International Journal of Economic Practices and Theories
International Journal of Economic Practices and Theories (IJEPT) (ISSN: 2247-7225) is a peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal dedicated to advancing the understanding and application of economics through rigorous research and innovative thinking. Since its inception, IJEPT has provided a global platform for economists, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to share insights, challenge assumptions, and explore emerging trends in economic theory and practice. Our Mission At IJEPT, our mission is to foster scholarly exchange and promote high-quality research that bridges the gap between theoretical frameworks and real-world economic applications. We aim to contribute meaningfully to the global discourse on economics by publishing work that is both academically sound and practically relevant. Scope The International Journal of Economic Practices and Theories (IJEPT) welcomes original research, theoretical developments, case studies, and empirical analyses in the following thematic areas: Tourism Economic impact of tourism on regional and national economies Sustainable tourism development and policy Tourism economics and forecasting Hospitality industry trends and practices Cultural, eco-, and heritage tourism management Tourism marketing and consumer preferences European Union Economic integration and convergence within the EU EU trade policies and international relations Monetary policy and the Eurozone Regional development and cohesion policies Labour mobility and migration within the EU EU regulatory frameworks and their economic implications Marketing Management Strategic marketing planning and execution Brand management and corporate reputation Digital and social media marketing strategies International and cross-cultural marketing practices Innovation in marketing and customer value creation Marketing performance measurement and analytics Consumer Behaviour Psychological and sociological drivers of consumer decision-making Cultural influences on consumer preferences Consumer trends and market segmentation Customer satisfaction and loyalty models Post-purchase behaviour and brand attachment Impact of digital environments on consumer behaviour Marketing Research Quantitative and qualitative marketing research methods Consumer insights and market intelligence Experimental and survey-based marketing studies Big data analytics in marketing Marketing metrics and modeling techniques Ethics and challenges in contemporary marketing research Why Publish with IJEPT? Global Reach – Access a diverse and international readership. Rigorous Peer Review – Ensure the quality and credibility of your work. Timely Publication – Benefit from efficient and transparent editorial processes. Open Access – Maximize the visibility and impact of your research. Audience IJEPT is intended for academics, researchers, graduate students, policymakers, and industry professionals who are interested in the development and application of economic knowledge across diverse contexts and regions. Editorial Board Our editorial board comprises distinguished economists and scholars from leading institutions worldwide, who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the journal. Their commitment ensures that IJEPT maintains high standards of scholarship and editorial integrity.
Consumer Behaviour Towards Sovereign Gold as an Inflation Hedge
The current study explores consumer behaviour towards sovereign gold as a hedge against inflation. Sovereign gold bonds are sovereign securities of the government, denominated in grams of gold, with comparable interest rates but without the need for physical ownership. The study therefore introduces sovereign gold as an alternate financial investment against the traditional reliance on jewellery or gold coins. Primary data were collected from 300 respondents and the proposed relationships were examined using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The model measures the impact of financial literacy, perceived hedging effectiveness, inflation perception, and institutional trust on the decisions related to attitude and investment intention. The findings indicate that, attitude towards sovereign gold is the strongest driver towards investment intention. Investment decisions are influenced by institutional trust and perceived hedging effectiveness that shape the attitude of consumers. Financial literacy of consumers enhances the evaluation of sovereign gold as an inflation hedge, but the impact of inflation perception on the perceived hedging effectiveness is not significant. Investment decisions towards sovereign gold are primarily influenced by behavioural and institutional factors than macro-economic awareness. The study contributes to the literature by evidencing the drivers of consumer investment intention for government backed gold.
Budgetary Control of Off-Budget Operations in Algeria
This study examines the legal and accounting framework governing off-budget operations in Algeria, in light of recent financial reforms and the requirements of Organic Law 18-15 and Public Accounting Law 23-07. The article analyzes how public institutions execute these operations—performed in addition to their core missions—and investigates the associated budgetary control mechanisms. The findings indicate that while off-budget operations benefit from certain flexibilities, such as exemptions from prior budgetary visas for specific outlays, they remain strictly bound by competition rules and public procurement regulations, as well as rigorous ex-post audits. Furthermore, the study highlights a legislative shift in revenue distribution; the legislator has moved from emphasizing individual incentives toward strengthening institutional self-financing (60% share). This shift underscores a profound and integrated financial and accounting relationship between budgetary and off-budget frameworks.
