INTERNAL AUDITING PRACTICES AND INTERNAL CONTROL QUALITY IN STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES: EVIDENCE FROM PAKISTAN

This study examines the role of internal auditing practices compliance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing (ISPPIA) in enhancing internal control quality in Pakistani State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Data was collected through an online survey of Chief Audit Executives (CAEs) of SOEs from various sectors. An ordinal logistic regression model was used to test the influence of compliance with international best practice guidelines of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) related to independence of the internal audit function, competence of the internal audit function, quality assurance and improvement programmes, and audit committee characteristics over seventeen principles of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) of the Treadway Commission Internal Control Framework. The results indicate that the independence of the internal audit function (IAF) and the characteristics of the audit committee have a statistically significant positive impact on the internal control system. However, findings related to quality assurance and improvement programs, and competence of the IAF, were deemed insignificant. The study is expected to contributes to accountability theory by highlighting that how quality internal audit practices can enhance internal control and thereby strengthen the accountability mechanism in public sector. The results are also expected to have important practical implication, both locally and globally

Storage Solutions for Big Data Systems: A Qualitative Study and Comparison

Big data systems development is full of challenges in view of the variety of application areas and domains that this technology promises to serve. Typically, fundamental design decisions involved in big data systems design include choosing appropriate storage and computing infrastructures. In this age of heterogeneous systems that integrate different technologies for optimized solution to a specific real world problem, big data system are not an exception to any such rule. As far as the storage aspect of any big data system is concerned, the primary facet in this regard is a storage infrastructure and NoSQL seems to be the right technology that fulfills its requirements. However, every big data application has variable data characteristics and thus, the corresponding data fits into a different data model. This paper presents feature and use case analysis and comparison of the four main data models namely document oriented, key value, graph and wide column. Moreover, a feature analysis of 80 NoSQL solutions has been provided, elaborating on the criteria and points that a developer must consider while making a possible choice. Typically, big data storage needs to communicate with the execution engine and other processing and visualization technologies to create a comprehensive solution. This brings forth second facet of big data storage, big data file formats, into picture. The second half of the research paper compares the advantages, shortcomings and possible use cases of available big data file formats for Hadoop, which is the foundation for most big data computing technologies. Decentralized storage and blockchain are seen as the next generation of big data storage and its challenges and future prospects have also been discussed

Assessment of Emotional Intelligence Levels among Students of a Public Medical College of Pakistan amidst the Crisis of Covid-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT                              Purpose                 Aim of the study was to determine the standards of emotional intelligence among students of Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi.                            Method                 A cross-sectional study, employing the use of a self-made online questionnaire, was carried out among the students of Rawalpindi Medical University’s 1st year to final year MBBS. Convenience sampling was used to collect data, which was subsequently entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version.25 for analysis. Results                   The average value of emotional intelligence was calculated to be 54.34% ±13.89 SD; mean values for emotional awareness, emotional management and social awareness were found to be 65.15% ±12.6 SD, 51.12% ±12.12 SD and 48.4% ±17.39 SD respectively.                 Conclusion                             The emotional intelligence of the students amidst the Corona virus pandemic had a noticeably lower value compared to the values determined previously in other studies in the absence of such pandemic. This result points towards the role of pandemic-induced stress in the apparent decrease of emotional intelligence

Political Awareness and Media’s Consumption Patterns among Students-A Case Study of University of Gujrat, Pakistan

This research examines the role of different media outlets in creating political awareness among students. This study shows that students of University of Gujrat consume mass media for both entertainment and political information. However, Television considered the best source of political information. Through this study agenda and framing theory used which revealed that media has an effect on its target audience. While, survey method has used to gauge the media consumption among university students. Mass media is considered a source of information that has the power to change choice of people. Media present issues to its audience with an effect that public forms opinion according to media’s emphasis on issue. Keywords: Mass Media, Consumption Pattern, Political Awareness, Media Agenda, Media Framin

Impact of Cable/T.V on Modern Lifestyle: A Study of Women

Researchers explore the demographic characteristic of the respondent, women exposure towards electronic media and its impacts on the adoption of modern lifestyle. Researcher was also checkout the impact of cable/TV on modern lifestyle. Electronic media is an influential tool for brining noticeable change in the views, outlook, attitude and interest of people. This study intends to emphasize the role of electronic media and its impact on minds of the women, and the environment in which it function. Researchers used the cultivation theory and face to face interview used as data collection method.  Results reveal that electronic media really impact on the modern lifestyle of women who had exposure towards electronic in their daily life and watching cable/TV. Keywords: Electronic Media, Cable television, Modern Lifestyle, Cultivation, Women, Impac

Corporate governance, ownership structure and dividend smoothing : the mediating role of family ownership and board diversity in emerging markets

Purpose: The study attempts to explore the determinants of dividend smoothing behavior of firms by using firm’s specific characteristics, corporate governance and ownership structure variables as determinants of dividend smoothing in emerging markets due to their unique features from Western markets. The current study is undertaken to fill this gap in the literature. Design/methodology/approach: In order to achieve the research objectives penal data (2009-2018) of more than 1000 Asian firms were analyzed by using Statistical techniques such as pool, fixed and random models. Findings: Based on gender critical mass theory, the study finds that the presence of gender critical mass is positive and significantly associated with firm dividend smoothing behavior; whereas, presence of fewer women depicts negative or insignificant association with dividend smoothing behavior. Importantly, the study also finds moderating role of gender diversity between family ownership and firm’s dividend smoothing behavior. Furthermore, contrary to the agency theory based on explanations of dividend smoothing, firms with family ownership smooth dividend more in emerging markets. Practical implications: This paper helps out to the current as well as future potential investors to make better decision in such a changing economy as well as to help investors in selecting better investment opportunity to make their investment more profitable. Originality/value: The current study is the first of its kind to investigate dividend-smoothing behavior for more than 1000 firms of emerging Asian countries based on cross country analysis.peer-reviewe