Contemporary Issues in Social Sciences and Management Practices

Effect of Brand Elements on Organizational Success: A Moderating Approach to the Brand Experience of Muslim and Non-Muslim Customers of Islamic financial Products in Pakistan

Sana-ur-Rehman — 2024-01-28

The primary purpose of this research is to analyze the impact of brand elements on the achievement of an organization. In addition, the study also examined the moderating effect of brand experience on Muslim and non-Muslim customers' perception of Islamic products in Pakistan. This research examines the significance of brand elements in the success of organizations and compares the reactions of Muslim and Non-Muslim customers of Islamic Products in Pakistan. The researchers used Keller's renowned CBBE model to examine the impact of brand elements on organizational success. This research used the convenience sampling technique to gather data from customers of Islamic products. Following the completion of the missing value analysis, only 124 out of 150 respondents provided their replies. The study analysis indicates that the brand resonance of both Muslim and non-Muslim customers of Islamic products has a positive effect on the success of the organization. Additionally, the relationship between these consumers and the organization is also crucial for achieving success or improved performance. The study shows that both Muslim and non-Muslim consumers in Pakistan have positive responses towards Islamic products offered by Islamic banks. This information can be used by managers to implement this strategy for the success of their organizations.

Socio-Economic Catalysts and Trafficking Trends: Mapping Drug Addiction in Pakistan

Mudasar Ali Nadeem — 2024-02-01

This research article investigates the nexus between socio-economic catalysts, drug addiction, and trafficking trends in Pakistan. It explores how socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, and societal pressures contribute to the rise of drug addiction in Pakistani communities. Furthermore, the study highlights the role of cultural norms and accessibility to drugs as significant contributors to addiction prevalence. By analyzing historical data, contemporary patterns, and case studies, the research elucidates the complex dynamics that fuel drug addiction and trafficking in Pakistan. It also emphasizes the need for comprehensive rehabilitation programs and international cooperation to combat the transnational nature of drug trafficking networks. The study reveals that the surge in drug users in Pakistan stems from societal challenges like poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy. Poverty acts as a primary catalyst, with a significant portion of the population below the poverty threshold. Unemployment due to limited work prospects and nepotism contribute to drug use, impacting both individual and familial identities. The consequences involve social stigma, legal complications, and financial burdens. The findings offer insights for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and stakeholders to develop targeted interventions aimed at addressing the root causes of drug addiction while tackling the challenges posed by evolving trafficking dynamics in the country.

Impact of Auditors' Attributes on the Identification of Creative Accounting Practices in Pakistan

Muhammad Tayyeb Khalil — 2024-03-15

Accounting creativity is the process of changing financial information beyond the limits of accounting norms to provide an improved overview of a company's financial status and performance. The current study investigates creative accounting practices in Pakistan, focusing on auditors' competency, integrity, independence, and ethics in detecting creative accounting practices, thereby enhancing financial transparency in the business context. The data for the study were collected via a questionnaire using a Google Web form shared with 120 auditors from audit organizations working in Pakistan. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that auditor competency, honesty, independence, and ethics have a significant influence on detecting creative accounting practices followed by accountants to manipulate the financial position and performance of their organizations. The results of this study hold significant practical implications for auditors, regulators (such as the SECP), and policymakers. Future research may be focused on assessing the efficacy of audit committees in overseeing companies' stakeholder reporting and their management of ethical and sustainability concerns. This study contributes to the literature by exploring the realm of accounting creativity in Pakistan, specifically delving into auditors' capabilities and integrity in identifying creative accounting practices. It sheds light on the significance of auditors' competency, honesty, and ethical considerations in uncovering manipulative financial reporting strategies employed by accountants.

