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The implementation of green supply chain practices is a crucial part of most manufacturing industries in developed and developing countries, many of which are yet to adopt the concept to fulfill supplier demand and market trends. This paper aims to identify the drivers behind the adoption of green practices by medium-scale manufacturing companies in the FMCG sector of Rajasthan. Data were collected from 323 respondents and analyzed using SPSS software. Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory analysis were carried out to identify the drivers, which are: green demand, financial performance, green operational practices, environmental performance, and reverse logistics. This study found that the identified factors play a vital role in the adoption of green supply chain practices by medium-scale manufacturing companies in FMCG sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's organizations, there are two ways for leaders to get things done with both internal and external stakeholders--through a hierarchy or through a network. While it may seem that hierarchy has more power to get things going, often it is one's network that gives one leverage over a larger part of the organization. The higher one moves in an organization, the lesser control they have over all its aspects; but with a strong network, one can have an eye on almost every aspect of the organization. This paper explores how one can increase one's network, use one's influence, and collaborate with others to create a winning culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissatisfaction with the quality of working relationship between leaders and their colleagues continues to be the primary reason for executive derailment, staff turnover, loss of trust in leadership, workplace dissatisfaction and low employee engagement. Research into such matters has tended to focus more on the 'Above-the-Line' observable and measurable facets of executive behavior and has (seemingly) neglected the emotionally-grounded workplace dynamics and phenomena. This paper seeks to draw attention to the 'Below-the-Line' phenomena as one way of rectifying this imbalance and seeming neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between individualistic values and the intent of sustainable entrepreneurship among students of Gedu College of Business Studies (GCBS) in Bhutan. The study employed quantitative research design with descriptive approach. A sample of 290 responses were analyzed using different statistical tools. The questionnaire for the study was adopted from Ndofirepi (2022). The findings suggests that complex factors influence sustainable entrepreneurship intention. The three models under investigation collectively highlight the critical role of individualistic values in moderating the relationships between various entrepreneurial predictors--attitude towards entrepreneurship (ATE), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and subjective norms (SN) and sustainable entrepreneurship intention (SEI). Each model underscores the significant positive effects of the primary predictors (ATE, PBC, and SN) on SEI, while also illustrating how these effects are either enhanced or diminished by individualistic values. Policymakers and educators aiming to promote sustainable entrepreneurship should consider these dynamics for fostering an environment that enhances perceived behavioral control, positive attitude towards entrepreneurship, and subjective norms, while acknowledging the varying influences of individualistic values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was unprecedented in our generation. It represented an acute crisis that saw countries crippled economically, socially and morally. For leaders all across the world, this crisis was a challenge that they had never anticipated and were unprepared for. Within this context, this paper sets out to explore leadership in small and medium enterprise businesses across four industry sectors. Using a phenomenological approach, nine leaders across four businesses were interviewed. The questions were designed around a framework of six constructs garnered from literature that epitomized leaders' competencies during a crisis. They were: authenticity, empathy, transparency, creativity, flexibility (in business) and resilience. Transcript analysis was done using CAQDAS, NVivo. In all, 135 codes were extracted from the transcripts and distilled into 17 conceptual (second-order) categories. Further aggregation resulted in five emergent themes reflective of leading businesses in and through crises. Cross-referencing these themes with literature resulted in a theoretical model--Entrepreneurship-as-Practice. Overall, the phenomenological approach to understanding leadership in crises produced an applicable model for current and future crises preparedness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether a purpose-driven organization is desirable will depend upon the purpose in relation to stakeholder aspirations, concerns and requirements, and the situation, circumstances and context. This paper examines what corporate purpose and a purpose-led business might mean for corporate governance, the quality, value and growth that are sought, independent directors, ESG and sustainability, diversity and the role of future boards. It presents questions that directors could consider in relation to selected items on board agendas when balancing contending claims upon resources, establishing priorities and endeavoring to become and remain purpose-led. A corporate purpose should reflect global risks, existential threats, challenges and opportunities, be responsible, sustainable, inclusive and appropriate for the wider contexts in which a company is active and could have an impact. As situations, circumstances and contexts change and/or evolve, a purpose may need to be revisited, reviewed and redefined, flexibly interpreted and intelligently implemented if it is to be resilient and remain relevant. Where this does not happen, and interests and parties become more aware of the costs and negative consequences and implications for themselves of certain purpose-led and/or ESG initiatives, they may seek to delay their implementation and/or prevent their achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As today’s mobile workforce and business environment expand to include a variety of users, the organization’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) is increasingly susceptible to security issues. Current VPN solutions on different operating systems are exposed to a large number of data breaches by hackers. This paper aims at implementing multiple convenient and secured ways to deploy, monitor and manage all user history, analyze their behavior and context, and automate their levels of access to corporate systems and resources. A software was written to observe, detect and record selected network activities such as repeated login attempts, username and password authenticity, status of VPN