bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Behavioural Nudge
Authors: Shettigar Jagadish , Misra Pooja
Published: October 2022

As forecasted and anticipated by experts and economists, Q1, 2020 results showed a major contraction in the growth of the Indian economy. Looking ahead, data for economic indicators in August 2020 brought some cheer and a ray of hope for the Indian economy. Economists were deliberating in terms of the country witnessing a V- shaped recovery as the economy slowly and steadily unlocked and regulations were eased. McKinsey in July 2020 had indicated that consumer sentiments were at a low and reflective of the uncertainty created by the virus. The chapter discusses how there had been a shift to mindful shopping including some trading down of value. It delves into how the novel coronavirus had led to a behavioural change in consumers and changed consumer preferences. RBI, in its Consumer Confidence Survey report published on 6 August 2020, stated that consumer confidence had plummeted in July 2020 with the Current Situation Index (CSI) show an all-time- time low. With consumers hesitant to step out of their homes to shop, there was an absence of the demonstration effect of customers. The unprecedented situation created by the virus required organizations to go back to the drawing board and re-strategize. The chapter discusses how with the festival season coming up and keeping in mind that consumer behaviour was influenced deeply by cultural factors, brands and companies could have explored utilizing the ‘Nudge theory’ in wooing back customers.
Judicial Reforms
Authors: Shettigar Jagadish , Misra Pooja
Published: October 2022

In light of the pandemic, a conducive business environment and building a scenario of facilitating investrequisites pre-requisites for economic revival and moving India back into the trajectory of economic growth. One of the key parameters on which India has been faring low and needs to put its act together is that of Enforcing Contracts. On the index of enforcing contracts, India ranked 163rd place in EODB 2020. This indicator measures the cost and time involved in the resolution of a commercial dispute and the quality of the judicial processes, thereby evaluating the efficiency and quality of the existing judicial system operating in the country. The relevant point being when issues fail to get resolved mutually amongst the involved business partners, the dispute is taken to the judiciary or the related tribunals. Investors cannot afford to waste precious time and unnecessary delays in the process might lead to cost escalation in projects, higher interest outgo to banks, contested tax revenue, and failure to meet domestic and international commitments— which might even lead to loss of market forever and consequently reduce investment levels in the country. The chapter discusses the relevance and importance of judicial reforms is urgently needed. Indian courts are known to operate at 50% of their sanctioned capacity (February 2020). The twin problems of the chronic shortage of judges and inexperience are crippling the Indian judicial system, and the executive and judiciary in joint consultation need to find a quick and competent solution.
The Renewal of Achilleus’ Destructive Desires
Authors: Lesser Rachel H.
Published: October 2022

After his expansive treatment of the Trojan War superplot in Iliad 3–7, Homer returns in Books 8 and 9 to the epic’s main plot, that is, Achilleus’ plot for revenge and the redemption of his status. Focusing on Iliad 9, this chapter shows how Agamemnon’s embassy to Achilleus offers the audience the prospect of narrative satisfaction, but instead prolongs Achilleus’ plot by rekindling his driving aggressive desires. Along the way, the hero appears again as a queer narrative agent, who deviates from the masculine norm of solidarity with fellow fighters on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Zeus’s prophecy of the unexpected denouement of Achilleus’ plot makes the audience eager to follow its development, and our complex engagement with characters further invests us in the upcoming battle narrative and asks us to evaluate Achilleus’ righteousness.
The Oppositional Desires of Hera and Patroklos
Authors: Lesser Rachel H.
Published: October 2022

This chapter shows how competing desires prolong the Iliad’s “Great Day of Battle” for almost eight full books and set the stage for the epic’s grand finale. Though Zeus asserts his will (boulē) to advance Achilleus’ plot for the worsting of the Greeks in Iliad 11–12, Hera subdues that will and asserts her own through a deceptive seduction of her husband in Book 14, enabling the Achaians to rally under Poseidon’s leadership. Even after Zeus reassumes control, Hera’s desire for Troy’s destruction informs the divine king’s prophecy of a second arc of the epic’s main plot featuring Greek success on the battlefield. In Book 16, Zeus’s revised will manifests in Patroklos’ wish to help the Achaian army and aggressive desire to defeat the Trojans, in another challenge to Achilleus’ plot that leads to Patroklos’ death in battle and catalyzes the main plot’s new arc.
Who Are the Baby Boomers?
Authors: Day Abby
Published: October 2022

