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WE MAKE RESEARCH
ACCESSIBLE AND ACTIONABLE
WHAT WE DO
Social Impact Assessment
Sector Research
CSR Consulting
OUR WORK
Women and Work - A Meta Data Analysis
In partnership with UNDP India, we undertook a meta-analysis of Female labour-force participation in India by scanning 13 national level databases, 58 research papers, and 53 national level policies in order to map the policy and data landscape and derive policy implications. The primary objective of our study was to triangulate findings from literature, policy, and data on FLWP, and establish trends and identify data gaps. Results from this study was presented to the Ministry of Skill Development and Niti Ayog.
Longitudinal Evaluation and M&E systems for Labournet
Developed an MIS system to collect online, baseline, midline and endline information on the participants of a country-wide, year-long livelihood development program implemented by Labournet in 2016. This information was used to evaluate the impact of the training on employment, employability and other socio-economic indicators.
Aadhaar-based biometric authentication and food security
An observational district-wide study on the implementation of mandatory Aadhaar based biometric authentication for the Public Distribution system in Jharkhand.
Micro Credit Crisis and Impact on families in Andhra Pradesh
This paper explores the various coping mechanisms of women hit by the Micro-credit crisis. The Andhra Pradesh Ordinance in late 2010 which brought micro-credit activities in the state to an abrupt halt acted as a natural experiment for this study. Using personal interviews with borrowers in two groups of bordering villages (test and control) – one where micro-credit access continued uninterrupted and one where credit access was withdrawn. Sudden and complete withdrawal of credit like that experienced by the AP borrowers has a huge negative impact on the well-being of the poor.
Data-based Monitoring and Evaluation - Godrej properties CSR
Developed an MIS system to collect online, baseline, midline and endline information on the participants of a country-wide, year-long livelihood development program implemented by Labournet in 2016. This information was used to evaluate the impact of the training on employment, employability and other socio-economic indicators. .
Pro-poor Financially Sustainable Healthcare Models - Acumen Fund
Starting with a scan of more than a 1000 social health enterprises across Asia, Africa and Latin America, and progressively narrowing down the analysis through a variety of criteria, InsightsApplied did a deep dive into the model and workings of 15 health organizations and came up with a framework for analysing their strategic choices as they make their further their purpose of reaching healthcare to the poorest.
Research Documentation and Creative Communication - Dharavi Biennale
Research documentation and cartoon strip Impact Evaluation of the Dharavi Biennale organized by the Society of Nutrition, Education and Health Action.
Impact Assessment & Baseline Study - Swami Dayanand Educational Trust
InsightsApplied conducted a qualitative assessment across stakeholders to understand impact, gaps and identify replicable success factors. Recommendations included ways to increase student exposure by setting up interactions with industry and alumni, measuring student learning outcomes and teacher performance assessment in a systemic manner. InsightsApplied also captured data through a baseline study against which future evaluations can be done.
Political Empowerment of Women through SHGs - Tamil Nadu Women’s Development Corporation
InsightsApplied worked in tandem with TNWDC (Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation) to understand the factors in the Self Help Groups projects that inspire political aspirations of women in Tamil Nadu. The scope of worked ranged from identifying background and profiles in individuals to program design and mechanics. The study involved an analysis of the extensive SHG database collected by TNWDC as well the primary data collected across districts and qualitative interviews.
Impact of Asset Creation under MGNREGA - Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department
InsightsApplied was tasked to assess MGNREGA programs in two districts of TN (Tiruvannamalai and Thanjavur) and improve effectiveness of the program while balancing the dual objectives of creating sustainable of assets and increased job creation. InsightsApplied ‘s approach included understanding the entire work flow from understanding the rationale and processes behind selection of various kinds of works and quantifying accrued benefits from executed works, examining the utility of completed works to community and understanding the perception of functionaries and beneficiaries about the work process.
Education Governance Policy Landscape - TeachForIndia
Research, documentation and presentation about all Indian public policies related to school education and child welfare. InsightsApplied volunteers created a website and audio visual tutorial for the TFI fellows to learn about the education public policy in India.
Assessment of State of Electricity Sector in Tamil Nadu - In partnership with World Resources Institute
As part of long-term objective to devise effective and holistic electricity planning in the state, InsightsApplied led ‘state of electricity sector’ Assessment as a starting point to bring all stakeholders to common page. InsightsApplied conducted series of interviews with different stakeholders including TNEB, TNERC and the State Planning Commission as well as analysed secondary data sources to highlight current state of the sector, and highlight the gaps projected future demand.
Not everything that can be counted in counted (EPW)
There is, at present, little discourse and theory in academia about how to tackle the quick and dirty research needs of the development sector, which includes localised decision-making for programmes. There is a need to recognise qualitative approaches and move towards subjective interpretations of research results.
Disaster assessment and rehabilitation proposal post Thane cyclone – Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, TN
Pro-bono project – InsightsApplied team member studied the after math of the cyclone disaster in Cuddalore, Thane to prepare a disaster assessment report requesting for funds for disaster-proof housing. Based on the assessment and report submitted on behalf of the State government funds for 100,000 disaster-proof houses were sanctioned by central government scheme.
