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Managing individual and orgnizational challenges with respect to diversity perceptions and social capital among members of virtual teams,
Diversity encompasses complex differences and similarities in perspectives, identities, and points of view among members of an institution as well as among individuals who make up the wider community. Diversity includes important and interrelated dimensions of human identity such as race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and newlineexpression, socio-economic status, nationality, citizenship, religion, newlinesexual orientation, ability and age. These differences are important to understand but they cannot be used to predict any individual s values, choices or responses. Organizations with diverse employees are better suited to serve diverse external customers in an increasingly global market. Such organizations have a better understanding of the requirements of the legal, political, social, economic, and cultural environments. Organizations that manage diversity are recipients of more commitment, and better satisfied as well newlineas better performing employees (Patrick and Kumar,2012). newlineEnsuring better social relations among team members has become complex. The nature of teams is not how they used to be, organizations have spread across geographically which has led to the birth of virtual teams. Virtual team members are been separated by time and space this makes it even more difficult to ensure that social capital is being maintained among virtual team members, as only when there is a trust, newlinereciprocity and cooperation among virtual team members they will be better connected individuals who obtain greater advantages, this ensures that groups and organizations improve performance and obtain sustainable competitive advantage (Tsai and Ghoshal, 1998). newlineThe present investigation was focused on understanding the perception of members of virtual teams towards diversity at workplace. newlineThis study newlineassists us to find out how virtual team members can overcome Individual newlineand Organizational Challenges towards diversity and to find out the social newlinerelations among virtual team members, how much trust exists among them. -
Managing Sustainability in Perishable Food Supply Chains : A Case of Mango From Farm-to-Table
This research explores the significant role of India in the global food production sector, with a specific focus on perishable goods. It examines how this sector contributes to rural income and overall economic growth, while also addressing issues like post-harvest losses and inefficiencies in the perishable sector. The study highlights the necessity of a sustainable and efficient perishable sector for the progression of the Indian economy. By utilizing insights from resource-based view theory, stakeholders theory and systems theory, the research delves into the challenges and opportunities present in India's perishable food supply chain, emphasizing the crucial role of farmers in ensuring quality and effectiveness in India. Additionally, the study explores the broader context of Indian agriculture, with a specific focus on the perishable and horticulture sectors, their economic importance, and challenges such as post-harvest losses and the impacts of climate change. The research advocates for a strategic collaborative approach involving governments, businesses and communities to secure the sustainability and resilience of the perishable food supply chain in light of current and future challenges. The existing literature on the perishable food supply chain is evaluated to find the research gaps. This evaluation is conducted through a bibliometric analysis, shedding light on areas that have been neglected or inadequately explored in prior research. The identified gaps serve as the foundation for the research objectives of the study, aiming to fill these voids with fresh insights and discoveries. To establish the groundwork for the investigation, this research also initiates an in-depth discourse on each hypothesis, ensuring that the research design presented is both transparent and logical. The ultimate objective is to enhance comprehension of the perishable foodsupply chain, paving the way for future studies to build upon this foundational work. Then the research seeks to elucidate the research methods utilized to meticulously validate the researchmodel, employing stringent techniques and measures to guarantee the integrity and dependability of the findings. This framework aims to encapsulate the entire research process succinctly, from its fundamental objectives to the eventual implications of its findings, guiding readers through the investigative journey undertaken in the study. To achieve these objectives, a research model is presented that examines the interrelationships between quality, efficiency, sustainability and technological capabilities within the perishable food supply chain. The research methodology employed in this study combines both quantitative and qualitative techniques. It encompasses a detailed description of the sampling procedure and data collection methods, including the utilization of probability sampling techniques and surveys. Furthermore, the statistical tools and techniques employed in the study is Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The study formulates a comprehensive model that takes into account quality, efficiency and sustainability within the perishable food supply chain, with a specific focus on the moderating impact of technological capabilities. It identifiespositive connections between quality and sustainability, efficiency and sustainability, as well as the combined influence of quality and efficiency on sustainability. Technological capabilities are revealed to bolster these connections, underscoring the significance of circularity in the supply chain to minimize waste and align with sustainability objectives. The research concludes by providing insights on the challenges and prospective pathways towards more sustainable, efficient, and quality-driven practices in the perishable sector, particularly in light of technological advancements and the global trend towards circularity. -
