FLAME University

RESEARCH

UNCOVER QUESTIONS, DISCOVER ANSWERS

Author: Chattopadhyay S., Jacob S.,Sreeparna Chattopadhyay

Changing Birth Practices in India: Oils, Oxytocin and Obstetrics

Publisher: South Asia Research, 2022

Abstract | Links
Institutional births increased in India from 39% to 79% between 2005 and 2015. Drawing from 17 months of fieldwork, this article traces the shift from home to hospital births across three generations in a hamlet in Assam in Northeast India. Here, too, one finds that most births have shifted from home to hospital in less than a decade, aided by multiple factors. These include ‘free’ birthing facilities and financial incentives offered by government schemes, idiosyncratic changes within the hamlet, such as the introduction of biomedical practices through home births where oxytocin was used, and changes in cultural belief systems among local people. The exploration reveals significant transitions between (and fluidities of) categories such as local/global, tradition/modernity, past/present and nature/technology, creating a complex and ambivalent narrative of change, in which the voices of mothers should not be ignored.
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F02627280221105126
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q2

Author: Goel, P., Chowdhury, J., Parida, Y.,Joyita Roy Chowdhury

Can COVID-19 Lockdown Reduce Crimes Against Women? A District- Level Analysis from India

Publisher: Journal of of Interdisciplinary Economics, 2022

Abstract | Links
In response to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian government implemented a nationwide lockdown on 24 March 2020. We study the effect of lockdown on crimes against women. Using district-level panel data from 457 districts in India for five months (before, during and post-lockdown), we examine the interaction effect of COVID-19 containment zones and lockdown on crimes against women. Results suggest a differential impact of the lockdown on crime across different containment zones. Compared to the most COVID-19 affected zone, the less affected zones show a larger fall in crimes against women due to the imposition of a lockdown.
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F02601079221111006
Journal |  ABDC C | SCOPUS® | Q4

Author: Sengupta,R., Rooj, D.,Reshmi Sengupta

The Impact of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Samman Nidhi Yojna on Food Security and the Healthcare-Seeking Practices of Agricultural Households in Bihar

Publisher: Ecology, Economy and Society, 2022

Links
https://doi.org/10.37773/ees.v5i2.687
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q3

Author: Karkhanis, G.V., Chandnani, S.U., Chakraborti, S.,Swapnajit Chakraborti

Analysis of employee perception of employer brand: a comparative study across business cycles using structural topic modelling

Publisher: Journal of Business Analytics, 2022

Abstract | Links
Employer branding is an important measure to attract prospective employees and to motivate, engage, and retain their current employees. Employer branding is instrumental for the employer to position the organisation in the minds of current and potential employees by using a combination of economic, psychological, and functional benefits. In the current research the authors implement a set of natural language processing techniques (structural topic modelling) on the employee reviews posted on Glassdoor.com (an online platform where the employees can post reviews about their current and previous employers). The study has thematically structured the 35,075 reviews from 8 Information Technology companies, spanning 5 years from 2015 to 2019. The study compares the employer branding parameters and has identified the prominent dimensions across the expansionary (2015–2017) and contractionary (2017–2019) phases of business cycles. A significant difference in topical proportions were found across the business cycles, suggesting different priorities for different dimensions of the employer brand during expansionary and contractionary phases. The findings would serve as guidance for HR managers to understand the trends in the employee perceptions in the context of changing macro-environment situations and accordingly recalibrate their existing strategies for talent attraction and retention
https://doi.org/10.1080/2573234X.2022.2104663
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q3

Author: Samanta, T.,Tannistha Samanta,

Foodwork as Foodplay: New Aging Masculinities in Bollywood Cinema

Publisher: The Gerontologist, 2022

Abstract | Links
"Sharmaji Namkeen opens with the farewell ceremony of Mr. Sharma, a 58-year-old widow who has been unexpectedly asked to take voluntary retirement from a middle-class home appliances company that he served for his entire professional life. A well-rehearsed farewell speech is cut short by the company secretary, who instead hurriedly sends Mr. Sharma off with a bouquet of flowers and advice to “have fun” in this new phase of postretirement life. This remarkable scene is juxtaposed with a jeering melody that asks older people to rest (aaram karo), a slow life marked by purposeless leisure, repose, and reflection. Sharmaji Namkeen sets its tone just right. It reflects the postretirement phase for middle-class older Indian men as a time warp caught in senile domesticity. I review this film through the feminist understanding of plural enactments of masculinities in the sociological corpus of food practices and experiences. This is significant because cultural gerontologists have shown how the culture of consumption has deconstructed the life course enabling older identities to be based on lifestyle preferences (Twigg & Martin, 2015). These studies include fertile examinations of postretirement leisure practices such as gardening, tourism, sport, volunteerism, opening up possibilities of affect, creativity, pleasure, and work. Surprisingly, a passion for cooking (especially among older men) is not always seen as a postretirement activity that can disrupt our understanding of traditional models of aging well."
https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnac122
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q1

