No abstract

Healthcare establishments are unique and complex. The Indian healthcare system comprises of public and private healthcare establishments. Different challenges are encountered by the healthcare professionals in their daily operations. The sudden emergence of COVID-19 posed a new threat to the already burdened healthcare system. The pandemic changed the healthcare paradox with newer workplace and societal challenges faced by the healthcare personnel. The purpose of this study is to identify the antecedents of workplace and societal challenges faced by the healthcare personnel. Our study conducted in Kolkata and other adjoining areas of West Bengal included respondents who volunteered for individual in-depth interviews. The sample size was kept at n = 20 after due technical considerations. Freelisting and pile sorting was done to generate clusters. The qualitative study identified five constructs with 18 items under workplace challenges and three constructs with five items under societal/community challenges. Workplace challenges included resource availability, adequacy and allocation, financial issues, perceived managerial ineffectiveness, inconsistent guidelines and perceived occupational stress, while societal/community challenges included dread disease, social adaptiveness and challenges related to essential services. A salience threshold was established and the multidimensional scaling provided four major clusters: financial support and sustainability, adaptive resilience, infection risk mitigation and healthcare facility preparedness. Suggestive actions for the identified challenges were summed as enhanced production of diagnostic kits through public–private partnership models and industrial production reforms. Enhanced testing facility for COVID-19 will help to identify new cases. Financial stresses need long-term sustainable alternative that will avoid pay cuts and unemployment. Treatment regimen, diagnostic protocols, waste disposal guidelines should be worked upon and leading national agencies be consulted for technical support, research and development.

E-government has become a growth engine for government. Despite splendid progress in information and communication technologies, e-government is developing at a slow pace. This study aims to examine the cultural factors responsible for e-government development. Drawing from customer focus theory and cultural theory, the study explores the relationship between the dimensions of national culture and e-government development. The study uses panel data of e-government development and per capita GDP from 2008 to 2018 of 78 countries to examine the relationship. The result shows that cultural dimensions and per capita GDP are significant predictors of e-government development. Per capita GDP, when examined with cultural dimensions, namely power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation, shows interactive effects on e-government development. This study contributes to the literature of e-government, the customer focus theory, and cultural theory. The paper also presents the practical implications of findings that are relevant to the policymakers and governments.

The usage of smartphones is increasing with each passing day. The growth of wireless subscription in India in the last 5 years is very high. However, the penetration rate of smartphones among low-income people is significantly low. Looking at the near saturation and high competition of markets at the higher side of the economic pyramid, companies are trying to explore the segment of low-income people termed ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’ (BOP). In order to explore the BOP market for smartphones, one needs to realize the factors influencing the adoption of smartphones at the BOP. Our study explores these factors with reference to the existing literature of technology adoption. A theoretical framework is proposed and tested with 266 valid data points. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to test the proposed framework. The empirical analysis revealed that ‘performance expectancy’, ‘effort expectancy’ and ‘perceived monetary value’ have a positive impact on the ‘behavioural intention’ of using smartphones at BOP. ‘Smartphone anxiety’ and ‘smartphone self-efficacy’ are found to have an impact on ‘effort expectancy’.

E‑government development varies across countries. This study aims to examine the impact of national culture on e‑government development across 78 countries. The dimensions of national culture are power distance, individualism, masculinity, long‑term orientation, uncertainty avoidance, and indulgence. The paper also examines the role of GDP per capita on e‑government development. The result shows that individualism and long‑term orientation are positively related to e‑government development, whereas power distance is negatively related to e‑government development. Also, GDP per capita is found to be significantly impacting e‑government development. Multi‑level interaction effect of GDP per capita and culture on e‑government development is discussed. The paper outlines the implications of results and strategies to design culturally acceptable e‑government policies. The paper argues that growth in economic prosperity cannot guarantee e‑government development, and national culture must be included in a holistic discussion of the development.