- In India, the relationship between the boss and subordinates was very formal and hierarchical, and it is not so in the West.
- In India, the hierarchical structure did not always focus on the individual employee but consistently placed management welfare on the top of the pyramid. In the West, the less formal practice of addressing people on a first-name basis, speaking only of work-connected issues and exhibiting less interpersonal skills is more common.
- Accomplishing a project by a set deadline was sometimes an issue for Indian companies. In the West, it is mandatory to honour commitments and complete tasks on time. Punctuality is not a choice; it is a necessity in the Western work culture.
- In India, being direct could easily be misunderstood to be rude or disrespectful. Direct communication is appreciated in Western countries.
- Indians strove to maintain flexibility and practiced it easily. They tried to adjust wherever possible and whenever required. In the West, this is not so. Professionals function according to a set process and frown on frequent changes. In particular last-minute changes are unacceptable.
- In Indian companies, the prime focus remained on productivity, with the exclusion of almost everything else. Western nations see the work place as a place of recreation, enjoyment, innovation and creativity, with facilities such as gyms, clubs, lounges, etc.
With the progressive march of globalisation, the architectural drafting industry in India quickly adapted to global requirements and certain definitive characteristics of Indian culture helped it along.
Strengths of Indian Culture
- Communication – Indians have a fairly good grasp of the English language compared to Asian competitors. Being able to understand building and design elements and recognising problem areas is great, but getting that message across to a customer in the clearest and most concise manner improves productivity and creates a lasting impression that breeds confidence.
- A skilled workforce, especially in the IT-enabled industry means that the Indian firms have access to a large amount of number of skilled architectural technicians and architectural 3D modelling resources. Indian firms focus heavily on the latest technology and infrastructure, training the workforce to use the latest technologies, with training programmes conducted on a regular basis to ensure employees are up to date with new software releases that are acquired using the latest releases of Autodesk and ArchiCAD software.
- Indian culture tends to be biased towards politeness and keeping people happy. This trend is also seen at work – leading to greater customer satisfaction and higher levels of retention. This is really important in an industry such as architecture, where it is important to‘ learn once and apply forever’ to ensure ongoing quality, accuracy and productivity.
- The employee-employee relationship in India is much more social. Employees are friendly, and being on good terms within an organisation generally helps processes move faster and more efficiently. In architecture support firms, this can aid retention, which is vital to build long-term relationships with client teams from homebuilding, retail and architectural practices.
- Working hours can easily be 9-10 hours a day, increasing productivity and allowing customers to meet time scales and deadlines in an industry that is constantly seeking to deliver new construction projects on time.
The strengths of Indian culture would best be served by adopting some of the better practices of Western culture. These include:
- Focus on delivering tasks and following set processes – A professional approach to the completion of various deadlines with quality output and adhering to set processes.