“Nothing Succeeds like Success”

After we got our independence in 1947, we decided to pursue a mixed economy, established a strong planning infrastructure that encouraged public sector to lead the way in investment in key sectors. We protected our industry against competition from abroad by import restrictions and high tariffs and against competition from within by restrictive licensing policies and MRTP act.

Our country as a leader of the Non Alignment Movement (NAM) attempted to play a major role in international politics. But unfortunately this movement had as its members mostly underdeveloped and developing countries with little stature in the global political or economic landscape. Moreover, many of them for their own benefit found it difficult to be truly neutral and had mild or strong alignment with one or the other great powers. In this way the influence of NAM and India was not that significant through this avenue.

Thus for sometime post independence, we seemingly had nothing important to offer to the world at large and were therefore almost in isolation. In the mid eighties slowly and early nineties surely, our economy started to open up. Our Industries were not gobbled up by the Multi National Corporations as many feared. We demonstrated an ability to sustain an impressive growth of economy. Our markets were looking attractive; we realised that we had competitive advantage in many key fields; India became a country which could no longer be ignored.

Our President got one of the best welcomes when she visited UK last year. She was invited to stay in the palace with the queen. Four professors from Wharton visited and studied Indian Management practices and they have published a book called the “India Way”. As per Harvard Business Review “The authors explain how these innovations work within Indian companies, identifying those likely to remain indigenous and those that can be adapted to the Western context. With its in-depth analysis and research, The India Way offers valuable insights for all managers seeking to strengthen their organization's performance.”

As per another review “this book closely examines what Indian managers do differently and how their management innovations work, which of these innovations could be transferable to the Western context and ultimately how this new management model could one day modify or even supplant the old.”

Something like a management practice could not have evolved overnight. It would have been around for a long time. But, we now see a much elevated interest across the world for many things ‘Indian’. In fact, we have won more beauty contests since our economy has opened up in early nineties. Why this interest now? It is because we have become relevant.

Ours is a young and growing economy; our markets are large and more open; there are fairly strong institutions in many sectors. Today on the foundation of a stronger economy we are in a better position to get attention, to be heard and to influence; much more than any visionary or intellectual leaders could do as the head of a pauper state.

If we want to make a difference, as a country, a company or as an individual, we have to first establish our relevance in areas which are important to our target audience. The more importance or apparent importance we can project, the more influence we can exert. The relevance could be as a customer, as critical supplier, as a policy maker, as a fixer. as reference, as financier or a strong alley. But there has to be relevance.

This is not a prescription; but just an observation. This is not a value statement; but an expression of realisation. This is not peddling of a panacea; but sharing a reality of life. This may be the “Mathew Effect” that sociologist Robert K Merton propounded and made popular by Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers”. It is left to us to interpret and act on this in a way that makes sense to each of us.

For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. — Matthew 25:29