Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chain Networks

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chain Networks 

Author Name : Nitin Singh 

Synopsis : 

This paper deals with Modeling and Analysis of Supply Chain Networks.

Environmental Scanning, Organizational Culture and Environmental Change at the Functional Level: An Examination of Offshore Outsourcing in the Financial Services Industry

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : Environmental Scanning, Organizational Culture and Environmental Change at the Functional Level: An Examination of Offshore Outsourcing in the Financial Services Industry 

Author Name : Christopher Clott 

Synopsis : 

This paper addresses the prevailing image that environmental scanning and interpretation of change in the external environment is performed by top management for use in strategic decision making but seldom utilized at the implementation level. Using offshore outsourcing by U.S. and U.K. financial services organizations as a case in point, it is argued that scanning and interpretation efforts undertaken by project managers in U.S. and U.K. financial services firms impact the degree of long-term success in implementing offshore outsourcing efforts. The type of scanning utilized by project managers will be related to the organizational culture type in place, personal background of the project manager and knowledge gained from a variety of sources- general media, customers, consultants, partner organizations, work groups, and subordinates. It is hypothesized that project managers are often unaware that new offshoring arrangements will involve potential far reaching long term effects including changing attitudes and behaviors in a disaggregated workplace. The research suggests that the interpretation of specific environmental changes as a result of offshoring decisions may provide an insight into the long term development of firm strategy formulation.

A Clustering Approach for Assessing the Antecedents to New Product Development Process Outcomes

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : A Clustering Approach for Assessing the Antecedents to New Product Development Process Outcomes 

Author Name : Roger J. Calantone, Anthony Di Benedetto 

Synopsis : 

This exploratory study examines the interrelationships between the stages of the new product development (NPD) process and key factors that affect NPD process metrics, Factors affecting NPD process metrics as identified in the literature include external and internal integration, and levels of complexity and specialization.  We include three commonly used process metrics: quality, profitability, and speed to market.  We use a cluster analysis approach to find linkages between the key antecedent factors, the relative amount of time spent on each stage in the NPD process, and success.  We use data from 1115 products collected from seven large multinationals.  We find two clusters of products that exhibit high success rates: high-complexity, high-specialization, high-integration projects in which the stages of product design prototype development, and launch are emphasized, and low-complexity, low-specialization, low-integration projects in which the stages of idea screening, feasibility testing, marketing planning, and trial testing were emphasized.  We draw implications for management on how improvements in screening and/or in the Product Innovation Charter might minimize the number of products that fall in the less successful cluster. We conclude with a discussion of the findings, implications for management, and directions for future research.

Role of Creativity in Organisations

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : Role of Creativity in Organisations 

Author Name : Sarangapani S, Balasubramanian P, Chinnasamy K 

Synopsis : 

No organization can function without being creative at least in some of its endeavors and notably many organizations have become radiant due to restless creativity. All products, all new steps, all processes have been achieved out perpetual quest for innovation and redefinition of every process or step undertaken. Fulfillment of organizational dreams into ground realities is possible only through creativity in the long run. Improving the existing technology and the product or discovering a new one is the essence of creativity which in turn improves services to Customer. If creativity results in elimination of unwanted steps or value addition wherever possible, the company enjoys competitive edge. Cost reduction and quality improvement are not counter-current and creativity makes them a co-current approach as vetted by TQM techniques. The role of business process reengineering is also explained in context of creativity. A status quo attitude is not welcome in creativity and always challenging the existing methods is the origin of creativity. Due consideration is to be given to establish conducive atmosphere in organizations to propel and promote individual creativity, group Creativity and organizational creativity. Fostering personal effectiveness in Creativity is the backbone for the organization to be creative as a whole. The article links the Creative processes and tailors it to the organizational needs. A holistic approach is required in organizations and various phases of the organization along with the approach to Creativity have been explained. All such efforts in an organization will make the organization an edge over others and make it compatible in the globalised scenario. The article ends with probable innovations in next decade and thus sets target for creative personnel.

