Abstract
India’s vast market of more than a billion people and a burgeoning middle class plays a siren song to American businesses. Many companies, including several from the West Michigan area such as Alticor and Steelcase, have been attracted by the vast potential of India and have invested in operations there. As is common to companies going to a new land, several people management issues have surfaced, pointing out the challenges of running a successful operation in India. How can West Michigan companies surmount the people problems in India? Help is available — help in the form of a major international research project that looks at cultural differences around the world.