Search

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

In 2021, the Lancet Commission on adolescent nutrition highlighted the need to prioritise the elimination of adolescent malnutrition to tap the human capital potential and break the intergenerational malnutrition trap. The nutritional requirement during adolescence reaches its peak. The present study aims to appraise the prevalence of undernutrition (stunting and thinness) and anaemia among adolescents (10–19 years) in India and the role of socioeconomic, individual-level hygiene behaviour and dietary diversity in nutritional outcomes. We have used the nationally representative Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS-2016–18) that covers children and adolescents (0–19 years) in India. The prevalence of stunting, anaemia and thinness among adolescents was 27⋅2, 28⋅5 and 24⋅1 %, respectively. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to estimate the likelihood of undernutrition. The likelihood of stunting was higher for late adolescence (OR 1⋅21, 95 % CI 1⋅15, 1⋅27), low dietary diversity (OR 1⋅37, 95 % CI 1⋅26, 1⋅49) and low hygiene behaviour compliance (OR 1⋅53, 95 % CI 1⋅42, 1⋅64). Adolescents from the poorest quintile were more likely to be stunted (OR 3⋅20, 95 % CI 2⋅94, 3⋅48), anaemic (OR 1⋅66, 95 % CI 1⋅47, 1⋅87) and thin (OR 1⋅68, 95 % CI 1⋅54, 1⋅82). We found that lower hygienic compliance was significantly associated with undernutrition and anaemia. Therefore, promoting hygienic practices should be emphasised to tackle undernutrition and anaemia. Furthermore, dietary diversity and poverty were strong predictors of stunting and thinness, therefore targeting the poor and focusing on improving dietary diversity should be the priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study empirically examines the relationship between human capital ecosystems and entrepreneurial ecosystems. The study also investigates the mediating roles of digital knowledge capability and innovation capability and the moderating role of technology turbulence in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach: The study takes inputs from existing literature and resource-based view (RBV) and absorptive capacity theories and develops a theoretical model. Later, the model is validated using the structural equation modeling technique with data collected from India-based startup enterprises. Findings: The authors found a nexus between human capital and entrepreneurial ecosystems. The study also highlights that enterprises' digital knowledge capability and innovation capability significantly influence the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The study also found that technology turbulence has a significant moderating impact on the relationship between digital knowledge capability and innovation capability in entrepreneurial ecosystems. Research limitations/implications: The study shows the importance of developing human capital for improving enterprises' innovation capability and digital knowledge capability, which are also important to develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Entrepreneurs can use the proposed model in their enterprises for appropriately developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Originality/value: The authors propose a theoretical model for entrepreneurial ecosystems, from the human capital perspective, which entrepreneurs could use to improve the overall organizational performance. Moreover, the model uses technology turbulence as a moderator, which is also a novel approach. The study also adds valuable knowledge to the overall body of literature of intellectual capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The term "social innovation" refers to interorganizational activity ostensibly designed to address environmental issues. Green intellectual capital (IC) has been considered to be a vitally important mechanism for companies to move towards green production. By adopting the Intellectual capital-based view (ICV) as the underpinning theory, this study aims to investigate the green intellectual capital and social innovation tie-up. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research approach was adopted in this study. The mail survey was used to collect data from managers of 509 manufacturing units operating in J&K, India. The study model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings: Based on the SEM results, the key factors that significantly influence social innovation were green human capital and green structural capital. The results also posited that green relational capital was not significantly related to social innovation. Originality/value: As revealed by the existing literature, no similar work has been done yet. Therefore, this study's originality lies in its exploration of green intellectual capital (IC) and social innovation interplay in an environmentally sensitive sector, manufacturing. Besides, this study offers insights to academics and practitioners in the manufacturing sector, especially in emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the process of school-to-work transition, the role of general education and vocational education and training (VET) remains quite central. Based on the human capital theory, we estimate whether investment in VET brings additional returns for workers across the age cohorts. Design/methodology/approach: The focus of our study being the labour market in India, the data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2018–19, conducted by the National Statistical Office, has been used for analysis. We have applied the ordinary least square method with sample selection correction, the quasi-experimental technique of propensity score matching and heteroskedasticity based instrumental variable approach to estimate the returns with respect to no VET, formal VET and informal VET. Findings: Our study shows that workers with formal VET earn higher wages than workers with no VET or informal VET. The study finds that workers with informal VET do not earn higher wages than workers with no VET. Moreover, from the age cohort analysis, we have deduced that wage advantage of workers with formal VET persists across all age cohorts and, in fact, accentuates with an increase in age. Originality/value: We have estimated that VET being complemented with basic general education fetches higher returns in the labour market, especially when provided through formal channels. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, in the case of developing countries where informal VET is widely provided, this is one of the first studies that captures the return to informal VET. Lastly, complementing the existing studies on the developed countries, we have estimated the returns to VET over the life cycle of the workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the significance of board gender diversity (BGD) on the firm's intellectual capital (IC) performance of 272 Indian firms listed on the National Stock Exchange during 2007–2019. Considering the recent regulatory amendment by the Indian regulatory system (Security Exchange Board of India, 2018) which mandates at least one female independent directors on boards of all listed companies. Design/methodology/approach: Based on theories and literature reviews, hypotheses were developed. This paper uses the proportion of female director on board and proportion of female independent directors to measure BGD and modified value-added intellectual coefficient (MVAIC) methodology to measure firms' IC performance. Two-step system-generalised method of moment panel data regression analysis has been employed to identify the variables that significantly affect IC performance. Findings: This paper finds female representation on boards has a significant impact on MVAIC; capital employed efficiency shows the strongest association with female directors on board, followed by structural capital efficiency and human capital efficiency, while relational capital efficiency shows no significant effect. The results further demonstrate that female independent director has a significant but negative impact on IC. Research limitations/implications: As the study is limited to the listed firms of an emerging economy with a mandatory female quota for boards. Thus to increase the generalizability of findings, future research can be extended to include all listed and non-listed firms from another emerging economy with a mandatory female quota. Practical implications: From the practical perspective, this study bridges the gap between theory and practice in terms of providing a deeper understanding to the policymakers and Indian regulatory bodies like the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Securities Exchange Board on the importance of including female members on board as a vital contributing factor for leveraging firm's intangible performance. Originality/value: Using resource dependency theory and agency, this study extends the literature on IC efficiency and female representation on boards by presenting the research outcome for Indian listed firms. This paper, addressing the recent changes introduced by Indian regulators and using the female independent directors on board, is amongst the first attempts to assess the relevance of BGD and IC performance. This issue has still not been discussed and analysed by researchers in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using survey data on 647 "people living with HIV/AIDS" (PLHIV) respondents from India, we examine the association between human, economic, and social capital and psychological well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic, and whether pandemic-induced job and financial insecurity are significant stressors. We find that among human capital indicators, family health status results in a more positive mental state and fewer personal conflicts among PLHIV while having more working-age adults in the household results in more conflict. With regards to economic capital, PLHIV in salaried jobs and self-employment have a less positive mental state compared to those in daily wage work. Compared to daily wage workers, those in salaried jobs and self-employment exhibit lower addictive behavior. Self-employed PLHIV respondents also engage in fewer conflicts with their significant other. We do not find any correlation between social capital and psychological well-being. Job and financial insecurity are negatively associated with psychological well-being. While job insecurity is associated with an increase in addictive behavior, financial insecurity increases the likelihood of more frequent personal conflicts. We conclude that there is a need for greater economic and psychological support from institutions, community, and family to assuage the pandemic-induced psychological distress among PLHIV. ABBREVIATIONS: ART: antiretroviral treatment; GSNP+: Gujarat State Network of Positive People; MHI: mental health inventory; OBC: other backward castes; PLHIV: people living with HIV/AIDS; SC: scheduled castes; SD: standard deviation; ST: scheduled tribes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education is a powerful weapon and an essential component of the social sector. Education can change the social stigmas attached to society through the process of learning. It has an ancient tradition in India, and the ancient roots of education in India can be traced back to the times of the Vedas, from 1500 to 500 BC. Education expenditure has been regarded as an asset because it acts as an investment in human capital. The increasing demand for education in India, coupled with a lack of public expenditure on education, has been resulting in increasing private expenditure on education, which in turn has far-reaching consequences for access and affordability to education. In developing countries like India, since its independence, the government of India has given more importance to education and educational sectors to uplift its people. The future of the budding generations around the world is dependent on education and educational bits of knowledge. In the present study, an attempt is made to analyze the government's expenditure on education in different states of India. In the state of Karnataka, it is found that the per capita expenditure on education gradually increased, but after some years, the expenditure pace changed and increased rapidly. The per capita expenditure on education in states like Sikkim, Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, and NCT Delhi has been higher compared to the lowest expenditure states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh. The study found a noticeable regional imbalance among the Indian states in per capita expenditure on education has been found, but the trend remains the same over the years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caste is a unique marker of social stratification in India. There are significant eco- nomic inequalities and considerable disparities in educational achievements between historically disadvantaged caste groups and Others. Unequal investments in their chil- dren's human capital by caste can perpetuate income inequalities and reproduce class differences between caste groups. This paper analyses caste-based disparities in house- hold expenditure on children's school education using nationally representative social expenditure data on education from 2007–08 and 2017–18 in India. The paper uses a recentered influence function (RIF) based decomposition analysis to pinpoint the key factors underpinning the disparity in private educational expenditure between disadvantaged caste groups and Others. Further, to overcome the problem of heterogeneity of data the study also employs propensity score matching (PSM) as robustness check for the decomposition analysis. The findings from decomposition and matching approaches reveal that differences in endowments, specifically income differences, between caste groups explain most of the caste-based gap in children's human capital investments. The study has implications for public policy to address educational and economic disparities between disadvantaged caste groups (ST, SC and OBC) and Others in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The previous researchers have identified human capital, relational capital and structural capital as knowledge assets in knowledge-driven organizations. The current study is an attempt to identify and validate the knowledge assets in construction projects. The study also aims to understand the interrelation of these knowledge assets and their impact on project performance through the development of a conceptual model. Design/methodology/approach: The study is divided into three phases. In phase I, the constructs of "knowledge assets" and "project performance" in construction projects are identified using the exploratory factor analysis. In phase II, these constructs are validated using confirmatory factor analysis. Two separate surveys are conducted for phase I and phase II, respectively. In phase III, the authors develop two conceptual models based on