Showing papers by "Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad published in 1990"
TL;DR: This paper studied the Indian managerial culture based upon a sample of 176 managers from 56 organizations and analyzed variations in scores due to age, education and the nature of job, etc., and found that Indian managers' scores are low on all four dimensions.
Abstract: Replication studies using Hofstede's Values Survey Module (VSM) show that scores on the four dimensions of culture tend to vary considerably for different samples. The present research studied the Indian managerial culture based upon a sample of 176 managers from 56 organizations and analysed variations in scores due to age, education and the nature of job, etc. The results show that considering the effective range of the scales, the Indian managers' scores are low on all four dimensions. Results also show that cultural scores tend to vary selectively with age, education, nature of job and economic sector. Variations in power distance were related to preferred and perceived style of the superior, in uncertainty avoidance to stress at work and employment stability, in individualism to the importance of cooperative colleagues and desirable area for living, and in masculinity to cooperative colleagues, and opportunities for earning and advancement. Finally, the results show that different dimensions have var...
138 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors arrive at rough estimates of the delays and cost overruns, and the opportunity cost in terms of the extracapital X time' that is used up.
Abstract: Delays and cost overruns in Public Sector investments can raise the capital-output ratio in the sector and elsewhere, bringing down the efficacy of investments. Yet there are no estimates of the delays and cost overruns, and of their opportunity cost. This study arrives at rough estimates of the delays and cost overruns, and the opportunity cost in terms of the extracapital X time' that is used up. Cost overruns (at 80%) and the extracapital X time' incurred (about 190%) are very large; even after removing the increase due to inflation! The reasons for the same are also identified and rated. Factors internal to the public sector system and Government largely account for the delays and cost overruns: Poor project design and implementation, inadequate funding of projects, bureaucratic indecision, and the lack of coordination between enterprises. Appraisal by the Government very often is devoid of meaning when the emphasis is only on the form of the project proposal rather than on its content- a tendency quite usual in bureaucracies. Since the public enterprises particularly those in the core sector have large dealings with each other, avicious circle of delays' has been built up. The politically expedient tendency to take up large numbers of projects and short fund them all, except those with the very highest priority, is perhaps the most important factor in delays. The Government's ad hoc approach in according high priority to certain sectors- oil and natural gas, and petroleum- while perhaps overcoming the problem in these sectors have compounded the problem elsewhere, particularly in the infra-structural areas- railways, coal and steel.
137 citations
TL;DR: A manpower planning model is developed with the objective of minimizing the manpower system costs and has been found to be analogous to the Wagner-Whitin model in production/inventory management.
Abstract: The manpower planning models available in the literature have dealt with how changes take place in a manpower planning system, under various operating and policy constraints. However, none of these models has identified the manpower system costs. In this paper we have identified various manpower system costs. Further, we have developed a manpower planning model with the objective of minimizing the manpower system costs. The model has been found to be analogous to the Wagner-Whitin model in production/inventory management. A numerical example has been given to illustrate the model.
49 citations
TL;DR: A system for providing decision support to people who make locational decisions is described in which the domain-specific knowledge of users is combined with the general problem-solving strategies, techniques, and mathematical models of location analysts.
Abstract: A system for providing decision support to people who make locational decisions is described in which the domain-specific knowledge of users is combined with the general problem-solving strategies, techniques, and mathematical models of location analysts. The system elicits and stores separately environmental, procedural, and structural knowledge so that experts in particular problem domains can access, examine, and modify this knowledge. A metaplanner interacts with users to generate scenarios which describe the general problem-solving strategy to be pursued. These scenarios are organised into a series of tractable problems which are solved in a subproblem-solver module consisting of location-allocation and other analytical models. The system enables decisionmakers to examine systematically the results of a series of analyses leading to a desired solution. The approach is suitable for location-selection problems in complex geographical decisionmaking environments.
42 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a cross-culturally validated standardized measure of family involvement, based on the motivational formulation of involvement and alienation (Kanungo, 1979) and studied in a bi-national setting.
Abstract: This article reports on the development of a cross-culturally validated standardized measure of family involvement. Family involvement is operationalized on the basis of the motivational formulation of involvement and alienation (Kanungo, 1979) and studied in a bi-national setting. Data from heterogeneous samples of 269 Indian and 168 Canadian employees reveal that the eight-item family involvement scale has satisfactory psychometric properties. The scale passes the tests of internal consistency, unidimensionality, and construct validity in samples from both the countries. The usefulness of the scale for research and professional work is discussed.
38 citations
01 Oct 1990
TL;DR: A founder is an individual who plays an active role in shaping an organization's current and future state and who generate new ideas as discussed by the authors. But the definition of a "founder" is open to interpretation.
Abstract: Organizations are founded and built by one or a few individuals who may be called founders. A founder who plays an active role in shaping an organization's current and future state and who generate...
