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In much of the developing world, cooking accounts for the largest share of women's time in home production. Does relying on solid fuels drive this time burden? This study revisits a clean energy information experiment in rural India to assess the time savings' potential of cleaner cooking technologies. Treatment villages were randomly assigned to receive information about negative health effects of cooking with solid fuels and about public subsidies for cleaner liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Time-use data indicate that primary cooks spend almost 24 hours cooking each week. Cleaner fuel use is correlated with about 140 minutes less cooking time each week. Yet households only reduce their weekly cooking time by about 35 minutes in response to the randomized clean energy information nudge. Factors limiting the impact of clean energy nudges on the choice of home production technologies and time use are discussed and an avenue for future research is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telemedicine is increasingly used across the developing world to expand access to healthcare, to improve outcomes, and to reduce costs. One common model is that of telemedicine centers, which are small primary care facilities run by midlevel (nonphysician) providers who conduct a preliminary examination and then facilitate a telemedicine visit with a remote physician in real time. However, the impact of this channel of care delivery—particularly on existing physical healthcare-delivery channels—has not been thoroughly examined. We use data from one of the largest tele-ophthalmology implementations in the world to examine this issue. Using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach, we find that opening a nearby telemedicine center generates a 31% increase in the overall network visit rate from the population within 10 km of the new center, 62% of which is driven by new patients, suggesting a substantial increase in access. The rate of eyeglasses prescriptions to correct for simple refractive errors increases by 18.5%, whereas the rate of cataract surgery to replace the natural lens in a patient's eye with an artificial lens remains unchanged. The increase in access and treatment rates does not significantly impact the direct costs incurred by patients, but reduces their indirect costs (measured as travel distance) by 30% (12 km). Finally, we find significant spatial heterogeneity in these effects, which vary with the distance of patients to facilities. These results have important implications for the design of telemedicine networks and the portfolio of healthcare services provided through them. This paper was accepted by Stefan Scholtes, healthcare management. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4488. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – A public health approach for promoting mental health has become a major health policy agenda of many governments. Despite this worldwide attention on research addressing population mental health and general wellbeing, very little is heard on positive mental health from the low-and middle-income countries. This paper aims to present an attempt to develop a model of positive mental health among young people. This could be used for integrating the concept of positive mental health (PMH) into public health interventions. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted in the state of Kerala, India. The paper administered the “Achutha Menon Centre Positive Mental health Scale” to a sample of 453 (230 men and 223 women) in the age group 18-24, along with an interview schedule exploring the relationship of PMH with many explanatory variables such as sex, beliefs, religion, education, employment and social capital. The paper developed an input path model through a series of multiple regressions explaining the levels of PMH in the community, which was then tested statistically (using AMOS version 7.0). The input model was created by identifying the determinants and correlates of PMH based on their predictive power on the outcome variable, the PMH score. The input diagram was used to test the model fit of the data. Findings – The path model (Figure 1) clearly specified the determinants of PMH. Among them, the variables that have a direct determinant effect on PMH are: quality of home learning environment, employment status, education status, marital status, self-perception on possession of skills, happiness with life, membership in social organizations and socializing capability. Research limitations/implications – In this study, path model is used to confirm relationships among observed and latent variables. The path diagram assesses the comparative strength of the correlations between the variables and does not test the directionality. Or, the model itself cannot prove causation. Practical implications – Determinants of PMH those are amenable to interventions as well as those which help in recognizing characteristic groups for intervention could help to plan future intervention programs. Originality/value – Original paper based on primary data collected through a cross-sectional survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the political complexities of retail liberalization in a developing country such as India in the overall context of liberalization of trade in services. Drawing on the experiences of other developing countries and India's experiences in the past decade of allowing FDI in retail, the paper found that retail modernization is a part of economic development and it will continue to happen. The governments of developing countries have to take into account multiple perceptions related to retail liberalization and design a policy that is non-discriminatory and transparent. Appropriate policies should be in place to support the traditional retailers to face competition. Developing countries should be willing to bind their unilateral liberalization in trade agreements and this will enhance their bargaining power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited information on autism spectrum disorders from lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This paper reviews the status of early identification and early intervention for autism spectrum disorders in response to the article by Camarata (2014). The PubMed database was searched to identify relevant epidemiological studies from LMIC. Seven studies from five countries were identified: Colombia, India, Jamaica, Jordan, and Mexico. The mean age of parental concern, at 21-24 months, and mean age of diagnosis, at 45-57 months, were similar in LMIC, but later than in high-income countries. Both country groups reported language disorder to be the symptom of initial concern. Similarities in biological aspects of the disorders were noted across LMIC and high-income countries. Comparable ages of identification and diagnosis across vastly different LMIC suggest limited resources to be the underlying contributory factor. Recommendations for improving early identification and intervention made by researchers in the LMIC are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the trends in the allocation of capital in an emerging economy, India, during the post-financial liberalization regime. In contrast to the conventional wisdom that financial liberalization leads to better allocation of funds, the study could not find any obvious evidence of increase in efficiency over the reform period, especially during the early years of reform. Further, the study highlights the disturbing trend of convergence of efficiencies across various strata of firms towards a lower level over the reform period. This paper rationalizes the decline as a result of excessive capacity creation in certain industries, financed by cheap external sources of finance, without any consideration of return or demand conditions. This paper, as a policy recommendation, highlights the importance of creating appropriate institutions prior to pursuing financial liberalization in developing countries like India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural extension services being provided predominantly by public agencies