Selling in the 21st Century - A paradigm shift in perspective

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : Selling in the 21st Century - A paradigm shift in perspective 

Author Name : Smitha Sambrani 

Synopsis : 

This paper talks about the Selling in the 21st Century.

Did Sarbanes Oxley Foster a Global Shift in Corporate Governance? Evidence of change in European Union Countries

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : Did Sarbanes Oxley Foster a Global Shift in Corporate Governance? Evidence of change in European Union Countries 

Author Name : Kathryn Hansen, Edward Lance Monsour 

Synopsis : 

With passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in July, 2002, a revolution in corporate governance procedures took place.  Certainly, given the accounting, internal control, and governance problems in U.S. companies in the early 2000s, change was necessary.  But what happened in other countries with developed economies and sophisticated financial markets?  Accounting scandals of the same magnitude certainly were not evident.  Did the countries of the European Union follow in the U.S.’s footsteps to try to prevent their own version of WorldCom and Enron or were similar internal control and corporate governance procedures already in place?  What this paper accomplishes is a comparison of the criteria from Sarbanes-Oxley to existing procedures and subsequent changes made in the EU and EU countries.

Managing Information Technology (IT) Project Risk

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : Managing Information Technology (IT) Project Risk 

Author Name : Richard M. Kesner 

Synopsis : 

IT field is growing fast and developments are happening rapidly. Every professional wants to achieve the maximum in this, but to achieve success in project delivery, information technology (IT) professionals need to be good risk managers.  Given the scope and complexity of many IT projects, risk management is both a major concern and a serious challenge.  This article considers the dimensions of IT project risk and recommends processes for the tracking and mitigation of these barriers to successful project delivery.   Built upon years of field-tested experience, the author’s approach includes a comprehensive view of risk factors as well as a simple but effective tool for assessing IT project risk.  As the author will demonstrate, if the identified risks of particular project are too great, his process and tool set will drive the project team to either risk exposure mitigation or the rescoping of the effort to remove particular pitfalls that might otherwise adversely affect delivery.

Partnering Applications: Continuing benefits to Organization

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title  : Partnering Applications: Continuing benefits to Organization 

Author Name : Jeanne D.Maes 

Synopsis : 

Partnering is a process that combines team building, visioning, strategic planning, and innovative conflict resolution techniques.  It affords organizations opportunities for positive collaborative relationships that may offer them a way to maximize effectiveness and create competitive advantage in the marketplace. In this article, the partnering process is discussed in such a way so as to provide a “how-to” approach for any manager wishing to use the process.  Partnering is defined, steps in the process are explained, vulnerabilities are listed, and applications are explored.

Selling Value Creation through Customer Relationship Management

Vol. 1 No. 4

Year : 2007

Issue : Mar-May

Title : Selling Value Creation through Customer Relationship Management 

Author Name : Christian N. Madu 

Synopsis : 

The aim of this paper is to introduce managers to the concept of customer relationship management (CRM) and how it would help to create value to customers. The paper looks at CRM as a business strategy that is aimed at achieving customer satisfaction through creation of value in products and services delivered to the customer. By achieving customer satisfaction, the organization may benefit from customer loyalty and this would help it to retain existing customers and also to attract new customers. In today’s highly competitive environment, it is imperative that business organizations focus on strategies to maintain and expand their market shares. This way, they could develop lifetime customers that would further help the organization to continue to achieve its mission. Today’s managers need to know how CRM is crucial in the effective running and survival of an organization.

Exploring the Conceptual Frame Work of Johari Window: Ingham and Luft's Johari Window Model - For Self-Awareness, Personal Development, Group Development and Understanding Relationships

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : Exploring the Conceptual Frame Work of Johari Window: Ingham and Luft's Johari Window Model - For Self-Awareness, Personal Development, Group Development and Understanding Relationships 

Author Name : Raveendran P.T, Gopakumar Vadassery 

Synopsis : 

This paper talks about the Exploring the Conceptual Frame Work of  Johari Window: Ingham and Luft's Johari Window Model - For Self-Awareness, Personal Development, Group Development and Understanding Relationships.

