CITY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH JOURNAL

TESTING BHAGWATI HYPOTHESIS : DOES ICT CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMY?

Muhammad Hafeez, Munir Ahmad, Muhammad Usman Ashraf — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Nowadays the effects of global commerce and technological spillover has gained power in
developing countries. Empirical data demonstrates that although some nations benefit from
international commerce and technical innovation to compete in the global market, others suffer.
Bhagwati Hypothesis postulates that Foreign Direct Investment positively related to economic
growth. To test empirically the Bhagwati postulates, this study considers time series data-set
1972 to 2018 along with modern era driver, ICT, of economy. Autoregressive Distributive Lag
model results signify a direct linkage between employment, investment, ICT, and economic
growth, respectively. Capital accumulation and high employment rate indicate better economic
performance, whereas increment in foreign direct investment has an inverse effect on growth.
The estimated empirical results are contradictory to the "Bhagwati Hypothesis". Underdeveloped
infrastructure, worse law & order situation due to war on terror and inconsistency in Government
policies regarding FDI may explain this negative FDI growth effect. This study suggests
investing in economic activities, human capital enhancement, ICT infrastructure and FDIfriendly policies to boost economic growth, create job opportunities, and create a competitive
business environment, thereby attracting global investors.
Keywords: Bhagwati hypothesis; employment; FDI; ICT; economic growth

Shepherding Entrepreneurship value creation below the base of the pyramid in Pakistan

Dr. Muhammad Tariq Yousafzai, Gul Ghutai, Neelam Akbar Marwat — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Abstract

The study aims to assess the tradeoffs associated with landless shepherding entrepreneurs working below the bottom of pyramid in the case of District Malakand. We use a transformative worldview, to raise voice for their welfare and to safeguard their livelihoods through a proposed formalization process as objective of study. The study uses an inductive-qualitative research design in conjunction with 20 semi-structured interviews and two focal group discussions conducted at veterinary clinics and analyzed with grounded theory methodology. The findings suggested that informal shepherding, serve as mechanism of a variety of wild herbs and shrubs dispersal and act as vectors of zoonotic diseases. Their high animal stocking density coupled with unsupervised herding exert anthropogenic pressures on environment such as causing barren mountains which trigger landslides. In cases of supervised herding, the impact is mitigated by the presence of experienced herdsmen. Their transhumance creates traffic hurdles as well as make animals and public vulnerable to accidents due to their animal trespassing. These shepherding entrepreneurs have an innocuous presence but exhibit rent seeking behaviors during up and downland vertical mobility although we cannot blame sheepherder’s’ for all environmental issues. Overall, the study concludes that their advantages in terms of food security, employment generation and ecosystem preservation outweigh their associated disadvantages. The study contributes to a better understanding of socially excluded group and economically marginalized group of people with a transformative view to preserve their identity by way of recommending reforms for their formalization as a poverty alleviation mechanism below the base of pyramid.

The Quadruple Bottom-line approach to Urbanization and Smart Sustainable Cities

SANIA USMANI, Kashif Mehmood — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

This paper aims to identify the important dimensions of Sustainable Smart City development
amongst the citizens of Karachi, Pakistan. This paper is a two-fold study in which the first study
was a quantitative study, which used an explanatory approach, conducted on 318 respondents using
a survey method. Convenience based sampling technique was used and data was collected through
a questionnaire method. These respondents belonged to various organizations in Karachi, Pakistan.
Four dimensions were used to evaluate the importance of smart cities development; Economic,
Environmental, Social and Smart. The second study was a qualitative study, which used an
exploratory approach, conducted on various stakeholders which directly or indirectly impact the
smart city development. Purposive based sampling technique was used and the data from 10
respondents was collected through interviews, including government housing authorities, national
databases, Small Medium Enterprise owners, and real estate builders etc. They identified the
problems and recommended solutions. Six major problems were identified, amongst which
budgetary restraint and lack of resources were most critical. There is limited theoretical and
empirical support available regarding the challenges that are experienced during successful
implementation for smart city development. By highlighting emerging challenges, this study will
help practitioners to prepare themselves for sustainable smart city development and provide more
efficient and integrated services.
Keywords: Smart sustainable Cities; Urbanization; Pakistan; Challenges

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND FIRM PERFORMANCE:

Aysha Sami Latif, Faisal Khan — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Contemporary interest in corporate governance is related to extenuate the
conflicting interests of firm managers and firm owners, known as the agency problem.
Due to economic crisis around the world this area has received much attention from the
last three decades. The objective of this study is set to investigate that which corporate
governance mechanisms can mitigate the agency problem and resultantly improve the
firm performance in Pakistan. The robustness of results is also checked through various
identified models. The corporate governance mechanisms examined in this study include
insider shareholding, blockholding, institutional shareholding, board independence,
reliance on external labor market and use of debt. Results are based on 18-year data
(2004-2021) of 300 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
Due to endogeneity between governance mechanisms and firm performance relationships
were estimated through two-stage least square (2SLS) regression. Together, study found
that blockholding, institutional shareholding and use of debt are effective corporate
governance mechanisms in constraining agency problem and their presence enhances the
firm performance.
Keywords: Corporate governance mechanisms, Endogeneity, Firm Performance,
Pakistan Stock Exchange

