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Medical travel and transnational healthcare involve various difficulties such as the distance and disconnect between patients and healthcare providers, language barriers or logistical challenges of moving ill bodies across space. Medical travel facilitation steps in with some sort of brokerage service that contributes to overcoming or managing these difficulties and, as this paper suggests, acts to create a quality of 'smoothness'. By unpacking three salient facilitation practices, namely connecting, communicating, and coordinating, this paper conceptualises the empirically derived category of 'smoothness'. This as a disposition, outcome, and spatio-temporal manoeuvre of medical travel facilitation. Based on the way in which such practices of mediation act to create smoothness, namely in an attentive, persistent, and collective tinkering manner, this paper suggests that some practices of medical travel facilitation are productively thought not just about setting up the possibility of care transnationally, but that they are key forms of care in itself. Based on these findings, smoothness is considered to be a central but also contested quality of medical travel facilitation and brokerage in a broader sense, but as proposed here, also for care. This conclusion potentially has implications not just for the study of transnational healthcare and mediation activities, but also that of care and transnational mobilities more generally. • Medical travel facilitation creates smoothness in mediating transnational healthcare. • Conceptualising smoothness as a disposition, outcome and spatio-temporal manoeuvre. • Brokerage and an STS-take on medical travel facilitation and care. • Smoothness as a quality of medical travel facilitation, brokerage and possibly care. • Medical travel facilitation between Oman and India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Poor medical information transfer across healthcare visits and providers poses a potential threat to patient safety. Patient‐held health records (PHRs) may be used to facilitate informational continuity, handover communication and patient self‐management. However, there are conflicting opinions on the effectiveness of PHRs, other than in maternal and child care. Moreover, the experiences of users of PHRs in low‐ and middle‐income countries are critical in policy decisions but have rarely been researched. Aim: This study aimed to explore similarities and differences in the perspectives of patients, carers and healthcare providers (HCPs) on the current PHRs for diabetes and hypertension in Kerala. Methods: A qualitative design was used comprising semistructured interviews with patients with diabetes/hypertension (n = 20), carers (n = 15) and HCPs (n = 17) in Kerala, India. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Themes generated regarding the experiences with PHRs from each user group were compared and contrasted. The themes that arose were organized under three headings: use of PHRs in everyday practice; the perceived value of PHR and where practice and value conflict. We found that in the use of PHRs in everyday practice, multiple PHRs posed challenges for patients carrying records and for HCPs locating relevant information. Most carers carried all patients' past PHRs, while patients made decisions on which PHR to take along based on the purpose of the healthcare visit. HCPs appreciated having PHRs but documented limited details in them. The perceived value of PHRs by each group for themselves was different. While HCPs placed value on PHRs for enabling better clinical decision‐making, preventing errors and patient safety, patients perceived them as transactional tools for diabetes and hypertension medications; carers highlighted their value during emergencies. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that users find a variety of values for PHRs. However, these perceived values are different for each user group, suggesting minimal functioning of PHRs for informational continuity, handover communication and self‐management. Patient and Public Involvement: Patients and carers were involved during the pilot testing of topic guides, consent and study information sheets. Patients and carers gave their feedback on the materials to ensure clarity and appropriateness within the context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of coffee leaf rust (CLR) disease is essential to avoid its resultant production losses of Arabica coffee. Communication channels provide coffee farmers with the required knowledge for management by the recommended disease control methods and their applications. In this context, this paper analyses the role of communication channels for management of CLR by using a newly collected household level data of 575 Arabica coffee farmers in India. Management is focused on cultivation of resistant varieties and application of chemical sprays. Two methods of analyses are developed: Descriptions based on spatially aggregate data. Second, estimations based on Binary Logit Model using individual data. Descriptions show that prevalence of CLR is universal; key channels of communication are fellow farmers, extension workers and television; and desired chan- nels of communications include on-farm demonstration and training workshops. While individual communication is most preferred channel, farmers' associations are considered useful institutional channels of communication. Estimations distinguish communication channels by fellow farmers and extension workers and show significant differences in nature and extent of impact of these communication channels on CLR management by resistant varieties and chemical sprays. These results have important implications for identifying and improving the current and future information needs and channels of communication for effective management of CLR, especially for small farmers with lower educational attainments in India. However, the approach and implications of this paper are of general relevance and applicability for other coffee growing countries in Asia and Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to benchmark the Indian mobile telecommunication service providers for relative efficiencies. In this paper, a method for benchmarking performance of mobile telecom utilities based on data envelopment analysis (DEA) is presented. The paper discusses some concepts between quality performance and benchmarking and the results include performance efficiency and sensitivity-based classification of utilities. Also, peer-to-peer comparison of inefficient with efficient utilities is provided. Based on these results, inefficient utilities can develop strategic plans to improve performance. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The authors use DEA to measure comparative efficiencies of mobile telecom companies and two different DEA models, CCR and BCC, were applied to evaluate the relative efficiency of mobile telecom operators in India. Sensitivity-based classification of utilities is carried out by removing one or more inputs or outputs from the base model to construct a new DEA model. Comparisons of DEA efficiencies from the base model with the structurally perturbed models show the impact on efficiency. Data include annual and quarterly reports showing various quality parameters. Findings |!