119 research outputs found
Hydraulic simulations to evaluate and predict design and operation of the Chashma Right Bank Canal
No full textIrrigation systems / Irrigation canals / Flow control / Velocity / Canal regulation techniques / Hydraulics / Simulation models / Design / Operations / Crop-based irrigation / Distributary canals / Water delivery / Policy / Protective irrigation / Water allocation / Water requirements / Sedimentation / Water distribution / Equity / Water conveyance / Pakistan / Chashma Right Bank Canal
Modeling customer satisfaction in cellular phone services
No full textLow tariffs, wider coverage and decent quality keep Pakistani cellular phone market growth at an alarming pace. Despite highest growth rate in the region, the lucrative Pakistani market is not free from challenges. The intensified competition is depicting a pattern of customer churn while the companies are still enjoying growth. This creates serious challenges for organizations in managing their existing customer while striving for growth. The common answer to such challenges is retaining customers through satisfaction. This research aims at answering what are the factors contributing towards customer satisfaction in Pakistani mobile cellular services? A typical two-stage survey was conducted. A qualitative research was conducted in first stage to collect factors, which contribute towards the customer satisfaction of a typical Pakistani cellular phone user. It was followed with a questionnaire to gather quantitative data for further analysis using conformity factor analysis. The results confirmed a multidimensional construct of customer satisfaction in Pakistani cellular phone communication sector. The findings suggest that customer satisfaction of cellular phone users in Pakistan constitute of four factors including price, transmission quality, usage ease and service support. This is in line with the previous research exploring the issue in other countries
Can ethnically targeted advertising work for malay adolescents?: the moderating role of the strength of ethnic identity
No full textThis article expands the existing research on ethnic advertising by investigating young consumers\u27 attitudes towards targeted/ non-targeted ethnic advertisements as well as the moderating role of the strength of ethnic identity in an Eastern society. Eight hundred adolescents from different states within Malaysia were recruited for this research. Data were analysed using a MANOVA, and an independent sample t-test was used to examine group differences based on their exposure to targeted/non-targeted advertising as well as the intensity of ethnic affiliation. The MANOVA results indicate a main effect for advertisement type and the strength of ethnic identity. However, the results reveal no significant interactions. Further analysis of the data suggests that, compared with nontargeted respondents, targeted advertisement respondents have more positive attitudes towards the advertisement and the brand represented as well as greater subsequent purchasing intent. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between strong and weak ethnic identifiers in terms of attitudes towards targeted/non-targeted advertisements
A SURREALIST READING OF MOHSIN HAMID'S EXIT WEST
No full textThe study aims at exploring the surrealist elements in Mohsin Hamid's novel Exit West. It analyzes the motifs and a technique employed by Hamid, and discusses how they contribute to the overall themes of displacement, migration, and identity in the novel. The study also examines how Hamid uses surrealist imagery, dream-like sequences, and unconventional perspectives to depict the characters' experiences of dislocation and otherness. The knowledge of the elements of surrealism will add depth and nuance to the novel's exploration of complex and timely issues. Using a close reading approach to the selected passages, the paper evaluates the ways in which the author employs surrealist techniques to challenge conventional notions of time, space, and reality, and to convey the experiences of displacement, migration, and the erosion of identity. Through the knowledge of surrealism in the context of the novel, the readers can gain a greater understanding of the power of the imagination to shape their understanding of the world and human experience
Ethnic advertising: adolescents’ attitudes towards target and non-target advertisements
No full textPurpose – This article aims to explore attitudinal and behavioural differences between target and non-target groups of ethnic advertisements. It seeks to expand the existing body of knowledge by investigating these differences from the perspective of young consumers in an Eastern context. This helps in testing the established theories of distinctiveness and cultural schemas in an Eastern society. Design/methodology/approach – The study sample consists of 1,600 randomly selected adolescents from different states of Malaysia. Data were analysed using MANOVA, ANOVA and t-test to explore the group differences between adolescents based on their ethnicity and advertisement type. Findings – The results indicate a significant group difference between target and non-target respondents to the advertisement. It also shows that ethnicity is a viable target variable for both majority and minority ethnic groups in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications – Although there are many ethnic groups in Malaysia this research only investigated two ethnic groups. Therefore, the results may not be applicable to other ethnic minority groups in Malaysia. Originality/value – The study explores the possibility of using ethnicity as a target variable for adolescents in an Eastern context. It investigates the issue in a holistic manner by incorporating views from target as well as non-target groups
The influence of organisational identification on employee attitudes and behaviours in multinational higher education institutions
No full textIn order to operate effectively and efficiently, most higher education institutions depend on employees performing extra-role behaviours and being committed to staying with the organisation. This study assesses the extent to which organisational identification and employee satisfaction are antecedents of these two important behaviours. Key objectives of the research were to identify possible antecedents of organisational identification and to discover whether the consequences of organisational identification vary among the employees of multinational universities at home and foreign campuses. We developed a model that was tested using structural equation modelling, which assesses the influences of organisational identification on employee satisfaction, extra-role behaviours and turnover intentions. All of the paths in our model were significant, but employee identification, satisfaction and extra-role behaviours were lower at foreign branches than at the home campuses of universities, and turnover intentions were higher. These results suggest that higher education institutions need to implement different human resource strategies at home and foreign branches, with a focus on improving organisational identification at the foreign subsidiaries.</p
Collaborative learning in online breakout rooms:The effects of learner attributes on purposeful interpersonal interaction and perceived learning
No full textPurpose: Breakout rooms are commonly used by lecturers as a means to achieve collaborative learning in online lessons. Although breakout rooms can be effective at encouraging student engagement, interaction and learning, many students dislike being forced to interact with peers, and for some students, it can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress. Successful collaborative learning depends upon having the “right” individuals working together, so the purpose of this research is to identify specific learner attributes that are associated with purposeful interpersonal interaction in breakout rooms. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey was used to obtain data from 664 higher education students in the USA, which were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: Students' technology readiness, social identification and intercultural communication competence are each significantly related to the achievement of purposeful interpersonal interaction, which is strongly related to students' perceived learning. Practical implications: The findings of this research emphasize the importance of lecturers considering learner attributes when forming breakout room groups. Originality/value: The breakout room represents a unique and specific context for collaborative learning, where there may be minimal lecturer supervision and where students may choose to disengage by turning off their cameras and microphones or simply listen without participating (known as lurking). The existing literature has given little attention to how lecturers allocate students to online breakout rooms.</p
The Effects of Employee Commitment in Transnational Higher Education: The Case of International Branch Campuses
No full textHigher education is a labor intensive activity and strong organizational performance depends upon employee commitment. This study analyses antecedents and consequences of employee commitment in universities that are involved in transnational higher education, with a focus on identifying differences between the employees at home and foreign branch campuses. The data for the study were obtained using a questionnaire that was completed by both teaching and non-teaching staff at three institutions in the United Kingdom, three institutions in Malaysia, and two institutions in the UnitedArab Emirates. A conceptual model was proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that employees at international branch campuses are not as motivated and committed to their organizations as their counterparts at home campuses. The findings suggest that institutions need to employ different and customized human resource strategies at home and foreign campuses, specifically with the aim of improving employee commitment and performance at the foreign campuses
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