STUDIES ON THE STRESS FLUCTUATIONS IN SHEARED STOKESIAN SUSPENSIONS USING CHAOS THEORY AND NONLINEAR DYNAMICS

The thesis report results obtained from a detailed analysis of the fluctuations of the rheological parameters viz. shear and normal stresses, simulated by means of the Stokesian Dynamics method, of a macroscopically homogeneous sheared suspension of neutrally buoyant non-Brownian suspension of identical spheres in the Couette gap between two parallel walls in the limit of vanishingly small Reynolds numbers using the tools of non-linear dynamics and chaos theory for a range of particle concentration and Couette gaps. The thesis used the tools of nonlinear dynamics and chaos theory viz. average mutual information, space-time separation plots, visual recurrence analysis, principal component analysis, false nearest-neighbor technique, correlation integrals, computation of Lyapunov exponents for a range of area fraction of particles and for different Couette gaps. The thesis observed that one stress component can be predicted using another stress component at the same area fraction. This implies a type of synchronization of one stress component with another stress component. This finding suggests us to further analysis of the synchronization of stress components with another stress component at the same or different area fraction of particles. The different model equations of stress components for different area fraction of particles hints at the possible existence a general formula for stress fluctuations with area fraction of particle as a parameter

Fundamental Approach to Valuation of Securities -A Study with reference to Information Technology(IT) Sector Shares in Indian Stock Market

Department of Applied Economics,Cochin University of Science and Technology

Market Orientation in Indian Seafood Processing Firms

This thesis studied the impact of market orietnation on business performance, in the seafood industry, which is a unique situation wherein the firms were all 100% export oriented. The study was able to prove that in the context of the seafood indsutry, implementation of market orientation principles will lead to increase in business performance. The business performance variables were measured under two heads, namely economic performance and non-economic performance. Market orientation in Indian seafood firms was significantly and postiively related to both the performance measures. Under the non-economic performance, were the customer and employee consequences.Again market orientation was positively and significantly related to both the consequences.Thus, the implication arising from the study is this: market orientation in Indian seafood processing firms increases their business performance. The implementation of market orientation will help the seafood firms in gaining competitve advantages in exporting. This in turn will result in increased exports and the position of Indian seafood in the global market will be strengthened. It will thus become a leading player in the global fish trade. Next, the focus was on the effect of the antecedents on the market orientation of a firm. It was seen that several factors were antecedents to the adoption of market orientation principles. They include top management emphasis, conflict, centralization and reward system. It is noted that top management emphasis and support is vital to the market orientation programme. The top management needs to adopt market oriented behaviour and reinforce the need for being market oriented, for it to percolate down the line.Interdepartmental conflict is seen to affect market orientation positively. A large percent of the Indian seafood firms are traditionally family-owned companies, rather than professionally managed firms. This would result in promulgation of old ideas of management whereby, conflict was seen as a healthy exercise, which helped to build up each department's efficiency. But, this view in the long run proves to be detrimental to the firm's performance and must therefore be kept to a bare minimum, if any.Decentralisation of decision making facilitates the participation of the lower level employees and builds up their motivational levels and commitment to the firm. Thus employees are encouraged to make their own decisions, so that they can deal with customers faster and more efficiently. Reward systems help improve an employee's morale, provide encouragement and helps inculcate commitment and loyalty. It improves the employee's self worth and fulfills his need for achievement. A satisfied employee works better, produces more output and needs less supervision, and is happy, thereby reducing costs to the company for replacement and retraining, if the employee quits.Competitive intensity plays a moderating role on the market orientation business performance. Thus in times of greater competition, the relationship between market orientation and business performance grows stronger. Thus, this thesis was successful in investigating a positive relationship between business performance and market orientation.

