International Journal of Social Sciences and Management

48-54

Authors: Md. Soyeb Uddin Haider, Mohammed Aminur Rahaman

Institutional care and support for a portion of the elderly people has become a new reality in the social setting of Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the quality of life among elderly people living in old age homes in Bangladesh. Further, it focuses to find out the causes of living in old age homes. A sample of 60 elderly people (40 from free type of old age home and 20 from paid type of old age home) were included for the study in purposive manner. Survey and observation method were conducted among elderly living in old age homes of Old Rehabilitation Centre, Gazipur, Amena-Bashar Old Rehabilitation Center, Chattogram and Probin Nibash, Dhaka. The study examined the facilities offered at old age homes. The study found that negligence of the family members is the most important reason for shifting to the old age homes of elderly people. The study also found that the facilities like medical care, recreational facilities, spiritual facilities, safety, facilities for physical exercise and funeral arrangements were significantly better among elderly living in old age homes, while the facilities like food, accommodation and service of caregivers/staffs were average in the level of satisfaction among elderly living in old age homes. It is important to note that the elderly people have the scope to contribute for the welfare of the society in paid type of old age homes. This paper recommends that institutional facilities and participation in different social activities should be increased to improve the quality of life for the elderly people living in old age homes.

63-66

Authors: Dimple Grover

Employees create wealth and bring sustainability to an organization. The organizations are building on their strength by adopting to the best governance mechanisms making employees as the enablers. The current paper investigates the perceptual differences of Senior & Junior Managers in the context of CG practices within an organization. A sample of 255 employees from various public and private sector were assessed. The findings point towards difference between Senior and Junior Managers. Management Processes emerged as a significant variable.

75-83

Authors: Sonisa Shrestha, Shobha Sapkota, Shubha Sapkota

Background: COVID-19 is an emerging disease that has been creating global havoc. Since it was a newly emerged disease, only a little information was known at the initial phase. Later, correct information and prevention measures were provided throughout the globe via a different outlet, but the prevailing myths and misconceptions still followed. Objective: To assess the role of mass media on knowledge and perception related to COVID-19 among the students. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to identify the role of mass media in shaping the knowledge and perception related to COVID-19 among the students of Bharatpur, Chitwan. Samples were selected by using a stratified random sampling method and data was collected by using self-administered structured questionnaires and IBM SPSS was used for analysis in descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Out of the 103 respondents, 13.6% were male and 86.5% were females, 86.4 % were age more than 23years. Among which, 88.8% used mass media for obtaining information where 67.3% used it daily and the most preferable media was social media (70.4%). Similarly, 74.8% of respondents had fair knowledge, (15.5%) respondents had good knowledge, and 97.1% of the respondents had a positive perception regarding Covid-19. Respondent’s most preferable media (social media) was significantly associated with the level of knowledge of the respondents (p=0.047). Conclusion: The study concludes that the respondents had positive perceptions, but the knowledge level was more fair knowledge and very limited good knowledge, which signifies that there is still a need for awareness programs, campaigns, and other educational interventions.

88-93

Authors: Tavseef Ahmad Mir, Manvendra Singh

Background: Inclusive governance signifies both processes and outcomes in developmental strategies across the world. More inclusive states are more prosperous, influential, and vibrant. Process-based inclusion refers to the decision and policy-making processes and how, why, and whose voices are considered. Outcome-based inclusion refers to the disbursement of developmental outcomes. One of the government’s programs that it has launched is the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). This programme is functional all over the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. District Pulwama is part of this region. Objectives: whether this programme meets the area-specific needs and whether there is a need for any modification in the healthcare administration to make the programme more inclusive and efficient. Methods: Sampling, literature review, interviews, questionaries, and focused group discussions are employed. The sample size of participants is one hundred, including doctors, patients, common citizens, paramedical staff and administrators. Results: Results were drawn which showed that the strategic convergence of healthcare and other related programs from village level upwards, context-specific alterations, and workable resources allocation elevate this program’s dynamicity. 80% of respondents favoured area-specific modifications needed to reach all society sections. Conclusion: To meet Sustainable Development Goals within the prescribed time limits, the program can result in a remarkable change in the overall healthcare system. It needs to be in sync with the current healthcare scenario, like the outbreak of pandemics like COVID-19. Suggestions are provided to make it more effective, result-oriented, and in sync with the existing ground realities.

