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This paper aims at analyzing the determinants of access to relief under social assistance programs among rural households during COVID-19 outbreaks in India.

The study is based on the data of COVID-19-Related Shocks Survey, which covered 5,200 rural households across 6 states of India namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The access to relief has been assessed as relief-in kind (RIK) as a free special package of wheat, rice, and pulses, supplied through the public distribution system; and direct benefit transfer (DBT) in cash under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). The association between demographic profiles of rural households and access to relief has been analyzed using the chi-square test. Further, marginal effects have been estimated to assess the determinants of rural households' access to relief.

The results show a significant association between types of relief vis-à-vis demographic profiles of the rural households. A significant difference in access to relief among rural households is also evident across the states. Further, the analysis of the marginal effects indicates that female-headed households belonging to lower social class, depending on non-agricultural occupation with lower income, belonging to below poverty line families and seeking wage employment, are more likely to access relief as food grains; whereas male respondents with lower age, belonging to lower-income quartile with memberships in Self Help Groups are more likely to access the cash benefit transfers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the food security and livelihood of many across the globe, which necessitated provisioning a package of support to everyone, particularly rural poor households. The World Bank undertook the COVID-19-Related Shocks Survey to provide a quick policy response for managing the risk of COVID-19 outbreak effectively. The results of this study provide timely insights for developing an effective relief strategy for rural households during a crisis.

There is limited investigation on access to relief by rural households during the COVID-19 outbreaks and factors affecting the access to relief in terms of cash and kind. This study has utilized a reliable data source to analyze the access of relief packages by the rural communities during the coronavirus outbreak.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-10-2021-0632.

While the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) for poverty reduction is widely recognised, limited knowledge exists on its use in the social protection schemes devised for the world’s poor. Drawing on the institutionalist vision of IS development and organisational change put forward by Avgerou (2000), the authors propose that computerisation of these schemes entails two processes, namely, the progressive affirmation of ICT innovation and a shift in the programmes' organisational structure, which moves from a subsidy-based model to one grounded on direct cash transfers. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how the role of ICT in anti-poverty schemes results from concomitance of such processes.

The paper draws on a study of the public distribution system (PDS), the main food security scheme in India, as it is being computerised in the state of Karnataka. Following an interpretive case study methodology, it investigates the ongoing computerisation of the Karnataka PDS through a combination of back-end and front-end technologies, based on biometric recognition of the programme’s users.

The data reveal that transformation of the PDS results from the simultaneous processes of institutionalisation of ICT innovation and deinstitutionalisation of the extant state-led subsidy scheme, in favour of a leaner social protection system centred on cash transfers to beneficiaries. This illustrates the point that ICT innovation is intertwined with the decline of an extant social welfare structure and the rise of a new one, based on the direct transfer of benefits.

The paper offers a new theoretical perspective to illuminate the computerisation of anti-poverty programmes, a phenomenon that affects the entitlements of millions of poor people on a global scale. In parallel, it draws practical implications for countries embarking on the digitalisation of their social protection schemes.

Over the past 25 years, direct cash transfers (often abbreviated as direct benefit transfer, DBT) to the poorer section of the society are gaining popularity over explicit subsidization of prices of essential commodities. One of the main arguments in favor of DBT is that it will cost the government less money and yet, the consumer benefit will be high. This paper aims to examine the proposition critically. Removal of price support exposes the consumers to market risk, and any income support programme must compensate the consumers accordingly.

The authors use a theoretical study where the model of a representative consumer under different specification of preferences is used to compare programme costs under price stabilization and income support programmes.

What the authors show in the paper that the comparative cost of the programmes crucially depends on the nature of preferences, as well as the good under question. For certain specifications of the indirect utility function and the marginal utility of money, one programme may cost less than the other. Any policymaker must take account of such nuances before making a blanket prescription.

The main limitation is that only a representative consumer is taken.

The specification of indirect utility function plays a decisive role in deciding, which one these two policies, DBT or stabilizing price at a fixed level.

The main novelty of the paper is in the different specifications of the indirect utility function considered in the paper.

The objective of this paper was twofold-revisiting the in-kind public distribution system (PDS) – India's flagship food security intervention and seeking beneficiary perspectives on its efficacy. The feasibility of cash transfers as an alternative mechanism is also examined, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Primary and secondary data from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu were used. In-depth interviews with beneficiaries using phenomenology were conducted to evaluate their perception and willingness to shift to a cash-based PDS in the pre and post-pandemic periods. Secondary district-level data were also used to ascertain institutional preparedness for this shift.

In-depth interviews of 105 beneficiaries revealed valuable insights, which seem to have significantly changed post-pandemic. Beneficiaries in the post-pandemic period seem much more inclined toward cash transfers, though a combination of cash plus in-kind benefits seems to be strongly preferred. Secondary results pointed out to the lack of institutional preparedness in financial inclusion. The research suggested that while the existing PDS needs to be overhauled, policymakers should look at a model of cash plus in-kind transfers as a probable alternative to pure cash transfers.

There is a dearth of in-depth state-specific studies on beneficiary perception of PDS, and this is important since the economic and sociocultural milieu in each region is unique. Being the only state with universal food security, its experience could yield important insights for other states or even middle or low-income countries similar to India.

This paper illustrates, on the basis of a case study of a multinational corporation, the positive impact of intra‐organizational networking on the capacity to sustain competitive advantage in a highly volatile environment. It aims to provide researchers, consultants and managers with insights on how to design an organization leveraging internal resources and capabilities.

