Research Training Seminar (RTS) 2008-09

Date:

Jul 18, 2008

Speaker:

Ananta Kumar Giri, Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai, India

Abstract:

Our language and thought are often dominated by dualisms, that is, conceptual distinctions to refer to different aspects of the complex realities we experience. We have inherited a plethora of dualisms from the ancient times, such as the dualisms of body/soul, male/female, good/evil, light/dark, and so forth. In the more recent centuries, the scientific worldview that is associated with modernity has contributed new dualisms, such as observer/observed, structure/agency, subjective/objective, science/art, and so forth. In contemporary society, there are entrenched dualisms, such as rich/poor, literate/illiterate, industry/agriculture, and so forth. While such dualisms enable us to articulate our thoughts and feelings with some precision, they do so at a cost: they divert our attention away from the underlying interconnections characteristic of our lives and our worlds. A dualism brings with it the sense of opposition in which one aspect (or one person) is a threat to the other. It hides from view the multidimensionality of reality--be it natural or social reality. Focusing attention back on this multidimensionality and the underlying interconnections, such that the multiple aspects of reality can coexist, not in opposition but in harmony, is the task of spirituality. Considering spirituality as a process, as a verb, it may be viewed as a practice of nurturing spaces of togetherness. It is not about dominance but about coexistence, cooperation, and cocreation. It reflects the spirit of ubuntu (a cultural notion from Africa), which declares, “I am because I belong.”

Irrigation Research: Balancing technical and social factors

Date:

Jul 25, 2008

Speaker:

Chitra Krishnan, Independent Researcher

Abstract:

Krishnan’s doctoral thesis was titled “Tank and Anicut Irrigation Systems: An Engineering Analysis.” Her focus on the tank and anicut irrigation system was considered rather unusual within the institutional context of the Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Delhi, where her doctoral work happened to be located. Some of the researchers there were rather dismissive of the so-called “old-world” irrigation system, which she was interested in studying. The orientation of irrigation studies at that time was somehow more welcoming towards the “modern” systems of irrigation, involving large dams, reservoirs, and canal networks. Still, supported by ample documentary evidence of the ingenuity of the tank and anicut irrigation system, Krishnan chose to study this ancient design, hoping to unravel the forgotten wisdom associated with it. It was her intense passion for this topic, reflecting her wider concerns regarding the ecological and social harm of the modern systems of irrigation, which helped her stay focused on her chosen topic, against a variety of odds.

Research as a Gendered Practice

Date:

Aug 1, 2008

Speaker:

Elinor W. Gadon, Women's Studies Research Center, Brandeis University, USA

Abstract:

Our perceptions of the world differ. It is as if we use different lenses to view the world. The process of research may not be free from the effects of these lenses. When a researcher begins from a standpoint, it can influence both the progress and the outcome of the study. Researchers are not always fully aware of the various dimensions of their standpoints and how these dimensions might interact with the research process. Gender is one such dimension that can potentially influence a researcher’s work and hence it requires our attention.

Research on performance of Credit Cooperatives

Date:

Aug 22, 2008

Speaker:

Biswa Swarup Misra, Professor of Economics ,Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar

Abstract:

As an integral part of the multi-agency framework for credit delivery, cooperatives were institutionalised in India through the enactment of the Cooperative Credit Societies Act (1904). Due to this old and unique institutional framework, the cooperative penetration in rural India has been quite high. The short-term cooperative credit structure in India consists of the state cooperative banks at the apex level, district central cooperative banks at the middle level, and about 106,000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) at the base level. Farmer Services Societies (FSS), Service Cooperative Societies (SCSs), and Large-sized Adivasi Multi-Purpose Societies (LAMPS) are clubbed together with the PACS at the base level.

