South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics

Inspirations from Floating Market of Thailand: A Tourism Model for Kerala, India

Vijaykiran Vijayan — 2026-03-14

Kerala’s tourism, acclaimed for its scenic beauty and responsible tourism initiatives, holds significant untapped potential in water-based experiences. This study explores the adaptation of Thailand’s floating market model to Kerala’s backwaters through a creative tourism approach that combines traditional commerce with participatory cultural experiences. The proposed floating market hubs enable tourists to engage in artisanal crafts, culinary sessions, and local performances, fostering authentic interactions while supporting community livelihoods. Community-based tourism lies at the core of this model, empowering local residents—including fishers, women’s self-help groups, and micro-entrepreneurs—to participate in planning, operations, and equitable benefit-sharing. Where locals act as hosts and co-creators. Such participatory models strengthen livelihoods, preserve cultural identity, promote equitable benefit-sharing, and ensure sustainable, inclusive water-based tourism development. By transforming waterways into community-managed cultural hubs, the approach preserves cultural identity, enhances visitor experiences, and promotes inclusive economic growth. This model offers a pathway for Kerala to provide participatory, creative, and community-driven tourism while delivering high-quality, meaningful travel experiences.

Trend Analysis of Solid Waste Management in India: A Performance-based Evaluation Using Growth Indicators

N. Bhuvaneshwari — 2026-03-11

This study examines the trends and performance of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in India over the period 2014–15 to 2021–22 using official secondary data obtained from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The analysis focuses on three key indicators—waste generated, collected, and treated (measured in tonnes per day). Annual Growth Rate (AGR) was employed to assess short-term year-to-year variations, while Compound Growth Rate (CGR) was used to evaluate long-term structural trends. In addition, a Solid Waste Management (SWM) Efficiency Index was constructed to assess improvements in collection and treatment performance. The findings reveal that waste generation grew at a moderate compound rate of 3.51 percent, whereas collection expanded at 5.63 percent, indicating improved service coverage. Most notably, waste treatment recorded a high compound growth rate of 20.40 percent, reflecting substantial expansion of scientific processing infrastructure following the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The SWM Efficiency Index improved significantly from 67.60 percent in 2014–15 to 100 percent in 2021–22, demonstrating structural progress in waste management performance. The study highlights the need for continued investment in segregation at source, decentralised processing systems, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability. The results provide policy-relevant evidence for strengthening India’s transition toward scientific and sustainable waste management.

Invisible Hands: Child Labour and Economic Challenges in 21st Century India

P. Paramasivam — 2026-03-12

Child labour remains a monumental and persistent challenge for 21st-century India, despite the nation’s multidimensional growth and various legislative efforts. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the status of child labour by examining its magnitude, trends, and socio-economic drivers using quantitative data primarily sourced from the Census of India (2001 and 2011), the National Sample Survey (NSS), and International Labour Organisation (ILO) reports. The findings reveal that while the national incidence of child labour decreased from 5% in 2001 to 3.9% in 2011, this decline has been less progressive than expected. A significant shift in geographic distribution was observed: while rural areas saw a decline in child workers (from 5.9% to 4.3%), urban areas experienced an increase (from 2.1% to 2.9%). This urban rise is largely attributed to the migration of families from rural regions in search of employment due to a lack of local opportunities. The document identifies poverty as the primary driver of child labour in India, followed by socio-economic backwardness, parental illiteracy, and a lack of adequate educational infrastructure. Children from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) are disproportionately affected; ST child labour incidence remained high at 6.7% in 2011, reflecting systemic inequalities and limited access to education. Gender dimensions play a crucial role in how child labour is manifested. Male children are more likely to work outside the home in visible sectors, whereas female children are concentrated in home-based work such as cooking, sweeping, and caregiving. The study highlights a critical research gap: traditional surveys often fail to capture "Extended SNA activities" (unpaid household chores), and when these are included, the contribution of girls is often greater than that of boys. Furthermore, approximately 10% of children are classified as "nowhere children," who are neither enrolled in school nor officially part of the workforce. Sectorally, agriculture remains the largest employer, with over 70% of rural child workers engaged as cultivators or labourers. In urban settings, children are heavily concentrated in manufacturing, construction, and wholesale or retail trade. Specific hazardous industries, such as gem polishing, mining, and beedi making, continue to exploit child labour. To address these issues, the study recommends a multi-pronged approach: making education legally mandatory, improving school environments, and implementing National Child Labour Projects (NCLP) that offer vocational training and stipends. Ultimately, the document concludes that abolishing child labour requires the active participation of the government, NGOs, and corporate entities to eradicate poverty and rehabilitate affected children.

