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In this chapter, we investigate the role of the Internet of Things (IoT) for a more sustainable future. The IoT is an umbrella term that refers to an interrelated network of devices connected to the internet. It also encompasses the technology that enables communication between these devices as well as between the devices and the cloud. The emergence of low-cost microprocessors, sensors and actuators, as well as access to high bandwidth internet connectivity, has led to the massive adoption of IoT systems in everyday life. IoT systems include connected vehicles, connected homes, smart cities, smart buildings, precision agriculture, among others. During the last decade, they have been impacting human activities in an unprecedented way. In essence, IoT technology contributes to the improvement of citizens' quality of life and companies' competitiveness. In doing so, IoT is also contributing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as an urgent call to action by all countries to eradicate poverty, tackle climate change and ensure that no one is left behind by 2030. The World Economic Forum (WEF) recognises that IoT is undeniably one of the major facilitators for responsible digital transformation, and one of its reports revealed that 84% of IoT deployments are presently addressing, or can potentially address the SDGs. IoT is closely interlinked with other emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cloud Computing, for the delivery of enhanced and value-added services. In recent years, there has been a push from the IoT research and industry community together with international stakeholders, for supporting the deployment and adoption of IoT and AI technologies to overcome some of the major challenges facing mankind in terms of protecting the environment, fostering sustainable development, improving safety and enhancing the agriculture supply chain, among others.

This study considers transitive service triads, which consist of three dyads formed by three actors: supplier, logistics service provider and customer, who remain directly linked by one or more of the upstream and downstream flows of products, information and finances. This paper aims to explore the link between information governance, decentralized information technologies and supply chain self-organization, and their resulting impact on network performance in the transitive service triads.

Drawing upon the tenets of the theory of complex adaptive systems and supply chain practice view, this paper involves an empirical investigation that uses survey data gathered from transitive service triads in the European countries. The study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling to estimate the formative-reflective hierarchical component model and test the research hypotheses.

Information governance defines how supply chain information flows are controlled, accessed and used by a focal organization and its business partners. As empirically evidenced in this study, it can be depicted as a latent construct consisting of three distinct dimensions of information custody, information ownership and right to data access. Likewise, the study also indicates that supply chain self-organization, as a second-order construct, consists of three interactive self-organization actions undertaken by specific firms participating in the triadic arrangement. Supply chain self-organization is thus produced by firms that are reciprocally interrelated and interacting, having effects on one another. Furthermore, the study also highlights that information governance creates an environment for applying decentralized information technologies, which then positively affects supply chain self-organization. Finally, the research also empirically operationalizes the construct of network performance within the transitive service triads.

Although the results provide several major contributions to theory and implications for practitioners, the study still demonstrates some methodological constraints. Specifically, although the study uses a relatively large research sample of 350 transitive service triads, it still focuses only on a selected group of industries and is limited to investigating solely a particular type of service triads.

Given the increasing interest in investigating triads, this study examines how information governance and decentralized information technologies support supply chain self-organization to yield network performance in transitive service triads.

The study aims to examine the difference of financial-based brand equity of Sharia-compliant and non-Sharia-compliant companies listed in the stock market.

The five-year data were collected from 561 companies listed in the Indonesian stock market (349 Sharia-compliant firms and 212 non-Sharia-compliant firms).

Based on five years of observations, the study shows that Sharia-compliant companies have much higher brand equity than companies that are not Sharia-compliant. However, the study did not find consistent results when the study examined the differences between brand equity in newly listed Sharia-compliant firms in the short run (two-quarters of the observations). In other words, Sharia-compliant status positively impacted a company’s brand equity only in the long run.

The study examines only the brand equity of Sharia- and non-Sharia-compliant companies in the Indonesian stock market.

The study suggests that companies should list their equity in the Islamic stock market as the empirical evidence shows that the companies listed in the Sharia index have much higher brand equity than companies listed in the non-Sharia index, although this impact can only be seen in the long run.

The study integrates finance and marketing perspectives, which are often disconnected in daily business. In addition, the study provides a piece of empirical evidence on the effect of financial decision to be listed in the Islamic stock market on the establishment of brand equity, which represents the long-term intangible assets of the firm in the eyes of the customers.

