How innovative climate leads to project success: the moderating role of gender and work culture

Purpose – In modern times, innovation is considered as a vital component of sustainable competitiveadvantage. The purpose of this paper is to identify how innovation at the individual level [innovative workbehavior (IWB)] and at the organizational level [innovative organizational climate (IOC)] affects the chances ofsuccess of a particular project. Additionally, the moderating effect of gender and work culture on the relationbetween innovative climate and behavior is tested in the study.Design/methodology/approach – Survey technique was used to collect data from 425 employeesworking in project departments at the executive, middle level and senior level management in the paintmanufacturing industry of Pakistan. Multiple regression, as well as Preacher and Hayes (2004) tests, wereapplied to test the hypotheses.Findings – The result of the data analysis showed that IWB acts as a mediator between IOC and projectsuccess (PS), thereby supporting the hypothesized model of innovation and PS. Work culture was supportedas a moderator; however, no moderating effect of gender was validated by the results.Research limitations/implications – The management must make sure that to maximize the rate ofsuccess of projects, innovative work climate within the organizations and departments be given dueimportance. In addition to this, personnel’s individual innovation capabilities must also be enhanced bytaking steps toward improvement through training and development. Originality/value – Though attention has been given to research in innovation in light of other relatedvariables, its relation to PS remains yet to be studied. The effect of gender and work culture on innovation inPakistani paint industry was long over-due which has been addressed by this stud

The effect of Syzygium aromaticum (clove) on inflammatory markers (total leukocyte count, differential leukocyte count and tumor necrosis factor-alpha)

Background: Inflammation is involved in pathogenesis of many diseases. Antiinflammatory chemicals can be used to treat such illness,especially if they are derived from plant sources as they will have fewer side effects. Objective:to find out  the outcome of ethanolic extract of syzygium aromaticum flower buds on markers of inflammation in albino rats.Material and method: Antiinflammatory activity was investigated in albino rats using a experimental model of  inflammation, the “formalin test” (injecting 5 % formalin into subplantar surface of right hind paw). Ninety rats were uniformly divided into three groups designates as control A,experimental B and refrence C. Intraperitoneal  injection of normal saline, syzygium aromaticum flower bud extract and  indomethacin was used. In these rats, foot edema was measured by Vernier caliper. Blood sampling was done through cardiac punture under anaesthesia to determine total and differential leukocyte counts and serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels. Results: The clove extract  produced significant (p=0.00) decrease  in inflammatory response initiated by 5% formalin. The extract significantly decreased (p=0.009) serum TNF-α. However, its effect on the total and differential leukocyte counts was non-significant (p˃0.05).Conclusion: The ethanolic extract of syzygium aromaticum  possesses potent  anti-inflammatory effects

Linking Work-Family Conflict (WFC) and Talent Management: Insights from a Developing Country

Considering the profound societal change taking place in several developing countries, the objective of this paper is to reflect on work-family conflict (WFC) both as a concept and a social phenomenon. Given that WFC is a concept rooted in academic debate focusing on developments in Western, largely individualistic, societies, this paper reconsiders WFC’s value added as applied in a context of a collectivist society in a developing country. The objective of this paper is thus threefold, i.e., (i) to assess WFC’s applicability in a context of a collectivist society in a developing country, where the position and role of women gradually changes; (ii) to develop a culturally adjusted/sensitive scale to measure the scope of WFC in Pakistan, whereby the latter is treated here as a case study; and (iii) to reflect on the possibility of devising a set of good practices that would allow a smooth inclusion of women in the formal workforce, while at the same time mitigating the scope and scale of WFC. The value added of this paper stems from these three objectives

Measuring the Scale and Scope of Social Anxiety among Students in Pakistani Higher Education Institutions: An Alternative Social Anxiety Scale