How to Effectively Market Distance Education Programs

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title  : How to Effectively Market Distance Education Programs 

Author Name : Jason Dumois, Zane L. Berge 

Synopsis : 

Many organizations have adopted and readily accepted e-learning as a part of their training models. However, one topic that does not often come up in discussions is how to effectively market your distance education (DE) programs. Ever wonder why a distance educational program has had low enrollment and completion rates? This paper will address the importance of integrating marketing into your distance education initiatives. You will learn how strategic planning, designing/developing, promoting, implementing, and evaluating a marketing campaign for your DE programs can greatly influence participation and motivation in your programs. You will also see examples of effective and ineffective DE marketing campaigns, and will ultimately learn how to create a highly effective DE marketing strategy and campaign. With this goal in mind, you will not only learn how to create a winning DE marketing campaign, but also will learn how to evaluate and determine the return on investment (ROI). Evaluation and ROI are two crucial steps that should not be left behind with your DE marketing campaigns.

The Next Wave of Education : Grooming Entrepreneurs

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : The Next Wave of Education : Grooming Entrepreneurs 

Author Name : Bhasker V.K 

Synopsis : 

Education systems worldwide have often been brought into the limelight by corporate and academic experts for not being to generate  “ market-ready “ , or “employable “ candidates to join the already growing work force . This fact must be , and surely is being highlighted in the case of India where 50% of the population is under the age of 20 —21  . Neither will current curriculum nor companies knock your door to to bring out the entrepreneurs in students. It is up to us — the academia and more importantly - students  to assess for the society and to realize what it is ,that is really the need of the hour in the years to come and generations to follow.

A Study of India’s Trade and Investment Potential with BIMSTEC Countries in WTO Borderless Regime

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : A Study of India’s Trade and Investment Potential with BIMSTEC Countries in WTO Borderless Regime 

Author Name : Ram Singh 

Synopsis : 

The Study analyses trade and investment relations of the BIMST-EC countries (which include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand), and highlights potential areas for enhancing bilateral trade and investment between India and BIMST-EC countries.

Sourcing Strategies for Global Firms – A Study With Reference to the Global Textile Industry in the WTO Regime

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : Sourcing Strategies for Global Firms – A Study With Reference to the Global Textile Industry in the WTO Regime 

Author Name : Smitha Sambrani, Johnson D 

Synopsis : 

In recent years, sourcing and supply management has emerged as one of the greatest opportunity areas for retail business as well as for suppliers to leading retailers. At the same time, it is possibly also the one most prone to risk. This set of activities holds the key to improving service, product offer and overall profitability, and yet also provides some of the most difficult challenges of doing business globally. Certainly, a business needs to have winning products. Especially so with global companies who need to pick the best supply countries and the best suppliers to source from. Certainly negotiation and cost management are an important part in this context. But the only way to achieve these many "bests" is by ensuring that sourcing is well and truly integrated within a company’s overall business strategy, and that sourcing activities closely follow the direction set by overall business strategy. This paper attempts to identify sourcing strategies for global firms operating in the post WTO liberalized scenario to compete effectively.  The need for integrating sourcing options and aligning them with the overall business strategy with special reference to the textile industry has been brought forth.

Free Trade and Its Impacts on the Environment

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : Free Trade and Its Impacts on the Environment 

Author Name : Surendar Singh 

Synopsis : 

Economic growth and a healthy environment are two things that virtually everybody would love to have. Both provide great utility to the recipients, in this case everybody. Unfortunately, there seems to be an intrinsic tradeoff between economic activity and environmental preservation. Industry and production use resources that deplete our environment and emit by-products that harm the environment. However this production also leads to economic growth that in turn leads to more available income for everybody. Every government in the world has adopted some sort of balance between environmental protection and economic activity. Free trade versus the environment has become a hot issue lately, especially in the face of our ever-globalizing world. Free trade will certainly lead to increased world income, but the environmental consequences may also be dire — so dire as to outweigh the gains from income. This paper explains the impacts of free trade on the environment, the environmentalist argument, the pros of free trade, and review some recent empirical research measuring the impacts of free trade on the environment.

