Anju Gattani's Blog
September 5, 2013
Scripts & Manuscripts
Hi Story Tellers and Story Lovers.
Story telling in its simplest form is an emotional ride. An experience where we have a chance to escape reality and plunge into another's world.
My trip to Chicago last week was an eye opener. In meeting department heads of TV and Film at Northwestern University and Columbia College I learned that true story tellers are true listeners. The heads of these departments found magic in breaking story down no matter what the medium... whether it was a TV series, sitcom, documentary, movie or series of movies.
These department heads viewed every mechanics of the story-making process with an eye glass authors don't own.
As authors, yes, we use our senses, paper / electronic screen is our medium and words are our tools. One scene leads to another. One chapter to another. And the story unfolds.
For screen writers and directors, visuals, sounds are the key senses, the screen is the medium and images are their tools. One scene leads to another. One sequence of actions to another. And the story unfolds.
As authors we have the 'luxury' of putting a character's thoughts on paper for readers to 'read'. We build the story world with words.
As screen writers they have the 'luxury' of creating a visual of the story world with images. They are challenged to relay the character's thoughts on screen unless they are using an 'aside' or 'narrator'.
As authors we create our characters and work with them in our heads.
As screen writers, they work with actors on set in real-time.
We edit our manuscripts.
They edit their scripts and re-take.
There is no end to the comparisons we can make. But Mr. Charlie Celander, Head of the Film Dept at Columbia College, told me something I'll never forget. No matter how pretty the picture, 3-D effects and visuals... if the story's foundation is weak the story world will crumble. And the story will never unfold. The basics, the foundation of any structure must be strong.
So take and re-take as many re-writes as you must because when that story leaves your hands, it must fly.
Story telling in its simplest form is an emotional ride. An experience where we have a chance to escape reality and plunge into another's world.
My trip to Chicago last week was an eye opener. In meeting department heads of TV and Film at Northwestern University and Columbia College I learned that true story tellers are true listeners. The heads of these departments found magic in breaking story down no matter what the medium... whether it was a TV series, sitcom, documentary, movie or series of movies.
These department heads viewed every mechanics of the story-making process with an eye glass authors don't own.
As authors, yes, we use our senses, paper / electronic screen is our medium and words are our tools. One scene leads to another. One chapter to another. And the story unfolds.
For screen writers and directors, visuals, sounds are the key senses, the screen is the medium and images are their tools. One scene leads to another. One sequence of actions to another. And the story unfolds.
As authors we have the 'luxury' of putting a character's thoughts on paper for readers to 'read'. We build the story world with words.
As screen writers they have the 'luxury' of creating a visual of the story world with images. They are challenged to relay the character's thoughts on screen unless they are using an 'aside' or 'narrator'.
As authors we create our characters and work with them in our heads.
As screen writers, they work with actors on set in real-time.
We edit our manuscripts.
They edit their scripts and re-take.
There is no end to the comparisons we can make. But Mr. Charlie Celander, Head of the Film Dept at Columbia College, told me something I'll never forget. No matter how pretty the picture, 3-D effects and visuals... if the story's foundation is weak the story world will crumble. And the story will never unfold. The basics, the foundation of any structure must be strong.
So take and re-take as many re-writes as you must because when that story leaves your hands, it must fly.
May 23, 2013
Tale of a Sale
Hi,
It's been a while since I blogged and I have a valid reason. Just hope you'll be convinced :)
We've been looking for a new sofa set for the TV room and our search took us to several furniture stores where we met a variety of sofas, chaises, etc... and a variety of salesmen.
Each salesman had the latest sofas to offer and the most remarkable sales technique.
One gentleman welcomed us to the store and left us to wander around at ease.
Salesman 2, in another store, introduced himself, explained that all his furniture was customized (made to order) from the samples on the floor and the remainder that were stored in catalogs on his desk.