ports and IP addresses, and so on. The user interfaces were created using Javafx. Java programming language interfaced with Python was used for the logical parts, and H2 development tool was used for the database. Multiple servers in different locations are configured to check these network conditions and alert the Network Administrator via sms, email or other alarm system between once-per-minute and once-per-hour for the purposes of analysis and mitigation. The software further enables two-way communications between a chat client and a chat server based on Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on a novel hybrid strategy of using artificial intelligence (AI), real-time imaging, and predictive analysis for forest fire detection (Liu et al., 2020). Such approach drastically cuts operational costs, time, and the necessary manpower, using real-time imaging of AI and analytics (studies that use sensors and drones) and predictive algorithm via neuro-fuzzy Logic. The AI deep learning technology is well suited for areas with dense vegetation, giving valuable maps. They gather the information necessary for producing satellite images. In particular, the neuro-fuzzy Logic model collects and processes the data obtained from real-time satellite, drones and other observations. This makes a direct transition from staff-controlled UAS to robots. The synergistic combination of these techniques increases real-time detection and prediction accuracy, which in turn provides a robust solution for effective disaster management and early intervention in forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) on the moon are expected to contain large amounts of water and ice, which is crucial for sustainable exploration of the moon and beyond. However, there is limited information about small-scale features and ice distribution within the PSRs due to low resolution and/or poor quality of the orbital imagery captured. This paper proposes a method to use the existing general-purpose algorithm, Block-Matching and 3D Filtering (BM3D), to denoise the noisy crater images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is aspiring to become a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047, which requires sustaining annual economic growth rate of 8 to 10% for the next quarter century. Rising domestic savings and investment in India are found to be intimately interlinked with acceleration of economic growth over the decades. The Indian banking sector has played a critical role in mobilization of domestic savings and funding productive investments. This paper analyzes the role of improved banking profitability and productivity during the post-reform period in augmenting domestic savings and investments. However, high loan delinquencies had negative consequences, diminishing banking profitability and causing financial losses for several public sector banks in the late 2010s. To avoid any disruptions to Indian growth prospects, it is essential to avoid recurrences of loan delinquencies going forward. Adoption of innovative and prudential banking practices and regulations is imperative for continuous improvement in profitability and productivity of banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chains are very important for the economy of a country. With increased globalization and outsourcing, the supply chain risks have increased. It becomes imperative to identify the various risks inherent in a supply chain and to find out the interrelationships between them so that we can manage/mitigate them. The electronics industry plays a major role in the country's economy. This paper seeks to understand the risks inherent in an electronics supply chain and model the risks using interpretive structural modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cahn-Hilliard equation is a fundamental model in the study of phase separation and coarsening phenomena in binary mixtures. The paper investigates the perturbative solutions of the one-dimensional Cahn-Hilliard equation for small spatial and temporal variables. Starting with a uniform state, a small perturbation was introduced and first-order perturbation expansion was derived. Utilizing Fourier transforms, the linearized form of Cahn-Hilliard equation was solved to obtain the general solution. The dispersion relation revealed the growth rates of perturbation modes, providing insight into the early-time dynamics of phase separation. The analytical approach lays the groundwork for understanding the evolution of small perturbations and their impact on the phase separation process in binary systems. This work has potential applications in materials science, particularly in understanding the microstructural development of alloys and polymer blends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 40% of the world's population suffer from lack of potable water. The paper attempts to fabricate and test a pyramid-shaped solar still having fins. The conventional solar still serves as the baseline, while the finned design incorporates enhanced heat transfer surfaces to improve productivity. Experiments were conducted during three days in the month of March, and the average results are presented. The higher absorber plate, glass plate and water temperatures were recorded between 12 noon and 1 p.m. in the pyramid solar still having fins. The pyramid-shaped solar still model embraces 3 liters of potable water during the day superior to the conventional still. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nylon is a type of plastic made into thin sheets or bags and used often as transference sheets for water proof packaging. The ease of cutting and sealing a nylon material, especially during mass production of nylon bags, has necessitated automating the process. This paper develops an affordable and effective low-cost semi-automatic nylon cutting and sealing machine that can be utilized by small-scale businesses. The 900 x 400 x 350 mm machine comprises sealing and cutting filament, transformer with wires, teflon tape, micro switch, electric motor, transmission shaft, aluminum casing, mild steel stand and microcontroller. The components were optimized for durability, yet simple one operator use and portability for small-scale business settings. A transmission shaft size 25.4 mm in diameter and 850 mm in length is placed on the machine. The size of the shaft is selected according to the size of the electric motor. Structural analysis through testing validated the structural integrity of key parts. The yield stress was 380 N/mm2 and the safety factor was considered to be 2, so the working stress was 190 N/mm2 and the permissible shear stress was 100.71 N/mm². The performance testing showed that the prototype semi-automatic cutting and sealing machine has efficiency of 80% while cutting and sealing nylon at a rate of 700 bags per hour. These results confirm the machine's ability to overcome the limitations of laborious manual methods through a continuous, high-output cutting and sealing process. Further, the machine is functional and