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The purpose of this paper is to determine the stakeholders’ acceptance on blockchain and to investigate the model fit by using “Technology Acceptance Model” with special reference to corporate governance through cryptography to resolve the decades-old problems of financial record-keeping.

The whole analysis has been performed in the two steps, i.e. confirmatory factors analysis and structural equation modeling, to prove model fit between behavioral intention and actual behavior for using blockchain technology. Total 223 respondents have been selected, and the selection of the respondent is primarily on the basis of their previous experience with trading corporate equities.

The study determines empirically all the mentioned relationships of attitude, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness with the behavioral intention as per the conceptual model to prove the relationship. The results of the manuscript shows the model fit indexes for various constructs are prove the model fit as per the theorized model. The values of the various indexes are found to be under the permissible range which explains the relationship of various constructs based on the theorized model.

Despite, the limitations in terms of selection of sampling methods, outcome and the interpretation, the results proves the fit with the theoretical framework. The major implication is to understand the real-time use of blockchain technology for the transfer of shares from one party to other.

Stakeholders in corporate governance namely customers, creditors, suppliers, community, employees, owners, investors, trade unions and social activists could benefit in different ways. Investors could benefit from being able to purchase equity at low price and to sell them into a market with greater liquidity, but they would found it difficult to camouflage their trades.

The study opines that virtually all aspects of the corporate governance can be improved through the adoption of this technology resulting in greater transparency, improved liquidity and lowering costs.

This study will be a reference for global players in the financial industry that have started investing in this innovative technology vis-à-vis recent announcement of adoption of blockchain by global exchanges including NASDAQ, NYSE and Deutsche Borse, as a new method for trading, tracking ownership and monitoring systemic risk for strengthening corporate governance mechanism. This study will have a significant index for future reference where the technology adoption will be tested to have better corporate governance which will be useful for academics and professionals.

The purpose of this paper is to propose and develop a live interaction-based video player system named LIV4Smile for the improvement of the social smile in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The proposed LIV4Smile intervention was a video player that operated by detecting smile using a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based algorithm. To maintain a live interaction, a CNN-based smile detector was configured and used in this system. The statistical test was also conducted to validate the performance of the system.

The significant improvement was observed in smile responses of individuals with ASD with the utilization of the proposed LIV4Smile system in a real-time environment.

A small sample size and clinical utilizing for validation and initial training of ASD individuals for LIV4Smile could be considered under implications.

The main aim of this study was to address the inclusive practices for children with autism. The proposed CNN algorithm-based LIV4Smile intervention resulted in high accuracy in facial smile detection.

Strategic management, sustainable development, business economics, construction management, energy management.

Undergraduate and Master's level business and management programmes with a focus on environmental or strategic management.

Fewer than two percent of Guinea Bissau's rural households had access to electricity from the grid. Efforts by the state monopoly to improve that figure by expanding the grid have had little effect, in part because the rural population was sparse. Central Electronics Limited, a public sector based company in India, was assigned to develop economic solar systems as a safe and eco-friendly substitute for the diesel gensets under IBSA (a trilateral, developmental initiative among India, Brazil, and South Africa) with the help of United Nations Development Program. The case provides an opportunity to examine the strategy of a small and poor nation to meet the needs of modern energy sources needed for improvement in health, education, transportation, and commercial development. The case focuses on Guinea Bissau's use of a trilateral partnership to achieve its rural electrification objectives despite several push backs.

Students will demonstrate ability to analyse, comprehend, and evaluate the essence of solar energy as an alternate for costly grid energy in the initial stage of development. It will also provide students to converse with the specific advantages of solar systems over conventional power generating systems and construct a novel solution that serves the needs of various stakeholders at the bottom of the income pyramid.

Teaching note.

The purpose of this paper is to help supply chain (SC) decision makers successfully penetrate through SC collaboration and strengthen their SC in the global market by understanding collaborative activities, and understand how these activities are related to each other in the SC.

This paper develops a set of collaborative activities from literature, and the developed model is helpful for SC decision makers to monitor their SC activities and take corrective actions to improve collaboration in their SC by using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and MICMAC analysis.

This study reveals that collaborative activities increase the value of whole SC. The various activities are modeled on the basis of “an activity influencing other activities” and “an activity influenced by other activities,” which is useful for SC managers to take a decision.

The current study is literature based; therefore, there would be need of more explanation of the activities which lead to understand and implement SC collaboration in case of service and manufacturing industry.

