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Women empowerment through community-based organisations in rural Karnataka
Women empowerment is an active multidimensional process to enable women to realize their identity and power in all spheres of life. Self Help Groups (SHGs) have played a significant role in women's empowerment. Through the SHGs, the dreams and desires of women came into reality. The current study examines women's empowerment through community-based organisations in rural Karnataka (Hoskote, Jamkhandi and Kolar). The chapter aims to determine the impact of SHGs on rural women's lives and whether it contributes to women's empowerment. The chapter follows a mixed-method research design. Thirty well-performing SHGs from three Centre for Social Action (CSA) project sites in rural Karnataka, namely Hoskote, Jamkhandi and Kolar, were considered for this chapter. A simple random sampling technique was used. Ten members from each SHG were selected, and three hundred SHG women samples were recruited. Responses from the samples were collected using pre-designed questionnaires. The results state that there is a well-evident improvement in women's economic, social, familial and political status after joining the SHG. The chapter concludes that SHG has caused significant change and development in women's socio-economic, familial and political life in rural Karnataka. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Socially responsible universities and student satisfaction: Case analysis
Universities play the dual role of providing new knowledge and inculcating a sense of social responsibility in student citizens to contribute to community development. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are often expected to be socially responsible. The principal focus of this chapter is to determine the dimensions of University Social Responsibility (USR) and examine its impact on student satisfaction. A case study research was conducted with 299 students from a private university in India. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used to identify the dimensions of USR. A structural equation model was used to analyze the impact of USR on student satisfaction, with gender and volunteerism in USR activities as moderators. The results show that student satisfaction is influenced by their perception of USR activities undertaken by the university. Findings indicate that the degree of influence of USR on satisfaction is more among female than male students. Contrastingly, the degree of influence of USR on satisfaction remained the same for volunteers and non-volunteers, indicating that the university is transparent in its USR activities. The findings highlight the importance of USR actions and how these activities lead to increased student satisfaction. The study also discusses the model adopted by the university to achieve higher standards of USR that other HEIs can adapt. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Interconnections of yogic practices with mental health
Yoga, an ancient practise of humankind, attempts to promote a lifestyle that is free of maliciousness with emphasis on inculcating qualities that would aid the individual in living a life that is truly actualizing. Practise of yoga is not limited to holding specific asanas but various components of yoga such as pranayama, pratyahara, etc.; all attempt to enhance an individual's wellbeing. The chapter has contextualized yoga therapy including pranayama, mudras, and chakras to biopsychosocial models, and attempted to identify yogic practises that bring holistic enhancement. Yoga, being cost-effective, and having no side effects, unlike pharmacological treatments, can be used as an adjunctive therapeutic agent in improving symptoms or improving mood and reducing stress. However, it is important to note the feasibility and limitations of yoga interventions, like proper trained professionals to minimize any ill effects. The chapter attempted to promote the practise of yoga as an adjunctive form of treatment which would thereby aid in improving biopsychosocial wellbeing. 2024, IGI Global. All rights reserved. -
Educate, enable and empower future leaders: A model for community development through the child sponsorship program
The Child Sponsorship Program is an attempt by development organizations to reinstate the rights of a child to education, focusing on the overall well-being of a child and the community. The Sustainable Development Goals view Child Sponsorship Program as a tool for contributing towards development goals and targets. While the conventional models of the Child Sponsorship Program focused on the scholastic performance of children up to the elementary level, several progressive sponsorship programs aim at the whole personal development of the children and their community by ensuring community participation and a development-based approach targeting education, livelihood, empowerment, etc. This program channelized by the Centre for Social Action (CSA), CHRIST (Deemed to be) University), Bengaluru, is a child development program that engages with the goals of holistic development of the child and community development through the Child Sponsorship Program in two urban slum communities in Bengaluru. The research aims to study the change brought in the indicators, such as education, behaviour and attitude change, leadership and their holistic development, by the program. It also intends to assess the impact of the program on the development of the family, community and participation of the community members in the academic development of children. The study follows a qualitative study employing in-depth interviewing and Focused Group Discussions with parents and child participants of the communities where the Child Sponsorship Program is implemented. The data is analyzed through qualitative and quantitative software. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