possesses high performance efficiency with reasonable degree of accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrosion is a destructive attack on a material in the environment that occurs in the aviation industry, as in various other industries. Corrosion may be aqueous or dry. For aqueous corrosion, an electrolyte, a thin film of moisture, contaminated or otherwise, must wet the surface of the substrate. Then anodic and cathodic reactions occur. These may be separated by a few atomic units or larger distances depending upon the form of corrosion or the composition of the substrate and environment. In dry corrosion, corrosion manifests as either general or localized. Its high temperature counterpart involves reactions at high temperature regimes with fluids, which may be ordinary air contaminated with pollutants such as CO2, SO2, etc. In all cases, the substrates disintegrate, flow and collapse. Both processes involve the movement of electrons and ions. This paper focuses on corrosion and its mitigation as witnessed in the aviation industry, which includes aircraft, airport buildings, runways/storage facilities, pipes and others employed for the comfort of the flying public. For corrosion in aircraft (aqueous and high temperature), diagnostic tools could be deployed in the form of on-board sensors, for diagnosing where and when corrosion-related maintenance is required. Accurate examination of various corrosion incidents and procedures is critical for aviation safety, particularly for the aircraft, which will go a long way in minimizing aircraft maintenance cost which is huge in the Nigerian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banking is a responsible business based on trust and fairness. Corporate governance in banking institutions becomes crucial in navigating through the uncertain world we live in. This topic has piqued the attention of a wide variety of scholars around the world, and it has gained momentum in recent years. The aim of this study is to identify the key contributors, key areas, current trends, and potential research directions. The paper uses a systematic literature review methodology, as well as bibliometric and content analysis, to examine 311 studies from the Scopus database. Citations and PageRank are used to classify the most influential papers as well as the most influential contributors. A co-citation network was developed to see the conceptual framework of this research area. The study identifies research discrepancies, and seven actionable research paths are proposed for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper revisits the Lebensraum concept and examines its role in world politics, with reference to the Chinese and Russian strategies towards Taiwan and Ukraine, respectively, to achieve their geopolitical goals, thereby drawing a parallel between Adolf Hitler’s strategic ideas and those of Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in the 21st century. The paper analyzes Lebensraum, both conceptually and theoretically, to examine how it influences the territorial annexation strategy of a country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the relationship between supply-driven components of India's inflation and inflation expectations as derived from the Reserve Bank of India's Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH). To be precise, it determines a threshold level for 'food' and 'combined food and fuel' CPI inflation rate beyond which the inflation expectations start getting de-anchored. The novelty of this study lies in throwing light on the timing of central bank intervention in episodes of supply side inflation with an objective to anchor inflation expectations. The estimation is carried out by using quarterly time series data on inflation and inflation expectations from 2012 to 2022. The results obtained in the study suggest the existence of a inflation threshold level for food at 7-7.5% and for combined food and fuel at 6.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contributes to the literature by showing the progress made in deposit insurance and risk domain in the banking sector using a bibliometric approach. A conjoint study of deposit insurance and risk yields a broader view on the research trend progression. The analysis shows that niche themes around banking regulation, Prompt Corrective Action (PCA), and emerging markets have evolved. Banking regulations form a cornerstone of financial stability, with PCA progressively showing predominance, reflecting early warning signals of a possible banking failure while deposit insurance may be a key tool to prevent the impact of such failure from reaching the consumers, it does not improve the protection available to other stakeholders which presents a corporate governance challenge of balancing conflicting interests of different stakeholders in the banking system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women’s bodies become the sites of confrontation during times of communal crisis. When violence is unleashed on a woman’s body, the body performs two roles: ensuring physical and mental compliance to refrain from exercising their agency and safeguarding the domination of the patriarchal structure and practices of their respective social group. The second function is to perform the desire of the instigator of violence. The current paper proposes to undertake a comparative study of the representation of violence against women during the communal riots that followed the Malabar Rebellion in 1921 and the Partition of India in 1947. To substantiate the above argument, the paper cross-examines two movies, 1921 and Pinjar, and two literary texts, This Is Not That Dawn and “Duravastha,” to display violence on a woman’s body to reinforce the symbolic and physical marginalization across multiple social groups. The paper explains the commonality in treating women’s bodies as a measuring unit for society’s wellbeing across southern and northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. The comparative study of both the films and novels expounds on the precarious location of women characters placed within the gambit of a specific social group during the turbulent political climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the multifarious skills needed for management professionals to help organizations achieve their goals. The prevalence of skills is critical for every business organization. The positive attitude of employees to accomplish challenging tasks comes from their skill set. Every organization intends to have a pool of charismatic human capital for its progression. Of late, this has become indispensable because the present world economic order has undergone transformation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the sagging business fortunes of a majority of blue-chip companies the world over, a real threat to the existence of business firms is looming large. The moot question to address is as to how the countries can assuage the after-effects of the pandemic. The answer lies in the fact