Outsourcing refers to the hiring of workers on a contract basis to do a certain job. In the software industry, software engineers are contracted to build applications for clients. The client gives the application specifications and the project deadline, which the engineer has to comply with. In most situations, the client and the software engineer do not meet face to face but instead communicate through teleconferencing or online platforms. Most outsourced labor comes from overseas whereby the client is in one continent while the engineer is on a different continent, otherwise referred to as offshoring (Dubie, 2008). As a result, there are technical challenges that arise due to the geographic distance, time, and cultural difference between the employer and the engineer. This paper explores the ways in which software outsourcing has brought cultural changes in India.
In India, most of the outsourced labor comes from Europe and the United States. The differences between the professionals in India and in the Unites States result to internal and external pressure on the Indian workforce. The pressure arises when the engineers wish to satisfy the customers and at the same time follow their ambitions. The pressure forces the Indian engineers to change their expectations and their workplace culture to conform to the customers’ requirements (Rozinskiy, 2013).
The external pressure that Indian software engineers experience emanates from differences in workplace behaviors. For example, in the Unites States, employers expect initiative, pushback, and independent thinking from their employees. As a result, the employer expects the employee to use their creativity and innovation in creating a solution. On the other hand, the Indian engineers are used to following pre-determined procedures and processes. Therefore, work done in India seems formulaic and lacking in appeal (Delsol, 2012). Hence, Indian engineers have been forced to adopt new methods of doing their work and explore other possible solutions.
The difference in approach to work deadlines between the American and the Indian workplace cultures also results in external pressure. For example, in America, employees alter their working procedures to beat deadlines. On the other hand, engineers in India do not change their work methods due to short deadlines as they perceive the work to be more important than the deadline (Sahay, Nicholson, & Krishna, 2003). However, since deadlines are very crucial in the western workplace and can affect such issues such as funding or project approval, the Indian workers are forced to change their attitudes toward deadlines.
Internal pressure among Indian software engineers emanates from their ambitions and expectations. For example, the engineers hop from one job to the other in a bid to find a well-paying job. As a result, the Indian job market has a high employee turnover. Also, there is a high turnover of employees switching from one project to another due to lack of sufficient skills. As a result, the work done by Indian outsourcing firms lacks consistency. To avoid losing customers, Indian firms have invested in measures that can improve employee retention. Such measures include aligning remuneration with the level of skills and educating the engineers on the disadvantages of job hopping (Nassimbeni & Sartor, 2008).
Also, operation cost is an internal factor that has led to changes in the way outsourcing firms conduct business in India. In recent years, wages for qualified and senior employees have risen beyond sustainable levels. As a result, companies are forced to hire junior and unqualified staff and a few senior employees. The unqualified staff earns less than the senior staff and hence the payroll expenses of the outsourcing firm are greatly reduced. A team comprising of a mix of junior and senior staff charges a “blended” rate for any work done. The senior members of the team play a supervisory role while the junior staff members carry out the actual work (Rozinskiy, 2013).
Outsourcing in India is a cost cutting measure applied by companies in the software industry. However, the cultural differences between India and the western job market result in discrepancies between the work delivered and the expected results. To keep their clients happy and avoid losing business, the Indian firms alter their workplace culture, which results in internal and external pressure on the engineers. The engineers experience external pressure when they are forced to consider different working procedures to improve quality and beat deadlines. On the other hand, the internal pressure is experienced when engineers are forced to temper their ambitions and companies are forced to employ junior staff members to save on wages.
References
Delsol, C. (2012). 10 Epic Fails when Outsourcing to India. Christophedelsol.com Retreieved from http://www.christophedelsol.com/10-epic-fails-when-outsourcing-to-india/
Dubie, D. (2008). Offshoring: Coping with U.S.-India culture clash. Network World. Retrieved from http://www.networkworld.com/article/2283214/data-center/offshoring--coping- with-u-s--india-culture-clash.html
Nassimbeni, G., & Sartor, M. (2008). Sourcing in India: Strategies and experiences in the land of service offshoring. Basingstoke [England: Palgrave Macmillan.
Rozinskiy, Z. (2013). Why India outsourcing is doomed. rozinskiy.com. Retrieved from http://www.rozinskiy.com/why-india-outsourcing-is-doomed/
Sahay, S., Nicholson, B., & Krishna, S. (2003). Global IT outsourcing: Software development across borders. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
