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The Indian State has been demonstrating its unwavering commitment to private capital and its neoliberal offensive. The education and health sector reflect its anti-people orientation along with other anti-working class measures such as the doing away with old pension scheme, privatisation of airports, neglect of farmers resulting in over 1.5 lakh suicides across country between 1997 and 2005 (Sainath, 2007), etc. On the education front the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a full Planning Commission held on 13th September 2007 showed his commitment to privatisation by stating that "we also need to recognise the role currently being played by the private sector and the policy design must factor this in" (The Hindu, 2007). A leading weekly then revealed that the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has been trying to moot private partnership in government schools (Raman, 2008). These developments have been taking place along with number of measures that the government has been adopting (Kumar, 2008) to masquerade its real neoliberal face. These developments are nothing to be surprised at because they are part of the global campaign of the neoliberal capital. In countries such as UK, the neoliberal campaign began with the Margret Thatcher regime (Regan, 2007), destroying the remnants of welfarism. Though the large scale process of state withdrawal began across continents during the neoliberal regime from early 1980s, the pre-neoliberal regimes were not socialist regimes but were rather representing the particular epochs of capitalism in those countries, whether UK (Cole, 2008) or India (Kumar, 2006b). It is important, therefore, to understand the education policies in conjunction with the trajectory and stages of development of capital in a country. In this article, the author talks about neoliberalism and the neoliberal assault on education in India. He contends that the impact of neoliberalism on education in particular and society as a whole affects masses in worst possible manner in India. (Contains 1 table and 7 notes. Contains a bibliography.)

The dominant view today is of a global knowledge-based economy, driven by the application of new technologies, accelerating the shift to high-skilled, high-waged European economies. This view is reflected in the expansion of higher education and the key role of higher education in national and European economic policy. The Lisbon agenda seeks to make the European Union "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion". Not only is education believed to hold the key to international competitiveness but to the foundations of social justice and social cohesion. This article outlines the underlying assumptions of this mantra, which in many respects has changed little since the 1960s when human capital theory gained increasing prominence in education and economic policy (Halsey, 1961). It examines the prospects for the creation of high-skills economies throughout Europe in light of new realities of the global economy. This analysis is based on interviews with senior managers and executives in leading transnational companies and government policy makers in seven countries including China and India. In conclusion, the authors outline a series of issues as a contribution toward a new agenda for education and the knowledge economy within the European Research Area. Following this essay are two responses: (1) "Expanding the Higher Education System and Building World-Class Universities: China's Response to Globalization and the Knowledge Economy." (Wang Yingje); and (2) "Education, Globalisation and the Future of the Knowledge Economy: Three Comments" (Stephan Vincent-Lancrin). (Contains 1 figure, 1 table, and 25 notes.)

This paper uses household level data from National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) of India, the 55th round (1999-2000), to show that for urban male children there exists significant wage incentive for schooling, though school dropout rate and child labour incidence are not so small. The parents' level of education plays an important role in reducing this tendency; thus establishing the linkage between social and human capital outcomes in the family. We also look at the incidence of harmful and manual occupations among the child labour. Mother's education now appears as a very important factor in curbing these incidences; supporting earlier findings that women's empowerment (one important indicator of which would be female educational level) is indeed instrumental in increasing parental awareness.

Purpose: The purpose of the current study is to examine the utility of Six Sigma interventions as a performance measure and explore its applicability for making the training design and delivery operationally efficient and strategically effective. Design/methodology/approach: This is a single revelatory case study. Data were collected from multiple sources. In depth interviews of Six Sigma champion, black belt and green belt executives were conducted for understanding the Six Sigma interventions in HR function in general and in training functions in particular. Findings: Application of Six Sigma approach was found to be helpful for better alignment of training function in MNC bank with the organizational requirements. Six Sigma changed the role of the function towards proaction. Research limitations/implications: This study has usual limitation of single case study research. Moreover, the impact of Six Sigma and its dependence on organizational structure, organizational culture, leadership role, social embeddedness, role stress etc. are identified as areas for future research. Practical implications: The study brings out the applicability of Six Sigma approach for HR department and training function. Originality/value: The paper delineates the application of Six Sigma approach in training function. It explores the applicability of this approach to ensure the training effectiveness by pulling the training function closer to internal and external customers' requirements and by its strategic alignment with organizational goals. (Contains 1 table and 5 figures.)

