A simple and economic synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones using pyridinium triflate as catalyst under microwave condition was attempted with an easy work-up protocol. Further tetrazolo [1,5-a] pyrimidine-6-carboxylates were synthesized by three-component coupling reaction of B-ketoesters with a mixture of aromatic aldehyde and 5-aminotetrazole. The products were well characterized with IR, NMR (1H and 13C NMR) and mass spectrometry.

This paper investigates the relation between stock liquidity and firm performance. Liquidity plays an important role on performance of firms listed in Stock Exchange. When there is a good flow of trading stocks, people could expect more financing through absorbing investors on the market. This study examines the relationship between stock market liquidity and firm performance. The sample of the study was the continuously NSE listed top ten indices over the period 2005-2014. To check the relationship between stock market liquidity and firm performance, the ordinary least sequence and general linear models were applied on Gretl and SPSS, respectively. The results of this study showed positive relationship between independent variables, return and age on dependent variable Tobin’s Q. Further relationship between stock market liquidity and firm performance was also check and it was found that stock market liquidity was correlated with higher firm performance as measured by Tobin’s Q.

Reverse logistics plays a very critical role in the overall strategy of a business and hence need to be very effective in meeting its objectives. Studies have come up with various insights to optimize reverse logistics arrangements within a specific industry or a sector, but presently there is no study which provides an approach to share knowledge drawn out of reverse logistics arrangements, across dissimilar industries and sectors. Such a study is significant because the response to a reverse logistics arrangement is not uniform in an industry or sector in all the countries, due to different market maturity levels, dissimilar consumer behaviour, and the state of the economy itself. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a guide for logistics planners through which they can utilize the learning outcomes that emerge from dissimilar industries or sectors within the same economy also. The research findings show that the reverse logistics arrangements can be categorised into various types on the basis of origin and reason for return. It is shown that the products with dissimilar characteristics can be grouped together into six types depending on the common supply chain member interests. Further, the reverse logistics arrangements change from one type to another as a product moves across its life stages. It highlights an approach using which the knowledge drawn from a reverse logistics type in one sector/industry can be applied to the same type in another sector/industry, by focusing on the product types, whose return share similar supply chain member interests. Logistics network planners can apply the insights that have emerged from this analysis to effectively design reverse logistics channels.

The popularity of Six Sigma, as a means for improving quality, has grown exponentially in recent years. It is a proven methodology to achieve breakthrough improvement in process performance that generates significant savings to bottom line of an organization. This paper illustrates how Six Sigma methodology may be used to improve service processes. The purpose of this paper is to develop Six Sigma DMAIC methodologies that would help service organizations look into their processes. In addition, it demonstrates the vital linkages between process improvement and process variation. The study identifies critical process parameters and suggests a team structure for Six Sigma project in service operations.

A series of novel metal complexes containing metal atoms such as Zn, Co, Cu, Cd, Ni, Mg and Sn have been synthesized from 3-(1,3-benzoxazol-2-yl)naphthalen-2-ol. The synthesized ligand was well characterized by IR, 1H-NMR and mass spectrometry. The electrochemical properties were studied by cyclic voltammetric analysis. The synthesized complexes are fluorescent and absorb in the range of 317 to 323 nm while emit in the range of 371 to 416 nm with good quantum yield. All metal complexes show significant in vitro antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus strains and in vitro antifungal activity against C. albicans and A. niger strains by using serial dilution method. The antibacterial activities were expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in ?g/mL.

With globalization, sweeping technological development, and increasing competition, customers are placing greater demands on manufacturers to increase quality, flexibility, on time delivery of product and less cost. Therefore, manufacturers must develop and maintain a high degree of coherence among competitive priorities, order winning criteria and improvement activities. Thus, the production managers are making an attempt to transform their organization by adopting familiar and beneficial management philosophies like cellular manufacturing (CM), lean manufacturing (LM), green manufacturing (GM), total quality management (TQM), agile manufacturing (AM), and just in time manufacturing (JIT). The main objective of this paper is to propose an optimal assembly method for an engine manufacturer’s assembly line in India. Currently, the Indian manufacturer is following traditional assembly method where the raw materials for assembly are kept along the sideways of conveyor line. It consumes more floor space, more work in process inventory, more operator's walking time and more operator's walking distance per day. In order to reduce the above mentioned wastes, lean kitting assembly is suggested by some managers. Another group of managers suggest JIT assembly as it consumes very less inventory cost compared to other types of assembly processes. Hence, a Multi-attribute decision making model namely analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to analyse the alternative assembly methods based on various important factors.

Historically, cash dividends are the most important form of payout policy; however, they have been losing popularity relative to share repurchases. This paper examines the signaling effect of the payout decisions namely, cash dividends and share repurchases by BSE 500 index companies. It attempts to uncover the underlying forces behind the firm’s choices of payout policy in the Indian context. Using the standard ‘Event Standard Methodology’, a strong case of positive signaling is reported in case of repurchase announcements vis-a-vis cash dividend announcements. It is observed that cash dividends are not perceived by investors as positive signals as they prefer their earnings to be retained by the companies for growth prospects. In case of share repurchases, the existence of undervaluation, signaling and wealth transfer hypotheses is reported, consistent with the fact the share repurchases are welcomed by the Indian companies. The results would provide insights into the economics of the choice between cash dividends versus share repurchases as payout mechanism adopted by the sample companies. The findings would also be useful to the academia as well as industry in understanding the payout practice and the extent to which the Indian managers use the assumptions, models and decision rules regarding payout.