Centre for India & Global Business
Encyclopedia
The Centre for India & Global Business (CIGB) was launched in March 2009 as part of the Judge Business School
at the University of Cambridge
, England
, to support the university’s growing engagement with India. As a research centre and an engagement platform CIGB is dedicated to the study of India's rapidly-expanding role in the global knowledge economy
.
foundation. The academic director of CIGB is Professor Jaideep Prabhu
, the first Jawaharlal Nehru Professor of Indian Business and Enterprise
at the University of Cambridge, who took up the post in September 2008. The Executive Director of CIGB is Navi Radjou
who joined in January 2009. The Centre has 14 other academic members, including Judge Business School
Faculty and PhD students.
A major issue underlying these three themes is how India is emerging as a learning laboratory for affordable and sustainable innovation to deal with the global challenges of scarcity and diversity.
The academic projects undertaken by CIGB involve field research in India which CIGB-related faculty visit frequently in order to collect data and conduct interviews with local policy-makers, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives.
CIGB produces case studies that feed into its outreach and networks activities. Its research has been featured in leading newspapers and magazines worldwide.
, which was chaired by Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia
, Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission. In May 2009, CIGB hosted in Cambridge
a major conference titled “Innovation in India and China: How to Create Value from Emerging Markets,” which explored the rise of India
and China
as both fast-growing global markets and world-class sources of innovation.
Since its inception, CIGB has also hosted a number of speakers including: Nandan Nilekani
, Chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India
(UIDAI) and former Co-Chairman of Infosys Technologies (April 2009); former Indian president Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam(June 2009); Ravi Kant
, Vice-Chairman of Tata Motors
; and Dr Ramesh Mashelkar, former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, who delivered the inaugural BP Annual Lecture at Cambridge Judge Business Business on 21 June 2010.
’s India Economic Summit, CIGB launched Indovations.Net, an interactive, multimedia website that educates users worldwide about innovations in India across five domains: business, social, energy/environment, art/culture, and science & technology. This website addresses a fundamental questions such as, What can the world learn from India-inspired innovation — or Indovation
— and how people can benefit from it, etc.
Prof Jaideep Prabhu and Navi Radjou write blog
posts on innovation, emerging markets
, and global leadership on the Harvard Business Review
website.
Judge Business School
Cambridge Judge Business School, formerly known as the Judge Institute of Management Studies, is the business school of the University of Cambridge. Established in 1990, the School is a provider of management education and is consistently ranked as one of the world's leading business schools. It is...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to support the university’s growing engagement with India. As a research centre and an engagement platform CIGB is dedicated to the study of India's rapidly-expanding role in the global knowledge economy
Knowledge economy
The knowledge economy is a term that refers either to an economy of knowledge focused on the production and management of knowledge in the frame of economic constraints, or to a knowledge-based economy. In the second meaning, more frequently used, it refers to the use of knowledge technologies to...
.
History
CIGB was established with initial funding from the BPBP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
foundation. The academic director of CIGB is Professor Jaideep Prabhu
Jaideep Prabhu
IntroductionJaideep Prabhu is the Jawaharlal Nehru Professor of Indian Business and Enterprise and Director of the Centre for India & Global Business at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He has held positions at Imperial College London, Tilburg University and UCLA, and was an...
, the first Jawaharlal Nehru Professor of Indian Business and Enterprise
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
at the University of Cambridge, who took up the post in September 2008. The Executive Director of CIGB is Navi Radjou
Navi Radjou
Navi Radjou is presently the Executive Director of the Centre for India & Global Business at Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, where Jaideep Prabhu is the Director...
who joined in January 2009. The Centre has 14 other academic members, including Judge Business School
Judge Business School
Cambridge Judge Business School, formerly known as the Judge Institute of Management Studies, is the business school of the University of Cambridge. Established in 1990, the School is a provider of management education and is consistently ranked as one of the world's leading business schools. It is...
Faculty and PhD students.