Behavioural Factors Influencing Retail and Digital Banking: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis
The fast evolution of retail and digital banking has heightened academic attention on why behavioural variables serve to determine consumer interest in the use of financial technologies. This paper is a thorough bibliometric and thematic review of 331 peer-reviewed journal articles to trace the intellectual framework, research patterns, and themes development in this field. The research analyses the publication tendencies, the most active authors, institutions, collaborative networks, as well as the most popular groups of keywords using Scopus-indexed materials and analytical tools (VOSviewer and Bibliometrix). The results demonstrate that there is significant expansion of research productivity, especially in the last two years, and this indicates more global interest in fintech, mobile banking, digital payments, and user behavioural patterns. The analysis of co-occurrence and co-authorship points to the main behavioural driving factors, including trust, perceived usefulness, ease of use, perceived risk, intention to use, and technological readiness, which are the primary themes on the nature of digital banking adoption. Thematic clusters also suggest an interdisciplinary meeting point of behavioural finance, technology acceptance theories (TAM, UTAUT, TPB), and new financial services such as AI-enabled services, CBDCs, and Islamic fintech. The work is relevant to the literature because it provides a systematic overview of the available studies and points out some most significant tendencies, gaps, and patterns of cooperation. The learnings offer useful lessons to researchers, financial institutions, and policymakers that want to improve the digital financial inclusiveness, user trust, and create behaviourally informed fintech solutions.
Mansi Pawnar, Akash Debnath, Anjali Khandelwal
The Impact of Nostalgia Marketing on Consumer Trust and Longterm Retention: Evidence from Digital Markets
In highly competitive digital markets, organizations increasingly rely on emotional branding strategies to build long-term relationships with consumers. Nostalgia marketing has emerged as a powerful tool that reconnects consumers with meaningful memories from the past, strengthening emotional attachment and trust toward brands. This study examines the impact of nostalgia marketing perception on consumer trust, customer retention, and long-term loyalty. Drawing on emotional branding theory and the commitment–trust theory of relationship marketing, a conceptual framework was proposed in which nostalgia marketing influences consumer trust, which subsequently enhances customer retention and loyalty. Data were collected from 299 respondents using a structured questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale. Reliability and validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test, and Principal Component Analysis. Regression and mediation analyses revealed that nostalgia marketing significantly influences consumer trust (β = 0.313, p < 0.001) and customer retention (β = 0.313, p < 0.001). Consumer trust strongly predicts customer retention (β = 0.498, p < 0.001) and partially mediates the relationship, with the model explaining substantial variance (R² ≈ 0.57).
Aditi Khandelwal, Kritika Maurya, Vinitha Vincent
Effect of Offers and Discounts by the Organized Retailers of Fashion & Clothing on Customer Satisfaction - A Case Study of Ranchi City.
The changing marketing strategies and environmental impact has brought the drastic transformation in the way of making customers apprised with the marketing tools like promotion and discounts. This study measures the effect of discounts and offers on customer satisfaction among shoppers of clothing and fashion in organized retail. The study gives an overview of the variables that influences the buyer's decision of buying and also to look at the buyer’s perception on the discount and promotional offers given by organized retailers of fashion and clothing products. The objective of this study is to ascertain the effect of offers and discounts given by organized retailers on customer satisfaction.
Price Discount, Offers, Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty, Customer Perception.
“US Trade Agreements as a Catalyst for FDI Inflows in India: An Analytical Study”
Geopolitical alignments and an increasing proportion of services in global FDI are driving a structural shift of the global FDI landscape (Casella et al., 2024). With the G20-Emerging Market (G20-EM) countries' share of worldwide FDI outflows rising from 9.7% in 2009 to 16.5% in 2023; EMEs are becoming a significant source of foreign investment. India's foreign investment has grown dramatically in line with these trends, especially in the post-pandemic era. A trend towards developed economies has also been observed in India's outbound investment, with the average share increasing to 51.1% between 2019 and 2024. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a critical driver of economic growth for developing and developed economies alike. It involves cross-border investment where an investor acquires lasting interest (usually ≥10% equity) in a company abroad, bringing capital, technology, and managerial expertise. FDI plays a significant role in international trade, job creation, and technology transfer. India-US officially reached a significant trade deal, both countries agreed on significantly reducing reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods from 50% to 18%. This agreement aims to boost bilateral trade. Read more about to know the key updates, significance and challenges ahead.
Long Working Hours, On-Call Expectations, and Work Spillover: Evidence from Employees in the BFSI Sector
Banking, Financial Services & Insurance is an important sector that contribute significantly to overall growth of the economy. The sector is registering overall growth emerged as the single-largest contributor to the country’s corporate profit-to-GDP ratio in financial year 2025.While it is surging so are the challenges around the dynamic work environment of this sector. Long working hours and on call expectations which are part of ‘Work Spillover’ are two such mainstream challenges faced by employees of this sector, which has become part and parcel of every day’s organizational work culture. Rarely it has been observed that such practices are criticized by the Human Resource department or by the top management of the private sector companies in BFSI Domain. This paper is an attempt to reveal the underlying reasons, key challenges, associated direct, indirect and socio-psychological costs, tangible and intangible benefits arising due to these two practices. An attempt is made to understand the viewpoint of the employees how these practices impacts them and their employer, also is it a sustainable practice for companies in long run. An overall data of 125 working employees in private sector banks and insurance companies is collected from selected Metro cities through a survey and telephonic interviews during January 2025 to May 2025 and data is analysed with help of independent sample t-test.
