Review of Economics and Development Studies (READS) (E-Journal)
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Political Economy of Fiscal Decentralization and Poverty Mitigation in Pakistan
No full textThe study examines the effects of fiscal decentralization on poverty mitigation in Pakistan for the time period from 1980 to 2019 through (ARDL) Bounds testing approach. To capture the true nature of fiscal decentralization two indicators have used i.e. Revenue decentralization and Expenditure decentralization, further the role of political stability on poverty reduction is assessed. The empirical finding suggests that expenditure decentralization has increase the level of poverty in Pakistan while revenue decentralization has negative impact on poverty. The study provides the evidence that fiscal decentralization can cater the needs of locals efficiently. Fiscal decentralization is therefore an important policy instrument for reducing the level of poverty in Pakistan
The Lucas Paradox and Institutional Quality: Evidence from Emerging Markets
Get PDFThe neoclassical theory illustrates that the capital will flow from the capital-rich economies towards the capital-poor states. However, it is generally observed that the capital does not move from high-income to low-income economies. This contradictory behavior of global capital flows is called the Lucas paradox. According to Alfaro, Kalemli-Ozcan, & Volosovych (AKV) model, the Lucas paradox can be entirely explained by the institutional quality. In the light of AKV notion, this paper examines the role of institutional quality in explaining the Lucas paradox. The empirical analysis involves 17 major emerging economies of the world by using panel data for the period 1999-2018. The GMM estimation reveals that the Lucas paradox is explained by the institutional quality in case of FDI flows only. However, institutional quality indicators generally remain unable to explain the paradox in case of portfolio equity capital flows. Moreover, financial development is found to be a significant determinant of portfolio equity flows in the emerging markets. Finally, we suggest that the financial flows to the emerging markets are sensitive to the nature of the capital flows
War against Terror Impacts on Pakistan’s Economy: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Pakistani Newspapers
Get PDFThe present research is an attempt to explore the discourses of political cartoons published in Pakistani Urdu and English newspapers representing the war against terror impacts on Pakistan’s economy. Newspapers’ linguistic and semiotic representations of war against terror impacts on Pakistan’s economy are ideologically loaded and employed in the construction and deconstruction of the realities of post 9/11 scenario in a desired way. The research uses multimodal critical discourse approach (Machin, 2007) along with Van Leeuwen’s framework for recontextualisation (2008) and Fairclough’s (2003) framework for visual and linguistic analyses of the political cartoons to explore the hidden ideologies. The visual and linguistic analyses of the political cartoons pay careful attention to how discourses are chosen and then represented visually and linguistically to promote particular interests and ideologies that shape public perception of the reality
Role of training & development on employee retention and organizational commitment in the banking sector of Pakistan
Get PDFThe value of human capital can easily be increased with the help of training & development because investment made on personnel is very helpful for the success of the firms in the current competitive era to increase retention and commitment level of staff. The major objective of this study is to examine the role of training & development on employee retention and organizational commitment in the banking sector of Pakistan. The population of the study consists of major eight banks of Pakistan including Islamic, foreign, public and private banks. The sequential exploratory design was followed where qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were used. Purposive sampling was used for the interview while for questionnaire multistage sampling was used. The finding of the study clearly indicates that training & developments have significant affiliation and effect on employee retention and commitment. The training & development play a very vital role in employee career growth, compensation, skills enhancement and capacity building to provide quality services to the clients to achieve organizational objectives
A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour Scale: Validation of the Urdu Translation of Secondary School Students’ Perspectives
Get PDFThe interpersonal teacher behavior’ model has been used in various countries. The validity of this instrument has been shown in different languages except in Pakistan. Therefore, this study aimed to validate students’ perceptions of teachers’ classroom interaction (QTI) in the Urdu version. To attain the purpose of the current investigation the secondary school students in Pakistan were taken as a sample, out of which 52% were boys and 48% girls. The Urdu translation of the QTI was used to accumulate the data. The Confirmatory factor analysis has been run to calculate the accuracy of the QTI structural model. Results confirm the fitness of the QTI structural model and support that Urdu translation of the QTI also applies to Pakistani secondary school students
Mediating Role of Affective Organizational Commitment on the Relationship between Training and Employee’s Performance: a Case of Civil Society Organizations
Get PDFIn a competitive business environment, organizational performance depends upon employees’ performance and their capabilities which can be enhanced through effectual tools like, training to boost knowledge, behaviour and skills of employees. This research aims to investigate the effect of training on employees’ performance directly and indirectly mediated through affective organizational commitment in the civil society organizations of Pakistan. Convenient sampling technique was used and the sample of 219 employees was selected out of 569 total employees from different CSOs Offices of Punjab by using Krejcie and Morgan table. Descriptive statistics, correlation and confirmatory factor analysis were used to analyse the data. The results demonstrated that training has a positive and significant impact on employees’ performance. Further, an effective organizational commitment was found to have significant mediation in the relationship between employees’ performance and training. Thus, the study suggested that training should be the part of civil society organization to boost the organizational commitment which will affect the employee performance
