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The everyday commoning practices in urbanising localities
Get PDFNegotiating Rights to Inhabit Common Lands for Housing in Two Cities of South India
This paper presents a framework for understanding the everyday political dynamics of commoning initiated by residents to secure their claims to ‘common land’ in urbanising localities. This paper puts forward the proposition that a spatialised approach would serve to reveal the extent to which unique socio-political and geographical factors exert an influence upon the dynamics of collective actions (commoning). It examines the experience of households in two squatter settlements on the outskirts of two South Indian cities: Villupuram, a medium-sized town in the state of Tamil Nadu, and Bangalore, a large metropolis in the state of Karnataka. It demonstrates how common land could serve as a foundation for the inclusion of poor communities within the city. The two cases presented in this paper reflect a trend observed in Indian cities since the mid-1990s, whereby rural common lands in urbanised localities, previously allocated to poor households for housing, have been targeted for more profitable development, eventually justified by environmental arguments. Consequently, those in poverty are compelled to compete with more powerful actors in order to assert their right to the common land they occupy for the purpose of housing. The two case studies demonstrate the capacity of such communities to unite and engage in practical political actions to regularise their settlements and dwellings. We describe their engagement with multiple government institutions across the rural and urban continuum and illustrate the influence of contextual factors, including geographical and temporal factors, in shaping the unique and diverse trajectories of commoning
The Last of Frontline Workers: Casteism and Precarity among Sanitation and Waste Workers during COVID-19
No full textThis chapter looks at the intricate connection between COVID-19 and the state of sanitation workers and informal waste workers in Delhi. Historically speaking, epidemics have marked a turning point in terms of sanitary and urban reforms, albeit, primarily for the ruling elites and soldiers in the colonial times. With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an ‘apparent’ change in the way sanitation workers and waste workers were perceived. Many of them were greeted by applause and garlands. This palpable change in the societal attitude and they being referred to as ‘frontline workers’ gave a ray of hope that the pandemic might prove to be crucial in catalysing the reforms long needed in the realm of sanitation and waste management crisis. However, looking at the precarious conditions of the workers in the last four years, there is a little that has changed. The age-old relation of caste and sanitation and waste work continues to plague the present-day situation. If anything at all, the pandemic has further exposed the apathy of government institution and casteist societal attitude towards the workers. The complexities of ‘social’ and ‘physical’ distancing are further compounded by the issues of ongoing privatisation of sanitation and waste management services, lack of health care facilities, death by COVID-19, delay in salaries, and differential treatment at workplace. Demands of sanitation and waste workers remain a far cry. Given this, this chapter examines the impact of COVID-19 on sanitation and waste workers in Delhi, highlighting how historical casteism and current policies intersect to perpetuate their precarity. Despite being labelled ‘frontline workers’ during the pandemic, these workers continue to face severe socio-economic challenges and caste-based discrimination. The chapter argues that the pandemic has exposed the deep-seated inequalities and systemic failures in sanitation and waste management reform. The chapter is divided into three parts. In the first part, we map a brief history and connections between diseases and sanitary infrastructures in India. In the second part, we reflect on the Gandhian moralist vision of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and how that has influenced the characterisation of sanitation and informal waste workers as corona warriors. In the third part, we examine the working conditions of sanitation and waste workers in Delhi during COVID-19 and how they are highlighted by ongoing privatisation of waste management services and quotidian casteist practices. In addition, we explore the contradictions of middle-class attitude towards waste workers and sanitation workers; while they were quick to felicitate waste work force with garlands, they spared no efforts to put their lives at risk by following Brahminical unsanitary practices
A dual evolutionary perspective on the Co-evolution of data-driven digital transformation and value proposition in manufacturing SMEs
No full textExisting research emphasizes the importance of understanding the digital transformation process, yet there remains a significant gap in capturing its dynamic stages and transitions, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To address this gap, this study draws on organizational information processing theory and analyzes interview data from six traditional manufacturing SMEs. The findings lead to the development of a data-driven digital transformation process model comprising three distinct stages: (1) data-informed operational excellence, (2) data-synchronized supply chain integration, and (3) data-catalyzed ecosystem innovation. This model also maps the evolution of firm value propositions across these stages: (1) intrinsic value mapping, (2) value chain alignment, and (3) ecosystem value co-creation. Additionally, the study identifies critical preconditions for stage transitions, including supply chain mastery to progress from Stage 1 to Stage 2 and strategic ecosystem analytics integration to advance from Stage 2 to Stage 3. By offering a structured framework for understanding data-driven digital transformation, this study makes a significant contribution to the literature, particularly within the context of traditional manufacturing SMEs
A multifaceted intervention to improve diagnosis and early management of hospitalised patients with suspected acute brain infections in Brazil, India, and Malawi: An international multicentre intervention study
Get PDFBackground
Brain infections pose substantial challenges in diagnosis and management and carry high mortality and morbidity, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to improve the diagnosis and early management of patients admitted to hospital (adults aged 16 years and older and children aged >28 days) with suspected acute brain infections at 13 hospitals in Brazil, India, and Malawi.
