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The current corona virus pandemic had a major impact upon the health, economy and education worldwide. In India, the government as a part of the nationwide lockdown closed all educational institutions, as a consequence of which, the teaching-learning, examination and placement scenario of students were affected. UNESCO estimated that about 32 crore students have been affected in India. The adoption of an online e-learning approach tried to minimize the academic loss and stress on students. However, the online teaching transition moved on an untested and unprecedented scale in a very short span of period. The present study analyses the perception and level of acceptance of transition from offline to online learning amongst the students of higher education in Punjab.

The analysis was carried out by surveying 200 students of higher education from Punjab belonging to different regions. An appropriate pre-tested questionnaire was framed on Google Forms. A five-point Likert scale was employed to determine the perception of students regarding quality of audio and video lectures, instructor's content, preparation, interactiveness, discussion regarding doubts and assessing likes and dislikes of students. The data were coded-decoded in SPSS by using descriptive statistics and factor analysis.

The study revealed the level of acceptance of online study among the students of higher education in Punjab. It is found that both online and offline modes of learning process have their own pros and cons. The sudden transition from regular mode to virtual mode was not an easy task for students either. The study revealed that both online and offline study modes have been accepted by students depending upon the availability of IT infrastructure as almost half of the respondents perceived online mode and the other half offline.

Punjab is a recognized state of northern India. In Punjab, the quality of higher education is good and students' satisfaction is always the priority of the educational institutions. At the time of the pandemic, this sudden transition from regular to virtual mode impacted education with students coming from diverse backgrounds like urban areas, rural areas, remote areas, rural-urban areas etc. So, in the light of this sudden transition, it is important to study the viewpoint of the students of Punjab. So, the present study was conducted to understand the perception of the students toward online learning during this ongoing pandemic. For this purpose, the study employed factor analysis. Application of factor analysis in this area is unique.

Patient satisfaction and quality care are important indicators for the success of any health care enterprise. The critical nature of health care operations entails that some excess capacity is stored in the system to provide the necessary flexibility of response. To prepare health care organizations to deliver high quality services at lower costs, this paper aims to report a lean health care (LEAN‐HC) transformation model that integrates queuing theory and lean methodology to improve the dynamic performance of the health care system.

This paper reviews and evaluates an emergency department health care system that adopts a system dynamic model, redesigned the process using value stream mapping to eliminate non‐value‐added activities to achieve just‐in‐time (JIT) services. This study was conducted at SD Mission Hospital, India. The LEAN‐HC model includes three steps. First, the patient arrival flow is assessed and adjusted, using physicians at the front of the queue to separate patients at triage into major, medium, and minor injury classes. Second, a cross‐functional team consisting of process, information and clinical experts maps the hospital's current state to identify and eliminate wasteful non‐value‐added activities. Third, the process is continually de‐bottlenecked using a variety of lean techniques, such as 5S visual management, one‐piece‐flow to reduce service lead time, and adoption of standard operating procedures.

The authors' results reveal that a lean integration to queuing methodology frees up capacity in the health care system, providing necessary flexibility of response. The implementation of the LEAN‐HC model resulted in the following improvement. First, an improved process flow and increased capacity. Second, emergency department length of stay for all patient classes decreased. Third, value stream mapping was found to be useful in detecting opportunities to decrease patient turnaround. Fourth, the service bottleneck could be identified and shifted to where it could be most easily controlled, adhering to the principle of one piece flow. No changes in resource availability and safety or quality issues occurred during the implementation of lean methodology.

This study demonstrates how to apply lean methodology in conjunction with the queuing modeling in the health care industry, particularly with regards to the patient wait time and reduction in medical errors. The LEAN‐HC model delivers more efficient service by increasing hospital capacity while reducing non‐value‐added times and overhead costs.

This study aims to examine the relationship between religious commitment (RC), environmental values (EVs), behaviour intentions and awareness. In this study, EV is studied as a mediator between the relationship of RC and environmental behavioural intentions. Finally, this study examines the conditional effect of environmental awareness on this mediation.

This study was conducted in the textile industry in Punjab, India. The sample for this study was 259 managers of different textile firms. The data was collected on standardised scales. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to examine the direct and indirect effects in this study.

It was found that the indirect effect between RC and environmental behaviour intention was significant through EV. This study confirmed that the mediation between the variables was moderated by environmental awareness.

Based on the tested model, textile organisations can improve their corporate social responsibility practices. This study highlights the importance of encouraging environmental awareness among textile industry employees, especially those with religious convictions, to reduce environmental impacts. It suggests ecological training, education initiatives and implementing eco-friendly policies.

This study provides a model based on social and psychological factors. The findings of this study can be applied in the textile industry to augment environmentally friendly behaviour among managers. The perspective of moderated meditation among the relationships of variables carries a unique value in this study. Furthermore, this study combines social factors like religion with environmental psychology within business settings. In this way, study carries a unique value.

