Search results

This paper aims to understand how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can use design thinking (DT) as a strategic tool to improve organisational and societal outcomes.

The paper applies a case study design. Building on in-depth interviews with senior management, beneficiaries (villagers), the village headman and children in Karaliya village (Rajasthan), as also from secondary sources, the paper presents a model of using DT for NGOs.

This paper presents evidence of how Jal Bhagirathi Foundation, an Indian NGO working in the most water-distressed and densely populated arid zone of the Thar Desert, used a user-centric, DT approach to solve the water-scarcity problem in villages in the Marwar region. In doing so, several interconnected societal problems were also addressed, including those of sanitation, education – especially of the girl child – poverty and migration.

DT has been increasingly used by “for-profit” business organisations to derive competitive advantage. NGOs have lagged in the use of DT as a strategic tool to drive enhanced organisational and societal outcomes. Such NGOs can strategise to adopt a DT approach.

A literature search revealed that while the term “NGO” threw up 36,571 results, “NGOs and strategic management” had only 363 results, and “the use of design thinking in NGOs” had 0 results. This paper contributes to the limited research in the field of strategic management in the NGO space by looking at DT as an important strategic tool for NGOs.

This paper aims to present the project of a permanent magnet synchronous machine which can be used as generator in the vertical axis wind turbine.

In the study, finite element analysis was used to perform simulation research of electrical machines. Based on the simulation studies, an experimental model was built. The paper presents also selected experimental results.

During the research, it was found that the radial arrangement of the permanent magnets is more favorable than the tangential one for the selected structure of the generator with permanent magnets.

During the experimental research, a problem was encountered involving the correct control of the constructed generator at low rotational speeds.

The proposed solution can be used in low-speed vertical axis wind turbines.

The presented research fits the global trend toward the use of alternative and renewable energy sources.

The paper presents new simulation studies of two low-speed generator topologies. The results for the radial and tangential arrangement of the permanent magnets in the rotor were verified. Based on this research, an experimental prototype of a generator for a slow-speed vertical axis wind turbine was built.

Permanent magnet (PM) electrical machines are becoming one of the most popular type of the machines used in electrical vehicle drive applications. The main drawback of permanent magnet machines, despite obvious advantages, is associated with the flux control capability, which is limited at high rotor speeds of the machine. This paper aims to present a new arrangement of permanent magnets and flux barriers in the rotor structure to improve the field weakening control of hybrid excited machines. The field weakening characteristics, back-emf waveforms and efficiency maps of this novel machine have been reported.

In the study, finite element analysis was used to perform simulation research. Then, based on the simulation studies, an experimental model was built. The paper also presents selected experimental results.

Obtained results show that the proposed machine topology and novel control strategy can offer an effective flux control method allowing to extend the maximal rotational speed of the machine at constant power range.

The proposed solution can be used in electric vehicles drive to extend its torque and speed range.

The paper presents original design and results of research on a new solution of a hybrid excited machine with magnetic barriers in a rotor.

The paper aims to present the hybrid excited claw pole generator design, simulation and experimental results. The prototype has claw poles on two rotor sections, between which an excitation coil is located. The innovation of this machine is permanent magnets location on claws of one part of the rotor. The paper presents construction of the machine and analysis of the current in the excitation control coil influence on the electromagnetic torque, cogging torque and back-emf values. Presented studies enabled the determination of the torque and the back-emf for both: the strengthening and the weakening of magnetic field.

In the study, finite element analysis was used to perform simulation research. Then, based on the simulation studies, an experimental model was built. The paper also presents selected experimental results.

Achieved results show that the proposed machine topology allows to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned in paper, i.e. necessary to introduce special areas inside the machine to limit magnetic flux leakage or its complicated construction.

The obtained cogging torque values and back-emf pulsation are still relatively high. In the near future, some of known techniques for reducing these pulsations can be applied, including the use of magnetic wedges, changing shapes of rotor’s poles and/or skewing of permanent magnets.

The proposed solution can be used in wind turbines as a generator.

The paper presents an original design of a new construction of a hybrid-excited claw pole machine and also an excitation current influence on cogging torque and back-emf values.

This paper aims to examine the traditional business communities and family businesses of India, their emergence and sustained growth.

The authors analyze the role of business communities in family businesses of India and identify business communities that have still sustained and marked a global presence.

