Lucknow, Nov. 29 -- Speakers at a conference, which began here Friday, highlighted how behavioural insights help design better policies and understand organisational behaviour. Academics and present and former bureaucrats spoke on integrating behavioural perspectives into administration. The two-day meet, organised by Lucknow University's faculty of management studies in collaboration with the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change (CSBC), Ashoka University, brought together scholars from across the country and abroad. Sharon Barnhardt, director, CSBC, Ashoka University, highlighted the increasing importance of behavioural insights in designing effective policies and improving organisational practices. IIM Calcutta director prof Alok Kumar Rai was present during the inaugural session. Nitin Gokaran, a former bureaucrat, spoke about the administrative perspectives on behavioural understanding in public governance, and keynote speaker prof Enrique Fatas spoke about the importance of such seminars for scholars. Presentations chaired by prof SN Rangnekar of IIT Roorkee and others discussed the emerging field of behavioural economics and social norms. In another session, Naveen Kumar, the secretary of irrigation and water resources, underscored the significance of behavioural approaches in governance. htc...