An Exploratory Study of Factors affecting MBA Students Attitude towards Learning via Case Study Pedagogy: Insights from Advertising Literature

Case based pedagogy has become popular in most business schools today, since the pioneering efforts made by Harvard Business School, several decades ago. Although the case method approach stands firmly on grounds its effectiveness in ‘simulating reality of the business world’ in the classroom, yet it has its own limitations and cannot be used in all learning situations This article delves into both sides of the debate on the efficacy of case method for learning and through an exploratory study, models the attitude of MBA students towards the perceived learning aspects of the pedagogy. The premise of our beliefs-only attitude model rests on the conceptual analogy between a case study and an advertisement message as two similar forms of communication technology. Drawing heavily from the insights available in the advertising literature, the article suggests several hypotheses for future empirical validation.

Modification of Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) to simulate the tillage effects on subsurface drain flows and NO3-N movement

This research was designed with the goal of simulating tillage effects on quantity and quality of subsurface drain flows. For this purpose, fluctuating water table and subsurface drain water flow components were incorporated into an existing solute transport model (Root Zone Water Quality Model-RZWQM). The modified RZWQM model was further extended to simulate nitrate-nitrogen (NO[subscript]3-N) concentrations in subsurface drainage water. Different tillage systems were characterized in terms of soil physical and hydraulic properties, and this information was used as input to the model. Subsurface drain flows and NO[subscript]3-N concentrations in the drainage water were simulated under different tillage systems for three consecutive years 1990, 1991, and 1992. Simulated results were compared with the observed subsurface drain flows and NO[subscript]3-N concentrations in drainage water to evaluate the performance of the modified RZWQM;Comparison of simulated and field-measured tile flows showed that the model is capable of simulating tillage effects on the subsurface drain flows and NO[subscript]3-N losses with subsurface drain flows. The model usually showed a good response to rainfall and consistent trends between simulated and observed tile flows for all three years. However, the model usually underpredicted peak tile flows. Discrepancies between simulated and observed data were attributed to inaccuracies in the rainfall intensity data, lack of a lateral groundwater flow and/or deep seepage components, and unaccounted for spatial variabilities in the physical and hydraulic properties of the soil;Similarly, simulated and observed NO[subscript]3-N concentrations in the drain water and NO[subscript]3-N losses with the subsurface drain flow usually agreed well. However, a comparison of simulated and observed NO[subscript]3-N concentrations in the soil profile showed a need for improvement in the model. Calibration and validation of NO[subscript]3-N transformation processes under different tillage systems, validated plant growth component, and an improved hydrologic component should improve the predictions of various model outputs

Store Format Choice in an Evolving Market . A TPB Approach

<div align=justify>The store choice has been studied extensively in the literature, but store format choice has had limited research attention. The store choice modeling has been primarily done in the random utility theory framework, which however is a neo-economics based view of choice decision that ignores the psychological and behavioral aspects of this planned behavior. The store format choice for bulk grocery purchase despite being a rational context has not been conceptualized in the most accepted construct in attitude behavior, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Attitude-behavior linkage has been studied extensively in literature but there is still no consensus on the components of attitude, their interrelationship and resultant impact on conation. The Theory of Reasoned Action has evolved over time to incorporate perceived behavioral control and past behavior to improve its explanatory capacity as TPB; however, it has maintained its unidimensionalist approach and has not tested affect and cognition independently for its impact on behavior. It may therefore be relevant to explore the possibility of testing the proposed Converging framework of Affect and Cognition and comment on the relationship of the structural components of attitude and its impact on format choice. The impact of past behavior on future behavior in Theory of Planned Behavior has been ambiguous while there has not been much emphasis on the quality of past experience. The current research takes up the past experience quality and tests it in the attitude behavior relationship as an antecedent of actual behavior. This paper conceptualizes the store format choice behavior in the Theory of Planned Behavior framework by exploring the strength of attitude-behavior relationship mediated through behavioral intention and its impact on format choice as also the independent role of affect and cognition on the format choice.</div>

Phytotoxic effect of chrome liquor on growth and chlorophyll content of Spirodela polyrrhiza L. Schleid

The present study assessed the tolerance of Spirodela polyrrhiza (L.) Schleid (giant duckweed) exposed to different concentrations (5% -100%) of chrome liquor for 7 days. Physiological conditions of S.polyrrhizaplants were monitored daily by measuring fresh weight and chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b. Fresh biomass of Spirodela plant showed concentration and duration dependent reduction with minimum value (5.71 g) reported on 7 d at 100% tannery effluent concentration. Likewise, significant reduction in chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b content wasobserved in concentration-duration dependent manner with maximum reduction reported to be 99.8% and 99.6% respectively on 7 d at 100% effluent concentration in comparison to control

An efficient FIS and RSA based Signcryption Security Scheme

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