FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI) AND ITS IMPACT ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF DOMESTIC FIRMS IN PAKISTAN

The aim of this study is to find the impact of FDI on productivityof local firms in Pakistan. Seven different sectors i.e. mining,manufacturing, utilities, construction, whole sale and retail,communication and finance sectors with 193 firms (including foreign and domestic firms) for the period 2002 to 2011 are considered. Fixed effect method of panel data regression is used to analyze the data. The results reveal that FDI and other control variables capital intensity, economies of scale, firm’s size and firm’s age have a positive and significant impact on labor productivity in Pakistan. FDI brings technology, new knowledge, highly skilled management and investments to local firms which confer a competitive advantage and economies of scale thus increasing their productivity. Pakistan has tremendous opportunity for foreign direct investment and the government must provide friendly and safe environment to foreign investors so that they gain confidence to investment here

Resilient hemp shiv aggregates with engineered hygroscopic properties for the building industry

This study focuses on the surface treatment of an extremely hydrophilic natural plant material, hemp shiv, using a functionalised silica based coating to provide hydrophobicity while retaining its moisture buffering ability. The chemical composition and physical structure of bio-based materials results in their extremely hydrophilic behaviour. In this work, a simple one step coating process was used to enhance the water-repellence of hemp shiv without compromising its ability to adsorb and release moisture. The coating modified the morphology and surface roughness of hemp shiv providing a hydrophobic surface having a water contact angle of 118° and reduced the bulk water absorption by 250% over 24 h. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) showed that the treatment refined the pore size distribution of hemp shiv, reducing the size of larger pores but not completely blocking the smaller pores thereby allowing hemp shiv to buffer moisture. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the chemical composition was modified by the coating, reducing the hydroxyl groups. Hemp shiv aggregates treated with functionalised silica based coating show potential for the development of robust lightweight building materials with enhanced hydrophobicity

Preparation of breathable cellulose based polymeric membranes with enhanced water resistance for the building industry

This study focuses on the development of advanced water-resistant bio-based membranes with enhanced vapour permeability for use within building envelopes. Building walls are vulnerable to moisture damage and mold growth due to water penetration, built-in moisture, and interstitial condensation. In this work, breathable composite membranes were prepared using micro-fibrillated cellulose fiber (CF) and polylactic acid (PLA). The chemical composition and physical structure of CF is responsible for its hydrophilic nature, which affects its compatibility with polymers and consequently its performance in the presence of excessive moisture conditions. To enhance the dispersibility of CF in the PLA polymer, the fibers were treated with an organic phosphoric acid ester-based surfactant. The hygroscopic properties of the PLA-CF composites were improved after surfactant treatment and the membranes were resistant to water yet permeable to vapor. Morphological examination of the surface showed better interfacial adhesion and enhanced dispersion of CF in the PLA matrix. Thermal analysis revealed that the surfactant treatment of CF enhanced the glass transition temperature and thermal stability of the composite samples. These bio-based membranes have immense potential as durable, eco-friendly, weather resistant barriers for the building industry as they can adapt to varying humidity conditions, thus allowing entrapped water vapor to pass through and escape the building, eventually prolonging the building life

Modification of hemp shiv properties using water-repellent sol–gel coatings

For the first time, the hydrophilicity of hemp shiv was modified without the compromise of its hygroscopic properties. This research focused on the use of sol–gel method in preparation of coatings on the natural plant material, hemp shiv, that has growing potential in the construction industry as a thermal insulator. The sol–gel coatings were produced by cohydrolysis and polycondensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) using an acidic catalyst. Methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) was added as the hydrophobic precursor to provide water resistance to the bio-based material. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) have been used to determine the morphological changes on the surface as well as within the hemp shiv. It was found that the sol–gel coatings caused a reduction in water uptake but did not strongly influence the moisture sorption behaviour of hemp shiv. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy shows that the coating layer on hemp shiv acts a shield, thereby lowering peak intensity in the wavelength range 1200–1800 cm−1. The sol–gel coating affected pore size distribution and cumulative pore volume of the shiv resulting in tailored porosity. The overall porosity of shiv decreased with a refinement in diameter of the larger pores. Thermal analysis was performed using TGA and stability of coated and uncoated hemp shiv have been evaluated. Hemp shiv modified with sol–gel coating can potentially develop sustainable heat insulating composites with better hygrothermal properties

Comparative moisture and heat sorption properties of fibre and shiv derived from hemp and flax

