bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Behavioural Aspects in Industry: A Report
Authors: Khandwalla Pradip N. , Brahmam D.N.
Published: September 2016

At the second Seminar on Management Research held at the Indian Institute of Management. Ahmedabad, on January 19-20, 1978, a number of papers were read on workers' participation, behavioural aspects in industry, and action research. Five of the papers read at the seminar are reported and discussed here. Copies of the papers can be had from the Institute.
Facilitating and Restraining Forces in Banking Industry: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Deshpande M.V.
Published: September 2016

Banks in India have been assigned a new role in the developmental process after their nationalization in 1969. The new tasks that have been assigned to banking industry have demanded it to develop expertise for a wide spectrum of activities and develop a professional attitude. This paper examines the strains and stresses the new role has produced and provides an indepth analysis of the facilitating and restraining forces.
Quality of Disclosure in the Public Sector Enterprises
Authors: Singh D.R. , Bhargava S.K.
Published: September 2016

There is hardly any indepth study on the quality of disclosure in the annual reports of the public sector enterprises. The present study examines this aspect on the basis of the index of disclosure. The findings indicate that there is no uniformity in the disclosure of information. While organizational pattern does not affect the quality of disclosure of information, the influence of nature of industry is evident.
Rate-Making in Marine Cargo Insurance: Some Issues
Authors: Sabharwal Yash Paul
Published: September 2016

Traditionally, rate-making in marine cargo insurance business is intuitive, based on individual knowledge, wisdom, and general feel of the underwriter. The presence of many factors contributing to legal, moral, and physical hazards attached to the risk is an important feature of marine insurance. Individualists as they are, underwriters resist the effort to pool their understanding and experience of the business. This paper discusses the credibility approach to rate-making, claim and claim payment, and factors influencing claim experience, besides building a few mathematical models.
Production: A Neglected Area of Management
Authors: Joseph Alex P.
Published: September 2016

Production management is one of the most neglected areas in India. This is surprising, considering India's huge investment on machinery for increasing production and ample trained engineers who are reluctant to enter production areas in view of inadequate returns for the hard work they put in. A better understanding by top management of the problems faced by production people coupled with adequate compensation and perquisites will go a long way in attracting the cream of the country's youth to production management.
Alienation, Insecurity, and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Pestonjee D.M.
Published: September 2016

This study was carried out to explore the possible influences of occupational levels, alienation, and security on job satisfaction of blue-collar workers. The sample consisted of 100 supervisors and 100 rank-and-file workers. The measuring tools were the S-D Employees' Inventory, the Alienation Scale, and the Security-Insecurity Inventory. A 2x2x2 factorial design was used. Analysis of variance was applied. Significant F ratios were obtained for occupational level, alienation, security-insecurity, and for interaction between occupational level and alienation.
Financing New Corporate Enterprises
Authors: Garg S.C.
Published: September 2016

This paper enunciates some of the fundamental principles of financial planning. While planning for finance, principles of financial leverage should be kept in mind. Financial leverage is most advisable for increasng earnings per share. Absence of leverage shows poor financial management while too much dependence on it shows a risky financial policy. In most Indian enterprises, the debt to equity ratio is 1.8:1. Financial institutions such as IDBI. ICICI, and IFCI provide most of the finance.
Corporate Strategy: Concepts and its Relevance in the Indian Context
Authors: Chaudhury Shekhar
Published: September 2016

Corporate strategy has become a widely used business concept in the industrially advanced countries of the West. The ideas on which this concept is based were evolved through field studies of hundreds of business organizations, mostly in the economically advanced countries. Some practitioners, considering the difference in the socio-economic and political milieu between developed countries and India, have expressed doubts about the applicability of this concept in the Indian context. This paper traces the theoretical origins of the concept of corporate strategy and illustrates with Indian examples that the concept is equally applicable in India.
Social Responsibility of Business Organizations
Authors: Mital K.M.
Published: September 2016

Because of the limitations of the government in mobilizing resources for development and the magnitude of problems facing India, the role of business organizations in helping the government and society in which they operate to alleviate the country's problems has assumed great importance. This can be done by making business organizations responsible to society through social audit. Being innovators in the chosen fields in which they operate they are best equipped for this role. This paper analyses the mode of working of business organizations in the area of social responsibility.
Two Factor Theory: A Comparative Study in Three Types of Organizations
Authors: Sutaria Rupande
Published: September 2016

A study was conducted to test the two factor theory of Herzberg in three different types of organizations and at two levels of employees. Seven hundred and eighty- nine male adults from selected organizations were interviewed to reveal their sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The findings indicated that differences in job attitude profiles were not very different. By and large, employees derived satisfaction from motivators and dissatisfaction from hygiene factors in all types of organizations. The findings imply that job enrichment programmes designed around motivators can be undertaken in any type of organization to motivate employees.
Collaborative Institution Building: A Critique of Three Experiences in Higher Education
Authors: Ganesh S.R.
Published: September 2016

