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3846 items in total found

Working Papers | 1984

On the Estimation of Elasticity in Economics

Das Gupta A and Misra P N

For the measurement of elasticity, given two observations of a bivariate relationship, the arc elasticity formula has been traditionally used by economists and statisticians. However, no proper statistical justification for this procedure exists in the literature. In this paper measures of elasticity on an arc are derived using widely accepted statistical criteria such as the minimum absolute deviation criterion and the least squares criterion. It is shown that in the linear bivariate case the minimum absolute deviation elasticity is the arc elasticity. However, the formulae according to the least squares criterion and other criteria differ from arc elasticity even in the linear case. A numerical comparison of formulae is also provided and these are assessed on the basis of a 'goodness of fit' statistic developed for this purpose.

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Working Papers | 1984

Manufacturing Resources Planning - A Study

Korgaonkar M G

The working paper on 'Manufacturing Resources Planning' or in short MRP-II present a study of one of the most significant software developments to have taken place in the field of Manufacturing Management in recent years. MRP-II can be regarded as a successor to an earlier development called Materials Requirement Planning (MRP). Details of MRP-II framework are discussed as applicable to process industry, repetitive manufacture and batch processing industry. Further, salient aspects concerning planning, organization and implementation of MRP-II projects are highlighted. Prerequisites of MRP-II including behavioral considerations are also considered. Essentially modular in concepts, MRP-II is a highly integrative approach which seeks to encompass almost the entire gamut of planning and control of production operations.

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Working Papers | 1984

Issues for Research on Rural Development in South Asia

Anil K. Gupta

There has been tremendous upsurge in writings on rural development during last decade. Incidentally the economic policies followed during this period in various countries of South Asia have intensified interventions has been not to resolve these contradictions, instead to contain them or dilute their implications which might destabilise the social structure. Academists have contributed to this situation but pursuing answers to the social problems defined in the same paradigm in which planners have done so. I have tried to dispute this tendency in rural development research by identifying few key areas in which dominant research paradigm needed to be radically altered. These areas are as follows: a) Rogesian vice in literature on technology generation and diffusion, b) Standardised design of institutions and organizations to serve dissimilar ecological concepts, c) Excessive reliance on credit as instrument of mobilising technological change without in any way modifying the package, d) Neglect of small farming and landless household in dry regions which failed to attract market forces, bureaucracy, academist and political attention, all alike. E) Growth centres bias in investment policies which like other policies rested on the assumption of trickle down. F) Training methodologies which were highly alienated from the real life problem context (as illustrated by excessive emphasis on PERT/CPM) and g) Recnet revival of international concern towards so called 'wastelands' and their privatization. Some other areas that need attention are: what should be the structure of district collectorate for 2000 AD, sole of collector and non-official bodies in local level planning. A greater debate is needed on this subject to redefine priorities in research and action.

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Working Papers | 1984

Why Dont We Learn?

Anil K. Gupta

Rural development is essentially a process of widening decision-making options of the majority of the poor. Creating choices without generating capacity to act might impair learning abilities of both, who create choices and also those who have to exercise these. Development agents, institutions and organizations often recognize after the fact that they failed to keep track of their learning vis-à-vis the learning of those with/for whom they worked. Cost of their learning is paid for by the poor who learn sometimes to be helpless. This paper lists certain aspects of mutual-monitoring for appropriate learning at both the ends. Development experimentation involves costs which are often paid by those who benefit least from it. Policy planners seem to know all about why developmental programmes fail and yet we have not learnt to be impatient with failures? Why don't we lean! How do we learn from those who have learned to live with our ignorance! The paper lists a few theorems on monitoring and learning besides identifying areas of future research.

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Working Papers | 1984

Models of Productivity Measurement: A Study

Korgaonkar M G

The productivity Measurement has come a long way since the early attempts to define it as ration of outputs to inputs. Several complex factors have nevertheless continued to confound attempts to evolve sound measures of productivity. Nature of operations, types of outputs, quality and other structural changes of outputs over time, etc., are amongst such factors. The paper deals with models of productivity measurement at firm's level. The models can be grouped under four major categories: i) total productivity measures, ii) total factor productivity measures, iii) partial productivity measures, iv) composite productivity measures. A critical review is attempted to identify the main strengths and weaknesses of the suggested methodologies. The paper also discusses a comprehensive framework which attempts to relate the physical aspects of productivity measurement with the financial aspects. Other issues pertaining to the measurement problems are also considered. Finally attempt is made to identify areas needing further attention with regard to productivity measurement.