Abstract: Unlike many mineral-based insulation materials bio-based lignocellulosic fibre and shiv offer a number of benefits including thermal and hygroscopic properties. The microstructure, porosity and chemical compositions of the plant cell walls play a major role in the moisture exchange process. In this paper, the effects of microstructure, chemical composition, porosity and pore size distribution of both fibre and shiv, from hemp and flax plants, on both moisture and heat sorption were studied for the first time. The physical and chemical characteristics of the fibre and shiv from hemp and flax were studied by using scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Water moisture sorption and heat of sorption were studied using a dynamic vapour sorption apparatus and a simultaneous thermal analysis system, combined with a humidity generator and using a copper furnace. Results showed that both the fibre and shiv of hemp and flax adsorbed a similar amount of moisture at a given relative humidity, which was dependent on the availability of hydroxyl groups for water in the cell wall. The macroscopic surface area and porosity of the specimen on a large scale had little influence on the availability of hydroxyl groups in the cell wall. The water molecules bound with cell wall molecules through hydrogen bonds over the full range of relative humidities, with a consistent hysteresis difference between the first sorption isotherm and subsequent sequential sorption cycles found in the hemp shiv specimens. For both hemp and flax, the isothermic hysteresis of the shiv was much higher than that of the fibre, which was shown to be dependent on the lignin content. The result of heat sorption indicated that some blocked sorption sites become available to water vapour molecules due to the change in molecular structure of the cell wall during the adsorption process. This study has improved understanding of the hemp and flax sorption behaviour and is important for optimal application of bio-based insulation materials for construction

Pattern-Related Visual Stress, Chromaticity, and Accommodation

PURPOSE. To investigate the impact of colored overlays on the accommodative response of individuals, with and without pattern- related visual stress (PRVS), a condition in which individuals manifest symptoms of perceptual distortion and discomfort when viewing a 3-cyc/deg square-wave grating. METHODS. Under double-masked conditions, 11 individuals who reported PRVS selected an overlay with a color individually chosen to reduce perceptual distortion of text and maximize comfort (PRVS group). Two groups of control subjects individually matched for age, sex, and refractive error were recruited. Control group 1 similarly chose an overlay to maximize comfort. Control group 2 used the same overlays as the paired PRVS participant. The overlay improved reading speed by 10% (P < 0.001), but only in the PRVS group. A remote eccentric photorefractor was used to record accommodative lag while participants viewed a cross on a background. The background was uniform or contained a grating and was either gray or had a chromaticity identical with that of the chosen overlay. There were therefore four backgrounds in all. RESULTS. Overall, the accommodative lag was 0.44 D greater in the participants with PRVS. When the background had the chosen chromaticity, the accommodative lag was reduced by an average of 0.16 D (P = 0.03) in the PRVS group, but not in the symptom-free groups: in control group 2 the colored background slightly increased the accommodative lag. CONCLUSIONS. Accommodative lag was greater in individuals susceptible to pattern-related visual stress and was reduced by a colored background. © Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Impact evaluation of structural adjustment program: a case of Pakistan

We analyzed the effect of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) on macroeconomic variables of Pakistan using annual time series data for the years 1981-2001. The impact of four policy instruments of SAP, i.e. reduction in budget deficit, increase in indirect taxes,adjusting the exchange rate and sliding down of subsidies, on employment, income distribution, per-capita income and inflation has been analyzed. It is found that the first policy instrument, i.e. decrease in budget deficit has affected employment, income distribution and inflation adversely. The second policy instrument of imposition of indirect tax negatively affected the employment, income distribution, per capita income and positively affected the inflation. The third policy instrument of SAP was adjustment of exchange rate. It is estimated that adjusting exchange rate has resulted into increased unemployment and inflation. The fourth policy instrument of shrink in subsidies augmented the unemployment, unequal distribution of income and inflation and dwindled the percapita income. It appears that SAP has adversely affected the major socioeconomic variables of the economy. Currently the government is considering for loan from IMF, so it is proposed to avoid such type of policy directives from IMF.Structural Adjustment Program, Budget deficit, Indirect taxes, Exchange rate, Subsidies, Employment, Income distribution, Per-capita income, Inflation,Pakistan

Inactive Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa:Does Inequality of Opportunity Matter?

The present study seeks to find out how gender, age, area of living, parent background in terms of educational level and occupation determine the probability of youth to be out of the labour market in six Sub-Saharan Africa countries. We utilize data from the school-to-work transition surveys from 2014 and 2015 from the ILO. For each country, we first calculate a revised version of the Human Opportunity Index developed by the World Bank. Second, we compute the contribution of each factor to that index. The results show that dissimilarity has a marked influence in Madagascar and to some extent Malawi and Uganda, while the major challenges with getting the youth onto the labour market are still in Liberia even after taking dissimilarity of unchangeable background into account

Resilient hemp shiv aggregates with engineered hygroscopic properties for the building industry

This study focuses on the surface treatment of an extremely hydrophilic natural plant material, hemp shiv, using a functionalised silica based coating to provide hydrophobicity while retaining its moisture buffering ability. The chemical composition and physical structure of bio-based materials results in their extremely hydrophilic behaviour. In this work, a simple one step coating process was used to enhance the water-repellence of hemp shiv without compromising its ability to adsorb and release moisture. The coating modified the morphology and surface roughness of hemp shiv providing a hydrophobic surface having a water contact angle of 118° and reduced the bulk water absorption by 250% over 24 h. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) showed that the treatment refined the pore size distribution of hemp shiv, reducing the size of larger pores but not completely blocking the smaller pores thereby allowing hemp shiv to buffer moisture. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed the chemical composition was modified by the coating, reducing the hydroxyl groups. Hemp shiv aggregates treated with functionalised silica based coating show potential for the development of robust lightweight building materials with enhanced hydrophobicity