Can India Bridge the Knowledge Gaps Needed for Research?
The rapid growth in the market for outsourced research services from India destined for the U.S. and Europe is beginning to expose weak links in the chain. Depending on the nature of the research being outsourced, Indian companies are preparing for the next level of growth by bridging gaps in skills across the organization with investments in training and development. At one end of the spectrum are easily transferable, cookie-cutter skill sets in data collection and reporting formats. At the other are high-end research programs that involve extremely sensitive and closely guarded insights into corporate business strategies. Softer skills that involve communication, business culture and general professional standards also form part of the equation, separate from concerns about general business hygiene that keeps such work on the right side of business ethics. Although these issues cut across all industry groups, pharmaceutical research is perhaps one of the most sensitive and involves c