the literature review and two construction project cases in India. The models examine the inter-relationship of knowledge assets and measures their impact on project performance. The models are empirically tested using the responses of the second survey through a structural equation model. Findings: The study extracts four knowledge asset constructs and one performance construct which are named human capital, structural capital, relational capital, human capital capacity building process and project performance, respectively. The study finds that both the conceptual models are statistically excellent fit. The results of the models suggest that relational capital and structural capital have a direct positive impact on project performance, whereas human capital has an indirect effect on project performance mediated through relational capital, structural capital and human capital capacity building process. Research limitations/implications: The items for knowledge asset constructs and measurement of project performance are moderated by experts, working in construction projects in India, hence the process may contain subjective bias. Further, two construction project cases were selected by authors in the study that originate from India. Practical implications: The study has implications for the project executors (contractors) as well as for project owners. The contractors must maintain healthy relations with all the stakeholders in a project like a client, suppliers, architects, etc. They must develop systems that are people-friendly to avoid the problems of time and cost overruns in projects. The owners must also maintain healthy relations. This can result in a win-win situation for both parties and can lead to superior project performance. Originality/value: The study develops and empirically tests two conceptual models that explain the interrelations of knowledge assets and how it benefits the construction project performance in India. Therefore, the generalization of the results is difficult; however, the results can be replicated in projects with similar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study seeks to understand the nexus between intellectual capital and profitability of healthcare firms in India with interaction effects. Design/methodology/approach: Relevant data were extracted from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE)'s Prowess database for a period of ten years 2009–2018 for a sample of 84 selected firms from the healthcare industry. This study uses value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) and modified value added intellectual coefficient (MVAIC) as a measure of intellectual capital. Further, the study employs panel regression techniques to explore the relationship between intellectual capital and profitability. Findings: The empirical findings reveal that the intellectual capital coefficient of healthcare firms in India averages 2.7757. It is also observed that a majority of the healthcare firms' intellectual capital coefficient is below the industry average. From the regression analysis, it is evident that the intellectual capital coefficient is positively related to the profitability of healthcare firms in India. As far as the components of intellectual capital coefficient are concerned, the capital employed coefficient (CEC) is the only component driving the profitability of healthcare firms in India. A further introduction of interaction terms improves model explainability and moderates the impact of the predictor variable on the response variable. Furthermore, it is observed that the intellectual capital coefficient of the healthcare industry is immune to changes in political regimes in India. Practical implications: The findings reveal that intellectual capital is an important driver of corporate performance, thus healthcare firms in developing economies like India need to enhance their intellectual potential. Therefore, corporates and governments in developing economies should stimulate investments in developing intellectual capital for enhanced corporate performance and economic growth. Thus, this study might be used as a reference by policymakers while drafting the future policy for the development of intellectual capital in general and healthcare sector specifically. Originality/value: This is among the first few studies to explore such an empirical relationship for healthcare firms in India and among the few studies of this kind across the globe. It also makes novel contributions in considering interaction variables and seeking the consistency of results across different political regimes. However, the study examines one nation and one industry; thus, the generalisation of findings requires caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, has recently rolled out its flagship scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)', aimed at ambitious expansion of the domestic seaweed sector. Consequently, it gave emphasis on diverting the focus from a monoculture of Kappaphycus alvarezii to other candidate species, Gracilaria dura—which yields high quality agar—is an ideal example. Furthermore, currently agar requirement for the country is 400 tonnes year−1 and 4,000 tonnes dry of feedstock is needed to cater to this demand. With this backdrop, commercial farming of G. dura has been initiated along the northern west coast of India. We interviewed 20 households from two coastal villages, namely, Simar and Rajpara to document their socio-demographic profiling and computing livelihood asset index. The total literacy rate of Simar was found to be 25% and Rajpara was 20%, with population of 7445 and 12,000 respectively. Demographic analysis revealed equal gender participation; a higher proportion of seaweed growers (30%) were under the age group of 21–30 years; 15% exclusively dealt with seaweed farming (while others relied on additional livelihood source); spending from earning had positive implications on various aspects, namely, household food security, improving their purchasing power to meet daily requirements (50%), education to their children (30%); followed by savings (10%) and medical and other expenditure (10%). The 'human asset index' was found to be 0.487, while the 'natural asset index' was 0.376; the 'physical asset index' was 0.69; the 'financial asset index' was 0.205; the 'social asset index' (SAI) was 0.557, while the 'total livelihood asset index' was 2.315. To the best of our knowledge, asset indicators have been first time recorded for seaweed farmers from anywhere in the word for longitudinal analysis. The data will be useful to researchers and policy-makers for household welfare dynamics studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the impact of Indian firms' intellectual capital on firm performance, as well as the moderating effects of age and gender therein. Design/methodology/approach: The research initially develops a theoretical model, through extant works and theories, which is subsequently empirically validated using the partial least square structural equation modeling technique with 328 respondents from 12 Indian firms. Findings: The study concludes that specific dimensions of firms' intellectual capital, including structural capital, human capital and customer capital, positively and significantly impact firm performance, which in turn provides the firm competitive advantages. The study also finds that there are significant moderating effects of age and gender on the relationship between firm's intellectual capital and firm performance. Research limitations/implications: Further to its evident contribution to scholarly knowledge and its provision of a validated model, which could be used in other emerging and developed markets as well, the research provides valuable practicable directions to firm executives regarding the importance and utilization of the structural, human and customer capital in improving firm performance and strengthening its competitive edge. Originality/value: The study adds valuable knowledge to the body of literature on intellectual capital, through its explicit empirical findings, as well as through its focus on the significant emerging market of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Graduates' attitudes towards learning, although subject to change, is a crucial indicator of their understanding and involvement in lifelong learning activities. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether lifelong learning enhances human capital worth to predict perceived employability. An enquiry into the attitudinal differences on lifelong learning among male and female students was also looked into. Design/methodology/approach: An empirical examination using Warp-PLS was conducted on the propositions among 286 engineering graduate students in Kerala, India, from January 2020 to March 2020. Findings: The Warp-PLS examination reveals a positive association between lifelong learning and perceived employability and warrants the mediating role of lifelong learning in the association between human capital and perceived employability. A gendered variation on attitudinal differences towards lifelong learning is also looked into, and no difference between males and females is found. Originality/value: The impact of lifelong learning on employability has been conceptually discussed before. This paper is the first attempt to empirically prove the same with a proper theoretical explanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently Varghese (2018), in his report to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Commonwealth of Australia, remarked that till 2035 India will be in the list of top three economies and will be in Asia's top three trading partners for Australia. In this context, the research questions addressed in this paper are: What is the current efficiency level of India in exporting its merchandises; What constraints does India have to overcome to improve its export efficiency; and Has the governance structure of the 'majority government' played an effective role in rigorous opening up to improve its export efficiency. The empirical analysis covering the period 2001 to 2019 indicates that on average India's export efficiency with its trading partners worked out to be about 80%. The empirical analysis has identified human capital, physical capital, and 'majority government' as important factors contributing to improvement in India's export efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do emerging economies compete for international skilled workers? To explore policies used by non-Western countries to attract or retain high-skilled workers in the context of the 'race for talent', this article analyses and compares governmental measures employed in three emerging economies: Brazil, India, and Malaysia. Based on insights from 17 expert interviews, we describe the practices and strategies of these three countries to reverse 'brain drain'—that is, the loss of human capital through migration. The article argues that the design and development of migration and skill recruitment policies are at different stages and of varying relevance to respective national actors. While Malaysia has become an active player and innovator on the international talent recruitment market, the other two countries still consider themselves as 'self-sufficient', relying on either their domestically produced human resources or, in the case of India, their skilled diaspora. The three countries are situated at different, mostly early stages of a 'migration policy transition', with rising demand for human capital, but still insufficient legal, administrative, and economic provisions to recruit and admit many skilled foreign workers. The 'global race for talent' is less of a race for the global South as it is in the global North. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has documented intergenerational transmission of human capital from children to parents. Less is known, however, about heterogeneity in this 'upward transmission' in low-resource settings. We examine whether co-resident adult children's education is associated with improved health among older parents in India, using nationally representative data from the 2014 Indian National Sample Survey. Parents of children with tertiary education had a lower probability of reporting poor health than parents of children with less than primary education. The benefits of children's education persisted after controlling for economic factors, suggesting that non-pecuniary pathways—such as health knowledge or skills—may play an important role. The association was more pronounced among economically dependent parents and those living in the North and West regions. Taken together, our results point to a strong positive association between children's education and parental health, the role of non-pecuniary pathways, and the importance of subnational heterogeneity in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is in the process of strengthening the trauma care system, and assessment of the current situation using standard guidelines has immense use. This study reports the status of trauma care facilities in India, with a broad framework of guidelines for essential trauma care by the World Health Organization. This study is part of a multicentric intervention study to standardize structured trauma care services in five Indian cities. Thirty trauma care facilities (five level I, 10 level II, and 15 level III facilities) were included. Data on the availability of equipment and manpower were collected. Availability of knowledge + skills and equipment + supplies was assessed based on the guidelines for essential trauma care by World Health Organization. There is almost 100% availability of services and equipment in level I hospitals, but availability varied between 50% and 100% at level II facilities. Very fewer number of services are available at level III facilities. Inadequacy of equipment is reported in level II and III facilities. Only level I facilities have required human resources. Availability of resources in terms of knowledge and equipment of different skills indicated that overall optimal level is observed in level I hospitals. Level II facilities are more deficient in nursing and paramedic staff, and level III facilities reported deficiencies in all categories. A significant imbalance between recommended resources and the resources that are available in the trauma care facilities was noted. Hence, the study warrants urgent strengthening of trauma care facilities, particularly of level II and III facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends a two-period overlapping generations model of endogenous growth in which associations between human capital, social capital, and health outcomes are critically examined for a low income country, India. If individuals with higher levels of human capital can build strong social ties and have more robust social networks, they are then less likely to have health problems and are therefore physically healthier. In an attempt to test the so-called relationship between the variables