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Are Indian CEOs smarter than American CEOs?
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Are Indian CEOs smarter than American CEOs?
As the economic slowdown takes root across the world, business leaders everywhere are grappling with varying degrees of its intensity and depth.
While some countries are struggling with heavily contracting economies, others, like India, are seen as being in a more favourable position, having got away with merely trimmed-down growth. The global sentiment is highly favourable towards India right now.
Indian companies, for instance—until a decade or so ago relatively unknown outside the country—have come into focus over the last few years for their international competitiveness. The question therefore begs to be asked: Are Indian CEOs somehow better equipped than their Western counterparts to deal with crises? Are there unique characteristics in their style of management that offer them competitive advantage and are there lessons to be learnt for the American CEOs?
A new study, titled The DNA of Indian Leadership: The Governance, Management and Leadership of Leading Indian Firms conducted by four University of Pennsylvania management professors - Peter Cappelli, Harbir Singh, Jitendra Singh and Michael Useem, attempts to answer those questions.
At the recently concluded Times Ascent "HR Forum", Professor Harbir Singh summarised the findings of this paper. After all, who better than Singh, described as “the perfect knowledge bridge between the US and India” by ICICI’s Chief Human Resources Officer K Ramkumar, to draw these contrasts? Armed with degrees from IIT Delhi and IIM-A and short tenures in Philips India and Madura Coats, Singh set off for the US and joined the Wharton School faculty in 1984 where he is currently vice-dean of its global initiatives and chair of the Management Department.
Singh is a sought-after authority on innovation and undoubtedly, his reputation in India Inc’s most powerful corridors allowed him access, for the study, to some of India’s busiest CEOs, from Mukesh Ambani to NR Narayana Murthy. What emerged from those discussions, he said, is that the Indian management style is highly distinctive.
Each CEO in the study was asked a set of questions about leadership competencies, competitive advantage and corporate governance. "One very unique difference," said Singh, "is that Indian leaders think in English, thanks to their Western educations, but act in an Indian context.
Source:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Corporate-Dossier/Are-Indian-CEOs-smarter-th
While some countries are struggling with heavily contracting economies, others, like India, are seen as being in a more favourable position, having got away with merely trimmed-down growth. The global sentiment is highly favourable towards India right now.
Indian companies, for instance—until a decade or so ago relatively unknown outside the country—have come into focus over the last few years for their international competitiveness. The question therefore begs to be asked: Are Indian CEOs somehow better equipped than their Western counterparts to deal with crises? Are there unique characteristics in their style of management that offer them competitive advantage and are there lessons to be learnt for the American CEOs?
A new study, titled The DNA of Indian Leadership: The Governance, Management and Leadership of Leading Indian Firms conducted by four University of Pennsylvania management professors - Peter Cappelli, Harbir Singh, Jitendra Singh and Michael Useem, attempts to answer those questions.
At the recently concluded Times Ascent "HR Forum", Professor Harbir Singh summarised the findings of this paper. After all, who better than Singh, described as “the perfect knowledge bridge between the US and India” by ICICI’s Chief Human Resources Officer K Ramkumar, to draw these contrasts? Armed with degrees from IIT Delhi and IIM-A and short tenures in Philips India and Madura Coats, Singh set off for the US and joined the Wharton School faculty in 1984 where he is currently vice-dean of its global initiatives and chair of the Management Department.
Singh is a sought-after authority on innovation and undoubtedly, his reputation in India Inc’s most powerful corridors allowed him access, for the study, to some of India’s busiest CEOs, from Mukesh Ambani to NR Narayana Murthy. What emerged from those discussions, he said, is that the Indian management style is highly distinctive.
Each CEO in the study was asked a set of questions about leadership competencies, competitive advantage and corporate governance. "One very unique difference," said Singh, "is that Indian leaders think in English, thanks to their Western educations, but act in an Indian context.
Source:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Corporate-Dossier/Are-Indian-CEOs-smarter-th
