Exploring the Determinants of Financial Development (Using Panel Data on Developed and Developing Countries)

This research paper investigates the determinants of financial development. Credit to private sector is used as proxy of financial development in this study.  Panel data from 1990 to 2012 on 27 developed and 30 developing countries has been used. The main interest of the research paper is to explore how different variables or indicators affect the credit to private sector as percentage of GDP (CPS)[1]. The Hausman test is used to check weather fixed effect model is more appropriate or random effect model. Hausman test is in favor of Fixed Effect Model. The role of different important variables which effect the financial development have been found by using fixed effect model. It is concluded from empirical results that all exogenous variables except NFDI and RL have significant effect on financial development. Keywords: Credit to Private Sector, Financial Development, Panel Data Analysis, Fixed Effect Model, Hausman Test. [1]We use credit to private sector as percent of GDP (CPS) as proxy of financial development

Conceptual site model: an intermediary between baseline study and risk assessment

A baseline study is a means of and for acquiring, organising, cleansing, presenting, and analysing all the data and/or information of preliminary investigation for hazard and risk assessment. This output of baseline study can be regarded as a conceptual site model (CSM), which has wide-ranging aspects that the literature to date does not appear to have captured a detailed account of, thereby limiting the full exploitation of CSM capacity in environmental communication between varying stakeholders. This knowledge-gap is focused upon by bringing out some new insights regarding CSM and creating an account of features of CSM for the first time. To start with, this study introduces CSM as an “intermediary” between a baseline study and the follow-on stages of the associated environmental risk assessment, and this is an innovative idea in its own right. Furthermore, light is torched upon CSM in several other new ways to show how CSM can serve as a live and “organic” foundation of an environmental risk assessment. It is depicted how the eight modules of a baseline study – geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, meteorology, geography, topography, anthropology and site management – can inform to develop a CSM. Also, a CSM could be descriptive and/or schematic which could still be computer-aided or non-computer aided. Another implication is that even though CSM contains the word “site” in the phrase, it does not mean that the model includes only the geographical or physical extent of the site, rather it also includes off-site, i.e., site-surroundings. This is where the aforesaid eight modules can cover both on-site and off-site characteristics of a given site being assessed. The innovative account of CSM parameters, advantages and uses would pave the way for further research and ignite debates among a diverse range of researchers, consultants, environmental regulators, decision-makers and other stakeholders

The role of integrated offline/online social activity and social identification in Facebook citizenship behaviour formation

Purpose<: Drawing on social identity theory and prosocial behaviour research, this study explores how people's integration of their offline and online social activities through Facebook cultivates their Facebook citizenship behaviour (FCB). It also offers further insight into the underlying mechanism of offline and online social activity integration - FCB relation by investigating people's social identification with their offline and online social groups as possible mediators. Design/methodology/approach: Based on social identity theory (SIT) literature, community citizenship behaviour and offline-online social activity integration through Facebook, we developed a conceptual model, which was empirically tested using data from 308 Facebook users Findings: The results confirm that the participants' offline-online social activity integration via Facebook is positively linked to their FCB. Further, the integration of offline and online social activity through Facebook positively affects how a person identifies with their offline and online social groups, which in turn causes them to display FCB. In addition, offline/online social identification mediates the integration – FCB relation. Practical implications: In practice, it is interesting to see people's tendency towards altruistic behaviours within groups they like to associate themselves with. Those who share their Facebook network with their offline friends can use such network to seek help and support. Originality/value: From a theoretical perspective, unlike past research, this study examines how individuals' offline-online social activity integration via Facebook helps them associate with groups. In addition, this study investigates social identification from an offline and online perspective

Knowledge acquisition and product development capability magnify competitive advantage : insight into higher education institutions of Pakistan

With the emergence of a knowledge-based economy, knowledge has become an integral factor in providing a competitive advantage for organizations including higher education institutions. The objective of this study is to empirically examine the mediating effect of product development capability (PDC) in the relationship between knowledge acquisition (KA) and competitive advantage (CA) in public higher education institutions (PHEIs) of Pakistan. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. A total of one hundred questionnaires were distributed through random sampling technique to vice-chancellors of PHEIs eliciting eighty-six respondents or a response rate of eighty-six percent. Data were analysed by using PLS through a structural equation modelling approach. The findings revealed significant positive effect of KA and PDC on CA. Additionally, KA also produced a significant positive effect on PDA. Further, PDA was shown to mediate the relationship between KA and CA. The current research provides more specific direction on how practitioners can strategically gain CA through KA and PDC within context of PHEIs of Pakistan

Constructive Voice Behavior for Social Change on Social Networking Sites: A Reflection of Moral Identity

Social networking sites (SNSs) have enabled people to voice their concerns by making their voices heard and hence initiate social change. Constructive voice behavior concerning societal matters, mediated by SNSs, is a much under-explored area and requires investigation. Primarily, voice literature has mainly discussed voice behavior within organizations focused on employees. However, individuals, as members of society, are using social media websites to voice about social change in the form of condemning harmful practices in society and/or promoting social good. Drawing from the self-consistency theory, this study explores the role of an individual’s moral identity as an antecedent of constructive voice behavior on SNSs. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis results of 226 SNSs users, provide support to the self-consistency theory-based moderated-mediation model in which the positive relationships, between individual’s moral identity and the promotive-prohibitive voice on SNSs, were mediated by the felt responsibility for constructive change (FOCC). Further, proactive personality moderates the positive mediation effect of FOCC between moral identity and prohibitive voice but not for promotive voice, such that the mediation effect would be stronger for individuals with a high-proactive personality than those of with a low-proactive personality. This study contributes to both voice and social media research in a number of ways

Gender discrimination against female surgeons: A cross-sectional study in a lower-middle-income country

Introduction: Although gender discrimination and bias (GD/bias) experienced by female surgeons in the developed world has received much attention, GD/bias in lower-middle-income countries like Pakistan remains unexplored. Thus, our study explores how GD/bias is perceived and reported by surgeons in Pakistan.Method: A single-center cross-sectional anonymous online survey was sent to all surgeons practicing/training at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. The survey explored the frequency, source and impact of GD/bias among surgeons.Results: 98/194 surgeons (52.4%) responded to the survey, of which 68.4% were males and 66.3% were trainees. Only 19.4% of women surgeons reported \u27significant\u27 frequency of GD/bias during residency. A higher percentage of women reported \u27insignificant\u27 frequency of GD/bias during residency, as compared to males (61.3% vs. 32.8%; p = 0.004). However, more women surgeons reported facing GD/bias in various aspects of their career/training, including differences in mentorship (80.6% vs. 26.9%; p \u3c 0.005) and differences in operating room opportunities (77.4% vs. 32.8%; p \u3c 0.005). The source was most frequently reported to be co-residents of the opposite gender. Additionally, a high percentage of female surgeons reported that their experience of GD/bias had had a significant negative impact on their career/training progression, respect/value in the surgical team, job satisfaction and selection of specialty.Conclusion: Although GD/bias has widespread impacts on the training/career of female surgeons in Pakistan, most females fail to recognize this GD/bias as significant . Our results highlight a worrying lack of recognition of GD/bias by female surgeons, representing a major barrier to gender equity in surgery in Pakistan and emphasizing the need for future research