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The last decade has seen much interest in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) from successive UK Governments highlighting the importance of this sector to the wealth‐creating process of the UK economy. World‐class manufacturing (WCM) is a set of methodologies that are used by organisations to compete globally and continuously improve their competitiveness. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are now competing at a global level and many are world‐class. The majority of the companies that make up the OEM's supply chains are SMEs. It is, therefore, imperative that SMEs also improve their competitiveness to a world‐class level. This paper aims to address these issues.

The paper uses a triangulation methodology consisting of a literature review, analysis of a 150‐company survey and semi‐structured interviews in the development of the business process improvement (BPI) framework and performance assessment methodology (PAM) tool.

This study advocates a planned and integrated approach for the gradual achievement of WCM in SMEs by a strategy of BPI through continuous improvement and structured training.

The work is of value to SMEs since the study encapsulates the requirements of SME management into the BPI framework and considers their critique of present frameworks; hence a practical framework that is honed for SME application.

This paper fulfils an identified need for SMEs to achieve WCM status and offers a novel/practical framework and PAM tool which are timely because the DTI is promulgating the need for SMEs to become world‐class.

This chapter discusses about the advancement in the field of telemedicine and how often the general public are using the services that are provide by the telehealth and telemedicine market. This chapter starts with the introduction of the medicine in the world, which were the earliest medical practice and how all that thing leads to the today’s telehealth market. This chapter also describes the models that are being used in today’s world, and how these models as implemented and how telemedicine services are implemented more efficiently. Telemedicine and telehealth market is growing day by day and a lot people are getting to know about it, but there is still some section of the society, specially the lower middle class and the people in the rural areas that do not have any access or knowledge about the concept of telehealth services.

Tourism acts as a stimulant in rural poverty reduction and inclusive socioeconomic development. Sustainable tourism can significantly contribute to the economic diversification and local economic development of rural areas with its ability to create jobs and encourage infrastructural development focusing on preserving the environment, culture and indigenous groups. The detrimental effects of tourism on the economy, society and culture have shifted attention to sustainable travel. As a result, terms like ‘tribal tourism’, ‘ecotourism’ and ‘sustainable tourism’ have become popular. Inclusive engagement is a crucial agenda item in future tourism development and a major concern of many international organisations, including the United Nations. This chapter focuses on exploring the tribal communities and their involvement in sustainable tourism initiatives with an overarching focus on the role of the indigenous community and their skill sets in creating sustainable livelihoods through tribal tourism. Apart from creating direct and indirect employment opportunities, tribal tourism will support the growth of locally produced goods and have significant multiplier effects as capability-building initiatives will give impetus to the community's socioeconomic development.

Additionally, the sector offers notable advancements in the development of the tribal region. Tribal tourism will help people comprehend the significance of the ecosystem, local biodiversity and emission control activities on a deeper level (Thanikkad & Saleem, 2021). This chapter explores the indigenous tribes of Kerala and their ethnic skill sets, capabilities and means of livelihood. Further, the discussion on how the tourism domain promotes inclusive engagement of these tribes and aids in mapping skill sets, livelihood and inclusive engagement through tourism initiatives is explored.

Supplier selection (SS) is one of the prime competencies in a sourcing decision. Taking into account the key role played by suppliers in facilitating the implementation of green supply chain management (GSCM), it is somewhat surprising that very little research attention has been imparted to the development of a strategic sourcing model for GSCM. This research aims to develop a strategic sourcing framework in which supplier organizations are prioritized and ranked based on their GSCM performance. Accordingly, the benchmark organization is identified and its strategy is explored for GSCM performance improvement.

The research develops an innovative GSCM performance evaluation framework using six parameters, namely, investment in corporate social responsibility, investment in research and development, utilization of renewable energy, total energy consumption, total carbon-di-oxide emissions and total waste generation. An integrated multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approach is proposed in which the entropy method calculates criteria weights. The Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) and the Grey relational analysis (GRA) methods are used to rank supplier organizations based on their performance scores. A real-world case of green supplier selection (GSS) is considered in which five leading India-based automobile manufacturing organizations (Supplier 1, Supplier 2, Supplier 3, Supplier 4 and Supplier 5) are selected. Surveys with industry experts at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels are carried out to collect relevant data.

The results reveal that total carbon dioxide emission is the most influential parameter, as it gains the highest weight. On the contrary, investment in research and development, and total waste generation have no significant impact on GSCM performance. Results show that Supplier 5 secures the top rank. Hence, it is the benchmark organization.

The proposed methodology offers an easy and comprehensive approach to sourcing decisions in the field of GSCM. The entropy weight-based COPRAS and GRA methods offer an error-free channel of decision-making and can be proficiently used to outrank various industrial sectors based on their GSCM performances. This research is specific to the automobile manufacturing supply chain. Therefore, research outcomes may vary across supply chains with distinct characteristics.