Macroeconomic Fundamentals and External Sector Balances as Determinants of Exchange Rate Dynamics: Cross-Country Panel Evidence
This study examines the macroeconomic and external sector determinants of exchange rate movements using panel data from six major economies—India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa for 19 years from 2005 to 2023 . These countries represent diverse economic structures, exchange rate regimes, and degrees of financial openness, allowing for a comparative assessment of how monetary conditions and Balance of Payments (BoP) dynamics influence foreign exchange prices. The analysis employs a Fixed Effects (FE) panel regression framework to control for unobserved country-specific heterogeneity. Two empirical models are estimated. Model 1 investigates the impact of macroeconomic fundamentals—GDP, inflation, and interest rates—on exchange rates, while Model 2 incorporates key BoP components, including the current account, capital account, net financial account, errors and omissions, and the overall BoP surplus or deficit. Correlation and trend analyses complement the regression results by examining the direction and strength of relationships among variables. The results indicate that monetary variables dominate exchange rate dynamics. Interest rates exert the strongest and most statistically significant influence on currency movements, consistent with interest parity and capital flow theories. Inflation is also significant, reflecting the interaction between price stability, monetary credibility, and investor expectations. GDP growth exhibits a weaker and negative effect, suggesting that growth in these economies is often import-intensive and associated with widening trade deficits. BoP variables show mixed effects: improvements in the overall BoP balance support currency appreciation, while large gross flows in the current account, capital account, and financial account are associated with depreciation and increased volatility. Correlation results confirm that interest rates are more strongly linked to exchange rates than external account components. Overall, the findings suggest that exchange rate behavior is shaped primarily by monetary conditions and capital mobility rather than by real output or trade balances alone. The study highlights the importance of inflation control, credible monetary policy, and stable external financing for exchange rate stability and provides policy-relevant insights for managing foreign exchange risk in an increasingly integrated and volatile global financial environment.
The Representation of Women Farmers in Hindi Cinema: A critical analysis of Mother India
Cinema in India is an integral part of the everyday lives of millions. Since its inception cinema has been a medium where on-screen stories reflect societal opinions and shape certain perceptions. In the enormous landscape of regional cinema Hindi cinema holds the baton as the biggest industry. The representation of women remains a subject of intrigue and inquiry. With changing times, it is evident that women's representation has increased in all areas and more women-centric films are coming out than ever before. One such sector is agriculture which has been an important part of Indian society and women have always played crucial roles in agriculture. The representation of women in popular films often shows them in stereotypical gender roles, mostly as background characters. This study looks at how women farmers are portrayed in Hindi movies. It examines how women as farmers are shown on screen, using storylines, visual symbols, and other images. The aim is to show the complex interplay between cinematic representations, gender roles, and rural life in India by analysing films from different genres and periods. By studying these depictions, we can better understand how society sees female farmers and their roles in agriculture. The paper emphasizes the complexities and potential impact of how women farmers are portrayed in Hindi cinema, focusing on how this representation might affect Indian rural livelihoods and gender dynamics.
The Impact of Labour Reforms on Large-Scale Heavy Manufacturing Complexes in India
The consolidation of 29 central labor laws into four simplified codes—the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code—marks a paradigm shift in India's industrial jurisprudence. This paper examines the transformative potential of these reforms within the operational context of large-scale heavy manufacturing plants, which serve as critical hubs for national industrial output and energy generation. It explores the inherent tension between the government's dual objectives: fostering "Ease of Doing Business" for industrial giants and ensuring "Universal Social Security" for a diverse, often fragmented workforce. By analyzing the reconfiguration of power dynamics—such as the transition to "sole bargaining agents" and increased layoff thresholds—this study assesses the practical implications of legislative change on ground-level labor relations. The research draws upon international parallels from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Brazil to highlight the risks of "informalization" and "contractual instability" that often accompany such deregulation. The paper concludes that while the reforms offer a roadmap for sustainable growth, their success remains contingent upon bridging the gap between structural ambitions and the socio-economic realities of the predominantly informal workforce, avoiding a "symbolic restructuring" in favor of genuine worker protection.
Encouraging Everyone: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities in India
The most marginalised people are those with disabilities, who experience social exclusion, stigma, social deviance, and oppression. Due to increased rates of accidents that result in impairments and disabilities brought on by globalisation, liberalisation, and modern lifestyles, the prevalence of disabilities is rising. Although government and non-governmental organisations have worked to rehabilitate disabled people, only a small percentage of disabled people have benefited from rehabilitation services and programs since there is no national policy on the subject. Since most of them reside in remote areas with little knowledge of government programs and services, they are not eligible for such benefits. There has been a paradigm shift in how the issue of disability is being addressed as time has gone on. The empowerment and rehabilitation of people with physical and mental disabilities are given more attention than welfare orientation. In order to mainstream people with impairments, inclusive education is receiving increased attention. In light of this, the current study looks at India's government initiatives to provide inclusive education for people with disabilities.
