Work Patterns of Americans in India

The Indo-American third culture, defined as patterns generated by Indians and Americans working to gether in shared transnational enterprises and sustaining a common social life, is the setting for work-role definition of Americans representing the United States or sections thereof in India. Modern co-ordinate third cultures emerged with Indian Independence in 1947, when they replaced the super ordinate-subordinate third culture of colonialism. The per vasive themes of the post-Independence third cultures are that relationships between members should be co-ordinate, rational, developmental, and modern-oriented. Generations of the third culture are distinguished not by age but by degree to which they have incorporated third-cultural patterns: first- time-outers are persons new to transsocietal ventures; the ex perienced are those who have come to terms with a third cul ture either in India or elsewhere; old hands are those socialized to an earlier version of the third culture who have to learn the newer patterns. Americans in India are highly educated pro fessionals, technological specialists, and skilled administrators. Eleven per cent function as system-builders of the third cul ture; one fourth generate innovations on a more limited scale; and half fulfill their work roles either as defined ahead of entry or as worked out after arrival in India. The third culture serves as one link between societies and functions as a pattern for men-in-the-middle from the two societies to relate to each other.