A general note to US and European owners who are used to slick Management presentations from their multinationals. Indian industrial managers don't produce perfect power points with stunning coordinated graphics. Indian managers don't have carefully orchestrated conference calls with canned puff-ball questions from sell side analysts. Instead, Owners get reports that have been scanned on dusty copiers by harried assistants.
Successful Indian industrial managers are simply too busy engaged in running their ever expanding Enterprises and generating massive profits.
When Owners start seeing slick power point presentations from Indian Industrial Companies is the time for Owners to be concerned. Slick power point presentations from Industrial Managers will be the first sign of reduced opportunities in Indian.
A visit to the Head office of a Indian Industrial Enterprise involves receiving a Victorian Era salute, complete with foot stamp, from the car park attendant. The choice will be to ride in a beaten up tiny elevator or take the stairs. Peeling paint; the ubiquitous Ganeesh shrine; supplicants waiting in the lobby; a walk into a insanely hectic 1950's style open office; and finally into the Big Man's office. The Big Man will have an office roughly the size of a junior salesman at a US multinational. Shabby furniture, reams of paper, and a endless stream of clerical staff asking for signatures complete the picture.
This is precisely the situation a prudent Owner's desires. Owner's should expect their hired Management to devote every last penny to productive resources.
Gudovac is appalled when he visits US or European Enterprises with exquisite furniture and carefully selected artwork. Money spent on Management's furniture and artwork is money that comes straight out of the Owner's pocket. Such excess is sign that Management has too much capital and not enough opportunities. Gudovac applies a hefty discount on such Enterprises.
Please note, Gudovac has also seen Indian enterprises who mimic their Silicon Valley counterparts with lavish campuses and elaborate atriums. Fortunately this illness hasn't yet infected Indian Industrial Enterprises.
Finally in examining Indian Enterprises of any scale outsiders are immediately struck by a rich tapestry of familial and clan connections. The intricate subtleties of the Indian clan system is beyond the deep understanding of Gudovac. Gudovac suspects even most Indians can't fathom every nuance of their clan structure. However, it is the wise Owner who recognizes that these powerful bonds exist and drive many business decisions. However, no owner should immediately conclude a clan inspired business decision is by definition a poor decision.Gudovac has seen enough business decisions driven by college rowing buddies to recognize that bone headed decisions are made in every cultural system.
In sum, Owners need to look beyond the smooth stories they are used to hearing from Multinationals. Owners need to ask one question of any Enterprise - Will the Managers I hire work in my interests ? - this is true for India as well as for Indiana.
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Don't Get Massacred !
Gudovac1941
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