Purpose-The integration of creating shared value (CSV) into tourism development presents a significant opportunity to simultaneously pursue sustainable development goals (SDGs) and promote the inclusion of Bottom of Pyramid (BoP) markets. However, this potential remains largely untapped because of the dominance of profit-driven tourism models, the difficulty in aligning diverse stakeholder interests and the challenge of balancing commercially viable practices with inclusive growth strategies. This study aims to developed a framework to map the hierarchical relationships between CSV strategies, tourism development drivers and their impact on SDGs and BoP integration. Design/methodology/approach-The study uses interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and MICMAC analysis to identify the strategic linkages between CSV, SDG and BoP market and how their interaction converges into SDGs-based sustainable tourism. The framework was validated through case studies of tourism initiatives in Uttarakhand, India, a region characterized by diverse tourism patterns. Findings-The findings highlight the interconnectedness between CSV, SDGs and BoP markets, showing that adopting CSV in tourism can address SDGs while effectively engaging BoP communities. Although existing tourism initiatives in Uttarakhand reflect elements of CSV, a more comprehensive approach is needed to maximize the impact. The study extends knowledge on serving BoP communities through CSV-integrated innovative business models for incremental socio-economic value creation. Originality-This study offers practical value by equipping decision-makers with a framework to evaluate tourism initiatives that generate business value while advancing SDGs and fostering BoP inclusion, paving the way for sustainable and inclusive tourism development.

Purpose BRICS countries are close allies of each other for economic and social development as they are interconnected and interdependent on each other in advancing economic and social development due to their interconnectedness and interdependence. This study aims to check the impact of currency fluctuations of BRICS countries on Indian stock market especially on metaverse stocks.Design/methodology/approachThe study covers the period from March 31, 2021 to December 31, 2023, incorporating 679 observations of 13 metaverse stocks and the currencies of BRICS nations. To analyze the impact, the study uses econometric models, including the Johansen co-integration model, Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) and Impulse-Response function, to examine the relationships between the variables.FindingsThe research findings highlight the relationship between metaverse stocks and the currencies of BRICS nations. The trace statistics for all variables surpass the critical value of 0.05, confirming significant relationship among them. Moreover, the results from the VECM demonstrate a statistically significant link between metaverse stocks and the four selected BRICS currencies, indicating that exchange rate fluctuations directly influence the stock returns of metaverse-related companies. Additionally, the Impulse-Response analysis reveals that changes in currency values trigger both positive and negative responses in stock performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe study uses a data set comprising 679 observations and four international currencies analyzed through co-integration and VECM models. Future research could expand the scope by incorporating a larger data set, additional currencies and alternative analytical tools to provide deeper insights.Practical implicationsConsidering the strong connection between currency volatility and stock returns in the metaverse sector, Indian policymakers could explore the development of more robust financial instruments to help companies in this space manage exchange rate risks effectively.Originality/valueThe study stands out for its originality by being among the pioneering studies to explore the linkage between stock market dynamics and economic parameters within the emerging metaverse industry. It contributes significantly to the academic discourse on technological advancements and financial markets, offering valuable insights for investors, policymakers and future researchers in this nascent yet impactful domain.

PurposeBlockchain technology (BCT) is a novel and disruptive innovation that can transform procurement processes in various industries, including the food sector. BCT can offer benefits such as transparency, traceability, security, and efficiency for procuring food products, which are essential for ensuring food security and quality. However, BCT faces several challenges that hinder its adoption and implementation in the food procurement domain, potentially impacting food security. Thus, this present work aims to identify the challenges of adopting blockchain technology in food Procurement 4.0 to support food security.Design/methodology/approachEleven key challenges were identified through a literature search and are validated by domain experts. These challenges are modeled using the fuzzy-Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation of Laboratory (fuzzy-DEMATEL) technique. The fuzzy-DEMATEL technique allows us to explore the causal behavior of challenges that help further build strategic action.FindingsThe findings reveal that lack of understanding and awareness (BTCP4) and immature legal acceptance/ regulatory policies (BTCP2) are the most prominent barriers. The insights obtained from this work could be utilized by government agencies, policymakers and key industry players to prepare strategies to eliminate the challenges impeding the successful adoption of BCT in Procurement 4.0, thus ensuring food security for all.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of this research are listed here, and they can be taken up in future research. This research employed a fuzzy-DEMATEL technique contingent upon experts' subjective judgments and preferences, which may result in biases and inaccuracies in data collection and analysis. The number of experts is also a serious concern for the present study. Future studies may apply an integrated modeling approach with more experts to realize the results better. Additionally, the readiness assessment for adopting BCT could be done in a contextual setting to understand challenges better.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, the present work is the first of its kind to navigate blockchain challenges in Procurement 4.0 to ensure food security.

