Over the last two decades, India has become a global hub for software development and offshoring of innovative back-office services. However, Indian institutes and educational systems, with a few exceptions, remain incapable of producing talents in the quality needed to keep these innovation specialties going. So companies that need the talents are developing their own innovative ways to overcome this.
Take IBM as an example. IBM has been known for the last 100 years to be one of the most innovative companies in the world. India’s institutional shortcomings notwithstanding, here is the headcount profile of IBM employees:
2003 2010 2012
Worldwide 310,000 400,000 433,000
USA-based 135,000 105,000 98,000
India-based 9,000 75,000 150,000
Other countries 166,000 220,000 185,000
Source: Nirmalya Kumar on TED Talks.