Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Sciences (ISSN 1997-8553)
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Consumer Attitudes and Intentions to Adopt Smartphone Apps: Case of Business Students
Get PDFIncreasing development in information communication technology led to huge attention over the mobile phones having extra features, normally referred as smartphones. Recently, the operating system and more importantly what distinguishes smartphones from ordinary phones, applications (Apps) had been given huge important in literature. We investigated the determinants behind the intention of using smartphone apps by choosing the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social need, and perceived enjoyment as explanatory variables. We collected data from sample of 263 business students of Bahauddin Zakariya University of Multan (Pakistan) through the personally administered questionnaire. Factor analysis (based on Varimax rotation and Kaiser’s normalization) was used. Relationship of interest was tested using the multiple linear regression analysis, three variables were found statistically significant but sufficient evidence was not found for the relationship of perceived enjoyment and intention to adopt apps. This study contributes to a more thorough understanding of the determinants of smartphones apps among business students by emphasizing the dimensions of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social need and perceived enjoyment. Students’ usage of smartphones apps is highly influenced by aspects of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and social need. Smartphone application developers, and programmers should improve the current ability and contents to increase user enjoyment. Positive viral marketing spread via social networking sites could help application’ developer providers to strengthen the competitive advantage of their product
Cross-Cultural Study on Social Support, Sense of Coherence and Outcomes in Pakistan and Germany
Get PDFThe current research examines the mediating role of sense of coherence between social support and outcomes including well-being and stress in collectivistic (Pakistan) and individualistic culture (Germany). Sample comprises of university students (N = 200) further equally divided in individualistic and collectivistic culture. Hierarchical regression is applied for data analysis. The hypotheses are confirmed by the findings. Sense of coherence partially mediated between social support and well-being in collectivistic culture, individualistic culture and overall sample. Similarly, sense of coherence partially mediated between social support and stress among students. The current investigation is an important addition in the literature on the theory of sense of coherence. The direct paths of sense of coherence and outcomes were well-established in the past literature; however, the present study contributes to the theory by suggesting an indirect path to well-being and stress
Mediation of Psychological Capital between Organizational Climate and Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Get PDFEmployees’ psychological capital has important impacts on his/her job related as well as non-job related behaviors like organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Organizational climate is one of the antecedents of psychological capital. The paper specifically attempts to investigate the mediation of psychological capital in organizational climate-OCB relationship through a survey of 108 employees of a multinational consulting organization. The results show that psychological capital is significantly related with both organizational climate and OCB towards a) organization and b) colleagues. However, no relationship is found between organizational climate and OCB in either form. Mediation analysis indicates that the impact of organizational climate on OCB is not direct; it is mediated by psychological capital such that OCB occurs only if supportive organizational climate is converted into employee psychological capital
Do Psychological Capabilities Really Matter? The Combined Effects of Psychological Capital and Peace of Mind on Work Centrality and In-role Performance
Get PDFThis study examined the combined effects of psychological capital (PsyCap) and peace of mind on work centrality and in role performance in a random sample of 231 employees (N = 231) drawn from two public sector banks in Quetta city, Pakistan. Survey method was used to collect data. Data were collected in two phases. Respondents reported their levels of psychological capital and peace of mind in phase one; and their work centrality and in role performance were rated by their supervisors in phase two. Multiple linear regression and correlation techniques were used for hypotheses testing. Results indicated a positive association among all study variables. It was found that PsyCap and peace of mind are significant predictors of work centrality and in role performance but the magnitude of their effects is different. Peace of mind emerged as a stronger predictor than PsyCap. Results also highlighted that work centrality may also be used as a criterion to predict in role performance. Thus, it is recommended that organizations should endeavor to ensure all factors that contribute to employees’ peace of mind and PsyCap
Impact of Knowledge Management Practices on Firm Performance: Testing the Mediation Role of Innovation in the Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan
Get PDFWith the emergence of intellectual capital and knowledge management as new disciplines, organizational authors and practitioners added these constructs as possible antecedents of the innovation. In consistent with this stream of research, this study aims to find the impact of three knowledge management practices i.e. knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination and responsiveness to knowledge on innovation and firm performance. For this purpose, data was collected from 407 manufacturing organizations listed in Karachi Stock Exchange, representing mainly textile, FMCG, cement, petroleum, fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals, electronics, pharmaceuticals and other sectors. SPSS has been used for data analysis. Factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha confirmed the validity and reliability of the measurement scales. Similarly, correlation and regression analysis were applied to find out the relationship among independent variables (Knowledge management practices), mediating variable (innovation) and dependent variable (firm performance). The findings show positive and significant relationship among all the study variables. Specifically, innovation partially mediates the relationship between knowledge management practices and firm performance. Theoretical & managerial implications along with limitations and recommendations for future research have also been discussed in the paper
