Lead scoring is an essential process in sales and marketing that prioritizes prospective customers based on their potential to convert. In this study, we present a robust machine learning framework for lead scoring using the publicly available X Education dataset, which comprises 9240 leads described by 37 diverse features including online behavior, engagement metrics, and demographic details. Our approach begins with thorough data preprocessing removing irrelevant identifiers, handling missing values, and converting categorical variables followed by normalization and dimensionality reduction using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We evaluated several PCA configurations (with 3–30 components) to capture the intrinsic variance in the dataset. Four classifiers, namely K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Decision Tree, and Random Forest, were then trained with optimal hyperparameters determined through GridSearchCV and stratified cross validation. Specifically, KNN achieved its best performance with 15 principal components and n_neighbors=9, while SVM attained an accuracy of 91.8% at 25 components with C=10, γ=0.01, and an RBF kernel. The Decision Tree and Random Forest models also demonstrated competitive results. Moreover, ensemble methods—namely a soft voting ensemble and a stacking ensemble using Logistic Regression as a meta-classifier—were implemented to integrate the strengths of individual models. The stacking ensemble delivered the highest performance, with an overall accuracy of 92% and an AUC of 0.967. This study underscores the potential of machine learning, particularly ensemble approaches, to significantly enhance the precision of lead scoring and thereby optimize resource allocation in marketing strategies.

The advancement of intelligent technologies reshapes the marketing ecosystem. Organizations are now driven by data-rich, intelligent marketing strategies and tools, capable of understanding consumers’ preference, and allowing personalized responses in real-time. From decoding complex consumer behaviors to crafting adaptive brand strategies, AI-enabled tools redefine how organizations compete, connect, and create value in dynamic markets. The integration of AI, consumer analytics, and strategic branding reveals new possibilities for forecasting, sentiment analysis, and brand perception. It also raises important ethical and legal challenges that require further exploration. AI in Consumer Analytics and Strategic Branding explores the transformative role of AI, ML, and image processing in market research and branding. It examines emerging trends, tools, and analytical frameworks for interpreting consumer data and brand perception. This book covers topics such as predictive analytics, chatbots, and consumer behavior, and is a useful resource for business owners, engineers, marketers, academicians, researchers, and scientists.

Artificial Intelligence(AI)are one of the many tools transforming the way market research and branding are conducted by enabling deeper and more accurate insights into consumer behavior. Using advanced algorithms, businesses can analyze vast amounts of structured and unstructured data to uncover patterns that were previously difficult to detect. Image processing allows brands to understand how products and advertisements are visually perceived across different platforms and contexts. Together, these technologies empower organizations to optimize marketing strategies and make data-driven decisions that strengthen brand identity.

This chapter presents a comprehensive research framework addressing digital trust and security within the higher education ecosystem. As institutions rely on digital infrastructure, they face sophisticated cybersecurity threats endangering data and stakeholder confidence. Througha PRISMA-guidedsystematic literature review, this research synthesizes academic and industry insights to construct a holistic view of the landscape. It defines digital trust through the core principles of ability, integrity, and benevolence, mapping these to operational TRUST standards. The paper examines identity management complexities and solutions like Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), alongside an analysis of frameworks including NIST CSF and ISO/IEC 27001. Furthermore, it explores the role of AI and Blockchain as both sources of new challenges and providers of security solutions. Identifying barriers such as cultural resistance and resource constraints, the chapter concludes with recommendations for institutional leaders to build a strategic, resilient, and trustworthy digital campus.

The present study offers a systematic literature review (SLR) providing insights on the role of social media in promoting sustainable marketing. The SLR is carried out to gain an understanding of the phenomenon. Scopus database was used to identify, extract, select and review related articles using search keywords. A total of 27 articles were deemed fit for this study. This SLR recognizes current research avenues related to social media in sustainable marketing using TCCM framework. The study used co-citation and keyword occurrence analyses to explore the nuances of the field under consideration. The study yields valuable insights for academia, government, green marketers to practically implement strategies and suggesting future opportunities for research.

