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View the below video on outsourcing, based on The Other Side of…
View the below video on outsourcing, based on The Other Side of Outsourcing by Thomas Friedman.
Complete the attached T Chart and post on discussion board.
Consider the impact of outsourcing on both countries – India and USA.
Image transcription text
NAME: Video T-Chart Analysis Worksheet Directions: As you watch the movie, fill in the T-chart analyzing the
positive benefits and the negative consequences of outsourcing. After the film, write a summary about what
you’ve learned. Positives Negatives Summary (2-3 sentences):
Friedman: IN INDIA TODAY, 1,050,000,000 PEOPLE, 3 1/2 TIMES THE POPULATION OF AMERICA,
ARE LIVING IN AN AREA ONLY 1/3 THE SIZE OF THE UNITED STATES. IT’S AN ANCIENT CIVILIZATION WHERE MANY PEOPLE’S WAY OF LIFE
HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY UNCHANGED FOR GENERATIONS.
BUT IN THE 21st CENTURY, A TRANSFORMATION IS TAKING PLACE. WITH THE GROWING DEMAND FOR COMPUTERIZED SERVICES,
MILLIONS OF JOBS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE ARRIVED IN INDIA. OUTSOURCING JOBS. 3.3 MILLION JOBS.
Brokaw: WE’RE EXPORTING AMERICA. Friedman: THE MOVEMENT OF JOBS TO INDIA HAS SPARKED A HEATED CONTROVERSY IN THE UNITED STATES.
ITS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SOME AMERICAN WORKERS HAS BECOME ONE OF THE HOTTEST POLITICAL ISSUES OF OUR TIME.
LOST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS. WHERE ARE THE JOBS? Friedman: BUT THERE’S ANOTHER STORY HERE, BENEATH THE SURFACE.
I’M TOM FRIEDMAN, AND I’VE COME TO BANGALORE, INDIA, TO FIND OUT HOW OUR NEW-WORLD ECONOMY
IS AFFECTING THE OLD-WORLD SOCIETIES. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE DEMANDS OF GLOBALIZATION RUN UP AGAINST
THE DEEPLY HELD TRADITIONS OF AN AGE-OLD CULTURE LIKE INDIA’S?
NEW YORK TIMES FOREIGN-AFFAIRS COLUMNIST. 3-TIME WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE.
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN TRAVELS TO INDIA… HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR GENERATION WILL CHANGE INDIA?
…TO EXPLORE “THE OTHER SIDE OF OUTSOURCING.”
Friedman: AS A FOREIGN-AFFAIRS COLUMNIST AND A FORMER INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT,
I’VE SPENT YEARS THINKING AND WRITING ABOUT GLOBALIZATION. BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE INDIA TODAY.
IT WAS A BRITISH COLONY FOR NEARLY 200 YEARS, SO MANY MIDDLE-CLASS INDIANS SPEAK FLUENT ENGLISH,
A BIG ADVANTAGE IN TODAY’S GLOBAL MARKET. BANGALORE, LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE SOUTH,
WAS THE FIRST INDIAN CITY TO LINK UP WITH A SATELLITE. NOW IT’S WIRED TO THE WORLD
WITH THOUSANDS OF MILES OF FIBER-OPTIC CABLE. TODAY, BANGALORE PROVIDES STATE-OF-THE-ART SOFTWARE,
CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH, AND BACKROOM BUSINESS SUPPORT TO MANY OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST COMPANIES.
IT’S A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS THAT’S GIVING UNDREAMED-OF OPPORTUNITIES TO MILLIONS OF INDIANS.
Woman: GOOD AFTERNOON. MAY I SPEAK WITH… FOR US AMERICANS, THE FIRST AND MOST APPARENT RESULT
HAS BEEN THE CALL CENTERS. WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WE’VE BEEN TALKING TO.
GOOD EVENING. MAY I TAKE THE NUMBER, PLEASE? MAY I HAVE THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE OUT THESE TRANSACTIONS. A BRANCH AT 74th AND 2nd AVENUE. A BRANCH AT 54th AND LEXINGTON.
THIS CARD COMES TO YOU WITH ONE OF THE LOWEST APR. WITHOUT PAYING EVEN A SINGLE PENNY OR A PREMIUM. NOT A PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
TAKE CARE. BYE-BYE. HELLO? HELLO? Friedman: THE MAIN FLOOR OF THE 24/7 CUSTOMER-CALL CENTER
IS THE SIZE OF 1 1/2 FOOTBALL FIELDS. EVERY EVENING, AROUND 6:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME,
1,800 YOUNG WORKERS MAN THE PHONES, WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT, HANDLING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMER-SERVICE AND SALES CALLS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD FOR DOZENS OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS.
HOW DO YOU SEE THIS JOB CHANGING THEIR LIVES AS YOUNG INDIANS?
FIRST OFF, THEY EARN MUCH MORE THAN THEY COULD HAVE EXPECTED TO EARN ANYWHERE ELSE.
ANNEY UNNIKRISHNAN IS A PERSONNEL SUPERVISOR AT 24/7. WE HAVE A LOT OF DISPOSABLE INCOME,
AND THEN THEY HAVE A LOT OF DISPOSABLE TIME, BECAUSE THEY’RE WORKING HERE IN THE NIGHT. SO THEY GET TO SPEND ALL THE MONEY OUT IN THE DAYTIME.
DISPOSABLE INCOME, DISPOSABLE TIME, AND 20-YEAR-OLDS. THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INTERESTING COMBINATION.
THAT’S RIGHT. THEY CALL IT “HOT.” IT’S HOT? THIS JOB IS HOT? YES. THAT’S WHAT THEY SAY.
YOU DO NOT HAVE A GOOD NETWORK WITH YOUR CURRENT COMPANY. DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE A CALLING CARD? 120 MINUTES TALK TIME.
Friedman: WHAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, MAKES A GOOD CALL-CENTER OPERATOR? DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PRODUCT OR SERVICE
THAT’S BEING SUPPORTED, THE TYPE OF EMPLOYEE DIFFERS. Friedman: BHARATHWAJ IS THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING.