Despite the growing research on sustainability, exactly how sustainability and trade credits are linked in the supply chain (SC) is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to bridge this gap by examining how both supplier and retailer sustainability-linked strategies and investment decisions influence trade credit terms, inventory decisions, and overall SC sustainability performance. We developed an integrated mathematical model that includes product deterioration, sustainability-linked investments, sustainability practices, financial dynamics, and partial backlogging to evaluate how these aspects affect overall integrated SC sustainability. With the help of numerical experiments and concavity analysis, the results confirm that moderate-to-high sustainability investments with coordinated credit terms significantly improve both environmental and financial sustainability. The study confirms the strong influence of preservation technology and sustainability practices in minimizing product deterioration and supporting longer inventory cycles, even under stockout risk. The retailer's sustainability efforts can enhance demand, lessen waste, and lessen credit default risk, indicating higher total profit for the supplier, and trade credit terms can be a strategic tool to promote and incentivize sustainability practices. The inclusion of partial backlogging with sustainability efforts can foster SC coordination and customer service levels. Moreover, concavity analysis validates the robustness of the model, providing a reliable strategic decision-making tool to enhance sustainability across both upstream and downstream SCs, address inventory overstocking and understocking issues, optimize trade credit contracts, and improve the overall sustainability of the SC.

Expansion of educational opportunities has the potential to overcome social and economic inequalities. Educational achievements might be used as a social policy tool to reduce socio-economic inequalities by improving labor market outcomes. However, the benefits derived depend on academic choices an individual makes and the social group he or she belongs to. Children from marginalized social groups choose different academic tracks than those from privileged ones, which accounts for further differences in labor market outcomes. The present study examines whether social background defines educational achievements in India. The findings reveal that students with marginalized background have significantly lower test scores at all three tested educational levels (high school, bachelor and MBA). Social background remains the strongest predictor for educational achievements even after controlling for academic track choices and previous performance of the students. Using the social transformation theory, the study further concludes that differences in achievement scores by socio-economic background could be reduced by aspirational marginalized students; however, those cannot be erased completely.

The main objective of this study is to identify the key parameters guiding branding strategy formulation within the diverse landscape of the fast-moving consumer goods sector across distinct cultures. A comprehensive review was conducted, and four evaluation criteria and thirteen corresponding sub-criteria were meticulously chosen and validated through expert opinions. Moreover, a structured survey was conducted among 40 seasoned brand managers and decision-makers in fast-moving consumer goods firms operating within the chosen cultures. The data were analysed using the analytic hierarchy process to fulfil the research's aim. The findings highlighted the importance of target market selection, direct distribution channels, points of differentiation and sales promotions in cultures characterized by high uncertainty avoidance and individualism. Furthermore, communication, indirect distribution channels and the perceived quality of products emerged as crucial parameters in cultures with low uncertainty avoidance and a collectivistic orientation. These differences underscore the need to adapt branding strategies to cultural expectations rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. This study contributes to practice by guiding culturally attuned strategies. Moreover, it provides resource allocation strategies, ensuring brand strategies are both budget-friendly and effective.

