121 research outputs found
Introducing Iqbal the Economist
No full textThe Iqbal Memorial Lecture was instituted in 1994 when the Pakistan Society of Development Economists (PSDE) celebrated the completion of a decade of steady progress. A brief announcement stated: “The Iqbal Memorial Lecture attributed to the national poet [Emphasis added], Allama Muhammad Iqbal has been included in the programme for the first time. Professor Ian M. D. Little is delivering that lecture” [Secretary’s Report (1994), p. 1472]. Iqbal, the poet and philosopher par excellence, has made incisive remarks or comments on economic and social issues in his poetry, philosophical writings, and in the course of his discourses as well as some famous letters, particularly those written to the Quaid-i-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. But these do not make Iqbal an economist. The Secretary of the PSDE was, therefore, careful in observing that the lecture commemorates our “national poet”. However, it will be of great interest to this largest national congregation of economists and other scholars concerned with development to know that the very first published book of Iqbal related neither to poetry nor philosophy, but economics. It was written in Urdu. He also taught the subject at undergraduate and Master’s level, even though he had not studied it as a student. At the Government College, Lahore, Iqbal studied English, Philosophy and Arabic for his B.A. and then completed the M.A. in Philosophy.
A critical analysis of Christian responses to Islamic claims about the work of the Prophet Muhammad, ‘the Messenger of God’.
No full textThe aims of this study are to analyse critically the different Christian responses to the Islamic understanding of the work of Muhammad. Chapter one consists a short introduction leading to an appraisal of Muhammad which incorporates historical, hagiographal and Quranic source material, and in the light of relevant Christian and Muslim scholarship. The second chapter presents a summary critical analysis of Muhammad in Christian theological perspective, from 661 A.D. to modern times. Chapter three presents a critique of Christian responses to the Muslim allegations that the text of the Bible has been infected with corruption; and that Muhammad's advent and status are foretold in the unadulterated' scriptures, and in the Gospel of Barnabas. Chapter four examines the theological significance of the work of Muhammad for Christians. Thus, Jesus and Muhammad are critically assessed and contrasted in order to ascertain the importance, for Christians, of the Muslim claims in respect of Muhammad as ’the messenger of God’. Chapter five provides a critical evaluation of the various Christian responses to Muhammad. It is argued that many of the said responses have been entangled in myths and misperceptions which have severely distorted the true account of Muhammad's work. Consequently, many Christians have failed to appreciate the divine legitimacy of Muhammad's call to prophethood. Further, it is argued that Christians should accept that Muhammad is a genuine prophet, and the messenger of God. However, Muhammad's use of the power-structure in order to maintain Islam is in sharp contrast to Jesus’ decision to face the consequences of his ministry passively through faith in God. Accordingly, orthodox Christian belief in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus provides another dimension to prophethood, where the messenger and the message become one, an identification which finds no parallel in Islam, and which, in the nature of the case, cannot find a parallel
X-efficiency Analysis of Commercial Banks in Pakistan: A Preliminary Investigation
No full textThe emergence of a fast-paced dynamic environment in the business world in general, and in the financial services sector in particular, has highlighted the significance of competition and efficiency. The need for deregulation has become a touchstone of success in fostering both competition and efficiency especially in the economies, which are exposed to structural reforms. In addition to that, intense competition both among domestic and foreign banks, rapid speed of innovations and introduction of new financial instruments, changing consumer’s demands and desire for product augmentation have changed the way a bank conducts business and services its customers. Larger the degree of competition, it is perceived that the firms would become more efficient. However, when the structure of an industry is product of the government regulations, the degree of competition is impaired markedly implying that the efficiency suffers negatively. Banking industry acts as life-blood of modern trade and commerce acting as a bridge to provide a major source of financial intermediation. Thus, appraisal of its efficiency is vital in context of an efficient and competitive financial system. Study of x-efficiency is believed to be important in particular as Berger, et al. (1993) found that x-inefficiencies account for around 20 percent or more of banking costs. Similarly, recent drive among banks towards downsizing, rightsizing and rationalisation of banking costs also implicates for the assessment of x-efficiency analysis of banks. It becomes vital in Pakistani context as there appears to be no study in literature on efficiency or x-efficiency analysis of banks in Pakistan. “A great deal more work is needed on x-efficiency research in banking. Managerial efficiency, the concept of x-efficiency, appears to be a much more important strategic and policy consideration” [Molyneux, et al. (1960), p. 273]. Given
The Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Pakistan: an Empirical Investigation
No full textThe changing modes of international transactions and the cross-border mobilisation of factor resources, in pursuance of transnational production, constitute new dimensions for sustained economic growth. Foreign Direct Investment (an influential element of this process) is defined as the source of acquisition of managerial control by a business enterprise of a foreign country over a business activity in a host country [Graham (1982)]. The changing perceptions and more attractive policies of the host developing nations have changed the destinations of FDI flows from industrially developed countries to high growth developing centres. FDI stock held by developing countries has risen from 1438.48 billion in 1999. Their share in inward stock has reached to 30.14 percent in 1999 as against 26.2 percent in 1980. FDI inflows during this period were raised from 208.0 billion, at an annual growth rate of 22.5 percent while GDP growth rate for that period was 3.9 percent. FDI brings the most needed capital fund, advanced production technique, snobbish managerial skills, advertising and marketing expertise, global links and the controversial phenomenon of “transfer pricing”.1 Pakistan, the world’s 7th most populated country with 140 million people, a relatively high growth rate of GDP (averaging around 6 percent), with a significant stock of natural resources and a variety of investment provisions has remained unattractive for FDI inflows.
Performance analysis of Takaful and conventional insurance companies in Saudi Arabia
No full text
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the performance of Takaful and conventional insurance companies in Saudi Arabia during a period of 2010-2015 by using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique for the whole population of insurance companies.
Design/methodology/approach
Given its objectives, the present study adopts the most prevalent DEA approach, by using the DEA Solver-Pro (Version 13). The DEA has emerged as a valuable analytical research technique. It measures the relative efficiency of firms in the presence of multiple inputs and outputs, based on a linear programming technique, and attempts to find out the firms that determine an envelopment frontier, are super efficient and with a higher productivity index.
Findings
It stems from the analysis that on a yearly basis, the average efficiency scores of firms have soared up overtime since 2010 till 2014 reflecting that most of the companies did well on the efficiency front. It is notable to mention here that the top slots for super efficiency are taken over by smaller firms, while the bigger firms are laggards here rather than the leaders. This reflects that the larger insurance firms need to augment their efficiency levels through more efficient utilization of inputs. The results of the study reveal that both Takaful and the larger conventional insurance firms in the country need to strengthen their operations more efficiently in order to take advantage of the economies of scale and scope. Market share and profitability are important determinants of efficiency.
Research limitations/implications
The larger insurance firms in the country need to a possible solution to the issue of inefficient market dynamics might lie in consolidation of the market through mergers and acquisitions. However, this needs a direct involvement of regulators in the Kingdom so that the market becomes healthy. Even though the Saudi insurance sector appears to have benefited from the compulsory insurance regulations for the expatriates and their families, however, there is still a need for efficiency and productivity improvement in the industry. The Takaful firms need to adopt such measures that would help them to take advantage of their specialized products toward efficiency vis-à-vis productivity drives. Finally, the insurance firms in Saudi Arabia need to adopt the use of threshold practices in order to compare their relative performance to improve on their efficiency and productivity levels by catching-up with the frontiers of best practices.
Originality/value
Based on the available literature, an exclusive study on the insurance sector of Saudi Arabia is so far non-existent. The study stands as pioneer to provide a starting point on overall performance evaluation of insurance firms in Saudi Arabia in various contexts in addition to the current and future trends of the insurance sector in the Kingdom.
