Testimonials
Advanced Praise for The India Way:
Indian companies once adapted the best management practices and principles from around the world, but now they are creating unique business successes of their own, guided by the rich entrepreneurial traditions and cultural values of India. In this well-researched book, four distinguished authors from the Wharton School share the most innovative management practices from India’s top companies and how these practices might be adapted in the West.
- Mukesh D. Ambani, Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited
“The India Way” is of interest to us for understanding ourselves. It has simultaneously an insider and outsider perspective, which gives it both a nuanced understanding of and clarity about India and Indian business.
- Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto
“The India Way” showcases a plethora of ideas and practices, set amidst a spectrum of differences in style, attitude and behavior thereby providing a coherent yet diverse perspective of doing business the India-way. The collective wisdom and years of rigorous research and experience of the four authors has led to the creation of this phenomenal book which is unlikely to find a parallel in the near future. I enthusiastically recommend this book as a “Must Read” for all business leaders, aspiring management professionals and b-school students.
- Prof.Bala V.Balachandran
Padmashri 2001, Professor Emeritus of Accounting and Information Mgmt. (in service), Kellogg School of Management, Illinois, Founder and Dean, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, India, Executive Professor and Strategy Advisor to the Dean, Bauer College of Business, Houston
Indian culture is based on strong fundamental values directed toward the benefit of all. “The India Way” has aptly demonstrated how this is reflected in Indian businesses with leaders who have carved their own philosophies driven by innovation and inclusiveness. This is, without doubt, an important and seminal work and we greatly appreciate the authors for the initiative and their insights.
- Anjali Bansal, Managing Partner India, Spencer Stuart
A must read. Beyond just providing insight into what is required to succeed in business in India, the book extracts learnings from “The India Way” to provide a potential new architecture for global companies as we emerge from the financial crisis.
- Neeraj Bharadwaj, Managing Director, Accel India Growth Management Company.
“The India Way” brings invaluable & lucid insights to not just the international reader seeking to understand the “India way” but also to the Indian reader, by helping put in perspective what works and needs to work better. The authors include thoughtful and meticulous research that is gratifying and surprising. Their findings give me hope.
- Amit Chandra, Managing Director, Bain Capital Advisors (India)
This book, a first of its kind, is a celebration of the Indian style of management and Indian business leadership. It brings out quite succinctly the social purpose of private business, as a dominant leadership philosophy. The book threads together with such ease a strong nation building desire and entrepreneurial thinking with strategic sense making. And it introduces the global face of local business leaders.
- Dr. Pankaj Chandra, Director, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
“The India Way” gives us a new group of role models, business leaders who see their purpose not just as making money but as shaping a national renaissance. Informative and inspiring, it gives a glimpse of what business everywhere can –and must – become.
– Jim Collins, Author of Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall
Executives and academics who want to understand globalization need to acknowledge and understand India’s rapidly increasing importance. “The India Way” shows how Indian business leaders think, and equally important, how they act. The book contains relevant cases that should be mandatory reading for everyone interested in the future of business.
- Tom Colbjørnsen, President BI Norwegian School of Management, Oslo, Norway
The message of this insightful and very well written book is clear and overdue: the Western Way of managing organizations, which the authors also call the “financialization model”, is not the one superior way of managing, waiting to be spread over the entire globe. Japanese business leaders first, and now far more powerfully, Indian business leaders have created new coherent and distinct models of management. If these are not “revolutionizing management”, their openness and proven success, underpinned by deep cultural and philosophical roots provide for a quantum leap of innovation in management theory and sustainable practice. The Wharton School India Team is a truly international team, bringing together in this outstanding book both technical, disciplinary knowledge of management at the highest level with deep, own life and work experience from around the globe.
- Prof Dr Dr(h c) Rolf D Cremer, Dean, China Europe International Business School, Shanghai, China
This book is an eye-opener for everyone interested in the forces that drive the Indian powerhouse. The authors provide a thorough analysis with compelling ideas about a distinctive Indian model that is innovative and possibly exportable as well.
- Michael Frenkel, Dean and Professor of Macroeconomics and International Economics, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany
“The India Way” is a fascinating read about an innovative and exportable way of doing business. If you were to read only one book this year on management, this would be it.
