Waqf as a financial instrument for the development of social enterprises in Pakistan

The aim of this research is to develop an understanding of waqf entrepreneurship and social enterprises. We look into different aspects of these entities their operation, fund management and challenges they face. This paper further applies the waqf model under Islamic financing for social enterprises. This research is fundamentally, descriptive, and Qualitative in nature. Sources of information are both primary and secondary. Primary source includes an interview from a youth-led organization operating in Pakistan. The secondary sources include research articles and archival record. The studied established that in Pakistan, social enterprises have no legal status with only few policies that indirectly apply. Some of the financial sources of social enterprises identified are donations, grants, concessional loans. Social enterprises face several issues in Pakistan. These include lack of funding, social recognition, government support and hardships in doing business. Islamic Financial Institutes also have the potential of playing a key role in financing social enterprise. Through the use of Islamic financial instruments like Zakat, Sadaqah, Waqf, Sukuk etc., Islamic financial institutes can alleviate this sector. We particularly look at waqf-based financing for social enterprises

Financial Development and Governance: A Panel Data Analysis Incorporating Cross-sectional Dependence

This study investigates bidirectional causality between governance and financial development using panel data of 101 countries from 1984 to 2013. The financial development–governance nexus is explored using econometric methods robust to cross-sectional dependence, and the relationship between different levels of development and openness is analyzed. Long-run equation estimates show clear evidence that financial development positively affects governance, and this positive impact is found to be robust to three different measures of governance. Further analysis shows that improving governance quality has positive effects on financial development, while Granger causality tests demonstrate bidirectional causality between financial development and the governance measures. Last, the impact of financial development on governance is dependent on a country’s level of development and openness. These findings underscore the crucial role of financial development in bringing about good governance reforms and economic growth that, in turn, can further develop the financial sector. As such, a symbiotic and synergistic relationship can persist between good governance, growth, and financial development. The findings provide significant motivation for policymakers to encourage openness and financial sector development to lift the standard of living, especially in emerging economies

Technologies and solutions for location-based services in smart cities: past, present, and future

Location-based services (LBS) in smart cities have drastically altered the way cities operate, giving a new dimension to the life of citizens. LBS rely on location of a device, where proximity estimation remains at its core. The applications of LBS range from social networking and marketing to vehicle-toeverything communications. In many of these applications, there is an increasing need and trend to learn the physical distance between nearby devices. This paper elaborates upon the current needs of proximity estimation in LBS and compares them against the available Localization and Proximity (LP) finding technologies (LP technologies in short). These technologies are compared for their accuracies and performance based on various different parameters, including latency, energy consumption, security, complexity, and throughput. Hereafter, a classification of these technologies, based on various different smart city applications, is presented. Finally, we discuss some emerging LP technologies that enable proximity estimation in LBS and present some future research areas

A Nonparametric Analysis of Energy Environmental Kuznets Curve in Chinese Provinces

Energy resources are an important material foundation for the survival and development of human society, and the relationship between energy and economy is interactive and complementary. This paper analyzes the energy consumption–economic growth nexus in Chinese provinces using novel and recent nonparametric time-series as well as panel data empirical approaches. The dataset covers 30 provinces over the period of 1980-2018. The empirical analysis indicates the presence of a nonlinear functional form and smooth structural changes in most of the provinces. The nonparametric empirical analysis validates the presence of a nonlinear unit root problem in energy consumption and economic growth, and nonlinear cointegration between the variables. Additionally, the nonparametric panel cointegration test reports evidence of convergence in energy consumption and economic growth patterns across the provinces. The nonparametric regression analysis finds economic growth to have a positive effect, on average, on energy consumption in all provinces, except for Beijing. Further, the energy environmental Kuznets curve exists between economic growth and energy consumption in 20 out of 30 Chinese provinces. The Granger causality analysis reveals the presence of a mixed causal relationship between economic growth and energy consumption. The empirical findings have important implications for Chinese authorities in planning for improving energy efficiency, decoupling between economic growth and energy consumption, and reducing the environmental footprint of provinces

Formulation and in vitro evaluation of mucoadhesive controlled release matrix tablets of flurbiprofen using response surface methodology