This paper estimates the returns to education for adult male workers in regular and casual wage employment using Indian national survey data at three points in time spanning almost two decades. Both standard and augmented Mincerian wage equations are estimated using a set of human capital measures and other controls after addressing the issue of potential selection bias. This paper finds that the returns to education are significantly different for the two types of workers--while casual workers face at best flat returns to education, the returns to education for regular workers are positive and U-shaped with respect to education levels. There is also some evidence of a widening wage gap between regular workers with graduate and primary education that could possibly be a consequence of trade liberalization and other reforms pursued during the 1990s. (Contains 15 notes and 4 tables.)

Many arguments in favour of school voucher programs are based upon libertarian free agency principles. Viewed at the organizational level, allowing persons to exercise choice in education would seem to offer incentives for all educational organizations within that framework to improve overall product quality and thus more effectively obtain the education good for both individual and society. However, analysis from the transcending institutional level shows that "supra"-organizational forces will progressively reduce choice and quality as both private and public organizations relinquish their distinctive curricula and philosophies as a "de facto" requirement for participation within the broader educational institution or "market". Acknowledging the costs of, and designing policy to maintain, particular information are both essential to effectively producing the education good within a competitive institutional structure. (Contains 1 note.)

Throughout the developing world, there is a debilitating lack of connection between tertiary education and economic growth. As a result, many tertiary institutions fail to address the particular human capital needs of the productive sector, thereby constraining economic growth, productivity and innovation. Existing employment opportunities go unmet; additional employment opportunities are not created; vast numbers of people in a rapidly growing population end up unemployed and disillusioned. There is a desperate need for educational approaches that integrate the institutions of education and the institutions of economic growth, that link educational programs to the needs of the market and the community in a manner that enriches both. In this article, the authors discuss several ways to promote and expand the appropriate application of the community college model to the critical economic growth needs in developing countries. The authors also highlight some factors that might motivate increased international involvements by U.S. community colleges.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the role of human resource capability (HRC) in organisational performance and sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in Indian global organisations. Design/Methodology/Approach: To carry out the present study, an empirical research on a random sample of 300 line or human resource managers from nine Indian and foreign global organisations, from New Delhi (the National capital region of India) is carried out. The principal research method employed included the sample and measurements tools, and data analysis concerning the human resource capabilities for organisational performance and sustainable competitive advantage by using SPSS package 12. Findings: The findings of the study reveal that human resource capabilities are positively correlated to organisational performance. Furthermore, human resource capability was found to be a significant predictor of sustainable competitive advantage. Research Limitations/Implications: More samples from different Indian companies, especially middle and small scale industries, can enrich the current study. Practical Implications: This study contributes to the existing theory about the strategic importance of human capital for organisational performance and sustainable competitive advantage from resource-based view of the firm in the Indian context. Originality/Value: The study will contribute to the understanding of Indian human resource management (HRM) as an imperative for strategic HRM and international human resource management. Business organisations will get an insight into the Indian business scenario and can chalk out their strategic policies and human resource planning with this perspective.

This paper seeks to examine the impact of education on income growth in India for the time period 1966-1996. Education is broken down into the categories of primary, secondary, and tertiary. Time series techniques are used to determine whether education, for each category, has a causal impact on growth. Furthermore, the education variables are also broken down by gender and analysis is carried out to determine whether the causal results vary by gender. The results indicate that primary education has a strong causal impact on growth, with more limited evidence of such an impact for secondary education. Finally, the evidence is quite compelling that it is female education at all levels, that has potential for generating economic growth.

A study to determine association between level of female education and gender wage differentials in India finds that while gender-based wage discrimination exits, level of female education is not a significant factor. Finds return on investment rises with education level for both sexes. (Contains 37 references.) (PKP)

Investigates the relationships among schooling, experience, job status, and earnings in a large, private company in India. Results indicate that job status rises monotonically with experience and channels the transmission effects of schooling and experience onto earnings. Marginal productivity theory and the weak version of the screening hypothesis are supported. (PGD)

Summarizes information shared at an international seminar on teacher training, the management of population education, and adolescent education. Proposes an evaluative research activity to assess the achievements of these experiences. Indicates that experimental schools have reported positive outcomes for the program. Describes efforts in several nations. (RT)

This article reports the finding of a study entitled, "Where the Engineers Are," conducted by a group of researchers at Duke University, which was published in the spring issue of Issues in Science and Technology and is a follow-up to a 2005 study. This new report on the number and quality of graduate engineering degrees conferred in China and India, as compared with the United States, challenges the notion that American engineering education is falling behind, but suggests a number of improvements to ensure economic growth and increase the retention of graduates. China and India collectively graduate 12 times more engineers than does the United States. But the researchers, from Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, say that does not mean the United States is in trouble. Their study, which included an analysis of salary and employment data, did not find any indication of a shortage of engineers in the United States. In fact, it found evidence that China and India are the countries with shortages.

