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Working Papers | 1978

Participation of Rural Institutions and target Groups in Rural Development Progamme Planning and Management

Gaikwad V R

This paper is for presention to GO-ESCAP Round Table on "Adaptation of Administration to India's Rural Development" scheduled for 16-18 August 1978 at Delhi. The paper points out that there are inherent contradictions between the role and function of district administration and the principle of democratic decentralization. The intrinsic nature of function of district administration has been exercise of authority to subjugate the masses and exploit them. To maintain its authority it has to have full administrative and financial control over rural institutions and local bodies. Only by exercise of such control can terms of trade unfavourable to the rural population be enforced and maintained over years. The requirements of rural development as listed in the paper are contradictory to such functions. Rural institution can contribute to rural development only when these contradictions are effectively resolved. The authod has tried to explain some of these contradictions through four case studies covering working of a zilla parished in Gujarat, a Taluka Development Board in Karnataka, a SFDA, and a Farmers' Service Cooperative Society.

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Working Papers | 1978

Disciplinary Enquires in Industry: The Law, the Process and Decision-Making

Menon C D

The paper examines the legal issues involved in the conduct of disciplinary enquiries in industry and outlines the process in conducting such enquiries. The paper highlights the shift of emphasis from "holding a proper enquiry" in the strict legal sense and postulates that punishment of a workman found guilty of misconduct has moved into the collective bargaining arena.

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Working Papers | 1978

Predicting New Product Success: Role of Product-Category Related Variables

Mehta Subhash C and Patibandla Murali

Can one identify the major characteristics of the product class that facilitate or hinder the initial success of new products? Answer to this question should be of considerable interest to marketing managements in India who would be in a better position to assess the chances of success or failure of a new product, given some knowledge of the relevant characteristics of the product category they intend entering with a new product or brand. The research reported here is an attempt in this direction. Five different product categories, namely, Tooth Pastes, Washing Powders, Headache Pills, Light Bulbs and Pressure Cookers were chosen for investigation. A number of factors can influence the buying intentions of the consumers about the new brands that are introduced in the market. For the purposes of this research, nine such variables were identified for investigation. These were brand loyalty, quality variations among different brands available in the market, certainty of untried brands, danger of consequences of using untried brands, consumer view of price-quality relationship in a given product category, consumers' confidence in their abilities to judge quality of different brands, complexity in the technology involved in manufacturing the product, extent of alternate brand choices already available in the market and the amount of usage of the product in the household. Consumers' perceptions on these nine variables were measured for the five chosen product categories and their relationships with purchase intentions about new products were examined. The findings of this study clearly suggest that role and importance of various product-category related variables as predictors of new product success do differ across product categories. It is, therefore, necessary that marketing managers take into account the behavior of these variables while planning their new product offerings.

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Working Papers | 1978

Formulating Public Policy for Distribution of Essential Goods: An Analytical Approach

Bhandari L C, Dholakia Nikhilesh, Khurana Rakesh, and Vora M N

Public Policy concerning distribution of essential goods of mass consumption has assumed critical importance in several developing countries. In India, such policies have generally been reactive, in response to exigencies of critical situations such as shortages, price rise or deterioration in quality of essential goods. This paper presents a comprehensive, detailed, explicit and et simple approach for formulating a consistent and potentially effective public distribution policy. A systematic model of distribution policy is presented in which starting from the consumption needs of society, the mix of policy instruments (both structural and non-structural) likely to achieve the policy objectives most effectively can be derived. The model outlines relationships between consumption needs, elements of the distribution systems, commodities and their characteristics, policy instruments, and policy objectives. The approach begins with analysis of consumption, production and product characteristics of relevant commodities on the one hand and identification of possible policy instrument on the other. An analysis of characteristics of commodities enables one to examine the relevant of various policy objectives for these commodities. By matching policy instruments with policy objectives, degree of effectiveness of policy instruments for given objectives is established. By this analysis, it becomes feasible to derive the potentially effective mix of instruments for each commodity. The approach also helps in identifying needs for modifying instruments and/or commodity characteristics for achieving policy objectives. The approach was tested on six policymakers belonging to different ministries of the Government of India and its agencies, using commodities like wheat, pulses, edible oil and soap. The approach could be used by policy makers without difficulty, it was found to be more useful with commodities like pulses and soaps, which were relatively new for policy intervention. Policy makers felt that it was also a potentially useful training device for officers taking assignments in these areas.

