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Public disclosure programs that collect and disseminate information about firms' environmental performance are increasingly popular in both developed and developing countries. Yet little is known about whether they actually improve environmental performance, particularly in the latter setting. We use detailed plant-level survey data to evaluate the impact of India's Green Rating Project (GRP) on the environmental performance of the country's largest pulp and paper plants. We find that the GRP drove significant reductions in pollution loadings among dirty plants but not among cleaner ones. This result comports with statistical and anecdotal evaluations of similar disclosure programs. We also find that plants located in wealthier communities were more responsive to GRP ratings, as were single-plant firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance of the manufacturing sector in bringing about structural transformation in the economy is well appreciated in literature. In India, with more than 70% of manufacturing employment originating in the unorganised segment, it becomes imperative to explore the dynamics of employment and growth of firms in the unorganised manufacturing sector. Additionally, interest in the sector arises since it is one of the prime avenues of employment generation. In particular, this paper examines the economic viability of unorganised manufacturing firms and underemployment therein. Results on underemployment help us to conclude on the prospect of full-time employment opportunities in the sector, whereas an assessment of economic viability brings out the major obstacles to growth plaguing unorganised manufacturing firms. This article identifies the prime areas requiring policy intervention and emphasises the need of implementing existing policies on ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently the government has recognized and appreciated small and medium size hospitality enterprises (SMHEs) as a socio-economic tool for the development especially in terms of GDP, social upliftment and employment generation in the country. However, globalization has created both opportunities and threats for the local entrepreneurs. Many multi-level transformations were needed, so they will be able to adapt in the new technological era. Indeed, the COVID-19 is the most demoralizing one and still damaging the world and has also forced organizations to change business models. In most cases these transformations had several difficulties to be accepted by Indian SMHEs. The aim of this paper is to investigate and report the importance and usage of E-HRM in Indian small and medium hospitality enterprises and to identify the major barriers that are experienced by Indian SMEs in the hospitality industry in their efforts to adopt E-HRM practices in their businesses. Empirical data were collected through a structured questionnaire over 385 Indian small and medium hospitality enterprises. The findings suggested that e-HRM practices have a great impact on different firm's aspects especially on cost reduction and service quality improvement. Further results indicate the major obstacles for application of e-HRM practices in Indian SMHEs relating to ownership & size characteristics and extensive high cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on ethnographic material to analyse how unemployed youth create work in the private educational sector. It shows how a set of educated young men, who moved from rural areas to a north Indian city to find work, are seeking to create jobs after an extended period of unemployment. Having attended coaching clinics and private tuition centres to prepare for white‐collar jobs, they draw on the experience, knowledge, and skills they have gained to create work in those same institutions. They do so by running errands and creating services for institutions, as well as undertaking administrative duties and teaching classes. Our main argument is that young men creatively engage with notions of enterprise to make an income and acquire a measure of respect. Studies of enterprise culture and neoliberal subjectivity formation often emphasise how individuals shore up their own value by competing with others and promoting their own interests. But we highlight how youth also maintain their value by making sense of their strategies in terms of assisting other young people. At the same time, however, their practises work to reproduce gender norms and class inequalities. This paper draws on ethnographic material to analyse how unemployed youth create work in the private educational sector in north India. Our main argument is that young men creatively engage with notions of enterprise to make an income and acquire a measure of respect. Studies of enterprise culture and neoliberal subjectivity formation often emphasise how individuals shore up their own value by competing with others and promoting their own interests, but we highlight how youth also maintain their value by making sense of their strategies in terms of assisting other young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose Based on the international human resource management perspective, this paper aims to explore and explain the human resource (HR) practices of Japanese multinational companies (MNCs) operating in India.Design/methodology/approach This paper applies a qualitative methodology. The study is based on 17 semi-structured interviews that were conducted within the subsidiaries of 10 Japanese MNCs in India.Findings The respective HR practices are differently influenced by cultural and institutional factors. Cultural similarity, unique social context and the evolving labor market shape the HR practices of Japanese MNCs in the Indian context.Research limitations/implications The generalizability of findings might be limited because of the nature of methodology. Future research could collect additional qualitative data and conduct quantitative studies to test the findings of this research.Practical implications A unique combination of HR practices could be formed by addressing the changes in the local institutional environment and retaining the core philosophy of the parent company.Originality/value This research adds value to the transfer-adaptation dichotomy by presenting how institutional and cultural factors differently influence the transfer of respective HR practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategically managing workforce diversity is a value-adding HR function that enhances organizational performance. Managing diversity is a complex and unique HR issue in India due to its religious and cultural diversity and the use of legislation by the Indian state to tackle societal inequities and complexities. This paper contributes to existing knowledge on diversity management and strategic HRM in the Indian context through an in-depth case study of 24 firms of different ownership forms in a number of industries in India. The main method of data collection was semi-structured interviews with 110 managers at various levels and 102 non-managerial employees. Each interview was conducted individually. This paper takes the U.S.-originated concept of diversity management in the HRM context as a starting point. It uses this as a guide to investigate how the concept is understood and operationalized in several leading business organizations across different ownership forms and industrial sectors in India. Results reveal the differences between Western MNCs and Eastern firms as well as the varying views of Indian managers and employees on issues related to diversity management. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the adverse effects of cartels on the economy and the interests of consumers and how they are sought to be regulated under the Indian Competition Act, 2002. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper focuses on the definition of cartels and the various factors conducive for the promotion of cartels and how they are sought to be regulated in the select jurisdictions with the help of decided case laws. It also sheds adequate light on the deficiencies of the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act, 1969 in curbing cartels and how such deficiencies are sought to be remedied under the Competition Act, 2002. The paper further highlights the new trends and investigative tools in busting of cartels in the developed world and the salutary lessons that could be drawn by the competition regimes of the developing countries. Findings -- The paper discloses that the earlier MRTP Act, 1969 as well as the prevailing Competition Act suffers from various flaws in curbing cartels, resulting in the feeble regulation of cartels with all attendant baneful consequences on the economy and consumer interests. The paper strongly advocates the need to treat cartels as criminal offences warranting prosecution and punishment apart from encouraging leniency and whistle blowing for facilitating the busting of cartels. Practical implications -- The paper identifies the potential difficulties and intricacies that could be encountered by the competition authority in addressing the cartels owing to shortcomings in the Competition Act, 2002. Hence, the paper articulates that these concerns should be addressed by the legislature at the earliest for further strengthening the regulatory mechanism over cartels in the interests of economy and consumers. Originality/value -- The subject focused in the paper is a topic of utmost contemporary importance having wide implications on the national economies across the world, calling for novel methods and techniques in dealing effectively with the menace of cartels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the resources and determinants of capabilities and attributes which enable Indian and Chinese firms to develop competitive advantages. The leading research question asks whether the traditional concept of competitiveness can capture Indian and Chinese firms' competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic and comprehensive literature review of 62 studies published between 1994 and 2016 with focus on Indian and Chinese firms is conducted to examine the nature and contextual conditions of their competitiveness, as well as the research methods and underlying theories. Findings: Turning disadvantages into advantages and shifting the points of take-off are the most outstanding findings. Moreover, the majority of 88 per cent of the examined studies concludes that Indian and Chinese firms built nontraditional competitive strengths. Research limitations/implications: Because of the unconventional competitiveness of Indian and Chinese firms, existing theoretical perspectives and research settings need revisions and extensions. Originality/value: Unlike most extant research on India and China, which studies country- or industry-level variables using aggregate data, this paper reveals distinct patterns and similarities and differences of firm-level characteristics. In addition, by exclusively focusing on Indian and Chinese firms' competitiveness, conclusions about their uniqueness and generalizability can be drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides large scale evidence on the determinants of international competitiveness of Indian manufacturing firms, focusing in particular on the role of technology, costs and imported intermediate inputs. Our evidence suggests that innovation, in particular R&D investment, is positively related to both firms' probability to export and firms' export volumes. We also find that imported intermediate inputs, incorporating foreign technology is strongly associated with expanding export activities of firms. Finally, and in contrast to much of previous evidence on developed economies, we find that higher productivity or lower unit labour costs are not systematically associated with the probability to enter export markets, but they are positively related to higher export volumes. Overall our results point to the existence of a pattern of involvement in international trade for firms in developing countries that is not relying as a main driver on cost competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on the role of information technology outsourcing (ITO) and on knowledge intensive business services only rarely considers purchasers in developing countries and includes few wide-scale studies. This paper reduces that gap in that it quantifies the effect of ITO on total factor productivity using a sample of 10,100 firms in India. The results show that ITO purchasing brings strong returns and outperforms in-house IT. A comparison with studies from elsewhere reveals that Indian ITO also outperforms IT in a range of circumstances in developed countries. Taken together, these findings support the idea that ITO firms, just like other knowledge intensive business services, can act as a conduit for best practices and tacit knowledge, and that this role is very useful in a developing country context. The implication is that more ITO projects would be good for catching up in developing countries. In India, policy support for the ITO sector should be re-designed to incentivise domestic work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unincorporated enterprises significantly contribute to India's GDP and generate large scale employment. Lack of access to formal credit often constrains these enterprises to scale up. Understanding factors influencing access to formal credit of unincorporated enterprises is important which may help enterprises to improve performance and become credit worthy. For creditors, present analysis may help to broad base the criteria in selection and disbursement of credit. The present paper explores the factors which influence access to formal credit of unincorporated enterprises across states in India. Results show that various operational and economic characteristics influence access to formal credit. The analysis indicates that size of an enterprise (measured in terms of number of workers, total assets, etc.), gross value added, turnover, maintenance of bank account and written statement of accounts, years of operation, adoption of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), female entrepreneur, registration under various statutory acts/authorities, ownership type, enterprise type, type of activities (manufacturing, services or trading), enterprises facing problems, receiving government assistance, state-specific variables, etc. are statistically significant factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on green supply chain management (GSCM) or sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has attracted increased attention in recent years. Although GSCM/SSCM has been studied for developed and developing countries, there has been little information about the adoption of GSCM/SSCM practices in India. This article presents one of the earliest surveys on GSCM practices in Indian manufacturing firms. The items for the survey were developed based on the extant literature and feedback from corporates. Some of the major findings of the survey are as follows. We found that the state of adoption of GSCM practices by Indian firms was still in its infancy, the awareness of environmental sustainability was quite low among consumers, and the regulatory framework was also lacking in terms of promoting environmental sustainability. Results of data analysis showed that supplier collaboration for environmental sustainability had a positive impact on environmentally sustainable product design and logistics, which in turn was positively related to competitiveness and economic performance of the firm. We compared the results with the observations made by other researchers for developed and developing countries and provided managerial implications for the government and manufacturers as