This introductory chapter to the book outlines the concept of ‘Baby Boomer’ and why it is important. The main argument in the chapter, and sustained throughout the book, is that in terms of Anglicanism, members of the Baby Boomer generation born to the previous active Anglican generation rejected their religiosity and raised the least religious generations ever. The story needs to be told of how this happened, and why the trend is likely to be irreversible. The book further develops that initial focus by suggesting important comparisons to Christian decline more widely, and argues that the book’s research undermines key aspects of secularisation theses. The criteria for the sample upon which the research and this book are based were tight: people interviewed were born in the 1940s and 1950s to church-attending Anglicans, were baptised and confirmed, and then became ex-churched and, in their own descriptions, non-religious. To follow previous research carried out mostly in England with a small Canadian sample (Day 2017), most (38) of the 55 interviewees are British; 17 are Canadian; and 34 are women. Following socio-economic classification systems, all but four are situated within middle class strata.
The 2019 Hague Judgments Convention
Authors: Pocar Fausto
Published: October 2022

This chapter contributes to clarify the role of the Convention within the framework of the efforts towards the creation of a global system governing the circulation of judgments worldwide. It describes a change in the format of the negotiations that led to the Judgments Convention as compared with those that characterized the initial project of a worldwide convention towards the end of the last century. The EU has focused on the promotion of a global judicial network that constitute a uniform pattern of a State’s behaviour for governing international private litigation between its Member States and the rest of the world. The chapter traces the development of the legal framework with respect to the international cooperation on the circulation of judicial decisions in civil and commercial matters. It cites exclusions that substantially restrict and impact negatively on the role of a convention on judicial cooperation in a global context.
Soliciting Wise Counsel
Authors: Gloster Elizabeth
Published: October 2022

This chapter talks about how Lord Lawrence Collins stands apart as a Master of international commercial dispute resolution within areas of law that regulate how the English legal system coordinates with the legal systems of other countries in facilitating the resolution of international disputes. In the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, Collins was responsible for deciding the future development of this area of English law. It points out how international commercial disputes benefit London’s arbitration community alongside litigation. The chapter cites the recent Queen Mary Arbitration Survey, which reports that London is the world’s most popular seat for arbitration with 64% of respondents placing it within their most preferred seats. The popularity of London as a seat of international arbitration exposes English lawyers to the practices of other jurisdictions and expands their horizons.
The United Kingdom Supreme Court and References to the Court of Justice of the European Union
Authors: Jones David Lloyd
Published: October 2022

This chapter covers the past and future of the United Kingdom (UK) Supreme Court and its references to the European Union's Court of Justice (CJEU). It recognizes Lawrence Collins' contribution as the pioneer of what was to become EU law. Brexit, the UK's withdrawal from the EU, triggered an opportunity to reflect on the past and future relationships between the UK Supreme Court and the CJEU. Since the transition, UK courts and tribunals could only reference the CJEU under limited circumstances. No further guidance is provided in legislation regarding the departure, authority, or weight of CJEU case laws, but courts have broad powers on what could be a controversial area.
Jurisdiction under Article 25 of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Convention
Authors: Mance Jonathan
Published: October 2022

This chapter discusses the effect and operation of Article 25 of the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (the ICSID Convention). Article 25 provides that ‘the jurisdiction of the Centre shall extend to any legal dispute arising directly out of an investment, between a Contracting State (or any constituent subdivision or agency of a Contracting State designated to the Centre by that State) and a national of another Contracting State, which the parties to the dispute consent in writing to submit to the Centre’. It follows that an ICSID tribunal may, as a matter of jurisdiction, have to consider whether a body against which a claim is made satisfies the test of being a ‘constituent subdivision or agency’. Jurisdiction under Article 25 would depend on satisfying this test, just as it depends on their being a ‘legal dispute arising directly out of an investment’. If a State makes clear that it accepts an agency as such, then the State must be taken to be aware and to accept that this will be communicated to the Centre by the investor at latest when it becomes material for the investor to institute ICSID arbitration.
The Undisturbed Seahorse
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

Following Aranzio’s discovery of the hippocampus, further information concerning the structure had to await the histological studies of Golgi, Cajal, and others. At that time the cerebral cortex was divided into sensory, motor, and ‘association’ areas.
Graduate Studies at Montreal Neurological Institute
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

Peter Milner, now a McGill psychology student, and James Olds discover a ‘pleasure centre’ in the rat brain. Brenda Milner studies effects of unilateral temporal lobe surgery in patients of Wilder Penfield at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Penfield’s previous career and collaboration with Herbert Jasper.
The Path to Psychiatry
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

Eric Kandel’s family flees Austria for the United States before the Second World War and Eric subsequently studies medicine at New York University. Intending to become a psychiatrist, Eric becomes interested in basic neuroscience and carries out a detailed microelectrode study of the hippocampus at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with Alden Spencer.
A Trip to Australia
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

Per Andersen, a medical student in Oslo, is attracted to ongoing hippocampal research in the Anatomy Department and conducts a neurophysiological study himself. Wishing to gain further experience he travels to Canberra to work with John Eccles. Together they carry out detailed microelectrode investigations of the dorsal column nuclei, thalamus, hippocampus, and cerebellum. A major discovery is that basket cells in the hippocampus and cerebellum impose feedback inhibition on projecting, output cells.
Understanding Pain
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

