http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/ Knowledge@Wharton is an online resource that offers the latest business insights, information, and research from a variety of sources. Content includes analysis of current business trends, interviews with industry leaders and faculty, articles based on the most recent business research, book reviews, conference and seminar reports, and links to other websites. en-us Copyright (c) 2007 The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:53:24 EST http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/globals/images/katw_white.gif http://Knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/category.cfm?cid=14 125 45 Knowledge@Wharton Managing Technology Research Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4643 Rajan Anandan, who recently took over as managing director and vice president for sales and operations at Google India, has inherited one of the few profitable Internet operations in the country. But profits are not the primary focus for Anandan at the moment. Large parts of India are still virgin territory for the Internet, and Google India has to be an evangelist, a developer and, finally, a profitable business, Anandan told India Knowledge@Wharton. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:14:06 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4554 Global semiconductor firms came to India for the engineering talent and the labor arbitrage it offered. They are now excited by the country's potential as a market for their products. As India transitions from an emerging market to a developed economy, technology infrastructure and semiconductors will play a vital role, industry leaders and experts say. India is one of the fastest-growing semiconductor markets, and global firms are betting on it to fuel their growth. Thu, 16 Dec 2010 15:39:12 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4545 India's microfinance industry is facing severe criticism today because of the high interest rates -- as much as 26% to 28% -- that lenders charge poor borrowers. Microfinance firms blame that on the costs of reaching borrowers, especially in rural India. Financial Inclusion Network and Operations (FINO), a provider of electronic technology services, says it has a cheaper way of reaching those borrowers using a network of "human ATMs" armed with electronic banking devices that allow customers to access services via smartcards. Will the idea work? Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:59:22 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4540 An estimated US$20 billion worth of business opportunities over the next decade have begun rolling out in India with the launch of a program to issue 600 million unique identification cards to residents over the next four years. Led by Infosys Technologies co-founder Nandan Nilekani, the program -- named "Aadhaar" -- will enable hundreds of millions of underprivileged residents to open bank accounts, get expanded access to jobs, health insurance, mobile phone services, micro loans and reengineered public services. India Knowledge@Wharton sizes up the emerging opportunities for vendors of equipment, software and consulting services. (Also see India Knowledge@Wharton's interview with Nilekani about Aadhaar in this issue.) Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:43:34 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4516 Like other Indian IT companies, NIIT Technologies felt the impact of the recession in the West, its major market. The company's approach was not to cut rates, but to enhance service levels. Future growth for the firm, however, is expected to come from Asia, says CEO Arvind Thakur, in an interview with India Knowledge@Wharton. Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:02:39 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4494 India's rural areas are expected to be the next frontier for expanding the country's mobile phone market. Both local brands and multinational corporations are trying to build customer awareness and market share in India's hinterland, offering devices at lower price points and with features that address the specific challenges facing those living outside India's cities. Emerging as the victor in this race, however, will depend on innovation at every level of the process -- from product development to after-sale customer service, experts say. Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:56:36 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4480 A mix of excitement and concern surrounds India's latest auction of spectrum licenses for third-generation (3G) and broadband wireless services. A new era awaits India's 584 million mobile phone users, with a faster and more robust Internet and better access to data services including e-commerce, social networking and telemedicine. But industry observers worry about the "winner's curse" of successful bidders paying too much for the licenses, which ultimately could decrease margins and dampen future investment. Thu, 20 May 2010 15:35:01 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4474 Four years ago, Nokia seemed to be enjoying a first-mover advantage in India's burgeoning rural handset market. Having formally set a company-wide "social inclusion" policy in 2006, it had been using India as an emerging-markets laboratory, developing a range of cutting-edge products and services tailored to the country's rural, low-income consumers. It's a big reason why India became the Finnish company's second-biggest revenue generator worldwide. But its lead is now being chipped away because of competition. Here's how Nokia is responding. Thu, 06 May 2010 14:04:44 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4452 With the global financial crisis seemingly over, the annual meeting of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) in Mumbai earlier this month was positioned as an occasion for celebration. In the lead up to the event, officials were cheering about how the industry had triumphed over troubled times and reached its US$50 billion export target. In reality, India's software exports for the year ending in March are estimated to total US$49.7 billion -- slightly short of the target -- and export growth in 2009-2010 is only expected to be 5.5%. The real story of the Indian IT sector, according to industry executives, is how companies have coped with the crisis, changed strategies and prepared for the future. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:10:28 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4426 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. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:27:06 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4401 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. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:13:41 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4395 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. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:43:25 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4383 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. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:50:54 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4354 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. Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:59:53 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4349 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. Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:34:49 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4331 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. Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:00:38 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4308 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. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:30:05 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4250 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. Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:29:14 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4220 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. Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:17:47 EST Managing Technology http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4207 How do prices for third generation -- or 3G -- mobile spectrum in India compare with those in other parts of the world? How should prices for 3G mobile licenses be determined? In the second half of a two-part interview, India Knowledge@Wharton posed these questions and more to Ravi Bapna -- a professor of information systems at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad and executive director of the school's Centre for Information Technology and the Networked Economy -- and Arun Sundararajan, a professor at New York University's Stern School of Business. Their response: While it is hard to provide specific numbers for pricing, the Indian mobile market is getting close to 250 million subscribers, and Indian mobile operators should have several opportunities to make money. Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:11:33 EST