Psychoanalytical Diagnostics, Prognosis and Interventions while Working with Indian Companies, Based on Cultural and Historical Context

This study investigates the specifics of interaction with Indian organizations in the context of rapid growth that Indian economy faces nowadays. The study aims at analyzing Indian business with the means of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approach, while simultaneously considering country’s socio-cultural and historical context as well. The key focus is to understand the influence of cultural and historical aspects on Indian business and on psychodynamic processes within Indian organizations themselves. The study examines the dichotomy of Indian culture reflected in the mix of tradition and modernization, that creates unique business models and organizational structures. This is especially acute given India’s transformation from a "global office" to a "global factory," which implies changes in work models. The study analyses organizational structure, culture, business practices and leadership at Tata Group (one of the region’s most fast-growing companies) to illustrate the impact of the cultural context on Indian organizational behavioral. Based on this analysis comes a conclusion that cultural values impact significantly on forming leader's identinty and his defense mechanisms, which in turn are institutionalized and implemented in company’s routine through the mechanisms of identification and introjection. At the same time, the dichotomy of Indian culture allows both Indian organizations and their leaders to combine seemingly incompatible values and psychological defenses. This enables companies to exhibit sufficient flexibility and adaptivity, helping them implement practices that mitigate factors impeding development. The study concludes with emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive analysis of cultural factors, as well as psychodynamic processes that result from them, to build long-term relationships with Indian partners.