Marginalizing Marginalized Individuals: A Study on the Transition of Transgender People as they Age in the State of Punjab

Tauqeer Ahmed Lak — 2024-03-15

Transgender individuals in Pakistan encounter distinct societal and economic barriers, which become particularly severe as they age. The elders in this neighborhood face various family and social challenges, health issues, housing limits, and economic concerns that are seldom acknowledged or resolved. This study aims to investigate the challenges faced by elderly transgender individuals within society. The researcher utilized qualitative study to investigate the issues, requirements, and worries of elderly transgender individuals. The researcher employed narrative inquiry to gain a profound grasp of the issue by utilizing storytelling. A purposive sampling technique was used to choose an 11-person sample size, which was then reachable using snowball sampling. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to gather the data, and theme analysis was then used to analyze it. The study revealed that the elderly face challenges such as acceptance, discrimination, housing, employment, family and societal rejection, health issues, and lack of caregiving in old age. The researcher suggests that the state should promptly implement a policy to protect transgenders, especially senior transgenders, by offering free health services in specialized units at hospitals, providing free housing, and giving them a stipend determined by the state to prevent feelings of frustration, isolation, and degradation in their old age. The researcher emphasized the need of studying these communities to gain insight into the lives of marginalized transgender individuals.

Examining the Role of FinTech Services on Customers Retention of Islamic Banks in Pakistan: An Empirical Assessment

Waheed Ilyas — 2024-03-17

The objective of this research is to examine the influence of several variables, such as fintech payments, advisory services, and fin-tech financing, on the retention of customers in Islamic banks. The researcher used quantitative research design and positivistam philosophy to conduct this research. The target population comprises Islamic banking customers, with the sample drawn from 300 individuals holding accounts in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Data collection was facilitated through an adopted questionnaire administered to respondents. The findings reveal a significant impact of FinTech Payments, Advisory Services, and FinTech Financing on customer retention within the Islamic banking industry, showcasing the importance of these elements in shaping customer loyalty. This study stands out for its comprehensive examination of various facets related to FinTech and their direct and indirect effects on customer retention within the unique context of Islamic banking. However, it's crucial to acknowledge a limitation regarding the generalizability of the results beyond the studied population. Despite this constraint, the research offers valuable insights for Islamic financial institutions aiming to bolster customer retention through strategic utilization of FinTech-related elements and the cultivation of trust among their clientele. By embracing these findings, Islamic banks can enhance their customer relationship management strategies and maintain a competitive edge in the evolving financial landscape.

Exploring the Influence of Post-Earnings Announcement Drift and Investor Sentiments on Investor Trading Behavior: A Qualitative Analysis

Shaheen Tariq — 2024-03-19

"Post-Earnings-Announcement Drift" is a market phenomenon, which refers to investors’ tendency to overreact to the earnings announcements in conducting their investment decisions. However, this effect shows up gradually over the whole period that stock of the company is being sold out following a bullet earnings surprise. Form radically different treatments from the efficient market hypothesis (EMH), where prices of stocks will be able to quickly and fully adjust to any new coming information, it takes time for the drift to reveal itself. This happens as a slow and eventual process. This research study investigates the impact of investor sentiments and post earnings announcements drift on investor trading behavior within the Pakistan stock market context. Twelve participants that comprises of institutional and individual investors, were selected using the convenience sampling methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the fluctuations in stock prices, investment strategies, and the market conditions. NVivo software was employed to analyze the interview transcripts, revealing themes related to the fundamental analysis, dividend importance, decision-making strategies, sources of information, investor sentiments, earnings announcements, stock pricing, information leakage, and the market anomalies. The findings highlight the significance of both the rational analysis and emotional responses in investment decisions, the importance of timely earnings disclosures, and the presence of market anomalies and the information leakage.

Predicting Prison Misconduct: Role of Criminogenic Cognitions of Adult Convicted Prisoners

Javed Iqbal — 2024-03-26

Prison misconduct is violation of prison rules through which prisoners are governed to regulate their behavior by the prison authorities. The aim of present study was to examine relationship between criminogenic cognitions of prisoners and prison misconduct in the Punjab, Pakistan. Conducting a survey of 363 adult convicted prisoners from the Punjab prisons, data were collected by using structured questionnaires and analyzed in SPSS-26. The study concluded that the relationship between criminogenic cognitions of prisoners and prison misconduct was found strong and positive. On the basis of these findings, criminogenic cognitions—dynamic risk factors of the prisoners may be assessed by the prison authorities at the time of prisoners’ entry into custody which would help them in an appropriate and scientifically based classification. This classification would clearly distinguish the high, medium, and low risk offenders and their probability in engaging in future criminal activities inside the prisons and after their transition into society. Policies based on these conclusions derived from the classification would reduce prison misconduct as well as enhance the chances of institutional adjustment which would provide a conducive environment for prison management to run rehabilitation programs for prisoners. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that prison authorities in Punjab, Pakistan, incorporate assessments of criminogenic cognitions as part of the intake process for convicted prisoners.