in question, a unique dataset, where micro-level data from the world values survey and regional-level macro data from the central statistics office of India were both utilised, was accessed. A three-equation model has been then estimated using the conditional mixed-process method in order to address endogeneity issues explicitly. Our estimation results provide important insights into the theoretical thesis in several ways. Firstly, human capital has a favourable impact on social capital, which in turn enhances self-reported health. Secondly, we provide a comparison of three main experiments: an increase in the share of public spending by region on education, social capital-enhancing activities, and health. The results confirm the positive effect of an increase in each form of government spending on outcome variables. Thirdly, the correlation coefficient between disturbances of these three equations turns out to be statistically significant, suggesting that there are unobserved factors, which can affect self-reported health, social capital and human capital variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether intellectual capital (IC) and its subcomponents enhance value and improve the profitability of real estate (RE) and infrastructure (INF) firms in India. In this study, IC is measured through the value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) model. The study further extends the VAIC model by incorporating an additional component of social welfare efficiency (SWE). Design/methodology/approach: The study uses the panel data investigation based on the data of 63 firms (22 RE and 41 INF firms), for a period of 10 years (2008–2017). The dependent variables in the study are return on assets (ROA) and market price to book value ratio (PB), whereas the independent variables are VAIC and its components. The panel is tested for stationarity, heteroscedasticity and multicollinearity problems. Finally, to account for heteroscedasticity and endogeneity, Arellano and Bond's (1991) panel regression estimator with robust estimates are used. Findings: The findings of the study suggest that IC has a significant influence on the profitability and value of infra firms, whereas capital-employed efficiency (CEE) positively affects the profitability of both RE and INF firms. Originality/value: The study is an attempt to find the effect of IC and its components on profitability and value of RE and INF firms in India. The author has also extended the VAIC model, which was introduced by Pulic (2000), by adding an additional IC component, i.e. SWE. The study uses Arellano and Bond's (1991) panel regression estimator with robust estimates, which helps produce robust results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the context of conflicting results in the existing literature on the effectiveness of entrepreneurial education and training, this study aims to examine the effect of entrepreneurial training on perceived human capital and entrepreneurial intention of students. A deeper understanding of the effectiveness of entrepreneurship programs assumes significance, given the substantial policy support and budgetary spending on entrepreneurship education across the world, especially in emerging economies like India. Furthermore, the authors seek to examine if human capital mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial training and entrepreneurial intention. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 330 final-year students who had undergone a mandatory course on "entrepreneurship and new venture planning" in various disciplines in science, technology and management were randomly selected as sample respondents. A self-administered and structured questionnaire that measured the attitude toward perceived effectiveness of entrepreneurial education and training, perceived human capital and the entrepreneurial intention was used to elicit responses. Findings: Results revealed that entrepreneurial training and education are effective in eliciting an important student-level outcome of entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, the study found that human capital significantly mediates the aforementioned relationship. Based on these findings, it is suggested to further the focus of entrepreneurial training programs conducted in universities and thus foster entrepreneurial outcomes among students. Originality/value: This study adds to the body of knowledge, by examining if entrepreneurial education and training provided by universities indeed yield positive results in terms of higher intentions to engage in entrepreneurial activities, with emphasis on a large developing economy like India. Entrepreneurship development is widely recognized as an effective tool for the socio-economic development of societies in developing countries. This study, by establishing the efficacy of entrepreneurship education in creating entrepreneurial intention among young students, endorses the policy focus and resource spending on entrepreneurship training and education. Also, this study is pioneering in examining the mediating role of human capital in the aforementioned relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has become a vital task for employers to attract and retain the talented pool of human capital. The human capital of a firm has proved itself a source which provides employers with a competitive advantage. In recent years employers have adopted certain practices aiming to attract talented employees. Employers spend a considerable amount of their resources on becoming an employer of choice. The researchers in the present study have adopted a scale in an attempt to study the employer branding factors influencing the attraction and retention of employees working in various banks (both private and government) in Delhi NCR, India. The study also attempts to observe the differences (if any) with respect to gender as well as government/private sector employees concerning employee attraction and employee retention. The results of the present study suggest market value and social value as the factors determining the employee attraction, whereas, career development and image as the factors determining employee retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is very little guidance in library and information science (LIS) literature about how researchers should manage the scope, time, costs, quality, human resources, communications, and risks associated with LIS research projects. To fill this gap, researchers tested the utility of project management principles (PMP) for planning and managing a project designed to enhance the information, digital, and financial literacy of the people earning less than $2 per day in India. The customization of PMP through 29 mechanisms and 60 action items was used to conduct focus groups and in-person surveys with over 150 participants, in their native language, at 10 public libraries. PMP were most helpful for managing risks (13 solutions), communications (11 solutions), and human resources (10 solutions) of the project and treating participants ethically. PMP developed in the West were helpful before, during, and after data collection in the LIS research project in a developing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a serious threat worldwide including increase in temperature particularly in tropical countries and our country India is no exception to it. It has been also reported that the work performance of the human resources is also affected particularly those who were exposed to outdoor