What is the difference between a coper and a seeker, and why do you think India is producing copers?
Former CEO at HCL Technologies
Copers copy the business models of the West. They reproduce what has already been invented. Seekers disrupt. Indian IT was disruptive. Indian pharma was disruptive to an extent. Kotak Mahindra Bank was disruptive. But right now, if you look at most Indian startups, they are copies of Western ideas applied to an Indian context. The question I ask is where is the disruptive thought going to come from and why is it not coming in volume. The answer starts at the dining table. My generation has the disease of prescription. We tell our children what not to do. Do not take that taxi. Do not talk to that person. Do not try that idea. We are a don't generation. We are fearful because we have accumulated some wealth and we are terrified of losing it. You cannot produce curiosity and experimentation in a child you are busy protecting. Disruptive thinkers are raised, not taught.
This answer is part of a full interview with Vineet Nayar, Former CEO at HCL Technologies.
Found this insight valuable? Share it with your network to help others learn from Vineet Nayar's experience.
Cite This Answer
Use this answer in your research, article, or academic work