Economic Evaluation of Pest Management Technologies for Sustainable Cotton Production in Punjab

This study has been undertaken to make cotton production in the state of Punjab globally competitive by reducing the cost of production at farmer’s level through adoption of new pest management technologies, namely Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Insecticides Resistant Management (IRM). A sample of ten experimental and ten control plots has been taken for each technology in four villages of the cotton belt of Punjab. The study has revealed that the adopters of IPM and IRM technology could get significantly higher yield as compared to that by non-adopters. These technologies have been found cost-effective due to higher production and could reduce the per quintal production cost by Rs 253 and Rs 175, respectively. These technologies have been found to generate more income and employment as the adopters could earn Rs 6840/ha and Rs 5901/ha more income as compared to that by the nonadopters. The gain in human employment due to adoption of these technologies has been of 11 humandays/ha and 12 humandays/ha, respectively. The IPM and IRM technologies have reduced the pesticides consumption by 67 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively. The cost-benefit analysis has shown these technologies to be economically viable. The study has suggested that these technologies should be propagated among the farmers in the cotton belt of Punjab. These technologies will reduce the chemicals-consumption and enhance the productivity of cotton on sustainable basis with lower cost of production, which in turn would protect the environmental health and economic condition of the debtridden cotton growers on a long-term basis.Crop Production/Industries,

Fearful to be an entrepreneur? A cross-country analysis of factors inhibiting entrepreneurship

This paper is an empirical analysis that has explored personal and socio-economic factors that may inhibit entrepreneurial activity in two diverse countries--the UK and Brazil.  Results show that British and Brazilian males, when they are skilled are less afraid to start a new venture. Results also show that this could be owing to a high status accorded in both the countries to new business start-ups. However, whereas media publicity may add to the fear factor of starting a business in the case of British entrepreneurs; it lessens the fear in the case of Brazilian entrepreneurs. Past failures seem to have no impact on British entrepreneurs, but such failures do seem to add to the fear in Brazilian entrepreneurs. Positive planning to start a new business adds to optimism for British entrepreneurs. Contrary to UK males, younger Brazilian males are less fearful of starting a new business

Formations of the Sikh Community in Ireland

This dissertation examines the formation of the Sikh community in Ireland by providing a brief historical account of the migration of Sikhs to Ireland, as well as by offering a discussion of the key challenges faced in Ireland by Sikh migrants along with their responses to these particular socio-cultural and political contexts in attempting to forge a ‘community’ in Ireland. The research draws extensively upon an oral history and photography project entitled A Sikh Face in Ireland that was commissioned by, and carried out through, the Forum on Migration and Communications (FOMACS) between 2007-2010. The interviews I conducted during this project as research assistant to Dr Glenn Jordan, who created the photographic exhibit, form a substantial methodological component towards the analysis and insights developed throughout this dissertation. In addition to the interviews, the discussions here are grounded in lo ng-term and sustained participant observation in the Dublin gurdwara over the last three years, which constitutes the major field site for this research. This dissertation offers a particularly located and ground-level perspective on the many issues around migration, multi- culturalism, and questions of diversity that have been central to Irish public life over the last two decades, informed by the life experiences of a community that has suffered widespread racial abuse for sporting external signifiers like beards and turbans identified with Muslims in an increasingly Islamophobic European, indeed Irish context. Through this research I hope to present the Sikh communities’ experiences and perspectives of migration as insights that might productively influence the depth and range of sensibilities towards migration and migrants in Ireland and outside, both among the general public as well as at policy level. The dissertation also offers Sikh community a documented account of their presence in Ireland and their contribution to Irish society by highlighting the proactive role that migrant-led community organisations (such as ISC) can play in civic engagement, intercultural dialogue, and towards establishing migrant support networks.The dissertation consists of four chapters: Chapter One outlines the methodological approach to the research and locates the main theoretical concerns within relevant literature; Chapter Two offers an outline of the history of Sikh migration to Ireland; Chapter Three is a discussion of t he key challenges faced by Sikh migrants in Ireland; and Chapter Four is a analysis of the strategies employed by the community in coping with and adapting to life in a foreign land. The focus of the thesis is the formations of the Sikh community. It does not directly address broader questions, such as racialization of non-white bodies, though these issues do figure in the analyses. While the dissertation includes several photographs that were taken during the research for A Sikh Face in Ireland along with archival photographs from family albums shared by the research participants, these are used in an illustrative capacity to vivify issues under discussion