|#8211; DEA is used to derive the benchmarks based on the comparison of the 126 utilities which include public sector undertaking (PSU) operators (MTNL and BSNL) and private operators of the Indian mobile telecommunication sector. The result includes performance efficiency and peer-to-peer comparison of inefficient utilities with efficient utilities. Based on these results, inefficient utilities can develop strategic plans to improve their performance. Sensitivity analysis, based on removal of one or more variables from the base model to determine changes in DEA efficiencies is done for selecting the strength of parameters of utilities for performance improvement. Practical implications |!|#8211; Benchmarking of service utilities in the telecom sector is virtually non-existent at the national level in India. This research identifies the different variables and then a model is prepared for benchmarking of the service providers in India. Based on the efficiency analysis, benchmarks can be set, and utility efficiency scores can be obtained based on the set benchmarks. These scores can help develop a strategic plan for mitigating the factors that contribute to the system inefficiencies. Originality/value |!|#8211; This paper is one of the few published studies that benchmark the performance of mobile telecom services in India. This research promises to be amongst the first of the works carried out taking specific parameters of mobile telecom utilities of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports on the trials of a Design and Technology (D&T) unit carried out in three different Indian contexts with a focus on collaborative learning. Both collaboration and technology education are not common to the Indian school system. As part of a larger project to introduce technology education, suitable for middle school girls and boys in urban and rural areas, three culturally appropriate and gender sensitive D&T units were developed. All the units were tried out with middle school students in different socio-cultural settings: two schools in urban areas (with different languages of teaching and learning) and one in a rural area. This paper presents details of a unit on puppetry which involved making a puppet and staging a puppet-show. Aspects of collaboration within and among groups were observed with respect to: roles played by the members, conflicts and their resolution, sharing of resources, communication and peer review among the students. The trials in the three clusters indicate the potential of this D&T unit to provide collaborative learning situations for the multicultural contexts of Indian classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet technology has flourished in India keeping pace with other developing countries. In keeping pace with this advancement, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology is also spreading in India. Government of India (GOI) has realised IoT's business prospect and published draft policy on IoT in 2015. To achieve a better result, the prospective users are required to be kept aware regarding the prospect of IoT and for this, social media is expected to play a pivotal role. Social media can highlight advantages of IoT and in turn, these advantages would be made known to other potential users through Word of Month (WOM). This would bring in projection of a new business paradigm as contemplated by GOI. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors affecting actual use of IoT by the potential users of India and to develop a conceptual model. The model has been verified through survey with inputs from 208 participants identified from three metropolitan cities of India. The responses have been quantified through 5-Point Likert scale. The result shows the implication that social media and WOM almost equally influence Indians to use IoT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media has revolutionized communication and information sharing, offering marketers a new avenue to reach customers. In developing countries like India, the rapid growth of social media and social networking sites presents unique opportunities for businesses. However, measuring the real return on investment in social media marketing remains a challenge. This paper aims to assess the impact of social media usage on the purchase decision process. The study examines the usage patterns of social media and their influence on the five stages of the purchase process. The findings reveal that social media is predominantly used as an information source due to its perceived convenience, effectiveness, and credibility. Additionally, social media reviews and opinions significantly influence the purchase decision process. However, the tendency to share post-purchase experiences on social media is surprisingly low. This research contributes to a better understanding of the role of social media in shaping consumer behavior and provides insights for marketers seeking to leverage this powerful platform effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as mobile phone networks is widely known to improve market efficiency. In this paper, we examine whether access to timely and accurate information provided through ICT applications has any additional impact. Using a detailed data set from Reuters Market Light (RML), a text message service in India that provides daily price information to market participants, we find that this information reduces the geographic price dispersion of crops in rural communities by an average of 12%, over and above access to mobile phone technology and other means of communication. To identify the effect of information on price dispersion, we exploit a natural experiment where bulk text messages were banned unexpectedly across India for 12 days in 2010. We find that besides reducing geographic price dispersion, RML also increases the rate at which prices converge across India over time. We discuss the implications of this for development organizations and information providers. This paper was accepted by Lorin Hitt, information systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health Information Seeking Behavior (HISB) refers to the behavior and strategies used to attain, clarify, or confirm health information. The uptake of health information depends on system-level and individual-level factors. The purpose of the present study is to understand the sources from which Punjabi elders obtain COVID-19 vaccine-related information and their information seeking behavior. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 391 Punjabi elders aged 50+ years in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario. The survey questions included the need for COVID-19 vaccine information, the type of information sought, sources of information, and barriers to seeking information. Descriptive analysis was conducted using frequencies and percentages, and logistic regression was performed to understand the associations between participants' sociodemographic characteristics and HISB. The results suggested that Punjabi elders are more likely to use informal sources and less likely to seek information from health professionals and government health and wellness websites. The results also suggested that most participants do not cross-check their information with other sources and are more likely to cross-check the information with family/friends, compared to credible care providers, across all demographics. Ultimately, there may be a need for stakeholders to collaborate to regulate the accuracy and type of health-information that is disseminated through media, and to tailor health communication to the health information seeking behavior of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The idea of the research is to look at the role of factors enhancing learners’ presentation. The factors influence on academic performance such as teaching styles, communication method, assessment methods and ICT skills are considered. The Dependant variable academic performance is considered as univariate. Research methodology Purposive Sampling was used in the study to collect the data; structured Questionnaire was distributed to 110 respondents of students (male and female). 