Nexus between Financial Development, Agriculture Raw Material Exports, Trade Openness and Economic Growth of Pakistan
Get PDFThe objective of this of the study is to evaluate the role of financial development, Agriculture raw materials and the extent of openness to trade in economic development of Pakistan for the period 1980-2012, by using Vector Auto Regressive (VAR) model. Empirical results showed that there exist a long-run relationship between financial development, agriculture raw material exports, and output growth. Normalized cointegrating equations revealed that, Raw material exports, trade openness and domestic credit to private sector are positively effecting the Economic growth of Pakistan, while M2 has negative impact on Economic growth of Pakistan. A two way causal relationship has been determined between trade openness and economic growth and raw material exports and economic growth. Our results revealed that raw material exports and finial development are positively related to agriculture growth; however, the impact of financial development is relatively week
Implications of Export Competitiveness, And Performance of Textile and Clothing Sector of Pakistan: Pre and Post Quota Analysis
Get PDFTextile and Clothing sector of Pakistan has been facing different international trade reforms i.e. Multi-fiber Arrangements, Quota elimination and for some of the developing countries European union, introduced special trade arrangements like GSP plus to improve their balance of trade conditions. In the light of pre quota elimination and post quota elimination periods, this paper highlights trade performance of textile and clothing sector in depth. This study focused on finding the extent of revealed comparative advantage of textile and revealed comparative advantage of clothing sector on overall textile and clothing trade performance of Pakistan. For this purpose study applied Johansen co-integration to check long run relationship among trade performance, revealed comparative advantage of textile and revealed comparative advantage of clothing sector. This study found that textile sector has been significantly contributing in trade performance of textile and clothing sector over all, instead of clothing sector of Pakistan. Moreover, study observed that textile and clothing sector did not get benefit of quota elimination as it was expected
Link between Eating Disorders and Depression
Get PDFThe present research sets out to gauge the interdependence between eating disorder risks (Dieting, Bulimia & Oral Control) and prevalence of depression among undergraduate students of higher learning institute of Pakistan (The Islamia University of Bahawalpur).After A-priori testing, 70 students from each faculty of respective university were recruited conveniently, and sample of three hundred fifty (N = 350) university students was taken. The total participants were equally divided into two categories of one seventy five (n = 175) for each gender. Two scales were employed to collect the data. First, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) that is developed by Beck in 1996 with copy right® of Beck Corporation, and Second, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) evolved by© Garner et al. (1982) were employed. Reliability and Validity were found to be 0.82 and 100% respectively. Split-half reliability statistics, regression analysis, standard deviation, t-Test, and mean were employed to process the results. Overall findings of study depict that both eating disorder and depression are interdependent on each other. Conclusively, the level of depression in students of arts faculty was found higher than rest students of all four faculties. Furthermore, it was also found that female students are more vulnerable toward depression and eating disorder than male students of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. This study would provide base line to youth researchers working in context of Pakistan. Limitations and suggestions are enclosed in the study
Nutritional Status of Children in Bangladesh: Measuring Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) and its Determinants
Get PDFThe objective of the current analysis is to see the factors responsible for malnutrition in children (under-5 years) in urban and rural areas of Bangladesh. In this study binary logistic model is applied to 1831 observations of urban and 3427 observations of rural areas. The Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) is constructed and used as an indicator of malnutrition. It is estimated that malnutrition in rural children is much higher than in urban children. The results have shown that probability of CIAF is negatively associated with birth-interval of child (in urban areas only), mother’s education, wealth index of the household, mother’s BMI and number of children (5-15 years) in the household (in urban areas only). However, birth-order of the child (in urban areas only), child’s age (in rural areas only), breastfeeding, incidence of diarrhea and household size (in urban areas only) positively affect the probability of malnutrition in children. For the policy formulation mother’s education, duration of breastfeeding and nutritional status (BMI) of the mother is recommended to eliminate malnutrition. The rural areas need special focus in the policy making
An Incorporated Structure of Perceived Organizational Support, Knowledge-Sharing Behavior, Organizational Trust and Organizational Commitment: A Strategic Knowledge Management Approach
Get PDFThe research aimed to determine an integrated framework of perceived organizational support, organizational trust, organizational commitment and knowledge-sharing behaviors of glass manufacturing plant employees in Malaysia. The total 159 responses were reported from the respondents working in different parts of Malaysia from 20 different palm oil manufacturing plants. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics using SPSS (version 18). In addition, to measure the cause and effect relationship of mediating variables LISREL (version 9) was utilized. Findings of the research indicate that dimensions of perceived organizational support, organizational trust, and organizational commitment have positive mediating effect on knowledge-sharing behavior. Moreover, organizational commitment fully mediates the relationships between perceived organizational support and knowledge-sharing behavior and between organizational trust and knowledge-sharing behavior. Furthermore, perceived organizational support is positively correlated with organizational trust