Journal of Reproducible Research

Digital Transformation of an Organization’s Finance Function: Centralization vs Decentralization

Anushya Krishnamurthy, Vishruth Vidyadhar Prasad — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The rapid evolution in the field of digital banking practices has brought about a change in the very nature of finance functions in banking organizations, where companies are now compelled to restructure their financial processes to achieve better efficiencies and decision-making capabilities. Advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and centralized digital treasury systems have all contributed to the digital integration of finance functions. In this context, the present research paper seeks to explore how the centralized and decentralized finance functions affect organizational performance in a digital banking context.

A comparative case study design is adopted for the purpose of the study, wherein the secondary financial data of JPMorgan Chase India and Deutsche Bank India are analyzed for the period of FY2022–FY2024. Financial statements and ratio analysis data from the Capitaline database are employed to analyze the following aspects: capital allocation, efficiency, liquidity, cost control, profitability and revenue diversification.

The results suggest that there is excellent performance in terms of cost effectiveness, capital allocation, liquidity management, and profit generation in JPMorgan Chase, where the use of the digitally integrated and centralized finance system proves to be highly effective. On the other hand, there is more flexibility, better credit deployment locally, and greater response to market conditions in the decentralized structure of Deutsche Bank, despite the higher costs involved in it. It can be said from this study that although digitized banking systems increase the effectiveness of centralized finance by means of automation, standardization of processes, and financial control, the decentralized structure offers certain strategic advantages.

This study makes a valuable contribution to the existing research on digital banking, digital integration and flexibility.

Digital Public Infrastructure and Financial Self-Reliance: Reimagining India’s Banking and Payments Ecosystem under Atmanirbhar Bharat

B. Balasubramanya Prasad, Aparna Pavani — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) — publicly governed, interoperable, and built to work at population scale — has become central to how India approaches financial inclusion, welfare delivery, economic resilience, and institutional modernisation. This paper examines the role of DPI in advancing the developmental vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, analysing its contribution across five dimensions: financial inclusion, transaction efficiency, MSME credit expansion, fiscal governance, and payment sovereignty within India’s banking and payments ecosystem. The study adopts a descriptive, analytical, and policy-oriented design, combining qualitative policy analysis with quantitative trend interpretation of secondary data for 2015–2025, organised through a three-pillar framework of infrastructure expansion, inclusion and resilience outcomes, and governance and sustainability. UPI transaction volumes grew from 1,079 crore in 2019 to over 20,849 crore in 2024, while cumulative DBT transfers crossed ₹30 lakh crore and eliminated an estimated ₹4 lakh crore in leakages. The Account Aggregator framework, together with UPI transaction histories, expands MSME formal credit penetration by reducing information asymmetry. The evidence supports all four hypotheses: DPI improves financial inclusion, digital payments strengthen MSME credit access, DPI reinforces financial resilience and payment sovereignty, and its effectiveness depends on regulatory governance and cybersecurity preparedness. Financial self-reliance in the digital age is built through infrastructure, not isolation.

Role of Digital Payments in Promoting a Sustainable Economy: A Conceptual Study with Reference to India

Jagruti Kulkarni — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Digital payments have become a common part of everyday life in India. People can now pay for goods and services, transfer money, pay bills and receive payments through mobile phones and other digital methods. UPI, QR codes, mobile banking, internet banking, debit cards and digital wallets have made payments easier and faster.

The importance of digital payments is not limited to convenience. They can also support economic and social development. Digital payments can help small businesses receive payments, maintain transaction records and participate in the formal financial system. They can also help people access financial services and receive government benefits directly. From an environmental point of view, digital payments may reduce some paper-based activities and the need for certain physical cash-handling activities.

This paper examines how digital payments can contribute to a sustainable economy in India. The study is conceptual and descriptive and is based on secondary information from sources such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Government of India, NPCI and other reliable publications. The study looks at three main areas: economic sustainability, social sustainability and environmental sustainability.