Assistance and collaboration are the underlying themes of the three books reviewed in this article. These books also primarily represent the outputs of systematic introspection of the American partners, during the late sixties and the early seventies, of the institution building efforts for higher education in technology, agriculture, and management in India. The collaborations focused on transference of three models of higher education, namely the MIT model for technology, the land-grant university model for agriculture, and the business school model for management. The author reviews the general and specific contexts in which these institution building efforts were undertaken and analyses the processes of birth and development of the institutions and the role of foreign collaboration. Issues for institution building, in general, are raised and a case is made for grounding theory in this vital area of planned social change.

Books Reviewed

Hill, Thomas M.; Haynes, Warren, W.; and Baumgartel, Howard, with the collaboration of Paul, Samuel, Institution Building in India: A Study of International Collaboration in Management Education (Boston: Division of Research, Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University, 1973).

Read, Hadley, Partners with India: Building Agricultural Universities (Urbana-Champaign: University of Illinois, College of Agriculture, 1974).

Sebaly, Kim Patrick, The Assistance of Four Nations in the Establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology, 1945-1970 (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, Comparative Education Dissertation Series, 1972).
Social System and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Agrawal K. G. , Advani Mohan
Published: September 2016

An attempt is made in this paper to determine the influence of social system and its dimensions on job satisfaction. Respondents belonging to four crucial staff roles were drawn from five general hospitals and were administered the Hospital Social System Inventory. Analysis revealed that job satisfaction had high multiple correlation with the dimensions of social system.
Corporate Power: Benign or Malignant?
Authors: Balakrishnan K.
Published: September 2016

Corporate social responsibility is fast becoming a fashionable phrase among businessrnen, managers, management academics, economists, politicians, and the public at large. Before these diverse groups plunge into serious debate on this crucial issue, one could perhaps learn from the long experience of western countries, especially the U. S., on this subject.

A detailed scrutiny of a selected sample of western thought showed that two different and distinct groups existed. It was significant to find economists, lawyers, and political thinkers in the former group looking at the corporation mostly from outside, and teachers, researchers, and counsellors to the corporate sector in the latter group looking at the corporation from within. The former group, called externalists, has wielded better influence with policymakers in government and the latter, called managerialists, has influenced decisionmakers in corporations. The four—externalists, government, managerialists, and corporation—have continued to function as two parallel axes: the externalists-government axis almost always confronting the managerialists-corporation axis.
Estimating Ferrous Scrap Availabilities
Authors: Maggu Ashok
Published: September 2016

The day may not be far off when the world would have exhausted its stock of resources, considering the present rates of consumption. Futurologists have cautioned that limits to growth may have to set if the natural resources are not to be depleted. One way of conserving natural resources is to recycle industrial waste materials for producing the same, output. This paper developes a heuristic model for estimating availabilities of ferrous scrap and the savings in iron ore and coke that could result.
To Let Live or Die: Decision–Making on the Allocation of Scarce Life–Saving Medical Resources
Authors: Nagarajan K.V.
Published: September 2016

S⁄> Patrick: Well, Mr. Savior of Lives: which is it to be? That honest decent man Blekinsop, or that rotten blackguard of an artist, eh?

Ridgeon: It's not an easy case to judge, is it? Blenkinsop's an honest decent man; but is he any use? Dubedat's a rotten blackguard; but he's a genuine source of pretty and pleasant and good things. Sir Patrick: What will he be a source of for that poor innocent wife of his, when she finds him out? Ridgeon: That's true. Her life will be a hell. Sir Patrick: And tell me this. Suppose you had this choice put before you: either to go through life and find all the pictures bad but all the men and women good, or go through life and find all the pictures good and all the men and women rotten. Which would you choose?

Bernard Shaw, The Doctor's Dilemma.
Determinants of Controlled Prices and their Implications
Authors: Rangarajan C.
Published: September 2016

Taking the example of sugar industry this paper questions whether price controls do really protect vulnerable sections of society. The dual pricing system for sugar is discussed in depth. Some implications of the dual pricing system are indicated.
Motivational Climate and Leadership Styles
Authors: Habibullah A.H.M. , Sinha Jai B.P.
Published: September 2016