Hot corrosion is the major degradation mechanism of failure of boiler and gas turbine components. The present work aims to investigate the hot corrosion resistance of detonation gun sprayed (D-gun) Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ ceramic coating on ASTM-SA210-A1 boiler steel.

The coating exhibits nearly uniform, adherent and dense microstructure with porosity less than 0.8 per cent. Thermogravimetry technique is used to study the high temperature hot corrosion behavior of bare and coated boiler steel in molten salt environment (Na₂SO₄-60 per cent V₂O₅) at high temperature 900°C for 50 cycles. The corrosion products are analyzed by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and field emission scanning electron microscope/energy-dispersive analysis (EDAX) to reveal their microstructural and compositional features for elucidating the corrosion mechanisms.

During investigations, it was found that the Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ coating on Grade A-1 boiler steel is found to be very effective in decreasing the corrosion rate in the molten salt environment at 900°C. The coating has shown lesser weight gains along with better adhesiveness of the oxide scales with the substrate till the end of the experiment. Thus, coatings serve as an effective diffusion barrier to preclude the diffusion of oxygen from the environment into the substrate boiler steel.

Therefore, it is concluded that the better hot corrosion resistance of the coating is due to the formation of desirable microstructural features such as very low porosity, uniform fine grains and the flat splat structures in the coating; as compared to the bare substrate under cyclic conditions.

This research is useful for coal-fired boilers and other power plant boilers.

This research is useful for power generation plants.

There is no reported literature on hot corrosion behavior of Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ coating deposited on the selected substrates by D-gun spray technique. The present work has been focused to study the influence of the Cr₂O₃-75 per cent Al₂O₃ coating developed with D-gun spraying technique on high temperature corrosion behavior of ASTM-SA210-A-1 boiler steel in an aggressive environment of Na₂SO₄-60 per cent V₂O₅ molten salt at 900°C under cyclic conditions.

This paper aims to explore the trends, distribution and pattern of Indian bilateral cross-border joint venture (CBJV) activity with advanced developed nations (G7 nations) which include the USA, the UK, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Canada over the 2001-2010 period.

Longitudinal data on the population of 201 CBJVs are analyzed using Securities Data Company (SDC) platinum database. Chi-square test of independence is conducted on the parameters for CBJVs collected over a span of 10 years to test interrelations between them.

The results of explorative trend analysis and test of interdependence are significantly different from developed countries in terms of interrelation between parent’s nationality, industry classification, broad purpose, period of formation and the equity owned.

Future work may explore the strategic motivation of both developed and developing nation firms, given the dynamics of CBJVs explored in this paper. The study could also be extended to other developed and developing nation firms CBJVs with Indian firms.

This study provides a broad-based objective exploratory study of trends and distribution of CBJVs from the standpoint of the developing nations. This helps managers to identify the dynamic industries of CBJVs in India as far as G7 nations are concerned.

The possibility of asymmetric motives of partners in CBJV could not be negated. The role of Indian policymakers also becomes much larger to regulate the monopolistic and anti-competitive practices.

The longitudinal study serves to present first of its kind systematic analysis of detailed activity of Indian firms in bilateral CBJV formation.

Organizations are increasingly emphasizing inclusive practices to leverage the valuable potential of their human resource. This study seeks to investigate the influence of organizational norms on the experiences of inclusion among women in manufacturing organizations. This study aims to comprehend how gendered perceptions of the ideal worker shape women’s sense of inclusion within the workplace.

The research adopted a qualitative approach to understand women’s experience of inclusion in the manufacturing workplace. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to conduct semistructured interviews with 52 professionals working in the four manufacturing organizations. These employees were working in different roles as functional managers, human resource managers, diversity officers and female employees. Interviews were analyzed following a three-step coding process. ATLAS.ti software was used to analyze the data. The study draws upon Acker’s theory of “gendered organizations” and West and Zimmerman’s concept of “doing gender” to understand workplace narratives, adapting these theories to the specific context of India.

This study highlights frequent experiences of exclusion experienced by women in the workplace. This is because of a prevalent culture that prioritizes the ideal worker image within workplace narratives, serving as a significant catalyst for these experiences of exclusion. Additionally, the study underscores how apparently supportive measures, initially appearing beneficial, can inadvertently heighten women’s vulnerability to workplace exclusion.

This study shows how broader national and industrial cultures, which are often male-dominated, can, further reinforce barriers to creating a gender-inclusive workplace. Overall, the study underscores the importance of addressing ideal worker narratives as pivotal steps toward fostering a workplace that is genuinely inclusive for women.

The following are the objectives of the case study: building and leveraging core competence, realizing the strategic advantage of incumbency and contribution to nation building as a business potential.