Key Drivers of Employee Retention in Private Colleges
India plays an important part in the world's education system. As of June 2022, India had approximately 42,343 colleges and 1,047 institutions. In India, there were 38.5 million higher education students enrolled in 2019-20, with 19.6 million men and 18.9 million women. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education in India was 27.1%. Online education is rapidly expanding. As consumer demand grows, higher education institutions in India are focusing on providing online programs. The large English-speaking population in India makes it easier to provide instructional resources. India ranked 48th out of 112 nations on the 2021 English Proficiency Index. There are now 71 Indian colleges that are qualified for the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022, up from 63 in 2020. In recent years, the education sector has seen a variety of changes and increased financial investments, which might transform the country into a knowledge haven. The expansion of the country's educational infrastructure is expected to be the key focus in the following decade, as the role of human resources in overall growth develops. In this circumstance, infrastructure spending in the education sector is likely to increase dramatically.
Empowering Street Vendors: Assessing Pm Svanidhi's Impact on Economic Growth in Lucknow
The PM SVANidhi Yojana was established to give collateral-free microcredit to street vendors in order to increase their financial inclusion and economic self-sufficiency. This study uses a descriptive research approach using a primary data survey of 100 vendors to investigate the schemes' impact on the income levels, financial access, and business growth of Lucknow street vendors. The findings show a large rise in daily income, greater access to formal credit, and a trend toward digital transactions, which reduces reliance on informal moneylenders. The statistical research, which includes paired t-tests and chi-square tests, verifies the schemes' efficacy in promoting entrepreneurial growth and financial stability. However, issues such as low awareness and digital literacy gaps exist, emphasizing the importance of improved financial literacy programs and streamlined lending processes. Overall, the study suggests that PM SVANidhi has had a transformative impact on empowering street vendors and integrating them into the formal financial system, hence promoting inclusive economic development.
The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Workers' Performance in Tamilnadu's Retail Textile Sector
The impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on employee performance has become a crucial field of research in the ever-changing retail textile business. Understanding how people's emotional abilities affect their efficacy in this field has important ramifications for productivity and organizational success. In order to shed light on the complex interactions between emotional aptitude, job effectiveness, and organizational productivity, this study examines the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on employee performance within the retail textile business in Tamilnadu. 120 respondents from different retail textile companies were surveyed using a cross-sectional research design. The demographics of the sample were balanced in terms of years of experience, education level, age, and gender. The participants' average EI score of 4.3 out of 5 shows that they are very skilled in identifying, understanding, and efficiently controlling emotions. Most said that EI improved work performance. Additionally, statistical analysis showed that EI levels were not significantly impacted by demographic characteristics. EI was found to be strongly positively correlated with both organizational productivity and employee job performance, accounting for 28% and 30% of the variances, respectively, according to hierarchical regression analysis. These results highlight the critical role that emotional intelligence (EI) plays in improving workplace effectiveness in the retail textile sector, underscoring the necessity for firms to give emotional competence top priority through specialized training programs. This study highlights the potential for increased performance and productivity through the development of emotional intelligence among employees, offering practitioners insightful information.
Regulatory Reconfiguration of Angel Investment Networks in India: Implications for Early-Stage Startup Financing and Capital Formation
This study analyzes the transformation of India’s early-stage financing ecosystem by examining the comparative roles of individual angel investors and organized angel investment networks, with emphasis on the regulatory reforms introduced by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 2025. Over the last decade, India has developed into a leading global startup ecosystem, driven by rapid digitalization and policy initiatives that promote innovation. As venture capital firms increasingly concentrate on later-stage investments, angel investors have assumed a critical function in addressing seed and pre-seed funding gaps. Employing a descriptive research methodology and drawing on secondary data from regulatory publications and industry reports, the study evaluates structural differences in investment practices and outcomes. The findings suggest that angel networks enhance investment efficiency through systematic due diligence, risk diversification, and post-investment mentorship, contributing to improved governance and startup sustainability. However, the introduction of stricter accredited investor requirements and expanded compliance obligations in 2025 has reduced participation and deal activity, excluding several experienced investors from the ecosystem. Although these reforms may strengthen investment discipline and capital allocation efficiency, they also risk constraining access to early-stage funding. The study concludes that a balanced regulatory approach is necessary to ensure investor protection while preserving inclusivity and supporting sustained entrepreneurial growth in India.
