The Relationship between Environmental Reporting and Corporate Governance: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

The main purpose of the present research is to empirically scrutinize the relationship between corporate governance (CG) characteristics and environmental reporting (ER) (a component of corporate social responsibility) of firms in Pakistan, through the lens of stakeholder and agency theory. The annual reports of 50 non-financial companies listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) for the years 2014–2015 are content analyzed to compute the companies’ environmental reporting practices. A multifactor model comprising of six elements of CG, i.e. board size, board independence, CEO duality, audit committee independence, proportion of female directors on board and institutional investors is used to assess the impact of CG elements on companies’ environmental reporting initiatives. The results revealed that larger board size, higher proportion of independent non-executive directors on the board, partition of the dual role of chairman and CEO and institutional ownership is associated with greater environmental reporting. The results are valuable to both academics and policy makers in Pakistan

Servant leadership and organizational citizenship behavior, mediated by interpersonal employee conflict in Malaysian Universities

In contemporary work environment, universities seek to maximize academicians’ performance. Organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) is beneficial for organizations so universities expect the academicians to engage in OCB. As, OCB is not rewarded so academicians lack in its practice. Therefore, there was a need to investigate the factors which impact the OCB of academicians in Malaysian universities. This study investigated the effect of the five constructs of Servant Leadership on OCB of academicians in MTUN universities. Additionally, Interpersonal Employee Conflict (IEC), is natural and inevitable in any organization but have not been studied between Servant Leadership and OCB. To fill this gap, this quantitative study investigated the mediating role of IEC between servant leaders and OCB. Unit of analysis of this study was the academicians of MTUN universities. Study was conducted using a survey questionnaire distributed to 684 academicians of MTUN using stratified proportionate systematic sampling, mostly through online resources. Variance-based structural equation modelling was used to perform the analysis, using SmartPLS3 and SPSS Version 25. Results revealed that four of the five constructs of Servant Leadership were positively and significantly related to OCB, while IEC had a negative relationship with OCB. Servant Leadership constructs also had a negative relationship with IEC. Results revealed that IEC mediated the relationship between Servant Leadership and OCB. The findings have implications for academic leaders to practice Servant Leadership to foster academicians’ OCB and manage interpersonal conflicts. This study revealed that practice of servant leadership by academic leaders positively influence academicians’ OCB despite the presence of interpersonal employee conflicts. It is recommended to perform this study in the private universities in future, moreover, it is recommended to perform this study on non-faculty employees of public and private universities in different countries

Impact of multi factor leadership approach on employee conflict and employee performance in Malaysia

Leadership is the need of today’s business circumstances. Because care of the worker helps to enhance profit. Leader’s quality flourishes the life’s quality1. Followers thinking, approach,conduct and comfort is influenced by Leadership behavior. Development of leader’s abilities and capability is because of the preparation and training, a leader gets to progress, resulting in better leadership. According to 2, organizational and social atmosphere and leader’s interaction in it, makes Leadership multifaceted as also stated by 3, 4.Solving problems and handling crises to manage followers are the characteristics of leadership. Trait, contingency, behavioral, and transformational are the main leadership theories discussed by5. Multi-factor or full range of leadership theory (Transformational, Transactional and Laissez-faire) was developed by 6is a generalized model for diverse cultures, organizations and different management levels as described by7.Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire is frequently used instrument to explore leadership as quoted by numerous authors

Relationship of servant leadership with employee in-role and extra-role performance in GLC’s of Malaysia

This research aims to study the relationship of servant leadership with employee performance of in-role and extra role performance. Servant leadership, and its relationship with employee OCB and task performance are discussed to start with. Though some literature is available on links of servant leadership with employee task performance or Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, but how these two behaviors interact is not explained much. This paper explains that servant leadership has positive relationship with OCB. Though, other leadership approaches are different from servant leadership as its focus is on personal integrity and lasting relationships with employees

Stigma towards people with mental illness and community mental health ideology among university students: A comparative study

The study examines the difference between the stigma among psychology and non-psychology students towards people with mental illness and to find out their ideology towards community mental health services. A cross-sectional study was conducted among university students. All together (N= 300) participants were recruited through the quota convenient sampling. CAMI (Community Attitude towards the Mentally Ill) scale was used in this research, assess four types of attitudes towards mental illness (i.e., Authoritarianism, Benevolence, Social restrictiveness, and Community mental health ideology). The findings of this study show a significant difference between the attitudes of psychology and non-psychology students. Both the subscales, authoritarianism and social restrictiveness conclude that non-psychology students showed more authoritative and restrictive behavior towards mentally ill people and are less oriented towards community mental health ideology as compared to psychology students. However, psychology students showed less benevolence as compared to non-psychology students towards mentally ill people. Additional findings indicated that the level of authoritarianism, social restrictiveness, and benevolence is high among males as compared to females. The study highlights the need for society to develop a plan and action to change stigma attached to mental illness at both institutional and community levels

