Ravinder P.S. Makkar, Amitabh Monga, Anju Arora, Surabhi Mukhopadhyay and Ajay Kr. Gupta
Patients are often ill‐equipped to know which speciality to choose for their health problem. Especially in the presence of non‐specific symptoms, choosing the right specialist…
Abstract
Patients are often ill‐equipped to know which speciality to choose for their health problem. Especially in the presence of non‐specific symptoms, choosing the right specialist might not be so obvious. In such cases, misdirected self‐referrals by patients to self‐chosen specialists can sometimes lead to misdiagnosis resulting in unwarranted delays in getting the right treatment. The general physicians, on the other hand, are in a unique position to oversee the big picture of patients’ health, and are therefore better equipped to identify and sort out their individual health problems. Hence instead of a specialist if the first place of contact for patients is a general physician, they are likely to be guided along the right path of treatment for their various health problems. Such a system will minimize errors on the part of the patients by making certain that they are referred to the appropriate specialists.
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Harsimran Riar, Sunil K. Khatkar, Anju Boora Khatkar, Nishant Arora, Sandeep Mann, Anil Panghal and Sanjeev Kumar
The purpose of the study is to highlights the conceptual and scientific knowledge regarding bioavailability of food bioactive components which is essential for the thorough…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to highlights the conceptual and scientific knowledge regarding bioavailability of food bioactive components which is essential for the thorough understanding of their role in disease prevention and factors that limit their absorption.
Design/methodology/approach
Nutrikinetics is an extended version of pharmacokinetics that is used for studying the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of components through different techniques such as metabolic profiling, multi-level data analysis and population-based modeling.
Findings
There are different phases of nutrikinetics study of the bioactive components. The initial stage of nutrikinetics is starting from simplest in-vitro assay which is applicable in the early stage of functional foods development. Thereafter, the next stage of nutrikinetics studies are related to human intervention studies as designed by European Food Safety Authority. The aim of such studies are to develop dose-exposure and exposure response study of a bioactive component.
Originality/value
This paper will enlighten the concept of nutrikinetics, its requirement and the future perspectives of nutrikinetics study including long-term efficacy studies and multi-compartmental analysis of the different bioactive components.
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By incorporating the role of nonperforming loans (NPLs), the study aims to assess the impact of global financial crisis (GFC) on the intermediation efficiency of Indian banks for…
Abstract
Purpose
By incorporating the role of nonperforming loans (NPLs), the study aims to assess the impact of global financial crisis (GFC) on the intermediation efficiency of Indian banks for the period of 1998/99 to 2016/17.
Design/methodology/approach
To obtain efficiency level of Indian banks, this study applied sequential data envelopment analysis (DEA) based directional distance function (DDF) approach, which performed simultaneous expansion of desirable output and reduction of undesirable output in the bank's loan production structure. Additionally, using fixed effect regression approach in the panel data framework, this study assesses both the phenomenon of σ- and unconditional β-efficiency convergence in public sector banks (PSBs), private banks (PBs), foreign banks (FBs) and overall scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) during the pre-crisis, crisis and post-crisis years in India.
Findings
Irrespective of the bank's production model, the evidence suggests that the accounting NPLs as an undesirable output significantly deteriorating the intermediation technical efficiency levels of Indian banks, especially after the crisis years until the last year of the study period. This reflects that Indian banks failed more to achieve their financial intermediation objective in the post-crisis years as compared to the crisis and pre-crisis years. In-depth, statistical evidence of commercial bank ownership groups reveals that public sector banks exhibit a higher level of efficiency in pursuance of traditional loan-based activity followed by private and foreign banks. The study also found the existence of sigma convergence in technical efficiency levels of Indian banks and ownership groups as well.
Originality/value
This study is perhaps the first one, which present the robust evolution of Indian banks intermediation efficiency by taking into account both endogenous (i.e. NPLs as an undesirable output and equity as a quasi-fixed input in the bank production process) crisis and exogenous (i.e. global financial and economic stress) crises. Moreover, none of the existing studies have conducted sub-period wise analysis to show the apparent occurrence of both convergence properties in technical efficiency, adding novelty in the literature.
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Anshika Anshika and Anju Singla
This paper aims to study the level of financial literacy of entrepreneurs across the globe and its role in financial access and performance of micro, small and medium enterprises…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the level of financial literacy of entrepreneurs across the globe and its role in financial access and performance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) based on a systematic review. The present study identifies the measures to enhance the level of financial literacy for increasing financial access and performance of enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
Systematic literature review has been undertaken by identifying 358 studies from various sources. After removing the 237 studies based on selection criteria, 67 studies have been found relevant for the present study.
Findings
The level of financial literacy of entrepreneurs around the world is generally low. It has been found that financial literacy improves performance of an enterprise, particularly when the funds are readily available as insufficient funds disrupt the operating efficiency of the firm, thereby hindering its growth and survival. The other most important factors i.e. access to formal finance, lending policies of financial institutions, ease of doing business and training programmes have a substantial influence on the survival of the firms. The literature also revealed that there is no standardised methodology to measure the financial literacy of entrepreneurs.
Research limitations/implications
The study conceptualises a research model which can be used by the policymakers to develop training modules for entrepreneurs. These training modules will contribute to the nation’s economic growth by virtue of enhanced performance and superior financial access.
