THE INFLUENCE OF SHOPPING MOTIVATION ON FASHION RETAILERS, WITH MEDIATING ROLE OF FASHION INNOVATIVENESS AND FASHION CONSCIOUSNESS

Adjusting and stimulating the fashion purchases within fashion stores the challenging situation of market strength to discover the new ways in fashion industry for introducing the new products. The study is based on four determinants of shopping motivation which are Sexual Attraction, Shopping for Recreation, Recognition Enhancement, Aesthetic Expression. Fashion consciousness and fashion innovativeness have strategic position in this challenge. In the setting of fashion retailing this study inspects how fashion consciousness and fashion innovativeness relates with factors of shopping motivation and actual fashion purchasing. It also examines the construct of shopping motivation on the association among fashion innovativeness, fashion consciousness and fashion purchases. The study executed through a consumer survey, data were obtained and analyzed using structural equation modelling. The consequences show that shopping motivation is positively affected by fashion innovativeness and fashion consciousness, and positively influences fashion purchase intention of customers. The direct link between shopping motivation and fashion purchase intention shows insignificant result. By using the concept of fashion innovativeness and fashion consciousness this study delivers recommendations for fashion retailers on increasing fashion purchases in their stores. JEL: L80; L81  Article visualizations

Nexus of Transformational Leadership and Employees’ Job Performance in Telecom Sector Pakistan

Transformational leadership is credited to inspire, motivate and support their employees in order to achieve organizational objectives. These leaders maintain the quality of workforce by inculcating visionary skills and abilities in their subordinates. This paper aims to examine the nexus of transformational leadership with employees’ job performance in telecom sector of Pakistan. The data is collected from the employees of PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited) head quarter, Islamabad through questionnaire. Sampling was made using purposive sampling technique. 150 questionnaires were distributed among the employees, out of which 120 were received back recording a response rate of 80 percent. It was hypothesized that transformational leadership is positively associated with employees’ job performance. Data is analyzed using correlation and regression analysis through SPSS. Results of the study indicate that majority of the PTCL employees agree that transformational leadership style has significant positive impact on employees job performance. In the light of the findings of this research it is recommended for PTCL management to adopt transformational leadership style to tackle today’s dynamic environment

RUTTING AND MOISTURE SUSCEPTIBILITY ASSESSMENT OF ASPHALT WEARING COURSE GRADATIONS

This research focused the impact of various aggregate gradations on permanent deformation and moisture susceptibility of asphalt concrete mixtures. Five wearing course of different gradation, namely NHA-A, NHA-B, SP-1, SP-2 and MS-2, were adopted. Two paving grade bitumen i.e. 40/50 and 60/70 were used. Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test (HWTT) and Modified Lottman test were performed to assess rutting propensity and moisture damage of asphalt mixtures. The results indicated the superior performance of NRL 40/50 binder in HWTT while mixes prepared with Parco 60/70 showed better resistance against moisture. In HWTT, NHA-A performed well followed by NHA-B and SP-2 while MS-2 and SP-1 failed the minimum rut depth criteria. All the mixtures passed the minimum benchmark for Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR). Aggregate gradation SP-1 given in Superpave guidelines provided greater resistance to moisture damage due to compact nature of the blend. Rutting tendency of the mixtures increased with increasing TSR and decreasing Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS)

Impact evaluation of structural adjustment program: a case of Pakistan

We analyzed the effect of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) on macroeconomic variables of Pakistan using annual time series data for the years 1981-2001. The impact of four policy instruments of SAP, i.e. reduction in budget deficit, increase in indirect taxes,adjusting the exchange rate and sliding down of subsidies, on employment, income distribution, per-capita income and inflation has been analyzed. It is found that the first policy instrument, i.e. decrease in budget deficit has affected employment, income distribution and inflation adversely. The second policy instrument of imposition of indirect tax negatively affected the employment, income distribution, per capita income and positively affected the inflation. The third policy instrument of SAP was adjustment of exchange rate. It is estimated that adjusting exchange rate has resulted into increased unemployment and inflation. The fourth policy instrument of shrink in subsidies augmented the unemployment, unequal distribution of income and inflation and dwindled the percapita income. It appears that SAP has adversely affected the major socioeconomic variables of the economy. Currently the government is considering for loan from IMF, so it is proposed to avoid such type of policy directives from IMF.Structural Adjustment Program, Budget deficit, Indirect taxes, Exchange rate, Subsidies, Employment, Income distribution, Per-capita income, Inflation,Pakistan

FEAR OF FAILURE AS A BARRIER TO START-UP AND ITS EFFECTS ON ASPIRANT ENTREPRENEURS

Researchers have looked into the theory of planned behaviour from many angles as it has a number of applications. Its role in explaining the entrepreneurial intention has widely been acknowledged. Keeping in view, that the area still needs to be explored. Keeping this need in mind, this article investigates the association between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intentions among university students in Pakistan. Besides, the direct relationship between these two constructs, the study also examines the moderating role fear of failure of social embarrassment between the EE-EI link. In all, 223 questionnaires from first- and second-year students were analyzed using hierarchal regression. The prior studies on the EE-EI relationship have mainly focused on the developed economies and have overlooked the potential effect of FF that prevents the university students to create their own venture, even though they take the entrepreneurship course as compulsory subject. Thus, this study fills the gaps in the EI literature and examines the moderating role of FF in the subject relationship in the context of a developing country Pakistan. The findings of the study reveal that EE is positively and significantly linked with the EI. The findings also report that FF negatively moderates the well-established link between EE and EI. The study provides several avenues for future research on EI and EE

