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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causal relationship between extent of diversification and performance among Indian companies. The key issue is to find out whether diversification provides irresistible opportunities to increase firm performance or is it the superior profitability that motivates management to diversify.

Product diversification is calculated by using Entropy index measure. To measure joint endogeneity of corporate diversification and firm performance, both variables are treated as endogenous in a simultaneous equation model.

The results report that the association between diversification and performance turn strongly significant and positive after controlling the issue of endogeneity. The study finds a strong two-way relationship between extent of diversification and firm performance. As indicated by the results, the extent of diversification is positively related to performance, thereby implying that diversified firms experience a significant diversification premium. The study also demonstrates a positive relation of performance and total diversification indicating that good performance leads to greater diversification.

Certain variables such as R&D intensity, export intensity and risk could not be included in the analysis for want of data. Inclusion of these independent variables could have strengthened the model and its implications.

The results strongly implicate/recommend the managers of developing countries to adopt the strategy of diversification to overcome institutional inefficiencies prevailing in their domicile environment. Corporate heads must also capture the correct timings/dynamism in environment before pursuing diversification as a strategy of growth. There exists causality between diversification and performance; hence, profitable firms should capitalize synergetic effects of diversification strategy and use it as a medium of growth.

There was hardly any literature available on causal relationship between diversification and performance with respect to emerging countries. There was even a wider gap specifically in relation to India where none of the researchers has so far studied causality between diversification and performance controlling endogeneity.

With the growth in internet technology, the competition between the e-commerce firms has become fierce. This has forced these online vendors to consider customer-centric strategies apart from the retail strategies for generating revenue. The purpose of this paper is to propose a structural model to study the interrelationship between a formative endogenous latent variable (LV), i.e. e-commerce success, and other LVs representing the customer-oriented success factors such as website service quality (WSQ), customer support system (CSS), personalization and electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM).

The authors develop a structural model to validate the determinants of electronic commerce success. Survey-based data obtained from 265 respondents are used to validate the model hypotheses. To analyze the data, partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is performed using smartPLS 2.0 software. The results on the interrelationships between the constructs are determined using path analysis.

The data analysis results infer the impact of these success factors on e-commerce success systems. After applying bootstrapping technique, the authors observed that WSQ, CSS, personalization and EWOM have a significant positive effect on e-commerce system success (ESS). Further studies can be performed considering mobile commerce and their critical success factors.

The findings of the study emphasize on the importance of these four exogenous variables for e-businesses in order to achieve a competitive edge over their competitors. The study provides a detailed managerial implication with respect to each causal relationship, so as to suggest some remedial measures to gain customer market.

Here, the authors consider an empirical model which shows the determinants of ESS. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, a distinctive system success framework is modeled considering a unique combination of exogenous variables not considered by previous studies.

The phenomenon of globalization is a popular and controversial issue that has many facets. According to Lee and Vivarelli 2006), most conversations around globalization tend to describe it in terms of increase in trade and liberalization policies and reduction in transportation costs and technology transfer. Heine and Thakur (2011) opine on globalization as follows:

Many regard globalization as both a desirable and an irreversible engine of commerce that will underpin growing prosperity and a higher standard of living throughout the world. Others recoil from it as the soft underbelly of corporate imperialism that plunders and profiteers on the basis of unrestrained consumerism. (p. 2)

Many regard globalization as both a desirable and an irreversible engine of commerce that will underpin growing prosperity and a higher standard of living throughout the world. Others recoil from it as the soft underbelly of corporate imperialism that plunders and profiteers on the basis of unrestrained consumerism. (p. 2)

The Brundtland Report (1987) was put together in response to agitations over such loses/discontents. This report gave birth to what unarguably is the most popular concept in sustainable development. The Report features the integration of the concerns about strands of development as experienced and as projected across divides, as well as concerns about their interrelationship, and effects on people and the environment. It seeks to reconcile the future with current developments. The recommendations of the report in the end materialized into the millennium development goals (MDGs) in January 2000, which in turn metamorphosed into the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in January 2016. The bulk of the SDGs are to be achieved in the global-south as countries within this categorization including Nigeria have more to do within their territories in order to ensure its actualization. One of the major challenges facing the SDGs in Nigeria is institutionalizing mobilization for the actualization of the goals. Against this backdrop, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) was launched to bring on board academic institutions, civil societies, non-governmental organizations, and businesses, and mobilize their activities into fewer but more efficient units.

This chapter contextually explores the purpose and roles of the SDSN in Nigeria, and conceptualizes how it will play out for both sustainable development and qualitative participation in globalization. It identified and explored the interface between the three variables of universities: cooperativism, cooperatives, cooperation, and solidarity economics; communities as integral to the actualization of the SDGs; and proportionate participation in globalization. Deficiencies were identified, and remedial actions proffered.

Introduction: Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a deciding factor in the insurance industry’s growth in any nation. Besides, similar socioeconomic conditions, some countries tend to attract more FDI inflows. This chapter focuses on exploring the FDI in the insurance industry in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS).

Purpose: The chapter aims to explore the current situation of FDI in the insurance industry in BRICS member nations and uncover the factors that have led to higher foreign investments in some countries.

Methodology: Using descriptive and comparative approaches, this chapter explains the FDI scenario in the insurance sector of BRICS nations.

