Microenterprise- Imperatives, Issues and Interventions

Microenterprise is extremely important to the entrepreneurship development, human development, poverty reduction and employment generation in the overall economy. The specific objective underlies in the provision of resource allocation, infusion of    vital potent promoting microenterprise and to peruse socioeconomic patronization for development of the microenterprise.   Secondary data is used in this research. For the study, the researchers organized Focus Group Discussions to have a clear conception on the issue. NGO-MFI regular microcredit program (rural credit, urban credit, ultra poor credit, seasonal credit and specialized projects for agriculture, livestock etc.) is providing collateral free individual loan from Tk. 500 to Tk. 25,000. Training of NGO-MFI staffs on loan appraisals, improved lending methodology through ‘credit scoring’ or on the basis of cash flow, minimizing risks for larger loans are needed.  Non financial support through focus on clusters with development potential will help support services to be provided more efficiently and economically. It will help to emerge small and medium enterprises out of today’s microenterprises. Development of micro enterprise needs to two-pronged strategy – poverty reduction and employment creation strategy. In most cases, financing interventions did not help clients graduate beyond the reach of part-time self-employment. Entrepreneurship development training is needed for the micro entrepreneurs. Flexible service interventions attaching to the economic condition of the micro entrepreneurs doses input potent to the microenterprises. Most of the micro enterprises demand loan and its availability in time of need.       &nbsp

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF BIG DATA INTEGRATION CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS FOR HETEROGENEOUS DATA SOURCES

This systematic review explores the current challenges and emerging solutions in big data integration, focusing on key issues such as semantic heterogeneity, data quality, scalability, and security. Using the PRISMA guidelines, 150 peer-reviewed articles were analyzed to identify both established and innovative approaches to integrating data from heterogeneous sources. The findings reveal that ontology-based frameworks are widely used to address semantic inconsistencies but face limitations in scalability when handling large, dynamic datasets. Machine learning has emerged as a powerful tool for automating data quality and schema matching processes, although its effectiveness is highly dependent on the availability of high-quality training data. Distributed computing frameworks like Hadoop and Spark have become the industry standard for scalable data integration, yet their implementation requires significant infrastructure and technical expertise. Cloud-based platforms offer flexible, scalable solutions, but concerns about data privacy and security persist. Blockchain technology, while promising for secure and decentralized data integration, is still in its infancy and struggles with scalability. The review highlights significant progress in the field but underscores the need for further research to address unresolved challenges in real-time integration, cross-domain data harmonization, and the management of unstructured data

CHANGING TRENDS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN BANGLADESH; STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES

Entrepreneurship is the study of taking calculative risks in both creating new enterprise and managing as enterprise when already created requiring effective operation. On the other hand, an entrepreneur is a person who starts an enterprise, searches for change and responds to it. Entrepreneurship is the practice of starting new organizations or revitalizing mature organizations, particularly new businesses generally in response to identified opportunities. In this paper, we will learn about the changing entrepreneur industry of Bangladesh and how it developed and what changed it, from the agriculture industry to RMG industries, from Nobel Laureate Dr. Mohammad Yunus to the fresh graduates of today

State Of Indigenous Cultural Practices And Role Of School Curriculum: A Case Study Of The Garo Community In Bangladesh

The central purpose of this  research paper is to explore the nature and underlaying reasons of the decaying cultural practices of the Garo community, a South Asian indigenous group inhabiting in Bangladesh for decades. The leading research question is: ‘What are the elements of the Garo’s culture in danger and why?’. The Garos have their century long own distinctive language, food habits, dress patterns, and also religion, which is, in many respects, different from the mainstream Bengali cultural practices. Garo language- Achchik Katha, traditional Garo religion- Sangsarek, traditional dress and ornament pattern, food and drink pattern, and nature of being matriarchal and matrilocal in family- are the cornerstones of the Garo culture. However, study unearths that all these traditional and cultural elements and practices of Garo are on the verge of extinction. Children and youths of the new generation know very little about their own culture and, as a consequence, there is a growing tendency among them to be assimilated into the mainstream lifestyles. For many, school curriculum- medium of instruction, contents, pictures, textbooks, background of teachers, language of textbooks- is thought to be one of the major factors behind this cultural loss. The schools, where most of the Garo children attend, are no different from the mainstream schools in any respect; predominance of the Bengali traits and rhetorics is ubiquitous in every component of the curriculum. Contents relating to the Garo or any other indigenuous groups are too little to represent these groups of people. In addition, the predominance of the mainstream culture and conversations in the media, literature and entertainment industry, as many Garo people opined, is playing a significant role in the decay of the Garo culture. In other words, the hegemony of the Bengali culture in every sphere of life has made it difficult for all other indigenuous cultural elements to survive. Whatsoever, in order to cease any further disappearance of the cultural norms, study suggests, contexual curriculum needs to be introduced which will entail language of certain textbooks and instruction in Garo language, with a particular focus on the religious, historical, traditional and cultural aspects of the community. Establishing a museum exhibiting Garo history, tradion and culure will add some significant values to this effort, which will ensure smooth transfer of necessary knowledge to the newer generations of Garo children.  Furthermore, the extent of the representation and presence of the indigenuous groups need to be extended in the media, literature and entertainment industries, which will contribute to the enhancement of self esteem and confidence of the Garo children and youths. In doing this research, both qualitative and quantitative data were used from both primary and secondary sources. For primary data, in addition to the interview and FGD, the textbooks of the Primary and Junior Secondary grades have been throroughly studied