Working at MIT, Patrick Wall discovers presynaptic inhibition in the mammalian spinal cord. With Ronald Melzack he incorporates this type of inhibition into a ‘gate’ theory of pain. Also at MIT, Suzanne Corkin becomes Henry Molaison’s primary investigator.
Revelation on Gower Street
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

John O’Keefe begins thalamic studies under Patrick Wall at University College London but switches to the rat hippocampus and with Jonathan Dostrovsky discovers ‘place’ cells.
Jennifer Aniston Discovered
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

Single cell recordings in epileptic patients reveal presence of ‘concept’ cells in the hippocampus and adjacent structures. The concept cells retain memories for the appearances and the verbal and written titles of particular people, places, and objects. Concept cells thus resemble ‘gnostic units’ and ‘pontifical’ or ‘grandmother’ cells previously postulated.
Neurons that Glow
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

Optogenetics develops as a powerful method for controlling and visualizing neuronal activity in intact living brains. Artificial memories can be created or destroyed in the hippocampus and amygdala of mice.
Preamble
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

The intention of the second part of the book is to show how memory mechanisms provide an explanation for consciousness.
The Evolutionary Argument
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

The evolution of the nervous system enabled better guidance for movements essential for life. Initially the guidance was provided by the memory of olfactory clues. The proposal is made that activation of such memory generated a basic consciousness.
Role of the Amygdala
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

While the results of removing or destroying the amygdalas in animals have been mostly inconclusive, involvement or sparing of the amygdala might explain the variable results of bilateral temporal lobe resections in human patients. Graham Goddard’s rat experiments suggest that the amygdala consolidates newly formed memories.
The Numbers Game
Authors: McComas Alan J.
Published: October 2022

From concept cell recordings and assumptions regarding the extent of human long-term memory, it is possible to obtain rough estimates both of the numbers of hippocampal pyramidal neurons required to store a single memory and of the numbers of overlapping memories involving the same pyramidal cell.
Conclusion
Authors: Acharya Indranil , Panda Ujjwal Kumar
Published: October 2022

Summing up, this conclusive chapter will address the growing relevance of place criticism in literary theory. Its inclusive nature has made it a necessary point of view for critics living in front of the ‘immense panorama of futility and anarchy which is contemporary history’. The chapter will briefly discuss the necessity of a paradigm shift from the traditional literary criticism based upon ‘when’, ‘why’, and ‘how’ to a new approach that draws upon the ‘where’ of literature. The book in its short span has cast a look at the tenets of the ‘spatial turn’ to open up the possibility of some exhaustive studies in future.
Talking Poetry
Authors: Jahanbegloo Ramin
Published: October 2022

This is an interesting book of conversations, which not only endorses the life and thoughts of Ashok Vajpeyi, but also praises poetry in general. Ashok Vajpeyi is a poet who is at home with the word. He speaks to the mortals and the divinities. He makes the mystery of the world visible to us by speaking with/of poetry. Throughout these conversations we encounter a poet who sets his own pace through poetry, music, and painting. Ashok Vajpeyi’s deep sense of expectation from arts is born out of his love of the world, which renders moral dignity to creativity. A stellar polymath, Ashok Vajpeyi is a magus from the East.
Choosing Ancestors in Poetry
Authors: Jahanbegloo Ramin
Published: October 2022

Vajpeyi was greatly influenced by Eliot and W.B. Yeats in the beginning and he was rather critical of Auden, who according to, my teacher was not able to handle human suffering in a deep way. And then, people like Pasternak, in case of Pasternak—the idea that we are ‘envoys of eternity held hostage by time’ has been of echoing in his mind for a long while now. The idea that there is eternity and there is time. The idea that there is time and timelessness, which idea incidentally was also in T.S. Eliot. The notion that, for instance, the job of poetry whether by choice or by compulsion is to offer willy nilly, some kind of a resistance. It is resistance to cliché, it is resistance to generalization, it is resistance to totalization, it is a kind of a resistance, and it is a recall to what is seen to be on the margins. There are love, presence, desire. For instance, I have written very erotic poems and the reason I did so was two-fold—One, I thought here was a great Indian tradition of erotics which is comparable only perhaps to the Egyptian tradition of erotics or the Chinese and no other, in the West you did not have that kind of a tradition.
Poetry and Mediocrity
Authors: Jahanbegloo Ramin
Published: October 2022

Poets use, what one may call, some kind of an emotional intelligence. But it is intelligence. It is not as if they leave their intellect aside. In good poetry, everything would be put into action. But the poetic mind is not a rational mind only. It would not be putting things in specific categories, to view them. A poet’s job is to put it all together. Not so much by analysis but by an intuitive synthesis in which each thing finds a place. Each poet could be different.
The Directors and the In Directors
Authors: Pachpande Sandeep , Pachpande Asha , Kulkarni J A
Published: October 2022

