Conquering the Chaos: Win in India, Win Everywhere
According to Venkatesan the market in India is a lead case for emerging markets; preparing for business in India is a global venture that requires not just "incremental evolution, but a paradigm shift." As a successful businessman who "build two billion dollar businesses for American companies in India" -Cummins Inc. and Microsoft- so Venkatesan is more than qualified to write this well-organized and thoughtful book. His main premise is that companies need to "win in India to be able to win everywhere else." The author patiently lays out steps corporations and their leaders must take to establish successful businesses in India, and includes several detailed case studies from companies as different as JCB ("India is the crown jewel in the JCB crown") and the lesser known Hindustan Unilever. The examples of creative solutions are fascinating; readers will learn why Microsoft India provides health insurance for employees and their parents and in-laws, and how McDonald's succeeds in a country where many Indians will not enter a restaurant if it serves beef or pork. Venkatesan also honestly and matter-of-factly addresses high levels of corruption in India, dryly adding that it is "far from being the most terrible country." This is a fascinating and informative book for anyone who wants to keep up on major trends in business.