1-7

Authors: Farouq Ahmad Dar, Malkhan Singh

Environmental degradation is a process in which the natural environment is negotiated by declining environmental health and the biological diversity. The environmental health problems and urban poverty has a strong bond between them. The high use of non-renewable resources and the destruction of key renewable resources are the major contributors of environmental degradation. The poor people alone cannot be blamed as the key contributors of environmental degradation. In many areas the poor people are more aware about the proper use of natural resources like land, forests and water resources, as they get their livelihood from these resources. This paper focuses on the understandings prevalent on the topic of poverty and environmental degradation and cross-examines the geographical literature available on the subject. The broad objective of this paper is to examine the various contributors which acts vital role in the environmental degradation. The article provides a particular attention towards the poor as one of the elements of environmental deterioration. The analysis depicts that the institutional and market failures encourage unsustainable actions which pushes some income groups into poverty. The conflict among different income groups are the main culprits of poverty-environment degradation nexus. The environmental degradation, on the one hand, contributes to poverty through different agents which effects the human health and depletes the productivity of those natural and manmade resources upon which the poor are dependent, on the other hand, the poverty restricts the poor to perform such activities that will lead to damage the environment.

13-18

Authors: Niroj Dahal, Sarthak Ghimire, Rakshya Poudel

Paddy, maize and wheat occupy the maximum share in terms of area and production of Nepalese agriculture and plays major role in food and nutrition security in Nepal. Although government has been investing in cereal production since 1960s and there is a slow and steady growth in area, production and yield. In this scenario, there is dearth of research studies which provides overview of the growth and instability of the cereal crops, and it is also necessary to identify the causes of the growth in production. This paper tries to address the fore mentioned issue by measuring the growth rate and instability in area, production and yield of paddy, wheat and maize in Nepal for 30 years ranging from 1990/91 to 2019/20. Similarly, it also attempts to identify the cause of growth crops by using decomposition method. It is found that there was significant growth in area of paddy only in period I; and in production and yield in period II and overall time period. In wheat and maize, it is found that there is statistically significant increase in the area, production and yield in all the sub periods and over all time periods, except for area in wheat in period III. Similarly, it is found that in all the crops studied, greater extent of instability was observed in production, followed by the yield. And, in all the crops, area effect is higher than yield and interaction effect in all the time periods and whole study time frame.

27-40

Authors: Shova Aryal, Arjun Karki

This study explores diversities, issues and priorities of women's articles in four broadsheet dailies in Nepal. The study has analyzed the ratio of national and foreign writers. It shoves into the number of women's writers and their areas/issues of writing. The study employs a content analysis research approach. It has extracted 351 articles of one month each national dailies of the year 2018. The articles have been encoded into appropriate fields and grouped under the eight different fields/areas. Then an analysis has been made on gender, issues, priorities and diversities of the articles. The findings are different in each newspaper. The Himalayan Times daily has been found more inclusive in terms of areas and gender priorities. The Kathmandu Post daily has been found to have been given least priority to national writers, regardless of women's writing. Similarly, the finding showed the largest variations in the Kathmandu Post in gender, issues and coverage. The Rising Nepal is found to have given more priority to national writers. Finally, the Republica daily has the second largest variations after the Kathmandu Post; however, the areas of writing have a great discrepancy. This study recommends for the positive discrimination to the women as stated in the gender related policies. The government, media and other stakeholders should play the facilitating role to monitor the media organizations for gender inclusivity in all the areas of work. Future studies focus on the wages, work flexibilities and responsibilities in media to promote peace, prosperity and holistic development of the nation.

433-437

Authors: Akash Pandey, Ashmita Lama, Aassmi Poudyal

The unprecedented situation brought about by the COVID-19 lockdown has affected the lives of children across the world. Although the information on COVID-19 impact on children is less heard and often ignored, its consequences will mark a ripple effect in the well-being of children, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds. This paper-based on secondary data explores the impacts induced by the COVID-19 lockdown on the lives of disadvantaged children in Nepal. The study has particularly discussed the problems faced by children from remote communities, children with disabilities, and children living in the streets. This study has firstly analyzed their existing situation through an extensive literature review followed by a detailed review of the impact and aftermath of the earlier crisis in those underprivileged lives and an outline of how the current pandemic can also trigger such repercussions in the coming periods. Findings show the different factors associated with intensifying the current problems experienced by the target groups. The study concludes with a recommendation to undertake primary research to highlight the problems from a much broader way so that the results can be implicated in a more scientific manner to grab the attention of policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to address the issue.