Vision and goals
The vision of CIGB is to become a world leading global knowledge platform on Indian business and innovation. As such, CIGB aims to understand and project the role and place of the Indian economy in the 21st Century through the lens of innovation. CIGB aims to achieve this goal through:- Research: revealing how innovation is driving India’s role in the global knowledge economy
- Outreach and Networks: bringing together business, academic and policy leaders from around the world to enhance engagement and learning about India’s role in the global economy
Research activities
CIGB conducts research in collaboration with a global network of academic partners around three complementary themes:- India as a global innovation hub: how and why firms from around the world are increasingly locating their global R&D and innovation activities in India
- Indian firms going global: how Indian firms are going global on the back of innovation in India or in order to become more innovative relative to global competitors
- Co-innovation with the bottom of the socio-economic pyramidBottom of the pyramidIn economics, the bottom of the pyramid is the largest, but poorest socio-economic group. In global terms, this is the 2.5 billion people who live on less than $2.50 per day. The phrase “bottom of the pyramid” is used in particular by people developing new models of doing business that deliberately...
(mass markets): how multinational and Indian firms are engaging those who live on less than $5 a day as value-adding partners through innovative products, services and business models.
A major issue underlying these three themes is how India is emerging as a learning laboratory for affordable and sustainable innovation to deal with the global challenges of scarcity and diversity.
The academic projects undertaken by CIGB involve field research in India which CIGB-related faculty visit frequently in order to collect data and conduct interviews with local policy-makers, entrepreneurs, and corporate executives.
CIGB produces case studies that feed into its outreach and networks activities. Its research has been featured in leading newspapers and magazines worldwide.
Outreach and networks
CIGB also hosts conferences and seminars that bring together academics, corporate leaders, and policy-makers from all over the world to discuss and disseminate latest research findings as well as policy and industry best practices. These events are hosted both in Cambridge as well as in major Indian cities. For instance, in March 2009, Professor Jaideep Prabhu, Director of CIGB, delivered his inaugural lecture in New DelhiNew Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, which was chaired by Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Montek Singh Ahluwalia
Montek Singh Ahluwalia is an Indian economist and civil servant. He is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of the Republic of India. He was previously the first Director of the Independent Evaluation Office at the International Monetary Fund.-Early life and education:Montek...
, Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission. In May 2009, CIGB hosted in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
a major conference titled “Innovation in India and China: How to Create Value from Emerging Markets,” which explored the rise of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
as both fast-growing global markets and world-class sources of innovation.
Since its inception, CIGB has also hosted a number of speakers including: Nandan Nilekani
Nandan Nilekani
Nandan Nilekani born is an Indian entrepreneur. He currently serves as the Chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India , after a successful career at Infosys Technologies Ltd...
, Chairman of the new Unique Identification Authority of India
Unique Identification Authority of India
The Unique Identification Authority of India , is an agency of the Government of India responsible for implementing the AADHAAR scheme, a unique identification project. It was established in February 2009, and will own and operate the Unique Identification Number database...
(UIDAI) and former Co-Chairman of Infosys Technologies (April 2009); former Indian president Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam(June 2009); Ravi Kant
Ravi Kant
Ravi Kant is the Vice Chairman and a former managing director of TATA Motors, India's largest automobile manufacturing company. He is also the chairman of Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company, Hispano Carrocera and Tata Cummins...
, Vice-Chairman of Tata Motors
Tata Motors
Tata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Mumbai, India. Part of the Tata Group, it was formerly known as TELCO...
; and Dr Ramesh Mashelkar, former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, who delivered the inaugural BP Annual Lecture at Cambridge Judge Business Business on 21 June 2010.
Online engagement
In November 2009, at the World Economic ForumWorld Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
’s India Economic Summit, CIGB launched Indovations.Net, an interactive, multimedia website that educates users worldwide about innovations in India across five domains: business, social, energy/environment, art/culture, and science & technology. This website addresses a fundamental questions such as, What can the world learn from India-inspired innovation — or Indovation
Indovation
Indovation designates the unique process by which innovations are developed in India to serve a large number of people affordably and sustainably in response to conditions of scarcity and diversity. The individual solutions generated by this process are called indovations...
— and how people can benefit from it, etc.
Prof Jaideep Prabhu and Navi Radjou write blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
posts on innovation, emerging markets
Emerging markets
Emerging markets are nations with social or business activity in the process of rapid growth and industrialization. Based on data from 2006, there are around 28 emerging markets in the world . The economies of China and India are considered to be the largest...
, and global leadership on the Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review is a general management magazine published since 1922 by Harvard Business School Publishing, owned by the Harvard Business School. A monthly research-based magazine written for business practitioners, it claims a high ranking business readership among academics, executives,...
website.