FOR A TELEMARKETING EMPLOYEE, ONE OF THE MAIN SKILLS THAT WE LOOK AT IS PERSISTENCE. THIS IS JUST A COURTESY CALL. I’LL CALL BACK LATER,
EVERY DOGGED APPROACH. IS THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TOO MANY CREDIT CARDS, OR YOU DON’T LOVE FLYING, MRS. BELL?
YOU HAVE A LOT OF CUSTOMERS BANGING THE PHONE DOWN. SO YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE REJECTION. YEAH, WELL, SO WHAT TIME WOULD BE —
WELL, MRS. GANT, IT’S NOT A — SO AS A SAFETY — HELLO?
IF YOU’RE MAKING 100 CALLS A DAY, 95 PEOPLE BANG THE PHONE DOWN ON YOU, AND YOU HAVE TO DO IT DAY AFTER DAY…
I DEFINITELY HAVE A BAD DAY. OKAY, TECH SUPPORT. WHAT KIND OF SKILLS DO YOU LOOK FOR IN THAT KIND OF PERSON?
FOR A TECH-SUPPORT JOB, YOU MIGHT LOOK AT SOMEBODY MORE ANALYTICAL IN NATURE… START SWITCHING BETWEEN “MEMORY OKAY” AND “MEMORY TEST.”
MORE LOGICAL, IN TERMS OF THEIR REASONING… LET’S JUST PUNCH IN THREE AND THEN PRESS “ENTER.” A PERSON WHO IS EMPATHETIC…
YES, MA’AM. NOT TO WORRY, MA’AM. YOU NEED TO JUST PRESS “CONTINENT RETC,” MA’AM. …PEOPLE WHO ARE ABLE TO MANAGE ANGRY CUSTOMERS…
YES, MA’AM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU ARE IN A HURRY RIGHT NOW. I’M JUST TRYING TO HELP YOU. AND, ALSO, YOU MUST ABLE TO SOLVE THE CUSTOMER’S PROBLEM
IN A VERY DISPASSIONATE MANNER. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MACHINE, MA’AM? THE MONITOR IS BURNING?
WHY ARE INDIANS SO GOOD AT ALL THIS TECH STUFF? WHAT’S THE SECRET? I THINK IT STARTS FROM THEIR EDUCATION.
THE EDUCATION SYSTEM BRINGS THEM A LOT OF PEER PRESSURE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A COUNTRY WITH A BILLION PEOPLE, THAT MAKES THE INDIAN MORE COMPETITIVE,
BECAUSE HE FIGHTS FOR GETTING THE OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHEN HE FIGHTS, HE HONES HIS SKILLS IN SPECIFIC AREAS.
LIKE, SAY, THE CALL-CENTER BUSINESS. GOOD MORNING, GIRLS. All: GOOD MORNING, MA’AM. Friedman: THOUGH DEMAND FOR YOUNG WORKERS REMAINS HIGH,
THE COMPETITION IS FIERCE. EVERY MONTH, COMPANIES HOLD RECRUITING SESSIONS,
LIKE THIS ONE AT THE MALAISARAM COLLEGE FOR WOMEN.
Friedman: THE 24/7 CALL CENTER RECEIVES MORE THAN 700 APPLICATIONS EVERY DAY.
ONLY 6% MAKE THE CUT. WHAT KIND OF A JOB ARE YOU LOOKING AT? IT SHOULD BE BASED ON ACCOUNTS.
THEN — THAT I CAN GROW IN MY CAREER. TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF.
I’VE PASSED MY… WITH DISTINCTION. …ALSO WITH DISTINCTION. AND I ALSO HOLD A 70% AGGREGATE IN PREVIOUS TWO YEARS.
GO A LITTLE SLOW. DON’T BE NERVOUS. BE COOL. YOU HAVE TO BE MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT YOURSELF
WHEN YOU’RE SPEAKING. YOU’RE VERY NERVOUS, AND I WANT YOU TO WORK A LITTLE ON THAT AND THEN GET IN TOUCH WITH US.
Woman: I LOVE MAKING NEW FRIENDS. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES, BECAUSE I’M THE ELDEST DAUGHTER IN MY FAMILY.
ARE YOU OPEN FOR THE NIGHT SHIFTS? IT’S BASICALLY A PROBLEM IN HOW PARENTS WON’T ALLOW FOR THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW MOST OF THE PEOPLE WE ARE SEEING AROUND, THEY ARE DOING NIGHT SHIFTS. SO DO YOU THINK YOU CAN CONVINCE YOUR PARENTS ABOUT THIS?
YEAH, I’LL TRY. Friedman: THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CALL CENTERS IN INDIA TODAY.
THEY EMPLOY MORE THAN 245,000 WORKERS. FOR MOST OF THOSE WORKERS,
THE FIRST STEP IS SOMETHING CALLED ACCENT NEUTRALIZATION. ALL RIGHT, CLASS, I WANT YOU TO TAKE OUT YOUR BOOKS.
Friedman: SHARA HOUSAY IS A LONGTIME TEACHER AT 24/7. Housay: REMEMBER, THE FIRST DAY I TOLD YOU
THAT THE AMERICANS FLAP THE “TA” SOUND. YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE AN ALMOST “DA” SOUND. AND NOT KEEP IT CRISP AND CLEAR LIKE THE BRITISH.
SO I WOULD NOT SAY, [ British accent ] “BETTY BOUGHT A BIT OF BETTER BUTTER.” OR “INSERT A QUARTER IN THE METER.”
BUT THEY WOULD SAY, [ American accent ] “INSERT A QUARTER IN THE METER.” OR “BETTY BOUGHT A BIT OF BETTER BUTTER.”
[ Normal voice ] SO I’M JUST GONNA READ IT OUT FOR YOU ONCE. AND THEN WE’LL READ IT TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT? [ American accent ] “30 LITTLE TURTLES IN A BOTTLE OF BOTTLED WATER.
A BOTTLE OF BOTTLED WATER HELD 30 LITTLE TURTLES. “IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT EACH TURTLE
“HAD TO RATTLE A METAL LADLE IN ORDER TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF NOODLES.” ALL RIGHT, WHO’S GONNA READ FIRST?