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is neither just shyness, nor for most victims does it merely involve an inability to speak in public. For most sufferers of this disorder, it could be a pervasive, disabling condition that steals away opportunities for a richer, fuller life. Having an early onset and combining high prevalence rates with serious negative effects on functioning and quality of life, SAD is a public health problem of considerable magnitude. Hence, its assessment using a standardized measure and timely intervention can completely preempt or at least lessen the severity of this psychiatric illness. So far SAD among students in higher education institutions is a less investigated area of study in Pakistan. Students generally avoid reporting difficulties they experience while making interactions with people and quietly try to combat with their fears in social settings. Proper and timely diagnosis and treatment of SAD are required, and for this purpose, the need of the hour is to create a culturally oriented measuring instrument for proper surveillance of the student population in Pakistan. This paper, drawing from a study conducted at Higher Education Institutions (HEI) across Pakistan, addresses this issue by devising an indigenous, comprehensive, well-founded and valid scale of social anxiety in the Urdu language. The use of this scale, both in general and patient care settings, would effectively screen individuals who could be at risk of being victimized by this disorder. This alternative Social Anxiety Scale (SAS) carefully evaluates social behaviors and attitudes while also ensuring that cultural perspectives are considered, which would also encourage clinicians to evaluate SAD in Pakistani population

PSYCHOSOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF USAGE OF ENERGY DRINKS AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

ABSTRACTObjective:This study was conducted to determine psychosocial factors leading to energy drinks consumption among medical students.Design:This was observational cross sectional study.Durations and Time:This study was conducted at Services hospital Lahore from July 2017 to December 2017.Materials and Methods:All the students of MBBS or Allied Health Programmes who were enrolled in a medical college were included in our study. The exclusion criteria include all the students who were not registered with the college as medical student of MBBS or any allied health degree. A preformed questionnaire was given to every student.Results:A total of 100 students were recruited for this study. The mean age of the medical students was   22.3+2.2 years with range of 20-25 years. We observed 68(68%) of the students who used energy drinks. Out of these 41 (60.03%) were male and 27(39.07%) were females. 23 (33.82%) students consumed energy drinks for purpose of Energy gaining, 21 (30.88%) for the purpose of reducing sleep 8(11.76%) students consumed energy drinks for purpose of regaining body fluids. All other causes were minimal.Conclusion:We may conclude in our study that the energy drinks consumption is high among medical students.The main purpose of its usage is the regain of energy and to reduce the sleep for study purposes

Measuring the Scale and Scope of Workplace Bullying: An Alternative Workplace Bullying Scale

The toll of workplace bullying is immense, yet, similarly as with an iceberg, its scope, scale and implications tend to remain underestimated. Several ways of assessing the prevalence of workplace bullying have been proposed in the literature. The most frequently discussed are the ‘subjective method’ assessing individuals’ perceptions of being a victim and the questionnaire, i.e., criterion-based, methods, including Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ) and Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror (LIPT). Since in both cases culture plays a profound role as a mediating factor in the process of identifying, collecting, and processing data, the applicability of these methods across cultures and countries has several limitations. At this stage, it is impossible to determine the impact of the implicit cultural-bias that these methods entail on the research outcomes. This would be possible if an alternative workplace bullying scale (WBS) was at hand and, consequently, a comparative analysis was conducted. This paper, drawing from a study conducted at higher education institutions (HEI) across Pakistan, addresses this issue by devising an alternative WBS. The value added of this paper is three-fold, i.e., it elaborates on the study and the specific methods employed to prove the validity and relevance of the alternative WBS. Moreover, by so doing, it addresses some of the limitations that other methods measuring the prevalence of workplace bullying display. As a result, it adds to the researchers’ and administrators’ toolkit as regards research and policies aimed at mitigating the scope and scale of bullying at HEIs across cultures and countries

Mediating Bullying and Strain in Higher Education Institutions: The Case of Pakistan

