South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics

Technologies of Empire and Nation in Modern India: A Narrative Review of Communication and Infrastructure Historiography

Supriya Sangram Pawar — 2026-07-24

Railways, telegraphy, postal communication, standardised time, radio broadcasting, and large public works were central to the material reorganisation of colonial and postcolonial India. This narrative review examines how historians have interpreted these systems, with particular attention to the relationship between imperial power, technological mediation, everyday use, and nation-building. It brings together scholarship that is often separated among economic history, labour history, media history, science and technology studies, environmental history, and studies of nationalism. Earlier accounts commonly emphasised technological diffusion and the capacity of infrastructure to extend military, administrative, and commercial control. Later work has retained these concerns while demonstrating that technological systems were neither socially neutral nor uniformly effective. Railway workers and passengers, postal runners and traders, journalists, radio listeners, regional commercial associations, nationalist organisers, displaced communities, and technical personnel altered the operation and meanings of infrastructure. The review also examines continuities and discontinuities between colonial projects of improvement and postcolonial development, especially in broadcasting and hydraulic construction. The selected literature indicates that infrastructure did not simply integrate territory or produce national consciousness. It created uneven capacities, differentiated access, new forms of discipline, and opportunities for appropriation and political contestation. The review identifies three priorities for further research: integrated study of interconnected systems rather than isolated technologies; greater use of vernacular, regional, labour, gender, and caste archives; and closer examination of maintenance, breakdown, environmental consequences, and infrastructural exclusion.

Carbon Intensity, Renewable Energy and Economic Growth in Selected SADC Countries: Implications for a Just Energy Transition

Masedi Sesele — 2026-07-21

This study determined the impact of carbon intensity on economic growth in selected SADC countries (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Mozambique). Carbon intensity was defined as carbon emissions per unit of GDP, while the analysis controlled for other traditional inputs (labour, gross capital formation, and renewable energy consumption). The study provides insight into how the transition to a green economy may affect economic growth as a just development goal for SADC countries. The impact of carbon intensity on economic output was estimated within a panel-data regression framework covering the four countries from 1998 to 2020. A Swamy random coefficient regression approach was used to control for slope heterogeneity and estimate cross-section-specific slope parameters. The results showed that carbon intensity had no statistically significant impact on economic growth in South Africa. In Botswana and Namibia, carbon intensity had a negative and statistically significant impact in Model 3, while in Mozambique it had a negative and statistically significant impact in Model 4. Renewable energy consumption had a positive and statistically significant impact on economic growth in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. In Mozambique, however, renewable energy consumption had a negative and statistically significant impact on economic growth, largely because of the inefficient use of biomass and waste in supporting sustainable growth. Accordingly, the study provides country-specific policy recommendations, including the accelerated adoption of environmentally friendly production methods and policies that support economic growth in the selected countries.

Disaster Risk and Creative Industry Resilience: Mitigation Policies and Empirical Studies

Didit Welly Udjianto — 2026-07-21

This study examines disaster-mitigation behaviour among creative economy small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a volcanic hazard-prone area and assesses the associations of demographic capacity, economic resources, technology access, and business-sector characteristics with preparedness. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2023 among 200 creative economy SMEs in Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Eligible respondents lived or operated within approximately 20 km of Mount Merapi or had experienced the 2010 eruption, temporary evacuation, or permanent displacement. Respondents were recruited purposively through community, stakeholder, and digital networks. The questionnaire covered respondent profiles, disaster-risk knowledge, information access, technology use, stakeholder networks, and reported mitigation actions. Binary logit estimation showed that 118 SMEs reported undertaking mitigation. Marital status (OR = 12.648; 95% CI: 3.295–48.545), education (OR = 3.221; 95% CI: 1.651–6.282), income (OR = 2.214; 95% CI: 1.555–3.154), technology access (OR = 2.639; 95% CI: 1.160–6.002), and the fashion sector (OR = 2.481; 95% CI: 1.206–5.103) were positively associated with mitigation. The likelihood-ratio test was significant (p < .001). The Hosmer–Lemeshow result indicated acceptable decile-based calibration (p = .3875), whereas the Andrews test indicated imperfect fit under an alternative grouping procedure (p = .0055). The findings support locally targeted policies that combine risk-information literacy, accessible digital communication, business-continuity support, and coordination among government agencies, communities, universities, and SME development organisations.