to what steps need to be taken to generate awareness towards environmental sustainability and facilitate the adoption of GSCM practices among Indian firms to a greater extent. We conclude the paper by indicating directions for future research on GSCM/SSCM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In view of the challenges faced by the present day's volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment, high level of flexibility is required for the organizations to sustain and stay competitive. Given the dynamic nature of the pharmaceutical industry in India, the need to be flexible is more pronounced. The Indian pharma sector has witnessed tremendous change in the last several years and hence, it is imperative to explore as to how these firms are addressing the critical issue of flexibility and its consequent linkage with their competitiveness by undertaking a qualitative study to structurally model their inter-relationship. In this paper, a detailed conceptual review of flexibility and competitiveness is presented, after which Total Interpretive Structural Modeling (TISM)—a qualitative method is used for the analysis. TISM is an improvised form of Warfield's structural modeling tool which is used to develop a model using different types of enterprise flexibility and competitiveness for better understanding of the relationship between these factors. The findings of this study will highlight the possible implications for practitioners and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how a "just" enterprise can challenge stigma deeply embedded in culture and in the process develop and prevent a whole new generation of women, in this case the daughters and grand-daughters of sex-workers, from being stigmatized. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on fieldwork interviews this paper, through appreciative inquiry analyses and most significant change questioning, examines the development of an Indian based enterprise called Freeset, a company employing women leaving sex work, and examines its history and its possible future trajectory. Freeset challenges the stigma of these Indian sex-workers, including that perpetuated through patriarchy, by offering alternative work which displays respect for their abilities and dreams and up-skills them to function as leaders in their communities. Findings – While stigma erodes social status by discounting and discrediting persons considered outside the norm, it is possible to challenge that process and change the life trajectory of its victims. Research limitations/implications – Hearing and highlighting the voice of the stigmatized is vital in clarifying a holistic view of stigma and its impact on society. Practical implications – There are significant insights into how values based enterprises might establish their ethos in cultures that discount those values the enterprise upholds. Originality/value – Few enterprises focused on producing social change outcomes develop sustainable business practices that challenge the economic root causes of stigma. Freeset provides new insights into managing diversity issues in a South Asian context to achieve that goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine how corporations in India interpret corporate social responsibility (CSR). Focusing on four commonly known approaches: the ethical, the statist, the liberal, and the stakeholder approach, the paper seeks to investigate the reported drivers and barriers to implementing CSR practices.Design/methodology/approach – The paper surveyed top-level managers of a sample of companies currently engaging in a CSR initiative, representing a variety of industry sectors.Findings – The study finds that the CSR approach that is most favored by Indian firms is the stakeholder approach and that the caring or the moral motive, followed by the strategic or profit motive, are important drivers for Indian firms to pursue CSR. Further, the results indicate that the most significant obstacles to CSR implementation are those related to lack of resources, followed by those related to the complexity and difficulty of implementing CSR.Research limitations/implications – The study focuses on the activities of leading Indian firms participating in the UN Global Compact (GC), thereby restricting one's knowledge of CSR practices of non-participants. Future research should expand on this effort either by conducting comparative studies of non-participants to the GC, or by investigating CSR practices of firms engaging in other voluntary initiatives.Originality/value – The majority of studies on CSR are still embedded in the economic and organizational contexts of Europe and the USA. This research aims to address this gap by focusing on the CSR framework of developing nations, particularly the emerging market of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to investigate the literature and statistical data on the Indian takeover code cum open offers market and break up the historical changes in takeover code into various phases for better understanding and decision making by mergers and acquisitions advisory, legal advisory, merchant bankers, investment bankers, business houses and academia. Design/methodology/approach -- The present study describes literature summary on takeover code and evaluates the growth phase of open offers through trend analysis with respect to amendments in Indian takeover code. Findings -- Since 14 years of takeover code presence in India, it evidences that there is an empirical support on growth phase in the open offers market. Research limitations/implications -- The study is developed on the basis of Indian takeover regulations and Securities and Exchange Board of India takeover code to wake up the public shareholding and regulatory bodies, by better conveyance of historical review at one place. Originality/value -- This study is the first of its kind, dividing the complete history of Indian takeover code into various phases for review and identifying the gaps for future research. Further, the paper investigates and finds various untouched facts and variables in both literature and statistical data on open offers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence training decision making in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India's IT-enabled business process outsourcing industry. Design/methodology/approach -- The research strategy employed is a case study. Data from semi-structured interviews, organizational documents, and non-participant observation are analysed. Findings -- The inclusive theoretical approach uncovers novel explanations through the complex interaction that occurs between various internal and external factors that shape the nature and extent of training provision in SMEs in the context of a developing country. In SMEs, enterprise training can take a variety of forms -- formal, informal, and incidental. The final training provision is shaped by high employee turnover, the complexity of the process, client specifications, and the presence of certain organizational capabilities. Research limitations/implications -- Although a multi-case embedded design was followed, the results and findings cannot be generalized to a wider population. Findings are generalized to the literature on the drivers of training. Practical implications -- The paper's findings allow practitioners to utilize scarce resources effectively, particularly for where SMEs are operating in a dynamic outsourcing environment. Originality/value -- This paper extends the current academic and policy discourses on formal and informal training in SMEs by reporting findings from a new context -- India's dynamic outsourcing environment. Novel explanations are offered of how SMEs that outsource business process offshore meet their skill development needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business houses cannot consider themselves solely as a money making entity. Being benef