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The Covid-19 pandemic adversely affected the tourism industry. The highly contagious coronavirus-19 has brought the whole industry to its knees, initiating catastrophic effects in terms of loss of jobs and revenue. The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify the innovative coping strategies adopted by small tourism companies (STCs) to revive business and cope with the pandemic.

This study used qualitative exploration and asked open-ended questions to senior executives of STCs in India. Written responses were obtained from the respondents. Thematic analysis was performed to analyse the responses of the participants.

The findings highlight the innovative strategies adopted by STCs to cope with Covid-19-related business loss and present suggestions given by them to benefit the tourism industry.

This study offers insightful practical and theoretical implications for tourism companies, marketing practitioners and policymakers.

The study builds on social practice theory, and the findings (prominent themes) are uniquely mapped with the elements of social practice theory.

This paper aims to present a review of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) literature on the adoption of technology for marketing with the objective the knowledge trajectory from SMEs to tourism SMEs (TSMEs) and presents a research agenda for the adoption of digital marketing among TSMEs.

The quantitative literature review method is adopted to analyze 50 articles published in high-ranking journals from 2011–2021. The selected papers were reviewed to quantitatively present the popular theoretical frameworks, constructs and research methods used for the adoption of digital marketing among SMEs and to present a future research agenda in the context of TSMEs.

The findings present a review of theoretical approaches, research design, methods, and models used by researchers, and identify new directions for future research in the context of the adoption of digital marketing among TSMEs. The paper presents a theoretical critique of the technology adoption theories and builds on diffusion of innovation theory, technology–organization–environment (TOE), and institutional theory to propose an expanded model to study digital marketing adoption among TSMEs.

The article presents a significant advancement in the theoretical understanding of the adoption of digital marketing by offering the application of the TOE framework with moderating role of mimetic and normative pressures. Thus, the study contributes to the scarce research on institutional theory in the context of services (tourism) and offers an alternative and holistic perception to study digital marketing. The research model serves as an organizing tool for future researchers and practitioners to probe and further augment knowledge development in tourism and TSMEs.

Negligible published work on TSMEs makes this study valuable and the proposed model gives strategic information in the given context.

This study examines the vital factors that influence digital marketing adoption among small travel agencies (brick-and-mortar) and the impact of digital marketing adoption on organizational performance modeled as a formative-formative HOC.

This empirical study builds on diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory and technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework to identify the factors of digital marketing adoption by small travel agencies. Data were collected from 226 small travel agents in India using purposive and snowball sampling. Partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used to analyze the reflectively and formatively measured constructs.

The findings reveal significant constructs of digital marketing adoption by small travel agencies. The study also establishes the positive impact of digital marketing adoption on organizational performance. Trust partially mediates the impact of technological factors (relative advantage, security concerns) and organizational factor (knowledge) on digital marketing adoption.

The study provides methodological contribution to the literature by applying confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) approach in PLS-SEM. The study contributes to the literature by integrating DOI theory and TOE framework. The study enriches the literature on trust as it recognizes the crucial role of trust as a mediating construct.

The study provides useful implications to marketing practitioners of small travel agencies. The study shows strong predictive capacity and can be generalized throughout diverse samples.

The study adds value to the literature as it explores the digital marketing adoption among the under researched small travel agencies by integrating DOI-TOE theory. The study uniquely proposes and validates organizational performance as a formative-formative higher-order construct.

Millions of dollars are being spent by over-the-top platform (OTT) providers to produce content for the Indian market. These circumstances highlight the necessity for a solution that attracts and maintains customers, enabling OTT providers to generate revenues and profits. This study explores the underlying gratifications (e.g. informative; connectivity) obtained from over-the-top platform (OTT) attributes (e.g. global content; regional and cultural content) through consequences (e.g. create awareness; related to reality).

Means-end chain theory uncovered gratifications consumers fulfill through the use of OTT platforms. The laddering technique explores the linkage among attributes, consequences and gratifications that influence OTT platforms' consumers' consumption patterns. In total, 27 interviews were conducted in India, and participants responded to questions regarding attributes of OTT platforms, consequences and gratifications in a one-on-one interview procedure. Hierarchical value maps were built to better understand customer selection of OTT platforms based on the replies.