Mediating role of open innovation between the relationship of Blue ocean strategy and innovation performance, a study of Malaysian industry

This paper presents the introduction, literature review and methodology part of a bigger research work. Blue ocean strategy, open innovation strategy and innovation performance are the main constructs of this study. In the start after the introduction of problem of innovation performance and discussion of Malaysian industries specifically, Government linked companies is presented. Then variables of the study are discussed in detail. Then relationship of these variables are discussed, and the mediating variable of innovation strategy is presented. Relationship of these different variables are established from previous literature. In the end, theoretical framework is displayed and hypothesis are created for this study. Methodology and conclusion are also discussed. A self-administered questionnaire for Kim & Mauborgne’s Blue ocean strategy’s five characteristics is developed. While already established questionnaires are used for other two variables of innovation strategy and innovation performance. Results and discussion section presents the reliability, correlation and regression analysis of the pilot study, performed in Malaysian industry. In the end, possible future work of the study is elaborated.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Mediating role of innovation strategy between porter's red ocean strategy and innovative performance

Competitive advantage is need of every organization in today’s business environment especially when competition is very tough. This enforces organizations to make strategies to be more innovative for survival and progress. In today’s fast paced word of knowledge, strategies for business are characterized in Red oceans of competition and Blue oceans of uncontested markets. This paper exclusively tries to look into porter’s red ocean business strategy though generally there are different Red Ocean strategies of competitive market, these strategies are Porter’s competitive forces strategy, Resource based theory, and ‘Miles and Snow’ strategies etc. Though there are many studies on relationship of strategy and innovation but very few empirical studies are available. This paper examines the influence of porter’s business strategies of differentiation and cost on organizational innovation performance. This paper also explores that how porter’s red ocean strategy performs better for innovative performance. Mediating role of Open innovation strategy is also discussed. These relationships for innovation performance will be explored for other red ocean strategies and Blue Ocean Strategy in other papers. For this purpose, we shall use a quantitative research design and will collect data from 250 SME’s in Malaysia through a self-administrated questionnaire. Results will be analyzed for the relationship of porter strategy of cost and differentiation with innovation performance, moreover the mediating effect of Open innovation will be explored between porter’s ROS and Innovation performance

Assessment of selected heavy metals uptake from soil by vegetation of two areas of district Attock, Pakistan

The present study was conducted to examine the heavy metals in the soil and vegetation of two areas of district Attock (Pakistan). Investigations were made to compare the heavy metals concentrations (Cu, Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn) in a relatively less polluted site (Khour City) and a polluted site (Khour Company). An assessment of the selected heavy metals uptake by the soil and vegetation was made through calculation of bioaccumulation and enrichment factors. Samples of soil and plants were collected from both sites. From each site, four points were selected randomly for vegetation and soil sampling. Plant species included Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Calotropis procera, Ziziphus nummularia, Cynodon dactylon, Acacia senegal, Parthenium hysterophorus, Dalbergia sissoo and Desmostachya bipinnata. Heavy metals were detected in soil and vegetation of both areas using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Lead concentration was highest amongst other heavy metals in both soil and vegetation (Cynodon dactylon). In studied plant species heavy metals concentrations varied among different species. The level of heavy metal concentration in Khour Company was greater compared to Khour City. The increasing level of heavy metal contamination in the Khour Company area may be because of higher traffic density and industrialization compared to Khour City

Role of Surgical Feeding Gastrostomy in Patients Requiring Prolonged Nutrition in a Neurosurgical Department

Objective: To build up the nutritional status of the neurosurgical patients with an easy and practical way. Patients and Methods: This prospective study was conducted in Neurosurgery department of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad in a six months’ time. In total thirty adult patients of either gender with H/O road traffic accident with severe head injury and GCS less than 8/15, persistent vegetative state, brain tumor patients who had developed lower cranial nerve palsies were included in the study. 28 for two way Foleys catheter was used in feeding gastrostomy. Results: Thirty patients, with the median age of 35 years (range, 18-55 years) underwent feeding gastrostomy. Before the gastrostomy tube insertion, 18 patients had enteral nutrition by a nasogastric tube and 10 had parenteral nutrition (PN), with a median duration of 14.5 (range, 4-60) and 12 (range, 7-25) days, respectively. Two patients accidentally pulled out the gastrostomy tubes 10 and 11 days after insertion. Buried bumper syndrome developed in 1 patient. Two patients died 8 and 34 days after the procedure in the neurosurgical ICU. Twenty-eight patients were discharged from the hospital while being fed via the gastrostomy tubes. In 11 patients who were able to resume oral feeding, the tube was removed, with a median interval of 62 (range, 25-150) days. There was no Procedure-related mortality. Conclusion: An improvised method of nutritional support according to our circumstances. This study can be extended to other surgical and medical patients who need nutritional support for longer period of time.&nbsp