Measuring Effectiveness of Online Marketing on Consumers' Purchasing Behavior during COVID 19: A Cross-sectional Quantitative Survey

Arifur Rahman Bhuiyan — 2026-07-28

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on lifestyles and buying behavior. As a result, it amplified the usage of online marketing platforms. After the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers’ dependency did not change, and it remained the same or increased. The outbreak of COVID-19 created significant changes in different ways in people's lives, not only in Bangladesh but also all around the world. Before the pandemic, consumers in Bangladesh barely used online marketing platforms; however, during the pandemic, it has become very common for them.

Aim: This paper intends to understand the efficacy of online marketing on customers' purchasing patterns during the time of COVID. It focuses on the present situation of online marketing and detects obstacles faced by consumers.

Methods: To measure effectiveness, a cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted with 114 respondents using Google Forms. Respondents shared their experiences of online marketing. Microsoft Excel was used to record the responses, and SPSS was used to do the descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, and analysis of variance.

Results: Most people learned about online marketing platforms through websites, social media, and the internet. During the pandemic, consumers mostly depended on online marketing platforms. The results showed that a large number of consumers buy goods and services using online marketing platforms during the pandemic. It is also found that respondents buy online almost every month, followed by purchasing once every six months. Only a positive correlation was found between timely product delivery and the frequency of online market purchases. The oveall regression model was found to be statistically significant (p-value < 0.05). Additionally, it was observed an adjusted R-squared of 0.311. That means, the covariates of the regression model explained 31.1% of the total variation in the response variable. Respondents also identified various challenges, which include product information quality, satisfaction, and service experiences.

Conclusion: Even though consumers’ purchasing behavior was impacted by online marketing platforms during the time of COVID-19, the findings argue for better service delivery, transparency, product reliability, and enhanced consumer trust. The findings need to be understood in the context of a modest sample size and an uneven age distribution.

India's Services Exports: Structural Transformation and the Rise of Modern Services

Dipak Prakash — 2026-07-28

This study examines the structural transformation of India’s services exports, with particular attention to the emergence and growing dominance of modern services. Using secondary data from National Accounts Statistics, the Reserve Bank of India, UNCTAD, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, Economic Surveys, and related studies, the analysis covers the period from 1950–51 to 2023, subject to data availability. A descriptive, analytical, and exploratory design is adopted, combining trend analysis, percentage shares, composition analysis, comparative assessment, and exponential growth rates. The findings indicate that India’s services-export structure has shifted markedly from traditional services, including transport, travel, insurance, and government-related services, towards software, business, financial, and communication services. Software and business services have become the principal drivers of export growth. This transformation is associated with economic liberalisation, technological progress, the expansion of information and communication technology, foreign investment, outsourcing and offshoring, a large pool of skilled English-speaking professionals, and the increasing tradability of services. Traditional services have grown more slowly because their cross-border delivery remains relatively constrained and, in some cases, depends on manufacturing performance, infrastructure, and market access. The study concludes that India’s services-export performance reflects a long-term structural shift towards modern, tradable, and knowledge-intensive activities. However, because the analysis is descriptive and based on secondary data, the identified relationships should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.

The Effects of Macroeconomic Policies on Economic Growth of Nigeria: A Time Series Analysis

Ibeaja, Uzoma. F. — 2026-07-30

This study examines the effects of macroeconomic policies on economic growth in Nigeria using annual time-series data covering 1980–2022. The analysis focuses on selected fiscal and monetary policy instruments, namely interest rate, exchange rate, government expenditure and government borrowing, and assesses their short-run and long-run relationships with real gross domestic product. An ex post facto research design was adopted, while the Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach was used to analyse the dynamic relationships among the variables after testing for stationarity. The descriptive results show variations in the behaviour of the selected macroeconomic indicators over the study period. The unit root results indicate a mixture of I(0) and I(1) variables, justifying the use of the ARDL framework. The bounds test confirms the existence of a long-run relationship among the variables. The empirical results show that interest rate has an insignificant relationship with economic growth, while exchange rate has a significant negative short-run relationship. Government expenditure has a positive relationship with economic growth, with stronger statistical relevance in the long run. Government borrowing also shows a positive long-run relationship with growth, although short-run effects are mixed. The study concludes that stabilisation policies may support economic growth when fiscal and monetary measures are coherent, disciplined and supported by effective policy transmission mechanisms.

