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3588 items in total found

Working Papers | 1974

Economics of Scale in the Indian Cement Industry

Gupta G S

The paper purports to investigate the existence or otherwise of economies of scale in the Indian cement industry. The investigation is attempted through the estimation of cost-output (sales) relationships both from the time series and cross-section data and both at the industry level and at the firm level. Furthermore, at the industry level the cost-output relationships have been estimated separately for All-India, Bihar, and Madras, the regional classification for which the time-series data are available. The relationships between the cost components (material cost, labour cost and depreciation cost) and the output have also been determined to identify the sources of economies or diseconomies of scale. It is found that the industry is dominated by the L-shaped average cost curve and horizontal marginal cost curve. In other words, the industry is found to be still operating in the first half of the U-shaped average cost curve and thus cement firms have not yet reached their optimum size. Significant economies of scale exist only with respect to labour costs in All-India and Bihar and total costs in Associated Cement Companies Ltd, Jaipur Udyog Ltd, Mysore Cement Ltd and Sone Valle Portland Cement Company Ltd; significant diseconomies exist only with respect to total cost and material cost in Madras industries. Inter-regional comparison has indicated that expansion of the industry in places other than Bihar and Madras and contraction of Madras firms will be beneficial from the side of cost. Among the four cement firms considered the Associated Cement Companies is enjoying the maximum economics of scale. Its sales elasticity of total cost at sample means is 0.42.

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Working Papers | 1974

Fieldwork in a Factory

Sheth N R

In this paper, the author discusses his experiences of field work in a factory for collecting data for sociological research. As the main methodological approach in this study was social, anthropological, i.e. based on participant observation, the author reflects on the symbiotic relationship between the field worker and his field of study. The paper describes the human aspect of such research and analyses how the personality of a researcher influences the final outcome of the research.

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Working Papers | 1974

Communal Conflict in India with Special Reference to July 1973 Riots in Ahmedabad

Saiyadain M S

This study was purely exploratory in nature. Though it touched upon the causes and remedy of communal riots in India, its main thrust was to understand July 1973 riots in Ahmedabad. In order to meaningfully comprehend the problem of communal conflict, it was viewed from the point of view of the proximity of living of the two religious groups Hindus and Muslims in Ahmedabad. Using open ended schedule 80 respondents were interviewed individually. Results indicate that by and large leadership and administrative set up were pointed out as causes and faith in the members of other community plus efficient police administration as cures of communal problems in India in general and Ahmedabad in particular. Suggestions are also made for the management of communal conflict.

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Working Papers | 1974

Inter-Role Exploration: An Od Intervention

Pareek Udai

Role is the central concept in understanding the dynamics of an organization. The concepts of role space (relationship amongst all the roles an individual occupies) and role set (relationship of the role with other significant roles in the organization) are important in understanding role dynamics. Four stresses relating to the role space (self-role, distance, intrarole conflict, role growth stress, and inter-role conflict) and four stresses relating to the role set (role ambiguity, role overload, role-role distance, and role erosion) are stated as important role stresses. Functional strategies-confronting the stress to manage it --are distinguished from dysfunctional strategies-avoiding the stress. An approach to promote functional strategies in an organization is described. The approach promotes mutuality, creativity, confrontation, and exploration. The following are involved in IRE: concept discussion, role set mapping, image sharing, role linkage, role expectation conflicts, role erosion, analysis of organizational climate and role negotiation.

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Working Papers | 1974

Capital Expenditures in Corporate Sector - A Forecast for 1974

C Rangarajan

An attempt is made in this paper to forecast investment in the private corporate sector for the year 1974 by using the data available with the three leading term lending institutions. The data cost relevant in this context are the time phasing of capital expenditures on projects sanctioned by these institutions in the current and in the previous years. Given the long time lag involved in obtaining and analysing data on company finances which is now the source for obtaining estimates on capital formation in the corporate sector, our method besides helping to formation in the corporate sector, our method besides helping to forecast, fills an important gap by providing within a short period of the end of a year an indication of the direction and quantum of investment in corporate private sector in that year. The major conclusion drawn is that even allowing for price changes, the total capital expenditures in 1974 by the corporate sector would be higher than that in 1973. The new commitments made in 1973 and in early 1974 indicate that investment in certain key industries may be lagging behind. As of now, the picture for 1975 is not encouraging unless there is a dramatic change in the investment climate during 1975 itself.

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Working Papers | 1974

Some Results on the Use of Random Numbers in Sampling from Finite and Infinite Populations

Sabharwal Y P

Conceptual framework is provided for some of the well known ideas relevant to the use of random numbers for sampling. Results on the efficient choice of d (the number of digits in the column of random numbers) are envisaged to be of use to the practitioner in designing a simulation exercise. The exact and appropriate methods of sampling in different situations are also given. Most of the work is limited to univariate populations, but briefly methods are indicated for dealing with bivariate or multivariate cases.

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Working Papers | 1974

Working Capital Requirements and Credit Needs for Foodgrains Distribution in India

Desai D K and Ramachandran V

This paper attempts to estimate the working capital required for the procurement and distribution of foodgrains. To arrive at the financial requirements for foodgrains distribution, estimates of the marketed surplus are needed. Instead of assuming a certain percentage of the total foodgrains production as the marketed surplus, a diferent technique was employed to estimate the marketed surplus. Based on the prices and stocks of foodgrains required at the beginning of the months and the marketed surplus of foodgrains, the working capital requirements were estimated for different years. The estimates of working capital for foodgrains show that the available bank credit met only 38 per cent of the maximum working capital required in 1972-73. Hence bank credit cannot be blamed for making possible the hoarding of foodgrains. In fact, by not supplying the necessary working capital for foodgrains, the banking system has forced foodgrain distribution to depend on non-banking sources. It has thus increased the cost of financing the working capital and helped the price increase of foodgrains.

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Working Papers | 1974

Some Conceptual Designs for Understanding Adoption and Diffusion Processes in Action

Gaikwad V R

This is the collection of some conceptual design for understanding adoption and diffusion processes in action. The topics covered are (1) Linking Individual adoption process with diffusion process in a community (2) calculation of AMO & NAR components under certain assumptions (3) variations in independent variables (4) Location of contribution of variables in adoption process or change inducing capacities of independent variables (5) information conversion capacity (6) the diffusion effect (7) Inter-link of rate of diffusion and rate of development of technology and (8) the key sources of information.

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Working Papers | 1974

On the Number Non-Negative Integral Solutions to the Knapsack Problem

Raghavacahari M and Sabharwal Y P

This paper develops expressions for the exact number of solutions to the well known Knapsack problem. These formulae are compared with the bounds given by other researchers in this problem. A computer programme has also been developed to find the number of solutions.

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Working Papers | 1974

Management of Industrial Conflict

Sheth N R and Shah B G

This paper is based on a case study of managerial problems arising from unionization among employees and subsequent events in union-management relations in one of the major commercial banks. The study shows that an initial attitude of indifference and hostility towards unionism resulted in a series of events involving a win-lose struggle between management and the union. Eventually when the union began to indulge in anti-social and destructive activities, the management took a decision to fight it out with the union regardless of the cause involved. In doing so, the management planned a strategy to deal with the various aspects of the conflict in relation to managerial objectives. Finally, when it scored a decisive victory over the union, the management in collaboration with the union successfully built a new relationship based on mutual trust and cooperation. In conclusion the authors stress the need for a clear and rational managerial approach to problems of industrial relations, rather than handling such problems on the basis of prejudices and short-term objectives.

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