The study analyses the possible link between happiness, living environment and mental health using a primary data collected from an Indian state. The findings indicate that happiness of an individual depends on living environment and mental health of... an individual, both of which are proxied by various socio-economic factors and genetic influence. The individual happiness is measured with help of Oxford happiness Questionnaire and a micro level happiness function is estimated using ordered logistic regression technique. It is found that living environment proxied by family income, employment, greater availability of modern urban amenities and family discord plays a vital role in determining happiness of an individual. The study also confirms the significance of mental health in deriving happiness in life. Mental health is measured by different forms of education and genetic factors. Education enhances happiness whereas employment related anxiety and work pressure reduce it. The person having family history of depression is less happy than others. Adequate explanations of the findings related to the interaction among happiness, mental health and living environment are provided on the basis of cultural, social and economic scenario of India. Read More...Read Less...

This paper investigates the impact of six firm specific factors of capital structure, viz, firm size, profitability, growth, tangibility, operating ability and signalling over the capital structure (measured by long term debt to total assets) of Indi... an BSE listed cement sector firms from the year 2006-2015. The sample comprises 19 Indian BSE listed cement sector firms and for the analysis purpose descriptive statistics, correlation and Panel regression analysis are used. The result points out that growth, tangibility and operating ability have a significant correlation with leverage whereas, size, profitability and signalling have no significant relation with leverage. The study further, finds a negative correlation between firm’s size and leverage thereby supporting the pecking order theory.Read More...Read Less...

Insolvency and bankruptcy code (IBC) 2016 is the new bankruptcy law of India which aims to consolidate the existing different law into a single law. The new framework is supposed to be a time bound process. Cases of stressed accounts once admitted ar... e supposed to be resolved within 270 days; if not, companies go into liquidation. During the resolution process, management control is taken away from promoters and vested with a resolution professional. The objectives of the paper are to analyses regulatory aspects of IBC; evaluate the progress made so far in corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP); examine the status of the case of big defaulters that have referred to NCLT.The study critically examines the regulatory aspect of IBS. It indicates that in 50 per cent cases resolution interest is shown by the borrower itself which depicts their endeavour to protect the company going into liquidation. The resolution process could not fetch encouraging value as lenders face a substantial haircut in times of settlement of stressed assets. The exposure of steel, power and engineering, project &construction sector is highest in the RBI’s big defaulters list referred to NCLT. A noteworthy point is that the operational creditors have been the most influential in the instigation of insolvency proceedings. However, one year after RBI’s decision to refer 12 big defaulters to NCLT-1, only two cases – Bhusan Steel and Electrosteel have been resolved. The slow resolution process is ascribed to lack of interest in bidding in certain sectors e.g. power and promoters’ intention of delaying the settlement process through litigation. Read More...Read Less...

Delivering Service Quality is indispensible for generating customer satisfaction and loyalty over a period of time. In this dynamic world with easy accessibility and availability of information the expectation level of customers are always high. Thus... it is necessary for the service providers to raise their level of quality and position it effectively in the mind of the customers for enhancing their perception level. Measuring quality gaps and providing effective strategies to address such gaps at frequent intervals are the need of the hour to serve the customers better. Also for planning and implementing strategies it is essential to know the impact of demographic factors on service quality measures (expectations, perceptions and gap). This will help them to formulate differential marketing strategies and customize service delivery activities according to target market preferences. The present study focuses on any significant difference of quality expectations, perceptions and gaps among various demographic attributes and also between private and public life insurance companies in West Bengal. The statistical tool used for the process is one way ANOVA. The output depicts that there are significant differences of opinion among different demographic attributes of the customers’ perceptions and service quality gaps.. Read More...Read Less...

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have shown a spirited performance in employment generation, use of traditional skills and technologies and ensuring balanced economic growth by reducing regional disparities., The paper is an attempt to ana... lyse how far the MSMEs have been able to reduce regional disparities with the help of key parameters namely number of units, employment, original value of investment, market value of investment and gross output. The study is divided into two parts- analyzing the rural-urban and sector wise distribution of MSMEs. The study is based on secondary data which has been collected from the census report on the MSMEs with the base year 2006-07. The study results show significant heterogeneity among the MSMEs in both rural-urban and sector-wise distribution. The percentage of MSMEs situated in the urban areas is considerably high though the MSMEs in rural areas are found to be more employment intensive and productive. Regarding sector wise distribution, micro enterprises play the dominant role in terms of number and employment generation as the number of small and medium enterprises is significantly low. This heterogeneity in the MSME sector is a major reason for poor economic development in rural and backward areas. The Govt. must ensure proper infrastructural development, technological upgradation, assistance for domestic marketing and export and special facilities for the MSMEs in backward areas to encourage more and more MSME entrepreneurs to set up their unit in the backward areas. Read More...Read Less...

Stance of the corporate firms on the abuse of the related party transactions may not always be detrimental to the economic prosperity of the respective firm. Through these transactions the revenue and profit earnings of the entities may be increased ... unconditionally. This study is an effort to scrutinize the beneficial impacts of the related party transactions on the revenues and profits of the corporate firms across twenty sectors of Indian economy. For the execution of this objective we have used the data of the earlier mentioned companies for consecutive seven years started from 2009-10, and we have employed the panel data regression method. The finding of this study reveals that transactions with associated party can affect an entity’s revenue earnings and net profit earnings significantly. Furthermore, transaction with key management personnel can also stimulate the net profits of the companies taken into account. Read More...Read Less...