in the developing world have contributed to quantum jumps in food production in countries like India. However, these services have failed to eliminate persistent structural poverty among a significant proportion of the farmer households. Part I of the paper summarizes generic problems that have so far persisted in the provision of agricultural extension services in various developing countries (including India) as given in the published literature. It then brings out various elements of the reform processes that are being recommended and implemented in developing country programmes by various donor agencies, like the World bank, FAO, GTZ, etc. Part II of the paper carries out in brief SWOT analyses of the Indian silk industry. It also highlights the organization and functions of the various infrastructure of the central and state government agencies providing extension services for the sericulture industry. It then critically examines as to how this infrastructure and services are geared to mitigate the weaknesses and threats and exploit the strengths and the opportunities of the sector. Based on this the framework of extension services reforms outlined in Part I of the paper is applied to formulate recommendations on the reorganization of this infrastructure for its better cost-efficiency and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looking at our knowledge of the risks associated with nanotechnology, one wonders to what degree should its products and applications be regulated? Do we need any governing body to regulate nanotechnology research and development? Do individuals have a right to know to make informed decisions through labelling mechanism? The question of regulation and responsibility in the interaction between science, technology and society is one of the most pressing issues. Risks and regulations regarding nanoscience and nanotechnology are mostly debated amongst policy-makers and not amongst the nanoscientists, who actually produce the new science. Thus, the paper makes an attempt to contribute significantly to an increased body of knowledge regarding how scientists think and talk about science. Little has been documented about perceptions of nanotechnology regulation and responsibility in developing countries. Given the importance of perceptions in the genetically-modified foods debate, the way nanotechnology is perceived holds serious repercussions for the framing of its ethical, legal and social implications. Through a field-survey that records the opinions of leading Indian nanoscientists, the paper examines scientists' perceptions about nanotech-regulation. Such discussion is imperative to address technological risks and uncertainties. The paper further explores whether scientists have different views on what responsibility amounts to and under what conditions one is responsible. Though the study has considered Indian nanoscientists due to access issues, the research questions raised and addressed in this study are universal in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to take a close look at factors that influence the choice and quality of healthcare received by ailing and elderly people in rural north India. The author is primarily interested in seeing what role is played by the presence of sons in the family, particularly co-residence with sons. In the absence of some broad-based social security arrangement in countries like India, older adults traditionally turn to living arrangement where the older adults are supported by their children or extended family. In a patriarchal society as India, such responsibility lies with the sons if one has son/s. Such dependence on sons explains preferential treatment towards younger sons as a justification for the care parents receive from sons in their advanced years. This culture of son preference behavior provides the context for this paper. Design/methodology/approach -- The empirical model is based on testing three inter-related research questions. First, the author asks whether having grown sons or living with son/s leads to up-front better quality of healthcare for parents. If the empirical analysis does not show support for this research question, the author broadens the research question to ask whether those with grown son/s or those that live with their son/s have a higher probability of seeing a trained medical professional as compared to some traditional healer. If the empirical analysis does not support the second question, the author further broadens the research question and asks whether those elderly who are sick are more likely to receive any healthcare (medical or traditional) if they have grown son/s or live with their son/s. Findings -- The results show that co-residence with a son does not have a statistically significant impact on the quality of healthcare received by the elderly individual. Additionally, not having a son also does not have a statistically significant impact on quality of healthcare received. Research limitations/implications -- For the purpose of the empirical analysis, the author utilizes World Bank's Living Standard Measurement Survey (LSMS) data collected from rural villages in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India in 1997-1998. The dataset may be somewhat dated, but it provides relevant information which transcends time. Additionally, with economic growth and modernization, more and more young people in India have migrated away from rural areas in the recent decade. Thus, surveys carried out in the last decade by the National Family Health Surveys in India show very little evidence of elderly parent in rural areas living with their adult children. This practice seemed to be much more prevalent at the time of the LSMS survey of 1997-1998. Practical implications -- Contrary to popular expectation, the results show that co-residing with a son has no statistically significant impact on healthcare received by parents. Additionally, not having sons does not matter either. Originality/value -- The author finds relatively fewer studies done on factors that determine the choice of healthcare for the elderly, particularly relating to those that are ailing (for reasons other than simply aging) and with reference to their living arrangement. The present paper addresses this void in the literature and is expected to make a meaningful contribution in bridging this gap in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the latter half of the 19th century the Indian subcontinent was wrought with frequent famines. The colonial state provided relief to the affected population through employment on public works such as roads, canals and railways, in addition to charitable relief. Discussing working conditions, wages, and recruitment, this paper argues that famine labour was characterized by informality under a state regulated employment system, and explores how informality can be conceptualized in a historical context. Coinage of and the distinction between the terms formal and informal is fairly recent, being defined by degrees of state regulation and precarity. This paper, through the case of famine construction workers, offers evidence of practice and adds to the corpus of literature that challenges the distinction between the two terms. Therefore, the paper holds implications for current discussions on interpenetrations between formal and informal economies in the global south. