Entrepreneurial Agility: a key to notch ‘Sustainable Business Performance’ in IT-Enterprises of Pakistan

Entrepreneurial agility is an emerging phenomenon that circumambient over the last two decades. It refers to an individual or organizational capability to anticipate, visualize, and exploit unforeseen entrepreneurial challenges and opportunities existed in market. The study is intended to determine the role of entrepreneurial agility inn creating sustainable business performance among IT-enterprises through the mediation of business model innovation. Additionally, the study also tested the moderation of environmental dynamism between a) entrepreneurial agility and sustainable business performance and b) entrepreneurial agility and business model innovation. Overall, the study established moderated mediation framework about creating sustainable business performance in IT-enterprises via key of ‘entrepreneurial agility’. In this study, quantitative research approach is adopted to gather data from 215 respondents of IT-enterprises across Pakistan by using self-administered close-ended questionnaire. For sample selection, convenience sampling is used. Moreover, SPSS-24 (PROCESS macro) is used to test the moderated mediation framework about role of entrepreneurial agility in creating sustainable business performance through mediation of business model innovation and moderation of environmental dynamism. The empirical findings demonstrated that entrepreneurial agility has statistical significant effect on business model innovation and sustainable business performance. Likewise, business model innovation is also evidenced as antecedent of sustainable business performance. Moreover, mediation of business model innovation and positive moderation of environmental dynamism is also proved. This study is purely unique as it presented the moderated mediation framework of entrepreneurial agility, business model innovation, and sustainable business performance under the umbrella of environmental dynamism that were never tested and presented by anyone in context of IT-enterprises of developing countries like Pakistan. The study is enriched with certain theoretical and practical implications for body of knowledge, researchers, policy makers and practitioners. Current study highlighted the need and significance of entrepreneurial agility for IT-enterprises to get sustainable business performance. Moreover, this study is limited with cross-sectional empirical research in context of IT industry of Pakistan that created opportunities for upcoming researchers

Impact of rational and experiential thinking styles on interpersonal conflict resolution among young adults

This research aimed to find the relationship between thinking styles (rational or experiential) and interpersonal conflict resolution (ICR) in young adults. A sample of 99 females and 103 males, age range 18 to 40 years, was selected via convenient and snow-ball sampling. Thinking styles were assessed using Rational-Experiential Inventory-40, and ICR was measured using Conflict Resolution Questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to predict ICR based on thinking style covariates and several relevant demographic covariates, including gender and family birth order. Rational thinking style (RTS) was most prevalent among young adults and was the strongest predictor of ICR. In addition, gender was a significant predictor. These findings may help in coaching young adults toward a well-integrated personality by using rational thinking for effective ICR

Domestic violence and decision-making power of married women in Myanmar: analysis of a nationally representative sample

BACKGROUND: Women in Myanmar are not considered decision makers in the community and the physical and psychological effect of violence makes them more vulnerable. There is a strong negative reaction, usually violent, to any economic activity generated by women among poorer and middle-class families in Myanmar because a woman's income is not considered necessary for basic survival. OBJECTIVE: Explore the relationship between domestic violence on the decision-making power of married women in Myanmar. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: National, both urban and rural areas of Myanmar. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from the Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey 2015-16 were used in this analysis. In that survey, married women aged between 15 to 49 years were selected for interview using a multistage cluster sampling technique. The dependent variables were domestic violence and the decision-making power of women. Independent variables were age of the respondents, educational level, place of residence, employment status, number of children younger than 5 years of age and wealth index. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Domestic violence and decision-making power of women. SAMPLE SIZE: 7870 currently married women. RESULTS: About 50% respondents were 35 to 49 years of age and the mean (SD) age was 35 (8.4) years. Women's place of residence and employment status had a significant impact on decision-making power whereas age group and decision-making power of women had a relationship with domestic violence. CONCLUSION: Giving women decision making power will be indispensable for the achievement of sustainable development goals. Government and other stakeholders should emphasize this to eliminate violence against women. LIMITATIONS: Use of secondary data analysis of cross-sectional study design and cross-sectional studies are not suitable design to assess this causality. Secondly the self-reported data on violence may be subject to recall bias. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None

Narrowing the Accountability Gap for Transnational Justice: The Significance of Private International Law in Enforcing Human Rights

Purpose: The study endeavors to investigate the convergence of technologies and the implications for legal pluralism in human rights enforcement. It aims to examine how private international law can adapt to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, block-chain, and the Internet of Things. Design/Methodology/Approach: By analyzing select case studies, this research article aims to provide practical examples of how private international law has been applied, or could be applied, to enforce human rights in the digital sphere. It seeks to extract lessons from precedents to inform future legal approaches. Findings: Building on the findings, this article aims to propose actionable policy recommendations for lawmakers, regulators, and international organizations. It also aims to speculate on future trends and challenges in the evolving landscape of human rights enforcement in the digital era. Implications/Originality/Value: The research strives to explore the ethical dimensions surrounding the application of private international law in the digital age. It aims to establish normative frameworks that balance human rights protection with other legitimate interests

