[You can follow our learning and adventures below.  If you continue to scroll down, you will see subsequent days of the trip reported by the assigned team.  We welcome constructive comments, thoughts, reactions and impressions. - Prof. Carr]

Team Two:

In what we hope will be an auspicious start to our trip, everyone showed up to LAX on time. “On time,” of course, meaning four hours early. The airport was crowded, the check-in baggage process would have made our Operations professor cringe, and there was no sitting room. But the mood was upbeat – in a few hours we’d be flying over the Pacific, to the other side of the world!

Our airline was top-notch. The food was tasty, the seats came with personalized TVs – not to mention dozens of channels – and the service was exceptional (albeit behind masks, as the Chinese are taking swine flu seriously). The airline’s quality was much appreciated, as our flight was fifteen long hours. Most everyone conked out for at least a few of those, and got in a movie or two.

Landing over Hong Kong made for an awesome sight: soaring apartment towers, one after the other, nestled between lush green mountains, covered by – surprise – smog. We had a relaxing break at the airport, drinking overpriced coffee and sampling some authentic Chinese food. Eric White ate a fish and seaweed snack which received dubious glares.

After the six-hour layover, the group boarded a relatively short (but very hot) flight to Bangkok. Whatever discomfort was felt was overwhelmed by the anxious feeling that we were already in Asia and only a few hours away from our destination: India! Even our in-flight menu options seemed to scream India. The menu went from offering an egg sausage muffin, to fish, to an exquisite rice curry.

Touchdown !!! The airplane retracted its flaps and the plane slowed into a controlled halt. Finally we had arrived to our first of many destinations. But the energetic glee coming out of the corner of everyone’s eyes had vanished. It had been a long journey. And now we were being held up by shuttle buses that hadn’t shown up to drive us to the airport.

Another delay, the buses arrived, and we raced past the immigration booth towards the conveyor that held our valuables. For a brief moment it seemed we were about to join the ‘lost luggage’ club of past MBAs. But after ten intense minutes of searching, everyone found their bags – technology managed to get all of bags to our final destination intact.

Welcome to India! Outside of the airport we waited for our bus to arrive and pick us up. And strange was the sensation that everyone felt as we waited outside on the hot and humid climate. Thus it was a relief to finally board the nice air conditioned bus that drove us past the many amazing construction sites that seem to define Delhi and the five lanes of traffic that formed on the three lane highway. After passing 500 rickshaws and a stray cow or two we arrived to our destination for the night and were welcomed with two generous gifts from our Indian sponsor, giving a much needed smile to some weary travelers who then sunk into their bed and recharged their batteries for the journey ahead.

Team One:

Dipping Our Toes in the Water… of India

6:30 am
We awoke to the sounds of New York – traffic, yelling, dogs barking, and Bollywood MTV music videos. Alright, not New York in the geographic sense, approximately halfway around the world in New Delhi, India. Being so far from home causes one to construct a relationship between the things we can and can’t relate to.

Our hotel serves as one of the few accommodations available in India. It offers Spartan rooms and a welcome place to rest our weary heads. The essentials differ from American standards, some in unusual ways. We manage without little bottles of shampoo, a big TV, furniture in excess of a couple beds, and a shower that doesn’t flood the bathroom. The showers here have no base just a drain and a floor that doesn’t slope quite enough. For most, the services the hotel offers constitute an upgrade from student life. Seriously. They wash our towels! They’ll do our laundry for a nominal fee! We also eat a hearty breakfast of eggs (hard-boiled or in omelet form), spicy vegetable cutlets, French fries, cornflakes (accompanied by warm milk), toast, and orange drink, coffee, or tea. Oh, the staff didn’t disappoint either selecting some wonderful morning entertainment: more Bollywood MTV.

After breakfast we quickly transited to our air-conditioned bus. A note: the temperature in New Delhi isn’t unbearable but any air-conditioning aides in adapting from our spoiled San Luis Obispo temperature. Traveling the frantic streets, everyone did their best to observe the driving habits and vehicles in preparation to our visit with India’s top auto manufacturer. However, we found ourselves distracted by Brahma cows pulling carts, an army of monkeys overtaking the local park, and a frightening number of near accidents inches from our cumbersome bus.

What information gather we can summarize in two comparisons to our domestic automobile environment: 1) Nearly every brand we know (along with a few we don’t recognize) produces vehicles for Indian roads and 2) Small, nimble cars offer significant advantages over our common SUVs and minivans. We recognized many Toyotas, Chevys, mini-minivans from the newcomer Tata, and a disproportionate number of Maruti-Suzukis. Seeing more Marutis boded well for us: We would soon step across their doorstep.

Mr. Gopalakrishnana, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Maruti-Sukuki greeted our team outside the company’s largest manufacturing plant. He politely led us inside to a conference room stocked with a fantastic spread of cookies, Pepsi, tea, and coffee. It was a surprise; we had not presumed ourselves lucky enough for such gracious hosts. Mr. Gopal (he asked that we use a more comfortable name to pronounce, another courtesy to us foreigners) presented a brief, well documented, and insightful PowerPoint overview of Maruti-Suzuki. It was a mere appetizer though to a luscious main course: a full guided tour of their manufacturing process from rolled steel to rolling car. Dr. Olsen would have been in LEAN heaven. Maruti utilizes Kaizen bursts, visual management, andon systems, kanban stations, FIFO, and load leveling to build vehicles at a pace that surpasses their competitors. After visiting the facility we can safely say every LEAN student is now a LEAN believer. We marveled at the seamless waltz of machinery, man, and material. Only the dry heat drew us from our focus and reminded: this not the legendary Toyota from Japan but the startling unbridled Marti-Suzuki from India.

