eChapters

Introduction

Global economies have witnessed very deepened financial integration in past decade and have more room for leverage. However, these integrations have also witnessed various turmoil in the economy in the form of Russian- Brazil debt crisis, Asian financial crisis, Dot com bubble, Argentina debt crisis, Global financial crisis and many more since 1990s. Due to the existence of globalization, these crises have impacted not only a particular economy but has extended its scope.

The previous studies have found the credit growth and asset prices as a leading indicator. Some studies also showed that the foreign exchange reserve, broad money supply and trade as variables were also statistically significant. These studies have used either the Signal Extraction Approach used by Kaminsky and Reinhart (1999) which used a threshold value as a limit for multiple variables beyond which a crisis signal is given. Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE)in Romania (Brezinski and Stephen, 2011) lost its attractiveness among foreign investors. However, there are not enough resources which focuses on Asian economies or India. The emergence of novel technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, cloud computing, big data analytics, machine learning (ML), internet of things (IoT), and 3-D printing, commonly known as Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0), offers developing nations like India both significant opportunities and challenges. IR4.0 technologies, sometimes referred to as the “digital revolution,” have numerous uses in the industries of services, industry, and agriculture.

Introduction

AI plays a key role in management effectiveness and adaptation, especially in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) facing evolving markets (Lemos S. I. C., et al., 2022). Designing AI-based management frameworks enhances companies’ economic activities through data analysis and informed decision making (Emine, Kalender., 2023). Academic research shows a growing interest in AI in management, with a focus on effective adoption practices and potential areas for development (Jbid, Arsenyan., Anke, Piepenbrink. 2023). Artificial intelligence (AI) significantly influences decision-making processes in management by enhancing rationality, efficiency, and fairness. AI, through machine learning and big data analysis, reduces managerial bounded rationality, enabling a shift from satisficing to optimizing decision making modes (Shtepa, S., et. al., 2023). In human resource management AI-enabled interview analysis improves candidate selection by uncovering hidden patterns and mitigating biases, leading to more objective decisions (Rajneesh, Panwar. 2023). Additionally, by increasing productivity, efficacy and creativity, the incorporation of AI into business strategy transforms decision-making; nonetheless, ethical considerations and human oversight are essential for responsible implementation (Gonesh, C., et. al., 2023).

Introduction

The finance sector is undergoing a profound transformation driven by technological advancements, with artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology at the lead of innovation. AI, characterized by its capacity to analyze vast datasets, recognize patterns, and take data-driven decisions has revolutionized various industries, including finance. On the other hand blockchain technology, initially popularized by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin has arose as a disruptive force in finance, offering decentralized, transparent and secure transactional systems.

The integration of AI and blockchain technology holds immense promise for the finance sector, offering new avenues for efficiency, transparency, and risk management. By combining the analytical power of AI with the security and transparency of blockchain, financial institutions can streamline operations improve customer experiences, and mitigate risks more effectively. However realizing the full potential of this integration requires a nuanced understanding of its complexities, challenges, and opportunities.

Introduction

The phrase “sustainable” has been used so much in recent years-and frequently so imprecisely—that for many people, it has become meaningless or confused, more of a rhetorical chant than a source of useful advice. Lester Brown, the founder of the World Watch Institute, defined a sustainable society as one that can meet its requirements without compromising the opportunities for future generations. This definition is the one that we come across most frequently. Brown wrote this description in the early 1980s. The Brundtland Report, a 1987 United Nations report, addressed this issue and defined sustainable development as development that satisfies present demands without jeopardising the ability of future generations to satiate their own. Despite their obvious limitations speaking simply of human wants, for example, without reference to the natural world-these are significant moral exhortations. They do serve as a helpful reminder that it is our duty to provide our kids and grandkids with an equally abundant planet as we did, but they offer no guidance on how to truly create a sustainable society. When air, water, and minerals interact with living things to fill a specific region, it is referred to as an ecosystem (Tansley, 1935). This word was first used in 1935. Before then, the main goals of land management had been to provide a single item, like food or lumber, or to conserve a single, iconic species.

Introduction

A payment gateway is a server that is located between the web server of the merchant and the web server of the acquiring bank. When a merchant receives an order, it is transferred to the payment gateway by the merchant server.