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Methods of synthesis of hydrogels … A review
No full textAbstractHydrogels are being investigated recently for the bioactive molecules (in particular pharmaceutical proteins) controlled release, such as matrices, and for the living cells encapsulation. Biodegradable nature of hydrogels has created much interest for drug delivery systems. The original three-dimensional structure disintegrates into nontoxic substances to ascertain an excellent biocompatibility of the gel. Chemical cross-linking is the highly resourceful method for the formation of hydrogels having an excellent mechanical strength. Cross-linkers used in hydrogel preparation should be extracted from the hydrogels before use due to their reported toxicity. Physically cross-linked methods for preparation of hydrogel are the alternate solution of cross-linker toxicity
Analysis of SIR Epidemic Models
No full textModeling epidemics has played a vital role in predicting the impact of a disease in a population and the ability to overcome it. The objective of this paper is to introduce the concept of agent based modeling classification for SIR epidemic model, suggest a new discrete-time agent based SIR model and formally document Gillespie’s Algorithm based SIR epidemic model. Furthermore a computational analysis of chemical master equation and Gillespie’s algorithm based SIR modelshas been performed showing that the use of latter results in considerable reductionin execution tim
Spectrum of surgical site infection on the surgical floor; Increasing resistance to routine antibiotics
No full textObjective: To know the spectrum of surgical site infections in general surgical patients so that specific strategies can be developed to decrease the morbidity caused by these infections.Material and Methods: All the patients who underwent general surgical operations on an emergency basis at the surgical unit of the District headquarters teaching hospital Rawalpindi from 01-01-2016 to 31-12-2017 were evaluated for surgical site infections. Surgical site infections suspected clinically were confirmed by culture and sensitivity. Involved flora and their sensitivity to various antibiotics were also determined.Results: Among 2202 emergency operated patients, two hundred and thirty-seven patients (10.76%) had surgical site infection confirmed on culture and sensitivity (C/S) report. About sixty-five percent of patients were male. Of two hundred and thirty-seven positive patients, the twenty-nine patient underwent laparotomy for penetrating and blunt abdominal trauma. Staph aureus was present in one hundred and forty-five (79.67%) patients. E.coli was the commonest Gram-ve micro-organism (70.95%). Forty-six patients (19.40%) were sensitive to Cefoperazone sodium followed by twenty patients (8.43%) to Piperacillin sodium and twenty-one (8.86%) each to Amikacin and Linezolid.Conclusion: Surgical site infection causes a significant rise in morbidity on the surgical floor. Most of the causative microorganisms are becoming resistant to routine antibiotics. Sensitivity to the broader spectrum of antibiotics like Cefoperazone and Linezolid is increasing
Industrial Control and Building Automation System Penetrating Testing using Modbus TCP Testbed
No full textIndustrial Control System (ICS) plays a vital role in industries as it controls industrial processes such as power plants, food production, transportation, water and gas distribution etc. Similarly Building Automation System (BAS) is utilized for control, energy efficiency and conservation of modern buildings. As both BAS and ICS systems are becoming increasingly interconnected with networking technologies and becoming a lucrative target for attacks thus pose a serious threat to the infrastructure they control. ICS and BAS networks have been using legacy protocols with implementation of ICT protocols and technologies to be connected with modern networks. Thus, they have lack of security implementation. This paper presented a test-bed for testing vulnerabilities in Modbus protocol on HVAC control system. Two MITM attack scenarios were discussed and performed to demonstrate the weakness in the Modbus TCP protocol. The proposed system was tested using EasyIO-FS-32 server class controller having Modbus RTU, TCP and BACnet MSTP, TCP
PARALLEL LOSSLESS IMAGE COMPRESSION USING MPI
No full textIn lossless compression techniques, perfectly identical copy of the original image can be reconstructed from the compressed image. The paper implements three lossless compression techniques namely Huffman Encoding, Run Length Encoding and DPCM techniques using MPI. The experimental results show considerable reduction in execution time and better compression ratio for certain types of images
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