The Oceans of Business - A Global Company

The nature has always been all powerful. The laws of nature do apply to the laws of business as well. The water bodies on planet earth are a perfect example. To maintain perfect balance in nature, water flows from one place to another. Similarly, lakes get dried faster than rivers because they are not connected to the seas.

This is the very way businesses work today. Gone are the days when companies could rely on operations based out of one geography. Today, the most talked about word in the world of business is "being a Global company".

Companies who have relied on operating in a single geography are similar to the lakes...they have high chances of drying up! The weather is similar to the economy. When the weather gets hotter and rains become scarce, lakes dry up. Similarly when the economy in a particular geography goes haywire, the company faces the real problem.

Similarly, looking at the world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), it will remind one of the rivers and oceans. Smaller companies are acquired by larger companies with a business footprint spanning across geographies. The smaller companies are like the rivers, which eventually flow into the oceans either by the process of M&A or by being a key stakeholder of the bigger company's supply chain.

Well, I was reminded of the above when I read the news about Indian companies investing $10 Bn in the United States. When the United States faces a tough economy and a talks of a possible recession is going on, Indian companies have created 30,000 jobs for Americans... Thats BIG!

India is investing twice as much in the US as the US does in India
- Amit Mitra, Secretary-General

Indian companies had invested $45 billion worldwide with the US accounting for $10.25 billion last year. India's Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath launched a road show here Tuesday around the theme "Investing in America: The Indian Story" under the joint leadership of the US-India Business Council and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

The next two to three years is going to see a vast change in the way businesses operate worldwide. The early bird always gets to set the tune!

A Political break from serious tech business articles

I just couldn't stop from posting this video. Its a video that the Arkansas governor and Republican presidential candidate Mike Hukabee actually runs as his first campaign commercial.



Is he really serious about what he is doing? Its ridiculous!

Human Capital & Talent Pool - A Glimpse into the future

Some key happenings in the recent past -

• US H1-B visa restrictions
• Growth of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries
• Kingfisher on the F1 track
• Fall of the US Dollar [1 USD = 38 INR (previously 48+ INR)]
• India's SENSEX crosses the 20,000 mark
• Mukesh Ambani becomes the world's richest man

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot more under each of the above happenings - reasons and results.

We saw brain drain happening in the past many years (from the 1980's till date - except for the period when the dot com bubble burst). The primary reason we saw this happening was because of the US Dollar's high value and the resulting economy in the United States.

The big companies attracted talent from countries like India and Brazil into the United States to compensate for the shortage of talent. This later got diluted to a time when body shopping became a common scenario in the IT industry with smaller companies (or consultancies) hiring human capital from the developing countries and deploying them in the United States. This resulted in the movement of lower skilled staff into the US, and hence making it tougher for the citizens of the United States to compete.

Today, with the scenario totally changed, we see a different trend - People have now started to think of getting back to their home countries (esp. Indians). The reason is very obvious. With the H1B visa restrictions now, the United States is all set to witness a big time reverse brain drain - First time in the history of USA.

As we see in many walks of life, history repeats! India was once called as The Land of Milk and Honey. It was only after the series of conquests made by the British, Afghans, Dutch, Portuguese, and French, that India saw the state of poverty.

Today, India is rich in talented human capital and the economy is doing well. Its like a sinusoidal waveform - positives and negatives come in alternate cycles.

From a economy standpoint, my personal feeling is that we will witness the BRIC nations growing in the days to come and the United States will not be looked upon as THE place to do business. Its going to be a Global Market where the customers and the suppliers will be competing in a global space, and will not be demarcated by national boundaries.

Some key challenges that I foresee in this kind of a market are -

• Companies revamping their business model(s) to address the global market space
• Bigger companies have realized this long back, but smaller companies need to consciously plan
• Visa regulations of countries need to be given a serious look
• Need to be able to issue business visas at a short notice - Waiting period needs to be reduced a lot
• Product and Service Management needs a global perspective
• International market exposure will help leaders and managers manage their products and service offerings better - making them more relevant to the global marketplace
• United States H1B visa restrictions need to be made more meaningful - something in the lines of a point system will make more sense (like how Canada follows)

Some countries that I think are going to be the czars of this century -

• Canada - Will replace the Middle East with its huge oil resources
• China + India - Pivotal countries in the IT space - Deal Hub that will be equivalent to how USA is today
• Countries like Philippines, etc will be the next destinations for outsourcing from countries like India and China
• Singapore - continue to grow as the hub of business in Asia Pacific
• Japan - Will be the Automotive leader with companies like Toyota and Honda leading the space with highly efficient vehicles

Tips for the younger generation of aspiring professionals -

• Keep your eyes and ears open to technology and business advancements across the world (not just your country)
• Ride on the social networking boom by utilizing its services to get networked with people globally - for the right purpose and a good cause
• Specialization is a key space. However, being knowledgeable/adept in more than three different areas is good to compete in a global marketplace
• Force your brains to think 360 degrees and bring in different perspectives to every walk of life
  

The Global Thing

I'm not going to talk about either Globalization or Global Enterprises, but about another Global "something" that will potentially result in a Global "nothing". Yes, I'm referring to Global Warming...

People have talked about this a million times in a million places, but nothing has ever happened...
Its been discussed in multiple forums, but there are still a group of scientists who dismiss saying that "There is nothing called Global Warming" or "Don't believe in this 'Global Warming' thing...its just a rumour, and its not proven"; Politicians dismiss this saying "We are working towards a solution!".

