During the two weeks travelling in India, we visited 14 multinational and national companies in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. I don’t foresee myself travelling back to India unless it is for business. For the most part, my takeaway from India involves 114 degree weather, dusty streets always under construction but never completed, and very intelligent people who are not great at focusing on one task and getting it done. My best examples of this include the waiters I would ask at least five times for a coffee while eating my breakfast. The waiter would always respond in perfect English, “with milk?” I would say, “yes with milk.” Ten minutes later I would ask about the coffee. “With milk?” He would ask. “Yes with milk.” I would respond. This little dance would continue throughout breakfast until it was time for me to run, without coffee. Another example of poor follow-through entails the Ginger Hotel staff that provided one towel for a two-person room the entire week of our stay. Every evening I would walk downstairs and request another towel. Every time I would be asked why I need another towel. Every time I would respond, “two people, one towel.” Then we would go through a routine where I asked if I could just take the towel with me- because a pile of them sat on a cart a meter from where I stood. The staff member would then ask me what room I was in. I would tell him. Then he would say, “I’ll bring it up.” Sometimes he would, sometimes he would not.
When reflecting on my frustrations dealing with what I refer to as ‘the Indian run-around,’ I ask myself, “Am I being ethnocentric?” In response to this, I honestly believe the correct answer is, “no.” I have travelled a fair amount and I pride myself in my kindness and patience with people around the world. To be fair, ‘the Indian run-around’ is not much different than the Brazilian run-around, or the Thai run-around. The key to frustration lies in the fact that the Indian people can look you in the eye and respond to you in perfect English, but still fall short of delivery. This is a generalization and there is no one size fits all statement; this is simply my experience in the meager two weeks spent in India.
When I was in the Delhi airport with Gao waiting for our flight to Shanghai, I started bs-ing with a guy next to me who had an American accent. He was originally from Missouri and had worked oversees with Caterpillar for the past twenty years. We were talking about construction and he said, “This is where it’s happening man. From the New Delhi airport, ½ of the world’s population is within a five-hour flight. China alone harbors ½ of the world’s tower cranes. Heavy equipment sales are dropping in the west, and growing rapidly in the east.” With the revaluation of the Chinese currency, it is apparent the nation is beginning to accept its new position on the economic food chain. China is no longer the cheapest place to manufacture goods. Wages for the common man continue to increase and multinationals are beginning to pull up operations and move them to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Multinational corporations are coming to India and China for a new reason: consumer demand. The combined population of these two nations is 2.6 billion. Historically, the people of these two countries were savers- they did not buy on credit because there was no credit, and they did not feel the need to go shopping and consume. However, the youth of China and India have completely different habits. They shop and spend on cell phones, clothes, autos- you name it- creating the highest population of consumers of any two nations combined. So corporations are coming here to sell. This is especially powerful in India. Sixty percent of the Indian population is below the age of thirty, creating a pyramid when looking at the age demographics of the Indian population. China’s population is actually an upside down pyramid; most of the population is elderly- this is a product of the ‘one-child policy.’ Regardless, no matter how you roll the dice, the BRIC nations (Brasil, Russia, India, and China) are considered the global regions of substantial economic growth. The GDP of China and India are growing at 8 to 10 percent per year. This is a significant statistic, and we were told this numerous times on our MBA trip in India. However, I agree with my friend, Vitus, who would respond to this statement, “I have a piggy bank at home that I put loose change in. It’s growing at 10% per year as well.” In other words, the emerging BRIC economies are growing fast, but they still have a long way to go.
If I could wish one thing for India, I would wish the people of India develop a sense of pride. I, again, want to warn this to not be taken as a statement of ethnocentrism. As a matter of parity, I will use China as the country of comparison. Although China is a much older nation, both India and China are voluminous emerging nations with massive populations. In my wish for pride, I would hope the Indian people could clean up their garbage, quit patronizing a system of bribes and corruption, and quit defecating and urinating on the sidewalks. A half-mile from the Taj Mahal, our bus drove by a stream running under the road that was filled with black sludge, clogging the culvert with heaps of garbage. This was a stream flowing into the river ½ mile from the Taj Mahal- one of India’s most prized national monuments. Two days later, our class was treated to an exquisite tour of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. After the tour, we were set free to roam about. Michael Harroch and I walked around the hotel. Across from the hotel sits the historic Queens Gate. The plaza encompassing the Gate was littered with trash. Trash floated in large clumps on the ocean’s waves splashing against the plaza’s stone wall. It soon began raining. Harroch and I reentered the hotel and watched the tourists being splashed by trashy ocean water. He turned to me and said, “you know this big beautiful hotel is great, but it is kind of cheapened by all the trash surrounding it. Labor is so cheap here. If I owned this hotel, I would pay someone to clean up this area.” I agree with Harroch. In another example, I reflect on the walk Gao and I took around the Ginger Hotel in Delhi the first morning after our arrival. As we all know, it’s perfectly acceptable to urinate in the streets. Ok, fine. I like to take a leak in the streets myself, but numerous times on the trip, I nearly stepped in human feces. What? Human feces? Common, show some pride people. It is not necessary to defecate on the sidewalk just because you’re poor. I don’t believe 10% GDP growth is worth much if you’re still taking dumps on the sidewalk.
