bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sales Promotion Types and Customer Sensitivity
Authors: Verma Harsh V
Published: November 2015

As markets are becoming fiercely contested, the marketers are forced to deploy sales promotion activities or tools to maintain and expand sales. There is a visible trend in favour of sales promotions. But optimum decisions cannot be taken unless correct assessment of customer sensitivity to various sales promotion tools is made. This study was undertaken to study consumer response to sales promotion activities. The key consideration was to explore how promotion sensitivity is spread. Accordingly, a scale measuring consumer sensitivity to seven promotion or deal type was administered. The data analysis revealed presence of two groups, i.e., sales promotion sensitives and insensitives. The deal sensitive group exhibited higher sensitivity to all deal types on a generalised basis. The data did not reveal presence of specific deal, sensitive groups. While the insensitives group exhibited, low sensitivity towards all promotion types.
Revenue Increment Model for Indian Software Industry
Authors: Singh Deepali , Agrawal D P , Geeta B
Published: November 2015

India’s success in the software arena can largely be attributed to the industry’s knowledge and expertise in cutting edge technologies. Indian software companies have constantly striven to stay abreast of global technology trends by embracing technologies that are gaining pre-eminence globally.

Despite the success of the Indian software industry both on export and domestic fronts, its share in the $ 150 billion world’s market for packaged software products is less than 1%. The Indian software industry model traditionally based on contract work from multinational companies is not conducive for the growth and development of the software industry.

This model has lead to recent decline in the growth rate of a large number of software companies. To ensure sustained high growth rate, IT industries need to take another look at their business models and create conditions for their upward movement over the software value chain.
Disinvestment - The Road Ahead
Authors: Pandey R K
Published: November 2015

The lack of political consensus and adhocism in the policies pursued by successive governments have messed up the process of disinvestments. The issue of disinvestments is not merely related with shedding of government equity but also with thousands of workers who may have to bear the social cost of the process in the form of sacrificing their jobs. The money generated through the process should not be used to cover up the fiscal deficit but in creating social and industrial infrastructure. The need of the hour is to understand the fact that the issue of disinvestments acquires varied shades as we move across the companies; hence the policy makers should handle it on case to case basis.
A Logit Model to Predict Bond Ratings in India
Authors: Chawla Deepak , Amit Sharma
Published: November 2015

In this paper, the authors have attempted to estimate a logit model to predict bond ratings. The prediction of bond rating assumes significance because investors can use this information to adjust their portfolios to get better results. Also, issuing companies can also utilise this information to reconsider and realign their capital budgeting and investment policies. The financial data on issuing companies used in the study, was taken from the website “www.indiainfoline.com”. Various financial parameters and ratios of 40 companies were considered to estimate a logit model. The companies having rating above LBB+ (ICRA rating for long-term debt) were considered as having a good rating and the ones having rating LBB+ and below were considered as having a poor rating. The model correctly classified the bond ratings of 95 per cent of the sample companies. The model was also used to predict the ratings of 10 holdout companies and it was found that the ratings of 8 out of 10 companies were correctly predicted. Two variables, namely, interest cover and net sales to total assets, were found to be significant. It is suggested that the model building exercise be taken up on a continuous basis as the significance of variables may undergo a change over time.
Companies’ Practices and Customers’ Perception Regarding Drivers of Customer Delivered Value: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Aggarwal Navdeep , Singh Raghbir
Published: November 2015

With the business world becoming more and more competitive and customers becoming more and demanding day by day, it has become essential for the companies to deliver the maximam value to their customers. And for this purpose, the managers must be in a position to understand the drivers of customer delivered value as a difference in the companies’ practices and customers’ needs will only lead to failure on the part of the companies. The objective of this paper is to carry out a comparative analysis of the companies’ practices and customers’ perception regarding drivers of customer delivered value. Using the definition of customer value, proposed by Kotler and Armstrong (1997), the authors study the companies’ practices and customers’ perception with respect to drivers of customer delivered value. The authors find that companies claim to exceed the customer expectations on almost all the aspects, which is quite astonishing. Because if that was true, we would hardly find any dissatisfied customers, which is untrue. The authors conclude with the recommendation to the companies to be honest so that the customers also perceive the benefits and costs as the companies claim.
Emotional Competence at work
Authors: Karrir Naval
Published: November 2015

The paper discusses the salience of emotional competence at the work place and explains the relative edge it has over the intelligence quotient (IQ) which is mostly used to determine the effectiveness of employees at the work place. Relationship between emotional competence and intelligence quotient has been explored. A framework providing explanation on the various components of emotional competence has been discussed.