One original case is presented, along with a series of analytical points drawn from this study. The research design is based on action research methods (one author participated in designing and implementing the “networking attitude” project) as well as primary (interviews) and secondary data (internal documents). The paper makes several basic points on the relationship between inter‐unit knowledge sharing and renewing competitive advantage in multinational corporations.

The critical findings relate to the importance of creating effective inter‐personal networks for enhancing knowledge sharing, and to the direct positive impact on overall strategic performance of transferring knowledge across organizational units. The bottom line is that knowledge is detained by people and it cannot be coordinated in a top‐down centralized manner, but rather requires organizational designs based on greater autonomy, efficient incentive systems and strategically coherent organizational cultures.

The findings of the paper are based on a single case study of a firm that successfully managed to create intra‐organizational knowledge‐sharing networks that resulted in significant improvements in overall performance, and hence generalization and robustness of the results would require the analysis of additional – successful and unsuccessful cases.

The paper provides insights on the creation of effective knowledge‐sharing networks in multinational corporations.

The data, approach, and analysis are all original. This paper enriches the existing theory on knowledge management and strategy formation by highlighting the direct link between leveraging internal resources and improved performance. It addresses the problem of knowledge sharing in multinational corporations and emphasizes the importance of interpersonal links and autonomy in organizations. The model of knowledge sharing described in the paper can easily be adapted in different contexts and should therefore be of value to managers. To researchers it offers a comprehensive framework integrating internal capabilities and strategy implementation perspectives.

Since the last decade, debates regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the forms of transfer, i.e. in the form of in-kind or cash transfers, have been gaining momentum. This paper aims to explore the preferences revealed by the beneficiaries, the role of contextual conditions in moulding these preferences, factors associated with the transfer scheme that defines the preferences and the rationale behind such responses.

The study conducted involves primary data collected from an Indian state, Odisha. 308 beneficiaries of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) were interviewed concerning specific objectives in a rural district (Mayurbhanj) and another highly urbanised district (Khordha).

The comparative results show that the strength of the contextual conditions significantly influences the preferences of the beneficiaries in the rural district as compared to the effect on the beneficiaries of the urban district. Education seems to have an insignificant impact in rural areas. However, income and standard of living have positive significant effects on shaping the preferences for cash or in-kind transfers.

Examining the strength of the contextual conditions and emphasising beneficiaries' perspectives would stimulate a better understanding of the implementation of the proposed quasi-Universal Basic Income. The study would hence, be instrumental in dealing with the transition towards cash transfers in the Indian context where the co-responsibility of both stakeholders, the government and the beneficiaries, should be given equal weightage.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-03-2023-0158

This paper aims to discuss a 2015-2016 University of Washington Libraries project focused on understanding the needs and challenges of transfer students on the Seattle campus and developing innovative ways to support transfer student success.

The study uses design thinking methods, including interviews and rapid iterative prototyping and feedback, to understand and emphasize the user experience.

Transfer students at the Seattle campus identify themselves as a unique group separate from other undergraduates because of their prior experience, shortened timeline at the university and their need to balance academic, work and family commitments. Because transfer students often have little time to learn about and effectively use campus resources, the authors found that working with campus partners to enrich transfer-specific student orientations and events with educational and practical content was the most effective means of supporting new students.

This pilot study was conducted over an 11-month period with a small number of participants, but the iterative nature of design thinking allowed the authors to gather new feedback from a variety of students and staff at each phase.

This study showcases how design thinking methods can increase understanding of transfer student and other user needs. The design thinking approach can also enable the rapid development of library and campus services, as well as outreach efforts, to meet user needs.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the development of key supply chain capabilities in the Indian public sector-run liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply chain. This case study has relevance to emerging markets grappling with problems caused by monopolies and subsidies. Furthermore, this case study not only aims to improve operations of the LPG supply chain, but also re-designs its supply network to meet customers’ expectations. It illustrates value creation through growth in non-domestic sales, a reduction in consumption of subsidized LPG as a consequence of better understanding of customer needs and customer diversity, process re-engineering and deployment of ICT systems, and change management and capability building across various LPG stakeholders.

An interpretive research methodology is applied, using an illustrative single case study of the Indian public sector-run LPG supply chain. The research methodology is iterative and exploratory in nature, consisting of a back and forth process between extant literature and the field, as well as in-depth discussions/interviews with senior management, distributors, and consumers.

Key supply chain capabilities of an integrated and seamless ICT system, detection and blocking of duplicate/ghost connections, the capping of entitlements, and coordination and collaboration across various stakeholders result in value creation for all stakeholders. When such collaboration across stakeholders’ spans both vertically and horizontally through the supply chain, change management and capability building drive value creation through policy interventions and initiatives.

This study provides an illustrative example of meeting customers’ expectations, increasing consumer convenience, and improving service levels, amidst the complex subsidy challenges in LPG distribution in India. The economic and environmental benefits, as well as increased customer satisfaction, from policy interventions regarding value creation in supply chains, have implications for similar public sector-run schemes.

As a result of the various policy changes, the LPG subsidy was restricted to legitimate customers, reducing the fiscal burden on the Indian Government. Furthermore, seamless ICT-introduced efficiencies for government, distributers, and customers were attained.

This research articulates the capture, creation, and appropriation of value through the deployment of new supply chain initiatives in a large, complex environment, in particular the public sector-run LPG supply chain.