iciaries and some of the biggest consumers of various social and natural resources, it's their moral and ethical duty to give back to the society in various forms. Instead of being seen only as charity, corporate social responsibility should be considered as a vital part of the core business of a business entity. Companies upon realizing this reality have started setting aside substantial portion of their prof its for various CSR activities and Indian companies are also not an exception to it. There are primarily two reasons behind companies becoming more socially responsible- the f irst one being the external reality of a rapidly changing society and environment which makes it obligatory for business organizations to adopt sustainable development for their own sheer survival, the second one being the internal reality of business innovation which makes it imperative to practice corporate social responsibility to become more prof itable. Though a relatively new concept in India, it has picked up pace in the last decade or so due to both government prodding and also due to the realization by companies of CSR activities as an excellent way to connect with the populace. CSR is not only the various activities companies employ to utilize their prof its for various social and environmental development, but also consists of the socially responsible methods to earn these prof its and running a transparent business to realize an overall social and environmental sustainability. The present paper will try to explore the various aspects of corporate social responsibilities and will also try to assess the roles played by Indian companies in carrying out various types of CSR activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims at examining the factors governing business benefits of moving to Enterprise 2.0. Web 2.0 has been around for more than a decade, and has been exploited by a lot of business organizations for improving their operations and profitability. However, the success rate has not been uniform. Design/methodology/approach – Is there a pattern behind this successful adoption has been a matter of curiosity for most top management personnel. This paper goes into analyzing what factors govern this movement from Enterprise 1.0 to Enterprise 2.0 and uses structured equation modeling to predict the possibilities. Findings – It concludes by demonstrating that business benefits to the organization are significantly linked to the usage of Web 2.0 tools. Research limitations/implications – The paper has been done in India, and the authors expect that similar studies around the world will result in similar results. Practical implications – Results of this paper emphasize the strong correlation between the use of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 tools with business benefits obtained in terms of improved productivity of resources used and a higher level of information quality leading to better decision-making. Thus, transition to the Enterprise 2.0 state should be strived by all business organizations. Originality/value – This is an original work of the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family firms and business groups play an important role in many emerging economies. In this paper we study how different aspects of family involvement influence technological innovation in a firm. Arguments drawn from agency theory and particularly the principal-principal agency hypothesize a negative influence of family involvement with respect to technological innovation. In contrast, stewardship theory predicts a positive influence of family involvement on technological innovation. Drawing on these theoretical lenses with contrasting directionalities with regard to the impact of family involvement on technological innovation, we study how family involvement in ownership, management and board of directors, and business group affiliation influence R&D investments and patents obtained by the firm. The hypotheses are empirically tested on a seven-year panel of 172 firms from the pharmaceutical industry in India. Our results indicate that family shareholding and family control over both CEO and chairperson positions have a positive and significant influence on the firm's R&D investments, broadly lending support to stewardship theory. We also find a positive influence of business group affiliation on R&D investments and patents applied by the firm. Our conjecture is that the high technology opportunity environment in the Indian pharmaceutical industry facilitates stewardship behavior which in turn promotes innovation in these firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the motivations behind Indian firms’ outward investment, i.e. whether these firms are investing abroad in search of market, resource, technology, strategic-assets, efficiency, etc. Outward FDI by Indian firms has increased considerably in recent years. Such investments have gone to more than hundred host countries and into various sectors. The higher volume of outward FDI following policy reforms requires examination of factors that have motivated Indian firms to invest in different host countries. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical analysis is done for the period from 2008-2009 to 2011-2012 using firm-destination panel data with appropriate adjustment for clustering. Findings – The analysis provides evidence of the existence of multiple motives behind such investments. Indian firms are found to have invested abroad in search of resource, technology (strategic-assets) and efficiency, whereas the evidence on market-seeking motive is found to be at best weak in the empirical analysis. The results are robust to the use of alternative sample of outward investing firms. Practical implications – This analysis of firm-level motivation of outward FDI by Indian multinationals has pertinent policy implications as well. The presence of multiple motives implies that Indian firms could bring multiple benefits to the Indian economy through outward FDI. Originality/value – The link between outward FDI and host country factors is examined at the firm level as against at the aggregative level using a comprehensive and unique official database on actual outward FDI made by Indian firms, originating from both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors, in the form of equity and loan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper covers the issue of foreign collaboration in the Indian Business Education and its implications on professionalism and development of competence among the budding managers. The issue of foreign collaboration in Indian Business Education is considerably significant issue in the light of India as an emerging economic power and business. Already there is considerable flow of foreign collaboration in Indian business education witnessed by the institutional partnership. The existing institutional partnership and the future intension of foreign players are entering in business educations have been impacting in the new professional development as well as to develop professional competence in the arena of management education in India. Impacts on the new array of professionalism and competence in the country due to foreign collaboration need a fresh re-look and assessment. This paper has three sections. Section -1 deals the historical snapshot of global alliances of business education, modes of alliances; section-II deals on the quotients analysis for spread of global alliances, and in final the section the section-III analyses perceptions of stakeholders on the global alliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate philanthropy is a highly misunderstood & misinterpreted term in India, people often interlink this two term which are having altogether a different prospective. Some Indian companies believe that they are complying with laws & regulations fulfill their need for social responsibility. A corporate must take these