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Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a major source of employment and revenue growth in developing nations like India, but they also face challenges from resource shortages, shifting consumer demand and heightened competition. This research aims to discover the aspects that enhance SMEs' competitiveness and performance.

By analyzing literature and consulting experts, 10 factors that boost a firm's competitiveness were identified. The total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) method was then used to determine their interaction and structural hierarchy. Neutrosophic-MICMAC analysis was employed to assess the driving-dependence power of each factor.

The study discovered that the factor, namely “entrepreneurial orientation,” was found to be a significant one. “Manufacturing strategy” was found to be extremely dependent on the remaining competitive advantage factors.

This SME-focused framework can be adopted by large businesses to enhance organizational performance by focusing on critical factors. The study depends on experts' judgment, which might be biased. Findings will assist SMEs in identifying significant factors influencing competitive advantage and relationships, increasing awareness of factors contributing to competitive edge.

The results of the research may encourage SME sector managers and practitioners to prioritize the factors that contribute to a firm's competitive advantage.

The majority of research on SME competitive advantage focuses on individual aspects. To add to the body of knowledge on the subject, this study applies the TISM technique to Indian SMEs to identify the contextual interactions among factors that increase long-term competitiveness.

This study aims to investigate the implementation of lean human resource management (HRM) practices in manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and explore how various factors interact to influence their successful adoption. By exploring the interplay among these factors, the research seeks to identify key drivers affecting the adoption of lean HRM in manufacturing SMEs. Ultimately, the research intends to provide insights that can guide organisations, practitioners and policymakers in effectively implementing lean HRM practices to enhance operational efficiency, workforce engagement and competitiveness within the manufacturing SME sector.

The study combined total interpretive structural modelling (TISM) and Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement (MICMAC) analysis. TISM helped in understanding the hierarchical relationship among different factors influencing lean HRM implementation, whereas MICMAC analysis provided insights into the level of influence and dependence of each factor on others.

The research revealed that “top management support” emerged as the most independent factor, indicating that strong support from top management is crucial for initiating and sustaining lean HRM practices in manufacturing SMEs. On the other hand, “employee involvement and empowerment” was identified as the most dependent factor, suggesting that fostering a culture of employee engagement and empowerment greatly relies on the successful implementation of lean HRM practices.

While the study provided valuable insights, it has certain limitations. The research was conducted within the specific context of manufacturing SMEs, which might limit the generalizability of the findings to other industries. Expert opinions introduce subjectivity in data collection. Additionally, the study may not cover all critical factors, allowing room for further exploration in future research.

The findings have practical implications for manufacturing SMEs aiming to implement lean HRM practices. Recognising the pivotal role of top management support, organisations should invest in cultivating a strong leadership commitment to lean HRM initiatives. Furthermore, enhancing employee involvement and empowerment can lead to better adoption of lean HRM practices, resulting in improved operational efficiency and overall competitiveness.

This research contributes to the field by offering a comprehensive exploration of the interplay among factors influencing lean HRM implementation. The use of TISM and MICMAC analysis provides a unique perspective on the relationship dynamics between these factors, allowing for a nuanced understanding of their roles in the adoption of lean HRM practices in manufacturing SMEs. The identification of “top management support” as the most independent and “employee involvement and empowerment” as the most dependent factors adds original insights to the existing literature.

This study aims to examine the impact of social media (SM) on the interactivity among teachers, among students and between students and teachers for sustainable academic performance and for achieving sustainable development (SD) in higher educational institutes. This study also investigates the moderating impact of knowledge creators (KNC) and knowledge seekers (KNS) on the collaborative learning environment using SM.

With the help of Vroom’s expectancy motivation theory (1964), collaborative learning theory and other theories, a theoretical model has been developed. This theoretical model has been tested using the structural equation modeling technique with 375 participants taken from different educational institutes. The respondent-–participants were both teachers and students.

The study found that SM plays a significant role in achieving SD al goals and enhances collaborative learning activities among teachers and students to improve academic performance to achieve SD in higher educational institutes. Also, the study highlighted that both “knowledge creators” and “knowledge seekers” have effective moderating impact on the linkage between “intention to use SM for knowledge sharing” and “collaborative learning using social media” to achieve SD al goals.

With the inputs from expectancy-instrumentality-valance theory and collaborative learning theory and existing literature, a theoretical model has been developed conceptually. Later, the model was successfully validated with an overall high explanatory power (72%) of this model. As the sample of the study do not represent a global representation of the population, thus the findings cannot be generalizable.

This study has provided valuable inputs to the SD practitioners and educational policymakers to formulate appropriate policies that enable SD al activities in higher educational institutes. This study also provides food for thought to the policymakers about the role of KNC and KNS toward the collaborative learning environment in achieving SD al goals in higher educational institutes.