- Vijay Govindarajan, Professor, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College; and Professor in Residence and Chief Innovation Consultant, General Electric
The practical framework comprising holistic employee engagement, improvisation and adaptability, creative value delivery, and broad purpose is a masterly way to develop a complex subject.
- R. Gopalakrishnan,
Executive Director, Tata Sons
“The India Way” wonderfully encapsulates how Indian business has uniquely leveraged its competitive advantages of a rapidly growing large domestic market and world class talent to overcome the many disadvantages. The book brilliantly describes Indian Business’s “Will Do” attitude. A must read for everyone in India.”
- Adi B. Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Group
“The India Way” excellently captures the thinking which differentiates Indian business from the rest of the world. In easy, conversational style, the book gives important – and delightful – insights into the factors that set the Indian industrialist apart from his global peers. Clearly, Indian businesses have mastered the art of adapting to adverse situations in their own home-grown way, and have prospered. This element of flexibility combined with a sense of purpose is what is “The India Way”. A must-read for all those seeking a deeper understanding of how Indian business has grown to be what it is today and the road ahead.
- Harsh Goenka, Chairman, RPG Enterprises
A vigorous, lucid and illustrative tour of Indian Management destined to become a classic on business in emerging economies. Written by a renowned team of insiders to the phenomenon, the book offers real insight on the complexities and values of Indian business culture and provides the keys for those cosmopolitan managers who want to better understand and adapt the best practices of that fascinating country
- Santiago Iniguez, Dean, IE Business School, Madrid, Spain
What can global business learn from India? Much, and “The India Way” presents a lucid map to show how leaders everywhere can benefit from the frameworks used by executives such as Mukesh Ambani, Rahul Bajaj, Chanda Kochhar and N.R. Narayana Murthy. By highlighting core practices that include holistic employee management and traits such as managerial adaptability, this book offers an engaging look into what is unique about Indian business — and how those qualities can be exported worldwide to create excellence well beyond Mumbai and India.
- Dipak Jain, Dean Emeritus, Sandy and Morton Goldman Professor of Entrpreneurship and Marketing, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University.
Extremely inspiring, insightful and thought-provoking, “The India Way” provides views of opinion leaders who are the tour de force behind the success of their companies, and are also instrumental in driving the India growth story. The stories are truly engaging, and the valuable inputs from such successful business leaders merit multiple reads. I am certain that this compilation will be an invaluable handbook, and tremendously useful for the young entrepreneurs of today who will be leaders of tomorrow. As we further grow and integrate increasingly with the rest of the world, I truly envisage India taking centre stage in the 21st century as the Global Knowledge based economy, driven by fast paced, growth-focused corporates and exemplary entrepreneurship.
- Rana Kapoor, Founder/Managing Director & CEO, YES BANK
For those looking for insight into some of the remarkable entrepreneurs who have changed India and our perceptions of it, “The India Way” is well worth reading.
– Charles “Chip” Kaye, Co-President, Warburg Pincus
“A nation with a billion plus people and mind boggling heterogeneity offer challenges and opportunities which are unique. Our top business leaders have been quick to recognize it and with home grown management philosophy and style, they are seizing new initiatives “The India Way” is a terrific effort to elucidate this new and stunningly simple approach which has been so successful”
- Vijay Kelkar, Chairman, Finance Commission, New Delhi
“India made its mark initially in the IT services business. Today Indian companies are globalising much faster than companies from other Asian countries. This book provides insights and lessons for all companies about why they have been successful.”
- Boon Hwee Koh, Chairman, DBS Bank and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; former Chairman, Singapore Airlines
“A brilliant journey of India’s attempt to gain back its ancient status of the “The Golden Sparrow”. It showcases Indian management’s adaptability to new technology, rapid business growth and innovative business models, while keeping its core cultural values. A must read to get insights of the dynamic thinking of the top Indian business leaders who have brought the country to an elevated platform to get it the well deserved global recognition.”
- Manoj Kohli, CEO & Joint Managing Director, Bharti Airtel Limited
““The India Way” provides a valuable and accessible resource. No time could be more important for global business to learn from the direct experience of India’s top business leaders and their creative solutions to the challenges of sustainable business and development. This is a rich and timely study offering insights and guidance that can help all those engaging in emerging and other markets.”
