Economics of Human Resource Planning With Special Reference to Higher Education in Kerala

Ongoing changes in global economic structure along information revolution have produced an environment where knowledge and skills or education and training are considered increasingly valued commodities. This is based on the simple notion that nation’s economic progress is linked to education and training. This idea is embodied in the theory of human capital, according to which the knowledge and skill found in labour represents valuable resources for the market. Thus the important assumptions of the Human capital theory are 910 Human capital is an investment for future (2) More training and education leads to better work skills (3) Educational institutions play a central role in the development of human capital(4) the technological revolution is often cited as the most pressing reason why education and knowledge are becoming valuable economic commodities . The objectives of the present study are, the investment and institutional or structural framework of higher education in Kerala, the higher education market and the strengths and weakness of supply demand conditions , cost and the benefits of higher education in Kerala , impact of recent policy changes in higher education,need for expanding higher education market to solve the grave problem of Un employment on the basis of as systematic manpower planning and the higher education and its association with income and employment.

An Evaluation of Extension Activities in the Development of Aquaculture in Kerala

Aquaculture is one of the prime catalysts for the socio-economic development of Indian economy contributing to the nations food and nutritional security, export earnings, income and employment generation. In this study an evaluation of extension activities in the development of aquaculture in Kerala. This study was conducted with a view to examine how the Kerala fisheries department offered extension services to the aquaculture farmers in the freshwater and brackish water sectors of the state through various agencies like Fish Farmers Development Agency(FFDA), Brackish water Fish Farmers Development Agency (BFFDA). In this study there are 3 category of respondent’s fresh water beneficiary farmers, brackish water beneficiary farmers and fisheries extension officers. The main motive of the thesis is to make an attempt to explore the responses of local producers to the extension programs of the state with special reference to the aquaculture sector of Kerala, India. The most important technical constraint faced by the fresh water farmers was lack of knowledge followed by non-availability of quality seeds. In the case of brackish water farming, it was infection of disease followed by lack of knowledge. The overall activities of the department of fisheries were ‘fairly good’. It indicate the need for improvements in the delivery of extension services to various target groups. The state fisheries department has already moving towards evolving these modes of extension activities by community participation.

A Study on the Reversed Lack of Memory Property and its Generalizations

In this thesis, the concept of reversed lack of memory property and its generalizations is studied.We we generalize this property which involves operations different than the ”addition”. In particular an associative, binary operator ” * ” is considered. The univariate reversed lack of memory property is generalized using the binary operator and a class of probability distributions which include Type 3 extreme value, power function, reflected Weibull and negative Pareto distributions are characterized (Asha and Rejeesh (2009)). We also define the almost reversed lack of memory property and considered the distributions with reversed periodic hazard rate under the binary operation. Further, we give a bivariate extension of the generalized reversed lack of memory property and characterize a class of bivariate distributions which include the characterized extension (CE) model of Roy (2002a) apart from the bivariate reflected Weibull and power function distributions. We proved the equality of local proportionality of the reversed hazard rate and generalized reversed lack of memory property. Study of uncertainty is a subject of interest common to reliability, survival analysis, actuary, economics, business and many other fields. However, in many realistic situations, uncertainty is not necessarily related to the future but can also refer to the past. Recently, Di Crescenzo and Longobardi (2009) introduced a new measure of information called dynamic cumulative entropy. Dynamic cumulative entropy is suitable to measure information when uncertainty is related to the past, a dual concept of the cumulative residual entropy which relates to uncertainty of the future lifetime of a system. We redefine this measure in the whole real line and study its properties. We also discuss the implications of generalized reversed lack of memory property on dynamic cumulative entropy and past entropy.In this study, we extend the idea of reversed lack of memory property to the discrete set up. Here we investigate the discrete class of distributions characterized by the discrete reversed lack of memory property. The concept is extended to the bivariate case and bivariate distributions characterized by this property are also presented. The implication of this property on discrete reversed hazard rate, mean past life, and discrete past entropy are also investigated.

Farm Programmes of Electronic Media: A Comparative Study of Audience Perception in Kerala

