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Overview

Research Works

The IMC Economic Research and Training Foundation (IMC-ERTF), the Research wing of the Indian Merchants’ Chamber, was established in 1959 as part of the Chamber’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations to promote Applied Economic Research and Training.

As the vibrant research wing of the IMC, the ERTF facilitates effective interface between Government, Business, Trade and Industry through organization of seminars and special training programmes on emerging economic issues.

With a view to promote holistic development of Trade, Commerce and Industry, the IMC-ERTF undertakes sponsored research, facilitates research and guides public policy on topics of public interest.

Though the IMC ERTF works independently, its strength is derived from its close association with the huge IMC membership of about 5,000 members and over three-dozen expert committees of the Chamber. This gives the ERTF access to ground level realities facing manufacturing, trade and services sectors.

Over the last one year, the IMC ERTF has embarked on a number of new activities. It e-mails analytical reporting of key news items to all its members daily. It also undertakes brainstorming sessions regularly on critical economic themes under the auspices of ‘The Viewpoint Hour’.

A number of its publications – ‘Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Its Contemporary Relevance’, “Introduction To Commodity Markets: Utilities And Opportunities’, ‘Liberalised Insurance: Surges Ahead’ etc have been well received. Besides, working papers and backgrounders for important seminars have been written on topical issues like ‘Making Mumbai a Financial Regional Hub’ and ‘Mumbai-Urbs Prima Indis’.

IMC ERTF is closely associated with the UNCTAD’s three years project on “Strategies and Preparedness for Trade and Globalisation in India for Textiles and Clothing sector” and has completed a comprehensive Documentation of the India Handloom Sector - “Geographical Mapping of Handloom producing areas in India and Documentation of product profile of Hand-Woven Products”. The ERTF is now given another market research study on the Indian Hand-Woven Textiles and Clothing Products under the UNCTAD project.

The IMC ERTF is, thus, embarking on a number of diverse activities and is aiming to create a special niche for itself in the world of research on commerce and industry.

During last year (2007-08), the ERTF, as part of IMC’s Centenary Celebrations has brought out three major research publications: “Reforms in Indian Higher Education”, “Corporate Initiatives in Rural and Agricultural Transformation” and “Supply Chain Management for Indian Agriculture”.

In the years ahead, the IMC ERTF proposes to become a reputed and recognized agency engaged in applied economic research, undertaking macro linked micro economic studies, particularly sponsored research. These studies would primarily aim at making Indian trade, commerce and industry globally competitive.

The IMC ERTF works under the expert guidance of its Co-Chairman Mr Tanil Kilachand, who is also past President, IMC.