445-456

Authors: Gashaw Ayanaw

Women constitute almost half of the world’s population though they have been excluded from decision making. Studies conducted on women and seed overlooked specific gender roles and decision making of women in seed selection and production in informal seed system in food insecure areas. This study attempted to address women’s participation, women’s dual roles, and constraints for their fair participation. The study employed mixed research approach. It also used primary and secondary sources of data-collected through questionnaire, FGDs, interviews, direct observation and document review. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques were employed to select study participants. Finally, the data were analyzed via quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis. The study found out that women’s participation in seed selection is with low extent and limited in decision making unlike their role in providing labor. It shows that majority of women in male headed households are part of seed production processes regardless of their health problems, level of education, and burdens in the domestic tasks. The study also indicated that lack of infrastructures, cultural barriers, and inaccessibility of market are major constraints for fair participation of women in seed selection and production. The local government shall work on awareness on gender equality, provision of technologies and production inputs, and construction of roads to local markets were possible solutions forwarded to improve women’s saying and burden in seed selection and production.

396-400

Authors: Dipika Parajulee, Apekshya Kandel, Sangam Panta, Kedar Devkota

Sweet orange is one of the major fruit grown in mid-hills of Nepal. It ranks 2nd among the citrus fruits in terms of area and production after mandarin. The study depicts the socio economic aspect of sweet orange production in Sindhuli district.Data were collected from 60 randomly selected sweet orange growers from Tinkanya and Baseswor of Golanjor rural municipality using semi-structured interview schedule. Two FGD's was done in those places for the triangulation of household survey.Analysis was done using SPSS and excel. Socio demographic studies revealed that majorly (93.3%), of growers were engaged in sweet orange farming. Most of the growers (98.3%) had agriculture as their major occupation. The average land holdings of the farmers was 0.53 ha in which 0.37 ha of land was occupied for sweet orange cultivation. The average sweet orange production of total sixty households was calculated to be 1981.83 kg/ha. The total cost of Rs. 25797.36/ha was estimated and the gross return from the production was Rs.72634/ha; the benefit cost ratio was found to be 2.81 which supports that sweet orange production is being a profitable farming business. Furthermore, insects attack followed by irrigation problems and difficulty in transportation followed by lack of market price information were the major problems found in the production and marketing of sweet orange respectively. There is a high potentiality of increasing the fruit productivity if the constraints against the sweet orange cultivation are addressed properly and adequately.

408-415

Authors: Yajur Karki

Nepal has a perennial history with the culture of alcohol and it is mostly seen as a form of social capital. Alcohol usage has been inextricable with local cultures, i.e., festivals. The current study aims to investigate aspects of alcohol advertising in newspapers using content analysis. The study focuses on unraveling the ideologies of liquor advertisers in boosting alcohol promotion mostly among the youth. Ostensibly, the boosterism of alcohol advertisements has been concomitant in an attempt to establish it as a mass culture. Consumerism remains the central theme of global contemporary societies and the fundamentals of capitalism are characterized by oligopolistic standards. Facets of such attempt to create a culture revolving around alcohol by injecting messages through advertisements to specific age groups. Forty random private newspapers and twenty state newspapers are taken into consideration and simplified into a coding form to test the two hypotheses. Variables such as themes of advertisement, age, published days, messages espoused, alcohol types, and types of advertisements have been independently tested for correlation. The research has highlighted that advertisers tend to promote alcohol as a form of reinforcing different cultures with the sales of alcohol. Also, there have been frequent reported attempts to magnify use of alcohol during weekends for tranquility from rigid bureaucratic norms. Waves of global cultures have also been associated with alcohol promotion as means of celebration