A methodology for measurement of emotional competence through indicators has been proposed and strategies recommended for enhancing emotional competence at the work place.
Day Of The Week Effect: Empirical Evidence From Indian Stock Market
Authors: Gupta Mohit , Aggarwal Navdeep
Published: November 2015

Day of the Week effect is a phenomenon which has been observed in most of developed and developing markets of the world. The results of many significant study show that this effect is observed on Monday, Tuesday and Friday in most of markets. The study aimed to empirically examine the day of week anomaly in Indian stock markets. National Stock Exchange of India's Nifty index data reveled that day of week effect is very well prevalent in India and Wednesday is the day when the returns were found to be significantly different from others. In the absence of any plausible explanations for this, authors relate this observation to unique psychology of Indian investors who see Wednesday as most optimistic day.
Post-Takeover Performance Of Target Firms In India: Empirical Evidence
Authors: Sood G.S. , Kaur Surjit
Published: November 2015

The present study aims at analyzing the post-takeover performance of the target firms. Since the empirical results of earlier studies present a mixed picture, it is necessary to examine the effects of takeovers on operating performance, efficiency, and stock prices in the Indian context. For this purpose, the study utilized a sample of 20 companies targeted during the financial year 1997-98. The mean value of a set of eight financial ratios based on a period of three years each immediately preceding and succeeding the takeover attempt were calculated and compared. The two profitability ratios viz. EBIT/Sales and ROCE indicate a significant decline in the performance of target companies in the post- takeover period. This gets reinforced by the fact that their efficiency as measured by assets turnover ratio also declined substantially. Also, the liquidity and solvency position of these companies, as shown by current ratio, cash flow to sales and debt-equity ratio, have not shown any significant improvement. Further, the market response to these takeovers as indicated by EV/EBIDA and market price to book values also presented a dismal picture. None of these ratios was found to be significantly different in the two periods when tested in terms of the t-test.
A Framework for Evaluating E-business Models and Productivity Analysisfor Banking Sector in India
Authors: Maheshwari Neeru
Published: November 2015

In the world of e-business, the rapid growth of the market and fierce competition between the increasing numbers of participants add up to new innovations every day leading to short development cycles. New business models and a herd of start-up companies emerge every few months, to exploit the new opportunities. The traditional business has had rough times trying to keep up with the rapid development of e-business.
ERP: A Framework for Successful Implementation
Authors: Raj Singla Ashim , Goyal D.P.
Published: November 2015

As the ERP software market has been growing at a very fast pace over the last several years and has been predicted to keep growing rapidly, but at the same time Implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software in a global environment faces a several key challenges. E.g. business processes are to be reengineered to align with the ERP software best practices, technical architecture and infrastructure needs to be in place globally as per specifications of the packaged software, integration of extended enterprise services in terms of ERP, CRM, SCM, Business intelligence systems, etc., are some of key challenges which an organizations face to implement such global solutions. Besides all these, critical success factors like users involvement, time and budget constraints, vendor performance, etc. are other side of implementation process. In this paper, authors had reviewed key technical and implementation issues faced in ERP implementation, how to resolve them and .finally a framework is proposed for overall ERP system implementation and design of program management, which contributes to the success of such complex and global solutions This framework is designed to facilitate small and medium level companies to implement ERP system of there own.
A Genetic Algorithm Approach for Dynamic Routing of ATM Newworks
Authors: Routray Susmi , Mohan Sherry Arun , Reddy B.V.R.
Published: November 2015

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is widely used in telecommunications systems to send data, video and voice at a very high speed. In ATM network the Quality of Service (QoS) is an important consideration. This paper deals with dynamic routing algorithm for homogeneous ATM networks. In this work Genetic Algorithm(GA) is used to find out best possible Virtual Path(VP) keeping in mind the QoS. We propose a new initialization technique for solving the dynamic routing problem with GA which improves the efficiency of GA and optimizes the bandwidth. The optimized bandwidth could mean that some attractive business applications such as high speed LAN interconnection, teleconferencing, would become feasible or more available to business users. We have also performed a comparative study of the selection mechanisms and listed the best selection mechanism.
Software Patents: Good or Evil?
Authors: Somu C.S.
Published: November 2015

“Chances are that patents on software, common practice in the US and on the brink of being legalized in Europe, in fact stifle innovation. Europe could still alter course. But India Has Joined the US Bandwagon”.

Modern society relies heavily on computer technology. Without software, a computer cannot operate. Software and hardware work in tandem in today's information society. So it is no wonder that intellectual property protection of software is crucial not only for the software industry, but for other businesses as well.