Needless to say as stunned as we all were we had innumerable questions. Mr. Gopal and a panel of four Maruti chiefs obliged our intrigue. We feel we must return their generosity with a degree of silence; they provided a great deal of insight into the company’s past and future success. Yet, we can say this culminating discussion cemented our feelings about Maruti-Suzuki as a competitive auto manufacturer flush with drive, genius, and a formidable knowledge of LEAN production. It also boasts a gracious management team hungry for the ideas our freshly educated minds can conceive.

And THEN… we got back on the bus. We stopped at a mall to enjoy some Indian food for 170 rupees=$3.50 for lunch before continuing to Rockland Hospital. No one knew the journey would turn out to be an adventure. Our driver missed a turn and brought our enormous bus to a dead end. Without a turnaround. The thoughts of starvation and desolation filled our minds while the bus driver attempted a forty-point turn. God forbid MBA students would have to walk! Just when we thought the world would end… we got glimpses of gypsies emerging from the trucks that lined the streets. One, two, three, four, five… or more. Could it be salvation? Was a turn around possible to create?? To our great relief, it was and we watched these gypsies push a vehicle full of cement mix out of our way. Raquel Rusing raised her hands up and cheered for the fearless soldiers and one gypsy responded with excitement by “raising the roof.” Oh India.

Rockland Hospital, a private hospital, was an impressive structure and example of the rise in Medical Tourism. Their doctors were specialists and the hospital tapped into niche markets by providing exclusive programs and packages, such as stress management. Their financial and ethical practices gained the company a partnership with the IFC and allowed them to be ranked among the top 5 hospitals of India.

With two company visits down, we headed back to the hotel and had an opportunity to experience more traffic – but it was more exciting since the bus decided to drive down a one-way street because it was faster. Even a policeman couldn’t stop us. We bribed him. Yep. We illegally drove a 40-foot bus into on-coming traffic for the promise of 50 rupees. We have yet to pay our debt. Ohhh yeah.

It had been an exciting day by this point and a celebration was in order. And oh what a celebration it was. We were escorted to a five-star restaurant with an outside patio draped in red canopies, white couches and zebra pillows, bubble gum flavored hookah, Kingfisher brewskies and exotic belly dancers clanking the coins around their hips. I think the majority of the guys enjoyed the cushy pillows the most… riiiiiight. I don’t think Jimmy moved an inch as he waved away or beckoned a server to bring him the wide variety of Indian delicacies – tikka masala, grilled fish, paneer sticks, etc. (To be honest, I cannot be trusted with the names of any of our snacks. I suggest Wikipedia for further information). By the way, Jimmy’s new nickname is now Raja Jim. We ate and drank until late in the evening before heading back to prepare for Day 4.

We fell asleep with full-bellies and mystical dreams of India. Welcome to the other side of the world, Cal Poly.

Team Four:

Today we jumped in our lagoon. After an early morning breakfast we visited a real life ashram. We learned the basic principles of yoga by a reproductive microbiologist from one of the most prestigious universities in India. One of the many analogies that he used involved a lagoon. The lagoon is very much like the rest of the ocean, just as our lives are part of society at large, or so his analogy went. If you jump in and see the lagoon for what it is, you are getting a glimpse of the rest of the ocean too. Through a beginners yoga course we learned how truly flexible an MBA can be. Turns out we’re a pretty stiff crowd. After all of the hustle and bustle described in the previous posts, it felt good to get a stretch in.

After our time in the ashram, we high tailed it over to the Akshardham Temple. This four year old temple was covered in intricate sculptures hand carved out of sandstone. The attention to detail was incredible, as was the sun’s fury. It must have been at least a hundred degrees, but there wasn’t a single complaint from our class of champions.

We ended the night in a posh nightclub to celebtrate Raquel’s birthday. Happy birthday Rocky! The food was fantastic, the beers were long awaited, and the evening was great. This was also the night that the entire class learned about McKinnon’s breakdance and windmill capabilities. Getting home from the clud was an adventure in and of itself. This was the first chance most of us had to ride an auto-rickshaw, and I think it’s safe to say we feel lucky to be here today. It made the roller coasters at the county fair look like a teacup ride. And if that wasn’t enough excitement for everyone, a few somehow ended up ditching the rickshaws for a more luxurious elephant ride down the highway. All in all it was a pretty good day.

Team Seven:

The streets of Delhi were relatively quiet in the morning on the way to the Taj Mahal. As the bus moved swiftly through the cows, rickshaws, pedestrians, and broken down cars of Delhi, most people were sleeping or looking at the sights. As we made our way to the outskirts of the city the roads began to open up and we were able to cruise at a relatively high speed while swerving in and out of slow trucks. The road to the Taj Mahal and Agra goes through mostly farmland and small farming towns that are different from rural country roads in the United States. There are slow moving farm tractors like the U.S., but there are many delivery trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, and wandering cows which require non-stop honking. Along the side of the road in some areas there were some factories and compounds of notable multinational corporations. One that stood out in particular was the JCB tractor factory and compound along the road; the factory was massive and the storage lot was full of brand new JCB backhoe tractors and cranes. It was obvious that JCB has made a significant investment in India and is planning on taking advantage of the growing market of construction equipment in India.