PurposeThis study tries to identify important criteria and sub-criteria for the evaluation of suppliers for effective management of supply chain sustainability risks (SCSR). This study also demonstrates the application of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method in a specific case of a company that is managing a short food supply chain and facing difficulty in ranking the suppliers on three dimensions of sustainability.Design/methodology/approachLiterature reviews and expert opinions are used to identify and assess the sub-criteria for each of the three dimensions of sustainability, followed by pairwise comparison as per the AHP methodology. Finally, the proposed framework is used to evaluate the three suppliers that represent approximately 70% of the total tea sourced by the case company.FindingsNone of the three suppliers is best on all three dimensions of sustainability. The rank order of suppliers together on the three dimensions is different than the rank order with respect to each of the dimensions separately. The results obtained are useful for the case company to understand the risk associated with each of their suppliers. Also, it helps them develop a proactive plan to address those risks. The results also show that the overall country-level indices may not accurately reflect the individual supplier level, and specific information may help to make better judgements.Research limitations/implicationsThe study only demonstrates the evaluation of tier-one suppliers. There are various suppliers in the supply chain (tier two and tier three), and there could be missing or inadequate information about these next-level suppliers that augments SCSR substantially. The study focussed on the countries of three specific suppliers, and sustainability parameters are highly contextual and vary from country to country.Practical implicationsThis study proposes a multi-criteria decision framework to evaluate and analyse suppliers based on their performance against SCSR. Using the AHP method, a case application is demonstrated for sustainable supply chain risk management. By considering SCSR in the evaluation process, the case company is able to prioritise prevailing risks, analyse suppliers' positions against these risks and initiate appropriate risk management strategies. The proposed framework provides a powerful tool for making SCSR decisions in similar contexts.Social implicationsThe results helped the company to effectively and efficiently prioritize SCSR and rate suppliers using the proposed framework. It is also observed from the results that the social criterion related to human rights (0.161) was highest in the case company's priority, followed by child labour (0.118). This fact adds value to the proposition that although social sustainability has featured less in academia, it is unclear whether this is apparent in practice.Originality/valueThe study uses experts from a case company based in the UK which is in the business of procurement and supply of tea and is managing a short food supply chain. The framework is the first of its kind using all three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, social and economic.

While large humanitarian organizations (HOs) such as the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot preposition relief items at strategic hubs during the preparedness phase, many local HOs procure relief supplies only after assessing beneficiaries' needs in the response phase. This often leads to procurement and last-mile distribution challenges due to disrupted road infrastructure, coordination issues, and inequitable aid distribution, resulting in severe shortages of relief supplies and ultimately aggravating the beneficiaries suffering. This paper addresses these gaps by proposing an integrated framework for effective procurement and equitable last-mile distribution in disaster response operations. Driven by practice, we analyse buyback and options contracts accounting for the beneficiary's deprivation cost to coordinate the procurement process between the HO and the supplier under varying road conditions. Subsequently, we develop a multi-period last-mile relief distribution model that bridges the gap between the HO and the beneficiaries and accounts for social costs, fleet capacity, and uncertain demand. The integrated analytical framework aims to provide a sequential map of the procurement and last-mile distribution, enhancing the three critical metrics of humanitarian logistics: efficiency, effectiveness and equity. A case study of the Assam Floods validates the framework, demonstrating its potential to improve disaster response outcomes by addressing procurement and last-mile distribution challenges in real-world scenarios. Lastly, this study offers several managerial implications for humanitarian practitioners working in disaster response operations.

In these turbulent times, destinations fiercely compete to attract tourists to build, sustain, and grow their market share. Fostering a favorable perception about a destination through the stereotyping process can help the destinations achieve the same. Thus, this study delves into the emerging concept of destination stereotyping by applying social exchange and signaling theories. We aim to propose and examine the model exploring one of its essential drivers, i.e., destination social responsibility (DSR), and its outcome destination brand engagement (DBE). We also study destination reputation as the moderator for the relationships among DSR, destination stereotype, and DBE. Using structural equation modeling, a collected sample of 520 respondents was analyzed. Findings reveal that DSR influences destination stereotypes, i.e., destination warmth, destination competence, and DBE. Further, destination competence emerged as a predictor of DBE. However, counterintuitively, destination warmth failed to affect DBE in the context of Indian destinations. Finally, destination reputation exhibited a moderating effect for all the proposed relationships. Destination marketers need to emphasize on developing socially responsible destinations to drive desirable outcomes including perceived warmth, competence and engagement among travelers.

