Public policy, in simple language, means what the Government
does and what it does not. The concerns of the people get articulated through
several means, such as political campaigns, media reports, agitations etc. On
the other hand, public policy that gets effective shape, continue to influence
the lives of its subjects. Therefore, public policy is both a cause and
consequence that defines the day- to- day lives of people. For ISED, public
policy is a key theme of its research and practice. As such, it has produced a
number of titles in this subject area. More......
Gender and Development
It is now a well- recognized fact that gender- balancing is
crucial from the angles of productivity, economic growth, and social progress.
Following the International Women’s Year (1975), gender mainstreaming has taken
a prominent place both in the theory and practice of development. ISED is participant
to this mainstreaming and has, in the process, produced a number of titles.
Local Economic Development
While globalization is a key reality that influences the day-
to- day lives of millions of people around world today, the latest global trend
is towards a boost to local economic development. ISED has its contribution to
both theory and practice of local economic development, and such activities are
coordinated by a specialized Center of the Institute, called ‘Center for Globalization
and Local Economic Development’. Please find some of our titles in this area.
Trade, Technology and Globalization
Trade and technology transfer are the most striking aspects
of the economics of globalization. These aspects also influence the relative
benefits of countries in a globalizing world. ISED has undertaken several
studies and initiatives in this area, leading to an array of titles.
Annual MSME Reporting
ISED considers ‘communication’ as a vital link in the process
of nurturing a vibrant MSME constituency. Communication, to the Institute,
means both reporting and stake holder interactions. The Institute’s flag ship programme, called ‘India MSME Communication Programme’ brings out several titles every year. Of
these, the ‘India MSME Report’ series, and the’ IMCP National Report’ series
stand out.
Finance and Development
Finance is the jugular vein of any economic activity, and
especially for micro, small and medium enterprises. An understanding of this
critical role has resulted in a variety of initiatives, around the world,
ranging from micro finance upto venture finance. The Institute’s initiatives
and interventions in the subject area, has resulted in a number of titles by
the ISED Book shop.
Business Associations
In the emerging world economic order, there is a new role for
membership associations and chambers of businesses. While, in the past, these Associations
were considered essentially in terms of their lobbying roles, in the emerging
business environment, they can and need to perform a more constructive role, as
providers of business development services. ISED, on its own and in
co-operation with several international organizations and Business Schools,
have conducted studies and other initiatives relating to this vital
constituency. These studies enable researchers and practitioners to understand
the present and potential role of Associations and Chambers.
Regional Spotlight on MSMEs
In India, micro, small and medium enterprises is a subject in
the Concurrent List of the Constitution, and therefore, the Union and State
governments have their role in legislation and design of programmes. Beyond
this, MSMEs is essentially a regional subject, as they cater to the regions and
local people. ISED has, to its credit, a number of studies and initiatives in
the subject area.
Entrepreneurship
ISED stands for “sustainable development through enterprise”.
In a ‘sustainable development’ agenda, it is the creative role of people that
drives economic progress. Unleashing this drive, called “entrepreneurship”, is
the king- pin of economic development. Understanding this latent power of
individuals and communities is crucial. ISED has conducted a number of studies
and programmes that relate to the theory and practice of entrepreneurship. More......
The new paradigm of Enterprise development has at its centre, the question of sustainability. Sustainability implies, not only the economic and social aspects, but more importantly, it is also a question of how we deal with the environment. It is essentially a question of how business is done, and the way it impacts on our environment. Hence, preserving and sustaining energy, which is the jugular vein of Industry, as also, the approaches by which the dimension of energy is built into the way business is done, are crucial concerns. ISED has initiated several studies on energy and green business at the regional national and international contexts, and has produced several titles of general as well as MSME specific interest. More….
Responsible Business
In the modern world, the focus of business is not simply on making profits, but also, the way profit is being made. The old concept of the corporation, having the sole objective of profit maximization, is gone. Today, sustainability of business is the starting point of debates on business objectives as such. Against this paradigm shift, it is important for all types of businesses, to introspect on how they have dealt with the ‘triple bottom line’. Have they given fair wages to their workers? Have they destroyed the environment or not? Have they done justice to the community which allowed them to function? The answer to these questions tell them, how socially responsible they are. Starting from the corporation, down to the micro enterprises, the core principles remain the same. However, the question relates to policy and strategies. ISED, having a separate centre for responsible business, has the expertise and resources to educate and sensitize on this subject area. It has also produced several titles of related interest. More…
Micro Small and Medium Enterprises is an area
of extensive policy and academic interest for the last 60 years or so. However,
it has become an area of active international interest for the last two
decades. While the subject was just confined to the limited areas of poverty
removal and employment generation in the developing countries, today both the
developed and developing countries dig deep into the subject in relation to its
various dimensions. It is no more an issue of regional development; it is part
of the international development dialogue today. ISED has been party to this
dialogue for the last two decades, and has contributed, though in a limited
way, to these debates. In the process, it has brought out several titles of
related interest. More…
Social Enterprises
The
conventional understanding of business is limited to the interest and concerns
of the entrepreneur, and marginally, to the government as well. There has been
a significant shift in the thinking on the role of business during the last
couple of years. Enterprise development today is not simply the concern of the
entrepreneur and the government. It is an active area of interest for the
society. Of late, the concept of social enterprise has come to the main stream
of academic and policy debates at the international level, though in India,
such debates are more recent. ISED has produced several titles on social
enterprises and related areas. More....
Business Strategies
The
leading management schools of the world teach and train on business strategies.
But these are largely confined to the context of the corporate sector. For
Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, strategy is often close to the chest of the
entrepreneur himself, and very often not discussed outside the four walls of
his office. The subject however is of significant interest not only to the
entrepreneur, but to the society as a whole, as enterprises at the bottom of
the pyramid form the very foundation and mainstay of most economies of the
world today. Based on its research, training and advisory interventions, ISED
has brought out several titles in this area. More…..
Other Studies