Economics, Business and Management: Recent Advances Vol. 3

Technology Transfer Offices’ (TTOs) Strategic Entrepreneurship Model for Strengthening Research Universities Innovation Ecosystem: A Review

2026-09-01T10:09:10+00:00

Technology transfer offices (TTOs) play an increasingly important role in universities by supporting researchers in translating scientific knowledge into commercially and socially valuable outcomes. Strategic entrepreneurship, on the other hand, is the fusion of entrepreneurial elements and strategic management, including opportunity-seeking and advantage-seeking behaviour in developing effective new ventures or established firms. The integration of strategic entrepreneurship elements within TTOs could enhance the effectiveness of their roles and responsibilities in supporting the technology transfer process in RUs. The aim of this study is to nurture strategic entrepreneurship within TTOs to enhance their entrepreneurial role in enabling successful technology transfer for research universities (RUs). This study synthesises selected literature using a systematic method to analyse the roles and responsibilities of TTOs in RUs, critical factors for nurturing strategic entrepreneurship within TTOs, and a recommended TTO Strategic Entrepreneurship Model for strengthening the RUs' innovation ecosystem. Entrepreneurship has been identified as a crucial element of the technology transfer process. The results show that TTOs adopting strategic entrepreneurship approaches could create pathways for a sustainable entrepreneurial culture, support entrepreneur-researcher characteristics, and promote best practices in technology transfer to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in RUs. These findings are expected to improve the successful commercialisation rate of RUs' innovations in line with regional economic growth in Malaysia. In this study, a conceptual framework is proposed to show how a TTO Strategic Entrepreneurship Model could strengthen the RUs' innovation ecosystem. This is among the few studies on the commercialisation of innovation, a topic that remains underexplored. Future research is expected to include the development of a framework for nurturing strategic entrepreneurship within TTOs to enhance the commercialisation of innovation through RUs' technology transfer.

Exploring Artificial Intelligence in Economics: Methods, Applications and Limitations

2026-09-01T10:14:48+00:00

The rapid expansion of data in the digital economy has necessitated the adoption of advanced analytical tools in economic research. This chapter examines the growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in economic analysis, emphasising its methodological foundations, diverse applications, and inherent limitations. It explores key AI techniques including machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing, and their effectiveness in enhancing predictive accuracy, pattern recognition, and decision-making across economic domains.

The study highlights the application of AI in both macroeconomic and microeconomic contexts, such as economic forecasting, demand estimation, dynamic pricing, labour market analysis, financial risk management, and policy formulation. By leveraging large and complex datasets, AI-driven models offer significant improvements over traditional econometric approaches in terms of efficiency and scalability.

However, the chapter also critically evaluates the challenges associated with AI adoption, including issues of data privacy, algorithmic bias, and lack of model transparency. These concerns underscore the need for ethical frameworks and explainable AI systems in economic practice. The findings suggest that while AI has transformative potential in reshaping economic analysis and policymaking, a balanced approach that integrates technological innovation with ethical considerations is essential for sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Socio-economic and Institutional Dimensions of Women’s Roles in Fishing Livelihoods in Chilika Lagoon, Odisha, India

2026-09-01T10:17:52+00:00

Chilika Lagoon, the largest brackish-water lagoon in India, supports the livelihoods of thousands of fishing households. Although men are commonly involved in fishing, women play an essential role in post-harvest activities, including fish processing, drying, selling and household management. Recognising these contributions is important for promoting gender-inclusive development and sustainable resource management. This study examines the socio-economic and livelihood roles of women in fishing communities surrounding Chilika Lagoon, identifies the challenges they encounter and suggests measures to improve their participation and well-being. Primary data were collected through structured surveys with 300 women from three major fishing communities. Regression analysis and a Tornado diagram were used for data analysis. The findings indicate that women make a substantial contribution to household income through post-harvest activities, including drying, processing and marketing. They also participate in community conservation and collective efforts to address unsustainable fishing practices. However, limited access to socio-economic resources, environmental security, health support and institutional services has affected their livelihoods and constrained their empowerment. Women therefore play a crucial role in sustaining fishing livelihoods in Chilika Lagoon, although their contributions often remain under-recognised. Strengthening skill development, resource access and participation in decision-making is essential for improving livelihood resilience and supporting sustainable fisheries management in the region.

