Overcoming the Liability of Outsidership
Reading time: 7 minutes

by Olga Annushkina
SDA Professor of Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management
During one of our executive education programs I happened to talk to a manager who was an “NRI” – a non-resident Indian, originally from Kolkata who completed his studies in Europe and had been working for a German multinational. And I was told yet another example reconfirming the impact of the Liability of Outsidership on personal and company performance in doing business abroad.
After several years in a junior managerial position at the company’s headquarters in Europe, that person was relocated to India with an objective to strengthen the company’s local business development activities. Despite his energy, motivation and good relationship skills, that person kept on being “bounced back”, unable to create effective business relationships with potential clients and business partners. Seeing the meagre results of the initial decision, the company decided to adapt its policy: he was joined by a “local” Indian manager and things improved. “Before, I was seen an outsider, you know, even if I am an Indian”, he told me.