As far as the trip is concerned, Jay, Neetu, Adam, and BM did a great job. Regarding my personal self-reflection, I give myself and A- for the trip. I believe negative attitudes are contagious. I feel I brought a lot of positive energy and humor to the trip even if it did not agree with my personal take on things. It is much better to shrug your shoulders and say, “Oh well, what do ya do?” Rather than be a negative nancy and influence those around you. I definitely screwed up during the Taj Mahal visit. I should have taken more initiative to handle the situation in a more proactive fashion. I should have made more effort to communicate with the group that we were outside the Taj Mahal compound and could not return. I feel very guilty for making the class wait in 114 degree heat for thirty minutes My apologies.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Spring India Post: Russell Peters
After Dr. Carr posted a link for Joe Wong, and Chase asked about stand-up in India- I’m inspired to share Russell Peters with the group. His ‘Be a Man’ routine is funny as heck.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qtrAMK7_Qk
Like Joe Wong, Mr. Peters creates an environment that is safe to laugh at ourselves. We should send comedians as foreign diplomats. “Common, be a man! Do the right thing!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qtrAMK7_Qk
Like Joe Wong, Mr. Peters creates an environment that is safe to laugh at ourselves. We should send comedians as foreign diplomats. “Common, be a man! Do the right thing!”
The Wisdom of Crowds- book review
“The Wisdom of Crowds” by James Surowiecki is a fascinating study of social psychology. In a sense, the book gives merit to the ideology that the market is the best predictor- because it is the average of many positions. Surowiecki asserts that for a crowd to be a good predictor, it needs to be diverse, independent, and decentralized. This logic validates what was right in the manner by which President Obama formed his cabinet in comparison to the manner in which G. W. Bush formed his. Crowds are wise if they are diverse. In the case of the former, the administration fell to group-think, homogeneous group-think that is. Good news for neo-cons, bad news for the world. Surowiecki asserts that organizations, “must accept the crowd.” In other words, decision making can’t be centralized to the point that diversity in opinion is not heard.
“The Wisdom of Crowds” inadvertently tells us that statistics will become ever more powerful as we look for indicators of perception and value in the future. The devil lies in how we assimilate our population. Is the population diverse enough? Is it independent and decentralized enough? The point of the book is that given the right parameters, the information collected from the crowd dwarfs the power of information collected from one mad genius.
“The Wisdom of Crowds” inadvertently tells us that statistics will become ever more powerful as we look for indicators of perception and value in the future. The devil lies in how we assimilate our population. Is the population diverse enough? Is it independent and decentralized enough? The point of the book is that given the right parameters, the information collected from the crowd dwarfs the power of information collected from one mad genius.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Story of India- 20 Questions
The Ganges River:
1. Why did the ganges river become such an important part of Hinduism? How do Hindus show their reverence for the Ganges River?
The Ganges River has long been an important part of Hinduism. The river is mentioned in the Rig-Veda, which is one of the earliest Hindu scriptures. It is said that the famous king Bhagiratha practiced Tapasya, which is known as spiritual suffering or austerity, for years to bring the river down from the heavens. It is believed that the river Ganga came down to the earth through a lock of hair of the God Shiva.
Hindus pay respect to the river in many ways. Families spread ashes of lost family members in the river. Many Hindus are compelled to bathe in the Ganges at least once in their lifetime as a religious tradition. It is considered a prestigious mark for a Hindu family to have a small amount of water from the Ganges in their homes. It is also common for Hindus to show their reverence for the river by paying tribute to its many temples and holding festivals along the river’s banks.
2. The word Karma is often used in American popular culture. What are its Hindu origins? Is the adoption of religious concepts in a secular context disrespectful towards the original religion?
Karma itself is a deed or act correlating to the cause and effect that governs all life. Karma is produced through thoughts, words, and actions. One of the earliest uses of the concept of Karma is found in the poem Bhagavad Gita. The poem proposes an ethical dilemma discovered by Arjuna before a battle. Two other Hindu movements, Vedanta and Tantra, further developed the concept of Karma. The adoption of Karma, a religious concept, in secular contexts does not necessarily mean disrespect of the original religion. Karma itself is appears to many as a philosophically moral sound way to live one’s life, even if it is a secular life. Mindfulness of one’s thoughts, words, and actions in a constructive sense is not a bad thing. The problem arises when pop-culture misunderstands and misuses the very fundamentals of the concept.