AI, mindfulness, and emotional well-being: Nurturing awareness and compassionate balance
This chapter examines the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence (AI), mindfulness, and emotional health. It explored the synergistic potential of AI and mindfulness in enhancing emotional awareness and the function of AI in promoting emotional well-being in educational, occupational, and mental health settings. The discussion addressed emerging trends and ethical considerations. It emphasized the transformative potential of AI and mindfulness in promoting emotional well-being, focusing on maintaining a compassionate balance in the AI-driven world. 2024, IGI Global. All rights reserved. -
Crop management using predictive analytics
The term "predictive analytics" covers a number of different statistical methods, such as "data mining," "machine learning," and "predictive modelling," which examine past and present data in order to formulate hypotheses and predictions about future events. The use of predictive analytics may provide farmers with the ability to predict future environmental changes more correctly, as well as the demand for their commodities, and improve their ability to make decisions. While predictive analytics may seem like an effective way to forecast future events, it cannot account for unforeseeable changes or external factors that could impact the accuracy of its predictions. Furthermore, relying solely on past and present data can lead to biased outcomes and fail to consider alternative scenarios that may occur. In essence, predictive analytics should not be used as the sole basis for decision-making in any given situation for crop management. 2024, IGI Global. All rights reserved. -
Transforming future startups through servant leadership and social entrepreneurship profitability
This book chapter delves into the influence of servant leadership on the profitability of social entrepreneurship, a phenomenon widely recognized by thriving startups worldwide. It generates hypothesis about the effect of seven facets of servant leadership viz., empowerment, conceptualization, followers influence, emotional convalescence, follower's growth and succession, value-creation for the community, and ethical behavior on social entrepreneurship profitability. The data was received through e-mail survey from 158 entrepreneurs located in Bengaluru. Hypothesis testing was done using multi-regression analysis technique. Results of the study specify that the seven dimensions of servant leadership except conceptualization have significant impact on the social entrepreneurship profitability. Further, the study continues with discussion of the inferences for practice by the social entrepreneurship, suggestions for future studies, and the continuous advancement of leadership tactics as well as styles that support upcoming social entrepreneurship ventures. 2024, IGI Global. All rights reserved. -
Sustainable environment protection and waste management in higher education institutions: A case study
Sustainable environment protection and waste management are global concerns that major cities are grappling with, and it is the most important environmental factor that higher educational institutions in India are considering right now. "Parivarthana, "-the recycling unit of the Centre for Social Action at Christ University, Bengaluru, is evolved as a paradigm for all higher education institutions in terms of long-term environmental protection through waste management and the efforts of student volunteers. The student volunteers have been successful in sensitizing all members of the University to the importance of environmental conservation, and there is rising evidence of accountability among all members regarding waste management. The basic sense of social responsibility of student volunteers toward environmental sustainability is the primary focus of this chapter. Student volunteers who have a higher sense of social responsibility have a better attitude toward their studies, which leads to higher academic accomplishment and a desire to take action to address environmental challenges. Their environmental awareness, climate change, the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, efficient use of natural resources, waste management, and sustainable consumerism have served as an example for students of other higher educational institutions. A qualitative method with a case study approach was applied for this research with In-depth interviews with all stakeholders of the unit. The objectives include the participants' understanding of the prevailing process of waste management in the unit, the relation between waste management and Climate change, and the role of the student volunteers and other stakeholders of the Higher Educational Institutions in bringing a model to Sustainable Development and Global Climate Change. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Composting for a sustainable future: Turning waste into nutrient-rich soil
As the worldwide waste management problem has risen, composting has gained popularity. It turns organic trash into nutrient-rich soil for agriculture, landscaping, and environmental rehabilitation. This chapter on composting, "Composting for a Sustainable Future: Turning Waste into Nutrient-Rich Soil," is comprehensive. It covers decomposition science, composting methods, materials, and procedures. Composting's agricultural, landscaping, and environmental remediation benefits are also covered. The chapter also examines composting's role in climate change mitigation, its obstacles, and remedies. Decomposition can help people, businesses, and communities live more sustainably. It urges decomposition and trash reduction and provides information about tools to start composting, a simple yet efficient solution to worldwide waste management. 2024, IGI Global. All rights reserved. -
Empowering women through livelihood interventions: Case studies from an impoverished community
