"Smart phone is the next big thing"

Dr A Lakshman Rao is the chief operating officer, Wipro Limited, and a member of the Corporate Executive Council of Wipro Corporation. Dr Rao has an MSc and PhD from Andhra University. He joined Wipro in 1981 as a founder member of Wipro’s IT business and contributed significantly towards building a strong R&D team.

He has also been elected a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering for distinguished contribution to Computer Science & Engineering.

Anil Kumar R of CyberMedia News met him with a set of questions from the readers of CIOL and CyberMedia Dice Corporation.

Why are Indian IT companies unable to get big orders in the range of $500 million and above? How important is the consulting business in getting such big deals?

I would say that the Indian IT industry is moving towards the game of big deals. Definitely, it is entering the league. Consulting is important today. Traditionally, the industry started with designing software for a specific application. If you take Wipro, we entered the industry by getting into application development and maintenance services, then we entered the IT infrastructure management space remotely. Then the other piece is consultancy. If you look at total services value chain, you have business consultancy, then IT consultancy and ADM and infrastructure management, product and services support of applications. Companies are moving in different phases to encompass the service range right from IT services to product/services support-which is the BPO.

Consultancy comes in two levels-the IT architecture consultancy and then business consultancy which involves building domain skills specific to industry verticals. We have done that. We have recruited people from traditional industry who are experts in the oil industry, power industry and utilities. Essentially, we have built a consultancy layer catering to specific industry segments.

If Wipro wants to scale up to the size of IBM, how is it equipped since it needs to train people not just in technology aspects but also in the global management style?

We are moving towards that. Wipro’s goal is to be among the top ten global IT services providers. The distinction between India based IT service provider and multi national service providers is fading. We are a global IT services company, we have a global delivery, have a presence across the world. Today, 30% of the employees in Europe are from local nationalities. The recent acquisitions we made increased our reach in Europe and also added the local workforce. We are already a global services company and there’s nothing like we have to make a move to become global. We have near shore development centers in many of the large regions where we operate. We have a vision to be among the top ten global services companies.

If an interviewer asks the question, “why do you want to leave your present organization”, what would be the suitable answer?

You should talk about the job and then talk about the career. Let me explain about these two. First, you should think if the job you are looking for in the organization interviewing you is to your liking. That is also what organizations are looking for. Whether candidate is knowledgeable and whether he is excited and interested in the job. You should be sure about the job you are looking for. You should talk about the career. You should definitely mention that you are changing your current role for better career prospects.

What is more important to assume in a leadership roles-to be a specialist in a particular industry or to have exposure to various technologies, functions and domains?

This is a question that keeps haunting people in their careers when they move up. My answer is that you have to keep changing at particular times. You have to build certain knowledge and depth. After a certain period, you will be doing more of the same. Which means that the learning value will come down, except that you job might keep increasing in size. This is the point where you really have to look for a change. But unfortunately, the mistake that people make is that without getting into the depth and learning value of doing a job, they would like to move. This won’t help. But beyond a point if you continue you may be designated a specialist. You may be doing more of the same with very little learning value. In order to build an effective career, people have to move from a specialist to another job. The depth will give you the knowledge required. But job change is required to increase your knowledge. It is a combination that you will need to keep working on.

Which field in IT will have the maximum scope in the coming years?

You can’t point out one particular field in IT. I will talk about a few areas. The first is ERP-SAP, Siebel and Oracle. There is a large scale movement that is taking place, from proprietary custom-made applications to standard packages like SAP and Oracle. One area of good opportunity is package implementation, particularly from ERP vendors. The second is the whole area of web based applications. The Web services domain is an emerging technology where applications are built for usage on the Web. Third, is the area of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). SOA is an emerging technology where applications are built which enable applications to be deployed on the Web for use by end users. There are a number of vendors providing middleware solutions and software packages that will help build SOA based applications. So, you have to learn these platforms that enable these applications. The core for that is Java and Java based environments or even Microsoft .NET platforms.

How do we provide low-cost IT education to rural people?

The cost of a computer is not a major factor in providing computer education. There are many ways of providing low-cost computers to rural schools. But the real issue is that of teachers-how to build knowledge and competence among teachers in order to enable them to teach on computer techniques. This is one of the initiatives of both Wipro Applying Thought and the Azim Premji Foundation. They train teachers on computer usage. So the emphasis should be on training teachers who will in turn impart good computer education to rural schools.