Challenges for Federalism in Pakistan, Post Musharraf Era
Get PDFFederalism is a form of government that solves the challenges of diversity of a state. Many ethnic groups resides in Pakistan .Baluchistan is the biggest province having smallest number of population of the state ,Punjab the dominant province in terms of population and size has further divisions on linguistic and territorial grounds. Small provinces always raised their voices against the unjust sharing of resources, administrative posts and political positions. The study reveals that mostly resources and political and administrative positions are shared by the two dominant provinces, Punjab and Sindh and other federating units and regions are usually deprived from these prestigious positions that is causing unrest in those regions which is very harmful for the integration of the state. Post Musharraf era in Pakistan is witnessing a continuity of democratic regimes in the state and democratic government of Yousaf Raza Gailani shared maximum powers to the provinces in the form of 18th Amendment but still state of Pakistan has to do a lot more for solving the issues of the provinces
Economic Empowerment of Women in Socio-Cultural Perspectives in Federally Administrative Tribal Area (Pakistan): A Case Study of Kurram Agency
Get PDFThe study investigates the indicators that effect women’s economic empowerment. The data collected through questionnaires, with 350 sample dimension. Pragmatic results expose that enrolment of female in education, decision making power, decision concerning household asset and economic opportunities have positive effected on WEE and significant. Participation in economy & educational retrieve hold positive and insignificant effect on WEE due to limited access to educationalists, masculinity basis, male dominancy etc. Problems of socio-cultural, poverty have negative and insignificant effect on WEE because of cultural restrictions; female workers are bounded to teaching field & functioning in their own lands. Finally, the recommendations of the study are that free access should be given to women for education regardless of ethnicity, sexual partialities and may be allowed to work along their male equivalents in order to raise the level of economic empowerment of women. The same will subsequently enhance their potential for elimination of poverty, illiteracy and self-reliance in the society
The Problem of Institutionalization of Political Power in Pakistan: An Appraisal of the Zia Period (1977-1988)
Get PDFSince its establishment in 1947, Pakistan has repeatedly been on starting point or even somewhat beyond the starting point, because of the malfunctioning or non-existence of the state institutions; on such occasions, instead of correcting or rectifying the malfunctioning, the basic infrastructure was altogether demolished while the institutions were abolished thus placing the country on a restart from zero point. Perhaps the Zero point in Islamabad indicates the psychological dimensions of the establishment that they place the country repeatedly at Zero point to start another exercise of trial and error. The military rule by General Ziaul Haq (1977-1988) provides an interesting insight of the above notion since the start of authoritative rather autocratic Islamization during the said regime turned the country back into late 1940s when the proposed Islamization under the Objectives Resolution of 1949 was criticized by the non-Muslim and neutral foreign observers alike. The instant study aims to evaluate whether the state institutions were empowered or strengthened by the Zia regime. It will also evaluate how General Zia’s arbitrary use of power affected the performance of government functionaries and public departments
Secondary School Teachers’ Perception on Stem Integrated Education: A Analysis
Get PDFAmerican President Barak Obama said on Third Annual White House Science Fair in April 2013 that “One of the things that I’ve been focused on as President is how we create an all-hands-on-deck approach to science, technology, engineering, and math… We need to make this a priority to train an army of new teachers in these subject areas and to make sure that all of us as a country are lifting up these subjects for the respect that they deserve”. This single part of the speech pinpoint the importance of STEM education and backbone of it “Teachers”. Cross disciplinary appeals have manifold appeals. Same is in the field of school education. Once it’s a time, science has a leading role at elementary and secondary school level. Then engineering becomes the prominent figure but when technology comes, all other fields merged in it. Mathematics remains the mother of all subjects. Now, it’s a time of STEM integrated education where STEM is the acronym of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM is not only confined to an acronym but also leads to the change of education system or approach from the root level. Presented study aimed at to highlight the secondary school teachers’ perception regarding STEM education. As it’s a new and novel concept, so not a big deal of work has done on it. So, existing literature was analyzed systematically to highlight the importance, challenges and future of STEM education which surely helpful to introduce in the developing countries like Pakistan. Presented study just focused on the perception and viewpoints of teachers who are working at elementary or secondary school level. Study concluded that teachers are highly motivated and confident for the STEM integrated education but there is a dire need to give suitable policy for this new trend of education which ultimately addresses the issues of curriculum, pedagogy, learning environment, career developers and future of the learner