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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the model of a rear pressure bulkhead with different design optimizations to meet the pressurized cabin requirements of an aircraft.

This paper presents the results of the static analysis of a dome-shaped rear pressure bulkhead model designed in Catia-v5. Numerical analysis of model meshed in hyper-mesh and solved using Opti-Struct for iterative design optimizations.

All the iterative models are analyzed at 9 Psi. Rear pressure bulkhead designed with L-section stringer shows better results than the model optimized with T-section stringer for the same thickness. The model optimized with L-shaped stinger also reduces the weight of the bulkhead without affecting the structural integrity.

It has been concluded in this paper that the selection of specific shapes of the stringers shows a significant influence on weight reduction.

This paper provides a topical, technical insight into the design and development of a rear pressure bulkhead. It also outlines the future development of dome-shaped rear pressure bulkhead.

The case focuses on the importance of the brand-building process, which takes place in B2B companies. Commodity companies focus a lot on the sales and distribution aspect of their marketing strategies but do not emphasize the importance of developing their brands. At the end of the discussion, the participants would be able: to examine the steps involved in conceptualizing the brand identity for an existing product in a highly competitive B2B market, as per Kapferer’s Brand Identity Matrix. To understand the steps involved in the journey of internal and external brand-building processes in B2B. To analyze the various challenges and issues faced by large organizations dealing in the metals and commodity business.

The case discusses a marketing challenge faced by Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) in launching a new brand of thermomechanical treatment (TMT) products in the market. Traditionally, the company had focused on the sales and distribution aspect of their marketing strategies but did not emphasize the importance of developing their brands. This case is based upon the challenges faced in the creation of a new brand identity for JSPL’s TMT products by the protagonist, Mr Paras Sharma (who is the brand custodian and manager in this case).

Postgraduate/Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Masters in Management Studies, Executive MBA.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

CSS 8: Marketing.

Drones are used in several purposes including examining areas, mapping surroundings and rescue mission operations. During these tasks, they could encounter compound surroundings having multiple obstacles, acute edges and deadlocks. The purpose of this paper is to propose an obstacle dodging technique required to move the drones autonomously and generate the obstacle's map of an unknown place dynamically.

Therefore, an obstacle dodging technique is essentially required to move autonomously. The automaton of drones requires complicated vision sensors and a high computing force. During this research, a methodology that uses two basic ultrasonic-oriented proximity sensors placed at the center of the drone and applies neural control using synaptic plasticity for dynamic obstacle avoidance is proposed. The two-neuron intermittent system has been established by neural control. The synaptic plasticity is used to find turning angles from different viewpoints with immediate remembrance, so it helps in decision-making for a drone. Hence, the automaton will be able to travel around and modify its angle of turning for escaping objects during the route in unknown surroundings with narrow junctions and dead ends. Furthermore, wherever an obstacle is detected during the route, the coordinate information is communicated using RESTful Web service to an android app and an obstacle map is generated according to the information sent by the drone. In this research, the drone is successfully designed and automated and an obstacle map using the V-REP simulation environment is generated.

Simulation results show that the drone effectively moves and turns around the obstacles and the experiment of using web services with the drone is also successful in generating the obstacle's map dynamically.

The obstacle map generated by autonomous drone is useful in many applications such as examining fields, mapping surroundings and rescue mission operations.

Amidst the exponential spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aims to explore the evolving dynamics underlying consumers' narratives about luxury-brands over social media. While visualizing these Online Luxury-Brand Self-Narratives (OLBSNs) as a decision-making situation, the authors question the “rational-being” assumption of the Net Valence Model (NVM) during a pandemic situation. Specifically, the authors draw upon Terror Management Theory (TMT) to explicate the role of pandemic-induced mortality salience in rendering the idealistic assumptions of NVM unattainable. The authors uncover evidence of risk-taking behavior among luxury consumers while using OLBSNs as a potential meaning-providing structure during the pandemic.

This study employed a cross-sectional survey method. The authors conducted a structured Qualtrics survey to collect data from 588 respondents. The authors examined the hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling.

In contrast to the conventional wisdom of NVM, the results suggest a positive influence of not only perceived benefits but also perceived risks on intention to engage in OLBSN and brand advocacy during the ongoing pandemic.

This study explains the emerging dynamics of pandemic-induced mortality salience in OLBSN decision-making and has implications for luxury-brand marketers in designing brand communication strategies over social media.

This study makes an original endeavor to extend NVM beyond rational decision-making context by integrating the theoretical tenets of TMT within NVM while also delineating the decision-making mechanism of OLBSNs during the pandemic.

This study explores the factors impacting user adoption and trust in blockchain-based food delivery systems, with a spotlight on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). In the evolving food delivery sector, blockchain offers transparency and efficiency. Through the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) lens, this research provides insights for businesses and policymakers, highlighting the importance of blockchain’s integration into food delivery.