Research on digital platforms has paid scant attention to the entanglement of digital platforms with physical spaces, their interactions, and associated tensions. The entanglement is of increased consequence in the wake of ontological reversal wherein digital constructs the physical. Using Lefebvre's spatial triad of perceived, conceived, and lived space to study digital platform ecosystems, this paper argues that digital platforms through the production of digital space have dramatically transformed the access, experiences, and meanings of the offline physical spaces, thereby emerging as co-producers of contemporary physical space. We illustrate that this process of co-production can lead to gradual emergence of tensions that arise due to the divergence between conceived and lived space and the essential differences in the rationalities of physical and digital space. In doing so, we develop a new spatial understanding of how tensions emerge and build in digital platform ecosystems.

In the policy discourse on urban poor, the homeless - including hawkers, pavement dwellers and evicted slum dwellers, among other groups - have been understood as a 'crisis in the city'. Seen as encroachers and the result of failed urban planning, laws and judicial interventions have not given them the space in cities that they have demanded through litigation. Instead, one observes a re-emphasis on referring to these groups as a 'challenge of urban crisis', or illegal occupants, primarily through begging prevention legislation that has criminalized the urban homeless. This paper describes how the legal situation, through laws such as the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act (BPBA) 1959, creates difficult lives for those who participate actively in the life of the city. I argue for the amendment of a colonial law that serves to criminalize and exclude the homeless in India's metropolitan cities.

This study aims to contribute to sponsorship-related research by exploring how the linguistic information cues of posts referring to event sponsors influence digital consumer engagement (DCE) in a mega-sports event. A total of 3,416 tweets (resulting in over 6.24 million engagements) published on 25 sponsors of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar are collected using the X (Twitter) API. The study examines the influence of linguistic cues, including drives, affective cues, cognitive cues, and social language, in sponsor-related content on DCE. The study reveals that using drives and cognitive language positively impacts DCE through the central information processing route. Affective language and social language enhance DCE through the peripheral information processing route. From a managerial perspective, the findings underscore the importance of tailoring tweet content to align with different motivational drivers of consumers, thus enhancing DCE.

PurposeEngaging consumers with brands to generate multiple benefits has become critical for the firms. In this direction, this paper aims to study perceived brand authenticity's role in engendering online brand community engagement. Brand commitment and positive word of mouth were tested as the outcomes of online brand community engagement. This paper also examines the moderation of psychological brand ownership.Design/methodology/approachA theoretically robust model based on relevant literature on online brand community engagement is tested using data from 428 users of various firm-hosted brand communities.FindingsPerceived brand authenticity's three dimensions, i.e. credibility, continuity and symbolism, emerged as predictors of online brand community engagement. Brand commitment and positive word of mouth were also established, stemming from online brand community engagement. Also, psychological brand ownership partially moderated the relationship between perceived brand authenticity and online brand community engagement.Research limitations/implicationsFuture studies are suggested to test this framework's relevance in other contexts to capture the essence of online brand community engagement.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates perceived brand authenticity as a vital precursor to online brand community engagement. Second, the study offers brand commitment and positive word of mouth as valuable outcomes of online brand community engagement. Third, current work establishes psychological brand ownership as a moderator in the context of authentic brands.

