What is the best country to do business in the South Asian region?
If you answered India, then the World Bank disagrees with you.
According to the WB, the country with the easiest regulations for doing business in the region is Maldives, followed by Pakistan. India comes a distant sixth, just before Bhutan and Afghanistan. [hat tip: Jim Rosenberg]
However we don't need to be told that this study does not translate into what we see in the real world. That's because if ease were the defining aspect of business then there would be no real competition.
Business ultimately is not about "being comfortable" but to focus outwards on the needs of all stakeholders, customers, employees, shareholders and the community that supports you. That is why despite what the world bank says, India is the growth leader in South Asia.
And on the topic of location and growth, don't miss Richard Florida's blog The Creativity Exchange. Florida, of course, is the famous author and economist who wrote about the Creative Class and why they are important for growth. Check his post on Human Capital vs Talent. Marcus Buckingham would be proud :-)
Hi Gautam,
ReplyDelete'Ease of doing business', is not to be mixed up 'being comfortable' when doing business..
India being a growth leader is a very debatable view point - especially when one sees the former east european countries (that got out of Russian clutches) have as much, if not more, growth potential and often with much more faster and cleaner governments to do business with.
No doubt it hurts our native pride when we are subjected to such open and objective scrutiny and are ranked so disappointingly low.
We have to be brave enough to admit that transparency works both ways.
Best regards,
KNV