that acumen and skills of professionals can tackle any crisis. The paper focuses on an amalgamation of skills for such professionals, which would provide momentum to their professional progress. The study suggests that critical thinking, inquisitiveness, excellent communication skills, proactiveness, and creativity are the key skills to watch out for in the coming years for the success of organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the impact of cultural studies on communication and the ways in which it has been influenced by various academic fields. Conflict in international relationships often stems from a failure to effectively communicate due to language barriers and differences in views on what constitutes successful communication. Another facet of business life is the code of ethics and professional standards that apply in various fields. The major tool for enforcing discipline and maintaining acceptable behavior is the company’s culture. The paper explores methods for enhancing intercultural communication, overcoming common barriers, and emphasizing the value of cultural diversity in practices and beliefs. The paper also sheds light on how the gap in cultural knowledge can lead to hurt feelings and misunderstandings, as people tend to classify others according to how closely they conform to their own set of social standards and use pejorative phrases to describe those who disagree. The paper also provides advice for getting through communication barriers caused by a lack of assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing awareness and significance of the “environment protection” concept— which imposes a responsibility on businesses, policymakers, governments, and regulatory agencies for tackling climate change and global warming—has created an urgent need for carefully examining current green and sustainable banking practices. This study aims to provide an overview of the present situation and future trends in green and sustainable banking through bibliometric research. For a comprehensive bibliometric analysis, the study includes 272 published research studies from the Scopus database for the period 1989 to 2023. Bibliometrics with MS-Excel, Biblioshiny R Studio, and VOSviewer were used to recognize and assess the trend of the related studies, research areas, authors, nations, institutions, and keywords. The research findings reveal the emerging trend and thematic evolution with regard to green and sustainable banking has increased recently. The findings will be helpful for academics and reviewers in selecting future green banking research topics and for decision makers in defining the standards for green banking research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generation Z, or Gen Z, are those who were born roughly between 1995 and 2010 (Bencsik, 2016; Francis and Hoefel, 2018; and Bohlich, 2020). Gen Z shows unique characteristics when they are compared with millennials and their preceding generation (Francis and Hoefel, 2018). Gen Z proportion is gradually increasing in the workforce and organizations are realizing that their retention will be challenging (Dolot, 2018). The current study explores the characteristics and preferences of Gen Z and its possible implications for organizations. The study assumes importance as Gen Z will continue to be a significant proportion of the workforce over the next decade and beyond (Lettink, 2019). Thus understanding them will help organizations prepare better to engage and retain them. The paper presents the outcome of a systematic review of studies conducted by several researchers across the world. Relevant papers that dealt with research done on different sample groups comprising Gen Z predominantly were studied. The characteristics and preferences of Gen Z are summarized based on the common themes from all the findings across geographies. Preferences are segmented under five dimensions and parameters highlighted. The five dimensions and preferences signify what an organization should focus on while recruiting and managing Gen Z. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper embarks on a journey through the history and evolution of space exploration, spanning from its 20th century origins in military and telecommunication endeavors to its current status as a global pursuit in the 21st century. It emphasizes the pressing need for contemporary and adaptable international laws and regulations to govern this increasingly vital field effectively. The competitive landscape of space exploration is highlighted, focusing on major players such as the US, Russia, and China, exploring their motivations and significant achievements in the cosmic race. The paper also examines the growing role of private space companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and iSpace, detailing their substantial contributions to commercial space endeavors, colonization efforts, and resource extraction. It sheds light on the escalating complexities arising from challenges like space debris and resource utilization, underscoring the critical importance of robust international regulations to govern the burgeoning commercial space industry. The paper discusses the urgent need for an updated global regulatory framework for space activities, emphasizing the importance of precise celestial object classifications and responsible resource utilization. It calls for strategic public-private partnerships, like NASA's collaboration with TransAstra's Apis program, and explores the potential of alternative fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of technology and its advancements have brought various fundamental and structural changes to various sectors of the economy, including the banking sector. In India, the move towards e-banking was initiated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) by relying upon several recommendations provided by high-level committees formed for promoting the growth of information technology in the field of banking. In the current scenario, digital payment methods have replaced conventional paper-based methods due to their costefficiency and expediency. However, it is accompanied by certain challenges, such as poor security measures followed by institutions, which in turn create reputational, operational, or legal risks as they might lead to the disclosure and misuse of sensitive personal information of customers. In order to combat such risks and meet the challenges, the legal framework needs to be strengthened and made more stringent, while specific laws governing electronic payments need to be complied with. The paper examines the relevance of the growing electronic fund transfer systems in India, issues associated with them, existing statutory provisions, and directions issued by the RBI to combat such challenges, and offers suggestions to strengthen the legal framework in order to protect customers as well as participating institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accounting literature boasts a long list of studies on the impact of