The transformation of India’s external economic engagement through the Act East Policy has positioned the North Eastern Region, particularly Assam, as a strategic gateway to Southeast Asia. While infrastructure development, trade corridors, and connectivity have received significant policy attention, the role of rural financial systems in enabling inclusive participation in this transformation remains underexplored. This paper examines the critical linkage between financial inclusion and the effective realization of the Act East Policy in Assam. Using a conceptual and descriptive analytical framework based on secondary data, the study argues that inadequate access to institutional credit constrains rural households, small producers, and micro-enterprises from leveraging emerging economic opportunities. The paper highlights the role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), microfinance institutions, and formal banking systems in bridging this gap. Empirical evidence from Assam shows persistent gaps in banking infrastructure, low credit flow, and weak credit–deposit ratios, particularly in rural areas. The study concludes that financial inclusion is a necessary precondition for translating regional integration policies into inclusive rural development and recommends a credit-integrated policy approach.

This paper examines the perception of smart city services in Shanghai in the context of international city marketing. The main objective is to analyze how digital urban technologies are accepted by users and which factors play a central role in this process. The study is based on survey data collected in March 2026 and analyzed with Excel. After data cleaning, the analysis focuses on respondents who are familiar with the concept of smart cities and currently live in Shanghai or the greater Shanghai area. The theoretical framework combines the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Product, Price, Place, and Promotion (4P) model, the Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning (STP) strategy, and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. These models help to explain both user acceptance and the strategic positioning of Shanghai as a global smart city. The results show that Shanghai is perceived very positively in several smart city dimensions, especially in Smart People, Smart Mobility, Smart Economy, Smart Governance, Smart Environment, and Smart Living. The findings suggest that perceived usefulness, daily convenience, institutional trust, and system integration are key factors behind the high acceptance of smart city services. At the same time, the study also shows that high acceptance does not necessarily mean that all potential risks are fully reflected by users. Issues such as data privacy, transparency, and public participation remain important challenges for the long-term development of smart cities. Overall, Shanghai can be seen as a strong example of how digital technologies, urban governance, and city branding can be combined in international city marketing.

The goal of this study is to examine the effect of social and emotional skills on organizational performance through psychological resilience at the International Development Bank On a sample of 50 employees. The current study used descriptive analytical method to investigate “relationships” between the study variables. data was collected using a structured questionnaire that distributed to employees of the organization. Researchers measured social-emotional skills, psychological resilience, and organizational success using validated measures adapted from past studies. Statistical techniques, like correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation testing, were employed to analyze data and test the research hypothesis. The study found that social and emotional skills have a positive and significant impact on organizational success. The results also show that the psychological resiliency from these skills significantly contributes to organizations becoming successful skills. Also, the study validated the mediating power of psychological resilience that strengthens the link of social and emotional skills with organizational success. The findings further indicate that employees who are highly socially and emotionally competent show resilience to better cope with workplace challenges and achieve organisational objectives. To attain sustainable success, organizations must develop employees who are competent in social and emotional skills and exhibit psychological resilience, through proper training, practices and sound environmental support. The study provides theoretical and practical contributions as it highlights emotional, social and psychological aspects need to take into consideration by the top management of organizations for making effective use of resources which will eventually make the organization effective and succeed in the long run.

This study examines the impact of the determinants of poverty in Pakistan. This article uses five independent macroeconomic. that are public expenditure, budget deficit, unemployment rate, exchange rate and inflation rate are studied. The methodology used is the Ordinary least Square (OLS) method. It uses time series data consisting of 19 observations, compiled from different sources such as (WDI) and (The Global Economy.Com). Using this model, we investigated the effect of public expenditue, the budget deficit, the unemployment rate, exchange rate, and the inflation rate on poverty in Pakistan. Public expenditure and the budget deficit have an inverse relationship, while the OLS has a direct relationship with poverty in Pakistan. Furthermore, in this model, we examine the impact of inflation rate and exchange rate, which helps us demonstrate a negative relationship with poverty, while inflation also has a direct relationship. Five variables were used in this thesis; three of each has a negative relationship and the other two have a positive relationship with poverty. Theoretically, we demonstrated the relationship between these macroeconomic variables with the help of reference articles and historical data collection, using Pakistan's perspective on these variables.

Crises are inherently uncertain, complex, and dynamic, requiring organizational leaders to adopt adaptive approaches to decision making. Traditional hierarchical and rigid leadership models often fail under such conditions, as they cannot accommodate the rapid changes and high-stakes uncertainty characteristic of crises. Adaptive leadership, which emphasizes flexibility, learning, stakeholder engagement, and iterative problem-solving, has emerged as a critical framework for effective crisis administration. This theoretical paper explores the principles of adaptive leadership, its relevance in crisis management, and its influence on decision-making processes. By synthesizing the literature on leadership theory, organizational resilience, and crisis governance, the paper highlights strategies for implementing adaptive leadership in administrative contexts, identifies challenges, and suggests avenues for future research. The findings underscore the importance of fostering organizational cultures that support adaptability, collaboration, and innovation during high-pressure situations.

Institutional resilience is the capacity of organizations to anticipate, absorb, adapt, and recover from crises while maintaining core functions. In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, crises—ranging from natural disasters and pandemics to political instability—pose significant challenges to public and private institutions. This theoretical paper examines the principles, dimensions, and strategies for building institutional resilience in crisis contexts. Drawing upon literature from organizational theory, public administration, and resilience engineering, the paper highlights the importance of adaptive capacity, redundancy, learning cultures, and leadership in sustaining organizational performance during disruptions. Challenges to implementing resilience strategies, including resource constraints, institutional rigidity, and inter-organizational coordination, are discussed. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating resilience frameworks into organizational planning and crisis management policies to enhance preparedness, continuity, and adaptability.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are critical centers for knowledge creation, innovation, and societal development. Crises, including pandemics, natural disasters, political unrest, and financial shocks, pose significant challenges to their administration. Effective crisis management in HEIs requires proactive leadership, strategic planning, communication, and resource allocation to ensure academic continuity, staff and student safety, and institutional resilience. This paper explores theoretical frameworks and practical strategies for managing higher education institutions during crises. It discusses leadership models, decision-making processes, digital transformation for academic continuity, financial and operational management, and stakeholder engagement. Lessons from global experiences, including the COVID-19 pandemic, are examined. Policy recommendations focus on building adaptive capacities, integrating technology, promoting institutional flexibility, and enhancing accountability to sustain HEIs’ educational, research, and societal missions under crisis conditions.