Author: Shankar A., Kidd T.,Aparna Shankar,

Loneliness in Older Indian Dyads

Publisher: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022

Abstract | Links
Background: Loneliness has been recognised as a major public health concern in older adults in developed nations, with little focus on low- and middle-income countries such as India. While the protective nature of social relationships on loneliness has been explored in the context of marriage, typically these benefits are examined in individual spouses rather than within the marital dyad. Methods: A sample of 398 opposite-sex married Indian couples (mean age 54.8 years) was obtained from the pilot wave of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) conducted in 2010. These cross-sectional data were analysed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, with one’s own and one’s partner’s cognitive function, functional limitations, depressive symptoms, employment status and contact with friends included as predictors of loneliness. Results: There were no gender differences in the pattern of associations. Depression was positively associated with loneliness with actor and partner effects being significant. One’s partner being employed was associated with less loneliness. Conclusions: The sample showed low levels of depression, loneliness, and reduced functionality; however, depression still predicted one’s own and one’s partner’s loneliness. Future work using longitudinal data could examine the role of employment in loneliness, particularly within the context of gender roles.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095302
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q2

Author: Chhajer R., Chaudhry S.,Smita Chaudhry,

What Makes Indian Management Students Thrive? Role of Decision-Making Discretion, Broad Information Sharing, and Climate of Trust

Publisher: Frontiers in Psychology, 2022

Abstract | Links
"Happiness of employees is an aspiration for an organization that believes in its contribution to organizational performance. Happy employees can positively contribute to performance in many ways. Happiness leads to altruistic behavior, good health due to higher immunity, and effective management of stress (Lyubomirsky et al., 2005; De Neve et al., 2013; Layous and Lyubomirsky, 2014). These positive outcomes reduce absenteeism, promote bonhomie at the workplace and increase engagement. Consequently, organization benefits from higher productivity, collaboration, organizational citizenship behavior and performance. Thriving is one of the aspects of happiness that may be experienced by employees. It is a psychological state in which individuals feel that they are growing, developing, and are energized (Porath et al., 2012). Thriving is associated with a multitude of positive organizational outcomes such as occupational performance, low burnout or stress, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment (Spreitzer and Porath, 2012, 2014; Spreitzer et al., 2012; Parker et al., 2013; Gerbasi et al., 2015; Kleine et al., 2019). Spreitzer et al. (2005) has used self-determination theory to conceptually identify the measures organizations can take to enable an environment for thriving for employees. Self-determination theory suggests that individuals would perform well professionally and achieve personal well-being in environments that help satisfy their three fundamental psychological needs: need of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Arguing through this theory, Spreitzer et al. (2005) has postulated that decision-making discretion, broad information sharing and climate of trust are the aspects of organizational environment that can provide psychological satisfaction leading to thriving in employees. However, there is no existing research that has empirically tested the relationship of these environmental factors with thriving. In this paper, we examine (a) the relationship of decision-making discretion, broad information sharing and climate of trust with thriving, and (b) the role of self-determination theory in determining this relationship. The paper provides the conceptual background of thriving and self-determination theory, and the arguments concerning the hypothesized relationships. It presents a multiple studies approach using a combination of experimental and field study methods. The first study is experimental. It develops and tests scales for decision-making discretion, broad information sharing and climate of trust. For this purpose, new items for these three constructs are defined based on theoretical literature, and tested for convergent and discriminant validity and reliability. Experimental vignettes are also defined for high and low situations for the environmental factors, and are verified through t-tests on the developed scales. The second study series is experimental. It investigates the relationship of decision-making discretion, broad information sharing and climate of trust with thriving. For this purpose, the experimental vignettes and scales developed in Study 1 are used along with thriving scale, and the significance of the differential impact of low and high levels of these environmental factors on thriving, is verified using t-tests. The third study is a field study. It explores the direct relationship of these factors with thriving, and the mediating role of constructs of self-determination theory (autonomy, competence and relatedness). All the hypotheses are tested in this study using hierarchical regression analysis. Based on the findings of this study, we discuss the theoretical contribution, practical implication and research directions."
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.795262
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q2

Author: Ghura A.S., Erkut B.,Amarpreet Singh Ghura,

Corporate entrepreneurship programmes as mechanisms to accelerate product innovations

