Antecedents of job satisfaction: A study of telecom sector

This study is based on the assumption that “a happy worker is a productive workerâ€. The research was conducted to identify the significance of those factors that lead towards job satisfaction and commitment of employees working in the telecom sector of Pakistan. The associations among pay and benefits, performance appraisal system, career development and management, supervision and collegiality and open communication (independent variables) were investigated with job satisfaction (dependent variable). The relationship between job satisfaction (dependent variable) and job commitment (outcome) was also hypothesized. Through questionnaire survey responses from 221 employees working at managerial and non-managerial positions were collected, which showed the significant association of supervision and collegiality and open communication on job satisfaction. Furthermore, job satisfaction was also found highly correlated and dependent upon job commitment. Managerial implications and conclusions are presented based upon these results.Labor and Human Capital,

Iran, Persian Gulf and Relations with the United States: The Myth of Hegemony (1968-75)

Abstract A host of negative perceptions about Western interests in keeping the Shah of Iran on throne and encouraging his aggressive posture during 1968-79 abound the anti-Imperialist narrative across the Persian Gulf. Negative references to the Shah’s stance against his Gulf and Westerly neighbours, such as claims on Bahrain, Abu Musa and the Tunbs Islands; instigating the Iraqi Kurdish rebellion and threatening to detach Pakistani Baluchistan during 1972-75 notwithstanding, his otherwise hostile behaviour in the OPEC threatening oil embargos against the West, as well actions in Dhofari rebellion during 1970-75, can only be explained as positive contributions towards the Arab cause and acting against Western interests. In addition, while the Shah acted against various Soviet protégés in the Gulf and western Asia during 1969-78, the Soviet countenance to his regional policies after his demanding American withdrawal from Bahrain in 1968 contradicts his acting on behalf of US interests or keeping the conservative Arabs incheck, or harbour expansionist ambitions. Analysing “Top-Secret” diplomatic correspondence detailing the Shah-US undertakings on these controversies, this study instead claims that the Shah wanted closer relations with all the conservative Arabs and revolutionary Iraq to protect the region from the US “bargains” with the Soviets. He actually protected his Sheikhly Arab neighbours from the Western military threat during 1968-71; extended direct security guarantees to Saudi Kingdom and Pakistan during 1972-75; and never harboured ambitions to take a security role under Nixon Doctrine thrgouh an aircraft Carrier navy well after 1971. The work discovers that the Shah had actually become resistant to President Johnson and Nixon’s advice on Iran’s security and relations with the Soviet Union, after refusals to provide necessary defensive weapons; threatening the Shah with arms embargoes and refusing any security guarantee to Iran from the Soviet, Nasserite or the Marxist threats during 1967-72. In fact, the study suggests that contrary to the stated objectives for US stationingthe MIDEASTFOR in Bahrain as security presence, Nixon intended to increase his bargaining position viz-a-viz the Soivet vulnerability along the southern borders; seek Soviet restraint against Europe and agree to Strategic Arms Limitations. The Shah was assured supplies of high-tech arms as a “recompense” for quiescence over US presence and Détente, and act as a conduit for arms to Pakistan after the 1971 War. The Shah’s interest in containing revolutionary Iraq after 1972 through the Kurds is also demonstrated as contradictory to Kissinger’s motives for Shah to act along Soviet borders and “neutralize” Iraq from the anti-Israeli quation. This study uncovers that the Shah did not act unilaterally against Saddam during 1972-75, but received support from King Faisal, Hussein and Kuwait, whereas, Nixon and Kissinger were duly warned by the CIA about the Shah’s “heavy-handed” tendencies against Arab neighbours; the dangers of triggering an arms race - without commensurate Iraqi threat -and which could elicit Soviet counter-actions should Iran threatened its southern borders or regional clients

Examining Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Counterproductive Work Behavior: A Moderated Mediated Model

Despite various attempts to know the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB), the findings are inconsistent and offer a varying degree of associations. The present study examines the underlying mechanism by hypothesizing impression management (IM) as a mediator to address the element of equivocality in the subject matter. Furthermore, it tests the moderating role of self-esteem (SE) on the impression management to counterproductive work behavior relationship. A representative sample of 398 employees was collected from different organizations of Pakistan. The results confirmed the intervening role of impression management between emotional intelligence and counterproductive work behavior. Furthermore, the employees high on self-esteem showed lesser tendencies to involve in counterproductive work behavior. Theoretical and practical implications have also been discussed

