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This study aims to investigate factors that influence the attitudes and intentions of investors towards environmental, social and governance (ESG) stocks in the presence of perceived risk as a moderator.

Data was collected through an online survey method from 341 investors with more than three years of investing experience. Smart PLS was used to analyse the data using two-stage structural equation modelling. First, a measurement model was performed for construct reliability and validity, followed by path analysis (structural model) for hypothesis testing and overall model predictability.

The findings show that both environmental concern (altruistic value) and economic concern (egoistic value) are crucial for the attitude and intention of investors to invest in ESG-backed stocks; however, environmental concern was found to be a more significant predictor of their behaviour, showing evidence of pro-environmental values in the decision-making of utility-seeking individuals. No significant impact of perceived risk was evident as a moderator of the relationship between attitude and intention towards ESG stocks.

The study's findings have implications for fund managers, policymakers, and the government. Values as antecedents were found to be influential in shaping investors’ attitudes and intentions towards the environmental cause. Fund managers could include more ESG-compliant companies in their portfolios, and the government can play an important role in encouraging investors by providing financial incentives. Corporates should also take strategic steps to adopt green production processes to secure long-term, sustainable capital funding.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there has been no research done in the field of ESG investing that takes into account the values (both altruistic and egoistic) of investors as potential antecedents of their attitudes and intentions.

With the increasing realization of the importance of communication for sustainable development, strategic issues such as institutional alliances, public participation and media integration have emerged as indispensable tools in any environmental campaign. This study is an inquiry into India's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (2014–2019) which is one of the major strategic sustainable development campaigns of the 21st century. The twin research questions raised are (1) What were the major action-plans and the key outreach strategies adopted in SBA? and (2) How the discourse of swachhata (cleanliness) was propagated in SBA?

With response to research question 1, a seven-fold analysis of the strategic aspects of the SBA is undertaken utilizing Willner's (2006) strategic approach to the promotion of sustainable development campaigns. Research question 2 is addressed through a multimodal analysis of the discourse of swachhata (cleanliness) following the Grammar of Visual Design framework of Kress and van Lieuwen (2006).

The campaign employed a 360-degree promotional strategy. It involved print, electronic and social media; promoted inter- and intra-institutional alliances; roped in opinion leaders and opinion formers; and encouraged massive public participation. Strategically, SBA's discourse of cleanliness adhered to the “3R” principles of the United Nation's Sustainability Goals: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Tactically, the discourse of cleanliness was framed in the ideas of shame versus dignity and was entrenched in the ideals of commitment to nation and neighborhood, and good citizenship.

One major limitation of this study is the exclusion of certain intervening variables such as (1) access to the state of the art of green technology, (2) green financing, (3) green incubation, (4) sustainable PPP models for SBA and (5) for-profit approach to environmental cleanliness. Future studies can expand the scope of research by incorporating these variables in their analytical frameworks.

This is the first study to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the communication aspect of SBA. This case study, in particular, can be useful for the young research scholars and postgraduate students of Communication, Management and Public Policy.

This study aims to develop a model for coordination and communication overhead in distributed software development through case study analysis in the Indian outsourcing software industry. The model is based on business knowledge, which can be classified as domain, regulatory, strategic, business process and operation process knowledge as per existing literature.

Double case study method was used to verify an existing knowledge–management framework of software development from the literature. The stakeholders of both the cases were interviewed, and project documents were verified to reach conclusions.

The findings supported the business knowledge classification from the literature. The concept can be used to analyze the software project in a distributed environment.

The research work findings are based only on two case studies. The study findings cannot be generalized and should be used as a learning tool. There can be large variations of project characteristics with differences in business knowledge requirements. The research shows the importance of business knowledge transfer in global software development.

Projects managers in the distributed software development environment can use the findings in project planning and work allocation for better control over cost and schedule, etc.

There is little research works attempted to study the business knowledge classification in the global software industry making the research novel.

The purpose of this paper is to design a ring network topology system and alter it into a series–parallel type framework. Then, reliability of the framework is analysed and authors also discussed the signature to analyse the most sensitive component.