The Outsourcing of Information Technology Services: A Consideration of Options and Success Factors

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : The Outsourcing of Information Technology Services: A Consideration of Options and Success Factors 

Author Name : Richard M. Kesner, Rafael Ruiz Castillo 

Synopsis : 

“Outsourcing” information technology (IT) services has become all the rage.  But as interest has grown in the globalized sourcing of everything from data and call center operations to software system development maintenance and support, so too have the options for distributed IT product and service delivery.  Emerging management approaches combine onsite, onshore, offshore and so-called “nearshore” solutions.  While India and China immediately spring to mind as places where outsourcing happens, Latin America and in particular Mexico are now determined to enter the global outsourcing market,  providing a nearshore option to interested U.S. enterprises.  This article will provide a simple tool for assessing the match between an offshore IT services offering and the needs of the enterprise.  The authors will then explore outsourcing options by focusing on two IT service providers — Choice Solutions, Ltd., (India), and Softtek Corporation (Mexico).  For each of these enterprises, the authors provide a brief client experience, focusing on the value-added of the offshore/nearshore relationship.  To conclude, the authors offer a process approach and a series of critical success factors in managing a typical IT outsourcing arrangement.

Strategy and Leadership: Managing in a Complex and Dynamic Environment

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : Strategy and Leadership: Managing in a Complex and Dynamic Environment 

Author Name : Christian N. Madu 

Synopsis : 

Today’s business environment is very complex and dynamic. Businesses are increasingly affected by technological changes, evolution of management practices, societal changes, demands on the natural environment, and increasing competition. Dynamic leaders are needed to guide their corporations to respond proactively and effectively to manage change and business growth. Business leaders need to be innovators and strategic thinkers who are able to adapt and exploit opportunities in their changing environment. In this paper, we review the challenges that businesses are faced with and discuss how top management can respond to these challenges by planning and managing change.

This article discusses the importance of leadership and strategy in planning for the future. Planning for the future is not an easy task and requires visionary leadership to develop futuristic views. Leadership is essential to providing enabling conditions and appropriately allocating resources to anticipate and plan for the future. Corporations that understand their environment and react proactively have proven to be successful and continue to reap the benefits of better planning. Those that have failed to plan effectively have lost market share and competitive advantage and are either out of business or struggling to catch up with their competitors. This paper therefore discusses the importance of strategic planning and the role of top management to ensure effective planning and implementation. Planning for the future is the goal of any strategic plan and it is the key to the long-term survivability of firms.

Father Leadership and Small Business Management: The Singapore Case Study

Vol. 1 No. 3

Year : 2007

Issue : Dec-Feb

Title : Father Leadership and Small Business Management: The Singapore Case Study 

Author Name : Patrick Low Kim Cheng 

Synopsis : 

The purpose of the research is to gain an understanding of the theory, use, practice, and benefits of the father leadership in Singapore’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). By applying the focus group data collection techniques and interpretative analysis, the relevance and usefulness of the father leadership’s 5Cs approach is highlighted; the use and perceived value of that ‘all-in-the-family’ touches to ensure business success.

Human Resource Strategy: Introducing A New Management Typology to Make Change Stick

Vol. 1 No. 2

Year : 2006

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title : Human Resource Strategy: Introducing A New Management Typology to Make Change Stick 

Author Name : Michael J.R. Butler 

Synopsis : 

I maintain that ideas are events.  It is more difficult to make them interesting I know, but if you fail the style is at fault. (Gustave Flaubert:  Letter to Louise Colet) (15 January 1853)

Human resource management (HRM) is now being seen as a strategic activity.  This recognises that change processes must include the management of human resources as part of an integrated approach to strategy.  Without also linking management development and business strategy, change will not stick and organisations will not develop.  Contributing to the debate about integrating HR and other strategies, including linking management development and business strategy, this paper develops a new Generic Management Typology of co-existing management philosophies in order to help change agents diagnose the culture of an organisation and to modify that culture.  The typology is derived from reflecting on research about the global transformation of public service organisations over the last twenty-five years.

