Showing papers by "Indian Institute of Management Bangalore published in 2005"

Dimensions of service quality in developed and developing economies: multi‐country cross‐cultural comparisons

Abstract: Post print uploaded as per publisher's request. Link to publisher's version with doi must be available.http://www.emeraldinsight.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/doi/full/10.1108/02651330510602204

Implementing public information systems in developing countries: learning from a success story

Abstract: Public information system (IS) implementations in developing countries have had to confront many serious challenges, and generally have had a poor record of success. In this paper, we report on a series of successful projects implemented in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. We analyze the context and processes involved and consider implications for the success of IS projects in general in developing countries. The lessons can be summarized as: detailed effort and attention to the involvement of multiple groups, innovative organizational structures, a people-orientation in project selection; and persistence over time, backed by committed and knowledgeable leadership. Inc.

Individualism/collectivism and attitudes towards human resource systems: a comparative study of American, Irish and Indian MBA students

Abstract: In this study, we collected data from 180 MBA students from the USA, Ireland and India on their individualism/collectivism (IC) orientations and their preferences for human resource management (HRM) practices. Contrary to expectations, the Indian sample tended to be more individualistic than the American or Irish sample. While there were no differences on the preferences for progressive HRM practices across sample, the Americans exhibited a greater preference for paternalistic practices than the Indians and the Irish. Further, the Americans also showed a greater preference for equality in rewards than the Irish and fairness in appraisals/rewards than the Indians. At the individual level, controlling for nationality, age and gender, higher individualism scores on the supremacy of individual goals and self-reliance dimensions were positively related to progressive HRM practices. Higher individualism on supremacy of individual goals was also positively related to procedural fairness in appraisals/rewards and...

E-Government systems in developing countries: stakeholders and conflict

Abstract: With the widespread deployment of e-government systems in developing countries, and also their high failure rates, it is important to understand the complex processes that underlie successful implementations of large-scale information systems. MIS theory has explicated the nature of conflict in the design of information systems and the reasons why systems are resisted by stakeholders. In this context, it is important to have a nuanced reading of stakeholders in the e-government systems domain to understand the origin of conflict and resistance to such systems. This paper develops a framework for stakeholder groups and uses this to analyze conflict and resistance in four case examples of implemented e-government systems in India.

Analysis of minimum selection H-S/MRC in Rayleigh fading

Abstract: We analyze the error performance of an improved hybrid selection/maximal-ratio combining (H-S/MRC) technique called minimum selection H-S/MRC in flat Rayleigh fading for coherent digital modulation schemes. Here the minimum number of diversity branches are selected such that their combined signal-to-noise ratio is above a given threshold. We derive a closed-form expression for the distribution of the number of selected branches. This distribution is used to obtain the symbol error probability.

Interestingness of association rules in data mining: Issues relevant to e-commerce

Abstract: The ubiquitous low-cost connectivity synonymous with the internet has changed the competitive business environment by dissolving traditional sources of competitive advantage based on size, location and the like. In this level playing field, firms are forced to compete on the basis of knowledge. Data mining tools and techniques provide e-commerce applications with novel and significant knowledge. This knowledge can be leveraged to gain competitive advantage. However, the automated nature of data mining algorithms may result in a glut of patterns — the sheer numbers of which contribute to incomprehensibility. Importance of automated methods that address this immensity problem, particularly with respect to practical application of data mining results, cannot be overstated. We first examine different approaches to address this problem citing their applicability to e-commerce whenever appropriate. We then provide a detailed survey of one important approach, namely interestingness measure, and discuss its relevance in e-commerce applications such as personalization in recommender systems. Study of current literature brings out important issues that reveal many promising avenues for future research. We conclude by reiterating the importance of post-processing methods in data mining for effective and efficient deployment of e-commerce solutions.

Organizational Design for Enhancing the Impact of Incremental Innovations: A Qualitative Analysis of Innovative Cases in the Context of a Developing Economy

Abstract: Research literature on innovation in established firms has made a useful distinction between radical innovation and incremental innovation and identified the organizational features associated with each. An implied assumption of many such studies is that radical innovations (compared to incremental) would have a greater impact on the organization as well as the economy. While this is generally true, it is incorrect to assume that all incremental innovations could be uniformly categorized as low-impact innovations. In a study of 31 cases of innovation implemented in large corporations in India, it was observed that though all of them could be classified as ‘incremental’, their impact varied considerably. A combined index for assessing the impact based on the novelty of the idea, revenues generated/costs saved, dissemination within and outside the organization, extent of commercialization and patentability, was used to categorize the innovations into high impact (HI) and low impact (LI) groups. The analysis of the two groups was qualitative and was based on the detailed case studies prepared through extensive interviews of people involved in the projects. Inferences from the comparative analysis are explained under six sub-themes that emerged as important in differentiating between low and high impact innovations, namely: individual versus team action; the top management support; the role of the immediate supervisor; rewards, recognition and incentives; focus on core versus non core areas; and documenting and patenting practices. An important factor that enhances the impact of innovations is that organizations should have a deliberate innovation strategy and corresponding organizational structures and processes. Coupled with the innovation strategy, organizations should also develop and implement a value appropriation strategy.

