Resources or Assets?

Few years back, when I was travelling to US for the first time, I had a long chat with my dad. Being an only child, my parents and I have a very co-dependent relationship. Distance has always been difficult. And around 10,000 miles between us was pushing it too far. Dad asked me why you want to go so far off. I had my standard response - It helps my career; it helps me grow. He couldn't understand why it has to be in a far off nation where I dont belong. In his opinion, growth in career is meaningful when you get respect from others you know. And all the people that matter or I know or care about are mostly in India. So where is the pride in becoming something in US?

Years later, all that conversation came back to me. And I think I know what all that means now. Last week, one of our projects got cancelled. Mandate from senior management was that people in that team need to go back to India in 2 days if we cannot place them elsewhere (i.e., if they are not billable). How do you wrap up your life and family and go back in two days? If you are travelling to US from India with 2 days notice, you have family there who can wrap up things after you. But when you are leaving a country where you are an alien, how do you manage it? Who is your support system? The organization you work for was supposed to be the support system. But we have reached a level where people are resources and software is an asset!! What is the point of growth in an organization where, at the end of the day, you are just a billable resource? Where is the pride in that?