The basic propositions of this research are based on a real-world case. Hence, the research findings are practically feasible. The less significant parameters identified in this study would enable managers to impart more attention to vulnerable areas for improvement. This research may help policymakers identify the influential parameters for effective GSCM implementation. As this research considers all aspects of sustainability, the strategies of the benchmark supplier have a direct impact on organizations' overall sustainability. The study would enable practitioners to make various strategies for GSCM performance improvement and to develop a cleaner production system.

The originality of this research lies in the consideration of both economic, social, environmental and operational aspects of sustainability for assessing the GSCM performance of supplier organizations. Quantitative criteria are considered so that vagueness can be removed from the decision. The use of an integrated grey-based approach for developing a strategic sourcing model is another unique feature of this study.

The purpose of this paper is to study Indian aspects of policy convergence in the context of budgetary linkage of two nationalized flagship programs – Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Integrated Watershed Management Program (IWMP). Therefore, in lieu of inter-departmental convergences; issues related to water resource development of Jharkhand’s (India) rain-fed areas were addressed.

Centered on policy convergence strategy, present study applied comprehensive review and analysis approach for formulation of research base. A conceptual framework was thus designed for analytical purposes and therefore advancing toward conjectural knowledge base.

Application of inter-departmental policy convergence strategy suggested ample opportunities for optimal water resource development. Presence of abundant wage labor, rich indigenous water management techniques, tested replicable models, under-harvested rainwater potential, etc., appeared as catalysts of policy convergence. Yet, State’s lack of inter-departmental coordination and grass-root institutional framework will continually challenge policy convergences in absence of good governance.

An initiative of Indian government; MGNREGA has received international attention due to its wider coverage including natural resource management, besides guaranteed wage employment. Targeted at freshwater management discourse of Jharkhand; present paper reviewed prospective inter-departmental policy convergence strategy within various arena of MGNREGA, by exploring associated scopes and challenges. Similarly for cost effectiveness, related to maintenance and lift-irrigation demands of rain-fed area development; the present study suggested optimum utilization of inter-departmental funding linkages for development of sustainable water resources.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors which affect the financial access of the female-owned informal enterprises (FOIEs) in India. There has been a dearth of studies particularly targeting determinants of credit access by the women-owned informal enterprises. Demand side factors affecting financial access have been studied. The study of major factors affecting access to credit by unorganized women enterprises will be useful for policy making perspectives.

The study uses nationalized micro data set on the non-agricultural informal enterprises and probit estimation has been used to identify the factors which affect the probabilities of access to credit for the FOIEs.

The study highlights what facilitates and hinders the financial access for the FOIEs particularly in India. These enterprises in rural areas have better chances to avail credit from formal sources. Firm size, measured by policy-making size of employment and gross profit, involvement in diversified activities, maintenance of accounting record, has positive and significant impact on access to formal credit. The younger firms and the firms operating in the southern states of the country have higher probabilities to avail credit from institutional sources.

The study used the latest data set available on Indian informal enterprises, thus provides important insights about the status of financing of enterprises in India. This study highlights the regional variations and gender disparities that are prevalent in the Indian economy.

The article is the first attempt to investigate the association between the size of trade values in environmental commodities (TVEC) and environmental quality (EQ).

The authors employ two dimensions, including human health’s and ecosystem’s protection, to capture the environmental performance. The six-digit level of the 2007 version of the Harmonized System was used to extract data on commerce in the Combined List of Environmental Goods (CLEG) goods from the UN Comtrade database (HS 2007). The authors apply the formal empirical estimation procedure to a global sample of 28 low-income and lower-middle-income (LI&LMICs) and 19 upper-middle-income (UMICs) and 31 high-income (HICs) during the 2000–2019 period.

The estimates indicate that the size of TVEC has a favorable impact on QE. The authors find robust results by utilizing various econometric techniques and various measures of TVEC. To shed light on the TVEC-QE nexus, the authors demonstrate the short-run and long-run effects of TVEC on QE and compare the influence of TVEC on QE in the subsamples based on a country’s income level. The results suggest that the TVEC-QE linkage is more likely to exist either in the long-run or high-income economies. Notably, the authors find that the influences of TVEC become more pronounced in a country characterized by a well-developed institutional system.

Governments should develop a more efficient policy framework to improve the relationship between trading activities and environmental performance. There has been a substantial increase in the global demands and requirements for environmental commodities, and the authors also realize the world economy has become greener and fairer. Therefore, it is vital for both developing and developed countries to catch this trend and satisfy the global demands and requirements to survive in foreign markets.

The article is the first attempt to investigate the association between trade values of environmental goods and environmental innovation.