Embodiment of Stigma and Biographical Disruption Faced by HIV Concordant Couples in Pakistan: A Phenomenological Study

Ume Habiba — 2024-03-31

AIDS goes severe health apprehension in Pakistan nowadays and many individuals were infected due to the lack of awareness. HIV concordant couples encountered impediments in way of HIV disclosure such as fear of stigma, loss of ‘Face’, disregard, discrimination, loss of job, and the demise of social circle. Individuals come across condemnation and social disapproval as a result of the HIV diagnosis. The present research employed the phenomenological design of qualitative research and purposive sampling was used to choose the 12 HIV concordant couples from PIMS HIV treatment center, Islamabad. We have taken 24 in depth interviews by using semi structured interview guide. The transcripts were analyzed by qualitative thematic analysis. The researcher has used four themes such as, biographical disruption, embodiment of stigma, ethical dilemma and loss of job. HIV individuals have a fear to disclose their HIV status because of social, financial and biographical disruption. There is a need for the time to emphasize the health of HIV concordant couples and provide the social vaccine for their stable social standing and achieve normalcy in life. The study suggests educating the public through seminars or social media to reduce stigma against people with HIV/AIDS. Providing counseling and social support is essential for HIV/AIDS couples.

Analysis of Financial Performance of Islamic Mutual Funds & Islamic Pension Funds in Pakistan

Moazzam Ali — 2024-03-31

The Islamic finance industry is growing exponentially at global level catering to the demands of Muslim consumers. The same trend is being observed in Pakistan as many Islamic mutual funds and Islamic pension funds are working alongside traditional funds. This research seeks to explore the financial performance of various Islamic mutual funds and Islamic pension funds in Pakistan from 2015-2022. For this purpose, we selected 10 Islamic mutual funds and 5 Islamic pension funds on random basis and employed Sharpe Ratio, Treynor Ratio, and Jenson’s Alpha techniques to analyze the financial performance of these funds in terms of returns generated and their comparison with the industry results. The study's findings showed that Islamic mutual and pension funds in Pakistan are still struggling to provide market-oriented returns to their investors. This gap in generating excess returns may be due to the nature of the Islamic funds that restricts their investment options for diversification due to the Shariah guidance. This study recommends that industry stakeholders including fund management companies, investors, regulatory bodies, Shariah scholars etc. all need to work closely to address the short-comings of the existing operational restrictions of the Islamic funds and ensure a level-playing field along with the traditional fund management companies for generating maximum returns for their investors.

A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis of Green Brand Image From 2000 to 2022

Rabia Kanwal — 2024-03-31

The growing scholarly attention on green brand image may be traced to the prevailing trend of organisations and customers increasingly prioritising environmental sustainability. In order to assist these scholars, our research offers a bibliometric examination of the body of literature pertaining to the green brand image spanning the years 2000 to 2022. The Scopus database screen is used to locate publications categorized by year, papers with the highest number of citations, authors with the highest productivity, countries, and organisations. The programme known as Vos viewer is designed to analyse co-authorship, inter-country co-authorship networks, and the incidence of keywords. The bibliometric study reveals that in 2017, there was a significant increase in the publishing of publications focused on green brand images. The paper titled "The Impact of Marketing on Consumer Purchase Decisions in the Context of Pro-environmental Products" is widely cited. Chen Y-S, a very active researcher from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, is the most prolific author in the field of green brand image. The Journal of Cleaner Production, Environment Development and Sustainability, published by Elsevier, and Sustainability (Switzerland), published by MDPI, have the highest number of papers on green brand image. This analysis provides guidance to researchers entering the field of green brand image by presenting information on renowned journals, authors, organizations, and nations in the field of environmental sustainability, as well as commonly used keywords in studies on green brand images.