activities with sincerity in order to provide a growth full nation. Although India is a favorable business destination but unless poor people have equity in the growth of economy, India can never achieve the title of super economy. Corporate social responsibility is one such important area of corporate behavior & governance that needs to be given thorough importance. At the same time csr is one such effective tool that synergizes the efforts of corporate & the social sector agencies towards sustainable growth & development of the societal objectives at large. This paper emphasizes that how CSR has become a ladder for development of any corporate organizations. This paper tries to bring out CSR initiatives taken by various organizations in India. An emphasis has been made in order to have an understanding about how corporate are utilizing the initiates at name of philanthropy and counting them to be there CSR activity and how the upcoming ceiling of mandatory 2% CSR is getting on their nerves and making them to enter and explore some hidden unexplored arenas of governance. This paper is completely a work based on articles and secondary data so collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How private firms can overcome their unique governance challenges remains an important but understudied topic. Using novel data on more than 28,000 private firms in India from 1988 to 2017, we examine whether private firms can improve their survival prospects by having board interlocks with public firms and, specifically, interlocks whereby a public firm director subsequently joins the private firm's board. In our data, we found a U-shaped relationship between the number of incoming board interlocks and the probability of private firm exit. We also found that board interlocks formed by public firm directors of public firms audited by Big Four companies improve private firms' survival more than other interlocks, consistent with the notion that such interlocks improve monitoring at private firms. Overall, our study points toward the importance of considering the role of incoming board interlocks when explaining private firm survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports one of the first investigations to analyze inter-partner perceptions of psychic distance between two countries. Its empirical focus is British and Indian SMEs engaged in business with each other. It examines different dimensions of psychic distance, their impact and modes of coping with them. Potential firm-level and individual influences are also taken into account. The paper aims to transcend some of the conceptual and methodological limitations of previous research on the subject and to identify the theoretical and practical implications that arise. A 'mirror' approach is applied, accessing both partners' perceptions. These are assessed through a 'mixed' method combining quantitative measurement with qualitative interpretations. Psychic distance dimensions are found to vary in their impact on doing business with the other country, and there is also variation according to the firm's sector. There is considerable asymmetry in British and Indian partners' perceptions of psychic distance but the degree of difference between their psychic distance evaluations lacks predictive power. Culturally embedded psychic distance dimensions tend to have less impact and to be easier to cope with than institutionally embedded dimensions. Four categories of coping are identified. The principal theoretical implication of this study is that a contingency perspective needs to be adopted in the field of 'distance' research, taking account of factors such as a firm's sector, and that this will require a more complex analytical framework that hitherto. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the importance and performance of managerial training in India among different industrial sectors in the light of asynchronous industrial growth in last two decades which has unevenly touched various business organizations. Design/methodology/approach – For the purpose of analysis organizations are divided at two levels. At the first level, they are divided between multinational and Indian origin category and at the second level between service and manufacturing category. A 2×2 full factorial design with unequal numbers is used to analyze main as well as interaction impacts. A sample size of 542 is taken which comprises training professionals, top/general managers and trainee employees. Findings – Study concludes that Indian origin organizations fall short in terms of importance given and performance of training function compared to multinational companies. Further, it is found that service companies have an edge over manufacturing companies in terms of importance and performance of training. Research limitations/implications – Study is mainly focussed on large organizations in India and may not be representative of small organizations. The major implication is that Indian origin organizations as well as manufacturing organizations have to devote more time and financial resources to training to compete in the era of globalization. Practical implications – It is implied from the findings that a concerted effort by training professionals in Indian and manufacturing companies is required to improve the content as well as image of the training function to get the due attention and resources within the organization. Originality/value – The paper presents an original perspective on situation of training function in Indian organizations and will be of importance to training professionals and other stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the different challenges that confront supply chain finance (SCF) and to develop a hierarchical model that analyzes the complex relationship dynamics among them. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive survey is carried out amongst Indian firms to ascertain the perceptions and experiences related to different SCF challenges. After obtaining an overview of the different SCF challenges, an Indian company with global operations was approached and after establishing relationships among the challenges, a hierarchical relationship structure was developed and MIMBI analysis (where MI=measure of influencing; MBI=measure of being influenced) was carried out that helped understand the relationship dynamics of SCF challenges and identify actions at both strategic and tactical levels. Findings – The study reveals that lack of common vision among the supply chain (SC) partners is the most critical challenge confronting SCF. Unpredictable cash-flows resulting from delays in financial transactions, due to lack of automation in the payment processes, along with lack of knowledge and training on SCF tools, also play significant roles. As organizations are tightly integrated through their SC, they should initiate collaborative approaches across the SC to reduce the total procure to payment cycle time and, in the process, improve overall financial stability of the SC. Research limitations/implications – This study is based on the findings from the Indian industry; future research may include a large-scale survey and case studies across organizations located in different countries and operating under different environments. Practical implications – Based on the study, firms can evaluate the dynamics of SCF challenges and redefine SC relationships and strategies to achieve desired cash flow in the SC. Originality/value – The academic literature on financial supply chains is very limited. This paper appears to be the first formal attempt at analyzing the various challenges confronting SCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – There is significant evidence of increasing global implementation failures in enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects; and, for this reason, critical success factors (CSF) on implementation success (IS) are of notable