Upon arriving at the Taj Mahal, we parked the bus a little outside the area and took electric powered taxis to one of the three gates that you can enter through. It’s ironic because electric vehicles are used to limit the pollution neat the Taj, but there is already a large amount of pollution in the air from all the other vehicles. After exiting the vehicles we passed through security and entered the gate. This lead to a long walkway that lead to a nice courtyard. All three gates opened into one side of the courtyard, with the fourth side being occupied by an even more impressive gate that lead to the actually Taj Mahal. The gate featured 20 domes, 10 on each side of the gate to represent the 20 years that was spent in construction. It was upon walking through this gate that the main building first becomes visible, and it is spectacular. Everyone has seen of what the building looks like, but pictures cannot do it justice. No only is it enormous, but it was made from a special kind of marble that is one of the hardest materials on Earth. To make it even more impressive, the marble features intricate writings and designs that were created by inlaying precious and semi-precious stones into the marble.

Our tour guide stopped us outside the monument and explained the history of the famous structure. It was built by an Indian king as a tribute to his wife who had passed away. He had promised to build her a palace during their lives, but she died in her mid-thirties. Although the king had been married twice before her met her, he never married again after her passing. In total the king spent 40 million rupees on the 3 million hours of labor that it took to be constructed. After its completion the king decided that he wanted to build a separate matching black Taj Mahal across the river for himself. His son decided that the cost of such a structure would be detrimental to the country, so he decided to imprison his dad and chop off the arms of the main workers who had constructed the building. This would prevent them from building another one. The king’s only request from his son was that he be imprisoned in his castle that overlooks the Taj Mahal, so he could see it every day.

While there, many of us were expecting to see some foreign tourists in India, however our consensus at the end of the tour was out of thousands of people, there were about a handful of foreign tourists besides ourselves. The tour guide explained that 85% of the Taj Mahal’s visitors are Indians; we thought the summer heat was keeping many out. Additionally, the Mosque on the located to the left of the Taj Mahal would bring many Muslim visitors daily because it is still operating. Additionally, the way the tour guide shared about the Taj Mahal reflected the sentiment many Indians have toward the monument - great pride and awe. Since the monument was ultimately a token of love to an emperor’s wife who passed away it is a great symbol of Indian culture. Many who visit and observe the unbelievably extravagant structure can’t help but be inspired to create and go above and beyond expectations. As a business takeaway - when you go all out, people will flock by the thousands just to observe the hard work, dedication, and overall investment put into a project.

Following our grand tour of the Taj, we went to the local shop that manufactured the granite inlays we had witnessed earlier. Immediately upon entering the shop, one of the salesmen started rattling off the ins and outs of the manufacturing process, as two of the workers sat on the floor building one of the pieces. One of the workers was tasked with shaving tiny pieces off of the precious stones to be inlayed into the granite. The other worker cut shapes into the granite and placed the stones in each of the designated holes. The granite became so sharp from the cutting process that it caused the man’s index finger to slowly be cut into two distinct pieces.

After this demonstration, we all walked into the showroom to haggle with the salesman. The products created by this process were utterly amazing. They ran anywhere from $45,000 tables to $10 jewelry boxes. Unfortunately, this store had a monopoly on such products and was not desperate to make a sale. Therefore, bargaining was nearly impossible.

As we left the granite inlay place, Dr. Singh pointed out that we were going to eat at a hotel, which had the best food of the trip yet. We were ready as many had eaten a light breakfast and the thought of an air-conditioned buffet sounded pretty nice after walking around in the heat all day.

We arrived to a VERY nice hotel and were greeted with an extensive buffet. While the hotel we are staying in is nice, it was nowhere the level of this hotel. Our current hotel could be equated to a basic Best Western, while the one we visited would have been on par with a Four Seasons. Most importantly, it was the first time we had the opportunity to eat fresh veggies! An onion broccoli goat cheese salad, fresh cucumbers and fresh tomatoes were just some of the vegetable choices we had. Like most of our high-end eating experiences, the choices seemed endless. There were roughly 15 main courses to choose from. Most of the staple curry choices were available, and also an excellent potato eggplant dish that had not been offered in our previous meals.

Following these main courses was a nice selection of desserts. Most of the choices were standard American sweets, with the exception of a sort of hot Indian donut. It was similar to a donut hole except soaked in a sort of sweet honey sauce. Jay informed some of us that the best way to eat it was to combine it with the coconut ice cream. Much like hot apple pie ala mode, the combination of hot and cold really capped of what was a superb meal. Fortunately, this was also accompanied by the best cup of coffee we have had so far (for those who are true coffee drinkers Indian coffee has left something to be desired). All in all, it was great to enjoy another fantastic Indian meal!