The model of this study is helpful for decision makers to implement supply chain collaboration (SCC) and to understand various SCC activities on the basis of their driving and dependence power.

This research provided insight into skills needed for SC decision makers to implement collaboration in the SC using ISM. The results of the study could be adopted to monitor the existing SCC program or design new collaboration program to meet the global market requirements. To the best of knowledge, there is no reference that discusses SC collaborative activities on the basis of their driving and dependence powers.

India’s retail sector is going through a significant transitional period with the internet as a new distribution channel becoming more common. Given the barriers to adoption, the purpose of this paper is to understand the role played by trusting beliefs when engaging with an online retailer. In the Indian market, online vending is expected to increase at a rate of 35 per cent per annum, and by understanding trusting beliefs retailers will be able to develop their market share by developing appropriate and/or innovative strategies.

The work is based on a sample of more than 200 internet customers in India. In understanding the data and the relationships that emerged from the modelling, the authors used a range of tools to analyse the data, including CFA and structural equation modelling. The authors also used descriptive statistics to provide a holistic overview of response profiles.

The study reveals that trusting beliefs are negatively influenced by an uncertainty avoidance culture and positively influenced by a firm’s image and a customer’s price awareness. Moreover, purchase intentions (PIs) are significantly enhanced by trusting beliefs in an online environment. Hence, it leads us to conclude that PIs can be augmented by facilitating and ensuring good quality service by placing special emphasis on timeliness, accuracy and conditions of the order, security and privacy paradigms, aftersales services, etc.

As can be seen, the internet is an emergent tool for retailers in India. By understanding trusting beliefs, retailers will be able to better understand customers’ behaviour and thus design management strategies accordingly. Although this is likely to take more than a decade, as internet retailing becomes embedded it may have a detrimental effect on the historical channel to market, thus altering the country’s retail landscape which is currently dominated by small retailers.

The work’s findings are insightful for those seeking to maximize the opportunities presented by the internet as a channel to market. The works shows how the channel is influenced and thus how it can be managed. In making the contribution the authors provide guidance in terms of operational activity to engage with potential customers.

This paper examines trusting beliefs when using the internet as a channel to market and in doing so it makes a new contribution because it establishes links with culture and other factors. For the research venue the authors use a developing market and therefore the findings are applicable to markets with similar characteristics.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the literature of electronic government frameworks and models to identify various constructs and their relationship to measure the performance of e-government projects.

In total, 77 publications were identified from Scopus database after using exclusion and inclusion criteria. A total of 136 constructs were mapped across five categories. Further using network science, communities of usage of these constructs across different studies were identified.

Dominant constructs used across studies were ease of use, usefulness, user satisfaction, infrastructure, website maturity, security, user trust, transparency, empowerment, operational efficiency, service quality and information quality. This review offers directions for future research in terms of potential for constructs, which have been explored lesser in the existing literature.

The study provides direction for the usage of theoretical lenses, constructs and association among usage for the evaluation of e-government projects, which have been used less in existing literature, and thus, has higher needs for greater exploration. Search scope is limited to Scopus database, which is one of the largest citation database.

It gives information to the policymakers about the importance of the dominant constructs such as user satisfaction, usefulness, ease of use, efficiency and quality, which have been used across the spectrum of studies of e-government performance assessment frameworks and models. Practitioners need to accommodate the relevance of these factors while designing processes and key performance indicators.

This study analyzes the e-government assessment frameworks and gives direction to theory building for future studies.

The study is an attempt to explore much talked but less understood issue of “blockchain in logistics industry” in modern perspective. The customers' acceptance of blockchain technology in logistics and supply chain is tested through “Technology Acceptance Model” by using attitude, perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), behavioral intention and use behavior.

Data has been collected through online and offline medium, where active 240 responses have been collected finally using convenience sampling. Confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modeling (SEM) was carried out for data analysis.

The customers' acceptance of blockchain technology in logistics and supply chain is tested through “Technology Acceptance Model.” The findings reveal model fit where PEOU, PU and attitude are the major constructs of the model to realize the substantial gains in logistics process efficiency.

Convenience sampling has been considered for the study to collect the data of online users of various technology applications for tracking and shipment detail, whereas a more specified method sampling can be considered for the future research. The study has been conducted in the Indian context, which has been considered as the limitation pertaining to generalization across countries and industries.

The findings of this study will be helpful for market practitioners to build transparency between customers and industry to overcome the frictions in logistics. Blockchain will help in monitoring the performance history and previous commitments of logistics professionals resulting in selecting a responsible logistics solution provider. Access to critical data by the authorized member of the supply chain will reduce unsubstantiated disputes.