The Impact of Environmental, Social and Governance on Firm Performance: Moderating Role of Financial Slacks and Research &Development Intensity

Shah Hassan, Dr. Naveed — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The purpose of this research is to investigate the moderating role of financial slacks and research & development intensity on the relationship between environmental, social, governance and firm performance in Pakistan. A secondary data quantity content analysis was employed for this research. The sample of this study involves data from 284 non-financial firms over 10 years (2012–2021), which contains 2840 observations. The findings demonstrate that a company's ESG reporting is statistically significant inverse impact on firm operational performance (ROA). While, when the elements of E, S, G are measured individually so it has favorably impact on corporates performance (ROA). Furthermore, the outcomes shows that the presence of financial slacks as moderator variable impact significantly positive association among ESG and corporate’s operational performance (ROA). while, when the elements of E, S, G are measured individually, financial slacks also show a significant favorable impact on the association among E, S and G and firm’s operational performance (ROA). Similarly, when tested the second moderating variable R&D intensity on the association among ESG as whole and separately the similar positive impact found on firm performance. This research contributes to the body of knowledge regarding ESG reporting and how it impacts company performance. The findings of this research have important implications for government officials, regulators, and policy makers, as they can recognize the role of financial slacks and R&D intensity on the association among ESG and firm operational performance (ROA)

Strategic Orientation and Organizational Survival: The mediating role of Organizational Ambidexterity

Hassan Ahmed Shah, Akhtar Nawaz, Asad Javed — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Appropriate strategic orientation is an important prerequisite for organizational survival. Founding on the strategic management perspective, and using data obtained from 1030 respondents from manufacturing sector small and medium enterprises, our results established the fact that strategic orientation has a significant positive effect on organizational survival. We also investigated the mediating role of organizational ambidexterity between the relationship of strategic orientation and organizational survival. We found that organizational ambidexterity positively mediates the relationship of strategic orientation and organizational survival. Our findings contribute to strategic management research by discussing the underlying mechanisms of conversion of strategic orientation to organizational survival by considering the significant mediating role of organizational ambidexterity in the manufacturing sector SMEs of Pakistan.

A Statistical Investigation of the Impact of Impression Management Tactics on Faculty Performance

Afrasyiab Farooq Afrasyiab, Gohar Abbas — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Impression management (IM) is a technique used to manage the impressions that the target audience has about a person. Impression Management is used as a metaphor for human social interaction. Impression Management tactics are broadly categorized into five to help people to understand and use IM tactics in an organizational setting: ingratiation, intimidation, self-promotion, supplication, and exemplification. Impression management has been associated with positive performance in the workplace. In this study, purposive-cum-snow ball sampling techniques were used to contact the respondent’s i-e, faculty of private university for primary data collection. This study results revealed that ingratiation, self-promotion and exemplification has significant impact on job performance. In contrast to the hypothesis, exemplification shows a negative impact on job performance, while intimidation has a significant negative impact on employee’s job performance. The supplication tactics of impression management was removed during factor loading because of multifaceted nature. The research findings will help to strengthen social interactions with particular focus on impression management tactics, which can have an impact on job performance.

The Challenges in the Implementation of Project Management Office (PMO): “A Case Study of Health Care Construction Project”

Sumaiya Osman, Sajid Khan, Subhan Siddiqui — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

In the present global environment, projects in the business and industries are becoming complex and highly competitive which requires organizational restructuring and improvising business models. Implementation of the Project Management Office (PMO) has appeared as a strategic response to critical business challenges. The project management office (PMO) is a centralized management structure that standardizes project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of resources, tools, methodologies, and techniques. However, this fast-growing concept of PMO in the world of project management has its own challenges and several factors need to be considered while implementing a successful PMO.

This case study explores the challenges of implementing PMO in the Health care construction project. A qualitative research methodology is adopted through semi-structured interviews with four PMO Managers who were part of the transition from External PMO to In-house PMO and played a pivotal role in its implementation. The case study highlights the challenges of implementing In-house PMO such as opposition from key stakeholders, Inadequate planning in transition from external to in house PMO, lack of PMO expertise within the organization, Communication gap among team members, non-co-operative behavior from external PMO members and conflicting priorities. In a nutshell, the primary reason for the devastating consequences was the improper planning of change management in transition phase. It was further suggested that the change should be gradual, iterative, and incremental. The analysis of this study will be helpful for organizations aiming to develop a PMO.

Examining the Impact of Organizational factors on Mental Health of Employees

Saliha Gul Abbasi, Khurram Ejaz, Imran Zafar — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

This study examines the relationship of various work related variables to mental health of employees. Based on conservation of resource theory, the study was designed to collect data from banking sector of Pakistan. Data was collected from 173 employees through a survey. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Results indicated that factors at workplace like overtime, pressure to work and intensive work have a negative impact on mental health of employees. Control over working hours has no significant impact on mental health. The results of the study are followed by implications and future research directions.