Purpose This paper aims to examine the influence social innovation (CSI) and sustainable corporate social responsibility (SCSR). Furthermore, the author have investigated the mediating role of inclusive growth (IG) and creating shared value (CSV) on the relationship between CSI and SCSR. This study aims to provide an SCSR mechanism to assist CSR managers in effectively addressing societal issues and creating value for corporations by generating goodwill. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design to investigate the relationships among the study variables. Data was collected from 464 CSR beneficiaries in Odisha, India, using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. Data analysis proceeded in multiple stages: exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed using SPSS 28 and SPSS Amos 26, respectively. Further, to test the hypothesized relationships, the study used structural equation modeling using SPSS Amos 26 statistical software. Mediation effects were assessed using bootstrapping procedures with 5000 resamples and bias-corrected 95% confidence intervals, ensuring the robustness of results. Findings The findings demonstrate CSI’s positive and significant impact on SCSR with standardized direct effects of 0.637 and a p-value less than 0.05. Moreover, IG and CSV partially mediate the relationship between CSI and SCSR with standardized indirect effects of 0.264 and 0.139, respectively (p < 0.05). This established model framework aims to equip CSR managers and policymakers with the tools to design CSR implementation strategies for socially impactful interventions. Originality/value This unique study encompasses all four factors, namely CSI, IG, CSV and SCSR, within a single structural model. Consequently, it serves as a foundation for enhancing the delivery mechanism of CSR programs, thereby effectively addressing fundamental societal problems.

Exploring the future of sustainable ocean economies: Marine Trade's role in advancing inclusive green growth

Toward sustainability: Analyzing the role of NEVs in inclusive green growth through nighttime light data

Financial inclusion and economic growth: The role of non-bank financial intermediation

Purpose The article aims to delineate a typology of innovation in social entrepreneurship through a systematic literature review employing the theory, context, characteristics, methodology (TCCM) framework. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a systematic literature review, identifying 3,295 articles from Web of Science, Scopus and Emerald from 2010 to Q1 2023. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, we selected 60 articles for in-depth analysis. Findings The study categorizes innovations in social entrepreneurship into five major types: outcome-driven, societal and ethical demand, collective and network-based, intensity-focused, and technology and digital innovations. Each type includes various subcategories reflecting different aspects and impacts of innovation in social entrepreneurship. Research limitations/implications The review is limited to articles published in English and available in selected databases. Future research could explore innovations in social entrepreneurship across different languages and databases. Practical implications The findings offer valuable guidance for social entrepreneurs, policymakers and researchers by providing a clearer understanding of the different types of innovation in social entrepreneurship and their implications. Social implications The study emphasizes the role of innovation in addressing social and environmental challenges, promoting inclusive growth and driving sustainable development. It highlights how social enterprises can leverage innovation to create social impact. Originality/value This research provides a novel typology of innovation in social entrepreneurship, filling a gap in the literature by offering a comprehensive framework that integrates various dimensions of innovation.

This study explore how inclusive economic growth has unfolded across 22 district and cities in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. This study developed the Inclusive Index II, combining three key indicators: poverty rate, income inequality (gini ratio), and the Employment to Population (EPR). The index ranges from 0 to 1, with reduced poverty and improved labor participation, inequality remains a persistent issue widening in some regions. By applying the Klassen Typology, this study mapped each are into one of four categories: (I) Economically strong and inclusive, (II) Inclusive but economically lagging, (III) Lagging and non inclusive, and (IV) Economically strong but exclusive. Most districts fall into Quadrants II and III, showing that inclusive growth is far from evenly distributed. These insight highlight the urgent need for locally tailored, evidance based policies that do more than grow economies, they must also include and uplift the people within them.

The study examined agricultural exports and inclusive growth in Nigeria from 2010 to 2024. The objectives of the study are to; examine the effect of cocoa beans export; sesame seed exports; and cashew seed export on per capita gross domestic product (GDPp). Annual data were collected from United Nations’ Commercial Trade Statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistical bulletin. The technique of ordinary least square (OLS) multiple regression was used to determine the relationship between the dependent variable (GDP per capita) and the independent variables (cocoa beans export, sesame seed export and cashew seed export). Based on the OLS results; export of cocoa bean and sesame seed have positive effect on inclusive growth (per capita GDP). While export of cashew seed has negative but significant impact on inclusive growth. Based on the findings, it was recommended amongst others that, various products of agriculture required for exports should be given urgent developmental attention in terms of provision of energy and good roads because of their advantage of their immediate returns to the growth of the economy.

