Day 5 In India

Day 5-January 7, 2014

Today we had the chance to visit Abbott India .  Abbott India is a division of the huge pharmaceutical company Abbott Pharmaceuticals.  At Abbott, we met with the Senior members of their research and development wing from Abbott Nutrition to learn about the overall scope of their business and also examine knowledge management issues in today's business world. 

Abbott Nutrition has been around for over 50 years and Abbott India answers directly to their Columbus, Ohio Headquarters.  There is also another regional Abbott Nutrition site in Singapore.  These different locations need to be in constant contact with each other in order to share information and knowledge.  Abbott India has only been in existence for the last year and a half and needs to stay in touch with the other divisions to see what has been tried in terms of research and product development.  Money cannot be wasted on research that has already been completed. 



Abbott India manufactures some of the same products that Abbott markets in the US, such as PediaSure, Ensure and Similac.  But these products need to be different so they suit the needs of the residents of India.  People in India do not need the same levels of nutrients that exist in some of their US products.  On the other hand, they may need higher levels of other nutrients that US consumers do not.  Research is critical to create a product that not only sells but promotes better health for the people who use it.  That is why the information that the research department returns is critical not only to Abbott in India, but to other Abbott facilities all over the world.




Every bit of information that is created during research and development needs to be not only saved and archived, but yet it still needs to be readily accessible to anyone who needs to have access to it.  We learned another problem with knowledge management occurs when there are different levels of workers, having different levels of urgency... in different parts of the world.  A lower level researcher may need to know something immediately before any research can continue in India, but a Senior Executive in Columbus may delay responding to an email because they don't realize the urgency.  In global businesses, it is imperative to create an infrastructure that allows for the correct people to receive the needed information as soon as the need arises.  The challenge is to create and maintain an IT system that allows this to take place.  After our presentation, we were once again we were treated to a great traditional Indian lunch by our gracious host.

Then we had the opportunity to stop by yet another shopping venue in Bangalore called Bangalore Central.  To experience a culture you need to do as the local residents do.  By stopping by different shopping venues, we can see how commerce happens among the different social classes of India.  It was at this shopping center that I saw my first disposable coffee cup. 

Other random sights from today:

A Subway restaurant with a line for Vegetarians and a separate line for Non-Vegetarians.  In India over 50% of the population is vegetarian and they want to keep meat separate from the veggie's only crowd.

The only box of tissues I have seen in India.  Ironically the name brand was Origami, but the tissues are not thick enough to fold into shapes.  But you get 200 "pulls" per box. 

More Cows in the city Streets.

The first disposable coffee cup I have seen in India.