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    IS05

    Fundamentals of E-Commerce
    Assignment - I
    Assignment Code: 2015IS05A1    Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
    Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
    Ques.    1    Create a business plan for an on-line company. It can be for a start-up company or an
    existing business. It should be a fictitious firm of some small business that has a
    bricks-and-mortar presence too. It should be a business plan for an electronic
    commerce initiative within a company.
Ques.    2    How is e-business different from any other business?
Ques.    3    Explain in brief the steps involved in payment through credit cards.

Ques.    4    a)    Discuss the architectural framework of E-Commerce.
    b)    Explain the difference between E-Commerce and E-Business with the help of examples.
Section-B
Case Study
CRAZ Automobiles has an excellent web site that provides detailed information about all its models. It has all the relevant information like technical specifications, prices in various states and cities, dealer location and contacts, and maintenance guide. Every day hundreds of users visit the web site. This includes prospective customers and also existing customers.
Company keeps track of number of visitors and also encourages them to register on the web site. Registration is free but less than 1% of the visitors actually register. Since car purchase is generally not done online, Company has no way to find if a visitor to its web site actually visits its dealership also. Thus company has no data if their web site is attracting additional revenue for them.

Questions:
a)    What can the company do to provide more value to its registered users?
b)    What additional features can be added to the web site to ensure it results in more dealership visits?
c)    What role do web metrics play in achieving maximum value from a web site?



    IS05

    Fundamentals of E-Commerce
    Assignment - II
    Assignment Code: 2015IS05A2                                   Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                            Maximum Marks:100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
Ques.    1    Explain the difference between symmetric key encryption and public key encryption.
    Which dimensions of e-commerce security do these systems address?
Ques.    2    How to make Internet banking and investment transactions safe?
Ques.    3    What should be the goals and objectives of an e-business website?

Ques.    4    What do you understand by Message Authentication? How is this issue addressed in e-   
                        transactions?
.
    Section-B
Case study:

A big manufacturing house is facing difficulty in implementing distributed database system for its ERP application. They decided to integrate all departments in all the manufacturing units situated in different countries by hosting a dedicated web site with dedicated database server. To start with they decided to put sales and distribution department online. The user of the web site can perform operations such as: Add/ Edit sales order, add/edit customer information, add/edit details of distribution centre, check accounts receivable of customer, check ware house status, implement sales transaction from warehouse to customer/Distributor, etc.

Propose the detailed design and implementation of the web application.

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    IS04

    Computer Networks
    Assignment - I
    Assignment Code: 2015IS04A1    Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
    Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
    Ques.    1    Describe three approaches to detecting errors, including how they work, the probability
     of detecting an error, and any other benefits or limitations.
    Ques.    2    Give the purpose of the following devices in relation to networking:
    a).Access points
    b).Routers
    c).Network access cards
    d).Server
    Ques.    3    What are the three ways of reducing errors and the type of noise they affect?
    Ques.    4    Discuss three trends in communications and networking.
    Section-B

Eureka! is a telephone and Internet-based check service that specializes in obtaining things that are hard to find (e.g., Superbowl tickets, first edition books from the 1500s, Faberge eggs).  It currently employs 60 staff who work 24 hours per day (over three shifts).  Staff answer the phone and respond to requests entered on the Eureka! Web site.  Much of their work is spent on the phone and on computers searching on the Internet.  What type of connections should Eureka! consider from its offices to the outside world, in terms of phone and Internet?  Outline the pros and cons of each alternative below and make a recommendation.  The company has four alternatives:

Questions :

1.    Should it use traditional analog services, with standard voice lines, and use modems to dial into its ISP ($40 per month for each voice line plus $20 per month for each Internet access line)?
2.    Should the company use standard voice lines but use DSL for its data ($60 per month per line for both services)?
3.    Should the company separate its voice and data needs, using standard analog services for voice but finding some advanced digital transmission services for data ($40 per month for each voice line and $300 per month for a circuit with 1.5 Mbps of data)?
4.    Should the company search for all digital services for both voice and data ($60 per month for an all-digital circuit that provides two PCM phone lines that can be used for two voice calls, one voice call and one data call at 64 Kbps, or one data call at 128 Kbps)?
              





















    IS04

    Computer Networks
    Assignment - II
    Assignment Code: 2015IS04A2                    Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
              Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
    Ques.    1    a) Why does network segmentation improve LAN performance?
    b )  Why network needs security? What are the types of security threats ?
    Ques.    2    Explain how the Internet is a network of Networks?  Give the entire process indicating
    the various protocols used, the hardware required & the software used.
    Ques.    3    Document one backbone network in detail. What devices are attached, what cabling is
    used, and what is the topology? What networks does the backbone connect?
    Ques.    4    Give a brief of who’s who in the internet standards world. Also describe their efforts for
    evolving new internet architecture based on 1PVG.
    Section-B

Cathy’s Collectibles (Case Study)
Your cousin Cathy runs a part-time business out of her apartment.  She buys and sells collectibles such as antique prints, baseball cards, and cartoon cells and has recently discovered the Web with its many auction sites.  She has begun buying and selling on the Web by bidding on collectibles at lesser-known sites and selling them at a profit at more well-known sites.  She downloads and uploads lots of graphics (pictures of the items she’s buying and selling).  She is getting frustrated with the slow Internet access she has with her 56-Kbps dial-up modem and asks you for advice.  DSL is available at a cost of $60 per month for 1.5 Mbps down and 384 Kbps up.  Cable modem service is available for a cost of $50 per month for 1.5 Mbps down and 640 Kbps up.  Wireless DSL is available in her apartment building for $45 per month for 1.5 Mbps down and 256 Kbps up.  Explain the differences in these services and make a recommendation.
Questions

a.    Suppose you joined a company that had a WAN composed of SONET, T carrier services, ATM, and frame relay, each selected to match a specific network need for a certain set of circuits.  Would you say this was a well-designed network?  Explain.
b.    What is a VPN?  What are three types of VPN?

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NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)
Course: Capital Market and Portfolio Management
Internal Assignment Applicable for December 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words. Use
relevant examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for attempting
their assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the source of
reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments from
other students is not allowed.
1. Calculate the standard deviation and return of portfolio consisting of 70% of Security A
and 30% of Security B.
Year
Security A return(%)
Security B return(%)
2001
9
8
2002
6
7
2003
7
9
2004
10
8
2005
8
5
(15 marks)
Page 2
2. Reliance and HDFC are two mutual funds.
Observed
Return
Beta
Residual Variance
Portfolio Reliance
16%
0.8
0.02
Portfolio HDFC
25%
1.2
0.01
Return on the market portfolio is 11%, while the risk-free return is 8%. Assume standard
Deviation of the market to be 7%.
(15 marks)
a) Compute the Jensen index for each of the funds
b) Compute the Treynor index for each of the funds
c) Compute the Sharpe index for each of the funds

NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)
Course: Micro Economics
Internal Assignment Applicable for December 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words. Use
relevant examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for attempting their
assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the source of reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments from other
students is not allowed.
1. Consider the following simplified demand-supply functions
Demand : Q = 300 – 3P
Supply : Q = 30 + 6P
a) What are the equilibrium price and quantity sold?
(5 marks)
b) What would be the effect upon price and quantity sold if supply shifts to Q = 50 + 6P
and demand remains constant?
(5 marks)
c) What would be the effect upon price and quantity sold if demand shifts to Q = 360 - 3P
and supply remains Q = 30 + 6P?
(5 marks)
Page 2
2. a) What is the cross elasticity of demand of good Y for good X when the price of good X falls
from Rs 12 to Rs 9 and the demand for good Y increase from 15 Kg. to 20 Kg. Are goods X
and Y compliments or substitutes?
( 6 marks)
b) Suppose that the short run costs for a paintbrush manufacturer are given by the expression
TC = 100 + 3Q + 0.02 Q^2
What are the total costs, average cost and average variable cost for 50 and 100 units of
output?
(9 marks

NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)
Course: Strategic Cost Management
Internal Assignment Applicable for December 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words.
Use relevant examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for
attempting their assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the
source of reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments
from other students is not allowed.
1. ABC Ltd furnishes the following information relating to actual sales and budgeted
sales for March, 2015:
Actual Sales
Sales Quantity
(units)
Selling Price Per
Unit (Rs.)
X
1500
12
Y
1000
30
Z
2200
42
Budgeted sales
Sales Quantity
Selling Price Per
Page 2
(units)
Unit (Rs.)
X
1200
15
Y
1100
30
Z
2350
37
Calculate the (a) Total sales variance, (b) Sales price variance, (c) Sales quantity
variance, and (d) Sales mix variance
2. You are appointed as the manager of a manufacturing organization and had been
asked to design total productive maintenance plan in the firm. Mention the steps and
the relevant points you would consider

NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)
Course: Logistics Management
Internal Assignment Applicable for December 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words. Use relevant
examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for attempting their
assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the source of reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments from other
students is not allowed.
1) Designing a supply chain requires immense planning. As an expert, in the supply chain design
what are the factors that one must bear in mind while designing the supply chain for perishable
products like curd, ice cream and frozen peas? What is the role of operations in multimodal
transport management? Also identify the key areas which are included in operations of
multimodal transport function.
2) Why do certain firms keep stock close to the market while others keep stock in the component
form at their plants? How do these decisions affect performance? Justify your answer giving
suitable examples

NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)
Course: Supply Chain Management
Internal Assignment Applicable for December, 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words. Use relevant
examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for attempting their
assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the source of reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments from other
students is not allowed.
Question 1: Give examples of three Indian companies that have successfully incorporated IT in
their Supply Chains, with regards to customer satisfaction, inventory management and strategy
development.
Question 2: How do transport companies benefit from a technology like Global Positioning
System (GPS?) Give three examples of certain companies that track their trucks on a real time
basis. Compare and contrast the vehicle routing in the following three applications:
a) Milk collection for a dairy co-operative
b) Courier company
c) Employee pickup for a call center


NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)
Course: Total Quality Management
Internal Assignment Applicable for December, 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words. Use
relevant examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for attempting
their assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the source of
reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments from
other students is not allowed.
Q.1. You are the head of Business Excellence cell of your organization. Explain the following
a. How will you go about implementing Quality Circle in the organization? 8 marks
b. What, in your opinion, can be the causes for its failure?
7 marks
Q.2 a. Study the philosophies of Deming and Juran and make a comparative report highlighting
their contribution to quality management.
8 marks
b. Explain how Deming’s 14 point can be applied to an education institute. 7 marks

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Page 1
NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education NGA-SCE
Course: Strategic Financial Management
Internal Assignment Applicable for December 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words.
Use relevant examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for
attempting their assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the
source of reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments
from other students is not allowed.
1. a) A company’s EBIT is Rs.75000. The company has debt of Rs 300000 and cost of
debt is 10%. The cost of equity is 12%. Calculate the overall cost of capital and the
value of the firm using NI approach.
( 7.5 marks)
b) If debt increases in capital structure by Rs.100000, calculate the overall cost of
capital and also the value of the firm using NI approach.
(7.5 marks)
2. XYZ limited provided following data:
o 9% debentures of face value of Rs. 1,000 Redeemable at par after 8 years
Page 2
o Tax rate is 40%
o Floatation cost is 4%
Determine cost of debt in following situations:
(i) Debt issued at par
(ii) Debt issued at 9% discount
(iii) Debt issued at 9% premium
(15 marks)
***************

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Page 1
NMIMS Global Access
School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)
Course: International Finance
Internal Assignment Applicable for December 2015 Examination
Assignment Marks: 30
Instructions:
 All Questions carry equal marks.
 All Questions are compulsory
 Answers to each assignment question to be explained in approximately 1500 words. Use
relevant examples, illustrations as far as possible.
 All answers to be written individually. Discussion and group work is not permissible.
 Students are free to refer to any books/reference material/website/internet for attempting their
assignments, but are not allowed to copy the matter as it is from the source of reference.
 Students should write the assignment in their own words. Copying of assignments from other
students is not allowed.
1. ABC company wanted to import goods from XYZ Ltd located in India as the quality of goods
supplied by them was good. XYZ was not ready to export the goods to ABC as they were not
making advance payment. Suggest how ABC can convince XYZ to export the goods giving
justifications and the methodology to be adopted.
2. A firm in India had entered into a transaction which was denominated in USD and exchange
rate fluctuations was having an impact on the future value of firm’s domestic cash flow. You
have been appointed as the manager who needs to manage this risk, giving explanations of your
solution.
***************

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    IS01

    Introduction to Information Technology
    Assignment – I
    Assignment Code: 2015IS01A1              Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
              Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
1.    What are Software Technology Parks (STPs)? What is their role? Discuss

2.    Write an explanatory note on Computer Memory

3.    What are the different communication channels generally used in networking? Explain each in     detail. Differentiate between synchronous and asynchronous communication.   

4.    Describe the following terms:
    i.          Types of Data Processing
    ii.         e-Commerce Framework
    iii.    Buses and Registers
    iv.      System Softwares
    Section-B

Case Study: Database Technology Used to Improve Airport Security
The Transportation Security Administration is evaluating various approaches to harness database technology in its efforts to improve airport security.  Unfortunately, any such system may require airlines to invest in additional information systems technology – at a time when they are suffering from a lack of revenue one major airline has already declared a bankruptcy.

One idea is to develop a database system that links every airline reservation system in the country with a number of private and government databases.  Data mining and predictive analysis would be used to sort through personal travel histories, the backgrounds of passengers aboard particular flights, and a wealth of other data to assign numerical threat ratings to individuals.  Warnings would be sent electronically to workers at airport screening locations to inspect individuals with high threat ratings more closely.

