Institute of Management Technology

Agricultural productivity is something on which economy highly depends. This is the one of the reasons that disease detection in plants plays an important role in agriculture field, as having disease in plants are quite natural. If proper care is not taken in this area then it causes serious effects on plants and due to which respective product quality, quantity or productivity is affected. For instance a disease named little leaf disease is a hazardous disease found in pine trees in United States. Detection of plant disease through some automatic technique is beneficial as it reduces a large work of monitoring in big farms of crops, and at very early stage itself it detects the symptoms of diseases i.e. when they appear on plant leaves. This paper presents an algorithm for image segmentation technique which is used for automatic detection and classification of plant leaf diseases. It also covers survey on different diseases classification techniques that can be used for plant leaf disease detection. Image segmentation, which is an important aspect for disease detection in plant leaf disease, is done by using genetic algorithm.

Tomato is the most popular crop in the world and in every kitchen, it is found in different forms irrespective of the cuisine. After potato and sweet potato, it is the crop which is cultivated worldwide. India ranked 2 in the production of tomato. However, the quality and quantity of tomato crop goes down due to the various kinds of diseases. So, to detect the disease a deep learning-based approach is discussed in the article. For the disease detection and classification, a Convolution Neural Network based approach is applied. In this model, there are 3 convolution and 3 max pooling layers followed by 2 fully connected layer. The experimental results shows the efficacy of the proposed model over pre-trained model i.e. VGG16, InceptionV3 and MobileNet. The classification accuracy varies from 76% to 100% with respect to classes and average accuracy of the proposed model is 91.2% for the 9 disease and 1 healthy class.

Type-2 diabetes is a major, non-communicable disease with increasing prevalence at a global level. Type-2 diabetes results when the body does not make enough insulin or the body cannot use the insulin it produces. Type-2 diabetes is the leading cause of premature deaths. Improperly managed, it can lead to a number of health issues, including heart diseases, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage, leg and foot amputations, and death. Type-2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes is most common type of diabetes, usually begins when a person is in his or her mid-50s, but diabetes is not inevitable. Minor changes in your lifestyle can greatly reduce your chances of getting this disease. Therefore, in order to prevent this condition, action should be taken regarding the modifiable factors that influence its development-lifestyle and dietary habits. However, with proper testing, treatment and lifestyle changes, healthy eating as a strategy, promote walking, exercise, and other physical activities have beneficial effects on human health and prevention or treatment of diabetes, promoting adherence to this pattern is of considerable public health importance.

ABSTRACT This study explores the relationship between CEO demographic characteristics and consistency in corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance among firms. The sample is based on results from major ranking agencies between 2005 and 2010. A total of 661 firms were included in the sample with 392 observations in total. The results indicate that firms' CSR performance, as measured by the consistency of their CSR rankings, is associated with their CEOs' educational specializations in Master's‐level business administration (MBA) and science (MSc). In addition, CEO tenure and gender are shown to affect firms' CSR performance. Furthermore, a firm's number of employees also has a significant relationship with its CSR performance. The results are encouraging for supporting universities' efforts to integrate CSR issues into their curricula. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