The study finds that digital payments can support small businesses, financial inclusion, transparency and efficient transactions. However, problems such as cyber fraud, lack of digital knowledge, poor internet connectivity, privacy concerns and lack of trust can reduce their benefits. The paper concludes that digital payments can contribute to sustainable development only when they are secure, affordable, accessible and easy for people to use.

Dynamics between Intellectual Capital and Corporate Governance: A Study of Indian Listed Firms in Construction, Energy and Information Technology Sector

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose – This study examines the influence of Corporate Governance over Intellectual Capital disclosure among BSE500 listed construction, energy and information technology sector firms in India.

Design/methodology/approach – This study analyses data from 70 listed Indian construction, energy and information technology companies using Panel-Corrected Standard Error regression analysis over the year 2014-2021.

Findings – The empirical findings reveal that corporate governance in the Indian publicly listed construction, energy and information technology firms did not exhibit a significant influence on the intellectual capital of the selected firms during the study period.

Originality/Value: This study represents the first comprehensive examination of the relationship between corporate governance and intellectual capital in listed construction, energy and information technology firms. It is also pioneering in its application of Panel Corrected Standard Error regression analysis, alongside VAIC and MVAIC models, to analyse the relationship between corporate governance and intellectual capital.

Technological Innovation, External Debt, and Sustainable Economic Growth: Evidence from India

Spoorthi G. Hadimani, Basavaraj M. S. — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The paper aims to analyse the dynamics of technological innovation, sustainable economic growth, FDI, external debt, inflation, and trade in India spanning 1990 to 2024. The ARDL technique is taken because all the variables namely GDP, inflation, external debt, technological innovation, FDI and trade openness are determined to be mixed integration order by the tests of unit root. In this empirical analysis, the short and long run response functions are evaluated with the help of ECM. Empirical results show, in the analyses of long run, the selected variables are cointegrated. In the growth model, external debt, technological innovation and trade are significantly and positively related with sustainable expansion in the long run while consumer price and FDI exert a adverse but not significant relationship with the sustainable growth. The external debt model suggests that FDI is a major factor in lowering external debt, whereas inflation and technological innovation are important long-run factors. Some of the conclusions derived from the results indicate that the technological innovation needs to be enhanced, productive utilization of external borrowing has to be encouraged and trade integration and macroeconomic stability are vital for long-term economic progress in India. The study outlines the bidirectional connection between economic development and overseas debt using a single framework of ARDL, and provides the practical policy suggestions for external debt management and innovation-based economic growth.

The Evolution of FinTech for Sustainable Finance: A Bibliometric Analysis

Shivangi Bhatia, Vibha Verma — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The emergence of financial technology (FinTech) has transformed the entire industry by providing fast, convenient, and transparent financial transactions. At the same time, the increased attention paid to ESG principles and sustainable development worldwide has increased the role of sustainable finance in general. All these factors have resulted in an increased need for the exploration of digital financial innovations for promoting sustainable finance. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the evolution of the scientific literature concerning the FinTech applications for sustainable finance using the bibliometric approach with the focus on Scopus-indexed papers published during 2015-2025. Thus, this study will consider such aspects of bibliometric analysis as publication dynamics, influential authors, major journals, country contribution, collaboration, citation metrics, and keywords\' co-occurrence for revealing the intellectual development of the studied scientific field. At the same time, the paper will explore the major topics and promising research directions within FinTech applications for sustainable finance.

A Study on Gen Z Consumer Decision-Making: Value-Driven vs. Price-Driven Purchase Behaviour in Urban Bengaluru

Shasan, Saurav K. Salim, Kanchan G. Rajput — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In light of their socialized and digitally savvy upbringing Generation Z is influencing consumer behaviour in such a manner that some existing marketing beliefs based on other generations are being challenged. Despite price sensitivity still being a factor in consumer decisions making among a generation know for having little disposable income (Gunawan, 2023), it appears that brand trust value are also becoming consideration for Gen Z are they make purchasing decisions (kaboor & Muthu 2026; Theochairs &Teskouropoulos, 2025). Social media adds yet another dimension to this trend in that peer-based electronic word-of-mouth and value have been identified as factors affecting purchase intention (Eandhizhai, 2025).