The economic philosophy behind granting patents and copyrights is the conviction that encouragement of individual effort by personal gain is the best way to advance public welfare through the talents of authors and inventors. Sacrificial days devoted to such creative activities deserve rewards commensurate with the services rendered.

While software has been specifically identified by the Parliament and the courts as deserving of copyright protection, the scope of copyright protection afforded to software has been in flux in recent years. The Copyright Act, 1957 specifically state that copyright protection does not “extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery”. Copyright protection extends only to specific expression, and not to the ideas behind this expression - commonly referred to as the “idea-expression” dichotomy.
Transportation Outsourcing: A Survey Of Greek Practices
Authors: Moschuris Socrates J , Apergi Anneta
Published: November 2015

Globalisation trends only exacerbate the need for high service levels and for timely and effective transportation system adjustments. Long supply lines, global manufacturing, and worldwide distribution systems mean that the expertise needed to support manufacturers in their bid to be world class players is considerable. Another important development that is impacting the logistics industry is the increased emphasis on time-based competition. Broadly, time-based competition refers to the speed with which the products can be manufactured, delivered to market and serviced. The ability to compete on time has become an important source to competitive advantage, especially so as companies achieve technological parity on the various aspects of product processing. Logistics increasingly is being recognised as a vital element of an organisation, with the logistics function becoming more complex and facing increased corporate demands. At the same time, fewer resources are available to logistics because of corporate goals regarding downsizing and short-term profit improvement. To achieve the corporate demands being placed on logistics with fewer resources available, outsourcing of logistics activities is being utilised.
Computer Game Businesses in Thailand: The Art of Business Experience
Authors: Techavimol Pawana
Published: November 2015

Although game businesses have become one of the most attractive businesses in Thailand, owing to the current and potential numbers of gamers in different walks of life and age and the potential revenue generation when strategies are correct, there are few companies who have been working sufficiently to understand the market situation and find the path to successful internationalization. On the other hand, Thai gamers have been subject to pirated inexpensive software and the lack of age-control for games or proper advice from retailers to match appropriate games with gamers. Young gamers have generally given little thought as to the type of game they should be playing or how they should consume games; and game operators have been motivated simply by maintaining revenue streams. Thai investors prefer to bring in international technologies and customize them to the Thai market rather than to invest in creating home-grown solutions. The number of serious operators in Thailand is much smaller than the number of consumers who want new and challenging experiences. This paper examines the current situation and evaluates the extent to which Thai companies will be able to develop competitive advantage in this industry and internationalize their activities successfully
Survey of Problems and Prospects of Implementing Total Quality Management In Medium-Scale Enterprises: A Study Based on 80 North Indian Medium Enterprises
Authors: Yadav Ramanand
Published: November 2015

Implementing Total Quality Management in medium-scale enterprises is a process of initiating excellent quality practices enabling them to differentiate from competitors' practices. Like in many other countries, the medium enterprises in India are also taking various steps to delight their customers, in which, Total Quality Management (TQM) is one. The primary objective of this study is to pinpoint the problems that may hinder the process of smooth adoption of TQM in a medium-scale enterprise. Simultaneously, the study also highlights the ways through which prospects of adopting TQM in these enterprises can be enhanced. Significantly, the study resulted in highlighting the factors by which familiarity among management, staff, and employees about quality practices can be enhanced. The study also highlights the factors of TQM integration and measures of quality improvement, which can be helpful in enhancing the prospects of adopting TQM in these enterprises. However, the univariate analysis helped to conclude that TQM can be implemented in any type of medium enterprise irrespective of the type, sector, and functional orientation. However, because of their nature of operation, medium enterprises in public and private sectors require different type of measures for integrating TQM into their systems.
A Perspective of Professional Management Education
Authors: Dayal Ishwar
Published: November 2015

Educational programmes provide a wide range of knowledge, which con help a person understand the environment in which he functions. They help individuals to relate better to immediate issues and problems in the wider context of a given situation. After attending an educational programme it is expected that the individual is able to understand the totality better, cope with it in effective ways and provide better direction to deal with the situation. A serious concern is often expressed about post-graduate educational programmes. The concern is valid because the quality of the intellectual capital in the country depends upon the foundation that university level education provides to the students. While seriously looking for possible solutions it is desirable to reflect on the expected outcome of such educational programmes. This paper briefly reflects on the purpose of education and follows up with professional education in management.
Return, Volume, and Volatility Analysis in Indian Stock Market
Authors: Mahajan Sarika , Singh Balwinder
Published: November 2015