10 Questionnaires were found to be unfilled so total 100 respondents (n=100). CFA and SEM were the statistical tools applied for the analysis in AMOS-21 to check the hypothesis of learn. Findings This analysis shows a positive and significant relationship between the independent variables teaching styles and ICT skills and the dependant variable Academic performance. The variable ICT Skills is a new variable used in review of literature in India. But it has started to gain momentum in all aspects. The study also reveals the significance of ICT usage through the study among management students. Practical implication The paper have definite confines. The study was pertaining to management students only. On the other hand the implications are the results of the study can be used for the purpose of developing new strategies in the field of academics in the management students. For researchers this study can be extended for future variables with more related variables. Secondly it can spread across to other educational institutions also. Uniqueness This study is an initial try to know, ‘enhance of variables relating to academic performance of Post graduate Students in Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to highlight the importance of cultural infl uence in understanding hearing-help seeking and hearing-aid uptake. Design: Information on audiological services in different countries and ' theories related to cross-culture ' is presented, followed by a general discussion. Study sample: Twenty-seven relevant literature reviews on hearing impairment, cross-cultural studies, and the health psychology model and others as secondary resources. Results: Despite the adverse consequences of hearing impairment and the significant potential benefits of audiological rehabilitation, only a small number of those with hearing impairment seek professional help and take up appropriate rehabilitation. Therefore, hearing help-seeking and hearing-aid uptake has recently become the hot topic for clinicians and researchers. Previous research has identified many contributing factors for hearing help-seeking with self-reported hearing disability being one of the main factors. Although significant differences in help-seeking and hearing-aid adoption rates have been reported across countries in population studies, limited literature on the infl uence of cross-cultural factors in this area calls for an immediate need for research. Conclusions: This paper highlights the importance of psychological models and cross-cultural research in the area of hearing help-seeking and hearing-aid uptake, and consequently some directions for future research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to present an exploration of the potential utilisation of different information and communication technologies (ICT) in Indian academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach -- A survey method was used for the collection of data. A structured questionnaire, containing close-ended questions, was sent by postal mail to 30 librarians of the Central University Libraries in India, of which 15 questionnaires were returned. Findings -- Academic libraries in India have mostly been involved in applying traditional ICT-based solutions for the management of various library functions and services, particularly for organising and retrieving information. Use of modern ICT-based tools of knowledge creation and sharing such as web discovery tools, blogs, wikis, Real Simple Syndication feeds, social networking and social bookmarking seems uncommon in academic libraries. Lack of trained staff in ICT, low level of ICT skills among library users, unawareness of potential benefits of ICT and inadequate ICT infrastructure were found as the major barriers of ICT applications in academic libraries. Practical implications -- Academic libraries in India are still in the early stage of understanding the importance of modern ICTs. Librarians should renovate existing library environment and develop knowledge and skills among their staff in the fields of computer programming, website or portal development, hardware maintenance and metadata or e-resource management for providing quality information services to their users. Originality/value -- Because no empirical study on the use ICT-based knowledge management (KM) tools in academic libraries in India has been carried out before, this study closes this gap and provides guidelines for practising librarians, policy makers, management and the University Grants Commission of India to promote the use of ICTs in libraries, and to design courses of information communication technology and related skills. Paper type Research paper [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nurses as interlocutors play a crucial role in disseminating information among the health team members. Oral case presentation is one of the nurses' significant clinical communication tasks. A skillful presentation of a clinical case by nurses to doctors has a significant contribution to Health care realm. But no formal teaching is imparted to help students learn case presentation skills. Students learn oral presentation by trial and error through rhetoric practice based on observation rather than teaching. This may delay development of effective communication skills and result in acquisition of unintended professional values (Richard J Haber, and Lorelei A Lingard[23]). In recent times teaching instructions to improvise the clinical OCP skills have been attempted, yet most of them focus on improving 'what to say' i.e. Content (Nursing) Based OCP Instruction, rather the 'how to say' i.e. Language Based OCP Instruction. This paper proposes a teaching module to develop English competence to carry out OCP using the guidance of OCP genre reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-assessment (SA) is an interactive course that endorses the accomplishment of learning objectives through learners' identification of insufficiencies in their didactic knowledge and pre-clinical skills. This study was planned to determine whether there is any improvement in the faculty assessment (FA) score following the implementation of SA in the Pre-clinical Conservative Dentistry Course. Methods: Fifty-four first-semester dental students were given an introductory lecture followed by a demonstration for Class I Cavity Preparation in typhodont mandibular first molar. At the end of the demonstration, the Scoring Rubric (SR) was explained point-wise in the prepared cavities. During the next session, all students