Mapping Cityscapes : Interrogating the Cultural Spaces in the Select Novels of Bapsi Sidhwa
Bapsi Sidhwa (1939) a well-known Pakistani Zoroastrian novelist in English offers the cityscapes of Lahore that provide the settings for her fictional works. The select newlinenovels for the study include The Crow Eaters (1978), The Pakistani Bride (1983), IceCandy Man (1988) and An American Brat (1993). Fascinated by the cityscapes of Lahore, the novelist personalizes the cityscapes and the personalized cityscapes are fictionalized. The novelist is aided by imagination. However, the imagined cityscapes in the select novels become illegible with a growing sense of alienation from the city. The cityscapes are cityspaces that are shape shifting. The metaphorical cityscapes in newlinethe select novels are woven with imagination, memory and nostalgia. The thesis examines the fictional representation of the cityscapes of Lahore and the relationship between the novelist and the imagined cityscapes. The study adopts the method of qualitative textual analysis in an attempt to examine the cityscapes. This illumines the in-between status of the cityscapes connecting the factual and fictional images of the city. The study unveils a layered construction of heterogeneous cityscapes which are selective and subjective. The urban cultural spaces are interrogated through the fictional characters who experience the city like fleurs and contribute to the making of the spatial stories. The acts of walking in the city offer knowledge of the city which enables the fictional characters to attain self-awareness. The awareness helps in achieving autonomy in the movements of the fictional characters. However, only a few fictional characters are perfect fleurs and the others view the city as voyeurs. Since the imagined cityscapes of Lahore are guided by the sense of place, the legibility of the cityscapes declines with the acts of alienation from the city. However, the novelist attempts to recover the palimpsest cityscapes from memory through cognitive mapping. -
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Mapping location and identity in the works of indian english novelists:
This thesis examines the context of location in relation to constructs of identity in Salman Rushdie s MC, Vikram Seth s ASB and Amitav Ghosh s TSL. It is contended that articulation of selfhood is achieved through its interaction with narrative constructions of space and these depictions serve to map representations of nation. Writers migrant experiences are shown to have a bearing on the aesthetics and geopolitics of these representations. Even though these texts challenge the reductive processes of homogenization at work in the formation of nationalcultural identities, it is contended that they foreground transnational lifestyles and identities.Some of the questions that the thesis asks are: Does the cultural-geographical location of the writer shape the aesthetics of the work? If so, to what extent? In what ways does the diasporic newlineexperience influence the (re)presentation of mediated and inter-connected spaces? How is a newlinecharacter, who does not share the author s diasporic location and experience, depicted? Do the works cater to a Western readership by presenting a palatable version that is only purportedly transnational? Or, are the writers lapsing into a master narrative of universalism? newlineThe creative paradigm allows for the unfolding of the enigma of identity by the interplay of the questions surrounding place - Where am I and what is my place in the world, which reveals who I am. There are real geographies of social action, as well as metaphorical spaces and sites of power that have to be understood in their own right and in the context of shared loci that come together to construct identity. Thus, a comparative study of the novels is conducted on various registers such as dynamics of space, negotiation of borders and boundaries, delineation of multiple identities and representation of nation via language and history. The thesis argues for newlineaesthetic negotiation of borders across locations that maybe geographic and psychic; in order to grapple with and empower subjectivities. -
MAPPING THE SHIFTS IN HINDI DAILY SOAPS FROM PAST TO PRESENT
The daily soaps that we view every day in our living room reflect how our society works and functions, for few people their day starts and ends with these television shows. What happens in our favorite television serials, also tend to influence the lives we lead, like the way they dress up, the manner in which they socialize; tend to have a huge impact on our behavior and actions. Hindi daily soaps during the late 1990s and early 2000s served the Indian audiences with more of human relationships such as saas bahu dilemmas, parent child understanding that predominantly focused more on family values and ethics, in other words it preached to the Indian viewers how an ideal family is ought to be, showcasing a perfect family setting. In the present context there has been a gradual shift in terms of themes, character portrayal, trends, visualization and effects along with messages that these shows want to convey, such as gay marriages, extra-marital affairs, domestic violence are now becoming the central themes of much popular Hindi daily soaps .This study would map the shift in Hindi daily soaps during the early 2000s to the present day on the basis of- themes, character portrayal, trends, visualizations and effects and the messages that each of these shows convey. -