This paper examines the empirical relationship between return, volume, and volatility in Indian stock market. GARCH (1, 1) and EGARCH (1, 1) are estimated for Nifty index. The empirical results indicate inefficiency and information asymmetry in the market. The persistence of variance over time partly declines if one includes trading volume as a proxy for information arrivals in the equation of conditional volatility. Causality test further supports the sequential arrival of information hypothesis, which implies that new information is not simultaneously available to all traders and it takes time to absorb, which hampers the price discovery efficiency of the market.
Determinants of Corporate Profitability: An Empirical Study of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Chander Subhash , Aggarwal Priyanka
Published: November 2015

This paper provides on empirical evidence about the determinants of profitability of selected companies in drugs and pharmaceutical industry in Indio. It is based on a sample of fifty firms in drugs and pharmaceutical industry drawn from PROWESS database developed by CMIE. It covers a period of ten years from 1995-6 to 2004-5. The profitability of firms has been measured in terms of overage return on capital employed. In order to study the determinants of profitability, ten explanatory variables, i.e., size (total assets), post profitability (OPR, NPR), age, advertising intensity, retention ratio, liquidity, efficiency ratios (inventory turnover ratio, debtor turnover ratio, asset turnover ratio), long term finance, market shore, and research and development intensity were chosen for empirical investigation. Multiple regression analysis was used to develop a model to identify the determinants of profitability of firms in this industry. The results revealed that age, efficiency ratio, post profitability, and research and development intensity ore statistically significant in determining the profitability of firms in drugs and pharmaceutical industry.
Impact of Communication during Service Encounters on Customer’s Perception of Organization Image
Authors: Jai Neera , Sethi Anjanee , Mukherji Shoma
Published: November 2015

Communication is an interactive process for building a relationship between the organization and the customer. Effective communication during service encounters has a definite impact on customer’s perception of the organization. This qualitative study attempts to explore how the customer’s perception of the organization image is impacted by the way the service engineer communicates with the customer during a service interaction and the receptionist’s manner of lodging a complaint at the call centre. There has been considerable research on the impact of service quality on consumer perception leading to loyalty towards an organization. However, not much material was found on the impact of verbal and non-verbal communication on service quality. The study was carried out in organizations providing cooling solutions to both individual as well as institutional customers. Telephonic interviews were conducted with both these types of customers. To reinforce the veracity of the conclusions drawn from the first set of interviews, a second round of telephonic interviews were also conducted with customers of two other multinational companies dealing with the same product. An interesting revelation of the study was that most organizations did not revert to the customer for feedback once the complaint was attended to. A follow-up call after the service encounter would certainly enhance the image of the company in the eyes of the customers. It would not only show the organization’s commitment to quality but also increase customer loyalty through relationship building.
Perceptual Factors in Quality of Work Life of Indian Employees
Authors: Rao P. Kameswara , Venugopal P.
Published: November 2015

The present study examines perceptions of the quality of work life (QWL) among a sample of Indian employees. Data are obtained from managerial executives through structured questionnaires and are used to illustrate their perceptions concerning QWL. Results from the factor analysis suggest four dimensions of QWL labelled favourable work environment, personal growth and autonomy, nature of job, and stimulating opportunities and co-workers. The results provide a useful benchmark measure of QWL in India. Overall, the findings support conceptualizations of factors involved in perceived QWL derived from different parts of the world. Limitations of the study, implications of the research findings, and directions for future studies are discussed.
A Study on the Perception of Investors towards Small Saving Schemes
Authors: Kasilingam R. , Jayabal G.
Published: November 2015

It is very much necessary for institutions offering investment instruments to study about the perception of investors towards various investment instruments because it influences the saving behaviour of investors. Hence, this study attempts to measure the nature of perception of investors using a five-point scale. To have a better understanding, investors are segmented into three groups based on their perception by using cluster analysis. The study has used correspondence analysis, chi-square test, analysis of variance and discriminant analysis to understand the impact of perception on saving behaviour of investors and the factors which determine the perception of investors towards saving instruments.
Patterns of Corporate Ownership: Evidence from BSE-200 Index Companies
Authors: Kaur Parmjit , Gill Suveera
Published: November 2015