Farm communication and extension programs are vital part of the farm development attempts. Electronic media plays a major role in farm extension activities. Kerala, the consumer state, which was a complete agricultural state in pre-independence period, is the sprouting land of agricultural extension and publication activities in print media. Later AIR (All India Radio) farm programs and farm broadcasting of Doordarshan enriched the role of electronic media in farm extension activities. The media saturated southern state of India received this new electronic media farm communication revolution whole heartedly. However, after 1990, Kerala witnessed a flood of private T V channels and currently there are 24 channels in this regional language, named Malayalam. All major news and entertainment channels are broadcasting farm programs. Farm programs of AIR and Doordarshan, broadcasted in Malayalam language, have been well accepted to the farmers‘ in Kerala. However, post-independence period, witnessed the formation of Kerala state in Indian Union and the first ballot-elected communist Government started its administration. After the land reform bills, the state witnessed a gradual decrease in agricultural production. Even if it is not reflected much in the attitude and practices of farm community and farm broadcast of traditional electronic broadcasting, a change is observable after the post-liberalization era of India. Private Television channels, which were focused on entertainment value of programs, started broadcasting farm programs and the parameters of program production went through certain changes. In this situation, there is ample relevance for a study about the farm programs of electronic media in terms of a comparative study of audience perception. The study is limited in the state of Kerala as it is the most media saturated state in India. The study analyzes the rate, nature and scope of adoption of farming methods transmitted through electronic media (T.V. and Radio) in Malayalam language.All kinds of Farm programs including comprehensive program serials, success stories, seasonal cropping methods, experts opinion, been analyzed on the basis of the following objectives.  To find whether propagating new farm methods through farm programs in electronic media or the availability of adequate infrastructure and economic factors make a farmer to adopt a new farming method.  To find which electronic media has more influence on farmers to adopt agricultural programs.  To find which form of electronic media gets better feedback from farmers  To find out whether the programs of T.V. or Radio is more acceptable to farmers than the print media.  To find whether farmers gets the message through their preferred medium for the message. The researcher recorded opinions from a panel of agricultural officers, farm Information officers, agro extension researchers and experts. According to their opinions and guidelines, a pilot study is designed and conducted in Kanjikuzhy Panchayath, in Alappuzha district, Kerala. The Panchayath is selected by considering its ideal nature of being the sample for a social Science research. Besides, the nature of farming in the Panchayath, which devoid of the cultivation of cash crops also supported its sample value. As per the observations from the pilot study, researcher confirmed the Triangulation method as the methodology of research. The questionnaire survey, being the primary part contained 42 Questions with 6 independent and 32 dependent variables. The survey is conducted among 400 respondents in Idukki, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts considering geographical differences and distribution of different types of crops. The response from a total of 360 respondents, 120 from each district, finally selected for tabulation and data analysis.The data analysis, based on percentage analysis, along with the results from focus group discussion among a selected group of 20 farmers, together produced the results as follows. Farmers, who are the audience of farm programs, have a very serious approach towards the medium. They are maintaining a critical point of view towards the content of the programs. Farmers are reasonably aware about the financial side of the programs and the monitory aspirations of both private and Government owned Television channels. Even though, the farmers are not aware on the technical terminology and jargons, they have ideas about success stories, program serials and they are even informed about channels are not maintaining an audience research section like AIR. Though the farmers accept Doordarshan as the credential source of farm information and methods, they are inclined to the entertainment value of programs too. They prefer to have more entertainment value for the programs of Doordarshan. Surprisingly, they have very solid suggestions on even about the shots which add entertainment value to the farm broadcasting methods of Doordarshan. Farmers are very much aware about the fact that media is just an instrument for inspiration and persuasion. They strongly believe that the source of information and new methods is agricultural research and an effective change happens only when there are adequate infrastructure and marketing facilities, along with the proper support from Government agricultural guideline and support systems like Krishi Bhavans. They strongly believe that media alone cannot create any magic in increasing agricultural production. Farmers are pointing out the lack of response to the feedback and queries of farmers on farming methods, as an evidence for the difference in levels of commitment of Government and private owned Television channels.Farmers are still perceiving AIR farm programs are far more committed to farmers and farming than any other electronic medium. However, they are seriously lacking Radio receivers with medium wave reception facility. Farmers perceive that the farming methods on new crops are more adoptable than the farming methods of traditional crops in both private and Government owned Television channels. There are multiple factors behind this observation from farmers. Farmers changed in terms of viewing habits and they prefer success stories, which are totally irrelevant and they even think that such stories encourage people to go for farming and they opined that such stories are good sources of inspiration. However, they are all very much sure about the importance and particular about the presence of entertainment factor even in farm programs. Farmers expect direct interaction of any expert of the new farming method to implement the method in their agriculture practices. Though introduction of a new idea in the T.V. is acceptable, farmers need the direct instruction of expert on field to start implementing the new farming practices Farmers still have an affinity towards print media reports and agricultural pages and they have complaints to print media on the removal of agricultural information pages from news papers. They prefer the reports in print media as it facilitates them to collect and refer articles when they need it. Farmers are having an eye of doubt about the credibility of farm programs by private T.V. channels. Even if they prefer private Television channels for listening and adopting new farming methods and other farm information, they scrutinize programs to know whether they are sponsored programs by agrochemical or agro-fertilizer manufacturer.

