Rainwater harvesting, alternative to the water supply in Indian urban areas : The case of Ahmedabad in Gujarat

Water scarcity is a characteristic of north-western states of India, such as Gujarat. Over time, the continuous increase of the population as well as the financial, administrative and technical deficiencies of the new supply system have lead to the deterioration of the water service in the city. In the meantime, the water demand has considerably increased due to the improvement of standards of living. This has resulted in an increasing pressure on underground water resources, which has lead to an alarming depletion of aquifers. From this overall situation arises the question of the use of complementary alternative sources of water in Ahmedabad and more particularly of the rehabilitation of the rainwater harvesting structures still existing in its old city area. The objective of the research is to evaluate to what extent this traditional system may constitute an additional source of water within the Old city of Ahmedabad and may locally reduce the pressure on water demand, assuming that the existing supply system does not fulfil the needs of the users. The results of an exploratory field study conducted in the Old city in 2001-02, which combined quantitative and qualitative aspects, give an outlook on people's opinions and behaviors regarding both systems. Finally, the rehabilitation of rainwater harvesting structures in the Old city of Ahmedabad suggests the necessity of empowering local structures of water management (households, non governmental association) in semi-arid urban areas to create the conditions for a sustainable implementation.rainwater harvesting ; water supply ; water scarcity ; water management ; Ahmedabad Old City ; Pol ; Gujarat ; India

Rainwater Harvesting, Alternative to the Water supply in Indian Urban Areas : the Case of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

NAgestion de l'eau;développement;récupération de l'eau de pluie;Inde

Rainwater Harvesting, Alternative to the Water supply in Indian Urban Areas : the Case of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Working PaperWater scarcity is a characteristic of north-western states of India, such as Gujarat. Over time, the continuous increase of the population as well as the financial, administrative and technical deficiencies of the new supply system have lead to the deterioration of the water service in the city. In the meantime, the water demand has considerably increased due to the improvement of standards of living. This has resulted in an increasing pressure on underground water resources, which has lead to an alarming depletion of aquifers. From this overall situation arises the question of the use of complementary alternative sources of water in Ahmedabad and more particularly of the rehabilitation of the rainwater harvesting structures still existing in its old city area. The objective of the research is to evaluate to what extent this traditional system may constitute an additional source of water within the Old city of Ahmedabad and may locally reduce the pressure on water demand, assuming that the existing supply system does not fulfil the needs of the users. The results of an exploratory field study conducted in the Old city in 2001-02, which combined quantitative and qualitative aspects, give an outlook on people’s opinions and behaviors regarding both systems. Finally, the rehabilitation of rainwater harvesting structures in the Old city of Ahmedabad suggests the necessity of empowering local structures of water management (households, non governmental association) in semi-arid urban areas to create the conditions for a sustainable implementation

How multinational banks in India gain legitimacy: Organisational practices and resources required for implementation

Liability of foreignness (LOF) refers to the difficulties and additional costs that multinational enterprises face when they operate in a foreign market. Rooted in institutional theory, extant literature has discussed isomorphism, transference, and sociopolitical activism as legitimation strategies to counteract LOF. This view relates to the macro level of firm and society, assumes passivity of subsidiaries, and neglects implementation of these strategies. Consequently, this paper aims at complementing this restrictive view through a qualitative study to explore how French multinational banks respond to LOF challenges in India, an adverse institutional environment typical of emerging markets but also unique due to strong economic nationalism and cultural traditions. As such, the present article contributes to the institutional research stream by (1) presenting an empirical investigation at the micro level of subsidiary organisational practices to operationalise legitimation strategies in managerial terms; (2) revealing rhetoric proactive strategies beyond the passive or reactive paths identified previously; and (3) discussing the internal implications of implementing legitimation strategies directed at external recipients within the intraorganisational network of multinational banks, using the resource-based view