performed Class I cavity preparation and they were given an assessment sheet to enter their scores (SA1). All teeth were evaluated by the Grading Faculties in a blinded manner (FA1). Each participant was explained the difference in their respective SA1 from FA1 and their queries were resolved individually. During the next sessions, Students and Grading Faculties followed the same protocol and scores were recorded as SA2, FA2, SA3 and FA3. Results: The mean score of SA1 was significantly higher than that of FA1 (p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was obtained between SA and FA in the second (p = 0.352) and third (p = 0.434) assessments. In contrast with first assessment, mean marks obtained in FA were higher compared to SA in both second and third assessments. There was a statistically significant improvement in mean marks obtained by the students over time (p < 0.001). Conclusion: SA endorsed student-faculty communication and enhanced student's poise and technical skills in operative pre-clinical dentistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The primary objective of this paper is to model internal corporate communication (ICC) process, examining the nature of the process, the outcomes thereof and the variable that has the ability to mediate the process, in the context of an Indian petroleum public sector undertaking (PSU). Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; Following a review of the internal corporate communication and internal branding literature, an exploratory methodology was designed to capture the perceptions of employees on internal brand communication practices prevailing in the organization with an ambition of becoming a leading employer brand. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed, coded thematically and the essence of experiences was jointly combined into one description. Findings |!|#8211; First, a relation between ICC dimensions and internal branding outcomes is established. Second, it is recognized that ICC practices and brand training have a positive impact on communication satisfaction that further promotes a sense of brand identification, loyalty and commitment among the employees. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; Given the qualitative nature of the case study method, only limited generalizations can be made as the purpose of case study research is to add to theory-building rather than to generalize to a population. There is a clear need for further empirical research. Such research could help quantify the nature of the relationships between the variables suggested and establish the extent to which the model might be generalized to other organizations. Practical implications |!|#8211; This paper would be of value to researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and promote the specific role of ICC in achieving communication satisfaction and internal branding outcomes. Originality/value |!|#8211; It is rare to find a company among Indian PSUs that has undertaken effective internal branding initiatives through its corporate communication department to strengthen the employer brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capitalizing on the hype surrounding stem cell research, numerous clinics around the world offer 'stem cell therapies' for a variety of medical conditions. Despite questions about the safety and efficacy of these interventions, anecdotal evidence suggests a relatively large number of patients are traveling to receive these unproven treatments - a practice called 'stem cell tourism.' Because these unproven treatments pose risks to individual patients and to legitimate translational stem cell research, stem cell tourism has generated substantial policy concern and inspired attempts to reduce these risks through the development of guidelines for patients and medical practitioners. This paper examines the roles and responsibilities of physicians in patients' home countries with respect to patients' decisions to try unproven stem cell therapies abroad. Specifically, it examines professional guidance from two organizations - the American Medical Association and the International Society for Stem Cell Research - and assesses physicians' professional and legal obligations to patients considering unproven stem cell therapies. Then, drawing on qualitative interviews conducted with patients who traveled abroad for unproven stem cell treatments, it explores the roles that physicians actually play in patients' decisions and compares these actual roles with their professional and legal responsibilities. The paper concludes with a discussion of strategies to help improve the guidance physicians provide to patients considering unproven treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a long-term, evolving exploration regarding English language teaching and learning in English-and vernacular-medium settings in Gujarat, India, this paper offers a discussion of two key points: 1) the degree to which English is vernacularized in multilingual postcolonial contexts, and 2) ways in which vernacular pedagogic practices are effective ways of learning and teaching English. The paper then moves into discussing the implications of such points for west-based TESOL-specifically teacher education-which has historically viewed vernacular pedagogic practices in non-western contexts as not being 'effective' or 'communicative.' The paper concludes with a discussion of what I, as insider to both communities&emdash;a native to India and a partial practitioner of west-based TESOL teacher-education&emdash;am doing to build bridges between the two realms that have hitherto remained relatively separate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Over the past few years, the long-term sustainability of ICT initiatives has increasingly come under question. Despite persistent doubts, governments, international agencies, NGOs, and private companies are pressing ahead to set up more such projects. This paper studies the financial sustainability of India's largest rural ICT initiative known as eChoupal. The eChoupals are distinct from other telecenter projects in that the value added is not in providing ICT infrastructure alone, but rather, in enabling efficiencies in the agricultural sector through greater information exchange and creation of an alternative market structure. An analysis of available data indicates that this project has a potential payback period of 3.9 years. Although several assumptions have been used in these calculations, a sensitivity analysis has been performed to provide a range of possible scenarios that show the profitability of the project. Through this analysis it seems that ICT projects can be financially sustainable when they are viewed not as an end in themselves but as tools to facilitate information exchange whereby, use of the technology enables higher efficiencies in another existing or new business setting, which provides the source of revenue to recover the initial investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the recent enactment of the Bhartiya Nyaya Samhita 2023, which replaces the Indian Penal Code of 1860 starting July 1, 2024. Topics discussed include the legal implications for doctors under new sections on communication in good faith, sexual intercourse by persons in authority, and provisions related to negligence and suicide.

