Abstracts of Papers Selected

Impact of Store Personality Antecedents on Store Personality Dimensions: An Empirical Study

Gopal Das, Doctoral Scholar, IIT Kharagpur

This paper explores the impact of store personality antecedents on store personality dimensions. A mall- intercept survey was undertaken using a systematic sampling of department store shoppers of age 18 years and above in Kolkata, a metropolitan city of India. Questionnaire was used to collect data from busy shopping malls or other centres with systematic sampling. The impact of store personality antecedents on store personality dimensions was explored using stepwise regression analysis. Results revealed that different sets of store personality antecedents affect various department store personality dimensions differently. The impacts of all sets were positive and significant. Arguably, this paper is the first to explore the link between store personality antecedents and store personality dimensions in Indian and department store personality contexts.

Service  Delivery Innovation Architecture: An Empirical Study of Antecedents and Outcomes

Rajeev Verma, Doctoral Scholar; Prof Jayasimha K R , IIM Indore

Firms carrying innovative business architecture reap substantial benefits by differentiating from competitors and getting competitive advantage in the market place. This paper investigates service delivery innovation architecture and its role in the sustainable competitive advantage of firms. The study focuses on service delivery innovation and develops a model of service innovation- customer orientation- competitive advantage based firm performance measure. Using survey data of 203 financial and information technology ventures based in Mexico, we identified the antecedents  of service delivery innovation and its impact on firm sustainable competitive advantage. Further the study investigates the moderating role of customer orientation on innovation driven performance outcomes. Result shows that customer orientation strengthens service delivery-performance relationship. Overall this paper aims to contribute to the strategic planning of service firms by guiding their resource allocation to ensure sustainable growth.

Corporate Identity and Customer Orientation of SME's: Do they Lead to Superior Market Performance?

Upendra Kumar Maurya, P Mishra, Sandip Anand and Niraj Kumar Doctoral Scholars, XIMB

This research is posited to explore the nature of impact of corporate identity on market performance in organizations with varying degrees of customer orientation in the context of Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food processing sector. More specifically the following questions have been addressed with four hypotheses proposed to address the questions: (1) What effect does corporate identity have on market performance in SMEs?(2) What is the impact of corporate  identity on customer orientation? (3) Does customer orientation mediate the relationship between corporate identity and market performance? The research is embedded in the positivistic paradigm. One hundred and two usable data points from food processing sector SMEs were collected to test on applicability and importance of corporate identity and customer orientation construct in the SMEs. This research contributes to the marketing and entrepreneurship literature.

Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) as a Coordinating Mechanism in  Supply Chain

Abhishek Chakraborty, Doctoral Scholar ; Prof Ashis Chatterjee, IIM Calcutta

Many mechanisms have been used by researchers to achieve coordinating mechanism in a supply chain.  In this paper we have considered vendor managed inventory (VMI) as a coordinating mechanism in a supply chain. We have shown how the industry practice of  VMI can be used as an incentive mechanism by the supplier to influence the buyer  to increase the lot sizes and hence in achieving coordination. We have also shown how the mechanism of achieving coordination through VMI is equivalent to offering quantity discounts.

An Exact Algorithm for the Relay Placement Problem in Sensor Networks

Ashutosh Nigam, Doctoral Scholar; Prof Yogesh  Kumar Agarwal, IIM  Calcutta

The relay node placement ( RNP) problem frequently arises in the design of wireless sensor networks ( WSN). The problem aims at finding a minimum set of relay nodes that can facilitate efficient communication between the sensor nodes, placed across a vast geographical area, and the base station ( where all the sensed data is to be transmitted for further processing). In the deterministic version of the problem , location of sensor nodes and  all possible candidate relay nodes ( where to relay nodes can be placed), relative to the base station, is known beforehand. In this paper, we introduce a branch and cut approach  to solve the RNP problem optimally using a class of valid inequalities for the problem. These valid inequalities, known as node cut inequalities, are proved to be facet defining in this paper.  We also demonstrate the strength of the formulation by reporting the results of computational experiments performed on various WSN test instances.

Dual Based Procedure for Min-Max Regret Uncapacitated  Facility Location Problem

Ankur Arora, Doctoral Scholar, IIM Bangalore

In this paper, mathematical programming models for uncapacitated facility location problem ( UFLP), which form the basis for other supply chain location models, is formulated for robustness under deep  uncertainty .  The robustness measure used for this mathematical programming is min-max regret. We devise dual - ascent methods that provide good lower bounds and heuristic primal solutions for these problems. In particular, we study the following problem:

We develop a model for the robust location problem within the supply chain that uses a min-max regret version of a basic facility location problem, considering a single product and single production echelon with uncapacitated facilities ( UFLP) . The aim is to  minimize the maximum regret over all scenarios. We investigate the polyhedral structure and introduce three classes of valid inequalities - base MIR, mixing inequality type 1 and type 2 to get a strong formulation. Using this strong formulation , we devise the method for dual ascent for solving the min-max regret UFLP problem. The algorithm generates solutions on the average within 12% of optimality.