Observations on Human Resource Management and Development in Transition Economies – The Case of Kazakhstan

Vol. 1 No. 2

Year : 2006

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title : Observations on Human Resource Management and Development in Transition Economies – The Case of Kazakhstan 

Author Name : Patrick Low Kim Cheng, Robert W. Robertson 

Synopsis : 

The quality of business leaders, managers, visionary entrepreneurs and the work force can greatly contribute to economic growth and the development of transition economies. In this paper, the writers highlight the importance and benefits of training, the right or proper training and overall human resource management in the former Soviet Union with particular reference to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Managing People Through Change: An HR Issue That Concerns Managers

Vol. 1 No. 2

Year : 2006

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title : Managing People Through Change: An HR Issue That Concerns Managers 

Author Name : Deb Sircar 

Synopsis : 

It is argued that individuals resist change. However, external change drivers in the business environment continuously influence internal organisational change. This change often disrupts the performance of individuals. Therefore, there should be an internal change management programme in place to ensure that change is managed in such a way that it does not affect individuals adversely. This study observes that there is a requirement for a conceptual framework in this area of change which is responsive to individual needs. Therefore, attention is to be given to the micro level of change rather than organisations viewing change as a single event.

From Making a Living to Making a Life - Leadership Development Revisited

Vol. 1 No. 2

Year : 2006

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title : From Making a Living to Making a Life - Leadership Development Revisited 

Author Name : Thomas Mengel 

Synopsis : 

“Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life.” (Sandra Carey)

In spite of our increasing knowledge and the effort we put into leadership development, we seem to fail at an astonishing rate. We appear to make a living by continuously creating new problems when solving others. Complexity of life and uncertainty of our future call for making a life by wisely accepting our ignorance without loosing confidence in what we do know. This article suggests a new approach to leadership development based on a three-dimensional model of knowledge and human intelligence.

We perceive ourselves to live in a knowledge society which requires us to acquire knowledge in order to be able to solve the problems ahead of us and in order to make a living. We learn how and when to use which tools and how to apply them to given problems. However, we still seem to fail at an astonishing rate, given the increasing amount of knowledge that has been collected. We seem to make a living by continuously creating new problems while solving others. Complexity of life appears to go beyond the problem-solving knowledge we tend to apply. Uncertainty of our future calls for making a life by wisely accepting our ignorance without loosing confidence in what we do know and to act accordingly.

This article suggests a change of approach to leadership development away from the focus on more expertise and management knowledge to the ability to discover meaning in what we do and to jointly create a meaningful future. This will be based on a three-dimensional approach to knowledge and human intelligence.

Knowledge Management – Investment or a Cost?

Vol. 1 No. 2

Year : 2006

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title : Knowledge Management – Investment or a Cost? 

Author Name : Mohamed Ibrahim 

Synopsis : 

This paper reviews the role of knowledge management (KM) in business and proposes a closer examination of its values and return on investment. The paper uses cases studies from the health industry to highlight the importance of KM in storing and sharing of knowledge to deliver a better outcome.  While this may indicate a positive outlook of KM, the paper also discusses issues relating to theoretical foundation of the KM field and how this relates to the Information Systems, Information technology and other business process technologies.  The paper suggests that although the challenges of implementing KM are considerable, so are the rewards. The growth of KM projects signals a growing conviction that managing institutional knowledge is crucial to business success and possibly business survival.

Intellectual Venture Capitalists: An Emerging Breed of Knowledge Entrepreneurs

Vol. 1 No. 2

Year : 2006

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title : Intellectual Venture Capitalists: An Emerging Breed of Knowledge Entrepreneurs 

Author Name : Elias Carayannis 

Synopsis : 

This paper talks about the Intellectual Venture Capitalists: An Emerging Breed of Knowledge Entrepreneurs.

Progressive Discipline Versus Summary Termination

Vol. 1 No. 2

Year : 2006

Issue : Sep-Nov

Title : Progressive Discipline Versus Summary Termination 

Author Name : Franklin Ramsoomair, Lawrence Saunders 

Synopsis : 

Approaches to discipline and termination range from nurturing and progressive discipline, to dismissal. Managers need to adjust this view. They ought to have a strategy in place that is based on their company’s unique circumstances and that is supported by decision making that has the long term health of the company as the primary objective.