earnings information on stock prices. Recently, this strand of literature has been given a new twist by exploring the dynamics of earnings-returns relation at the aggregate level. The knowledge about this relationship is particularly useful for investors who hold diversified portfolios. The paper tests if the aggregate earnings-returns relationship is different when stocks are grouped according to different characteristics such as size, value, profitability and investment. The results suggest that the relation between aggregate earnings and stock returns is relatively stronger for large-cap and growth stocks as compared to small-cap and value stocks. These findings are valuable for investors and fund managers who use factor-based strategies to manage their investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the extent of corporate disclosure in the Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) reports of companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. A sample of 55 companies is taken, and based on the disclosure checklist containing 52 information items, the extent of disclosure is measured both at the aggregate level and with respect to different reporting areas of the MD&A report. It is found that average level of aggregate disclosure is 64.8%, which is moderately high. The maximum disclosure score is 90% and minimum 25%. The variation in the extent of disclosure among the sample companies is measured by range and standard deviation, which are 65% and 11.2%, respectively. As far as disclosure in specific areas of the MD&A report is concerned, a few companies have made 100% disclosure in respect of industry structure and development, risk and concern, and segment reporting, while some have made no disclosure about outlook information. The overall results suggest that there exists scope for improving the quality of disclosure in MD&A reports of Indian companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a prototype setup for detecting and tracking transmission line faults using Internet of Things (IoT) technology. This system automatically detects, analyzes and classifies the transmission line faults, while also tracking the location of fault. The setup uses a combination of ESP32, display, potential transformers, current transformers and GSM module to sense, process and transmit data. The instrument transformers accurately sense data and send to ESP32. Comparing with reference value, it analyzes fault and sends information via GSM module to a designated number and server. This prototype ensures fast processing of data and detects faults accurately in different scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient traffic management at signalized intersections is integral to urban infrastructure development, requiring accurate estimation of delay times to mitigate congestion and enhance overall transportation systems. The limitations of traditional methodologies have prompted the exploration of novel technologies like light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors. This paper investigates and compares the accuracy of delay time estimations obtained from LiDAR sensor technology with those derived from microsimulation in Aimsun. The paper critically examines the discrepancies and potential complementarity between delay times obtained from LiDAR sensor technology and those derived from microsimulation in Aimsun. The research involves an in-depth evaluation of real-time, high-resolution data collected by LiDAR sensors, assessing their accuracy in capturing the intricate movements and behavior of vehicles at signalized intersections. Simultaneously, Aimsun microsimulation delay time models are scrutinized for their ability to accurately replicate these observed delay times. The disparities identified serve as critical insights into the challenges of both methodologies, prompting the discussion on the prospects of integrating LiDAR-derived data and microsimulation calibration processes to enhance the precision and reliability of delay time estimations. The results demonstrate that LiDAR accurately calculates delay times at signalized intersections, with differences from Aimsun consistently below 6.5% on days with peak vehicle volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the dynamic landscape of the present digital era too, knowledge management (KM) continues to occupy the center stage and is pivotal to the common good of society at large. However, the paradigm of KM experienced a significant change with the arrival and meteoric rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), leading to “generative AI knowledge management”. The innovative approach of “generative AI knowledge management” (Generative KM, for short) harnesses the inherent ability of GenAI for creation, analysis, optimization, and diffusion of knowledge in ways never imagined before. GenAI can thus contribute immensely to augment KM systems. GenAI-supplemented KM systems in turn can be leveraged for financial inclusion through financial literacy. This paper explores how the pairing of GenAI with KM systems—Generative KM—can strengthen KM, its application in the context of financial literacy and financial inclusion, and the future of this disruptive technology. The key inference is that KM systems can be enriched significantly with GenAI; KM processes—for example, knowledge acquisition and knowledge creation—can leverage GenAI for its value-add of dynamic content updates. GenAI is well set to be the central piece of KM, as digital technology continues its rapid stride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) policy of free and fair trade has led to persistent decline in the average world trade tariff rates. It also ensured prior ratification of non-tariff measures implemented by countries. At the same time, countries across the world have introduced trade facilitation measures to ensure smooth flow of goods across borders. Despite these, countries still face substantial trade barriers. Against this backdrop, using data from India, the present paper aims at analyzing the impact of trade barriers on its exports by calculating a bilateral trade restrictiveness index based on tariff, non-tariff and border administrative and regulatory measures. The results show that trade restrictions faced by a country depend on its export basket composition, specific export products and its export destinations and hence are unique to each country. They confirm the existence of substantial trade barriers for a country, as against the general perception that trade restrictions have declined over the years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the root of the second wake of export pessimism is the argument that exportled growth (ELG) models suffer from a fallacy of composition. Under constrained global demand, all exporting nations cannot simultaneously pursue ELGs, and the ensuing battle for markets would eventually cause more competitive exporters to drive out or displace less competitive ones. Considering how the Indian economy has witnessed