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This paper aims to analyze farm-level technical inefficiency of rice farming in Assam, India, using a multiple-output generalized stochastic frontier framework.

Primary data for this study were collected in 2009-2010 from 310 farm-households in four non-contiguous districts of Dhubri, Morigaon, Dibrugarh and Cachar that are located in different agro-climatic regions of Assam. Based on a Cobb–Douglas production function for multiple rice varieties, the paper simultaneously estimates the generalized stochastic production frontier and examines effects of exogenous factors on farm-level technical inefficiency.

Results of this study show that the average technical inefficiency of farms is 8.5 per cent in the sample. Further, inefficiency is lower in the frequently flood prone areas, and availability of government support helps reduce such inefficiency as well. However, technical efficiency is higher for the Muslim farm-households, and it decreases with greater land fragmentation. The study also finds that the use of primitive technology like bullock reduces technical efficiency of rice farming.

This paper is based on a novel data set that has specially been collected to examine productivity and efficiency of rice cultivation in the flood plains of Assam that has not been studied before. Further, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first one to model rice production as a multiple-output stochastic production frontier and analyze technical efficiency of rice production accordingly.

This study aims to empirically examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) and financial performance (FP) in Indian firms.

Data for CSRD is collected by conducting content analysis of CSRD in annual reports of the sampled firms. A multidimensional measure of CSRD is constructed based on the stakeholder theory, consisting of six stakeholder groups – employees, customers, investors, community, environment and others. The aggregate CSRD measure is created by combining disclosure of the six CSR dimensions. Multiple regression analysis is used to examine the CSRD–FP linkage, controlling for the confounding effects of size, risk, age, industry, ownership and period.

The results of this study indicate that the aggregate CSRD measures, both for quality and quantity, have a positive association with the accounting measures of firms’ FP. However, the market measure of FP is observed to have a statistically insignificant association with aggregate quality and quantity of CSRD of Indian firms.

The results reveal that adopting transparent and extensive CSRD is relevant for the profitability of firms, and that government interventions are required to promote CSR programs, with a specific focus on the CSR dimensions that provide no apparent financial gains.

This study recommends the adoption and reporting of CSR practices by Indian firms for their stakeholders.

This study contributes to the scarce literature on the CSRD–FP linkage in the context of emerging economies by using a more inclusive data set, creating a reliable measure of CSRD applicable to a large universe of firms and including relevant control variables that affect the CSRD–FP relationship.

There is controversy over whether foreign direct investment (FDI) increases or reduces environmental degradation in host countries resulting in pollution havens or pollution halos. Based on the concept of scale, technology and composition effects, this paper aims to examine the causal relationship between FDI and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in India.

This paper analyzes panel data of the three most polluting industries between 2005 and 2021 by conducting a Granger causality test.

The results provide evidence of pollution havens in the manufacturing and transportation industry, and in the metallurgy and chemical sectors within the manufacturing industry.

FDI inflows and CO₂ emissions are characterized by large regional variations in India. Hence, future studies of the pollution haven vs pollution halo effect in India could therefore use state-level or even district-level data to test for regional variations.

This paper provides policy recommendations such as increasing the absorptive capacity of local firms to strengthen the technique effect, which would help India combat climate change.

Increasing the absorptive capacity of local firms through incentives such as subsidies and environmental requirements in public contracts can lead to job creation in the green technology sector. This can provide new employment opportunities, especially in R&D and sustainable technology fields, boosting the local economy.

The study adds to the understanding of the endogenous relationship between FDI and environmental degradation, the importance of lagged feedback responses and the impact of industry- and sector-specific influences on this relationship.