The theoretical model developed in this study is unique. This study shows how both “knowledge creator” and “knowledge seeker” play a significant role toward collaborative learning and helps to achieve SD in higher learning institutes and improves their performance. The overall predictive power of the model is 72%, which also shows the effectiveness and uniqueness of the proposed model.

The global outbreak of COVID-19 and its subsequent varied impacts on different economic activities necessitate to examine its disruptions and impacts on livestock sector in India due to its recently surging potential as an unrivaled alternative to boost farmer’s income.

The studies for review were identified through search in different databases using relevant keywords. Only full text papers written in English language were reviewed. The review was organized and streamlined using Covidence software.

Analysis of the literature reveals adverse effects of COVID-19 on functioning of input and output stages of livestock supply chains. This has resulted in upstream and downstream economic losses that affect livelihoods of the producers.

Scale of unprecedented crisis due to COVID-19 pandemic requires creative policy decisions to make livestock production systems robust, resilient and sustainable. Organized production systems are required to integrate with livestock-tech startups to modernize their supply chains, whereas local supply chains are required to reorient with government’s intervention in terms of developing on-farm production and postproduction processing facilities.

Although there exist some evidence on COVID-19-related impacts on livestock sector of India, but an integrated review of evidence on COVID-19 related disruptions at all the stages (from input supply to marketing) of livestock supply chains was missing.

Smart HR 4.0 is a new concept characterized by adopting innovative technologies of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) in the HR domain. This study attempts to identify the key factors of Smart HR 4.0 to foster organizational innovation ambidexterity.

Based on review of literature and survey from expert opinions by using the Delphi method, 12 factors were found most suitable for this study. Further, the fuzzy-TISM technique was used to establish contextual relationships and develop a hierarchical model on the identified factors. Subsequently, the MICMAC analysis was applied to classify these factors according to their driving and dependence power.

This study framed a conceptual hierarchical model of Smart HR 4.0 and established contextual relationships among identified factors. Result shows that smart organic structure, industry–institute interface, IT-enabled system and ambidextrous leadership are important factors as they have the highest driving power. Further, knowledge management, learning culture and psychological empowerment are the linkage factors having both driving as well as dependency power in the whole system.

This study can guide the managers in smoothly implementing these practices to manage their human capital amidst digital disruption, ensuring innovation competitiveness of the firm. The structural hierarchical framework of Smart HR 4.0 may serve as a blueprint for HR professionals and business leaders to attain organizational innovation ambidexterity in the current wave of digital disruptions (Industry 4.0).

This study provides a holistic model of smart HR 4.0 integrating innovation ambidexterity in I4.0.

This study aims to delve into the evolution, trends and implications of scientific production related to service learning (SL) and community engagement for sustainability in higher education institutions (HEIs). Because HEIs play a crucial role in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs), experiential learning approaches are needed to actively involve students in sustainable development.

In total, 869 publications from Web of Science and Scopus databases were analysed using a bibliometric approach that included performance analysis and science mapping. Subsequently, a systematic literature review was conducted on 118 publications, focusing on their contribution to SDGs and alignment with United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s fields of expertise.

The findings reveal two significant trends: a substantial shift from curriculum development (2000–2010) to education for sustainable development (2011–2022), and the effectiveness of experiential learning teaching approaches, such as the integration of SL with community engagement and the use of innovative research methods in promoting the acquisition of sustainable development competencies. Additionally, community-based research, participatory action research and capacity development emerged as the primary topics.

While this research is based on publications from two prominent databases, it may not include significant studies published in other databases.

These findings suggest that stakeholders should incorporate experiential learning activities and innovative research approaches to enhance education in, for and from sustainability.

This study offers a fresh perspective on the intellectual framework of experiential learning teaching approaches concerning sustainability in HEIs.

This paper aims to investigate the extent of transgender (TG) inclusivity in workplaces, particularly comparing developed and developing economies. It seeks to address the social stigma faced by TG individuals in Asian economies, notably focusing on India. Through qualitative studies, the research identifies barriers hindering TG employment and proposes a theoretical framework to guide organizations in creating TG-inclusive work environments. The research intends to provide insights that enhance the experiences of TG employees while promoting diversity and inclusion in organizations.

This research comprises two qualitative studies aimed at first identifying barriers to TG employment through the lens of human resources (HR) professionals and then suggesting a theoretical framework to organizations for overcoming these barriers to achieve a TG-inclusive workplace. Thematic analysis, using Atlas.Ti software, and the interpretive structural modelling technique were used to synthesize a conceptual framework.