Tamil Nadu:
3. Why did the British find the region so valuable?
The British found the region of interest as a consequence of The East India Company’s (EIC) involvement with the area. The EIC and national British involvement stems primarily out of imperial quests for natural resources not found in other parts of the world. These natural resources and raw materials were sequestered and exported primarily to Europe. Therefore, the area was primarily valuable to the British for its trade ports. In 1640, the EIC established a factory in Chennai capitalizing on a labor force to produce goods sent off to Europe.
4. What did the Romans trade with Tamil Nadu?
In the 1st century AD the Roman historian Pliny grew concerned at the way the empire’s gold flowed ever to the east, and set out to expose the truth and undercut the Arab monopolists, who he reckoned to be selling pepper at prices a hundred times what they paid for it in India. It did not help that the gluttonous Romans were, in the words of Frederic Rosengarten, a spice historian, “the most extravagant users of aromatics in history”. They used spices in every imaginable combination for their foods, wines and fragrances. Legionaries headed off to battle wearing perfume. The rich slept on pillows of saffron in the belief that it would cure hangovers. Resentment against the Arab stranglehold had led Rome to launch an invasion of Arabia in 24BC, an ill-fated expedition that ended in humiliation. But where military means failed, market intelligence prevailed.
The Romans traded extensively with the Tamil Nadu region. The Romans traded for rare and coveted commodities like spices, ivory, timber, pearls and gems. The kingdom of Cheras, comprised of the modern state of Kerala and parts of the Malabar, maintained extensive trade relations with the Roman Empire. Sea proximity substantially favored trade with the Romans. The Tamil Nadu region also maintained diplomatic contacts with the Roman Empire.
Kerala:
5. How has the treatment of Jews in India been different from the treatment of Jews in other places in the world? What explains this?
India is one of the few regions in the world that can claim to be historically anti-Semitic. The only exception to this claim was Portuguese mistreatment of the Jewish community in the fourteenth and fifteenth century. The Bene Jewish group existed in India for over 2,400 years. The Hindu religion doesn’t try to convert those from other faiths. It is said that the concept of anti-Semitism is foreign to many Indians.
6. Why has boat building been such an important part of India’s history?
Trade is the major reason boat building has been such an important part of India’s history. India reigned as the “Proud Mistress of the Eastern Seas” for almost 4200 years. This was disrupted by Europe and the East India Company who prohibited the construction of large ships. India built the first tidal dock in the world in 2300 B.C. India’s 3700 miles of coast hosted over 200 ports with boat building capacity.
Trade:
7. Why has India been an important center of trade?
India has been an important center of trade primarily because of its vast and unique resources not found in many parts of the world. India’s overall benevolence towards foreigners helped facilitate its trade relations. Moreover (and previously noted), India’s 3700 miles of coast line and 200 ports made it accessible to international importers. Key Indian exports that contributed to its trading significance were cotton textiles, delicately inlayed hardwood furniture, meticulously made carpets/rugs, ornamentally cut stones, ivory, pearls, and diamonds. Delhi’s markets hosted high quality rice, sugar, wheat, and betel leaves. In addition, well-maintained roads linked regional trade throughout India and it’s neighboring nations.
8. What importance did spices play in the development of trade? What eventually ended the European demand for Indian spices?
Spices played an enormous role in the development of trade, not only in India, but also European and Arab nations. It is documented that Egyptian rulers fed spices to laborers in order to give them strength during the construction of the great pyramids in 2600 BC. Egypt also maintained a strong demand for cassia and cinnamon because they were essential for embalming. Anise, margoram, and cumin were used in Egypt to rinse the innards of worthy dead. Hammurabi’s strict legal code encouraged physicians to use medicinal spices for surgery. The ability of spices to preserve food, or make poorly preserved food edible created a high European demand for Indian pepper. The pepper trade itself pitted many European nations against one another in a quest to monopolize its distribution. Many centuries AD, Indian pepper was so coveted that it traded at a one-to-one exchange rate with gold. For this reason many of the European powers saw their gold reserves move from the west to the east in exchange for spices. For many centuries the Arabs acted as middlemen in the spice trade. The Arabs went to great lengths to keep the origin of pepper and other spices a mystery. The Roman Empire invaded Arabia in 24 BC to uncover the origin of the Arabian pepper trade. The Roman invasion failed, but high prices in Europe continued to drive the discovery of trade routes to India through the middle ages. Spain, Portugal, the Dutch, and Britain all competed vigorously to secure monopolization of the spice trade. This competition shaped not only the Indian spice trade but also shaped relations between these nations.
The European demand for Indian spices eventually declined as the once limited and geocentric resources were dispersed to other regions in the world with similar climates. It is important to note that India still maintains the high end of the pepper market because India’s pepper is differentiated as a product of the monsoon seasons. As spices became distributed around the globe, India’s geographic competitive advantage gave way to global competition.
9. What was the significance of Vasco da Gama’s arrival in Calicut?
Vasco da Gama’ s arrival in Calicut mapped a sea trade route that would be exploited heavily by European powers. This also led to the colonization of the east coast of Africa by the Portuguese. East Africa was of interest because of port locations used to facilitate the trade route.
