Comments for 6 AM Pacific

Comment on ET Article by Nishith

Nishith — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:39:30 +0000

Another flash-sideways could be that Indian IT does not remain Indian anymore but becomes truly global with a diversified workforce and thought processes.

Comment on Why This is Emphatically Not the End of India’s IT Services Story by Sid

Sid — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:48:21 +0000

Services are built on a tight leash, and involves a customer who likes to drive the vendor. The customer is used to driving and the vendor expects that direction. Now reversing this is going against the grain and does not suit minds already set. The best way to build products is to Set up a Lab near site and buy feedback albeit not from prospective buyers but prospective end users.

Comment on Why This is Emphatically Not the End of India’s IT Services Story by Abinash

Abinash — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:58:38 +0000

Over the last decade the Indian IT Industry has undergone a transformation that is barely visible to outsiders. IT is no longer limited to solving ‘IT Problems’ but the scope has shifted to solving ‘Business Problems’. In several corporates, now a days you get recognized not because of the IT skill that you bring to the table but because of the business domain knowledge that one has acquired over a period. And these core competencies in client business domain is going to drive the rest of the IT business. Alas too many Indian IT companies don’t realise what valuable skills their existing employees have and still continue to segregate based on technology areas. Even though its not the end of Indian IT services as is perceived by clients today..it definitely calls for an internal relook at the ‘services’ that companies can offer to their customers.

Comment on ET Article by Basab Pradhan

Basab Pradhan — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 03:16:07 +0000

@Buck, I think emerging markets, not just India, is a great opportunity. The rupee is not artificially depressed. Without the strong capital inflows of the recent past it may actually be at a long term sustainable level. The preferential tax treatment is on a slow down ramp. A very good way to phase it out.

Comment on ET Article by Buck

Buck — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:50:28 +0000

Great piece Basab.

I think the only long-term impediment to the growth of the Indian IT Services/KPO sector is the Indian policy framework.

Will the current leaders have succession plans beyond the initial set of founders/employees? Will there be an increasingly hybrid model where every IT services firm follows on the examples of IBM and Accenture and establish a large base in India?

Finally, is the rupee artificially depressed to facilitate exports? And how long can India afford to offer preferential tax treatment to this sector?

Comment on Rules and Rituals by Sid

Sid — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:23:10 +0000

Rules are often made reactively and once made are rarely reviewed. Rules are also a proxy for poor policy planning. Some people make rules just to show that they can and their intent for change is low. The reward for compliance or penalty for lack of is what generally drives people behavior. e.g. Speeding rules. The coming of an organization is when it needs no rules; employees return trust posed in them with respect to organization and its affiliates. I would encourage organizations to be active about building faith and trust with its actions rather than constructing compliance cocoons. e.g. Certification rules.

Comment on Rules and Rituals by Dip

Dip — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:05:05 +0000

Almost any botanical garden or zoo in India has high entry fee for still camera and even higher for video camera. And mobiles go free (even a non-smart phone is decent camera these days). Instead of ticketing and policing gadgets, you increase the entry fee for every adult human..

Comment on Why This is Emphatically Not the End of India’s IT Services Story by Vasudev Ram

Vasudev Ram — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:59:18 +0000

Good post, Basab. Overall, I agree with you. Things are not going to change in the blink of an eye. Also, I’ve read in more than one place that the entire software services industry is many times larger than the entire software products industry (speaking of both, worldwide). Software startup / software product fans can be blinded to this, just like anyone else, due to hype in popular media. Having said that, I think the Indian software service providers should really make more attempts to get into products and IP, due to the higher leverage (over the long term) for the efforts put in. Spoken as a guy who has worked on both sides.

Comment on Rules and Rituals by Nishith

Nishith — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:43:31 +0000

Mass rules need to be clear cut by nature otherwise they will never get implemented. The thumb rule though should be to have as few rules as possible and to keep trying to whittle down that list further. Easier said than done though – too few and there is no purpose or unity , too many and you suck out creativity and joy. Watch “Khoobsurat” for a delightful illustration.

Comment on Rules and Rituals by Meena

Meena — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:16:41 +0000

Loved your post. We are raised to be conformists. The rank and file in many traditional organizations are rewarded to conform rather than question or break the rules.