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The purpose of this paper is to study the fundamental solution in transversely isotropic micropolar thermoelastic media. With this objective, the two-dimensional general solution in transversely isotropic thermoelastic media is derived.

On the basis of the general solution, the fundamental solution for a steady point heat source on the surface of a semi-infinite transversely isotropic micropolar thermoelastic material is constructed by six newly introduced harmonic functions.

The components of displacement, stress, temperature distribution and couple stress are expressed in terms of elementary functions. From the present investigation, a special case of interest is also deduced and compared with the previous results obtained.

Fundamental solutions can be used to construct many analytical solutions of practical problems when boundary conditions are imposed. They are essential in the boundary element method as well as the study of cracks, defects and inclusions.

Fundamental solutions for a steady point heat source acting on the surface of a micropolar thermoelastic material is obtained by seven newly introduced harmonic functions. From the present investigation, some special cases of interest are also deduced.

Measures of dietary diversity are relatively simple and associated with nutrient adequacy and nutritional status. The aim of this study is to validate dietary diversity score (DDS) as an indicator of nutrient adequacy of diet of Indian rural children aged five to eight years.

A cross‐sectional survey among 232 children (five to eight years) was conducted using a 24 h recall. Food variety score (FVS) and DDSs were calculated. Probability of adequacies of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron and zinc, and mean probability of adequacy was used to assess nutrient adequacy. To determine associations between dietary diversity and nutrient adequacy, nutrient adequacy and socio‐economic status (SES), partial rank correlations were conducted.

Vitamin C and iron had the lowest probability of adequacy (PA) while vitamin A and zinc had the highest PA. Mean probability of adequate micronutrient intake (MPA) across five micronutrients was 40 percent. Mean DDS was 6.5 and mean FVS was 12.2. DDS was significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with PA vitamin A (r = 0.17), PA vitamin C (r = 0.36) and mean MPA (r = 0.21). Correlations for FVS were significant and stronger than those of DDS with all micronutrients. Adjustments for SES indicators did not further change the correlations. The best DDS cut‐off point for nutritionally adequate diet with MPA of 75 percent was between six and seven food groups.

DDS and FVS can be useful tools to give a good indication of nutritional adequacy of diet in resource‐poor settings. Additionally, a DDS between six and seven should suffice to identify subjects with a nutritionally adequate diet with MPA of 75 percent with optimal sensitivity and specificity.

Hybrid rice is considered as one of the technologies having the potential to push the production frontier to meet the growing demand for rice in India. The technology was introduced in India in 1994 but is yet to see widespread adoption. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that influence the partial/complete adoption of hybrid rice technology by the farmers in India. This study also assesses the factors behind difference in the share of land allocated to hybrid rice cultivation by farmers.

The study employs a Tobit model to evaluate the impact of factors related to technology, farmer, farm and geographical location on the decision to adopt hybrid rice. Data for this study are compiled from surveys of 441 hybrid rice growing farmers across 3 Indian states conducted during 2012-2013.

The paper finds that farmers with smaller landholdings, higher education and higher experience of growing hybrid rice are more likely to be complete adopters. Farmers reporting good demand for hybrid rice output and availability of subsidy on hybrid rice seeds also have higher probability of being complete adopters. However, the availability of hybrid rice seeds in government outlets and cultivating multiple kharif crops are negatively related to the extent of hybrid rice adoption. The results suggest insignificant impact of age, family size, ownership of cattle and machinery on the adoption level of hybrid rice by the farmers.

Although the sample for this study has been collected from three states with different agro-climatic zones and productivity, the results cannot be generalized for other states.

There is a great potential to increase the area under hybrid rice cultivation in India. This study is one of the first attempts to look at the adoption levels of hybrid rice in India and determine the factors which might be hindering the complete adoption of the technology. Focusing on the factors positively related to complete adoption can help in enhancing the area under hybrid rice and similar approach can be used for other new agricultural technologies in the developing country context.

A place brand is a culmination of its exclusive history, people and traditions that affect customer and community experiences. Place branding has become increasingly important for collective heritage brand strategy, as stakeholders undertake efforts to create an aura of a distinctive geographic location. Though place branding has received considerable scholarly attention, there is a lacuna: the role of residents as co-creators of a place and its heritage. Accordingly, this paper aims to develop a “bi-directional participatory place branding” model by applying the stimulus–organism–response approach grounded theory.

A grounded theory approach with multi-sited ethnography, personal interviews (with residents and city leaders) and observational techniques were adopted in a UNESCO world heritage city of India, Ahmedabad.

The findings indicate that the people (residents) aspect of place branding is associated with their life stories, past experiences, feelings and aspirations. However, the place acts as a nostalgia enabler, disseminating symbolic and heritage metaphors to residents and visitors as place brand ambassadors. When the place and people components are perceived positively, residents participate involve themselves with the place and thus, in turn, become the place ambassadors.

No prior studies have analyzed the association between residents, the place where they reside and the resultant behavior toward the place. The unique contribution is the bi-directional participatory place branding model, especially involving a UNESCO world heritage city rather than solely a site.

Ever since its emergence, the metaverse has presented opportunities and disruptions to every stakeholder, including individual users and organizations. This article aims to offer valuable perspectives on six identified critical areas that the metaverse could significantly impact: marketing ethics, marketing communication, relationship marketing, retail marketing, supply chain management and transportation management.

Through a multi-perspective approach, this paper gathers valuable perspectives from various invited contributors to each of the six identified key areas that the metaverse could significantly impact.

For each key area identified, the invited contributors first share their valuable perspectives by discussing the roles of the metaverse. Subsequently, the invited contributors discuss their views on vital opportunities, challenges and research agenda concerning the metaverse.

With the widespread metaverse, it is expected that each key area identified is likely to undergo significant levels of disruption. Against this backdrop, this paper contributes to the academic literature and industry by gathering different perspectives from invited contributors on the relevance of the metaverse in marketing and logistics domains.