The Power of Digital Opinion Leaders in Driving of Consumer Electronic Word of Mouth in the Tech Gadget Sector

Shivendra Singh — 2026-07-31

This study examines how digital opinion leaders shape consumer electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) in the technology-gadget sector. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 286 respondents in Eastern Uttar Pradesh who regularly followed technology influencers. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire using five-point Likert-scale items. Information quality, influencer expertise, communication effectiveness, and argument quality were modelled as predictors of consumer e-WOM, and the measurement and structural models were assessed through structural equation modelling. Reliability coefficients for all five constructs exceeded 0.90. Composite reliability and average variance extracted values were above their stated thresholds, while the Fornell–Larcker results indicated adequate separation among the constructs. The structural results showed positive relationships between information quality and e-WOM (estimate = 0.179, t = 3.406), expertise and e-WOM (estimate = 0.247, t = 4.746), communication and e-WOM (estimate = 0.200, t = 3.737), and argument quality and e-WOM (estimate = 0.233, t = 4.995). All four relationships were reported at p < 0.001. Expertise had the largest estimated coefficient, followed by argument quality, communication, and information quality. The findings indicate that consumers’ willingness to discuss and share technology-related information online is associated with perceived influencer competence and with the quality, clarity, and persuasiveness of product-related content.

Determinants of the Quality of Government Financial Reports with the Internal Control System as a Moderator

Rizki Artya Rahma Putri — 2026-08-01

This study examined the effects of the Local Government Financial Accounting System and Human Resource Competence on the quality of Regional Government Financial Reports and assessed whether the Internal Control System moderated these relationships. The population comprised 26 Regional Apparatus Organisations within the Surabaya City government, including one Secretariat of the Regional People’s Representative Council, one Inspectorate, 18 Departments, and six Agencies. Using purposive sampling, the study obtained 73 usable responses from officials involved in regional financial preparation and reporting. Primary data were collected through questionnaires distributed in hard-copy form and electronically via Google Forms. The data were analysed using multiple regression and moderated regression analyses in SPSS. The results showed that the Local Government Financial Accounting System had a positive effect on the quality of Regional Government Financial Reports. Human Resource Competence also had a positive effect on report quality. However, the Internal Control System did not moderate the relationship between the Local Government Financial Accounting System and report quality, nor did it moderate the relationship between Human Resource Competence and report quality. In both models, the Internal Control System functioned as a predictor rather than as a significant moderator. These findings indicate that the accounting system and personnel competence were directly associated with financial reporting quality in the surveyed organisations, while the tested interaction effects were not statistically significant.

Parametric Study of Livelihood Vulnerability Assessment of a Fishing Community through Delphi Method: A Case Study of Chilika Lake, Odisha, India

Bibhuprakas Saha — 2026-08-01

Fishing communities around Chilika Lake are exposed to ecological change, constraints on resource access, and limited livelihood assets; however, village-level evidence is needed to prioritise interventions. This study assessed the livelihood vulnerability of eight fishing villages distributed across the Northern, Central, Southern, and Outer Channel zones of the lake. Parameters and sub-parameters were identified using the Delphi technique. The villages were selected systematically, and household data were collected from 240 fishing households (30 per village) through stratified sampling, using structured and semi-structured questionnaires, interviews, and focus-group discussions. Twenty-two indicators grouped under exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity were scored, normalised to a 0–1 scale, weighted, and aggregated as LVI = EI + SI - ACI. Sananairi (Village 5, Zone 3) recorded the highest Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI = 0.866; EI = 0.781, SI = 0.815, ACI = 0.730), followed by Balia (0.819) and Mansingpur (0.816), whereas Bidharpur (Village 2, Zone 1) recorded the lowest LVI (0.472; EI = 0.748, SI = 0.437, ACI = 0.713). High vulnerability was associated with ecological disturbances, strong dependence on fisheries, restricted resource access, and deficits in storage, markets, credit, training, and organisational support. The findings support village-specific prioritisation that combines ecological restoration and disaster-risk reduction with improved market infrastructure, affordable credit, skills development, and stronger collective institutions.

Climate Change and Fiscal Deficit: Evidence and Implications for India

A. Vinay — 2026-08-04

Climate change has evolved from an environmental concern into a central macro-fiscal challenge, yet its effect on India’s fiscal deficit remains empirically unresolved, with existing studies reporting contradictory findings regarding both direction and magnitude. This study adopts a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory methodology structured through the SPAR-4 protocol to synthesise the theoretical and empirical literature on the climate-fiscal deficit nexus and examine how climate change affects India’s expenditure, revenue, and financing channels. Grounded in Keynesian, Pigouvian, public goods, and fiscal sustainability theories, the analysis draws on descriptive statistics concerning volatility, sub-period comparisons, and fiscal marksmanship. The findings show that climate-related expenditure is more than three times as volatile (coefficient of variation: 26.4%) as total government expenditure (7.7%) and that this volatility has intensified sharply since 2006, with disaster relief spending and revenue foregone rising by 200% and 300%, respectively, far outpacing the 35.4% rise in the overall fiscal deficit. Budget credibility is also markedly weaker in climate-sensitive sectors, with a 24% deviation between budgeted and actual expenditure, compared with only 2% elsewhere. These results reconcile the contradictory conclusions of previous Indian studies by showing that climate change manifests less as a steady expansion of the fiscal deficit than as increasing unpredictability in climate-linked spending, an effect concentrated in poorer and less climate-resilient districts. The study concludes that fiscal sustainability in India is inseparable from climate resilience and recommends strengthening subnational fiscal transfers, improving budget credibility in climate-sensitive sectors, and prioritising preventive over reactive adaptation spending to safeguard long-term fiscal space.

