Shishir K Jha

The purpose of the paper is to address the strategic risk issues surrounding Hindi film distribution in Mumbai for a film distributor, who acts as an entrepreneur when launching a product (movie) in the market (film territory).The paper undertakes a fundamental review of films and risk in the Hindi film industry and applies Grounded Theory technique to understand the complex phenomena of risk taking behavior of the film distributors (both independent and studios) in Mumbai. Rich in-depth interviews with distributors are coded to develop core categories through constant comparison leading to conceptualization of the phenomena of interest. This paper is a first-of-its-kind-attempt to understand risk behavior of a distributor, which is akin to entrepreneurial risk behavior under conditions of uncertainty.

Purpose This paper aims to examine the strategic issues of risk for independent theatrical film distributors in the Hindi film industry in India. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted qualitative grounded theory approach to explore contextually relevant strategic issues of risk for independent theatrical film distributors. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with Hindi film distributors helped to gain explorative insights about the risk behaviour of film distributors operating in Mumbai “circuit”. Findings The findings suggest that risk faced by distributors is a function of product (film content) features, contractual terms, resources such as finance and strength of strategic alliances with the producers. The study develops a business risk model for the film distributors from a series of propositions. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature on motion picture industry by highlighting the importance of distribution risk in the film value chain.

Highlights: • We merge the circular economy concept, blockchain, and Ostrom’s framework; • We propose that MNEs change their business model to include dealing with their waste; • We advance a conceptual model with incentives and penalties using blockchain; • We develop a resources value loop that adds to the product life cycle theory; • We progress the circular economy by integrating it with emergent technologies. Abstract While a circular economy is increasingly being adopted in developed economies, with multinational corporations progressively adopting measures related to it, our knowledge of the reality in developing economies remains limited. Moreover, while new technologies, such as blockchain, might have important features that could impact circular economy frameworks, particularly in developing economies, their practical application remains to be seen, and academic literature is also scarce. This research addresses this gap and aims to provide conceptual clarity on how blockchains can be used in both circular and modified linear economy frameworks and the implications for social, environmental, and economic welfare. In order to do this, we have used two case studies from India to illustrate the application of this concept through a theoretical model based on Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom’s seminal work regarding the eight design principles involving people’s participation in protecting the commons. Merging the circular economy, blockchain, and Ostrom’s seminal work, we advance a conceptual framework that allows us, from a holistic perspective, to create incentives and penalties for the different agents involved in the waste cycle, including the producers.

Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to improve crop productivity, increase farm incomes, and alleviate food security concerns in India. Adoption of such technologies has resulted in the need for establishing biosafety regulatory systems to reduce and eliminate potential risks arising from agribiotechnology on plant, animal and human life, environment and biodiversity. As a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Protocol, India has taken the role of strengthening her biosafety system very seriously. In this paper, we have undertaken a comparative study of the existing national biosafety framework (NBF) in place in India, with the UNEP-GEF Framework implemented across 126 countries. On comparison with the UNEP-GEF Framework, the Indian experience has been admirable, but not without its own challenges. The purpose of this exercise is to identify challenges within the system, in an endeavour to transform the Indian biosafety regulatory system into a predictable, transparent and sustainable system.

Page 1. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal, Vol. 15(2), article 7. Linking Innovation Process to the Provisioning of Public Goods: The Case of Neglected Diseases Shishir K. Jha, Associate Professor skjha@iitb.ac.in ...

Using a hedonic pricing model (Reese, 2001; and Shepler, 2001) and hypothesis testing, this study shows whether and why the prices of college textbooks by university presses are high compared to the prices of college textbooks by commercial publishers, in the Indian market. The results underscore the uneasy dichotomy between the not-for-profit motive of university presses and the market need for affordable textbooks. As college textbooks become increasingly unaffordable for students due to high prices (Koch, 2006; Rotich, 2004), the publishing of scholarly books by university presses at the cost of textbooks (Thompson, 2005) would be a cause for concern.

Leninist organizations all over the world subscribe to the basic theoretical perspective entailed in organizational Leninism or democratic centralism. Through an extensive review of party journals complemented by field work in Patna, India, the author has made an extensive analysis and sought to theorize the specificity with which "The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Liberation" (or CPI(ML), Liberation) has negotiated between the democratic and the centralist elements between the years 1969-1995. The political experience of 'Bolshevism' has posed a stark problem for Leninist organizations all over the world. Can they overcome the problematic aspects of Leninism that contributed, arguably, to the collapse of the second world communist regimes? The close examination of CPI(ML), Liberation's organizational practices indicates that even though Liberation has experimented with various democratic strategies, it has not transcended the limitations of, wha...

Using a hedonic pricing model (Reese, 2001; and Shepler, 2001) and hypothesis testing, this study shows whether and why the prices of college textbooks by university presses are high compared to the prices of college textbooks by commercial publishers, in the Indian market. The results underscore the uneasy dichotomy between the not-for-profit motive of university presses and the market need for affordable textbooks. As college textbooks become increasingly unaffordable for students due to high prices (Koch, 2006; Rotich, 2004), the publishing of scholarly books by university presses at the cost of textbooks (Thompson, 2005) would be a cause for concern.

Access to cultural products across large sections of Indian society has traditionally been restricted as a result of relatively high monopoly prices and the exercise of strict copyright controls. Although this flaw in the conventional delivery model of the entertainment industry has lead to limited availability, it has also created an opportunity for new emerging firms such as Moser Baer. Moser Baer, an Indian multinational and a leader in storage media technologies, made a surprising move by entering the entertainment industry and has since contributed to a considerable restructuring of the industry's existing landscape. It has, through its proprietary and patented technology, significantly contributed to the radical lowering of storage media costs. The firm has subsequently licensed-in several hundred films, burnt and sold the contents on its inexpensive DVDs. By providing movie DVDs at a price that is the lowest in the world and distributing it to the remotest corner of the country using a multi-tiered distribution network, Moser Baer has almost single-handedly revolutionized access. We would like to examine through a case study how Moser Baer is able to create a unique strategy using technology, creative licensing strategies and an FMCG-like distribution channel as a differentiator to revolutionize access to films within India.