|
on Central and Western Asia |
| By: | Levent, Tuzin Baycan (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculteit der Economische Wetenschappen en Econometrie (Free University Amsterdam, Faculty of Economics Sciences, Business Administration and Economitrics); Nijkamp, Peter |
| Abstract: | Urban green spaces play a key role in improving the liveability of our towns and cities. The quality and viability of cities depend largely on the design, management and maintenance of urban green as well as on open and public spaces that make up an important social constellation and offer a visual representation of urban quality. Actually, urban green spaces may be seen as an important contribution to a sustainable development of cities. However, the full potential of green spaces is not always realized, so that current management practices are sometimes sub-optimal. From a policy perspective, the results of several case studies have highlighted critical policy needs and priorities for the development and management of urban green spaces. It is, therefore, of strategic importance to compare and evaluate urban green space policies for identifying the best practices with a view to proper policy recommendations and guidance for urban society and planning authorities in order to improve the quality of life in modern cities. Against this background, the present study investigates urban green spaces from a policy evaluation perspective and analyses in a comparative sense European cities in order to obtain strategic and policy relevant information on the key features of urban green. The study aims to compare and evaluate the current management practices in various European cities on the basis of the actual performance of urban green space policies. The data and information used for comparison and evaluation are based on extensive survey questionnaires filled out by relevant departments or experts of municipalities in European cities which aim to share their experience in innovative green space policies and strategies. As a rather novel methodological contribution, a recently developed artificial intelligence method, i.e. rough set analysis, is deployed to assess and identify the most important factors that are responsible for successes and failures of urban green space policies. Our approach is able to reveal the most critical policy variables |
| Keywords: | urban society; green spaces; european cities; comparison |
| Date: | 2004 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:dgr:vuarem:2004-22&r=cwa |
| By: | Yukihiko Kiyokawa; Hiroyuki Oba; P. C. Verm |
| Abstract: | This paper aims to analyze the effect of "Japanese style management" on job-consciousness at Indo-Japanese joint ventures. Our analysis for this purpose is focused on uncovering the differences in job-consciousness between the joint ventures and indigenous firms. The transfer of management, which is essentially a transfer of a portion of culture, necessarily colors the job-consciousness in the recipient firms. To prove this hypothesis, we conducted a structured interview survey in 1998 at three Indo-Japanese joint ventures and two Indian firms. Then we confirmed, through canonical discriminant analysis applied to our survey data, that (1) the introduction of various Japanese management practices promoted 'a sense of unity' and 'job satisfaction,' and (2) such management was welcome particularly by workers in the joint ventures, since those practices partly realized egalitarianism in the firm. |
| Date: | 2005–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hit:hituec:a464&r=cwa |
| By: | Kaur Rupinder; Maheshwari Sunil Kumar |
| Abstract: | In this study we examine the issue of the need of labour reforms in the globalised economy. The two legislations discussed in detail are: Chapter VB of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947- provisions relating to layoff, retrenchment and closure of industrial establishments and provisions regarding abolition and regulation of contract labour in Contract Labour (Regulations and Abolition) Act, 1970. We have dealt the issue from multiple stakeholder (Trade Unions, Employers, Political Parties and the Government) point of view. We have listed their interests and the respective positions taken by them. Based on these observations, we have made certain suggestions and emphasized the need to take the balanced view and build consensus in the larger interests of the stakeholders. |
| Date: | 2005–07–07 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iim:iimawp:2005-07-02&r=cwa |
| By: | Ramani K V; Mavalankar Dileep |
| Abstract: | Health and Socio-economic developments are so closely intertwined that is impossible to achieve one without the other. While the economic development in India has been gaining momentum over the last decade, our health system is at crossroads today. Even though Government initiatives in public health have recorded some noteworthy successes over time, the Indian health system is ranked 118 among 191 WHO member countries on overall health performance. Building Health Systems that are responsive to community needs, particularly for the poor, requires politically difficult and administratively demanding choices. Health is a priority goal in its own right, as well as a central input into economic development and poverty reduction. Health sector is complex with multiple goals, multiple products, and different beneficiaries. India is well placed now to develop a uniquely Indian set of health sector reforms to enable the health system in meeting the increasing expectations of its users and staff. Managerial challenges are many to ensure availability, access, affordability, and equity in delivering health services to meet the community needs efficiently and effectively. In this working paper, we describe the status of our health system, discuss critical areas of management concerns, suggest a few health sector reform measures, and conclude by identifying the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders for building health systems that are responsive to the community needs, particularly for the poor. |
| Keywords: | Availability, Access, Affordability, Equity, Efficiency, Effectiveness |
| Date: | 2005–07–08 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iim:iimawp:2005-07-03&r=cwa |
| By: | asim mishra (Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, India) |
