Showing papers by "Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad published in 2009"
TL;DR: The case study analyzes the trends in maternal mortality nationally, the maternal healthcare-delivery system at different levels, and the implementation of national maternal health programmes, including recent innovative strategies, and identifies the causes for limited success in improving maternal health and suggests measures to rectify them.
Abstract: Since the beginning of the Safe Motherhood Initiative, India has accounted for at least a quarter of maternal deaths reported globally. India’s goal is to lower maternal mortality to less than 100 per 100,000 livebirths but that is still far away despite its programmatic efforts and rapid economic progress over the past two decades. Geographical vastness and sociocultural diversity mean that maternal mortality varies across the states, and uniform implementation of health-sector reforms is not possible. The case study analyzes the trends in maternal mortality nationally, the maternal healthcare-delivery system at different levels, and the implementation of national maternal health programmes, including recent innovative strategies. It identifies the causes for limited success in improving maternal health and suggests measures to rectify them. It recommends better reporting of maternal deaths and implementation of evidence-based, focused strategies along with effective monitoring for rapid progress. It also stresses the need for regulation of the private sector and encourages further public-private partnerships and policies, along with a strong political will and improved management capacity for improving maternal health.
178 citations
TL;DR: Flood forecasting at Jamtara gauging site of the Ajay River Basin in Jharkhand, India is carried out using an artificial neural network (ANN), an adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system (ANFIS) model, and an adaptive Neuro-GA integrated system (ANGis) model.
Abstract: Flood forecasting at Jamtara gauging site of the Ajay River Basin in Jharkhand, India is carried out using an artificial neural network (ANN) model, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system (ANFIS) model, and an adaptive neuro-GA integrated system (ANGIS) model. Relative performances of these models are also compared. Initially the ANN model is developed and is then integrated with fuzzy logic to develop an ANFIS model. Further, the ANN weights are optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) to develop an ANGIS model. For development of these models, 20 rainfall–runoff events are selected, of which 15 are used for model training and five are used for validation. Various performance measures are used to evaluate and compare the performances of different models. For the same input data set ANGIS model predicts flood events with maximum accuracy. ANFIS and ANN model perform similarly in some cases, but ANFIS model predicts better than the ANN model in most of the cases.
173 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) can mitigate CO2 emissions from coal-based large point source clusters and therefore would play a key role in mitigating both energy security risks for India and global climate change risks.
115 citations
TL;DR: The objective of the study was to explore the targeting of the Chiranjeevi Scheme, its coverage, and socioeconomic profile of the beneficiaries and to assess financial protection offered by the scheme, if any, in Dahod, one of the initial pilot districts of Gujarat.
Abstract: Maternal mortality is an important public-health issue in India, specifically in Gujarat. Contributing factors are the Government's inability to operationalize the First Referral Units and to provide an adequate level of skilled birth attendants, especially to the poor. In response, the Gujarat state has developed a unique public-private partnership called the Chiranjeevi Scheme. This scheme focuses on institutional delivery, specifically emergency obstetric care for the poor. The objective of the study was to explore the targeting of the scheme, its coverage, and socioeconomic profile of the beneficiaries and to assess financial protection offered by the scheme, if any, in Dahod, one of the initial pilot districts of Gujarat. A household-level survey of beneficiaries (n=262) and non-users (n=394) indicated that the scheme is well-targeted to the poor but many poor people do not use the services. The beneficiaries saved more than Rs 3,000 (US$ 75) in delivery-related expenses and were generally satisfied with the scheme. The study provided insights on how to improve the scheme further. Such a financing scheme could be replicated in other states and countries to address the cost barrier, especially in areas where high numbers of private specialists are available.
97 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a case study of Tamil Nadu's progress in reducing maternal mortality, showing how Tamil Nadu has taken initiatives to improve maternal health services leading to reduction in maternal morality from 380 in 1993 to 90 in 2007.
Abstract: Although India has made slow progress in reducing maternal mortality, progress in Tamil Nadu has been rapid. This case study documents how Tamil Nadu has taken initiatives to improve maternal health services leading to reduction in maternal morality from 380 in 1993 to 90 in 2007. Various initiatives include establishment of maternal death registration and audit, establishment and certification of comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn-care centres, 24-hour x 7-day delivery services through posting of three staff nurses at the primary health centre level, and attracting medical officers to rural areas through incentives in terms of reserved seats in postgraduate studies and others. This is supported by the better management capacity at the state and district levels through dedicated public-health officers. Despite substantial progress, there is some scope for further improvement of quality of infrastructure and services. The paper draws out lessons for other states and countries in the region.