Another approach would allow prescreened “trusted travelers” to pass through airport security checkpoints quickly, avoiding long lines and congestion,  This system would devote more time and resources to screening other travelers whose level of risk is higher or unknown.  Those who apply for the “trusted traveler” program would have to pass a background check using data from a number of state and federal databases.  Once at the airport, “trusted traveler” passengers would be identified, perhaps by scanning their fingerprints or retinas or requiring some form of identification card.  (The federal government is considering developing a security ID card for airline passengers that would rely on biometric identification and be linked to government database).  The system would also cross-check the passenger’s identification with the FBI’s watch list database and a federal passenger profiling system known as Computer Assisted Passenger Screening.  Provided everything was clear, they could then proceed to his or her airplane using expedited security check in procedures.

5.     Case Questions:

a.    Which approach is best in terms of improving airport security: assigning a threat rating to individuals or prescreening individuals to identify “trusted travelers”?  Why do you think this approach is best?

b.    Identify specific data that could be used to assign numeric threat ratings to individuals.  Describe how the system would work.


















   

    IS01

    Introduction to Information Technology
    Assignment – II
    Assignment Code: 2015IS01A2           Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
           Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

    Section-A

1.    “Information System act as a backbone for today’s business environment” Justify


2.    What do you understand from Decision Support System? How DSS helps managers making     effective decisions.


3.    Explain System Development Life Cycle with suitable example.


4.    Write short note on:

a.         Artificial Intelligence
    b.    Strategic Information System
    c.    Types of Information System
    d.      Computer-based Supply Chain


Section-B

Case Study
Western Chemical uses the Internet and an electronic commerce website to connect to its customers and suppliers, and to capture data and share information about sales order and purchases. Sales and order data processes immediately, and inventory and other databases are updated. Videoconferencing and electronic mail servers are also provided. Data generated by a chemical refinery process are captured by sensors and processes by computer that also suggests answers to complex refinery problem posed by engineer. Managers and business professionals access reports on a periodic, exceptions, and demand basis, and use computers to interactively assess the possible results of alternative decisions. Finally, top management can access text summaries and graphics displays that identify key elements of organizational performance and compare them to industry and competitor performance.




Western Chemical Corporation has started forming business alliances and using intranets, extranets, and the Internet to build a global electronic commerce website to offer their customers worldwide products and services. Western Chemical is in the midst of making fundamental changes to their e-business operations and their managers’ ability to react quickly to change business conditions.


5.     Case Questions:

(i)     Identify how Information System supports:                    
a.    Business Operations
b.    Business Decision Making
c.    Strategic Advantage
d.    E-business Enterprise
e.    Electronic Commerce at Western Chemical

(ii)    There are many different types of Information systems at Western Chemical. Identify as many     as you     can and explain the reasons for your choices. 

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IB06

International Business

Assignment – I

Assignment Code: 2015IB06A1                   Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                              Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions.  All questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

Section-A

1.     Explain the major theories of international trade and investment.

2.     Describe the main features of Multinational Corporations. Critically evaluate the     relationship between Multinational Corporations and host countries.   
  
3.     How globalization has affected the economies of developing and less developed     countries. Also explain the advantages and disadvantages of globalization for these       countries.

4.     Explain the main features of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). How Foreign     Exchange management Act is different from Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA).

Section-B
Case Study
Read the following case carefully and answer the questions given in the end:
After a year of scorched-earth litigation, a jury decided Friday that Samsung ripped off the innovative technology used by Apple to create its revolutionary iPhone and iPad. The jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple $1.05 billion. An appeal is expected. Apple Inc. filed its patent infringement lawsuit in April 2011 and engaged legions of the country's highest-paid patent lawyers to demand $2.5 billion from its top smartphone competitor. Samsung Electronics Co. fired back with its own lawsuit seeking $399 million. But verdict, however, belonged to Apple, as the jury rejected all Samsung's claim against Apple. Jurors also decided against some of Apple's claims involving the two dozen Samsung devices at issue, declining to award the full $2.5 billion Apple demanded. However, the jury found that several Samsung products illegally used such Apple creations as the "bounce-back" feature when a user scrolls to an end image, and the ability to zoom text with a finger tap.
    As part of its lawsuit, Apple also demanded that Samsung pull its most popular cellphones and computer tablets from the U.S. market. A judge was expected to make that ruling at a later time. During closing arguments at the trial, Apple attorney Harold McElhinny claimed Samsung was having a "crisis of design" after the 2007 launch of the iPhone, and executives with the South Korean company were determined to illegally cash in on the success of the revolutionary device.
    Samsung's lawyers countered that it was simply and legally giving consumers what they want: Smart phones with big screens. They said Samsung didn't violate any of Apple's patents and further alleged innovations claimed by Apple were actually created by other companies. Samsung has emerged as one of Apple's biggest rivals and has overtaken Apple as the leading smartphone maker. Samsung's Galaxy line of phones run on Android, a mobile operating system that Google Inc. has given out for free to Samsung and other phone makers. Samsung conceded that Apple makes great products but said it doesn't have a monopoly on the design of rectangle phones with rounded corners that it claimed it created. Google entered the smartphone market while its then-CEO Eric Schmidt was on Apple's board, infuriating Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who considered Android to be a blatant rip off of the iPhone's innovations.
After shoving Schmidt off Apple's board, Jobs vowed that Apple would resort to "thermonuclear war" to destroy Android and its allies. The Apple-Samsung trial in San Jose came after each side filed a blizzard of legal motions and refused advisories by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh to settle the dispute out of court. Deliberations by the jury of seven men and two women began Wednesday. Samsung has sold 22.7 million smartphones and tablets that Apple claimed uses its technology. McElhinny said those devices accounted for $8.16 billion in sales since June 2010.     Apple and Samsung combined account for more than half of global smartphone sales.
From the beginning, legal experts and Wall Street analysts viewed Samsung as the underdog in the case. Apple's headquarters is a mere 10 miles from the courthouse, and jurors were picked from the heart of Silicon Valley where Apple's late founder Steve Jobs is a revered technological pioneer. While the legal and technological issues were complex, patent expert Alexander I. Poltorak previously said the case would likely boil down to whether jurors believed Samsung's products look and feel almost identical to Apple's iPhone and iPad.
    To overcome that challenge at trial, Samsung's lawyers argued that many of Apple's claims of innovation were either obvious concepts or ideas stolen from Sony Corp. and others. Experts called that line of argument a high-risk strategy because of Apple's reputation as an innovator. Apple's lawyers argued there is almost no difference between Samsung products and those of Apple, and presented internal Samsung documents they said showed it copied Apple designs. Samsung lawyers insisted that several other companies and inventors had previously developed much of the Apple technology at issue.
    The U.S. trial is just the latest skirmish between the two tech giants over product designs. Apple and Samsung have filed similar lawsuits in eight other countries, including South Korea, Germany, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands, Britain, France and Australia. Samsung won a home court ruling Friday in the global patent battle against Apple. Judges in Seoul said Samsung didn't copy the look and feel of the iPhone and ruled that Apple infringed on Samsung's wireless technology.
    However, the judges also said Samsung violated Apple's technology behind the feature that causes a screen to bounce back when a user scrolls to an end image. Both sides were ordered to pay limited damages. The Seoul ruling was a rare victory for Samsung in its fight with Apple. Those arguments previously have been shot down by courts in Europe, where judges have ruled that they are part of industry standards that must be licensed under fair terms to competitors.
    The U.S. case is one of some 50 lawsuits among myriad telecommunications companies jockeying for position in the burgeoning $219 billion market for smartphones and computer tablets.