Social media engagement (SME) is crucial for sports clubs to build strong relationships and realise financial gains. To drive SME, sports clubs must focus on 'what to post' and 'how to communicate it' on social media. The research addresses this by studying the impact of informational and non-informational cues embedded in social media posts. This study draws upon the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) of persuasion. We identify five features (content type, language complexity, visual complexity, media richness, and content sentiment) influencing users' SMEs. A qualitative content analysis is conducted to classify the content type, while the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) dictionary is used to analyse the linguistic characteristics of the social media posts. Finally, Poisson regression analysis investigates the effect of content characteristics on SME measures, namely likes, comments, and shares on Facebook posts. A total of 1,880 Facebook posts (registering over 45 million impressions) by four cricket clubs from the Indian Premier League were analysed. The study empirically validates content features that aid/impede information processing to positively/negatively impact users' SME. This research contributes to social media communication by demonstrating linguistics as an effective approach to enhancing SME outcomes.

PurposeWith the rise in population and food consumption, the concerns for food safety have intensified, posing significant risks to public health and increasing the demand for pharmaceuticals. This has led to the growth of online pharmacies as a solution for better healthcare accessibility. Although such online pharmacies are supported by advancements in digital health technologies, a number of challenges inversely affect their widespread adoption, particularly about food security, pharmaceutical quality and societal well-being. The present study aims to bridge this critical gap by identifying key barriers, analyzing their interdependencies and assessing their impact on healthcare access.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs an integrated methodological framework combining Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) to analyze barriers to online pharmacy adoption systematically. ISM is used to identify and structure key barriers, creating a hierarchical framework that delineates their influence and dependence. DEMATEL further elucidates causal relationships among these barriers, quantifying interdependencies and evaluating their implications for food security and societal well-being.FindingsThe analysis identifies lack of inspection and regulation and lack of trust as primary barriers. ISM reveals a hierarchical structure, while DEMATEL highlights eight causal barriers, including insufficient information, interstate sale challenges, delayed delivery and inaccurate medication, among others.Practical implicationsThe study will be helpful in preparing a strategic framework for policymakers, healthcare professionals and e-retailers to enhance food safety, quality assurance and health education. The comprehensive approach also enables decision-makers to develop empirically driven strategic interventions.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the theoretical framework of food quality and supports the development of prerequisite programs for promoting healthy lifestyles.

Traditional project control is inadequate for complex projects like oil and gas (O&G) infrastructure projects, as evidenced by their persistent underperformance. The objective of this study is to explore the dimensions of project monitoring and control (M&C) from a holistic viewpoint on project control and performance. An empirical study was conducted using a multi-method approach for data collection and qualitative analysis within the context of O&G projects in India. The findings reveal a comprehensive framework of nineteen core processes (i.e. dimensions) of project M&C, which extend beyond the conventional control. The results also indicate that all the M&C dimensions, as a control package, impact the project's overall performance. The findings emphasize the M&C processes such as monitoring project-closure, resource & procurement, compliance and team (performance), and communication & coordination (control), change control and project risk M&C. Thus, the study presents a holistic perspective on project control, based on the 'management control system,' transcending the traditional methods to identify various managerial elements of project M&C aimed at enhancing performance. Its practical implications lie in the framework's integrated approach, focusing on key processes of project M&C during execution, for improved performance management in infrastructure projects, particularly in the Indian O&G projects.

PurposeThe concept of employee voice encompasses both promotive voice (PmV) and prohibitive voice (PbV), with PmV representing the affirmative facet that resonates strongly with the ethos of positive organisational scholarship (POS). The purpose of this paper is to explore the alignment between PmV and the core principles of POS. This paper embarks on a quest to enrich the existing literature by contextualising PmV through the prism of POS, thereby furnishing invaluable insights for future scholarly discourse.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a storytelling approach encompassing key steps: narrative conflict, main characters, narrative setting, event sequencing, disciplined imagination and the creation of a new narrative. By combining theoretical insights from storytelling with empirical findings from meta-analysis, this study conceptualises PmV within the POS domain.FindingsPmV is theorised as Positive Voice because a discerning analysis reveals that PmV inherently embodies a positivity-infused demeanour, coupled with a forward-looking stance - an attribute conspicuously akin to that of a POS construct.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper contributes to the existing body of literature on PmV, deepening its conceptualisation as a construct within POS. It encourages future research to examine PmV's broader positive impact across organisational contexts.Originality/valueThe existing literature remains silent on the necessity of situating PmV within the POS framework. Through this work, the authors seek to theorise positive voice and its relevance in this context.