Influence of short term climatic fluctuations on the agricultural land use in Kerala

In the present study, the land use over Kerala State and its spatial and temporal variations, spatio-temporal variations of water budget elements, climatic shifts, incidence of droughts and the influence of inter-annual fluctuations of rainfall on area. production and yield of selected crops, have been studied in detail. The thesis consists of seven chapters including the introduction. The first section of the Second Chapter deals with the importance of agrocliinatological studies in general and its application in agricultural land use in particular. It also gives an overview of the short term climatic fluctuations, water balance studies, crop weather relationships, land use patterns and various agricultural indices. This includes a detailed review of available literature in this field. The basic concepts. data used and the methodology adopted in the study forms, the second section of this Chapter. The Third Chapter gives the details of the physical features of the State such as the relief, geology, geomorphologysoils, drainage, and vegetation. The agroclimatology of the State is discussed in detail in Chapter Four. The first Section presents annual and seasonal variations of temperature and rainfall of the State along with a discussion on the water balance of the State. The secondSection of this Chapter deals with the influence of rainfall and water balance elements on various crops. The district-wise general land use pattern of theState and its spatio-temporal variations are discussed in Chapter Five. The first Section of Chapter Six gives an overview of the agricultural land use pattern of the State, cropping patterns, cropping intensity, crop combination and their spatio-temporal variations. The inter-annual variability of water balances of various stations of the State computed using the method of Thornthwaite (1948) and Thornthwaite & Mather (1955) is presented in the second Section of Chapter Six. This also includes a discussion of how the climatic shifts have occurred over the State and the influence of variations of climatic and water balance elements on the crops. The Seventh Chapter gives the summary of the work carried out and the results obtained from the study. Interpretations of the results, conclusions and suggestions made,based on the observations of the study are incorporated in this Chapter.

Market Segmentation by Financial lnstitution

The research problem selected for this study is one of the important issues in the field of financial market and its marketing dimensions on which researchers and academicians encourage more research studies. This research study may be relevant considering its significance in terms of some possible findings which may be useful to Fls in framing successful market segmentation approach to turn their dissatisfied and ‘merely' satisfied customers into ‘delighted’ customers, which in turn can result in better savings mobilisation. The household segments may also be benefited from the research findings if they bring about an attitudinal change in their savings behaviour. The importance of the study may be briefly highlighted in the following points. The research study examines existing theories on market segmentation by Fls and the findings might supplement the existing theories on this topic. The study brings to light certain clues to strengthen market segmentation approach of Fls.The study throws light on the existing beliefs and perceptions on customer behaviour which may be useful in effecting some positive changes in market segmentation approach by Fls. The study suggests certain relationship between market segmentation variables and customer behaviour in the context of marketing of financial products by Fls. The study supplements the existing knowledge on different dimension of market segmentation in the financial market which might encourage future research in the field.

Analysis of Fluctuations in the Early Universe Using Fokker-Planck Formalism

The thesis begins with a review of basic elements of general theory of relativity (GTR) which forms the basis for the theoretical interpretation of the observations in cosmology. The first chapter also discusses the standard model in cosmology, namely the Friedmann model, its predictions and problems. We have also made a brief discussion on fractals and inflation of the early universe in the first chapter. In the second chapter we discuss the formulation of a new approach to cosmology namely a stochastic approach. In this model, the dynam ics of the early universe is described by a set of non-deterministic, Langevin type equations and we derive the solutions using the Fokker—Planck formalism. Here we demonstrate how the problems with the standard model, can be eliminated by introducing the idea of stochastic fluctuations in the early universe. Many recent observations indicate that the present universe may be approximated by a many component fluid and we assume that only the total energy density is conserved. This, in turn, leads to energy transfer between different components of the cosmic fluid and fluctuations in such energy transfer can certainly induce fluctuations in the mean to factor in the equation of state p = wp, resulting in a fluctuating expansion rate for the universe. The third chapter discusses the stochastic evolution of the cosmological parameters in the early universe, using the new approach. The penultimate chapter is about the refinements to be made in the present model, by means of a new deterministic model The concluding chapter presents a discussion on other problems with the conventional cosmology, like fractal correlation of galactic distribution. The author attempts an explanation for this problem using the stochastic approach.