The United States and China are the top contributors to the Global Warming that is taking place, and they seem to least react to this alarming situation. The foremost reason being that these countries are using some of the most ancient technologies at factories and other establishments, that significantly contribute to the temperature rise.

India is no less! ....we will soon catch up with these big countries in contributing to the creation of a monster called "Global Warming". Recently, in Chennai, Tamilnadu, India, the chief of DMK celebrated his "50 years in politics" by lighting up the city...to such an extent that it Chennai looked like Las Vegas. This is the worst way one can destroy the earth!

I see it as a responsibility of every human being on planet earth to consciously change this deteriorating situation. Here are a few tips that we, as a world citizen should do to make earth a better place to live for our future (and possibly us) generation :

1. Buy vehicles that offer good mileage - This reduces the amount of waste fuel
2. But electronic appliances that consume lesser power
3. Dispose waste materials (not plastic!) dumping them in deep pits - Not burning them!
4. Avoid the use of Plastic bags
5. Plant a lot of trees around where we live - Plant and water one tree per month!
6. Save electricity - Use electrical appliances as required - Avoid using them when not really needed

These are some points that I can think of. Should you have more points, please email me.

Thanks....and look forward to your cooperation!

Two...ahem!...sorry , its 'gonna' be Ten to Tango!

No, I'm not trying to change the English idiom or talking about a new version of the 1988 classic. I'm talking about the United States visa mandate. Today, to get a visa to the United States, you will need to implant the fingerprints of two fingers (left and right hand index fingers) for their records.

The reason United States has quoted is that - 'Identification is getting difficult with fingerprints of just two fingers'. This is something that makes me think - "What if the 10 finger fingerprint starts to get difficult?". There is just another external part in the human body that is unique to everyone - the jaw bone. I'm sure this is going to be a part of the security measurements that one will need to give in, say, 7 years from now. Eye scan is already something that the United States do currently.

With whole-body scan being introduced in a couple (or more) airports in the USA (currently an optional one - based on the traveller's consent), its getting a whole lot of questions and apprehensions from people across the globe. One would definetly not want to let people (even the one who scans) see below what he/ she is wearing!!! Though they claim that the person who scans gets to see just an abstract view of the body parts, this has infact raised a lot of questions already.

We got to wait and watch what happens!

The Dream starts with a Nightmare - Travel from India to USA

The Trend
For many Indians, the United States has been (and continues to be) the most dreamt place to study/visit/work (for a myriad of reasons). Right from my engineering undergraduation days, I've heard many engineers-to-be talk about their dreams of getting an admission - into a graduation program in an engineering school in the US of A. Even at work, I've seen a lot of people wanting to work in the US of A.

The Brand
United States of America has become a 'brand' that has established itself so strongly in the minds of trillions of people around the world (and so in India). A 'brand' that has emerged so confident of attracting 'clientele' from across the world, that it doesn't take that 'extra' step to increase 'user-friendliness' to its end-users (if I may call so).

The Nightmare Experience!
I was at the Consulate General of the United States - Chennai, India a couple of weeks back for a visa a business travel that I had to do in a week's time. This is in the month of April in Chennai - which means, the thermometer read 34 degrees Celsius (approx 94 Fahrenheit). I had an appointment post-noon, and was asked to be present atleast 15minutes prior to the time I was given. I went there half an hour prior to my appointment time, and was put into a queue that spanned for atleast 50 yards from the Consulate entrance. I was joined by people from all age groups - people in their 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's...and also late 70's! I had a couple ahead of me who were 79 and 75 years old. We all had to wait in the line "that had NO shelter" under the 'real HOT sun' for almost 50 minutes. We were called in 10minutes after the appointment time (No, the wait doesn't end so soon!)

There were a group of security personnel who checked our documents and the appointment time, and we were asked to go past security. We were then made to stand in another queue inside the consulate premises (a winding queue that spanned another 50+ yards). It took us well over an hour to get into the visa interviewing chamber (a building which was airconditioned). During all this process, there was no place where we were offered a proper shelter - not even a temperory roofing nor a was there a place to sit! I pitied the aged couple who were ahead of me (there were many more older people in the queue).

There was a person from the consulate who came forward to ask for people who had kids, and let those people go ahead of us; but when this old gentleman ahead of me asked if he and his wife could go ahead, there was a quick question from the consulate person - "How old are you?". This person told " I'm 79 years old". The immediate reply from the consulate person was - "Only people above the age of 80 are allowed to bypass the queue. It won't apply for you". This is ridiculous! What if he had his 80th Birthday the next day???

Some tips to Go Armoured!
So, net-net, here are some tips for people who plan to visit the US Consulate at Chennai (especially during the summer):

• Bring along a person with you - who can stand outside and help you with essentials like water, umbrella, ice pack, etc (this person has got to stand away from you - near a tree - even outside the consulate - the security demands this)

• If you are a reader of books, magazines, please carry one with you (you can carry this inside the consulate) - this comes handy (both, to read and as a shelter) when you stand in those long queues inside the premises

• Carry some candies with you - this comes handy inside the premises - helps you with the thirst

• Carry a hand towel, as you will tend to perspire a lot and also this doubles as a shelter!

• Don't book your flight tickets (incase you are flying down from outside of Chennai) anywhere close to your appointment time - give atleast 5 hours* gap between your appointment time and your flight departure time.

* (2hours inside the consulate+ 1 hour travel time to airport+ 1 hour for checkin time + 1 hour buffer time)