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Marketing of malayalam films through new media /
The research studies the marketing strategies used by Malayalam films through New Media. In this research new media includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Whatsapp and instagram. For the past four years there is a new shift in the marketing of Malayalam films. More and more film makers are depending on new media for the marketing of Malayalam films. Through this research the researcher studies the current trends in the new media marketing of Malayalam films. -
Marketing strategies adopted by 5 Bangalore based start-ups /
Marketing strategies allow the organizations to take up the best opportunities available within the limited resources and thus help in maximizing the sale rate and giving a tough sustainable competition. It is a planning process to achieve certain goals, missions and set benchmarks with the help of promotional activities. Marketing helps to generate awareness among the consumers about the product or service and the company which again accelerates the demand among the customers and sales leads. -
Marketing strategies of surrogate advertisements of liquor products in India /
Advertisements have a strong influence in our life we like them because they provide information and create awareness about the market. But, the Government of India has restricted promotion of certain products on television like liquor, tobacco, pan etc. To overcome this companies use surrogate advertising. -
Marriage, parenting and adoption issues for LGBTQ+ community in India and their human rights challenges: A critical analysis /
The central facet of the concept of human rights is the equality of all people. Since everyone deserves respect, treating everyone equally is appropriate. Any act that diminishes that dignity is wrong because it violates the equality principle and makes discrimination more likely. Human rights are a topic that is hotly contested around the globe and is related to homosexuality. Only because of who they love and how they look do people everywhere become targets of violence and discrimination. Additionally, the LGBTQ+ community's civil rights, such as the right to marriage and the right to adopt, are not recognized on an equal footing with those of the heterosexual community. To have a family life with kids i.e. comparable to that of the heterosexual community, the LGBTQ+ community must have equal adoption rights.
The LGBTQ+ community, however, is subject to discrimination under India's adoption laws, which prevents them from fully exercising their legal rights to adoption. The discrimination on the basis adoption laws, which are predicated on the binary knowledge of gender, violate several principles outlined in Articles 14, 15, and 21 of the Indian Constitution. -
Mathematical models in waste management
Waste management is a major issue faced by municipalities all over the world. The major problem associated with the waste managements newlineis its high cost and main part of the cost comes from its collection and transportation. This problem can be effectively overcome by the application of mathematical models. newlineAn important aspect of waste management is locating facilities like truck locations, transfer stations, compost units etc. The location of facilities when collection of waste happens at multiple time periods is newlineconsidered for cost minimization. The rapid increase in the population of cities as a result of vast urbanization and the corresponding shrinking of land has given rise to increase in apartment complexes in newlineall the cities. The waste management practices here have to be planned carefully as they are sources of large quantities of waste. They are also potential sites for recycling and composting as waste management newlinepractices can be introduced at apartment level itself, so that transportation burden is less. Components like fixed cost /maintenance cost and operational costs are considered for the study in cities as well newlineas in apartments. Testing the mathematical model is done using different scenarios and the results are used to draw conclusions. These results showed that the model works best when processing facilities are nearer to the transfer stations so that there is no additional cost incurred at that point for transportation. In addition, it was clear that the cost of the transportation is brought down using the model, as the newlineamount transported to landfills decreases. newlineScheduling a set of resources to a set of jobs can be done using resource calendar, which shows the availability of resources and the various time periods at which it a particular resource is available. There are different types of jobs and various types of resources. -
Meaning in Life as Constructed by Male Adolescents of Alcoholic Parents
