This article talks about the action plan for Indian businesses to enhance global business competitiveness. It has been co-authored by Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Director of Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Director of the prestigious Welingkar Institute of Management and Research

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Enhancing Global Business Competitiveness
- Action Plan for Indian Business
Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe Prof. Dr. P.S.Rao
Director Dean
Welingkar Institute of Management Welingkar Institute of Management
Mumbai – 400019. Mumbai – 400019.
Introduction
Competition no longer is national or regional in character but has acquired global proportions.
The emphasis too has shifted from natural competition to strategic competition (Henderson,
1989). This has resulted in outcomes like compression of time, leveraging of strategic resources,
building critical relationships and total customer orientation.
It was established over two decades ago that unrelated diversification of business produces the
least advantage to a firm (Rumelt, 1994). Subsequently in the late 80s and early 90s emerged the
theory of Core Competency urging firms to concentrate on developing and growing along related
streams of technologies and production skills to gain sustainable competitive advantage (Hamel
and prahalad, 1990 ). This approach was modified by expanding the scope of competency to
include capabilities eg. Wal Mart’s’ “cross docking” technique and Honda’s “dealer relationship”
for service as well as manufacturing firms (Stalk , Evans and Shulman, 1992). The stress now is
on the resource based view (RBV) of the firm which outlines the firm as a combination of a
bunch of resources including access to customers, brand equity, process skills and speedy product
development, These have to be carefully leveraged to give the firm the competitive edge resulting
in increased global market share (Coils and Montgomery, 1995). All of these have immense
implications for Indian business.
Challenges of Globalization
Is Indian industry gearing itself to challenges of globalization and if so, to what extent? This issue
is of great importance in the post- WTO scenario. Undoubtedly, global markets offer
opportunities for all, but opportunities do not guarantee the desired results. For High Performing
Asian Economies as well as for China, the benefit of globalization is clearly reflected in the rising
ratio of their trade (imports plus exports) to GDP which is currently hovering around 40 to 45%.
But in case of India, even granting the fact that our trade to GDP ratio has increased in the post-
reforms period from about 13% of GDP in the early nineties to about 20% of GDP at present, we
have a long way to catch up with the levels achieved by the Asian Tigers.
It is evident that India has a definite competitive advantage in products like gems and jwellery,
readymade garments, cotton yarns, fabrics, leather products etc. which are typically labour-
intensive and low value end products. There are also some of the sophisticated manufactured
products like engineering goods and drugs and pharmaceuticals wherein some contribution to
exports is visible. But if we take the top ten of India’s exports wherein our share of global
exports varies in the range of 2 to 13%, these product categories together have only 12 to 15% of
the global markets. In other words, in most significant areas of global manufactured product
export, India does not have any meaningful share of global markets.

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The issue, therefore, is that the post-reforms period has yet to endow India with areas of
comparative advantage to establish its leadership in the global markets. In contrast, India seems
to be emerging as a major exporter of IT products and services. In the last few years, exports
growth of the IT sector has been surging at 40 to 50% , and our total exports are projected to be
$50 bn. by 2008 from the present about $6.5 bn. But even in the IT sector it is the software
segment where India is doing extremely well, while the hardware sector remains in its nascent
stage.
The Realities
Indian Business and industry are no doubt under enormous pressure owing to the impact of
liberalization and globalization of the Indian economy,. However, the rise offop Islamic
fundamentalism showing its ugly head in the terrorist attacks on the US followed by the US war
against Iraq and Indo-Pak war have only added to the complexity of the already subdued business
environment in India as well as across the globe.
On the other hand our northern neighbor china has stolen a clear march over us in the realm of
industry growth. It has set up such huge manufacturing facilities, which have resulted in very low
cost unit. Political governance in that country is very disciplined too. The process of
liberalization in China started in 1979 has been steadily maintained, As a result of all these china
accounts for 4% of global trade while we are less than 1%. They have achieved FDI of over US
$42 bn last year while India could get only about $2.5 bn.