The advent of Metaverse offers tremendous avenues for businesses specially marketers, metamorphosing engagement with consumers and implementation of corporate strategies. The present chapter tries to delve into the exploration of sustainability development goals (SDGs) and practices of marketing in the Metaverse environment. It also unearths as to how business can bank upon the trending technologies viz augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), blockchain (BC) and artificial intelligence (AI) aiding to change the perception and behaviour of consumers and provide superior customer engagement and experiences. It is evident that metaverse’s impact is profound on customer engagement and experiences whether its healthcare, medicine, entertainment, retail by proposing customization, personalization, unique and innovative techniques that breaks the jinx between virtual and real world. The chapter provides insight to various stakeholder such as academia, industry and practitioner about the advancement of Metaverse and hinderances towards successful implementation of SDGs into marketing practices and business.

The present article investigates the influence of compensation plans – financial as well as nonfinancial and performance feedback – with respect to the retention of the employee considering the retail sector in India from viewpoint of employees. A structured questionnaire was employed to gather information from the Hyderabad city and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) consisting of 571 retail outlet employees as sample respondents. The collected data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the hypothecated relationship among financial that is, extrinsic rewards (FR), non-financial that is, intrinsic reward (NFR), performance feedback (PF), and employee retention (ER). The findings reveal that intrinsic and extrinsic benefits portray an important role in performance feedback (PF) which in turn helps the organization to retain their employees for years to come. The study offers academia and practitioner a thoughtful and insightful understanding of some of the important aspects of keeping skillful and talented performers and ultimately increasing productivity and providing a competitive advantage to the organization.

The present book chapter contributes to examining the intersection of gaming and sustainable marketing, focusing on how gaming strategies can be effectively used to foster consumer behavior that is environmentally friendly and engaging, and is exploring new ways to encourage consumers to adopt sustainable practices. Utilizing aspects of game technology and design to encourage and engage users, gamification has emerged as a viable strategy for inducing behavioral change in a variety of contexts. This chapter reviews the conceptual framework, foundation, and application of game theory to sustainable marketing. This chapter provides insights into effective game plans that promote sustainable consumer practices such as recycling, energy conservation, and responsible consumption. Furthermore, the chapter discusses the various challenges and ethical concerns associated with sustainable marketing games. Finally, the chapter attempts to raise awareness of how games can be used as a means to advance sustainability goals and create a more environmentally conscious society.

Blockchain technology is in fact a public ledger that gathers data in a chain of blocks, which gradually improves security, trust, transparency, quality, decentralization, and immutability while operating businesses. In the present scenario of business, the organization is not only concentrating on improving the activities related to operational aspects, but it also needs to meet the expectations of various stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is such a concept which facilitates the organization to cater the information related to various social and environmental concerns arising out of the business operations. It is now the liability on the part of the organization to communicate these CSR-related concerns in such a way that they effectively meet the expectations of stakeholders. CSR communication has become an integral part of the organization’s marketing strategy not only through the rise of public awareness on environmental and social issues but also because there is a demand for the correct use of CSR communication. However, organizations face difficulties in their CSR activities and actions, and due to this challenging situation, there is a rampant need for a solution. Blockchain is one of the most rewarding technology because it stores and records information in such a way that it makes it practically impossible to change or cheat the system. In fact, blockchain provides the desire transparency, traceability, decentralization, and accountability that CSR communication lacks recently. Therefore, this study identifies those common difficulties of CSR communication based on a literature review and proposes implementing blockchain as a solution for these problems. Finally, the objective of this study is to investigate what are the common problems or difficulties in CSR communication, and furthermore, what are the usefulness and benefits of blockchain, and could these benefits really overcome the identified difficulties?.

In recent years, there has been an enormous increase in the number of companies and of customers for almost every industry. The increment in the number of companies has also provided the choices to the customer but in turn it has also created new challenges. Thus, the companies must work not only to improve their products or services but to sustain customers in the competitive world. Churn prediction is the prediction of customers who are at a potential risk of discontinuing the product or service of the company. Thus, in today's competitive world, churn prediction is more relevant. In the present work, we have employed various machine learning models for an early prediction of churns, to mitigate the potential risk of losing the customers. The authors have chosen ensemble models for this task. Finally, the models are trained on the dataset. The results for various models are compared using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Moreover, it is also observed that for our dataset XGBoost outperformed over other models.