a deceleration in her export of services since the mid-2000s, this paper enquires whether similar export-displacements could have lent to this status quo. Using bilateral service trade data for the years 2005-2015, the paper tests the displacement or crowding out of India’s export of services to advanced OECD nations by exports from other developing and emerging market economies. Our results show the remarkable presence of complementarity between service exports from India and that from other exporting powerhouses like China, Singapore and Vietnam, though the country appears to have been losing markets for her prime services to certain emerging exporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic enforced numerous restrictions across the world which deeply affected the working environment and the employees' wellbeing. The study reviews the literature on workplace practices and employee wellbeing during the pandemic, focusing on the most frequently used keywords, the most contributing authors, and the connection between them. The most used keywords are 'Humans' and 'Covid-19,' and Fujino Y is the most contributing author. The analysis reveals positive and negative impacts of the outbreak on workplace and employees, and suggests some potential measures. The workplace promoted greater flexibility, autonomy, creativity, skill development, higher productivity, and job satisfaction. It suffered from excessive workload, long working hours, poor Internet, and lack of amenities and space. Employees experienced stress, anger, anxiety, depression, emotional distress, loneliness, fear, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), weight gain, and excessive use of drugs and alcohol. The findings may help managers in strategic decision-making and tailor policies and interventions, creating a supportive and resilient work environment, thereby fostering employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall organizational success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal studies is a flourishing field of scholarship that focuses on human-animal interactions, representations of those interactions, and their ethical, social and political implications. Nonhuman animals are much more than a binary opposite to human animals. The animals that figure in literary works are quite often sidelined in our critical studies. This paper delves deep into the treatment of animals in the Borgesean oeuvre. At the outset, the theoretical framework is formulated, and the textual politics of animals in the works of Borges is analyzed in the ensuing part. The paper is predicated on the premise that Borges imparts complex philosophical ideas by recounting the animalia in his works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the role of context builders in meaningful formation of Dogri folktales. Context determines meaning, and when language users employ it in folktales, the meaning is understood through intuition, native knowledge, and interpretation, further supported by grammatical structures. The traditional folklorists study tales--they provide interpretation or analyze their grammatical structures, but in the process one of them is compromised. However, this paper endeavors to strike a balance between the two when it analyzes Dogri folktales. The focus is to analyze folktales and their narrative structure while closely studying the interrelated events that lead to the formation of their discourse. For that, contextual information comes to the forefront, and the roles of cohesive units like discourse markers, topic words, creativity, and others become quite important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the centrality of autobiographical memory in the construction of self and the experience of cultural trauma through the narrative of Thomas McNulty in the novel Days Without End. The character recalls the gruesome wars and cruel famine, which caused much agony and suffering throughout his life. The study attempts to make a textual analysis by employing the framework of autobiographical memory to interpret the complex relationship between the personal and collective selves. The novel adopts a unique form of autobiographical narrative to represent a personal and social history, thus functioning as a cultural narrative. The memory of the famine trauma is embodied in the personal story of Thomas McNulty, who recalls the national crisis that occurred during the 1840s. Trauma occupies a substantially large portion of the autobiographical narrative. He relays his experiences of painful existence in his native land and struggles to establish his cultural identity in a foreign land. Hence, the paper aims to analyze the characteristics of personal memory and trauma manifested in the narrative for the representations of Irish collective memory and cultural trauma of the Great Famine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is an interdisciplinary exploration of the multifaceted realm of communication and delves into its far-reaching impact and significance across a variety of disciplines in the organizational context. It illuminates the different facets of communication, from its verbal and nonverbal forms to its profound influence on gender, culture, and team dynamics. The paper also highlights the interplay between factors such as feedback, intrapersonal and interpersonal communication, influence of culture, and nuanced relationships between organizational actors. The gendered dimension of communication is examined, offering insights into biases and stereotypes that pervade workplaces. Effective communication channels, barriers, and the power of influence and persuasion within organizations are also explored, emphasizing their transformative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product management has a long-established history in consumer goods industry, yet it remains one of the most obscure areas of brand management. However, as global manufacturing organizations increasingly adopt external cloud-based solutions, they face challenges in applying appropriate frameworks to manage their evolving internal or external "digital products." Simultaneously, manufacturing leaders are restructuring their organizations to align with human-centered values, agile methodologies, and fluid operating principles. In this technological and philosophical change context, product management is now recognized as a valuable process that complements current trends. This paper examines traditional theories and characteristics, explores the operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) challenges associated with adopting product management processes, and proposes an internal digital product management framework, integrating new and existing approaches and principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptocurrency is a digital representation of value that is not a legal tender. It is a digital asset, sometimes also referred to as a crypto asset that works as a medium of exchange for goods and services between the parties who agree