Publisher: Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 2022

Abstract | Links
This paper explores how firms engage in corporate entrepreneurship through programmes, and what kind of outcomes they achieve in terms of innovations. Insights are drawn from four cases of organisations that engaged in corporate entrepreneurial activities. The paper identifies two dimensions of corporate entrepreneurship programmes as idea themes, indicating whether programmes are designed with specific themes in mind, and idea ownership, indicating whether there is a dedicated team to focus on new ideas, or not. These dimensions are under the direct control of management. Based on these two dimensions, four models of corporate entrepreneurial activities are presented linking each of these models to one of the four cases of product innovations (product line extensions, product improvements, new products, start-up businesses). By drawing on the insights of the effectuation and causation logics, the paper provides a fresh perspective of corporate entrepreneurship programmes in an emerging, non-Western cultural setup and the product innovation context. This is primarily done by introducing a 2 × 2 matrix regarding corporate entrepreneurship idea themes and idea ownership in an emerging context.
https://doi.org/10.1515/erj-2021-0123
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q2

Author: Popa, E.,Elena Popa,

Concepts of Biodiversity, Pluralism, and Pragmatism: The Case of Walnut Forest Conservation in Central Asia

Publisher: SATS (De Gruyter), 2022

Abstract | Links
This paper examines philosophical debates about concepts of biodiversity, making the case for conceptual pluralism. Taking a pragmatist perspective, I argue that normative concepts of biodiversity and eco-centric concepts of biodiversity can serve different purposes. The former would help stress the values of local communities, which have often been neglected by both early scientific approaches to conservation, and by policy makers prioritizing the political or economic interests of specific groups. The latter would help build local research programs independent of pressures from economic or political actors. I employ a case study on environmental research on walnut forests in Kyrgyzstan in support of my argument. Against tendencies to frame different understandings of biodiversity in terms of geographical areas, I propose an interpretation drawing on the philosophy of ecology. Adherence to environmental pragmatism enables a sufficiently complex picture of developing environmental research in the area, capturing issues about scientific framings and local understandings.
https://doi.org/10.1515/sats-2021-0017
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q3

Author: Patki, S., Ahuja, E.,Sairaj Patki,

Gen Z’s Identity Amidst the Artificial Reality of Social Media

Publisher: Journal of Media and Communication, 2022

Abstract | Links
" The ill-effects of the Internet and social media in the context of adolescents 
 have been researched and discussed elaborately. Social media harnessing the power of 
 Artificial Intelligence (AI), however, may influence Generation Z even more potently. 
 With the coronavirus pandemic-induced physical distancing, Generation Z’s dependence 
 on social media platforms for fulfilling social networking, as well as higher cognitive needs, 
 can be expected to have further increased. The resultant reduction in exposure to real-life connections can build beliefs and perceptions of the world that may portray a narrower 
 version of the actual reality. This paper reviews the challenges posed by modern social media 
 in the context of fake news and online activism, particularly for a generational cohort that 
 is going through the phase of identity formation. We also highlight the need for structured interventions to ensure a healthier usage pattern of social media by this generation."
http://jmc.cutn.ac.in/docs/2022JM&CJune3.pdf
Journal |  UGC - CARE

Author: Chattopadhyay S., Sidharth, J.,Sreeparna Chattopadhyay,Juhi Sidharth

Gender Norms, Domestic Violence, and the Southern India Puzzle

Publisher: Economic & Political Weekly (Engage), 2022

Abstract | Links
The Global Gender Gap report (2021) released by the World Economic Forum recently ranked India at 140 out of 156 countries. While there may be several limitations to a metric of this nature, it is a barometer of a country’s performance on four indicators: educational attainment, health and survival, economic participation and opportunity, and political empowerment. For health and survival, India is second from the bottom and is ranked at 155 because this indicator gives significant weightage to sex ratios. Like China, India performs poorly on this indicator. It is worth noting that the declining sex ratio is not just a problem for North India, where sex ratios have improved between 2001 and 2011. However, they continue to be skewed, but the problem has spread to the rest of the country, too, including southern India, which has some of the worst sex ratios (Isaac 2019)
https://www.epw.in/engage/article/gender-norms-domestic-violence-and-southern-indian
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q2

Author: Sasi Kiran, R.M., Vemireddy, V.,Sasi Kiran R.M.,

Periodizing the Residuality of a Composite Protest Art Form: The Case of Telangana Dhoom Dham