The Moderating Effect Of Social Media Influencer On The Relationship Between Social Media Marketing And Consumer Engagement In Retail Fashion Industry In Bangladesh

This study investigates the impact of social media marketing on consumer engagement, focusing on the moderating role of social media influencers within the Bangladeshi fashion retailers. By examining the relationships between various types of social media content—informativeness, electronic word of mouth (eWOM), entertaining content, and trendiness—and consumer engagement, the research posits that social media influencers can amplify or diminish these effects. Utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data from a sample of 202 consumers, the study finds that all types of content significantly influence consumer engagement, with influencers enhancing the impact of entertaining and trendy content more than informative and eWOM content. The results align with previous research, confirming the robustness of these relationships and highlighting the need for alignment between influencer characteristics, brand values, and audience preferences. These findings have important implications for policymakers, academics, and industry practitioners. Industry practitioners should prioritize content quality and strategically select influencers to maximize engagement. Despite the study's limitations, including its focus on a specific market and cross-sectional data, it offers a robust framework for enhancing social media marketing effectiveness. Overall, the study underscores the strategic value of combining high-quality content with influencer marketing to drive consumer engagement, offering insights applicable to the Bangladeshi clothing retail industry and beyond

LOW BACK PAIN AND THEIR RISK FACTORS AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN RAJSHAHI CITY CORPORATION, BANGLADESH

Low back pain (LBP) is a nonspecific condition of acute or chronic pain in or near the lumbosacral spines that can be caused by inflammatory, degenerative, neoplastic, gynecologic, traumatic, metabolic, or other disorders. LBP is a universal health problem. It is a common experience in the life of almost every human being, as well as a growing cause of direct and indirect costs for the social systems in many industrialized countries. The aim of the study was to find out the characteristics and risk factors of low back pain among the healthcare providers working in Rajshahi City Corporation. This study was based on a quantitative and analytical cross-sectional design. This design was chosen because it is useful and less expensive and enables the researchers to meet the study objectives in a short period of time. In the present study, risk factors like age, sex, knowledge, body weight, BMI and dietary habits were not found to be related to low back pain of the respondent. Rather history of lifting heavy weights, sedentary lifestyle, occupational hazards, defective posture, unhealthy sitting habits and lack of initiative in maintaining healthy lifestyle practices and Non-compliance towards preventive measures were identified as risk factors for their low back pain. Active pain was absent among about 50% study population. Among most of the respondent there was no radiation of pain to the thigh or leg. The posture aggravating pain was sitting. Walking also intensified their pain.  As healthcare provider, the respondent are well aware about the risk factors of low back pain. But, like Non-medical professionals they are also reluctant to take preventive measures and in accepting proper management of the health problem from qualified medical personnel.  Lifestyle of modern society itself act as a precipitating factor in causing low back pain.Educational programs and counseling on prevention and coping strategies for musculoskeletal disorders be made mandatory for healthcare professionals in order to reduce the rate of occupational musculoskeletal disorders. Practice of short time physical training of light exercises may improve the situation

Harnessing Business Analytics For Market Competitiveness: Discovering Pathways To Growth