Mapping the Evolution and Future of Forensic Accounting

2026-09-01T10:21:11+00:00

Forensic accounting has developed from a specialised form of investigative accounting into a heterogeneous field spanning fraud examination, dispute advisory, expert evidence, digital investigation and technology-enabled risk analysis. This expansion has increased its practical relevance but has also produced persistent ambiguity about professional boundaries, theoretical foundations and standards of proof. This critical narrative review maps the field’s evolution and evaluates the evidence supporting its principal methods, competencies and technological directions. Literature published from 1 January 1990 to 2 June 2026 was sought through accessible scholarly indexes, repositories and targeted citation searching, with selected earlier sources retained for historical and theoretical context. The synthesis shows that forensic accounting is best understood as an engagement-oriented practice defined by investigative purpose and evidential accountability rather than by any single technique. Its strongest contribution lies in integrating accounting reconstruction, corroborative inquiry and legally intelligible communication. Fraud theories remain useful for structuring hypotheses but are weak as stand-alone predictive models, particularly where collusion, organisational incentives and adaptive concealment dominate. Statistical indicators, text analysis and machine-learning models can improve triage and pattern recognition, yet most studies rely on retrospective, jurisdiction-specific and imperfectly labelled datasets. Such tools therefore support investigation; they do not independently establish intent, attribution or admissible proof. Blockchain and artificial intelligence extend traceability and analytical scale but also intensify risks involving off-chain data quality, opacity, privacy, model drift, adversarial manipulation and automation bias. Education and professional governance have not consistently kept pace with these changes. The future of the field depends less on adopting increasingly complex tools than on validating them prospectively, documenting provenance, integrating human judgement, and aligning analytical outputs with legal and ethical standards. A more mature forensic accounting discipline will require common competency frameworks, stronger comparative research, transparent evaluation benchmarks and explicit separation between risk signals and evidential conclusions.

Public Expenditures and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

2026-09-04T09:51:50+00:00

Examining the nexus between public expenditures and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is crucial for formulating and implementing effective policies to foster economic development, mitigate inequalities, and achieve sustainable growth across the region. The theoretical framework for this chapter was based on Keynesian Public Expenditure Theory, Wagner’s Law of Increasing State Activities, and Endogenous Growth Theory. This chapter adopted an ex-post facto research design because it relied on existing data from the World Development Indicators. Data utilised for this chapter covered the period from 2004 to 2024. Panel regression analysis was applied, and the findings indicated that debt service, grant, defence, and health expenditures have insignificant effects on economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, among the various categories of public expenditure, only education expenditure had a significant effect on economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. A re-evaluation of how public funds are allocated and managed in sectors related to debt service, grants, defence, and health is warranted without jeopardising their importance, which extends beyond economic gains. This is because current investments in these sectors do not produce the expected economic benefits. An assessment of the efficacy and efficiency of government spending in these areas may be required. Improvements should be guided by establishing whether the non-significance stems from misallocation, inefficiencies, and/or other causes. Policymakers should strengthen education-economy linkages. Policies should be established to ensure the alignment of educational outputs with labour-market needs, as any mismatch between the two can undermine the effect of education expenditure on economic growth.

Economics and Market Channels of Ginger Production in Niuland District of Nagaland, India