10. Who did the British East India Company employ to assist in its domination of India?
The BEIC is regarded as the first imperial corporation. It employed British power, through military and economic tactics to dominate and monopolize the Indian marketplace. It used this clout to undermine the power of local rulers through coups and bribery. It employed a small but effective army to gain territorial and economic control of regions throughout India.
11. How might people of the United States react to a corporation given the authority to govern another country?
It’s arguable this scenario is not entirely new to US history. Most recently the Coca-Cola company has condemned by multiple human rights organizations for its use of US trained paramilitary to assassinate union leaders at its Colombia plants. PBS story found at following link: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/fellows/colombia0106/ , a advocacy site: http://killercoke.org/ , and a npr story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5170745 . Though these abuses are not as obscene as the BEIC’s, I contend that the majority of the American public could care less about the past and current sovereignty infringements of US based MNC’s.
Religion:
12. Which Hindu god fascinates you the most?
Siddhārtha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, fascinates me the most. His teachings of wisdom and compassion are of the highest value. Mindfulness of our thoughts, words, and actions are central teachings of Buddha.
Taj Mahal:
13. What was the Taj Mahal built to represent?
The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum housing his best wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal was created as an earthly replica, representing the house of Mumtaz in paradise.
14. What architectural aspect do you find most impressive?
I find the marble dome to be the most impressive feature of the Taj Mahal. I am excited to see the gilded finial atop the dome in-person.
1. Why did the ganges river become such an important part of Hinduism? How do Hindus show their reverence for the Ganges River?
The Ganges River has long been an important part of Hinduism. The river is mentioned in the Rig-Veda, which is one of the earliest Hindu scriptures. It is said that the famous king Bhagiratha practiced Tapasya, which is known as spiritual suffering or austerity, for years to bring the river down from the heavens. It is believed that the river Ganga came down to the earth through a lock of hair of the God Shiva.
Hindus pay respect to the river in many ways. Families spread ashes of lost family members in the river. Many Hindus are compelled to bathe in the Ganges at least once in their lifetime as a religious tradition. It is considered a prestigious mark for a Hindu family to have a small amount of water from the Ganges in their homes. It is also common for Hindus to show their reverence for the river by paying tribute to its many temples and holding festivals along the river’s banks.
2. The word Karma is often used in American popular culture. What are its Hindu origins? Is the adoption of religious concepts in a secular context disrespectful towards the original religion?
Karma itself is a deed or act correlating to the cause and effect that governs all life. Karma is produced through thoughts, words, and actions. One of the earliest uses of the concept of Karma is found in the poem Bhagavad Gita. The poem proposes an ethical dilemma discovered by Arjuna before a battle. Two other Hindu movements, Vedanta and Tantra, further developed the concept of Karma. The adoption of Karma, a religious concept, in secular contexts does not necessarily mean disrespect of the original religion. Karma itself is appears to many as a philosophically moral sound way to live one’s life, even if it is a secular life. Mindfulness of one’s thoughts, words, and actions in a constructive sense is not a bad thing. The problem arises when pop-culture misunderstands and misuses the very fundamentals of the concept.
Tamil Nadu:
3. Why did the British find the region so valuable?
The British found the region of interest as a consequence of The East India Company’s (EIC) involvement with the area. The EIC and national British involvement stems primarily out of imperial quests for natural resources not found in other parts of the world. These natural resources and raw materials were sequestered and exported primarily to Europe. Therefore, the area was primarily valuable to the British for its trade ports. In 1640, the EIC established a factory in Chennai capitalizing on a labor force to produce goods sent off to Europe.
4. What did the Romans trade with Tamil Nadu?
In the 1st century AD the Roman historian Pliny grew concerned at the way the empire’s gold flowed ever to the east, and set out to expose the truth and undercut the Arab monopolists, who he reckoned to be selling pepper at prices a hundred times what they paid for it in India. It did not help that the gluttonous Romans were, in the words of Frederic Rosengarten, a spice historian, “the most extravagant users of aromatics in history”. They used spices in every imaginable combination for their foods, wines and fragrances. Legionaries headed off to battle wearing perfume. The rich slept on pillows of saffron in the belief that it would cure hangovers. Resentment against the Arab stranglehold had led Rome to launch an invasion of Arabia in 24BC, an ill-fated expedition that ended in humiliation. But where military means failed, market intelligence prevailed.
The Romans traded extensively with the Tamil Nadu region. The Romans traded for rare and coveted commodities like spices, ivory, timber, pearls and gems. The kingdom of Cheras, comprised of the modern state of Kerala and parts of the Malabar, maintained extensive trade relations with the Roman Empire. Sea proximity substantially favored trade with the Romans. The Tamil Nadu region also maintained diplomatic contacts with the Roman Empire.
Kerala:
5. How has the treatment of Jews in India been different from the treatment of Jews in other places in the world? What explains this?