The payments sector in India is set to reach USD 100 trillion in volume and USD 50 trillion in transactional value by the end of 2030. The payment gateways, which are also a part of the payments sector are set to reach USD 1.21 billion in India, growing at a CAGR of 17.6% between 2024-2029. The global payment gateway landscape as of 2024 stands at USD 16.27 billion growing at a CAGR of 16.43%. Payment gateways across the world are credit card-based gateways, with the introduction of card readers in mobile phones. The Fintech and payments sector boom in India cannot be justified without mentioning UPI (Unified Payments Interface), which has encompassed payment solutions for small street vendors to large conglomerates with its user-friendly interface and QR-code-based payments. UPI is one of the major payment gateways in India, in addition to IMPS (Immediate Payment Service), RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement), and NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) and many more.

Introduction

A revolution is coming to the more than a century-old automobile industry. Electric vehicles (EVs) are viewed as a solution to a variety of problems, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, fostering sustainable economic growth, improving air quality, and reducing the importation of fossil fuels. The demand for electric automobiles in India is rising. Incentives and programs have been launched by the federal and state governments to promote the usage of electric vehicles, and there are also regulations and standards in place. A consumer is a person or group that plans to purchase something, actually does so, or utilizes it for primarily social, family, domestic, or other non business or entrepreneurial activity-related objectives.

An asset that is an important criterion for evaluating the status of the consumer economy can be used to estimate consumer savings.

The concept of electric cars has been around for a while, but in the past ten years, it has gained a lot of attention due to the expanding carbon footprint and other environmental implications of fuel-powered cars. In contrast to an internal combustion engine, which generates power by burning a mixture of fuel and gases, an electric vehicle (EV) is propelled by an electric motor. When electricity was one of the favored sources of motor vehicle power in the late 19th century, electric vehicles (EVs) first made their appearance, providing a degree of comfort and usability that gasoline cars of the day were unable to equal.

Previous Year Questions

1. What is food security? Why is it essential? Describe the current food security system in India. (10M, CSE 2022)

2. What is food security? Indicate the major constraints in food procurement and distribution. (10M, CSE 2017)

Difference Between Production and Productivity

• Production is total quantity produced in an area.

• Productivity is the quantity produced in one unit area.

• For example, total area is 10 hectares and the quantity produced is 15000 kg.

Previous Year Questions

1. Discuss the iron and protein malnutrition in India. Describe the dietary pattern for mitigating the above-said malnutrition. (15M, IFoS-2022)

2. What is protein energy malnutrition? Give micronutrient deficiency in women and children. (20M, CSE 2017)

3. How are vitamins classified? Name the blood clotting vitamin. Give its various functions and sources. (10M, 150W, CSE 2019)

4. What do you mean by nutrient deficiency? Explain the micro-nutrient deficiency in context of work capacity of women and children. (12.5M, CSE 2015)

Previous Year Questions

1. Differentiate between protective foods and energy foods. (10M, IFoS 2015)

2. What do you mean by ‘hunger’ and ‘hidden hunger’? Comment on various strategies in combating hunger. (15M, CSE 2021)

3. Classify foods on the basis of their function (5M, 2023)

Previous Year Questions

1. What are the different ‘National Dietary Guidelines’ of India? What is your opinion on balanced diet of Indians? (20M, CSE 2021)

2. Classify foods on the basis of their function. Write down a balanced diet for a sedentary man & woman in India (10M, CS 2023)

National Dietary Guidelines

Recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is defined as “the nutrient present in the diet which satisfies the daily requirement of nearly all individuals in a population”.

Previous Year Questions

1. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Public Food Distribution system in India. (8M, IFoS-2022)

2. Describe the vicious cycle of poverty and enlist the existing policy instruments for combating malnutrition. (20M, CSE 2022)

3. Enlist and explain the efforts of the GOI in streamlining the current levels of poverty (10 marks, CS 2022)

4. Enlist and explain the salient features of Public Distribution System as per the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013. (10M, CSE 2022)

5. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of public food-grain distribution system in India. (8M, IFoS 2020)

Previous Year Questions

1. No questions were asked in past 10 years

Availability of Foodgrains

• Net availability of foodgrains = Gross Production (-) seed, feed & wastage, (-) exports imports (+/-) change in stocks.