Over the previous few years we have been hearing about the issues in ‘Corporate Governance’ (CG) in the corporate circles and through the claims at the various industry associations such as the CII, ASSOCHAM, FICCI, and few others. To a common man who has a very superficial understanding about the happenings in Indian business scenario, this appears to be yet another jargon meant for the publicity purposes of the concerned business units to attract the attention of the commoner to indicate that they are up to incorporating some altogether new techniques of business management through which their superiority over the others in competition needs to be differentiated. But the ‘Aam admi’ is not able to locate even a distant indication of any improvements at the marketplace due to these claims of CG and the ‘bla–bla’ that happens at the board meetings. For him the things have moved from bad to worse in the products and services he was used to so far. The big malls and multiplexes have taken away the personal contacts, credit terms, and the affordable prices, and near home locations he was used to till recently.
Business Sustainability and Indian Aviation Sector
Authors: Pachpande Sandeep , Pachpande Asha , Kulkarni J A
Published: October 2022

‘IndiGo’ Airlines, the country’s largest low-cost carrier, announced a fivefold increase in net profit to Rs 787 crores for 2012–2013 straight for the fifth year, contrarily, rivals Jet Airways and SpiceJet together made a loss of over Rs 671 crores in the same year, Kingfisher Airlines went belly up, state-owned Air India, despite the infusion of fresh equity from the government and a slight improvement in performance, struggled and the industry lost Rs 46,000 crores in the five years. The huge profit happened in spite of adverse market conditions; rising fuel costs (up 13%), weakened rupee (7%), and domestic traffic down (3.4%) in 2012 over the previous year. How did such huge profits accrue? This case analyses the secret ingredients that continue to make Indigo the most successful aviation and will sustain its momentum.
The ‘Walkart’ of India
Authors: Pachpande Sandeep , Pachpande Asha , Kulkarni J A
Published: October 2022

US retail giant Walmart has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 77% stake in India’s largest e-commerce marketplace Flipkart with an investment of around $16 billion, making it the largest transaction in the history of the online retail space globally. The deal, which wiped away $10 billion of Walmart’s market capitalization as investors reacted negatively in early morning trade on the New York Stock Exchange, stands out for several exits. The biggest was Sachin Bansal selling his entire 5.96% stake for $1.23 billion and parting ways with Flipkart that he had founded in 2007 along with a friend from IIT, Binny Bansal (not related). Sachin was nowhere around at the Flipkart campus when the Walmart top team led by CEO Doug McMillon addressed employees in a town hall meeting. Another significant exit is that of Soft Bank, the largest investor in Flipkart. In a strange coincidence, the deal, valuing Flipkart at $20.8 billion, was announced to the world by Soft Bank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son in a webinar with investors hours before Walmart did so. He also confirmed that Soft Bank would get about $4 billion from its $2.5-billion investment in Flipkart last August. Flipkart’s valuation at $20.8 billion is a 75% increase over its previous valuation in the range of $11–12 billion last August. Out of the $16-billion investment, Walmart will put in $2 billion in new equity funding, while the rest will be utilized to acquire stakes of existing investors in the Bengaluru-based company. The case study focuses on Effect of regulatory restrictions in Indian Ecommerce Markets for Global MNCs.
Ready for Take-off?
Authors: Pachpande Sandeep , Pachpande Asha , Kulkarni J A
Published: October 2022

The industry has come a long way from the days, to become the backbone of the manufacturing and burgeoning e-commerce industry. The sector is evolving fast, with both the nature of the business and technology driving it, and undergoing dynamic changes. In the face of regulatory and infrastructural challenges, is the warehousing industry-changing gears fast enough to support the growth that the Indian economy. Over a period of time warehousing industry in India has evolved from just brick and mortar shelters for the purpose of storing goods to highly sophisticated stockrooms, where, thanks to advanced tracking mechanism, each consignment can be tracked on a real-time basis at the click of a button. Not just e-tail, in any industry segment, which deals with physical goods, warehouses play a vital role in the entire value chain from raw material to customer delight. Specifically, in the manufacturing sector, with lean manufacturing becoming the order of the day, a significant part of the functions from scheduling to labelling and packaging are being outsourced to third-party logistics providers. But naturally the warehousing industry is gearing up, with the help of technology, to meet these new requirements. Let us understand the hardship and challenges faced by e-commerce industries.
Beyond the Bootstrap
Authors: Pawar V P , Kunte Bhagyashree , Tumuluri Srinivas
Published: October 2022

This case is about entrepreneurial capabilities and attitudinal aspects as important to manage situations in a competitive marketplace. The first-time entrepreneurs are normally experienced and trained in manufacturing and management skills before they decide to start their own enterprises. Whereas in case of entrepreneurs who take up responsibilities as entrepreneurs in a family succession plan it becomes challenging to manage enterprises which have already got used to a set culture and management styles and difficult to deviate and change to corner room management styles. The second-generation entrepreneurs are not easily accepted by the workforce and group dynamics established from the past periods. Normally the second-generation entrepreneurs are more exposed to lifestyles and attitudes of highly educated and convent bread styles of life. To work with own hands and be friendly and accommodative towards employees is not a simple possibility and leads to complex issues in managing the enterprise. The protagonist of the case apparently belongs to one such class of entrepreneur over dependent on his predecessors’ generals.
Starbucks—The ‘Coffee House’ Experts
Authors: Pawar V P , Kunte Bhagyashree , Tumuluri Srinivas
Published: October 2022