India is one of the few regions in the world that can claim to be historically anti-Semitic. The only exception to this claim was Portuguese mistreatment of the Jewish community in the fourteenth and fifteenth century. The Bene Jewish group existed in India for over 2,400 years. The Hindu religion doesn’t try to convert those from other faiths. It is said that the concept of anti-Semitism is foreign to many Indians.
6. Why has boat building been such an important part of India’s history?
Trade is the major reason boat building has been such an important part of India’s history. India reigned as the “Proud Mistress of the Eastern Seas” for almost 4200 years. This was disrupted by Europe and the East India Company who prohibited the construction of large ships. India built the first tidal dock in the world in 2300 B.C. India’s 3700 miles of coast hosted over 200 ports with boat building capacity.
Trade:
7. Why has India been an important center of trade?
India has been an important center of trade primarily because of its vast and unique resources not found in many parts of the world. India’s overall benevolence towards foreigners helped facilitate its trade relations. Moreover (and previously noted), India’s 3700 miles of coast line and 200 ports made it accessible to international importers. Key Indian exports that contributed to its trading significance were cotton textiles, delicately inlayed hardwood furniture, meticulously made carpets/rugs, ornamentally cut stones, ivory, pearls, and diamonds. Delhi’s markets hosted high quality rice, sugar, wheat, and betel leaves. In addition, well-maintained roads linked regional trade throughout India and it’s neighboring nations.
8. What importance did spices play in the development of trade? What eventually ended the European demand for Indian spices?
Spices played an enormous role in the development of trade, not only in India, but also European and Arab nations. It is documented that Egyptian rulers fed spices to laborers in order to give them strength during the construction of the great pyramids in 2600 BC. Egypt also maintained a strong demand for cassia and cinnamon because they were essential for embalming. Anise, margoram, and cumin were used in Egypt to rinse the innards of worthy dead. Hammurabi’s strict legal code encouraged physicians to use medicinal spices for surgery. The ability of spices to preserve food, or make poorly preserved food edible created a high European demand for Indian pepper. The pepper trade itself pitted many European nations against one another in a quest to monopolize its distribution. Many centuries AD, Indian pepper was so coveted that it traded at a one-to-one exchange rate with gold. For this reason many of the European powers saw their gold reserves move from the west to the east in exchange for spices. For many centuries the Arabs acted as middlemen in the spice trade. The Arabs went to great lengths to keep the origin of pepper and other spices a mystery. The Roman Empire invaded Arabia in 24 BC to uncover the origin of the Arabian pepper trade. The Roman invasion failed, but high prices in Europe continued to drive the discovery of trade routes to India through the middle ages. Spain, Portugal, the Dutch, and Britain all competed vigorously to secure monopolization of the spice trade. This competition shaped not only the Indian spice trade but also shaped relations between these nations.
The European demand for Indian spices eventually declined as the once limited and geocentric resources were dispersed to other regions in the world with similar climates. It is important to note that India still maintains the high end of the pepper market because India’s pepper is differentiated as a product of the monsoon seasons. As spices became distributed around the globe, India’s geographic competitive advantage gave way to global competition.
9. What was the significance of Vasco da Gama’s arrival in Calicut?
Vasco da Gama’ s arrival in Calicut mapped a sea trade route that would be exploited heavily by European powers. This also led to the colonization of the east coast of Africa by the Portuguese. East Africa was of interest because of port locations used to facilitate the trade route.
10. Who did the British East India Company employ to assist in its domination of India?
The BEIC is regarded as the first imperial corporation. It employed British power, through military and economic tactics to dominate and monopolize the Indian marketplace. It used this clout to undermine the power of local rulers through coups and bribery. It employed a small but effective army to gain territorial and economic control of regions throughout India.
11. How might people of the United States react to a corporation given the authority to govern another country?
It’s arguable this scenario is not entirely new to US history. Most recently the Coca-Cola company has condemned by multiple human rights organizations for its use of US trained paramilitary to assassinate union leaders at its Colombia plants. PBS story found at following link: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/fellows/colombia0106/ , a advocacy site: http://killercoke.org/ , and a npr story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5170745 . Though these abuses are not as obscene as the BEIC’s, I contend that the majority of the American public could care less about the past and current sovereignty infringements of US based MNC’s.
Religion:
12. Which Hindu god fascinates you the most?
Siddhārtha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, fascinates me the most. His teachings of wisdom and compassion are of the highest value. Mindfulness of our thoughts, words, and actions are central teachings of Buddha.
Taj Mahal:
13. What was the Taj Mahal built to represent?
The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum housing his best wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal was created as an earthly replica, representing the house of Mumtaz in paradise.
14. What architectural aspect do you find most impressive?
I find the marble dome to be the most impressive feature of the Taj Mahal. I am excited to see the gilded finial atop the dome in-person.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Globalization Re-visited
This post originated as a response to The 60 Minutes segment, “Out of India.” I remember seeing this when it first aired in 2004. India is the first developing country to achieve modern growth using a knowledge economy. Again, India’s growth is not only a product of its talent, but also its work ethic- its hustle- if you will. The more I reflect on this video, the more I see it as a preamble to a broad discussion on globalization.