Salesman 3, in the third store, explained how proficient he was in sofa fabrics, leather, etc... and that he could give a 3 day seminar on leather tanning. As a side note - we didn't want a seminar and so we didn't ask for one) Every time we had a question he had a lengthy explanation for the sofa's leather.
Salesman 4, in the 4th store (surprise, surprise!!) asked us what we were looking for, walked around with us, answered any questions we had and tried hard to understand the structure of our room and TV viewing habits (100+ channels but no time to really watch them. And yes, all of us are big movie buffs!!) He wanted to know what we currently had, what we were looking to change, fit in, and more. He also tried to brush up on a little Hindi he remembered from his time in Africa.
After a day of thinking and measuring the room again, and going over the research we've been doing for months now, we returned to store no. 4 and made the purchase.
On hindsight I look back and realize we not only found the sofa we wanted in Store no. 4... the salesman's ability to connect with us is what made it all click.
He didn't try and show off his expertise in leather or fabric. He didn't leave us to wander by ourselves for too long (as a side note, he didn't stalk us either). He didn't dump us in a pile of catalogs.
He bothered to spend the time to understand precisely what we were looking for and made a sale.
It's a simple technique perhaps and nothing more. A salesman selling some furniture in a store. But he sold us the product we wanted in 24 hours. He expressed empathy, understanding and humility. He connected with us on an emotional level.
That's what every author should aim to do with their readers - to make that simple sale.
It's been a while since I blogged and I have a valid reason. Just hope you'll be convinced :)
We've been looking for a new sofa set for the TV room and our search took us to several furniture stores where we met a variety of sofas, chaises, etc... and a variety of salesmen.
Each salesman had the latest sofas to offer and the most remarkable sales technique.
One gentleman welcomed us to the store and left us to wander around at ease.
Salesman 2, in another store, introduced himself, explained that all his furniture was customized (made to order) from the samples on the floor and the remainder that were stored in catalogs on his desk.
Salesman 3, in the third store, explained how proficient he was in sofa fabrics, leather, etc... and that he could give a 3 day seminar on leather tanning. As a side note - we didn't want a seminar and so we didn't ask for one) Every time we had a question he had a lengthy explanation for the sofa's leather.
Salesman 4, in the 4th store (surprise, surprise!!) asked us what we were looking for, walked around with us, answered any questions we had and tried hard to understand the structure of our room and TV viewing habits (100+ channels but no time to really watch them. And yes, all of us are big movie buffs!!) He wanted to know what we currently had, what we were looking to change, fit in, and more. He also tried to brush up on a little Hindi he remembered from his time in Africa.
After a day of thinking and measuring the room again, and going over the research we've been doing for months now, we returned to store no. 4 and made the purchase.
On hindsight I look back and realize we not only found the sofa we wanted in Store no. 4... the salesman's ability to connect with us is what made it all click.
He didn't try and show off his expertise in leather or fabric. He didn't leave us to wander by ourselves for too long (as a side note, he didn't stalk us either). He didn't dump us in a pile of catalogs.
He bothered to spend the time to understand precisely what we were looking for and made a sale.
It's a simple technique perhaps and nothing more. A salesman selling some furniture in a store. But he sold us the product we wanted in 24 hours. He expressed empathy, understanding and humility. He connected with us on an emotional level.
That's what every author should aim to do with their readers - to make that simple sale.
May 2, 2013
Consequence Of...
Hi,
Writing a book is a journey. Like a train-ride perhaps. You start at Point A and enjoy (if it's worth enjoying) the ride to point B. Then off you get and on you go to you destination. Sometimes you get off in the middle somewhere and wait for another train on another platform - known more commonly as 'transit'.
So I began the journey of Bk III in 2008. After the initial beginnings of a first draft and a huge amount of research - I had to stop in 2009 and put the manuscript in 'transit'. - OK! I shoved it in the cupboard for a while. The 'while' became 4 years. So I'm guessing the manuscript was a stow-away then? Right?
