Country Profile India

Country Profile India

http://www.dnb.co.in/IndianRetailIndustry/overview.asp http://www.ukessays.com/essays/business/international-business-strategy-of-amorepacific.php http://www.indianmirror.com/indian-industries/cosmetics.html http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/retail/a-makeover-for-indias-cosmetics-industry http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/asia-oceania/india http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-09-16/news/33880161_1_raw-materials-drugs-and-cosmetics-rules-import-and-registration INDIA
II. Geographical setting A. Location
India is located in the south of the Asian continent, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

B. Climate India is a big tropical country and is famous for its diverse climatic features. India climate can be categorized into six principal subcategories and this has been determined by the Koppen climate classification. The states in the Himalayan mountain ranges feature more clement climatic conditions. These states witness two more seasons and they are spring and autumn. Conventionally, the people of India have been experiencing six seasons in a year and every one of it spans for approximately two months or sixty days. These seasons are named summer (grima), the spring (vasanta in Sanskrit), autumn (sarada), monsoon season (vara), winter (sisira) and early late autumn (hemanta).

III. Social institutions

Every Region of India has it’s own traditions, characteristics, values and rules andFamily life is equally varied in Indian states. That is to such a large array of states in which people from different cultures, religions, castes, etc., live. The language, clothing, customs, and traditions of people are influenced by the respective regions they reside in.
Most of the families in India are extended ones and every member has his/her own role, what is often influenced by age and gender. Children are cherished and considered to be gifts from God. The family structure in India has many wedding customs which have to be strongly followed by everyone. Religion, caste, traditional practices, and regional differences influence family structures. Indians are more emotionally attached to the members of their family.
Some Family facts: * traditionally arranged marriages have continued to live on strongly. * The very basis of the joint family system is the idea of living together under one roof. The family including the grandparents, parents, siblings, along with the extended family that includes uncles, aunts, and cousins, stay together in harmony. * This culture of a joint family system still prevails in major parts of the country. Even in case of the newly developed concept of a nuclear family, the very idea of members living together exists. The essence of togetherness prevails, even if the family members do not share the same roof. * The value of maintaining relationships is taught at a very young age. Relationships are valued and treasured a lot. * Traditionally sons of the family have a share in their paternal property but under new law even daughters have a share in their parent's property. * aged members of the family are duly respected by the younger ones.

However, today Nowadays, traditional roles are changing, especially in urban areas. There are important values shared and followed by most Indian families. But today's young generation who is into the modern age, don't seem to like the traditions and family practices that have been followed by their families for decades. They are more inclined towards western culture and lifestyle. Indians generally hold family progress, unity and support, in high regard throughout their lives. Lately, more and more people are opting for 'live-in' relationships, a concept that is borrowed from the West.

Men vs woman.
Men still hold the dominance in the gender roles in india but Modern India witnessed some developments in the status of women:
Women are given freedom and rights such as freedom of expression and equality, as well as right to get education. Women in Contemporary India are doing the same what a male can do. But still problems like dowry, female infanticide, sex selective abortions, health, domestic violence, are prevalent in the society. Several acts have been passed to demolish all these problems. But illiteracy and lack of awareness are the obstacles in the path of Indian women to stand against these problems.

B. Education Education used to be a major issue in India. There are over 190 million boys and girls that need education. But since the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009 was implemented there was a major improvement going through t he education sector as now, For the first time in India’s history, children are now guaranteed a right to receive quality elementary education by the state with the help of families and communities. The literacy ratio of India is 65.38% with male literacy at 75.85% and female literacy at 54.16%
Ministry of Finance / Press Information Bureau Data
Number of Primary Schools in India : 0.664 million (2001-02)
Number Upper Primary Schools in India : 0.219 million
Population in the age group of 6-14 years : 193 Million
Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools : 0.133 million; Enrollment : 30.5 million
Findings from the Survey – ‘Social infrastructure like education is as important as physical infrastructure, not only for sustaining high growth but also for enhancing welfare. The root of poverty often lies in illiteracy.’

http://www.unicef.org/india/education.html http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/indian-education-sector-market-size-to-be-110-bn-by-fy15/203401/on

