Browsing by Author "Sequeira, A. H."

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Strategic Management in Centrally Funded Technical Institutions in India
(National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, 2014) T, Raghunadhan; Sequeira, A. H.
In a globalised economy, education is seen as a service that could be marketed worldwide. Universities and other institutions have to compete with each other to attract high quality students and academic staff across the globe. A good governance system helps to create a stimulating ecosystem to attract talented students and faculty and to motivate the latter through performance incentives structure. Examination of the competitive environment of the Institution is of special importance, while planning for the future. The studies resorting to strategic management suggested to improve education and to meet the challenges of the new millennium. Strategic management in public universities help top management to align its resources in the most efficient manner necessary for the attainment of strategic milestones and to stay competitive. In this situation, the research has been initiated with the objective of identifying strategic management practices in Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) in India. The study also focused to find out the impeders of strategy implementation and to evolve a strategic management model for CFTIs. The research method for this study has been carefully designed with a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design. Exploratory research design involved use of qualitative research method of in-depth interviews with educational experts, faculty and students has been instrumental in arriving at problem domain and the conceptual framework for the study, identifying research constructs and devising the survey questionnaires. Subsequently, descriptive approach has been applied using qualitative research method of survey. The survey of institutions and various stakeholders enabled the researcher to test the research framework empirically and to figure out the present level of strategic management practices in CFTIs, identifying the impeders in implementation of strategies. The research has been successful in devising a strategic management model for the CFTIs in India.
Structural Diversity of Campus Environments in Higher Technical Institutes: A Study on Undergraduate Students of Indian Institute(S) Technology and National Institute(S) Technology
(National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, 2018) Vijayalakshmi N. S; Sequeira, A. H.
The state of diversity at campus environments of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT’s) and National Institutes of Technology (NIT’s) for a variety of reasons has stifled to embrace on vivacity of adaptation. The undergraduate four-year B.Tech engineering students of higher technical institutions of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT’s) and National Institutes of Technology (NIT’s) aptly adjust and not sneeringly adapt to the established mechanisms of their campuses. The structural components of student diversity within each campus have a closure of differences existing on perceptive sub-environments of academic, social, physical – psychological and institutional environments operating within one whole of campus environment. This multitudinous nature of functioning of sub-environments has often bigoted by superficial numeric entity of expenditures alone in the sphere of higher education which immaculately threatens the virtual being of the powerful stakeholder – the student. The experiences of students in higher education is rote defined by semester, curriculum and grades achieved. The value–added perception that moulds up the student is intercepted by time spent ardently at campus environment. Thus the way students’ role has been defined in higher education relies on challenges versus the changes students face to counter their beliefs which have often remained estranged to be identified at campuses. This motivates the study to embed students’ individual experiences towards student satisfaction. The research envisages methodology of explanatory sequential mixed method research with deductive reasoning in the first phase of quantitative research that adopts probability sampling techniques of cluster, systematic and simple random sampling. The second phase of qualitative case study research enfolds inductive reasoning with non-probability sampling techniques of purposive and judgemental sampling. In enlisting the required information for quantitative data from the institutes’ questionnaires were administered. This data was tabulated and analysed quantitatively using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) followed with discriminant analysis and independent – t tests. Qualitatively a case study approach with semi structured interviews at one of the institutes were conducted and analysed using open, axial and hierarchical coding. The findings suggest that structural component of student adaptability to campus environments differ among the sub environments towards student satisfaction. This makes it vital to value structural diversity among students as it’s an interplay of heterogeneous group functioning in a perceived homogeneous campus environment. Further institutional commitment to diversity is encouraging having diversified effects not only on individual outcomes but also campus environment which furtherreinforces the benefits associated with diversity. Therefore, it is recommended to emphasise diversity in higher education policies with diversity management penetrating all areas of institutional life of a student. Moreover, diversity aspects remain less observed in Indian universities where there are variations in degree of intensity of campus adaptability at Indian higher technical educational institutions of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT’s) and National Institute of Technology (NIT’s). Consequently, there is a need to claim the continuing importance of affirmative action on diversity management in multicultural context by colleges and universities in India that could act as means of fostering students’ academic, social, physical – psychological and institutional growth across faculty – staff and other diversifications. Finally, the research asserts that engagement with diversity not only supports social justice, but also prepares students, faculty, staff, parents, government and society at large for ethical wellbeing in an interconnected world. Therefore, the study concludes by recommending that regular annual campus environment surveys at higher technical educational institutions could foster a new avenue for introspection on higher education to gather momentum on the less emphasised aspect of student satisfaction.
Women Entrepreneurs in Small and Medium Enterprises and their Access to Finance
(National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, 2017) Mendonca, Claret P. E.; Sequeira, A. H.
In developing countries most women are prisoners of their environment. They are placed in a situation, often not of their making, expected to adapt and fit into socially carved roles. But, paradoxically, because of education, exposure to the outside world, change in mindsets, have brought more and more women into entrepreneurship. Yet they are miniscule of the entrepreneurial population in India. In the 21st century women still face barriers regarding access to finance, access to networks, access to markets, access to technology which may be common to all entrepreneurs but women have to grapple with the additional burden of managing their homes with their businesses. As most women get their empowerment from fulfilling the social roles they are often not very interested in becoming entrepreneurs. Research indicates that in India it is often the need for survival, need to provide for their families or inability to find suitable employment drive women into entrepreneurship. The governments all over the world are looking at women entrepreneurship for boosting their economic growth as it is realized that it is a valuable resource having huge potential for nations. This study therefore focuses on women entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises, who go beyond themselves and create jobs, add value and show promise of growth. The literature on women entrepreneurship in India and around the world recognizes lack of access to finance as the major deterring factor. Hence, this study focuses on women entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their access to finance. The earlier research studies on women entrepreneurs in SMEs reiterates the significance of entrepreneurs characteristics, enterprises characteristics, institutions, policies and programs of the government, non-financial constraints faced by women in accessing bank finance, and not finding women entrepreneurs a profitable and productive segment. Hence, an attempt has been made with mixed methods approach to relate the above independent variables to the dependent variable access to bank finance. There are several myths undermining women entrepreneurs role in the development of the nation. Hence, their contribution to self, family, society and the economy was studied in-depth. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used. The study was cross-sectional innature and was limited to the state of Karnataka as promotion and development of industries is a state subject under the constitution of India. The study results support the hypotheses that characteristics of the women entrepreneurs, the enterprise characteristics, policies and programs of the government, non-financial constraints influence access to bank finance.