Since January 2013 I've been busy getting my head 'back in the book' and catching up on where I last was (about half way through). Last night I reached the no-turning-back point. There's nothing to revise or edit for now - not in this draft, at least! I have to type the next few chapters on the laptop (from the original hand-written version) and then pound out the other half of the story.
Life doesn't roll like that now, does it? Real life, I mean. It doesn't stop and languish for a while until you have time to catch up. It just ticks away. Real life is like a chain of events that result as a series of actions from those preceeding it. A consequence of...
I wonder what the consequence of picking up the unfinished story will be? Any ideas?
Writing a book is a journey. Like a train-ride perhaps. You start at Point A and enjoy (if it's worth enjoying) the ride to point B. Then off you get and on you go to you destination. Sometimes you get off in the middle somewhere and wait for another train on another platform - known more commonly as 'transit'.
So I began the journey of Bk III in 2008. After the initial beginnings of a first draft and a huge amount of research - I had to stop in 2009 and put the manuscript in 'transit'. - OK! I shoved it in the cupboard for a while. The 'while' became 4 years. So I'm guessing the manuscript was a stow-away then? Right?
Since January 2013 I've been busy getting my head 'back in the book' and catching up on where I last was (about half way through). Last night I reached the no-turning-back point. There's nothing to revise or edit for now - not in this draft, at least! I have to type the next few chapters on the laptop (from the original hand-written version) and then pound out the other half of the story.
Life doesn't roll like that now, does it? Real life, I mean. It doesn't stop and languish for a while until you have time to catch up. It just ticks away. Real life is like a chain of events that result as a series of actions from those preceeding it. A consequence of...
I wonder what the consequence of picking up the unfinished story will be? Any ideas?
April 18, 2013
Bollywood Boxoffice Hits!
Hi,
Have you wondered what Bollywood movies are about and what they're becoming with modernization and globalization?
Hop on over for my take on 'English Vinglish' - featuring the come-back of an 80s Indian heroine as she tackles the barriers of language and being an outcast.
Happy Reading!
http://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/en...
Have you wondered what Bollywood movies are about and what they're becoming with modernization and globalization?
Hop on over for my take on 'English Vinglish' - featuring the come-back of an 80s Indian heroine as she tackles the barriers of language and being an outcast.
Happy Reading!
http://thoughtfulindia.com/2013/04/en...
April 10, 2013
Life - the real roller-coaster
Hi,
Saturday, March 30, was a special day in my life as an author. I was invited as the Chief Guest to the North South Foundation's annual event at Georgia State University - a series of academic competitions for kids (spelling & geography bees, essay writing, public speaking, math...). I was asked to speak to the attendees and their parents and judge the public speaking and essay competitions.
I didn't know what to talk about and we'd just returned from our trip to Orlando, Florida - home of the roller-coasters, 3-D simulation rides and mountains of fun! Switching gears to the competitive atmosphere was a kick in the behind - a wake-up call to the life of every struggling writer and author.
Competition.
It's there from the first word we write, to the last word in the last chapter... From the moment we start submitting queries, partials, full manuscripts to agents to rejections to final publication of the novel... I've been through it all, like many of you, and I didn't know what to share with these bright minds with a future sparkling ahead.
I knew one thing - I had to be positive.
So I talked about the momentum of roller coaster rides I took that week, and how I lost my voice during the thrill of the rides. I talked about what competition brings out in each one of us as an individual and how winning the trophy doesn't determine success or failure. Competitions bring out the best in us and give us a sense of achievement no one can take away. They give us skills that won't lessen with time or deteriorate from lack of winning the 1st place. Set-backs are stepping stones to success.
"Life," I ended "is a roller-coaster. Enjoy the ride!"
Saturday, March 30, was a special day in my life as an author. I was invited as the Chief Guest to the North South Foundation's annual event at Georgia State University - a series of academic competitions for kids (spelling & geography bees, essay writing, public speaking, math...). I was asked to speak to the attendees and their parents and judge the public speaking and essay competitions.