The results suggested that six attributes of OTT platforms (for ex-global content; regional and rural content; rating before watching) were associated with the four consequences (for ex-create awareness; related to reality; saves time), which were associated with four gratifications, which are informativeness, connectivity, social enhancement and productivity.

The prospective function of OTT services in the entertainment and media business has grabbed consumer attention. However, limited literature focuses on identifying gratifications consumers gain from OTT attributes. Through these findings, managers and practitioners can gain insights regarding strategies to increase OTT adoption and help develop a loyal consumer base.

The case concerns strategy.

This study is applicable to information system, development sector and application of technology in development sector.

Krutika Terracotta Unit is a small unit located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha (India), owned by Mr Tarun Tapan Sahoo. The organization product portfolio varies from decorative statues, pots and vessel to customized products demanded by customers. Organization is also involved in training and renting the products for traditional fairs, marriages and religious ceremony in Bhubaneswar along with order sales. The case attempts to get a close picture of the industry. The exercise of developing the vision, mission, and goals for the organization was carried out and an attempt was made to align the information system with the business objectives even though the organization does not have a very structured organogram. Using BIS will surely reduce manual work and will give qualitative output. There will be lesser hassles in management. The defined and integrated approach will also help in taking strategic decisions well. The objective is to develop and apply well-structured BIS which can be integrated with the existing system so as to develop the terracotta organization in terms of reachability and profit-making with better decision-making capacity.

To learn about the business model of a handicraft marketing organization; to learn about the processes involved in traditional art form of Terracotta; to go through the exercise of creating vision, mission, goals of the organization through mutual discussion and expectation of owner; to determine how BIS helps in achieving higher productivity in Krutika Terracotta Unit; and to get an idea about how NPV calculation and social ROI should be measured for finding feasibility of technology investment.

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This hypothetical case study aims to revisit the classical model given by Henri Fayol whereby he put forward a set of 14 principles to guide managers in decision-making across organizations. The case study showcases the dilemma in which the top manager of an automobile company finds himself when some of the very basic principles – on which the whole discipline of management is founded – are ignored. It will also serve as an aid for faculty members in B-Schools to teach students the significance of basic management principles postulated many years back which stand relevant even in contemporary times.

This case study is based on a hypothetical scenario in the corporate world. Different incidents in a fictitious automobile manufacturing firm are presented and the corresponding principles given by Henri Fayol are inferred.

This case study highlights that decision-making gets complicated if fundamental principles of management are not complied with. The decision taken during each and every situation which has been discussed in this case study is contrary to the correct course of action as propounded by Fayol. Modern-day managers must acknowledge the relevance and importance of these principles for achieving success in business.

This case study underscores that even in this volatile business environment where most of the management practices are technology-driven, we cannot disregard the most elementary rules of management. The managers working at different levels in the organizational hierarchy may be guided to make the right decisions in situations similar to the ones described.

The main purpose of this study is to present a non-similar analysis of two-dimensional boundary layer flow of non-Newtonian nanofluid over a vertical stretching sheet with variable thermal conductivity. The Sisko fluid model is used for non-Newtonian fluid with an exponent (n* > 1), that is, shear thickening fluid. Buongiorno model for nanofluid accounting Brownian diffusion and thermophoresis effects is used to model the governing differential equations.

The governing boundary layer equations are converted into nondimensional coupled nonlinear partial differential equations using appropriate transformations. The resultant differential equations are solved numerically using implicit finite difference scheme in association with the quasilinearization technique.

This analysis shows that the temperature raises for thermal conductivity parameter and velocity ratio parameter while decreases for the thermal buoyancy parameter. The thermophoresis and Brownian diffusion parameter that characterizes the nanofluid flow enhances the temperature and reduces the heat transfer rate. Skin friction drag can be effectively reduced by proper control of the values of thermal buoyancy and velocity ratio parameter.

