The Hindu Business Line : US management students see better scope in India

REAMS of paper have been written on India's role in the global economic scene. And also about how hundreds of Americans have been `Bangalored' (term used for getting laid off because of outsourcing to the IT city), thus creating a backlash in the US.

For four students of Suffolk University in Boston, who are here on a `travel seminar', the trip has thrown new light on the outsourcing issue.

Says Paul Burani, a graduate student of the university's Global MBA course, "Back home, we only knew that jobs were being lost. We were confused by a host of cultural, social and political issues. But after coming here, we understand things much better."

Ken Platt's perception of India was `chaos and more chaos.' "But once you come here, you realise that things are run quite efficiently. I was totally impressed with the country," he says.

Andy Vanica and Ken Platt admit that they had only heard of the `negative aspects of the issue but have now realised that it is actually an economically viable option'.

Melissa Mann, who works with an insurance company in the US and is a part-time student of accounting at Suffolk University, says she is `open' to the idea of working in India. And also that she prefers India to China as "some things are still controlled by the Government there''.

Ken seconds this opinion because "India is a better place to work in, it offers great learning experience, great network and great food."

Global MBA students at the university have to complete a one-to-two week overseas regional study seminar and a project in an international business setting. "And now it makes sense to visit India," says Prof C. Gopinath, Associate Professor, Management Department and Director, Undergraduate International Programme, Suffolk University. All of them agree that now they are better `geared to do international business'.

Because this has been a real-time, real-life experience for the team in the Indian corporate world, the professor adds. Titan watches, Biocon, Transworks, Infosys, Metro, ING Vysya, Pestalozzi Children's Village are some of their stops in Bangalore.

Talking about the Global MBA programme, Prof Gopinath says that it has more 30 per cent overseas students and 25 per cent faculty from a non-US origin.