Pramod Pathak

Growing Corruption Is Whistle Blowing the Answer

In this age of globalization, where economic motives precede over all virtues and traditions, protection of larger public interest from great corporate scandals has become matter of great concern. Faced with cut-throat competition, fraudulent conduct, illegitimate dealings and corrupt practices have become the norm. The exposes that have surfaced recently in the public and corporate domain have made a serious dent into the country’s image and in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, 2012, India ranked 94 out of 176. The issue, then, is one of the biggest challenges facing the country. What can be done? The political class has failed to tackle the issue, the complicity of the bureaucracy is an open secret and the corporate houses seem to be hand in glove with the unscrupulous. The answer has to come from the lesser mortals, the ordinary people who are the real stakeholders. Against this backdrop there is need to understand and strengthen the framework of whistle blowing. The paper attempts to understand a typical whistle blowing pattern and develop a model based on empirical studies. It also underscores the need to encourage and protect whistle blowers, thereby facilitating the creation of a whistle blower-friendly organizational culture.

Effect of quarterly earnings announcement under different market conditions

Purpose – The main purpose of this research study is to investigate the impact of quarterly earnings announcements on stock price movement of the firms constituting the SENSEX under two different market conditions – booming followed by recessionary. Analysis of price effect of quarterly earnings announcements during the five-year period prior to trading suspension, which is also characterized by a booming market condition have been made. Similar analysis during the five-year period following the trading suspension and marked by recessionary market condition has also been carried out side by side. Design/methodology/approach – Event study methodology using daily returns and market model has been used for the purpose of analyzing the quarterly earnings announcement effects on the security prices of the firms. A sign test has also been used along with the event study. Findings – The study reveals that quarterly earnings announcement does not have statistically significant effect on stock returns during the b...

Achieving retention through human resource information system: Developing a framework

Information systems have undoubtedly been a powerful service tool in businesses. A fairly large number of studies have focused on information system success, but little effort has been made on its contribution towards other functional areas of management. In this paper we integrate information systems with human resource management and propose a model that explains role of human resource information system and its functions (telecommuting and gamification) in achieving certain human resource outcomes. Variables identified in this paper are well articulated in literature however, the associations are immensely fragmented. We have linked those variables in information systems arena and wish to deliver a probable nomological network.

Heart Disease: Is Managing Stress the Key?

Abstract Of late, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) has emerged as a major contributor to total global mortality and India accounts for about sixty percent of the world’s heart disease cases. Stress has been identified as one of the psychosocial factors influencing the onset, development and progression of CHD. It is therefore important to keep stress at bay to ensure a reduction in CHD cases. The paper attempts to understand how stress leads to CHD and develop a model based on interviews with cardiologists, and review of literature. 63 doctors, from both government and private hospitals, were contacted for appointment for the interview out of which 37 agreed. In depth interviews with doctors suggested that stress has a severe impact on human hearts. Further, the medical reports provided by the doctors suggested that it is the daily hassles of life that is more responsible for chronic stress leading to heart diseases. The paper also suggests simple yet effective ways of coping stress as many times the prescriptions we get for stress management prove to be more problematic than the problem itself.

Devising retention strategy for front-end employees in retail: an application of analytic hierarchy process

Despite decades of studies employee turnover still remains one of the major issues in the retail industry. As higher attrition continues to lead to loss of talented employees, retail organisations are trying to figure out strategies to cope with the problem and contain the higher administrative cost that they have to incur. Focusing on developing retention strategies is thus the need of the hour in an industry that is facing high employee turnover. But the basic issue is to identify the reasons so that effective retention strategies can be formulated. The present paper is an attempt to identify the factors that may contribute to retention of retail employees. Analytic Hierarchy Process has been applied to test the retention elements. The hierarchical model consists of three criteria (work environment, managers, and employees), seven sub-criteria (autonomy, socialisation, fairness, support, behaviour, attitude, and capability) and three alternatives (management by objective, engagement and management by instruction). Findings of the study reveal that management by objectives rank first, followed by engagement and management by instruction in explaining retention. In addition, weights of criteria and sub-criteria exhibit the importance of other decision elements (autonomy, socialisation, and managers support) in achieving retention.

Synergizing Advertising Campaigns with Appeals: A Perspective through Cases

India is a land of coexistence. It is a place where unique blends can be witnessed, the old with the new or young, the traditional with the modern and the local with the global; the same can be extended to the ‘advertising horizon’. In administering brands and targeting potential consumers (also read political parties and country citizens), advertising in India has tried to come up to societal expectations in terms of the cultural milieu of India. Advertising is not new to India; we have historical fresco (Wall) paintings dating back to around 200 BC. The post-globalization economic advancement coupled with a strong cultural background and upsurge of the ‘big’, hitherto conservative Indian middle class has brought about changes in the pattern of reaching the target consumers. With reference to advertising, it can be said that there has been a shift from a hard-selling approach to a soft-selling approach—indicator is clear, appeal is the in-thing and is here to stay. The article looks at the various interpretations of advertising through the appeal lens and highlights the ad-shift through two long-living popular fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products, the Lux soap and Maggi noodles. The selection has been done out of a small survey of households concerning the top-5 FMCG mind recalls and these two happen to be the most popular among ladies and children (refer to household).

Impact of HRD Intervention on Women Entrepreneurship Development in Jharkhand

The role of gender in economic development process has been increasingly recognized as crucial, both in terms of potential for success and in the nature of the impact of particular development strategies and programs. Gender becomes especially important to consider in case of micro-enterprise approach, as the traditional home-centered roles of women can make it far easier for women to participate in such programs as opposed to the more traditional, large and medium scale enterprises. The paper attempts to identify the influence of two HRD interventions, viz. Education and Training on women entrepreneurship development in the state of Jharkhand. The sample for the study comprises sixty two (62) women entrepreneurs in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand state. A survey, using questionnaire method, has been conducted to obtain data on the nature of enterprise, socio economic profile of the entrepreneurs and importance of Training and Education interventions in entrepreneurship development. Right-tailed “z” Test has been used to test the formulated hypothesis on Education and Training interventions. The findings of the study shows that there is no role of Education in starting an enterprise but it plays an important role in improving the entrepreneurial quality and performance of the enterprise.

What Does A Customer Want In A Bike

Manufacturers have always been wondering what the customers look for in a product. Motorcycle manufacturers are no exception. More so in the changed circumstances where leading foreign brands are entering the Indian market in collaboration with the Indian manufacturers. With the growth of Indian motorcycle market increasing customer preference for variety, looks and design has compelled manufacturers to bring in newer models in the market. Yet, they are not sure that what does a customer want in a bike. Naturally, because the customer profile has changed the majority being from the 20-35 age group. Against this backdrop the present study has been conducted with the main objective of finding out what does a customer look for in a bike and what are the parameters of customer satisfaction in the case of motorcycle market. Based on survey the present study tries to underscore those attributes of a bike that lead to customer satisfaction.