Competition is not restricted to the Chinese products. In many products categories we can see
that multinational firms are out doing domestic players in various businesses. Look at passenger
cars, consumer electronics, computer hardware, etc. we find Indian firms loosing market share
and control over business.
Considering down to earth real life competition in the Indian market too reveals emerging trends
which have to be taken stock of. The MNCs are following the policy of ‘in Rome do as Romans
do’ with predictable outcomes. Indian Companies have to respond to these tactics to maintain if
not increase their existing market shares. Further, similar strategies will have to be adopted when
Indian firms go abroad. Whirlpool for instance is exploiting the kelvinator brand in the
refrigerators market and the TVS brand in the washing machines market to take advantage of the
association value of the well known Indian brands. Besides, it has researched and determined the
need for altering its existing product portfolio to suit the Indian customers and their life style.
The company has therefore tailor-made 300 products exclusively for the Indian market.
Pepsi Snack Foods for example have discarded ITS American snacks and have included in their
product line Indian Namkeens under the ‘Leher’ brand, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut
both subsidiaries of Pepsi Co. offer only ethinie cuisine knowing fully well that some of their
existing products offered in foreign markets are not acceptable to Indian Consumers. Even
foreign TV channels like Star TV have started programmes in Hindi ( ET. March 1996 )
Strategic Response Options
Having scanned the present state of Competition in the Indian Industry as well as at the
indications of what is to come in future based on global competition the following strategies have
been proposed which could enable firms to remain competitive.

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Tie-up with MNCs
Indian Companies especially start-ups can aim for global standards in their operations by
associated themselves with MNCs operating in India or are in India or are in the process of
setting up offices here. The tie-up can be as a supplier or a franchisee / licensee. Numerous
benefits will accrue provided the Indian firm’s management is versatile. The pressure to perform
will indeed be high as MNCs demand exacting quality standards, prompt delivery schedule, state-
of-the-art production technology, economies of scale and low transaction costs. Take the
standards and practices for example in the food business which is highly perishable, it could not
afford to source its eggs and potatoes from California and Idaho in U.S.A. respectively for
obvious reasons. Desirous to ensure quality, the company went about systematically putting in
place its vender development programme necessitating its supplier to negotiate a technology-
transfer arrangement or a joint venture with an international Mc Donald’s supplier. Initially the
process was both painful and rigorous. But subsequently it has enabled Indian suppliers to forge
business relationships globally leveraging with the Mc Donald’s brand equity. (ET, September
1996).
Dynamix Dairy is a case in point. This Maharashtra based supplier of cheese to Mc Donald has
also become a supplier to Eri International, an international supplier of milk products to Mc -
Donald’s. Another supplier of lettuce to the MNCs Indian operation now supplies another
company’s restaurant in the Middle-East as well.. This is probably just the beginning. As India
is a low cost production base, armed with Mc Donald’s brand these suppliers can become
sourcing centers for many MNCs world wide. The advent of an MNC has enabled these firms to
rise to International standards. This strategy is open to other India firms which are enterprising
and have a strategic vision
Attacking MNCs on their home ground :
It has been aptly said that offence is the best form of defence. Indian companies must not rest
fighting MNC competition in India but must devise ways and means to take it to their domestic
markets. This is easier said than done, no doubt . However, to foreclose its possibility would
indeed be cowardly or a product of myopic vision.
One reason why MNCs are rushing to emerging markets is that competition is heating up in their
home markets especially from private label manufacturers, in the grocery industry for example,
store brands in 1994 accounted for around 15 percent of sales in US and in the UK around 36
percent. ( Hoch, 1995). Therefore, for many Indian manufacturers, alliances with European and
American distributors may be a more viable proposition than joint ventures with foreign
manufacturers in India.