The world is battling COVID-19 and economies across the globe have declared a lockdown. Work from home (WFH) has become the norm, especially for service organizations. Following government instructions, even the academic institutions had to shut down temporarily, affecting academic delivery. Thus, they had to find new alternatives to academic delivery, and virtual classes were the way forward. In the present paper, we attempted to study the impact of lockdown on the teaching – learning process. The objective of the study was to assess the adoption rate for virtual classes and to determine the various benefits, challenges, and reasons for non - adoption of virtual classes. The study considered responses from 341 teachers of higher education institutions (HEIs) of Ghaziabad region. The study was divided into two parts. One set of respondents were those who adopted virtual classrooms and another set that did not adopt virtual classrooms. Descriptive statistics and t - test were performed to analyze the data collected through primary sources. Among those who adopted virtual mode, the mean of actual benefits was significantly less than the mean of expected benefits. Network issues, lack of training, and lack of awareness were stated to be the major challenges faced by them. Lack of awareness was stated to be the most important reason by those who did not adopt virtual classrooms followed by lack of interest and doubts regarding the usefulness of virtual classes. Less attendance, lack of personal touch, and lack of interaction due to connectivity issues were found to be the significant drawbacks of virtual classes. The study also suggested the ways to overcome the above challenges, drawbacks, and reasons behind non - adoption of virtual classes.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship as well as the impact of leadership styles on knowledge management practices in a software firm in India. Design/methodology/approach The research involved collection of quantitative data on leadership styles and knowledge management practices by using two psychometric instruments, namely organizational leadership questionnaire and knowledge management assessment tool. The survey consisted of 331 knowledge workers working for a software firm in India who had a minimum of one year of working experience in the organization. The data which were collected underwent statistical treatment to obtain the results for the stated objectives of the study. Findings The research findings indicate directive as well as supportive styles of leadership to be significantly and negatively associated with the art of knowledge management practices. It also depicts that consulting and delegating styles of leadership are positively and significantly related with managing knowledge in a software organization. Finally, only the delegating mode of leadership behaviors was found to be significantl in predicting creation as well as management of knowledge for competitive advantage in software firms in India. Research limitations/implications There are a few limitations which may affect the scope of the study. First, the study was conducted in only one software firm situated in the national capital territory of India. Hence, blanket generalization of the findings of the study to each and every software firm in India should be done with caution. Second, it was leadership styles alone more than any other variable which was taken to study its impact on knowledge management processes and practices. Therefore, it is suggested that future research, if any, in the area of knowledge management should take note of these two important limitations for the benefits of the industry as a whole. Practical implications The research investigation offers several recommendations/suggestions for helping knowledge workers as well as top management to design and implement knowledge management architecture for organizational excellence. Originality/value The paper offers unique empirical directions to manage knowledge in a software company in India. As there is a dearth of empirical research in the area of knowledge management in India, the empirical evidence obtained in this paper will be of use to organizations wanting to become knowledge management companies.

Cosmeceuticals are the fastest growing segment of the personal care industry, and a number of topical cosmeceutical treatments for conditions such as photoaging, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and hair damage have come into widespread use. In the cosmeceutical arena nanotechnology has played an important role. Using new techniques to manipulate matter at an atomic or molecular level, they have been at the root of numerous innovations, opening up new perspectives for the future of cosmeceutical industry. Nanotechnology-based cosmeceuticals offer the advantage of diversity in products, and increased bioavailability of active ingredients and increase the aesthetic appeal of cosmeceutical products with prolonged effects. However increased use of nanotechnology in cosmeceuticals has raised concern about the possible penetration of nanoparticles through the skin and potential hazards to the human health. This review outlines the different nanoparticles used in various classes of cosmeceuticals, nanotechnology-based cosmeceutical products present in the market, and the potential risk caused by nanoparticles on exposure and recent regulatory steps taken to overcome them.

Purpose Providing high-quality e-banking services is considered a basic strategy for attracting and retaining customers with electronic-banking platforms. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate a comprehensive moderated mediated mechanism for enhancing customer loyalty toward e-banking platforms via e-banking service quality (EBSQ) practices. Reliability, website design, privacy and security and customer service and support are the dimensions of EBSQ. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through structured questionnaires from a sample of 1,028 e-banking users in India. To test the hypotheses, a structural equation modeling approach was used. Findings The findings showed that of the EBSQ dimensions, reliability along with privacy and security enhanced customer loyalty to e-banking. The initial trust in e-banking mediates the effects of EBSQ dimensions on customer loyalty except for website design. The mediation effects of initial trust varied between high and low-involved consumers. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted with e-banking users in one country using cross-sectional data. Hence, the model should be replicated among e-banking users in other countries and with the longitudinal data. Practical implications Establishing a loyal customer base is an important goal for banks. This study demonstrates which specific EBSQ dimensions banks should emphasize to enhance consumers’ initial trust and loyalty toward e-banking services. Originality/value This study suggests a moderated mediated mechanism for enhancing customer loyalty to e-banking, which incorporates initial trust as a mediator and consumer involvement as a moderator. It applies cognitive-motivation-relational theory to link EBSQ dimensions with customer loyalty. Thus, this study enables a better understanding of this theory in the e-banking context.

