Articles 1 to 10 of 21
Read It and Weep: Will Amazon's Kindle Succeed in India?
It certainly hasn't started a fire. Before last month's India launch of the Kindle, the e-book reader from Amazon, local media gave it top billing. But any hopes for a big splash quickly diminished, because the price and the services on offer indicated to many that -- like Apple with its ill-fated iPhone launch -- Amazon doesn't have a clear strategy for the Indian market. Others suggest that Amazon is merely "testing the waters" without the expectation of widespread initial adoption. Still, limited broadband accessibility and price sensitivities regarding books and subscriptions mean that the Kindle has a long way to go in the Indian market.
Kosmix: Searching the Web for Content -- Not Popularity
This week, following a tumultuous 18-month courtship, Microsoft and Yahoo finally consummated a deal to meld their search services and online advertising technologies. According to Kosmix co-founder Venky Harinarayan, however, the only way to shake up the online search game and gain market share is to "change the definition of search." Unlike Google, which ranks sites according to popularity, Mountain View, Calif.-based Kosmix drills deep into particular topics, or "verticals," drawing on content across the web to create what Harinarayan refers to as a "browsing experience" for the user. Harinarayan spoke with India Knowledge@Wharton about where online search applications -- and Kosmix -- are headed.
Cisco's Wim Elfrink: 'Today, We Are Seeing What I Call the Globalization of the Corporate Brain'
In December 2006, Cisco Systems, the $40 billion California-based networking giant, selected Bangalore, India, as a second global headquarters -- the Globalisation Centre East. Wim Elfrink, executive vice president, Cisco Services, was given additional responsibility as Cisco's first chief globalization officer. He relocated to India, becoming the first direct report to chairman and CEO John Chambers living outside of California. In a recent interview with India Knowledge@Wharton, Elfrink discussed why globalization is the biggest market transition of our time, and why Cisco is well-positioned for the shift.
Tapping an Appetite for Technology in India's Underserved Markets
The under-penetration of technology in India, especially in sectors such as financial services, education and health care, provides big opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors, according to panelists who spoke at the 2009 Wharton India Economic Forum. And while innovation in IT and related sectors is beginning to empower wider population segments, it's not new products but rather "jugad technology" -- or indigenous, creative uses of IT -- that will help businesses reach underserved small towns and rural markets.
Indian IT: Trouble Today, but Optimism for the Long Term
In early February, the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) lowered its projections for export revenues in India's IT and business process outsourcing sector for the fiscal year ending March 2009 -- from US$50 billion to US$47 billion. Not surprisingly, those who attended this year's NASSCOM India Leadership Forum said they expected more fallout from the downturn. But any real turmoil would likely be limited to the near-term, many indicated, as Western IT budgets dry up, middle-tier firms consolidate and corporate governance is fine-tuned in the wake of the Satyam scandal.
'Second Fiddle' No Longer: India's PC Market Opens up to Notebooks
A few years ago, notebook computers -- lightweight, portable PCs that can easily fit inside a bag or briefcase -- were the preserve of the elite in India, used only by corporate executives, the super rich and super geeks. But the picture has been changing rapidly, and in just a few years one out of every two PCs sold in India is expected to be a notebook. Unlike desktop PCs, which dominate mature markets, the surging popularity of notebooks in India "is a great example of what can happen when there is the right technology that meets specific customer needs at the right price point," according to one industry executive.
Matrimonial Portals: Tradition and Technology Are a Perfect Match for Those Looking Online
Marriages, it is said, are made in heaven. For many Indians, they are now increasingly being made on the Internet through matrimonial portals. Although still a fledgling industry, online matrimonial matchmaking, a uniquely Indian phenomenon, is seen by many to be brimming with potential. Still, the players involved face particular obstacles, including the country's relatively low Internet penetration, the need to "convert" new users from more traditional avenues for matchmaking, and -- if all goes as promised -- a lack of repeat business.
How Technology Managed From India Is Changing the Complexion of Outsourcing
Engineers in India are monitoring, upgrading, healing and rebooting systems across the world to ensure that it's business as usual for end users of the IT infrastructure. This relatively young business goes by the unromantic name of remote infrastructure management services (RIMS). Industries including telecom and banking, financial services and insurance have become early adopters. "The RIM industry is at a watershed in its development," according to a study by McKinsey that was released in March by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM). Experts interviewed by India Knowledge@Wharton believe that, like business process outsourcing (BPO), India may be poised to gain a large share of this fast-growing global market.
Will India Become the New Vanguard of the Open Source Movement?
Last month, Sun Microsystems announced a $1 million grant for innovative open source projects at the Free and Open Source Software conference in Bangalore. The reason, according to Simon Phipps, chief open source officer at Sun, is that he expects "the greatest open source community growth" to come from India in the near future. The question that Sun's award raises is whether India can become the new vanguard of the open source movement and, if so, whether that is a desirable goal. Not everybody agrees that open source is the best step forward for India's software industry.
How Did Nokia Succeed in the Indian Mobile Market, While Its Rivals Got Hung Up?
By most accounts, India is among the world's fastest-growing markets for mobile phones. The country has some 170 million subscribers and adds 6 million to 7 million more each month. Recognizing this potential, several global telecom giants jumped into the fray when the Indian government first opened up the country's telecom market to private enterprise in 1994. Among them, Finland-based Nokia forged ahead of rivals and today commands a 58% market share for mobile phones. How did Nokia take the lead? According to company executives and industry experts, its strategy combined focusing on the mobile phone market, establishing crucial distribution partnerships, making early investments in manufacturing and brand-building, and developing innovative product features.