We study herding behaviour in Indian investment trusts, which comprise real estate investment trusts (REITs) and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs), from July 2021 to March 2025. We employ two distinct methodologies: the high-frequency herding intensity statistic of Patterson and Sharma (2006), and a modified version of the return dispersion-based approach of Chang et al. (2000). The results provide clear evidence of herding in these markets, which is notable given that they have relatively less information asymmetry, volatility, and cash flow uncertainty than traditional equities. Noticeably, herding is absent before the reduction of the minimum trading lot size to one unit by the Indian regulatory body, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, in late 2021, which indicates the influence of increased retail participation. During COVID-19, herding was more pronounced in REITs than in InvITs, thus reflecting heightened uncertainty in the commercial real estate sector. These findings have broader implications for regulation, portfolio management, and market efficiency.

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of supervisor incivility on employees' attitudes and behaviors in the hospitality industry. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study proposes that supervisor incivility leads to emotional exhaustion and quiet quitting among hotel employees as a coping mechanism. Furthermore, resilience enables employees to cope with exhaustion differently, which will subsequently reflect in their intentions to quit.Design/methodology/approachUsing partial least squares-structural equation modeling, this study tests the unique model on a sample of 273 hotel employees from the USA and the UK.FindingsThe study's findings, which reveal that supervisor incivility is not positively associated with intentions to quit, are significant. The results assert that emotional exhaustion and quiet quitting serially mediate the relationship between supervisor incivility and intentions to quit. Furthermore, the moderation effect of resilience on the relationship between emotional exhaustion and quiet quitting is a critical finding that sheds light on the complex dynamics at play.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to both theoretical and managerial understanding, providing actionable insights. It suggests interventions for organizations to maintain a civil work environment, empowering them to address and mitigate the adverse effects of supervisor incivility on employees' attitudes and behaviors.Originality/valueThis study makes a unique and significant contribution to the existing literature on supervisor incivility, emotional exhaustion, quiet quitting, resilience and intentions to quit. This study provides a fresh perspective and valuable insights by advancing our understanding of these complex dynamics.

Background: In today's demanding work environments, employees' subjective well-being is declining, contributing to an elevated employee turnover rate. Leveraging ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO)-enhancing HR practices has emerged as a promising approach to address this issue and improve subjective well-being. While existing research extensively examines the relationship between HR practices and subjective well-being, a comprehensive conceptual model detailing the nuanced interplay between AMO bundles and subjective well-being remains underexplored. Objective: The study aims to identify and classify various categories of HR practices within the AMO framework and develop an integrative conceptual model linking AMO practices to subjective well-being. Methods: A systematic review of 43 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted using an inductive content analysis approach. The articles were selected in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the PRISMA framework. Results: The findings identify HR practices categorized within the AMO framework, comprising two ability-enhancing practices (conducting training and development programs, recruitment practices), four motivation-enhancing practices (psychological support, incentives and rewards, building meaningful relationships, and flexible working hours), and three opportunity-enhancing practices (participation and involvement, job enrichment, and career advancement opportunities). These practices were shown to enhance employees' subjective well-being significantly. Conclusion: The study offers actionable insights for managers, emphasizing the importance of implementing AMO-driven HR practices as cohesive bundles rather than in isolation to maximize their impact on subjective well-being. Notably, employees demonstrated a strong preference for motivation-enhancing practices, followed by opportunity- and ability-enhancing practices. Additionally, the study suggests that managers integrate artificial intelligence (AI) within HRM systems to further improve employees' subjective well-being substantially. This study contributes to the strategic HRM and well-being literature by developing a comprehensive conceptual model that elucidates the intricate relationships between AMO bundles and subjective well-being.