Human Rights and Migration Law in Australia: Enabling Cross-Border Business Mobility in a Globalised Economy
In the twenty-first century, international business mobility has become a defining feature of global economic development. Entrepreneurs, investors, creatives, consultants, and digital professionals increasingly operate across borders, requiring migration systems that facilitate lawful movement while protecting fundamental human rights. Australia, as a major destination for skilled and business migrants, sits at the intersection of economic strategy and human rights obligations. This research examines the relationship between human rights law and migration law in Australia, focusing on how legal frameworks enable—or restrict—the ability of individuals to move with their businesses. Using doctrinal legal analysis, comparative perspectives, and policy evaluation, the paper argues that a human rights-based approach to business migration enhances economic sustainability, legal certainty, and global competitiveness.
Rhythms of Resilience: Neuropsychological Effects of Laughter Percussion on Anxiety and Depression in a Community-Based Pilot Study
Introduction: Anxiety and depression are among the most prevalent mental health disorders globally. Conventional treatments such as pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavioral theraphy are mostly used. However, many individuals either show limited response or prefer alternative, non-pharmacological treatments. Objective: This research explores the effectiveness of laughter percussion, a novel therapeutic modality that blends rhythmic drumming with structured laughter as an interention of reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Methods: A mixed-methods pilot study was conducted in a community setting haing 60 adult individuals with self reported or clinically diagnosed anxiety and depression. Individuals were randomly assigned to intervention group (Laughter percussion) or no-treatment (control group). The experimental group engaged in weekly Laughter Percussion sessions for eight weeks, while the control group received no intervention. Standardized assessments included the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales, along with post-session interviews of 20 individuals were conducted to capture qualitative insights. Results: The results show GAD-7 groups mean before intervention was 10.42 and after interventiaon was 4.50 which showed a reduction of 5.92 by 56.80% (P = 0.00). Whereas, PHQ-9 groups mean before intervention was 13.73 which showed reduces to 7.82 showing a reduction of 5.91 by 43.04% (P = 0.00). Participants also reported enhanced emotional expressiveness, increased group cohesion, and improved stress management. Conclusion: Laughter percussion appreas to enhance neuroplasticity and emotional resilience, offering a promising complementory approach to traditional therapeutic mental health therapies.
Healthcare Development in India through CSR Initiatives of Private Sector Banks
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important way for private banks in India to support public health, especially where the system struggles with access, affordability, and basic infrastructure. This article looks at how three large private banks-HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank-have used their CSR programmes to support healthcare development. The analysis depicts that the banks have. financed numerous activities such as preventive health care, mobile health clinics, pandemic related support and health infrastructure, yet their investment in health financially. has not been steady over time. They use annual reports as a secondary source of information, CSR statements and other industry. This study follows the trend of spending on health-related CSR during the period 2016-2023, as the sources are provided during this period. review nature of the programmes being undertaken. HDFC Bank spends the most of the three. ICICI Bank and Axis Bank are the next in line and exhibit a significant degree of health-oriented CSR, but all of them still do. year-to-year variation. The outbreak of COVID-19 was bringing a temporary surge in health. expenditure especially in the area of vaccination, medical equipment and digital channel of service. delivery. Concurrently, the review identifies such issues as complex as persistent. rules, small project cycles, ineffective impact evaluation and poor co-ordination with implementing partners. These have much room to be reinforced, as argued in the paper. investments, more intensive partnership with the state, stronger community. involvement and increased utilization of technology-empowered models of health. By doing so, private banks can align their CSR portfolios more closely with national health priorities and the objectives SDG 3 on Good Health and Well‑Being
Retail Entrepreneurship in Devotional Tourism Exploring Consumer Behaviour Digital Adoption and Strategic Opportunities in Tamil Nadu’s Temple Economies
This study examines the retail entrepreneurship opportunities emerging within devotional tourism economies, with a particular focus on temple towns in Tamil Nadu, India. The objectives were to analyse consumer behaviour, expenditure patterns, and digital adoption in temple-based retail settings, and to assess how factors such as cultural authenticity, economic value, convenience, and technology influence visitor satisfaction and repeat purchase intentions. A structured survey of 400 temple visitors was conducted across four major destinations, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with AMOS. The measurement and structural models demonstrated robust reliability and validity, with model fit indices meeting recommended thresholds. Results show that cultural authenticity and economic value are significant predictors of satisfaction, while convenience and technology affect satisfaction indirectly via digital adoption. Satisfaction, in turn, emerged as the strongest driver of repeat purchase intention. Mediation analysis confirmed that satisfaction is the key mechanism linking retail experiences to consumer loyalty, while multi-group analysis revealed generational differences, with younger visitors showing higher digital adoption and stronger satisfaction-loyalty relationships compared to older cohorts. The study contributes to tourism and retail management literature by positioning temple economies as “phygital ecosystems” where tradition and modernity converge. Practically, the findings highlight entrepreneurial opportunities for retailers, temple boards, and digital service providers to enhance consumer experiences through authentic products, fair pricing, and integrated digital solutions. The paper also offers policy insights for sustainable retail development in religious tourism contexts.
