12/31 First Day of School

Today classes started at SDM Institute for Management Development. This graduate business school ranks among the top 3% of India's business schools and so far the tour of the campus is an accurate reflection (it's an incredibly beautiful and clean facility that reminds me of a condominum village in Florida). Of the 120+ Indian students attending this institute, 90% of them are immediately placed after graduation in large Multinational and Indian corporations! These Indian students are mini Einsteins. Their desire for higher education and pursuit to achieve it regardless of the time spent and cost is incredible and started a series of the thoughts and reflections about the cultural differences and similarities.

Our first lecture briefly covered the history and culture. Interestingly, I learned that the game of Chess and the number zero were created by the Indians. The Indian's value for education inspired me. The professor also showed slides on a handful of Indian corporations that are making a significant differences in the Indian economy. One company called SELCO caught my attention...

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Geert Hofstede's theories about cultures have become a crucial part of business programs across the US and are exemplified perfectly in this study abroad experience. So far the most recognizable dimension has been Individualism vs. Collectivism. (As many of you are aware of the United States ranks as a highly individualistic society---there is a high moral and social perspective directed towards self-reliance and independence. But in India this is the opposite and in turn ranks as being a collectivist society---meaning there is a high moral and social perspective directed towards interdependence, the community and family.) Examples of this more collectivist culture are endless. For instance, in India over 50% of the culture advocates arranged marriages (the family decides on a life long partner and not the individual); an entire family will work hard so that one can go to school and obtain higher education; and identity stems from being a part of the corporation and not just the degree held.

Edward Hall also evaluated the dimensions of cultures of and their classification of poly-chronic and mono-chronic time which has been equally recognizable. The United States operates mono-chronically. Generally tasks are done one at a time. There is a start and then a completion before moving on to the next...in business meeting when a team evaluates a project individuals divide the work; whereas in poly-chronic cultures multiple tasks are performed simultaneously. Wikipedia explains it the best in the following:

"Polychronicity is a term that describes people who prefer to work on multiple activities at the same time. Examples of poly-chronic behaviors include talking on the phone while driving a car and browsing the internet while sitting in meetings."

And so a culture that is highly polychronic seems chaotic...just like the rickshaw rides downtown.