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 Industry
pundits and gurus are taking their best guess in their predictions.
In this climate of uncertainity and economic yin-yang, a few trends
are, however, taking hold. MOHAN BABU lists them
The cover of a recent article in the widely-read
Wall Street Journal read, “The US economy grew at a sizzling
7.2 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the fastest growth
in almost 20 years. Consumer spending and exports climbed and business
investment rebounded. The dollar climbed on the news.” The
very same day another article caught my attention—Compuware—To
Cut Salaries For Most Workers 5% To 10%. There is perhaps a strange
dichotomy at work here. On one hand the premier business journal
in the US was proclaiming that the economy is finally out of the
woods, on the other S & P (Standard and Poor’s Corporation)
500 companies like Compuware continue on the path of downsizing
and cost-cutting, adding fuel to the notion of a jobless recovery.
What is exactly is happening here, where is this trend headed?
A similar drama is being played out in
the big debate over global outsourcing. While a few Fortune 500
companies like GE have institutionalised outsourcing and have been
reaping the rewards for years, companies that are yet to wet their
feet are confused and bewildered by the rhetoric. This reminds me
of the old stock market adage: “Bulls make money, bears make
money; but, pigs get slaughtered.” To those uninitiated in
the ways of the stock market, what it essentially means is that
in any kind of market—be it “bull” or “bear”—there
are some people who will continue to make profits, only the “pigs,”
those who are not able to find their way around, will get hurt.
Same is perhaps the case with those playing a guessing game by waiting
for an economic recovery to make a move or to redefine their strategies
or plans.
The only way you and I would know of what
was going to happen was if we had a crystal ball; and since we don’t,
we can only hazard a guess. And my guess (pun intended) is that
even the industry pundits and gurus are doing just that—taking
their best guess. However, even given the turbulent times and economic
yin-yang that we are experiencing, a few “trends” are
definitely taking hold:
* Outsourcing: This is no longer
just a trend but a reality of business. So much has been written
and discussed about this topic that even a passing mention of outsourcing
of IT and business processes will probably amount to an overkill.
The real question, however, is how is outsourcing impacting your
life, business and career?
* Stabilisation of earnings in the West:
While the financials in the West are stabilising, Indian software
companies are gung-ho over the stellar earnings, the slide in dollar
(vis-à-vis the rupee) notwithstanding. If opportunities are
moving towards India, how can you benefit from it?
* Globalisation: While companies
in the West are busy outsourcing to India, Indian software companies
are already starting to think outside-the-box by exploring other
horizons including China. Companies like Infosys, Wipro and TCS
have already announced their China initiatives recently. How is
this going to impact the lives and careers of Indian IT professionals?
* H1 visa: Not a day goes by without
a discussion on this topic close to the hearts of most Indian techies
and managers. However, focus on the bottomline—is the tightening
of H1 visas in the US going to affect your life, career and business?
This list is by no means exhaustive and
is just indicative of the trends shaping up. In light of the fuzzy
messages emanating from employers and economic experts, it is best
focus on the reality of what one is doing instead of looking for
some ‘magical’ answers to the persistent questions.
One way to look at the horizon is to ignore
the short-term trends and predictions and to take on a long-term,
holistic perspective. This holds true of whether you are an entrepreneur
managing your business, or you are a career professional depending
on the whims of your employer, or even a middle manager sandwiched
between customers who are equally wary of the future and employees
looking up to you to provide the answers during these turbulent
times.
Mohan Babu is a US based software consultant
trying to find the ‘sweet spot’ where IT meets business.
E-mail: mohan@garamchai.com
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