“30 LITTLE TURTLES IN A BOTTLE OF BOTTLED WATER.” “A BOTTLE OF BOTTLED WATER HELD 30 LITTLE TURTLES.”
“HELD 30 LITTLE TURTLES.” “30 LITTLE TURTLES.” “EACH TURTLE HAD A RATTLE OF METAL — HAD TO RATTLE A METAL LADLE…”
“IN ORDER TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF NOODLES.” “THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THEY — THER– THEY WERE –”
SORRY. “BECAUSE EVERY TIME THEY THOUGHT ABOUT GRABBLING –” GRAPPLING. GRAPPLING.
“GRAPPLING WITH A H– HAGGLER TURTLES…” “THEIR LITTLE TURTLE MINDS BOGGLED, AND THEY ONLY CAUGHT A LITTLE BIT OF NOODLES.”
GOOD. [ APPLAUSE ] WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ IT? I’M FROM MINNESOTA. YES, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. [ CHUCKLES ]
I’LL GIVE YOU AN AUTHENTIC, UH… “A BOTTLE OF BOTTLED WATER HELD 30 LITTLE TURTLES.
“IT DIDN’T MATTER THAT EACH TURTLE HAD TO RATTLE “A METAL LADLE IN ORDER TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF NOODLES. “A TOTAL TURTLE DELICACY!
“EVERY TIME THEY THOUGHT “ABOUT GRAPPLING WITH THE HAGGLER TURTLES, “THEIR LITTLE TURTLE MINDS BOGGLED,
AND THEY ONLY CAUGHT A LITTLE BIT OF NOODLES.” [ APPLAUSE ]
[ VEHICLE HORN HONKS ] AS I GOT DEEPER INTO THE CALL-CENTER CULTURE, I KEPT WONDERING HOW THIS IMMERSION IN WESTERN CULTURE
WAS AFFECTING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE. I MEAN, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO NOT ONLY HAVE TO TALK TO US FOR HOURS ON END
BUT TO ACTUALLY TRY TO IMITATE US AT THE SAME TIME? CHECK NUMBER 665 FOR $81.55.
YOU WILL STILL BE HIT BY THE $30 CHARGE. AM I CLEAR? IS THIS THE ONLY TELEPHONE LINE YOU HAVE?
GO AHEAD. TURN THE COMPUTER ON. HOW COULD I ASSIST YOU? Unnikrishnan: FROM PEOPLE OF MY GENERATION,
THIS IS SOMETHING ENVIABLE BECAUSE I GOT A SALARY OF $100 A MONTH, AND THAT’S AFTER I HAD DONE A POST-GRADUATION WITH AN M.B.
THESE GUYS GET AROUND $200 A MONTH. AND THEY DIDN’T HAVE MBAs? NO, AND THEY DON’T HAVE MBAs.
OKAY, THEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BYE-BYE. Friedman: THE COST OF LIVING IN INDIA IS ABOUT 1/5 THAT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THEIR $200 EQUALS $1,000 A MONTH BY AMERICAN STANDARDS. AND THEY’RE HAPPY TO MAKE IT,
EVEN IF IT MEANS ASSUMING AMERICAN ALIASES FOR THEIR JOB. MY NAME IS TOM GRAY. THIS IS RACHEL SMITH CALLING.
MY NAME IS IVY TIMBERWOOD. HAS IT CHANGED THEM AS INDIANS? ARE THEY A LITTLE LESS INDIAN?
I WAS LESS OF AN INDIAN EVEN ABOUT 30 YEARS BACK, BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH WOODSTOCK, THE BEATLES.
I KNEW EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN AMERICA. BUT HERE, THEY WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
IF I WANTED TO BUY A CD, I HAD TO THINK SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I SPENT THAT MONEY.
AND HERE, THEY JUST GO TO MUSIC WORLD AND BUY IT. SO THEY’RE CARRYING THEIR AMERICANIZATION FORWARD
A BIT MORE THAN WE DID. Friedman: INDIANS HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO AMERICAN CULTURE FOR DECADES.
BUT FOR MOST, IT EXISTED ONLY AS A NICE ESCAPIST FANTASY THAT HAD LITTLE TO DO WITH THEIR REAL LIVES.
NOW THE REALITY OF ACTUALLY LIVING LIKE THE AMERICANS THEY’VE SEEN ON TV IS WITHIN THEIR REACH.
SEE THIS? EVERYONE’S GOT IT, NO? MADE ME FEEL VERY INDEPENDENT.
AND, YEAH, OBVIOUSLY, I LIKE SHOPPING. OKAY, THEN GIVE ME THIS AND THE BLACK ONE.
GOING OUT, SPENDING MORE THAN WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE SPENDING. THIS? IT LOOKS PRETTY, NO?
Friedman: AFTER SEVERAL DAYS IN BANGALORE, I’M LEARNING THAT THE ECONOMIC BOOM FROM OUTSOURCING
IS AFFECTING YOUNG PEOPLE THE MOST. AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS A GROWING GENERATION GAP.
THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THEIR PARENTS’ INDIA. BRIGADE STREET IS THE HEART OF BANGALORE’S HIP SHOPPING DISTRICT.
OKAY, AND DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN THIS COLOR, WITH THE FADED? SOPHIA ROSS HAS BEEN WORKING AT CALL CENTERS
FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. THAT LOOKS NICE. THIS LOOKS NICE, ACTUALLY. SHE’S 21 YEARS OLD.
Ross: A FEW YEARS BACK, WE DIDN’T HAVE, LIKE, GIRLS AT THIS AGE WORKING. I MEAN, THEY WERE ALL PROBABLY STARTING GETTING MARRIED.
BUT NOW IT’S NOT LIKE THAT. YOU SOCIALIZE MORE NOW. YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO GO OUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
AND YOU HAVE AN EXCUSE TO GIVE YOUR PARENTS TO SAY, “I WANT TO GO OUT. I NEED A BREAK FROM WORK.”
HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR GENERATION WILL CHANGE INDIA? INDIA’S YOUNGER GENERATION IS REALLY BUILDING UP THEIR CAREERS,
AS WELL AS THE MONEY. SOPHIA’S OLDER SISTER, CYNTHIA, IS A SUPERVISOR AT A DIFFERENT CALL CENTER.