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Child Rights
The objective of the study was to help UNICEF, UK formulate its policy position on the issue of the MDG’s intersection with child rights and thereby embark on advocacy to the UK government. It identified gaps in the current MDGs, suggested new focus areas for post-2015 global development architecture and proposed key characteristics that a post-MDGs framework should have keeping the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child (1989) at its core.
About Us
We recognize that creating sustainable and scalable social change is complex. Even when solutions are available, accessibility, adoption and successful implementation are not always easy. We want to bridge the gap between research and action. We understand a problem holistically, and use insights developed from community led and participative processes, from your organization, from academic research – and facilitate the shaping of programs and policies. With many years of hands-on work experience and an inter-disciplinary background spanning across development, statistics, economics, sales, distribution, strategy and critical studies, our team is well positioned to help create, sustain and scale social initiatives.
The Team
Anita Kumar, Co-Founder
Anita’s interest lies in scalable and sustainable business models which help solve complex social problems. Her expertise lies in the areas of mission alignment, business strategy, organization design, impact metric design and assessment. She is currently working on a long-term engagement with LabourNet - A skill-development/livelihoods social enterprise..
Anita has previously worked with Procter & Gamble for 5 years in Sales, Strategy and Distribution Channel Design, and the IFMR Trust in their Rural Market Insight team, where she worked on varied projects including marketing solutions for a rural drinking-water company, and an access to housing-finance project for DFID-UK. When she is not running behind her two kids, Anita loves to escape into the world of books. Anita has an MBA from IIM Calcutta (2004) and an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics (2011).
Sneha Menon, Co-Founder
Sneha is passionate about creating constructive and feasible pathways between grassroots development effort, empirical sciences and social policy. She has spent most of her adult-life trying to understand the Indian development sector better through her research work with InsightsApplied, thinktanks and her volunteer work with local NGOs. Primarily working in data analysis, governance and research communication her work covers economic empowerment, transparency, public health, education and social enterprise. Her formal academic background is in Mathematics and Applied Statistics, and she is has read the MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford. She currently works as an economist in West Africa. Her favourite hours are spent listening to podcasts in the Ladies dibba of Mumbai locals and talking to her dog.
Advisors
Jean-Paul Faguet
Dr. Jean-Paul Faguet is Professor of the Political Economy of Development at the London School of Economics. He is also Chair of the Decentralization Task Force of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue at Columbia University. His research blends quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the institutions and organizational forms that underpin rapid development. He has published extensively in the academic literature, including Governance from Below: Decentralization and Popular Democracy in Bolivia (U of Michigan Press), which won the W.J.M. Mackenzie Prize for best political science book of 2012. He also recently edited a special issue of World Development on “Decentralization and Governance” (2013), and co-edited Descentralización y democratización en Bolivia: La historia del Estado débil, la sociedad rebelde y el anhelo de democracia. (with M Zuazo, and G Bonifaz; Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, 2012).
Uday Bhaskar
Uday is a Director at Procter & Gamble India. After an MBA from IIM Calcutta in 1996, he joined P&G and worked in various roles across India, Asia, and UK. He has vast experience in leading large sales & operations teams – in both designing and running them. He has played a key role in designing the Go-To-Market systems for P&G in India. After having worked in UK/Singapore over the last few years, he has just returned to lead P&G Sales in India. Born in a village in Andhra Pradesh, he credits good education as the main reason behind his ability to move ahead. Hence, his main non-career priority is the field of education. At P&G, he played the key role in starting ‘Project Shiksha’ – P&G’s decade-old program to support education in India. He looks forward to a day he can sign off from his professional life and dedicate the rest of his life to education.
Pritha Venkatachalam
Pritha is a Principal at Dalberg, and leads the New Delhi office. She has worked extensively on global development issues advising governments, donors and foundations, multilateral organisations, not-for-profits and the private sector. Previously, Pritha was a Director at Cambridge Economic Policy Associates (CEPA), where she led the Global Health practice as well as mandates in the international infrastructure and agriculture sectors. Pritha’s prior responsibilities include being a financial specialist at the World Bank on urban infrastructure projects, a Research Scholar at the Development Studies Institute at the London School of Economics, and a Senior Consultant at Accenture in London and New Delhi.
Pritha holds a Masters in Development Management from the London School of Economics and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore including an exchange programme at Melbourne Business School.
Sougata Ray
Sougata Ray is a Professor of Strategic Management at the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC) and recently served as the Dean of the Institute. Sougata blends two and half decades of experiences in diverse roles – a frontline executive in a Maharatna State Owned Enterprise, in a strategic role in an emerging market MNC at a senior management level as General Manager and Head of Innovation Labs, a researcher, visiting scholar, teacher and institution builder in some of the finest institutions in India and abroad, corporate advisor to a number of companies and technology start-ups in India and abroad, a member in the governing and advisory boards of companies and NGOs and as Principal Consultant to leading International Development Agencies. Sougata is an internationally acclaimed scholar and specializes on strategy, entrepreneurship and innovations in developing economies.