After lunch the group headed to Agra Fort, which is where the King who built the Taj Mahal lived, was later imprisoned, and eventually died. The outside of the fort was made from red stones that gave it a very unique look. The high outer walls and moat added to the castle feel, although it lacked the high towers that are common with medieval castles. Upon entering the fort main gate, we had to walk up a long sloping road, which lead up to the main fort grounds. At the top of the road was a wide-open courtyard with four separate squares of grass and bushes. Walking paths separated these areas, and a 7 foot tall stone cup was at the center. On the other side of the courtyard was a series of hallways and separate smaller courtyards that demonstrated their architectural skill. Like the Taj Mahal, the rooms and walls featured intricate carvings, although these walls were not made of marble and didn’t have the detailed inlays. After walking through several of these rooms and courtyards, we came upon the side of the fort that faced the Taj Mahal.

The sight down the curving river was breath taking. Off in the distance, to the right of the river, stood the Taj Mahal in all of its glory. Seeing it from this distance demonstrated how big the structure really was. Many people took advantage of the view and took lots of pictures. As you walked long the side of the fort, each different courtyard and room offered a different view and perspective. At the far side of fort was the area where the king was imprisoned by his son. The king chose this area because he wanted to be able to see the Taj Mahal. This area was also the area where the king eventually died. Sadly this section of the fort was closed off from visitors, so we were not able to see it.

At the very center of the fort were the two largest courtyards of the facility. Walking paths crossed both areas that featured lots of vegetation. The first courtyard had a large fountain at was situated at the center. Water was no longer in the fountain, but its design signified the beauty that it must have had when it was filled. Several other areas also had empty fountains and one room even had a waterfall that came out of the wall and flowed down the length of the room before collecting in a small pool. To have seen these features filled and flowing with water would have been spectacular.

The second courtyard was one of the most visually pleasing as it featured a large open room with many arches and pillars. Walking through the arches was beautiful as each new area offered a different perspective of the aches and columns. At the steps of leading up to the column were also a group of ants that were about the size of a fingernail. One ant was even lifting an aluminum soda can pop-top that was twice his size up the vertical service.

After the last courtyard, the group was extremely tired from the long day. A group of us congregated along some benches in the shade and rested. We enjoyed to the peaceful scenery until it was time to head back to the bus and begin the long journey home. It was surprising that even though the day was focused on the Taj Mahal, the fort was also spectacular and will definitely be one of the highlights of the trip.

The trip back from the Taj Mahal to Delhi was relatively long but was entertaining because of the dance party that occurred thanks to some iPods and portable speakers. It was a long ride there and back, but it was well worth it because we all got to see the Taj Mahal and get a look at the rural side of India.

Team Three:

We started the day the best way possible…Sleeping in! It was much needed and we were happy to start our tour today with good rest and in good spirits.

After breakfast we headed to Gurgaon, a city right outside New Delhi where business is booming. Guraon is the 6th largest city in the Indian state of Haryana. It has grown in the last 20 years as a manufacturing, outsourcing and shopping destination due to the demographic shift to younger, more affluent and better educated people. The buildings there were modern and well-maintained. The large crowds of business people moving through the outside streets were young and nicely dressed, helping us blend in a little. The average literacy rate in India is 59.5% and in contrast, Gurgaon’s rate is 77%.

We spent the day in this city visiting two large businesses. The first was Airtel, one of India’s largest cellular providers. Airtel was created with little capital and is native to India. Over the past 14 years the company has grown to 100 million customers, 24% market share and has even expanded to Sri Lanka. The presentation we got was one of the best so far and gave some great insight into the importance of brand value. Airtel has partnered with some of the largest creative ad agencies in the world and the result is an impressive ad campaign which successfully targets several market segments. Again, due to the young population in India, the company has enjoyed impressive growth and success. We were greatful to have had an opportunity to be hosted by them.

We then headed over to American Express. The building and business part it was located in felt more like Los Angeles than India. Once again, we got an expert presentation and a host who was more than willing to answer our many questions. The presentation suited the day perfectly because in contrast to Airtel, American Express is an American company who has globalized and faces unique challenges and opportunities in the Indian market. India’s youth was again a topic of discussion as we discussed how the population’s attitudes toward credit are changing. One relevant message we got was that it is not the other credit card companies or banks who are the true competitors, it’s cash and checks. Another challenge was that of targeting a niche of Indians who make over $20,000 USD annually. A figure which would hardly represent a niche in the US.

Our day ended with a trip to Subway! The company has changed the menu quite a bit to fit Indian tastes. Most notable in this student’s opinion was the chicken tikka sandwich, a delicious spicy chicken which I only wish was available at the US chain. Other than the small menu changes and the fact that our soda pop came in a can, the restaurant was familiar and satisfying.

Thus ends day 4. We are packing up, bidding farewell to New Delhi and looking forward to our next stop … Mumbai.

Team Five:

Our team arose early in the morning and left New Delhi for Mumbai. We took a picture with our bus driver and Sanjeev, his helper. It was sad to leave them, but everyone was pretty grateful to leave the hustle and bustle of New Delhi in search of a new place to conquer. Jimmy was sick and had issues with food poisoning the night before we left and had some further stomach issues during the flight. We will spare you the details, but let’s just say it was a quick flight and Jimmy threw up. Some aspects of the New Delhi airport to remember were: we were allowed to bring water bottles, we had buses drive us out to the planes, our carryon bag needed a special tag, and we needed text messaging capabilities to gain access to the Internet. Upon landing we gathered our bags at the carousel and were greeted as we walked out the door with a small monsoon. Welcome to Mumbai.

