scholarly journals The missing middle phenomenon in Indian manufacturing sector: myths or realities?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Parida ◽  
Arup Mitra ◽  
Kailash Ch. Pradhan

PurposeThis study attempts to examine the missing middle (MM) phenomena in the context of the Indian manufacturing sector using the unit level information from the database of Ministry of Corporate Affair, Government of India.Design/methodology/approachUnlike the previous studies, the present study first bifurcated the missing enterprises into two categories such as “permanently” dropped and “reappeared,” in order to pursue a meaningful analysis and derive conclusions with policy insights. Various financial indicators were used to explain the causes of MM phenomena during 2009–2010 and 2016–2017, in a logistic framework.FindingsThe study found that profit margin ratio is higher for the group of medium sized enterprises which continued in comparison to the units which dropped out permanently. Similar is the case with the ratio of investment turnover. The econometric results, however suggest that the relationship between the chances of a firm being dropped out and financial indicators is weak as the coefficients of various financial indicators are found to be statistically significant only for a few years.Originality/valueThe study suggests that the missing middle phenomenon is not a myth in India as very large number of medium-sized firms have been disappearing from the market over the years. Based on firm level data it identifies the factors which resulted in such a phenomenon.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-106
Author(s):  
Radhika Pandey ◽  
Amey Sapre ◽  
Pramod Sinha

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the changes in the new 2011-12 base year series of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) to determine whether the new series has improved the understanding of the growth in the manufacturing sector. Design/methodology/approach This paper develops a simple framework to separately estimate the contribution of value- and volume-based commodities in the growth of the manufacturing index. The authors present a case study by analysing the growth performance of IIP drugs and pharmaceuticals sector by comparing it with real net sales of a common sample of firms in this segment. Findings The authors find that growth in value-based commodities contributes significantly in moving the index in either direction, and that high growth in value-based commodities coincides with periods of low inflation. On comparability, using real net sales as an alternate indicator of industrial output for the pharmaceuticals sector, the authors find that IIP and real net sales show contrasting trends, thereby raising issues of reliability. The authors also find that the IIP shows a disconnect with growth rates from Annual Survey of Industries for several industries. Practical implications The divergence between two measures of industrial activity raises crucial questions on the representativeness of the IIP. Originality/value The study builds a framework to separately estimate the contribution of value- and volume-based commodities in the growth of the manufacturing index.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  

Purpose The authors wanted to find out the most important mechanisms for encouraging innovative behavior in the Indian manufacturing sector. Design/methodology/approach The researchers collected data from Indian manufacturing organizations. They distributed questionnaires and received 288 complete ones. Items measured critical concepts. For OJ one example was “I have been fairly rewarded for the effort I put forth”. For KS, one sample was, “When I have learned something new, I tell my colleagues about it” and, “When they have learned something new, my colleagues tell me about it”. Meanwhile, IB was measured using items such as “I generate original solutions for problems”. Findings It highlighted the pivotal role of OJ in bolstering employees’ IB. When companies treat employees fairly, it encourages positive social interactions that lead to perceptions of supportiveness and trustworthiness. Employees reciprocate these sentiments with positive behavior. The study also showed the positive predictive influence of KS on IB. Finally, the results showed that the relationship between OJ and IB is complex, but KS is a pivotal mediator. Promotion of OJ, KS and IM is “vital” to spark innovation. Originality/value The authors felt their most important finding was to highlight the critical role of the underlying mechanism of KS, which is where individuals exchange implicit and explicit knowledge to create new knowledge. In addition, previous researchers have looked at the role of organizational justice in encouraging innovative behavior, but evidence from non-Western countries is scarce.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiradip Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Kailash B. L. Srivastava

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reframe human resources' (HR) systems and practices as HR signals drawing from conceptualizations of signals. The construct of the strength of signal is developed to quantify the attributional ability of HR signals. To examine the role of HR signals in influencing employee behaviours and firm performance, human resource management (HRM)-firm performance relationship is considered as a framework to develop a firm-level conceptual model which integrates factors affecting HR signals and its consequences.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the existing literature on the relationship between HRM and firm performance. In the process, the paper considers the concept of HR signal and makes a case for the strength of HR signal. Finally, the paper offers a conceptual model in order to link the antecedents and consequents of HR signals.FindingsThe paper offers a conceptual model to address the gaps in the relationship between HRM and firm performance. It also brings into focus an understanding of HRM as signals and its importance in understanding firm performance.Originality/valueThe paper enriches the existing literature by examining HRM as HR signals. It adds to the literature by considering the attributional ability of HR, through the construct of the strength of HR signals.


2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 600-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu Liu Kong ◽  
Min Bai ◽  
Peiming Wang

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the framework of Prospect Theory and Mental Accounting proposed by Grinblatt and Han (2005) can be applied to analyzing the relationship between the disposition effect and momentum in the Chinese stock market. Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies the methodology proposed by Grinblatt and Han (2005). Findings – Using firm-level data, with a sample period from January 1998 to June 2013, the authors find evidence that the momentum effect in the Chinese stock market is not driven by the disposition effect, contradicting the findings of Grinblatt and Han (2005) concerning the US stock market. The discrepancies in the findings between the Chinese and US stock markets are robust and independent of sample periods. Research limitations/implications – The findings suggest that Grinblatt and Han’s model may not be applicable to the Chinese stock market. This is possibly because of the regulatory differences between the two stock markets and cross-national variation in investor behavior; in particular, the short-selling prohibition in the Chinese stock market and greater reference point adaptation to unrealized gains/losses among Chinese compared to Americans. Originality/value – This study provides evidence of the inapplicability of Grinblatt and Han’s model for the Chinese stock market, and shows the differences in the relationship between disposition effect and momentum between the Chinese and US stock markets.