working environment. In this backdrop, the present study has been undertaken to assess the physiological strain in male food crop cultivators (age range 24-36 years) occupationally engaged in reaping tasks during food crop cultivation. Physical and physiological parameters are also recorded. Indicators of thermal environmental condition i.e. dry bulb temperature, and wet bulb temperature are also recorded during the working time. Results of the present study indicated unfavourable working environmental condition making the task more arduous for the human resources engaged in reaping task during 'Boro' type of paddy cultivation time as indicated from the indices of physiological strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many studies point towards significant positive impacts of Hindu Succession Act (HSA) reforms on females' empowerment and access to human and physical capital, the fact that this reform also led to increased female mortality raises questions about long-term sustainability of reform effects. We use evidence from three states, one of which amended the HSA in 1994, to assess first- and second-generation effects of this reform using a triple-difference strategy. First-generation effects include greater likelihood of completing primary education, more assets brought into marriage, improved access to bank accounts, a lower share of female births, and higher female survival rates. Second-generation effects on education, time use, and health are robust and point estimates of education are larger than first-generation ones even after mothers' endowments are controlled for, pointing to a sizeable and sustained empowerment effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive innovation & indigenous development of affordable solutions is the much needed remedy for India's challenge of the low translational rate of healthcare technologies. A study is conducted to understand Indian Technology Transfer landscape and functional analysis of Technology Transfer entities, with qualitative dataset collected from six Indian Technology Transfer entities having different models of Technology Transfer for health technologies. The study provides comprehensive strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) analysis of current Indian Technology Transfer Entities. This has encouraged addressing an inevitable need of a robust translational healthcare model. The study proposes a translational model based on five major translational factors viz. Translational Activities, Human Resource Development, Liaising Activities, Technology Transfer, and Entrepreneurial Support. The model uses a matrix approach to have a focal authority (National Biomedical Technology Authority) with decentralized approach at its five regional facilitation centres (Regional Biomedical Technology Facilitation Centres) and a blue print towards regional development. Further, proposes a platform for sustenance and integrative approach for existing translational capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earlier universities had 'teaching' and 'research' as two missions and in recent times 'contributing directly to industry' has been added as the third mission. Considering that work places generate and disseminate knowledge, one can integrate the functions of a university to a work place. The author was involved in the implementation of such an integration and this article is an outcome of that experience. The article presents a summary of the relationship between science and technology, describes policy statements related to science and technology issued by the Government of India, and glimpses into the structure of research establishment in India. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is tasked with setting up Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), and its efforts have been supplemented by many other agencies of the Government. Agencies other than MHRD, including mission-oriented agencies, have oriented the HEIs established by them to cater to the needs of the business allocated to them. The article lists the motivations for setting up an HEI by a mission-oriented agency, where the idea of integrating the university function to a work place has been implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored the motivation of rural-urban migrants who moved from the Himalaya foothills of Uttarakhand to its capital city, Dehradun. A survey of 100 migrant families reported their socio-economic profile before and after migration, personal and general reasons for migration, problems in the village and in the city, and perception of push- and pull factors. A remote sensing-based analysis of land cover and forest changes was conducted for two villages of the migrants’ origin, aiming to link the reasons for migration to land cover changes. This was contextualised by reported large scale changes in forest cover. Major reasons for migration mentioned in this study were education, employment opportunities with the associated income, and facilities. These were perceived as both, push and pull factors, whereas environmental factors ranked very low. Declining environment or agriculture were never mentioned spontaneously as personal reason, and only occasionally as a presumed general reason for migration, but were frequently confirmed as a major problem in the village. Thus, although such problems existed, they seemed not a major driver of rural-urban migration. For most of the respondents their migration resulted in a profound change of livelihoods and significantly improved their socio-economic situation. Land and forest cover around the chosen villages fluctuated by up to 15% with a trend to increasing forest cover in recent years. At the district and state scales, forest cover was rather stable. These results question the narrative of deforestation and environmental degradation in the Himalayas as major push-factors for rural-urban migration in Uttarakhand. Even if environmental constraints were felt, it was rather the differences in socio-economic opportunities (education, employment, facilities) that drove people to migrate to the city. Regarding the push-pull paradigm, we conclude that scenarios of external conditions under which people migrate cannot be evaluated without taking the migrants’ attitudes and choices into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Indoor air pollution from the use of dirty fuel such as firewood, and dung cake for household chores is a serious health risk globally. Currently, 2.8 billion people in the world rely on dirty fuel for cooking and heating, of which more than 700 million (25%) people are from India. In 2016, 3.8 million premature deaths were attributable only to indoor air pollution, of which the total premature deaths due to indoor air pollution in India was 1.3 million (34%). One of the effective ways to combat indoor air pollution is a rapid dissemination of biogas technology. With nearly 300 million bovine animals, and 22% of rural agricultural households that completely rely on livestock for their livelihoods, India has a great potential to expand biogas technology and to combat the killer indoor air pollution. Currently, however, only 0.4% of the households in India reportedly use biogas. Using National Sample Survey Organization data, India, and applying an econometric estimation procedure, the present study demonstrates that both physical capital, such as landholdings and house ownership, and human capital, such as general education of the household head and spouse, can significantly affect