Development of Total Quality Management System in Seafood (Freezing) Industry in Kerala

Quality related problems have become dominant in the seafood processing industry in Kerala. This has resulted in the rejection of seafood sent from India to many destinations. The latest being the total block listing of seafood companies from India from being exported to Europe and partial block listing by the US. The quality systems prevailed in the seafood industry in India were outdated and no longer in use in the developed world. According to EC Directive discussed above all the seafood factories exporting to European countries have to adopt HACCP. Based on this, EIA has now made HACCP system mandatory in all the seafood processing factories in India. This transformation from a traditional product based inspection system to a process control system requires thorough changes in the various stages of production and quality management. This study is conducted by the author with to study the status of the existing infrastructure and quality control system in the seafood industry in Kerala with reference to the recent developments in the quality concepts in international markets and study the drawbacks, if any, of the existing quality management systems in force in the seafood factories in Kerala for introducing the mandatory HACCP concept. To assess the possibilities of introducing Total Quality Management system in the seafood industry in Kerala in order to effectively adopt the HACCP concept. This is also aimed at improving the quality of the products and productivity of the industry by sustaining the world markets in the long run.

Pattern of Executive Remuneration in the Manufacturing Public Enterprises in Kerala

The study is undertaken by the researcher with the object of examining the remuneration pattern of executive personnel in the manufacturing public enterprises in Kerala so as to find out whether there is any rationale or criteria involved in remunerating executives. It is also envisaged to find out the pattern of executive remuneration in the various categories of industries and inter—industry disparities among the public sector enterprises. This is considered to be a very fruitful area for investigation, particularly in view of the generally prevailing notion that public sector executives in Kerala are not remunerated properly and glaring inequalities and disparities are existing among the various categories of industries and within the same industry. Therefore the study is to explore the criteria used for the determination of executive remuneration and the relative weightage of various factors such as size of the firm, rate of return sales volume etc of the organisation and various other factors such as qualification, experience, level of job and functions of executives. Further the study is extended to find out the role of 'pay' towards motivation and efficiency of the executive personnel

Movement of Input and Output Prices of Rice in Kerala and its Impact on Area, Yield and Outp

Rice is the most extensively cultivated crop in the world, particularly concentrated in Asia and the Far East. Asian countries together make up for as much as 91.80 per cent of the world production of rice in 1986. The main objective of the present study is to analyse the rice economy of Kerala over time and space at the State, district and taluk level. The thesis analyses the trends in area, yield and total production of rice during the three seasons in the state, districts and taluks and studies the trends in input and output prices of rice and coconut in the state, districts and taluks. The researcher estimates the impact of input and output prices on area, yield and total output of rice in the state, districts and selected taluks and examines the conversion of paddy field into coconut garden and rubber plantation.

Inventory management in public sector electrical industry in Kerala

The thesis entitled Inventory Management In Public Sector Electrical Industry In Kerala. Investigations were carried out on inventory management in public sector electrical industry in Kerala and suggest methods to improve their efficiency. Various aspects of inventory management, its scope and need in industry are detailed. The objectives of the present study concentrates to get an overall view of the system of inventory management, assess the positions and levels of inventory. It analyzes the inventory management policies and practices, the organizational set-up for materials by the electrical undertakings. The study examines the liquidity of the electrical undertakings as well as techniques of inventory management in the electrical industry in Kerala. Hypotheses state that the existing organizational systems and practices are inadequate to ensure efficient management of inventories in electrical industry. Introduction of scientific inventory techniques has a favourable effect on the workings of inventory departments. The financial performance of the public sector electrical undertakings is not at all satisfactory on account of the high raw material costs, heavy borrowings and huge interest burdens. The scope of this study is limited to the assessment of savings, in inventories of electrical products due to inventory management. The methodology of the study is to project the cost reduction of the inventory department on the basis of data collected and to validate this projection with the aid of analysis and survey. The limitations of the study is that the data obtained relate to the period 1989-90 and earlier and the current position is not available and uniform norms cannot be applied to evaluate different inventory management organisation.

Role of academic bodies with special references to the academic programmes in the universities in Kerala

This makes a thorough study of Role of Academic Bodies with Special Reference to the Academic Programmes in the Universities in Kerala. The present study has dealt with the constitution, powers and functions of the authorities of the universities in Kerala, especially the academic bodies which have well-defined powers and function. This thesis gives in detail the role and functions of the academic bodies in the four universities in Kerala, under study: and examines the role-effectiveness of these bodies. To sum up, it can be concluded that the academic bodies in the universities in Kerala do not function as effectively as envisaged in the laws of the universities. They have a maintenance-oriented approach rather than a dynamic one, without thinking in terms of introducing innovations. They need improvement in the various aspects of their constitution, selection of members and their mode of functioning

