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This study empirically investigates the implications of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the value-added intellectual capital efficiency of food and agribusiness firms in India. This study uses the firm-level data collected from the Prowess database of the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy for 362 food and agribusiness companies in 2019. The study contributes to the theoretical and managerial practices by assessing the causal relationship between the value-added intellectual capital (VAIC) and CSR for food and agribusiness firms in an emerging economy, i.e., India. The results suggest a significant mean difference in the key characteristics of firms with and without CSR expenditure. Further, there is a significant relationship between CSR and Value-Added Intellectual Capital Efficiency in the Indian food and agribusiness firms. Finally, the regression analysis indicates that CSR expenditure has a positive and significant implication on value-added intellectual capital (ß = 0.119, p < 0.01), including all the dimensions of firm's capital efficiency except structural capital; i.e., capital employed (ß = 0.095, p < 0.01), human capital (ß = 0.145, p < 0.01) and intellectual capital (ß = 0.124, p < 0.01). However, CSR does not seem to have significant implications on structural capital standalone (ß = 0.044, p > 0.10), implying that the structural capital efficiency of the firms does not get affected by CSR expenditure. The findings of the study provide a good reason for implementing mandatory CSR, which goes beyond the performance of firms, as there is a positive and significant impact of CSR on the Value-Added Intellectual Capital of the firms. This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing extended understanding on the relationship between CSR and VAIC among food and agribusiness firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models focus only on initial inputs and final outputs for efficiency evaluation. Thus, these models treat the production process as a ‘black box’, i.e., they do not take into account how exactly inputs are related to outputs. Various models that came later take care of internal processes of DMU. The existing models of internal processes for parallel sub-units consist of three stages: the first stage calculates the relative weights of sub-units, the second stage calculates the efficiencies of sub-units, and in the third stage efficiencies of sub-units are aggregated as the efficiency of DMU. It is observed that when existing models of internal processes are applied to non-homogeneous parallel sub-units, in the first stage, the weight assigned to the maximum efficient sub-unit is one and to other sub-units is zero. This implies that the efficiency of a DMU is equal to the maximum of efficiencies of its sub-units indicating that the efficiency of a DMU is not sensitive to the efficiencies of sub-units other than the sub-unit with maximum efficiency. This paper proposes a single stage DEA approach where the efficiency of a DMU and its sub-units can be measured simultaneously. The advantage of the proposed approach is that the efficiency of a DMU is sensitive to the changes in the efficiency of its sub-units, and weights of sub-units can be assigned a priori by the decision maker. The development of the proposed approach is inspired from the growing interest in evaluating efficiency of higher education system in India. In the proposed application, states are considered as DMUs and universities, colleges and stand-alone institutions are taken as three non-homogeneous parallel sub-units of DMUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to the seminar on "Mine Safely & Production Efficiency" held in India on November 4, 2019 and attended by Verein deutscher Maschinenbau-Anstalten (VDMA) Mining delegationfrom Germany. It mentions that mining industry in India is a major economic activity which contributes significantly to the economy of India.