The objective of the current study was to formulate mucoadhesive controlled release matrix tablets of flurbiprofen and to optimize its drug release profile and bioadhesion using response surface methodology. Tablets were prepared via a direct compression technique and evaluated for in vitro dissolution parameters and bioadhesive strength. A central composite design for two factors at five levels each was employed for the study. Carbopol 934 and sodium carboxymethylcellulose were taken as independent variables. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy studies were performed to observe the stability of the drug during direct compression and to check for a drug-polymer interaction. Various kinetic models were applied to evaluate drug release from the polymers. Contour and response surface plots were also drawn to portray the relationship between the independent and response variables. Mucoadhesive tablets of flurbiprofen exhibited non-Fickian drug release kinetics extending towards zero-order, with some formulations (F3, F8, and F9) reaching super case II transport, as the value of the release rate exponent (n) varied between 0.584 and 1.104. Polynomial mathematical models, generated for various response variables, were found to be statistically significant (PO objetivo do presente estudo foi formular comprimidos mucoadesivos de flurbiprofeno, de liberação controlada, e otimizar o perfil da liberação do fármaco e a bioadesão, utilizando a metodologia de superfície de resposta. Prepararam-se os comprimidos via técnica de compressão direta, que foram avaliados in vitro quanto aos parâmetros de dissolução e da força bioadesiva. Planejamento com componente central para dois fatores em cinco níveis cada foi empregado para esse estudo. Carbopol 934 e carboximetilcelulose sódica foram tomados como variáveis independentes. Efetuaram-se estudos de espectroscopia por transformada de Fourier (FTIR) para observar a estabilidade do fármaco durante a compressão direta e para avaliar a interação a fármaco-polímero. Aplicaram-se vários métodos cinéticos para avaliar a liberação do fármaco dos polímeros. Gráficos de superfície de contorno e de resposta foram efetuados para retratar a relação entre as variáveis dependentes e a resposta. Os comprimidos mucoadesivos de flurbiprofeno apresentaram cinética de liberação não-fickiana, estendendo para ordem zero, para algumas formulações (F3, F8 e F9), alcançando transporte super caso II, à medida que o valor do expoente (n) de taxa de liberação variou entre 0,584 e 1,104. Modelos matemáticos polinomiais, gerados por diversas variáveis de resposta, foram estatisticamente, significativos (

Politicized Policing in Pakistan: A Constructivist Study of Problems of Policing in Lahore

Unable to exorcise its nightmarish traits inherited as colonial legacy, police in Punjab is still seen as a publicfrightening rather than a public-friendly organization, which continues to promote a sense of fear rather than security and wellbeing among the population. This image has perpetuated a widespread mistrust between police and the general masses. Reforms introduced in past were either not implemented properly or failed to improve policing. This constructivist study focuses on the lived experiences of different stakeholders in society and highlights different aspects of the phenomenon as understood and described by those stakeholders, highlightingpublic image of police, problems faced by police and their perceived reasons, views on previous reforms and hurdles in the way of their implementation, and suggestions for improvement

Challenges Faced by the Repatriates and their Subsequent Impact on Repatriates’ Satisfaction

Objective: Through decades repatriation has been the most ignored and a problematic phase of the Expatriate Management Cycle (EMC). Expatriates when returning back to their home country are referred as Repatriates and this returning phase is known as Repatriation phase of the Expatriate Management Cycle. This Repatriation phase is mainly the unplanned stage where organizational managers make the mistake. They certainly believe that the repatriates are returning back to their home and wrongly assumes that there will be no complications or challenges for these repatriates on their arrival back to home country. This strategic lack results in the immense dissatisfaction of these repatriates soon after arrival to the home county. Our aim is to provide a detailed study on the process of repatriation by identifying the challenges that are faced by the repatriates on their arrival to the home country and to oversee their subsequent impact on their job performance. Methodology: Data was collected through primary means using convenience sampling method through various organizations and of 300 respondents 186 were filtered out to be analyzed using different statistical techniques on SPSS. Result: There exist a significant negative relationship between all the identified challenges faced by the repatriates and their job satisfaction level Implication: At the end of the research some recommendations were also proposed for the organizational managers to overcome these challenges. This piece of research can not only be used by the researchers for their research work but can also be based by the organizational managers to formulate their repatriation strategies

Politicized Policing in Pakistan: A Constructivist Study of Problems of Policing in Lahore

Unable to exorcise its nightmarish traits inherited as colonial legacy, police in Punjab is still seen as a publicfrightening rather than a public-friendly organization, which continues to promote a sense of fear rather than security and wellbeing among the population. This image has perpetuated a widespread mistrust between police and the general masses. Reforms introduced in past were either not implemented properly or failed to improve policing. This constructivist study focuses on the lived experiences of different stakeholders in society and highlights different aspects of the phenomenon as understood and described by those stakeholders, highlightingpublic image of police, problems faced by police and their perceived reasons, views on previous reforms and hurdles in the way of their implementation, and suggestions for improvement