Space and Culture, India

Internationalisation For All: Rethinking University Internationalisation

Gautam Rajkhowa — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Concerns about commercialisation, high costs of study, elitism, massification, and the challenge of quantity over quality are some of the common themes across the globe in the discussions on international higher education.

Viewed through the lens of a small public university in the UK, this paper presents the results from a study examining the meaning of internationalisation, its practice, and what it means in the context of an inclusive international higher education strategy.

It argues that in a world where 97% of the world’s student population engaged in higher education is not globally mobile for a variety of reasons, internationalisation to be inclusive must adopt a holistic approach and be woven into the fabric of the institution’s life. Implemented as a Whole Institution Initiative (WII), this must be accompanied by clear Intent, Investment, and Infrastructure (3 I’s), connecting strategy, policy, and day-to-day practices at all levels and functions of the institution.

The framework that has been developed as a result of this study provides insight and practical guidance to Higher Education institutions on how to approach internationalisation holistically. At a strategic level, it will be useful to institutional leaders and national policymakers to understand the issues entailed in formulating international strategies, processes, and programmes in developing an inclusive internationalisation strategy and not merely focusing on international student recruitment and inward mobility. At a course/programme level, it provides valuable practical insight and guidance to academics and programme administrators involved in developing and delivering inclusive internationalisation.

'Buen Vivir': The Good Life Theme for Social Work Practice

Venkat Pulla — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

World Social Work Day (WSWD), observed on the third Tuesday of March, honours social workers. It is an occasion to reaffirm dedication to well-being programs, universal access and equity, and a fair go for all who receive services from the profession. The concept of harmonious coexistence between communities and nature, as well as the collaboration of social workers and local citizens to create peaceful communities, is critical for a sustainable future. This editorial is a self-congratulatory piece on the identification of the correct theme for future social work, but it also provides a brief explanation of what the 'Buen Vivir': The Good Life theme entails for modern social work practice.

Productive and Decent Work Employment Opportunities: Reflections of Sustainable Development Goal 8

Deepika Chahal, Anju Rani — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study measures the impact of seven indicators of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Goal 8, which is about productive and decent work and employment opportunities in India. The study employs pooled ordinary least squares (POLS) methods to capture the impact of seven indicators— annual growth rate of real GDP per capita, ease of doing business, unemployment rate, labour force participation rate, participation of informal workers, fatal and non-fatal occupation injuries, and banking outlets, on SDG 8, for 2018-2021. The findings reveal that the annual growth rate of real GDP per capita, labour force participation rate, and ease of doing business influence SDG 8’s score positively and significantly. On the contrary, the unemployment rate impacts sustainable score value negatively and significantly. The inferences of the study did not unwrap a significant effect of the percentage of workers in the informal sector, fatal and non-fatal occupation injuries and the number of banking outlets on SDG8. The study recommends reducing unemployment and increasing labour force participation rates in the economy for sustainability. At the same time, policymakers must focus on enhancing the ease of doing business and the annual growth rate of real GDP per capita to realise decent work and employment opportunities. To advance sustainable development goals, especially SDG 8, fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth is the need of the hour.

Measuring the Impulse Buying Behaviour of Consumers: Special Reference to Food and Beverages

Nidhi Sheoran — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Impulse buying is when buyers make unplanned purchases that sometimes leave them satisfied or dissatisfied. The present study surveyed 546 customers who purchased food and beverage brands to understand their buying behaviour in the state of Haryana, India. The study used a well-structured questionnaire, collected data via social media platforms, and drew inferences using frequency and descriptive analysis. The results reveal that most consumers tend to buy impulsively regarding food and beverage products. The findings further reveal that consumers make impulsive purchases based on specific choices, preferences, or attachments to brands without considering the brand’s features or other characteristics. Companies can use these inferences to understand the target market’s purchasing patterns and make informed decisions to boost sales. The study recommends that food and beverage companies adopt strategies to attract impulsive buyers based on demographic features and focus on packaging to attract consumers with different personality traits.

