Tech Workers and Time Zones:

India’s Comparative Advantage

28.1 Introduction

In this chapter you will learn about the factors that have helped India to become a leader in attracting IT (Information Technology) jobs. Identify four factors in this photo that represent India’s advantages.

Comparative advantage: the ability to offer services more cheaply or more effectively than others. What factors give some countries a comparative advantage in the Global IT revolution?

Time Zones Around the WorldWhy does a time difference of 10 or more hours between the United

States and India create an advantage for India?

How Many Time Zones Does the USA Have? What is Non-Standard about India’s Time Zones?

“The Rise of India”

28.2 The Geographic Setting

+ + =Size

Population310

million + =1.2

Billion

GovernmentThe United States has the world’s oldest continuous

democracy and India has the world’s Largest democracy

+ + +

Indian culture

Caste System religion75% Hindu

Islam, Christianity, SikhismMake up the remaining %

Mohandas Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (October 2, 1869 - January 30, 1948), known popularly as Mahatma Gandhi (Mahatma - Sanskrit: "great soul"), was one of the founding fathers of the modern Indian state and an influential advocate of Satyagraha (non-violent protest) as a means of revolution.

• He helped bring about India's independence from British rule, inspiring other colonial peoples to work for their own independence and ultimately dismantle the British Empire and replace it with the Commonwealth. Gandhi's principle of satyagraha, often roughly translated as "way of truth" or "pursuit of truth," has inspired generations of democratic and anti-racist activists including Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela. He often stated his values were simple, drawn from traditional Hindu beliefs: truth (satya), and non-violence (ahimsa).

“Wheel” dannyman, Feb. 07, 2007http://www.flickr.com/photos/57413424@N00/383286217/

(biographybase 2004 - http://www.biographybase.com/biography/Gandhi_Mohandas.html)

28.3 Advantage factor #1- Low Wages

Work Force - More people working in India that the entire population of United States!

Low labor costs

Fierce Competition for Jobs

Low Cost of Living

Pleasant Work Environment

28.4 Advantage factor #2- English Speakers

Though Hindi is India’s National Language, its people speak more than 1,000 different languages and dialects.

India’s History as a Former British Colony (it gained its independence in 1947) Helped Create an Environment in

which English was Widely Taught in Schools.

About 1/3 of All Indians Speak Some English.

“Bunting”, September 13, 2008, by Tricky http://www.flickr.com/photos/81851211@N00/2854639516/

“Sentinel On Explore”, October 3, 2008, by Sir Watkynhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/33933155@N00/2910013128/

28.5 Advantage factor #3- Trained Workers

India has made special efforts to promote technical education among its college students, particularly in math, science, and engineering.

Many reasons (Poverty, Caste, environment) dictate the difficulties for Most Indians to get a basic education. as a result, about a third of the population cannot read or write (what is India’s Literacy Rate?)

India’s investment in its IT industry has helped to curtail the “brain Drain” problem that had been plaguing the country.