Five hundred and twenty-three executives of the BHEL rated their leadership styles; 390 of them also completed a Motivational Climate Scale designed to measure the factors of achievement expert influence, extension (i.e., growth), affiliation, dependency, and control. The leadership styles and their factorized dimensions were correlated with climatic factors. The results disclosed meaningful patterns of interrelations among and between leadership styles and climatic factors suggesting the existence of a state of partially balanced reciprocal influence relationship between the motivational climate of an organization and the use of leadership styles. The findings are interpreted to develop a hypothesis that leadership styles are not a part of personality dispositions.
The Alienated Indian Consumer and the Role of Consumer Education
Authors: Sarin Sharad , Avasthi Preeti
Published: September 2016

Even a cursory look at the Indian market place reveals that utter confusion prevails in the minds of Indian consumers. This has been confirmed by a survey of Indian housewives conducted in a large city. The consumers feel completely alienated and blame practically every one for this state of affairs. The authors believe that apart from government intervention, consumer education could go a long way in remedying the situation. The paper makes out a case for active involvement of consumers, government agencies, marketers, and educational institutions in consumer education movement.
Corporate Social Responsibility Realities and Expectations
Authors: Singh P. , Maggu Ashok , Warrier S.K.
Published: September 2016

The corporate community in India has been under severe criticism for its indifferent attitude towards the problems of the common man. Its actions, by and large, have proved to be inappropriate to the solution of social problems. This paper empirically examines these criticisms by subjecting a sample of 251 respondents with varied degrees of experience to a questionnaire survey. The findings indicate that corporate actions are perceived to be predominantly pure profit maximizing followed by calculative behaviour.
Management in Our Backyard
Authors: Khandwalla Pradip N.
Published: September 2016

This paper reports the findings of a research team set up to probe indigenous styles of management. Combining personal interviews with a study of the annual reports of some 230 organizations listed on Indian stock exchanges, the author reports that indigenous styles of management may be more appropriate to the Indian context than imported models. Significant differences in management styles are noticed within industries and within the same business group. A fusion of western approaches with indigenous styles, the author believes, presents many interesting possibilities.
Corporate Internal Finance: A Study of Overall Trends and Retentions
Authors: Kishor Braj
Published: September 2016

Internally generated funds have contributed enormously to the financing and growth of corporations in recent times. Corporate financing trends in the advanced countries point to a synchronization of thrusts in internal funds with peaks in asset expansion and capital formation. This paper, analysing corporate finance data for a twentyyear period, hypothesizes that a similar trend could be noticed in the Indian situation. It also identifies variables explaining the corporate saving behaviour.
Validity of Selection Tests: A Study
Authors: Saiyadain Mirza S.
Published: September 2016

Several reasons have been offered for the depressed values of coefficients of correlation between performance evaluation scores and test scores for tests that otherwise seem to have high validity. Most of these studies have concerned themselves with only the first year performance measure. This study was undertaken to broadbase the validity design by including performance measures of three subsequent years. Data on the test and performance scores of a sample of executives were analysed. The results indicate that though test scores may not show significant relationship with the first year performance appraisal score, they show positive and significant relationship with subsequent performance appraisal scores. The results are explained in terms of changed performance evaluation.
Leadership Behaviour and Conflict Management Strategies
Authors: Sayeed Omer Bin , Mathur H.B.
Published: September 2016

It was hypothesized that the manager (self) would choose compromise and tone down differences as relation-oriented manager, and forcing and consulting others as task-related manager to resolve conflicts with subordinates on job-related matters. It was also expected that the manager (as immediate superior) would opt for confrontation for resolving conflicts. The study failed to support the hypothesis and revealed that managerial leadership behaviour alone was not enough and that there were other factors which should be considered for effective leadership.
Performance Evaluation of Sales Tax Administration: A Case Study of Gujarat
Authors: Misra P.N. , Jayaraman T.K.
Published: September 2016

In most Indian states sales tax is the largest source of finance. Yet no major attempt has been made towards a quantitative assessment of performance of tax administration nor to realize its full potential. For this one must study the factors involved and decide on those which play a comparatively more important role in tax administration irrespective of the kind of tax structure in vogue or the variations in methods and styles in different states. This paper studies the problem in detail with regard to Gujarat though the approach could be equally well applied to any other state or region.
Strategy for turning around complex sick organizations
Authors: Khandwalla Pradip N.
Published: September 2016

Sizable complex organizations have strategic missions to play in a developing societ. But they often fall victims to their organizational complexity. Based on case studies of five public sector enterprises and four private sector enterprises, a model for turning around sick, large organizations is presented. The chief characteristics of the model are a credible change agent: mobilization of the organization's rank-and-file; priority to quick pay-off projects over long gestation projects; negotiation of temporary reprieve from pressure groups in the environment; seizing of opportunities afforded by the environment strengthening of mechanisms for influencing the environment; selective changes in the organization's product mix; selective strengthening of management systems: motivation of staff through giving them challenging tasks, panicipa- tive decision -making, operating autonomy coupled with accountability for performance, peer group pressure for excellence, and example set by the change agent; coordination through performance review meetings, coordination committees, and emphasis on direct face-toface settlement of conflicts; performance control through the setting up of responsibility centres: and the institutionalization of an organic, entrepreneurial, professional and participative style of management. The implications of the model for turning around complex organizations without resort to hire and fire methods, for reviving large public sector enterprises, for management education and training, and for OD specialists are briefly sketched.
Blind Men's Association
Authors: Kumar P.B. Nagananda
Published: September 2016

“Innovative management” features brief accounts of noveL off-beat management. These are accounts of creatively managed organizations or of innovative handling of management issues.

