The effects of social capital, mentoring and innovation practices on small business performance : the moderating role of environmental turbulence

This research studies the relationship between social capital, innovative practice, mentoring, and SME performance of manufacturing firms in Punjab, Pakistan. The primary objective is to identify the moderating role of environmental turbulence on the relationship between social capital, innovative practice, mentoring, and SME performance. A theoretical model based on Contingency theory and Resource Based View (RBV) approach to the business performance of SMEs is developed. A survey method is employed, and questionnaires were used to obtain information from the owner/managers of SME in Punjab, Pakistan and cluster sampling is used for sample selection. Therefore, 500 questionnaires are distributed to the owner/managers of a small enterprise and only 340 of them are returned, giving a response rate of 68% percent. However, only 313 useable questionnaires are used for further analysis using the PLS-SEM. The high response rate is achieved due to the survey instrument being personally distributed by the researcher to the owner/managers of SME. The findings revealed that innovative practices and mentoring are positive and significant predictors of SME performance. While study fails to find the relationship between social capital and SME performance. Meanwhile mixed results are found upon investigating the moderating effect of environmental turbulence on the relationships between social capital, innovative practices, mentoring and SME performance. The findings of this study provided significant insights for both managers and researchers to further understand the effects of these variables on SME performance. The study concluded with a discussion of practical, theoretical and methodological contributions, the study limitations and suggestions for future research

A survey on the determinants of entrepreneurial training effectiveness among micro finance institutions of Malaysia

The importance of the training is increasing day by day not only in corporate sector but also in entrepreneurial sector.This study aims to evaluate the influencing factors of entrepreneurial training effectiveness of Malaysian microfinance institutions (hereinafter MFIs).This study use survey research design and involve four listed MFIs of Malaysia that are selected on the base of engagement in entrepreneurship training during last five years.Questionnaires are used to collect data from selected respondents by using stratified random sampling.Results of the study reveal that deteriorating rate of small and micro enterprises is increasing rapidly due to inappropriate training and non-allocation of sufficient funds. Findings confirm the relationship between entrepreneurial training effectiveness and training need analysis. Training contents also found a critical and important factor for training effectiveness.Results also show that there is a need to undertake a comprehensive analysis by MFIs on individual entrepreneurs and the job tasks in order to estimate their training needs.In this way, the need of clients for appropriate and relevant training can be addressed in a better way

Conceptual Metaphors in the Hazaragi Community’s Institution of Marriage in Balochistan, Pakistan

Conceptual metaphor theory explains conceptual systems through cross-domain mappings. The mapping occurs on a conceptual level in a way that one conceptual domain is understood in terms of another conceptual domain. It also shows how target domain is perceived or understood through numerous source domains. Daily life experiences of people create patterns of understanding and conceptual metaphors are used to utilise these patterns in our utterances about issues in the world. In this research paper, Lakoff and Johnson’s (1980) conceptual metaphor theory and Grice’s (1975) implicature theory are used as theoretical frameworks to identify, study and interpret conceptual metaphors for marriage in the Hazaragi community in Balochistan, Pakistan. This study focusses on the institution of marriage as this institution carries rich conceptual domains and has many conceptual mappings. Data collected from the book on Hazaragi idioms and two Hazaragi dramas were used to identify and analyse five general categories which include marriage as a food, marriage as an expensive commodity, marriage as a friendship, marriage as a slavery, and marriage as a journey or time. The paper also explores implied conceptual metaphors for marriage which do not indicate the concept of marriage directly.  In short, this study discusses how conceptual metaphors in the institution of marriage depict Hazaragi culture and tradition

Scrutinizing anti-corruption initiatives in Europe: lessons to learn for India?

Many studies have concluded that corruption hinders economic expansion by threatening the viability of the public budget and reducing the capital available for infrastructure development and social welfare. Thereby cultivating social inequality and eroding trust in the state and institutions. In recent decades, the European Union (EU) and India have experienced multiple corruption cases, including bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power. Consequently, some EU nations and India have attempted to implement legislations and frameworks to curtail corrupt practices. The impact of adopted approaches can be witnessed in the contrasting scores and ranks of both regions on the Corruption Perception Index. Therefore, considering the distinctiveness in the efficacy of the approaches adopted by both of these regions, this paper intends to explore the efficacy and limitations of anti-corruption initiatives and frameworks implemented in the EU region and, subsequently, recommend the adoption of a similar approach which may prove to be beneficial in addressing the pressing issues of political and bureaucratic corruption in India

Childhood non-Hodgkin\u27s Lymphoma: An immunophenotypic analysis.