Gendered Disparities in Water and Sanitation through an Intersectional Lens: Emphasising Women’s Perspectives

Sumit Shekhar, Amrita Dwivedi — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The relationship between gender and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) has been a widely accepted concern among academicians, activists, and social workers in India, but research and policies focusing on gender and sanitation often fail to address the issue of the intersectionality of identities. Analysing the complex intersection of caste, class, age and gender with water and sanitation in rural India extends new opportunities to explore the complex power dynamics prevalent in society. A focus group study with 54 female participants of seven discussions and in-depth interviews has been conducted in the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh to explore the social relations and differences in the physical world within the context of accessibility, affordability, and availability in the water and sanitation sector. Given gendered and other social divisions, we elaborate on how women play an essential role in water and sanitation management in the household. This study also offers evidence of rural women’s experiences of intra-personal, household, and social harassment and violence related to poor or absence of sanitation and water infrastructure due to intersectional social dynamics. We also demonstrate how theorising about a single dimension of social difference ignores the different groups’ access to power, leading to inequality and disparity.

Unlocking Trade Potential: A Stochastic Frontier Gravity Model Analysis of India-Africa Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Goods Trade

Uttam Karmakar, Amiya Sarma — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study examines the relatively unexplored domain of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) trade between India and the African Union (AU), applying the Stochastic Frontier Gravity Model (SFGM) to measure the untapped potential and discern factors that impede trade. It points out India’s burgeoning role in global ICT trade, with the AU being an increasingly valuable market due to its digital growth and young population. The research identifies India’s significant comparative advantage in exporting telecommunication equipment, with a Revealed Comparative Advantage of 3.54, strategically enhancing its position in the global marketplace. The research notes the high trade complementarity index of 0.984 in 2021, indicating a strong synergy between India’s export capabilities and the AU’s demand, suggesting a beneficial trade relationship. It acknowledges the shift in Africa’s ICT import partners, highlighting China’s rising influence and the need for India to solidify its market share in Africa strategically.

The SFGM’s application to evaluate trade efficiency, considering factors such as GDP, exchange rate, distance, tariff rate, and language, provides insightful conclusions. Positive impacts of GDP, exchange rate, and shared language on bilateral ICT trade are found to be significant. The findings emphasise the importance of strengthening trade ties for economic development and digital transformation in Africa.

Health Conditions of Inter-State Migrants in Marine Fisheries: A Study of Kerala

Jenikrishna MU, Neelmani Jaysawal — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The marine fisheries are one of the vital occupations in the southern parts of India. This industry is considered to be the foundation of revenue generation for these states. Kerala, being located at the southernmost part of India, is promoting this industry with support from inter-state migrant labourers. The inter-state migrants working in Kerala’s maritime industry are from northern and southern India. As a result of higher salaries and improved working conditions in this unskilled sector, people from the North and Eastern parts of the country have started to migrate to Kerala. Indeed, the continual cash flow in this sector makes it lucrative and invites a large influx of migrant labour to this region. These inter-state migrant labourers work for more than eight hours and spend 10 to 15 days at sea while fishing. They have to stay with heavy pieces of equipment at sea away from shore. This heart-wrenching situation deteriorates their health. They come across various kinds of professional injuries while fishing. Some of these fishermen and fisherwomen encounter long-term effects from those injuries.

On the other hand, catering to their health needs seems challenging due to the lack of adequate medical facilities for migrant labourers. Following the increase in migratory flow, Kerala’s health system has faced several institutional impediments. The lack of identification of migrant labourers cripples the entire process of providing access to a better healthcare system to them. As a result, inter-state migrant labourers in the marine industry are facing various health-related challenges due to the nature of this profession and the apathy of state machinery.

Therefore, this study seeks to explore the health issues affecting the inter-state migrant labourers in Kerala’s marine sector through a mixed-method research design.

Assessing the Managerial Capabilities of Staff: A Systematic Model

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Currently, there are many advanced and proven evaluation methods. However, there is practically no work on the systematisation of evaluation criteria considering management levels, tasks, and functions. The purpose of the study is to develop a systemological model for assessing the managerial potential of personnel, which combines the main components that determine the effectiveness of the organisation’s management staff. This study involved 48 males and 34 females aged 23 to 66 years, performing the role and functions of a leader. The primary condition for selecting the participants for the study was based on the level of higher education and managerial experience. All respondents were divided into five groups based on their qualifications, as well as the experiences gained from the management activities. To accomplish the study’s objectives, an evaluation list of criteria was compiled, which made it possible to systematise the managerial potential of personnel based on management levels, tasks, and functions performed. The findings of the study demonstrate systematisation of approaches to managerial potential from the organisation’s perspective, which in turn allowed us to build a systemological model for assessing the managerial potential of personnel.