We loaded the bus and made our way to the hotel—an extremely nice five-star hotel which would be considered nice by western standards. Jimmy S. and David C. stayed back at the hotel while we made our fist visit to a global multimedia and telecom company. James M. missed the bus, but using his good communication skills and the direction of a few very helpful motorists he was able to direct the taxi driver to the right location and make it to the meeting on time. The bus arrived late, but our hosts were gracious.

A top manager from HR gave us an overview of its parent business and its multiple lines of business throughout the world. More specifically, she spoke to us about HR hiring, training and retention practices. She reinforced the importance of initially getting the right people on the bus to ensure a successful company and smooth operations. We then received a strong SWOT analysis, including short-term and long-term goals, most of which were pretty aggressive. We received key insight into how important their soft skills are. Finally, she spoke extensively about the large amounts of work involved with training employees to communicate with the customers whom are on the other side of the line and half-way around the world.

The second speaker, a senior manager over call-center operations, spoke about the importance of leadership, listening to employees, gaining their trust, and setting realistic goals and expectations. He talked about coordinating the operations of thousands of people, everything from making sure they come to work on time and keeping them well rounded physically, mentally and emotionally. In addition, the manager spoke a lot about the metrics involved with measuring call center employees (customer service, success rate, etc) and how they are used to consistently improve their ability to help the customer that is calling.

After the company visit, we headed to a large mall which had an interactive dinning experience that reflected many of the cultural aspects and activities through out India. This restaurant had pottery making, palm readers, musicians, dancers, and henna tattooist. The food was very diverse along with the intricate decorations. Beyond the delight and fun we experience with all the food, activities and dancing we took away a lot of insight into the ever changing cultural diversity of India. During the day we were joined by two local Indian University students—Kamal and Rits. They were a lot of fun. It was great to get opinions and information from students our own age regarding the global economy and learn of their different worldviews.

Team Six:

Our team may be biased, but we believe that Day 8 was the best of our days here in India. The slums of Dharavi, an impromptu game of soccer on a sandy beach of the Arabian Sea, a waterlogged game of cricket, a hospitable lunch, and a tour of MET (one of the premier business schools in India), were just a few of the memories that will be added to the heap that we have accumulated thus far.

The day started out at our incredible hotel buffet; croissants, muffins, omelets, and hash browns were a familiar respite from our adventurous forays into the native cuisine of India. After drinking the last bits of watermelon juice and finishing the final nibbles of fruit, the group began to gather, fresh-faced and chattering, in the hotel lobby. As with most of the days on our trip, Dr. Carr began with a health check-up. Those who were on the mend discussed their recovery while we all worried a moment for those who were still in bed, unable to make the adventures for the day. With the conversation coming to a close, we charged into the bus, finding seats next to the familiar faces of our classmates.

The first stop for the day was the slums of Dharavi, made famous by the movie “Slumdog Millionaire.” The ingenuity of the slum dwellers was immediately evident upon arrival. As Professor Singh explained what we were seeing, several conclusions became palpable; perhaps the most shocking was that many of the individuals choose to live in the slums in order to save money and to maintain their freedom from the government. The slums are made up of both white collar workers and blue collar workers, many of them living in 12’X12’ rooms, making a decent living, and paying virtually nothing for utilities. The politicians find the slums rife with potential voters and choose to propagandize, rather than to bulldoze. Everywhere one looks there are giant posters for local politicians saying “we are on your side.” On one hand, it’s common to feel sorry for the those people living in such poor conditions; on the other, one learns that many people are living in the slums by choice (rather than in apartments), and are doing very well for themselves…this is definitely a country filled with dualities.

Upon leaving the slums, we toured the city a bit more and stopped by a beach on the Arabian Sea. By chance, we came across a group of teenagers playing soccer. In true Indian fashion, they readily agreed to a game with us. Although we only had fifteen minutes, many of us jumped at the opportunity to engage with the locals and we began a friendly, mixed game. Even though it was impossible to tell who your teammates were or what the score was, we had a great time. It’s those unplanned moments where we are immersed in the Indian culture that have made this trip so life-changing, memorable, and educational.

After taking a group picture and brushing the sand off, we piled back into the bus and headed for a large local retail outlet. In line with the tradition of Indian hospitality, the store opened early just for us to look around. We encountered many surprises, including narrow aisles and piles of unfamiliar products. We were also startled to see all of the produce sitting in the heat, unpacked and unrefrigerated. Apparently, the produce there has a very high turnover rate; furthermore, Indian shoppers will only buy produce if it is ungroomed and unwashed; this is rooted in the perception that no amount of commercial sanitation will live up to the rigorous hygienic standards of the common Indian kitchen. Many of us were also stunned to see a Garnier product designed to lighten a person’s skin. This has been popular with Indian women for some time, but it is now catching on for men as well. Apparently, lighter skin is a vain desire in India, similar to the Californian’s yearning for an unhealthy tan. We recognized several of the brands of snack food and soft drinks, but there were still many that looked unfamiliar. We were also introduced to a soda called “Thumbs Up,” a native cola drink. Coca Cola tried for years to beat Thumbs Up in the Indian market, but eventually resigned to defeat and acquired the company. Overall, the store appeared to be a bit untidy in its stocking of the shelves and bins, a concept that is actually an attempt to relate to the Indian consumer, rather than a result of poor management or cramped space. Trying to adjust the Indian market to modern retail requires a similarity to the street vendor style to which the locals are familiar.