95 citations
TL;DR: To document an innovative public–private partnership between the government of Gujarat, India and private obstetricians in rural areas that provides delivery care to the poor.
85 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: The authors found that households that receive international remittances tend to rely more on cash reserves and less on selling household assets or livestock to cope with drought, suggesting that they are better prepared against natural disasters.
Abstract: Macro- and micro-economic evidence suggests a positive role of remittances in preparing households against natural disasters and in coping with the loss afterwards. Analysis of cross-country macroeconomic data shows that remittances increase in the aftermath of natural disasters in countries that have a larger number of migrants abroad. Analysis of household survey data in Bangladesh shows that per capita consumption was higher in remittance-receiving households than in others after the 1998 flood. Ethiopian households that receive international remittances seem to rely more on cash reserves and less on selling household assets or livestock to cope with drought. In Burkina Faso and Ghana, international remittance-receiving households, especially those receiving remittances from high-income developed countries, tend to have housing built of concrete rather than mud and greater access to communication equipment, suggesting that they are better prepared against natural disasters.
75 citations
TL;DR: This case study identified several challenges for reducing the maternal mortality ratio, including lack of the managerial capacity, shortage of skilled human resources, non-availability of blood in rural areas, and infrastructural and supply bottlenecks.
Abstract: Gujarat state of India has come a long way in improving the health indicators since independence, but progress in reducing maternal mortality has been slow and largely unmeasured or documented. This case study identified several challenges for reducing the maternal mortality ratio, including lack of the managerial capacity, shortage of skilled human resources, non-availability of blood in rural areas, and infrastructural and supply bottlenecks. The Gujarat Government has taken several initiatives to improve maternal health services, such as partnership with private obstetricians to provide delivery care to poor women, a relatively-short training of medical officers and nurses to provide emergency obstetric care (EmOC), and an improved emergency transport system. However, several challenges still remain. Recommendations are made for expanding the management capacity for maternal health, operationalization of health facilities, and ensuring EmOC on 24/7 (24 hours a day, seven days a week) basis by posting nurse-midwives and trained medical officers for skilled care, ensuring availability of blood, and improving the registration and auditing of all maternal deaths. However, all these interventions can only take place if there are substantially-increased political will and social awareness.
53 citations
TL;DR: It is found that task shifting of anaesthesia services has been effective in expanding coverage and access to care in South Asia, but most programmes have not been implemented systematically as part of an overall human resources strategy.
51 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the framework to promote renewable energy through a framework which puts into place Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) mechanism and provisions for a surcharge levied upon noncompliance of RPO targets and also a mechanism to meet RPO through trading of certificates.
Abstract: Generation deficit in India is in the range of 9% and the scenario is expected to get grimmer in the context of high growth rate of the country. With peak power shortage as high as 15.2% ( Source : Annual report FY08, MoP) the nation needs to harness all forms of generation including renewables, which currently has a meager share of 8% of the total generation in the country at present. Shooting price of crude oil reaching up to $135 (May 2008) per barrel along with increasing awareness and concerns about environment, the stage seems to be set for an increased mix of Renewable Energy (RE) into the overall energy requirement in the country. Keeping the concern for environment and energy security for the country in mind, government of India has been putting emphasis on promotion of renewable energy sources. Central and state government policies have always been instrumental in the propagation of capacity additions in renewable energy power. One of the main aims of these policies has been on increasing the private sector participation in this sector. In the pre-reform period, the state governments took policy decisions regarding financial incentives, buy-back tariff and other measures targeting investment in renewable energy. However, the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) are now responsible for many of these tasks. SERCs have come up with a host of initiatives, inline with their functions laid down in the Electricity Act 2003, to increase the share of renewable energy inside their respective States. Despite the efforts of SERCs, large potential of renewable energy generation remains untapped. There is lack of clarity on how to promote renewable energy generation inside states which are not having significant renewable energy generation potential. This paper explores the way in which SERCs can introduce measures to further promote renewable energy generation inside the country. We discuss in detail the framework to promote renewable energy through a framework which puts into place Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) mechanism. The framework includes setting of RPO targets, provisions for a surcharge levied upon non-compliance of RPO targets and also a mechanism to meet RPO through trading of certificates.
49 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors considered the permutation flow shop scheduling problem with earliness and tardiness penalties (E/T) and common due date for jobs, and proposed a heuristic based approach for solving the problem over the entire range of due dates.
