GENERAL MANAGEMENT

Case: 4    

Infosys, founded in 1981 in Pune by N.R. Narayana Murthy and his colleagues, is one of the biggest IT (Information Technology) companies in India. Two years later, the firm moved its headquarters to Bangalore. In 1987, Infosys began its international expansion by opening its first sales office in Boston. By 2008, the company with more than 90,000 employees (mostly professionals) had expanded its operation to more than 30 offices worldwide. How does one recruit competent people for this global organization?

Operating in the software industry, Infosys provides services to many businesses in a variety of industry  segments  including  banking,  communication media,  entertainment, manufacturing, energy and utilities, retail businesses, consumer products and services, and many others.

In 1996, the company created a foundation, headed by Mrs. Sudha Murthy, that works in a variety of areas such has healthcare, arts, culture, social activities, and education. Some of the initiatives include a program called Academic Entente that involves activities such as arranging academic conferences, research collaboration, a global internship program, and study tours to the company’s development center. This initiative provides the link to academic institutions. The global internship program also provides opportunities for recruiting undergraduates, graduates as well as ph.D. students. The disciplines are not restricted to business students, but also include liberal arts majors. Such programs aim at getting young people interested in information technology and computer science.

The $120 million Global Education Center in Mysore, about 90 miles from Bangalore, is one of the largest company training centers. It has been said that it is more difficult to be admitted to the Infosys training program that to get into Harvard. Only one percent of applicants get invited to the campus which is like a modern university; it also includes a large gym, a swimming pool, a bowling alley, and even a hair salon. The campus, however, is run by strict rules such as alcohol prohibition. Yet, the  ‘’freshers’’ as the new recruits are called, do not complain-indeed it is considered a dream come true to be invited to the program which not only focuses on technical skills, but also includes communication and team building classes. The participants come from many countries and the aim is to train some 10,000 employees at a time.

Questions:

1: People are the key to success of enterprises. Address the recruitment efforts for finding and recruiting talents at Infosys.

2: Would you be interested in working for Infosys operating in many diverse businesses or would you prefer to become an entrepreneur working for a relative or establishing your own business?

3: List the advantages and disadvantages in working for a company like Infosys or being an entrepreneur.