User participation in the design of built environments has been seen as essential from functional, social, psychological and political perspectives, given the intricacy of human–environment relationships. These concerns are most important in residential environments to which people relate continuously and intimately. This paper explores client–user participation in the architectural design process for their houses. The design process in seven projects by five small architectural firms was analysed in detail to map existing patterns of user participation in India. Significant producers of these patterns include, inter alia, the architect's approach to the project and to client–user participation, the client's awareness of design aspects and expectations of professional services, and the arrangements for interactions and communication; how these modulate the variables is discussed. Finally, the institutional frameworks that configure these factors and the obstacles to change have been highlighted. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critiquing character projections of women in Indian advertising has been one of the major areas of the content focus for research analysts in the domain of marketing and consumer behavior. Often these criticisms demonstrate the concerns that feminists have vociferously expressed regarding the flawed presentations of gender equations. Though there has been some revolutionary revamping of image attempted by some creative advertisers, it has been posited by many critics that little change has affected gender representations in advertising over decades. The authors in the present paper examine the construction of gender roles in two recent Indian television commercials that depict Indian woman essaying supervisory roles in their corporate jobs. The study uses qualitative analysis through in-depth interviews of young corporate women. The purpose is to find out whether these advertisements really act as harbingers of mutation in gender discourse or reinforce the same archetypal gender roles under the garb of liberatory postmodernist feminist mediations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are community health workers tasked to deliver health prevention in communities and link them with the health care sector. This paper examines the social, cultural, and institutional influences that either facilitate or impede ASHAs' abilities to deliver services effectively through the lens of the reciprocal determinism framework of social cognitive theory.Methods: We conducted 98 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with ASHAs (n = 49) and their family members (n = 49) in Gurdaspur and Mewat districts. Data were analyzed by comparing and contrasting codes leading to the identification of patterns which were explained with the help of a theoretical framework.Results: We found that while the work of ASHAs led to some positive health changes in the community, thus providing them with a sense of self-worth and motivation, community norms and beliefs as well as health system attitudes and practices limited their capacity as community health workers.Conclusion: We outline potential mechanisms for improving ASHA capacity such as improved sensitization about religious, cultural, and gender norms; enhanced communication skills; and sensitization and advocating their work with health and state officials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Handwritten character recognition is a research field of Pattern recognition where many researchers worked and are also moving towards to achieve more accuracy. India is a country where more than 50 languages are spoken and more than 22 languages are used for communication through handwritten or printed characters like Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannad, Malayalam, etc. Automation of Off-line hand-written character recognition is an open challenge for researchers. Many researcher faced challenges due to different ways to write handwritten characters and it vary by person to person. This paper makes an in-depth study on the existing literature on recognition of handwritten Gujarati characters and numerals. We also included the handwritten character recognition for Indian languages and widely used methods emphasized by researchers to obtain high accuracy. The paper also discusses the current trends, challenges and future research scope in the area of Gujarati character recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communications are considered as the lifeblood of any enterprise in this information-based driven scenario. In the present context, communication acts as an essential ingredient in employer-employee relations having a direct correlation between employee communication and profitable operations of organization. In order to develop mutual understanding of organizational goals, to gain information about employees and other such activities in the workplace needs effective communication. So this stimulates every business management to concentrate on human skills which involves effective interaction with others and the quality of this interaction determines the team spirit and dedication within the organization leading to job satisfaction. This research paper focuses on the effectiveness of communication among employees in Chennai region. A descriptive research design comprising of disproportionate stratified sampling of the data collection was adopted using a well-structured questionnaire distributed to 110 respondents. This research dealt with pattern of communication, timing of communication, various important information on organizational activities, sources of communication, manager's communication skill, opportunities to express ideas and suggestions for improvement of communication to attain job satisfaction among employees in Chennai region, Tamilnadu. The collected data were analyzed using statistical tools such as Frequency and Percentage Analysis, Chi-Square Test, Charles Spearman's Coefficient of Correlation (or) Rank Correlation. The research concludes highlighting the satisfaction level of employees in communication, mutual understanding of the organizational information, and improvement in mode of communication, which leads to fulfillment of organizations future personnel needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of globalization, everyone is in competition with others. The world of advertising is also not an exception. At any cost, advertisers want to woo the attention of the viewers towards their product. Creative strategy of the advertising agencies knows no bound when it comes to the business term. Models also follow no guidelines of moral sense while exposing them in front of cameras with a message to promote the product. The goal is just one and single - to sell the product by hook or by crook. Overtly and covertly, the advertisers break ethical guidelines, challenge the norms set up by the supervisory bodies and carry out their task. When protest erupts by concerned bodies in the society against these advertisements, either the advertisers drop those advertisements from being broadcast for a temporary period or move up to the court to fight for their reasons. But the proliferation of new media keeps those controversial advertisements alive in society. In terms of advertising, controversial messages are displayed, broadcast and disseminated to the society which challenges the very ethical set up of the traditional system of the society practiced since times immemorial. This research paper focuses on the violation of the advertising ethics in Indian advertising being practiced since decades and its subsequent effects on the audience. Keeping in view the communication strategies practiced in visual communication in terms of advertisement, this research paper also finds out the loopholes in the controversial advertisements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades, India has woken up to the importance of English Language. In a country as culturally and linguistically diverse as India, English is often seen as a connecting thread. For Indians, English symbolizes better education and better culture. It opens the door to greater job mobility and economic success. To cater to the ever increasing demand for English, a number of "English Medium" schools have sprung up all over the country. However, on a closer look, we see that most of these schools fail to deliver what they promise. What are the reasons that prevent them from doing so? What are the challenges the teachers of English Language face today? What efforts should be made to help them overcome these challenges? These are some of the issues that will be discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence-based interventions for autism spectrum disorders evaluated in high-income countries typically require highly specialised manpower, which is a scarce resource in most low- and middle-income settings. This resource limitation results in most children not having access to evidence-based interventions., Objective: This paper reports on the systematic adaptation of an evidence-based intervention, the Preschool Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) evaluated in a large trial in the United Kingdom for delivery in a low-resource setting through the process of task-shifting., Design: The adaptation process used the Medical Research Council framework for the development and adaptation of complex interventions, focusing on qualitative methods and case series and was conducted simultaneously in India and Pakistan., Results: The original intervention delivered by speech and language therapists in a high-resource setting required adaptation in some aspects of its content and delivery to enhance contextual acceptability and to enable the intervention to be delivered by non-specialists., Conclusions: The resulting intervention, the Parent-mediated intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder in South Asia (PASS), shares the core theoretical foundations of the original PACT but is adapted in several respects to enhance its acceptability, feasibility, and scalability in low-resource settings.

