Doing Business in India
A Framework for Strategic Understanding
Chandos Asian Studies Series

A comprehensive look at understanding India with a strategic framework that can be readily used for doing business in this market is needed. Doing Business in India discusses the cultural and consumer profile of the people of India and how these fit into the macroeconomic context. The analytical framework provided and illustrated with real case examples spans domains such as the institutional context of the country (full of voids and amazing peculiarities) and the interesting federalist political framework in a country with many states. Based on this foundation, the book introduces the business strategies appropriate for both rural and urban markets in India. The following chapters cover the successful implementation of these strategies in India. The remaining chapters focus on successful cross-cultural management of Indian managers and employees, the appropriate types of leadership required for managing the Indian workforce, the types of managerial control systems likely to be successful in this country, and the HRM practices that can help companies to win in this market.

• List of figures
• List of tables
• Preface
• About the author
• Endorsements
• 1: Why India?
  • Abstract
  • Doing business in India: a strategic framework
• 2: The institutional context
  • Abstract
  • Challenges provided by the institutional context: case example
  • The role of government in institutions
  • Implications for MNCs
• 3: The macroeconomic context
  • Abstract
  • Path from mixed economy to liberalized capitalism
  • Towards a free market economy
  • Inflation
  • Fiscal deficit in India
  • Main sectors of the economy
  • The informal economy
• 4: Political particularities in India
  • Abstract
  • Parliamentary democracy in India
  • Federalism in India
  • Business implications of federalism
• 5: Profile of consumers and markets in India
  • Abstract
  • Contrasting consumer values in India
• 6: Strategies adapted to Indian needs
  • Abstract
  • Industry life cycle and stages
  • Case example: Reliance Retail⁵
  • Discussion questions
  • Financial highlights
• 7: Rural India and bottom-of-the-pyramid markets
  • Abstract
  • India’s cultural roots
  • BoP markets in rural India
  • Special challenges in rural markets
  • Case example: ITC and India’s BoP markets
  • Conclusion
  • Appendix ITC’s triple bottom line achievement
• 8: Competitive advantage of India
  • Abstract
  • Opportunities for MNCs in this sector
• 9: Leadership of Indian intellectual capital
  • Abstract
  • Leadership for technological progress in India
  • Leadership for the rights of self-determination
  • Leadership for total revolution
  • Leadership for business and economic development
  • Desirable leadership qualities in India
  • Knowledge leadership for MNC managers in India
• 10: Organization and control systems for India
  • Abstract
  • Organizational structure to match India strategy
  • Control systems
• 11: Successful HRM for India
  • Abstract
  • Flexibility for businesses v. problems of contract labor
  • Wages, workers’ rights, and union recognition
  • Key HRM challenges in India
  • Best HRM practices in India
  • Compensation and reward systems
  • Integrating an Indian JV partner post acquisition
  • Cultural knowledge-sharing mechanisms
• References
• Further reading
• Index

• Offers a unique and exclusive focus on India
• Focus on political particularities in India crucial for understanding success models
• Explores the overall strategic framework for better strategy formulation in context
• Focus on strategy implementation issues (leadership, HRM, organizational systems)
• Includes cases not found in other sources