Publisher: CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, 2022

Abstract | Links
The article will document the emergence of the composite art form of “Dhoom Dham” in the state of Telangana, a southern state from India. A mixture of folk song-and-dance routines interspersed with political speeches, Dhoom Dham emerged as a potent form of political protest during the Telangana statehood movement and dominated the cultural imaginary of the movement. It has the characteristics of a residual cultural form as conceptualized by Raymond Williams. Dhoom Dham masterfully combined the elements of folk and repurposed the left protest music traditions to help the cause of the formation of separate state of Telangana. The article will theorize and document a history of the art form starting from its roots in the traditions of left-wing protest music to its contemporary predicament. Dhoom Dham's site of struggle is the state of Telangana and its villages. Dhoom Dham artists during the movement toured every village of Telangana and spread word about the struggles of the people and articulated the nature of their oppression. The first section will outline the socio-economic and historical context of the Telangana movement. The second section will trace the residuality of Dhoom Dham through a history of protest music in the region. The third section will theorize the art form using Walter Benjamin’s idea of politics of aestheticization and engage with the critical and subversive potential of the art form.
https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.4290
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q2

Author: Sychenko, E., Laruccia, M., Cusciano, D., Korde, R., Nagadia, K.,Chikireva, I.,Wang, J., Carrim, N.,Rupa Korde,

Gender Discrimination in Employment: BRICS Countries Overview

Publisher: BRICS Law Journal, 2022

Abstract | Links
This article investigates the phenomenon of gender equality in employment in the BRICS countries where it is one of the factors hampering the economic development and basic human rights. The authors examine the international obligations of these states under the human rights treaties of the United Nations Organization (UNO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), compare the national anti-discriminatory norms with the international standards (ILO Conventions and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and evaluate the observations of the relevant international bodies recently adopted in respect of the BRICS states. In particular, the activities of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations are reviewed. In the paragraphs that follow, the national legislation and case-laws are examined. Furthermore, the reasons for the persistent gender stereotypes in the labor market, as well as the general attitude toward women’s roles in society in each country are reviewed. The authors identify the obstacles to achieving true gender equality in the workplace and formulate recommendations for improving protections against discrimination of women in employment as well as ensuring equal access to employment and promotion.
https://doi.org/10.21684/2412-2343-2022-9-2-30-71
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q3

Author: Gosain, K., Samanta, T.,Tannistha Samanta,

Understanding the Role of Stigma and Misconceptions in the Experience of Epilepsy in India: Findings From a Mixed-Methods Study

Publisher: Frontiers in Sociology, 2022

Abstract | Links
It is surprising that although 12 million people in India suffer from epilepsy this remains a thoroughly under-researched area in the sociology of health and practice. We address this intellectual and policy neglect by reviewing the social, psychological and legal challenges governing the lives of people living with epilepsy (PWE) by paying particular attention to negotiations in arranged marriages and employment. Drawing on the analytical frameworks of the sociological study of stigma, critical race theory and paying attention to the cultural models of health and suffering, this study utilized a combination of (online) survey data (N = 100) and in-depth qualitative interviews (N = 10) with PWE and their families. The online survey was administered to map the level of awareness about epilepsy and its clinical management among the general population, whereas the in-depth interviews were conducted to understand the experience, self-perception and everyday struggles of those diagnosed with the condition. Findings from the survey on non-PWE suggest a general lack of awareness and fearful misconceptions around epilepsy related seizures. In-depth interviews with PWEs revealed concealment (of the illness) as a dominant coping strategy to attenuate the social alienation and rejection associated with epilepsy. Further, PWE participants reported persistent discrimination, harassment and prejudiced understanding of diminished cognitive capacities at workplaces as a result of cultural myths and popular representations of epilepsy-related seizures. The study also demonstrated the significance of institutional support groups in assisting PWE to cope with symbolic violence and forge solidarities. We conclude with reflections on the ethical dilemmas faced by medical practitioners while dealing with social-medical interventions of epilepsy treatment. Overall, results from this study undergird the significance to revisit the social-moral as well as legal frameworks that persistently restrict opportunities for PWE in India. In an attempt to reimagine inclusive futures regardless of disease, disability and affliction, we attempt to move beyond the biomedical gaze and instead privilege stories of individual personhood, struggles and aspirations.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2022.790145
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q1

Author: Ray, K., Mochish, K.S.,K S Mochish,

New-generation Malayalam Cinema: A Decade of Promise

Publisher: Economic and Political Weekly, 2022

Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q2

Author: Khurana, I., Dutta, D.K., Ghura, A.S.,Amarpreet Singh Ghura,

SMEs and digital transformation during a crisis: The emergence of resilience as a second-order dynamic capability in an entrepreneurial ecosystem

