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Purpose – The research was carried out in order to study the composition of minerals, content of total-K, total-Ca, total-Mg, and exchangeable of K, Ca, Mg in volcanish ash from Sinabung volcano eruption.

Design/Methodology/Approach – The volcanic ash material in amount of 5 kg was collected from the depth of 0–20 cm and 21–41 cm. Mineral composition was determined by using line counting method; total contents of K, Ca, and Mg were measured by HCl 1N extraction, and exchangeable of K, Ca, and Mg was measured by NH₄OAc 1N pH 7.0 extraction.

Purpose – The results depicted in volcanic ash layer at the depth of 0–20 cm found some minerals such as plagioclase (34%), hypersthene (9%), augite (3%), hornblende/amphibole (5%), and volcanic glass (1%). These minerals were also found in different amounts at a depth of 21–41 cm. Hypersthene and amphibole were higher and augite was lower at a depth of 0–20 cm than 21–41 cm. The total content of K, Ca, and Mg was found to be 2.27%, 8.12%, and 2.28%, respectively, at a depth of 0–20 cm. The exchangeable of K, Ca, and Mg was found in an amount of 1.89 me/100 g, 20.71 me/100 g, and 1.62 me/100 g, respectively. The total content of K, Ca, and Mg was not available to plants but could potentially be as a source of plant nutrient after weathering while exchangeable form can be uptaken by plant directly.

Research Limitations/Implications – Based on the composition of the minerals, total, and exchangeable of K, Ca, and Mg that the material of volcanic ash, it could potentially be used as source of fertilizers.

Originality/Value – The composition of primary minerals contained in volcanic ash and to know the amount of elements K, Ca, and Mg-associated minerals either in total or exchange.

Project management techniques for digital initiatives must shift with the transformation of content from analog to digital, from singular projects to mass-digitization and large-scale digital preservation. How are project management methods employed across digital practices, from digitization, to online access, to preservation? How can project management methods evolve to create a collaborative workflow across collection and service areas of librarianship, centered on digital stewardship?

Solutions for these questions are illustrated in an explanation of the workflows implemented at the University of Maryland, College Park Libraries and reflected upon in a case study of a recent digital initiative.

Centered on the efforts of two departments in the Libraries’ Digital Systems and Stewardship division, this chapter outlines the origins, techniques, and integration of digital project management with a focus on Waterfall and Agile project management. Furthermore, the integration and transition of project management methodologies and tools between groups is emphasized, mirroring the transformation of analog media to digital formats and the requisite shifts in thinking such projects require.

These case studies are based on research across the profession and implementation at the University of Maryland, College Park Libraries. The local application of two established project management techniques, Waterfall and Agile, are summarized and compared. Though regularly employed in application development, applying Agile project management in libraries is a relatively new practice and has not been widely documented in library literature.

The purpose of the chapter is to integrate the understanding of diversity from different perspectives in Indian context and see how the holistic view emerges.

The methodology used is primarily the literature review of the concepts and their evolution in Indian context and the use of secondary sources to extract praxis information.

It emerged from the exploration on diversity practices at the societal as well as organizational level in India that the country demonstrates intent to mainstream the people from different wakes, but with the changing context the format of the practices has changed.

The basic premise of the chapter needs to be explored further through primary data from practice.

This chapter is novel in a way that it integrates the diversity scholarship of four different streams viz. caste, gender, disability, and generation. Most of the existing research focuses only on a thin slice/one key dimension of diversity.

The objective of this chapter is to identify the key characteristics of Global Services businesses that will thrive and achieve success in the future. These factors are integrated into three main pillars, which we refer to as the Triple-Win. The first and most obvious pillar is technology as a tool. The second pillar is the design and sustainability of the business model, without which the previous factor would be merely a cost and not an investment. And last but not the least, there is the purpose which gives meaning to the proposal, focusing on the human being and their environment. The DIDPAGA business model sits at the intersection of these three elements.

The increasing accumulation of synthetic plastic waste in oceans and landfills, along with the depletion of non-renewable fossil-based resources, has sparked environmental concerns and prompted the search for environmentally friendly alternatives. Biodegradable plastics derived from lignocellulosic materials are emerging as substitutes for synthetic plastics, offering significant potential to reduce landfill stress and minimise environmental impacts. This study highlights a sustainable and cost-effective solution by utilising agricultural residues and invasive plant materials as carbon substrates for the production of biopolymers, particularly polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), through microbiological processes. Locally sourced residual materials were preferred to reduce transportation costs and ensure accessibility. The selection of suitable residue streams was based on various criteria, including strength properties, cellulose content, low ash and lignin content, affordability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, shelf-life, mechanical and physical properties, short maturation period, antibacterial properties and compatibility with global food security. Life cycle assessments confirm that PHB dramatically lowers CO₂ emissions compared to traditional plastics, while the growing use of lignocellulosic biomass in biopolymeric applications offers renewable and readily available resources. Governments worldwide are increasingly inclined to develop comprehensive bioeconomy policies and specialised bioplastics initiatives, driven by customer acceptability and the rising demand for environmentally friendly solutions. The implications of climate change, price volatility in fossil materials, and the imperative to reduce dependence on fossil resources further contribute to the desirability of biopolymers. The study involves fermentation, turbidity measurements, extraction and purification of PHB, and the manufacturing and testing of composite biopolymers using various physical, mechanical and chemical tests.

Gender equality as well as diversity in workplace in general and management in particular is said to provide a number of benefits, including new ideas and improved communication, insights into female market segmentation, and a greater work-life balance. While importance of women in corporate boards has been long acknowledged, but unfortunately till date females have made only modest gains in terms of directorships on corporate boards. Following the trend of this globalized business domain a paradigm shift in regulatory framework is witnessed in India by Section 149(1) of Companies Act, 2013 through mandatory inclusion of at least one female director in board. Against this backdrop, present study has envisaged the state of affairs relating to the gender diversity and corporate governance practices of selected major listed companies in India. However, it is really premature to reveal any statistically significant difference in their corporate governance disclosure practices based on the gender diversity. However, the positive vibes generated by the gender equality in the boardroom cannot be under-shadowed as across the world various empirical studies revealed that adherence to gender equality in substance over form on longer time horizon will definitely provide right momentum toward competitive advantage on sustainable basis for the business.

Within the framework of potential efforts and strategies to employment generation for young people in Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular, the agricultural sector is increasingly considered as an important sector and a valuable means for poverty reduction, the promotion of economic development, and youth's economic independence. Renewed hope is placed on the sector to offer sustainable livelihood prospects for the rural youth. Yet, the success and sustainability of the sector require a proper understanding of how households allocate youth labor time in the sector and whether agricultural labor supply is responsive to economic incentives such as shadow wages. Using gender- and age-specific plot-level panel data, we systematically analyze the impacts of shadow wages of each household member on youth agricultural labor supply across types of farms. The results indicate that agricultural shadow wages matter for the youth's labor supply in the sector, but the impact differs for male and female youth. We also show that trends and patterns of youth labor supply vary across gender and whether they work on their own farm, and so do their labor returns. The results are consistent after controlling for individual heterogeneity and instrumenting for possible endogeneity. Taking into account the intensity of youth's actual involvement in the family farm, own farm or off-farm work instead of their stated intentions, the results challenge the presumption that youth are abandoning agriculture, at least in agricultural potential areas of Ethiopia. Instead, the frequent narrative of youth disengaging from agriculture may be a result of methodological flaws or data limitations. The findings suggest that it is necessary to invest in agricultural development to enhance labor productivity and employability of young people in agriculture.