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National Development advantage in any market will always move, like water, to the lowest-cost resource. So the secret for long-term success is not to aim for a low price, but to deliver good value for money. If the value proposition is right, the price can rise and we all benefit. From price to value This was the course of the Indian IT industry. It has built on its value-forthe-money coding and added genuine, world-class expertise in design and consultancy, not least by anticipating the needs of global businesses and developing skills in advance. A recent McKinsey Quarterly report confirmed that, today, leading US companies in the financial sector and other industries create offshore partnerships to achieve far more than cost-reduction; they are taking advantage of the distinctive skills and high performance on offer. That is, they are in search of value overall. The report further quantifies the nature of this competitive advantage: "Most leading Indian IT outsourcing firms operate at level five—the highest degree of expertise—of the IT service capability maturity model (CMM)." Most internal IT departments, by contrast, in the United States have reached levels two and three. As a result, according to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Indian IT and ITES (Information Technology Enabled Services) industries are expected to achieve exports of US$13 billion in 2003/4. India, today, is the worlds service provider. Its global market share in off shore services stands at 24 per cent and the government predicts revenues of US$148 billion by 2012, a staggering figure. Can this be achieved Commitment to change Through a continuation of the process, which has driven the educational structure over the last 30 years it can be achieved. That is, by reaping the benefit of Indias intellectual capital. Indias colleges and universities produce three million graduates a year, of “The goal of education is not to create individuals who can reiterate today’s knowledge, but to empower them to describe new solutions to new challenges.” who 520,000 qualify in IT subjects, largely from educational institutions rated very highly on a global standard. That has not happened by accident; educational authorities, at every level, have responded to the calls of industry and have adjusted curricula to developing needs. Today, Indias education system is adapting as rapidly as the changing global business environment — a process rarely matched by its competitors. The companies that drive Indias IT success demonstrate their commitment to raising general education standards by investing heavily to recruit the right staff, but this is enlightened self-interest. Many Indian-based IT companies staff, for example, include a high percentage with masters degrees or doctorates, 19 per cent and two per cent respectively, in my own companys case. Enlightened self-interest continues after hiring. There are induction programmes, ongoing training, personal and leadership development and active encouragement to add further formal qualifications. Figure 1: Ongoing education is a key element in the Indian sector. A key element of this process is to integrate the employee into the corporate culture, thus building team work and a strong sense of customer loyalty. Programmes of this sort, naturally, build on the strengths of the Indian character, because this is at the core of the Indian IT proposition. There is a strong organisational/business focus but, more broadly, the staff acquires general interpersonal and behavioural skills and all the other attributes necessary to work globally. Necessarily, since Indian IT today is inherently outward facing, its software exports represent no less than 79 per cent of sales. Moreover, the critical success factor in its move from bodyshop to partner lies in comprehending not only technical requirements but also, across styles and cultures, the way in which client companies operate. Active encouragement of education and development continues throughout the employees career. Most major Indian IT companies, for example, have formed alliances with leading educational establishments around the world. Skills and value This process is about far more than formal qualifications. Indian IT has won widespread international market respect by reacting fast to changing situations and developing human resources to match. Illustratively, the use of Siebel software to create sophisticated customer relationship management systems emerged several years ago as a major trend. It provides all the tools necessary for leading edge solutions. However, the problem is, there is a world shortage of consultants with sufficient knowledge in depth to be able to specify, design and implement such systems. As demand has soared, Indias neural network has been well placed to exploit the opportunity. This trend is paralleled across the COTS (Customised Off The Shelf packages) sector, as major telecommunications customers seek to changeover old legacy and proprietary formats. Other examples 14
Advertorial - IT Solutions IT Solutions Visit the Annual IT Event in Hong Kong - Coming up with Latest Business IT Solutions Presenting the latest selected business software / applications from Asia Pacific regions, the Asia Pacific IT Solutions Expo 2004–"Solutions Expo"– organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council and Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from December 8–11, 2004. technology, led by EPCglobal HK, will be found at the EPC / RFID Pavilion where they will find a full range of EPC network technologies, and advanced applications for a variety of industries. Practical insight into business enhancement using IT, as well as outstanding IT solutions from 14 countries in Asia Pacific region will be found in the APICTA area. Showcase Solutions Expo provides a one-stop sourcing and information exchange venue where companies can learn about information technology they can use to upgrade their operations and meet the global leaders in the field. Solutions Expo will display the latest IT solutions, system, software / applications and related consulting services for all business sectors, spanning Communications & Network, Retail Management, Workflow Management, Information Security, Multimedia & IT Training and E- Logistics. On-site Forum The thematic on-site forum will be devoted to total solutions for different aspects of a wide range of industries. It will feature sections on Retailing, Outsourcing, Manufacturers Solutions, SME, Information Security, Enterprise Solutions / Application Software, EPC/RFID, and E-Commerce / M-Commerce. Visitors will be able to easily find the perfect match for their business needs. Concurrent Events More than a local expo, one can visit the Asia Pacific ICT Awards, the Hong Kong International Computer Conference 2004, and the Health Informatics Conference, all to be held concurrently. For further details and pre-registration, please visit www.solutions-expo.com Pavilions To cope with global accuracy and efficiency standards, Solutions Expo will cover newly launched international software and applications. Companies pursuing RFID 15
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