Globalization is a Catalyst for Change in Intellectual Property Systems: Case Studies in India and China

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title : Globalization is a Catalyst for Change in Intellectual Property Systems: Case Studies in India and China 

Author Name : Sisir Botta, Christopher Tsai 

Synopsis : 

The recent forces of increasing globalization have forced India and China to reform their intellectual property stance to become competitive in the new global economy. Prior to the 1970s, both India and China had intellectual property systems that were flawed and relatively powerless to provide any real protections to individual inventors. This paper argues that the recent overhauling of the intellectual property system in both India and China are a direct result of globalization. The surge in globalization following the conclusion of World War II provided the competitive environment necessary to initiate change within the systems governing intellectual property in both countries.

Indian Banks against Global Banks: An Empirical study on Some Key Indicators and the Road Ahead

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title : Indian Banks against Global Banks: An Empirical study on Some Key Indicators and the Road Ahead 

Author Name : Prakash Singh 

Synopsis : 

Few years after the independence, the old Imperial Bank of India was ten times bigger than the Hon Kong &/ Shanghai Bank (HSBC). Since then, the Imperial Bank has morphed into the State Bank of India (SBI), our domestic banking behemoth which towers over its competitors h ere. Yet, SBI is today a mere tenth of the modern HSBC’s size. This paper tries to give an insight about how Indian Banks — just like their peers in manufacturing — have lost out in the quest for global scale. Despite having achieved a lot over the past few decades, from expanding their rural reach to cleaning the balance sheets, Indian banks continue to be pygmies in the land of giants. With the increasing levels of globalization of the Indian banking industry, evolution of universal banks and bundling of financial services, competition in the industry is set to intensify further. The industry has the potential and the ability to rise to the occasion as demonstrated by the rapid pace of automation, which has already had a profound impact on raising the standard of banking services. However, the author also observe through this paper that on the positive side, the policy developments during 2005 indicated willingness, both on the part of the government and banking entities, to meet the challenges of global competition and at the same time capitalize on the business opportunities and technological support. However, in parallel terms, competitive pressures and loss of market share led to banks compromising on their margins. Nevertheless, their keenness to compete with their global peers by acquiring size and scale, setting up franchises overseas and getting overseas listing, accentuated the desire to benchmark themselves to global standards. The article concludes that the Indian banking sector compares well with the global benchmarks, thanks to prudential supervision and the measures undertakes by the Reserve Bank of India and the Government. The paper is divided into three parts. In the first part we make a comparison of Indian banks with their global counterparts by looking at some key indicators, the second part deals with the micro analysis of recent trends in the banking industry and finally the third section deals with future challenges.

The Role of Innovation in Knowledge-Economy and Sustainable Productivity

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title  : The Role of Innovation in Knowledge-Economy and Sustainable Productivity 

Author Name : Ibrahim Badran 

Synopsis : 

This paper explains the concept of knowledge-driven economy (k-economy) and its relation with the progress of civilization and consequently on the development of any nation. The interaction between knowledge and economy are outlined in terms of innovation, technology, engineering education, productivity and investment, knowledge applicability and diffusion in the developing societies. The details of the model for knowledge economy basis are also given. The concept of innovation and its interrelationship with the knowledge economy are discussed with some emphasis on productivity and building knowledge society. Case studies and analysis of past experiences are presented.

International Alliance strategies in International Business Expansion – A case of International Business strategies of Wipro

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title : International Alliance strategies in International Business Expansion – A case of International Business strategies of Wipro 

Author Name : Prashant Salwan 

Synopsis : 

In an attempt to accomplish sustained competitive advantages in global marketplaces, Indian multinational cooperation’s in recent years have turned increasingly use of ICVs (International cooperative ventures). The success of ICVs largely depends on appropriate selection of local partners. There are three type of International business strategies selection criteria namely strategic, organizational and financial. A partner with superior strategic traits but lacking strong organizational and financial characteristics may result in an unstable joint venture. A partner with superior financial strengths without strategies an organizational competence can lead to an unsustainable venture.  A company has to first study its long-term goals and have a clear strategic planning as Wipro had done in software industry. This paper deals with in detail the strength and weakness of Indian software industry and how wipro transformed itself to a multinational company by leveraging its strength and compatibility by going for an international alliance with international MNCs.