the decision to use biogas. However, the positive decision to use biogas is negatively associated with the monthly expenditure on dirty fuel. The study, therefore, recommends the provision of general education as well as external supports in developing countries to increase awareness, as well as the adoption of domestic biogas digesters. Highlights • 700 million population in India rely on dirty fuel for cooking. • Use of dirty fuel causes indoor air pollution, kills 1.3 million population yearly. • Use and expansion of biogas among rural households can mitigate the problem. • Education and asset ownership affects the adoption of biogas in India. • Adoption of biogas reduces the use of dirty fuel, thus saves life and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial surrogacy in emerging countries such as India is often associated with exploitation of vulnerable women, the assumption being that it is performed by poor and uneducated women for rich intended parents. However, the hypothesis that surrogates are poor women has rarely been confronted with field data. The objective was to compare the socioeconomic characteristics of Indian surrogates interviewed in social studies with those of Indian women in the general population in order to provide preliminary data on whether surrogates have a specific profile and are indeed disadvantaged compared with their counterparts. The study analyzes the data from four cross-sectional studies carried out in India among surrogates between 2006 and 2014. Surrogates were recruited through clinics, agencies and agents. Data were collected during face-to-face interviews. The resulting convenience sample included 96 Indian surrogates. Their sociodemographic characteristics were compared with those of the general population extracted from Indian national surveys. The surrogates interviewed had their first child at a younger age than women in the general population, but they tended to have a smaller family. Their social situation tended to be better than that of the general population in terms of education, employment and family income. These results provide first empirical evidence moderating the common assumption that Indian surrogates are the poorest and least educated women. This does not mean, however, that exploitation does not exist. More studies are needed to confirm these results and to explore the issue in new international destinations for surrogacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We propose a conceptual framework to examine the association between mothers' vulnerability to intimate partner violence (IPV) and children's human capital. An important contribution of our framework is that it uses multiple dimensions of human capital and identifies several pathways through which the negative associations of IPV translate to human capital deficits. The conceptual framework is empirically tested using a large-scale representative child-level dataset from India that includes two dimensions of children's human capital – traditional school-based measures of educational attainment, and standardized reading and arithmetic test scores reflecting cognitive ability. Additionally, our study is the first to use an indirect measure of IPV which aims to overcome underreporting bias associated with direct questioning based IPV measures. The results show significant negative correlation between mothers' vulnerability to IPV and children's human capital. The negative association is more pronounced and robust for cognitive outcomes as opposed to the commonly used school-based measures of human capital. As predicted by our conceptual framework, the negative associations are mediated by mothers' poor health and disruption of home environment. We find strong evidence of IPV-exposed children being more likely to experience corporal punishment at school reflecting signs of externalizing behavior. The indirect measure of IPV stands the test of multiple validity and robustness checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunization coverage in Chhattisgarh has never been abysmal but the improvement is rather insignificant over the years. Some more interventions are essential to strengthen different aspects of immunization services such as micro-planning, cold-chain and logistics management, monitoring/supportive supervision, and community mobilization. The present study was considered as a part of ongoing UNICEF funded Project on Supportive Supervision of Routine Immunization in Rajnandgaon district undertaken by the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, and Rajnandgaon CG with the objectives to observe key quality parameters at Ice Lined Refrigerator (ILR) points and to assess knowledge and practice of Vaccine Cold Chain Handler (VCCH). Methods: A facility-based, cross-sectional study (repeat survey) was conducted from May 2017 to June 2018 in the Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh. First phase of the study was conducted from May 2017 to November 2017 and repeat survey was conducted from December 2017 to June 2018. Structured questionnaires as a part of standard tool prescribed by Government of India was used for the collection of required data. Results: The cumulative score status out of all the 50 centres in Rajnandgaon district showed improvement in 35 centres. The score of important components such as vaccine management, equipment maintenance, temperature monitoring, and monitoring and supervision information improved, but that of background information and human resource component decreased. Conclusion: Supportive supervision strategy can be more beneficial in improving the cold chain maintenance process provided that components such as logistic, infrastructure, and manpower are in place to enhance service delivery. Supportive supervision is a continuous process, so regular follow-up and monitoring visits are essential to achieve the targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines whether parental income affects decisions on children’s human capital investment and labour market participation. India’s sudden and unanticipated trade liberalisation was a national policy that created an exogenous variation in industry-specific tariff rates over time. The policy consequently led to variation in workers’ earnings according to their industrial affiliations. The disparity in earnings across industries provides a good setting for identifying the causal effect of parents’ income on child’s labour and schooling, using an instrumental variables approach. The study finds a positive effect of parents’ income on children’s schooling but a negative effect on children’s work. The magnitude of effect, however, is higher for girls compared to boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article problematizes the conventional models of U-I linkages by pointing to the fact that they assume a resource-abundant context in which research funding is not a constraint. While such an assumption generally holds true in developed countries it is unlikely to be the case in the context of developing nations. Paucity of research funding leads to a situation where universities possess few formal intellectual properties such as patents and copyrights. The conventional U-I linkages that are predicated on explicit knowledge are therefore generally absent in developing countries. The article argues that it is possible for universities to develop productive linkages with the industry even in resource-constrained environments (RCE) by leveraging their human capital and knowledge assimilation and