Larsen and Toubro (L&T) started as a trading company in 1938. By 2023 L&T was a mammoth infrastructure company with a market cap INR 4,750bn operating 800–1,000 projects in engineering and construction at any point in time. It also worked in the domain of hydrocarbons, power and heavy engineering including defence engineering, financial services and development projects supported by technology. The company went through several phases of environmental disruptions in the form of the Second World War and India’s independence, which brought several opportunities for growth. L&T built competencies to leverage these opportunities, which also contributed to the nation building efforts in India. In 2023, several changes were occurring in the ecosystem in the form of energy changes, sustainability becoming a way of life and digitalization impacting every aspect of business. The managing director and chief executive officer Mr S.N. Subrahmanyan reiterated the need to focus on performance to make L&T a global leader in futuristic tech-driven engineering and solutions. He faced three major challenges – reducing exposure in non-core businesses, adopting technology to strengthen traditional business and leveraging the competence built over 85 years to improve the performance of L&T, while contributing to nation building.

This case study is suitable for MBA and executive programmes.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Video of protagonist in conversation with Anant Maheshwari, President Microsoft India discussing the future plans of L&T for adopting new age technology. The video is available at the following YouTube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKb-_z_ch4E

CSS 11: Strategy.

For a state like Uttarakhand, which is located in the seismically active Himalayan region and in the vicinity of plate boundaries, estimation of seismic hazards and the preparation of a zoning map are an urgent necessity. This paper aims to focus on this hazard.

In total, 32 potential seismo‐tectonic source zones were identified in a very wide area in and around the state, on the basis of seismicity and tectonics, and the longer ones were segmented. The maximum magnitude that each seismo‐tectonic source zone can support was then estimated. The seismic hazard due to each seismo‐tectonic source zone was assessed at 180 sites, in terms of peak ground acceleration (PGA).

The maximum PGA at each site varied between 0.06g and 0.50g. The seismic hazard was highest around the main central thrust and the main boundary thrust, and five other thrusts between these two thrusts. This assessment was adapted to make a seismic zoning map of Uttarakhand, with five distinct zones.

If seismo‐tectonic source zones from the contiguous regions of Nepal and Tibet were included as part of this assessment, then a higher hazard would be expected in Uttarakhand.

Threat perceptions of a potential earthquake disaster can be assessed in this zoning map. Disaster mitigation strategies will vary geographically, with priorities defined by the zoning map presented here. The methodology evolved has the potential to be extended to other vulnerable states in the Himalayan arc.

The seismic hazard assessed has been adapted to formulate a seismic zoning map of Uttarakhand.

Human resource management.

It is appropriate for graduate students majoring in human resource or business management. Students who are interested in studying Asian economies in the world, as they are the most growing economies in the world and at the same time have a shocking number of people employed in the informal sector.

This case study talks about women workers who face a glass ceiling at the management level and deplorable working conditions at the informal level. This case involves women in the paper bag-making business, a part of the urban informal sector. The paper bag-making business provides employment and income generation for the urban poor. The focus in this study is on women production workers, rather than entrepreneurs or professional managers. Focus of the study will be on the change in the pattern of income distribution within the family-based household, the degree of bargaining power derived from productive work and income and impact of technology on the plight of unskilled women force and how technology and vocational training can lead to utilization of manpower being wasted because of lack of synergy between technology and the informal sector in India. Expected learning outcomes Four key points of selection, training, assessment and leadership all have been addressed in this case study, and the relevance of these points is important from the point of view of management students who have to understand the linkages and the hidden costs these informal sector occupations come with and then to device an appropriate strategy to bring and use these human resources to their full capacity by utilizing the existing resources instead of adding new ones, which in development economics is known as Solow residual.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

The focus and goal of this chapter is to systematically detail how the “cascade” system is organized and how it operates by coordinating current research. To do so, this chapter first builds an understanding of the historical conditions that forged the “cascade” system, then turns to how the system operates – charting its affordances and limitations through others’ research – and then discusses what opportunities can be leveraged to support teachers’ work. In doing so, this chapter provides relevant information and documentation about the “cascade” system so that readers can understand how this system currently works and what is possible. Two interpretations are made from the analysis of current research. First, the “cascade” is overwrought with voices, and the participants overwhelmed; and second, the “cascade” fosters an untenable view of how people learn and what constitutes teaching. Increasingly, teachers and their education are being widely recognized as central to the fortunes of schoolchildren. In India, a significant amount of attention is being paid to teacher education more than ever before. For example, the recent 5-year planning and operations budget is being touted as the “Teacher Education Plan.” Thus, probing the existing system and its norms and practices is vital to ensuring this attention isn’t frittered away and is put toward helping teachers step up to the challenge of providing all students rich opportunities to learn.