Establishing a global Indian brand - software sector

Abstract

Introduction India. One of the poorest countries in the world, better known across the globe for its uncompetitive industries and poor infrastructure, has come a long way as far as software goes. Infosys has links with some of the biggest brands: NASDAQ, Wharton, IBM, Microsoft; Satyam can be heard as far as Wall Street; TCS is on the threshold of the $2 billion mark; Wipro has been a first in a long list of global certifications. With such credentials it is only fair to say that these companies and the Indian software sector has sent definite signals of their entry into the global arena. However, the glory of being a global brand has been elusive to most Indian firms. There are many hurdles to be crossed before any of these companies, or even the sector as a whole, can be truly classified as global. What is a global brand all about? What makes a software firm global? What places India in a position to reach the status of a global brand in software? Where are the Infosys’ and the Wipro’s of India heading and how far have they come in realizing their global ambition? What is preventing them from moving forth and replacing an IBM or an Accenture – in revenue, reach and recognition? And most importantly, what is the best way forward? This paper is an attempt to answer some key questions with respect to globalization in the software space.