Agriculture is the basis of every economy worldwide. Crop production is one of the major factors affecting domestic market condition in any country. Agricultural production is also a major prerequisite of economic development, be it any part of any country. It plays a crucial role as it even provides raw material, employment and food to different citizens. A lot of issues are responsible for estimated crop production varying in different parts of the world. Some of these include overutilization of chemical fertilizers, presence of chemicals in water supply, uneven distribution of rainfall, different soil fertility and others. Other than these issues one of the commonly faced challenges across the globe equally includes destruction of the major part of production due to diseases. After providing effective resources to the fields, major section of the production is diminished by the presence of diseases in the plants grown. This leads to focus on effective ways of detection of disease in plants. Presence of various diseases in plant is a major concern among farmers. Plant diseases acts as a major threat to small scale farmers as they lead to major destruction in overall food supply. To provide effective measures for detection and avoidance of the destruction requires an early identification of type of plant disease present. In recent time major work is being done for the identification of plant disease presents in varied parts of the world affection varied crops. Major work is being done in the domain of identification of causing factors of these diseases. Some of the diseases are marked by the presence of viruses while some are resultant of fungal infection. This becomes a major issue when the causing factor is not traceable before it has already spread to major production section. This paper brings a review on effective use of different imaging techniques and computer vision approaches for the identification and classification of plant diseases. Detection of Plant disease is initiated with image acquisition followed by pre-processing while using the process of segmentation. It is further accompanied by different techniques used for feature extraction along with classification. In this Paper we present the Current Trends and Challenges for detection of plant disease using computer vision and advance imaging technique.

ABSTRACT International luxury businesses are challenged by the identification and satisfaction of the common needs and desires of global market segments. Although luxury goods have become available to a wider range of consumers, the traditional conspicuous consumption model has been transformed into a new experiential luxury sensibility that is marked by a change in the way that consumers define luxury. Based on an empirical study in collaboration with American, European, and Asian researchers, the results provide evidence that consumers in various parts of the world purchase or wish to purchase luxury products for varied reasons but that such consumers generally possess similar values. Regardless of their countries of origin, the basic motivational drivers of luxury consumers are similar among the financial, functional, personal, and social dimensions of luxury value perceptions, although the relative importance of these dimensions varies.

Microbes are unique creatures that adapt to varying lifestyles and environment resistance in extreme or adverse conditions. The genetic architecture of microbe may bear a significant signature not only in the sequences position, but also in the lifestyle to which it is adapted. It becomes a challenge for the society to find new chemical entities which can treat microbial infections. The present review aims to focus on account of important chemical moiety, that is, pyrimidine and its various derivatives as antimicrobial agents. In the current studies we represent more than 200 pyrimidines as antimicrobial agents with different mono-, di-, tri-, and tetrasubstituted classes along with in vitro antimicrobial activities of pyrimidines derivatives which can facilitate the development of more potent and effective antimicrobial agents.

Purpose Rapid innovation and globalization have generated tremendous opportunities and choices in the marketplace for firms and customers. Competitive pressures have led to sourcing and manufacturing on a global scale resulting in a significant increase in products. The paper tries to identify the need for real time business intelligence (BI) in supply chain analytics. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides argument and analysis of the advantages and hurdles in BI. Findings The paper focuses on the necessity to revisit the traditional BI concept that integrates and consolidates information in an organization in order to support firms that are service oriented and seeking customer loyalty and retention. Enhancing effectiveness and efficiency of supply chain analytics using a BI approach is a critical component in a company's ability to achieve its competitive advantage. Originality/value This paper furthers understanding of the issues surrounding the use of BI systems in supply chains.

Perilla frutescens seeds are a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The seeds of perilla are small end globular weight about 4 g/1000, contained approximately 35-45% oil. However the leaves are a very poor source of oil, since they contain only 0.2%. In addition, only the seed oil contains the omega 3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). In comparing to other plant oils, perilla seed oil consistently contains the one of the highest proportion of omega-3 (ALA) fatty acids, at 54-64%. The omega-6 (linoleic acid) component is usually around 14% and omega-9 (Oleic acid) is also present in perilla oil. These polyunsaturated fatty acids are most beneficial to human health and in prevention of different diseases like cardiovascular disorders, cancer, inflammatory, rheumatoid arthritis etc.

Oral cancer is one of the highly prevalent cancers worldwide and a leading cause of mortality in certain regions like South-Central Asia. It is a major public health problem. Late diagnosis, high mortality rates and morbidity are characteristics of the disease worldwide. For control of oral cancer an idea of the coverage of the same in the various regions is necessary. The estimated incidence, mortality and 5-year survival due to lip, oral cavity cancer in world is 3, 00, 373(2.1%), 1, 45, 328(1.8%) and 7, 02, 149(2.2%) respectively according to data of GLOBOCAN 2012. A changing trend in incidence and prevalence of oral cancer has been observed with more women and youngsters being affected by oral cancer.