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Working Papers | 1984

Vinchur Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society: A Case Study

Shingi P M

This paper, based on the detailed study of a village level handloom cooperative, brings out various dimensions in relation to the survival of a handloom industry. The major finding of the study is that extremely low level of wages given to the handloom weavers is the major reason why the weavers are leaving handloom and entering into other trades which promise them relatively more income.

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Working Papers | 1984

Incentives and Disincentives in the Indian Family Planning Programme: A Case Study

Satia J K and Maru Rushikesh

In view of the national goal to reach a net reproduction rate of 1 by year 2000, there is a growing debate in India about the type of incentives and disincentives for promoting the practice of Family Planning. This paper reviews past experience with respect to incentives-disincentives in the Family Welfare Programme in India. It discusses issues in the implementation of incentives and the current debate on disincentives. Finally, policy issues for the future are presented. The studies revel that the impact on incentives on acceptance of FP is mixed. A higher level of incentive leads to improved performance, but couples are not solely motivated by incentives. Incentives do not seem to have seriously affected quality of acceptance. The implementation of incentives raises questions in respect of quality of services, method-mix of acceptance, implementability of deferred incentives, and effects of motivator incentives. Disincentives pose many legal and ethical issues infringement of basic rights of individuals, impact on quality of life of poor and consequences for the children. The paper argues that for a marked reduction in fertility, a congruence between national and family level benefit-cost relationship of family size is necessary. Any package of incentives-disincentives should, in the long run, help to reduce this lack of congruence. Such a package would, therefore, have to be selective and differ for different segments.

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Working Papers | 1984

Learning by Doing: Technology Transfer to an Indian Manufacturing Firm

Chaudhari Shekhar and Moulik T K

This paper presents an in-depth case study of technology transfer to an Indian manufacturing firm in the tractor industry and highlights the complexities involved as a result of the interaction of a number of factors both external to the firm as well as internal to it. The total process of technology assimilation is conceptualised as consisting of three sub-processes; a) technology adaptation; b) technology utilization and c) technology development, which are characterized by differences in the organization's goals and actions taken by management taken during each state. Based on the case study and other relevant research the authors draw some implications for policy at the national level.

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Working Papers | 1984

Practice of Environmental Scanning in Large Private Corporations in India

M. R. Dixit

This paper presents the findings of a study aimed at understand the environmental scanning practices in large private sector corporations in India. The findings of the study are as follows: a) Developments in the input, marketing and regulatory environment are of primary concern to large Indian corporations. Developments in socio-political and international environment are accorded relatively lower importance. b) They are selective in their choice of sources and ways of collecting the information. The choice has varied with the level of relevance of an environmental category and the environmental category itself. By and large, there is preference for published sources of information and collecting the same through periodic deliberate search. In addition to newspapers and periodicals, reports of industry associations are considered to be a key source of information an developments in all categories of environment. c) The preparation of companies having special organizational arrangements to lead and coordinate the scanning activities is encouraging. Typical organizational arrangements have been to have special departments like corporate planning department, management services group and market research department. d) The most used ways of communicating the developments in the environment are formal meetings and special notes. e) The major constraints in scanning relate to consistency in multiple sources of information, delays in availability and communication of information and frustration of the people in charge of scanning. f) Several common characteristics were noticed with respect to the scanning practices of multinational and domestic companies. Out of the top twenty five environmental factors of concern to these categories of companies, 16 were common to both. The overall ranking pattern of environmental categories, sources of information on the most relevant and relevant environmental factors and ways of collecting information were not markedly different. However, there were difference in the environmental category occupying the top position, use of in company studies and consultants in scanning. Multinationals in the sample companies can be said to be more broad based systematic and futuristic in scanning the environment.

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Working Papers | 1984

Agenda for Research in Dry Regions: Sociological Perspective

Gupta Ramesh

Problems of poor in ecologically fragile environments like drought prone regions have not received adequate attention either from academicians, planners or from international aid and research organizations. The issue is not merely the scale of efforts but also the theoretical paradigm which should guide such efforts. Socio-ecological paradigm recently developed here illustrates how policies for devising delivery systems, organizations, rural banking infrastructure, technology etc. which match the risks, resources and skill base of poor in dry regions could be developed. The regions which failed to attract market forces failed to attract state support too. Before the patience of poors runs out, "we must act, but will we?

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