An evaluation of Primary health care system in Kerala

The thesis entitled An Evaluation of Primary Health Care System in Kerala. The present study is intended to examine the working of primary health care system and its impact on the health status of people. The hypothesis tested in the thesis includes, a. The changes in the health profile require reallocation of resources of primary health care system, b. Rate of utilization depends on the quality of services provided by primary health centers, and c. There is a significant decline in the operational efficiency of the primary health care system. The major elements of primary health care stated in the report of AlmaAta International Conference on Primary Health Care (WHO, 1994)” is studied on the basis of the classification of the elements in to three: Preventive, Promotive, and Curative measures. Preventive measures include Maternal and Child Health Care including family Planning. Provision of water and sanitation is reviewed under promotive measures. Curative measures are studied using the disease profile of the study area. Collection of primary data was done through a sample survey, using pre-tested interview schedule of households of the study area. Multi stage random sampling design was used for selecting the sample. The design of the present study is both descriptive and analytical in nature. As far as the analytical tools are concerned, growth index, percentages, ratios, rates, time series analysis, analysis of variance, chi square test, Z test were used for analyzing the data. Present study revealed that no one in these areas was covered under any type of health insurance. Conclusion states that considering the present changes in the health profile, traditional pattern of resource allocation should be altered to meet the urgent health care needs of the people. Preventive and promotive measures like health education for giving awareness among people to change health habits, diet pattern, life style etc. are to be developed. Proper diagnosis and treatment of the disease at the beginning of the stage itself may help to cure majority of disease. For that, Public health policy must ensure the primary health care as enunciated at Alma- Ata international Conference. At the same time Public health is not to be treated as the sole responsibility of the government. Active community participation is an essential means to attain the goals.

Personnel Management Practices in the Kerala based Scheduled commercial Banks

The thesis entitled Personnel Management Practices in the Kerala-Based Scheduled Commercial Banks. Personnel management function is of cardinal importance, requiring a sophisticated and scientific approach. In a labour-intensive, service industry like banking. Productivity and ultimate profitability of the entire organization depend considerably on the effectiveness with which personnel management function is executed; and the prudence with which personnel problems are handle. The main objectives of the study are to understand the current status of personnel management functions in the banks and to evaluate the practices in the light of the principles and theories of personnel management so as to identify the strengths and weaknesses. The universe of this study is the eight Scheduled Commercial Banks based in Kerala. The major limitation of the study is that as State Bank of Travancore, the lone public sector bank based in Kerala did not grant permission for collection of data, this study had to be confined to private sector banks only. Almost the entire data used for this study are primary and were collected from the files and other records or the concerned banks. This report has chapters dealing with the functional areas of personnel management such as determination of human resource requirements, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, promotions and compensation. Findings reveal that the practice of personnel management in the Kerala-based private sector scheduled commercial banks has not gained a degree of sophistication compatible with its role in modern business management.

A critical study of major construction projects in kerala vis-a-vis effectiveness in project implementation

Chapter 1 presents a brief note on the state at which the construction industry stands at present, bringing into focus the significance of the critical study. Relevance of the study, area of investigation and objectives of the study are outlined in this chapter. The 2nd chapter presents a review of the literature on the relevant areas. In the third chapter an analysis on time and cost overrun in construction highlighting the major factors responsible for it has been done. A couple of case studies to estimate loss to the nation on account of delay in construction have been presented in the chapter. The need for an appropriate estimate and a competent contractor has been emphasised for improving effectiveness in the project implementation. Certain useful equations and thoughts have been formulated on this area in this chapter that can be followed in State PWD and other Govt. organisations. Case studies on project implementation of major projects undertaken by Government sponsored/supported organizations in Kerala have been dealt with in Chapter 4. A detailed description of the project of Kerala Legislature Complex with a critical analysis has been given in this chapter. A detailed account of the investigations carried out on the construction of International Stadium, a sports project of Greater Cochin Development Authority is included here. The project details of Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery, its promoters and contractors are also discussed in Chapter 4. Various aspects of implementation which led the above projects successful have been discussed in chapter 5. The data collected were analysed through discussion and perceptions to arrive at certain conclusions. The emergence of front-loaded contract and its impact on economics of the project execution are dealt with in this chapter. Analysis of delays in respect of the various project narrated in chapter 3 has been done here. The root causes of the project time and overrun and its remedial measures are also enlisted in this chapter. Study of cost and time overrun of any construction project IS a part of construction management. Under the present environment of heavy investment on construction activities in India, the consequences of mismanagement many a time lead to excessive expenditure which are not be avoidable. Cost consciousness, therefore has to be keener than ever before. Optimization in investment can be achieved by improved dynamism in construction management. The successful completion of coristruction projects within the specified programme, optimizing three major attributes of the process - quality, schedule and costs - has become the most valuable and challenging task for the engineer - managers to perform. So, the various aspects of construction management such as cost control, schedule control, quality assurance, management techniques etc. have also been discussed in this fifth chapter. Chapter 6 summarises the conclusions drawn from the above criticalr1 of rhajor construction projects in Kerala.