Trade Openness and Sustainability in Sri Lanka: Evidence from a Triple Bottom Line ARDL Evaluation of SDG-aligned Development Pathways

Imesha Dissanayake — 2026-03-17

Rapid globalisation creates growth opportunities, however, its environmental and distributional effects remain particularly uncertain for small developing economies with structural and institutional constraints. While trade is central to development strategies, many existing research examines economic, environmental and social outcomes separately, limiting its policy relevance. This study analyses the impacts of trade on Sri Lanka’s economic growth, environmental quality and social equity from 1980 to 2023 using an Autoregressive Distributed Lag framework, providing the first country-level assessment integrating all three dimensions. The results show that trade liberalisation supports economic growth in the short run but does not generate long-run effects due to underlying structural constraints rather than macroeconomic responsiveness. Nevertheless, trade openness is not a significant driver of carbon emissions and environmental outcomes are shaped mainly by domestic energy composition and industrial activity. Socially, trade openness is associated with higher income inequality, indicating an uneven distribution of gains across population groups and sectors. The overall findings reveal that trade’s impacts are asymmetric and policy contingent across the three pillars of sustainability. These results challenge growth-first development strategies that treat trade openness as an end in itself and highlight the need to align trade integration with energy transition policies and inclusive development strategies. This ensures that trade openness contributes to sustainable and equitable development outcomes in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13.

Impact of AI in Marketing of Organic Food Products

A. Emimol Grace — 2026-03-19

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the marketing landscape, and its application in the organic food sector is increasingly shaping how brands build relationships with consumers. As consumer demand for organic food products continues to rise, the impact of AI in enhancing marketing efforts has become increasingly significant. This paper highlights the significant applications of AI in marketing organic food products, like building relationships with consumers, attracting consumers through diverse product offerings, understanding consumer preferences, identifying market trends, and optimizing pricing and promotional strategies. The researcher collected data from 100 respondents for the study, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and the Friedman Rank Test were used for data analysis. The study was conducted in Madurai City in the year 2025. The findings reveal the significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in optimizing supply chain management and ensuring sustainability, which are critical factors in the marketing of organic food products. The Friedman Rank Test reveals that financial constraints, lack of awareness, and resistance to technological change are the major challenges in implementing AI in the marketing of organic food products. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their impact on the organic food sector is expected to deepen, creating opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and better alignment with consumer values.

Prevalence, Determinants, and Socioeconomic Correlates of Frailty among Older Adults in India: Evidence from WHO-SAGE

K. Sankara Pandi — 2026-03-19

Objectives: This study derives a composite frailty index for adults aged 50 and above in India, examines the distribution of frailty conditions across socioeconomic and demographic strata, and estimates the independent effects of background characteristics on frailty using multivariate analysis.

Study Design: Cross-sectional secondary analysis of a nationally representative household survey. The cross-sectional design provides a baseline prevalence estimate but does not permit causal inference; findings should be interpreted accordingly.

Place and Duration of Study: Six states of India (Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal), using WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) India Wave 1, 2007. These six states were selected by WHO-SAGE to represent India's geographic, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity, though they do not constitute a nationally representative sample in the strict probability sense.

Methodology: Data from 6,560 respondents aged 50 and above were analysed. A modified frailty index comprising seven deficit indicators — low grip strength, slowness, low body mass index, low physical activity, cognitive limitation, psychological limitation, and exhaustion — was constructed. This index adapts the Fried phenotype to SAGE India's measurement instruments; key differences from the standard Fried criteria are explicitly acknowledged in the methodology. Participants were classified as robust (0 deficits), pre-frail (1–2), intermediate frail (3–4), or frail (5–7). Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate socioeconomic determinants of frailty.

Results: Frailty prevalence was 15.5% overall, rising sharply with age from 7.1% in the 50–59 group to 50.8% in those aged 80 and above. Female sex, no formal education, low wealth, rural residence, and scheduled caste/tribe status were consistently associated with higher frailty burden. Multinomial logistic regression confirmed that advanced age, low education, and low wealth quintile were the strongest predictors of frailty, with statistically significant odds ratios at p < 0.01.

Conclusion: Frailty is prevalent and strongly socially patterned among older Indians. These findings call for the integration of frailty screening into India's primary healthcare infrastructure, and for targeted nutritional and physical rehabilitation programmes directed at low-income, low-education older adults in rural settings. Targeted preventive strategies addressing nutritional deficiency, physical deconditioning, and socioeconomic disadvantage are urgently needed to mitigate the growing burden of frailty in India's ageing population.