Abstract: We consider the permutation flow shop scheduling problem with earliness and tardiness penalties (E/T) and common due date for jobs. We show that the problem can be sub-divided into three cases: (i) the due date is such that all jobs are necessarily tardy; (ii) the due date is unrestricted; and (iii) the due date is between the two. Based on analytical results we provide partial characterisation of the optimal solution and develop a comprehensive approach for solving the problem over the entire range of due dates. Our approach, which draws upon the existing literature and results for the single machine problem, successfully exploits the properties of the optimal solution. Limited computational results indicate that the performance of the heuristic is reasonable and has the potential to significantly improve performance. This approach has been incorporated as part of the scheduling module of the production planning and scheduling system we developed for a medium-sized bulk drug manufacturer.
TL;DR: The main potential CO 2 storage sites in India are located in the saline aquifers and oil and gas fields around the margins of the peninsula, especially offshore, but also onshore in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan as discussed by the authors.
TL;DR: In this article, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, PHOENICS, was used to simulate several innovative condenser structures and found a robust correlation between the condenser cooling ability and the corresponding dew yield.
TL;DR: A public-private partnership scheme between the Government of Gujarat, in India, and private obstetricians practising in rural areas to provide delivery care to poor women is described in this article.
Abstract: PROBLEM: India has the world's largest number of maternal deaths estimated at 117 000 per year. Past efforts to provide skilled birth attendants and emergency obstetric care in rural areas have not succeeded because obstetricians are not willing to be posted in government hospitals at subdistrict level. APPROACH: We have documented an innovative public-private partnership scheme between the Government of Gujarat, in India, and private obstetricians practising in rural areas to provide delivery care to poor women. LOCAL SETTING: In April 2007, the majority of poor women delivered their babies at home without skilled care. RELEVANT CHANGES: More than 800 obstetricians joined the scheme and more than 176 000 poor women delivered in private facilities. We estimate that the coverage of deliveries among poor women under the scheme increased from 27% to 53% between April and October 2007. The programme is considered very successful and shows that these types of social health insurance programmes can be managed by the state health department without help from any insurance company or international donor. LESSONS LEARNED: At least in some areas of India, it is possible to develop large-scale partnerships with the private sector to provide skilled birth attendants and emergency obstetric care to poor women at a relatively small cost. Poor women will take up the benefit of skilled delivery care rapidly, if they do not have to pay for it.
TL;DR: This work examines the impact of a second procurement opportunity on inventory management of products with short selling seasons and casts the models as sequential decision-making problems to reduce the optimization problems into sequential and embedded searches for the concerned decision variables.
Abstract: Motivated by many recent applications reported in the literature, we examine the impact of a second procurement opportunity on inventory management of products with short selling seasons. In our framework, the first order is placed at the start of the preseason and delivered at the start of the selling season; the second order is placed at or after the start of the selling season for subsequent delivery. Under this framework, the decision maker must make three interrelated choices: the first order quantity, when to place the second order, and the second order quantity. Our focus is on elucidating the optimal policy structure for the three interrelated decisions. By casting our models as sequential decision-making problems, we are able to reduce the optimization problems into sequential and embedded searches for the concerned decision variables that allow us to identify the conditions on the economic parameters and demand distribution to effectively facilitate the search for the optimal solutions.
TL;DR: In this scenario, the union organizing call centre employees envisaged that partnership with employers was the only possibility acceptable to call centre agents, employer organisations and society at large, enabling them to regain some acceptability and credibility for the heretofore tainted Indian trade union movement as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The extremely challenging external environment poses numerous challenges to union formation among call centre agents in India. Complicating matters is the acquired professional identity of call centre agents. In this scenario, the union organising call centre employees envisaged that partnership with employers was the only possibility acceptable to call centre agents, employer organisations and society at large, enabling them to regain some acceptability and credibility for the heretofore tainted Indian trade union movement.
TL;DR: In this article, the current state of management of human resources in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in India is explored and the owner-managers play important roles in managing human resources.
Abstract: In this article, the current state of management of human resources in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in India is explored. The owner-managers play important roles in managing human resources ...
TL;DR: In this article, an exploratory study of union formation in the Indian call centre/business process outsourcing sector is presented, drawing upon evidence from the first detailed survey of members of the recently formed UNITES, and from extensive interviews.
Abstract: In this exploratory study of union formation in the Indian call centre/business process outsourcing sector, the authors draw upon evidence from the first detailed survey of members of the recently formed UNITES, and from extensive interviews. This paper engages with mobilisation theory and analyses of trade union formation.