How Much Demand Should be Fulfilled

Abstract: We study the inventory replenishment of a product whose demand can be manipulated by restricting the supply. This research is motivated by a novel marketing tactic employed by manufacturers of fashion and luxury items. Such a tactic combines innovative marketing with deliberate understocking in an attempt to create shortages (i.e., waitlists) that add to the allure and sense of exclusivity of a product and stimulate its demand. We model the problem as a finite-horizon, periodic-review system where demand in each period is a decreasing function of the net ending inventory in the previous period. Although the optimal structure can be complex in general, under certain conditions we are able to characterize the optimal policy as a state-dependent, monotone, base-stock policy. We compare this policy with the optimal policy for the case in which demand is independent of the net inventory. We also show that understocking is optimal in various scenarios. We then propose a novel strategy, called the inventory-withholding strategy, to further explore the wait-list effect by making customers wait even when there is inventory on hand to satisfy them. Our numerical experiments study the impact of various model parameters in combination with the wait-list effect on the optimal policy and the corresponding expected profits.

A relatedness-based data-driven approach to determination of interestingness of association rules

Abstract: The presence of unrelated or weakly related item-pairs can help in identifying Interesting Association Rules (ARs) in a market basket. We introduce three measures for capturing the extent of mutual interaction, substitutive and complementary relationships between two items. Item-relatedness, a composite of these relationships, can help to rank interestingness of an AR. The approach presented, is intuitive and can complement and enhance classical objective measures of interestingness.

Cultural Metaphors as Frames of Reference for Nations: A Six-Country Study

Abstract: A cultural metaphor is a major phenomenon, institution, or activity in a nation with which most citizens identify cognitively or emotionally and through which it is possible to describe the national culture and its frame of reference in depth, for example, the Japanese garden (Gannon 2004). Cultural metaphors for six nations are analyzed two nations at a time. Three questionnaires based on the cultural metaphors for two nations at a time were developed so that each of the three pairs of two nations could be analyzed and compared separately. These questionnaire items were derived from the descriptions provided by Gannon (2004). Respondents were 664 college students, in accordance with Smith and Schwartz’ 1997 argument that teachers and students represent the best populations for analyzing cultural values. Results strongly support the concept of the cultural metaphor as a frame of reference.

Spatial Inequality in Rural India: Do Initial Conditions Matter?

Abstract: Disparities in income and living standards across countries and between regions within countries (spatial inequality) have been the subject of much debate and research in recent years. Spatial inequality is a construct arising out of variations in economic endowments, geography and, socio-political structure across the relevant economic space. It is typically measured as an outcome of differences in mean income or consumption levels across the economic space. The extant literature has examined some of its causes. These include globalisation, variations in availability and quality of infrastructure, and, persistent conflicts. If a significant proportion of overall inequality is spatial in nature then this can produce the preconditions for chronic poverty. Persistent spatial inequality reduces household level mobility in terms of income, occupation etc. Policies aimed at reducing chronic poverty will then have to focus on structural rather than household specific factors. This paper contributes to the literature in number of ways. First, it helps focus attention on the fact that meaningful comparison of incomes across space can be done in the context of representing these incomes as pure returns to location. Differences in income can then be described as resulting from different neighbourhood structures. Second, it is able to control for a wide range of village-level structural variables, thereby overcoming the common problem of unobserved heterogeneity. In the cross-country and cross-region inequality among broad geographic entities, such as states or districts Indian villages mimic small countries that operate in relative autarky (Foster and Rosenweig 2003). Finally, this paper shows that local endowments matter in so far as the local economies interact with a wider geographic space. Such interactions could produce positive as well as negative externalities, some of which are responsive to policy.

Quality Measures in Food Trade: The Indian Experience

Abstract: NTERNATIONAL trade in food has been growing and is expected to continue in the coming years. The concern for food safety and quality in global trade has increased with the marked shift in trade towards fresh food. Four decades ago, the world food trade consisted mainly of bulk raw materials and dried fish. Over time value-added products began to emerge, and during the 1990s trade in semi-processed and ready-to-eat food became significant, led by the demand in developed countries. Correspondingly, food safety and quality aspects in trade became important since fresh food is more prone to certain microbiological contamination. Other safety and quality concerns, including hazard control, pesticide and drug residue in food, genetically modified content of food, that require sophisticated testing procedures also increased. The erstwhile physical inspection at the port of entry being inadequate to detect the newly identified hazards in food, the world trade in food products moved towards certification of both product and processes in the country of origin (the latter now bears the additional costs of proving compliance). The food quality and health standards are legal in global trade under the provision of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), and are meant to protect human health. 1 The conformity assessment procedures, labelling and quality certification requirements for food consignments (as well as facilities) are legal under the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to

Linking quality function deployment with conjoint study for new product development process