Marketing International, Marchés, Cultures et Organisations

Face à un environnement international de plus en plus ouvert à une concurrence élargie, le marketing joue un rôle moteur dans l'internationalisation de la firme. La globalisation des marchés oblige désormais à penser le Nord et le Sud dans un même ensemble. Cet ouvrage, à la fois conceptuel et vivant,fournit les clés de compréhension fondamentales et les outils appliqués pour développer une stratégie marketing efficace dans ce nouveau contexte. Une approche originale fondée sur une triple perspective : - multifonctionnelle : l'internationalisation du marketing impliquant toutes les fonctions de l'entreprise. - organisationnelle : le marketing international évoluant selon la dynamique d'internationalisation de l'entreprise. - multiculturelle : le marketing international devant tenir compte de la diversité culturelle externe (actes d'achat et de consommation) et interne (management de la diversité culturelle des équipes marketing). Une analyse approfondie des dernières évolutions en la matière : - les économies émergentes qui obligent à repenser le Nord et le Sud dans un même ensemble au plan de la conquête des marchés, de la stratégie concurrentielle et des relations interculturelles qui en découlent... - les segments marketing du « bas de la pyramide » et les stratégies marketing spécifiques qu'ils impliquent. - l'intégration des nouvelles technologies comme média international, ses forces et ses limites

Host-country Female Executives and External Legitimation Strategies of Foreign Subsidiaries: A Multi-theoretical Framework

International audienceThis theoretical paper proposes a multi-theoretical framework combining institutional theory, resource dependency theory, and social identity theory to study the role of host-country national female executives staffed by multinational firms in their local top management team to serve as external legitimation providers of foreign subsidiaries and efficiently mitigate the liability of foreignness. By examining how local female executives frame the implementation of external legitimization strategies at the micro-level of subsidiary's organizational practices and resources, this research makes room for the agency of subsidiaries to counter the LOF by becoming actors of institutional change, thereby developing multinationals’ performance in adverse environments. Finally, the study methodology to be conducted on the subsidiaries of French multinational luxury retail firms in Japan is proposed

VALIDITÉ DISCRIMINANTE DE L’ÉCHELLE DE COGNITION SOCIALE ET DE RELATION D’OBJET (SCORS, VERSION FRANÇAISE) POUR COTER LES RÉCITS TAT. COMPARAISON ENTRE GROUPES CLINIQUE ET NON CLINIQUE

Cette étude a pour but d’évaluer la validité discriminante de la version française de la méthode SCORS (Social Cognition and Object Relation Scale). Procédure : les cotations SCORS de récits TAT ont été comparées entre deux groupes (non clinique et clinique). Méthode : les récits TAT de 114 participants (47 non cliniques et 67 cliniques) ont été recueillis et les planches 1, 2, 3BM et 13MF ont été cotées par deux juges indépendants. Puis nous avons comparé les résultats des deux groupes. Résultats : la fidélité interjuge entre coteurs est bonne, voire excellente suivant les échelles; il y a des différences entre les moyennes des deux groupes aux échelles de SCORS dans le sens attendu. Cela montre la validité discriminante de la version française de SCORS. Les implications cliniques et scientifiques de ces résultats sont discutées.The study aimed at assessing the discriminant validity of the French version of the Social Cognition and Object Relation Scale, French Version. Design: SCORS ratings of TAT narratives were compared across two groups (Non-Clinicals, Clinicals). Method: 114 participants’ TAT narratives (47 Non-Clinicals, 67 Clinicals) were collected and the pictures 1, 2, 3BM, 4 and 13 MF were rated by two independent judges. Then we compared the result of Non-Clinical and Clinical groups. Results demonstrated that interrater reliability was established and fell in the “good” to “excellent” ranges. Results also indicated that the French version of the SCORS was able to differentiate between Non-Clinical and Clinical groups. Implications and future directions are discussed and explored

Les strategies de marketing international 1 : evolution des fondements theoriques et implications strategiques

Available from INIST (FR), Document Supply Service, under shelf-number : DO 8477 / INIST-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et TechniqueSIGLEFRFranc