This chapter looks at the influence of a livelihood project in empowering women belonging to an impoverished community from one of the most backward regions of the state of Karnataka in Southern India. Jamkhandi taluq of Bagalkote district is one of the poorer taluqs in the state, with a sex ratio of 938 and a female literacy rate of 50.75%. The Centre for Social Action began working in the area around a decade ago. The livelihood project was an offshoot of a project on Population displacement that was undertaken in the region. CSA adopted the Self-Help Approach (SHA) to meet the needs of this community. This gave the necessary impetus for the creation of a livelihood project for disadvantaged women. The central theme of the chapter is to study the extent of empowerment that is evident among the project's women beneficiaries. This chapter presents the evidence of empowerment using the qualitative case study methodology using ten cases. The theoretical framework provided by the 'Three Dimensional Model of Women Empowerment' is used to present the analysis. Document review and in-depth interviews are the prominent data sets used to present the study's major findings. The hybrid approach to coding and thematic analysis is used to integrate the insights from the theory used as well as observations from the study. Both within-case analysis and cross-case analysis are used for analysis. The personal, relational, and societal dimensions of empowerment are presented through themes emerging from the data. The implication of the chapter is the reiteration of the efficacy of the model in empowering women. This model can be replicated in other project areas, and livelihood strategies can be adopted extensively. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Volunteering-based student engagement: A model for student well-being in higher education institutions
Student well-being issues are rising alarmingly, and addressing these well-being concerns takes the predominant focus of higher education institutions, together with competency building. Understanding the importance of student engagement in student well-being, Christ University, Bengaluru, India, adopted a student engagement model based on volunteering. The current paper tries to understand the dynamics between volunteering and student well-being. It explores the relationship between volunteering and personal responsibility, social responsibility, meaning in life, and a helping attitude. It also tries to check whether the relationship between a helping attitude and student well-being is mediated by personal responsibility and social responsibility. Further, it explores whether volunteers and non-volunteers differ in their social responsibility, personal responsibility, and student well-being. A group of 350 students, of which 175 volunteers and 175 non-volunteers, were approached to participate in the study. Post data cleaning procedure, 327 data points qualified for analysis, and it was found that there exists a relationship between volunteering and personal responsibility, social responsibility and helping attitude, and personal responsibility and social responsibility mediated the relationship between helping attitude and student well-being. Results also revealed that volunteers and nonvolunteers differed in their helping attitude, personal responsibility, and student well-being. These findings point towards the fact that the student engagement model based on volunteering has a positive impact on student well-being. A detailed discussion of the application of these findings is provided in the full paper. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Modelling the role of institutional support in shaping the social behaviour of business administration students
The relevance and scope of teaching social responsibility and ethical behaviour to business students has been widely discussed among academicians worldwide (Giacalone & Thompson, 2006). Presently all business schools emphasize teaching social responsibility to the students. But the effectiveness of this education on the student's social responsibility was not evaluated in the past. This study tries to fill this gap by conducting an empirical study on the effectiveness of social responsibility projects undertaken by undergraduate business students for their overall development. The study hypothesized that the course support and institutional support would influence the student's perception of social responsibility, which in turn affects the student's academic performance. For this purpose, the study was conducted among 450 students who have undergone a social responsibility course. The path analysis method was used to test the hypothesized model. Further, the study also evaluated the moderation effect of gender on this model. The study's major finding indicated that the social responsibility course and the organizational support positively impacted students' social responsibility perceptions, which, in turn, influenced students' academic performance. The study suggests that business institutions should emphasize social responsibility initiatives. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Imagining the sustainable future with Industry 6.0: A smarter pathway for modern society and manufacturing industries
Industry is defined as the production of goods and services through the transformation of raw materials and resources into valuable products. It involves the creation of finished products or services through various stages of production that may include manufacturing, processing, assembly, packaging, and distribution. Industries have played a significant role in the economic growth and development of nations throughout history. They have contributed to the creation of employment opportunities, the development of new technologies, and the improvement of living standards. Over the years, the industrial sector has gone through numerous changes, and each of these changes has been termed as an "Industry Revolution." 2024, IGI Global. All rights reserved. -