Women in Bhutan’s Labour Market: A Decade of Change and Factors Driving It

Tenzin Choden — 2026-03-20

Females constitute a critical segment of Bhutan’s working-age population, and their participation is essential for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Studies show that economic growth may be accelerated by bringing women into the labour force. Thus, policies stimulating women's employment must be implemented. This study explores women’s participation in Bhutan’s labour market over the past decade, spanning from 2014 to 2024, a period marked by significant social and economic transformation. The research analyses trends in female labour force participation, employment types, and sectoral distribution to understand how women’s roles in the economy have evolved. It further examines variations in labour market participation across different age cohorts—youth, prime-age, and older women. The trends highlight both the resilience and vulnerability of Bhutanese women in the changing labour landscape. While progress in education and policy support has opened new opportunities, structural barriers, such as occupational segregation, unequal access to higher-paying jobs, and social expectations around caregiving continue to influence the pace and quality of women’s economic participation. The study also investigates the relationship between educational attainment and women’s employment outcomes, highlighting how education influences access to formal employment and higher-paying occupations. The findings aim to provide evidence-based insights to inform interventions for promoting gender-responsive economic growth and labour market strategies.

Vocational Education in Schools and Local Skill Demand: Evidence from Himachal Pradesh

Gulshan Kumar — 2026-03-21

This study examines the alignment between vocational education provided in schools of Himachal Pradesh and skilled workforce required at regional level in Himachal Pradesh, a critical factor influencing youth employability. Using data of Directorate of Education, Himachal Pradesh Government on schools with vocational education and workforce demand projections data (2018–2022) taken from the National Skill Development Corporation’s Skill Gap Report (2013), the study compares the vocational trades offered in schools with sector-wise employment demand across districts of Himachal Pradesh. The findings reveal that there is minimal alignment between vocational education provided at school level and regional workforce requirements (r=-0.27). Substantial skill deficiencies are observed in construction, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) and transportation and logistics sectors, in contrast with private security and agriculture sectors showing an oversupply of vocational education. Stronger alignment is observed in healthcare and partially in tourism and hospitality sectors. The study highlights the need for stronger coordination between government agencies, educational institutions and industry stakeholders. It emphasises a data-driven approach to vocational education planning that integrates labour market information into curriculum design to address skill mismatches and to improve youth employability.

Financial Literacy and Its Influence on Customers’ Online Banking Behaviour

M. M. S. A. Karunarathna — 2026-03-24

With the rapid digitization of banking services, financial literacy has become essential for individuals to access and effectively use online banking services. Therefore, this study explores the impact of financial literacy on customers’ online banking behavior, focusing on the Balangoda Divisional Secretariat Division in Sri Lanka. A sample of 382 bank customers was selected using simple random sampling, and data was collected through structured questionnaires and interviews. The analysis, conducted using Multiple Linear Regression and Binary Logistic Regression models in IBM SPSS 23, reveals that financial knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors positively influence online banking behavior. Furthermore, the findings indicate that as financial literacy increases, customers are more likely to engage in online banking services. Therefore, this study highlights the significant role of financial literacy in promoting the adoption of online banking services and emphasizes the need for targeted educational programs by banks to enhance customers’ awareness and confidence in using online banking services.

Accountability, Transparency, Regional Financial Performance, and Poverty in North Sumatra: The Moderating Role of Economic Growth

Kristina Ginting — 2026-03-26

This study examines the effects of accountability, transparency, and regional financial performance on poverty levels in North Sumatra Province, with economic growth incorporated as a moderating variable. The study employs panel data from regencies and municipalities in North Sumatra and relies on secondary data obtained from official statistical publications, regional government financial reports, public information disclosure reports, and audit-related documents. Poverty and economic growth data were derived from Statistics Indonesia, while accountability, transparency, and regional financial performance were constructed from relevant regional government records. Panel data regression was applied, and model selection through the Chow and Hausman tests indicated that the Random Effect Model was the most appropriate specification. The findings reveal that accountability and transparency have significant negative effects on poverty, implying that better governance is associated with lower poverty levels. Regional financial performance also shows a negative coefficient, although the effect is not statistically significant. Economic growth has a significant direct negative effect on poverty. However, the interaction results indicate that economic growth moderates the relationships between accountability, transparency, financial performance, and poverty, suggesting that growth does not automatically strengthen the poverty-reducing role of public financial governance. These findings imply that economic expansion must be accompanied by inclusive governance and equitable fiscal management in order to produce more effective poverty reduction. The study contributes to the literature on regional governance and poverty by demonstrating that the effectiveness of public financial governance depends not only on institutional quality, but also on how economic growth is distributed across society.