- Adam Leach, CEO, The International Business Leaders Forum, London, UK.
“This book is highly insightful, timely and relevant. India, with approximately one quarter of the population of this planet, and with an increasing number of successful business firms, must be given top attention. This book offers exactly this—a must for anyone who is having ambitions to be part of the Indian wave of success.”
- Dr. Peter Lorange, President, Lorange Institute of Business Zurich, Switzerland
“Every once in a while, we come across some inexplicable phenomenon, the recent rise of India as an economic power being one of them. “The India Way” attempts an explanation of this, through a combination of story-telling and inductive theory-building. In the process, the book succeeds in satisfying both businessmen in search of best practices and academics in search of new explanations.”
- Vijay Mahajan, Founder and CEO, Basix Group
“Tempered by competition and sharpened by constraints and difficulties, Indian managers are creating a new management model that is people centric, that is flexible and sees business as part of a wider social vision. The solutions are uniquely Indian but with a universal relevance. A fascinating narration of “The India Way”.”
- Keshub Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group
“It is rare to find an authoritative analysis of Indian corporate leadership that goes beyond simple recording of achievements to deliver an in depth analysis of leadership in action. After decades of management and leadership theories of Western origin, it is refreshing to have a distinctive contribution to management theory from an emerging economy like India. I am confident that this book will inspire more management and business literature based on systematic qualitative research to inform global management thinking based on the Indian success story.”
- Dr. Santrupt B Misra, CEO, Carbon Black Business & Director, Group H.R., Aditya Birla Group, Mumbai.
“A very insightful book. Clearly brings out how businesses in India have been innovative in breaking old paradigms as they not only address but create new markets, products and services. Country impediments did not constrain them from reengineering and creating new disruptive business models. The book also highlights the opportunities India offers both as a growing market and to leverage its talent pool. A must read.”
- Som Mittal, President, NASSCOM
Indian business leaders have learned from the best management practices of foreign— particularly American—firms, but their own successes have gone largely unnoticed. Now, “The India Way” fills a much-needed gap by showing , in turn, what managers around the world can learn from innovative management practices emerging in India . Accessible, highly relevant, and engaging, it is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about India, Inc.
– N. R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman of the Board and Chief Mentor, Infosys Technologies
“This insightful and timely book shows the unique multifaceted management approach of India’s pre-eminent business leaders. Particularly noteworthy is these leaders’ focus on broad mission and purpose, contribution to community and the country – and not simply investor returns – and holistic engagement with employees. These observations and lessons – enriched by the comparative analysis of the authors and their access to India’s most successful and innovative corporate leaders – will help companies around the world develop their own strategies and practices while remembering the importance of transparency, adaptability (“jugaad”), creativity and resilience, and social responsibility.”
- Rajat M. Nag, Managing Director General, Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines
“The National HRD Network is proud to have been associated with this unique study. I am sure the experiences distilled so succinctly by the authors as “The India Way” will provide valuable insights into the DNA of Indian Business Leadership. It will be a meaningful document for all those management professionals and business leaders interested in understanding the uniqueness and richness of “The India Way”.”
- Anand Nayak, Executive Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, ITC Limited
Just as the sun comes up in The East so may this brilliant book about “The India Way” serve to shed light on a new model of business leadership. In the same way that The Toyota Way influenced management practice all over the world, “The India Way” shows that there is much to be emulated by those who aspire to global leadership in the 21st century. – Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Chairman, Carlson
“The CEO of Ranbaxy said before that his company could be an island of competitive advantage in India. Now India itself can be such a big island as the most potential growth center in the world economy. “The India Way”, filled with many useful cases of India’s innovative companies and insightful top business leaders, is a must read book for Japanese businesspeople and scholars as well.”
- Masataka OTA, Vice President, Professor of International Business and Cross-Cultural Management, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
“A comprehensive book, detailing the best practices governing India Inc. Packed with several anecdotes and case studies, the book effectively brings forth the business strategies of prominent Indian companies, portraying the decisive way in which corporate India marches to success.”
- Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC Ltd.
““The India Way” offers a ringside view of the distinctive features of Indian management practice. The authors, four of the finest minds in the study of management, base the book on hundreds of interviews with business leaders in India. The result is both extremely accessible and compelling. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to do business in, or is curious about, one of the most exciting economies in the world.”