Student engagement in community development: A strategy for whole-person development
Student engagement in community development has been closely linked to enhanced learning outcomes and whole-person development. The Centre for Social Action (CSA) at Christ University emerged as a student-led student-driven initiative to promote volunteerism and engagement in community development that enabled the student community to identify and work on development initiatives. The objective of the chapter is to examine the factors that influence student engagement in community development initiatives and explore the factors that motivate them to volunteer. It also looks at their perception of the benefits for the two main stakeholders in the process, namely the students themselves and the community that they work with. This chapter uses a qualitative framework, and the data is collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with current and past volunteers with CSA. The participants in the study have been selected using purposive sampling techniques and represent students who have worked on the major initiatives undertaken by CSA, namely the activity centre and the various social awareness and sensitization initiatives. The interviews and the focus group discussions have been conducted on virtual meeting platforms, and the data has been analyses thematically. The research design lends itself to a rich exploration of student perception of their engagement in community development, their motivation, the benefits that they perceive of their engagement with the activities for both themselves and other stakeholders, and how it ties into the construct of whole-person development at the individual level and whole-person education at a broader level. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Rendering support for the empowerment of rural women to overcome life impediments
The socio-cultural and economic landscape of rural India is not totally conducive for women. Surveys and reports in this regard would suggest the continuous existence of gender-based discrimination and its negative effects on the status and livelihood of rural women. Recognizing this situation, the Centre for Social Action (CSA) has pioneered its efforts to sensitize and involve youth (especially students) in the mitigation of rural issues and has been supporting women in select villages by promoting Self Help Groups (SHGs). These SHGs, in turn, organize capacitybuilding and empowerment programmes for the women to enhance their livelihood and socio-economic well-being. The present study is designed to understand the impact of CSA's intervention on the status and livelihood of women in the select project sites. Towards this end, we collected data from a sample of 150 women beneficiaries of CSA's initiative using a structured interview schedule. The study used a mixedmethod design. The study's outcome indicates a positive correlation between women's participation in CSA initiatives and their status and livelihood improvements. The results are encouraging that they would help one formulate effective models similar to this one for the empowerment of women. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
The repercussions of teaching in the digital era: A boon or bane?
Recently, the world has experienced a big change due to the pandemic controlling our lives. The change is also experienced by the education sector. The pandemic has forced the whole system to go digital overnight. Although the learning system has been slowly moving towards digitalisation for a considerable period of time now, the social media platform is taking over the traditional method of learning. The study has 61 respondents and the data is collected through a questionnaire. The paper applies regression analysis with the help of SPSS. The development of digital learning platforms provides an alternative to offline learning. This recent spread of the e-learning environment was fast forwarded in the COVID period. The independent variables of the paper are professional skills and ethical proficiency in online learning. These challenges are evaluated, and their impact is assessed on the learning outcome. The chapter limits its approach to professional and ethical scales by ignoring the other important variables that decide the learning outcome of the students. However, the current body of literature has a very narrow approach to the learning system. So, the chapter inspires us to cover the gap through the proposed framework model for teaching practices in the digital era. The chapter intends to develop the teaching skills and moral conscience of the academicians and ease the learners into the new path of education. The future scope makes it definite for the growing learners to understand the advancement in technology and its repercussion on the skill development process. 2024 River Publishers. All rights reserved. -
The role of legal aid clinics in enhancing the employability, entrepreneurship and foundation skills for law students: A qualitative analysis
Access to justice is the basic postulate of a legal system. In this endeavour, universities have a unique institutional advantage to make a potential contribution to 100% access to justice by fostering a strong culture of social responsibility through innovative pro bono legal service initiatives and inculcating the professional value of legal service in the students and motivating them to develop a critical consciousness for social justice linked to the holistic development of law students. Consequently, the impact analysis of this training on global opportunities, both in terms of employability and higher education, formed the kernel of this chapter. Through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and perspectives of researchers as participants in statelevel Legal services clinics, data was collected. Several key indicators were identified to analyze the expanded and holistic role of legal aid clinical education to effectively prepare students for their future. The study crystallizes a model for legal aid clinical courses by which Universities can deliver cutting-edge life and employability skills and enhance the professional competence of law students through direct participation in legal aid services. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Community-based educational intervention on emotion regulation, self-esteem, and behavioural problems among school children