Growth Aspirations of Women Entrepreneurs- An Empirical  Study  in the Indian Context

Vidhula Venugopal, Doctoral Scholar; Prof R Srinivasan, IIM Bangalore

Women entrepreneurs are observed to grow less than their male counterparts. However, it  has also been noted that these growth choices may be deliberate. This paper looks at the growth aspirations of women entrepreneurs and tries to understand them through cognitive aspects of the entrepreneur. It uses the theoretical lens of the theory of  planned behavior along with self-identity to study the antecedents of growth aspirations of women entrepreneurs. A mixed-method approach is undertaken with a survey following a set of interviews. The results  indicate the importance of  contextual factors and entrepreneurial self- efficacy on growth aspirations of women entrepreneurs.

Vertical Coordination in Fresh Produce Marketing Channels

Navolina Patnaik, Doctoral Scholar, University of Hyderabad

The Indian agri-food system is undergoing various changes with the advent of retail stores, food processing, and change of consumer preferences. The governing and regulatory institutions have also responded to these new requirements leading to number of vertical coordination mechanisms in the agri-food system. With the increasing number of vertical coordination (VC) mechanisms, the central focus of this paper is on the following perspectives: which VC mechanism does a participating entity choose? Why is a particular VC mechanism chosen? Which is the best alternative VC mechanism? In other words, we are studying the determinants of vertical coordination strategies. In particular, we study VC strategies for fresh produce supply chain in the Malur Taluk of Karnataka.

Risky for Whom? Impact of Risk Perceptions on Strategic Change and Conformity

Uma Cherukuri, Doctoral Scholar, IIM Bangalore

Research on how managers influence strategic change and strategic conformity has largely ignored the role of risk perceptions in strategic choices. We integrate the predictions of prospect theory, threat-rigidity thesis, and psychological risk literature to suggest how patterns of strategic change depend on the risk perceptions of the decision makers and on whether they view potential risk of losses as either losses of resources or control. Based on a study of the risk perceptions of top management teams of 50 firms in the airline industry, we argue that risk attitudes and ambiguity moderate these risk perceptions.

Goal  Incongruence and Information Asymmetry: Exploring the Adequacy of the Agency Theory in the Venture Capitalist- Entrepreneur Relationship

Swati Panda, Doctoral Scholar; Prof Shridhar Dash, XIMB

This paper explores the adequacy of agency theory in explaining the venture capitalist- entrepreneur relationship throughout the life cycle of a venture. Information asymmetry and goal incongruence are the basic assumptions  of the  agency theory, the presence of which  indicates the applicability of the agency theory. This paper utilizes a multiple case study approach to accommodate the dual perspectives of the entrepreneur and venture capitalist simultaneously. Two case studies, one based on the early stage and the other in the late stage of relationship are included.  The agency theory is  found inadequate to explain the venture capitalist-entrepreneur ( VC-E) relationship in early stages, where trust, instead , emerges as a major construct that defines the relationship. The agency theory, however, is found to adequately explain the late stage VC-E relationship

Emerging Market Bidder Returns  and the Choice of Payment Method in M&A: Evidence from India

Radha Ladkani, Doctoral Scholar ; Prof Ashok Banerjee, IIM Calcutta

Indian mergers and acquisition deals present  an interesting venue to study the effects of two conflicting forces namely, high promoter holdings and lack of debt funding, on the method of payment choice and its impact on share holder returns. We study the short run effects on shareholders' wealth of the acquiring companies in mergers and acquisitions ( M&A) in India. Analysis of abnormal returns  indicates that the M&A announcements in India display positive effects on shareholder wealth, often  irrespective of the method of payment. Cash deals display positive abnormal returns and in some event windows we observe positive abnormal returns for stock  deal bidders , as well. This phenomenon is  contrary to the wealth effect predictions of the information asymmetry models. We offer financing constraint hypothesis and ownership hypothesis, along with and alternative hypothesis i.e. the pseudo cash deals hypothesis to explain this anomaly. The availability of internal funds, insider ownership and size of a deal are important factors  that determine the choice of payment method in Indian M&A. 

Microfinance Clients' Awareness Index

Vinita kalra, Doctoral Scholar ; Prof H P Mathur, BHU

Financial services for the poor, often referred to as microfinance , cannot solve all the problems caused by poverty but can help put resources and power into the hands of poor and low income people, letting them make everyday decisions and chart their own paths out of poverty. However, low levels of money management knowledge deter clients and potential clients of microfinance from understanding and utilizing the range of products and services  available . Choosing among the growing number of microfinance products and services requires a lot  of information and the skill to calculate costs, project cash flow needed to make repayments and weigh  alternatives. Financial education gives them the competence to evaluate that information. This study, conducted in the rural area of Varanasi district, is an attempt to develop an indicator to evaluate the outcomes and impacts of financial education and identify factors determining its level.