Prevalence of Aeromonas hydrophila in fish and prawns from the seafood market of Coimbatore, South India

Five hundred and thirty six samples offishes and 278 prawn samples from the major fish market ofCoimbatore, South India, were analysed for the prevalence of Aeromonas hydrophila over a period of2 years (June 1997–May 1999). The prevalence level of A. hydrophila varied from 17.62% in prawns to 33.58% in fishes. More than 30% of the popular table fishes such as Sardinella longiceps, Rastrelliger kanagurta, Mugil cephalus and Caranx sexfasciatus were tested positive for this organism. Among the different species of the prawns analysed, Penaeus semisulcatus showed higher incidence (23.52%). Seasonal variation in the prevalence levels of A. hydrophila in fish and prawns revealed a higher prevalence during the monsoon season during 1997–98 and 1998–99. Of the different body parts of the fishes analysed for A. hydrophila, the intestinal samples showed higher prevalence (38.43%), followed by body surface (32.46%) and gill (29.10%). Considering the psychrotrophic nature and role of A. hydrophila as a pathogen ofemerging importance, the considerably high levels ofthis organism in a popular food item such as fish and prawn raises serious concern

Arbitrage Pricing Theory and Return Generating Process: A Macroeconomic Approach to Indian Stock Market

A study focusing on the identification of return generating factors and to the extent of their influence on share prices the outcome will be a tool for investment analysis in the hands of investors portfolio managers and mutual funds who are mostly concerned with changing share prices. Since the study takes into account the influence of macroeconomic variables on variations in share returns by using the outcome the government can frame out suitable policies on long term basis and that will help in nurturing a healthy economy and resultant stock market. As every company management tries to maximize the wealth of the share holders a clear idea about the return generating variables and their influence will help the management to frame various policies to maximize the wealth of the shareholders.

Organized Retail Market Boom and the Indian Society

IT and related services played a major role for India’s current 9.2. GDP growth. Organized retailing in India is one more example for its open economy. The IT industries where able develop a demand for Indian talents all over the world and improved their living standards. It directly impacts only a small minority of Indian population while organized retail affects every single Indian and every sector of Indian society. The paper gives a glimpse of the slow evolution of retail market over the years in India and its contribution for economic growth. The likely positive impact of this revolution in different sectors is enumerated. Paper addresses its ability to manipulate consumption pattern of society, increased customer satisfaction and likely change in the market shares of the different types of sellers. Paper discusses its flip sides like increasing social tension among families below poverty line and greater loss of self employment opportunities by this revolution. The main theme of enquiry of this paper is what it all means for the Indian society.

Real Estate Development In India And The Behavior of Investors to Invest In The Real Estate Market: An Empirical Investigation

This study examines the behavioral factors that influence the Indian Investors to invest in the Real Estate Market. Among the various factors that affect the tendency of investors to invest in the real market, certain factors are greatly influenced the investors at greatest extend while others at least level. From this study it is revealed that motivation from the real estate developers and brokers (mean value- 3.46) is most influencing factor and happening of uncertain events (mean value- 1.75) is the least factor that influences the investors’ investment behavior. In this study, the behavioral factor like over confidence and the hypotheses regarding education, religion were analyzed and found that religious factor influences the Indian investors to invest in the real estate

Tourist Profiles and Characteristics vis-à-vis Market Segmentation of Ecotourism Destinations in Kerala

Kerala, a classic ecotourism destination in India, provides significant opportunities for livelihood options to the people who depend on the resources from the forest and those who live in difficult terrains. This article analyses the socio-demographic, psychographic and travel behavior patterns and its sub-characteristics in the background of foreign and domestic tourists. The data source for the article has been obtained from a primary survey of 350 randomly chosen tourists, 175 each from domestic and foreign tourists, visiting Kerala’s ecotourists destinations during August-December 2010-11. Several socio-demographic, psychographic and life style factors have been identified based on the inference from field survey. There is considerable divergence in most of the factors identified in the case of domestic and international tourists. Post-trip attributes like satisfaction and intentions to return show that the ecotourism destinations in Kerala have significant potential that can help communities in the region.