I didn't know what to talk about and we'd just returned from our trip to Orlando, Florida - home of the roller-coasters, 3-D simulation rides and mountains of fun! Switching gears to the competitive atmosphere was a kick in the behind - a wake-up call to the life of every struggling writer and author.
Competition.
It's there from the first word we write, to the last word in the last chapter... From the moment we start submitting queries, partials, full manuscripts to agents to rejections to final publication of the novel... I've been through it all, like many of you, and I didn't know what to share with these bright minds with a future sparkling ahead.
I knew one thing - I had to be positive.
So I talked about the momentum of roller coaster rides I took that week, and how I lost my voice during the thrill of the rides. I talked about what competition brings out in each one of us as an individual and how winning the trophy doesn't determine success or failure. Competitions bring out the best in us and give us a sense of achievement no one can take away. They give us skills that won't lessen with time or deteriorate from lack of winning the 1st place. Set-backs are stepping stones to success.
"Life," I ended "is a roller-coaster. Enjoy the ride!"
March 26, 2013
Dancing Writers Take A Wrong Turn
Hi,
This morning was an eye-opener. We had a sub for Zumba and there was a new Zumba routine with a new series of dance steps to follow. This isn't new... I mean instructors take leave all the time and subs fill in for them. It's actually interesting to see how 'used to' you become to one person's style of dance and music. And how you start expecting the same dance moves.
So change is good!
But today was a different sort of change. Our instructor was hip-hopping away to the beat at her own sweet pace. She checked to see if we were cueing in but often times we weren't able to break the steps or series of steps and follow. However, that didn't seem to matter. She just kept on going - like a wind-up doll.
Believe me, she wasn't very popular by the end.
And that got me thinking. Hard.
How hard must it be for readers when they can't follow an author's writing? I understand that as writers we live in our own story worlds and dance to the character's music or voice in our heads. That's the creative side. But revisions and edits follow immediately after.
And that can take months. If not years.
Edits can leave you upside down - literally! They can leave you with a hurricane temper too! But at the end of the day if a reader can't follow what you've written, you're going to lose them.
That's for sure.
And there won't be a next time because they won't pick up your book again. They'll remember the unpleasant experience your words left. Your first impression will become your last.
And that's something you don't want. For sure!
This morning was an eye-opener. We had a sub for Zumba and there was a new Zumba routine with a new series of dance steps to follow. This isn't new... I mean instructors take leave all the time and subs fill in for them. It's actually interesting to see how 'used to' you become to one person's style of dance and music. And how you start expecting the same dance moves.
So change is good!
But today was a different sort of change. Our instructor was hip-hopping away to the beat at her own sweet pace. She checked to see if we were cueing in but often times we weren't able to break the steps or series of steps and follow. However, that didn't seem to matter. She just kept on going - like a wind-up doll.
Believe me, she wasn't very popular by the end.
And that got me thinking. Hard.
How hard must it be for readers when they can't follow an author's writing? I understand that as writers we live in our own story worlds and dance to the character's music or voice in our heads. That's the creative side. But revisions and edits follow immediately after.
And that can take months. If not years.
Edits can leave you upside down - literally! They can leave you with a hurricane temper too! But at the end of the day if a reader can't follow what you've written, you're going to lose them.
That's for sure.
And there won't be a next time because they won't pick up your book again. They'll remember the unpleasant experience your words left. Your first impression will become your last.
And that's something you don't want. For sure!
March 8, 2013
Writing - The Thick Skin
Hi,
They say you need to be able to take criticism to write.
They say you must have a love for structure to get your grammar right.
But what about professional writing? What does that take? Time? Energy? Your emotions? A huge (and I mean HUGE) portion of your life? Dedication? Devotion? I could go on... but over the years I've learned that it takes a thick skin (and I mean thick) to stay afloat.
It's all too easy to throw in the towel when the going gets tough. I'm sure we've all done it at one point... some ideas:
Tried to burn the manuscript (but saved a copy before you did).
