How to shoot yourself...??

"Chop shop"- Is what US Senator Charles Schumer calls Infosys on 9th August. A term used to describe the business involves selling of stolen goods. Anyone who know about the origin of the company would be furious at the Senator. What was impressive was the way in which Infosys decided to respond. In a typical Gandhi style, Infosys CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan said that his company would work towards changing the perception.

The crux of the matter was the discussion on border security bill which would increase the H1B Visa by 200% i.e by $2000. This statement was given on the heel of the increase in the unemployment rate in US. Infosys alone employees over 12000 people in US. After the statement, I wondered what are they trying to do? The reason given was increase the number of jobs in US. But would increasing the visa fee work, I ask my self?

Once bitten, twice shy.. they say but it never applies for USA. During the 1980's depression it was the Japanese who were pointed fingers at. In those days Automobile industries faced a tough competition from the Japanese manufactures. Ford, GM and Chrysler (the big 3) were up in arms with the Government asking them to increase the import duties for Toyota so that pricing of the car could be in line with the Big 3. What is amazing is that, Americans taught Japanese how to make car. And Japanese went on to beat them in their own game (with operation techniques like Just in time, Kaizen etc). If Japanese had not shocked the Americans, I think Americans would have been very much happy with the way the things were done and would not like to change. (More in terms of.. "What works don't change")

Now its China and India who are being pointed at. Mr.Obama has been vociferous about saving jobs in US and stopping the job flow to India and China. But would increasing the Visa fee help in that cause?

The CEO of Infosys went on to say that when a developing countries like India and China are moving more towards open door policy, it was sad to see US moving in the opposite direction towards socialism.