Methods
With hospital stakeholders, policy makers, and patient and public representatives, we co-designed a multifaceted clinical and laboratory intervention, informed by an evaluation of routine practice. The intervention, tailored for each setting, included a diagnostic and management algorithm, a lumbar puncture pack, a testing panel, and staff training. We used multivariable logistic regression and interrupted time series analysis to compare the coprimary outcomes—the percentage of patients achieving a syndromic diagnosis and the percentage achieving a microbiological diagnosis before and after the intervention. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04190303) and is complete.
Findings
Between Jan 5, 2021, and Nov 30, 2022, we screened 10 462 patients and enrolled a total of 2233 patients at 13 hospital sites connected to the four study centres in Brazil, India, and Malawi. 1376 (62%) were recruited before the intervention and 857 (38%) were recruited after the intervention. 2154 patients (96%) had assessment of the primary outcome (1330 [62%] patients recruited pre-intervention and 824 [38%] recruited post-intervention). The median age across centres was 23 years (IQR 6–44), with 1276 (59%) being adults aged 16 years or older and 888 (41%) children aged between 29 days and 15 years; 1264 (59%) patients were male and 890 (41%) were female. Data on race and ethnicity were not recorded. 1020 (77%) of 1320 patients received a syndromic diagnosis before the intervention, rising to 701 (86%) of 813 after the intervention (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1·81 [95% CI 1·40–2·34]; p<0·0001). A microbiological diagnosis was made in 294 (22%) of 1330 patients pre-intervention, increasing to 250 (30%) of 824 patients post-intervention (aOR 1·46 [95% CI 1·18–1·79]; p=0·00040). Interrupted time series analysis confirmed that these increases exceeded a modest underlying trend of improvement over time. The percentage receiving a lumbar puncture, time to appropriate therapy, and functional outcome also improved.
Interpretation
Diagnosis and management of patients with suspected acute brain infections improved following introduction of a simple intervention package across a diverse range of hospitals on three continents. The intervention is now being implemented in other settings as part of the WHO Meningitis Roadmap and encephalitis control initiatives
Climate change in the Himalayan region: Susceptible impacts on environment and human settlements
Get PDFThe Himalayan region, home to the world’s highest mountain ranges, is an ecological and cultural hotspot crucial for the livelihood of nearly two billion people downstream. However, it faces significant vulnerabilities due to climate change, which threatens its fragile ecosystems and socio-economic frameworks. Notably, environmental risks include glacier retreat, biodiversity loss, and shifting water supplies, with adverse consequences for water availability and agricultural productivity. These climatic shifts exacerbate social and economic pressures, disrupting agro-based livelihoods, damaging infrastructure, and intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. This study highlights the urgent need for region-specific, sustainable development policies that integrate improved climate monitoring, ecosystem-based adaptation, and the synergy between indigenous knowledge and scientific advancements. A comprehensive framework is proposed to safeguard both ecological and socio-economic resilience in the face of ongoing climate change challenges in the Himalayas
Azaphenothiazine conjugates: A new class of antimicrobial compounds
No full textAlthough phenothiazines have been widely explored in medicinal chemistry for over a century, little attention has been paid to their pyridine analogs, azaphenothiazines. This article reports the first synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial evaluation of S-oxide analogs of N-aminoalkylated azaphenothiazines as antibacterials and antifungals. The optimized synthetic protocol enabled the production of the desired azaphenothiazine sulfoxides 12a–e and sulfonyls 14a–e, respectively. In addition to the x-ray crystal structure of azaphenothiazine sulfoxide intermediate 10, each target compound was characterized using spectroscopy techniques. All of these were investigated in vitro for antibacterial and antifungal activity against several strains of bacteria and fungi. Biological assays revealed selective antibacterial activity, with sulfoxides (12a–e) exhibiting broad inhibition and sulfones (14a–e) showing selectivity toward gram-negative bacteria. Compound 12c demonstrated fourfold higher potency against Escherichia coli than the reference drug. In antifungal studies, compound 14c showed the highest activity (MIC 1.2 µg/mL against Candida albicans). Our in silico evaluations utilized molecular dynamic (MD) and docking studies for active-site binding simulations, revealing favorable drug-like properties and pharmacokinetics. Finally, toxicology assays determined all synthesized analogs to be non-toxic to kidney and hepatic tissues. This report highlights the newly described S-oxide azaphenothiazine conjugates and their potential as potent antimicrobial agents
Unveiling the knowledge structure of corporate governance and board structure: a bibliometric analysis
No full textPurpose
This study aims to examine the present state of board structure studies while examining current trends in research and potential future paths.