Manufacturers of LCD-TV tend to focus on technology with little consideration for customer needs. We have researched customer behaviour in order to learn more about customer needs in an effort to reduce the gap between technology and customer needs. Customer behaviour is defined in this study as buying behaviour. The traditional concept of marketing strategy is not multi-dimensional, so we employed the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. The DEMATEL method is used to detect customer buying-decision-factors. The relative relationship supports strategic planning in actual situations and the competitive environment. Results show that customer buying-factors include price, quality, resolution of kinescope, low radiation, and the relationship between these factors. Quality is a powerful factor affecting others, with advertising as a prime example. The marketing strategy planning framework is proposed according to the relationship of decision factors. This study provides relationships and marketing strategy planning for firms in the LCD-TV market to meet customer needs.

Purpose Taking into consideration external (technology acceptance factors, website service quality) as well as internal (specific holdup cost) factors, this paper aims to explore how internet customer satisfaction and loyalty can be associated with each other and how they are affected by these dynamics. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts structural equation modelling (SEM) as the main analytical tool. It investigates the shopping experiences of users of the major shopping websites of Taiwan. Findings The research results point to the following: first, customer e‐satisfaction will positively influence customer e‐loyalty directly; second, technology acceptance factors will positively influence customer e‐satisfaction and e‐loyalty directly; third, website service quality can positively influence customer e‐satisfaction and e‐loyalty directly; and fourth, specific holdup cost can positively influence customer e‐loyalty directly, but cannot positively influence customer e‐satisfaction directly. Originality/value This paper draws on the research results for implications for shopping website management and design, then suggests some ways to enhance performance for the website shopping industry.

Purpose – Based on the agency theory, the purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of capital structure choice on firm performance in India as one of the emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach – Fixed effect panel regression model is used to analyse ten years of data (2003-2012) on the sample units, to find the relation between leverage and firm performance after controlling for factors such as size, age, tangibility, growth, liquidity and advertising. Findings – Empirical results suggest that leverage has a negative influence on financial performance of Indian firms, which is in contrast with the assumptions of agency theory as commonly received and accepted in other developed as well as emerging economies. Consequently, postulates of agency theory have to be seen with different perspective in India given the underdeveloped nature of bond markets and dominance of state-owned banks in lending to corporate sector. Practical implications – The findings of the paper will enable the practitioners and analysts to understand as to why, in the bank-dominated debt financing system in India, leverage is negatively associated with firm performance. Originality/value – The results of the study enrich the literature on capital structure and agency costs issues in several ways.

The heterocyclic fused rings quinazoline and quinazolinone have drawn a huge consideration owing to their expanded applications in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry. Quinazoline and quinazolinone are reported for their diversified biological activities and compounds with different substitutions bring together to knowledge of a target with understanding of the molecule types that might interact with the target receptors. Quinazolines and quinazolinones are considered as an important chemical for the synthesis of various physiological significance and pharmacological utilized molecules. Quinazolines and quinazolinone are a large class of biologically active compounds that exhibited broad spectrum of biological activities such as anti-HIV, anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, antimutagenic, anticoccidial, anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antimalarial, antioxidant, antileukemic, and antileishmanial activities and other activities. Being considered as advantaged scaffold, the alteration is made with different substituent.

The purpose of this study is to explore how different dimensions of online convenience impact mobile banking (m-banking) adoption intention. The findings from 432 banking users show that access convenience, transaction convenience, and possession/post-possession convenience predict m-banking adoption intention, with the chief driver being the possession/post-possession convenience. Further, results suggest that the intention to adopt m-banking leads to m-banking adoption and usage. These findings offer unique insights to banks about how to make m-banking platforms more convenient for enhancing the pace of m-banking adoption intention and usage. This study also makes several contributions to the mobile commerce and online convenience literature.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship among job involvement, organizational commitment, team commitment and professional commitment and to explore generational differences for these variables. Design/methodology/approach – It used structured questionnaire survey approach for which data were collected from 477 full-time employees of 13 organizations from diverse sectors in India. Respondents were categorized into four generational cohorts following the classification reported in Robbins et al. (2011). Findings – The findings of the study indicated that professional commitment is negatively related with job involvement, affective organizational commitment, normative organizational commitment, and team commitment. Job involvement, affective and normative organizational commitment, and team commitment were positively correlated. Differences were observed among Generation Y, Generation X, Liberals, and Socialist for job involvement, affective organizational commitment, normative organizational commitment, professional commitment, and team commitment. Generation Y, for example, was found high in professional commitment, while Socialist were found higher on affective organizational commitment compared to other generations. Practical implications – Findings suggests that there is a decrease in job involvement, affective organizational commitment, normative organizational commitment, and increase in professional commitment in young generations. Organizations need to take consideration this while designing the HR policies for employees’ engagement. Originality/value – The contribution of the study lies in examining the employees’ attitude to different dimensions of work life and differences among Indian generations.