Manjula Venkataraghavan, Padma Rani, Lena Ashok, Chythra R. Rao, Varalakshmi Chandra Sekaran and T.K. Krishnapriya
Physicians who are primary care providers in rural communities form an essential stakeholder group in rural mobile health (mHealth) delivery. This study was exploratory in nature…
Abstract
Purpose
Physicians who are primary care providers in rural communities form an essential stakeholder group in rural mobile health (mHealth) delivery. This study was exploratory in nature and was conducted in Udupi district of Karnataka, India. The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of rural medical officers (MOs) (rural physicians) regarding the benefits and challenges of mobile phone use by community health workers (CHWs).
Design/methodology/approach
In-depth interviews were conducted among 15 MOs belonging to different primary health centers of the district. Only MOs with a minimum five years of experience were recruited in the study using purposive and snowball sampling. This was followed by thematic analysis of the data collected.
Findings
The perceptions of MOs regarding the CHWs' use of mobile phones were largely positive. However, they reported the existence of some challenges that limits the potential of its full use. The findings were categorized under four themes namely, benefits of mobile phone use to CHWs, benefits of mobile phone-equipped CHWs, current mobile phone use by CHWs and barriers to CHWs' mobile phone use. The significant barriers reported in the CHWs' mobile phone use were poor mobile network coverage, technical illiteracy, lack of consistent technical training and call and data expense of the CHWs. The participants recommend an increased number of mobile towers, frequent training in mobile phone use and basic English language for the CHWs as possible solutions to the barriers.
Originality/value
Studies examining the perceptions of doctors who are a primary stakeholder group in mHealth as well as in the public health system scenario are limited. To the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine the perception of rural doctors regarding CHWs' mobile phone use for work in India.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse econometrically determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) in Indian manufacturing plants with a focus on the influence of services…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse econometrically determinants of total factor productivity (TFP) in Indian manufacturing plants with a focus on the influence of services input on productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
Plant-level data drawn from Annual Survey of Industries for the years 1998-1999 to 2012-2013 are used for the estimation of TFP at plant-level by applying the Levinsohn–Petrin methodology. Econometric models are estimated to explain variations in plant-level TFP. The explanatory variables used are services input intensity (split into manufacturing services purchased and other services), the share of information communication technology (ICT) assets in total fixed capital stock, the share of contract workers in total workers and the share of imported materials out of total materials used, with plant size taken as a control variable. Model estimation is done by applying the fixed effects model.
Findings
Econometric results indicate that services input and ICT intensity have a significant positive effect on productivity of manufacturing plants in India. Use of imported materials raises productivity, whereas the use of contract workers in place of regular workers tends to lower productivity. The impact of imported materials on TFP of manufacturing plants seems to be relatively bigger for labour-intensive, low technology industries.
Originality/value
Care has been taken for TFP measurement. Analysis of the impact of services input on TFP has been undertaken for Indian manufacturing using plant-level data for the first time.
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Kofi Mintah Oware and Kingsley Appiah
Based on data collected using the purposive sampling technique extracted from a secondary data source, this paper aims to examine the relationship between female directors and…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on data collected using the purposive sampling technique extracted from a secondary data source, this paper aims to examine the relationship between female directors and firm innovation. The paper also examines the impact of leverage ratios and corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure on the association between female directors and firms’ innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
The feasible general least regression technique was applied to overcome potential endogeneity issues associated with female directors and corporate innovation spending.
Findings
With subsequent control of individual and firm variables, the first findings of this study indicate that female directors significantly decrease firms’ innovation spending. The second outcomes of this study show that the leverage ratio considerably improves corporate innovation spending. The third findings show that the leverage ratio positively moderates the association between female directors and corporate innovation spending. The fourth findings show that CSR expenditure significantly improves firm innovation spending but does not moderate the association between female directors and corporate innovation spending.
Research limitations/implications
Based on dependency theory, robust and reliable conclusions suggest that female directors’ engagement on the Indian board needs more than biological sex, that is, the required expertise. The paper also provides policy implications for female expertise in minority engagement on the board of listed firms in India, especially when the firm desires to increase its corporate innovation spending.
Originality/value
This study is among the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to comment on mandatory CSR expenditure as an independent variable on innovation or a moderating variable between female directors and corporate innovation. Similarly, the family-controlled management perspective in this study deepens the debate on gender diversity and corporate innovation.
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Prince P. Asaloko, Simplice Asongu, Cédrick M. Kalemasi and Thomas G. Niyonzima
The purpose of this study is to assess the role of renewable energy as a means of promoting women’s economic participation and improving their health by mitigating climate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess the role of renewable energy as a means of promoting women’s economic participation and improving their health by mitigating climate vulnerability.
Design/methodology/approach
To shed light on this relationship, the authors assess the capacity of renewable energy to reduce the negative impact of climate vulnerability on women’s economic empowerment and health, using the generalized method of moments estimator for 36 African countries over the period 1990–2021.
Findings
The empirical results show that climate vulnerability reduces economic empowerment and climate vulnerability increases child mortality. These results are mitigated by the use of renewable energy. The use of renewable energy mitigates the negative impact of climate vulnerability on women’s economic empowerment. Renewable energy use also reduces the pressure of climate vulnerability on child mortality. In addition, the authors take into account regional heterogeneities and find distinct effects. The results remain stable after further robustness testing.
