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Strategic management.

Entry-level post-graduate management students at an MBA program; middle-level professionals in an executive management program.

Royal India Food Retail (RIFR) is an organized food retailer, head-quartered in Delhi, India. The firm has established 180 outlets across the three Indian states of Delhi, Chandigarh and Punjab, selling fruits and vegetables, full-range of staples, grocery items and essential non-food items and fast-moving consumer good products. Since its inception, RIFR has been making losses, owing to both unfavourable external conditions and poor strategic management. In 2014-2015, RIFR reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) loss of Rs 46m as against Rs 276m in 2013-2014 and Rs 346m in 2012-2013. This case examines the problems of RIFR, against the backdrop of an unfavourable industry structure and the need for astute decision making, and poses the question of what the next step for RIFR should be.

Developing a clear understanding of the business environment; understanding the challenges faced by businesses in emerging markets; highlighting the dynamics of a volume-driven vis-à-vis a margin-driven approach to business strategy; and the importance of resources as critical elements of strategy development.

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CSS 11: Strategy.

Emerging economies are becoming less reliant on funding from foreign agencies. One of the consequences of this is the formation of more self-funded international partnerships offering new models of inter-university partnerships. This chapter offers a perspective on such an on-going collaborative international partnership between two institutions of higher education – one in the United States and the other in India. It describes the context in which the partnership was formed, the manner in which it evolved over time as both partners faced barriers, and challenges to the instantiation of the original vision. Sakamoto and Chapman’s (2010) Functional Model for the Analysis of Cross-border Partnerships is used to analyze and organize the key factors that have played roles in the development and success of the partnership. In addition, the chapter focuses on one component of the partnership activities, the short-term professional development visits to the United States for educators from Indian partner institution. Drawing on participants’ experiences from both sides of the partnership, this chapter presents the expectations, challenges, and opportunities this partnership has offered to members of both universities. The chapter ends with recommendations to establish or improve international collaborative university partnerships.

This paper aims to optimally plan distributed generation (DG) and capacitor in distribution network by optimizing multiple conflicting operational objectives simultaneously so as to achieve enhanced operation of distribution system. The multi-objective optimization problem comprises three important objective functions such as minimization of total active power loss (P^loss_total), reduction of voltage deviation and balancing of current through feeder sections.

In this study, a hybrid configuration of weight improved particle swarm optimization (WIPSO) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) called hybrid WIPSO-GSA algorithm is proposed in multi-objective problem domain. To solve multi-objective optimization problem, the proposed hybrid WIPSO-GSA algorithm is integrated with two components. The first component is fixed-sized archive that is responsible for storing a set of non-dominated pareto optimal solutions and the second component is a leader selection strategy that helps to update and identify the best compromised solution from the archive.

The proposed methodology is tested on standard 33-bus and Indian 85-bus distribution systems. The results attained using proposed multi-objective hybrid WIPSO-GSA algorithm provides potential technical and economic benefits and its best compromised solution outperforms other commonly used multi-objective techniques, thereby making it highly suitable for solving multi-objective problems.

A novel multi-objective hybrid WIPSO-GSA algorithm is proposed for optimal DG and capacitor planning in radial distribution network. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed technique in improved distribution system planning and operation and also in achieving better optimized results than other existing multi-objective optimization techniques.

The chapters in this book focus on how university-school partnerships can be used to foster academic and program development. The introductory chapter is oriented around three key questions: How do we define innovative international university partnerships? Do these innovative international university partnerships really work? What factors contribute to the success of these collaborations? In addressing these questions, this chapter presents a framework that addresses a taxonomy for innovative programs, elements to develop partnerships, ideas for sustaining collaboration, and challenges that might surface during implementation. In this volume a range of perspectives is presented using case studies and empirical research on how university partnerships are being implemented internationally. These findings suggest that university partnerships have great potential to enhance and even transform colleges and universities.

The aim of this paper is to provide the theoretical conceptualization of a bandpass (BP) negative group delay (NGD) microstrip circuit. The main objective is to provide a theorization of the particular geometry of the microstrip circuit with experimental validation of the NGD effect.

The methodology followed in this work is organized in three steps. A theoretical model is established of equivalent S-parameters model using Y-matrix analysis. The GD analysis is also presented by showing that the circuit presents a possibility to generate NGD function around certain frequencies. To validate the theoretical model, as proof-of-concept (POC), a microstrip prototype is designed, fabricated and tested.

This work clearly highlighted the modelled (analytical design model), simulated (ADS simulation tool) and measured results are in good correlation. Relying on the proposed theoretical, numerical and experimental models, the BP NGD behaviour is validated successfully with GD responses specified by the NGD centre frequency: it is observed around 2.35 GHz, with an NGD value of about −2 ns.

It is to be noticed the proposed GD analysis requires limitations of the theoretical NGD model. It is depicted and validated through a POC demonstrating that the circuit presents a possibility to generate NGD function around certain frequencies (assuming constraints around usable frequency and bandwidth).

