Business and Management Practices in South Asia

This book presents case studies of South Asian companies that have strategic business implications, highlighting the complex interplay of business and social dynamics in South Asia. This region is a wide agglomeration of very different countries that share somewhat common cultures and issues and yet it is torn apart by religion and politics. There is an abundance of local entrepreneurship but a widespread institutional void. The book investigates how local companies survive and thrive in this environment and discusses those companies that have withstood the competitive pressure of MNCs, depicting their management and business practices. In today’s world, where multinationals are so omnipresent that their management and business practices are considered as the de facto recipe for success, there is a need to have an alternative view that challenges the ubiquitousness of multinational management practices. The case studies in this book focus on the business and management practices of local organizations in South Asia and thus provide that alternative viewpoint of how to achieve success in South Asia. Exposing readers to a local perspective on doing business in South Asia, it is a valuable resource for students and practitioners of management.

“South Asia has historically been at the center of global business. The recent surge of Eastern indigenous management practices being pursued by Western organisations is an evidence of this. Arijit and Vijay have done a marvellous job in portraying the business and management practices of South Asian firms through unique and representative case studies. This collection should be of immense use to a variety of readers.”  (Professor Pawan Budhwar, PhD, MCIPD, FBAM, FAcSS, FHEA, FINDAM, 50th Anniversary Professor of International HRM, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor International (India), Joint Director, Aston India Centre for Applied Research, Co-Editor-in-Chief, British Journal of Management, Associate Editor, Human Resource Management, Aston Business School UK)

“This is a most timely and fitting book on South Asian business and management through an examination of unique case studies. The global business community, including practitioners, academics and students will gain a wealthof knowledge and learn about the uniqueness of these practices.  Dr Sikhdar and Dr Pereira have to be congratulated for compiling a set of essays that make a contribution that remains unparalleled.” (Professor Pal Ahluwalia, VC  and President The University of the South Pacific)

Dr Arijit Sikdar is Associate Professor at University of Wollongong, Dubai. He has exposure in industry, consultancy and academia. Dr Sikdar has published and presented papers in international journals such as ETP, BPMJ, JoE, JDE, IJBE and at international conferences. His teaching and research interests are related to strategic management, entrepreneurship and international business. Coming from the IIM Ahmedabad background, his teaching approach is focused on using case studies in classroom discussion for building strong conceptual and critical thinking skills in students. He has also served as academic reviewer for international journals and conferences.

Dr Vijay Pereira is Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Research), at University of Wollongong, Dubai. He has exposure in industry, consultancy and academia. Dr Pereira has published and presented over 85 papers worldwide including in A and A* international journals such as HRM, JWB, IJHRM, JBR, SI,JIM, OD and IJM and at international conferences including the AOM, AIB, BAM and INDAM. He is  currently the Associate Editor (Strategic Management and OB) for the ‘A’ ranked Journal of Business Research and on the editorial board of the FT listed A* Production and Operations Management Society (POMS) journal and Asia-Pacific-Journal-of-Management.