Records the wanderings of a wordsmith

Thursday, June 19, 2003

 
The world spent the last month or so discussing India's technology outsourcing boom and the resultant job losses in the United States.. Every paper, television channel, Web site and discussion forum seemed to be discussing it with passion. For my part, I will add a few random thoughts to the global junk on outsourcing wisdom...
When Pepsi and Coke came to India, several local brands wound up and jobs were lost... Why did people not make a noise about job losses then? When jobs are lost in the U.S with American companies moving work to India, why do they raise a disproportionately stronger noise? Is it because the U.S is First World -- lives are important -- and India is Third World -- lives are not important?
After decades of lobbying with the world, including poor countries like India, to open up their markets to U.S goods and services, how can Uncle Sam complain when the tide reverses and other countries make money on its soil? I thought the U.S thought protectionism was a bad word...
Why should American companies move work to India, if it does not benefit them? The simple truth is that these companies are suffering from the impact of the economic downtrend there and are looking for ways to reduce costs and increase productivity...By moving some jobs and work to India, they can achieve this.. If they don't do it, who knows, more jobs might be lost in any case....