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The purpose of this present paper is twofold: (1) to study the role of gender in food preferences and (2) to study the change in food choice due to climate change in Chandigarh, India. Thus, the hypothesis developed are that (1) there is a significant effect of environmental change on the dietary habits of the women and (2) gender norms are significant in the selection of foods in Chandigarh.

The literature review was done with the help of NVivo 11, and for quantitative data analysis, SPSS version 22 is used.

The study concluded that societal gender norms were not significant for women in the choice of food. Also, climate change and women are an essential factor in food preferences at the household level.

While framing the adaptation policy and programs at the institutional level, the cultural and traditional knowledge gets little attention. Hence, the present paper will contribute in the policy-making from a gender perspective.

The present exploratory study aimed (1) to explore the traditional dietary habits of local communities, (2) to analyze the shift in traditional eating practices and (3) to examine the changes observed in socio-cultural beliefs system due to climate change.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with purposive sampling of 210 households in the select ten villages of the western Himalayan region. Open-ended interview questionnaires and a close-ended survey on a 5-point Likert scale are used. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 is used for the exploratory factor analysis. Further, Atlas-ti version 8 is also employed for thematic analysis.

The exploratory and thematic analysis illustrated that socio-ecological beliefs are crucial in food choices, but cultural beliefs are also changing due to climate change. Thus, the shift in socio-cultural beliefs can significantly affect the nutritional security of the indigenous societies during climate-induced emergencies in the mountain regions.

Therefore, the findings of the study are significant for a comprehensive understanding of the traditional dietary practice of the indigenous community for an evidence-based inclusive food security and climate change adaptation policy.

The inclusion of cultural practices is evident for ensuring the nutritional security. But, the magnitude of the climate-induced impacts on customary societies is not yet fully understood. Thus, the current study was conducted.

This study aims to investigate time-harmonic wave propagation in a chiral porous thermoelastic solid under strain gradient theory (SGT), focusing on identifying and characterizing distinct wave modes within the medium.

Using Iesan's gradient theory, which incorporates chiral effects and accommodates second sound phenomena, the authors derive mathematical formulations for the velocities and attenuations of eight propagating waves: four dilatational waves and two pairs of coupled shear waves (one left circularly polarized, the other right). Numerical simulations are performed for a specific model, exploring the influence of various parameters on wave propagation.

The authors establish that the medium supports four dilatational waves, including a microstretch-associated wave, and four shear waves, distinguished by their chiral-induced characteristics. The results highlight the frequency-dependent dispersive nature of all propagating waves and establish connections with existing theoretical frameworks, demonstrating the broader applicability of our findings.

The characteristics of wave propagation in chiral media examined here can enhance our understanding of chiral medium behavior. This knowledge is crucial for developing materials with pronounced chiral effects, surpassing those found in natural chiral materials like bone, quartz, sugar and wood. Advances in artificial chiral materials are driven by their superior toughness, durability and other beneficial properties. Consequently, this study has potential applications across various fields, including the design of chiral broadband absorbers and filters, the production of artificial bones and medical devices, aeronautical engineering and beyond.

This research extends existing theories and deepens the understanding by exploring wave behaviors in chiral media, advancing this emerging field.

The purpose of this study is to find the optimum design of Reinforced Concrete (RC) pile foundation to enable efficient use of structural concrete with greater consequences for global environment and economy.

A non-linear optimisation technique based on the Generalised Reduced Gradient (GRG) algorithm was implemented to find the minimum cost of RC pile foundation in frictional soil. This was achieved by obtaining the optimum pile satisfying the serviceability and ultimate limit state requirements of BS 8004 and EC 7. The formulated structural optimisation procedure was applied to a case study project to assess the efficiency of the proposed design formulation.

The results prove that the GRG method in Excel solver is an active, fast, accurate and efficient computer programme to obtain optimum pile design. The application of the optimisation for the case study project shows up to 26% cost reduction compared to the conventional design.

The design and formulation of design constraints will be limited to provisions of BS 8004 and EC 7.

Since the minimum quantity of concrete was attained through optimisation, then minimum cement will be used and thus result in minimum CO₂ emission. Therefore, the optimum design of concrete structures is a vital solution to limit the damage to the Earth's climate and the physical environment resulting from high carbon emissions.

The current study considers the incorporation of different soil ground parameters in the optimisation process rather than assuming any pile capacity value for the optimisation process.

This chapter examines the role of sustainable finance in propelling India's economic growth, drawing insights from a comprehensive review of 50 research papers. Employing a Boolean search strategy, the analysis delves into the influence of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors on various entities within the Indian financial ecosystem. This chapter explores how sustainable finance practices, embraced by businesses, financial institutions and policymakers, can contribute to long-term economic prosperity while mitigating environmental and social risks. Key findings illuminate opportunities and challenges associated with integrating sustainability principles into financial decision-making. This chapter explores how India’s progress in establishing itself as a significant participant in sustainable finance can be attributed to a variety of key initiatives and policy interventions. The government's dedication to promoting environmental sustainability and facilitating the shift towards a green economy is clearly demonstrated through the implementation of diverse regulations and frameworks by regulatory entities. This chapter provides valuable guidance for stakeholders seeking to leverage sustainable finance for a more resilient and inclusive Indian economy.

Titanium (Ti) alloys are in high demand in manufacturing industries all over the world. The property like high strength to weight ratio makes Ti alloys highly recommended for aerospace industries. Ti alloys possess good weldability, and therefore, they were extensively investigated with regard to strength and metallurgical properties of welded joint. This study aims to deal with the analysis of strength and microstructural changes in Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) alloy after tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding.