Because of rapid globalization over recent years, the competition around the world becomes, more intense, especially for the service industry with similar products. The most critical point for business to succeed is not only the quality of products they supply, but the atmosphere of cooperating and the amount that teamwork yields in retail sales. The employees who always touch with customers and can realize what customers really need are first-line staff. Therefore, it is essential for companies to motivate, reward, and train their employees to be the best quality personnel. Starbucks Corporation, the most famous chain of retail coffee shops in the world, mainly benefits from roasting, selling special coffee beans and various kinds of coffee or tea drinks. It owns about 4000 branches in the whole world. Moreover, it has been one of the most rapid growing corporations in America as well. The reasons why Starbucks is popular worldwide are not only the quality of coffee, but also its customer service and cosy environment. Starbucks establishes comfortable surroundings for people to socialize with a fair price, which attracts all age ranges of consumers to get into the stores. Besides, it is also noted for its satisfaction of employees. The turnover rate of employees at Starbucks was 65% and the turnover rate of managers was 25% a year. However, the rates of other national chain retailers are 150% to 400% and 50% respectively. Compared with them, the turnover rate of Starbucks is much lower than other industries on an average. As a result, Starbucks would be one of the optimal business models for understanding the strategies of employee motivation, customer satisfaction, and cooperation of teamwork.
Great Thought—Difficult for Business
Authors: Pawar V P , Kunte Bhagyashree , Tumuluri Srinivas
Published: October 2022

People watch the actions of leaders, and it resonates, says Mr Albanese, the soft-spoken former top gun at the $47.7 billion mining giant Rio Tinto, who completes one year as CEO of Vedanta group an Indian conglomerate in mining sector. In the implementation and measurement of corporate sustainability the ‘Tone from the Top’ is critical, especially while attempting to usher in a fundamental change in the corporate culture of a company, which is perhaps the most reviled in global attempts to manage for sustainability. Over the years, Vedanta has been mauled by civil society campaigns over its human rights record, in India and elsewhere, and has also incurred the wrath of large global investors. According to Albanese, who has issued notes to key levels of management that his two ‘no-compromise positions are safety and integrity’ even as he looks deeper in to the tenets of responsible mining and sustainable development at Vedanta Group. Senior management at Vedanta also recognizes that Vedanta’s social license to operate has been frayed and that it is about time to retrieve the situation. ‘We have been unable to operate at our full capacities,’ says Albanese, underlining the need to regain trust and the societal license. There is indeed a strong business case to be responsible. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) measures are certainly welcome, but it can only be a small component of an overall approach. While Albanese is deeply appreciative of Vedanta’s CSR programmes, he is clearly uncomfortable with the charity of approach; the idea of creating a ‘dependency relationship’ between a company and communities.
Coca-Cola: ‘Taste the Controversy’
Authors: Pawar V P , Kunte Bhagyashree , Tumuluri Srinivas
Published: October 2022

The not so lucky situations and criticism of the Coca-Cola brand come from its first-ever product. As the history from many sources says, Dr John Smith-Pemberton, Coca-Cola creator, fought in the Civil War, and had some injuries. He made a special formula in order to help him deal with the constant pain in his body: the Pemberton’s French Wine Coca which also had a great taste at the time, had alcohol in it. It quickly became very popular until a vote by the state legislature Atlanta and Fulton County in favour of the national temperance movement. The national temperance movement prohibited the use of alcohol and heavily criticized medicinal wine such as French Wine Coca. Pemberton was forced to drop the wine ingredient in his French Wine Coca. After some further experimenting, he decided on the use of sugar syrup as a substitution for the wine and that is when Coca-Cola was born. He invented many drugs, but none of them ever made any money. So, after a move to Atlanta, Pemberton decided to try his hand in the beverage market. In his time, the soda fountain was rising in popularity as a social gathering spot. Temperance was keeping patrons out of bars, so making a soda-fountain drink just made sense. And this was when Coca-Cola was born.
The Balancing Act
Authors: Kanore Lalit , Masatkar Priti
Published: October 2022

The aspect of managing project financing as a major investment decision in many larger MNCs has been a matter of highest priority item for critical analysis of funding for the new projects especially in the current scenario of severe disruptions at the marketplace. If delay in speed to market you are at risk and if you are not careful and cautious the decision of major funding could lead to unbearable financial stress. If the market forces are influenced by disruptive product and process technology upsetting all financial calculations made for the project in terms NPVs and NVAs. It is interesting to see how companies are reacting to such situations through such case studies.
Voltas AC Puts LG ACs on ‘Heat’
Authors: Kanore Lalit , Masatkar Priti
Published: October 2022