This study analyzes district-level migration patterns in Himachal Pradesh, with particular attention to migrant volume, gender composition, duration of residence, and reasons for migration. Drawing on census data, Kangra and Shimla are identified as major destination districts, whereas remote mountainous districts such as Lahul and Spiti and Kinnaur record minimal inflows. The analysis shows that marriage is the predominant reason for female migration, accounting for nearly half of all moves, followed by employment and household relocation, while most migrants settle in rural areas and more than 50% reside for ten years or longer, indicating substantial community integration. Temporal and spatial comparisons across districts reveal considerable diversity in migrant profiles and settlement stability. The study introduces a Migration Stability Index to assess migrant permanence, providing a quantifiable measure that can inform policy design. Overall, the findings underscore the need for gender-sensitive social services and district-specific economic development programs that reflect local migration dynamics, thereby contributing to more balanced regional planning and inclusive growth in Himalayan contexts.

This paper focuses on the changing position of community colleges in Nepal in the move toward sustainable tourism, grassroots innovation, and inclusive economic development. These colleges are established as local institutions that have close connections with the community. They serve to meet the requirements of regional growth, particularly in rural regions where higher education is not regularly provided. Although they enroll over 30 percent of higher education students in Nepal, their development contributions have not received much attention in the literature, and research in the development field has primarily focused on academic access and institutional constraints. This paper bridges that gap by applying a systematic literature review and an analysis of specific cases to the Nepali context. We employed thematic analysis to group 40 high-quality scholarly and policy resources in order to examine the contributions, challenges, and possibilities through which community colleges can play a role. The results show that community colleges promote sustainable tourism through eco-tourism, cultural preservation, and hospitality training programs; promote entrepreneurship through vocational training and incubators; and enhance social inclusion through affordable education for women and other frequently marginalized groups. There are instances of community colleges that demonstrate effective outcomes through curriculum and community-led projects. The paper ends with specific policy suggestions to enable community colleges to serve as strategic platforms for achieving Nepal's targets of Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development (GRID) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Governance, curriculum, and partnerships should be reformed in order to maximize their potential to transform the development landscape in Nepal.

This paper examines the influence of government infrastructural development on the sustainability of small businesses in Lagos State, Nigeria. Acknowledging the role of small firms as important agents of sustainable growth employment and innovation, this research studies how infrastructural investments in areas such as transport, energy, digital connectivity and water supply intermediates their operational resilience and business growth. Research design A correlational research design was used, and a sample of 174 small business owners registered in Lagos were surveyed using structured questionnaires. AnalysisPearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to examine how robust and significant the relationship is between infrastructure development and business sustainability. The findings suggest a small positive, albeit significant (r = 0.35, p = 0.03) correlation between infrastructure growth and sustainability of small businesses. The results highlight that while infrastructure is important, it is one element in an ecosystem that includes access to finance, skills and regulation. The study therefore suggests that well-tailored investments in infrastructures in neglected areas, rebranding of existing facilities, the cultivation of public-private partnerships and the coupling of facilitative policies will ensure maximum contribution of infrastructural development to the sustainability of small enterprises in Lagos State. This study has important policy implications for policy makers who are interest in promoting the inclusive economic growth through tactical planning efficacy of infrastructure.

This study investigates the impact of innovation on the growth of micro-insurance businesses in Nigeria, focusing on product, process, and market innovation. Employing a descriptive research design, data were collected from 228 employees of five selected insurance companies using structured questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including multiple regression analysis, were employed to examine the relationship between innovation dimensions and micro-insurance growth. The findings reveal that all three innovation types significantly influence business growth, with process innovation exhibiting the strongest effect, followed by market and product innovation. The study underscores the importance of innovation-driven strategies in enhancing operational efficiency, customer acquisition, and market penetration in the Nigerian micro-insurance sector. Policy implications include the need for regulatory incentives, digitalization of operations, and expansion of distribution channels to promote financial inclusion and sustainable growth. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of innovation-led growth and provides empirical evidence for policymakers and industry stakeholders.