The present research work focuses on simultaneous optimization of prime energy consumption responses, surface roughness and material removal rate for sustainable machining operations. The experiments were conducted on rough turning of EN 353 alloy steel with multi-layer coated tungsten carbide insert. The effect of input parameters: nose radius, cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut along with their interactions were studied on the response parameters viz. power factor (PF), active power consumed by the machine (APCM), active energy consumed by the machine (AECM), energy efficiency (EE), surface roughness (Ra) and material removal rate (MRR). The Taguchi’s L 27 orthogonal array had been used for design of experiments by using Minitab 16 software. The weights of importance to the responses were assigned by Equal, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Entropy weights method. The multi performance composite index (MPCI) was obtained by Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method and was optimized with Taguchi method. The results showed that the MPCI with these three different weight criteria had different optimum control factor levels. At optimal turning parameters of MPCI using AHP weights, Equal weights and Entropy weights, there was an improvement in MPCI of 319.72%, 45.38% and 9.02% respectively compared to turning parameters in common use. The depth of cut was found to be a vital parameter for MPCI with AHP weights and nose radius for MPCI with Equal and Entropy weights. Hence the choice of method of assigning weights of importance to the responses and even the optimization method plays important role in decision making in multi objective optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Proposed framework investigates the effectiveness of BMP/LID in managing urban surface runoff volume. • Coupled SWMM with NSGA-II for the optimal numbers of BMPs/LIDs with respect to the cost. • The optimization for minimizing cost and for maximizing benefit was simulated. • Optimization strategy employed for implementing BMPs/LIDs shows 24–26% reduction in urban flood volume. Urban surface runoff management via best management practices (BMP) and low impact development (LID) has earned significant recognition owing to positive environmental and ecological impacts. However, due to the complexity of the parameters involved, the estimation of LID efficiency in attenuating the urban surface runoff at the watershed scale is challenging. A planning analysis of employing Green Roofs and Infiltration Trenches as BMPs/LIDs practices for urban surface runoff control is presented in this study. A multi-objective optimization decision-making framework is established by coupling SWMM (Storm Water Management Model) with NSGA-II models to check the performance of BMPs/LIDs concerning the cost-benefit analysis of LID at the watershed scale. Two urbanized areas belonging to Central Delhi in India were used as case studies. The results showed that the SWMM model is useful in simulating optimization problems for managing urban surface runoff. The optimum scenarios efficiently minimized the urban runoff volume while maintaining the BMPs/LIDs implementation costs and size. With BMPs/LIDs implementation, the reduction in runoff volume increases as expenses increase initially; however, there is no noticeable reduction in flood volume after a certain threshold. Contrasted with the haphazard arrangement of BMPs/LIDs, the proposed approach demonstrates 22%–24% runoff reductions for the same expenditures in watershed 1 and 23%–26% in watershed 2. The result of the study provides insights into planning and management of the urban surface runoff control with LID practices. The proposed framework assists the hydrologists in optimum selection and placements of BMPs/LIDs practices to acquire the most extreme ecological advantages with the least expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Most of the developing countries across the world have opened up their mining industry for private sector participation since late 1980s with a view to increase the overall efficiency of the mineral extraction. But are the private mining firms really efficient than the public sector firms? In such a context this paper compares the extraction efficiency of public and private mining firms in India by assessing their Total Factor Productivity (TFP). The study reveals that TFP levels of private firms are significantly higher than that of public firms in metallic, non-metallic and coal mining sectors. TFP levels of private firms in non-metallic sector are almost double that of public firms. Similarly, private firms in metallic and coal mining industry are one and half times more productive than public firms. In such a context, we can suggest that private participation in the mining industry may boost the overall productivity of the sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper applied the Malmquist productivity index in order to estimate total factor productivity growth and its components (efficiency change and technological progress) in Indian manufacturing during the pre- and post-reform periods. The results illustrate that the economic reforms have not exerted positive effects on productivity growth in Indian manufacturing. However, the impacts of economic reforms differ between sectors and between components of total factor productivity. First, after reform, the productivity of heavy industries increased, whereas the productivity of light industries decreased. Second, reform improves both the efficiency and the technological progress in the heavy industries, but failed to improve efficiency in light industries. The results of this study suggest that specific policies should be implemented in order to improve efficiency as well as technical progress, thus ultimately facilitating long-run productivity growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic policy reform in respect of Indian cement industry, during the early 80's, resulted in a phenomenal growth of this sector. Cement industry being highly energy intensive in nature, further development of this industry, without increasing pressure on energy demand, would require growth in productivity. Thus, aim of this paper is to estimate Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth in Indian cement industry as growth in TFP could ensure growth of this sector which is less dependent on energy and other inputs. Applying Stochastic Frontier Approach, the study first estimates TFP growth and then decomposes it into its components for the period 1989-90 to 2006- 07. Empirical results show that the industry has experienced TFP growth during the study period and this growth is driven mainly by scale component and technical progress and not by technical efficiency change as technical efficiency has come out to be time invariant in this context. In the light of empirical results, the policy implication is that an industrial policy of exploiting the existing economies of scale is required to be implemented; and to boost the growth of this sector, priority should be given to enhance firms' capability of catching-up by adopting efficiency oriented action plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the demographic variations in basic science education across the country on the basis of the CSIR-UGC national eligibility test (NET) held during the period 2002-2006. The states, representing different demographic zones, were ranked according to the number of qualifying students and the percentage selected. A simple scatter plot of selection versus enrolment shows that Delhi and West Bengal perform better than the norm, whereas Kerala and Tamil Nadu relatively underperform. The data envelopment analysis technique has been employed to further examine the relative efficiency of basic science education, in terms of the number of students qualifying NET in five subjects, viz. chemical sciences; earth, atmospheric, ocean and planetary sciences; life sciences; mathematical sciences, and physical sciences, across different states of the country. The position of a particular state on the efficiency frontier could serve as a measure of capacity building in these disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a review on the development of Indian dry ports as part of a national program to eradicate transportation bottlenecks, induce the economic development of different regions, and enhance transport efficiency. It compares the efficiency of dry ports private and public sector operation and examines the impacts of the government policy on the efficiency. The authors tested two hypotheses related to the port operations efficiency using data from their field interviews and study.

