Doing Business in India

C. Lakshman is currently Professor of International Management at Tongji University, Shanghai, China. Lakshman’s work has appeared in various journals such as Journal of International Business Studies and Journal of Management Studies. His main areas of research interest are leadership, knowledge management, decision making in organizations, Strategic HRM, and Organizational theory.

• List of figuresList of tablesPrefaceAbout the authorEndorsements1: Why India?AbstractDoing business in India: a strategic framework2: The institutional contextAbstractChallenges provided by the institutional context: case exampleThe role of government in institutionsImplications for MNCs3: The macroeconomic contextAbstractPath from mixed economy to liberalized capitalismTowards a free market economyInflationFiscal deficit in IndiaMain sectors of the economyThe informal economy4: Political particularities in IndiaAbstractParliamentary democracy in IndiaFederalism in IndiaBusiness implications of federalism5: Profile of consumers and markets in IndiaAbstractContrasting consumer values in India6: Strategies adapted to Indian needsAbstractIndustry life cycle and stagesCase example: Reliance Retail5Discussion questionsFinancial highlights7: Rural India and bottom-of-the-pyramid marketsAbstractIndia’s cultural rootsBoP markets in rural IndiaSpecial challenges in rural marketsCase example: ITC and India’s BoP marketsConclusionAppendix ITC’s triple bottom line achievement8: Competitive advantage of IndiaAbstractOpportunities for MNCs in this sector9: Leadership of Indian intellectual capitalAbstractLeadership for technological progress in IndiaLeadership for the rights of self-determinationLeadership for total revolutionLeadership for business and economic developmentDesirable leadership qualities in IndiaKnowledge leadership for MNC managers in India10: Organization and control systems for IndiaAbstractOrganizational structure to match India strategyControl systems11: Successful HRM for IndiaAbstractFlexibility for businesses v. problems of contract laborWages, workers’ rights, and union recognitionKey HRM challenges in IndiaBest HRM practices in IndiaCompensation and reward systemsIntegrating an Indian JV partner post acquisitionCultural knowledge-sharing mechanismsReferencesFurther readingIndex