The retailers in the west have successfully evolved and implemented a strategy of fighting
established brands and as consequence in many industries the own-label goods today account for
a quarter of all goods sold via large distributors in the U.K. These goods are of a quality
equivalent to branded goods, enjoy the equity of the some name, enjoy prime shelf space in
stores, get more sales talk, and are priced lower due to lower overheads, etc. Marks and Spencer
is a classic example. Further, many large retailers have started internalization finding their home
markets small and saturated. Example is Carrefour of France. This is leading to the phenomenon
of internalization of sourcing (ET, June 1996). This trend has important implications for Indian

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manufacturers. Following the logic of ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’, Indian manufacturers
should befriend these foreign distributors ad obtain private label contract from them.
The benefits are enormous. Both investment and technology can be obtained from these
distributors, serving international markets will enable better understanding of the mode of
operations of transnational, high quality standards can be achieved and economics of large scale
will accrue owing to the size of demands of the global distributors leading to cost advantage.
finally these products can be introduced in the domestic market with the promotional message
that these products have succeeded in many foreign markets though in the guise of foreign brand
names.
Cushioned International Entry Vs Big Bang Approach
That Indian companies must venture into foreign markets to survive and compete in the long run
needs no debate. What requires attention is the market/customers that have to be targeted.
The strategy of taking on market leaders in foreign markets involves high risks but if successful
the pay offs are even higher. When some Indian firms could do it successfully why not others.
Take the case of Titan which has decided to take on global competition head on. It neither denied
nor focused on Indianess as it could work to its disadvantage due to the image Indian products
have abroad. It positioned its watches as a product of a synthesis of global cooperation:
technology from India and Japan, design form Switzerland and France, and precision engineering
form Germany. A position not taken by any other global watch brand, with presence in eight
countries Titan Industries now expects 20 to 25 percent (about 8.5 lakh pieces) of its watch sales
to come from international markets. The fact that it has arrived internally can be judged by the
fact that the company won the bronze award in a competition recently organized by European
association of Advertising Agencies (ET, October 1996).
A second case in point is Asian paints, a success story of outright entry into foreign markets. The
primary factor responsible for it as confidence and success is its Indian experience of having
unseated world leaders to occupy the leaders position in the Indian paint industry from the initial
position of being a non-entity. Asian paints strategy in foreign markets focuses on total customer
satisfaction, adapting products to local needs, and incorporating local symbols of brand
recognition, popularity and local identification. (ET, September 1996). This strategy has
delivered 50 percent market share in Fiji having entered there in 1977; 20 percent market share of
household paints in Australia by mid 1999. Indian companies can enter international markets
along any one of these paths or through both approaches in different markets. If the ultimate
objective is to become a successful global player then Indian players must be prepared to take on
their international counterparts head on sooner or later.
Strategic Alliance as a Competitive Tool:
Strategic Alliance is an inter firm link established through contractual agreements like joint R&D
joint product development, long-term sourcing agreements, joint manufacturing / marketing and
shared distribution/service (yoshino and Rangan, 1995). It is a double-edged sword that helps
business conquer new areas of business if handled properly and if not damages the business
interest to an extent that perhaps no other tool or technique can. (Mehta and Sampat, 1996).
Arvind Mills is an outstanding example of an Indian firm which has taken advantage of such
alliances. Sanjay Lalbhai, CEO. has guided Arvidn Mills into several strategic alliances which

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has enabled the company to move towards globalization, The company has entered into a
marketing and technology transfer agreement with Almac JKKnit Fabrics of US. While the
latter will continue to concentrate its efforts in the western hemisphere, the former will market its
quality cotton knitwear under the “Arvind almac” brand name in India, Asia and Africa. Arvind
Mills has similar tie up with FM Hammerle of European eminent shirting Fabric producer to
market shirting under their combined brand name ”Arvind Hammerle”. The International brand
names “arrow” and “Lee” too have been brought to India by Arvind Mills.
They usually do not permit export from the alliance to foreign markets in which they already
have a presence. They bring to the alliance technology which is either obsolete or a generation .
