This issue deals with topics such as building a model for purchase
decision of laptops, halo effect in trust, assessing the performance of the
stakeholders of microfinance programs, motives behind the use of
social networking sites, and competency mapping and managing talent.
The laptop industry is booming in India and this has attracted major
players. The advent of new technologies, available at a cheaper rate, also augurs
well for the consumers. Subhasis Ray, in the research paper, "Building a Model
for Purchase Decision of Laptops and Price-Performance Analysis of Major
Players", discusses the present usage pattern, extracting factors that influence
the consumers' buying decisions and their relative importance. The author
also conducts a top-of-the-mind recall analysis to observe the present positioning
of various laptop brands. A comparative analysis has been done to know the
price-performance of various brands with respect to chosen configuration.
The author validates the model for customer purchase decision and also
suggests strategies for the model.
Trust-literature considers goodwill trust and competence trust as two
distinct types of trust. Many well-known scholars have mentioned the two bases of
trust as being different. However, the veracity of this distinction does not seem to
have been addressed by researchers. R C Natarajan, in the research paper, "Halo
Effect in Trust", suggests an experiment to test whether the two types of trust
are indeed distinct. The results suggest that they are very highly and
positively related, and hence, not distinct. The principal's perception of an
agent's trustworthiness does not seem distinctly clear-cut as competence-based
or goodwill-based, despite scholars' mentioning them as different. The paper
offers a plausible explanation through the concept of `halo-effect'. The author also
says that management practice lies in bringing out the presence of halo effect in
trust that may well indicate the possible wastage of resources in superfluous
controls and/or the failure to implement appropriate controls required.
V R Nedunchezian and N Sivasankaran, in the research article, "Assessing
the Performance of the Stakeholders of Microfinance Programs", discuss the need
for identification of the stakeholders of the microfinance programs,
besides suggesting a list of parameters to be considered in assessing the
performance of these stakeholders. The stakeholders of the microfinance industry include
the below poverty line families, the micro financial institutions, the affinity groups,
the mainstream financial institutions, the regulatory authorities and the
companies which avail the benefits by linking their businesses to the microcredit channels.
Social networking sites are web-based services which allow individuals
to create profiles, articulate and communicate with others. A social networking
site emphasizes relationship initiation, often among strangers. It has evolved as
a combination of personalized media experience within the social context
of participation. Kartikeya P Bolar, in the research paper, "Motives Behind the
Use of Social Networking Sites: An Empirical Study", identifies seven motives
behind the use of social networking sites and discusses factors such as frequency of
use and the influence of social networking sites on the lives of users.
The performance of companies depends mostly on the quality of their
human resource. For obvious economic and business reasons, organizations have
always been concerned about the competence of its people. Farah Naqvi, in the
research paper, "Competency Mapping and Managing Talent", seeks to delve deeper
into the concept of competency, tracing its history and role in the present
context. The paper explains how the concept has constantly evolved over the years,
and its applications in human resource management and development in the
present scenario. The author also discusses its future prospects in the light of
other emerging areas like talent management.
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T R K Rao
Consulting
Editor
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