Think Flat

I am absolutely agree with it. To make a really flat world company, all factors of business should have seamless integration in such a way that every factor can be leveraged independently in required situations.

Hi Richa,

I agree with you but on the otherside when you have a company running in atleast more than 2 states in India or 2 countires outside india it is already a "Flat World Company" and there are many companies like this.Hence a company with a global footprint is already a Flat world company.

Cheers,
Vikram

Hi Richa,

I agree that a global presence spanning across nations and continents may be not enough to consider an organization as a true "Flat World" company. However, please note that it is only in such organizations that we encounter scenarios of teams and team members scattered across different geographical locations. Hence, the example you cited would also not suffice the criterion of the "Flat World" company.

Regards,
Sameer

"If you think scheduling time for meetings with colleagues is difficult, try doing it across three continent time zones!"

How exactly and for how long would this be sustainable, or is it an interim solution only?

Nearly every discussion on this subject veers toward the global war for talent. The headlines are full of the plans of global corporations who are hiring local talent.

Infosys Consulting was one of the first to be commended by Wired Magazine and Business 2.0 for turning the outsourcing myth on its head - for creating employment opportunities for local talent in the US, a market where jobs were rumored to be lost to outsourcing. Recently, Infosys has been in the headlines for its expansion strategies in Europe, where it will hire local talent.

All of this amounts to more than going 'glocal' -- growing your global footprint, or expanding your global presence. It seems to point more toward drawing on and developing local strengths to secure a global advantage.

Promoting inclusiveness is a strong element of becoming a flat world company. And some of that begins right here in India's hinterland. See this article in The Hindu for a local flavour of what it does for quality of life. The more widespread the opportunity, the wider the embrace of the flat world.

I agree with concept of flat world company. But Infosys gets most of its business from US and Europe (where it can fetch better rates) and does it in India at lower cost(where it is comfortable doing operations being an Indian company). This provides value add to customer by the way of lower cost at same or better quality. But this won't make it a really flat company. I think flat company is derisked in its global operations. That means for Infosys to become a true flat world company, its reliance on India has to reduce. So in a flat world, Infosys should provide multiple choices of countries and locations for executing operations. Although China and Check operations gives the company that edge.

Flat world companies have to integrate their over all operations in all verticals so that the entire business process will get productive.