After purchasing Pringles and chocolate, Coke and power bars, the tour of the retail outlet came to an end and we began the trip to MET, an “A++ B School”—or premier business school—in India. Earlier this year, we prepared to play Cricket against the students at MET, and today was our chance to show what we were made of. We ended up splitting up the different students into mixed teams so that one side (i.e. our side) didn’t get dominated too badly. The game went as expected, with the MET students doing quite well; we simply tried to remember to run in a straight line without throwing the bat. On the sidelines, Indian and American students mingled, sharing jokes and jeers at the other team. The Indians taught us a heckling phrase, meaning “catch the chicken,” while we taught them who Alex Rodriguez is. The game was going well until we switched sides and the fielding team came up to bat. At this point, the sky opened up and an infamous Mumbai monsoon began. If one has never experienced a monsoon, it is difficult to explain how it feels. It was basically like having someone with pitchers of water standing above you pouring constantly—very different from the gentle showers of the Central coast. Despite the downpour, we were not to be discouraged and continued with the game anyway. Unfortunately, soon thereafter the speaker for the day arrived and the game had to be discontinued. As the Indian students and American students washed the clay of the field off their clothes together, the Indian students admitted that they had never played cricket in the rain. Apparently, it was a day of firsts for us both.

After getting everyone changed into clean clothes, we were fed another excellent Indian meal. Sitting at round tables, there were at least two individuals standing around us, available for our every need. In fact, it wasn’t until the second or third time that extra bowls of our favorite dishes appeared at our table that we realized they were listening to our conversation and reacting to our likes and dislikes. Being treated like royalty was not something we expected when we came to India. Moreover, this incredible welcoming hospitality was one of the largest takeaways of the day: we will each ask ourselves how we can emulate this type of service in the United States when guests come to our school. We will also reflect on the shortcomings that Americans have in this respect.

Lunch ended and we sat down to listen to the speaker from the local retail outlet we visited earlier. He was very entertaining, and seemed to have a lot of interesting insights into the mind of the Indian consumer. Perhaps the most interesting thing he mentioned was the “butt brush factor,” which suggests that Americans won’t shop at places where their butts are brushed a certain number of times by people or objects (indicating a crowded store). Contrary to this western viewpoint, Indians appreciate a higher “butt brush factor,” as it indicates that the store is more popular—most likely because of better deals. He mentioned the early “failure” to recognize that Indians do not want to shop in a non-traditional Wal-Mart style retail outlet. The stores were changed to increase the “butt brush factor”, bins were overfilled, and the stores were given a feel of the traditional open air markets. As a result, the stores became a success and have grown tremendously. The presenter gave us a very upbeat opinion of the retail sector in India and shared his belief that his retail outlet is focused on promoting the category in an effort to succeed without stepping on other retailers. It is hard to believe that retail accounts for only four percent of India’s GDP. Like so much in India, there are tremendous opportunities to expand this category. This particular retailer gives us an excellent model of adapting a modern retail sector to the Indian culture.

We then listened to the Director General of the college speak about how the curriculum for MET had been designed and what the students were doing abroad. He discussed the foreign programs MET has, in particular the programs in China and the ECOSOC Council with the UN in the U.S. He discussed the requirements of each student to volunteer with underprivileged individuals in the community. We thought it was interesting that when asked about teaching ethics, the director replied that this was typically the job of a student’s parents. Also, rather than developing a course about ethics, it is expected that the student will live an ethical life by giving back to the community. The director also briefly outlined his history in the agriculture business before his tenure with MET. He mentioned the long presence of the Indian entrepreneurial spirit, which we have seen many times over the past days. Lastly, before leaving, we had a tour of the college and got to see the students in a more natural environment. The facilities were vastly different from what we have come to enjoy at Cal Poly. Each floor of the multi story building was home to a separate portion of the school. Throughout the building, the students had many rooms dedicated to rest, study, and entertainment, including a game room and a music listening room. While on the tour, we had a chance to discuss some of the finer aspects of the education with administrators. It was refreshing to see the familiar “learn by doing” atmosphere where students were provided real life problems to solve. It also posed the question of whether providing environments for fun and socializing, like our own Resource Center, aid in the educational process, or are superfluous.

On the trip back to the hotel, Kamal and Riddhi talked to us about how much they were going to miss our group and how much they have learned about Americans that were contrary to the commonly accepted stereotypes, such as being quiet and uninviting. They were happy to say that this is by no stretch of the imagination a description of our group. Finally, they invited us to share the microphone around the bus and give them a comment, good or bad. I was taken aback by this request; it is rare that an American asks for feedback among a group of peers. We were happy to share our adoration of the two ambassadors, and not a single person had something negative to say. Moreover, it was very refreshing to have that openly reflective period with our group and with two of our Indian peers in the middle of our trip. We closed with a song dedicated to our local guides and an evening to ourselves.

