sell at all.

2. This business is the jewel in the crown of all the businesses that my family controls.

3. We don’t need the money.

4. I am not intending to sell, but if I ever did sell, I would sell to you.

5. If I should sell, I have no idea whatsoever how we should evaluate such a successful business.

6. If one should try to estimate a price, it would be by analogy with similar deals that were done in the past.

7. When A sold X to B, that was such a deal.

8. A only sold X to B because he needed the money.

9. Perhaps I would like to sell to you, but I shall never be able to carry my family with me.

10. I have heard your proposed price and I have stormed out of the room.

11. I have to tell you in all honesty that we have received a very serious bid from a third party. It is higher than yours.

12. I do not expect you to pay more than they are willing to, but I expect you to match their offer.

13. I am willing to give the deal to you and not them, because I promised to sell to you.

14. I know that this price is not based on the usual multiple of profit, but how do you decide the worth of a business that has 70 percent of the market?

There are many other ploys that Indians use. Basically, they are disappointed if you do not engage in bargaining with them. Determination of price must come last, after all the benefits of the purchase or deal have been elaborated. Indians use all their communicative skills to get to the price indirectly. When negotiating, remember these points:

✦ They are very skillful and can often fool you.

✦ Understand their needs and objectives.

✦ Be humble at all times.

✦ Avoid sarcasm and irony.

✦ Be patient—few Asians like to decide things quickly.

✦ Focus on relationships; they see this as more important than any specific deal.

✦ Indians will accept losses if they mean future gains.

✦ Their negotiation concept is win–lose, but they are very flexible.

Manners and Taboos

Hinduism dominates Indians’ social behavior, with the associated taboos. Women show great deference to men. Dress is opulent, often ostentatious. Brothers and sons generally live under one roof, which results in the fragmentation of land.

How to Empathize with Indians

Indians tend to complain openly about the injustices of the colonial period. If treated with respect, they quickly put the past behind them, especially where good business is in the offing. Play the Indians at their own game: be reasonable, solicitous and flexible. The country has a magnificent history, which should be referred to and admired. Learn all the basic facts about Mahatma Gandhi and avoid confusing him with Indira and Rajiv Gandhi’s family, to which he was not related. A knowledge of Hinduism is also advisable, as is an awareness of the geography of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Indians emanate and expect warmth, respect and properness. Do not risk joking with them—they tend to take things seriously. Be flexible at all times. Accept that there is a great deal of chaos, and remember that they manage it better than you do.

Learn to cope with the Indian bureaucracy, which can be slow and tedious; even more important, learn how to function within its constraints and restrictions. Maintain multiple channels of communication, both with government and commercial entities. Develop your own linkages, independent of your partner.

Try not to be judgmental about Indian failings or limitations. Remember that truth has many aspects—most Asians consider that there is no absolute truth: facts and appearances are often subject to negotiation.

Show sympathy and empathy whenever you see the other side in difficulties. Never use brute force or gain unfair advantage when dealing from strength.

Recognize and respect the unwritten word. In Asia oral agreements are weightier than documents. Operate within the context of a medium- to longer-term horizon.

MOTIVATION

KEY Don’t talk down to them; show sensitivity and understanding

Cross-century Mood

✦ India is overtaking China as the world’s most populous nation. This motivates them to “think big.”

✦ Creation of their own “Silicon Valley” is giving them unwonted confidence. Future progress in this area lies in cooperation with the U.S.

✦ Equality for women is rapidly becoming a major issue.

✦ Growing world acceptance of spiritual tenets and values is in India’s favor.

Motivating Factors

✦ Show some knowledge of India’s glorious past. The Indus Valley civilization dates from 3000 B.C.

✦ Show respect when dealing with Indians, who often have a complex over the injustices of the colonial period.

✦ Treat older people with great deference.

✦ Make yourself familiar with Indian family arrangements, e.g., brothers and sons usually living under one roof.

✦ Make yourself familiar with the respective positions of men and women and the system of arranged marriages.

✦ Develop a tolerance for ambiguity—it is common in Asia.

✦ Truth, facts and appearances are often subject to negotiation.

✦ Look at things from their point of view; you can learn a lot from them.

✦ Share gains and losses equitably, irrespective of contractual agreements.

Avoid

✦ Taking sides in the internal rivalry between Hindus and Muslims; many Indians are Muslims.

✦ Ideology once the discussion is clearly business.

✦ Humiliating them; always “give face.”

✦ Discussing the caste question.

✦ Discussing Kashmir.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04