As for the others, we invite contributions and comments from readers for this feature too.
Top management selection for public enterprise : Is private sector model appropriate ?
Authors: Murthy K.R.S.
Published: September 2016

Top management selection for pubticenterprises hasbeena continuing problem for the Government. Scores of public enterprises, including some big and important ones, remain headless at any time, despite Government efforts. Actual tenures have remained short and a satisfactorily long aver-age tenure stilt remamvorrir" a* §oot.

In this timely article, Professor Murthy questions the appropriateness of the model of enterprise used in public enterprise. > to rrnnf nplunliTni thr top manager's job and the problem of relating the man to rtf»jabin public enterprise using four planning and control models—private enterprise, staff, middle management, and factory manager. The power of appointment to improve performance is enhanced if the choice of the person, the enterprise's needs, and the planning and control model that the government is able to use are in balance. Drawing from experiences of public enterprises in India, Turkey, and the U.S., he emphasizes how political power can strengthen the appointment process and, thus, the performance of public enterprise.
The making of a managerial job evaluation plan
Authors: Ahmed NazJmuddln
Published: September 2016

Job evaluation is not a new concept, many of the better run companies in India use it extensively for manpower positioning, wage, and salary fixation. But, when it comes to evaluating the managerial “think jobs” (Assistant Engineers and the like), it was found in the study that only a handful of Indian companies—mostly multinational companies—have any sort of scientific method of evaluation. Yet all the one dozen leading companies that were contacted in this study felt the need for managerial job evaluation—to bring clarity in each managerial position and establish equity with respect to pay and rewards commensurate with relative responsibilities, organizational structuring, performance⁄potential evaluation, management education, training, and development. In this paper the line of approach which a company can take to evolve its own tailormade Managerial Job Evaluation Plan (MJEP) is discussed drawing upon the experience of an Indian company. The lessons learnt in the process of making the MJEP are enumerated and from it a number of suggestions are made.
Irrigation Management: Delivery system and training needs for India
Authors: Nobe Kenneth C.
Published: September 2016

In recent years there has been a steadily growing awareness that to increase agricultural output, the efficiency and productivity of irrigation water at the on-farm level must be increased. The author visited India in January- February 1982, as Chief of Party for a team of specialists invited by the India Mission, U.S. Agency for International Development and the Central Water Commission, Ministry of Irrigation, to advise on the development of a long-term irrigation water management special studies and training project.

From his study in India, he concludes that if new and existing irrigation projects must succeeld, then the operation and management of total irrigation systems must improve. This requires training inputs in irrigation engineering and basic agricultural sciences for all concerned personnel and also training in system management skills. It is in this that the state training centres and Indian management institutes will be of help.
Organizational determinants of anxiety based managerial stress
Authors: Das G.S.
Published: September 2016

The paper reviews the literature on stress experienced by organizational members. Based on a questionnaire study of a sample of manager trainees from two public sector corporations, the paper identifies major management and work related correlates of anxiety-based stress.
Advertisement attributes for creating a favourable selling climate
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Indrani
Published: September 2016

There is much ignorance even among advertising professionals as to how an ad creates or fails to create a favourable selling climate for the product advertised. Two Calcutta-based samples, one of 100 advertising executives and the other of 160 graduate students, were utilized to identify 10 drafts of an ad that may contribute most to its effectiveness. Based on these drafts, a flowchart for assessing the potential effectiveness of an ad is developed.
Performance budget settlement process in public sector banks
Authors: Kaura Mohinder N.
Published: September 2016

The paper reviews the performance budgeting system adopted by nationalized banks in the seventies. Based on a questionnaire and interview survey of over 100 branch managers of four public sector banks, the study identifies some of the strengths and weaknesses of the branch level performance budget settlement process as it is practised, and provides a number of suggestions for improvement.
Successful acquisition management in the public sector
Authors: Parameswar K.R.
Published: September 2016

Innovative management features brief accounts of novel, off-beat management. These are accounts of creatively managed organizations or of innovative handling of management issues.

