The speeches from the second day of the preparatory seminar were, as the first day, filled with impressive facts and stories. The guest speakers of the day were Vivek Anand, Andreas Volz and Shweta Nagori (all from Accenture), Thomas Jenni (Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG) and Corinne Räz (Integra India). Each presentation had its own focus. The experienced business people introduced us to the collaboration between Switzerland and India, details about working in a multicultural environment, global sourcing, as well as the daily life in India.
Even though the presentations were self-contained, there was a golden thread guiding through the whole day. We learned that in order to work together with Indian employees and companies, it is absolutely essential to try to understand the Indian culture. When living in India for two or three years, it is a recommended to acquaint oneself with the Indian way of thinking, behavior and lifestyle. Afterwards, when the collaboration between Indian and Swiss people starts, the cultural differences should be taken account of and addressed accordingly. With other words: “Cleaning the cross-cultural borders.” Moreover; in projects it is crucial to show trust instead of always pushing for an answer or a result. To summarize, with Indians you have to stick to the following rule: “Show trust and you will receive the information you need.”
Benjamin Gugger
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