Theoretical and applied work on corporate governance systems point to the importance of the structure of ownership and control in setting the background for corporate governance issues that can arise in reality. The present study discerns ownership pattern for BSE-200 Index companies for six financial years, i.e., 2000-6. The results suggest that Indian companies typically maintain their shareholding pattern over time. This is especially true for the overall proportion of shares held by promoters and non-promoters. Although India has a tradition of equity ownership by promoters, a phenomenon of institutionalization of wealth wherein institutional investors especially foreign institutional investors are consolidating their holdings is quite apparent. Evidence shows insignificant shareholding of individuals and fall in the proportion of outstanding shares held by institutions comprising banks, insurance companies, and corporate bodies from 2001 to 2006. Further, the ownership concentration both in terms of the fraction of shares held by the largest shareholders and Herfindal index increased for the average company over the study period. The paper concludes by suggesting that efforts to raise corporate governance standard needs to be accompanied by a stronger egal enforcement so as to bring stability in its capital markets and foster investor confidence.
Impact of Financial Leverage on Cost of Capital and Valuation of Firm: A Study of Indian Cement Industry
Authors: Bhayani Sanjay J.
Published: November 2015

In corporate finance, financing decision has gained greater importance because the optimal capital structure can be created through proper mix of finance. Corporate managers generally prefer borrowings over other means of financing. Management of a company has to be very careful while deciding the extent of financial leverage in its capital structure because the right use of financial leverage can increase the shareholders' wealth whereas its improper use would adversely affect the interest of shareholders. This study examines the empirical effects of corporate capital structure (financial leverage) on cost of capital and the market value of selected firms of Indian Cement Industry for the period from 2000-01 to 2007-08. The research evidence of the study indicates that no impact of financial leverage on cost of capital was found in the cement industry in India, i.e. no significant linear relationship between the financial leverage and cost of capital exists, and there is no correlation between the financial leverage and total valuation within the cement industry. Or in other words, financial leverage does not affect the total valuation of a firm in the cement industry in India.
Analysis of Poverty, Openness and Literacy in India
Authors: Prusty Sadananda
Published: November 2015

The objective of this study is to explore the long-term impact of the degree of openness [(total exports + total imports)/GDP at current market prices] and overall literacy rate on poverty [per capita personal disposable income as a measure of ‘absolute’ and ‘relative poverty’] in India from 1952 to 2006. By using the annual data, the present study tries to explore the impact of these factors on poverty in India through time series tools (i.e. unit root and co-integration tests). Empirical results suggest that degree of openness and overall literacy rate have positive long-term impact on per capita personal disposable income. In other words, both degree of openness and overall literacy rate are jointly responsible for the reduction of poverty (i.e. increase in per capita personal disposable income) in India during the period. This study concentrates on only two factors of poverty in India such as degree of openness and overall literacy. However, other determinants of poverty such as landholding, type of house, food security, sanitation, consumer durables, status of children, type of indebtedness, etc., have not been take into consideration. The above findings, thus, suggest that if India wants to reduce poverty and enhance economic development, it should take some special measures to increase the literacy rate and deepen the ongoing reform process through a consensus among all political parties. There is not much study on poverty in India especially exploring the long-term relationship among poverty, openness, and literacy. Thus, the present study has its own originality and will add value to policy makers.
Default Correlation Estimates For Indian Corporate
Authors: Bajaj Dr. Richa Verma
Published: November 2015

This paper is an attempt to estimate default correlation within and across different rating grades and sectors for corporate in India. The default probabilities and correlations are estimated conditional on the rating of the issuer. The CRISIL’S annual ratings of long term debts issued by 578 corporate (Manufacturing Companies) formed the basis of analysis. The correlation of manufacturing companies is estimated empirically with times series of default for last sixteen years i.e. from January 1994 to January 2009. It is found from the analysis that default probabilities and correlation estimates vary with time, rating of the issuer and economic activity of the issuer. It is also found that the correlation is highest between companies within the same rating grade and industry, because of borrower and industry specific factors. The results of this study will hint, how risk capital requirement differ for different rating grades and industry depending on size of unexpected loss in the bank's credit portfolio?
Redress Of Insurance Consumers’ Grievances A Study Of Company Executives’ Perception
Authors: Sharma Deepa
Published: November 2015

In modern marketing, the consumer satisfaction determines the company’s long-run success. In the case of marketing of services, like insurance, consumer satisfaction has numerous dimensions, and is, therefore, a complex phenomenon. Based on a study conducted to examine the corporate and public systems for redressing insurance consumers’ grievances, this paper seeks to report the findings pertaining to the company executives’ perception of the two systems. A representative sample of executives from all levels of the consumer grievance redress (CCR) machinery of the selected insurance corporate put forth their opinions on the nature of a CCR system, reasons behind its establishment, and the resulting benefits of maintaining the same. Furthermore, they have suggested more effective proposals for improving their own system as also the need for an external system, especially the Insurance Ombudsman.
Comparison of Capital Structure Determinants of Public Sector and Private Sector Companies in India
Authors: Handoo Prof. Anshu , Sharma Dr. Kapil
Published: November 2015