Tried to kill the manuscript (but chose a blunt knife).
Tried to run your car over the manuscript (but avoided the imaginary squirrel that happened to be sitting on it).
Tried to forget you wrote a manuscript (but kept going back to fix that missing detail, and oh yes! That punctuation mark).
So... because you failed to detonate the manuscript, do you call yourself a failure? No. You tell yourself (at least I did!) that you had a nervous bookdown and you had to let it go - for a while. Put it to the test, like you do with your characters, and then see what you, the author, does next.
And you did something. Right? You saved it! Because you know you have to save yourself. There's only one way. The right way.
So sit down and write. Right?
They say you need to be able to take criticism to write.
They say you must have a love for structure to get your grammar right.
But what about professional writing? What does that take? Time? Energy? Your emotions? A huge (and I mean HUGE) portion of your life? Dedication? Devotion? I could go on... but over the years I've learned that it takes a thick skin (and I mean thick) to stay afloat.
It's all too easy to throw in the towel when the going gets tough. I'm sure we've all done it at one point... some ideas:
Tried to burn the manuscript (but saved a copy before you did).
Tried to kill the manuscript (but chose a blunt knife).
Tried to run your car over the manuscript (but avoided the imaginary squirrel that happened to be sitting on it).
Tried to forget you wrote a manuscript (but kept going back to fix that missing detail, and oh yes! That punctuation mark).
So... because you failed to detonate the manuscript, do you call yourself a failure? No. You tell yourself (at least I did!) that you had a nervous bookdown and you had to let it go - for a while. Put it to the test, like you do with your characters, and then see what you, the author, does next.
And you did something. Right? You saved it! Because you know you have to save yourself. There's only one way. The right way.
So sit down and write. Right?
February 12, 2013
Writing - Not The Lonely Journey
Hi,
Writing is a lonely journey. Haven't we been hearing that for ages? I have. I still do. And I live the lonely journey.
I don't have a water cooler where I can hang out with colleagues at break. I don't have issues I can discuss with people at work either. The only *people* I work and deal with are those in my head. If there's a problem only 2 people can solve it.
Me.
Or
The character in my head - also Me.
But there are many ways to break the loneliness and squeeze some zest in your life.
Critique partners - they're absolutely wonderful to work with I hear. And the best part is you don't always have to write the same genre to be compatible. Your resumes can be as distant as the ocean from the sky and it doesn't matter.
Then there's lunches, coffees (at the local Starbucks or Seattle's Best) where you can share and complain that your story isn't quite going where you want and be assured that life is good!
And writer groups are even better. What better way to put some sanity back in your life considering you're writing fiction, dealing with *people* that don't exist and have to solve the problems in your head (which aren't always real by the way)! Just knowing that there are more of you out there makes it all sane again.
And I found a new one today. Joining community groups - whether it's fitness classes, a favorite past time you share with others or just hanging out with other people who share a similar interest. It may not add to your writing but it will add to your voice and perhaps, even, find a solution for the voice in your head.
Writing is a lonely journey. Haven't we been hearing that for ages? I have. I still do. And I live the lonely journey.
I don't have a water cooler where I can hang out with colleagues at break. I don't have issues I can discuss with people at work either. The only *people* I work and deal with are those in my head. If there's a problem only 2 people can solve it.
Me.
Or
The character in my head - also Me.
But there are many ways to break the loneliness and squeeze some zest in your life.
Critique partners - they're absolutely wonderful to work with I hear. And the best part is you don't always have to write the same genre to be compatible. Your resumes can be as distant as the ocean from the sky and it doesn't matter.
Then there's lunches, coffees (at the local Starbucks or Seattle's Best) where you can share and complain that your story isn't quite going where you want and be assured that life is good!
And writer groups are even better. What better way to put some sanity back in your life considering you're writing fiction, dealing with *people* that don't exist and have to solve the problems in your head (which aren't always real by the way)! Just knowing that there are more of you out there makes it all sane again.