What is technology transfer and what does it need to succeed? Various factors concerning the scientist, the academic institution, a fresh entrepreneur or an existing company, government policies and the environment contribute to greater efficiency in transferring technologies from academia to industry. These factors are discussed here with reference to the situation in the US and India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out in the hilly and plain areas of Uttarakhand to analyze the economic efficiency of two entirely different agro-ecosystems . Agriculture concentrated mainly between 1000-2000 m elevation belts has been studied and is the primary occupation of about 80% people of the state. The agriculture is practised as a mixed farming system where the crops, livestock, and forests are the integral part of this agro-ecosystem. The subsistence agriculture of this region is characterized by small land holding as small crop fields over rugged terrain with a limited scope for irrigation and mechanization . The input output analysis of various crops indicates that the cultivation of vegetables in both the agro-ecosystem is beneficial from economic point of view. However in hill agro- ecosystem vegetables and pseudocereals should be encouraged because both the crops are having maximum input. Moreover , these are organically produced crops and thus are eco-friendly in nature . this will help in improving the economy of the local people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of the successful implementation of total productive maintenance (TPM) efforts in a precision tube mill in India. The study critically scrutinised the mill to know the initiatives' contributions towards the acknowledgement of manufacturing competencies in an Indian manufacturing organisation. Results revealed that strategic TPM programs can contribute to the enhancement of manufacturing performance in organisations.

The effectiveness of the arrangements governing an educational system depends on the motivations of key actors. This paper analyses the state of education in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and the role that teachers have played in the political process. It describes how teachers have become embedded in the political system and the way teacher associations and unions have actively pursued demands through various strikes and other forms of action. Although teachers have been successful in improving pay, job security and service benefits, less progress has been made on broader improvements in the schooling system such as the promotion of education in general or improving equity and efficiency in the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kolkata is one of four metropolitan cities in India. With an area of 187.33sqkm and a population of about 8 million, it generates around 3,000td−1 of municipal solid waste (MSW) at a rate of 450–500g per capita per day. With rapid urbanization as a result of planned and unplanned growth and industrialization, the problems associated with handling MSW have increased at an alarming rate over the past few years. No source segregation arrangement exists; there is only limited (60%) house-to-house collection; and 50–55% open vats are used in the present collection system. The operational efficiency of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) transport system is about 50%, with a fleet composed of about 30–35% old vehicles. The majority (80%) of these, particularly the hired vehicles, are more than 20 years old. The newly added areas covered by KMC have even lower collection efficiencies, and only an informal recycling system exists. The waste collected has a low energy value (3,350–4,200kJkg−1) with high moisture and inert content. A 700td−1 compost plant set up in 2000 has not been functioning effectively since 2003. Open dumping (without liners and without a leachate management facility) and the threat of groundwater pollution, as well as saturation of an existing landfill site (Dhapa) are the most pressing problems for the city today. KMC spends 70–75% of its total expenditures on collection of solid waste, 25–30% on transportation, and less than 5% on final disposal arrangements. The Kolkata Environmental Improvement Project, funded by the Asian Development Bank, is seen as only a partial solution to the problem. A detailed plan should emphasize segregation at the source, investment in disposal arrangements (including the use of liners and leachate collection), and an optimized transport arrangement, among improvements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A catastrophic failure of a Stacker-cum-Reclaimer led to loss of several days of service in one ore handling plant in India. The failure was severe enough to initiate an investigation into the possible causes of failure and estimation of the residual life for other units of Stacker-cum-Reclaimer of the same design and age, working in the plant. The failure analysis included a visual inspection of the failed structure, metallographic studies, static stress and stability analysis under normal operating conditions, stress analysis for a possible impact load on the structure, experimental stress analysis, and fatigue life cycle analysis. The results obtained indicate that the failure could be caused by an impact load arising out of some operational conditions resulting from the conditions of the rail track on which the machine travels. The material properties, the physical conditions of the material, and a fatigue analysis indicate that the existing system can work for several more decades, provided some checkpoints are planned and instituted to monitor the health of the structure at regular intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on a project titled "Optimizing the Development of Small Hydel Resources in Hilly Areas of India," which was aimed to help the Government of India in the optimum utilization of small hydroelectric resources in the hilly regions. The author observes that energy demand in India is on the rise due to its growing economy. He discusses energy strategies for the remote mountainous regions in northern India and their role in protecting the environment.

