International Journal of Sustainable Society (7 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Social Capital, Diffusion of Innovation, and Political Engagement: Views of Millennials  
  by Hafrizal Putra, Werry Taifur, Donard Games, Hefrizal Handra 
  Abstract: Millennial generation holds the power of a nation, and the future of the nation is in their hands. Moreover, phenomena, issues, and dynamics that occur in millennial generation demographics related to social capital, diffusion of innovation, and political engagement are interesting subjects to discuss. This research was conducted in Padang, Capital city of West Sumatera. Besides, the participants weremillennialswith the age of 19 to 38 years from various educational backgrounds, professions and domiciles. The purpose of this study is to analyze social capital on the diffusion of innovation, and social capital on political engagement. Based on the results of hypothesis testing, social capital positively and significantly contributes on the diffusion of innovation and political engagement.
  Keywords: millennials; social capital; diffusion of innovation; political engagement.
  
  

Special Issue on: ERPBSS-2020 Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity

• In Quest of Integration: Diasporic Organisations Negotiations with State for a Fairer Presence  
  by Aparna Bhat, Neeta Inamdar 
  Abstract: AbstractrnThe relation between the state and the immigrants has been the object of study for many scholars, evident in the number of academic papers emerging in the field. However, scant attention is paid to the diasporic organisations and the role they play within a host society while bargaining for a place for themselves and their culture. This paper explores such collective efforts of Indian Diasporic Organizations (IDOs) and their negotiations with the state for their 'fairer 'presence within the 'multicultural' UK. rnThe qualitative data emerging out of the interviews of IDOs is analysed using recursive abstraction, to identify the perception they hold of themselves vis-a-vis that of state and the 'instruments' of negotiation they employ while arguing for a fairer presence for themselves within the host society. rnThe study unveils the role of IDOs as distinct and committed to the cause of people they represent, but caught between the forces of integration and maintenance of their own collective identities.rnrnrnrnrn
  Keywords: Indian Diasporic Organizations (IDOs); United Kingdom; Integration; Identity; Indian Diaspora.
  
  
• Examining the Resilience of UAE to Decline in Oil Prices The Case of Insurance Sector  
  by Pallavi Kishore, Mariam Aslam 
  Abstract: The sharp decline in oil prices from $112/barrel in 2014 to $59/ barrel in 2019 affected most economies in the world both positively and negatively. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been striving to diversify away from oil and expects higher non-oil growth in 2020. The aim of this study is to examine the resilience of UAE to decline in oil prices with insurance sector as a representative sector of the economy This study involves calculations and comparisons of financial ratios pre- and post-fall in oil prices in the UAE. Parametric tests results indicate that while the change in investment and efficiency ratios is statistically significant, profitability, efficiency and gearing ratios have been quite stable in the period. Despite the overall slowdown in the insurance industry, the sector has been mostly resilient to the fall in oil prices. We resilience can be attributed to the ongoing efforts of UAE leadership to diversify away from oil-based economy.
  Keywords: Insurance Sector; Oil prices; Parametric test; Profitability; Ratio analysis; United Arab Emirates.
  
  
• Public policy on gender equality in the United Arab Emirates: A critical appraisal  
  by Andrea Hesketh, Jeremy B. Williams 
  Abstract: Empowerment of women and girls is firmly on the political agenda in many countries around the world, including the UAE. This paper evaluates public policy to date with a focus on the extent to which historical and cultural factors have helped or hindered progress towards gender equality, and how contemporary influences are serving to advance or impede its progress. It begins with a review of the various composite indicators used for international comparisons, and the risks of over-reliance on a single index number as a catch-all measure of gender equality. This leads into a comparative case study analysis of the journey of the UAE alongside that of Rwanda, one of the highest-ranking countries in the world for gender equality. The main contribution of the paper is to propose six guiding principles for evaluation of public policy on gender equality that are consistent with the promotion of a sustainable society.
  Keywords: gender equality; SDGs; gender indices; United Arab Emirates; Rwanda; public policy.
  
  
• Market Synchronicity, Impact of Oil price volatility on Stock Market Index  
  by Ali Rehan, Jelena Janjusevic 
  Abstract: Oil is one of the key energy sources of the world. It is considered the back-bone of many industries as it is the major source of power generation and hence plays a major role in the economic environment of a country. On the other hand there have been many instances where equity markets of the world have shown severe spillovers and synchronizations with other markets and variables. As Crude oil market and its dynamics have a global impact there have been many studies conducted to analyze and investigate the relation between equity markets and global oil markets in the context of volatility spillover, oil shocks impact and synchronization of the two markets etc. The studies have mainly focused on particular regions or specific countries to investigate the relation. However there is very few literature to be found to be conducting a comparative analysis specifically on the basis of oil importing/exporting nature of the economy. This research thereby attempts to investigate the relation between the two markets and how or whether it differs depending on the nature of oil importing/exporting by taking United States of America a major oil importer and Kingdom of Saudi Arab a major oil exporter into consideration. The study deploys a rather simplistic methodology compared to existing theory thereby trying to capture the correlation between the two markets through an Ordinary Least Square Multiple Linear Regression Methodology. The study used secondary data thereby obtaining weekly prices of both the oil and stock markets through Thomson-one Reuters Database. Further the paper also considers Policy rate change of both countries as an independent variable as it has been asserted by existing theory that oil price volatility is transferred to stock markets through various macro-economic channels. Moreover the study provide an update to the existing literature in terms of time period captured thereby considering the last 10 years. The findings of the study find Brent Oil to have a significant impact on both stock market indices which is in-line and in support of already existing theory.rn
  Keywords: Oil market; Stock Market; Synchronization; Sustainable Development; Regression.
  
  
• UN Sustainable Development Goals: A rubric to evaluate sincerity for implementing long-term sustainability pledges  
  by Stephen King, Cody Morris Paris 
  Abstract: This paper proposes a simple rubric for evaluating the sincerity of long-term or multigenerational sustainability pledges. Corporate executives and heads of state are increasingly making ambitious pledges towards sustainable development goals. These are generally in response to pressure from civil society or a more socially-conscious generation of consumers. However, there is also growing concern that these pledges will be stalled or withdrawn once pressure has abated or the year's financial targets have been met. The sincerity for sustainability is critical in addressing global issues such as climate change, multi-national crime, immigration, hunger, and peace, which need global collaboration. Without a mechanism to forecast the likely outcome of a multilateral agreement, these pledges may eventually be found to be empty promises, without consequence for those that made them. Accordingly, this paper propounds a rubric to help evaluate the sincerity of pledges to advance United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and which may be applied to many other situations upon refinement.
  Keywords: International Development; geopolitics; corporate social responsibility; trust; accountability; climate change.
  
  

Special Issue on: RBDS-2020 Sustainability and Marketing in the Emerging Markets

• Coaching as Business: Exploring its Growth in India  
  by Jinny Sharma, Anjali Mehra, Ajaz Ahmed Ganaie 
  Abstract: Post- 1991 era has seen a significant growth of private sector in India. The private education sector has emerged as one of the leading sectors, showing ample opportunities of investment. Investment in education is not only limited to formal sector, but has also spread to non-formal sector. Coaching business is becoming prominent segment of non-formal sector, which has grown from individual private tuition centres to big coaching business enterprises. Not only the metros, but, every town in the country has witnessed the mushrooming growth of private coaching institutes. Growth of the business of certain coaching institutes is so spectacular that it casts a shadow on the working of formal education system leading to a big debate on their fairness of existence. The present paper attempts to examine the growth of big coaching houses in India.
  Keywords: Shadow education; corporate coaching institutes; growth; determinants.