Do you think the ITES sector will continue to grow in future? What is the future for the sector say for the next five years?

As per the study and prediction of Nasscom, the IT industry is definitely poised to continue current growth at least up to 2115-2020. The growth average is around 30 per cent. I don’t see any reason why it should not continue.

What are the few challenges you face while handling a company the size of Wipro?

Naturally, running such a large organization with a large customer base, the challenge I always face is the way to handle talent pipeline. How to attract talent from the market and campus, ensure quality of talent brought in, how far should we train employees for our business and services and how fast to deploy them for customer solutions and how best to retain talent. The single-most big challenge for the IT industry is efficient management of talent pipeline. The company that manages to do this well will ultimately be the winner in the IT industry.

How to explain and represent oneself at an interview?

First thing in an interview that people look for is the clarity of your thought and expression. If a question is posed to you, my advice is, take a minute or two to formulate the answer, get the clarity in your mind and then articulate. The mistake that many people do is to try to answer immediately. When you start answering, you get more and more clarity and then you can keep adding or keep changing. That creates a negative impression on the interviewer. The interviewer is really looking for clarity of your thought.

Are you considering people to work from home for example to beat the traffic jams and also there are a lot of housewives who have a lot of potential to work from homes?

This has been debated at length particularly in view of today’s traffic conditions in all the major cities. There are jobs that can be done out of home if you have a good broadband connection and a fairly secure network connectivity. But it is not possible to extend it to all kinds of jobs. The major issue that will come up about allowing people to work out of home is the security, the confidentiality, IP protection. As you know, companies are very paranoid about protecting their customers’ confidential information. By virtue of you working for a particular client, no matter where the client is located, it could be North America or Europe, they are excessively protective about the company information. The person working on it would have access to this information. That really constrains what kind of work can be done at home and what kind of work can be physically carried under a physically secure, network secure environment provided by companies like us.

Wipro is a leading software company in India, but still a high percentage of people are leaving the company every year. It is almost higher than any other big company. Why is it so?

Wipro’s annual attrition rate is in line with the industry average. They are not higher or lower but broadly in the same range as the industry average for the IT industry. It is a demand-supply situation and nothing specific or unique about Wipro.

Would you prefer money or position?

I would say neither. Money and position come next to the job. My personal choice is about what type of job I’m getting, what kind of role and responsibility and more than anything else, what kind of learning I would have out of this job. Position is purely a title and money is commensurate with the role and responsibility. So those two anyway follow. Fundamentally, I would prefer the role, responsibility and the learning value of the job.

This question is from a Government employee in Gangtok. He asks what should he do to enhance his career as an IT professional?

You can do two things. One-familiarize yourself. There are a number of coaching institutions to get computer awareness and get knowledge of computer users such as how to access files, using the Internet and how to use spreadsheets to do accounts. Such basic core knowledge can be learnt from the coaching institutions.

Then in the Government itself, there are certain departments that are responsible for computerization. You should ask your supervisor to get you a job in those departments. After gaining the experience, it is your choice where to build your career.

What is Wipro aiming to do for the betterment of the society?

Wipro has two initiatives - Applying Thought and Wipro Care. Wipro Applying Thought works with schools in training teachers. We have trained thousands of teachers so far in improving their teaching skills, teaching methods and communication skills. Wipro Care works for specific initiatives particularly naturally calamities where immediate assistance is needed. For example, Wipro Care worked during the Gujarat earthquake in building schools and hospitals. It worked in the Tsunami affected areas. In fact, they have planted thousands of tress to create greenery in the affected areas. They also adopt and support schools in slum areas to improve quality of teaching and improve the environment in the schools. As you know, outside Wipro, the Azim Pemji which is Mr Premji’s personal foundation funded by his money works with various state governments to improve the quality of primary education in rural areas.

What are the qualities that an engineering student like a fresher should possess?

