bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Institution building : Lessons from Vikrarn Sarabhai's leadership
Authors: Ganesh S.R. , Joshi Padmanabh
Published: September 2016

Leadership actions are among the most complex to analyse, especially those involved in the creation and development of institutions. Drawing upon .Vikram Sarabhai's actions in the early stages of two institutions‐the Ahmedabad Textile Industry's Research Association and the Physical Research Laboratory— the authors provide insights for leaders of modern organizations. They present their analysis of the early stages of institutions around three basic strategies, all of which are built on the primacy of the individual as the core value. The three leadership strategies are networking, trusting, and caring. The leader played a multiplicity of roles in the network to impart relevant values through his personal relationships.
Intermediate Organization : An Emerging Structure
Authors: Ramu S Shiva
Published: September 2016

Economic., technological and social changes compel organizations to adapt themselves to the new environment to survive and prosper. This is true of large as well as small organizations. Both find that, often, their size hinders them from achieving their goals. AS a result, a new form of organization, intermediate organization, emerges. The paper illustrates the new mode by citing a few cases of intermediate organization and argues that a new mode of organizational analysis has to be evolved, for neither intra- nor inter-organization analysis appears adequate for understanding the new mode.
Managing Human Response: The Search for an Indian Model
Authors: Sheth N R
Published: September 2016

In this Perspectives piece, N R. Sheth, a sociologist and an expert on industrial relations', reviews a recent book by S K Chakraborty, entitled Human Response in Organizations: Towards the Indian Ethos. In doing so, he presents the background to the search for models for managing human response in organizations, in the American and Indian environments.

The evolution of management theory in the west shows how important it is for academicians and managers in India to develop jointly more effective models for managing human response in organizations to increase harmony and productivity. In view of the importance of the subject, Vikalpa is featuring this book review in its Perspectives feature. An article by S K Chakraborty on the quality of work life which rollows the book review clarifies the issues further and suggests some key ideas for a fundamental change in our perspective. These ideas will certainly need concretization through discussion and practice. We hope that managers and academicians will participate in this exercise in full measure.
The Will‐to‐Yoga: Key to Better Quality of Work Life
Authors: Chakraborty S K
Published: September 2016

From a study of organizational situations which indicate the hidden realities of Quality of Work Life (QWL) in our organizations, the author focuses on the point that management academics who play an important role in ‘educating’ managers may wish to examine QWL in the light of a paradigm radically different from the one currently used. This alternative paradigm, based on a study of Indian psychophilosophy, is offered from a strictly problem-solving point of view. The author suggests that the will-to-yoga can be the only viable process for toning up QWL.
Does Diversification Always Improve Financial Performance?
Authors: Paul George
Published: September 2016

There have been very few studies evaluating how well diversification moves have worked out in practice vis-a-vis expectations at the time decisions are taken to diversify. This is a difficult area of research.

George Paul, based on a study of 28 MRTP companies, has addressed himself to a related issue of what type of diversification strategy has produced superior long-term financial performance.
Using Crop Outlook Information for Timely Marketing Decisions in Government
Authors: Bapna S L
Published: September 2016

Reliable and timely information on crop prospects is not available in India. As a consequence, market planning of procurement, storage and distribution operations, and pricing of foodgrains and other crops is usually based on subjective judgements of the government officials about the crofj prospects; therefore decisions are ad hoc and sub-optimal.

This paper outlines an approach which uses econometric models. It is shown that reliable and timely crop outlook information can be obtained much before harvest at a low cost. It is illustrated how use of such information by the agricultural institutions in the government can improve the management of crop supplies and demand more effectively.
Can Project Appraisal be Linked with Growth Rate in the Economy?
Authors: Dholakia Ravindra H
Published: September 2016

In underdeveloped mixed economies, the choice of big investment projects has a direct bearing on the productivity of capital. The economic rate of return on big projects determines the achievable growth rate in the economy given the flow of investment.

Ravindra Dholakia's argument is that project appraisal of such projects can and should be linked to the economy-wide growth target of the Planning Commission. Such a linkage would facilitate rigorous scrutiny of projects and demand more creative project design for achieving national goals.
Family Planning Programmes: Lessons from Management Interventions
Authors: Murthy Nirmala
Published: September 2016

The family planning programme in India has had many ups and downs. It has also taken many forms: the clinical model, for instance, was followed by the extension approach.In this article, Nirmala Murthy traces a brief history of the programme and compares the experiences of Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh where management interventions were introduced at the instance of the World Bank, and Maharashtra where they were initiated from within the Health Department. Management interventions were successful in Maharashtra, but failed in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. The author explains the reasons for the two very different outcomes and recommends that, to be fruitful, management interventions should form a part of the management development strategy.
How Frequent are Transfers of District and Block-Level Officers ?
Authors: Sharan Girja , Narayanan S.
Published: September 2016