As for the others, we invite contributions and comments from readers for this feature too.
Research on rural savings in India
Authors: Desai B.M.
Published: September 2016

Rural savings are determined by both “ability” and “incentives” to save. All except two studies reviewed emphasize “ability,” though some qualitatively analyse “incentives.” This relative neglect is justified when the positive substitution effect of the “incentives” is off-set by its negative income effect. Such “total” effect does not necessarily arise. “Incentives” variable can be incorporated in both cross-sectional and time-series models, as shown in the two exceptions. Past time-series estimates of rural savings are characterized by reporting, measurement, and analytical weaknesses. Some of these lead to underestimation of these savings. This, however, does not mean that all of the additional savings are mobilizable by the financial institutions. This is because rural households hold their savings in monetized as well as non-monetized forms. Moreover, some of the monetized savings are held in the form of physical assets. Thus, only those monetized savings which are invested in financial assets of the informal rural financial market (RFM) can be considered as potentially mobilizable by the financial agencies. Institutionalization of such savings would improve their efficiency by promoting better allocation among different areas, sectors, economic activities, and also to entrepreneurs. To identify appropriate policies, further literature may be developed by promoting and researching programmes with better rates of return on financial savings, besides those with opportunities to transact other businesses.
Diagnostic
Authors: Sen Biswajit
Published: September 2016

In this feature a caselet with rich policy implications is presented to a panel of academics and practitioners. The panelists diagnose the problem or problems, analyse their causes and make policy-level recommendations that go beyond the immediate situation presented in the case.

Readers are requested to send interesting caselets for possible use by Vikalpa. Kindly send three copies to the Editor, VikaJpa.
Frontiers of management research abroad
Authors: Seshadri DVR
Published: September 2016

“The whole in a nutshell!” That is Frontiers of management research abroad. To expose Indian readers to management research abroad we present in this feature jargon free summaries of recent research published in some of the world's leading management journals. These capsule summaries would, we hope, induce the enthusiastic readers to still wider reading. And also,to contribute to this feature themselves.

Readers are requested to give detailed information regarding the article condensed such as its publication details, etc., to Professor Samir Barua.
A Delphi study of futurist management pedagogy
Authors: Tiwary Arvind , Viswanathan Jayshree , Jhatta Mahesh , Ravisankar R.
Published: September 2016

By using Delphi technique, which is to build scenarios of the future, this paper recounts three iterations of writing scenarios for pedagogy in 2000 A.D. in management institutions by a group of four panelists.

The conclusions they arrived at were: Pedagogy in management institutions will involve' modularization of knowledge, technological aids will be more extensively used, and the focus of pedagogy will be on interpersonal skills. Knowledge will become more amenable to packaging and will not have to be taught. In short, education will become more individualistic.
Frontiers of management research abroad
Authors: Samanta R.K.
Published: September 2016

“The whole in a nutshell!” That is Frontiers of management research abroad. To expose Indian readers to management research abroad we present in this feature jargon free summaries of recent research published in some of the world's leading management journals. These capsule summaries would, we hope, induce the enthusiastic readers to still wider reading. And also, to contribute to this feature themselves.

Readers are requested to give detailed information regarding the article condensed such as its publication details, etc., to Professor Samir Barua.
Diagnostic
Authors: D'Souza Keith C.
Published: September 2016

In this feature a caselet with rich policy implications is presented to a panel of academics and practitioners. The panelists diagnose the problem or problems, analyse their causes and make policy-level recommendations that go beyond the immediate situation presented in the case.

Readers are requested to send interesting caselets for possible use by Vikalpa. Kindly send three copies to the Editor, Vikalpa.
Diagnostic
Authors: Mathen Korah
Published: September 2016

In this feature a caselet with rich policy implications is presented to a panel of academics and practitioners. The panelists diagnose the problem or problems, analyse their causes and make policy-level recommendations that go beyond the immediate situation presented in the case.

Readers are requested to send interesting caselets for possible use by Vikalpa. Kindly send three copies to the Editor, Vikalpa.
Determinants of inter-generation conflict in organizations
Authors: Agrawal N.M.
Published: September 2016

The paper focuses on generational conflict in the organization. It discusses the need for understanding the process of conflict, particularly in the context of developing countries. It is argued that the exigencies of development create value differences between the older and the younger generations which lead to a conflict. Based on interviews of entrepreneurs from family managed small businesses and of managers from public and private sector companies as well as on some published case studies, the paper attempts to identify sources and symptoms of generational conflict. Some suggestions are made to resolve these conflicts in Indian organizations.
Diagnostic
Authors: Rao S. Sreenivas
Published: September 2016

In this feature a caselet with rich policy implications is presented to a panel of academics and practitioners. The panelists diagnose the problem or problems, analyse their causes, and make policy-level recommendations that go beyond the immediate situation presented in the case.

