India is back! With the country's general elections in 2014 resulting in a government formed by a new political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by a business-friendly prime minister, Narendra Kumar Modi, the world's largest democracy is once again on the minds of business leaders the world over. The renewal of interest in India is all the greater because of what's happening in neighboring China. For over thirty years, China was the growth engine for many Western multinational companies, but the combination of a slowing economy, rising wages, and increasing political risk has most companies looking for the next China. No other country is better positioned to play that role than India. In the short term, though, India will remain a challenging market, with a well-deserved reputation for corruption, uncertainty, and stultifying bureaucracy. Those hurdles are unlikely to go away soon. Yet India may be on the verge of unprecedented growth. Can you afford to wait or should you plunge into this complex market today? What does it really take to win there? How do executives deal with India's volatility, uncertainty, and intense competition--and even prosper from it? Ravi Venkatesan, the former Chairman of Microsoft India and Cummins India, offers expert advice on how your company can overcome the unique challenges of the Indian market. He argues that India is in fact an archetype for most developing nations, many of which present similar challenges. Succeeding in India is important not just because it is a big market but also because it is a litmus test for your corporation's ability to succeed in other emerging markets. If you can win in India, you should be able to win anywhere. Hard as these frontier markets are, Venkatesan argues, the bigger hurdle may well be the internal culture and mind-set at a multinational's headquarters. The unwillingness to make a long-term commitment or to adequately trust local leadership, combined with the propensity to rigidly replicate the products, business models, and operating systems that have worked at home, drives many companies into a "midway trap." That often results in India remaining an irrelevantly small contributor to the company's global growth and profits. Combining personal experience and in-depth interviews with CEOs and senior leaders at dozens of companies--including Microsoft, GE, JCB, Dell, Honeywell, Volvo, Bosch, Deere, Unilever, and Nestle--Venkatesan shows you how to tackle political changes, policy uncertainty, and corruption and thrive in India. He proves that you can break through, but it takes a very different type of leadership, both locally and at corporate headquarters. If you want to succeed in the twenty-first century, you must succeed in emerging markets. This practical book, written by one of India's most respected CEOs, gives you the keys to win in India, other emerging markets, and, indeed, globally.

About the Author
Ravi Venkatesan is the former Chairman of Microsoft India and Cummins India. Under Venkatesan's leadership between 2004 and 2011, India became Microsoft's second-largest geography and one of its fastest growing markets. Microsoft India was rated one of the country's most respected companies, among its most admired brands, and one of its best employers. Prior to joining Microsoft, as the Chairman of Cummins India Venkatesan led its transformation into the country's leading provider of power solutions and engines. Venkatesan is currently a director on the boards of AB Volvo and Infosys and a member of the advisory board of Bunge Limited. He also serves on Harvard Business School's Global Alumni Board. Venkatesan is a founder and Chairman of Social Venture Partners India, a network of engaged leaders attempting to address complex social issues through venture philanthropy.

Reviews
"With a combination of personal experience and an impressive Rolodex, he has an unparalleled string of case studies to hand in Conquering the Chaos." -- The Financial Times "Few corporate chieftains in India bother to step back and think analytically about the business landscape, and Mr. Venkatesan's account brims with interesting anecdotes and useful insights." -- The Wall Street Journal "It (the book) is largely interesting, especially when real life examples are provided." -- Financial Express "This is a book every HR manager should read and should, subtly or otherwise, slip to the top of the pile for the senior line team to digest." -- Canadian HR Reporter "The book is a great primer for international companies doing business India, which given the way the global economy is shifting base, should include just about every company above a certain size." "this (book) is an excellent starting point for a company seeking to enter to reevaluate its business in India." -- Business India "The book is a must read for all those who want to know about the complexities of doing business in India." "The author weaves the India story with interesting case studies, narratives of his own experience as well as anecdotes and insights from some of the best global minds and CEOs who have been closely associated with the Indian market." -- Business World magazine ADVANCE PRAISE for Conquering the Chaos: Bill Gates, Chairman and cofounder, Microsoft-- "Ravi Venkatesan's clear and candid look at doing business in India should be on the reading list of any business leader who wants to better understand India and other emerging markets. Conquering the Chaos is insightful and thoroughly readable." Dominic Barton, Managing Director, McKinsey & Company-- "Ravi Venkatesan has written a compelling account of how to create value in India in ways that can also be transferred to many other markets. He provides a unique and practical perspective on how to execute on the promise of emerging markets--even in tough times--through deep research on several companies and rich insights from his own leadership of Microsoft and Cummins in India." N. R. Narayana Murthy, Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Infosys-- "Conquering the Chaos is a one-of-its-kind book on winning in emerging markets, especially India. Ravi Venkatesan deeply understands the pulse of the Indian consumer and the dynamics of the market. The author's experiences make the book an extremely stimulating read. A must-read for all leaders of multinationals aspiring to capitalize on emerging markets." Louis Schweitzer, former Chairman of Renault and AstraZeneca; Director, BNP Paribas, Volvo, and L'Oreal-- "Ravi Venkatesan, in his easy-to-read, fact-filled book, based on his own unparalleled experience and knowledge of India, presents an unvarnished and balanced view of the country's tremendous challenges and opportunities, both as a market and as a production base. India in this century will be the world's most populous nation, perhaps the world's largest economy, and certainly the most complex one. If you want to succeed in the twenty-first century, you must succeed in India, and Ravi Venkatesan will help you do just that." John L. Flannery, President and CEO, GE India-- "An outstanding, informative book that is much more than a manual for winning in India. It is a manual for winning in every emerging market. I wish I had had it at my disposal three years ago, when I started in my role."



Book Information
ISBN 9781422184301
Author Ravi Venkatesan
Format Hardback
Page Count 240
Imprint Harvard Business Review Press
Publisher Harvard Business Review Press
Weight(grams) 439g