Debi S. Saini

Women in Management in the New Economic Environment: The Case of India

Liberalization of the Indian economy has created considerable employment opportunities for those, including women, who possess marketable  skills and talent. Historically, women in India have not enjoyed a good status in workplace settings whether in managerial or operative roles. This traditional positioning of women has restricted the intensity of their efforts towards realizing the benefits of the globalisation process. An attempt has been made in this contribution to highlight the important issues relating to women in management in the Indian context. The messages from a review of the literature are analysed. Research evidence from various sources is presented to highlight the dynamics of developments in the status of Indian women managers. The contribution discusses the main aspects of the historical, socio-cultural and economic factors influencing women managers: issues concerning gender-based stereotypes; the main barriers to womens movement to top managerial positions; the impact of developments in information technology (IT) on women managers; and the way forward. Results from two research projects are also presented. The analysis has important messages for practitioners and contributes to womens studies and management in the Indian context.

Human resource management in India

This chapter presents a broad overview of the scenario of human resource management (HRM) in India. It is structured along the framework discussed in chapter one of this volume. To provide the required context, this section presents some relevant demographic details of the Indian economy and society. India is a republic in South Asia. It has the second highest population in the world after China, which reached the 1 billion mark in June 2000. As per the latest Census of 2001, the total population of the country is 1027 million, which includes 531.28 million males and 495.73 million females. India’s share of the world population is 16.7 percent. The literacy rate among the population for seven years and above for the country stands at 65.38 percent. The corresponding figures for males and females are 75.85 and 54.16 percent respectively. The density of population (per sq. km) is 324 and the sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) 933.

Managing diversity in Chinese and Indian organizations: a qualitative study

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate diversity management (DM) practices in China and India by analyzing formal DM policy (if one exists) adopted by the company and informal DM practices adopted by managers. It also aims to discuss the appropriateness of the US‐originated notion of, and approach to, managing diversity in the Indian and Chinese contexts by exploring how local managers make sense of diversity and manage it in a pragmatic way.Design/methodology/approach – The authors adopted a qualitative approach. In particular, through a semi‐structured interview design, qualitative data were collected from 16 Chinese and Indian middle and senior managers and four human resources (HR) director of regional headquarters of foreign multinational firms. The data were supplemented by secondary data from a wide range of sources, including government reports and media coverage to extend contextual understanding.Findings – The paper reveals that most Chinese organizations do not see DM as an issue. Where exist...

Organizational change and development in India: A case of strategic organizational change and transformation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine developments in the field of organizational change (OC) with reference to the context of India. It highlights the need to analyze this topic in the present Indian economic environment and discusses the main developments reported in the Indian literature on the same. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical evidence based on a qualitative analysis of a case study undertaken at a public-private partnership transformation at North Delhi Power Limited (NDPL) in India is presented. Findings – The findings focus on trust building and belongingness for the employees, establishing a high-performance orientation, quality improvements, and the resultant transformations at NDPL. The analysis indicates a number of ways by which NDPL sought to improve its efficiency in order to better adapt to the rapidly changing Indian business environment. Practical implications – Based on the findings, the paper identifies key messages for policy makers and change agents regarding how to transform companies in the rapidly changing business contexts of emerging markets such as India. Originality/value – The paper offers an in-depth analysis of OC practices in a large organization in India.

Human Resource Driven Turnaround at North Delhi Power Limited: Transition from a Public Utility to a Private Enterprise

The case illustrates how a public sector utility entity with almost no human resource (HR) system in place went on the road of transformation and learning. The case documents areas of transformation from an archaic personnel architecture towards institutionalization of strategic HR system. From file maintenance to strategic partnership, the journey of HR along with top management support and line management involvement is mapped throughout the case. The establishment of a psychological contract acted as the foundation, resulting in commitment and faster adaptation to change. Organizational learning took roots with systemic changes starting from the external customer and later in the internal customer. The role of HR as a strategic partner in this transformation was exemplified as HR enjoyed voice and space at the board level of the organization. This case is useful for showing how internal change agents and the active partnership of HR can lead to greater commitment than compliance with top management directives.

Organizational change and development:a case study in the Indian electricity market

The present economic growth of India is largely an outcome of the liberalization of its economic policies in 1991. Since gaining independence in 1947, India adopted a “mixed economy” approach (emphasizing both private and public enterprise). This had the effect of reducing both entrepreneurship and global competitiveness. Despite the formalities of planning, the Indian economy reached its worst in 1990 and witnessed a double digit rate of inflation, decelerated industrial production, fiscal indiscipline, a very high ratio of borrowing to the GNP (both internal and external) and a dismally low level of foreign exchange reserves. The World Bank and the IMF agreed to bail out India at that time on the condition that it changed to a “free market economy” from what at the time was a regulated regime. To meet the challenges, the government announced a series of economic policies, followed by a new industrial policy supported by fiscal and trade policies. A number of reforms were made in the public sector that affected trade and exchange policy. At the same time, the banking sector together with activity in foreign investment was liberalized.

Deakins India Pvt. Ltd.: Human Resource Issues in a Small-Scale Unit

Deakins was a Delhi-based leather garments manufacturing small-scale enterprise (SME), which operated exclusively in the exports sector by employing mostly piece-rated workers. The company had recently begun facing severe competition from the Chinese. It noticed threats on the employee relations front too. It did not have any system of formal training. The companys two directors were aware of the need for change of mindsets and professionalism even as they were diametrically opposite in their management style—while one was considerate and paternalistic, the other believed in control and discipline. The formers style enabled the company to use its “loyal workers” in diluting the designs of the outsider union activists so far. The company did not strictly follow many of the labour laws applicable to its workers. It was exploring ways for competing with the Chinese. It noticed that some Indian competitors had established themselves in European market where the influence of Chinese suppliers in these products was negligible. Some had recently left for China to set up joint ventures there with the Chinese operators; some others had gone into production of high-quality customized leather garments. The two directors were wondering what strategies and styles should be adopted by them to continue to remain and grow in business in view of the current crisis. They were exploring whether the companys business model and people-management policies needed any change. They were also asking whether there was any relationship between people management issues and employee relations dynamics

The Indian Business Scene, Challenges of Change, and Capacity-Building through People-Management Strategy

In todays business world of chaotic high incidence of competition, managing change is one of the most critical factors for corporate success. Studies show that Indian corporate leaders of the pre-reform era have not been able to sustain their growth rate in sales and profit. They have not been able to withstand the winds of change caused by the new economic realities. Even those players who have demonstrated greater incidence of success have not been seriously considering internationalization of their businesses. This paper discusses the opportunities offered by the new economic policy (NEP) to corporates in India; some of the achievements attained by them; and the problems and challenges they face in this regard. It identifies the need for change as a corporate strategic priority. The paper argues that for organizational capacity-building for performance excellence, Indian companies need to invest in learning and benchmarking in different spheres of organizational working; and also resort to leveraging the empowerment model of human resource management (HRM) strategy as a way of organizational life.

Book Review: Tony Bendell, Building Anti-fragile Organisations—Risk, Opportunity and Governance in a Turbulent World

Tony Bendell, Building Anti-fragile Organisations—Risk, Opportunity and Governance in a Turbulent World, Aldershot, UK: Gower Publishing Ltd., 2014, xviv + 228 pp., Price not mentioned (hardback).

Book Review: Managing Global Organizations: A Cultural Perspective

Rabi S. Bhagat, Harry C. Triandis, and Annette S. McDevitt, Managing Global Organizations: A Cultural Perspective, Cheltenham (UK): Edward Elgar, 2012, xvi+343 pp., Price not mentioned (Hardback).