Outsourced

After his entire department is outsourced, an American novelty products salesman (Hamilton) heads to India to train his replacement. When the call center he manages in Seattle is outsourced to India, Todd travels there to train his replacement. Housed in a new building that looks like an above-ground bunker, the call center is staffed by willing novices whom Todd trains to sound American. One star on the staff is Asha, who teaches Todd that he should learn about India, and proceeds to do just that. —Ron Kerrigan <mvg@whidbey.com> U.S.-based Western Novelty decides to outsource it's personnel to India and as a result a large number of employees are let go. Before he himself is let go, Todd Anderson is instructed to travel to Gharapuri to train Purohit to replace him. He travels there via Mumbai, and finds his name comically mispronounced as 'Toad'. He finds that he must sensitize himself to the Indian culture before he could even think of Americanizing Purohit and his subordinates. With the assistance of the new Assistant Manager, Asha Bhatwadekar, he inter alia sets about learning about Devi Maa Kali, Bhagwan Shri Shankar, reveling in Holi festivities, common lingo, the importance of cows, and eating at Mac Donnel's. And he soon finds that a new 'India' has been discovered for outsourcing, and what is meant by 'Holiday in Goa'. —rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com) Seattle-based 'Western Novelty' kitsch sales firm outsources its call center to Bombay. Grudginly, US manager Todd Anderson travels there to train the Indian staff so it can continue under local manager Purohit 'Puro' N. Virajnarianan, who needs the job to raise his dream bride's dowry. Todd fears the quota aren't feasible. Yet he's doing a good job, thanks to mutual cultural exchanges and the idea to target sales on the far larger Indian market. Todd even starts a romantic affair with Puro's ambitious deputy, but she's promised to an Indian. —KGF Vissers