This research is a case study on how disruptions by fintech are included in the financial inclusion effect in Nigeria from 2015 to 2024. Using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, the study measures the effect of fintech adoption, accessibility, innovation and regulatory frameworks on financial inclusion with GDP per capita introduced as the control variable. The outcomes reveal that fintech adoption, accessibility and innovation have a high positive impact on financial inclusion whereas currently regulatory frameworks have an insignificant impact. Strong positive correlations among the components of fintech and GDP add to the interconnected nature of the fintech ecosystem in promoting access to financial services. These findings indicate that use of digital financial services tuning policies to enhance accessibility and innovative functioning are vital points for increased financial inclusion. The study adds to the literature by presenting current empirical evidence on fintech-led inclusion from an emerging economy context and deliver lessons for policy makers, financial institutions, and researchers on best practises for optimising fintech strategies to support inclusive economic growth.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has become a central pillar of Indias structural transformation since economic liberalisation in 1991. Building on official data from DPIIT,RBI, UNCTAD, and Government of India publications, this paper analyses the long-run trends, sectoral patterns, determinants, and macroeconomic implications of FDI inflows into India between 2000 and 2025. The article employs a mixed-method analytical approach combining descriptive time-series analysis, sectoral composition examination, and secondary econometric evidence. The findings indicate that FDI has contributed positively to GDP growth, productivity enhancement, export capability, and technological upgrading, particularly in services and high-value manufacturing. However, regional concentration, weak MSME integration, and volatility in net inflows present structural challenges. The paper concludes that Indias FDI strategy must evolve from volume-driven attraction to quality, stability, and distribution-oriented frameworks that foster inclusive and sustainable growth.

This study investigates the socio-economic determinants of malnutrition in low-income countries, with a specific focus on the role of macroeconomic and structural indicators. Drawing upon panel data from 2014 to 2020, the empirical model incorporates four independent variables: out-of-pocket health expenditures, gross domestic product per capita, urbanisation, and unemployment. Malnutrition serves as the dependent variable, reflecting both direct and indirect outcomes of socio-economic vulnerability. A panel data framework was employed, and the model was estimated using a random-effects specification with robust standard errors, selected on the basis of the Hausman test result (p > 0.05). The findings show that GDP exerts a negative and statistically significant effect on malnutrition, whereas urbanisation has a positive and statistically significant effect. In other words, improvements in national income are associated with reductions in malnutrition prevalence, while higher levels of urbanisation—under conditions of rapid and unplanned growth—are associated with higher malnutrition levels. Out-of-pocket health expenditures and unemployment do not display statistically significant independent effects. These results reinforce the importance of inclusive economic growth and socially planned urban development as critical levers in addressing undernutrition. At the same time, the analysis is framed within a critical political economy perspective that links contemporary patterns of undernutrition to long-standing histories of colonial extraction, unequal trade relations and constrained policy space in the global economy. For health policy-makers and development practitioners, the study underscores the necessity of integrating socio-economic and urban planning into nutrition strategies to ensure sustainable improvements in health outcomes across low-income settings.

Digital banking has emerged as a transformative force in India’s financial ecosystem, playing a significant role in expanding access to formal financial services. With the rapid adoption of mobile banking, internet banking, and digital payment platforms, financial institutions are increasingly able to reach previously underserved and unbanked populations. This study examines the contribution of digital banking to enhancing financial inclusion in India by analyzing its impact on access, usage, and affordability of financial services. The research adopts a descriptive and analytical approach, drawing on both primary and secondary data to assess customer adoption, perceived benefits, and challenges associated with digital banking services. The findings indicate that digital banking significantly improves financial inclusion by reducing geographical barriers, lowering transaction costs, and enabling convenient access to banking services. However, issues such as digital literacy gaps, cybersecurity concerns, and infrastructural limitations continue to restrict inclusive growth. The study highlights the need for targeted policy interventions, customer awareness programs, and technological safeguards to maximize the inclusive potential of digital banking. Overall, the research contributes to a better understanding of how digital banking initiatives can support inclusive economic development in India.

This study examines the interlinked threats of social exclusion, institutionalized corruption, and insecurity to Nigeria’s sustainable development. Despite abundant resources, Nigeria continues to lag in human development due to structural and governance weaknesses that hinder inclusive growth and institutional stability. Drawing on documentary analysis, secondary data, and empirical evidence, the study demonstrates how exclusionary practices, corruption networks, and insecurity reinforce one another to perpetuate cycles of underdevelopment. Social exclusion, evident in ethnic marginalization, gender inequality, and youth unemployment, alienates large segments of society, undermining cohesion and fueling grievances exploited by extremist groups. Institutionalized corruption, entrenched across political, judicial, and economic systems, diverts development resources, weakens institutions, and sustains inequality. Insecurity, manifested through insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and communal clashes, further deepens these challenges by displacing communities, disrupting agriculture, discouraging investment, and diverting funds from essential services to defense expenditures. Trend analyses of Nigeria’s Peace Index, Corruption Perceptions Index, and Human Development Index reveal persistent instability, systemic corruption, and only modest improvements in human development. The findings show that insecurity remains the most severe barrier, followed by corruption and exclusion. The study concludes that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires holistic reforms that integrate inclusive governance, strong anti-corruption measures, security sector restructuring, and empowerment of marginalized groups.