Abstract: Conjoint analysis (CA) is a popular marketer's tool for new product design. Quality function deployment (QFD) is another approach, frequently used by engineers, for design of new product. Typically, in a conjoint study, the attributes and their levels are determined through focus group discussion or market survey. On many occasions, the researchers leave out some of the more critical features altogether or include attributes with unrealistic sets of levels resulting in infeasible product profiles. In QFD, on the other hand, the new product development team attempts to identify the technical characteristics (TCs) that should be improved or included to meet the customer requirements (CRs) by using a subjective relationship matrix between CRs and TCs. QFD is not used to determine the attributes and their levels. As a result, more often than not, QFD captures what product developers "think" would best satisfy customer needs. In this paper, we link QFD with conjoint and propose a framework for objectively determining the attribute levels using the QFD approach for subsequent use in a conjoint study. For this purpose we obtain the so-called relationship matrix in QFD in a particular way that facilitates achieving our objective. We formulate an integer-programming problem for maximising the weighted sum of improvements in the product, subject to budgetary constraint and minimum percentage improvement for each or some of the attributes. We apply the framework for a commercial vehicle design problem with hypothetical data.

Successful e-marketplaces: An institutional perspective

Abstract: Since their inception, e-marketplaces have witnessed a major shakeout and have undergone tremendous change with regard to their business models and products/service offerings. Only a few marketplaces survive, tend to grow and consolidate in this turbulent environment. This development represents an interesting challenge to prevailing institutional theory, which views the performance of organizations as strongly influenced by the orientation and characteristics of a number of key institutional frameworks. Our research, based on a case survey methodology, attempts to identify the characteristics underlying successful e-marketplaces. Results indicate the success of a marketplace strongly influenced by number of key institutional frameworks and firm-level strategies. Ownership and bias, service focus, value impact, market opaqueness, rapidity of response, complementary assets and appropriability, and industry regulations emerge as key variables.

Do Elections Incite Violence

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between democratic institutions and domestic crime. We model the motivation for inciting crime in a two party setting and show that investment in con‡ictual campaigning is higher in economies characterized by weak institutions. We then test this prediction on a panel of forty five countries over a period of seven years. Using elections as a defning feature of democracies and controlling for social and economic determinants of crime, we explore whether crime (measured by murders per hundred thousand people) goes up during election as compared to non-election years. We show that the relationship between crime and elections is positive and signinificant in less developed countries while there is no evidence of such a relationship in the developed countries. We also examine the impact of political systems (presidential versus parliamentary) and voting rules (proportional versus plurality systems) on the incidence of domestic crime rates. Our results show that these differences do not have a statistically significant impact on the incidence of crime during elections.

Poor Change Preparedness in Indian Business Culture: A Need for Periodic Indian Business Culture Surveys

Abstract: Periodic surveys of Indian business culture gathered from the perceptions of significant actors are essential in this changing environment. This paper gathers the perceptions of potential employees, namely, MBA students of two premium institutes of Bangalore. Indian business organizations—rated and ranked on variables of business culture—are seen as low on risk tolerance, using guarded communication styles, avoiding conflict confrontation and having politicised environments with slow decision-making. Changes required to move towards an ideal productive business culture are suggested.

Corporate Governance in India: Traditional and Scriptural Perspectives

Abstract: There is a host of literature on governance models, stakeholder protection, best practices in board constitution and its processes, the equations between the board and the operating executive management, and so on. What is less known is the fact that our own ancient texts have laid down sound principles of governance which surprisingly seem very relevant to modern day corporate requirements. In this paper, we explore some of the ancient and scriptural sources to illustrate some of these basic principles as brought out in such texts, and to relate them to modern day precepts and practices in this field. An important objective of this study is also to examine whether some of the current best practices are so foreign, and hence inappropriate, to our circumstances, as is often suggested; and finally, also to ascertain whether there are best practices in ancient governance that could be extrapolated or built upon in designing an Indian model of good corporate governance.

Development and Transfer of Advanced Technology

Abstract: Technology transfer has traditionally been viewed as a ‘donor-recipient’ relationship. But in a business scenario characterized by liberalization, privatization and globalization, a new paradigm based on equal partnership is emerging. In this article we examine two contrasting case studies - one a successful and the other an unsuccessful case of technology transfer - against the frameworks of the old and new paradigms. In so doing we identify a few factors that contribute to the successful implementation of a technology transfer initiative. Many of these factors belong to the ‘equal partnership’ paradigm. While technology flow need not always be in two directions, the benefit flow in successful transfer is most likely to be two-way.

Sources of Size Effect

Abstract: Mohanty (2002) documents the evidence of size effect in India. In the sample period, it is found that the small firms have generated an annual excess return of 70% over the large firms. There can be two possible interpretations of the above findings. Size may be a proxy for some unexplained risk factor. The market may also be inefficient. Using the Fama and French (1993) multi-factor model, it is found that size indeed is a proxy for risk. However, the high excess return generated by the small firms is simply too high and it cannot be explained by their factor risk loadings. Using the method adopted by Lakonishok, Shleifer, and Vishny (1994), the hypothesis that the market is inefficient could not be rejected.