It was in 2006 when Voltas (Indian Pioneering company in Air conditioner Technology Products) launched its new brand positioning with a tag ‘Indian ka dil, India ka AC’. Though it might have won ‘India ka dil’ a long time back, it took the homegrown brand a decade to become ‘India ka AC’. According to market sources, Voltas ended FY’17 with a 19.5% market share. Its bugbear—South Korean biggie LG—logged in 18.4%, forcing it to cede the coveted crown to its Indian rival. Voltas continued to maintain its lead in the first two months of the first quarter of this fiscal. Pradeep Bakshi, president of Voltas, would, however, like to set the record straight. ‘Voltas has been the clear leader in the room AC business since the last five years,’ he says. What has helped the brand gain leadership, he lets on are a well-differentiated product.
The Wings on Fire
Authors: Pachpande Priti , Bachhav Sham
Published: October 2022

In its major disinvestment plans present government of India has been trying for more than three years and was not getting a single bidder for disinvestment offer for the perennially ailing Air India the national carrier in spite of sinking more than Rs 65,000 crore for its revival over a decade and causing a continued loss of nearly Rs 620 crores on its operations per month and continuing to bleed the national exchequer Rs 20 crore with each passing day. However in its continued efforts government succeeded in receiving altered terms of its offer two bids in its recent offer (100% disposal offer of Rs 12,906 crore as reserve price set by the government). One was from the Tatas who bid for an enterprise value of Rs 18,000 crores and the second bid was from a consortium led by Mr Ajay Singh of Spice Jet for Rs 15,100 crores (Rs 12,835 crores towards taking over Air India’s debt and Rs 2,265 crores in cash payment). This incidentally is the first major privatization step by the government in nearly two decades.
The BSNL Saga
Authors: Pachpande Priti , Bachhav Sham
Published: October 2022

It is often said that in India ‘The government has no business to be in business’. All exercises done by several governments at the centre so far have not been able to see consistent success in majority of the PSUs. The main reason for not focusing on business credentials is perhaps the lack of push and follow up from professional business management approach even for survival, leave alone a growth strategy. Besides any action of turnaround or restructuring are considered detrimental to the government in ensuring success at the ballot box. Alternatively these are considered as potential opportunities to generate revenues for the government in terms of disinvestments and collecting huge funds for revenue generation targets to meet the government’s budgetary commitments. The speed of technological disruption in telecom industry is perhaps the severest amongst all industries in India and also in global markets. While private organizations are aware of the impact of disruptive technological changes, the Government is not very sure of meeting such challenges by concerned PSUs. Hence, allowing technological obsolescence to worsen the distressing situations at PSUs such as BSNL has rendered the unit to be put on the list of sick units.
The Survival Instinct
Authors: Praveen Roopa , Aher Dilip , Anute Nilesh
Published: October 2022

When in 2003 Gopinath and ex—army officer started with the low cost airlines with no food and frills, everybody predicted this to be a sure disaster, however when other airlines adopted the low—cost model, most realized the model is here to stay. This case looks at the out of box thinking for service industries and the importance of strategic value innovation. This case can be used to analyse the strategic planning for new business proposals or upgrading the existing services. A must analyse case for service industry domain, and still relevant.
The AGSA Effect
Authors: Mathur SB , Bokephode Sudhakar , Balsaraf DD
Published: October 2022

The case study is about a high-tech engineering industry specialized in the design and manufacture of close coiled compression, expansion, and torsion springs over 30 years catering to the OEM needs in auto motive and engine manufacturing industry besides manufacturers of switchgear and allied products. They are the market leaders and first movers to markets in many auto and transmission products. Having grown more than ten times in the previous three decades with three fully equipped manufacturing units in Pune are first referrals to many product research divisions of major automobile companies in India for the development of newer types of springs to support their design and performance requirements of the aggregates and final products.
Spot the ‘Winner’
Authors: Mathur SB , Bokephode Sudhakar , Balsaraf DD
Published: October 2022