Getting to know two Indian students made India become a real place: full of heart and bursting with spirit. By this point, I believe many of us had fallen in love with India, more so than we ever thought we would. With its zooming rickshaws, dirty sidewalks, colorful dress, and foiled lifestyle, India has carved a place into our hearts through two incredible individuals, one hospitable school, the game of cricket, several entrepreneurial businesses, and a million other things and people. I believe we all will savor our last days in this remarkable country.

Team One:

It was our last day in Mumbai, India. In the morning, there was an optional cooking experience which most of us opted to participate in. We organized ourselves in groups of three into auto rickshaws to take us to the cooking complex. Auto rickshaw rides are an adventure. They feel very similar to the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland; just before you are about to hit something, you miraculously swerve. Part of the auto rickshaw experience unfortunately is pollution. There is no barrier between your body and other cars and sometimes the tailpipes from surrounding vehicles shoot directly at the rickshaw. Breath holding and baby wipes were essential in coping with the rickshaw rides, although they may have been one of the most exciting experiences in India. Of course, stepping out of the rickshaw usually meant avoiding some type of stinky mud, feces or otherwise.

The location turned out to be a mall-type facility with several different shops and restaurants. The main restaurant, Mocha was our hub for the day. We were immediately greeted with beer, lemonade and big smiles. The agenda for the day included a cooking experience at four different restaurants, a sampling of our creations and lunch afterwards. We broke off into teams of four and then cycled through the restaurants. Our tasks included making panini sandwiches, stuffing dumplings and making meat skewers. Some of the chefs were overly welcoming, some of the chefs were a little unwelcoming until prompted by the organizers. There was a bit of disappointment among participants in that the type of food we were cooking was not Indian food. During our days in India, most of us fell in love with Indian food and spices and were looking forward to and expecting to make native food. This experience was not what we were expecting yet still an interesting time. After we made each dish we sampled it, maybe too much so as most of us were full for lunch, not really understanding that lunch was additional to the sampling.

Before lunch, we smoked a little hookah and had a brief explanation of how to participate in the hookah ceremony. Next we went on a treasure hunt, helping us to explore the area we were in. We were given a list of questions and the stores where we could find the answers. The market was filled with crazy Americans literally running around asking questions. That was funny. We met back at Mocha where the winner was awarded a prize. Then we had a lassie-making contest, an Indian yogurt drink which is phenomenal. Its ingredients are yogurt cultures, sugar syrup and water… yum. Each team was given one minute to make the best lassie and then our drinks judged by a team of lassie experts.

Because this event was optional, there were many people who chose to go their own way; Oscar met a writer he idolized, Jimmy bargained his butt off and got a free calendar, Cece got a massage. We all met back in the hotel around 5PM to debrief our India experience after we checked out. As a group, we reflected on our experiences in India, the good, the bad, and very little ugly. Most, if not all of us had amazing experiences.

Then we went to get ready for our farewell dinner… the girls went up to a room where Jason was trying to relax and regain his health before further travel. We had assistance putting on saris, which are amazingly beautiful, long sheets of fabric wrapped systematically into a dress. We were ready to go in about an hour, feeling very Indian, especially after we put our bindis on (3rd eyes). We went into the foyer and took group pictures, shortly after we were greeted by the boys, who looked sharp themselves.

Dinner was amazing, as always in India. The hospitality is amazing, unlike anything known to us. Food, drink, refills, assistance, etc. was brought before we knew what we needed. The food was amazing, dessert was amazing, live music was amazing. There is so much love in India for guests and such a loving feel of hospitality. The two students from MET who hosted us, Kamal and Riddhi joined us, which was great. They have since become friends with us on Facebook and closely followed our journey to China.

Many of the principles of yoga are embodied by the Indian people as a way of life. The ego is less than Americans, the heart is more pronounced. It was great to experience. We then hung out for a few hours before heading off to a very cold, long airport transition, on our way to Shanghai.

Note:  To see/read Day 11-17, click on the ‘Previous Posts’ link below and keep reading.

Team Three:

Back on the road again after an eventful time in India. India was quite interesting, but I am glad to be moving on. The country was a whirl of energy, life, and color. Chaos embodied. It seemed to me on leaving that some things really haven’t progressed much from colonial times, with white foreigners coming to pillage cheap labor this time instead of silver and jewels. Still, according to many Indians foreign investment seems to have brought a better quality of life to many people. The British however used this excuse and in reality there are many, many more people who are desperately poor and don’t seem to be on the receiving end of India’s growth spurt. However as with many things this is a multifaceted issue… the perception of progress is in the eye of the beholder.

The Mumbai airport is slightly more polished than the one in Delhi, still there is much to be desired from the likes of a Hong Kong or Shanghai… no worse than LAX however. The flight is a turnaround and it is late. This means that it has not had much time to be cleaned and by the time we are nearing Hong Kong it is absolutely filthy. I was really impressed by the quality of the Indian domestic airline, Indigo, as opposed to an international carrier like Cathay Pacific, though for some reason Cathay enjoys quite a good reputation abroad. Unsure of why their flights to and from India are of a lower standard than the other routes.

We zipped through Hong Kong and somehow made our flight. I am really indebted to the strength of the small women who tirelessly struggle to push my wheel chair up and down so many ramps and through so many security checkpoints.