Originality/value
This study proposes a hypothesised research model which is one of its kinds to demonstrate the influence of financial literacy on financial access and performance of MSMEs.
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Shenaz Rangwala, Chanaka Jayawardhena and Gunjan Saxena
This study aims to explore consumption practices of new middle-class Indian women to explicate how they are challenging traditional social norms and redefining their identity…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore consumption practices of new middle-class Indian women to explicate how they are challenging traditional social norms and redefining their identity through their consumption practices.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 32 semi-structured and photo-elicitation interviews were conducted with new middle-class women between the age group of 23 and 40 years in India.
Findings
This study illustrates how the doing of consumption practices that involve creating, controlling, knowing and transforming is enabling new middle-class Indian women to undo gender disparities embedded in hegemonic patriarchal social order. Also, the study provides new insights into how class and symbolic capital intersect gender to redefine middle-class women’s feminine self.
Research limitations/implications
This study specifically illustrates how new middle-class women are using consumption practices to uplift their position in household; bring about new modes of social interface; and identity expression and a reversal in gender roles.
Practical implications
The conflation of women’s independence with consumerism underlines the need for marketers to position consumer goods in a manner that strengthens women’s self and alleviates cultural perceptions of women as subordinate to men in the household. Indian market has considerable growth potential for publicly visible brands that affirm the elevated social status of women and allow them to effectively demonstrate their capital resources.
Originality/value
An under-researched consumer segment is explored by focusing particularly on the intersection of discourses of women’s individuality with that of their consumption practices. Additionally, pioneering use of photo-elicitation technique coupled with hermeneutic approach enabled to elicit effectively women’s reflections on their behaviours, values and motivations underlying their consumption practices.
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Bing Zhu, Wanwisa Charoennan and Henzel Embalzado
Booming mobile shopping has resulted in an increase use of m-payment. Although m-payment is still in its infancy in Thailand, it has started to affect the daily lives of Thai…
Abstract
Purpose
Booming mobile shopping has resulted in an increase use of m-payment. Although m-payment is still in its infancy in Thailand, it has started to affect the daily lives of Thai people. This study aims to understand the role of perceive risks in influencing millennials' intention to use m-payment for mobile shopping.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample covers 250 millennials in Bangkok who were surveyed between February to May 2019. Purposive sampling and convenient sampling were applied to collect data. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was applied for statistical analysis. Further, mediation effect of attitude was studied.
Findings
The results showed that only perceived time risk significantly but negatively affect millennials' attitude towards using m-payment. Moreover, mediation test confirms that the relationship between perceived time risk and intention to use m-payment is mediated by attitude.
Research limitations/implications
First, limited number of respondents cannot be a representative of millennials as a whole. Second, the study is limited to a general study, in which the results of m-payment might not be effectual to explain other scenarios (e.g. offline setting) and the market situation in another cultural context.
Practical implications
It is important that business practitioners should formulate less complicated system under the most decent transaction time to elicit positive attitude towards m-payment. Also, message should emphasize on the time being saved and simplicity of the m-payment.
Originality/value
Since the study of how perceived risks influence millennials intention to m-payment remains insufficient in Southeast Asian context especially in Thailand, this paper contributes to the updating of empirical findings to the existing literatures.
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Simran Kaur, Anil Panghal, M.K. Garg, Sandeep Mann, Sunil K. Khatkar, Poorva Sharma and Navnidhi Chhikara
The purpose of this paper is to review the nutritional and food value of pumpkin Cucurbita, along with different health benefits. Cucurbita (pumpkin) is an herbaceous vine, member…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the nutritional and food value of pumpkin Cucurbita, along with different health benefits. Cucurbita (pumpkin) is an herbaceous vine, member of Cucurbitaceae family. It is an edible, heat-sensitive plant, which has an abundant amount of active compounds such as carotenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, tocopherols, phytosterols and cucurbitacin, accounted for numerous health benefits, namely, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, hypotensive, hyper protective activities.
Design/methodology/approach
Major well-known bibliometric information sources such as Web of Science, Scopus, Mendeley and Google Scholar were searched with keywords such as nutrition value of Cucurbita, Cucurbita utilization, bioactive compounds of pumpkin, health benefits, processing, food formulations and current scenarios were chosen to obtain a large range of papers to be analyzed. A final inventory of 105 scientific sources was made after sorting and classifying them according to different criteria based on topic, academic field, country of origin and year of publication.
Findings
The comprehensive review of different literature, data sources and research papers seeks to find and discuss various nutritional benefits of pumpkin. It contains all necessary macro- and micro-nutrients, amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants and bioactive compounds with a relatively low amount of antinutrients. The recent upsurge in consumer interest for health-promoting products has opened up new vistas for plant products containing bioactive compounds in different food formulations.
Originality/value
This paper contains information regarding the chemical composition, nutritive value, phytochemical studies, pharmacological properties, bio-accessibility, food and industrial applications of pumpkin. Worldwide, pumpkin is used as food additive in various food products such as candy, weaning mix, corn grits, kheer, jam, crackers, bread, etc. Effect of different processing methods such as high temperature, pH, blanching, oven drying, freeze-drying to retain or minimize its losses in case of color, texture, flavor, and the carotenoids are of concern. The review paper highlights the nutritional, therapeutic, potential and processing attributes.