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ethnography of urban infrastructural engineering. • Paying attention to fragments that make up infrastructures. • Rethinking what counts as engineering in the urban context. • Worlding the study of urban water systems from the global South. This paper explores the work of engineers amidst the fragments of access and use mechanisms that make up water infrastructures in the city of Chennai in south India. It sets its ethnographic investigation against a dual backdrop. One is that infrastructures in the global south have almost unequivocally come to be accepted as fragmented, even as the fragments themselves are little examined. The second is the mandate and will to order that engineering work is presumed to operate on by academic research and city managers alike. This paper brings these two provocations in juxtaposition by examining engineering work that occurs in the fragments of Chennai's water infrastructures. In doing so, it argues that engineering modern infrastructures involves multiple, often fragmentary epistemologies that rarely fit into a singular overarching tendency, to order or otherwise. It draws attention to the distinct sub-disciplines as well as the layers of technical jobs and technological cultures constituting the profession of engineering. Tracing the social differentiation between some of these engineering pathways, the paper calls for a rethink of what counts as engineering for the purpose of infrastructure research; and how that shapes our visibility and understanding of cities and their socio-technical support structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several developing countries have become world leaders in the field of renewable energy, of which China, but also Brazil and India stand out. This research paper focuses on the positions they occupy in the world rankings of hydro, wind, solar and bio energy capacities, as compared to the developed countries. At the same time, the investigation points to specific catalysts or, on the contrary, deterrents of the "green revolution" in the developing world. Hydropower is the most important form of renewable energy in all the three countries included in this evaluation. It is underscored that China is the first one in each of the four world rankings, taking into account the total installed capacity of renewable energy: hydro, wind, solar and bio. It is also the largest investor in renewable energy capacity worldwide. Brazil ranks second as regards hydropower and bioenergy capacities, while India ranks fourth in wind and bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global health diplomacy has gained significant importance and undoubtedly remained high on the agendas of many nations, regional and global platforms amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Many countries have realized the importance of the health sector and the value of a healthy workforce. However, there is little control on issues related to trade that impact on human health due to the dominance of profit-oriented business lobbies. A balance, however, needs to be struck between economic profits and a healthy global population. This paper aimed to highlight the importance of building capacity in global health diplomacy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic so that health personnel may effectively negotiate on the multisectoral stage to secure the resources they need. The recent proposal to waive off certain provisions of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID-19 by India and South Africa at the World Trade Organization (WTO) presents an important opportunity for all governments to unite and stand up for public health, global solidarity, and equitable access at the international level so that both developed and developing nations may enjoy improved health outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to explain why China performed better than India in reducing poverty. As two of the most populous countries in the world, China and India have both experienced fast economic growth and high inequality in the past four decades. Conversely, China adopted a more export-oriented development strategy, resulting in faster industrialization or urbanization and deeper globalization, than India. Consequently, to conduct the comparative study, we first decompose poverty changes into a growth and an inequality components, assessing the relative importance of growth versus distributional changes on poverty in China and India. Then, Chinese data are used to estimate the impacts of industrialization, urbanization and globalization on poverty reduction in rural China. The major conclusion of this comparative study is that developing countries must prioritize employment generation in secondary and tertiary industries through industrialization and globalization in order to absorb surplus agricultural labor, helping reduce poverty in the rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ratio-based prevalence and absolute headcounts are the two most commonly accepted metrics to measure the burden of various socioeconomic phenomenon. However, ratio-based prevalence, calculated as the number of cases with certain conditions relative to the total population, is by far the most widely used to rank burden and consequently for targeting, across different populations, often defined in terms of geographical areas. In this regard, targeting areas exclusively based on prevalence-based metric poses certain fundamental difficulties with some serious policy implications. Drawing the data from the National Family Health Survey 2015–2016, and Census 2011, this paper takes four indicators of child undernutrition in India as an example to examine two contextual questions: first, does the choice of metric matter for targeting areas for reducing child undernutrition in India? and second; which metric should be used to facilitate comparisons and targeting across variable populations? Our findings suggest a moderate correlation between prevalence estimates and absolute headcounts implying that choice of metric does matter when targeting child undernutrition. Huge variations were observed between prevalence-based and absolute count-based ranking of the districts. In fact, in various cases, districts with the highest absolute number of undernourished children were ranked as relatively lower-burden districts based on prevalence. A simple comparison between the two approaches—when applied to targeting undernourished children in India—indicates that prevalence-based prioritization may miss high-burden areas where substantially higher number of undernourished children are concentrated. For developing populous countries like India, which is already grappling with high levels of maternal and child malnutrition and poor health infrastructure along with intrinsic socioeconomic inequalities, it is critical to adopt an appropriate metric for effective targeting and prioritization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent COVID‐19 pandemic has not only resulted in the loss of human lives but also distressed economies. The impact of this crisis is even higher in emerging economies like India due to already slowing growth rates, poor health infrastructure, and a significant population living in extreme poverty. While the government is taking measures to handle this crisis, nobody can be sure if these measures are adequate, as this will depend on how soon the spread of the virus is contained in the country. However, understanding the depth of the impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on the Indian economy is vital to formulate the policy and measures to contain this economic impact. This paper attempts to understand the impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on the Indian economy by employing a qualitative research design, based on sentiment analysis to understand 15 industry experts' opinion concerning the socio‐economic impact of COVID‐19. The study makes a theoretical as well as applied contribution to the field of study. While theoretically, it contributes to the field of pandemic research, public health management, and disaster management; in an applied sense, we propose a set of measures for the policymakers based out in India, as well as in other emerging nations of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we assert the critical influence of education on health-beliefs among women from India, an emerging economy. We further examine the urban vs. rural differences and the role of social capital in shaping health-beliefs of women. Using nationally representative data of eligible women from India, we find education to have a positive influence on health-beliefs. We find this effect to be higher in rural regions. Further, we find social capital to negatively moderate the effect of education. Our findings stress the importance of education, especially in rural regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assumption that educational policies and practices in the global North are viable in the global South has promoted a universal template for inclusive education, or Education For All. In India, lived realities do not conform to this universal template, resulting in the emergence of low-income English language learners who are being labeled as learning disabled. The paper calls for a "de-colonial resistance" that incorporates indigenous knowledge and lived realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the respective risk perception toward the Covid-19 pandemic among the elderly in two developing countries and their lifestyle change and adaptation behavior as a result of that. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 22 in-depth interviews were conducted among people aged 60 to 85 in Iran and India. The interview guideline was based on two constructs inspired by the study of Gerhold (2020) – risk perception of the pandemic and change in lifestyle and adaptation to the pandemic situation. Findings: The results showed that although the majority of the interviewees initially experienced fear and anxiety during the stay-at-home order and the pandemic situation at large, they quickly adapted to the new situation with behavioral and attitudinal changes in ways relevant to the new normal. The results confirmed the maturation hypothesis proposed by Knight et al. (2000). Originality/value: This paper is an original study of the researchers and among the first contributing to the literature of the elderly studies in developing countries. It contributes to the knowledge required for future behavioral studies concerning the Covid-19 pandemic by evaluating the experiences, risk perception and adaptation approaches of the older people in India and Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantification, measurement of quality, post-treatment, and leachate control has been a significant problem due to the dumping of waste in an unscientific manner across the globe, and especially in developing countries like India. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the degradation of fresh mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) in an anaerobic landfill reactor operated with rainfall addition in laboratory conditions. Experiments were carried out in a landfill reactor of 1 m length × 1 m width × 1.1 m height. The reactor was simulated with 50 years weighted average actual rainfall rate of India. It contained the waste composition of 73% wet waste (food and kitchen) and 27% dry waste (paper, plastic, wood, textiles, and others). The leachate parameters were continually monitored for 39 weeks. In the fresh MSW landfill reactor it was evident that concentrations of leachate parameters were high initially, and there was a significant decrease in BOD5 (7041–39310 mg L−1), COD (15692–71630 mg L−1) and TS (9077–33200 mg L−1) in leachate. Therefore, rainfall had a direct influence on leachate quality. The developed first-order decay models were used for BOD5, COD, and total solids with adjusted R 2 of 0.83, 0.92, and 0.96, respectively. Therefore, this model can be applied for leachate strength estimation at any given time from the period of deposition of waste under similar rainfall and waste compositions, and is largely applicable in India and tropical areas. This study is expected to be a good simulation for cities with the waste composition of high wet waste (>70%) as the estimations of important design parameters such as BOD5, COD, VFA, and NH4+-N were studied in this research. As the importance of moisture (precipitation) has been established in this study, some moisture additions can be designed in areas with low rainfall, such as arid zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the importance of humanizing work and work environment in developing countries. He states that applying interventions that promote human health and safety in work environments in developing countries depends on the sustainability of these interventions in developing societies. The author informs that the current issue of the journal is dedicated to researchers on humanizing work and work environment.

Purpose The primary objective of this paper is to identify and analyze factors that influence choice and quality of healthcare of the elderly population in two northern and two southern states in India. The purpose of this paper is to look beyond the obvious factors that influence choice and therefore the quality of healthcare and seek to find whether there are some additional indirect factors that also influence choice and quality of healthcare.Design/methodology/approach This paper utilizes data from the Longitudinal Aging Study in India pilot project, which was a cross-sectional survey of men and women aged 45 and over focusing on two northern states (Punjab and Rajasthan) and two southern states (Kerala and Karnataka). In this paper the authors carry out a Probit analysis to estimate the factors that influence the elderly’s choice of healthcare.Findings The authors find that social activity via different types of social interactions outside the home and access to a phone (which is one of the cheapest and most commonly used methods of communication used by people in India) are statistically significant in influencing better quality of healthcare for the elderly. Moreover, gender-segregated results suggest that social activity is particularly important for elderly females. Relative price of healthcare is also an important determinant of the quality of healthcare sought. The authors also find some consistent regional influences on healthcare choices by the elderly.Research limitations/implications The main limitation is the data itself which is cross-sectional in nature. However, as further rounds of survey are conducted the authors hope to be able to build on the results of this paper using a longitudinal approach. A second limitation is the lack of variables available for carrying out an instrumental variables analysis. The results imply that elderly males and females are influenced by different things when it comes to healthcare choices. Thus for policy to be effective, the government needs to pursue avenues that would be most likely to succeed.Practical implications One of the most important practical implications of this research is the understanding that informal channels of knowledge transmission are important especially for the elderly in India. Traditional methods of knowledge transmission such as education, media, and income are less likely to be effective in a country where majority of the people are illiterate and poor. Social interactions appear to be most effective in influencing healthcare choices of elderly females.Social implications The most obvious social implications of this paper are the importance of social interactions via social activities outside the home and ability for social communication via access to a phone for the elderly population in India to make better healthcare choices and therefore receive better healthcare.Originality/value The literature on elderly healthcare is limited when it comes to developing countries. What makes matters worse for India is that up until recently there have been no comprehensive efforts to collect reliable data on the elderly population in India. As a result there is extremely limited availability of policy-relevant research dedicated to issues relating to the older population. Most of the existing literature looks at self-reported health and healthcare status or utilization. This paper would be among the first to address factors influencing quality of healthcare received by the elderly population in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Since liberalization in the 1990s, India has witnessed a growth in the number of educated middle-class women in professions. However, there are few women in leadership positions and decision-making bodies. While the earlier notion of the ideal woman as homemaker has been replaced by one which idealizes women of substance, a woman’s role in the family continues to be pivotal and is even viewed as central in defining Indian culture. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how and to what extent gender inequalities are reproduced in the organizations employing educated professionals.Design/methodology/approach Based on the perspective that gender is socially constructed, this paper analyzes gender inequality in Indian organizations through semi-structured interviews of men and women scientists in two private pharmaceutical laboratories.Findings The findings show reproduction of a gendered normative order through two types of norms and practices: one, norms and practices that favor men and second, socio-cultural norms that devalue women in public spaces which help to maintain masculinity in the workplace. Although these practices might be found elsewhere in the world, the manner in which they are enacted reflects national cultural norms.Originality/value The paper highlights how various norms and practices enacted in the specific Indian socio-cultural context construct and maintain masculinity at workplace depriving opportunities to professional women which affect their rise to leadership positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A great deal of attention is now paid to the ethics of social research. Research governance has expanded, and a burgeoning literature describes the processes, practices and questions that arise in social research with children, families and communities. This paper outlines the approach taken to research ethics within Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, Andhra Pradesh (India), Peru and Vietnam, co-ordinated by a research team based in the UK. Drawing on fieldwork reports, qualitative data and other material, I offer some 'real life' examples of ethics questions encountered in research, providing insights into the experiences of fieldworkers. The paper emphasises the importance of understanding local contexts in undertaking research with children and families in environments that change rapidly, economically, environmentally and politically. Overall, my aim is to contribute to current debates about research practices, the ethics of longitudinal research with children, and research with children and parents in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores assets for health and well-being for women in extremely poor rural areas in Ghana, Haiti, India, the Philippines, and Tanzania. Data were collected through individual interviews and focus group interviews with local women. The paper asks (i) which assets women draw on for well-being in resource-poor settings, and (ii) whether an assets approach, as understood in the Salutogenic Model, is appropriate and meaningful in the most deprived areas. Low levels of natural, material and infrastructural resources were reported by the respondents to cause stress, and assets of a human, social and cultural character were identified as being important in coping with this stress. By mobilizing the capacity and assets of people and places, local development initiatives will make sense logically (comprehensibility), they will be perceived to be practically realistic (manageability), and they will be motivating because they are meaningful, based on involvement in decision-making (meaningfulness). The assets focus must co-exist with initiatives to improve distributional justice. We conclude that an asset approach to well-being is not only appropriate, but also necessary, in even the poorest contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two-wheelers (TW) constitute a major proportion of urban traffic in developing countries and therefore their effect on the saturation flow at signalized intersections could be substantial. This paper attempts to study and analyze the effect of two-wheelers on the saturation flow of signalized intersections by collecting data at a few signalized intersections in Bangalore, India. A strong correlation is observed between the measured saturation flow and the proportion of two-wheeler traffic, which suggest that two-wheelers have significant impact and should be considered in the capacity analysis of signalized intersections. In this paper, the effect of two-wheelers on saturation flow rate is incorporated in a previous model by calibrating and introducing a new adjustment factor for two-wheelers. Results show that saturation flow measured using the modified HCM equation is closer to observed saturation flow values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to answer the question: does a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) lead to an improvement in the security of a member country and greater peace between two member countries in the developing world? Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews existing literature and uses the idea of non-economic gains from regional trading agreements to explain how Sri Lanka managed to use FTAs to neutralise India and obtain military assistance from Pakistan using its FTAs with two countries during the recently concluded war. Findings – Even though political objectives were not explicitly outlined in Sri Lanka's two FTAs with its big rival neighbours (India and Pakistan), the FTAs helped Sri Lanka to successfully execute the war against the LTTE (the Tamil Tigers) by neutralising India on the one hand and gaining military assistance from Pakistan on the other. Research limitations/implications – The research approach is basically qualitative. However, there is need to develop a comprehensive theoretical model to capture non-economics gains from FTAs. Originality/value – Although there is a growing body of literature on the underlying political and strategic motivations of countries forming regional and bilateral trading arrangements, this paper adds to understanding of what motivates small developing countries to form trade agreements with big neighbours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hundred years from the Bolshevik Revolution that shook the world, workers around the globe are facing new challenges. Throughout a long stretch of the global South, job creation is sluggish, real wages are stagnant, and working conditions are getting harsher and there is a growing disjoint between work and wealth. Against this backdrop, in this paper we flag the employment challenges facing India at present. Using a novel 4-quadrant compartmentalisation, we observe that the three major challenges are—absolute lack of employment opportunities; chronic unemployment and intermittent employment; and substantial underemployment and loss of person days. Two further related challenges are low returns from work and skill mismatch. All these markers have worsened in the last decade which also witnessed massive job loss for casual workers. This is perhaps a natural sequel to the economic boom built on mass casualisation of workforce over the previous two decades. At first sight of slowdown, the axe has fallen on these casual workers. Mismatch between sectoral shares in output and employment also causes wage disparity and aggravates inequality. With production increasingly set to become machine and AI driven, labour redundancy and skill mismatch is expected to worsen in coming years. We must press for a separate employment–incomes policy rather than continue with the false hope that economic growth will solve the employment conundrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several countries with diverse health systems have achieved universalization (UHC). The trajectory towards universal coverage almost always has three typical features: (i) a political process driven by a range of regulatory changes to simplify access; (ii) an increase in health spending; (iii) an increase in the share of pooled spending rather than paid out-of-pocket. Therefore, a study was undertaken to understand the extent of the provider-purchaser relationship of governments to achieve UHC while reforming healthcare. The present paper focuses on extensive secondary research across countries and evaluates the experiences of select developed and developing economies with India's experiments on- Financing mechanisms, management arrangements, governance and health outcomes; to offer a comparison of practices and their impact. While Italy, the UK, Germany, Australia, Japan, Canada and most recently China are countries that have achieved UHC; countries