Questions:

a)    Discuss the issues involved in the Case.

    b)     What kind of IPR infringement is involved in the case.

IB06

International Business

Assignment – II

Assignment Code: 2015IB06A2                    Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                               Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions.  All questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

Section-A

1.     a)     What   to  you   understand   by   Global   Finance   Market? Discuss  international
        investment decisions and moving money across borders
    (b)      Discuss the role of foreign factories in domestic markets.

2.     Write short notes on:          
    i.    Strategic Alliance
    ii.    Mergers and Acquisitions
    iii.    Free Trade Area/Agreement
    iv.    Joint Ventures
    v.    Customs Union                                    (5x4)

3.    a)     Discuss   different   types   of   Regional  Economic  Integration.   What   are   the             advantages  and disadvantages of Regional Economic Integration in international         Business?
    b)     Govt. of  India   has   allowed  FDI in Indian retails sector in Dec.2012.  Discuss the         salient features of FDI policy in Indian Retail Sector.

4.     Aligned Documents System in International Trade plays a vital role. Discuss the     Commercial and Regulatory Documents used in the International Trade. How these     documents are different from each other? 
 
Section-B
Case Study

Read the following case carefully and answer the questions given in the end:

A Foreign Company has been exporting its Nylon product to India for the last one year on the lower price normally it charge in its own country. Selling of the product at lower price has resulted into the direct injury to Indian Nylon Industry by way of loss of market share, reduction in profit, loss of production and job loss. The Industry filed an application with the Director General of Antidumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) for investigating these imports at low price.

    DGAD initiated the investigations and asked for the production cost data from the domestic and foreign companies involved in the case. But the foreign company did not give the production cost data in the name of business secret. DGAD took the cost of production of similar product from the 3rd country and fixed the normal value of the product vis-a vis the price of the domestic industry.   It was found that the normal price of the like product in India is Rs. 50/- per unit where as this foreign company is selling the same product at Rs. 35/- per unit. The foreign company is selling this product in their own country at Rs. 45/- per unit. The market share acquired in India by this foreign company alone is more than 10% and the total imports of this product come to 15% of the market share. As per Article –VI of antidumping agreement DGAD is empowered to determine anti dumping duty if the dumping margin is more than 2% in a particular case.

Questions:

a)     Do you feel there is a dumping by foreign company in this case? If yes, support your     answer with evidence in the light of GATT Antidumping Agreement.

b)     Calculate the Antidumping Margin for imposing antidumping duty on the foreign     company.

c)     In India which Govt. department is empowered to notify the antidumping duty once it is     determined.

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    IB03

    Import Export Documentation
    Assignment - I
    Assignment Code: 2015IB03A1    Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
    Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
Ques.1      In April, 2013 Director General of Foreign Trade has revised the Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14.             Discuss     the new Incentives announced for the exporters in the policy.
Ques.2        Importer Exporter Code number is necessary for carrying out Export-Import Business in                               India and Registration Cum Membership Certificate is necessary to avail the incentives                               from   the   Govt. by the exporters? How these   documents   are   obtained.   Discuss the                complete procedures.
Ques.3          International         Chamber      of      Commerce    has    issued   a   new   set    of     International                            Commercial Terms (INCOTERMS) in Dec.2010 which is effective from 1.1.2011. How                 INCOTERMS-2010 are different from INCOTERMS 2000? Discuss with suitable examples.
Ques.    4    What is the role of export promotion councils in promoting exports?
    Section-B

Case Study: General Provisions Regarding Imports and Exports

Shaw Moisture Meters has a long and illustrious history of exporting to India where its ultra precision instruments have long been prized for their quality. It began exporting to India 30 years ago and the country remains one of its top six worldwide markets. The firm, whose dew point meters measure in parts per billion, was originally set up to test the moisture content of wool in the Yorkshire textile industry in the immediate post-war years. Since then, Shaw Moisture Meters has specialized in measuring trace moisture in gases and compressed air and its products have found applications in numerous industries.
In India the firm sells too many industrial companies including compressed air, electronics manufacture and power generation applications.
The company operates in India using a long-standing representative, although managing director Tim Peters has regular contact with both the representative and end customers to maintain all-important relationships. He stresses the importance of keeping those on the ground up to date with as much information and support as possible to retain close ties with customers. It’s a growth market and we are seeing increasing levels of business,” he says. “We have a strong presence there and it’s improving. We have a massive plus in India because of our pedigree. Our history of being an established British manufacturing company stands us in good stead. Our reputation for a quality product and excellent levels of service is complemented by being in business for 60 years. As many other exporters have discovered, having close ties with those whom you deal with is all-important in India – and very different from doing business in European countries.
Mr Peters cautions that one of the downsides of doing business in India is the amount of bureaucracy which is often involved. Administrative delays, quality inspections are common problems in India.  Many organizations seem to have taken British bureaucracy and tripled it,” he adds. “We do more Letters of Credit for India than anywhere else and it is the preferred option for most of the nationalized industries. The extra paperwork creates a lot of additional work with the order processing and payments procedures.
In India, more than any other country in the world, paperwork is done in triplicate and there are a lot of stages in the purchasing process. But if you get it right, Indian companies are happy to deal with you again.
5.     Case Questions:
a.      As an Exporter what major bureaucratic problems you face in India.
b.     What is the advice of Mr. Peters to his people for doing business in India.

   




















IB03

    Import Export Documentation
    Assignment - II
    Assignment Code: 2015IB03A2    Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
    Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
    Ques.    1    Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme (EPCG) has been revised by Director General of Foreign Trade in 2012 and 2013. What are the major amendments in this scheme?  What penalties/ punishments DGFT can impose In case an exporter does not fulfill the Export Obligation under the Scheme?
   
    Ques.    2    What do you mean by Status Holder Scheme under the foreign Trade Policy 2009-14. What special incentives/ benefits are available to the Status holders in India? Discuss the minimum limit of FOB/FOR Export value for all the categories of Status holders.