In our over-emphasis on the examination system, the real depth to which a student has understood the subject is always ignored because of the need to memorize and get higher scores. So applying the knowledge is one thing I always look for in an engineer. When a subject is learnt, using it in real life situations and problem solving; in building a solution for a customer in a particular industry, how to do that based on what is learnt in the classroom can be applied is a fundamental quality for an engineer. Then there are soft skills as important. How much ever you have learnt, unless you are able to effectively communicate and articulate with written and oral skills, you won’t be able to present yourself and express the knowledge you have. So, soft skills are important. Working in a team is important. I want to specifically emphasize this fact. Most engineers come out of colleges where they have worked in a competitive environment in which they don’t share their information, books and knowledge with others since it is extremely competitive. It won’t work in their careers. Every job involves working in a team, sharing knowledge.

Do you think organizations have a moral obligation to ensure that their employees are psychologically happy and make the best out of them?

Happiness comes in many ways and is a relative term. It is difficult to define what creates happiness for all employees of a company. But from my experience I can say that first happiness comes from the nature of work, then from the environment in which one works and third from compensation and career progression. But fundamentally, most of the employees will be happy to get a good job that gives them learning and ensures them good growth later in their careers. And companies will try to provide all that with competitive compensation. Higher compensation alone does not lead to employee satisfaction. It is just one of the factors.

Will Wipro start acquiring product development companies?

If you are referring to the IT business, we are predominantly in services, System Integration and IT solutions. We are not interested in any product company purely for the sake of getting the product. But if the product comes along with an integrated solution for a specific industry then we are interested. But the main charter is not to sell products for licensing. We are basically a solutions provider. And we will look at any product that fits into our overall solutions strategy.

In your opinion who do you think has grown faster, is it you or Wipro and why?

A person can grow in his career only when his company also grows. That is applicable to me. My growth is apparent because Wipro has grown phenomenally since the time I joined the company. The answer is I have grown with Wipro.

Suppose, a dear colleague of mine is involved in some kind of fraud. Should I inform my superiors?

I think you should bring it to your supervisor’s notice because as an employee, you are supposed to be the custodian of the company’s value system. If you do find a fraud, no matter who the other employee is, it is your moral duty to bring any of the practices/ actions by not just your colleague but also at times your supervisor, to the notice of your management.

What would be the next big technology that will hit the global market?

There are two trends today. One is the mobile handsets -- smart phones -- where in complete information and services are delivered on your mobile phone. It is a replacement for laptop, PDA, personal video, personal music discs, and can also access the Web. The intelligence that will come into the smart phone in the next few years will be phenomenal and that is one change I see.

The second is the innovation in the services that are provided on the Web and also on the smart phones. It could be providing information or even regular services. Very innovative solutions and devices and very innovative services and applications and intelligent devices will dominate.

Do you think the way candidates are chosen should change? Interviews are like tests sometimes. You prepare well but you don’t get the right marks.

The selection process is not just based on interview alone. There is a first level selection based on academic marks. Then there is a written test that tests a candidate’s knowledge of technical subjects. Interview is only at the third level. It tests the candidate’s personality and communication skills and also to see if he has really understood the subject he has learnt. Interview is the last step.

Your company is asking for a deposit of Rs 75,000 while joining. Will you discontinue this procedure in future?

This is more of a deposit with the State Bank. Why we introduced this was that we would like to get the commitment of the candidate while joining. That he will serve for a minimum of one year. The entire deposit along with interest is returned to the candidate if he leaves after one year. But if the candidate leaves before he completes one year, he loses it. The reason is that we invest a lot on training-classroom training and on-the-job training in the first year and would like the candidate to show commitment to learn and give something back in turn by way of adding to the performance of our company.

One of our readers wants to start his own company in the Internet business, and he says just like Google and Yahoo, what kind of Internet business do you suggest?

If you see Google and Yahoo, their main value proposition is about providing information. So fundamentally, the Internet business falls into two categories- providing content and secondly distributing content. Depending on your own strength you can decide either of them. You need not create your own content. But you can be innovative in collecting the existing information from the many information databases. If you are an innovative distributor of content in the Internet world, that could also be a successful business. So you decide, if you are strong and creative in a particular domain, you can create content and take the help of different service providers to distribute content or you yourself can distribute content.

Why aren’t fresh MBAs from self-financing colleges not selected/preferred for a job?

I don’t agree with you. Good MBAs are required for any business and they find jobs in almost any industry. I don’t think we differentiate based on colleges. Naturally, colleges have their own branding, and different companies choose to go to the campuses depending on their reputation. But you cannot categorize that self-financing college candidates are not preferred. It is purely based on reputation and the performance of earlier candidates from the institution.