2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 1516-1532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Moreno ◽  
Jose A. Zarrias ◽  
Jose L. Barbero

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of predictors of growth (entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental hostility) and growth itself on small-firm volatility. The objective is to find out: first, whether growth and volatility possess a similar nature; second, what are the predictors of small-firm volatility. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaire data were collected from CEOs of 433 Spanish small firms (<500 employees) who provided qualitative as well as quantitative information. Findings – The authors find that some of the predictors on growth can also be used to predict firm volatility. Specifically, the authors find that firm volatility is influenced by EO and environmental hostility. Growth also influences firm volatility. The authors also find a strong interaction effect of growth and firm size on firm volatility. The authors conclude that although growth and firm volatility are related concepts, they are different. Originality/value – Growth has concentrated small-firm research during the last 20 years. However, during the last few years, the environment has become very dynamic and small firms need research helping them to deal with such dynamism. There are few studies on firm-level volatility. The research helps understand more the determinants of small-firm volatility.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 561-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Ying Chang ◽  
Che-Yuan Chang ◽  
Chung-Wen Chen ◽  
Y.C.K. Chen ◽  
Shu-Ying Chang

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine if personal identification could explicate the black box between participative leadership and employee ambidexterity. Also, the authors aim to explore how and why the top-down effects of higher-level leadership styles affect lower-level outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected multilevel and multisource data from top manager teams, and unit managers and employees of research and development, marketing and sales, and operations from Taiwanese technology firms. Findings The results revealed that individual-level personal identification partially mediated the relationship between firm-level participative leadership and individual-level employee ambidexterity, and individual-level coworker social support moderated the effect of firm-level participative leadership on individual-level employee ambidexterity through individual-level personal identification. Originality/value This paper demonstrated the importance of participative leadership and personal identification. It contributed to profound comprehension for potential mechanisms of individual-level personal identification and an enhancer of individual-level coworker social support why and how affects firm-level participative leadership on individual-level employee ambidexterity.


2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fariss Terry Mousa ◽  
Jaideep Chowdhury

Purpose – The slack-innovation relationship has interested scholars for years. The authors aim to delve into the impact of financial slack on firm innovation by replicating a classic study arguing that this relationship has an inverse U-shape. Design/methodology/approach – The sample consists of all US firms that were publicly traded between 1993 and 2011. The authors employ the standard econometrics methodology of panel regression with firm-fixed effect and time-fixed effect to estimate the regression equation of firm innovation on financial slack. Findings – The authors find that the relationship between financial slack and R&D investments is similar to that suggested by earlier authors, thus enhancing the generalizability of this important finding in management research. The authors also find that this relationship holds even during economic downturns. Originality/value – The authors replicate Nohria and Gulati's classic study by considering the impact of slack on innovation. The authors also move away from survey data, as used by Nohria and Gulati. The authors utilize actual firm-level data for a large sample of US publicly traded firms from 1993 to 2011, thus enhancing the generalizability of these findings.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 96-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Chyuan Chiang ◽  
Li Sun ◽  
Brian R. Walkup

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of business volatility on employee performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors use regression analysis to examine the authors’ research question. Findings The results suggest that business volatility has a significant and positive impact on employee performance. Furthermore, the authors find that the relationship between business volatility and employee performance is stronger for larger firms and firms with higher labor intensity. Originality/value The study links and contributes to two streams of literature: employee/labor cost management from the accounting literature and business volatility from the management literature. Whether business volatility affects employee performance remains an interesting question that has not been definitively answered empirically. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study that directly examines the relationship between business volatility and employee performance at the firm level.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 380-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qayoom Khachoo ◽  
Ruchi Sharma

Purpose The study is an attempt to analyze the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on research and development (R&D) behavior of incumbent firms’, both domestic and foreign, operating in Indian manufacturing sector. FDI inflows into the host country escalates the level of competition compelling domestic as well as existing foreign firms to adjust their spending on R&D. The purpose of this paper is to propose that response of domestic and existing foreign firms to the FDI entry vary, with domestic firms increasing their spending on R&D whereas foreign firms reducing it. Design/methodology/approach Using a rich firm level data set from Indian manufacturing for the period 2000-2012, the study utilizes Heckman’s two- step estimation strategy to estimate the impact of FDI entry on R&D behavior of incumbents. Findings FDI entry significantly increases the tendency of domestic and foreign firms to invest in R&D; however, the impact on R&D intensity for both domestic and foreign firms appears to be minimal. Originality/value The study contributes to the existing literature on two fronts. One, unlike other studies, it examines the impact of FDI entry not only on R&D behavior of domestic firms but also on the R&D behavior of existing foreign firms. Second, it addresses the problem of selection bias that has been largely ignored by majority of empirical studies on R&D.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 1268-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joao Tovar Jalles ◽  
Martin A. Andresen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of multiple measures of the economy while investigating the role of the economy with crime, as well as the sensitivity of those results. Design/methodology/approach Provincial-level data, 1981-2009, and a series of statistical specifications. Findings The authors find overall support for the Cantor and Land’s (1985) model of unemployment and crime. The authors are also able to show the importance of considering multiple measures of economic activity and multiple statistical methods of analysis for the sensitivity of results. Originality/value Previous research has shown the importance of multiple measures of the economy but not multiple statistical methods as a sensitivity analysis. The authors provide such a sensitivity analysis and show that the Cantor and Land’s (1985) model has significant support.


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