WiproLimited.1,500words11May2003Hoover'sCompanyProfilesEnglishHoover'sCompanyProfiles,Copyright(c),2003,Hoover's,Inc.,Austin,TxOVERVIEWIfJackWelchcouldhaveclonedababyGEduringhistenure,itwouldhavelookedsomethinglikeWipro.Adiversifiedhigh-techcompany,Wiproevolvedfromamakerofcookingoilinthe1940sintooneofIndia'sleadingprovidersofsoftwareengineeringandinformationtechnology(IT)services.WiproTechnologies,thecompany'sITservicesdivision,providesconsulting,e-businessintegration,andlegacysystemsmaintenanceservices.WiproInfotechoffersIToutsourcinginIndia,thecompany'sconsumercareandlightingunitsellscookingoil,soaps,andlightbulbs,andotherunitsofferbiomedicalinstrumentsandhydrauliccomponents.ChairmanAzimPremjiowns84%ofWiprobutissellingpartofhisstake.Premji,whosestakeinWiprohasmadehimIndia'srichestperson,tookhisfather'spostasheadofthecompanyin1968.Aself-taughtbusinessmanwhoduckspublicityandjogsupthestairstohis10th-floorofficeeveryday,Premjicountsintegrityoverextremewealthashisgreatestasset.Foritsrefusaltoofferoracceptbribes,Wiprohassufferedpoweroutagesandimportconfiscations.Premji'scommitmenttoadiversifiedbusinessmodelhasbeenunwavering,butsoftwareandITserviceshaveconsistentlyoutpacedthegrowthofWipro'sothersegments,withWiproTechnologiesaccountingfornearly60%ofthecompany'ssalesandWiproInfotechformorethanathird.Heavyinvestmentsinrecruitingandtraininghavekeptturnoverlowdespiteintenselocalcompetition.WiproalsocompeteswithUStechnologycompaniesthatlureawayIndiansoftwareengineers,whoaregenerallyregardedasbeingamongtheworld'sbest.HISTORYIn1947M.H.HashamPremjiturneddownanofferfromtheprimeministerofPakistantomigratefromIndiaandbecomefinanceminister.PremjicitedhisloyaltytoIndiaaswellastohisbusiness,WesternIndianVegetableProducts(Wipro),foundedin1946tosellcookingoil.Wiprowentpublicin1947.LikeanyproperIndianindustrialist,Premjieventuallydiversifiedintoothermarkets,includingbathsoapandhydraulicfluid.InsteadofemployingthecustomarytacticofcourtingIndianbureaucratstohelpgrowhisbusiness,Premjifocusedoncustomers.Hekeptcostslowbybrandinggenericproductsandsellingdirectlytoretailersinsteadofmiddlemen.WhenPremjidiedofaheartattackin1966,heleftbehinda$2millionbusiness.Premji's21-year-oldson,Azim,whohadonlythreemonthsleftinhisengineeringdegreeprogramatStanford,returnedhomeandtookthereinsin1968.Althoughhehadlittleideahowtorunabusiness,hetookacuefromhisfather'ssuccessandcontinueddiversifyingintonewmarkets.In1977IndiaaskedcomputinggiantIBMtoleavethecountryafteradisputeoverinvestmentandintellectualproperty,openingthedoorforWiprototacklecomputermanufacturinganddistribution.Insteadofpluckingawayex-IBMemployees,Premjihiredmanagersfromatruckmakerandarefrigerationcompany,whotogetherhelpedturnWiprocomputersintoaleadingnationalbrand.In1980WiprobeganofferinginformationtechnologyservicesinIndia.Threeyearslaterthecompanymovedintosoftware,offeringbrandedproductsinthesamemarketasUSupstartMicrosoft.Wiproenteredthetoiletsoapanddotmatrixprintermarketsin1985.Itwasinthelate1980sthatWiprofinallydiscovereditsgrowthbusiness,softwareservices.(Itabandonedsoftwaresalesin1990.)Thecompany'sreputationasasoftwareintegratorwassecuredin1989whenWiproandGeneralElectric,whosebusinessmodelPremjiadmiredandfollowedverycarefully,formedWiproGEMedicalSystemsasajointventure.PossessingGEasapartnerandlong-termclientoverthenextdecadeattractedscoresofresearc...
