US: Bastion of Innovation
Business leaders have warned about the dire effects protectionist measures
that seek to curtail offshore outsourcing.
The most significant effect, however, does not lie in the short-term
migration of a multitude of jobs (about 3 million, in fact, in the next
few years according to that rather controversial study from Forrester
Research).
What pro-outsourcing advocates highlight is the long-term impact on the
economy should US leaders attempt to resist the global outsourcing wave.
Even erstwhile US chief economist Alan Greenspan believes it's a
deterrent to what amounts as America's foremost advantage over the rest of
the world - the prodigal capacity for innovation.
A lot has been written about innovation being the positive consequence of
handing over routine, low-value tasks like call center jobs or
telemarketing tasks to other countries.
According to a New York Times article, even Indian business leaders
recognize this advantage. Even Nandan Nilekani, chief of top Indian
services company Infosys, minces no words in expressing his admiration for
the US "ecosystem".
In fact, he recognizes the role played by Indian companies like Infosys
that compliment the tide of innovation from American companies.
While India may be an emerging economy, the entire national system is
nowhere near as good as that of the US, its whole environment that spur
innovation.
Even outsourcing itself is an original concept borne out of the US. There
is definitely more beneath that already deep well of innovation in
America.