like USA and Brazil are on the verge of achieving UHC. These nine countries represent the entire spectrum of pure purchasing models, mixed and pure provisioning models to help us leverage from their experience. All countries that have attained UHC have a well-defined package of services that the government commits to fund and provide for (both public and private). Additionalities around wellness and cosmetic care is managed through supplementary insurance. Overall funding is through an autonomous body, at arm's length of government; primarily to govern and manage the state's health priorities. And the government purely behaves as a regulator setting policy and giving directions to the providers. However, ensuring the sustenance of such a mixed model requires; (i) a well-regulated ecosystem that thrives on evidence, (ii) the governments must clearly define the role/s of each stakeholder and hold them accountable for their deliverables in attaining UHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long wait times for patients are an important health policy issue in many countries, especially developing countries in which there is generally poorer health infrastructure, appointments are not very common, and the opportunity cost of competing life priorities is high. In this research, we examine via field experiments in health clinics in India whether providing numeric versus alphanumeric wait tokens can affect pain perceptions of patients and whether the type of tokens can also affect their wait-time perception and visit satisfaction. Our research provides initial evidence that alphanumeric tokens, in most cases, lead to lower pain perception, lower wait-time perception, and higher satisfaction levels with the healthcare system compared with numeric tokens. However, this is not always true; we also demonstrate boundary conditions when numeric tokens perform better and when the differences between tokens are attenuated. We conducted field experiments in three separate clinics and vary the type of tokens (numeric versus alphanumeric) used to test multiple token operationalizations in varied healthcare contexts. We explain our findings using the cognitive strategy of wait-time perception and discuss why this strategy is helpful for a developing country. This paper was accepted by Matthew Shum, marketing. Supplemental Material: The web appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4389. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) introduced in India has significantly transformed the landscape of corporate insolvency resolution. Since its inception in 2016, the IBC has been instrumental in addressing the longstanding issues of non-performing assets (NPAs) and delayed resolution processes. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in India has proven to be a game-changer in addressing the challenges associated with corporate Insolvency. Its time-bound approach, specialized tribunals, and creditor-centric framework have contributed to a more efficient and transparent resolution process. While challenges persist, the IBC's positive impact on the Indian economy is undeniable, making it a crucial component of the country's financial reform landscape. This paper delves deep into the efficacy and resonance of law within. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct selling is a relatively old business model prevalent in many countries across the world where sellers directly approach customers for a sale based on personal communication. India also has had a fledging direct selling industry since several decades but efforts at regulating it only gained steam in the past decade. In the current submission, we look into the efforts at regulation of the direct selling industry and the different models of regulation. We look into the overlaps in the regulatory process due to the presence of multiple legislation on the subject and how they affect the industry. We also look into the shortcomings of the existing model of regulation which depends on cooperation between both the Union government of India (similar to the federal government of the USA) and the state governments in the country and provide suggestions on how these shortcomings may be resolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers making up this Special Section reveal important findings and begin to fill gaps in existing literature about children's and young people's understanding and developing beliefs about socio-economic inequality and poverty. We draw on our research experience with children growing up in poverty in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam (Young Lives) from the perspective of sociology of childhood and social anthropology. The commentary discusses the papers in the Special Section and calls for policies and practices that argue for social justice for children and young people in political and economic terms and emphasizes the importance of including children's views and descriptions of their experiences in research about poverty and inequality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Global estimates suggest that over a billion people live with a disability that is significant enough to affect their daily lives. According to the 2011 Indian Census, India alone has about 26.8 million people with disabilities. Research suggests that persons with disabilities (PwDs) in India are among the most neglected, stigmatized, poor and least educated of the world's population, and women with disabilities in India are the most marginalized, both socially and economically. They bear the triple burden of being discriminated against through being 'women' (socially marginal beings), 'disabled' (incapacitated, inefficient and undesirable) and 'women with disabilities' (the weakest of the weak), often becoming socially invisible. Although there has been a general recognition over the years that the educational and employment opportunities of PwDs in India need to be improved, their sexual needs and aspirations, sexuality concerns and sexual and reproductive health and rights have been largely ignored. The objective of this paper is to highlight the paucity of research on the sexual and reproductive health concerns of PwDs, particularly women, in the Indian context using existing literature on India, and to identify the possible reasons of this neglect. The study describes the obstacles faced by PwDs, particularly women, to acquiring good sexual and reproductive information and services, based on the results of empirical studies. Given the lack of research on this in India, the evidence largely comes from studies conducted elsewhere in the world. Lack of information and education about sexual health concerns, physical and/or infrastructural inaccessibility, judgemental provider attitudes, limited provider knowledge about disability issues and individual factors, including inhibitions about seeking health care and financial barriers, are identified as factors inhibiting the sexual and reproductive rights of people with disabilities in India.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the results from an empirical investigation of Six Sigma status in Indian industry, especially to highlight critical success factors (CSFs) of Six Sigma implementation in a developing economy like India. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on survey questionnaire suitable for Indian industries. The results of the study are based on descriptive statistics. Findings – The results of this exploratory empirical study reflect the impact of different CSFs of Six Sigma implementation in different sizes and sectors of Indian industries. Research limitations/implications – The major constraints of the study were the number of companies surveyed as well as time and budget. Moreover, a detailed impact of different CSFs of Six Sigma implementation in Indian industry by means of semi-structured interviews could not be executed due to above constraints. Originality/value – Very little research has been carried out exploring the status of CSFs of Six Sigma implementation in Indian industries. This paper will provide value to academics, researchers and practitioners of Six Sigma by way of providing insight into the CSFs for Six Sigma implementation, especially in Indian industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