This study presents a ring-shaped network system where this type of topology forms a single continuous pathway for signals through every node. In this study, a system consists of ring network topology is generalized in the series–parallel mixed configuration and reliability characteristics are evaluated with the assistance of universal generating function (UGF) technique. The system consists of wires, repeaters, components or computers and power supply. The wires and repeaters are in series, so, if they fail the whole system will fail and the signals will not go further. The components or computers are connected to each other in parallel configuration. So, the whole system will not fail until the last computer is working. There is also a two-unit power supply system which has one unit in a standby mode. On the failure of first power supply, the second one will start functioning and the whole system fails on the failure of both power supply.

By the assistance of UGF technique, reliability function of the framework is evaluated. Also, Barlow–Proschan index and expected lifetime for the designed system is estimated by considering a numerical example for the general ring-shaped network system.

UGF technique is very effective for estimating the reliability of a system with complex structure and having two performance rates, i.e. completely failed and perfectly working, or more than two, i.e. multi-state performance. This technique enables to estimate every components contribution in the working and failure of the whole system. A general model of ring-shaped network system is taken and generalized algorithm is drawn for the system. Then a particular numerical example is solved for illustrating the use of this technique.

The study attempted to gauge the relative effectiveness of celebrity and product image match-up in comparison to non-celebrity attractive endorsers for two distinct high involvement situations. Also, due to the expected demographic diversity among target consumers, the study aimed at assessing the impact of respondent's age and gender on the effectiveness of image match-up.

Building on the three-order hierarchy model, two experiments were conducted (utilising celebrity and non-celebrity endorsers) for two high involvement hierarchies, i.e. standard learning and dissonance/attribution. Through fictitious print advertisement, the experiments assessed the effectiveness of the match-up in terms of consumer attitudes towards advertisement and brand and intentions to purchase.

The match-up consistently and significantly outperformed non-celebrity attractive endorser in case of standard learning hierarchy. The same conclusion was not established for dissonance/attribution hierarchy due to the lack of significant results. The findings also suggest that the match-up subdues the impact of consumer's gender and age on consumer attitudes only in case of standard learning hierarchy.

The study provides interesting theoretical implication by challenging a widely held postulation about the applicability of celebrity and product match-up under high involvement.

The research provides the practitioners with a better understanding of important issues, mainly, whether to use a celebrity endorser and selecting the right celebrity, especially if high involvement is expected.

Previous research concerning celebrity endorsements has largely considered consumer involvement as unitary, i.e. either high or low. However, the multifaceted aspect of consumer involvement is well established in the field of consumer psychology. The present research, therefore, is a pioneering attempt as it studies the effectiveness of match-up for two distinct high involvement situations. Moreover, unlike the majority of previous studies that have focused on the performance of “celebrity match” versus “celebrity mismatch”, the impact of match-up was studied in comparison to a non-celebrity attractive endorser.

Property management companies in residential properties are increasingly using ICT and specific property management software applications to conduct daily property management tasks. However, the benefits of using specific software applications and how it can add value to property management companies are largely unexplored. The present study examines the impact of property management mobile applications usage features on strata property residents' satisfaction in Kuala Lumpur.

A total of 205 residents from 3 strata residential buildings in Kuala Lumpur using property management applications were surveyed. The study employed structural equation modelling using SPSS Amos software.

The findings suggest that visitor management and security management via software applications positively influence the residents' satisfaction. However, facility management via software application was found to be negatively affecting residents' satisfaction.

The study highlighted the benefit of property managers adopting property management software to achieve increased residents' satisfaction in strata residential properties.

The purpose of this paper is to create optimally located Facilitation Centers on this tourist circuit, evaluated through network analysis, thus creating an effective linkage between tourism and economic activities of the craftsmen who are the custodians of the cultural heritage of Puri.

The craft villages lying in and around this tourist circuit are surveyed to establish socio-economic condition of artisans, significance of the craft and spatial distribution of craft villages and the willingness of artisans to travel closer to the transport spine. Network analysis is used to assess the suitability of Facilitation Center location using travel time and distance as parameters. Finally, the sustainability of the Facilitation Centers is evaluated using a cost-benefit analysis (CBA).

The Facilitation Centers can be spatially developed at the strategic locations to expand tourist market. This will help in leveraging the economic benefits of tourism to a marginalized rural artisan community by creating a sustainable model.

The focus on festival can help to protect local cultural traditions, develop tourism and promote the economic, social and cultural developments of the destination. Dispersal strategies adopted aim to increase visitors' satisfaction with the product and thus entice them to stay longer in the destination.