They obstruct proper transfer of technology and learning and charge high fee / royalty. They
seek to extract much more than they bring. It is however not true of all MNC partners. (BT,
October 1996)
It has also been observed that many joint ventures in India have been struck as the Indian partners
consider it a fad which they have to adopt in keeping with the fashion. The foreign partner too is
in a hurry not to be left behind in the race to capture the liberalized and growing Indian market
Indian market potential, on the contrary if the alliance has to serve as a ground for learning for
both partners and a competitive tool for them, it has to be formed after an in-depth analysis.
When unplanned it comes unstuck or ends in management take-over. In either case it creates
bitterness in both the partnering companies and leaves an impression that the technique itself is
suspect.
Outsourcing
Instead of manufacturing all one’s requirements in-house or integrating backward, a company for
strategic reasons can depend on suppliers and thereby gain numerous advantages competition
has forced even leading companies like IBM, GE and Mercedes to focus on their core strengths
and let others do what they cannot be excellent at themselves, (ET, August 1996). In this kind of
partnering, perhaps the greatest leverage of all is the full utilization of eternal supplier’s
investments, innovations, and specialized professional capabilities that would be prohibitively
expensive or even impossible to duplicate internally. In rapidly changing market places and
technological situations this joint strategy decreases risks, shorten the cycle time, lowers
investments and creates better responsiveness to customer needs (Quim and Hilmer, 1994) Take
the case of Nike, Inc., which is the largest supplier of athletic shoes worldwide, it outsourcers 100
percent of its shoe production and manufactures only key technical components, Nike creates
maximum value by concentrating on preproduction ( R & D) and postproduction activities
(marketing, distribution and sales) linked together by perhaps the best marketing information
system in the industry. It even outsourced the advertisement component of its marketing
programme, which drove Nike to the top of the product recognition scale. As a consequence it
grew at a 20 percent compound growth rate and earned 31 percent ROE for its shareholders
during the 80s (Quima and Hilmer, 1994)
Japanese style partnering:
There was a need to understand the significance of outsourcing. However the Japanese style of
doing this needs special mention as the modus operandi is different as also its outcomes. The
Japanese manufacturers have mastered the art of outsourcing or partnering with its suppliers and
in comparison to its western counterparts (particularly American), they have achieved superior

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payoffs, Japanese Ministry for international Trade and industry (MITI) went to the extent of
stating the Japanese manufacturing Industry owes its Competitive advantage and strength to its
subcontracting structure (Dyer and Ouchi,1993).
The Japanese-style partnering is an exclusive or semi-exclusive supplier-purchaser relationship
that focuses on maximizing the efficiency of the entire business system or the value chain. It has
several goals. One is to increase quality while minimizing the total value-added costs that both
the supplier and the purchaser incur. Another is to work together to solve the problems and
expand rather than split the pie. A third reason is to take advantage of economies of scale in both
production and transaction costs.
This kind of partnering has paid rich dividends to Japanese manufacturing industry. Considering
the auto industry for example Japans market share of worldwide passenger car production
jumped form 3.6 percent to 25.5 percent form 1965 to 1989. Japanese auto firms had achieved a
20 to 25 percent cost advantage per car versus US firms.
What should Indian companies do?
The only hope for Indian companies is to become competitively stronger by focusing on the three
important dimensions of modern business. These are customer, competition and competencies
the 3C’s of success in the market place.
The traditional approach to these three business dimensions has to change, which will result a
paradigm shift.
Customer
Competition Competencies
Action plan for Indian Business:
How to Manage Customers ?
In today’s markets, which are customer driven, Indian firms have to recognize the importance of
techniques /processes perfected in highly competitive developed markets. These include
relationships marketing, solution selling, business process integration and leveraging information
technology.
Relationship Marketing :
Developing relationship with employees in customer organization at all levels is of primary
importance today. Companies the world over are achieving this by forming cross-functional
teams with customer personnel. Many companies send their people from product development,
engineering, manufacturing, quality control, etc. from time to time to work at customer’s

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premises and help customer needs and concerns, Customer intimate companies must cultivate
some outstanding characteristics of their own like agility, judiciousness, diplomacy, foresight ,
and willingness.