e-Learning is penetrating very fast in the developing countries like India, Malaysia and China but there exists a large gap between frameworks which can support good e-Learning. In this paper we propose a framework which can simulate close to real time situation of e- Learning. We use the concept of Activity Theory and Multi Agent System to develop a model which can overcome the problems of e-Learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to evolve a framework for assessing the efficiencies of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) services. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; Stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), a deterministic parametric frontier technique, has been employed for benchmarking of the MSWM services across municipalities in 22 cities in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Findings |!|#8211; This paper reviews the solid waste management status and applies SFA to evaluate the relative performances of the services in terms of seven models, of which two models were found significant and acceptable based on the null hypothesis, significance of elasticity of variables, and an absence of data heteroskedasticity. The paper discusses the results in the context of various indicators, and finds that a large number of MSWM municipalities exhibit relative inefficiencies, implying that most municipalities can achieve higher levels of outputs by deploying fewer resources, thereby improving performances without necessarily increasing municipal spendings. Social implications |!|#8211; The work suggests some of the changes at the policy level that would affect the way in which solid waste is managed currently in India, and hence the work has social implications whereby the lives of a billion people will be improved through improved solid waste management services. Originality/value |!|#8211; To the best of the author|!|#39;s information, advanced benchmarking techniques such as SFA have seldom been applied for evolving the efficiencies of solid waste management municipalities, primarily because the sanitation services are yet to take the shape of an industry in the developing world. Lack of availability of data and non-transparent functions of these services prevent further exploration into estimating the inefficiencies of these service utilities. The paper will be of use to policy makers, solid waste managers, administrators, and sector regulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a neo-classical aggregate production and Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology (STIRPAT) modeling framework, the paper attempts to explore the relationship between disaggregated energy consumption, economic growth, and carbon dioxide emissions in case of five emerging market economies-Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa (BRICS) over the period 1992 to 2016. The study applied the robust unit root, cointegration, and long-run elasticity estimation methods like Pooled Mean Group and differenced panel generalized method of moments for empirical exercise. Having detected the panel heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence, the cointegration tests documented the evidence of a long-run association among the variables. In the long-run, capital, labor, and non-renewable energy consumption are found to affect the economic growth positively. On the contrary, the impact of renewable energy consumption on the economic growth is found be positive but statistically insignificant. Moreover, population, per-capita income, and non-renewable energy consumption are found to increase the emissions whereas renewable energy consumption decreases them. Therefore, along with a proper emissions controls, BRICS countries should design and implement effective support policies so as to ensure the economic growth along with environmental sustainability.

With India only just emerging out of a period of extreme concern and apprehension over clinical trials, the introduction of Controlled Human Infection Model (CHIM) studies calls for the need to proceed with caution, particularly with regard to protection of participants; especially vulnerable populations. In the Indian context, persons can be vulnerable due to circumstances of poverty, ignorance about clinical research and lack of access to education and healthcare. This paper will look at possible ways to provide protection to participants, starting with review and selection, through the trial period and after it is completed.

This paper reports the results of formative and outcome evaluation of two ongoing community-based intervention programmes for integrated non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention and control in urban low-income settings of Ballabgarh near New Delhi, India, and in Depok, West Java Province of Indonesia. At both sites, a coalition of community members facilitated by academic institution and the World Health Organization, planned and implemented the intervention since 2004. The intervention consisted of advocacy and mediation with stakeholders, training of volunteers and school teachers, communication campaigns, risk assessment camps and reorientation of health services. The formative evaluation was based on the review of documents, and outcomes were assessed using the standardized surveys for NCD risk factors in 2003–2004 and 2006–2007. The baseline surveys showed that tobacco use, low intake of fruits and vegetable, suboptimal levels of physical activity and obesity were prevalent in both the communities. A frequent change in local administrators and lack of perceived priority for health and NCDs limited their involvement. Pre-existing engagement of community-based organizations and volunteers in health activities facilitated its implementation. The reach of the programme among the population was modest (25–32%). Health system interventions resulted in increased diagnosis and better management of NCDs at health facilities. Early outcome measures showed mixed results of change in different risk factors. The experiences gained are being used in both countries to expand and provide technical support to national efforts. This paper adds to the knowledge base on the feasibility of designing and implementing large-scale community-based interventions for integrated prevention of NCDs through modification of risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses ICT innovation in India using a narrative framework. We argue that ICT innovation has not been a subject sufficiently researched in information systems from the perspective of innovation in developing countries. We use a grounded theory inspired approach. There are three narratives of innovation in India; a) the supply narrative, b) the technology narrative and c) the collaborative narrative. We trace the evolution of these narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies and programmes pursuing the universalisation of elementary education (UEE) in developing nations have been influenced by a set of complex forces in international, state, and local arenas. This paper explores how a large-scale standardised assessment programme shaped by international and market-oriented discourses has been differently re-worked in the south Indian state of Karnataka. We draw on observation and interview data with educators and administrators to shed some light on their roles in reconstituting the meaning and practice of this programme. The intended frameworks of 'borrowed' education policies are not always reproduced or sustained in local contexts. Our paper shows how policies, rather than 'borrowed' from one context to another, undergo a process of 'translation' involving the contextualisation and inevitable transformation of policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of increasing competition among nations and sub-national entities to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the present paper tries to analyze the emerging trends and patterns of FDI inflows into India in response to various policy measures announced by the Government of India since mid-1980 and later. The empirical analysis tends to suggest that the FDI inflows, in general, show an increasing trend during the post-reform period. Furthermore, country-wise comparison of FDI inflow also indicates that FDI inflow into India has increased considerably in comparison to other developing economies in the recent years. Thus, the study indicates that the FDI inflows into India responded positively to the liberalization measures introduced in the early 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the Indian IT Act 2000 and IT (Amendment) Act 2008 in the light of e-commerce perspective to identify the present status of e-commerce laws in India. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper presents a critical reflection on the current e-commerce laws in India. The paper is based on the Indian IT Act 2000 and IT (Amendment) Act 2008. The paper presents critical content analysis of various provisions of IT Act in e-commerce prespective. The paper also highlights legal issues arising from e-commerce. Findings -- There are many important issues which are critical for the success of e-commerce that have not been covered or properly addressed by IT Act. The paper reveals that the present IT Act is weak on various fronts and in the absence of sound legal framework e-commerce cannot create a success story in India. Indian Government must appreciate that for safe and secure business environment on cyberspace, a sound legal framework is needed. This paper suggests that there is strong need to introduce separate laws for e-commerce in India. Practical implications -- The paper identified various loopholes/problems/weakness of existing e-commerce laws in India. These issues should be addressed by Government of India to protect the interests of Indian software industries, BPO sector and other stakeholders. Originality/value -- The issue identified in the paper is somewhat new, timely and interesting, taking into consideration its importance to economic development in emerging economies such as India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological developments in wireless and the decreasing costs have created opportunities for faster deployment of telecommunications services. This speed is critical for developing countries, especially in rural areas, as the role of telecommunications in development is more significant for them. The uptake of wireless technologies has been rapid in most developing countries. For the most part, these have been cellular networks that operate in the licensed bands. The Asian region has been one of the fastest growing segments of the wireless market. Yet, a closer look at the policy and regulatory regime points to a need for a review of existing processes, institutions and instruments for more market-oriented outcomes. This paper examines the process of allocation and pricing of spectrum especially in the context of new service introduction in India and the Philippines. The paper is based on case studies of first-hand data collected from the regulatory agencies. It highlights the perspective that each regulatory agency adopted to manage this scarce natural resource and examines the role of other institutions and their interactions with the regulatory agencies in influencing outcomes. It brings forth the need for a well-organised process and a forward-looking flexible regime in tune with the rapid technological changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Global) value chains have contributed to agricultural technology adoption in transition countries and food export commodities in developing countries through various forms of vertical coordination, often associated with FDI. Adoption of modern technologies in agriculture is crucial for improving the productivity and welfare of poor farmers. Much less is known about how (global) value chains do (not) affect technology transfer and/or adoption in staple food chains in developing countries, and the role that FDI plays. Our paper analyses the role of value chains and FDI in farm-level technology adoption with the use of panel data from representative farm surveys in 2008 and 2015 (a period of rapid growth) in the dairy sector in India (Punjab). We find important increases in the adoption of some technologies among traditional and poor dairy farms. However, the role of vertical coordination in value chains in stimulating technology adoption among these traditional dairy farmers seems to be minor, both for domestic and for FDI companies. At the same time a sub-sector of dynamic modern dairy farms has emerged. These farms are much larger, use only modern technology, and are fully integrated in vertically coordinated value chains that support these modern farms' management and investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in the consumption of goods and services has led to a detrimental effect on the environment, and there is a need to understand green purchase behaviour. The purpose of this paper is to study the role of connectedness to nature and perceived environmental responsibility on the green purchase behaviour of consumers. The sample comprised of individuals above the age of 20 years from urban parts of India. Data analysis consisted of structural equation modelling and AMOS. The mediation effect of perceived environmental responsibility was assessed using Hayes Process test and Sobel test. The results show that perceived environmental responsibility mediates the relationship between connectedness to nature and green purchase behaviour. Marketing managers can effectively target consumers by triggering a stronger connection to nature and highlighting their responsibility to protect the environment. The study provides insights into consumer psychology and marketing theory and adds to the emergent literature related to consumer green purchasing behaviour in a developing nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For developing countries, the proportion of households covered by improved water resources is conventionally used to assess the water stress situation. However, in a developing country like India with a high population growth rate, water demand and supply are considerably mismatched. An agro‐based economy with large variations in socio‐economic conditions and changing rainfall patterns across the states imposes greater challenge on water resources. Therefore, there is a need to assess the water situation across the country in a holistic manner. This paper proposes application of the Water Poverty Index as a comprehensive policy tool to assess actual water‐stress situation across 20 major states in India. This index covers important socio‐economic parameters such as access, capacity, use and environment in addition to water resources of each state. The results and findings are expected to be of use to policymakers and implementing agencies. In view of policy formulation, a state performing well on a Water Poverty Index component can act as a benchmark for another state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the wellbeing at all stages is necessary for making the process of sustainable development into reality. However, Poor accessibility to healthcare services especially in developing countries acts as a barrier towards this. Every year, Insufficient Government expenditure on healthcare services resulting heavy out of pocket healthcare expenses push people into vulnerable situation. In such a situation, the role of health insurance becomes very significant. Considering all these factors, in country like India, a well organised health insurance market has been gradually evolved over the years. But it is not sufficient because many people are still left untreated and even approximately 25% people are pushed below poverty line by catastrophic impact of out of pocket healthcare expenditure every year. Factors like lack of awareness, policy loopholes, poor infrastructure etc. are mainly responsible for the poor performance of the health insurance market in India. Through this paper, it is tried throw light on all these phenomena comprehensively along with some measures to correct the lacunas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]