what Indian cos going global are doing
Hi,
I finally am able to make alink with the business world and that of the field of teaching/social research - in a global context.
These days, besides letting go of the 9 months academic stress (or more if you count the stressful year of applying to US univs) - I have been trying to plug the gaps in my knowledge.
Having realized that it is easier to get a technical job in a bigger city or more "developed" culture - such as in Finance or engg or medicine---but it is extremely difficult to get a job in marketing or teaching social dynamics etc. It hold true for job aspirants from small town Jaipur seeking marketing positions in Delhi --- or Indians seeking such positions in USA.
The reverse holds very well. It is common to see marketers with Delhi experience - to be given senior positions in small time Jaipur - or for that matter - US based managers to be made country heads in India. But there are no common examples of a flow in the reverse direction.
Similarly in teaching - teaching science or Math is one option easily available to Indians in USA -- but to teach social studies or English - is difficult to get. How can a guy from a 'inferior - or simpler" social struture -- teach about social studies in USA or about globalization.
The article above illustrtaes that such problems are faced by Indian companies buying abroad as well.
People sometimes ask me to apply for positions where I have to design curriulum or promote global understanding in US schools - which sometimes seems to me like asking me to climb Mt Everest with oxygen adn warm clothes - difficlut for the reasons above. I am trying to see why others in USA see me as fitting the requirements of that position - and why I feel less confident.
Fior one, I have been going through some books on classroom teaching ("The first days of school" - by Wong and Wong - Wong Publications, San Francisco --2 million copies sold since 2004 in 33 countries including India) ; http://www.harrywong.com/ on "Action Research in Schools" - by ASCD - http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/index.jsp/
| Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development |
From all this I have realized that what all is taught in US is also taught in India - almost all the strategies mentioned are also applied in India -- just like traditional Indian companies also employed the same principles for business growth as do modern MNCs. The difference was that US companies also did Action Research - reflection - and systematically laid out principles and procedures to be followed by all.
This is what US schools and their books are doing - systematization - and good desk top publishing. Indian schools stuggle to write down procedures and strategies with pen and paper - US schools and educators use computers to use publishing skills to spread knowledge (and make money) - and go ahead and convert this knowledge into books. Mr and Mrs Wong (above) wnet a step ahead and even published their book through their own company.
Indian public schools are doing nothing at all. The private schools face intense competition not only from the population explosion of such schools - but also from private tutoring which cut into their student population. Given that parents have limited budgets - some even shift kids from more reputed schools to less reputed ones - if the tuition fees and travel time to school can be reduced - and can be utilized in getting private tutoring for their kids - after school hours.
I have myself enrolled kids who left the elitest schools in India (MGD, Jaipur) to join our much less reputed one -since our studies were good enough , we were just round the corner and she could spend more time in tutoring for medical entrance exams and studies.
Thus, due to competition, no school likes to display its secrets for others to follow - unlike Wong - who writes books on the issue. However, just like in private companies, all private schools are eager to learn from the secret of their rivals or those better than them --- and thus all strategies manetioned in the US based publications are also being followed in Indian schools - though how effeciently - may be in question.
US has mostly government (public) schools - thus there is no need to hide strategies -- and good strategies can be converted into books easliy by desk top publishing. Given that good educators can get hired for much higher positions - of district or state superintendents of public schools - there is added incentive to get a good name in education cirlces --so more books -- more Action Research -- better education.
One aspect I had not be able to understand till date was -- about designing the curriculum - of say grade 5 math. In India, it is centrally designed by CBSE or state board and books written and published by various agencies - and u just teach from such books. In US , I did not understand the utility of allowing the freedom to schools or individual teachers - to do so.
today, it struck me while going through job -profiles - of program directors etc - of even single school districts -- that it is much easier to design training programs for your teachers or train them in new techniques or concepts - like teaching about Globalization in schools (a concern now in US that US kids are only interested in USA and unaware of what happens abroad - a survey showed that two third of all US citizens think that USA's population is nearly one-thrid of the enitre owrld) ---if you have been designing the curriculum for your subjects -say math for grade 5 --and devising strategies to teach it -as is commonly done in US.
Thus, in USA it is much much easier and common to come up with new concepts and improvement strategies - and then devise training programs for the teachers for the same- and then train the teachers. The initial hiccups are overcome, loopholes plugged - to make the program fit for global consumption. That is why the flow of management training programs or school traing seem to flow from US to India --and not the other way round. India might have good ideas - but in absence of such mechanisms for training or designig of such programs at school levels or district level -- we sit on our haunches -waiting for US or UK based brainy guys to enlighten us - with "new" strategies.
Ofcourse there are advantages to having national standards -for what should be taught in what grade - which US has now established.
More later. I know it is a bit hap hazard, but just like most Indians believe that society's development just need people with good IQ (read IAS) and no need for experts in development issues ---and most do not ask the right questions - about developing a knowledge base in development issues -- similarly for issues in education and management. US or UK or the developed world - it seems have realized that just high IQ is not sufficient for development of business growth or school education.
I figured on an analogy. Long ago -systematization was a common practice in India and China also. Yogic Science -- with accurate description of each little variation - in meditation and exercise techniques - even constructiong models -- such as Yantras and Chakras - to highlight the systems . Also in language - Panini's Sankrit Grammar - reportedly most scientifically explained etc. On the other hand, western philosophies and meditative techniques --are mostly descriptive and authoritative -- no clear cut descritption. So it is easier to understand and adopt Yogic techniques - which are systematic than those of the West - which are not.
Did it make any sense?
Umesh
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