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This chapter analyzes the link between the digital divide, infrastructure regulation, and disaster planning and relief through a case study of the flood in San Jose, California triggered by the Anderson dam’s overtopping in February 2017 and an examination of communication failures during the 2018 wildfire in Paradise, California. This chapter theorizes that regulatory decisions construct social and disaster vulnerability. Rooted in the Whole Community approach to disaster planning and relief espoused by the United Nations and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, this chapter calls for leadership to end the digital divide. It highlights the imperative of understanding community information needs and argues for linking strategies to close the digital divide with infrastructure and emergency planning. As the Internet’s integration into society increases, the digital divide diminishes access to societal resources including disaster aid, and exacerbates wildfire, flood, pandemic, and other risks. To mitigate climate change, climate-induced disaster, protect access to social services and the economy, and safeguard democracy, it argues for digital inclusion strategies as a centerpiece of community-centered infrastructure regulation and disaster relief.

Introduction: Commercial banks play a vital role in the global economy, facilitating economic growth and providing essential financial services. As key intermediaries between savers and borrowers, these institutions operate in a dynamic and complex environment characterised by various risk factors that can significantly impact their profitability and overall stability. Understanding the interconnected relationships between credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and profitability is crucial for effective risk management strategies and the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks.

Purpose: Commercial banks play a critical role in the global economy by facilitating economic growth and providing financial services. This study examines the interconnected relationships between credit risk, interest rate risk, liquidity risk, and profitability in commercial banking.

Methodology: The sample consists of licenced scheduled commercial banks on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) from 2015 to 2022. Using the Smart PLS-SEM 3.0 path analysis technique, the study evaluates the combined influence of these risk factors on profitability and provides evidence-based recommendations for risk management strategies.

Findings: The findings can assist banks in enhancing their risk management practices, and regulators in developing appropriate regulatory frameworks. By understanding the key risk factors and their impact on profitability, banks and regulators can mitigate risks, enhance transparency, and promote stability within the banking sector.

Significance/value: The value of this study lies in its focus on the interconnectedness of risk factors, profitability, and the potential implications for decision-making, risk management strategies, regulatory frameworks, and the overall stability of the commercial banking sector.

This chapter aims to examine the position of the banking system and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on bank liquidity in six Western Balkan Countries. We aim to analyse the current financial parameters of the banking system to determine the impact of the pandemic’s various risks on the banking liquidity stability in response to the capital reserves of central banks of the respective countries. This chapter deals with cross-country comparison analysis of how the government responded including fiscal stimulus packages to prevent the financial downturn and the impact on liquidity retention. The methodology is based on a comparative data analysis using primary and secondary sources. Although it is too early to have full evidence of the depth of the pandemic impact, the findings show that because of the immediate actions undertaken by the liquidity management of each country and also as a result of the favourable liquidity position before the pandemic Crisis, the banking sector had sufficient reserves to overcome the risk of crisis. Moreover, all six Balkan Countries have adapted the regulatory framework in line with international emergency measures to maintain financial stability. The measures and instruments implemented by countries have generally complied with the Basel Committee’s instructions. The measures and instruments implemented by countries have generally complied with the Basel Committee’s instructions.

Purpose: This chapter is based on risk management of the insurance sector with reinsurance as its linchpin. Such is the importance of the insurance sector that its risk management must be considered.

Need for the study: Risk management of various sectors is gaining much attention. The insurance sector, known to manage the risk of multiple sectors, also requires its own chance to be controlled with the same or even more intensity. Considering the importance of reinsurance coupled with the dependency of primary insurers on reinsurers and the absence of research on reinsurers, the need to conduct a comprehensive study on the topic is felt.

Methodology: It will be a conceptual chapter based on the rigorous literature on the topic integrated with the researcher’s insights to bring forth the framework of reinsurers for the readers.

Findings: It is found that insurers can themselves become the victims of the financial crisis in case they insure risks that surpass their economic boundaries. Not only this, the failure of insurance companies can have a ripple effect on the country’s economy. Therefore, insurers must possess financial resilience; to remain so, they need to have prudent management of the risk they are undertaking.

Practical implications: The study covers a relatively less researched area of reinsurance and hence has a vast scope of research in the future. The study would be helpful to stakeholders like regulators and primary insurers. It will unveil the paradigm of reinsurance and enlighten the stakeholders on how to use it effectively.

This is an acceptable fact that firms put efforts to maximize shareholders wealth but there is growing demand that firms are also accountable to various stakeholders associated directly or indirectly with the firms' business activities. Investors now evaluate firm's performance not only from financial perspective but also consider environment, social, and governance (ESG) factors when taking investment decision. ESG is not visible in firm's annual financial reports but investors do not deny its significance when valuing firms. There are increasing interests in ESG by communities, professionals, and government bodies, and all are interested to keep it as part of firms' regular activity and have to relate it with firm performance and efficiency that affects firm value. Still, there are difficulties in integration of ESG factors into investment decision-making, but efforts are being put to overcome all the issues. Firms which consider ESG are in a good position to achieve their long-term financial goals as they are likely to attract capital, lower borrowing costs, mitigate risks, and maximize shareholders value.