Little research has been done to understand the experiences of male adolescent living with an alcoholic parent. This qualitative phenomenological study was used to explore and understand how the sons of an alcoholic parent living in South India find meaning in their situation. Alcoholism occurs in India as it does in all nations, but here there is a greater sense of shame attached to it and it is less mentioned than in Western countries. The sample in the study is selected according to the non-probability and purposive sampling technique. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews in which the researcher interacted with the participants. Five boys were interviewed between the ages of seventeen and twenty; three attend a prestigious college while the other two were no longer at school. Some from wealthy families while others were sons of day labourers. All were keen to advance in their chosen careers, some through gaining degrees. Sports and recreation were important to them and it provided a sense of achievement and a release from the stresses of a dysfunctional family. There were supporting features in the lives of the boys; support coming from mothers, older siblings, sports coaches and some teachers. Other ways of gaining a sense of value was by having a personal faith in God and by helping younger disadvantaged children. The counter to this was that some teachers did not understand and were critical of the boys while in most cases members of the extended families like uncles, aunts and cousins interacted in negative way. The exceptions were grandparents who either were able to control their alcoholic son or could provide time and support to their grandson. The negative influences added to the stresses of living with an alcoholic father. What was surprising was the degree of maturity of the boys; they accepted that alcoholism was a disease and that it was not their fathers fault, and they remained loyal to their parent. This study shows that the school sports coaches have a more positive influence than teachers. This may be because coaches have a more holistic approach than teachers. It highlights the need for schools and colleges to adopt a more proactive approach to at risk students by identifying such students and for training of teachers in how to deal with these students. Thematic network approach to data analysis was used. This involved organising the data into three levels of themes reflecting salient themes i.e. basic, organising and global themes (Attride-Stirling, 2001). Attride-Stirling describes six stages in analyses involving thematic networks involving devising a coding framework, identify themes, refine the themes, constructing the thematic network, describing, exploring and summarising the networks and interpreting the patterns. Five global themes emerged from the analysis. The male adolescent need for praise, building self-esteem, helps, belief, being misunderstood by others. Recommendations are presented to create conditions necessary for the male adolescent. This involves education and creation of supportive environments for the male adolescent and his family. Key words: Adolescent of alcoholic parents, Meaning in life, Alcoholic, Thematic network, Logotherapy. -
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Meaning-making and psychological well-being of persons living with human immunodeficiency virus
being diagnosed with a life-threatening such as HIV or cancer can be often traumatic. It can also have other devastating impact on a person's life. Earlier researches on Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) have found that HIV infection is a medical and existential crisis. PLHIV go through psychological trauma as well as social problems suck as depression, stigma,poverty and marginalization in India and elsewhere. -
Measurement of Profitability under IFRS and IGAAP Among Selected Indian Companies
Globalization has resulted in expansion of Indian companies across the world. There arouse a need for a common set of accounting standard for harmonization of financial statements. The six Indian companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange has converged to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) from the financial year 2007-2008. The consolidated financial statements are prepared under both Indian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (IGAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Therefore, this study focused on measurement of profitability under IFRS and IGAAP for the six companies which have adopted IFRS voluntarily. There are differences in treatment of items under IGAAP and IFRS like revenue recognition, foreign currency transactions and translations, fixed asset valuation, depreciation and impairment losses, etc. The analysis showed that there is gradual increase in profitability ratios under IFRS and there may be increase observed in future. Since, this study analyses results on six Indian listed companies until financial year 2011-2012. The reasons for the differences in profitability ratios are also discussed. There are many Indian companies which have not converged into IFRS. Therefore, the challenges faced by Indian companies and measures taken by ICAI to adopt IFRS are also studied from auditors. This showed that the companies are facing difficulty to converge into IFRS due to mainly fair value accounting, new method of presentation, tax liability and transparency in disclosure of items. The companies have to incur cost for valuation of fixed assets because an auditor is not an expert in valuation. This study concludes stating that there is need for sufficient training for the management and all users of financial information, which may gear up the companies to adopt IFRS in near future. Keywords: Harmonization, IGAAP, IFRS, fair value accounting -
Measuring Student Satisfaction: Services Provided by Higher Educational Institutions
