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The main objective of the study is to examine women entrepreneurs' attitude towards informal sources of funding and its impact on their empowerment in Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu, India. The study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) for analysis by adopting quota sampling with convenient sampling technique. The respondents were selected from three segments-- agriculture-related, dairy and weaving businesses. The results show that the five factors used in the study--loan procedure and processing time, loan amount and interest rate, repayment schedule, flexibility in terms and conditions and easy collection method--have a significant impact on women entrepreneurs' attitude towards informal sources of funding, leading to their economic and social empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India's gig economy professionals often transition into successful startups, attracting seed funding for growth. Their success is attributed to their expertise, niche focus, market relevance, local insights, adaptability, innovation, networking, government support, scalable business models, and effective pitching skills. The journey from gig economy worker to startup success in India is marked by a blend of digital marketing acumen, adaptability, and understanding of local market dynamics. This study analyzes data from 232 freelancers who have applied for seed funding to have startups in Tamil Nadu, assessing their expectations and satisfaction levels. The study uses Confirmatory Factor Analysis, AVE, HTMT, and SEM to examine the relationships between digital marketing, seed financing, and freelancers' satisfaction. The study result shows that the freelancers are satisfied with their work as they get work flexibility and timing, and it is also found that when seed financing is made available to these freelancers, they could build their own startup and provide employment opportunity to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ChatBots (CB) technology is an artificial intelligence-powered system that uses chat or speech interface to engage with users and execute basic tasks. With technological advancement, the banking sector has started using CBs for customer convenience. The interest of the customers in digital transformation has created space for financial CBs as a prominent technology. CB technology has been promptly incorporated in banking sector. The aim of the study is to evaluate individual perspective of banking CBs in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The measurement scale is based on the Technology Acceptance Model created by Venkatesh and Davis (2000) and extended with TAM 3 (Venkatesh and Bala, 2008). The novel model uses digital literacy as the moderator. The extended variables constructed for examining individual perspectives on chatbots in the banking industry are: explicitly perceived enjoyment, perceived risk, self-efficacy, technology anxiety, personal innovativeness and the variables of TAM. The study sample included a combination of both public and private bank customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]