Comments on: The World Is High, Not Flat

By: JayV

JayV — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:42:31 +0000

That was apparently a taken from an interview from Boy Bansal. What was actually said, meant, implied or insinuated is any body’s guess. I took it to mean poor people = lower castes.

By: no_name

no_name — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:33:21 +0000

Re#25, the writer most likely meant “lesser caste = people who have to take a grimy green bus.” Indians who care about caste use the term “lower caste” which has an entirely different meaning.

By: JayV

JayV — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:03:07 +0000

The articles, while informative, sometimes strike a jarring note.

Why does Baby Bansal whizzing through Agra, have to pass "grimy green buses jammed with lesser castes"?

Has this writer been in India? Taken public transport? I've taken many buses in India and have not known the castes of a large fraction of my companions, except of course the brahmins (of which, there were many).

By: brown

brown — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 15:13:37 +0000

Update 3

By: Amardeep

Amardeep — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 03:54:42 +0000

Propeller,

Let us remove the internet from the picture, you think Bansal would not have managed to do this without the internet? So, by that rationale, you have no reason to bring the Internet based Indian BPO in the picture. So your argument is flawed.

You obviously haven't read the articles in the Inquirer (I posted an update linking to part 2 today). The whole thing depends upon the internet. That's where the customers are.

By: prope//er

prope//er — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 03:35:04 +0000

Didn't we already discuss this in earlier comments? The connection is the internet-based economy and the globalized supply chain. Outsourcing is only one part of that larger phenomenon. So is this new kind of smuggling, which is partly based in India (Bansal's father, the leader of the organization, is based there, and the supply chain starts there).

You are probably using the words "supply-chain" very loosely here. I am no jingoist either and I think this Bansal fellow deserves the harshest of punishments. That said, all outsourcing phenomena require some kinda supply-chain somewhere but not all supply-chains qualify as outsourcing. Bansal's story has nothing to do with the following:

itÂ’s an intriguing case study that shows yet again how IndiaÂ’s entry into the globalized, internet-based economy goes well beyond the rosy picture suggested by talk of outsourcing and call centers.

You style of argumentation suggests that Bansal is a byproduct of the internet revolution and therefore, the BPO sector isn't all that it is hyped up to be. Although there is truth in the statement that the BPO sector is somewhat hyped up, it doesnt lend strength to the argument that this sector somehow has to be blamed for the Bansal activity.

Let us remove the internet from the picture, you think Bansal would not have managed to do this without the internet? So, by that rationale, you have no reason to bring the Internet based Indian BPO in the picture. So your argument is flawed.

By: JayV

JayV — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:59:39 +0000

Quizman: The standard nursing home in India usually has a captive pharmacy (massively profitable) attached to it. Daddy doc had his nursing home so a supply bulk drugs (prescription or otherwise) were not an issue in this case.

Even at the retail level, in India, most prescription medication is not given the once over as stringently as it is in this country. You walk up to the counter handover a piece of paper with the names of 4 drugs on it and you will most likely be given the drugs. I think narcotics may be a different story though.

By: kritic

kritic — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:19:34 +0000

"In some cases the ideas are so brilliant they aren't even legal."

brilliant line, amardeep.

By: Quizman

Quizman — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:38:33 +0000

JayV: SOme of these drugs may have been illegitimate even in India. i.e. you need a prescription to buy most drugs in India. The local mom and pop store usually has a tie-in with the neighbourhood doc. I doubt if you can buy prescription medicines in buik overground. Perhaps, a doc can clarify whether the medicines mentioned in the PhilEnq article were prescription or non-prescription medicines in India.

Amardeep - good point on regulation & higher prices. I had missed that side of the story.

By: JayV

JayV — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 17:21:01 +0000

I have bought thousand of rupees of generic drugs in India for ailments. I wanted to make a point that the drugs that were sold here were not fake (chemically). They were the generic versions of the expensive stuff that is sold here. I think that was what the dad in India was counting on. He was "legitimately" buying these drugs and exporting them stateside (which is where he came afoul of the local authorities). Of course the special K, hydrocodone tabs and their ilk are probably completely for the illegitimate market (rush limbaugh comes to mind). I don't know about the others.

When the WTO agreements kick in, then the concept of cheaper drugs from reputable Indian manufacturers will be put paid to.