Globalization has a negative connotation in circles on both the left and the right. The argument against globalization’s virtues is grounded on either the loss of US jobs, or the exploitation of developing countries. At the University of Montana, I ran with a crowd who abhorred the players in the WTO/World Economic Forum and turned to movements like the World Social Forum (WSF). The WSF has been held several times in Brasil, once in Kenya, Pakistan, Mali, Venezuela, and in 2004- Mumbai India. Well over 75,000 people attended the Mumbai WSF. Though not quite as compelling as Noam Chomsky speaking in Porto Alegre Brasil 2003, Joseph Stiglitz was a highlight speaker in Mumbai.
The movement originated as a response to the Washington Consensus and policies of the IMF and World Bank, which were seen as gouging the developing world. The premise of the organization is described as follows on the World Social Forum India website. http://www.wsfindia.org/ “The World Social Forum is not an organization, not a united front platform, but ‘…an open meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free exchange of experiences and inter-linking for effective action, by groups and movements of civil society that are opposed to neo- liberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a society centered on the human person.’”
However, globalization viewed closer to the center has many benefits as well as negatives. It’s difficult to determine the net impact. According to the 60 Minutes segment, “Out of India”, it is clear that globalization is improving the quality of life for millions- if not billions- of people in emerging nations like India and China. It is also allowing multinational corporations to enforce trade agreements that may override local governance and law. The verdict is still out concerning the benevolence of globalization, but its reality is undeniable. Polarization on the issue, like many issues, will not be beneficial moving forward. However, concessions on both sides of the argument are necessary to ensure the undeniable reality of globalization progresses for the benefit of multiple stakeholders.
Globalization has a negative connotation in circles on both the left and the right. The argument against globalization’s virtues is grounded on either the loss of US jobs, or the exploitation of developing countries. At the University of Montana, I ran with a crowd who abhorred the players in the WTO/World Economic Forum and turned to movements like the World Social Forum (WSF). The WSF has been held several times in Brasil, once in Kenya, Pakistan, Mali, Venezuela, and in 2004- Mumbai India. Well over 75,000 people attended the Mumbai WSF. Though not quite as compelling as Noam Chomsky speaking in Porto Alegre Brasil 2003, Joseph Stiglitz was a highlight speaker in Mumbai.
The movement originated as a response to the Washington Consensus and policies of the IMF and World Bank, which were seen as gouging the developing world. The premise of the organization is described as follows on the World Social Forum India website. http://www.wsfindia.org/ “The World Social Forum is not an organization, not a united front platform, but ‘…an open meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free exchange of experiences and inter-linking for effective action, by groups and movements of civil society that are opposed to neo- liberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a society centered on the human person.’”
However, globalization viewed closer to the center has many benefits as well as negatives. It’s difficult to determine the net impact. According to the 60 Minutes segment, “Out of India”, it is clear that globalization is improving the quality of life for millions- if not billions- of people in emerging nations like India and China. It is also allowing multinational corporations to enforce trade agreements that may override local governance and law. The verdict is still out concerning the benevolence of globalization, but its reality is undeniable. Polarization on the issue, like many issues, will not be beneficial moving forward. However, concessions on both sides of the argument are necessary to ensure the undeniable reality of globalization progresses for the benefit of multiple stakeholders.
Book Review: Billions of Entrepreneurs by Tarun Khanna
"Billions of Entrepreneurs- How China and India Are Reshaping Their Futures and Yours” written by Tarun Khanna is a laborious but informative read. Khanna speaks in great depth about China and India’s complementary strengths, and how “mutualism” between both nations can facilitate each other’s weaknesses. This contention is by no means new material. Fareed Zakaria also speaks to great depth on this concept in his book, "The Post American World." However, Khanna did go into depth in speaking about successful corporate leveraging of mutualism by America’s GE, China’s Huawei, and India’s Infosys.
Khanna reinforces the notion that the government is the entrepreneur in China. He describes the Chinese government as hierarchical and authoritarian, placing low priority on individual rights. He describes India as fervently democratic, often at the expense of efficiency. Moreover, Khanna contests that Indian entrepreneurs have little faith in the Indian government and try to avoid it at all costs. This, again, is not new information.
In addition, "Billions of Entrepreneurs" serves as a historic dialogue correlating similarities in both Chinese and Indian history. Khanna discusses the colonization of both countries by the British and other nations in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. He explores the significant political revolutions of both countries in the mid-20th century: China’s 1949 Communist revolution and Mao Zedong; India’s 1947 independence and Nehru.