dissemination capabilities. The article presents several case illustrations drawn from the higher education sector in India. The Indian case suggests that while conventional university–industry (U-I) linkages are not prevalent in the country, there are other forms of university and industry collaborations that have been largely ignored in the extant literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study contributes to the understanding of key drivers of stunted growth, a factor widely recognized as major impediment to human capital development. Specifically, we examine the effects of sanitation coverage and usage on child height for age in a semi-urban setting in Northern India. Although sanitation – broadly defined as hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes, particularly human waste – has long been acknowledged as an indispensable element of disease prevention and primary health care programmes, a large number of recent impact evaluation studies on sanitation interventions in low income countries fail to find any health improvements. We address endogeneity of sanitation coverage through an instrumental variable approach, exploiting variation in raw material construction prices. Doing so, we find that sanitation coverage plays a significant and positive role in height growth during the first years of life and that this causal relationship holds particularly for girls. Our findings suggest that a policy that aims to increase sanitation coverage in a context such as the one studied here, is not only effective in reducing child stunting but also implicitly targets girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper seeks to examine the effects of electricity generation efficiency on the index of human capital in India over 1980–2021 through the novel multi threshold non-linear autoregressive distributed lag model. We find strong evidence that the effects of efficiency in the generation of electricity on human development have varied across thresholds/quantiles. We suggest that, for improving human development in India by suitable energy policies, both policy makers and the public sector managers will need to make directed efforts to use most robust and energy saving technologies in the electricity generation process. • The study addresses the relationship between efficiency in the electricity generation process and human development. • The MTNARDL method is used because conditional mean analysis failed to provide the inner dynamics of the relationship. • We find strong evidence that the said relationship varied across thresholds/quantiles in the short and long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with diabetes mellitus require long-term care that is timely, patient-centered, community-based and sustainable. Any deficiency in care increases the risk of developing complications like Diabetic Retinopathy. Patients or their carers also have numerous questions and doubts during this long-period of care. This increases the pressure on health systems that are struggling with a lack of skilled human resources. One option is to provide counseling support using a dedicated helpline. Over the last five years a major initiative to tackle visual impairment due to diabetes was rolled out in India by the Public Health Foundation of India supported by the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, UK. One component of the initiative was establishing a toll-free helpline (1800 121 2096) to address the lack of awareness and to empower people with diabetes in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states in India. Over a 1-year period, the helpline received 4406 calls, making a case for a national service for people with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender discrimination within the household exists in many contexts. In societies where the norm is to not expect future support from daughters, parents may invest even less in the health and human capital of girls. In India, as in other patriarchal societies, the eldest son occupies a special position as the potential head of the extended family and is expected to assume responsibility for parents' welfare in their old age. In this paper, I explore intra-household differences in educational expenditure and enrollment for children by gender and birth order. Using child level data from the nationally representative India Human Development Survey-II (2011–12), I confirm the presence of a pro-male bias and an additional preference for the eldest son. In families with more children and greater competition for resources within the household, the pro-male bias falls and the bias in favor of the eldest son is greater. Parents in the higher income bracket, who are also less likely to be dependent on their children, discriminate less in favor of the eldest son. As expected, pro-male bias is highest in the north, central and eastern zones of the country. The north-eastern zone exhibits the lowest levels of intra household discrimination based on gender. Finally, I find evidence suggesting reverse discrimination, i.e. discrimination against sons, in the state of Meghalaya which follows a rare matrilineal system where the youngest daughter takes over as the head of the household. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road traffic accidents (RTAs) have become a serious problem worldwide as they incur losses of around 2% of a country's gross domestic product (GDP). RTAs are one of the major causes of death and injury in developing countries like India. To enable governments to take policy decisions on road safety, it is necessary that good research is undertaken to estimate the cost of accidents. This kind of study will help governments make important decisions on investment in traffic safety, improvement of roads and other facilities. On the other hand, evaluation and estimation of the costs of RTAs will help governments ascertain economic feasibility of policy decisions given limited economic resources. Apart from humanitarian losses, the contribution to economic losses from RTAs is alarmingly high, as most people involved in accidents are from the most economically active and productive age-groups of a society. The main objective of this study is to establish the cost components of road accidents in Nagpur city, Maharashtra, India. The methodologies for such studies generally vary according to traffic pattern, modal share, accident pattern, etc. This study makes use of a system dynamics approach, which provides a comprehensive understanding of the problem for Indian cities. Data were collected and collated with major inputs from the Traffic Department of the city for all road accidents from 2010 to 2015. The study found that the costs recorded for RTAs amounted to INR 935.5 million in 2015, which was 0.09% of the city's GDP. In addition, major cost components were evaluated by varying the severity level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of wealth, human capital, and social group on the occupational choice and income of farm households, to gain an understanding of the mechanism underlying the recently increasing income diversification in rural eastern India. The results show that wealth and human capital have a positive impact on the choice of high-return jobs, and low caste workers are more likely to work in casual, low-paying jobs, partly due to their dependence on personal networks in finding jobs. Notably, no clear evidence of association between social group and income is found. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]