       
Ques.3         Explain the salient features of Foreign Trade (Development & Regulations) Act, 1992 and explain the role of Board of Trade in deciding the Foreign Trade Policy of India.
    Ques.    4    Write short notes on
    (a).        Electronic Data Exchange
    (b).        Export Oriented Units
                    (c)         Export Bill
                    (d)         Delivered at Terminal (DAT)
                    (e)         Delivered at Place (DAP)

    Section-B

Case Study:

Read the following case carefully and answer the questions given at the end

India is facing stiff competition in the world markets for export of rice. Besides, there are many domestic problems for rice exporters. If these internal problems are relaxed to the extent possible, the exporters may find easy way to boost rice export and such measures will go a long way to sustain the exports. Some of the major problems are as under:
As per the state Govt. policy, various taxes are imposed on rice exports, such as the states are imposing Purchase Tax (on indirect export), Market Fees, Rural Development Fund, Administrative Charges etc. These taxes are rendering the pricing of rice internationally in competitive. Thus, Indian rice becomes costlier in the international market as compared to other competing countries in the world and Indian rice exports get setback many times. In fact, in Pakistan rice meant for exports specially the branded ones; duties are extremely low or duty free.
There is lack of proper infrastructural facilities. Many times exporters, when they carry their stock to sea port and if the stock is not loaded due to some reason or the other, exporters do not find a warehouse or proper place to store their stocks properly and safely at sea port, exporters have to face lot of difficulties, besides, it adds additional expenditure to the exporters. Due to increase in the cost of inputs used for paddy cultivation the production cost goes up and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy is enhanced every year by the govt. of India to safeguard the interest of the growers. When paddy is converted to rice, it becomes costlier and thus makes it internationally uncompetitive. Rice production meant for export purpose is having subsidy in other countries, which reduces their cost of production and thereby reducing the cost of rice. Therefore, the export price of rice of such countries is more competitive in the international markets compared to Indian rice. The major rice producing nations have decreased the price to capture the international markets but Indian rice prices are inelastic due to relatively high cost of production and become uncompetitive in the international markets. Much of basmati rice export prospects have been lost in the recent part to other competing countries like Pakistan etc because of high prices. Rice mills have not been fully modernized to ensure high milling recovery and reduce the percentage of broken rice. The conventional rice mills are having Rubber Roll Sheller in which percentage of broken rice is more than the modern rice mills that are having under Runner Sheller. Hence, head rice obtained from milling of conventional mills becomes costly due to recovery of higher percentage of broken rice. Therefore, conventional mills are required to be modernized to get recovery of higher percentage of head rice suitable for export. Lack of proper arrangements for production of sufficient quantity of quality seeds needed for cultivation of rice for export purposes.
The export is also suffering much due to the competition from other exporting countries like Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan because the cost of production in these competing countries is low as compared to the cost of production in India. In fact, trade segment believes that Indian rice can face the global competition if subsidy is provided. In these days basmati rice is facing aroma problem, because intensity of aroma in traditional basmati varieties is not as high as it used to be. Also Basmati varieties are highly prone to lodging and lodging affects the natural grain development. In such situation both aroma and linear kernel elongation are affected. Post harvest handling of produce is another important aspect. Generally, farmers are harvesting the crop at different moisture levels and keeping the produce at higher moisture level for a longer period will impair the intensity of aroma.
In absence of genetically pure seed of basmati varieties, in majority of basmati rice fields, a variation in plant height, grain size and maturity of the crop is found. This is one of the major reasons for poor quality of basmati rice. In fact, at the time of rice processing the grain size can be taken care of, but it is a waste. However, using good quality seed the loss can be converted into profit.
5.     Case Questions:
a.     List out the problems of Rice Exporters of India.
b.     Suggest the measures to overcome these problems.

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IB02

Indian Foreign Trade
Assignment – I
Assignment Code: 2015IB02A1               Last Date of Submission:  15th May 2015
               Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

Section-A

1.    What grounds is the strategy of export-led growth held justified for a developing country?     Critically examine its suitability for India.

2.     Textile and Clothing sector occupies a pivotal role in the Indian economy .Discuss the     constraints recently faced by the Indian exporters while exporting garments to US and     European Union.

3.     Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of Indian electronics commodities. How can you     make them competitive in the global market?

4.     a)     What  are  the  main issues of international trade in services? What is the role of services
        in India's external trade?

        b)     Briefly discuss the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).


Section-B
Case Study

The Supreme Court judgment of 1st April, 2013 on Glivec is a blow for a patent regime with a higher threshold of inventiveness The Supreme Court upheld the Intellectual Property Appellate Board’s decision to deny patent protection to Novartis’s application covering a beta crystalline form of imatinib —the medicine Novartis brands as Glivec, and which is very effective against the form of cancer known as chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). The judgment marked a crucial conclusion to a saga that has been several decades in the making. The story could start in 1972, if you like, when the Indian Patents Act of 1970 — grounded in the findings of the Bakshi Tek Chand and Ayyangar Committee Reports — came into force, enabling the explosive growth of the Indian generics industry into the world’s largest exporter of bulk medicines. Or, it could start in 2005, when India amended its patent law to comply with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), a trade rule at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that established a new global regime of intellectual property.
No matter where we start, the saga has come to a close, and the key lesson seeping through is that good sense won. Firstly, the Supreme Court decision was not about the patentability of the imatinib compound as such: that patent, having been instituted in 1993, is excluded from the purview of the Indian patent system, which is only obligated to consider patents filed in 1995 or after. The case the Supreme Court heard was whether Novartis’ beta crystalline form of imatinib was worthy of patent protection: its judgment was that this modification by Novartis did not satisfy the standard of inventiveness required under Indian patent law. Secondly, Indian patent law is as yet unchallenged at the WTO; Novartis’s earlier challenge to the constitutionality and TRIPs compatibility of Indian patent law was rebuffed by the Madras High Court in 2007 and no appeal was pursued. Thirdly, the Supreme Court judgment effectively recast Indian patent law as being nuanced and original in its meshing of domestic political economy concerns with the integrated global economy it participates in. The outcome of this nuance and originality? Imatinib will continue to be available to patients in India from multiple suppliers at a price 10 times less than the current cost of Glivec; approximately 27,000 cancer patients in the country who pay for their imatinib will continue to have access to the medicine in the public and private sectors at the lowest cost possible; and should Novartis ever suspend its charitable programme, all 15,000 of the cancer patients who currently receive imatinib free from Novartis will have similarly equitable access to the medicine.
Questions:
1.    What are the essential requirements to get a product patented according to TRIPS     agreement.
2.     Do you feel the Judgment of Supreme Court of India will affect the R&D work by Pharma MNC’s     in India.








IB02

Indian Foreign Trade
Assignment – II
Assignment Code: 2015IB02A2               Last Date of Submission:  15th May 2015
               Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

Section-A

1.     Explain the composition and direction of India’s foreign trade in post liberalization period of     Indian Economy

2.     Distinguish between Balance of Trade and Balance of Payment and enumerate various items     included in the Current Account, Capital Account and Financial Account of a Balance of     Payment.

3.     Explain the main reasons for the negative balance of payment of India since 1947. Suggest some     measures to meet the situation.

4.     Write short notes on:
    a)     Counter Trade
    b)     NAFTA
    c)     Special Economic Zones
    d)     TRIPS
    e)     Antidumping Duty                                         (5x4)

Section-B
Case Study

As trade quotas have been eliminated under GATT and tariffs have been rationalized under WTO; the focal point of disputes and negotiations in international trade has shifted to non-tariff barriers (NTBs), particularly Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) standards. However, in the absence of any past experience and concrete scientific or empirical evidence, standards are usually kept at prohibitively high levels, thereby inducing sub-optimal outcomes. One such case is the mango trade dispute between India and USA. India ranks first in mango production worldwide, supplying about 40 per cent of world mangoes; whereas, USA is world’s biggest mango importer accounting for 35.7% of the total imports worldwide during 2011-12. However, USA imposed a ban on import of Indian mangoes between 1989 and 2006 due to high pesticide levels and incidence of pests. The US permitted import of mangoes from India in 2006 under high standards and strict inspection norms.