Objective: To observe the frequency of histological subtypes of childhood non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma and its immunohistochemical profile. Setting: All cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosed in children (\u3c15 years) in the section of histopithology at the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi during the period of three years. Methods: These consecutive cases were evaluated on H&E stained sections and then immunohistochemistry analysis of these tumors was performed by employing Peroxidase Anti-Peroxidase (PAP) technique. Results: The present series included 61 cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. NHL was more common in males as compared to females with male to female ratio of 5.8:1. High grade NHL comprised 87% of childhood lymphoma. The mode of presentation in majority of NHL (57%) was extranodal. Burkitt’s lymphonia (33%) was the most prevalent histological subtypes, followed by lymphoblastic (28%), diffuse large cell (15%), diffuse mix small and large cell (13%), small non cleaved Non-Burkitts (7%) and immunoblastic (4%). Immunophenotypic analysis of the childhood Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma revealed that 67% of the Non-Hodgkin’s Iy mphoma are cell type while 33% are those of T-cell lineage. Conclusion: NHL was more common in males. Majority of NHL in children were high grade tumors. Burkitt’s lymphoma was the most frequent histological subtype. T-cell NUL comprised a significant portion of childhood lymphoma

Organizational Performance and Entrepreneurial Orientation: The Intervening Role of Organizational Learning

Many past studies have examined the association between entrepreneurial orientation (E.O.) and organizational performance (O.P.). However, these studies have not adequately addressed the mediating roles of acquisition learning (A.L.) and experiential learning (E.L.) on organizational performance. Given this gap, we have developed a new model that contains six direct relationships, three mediating relationships, and one multi-mediating relationship. The focus of the study was on Indonesian Pharmaceutical SMEs. We have collected a sample of 365 respondents non-randomly. For statistical analysis, we have used Smart PLS version 3.2. The statistical analysis includes reliability, validity, and descriptive statistics. The results confirm that acquisition learning (A.L.), experiential learning (E.L.), and entrepreneurial orientation (E.O.) promote organizational performance (O.P.). We also found that entrepreneurial orientation (E.O.) impacts acquisition learning (A.L.) and innovative performance (I.P.) but does not affect organizational performance (O.P.). However, the results suggest that acquisition learning (A.L.) and experiential learning (E.L.) are positively linked. Our results also support all the mediating relationships

Effect of spinning variables on packing density of cotton yarn

In this study, fibre distribution through the cross-sections of ring-spun yarns and their packing density values has been investigated to provide a better understanding of the internal structures of ring-spun yarns manufactured by changing different spinning variables. After the yarn manufacturing process, diameter, IPI index, uniformity index, single yarn strength, density and hairiness are tested and then evaluation of tests is done on the Minitab and Microsoft Excel. The impact of TPI, spindle speed, count, hairiness and diameter has been analyzed using yarn packing density as a response variable. The aim of present study is to produce a yarn with improved packing density so that the yarn properties could be predetermined. The study shows that the increase in yarn count, TPI and spindle speed increase the yarn packing density

The effectiveness of the Aggression Replacement Training (ART) model to reduce the aggressive level of madrasah aliyah students

Purpose: This study aims to prove the effectiveness of Aggression Placement Training ( ART ) in reducing the aggressiveness of students, especially in Islamic High School (Madrasah Aliyah).Method: This research used a true-experimental design method with a randomized pretest-posttest control group design. Samples were determined using random selection technique. The subjects were students of class XI Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Kendal. Aggressiveness data collection is using the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ).Results: The results of the study revealed that ART with an Islamic cultural and religious approach was effective in reducing the level of students' aggressiveness. The data show the level of aggressiveness of students in the experimental group was significantly lower than students in the control group. The theoretical means of 93,461 to 45.09 with a significance level of 0.00.Implication: ART is suggested to be applied to overcome student’s aggression, therefore it is recommended for further researchers to use larger research subjects to have a more accurate conclusion; use ART for problems other than aggression such as low prosocial, low morale, and so on; conduct research in school settings where students are more heterogeneous, which is using ART to reduce the level of students aggression in senior high school or vocational high school.Originally: This study used ART that had been adapted to the conditions of the Indonesian people, especially those who were Muslim. The training related to skill streaming, anger control training (ACT), and moral reasoning had an Islamic nuance.***Tujuan - Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membuktikan efektifitas Pelatihan Penempatan Agresi ( ART ) dalam mengurangi agresivitas siswa khususnya di Madrasah Aliyah .Metode - Penelitian ini menggunakan metode true-experimental design dengan rancangan randomized pretest-posttest control group design. Sampel ditentukan dengan teknik pemilihan acak. Subjek penelitian adalah siswa kelas XI Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Kendal. Pengumpulan data agresivitas menggunakan Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ).Hasil - Hasil penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa ART dengan pendekatan budaya dan agama Islam efektif dalam menurunkan tingkat agresivitas siswa. Data menunjukkan tingkat agresivitas siswa pada kelompok eksperimen secara signifikan lebih rendah dibandingkan siswa pada kelompok kontrol. Rerata teoritis sebesar 93,461 sampai dengan 45,09 dengan taraf signifikansi 0,00.Implikasi - ART disarankan untuk diterapkan untuk mengatasi agresi siswa, oleh karena itu disarankan bagi peneliti selanjutnya untuk menggunakan subjek penelitian yang lebih besar untuk mendapatkan kesimpulan yang lebih akurat; menggunakan ART untuk masalah selain agresi seperti prososial rendah, moral rendah, dan sebagainya; melakukan penelitian di lingkungan sekolah yang siswanya lebih heterogen, yaitu penggunaan ART untuk mengurangi tingkat agresi siswa di sekolah menengah atas atau sekolah menengah kejuruan.Orisinalitas -  Penelitian ini menggunakan ART yang sudah disesuaikan dengan kondisi masyarakat Indonesia, khususnya yang beragama Islam. Pelatihan terkait skill streaming, pelatihan pengendalian amarah (ACT), dan penalaran moral bernuansa islami