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS TALK ENGLISH THE AMERICAN WAY AND UNDERSTAND THEM. AND YOU’RE GIVEN THE JOB. SO IT’S LIKE VERY EASY MONEY.
I’M CURIOUS — WHAT DOES IT SOUND WHEN YOU’RE SPEAKING MORE LIKE AN AMERICAN? WHEN WE TALK TO AN AMERICAN OVER THE PHONE,
THAT’S WHEN WE OPEN OUR MOUTHS A LITTLE WIDER, LIKE YOU AMERICANS DO. WE OPEN OUR MOUTHS WIDE? REALLY WIDE, COMPARED TO THE INDIANS.
YEAH, THE BRITISH CLOSE THEIR MOUTHS. LIKE “SCOTLAND” AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT AMERICANS ARE LIKE “SCOTLAAAAND.” DID I OPEN MY MOUTH THAT WIDE? YES. YES.
[ LAUGHING ] YOU’RE NOT MAKING FUN OF ME, ARE YOU? NO. I’M NOT. TRUST ME.
YOU GUYS SPEND YOUR DAY DEALING WITH AMERICANS OFTEN. AND YOU’VE NOW GOT THE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.
HAS THAT CHANGED THE SOCIETY? HOW HAS IT AFFECTED PEOPLE HERE? YES, WE HAVE BECOME A LOT MORE MATERIALISTIC,
BECAUSE WE TEND TO SPEND MORE THAN WHAT WE SHOULD. AND WE’VE BECOME MORE BRAND-CONSCIOUS NOW, SINCE WE STARTED WORKING.
EARLIER, WHEN WE USED TO GO SHOPPING, WE NEVER LOOKED FOR THE BRAND. WE JUST LOOKED AT SOMETHING, AND WE LIKED IT.
YOU GUYS ARE THE FUTURE OF INDIA. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF INDIA HOLDS? YEAH, WE’RE GONNA BE A REALLY, REALLY HAPPENING COUNTRY
IN THE FUTURE. WE ARE CHANGING A LOT OF THINGS HERE AND THERE. OUR WAYS OF DRESSING, SPEAKING.
BASICALLY, THE WHOLE THING IS CHANGING. SO INDIA IS, LIKE, SOON GONNA BE A MINI AMERICA, MAYBE.
SO — WHAT ARE WE HAVING FOR LUNCH? WE’RE HAVING PIZZAS. FROM WHERE? PIZZA HUT.
AND WE ALSO –I THINK WE HAVE SOME INDIAN FOOD, ALSO. IT’S A CHRISTIAN WEDDING
AND A NORTH INDIAN ETHNIC WEDDING. HE’S GIVING YOU AWAY. MM-HMM. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR PARENTS THOUGHT ABOUT CHANGES IN INDIAN SOCIETY. AFTER LUNCH, WE SAT DOWN WITH SOPHIA’S FAMILY.
AS PARENTS WHO GREW UP IN A DIFFERENT GENERATION, IS THERE A SHIFT AWAY FROM THE OLD INDIA,
WHERE IT MIGHT BE THE EDUCATOR OR THE GURU OR THE SPIRITUAL LEADER WHO GOT RESPECT?
WHO WOULD YOU SAY, FOR YOU, CYNTHIA, WOULD BE YOUR ROLE MODEL? WOULD IT BE BILL GATES OR THE YOGI?
WELL, IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE BILL GATES. REALLY? BECAUSE HE HAS MADE A LOT OF MONEY AND A VERY BIG NAME.
WHAT ABOUT YOU, SOPHIA? YEAH, I THINK EVEN I WOULD FOLLOW BILL GATES. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? HOW DO YOU RELATE TO THIS?
I DON’T LIKE TO FOLLOW BILL GATES. I DON’T KEEP HIM AS MY MODEL. [ LAUGHTER ]
OF COURSE, MY GOD IS A MODEL FOR ME. THERE YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES IN THE GENERATIONS.
IF YOU WERE TO SUMMARIZE THE KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR GENERATIONS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
THE GENERATION THAT WAS BEFORE US — THEY RESPECTED THEIR PARENTS, NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAID, WHETHER IT WAS RIGHT OR WRONG.
BUT THEN, NOW, I THINK OUR GENERATION — WE ARGUE WITH THEM — YEAH, WE DO SAY “NO.” “MAYBE, FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, IT’S THIS WAY,
BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IT’S THIS WAY.” THERE MAY BE A CHANGE. BUT STILL, THEY CAN’T GO BEYOND THE LIMIT.
THEY HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE LIMITS. EVEN IF YOU ALL DISAGREE A LITTLE BIT, IT’S CLEAR TO ME
THAT THERE’S A BOND THAT RUNS FROM THIS END OF THE COUCH TO THAT END OF THE COUCH. IN INDIA, IT’S BASICALLY FAMILIES STICK TOGETHER,
NO MATTER WHAT. THE FAMILY BOND IS VERY, VERY INTENSE. WE’RE TAUGHT TO KEEP THE BOND.
[ ENGINE TURNS OVER ] Friedman: SOPHIA AND HER SISTER ARE DOING THEIR BEST
TO FOLLOW THEIR FATHER’S ADVICE, TAKING THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS… THANK YOU FOR BEING ON HOLD. …AND BALANCING THE FORCES OF THE NEW AND THE OLD.
IT WILL BE FIXED BY TOMORROW. THE LATEST, THE AFTERNOON. THE REASON FOR MY CALL TODAY IS TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT NOW YOU’RE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR A FREE — Friedman: NICHA SAMAYA, AGE 22, HAS TAKEN HER NEWFOUND INDEPENDENCE A STEP FURTHER.
SHE RECENTLY TOOK AN APARTMENT WITH TWO FRIENDS NOT FAR FROM BANGALORE’S DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.
THIS IS THE KITCHEN. UH-HUH. YOU COOK ON THE GAS STOVE, YEAH.
IT’S A LITTLE MESSED UP, BUT — THIS IS WHERE I SLEEP. UH-HUH. BIG BED. THAT’S GREAT.