Business communities such as Marwaris have the knack for business activities and are leaders of family businesses in India today, who have sustained their past success and continue to create new histories. Other traditional business communities such as Parsis, Sindhis, Chettiars and Gujarati banias have not been able to sustain much. Possible reasons were switching to white-collar jobs, taking up diplomacy and other professions, inter caste marriages, international migration in search of business and Indian government policies.

This study provides a useful source of information for academics, policy-makers and economists.

Traditional business communities populate the list of family businesses that have marked their global presence. This paper identifies various factors that are responsible for the growth and sustainability of these business communities.

The study clarifies the role of business communities in domestic economic development.

The paper explored traditional business communities of India and assessed their role in family businesses of India that currently mark a global presence.

The study of the family firm has gained increased attention in recent years, judging by the number of articles and books published lately as well as the fact that a number of universities in the United States and elsewhere now emphasize a focused study of family business in higher education (Fletcher, 2002; Hoy & Verser, 1994; Litz, 1997). At the same time, the field of entrepreneurship has been enriched by perspectives from sociology and anthropology and has welcomed the study of ethnic business groups, especially in terms of their unique entrepreneurial tendencies as well as their organization and operations within a social order in which they remain a distinct minority (Aldrich & Waldinger, 1990; Light & Gold, 2000).

The purpose of this paper is to identify the entrepreneurial intention (EI) among nascent entrepreneurs in the Indian context by using Shapero’s theory of entrepreneurial event as the research framework.

A 34-item questionnaire was responded to 250 nascent entrepreneurs who are engaged in executing the new business idea or creating new ventures and enroled in the universities in India. The questions measured perceived desirability, perceived feasibility, entrepreneurial educational background, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, perceived social pressure and previous work experience in entrepreneurial activities towards entrepreneurship intention. The data were collected by employing a systematic random sampling method. The sample represents 174 male and 76 female nascent entrepreneurs belonging to various disciplines. Structural equation modelling has been used for data analysis.

The results show that the proposed model in the present study explains 51 per cent of the variance, explaining the entrepreneurship intention. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy was found to be the strongest predictor of EI (β=0.397 at p<0.001) followed by previous experience in entrepreneurial activities (β=0.285 at p<0.001).

More than limitation this research study adds to the existing literature of the EI by using a different set of the sample. Mostly EI studies used student sample to measure intentions. Kolvereid and Isaksen used a sample of entrepreneurs to measure EI and achieved very different results. Therefore, this research study extends the work of Kolvereid and Isaksen by using a sample of nascent social entrepreneurs.

The finding of this research study will facilitate policy makers and educators to promote entrepreneurial activities at the university level. Based on the results and findings of the study, the educators may improve upon the support system to help and motivate students to opt for social entrepreneurship as their career choice.

Ajzen (1988) emphasised that the relative significance of the antecedents of intention will vary depending on which stage of intention is under scrutiny. This is one of its kinds of research study that used a sample of nascent entrepreneurs in the Indian context. Findings of this research will be helpful in predicting how the intention process of nascent entrepreneurs works especially in developing countries.

The learning objectives of this case are as follows: identify and understand the major challenges/problems faced by a social enterprise in promoting handicraft business; examine the value chain architecture of handicraft products; assess the role of the protagonist (Sanjay) as a social change agent in shaping a successful social enterprise; assess Sahaj Crafts' initiatives and analyze whether the key intervention/s planned/executed were required for skilling up of rural artisans and upgradation of handicraft business; know the marketing strategies for handicraft products; and understand the “strategies” which need to be applied for uplifting people's lives at the bottom of pyramid in general and for enlivening of artisans’ clusters in particular. The outcomes are as follows: examining the value chain architecture of handicraft product; understanding the difficulties and challenges of structuring a viable social business model; examining the role of Sanjay as a social change agent in shaping a successful social enterprise; and examining the model of Craft Incubation Center and design education proposed by Sahaj Crafts for improving rural artisans’ livelihood and skills upgradation.