Khanna also discusses the use of hard and soft power by China and India respectively. Again, this is not a new topic. China leverages its solidarity and might to secure regions of long-term resource interests. It has used strong-arm tactics with many of its neighbors, and unflinchingly forms alliances with despotic regimes in Africa and Asia. Meanwhile, India’s private sector has leveraged its success in its knowledge economy to gain global economic relevance. India’s capital markets are also strong and act as a market-based mechanism to incentivize competion within the country.
Overall, Khanna’s "Billions of Entrepreneurs" is a book worth reading- especially for the uninformed reader. To his credit, Khanna includes a plethora of nuance topics and ideas that may be new to informed readers. However, given the key points and takeaways from Khanna’s book, he could have afforded to remove at least a third of the arduous historic and economic verbiage that an informed reader should already know.
Khanna reinforces the notion that the government is the entrepreneur in China. He describes the Chinese government as hierarchical and authoritarian, placing low priority on individual rights. He describes India as fervently democratic, often at the expense of efficiency. Moreover, Khanna contests that Indian entrepreneurs have little faith in the Indian government and try to avoid it at all costs. This, again, is not new information.
In addition, "Billions of Entrepreneurs" serves as a historic dialogue correlating similarities in both Chinese and Indian history. Khanna discusses the colonization of both countries by the British and other nations in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. He explores the significant political revolutions of both countries in the mid-20th century: China’s 1949 Communist revolution and Mao Zedong; India’s 1947 independence and Nehru.
Khanna also discusses the use of hard and soft power by China and India respectively. Again, this is not a new topic. China leverages its solidarity and might to secure regions of long-term resource interests. It has used strong-arm tactics with many of its neighbors, and unflinchingly forms alliances with despotic regimes in Africa and Asia. Meanwhile, India’s private sector has leveraged its success in its knowledge economy to gain global economic relevance. India’s capital markets are also strong and act as a market-based mechanism to incentivize competion within the country.
Overall, Khanna’s "Billions of Entrepreneurs" is a book worth reading- especially for the uninformed reader. To his credit, Khanna includes a plethora of nuance topics and ideas that may be new to informed readers. However, given the key points and takeaways from Khanna’s book, he could have afforded to remove at least a third of the arduous historic and economic verbiage that an informed reader should already know.
Friday, December 11, 2009
The Post American World- Zakaria
Fareed Zakaria’s "The Post American World" serves as a sobering disclosure of the Emerging World Order. This notion works in contrast to G.H. Bush’s New World Order- asserting a post-cold war era in which the US acts as the lone superpower. The Emerging World Order however, depicts a multipolar power spectra. "The Post American World" makes clear the fact that the US was “dealt a pretty good hand.” A hand squandered by the missteps of the Bush administration, and an American public who re-elected the regime in 2004. Zakaria recalls how the US, from 2000-2008, “managed to destroy decades of international goodwill, alienate allies, and emboldened enemies while solving few of the international problems we face.” Regardless of the US’s dim-witted behavior exhibit during the Bush-era, Zakaria sculpts a globe of waning American influence not purely on the grounds of incompetence, but as a consequence of the “rise of the rest.” Zakaria navigates the cause and nature of the “rise of the rest,” while asserting that the US has not realized how much the rest has risen.
The “rest,” as Zakaria explains, are the rapidly developing economies spurred by the relatively, recent capitalization of strengths in the service and manufacturing sectors. We’re talking about the economies of India and China. Zakaria spends the fourth and fifth chapters discussing these emerging nations at length.
Zakaria’s unveiling of China is somewhat shocking when taken holistically. Viewing the ‘awakening giant’ on a five thousand year timeline, China is on a gradual, yet tactful path to superpower status. It appears that China is taking it time, and remains somewhat resistant to draw too much attention to itself and stand out too much. This notion is exhibited in China’s non-combative foreign policy. China is inwardly focused and does find reason in evangelizing other nations. China does not feel the need to help others solve their problems. Amid this shyness, Zakaria notes that China cannot help but to be forced to play a larger role in global diplomacy as its economy continues to grow at its thirty year historic rate between seven and ten percent. When discussing the decline of America’s economic influence, it is critical to note that the US should not see China as a threat. China’s rise is simply a statement in fact that as national economies grow, the global economic pie must shift. This shift rebalances economic percentages from the old to the emerging. As Zakaria notes, “China operates on so large a scale that it can’t help changing the nature of the game.”
One of my few complaints of Zakaria when discussing China was the manner in which he glossed over China’s relations in Africa, specifically Darfur. Although, Zakaria was approaching the circumstances objectively, I felt he gave too much credence to the Chinese perspective on its dealings with a regime that is committing genocide. Zakaria, however, was very blunt in stating that China’s greatest weakness is its fear of social unrest.
