Naresh Charan

This study examines household demand for drinking water in rural central India using a revealed preference framework applied to a stratified sample of households across villages with and without piped water supply. Departing from the contingent valuation methods prevalent in earlier literature, the study employs a discrete choice model to identify the determinants of water source selection. In settlements without piped supply, distance to the water source and female educational attainment emerge as the principal determinants of safe water preference, whilst household income is not significant. Where piped supply exists, income, price, and household size shape the decision to opt for a private yard connection. The monetary value of time spent collecting water indicates a substantial willingness to pay. The findings demonstrate that rural households already behave as rational economic agents in their water decisions, undermining paternalistic assumptions embedded in India's supply-driven policy framework. The paper argues for a tiered service model that guarantees a minimum standard of provision for all whilst permitting enhanced service levels for those willing and able to pay, thereby reconciling equity commitments with financial sustainability.

This paper examines how an innovative MBA program integrates global business ecosystems into higher education, analysing its impact across five dimensions: curriculum development, industry partnerships, internationalization networks, graduate competency development, and regulatory recognition. Using a single-case qualitative methodology, the study demonstrates that embedding experiential learning, problem-based approaches, and business linkages within curriculum significantly enhances students' acquisition of strategic and practical competencies. The program's success is evidenced by performance metrics exceeding national standards and strong employability rates, with graduates demonstrating proficiency in project management, organizational leadership, and cross-cultural communication. While methodological limitations affect generalizability, the research offers valuable insights for institutions seeking innovative approaches to business education. The study concludes that systematically connecting learning with authentic commercial ecosystems prepares graduates who possess not merely theoretical knowledge, but the adaptability and strategic acumen required for leadership in today's globalized marketplace.

This analysis examines the multifaceted nature of workplace stress, with particular emphasis on its impact on young workers in contemporary professional environments. The research demonstrates that workplace stress manifests as a complex interplay of psychological, physiological, and organisational factors, necessitating a holistic approach to its understanding and management. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by young workers, including the integration of professional and personal spheres amid unprecedented digital pressures. Through examination of the retail service sector, the research identifies inherent paradoxes in modern work environments that contribute to employee stress. The analysis reveals the critical importance of comprehensive organisational responses, including flexible working arrangements and supportive cultural frameworks. The distinction between eustress and negative stress emerges as a crucial consideration in developing nuanced management strategies. The findings emphasise the necessity of collective responsibility in stress management, with particular focus on leadership engagement and generational considerations. This research contributes to the broader discourse on workplace wellbeing and organisational success, suggesting that effective stress management requires sophisticated, multi-level approaches that address both individual and systemic factors.

This paper examines the role of public enterprises in providing safe drinking water in developing countries and analyses the factors influencing households' water source choices using a revealed preference model. The study, conducted in rural Nepal, reveals a substantial willingness to pay for convenient access to safe water, challenging the notion that rural households, especially women, do not value time savings from improved water access. The findings suggest that the predominant supply-driven, heavily subsidised approach of public water utilities warrants reconsideration. The paper argues that the willingness to pay exists but the willingness to charge is stymied. This policy creates a vicious cycle of poor service and poor cost recovery. The paper suggests a paradigm shift towards a more demand-responsive approach, allowing households to choose and pay for their desired service levels while ensuring a minimum level of safe water for all. This could enhance sustainability, welfare, and financial viability of public water utilities. The study concludes that public enterprises have a critical role in ensuring universal access to safe water but should adopt a more dynamic, accountable, and service-oriented approach, incorporating user preferences and contributions while retaining their core public mandate.

This article examines the pressing challenges facing Industrial Organization (IO) in the contemporary economic landscape, with a particular focus on merger analysis. The rapid pace of technological advancement and emergence of novel business models have strained conventional analytical frameworks. We explore how the rise of digital platforms, data as a competitive asset, and multi-sided markets have exposed gaps in our understanding of market power and consumer welfare. Through an examination of empirical methodologies, including structural models and difference-in-differences approaches, we highlight the limitations of current techniques in accurately predicting merger outcomes. The paper argues for a disciplinary reinvention of IO, drawing upon insights from behavioural economics, network theory, and data science. We posit that an interdisciplinary approach is essential for developing more robust analytical tools capable of navigating the complexities of modern markets and informing effective antitrust policy in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

This research introduces a novel approach to evaluate energy utilization in agribusiness within a cost-based framework, addressing the complexities associated with uncertain input energy content. The study focuses on the agricultural sector in Latin America, with particular emphasis on banana plantations, examining the sector's growing dependence on energy-intensive methods and inputs. We differentiate between technical and allocative efficiency, employing a frontier-based methodology. The analysis encompasses data from 21 state-owned banana plantations in Latin America, revealing significant room for improvement in energy efficiency. Our findings indicate an average Technical Efficiency of 0.69, Allocative Efficiency of 0.91, and overall Energy Efficiency of 0.59, suggesting potential reductions in input and energy consumption of up to 38%. The study underscores the importance of addressing both input mismanagement and misallocation to enhance energy efficiency. While the proposed methodology offers valuable insights for public sector enterprises, particularly in agriculture, further research is necessary to extend this approach to scenarios with uncertain input energy content, potentially incorporating stochastic frontier analysis or fuzzy logic methodologies.

The process of managing people in an organised way to assist a company in achieving its goals is known as human resources management. an increase in workplace stress, which is detrimental to an employee's health and well-being as well as the performance of the organisation. Certain guiding concepts and precepts are evergreen and can support the development of human resources while ensuring the wellbeing of the individual and the company. In this study, we examine how the methods and practices of yoga might benefit public organisations by lowering employee stress levels and boosting their altruism and greedlessness.