Workforce Diversity and Its Impact on Organizational Performance: An Empirical Study

R. Sukanya — 2026-03-26

This study investigates the impact of workforce diversity and employee behavioural competencies on organisational performance in competitive business environments. Using a descriptive research design, primary data was collected from 600 employees through structured questionnaires measured on a five-point Likert scale. Regression, correlation, and ANOVA analyses were employed to evaluate the relationships among diversity practices, behavioural factors, and performance indicators such as profitability, productivity, customer satisfaction, sales volume, competitiveness, public image, employee loyalty, and attrition. The findings reveal that workforce diversity and behavioural competencies significantly enhance organisational outcomes, with regression results showing high explanatory power (R² = 0.831). Key predictors such as profitability, sales volume, competitiveness, and public image exert strong positive influences, while employee attrition demonstrates a significant negative effect. Theoretical support is drawn from Resource-Based View, Human Capital Theory, and Social Exchange Theory, which collectively explain how diverse skills, knowledge sharing, adaptability, and supportive workplace relationships contribute to sustained competitive advantage. Overall, the study provides empirical evidence that effective diversity management and employee competencies are critical drivers of organisational success, innovation, and long-term sustainability.

Effect of Bank Credit on the Growth of Small Medium Enterprises in Nigeria

Adekunle, Joseph Kayode — 2026-03-26

Small and medium enterprises play pivotal roles in the economy by contributing toward job creation, Gross Domestic Product, and inclusive growth. However, access to finance remains the key challenge to small and medium enterprises performances. This study looks at nexus between bank credits and Small and medium enterprises growth in Nigeria with empirical findings. Secondary data were obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria. Ex post facto research design based on the annual time series for the data obtained from the Central Bank Statistical Bulletins 1999-2024 were employed. Data Analysis was basically centered on Ordinary Least Square regression and Granger Causality tests for a study on bank credit and small and medium enterprises growth. Regression result shows that bank credit positively and significantly affects small and medium enterprises growth while higher interest rates has negative effect on small and medium enterprises growth. The Granger Causality test disclosed that the bank credit is the one that granger causes small and medium enterprises growth and not vice-versa. These findings provide insights for the financial inclusion, small and medium enterprises for a financing, and sustainable economic growth with specific policy recommendations on the need for complete financial landscape to be set for small and medium enterprises finance in Nigeria.

Macroeconomic Drivers and Policy Trade-offs in India’s Renewable Energy Transition: A Time-series Evidence

Shivam Agarwal — 2026-03-31

Developing economies like India face a significant challenge in balancing economic growth with energy sustainability. This study empirically analyses the policy trade-offs between urbanisation, economic development, foreign direct investment (FDI), and the adoption of renewable energy (RE) in India. It addresses the complex “development-environment dilemma”, where urbanisation and economic growth drive energy demand, necessitating a shift from fossil fuels to unconventional energy sources to ensure a sustainable ecosystem. Employing a quantitative approach, this paper utilises time-series data for India spanning 1996 to 2024. The study investigates the relationship between renewable energy generation (RE) as the dependent variable and Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and urbanisation as independent variables. The empirical analysis involves testing for stationarity using the Phillips-Perron test, checking for cointegration, and estimating the long-run coefficients using Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) and Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) models. Pairwise Granger-causality tests are also conducted to determine the direction of causality. The empirical results reveal a complex dynamic. Both DOLS and FMOLS estimations consistently show that GDP has a significant positive impact on renewable energy consumption, suggesting economic growth enhances the capacity to invest in sustainable energy. Conversely, urbanisation exhibits a significant negative effect on RE adoption. The impact of FDI on RE is found to be statistically weak. Granger causality tests confirm unidirectional causality running from both GDP and urbanisation to RE. Interestingly, while FDI does not appear to cause RE, the results show that RE does Granger-cause FDI, implying that a growing renewable sector attracts foreign investment. The study concludes that India faces a critical policy trade-off. While economic growth stimulates renewable energy adoption, rapid, unplanned urbanisation currently dampens this transition. The findings underscore that an integrated policy framework is urgently needed to reconcile the growth-urbanisation-sustainability nexus, recommending sustainable urban planning and green infrastructure investments to achieve India’s net-zero targets.