Solution Selling :
What customers are increasingly looking forward to is not just products but custom made total
solutions. This requires an understanding of the customers business, their culture, their business
practices, etc. to appreciate their needs and help craft such solutions. This complete package is
likely to include advisory services, finance, customized product design, installation support,
employ training and inventory management relevant to the supplying company’s product.
Degremont is a French water treatment company with purification plants in more than 40
countries. Sales exceed $1 bn; growth rate is over 5% annually. Degremont’s success is the
result of its wise, long-term investments in understanding market needs and then crafting tailor
made solutions. Each of the country Degremont operates has a distinctive culture, climate,
language, and standards for water purification and regulatory environment. China, where it has
30 plants has even regional differences.
Business Process Integration:
Companies are re-engineering their business processes around customer’s needs. These new
processes are cross-functional. For Example product development process may involve personnel
from marketing, Finance, Manufacturing, Design, etc. Now dynamic companies are going one
step further and integrating their business processes with customers to achieve greater customer
satisfaction. For Example, collaboration on designing can be achieved by integrating the design,
manufacturing, product delivery and other business processes to customer needs.
With integration the supplier and customer jointly redesign their operating models and business
process, as if they were a single company rather than two distinct entities.
Marshall Industries, distributor of electronic components allow customers customized access to
its product, services and information any time of the day from anywhere, via methods like
innovations as 24-hours service, on-line internet ordering and a robotic warehouse. Diagnostic
Instrument Corporation has become its customer’s virtual manufacturing department. Diagnostic
takes the design and specifications. It sources, costs, procures, buys, and tests the materials; and
finally, it assembles and tests the consumer’s final product, usually a printed circuit board.
Leveraging IT:
With the advent of IT technology several companies maintain databases on key customers to
develop relationships. Companies are integrating and customizing business processes while
creating additional values for their customers by applying tools of Information Technology.
Amazon.com maintains databases on customer preference and pro-actively advises them on
purchasing books based on their past purchases. For example it informs new release of referred
authors subjects etc. Amazon also allows customers to chat with other customers having similar
tastes to help them take decisions. It also maintains record of birthdays and anniversaries of key
customers and sends them greetings.

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Hotels like Holiday Inn maintain databases of customer preferences and suggest services as per
customer liking e.g. Menu to dinner, or music of preference or toiletries of choice, and the like.
How to manage competition fully?
Through study of the value chain of the firm and by dissecting it carefully.
Identify activities one can perform better or cheaper than other competitors do and
concentrate on them alone.
Restructure the business accordingly, this may for example result in the firm discontinuing
manufacturing completely and resorting to outsourcing It may also involve relocation of its
manufacturing operations even to another country.
Benchmark competitor’s processes. This is necessary to create the best standard for different
processes. The ultimate objective being not only to achieve these best-in-class milestones but
to even surpass them,. It may be possible to benchmark non-competitor processes if they are
analogous.
Develop sustainable competitive advantage,. This is the biggest challenge as few firms are
able to sustain their past competitive advantages as possible because of relationships built
with customers with regard to technology, quality, cost and other competitive factors.
Outsource whatever one is not good at except the core technology. Otherwise today’s
supplier will definitely become tomorrow’s competitor.
Need to recognize the difference between lean manufacturing and batch queue
manufacturing. The former has resulted in confrontation strategy where focus has shifted
from sustainable competitive advantage to fleeting competitive advantage with focus on
innovation and operational efficiencies (including Activity Bases costing, Target Costing,
Value engineering ,TQM ,etc.)
Needless to say that firms concentrating on customers, competencies and competition by
leveraging the approaches to relationship management, solution selling, business process
integration and appropriate use of IT are bound to benefit enormously. Sundaram Fastners Ltd. is
a very good example of an Indian firm, which has achieved this distinction from none other than
General Motors of USA. Asian Paints too has achieved market leadership status in the face of
stiff competition from MNCs by leveraging such practices.