Development work is a team effort. The continued presence of the same team thus can be expected to be more fruitful. A high turnover rate of officials at district and lower levels is considered detrimental to development. This has been recognized and reflected in the setting up of norms of minimum duration of stay for various categories of officers dealing with development. But what is the reality on the ground? In this article, Girja Sharan and S Narayanan look into the frequency of transfers of officials over decades in two districts of Rajasthan and quantify the data, concluding that it is statistically certain that no team of Collector, Sub-Divisional Officer, Tehsildar, and Block Development Officer, initially appointed, would work for even a period of two years. Chances are just one in five that the team would last one for year!
Excellence of a Board of Directors
Authors: Gupta L C
Published: September 2016

What constitutes the excellence of a board of directors? Based on experience and extensive study, L C Gupta enumerates for this Perspectives piece eight attributes as constituting the excellence of a board.

The first as well as the most important attribute, according to him, is independence—independence of board members from control of managerial interests of a person, family, or a group. In addition to describing the eight attributes, Gupta points out the approach taken in the US and the UK to ensure independent functioning of the board.
Key to Successful Diversification: Focus on Your Assumptions
Authors: Vittal N.
Published: September 2016

In its April-June issue, Vikalpa featured an article by George Paul entitled “Does Diversification Always Improve Financial Performance?” Paul identified four diversification strategies among 28 MRTP companies. Comparing the four strategies on 11 long-term measures of financial performance, he found that the strategy of having many unrelated businesses had produced the poorest performance. He suggested that management should ensure that the company's central skill or competence is strengthened rather than diffused by diversification.

Paul's article has evoked considerable response from practising managers. In view of the importance of the subject, we feature two responses—one fromB VBhatt, former Executive Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Calico, who comments on Calico Mills, one of the companies included by Paul as a case of a company with many unrelated businesses and poor financial performance, and the other by N Vittal, Managing Director of Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers Company (GNFC), a government-controlled company, which was not one of the companies that Paul studied.

Vikalpa hopes that these two responses are useful to managers in evaluating their diversification strategies.
Determinants of Farmers' Managerial Ability
Authors: Bora S.P. , Ray G L
Published: September 2016

What are the factors that explain variations in returns to farmers? Based on a study of 250 farmers in Chakdah block in West Bengal, Bora and Ray found that knowledge of new agricultural technology—high yielding varieties, fertilizers, and plant protection—was the most important factor.

In enhancing the managerial ability of farmers, the authors feel that emphasis should be given to developing an orientation for planning and marketing and skills in decision making and communication, besides new agricultural technology.
Do Public Enterprises Need a Corporate Strategy?
Authors: Murthy K R S
Published: September 2016

A large gap has arisen between the stated objectives of the public enterprises in India and their achievements, largely owing to inherent conflicts in their strategic decision making process.

In this article, K R S Murthy stresses that any public enterprise's strategic competence depends on the interplay among three actors (managers, bureaucrats, and politicians) with diverse motivations, careers, and systems. Team work with common values and commitment among the three actors alone can improve the low level of strategic competence. Since the prerequisites for strategic formulations are riot met in public enterprises, it is a debatable point whether they should have a corporate strategy at all.
Is the Indian Capital Market Inefficient or Excessively Speculative?
Authors: Gupta Ramesh
Published: September 2016

In the July-September 1986 issue, Vikalpa published an article by S K Barua and V Raghunathan on “Inefficiency of the Indian Capital Market.”

Based on the way the markets actually function, Ramesh Gupta questions in this article the validity of the assumptions used in arguing that the Indian capital market is inefficient. Far more than inefficiency; the problem with the Indian market is its excessively speculative character, by permitting trading on low margins in carry forward transactions. He also makes suggestions on how to restrict speculation and protect the interest of investors.
Planning for Human Resources Development
Authors: Rao T V
Published: September 2016

Human Resources Development (HRD) should be a continuous and planned process. Neglecting it, because its results are not discernible in the short run, can weaken the organization.

Based on the experiences of several public and private sector enterprises, T V Rao outlines in this article the steps that managers should take to strengthen HRD processes.
Rural Credit: How Do the Poor See It?
Authors: Gupta Anil K , Shroff Manu
Published: September 2016

Rural banks notwithstanding, the poorest of the poor in the continually droughtprone regions still prefer the village moneylenders. How is it that the poor persist in this exhorbitant and exploitative exchange when the rural banks are not far away? Why is it that, after nine years of ‘integrated approach’ towards rural development, the plight of the poor remains unchanged? There is an alarming mismatch between the official bankers' views on rural credit and those of the poor. Correcting this requires serious monitoring of how the poor view rural credit.