Greening the Workplace: Understanding the Link Between Organizational Culture and Pro-Environmental Behavior in Pakistan's Tourism and Hospitality Sector

Syed Muhammad Abbas — 2024-03-31

In contemporary discourse, scholars increasingly emphasize the pivotal role of cultivating a green organizational culture (GOC) to drive environmental sustainability within workplaces. However, a significant research gap exists in understanding how GOC influences employees' promotion of environmentally friendly behavior (PEB). Drawing on social identity theories, this study investigates the intricate relationship between GOC and employees' PEB, with a particular focus on the mediating role of employees' environmental self-identity (ESI). Conducted across Pakistan's vibrant hospitality and tourism industries, data from 450 employees were meticulously analyzed using structural equation modeling to scrutinize hypotheses. The findings illuminate a robust and positive correlation between GOC and PEB, underscoring the transformative potential of organizational culture in shaping employees' environmental conduct. Furthermore, the analysis reveals the pivotal intervening role of ESI, elucidating how employees' identification with environmental values mediates the influence of GOC on their behavior. This research not only addresses a critical void in the literature but also offers actionable insights for organizations seeking to enhance their environmental sustainability efforts. By highlighting the centrality of GOC in fostering PEB, this study contributes to advancing our understanding of organizational dynamics and sustainability initiatives in contemporary workplaces.

Effect of CSR on Corporate Performance: The Mediating Role of Human Resources Management

Muzzammil Abdul Ghafoor — 2024-03-31

The management and marketing literature has increasingly emphasized the significance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in determining company performance over the past few decades. While there is growing recognition of the potential impact of CSR initiatives on business outcomes, there remains a lack of consensus on the specific mechanisms through which CSR influences performance. This ambiguity underscores the need for further research to elucidate the relationship between CSR and business performance. Our research seeks to address this gap by examining the role of CSR-based human resource management as a potential mediating factor in this relationship. This focus is particularly pertinent given the pivotal role that employees, as key stakeholders, play in shaping organizational outcomes. By analyzing data from a sample of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), we found evidence supporting the hypothesis that CSR initiatives can positively impact business performance. Importantly, our findings suggest that the effectiveness of a company's CSR strategy in enhancing performance may be contingent upon the extent to which these initiatives are geared towards improving human resource management efficiency. In conclusion, current study contributes to the evolving understanding of the complex interplay between CSR and business performance, highlighting the critical role of human resource management practices in mediating this relationship.

Class For Mass: Elevating Loyalty Through Consumer's Well-Being for Masstige Brands in Pakistan

Naik Muhammad Khan — 2024-03-31

The purpose of the current study is to understand the underlying structure of Brand masstige and its subsequent effects. Specifically, this study aims to empirically examine the impact of Masstige (Mass prestige, brand perception, and propensity to pay premium) on consumer well-being (CWB) and brand loyalty (BL). Furthermore, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of CWB on BL, and the mediatory role of CWB between Masstige (MP, BP, and PPP) and BL. Additionally, it seeks to investigate the interactive effect of Lifestyle congruence with Masstige (MP, BP, and PPP) to enhance CWB. Employing a cross-sectional research design, data has been collected through multi-stage and convenience sampling from masstige Hotel visitors (N=395) in the twin cities of Pakistan. The results of the study show a positive impact of MP, BP, and PPP on CWB. Furthermore, the current study supports the mediating role of consumer well-being between MP, BP, and PPP with Consumer loyalty. Moreover, the results prove the moderating role of lifestyle congruence between the association of Masstige and consumer well-being. Our study of masstige marketing for luxury services does not take into account technological advancements; thus, future studies can consider the importance of technology in the market, which can be useful to understand customer behavior and thus provide marketers with insights to plan for customer consumption and loyalty.