A Study of Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises with particular reference to Bank of Baroda in state of Kerala

While the quantum of advances from the public sector banks (PSBs) to the MSEs has increased over the years in absolute terms, from Rs.46, 045 crore in March 2000 to Rs.1, 85,208 crore in March 2009, the share of the 7credit to the MSE sector in the Net Bank Credit (NBC) has declined from 12.5 per cent to 10.9 per cent. Similarly, there has been a decline in the share of micro sector as a percentage of Net Bank Credit (NBC) from 7.8 per cent in March 2000 to 4.9% in March 2009. (TKA.Nair, 2010)9.The major reasons for low availability of bank finance to this sector are high risk perception of the banks in lending to MSEs and high transaction costs in processing of loan applications of MSEs. The problem is more serious for micro enterprises requiring small loans and the first generation entrepreneursThe thesis studies the divergence in guidelines by, CGTMSE, RBI & Bank of Baroda on collateral free lending and analyses the awareness of MSE about CGTMSE lending. The researcher tries to assess the problems faced by borrowers in availing advance under CGTMSE from Bank of Baroda, Kerala.

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

An economic evaluation of industrial estates in kerala

A massive programme for the development of small scale industries in India known as ‘Industrial Estates Programme‘ was launched by the Government of India in 1955, This technique of industrialisation was recommended by the Small Scale Industries Board in 1955. The first industrial estate in India was set up at Rajkot (Gujarat) in September 1955 and the first shed allotted in December 1955. Since the Government of India entrusted the state governments with the responsibility of starting the estates, the Government of Kerala decided to start one industrial estate in each district during the second plan. It was envisaged that each district should have two industrial estates each, one as urban estate, the other as semi-urban or rural estate. This study attempts to make an economic evaluation of the Industrial estates programme in Kerala. It is based on a survey of all working industrial units in the 17 major industrial estates of Kerala.

A study of the cost structure of the cashew industry in kerala, karnataka and tamilnadu

Since the world demand for cashew kernels has been rising steadily for several years in the past, conferring significant price increase the processing of cashew remains a highly profitable lndustry. India being the earliest and largest supplier of cashew kernels in the world market it is our prestigious obligations to reestablish her pristine monopoly. Further the added importance ot the indutry in the Socio economic context of the State of Kerala makes various measures impervative in order to bring back to the industry its pristine glory at the late sixties to give a face lift and to stabilize the industry. This present study adopts a comprehensive frame work of analysis compassing the major issues involved in the cultivation, distribution, import, processing and marketing of cashew undcr the private and public sector, migration of the industry and the financial requirements of the industry.

Financial planning and Control in public sector undertakings in kerala

Today India is seeking a speedy transformation of her semi-stagnant economy to a dynamic one by means of economic planning in a democratic set up. In the context of this growth oriented endeavour public sector has a vital role to play. After three decades of planned development, it has become important that India must make fresh appraisals on the role of public sector in the economic renaissance of the country. Almost no comprehensive study has been made on this vital segment of the economy vis-a-vis the growth economics. This study is an attempt to fill this need in a very modest way. It presents the subject in a new perspective. An earnest attempt is made to reveal the critical problems inhibiting the growth of the public sector from a new angle which focusses the spot-light on the economics of development.

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.

Price, profitability and employment in the handloom industry in kerala

The present study is on the nature, problems and prospects of the handloom industry in Kerala. The problems of the industry are mostly in the nature of low earnings of the workers, underutilisation of the existing capacity and low profit in its various sectors. The majority of the handloom co-operative societies are either dormant or facing liquidation. The income and employment of weavers are so pitiably low that they are living in utter poverty and starvation. Frequent price fluctuations of yarns, dyes and chemicals increase the cost of production and reduce the profitability. Consequently handloom fabrics are not able to compete with mill cloths and powerloom products. Accumulating the unsold stocks in the godowns of co-operative societies and with master weavers has become the practice of the day. Spinning mills in Kerala are producing only lower counts of yarns. S, handloom industry has to depend on textile mills in Tamil Nadu for higher counts of yarn. They create artificial scarcity and increase the prices exflorbitantly. Wage rates prevailing in Kerala are higher than those in Tamil Hadu. So rich master weavers are migrating to Tamil.Nadu and exporting the fabrics. under the label 'Kera1a Handlooms'. Governmental efforts to tackle the crisis by way of rebates and subsidies are found to be futile.