Although workplace bullying is a well-researched phenomenon, the specific way it unfolds in higher education institutions (HEI) remains largely underdiscussed. Based on the outcomes of a survey conducted across HEI in Pakistan, by reference to structural equation modeling, using Amos-20, this paper not only adds to our understanding of the scope and features of bullying in HEI, but also suggests strategies employers and victims could employ to cope with the adverse implications of bullying. The key findings of this research are: (i) a positive correlation exists between the degree of workplace bullying and strain levels; (ii) more frequently than not, female employees, younger employees, and employees in junior positions are victims of bullying; (iii) bullying and strain can be fully mediated only when both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies are employed in synergy. In brief, although research findings elaborated in this paper draw from the specific case of HEI in Pakistan, this paper makes a case for more research, vigilance and action to understand the scale of the phenomenon in academia and to undertake concerted action to mitigate its adverse impact on specific individuals and HEI themselves

The association between parity, infant gender, higher level of paternal education and preterm birth in Pakistan: a cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High rates of antenatal depression and preterm birth have been reported in Pakistan. Self reported maternal stress and depression have been associated with preterm birth; however findings are inconsistent. Cortisol is a biological marker of stress and depression, and its measurement may assist in understanding the influence of self reported maternal stress and depression on preterm birth.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a prospective cohort study pregnant women between 28 to 30 weeks of gestation from the Aga Khan Hospital for Women and Children completed the A-Z Stress Scale and the Centre for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale to assess stress and depression respectively, and had a blood cortisol level drawn. Women were followed up after delivery to determine birth outcomes. Correlation coefficients and Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to assess relationship between preterm birth, stress, depression and cortisol. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the key factors predictive of preterm birth.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>132 pregnant women participated of whom 125 pregnant women had both questionnaire and cortisol level data and an additional seven had questionnaire data only. Almost 20% of pregnant women (19·7%, 95% CI 13·3-27·5) experienced a high level of stress and nearly twice as many (40·9%, 95% CI 32·4-49·8%) experienced depressive symptoms. The median of cortisol level was 27·40 ug/dl (IQR 22·5-34·2). The preterm birth rate was 11·4% (95% CI 6·5-18). There was no relationship between cortisol values and stress scale or depression. There was a significant positive relationship between maternal depression and stress. Preterm birth was associated with higher parity, past delivery of a male infant, and higher levels of paternal education. Insufficient numbers of preterm births were available to warrant the development of a multivariable logistic regression model.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Preterm birth was associated with higher parity, past delivery of a male infant, and higher levels of paternal education. There was no relationship between stress, and depression, cortisol and preterm birth. There were high rates of stress and depression among this sample suggesting that there are missed opportunities to address mental health needs in the prenatal period. Improved methods of measurement are required to better understand the psychobiological basis of preterm birth.</p

Measuring the Scale and Scope of Workplace Bullying: An Alternative Workplace Bullying Scale

The toll of workplace bullying is immense, yet, similarly as with an iceberg, its scope, scale and implications tend to remain underestimated. Several ways of assessing the prevalence of workplace bullying have been proposed in the literature. The most frequently discussed are the &lsquo;subjective method&rsquo; assessing individuals&rsquo; perceptions of being a victim and the questionnaire, i.e., criterion-based, methods, including Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ) and Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror (LIPT). Since in both cases culture plays a profound role as a mediating factor in the process of identifying, collecting, and processing data, the applicability of these methods across cultures and countries has several limitations. At this stage, it is impossible to determine the impact of the implicit cultural-bias that these methods entail on the research outcomes. This would be possible if an alternative workplace bullying scale (WBS) was at hand and, consequently, a comparative analysis was conducted. This paper, drawing from a study conducted at higher education institutions (HEI) across Pakistan, addresses this issue by devising an alternative WBS. The value added of this paper is three-fold, i.e., it elaborates on the study and the specific methods employed to prove the validity and relevance of the alternative WBS. Moreover, by so doing, it addresses some of the limitations that other methods measuring the prevalence of workplace bullying display. As a result, it adds to the researchers&rsquo; and administrators&rsquo; toolkit as regards research and policies aimed at mitigating the scope and scale of bullying at HEIs across cultures and countries