Transformation of agricultural land into urban areas causes negative impacts on the livelihood of people in rural areas and affects their overall condition. To maintain or increase the opportunities for living and well-being during any disturbance resulting from a development project is called livelihood resilience. This research presents a comprehensive assessment of the effects of urban development-induced displacement and resettlement on the livelihood resilience of rural households. The sustainable livelihood approach (SLA), proposed by the Department for International Development (DFID), has been utilized to achieve these objectives. This research designed a measurement model through a systematic selection of indicators under five livelihood assets. The measurement model was verified by interviewing 348 households and applying a confirmatory factor analysis. Then, through a pairwise comparison of three scenarios of households (already displaced, economically displaced, and to-be-displaced) applying Mann–Whitney U-tests, the study evaluated the livelihood resilience of the households of Atal Nagar-Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The findings show variability in physical assets across the scenarios, while there is no significant difference in social assets. The economic assets are significantly different for economically displaced and to-be-displaced households. Moreover, the result also shows that economically displaced households suffer the most, while the already displaced households get accustomed to the situation with time. The research reveals that rather than only providing monetary compensation, intensifying agricultural or farming activities, along with providing various supports for maintaining social and human assets, can better ensure the sustainable development of affected people and the efficacy of urban development projects. Moreover, it highlights the critical role of well-structured resettlement programs in mitigating negative impacts and bolstering livelihood resilience. With a novel methodological approach and the obtained results, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners that can help craft urban development strategies that prioritize the welfare of the affected people from rural areas and improve their livelihood resilience. Practical Applications: Urban development, through the transformation of agricultural land, negatively impacts the lives and livelihoods of the people in rural areas. This research endeavors to mitigate the risks by strengthening the livelihood resilience of the households in rural areas impacted by a new city/town development. This research identified four livelihood assets, namely, physical, social, economic, and human, to understand the nature of livelihood resilience. The research reveals that rather than only providing monetary compensation, intensification of agricultural or farming activities, livestock breeding, and accessibility of irrigation facilities are more crucial for people in rural areas. Moreover, the physical infrastructure, although improved after resettlement, may not ensure long-term resilience for displacees and resettlers due to the loss of regular income and employment. In addition, providing necessary information related to displacement and resettlement and various government schemes and assessing and planning by local government, institutions to enhance communication with neighbors and friends are important for making the deprived people resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skill development is the key instrument for achieving the target of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 in developing countries. The development of human capital in India is of global importance, given the prospects of India being the fastest growing economy of the world and poised to be the country with the largest working-age population in the world. Massive skill development momentum has built up in the country in the recent past, and elucidating this whole human capital development ecosystem in India is the objective of this study. This article traces the evolution of the skilling landscape in India and describes the present scenario on skilling schemes of both National (Central) and State governments in India. This study also discusses the challenges before policymakers interested in the development of human capital through skilling schemes in India and attempts to shed some light on the road ahead for skilling initiatives in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production in developing countries is heavily rainfall dependent. Any unexpected variation in rainfall can affect the welfare of households. Using unit record data from India, this paper shows that households can insure against agricultural productivity (rainfall) shocks. Evidence suggests that they do so by varying the time allocation of individual members to different activities, particularly to regular wage work and human capital accumulation. There is a gender‐differentiated aspect to this response. Rainfall shocks adversely affect women's human capital accumulation. While there is no evidence that households use participation in NREGS to insure against rainfall shocks, the availability of NREGS helps reduce the impact of rainfall shocks on human capital accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater women's bargaining power and decision‐making within a household have been shown to increase investments in human capital. This study links women's participation in decision‐making in dairy production with household investment in girls and boys in health, nutrition, and education. We survey households in the urbanizing region of Bangalore, India. We utilize a multinomial treatment effects model to analyze the individual and household factors that are associated with women's participation in sole or joint decision‐making. We then assess how the type of decision‐making influences a household's investments. The results first show that female decision‐making households are more disadvantaged on average than other types of decision‐making households. Second, we observe that female decision‐makers for dairy production are more likely to have more children and earn a higher income than their husbands. Third, the main findings show that households in which women engage in joint decision‐making have higher levels of investment across all categories for girls. Conversely, investments decrease in education and nutrition for both girls and boys when the wife is the sole decision‐maker. Lastly, investments are enhanced further for girls when households can sell milk at a higher price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Few empirical studies examined the relationship between life expectancy and income in India. This study aims to examine the impact of life expectancy on economic growth in India by incorporating all the major states of India. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on secondary data and includes 16 major states of India covering the periods 2000–2014. The author used panel fixed effect model (FEM) to examine the impact of life expectancy on economic growth. Findings: Empirical analysis revealed a positive trend in life expectancy in India. In association with life expectancy, the author found continuous growth in the elderly population. The result of the FEM shows that gains in life expectancy positively affect economic growth in India. The empirical findings do not support any negative impact of life expectancy gains on economic growth. Originality/value: This study is the outcome of the independent and original research work of the authors and contributes significantly to the literature on the demography–economic relationship. The findings of this study help the author to understand that life expectancy gain is in no way a constraint, rather the skill and experience of the workforce are crucial to determining economic growth. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2022-0422. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters present substantial dangers to both human life and physical infrastructure. Although the human development index (HDI) is recognized for its pivotal role in mitigating mortality resulting from natural disasters, the exact extent of its impact on fatalities remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the relationship between HDI and fatalities resulting from floods and cyclones using panel data for 19 states of India spanning from 1983 to 2011. Employing Fixed Effects Poisson and Negative Binomial estimates, we establish a causal-effect relationship between HDI and disaster-related fatalities. Additionally, we utilize the Instrumental Variable Poisson (IV) model to address the endogeneity between HDI and fatalities. Our empirical findings indicate that states with higher HDI levels experience lower fatalities due to natural disasters. Furthermore, our results underscore the importance of critical policy discussions regarding the role of inequality-adjusted HDI, government responsiveness, and human capital development in disaster risk reduction strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine whether gender diverse boards enhance intellectual capital performance, which is a measure of intangible resources. We have created a framework for panel data analysis for Indian listed firms and conducted estimation using the panel fixed effects technique. We also use the system generalised method of moments technique to assess the results' robustness. The results of the study indicate that gender diversity positively influences intellectual capital. The one aspect of intellectual capital which gets positively impacted by gender diversity is the human capital coefficient. These results suggest that women directors create policies that support the development and efficient application of intellectual capital. The female board presence associated with intellectual capital is essential for firm success in the knowledge economy. The study supports the regulation to enhance women's representation on corporate boards. It also gives feedback to regulators for changing and broadening the law beyond listed firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: India contributes two‐thirds of the global mortality due to oral cancer and has a younger population at risk. The societal costs of this premature mortality are barely discussed. Methods: Using the human capital approach, we aimed to estimate the productivity lost due to premature mortality, valued using individual socioeconomic data, related to oral cancer in India. A bottom‐up approach was used to prospectively collect data of 100 consecutive patients with oral cancer treated between 2019 and 2020, with a follow‐up of 36 months. Results: The disease‐specific survival for early and advanced stage was 85% and 70%, with a median age of 47 years. With 671 years lost prematurely, the loss of productivity was $41 900/early and $96 044/advanced stage. Based on population level rates, the total cost of premature mortality was $5.6 billion, representing 0.18% of GDP. Conclusion: India needs to implement tailored strategies to reduce the economic burden from premature mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use new survey data from 1,203 households in rural Eastern India to estimate cross-sectional models of overall energy use and embedded emissions. Findings indicate that the primary driver of household energy use is household size and affluence. This is unsurprising and consistent with findings from the engineering literature on energy demand. However, there is also a substantial and significant moderating influence of skills on energy use. For emissions, we observe a bifurcated relationship in line with educational attainment. For those that have completed secondary education or more, skills are negatively associated with energy use and emissions, whereas for those with lesser qualifications more skills are associated with more energy use and emissions. The results are consistent with the environmental Kuznets curve, which implies that a critical level of affluence is required before environmental impacts start lessening. The results also echo a sociological critique of human capital theory − that individual abilities are not productive in and of themselves, but rather in relation to socially determined opportunity structures. Our findings show that this could also hold for greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Human capital is a portfolio of rich skills that the labour possesses. Human capital has attracted significant attention from scholars. Nevertheless, empirical findings on the utility of human capital have often been divided. To address the research gap in the literature, the authors attempt to understand how human capital plays a significant role in financial development and economic growth nexus. Design/methodology/approach: The authors rely on secondary