Research on Distribution Channel Management

Date:

Oct 3, 2008

Speaker:

Githa S. Heggde, Welingkar Education, Bangalore

Abstract:

A distribution channel is a chain of intermediaries, each passing a product down the chain, before it finally reaches the consumer. It bridges the gap between the producer and the consumer. Effective channels serve targeted market segments, maximise sales, minimise cost, and help producer companies gain a sustainable competitive advantage in delivering superior value to their customers. The channel partners (such as dealers, distributors, resellers) play a crucial role in the effective functioning of the channel. Their needs and goals may not always be aligned to those of the producers or the consumers. Channel managers--managers of the producer organisation, responsible for distribution performance--need to design effective distribution channels and work in collaboration with the channel partners, taking any corrective actions based on periodic assessment and monitoring.

Trajectory of a scholarly discourse: Case of international relations

Date:

Nov 14, 2008

Speaker:

Sophia Johnson, Doctoral Student, Division of Global Affairs, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA

Abstract:

It is important for a scholar to appreciate the scholarly discourse relevant to one’s domain of inquiry. Scholarly discourses can sometimes be shown to follow a trajectory, emerging at a certain juncture and evolving over time, either establishing themselves and becoming the norm or declining in their influence and possibly giving birth to new discourses. The trajectory of a scholarly discourse may be shaped by several factors: significant global events, social attitudes and viewpoints, changing focus of institutions which draw upon the discourse, and so forth. To illustrate this dynamic process, a specific discourse was taken up in this seminar as a case in point: the discourse of international relations.

Intellectual Property Rights Regime: Implications for scientific research in India

Date:

Dec 5, 2008

Speaker:

Sambit Mallick, Professor, IIT Guwahati

Abstract:

The relationship between science and society is changing. It has profound implications for research practice. The field of study known as sociology of knowledge, as a specialty, has been concerned with exploring the dynamics of such changes. The seminar discussed the gradually changing institutional (or organisational) context of research. The discussion was contextualised in two ways: first, by focusing on a particular scientific speciality, that is, plant molecular biology and second, by examining a particular piece of legislation regulating scientific work in India, that is, the Indian Patents Act (2005).

Conducting an empirical research project

Date:

Jan 14, 2009

Speaker:

Malay K. Dey, Cotsakos School of Business, William Paterson University, New Jersey, USA

Abstract:

Empirical Research is based on experimentation or observation, which provide evidence. Such research is often conducted to answer a specific question or to test a hypothesis (an educated guess). Empirical research uses data, either from secondary sources or from primary sources. The process of empirical research includes the following activities:

(a) Picking up a topic and framing the research question

(b) Reviewing the relevant literature

(c) Framing an empirical strategy

(d) Collecting data and formulating a model

(e) Interpretating the results

(f) Preparing a report

Research issues in Marketing

Date:

Jan 16, 2009

Speaker:

Joy Mukhopadhyay, Independent Trainer and Consultant, Bengaluru

Abstract:

The two expressions, “marketing research” and “research in marketing,” were compared. While the former refers to the kind of research being conducted by marketing consultancy and research firms, the latter has academic connotations and refers to the research pursued by doctoral scholars. The seminar focused on the former. Marketing research data are usually based on perceptions. Any quantitative analysis in marketing research must take this into account.

The seminar was based on a study on the challenges of modern organised retailers in supply-chain management of vegetables and grocery items. Retailing is a sunrise industry in India with many challenges, such as the exclusion of small farms and the management of processing and distribution chains. With the evolution of fast-food chains and supermarkets stocking up vegetables and fruits, the management of the distribution chain assumes importance. The study was undertaken in Bengaluru to gain an understanding of how different major players were handling this challenge in business.

The Theory of Constraints: Research opportunities

Date:

Feb 27, 2009

Speaker:

Raman Kumar Agrawalla, TCS-Innovation Lab, Hyderabad

Abstract:

The seminar started with a note on the book, The Goal, by Eliyahu M. Goldratt (1984). The seminar leader claimed that the book was one of the best pieces of literature, because of its sudden start, a curious continuum, and an open end. There is an interesting parallel between these attributes and the characteristics of research process.