426-43

Authors: Srijana Gautam, Nisha Shrestha

Although in recent decades depression and diabetes patients are increasing the numbers and proportions worldwide. Eighty percent of individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) dwell in low- and middle-income countries. The real crisis of depression and diabetes, where it exists, is the personal crisis of day-by day. The objectives of this study is to determine the prevalence and associates factors of depression among diabetic patients in selected hospital in Nepal. A cross sectional study was conducted at tertiary center of Pokhara, Kaski .Study participants identified with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=330) .Blood pressure, anthropometrics (height, weight and hip circumference) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were collected, a semi-structured interview was utilized to obtain information on socio-demographic and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used as a tool to assess depressive symptoms among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus .Logistic regression was used to investigate the associate factors of depression with diabetes patients. Majority (68.2%) of the respondents had no depression with diabetes, 16.7% of respondents having moderate, 12.4% having mild and few (2.7%) had severe depression with diabetes. Depression was significantly associated with Marital status (p=0.014), Educational status (0.016), Occupational status (p=0.003) and Drinking alcohol(p=0.020). The prevalence of depression with Diabetes in this study was 31.8%.

341-34

Authors: Kunle Awotokun

The paper examines the contentious issues bewildering local government as a level of governance in Nigeria’s federal system of government against the backdrop of classical theory and practice of federalism. The article relies heavily on secondary data to run its analysis. Such data includes textbooks, journals, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, the Nigerian 1979 and 1999 constitutions, etc. The findings are that there are lots of contradictions (inconsistencies) in the running of the Nigerian federal system of government. The federal government is fond of always arm-twisting state governments especially in the area of creating new local governments which has, no doubt, led to frustration, reactions and counter-reactions between the two tiers of government. The work concludes on the note that there is the need to have a holistic review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, with the view to returning the country to a true federal system akin to the Nigerian constitutions of 1960 and 1963 with modifications to reflect contemporary issues. This is the path of wisdom to stem the tide of separatist agitations in Nigeria and perhaps in plural African countries.

352-358

Authors: Lusika Datta, Usashi Kundu (De)

Privatization is considered a process which is defined as the transfer of shares or assets, management, responsibilities from the public to private sector. Today it becomes a major issue in Education system. The present paper traces supportive decisions taken by India Government favouring privatization of Education. It also seeks to analyse the present condition of higher education with special reference to privatization of education in India. The paper follows analytical description as methodology through secondary data. It points out the emergence of private sector in higher education. Positive and negative impact of privatization on education & society are also identified.

362-371

Authors: Sushma Sharma, Soniya Acharya, Samikshya Regmi, Avishek Poudel, Gokarna Adhikari

The study was conducted in Nov 2019 – Feb 2020 with the objective of assessing the whole value chain of sericulture products in the Western inner terai region of Nepal. The beginning of sericulture in the region was due to some personal interest but gained popularity and huge return and turned out to achieve the objectives of food security and source of employment. As per the finding and research, Bi-voltine Silkworm (Bombyx mori) was mainly reared which feeds upon the leaves of the mulberry plant. The interview result indicates that producers produce cocoon at an average of 30.05 kg per ropani in one production round and production was made twice a year. In this region, three marketing channels were identified (producer to the primary collector/small hand processor) and (producer to primary processor or reelers) and the producer himself as the processor and distributor. Producers sold the cocoon to primary collectors at NRs 500per kg cocoon which was 15% more than percent sales while selling to the government, fetching an average BC ratio of 1.3. Problems recorded as per farmers were lack of appropriate technology to widen the scope of sericulture and modern silkworm rearing techniques, lack of proper irrigation facilities, and governmental aids and support. This research will address various problems and make an emphasis to make regional sericulture production mature and profitable.

380-390

Authors: Baburam Bhul

This research article aims to carry out the perceptional effects of reservation policy for the inclusive civil service of Nepal with the theoretical foundation of equitable and a just society. This article adopted mixed method approach. Similarly, in order to show the linkage between primary and secondary data, content analysis was conducted from the observational notes, field notes, and responses collected by closed ended questionnaire for 130 respondents in questionnaire survey and interviews. The bivariate analysis between dependent variable and independent variable shows the effects of gender, age and education matters in inclusiveness of civil service i.e. there is high relationship between these variables. Organizational effects of reservation system have been highly significant relationship between the representativeness and participation in civil service of Nepal. This newly introduced system has been able to give some positive impacts in terms of increasing representation of some marginalized communities but has created some controversies and confusions as well. Whereas Nepalese reservation system has not still given comprehensive attention to all the dimensions of exclusion but its effects on generating attraction of some targeted marginalized people towards national bureaucratic system is literally praiseworthy