This study's outcomes highlight a substantial gap in achieving truly TG-inclusive workplaces, particularly in economies with prevalent social stigma like India. The findings show that traditional means may not be enough for building a TG-inclusive workplace, and organizations need to go the extra mile by promoting positive deviance and TG-centric corporate social responsibility initiatives to achieve results.

The results of this study provide insights for organizations seeking to improve the experiences of their TG employees and promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The incorporation of HR professionals' insights offers a practical perspective, and the conceptual framework proposed for organizations to overcome TG employment barriers is a novel contribution.

This study examines the impact of organisational agility on the performance of higher education institutions. It also aims to explore the mediating role of various capabilities, namely, service innovation, technology capability, learning capability, and collaborative knowledge creation, in the agility-performance relationship.

The sample of this study includes teaching staff of two prominent state universities of J&K, India. The study employs Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Structured Equation Modelling (SEM) for scale purification and hypotheses testing.

The results show that organisational agility positively influences performance of higher education institutions. Capabilities, namely, service innovation, technology capability, learning capability and collaborative knowledge creation, partially mediate the organisational agility-performance relationship.

The sample comprises teaching staff of two established universities of J&K, India.

For sustenance in the turbulent environment, higher educational institutions should employ practices like regular modification of academic programs, increasing the speed of logistics activities, investing in high-ended software and hardware facilities, and developing an open environment for the exchange of ideas by employees. Policy formulation should encourage adopting agile practices in higher education institutions for enhanced performance.

This paper focuses specifically on organisational agility and its impact on the performance of higher educational institutions. The study contributes to the agility literature by testing the mediating roles of service innovation, technology capability, learning capability and collaborative knowledge creation collectively in the relationship between organisational agility and performance, concluding that all these capabilities except service innovation enhance the effect of organisational agility on performance.

Technological start-ups are significant contributor to the innovation and employment provider in an economy. Numerous technological start-ups are established every year; however, only a miniscule percentage of these technological start-ups sustain and scale up in the long run. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors that affect Indian technological start-ups’ competitiveness.

Case study analysis of two technological start-ups (namely, WayCool and Moglix) is undertaken to study the factors affecting the competitiveness of technological start-ups in India. Being a relatively underexplored theme of study in entrepreneurship and strategy, case analysis facilitates exploration and validation of factors influencing competitiveness. Information for case study analysis is drawn from secondary sources of information. The collected data undergoes deductive thematic analysis to systematically identify and examine recurring themes and patterns relevant to the competitiveness of Indian technological start-ups.

Case analysis reveals that innovation intensity, organisational agility and internationalisation influence competitiveness of technological start-ups. The importance of the role of each of these factors for entrepreneurial ventures has been highlighted in literature; however, their effect on competitiveness has not been examined in extant literature.

Being among the few studies on the competitiveness of technological start-ups in specific and start-ups in general, this study highlights the gap in the literature and suggests the need for examining the competitiveness of technological start-ups.

For the practitioners, this study reinforces the need for entrepreneurs to emphasise fundamental factors that build competitiveness. Subsequently, the sources of competitiveness shall enable the start-up to gain a competitive advantage.

This is among the few studies to have explored the competitiveness of technological start-ups in the Indian context.

Capital markets are the backbone of an economy. COVID-19 has created an unacceptable and unpredictable economic environment worldwide, resulting in a significant setback for securities exchanges. India also experienced two waves of this pandemic, which led to a significant downturn in the capital market.

Researchers have endeavored to study the impact of the first and second waves of COVID-19 on the performance of various sectoral stocks in India. The performance of selected sectoral indices of the Bombay Stock Exchange was compared with the market performance of the S&P BSE 100. An event study was conducted to analyze the normal return, abnormal return (A.R.), and t-statistics of A.R. for various sectoral stocks. In addition, the abnormal returns of sectoral stocks between the first and second waves of COVID-19 in India were compared

The results of the tests showed heterogeneous A.R. between different sectors in both the first and second waves of COVID-19 in India. Positive investor outlook and government financial support programs for various sectors helped them recover from the second wave of COVID-19.

The study analyzed the impact of the peak of the first and second waves of COVID-19 on selected sectoral indices. There may be several reasons for the performance of this particular stock index. However, we have tried to analyze the best possible reasons for this turbulence in the performance of stocks of selected sectoral indices. The study can be further analyzed to examine the long-term impact of such a pandemic on other sectors.

The study is based on the panic behavior of investors during such a pandemic. No one was prepared for this and expected this pandemic to last this long. This pandemic has taught so many lessons to everyone involved. Investors need to be prepared and cautious for such unforeseen disasters before making any investment decision. They need to analyze which industry can survive under such circumstances, and then they should invest there. Industries and enterprises must adapt and improve by honestly looking at their weaknesses and trying to meet investors' expectations.