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Latest read: Bangalore Tiger

Y2K.  Remember the rush to fix computer software that was programmed to stop working on January 1 2000?  Many Americans probably did not realize their software fix was coming from Indian companies including WiPro located in Bangalore India.  Today American business is filled with examples of India’s outsourcing success.

Bangalore TigerBangalore Tiger is a must read for everyone working in Information Technology. Organizational leaders will learn how one of the larger tech companies in India is changing the rules of business competition in today’s globalized marketplace. If you read

The World Is Flat then you already know about all the success coming from India’s technology outsourcing giants in Bangalore.

If you want to learn how a company located in the heart of India’s globalization capital can thrive this book is really for you. The early chapters focus on how Wipro is taking on the West (and winning) as a new breed of tech company.

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Education Globalization Network OLPC OpenSource Technology TED

My favorite OS for kids

Sugar is a great little OS for little learners around the world.  Its the way an OS and laptop should be introduced to children.  Engineered for Children…what a concept.

Tags: OLPC, Sugar Labs, Amazon, XO, open source, globalization, trends

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Design Education Globalization Network Technology

Wipro is changing education

I have begun reading a really good book called Bangalore Tiger and have become very impressed with the closing of the fifth chapter and second section called People Principals to Lead By.

This book is about Wipro, one of India’s great IT companies.  This chapter concluded with an overview to their companies’ social responsibility initiatives and volunteer efforts in India called Wipro Cares:

The education program provides training for teachers, administrators, and parents –with the goal of fostering more creative and analytical curricula in pubic schools, rather than rote learning.  In an effort that targets underprivileged children, Wipro volunteers spend two hour every Saturday tutoring and encouraging these kids…..The Azin Premji Foundation is an attempt to help transform Indian society through improving public education.  Premiji established the foundation in 2000 and it became operational in 2001.  To date [Azim Premji] has contributed $125 million in Wipro stock –and has pledged to keep replenishing as money is spent.

The main focus is on convincing education that they need to retool their approach to education and on giving them the tools to do it.  So far, one Indian sate has agreed to switch to analytical learning……”What we’re focused on is quality education,” says Dileep Ranjekar, a former head of HR who is now CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation.  Premji’s charity.  Unless India fundamentally addressed the quality issue and the shifts from rote learning to analytical learning, it can’t realize its dream of becoming one of the world economic superpowers.”

There’s obviously a crucial side benefit for Wipro.  Unless the Indian public education system improves dramatically, Wipro won’t be able to fulfill what it sees as its destiny – becoming one of the world’s great companies by offering up India’s brainpower to the world.

America needs this type of innovative company that can lead change in our education system.  As Intel’s CEO has stated many times America will continue to graduate more masseuses than engineers.  At some point this will catch up with us.  And by the looks of it when that time arrives India will be prepared to step in.

Tags: India, Wipro, Bangalore Tiger, globalization, education, technology, reading, trends

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Education Globalization

Tom Friedman on Letterman

September 8th, 2008

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Education

China’s “Dragon” CPU to challenge Intel

From MIT’s Technology Review comes a special report on China’s production of a new, third generation CPU family that could ultimately challenge Intel within a decade.  Since the Chinese do not have the ability to manufacture CPU chips themselves, and demonstrating a perfect example of Globalization, a French CPU company based in China is manufacturing the chip for China’s state-controlled technology program.

Their third generation chip Loongson (Dragon in English) includes for the first time full compatibility with Intel’s x86 architecture. Their two previous chips, the Godson-1 and Godson-2 were not Intel compatible.  Their goal is not to export this chip but to deploy computers within their country.  China will be arming their education, society and military (not in that order) with more and more cutting edge technology without worry about any potential conflicts of interest.

China’s well documented reputation of outright piracy of key industry technologies include stealing from America’s top auto and aircraft manufacturing industries. It should come as no surprise the Chinese have moved into stealing developing CPU technology.

Remember China is the best “pirate nation” on the planet, they will steal anything they can.  Its outright corporate espionage and will save the communist nation billions.