Indian Business Culture in the IT sector - Gabriela Steiner

Today's corporate world calls for a new mindset when approaching offshoring and global sourcing of IT-related work. This book provides a thorough overview of the challenges and opportunities for intercultural business relations with India and presents critical factors for success. First, the cultural differences relevant in these professional settings are discussed in detail: Hierarchical structures, role conformity, focus on people and relationships, family orientation, paternalism, conflict avoidance, differences in communication styles, perception of time, belief in god and destiny, and the perception of quality. Additional findings detail the 'Chalta hai' attitude and 'Jugaad'. The author draws on 29 interviews that have been conducted with Indian and Austrian IT professionals as a basis for the research of this book, building upon findings and studies of previous cultural research to explain these cultural distinctions. Addressing the challenges in intercultural business, the author subsequently presents recommendations and critical success factors for effective partnerships. Since these ventures run the risk of failure without cultural awareness within both parties, the book concludes by detailing beneficial training methods to avoid common pitfalls.