Readers are requested to send interesting caselets for possible use by Vikalpa. Kindly send three copies to the Editor, Vikalpa.
Frontiers of management research abroad
Authors: Jain Gautam Raj
Published: September 2016

“The whole in a nutshell!” That is Frontiers of management research abroad. To expose Indian readers to management research abroad we present in this feature jargon free summaries of recent research published in some of the world's leading management journals. These capsule summaries would, we hope, lead the enthusiastic readers to still wider reading. And also to contribute to this feature themselves.

Readers are requested to send condensed articles and their publication details to Professor Samir Barua.
Some reflections on textile demand
Authors: Roy Siddhartha
Published: September 2016

In both the Indian urban and the rural sectors, the demand for cotton textiles has not only been relatively stagnant, but the top 10 per cent of the population in terms of purchasing power has been raising its share of total expenditure on clothing at the expense of the poorer sections. While until 1973 the demand for finer varieties of cloth grew rapidly and that for coarse and medium varieties shrank, since the mid-70s competition from blended and synthetic fabrics and from the decentralized sector have hit all varieties of mill-made cotton cloth. Estimates of price elasticities of cloth and foodgrains indicate that it may be possible to stimulate cotton textile demand by reducing the margins on mill-made cloth. This would require some restructuring of the mill cloth distribution system.
A managerial perspective on human resource planning
Authors: Orpen Christopher
Published: September 2016

The business environment is changing in a way that requires managers to engage in significantly more human resource planning. Human resource planning can lead to improvements in productivity when it is supported by efforts to clarify job roles, to provide training and development for workers, and to engage in comprehensive performance appraisals. The paper develops guidelines for making human resource planning more effective.
Organizational commitment and satisfaction of professionals and nonprofessionals in cooperatives
Authors: Balaji C.
Published: September 2016

Based on data from 90 professionally qualified and 79 nonprofessionally qualified managers in 9 cooperatives, professionals were found to have weaker organizational commitment (OC) than did nonprofessionals. Though the overall satisfaction levels were the same for the two groups, salient and nonsalient expectations satisfaction were found to explain OC of professionals while only nonsalient expectations satisfaction explained OC significantly in nonprofessionals. Implications for decision makers in cooperatives are drawn from these and other additional findings.
Multicoops: Parameters for success
Authors: Phansalkar S.J. , Srinivasan R.
Published: September 2016

Farmers' multipurpose cooperative societies (multicoops) have been widely perceived as effective grassroot organizations for making available to farmers a variety of goods and services: credit, inputs, processing, marketing, etc. Despite a favourable state policy, multicoops have seldom lived up to such expectations. This paper examines the activities of multicoops and their special features in order to understand causes of their failure and explore means of averting such failure. This paper uses the strategic management framework to understand the tasks, structures, and relationships with the environment.
Collaborative innovation: The case of Swaraj Tractor
Authors: Chaudhuri Shekhar
Published: September 2016

Innovative management features brief accounts of novel off-beat management. These are accounts of creatively managed organizations or of innovative handling of management issues. As for the others, we invite contributions and comments from readers for this feature too.
Financial performance of diversified companies in India: A comparative study of diversified and non-diversified companies
Authors: Paul George
Published: September 2016

The financial performance of 32 relatively matched pairs of diversifying and non-diversifying companies in five Indian industries is compared. The findings indicate that diversifiers generally outperform non-diversifiers on indicators of growth, profitability, safety, and market evaluation. However, inter-industry differences in the benefits of diversification indicate that diversification is selectively useful.
Diagnostic
Authors: Gupta Anil
Published: September 2016

In this feature a caselet with rich policy implications is presented to a panel. The panelists diagnose the problem, analyse the causes, and make policy‐level recommendations that go beyond the immediate situation presented.

Readers are welcome to send interesting caselets (three copies) to' the Editor for possible use.
Frontiers of Management Research Abroad
Authors: Ramesh G.
Published: September 2016

“The whole in a nutshell!” that is Frontiers of management research abroad. This feature presents jargon‐free summaries of recent research published in some of the world's leading management journals.