Findings: Based on a comparative analysis, the authors observed that deregulation, increased foreign engagement, and adoption of innovative technology and distribution methods are some avenues that could be worked upon to improve FDIs in the Indian insurance sector.

The purpose of this study is to compare online and in-store shoppers motivations based on product type.

Means-end approach was used to extract motivational factors that drive shoppers channel choice for hedonic and utilitarian products. A total of 100 respondents were interviewed using laddering technique. Hierarchical virtual maps were constructed to determine values associated with attributes and consequences identified by the consumer.

Shopping motivations differed for online and in-store shoppers based on product type. Variety, value for money and delivery were important attributes for online shoppers. In-store shoppers looked for social interaction and personalized attention. Convenience, affordability and gratification were unique online consequences, while nostalgia and loyalty benefits were specific to in-store hedonic purchases. Self-confidence, availability of wider choices and in-store shopping experience were the values sought for hedonic products. Control of shopping experience was the desired value for utilitarian purchases irrespective of channels.

This study contributes to shopping motivation research by comparing motives of online and in-store shoppers for hedonic and utilitarian products.

Retailers need to enhance online trust and strengthen in-store customer service for hedonic products. They should also work on the online delivery capabilities and in-store personalized services for utilitarian purchases.

Prior research on deconstructing channel choice motivations based on product type is sparse. This paper uses hierarchy of means-end elements to illustrate attributes and consequences that drive consumer motives and values.

Today, as we hurtle towards imminent planetary destruction in the age of the Anthropocene, we believe it may be instructive to try and understand if the ancient science of spirituality can prove useful in humankind's ability to change course, even at this late hour. We argue that such a paradigm shift is critically essential for human survival and that without the inner transformation proposed by this science, it may prove impossible to build a society based on the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. This chapter draws from foundational texts and authoritative sources across multiple religious traditions, based upon which it outlines a brief sketch of the ancient science of spirituality. We begin with an account of the differentia specifica of this science, where we delve into what kind of science this is. Since it is centrally concerned with inner transformation, we briefly outline the theory of change embedded in this science and the kind of rejuvenation it enables, which makes it possible for us to clearly perceive the key elements and the structure of reality. We then spell out the impact this has on the nature of human action, continually teasing out implications for policy and practice in our time. We provide a few concrete illustrations of the same. Inter alia, we also show how many of these insights can be found even within modern scientific and philosophical traditions, thereby indicating possibilities of convergence and synthesis between ancient and modern science, following thereby the guidance of genuine spirituality.

Academic scholarship on the White Australia Policy (WAP) has highlighted the history of Asian migration, early perceptions and policy-making initiatives. Prominent scholars have also pointed out the impact of the British Empire and WAP on Australia–India relations and early Indian migrants in Australia. Drawing on the debate concerning international students in Australia, our purpose in this article is to recover the role of Indian students in the story of Australian–Indian connections.

The article aims to highlight the reasons behind the involvement of the Australian government in the provision of scholarships and fellowships to Indian students and researchers at Australian universities during the period of WAP. To achieve this, it uses contemporary Australian newspaper reports to explore the popular representations of sponsored Indian students and researchers in Australia from 1901 to 1950.

The article concludes that the prevalence of this racially discriminatory immigration policy created a dissatisfaction among Indians, and some Australian sources of agitation, that helped chip away at the Australian government’s admission policies and the gradual demise of WAP.

This article contributes to the historiography and the effects of colonialism on Australian–Indian relations and debates on policy formation based on ideas of whiteness.

The purpose of the study is to machine the composites at lower machining time with higher accuracy without causing delamination.

Abrasive jet machining is the technology appropriate for machining composite materials to obtain good dimensional accuracy without causing de-lamination. The central composite design was followed in deciding the number of experiments to be carried out.

The influence of abrasive jet machining process parameters on machining time, material removal rate (MRR) and kerf characteristics were investigated. The experimental results proved the newly designed internal threaded nozzle increased MRR, thereby reducing the machining time.

Machining of glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) is one of the challenging tasks given its non-linear and in-homogeneous properties. In this investigation, newly developed threaded and unthreaded nozzles in machining were used for making holes on the GFRP composites.

This paper compares traditional and digital banks in nine categories of complaints and provides insights to improve complaint management performance.

A sample of the major Brazilian banks was defined, with four traditional and four digital banks. The grey relational analysis (GRA) method was applied as an analytical tool to compare the most frequent complaints of traditional and digital banks. The most critical complaints identified were considered to discuss potential improvements in complaint management using quality and service management system concepts.

The GRA method enabled the development of a ranking of nine complaint categories, considering the uncertainty involved in the data and differentiating between traditional and digital banks. The most critical complaint categories, regardless of business model, were “unauthorized charges” and “poor service,” which were ranked first and second in the frequency rankings. Traditional and digital banks differed the most in the complaint category “unfair charge,” ranking third and eighth in the rankings, respectively.

Managers from traditional and digital banks can improve complaint management performance by applying ISO 9001 and ISO 20000 concepts such as incident, problem, change, service level, availability, capacity, information technology service continuity and financial management.

The study's findings can help bank managers improve service levels in the face of technological competition. Improving these organizations is an important factor for developing countries such as Brazil.

This paper reveals the differences between two business models regarding complaint management. It also considers a methodological approach to include the uncertainty related to customers' perception and subjectivity inherent to complaints.