A matter of leadership

NASSCOM 2006: Global Leadership Forum gets underway today, with the theme Leadership, running like a thread across its various sessions.

The Indian IT-ITES sector, well entrenched in the global markets is now set for higher, bigger goals and "leadership" is the new buzzword for the Indian IT-ITES sector.

The Nasscom 2006 global conclave will, therefore, examine the theme of Leadership at various levels-the players and their efforts to achieve excellence in chosen domains; customers and the steps they are taking to gain global competitiveness; Nasscom and the Indian Government, which play the role of facilitators for the sector, in enabling it to achieve its ambitious targets.

At Nasscom 2006, expect intensive discussions on the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian IT-ITES industry, from the perspective of global customers who are actually using the sector's products and services.

These will help identify the areas where more work is needed and where the IT-ITES segments need to concentrate their energies to stay ahead in the game.

The global meet will feature a range of keynotes and panel discussions led by ICT industry thought leaders, experts and business intelligence analysts""individuals who have been watching the market, sniffing out the trends and foretelling the path for the near and distant future.

One can also expect to gain a peek into the "unexpected,"""the dangers and challenges that lurk in corners and may well rear their heads in completely surprising ways.

The goal, of course, will be to warn the IT-ITES sector about these impending hiccups and the panaceas for these unforeseen ills. Equally, one is likely to hear of unforeseen opportunities.

Global customers, in turn, will get to hear about "what's next" in technology, and the ways in which they can utilise likely developments on the ICT horizon, enabling alignment of their IT and business strategies.

Key government functionaries from a host of countries will talk about their regulatory and infrastructure environments, encouraging IT-ITES investments, cross-border ICT trade and cooperation, and the role of ICT as a key sector within their own economies.

One will hear about how Indian companies""while strengthening their presence in the traditional markets""can and will expand into newer geographies.

The focus will be on how this leadership could be attained through an approach defined by "coopetition" rather than competition; how some of the recent arrivals on the offshoring scene (China, the Philippines, and others) could emerge as partners to India.

After all, unique synergies can be created when mature players in the market, such as India, begin working closely with some of the emerging nations, leveraging the advantages of the latter.

India will need to pursue these win-win partnerships to consolidate its leadership.

Leadership can never become passe or irrelevant. Its definition changes with time, and the ways to achieve it evolves with every new phase of development. NASSCOM 2006 aims to bring leadership to center stage and explore its various facets. That somehow is not about to change!