TL;DR: The study concludes that well crafted and well managed developmental policies could result in enhanced resilience of communities and systems, and lower health impacts due to climate change.
Abstract: India has reasons to be concerned about climate change. Over 650 million people depend on climate-sensitive sectors, such as rain-fed agriculture and forestry, for livelihood and over 973 million people are exposed to vector borne malarial parasites. Projection of climatic factors indicates a wider exposure to malaria for the Indian population in the future. If precautionary measures are not taken and development processes are not managed properly some developmental activities, such as hydro-electric dams and irrigation canal systems, may also exacerbate breeding grounds for malaria. This article integrates climate change and developmental variables in articulating a framework for integrated impact assessment and adaptation responses, with malaria incidence in India as a case study. The climate change variables include temperature, rainfall, humidity, extreme events, and other secondary variables. Development variables are income levels, institutional mechanisms to implement preventive measures, infrastructure development that could promote malarial breeding grounds, and other policies. The case study indicates that sustainable development variables may sometimes reduce the adverse impacts on the system due to climate change alone, while it may sometimes also exacerbate these impacts if the development variables are not managed well and therefore they produce a negative impact on the system. The study concludes that well crafted and well managed developmental policies could result in enhanced resilience of communities and systems, and lower health impacts due to climate change.
TL;DR: There are many managerial challenges in blood-transfusion services in India, which calls for strengthening the planning and monitoring of these services, and Maharashtra provides a good model for improvement.
Abstract: Blood-transfusion services are vital to maternal health because haemorrhage and anaemia are major causes of maternal death in South Asia. Unfortunately, due to continued governmental negligence, blood-transfusion services in India are a highly-fragmented mix of competing independent and hospital-based bloodbanks, serving the needs of urban populations. This paper aims to understand the existing systems of blood-transfusion services in India focusing on Maharashtra and Gujarat states. A mix of methodologies, including literature review (including government documents), analysis of management information system data, and interviews with key officials was used. Results of analysis showed that there are many managerial challenges in blood-transfusion services, which calls for strengthening the planning and monitoring of these services. Maharashtra provides a good model for improvement. Unless this is done, access to blood in rural areas may remain poor.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors make use of comparable datasets, estimate Mincer equations and perform Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions at the mean and at different points of the wage distribution.
Abstract: This paper is one of the first comprehensive attempts to compare earnings in urban China and India over the recent period. While both economies have grown considerably, we illustrate significant cross-country differences in wage growth since the late 1980s. For this purpose, we make use of comparable datasets, estimate Mincer equations and perform Oaxaca–Blinder decompositions at the mean and at different points of the wage distribution. The initial wage differential in favor of Indian workers, observed in the middle and upper part of the distribution, partly disappears over time. While the 1980s Indian premium is mainly due to higher returns to education and experience, a combination of price and endowment effects explains why Chinese wages have caught up, especially since the mid-1990s. The price effect is only partly explained by the observed convergence in returns to education; the endowment effect is driven by faster increase in education levels in China and significantly accentuates the reversal of the wage gap in favor of this country for the first half of the wage distribution.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors tried to understand gas demand in future from electricity sector by modeling the future demand for gas in India from the electricity sector under alternative scenarios for the period 2005-2025, using bottom-up ANSWER MARKAL model.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify drivers of the land market in India and compare the level of resource productivity under different land lease arrangements and conclude that short-term land lease contracts are relatively less productive than owner cultivated land.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the differences in the average log earnings of Hindu and Muslim wage earners in India, during the 1987-2005 period, and found that education differences between the two groups are largely responsible for the differences.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a reflective perspective on the scope that social entrepreneurship offers to non-governmental development work in the Indian context and review the concept of social entrepreneurship as it has developed in Western liberal democracies where a rethinking of the welfare state has taken place.
Abstract: This article presents a reflective perspective on the scope that social entrepreneurship offers to non-governmental development work in the Indian context. Beginning with the early corporate efforts to do good to society, the article outlines the history of nongovernmental action through its charity, community welfare, developmental and mobilisational and ‘post-developmentalist neo-liberal political economy’ phases. It then reviews the concept of social entrepreneurship as it has developed in Western liberal democracies where a rethinking of the welfare state has taken place. While the ideology of social entrepreneurship seems to reside naturally in the current phase, only some of its aspects seem to offer growth trajectories for non-governmental work in the near future. Though the foundations and trusts that the early business entrepreneurs established did provide the initial stratum for future non-governmental work, in recent times the charitable-philanthropic orientation of business has evolved into a ...