Previous Year Questions

1. Write down the constraints of fruit processing industry in India (10M, CSE 2023)

2. Enlist & Explain the issues & challenges in the growth of food processing industry in India (10M, CSE 2022)

3. Give a detailed account of constraints in sustaining the food-grain production in India. (10M, IFoS 2020)

4. What are the major constraints of food production in India (10 mark, CSE 2020)

5. Describe the food production constraints in Indian agricultural system. (15M, IFoS-2018)

6. Indicate the major constraints in food procurement and distribution. (10M, CSE 2017)

7. Discuss the procurement and processing constraints of food grain. (15M, IFoS-2017)

Previous Year Questions

1. Write down the various programmes run by state & central govts for ensuring food security in our country. Briefly discuss the strategies for sustainable agricultural production (20M, CSE 2023)

2. How will national food policy help in sustainable food security? (CSE 2020, 10 marks)

3. Discuss the national initiatives for food and nutrition security. (8M, IFoS-2019)

4. What are the special schemes for providing food grains to underprivileged, destitutes and malnourished populations (CSE 2016, 12.5 marks)

5. National and international food policies. (10M, IFoS-2016)

Previous Year Questions

1. Discuss the reasons for food grain surplus (7.5 marks, CSE 2019)

2. What are the reasons for good grain surplus in India? Write the steps taken by the government to save the food grains. (12.5M, CSE 2015)

Reason for Grain Surplus

Green Revolution

• Introduction of high yielding varieties of Rice and Wheat

• Green Revolution was made possible through the use of

Previous Year Questions

1. CS 2015: Discuss the impact of rapid increase in population on food and agriculture (12.5 marks)

What is Food security?

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) – “when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.

It has Following Dimensions

• Availability: It means food production within the country, food imports and the stock stored in government granaries.

Previous Year Questions
1. How has food production, incuding  horticultural crops, changed in  India during the last one decade? Write down its impact on food and nutritional security (20 marks, CSE 2023)
2. What is the food production and consumption pattern of India in the last fifty years? (15M, CSE 2021) 
3. Describe food grain production and consumption trends in India (7.5M, CSE 2019) 
4. Food production and consumption trends in India (12.5M, CSE 2015)

The systematic identification, evaluation, and integration of the body of published work produced by researchers, scholars, and practitioners is achieved through a rigorous and repeatable method called the review of the literature. It acts as a comprehensive resource, incorporating the most recent information, important discoveries, and theoretical breakthroughs linked to a certain field. The literature review is a useful compilation of important discoveries as well as methodological and theoretical contributions within a certain topic that is frequently seen in academic and scholarly journals.

In all academic areas, the review of literature is a crucial component of research. Its main goal is to assess, evaluate, and make links between our findings and previous research on a particular subject of interest. In addition, the literature review acts as a point of reference and offers helpful insights in the following ways:

i. Approaches

ii. Methods

iii. Variables

The present research focuses on studying the Entrepreneurial Communication of Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) Members: The Process, Impact, and Innovation. The study was conducted in selected blocks of West Bengal, with a comparative analysis being carried out.

Fifteen Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) located in Uttar Dinajpur and Nadia districts of West Bengal were chosen. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the research area, a pilot study was conducted to explore the geographical landscape, understand the local population, assess relevant institutions, analyze communication channels, and evaluate the extension systems.

With the help of CBBO, an exhaustive list of FPOs was prepared to ensure a representative sample. From this list, a random sampling method was employed to select seventy-five respondents for the study. Primary data were collected using structured interview schedules conducted through personal interviews.

The main objective of this research is to gain valuable insights into the entrepreneurial communication practices of Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) members and assess their impact on entrepreneurship. Additionally, the study aims to explore potential avenues for innovation within FPOs. By conducting a comparative analysis of various FPOs in West Bengal, this research seeks to shed light on their communication processes, effectiveness, and contributions to the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem. The findings of this study have the potential to significantly enhance entrepreneurial communication practices within FPOs, promoting innovation and facilitating the growth of agricultural entrepreneurship in the region of West Bengal.

The provided table displays the distribution characteristics of seven dependent variables (y1-y6 ) and 18 independent variables (x1-x18 ). It includes their minimum, maximum, mean, variance, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation.

In terms of the respondents' average age (x1 ), the graph indicates a value of 48.17, which suggests a highly consistent distribution with a coefficient of variation (C.V.) of 19.24.

Similarly, the table reveals that the respondents' average level of education (x2 ) is 7.02, indicating an average education duration of around seven years per respondent. The variable demonstrates a fairly consistent distribution with a C.V. of 41.72.

Examining the respondents' average years of business experience (x3 ), the table indicates a mean value of 21.05. This implies a similar level of business experience across most respondents, with a fairly consistent distribution and a C.V. of 47.54.

Regarding the typical family size (x4 ), the table shows an average value of 3.92, indicating an approximate average family size of four. The distribution of this variable is also fairly consistent, with a C.V. of 37.21. The mean family education (x5 ) of the respondents is reported as 2.58, which corresponds to an average education level of 3 for the families. The variable exhibits a fairly consistent distribution, with a C.V. of 38.14.