| Abstract: | Share buybacks have become a common event in the financial markets worldwide. In a share buyback programme, the company distributes the excess cash flow among the shareholders by way of repurchasing its own shares, generally at a premium. Among the various reasons for doing so, the most prominent is the fact that the company wants to indicate to the share holders that it has huge confidence in itself. In India share buybacks were introduced in 1998 and has received attention of all major companies. Since then there has been a spate of announcement of share buybacks. This paper examines empirically the announcement period price reaction and whether management is acting in the best interest of non-tendering shareholders when it engages in targeted share buyback. An exhaustive list of all the financial parameters was considered for the purpose of analysis and the data was collected through online databases. A trend analysis was performed on various parameters like share prices of these companies during and post buyback period. Various performance measures were also used to draw conclusion regarding their trends from pre buyback to post buyback period. The study established that for the Indian corporate, the long term advantages of share buyback are not clear. Buyback process is generally used to improve the shareholding of promoters of the company, and with a view to impart short term gains for the investors. The study also points out that buyback norms should be made more stringent for Indian context, if the companies are to have a long-term view. In the end, the study lays down possible directions in which further research could be done on this topic. |
| Keywords: | India, Share buybacks, Repurchase |
| JEL: | G |
| Date: | 2005–07–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpfi:0507001&r=cwa |
| By: | Asim Mishra (Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, India) |
| Abstract: | The Venture capital (VC) industry in India is of recent origin. However, the average investment value of each deal in India have grown from $3.85 million in 2000 to $7.89 million in 2001.These developments together with the recent steps taken by government to promote venture capitalism in India provide an opportunity for an examination of venture capital industry in India. This paper analyses the validity of venture evaluation model in India by directly comparing the relative importance of evaluation criteria on the funding decision with the relative importance to factors influencing venture's empirical performance. In the light of the differences in investment opportunities around India, and the nature of industrial development in South East Asia in general, the author anticipated that the investment criteria employed by Venture Capital Firms (VCs) in India would differ. A questionnaire was administered to venture capitalists (regular members of Indian Venture Capital Association) to determine the criteria they use to decide on funding new ventures. The response rate was 100%. A list of forty two criteria was developed on previously developed lists. The criteria fell into six groups: the entrepreneur’s personality, the entrepreneur’s experience, characteristics of the product or service, characteristics of the market, financial consideration and characteristics of venture management team. Answers were given on a four point rating scales. The results reveal that criteria adopted by Indian VCs are different from those adopted by VCs in other countries including US. The results also confirm that the entrepreneur’s personality and experience are seen as being primary indicators of the venture’s potential. |
| Keywords: | India, Venture, Capital, Vanture Capital, Criteria, VCs, VCCs, VCFs, Venture Capitalists |
| JEL: | G20 G21 G22 G23 G24 G28 G29 G30 G32 G35 |
| Date: | 2005–07–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpfi:0507002&r=cwa |
| By: | Asim Mishra (Indian Institute of Management) |
| Abstract: | Past researches have revealed significant abnormal returns for bonus issues even though the bonus issue date is known in advance and the distribution contains no new information. This study examines the stock price reaction to the information content of bonus issues with a view of examining the Indian stock market is semi-strong efficient or not. The period of the study is June 1998 to August 2004. Samples of 46 bonus issues have been used to study the announcement effect by using event study methodology. The results indicate that there are significant positive abnormal returns for a five-day period prior to bonus announcement in line with evidence from developed stock market. On the announcement day the average abnormal return of -0.10% is observed. The results provide stronger evidence of semi-strong market efficiency of the Indian stock market. |
| Keywords: | Bonus Issues, India, stock market, abnormal returns, semi strong efficient, event study, cumulative abnormal return, Cowan Test, Standardized abnormal return |
| JEL: | G30 G32 G35 G39 |
| Date: | 2005–07–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpfi:0507003&r=cwa |
| By: | Palanisamy Saravanan (Goa Institute of Management,); Varadharajan Gopal (Goa Institute of Management,); Duraipandian Israel (Karunya Institute of Management,) |
| Abstract: | The ultimate objective of the financial statement is the give reliable information, which is to be relevant and therefore useful in economic decisions making. Thus a company which operates in different industrial sectors and geographical areas need to provide information about its various segments and the relative important of each in order to understand the company, the economic environment in which it operates and the development of the situation of the company. Earlier empirical studies carried out in developed countries have documented that disaggregated data published together with the annual report enable analysts, investors and other user groups of company reports to understand better the situation of a firm and to make predictions regarding the companies future profitability with greater accuracy and greater confidence.The results have implications for the investors in Indian stocks, financial analysts and other regulatory bodies such as Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Department of Company Affairs (DCA). |
| Keywords: | segment disclosures, Indian financial reporting, segment reporting, AS-17 |
| JEL: | G |
| Date: | 2005–07–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wpa:wuwpfi:0507011&r=cwa |