 As the importing nation, US have four policy options:
    i.     A complete ban on mango trade, which was in application between 1989 and 2006;
    ii.     Hot Water Treatment (HWT), the policy advocated by India;
    iii.     Nuclear irradiation, the policy favored by US and presently in force, and;
    iv.     Free trade, policy regime with no SPS standards in place.

Questions:

1.    Suggest the best options for India in this case.

2.    Discuss the Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) standards agreement of WTO

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HR08

Managerial Leadership

Assignment – I

Assignment Code: 2015HR08A1                   Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                                    Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions.  All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

Section-A   
   
1.    How is a leader different from a manager? Can organizations develop leaders by creating a culture of leadership?                                                                                           

2.    Write short notes on any two of the following:
    a)      Strategies for developing global leaders
    b)      Characteristics of creative leaders
    c)      Leader- member exchange model (LMX)
    d)      Essentially dishonest and unethical tactics used by some leaders                       

3.    What is leadership succession and how is it done in organizations?  Who are going to be the top  
               business leaders of tomorrow?                                                                                 

4.    How does a situation influence on effective leadership behaviour?  Discuss the Hersey Blanchard Situational Leadership Model in detail.                                                    

Section-B
Case Study
Suppose, you are the chairman of the Selection Committee of an interview in which you have to select the President for your company. The profiles or the bio- data of these two candidates has been prepared by your consulting psychologist which is given as follows:
                
S.K Prothia: He is an aggressive, persuasive, active and independent man. He is a person of action, who drives hard to achieve the goals. He loves power and the top position to work freely. He can take risks and implement bold plans. He is very much friendly in favourable environments, tough in an antagonistic environment. He reads situation intelligently and persuades, Complements, exhorts or drives his subordinates depending upon the situation. He takes quick decisions and he is a fast pace administrator. He doesn’t believe in spending enough time on long – range planning as he sees the need to achieve measurable results quickly and in time.
                
Rishi Kumar: He is a social person who likes to mix with his subordinates but knows when to work. He is verbally aggressive, an outgoing and independent person. He has got the capacity to motivate all types of men. He is more apt to trust people. He delegates power easily and expects subordinates to perform the assigned task in time but he is weak to follow up. He dislikes routine and regimentation. He performs well under pressure. He is enthusiastic and optimistic.


5.    Case Questions:

a.    Is the information provided sufficient for taking decision regarding the selection of a President for your company?

b.    Suppose, your company’s market share is going down and foreign competition is getting fierce. You want to improve your corporate profits to satisfy your shareholders. The emphasis is on new products and capturing market share. Who would be your choice for President Position? Explain why.                         

















HR08

Managerial Leadership

Assignment – II

Assignment Code: 2015HR08A2                 Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                                             Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions.  All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
Section-A
1.    "Leadership is the process of encouraging and helping others to work enthusiastically towards objectives." Explain this statement in the light of features of leadership.

2.    Describe meaning of "Charisma" and discuss various types of charismatic leaders and characteristics of charismatic leader.

3.    How does a culturally heterogeneous staff contribute to the leader’s ability to make effective decisions?

4.    Define team & role of team leader in its outcome. Using example of any team you have been member.
Section-B

Case Study
One of the most successful discount department stores in America is known as Wal-Mart stores and is named after its founder Sam Walton. Because of the phenomenal success of these stores, Sam Walton became one of the richest men in America. Also, because of his leadership, the stores have enjoyed continuous growth and expansion, so that by mid 1980s, the chain had over 700 stores and was increasing at the rate of an additional 100 stores per year. Its sales increased annually by over 35% and the profits have soared close to 40% per year every year since 1975.
Sam Walton, until he died in 1992, took personal interest in his employees. His managerial philosophy was to get the right people in the right places and then give them the freedom to be innovative to accomplish their tasks. He called his employees as associates and treated them as associates. As per company policy, all associates are eligible for profit sharing plans that motivate the employees further. The managers of the stores are required and encouraged to meet with their employees in a social setting to discuss their concerns as well as issues of organizational interest, and this makes the employees feel that their input is taken seriously by the management.
Sam Walton himself led a simple life. He did not exhibit any aura about himself, giving the employees a feeling that he was one of them. He and his executives regularly travelled in company owned planes to visit Wal-Mart stores situated at various sites across the country. He met with sales clerks, stock boys and sales managers to find out what items were popular. He knew most of them by their first names and addressed them so. He initiated "employee of the month" in all categories and created honour roles for more successful stores. This created inner competition requiring extra effort to improve sales and service. This policy gained high respect for him as a leader.
5.    Case Questions:
    a.     How would you describe Sam Walton as an effective leader? What leadership theory is             consistent with his leadership style?
    b.    How important it is for a leader to mix with the employees? How does this leadership             style of "being one of the boys" affect the motivation of the employees?

NIBM Assignments: Contact us for answers at assignmentssolution@gmail.com

    Assignments and Case Study Project of One Year MBA Program

Semester - II  

    Students are requested to go through the instructions carefully.
    The Assignment is a part of the internal assessment.
    Marks will be awarded for each Assignment, which will be added to the total marks.

Assignments carry equal marks.
    Assignments should submit in your 'portal' on/before the 'completion date' mentioned.
    Case study project is based on the elective subject selected.

Please submit your case study also in the portal on the 'completion date' of second

semester assignments.

                         Assignments                Total Marks :100

    International Law

What are your perceptions on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Would you like to

amend any of the articles or add a new article to the declaration?

2. Strategic Management

Select an appropriate generic strategy to position your printing business unit in its

competitive environment (map the environment primarily as a pattern of competitive

pressures from rivals, suppliers, buyers, entrants and substitutes).

3. Business English

Write a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, expressing your views on the

disqualification of party candidates exempted from fighting elections. Express your views

on the moral code of the candidates. How criminals or other offenders can be kept out of

the pulling fray. What should be done to amend the laws on this by the parliament? (Your

letter will belong to which category of communication)

4. Management Information System

How will you plan a Management Information System in marketing information system taking

into account the actions of antecedents or consequences of consumers, competitors,

employers, institutions, suppliers, wholesalers, retailers, govt. bodies and NGO’s(Note you

must also take into account the physical, technological, economic factors, beside legal and

social taboos) (Take an example of your choice).                


National Institute of Business Management



    Assignments of One Year MBA

Semester - I 
Total Marks :100

    Students are requested to go through the instructions carefully.
    The Assignment is a part of the internal assessment.
    Marks will be awarded for each Assignment, which will be added to the total marks.

Assignments carry equal marks.
    Assignments should submit in your 'portal' on/before the 'completion date' mentioned.



    Principles and Practices of Management

How will you influence people to strive willingly for group objectives in your organization

(target based industry)? Apply your interpersonal influence through communication process

towards attaining your specialized goals?

