Assessing Gains of stakeholders for Mega Project implementation: Learning from Beneficiary Assessment of Lahore Ring Road Project, Pakistan

The population is increasing rapidly globally, and urban expansion of the cities has become an extensive trend in developing nations. Urban expansion patterns, such as transportation structure and road networks, affect transportation planning. This research was conducted on a mega project in Lahore city of Pakistan, i.e., the Lahore Ring Road (LRR) project. Limited research focused on the beneficiary assessment of the road project, and this research was carried out to fill this research gap. This research aims to evaluate the beneficiary assessment of DHA Phase 8 and Halloki Settlement along the Lahore Ring Road. The simple Random Sampling technique was used to conduct the household survey in the study area. This study concluded that most of the residents did not modify their houses nor increase the built-up area and height after the introduction of the project. This study inferred that the rental potential was high at some locations and low at old existing settlements. This research further concluded that community participation was ignored, and public facilities were not improved in the study area. But a project of LRR was very much beneficial and alive for the residents of Lahore city. Community participation should be enhanced in such types of megaprojects, and allied facilities in the nearby community should be upgraded. This research will be helpful for policymakers, urban planners, transportation planners, development authorities, and other stakeholders in planning future road projects in the country

DOES OWNERSHIP CONCENTRATION MODERATES CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY-FIRM PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP?

CSR is basically a commitment demanded from companies to protect stakeholder interests, enhance societal conditions, and contribute to sustainable development. This study investigated the relationship between corporate social responsibility and firm financial performance with a particular focus on measuring the moderating impact of ownership concentration on the CSR-performance relationship. The data is collected from the companies’ annual reports, State Bank of Pakistan database and the Pakistan Stock Exchange for the period 2014-2020. The fixed effect regression model is used to measure the impact of CSR on firm financial performance. The results of the study revealed that CSR has a significant negative impact on firm financial performance. Furthermore, ownership concentration also negatively moderates the relationship between CSR and firm financial performance

EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT AND ITS INFLUENCE ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: A CASE OF HAZARA UNIVERSITY

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of employee empowerment on the performance of faculty members at Hazara University. In this regard survey approach was used and data was collected through self-administered questionnaires. Out of total population of 490 faculty members, 450 were selected as a sample and questionnaires were distributed among them out of which 360 were received back. The findings of the study revealed that trust, reward and communication have a statistically significant and positive effect on employee performance. Additionally, knowledge has a negative relationship with employee performance but it is statistically in significant

Does Stress affect job performance of male and female employees differentially? A study of the perceptions of employees of Sungi in Hazara Region of Pakistan

This study was carried out to find how stress affects the performance of male and female employees in the NGO sector in Pakistan. The authors have used a case study approach. The data was collected using in-depth interviews of the employees of Sungi foundation in district Abbottabad of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Our results suggest that stress differentially impacts both male and female employees in the NGO sector in Pakistan. Although both males and females thought they experienced a drop in performance due to stress, the female employees felt they were affected more. This is due to their family responsibilities in addition to job duties. The study does not seek to generalize to all the other settings and the authors strongly suggest further studies to replicate the findings. The use of rigorous quantitative methodologies will lend more rigors to the results

INTERNAL FACTORS, EXTERNAL FACTORS AND BANK PROFITABILITY

A developed banking sector provides the impetus for the economy to grow. However, in order to maintain financial stability and sustain negative shocks, it is important to understand the factors that influence the profitability of banks. The aim of the study was to analyse the effect of internal and external factors on the profitability of banks in Pakistan for the period 2007-2015. Fixed effects model was used to analyse the effect of internal and external factors on the profitability of banks in Pakistan. The findings of the study revealed that among internal factors only bank size and asset composition significantly influences the profitability of banks whereas in the external determinants only real interest rates and GDP growth rates has a significant effect on the profitability of banks

EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT AND ITS INFLUENCE ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE: A CASE OF HAZARA UNIVERSITY

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of employee empowerment on the performance of faculty members at Hazara University. In this regard survey approach was used and data was collected through self-administered questionnaires. Out of total population of 490 faculty members, 450 were selected as a sample and questionnaires were distributed among them out of which 360 were received back. The findings of the study revealed that trust, reward and communication have a statistically significant and positive effect on employee performance. Additionally, knowledge has a negative relationship with employee performance but it is statistically in significant

DOES WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT AFFECT CORPORATE PROFITABILITY?

Managing working capital efficiently and effectively is critical for modern organizations as it directly affects firm’s profitability, liquidity and riskiness. A vast majority of empirical studies have focused on developed countries whereas in case of developing countries like Pakistan it is somewhat under researched. The economy of Pakistan is passing through challenging times with rising inflation, energy crisis, poor law and order etc. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate whether working capital policies adopted by listed organizations within the sugar industry of Pakistan (PSX) are efficient or not in these challenging conditions and what kind of effect (positive or negative) they have on the profitability of the firm. Data from 2006 to 2015 was collected for this study and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) technique was used to analyse the effect of working capital management on firm profitability. Empirical results of the study show that all four components of working capital used in this study have statistically significant and negative relationship with firm’s profitability.Â

Analyzing the relationship between green innovation and environmental performance in large manufacturing firms

Abstract Extant literature suggests that green intellectual capital (GIC), green human resource management (GHRM), and green innovation (GI) impacts the environmental performance of firms. In this paper, we argue that the relationship between GIC, GHRM, GI and environmental performance is more complex than previously suggested. We propose that neither GIC nor GHRM are directly related to environmental performance. We argue instead that GI mediates the relationships between GIC, GHRM, and environmental performance. Further, we suggest that environmental strategies are directly related to environmental performance, while also moderating the relationship between GI and environmental performance. We tested our proposed model on a sample of 244 large manufacturing firms. The results of a structural equation modeling analysis provide support for most of our hypotheses

Incorporation of garlic extract as antifungal agent in psyllium based edible coating for mandarin

oai:ojs.ijfaas.com:article/2In present Research work, the mathanolic extract of garlic was incorporated in locally developed Psyllium based edible coating for its application on mandarin. Different concentrations of the extract were used in the coating and quality of the fruit was monitored during storage at room temperature. The results indicated that there was least change (increase) in brix, weight loss, brix/acid ratio, pH and acidity of the fruit during storage studies.  The fungal contamination was effectively controlled due to incorporation of garlic extracts at a rate of 6-8%. On the basis of these results it was concluded that the garlic extracts can be used in psyllium based edible coating and it has antifungal significant antifungal potential but at relatively higher concentrations (>6%)

Does Stress affect job performance of male and female employees differentially? A study of the perceptions of employees of Sungi in Hazara Region of Pakistan

This study was carried out to find how stress affects the performance of male and female employees in the NGO sector in Pakistan. The authors have used a case study approach. The data was collected using in-depth interviews of the employees of Sungi foundation in district Abbottabad of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Our results suggest that stress differentially impacts both male and female employees in the NGO sector in Pakistan. Although both males and females thought they experienced a drop in performance due to stress, the female employees felt they were affected more. This is due to their family responsibilities in addition to job duties. The study does not seek to generalize to all the other settings and the authors strongly suggest further studies to replicate the findings. The use of rigorous quantitative methodologies will lend more rigors to the results