In this article based on careful field observation, Anil K Gupta and Manu Shroff present the viewpoints of the poor and draw implications.
Pleasures and Pitfalls of “Imaginization”
Authors: Khandwalla Pradip N
Published: September 2016

Metaphors are commonly used because of their effectiveness in conveying ideas. However, in research their use is limited because of their failure to convey the reality fully.

In his book titled Images of Organization (Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1986), Professor Gareth Morgan extends the concept of metapltorizing to organizations and terms the new concepts arising from it as “imaginizing.” Some of the metaphors he describes are: organization as a machine, organization as a living system, organization as psychic prison, and organization as instruments of domination. Vikalpa publishes an indepth review of this book by Professor Pradip N Khandwalla.
Perspectives
Authors: Gupta Ranjit
Published: September 2016

Can rural development focus on people? Can village communities identify and develop their own opportunities and resources as part of planned interventions for development?

Yes was the answer with which an experiment was started in 1975. Initiated by the late Professor Ravi J Matthai, the experiment has now lasted over a decade and offers us many lessons.

Professor Ranjit Gupta, who has been involved in this experiment, narrates it, describes the role the experimenters played, and stresses the self-sustaining nature of the enthusiasm for action that the experiment generated. The insights gained from the experiment may have significant implications for how rural development activities should be mounted.
Marketing a Computer System: Implications of the Buyers' Decision Processes
Authors: Seshadri T V , Kinra N
Published: September 2016

Who, in the organization, buys the computer system? How are various departments involved in the organizational decision process?

T V Seshadri and N Kinra analyse the decision processes of 30 organizations that had bought a computer system—mini, mainframe, or macro.

Based on a questionnaire study and factor analysis, the authors conclude that the EDP department and Board of Directors are critical in the buying grids of the purchasing organizations. They draw implications of their findings for managers marketing computer systems.
Ideas and Experiences
Authors: Varghese Sara
Published: September 2016

In the July-September 1987 issue of Vikalpa, Dr Benjamin Pulimood, Director, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, discussed the relevance of management training for hospital administrators. Based on his. experience at CMC&H and the few months he spent at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Dr Pulimood identified the areas that hospital administrators may find useful.

In agreeing with Dr Pulimood, Dr Sara Varghese presents some important differences between a private institution such as CMC&H and a government medical college and hospital and draws implications for training administrators of government hospitals.
Forecasting: Does the Box-Jenkins Method Work Better than Regression?
Authors: Nanda S
Published: September 2016

A difficult exercise, forecasting is key to effective management. Models using time series data are frequently used for forecasting likely values of important variables such as supply and demand.

The regression method is the most common, although it involves many critical assumptions that are difficult to satisfy in practice. Efforts to reduce the severity of the assumptions and improve our ability to manipulate data have led to generalized regression and the Box-Jenkins Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models.

Nanda tests the forecasts from two models in each method, using data on monthly milk procurement by Amul Dairy from January 1965 to December 1975. The regression method produced better forecasts than the Box-Jenkins method.
Stress and Performance The Evidence
Authors: Singh Shailendra
Published: September 2016

In his article, “Executive Stress: Should it Always be Avoided?“ (Vikalpa, January- March 1987), D M Pestonjee argued that both too little and too much stress should be avoided. Some amount of stress, he felt, was necessary for success.
Role of Humanities in Management Education
Authors: Singh Sampat P
Published: September 2016

Most current curricula in management centre around scientific analysis and rationality. They take little notice of those aspects of managerial behaviour which lie beyond reason�dream, vision, instinct, emotion, etc.

Sampat Singh argues that this is a serious lacuna, and provides an outline of how humanities can make management education much more wholesome and purposeful.

Vikalpa has presented many articles on management education in the past. It hopes that this Perspectives piece will intensify the debate and experimentation about some of the neglected facets of managerial education.
Can a Holding Company be an Effective Buffer for Government Enterprise?
Authors: Murthy K R S , Nath N C B
Published: September 2016

The holding company form of organization has held a continuing attraction for over 20 years. Yet, there has been no systematic analysis of what it is, how it can improve performance, or what the Indian experience has been with it.

Murthy and Nath argue that the Indian holding company form has been unable to buffer the operating units.

The authors identify two types of holding companies — the facilitator type, reducing the ministry's workload, and the other, the supplanting type, taking over the ministry's role. In both types, governmental procedures and control of the holding company and subsidiaries have continued.
Managing Discipline: A Systematic Approach
Authors: Mahesh V S
Published: September 2016

Hard-nosed line managers tend to take a trial-and-error, case by case approach or a confrontational approach to managing discipline. Both approaches fail to provide a predictable course of action or planned results.