2. Human Resources Management

The present state of recession in the IT Industry - as a Human Resource Manager how are you

going to undertake Human Resource Planning at Macro Level to tide over this crisis?

    Financial Management

What will your outlook towards maintenance of liquid assets to ensure that the firm has

adequate cash in hand to meet its obligations at all times?

4. Marketing Management

If you are working in a super market, what techniques/ tools you will use in data

collection. How are you going to analysis the data and make inferences? How will you

finally apply your market research to improve sales and win over customers?

5. Organizational Behaviour

If you are made the campaign leader for a particular political party. How will you use your

leadership skills to motivate your party men to ensure success of the party nominee in the

elections? (Focus on the individual, motivate and apply leadership style).

6. Principles of Economics

Suppose the price elasticity of demand for text books is two and the price of the text book

is increased by 10%. By how much does the quantity demand fall? Inter the result and

discuss reasons for the fall in quantity demand?

AIMA Assignments: contact us for answers at assignmentssolution@gmail.com

    HR07

    Managing Change through Organisational Development
    Assignment - I

Assignment Code: 2015HR07A1                                              Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                                                                                                       Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
1.    A systems approach views and focuses on organizational phenomena and dynamics in     their relatedness, their connectedness, their interdependence, their interaction and the     holistic point of view. Explain the significance of viewing OD from this perspective.

2.        On what criteria are OD Interventions designed? Discuss the types of OD Interventions       initiated in organisations specifying the objective of each using an example of each. How     would Action research help in this process?

3.       (i)      What is the difference between leading and managing change?
       (ii)     Describe   the  role of change agent in organizational change. Describe how does             the capability of  change  agent   impact   effective   interventions  in organisation         development interventions. Support your answer with examples.

4.       Force Field Analysis is an extremely useful tool when an organsiation requires a cultural     change. Explain how this can be done for a government organization getting prepared to     face competition both domestic and global. Explain using Lewin’s three stage model of     change what steps would have to be taken to initiate the interventions.

Section-B

Case Study
Lockheed Martin: A Survival Story
The Lockheed Corp., one of the world’s largest aerospace companies lost 60 percent of its business in 1989 because of the reduction in the U.S. government’s spending on national defense, severe budget cuts at NASA, and losses in the airline industry. Lockheed was fighting for its life. A decade later, Lockheed has tripled sales from $10 billion to $30 billion and is thriving.

In 1995, Lockheed joined forces with Martin Marietta Corp. to become Lockheed Martin. Each company had some technical expertise the other did not. Lockheed Martin is now the world-leader in building satellites and the U.S. leader in launching spacecraft and the largest provider for the U.S Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and NASA.

Survival was based on restructuring to trim costs as well. Lockheed Marlin reduced its plant space by 16 million square feet and its workforce by 100,000 people, thereby saving $2.6 billion annually. Ultimately, a company must get the most from its workforce. Lockheed Martin officials, therefore, have focused on eliminating layers of hierarchy pushing decision making down the organization chart. Lockheed Marlin execu¬tives keep an open line of communication to the company’s 200,000 employees. By doing so, they hope to keep employees focused on their jobs by dispelling rumors about the company’s future.

Case Questions:

5.     a.     What factors led to the change? Were they push factors or pull factors?

    b.     What type of change was initiated?

    c.    Were there any better alternatives


































    HR07

    Managing Change through Organisational Development
    Assignment - II

Assignment Code: 2015HR07A2                                              Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                                                                                                       Maximum Marks: 100
Attempt all the questions. All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.
    Section-A
1.    The survival of the fittest is quickly becoming the survival of the fittest to learn and perform. In this context, building ‘High Performance Organisations’ is going to be critical for continued success. Suggest OD interventions that would facilitate achieving this objective.

2.          Describe T –Group training, behavior modeling and life goal exercises explaining the premise, the process and purpose of such interventions. How are they different from Grid OD and Process Consultation?

3.       Pick-up 4 cases of OD interventions (i) Cultural Intervention ii) Human Resources Management Intervention iii) Techno structural intervention and (iv) a Strategic intervention. Describe the intervention design, the inputs and the outcomes in each of these cases.

4.       Discuss the concept of Schein’s cultural analysis taking an example of a cultural change in an organization. According to you, which is more challenging –a cultural intervention or a structural one? Give arguments to support your answer.
Section-B

Case Study: Turnarounds are when Leadership matters most.
Gillette’s performance was strong through the mid 1990’s but by the beginning of 2001, this global consumer products company had experienced several years of flat sales, declining operating margins, loss of market share. Its Mach3 shaving system was a blockbuster product, but the company was suffering the effects of its own reliance on trade loading- the practice of offering discounts to retail customers at the end of a quarter in order to move products and achieve sales targets, thus sacrificing margins and jeopardizing the next quarter’s sales. Meanwhile, because executives in different product groups and locations rarely sat in the same meetings, initiatives in their various areas were not coordinated. SKU’s (stock keeping units, or product variations) proliferated as groups made decisions without informing other departments, leading to waste and duplication. Respect among peers declined.

Jim Kilts was appointed CEO at this time. On his first day as CEO of Gillette in February 2001, he held a full meeting of the operating Committee. He presented a detailed set of slides outlining his style and leadership philosophy. He expected fact based management, open communication, simplicity, and collaboration from Gillette’s line managers and employees. Featured prominently on the list titled” My style” was the statement, “If something bothers you, I want to open dialogue.” Kilts then outlined the results of his month long external review of the company prior to joining, a detailed analysis of Gillette’s strengths and weaknesses. He was also planning to present this information to the Board. Kilts immediately established multiple communication channels- weekly staff meetings, weekly business overviews from all executives worldwide, quarterly two –day off site meetings for senior executives, a Chairman’s page on Gillette’s intranet where anyone in the company could post questions and receive answers from Kilts himself, the distribution of videotaped dialogues with Kilts for managers in the international locations he couldn’t visit personally, and employee roundtables.

One of Kilts ‘s most controversial moves, but one that increased disclosure among colleagues at Gillette and pushed communication forward, was to expose the performance data regarding his top team. The CEO introduced quarterly report cards for senior managers, and after the first ones were completed, he posted the results for the whole team to see (anonymously at first) so that everyone knew where they stood in relation to their peers. Those scorecards were followed by senior manager’s open presentations of their priorities for the next quarter. Secrecy and denial were relegated to the trash bin; there was no way to hide information.

The nature of conversations at Gillette shifted from individual reports to group dialogue. Previously, managers told me, they would go to meetings, say their piece, and go away. With Kilts at the helm, managers said their piece- and stayed to answer question.    “He does not attempt to wrap himself or the company in any sort of mystical qualities,” an executive observed. Anything was open for questioning.