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the relationship between blockchain technology and sustainable development, aiming as to how blockchain technology (BT) could be effectively implemented to achieve different sustainable development goals (SDGs). Tokenization is one of the methods of blockchain technology which seems to be viable strategy to overcome the bottlenecks in terms of economic, social and governance (ESG) by engagement and participation of different stakeholders such as customers, businesses and government. The present chapter thoroughly reviews the fundamental and conceptual framework as well as implementation of blockchain technology to comprehend sustainable development goals (SDGs). This chapter provides understanding of functional approach promoting green practices viz. energy conservation, circular economy, recycling etc. It also investigates various problems connected with the implementation of blockchain technology and sustainable development. Furthermore, the study strives to create awareness amongst stakeholders includes industry, academia, researcher and policymakers as in what manners blockchain technology is beneficial in attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs) and build more ecologically friendly conscious society.

Energy is a key source of economic growth. For industrialization and economic development, economic growth and energy consumption have a positive and linear correlation. Energy use in developing nations has increased more than fourfold in the past three decades and is further likely to increase exponentially in the future. Energy offers advancement in the services offered by energy is desirable and essential, so energy services are important for economic growth as well as for improvement of standards of living of people. Various manufacturing and consumption activities use renewable energy as the primary input, so it becomes the main source of economic development and growth. If energy is not sufficient to meet demand, it will lead to a fall in GDP, the most important input for economic growth. This chapter highlights the fact that the geometric increase in energy use in developing nations has significant effects. Energy development offers several benefits to developed nations and contributes to economic growth in progressive nations (developing nations), which leads to improvement in every respect such as poverty and hunger reduction, raising standards of living, and a better environment. This chapter attempts to show the relationship between the rate of economic growth and energy consumption in developing nations.

The government institutions and corporate companies raise finance through debt and/ or equity. The unlisted companies can issue shares through Initial Public Offering (IPO) from the primary market. It is an opportunity for these companies which are planning to expand, diversify, and grow with better future business prospects. For an investor holding shares issued through IPO can consider it as a mere speculative opportunity in short term or an opportunity to earn high dividends with capital appreciation in the long run. The study attempts to evaluate the value of share premium and pricing on listing day, assess progressive growth of IPO return. Further the study compares short-term performance with the long-term performance of IPO returns using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. The sample includes twenty-six companies issued IPOs that were successfully listed in the year 2016. The study considered a period of three years from the date of issue for analysis, i.e., 2016 to 2019. The study found that return on IPO fluctuated during the study period. Among the select sample, twenty IPOs have provided returns on the listing day. The IPOs traded on the stock exchange are found to be promising in long term when compared to short term period. It is also found that the companies that have overpriced issue price have failed to grow during the study period. This study acknowledges the fact that holding investment for a longer period provides an opportunity to earn higher returns. The study suggests the investors to hold investment for more than one year for better returns. Further the investors can sell the shares that are overpriced by the end of the listing day to minimize the losses.

In the recent past, various social media have been considered as effective communication tools for communication between customers and organizations. The popularity and importance of social media has been on the rise due to various benefits they offer to the different stakeholders. The benefits include ease of exchange of communication (text, voice, pictures and video), lowering of communication costs and seamless connectivity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the adoption and use of social media as a business tool by the unorganized retailers with reference to Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). For this purpose, WhatsApp has been considered as a business tool to examine and validate the basic TAM model. The role of various factors (ease of use, perceived usefulness, user attitude etc.) that influence about how and when WhatsApp would be used in the context of conducting business transactions in the unorganized retail sector has been empirically examined using primary data collected from unorganized retailers. A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The structural equational modelling was used to validate the TAM model.

This paper helps to investigate the effectiveness of online advertisement on consumers' mind. The data, which has been obtained from the respondents of Hyderabad, showed an impact on the consumers' perception about the online advertising. A survey was conducted through structured questionnaire to obtain the data from the respondents of University of Hyderabad (UoH) and Maulana Azad Na tional Urdu University (MANUU) situated in Hyderabad. A sample of 200 respondents were gathered with in a time frame of one month and their responses were analyzed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) by using different statistical t echniques in order to know the effectiveness of online advertisement on consumer mind. The outcome shows a positive impact of advertising on co nsumer's mind.