Readers are welcome to send condensed articles (three copies) and their publication details to Professor Samir Barua.
Rural marketing: A developmental approach
Authors: Rao K.L.K. , Tagat Ramesh G.
Published: September 2016

The paper argues for a new role for rural marketing, namely, that of delivering a better standard of living and quality of life for the rural people. It discusses the role of conflict, corporation, and competition in the modernization of rural society brought by rural marketing. It conceptualizes rural marketing as an interactive activity in which the major participants are the government, voluntary agencies, the corporate sector, and the rural clientele, each with its distinctive activities, mode of operating, and stake.
Capitalization of interest on long‐term borrowings : Are its benefits worth the costs in professional standards?
Authors: Kuchhal S.C.
Published: September 2016

The practice of capitalizing the interest due over the contracted period on long-term borrowings as part of the value of fixed assets has spread widely in the last three years. In this study, the author examines the rationale and motives of corporate management in adopting this practice and brings out its merits and demerits. While the practice provides immediate tax gains and an opportunity for window-dressing, it has far-reaching, implications for professional management and accounting in the corporate sector in India. It is argued that while tax incentives can be provided through other m'eans, the practice of capitalization of interest affects the standards of practice in accounting and management. He suggests that the Government of India or the Supreme Court should take a firm stand against it and do it quickly.
How can milk cooperatives serve their members better?
Authors: Gupta V.K. , Murthy K.R.S.
Published: September 2016

Based on a study of milk cooperatives in Gujarat and Maharashstra the authors suggest that integration helps serve producers better. They suggest how managers of dairy cooperatives and government policy makers can promote the development of integrated cooperatives.
Diagnostic
Authors: Santhalakshmi K.
Published: September 2016

Diagnostic is a feature in which a caselet with rich policy implications is presented to a panel. The panelists diagnose the problem, analyse the causes, and make policy-level recommendations that go beyond the immediate situation presented.

In this issue of Vikalpa we present an American case of alleged sex discrimination in promotion-an issue of emerging importance. Five panelists—D.M. Shirodkar, Meena Choksey, Deepti Bhatnagar, Pramod Verma, and K. Santhalakshmi—diagnose the case and discuss the issue of sex discrimination in the Indian context.

Readers are Welcome to share their reactions to this case, their own experiences as well as send caselets to this feafure of Vikalpa.
Raising Funds from the Capital Market: Challenges for the Private Sector
Authors: Patil RH
Published: September 2016

In this Perspectives piece, R H Patil, a specialist on capital markets and stock exchanges, analyses the challenging task before the private corporate sector in raising funds from the capital market to meet the investment targets envisaged in the Seventh Plan. Author of several articles on capital markets and finance, R H Patil is General Manager (Research & Planning], Industrial Development Bank of India, Bombay.
How to Price a Share for Acquisition
Authors: Roy Malay Kanti
Published: September 2016

Although take‐overs are becoming important means of diversification, there is no established technique which incorporates uncertainties involved and gives a range of values of a target firm which can form the basis for offering a price.

Using a model of the firm's cash flows after acquisition, Malay Kanti Roy simulates the likely cash flow streams from the acquisition of India Cements for various values of the key variables such as growth rate and earnings before interest and taxes. He shows how such models and simulation analyses can help negotiators set upper and lower limits for a take-over bid.
Reliability as a Marketing Tool
Authors: V D K R Sarma , V Krishna Rao A , Rao Dattatraya
Published: September 2016

Reliability, a statistical concept, is the probability an item or system in use will operate over a specified period of time. The concept can be used as a marketing tool to aid decisions such as on war‐ „ ranty periods, after‐sales service networks, and their staffing.
Organization Innovation and Training of Personnel: A Key to Better Utilization of Irrigation Potential
Authors: Srivastava U K
Published: September 2016

With the shifting of the emphasis from construction of new irrigation projects to better utilization of the already created irrigation potential in the Seventh Plan, there is a need to find out why the Command Area Development Agencies (CADAs), created specifically for this purpose over a. decade ago, have failed to achieve the anticipated results.

Based on his study of CADAs in a number of states, UK Srivastava identifies two missing links: (1) organizational innovation to create unified responsibility for utilization of already created irrigation potential at the national CADA and small unit area levels and (2) the need to train CADA personnel to deai with the farmers arid their problems in actually utilizing the irrigation potential created.
Financial Ratios for Bankruptcy Prediction A Consensus Approach
Authors: Ariyo Ademola
Published: September 2016

Bankruptcy prediction is essentially a judgemental task. Yet, most models use statistical methods to select the relevant financial variables for prediction. This study provides behavioural evidence from 31 bank managers and officers of financial institutions in Nigeria on the appropriateness of the choice of variables for bankruptcy prediction.

The study finds that there was a consensus on short‐term liquidity ratios being consistent predictors of financial distress, a finding which confirms the usual choice of these variables based on statistical models.

