Indian Style Of Management

By Author: Paola K
Total Articles: 43
Comment this article

Coming from a history of unyielding social divide, India naturally has a culture where ranks matter significantly. The concept of social structure is present in almost every aspect of India, including its business landscape. In the country, business management training propagates a culture of firm hierarchy and values that are unlike anything else in the world.

Managers as Authorities

Managers in India are regarded as strict bosses and implementers. The image of being stern is something that is attached to the whole business culture of India. As a matter of fact, managers must stick to this image at all times. Without the authoritative air, they cannot demand for respect, which is vital in the Indian work dynamic.

Because of this traditional setup, subordinates tend to pay high respect to their managers. This respect is then reflected by their prevalent work behavior, which is characterized by total submission. In India, subordinates do nothing but follow their manager's instructions explicitly, even when orders are vague or incorrect.

...
... Team Management

Teamwork is almost unpracticed in India. Here, the dynamic is often a one-way system, where subordinates simply follow what they are told to do. There is little to no collaboration in most teams. Whatever is decided by the management becomes the firm directive of the entire organization. In effect, the outcome of a project is solely attributed to the manager. Whether it succeeds or fails, the manager should assume complete responsibility.

Crisis Management

Indian businessmen pride themselves of being great managers during crises. Throughout the world, Indians are known as people with impressive resourcefulness during times of adversities. This trait is mostly due to the economic status and historic background of the country. In business, this characteristic is highly advantageous.

The Indians use the term "jugaad" to refer to their ability to overcome constraints through creative solutions. This is a unique and commendable quality among Indian businessmen, which prove beneficial in problem solving and decision making. A criticism about jugaad, though, says that it produces low-quality and unsustainable solutions.

Development

The Indian management style may come off as firm and established, but some experts (many of them Indians themselves) believe that the country is yet to find its distinct style. Especially that the culture appears to be changing, determining a single, unique style may be difficult. Today, more and more Indian students take up the management courses Hemsley Fraser and other Western educators offer. Apart from business schools, they also go to sites like www.hemsleyfraser.co.uk for training on the Western style of management.