A systematic approach can be taken, argues Mahesh, and details the steps involved. They include quantifying the problem, establishing norms, sharing widely the problem perspective, identifying individual acts of violation, acting kindly but firmly on each violation, and, finally, zeroing in on hard-core offenders for disciplinary action.

Mahesh illustrates the approach using the example of the Kitchen Stewarding Department in the Taj group of hotels. Following this approach, the group cut unauthorized absenteeism from 10 per cent to less than 2.5 per cent in just six months and has maintained it at that level for over four years now.
Training Public Servants: Recent Policies, Needs, and Experiences
Authors: Sanwal Mukul
Published: September 2016

For the last three years, the Government of India has been emphasizing upon the training of public servants as a strategy for social and economic development. The earlier training policy which focused on remedying deficiencies in skills of individual officers has yielded place to the new policy of preparing all civil servants for development.

The new training policy is neither a part of a new developmental paradigm, nor is it based on an assessment of training needs. A survey of 400 supervisory Group ’A‚ officers of U P State Government and of All India Services shows that the administrators feel that training should emphasize much more the external environment they face than the principles of management.

Based on this survey, and his own experience as a trainer, Mukul Sanwal argues that besides political emphasis, a new development paradigm and an assessment of current systems and practices are prerequisites for the new policy. He suggests ways to link training programmes with the service goals of development administration and for the resolution of specific problems. He considers the human resource concept involving changing the ingrained values and attitudes of public servants as central.
Sustained Development through People: The Need for Political Activization
Authors: Rao V M
Published: September 2016

In the January-March 1988 issue of Vikalpa, Professor Ranjit Gupta discussed how village communities could identify and develop their own opportunities and resources as part of planned interventions for development. Based on the experiment initiated by the late Pr6fessor Ravi J Mathai, Professor Ranjit Gupta drew lessons of how rural development activities should be mounted.

From his experiences as a rural investigator in Karnataka, V M Rao agrees with Professor Gupta that given the initial fillip by the interveners, the rural poor can be motivated for developmental action. But for sustaining the initiative, their political activization is necessary to ensure governmental support and resist pressures from the rural elite -Ed.)
JIT: A Way to Get Strategic Results from the Shop Floor
Authors: Thomas P S
Published: September 2016

Just-in-Time (JIT) is a proven management innovation which is assuming international importance for achieving industrial excellence. It is necessary to understand JIT for improving the efficacy of our own industrial policy and management. Yet JIT seems to have been virtually ignored by Indian authors so far.

Thomas argues that Indian industry must not develop a blindspot to important management innovations originating abroad. He introduces JIT, summarizes itsmain elements, and discusses the way it gets strategic results from the shop floor.

Thomas feels that JIT enables top management to push strategic thinking to all parts of the organization thus linking day to day actions of all employees with the top management's long term strategies.
What Should be the Time Schedule for a Project?
Authors: Gupta Devendra Kumar
Published: September 2016

Finalization of time schedule for a project is a crucial decision. It is not entirely a technical matter. Compressing the duration has cost and other implications. Managers can determine what the time schedule should be to achieve significant savings. Gupta feels that it is possible to crash time schedules by up to 15 per cent of the initial time schedule with only marginal increases in project costs.

Gupta presents a methodology for analysing the costs in arriving at the optimum time schedule for a project. He illustrates the method with a project involving capital expenditure of Rs 100 million.
Challenges and Opportunities in Democratization of Industrial Relations
Authors: Joseph Jerome
Published: September 2016

It is a widely shared management perspective that there is a progressive erosion of the managerial prerogative in so far as industrial relations is concerned. In this article, Jerome Joseph regards this phenomenon as the evolution of democratization of the workplace under the influence of the state, the judiciary, and the organized labour. The future course of industrial relations does not lie in managerial unilateralism but in appropriate attitudes conducive to constructive bilateralism.
Institutional Learning: The Essence of Strategic Management
Authors: Ramnarayan S , Reddy N Mohan
Published: September 2016

Strategic management is not a formal, well-laid-out set of techniques. It is the mode in which decision makers understand the context in which they function and initiate decisions and actions for establishing meaningful linkages with the environment. In recent years, strategic management has become important for several Indian organizations due to dramatic environmental changes.