2026-09-05T07:49:06+00:00

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is an important commercial spice crop in north-eastern India and contributes substantially to the income and livelihood security of rural farming households. The present study examined the socio-economic characteristics of ginger growers, estimated the economics of ginger cultivation and analysed the marketing channels adopted by farmers in Niuland district of Nagaland. A multistage sampling procedure was employed to select 90 ginger growers from six villages located in the Aghunaka and Ato development blocks. Primary data were collected through personal interviews using a pre-tested structured interview schedule and were analysed using descriptive statistical measures and standard farm-management cost concepts. The results showed that 58.89% of the respondents were middle-aged, 55.55% had primary-level education and 56.66% belonged to the small-farmer category. Ginger accounted for 33.84% of the total operational land, indicating its importance within the farming system. The average cost of ginger cultivation was estimated at ₹53,433.44 per hectare, while the average gross income was ₹96,033.77 per hectare. The average net income and return from management were ₹46,654.96 and ₹41,717.08 per hectare, respectively. The benefit–cost ratio of 1.80 indicated favourable economic returns under the observed production conditions. Two principal marketing channels were identified: Producer–Consumer and Producer–Wholesaler–Retailer–Consumer. Most growers (71.11%) marketed their produce through the longer channel because it facilitated bulk disposal and provided wider market access. However, direct marketing enabled producers to retain a greater share of the final consumer price by avoiding intermediary involvement. The findings indicate that ginger cultivation represents an economically important farm enterprise in the study area. Improved access to quality planting material, stronger extension support, better transport and storage facilities, timely market information and collective marketing arrangements may further strengthen farm profitability, price realisation and marketing performance among ginger growers in Niuland district.

Transformation of India’s Service Export Sector: The Growing Role of Modern Services

2026-09-15T11:23:19+00:00

This study examines the structural transformation of India’s services exports, with particular emphasis on the emergence and growing importance of modern services. Using secondary data from National Accounts Statistics, the Reserve Bank of India, UNCTAD, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, Economic Surveys, and related studies, the analysis covers 1950–51 to 2023, subject to data availability. The study adopts a descriptive, analytical, and exploratory approach and applies trend analysis, percentage shares, composition analysis, comparative assessment, and exponential growth rates. The findings show a marked shift in India’s services-export structure from traditional services, including transport, travel, insurance, and government-related services, towards software, business, financial, and communication services. Software and business services have emerged as the principal drivers of export growth. The transformation is associated with economic liberalisation, technological progress, the expansion of information and communication technology, foreign investment, outsourcing and offshoring, a large pool of skilled English-speaking professionals, and the increasing tradability of services. Traditional services have expanded more slowly because cross-border delivery remains comparatively constrained and, in some cases, depends on manufacturing performance, infrastructure, and market access. Overall, India’s services-export performance reflects a long-term structural shift towards modern, tradable, and knowledge-intensive activities, although the descriptive design supports interpretation in terms of associations rather than causal effects.

Behavioural Economics in Business Strategy: A Critical Narrative Review of Pricing, Marketing and Finance

2026-09-15T11:26:08+00:00

Behavioural economics has moved from a critique of strict rational-choice assumptions to a practical influence on pricing, marketing, financial-product design and managerial decision processes. Yet its strategic use is often fragmented: pricing studies emphasise reference dependence and fairness, marketing studies focus on framing and choice architecture, and finance research separates investor, household and managerial biases. This critical narrative review integrates these literatures to assess when behavioural mechanisms create durable strategic value and when they generate weak, context-specific or ethically problematic effects. Literature published from 1 January 2000 to 4 July 2026 was examined, with earlier seminal studies retained where necessary to establish foundational mechanisms. Evidence was synthesised around reference dependence, constructed preferences, mental accounting, social influence, inertia, overconfidence and bounded attention, and then evaluated across pricing, marketing and finance. The evidence is strongest where mechanisms are tied to a clearly defined decision environment and tested against behavioural or economic outcomes in field settings. Behavioural pricing can alter willingness to pay, product choice and profit, but fairness, transparency and learning materially constrain personalised and dynamic pricing. Marketing choice architecture can improve conversion or engagement, but average effects conceal substantial heterogeneity and are vulnerable to publication bias, habituation and manipulative implementation. In finance, defaults and commitment structures have comparatively strong practical support, whereas causal interpretation of investor and executive biases is more difficult because behavioural proxies, selection and endogenous market responses complicate identification. Across domains, the strategic value of behavioural economics depends less on applying a named bias than on diagnosing the decision process, testing interventions causally, measuring persistence and heterogeneity, and governing effects on trust and welfare. A strategy-level framework is proposed in which behavioural interventions are treated as testable components of decision architecture rather than universal shortcuts to influence.