Developing Quality Strategy Using a Composite Approach

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title  : Developing Quality Strategy Using a Composite Approach 

Author Name : Jagadeesh 

Synopsis : 

While developing products and services which are the intended outputs from the organizations, the crucial issue is to decide the appropriate quality level at which those outputs need to be offered. This is because the cost aspects as well as the marketability of the outputs are dependent on the quality of the output and governed by various internal and external forces. Also, the manner in which the quality standards need to be raised over a period of time to meet rising competition is equally important considering the strategic value of quality. This demands a holistic approach to quality planning with a strategic perspective. While strategy formulation pertaining to the conventional areas like finance or marketing, are well conceivable based on success models, formulation of quality strategy is still to be standardized. In this paper planning for quality in a strategic perspective is discussed which advocates the use of a composite approach relying on certain models and concepts. The proposed composite approach links the quality-cost relation, product life cycle, and quality expectation from market view with product quality in terms of eight dimensions of quality. This also facilitates a carefully planned continuous quality improvement cycle. The methodology involves a step-wise approach. The applications and also the merits and limitations of the approach are discussed.

Gender Perceptions of Globalization: A Comparative Survey Study

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title : Gender Perceptions of Globalization: A Comparative Survey Study 

Author Name : Demirdjian Z.S 

Synopsis : 

In today’s business world, globalization has become a hotly debated topic.  Internationally oriented corporations are rushing to stake their claims of the 21st century’s gold rush.  While globalization has many economic benefits to offer, its long-term effect on the people and the places of this planet are often overlooked. In the landscape of globalization, there are many obvious green spots and some have hailed it as leading the world into a new era of prosperity and peace. In spite of all the exuberance, there are many deep concerns expressed regarding the invasive process of homogenization of national education, language, culture, and consumption of products and services with an eventual consequence of social disintegration. To what extent male and female business students, our future executives, are aware of the implications of globalization? A survey study based on 400 respondents was conducted to determine how male and female university students’ perceptions of the effect of globalization differ from each other. Results of this survey study have shown interesting convergent and divergent perceptions of the positive and negative aspects of globalization, as one of the most invasive concepts of the new millennium.       

Managing a Mobile Computing Initiative in a Business School

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title : Managing a Mobile Computing Initiative in a Business School 

Author Name : Ram B. Misra 

Synopsis : 

This paper presents a systems approach to launching a mobile computing initiative in the school of business of a public university. The vision of this initiative is that all students, irrespective of their economic status, have a mobile computing device capable of interfacing with instructional delivery systems within the University computing network and on Internet from anywhere (classrooms, residential halls, library, and others). This will enable students and faculty to exploit the capability of technology to transform the learning process inside and outside the classroom. Because the majority of the students that the university draws belong to families with modest means, the cost burden that this initiative would add was a key issue. The paper identifies the constraints of the initiative, explains how each was addressed, and presents the logic of the approach. We conclude with a set of hypotheses to measure the effectiveness of our decisions.

Innovation and Management of Internet Banking in Emerging Countries

Vol. 1 No. 1

Year : 2006

Issue : June-August

Title  : Innovation and Management of Internet Banking in Emerging Countries 

Author Name : Achraf AYADI 

Synopsis : 

The informational nature of services renders each IT innovation a source of deep changes. Considering its part in the remaking of processes and the redefinition of the relation with customers. Internet Banking is part and parcel of most recent innovations. However, contrary to corresponding literature in developed countries, Internet Banking stirs little interest in emerging countries for diffusion reasons. Analysis of some specific cases bridges the gap in this field as far as research is concerned.

After a literature review about innovation in services, the state of developments and conditions of success of Internet Banking in emerging countries was analysed.