WHERE DID YOU GET THE FURNITURE FOR HERE? ONE OF MY AUNT’S. LUCKILY, SHE WAS GOING TO DUBAI FOR GOOD.
SO WE GOT THE TV AND THE CART. AS SHE SHOWED ME AROUND, I COULDN’T HELP THINKING OF THE HIT TV SERIES “FRIENDS.”
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN, FOR ENTERTAINMENT? IS THERE DATING AMONG YOUR AGE GROUP? I MEAN, DO GUYS CALL YOU UP AND SAY,
“ARE YOU FREE ON SATURDAY NIGHT?” YEAH, BUT I THINK PROBABLY MOST OF THEM WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS’ KNOWLEDGE.
SO, AND THE PARENTS — THEY DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT. …STAYING AT FRIEND’S PLACE, AND THEN FROM THERE…
MY DAUGHTERS WOULD NEVER DO THAT. [ LAUGHTER ] MUST BE A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR GENERATION
AND YOUR PARENTS’ GENERATION. DEFINITELY. A LOT. HOW SO? OUR GENERATION IS WESTERNIZED.
PARENTS, THEY’RE DEFINITELY NOT WESTERNIZED. LIKE, THEY WANT ME TO GO HOME, GET MARRIED. WHICH I DEFINITELY WOULDN’T DO.
SO THEY WANT AN EXPLANATION. EACH TIME, THERE’S ANOTHER PROPOSAL. THEY’RE LIKE, “YEAH, THIS GUY’S REALLY SWEET,
AND HE’S DOING SO WELL, SO WHY DON’T YOU COME BACK?” AND MOST OF THE TIME, THE ARGUMENT IS LIKE, “WHY DO I AGREE?
I DON’T EVEN KNOW THE NAME, WHAT HE’S DOING.” “HIS FATHER’S DOING THIS, THAT,” MY FATHER EXPLAINS.
“I’M NOT MARRYING THE FATHER. I’M MARRYING THE SON.” WHAT’S IT LIKE HAVING YOUR OWN PAD HERE IN BANGALORE?
WE WERE IN THE HOSTEL BEFORE. ALL THREE OF US IN THE SAME HOSTEL. BUT THERE WE HAD OUR RESTRICTIONS AND ALL THAT.
BUT HERE WE HAVE NO RESTRICTIONS.
54% OF INDIA’S POPULATION IS UNDER THE AGE OF 25.
THAT EQUALS 555 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING OF AGE IN AN INCREASINGLY GLOBALIZED WORLD.
DOES THAT MEAN THEY’LL REALLY CREATE SOME KIND OF MINI AMERICA?
THE AMERICAN WRITER THOMAS WOLFE, IN 1940, WROTE, “YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN.”
IN 2004, THOUGH, IT SEEMS YOU CAN’T LEAVE HOME AGAIN. EVERY PLACE STARTS TO LOOK AND FEEL MORE AND MORE LIKE AMERICA.
IS THAT WHAT GLOBALIZATION FINALLY COMES DOWN TO? Murthy: LOOKING TOO MUCH ON THE OUTSIDE
OF YOUR COUNTRY FOR GROWTH IS NOT GOOD FOR ANY COUNTRY AND NOT FOR INDIA BECAUSE OF ITS RICH CULTURES.
ANANTHA MURTHY, THE RENOWNED INDIAN NOVELIST AND SCHOLAR, WORRIES THAT THE FAMILY BONDS
THAT HOLDS INDIA’S CULTURE TOGETHER MAY BE ERODING. WHEN THESE BONDS DISAPPEAR,
WE WILL HAVE ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT THE WEST HAS WITHOUT SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES THAT THE WEST HAS.
HOW SO? IN INDIA, THE FAMILY ACTS LIKE A SAFETY NET.
BUT AS IN ALL THE RICH COUNTRIES, IT IS THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
BUT THAT SOCIAL SECURITY IN INDIA IS FROM THE FAMILY. SOMETIMES EVEN AN EXTENDED FAMILY.
AND NOW IT HAS GONE SO FAR — IF YOU ARE WEALTHY ENOUGH, RICH ENOUGH, YOU MAY SEND YOUR PARENTS TO AN…OLD-PEOPLE’S HOME,
WHICH I THINK IS VERY SAD.
[ SHOUTING, CHANTING ]
Friedman: EVERY MORNING AT THE CRACK OF DAWN, THE HINDU NATIONALIST GROUP RSS HOLDS TRAINING DRILLS.
FOR NEARLY 80 YEARS, IT HAS PROMOTED THE CAUSE OF HINDU SUPREMACY THROUGHOUT INDIA. [ SHOUTING ]
LONG REGARDED AS PART OF A RADICAL FRINGE, MANY BELIEVE THE RSS HAS BEEN THE INSPIRATION
FOR NUMEROUS ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST NON-HINDUS. [ SINGING ]
Friedman: BUT TODAY, MANY RSS MEMBERS REJECT THE VIOLENT ELEMENTS. WITH 50,000 BRANCHES ACROSS INDIA,
THEIR GROWING POPULARITY HAS MADE THEM AN INFLUENTIAL FORCE. [ CHANTING ]
Friedman: OUR VISIT WITH THE RSS WAS SHORTLY AFTER VALENTINE’S DAY, A RELATIVELY NEW PHENOMENON IN INDIA.
Friedman: WE WENT TO THE LOCAL HEADQUARTERS TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION WITH SOME LEADING MEMBERS.
ARE YOU THE TOM FRIEDMAN WHO WRITES FOR THE — NEW YORK TIMES. YOU ARE THAT PERSON, SAME PERSON? I’M THAT TOM FRIEDMAN.
I’VE SEEN, BECAUSE I SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEW YORK TIMES. OH, TERRIFIC! I ASKED THEM WHAT THEIR MAIN CONCERNS WERE
IN INDIA’S NEW ERA OF OUTSOURCING.
SO YOU DON’T LIKE THIS GLOBALIZATION?
WHAT’S THE ISSUE WITH VALENTINE’S DAY?
MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE KAMA SUTRA DAY. HUH? MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE KAMA SUTRA DAY. [ LAUGHTER ]
IMAGINE WHAT THOSE CARDS WOULD LOOK LIKE. [ LAUGHTER ] YEAH.
FOR ALL THE JOKING AROUND, THE FACT IS THEY HAVE A SERIOUS POINT.
IF, IN THE PROCESS OF GLOBALIZING, A NATION LOSES ITS CULTURAL TRADITIONS, HOW CAN IT SURVIVE?
IT WILL NEVER WORK. I’VE LONG THOUGHT THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION FOR DEVELOPING NATIONS IS TO DO WHAT I LIKE TO CALL “GLOCALIZE.”
THAT MEANS FINDING A WAY TO BECOME PART OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY BY CAPITALIZING ON LOCAL TALENT AND CULTURE.
A STRIKING EXAMPLE OF GLOCALIZATION IS AN INDIAN ANIMATION COMPANY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF BANGALORE
CALLED jadooWorks. CREATING ANIMATION ON DEADLINE IS A HIGH-STRESS JOB.
EACH DAY, EMPLOYEES TAKE TIME OFF FOR YOGA. THE STRETCHING AND DEEP BREATHING
HELPS KEEP EVERYONE CALM AND ALERT FOR THE WORK AT HAND.
AND THAT WORK IS AN AMAZING ARRAY OF PROJECTS. ? WE SHALL OVERCOME ?
Friedman: FROM MOSQUITOES SINGING “WE SHALL OVERCOME” IN A COMMERCIAL FOR BUG SPRAY TO CARTOON SERIES FOR THE TOP ANIMATION STUDIOS
IN AMERICA AND EUROPE. BUT WHAT I FOUND SO INTERESTING
IS THAT VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE ANIMATORS HERE COME FROM A BACKGROUND IN TRADITIONAL INDIAN ART.
MANY ARE CHILDREN OF SCULPTORS WHO CARVED THE STATUES THAT ADORN HINDU TEMPLES.
THEY’RE ESPECIALLY ADEPT AT 3D ANIMATION. IF WE DON’T TRANSFORM THE TRADITIONAL SKILLS TODAY,
THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY DIE, EVENTUALLY. WE NOW GET PEOPLE TO THINK
THAT THEY CAN KEEP THE TRADITION WHICH THEIR FOREFATHERS HAD AND JUST DO IT INTO THE MODERN FORM.
HERE IS THE TRAINING ROOMS. YOU CAN SEE THE ARTISTS SITTING THERE. THEY’RE LEARNING THE DIGITAL ART.
Friedman: RAJ GOPAL IYER, THE HEAD OF MARKETING, EXPLAINED THAT THESE YOUNG ARTISTS RECEIVE SIX MONTHS OF TRAINING
BEFORE BEING PUT ON PROJECTS. MANY HAVE NEVER EVEN TOUCHED A COMPUTER BEFORE. OKAY, LET’S MEET RUTWICK.
HE’D MOVED FROM TRADITIONAL ART TO THE DIGITAL MEDIA. Friedman: COULD I TROUBLE YOU?
WOULD YOU DEMONSTRATE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN LEARNING? SEE, WE START OFF TRAINING WITH STICK FIGURE. FIRST, WE DO THE BASIC ACTIONS,
LIKE KICKING A BALL OR PICKING UP A WEIGHT. BUT THE PRINCIPLES OF MODELING IS VERY SAME AS SCULPTING.
YOU CREATE THE CHARACTER BY BUILDING BLOCKS, YOU KNOW. Friedman: WHILE I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT
THAT THESE ARTISTS WERE FINDING WORK IN A NEW FORM, I COULDN’T SEE HOW ANIMATING MONSTERS IN KIDS’ CARTOONS
WAS PRESERVING THEIR TRADITIONAL ART. SO, VIKRAM, TELL ME WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING. THIS IS PART OF THE KRISHNA PROJECT THAT WE ARE DOING.
AND THESE GUYS ARE HELPING ME WITH THE ART DIRECTION. P.C. VIKRAM IS DIRECTOR OF PREPRODUCTION FOR jadooWorks.
HE EXPLAINED THAT, IN ADDITION TO THEIR WORK FOR FOREIGN COMPANIES, THEY ARE CREATING A 26-PART ANIMATED SERIES
BASED ON THE HINDU GOD KRISHNA FOR WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS WORK WITH THE STORIES OF KRISHNA,
WHEN HE WAS AROUND THE AGE 8. HE’S A LITTLE BIT OF A DENNIS THE MENACE, AND HE’S THE PERFECT MISCHIEF-MAKER. THE STORIES ARE SET IN INDIA 5,000 YEARS AGO.
AND WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATIONS FOR THE ART? THEY HAVE A WHOLE HERITAGE OF KRISHNA ART, A NUMBER OF PAINTINGS THAT THEY’VE HAD,
LIKE IN THIS BOOK HERE. IT’S VERY REALISTIC PAINTINGS. THE USE OF COLOR AND THE WAY THEY DEPICTED KRISHNA
ON THESE BEAUTIFUL BACKGROUNDS. TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. YOUR PARENTS WERE ARTISTS? YES, MY MOTHER IS A TRADITIONAL PAINTER.
SHE DOES THIS FORM OF PAINTING CALLED TANJORE, AND IT’S AT LEAST 2,000 TO 3,000 YEARS OLD. THAT’S A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF THIS ART FORM
THAT’S BEEN VALUED FOR ITS DEPICTION OF GODS AND GODDESSES. SO I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ANCESTRY IN ART.
THIS IS GLOCALIZATION AT ITS BEST. ARTISTS ADAPTING THEIR TRADITIONAL CULTURE
FOR THE MODERN MARKET, WHILE CREATING AN ECONOMIC BOOM FOR THEIR COLLEAGUES. AND NOT ONLY THAT. IT’S ALSO BENEFITING AMERICANS.