Background: In July 2022, self‐collection became universally available as part of Australia's National Cervical Screening Program. This change aims to address screening inequities experienced among underscreened populations, including women of Indian descent. This study explored experiences of cervical screening, alongside the acceptability of self‐collection, among women of Indian descent living in Victoria, Australia. We also aimed to articulate the informational needs to promote self‐collection among this population. Methods: Five focus group discussions with 39 women living in Victoria were conducted in English (n = 3) and Punjabi (n = 2). Transcripts were thematically analysed, as informed by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Results: Women were motivated by the choice to self‐collect, perceiving the ability to maintain modesty and greater autonomy as key enablers. Healthcare practitioners were seen as central in supporting patient‐centred models of care. Perceived barriers to self‐collection included concerns around its accuracy and women's confidence in collecting their own sample. Widespread dissemination of culturally tailored promotion strategies communicating concepts such as 'privacy' and 'accuracy' were suggested by women to promote self‐collection. Conclusion: Self‐collection was highly acceptable among women of Indian descent, particularly when assured of its accuracy, and sociocultural norms and previous screening experiences are considered. This study highlights the huge potential that self‐collection can play in increasing equity in Australia's cervical screening programme. Patient or Public Contribution: Members of the public were involved in focus group discussions. Findings were summarised and disseminated via a poster. A bicultural worker was involved in all stages of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As scholars explore anti-carceral approaches to gender violence, they question how to structure interactive practices to transform, rather than reproduce, dynamics of inequality and harm. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted with frontline workers in north India, this article argues that the concept of language ideologies can help analyze how interactive practices address gender violence. Language ideologies are shared representations of how interaction connects speaker, audience, and context. By tracking the language ideologies that inform anti-violence interventions, researchers can better analyze the extraordinarily complex semiotic labor required to address gender violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicines are major elements of modern healthcare systems and have helped significantly to reduce the burden of deaths and diseases all over the globe. Access to these essential medicines is a major need in order to achieve ‘Good Health to All’. Traditionally, India has been a rural, agrarian economy where the majority of the population still live in villages. The main factors which affect the provision of good healthcare among the rural population are affordability, unavailability and average quality of drugs and other medical supplies. The availability and quality of medicines are substandard when compared to the urban population standards.To promote proper utilization of medicines, there is a need for availability and affordability of quality medicines in the presence of ‘rational drug usage’ ideology among the medical professionals and health workers. They play a vital role in imparting the knowledge of drug information to the patient community which in the long run can help in achieving the goal of health to all. This paper showcases the need and emergence of a pharmaceutical supply chain mechanism in the healthcare industry and how it can prove to be the backbone of the present public healthcare system by enhancing it with information communication technology (ICT) implementation. This paper also discusses the problems and resentment faced with the initial introduction of modernized technology into the current healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pneumonia is the leading cause of death from infection in children worldwide. Despite global treatment recommendations that call for children with pneumonia to receive amoxicillin dispersible tablets, only one-third of children with pneumonia receive any antibiotics and many do not complete the full course of treatment. Poor adherence to antibiotics may be driven in part by a lack of user-friendly treatment instructions.Objective: In order to optimise childhood pneumonia treatment adherence at the community level, we developed a user-friendly product presentation for caregivers and a job aid for healthcare providers (HCPs). This paper aims to document the development process and offers a model for future health communication tools.Methods: We employed an iterative design process that included document review, key stakeholder interviews, engagement with a graphic designer and pre-testing design concepts among target users in India and Kenya. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research were used in the description of results.Results: Though resources for pneumonia treatment are available in some countries, their content is incomplete and inconsistent with global recommendations. Document review and stakeholder interviews provided the information necessary to convey to caregivers and recommendations for how to present this information. Target users in India and Kenya confirmed the need to support better treatment adherence, recommended specific modifications to design concepts and suggested the development of a companion job aid. There was a consensus among caregivers and HCPs that these tools would be helpful and improve adherence behaviours.Conclusions: The development of user-friendly instructions for medications for use in low-resource settings is a critically important but time-intensive and resource-intensive process that should involve engagement with target audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal communication between pediatricians and mothers is both complex and interdependent. The mother is dependent on the pediatrician for her child's wellbeing and care along expertise-related dimensions for which she cannot provide. The pediatrician is dependent on the mother's ability to provide accurate information about the child's health and habits, so that the doctor, who has limited time with the child, is able to make continuing accurate diagnoses. This paper seeks to provide a basic understanding of interpersonal mis-/communication between mothers and pediatricians, a complex area which has not heretofore been mapped in the contemporary Indian context. Therefore, the paper presents a small-scale exploratory qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with both doctors and mothers in the city of Kolkata (Calcutta), India. It focuses on providing an understanding of the factors that may enable or disenable instrumental or relational communication in the mother-pediatrician situation. Four major themes emerge from the data: first, the shifting borders of information between pediatricians and parents; second, the respective roles of verbal and non-verbal communication in the consultation; third, a tension between the traditional and the modern; and fourth, understandings of professional and interpersonal relationship in the context of responsibility for a child.