In this article, Ramnarayan and Reddy use the “learning” perspective to evolve a framework of the strategic management process in organizations. Through four illustrative cases, they highlight four clearly identifiable blocks to institutional learning. These are : Single Loop Learning, Analysis Paralysis, Ivory Tower Planning, and Me Too Planning. The paper outlines the likely causes of each of these dysfunctional blocks to learning. The authors propose a set of guidelines for enhancing the effectiveness of strategic initiatives in organizations.
Objectives and Role of Institutional Finance for Agricultural and Rural Development
Authors: Desai B M
Published: September 2016

In India, rural institutional finance is extended not only to the agricultural production sub-system but for selective purposes also to the agricultural inputs sub-system and the agricultural produce marketing and processing sub-system. While this innovative policy has earned some dividends, there are some lacunae in it as well as in the intermediation instruments of rural financial institutions.

Desai identifies these lacunae and discusses how they may be overcome to achieve the objectives of high rural growth, better equity, and viability of institutional finance.
Marketing Approach to Promoting Banking Services
Authors: Bhattacharyay Biswa N
Published: September 2016

In recent years, banks in India have not been able to mobilize surplus funds owing to the rapid emergence of competitive non-banking financial institutions. Non-fund based banking services have been underutilized by customers because of low awareness and this has affected banks' profitability.

In this article, Bhattacharyay presents a marketing approach to promoting banking services and mobilizing deposits. Using primary data obtained from a country-wide survey of 19,000 households, Bhattacharyay has identified different segments of the customers which could be tapped by identifying their current and future needs and providing an appropriate range of services.
HRD in Indian Organizations: Current Perspectives and Future Issues*
Authors: Dayal Ishwar
Published: September 2016

In this article Ishwar Dayal discusses the patterns of HRD management and identifies three different HRD approaches as practised in Indian organizations. These are: Man- Centered, Reciprocal, and Selective. Underlying each approach is a set of beliefs shared by top management. Policy formulation and HRD programmes in these organizations emanate from these philosophies. The author also analyses the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.

According to Dayal, HRD is a shared belief by management in the development of individuals and involves a strategy of linking organization development with individual growth. The author also raises some relevant issues concerning the future of HRD in Indian organizations.
Rayalaseema Biscuits Company, Kurnool
Authors: Raghunath S
Published: September 2016

Sickness in industry, more so sickness in small scale industries, has become a national concern. Is sickness primarily due to ineptitude and dishonesty of management? Is it because of the destructive attitude of labour unions? Is it due to non-disbursement of funds by banks? These are some of the questions that are confronting academics, industrialists, and policy-makers. This case would enable the readers to get a glimpse of the causes that lead to sickness and what might be done to prevent sickness.
Behavioural Safety Management
Authors: Chhokar Jagdeep S
Published: September 2016

Industrial and occupational safety have become important areas of social concern in India with increase in industrial activity. The standard organizational response to accidents is conducting an investigation and taking some corrective measures like improving equipment design, plant layout, and changing some work practices. One factor which is often overlooked, or paid inadequate attention at best, is employee behaviour.

In this paper, Chhokar describes a twostage safety programme based on applied behavioural analysis. The aim of the programme is to increase the frequency of safe behaviour by employees through suitable interventions. Issues related to implementation, maintenance, and evaluation of this programme are discussed and suggestions for implementing it are made.
Barriers to Strategic Changes in Organizations: A Case Study
Authors: Manikutty S
Published: September 2016

Normative business policy literature assumes a rational-analytical response of organizations to environmental changes. Through a case study of an organization that faced structural changes in its environment and viewing it through cognitive and sociological perspectives in addition to the rational perspective, certain fundamental barriers to strategic changes are identified. These are: prevalence of strong and dominant values in the organization, inability to see threats from the environment when they go against the prevalent beliefs of the key members, the past history, and the social system of the organization. How managers can overcome or minimize the effect of these barriers so that they can make quicker and better strategic responses is also discussed.
Harinagar Rural Energy Development Project
Authors: Suresh M R , Mishra B N , Joshi Veena
Published: September 2016

In 1986, the National Research Institute (NRI) adopted Harinagar to improve its energy situation. The Rural Energy Group and the Social Forestry Group of NRI were made responsible for implementation of welfare programmes in Harinagar. In the same year, NRI formed the Village Energy Development Committee (VEDC), the members of which comprised villagers and the Sarpanch. NRI, however, was beset with several problems like negative attitude of villagers towards NRI, inadequate coordination between the two groups, etc. Apte, a programme associate of the Rural Energy Group, felt that it was essential to involve VEDC, Panchayat, and villagers in a more meaningful way.

The case raises some basic issues: What should be the organization structure of VEDC? What are the implications and effectiveness of the structure of VEDC as suggested by Apte? What should be the role of NRI in the envisaged structure?
Manager in the Middle: A Case of Underdevelopment and Underutilization
Authors: Nilakant V , Ramnarayan S
Published: September 2016

Middle managers play a crucial role in ensuring that the activities inside an enterprise are well-coordinated, that employees act responsively and responsibly, and that the organization continuously generates creative alternatives to grapple with its problems. Further, it is at the middle level that the organization's policies and strategies get translated into decisions and actions. However, it is more than evident that the nature of middle management dynamics in organization has remained largely unexplored and there has not been enough understanding of the strategies appropriate for effective utilization of this critical resource.