Design/methodology/approach
The study builds upon the articles indexed in the Web of Science database. A systematic search of the articles was conducted using the keywords search string. After using all exclusion criteria, 1,265 research papers were retrieved for analysis. RStudio combined with VOSviewer was used for network analysis and content analysis.
Findings
The results of the study reveal that the knowledge base of board structure had grown exponentially over time. The USA, the UK and Australia are the top three leading countries, and also the USA and the People’s Republic of China are the two nations that have the highest collaboration in this research field. Additionally, keyword analysis depicts five distinct research strands, identifies gaps in each strand and provides a road map for future studies.
Originality/value
Gender diversity on the board, one of the determinants of board structure, has been highly emphasized in previous reviews. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study attempts to provide valuable insights into the development of board structure research through bibliometric review. It also offers future research avenues in this specific realm
The laughter of the fish: Paths to feminine individuation in India
No full textIndian mythology and literature are replete with examples of beautiful daughters who grace the house of illustrious fathers. The giving away of the daughter in marriage is the single biggest form of daan in Hindu culture, highlighting the sanctity of the daughter in the Indian psyche. What does it mean to be the daughter? How does the father present himself in the psyche of the Indian woman? As an embodiment of the wild woman archetype, the Indian woman shares a unique position with the father both in mythology and literature. This paper attempts to examine the father-daughter dynamic in Indian mythology through a select tale from the ancient fifteenth-century text Shuka Saptati. The interpretation offered paves a way for understanding the nuances of individuation in the feminine psyche
Exploring family values, religion, and ethical behavior in family businesses: A multi-stage qualitative investigation
Get PDFOne key element distinguishing family firms from non-family firms is the role of the family’s religious beliefs, with growing attention on understanding the fit between religion and family in shaping a business’s ethical conduct. A family firm’s behavior is embedded in an institutional context, and it is important to understand how multiple institutional logic shapes a family firm’s values and ethical behavior. While scholars agree on the central significance of family values and religion in shaping family firms’ values and ethical behavior, a definitive consensus on the influence of family values and religion in confronting ethical challenges and shaping ethical behavior has yet to be reached. We lack a theory explaining how family, family business, and religion shape a family firm’s ethical conduct. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate the role of family values and religion in shaping a family firm’s ethical conduct. The results reveal four themes, namely (a) ethical challenges faced by family firms, (b) family values shaping ethical behavior, (c) religion providing a rationale for family firms’ ethical decision-making, and (d) outcomes of ethical decision-making. The principal contribution of our study is clarifying the role of multiple institutional logics in the form of religion and family in explaining ethical behavior. Our findings suggest that the fit between religion, family, and business as an institution guides decision-making, helps family businesses earn a positive reputation in the community by displaying ethical behavior, and develops a positive workplace climate
Two decades of research on customer satisfaction: Future research agenda and questions
No full textPurpose
This paper aims to review two decades of research on customer satisfaction to identify key topics, their prevalence and changes in each topic’s relative popularity over time. It also addresses interdisciplinarity in customer satisfaction studies.
Design/methodology/approach
The data set comprises 1,316 journal articles published between 2000 and 2023. The authors used structural topic modeling to extract defining themes in customer satisfaction research. The authors also analyzed the references cited in these sources to assess studies’ interdisciplinarity.
Findings
The analysis revealed 10 conceptually distinct topics with varying degrees of prevalence and evolutionary paths. The authors noted that numerous academic disciplines, such as general business, marketing, psychology, information systems and statistics, have influenced customer satisfaction research.
Practical implications
This study’s findings provide valuable insights for the tourism and hospitality industries. Practitioners can refer to the results to understand trends in consumer behavior. For example, emerging topics such as transformative service suggest that issues of well-being should be considered when designing tourism and hospitality products.
Originality/value
Using structural topic modeling, the authors extracted unbiased research topics from a larger data set compared with prior reviews and tracked topics’ evolution. In addition, the authors found evidence of how various fields have shaped customer satisfaction research. This study applies a fresh approach to theory development and examines previously intractable research problems. The results point to questions that merit investigation