The Impact of Resilience on Perceived Stress among Cancer Patients: The Mediating Role of Social Support

Muhammad Saqib Shabir — 2024-03-31

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of resilience on perceived stress and the mediating role of social support. It was conducted on cancer patients using a quantitative approach and a correlational research design. Participants (N = 100) were selected through convenient sampling from the cancer ward of Nishtar Hospital Multan, with prior permission from the hospital administration. Assessment involved administering a questionnaire comprising three scales: a Brief Resilience Scale, a Multidimensional Scale of Social Support, and a Perceived Stress Scale, along with a demographic sheet and informed consent. Data were organized and analyzed using SPSS and Amos. The results revealed a significant correlation among resilience, perceived stress, and social support. Resilience and social support exhibited a significant positive correlation, whereas perceived stress showed a negative correlation with resilience. Additionally, the study found a negative impact of resilience on perceived stress, partially mediated by social support. The study concluded that cancer patients face multiple physiological changes leading to perceived stress, and resilience and social support play crucial roles in coping with these challenges. The research underscores the importance of resilience and social support in mitigating additional perceived stress among cancer patients, suggesting interventions tailored to promote these resilience factors.

Behind Closed Doors: Understanding the Layers of Illicit Wealth in Pakistan’s Money Laundering Web and Tracing the Socio-Economic Fallouts

Waqar Khan Durrani — 2024-03-31

This research investigates the clandestine realm of money laundering, with a particular emphasis on the complex operations that are involved inside the financial trajectory of Pakistan. The purpose of this article is to shed light on the diverse nature of the illegal acquisition of riches by investigating the mysterious systems and networks that support activities related to money laundering. This study attempts to provide a thorough understanding of the processes that are driving illegal financial flows in Pakistan by gaining an understanding of the layers of secrecy that constitute the situation. Furthermore, it investigates the far-reaching socioeconomic ramifications of money laundering, including the negative effects that it has on government, economic development, and social cohesion. Through the use of empirical analysis and case studies, the research sheds light on the issues that money laundering poses to the integrity and stability of Pakistan's financial system. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the ongoing conversation on the fight against financial crimes and the enhancement of anti-money laundering measures by tracing the socio-economic fallout. In light of these findings, it is imperative that systemic vulnerabilities be addressed and regulatory frameworks be strengthened in order to reduce the negative effects that money laundering has on Pakistan's economy and society.

Impact of Green Corporate Governance and Green Finance on Sustainable Performance: A case of Manufacturing SMEs of Pakistan

Shoaib Ali Shaikh — 2024-03-31

The present research looks into the effect of green corporate governance (GCG) and green finance (GF) on the sustainable performance of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. Given the increasing level of sustainability, understanding the correlation between corporate governance, financial strategies, and the performance of sustainable businesses becomes important. The study applies quantitative methods with PLS-SEM SmartPLS. The research population consists of manufacturing SMEs operating in Pakistan. SMEs in the manufacturing sector are a mixture of different industries such as textiles, electronics, food processing, automotive, etc. SMEs, defined as those with fewer than 250 employees, significantly contribute to industrial production, job creation, and the economy of Pakistan. Findings indicate that both GCG and GF have strong positive links with sustainable performance. Green finance (β = 0.428, p <0.001) and green corporate governance (β = 0.289, p < 0.001) are the main driving forces of sustainable performance. These results bring to light the fact that integrating the consideration of environmental issues into governance and financial decision-making will lead to greater sustainability in SMEs. The study has generated useful data for policymakers, industry suppliers, and academia in terms of applicable techniques for making the manufacturing SMEs sector in Pakistan and elsewhere sustainable.