In this article, Nilakant and Ramnarayan draw on their study of four medium and large sized business organizations in the private and public sectors in India to examine aspects relating to the performance of middle level managers. They discuss the implications of the findings for organizational performance and change and offer suggestions for enhancing middle management potential in similar contexts.
Individual and Organizational Interests: Pathways to Integration
Authors: Aram John D
Published: September 2016

Mismatched incentives between individuals and organizations occur frequently. At times, individuals are led to undertake actions that benefit their immediate interests but which undermine organizational values. At other times, individuals, acting rationally, forego actions that would have created value for an organization or a community.

John D Aram examines several organizations and two communities through the framework of mismatched individual and organizational incentives. His analysis suggests that several paths exist for overcoming mismatched incentives and for achieving greater individual-organization integration. His observations raise various possibilities for managing organizations for higher performance and also suggest questions for further research.
An Overview of the Pesticides Industry and its Marketing Environment
Authors: Srivastava U K , Patel N T
Published: September 2016

The pesticides industry has grown by 7.6 per cent during the last 20 years. It has also undergone a structural change from low value products to high value products. The major constituents of this industry are technical grade material manufacturers, formulators, and dealers.

In this article, U K Srivastava and N T Patel analyse the growth of the pesticides industry, the changes in the product mix, the problems of the constituents, and the marketing scenario. According to them, there is vast scope for accelerating pesticides consumption by diversifying to hitherto untapped regions and crops. This, however, calls for a major market development effort on the part of the industry.
Evolution of Leadership Theory
Authors: King Albert S
Published: September 2016

In recent times, the phenomenon of leadership has assumed considerable significance. The key question “What makes an effective leader?” continues to daunt researchers.

In this article, Albert S King uses a developmental perspective to create an evolutionary tree of leadership theory. He identifies nine evolutionary eras with researchers in each era focusing on a specific theme of leadership. He also discusses the requirements of the Tenth Era — the Integrative Era — which hopefully will bring together different approaches in developing a sustainable theory of leadership.
Management of Seed Enterprises: A Point of View
Authors: Singh Gurdev , Seetharaman S P
Published: September 2016

Effprts towards organizing seed production have yielded positive though inadequate results in terms of seed multiplication and distribution. A wide gap still exists between demand and supply in the seed industry in India today.

In this article, Gurdev Singh and Seetharaman analyse the structure of the seed industry and examine various aspects related to the management of seed research, seed multiplication and its distribution. They also suggest suitable policies to facilitate these activities.
Is Customer Service Deteriorating in the Indian Banking Industry?
Authors: Bhattacharyay Biswa N
Published: September 2016

The Indian banking industry has been criticised for its growing indifference towards customer concerns. This criticism has been particularly pronounced after the nationalization of banks in 1969. The question, therefore, is one of examining whether customer service in the banking industry is really deteriorating.

In this article, Biswa N Bhattacharyay investigates this question using data from two field surveys conducted by the National Institute of Bank Management in 1974 and 1984. He comes to the conclusion that an unqualified assertion that customer services have deteriorated in the banking industry in the post nationalization phase is empirically untenable.
Convertible Securities and Implied Options
Authors: Barua S K , Raghunathan V.
Published: September 2016

The Indian capital market lacks an organized futures and options market. The investors are, therefore, not able to manage their portfolio risks effectively.

In this article, S K Barua and V Raghunathan examine the possibility of introducing call and put options in a limited way by making modifications in the terms of issue of convertible debentures and equity. According to them, this will reduce the need for government interventions in the primary market and provide greater investor protection without compromising market efficiency.
Malfunctioning of the Public Distribution System: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Koshy Abraham
Published: September 2016

Public distribution system (PDS), which acquired prominence in India during the Second World War period, has evolved over the years as a major policy instrument of the government to ameliorate difficulties caused by shortages and price increases of foodgrains and other essential items. The commodities supplied at subsidized prices through PDS are aimed to benefit the more vulnerable sections of the society. Questions, however, have been raised about the effectiveness and efficiency of PDS in achieving its objectives which assume more importance because of the large quantum of subsidy involved.