Employee Attrition and Its Impact on Organizational Productivity in Non-Banking Financial Companies in India
The Non - Banking Financial Company (NBFC) sector is a critical component of India’s financial system, supporting financial inclusion, retail lending, and credit access to underserved segments. Operating in a competitive and RBI regulated environment, NBFCs are highly dependent on human capital for business generation and operational efficiency. However, rising employee attrition particularly in sales, credit, and operations roles has emerged as a significant challenge affecting organizational productivity. This study empirically examines the relationship between employee attrition and productivity in Indian NBFCs using RBI aligned indicators, namely Assets Under Management (AUM) per employee, disbursement per employee, and cost to income ratio. A descriptive and analytical research design is adopted, utilizing primary data from structured questionnaires and secondary data from audited financial statements, RBI publications, and industry reports. Statistical tools including descriptive analysis, correlation, and multiple regression are employed. The findings reveal persistently high attrition levels in NBFCs and a statistically significant negative relationship between employee attrition and productivity indicators, alongside a positive association with the cost to income ratio. Regression results confirm employee attrition as a significant predictor of productivity after controlling for organizational characteristics. The study highlights the strategic importance of workforce stability for improving productivity and cost efficiency in NBFCs and offers actionable insights for management and policymakers.
The Impact of Funding Source on Startup Growth, Decision Making and Sustainability: Evidence from Indian Founders
Startups are widely recognised as critical engines of innovation, employment generation, and economic growth, yet their survival and scalability are fundamentally contingent upon access to appropriate, timely, and well-structured funding. This study investigates how different funding sources, bootstrapping, friends-and-family networks, bank and NBFC loans, angel investment, venture capital, government schemes, and crowdfunding, shape startup growth trajectories, operational decision-making, and long-term sustainability. Drawing on primary data collected from 71 startup founders across varied sectors and geographic tiers in India, the findings reveal that over 80 per cent of respondents rely on informal or self-generated funds, largely due to limited awareness of alternatives, complex regulatory procedures, fear of equity dilution, and regional disparities in investor network availability. The study further demonstrates that funding alone does not determine startup success; non-financial factors including founder capability, strategic planning, mentorship access, and prevailing market conditions are equally decisive. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers aimed at fostering a more inclusive, knowledge-driven, and mentor-integrated startup financing ecosystem.
Raju G, Kiran Babu K, Megha Jose, Krishnajith P S
Social Media as a Catalyst of Fast Fashion Consumption in India: An Empirical Investigation of Influence Mechanisms, Authenticity, and Demographic Moderation
Over the last two decades, the way people shop has changed. Drastically due to Social media and fast fashion. Fast fashion is about making clothes and selling them cheaply due to cost cut by standardization. Social media platforms like Instagram help spread the trends and make people want to buy more. In India, many Youngsters are habitual to using the internet and social media, so the demand for fast fashion is increasing. This study looks into how Social media impact people and their buying habits, especially when it comes to trendy fashion.
Debansh Sengupta, Ashutosh Panda, Amruth Vardhan Menta, Dr. Meena Rani
Exploring the Intersection of Socio-Economic Status and Technology Access: Implications for Sustainable Education and Alignment with SDG 4
Purpose: This thematic analysis examines student behavior in adapting to technological advancements in education, emphasising inequalities, difficulties, and approaches that support Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). To guarantee high-quality learning for everyone, it seeks to unearth insights for developing inclusive, tech-driven education. Design/Methodology/Approach This study employs a mixed-method approach to explore the behavioral dynamics of students concerning technological adoption and their alignment with SDG 4. A key component of this approach is thematic analysis, which is applied to the qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with students, educators, and administrators. Thematic analysis is used to identify recurring patterns and themes, such as the behavioral factors influencing students’ acceptance and adaptation to technical upgrades, barriers to technology adoption, and enablers of effective integration. These findings are triangulated with quantitative survey data to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the disparities in technology adoption across demographic and socioeconomic groups. The insights derived from the thematic analysis inform actionable strategies to foster an inclusive learning environment, maximize the benefits of technological advancements, and contribute to the achievement of SDG 4. Findings The study revealed that students' acceptance of technological advancements is influenced by factors like perceived ease of use, usefulness, and digital literacy, with significant disparities based on demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Rural and economically disadvantaged students face challenges like limited access to devices and internet connectivity, while urban students adapt more easily. Barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of teacher training, and resistance to change hinder adoption. However, successful integration of technologies like Learning Management Systems (LMS) and virtual labs improved learning outcomes. The study highlights the need for inclusive strategies, including infrastructure investments and targeted training, to bridge the digital divide and align with SDG 4 goals of equitable quality education. Originality/ Value: This study offers original insights into the behavioral dynamics of students' technological adoption and its alignment with SDG 4, emphasizing equitable and quality education. By employing a mixed-method approach, it bridges the gap in existing literature by highlighting disparities in technology adoption across diverse demographic and socioeconomic groups. Unlike prior research that often overlooks the challenges faced by marginalized communities, this study provides a nuanced understanding of these barriers and their impact on educational outcomes. The findings contribute valuable recommendations for fostering inclusivity and equity in educational technology, offering practical strategies to policymakers and educators to maximize the benefits of digital advancements while promoting sustainable development.
Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Human Resource Management: A Comparative Study of Samsung, Xiaomi, Apple and Vivo
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in contemporary Human Resource Management (HRM), redefining how organizations attract, develop, manage, and retain talent. This paper examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence on HRM through a comparative study of four leading multinational smartphone manufacturers—Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, and Vivo. The study adopts a qualitative and descriptive research design based on secondary data sourced from corporate reports, policy documents, and credible academic literature. It analyzes the application of AI across key HR functions, including recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, employee engagement, and workforce planning. The findings indicate that AI significantly enhances HR efficiency, decision-making accuracy, and strategic alignment by enabling data-driven and predictive workforce management. However, the extent and focus of AI adoption vary across organizations, influenced by business strategy, organizational culture, ethical priorities, and governance frameworks. Samsung emphasizes large-scale workforce analytics, Apple prioritizes ethical and employee-centric AI integration, Xiaomi focuses on automation and operational efficiency, and Vivo adopts a balanced approach combining engagement and performance optimization. The study also highlights critical challenges associated with AI-driven HRM, such as algorithmic bias, data privacy concerns, skill gaps among HR professionals, and employee resistance. The paper concludes that while AI has the potential to strengthen HRM as a strategic organizational function, its effectiveness depends on responsible implementation, ethical governance, and the integration of human judgment. The study contributes original conceptual insights to the evolving discourse on digital HR transformation.
Financial Inclusion in the Age of FinTech Platforms: Opportunities, Inequalities, and Regulatory Dilemmas
Financial inclusion has emerged as a central pillar of sustainable economic development in the digital era, with FinTech platforms redefining the architecture of access to financial services across both developed and emerging economies. The integration of mobile payments, digital lending, blockchain-based systems, artificial intelligence–driven credit scoring, and platform-based financial ecosystems has significantly reduced transaction costs, expanded outreach to unbanked populations, and enabled real-time, user-centric financial intermediation. However, the rapid platformization of finance has simultaneously generated new forms of structural inequality linked to digital literacy, data asymmetry, algorithmic bias, gendered access to credit, infrastructural gaps, and market concentration. These transformations have produced a complex regulatory landscape in which innovation outpaces institutional capacity, raising concerns related to consumer protection, financial stability, competition policy, data governance, and cross-border supervision. This study conceptually examines the multidimensional relationship between FinTech-driven financial inclusion, emerging socio-economic disparities, and evolving regulatory dilemmas. It develops an integrative analytical perspective that situates digital financial inclusion within the broader political economy of platform capitalism and examines the trade-offs between efficiency, equity, and systemic risk. By synthesizing recent theoretical and empirical developments, the paper highlights how FinTech simultaneously functions as an instrument of empowerment and a mechanism of exclusion depending on the distribution of technological capabilities, institutional quality, and regulatory design. The study contributes to the literature by proposing a structured framework for understanding inclusive digital finance that aligns innovation with social justice, resilience, and responsible governance in the contemporary financial ecosystem.
Regulatory Approaches to Systemic Risk Monitoring in Contemporary Retail Credit Markets
The pace of financial innovation in the Australian retail credit sector is ongoing, as is pressure on existing regulation. While new legislative and prudential regulatory measures are designed to address such pressure, there has been little consideration given to how such regulatory changes address the issue of systemic risk emanating from operational business associated with new products. This paper examines the role of complaints as a mechanism to uncover systemic risk in the Australian retail credit sector. Drawing on qualitative content analysis of sector complaints institutional reports for the period 2021-2025, the paper details the extent to which operational failures recur within complaint fields as an identifiable risk rather than as part of a formal regulatory preventative framework. The governance themes that emerge from the complaints institutional reports include containing complaints within the firm’s boundaries, customer stress in hardship reviews, system level policy divergences. The sequence in which firms respond to customer complaints. The author argues that the metaphoric of detection drift captures the shift in the sector from formal preventative regulation to the occurrence of complaint escalation and thus risk discovery. While using complaints for risk discovery affords the regulator some ‘risk-based learning’, it has the effect of producing a significant amount of detection drift (i.e. delays, uneven levels of detection and exposure to risk). To redress this risk, the author argues that there is a need for better integration of complaints, data analytics with on the ground prudential regulation and firm wide governance arrangements to ensure the ongoing stability of the retail credit sector in the face of financial innovation.