Sanjay Joshi – the promoter and CEO of “Sahaj Crafts” (a social enterprise established in Western Rajasthan, India), an initiative to strengthen indigenous skills and mainstream rural craft products and artworks – is faced with the question of how to scale up his organization’s operations. Doing so requires that he address these fundamental challenges in terms of – how to deal with unorganized craft communities; match up product orientation to market demands; integrate modern technology / processes in craft business; combat restricted mobility of women artisans; and make effective interventions so that the artisans learn and enjoy working in the current model and solve the financial issues faced by the social enterprise. Providing effective and implementable answers to those questions is vital to Sahaj Craft’s development in attaining its mission to alleviate poverty in the region. Failing to expand operations above a critical scale may leave Sahaj Crafts vulnerable in meeting sufficient demand for contemporary craft products in the mainstream markets.

This case study is primarily suitable for post-graduate level management students to teach the concepts of designing and operationalizing a “social” business model in a social entrepreneurship module. This case study can also be used for highlighting business model innovations in the social sector of emerging markets. The case could be taught in the following academic domains: social entrepreneurship; bottom of the pyramid; social inclusion; supply chain consolidation (vertical integration in a value chain); marketing strategies for handicraft products; branding; brand positioning; cost and management accounting.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship

As a solution to these crises, bringing back the feminine sensitivity can become a welcome change. The Bishnoi community, in particular, propagated Eco-feminism for the cause of the environment. Therefore, this paper aims to study the community in detail along with suggesting a Bishnoi Environment Protection Model as an Indian indigenous solution to the global environmental problems.

The method of obtaining information was a detailed questionnaire-based interview along with multiple focus group discussions. The interviews were conducted with the women who belong to the Bishnoi community and who are actively taking forward the ethos of their community. Interviews were conducted across a span of different villages to cover a different portion of the Bishnoi population. Adding to this, multiple focus group discussions took place in the temple, wild-life protection center, Self-help group women's households, community meetings.

Religion and science are complementary and supplementary to each other in the true sense. It would be good to recall what the greatest scientist had said “Science without religion is blind and religion without science is lame”.

The research limitation of this paper is that it is a field study-based research wherein the research findings are the outcomes of personal interviews with the village community people. The limitation, therefore, lies in the simplicity of the research arguments put forward in this paper. The implication of this research would be to challenge the dominant research paradigms in the field of Eco-feminism and Climate Change and bring grass root narratives to the forefront.

The practical implication of this research paper is that in Environment related policy solutions, rural women should be appointed as consultants of advisors in the high profile decision-making policy groups. It would make the process very democratic and rooted in ground-level solutions. If the Bishnoi community women of India are given their due regard they would eventually play significant roles in the decision-making groups at the national and international levels.

Other than having a policy implication, this research paper has a social implication too. The community narratives which have been hidden for so long in the remote villages of India will come to the forefront and help as a guiding force.

This paper recommends that India should propagate its culturally-rooted principles such as the one in Jambhoji's commandments. India should strongly put these normative values in the international organizations and contribute to a new epistemology of knowledge in the counter effect of existing ones. This would make a paradigm shift at the level of the knowledge-power in which the developed nations manipulate the rest of the world. The new terminologies, concepts, agendas, goals should be formulated by deriving the knowledge from age-old communities in India. The people of these communities have even given their lives for the protection of the environment.

The purpose of this case study is to understand effect of Indian ethos, socio‐cultural setup, etc. on growth of family‐based business; impact of ethnicity and genetic intelligence on development of entrepreneurial traits, etc. in family business contexts in India.

The approach takes a single case study on an organized retail firm named Bothra Megabazar Private Limited in Rourkela, India to comprehend the established theories and literature on emergence and spread of business community/class in India known for its own ethos and values as a country. As a part of narrative enquiry method in qualitative research, it collects the narratives of central and peripheral characters in the respective business house through “story telling” and by “restorying” the same, understands and explains the family‐based entrepreneurial journey amidst business dynamics.

The important findings of this case study are manifold. It finds that there is inter‐connectedness of different aspects amounting for success/growth of family business entrepreneurs and enterprises. Some of these factors are deep‐seated Indian ethos and values, multiple family and social networks, joint and undivided family structure, inheritance of family business down the generations, financial backing from members of family and social networks, long standing experience in trade, genetic intelligence across generations, internal capacity building with unique style of leadership and high‐risk appetite, etc.

With its focus on one specific community like Bani(y)as or Marwaris in Indian business society, the case may not justify the understandings on genetic intelligence in case of other communities/class. However, the study elaborates scope of future studies in the same direction.

Practicing managers and research scholars can use this case for understanding of the key success/growth factors behind socio‐culturally guided family‐based business enterprises.

The paper presents a case that is original.