The changing scenario in education has started to consider student as a customer (Zaiiri, 1995; Hill, 1995; Elliot & Healy 2001; Rowley, 2003; Sakthivel et al, 2005). As the students are the major customer of educational institution, it is important to consider students (customers) satisfaction. This study aims to contribute to the literature by indentifying the components of students` satisfaction with service provided by educational institutions. The components of student satisfaction were identified by conducting interviews with subject matter experts (N=10) and students (N=15) studying bachelor degree in arts, science and commerce in various public and private college in Bangalore. Based on the result of explorative study, the student satisfaction scale was developed with 76 items. This scale was used to collect data from 800 college students. The explorative factor analysis was used to explore factors of student satisfaction and was found that all the items measured single construct ?? student satisfaction. The reliability and validity of the scale was developed. The paper concludes discussing theoretical and academic implications, limitation and future research direction. Keywords: students` satisfaction, expectation disconfirmation theory, scale development and validation -
Mechanisms Linking Gratitude to Life Satisfaction among Adults : A Mixed - Methods Study
The study examined the relationship between gratitude and life satisfaction in educated adults in an Indian context and the mediation of affect, schema and coping. The sample comprised 711 males and females (18-45 yrs). The research utilised a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, incorporating a follow-up explanation model (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). The initial quantitative phase addressed research questions concerning how the selected variables mediate the relationship between gratitude and life satisfaction. Mediation analysis revealed that positive affect and positive self/others partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and life satisfaction. There is no influence of gender in the role of gratitude in life satisfaction. The quantitative data held significance as it served as the foundation for subsequent qualitative analysis. The two-phased data collection facilitated a comprehensive exploration of the research questions, and integrating quantitative and qualitative data provided a better understanding of the relationships under investigation. A semi-structured interview was designed in the qualitative phase, incorporating insights from the survey results. The interview questions explored participants' perceptions and experiences regarding how various factors contribute to connecting gratitude with life satisfaction. A thematic analysis was performed to recognise the themes expressed by the participants, as outlined by Braun and Clarke in 2013. Three broader themes were derived, incorporating the 14 categories identified through coding. The three identified themes from the qualitative analysis are: 1. Life satisfaction through positive emotions; 2. Self-oriented schema promotes a sense of satisfaction, and 3. Positive connections with others enhance happiness. The qualitative data enrich our understanding by illustrating how participants who prioritise others' well-being and maintain meaningful social connections experience enhanced happiness. The quantitative findings are reinforced by the qualitative insights, which highlight that positive emotions serve as an emotional bridge that connects the feelings of gratitude to an overall sense of happiness, enhancing life satisfaction. This integrated approach enhances our understanding of how gratitude influences emotional well-being, ultimately contributing to overall life satisfaction. The identified themes of life satisfaction through positive emotions, self-oriented schema, and positive connections with others yield valuable implications. Implementing gratitude-focused interventions offers actionable steps for individuals, educators, and mental health practitioners to enhance overall well-being. -
Media Ethics in Times of Demonetization: Framing Debates in English News Channels
Objectivity has been a traditional ideal for journalism. Journalists are trained to be objective; they do not frame stories by themselves????or do they? Faced with the pressure of deadlines, strained resources and the perception that audience prefer reportorial style, journalists resort to amusement or conflict based reporting positioning one side against the other and often aggravating facts and issues. The public today expresses disappointment with current media practices. Media watchers argue that instead of improving the quality of programming, competition has resulted in a race to the bottom, where news channels have conveniently forgotten basic ethical norms. This study is an attempt at re-visioning media ethics. It is believed that ethical journalism is never more important than in the time of crises. Taking India???s recent economic crisis, demonetization, this research aims to answer what makes it difficult for journalists to adhere to ethics especially during crises? With emphasis on situation faced by reporters, pressure imposed on them by various sources and ethical dilemma, this study provides answers to the questions posed on the work of journalists. Content analysis of demonetization debates broadcasted on two popular English news channels and interview responses of experienced journalists of Indian news media goes to explain how demonetization was represented by Indian news channels and to what extent journalistic ethics was reflected in their content.