In this research, an empirical descriptive approach will be used to evaluate the purchase behaviours of Gen Z consumers in urban Bengaluru Based on the Value-driven and price-driven paradigm. The primary data collection method will be the use of structured questionnaires administered to Gen Z consumer Who fall between the ages of 18 and 27 years within Bengaluru, While the secondary data collection technique will be include relevant literature review on the purchase's behaviour of different generations. The research will seek to identify factors that significantly influence the purchasing behaviour of Gen Z consumers including brand ethics, social media influence, peer influence, product quality, and Price among others. Statistical techniques like correlation and regression analyses will be applied to test for the relationship between value and orientation, price sensitivity, and purchase behaviour

The results of the research will offer evidence-based information on how marketers can develop positioning, pricing, and communications strategies for the Gen Z consumers in urban markets in India. The use of primary data collection techniques in this research, therefore, makes the research an additional contribution of quantifiable information about the values-oriented digital natives to an ever-growing international body of literature (Ridwana et al., 2025).

Patient Relationship Management as a Strategic Capability for Economic Sustainability in Ayurvedic Clinics

Sam T. Mathew, Jose Joy Thoppan — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this research was to explored how Patient Relationship Management helped independent Ayurvedic clinics achieve economic sustainability in a resource-constrained environment. Conceptual research design was used in this study, with independent Ayurvedic clinics and theoretical literature used as the conceptual sample rather than empirical samples. Relationship marketing theory, resource-based view, service-dominant logic, health care service, and associated literature of Ayurveda were summarized into a conceptual system and propositions between P atient Relationship Management and economic sustainability. Results of analysis indicated that relationship mechanisms such as trust communication responsiveness, continuity of care leading to patient satisfaction, followed by patient retention also leading to repeat consultation, referral-based patient acquisition, in turn led to increased revenues enabled independent Ayurvedic clinics to achieve economic sustainability. Theoretical contributions of the study include 1) demonstrated the relevance of customer relationship management theories and models in the health care sector; 2) demonstrated the resource-as-asset approach to resources of health care service sectors; and 3) demonstrated the relationship capital as strategic resource of independent Ayurvedic clinics for sustainable long-term economic success. Practical implications include 1) proposed a setup for building patient relationships for independent Ayurvedic clinics; and 2) the suggested mechanisms through which the relationship capital could help independent Ayurvedic clinics achieve economic sustainability.

Indo-German Collaboration in Green Technology: Pathways to Global Sustainable Development

Srilakshmi Ramu, Ayush Kumar Yadav, Kanak Dhananjay Satpute — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Environmental sustainability has, over the years, become one of the key pillars on which international partnerships are being built. Countries around the world are leaning into it --- not just as a moral imperative but as a practical pathway to fight climate change, shift toward cleaner energy, and pursue growth that does not come at the planet\'s expense. Within this broader trend, the Indo-German relationship offers a particularly interesting case. Both nations have made sustainability a centerpiece of their cooperation, yet the question of how deeply this commitment actually runs --- and what it looks like on the ground --- has not been explored as thoroughly as one might expect. Most of the existing literature stays at the level of policy dialogue and diplomatic frameworks. What is less understood is how bilateral partnerships translate into tangible corporate sustainability performance. That gap is what this study sets out to address, by examining the role environmental sustainability plays in strengthening Indo-German ties --- through the specific channels of green technology, renewable energy, climate finance, and sustainable development.

The study follows a descriptive and comparative case study design and relies entirely on secondary data gathered between 2021 and 2025. At the policy level, the analysis is anchored in the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership --- the flagship bilateral agreement between India and Germany. At the corporate level, it examines the comparative sustainability profiles of four selected firms: RWE AG and thyssenkrupp nucera from Germany, and Reliance Industries Limited and Adani Green Energy Limited from India.The comparison draws on a range of indicators spanning financial performance, environmental outcomes, operational metrics, and green technology adoption.

