ajay.karanjia95@gmail.com

Private bus drivers and conductors play a crucial role in the transportation industry. However, they face significant challenges related to health coverage, pension schemes, and fair wages. Despite working over 14 hours daily, they receive inadequate compensation and endure harsh working conditions, leading to physical and psychological stress. The lack of weekly off further exacerbates fatigue. This study examines the health and retirement benefits of private bus crew members in Mangalore. A cross-sectional study was conducted randomly among 100 drivers and conductors at the bus terminal of Mangalore city using a structured questionnaire. The Chi-square test was used for analysis. Results indicate that, despite union support and employer backing, 74% of respondents lack health insurance, and 81% do not receive retirement benefits. This highlights the urgent need for policy

Corporate fraud has become a significant challenge in emerging economies, hampering economic development and investor confidence. Forensic accounting has emerged as a powerful mechanism to combat and prevent such fraud by blending investigative techniques with financial acumen. This research paper examines the role of forensic accounting in fraud detection and prevention, the methodologies used, challenges faced in emerging economies, and proposes measures to enhance its effectiveness. The study draws on case studies, secondary data, and recent trends to offer a comprehensive understanding of forensic accounting as a strategic tool in the financial landscape.

The tribal people living very close to nature are indigenous, and they lead a very simple lifestyle. The tribes are culturally rich, but economically poor, and also, they are very neglected by different dignitaries. Without the development of the tribal, economic development of a country is not possible. The economic development of a country depends on human resources. The tribal people as human resource plays an important role in the economic development. So, for the development of a specific area or country the entrepreneurship plays an important role. The tribals have great potential for entrepreneurship. The researcher wants to focus on the present scenario of entrepreneurship development in the study area and to highlight the livelihood pattern of the tribal people.

Job satisfaction is a degree of total satisfaction with a staff member’s job, whether they enjoy the task or a particular component of the activity, for example. Job satisfaction may be approximated in mental (evaluative), filled with sensation (or passionate), behavioural parts, and the type of work. It is also accepted by scientists in the assessment of job satisfaction that changes in the amount of determining sentiments towards their jobs (filled with feeling task fulfilment). Or awareness of the work (full intellectual task fulfilment).
Job happiness is one of the significant components that has piqued the interest of business and scholars. Because of the increased competitiveness brought about by globalization, managers have placed a high value on work happiness. This might be because various studies have shown that activity pleasure is a significant element in hierarchical responsibility. Extremely satisfied employees will go above and above to ensure the adequacy and effectiveness of their company. Job satisfaction will result in far greater performance, and employees will become more dedicated to their organization.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly pivotal role in transforming consumer behaviour within the retail industry. This research paper examines the influence of AI on consumer behaviour in Maharashtra, with a particular emphasis on the contrasts between urban and rural retail markets. By analysing AI applications such as recommendation systems, personalized marketing, chatbots, and demand forecasting tools, the study investigates how these technologies are reshaping shopping patterns, preferences, and engagement levels across diverse consumer segments.
Through a mixed-methods approach combining surveys of urban and rural consumers, in-depth interviews with retailers, and analysis of retail data, the research reveals that urban consumers are more responsive to AI-driven personalization, digital loyalty programs, and seamless omni-channel experiences. In contrast, rural consumers exhibit cautious engagement, influenced by digital literacy, infrastructural limitations, and a preference for human interaction. However, even in rural areas, exposure to AI particularly through mobile-based platforms and regional language interfaces is gradually altering shopping behaviour, especially among younger demographics.
The paper highlights key challenges such as data privacy concerns, digital inclusion, and trust in AI systems, while offering actionable insights for retailers aiming to adapt their AI strategies to distinct market segments. It concludes with policy and business recommendations to bridge the urban-rural digital divide and build a more inclusive AI-driven retail ecosystem in Maharashtra.

This theoretical paper examines the adoption of social commerce (s-commerce) among women entrepreneurs in India through the lens of technology acceptance models and socio-economic theories. The study identifies key drivers (e.g., accessibility, financial inclusion) and barriers (e.g., digital literacy, infrastructure gaps) shaping s-commerce adoption. We propose a Socio-Technical Adoption Framework that integrates empirical evidence from the Indian context with established theoretical models. The paper provides actionable insights for policymakers and platform designers while contributing to academic discourse on digital entrepreneurship in emerging markets.

This research investigates the views of retailers on the marketing of organic food items in Belagavi City, Karnataka, with specific reference to important factors contributing to their perception and readiness to market them. Based on a sample of 120 retailers from different store formats, the study uses Structural Equation Modelling to test 5 hypothesized relationships. Results show that profitability (β=0.275, p=0.001), perceived health advantage (β=0.349, p<0.001), and retailer experience (β=0.279, p=0.001) all significantly influence positive attitudes, while product knowledge has no significant influence (β=0.009, p=0.916). Notably, retailers’ perception is a strong predictor of willingness to recommend organic products (β=0.595, p<0.001) with large effect size (f²=0.549). The measurement model has high reliability (Cronbach’s α>0.90) and validity (AVE>0.76). The structural model accounts for 55.5% of variance in perception (R²=0.555) and 35.4% in willingness to promote (R²=0.354). The results imply that economic feasibility and health positioning are more important than basic awareness in influencing retailer involvement with organic products. The research offers practitioners and policymakers useful insights for building focused strategies highlighting profitability and health advantage while overcoming experiential obstacles. Regional comparisons and online marketing dynamics could be subjects of further organic food retailing studies to pursue.

“In a transparent world, brands are judged not only by what they sell but how they behave.”
— (Gerzema & Lebar, 2008)
A shift has emerged in the relationship between brands and consumers. Today, people prefer to purchase product items not solely based on functionality, but rather with brands that resonate with their values and belief systems. In this research, we explore the impact of Universal Human Values on brand equity regarding Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, specifically focusing on toothpaste brands in Punjab and Chandigarh. Contemporary consumers are more conscious of a corporation’s business ethics and social responsibilities. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to investigate how these core values of humanity—trust, empathy, responsibility, and honesty— impact the perception of brands and the loyalty of consumers. Through an online questionnaire sent to more than 240 people, convenience sampling yielded 222 valid responses. This study focuses on four leading brands of toothpaste: Colgate (Colgate-Palmolive Company), Sensodyne (Haleon UK Trading Limited), Dabur Red (Dabur India Limited), and Dantkanti (Patanjali Ayurved). The outcome of this study revealed that UHVs such as trust, fairness, empathy and respect significantly & positively influence brand equity of 4 discussed toothpaste brands in 2 regions.

The socio-economic development of the scheduled castes and their respectful integration with the mainstream and bringing them on par with the others is a constitutional responsibility and a national goal. Achieving this noble goal calls for effective planning and implementation of the programmes for the development of scheduled castes. The special component plan strategy now it is known as Scheduled Caste Component Plan (SCCP) is essentially a means of earmarking benefits to the scheduled castes in physical and financial terms in each sector of the state plan/Central plan. In this article an attempt is made to analyse the various dimensions of scheduled castes development with special reference to Scheduled Caste Component Plan approach under which scheduled castes of Kolhapur district of Maharashtra taking various benefits for improving their socio-economic status in society.