Model for Digital Service Satisfaction: extending Expectation Confirmation Theory for online food ordering platforms
Extending the expectation confirmation theory (ECT) and the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, this study investigated the role of lifestyle convenience motivation (LCM), platform service quality (PSQ), and platform eco-consciousness (PEC) as cognitive antecedents impacting digital service satisfaction (DSS) for online food ordering platforms. Quantitative research was conducted among current millennial consumers of online food ordering services. SmartPLS 4-SEM was used to analyze the findings. The results indicate that LCM, PSQ, and PEC significantly impact DSS. Collectively, LCM, PSQ, and PEC explain 70.6% of the DSS variance. Furthermore, PEC has a mediating role in the influence of LCM and PSQ on DSS. The study makes critical theoretical contributions by examining DSS within digital service environments using the extended ECT. Moreover, this study integrates VBN into the ECT framework for online food ordering services. The study offers actionable insights toward understanding new age consumer expectations. The findings provide strategic direction to online food businesses, service platforms, cloud kitchens and sustainability advocates, to identify new opportunities to engage with digital-first consumers. Platform and digital service managers would benefit to incorporate belief-based metrics into all developments pertaining to UX design, AI and embed sustainability as a core in communication strategies for building deeper consumer connect.
Factors Influencing Research Community Engagement in Social Science Departments of Indian Universities: A Comparative Study of Public and Private Institutions
While Indian institutions are focused on translating academic research into an out-of-campus effort, this paper asks why engagement varies by social science department within an Indian university. This study focuses on faculty knowledge of and behaviour regarding research community engagement among 312 respondents at 22 public and private universities. It identifies the major contributors and inhibitors of research community engagement. Structural equation modelling revealed institutional support (=0.34, p<0.001) and faculty know-how (=0.29, p<0.001) as key drivers and red tape and funding squeeze (=-0.21, p<0.01) as important obstacles. While public universities exhibit comparatively higher institutional support than private ones, they face significant bureaucratic challenges, whereas private universities face comparatively lower resource constraints but a less effective administrative structure. Thus, this study casts doubt on one-size-fits-all approaches and suggests more targeted actions to facilitate research that bridges academia and the public.
Entrepreneurship Education as a Catalyst for Youth Employment and Sustainable Economic Growth
This study examines the role of entrepreneurship education as a strategic mechanism for addressing youth unemployment and fostering sustainable economic growth in the contemporary global context. Against the backdrop of rising joblessness, intensified by disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the research highlights how entrepreneurship education equips young people with critical competencies including innovation, opportunity recognition, risk management, and self-reliance. By synthesizing recent literature (2020–2025), the article explores the multidimensional impact of entrepreneurship education across secondary, vocational, and higher education systems, emphasizing its contribution to employability, self-employment, and enterprise creation. The study further analyses the linkage between entrepreneurial skill development and broader sustainability outcomes, including inclusive growth, social innovation, and alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Findings suggest that well-designed entrepreneurship programs not only reduce dependency on traditional job markets but also stimulate new venture formation, strengthen MSMEs, and enhance national competitiveness. However, the effectiveness of such education depends on supportive policy frameworks, industry collaboration, experiential learning approaches, and digital integration. The paper concludes that entrepreneurship education serves as a powerful catalyst for transforming youth from job seekers into job creators, thereby promoting resilient economies and long-term sustainable development. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Employment, Sustainable goal, Economic, Youth
Multidimensional Determinants of Socio-Economic Impact: A Study of Technology, Management, And Infrastructure in Kumbh Mela
The KumbhMela represents one of the world’s largest mass gatherings, exerting profound socio-economic influence on host regions. This study examines the multidimensional determinants of socio-economic impact of the KumbhMela with a focused analysis of technology, management practices, and infrastructure development. The research explores how digital interventions such as e-governance platforms, surveillance systems, mobile applications, and cashless transactions enhance service delivery, safety, and visitor experience. It further analyzes management strategies related to crowd control, inter-agency coordination, disaster preparedness, and public–private partnerships, highlighting their role in ensuring operational efficiency and social order. Infrastructure development—covering transport networks, sanitation facilities, healthcare services, temporary housing, and urban amenities—is assessed for its short-term economic stimulus and long-term developmental spillovers. Using a multidisciplinary and analytical approach, the study finds that the synergistic integration of technology, effective management, and robust infrastructure significantly amplifies employment generation, local business growth, tourism promotion, and social inclusion. The paper concludes that the KumbhMela functions not only as a religious and cultural congregation but also as a strategic catalyst for regional socio-economic transformation and sustainable urban development.