FOR THE KRISHNA PROJECT, THE SCRIPT IS BEING WRITTEN BY AN EMMY AWARD-WINNING AMERICAN
AND THE VOICES OF THE CHARACTERS PERFORMED BY AMERICAN ACTORS. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER COMPANY IN THE NEW ECONOMY,
jadooWorks WANTS THE BEST THE GLOBAL MARKET HAS TO OFFER. IN FACT, ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THE BUILDING,
FROM THE COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARE TO THE TELEPHONES AND THE AIR-CONDITIONING, WAS BOUGHT FROM AMERICAN COMPANIES.
SO WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. AT FIRST, I WAS SURPRISED THAT EVEN CARTOON SHOWS ARE BEING OUTSOURCED.
BUT THESE DAYS, WHAT ISN’T? WELCOME TO THE WIDE WORLD OF OUTSOURCING.
EVERYTHING FROM TAX RETURNS TO CREDIT CARDS, AIRLINE RESERVATIONS TO LOST LUGGAGE, BANK LOANS TO DEBT COLLECTION,
THE ANALYSIS OF X-RAYS AND C.A.T. SCANS, TO THE DESIGNING OF VIDEO GAMES.
Friedman: WHOA! YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE DRIVING IN BANGALORE. BUT OF COURSE ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN AT THE EXPENSE
OF SOME AMERICAN JOBS. I’VE ACCUMULATED ROAD RAGE FROM 10 DAYS HERE IN THE TRAFFIC. AS C.E.O. OF THE DHRUVA COMPUTER GAME COMPANY,
RAJESH RAO IS DIVING INTO ONE OF THE MOST PROFITABLE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRIES IN HUMAN HISTORY.
THIS GROUP HERE IS MAKING A POOL GAME. IS THIS SOMETHING YOU INVENTED? YES. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE’VE MADE.
I WONDERED IF THESE UP-AND-COMING INDIANS HAVE ANY SYMPATHY AT ALL FOR THE PLIGHT OF AMERICAN WORKERS. RAJ, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE NOISE
COMING OUT OF THE UNITED STATES NOW ABOUT OUTSOURCING? DO YOU FIND THAT ODD? UNDERSTANDABLE?
IT IS VERY UNDERSTANDABLE FOR A POPULATION WHICH IS WAKING UP TO WHAT I THINK IS THE REAL WORLD.
BECAUSE THE WORLD HAS CHANGED AROUND YOU. AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BARRIERS TO BE BUILT
THAT IS GOING TO MAKE SENSE IN THE LONG RUN. SO, WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE? “FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.
YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET, AMERICA?” I THINK MY MESSAGE IS THAT WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
WHOA. AND GET USED TO IT. THERE’S A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WAY PEOPLE ARE GONNA DO BUSINESS
AND THE WAY PEOPLE ARE GONNA SOURCE TALENTS THAT THEY NEED. IT’S JUST GONNA BE ONE GLOBAL MARKET. AND, ULTIMATELY, IT’S GONNA BENEFIT EVERYBODY.
GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE — GAMING. WE’VE NEVER HAD COMPUTER GAMES IN INDIA.
SECURITY CAMERA DISABLED. IF AND WHEN THE INDIAN MARKET OPENS, THAT’S 300 MILLION MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE.
BINGO. NICE WORK, ETHAN. IT’S GOING TO CREATE for a HUGE MARKET FOR AMERICAN SOFTWARE. BECAUSE, HEY, THE AMERICANS —
THEY’RE STILL WAY AHEAD IN MAKING GAMES. AND EVERY DOLLAR THAT PEOPLE WORKING IN THESE INDIAN COMPANIES EARNS
IS GOING TO CREATE PROSPERITY, WHICH MEANS THAT ANY GLOBAL COMPANY CAN COME AND SELL ITS PRODUCTS HERE.
JUST REMEMBER THAT WE ARE 300 MILLION MIDDLE-CLASS. THAT’S MORE THAN THE SIZE OF YOUR COUNTRY OR THE SIZE OF EUROPE.
RAJ, I FEEL A LOT OF ENERGY COMING FROM YOUR GENERATION. WHAT DOES THAT HOLD FOR INDIA’S FUTURE?
INDIA IS GOING TO BE A SUPERPOWER, AND WE ARE GOING TO RULE. WOW. [ LAUGHS ]
MR. RAO’S OPTIMISM WAS IMPRESSIVE. BUT I WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT A MORE ESTABLISHED ENTREPRENEUR
THOUGHT ABOUT OUTSOURCING’S IMPACT ON AMERICA. SO I VISITED THE CHAIRMAN OF INDIA’S SECOND LARGEST I.T. COMPANY, WIPRO.
THE LEGENDARY AZIM PREMJI IS THE RICHEST MAN IN INDIA. HE BELIEVES THAT INNOVATION IS STILL THE KEY
TO AMERICA’S FUTURE. AND HE CAUTIONS AGAINST PROTECTIONISM. AMERICA WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY THE AGE OF INNOVATION.
AND I THINK AMERICAN COMPANIES, TO RE-CREATE for A NEW SET OF JOBS, WILL BECOME EVEN MORE INNOVATIVE.
BUT AMERICA WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS. THANK GOODNESS — WE’LL STILL HOLD THE LEAD IN SOMETHING. WHICH IS ALL THE MORE REASON WHY IT’S VERY IMPORTANT
FOR THE WESTERNIZED WORLD TO UNDERSTAND THAT SO MUCH OF THE WEALTH IN THE WEST HAS ALSO COME THROUGH ACCESS TO GLOBAL MARKETS.
YOU CANNOT HAVE DOUBLE STANDARDS IN GLOBALIZATION. GLOBALIZATION HAS TO BE A TWO-WAY TRAFFIC. SO, I MEAN, THAT’S A REALITY.
Friedman: THIS IS THE CAMPUS OF A COMPANY CALLED INFOSYS, THOUGH IT FELT TO ME MORE LIKE A LUXURY RESORT IN THE CARIBBEAN
THAN A CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY IN BANGALORE. IT WAS HERE THAT THE FULL MAGNITUDE
OF WHAT THE INDIANS HAVE CREATED BEGAN TO SINK IN. MY FRIEND NANDAN NILEKANI,
C.E.O. AND PRESIDENT OF INFOSYS, SHOWED ME AROUND. SO THIS IS A CONFERENCE ROOM. HOLY MACKEREL.