How to develop superior competencies?
Become a global player in size whether it is a niche market or mass market. Except for the
Reliance group and other Indian company is contemplating global size for its operations.
Acquire the appropriate technology. Latest technology may not serve the intended purpose.
Strike strategic alliances or joint ventures wherever necessary. This will enable domestic
players to bridge technology gaps vis-à-vis international competitors.
Go in for co-optition where risk is high for fellow competitors, This involves joining hands
with competition especially in R & D activities to reduce the risk involved in such
investments.
Invest continuously in R & D. Compared to their international counterpart Indian companies
spend very little on future technology, Very soon this results in product obsolescence and
slavish dependence on MNCs for technology.
Develop the best brands.
Deliver on quality, functionality and price.

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In a recent survey conducted, it was reported that most companies (surveyed) in India were in
the process of restructuring themselves to become more Competitive in view of the intensity of
competition emerging due to the opening of the economy. However, very few of them are
thinking and acting in terms of being a multinational or a global economy, Indian firms who have
succeeded in going global include Ispat International a wing of the Ispat group. During the last
25 years it has established base in 8 countries across the globe and is ranked among the 15 top
steel making companies. It began its Internalization process in Indonesia and now has presence
with production bases in Trinidad, Mexico, Canada, U.K., Germany, Ireland and Kazakhstan. It
is a fore to reckon with (ET, December, 1995)
Tata Tea is also globalizing its operations. It has a strong presence in Srilanka as it has already
acquired major plantations there. It is now in the process of acquiring gardens in East African
countries like Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. It has made the sensible choice to tap the African
successes in tea growing with that appropriate blends of fine Indian and African teas can be used
to capture the demand of the European markets where tea is a common item of consumption.
(ET, October 1996)
At the cost of repletion, it must be stated that Indian companies have to realize that in the long
run if they have to remain competitive they have to do what the competition (foreign) is doing ,if
possible do it even better. The MNCs have mastered the rules of the game. They are adepts in
controlling costs, managing waste, maintaining and improving quality, increasing productivity,
developing products rapidly, excelling in diverse cultures, lobbying with government and serving
and satisfying customers. This has occurred to them because of large scale operations, having
production and sourcing bases around the world, efficient vendor systems, global brands, access
to cost effective resources, the practice of competitive benchmarking and a keen desire to learn.
To compete with, come well armed, otherwise it will soon become one sided game. The
implication therefore is that Indian business enterprises must think in global terms when taking
up any business activity which must be driven by a vision, a sense of grandure and a grand
ambition.
Conclusion
Though the way is there for all Indian firms to emulate, it is not so easy. It requires tremendous
effort, cultural transformation and change in outlook, the journey from a sellers market to a
customers market via free market mechanism implies discipline that many firms in protected
economies are able to complete successfully. This is where the challenge lies. The demands as
well as the route to accomplish it is known but how many Indian companies will rise up to the
occasion remains to be seen. Those who do not succeed in this paradigm shift will indeed not
survive in the long run. The ideal for any company is to become, the ‘paradigm shifter’ in its
industry-to spring surprises at players and never be taken by surprise.

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Author’s Profile
Prof. Dr. Uday Salunke Director - Welingkar Institute of Management is a
mechanical engineer with a management degree in 'Operations', and a Doctorate in
'Turnaround Strategies'. He has 12 years of experience in the corporate world including
Mahindra & Mahindra, ISPL and other companies before joining Welingkar in 1995 as
faculty for Production Management. Subsequently his inherent passion, commitment
and dedication toward the institute led to his appointment as Director in 2000. Dr.
Salunkhe has been invited as visiting fellow at the Harvard Business School, USA and
European University, Germany. He has also delivered seminars at the Asian Institute of
Management, Manila and has been awarded "The Young Achievers Award-2003" in
the field of Academics by the Indo American Society recently.