Economics of Ornamental Fisheries in Kerala

Comprehensive studies integrating production, consumption and marketing of ornamental fishes were never conducted in the past in Kerala and this study is an attempt to highlight the dynamics in a systematic manner by making a primary empirical study. The advantages of such an approach are many. First, the study entails detailed empirical data under a given time frame on various inter linked economic activities in ornamental fisheries sector. Second, the study tries to improve upon the previous discipline-bound studies by adopting an integrated approach. As Kerala has diverse ecological and climatic conditions, case studies on various ornamental fish production systems help identifying suitable culture practice for selected environmental conditions. One of the major conclusions of this study as explained in the concluding chapter is that although Kerala is blessed with favourable geographic and climatic conditions needed for developing ornamental fishery, diverse local conditions and requirements contain adopting modern methods of enterprise development.Consumer studies conducted would help to identify the demand of ornamental fishes and the factors leading to it. Market studies would help in understanding the forces behind domestic market, which is very promising, but neglected. Viability studies throw light on the economic performance of both the production systems and the trading units of ornamental fishes. Despite the economic significance of ornamental fisheries industry, its development has been constrained due to various bio-technical, cultural, socio-economic, organisational and above all, institutional and policy failures. The outcome of the study would identify constraints facing the industry and institutional arrangements for development.

The economics of rubber plantation industry in kerala

The study is an objective analysis of the importance of the economics of rubber plantation industry in Kerala. The study covers a period of 25 years ranging from 1950-51 to 1974-75. The data for the study were obtained partly from published documents such as: (1) The Plantation Inquiry Commission Report (for 1950s) (2) The Tariff Commission Reports (for 1960s) (3) Indian Rubber Statistics (for 1970s) and partly from personal inquiries. The thesis is divided into three parts consisting of eight chapters. Part I deals with the importance, growth, present position, and the scope of the industry. Part II discusses in detail the various development schemes, their impact, the role of small holding sector in the development of the rubber plantation industry and the problems faced by small holdings. Part III analyses the problems connected with marketing, cost, profitability and the development potential of the industry

The economics of chemical industry in kerala

The main purpose of the present study is to examine the growth and development problems of a new industry ,the chemical industry in the state of kerala. Problems of productivity and efficiency are studied with respect to the different branches of the industry such as fertilizers and insecticides basic inorganic and organic chemicals drugs and pharmaceuticals and miscellaneous chemicals. A study of partial input output linkages between the different chemical units is also attempted. The chemical industry is generally characterized by high linkage effects .These linkages could be used to generate subsidiary industries and thereby help in the growth and diversification of the industry. The efficiency of the working of individual units is also studied to understand the problems involved and to suggest remedial measures.

The economics of tea plantations in South India

Thc tea industry in lndia is going through a period of crisis. The crisis in brought about mainly by cost caculation and declining or stagnant prices. The impact of the present crisis is felt most by the owners of tea plantations in Kcrala . The present study assumes significance due to the fact that the critic which already affected Keralas tea industry is now threatening to extend to other tea-growing areas in south India. Today, ensuring a favourablc price to the producers via-a-via possibilities or reducing the cost of production through increase in productivity of land and labour are the main considerations. The main purpose of the study is to analyse the factors behind the crisis as well as exploring immediate and long-term measures for the sustained growth of the industry.

Economics Of Poultry Farming In Kerala

Though of recent origin, commercial poultry farming has achieved momentum in Kerala because of its wide and varied potentials capability of employment creation, low investment, quick returns, lesser combination of various factors of production, enhanced productivity per unit of agricultural land, maintenance of soil fertility etc. Despite all the ancillary attributes characteristic of a thriving venture, the performance of poultry farming in Kerala was not comforting, especially in the case of small and medium size farms. This study has aimed at detailing the various components of cost and revenue in the business of poultry farming, and the adducing of empirical evidences on the nature of relationship of different variables as the gross income, current rate of productivity, extent of capacity utilisation and size of farms in terms of number of birds reared and the farms’ overall financial performance. Alongwith this a descriptive approach was made to highlight the challenges and opportunity poultry farming in Kerala, with special emphasis on its economic and financial aspects.

Economics of Justice in Kerala

The focus of the present study is on issues related to Legal—Economics. The economic approach to legal issues is based on the belief held by both legal professionals and economists that law and economics are complementary disciplines and that collaboration is highly beneficial.The principles of economic analysis can help our understanding of the law. Economic approach has important effects on the costs and benefits that prospective litigants may expect from litigation and their decisions to litigate or to settle out of court. Economic consideration is also helpful to understand I 1 the significance of litigation costs, the practical problems of legal administration and the provision of legal servicesz. The economic approach to law is mainly based on the belief held by some economists that the core of economics, the theory of choice is in principle- applicable to all human and institutional behaviour.