The Effect of Total Quality Management on Firm Performance with the Mediating Roles of Innovation and Knowledge Management in Small Medium Enterprises

In the present era, the policy and decision makers are quite concerned regarding quality, hence the firms are more intricate and facing questions concerning which quality management practice would be adopted to increase the firm’s performance. The primary objective of this paper was to identify the effect of total quality management on firm’s performance through the mediating roles of innovation and knowledge management in the SME’S of Pakistan. A sum of 280 respondents was selected for data collection from various SME’S and employing a structural equation modelling for data analysis. It was summed up that a statistically significant causal correlation has been found among the TQM, innovation, knowledge management and firm’s performance. This article is established on theories like resource based theory and institutional theory. The results give cognitive understandings regarding how the modern as well as present SME’s would accomplish higher performance and consistent competitiveness through the interplay of these variables in the local and international market

The Role of Rater Motivation and Training in Effective Performance Appraisal System in Public Sector Universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Performance appraisal is considered to be the most significant element of performance management but often the former involves controversial practices, among other variables influenced by accuracy and effectiveness. However, it is generally understood that performance appraisal system commonly result into positive organizational outcomes, yet the accuracy of the measuring tools is still an arguable issue with more criticisms. The ongoing matters are measured and tested as a case study approach by paying attention on higher education institutions. Since higher education is progressively playing a vital role in economic competitiveness of a country. Aiming to examine the effect of rater motivation and rater training on performance appraisal process in public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and recognized as a critical contribution to organizational and people’s performance. Thus, this study finds the effects and consequences of rater motivation and rater training on performance appraisal system. This study is survey based, 300 questionnaires in total were distributed among the faculty of public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Out of which 160 were received back recording response rate of 53%. Findings of this study indicate that there was positive and significant relationship between rater motivation and performance appraisal and also between rater training and performance appraisal in public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The current study offers researchers with the opportunity to search performance appraisal from a new perspective which has never been explored before in a developing country like Pakistan

Noninvasive monitoring intracranial pressure - A review of available modalities

Background: Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is important in many neurosurgical and neurological patients. The gold standard for monitoring ICP, however, is via an invasive procedure resulting in the placement of an intraventricular catheter, which is associated with many risks. Several noninvasive ICP monitoring techniques have been examined with the hope to replace the invasive techniques. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of all modalities that have been used for noninvasive ICP monitoring to date.Methods: A thorough literature search was conducted on PubMed, selected articles were reviewed in completion, and pertinent data was included in the review.Results: A total of 94 publications were reviewed, and we found that over the past few decades clinicians have attempted to use a number of modalities to monitor ICP noninvasively.Conclusion: Although the intraventricular catheter remains the gold standard for monitoring ICP, several noninvasive modalities that can be used in settings when invasive monitoring is not possible are also available. In our opinion, measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter and pupillometry are the two modalities which may prove to be valid options for centers not performing invasive ICP monitoring

The Moderating Effect of Employee Satisfaction on the Relationship of Goal-Setting and Purposes, Fairness and Rating Scale Format with Employee Job Performance

The aim of this article is to explore the moderating effect of employee satisfaction on the relationship of goal-setting and purposes, fairness and rating scale format with employee job performance in the academic setting. Data were collected through survey questionnaire from 300 employees working in six public sector universities of KP, Pakistan. Multiple regression analysis has been used to test the hypothesis. The dimensions of the performance appraisal were found to be significantly correlated to employee job performance and employee satisfaction played a crucial role in moderating this relationship. Potential reasons and suggestions for managers and employees are discussed. The paper adds to the current pool of knowledge on the links among goal-setting and purposes, fairness, rating scale format, employee satisfaction and employee job performance. Various facets of these constructs were analyzed, so as to give an extensive and more ample understanding of the determinants that influence employer and employee

The Importance of Organizational Justice, Appraisal Purposes and Employee Satisfaction in Performance Appraisal System in Academic Sector of Pakistan

The purpose of this article is to find out the importance of organizational justice and its types along with employee satisfaction in the performance appraisal system. Data were collected from a sample of 180 respondents who replied their opinions regarding the variables included in the study. This study used SPSS to analyze collected data. The findings of study found a linkage of three kinds of organizational justice with performance appraisal. Also a strong association of employee satisfaction was found with components of organizational justice. The core restriction is that this study provides information limited to only one source, i.e. employees. This paper has practical effects on human resource development as it gives human resource practitioners and also to managers acting as rater of their employees with different ideas and recommendations.  Such ideas and recommendations typify how to maximize the perceived justice of the performance appraisal system in higher education sector of Pakistan. This study will also add some extra knowledge to the stake holders in higher education sector to understand and pinpoint the role of performance appraisal in academic sector