concern to manufacturing organizations. This paper aims to focus on these factors and the role they played toward implementation success of ERP projects in India. Furthermore, this paper will also seek to explore whether the implementation success is moderated (i.e. influenced) by the organizational culture. This will help other manufacturing organizations take appropriate decisions about the ERP implementation. Design/methodology/approach – In the proposed model, the authors propose organizational culture as the moderator toward the implementation success of ERP projects in India. A survey methodology is used for the study, and a structured questionnaire was developed to get the information. Findings – Through this study, it has been found that the organizational culture acts as a moderator and moderates the relationship between CSF and implementation success of the ERP projects in India. Research limitations/implications – This study offers both academicians and practitioners a model to research, assess, and identify the appropriate CSF such as Setting up ERP business goals and objectives (SEB), Cross-Functional Teams (CFT), Business Process Reengineering (BPR), Projects Tracking (PTG), and Data Analysis and Conversion (DAG) on IS of ERP projects in India and moderated by the organizational culture. The research is targeted on manufacturing organizations in India, and hence it has limitations in terms of scope. However, the results are quite encouraging with very good response (n=223) from the manufacturing organizations. Other manufacturing organizations planning to implement ERP soon will be highly benefited from the results of this study. Originality/value – Unfortunately, few research studies define the issues related to the moderator namely the organizational culture. This paper demonstrates how this moderator played an important role in ERP implementation. The findings will encourage Indian manufacturing organizations to implement ERP when facing challenges of the competitive market for their competitive advantage. For India, this research could be among the first to its nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of corporate board size and promoter ownership on firm value for selected Indian companies.Design/methodology/approach – The study analyses the corporate governance structure of 176 Indian firms listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange using linear regression analysis.Findings – The empirical findings show a negative relationship of board size with firm value and significant positive association of promoter ownership with corporate performance. The study suggests that only above a critical ownership level of 40 percent does promoter's interest become aligned with that of the company, resulting in positive effect on firm value.Research limitations/ implications – The research has been limited to some selected Indian companies, with focus only on board size and promoter ownership as predictor variables. The study suggests that corporate governance reforms in India and introduction of non-executive independent directors to the board have resulted in diminishing effect of board size on the firm value.Practical implications – The study implies that for emerging economies like India, it is practical to have greater ownership control by promoters to enhance company value. Also, it is not advisable to have a board size above certain limit.Originality/value – The paper adds to existing literature on corporate governance by establishing a relationship between firm performance and board size and promoter ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current regulatory mechanism is costly and ineffective due to weak enforcement of environmental standards in India. Harnessing the capabilities of capital markets could be a better strategy for environment friendly economic growth. Therefore, the paper aims to examine a relationship between a firm’s environmental performance and its market valuation. The study uses market value as an indicator of the financial performance using the Ohlson (Contemp Account Res 11:661-687, 1995) model, which is a better indicator in an emerging economy compared to Tobin-q and is free from the biases that Tobin-q suffers from. The study finds a positive relationship between the number of voluntary environment program implemented by a firm and its market value and significant negative relationship between a firm’s market value and pollution index. However, the relationship between resource use index and market value is not found to be statistically significant. The study indicates that India could harness the power of capital markets for improving industrial environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Based on agency theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants on the dissemination level of corporate governance disclosure (CGD).Design/methodology/approach The sample of the study incorporates listed companies in Nifty 500 Index for the period 2009-2014. The Governance Disclosure Score calculated by Bloomberg is used as a proxy for the dissemination level of corporate governance information. In total, eight explanatory variables are uses, namely, board’s size, number of board meetings, CEO duality, presence of women on the board, company’s size, financial performance, Tobin’s Q ratio and financial leverage.Findings The results of study suggest a need for improvement in CGDs by Indian companies, as they fail to comply the majority of the proposed disclosure items. Furthermore, it is revealed that the number of board director, the value of company, the financial leverage and the presence of women affect negatively the dissemination level of corporate governance information. While, the size of company is the only determinant that positively affects the extent of CGD.Practical implications The results are valuable because they reveal the attributes that determines which companies needs less or extra monitoring by shareholders and investors regarding the applied corporate governance practices. In addition, the study can be valuable to policy makers responsible for the regulation of company’s accountability in relation to corporate governance practices.Originality/value The study extents previous studies by incorporating for the first time Bloomberg’s rating approach regarding the dissemination level of CGD in Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of social capital with new venture creation, and whether self-efficacy plays a role in mediating the association between social capital and new venture creation.Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 375 entrepreneurs through cross-sectional survey in India. The study used partial least square path modeling to assess the relationships among the variables.Findings Findings reveal that social capital is positively related to new venture creation. The association of social capital and new venture creation is fully mediated by entrepreneurs’ self-efficacy.Originality/value The role of social capital in the success of new venture creations through self-efficacy is useful to the potential entrepreneurs and people who facilitate new venture creation in Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of non-violent protest (satyagraha) in a multinational automobile plant in India that has suffered from considerable employee relations problems. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a case study of a Japanese-owned company using data obtained from 30 personal interviews and from internet media sources. Findings – It is found that workers initially pursued their protests through satyagraha-style methods before taking on a more violent posture when company management refused to accept any notion of jointly seeking a new harmony. The reasons for these developments are explored. Practical implications – The paper has implications for the manner in which scholars and practitioners view the respective roles, significance, and management of satyagraha and non-satyagraha protest in Indian companies. Originality/value – The importance of satyagraha in Indian employee relations is under-researched in comparison with other factors, and is especially significant for culturally-unaware multinational companies in successfully understanding and managing protest in the workplace context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the association between corporate leverage and their investment in R&D. Towards this end, it develops certain testable propositions. These propositions are tested using a dataset of manufacturing firms in India covering the period 1995-2010. Three main results are gleaned from the analysis. First, the optimal leverage ratio typically declines with R&D intensity. Second, the financial crisis has exerted a negative effect on leverage for firms. And finally, the dampening effect of R&D intensity on leverage is the highest for foreign private firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the impact of competitive intelligence (CI) practices on the firm's performance in the emerging market context of India. The paper seeks to answer the following questions: do CI activities have an impact on the market performance of Indian firms? If so, what are the macro and micro environmental drivers of CI for Indian firms? How are CI activities organized within Indian firms? How is the usage and dissemination of CI taking place within Indian firms? Design/methodology/approach – The study used a stratified sample developed from a variety of mailing lists focusing on Indian firms. The study employed a cross-sectional, survey-based methodology. Findings – The study identifies two key aspects: Indian firms that exhibit higher levels of CI activities indeed achieve better financial performance results; and the current level of CI activities in Indian firms is at a moderate level, thereby suggesting an opportunity for using and implementing more sophisticated CI techniques. Practical implications – The findings of this study should assist local and foreign managers in having a more informed understanding of CI activities in the Indian marketplace. Additionally, these findings provide directives to managers regarding the untapped opportunities and potential that CI can offer in a highly volatile and rapidly changing market scenario. Originality/value – This is the first study that empirically investigates the relationship between the level of CI activities and firm performance in an emerging market context. It is also the first study of its kind that explores the current state of CI practices in the Indian market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper's aim is to identify structural and relational factors influencing the upstream channel management of organized retailers in India. Design/methodology/approach – In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 organized retailers and two manufacturers in India. Data were analyzed using the thematic network analysis technique from qualitative research. The authors use the framework of institutional theory to guide the discussion. Findings – The findings suggest that government regulations influence the supply chain structure in India. Relational bonds offset the uncertainty borne of weak institutions. Informational transparency and long-term orientation foster trust between channel partners. This trust, in turn, leads to collaborative partnerships. Research limitations/implications – The findings have implications for multinationals planning to enter the Indian retail industry. There is a need to understand complex regulatory and social institutions in India. The uniqueness of these institutions calls for adaptive strategies toward channel management. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the literature on the supply chain structure in India. Despite growing interest in the Indian retailing industry, not many studies reflect on the specific B2B exchange structure in India. The paper fills this gap and also provides several marketing implications for multinational retailers planning to enter the Indian market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine both the direct effects and the interactive effects of job insecurity and job embeddedness on unethical pro-organizational behavior.Design/methodology/approach Data were collected, using established scales, from employees of different Indian organizations. In all, 346 responses were collected. The data were analyzed using a stepwise multiple regression technique.Findings The results of the analysis reveal that both job insecurity and job embeddedness are positively linked to unethical pro-organizational behavior. Further, the relationship between job insecurity and unethical pro-organizational behavior is moderated by job embeddedness.Research limitations/implications The study’s results indicate that managers should be aware that employees who run the risk of losing their jobs might be inclined to perform pro-organizational behavior that could be unethical. Intrinsically, such acts could be detrimental to the organization’s long-term health and therefore managers should be vigilant and timely in discouraging this behavior.Originality/value Unethical pro-organizational behavior as a means used by employees to combat job insecurity has not previously been addressed by researchers. Thus, this study contributes to the literature through its empirical examination of the role of job insecurity and job embeddedness as factors influencing unethical pro-organizational behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to report the findings from a longitudinal study of Indian business groups responding to the pro-market reforms that the government had initiated. It explores their diversification choices at the group level and the group performance consequences of these choices during a period of institutional changes (1990-2008).Design/methodology/approach Ordinary least squares regressions were used to analyze data spanning the 1988-2008 study period for 98 Indian business groups.Findings Results show that business groups that focused their portfolios in the early stages of institutional reforms tended to perform worse than their counterparts that did not do so. However, as market reforms became more established, business groups that made the transition from an unfocused to a more focused portfolio experienced superior performance consequences.Originality/value The findings underscore the temporal dimension of focusing and suggest that both changing strategy by refocusing business portfolio too early or waiting too long to refocus can hurt performance outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Few research studies have been conducted to investigate the issue of new service development (NSD) across nations and geographical regions. To address this critique of the literature, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a comparative study of NSD process and strategy in a developed country, Australia and a developing country, India. Design/methodology/approach – The paper conducted surveys of 102 Australian firms and 97 Indian firms operating in the business-to-business financial services industry. Findings – The findings suggest that significant differences exist between the Australian and Indian firms. Service firms in both countries use different strategies to compete in the industry and emphasize different sets of development stages in developing new services. Research limitations/implications – The analysis has been restricted to two countries: India and Australia. This suggests the need for further comparative studies of NSD in other cultures/countries. Practical implications – The findings of this research validate the initial contention that NSD varies from country to country and thus there cannot be a "one-size-fits-all" approach to NSD. The insights from this study