It is in majority of cases that the rat wants to bell the cat and the cat intends to catch the rat smartly waiting for the failure of the rat to be aware of the waiting cat for its prey. Even in business similar games need to be played constantly to catch a disposer of assets for whatever needs by making him gradually crawl in to the cage set up by the shrewd financier or buyer interested in the assets on sale and to restructure the financial portfolio of Future Group. The Future Group has huge debts accumulated over a period and is compelled to sell its family jewel for repayment of its debts Future Group is also proud to be the originator of Ecommerce Business in India decades before other major players entered the business. It was but natural that Mr Kishore Biyani was feeling diffident while approaching private players who could help him get better returns on his disposal of his prime assets in Future Group of which he is also sentimentally attached as a child he has personally nurtured in the beginning. While Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla the doyan of Birla Group of Industries was keenly observing the moves of Mr Kishore Biyani who also was his family friend. But as they say in business it is always the business interests which are at the fore Mr Birla forced Mr Biyani to take several secluded walks and rethinking before he made an offer which Kishore Biyani found difficult to reject or refuse. Such was the sentimental shock to Biyani when just after he signed up with Mr Kumarmangalam Birla agreeing to sell his assets he rushed home and hid himself in to isolation for quite some time even before he took his family into confidence to explain as to what he has signed up to the Birlas. A student in strategic disinvestments and takeovers will definitely find this case study quite apt to understand the tact of business negotiations and finding the winner perfect.
The Big Push
Authors: Mathur SB , Bokephode Sudhakar , Balsaraf DD
Published: October 2022

Indian IT sector is always fraught with the major players fighting for acquiring major segment of the software market pie (TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Zensar, and few foreign players such as Capgemini, Cognizant Tech, Persistent, etc.). Even though Indian players like TCS, Infosys, and Wipro along with Zensar have been defending their market share in spite of global player’s entry, the local players are finding it as a neck-to-neck competition among themselves. It has been ‘catch me if you can’ race for growth momentum and global market share for each one of them. Zensar has been one of the pioneers in Indian IT sectors, ably led by CEOs with global visions on technology and growth parameters. Zensar keen seen as an initiator of innovative technologies and always respected for its new products and business acumen. Zensar has been one of the great and admired companies for pushing competition to wake up and see and run for their money with newer technologies offered by Zensar to global customers.
CEAT as We See It
Authors: Mathur SB , Bokephode Sudhakar , Balsaraf DD
Published: October 2022

Many industries around the world fell victims to a bloated feel that they are immortals in their lines of business with overconfidence that no unforeseen circumstances can displace their supremacy as technology and market leaders. There are glaring examples of global brands such as Xerox, Kodak Films who are today a part of history rather than leading the pack of its competitors in same or similar product lines but with great strides in technology upgradation and keeping pace with customer preferences. CEAT tyres and FIAT were glaring examples of master brands in Automotive technology FIAT with its compact cars and CEAT as a leading brand in Automobile tyres. While both are today struggling entities with unrecognizable market presence and themselves responsible for their situations. Capable leaderships with an eye on changing technologies and being constantly focused on the prime objectives of maintaining market leaderships in their product lines alone have sustained their businesses in spite of mindboggling technology gallops. This case is a sad story of a failed enterprise claiming survival on less significant revival attempts an example of misplaced confidence in turning around when in reality the brand is almost in the oblivion.
SpiceJet—Back from the Brink
Authors: Mathur SB , Bokephode Sudhakar , Balsaraf DD
Published: October 2022

Spice Jet is back on its feet after a gruelling ordeal that saw the no-frills carrier cut its fleet size, cancel flights, default on dues, and face the ire of stranded passengers. To many it seemed as if the airline would never fly again, but it has; and through a series of timely measures, is clawing its way back into customers’ travel plans. It has increased daily departure sm 210 in January to 245 in May 2015. And according to DGCA, its market share has increased from the January lows of 9.4 to 9.7% in March while passenger loads have increased from 80 to 83.4%. What did it do? After its founder-promoter Ajay Singh took the airline back from its erstwhile management, he cleared tax dues and salary arrears while launching an aggressive sales and promotions campaign. The company also settled all payment related issues with aircraft lessors and made sure that salaries were paid on time. It re-built the flight schedule and refunded passengers whose flights had been cancelled.
A Case Study in Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds
Authors: Parab Varsha , Mahadik Ramesh , Tripathi Diksha
Published: October 2022

Vultures are frequently used as a disparaging term to characterize how some private equity (PE) funds operate. However, a few PE funds that dared to invest between 2011 and early 2014 years—when India’s economic development slowed dramatically—can be compared favourably to birds of prey. Between 2011 and 2013, the number of PE and VC deals fell by 17% to 418, with VC funds faring better than PE funds. These years were among the most challenging to do business in because of economic and political uncertainties, unfavourable currency volatility, domestic policy inertia, high inflation, and high cost of capital. PE funds had to cope with scams and flameouts, as well as far too many instances of promoter—investor strife, in the midst of all of this. This case focuses on PE and VC funds evaluation and their investment returns in light of the fund managers’ high—risk activity.
Biyani vs. Ambani
Authors: Palekar Srilatha , Pardhi Arun , Jindal Sunanda
Published: October 2022

In any new sector, be it airline, telecom, or retail, one pioneer gives it a start and it is up to the second business to take it to the next level. The belief is that, as in most global markets, a homegrown retailer (Adani) will set the marker in India and Reliance (Ambani) wants to be that homegrown retailer. RIL is not looking at taking a pie of the existing market and is focused on growing the market.
The Road from Yerevan
Authors: Winter Jay
Published: October 2022

