Dual Identity: Indians as Customers, Competitors, and Collaborators--Working with India's Multinationals

By: Nirmalya Kumar and Pradipta K. Mohapatra and Suj Chandrasekhar

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Synopsis: There is a subtle reason why it rarely occurs to most people to view Indian business practices as being as unique as those of China or Japan. According to the authors, Indians are proficient at adopting dual identities. When Indians encounter foreigners, especially Westerners, they adopt markers of global identity and dress, food, and even consumption of cultural products. But Indians, despite their apparent Western business outlook, do have some distinct tendencies in how they approach business. As Indian companies become increasingly powerful competitors on the global stage, it is important to understand how Indian companies play the roles of customers, competitors, and collaborators. This chapter is excerpted from "India's Global Powerhouses: How They Are Taking on the World."