TL;DR: In this article, a case describing the setting up of an offshore analytics operation is presented, which gives a backdrop to the challenges faced in relatively high end value creation processes in a remote outsourced (offshore) environment.
Abstract: Purpose – International outsourcing has been traditionally looked upon as a low end cost effective servicing option to take advantage of the cost arbitrage that exists across countries. Of late, many outsourcing vendors have realized that the advantages of cost differentials that spurred a lot of the global outsourcing business in the past 20 years will disappear in the medium term. The purpose of this paper is to provide a perspective about how much value addition, besides cost, traditional outsourcing vendors can provide and what may be the facilitator/inhibitors of such activities.Design/methodology/approach – A case describing the setting up of an offshore analytics operation is presented, which gives a backdrop to the challenges faced in relatively high end value creation processes in a remote outsourced (offshore) environment. This provides some empirical support to a proposed model for facilitating the outsourcing of value‐added services.Findings – A model is proposed for determining the degree to ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors extend the ideas underpinning the concept of social entrepreneurs to teachers who have created social value in the contexts of socio-economic and educational deprivation, such as poverty.
Abstract: This article extends the ideas underpinning the concept of ‘social entrepreneurs’ to teachers who have created social value in the contexts of socio-economic and educational deprivation. Such teach...
TL;DR: This article explored a Converging framework of the Affect and Cognition components of attitude and tested their independent impact on store format choice behavior and found that affect operates independently and has stronger impact on format choice especially in more evolved stores.
Abstract: Store choice has been studied extensively in the literature, but store format choice has had limited research attention. The store format choice for bulk grocery purchase being a rational context is well conceptualized in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Attitude behaviour linkages are well explored but there is rare consensus on the components of attitude, their interrelationship and resultant impact on conation. The Theory of Reasoned Action has evolved over time to incorporate perceived behavioral control and past behavior to improve its explanatory capability as TPB; however, it has maintained its unidimensionalist approach and has not tested affect and cognition independently for its impact on behavior. This paper explores a Converging framework of the Affect and Cognition components of attitude and tests their independent impact on store format choice behaviour. The results indicate that Affect operates independently and has stronger impact on format choice especially in more evolved ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of in-game placements on the explicit memory of Indian gamers was examined using a sample of 240 players and two games of different nature (fast versus slow) were used as stimuli and the recall and recognition of the in game placements were compared.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of in‐game placements on the explicit memory of Indian gamers and understand their attitude towards this form of communication. It attempts to find out whether the memory effects differ due to the nature of the games. The avenues for in‐game placements for the rapidly growing Indian video gaming industry are discussed.Design/methodology/approach – The effect of the nature of the game on the recall and recognition is measured using a sample of 240 gamers; two games of different nature (fast versus slow) are used as stimuli and the recall and recognition of the in‐game placements are compared. Subsequently the perceptions towards this type of placement are tapped. The moderating effect of gaming experience on the explicit memory is also tested.Findings – The paper finds that in‐game placements do affect the explicit memory of gamers. Games with lower perceptual load (slow game) result in a significantly higher recall and recognition as compared to...
Posted Content•
TL;DR: A major negative consequence of this underdeveloped and distorted market is that promoters of industrial and infrastructure projects have eschewed market negotiations for land acquisition and have favored the use of eminent domain powers as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: There are certain inherent problems with land because of its peculiar characteristics, which impede the natural emergence of a well-functioning market. The legal and regulatory framework can potentially overcome these problems. In India, despite some reform efforts, the land market continues to be highly distorted and inefficient. Land records are inaccurate, outdated, and incomprehensive. There are widespread uncertainties relating to land titles, which have hurt the market. Transaction costs are significantly high by international standards, which have discouraged formal land transactions. Initiatives which could have made the market function better have not been taken; while some regulations have been introduced which have introduced or magnified the distortions in the market. A major negative consequence of this underdeveloped and distorted market is that promoters of industrial and infrastructure projects have eschewed market negotiations for land acquisition and have favored the use of eminent domain powers. While reforms have begun in many areas, an area that has been left untouched relates to regulatory restraints on land use. The most notable has been the requirement of NAC. Because the clearance is typically given after land is transferred from one party to another, there is a significant transfer of wealth from farmers to project proponents, which has been the source of a great deal of social discontent. The elimination of this restriction on land use would go a long way towards making the land market a great deal more efficient than it is now.