Downsizing through technology management and outsourcing: a case study of a captive coal-mining organisation in India under globalisation

The organisation under discussion is a part of a Steel Company and consists of a group of captive underground coal mines required to produce coking coal, wash it in the coal washeries (benefitiation plants) and send the good quality clean coal to the steel plant for steel-making. The emergence of liberalisation in India has affected Indian industries and compelled them to think of ways to become more competitive. The very existence of this coking coal-mining division is at stake due to the availability of better quality imported coal at a cheaper price. Also, the demand for metallurgical-grade coking coal has reduced due to an improvement in coke-making technology, which does not require very high quality metallurgical-grade coking coal. In order to become competitive, the organisation has adopted the strategy of downsizing by technological upgradation and outsourcing the non-core activities. This paper uses System Dynamics Simulation methodology as a tool for structuring as well as evaluating the different alternative policies and scenarios for the future.manpower; strategy; liberalisation; system dynamics; policy.

Synthesis of spirocyclic ethers by radical cyclization of epoxides using a transition-metal radical source†

925-929A series of spirocyclic ethers, possible versatile intermediates towards naturally Occurring compounds, have been synthesized by radical cyclization of epoxides. The carbon-centered radical from an epoxide is generated by using a Ti(III) radical initiator

Clinical profile and genetic correlation of patients with spinocerebellar ataxia: A study from a tertiary care centre in Eastern India

Background: Progressive cerebellar ataxia inherited by autosomal dominant transmission is known as Spino Cerebellar Ataxia (SCA). Aims and Objectives: To look for various clinical profile and molecular genetics of patients with SCAs and their phenotype-genotype correlation of patients with SCAs. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, Kolkata from June 2010 to April 2013. We selected patients from the neurogenetic clinic of our institute and performed genetic test for SCA 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12.The diagnosis was based on suggestive clinical features and positive genetic study, done by polymerase chain reaction. Results: 83 patients were tested for trineucleotide repeats and turned out 45 positive for the mentioned SCAs. We found 13(28.9%) SCA-1, 18(40%) SCA-2, 7(15.6%) SCA-3, 6(13.3) SCA-6 and 1(2.2%) SCA-12 patients. Half of the remaining 38 patients had positive family history.The mean age of onset were 38.46 years in SCA-1, 29.55 years in SCA-2, 38.43 years in SCA-3, 47.33 years in SCA-6. Slow saccades were observed in 7(53.8%) SCA-1, 17(94.4%) SCA-2, 4(57.1%) SCA-3, 3(50%) SCA-6 patients. Hyporeflexia was noticed in 5(27.8%) SCA-2 patients. Pyramidal tract involvement was found in 8(61.5%) SCA-1, 4(22.2%) SCA-2, 4(57.1%) SCA-3 and 1(16.7%) SCA-6 patients. Conclusion: Our study showed SCA-2 is the most common variety of SCA and genotypic-phenotypic correlation was observed in SCA-1,2,6 and 12 patients