- Raghuram G. Rajan, Eric Gleacher Distinguished Service Professor of Finance, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business and Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of India, former Chief Economist, International Monetary Fund
“Globalization is not only about sharing goods and services, but also cultures and more importantly – “values”. This book captures the true spirit of “The India Way”” of doing business which combines resourcefulness with age old values of contributing to the society. This book will help to accelerate the trade of Indian values and business skills globally. I wish the authors much success.”
- S. Ramadorai, Vice Chairman and Ex-CEO, Tata Consultancy Services
“This is a fascinating book that I could not put away once I started reading it. As a person of Indian origin in the United States for the past 50 years, I found the book both informative and intriguing in its clever analysis of the “India Way”. The transformation of the mind set of Indian business leaders, in terms of globalization and competitiveness on the one hand and social consciousness on the other hand since 1991 is truly remarkable. The authors have examined this through interviews with leaders from all sectors of Indian enterprises. This book is a must read for students and international business leaders alike, whose entrepreneurial spirit leads them to delve further into this rich, diverse and historical culture as it emerges to become a global economic power.”
- Prof. Haresh Shah, Obayashi Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Stanford University, Member of the Board of Trustees, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Founder and former Chairman, RMS Inc.
“India’s companies are pioneering new ways to compete globally, and the Wharton team provides an important, timely assessment”
- Janmejaya Sinha, Asia Chairman, The Boston Consulting Group
“This book is required reading for all those who seek to understand and appreciate the impact of the phenomenal transformation of India since the 1991 reforms. The authors weave a wonderful analysis around material gathered from interviewing movers and shakers in Indian business, taking in the rise of India, the rich culture and traditions of this ancient civilization, its history and rich diversity, and the stories of its modern business heroes with social conscience. Not only will the book illuminate the inevitable rise of India, it also provides much to learn and food for thought for others seeking to navigate a feasible path to prosperity while holding dear their heritage and cultural traditions.”
- Dr Guaning Su, President, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Fascinating. “The India Way” is remarkably well described, by interviewing the finest Indian Business elite, and analysing their success, how “The India Way” of doing business can be simultaneously articulate, smart and intelligent but as much intuitive, respectful to seniority as well as anchored in deep traditions. The book is inspiring, drawing on how Indian companies can succeed in the market place while pursuing social responsibility as a core value and mission.”
- Pierre Tapie, President, ESSEC, Paris, France.
““The India Way” gives an exceptionally insightful and comprehensive account of the Indian economy’s evolution since independence to the present day. It takes an objective and balanced inside-out and outside-in view of the Indian nation and its emergence as a global economic power. It certainly makes for an extremely refreshing, value-rich and delectable reading experience. ”
- Ravi Uppal, Managing Director & CEO, L & T Power, formerly Head of Global Markets and Member, Group Executive Committee, ABB, Zurich, Switzerland.
““The India Way” is an excellent exposition of the core principles of Indian business that is on the frontiers of the global business environment today, be it in IT, retail, banking or automobiles. A well timed book in a complex and uncertain world that we live in today, “The India Way” demonstrates the applicability of Indian leadership skills to not only Indian businesses but also to global businesses across the world. A key success factor for Indian business is the unique blending of private business with a social purpose, investment in people and leadership by home-grown CEOs. The authors have done a remarkable job of simplifying “The India Way” of leadership and management, through well researched and comparative case studies blended with analytical findings that support their main arguments rather than explaining theoretical concepts of business management.”
- A. Vellayan, Executive Chairman, Murugappa Group
“It has been a puzzle how India has grown so fast yet with much less investments than, say, China. The key seems to be in the ability of Indian firms to produce more with less. This book unlocks the secrets of how they do it and how the leading Indian businesses have become best in class both domestically and globally. “The India Way” is the way for all businesses which aspire to be world leaders.”
- Shan Weijian, Partner, Texas Pacific Group, Hong Kong, China
“This book details the transformation of India in its unique ways following the 1991 economic reform initiative. I have witnessed the economic growth of liberalized India myself, and these four authors expound correctly that this is the right way for India.”
- Philip Yeo, Special Adviser for Economic Development, Prime Minister’s Office, Chairman, Spring Singapore (www.spring.gov.sg )