The paper attempts to identify factors which are essential while making capital structure decisions for public sector companies and private sector companies in India. It studies the impact of ten independent variables on three dependent variables for each of the sectors respectively. Most of the researches in determinants of capital structures till date have been done in developed economies, with limited research in emerging markets. This research will add to the understanding of this issue in emerging markets, broadly classifying it into two sectors. The paper utilizes a larger data set in comparison to the earlier studies in India and examines additional factors. This study presents evidence on the determinants of the capital structures with data from NSE Listed Companies. The study period in the study is from 2001 2010 with a sample of 870 listed companies of which 809 are Private Companies and 61 Government Companies. The tool used for research methodology is Regression Modelling.
Small and Medium Enterprise Sector in Mauritius: Its Evolution and Growth with Special Reference to Investment Criteria
Authors: Matadeen S.
Published: November 2015

SMEs play a vital role in the process of industrialisation in developing countries because of their ability to adapt to the changing environment. In view of the multiple constraints and complexity of investment decision-making process, a study was undertaken to analyse the investment structure/practices of SMEs in Mauritius.

The results of the study reveal that of the SMEs with an investment of over Rs. 1 million, 76% are corporates, and of those with an investment of more than Rs. 3 million, 90% are companies. Similarly irrespective of their year of formation, 64% of SMEs in the corporate sector are willing to re-invest more than Rs. 1m in plant and machinery, but even government incentives like raising the qualifying investment limit and duty concessions have not encouraged SMEs to invest over Rs. 3m in plant and machinery. A sectoral analysis reveal that SMEs in the metal product and workshops were willing to reinvest but those in the textile product group were not. As far as sectoral investment since 1990 is concerned, the two sectors which have witnessed increased investment in Plant and Machinery are food and beverages and chemical, rubber and plastics.

The growth and modernisation of SMEs warrant considerable government support in the form of tax and duty concessions and soft-term loans.
Book Review: Labour Law, Work and Development: Essays in honour of P G Krishnan
Authors: Varkkey Biju
Published: November 2015

Labour Law, Work and Development: Essays in honour of P G Krishnan, Saini, Debi S. (Ed.) Westvill Publishing House, New Delhi, (1995), pp. 221 + xv., Price Rs. 295
Information Technology for World-Class Manufacturing: Quo-vadis India!
Authors: Saxena K.B.C. , Sahay B.S. , Kumar Ashish
Published: November 2015

The success of Indian manufacturing in meeting the global competition will depend on its readiness to move itself from a protected domestic to world-class global manufacturing status quickly and confidently. The present paper aims at exploring the current status of IT applications and management practices in manufacturing in India; examining the discrepancies with world-class practices; and identifying important issues which need to be addressed in order to facilitate strategic use of IT in manufacturing. The findings of the survey are somewhat alarming and they show that fragmented information management systems may not enable Indian manufacturing companies to deliver superior value to their customers and to lead them to world-class status. They must, therefore, direct their IT initiatives towards agile manufacturing rather than introducing IT to merely enhance their operations in a conventional manner.
Probing Organization Development
Authors: Khan Jamal
Published: November 2015

For organization development (OD) to realize its full potential, gain more acceptance, secure greater institutionalization and make practical and ongoing problem-solving contribution, the paper points to the need for a more grounded, integrated, incremental, manageable and attainable approach. The paper posits that the theoretical idealization of OD as a full-fledged, alternative organizational form takes time and effort away from more workable and achievable tasks, viz. integrating OD formulations into ongoing organizational activities, absorbing OD into varied organizational settings, learning how change is occurring, and learning how external as well as internal environmental influences are causing more incremental and subtle shifts in organizational ambience.
Book Review: Venture Capital Financing in India
Authors: Srinivasan T. S.
Published: November 2015

Venture Capital Financing in India, J C Verma, Response Books, 1997
Organising and Managing in Cause Sector
Authors: Agrawal Mohan Lal
Published: November 2015

Non-government organisations or the NGOs have emerged as a parallel system to that of the government to take up the various issues related to socio-economic causes. However, though the cause sector has evolved over the years with the perspective of delivering adequate and timely relief to the beneficiaries, the fact remains that most of the NGO’s, particularly those operating in the field of consumer protection are not effectively managed due to the inadequacy of capacity. To meet the challenges of a competitive market NGOs will not only have to retain their beneficiary-orientation but also adopt a strategic planning approach to capacity building.
Re-engineering Public Sector Enterprises
Authors: Kumar Harish , Chauhan S.V.S.
Published: November 2015