The handicraft sector is unorganized with huge potential for the economic upliftment of the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) craft producers. To ensure the sustainable livelihood of the artisans living in BOP, it is essential to identify the hurdles being faced by them so that they can be worked upon. This paper aims to look at the existing handicraft value chain in an integrated way to identify these hurdles and suggest probable solutions to mitigate them.

A two-stage study involving quantitative and qualitative approaches is used. Empirical observations from 218 artisans were analyzed using the relative to an identified distribution to rank the different variables affecting the functioning of the handicraft value chain. Next, 17 handicraft entrepreneurs were interviewed to identify solutions for the hurdles.

A two-stage study examining the perspectives of artisans and handicraft entrepreneurs identified five significant challenges affecting the handicraft sector and viable solutions to address them. While presenting an operational model, a comprehensive picture of the handicraft business ecosystem was studied, from the procurement of raw materials to the marketing and sale of finished products. This can assist handicraft producers in sustaining their livelihoods and expanding the industry.

Studies on the handicraft value chain at BOP are rare, and none have tried to look at the sector holistically to find solutions and propose an operational framework. The study has captured the voices of the artisans and handicraft entrepreneurs and, through a mixed-method approach, identified the main pain points of the BOP artisans to arrive at a workable solution for better business outcomes.

This study aims to provide a review for scour in complex rivers and streams with coarser bed material, steep longitudinal bed slopes and dynamic environments, in the interest of the safety and the economy of hydraulic structures. The knowledge of scour in such geographical complexities is very crucial for a comprehensive understanding of scour failures and for establishing definitive criteria to bridge this major research gap.

The existing available literature shows significant work done in case of silt, sand and small sized coarser bed material but any substantial work for bed material of gravel size or above is lacking, resulting in a wide gap. Though some researchers have attempted to explore possibilities of refining the existing models by adding pier size, shape, sediment non-uniformity and armouring effects, which otherwise have been given a miss by the various researchers, including the pioneer in the field Lacey–Inglis (1930). But still, a rational model for scour estimation in such complex conditions for global use is yet to come. This is because all the parameters governing the scour have not been studied properly till date as is evident from the globally available literature and is witnessed in the field too, in recurrent failure of hydraulic structures especially bridges.

The researchers presume that the finer materials move only as a result of erosion. However, in actual field conditions, it has been observed that the large-sized stones also roll down and cause huge erosion along the river bed and damage the hydraulic structures, especially in the steep river/stream beds along hilly slopes. This fact has been overlooked in the models available globally and has been highlighted only in the current work in an attempt to recognize this major research gap. A study carried out on a number of streams globally and in Jammu and Kashmir, India also, has shown that in steep river and stream beds with bed material consisting of gravel size or greater than gravel, large scour holes ranging from 1 m to 5 m were created by furious floods, and due to other unknown forces along the channel path and near foundations of hydraulic structures.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is purely original.

The purpose of this study is to recognise the role of information and communication technology (ICT) tools in different sectors like Education, Health Care, Business, FMCG and Entertainment in the phase of social distancing. This study also attempts to provide a quantitative review of the scholarly literature on this topic.

A comprehensive literature evaluation was undertaken using a database encompassing 150 English-language papers with publication dates ranging from 2019 to 2021. The research profile and thematic analysis are presented through a comprehensive content analysis, resulting in four themes. The study reviews various research articles and reports related to social distancing and opens a discussion on the growing importance of ICT tools during this COVID-19 era.

ICT acts as a surviving tool for the economy by creating a virtual environment and helping people to stay socially connected during this pandemic. There is a lack of empirical evidence to support the facts so further research is required.

There are two drawbacks to the current study. Firstly, this study established a rigorous review methodology in which the researchers opted to exclude any grey literature, non-peer-reviewed articles, books, notes and book chapters from consideration. These sources could have had pertinent literature. Secondly, even after protocol’s rigour and numerous rounds of checks by a team of academicians and researchers, an anomaly may have sneaked into the evaluation.

The current study contributes to the growing literature on ICT tools particularly in this phase of social distancing. This paper highlights the need for future research in this area supported by different statistics.