PROBABLY THE LARGEST SCREEN IN ASIA. THIS IS 40 DIGITAL SCREENS. WE COULD BE SITTING HERE, AND SOMEBODY FROM NEW YORK,
LONDON, BOSTON, SAN FRANCISCO — ALL LIVE. AND MAYBE THE IMPLEMENTATION MAY BE IN SINGAPORE. SO THE SINGAPORE PERSON COULD ALSO BE LIVE HERE.
AND YOU’RE ALL WOVEN TOGETHER AT THE SAME MEETING? THAT’S GLOBALIZATION. …SOLUTIONS TO THEIR I.T. COMPANIES.
THESE GUYS HAVE GONE WELL BEYOND PROVIDING CALL CENTERS FOR AMERICAN COMPANIES. THEY ARE EMPOWERING SOME OF THE PEOPLE OF INDIA.
MANY CALL CENTER WORKERS ARE USING THEIR SALARIES NOT ONLY TO BUY AMERICAN BRANDS
BUT ALSO TO ACQUIRE MBAs OR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEGREES. WITH WHAT SEEMS LIKE A TECH COLLEGE ON EVERY CORNER,
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER-SCIENCE GRADUATES ENTER THE JOB MARKET EACH YEAR.
INFOSYS RECEIVED, IN A SINGLE YEAR, ONE MILLION APPLICATIONS FOR ONLY 9,000 JOBS.
INDIAN COMPANIES ARE RELIED ON BY SOME OF THE BIGGEST BUSINESSES IN THE WORLD,
NOT ONLY TO MANAGE THEIR BACK-ROOM OPERATIONS BUT TO RESEARCH, DEVELOP, AND DESIGN
THE NEXT GENERATION OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY. IN FACT, THEY HAVE BECOME SO INTEGRAL TO THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
THAT THEY’VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE GEOPOLITICAL CONFLICTS THAT HAVE PLAGUED SOUTH ASIA FOR SO LONG.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE, IN 2002, INDIA AND PAKISTAN WERE ONCE AGAIN RATTLING
THEIR NUCLEAR SABERS. IT GOT SO BAD THAT THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUED A TRAVEL ADVISORY.
WE URGE AMERICAN CITIZENS CURRENTLY IN INDIA TO DEPART THE COUNTRY. Friedman: PRESSURE FROM INDIA’S HIGH-TECH COMMUNITY
ON POLITICIANS HELPED TO AVERT A POSSIBLE WAR. WHEN YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF INTERDEPENDENCE,
YOU CAN’T JUST SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN FOR A WEEK AND GO OFF TO WAR — YOU CAN’T AFFORD IT. AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT ON INDIA.
IT WOULD TOUCH THE WHOLE WORLD. BECAUSE YOU’RE PART OF A GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN. AND TAPPING INTO THIS GLOBAL NETWORK OF RESOURCES
CAN TRANSFORM THE WORLD. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT. THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF ALL OF THIS WILL MAKE THE WORLD A MUCH SAFER PLACE.
YOU TOUCH ON SOMETHING THAT I’VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT WITH YOUNG ARAB OR YOUNG MUSLIM FROM SAUDI ARABIA OR EGYPT,
WHO’S HAVING A MUCH HARDER TIME BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS GLOBAL SYSTEM. THAT’S NOT HEALTHY FOR US.
I AGREE WITH YOU TOTALLY. I THINK ALL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE MAY BE FORCED TO CHOOSE A PATH OF ALIENATION.
AND I THINK IT’S IN OUR COLLECTIVE SELF-INTEREST TO MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ONE OF THEM IS ABLE TO PURSUE
THE RIGHT, POSITIVE ASPIRATIONS, RATHER THAN A PATH OF ALIENATION. I’VE ALWAYS FOUND IT INTERESTING
THAT, THOUGH INDIA HAS THE SECOND-LARGEST MUSLIM POPULATION IN THE WORLD, NUMBERING MORE THAN 150 MILLION,
THERE WERE NO INDIAN MUSLIMS INVOLVED IN THE 9/11 ATTACKS. BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF MUSLIMS
WORKING AT PLACES LIKE INFOSYS AND WIPRO. IN FACT, THE CHAIRMAN OF WIPRO, AZIM PREMJI,
IS AN INDIAN MUSLIM. HE BELIEVES THAT EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES TO MUSLIMS IN ARAB COUNTRIES NOT ONLY MAKES THE WORLD SAFER
BUT ALSO MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE. THE THING WE ARE DOING FOR BUILDING BUSINESS WITH THE MIDDLE EAST IS WE ARE TARGETING ARAB CITIZENS,
STARTING IN INDIAN ENGINEERING COLLEGES FOR RECRUITMENT TO WORK FOR US AS A COMPANY BACK IN THEIR COUNTRIES.
I GO TO THESE CALL CENTERS. I MEET KIDS FULL OF PRIDE, DIGNITY, AND SELF-WORTH.
PEOPLE LIKE THAT DON’T PLOW AIRPLANES INTO WORLD TRADE CENTERS. YES. ABSOLUTELY.
THE BIG CHALLENGE WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS TO CREATE ENOUGH ECONOMIC ENGINES OF JOB CREATION
FOR ALL THESE YOUNGSTERS. Friedman: 555 MILLION UNDER THE AGE OF 26.
AT BEST, WE MAKE 4 MILLION, 5 MILLION JOBS IN I.T. AND IN BPO AND ALL THAT. BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL OF THE REST?
THE FACT IS THAT ONLY A RELATIVELY TINY PART OF INDIA’S POPULATION HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY THIS ECONOMIC BOOM.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE SUCCESS WE’VE HAD IN OUR COUNTRY, A LOT OF IT HASN’T PERCOLATED DOWN TO THE CITIZENS. SO, AS A RESULT, PRIMARY HEALTH, PRIMARY EDUCATION,
HEALTHCARE, AND SO ON ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL. RAMESH RAMANATHAN IS CO-FOUNDER OF JANAAGRAHA,
A CITIZENS ADVOCACY GROUP. I COULD TAKE YOU 100 YARDS AWAY FROM HERE, WHERE YOU COULD THINK THAT YOU COU
