Mutually supportive or trade-offs: An analysis of competitive priorities in the emerging economy of India

To refine the theories of operations strategy, we need research from all different situational contexts, including different countries—both developing and developed. There have been many studies, including some replications, done in various parts of the world to further the debate on whether competitive priorities are mutually supportive or if they present potential trade-offs, but hardly any from a rapidly growing economy, such as India. This study is a significant attempt in that direction. After a thorough review of the literature, a set of hypotheses is introduced to test whether Indian manufacturers view competitive priorities as mutually supportive or trade-offs. The data from over 150 high-ranking individuals from over 75 manufacturers in India is used to test the hypotheses by way of cluster analysis and ANOVA. The resultant taxonomy reveals patterns that uniquely represent Indian manufacturers' view of the competitive priorities, namely quality, flexibility, delivery and price. The study findings have significant managerial implications, both for India and other developing as well as developed economies. The taxonomy will serve to gauge India's manufacturers' role in the world. From a researcher's perspective, this study makes a significant contribution to theory development, furthers our understanding of the strategic role of operations, moves forward the ongoing debate on the topic of trade-offs or complementarity, and paves the way for future studies in this topical area.     

Science teachers accelerated programme model: a joint partnership in the Pacific region

The paper heralds a new pedagogical model known as the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme as a platform to upgrade the qualifications of secondary school science teachers throughout the Pacific region. Based on a tripartite partnership between a higher education provider, a regional government and a cohort of science teachers, the model offers an accelerated Bachelor’s degree programme to the cohort. Using this tripartite partnership model, a pilot of the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme is underway between the University of the South Pacific, the Government of Samoa and a cohort of science teachers in Samoa. The underpinning activities garnering social and academic integration are highlighted with analytics. The strengths, challenges and opportunities of the new, cohort-taught science model are presented with relevant diagnoses, interventions and adaptive works carried out in the first half of the delivery plan. While the Government of Samoa is considering the implementation of a second cycle, the University of the South Pacific is considering extending the model to other regional countries.     

Some predictions about the possible groups of death in the football world cup

Statistics can help us to make predictions. An interesting example regarding the football world cup explores the rankings to suggest the group(s) of death in the ensuing world cup.     

The biochemical womb of schizophrenia: A review

The conclusive identification of specific etiological factors or pathogenic processes in the illness of schizophrenia has remained elusive despite great technological progress. The convergence of state-of-art scientific studies in molecular genetics, molecular neuropathophysiology, in vivo brain imaging and psychopharmacology, however, indicates that we may be coming much closer to understanding the genesis of schizophrenia. In near future, the diagnosis and assessment of schizophrenia using biochemical markers may become a “dream come true” for the medical community as well as for the general population. An understanding of the biochemistry/ visa vis pathophysiology of schizophrenia is essential to the discovery of preventive measures and therapeutic intervention.     

Preliminary studies on serum lipids, apolipoprotein-B and oxidative stress in xanthelasma

Serum lipid profile, apolipoprotein-B (apo-B), malondialdehyde levels(MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were assessed in 12 cases of xanthelasma with and without coronary artery disease (CAD)/hypertension (HTN) and results are compared with healthy controls. Dyslipidemia was found in 65% cases of xanthelasma as compared to 20% healthy controls. Xanthelasma patients had significantly high malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (p<0.01) and significantly decreased (p<0.05) SOD activity as compared to controls. Among xanthelasma patients, xanthelasma with CAD/HTN showed higher total cholesterol (236±32.7 vs 188±24.7 mg/dl), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (157±35.5 vs 113±16 mg/dl) and Apo-B (120.5±9.4 vs 114±19.2 mg/dl) levels as compared to xanthelasma without CAD/HTN. Results of our study indicate that xanthelasma patients with increased apo-B, MDA and decreased SOD need cardiovascular monitoring.     

Medicare Reimbursement for Counselors: Counseling Professionals’ Advocacy Beliefs and Behavior

The authors analyzed data from 5,528 American Counseling Association members to examine advocacy beliefs and behavior regarding Medicare reimbursement and advocacy for counselors. Nearly half (49.3%) of the respondents had participated in one or more forms of Medicare reimbursement advocacy. Advocacy participation differed significantly by professional status.     

Molecular Basis of Cystic Fibrosis Disease: An Indian Perspective

Cystic fibrosis is a common autosomal recessive disorder usually found in population of white Caucasian descent. Now it is well documented the presence of CF disease in India with the advancement of laboratory testing. As once it was thought non existence of this disease in our population. Most of the phenotype of CF disease was in accordance of western population. Genetic analysis of CFTR gene in Indian CF patients revealed that most common mutation was delta F508 mutation. However, it was less than Caucasian population. CFTR mutations are also a causative factor in the pathogenesis of male infertility due to obstructive azoospermia. There are two most common mutation viz. IVS8-T5 and delta F508 which are responsible for congenital absence of vas deferens in male infertility patients. Elevated levels of sweat chloride at two occasions along with the presence of two mutations in CFTR gene was gold standard method for diagnosis of CF disease. It is noteworthy here that due to magnitude of Indian population, the total CF disease load would be more than many European countries. Clinical data demonstrate the prevalence of both classical and genetic form of CF in India.     

Inherited Memories

ABSTRACT

This article explores the creation and transmission of second generation memories concerning the 1947 Partition of British India. The research is based on oral interviews with Punjabi families who migrated because of Partition and now live in Lahore and Delhi. It explores how Partition memories have been transmitted across generations within these families, and also examines similarities and differences between how the second generation interviewees from Delhi and Lahore remember Partition. It demonstrates that the second generation have not passively accepted everything that the first generation, or the state, has told them about Partition. The second generation's memories are also shaped by their age, nationality, religion and class, and the nature of contemporary politics.