Blockchain technology will be available to everyone on the network. This will bring transparency and help logistics professionals such as carriers, shippers and brokers to detect early frauds and prevent thefts. It will increase customer trust toward any financial transaction for tracking the ownership of titles.

Blockchain technology is envisioned to be a technology that could be a game-changer for decentralizing infrastructure, introducing transparency and building trust in the supply chain. The current study is a novel addition to the literature where blockchain technology enables the indisputable storage of verified data that was previously kept in safeguarded silos.

The purpose of this study is to analyse and compile the literature on various option pricing models (OPM) or methodologies. The report highlights the gaps in the existing literature review and builds recommendations for potential scholars interested in the subject area.

In this study, the researchers used a systematic literature review procedure to collect data from Scopus. Bibliometric and structured network analyses were used to examine the bibliometric properties of 864 research documents.

As per the findings of the study, publication in the field has been increasing at a rate of 6% on average. This study also includes a list of the most influential and productive researchers, frequently used keywords and primary publications in this subject area. In particular, Thematic map and Sankey’s diagram for conceptual structure and for intellectual structure co-citation analysis and bibliographic coupling were used.

Based on the conclusion presented in this paper, there are several potential implications for research, practice and society.

This study provides useful insights for future research in the area of OPM in financial derivatives. Researchers can focus on impactful authors, significant work and productive countries and identify potential collaborators. The study also highlights the commonly used OPMs and emerging themes like machine learning and deep neural network models, which can inform practitioners about new developments in the field and guide the development of new models to address existing limitations.

The accurate pricing of financial derivatives has significant implications for society, as it can impact the stability of financial markets and the wider economy. The findings of this study, which identify the most commonly used OPMs and emerging themes, can help improve the accuracy of pricing and risk management in the financial derivatives sector, which can ultimately benefit society as a whole.

It is possibly the initial effort to consolidate the literature on calibration on option price by evaluating and analysing alternative OPM applied by researchers to guide future research in the right direction.

The purpose of this study is to examine the financial and operating performance of Saraswati Sugar Mills Limited and its impact on the society in the employment generation and upliftment of the socio‐economic status. The study also aimed at finding out the factors responsible for low performance (if any). It helped in comparison of changes in static data from years 1995‐1996 to 2010‐2011.

Ratio analysis and quantitative techniques such as discrete and continuous time approach has been used to analyze the data. To do financial appraisal, five financial ratios namely working capital turnover ratio, percentage of net sales to capital employed, percentage of gross profit to capital employed, cost output ratio, and value added per man/month were calculated and analyzed to understand the changes in financial and operating position of the company.

The findings revealed the mixed trends of profit and losses. Net sales and capital employed showed an increasing trend while percentage of net profit to capital employed and cost output ratio declined from 1995‐1996 to 2010‐2011. Working capital was utilised effectively. Value added per man/month also registered an increase of 120.11 percent. In nutshell, the financial and operational performance analysis shows the efficiency of the Saraswati Sugar Mills Private Limited and its contribution towards sustainable development of its immediate society.

The ideal situation could have one if a comparative analysis of both private as well as co‐operative sugar mills can lead to a better analysis and therefore, to a better practical approach.

This study provides a framework for performance evaluation when both discretionary and non‐discretionary variables are to be taken into consideration.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and tests a service excellence model, thus providing a detailed understanding of the key antecedents of service excellence, from a customer ' s perspective. The model presented in this paper is rooted in cross-disciplinary literature and tested amongst customers of UK retail banking services.

Following a systematic approach to scale development, the paper draws on survey data from 260 consumers of retail banking products, with the data collected on national basis in the UK.

The theoretical framework was evaluated using a structural approach. Of the hypothesised antecedents, innovation has the greatest impact on service excellence while reputation the least, as far as customers are concerned.

The research was limited to one research domain, i.e. UK retail banking, and thus it is reasonable to hypothesise that other aspects of service excellence will be more or less relevant for other types of financial services or in other geographic regions.

Given the challenges faced by the retail banking sector, there are implications for practitioners because the authors identified the key antecedents of service excellence. The antecedents can be used by practitioners to help demonstrate excellence on their part and they could differentiate what are homogenous services at a time when the retail banks are going through a period of recovery following the crisis within the sector.

This work complements the understanding of service excellence and provides insight for scholars and practitioners by modelling services for a specific service sector.