The flight to Shanghai was short and sweet. On arrival we were greeted by something out of Michael Crichton novel. A crew of technicians in full biohazard gear swept the plane, scanning each person with an infrared thermometer as they went. I feel the gods must have been pleased with us as somehow we passed the check even with the people in our group that were sick. After the initial screen, security and customs were a breeze, with everyone breathing a sigh of relief as we went. Shanghai airport rivals Hong Kong… I was really impressed. That and the 300km/hr MAGLEV train from the airport confirmed in my mind that China is the future. Shanghai makes LA look like an Omaha or Boise. The amount of lights and skyscrapers are amazing. We went for a tourist jaunt up to the 100th floor of the Financial Center from where we could see the glittering beauty of the city in all directions. I am happy to be in China, and my stomach is even happier. We ended the night with food from Sichuan, not extremely spicy Sichuan food, as everyone’s stomach was still a bit tender, however it tasted great nonetheless. The hotel is first class and bed after 30 plus hours on the road is an indescribable heaven.

Note:  To see/read Day 11-17, click on the ‘Previous Posts’ link below and keep reading.

Team Eight:

After a breakfast filled with omelets, hash browns, fresh fruit and fried noodles, we began our business tour in Shanghai with Best Buy. We met down in the lobby and all made the short five minute walk through the streets of Shanghai to Best Buy’s flagship store. We were greeted outside by Rich, a young, Minnesota born assistant general manager who came from Best Buy’s corporate office in the United States. Rich has been in Shanghai for about 15 months, facilitating the successful transfer of the Best Buy culture to China’s six stores. Upon walking in, the hundred or so employees were getting pumped up for the day and gave us a warm welcome with a big cheer. We toured through the four story building, noting some of the differences of the types of merchandise sold only in China such as a much bigger selection of home appliances such as high end refrigerators and electronic shavers. We noticed the prices of most of these items were of equal or higher price when we converted them from RMB to dollars. Rich explained that this is because the people that shop in Best Buy prefer the American brands such as HP and Apple which require import taxes rather than buying the cheaper Chinese brands commonly sold in the streets. We got a demo of their $100,000 media room with a Chinese film involving many drums and traditional dances all on high end video and sound equipment. The storage room at Best Buy was miniscule compared to those in the U.S. and the visit ended with a “Geek Squad” t-shirt given to all of us.

After our Best Buy visit we headed for a brief tour of local Subways. In April, Bill Chillingworth spoke to us about Dash Brand, a Shanghai based company the deals with the exclusive franchising of Subway chains. Bill spoke to us about how the business grew from an initial meeting with his Australian business partner with the exclusive rights to Subway in Shanghai. Dash Brand has used the exclusive rights to build a successful company. Our first Subway visit was located at the entry to a Carrefour Hypermart. We were introduced to Dave and were immediately appreciative of how courteous and welcoming he was. We also met Kurt, the gentleman who heads the Subway stores. The Subway restaurant was incredibly similar to an American store. We did not find culture specific menu items like we saw in India. The Subway facility was small, but was very clean. The employees were polite, efficient, and respectful. The food quality rivaled anything we would have received in the United States. After lunch we visited a second facility for Q&A with Dave and Kurt regarding Subway and Shanghai. The common theme of our discussion was that customer service remains Subways most valuable asset. Dave also discussed Subway’s biggest challenges which include the perception of cold sandwiches and finding profitable locations. We finished our Subway tour with a final stop at the wildly successful Subway restaurant located near Nanjing Lu.

From Subway, we bussed to an online school where Dr. Carsten Ulrich talked to us how he was developing programs and courses which help students to learn remotely. Since most students do not have money to take time off from work to become a full-time student, there is a great need for remote education. I said in some of the basic courses he will sometimes have 2,300+ students enrolled! Though online classes are a great way to obtain education in China while still being able to work full time, the quality of education suffers. Dr. Ulrich admitted that one of the problems with online education is the quality of graduates it produces. Some of the most prestigious colleges in China have shut down their online programs for this very reason and to protect the value of their degree. After a short Q&A session, Ms. Chen talked to us about opportunities with venture capitalists in China. The recommendations and suggestions that were given to us by the VC seemed very similar to ones in the United States, by stressing that it is all about the people when choosing a specific investment. Ideas are a dime a dozen but a good team is difficult to build. In addition she stressed that China is continually moving away from foreign investors and is continually trying to improve its local investment base and investment companies. This provided an interesting view into the Chinese business investing and views that they are slowly trying to wean themselves from being dependent upon foreign money and talent and instead held from within by China’s own people and money.

After leaving the school we returned to the hotel to freshen up and get ready for our China welcome dinner at a local place named Yakshi. Here we were able to encounter another side of the Chinese business culture. After the business meetings people usually go out for dinner to enjoy each other’s company and to seal the deal over a glass of bijou. The glass had a very good time meeting with other local expats and businessmen. It was a very eye opening and fun experience into a side of business rarely done in the United States. In the American culture usually the deal is finished at the conference table or inside the building. In China however as we were continually learning business deals are much more of a flowing and evolving friendship requiring time and effort. And, as in the case of our time at Yakshi, it also involves a bit of “wining and dining” as well.