And I found a new one today. Joining community groups - whether it's fitness classes, a favorite past time you share with others or just hanging out with other people who share a similar interest. It may not add to your writing but it will add to your voice and perhaps, even, find a solution for the voice in your head.
January 29, 2013
Starting Over...
Hi,
Writing a new book is like starting over. You're nervous. Unsure. Hesitant. Even with a road map, you're still not quite sure where you're heading with this. Well, perhaps you might not be.
But I am.
I'm returning to a story I started in 2008/9 and then left for a while. I tried to pick it up again in 2011 but had to abandon it for a year. The road map pinned to my board has faded. The story is a huge mush of fuzz. Now here I am, in 2013 trying to pick up from where I last left off.
Trying is the key word here.
So where do I start?
At the beginning? Of course, right? The only thing I have going for me right now is the main character. She lives and breathes with me everyday. Funny thing is her plight has suddenly become mine! Anyway...
Well, here's the problem. I'm reading the story from the beginning but am mentally *locked* in the time-frame where I paused mid-way in writing the first draft. That's about 1/2 way through the story. At the time I had to pause to complete the research, understand what-on-earth the story was about and more. The pause became a huge interval and I now find myself locked in 2 time spaces.
1. Where I last left off, mid-way, writing the original draft.
2. At the beginning - trying to remember what the details of the story and secondary characters are.
And I'm stuck in both places.
What on earth should I do?
Writing a new book is like starting over. You're nervous. Unsure. Hesitant. Even with a road map, you're still not quite sure where you're heading with this. Well, perhaps you might not be.
But I am.
I'm returning to a story I started in 2008/9 and then left for a while. I tried to pick it up again in 2011 but had to abandon it for a year. The road map pinned to my board has faded. The story is a huge mush of fuzz. Now here I am, in 2013 trying to pick up from where I last left off.
Trying is the key word here.
So where do I start?
At the beginning? Of course, right? The only thing I have going for me right now is the main character. She lives and breathes with me everyday. Funny thing is her plight has suddenly become mine! Anyway...
Well, here's the problem. I'm reading the story from the beginning but am mentally *locked* in the time-frame where I paused mid-way in writing the first draft. That's about 1/2 way through the story. At the time I had to pause to complete the research, understand what-on-earth the story was about and more. The pause became a huge interval and I now find myself locked in 2 time spaces.
1. Where I last left off, mid-way, writing the original draft.
2. At the beginning - trying to remember what the details of the story and secondary characters are.
And I'm stuck in both places.
What on earth should I do?
January 17, 2013
Walmart & Culture Walls
Hi,
I read an article in the Wall Street Journal last week and that really got me thinking. Walmart has been having a ball of a time now that it's gained entry in the Indian market.
For many US-returns they get a slice-of-US-life back on Indian soil. For locals, who love the idea of shopping in supermarkets and retail chain stores, it's the promise for a bigger and better shopping experience. And for Walmart it's entry to a market, where mom and pop shops have been running the gamut for generations, is a break-through.
With an exploding population of 1.2 billion - people in India also have more money in their pockets, a taste for the better things in life and a desire to a more western approach, Walmart (like McDonalds several years ago) took advantage of government policies, allowing foreign companies to invest in the country's multibrand retail sector, and will open shop.
POP! The champagne's running!
Walmart promised a great shopping experience along with more jobs, securing better income for farmers and reduced agricultural waste as side bonuses to its launch. Plus the added benefit of new technology, new approaches to marketing agricultural produce... and on and on...
But after the champagne and party was over Walmart began to realize things weren't quite going as planned - even though they planned with a local India company to paint the big picture and make it happen.
For example, Walmart's fleet of tractor trailers can't cover the distances in India, within the time frame it can in the US. The infrastructure of both countries cannot be compared. Efficiency in one doesn't mean the same for the other. How about the lifestyle some locals are already used to? Like familiarity with the smaller shops and a preference to buy from them? Just because you're bigger and have a wider presence doesn't mean you're more desirable...