In India, Public Sector was created to accelerate the growth of economy. But public sector enterprises have failed to accomplish this mission. There are several reasons for the ineffective functioning of public sector in the country. Recently Government of India has introduced certain economic reforms which have opened the Indian economy to the multinationals. To ensure survival and excellence, government organisations should follow private sector organisations and meet the challenges of multinational economy effectively.
Book Review: Experiencing Human Resource Management (1998)
Authors: Singh Anup K.
Published: November 2015

Experiencing Human Resource Management (1998) C. Mabey, D. Skinner and T. Clark. London; Sage Publications. Price Cloth (£ 49.50) Paperback (£ 14.99)
Book Review: Corporate Restructuring Crompton Greaves and the Challenge of Globalisation (1998)
Authors: Baxi C.V.
Published: November 2015

Corporate Restructuring Crompton Greaves and the Challenge of Globalisation (1998), John Humprhrey, Raphel Kaplinsky, Prasad V Sampath with T.S. Chandrasekhar, Ramesh Datta and Narayan Rangraj, Response Books pp 262, Price 250, hardbound.
Revamping Policy to Rejuvenate SAARC
Authors: Panda Snehalata
Published: November 2015

Over a period of two decades the achievements of SAARC have been dismal due to several reasons but its success in maintaining peace in the region cannot be undermined. Unlike other more successful regional associations bilateral problems have frustrated cooperative effort in realizing its objectives. But with increasing interdependence among nations it will be unwise to neglect the organisation. Rather efforts should be made to strengthen it for which India has to play preeminent role.
Priorities in Voice Training: Carrying Power or Tone Quality
Authors: Vurma Allan , Ross Jaan
Published: November 2015

The voices of 42 students studying classical opera singing at the Estonian Academy of Music were investigated to find any objectively definable qualities possibly correlating with the length of training. Each student's singing of a four-bar seven-word initial phrase from a well-known Estonian classical solo was recorded. The recordings were digitalized and subjected to acoustic analysis yielding the long-term average spectrum (LTAS) for each voice studied. It turned out that the longer a singing student had been trained professionally, the higher was the level of the so-called singer's formant in her/his LTAS. Subsequently the voice quality in each recording was evaluated by four experts using a five-point scale, five points marking the best quality and one point the poorest. It turned out that the average ratings did not show any positive correlation with the length of training, rather, a slightly negative trend (notstatistically significant) could be observed. The results seem to support the critical remarksmade bysome Estonian specialists about domestic teaching of vocal music being perhaps inadequate in some respects (Pappel, 1990). The teaching process seems to be focused on the development of those qualities that enable the singer to be audible in large halls and with a symphony orchestra, while the timbral qualities recede into the background.
Some theories of emotion in music and their implications for research in music psychology
Authors: London Justin
Published: November 2015

Work in musical aesthetics on musical meaning is relevant to psychological research on musical expressions of emotion. Distinctions between simple emotions, higher emotions, and moods are given, and arguments as to what kinds of emotions or moods music might be able to express (given music's semantic capacities and limitations) are summarized. Next, the question as to how music might express these emotions and moods is considered. The paper concludes with a number of cautionary points for researchers in the psychology of musical emotion: (1) musical expression always involves sonic properties, which must be taken into account. (2) If one uses “real world” musical stimuli, one may be faced with associative interference. (3) Context will often individuate emotional expression, transforming a simple emotion to a higher emotion by providing an intentional object. (4) There is not a simple linear relationship between intensity of a musical parameter and the intensity of an emotional expression. (5) Some perfectly good musical expressions of emotion may not arouse those emotions in the listener, yet it would be incorrect to call such passages “inexpressive.” (6) Any emotions aroused by listening to music, while similar to emotions that occur in non-musical contexts, will nonetheless have a number of important differences.
Toward a computational model of expression in music performance: The GERM model
Authors: Juslin Patrik N. , Friberg Anders , Bresin Roberto
Published: November 2015