The research employed the UTAUT and its extensions as the theoretical framework. A structured questionnaire was developed and disseminated to users of the ONDC platform, and responses were collected on a seven-point extended Likert scale. The analyses were undertaken employing the partial least squares (PLS) methodology and structural equation modelling (SEM).

Key factors like performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence were found influential for adoption. Trust played a central role, while perceived risk didn’t significantly mediate the adoption process. Digital culture didn’t significantly moderate the adoption intention.

This research adds to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical insights into user adoption and trust in blockchain-based food delivery platforms. It is among the pioneer studies to apply the UTAUT model in the realm of blockchain-based food delivery platforms, thereby offering a unique perspective on the dynamics of user behaviour in this emerging field.

This study aims to examine the mediating role of green finance in the relationship between green banking practices and the sustainability performance of banking institutions in developing economies.

The authors performed an empirical investigation by applying the “partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM)” based on a representative sample of 414 bank employees working in the National Capital Region, India.

The study’s outcome confirms that employee, top-management, operation and policy related practices substantially influence green finance and banks’ sustainability performance. On the contrary, customer related practices insignificantly influence banks’ sustainability performance. Further, green finance substantially influences the sustainability performance of banking institutions.

This study shed light on green banking practices that can assist in achieving the vision of the “Clean India Mission” of the Indian government. In addition, it encourages policymakers and bank managers to fulfill their social responsibility by engaging employees and customers in cleaner operations to promote banks’ sustainability performance.

This is ground-breaking research that enriches the understanding of green banking practices and green finance by providing a novel theoretical framework concerning the sustainability performance of banking institutions. Theoretically, this paper also broadens the scope of corporate social responsibility literature by applying the resource-based view theory in finance and banking.

This study aims to understand the influence of cartoon characters on the generation alpha (GA) in purchase decision-making, supported by the theory of planned behaviour.

Quantitative study was used to collect data from 294 Indian parents on behalf of their children (between 8 and 12 years) using convenience sampling and 20 items Likert scale questionnaire. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data and for hypothesis testing.

The study shows the favourable impact of cartoon characters to influence the behaviour of GA while making the final purchase decision. The likability was found to be significantly related to the recall, willingness to try/buy. The recall was significantly related to willingness to try/buy and purchase intention. Willingness to try/but was significantly related to purchase intention, but it has no significant relation with the final purchase decision, whereas purchase intention had significant relation with the final purchase decision.

The study indicates that generating likability for cartoon characters among GA is important. Managers should recognize that although parents make the final purchase decision, however, children play an influential role. Advertisers should plan their communication accordingly. An emotional connection with cartoons can influence GA, which further impacts recall, willingness to try/buy, purchase intention and decision.

Various studies have been conducted in western countries, but very few studies have been conducted in emerging markets like India, highlighting cartoon characters’ influence on GA’s purchase decision-making, with theoretical underpinnings. The study also explores the importance of GA, an emerging consumer market in today’s digitalized era, which is highly influenced by technological gadgets. It becomes challenging for marketers to promote their products on television to influence GA purchase behaviour.

The study aims to present a systematic literature review (SLR) to understand the current status of research on social media usage among the bottom of the pyramid (BOP). The purpose of this study is to identify the research gaps in this domain and review future research agendas by using theory, context, characteristics and methods [TCCM] framework.

An SLR, keywords co-occurrence and TCCM analysis were used to analyse and synthesize insights from 44 studies gained from Web of Science and Scopus databases.

The findings suggest that the USA and India are popular contexts for studying BOP. The BOP population uses social media to gain utilitarian, hedonic and social values. Further, social media can help BOP explore “entrepreneurship” opportunities, value co-creation and bring innovations.

This study expands the intellectual boundaries of social media at BOP and suggests multidisciplinary research. Additionally, adopting novel theoretical lenses helped determine social media's impact on BOP.

Electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) has emerged as a pivotal factor in consumer decision-making, particularly within the tourism industry. This study aims to know the critical dimensions of e-WOM and examines their effects on tourist purchase intentions in India and Vietnam, seeking to determine whether these impacts vary significantly between the two markets.

Using a robust methodological framework, the research integrates factor analysis, structural equation modelling and t-tests to analyze the data collected from 248 Indian and 230 Vietnamese participants through self-administered questionnaires.

The analysis identifies three key dimensions of e-WOM – quality, volume and integrity and reveals that e-WOM exerts a significant and positive influence on tourist purchase intentions in both countries. Notably, the study uncovers distinct cross-cultural variations in this impact.

This investigation contributes to the existing literature by spotlighting the differential effects of e-WOM in the Indian and Vietnamese tourism sectors, thereby providing valuable insights for industry stakeholders aiming to capitalize on e-WOM in varied cultural contexts.