By analyzing a newly compiled data base of grain prices, this article finds that prior to the nineteenth century the grain trade in India was essentially local, while more distant markets remained fragmented. It was only in the second half of the nineteenth century that these premodern structures were transformed, and a national grain market had emerged. In the Great Divergence debate, the California School's claim that early modem "Asia" reached a similar stage of economic development as early modern Europe is therefore rejected for India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is perceived to be one of the most attractive Non-Annex I countries for CDM project development. There are more than 350 projects in the CDM pipeline, largely in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency in industries and fossil fuel switching. This paper examines the socio-economic component of sustainable development commitments of the CDM projects to see if they can make any impact on rural poverty in India, since the goal of poverty alleviation lies at the core of the country's development priorities. The study concludes that CDM is not contributing to rural poverty alleviation to any notable extent. Nearly all the projects have a business orientation and are not directed to the development of rural poor. Even the renewable energy projects will have limited role in up-liftment of the masses below poverty line due to their weak resource base. For CDM to emerge as a "win--win" strategy for poverty alleviation projects should be aimed at the rural communities and designed to accelerate agricultural growth in the rainfed regions of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper the input distance function is estimated for the Indian Sugar industry under alternative assumptions of weak and strong disposability of bad outputs. The estimated distance function is used to make the estimates of environmental efficiency, Malmquist productivity index and shadow prices of pollutants. The technical efficiency measure estimated under the assumption of weak disposability of bad outputs is utilized to test the Porter hypothesis. Marginal costs of pollution abatement functions are estimated for different pollutants of water. Pollutant specific taxes are computed using the tax-standards method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The alleged beneficial effects of regional industrial clusters for competitiveness and growth in developing countries have been subject to intensive study. A prominent place in the debate has been occupied by the collective efficiency approach. In this paper we extend that approach by incorporating insights from the literature on firm-level technological learning in development. The resulting framework is applied to the software cluster of Bangalore (India), to illustrate the ways in which spatial proximity of firms and other parties interacts with cluster knowledge creation in a dynamic environment. A number of new insights emerge, including the importance of "old economy" factors such as high demand for innovation, international technology transfer, low wages and strong technology and education institutions. To the extent that "new economy" regional factors also matter, spontaneous agglomeration advantages appear to be important alongside active collective efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyse the impact of reforms on manufacturing efficiency in India. The sector chosen-the cotton textile industry in India-is a very large employer and exporter and also has considerable historical significance. Its response to the reforms therefore is being watched with some concern. The paper concludes that while there was considerable dispersion in efficiency levels before the reforms, this dispersion has decreased since the reforms. To analyse this, we estimate a best practice frontier for the industry and then measure efficiency as the distance from this frontier. We find that efficiency has increased because the reforms have influenced other factors such as market shares, exports and imports and capital-labour ratios. Our results also indicate that geography-the location of the firm within a state and its proximity to a major urban centre-influences the efficiency levels of firms within it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]