Authors:
Sagar Onkarrao Manjare, Coleridge N. Marak
Addresses:
Department of Management, Mahatma Gandhi University, Byrnihat, Meghalaya, India. Department of Economics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Byrnihat, Meghalaya, India.
Abstract:
This research aims to investigate how households in the East Garo Hills of Meghalaya cope with the challenges posed by the Indian economy, the environment, and the institutions operating within India's 90% informal employment landscape. Using a mixed-methods strategy that included key-informant interviews, focus groups, and household surveys (N = 250), the study identified livelihood diversification as the most significant predictor of household resilience (β = +6.20, p < 0.001). Access to markets and credit increases one's ability to adapt, whereas being digitally illiterate and having an unstable workforce in financial institutions reduces one's ability to remain sustainable in the long term. While cultural traditions, particularly those led by women, such as weaving and forest-based businesses, are essential for preserving identity, they also require modernisation through customer-centric design and digital marketing. The model of resilience presented in the paper is contextualised through the integration of the Sustainable Livelihoods and Adaptive Resilience frameworks. The policy recommendations place strong emphasis on providing income assistance through portfolios, developing digital skills, building co-operatives, and integrating markets sustainably. These recommendations align with Sustainable Development Goals 1, 8, and 13, as well as India's Northeast Vision 2040.
Keywords: Informal Economy; Livelihood Diversification; Household Resilience; Workforce Transition; Digital Inclusion; Financial Sector Retention; Market Access; Cultural Sustainability; Adaptive Strategies.
Received: 08/08/2024, Revised: 01/10/2024, Accepted: 04/01/2025, Published: 07/09/2025
DOI: 10.64091/ATIML.2025.000165
AVE Trends in Intelligent Management Letters, 2025 Vol. 1 No. 3 , Pages: 165-177