Business analytics is becoming an essential tool for firms looking to boost market competitiveness and spur growth in a more competitive corporate environment. This study examines how analytics are essential for guiding strategic choices and enhancing operational effectiveness. The significance of the study stems from its capacity to provide light on how companies might use data to their advantage competitively. The main goals of this study are finding the critical elements that affect the effective application of business analytics, investigate how analytics support organizational development, and address the difficulties that businesses encounter in this pursuit. The study seeks to offer a thorough framework that combines theoretical viewpoints with real-world business analytics applications. The gap between the availability of advanced analytics technologies and how well firms use them is the main issue this study attempts to address. The collection includes pertinent case studies and opinions from analytics professionals and leaders in the field. The main conclusions show that to benefit from business analytics fully, real-time data use, technology improvements, and strategic alliances are essential. However, there are still major obstacles to adoption, such as large upfront investment costs and a lack of a data-driven culture. Focusing on particular businesses and possible biases in self-reported data are two of the weaknesses of the study. The theoretical ramifications point to the necessity of more research into frameworks that incorporate analytics into corporate strategy. The results provide useful suggestions for companies looking to improve their analytical skills and gain a competitive edge. Businesses can improve their position for long-term growth in a changing market by comprehending and addressing these trends

A REVIEW OF MACHINE LEARNING AND FEATURE SELECTION TECHNIQUES FOR CYBERSECURITY ATTACK DETECTION WITH A FOCUS ON DDOS ATTACKS

This study provides a systematic review of machine learning (ML) techniques applied in intrusion detection systems (IDS), with a particular focus on Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Decision Tree (DT). Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search of relevant databases identified 205 articles, from which 68 were selected for detailed analysis. The findings highlight that RF consistently outperforms other models, achieving accuracy rates as high as 99.72% in detecting Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks due to its ensemble learning approach. SVM, while effective in specific scenarios with binary classification tasks, struggles with scalability and high-dimensional datasets, though feature selection significantly improves its performance. DT models, known for their simplicity and interpretability, are prone to overfitting, but this issue is mitigated when combined with feature selection techniques. The study further emphasizes the importance of feature selection in enhancing IDS accuracy and efficiency across various models. Additionally, ensemble and hybrid methods, which combine multiple ML techniques, offer promising improvements in detection accuracy and real-time performance. These findings underscore the potential of machine learning, particularly through the use of ensemble and hybrid approaches, to significantly improve cybersecurity measures in modern networks. &nbsp

CLOUD SECURITY POSTURE MANAGEMENT AUTOMATING RISK IDENTIFICATION AND RESPONSE IN CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURES

Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tools have become essential in addressing the growing security challenges faced by organizations as they migrate to cloud environments. This study explores the effectiveness of CSPM tools in automating the identification and response to security risks within cloud infrastructures, highlighting their role in reducing misconfigurations, improving compliance, and enhancing overall security posture. Through a mixed-method approach, combining a comprehensive literature review, a survey of IT security professionals, and detailed case study analyses, this research provides a robust evaluation of CSPM tools' capabilities and the challenges associated with their implementation. The findings reveal that organizations utilizing CSPM tools experience significant reductions in security incidents and operational inefficiencies, with automation playing a crucial role in enabling real-time threat detection and response. However, the study also identifies critical barriers to CSPM adoption, including integration complexities, cost concerns, and organizational resistance to automated security solutions. These challenges suggest that while CSPM tools offer substantial benefits, their successful deployment requires careful planning, adequate resource allocation, and strategic change management to address both technical and human factors. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing detailed insights into the practical applications and limitations of CSPM tools, offering valuable guidance for organizations seeking to enhance their cloud security strategies through automation

An Emerging Consensus on Green Economics: Lessons for Bangladesh

The term Green Economics is a thoughtful segment of economy that exhibits a deep revere for nature. It is primarily a system of ideas and principles, rather than a rationally argued intellectual position. Although the very concept of Green Economics has immense impacts on developments in strategy and politics, it is presently less well grounded in the academy. Green Economics suggests an alternative to mainstream economics, which views society and the ecosystem as subsets of the wider, global economy. In this paper authors try to outline some key issues central to a green study of the economy: the emergent meaning of Green Economics, potential sectors, propositions for ecological base, and core beliefs of Green Economics for Bangladesh. The study imperatives will attribute to the inherent dependency of economic system and environment which will ultimately help to minimize negative impacts on environment. For the study, the researchers have meticulously reviewed the research documents and other literatures relevant to the subject matter and contemplated on the inner thoughts in the commentary. This piece of effort will be helpful for the financial institutions, researchers and policy makers.                   &nbsp