Recently, there has been a trend where higher education institutions are designing and implementing community-based educational interventions for underprivileged children in the community. It is important to understand whether these interventions are useful to the children in improving their psychosocial development. In this chapter, the author discusses the learnings from an explanatory sequential mixed methods study which aimed at assessing the impact of community educational intervention provided by a higher educational institution on self-esteem, emotional regulation and bbehavioralproblems among adolescents in rural Karnataka. The study included 250 adolescents who were beneficiaries of community educational intervention and another 250 who were non-beneficiaries. Besides this, the chapter also highlights the qualitative results grounded in the focus group discussions to understand the stakeholder's perspective on community educational interventions. Finally, the author demonstrates the processes and mechanisms of change and presents a critical discussion from the quantitative and qualitative data analytic lens. The author anticipates that community educational interventions provided by higher educational institutions are extremely impactful. Several critical factors of stakeholders, institutional, and rural communities might bring change and sustainability in benefits among rural adolescents. 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Sensitization of university students in supporting underprivileged children
Education is the fundamental right of every child and an essential element of human growth. Indian education is divided into two parts: private and government education. Underprivileged children, affected by socio-economic factors, predominantly choose government education. Government primary educational institutions have failed to cope with the requirements of the corporate world. On the other hand, the students studying in private higher educational institutions seldom think of the challenges that socio-economically underprivileged children face. Genesys is the forum that unites these socio-economically underprivileged children with students at Christ University. Teaching and training disadvantaged children are the social responsibilities of young people, especially those in higher education. Each student should teach at least one person to make it a win-win situation for both learner and trainer. It helps University students build social skills and provides them with the opportunity to become part of the nation-building process. The chapter employed the quantitative study method to analyze the students' perception of teaching underprivileged children and how demographic variables impact it. It also identified the factors influencing the student's academic performance and psychological well-being. The study found that the students gained different skills like interpersonal skills, adaptability, teaching skills, and happiness, and these skills positively impacted their academic performance and psychological wellbeing. The expected outcome of the program supported by the university is to develop a win-win model for both University students and schoolchildren from low-income groups in society 2024 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. -
Internet of Things and Blockchain in Healthcare: Challenges and Solutions
The Internet of Things (IoT) enables Internet-connected devices to transmit data to private blockchain networks, allowing for the creation of tamper-resistant documents with shareable exchanges. IoT blockchain technology enables you to communicate and connect IoT data with key stakeholders, while avoiding the need for extensive management and control. Each transfer can be checked to ensure there are no disagreements and to build trust in the network. Blockchain technology protects data from being changed, restricts access to Internet-connected devices, and allows vulnerable IoT devices to be shut down. Blockchain encryption eliminates the possibility of someone overwriting existing data records. In addition, storing IoT data on the blockchain adds an extra layer of security, preventing malicious attackers from accessing the system. The many blockchain IoT firms provide significant value in revolutionizing company operations and daily routines. IoT blockchain firms demonstrate the possibility of blockchain and IoT integration. For instance, Helium is a successful blockchain IoT company specializing in securing Internet connections. This chapter presents the vital role of the Internet of Things and blockchain in the healthcare domain. The integration of blockchain technology in the healthcare industry has given us a chance to solve some problems with IoT networks. In recent years, the need for blockchain-enabled IoT transactions has become an essential technology that will change how users share data. A scenario has been developed to enhance this study to analyse the integration, need, and obstacles associated with blockchain-enabled IoT transactions in the healthcare area. As a result, there is also an IoT model designed using devices for hospitals that take into account all of these people and their needs and the office space where they work. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG. 2024.