This paper examines the relationships between self-reported loneliness and living arrangements. A structured questionnaire with some open-ended questions was administered face-to-face in English, Hindi or Punjabi to a sample of 161 elderly South Asian immigrants 60 or more years of age living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 2003. The majority of respondents said that they never felt lonely. More than one in three (37.3%) respondents indicated that they felt lonely occasionally, frequently or all of the time. Those living alone were significantly more likely to report feeling lonely at least occasionally than were those living with others, especially those living with their spouse in an extended family. The fact that South Asian immigrant seniors typically lived with others, often in an extended family with or without their spouse, and rarely lived alone protected them to some extent from loneliness. However, our findings showed that among those living with others, it was the amount of waking time spent alone at home and the quality of family relationships rather than living arrangement per se that significantly predicted self-reported loneliness. Nevertheless, living in a larger household was associated with spending less time alone. We discuss plausible influences of culture on expectations regarding family and social relationships and on the meaning of being alone, as well as practical implications for addressing loneliness in a multi-cultural society. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Adolescent marriage is common in India, placing young women at risk of HIV, early pregnancy and poor birth outcomes. Young women's capacity to express their sexual desires is central to negotiating safe and mutually consensual sexuality. Men, too, play an important role in shaping women's sexual and reproductive health outcomes, but little research has examined how men influence women's sexual expression. Using paired husband and wife data, this paper reports on a preliminary investigation into the patterns of and concurrence between women's sexual expression and their husbands' attitudes about it, as well as the influence of men's approval of their wives' sexual expression on women's actual expression of sexual desire. The results suggest that, among this sample, men are more open to sexual expression than their wives and that, for women, expressing desire not to have sex is far more common than expressing desire to have sex. Further, men's approval of sexual expression from wives appears to positively influence women's actual expression. These findings suggest that men may be resources for women to draw upon as they negotiate sexuality in adolescence and early adulthood.

Unlike any other disease so far, the 'exceptional' nature of HIV/AIDS has prompted debate about the necessity, but also the challenges, of regulating practitioner-patient communication around HIV testing. In India, the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) has adopted the guidelines of the World Health Organization with regard to HIV testing and counselling, yet the extent to which these guidelines are fully understood or followed by the vast private medical sector is unknown. This paper examines the gaps between policy and practice in communications around HIV testing in the private sector and aims to inform a bottom-up approach to policy development that is grounded in actual processes of health care provision. Drawing on 27 in-depth interviews conducted with private medical practitioners managing HIV patients in the city of Pune, we looked specifically at practitioners' reported communications with patients prior to an HIV test, during and following disclosure of the test result. Among these practitioners, informed consent is rare and pre-test communication is prescriptive rather than shared. Confidentiality of the patient is often breached during disclosure, as family members are drawn into the process without consulting the patient. While non-adherence to guidelines is a matter of concern, practitioners' communication practices in this setting must be understood in the given social and legal context of the patient-practitioner relationship in India. Communication with their patients is strongly influenced by practitioners' perceptions of their own roles and relationships with patients, perceived characteristics of the patient population, limitations in knowledge and skills, moral values as well as perceptions of legal guidelines and patient rights. We suggest that policy guidelines around patient-practitioner communication need to take sufficient cognizance of existing practices, cultures and the realities of care provision in the private sector. Patients themselves need to be empowered in order to grasp the importance and implications of HIV testing and counselling.

Purpose – A company's corporate image is very important and it can be conveyed through visual images. In order to provoke interest and grasp attention, visual application is an important communication process. The purpose of this paper is to explore the cultural aspects that affect consumers' interpretation of visual communication in terms of corporate imaging/branding through electronic images on the internet. Specifically two different countries' cultures are being compared: the United States and India. Design/methodology/approach – Web images of 30 brands, selected from a list of top 100 brands have been chosen and compared in both scenes. Findings – The results show that some differences really do exist, especially regarding illustrations, groups of people and information in the visual image. Research limitations/implications – There are additional sub-cultures in both countries. Future research could take these sub-cultures into consideration. Practical implications – Marketing managers should take cultural aspects into consideration when developing virtual marketing campaigns because culture does matter when it comes to visual images as not every culture prefers the same types of visual appeals. Additionally, by adapting visual images to cultures a company will be able to clearly identify its target group and can be assured that the right audience is being reached. Originality/value – Much research has been done on examining Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom with Asian countries such as China and Japan, but not with India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As our globalized world entails meetings between health care givers and patients from diverse cultures, cultural factors must be considered in physiotherapy practice. Yet there is insufficient research regarding physiotherapists’ experiences when meeting different cultures. This paper aims to describe my experiences and reactions when meeting a different physiotherapy culture than my own. An autoethnographic study was conducted in India at four different physiotherapy clinical settings during seven weeks. Participant observation and field notes were used to document experiences. The data were analyzed with a qualitative content analysis to find recurring categories and themes. The analysis of field notes resulted in a overreaching category ‘From curiosity to appreciating and re-evaluating cultural diversity in physiotherapy’, divided into three different subcategories and themes: reflecting on hierarchies and the working structure in the context of physiotherapy practice, on the Indian physiotherapy students’ knowledgebase compared with my earlier experiences from Sweden and on the emotions emerging from being a student in the field with minor experience and knowledge in a different context. This reflective process over my experiences has taught me that my own culture is something I can only understand and re-evaluate when I have met a different one, and has helped me to start appreciate and develop further insight of the importance and the complexity of cultural diversity in physiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper investigates the role of the various overt and covert dimensions, which have led to the emergence and acceptance