C. Political system India has the world’s largest democracy with a population more than 1 billion and over 700 million of that being electorate. Indias constitution is the words longest written of any other country in the world. It consists of 444 articles, 12 schedules and 97 amendments, with 117,369 words in its English language version. Political parties are either state or national parties. To be considered a national party a political party has to be recognised in at least 4 states and to be either the ruling party or in the opposition in these states. India is a large country geographically as well as demographically and there are 28 states and 7 union territories. All of these operate with a federal system of government Inidia’s politics are much rougher and much more corrupt than in other countries. For example, political assassination is not uncommon (PM’s mahatma Ghandi 1984, indira Ghandi 1984, Rajiv Ghandi 1991) http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/Indianpoliticalsystem.html D. Legal system Judiciary system
The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in civil, criminal and constitutional cases. The court consists of up to 26 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, all of whom are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. They serve until the age of 65. http://www.gyancentral.com/articles/graduate/law/introduction-to-legal-system-in-india http://www.ipindia.nic.in/ E. Social organizations – Caste systems
· The caste system reflects Indian occupational and socially defined hierarchies. Ancient Sanskrit sources refer to four social categories, priests (Brahmin), warriors (kshatriya), traders (vaishya) and farmers (shudra).
· these categories are understood throughout India but they describe reality only in the most general terms. They don’t take into account, for example, the tribes and low castes once known as "untouchables." In reality, society in India is divided into thousands of jatis--local, endogamous groups based on occupation--and organized hierarchically according to complex ideas of purity and pollution.
· Despite economic modernization and laws countering discrimination against the lower end of the class structure and outlawing "untouchability," the caste system remains intact and an important source of social identification and a potent factor in the political life of the country. · Nevertheless, the government has made strong efforts to minimize the importance of caste through active affirmative action and social policies. http://network.nature.com/groups/transcience/forum/topics/5642 http://www.competitionmaster.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?ID=fdf6c84e-f1e8-4fb6-8082-ec399b3a8228 1. Group behaviour 2. Social classes 3. Clubs, other organizations 4. Race, ethnicity, and subcultures F. Business customs and practices Business culture, behaviours, norms and values are somewhat different to what we are used to and it is highly recommend to adapt to the Indian business etiquette to smooth business relations. Common etiquette in india includes: Greetings: * DO fold your hands, bow your head, and say "Namaste" when greeting. * DO greet the most senior person first. * DO be aware that physical contact between men and women can be taboo in India. Men and women will usually not shake hands. * DON'T shake someone's hand unless they extend their hand first, and then follow their lead. DO say good-bye to everyone individually when parting. Business Meeting: * DO be aware that business takes place at a much slower and more informal place in India than in the U.S. * DO be punctual, but keep in mind that meetings starting late are normal and it's not a sign of disrespect. * DO be open and flexible. Negotiating is common in India and being inflexible might make you look bad. * DO bring a small gift from your home country. Nothing expensive or flashy! * DO try to go through a third party introduction. This will give you some credibility because Indians like to have a social relationship with people before doing business with them. * DO make appointments by letter one or two months in advance. * DO confirm your appointment to make sure it isn't being canceled at the last minute. * DO engage in some get-to-know you chit chat. This is common, and don't be surprised if no business is discussed at all during the initial meeting. * DO send an agenda and other informational materials in advance. DO book a follow-up meeting to discuss the previous meeting and to talk about what the next steps are. DO Business lunches are preferred to dinners. Hindus do not eat beef and Muslims do not eat pork. Do not thank your hosts at the end of a meal. "Thank you" is considered a form of payment and therefore insulting. Clothing * DON'T wear tight clothes or clothes that expose skin in more rural areas. Exposing skin or tight clothes may suggest that you're either too poor to dress well or that you're shameless about showing your body. * DO dress conservatively for business occasions. Suits are fine for men and women. * DONT Women must keep their upper arms, chest, back, and legs covered at all times. * DONT The use of leather products including belts or handbags may be considered offensive,Hindus revere cows and do not use leather products. Gestures: * DON’T - point the bottom of your feet at anyone as this may be seen as an insult. * DON’T - gesture for someone to come toward you by using an open hand. DON’T - be confused by the Indian head shake. It is generally used as a non-verbal expression to indicate that the listener has heard what you said. If you are in doubt in regards to a colleague’s opinion, ask open-ended questions. * DONT The head is considered the seat of the soul. Never touch someone else’s head, not even to pat the hair of a child.

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/india-country-profile.html http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-india.html http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/03/business/doing-business-india
http://www.tradechakra.com/business-culture-india.html