Zakaria’s discussion of India was honest and insightful. Born in Mumbai, Zakaria does not flinch to speak critically and admirably of his country of origin. Zakaria emphasized India’s diversity. He sees both strengths and weakness in this diversity. The commingling of people with different traditions and ideas obviously breeds a culture that is vibrant and multifaceted. However, Zakaria writes that this diversity creates strong regionalism in India’s political process. The consequence of this is that national politics are defined by the pursuit of regional interests as opposed to national. Zakaria is quite definitive when emphasizing India’s strengths and how they appeal to the business community. India has a stable justice system. There is established rule of law, defined private property rights, and independent courts that enforce contracts. Zakaria makes no mistake in referencing the magnitude and growth of India’s private sector. He also makes firm India’s competitive advantage of a English speaking public who works hard while exhibiting superb business skills.
Zakaria is not necessarily hard on the US, even though he is very matter-of-fact about its recent failures. Zakaria brings light to a previously asserted statistic that “China produces 600,000 engineers a year, India 350,000 and the United States only 70,000.” This, however, is only true if you include auto mechanics and industrial repairman. In fact, Zakaria states, “the US actually trains more engineers per capita than either India or China does.” Zakaria also points out that the US has an extreme competitive advantage in its higher education. He states, “With 5 percent of the world’s population, the United States absolutely dominates higher education, having either 42 or 68 percent of the world’s top 50 universities.” Zakaria is also optimistic when predicting the US’s position in the emerging world order. He still views the US as a preferable director in multilateral affairs to China even if the Chinese economy surpasses that of the US. Zakaria essentially states that the US is not going to be kicked to the curb by the emerging world order; it simply needs to adapt and adjust its worldview. Closing with text from page 44 that reinforces this view, “…that will be possible only if Washington can show that it is willing to allow other countries to become stakeholders in the new order. In today's international order, progress means compromise. No country will get its way entirely.”
The “rest,” as Zakaria explains, are the rapidly developing economies spurred by the relatively, recent capitalization of strengths in the service and manufacturing sectors. We’re talking about the economies of India and China. Zakaria spends the fourth and fifth chapters discussing these emerging nations at length.
Zakaria’s unveiling of China is somewhat shocking when taken holistically. Viewing the ‘awakening giant’ on a five thousand year timeline, China is on a gradual, yet tactful path to superpower status. It appears that China is taking it time, and remains somewhat resistant to draw too much attention to itself and stand out too much. This notion is exhibited in China’s non-combative foreign policy. China is inwardly focused and does find reason in evangelizing other nations. China does not feel the need to help others solve their problems. Amid this shyness, Zakaria notes that China cannot help but to be forced to play a larger role in global diplomacy as its economy continues to grow at its thirty year historic rate between seven and ten percent. When discussing the decline of America’s economic influence, it is critical to note that the US should not see China as a threat. China’s rise is simply a statement in fact that as national economies grow, the global economic pie must shift. This shift rebalances economic percentages from the old to the emerging. As Zakaria notes, “China operates on so large a scale that it can’t help changing the nature of the game.”
One of my few complaints of Zakaria when discussing China was the manner in which he glossed over China’s relations in Africa, specifically Darfur. Although, Zakaria was approaching the circumstances objectively, I felt he gave too much credence to the Chinese perspective on its dealings with a regime that is committing genocide. Zakaria, however, was very blunt in stating that China’s greatest weakness is its fear of social unrest.
Zakaria’s discussion of India was honest and insightful. Born in Mumbai, Zakaria does not flinch to speak critically and admirably of his country of origin. Zakaria emphasized India’s diversity. He sees both strengths and weakness in this diversity. The commingling of people with different traditions and ideas obviously breeds a culture that is vibrant and multifaceted. However, Zakaria writes that this diversity creates strong regionalism in India’s political process. The consequence of this is that national politics are defined by the pursuit of regional interests as opposed to national. Zakaria is quite definitive when emphasizing India’s strengths and how they appeal to the business community. India has a stable justice system. There is established rule of law, defined private property rights, and independent courts that enforce contracts. Zakaria makes no mistake in referencing the magnitude and growth of India’s private sector. He also makes firm India’s competitive advantage of a English speaking public who works hard while exhibiting superb business skills.
Zakaria is not necessarily hard on the US, even though he is very matter-of-fact about its recent failures. Zakaria brings light to a previously asserted statistic that “China produces 600,000 engineers a year, India 350,000 and the United States only 70,000.” This, however, is only true if you include auto mechanics and industrial repairman. In fact, Zakaria states, “the US actually trains more engineers per capita than either India or China does.” Zakaria also points out that the US has an extreme competitive advantage in its higher education. He states, “With 5 percent of the world’s population, the United States absolutely dominates higher education, having either 42 or 68 percent of the world’s top 50 universities.” Zakaria is also optimistic when predicting the US’s position in the emerging world order. He still views the US as a preferable director in multilateral affairs to China even if the Chinese economy surpasses that of the US. Zakaria essentially states that the US is not going to be kicked to the curb by the emerging world order; it simply needs to adapt and adjust its worldview. Closing with text from page 44 that reinforces this view, “…that will be possible only if Washington can show that it is willing to allow other countries to become stakeholders in the new order. In today's international order, progress means compromise. No country will get its way entirely.”
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