Impact of Credit Risk Management on Bank Performance: An Empirical Study on Commercial Banks Listed at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX)

Commercial banks are involved in uncontrolled credit risk management that negatively affects their sustainable banking performance. Many guidelines, strategies, and judgments have been made, such as the Basel Accords, to control these issues and adequately manage their lending and borrowing policies. This study aims to analyse the impact of credit risk management on the sustainable performance of commercial banks. For this purpose, secondary panel data was collected from the annual financial reports of 27 commercial banks out of the 31 listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) for the period 2017-2021. E-views 10 software was applied to perform descriptive correlation and multiple regression analyses. In the current study’s model, credit risk management proxies, return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), and net interest margin (NIM) were employed as dependent variables. At the same time, capital adequacy ratio (CAR), loan and advances (LA), non-performing loans (NPL) ratio, market profit opportunity (MPO), and bank liquidity (BL) were employed as independent variables. The study concludes that bank liquidity has a significant positive relationship with bank performance. Comparably, capital adequacy ratio, non-performing loans, bank liquidity, market profit opportunity, and loan and advances harm the sustainable performance of commercial banks. The research suggests that implementing stricter policies and strategies, such as the regulation of customer loans, is required to control these issues

REVISITING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EUDAIMONIC WELL-BEING AND INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP: MEDIATING ROLE OF PERCEPTION OF INCLUSION

The main goal of the current research is to investigate the mediator role of perception of inclusion between inclusive leadership and eudaimonic well-being. The partial least square method of structural equation modeling was incorporated to test the direct effect and the mediating effect based on data collected from 401 respondents of dissimilar sectors but mainly from the pharmaceutical sector. The results exposed an insignificant direct effect and significant indirect impact of inclusive leadership on eudaimonic well-being; however, the variable perception of inclusion was found to be a significant mediator. Nevertheless, the results contribute to the prior research studies that largely investigated the direct relationship between employee well-being and leadership, by showing that perception of inclusion mediates the relationship between eudaimonic well-being and inclusive leadership. The findings of the current research study certainly will help managers working in many industries set up and maintain behaviors that can improve employees' well-being, particularly eudaimonic well-being at work

Impact of Epidemiological Factors on Development of Puccinia Triticina Sp. Tritici on Wheat in Pakistan

The weather changes after the host-pathogen interaction play a vital role in the wheat leaf rust development. This study presents the impact of weather changes at wheat growing areas of Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and Sakrand  on development of wheat leaf rust  by taking into account the disease and weather data (from 4th February -5th March) of the respective years from 2003-2009. For the purpose multiple regression analysis of the temperature, relative humidity and wind velocity with the disease severity on six wheat cultivars namely Morroco, Inqilab-91, Sarsabz, Kirin-95, Soughat-90 and Tandojam-83 was conducted. It was found that temperature and relative humidity both played a significantly positive effect in disease development while wind velocity had negative impact on disease development. The most favorable conditions for leaf rust development on wheat in Pakistan were recorded at Bahawalpur, where the temperature (16.85-20.44°C), relative humidity (57.08-76.95%) and wind velocity (1.98-4.07 km/hr) acts collectively in onset of leaf rust. When these weather parameters were individually regressed no clear trends were noticed keeping in view their coefficient of determination (R2), regression coefficients/lines. This study depicts that all these factors interact with each other in a multi-colinear interaction, and had a collective effect on onset of leaf rust in the natural environment. Key words: Climate change, wheat, leaf rust, weather parameter

Effect of High Dose Ginger on Plasma Testosterone and Leutinising Hormone Levels in Male Rats after Lead Induced Toxicity

To study the effect of high doseginger on plasma testosterone and leutinisinghormone levels in male rats after lead inducedtoxicityMethods: In this quasi experimental study, 30adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided in twoequal groups. Group A was given 0.3% lead acetatein drinking water and kept as lead control while theGroup B was given a dose of 1.5gm/kg body weightginger orally along with 0.3% lead for 42 consecutivedays. Rats were then sacrificed and serumtestosterone and LH levels were analyzed usingELISA technique. Data was expressed as mean±SD.P-values <0.05 were considered as statisticallysignificant.Results: At the end of 42 days, mean serumtestosterone level in Group A (control Group) was2.2667± 0.45617ng/ml as compared to Group B(Experimental Group) 2.2667 ± 0.45617ng/ml andshowed statistically insignificant change(p>0.05).Comparison of mean serum LH levels in Group A(5.3200 ± 0.72526ng/ml)revealed statisticallyinsignificant difference (p>0.05) as compared toGroup B (5.7467 ± 0.70190ng/ml).Conclusion: High dose ginger (>1gm/kg bodyweight) failed to enhance the suppressedtestosterone level due to lead toxicity in male rat