Geopolitics of Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean: Sino-Indian rivalry and Implications on Pakistan

Mustansar Abbas Klasra — 2024-03-31

Maritime sector is considered to be one of the most neglected sector of Pakistan. Contemporary world politics is now based on economy. History tells us those states that were fully aware of strengthening their maritime sector, they ruled the world. Competition over a sea lines of communications in Indian ocean region is increasing day by day.US tilt towards India became a driving force to strengthen collaboration between China and Pakistan. China Pakistan Economic Corridor is one of the significant example of strong ties between two states. China wants to penetrate in middle east along with central Asian states. Recent peace deal media by China with Iran and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is its significant example. Development of Pakistani Gwadar port is one of the Chinese driving force to execute Chinese presence in the Indian ocean region. On the other hand, US wants to contain China via India. US is reluctant to reduce its presence in the region. 21st century belongs to trade and investment. This paper aims to highlight the geopolitical importance of trade related activities via sea lines of communications. Security of the sea routes along with its geopolitical significance in this security led architecture of the world is also discussed in the paper.

Socio- Cultural Challenges for Widows: A Case Study in district Lahore, Punjab

Saba Shafiq — 2024-03-31

This research study focuses on the socio-cultural problems faced by widows in the district of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, and the current causes of their defame helplessness and disdainful status while living in their own community and facing barriers. The stigma around widows played a significant role in their marginalization within society and the community. This limited the widow’s views and caused her to be destitute in life. We used a purposeful sampling method in this qualitative research study. We collected information from the twenty respondents through in-depth interviews. The aim of the in-depth interview is to address the socio-cultural problems posed by widows in Lahore. The respondents’ widows were of lower socio-economic status. The results of the study show that a widow is waiting for a new challenge every day; however, widows do have some opportunities like financial assistance and skill development through government institutions as well as the private sector. They become victims of stereotypical ideas and face many social and cultural problems, such as violence, family indifference, poverty, depression, etc. A widow is fighting for her freedom, but there is no awareness. This study proposed potential strategies to tackle the social and cultural issues faced by widows, including raising media awareness through drama and setting up an economic package system for widows.

The Mediating Role of Social Media on the Correlation of Parental conflict and academic Performance of University Students

Hina gul — 2024-03-31

Social media encompasses discussion boards, publishing platforms, and social network sites. Facebook, YouTube, blogs, discussion forums, and other internet-based apps are a few examples of social media. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the influence of social media usage among university students on both their academic performance and parental conflict. Secondly to investigate any potential mechanisms that may underlie this link. Numerous researches have looked at the detrimental effects of conflict between parents on children's academic performance, which suggests that social media may play a mediating role in the relationship between parental conflict and university students' academic success. Quantitative research approach was used. To gather the data, the target population was 100 students of Thal University in Bhakkar. The sampling technique was simple random sampling. Data collection tool was a questionnaire which has close ended questions. The findings suggest that students' engagement with social media has become ingrained in their daily routines, consuming a significant portion of their leisure time. The extensive time spent on social media by respondents underscored its negative impact on their academic performance. The array of both advantageous and detrimental factors affecting the intellectual and spiritual growth of the younger generation has greatly expanded with the advent of mobile phones and other computer technologies.

Intellectual Capital, Financial Performance, and the Mediating Role of Financial Vulnerability

Muhammad Zain ul Abidin — 2024-03-31

This study investigates the contribution of intellectual capital in enhancing firms' financial vulnerability and performance in Pakistan's emerging economy. This research considered ten years of data from 2011 to 2020 of non-financial firms listed on the stock exchange of Pakistan (PSX) and falls in the KSE-100 index. This research successfully applied a previously defined regression methodology to test the hypothesis investigating the significance of intellectual capital. Empirical investigation successfully reveals IC's significance in improving firms' financial vulnerability and performance using an aggregate measure of IC called value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) and its components human capital, structural capital, and capital employed efficiency. Financial Vulnerability mediates between intellectual capital and financial performance. The results of this study prove VAIC significance in developing countries like Pakistan. The study also shows that Pakistani investors and firms give IC weight in their investment decisions and must focus on IC for success in a competitive world. Accounting bodies should also focus on developing standards that incorporate IC as an asset. This study considered firms of multiple sectors to examine the significance of IC in Pakistani firms successfully. Along with enhancing IC literature, the VAIC model is significant in measuring IC in developing economies. This study also tried to extend IC literature in the context of the financial Vulnerability of firms and its indirect impact on financial performance.