Metastatic prostatic adenocarcinoma presenting as generalized lymphadenopathy unmasked by a COVID booster vaccine

Key Clinical Message Lymphadenopathy following recent immunization is usually regional. Generalized lymphadenopathy should arouse suspicion for alternative underlying pathology. Prostate adenocarcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis for malignancy in an elderly male patient. Metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma can have good prognostic outcomes if treatment is started promptly, even in the setting of widespread disease. Abstract Generalized lymphadenopathy is commonly attributed to infectious causes or malignancy, often lymphoproliferative disorders. We present a rare case of metastatic prostate cancer diagnosed after initially presenting as generalized lymphadenopathy following a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) booster vaccination. A 70‐year‐old Hispanic male presented with left lower quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, headache, myalgia, severe constipation, and a right‐sided neck swelling that had been increasing in size since the day of his vaccination. Computed tomography (CT) scans of soft tissue neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis with contrast showed extensive lymphadenopathy. Ultrasound‐guided biopsy results of the enlarged right supraclavicular node and prostate revealed histopathology consistent with that of prostate acinar adenocarcinoma. He started on bicalutamide for 4 weeks, transitioned to gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (leuprolide) injections every 3 months and oral androgen receptor signaling inhibitor (abiraterone with prednisone daily). PSA level declined from 121 ng/mL at diagnosis to 1.3 ng/mL after 3 months of therapy, and repeat imaging showed marked improvement in the size of his mediastinal, retroperitoneal, and pelvic lymphadenopathy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported of a COVID vaccine booster uncovering lymphadenopathy leading to the diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer

Synthesis of DMEA-Grafted Anion Exchange Membrane for Adsorptive Discharge of Methyl Orange from Wastewaters

This manuscript describes the synthesis of dimethylethanolamine (DMEA)-grafted anion exchange membrane (AEM) by incorporating dimethylethanolamine as ion-exchange content into the polymer matrix via the solution casting method. The synthesis of the DMEA-grafted AEM was demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The prepared DMEA-grafted AEM exhibited higher thermal stability, homogeneous morphology, water uptake (WR) of 115%, and an ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 2.70 meq/g. It was used for the adsorptive removal of methyl orange (MO) from an aqueous solution via batch processing. The effect of several operating factors, including contact time, membrane dosage, initial concentration of aqueous dye solution, and temperature on the percentage discharge of MO and adsorption capacity, was evaluated. Experimental data for adsorption of MO onto the DMEA-grafted AEM was analyzed with two parameter and three parameter nonlinear adsorption isotherm models but fitted best using a nonlinear Freundlich isotherm. Adsorption kinetics were studied by using several models, and attained results showed that experimental data fitted well to pseudo-second-order kinetics. A thermodynamic study showed that adsorption of MO onto the prepared DMEA-grafted AEM was an endothermic process. Moreover, it was a feasible and spontaneous process

Synthesis of DMEA-Grafted Anion Exchange Membrane for Adsorptive Discharge of Methyl Orange from Wastewaters

This manuscript describes the synthesis of dimethylethanolamine (DMEA)-grafted anion exchange membrane (AEM) by incorporating dimethylethanolamine as ion-exchange content into the polymer matrix via the solution casting method. The synthesis of the DMEA-grafted AEM was demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The prepared DMEA-grafted AEM exhibited higher thermal stability, homogeneous morphology, water uptake (WR) of 115%, and an ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 2.70 meq/g. It was used for the adsorptive removal of methyl orange (MO) from an aqueous solution via batch processing. The effect of several operating factors, including contact time, membrane dosage, initial concentration of aqueous dye solution, and temperature on the percentage discharge of MO and adsorption capacity, was evaluated. Experimental data for adsorption of MO onto the DMEA-grafted AEM was analyzed with two parameter and three parameter nonlinear adsorption isotherm models but fitted best using a nonlinear Freundlich isotherm. Adsorption kinetics were studied by using several models, and attained results showed that experimental data fitted well to pseudo-second-order kinetics. A thermodynamic study showed that adsorption of MO onto the prepared DMEA-grafted AEM was an endothermic process. Moreover, it was a feasible and spontaneous process

Adsorption kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies of eosin-B onto anion exchange membrane

In this research, batch adsorption of anionic dye Eosin-B (EB) onto anion exchange membrane (AEM) (BI) from aqueous solution has been investigated at room temperature. The effect of some operating conditions such as contact time, membrane dosage, initial dye concentration and temperature on the percentage removal of EB from aqueous solution has been investigated in detail. Moreover, adsorption kinetics has been analyzed using different models such as pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich, liquid film diffusion, modified Freundlich and Bangham models. Results show that adsorption data fits to the pseudo-second order kinetics very well. Non-linear isotherms containing two parameters and three parameters isotherms have been applied on experimental data. Different thermodynamic parameters such as Gibb’s free energy (DG°), enthalpy (DH°), and entropy (DS°) have been calculated, which shows that adsorption of EB onto anion exchange membrane (B1) is an exothermic process.The authors are highly thankful to the CAS-TWAS President's fellowship for PhD financial support.Scopu