The NGD O-shape topology developed in this work could be exploited in the future in the microwave and radiofrequency context. Thus, it is expected to develop GD equalization technique for radiofrequency and microwave filters, GD compensation of oscillators, filters and communication systems, design of broadband switch-less bi-directional amplifiers, efficient enhancement of feedforward amplifiers, design method of frequency independent phase shifters with negligible delay, synthesis method of arbitrary-angle beamforming antennas. The BP NGD behavior may also be successfully used for the reduction of resonance effect for the electronic compatibility (EMC) of electronic devices.

The non-conventional NGD O-circuit theoretical development and validation through experimental POC could be exploited by academic and industrial developers in the area of wireless communications including, but not restricted to, 5-generation communication systems. The use of the remarkable NGD effect is also useful for the mitigation of electromagnetic interferences between electronic devices and more and more complex electromagnetic environment (current development of Internet of Things[ IoT]).

The originality of this work relies on the new NGD design proposed in this work including the extraction of S-matrix parameters of the microstrip novel structure designed. The validation process based upon an experimental POC showed very interesting levels of NGD O-circuit (nanosecond-GD duration).

This study aims to explore the role of cultural distance, economic integration, price competitiveness and substitution prices for tourism arrivals between 10 Southeast Asian (ASEAN) countries and 22 other origin countries from 2007 to 2019.

A panel-data gravity model is applied to estimate tourism demand in the ASEAN region. An index of cultural distance (time-variant) is introduced to examine the role of cultural differences across bilateral partners. Moreover, relative prices and substitution prices are introduced to the gravity equation to estimate price elasticities. Finally, this study tested whether the ASEAN free trade agreements (FTAs) encourage intraregional tourism arrivals. Two-panel regression approaches are used to test the model.

Cultural distance positively affects tourism inflows, boosting foreign arrivals. Income and price elasticities are important determinants in the demand model for ASEAN. A gain in price competitiveness versus alternative destinations can lead to substitution in destination choice. Meanwhile, geographic distance has a negative impact on arrivals, suggesting that connectivity and transportation are key in boosting tourism inflows in ASEAN. A decline in the disposable incomes of tourists caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may reduce tourism arrivals in the region. However, when currencies in ASEAN weaken, and consumer prices are lower than in other destinations, arrivals in ASEAN will be stimulated. FTAs have facilitated travel intra-ASEAN, which is an advantage over the extra-ASEAN sector.

Cultural heritage could be used in tourism promotion as ASEAN can attract tourists seeking novelty and new excitements. ASEAN countries could create complementary destinations and jointly promote cultural heritage to accelerate the region’s recovery. The depreciation of currencies in ASEAN and the gain in relative price competitiveness could attract more tourist visits, helping the region reestablish tourism activities in a postpandemic economy.

The model accounts for three key variables in the gravity approach: cultural distance in ASEAN tourism inflows, the effects of the ASEAN economic community on intraregional tourism, and relative and alternative price competitiveness. This study enriches the literature about tourism-demand approaches in modeling tourism arrivals.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce an innovative theoretical, numerical and experimental investigations on the HP NGD function. The identified HP NGD topology under study is constituted by first order passive RC-network. The simulations and measurements confirm in very good agreement the HP NGD behaviors of the tested circuits. NGD responses with optimal values of about -1 ns and cut-off frequencies of about 20 MHz are obtained.

The identified HP NGD topology understudy is constituted by a first-order passive Resistor-capacitor RC network. An innovative approach to HP NGD analysis is developed. The analytical investigation from the voltage transfer function showing the meaning of HP properties is established.

This paper introduces innovative theoretical, numerical and experimental investigations on the HP NGD function.

The NGD characterization as a function of the resistance and capacitance parameters is investigated. The feasibility of the HP NGD function is verified with proofs of concept constituted of lumped surface mounted components on printed circuit boards. The simulations and measurements confirm in very good agreement the HP NGD behaviors of the tested circuits. NGD responses with optimal values of about −1 ns and cut-off frequencies of about 20 MHz are obtained.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss different 3D printing techniques and also illustrate the issues related to 3D printing and cost-effectiveness in the near future.

A systematic literature review methodology is adopted for this review paper. 3D printing is in the initial phase of implementation in healthcare; therefore, a study of 70 research papers is done, which discusses the research trends of 3D printing in healthcare sector from 2007 to mid-2018.

Though additive manufacturing has a vast application, it has not been used to its full potential. Therefore, more research is required in that direction. It is revealed from the review that only a few researchers have explored issues related to cost, which can clearly show cost-effectiveness of adopting 3D printing.

This paper helps in understanding the different 3D printing techniques and their application in the healthcare. It also proposed some methods which can be applied in delivering customized pharmaceuticals to the customer and to improve surgery.