The wall heating and cooling investigation result in the analysis of the control parameters that are related to the designing and manufacturing of thermal systems for cooling applications and energy harvesting. These control parameters have practical significance in the designing of heat exchangers and solar thermal collectors, in glass and polymer industries, in the extrusion of plastic sheets, the process of cooling of the metallic plate, etc.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, it is found from the literature survey that no similar work has been published which investigates the non-similar solution of Sisko nanofluid with variable thermal conductivity using finite difference method and quasilinearization technique.

The purpose of this study is to provide a numerical investigation of Casson nanofluid along a vertical nonlinear stretching sheet with variable thermal conductivity and viscosity.

The boundary-layer equations are presented in the dimensionless form using proper non-similar transformations. The subsequent non-dimensional nonlinear partial differential equations are solved using the implicit finite difference technique. To linearize the nonlinear terms present in these equations, the quasilinearization technique is used.

The investigation showed graphically the temperature, velocity and nanoparticle volume fraction for particular included physical parameters. It is observed that the velocity profile decreases with an increase in the values of Casson fluid parameter while increases with an increase in the viscosity variation parameter. The temperature profile enhances for large values of velocity variation parameter and thermal conductivity parameter while it reduces for large values of thermal buoyancy parameter. Further, the Nusselt number and skin-friction coefficient are introduced which are helpful in determining the physical aspects of Casson nanofluid flow.

The immediate control of heat transfer in the industrial system is crucial because of increasing energy prices. Recently, nanotechnology is proposed to control the heat transfer phenomenon. Ongoing research in complex nanofluid has been fruitful in various applications such as solar thermal collectors, nuclear reactors, electronic equipment and diesel–electric conductor. A reasonable amount of nanoparticle when added to the base fluid in solar thermal collectors serves to deeper absorption of incident radiation, and hence it upgrades the efficiency of the solar thermal collectors.

The non-similar solution of Casson nanofluid due to a vertical nonlinear stretching sheet with variable viscosity and thermal conductivity is discussed in this work.

The locational disadvantage of a health-care centre often restricts adequate delivery of health-care services in an area. The purpose of this study is to examine the status of primary health-care services in such a geographically disadvantageous area which is confined by forests, tea gardens and undulating topography.

Necessary secondary data of 13 primary health centres and 236 sub-centres has been collected from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Based on obtained data, Health-care Infrastructure Index has been prepared which has been validated by an expert panel, and subsequently, the Thiessen Polygon method has been applied through Arc GIS software to show spatial variation of health-care services delivered by different health-care centres.

In the study area, there is wide variation found in the case of physical facilities, caregivers and connectivity of road networks, which altogether affect the overall status of health-care services. Among all the indicators, some health-care centres experience staff shortages for prolonged non-recruitment, inaccessibility and inconsistent patient load in different health centres.

In spite of the unfavourable geographical landscape, health-care centres have to be set up wherever possible. There is a need to make new roads and simultaneously the existing road connectivity should be improved so that patients and caregivers can move quickly whenever required. Existing physical facilities need to be renewed or redeveloped along with increasing the number of doctors and other health-care providers as per the need of people with an adequate and optimum level of services.

The case focuses on the importance of the brand-building process, which takes place in B2B companies. Commodity companies focus a lot on the sales and distribution aspect of their marketing strategies but do not emphasize the importance of developing their brands. At the end of the discussion, the participants would be able: to examine the steps involved in conceptualizing the brand identity for an existing product in a highly competitive B2B market, as per Kapferer’s Brand Identity Matrix. To understand the steps involved in the journey of internal and external brand-building processes in B2B. To analyze the various challenges and issues faced by large organizations dealing in the metals and commodity business.

The case discusses a marketing challenge faced by Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) in launching a new brand of thermomechanical treatment (TMT) products in the market. Traditionally, the company had focused on the sales and distribution aspect of their marketing strategies but did not emphasize the importance of developing their brands. This case is based upon the challenges faced in the creation of a new brand identity for JSPL’s TMT products by the protagonist, Mr Paras Sharma (who is the brand custodian and manager in this case).

Postgraduate/Masters in Business Administration (MBA), Masters in Management Studies, Executive MBA.

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CSS 8: Marketing.