Shifting the 'White Gaze' on Black Bodies in Philippine Collegiate Basketball: Toward a Structural Understanding of Covert Racism in the Global South

In a postcolonial Global South context, the representation of race seems to persist and is manifested through the media scripting of Black African sporting bodies that in effect extends the deployment of the “White gaze,” the effort to explore the Black body within the context of white supremacy. Through a qualitative content analysis of media texts in the Philippines, the paper illustrates how in a postmodern context racial stereotypes literally play out within Philippine collegiate basketball framed by the “White gaze” that expresses a covert form of racism that supports an essentialist deployment of categories of race. The paper ends with a call for praxis that critiques subtle racialized ideologies and institutionalized racism in a postmodern Global South context

Data analysis of lane merge and lane shift sign configurations in a freeway workzone

In this study, driver responses to alternative lane shift and lane merge signs are analyzed and compared using a driving simulation system. In particular, driver responses to the lane merge signs proposed by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) are compared to the current lane merge signs recommended by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and driver responses to the lane shift signs proposed by MoDOT are compared to current lane shift signs recommended by MUTCD. The driving simulation system is composed of a driving simulator and a PC with data recording program such that the position coordinates, speed, braking amount, and steering amount are recorded each second. For lane merge signs, four scenarios are simulated: two with MUTCD (left merge and right merge) sign configurations and two with MoDOT (left merge and right merge) sign configurations. For lane shift signs, two driving scenarios are simulated: one with MUTCD lane shift sign configuration and the other with the MoDOT lane shift sign configuration. 75 participants with varying demographic characteristics drove on the four lane merge sign configuration scenarios and different 75 participants with varying demographic characteristics drove on the two lane shift sign configuration scenarios. The data collected is analyzed with statistical data analysis tools. The results of the analysis show that while each individual driving group has similar responses to the alternative sign configurations, there are significant differences among the driving groups\u27 responses to the individual sign configurations. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of the driving simulation system for analyzing driving patterns --Abstract, page iii

Causes and Impact of Labour Migration: A Case Study of Punjab Agriculture

In Punjab, the influx of migrant labour particularly in agriculture sector started with the green revolution and picked up subsequently. Due to monoculture in the cropping pattern, the state has become largely dependent on migrant labourers for various agricultural operations. The influx of seasonal as well as permanent labour from outside has led to various socio-economic problems in Punjab. In the wake of this, the present study was purposively conducted in the Central Zone of Punjab for the year 2011 to find the causes and impact of labour in-migration in Punjab. A total of 105 respondents belonging to the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Nepal constituted the sample frame. The results have revealed that better income and employment opportunities at the destination place were the major factors responsible for migration. About 64 per cent of the respondents earned less than ` 20000 per annum at their native places and 60 per cent of them had less than 200 days of employment in a year, whereas 23 per cent of the labourers were unemployed at their native place. However, after migration 63 per cent of the migrants could earn from ` 20000 to ` 50000 per annum and 34 per cent earned more than ` 50000 per annum in Punjab, leading to a major share (60% of total income) as remittances sent back to their native places. On the other hand, the flip side of the influx of migrants in the study area increased the drug menace by 37 per cent, social tension by 45 per cent and crime by 43 per cent. The state government should maintain a demographic balance by regulating the migrants and should help in verification of credentials of migrating labourers to Punjab.Labour migration, Long-term migration, Short-term migration, Remittances, In-migration, Agricultural and Food Policy, J61, J62, R23,