Introduction: In India, minority social positions based on caste and religious group affiliations are typically viewed as a separate aspect of inequality. Income inequality is a persistent issue in rural India, where socio-economic disparities are deeply influenced by caste and religion. This study examines income inequality among migrant men in Mirzapur district, Uttar Pradesh, focusing on caste and religious inequalities. Data and Methods: The study assesses income distribution across social groups using primary survey data from 300 respondents (2023–24) and the Gini ratio. Results: Findings reveal that most migrants are Hindu (91.7%), with 62% belonging to the Other Backward Classes (OBC). Income inequality is stark, with General caste migrants having the highest income concentration (Net Gini = 0.8142), while Scheduled Tribes (ST) migrants have the lowest (Net Gini = 0.2616). Muslim migrants exhibit a higher income concentration than Hindus, likely due to trade and self-employment. Migration patterns indicate that lower-income groups migrate for labour-intensive work while higher-income groups seek skilled jobs. Conclusion: Despite some decline in caste-based disparities, the study underscores the persistent influence of caste and religion on economic mobility. These findings contribute to discussions on reducing income inequality and promoting inclusive growth in rural India. Further research is needed to explore long-term economic mobility among migrant communities.

Tourism has increasingly become a key force shaping urban change in developing countries, with a particularly strong influence on India’s fast-growing secondary cities. This study explores the relationship between tourism expansion and urban development in Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Gorakhpur—three prominent cultural and economic centres in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Adopting a mixed-methods methodology, the research integrates secondary data from official government sources with correlation analysis and visual tools such as charts and maps to examine trends in tourist arrivals, infrastructure investment, and their combined impact on urbanisation during the period 2010–2020. The results demonstrate a strong positive association (r = 0.93) between tourism growth and investment in urban infrastructure, suggesting that tourism functions as a major stimulus for urban expansion. At the same time, the findings draw attention to emerging challenges, including uneven spatial development, environmental pressures, and the commercialisation of cultural heritage arising from rapid and inadequately regulated growth. The study concludes that although tourism-led urbanisation contributes significantly to economic dynamism, its long-term benefits depend on coordinated urban planning, sustainable development strategies, and active involvement of local communities to ensure equitable and inclusive urban growth.

This study examined the influence of access to education on inclusive economic growth in Kumbotso Local Government Area (LGA), Kano State, Nigeria. Using logistic regression model on 383 valid responses, it explores key factors such as school enrollment levels, and student per teacher ratio. The findings revealed that all the predictor variables collectively account for averagely 80% of the variation in the likelihood of achieving inclusive economic growth. In particular, school enrollment levels, and gender exhibit significant positive effects on inclusive economic growth. However, higher household size and larger student-to-teacher ratios negatively affect inclusive economic growth. The findings from this study emphasize the significance of improving access to education as important driver of inclusive economic growth in Kumbotso LGA, while also exploring the implications of population growth. Based on these insights, this study recommends that policymakers strengthen educational institutions to provide accessible and conducive educational environments, and implement incentive-based programs to promote school participation as well as provide effective educational resources, particularly in underserved areas. Such efforts will help address gaps in accessing education, ultimately fostering more inclusive economic growth in Kumbotso LGA.

This study examines the South African informal economy, focusing on its significance, challenges, and potential to drive inclusive growth. Once viewed merely as a survivalist activity, the informal economy is increasingly recognised as a dynamic sector with the capacity to generate employment, reduce poverty, and contribute to national development. Using a qualitative methodology, the research drew on literature, policy reviews, and empirical studies to analyse the characteristics of the sector and the systemic barriers it faces. Findings highlight obstacles such as a lack of access to finance, skills shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and weak integration with formal markets. The discussion underscored the importance of policies that balance formalisation with targeted support. Recommendations include inclusive financing mechanisms, vocational skills development, infrastructure investment, and stronger market linkages, all within a supportive regulatory framework. The study contributes to scholarship by reframing the informal economy as an asset rather than a liability, offering a policy-oriented framework for harnessing its potential to build a more resilient, equitable, and prosperous South Africa.