The Relationship between Ethical Leadership and Whistle-Blowing: The Moderating Effects of Job Security and Affective Commitment

The present study examines the positive impact of ethical leadership on whistleblowing. The study further investigates the role of job security and affective commitment as moderators on the relationship between ethical leadership and whistleblowing. This study examined the fundamental moderating mechanism, which is unique because no such mechanism has been investigated in previous research. A cross-sectional representative sample of 285 Federal Government employees from various Ministries/Divisions and the Benazir Income Support Programme, a corporate body and a renowned social safety net under the Federal Government of Pakistan, was collected. Of the 285 questionnaires, only 241 were deemed useable and were analyzed. A statistical analysis was carried out through correlation, descriptive, and moderated regression analysis. The results supported the first three hypotheses that ethical leadership and whistleblowing had a positive relationship. Furthermore, job security moderated the positive relationship between ethical leadership and whistleblowing, such that the relationship is stronger for employees with high job security and weaker for employees with low job security. Affective commitment also moderated the relationship directly meaning that the relationship is stronger when the affective commitment is strong and weaker when it is weak. Discussion, implications, limitations, and future directions have been suggested in accordance with the results of the study

Light emission, light detection and strain sensing with nanocrystalline graphene

Graphene is of increasing interest for optoelectronic applications exploiting light detection, light emission and light modulation. Intrinsically light matter interaction in graphene is of a broadband type. However by integrating graphene into optical micro cavities also narrow band light emitters and detectors have been demonstrated. The devices benefit from the transparency, conductivity and processability of the atomically thin material. To this end we explore in this work the feasibility of replacing graphene by nanocrystalline graphene, a material which can be grown on dielectric surfaces without catalyst by graphitization of polymeric films. We have studied the formation of nanocrystalline graphene on various substrates and under different graphitization conditions. The samples were characterized by resistance, optical transmission, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy measurements. The conducting and transparent wafer-scale material with nanometer grain size was also patterned and integrated into devices for studying light-matter interaction. The measurements show that nanocrystalline graphene can be exploited as an incandescent emitter and bolometric detector similar to crystalline graphene. Moreover the material exhibits piezoresistive behavior which makes nanocrystalline graphene interesting for transparent strain sensors

Comparison of intra-articular lidocaine versus intravenous sedative and analgesic for reduction of anterior shoulder dislocation in terms of mean pain reduction using vas score

INTRODUCTION: The most common dislocation presenting to emergency department is anterior shoulder dislocation. Posterior dislocations and inferior dislocations are rare. Dislocations of the anterior shoulder mostly occur with the position of the arm is abducted and externally rotated. This results in injury of the humeral head, labrum, capsuloligamentous structures and glenoid. Such patients experience severe pain, therefore prompt reduction is necessary to ameliorate the pain. Intravenous analgesia combined with sedation or intra-articular lidocaine injection can be used for closed reduction of anterior shoulder dislocation. Due to its side effects, Intra-articular lidocaine (IAL) is recommended for use as a probable alternative to intravenous sedation-analgesia especially for patients with contraindication to intravenous sedation-analgesia. OBJECTIVE: To compare intra-articular lidocaine versus intravenous sedative and analgesic for management of anterior shoulder dislocation in terms of mean pain using VAS during reduction of shoulder joint. STUDT DESIGN:   Randomized controlled trial (RCT). SETTING: Removed for blind review DURATION: 6 months (November 22nd, 2017 to May 21st, 2018) SAMPLE SIZE: 60 patients (30 in each group) RESULTS: We included sixty patients in my study. 19 (31.7%) were females and 41 (68.3%) were male patients. Out of all the patients 38 (63.3%) had right sided shoulder dislocation, while the rest 22 (36.7%) patients had left sided shoulder dislocation. Patients mean age was 33.27±10.535 years and mean pain score of all the patients was 4.966±1.930. The mean pain score in Group A was 4.200±1.648, while the mean pain score in Group B was 5.733±1.910 (p value = 0.002. Stratification was done according to gender and age group of the patients, and post-stratification t-test was applied. CONCLUSION:   Intra-articular lidocaine is better option in pain control during reduction of anterior shoulder dislocation. KEY WORDS: Intra venous analgesia, Intra-articular lidocaine, shoulder dislocation