Publisher: Journal of Business Research, 2022

Abstract | Links
In this research, we examine how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) build their resilience capability during a crisis, through the adoption of digital technologies. Utilizing a qualitative approach grounded in case studies of eight entrepreneurs from India who had to radically change their business models and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, we develop a multilevel model of resilience capability: at the micro (entrepreneur), meso (organizational), and macro (entrepreneurial ecosystem) levels. In developing resilience, the SMEs alternate their focus: from concentrating on the core to moving toward the periphery of their organizational boundaries, highlighting a shifting play of the three first-order dynamic capabilities of sensing, seizing, and transforming. By affording SMEs an opportunity to transform themselves by embracing digital technologies, the crisis leads to the emergence of resilience capability as a second-order dynamic capability.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.06.048
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q1

Author: Jain, D.K., Singh, R., Kumar, H., Kumar, N., Patel, A.,Devendra Jain,

Why does currency denomination in external liabilities of small island developing states matter? Evidence from Fiji

Publisher: Asia & The Pacific Policy Studies, 2022

Abstract | Links
The valuation effects on international investment position induced by the exchange rate volatility are not uniform or easily manageable in small and vulnerable economies when compared with larger developing or developed countries. To investigate the underlying dynamics, we developed a foreign currency exposure index over the period 2006–2019. The positive reading of the index suggests that though Fiji has a high net negative international investment position (90% of its GDP), it does not pose any serious risk. To ascertain determinants of Fijiʼs exposure index, we applied fully modified ordinary least square and autoregressive distributed lag bounds test. We have compared both estimates for consistency. Our findings suggest that the underlying determinants of Fijiʼs currency exposure are foreign debt, trade openness and exchange rate. This article bridges the gap in the literature on currency exposure risks in small island developing states and is the first study of its kind for the Pacific region.
https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.356
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q1

Author: Tripathi, A., Samanta, T.,Tannistha Samanta,

Leisure as self-care in the times of the pandemic: Insights from a time-use diary study in India

Publisher: Leisure Studies, 2022

Abstract | Links
In this research note, we discuss how the pandemic forged a renewed interest in self-care among urban older Indians. A reflexive thematic analysis of time-use diaries (N = 15) allows us to examine leisure patterns and everyday subjectivities of middle-class older Indians. In particular, time-diaries reveal a heightened focus on leisure-based enacted self-care practices including meditation, online activity/learning, and socialising. Consistent with previous scholarship of an unequivocal gender inequality in leisure as self-care, we observe distinct differences among men and women in their engagement with self-care. Specifically, while men engaged in outdoor activities as a way to cope with the stress and uncertainties of the pandemic, women’s everyday lives continued to be defined by domesticity and household management. Additionally, we show that while immediately uplifting, the ethics of self-care embodies the neoliberal logic of the entrepreneurial subject that makes self-reliance a necessity to practice responsible citizenship in times of the pandemic. Overall, by shifting the logics of care to the self, we depart from the more commonly held notion of older adults being recipients of care to the crafting of autonomous subjects through the pandemic-led public health practices of committed citizenship and civic virtue.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2022.2121415
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q1

Author: Goyal, Y., Choudhury, P.R., Ghosh, R.K.,Yugank Goyal,

Informal land leasing in rural India persists because it is credible

Publisher: Land Use Policy, 2022

Abstract | Links
While insecure property rights are considered ‘perverse’ with respect to development, we examine what are the features most amenable for their persistence. Applying a Credibility Thesis framework in the context of rural land tenancy relations in India, that are largely held through private arrangements, we try to understand if there are inherent preferences to the existing informal structure of land leasing. An in-depth primary household survey across four states of India reveals that farmers rely on customary, informal mode of leasing arrangements because of their functionality in terms of no paperwork, easy accessibility, swifter modes of payment and prompt conflict resolution. Informality makes the existing institutional arrangement ‘credible’ in the eyes of both the tenants and owners. This raises the questions of whether policy prescriptions on intricate land related issues should entail appreciation of prevailing informal tenant customs, regulating them, or simply letting them be and realign agrarian support and delivery systems around this embedded informality.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106299
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q1

Author: Chaudhry, S.,Smita Chaudhry,

Measuring diversity, equity and inclusion: a holistic approach

Publisher: Development and Learning in Organizations, 2022

Abstract | Links
This paper aims to explore how organizations can measure diversity, equity and inclusion, and what are the potential areas where they can take initiatives to meet the diversity, equity and inclusion goals.
https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-04-2022-0068
Journal |  SCOPUS® | Q3