Are Indian Business Leaders Different?

For some time now, the world has watched as Indian companies - once relatively unknown outside the country - have grown by leaps and bounds to become world-class competitors in many industries. It was high time that someone asked the obvious questions: Do Indian CEOs and business leaders operate in a way that is markedly different from those in other parts of the world? What is the source of their competitive advantage? Can other managers learn from their experiences?
Four University of Pennsylvania professors set out to answer these questions in a new study titled, "The DNA of Indian Leadership: The Governance, Management and Leadership of Leading Indian Firms," co-sponsored by India's National Human Resources Development Network. Based on interviews with 100 chief executives of leading Indian companies, the researchers - management professors Peter Cappelli, Harbir Singh, Jitendra Singh (currently dean of the Nanyang Business School in Singapore) and Michael Useem - concluded that while top Indian leaders do share several attributes with their U.S. counterparts, they also have distinctive characteristics.
In contrast to U.S. business leaders, Indian CEOs tend to be more preoccupied with internal management, long-term strategic vision and organizational culture. Financial matters, on the other hand, are not at the top of their agendas. In addition, the research showed that Indian leaders seem to care a good deal more about motivating employees and setting an example than about currying favor with shareholders or the markets.

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