to use it. Strong encryption techniques are used to control how units of cryptocurrency are created and to verify transactions. Cryptocurrencies generally operate independently of a central bank, central authority or government. India ranks among the top five countries of the world from the perspective of share of currency held, which is at 44% of the world's share. Since the regulatory framework regarding cryptocurrencies in India is uncertain, this paper analyzes the taxation (or non-taxation) by considering them as goods and currency, and the major approaches currently prevalent across the world. The focus of this paper is to explain the legal aspects relating to cryptocurrencies and blockchain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural Language Processing (NLP) patents are one of the fastest growing niche segments in the technology patent marketplace. NLP technologies power the latest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. For example, NLP technology supports Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Facebook's friend recommendation system. Yet, while the literature on software patents is visibly scaling--the literature specifically focused on NLP patents is non-existent. This paper draws on a growing body of computational linguistics, intellectual property, and technology law scholarship to provide novel NLP patent analysis and critique. Further, this paper contributes the first empirical NLP patent review, including novel software descriptions, market modeling, and legal analysis relating to patent claims. First, this paper discusses the two main technical approaches to developing NLP software. Second, this paper models an evolving NLP patent dataset, offering economic insights, legal claims analysis, and patent valuation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to review the existing literature in the field of customer switching behavior and to identify the antecedents of customer switching that work in specific sectors and to suggest avenues for future research. Various online academic databases have been searched to collect research papers published in different journals from the year 1990 to the early part of 2020. The literature on antecedents of customer switching specifically on the basis of sector is almost nonexistent in the available literature. This is an attempt to study the antecedents according to specific sector. A majority of the papers were empirical in nature conducted in developed as well as developing countries. Customer switching in telecommunications and banking sector has gained great attention from researchers. It is found that the antecedents of customer switching are different in different sectors, but some antecedents seem to be common irrespective of the sector. Customer relationships are given priority by the marketers, but greater attention needs to be given to customer switching. The key solution lies in factors like service quality, response to service failure, service recovery and reputation to make the customers stay in the relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries have been facing the problem of how to represent the economic downtime, economic crashing or economic recession in order to make appropriate decision or policy intervention. For this purpose, the paper estimates mobile telecommunication demand for 10 years of 27 countries using Ordinary Least-Square (OLS) method with qualitative information as dummy variable. The dummy variable examines the economic crashing time in South Korea during 1997. The paper uses price of mobile (mobile cellular monthly subscription) in telecommunication industry, income of consumers and investment as three independent variables, while the number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers per 100 inhabitants is used as dependent variable. The results indicate that the higher the income, the higher would be the demand for mobile cellular telephone subscribers per 100 inhabitants and investment has no effect as t-statistic is less than 2. In the same manner, the dummy variable has no statistical significance at 5% level on the demand for mobile telecommunication during economic crashes. This implies that the effect of economic crash or economic downtime in South Korea in 1997 is statistically insignificant in relation to demand for mobile telecommunication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In determining the survival rate of fish eggs, stock evaluation, and monitoring fish population increase, computer usage is replacing the human counting technique. In most cases, counting fish eggs is done in a sequential procedure that requires a lot of time and effort, making it challenging to employ big datasets. Traditional counting methods have been used for many years, but many researchers have pointed out that they have several disadvantages, including requiring more time, exceptional human skills, and excessive human interference. A number of academics are working on developing several strategies to simplify the process of fish counting and assessment. In this paper, we provide a systematic review focusing on several factors which help to automate fish egg counting, using deep learning algorithms and Convolution Neural Network (CNN) from standard databases and research publications. Finally, this paper discusses the most suitable features of fish egg counting, deep learning algorithms, and the future direction of fish egg counting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the activities of examinees during examination is very challenging. The paper recognizes and classifies activities of examinees as suspicious or normal during examination using machine learning techniques. The processing and analysis of image data follows a typical sequence of distinct steps referred to as the vision pipeline. Data was acquired with a surveillance camera and frames extracted from the videos. Preprocessing activities include selecting the required frames from frame sequences, and cropping and segmenting foreground/background object. Video conversion to frame was accomplished with MATLAB scripts, while segmentation of image frames was achieved with GrabCut algorithm. Shape/pose features were extracted from objects using Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) and Regionprop algorithms, and represented in feature vectors that were fed into Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. Holdout validation technique was used for the classifier training and tested from the given datasets. 