data published by the World Bank. The authors use econometric tools such as the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) model and related statistical tests to study the relationship between human capital, India's financial growth and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Findings: Study findings suggest that human capital and financial development contribute significantly to economic growth. Further, the authors found that human capital has a positive and significant moderating effect on the path of joining financial development and economic growth. Practical implications: The study contributes to the human capital debate. Despite the rich body of literature, the study based on World Bank data confirms the previous findings that investment in human capital is always useful for the financial and economic growth of the nation. Originality/value: This paper reveals some unique findings regarding effect of financial development and economic growth nexus which opens the window of new dimension to think about their nexus. It also provides a different pathway to foster the economic growth by using human capital and financial development as together, especially in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study empirically investigates the implications of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the value-added intellectual capital efficiency of food and agribusiness firms in India. This study uses the firm-level data collected from the Prowess database of the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy for 362 food and agribusiness companies in 2019. The study contributes to the theoretical and managerial practices by assessing the causal relationship between the value-added intellectual capital (VAIC) and CSR for food and agribusiness firms in an emerging economy, i.e., India. The results suggest a significant mean difference in the key characteristics of firms with and without CSR expenditure. Further, there is a significant relationship between CSR and Value-Added Intellectual Capital Efficiency in the Indian food and agribusiness firms. Finally, the regression analysis indicates that CSR expenditure has a positive and significant implication on value-added intellectual capital (ß = 0.119, p < 0.01), including all the dimensions of firm's capital efficiency except structural capital; i.e., capital employed (ß = 0.095, p < 0.01), human capital (ß = 0.145, p < 0.01) and intellectual capital (ß = 0.124, p < 0.01). However, CSR does not seem to have significant implications on structural capital standalone (ß = 0.044, p > 0.10), implying that the structural capital efficiency of the firms does not get affected by CSR expenditure. The findings of the study provide a good reason for implementing mandatory CSR, which goes beyond the performance of firms, as there is a positive and significant impact of CSR on the Value-Added Intellectual Capital of the firms. This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing extended understanding on the relationship between CSR and VAIC among food and agribusiness firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to identify the impact of intellectual capital (IC) on the bank's performance using a cross-country approach with India and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries using the Skandia navigator model (SNM). Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a mixed-methods research approach by taking financial and non-financial measures to assess the impact of the IC on the bank's performance using the SNM. The study implies an analysis of the data from the top ten banks in India and twenty banks in GCC countries. The selection was done based on the volume of the bank's business for three years (2019–2020, 2020–2021 and 2021–2022). Findings: The research has three main findings: there is a positive impact of IC on the bank's performance; amongst the factors of SNM, there is a direct impact of human capital and customer focus on the performance of the selected banks in both India and GCC countries; and the other factors of SNM such as structural capital and process focus, renewal and development focus also affect the selected banks. Research limitations/implications: The outcomes of the research may be useful for policymakers in India and GCC countries, as it identifies IC components that have a significant impact on the bank's performance. This might enable them to develop policies that foster such factors, which, consequently, will improve the performance of the banks in the selected countries. Originality/value: This study is an attempt to fill the gap in the existing literature on IC and bank's performance for two different types of countries using the SNM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women's enrollment in colleges in developing countries is staggeringly low. Due to cultural norms and safety concerns, women may not be allowed to enroll. Alternatively, local colleges might be in short supply. Using the variation in college construction in India under a college construction grant policy, we assess whether increased access to colleges in home districts improves human capital outcomes for women. We find an improvement in educational and other development outcomes. The educational gains accruing to women are twice as large as for men. The benefits accrue to the rural women but do not spillover to the neighboring districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra-household inequality explains 40% of child human capital variation in the developing world. I study how parents' investment contributes to this inequality. To mitigate the identification problem posed by observational data, I design a survey experiment with parents in India that allows me to identify beliefs about the human capital production function, preferences for inequality in outcomes and the role of resources. I find that investments are driven by efficiency considerations: as parents perceive investment and ability as complements, they invest more in higher-achieving children and more so when constrained. Simulations indicate that interventions have intra-household distributional impacts through parental responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to gauge the extent of extant inequality India. It draws upon diverse data sources like nutritional adequacy, income distribution and satellite photos, among others. Additionally, it explores the labour markets and social sectors to seek