New Publication by Dr. Debabrata Ghosh: A Case in Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies

08 Aug 17

A case study coauthored by Dr. Debabrata Ghosh was recently accepted for publication by the Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies. This case describes the initiative of the Magistrate of Noida District in West Bengal, India to make the district “open defecation free,” which is a major problem in India where 600 million people defecate openly in public. The case details how inclusion of local communities, civil society organizations, and other formal institutions support the process of social transformation.

The case explores how to create change through large government machinery and details the conceptualization and execution of the complex Sabar Shouchagar Project which involved a loose coalition of various state programs and civil society organizations. The case also provides crucial insights into how recognition of the cultural and social aspects of a problem is crucial for mobilizing change. The case lends a managerial perspective to understanding how the state acts as a change agent and poses questions on the continuity of such large scale transformation projects beyond the tenure of the District Magistrate and on the replicability of such an ambitious project in other regions

Reference: Vijay, D. & Ghosh, D. (forthcoming). “The Sabar Shouchagar Project (Toilets for Everyone): Making Nadia District the First Open Defecation Free District in India”