Rajiv and Al must have felt generous yesterday morning because we did not have to go to class. Instead, we took a tour of the local sandalwood and silk factories in Mysore. Sandalwood is a naturally fragrant smelling wood that can be used in products such as furniture, oils, incense, and soaps. I have not developed a particular fondness for the smell of sandalwood, but then again, I don’t like the smell of incense either.

The sandalwood factory was a significant contrast to the Automotive Axles or TVS plants we had visited last week. Faintly reminiscent of a prison yard, the building had seen its better days. Upon walking in through the main entrance, I noticed that quite a few pigeons had decided to make the sandalwood factory their permanent habitat. As I expected, the process of making sandalwood has not evolved with the advent of technology. In fact, the process and equipment used in producing the sandalwood oil in this factory has remained relatively unchanged for nearly 80 years! As we were introduced to machines such as the sandalwood disintegrator, steamer, boiler, splitter, and chipper, I noticed belt driven machines, dated pressure gauges, and antiquated gears and cranks that undoubtedly required constant maintenance and care. Yet, the plant manager who was giving us the tour was very proud of the history and production capability of his facility.

My immediate thoughts were, “why would you not automate this process? Why don’t you look into equipment that would improve the efficiency of your operations? Why is there machinery that isn’t running 24 hours a day, 365 a year in order to optimize your throughput?”

During breakfast this morning, a few of us talked about the value of time in our society. In the United States, time is money. As a result, we move at a frantic pace, work long hours, use Blackberries/cell phones/PDAs/computers to stay connected to work, even buy new, improved coffee pots just to free up an additional 5 minutes in the morning. In India, time is a commodity. When you order a coffee here, you can expect to wait about 20 minutes to get it. The bill comes at a restaurant when the waiter feels like bringing it to you. Normal services such as making change for a 100 rupee bill can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes. On top of that, you can expect to have more than 2-3 people working on that task for you. Make sense? Not really, but time and labor are what India has an abundance of. Just take a walk outside in Mysore at 10pm and see how many people are out in the streets. It is a virtual ghost town. Additionally, most storefronts and businesses don’t get into full swing until mid-morning. Even our sandalwood factory tour didn’t begin until after everybody “had finished breakfast.” We were there at 9:30am.

The silk factory was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It is simply a process that you have to see to believe. From the initial winding of very fine silk thread to the double winding to the twisting to the loom, I was amazed at the beautiful pieces of “art” these old looms could produce. One machine in particular involved the manual process of threading over 200 individual strands of silk through a labyrinth of holes that would eventually turn these threads into the large fabric used to make intricate sarees and scarves. The threads of silk running through these machines was not unlike a complicated man-made spider web; fragile, delicate, and exquisitely unique. Certainly, while improved business and technology can help make our world more productive and efficient, the craft and trade of these silk factory workers clearly demonstrate the breathtaking results of pure human sweat equity.

This course has focused on the effects of international business and its impact within our society as a whole. In recent years, we have seen innovation, engineering, and technology close the gap between economic superpowers and third-world countries. Our world is getting flatter and cultures are beginning to merge into one universal melting pot. Nevertheless, this experience has stimulated new thoughts in my mind that I would not have had the opportunity to reflect on during my hectic American schedule. Perhaps the expression we have in the United States that sums it up best is, “take time to stop and smell the flowers.” I am 28 years old. I go to work full-time. I go to school part-time. I dedicate myself fully to my career and my education in an effort to achieve financial success for myself and my future family. Since my college graduation, I’ve never stopped in my pursuit to “climb the corporate ladder.” Everything needs to be faster, stronger, better, more advanced, more technological, more productive, more efficient, more connected…

Not that these things are necessarily “bad”, but India has given our group of 18 a new perspective of the world. There is an entire society of people that exist on this planet that may never receive an education or use a computer. They may never put on a shirt and tie or become VPs of large Fortune 500 organizations. So what makes us so different from them?

Opportunity.

We have been blessed with the opportunity to learn, to expand our horizons by traveling to a new country, to experience a new culture that is so different than what we are accustomed to. I know that when we get back to Minnesota, we will all fall back into our little niche in the world. But I know that every time somebody asks me about my experience in India, I’ve taken something away from this country that words and pictures cannot express, money and power cannot buy. This is a God given opportunity that has undoubtedly impacted my thoughts and actions as I progress through my personal life and career.

It is truly amazing what you can “learn” from a rural farmer lacking formal education. I may be receiving an MBA in business, but these people have a PH.D in life…