the origins of inequality. The findings indicate significant disparities not only between states but also among different demographic groups within the population. Compared internationally, the levels of overall deprivation appear rather high. Malnutrition also poses a substantial challenge and adversely affects labour markets. Moreover, employment rates have not been able to keep pace with the growing population of working-age individuals over time, notably due to a significant withdrawal of female workers from the labour force. This trend, alongside labour redundancy, fosters economic dependency and heightens vulnerability at the household level. In the realm of social sectors, both Education and Health exhibit deficiencies in quality and affordability, perpetuating inherent inequality. E.g. The cost of education escalates with each academic grade., Similarly, excessive privatisation in healthcare has inflated the cost of accessing medical services. The overarching development process lacks adequate focus on inclusivity, evident in the marginalization of significant segments of the population in employment, education, and healthcare. Such exclusionary practices run counter to the principles of sustainable development and human welfare. Historical neglect of social sectors has contributed to an excessively large population, exacerbating the issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Question/Issue: Information processing, agency, and resource dependence perspectives provide diverging predictions regarding the relationship between board interlocks and firm performance, which are rooted in different perspectives on the roles of boards of directors. This study argues that these various approaches are reconcilable when considering the nature of board committees to which the interlocked directors are assigned. Research Findings/Insights: We test our hypotheses on a sample of 5133 firm‐year observations in India. Our analyses support our hypotheses. The results show that interlocks between audit committees, whose primary function relates to providing financial oversight and ensuring compliance, are negatively related to firm performance. In contrast, interlocks between nomination and remuneration committees of Indian firms, which provide them with access to resources such as human capital and information on appropriate incentive structures, are positively related to performance. Theoretical/Academic Implications: Our study clarifies the relationship between board committee interlocks and firm performance by taking a multi‐theoretical perspective. Our analysis suggests that information processing, agency, and resource dependence theories complement one another in explaining the effect of interlocks on firm performance. Practitioner/Policy Implications: Our results show that it is not board interlocks per se that are detrimental to firm performance; in fact, appointing well‐connected directors with experience in serving on other boards might be beneficial for firms. However, firms should not assign specific monitoring‐intensive tasks such as auditing to directors who also serve on other firms' audit committees. Our findings suggest that these directors should have greater independence and focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the impact of depression treatment on economic behavior in Karnataka, India. We cross-randomize pharmacotherapy and livelihoods assistance among 1,000 depressed adults and evaluate impacts on depression severity, socioeconomic outcomes, and several potential pathways. When combined, the interventions reduce depression severity, with benefits that persist after treatment concludes. Pharmacotherapy alone has a weaker effect that is only marginally significant and dissipates sooner. Depression treatment does not significantly increase earnings, consumption, or human capital investment in children. (JEL I12, I15, I18, J13, J22, J31, O15) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the effect of railroads, the single largest public investment in colonial India, on human capital. Using district-level data on literacy and two different identification strategies, we find railroads had positive effects on literacy, in particular on male and English literacy. We show that railroads increased literacy by raising secondary and elite primary schooling, rather than vernacular primary schooling. Our mediation analysis suggests that non-agricultural income, urbanization, and opportunities for skilled employment are important mechanisms, while agricultural income is not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimate the returns (measured by hourly earnings) to education, experience, and social networking in India using individual-level panel data from the India Human Development Surveys. We combined the two latest waves of this survey using individual-level identifiers to generate a balanced panel and merged it with various household characteristics. We provide estimates of private returns for an additional year of education and experience by consumption quintiles, gender, caste, and religion in a fixed-effects Heckman model that controls for selection bias. This methodology improves upon estimates of all earlier studies on earnings in India, as most of the literature has relied on cross-section data or pseudo-panel data. We also examine the impact of social networking on earnings, which is under-explored in nationwide studies in India. We find that education significantly and positively affects earnings for all consumption quintiles, gender, caste (except schedule castes), and religious groups. Among economic groups, the highest returns are observed for the third quintile above the poverty line. Returns to females for an additional year of education are nearly double that of males but the difference in starting earnings keeps earnings of males higher for long periods. Among the castes, scheduled castes have the highest returns to education and other minorities among religious groups. Social networking positively impacts males, Hindus, and the quintile just above the poverty line. Experience positively impacts women's earnings, general caste and scheduled caste, Hindus and Other minorities and two consumption quintiles (two and five) above the poverty line. Plain Language Summary: Impact of Education, Experience, and Social Networks Impact Earnings in India by Class, Gender, Caste and Religion Purpose: Enhancing human capital is critical for India's development. It