In 1921, a young Armenian assassinated Talaat Pasha, one of the leaders of the Ottoman regime responsible for the Armenian genocide. He was found innocent of murdering Talaat. That was one of the last victories of the Armenian people in their quest for justice and a homeland in Anatolia. This chapter shows the series of defeats the Armenian people suffered between 1918 and 1923. Among them was the refusal of the Allies to honor their commitment to create an Armenian homeland for the survivors of the genocide. When Bolshevik forces took control of the Armenian Republic in the Caucasus, the Allies abandoned the Armenian cause. Efforts at Lausanne to revive the issue got nowhere. The Allies settled for peace at the expense of justice for the Armenian people.
Conclusion
Authors: Winter Jay
Published: October 2022

The Treaty of Lausanne brought peace to the Eastern Mediterranean and ended the general hostilities that had followed the declarations of war in 1914. That is why it makes sense to say that the day the Great War ended was 24 July 1923. The price the signatories paid for that Peace Treaty was a heavy one. First, it showed how a determined and sufficiently armed group of nationalists could undermine and rewrite the peace settlement. Secondly, it exposed the weakness of the League of Nations as a force for peacekeeping. Thirdly, it legitimized in international law the principle of compulsory population exchange. That form of ethnic cleansing has returned time and again to haunt us in the century that has followed.
Scripting Speech
Authors: Schneider Jeremy Robin
Published: October 2022

This chapter discusses declamation, a pedagogical format which was newly introduced into universities in the sixteenth century. It coexisted alongside disputation for over two centuries. It begins by presenting an up-to-date account of how declamation originated in Protestant universities and surveying the documentary evidence. Declamations remained a staple of humanist education into the eighteenth century, proliferating in Europe and the Americas. For declamation, a student wrote a speech, most often in Latin, and performed it in front of an audience of peers. The chapter then develops an analysis of declamations as ‘scripts’, looking at a script written by famous scholar and theologian John Rainolds, in the context of having to deliver a declamation while he was a master’s student at Oxford. It shows how Rainolds crafted his speech on the page: how he fashioned his own Latin rhymes; strung together verses of poetry; arranged citations and exempla; and staged an argument with an opposition of his own invention. Ultimately, the manuscript demonstrates how students prepared oral performances.
The Slaughter of 1841
Authors: Stray Christopher
Published: October 2022

This chapter investigates ‘the slaughter of 1841’, when a large number of candidates failed the Senate House examination, otherwise known as the mathematical tripos. This fiercely competitive examination, whose history could be traced back to the early eighteenth century, was Cambridge University’s only honours degree at that time. The classical tripos, set up in 1822 and first examined in 1824, followed four weeks later. Consequently, the high failure rate in the mathematical tripos left some candidates unexpectedly barred from the classical tripos. Lying behind this episode is a history of university politics in which vested interests and notions of institutional identity acted to obstruct attempts at change. The chapter then looks at the institutional micropolitics of Cambridge University in the 1830s, revealing structural and organisational tensions.
Core Argument and Methodology
Authors: Vierkant Tillmann
Published: October 2022

This chapter sets up the core argument—namely, that there are two incompatible understandings of epistemic agency. Both understandings have significant counterintuitive consequences. One understanding implies the truth of extended cognition, while the other implies that epistemic agency is not intentional. The chapter also contains a methodology section, which discusses how to avoid what it terms the ‘metaphor mistake’ in conversations between philosophy and cognitive science. Finally, Hieronymi’s discussion of the notion of reflective control is introduced, and it is shown how this notion easily brings together the two incompatible notions of epistemic agency.
Extending and Shrinking Agents
Authors: Vierkant Tillmann
Published: October 2022

This chapter begins with a discussion of Yair Levy’s convincing argument that there is no deep difference between intentional mental actions inside the head and environment-involving mental actions. The chapter then demonstrates that Levy’s argument has more far-reaching consequences than he himself recognizes. Levy uses Clark and Chalmer’s parity principle, to show that epistemic agency extends but he is not clear on whether this also implies that extended cognition must be true. The chapter argues that the parity principle also applies in this context. Intentional actions inside the head and environment involving actions are functionally equivalent. This means that either extended cognition is true or intentional actions inside the head also are not cognition but merely catalytic as Strawson argues. A potential objection to this argument could come from volitionism, but this objection is shown not to be successful.
How Choices Can Be Actions
Authors: Vierkant Tillmann
Published: October 2022

Choices are a key component of the phenomenology of agency. However, upon closer examination they appear almost paradoxical. Intuitively, choices are ‘up to us’ in the same way that intentional actions are, but at the same time, choices are made for reasons, unless they are just random picking. This chapter discusses how the earlier chapters in the investigation can shed light on this apparent paradox. Building on Holton’s account of choice, the chapter argues that choices are intentional actions. But in contrast to Holton, the chapter suggests that choices do not just feel like picking but that they consist in the metacognitive managing of the decision process.