This article by Abraham Koshy focuses on one of the major concerns raised about the efficiency of PDS, namely, the extent of stock diversion at the retail points. This study was carried out in Kerala where PDS is perceived to be well developed and, therefore, the findings could be considered as a pointer towards the state of PDS operations in other states where it is less developed.
Humane Turnarounds
Authors: Khandwalla Pradip N
Published: September 2016

Rampant industrial sickness has become a characteristic feature of the dynamics of rapid industrial development in both the developed as well as the developing economies. However, in the context of developing economies, there is an urgent need to revive sick organizations given the reality of an acute resource crunch. It is in this context that the development of a relevant model of turnaround management becomes significant.

In this article, Pradip N Khandwalla describes the significant elements of a humane brand of turnaround management based on his analysis of the experiences of several corporate turnarounds.
Workers' Participation in Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL): The Case of Tiruchi
Authors: Mookherjee Surya
Published: September 2016

The case presented in this issue describes the process of introduction of the concept of labour participation in management at BHEL, Tiruchi.

What should be the future course of action ? Readers are invited to send their comments on the same.
Gujarat Energy Development Agency: The Case of Solar Cookers
Authors: Moorthy Ravi C
Published: September 2016

In an era when conservation of non-renewable energy has become a vital issue, the challenges and prospects of marketing an innovative product like a solar cooker that has a direct bearing on saving of precious energy assumes considerable importance. The case presented in this issue focuses on the decisions regarding marketing of solar cookers.
Government Silk Filature, Chikkahalli
Authors: Naik Gopal , Kalro Amar H
Published: September 2016

The case presented in this issue describes the operations of Chikkahalli Silk Filature — one of the four silk reeling units of the Government of Karnataka. The management of the unit is in the process of exploring various avenues for improving its profitability.
Comparative Performance of Farmers' Service Societies and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies
Authors: Desai B.M. , Namboodiri N.V.
Published: September 2016

Have the Farmers' Service Societies (FSS) performed better than the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS)?

B.M. Desai and N.V. Namboodiri's paper focuses on this question. They compare the performance of FSS and PACS on seven criteria and conclude that FSS have performed better than PACS though neither has been successful in undertaking agromarketing and processing functions.
Work Culture: An Exposition in the Indian Context
Authors: Bhaduiy Bikash
Published: September 2016

The impact of work culture on productivity, profits and organizational effectiveness has, in recent years, drawn the attention of top management of Indian industrial organizations. The author makes an attempt to discuss this phenomenon.
Natural Resources Corporation Limited
Authors: Chhokar Jagdeep S. , Dixit Mukund R.
Published: September 2016

The case presented in this issue focuses on the total functioning of a mining company— Natural Resources Corporation Limited (NRC). The company which was performing well in the past is faced with the situation of likely losses in the financial year 1989-1990. What should the new MD do?

Readers are invited to send their comments on the case.
Experiential Learning Model of Entrepreneur Development: An Approach to Develop Innovative Entrepreneurs
Authors: Arumugam S , Sankaranarayanan V
Published: September 2016

Over the years, various organizations have contributed for the development of entrepreneurs in India using the three-stage model — selection, training and follow-up. This model, however, is facing difficulties in various stages of its operations.

In this article, S Arumugam and V Sankaranarayanan suggest a new model — the Experiential Learning Model of Entrepreneur Development — which they feel is more suitable to develop innovative entrepreneurs.
Biotech Pharma Limited
Authors: Balasubramaniam K V , Sridharan R
Published: September 2016

The opening up of the Indian economy under the liberalized trade policy has made it imperative for many Indian manufacturers to become internationally competitive within the shortest possible time frame. This case deals with a similar situation faced by a pharmaceutical company which needs to come up with new strategic initiatives in the context of dramatic changes which are taking place. (For instance, REP licenses have become EXIM scrips.) Many companies maybe faced with similar situations though there may be minor variations on specifics. Readers are invited to send their comments on the case to Vikalpa office.
Towards Developing an Open System in an Educational Institution: An Experiment that Failed?
Authors: Ghosh Somnath , Aggarwal Vijay , Dayal Ishwar
Published: September 2016

Educational institutions are complex organizations; equally complex are the issues involved in managing such institutions. The authors suggest that faculty feedback sessions, meant to develop an open and interactive culture among faculty members, can also provide the basis for analysis of the complex forces at work in academic institutions. They contend that while the collegiate system is most appropriate for institutions where there is a wide distribution of expertise, it is essential to recognize the integral nature of conflict in the management processes of such institutions.
Technical Progress in Indian Agriculture: Temporal Analysis
Authors: Dholakia Bakul H , Dholakia Ravindra H
Published: September 2016

The role of technical progress in determining the performance of Indian agriculture is the issue addressed by Bakul H Dholakia and Ravindra H Dholakia in this paper. An attempt has also been made to estimate the extent of technical progress in Indian agriculture during the period 1950-51 to 1988-89.