Does Strategic Human Resource Involvement and Devolvement Enhance Organisational Performance? Evidence from Jordan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test empirically the relationship between the strategic involvement and the devolvement of human resource functions with organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on the primary data collected from the population of financial firms based in Jordan. The methodology adopted for the purpose of data analysis includes the use of basic statistics, zero‐order correlations, confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical regressions. Findings – The results provide strong support for the hypothesis that the involvement of human resource functions into the business and corporate strategy reduces employee turnover rate and enhances financial performance. The analysis does not support the second hypothesis that empowering day‐to‐day human resource functions to line managers impacts negatively on employee turnover and positively on financial performance. Practical implications – Our results imply that financial performance can be enhanced and employee turnover rate decreased by involving human resource directors in the overall strategic decision‐making process of companies. However, our results also imply that the devolvement of routine human resource issues to line managers is neither positively related to the financial performance of the companies nor negatively related to employee turnover. This raises doubts as to whether, after having involved human resource functions into the strategic affairs of the company, they are empowered enough to make a positive impact. Originality/value – This is one of few papers conducted on this topic in a non‐western environment, and the first of its kind for the country of Jordan. This paper contributes to the field through its approach to measuring and testing strategic human resource management theory. The paper also successfully links the core aspects of strategic human resource management with objective indicators of financial performance of the companies

"Reduction kinetics of iron ore pellets made by addition of -100# size fines in conventional pellets"

The increasing trend in the prices of steel scrap and its short supply led the steel technologists to find a suitable charge mix in the form of sponge iron or Direct Reduced Iron (DRI). Sponge Iron or DRI is obtained from the direct reduction of iron ore and has iron content between 84 to 95 percent. Technically and technologically, sponge iron has been found to be a suitable material for charging in blast furnaces. In the existing blast furnace an increase in production by at least 25 to 35% can be achieved by using pre reduced iron ore. Sponge iron is a better substitute for scrap for steelmaking through EAF / IF routes due to its homogenous nature, Improved productivity and lower coke consumption. Also majority of fines which are generated during the course of handling, mining, transportation etc are exported at a through away price which need to be utilized by making iron ore pellets for sponge iron making. According to industry experts, the preference for usage of DRI will lead to the use of 80 percent DRI in the charge mix in EAFs by 2009-10 which may even reach the 85 percent level by 2011-12 in the various regions of India. A lot of investigations have been carried out on direct reduction process of iron oxides by carbonaceous materials, but little work has been done on the characterization of properties and reduction behavior of iron ore of some mines of Orissa. In the present project work, an attempt has been made to study the reduction behavior and kinetics of fired iron ore pellets. The effect of different reduction parameters such as temperature (900-950°C), time (15-60 min.), reductant quality, mixing of particles of different sizes at different ratios for pellet preparation etc. on the reduction, swelling behavior of iron ore pellets. These form the subject matter of the thesis. First chapter gives the introduction about the subject. It speaks about the need of DRI industry, scope, present status and future planning of DRI industry in India, world wise DRI production, etc. It gives a general idea of raw materials quality required for producing DRI, especially in Rotary Kiln. The second chapter deals with the literature survey. The third chapter deals with planning of experiments ,selection of raw materials, preparation of samples, preparation of iron ore pellets, experimental procedure , evaluation of reduction. vi The results obtained and the discussions made from these observations have been outlined in chapter four. The result for fired iron ore pellets indicated an increase in degree of reduction with increase in reduction temperature (900-950ºC) and time. The reduction kinetics of Sakaruddin iron ore pellets were studied in temperature range of 900-950ºC. Analysis of swelling behavior was also done. Results obtained from chapter four have been summarized in chapter five. Lastly, these conclusions have been followed by the list of references

Partial purification and characterization of limonoate dehydrogenase from Rhodococcus fascians for the degradation of limonin

An extracellular limonoate dehydrogenase was purified 10-fold from a cell-free extract of Rhodococcus fascians by ammonium sulfate precipitation, dialysis, and ultrafiltration. This purified dehydrogenase catalyzed theconversion of limonoate to 17-dehydrolimonoate. The enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 8.0 and 40oC, with Km value of 0.9 &micro;M, and requires Zn ions and sulfhydryl groups for catalytic action. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg2+ and NaN3 ions. The degradation of limonin (66%) in Kinnow mandarin juice was successfully demonstrated with partiallypurified limonoate dehydrogenase. With scale-up preparation of limonoate dehydrogenase, a successful debittering operation of fruit juices appears feasible.<br /