70% of the dataset was used for training, while 30% was used for testing. The model gave an accuracy of 98.1% and 100%, respectively, for each examination scenario. The model accuracy was visualized in confusion matrix and the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC). MATLAB software was used as the simulation environment. The model demonstrated excellent performance, indicating that the system can adequately complement the efforts of invigilators in examination invigilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of complex financial products has increased considerably over the years, and at the same time, individuals are increasingly taking charge of their own financial security. However, there is very little or no information about whether these individuals have the financial knowledge and skills to navigate this new, increasingly complex economic scenario where stock markets play a vital role in all dimensions like never before. Many saving instruments are now intrinsically linked to financial markets and the retail investor has to understand the whole picture before taking a decision to buy or sell. The paper enumerates the factors influencing stock market participation. Whether these factors include financial literacy or the free flow of information from the capital market or inflation rate, etc., and whether they have a bearing on better investment decisions is something to be explored. The paper attempts to study these factors impacting investment behavior. To better understand literacy and its relation to financial decision making, the relationship between these variables, i.e., literacy and financial planning, and literacy and saving behavior, has been studied using unsupervised Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. The findings could be helpful to investment advisers in relooking their clients’ data and honing their financial consultancy plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the early 2000s, researchers have examined the connection between intellectual capital and firm performance, and it has grown globally and been recognized as a prominent research field. This paper, along with bibliometric analysis, aims to present quantitative and qualitative knowledge on the constantly expanding subject of intellectual capital with meticulous care, given the dearth of comprehensive summaries in the body of literature currently in existence. The primary goal of this paper is to offer an overview of all studies on intellectual capital and firm performance conducted worldwide. Data from the Scopus database was used for bibliometric analysis utilizing the Biblioshiny platform of the RStudio® software and network analysis through VOSviewer to examine publication trends, author productivity and notable contributors, prominent outlets, country-specific article distribution, and top institutions contributing to this area. The findings indicate that Bontis (2000) is the most prominent author in this area. Journal of Intellectual Capital is the most prolific journal, with 122 articles, and the most frequently cited journal, with 8726 citations. Ho Chi Minh City Open University is the world's most prolific research institute with 15 documents. Furthermore, keyword network analysis was performed to identify future research agendas. In addition, the keyword co-occurrence analysis indicates that other mounting topics in the intellectual capital and firm performance knowledge base are green intellectual capital, corporate governance, sustainability, and innovation, which pinpoints potential future research routes for academics in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing, transforming, and adapting to ensure viability in an evolving business environment is quite a challenge for organizations. The aim is to propose a holistic approach for an organization to redesign itself in the context of its Knowledge Management (KM) practices with the help of Viable System Model (VSM). This paper examines the deployment, application, and usage of the conceptual tool of VSM in the specific context of KM. In recent years, VSM is being used extensively across a range of different disciplines, research, fields of enquiry, and professional practice. Improvement in the discovery, storage, distribution, use, and management of knowledge is unquestionably the best source of competitive advantage readily available to any organization. The paper seeks to look at KM using VSM as a lens and suggests ways and means to understand, redesign as appropriate, and continuously adapt to the changing environment to make KM viable and hence 'improved' that it becomes sustainable in the process. VSM is an effective tool to bring together and discuss all aspects of KM relevant to an organization and to model them dynamically over time. Consultants should be able to use it as a framework to study extant KM practices in line with the firm's stated future direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size of green bond market has been increasing rapidly since the Paris Agreement on climate change was adopted in 2015. This paper is an empirical study on the public companies that have financed greenfield projects through green bonds. The study is based on equity investor behavior following the news announcement of green bonds. An event study approach is applied to find out the impact on abnormal returns of stocks during the window period of the announcement day. The study supports that stock return behavior is positive, which is an indication that investors responded positively to the announcement of green bonds. Leverage analysis is also performed, and it is found that the financial leverage increased in the post-issue period of green bonds. It is an indication that the use of low-cost security in financing the greenfield projects is capable of maximizing shareholder returns, if the return on investment is more than the cost of green bonds. This paper adds to the existing literature as it focuses on the stock performance of public companies around green bond issuance announcement. Further, the analysis of financial leverage of the firms distinguishes this study from others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indra Sinha's Animal's People (2007) offers a closer look at the aftermath of a toxic disaster through a disabled teenager who calls himself Animal. Inspired by the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984 and its repercussions, Sinha's fictional city of Khaufpur is a site of environmental injustice and corporate violence. This analysis tries to understand the material manifestations of the disaster in the novel through the framework of material ecocriticism. Material ecocriticism is one of the latest developments in the field of ecocriticism. Ecocriticism, which aims to understand the relationship between literature and environment, studies the material and discursive interconnections and interactions through material ecocritical scholarship. The paper tries to see how the material representations work throughout the novel to depict the environmental violence and marginalization. The novel provides what this paper calls as a 'fragmented materiality,' which needs to be 'pieced together' in order to understand the reality of Khaufpur. Using the idea of transcorporeality, put forth by Stacy Alaimo which has deeply influenced material ecocriticism, this paper attempts to understand the nuanced portrayal of life, disease and damage in a toxic landscape through Animal and his story. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]