Think Flat

Dear stephen,
It is 12 days since the last blog. I believe that the world is flat is a blog intended to share Infosys thinking on the concept. I was thrilled at the introduction of this blog and thought that this blog will be a huge hit. But since its inception, there has not been any continuity in the posts. As a blogger i can say that if the blog is not continously updated, the readers will tend to ignore it. Also I find no other infoscion participating in the discussion. " Does it call for internal marketing?". Please update it regularly and encourage other infoscion to participate. " Ye dil Maange More"

Makes a very interesting read. And also makes me wonder who are you talking about!

Good one Stephan, so can we then call it a flat world with one end tilting towards India. In the recent past if you carefully look at the media coverage about India and the investment announcements by biggies like IBM, Intel etc it seems that the faith and commitments towards India are getting stronger day by day. It was interesting to read the article in Business week (during IBM’s Chief Executive Officer Samuel Palmisano’s visit to India, a few months back) where it talks about the challenge that IBM, Accenture and EDS are facing to attract fresh talent, where in the Infy/ Wipro/ TCS have not only been able to attract talent both laterally and fresh out of college but also been able to attract a lot of foreign nationals (…like your friend) and Indians willing to return to India.

You’re right when you say “he is moving where his belief is”. Dynamics have changed over the last few years; I remember the big ads by then big companies in India stating “For immediate requirement in US/UK” and a lot of engineers lined up for those kinds of jobs. Over a period of time the “Flat world” has given a level playing ground not just to the companies but also to the workforce that has today started to believe that having worked in Infy/ Wipro/ TCS in India today is as rewarding as it was to have worked for Accenture/IBM/ EDS/ Oracle once in valley.

One a different note however, the fact remains that if you look at the startups in the last couple of years, we have not been able to still give the same environment that Valley has been able to create / encourage. To give you and example, TIE at Bangalore is still full with lectures/ Lunch- Dinner meets with the guys who have made it big in Valley, a very different from the way TIE works in the Valley, where there are more open sessions by the startups where the VCs take part as audience, it not only works well but also gives inspiring insights to budding entrepreneurs. How many times have we heard of a young CEO in India who is not ashamed of the fact that it is his 3-4 start up (Exception of course being of Pradeep Kar).

It is definitely a flat world with an edge that we have “with an Indian story”; however we still need to encourage the culture of products and entrepreneurship to take it to the next level.

It was a great observation Mr. Stephen, the upwardly mobile guy from a 100 billion USD company has headed towards India for enriching his resume and future prospects (he is after all a direct reportee to the CEO). However, relocation in a big company has its financial rewards too. They are compensated very well, including through special allowances for adjustment and their "settling down" is very well facilitated. Expat executives also enjoy certain fringe benefits in India that normally make their stay in India very memorable. Moreover, India is a very happening place for tech businesses. One cannot afford to ignore the India experience. Nevertheless your entry makes an interesting read and a great template for discussion.

However what fascinated me was the fact that the executive has packed his bags and his family is backing his move to India. Here we can note the whole hearted support given by the executive's wife and family. So full marks to the executive's wife too. She is certainly very co-operative with her hubby's decision to move to India. And we wish them a great stay in India.

By the way, Harish has commented that the blog is slow to pick up. Certainly the diffusion of any innovation requires time, for it to become a rage. Internal and external communication exercise will help the blog get more hits. But remember this blog move is a very rare corporate communication exercise and perhaps the first official corporate Indian blog. Even the tatas do not have a corporate blog.

It would be even more rewarding to augment this blog concept via posting of illustrations, photos and adding a social touch or character to the blog content. Later on some contest postings will help too.

It is good that infosys has come up with their own blog. And Stephen, i like your writing style. :)

Steven you are right, but the business needs to think forward and focus on innvoation. Compitetors emerge every day, if we are innovative and deliver new products than we have no worry of loosing customers. I would say Think Flat and Think Innovative Think Forward.

Steven, u r right.
But was this post some kind of a "Teaser Campaign"??
I wonder who the person is!!
:(