This article presents a computational model of expression in music performance: the GERM model. The purpose of the GERM model is to (a) describe the principal sources of variability in music performance, (b) emphasize the need to integrate different aspects of performance in a common model, and (c) provide some preliminaries (germ = a basis from which a thing may develop) for a computational model that simulates the different aspects. Drawing on previous research on performance, we propose that performance expression derives from four main sources of variability: (1) Generative Rules, which function to convey the generative structure in a musical manner (e.g., Clarke, 1988; Sundberg, 1988); (2) Emotional Expression, which is governed by the performer's expressive intention (e.g., Juslin, 1997a); (3) Random Variations, which reflect internal timekeeper variance and motor delay variance (e.g., Gilden, 2001; Wing and Kristofferson, 1973); and (4) Movement Principles, which prescribe that certain features of the performance are shaped in accordance with biological motion (e.g., Shove and Repp, 1995). A preliminary version of the GERM model was implemented by means of computer synthesis. Synthesized performances were evaluated by musically trained participants in a listening test. The results from the test support a decomposition of expression in terms of the GERM model. Implications for future research on music performance are discussed.
The Magical Number Two, Plus or Minus One: Some Limits on our Capacity for Processing Musical Information
Authors: Ockelford Adam
Published: November 2015

Like all fields of human artistic endeavour, music is constrained by our cognitive processing requirements and limitations (Swain, 1986; Lerdahl, 1988; Huron, 2001). This articleconsiders particular forms of constraint pertaining to the relationships that the structure-seeking mind (subconsciously) fabricates between perceived musical events. It is proposed that 2±1 may be a universal limitation pertaining to the level of relationships so ideated. That is, in terms of Lewin'S (1987) theoretical framework in which “intervals” can be intuited between the “elements” of musical “spaces”, it is posited that the cognition of musical structure occurs either through intervals (level 1), through intervals between these (level 2), or — in some circumstances — through intervals between these(level 3). This proposition is explored through the psychomusicological model developed by Ockelford (1991, 1993, 1999), which too analyses musical structure in terms of the relationships that may be cognised between its discrete perceptual components. In particular, the model identifies a type of cognitive link through which events (at any level) arefelt to imply others the same or similar — through so-called “zygonic” relationships. This theory suggests a further general principle: that the highest level of relationship inoperation at any given point must be zygonic if the music is to be structurally coherent. Evidence for this, and for the limit on the level of relationships of 2±1, is offeredthrough a series of musical examples, which illustrate a variety of musical organisation in action. Finally, empirical work is suggested to explore further the theoretical ideas that arepresented here.
Adaptive Characteristics of Group Singing: Perceptions from Members of a Choir Forhomeless Men
Authors: Bailey Betty A. , Davidson Jane W.
Published: November 2015

There is considerable evidence to suggest that music has adaptive characteristics. Individuals use recorded music to transform the emotional landscape to coincide with transitory needs and desires. Also, music has frequently been reported to provoke uncommon emotional and physical reactions often referred to as peak experiences. In many cultures, that have limited industrial and technological development, active participation in musical activities is pervasive and all individuals are considered musical. In contrast, the musical elitism that has evolved in the Western world intimates that musical ability is specific to a talented minority. The elitist notion of musicality restricts the majority to procurers of rather than producers of music. However, experimental and theoretical sources indicate that music is an innate and universal ability and, therefore, active participation in music may have adaptive characteristics at many levels of proficiency. Positive life transformations that occurred for members of a choir for homeless men, since joining the choir, provided an opportunity to determine if group singing was a factor in promoting adaptive behaviour. A phenomenological approach utilizing a semi-structured interview wasemployed to explore the choristers' group singing experience. Analysis of the interviews indicated that group singing appears positively to influence emotional, social and cognitive processes. The choristers' perceptions of the adaptive characteristics of group singing fell within four principal categories: clinical-type benefits, benefits derived from audience-choir reciprocity, benefits associated with group process and benefits related tomental engagement. Active participation in singing may act to alleviate depression, increase self-esteem, improve social interaction skills and induce cognitive stimulation. The themes adhere to the tenets of flow theory which advocate the importance of mental stimulation and social interaction in increased life satisfaction. The emergent themes provide a preliminary basis for the development of a theory of the adaptive characteristics of group singing and also provide a framework for further investigation in this area.
Strong Experiences Related to Music: Adescriptive System
Authors: Gabrielsson Alf , Wik Siv Lindström
Published: November 2015

Strong Experiences related to Music (SEM) were investigated by means of some 900 persons' free description of their strongest experience of music ever. Most of them also completed a questionnaire containing statements about SEM. Content analysis of the free descriptions and factor analysis of the questionnaires successively generated a three-level descriptive system for SEM comprising seven fundamental categories'. General characteristics, Physical reactions and behaviours, Perception, Cognition, Feelings/Emotions, Existential and transcendental aspects, and Personal and social aspects. Each of them comprises a number of subcategories, which in their turn contain a varying number of specific reactions. The meaning of the categories is explained using quotations from the participants' own SEM reports. Comparisons are made with results from earlier related research, and various methodological problems are discussed.