Local to Global: Five key human aspects

The secret of success for Indian companies on a global stage lies in very human instincts, according to India Inc. columnist who looks at the psychology behind businesses. Apple CEO Tim Cook's recent visit to India was yet another rubber stamp of the promise that India is taking centre stage and making strides in terms of business growth. The Mercedes plant in Pune is also another leap of faith that India can aspire for quality. The globalisation of Indian-owned businesses is another testimony that these companies have the strength and capability to create influence and succeed. What are the ingredients for succeeding on a global platform The answer is straight forward! The journey from local to global is highly dependent on the quality of the human interaction. From my work in India and globally I have identified five areas that give local companies the strength to be successful globally.

• Skills: As the war for accomplished talent continues, India is perceived to be the powerhouse for talent. The testimony for this lies in India's growth exceeding China and top business schools in India are now amongst the top global providers. The establishment of the Sector Skills Councils to skill up people in different sectors confirms the readiness of the workforce to operate on a global platform. The health sector in India is expanding and is one of the prime destinations for medical tourism.
• Expertise: The outsourcing industry has helped put India on the global corporate map. The three most known companies are Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro. Companies like Mahindra & Mahindra are also among the top three tractor manufacturers in the world. The space mission and the successful launch on of the unmanned model space shuttle on May 23 is yet another example of the country′s 'Make In India' expertise.
• Customers: The rise in middle class families and the spending power of consumers to want the best of products has enabled familiarity with the global market place. This intelligence is important, as it enables the transition from local to global to be smooth. As most employee engagement studies show, employees can provide the lens of the customer. Technology, including the rise of ecommerce, too has helped bring 'global' to home soil.
• Enterprising: It is no secret that Silicon Valley benefitted from the enterprising mindset of talent from India. The success of any enterprise is innovation. India′s reputation for innovation is on the rise and many environmental projects are gaining recognition, thus demystifying the emphasis on BPOs and shared services.
• Global Footprint: Many MNCs have capitalised on their talent in India by giving people global roles. Their development in India as "International Managers" has enabled them to transition to global roles in North America and Europe. For a more personal example, Leena Nair, a client at Hindustan Unilever, is now Chief Human Resources Officer for Unilever globally. There are many such examples of migration.