Herding Behavior in Sri Lanka E-commerce: Understanding the Interplay between Herding Cues and Online Purchase Decision on High Involvement and Low Involvement Product

Chamika Dilshan — 2026-08-04

Background: Consumers follow others and rely on "herding behaviour" when they have limited product knowledge and face risks while using online platforms.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the effects of herding cues and consumer herding behaviour on online purchasing decisions in Sri Lanka by comparing high- and low-involvement products.

Design: Social influence theory (SIT) provides a useful basis for exploring how majority opinions and herding cues influence consumers’ online purchasing decisions. Customer reviews, sales volume, and product attributes constitute herding cues, and this study examines the mediating role of herding behaviour and the moderating role of product involvement. The target population comprised Sri Lankan online consumers aged 18 years and above. Data were collected through a self-administered online questionnaire distributed via popular social media platforms. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to test the study hypotheses.

Findings: A total of 440 questionnaires were used for the data analysis. Product-attribute displays and sales volume had significant positive effects on herding behaviour and jointly explained 40.7% of its variance (R² = 0.407, F = 99.867, p < 0.001), whereas customer reviews did not have a significant effect. Mediation analysis confirmed that herding behaviour partially mediated the relationship between herding cues and online pre-purchase decisions (indirect effect = 0.3625) and post-purchase decisions (indirect effect = 0.2606). Product involvement did not significantly moderate the relationship between herding behaviour and online purchasing decisions.

Implication: The findings indicate that online platforms should present engaging content that clearly displays sales volume and product-quality information. Online advertisements should regularly update sales-volume information and prominently display products with high sales values.

Further study: Future research could provide a deeper understanding of factors such as the numbers of likes, views, and bids as herding cues, and their effects on product selection, technology use, advertising, and branding.

Determining Factors for Career Development for Millennial and Gen-Z Employees Working in the Public Sector: A Study of the SKPD Department of the NTB Provincial Government

Mukmin Suryatni — 2026-08-07

This study examines the influence of organisational support and transformational leadership on career maturity, with career commitment as a moderating variable, among Millennial and Generation Z employees in public-sector organisations under the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government. An associative quantitative design was used to test a conceptual model integrating the four constructs. Data were collected from 150 respondents through an online questionnaire administered using Google Forms and measured on a five-point Likert scale. The data were analysed using SmartPLS Version 3.0. The results show that organisational support had a positive and significant effect on career maturity (β = 0.367, t = 3.252, p = 0.001), while transformational leadership also had a positive and significant effect (β = 0.486, t = 4.999, p < 0.001). Career commitment positively moderated the relationship between organisational support and career maturity (β = 0.120, t = 1.995, p = 0.047) and the relationship between transformational leadership and career maturity (β = 0.084, t = 2.005, p = 0.045). The model explained 87% of the variance in career maturity. These findings indicate that supportive organisational practices and transformational leadership are associated with stronger career maturity, particularly when employees demonstrate high career commitment. The study provides an integrated perspective on organisational and individual factors relevant to the career development of younger public-sector employees.

Effectiveness and Efficiency of QRIS on Financial Inclusion of Micro-Enterprises in Mataram City

Ida Ayu Putri Suprapti — 2026-08-07

Financial inclusion is essential for economic growth, especially for micro-enterprises that often face barriers in accessing formal financial services. The Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) has been promoted to enhance efficiency and accessibility in digital payments; however, empirical evidence on its role in promoting financial inclusion remains limited. This study examines how QRIS effectiveness and efficiency influence the financial inclusion of micro-enterprises in Mataram City, Indonesia. The research focuses on micro-enterprises in Mataram City that have adopted QRIS as a digital payment tool. A quantitative approach using Partial Least Square-Structural Equatiom Model (PLS-SEM) was applied to survey data from QRIS adopters. Hypotesis testing showed that effectiveness had positive but statistically insignificant effect on financial inclusion (β = 0.231, p = 0.075), whereas efficiency had a positive and significant effect (β = 0.324; p = 0.005). These findings indicate that efficiency in QRIS usage plays a more decisive role in enhancing financial inclusion than effectivness. This study provides insight for policymakers and financial institutions in strengthening financial inclusion in developing regions.