Originality/value
Renewable energy thresholds are provided at which climate vulnerability no longer reduces women’s socio-economic well-being.
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Vinish Kathuria and Rajesh Raj S.N.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the likelihood of firm exit, focusing on firm- and sector-specific factors and other potential constraints that may lead to exit.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the likelihood of firm exit, focusing on firm- and sector-specific factors and other potential constraints that may lead to exit.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors address the main research question by using hazard-cox and probit models on plant level data for the period 1998–1999 to 2012–2013, drawn from the Annual Survey of Industries collected by the Central Statistical Organisation.
Findings
The authors find that probability of exit reduces with improved firm performance. Urban firms, proprietary firms and smaller firms are more likely to exit as compared with their respective counterparts. The findings are robust to alternate measures of performance, alternate specifications and different methods.
Originality/value
Studies of entry and exit rates at a point in time are useful in examining the turnover of establishments. But to understand the establishment survival, the authors must also examine the probability of firm exit and the possible determinants that aid exit. There are institutional factors that prevent easy exit of firms from an industry. It would be worthwhile to see how the exit rate will be impacted if these barriers ceased to exist. In this study, the authors construct a model of exit, which would help us to predict firm exit.
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The current industrial revolution is powered by data, which is also referred as Industry 4.0. The Industry 4.0 has attracted significant attention from academia and the industry…
Abstract
Purpose
The current industrial revolution is powered by data, which is also referred as Industry 4.0. The Industry 4.0 has attracted significant attention from academia and the industry professionals. The supply chain integration (SCI) has played a significant role in enhancing supply chain performance and organizational performance. This study explores the relationship between Industry 4.0 and SCI via an extensive literature review to understand the various levels of integration with the supply chain processes and to identify missing links, through a framework, and suggest further research directions.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, we have used systematic literature review approach to identify the building blocks of the conceptual framework, which is the main contribution of the present study. We have used Scopus database to search literature using keywords.
Findings
The study offers some interesting insights that may help scholars to advance theoretical debates. Moreover, the study also provides interesting direction to the practitioners engaged in supply chain management in data-driven environment. In this study, we have proposed a conceptual framework for the adoption of Industry 4.0 and SCI.
Research limitations/implications
In this study we have proposed a conceptual framework. However, the framework is yet to be empirically tested. Hence, we caution readers to evaluate the findings of the present study in context to its limitations. This is an attempt to develop a conceptual framework which may be tested using longitudinal data.
Originality/value
The present work helps in integrating two independent subjects', i.e. Industry 4.0 and SCI. The theoretical framework presented here integrates Industry 4.0 and SCI which can be useful to the practitioners and policymakers engaged in implementing Industry 4.0.
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Gunjan Malhotra and Manjeet Kharub
Artificial intelligence (AI) usage improves e-commerce logistics efficiency. However, many actors can play significant roles, such as supply chain consistency (SCC), last-mile…
Abstract
Purpose
Artificial intelligence (AI) usage improves e-commerce logistics efficiency. However, many actors can play significant roles, such as supply chain consistency (SCC), last-mile logistics (LML) performance and collaboration and coordination among logistics firms. This study aims to assess how SCC and LML performance mediate and collaboration and coordination moderate the relationship between AI usage and logistics efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. A total of 245 valid responses were received from Indian e-commerce businesses. The data were then analysed using AMOS v25 and structural equational modelling using SPSS for regression, PROCESS macro for mediation and moderated mediation analysis.
Findings
The findings show that AI usage independently impacts logistics efficiency, with SCC and last-mile delivery performance as mediating variables. Collaboration and coordination among logistic firms are also critical moderators in enhancing AI’s efficacy in logistic operations. The study findings suggest the integration of AI into logistic operations and provide implications to managers on the urgency of fostering a collaborative and synchronised environment to utilise the full potential of AI in e-commerce businesses.
Originality/value
This study not only contributes to the field of logistics theory by presenting empirical data on the various ramifications of AI but also offers practical guidance for logistics firms, particularly those operating in developing economies, on how to strategically employ AI to enhance operational efficiency and attain a competitive advantage in the era of e-commerce logistics in the digital age.
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Venkatesan V., Shanmugam S. and Veerappan A.R.
This paper aims to present the numerical analysis of displacements, forces and bend angles of three different structural designs of a soft actuator using the finite element…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present the numerical analysis of displacements, forces and bend angles of three different structural designs of a soft actuator using the finite element method. The results of this analysis help understand the physical behavior of the soft pneumatic actuator.
Design/methodology/approach
The soft actuator is designed using commercial modeling software, and the design of the actuator is analyzed using ABAQUS 19.0 with a standard implicit nonlinear analysis. There are three types of structural designs for actuators, namely, rectangular-base model, trapezoidal-base model and the trapezoidal model considered in the present study.
Findings
Maximum displacement, force and bend angle are observed in the rectangular-base model at various pressure levels.
Originality/value
The development of novel designs of the soft pneumatic actuator to undertake a comparative analysis of displacement, force and bend angle.