According to the authors, the contribution of technical progress to the growth of agriculture has been steadily rising and acceleration in total factor productivity has contributed significantly to acceleration in the overall growth of the Indian economy during the eighties.
Carpets International Malaysia Berhad
Authors: Ramnarayan S
Published: September 2016

The case presented in this issue discusses the functioning of a carpet manufacturing company — Carpets International Malaysia Berhad, a subsidiary of KPS, which has been incurring losses for the past five years. A new chief executive, Mr Wahid, has taken over and is entrusted the task of turning around the company.

What strategies should Mr Wahid adopt for turning around the company? Readers are invited to send their comments on the same.
Proposals for Financial Sector Reforms in India: An Appraisal
Authors: Bhole L M
Published: September 2016

The Narasimham Committee Report has made a number of recommendations regarding the structure, organization, functions and procedures of the Indian financial system.

In this article, Bhole has attempted a critical appraisal of the Report with a view to place the recommendations in a proper perspective and also to generate some thinking on the emerging issues.
Productivity: A View from the Labour Market
Authors: Aggarwal Ashok K , Prasad D. Durga
Published: September 2016

Labour productivity studies have largely focused on the product markets. The issues relating to organization and operations of the factor markets have largely been ignored.

This study by Ashok Aggarwal and Durga Prasad attempts to explore productivity of labour from the viewpoint of labour markets. Using two different measures of labour productivity, it has been argued that both measures should give similar results if labour markets were perfect. The closer the relationship, the lower the imperfections.
Oh Manager!
Authors: Sheth N R , Misra Sasi , Mookherjee Surya
Published: September 2016

The case presented in this issue discusses the behaviour pattern of senior managers in a public sector enterprise where the authors had conducted a Workshop on workers' participation in management.
Management Education: Emerging Trends*
Authors: Paul Samuel
Published: September 2016

Is management education really necessary? Are MBA programmes of value or detrimental in the quest for international c ompetitiveness? Should there be more em phasis on in-company programmes? Samuel Paul addresses such key issues in his global review of the evolution of management education.
Organization Behaviour: Research Gaps and Future Directions*
Authors: Khartdwalla Pradip N
Published: September 2016

While there is considerable OB research in India, major gaps still remain, feels Pradip N Khandwalla. The most glaring lacuna, according to him, is the low responsiveness of OB research to social realities and priorities. He also discusses other dark areas and concludes that it is useful to keep in view what practitioners want from OB, so that OB research becomes more responsive to client needs.
Carpets International Malaysia Berhad (B)
Authors: Ramnarayan S
Published: September 2016

The case presented in this issue is the second part of the same case which appeared in our April-June 1992 issue. Zainal Wahid, the new Chief Executive, has turned around the company and is now wondering how to sustain its growth. Readers are invited to send their suggestions on the same.
Securities Scam: Genesis, Mechanics, and Impact
Authors: Barua Samir K , Varma Jayanth R
Published: September 2016

The term “securities scam” refers to the diversion of funds from the banking system to various stockbrokers in a series Of transactions—primarily government securities—during the period April 1991 to May 1992. An understanding of the scam is a prerequisite for any meaningful analysis of policy alternatives to improve the functioning of the financial system.

This paper by Samir K Barua and Jayanth R Varma presents a plausible reconstruction of how the scam originated, how it was perpetrated, and what would be its aftermath.
Towards an Indian Market for Corporate Control
Authors: Venkiteswaran N
Published: September 2016

As the Indian economy is being modernized through dismantling of rigid controls and greater reliance on market forces, the Indian industry is likely to witness major restructuring through a spate of mergers and acquisitions.

This paper by N Venkiteswaran examines the historical impediments against corporate restructuring through mergers and takeovers in India. The author is of the view that given the economic compulsions, India is also about to witness significant growth in mergers and acquisitions in the coming years.

In this emerging scenario, the importance of regulatory reforms covering a wide area such as competition, investor protection, taxation, corporate governance, etc. is underscored so that the Indian market for corporate control is developed along orderly lines.
Cost of Capital Specifications arid Capital Structure Decisions: Some Conceptual Propositions for Practising Managers
Authors: Korwar Ashok , Raghunathan V
Published: September 2016

Recent advances in our understanding of capital structure decisions have not yet made their mark upon our capital budgeting techniques and practices. This paper by Korwar and Raghunathan attempts to bridge this gap. In doing this, it offers a simple approach for managers taking financial decisions.
Spartek Ceramics India Limited
Authors: Venkiteswaran N
Published: September 2016

The July-September 1992 issue of Vikalpa had published a case entitled “Spartek Ceramics India Limited” by N Venkiteswaran. In this issue, we carry three responses on the case by S Manikutty, Ajit B Mantagani and S Premchander.