can help service managers from India, Australia and other countries to better understand and manage their NSD programs in a cross-national context. Originality/value – To the best of the author's knowledge, this research represents the first attempt to empirically test the similarities and differences in NSD practices of Australian and Indian firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The objective of this research paper is to identify specific attributes associated with the shell companies, so that the frauds committed by misuse of the corporate vehicle are curbed. The presence of an identified attribute increases the fraud risk the company poses to the economic system. The efficient allocation of limited investigative resources may accordingly be made by the regulator. Design/methodology/approach - The research was designed as a case study involving documentary evidence corroborated by archival records and semi-structured interview. The paper discusses the identification of attributes associated with shell companies and suggests recommendations for corporate regulatory machinery in India. Findings - The research paper has identified a few attributes associated with the shell companies. These attributes are directly related to the fraud risk an incorporated entity may pose to the economic system. Limited resources may be efficiently deployed on the basis of the risk an entity poses to the system. Research limitations/implications - The findings of the research are yet to be verified and authenticated by an independent study. However, the findings have a wider implication with respect to more efficient deployment of investigative resources dependent on the risk parameters. Originality/value - The research paper is a pioneer effort in the field of frauds by misuse of a corporate vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to find out whether and how Indian small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are benefiting because of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation, through survey-based research. This will help other SMEs take appropriate decisions about ERP implementation. Design/methodology/approach – The research is exploratory in nature, a survey methodology is used for study and it is cross-checked with the personal interviews of the key personnel in the SMEs and the ERP vendors. A structured questionnaire was developed to get the information. Findings – The survey of 130 SMEs in one of the industrially advanced cities reveals that most of them have implemented ERP to integrate the existing information system and found ERP implementation mainly beneficial in reducing inventory, improving customer services and improving communications. Top management support, and user involvement and participation are found to be the major contributors of ERP success. Research limitations/implications – The research is targeted on SMEs in one part of India and hence it has limitations in terms of scope. However, the results are quite encouraging with very good response from the SMEs, though the industry-institute interactions are not so strong. Other SMEs, planning to implement ERP in the near future, will be highly benefited from the performance evaluation of ERP in Indian SMEs. Originality/value – This paper demonstrates how Indian SMEs have benefited from ERP implementation. The findings will encourage Indian SMEs to implement ERP when facing challenges of the competitive market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous projects have been implemented with the aim of promoting the development of local enterprises as a means to improve the conditions of rural communities. Their failure points to the difficulty of adapting the concept of "entrepreneurship" to different cultural settings and to the diversity of community needs. Whereas the community is typically treated in the literature as an exogenous part of the environment for entrepreneurship, an emerging point of view is to treat the entrepreneur and the enterprise as embedded in a network of relationships, usually local. The objective of this paper is to investigate the conditions that enable community entrepreneurial activities to alleviate poverty and promote local development. The paper analyzes Gram Mooligai Limited (GMCL), a community-based enterprise in India active in the herbal sector, which delivered interesting results in relation to the paper's focus. Findings from this case study highlight the importance of seeing entrepreneurial activity and enterprise development programs in a much more holistic way than they are conventionally understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to follow the internationalisation of an Indian company, Bharat Forge Limited. It studies how a small company from India becomes one of the leading players in the global forging industry. Design/methodology/approach: This is a case study approach for studying the process of internationalisation in one particular firm. Findings: Bharat Forge Limited has followed the traditional stages model of internationalisation. It started global foray with exports and continued with that for more than three decades before going for acquisitions way. The company has gone for related-diversified using its strengths in technology to diversify its products, markets and customers over the years and today has a global footprints in terms of sales and manufacturing locations. Practical implications: It shows the way for companies even small ones and from developing countries, that how one can go for internationalisation and emerge as a leading global player. Originality/value: India is one of the fastest emerging markets and there is growing interests in Indian economy and Indian firms. But there are few case studies on internationalisation of Indian firms and this study tries to fill that gap. Bharat Forge Limited is an Indian multinational company and has become a leading player in global forging industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the recent success that India has enjoyed in the domain of outsourcing of services can be explained through the triple helix paradigm of university-industry-government networks albeit in a manner that does not conform strictly to the existing notions of triple helix. First, it presents an analytical discussion on offshore outsourcing focusing on the heightened sense of uncertainty that prevails in this particular form of procurement. It is suggested here that one of the ways of managing uncertainty is to leverage personal and social ties which are constitutive of the social capital of firms engaged in such economic exchanges. Second, it looks at the case of India through in terms of social networks and the triple helix thesis and illustrates how university-industry-government networks and the social capital of the firms involved have played a central role in India's success in the export of knowledge-intensive services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — This paper sets out to explore the trends of social responsibility of the corporate sector in India. Design/methodology/approach — The methodology being followed in the paper is exploratory in nature as data are scanty. An analysis has been done on an overall score drawn from a structured questionnaire being administered. Findings — Trends in socially responsible initiatives are both positive and crucial in nature in India. Research limitations/implications — The vastness of the corporate activities in a big country like India, on the one hand, and the scanty data availability, on the other, lead to issues being restricted in some sectors. Practical implications — This research has a tremendous effect on society with respect to the CSR approach being conceived, adopted and initiated by UN Global Compact. Originality/value — The paper has touched on the cutting-edge research initiatives in the field of CSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]