of a non-native language (Urdu) in defining community identities among the members of Kashmiri speech community in the Kashmir region of India. The paper based on quantitative and qualitative techniques is part of a larger effort, which was aimed at studying the linguistic assertions of community identities in the multilingual context of the Kashmir region. Urdu was nobody's first language in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and yet it has come to represent the state on the linguistic map of India. It is the official language of the state, and acts as the lingua franca for the three culturally diverse regions of the state. Within the region of Kashmir, the language functions as the prestige norm. Urdu is the medium of instruction in the government schools, and is learnt as the first language under the three-language formula of the Indian Union. It occupies the central space in print and broadcast media; education, religious and political discourses, the legislature and the judiciary, and can even boast of an indigenous literary tradition. The Kashmiri speaking community in Kashmir reports Urdu as one of the languages in its repertoire, and language choices with respect to Urdu and Kashmiri reflect a sharp functional separation comparable to the English/regional language divide in many regions of the country. Attitudes to Urdu across the community reflect accommodation and acceptance. In the context of the separatist movement, Urdu has acquired another dimension: it is perceived as the symbol of the sub-continental pan-Islamic identity. This paper examines the various factors by providing an account for the probable dimensions responsible for creating persuasive space for the acceptance and the maintenance of (non-native) Urdu-not only as the language of masses but also as the state official language-devoid of any resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This study sets out to examine conflict style preferences in India and the predictive effects of various demographic variables on conflict style preference. Design/methodology/approach - Data were gathered in India (n = 827) among Muslims and Hindus. Conflict was measured using Oetzel's Conflict Style Measure. To answer the research questions, repeated measures ANOVA and multiple regressions were conducted. Findings - The findings reveal that conflict style preference among Hindus in India differs significantly and that Hindus prefer the integrating and dominating styles, whilst showing the least inclination towards the avoiding and obliging styles. Muslims prefer the integrating and compromising styles and least prefer the dominating and avoiding styles. Analyses of the demographic variables' predictive influence reveal that age and sex are significant predictors for all five conflict styles for both Muslims and Hindus. Education has a mixed predictive influence on conflict style among Hindus and Muslims. Research limitations/implications - Use of self-report instruments and the majority of the participants coming from middle-class backgrounds could limit the generalizability of the study. Practical implications - The study calls for conflict mediators to consider the influence of group membership and educational level on conflict management/resolution. The research also discusses national/international conflict intervention. Social implications - This paper informs individuals regarding the way in which two large religious and cultural groups differ in their approaches to conflict. For a nation that has experienced a history of conflict between these two cultural/religious groups, this paper can help shed light on how to bridge the conflict between them. Originality/value - There are no studies directly comparing the conflict styles of Muslims and Hindus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Choice of marketing channels varies by farmer and location characteristics. • Poor transport and communication networks restrict farmers' market access. • Lack of infrastructure and information lead to rent seeking by informal buyers. • Most farmers particularly smallholders get lower than government mandated price. Abstract This paper assesses the effect of transportation and communication networks on farmers' choice of market channels for paddy and wheat, and subsequently on the prices they receive from these channels. It is found that smallholder farmers sell more to informal channels i.e. local traders and input dealers, and typically receive lower prices from them compared to the government-set minimum support prices (MSP). The prices realized from the sales in regulated markets are also less than the MSP despite these being claimed to be more transparent in price discovery. Econometric results show that farmers' access to transportation and information enables them to obtain better price terms from informal as well as formal channels. The effect of information is relatively stronger, implying that farmers' access to transportation itself is not sufficient but is effective when combined with provision of market information. Further, our proposition is that despite a positive impact of the improved market access on price realization from informal traders, farmer-trader relations are unlikely to undergo a meaningful change because of the tied transactions involving inputs, credit and outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical characterizations of rainfall structure over two tropical stations in southern India are reported in this paper based on the 2-year rainfall data. The statistical characterizations has been based on cumulative distribution function, exceedance of threshold values, dependence of the intensity of rainfall on the event duration, seasonal variability, and worst months concept as well as diurnal variability. These results are needed to give the detailed insights to the system designers for the development of communication gadgets needed for better service, serve as a vital tool to estimate signal outages in a year over the region and for proper planning of radio communication in the region. Finally, the study shows that the recent International Telecommunications Union Recommendations (ITU-R) value underestimated rain rate for 0.01% exceedance for the two locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the telegram and its impact upon meaning and language, including Indian nationalist strategies subverting imperial control. After 1860, the British Indian Empire emerged as a crucial strategic element in the telegraph network of the globe. It included countries outside present-day India and the larger sphere of 'informal empire.' The paper uses the terms India and the Indian Empire in this broader sense. Changes in time and shortening of distance, allowed messages to be sent and received rapidly but permitted multiple interpretations of what telegrams meant. It was a world of electronic communication where codes and ciphers and mistaken meanings were recurrent: a world of shadowy meanings. This paper analyses the technological and interpretative dimensions of this asymmetrical world of transnational electronic communication flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduplication is defined as repetition or copying of a word or a syllable either exactly or partially in order to bring modification in the semantic interpretation or to convey some special meaning. As observed in Lepcha, (a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Sikkim and Darjeeling district of West Bengal) reduplicated expressives (structures which represent sounds or senses) may belong to the category of full reduplication as well as partial reduplication. Being an important structural phenomenon of the South Asian languages reduplicated expressives play a vital role in the system of communication and so demands a vivid description of its form and function with reference to the semantic interpretation. The data of the present paper has been collected from field investigation conducted in Kalimpong subdivision of Darjeeling district of West Bengal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]