Collaborative Entrepreneurship: Key to shaping the future of India

Who are entrepreneurs? In my definition, they are leaders. They take the very first step towards their goal. People share the need for their steps and follow.

Why are entrepreneurs important? A few days back one of my friends talked about some African American leader who mentioned that if 10% of the population were to lead, they could uplift the rest.

The words “these are changing times” may sound clichéd, however, we need to realize - we are living in these times. The Indian economy has been accelerating over last few years and now rapidly growing at more than 9% per year. Our economy is globalizing. With new interconnections and communication networks, the world seems like a much smaller place now. Indians travel and interact worldwide more often than ever before. Our society is reacting to these changes and developing. Thus, here we are at an opportune moment where we can build India not only into a developed nation with minimum disparity across various strata of people but also a beautiful society  where we still maintain a loving awareness, simplicity and nobility of an interconnected life despite all the forces stopping us, where inspiring ideas spring without the burdens of capitalistic considerations, where unlike most of the politicians of today, we feel we have someone to respond to, where we identify ourselves uniquely, yet co-exist. However, such a development will need all socio-political-economic concepts to create a synergy. We have to create such a synergy by acting purposefully now so that India witnesses a great future. This synergy is achievable by a collaborative effort by social, political and business entrepreneurs--the leaders that India must seek to enable her to grab the lions share of the present knowledge revolution.

Jamsetji Tata incepted the TATAs. However, he also envisioned Indian Institute of Sciences. He pledged Rs. 30 lakh from his personal wealth towards setting it up. Swami Vivekananda supported Jamsetji in this vision. In Swami Vivekananda’s words, "I am not aware if any project at once so opportune and so far reaching in its beneficent effects has ever been mooted in India... The scheme grasps the vital point of weakness in our national well-being with a clearness of vision and tightness of grip, the mastery of which is only equaled by the munificence of the gift that is being ushered to the public." Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru led the foundations of Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management. These synergistic efforts taken at their opportune moments are proving fruitful to India in this age of the knowledge revolution. As I read Amartya Sen’s keynote speech at NASSCOM, I realized that it is also the historical Indian tradition of valuing education and special skills like mathematics that has provided us with the advantage in this era. Of course, we happen to be a nation of a young, cheap workforce too, which provides us with the opportunity to seize the moment. However, India needs more entrepreneurs from all these sections of the society and a cooperation amongst them to direct her way innovatively into a wonderful future.

Recently, the business entrepreneurs have been doing well. After the markets opened up in 90s, these entrepreneurs have taken the initiative. Successful knowledge based companies like Infosys are an example. There are more jobs for people skilled in information technologies. However, the economic growth has not reached the poor in India. Now, you may wonder why it may seem like that I am beating the drum again. Because, I think we do not thoroughly understand its significance, and it is worthy enough to be reiterated. If we have to accelerate the economic growth, the Indian political system has to justify it to the poor and needy of India. And if they comprise of nearly a third of the Indian population, such a huge vote bank cannot be ignored. So, in order to keep playing our triumphant economic trumpet, even the policy makers need to really do something to uplift the poor. How will it happen? Again, a cooperation between businesses, government and the people is needed.

Even the concept of cooperation between these different groups seems clichéd. However, I believe that granted we all knew this, we have not been paying it the due attention it demands. How can such a cooperation really be achieved? There is no clear cut answer, but it is important to search for it or invent it now; because otherwise, a few changes in the world economy may burst our euphoric bubble.

The good thing is that Indians, in general are cooperative. In our society, we know our neighbors, like to interact with them, and help each other in our harsher times. However, the changing times are deconstructing this. The businesses are becoming slim and specialized, the societies are becoming individualistic and everyone is more sure about their own needs. There is nothing drastically wrong about this, however, we need to understand that once we become individualistic in our approach it becomes difficult to cooperate. And, to manage this change on the whole, cooperation is the key.

Let me step back a bit and make a case with the important issues of education, employment and Indian economy. Nowadays, Indian economy is accelerating. Why? The Indian middle class has started earning more and can buy what MNCs have to offer. How did this happen? Since, this is the technology age and because of the technical impetus of the Indian middle class (where every child invariably is expected to be either an engineer or a doctor), focused on providing education to its children.

Can Indian economy grow much more rapidly? Why not, provided now we make the Indian middle class a sustainable earner and develop people from the poor strata of India. It essentially means, educating them, making them able earners, so that they also become able spenders. Of course, here I give development a very capitalistic flavor, however I believe strategists, social organizations and political entrepreneurs can help to develop a balanced society with least disparity or corruption. Yes, I am advocating the role of activists and politicians here. Activists can make sure businesses are responsible not only to their stock holders but also toward society. Politicians and Indian democracy can ensure that businesses adopt practices such that the benefits reach the poor too.

So, we realize that education, employment and economy are inter-related and demand a collaborative effort. However, if you are like most of my friends you will question that such a collaboration is not possible in India. I think we have lost an eye to see good then. To give a concrete example of effective collaboration, let me give you an example from Arun Maira’s book “Shaping the future”. In June 2000, Jamshed Irani, then CEO of TISCO asked Arun Maira, head of Boston Consulting Group in India – “Could you prepare a report describing the plan for a new state in India?” They were talking about Jharkhand. Arun wondered what stakes Jamshed may have? He soon realized, that Jamshed was being a proactive businessman and a concerned citizen and had several reasons. It was his home. It was the home of TISCO employees too. He was committed to them and to the state. CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) wanted Jamshed’s help in developing a vision for the state. Even, CII was approached informally by some people to be proactive in shaping the vision for this new state. Other people involved were Gautam Mukherji, CII’s Bihar chapter’s president for the previous year. But why were they concerned – the Jharkhand government would come from Bihar government, and they did not want another Bihar. Jamshed did not want TATAs to provide the report since people may misrepresent TATAs intentions. So, he wanted an independent study. Jamshed and Gautam feared that politicians may resort to populist policies and may not be interested in changes. Arun suggested that the politicians may also be suspecting Jamshed and Gautam’s intentions and that all parties were needed for development. When Arun and the rest met with the politicians; the politicians requested – simple recommendations, consider people’s interests into account and recommend very soon. Then they brought professors from XLRI, teachers from rural schools, officers from Bihar government , and BCG consultants together to develop the vision. When the report was presented to the CM, Mr Babulal Marandi, he continued to look at the screen for a long time and said, “ When I saw the pictures and heard Vijay Mehta’s (Chairman, CII, Bihar) words, I thought, he has taken my dream. We can work together to shape this state.”

This is the kind of cooperation we need for developing India too, and if its possible for Jharkhand, its possible for India too.

Let us not wait to start. Let each of us start on our own. I call upon each of us to form small teams of people from these three (or varied) backgrounds and start a personal project to develop India. Meet each-other weekly and develop that project, however small it may seem. Keep following it up till you succeed and then, start another one. A small ripple created by each one of us will become a wave and encompass whole of India and develop it.

Let us not wait any more. Let us begin.

Reference:

1. Maira, Arun. Shaping the future: Aspirational leadership in India and beyond.

2. Sen, Amartya. I.T. and India. Keynote Address at the NASSCOM 2007 India Leadership Forum in Mumbai on 7 February 2007. http://www.hindu.com/nic/itindia.htm