15 citations
01 Jan 1990
TL;DR: The United States initiated an eighth round of multilateral trade negotiations (MTNs) at the 1982 GATT ministerial session; this was in the belief that only a fresh round of the MTN would be able to stall the tide of new protectionism and bring about a rollback of trade-distorting measures.
Abstract: To complete the unfinished business of the Tokyo Round and to untangle the complexities spawned by neo-protectionism, the United States initiated an eighth round of multilateral trade negotiations (MTNs) at the 1982 GATT ministerial session; this was in the belief that only a fresh round of the MTN would be able to stall the tide of new protectionism and bring about a roll-back of trade-distorting measures. The GATT ministerial session established a working programme covering a wide range of issues for possible negotiation in a new round; a modest amount of technical and preparatory work was also done in terms of delineating the substance of a new round. The main issues that need to be addressed are reasonably clear.
11 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a survey of various types of energy-price impacts and different estimation techniques used in the past and suggest that the estimation from a system model of the agriculture sector is the best for several reasons.
7 citations
TL;DR: The author argues that this is not due to limited applicability of the OR approach in a developing country context, but in a situation such as India's, it is shown through examples that substantial improvements in the productivity of capital can be achieved by focusing on important application areas.
5 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors establish links between desirable properties satisfied by familiar solutions to bargaining games with a variable population and the Nash equilibrium concept for threat bargaining games, and introduce three new concepts for equilibrium threat strategies called strategic stability, strategic monotonicity with respect to changes in the number of agents and strategic constancy.
Abstract: In this paper we establish links between desirable properties satisfied by familiar solutions to bargaining games with a variable population and the Nash equilibrium concept for threat bargaining games. We introduce three new concepts for equilibrium threat strategies called strategic stability, strategic monotonicity with respect to changes in the number of agents and strategic constancy. Our primary objective in this paper is to show that familiar assumptions satisfied by bargaining games with a variable population yield equilibrium threat strategies which satisfies in a very natural way the concepts we have introduced.
4 citations
01 Jan 1990
TL;DR: Lesotho became a Contracting Party under Article XXVI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in January 1988, bringing GATT membership to 96 as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was established on 30 October 1947, principally by the industrialise countries, which still dominate it because they dominate the international trading scene. Twenty-three countries were the original signatories of the GATT charter. The membership, however, has grown. Lesotho became a Contracting Party under Article XXVI of the General Agreement in January 1988, bringing GATT membership to 96. In addition, one country has acceded provisionally and a further 28 apply in practice the rules of GATT to their commercial policy.
TL;DR: A workshop for OR teachers in Asia was proposed at IFORS 84 and took place at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, in March 1986 as mentioned in this paper, with the main purpose of the workshop being to increase the teaching of OR as an applied subject relevant to decision making.
01 Oct 1990
TL;DR: The Indian capital market has shown signs of buoyancy and dynamism in the recent past and there is a very real need to nurture and to give positive direction to the emerging trends in this sphere of economic activity as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The Indian capital market has shown signs of buoyancy and dynamism in the recent past. There is a very real need, therefore, to nurture and to give positive direction to the emerging trends in this sphere of economic activity. It is in this context that regulatory agencies have a critical role in providing the right kind of support to avoid bunching of issues as well as in protecting investors against manipulation by unscrupulous investors. Have Indian regulatory agencies risen to the occasion by formulating appropriate and adequate policies to facilitate the development of the capital markets in India?
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors set forth not an "ideal" but a "constrained ideal" of a trading regime for the LDCs, which may, indeed, result in optimal resource allocation, but be difficult to put in place.
Abstract: This chapter sets forth not an ‘ideal’, but aLa William Cline a ‘constrained ideal’, of a trading regime for the LDCs. The ideal regime, like perfect competition, may only be notional. It may, indeed, result in optimal resource allocation, but be difficult to put in place. In what follows, we shall try to look at the domestic and international aspects of the international trade strategy for LDCs as well as at the role of the international institutions.
01 Oct 1990
TL;DR: The case presented in this paper focuses on the decisions regarding marketing of solar cookers and readers are invited to comment on the marketing strategy of GEDA and also suggest a future course of action.
Abstract: 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. Readers are invited to comment on the marketing strategy of GEDA and also suggest a future course of action.
01 Oct 1990
TL;DR: Barua and Raghunathan as discussed by the authors examined 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.
Abstract: 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.
TL;DR: In this paper, a problem reduction approach involving successive decomposition of the problem into subproblems until it is trivially solved is proposed. But this approach is not suitable for the case of the defective coin problem.
Abstract: The defective coin problem involves the identification of a defective coin, if any, and ascertaining the nature of the defect (heavier/lighter) from a set of coins containing at the most one defective coin, using an equal‐arm‐pan‐balance. An algorithmic analysis of the problem is considered. The solution strategy to minimise the number of weighings required to detect the defective coin is based on a problem reduction approach involving successive decomposition of the problem into subproblems until it is trivially solved. The algorithm is capable of generating all possible optimal solutions.