Impact of Fiat Currency Devaluation on Cryptocurrency Investment Behaviour: Evidence from Sri Lankan University Students

G. Weerasinghe — 2026-08-12

The rapid growth of cryptocurrencies and increasing instability in traditional financial systems have significantly transformed global investment behaviour in recent years. In developing countries experiencing economic crises and currency depreciation, investors increasingly seek alternative financial assets that can preserve value and generate higher returns. Sri Lanka has recently experienced severe economic instability characterised by inflation, foreign-exchange shortages, sovereign debt problems, and rapid depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee. Under these conditions, interest in cryptocurrency investment has increased, particularly among younger and technologically aware investors. Therefore, this study examines whether fiat currency devaluation shifts investment from the stock market to the cryptocurrency market among university students in Sri Lanka. The study adopts a quantitative research approach and uses primary data collected through a structured questionnaire from 150 final-year undergraduate students at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Stratified random sampling was used to select respondents from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, and the Faculty of Applied Sciences. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, and binary logistic regression were employed to analyse the relationship between rupee depreciation and cryptocurrency investment behaviour. The findings reveal that depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee significantly influences investment decisions among university students. Most respondents perceived cryptocurrency investment as more profitable than stock-market investment during periods of economic uncertainty. The chi-square analysis identified significant relationships between cryptocurrency investment behaviour and age, income, stock-market investment, and perceptions of rupee depreciation. Furthermore, the binary logistic regression results confirmed that rupee depreciation positively and significantly affects cryptocurrency investment, whereas stock-market investment had a negative relationship with cryptocurrency investment behaviour. The study concludes that economic instability, declining confidence in fiat currency, and increasing awareness of digital financial systems encourage university students in Sri Lanka to shift their investment preferences from the traditional stock market to cryptocurrency.

Exploring the Effects of Home-based Learning on Basic Science Students' Academic Achievement, Retention and Interest in Delta Central Senatorial District, Delta State, Nigeria

Iroriteraye-Adjekpovu, Janice Imizuokena — 2026-08-17

This study investigated the effects of home-based learning on Basic Science students’ academic achievement, retention, and interest in Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted, involving a sample of 120 Junior Secondary School II students selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using the Basic Science Achievement Test (BSAT), Basic Science Retention Test (BSRT), and Basic Science Interest Scale (BSIS). The data were analysed using means, standard deviations, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The findings revealed that students exposed to home-based learning had a higher mean achievement score (68.740) than those taught using the conventional method (55.280), with a mean difference of 13.460. In terms of retention, the experimental group recorded a mean score of 65.200 compared with 49.870 for the control group, with a mean difference of 15.330. Similarly, students in the experimental group showed higher interest (mean = 3.680) than those in the control group (mean = 2.950), with a mean difference of 0.730. The ANCOVA results indicated significant differences in achievement (F = 33.007, p < .001), retention (F = 28.676, p < .001), and interest (F = 21.269, p < .001). The study concluded that home-based learning significantly enhanced students’ academic achievement, retention, and interest in Basic Science. The study recommended that teachers incorporate structured home-based learning activities into their instructional practices to improve students’ learning outcomes.

Employee Training and Job Performance in the Banking Sector of Bangladesh: Evidence from a Cross-sectional Study

Md. Mahafuz Kabir — 2026-08-19

Employee training is increasingly important in Bangladesh’s banking sector, yet contemporary employee-level evidence across public and private commercial banks remains limited. This study examined the relationship between employee training and job performance among banking employees in Bangladesh. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from 100 employees of public and private commercial banks through a structured five-point Likert-scale questionnaire using convenience sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson’s correlation, and simple linear regression. Respondents reported favourable perceptions of employee training (M = 4.34, SD = 0.38) and job performance (M = 4.31, SD = 0.33). Employee training was positively and significantly correlated with job performance (r = 0.636, p < .001), and the reported regression model explained 40.5% of the variance in job performance (R² = 0.405). The findings indicate that more favourable perceptions of training were associated with higher self-reported job performance. The results are consistent with the study’s Human Capital Theory and Resource-Based View framing and suggest that banks should maintain relevant, continuous, and strategically aligned employee development programmes. Interpretation should remain cautious because of the cross-sectional design, convenience sample, self-reported measures, conceptual overlap between some items, and relatively low internal consistency of the Employee Training scale. Overall, the study provides contemporary employee-level evidence on the training–performance relationship in Bangladesh’s banking sector.