Kilts’s initial actions at Gillette   helped people look at facts without becoming defensive about them. Kilts’s message from day one was that he had no preconceived notions about people and no plans to make sweeping changes in the management ranks.” We have a very good cadre of people who want to do the right thing,” he said. One of his priorities was to eliminate the finger pointing that had gone on in the past. Frequent meetings among managers who never had much of an opportunity to sit together before made this possible. If an executive said that he did not reach a certain target because someone else didn’t do his part, Kilts would turn to that person and ask what happened and to remind everyone of the overarching objectives and priorities linking the areas. A participant recalled that the first quarter off-site under Kilts was tension ridden, with outbursts of anger as people played out the blame game culture of the past. But over time the meetings became more effective and team oriented. “ I don’t want competition among functions or senior staff. Anything that even hints at it is countered productive. I hate anyone saying ‘Jim said’ or ‘ Jim wants’ or ‘the board said’ or ‘the board wants ‘ as the reason for doing or not doing something. Things are done, or not based on rigorous assessments and considered deliberations,” Kilts said.

Executive Committee meetings were increasingly devoted to themes that cut across divisions and members discovered areas in which they could combine forces to tackle new business opportunities. Gillette’s complex organizational matrix meant that many operations issues arose at the intersection of groups- for instance, product managers required resources and support from IT department or needed to coordinate their launches with the help of sales representatives at the field. Jim Kilts encourages the formation of operating committees in each business unit or regional group, and then further encouraged the creation of cross matrix operating committees that included representatives from all the functions and areas on which business unit depended. The view across the organisation revealed business opportunities that would have been hard for any unit to see by itself. For example, Gillette’s Oral-B business unit, centered in the United States, produced a quality line of toothbrushes, and its Braun division, headquartered in Germany, had developed world-class portable appliances technology. But, unlike its competitors, Gillette did not make a battery-powered toothbrush-until new relationships were formed across the ocean.  

The above is a case in reference to an unmistakable conclusion: Turnarounds are when leadership matters most. Managers can stem losses with a few bold strokes, such as slashing budgets. But putting an organisation on a positive path toward future success also requires that leaders energise their workforce, throughout the ranks. The small wins that newly empowered people create are the first signs that a turnaround is on track. How this is done has a big impact on whether the turnaround is a temporary fix or a path to sustainability.

Case Questions:

5.    a.     What kind of intervention has been introduced here?

b.        The diagnosis process in planned change is the most crucial element of an OD     exercise. Examine this statement with reference to the case.

c.        Discuss the change process planned and worked out by Jim Kilts. Was it the best     method? If not, suggest some alternative course of action/ modifications.

d.         Can turnaround be made possible without effective leadership? Why?

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HR06

International Human Resource Management

Assignment – I

Assignment Code: 2015HR06A1               Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                                Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions.  All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

Section-A   
1.    What are the similarities and differences between Domestic Human Resource Management and International Human Resource Management? How have the roles of international managers changed in the last two decades or so?

2.    Critically examine the reasons for expatriate failures in international assignments.

3.    “The process of repatriation should be embedded in process of expatriation”. Comment.

4.    What would you regard as the key competencies that international managers should have? To what extent will these vary according to the context?
Section-B

Case Study
In 1992, Monsanto Corporation undertook a detailed change of its repatriation policy, concentrating on logistical planning, the kinds of skills and cultural development the company wanted its expatriates to learn, and the placing of its repatriates in projects where overseas experience was needed. “They’re out there to do the job, but they’re also there to develop personally and culturally,” says John Amato of human resources, international assignments.

Amato says that repatriation begins six to eighteen months prior to return in both the host and home countries, so that expatriates return to planned jobs for which the operating unit is responsible. An extensive debriefing program is also run for the employees and their families.

5.    Case Questions:

a.    Do you find Monasanto Corporation’s policy of repatriation to be alright? Justify your answer.

b.    Why in multinational firms people quite often leave the organisation just after repatriation?


HR06

International Human Resource Management

Assignment – II

Assignment Code: 2015HR06A2               Last Date of Submission: 15th May 2015
                                Maximum Marks: 100

Attempt all the questions.  All the questions are compulsory and carry equal marks.

Section-A   
1.    You are the human resource manager of a multinational enterprise that is about to send its first executives overseas to staff a new subsidiary. What special training would you undertake for these employees?

2.    Suggests measures for managing and improving the performance of expatriates.

3.    Critically examine the approaches that may be employed in formulating compensation of expatriates.

4.    Write short notes on any two of the following:                    
a.    Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
b.    Approaches to International Staffing
c.    Re-entry & career issues
Section-B

Case Study
JAPAN-BASED NIDEK RESPONDS TO THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBALIZATION
Surrounded by scenic Mikawa Bay, Gamagori, Japan is the home of Nidek, the world’s leading supplier of surgical and diagnostic products for vision care. In 1971, Hideo Ozawa founded Nidek to help doctors protect against vision loss and improve quality of life for their patients. Today Nidek is developing a vision prosthesis to restore vision to the blind. This “artificial eye” could be ready for use within the next 10 years. A leader in innovation, Nidek is firmly established in over 90 countries worldwide, with branch offices in the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, and China.

On the company’s 25th Anniversary, Nidek announced its entrance into the new business domain of eye and health care. Hiroshi Okada, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Nidek, U.S.A. is excited about the new product line geared to baby boomers like himself. “They are able to spend more money to look better or younger,” he says. Laser type dermatological equipment is used for skin rejuvenation or hair removal. Hideo Ozawa’s move to diversify his product offerings, underscores his keen understanding of the need for corporate agility in today’s rapidly changing marketplace.

Nidek has long been a respected presence in the global business community, gaining international recognition in 2001 for its company-wide quality control system. “Nidek is truly a quality driven company.  ...It has been Mr. Ozawa’s wish from the very beginning. Quality products are the bedrock of Nidek,” says Kuntal Joshi, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Nidek U.S.A.

Despite its considerable business acumen, management at Nidek, U.S.A. was recently faced with unprecedented high turnover rates in its sales force. “Our competitors were stealing our sales people...They were offering more money than I could offer,” David Yeh, Director of Sales explains.

At Nidek Co., Ltd. in Japan, sales people are paid the same amount biweekly regardless of performance. This system works well in Japan; a traditional country, where one’s work is an extension of one’s identity. Lifelong loyalty to the company is expected. According to Joshi Kuntal, “Japanese employees are very hard working; they have a sense of pride, a sense of belonging to the company.” By contrast, tenure in America ranges from three to five years. People are more than likely to leave a job for a salary increase or a career opportunity.   Aware of the differences between the national cultures of Japan and America, Nidek U.S.A. had already implemented a performance based pay check, but even that wasn’t enough to hold American sales people.

Ultimately the crisis presented an opportunity for David Yeh and his management team to restructure the jobs of the entire sales force, as well as their bonus plans. After careful analysis, David Yeh utilized Nidek’s vast line of product offerings to resolve the situation. He realized that the competition allowed sales people to sell only one product, basing their earnings on sales of that item alone. By training sales people at Nidek to sell a vast array of products, they could make substantially more money. For now, the sales effort at Nidek U.S.A. is back in gear and the discrepancies between Japanese style management practices and American culture have been resolved.

5.          Case Questions:    

a.    Could the above problem have been tackled differently? If so, how? If not, Why?

b.    Taking an International HRM perspective, could Nidek have evolved a different strategy to deal with the challenge of globalization?