NEW DELHI: Hewlett-Packard has created an India Research Operation (IRO), at
the HP India Software Operation in Bangalore. The HP Labs, with a charter to
innovate for developing new economies, will focus on the confluence of social,
cultural, economic and technological drivers to generate relevant solutions to
benefit the poor in the developing world. The IRO will feed into and augment the
recently announced HP World e-inclusion Program.
HP's e-Inclusion Program is a new strategy to broaden access to the social
and economic opportunities in the digital age. The new strategy extends HP's
business focus to traditionally "excluded" markets, with an emphasis
on sustainable business ventures that would improve the livelihoods of the low
income groups in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Currently, technology innovation is focused on the wealthy markets in the
developed economies and the same technologies with minimal modifications, are
sold throughout the rest of the world. "The India Research Operation will
concentrate on the bottom rung of the pyramid. It will focus on the unique,
basic needs of the people. It will work to adopt or develop technology,
solutions and products that touch the lives of the people at the grassroots, in
the villages," says India Software Operation director Subrahmanyam Vempati.
"At the IRO, our focus will be on technology for people, not technology for
businesses. We will work with a broad range of local and global partners to help
bridge the digital-divide," he added.