Doing Business in India (2005) is a book by Professor Rajesh Kumar of Aarhus School of Business (Denmark) and Anand Kumar Sethi of Applied Technology Services Pvt. Ltd. The book discusses the emergence of India as “a major economic superpower” where American and European companies are doing business in increasing numbers. It places the growth of India in a historic context, arguing that it was “the very first globalized economy in the history of the world”. It discusses the fight among European countries over the imperialism of India and explains how the 250 years of colonial slavery continues to affect Indian attitudes towards global business even in the 21st century. It discusses how Indian culture and offers suggestions for companies interested in conducting business in India.
The book’s most controversial claim is perhaps the repeated assertion that India should be considered culturally western. For example, on page 38 the authors state “Indians are closer to Europeans/Americans than they are to Asians”. This claim is repeated multiple times in the paper, with the authors arguing that the Indian culture should be considered western, not eastern. Interestingly, this claim is attributed to the now-discredited Aryan Migration/Invasion Theory (AMT/AIT). It is not clear what the authors believe can be gained if it is to be believed that the Indian culture is “more similar to the Westerners than it was to the East Asians”, but it is apparent that the authors passionately subscribe to this belief.
The book is certainly worth reading for practitioners, academics, and students. However, it does have certain weaknesses that reduce its credibility. Though the book has a 14-15 page bibliography, at a number of places it makes claims without attributing them to any reliable sources. Consider this:
During a recent extremely crucial match between India and Pakistan, with the Indian side close to a historic first-ever series win over their arch rivals on Pakistani turf, all the security guards, immigration and customs officer at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were seen huddled around TV sets showing the game live without a thought about opportunities for terrorists, smugglers, or illegal immigrants. (p. 82).
Clearly, a very strong claim is being made, however, no evidence is presented to support it. Nevertheless, I recommend the book for those interested in better understanding a country which is expected to be one of the world’s three largest economies in the next two decades.
Business in Books 