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Working Papers | 1978

Advertising Claims, Expectation Fulfillment and Product Evaluation

Bhandari L C

Consumerism movements like 'Truth in Advertising' have prompted formulation of legal and other public policy measures to regulate deceptive advertising. While a great deal of effort has gone into evolving mechanisms to protect consumers from deceptive advertising. Surprisingly little systemative attempts have been made to investigate whether exaggerated and false advertising claims are at all useful for the marketer in promoting his product. Consumers' attitudes towards products are influenced by i) communications concerning products, ii) experience with products, and iii) interaction of communications and product experience. Expectations are created about products by advertising and other means, while actual product experience and the levels of expectation determine the extent to which expectations are confirmed. This 'expectation fulfilment' or lack thereof (disconfirmed expectancy) influences the individuals' attitude and subsequent actions towards the concerned product or object. It is important to understand and take into account the role of 'expectation fulfilment' while considering influences on attitude and behaviour concerning products. One way to take into account its role is to investigate and establish the nature and direction of influence has on attitude. Unfortunately, both theoretical sources and the limited empirical evidence that exists suggest conflicting and contradicting influences. Moreover, from managerial point of view, situation-specific variables are likely to require a case by case assessment. What is therefore needed is an approach that recognises the influence of 'expectation fulfilment' and explicitly incorporates it in evaluative mechanisms for the major decision areas like new product-concepts and new campaigns. This paper develops and tests a model using such an approach. The model postulates the influence of 'expectation fulfilment' on effective and conative components of attitude. It is tested in the context of a new product-concept evaluation by a sample of 903 housewives. The results, with large and significant R2s and beta coefficients, suggest that a higher degree of expectation fulfilment helps build more favourable attitude towards, and intention to buy a product. The implication is that exaggeration in advertising claims resulting in disconfirmed expectancy does not help a marketer. It is recommended that the construct of 'expectation fulfilment', which captures the interaction between product experience and prior expectations, should be built into evaluative mechanisms for decisions concerning product concepts, product formulations and advertising campaigns.

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Working Papers | 1978

Nature of the Environment for the Forestry Sector in India

Gupta Tirath

The paper has argued that the overall impact of the economic, social, political, cultural, legal, administrative and technological variables does not appear to be conducive for the desired and deserved growth of the forestry sector in India. The sector has a vast potential for contributing to the development of the local communities as well as the national economy. More importantly, it ca be used as a vehicle for economic growth with social justice-something that the nation has aspired to achieve since long. The forestry sector in India, however, seems to have lagged behind because of a number of reasons e.g. (i) the emphasis on the philosophy of sustained yield, (ii) State ownership and management of forest lands, (iii) private ownership and management of most forest based industries, and (iv) preference for short-term objectives while allocating developmental resources. The situation presents a challenge as well as an opportunity for the professional forester.

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Working Papers | 1978

Depreciation and Replacement Cost

Gupta Ramesh

The sharp rise in prices in the last few years has stirred up a brisk debate on the meaning and measurement of business income. In computing income, the costs of labor and material are generally reflected in current prices, but the provision made for depreciation is generally not sufficient to replace the fixed assets. Accountants try to meet the depreciation shortfall by speeding up the normal process of writing off the original asset cost. Does it solve the problem? In this paper, we have investigated the various approaches to the problem of providing sufficient depreciation allowance in measuring income. The relationship between written down value and the straight-line inflation adjusted methods of providing depreciation has been examined. Simulation technique has been used to illustrate the problem and pertinent policy implications of the use of various depreciation methods have been highlighted.

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Working Papers | 1978

Transforming the Rural Poor: The Big Push Revisited

Sambrani Shreekant

The paper reexamines the logic and relevance of the big push in transforming the rural poor. Theories of circular causation of poverty and immanent economic controversies, such as the critical minimum effort, balanced vs. unbalanced growth are examined. The economic and social relevance of big push strategies as emerging from Indian realities is studied. Finally, some dilemmas in pursuing big push strategies and a few tentative formulations of what might constitute the big push are set forth.

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Working Papers | 1978

Managing the Agriculture Sector

Sambrani Shreekant

The paper attempts a broader, systems definition of the agriculture sector. It tries to establish the relevance of managerial concerns to tasks of decision-making in the agriculture sector. This is done through brief illustrations of concrete situations. Finally, the approach as followed in the Centre for Management in Agriculture, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is discussed.

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Working Papers | 1978

Growth of Trade Unionism in India

Mohan Manendra, Mukherjee Shishir K, and Rai Ajai K

This paper gives a historical account of trade unionism. It considers political, economic and social developments which have moulded the growth pattern of trade unionism in India. The survey is divided into various phases in which trade union membership has increased, beginning with the early unionism, post-AITUC formation, World War II and its aftermath and the growth after 1947. An attempt has been made to relate the growth in union membership with economic conditions prevailing in the sub-periods. Statistical data are provided to substantiate the basic arguments. In conclusion secular trend in union membership has been subjected to statistical analysis. It has been concluded that the growth of union membership was influenced by the economic conditions and reinforced by political developments. On the contrary rapid increase in the number of unions has undoubtedly led to a decline in the average union membership. This has in fact contributed to the present loose amorphous state of union structure in the country.

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