And what about the fear of being over ruled? A country that recently gained its independence from the British in 1947 raises this question: "In a heated debate last week, politicians likened modern-multinationals to British colonists who first set up shop in India as traders." (www.smartplanet.com) Let's face it, both India and USA were have had their share of the British rule and serving as a British colony. And no one's going back!
But there have been a few blame-games in the works...
McDonalds in India, recently wrestled accusations that its potatoes were being imported from USA instead of using locally grown potoatoes for the Indian market. Then there were the intense clarifications (before its launch) that beef will not be used in its burgers (considering the cow is holy - No... not 'Holy Cow!' but really... considered religious)and the use of vegetable oil in all McDonalds' products.
And I'm sure Walmart will continue to have its own share.
But there are some things we all need to understand.
India and USA were both children of the British rule. Both fought for independence and earned their right to freedom - the hard way.
No matter how big. No matter how broad. No matter how wealthy. There are some barriers that you simply cannot break. These barriers can be tided over with respect, understanding and a rationale empathy that what works here doesn't work there. Why?
Because people here are simply not the same as people there. You can only break barriers when you bridge cultures.
SmartPlanet:
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/globa...
Business Insider:
http://www.businessinsider.com/stigli...
Reuters:
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/12...
I read an article in the Wall Street Journal last week and that really got me thinking. Walmart has been having a ball of a time now that it's gained entry in the Indian market.
For many US-returns they get a slice-of-US-life back on Indian soil. For locals, who love the idea of shopping in supermarkets and retail chain stores, it's the promise for a bigger and better shopping experience. And for Walmart it's entry to a market, where mom and pop shops have been running the gamut for generations, is a break-through.
With an exploding population of 1.2 billion - people in India also have more money in their pockets, a taste for the better things in life and a desire to a more western approach, Walmart (like McDonalds several years ago) took advantage of government policies, allowing foreign companies to invest in the country's multibrand retail sector, and will open shop.
POP! The champagne's running!
Walmart promised a great shopping experience along with more jobs, securing better income for farmers and reduced agricultural waste as side bonuses to its launch. Plus the added benefit of new technology, new approaches to marketing agricultural produce... and on and on...
But after the champagne and party was over Walmart began to realize things weren't quite going as planned - even though they planned with a local India company to paint the big picture and make it happen.
For example, Walmart's fleet of tractor trailers can't cover the distances in India, within the time frame it can in the US. The infrastructure of both countries cannot be compared. Efficiency in one doesn't mean the same for the other. How about the lifestyle some locals are already used to? Like familiarity with the smaller shops and a preference to buy from them? Just because you're bigger and have a wider presence doesn't mean you're more desirable...
And what about the fear of being over ruled? A country that recently gained its independence from the British in 1947 raises this question: "In a heated debate last week, politicians likened modern-multinationals to British colonists who first set up shop in India as traders." (www.smartplanet.com) Let's face it, both India and USA were have had their share of the British rule and serving as a British colony. And no one's going back!
But there have been a few blame-games in the works...
McDonalds in India, recently wrestled accusations that its potatoes were being imported from USA instead of using locally grown potoatoes for the Indian market. Then there were the intense clarifications (before its launch) that beef will not be used in its burgers (considering the cow is holy - No... not 'Holy Cow!' but really... considered religious)and the use of vegetable oil in all McDonalds' products.
And I'm sure Walmart will continue to have its own share.
But there are some things we all need to understand.
India and USA were both children of the British rule. Both fought for independence and earned their right to freedom - the hard way.
No matter how big. No matter how broad. No matter how wealthy. There are some barriers that you simply cannot break. These barriers can be tided over with respect, understanding and a rationale empathy that what works here doesn't work there. Why?
Because people here are simply not the same as people there. You can only break barriers when you bridge cultures.
SmartPlanet:
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/globa...
Business Insider:
http://www.businessinsider.com/stigli...
Reuters:
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/12...