would help overcome existing labor market hierarchies based on economic class, gender, religion, and caste. We study the impact on private earnings of (a) an additional year of education and experience, and (b) social networking. Methods: We use an individual level panel dataset assembled from the two latest rounds of the Indian Human Development Survey (I&II). Our Heckman type earnings equation controls for selection bias. Results: An additional year of education increased earnings between (a) 2.4% and 8.8% among different consumption quintiles (b) 3.7% for males to 5.2% for females, (c) 1.5% (STs), to 5.9% (SCs), and (d) 2.3% (Muslims), to 9.9% (Other Minorities). Experience increased earnings of two economic groups, females, the General and Scheduled castes, and of Hindus and Other Minorities. Social networking increased earnings of males, Hindus, and one economic quintile. Conclusions: Higher marginal returns to education for females justifies greater investment in women's education. Lower returns on education among STs and Muslims indicate the need for affirmative action for these groups. The positive returns to education for the poor suggests that anti-poverty programs in combination with educational opportunities for the less privileged would meet the goals of social justice. Implications Better education (SDG4) would help achieve gender equality (SDG5), and social justice for marginalized (economic, caste and religious) groups (SDG1, SDG10). Limitations: We were unable to account for ability bias. Stratification by state and sector would provide better estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islamic microfinance institutions (IMFIs) have had their roots in India originating as far back as 1918. It is founded on the principle which prohibits interest and hence is a form of non-interest microfinance to the poor. It also provides micro-credit services through Shari’ah compliant structures to small dealers and traders who have limited to no access to the formal financial services. Islamic microfinance offers a more sustainable and successful microfinance which not only creates financing but also blends in empathy for the poorest of the poor. In the Islamic perspective, poverty alleviation is more comprehensive than the conventional one. It flags equity and cooperation-based models in contrast to models that create and perpetuate debt. However, the past of IMFIs in India depicts an unfortunate tale. The IMFIs established during the eighties, rose and matured quickly. Nevertheless, over the course of time they encountered numerous hurdles that lead to their closure in many places. Therefore, it becomes vital to study the factors that caused the IMFIs downfall in India. The objective of this research is to know the challenges of Islamic microfinance in India and give suggestions and possible solutions to resolving the issues. This study adopts the quantitative approach. In this research the population is known and hence probability sampling or random sampling is selected. The data gathered from the303 responses received is analyzed using SPSS22 software. The findings of this research show that the majority agrees that there is lack of government support, no proper marketing of Islamic microfinance products, no effective Islamic microfinance products in India, lack of human capital in microfinance, high interest rates that make the poor financially unstable and lack of microfinance institutes in rural areas. This study offers robust recommendations on the challenges of Islamic microfinance in India and henceforth, it will be of interest to regulators, stakeholders, as well as the existing and potential customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: The development of human capital is a priority for most nation states, accelerated by the COVID‐19 global pandemic. In the context of reimagining a "new normal" post‐COVID, we reconsider the concept of human capital, and focus on knowledge, skills, and training of individuals in order to capture aspects of inclusive development. Purpose: This paper shows how the perspective of women, informal sector workers, representing some of the most marginalized workers in society, informs and improves our understanding of human capital and its development and utilization. Methods and approach: Our findings are derived from field‐based research conducted over the summer of 2021 in which multiple (virtual) focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with selected members of the Self‐Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in India. Findings: Through our FGDs, the participants provided new perspectives and insights into our knowledge of human capital, emphasizing the importance of social protection programmes, gender equity, ongoing training opportunities, decentralized supply chains, and income security. Perhaps most significantly, the benefits accrued to women through being organized have been key to unlocking their human capital potential. Policy implications: Our research highlights themes that are often overlooked in the literature or are beyond the scope of more narrow conceptualizations of human capital. We show that human capital is tightly interwoven with other forms of capital (community assets), and hence efforts to build the former cannot be achieved in isolation from attending to the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the context of exponential technological advancements in the economy and the role of entrepreneurial ventures in significantly contributing towards social and economic growth, this study aims to examine the influence of learning motivation and personal innovativeness (PI) on students' entrepreneurship intention. The study gains relevance in the context of students in emerging economies like India, where the digital divide is still on the higher side. The study also seeks to understand the extent to which varying levels of technological self-efficacy moderate the interaction effects of human capital in the aforementioned relationship. Design/methodology/approach: The sample for this study consisted of 330 students from various disciplines, including science, technology and management, who were selected randomly from different universities in India. A self-administered and structured questionnaire was used to obtain responses from the participants. The data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis (IBM SPSS 23.0), and path analysis was performed using Hayes PROCESS Macro. Findings: The study's results indicated that learning motivation and PI had a significant indirect effect on students' entrepreneurship intention, mediated through human capital. However, interestingly, the relationships were varyingly influenced by technological self-efficacy as the moderator. Practical implications: The contemporary student cohort consists of individuals known as "digital natives," who possess a strong inclination towards digital learning and demonstrate innovative behaviour. The insights gained from this study underscore the crucial role of technological self-efficacy in shaping entrepreneurial intentions, indicating the necessity of incorporating technological training and skill development within international business education curricula. Also, the results of the study emphasize the need for integrating PI into business education programs, as it positively influences the entrepreneurial mindset and potential. Originality/value: This study is pioneering in conceptualizing and testing a model that provides a more comprehensive understanding of student attitudes and outcomes. This understanding can be used to customize entrepreneurial programs to better meet the needs of students. Entrepreneurship fosters technological innovation and creates employment opportunities, making student venture creations a crucial factor in economic development and sustainability. For educators and university administrators, it is essential to comprehend how to enhance entrepreneurial intentions among students to design a learning environment that facilitates the creation of new ventures as a result of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the dynamic nexus between economic complexity index (ECI), technological development (TIN), human capital (HC) and environmental quality in India for transition towards a sustainable environment. This study is based on secondary data covering the period from 1985 to 2018. For empirical analysis, this study applied "Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology" (STIRPAT) model framework under the estimation of autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and vector error correction model (VECM) model. The empirical findings of model 1 show ECI, TIN, HC and urbanization (URB) as the helping hands to mitigate the problem of environmental degradation by shrinking the level of EF, whereas for model 2, ECI and TIN failed to influence the CO2 emissions, but HC served as a stimulant for environmental quality enhancement by declining the level of CO2 emissions. In contrast, GDP growth and URB strengthen the CO2 emissions levels. Moreover, in VECM framework, estimated findings reveal that the covariables Granger-cause EF and CO2 emissions, inferring that causality flows asynchronously from its covariables to EF and CO2. Impulse response function (IRF) revealed that the responses in EF and CO2 emissions ascribed to changes in its covariables. The outcome of the study has some implications for environmental policy strategists to prepare sustainable environment policies and other responsible authorities for sustainable development goal (SDGs), academician and scholars. All the stakeholders involved in environmental economics and policymakers can evaluate this study to design proper policy framework with respect to the environment. There are few studies that explore the dynamic nexus between ECI, TIN and HC with environmental quality in the control environment of URB and GDP growth using the STIRPAT model for India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We investigate the impact of son preference in India on gender inequalities in education. We distinguish the impact of preferential treatment of boys from the impact of gender-biased fertility strategies (gender-specific fertility stopping rules and sex-selective abortions). Results show strong impacts of gender-biased fertility strategies on education inequalities between girls and boys. Preferential treatment of boys also matters but appears to have a more limited impact for most outcomes. Further, our results suggest that gender-biased fertility strategies create gender inequalities in education both because girls and boys end up in systematically different families and because of gender inequalities in pecuniary investment within families. Since gender inequalities in education in India are partially the result of gender-biased fertility strategies, they are not likely to disappear until the strong desire to have a son does so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using panel data from India, this paper investigates the effect of early maternal age on offspring human capital, contributing to the scarce evidence on this phenomenon, especially in the context of a developing country. The analysis relies on mother fixed effects to allow for unobserved differences between mothers and employs a variety of empirical strategies to address remaining sibling-specific concerns. Our results indicate that children born to young mothers are shorter for their age, with stronger effects for girls born to very young mothers. We also find some evidence suggesting that children born to very young mothers perform worse in math. By exploring the evolution of effects over time for the first time in the literature, we find that the height effect weakens as children age. Further analysis suggests both biological and behavioral factors as transmission channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to extend the discussion on firm profitability to include handloom enterprises in India. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a random sample of 427 handloom microentrepreneurs from the Indian state of Assam. The seemingly unrelated regression model is used to determine the profitability drivers in India's handloom enterprises. Findings: The empirical results revealed that human, financial and social capital, along with their control variables such as information and communication technology, firm size and sales distribution, are the main drivers of profitability of Indian handloom enterprises. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to offer an in-depth insight into what makes profitability in the handloom enterprises in India, the world's second-largest reservoir of the handloom industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Management for Global Sustainability is the property of Ateneo de Manila University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)