What the findings reveal is that environmental sustainability has moved well beyond rhetoric in the Indo-German context --- it now represents a genuinely substantial area of engagement.

At the same time, the two sides bring different strengths to the table. German firms tend to lead on technological advancement, green hydrogen capabilities, R&D intensity, and the maturity of their sustainability reporting. Indian firms, on the other hand, stand out in the sheer scale of their renewable energy operations and their capacity to pull off large-scale infrastructure projects at speed. The most promising avenues for deeper cooperation between the two countries include green hydrogen, renewable energy deployment, climate finance, technology transfer, and joint research. That said, real challenges remain. Legal and regulatory frameworks are not always in sync. The cost of green technology is still high. Financing mechanisms are not as accessible as they need to be. Workforce readiness varies across sectors, and ESG reporting standards differ in ways that make cross-country comparisons difficult.

Coworking Spaces Promote Sustainability in Start-ups and Innovation

Aswathi E. V., Bindhya M. S. — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Co-working spaces have emerged as dynamic environments that support startups and foster innovation while promoting sustainability. These shared workspaces provide entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses with affordable infrastructure, collaborative opportunities, and access to professional networks. By sharing resources such as office equipment, electricity, internet, and meeting facilities, co-working spaces reduce operational costs and minimize environmental impact through efficient resource utilization.

Sustainable co-working spaces encourage eco-friendly practices including energy conservation, waste reduction, recycling, and the use of green building designs. At the same time, they create a culture of knowledge sharing, creativity, and collaboration that enhances innovation among startups. Interaction among diverse professionals in a shared environment promotes idea exchange, partnerships, and business growth.

Furthermore, co-working spaces contribute to economic sustainability by supporting emerging entrepreneurs who may lack financial resources to establish independent offices. They also strengthen social sustainability by building communities, encouraging inclusivity, and improving work-life balance. As startups continue to play a major role in economic development, sustainable co-working spaces are becoming essential platforms for nurturing innovation and long-term business success.

In conclusion, co-working spaces not only provide flexible and cost-effective solutions for startups but also promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Their role in encouraging innovation and entrepreneurial development makes them an important component of the modern business ecosystem.

The Sustainable Revolution: Stone Paper as an Eco-Friendly Alternative in a Circular Economy, with a Special Focus on India

N. Krishnaswamy — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The global demand for paper and packaging escalates environmental degradation through deforestation, water pollution, and plastic waste. This paper provides a technical and sustainability life-cycle comparison of traditional wood-pulp paper, polymer synthetic paper, and an emerging alternative: stone paper. Composed of 80% calcium carbonate waste and 20% high-density polyethylene (HDPE) binder, stone paper utilizes a dry manufacturing process that eliminates tree harvesting, consumes zero freshwater, avoids toxic chemical bleaching, and reduces carbon emissions by approximately 67% compared to traditional paper. The study places a special emphasis on India, exploring how stone paper can upcycle hazardous regional marble slurry waste and align with strict domestic plastic waste policies and net-zero goals. While stone paper accelerates circular economy principles through photodegradation and closed-loop technical recycling, challenges remain regarding its higher cost, consumer awareness, and potential contamination of standard plastic recycling streams.

The paper concludes that with targeted policy incentives and infrastructure development, stone paper offers a highly viable paradigm shift toward industrial de-carbonization.

Geopolymer Concrete as a Sustainable Construction Material for Urban Heat Island Mitigation: A Comprehensive Review

