Proposal for X Plan Grants for setting up a Research Facility
1. Name of the Faculty Member: Dr. Parameshwar P. Iyer
2. Research Area
: Knowledge – Based Project Systems Design
and Analysis (KBPSDA)
3. Research Relevance to IISc: A brief outline of the proposed research area and
the proposed facility is given in the following paragraphs:
3.1 Introduction:
India’s XI Five Year Plan is expected to call for an expenditure of over Rs.15,00,000
crores in industry, and another Rs. 4,00,000 crores in infrastructure. For several
decades now, India’s Plan expenditure has occurred through thousands of projects,
which have unfortunately often been plagued by cost over-runs and delays in
completion. Various estimates of cost over-runs due to longer elapsed time in
completing projects have added between 15 to 50 per cent of the estimated costs of
these projects. We believe, as do many other researchers and project professionals,
that the key to tackling such “chronic” problems is to improve the quality of project
planning, project management, and project monitoring; It is also postulated that
developing competencies and skills in Knowledge – Based Project Systems Design
and Analysis (KBPSDA) will go a long way in managing national projects in a more
scientific and rational way.
3.2 Proposed Research:
The areas of concern that will be addresses in the proposed research in this area of
KBPSDA are as follows:
3.2.1 How can basic concepts of systems dynamics, such as bond graph techniques,
be brought into developing a better holistic understanding of the dynamics of
complex, mega projects?
3.2.2 How can the knowledge, so developed, be meaningfully institutionalized, and
the lessons learnt be shared across all stake-holders?
3.2.3 Can we use Information Technology and Knowledge Management, along with
the basic concepts of Systems Dynamics, to better design and analyze large
national projects, such as in power, health, and infrastructure sectors?
3.3Setting up the Research Facility:
In terms of the infrastructure that needs to be created for commencing this area of
research, considerable facilities will be required in hardware, software, and learning
resources that will be partly available, and partly needs to be synthesized. To start
with, the following facilities will be immediately required to kick-start the proposed
work:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Multi media server, with associated software (for learning lab)
Industry Intelligence Reports for Mega Project Sectors
Economic Databases for Power and Health Sector Projects
Minor infrastructure requirements for KBPSDA Lab
4. Budget:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Multi media server, with associated software (for learning lab): Rs. 3 lakhs;
Industry Intelligence Reports for Mega Project Sectors:
Rs. 2.5 lakhs;
Economic Databases for Power and Health Sector Projects:
Rs. 2.0 lakhs; and
Minor infrastructure requirements for KBPSDA Lab:
Rs. 1.0 lakh
Total Estimated Funds Required: Rs. 8.5 lakhs
5. Operation:
It is expected that this research facility will be operated and maintained in the Department
of Management Studies at IISc. Initially, the facility will be created as an IISc Facility,
but we hope to make this a significant National Facility in the years to come. We are
simultaneously seeking financial support from industry (in the form of a Consultancy
Project from NTPC), and will soon prepare a formal Research Project proposal for
Government-agency funding as well
6. Past Funds Received, if any:
So far, no funds have been received from IISc for this research facility. However, a
separate application has been recently made to the Director, IISc, seeking a Special Grant
to initiate this research area, as the faculty member concerned has recently joined the
Department of Management Studies as a Full Time Faculty. We have received partial
finance assistance in the form of a couple of Consultancy Projects, chiefly a grant from
the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC), for carrying out a Study to
Strengthen and Restructure the R&D Center at NTPC. Soon, a formal proposal will also
be submitted to a Government funding agency for a Sponsored Research Project.
Date:
Signature of Faculty Member