Interestingly, the short-term lending orientation of the financial institutions represented on the study appears to have yielded a consensus in the respondents' preference for the short-term liquidity ratios. The study finds that the level of experience of the manager has an important bearing on the choice of variables to be used in predicting bankruptcy.
Marketing Practices of Nigerian Manufacturers : Distribution Concerns Dominate
Authors: Etuk Efiong J
Published: September 2016

Based on the results of a survey of 199 randomly selected manufacturing firms in Nigeria, Efiong Etuk concludes that distribution rather than product development effort was the most important facet of their overall marketing strategy. A majority of the firms made the necessary market contacts through salesmen and middlemen. The media used for advertising most frequently were newspapers and radio rather than television.
Better Evaluation of a Lease
Authors: Raghunathan V
Published: September 2016

In the October-December 1986 issue, Vikalpa published an article on leasing by I M Pandey who outlined an approach to lease evaluation, treating leasing as functionally equivalent to debt and using the borrowing rate for discounting cashflows.

V Raghunathan argues in this article that treating leasing as functionally equivalent to debt is flawed. He outlines an investment approach to evaluating a lease using the weighted average cost of capital for discounting instead of the borrowing rate. In addition to outlining his approach, Raghunathan comments on the Indian leasing scene and on the myths and realities about leasing.
Issues in Lease Evaluation
Authors: Pandey I M
Published: September 2016

How should a lease be evaluated? Vikalpa published an article on “Myths and Realities about Leasing” (October- December 1986) in which I M Pandey introduced two methods of evaluation, the Equivalent Loan Method and the Net Advantage of Leasing Method. Pandey considered the impact ofa lease as functionally equivalent to that of debt. He used the borrowing rate to discount lease rentals and tax shields in both methods.

In the April-June 1987 issue, Vikalpa carried an article by V Raghunathan entitled “Better Evaluation of a Lease.” Raghunathan critiqued Pandey's approach. He proposed a method involving a comparison between purchasing an asset and leasing it, treating each as an investment decision. He used the weighted average cost of capital for discounting cashflows.

In this Notes and Comments feature, the authors discuss the conceptual issues underlying these methods of evaluating a lease.
Lending Practices of Financial Institutions: A Critical View
Authors: Siddharth R
Published: September 2016

In the first article, Siddharth takes an unconventional view of the lending practices of banks and financial institutions He criticizes the concepts such as debt-equity norms adopted and institutional attitudes towards entrepreneurs and risk.

To give a balanced perspective, Vikalpa also presents comments of a development banker on Siddharth's views. Vikalpa hopes that this article will generate further sharing of experiences and research.

In the April-June issue, Vikalpa published an article by T K Moulik titled “Problems and Challenges in Wool Development.” In this feature, Upendra Patel, Chairman and Managing Director of Shri Dinesh Mills Ltd, Vadodara, under whose chairmanship the Indian woollen industry collaborated with the Gujarat Government in sheep and wool development, comments on Moulik's article.

Upendra Patel points out that policy makers should decide whether sheep rearing should be for production of meat or for production of wool. A clear choice of objective is critical due to the acute shortage of grazing lands and high demand for carpet quality wool.
Notes and Comments
Authors: Mehta Sanat
Published: September 2016

Vikalpa publishes three responses to K R S Murthy's article “Do Public Enterprises Need a Corporate Strategy?” (April-June 1987).

Professor Laxmi Narain agrees with Murthy's argument that the strategic competence of public sector enterprises is low. However, he questions whether the conditions and context of high level competence can be laid down as requirements for formulating a corporate strategy. He argues that public enterprises do need a strategy while their environment and competence would decide the extent of their success.

Agreeing with Murthy's arguments, Professor S K Chakraborty suggests that the government should withdraw from managing the enterprises.

Former Finance Minister of Gujarat Shri Sanat Mehta points out that chairmen and managing directors of the profit making public enterprises behave almost like Rajas and waste resources. He states that public enterprises have a role to play in spreading social justice.
What Can Financial Institutions do to Prevent Corporate Sickness?
Authors: Khandwalla Pradip N
Published: September 2016

Corporate sickness has reached the proportions of an epidemic. Yet more than four-fifths of the large sick units are considered potentially viable.

Public financial institutions have a major stake in the revival of sick units, because they assist most and up to well over half their invested capital. What can they do to prevent sickness?

Professor Khandwalla conducted an interview-cum-questionnaire study of officials, especially 36 rehabilitation officers closely involved with sick units.

While inappropriate management is the major cause of sickness, financial institutions' own procedures arid practices are also an important cause. Several recommendations emerge from the study for remedying the situation through early detection and timely preventive action.
Training Farmers for Mechanization
Authors: Sharan Girja
Published: September 2016

Effective utilization of farm machinery requires more than transfer of information. New skills have to be built among farmers, especially those introducing machinery for the first time.

Building such skills requires infrastructure, trained personnel and time. The total capacity to train of the Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes of the Government of India at Budni, Hissar and Garladinne as well as the 20 agricultural universities in the country amounts to only about 7,000 a year compared to a need of about 25,000.

Girja Sharan discusses how interinstitutional collaboration can help bridge the gap to enable farmers to realize the full benefits of mechanization.