Kshama Shukla, Atri Tyagi, Priyank Shrivastava, Anchal Negi — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Urban heat island (UHI) intensification has become a critical issue for rapidly urbanizing cities, where the large-scale application of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete leads to heat storage, high surface temperatures, and high embodied carbon. In this regard, geopolymer concrete (GPC) has emerged as a potential sustainable construction material that can be produced from industrial by-products, such as fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), and silica-rich residues, while demonstrating enhanced resistance to heat and fire. This study critically assesses the mitigation potential of GPC in terms of UHI impact, with the focus on thermal conductivity, specific heat, solar reflectance, albedo, and thermal inertia, as well as on the effect of binder composition, precursor chemistry, curing regime, and surface finish. The available literature data indicates that GPC can be more advantageous compared to conventional OPC concrete in terms of heat reduction and high-temperature stability, which are key factors for cool pavement and climate-adapted building-envelope materials. Nevertheless, the UHI-mitigation potential of GPC is not an inherent property of binder chemistry but rather depends on the material\'s design and service conditions. A significant body of work has been dedicated to the potential of waste-derived geopolymer systems in reducing UHI effects and carbon emissions, thus supporting a circular construction economy. Further research is needed to develop standardized thermal performance assessment protocols, evaluate field-scale performance, monitor long-term behavior in actual conditions, and optimize GPC for combined mechanical, thermal, and environmental performance. In general, GPC seems to be a promising low-carbon alternative to conventional cementitious binders, but its UHI-mitigation potential can only be fully realized through targeted material design and field-scale evaluation.

AI-Enabled Sustainable Personalized Language Learning: An Empirical Study of Learners’ Experiences

Nanditha C., Deepak Shyam — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping language education by enabling personalized, adoptive and learner centered learning experiences. AI – powered tools like GenAI as conversational chatbots have enhanced language learning through feedbacks, customized pathways for learning and improved learner engagement. Despite these advancements, the existing studies have predominantly focused on conceptual discussions, technology adoption and the effectiveness of specific language learning AI tools, with limited empirical evidence of examining learner’s overall experience of AI enabled sustainable personalized language learning. This research addresses the gap by examining learner’s perceptions and experiences of AI- enabled personalized language learning within context of sustainable education. A statistical research design was applied and primary responses was collected from 201 respondents through a structured questionnaire. The collected data was used to analyze descriptive statistics to summarize the respondent’s demographics and perceptions, Correlation analysis was used to analyse the relationship among the study variables and simple linear regression model analysis was used to understand the influence of AI- enabled personalized language learning on learner engagement, perceived learning effectiveness, learner autonomy and sustainable experience while learning. The findings of the paper indicated that AI-enabled personalized language learning positively contributed on learner’s overall experiences by improving engagement, encouraging learner autonomy and enhancing perceived learning effectiveness. The study addressed the identified research gap by providing empirical evidence on learner’s experiences with AI-enabled sustainable personalized language learning. The analysis also offers valuable insights to educators, education institutions, policymakers and EdTech developers to create more effective and sustainable language learning practices.

Intelligent Technologies for Sustainable Development: Integrating AI, Analytics, and Automation for Future-Ready Systems

Ramya P. — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

With the evolution of Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and also Intelligent Automation is transforming the way organizations and governments address complex sustainability challenges. Data-driven decision-making, predictive analytics, intelligent resource allocation, and automated operations are authorised by smart technologies that provide to achieve the SDGs. This paper presents the context illustrating the analytics that are Artificial Intelligence (AI-driven) and automation can accelerate sustainable development across critical domains, including smart cities, healthcare, agriculture, energy management, transportation, manufacturing, environmental monitoring, and public governance. The study synthesizes recent research on cloud computing, ML DL, IoT, digital twins, and intelligent decision support systems to identify emerging trends, opportunities, and implementation challenges. The findings indicate that integrating analytics with AI enhances operational efficiency, minimizes resource consumption, improves predictive maintenance, optimizes energy utilization, and supports real-time monitoring of environmental and social indicators. Furthermore, intelligent automation reduces operational costs while improving service quality, transparency, and productivity across public and private sectors. Despite these there are various challenges depending on cybersecurity and data privacy, algorithmic bias, interoperability, high implementation costs, and the Artificial Intelligence systems that impacts the environment. This proposed framework emphasizes responsible AI governance, sustainable digital infrastructure, and collaborative innovation among academia, industry, and policymakers to maximize societal benefits. The paper concludes that the union of analytics, and AI, inclusive sustainability.