Two pair of Ti alloy plates were welded in two different voltages, i.e. 24 and 28 V, with keeping the current constant, i.e. 80 A It was a random selection of current and voltage values to check the performance of welded material. Both the welded plates were undergone through some mechanical property analysis like impact test, tensile test and hardness test. In addition, the microstructure of the welded joints was also analyzed.

It was found that hardness and tensile properties gets improved with an increment in voltage, but this effect was reverse for impact toughness. A good corroboration between microstructure and mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, hardness and toughness, was reported in this work. Heat distribution in both the welded plates was simulated through ANSYS software to check the temperature contour in the plates.

A good corroboration between microstructure and mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, hardness and toughness, was reported in this study.

The RZ5 mg alloy is used in automotive and aerospace applications including helicopter gearboxes and aircraft components. These components are prone to the wear as per the demands. The present work is the study of the significance of hard particle/ceramic, i.e. titanium carbide (TiC) in RZ5 mg alloy to protect the machine components from wear.

The abrasive wear analysis of in-situ RZ5-TiC magnesium matrix composite is considered for the study. The primary focus of the present work is to analyze the effects of varying control parameters, i.e. Wt.% of TiC, sliding distance and applied load on the responses, i.e. weight loss and coefficient of friction. Full factorial design of the experiment based on statistical analysis is used.

It is observed that the individually Wt.% of TiC and sliding distance show the comparatively significant effect on both responses. Similarly, the interaction between sliding distance and Wt.% of TiC indicated the considerable impact on weight loss. The regression equations are developed and validated for estimating responses. It is observed that the percentage errors are not appearing more than 10 per cent of responses. Therefore, the close agreement between measured and predicted values shows the adequacy of the model. The control factor is optimized using multi-response optimization. The variations of the order of 2.47 and 2.35 per cent in target value of the coefficient of friction and weight loss are achieved.

The current manuscript provides a detailed abrasive wear statistical analysis of RZ5-TiC composite. The influence of control parameters on the responses using the full factorial design, the main effect plots and interaction effects are presented.

Tourism is vital to India's economy, contributing significantly to its GDP and job creation. As the country aims to become one of the top 10 tourism destinations globally, it is essential to understand meaningful tourism and its facets. The concept of meaningful tourism is gaining traction, with tourists seeking experiences that enrich their lives and benefit local communities. Meaningful tourism in India encompasses responsible and sustainable travel practices that promote cross-cultural understanding and support local economies. In this paper, the authors delve into the case study of Dhordo, a Gujarat village recognized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as the Best Tourism Village. Dhordo's success story highlights the symbiotic relationship between tourists and host communities. The village's commitment to sustainable tourism practices, cultural preservation and community development has made it a model for meaningful tourism. The criteria for selecting the best tourism village, as outlined by the UNWTO, include stewardship attitude, cultural pride, environmental consciousness, community involvement, empowerment, adaptability, cultural exchange, education, sustainable infrastructure, waste management, respect for local traditions, economic development, quality of life, conflict resolution and monitoring and evaluation. Dhordo's recognition signifies its contribution to meaningful tourism, fostering economic growth, preserving cultural heritage and promoting environmental conservation. The case study of Dhordo not only provides a comprehensive understanding of meaningful tourism and offers practical implications for decision-makers, empowering them to make informed decisions for the well-being of tourists and host communities.

The purpose of this paper is to explain how and why the intangible critical success factors (CSFs) determine the outcomes of public-private partnerships (PPP) projects in e-governance.

Drawing from the literature, PPP was conceptualized as an organization which facilitates the creation of social capital. It is argued that the intangible CSFs correspond to the key dimensions of the social capital that drives the development of intellectual capital in the course of addressing the challenges faced during the execution of an e-governance project. These efforts determine the accomplishment of the desired project objectives. The emergent framework was applied to an e-governance PPP project to anecdotally exemplify how the deficiency of organizational characteristics impedes the formation of social capital, resulting in project failure.

A theoretical framework was developed to illuminate the mechanisms and the attendant propositions that explain how and why the intangible factors influence the PPP outcomes.

This study fills a critical gap in the literature on PPP projects in general, and on e-governance projects in particular. It also extends the application of the social capital framework from an intra-organizational to an inter-organizational context.

The results of this study foster a better understanding of the drivers of success in managing a PPP model in e-governance initiatives.

This research work would help in improving the formulation and management of PPPs in the emerging economies, which could potentially enhance the societal outcomes.

The explanatory framework of this research serves as a useful perspective to address policy and program implementation issues of PPP initiatives in e-governance.

This study explores central questions related to the connection between intellectual capital (IC) and the innovative performance of organizations through the mediating role of management control systems (MCS) and business strategies, as well as the moderating role of innovation capabilities.

The data was collected from the managers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a structured questionnaire. Out of 1,152 questionnaires distributed, only 415 were used for analysis purposes. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the study hypotheses.

Intellectual capital significantly influences MCS, business strategies and innovative performance. Moreover, MCS, business strategies and innovative capabilities significantly improve innovative performance. MCS and business strategies significantly mediate the relationship between intellectual capital and innovative performance. Finally, innovative capabilities significantly moderate that between intellectual capital and innovative performance.

The current research examines how management should use MCS, business strategies, and innovative capabilities to take maximum benefit from intellectual capital in order to improve innovative performance.

This is pioneering research that develops a theoretical model to incorporate intellectual capital, MCS, business strategies, innovative capabilities and innovative performance. Even though the influence of various kinds of intangible assets/resources on innovative performance has been widely examined in the literature, scant attention has been paid to the role of MCS, business strategies, and innovative capabilities in leveraging the firm's intellectual capital.