Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure the financial inclusion dimensions from the perspective of beneficiaries (demand-side).This research additionally attempts to assess the impact of financial inclusion on socio-economic status of primitive tribal groups (PTGs) in India. Design/methodology/approach Using an exploratory factor analysis, the financial inclusion dimensions are identified for a sample of 520 families belonging to PTGs in India. In the next step, reliability and validity test were used to establish the financial inclusion dimensions and socio-economic status factors through confirmatory factor analysis using analysis of moment structures. Finally, structural equation modeling (SEM) had been applied for testing the hypothetical relationships. Findings The study documented five-dimensions of measuring financial inclusion from demand side perspective. The dimensions are as follows: physical proximity, availability, ease of access, affordability and usage. It was found that these factors represent the various dimensions of financial inclusion, which has a significant impact on socio-economic status of the beneficiaries. Research limitations/implications The research results focus on dimensions of financial inclusion, which have an impact on the socio-economic status among the most PTGs in India. The research offers ideas to policymakers to outline strategies to enhance the access to and usage of financial services. Originality/value The present research is one of the first few studies that present the demand-side perspective to assess the financial inclusion dimensions of the “financially most excluded” groups – PTGs in India using a SEM approach.

PurposeThe study attempts to explore the determinants of financial inclusion. Subsequently, it examines the effect of financial inclusion on financial well-being of marginalized street vendors in India.Design/methodology/approachThe demand-side analysis of measuring financial inclusion with a sample of 371 marginalized street vendors is adopted. Both exploratory and descriptive research designs are employed in this study. The primary data collection is done by administering the structured interview schedule by using a convenience sampling technique. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) are performed to describe the latent constructs and their hypothetical relationships with adequate empirical evidence.FindingsOut of five dimensions of financial inclusion considered for the study, accessibility, availability, usage and affordability are found to be significant determinants of financial inclusion; however, the financial literacy dimension is found statistically insignificant. Further, the study results confirm that financial inclusion contributes substantially to the well-being of marginalized street vendors.Research limitations/implicationsThe outcome of the study will facilitate all the stakeholders including policymakers and financial institutions to enact policy guidelines to ensure financial well-being of the marginalized street vendors through financial inclusion initiatives.Originality/valueFinancial well-being through financial inclusion is possible even without the effect of financial literacy from the unorganized sector perspective specifically marglianized street vendors. Thus, it adds new dimension to the existing literature on demand side analysis of measuring financial inclusion.

Mindfulness is defined as the attentiveness that surfaces through awareness on reason, in the current moment, and non-judgmentally to the recitation of occurrence, instant by instant. It has been found to influence individual’s openness to experience, attention span, and creativity. Studies in the western context, have suggested the influence of mindfulness on several facets of an entrepreneur. The present study tests the influence of demography on the level of mindfulness among entrepreneurs in the Indian context. Data is collected using the survey method, from 114 entrepreneurs in Bengaluru. Snowballing sampling technique is used to conduct the study. The 14 item Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory scale developed by Walach et al. (2006), is used to measure the level of mindfulness among the entrepreneurs. The reliability of the instrument was found to be 0.75, which is acceptable. T- test and ANOVA were employed to test the hypothesized relationships between the study variables. The current research did not find any evidence of demography on the levels of mindfulness among entrepreneurs in the Indian context.The findings of this study reaffirms the limited role of demography on the mindfulness of individuals and suggests that mindfulness can be developed using mindfulness improvement techniques irrespective of their demography. The study was cross-sectional, so the inferences about causality are limited. Future studies can collect data at different points in the career of an entrepreneur and compare the same.

The current study explores the determinants of digital financial inclusion (DFI) in India and also examines the influence of demographic characteristics on the accessibility and usage of digital financial inclusion. The data for this study was collected from the World Bank Global Financial Inclusion (Global Findex) database to find the determinants of digital financial inclusion from India's perspective. The study measured the accessibility and usage of digital financial inclusion in relation to selected demographic characteristics such as gender, age, income, education and employment status. The findings of the study revealed that individual’s socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, education, income and employment status have found a significant influence on the accessibility of digital financial inclusion. In addition, these factors have significant effect on usage of digital mode of financial transactions such as payments made and receipts through mobile phone or using the internet. The study provides valuable insights to the policymakers and service providers to improve the status of digital financial inclusion.

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