The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the satisfaction level of researchers with electronic resources as well as the uses, purposes, reasons and problems faced by them in…
Abstract
Purpose
The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the satisfaction level of researchers with electronic resources as well as the uses, purposes, reasons and problems faced by them in using of these resources in the context of Pakistani Universities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper opted for a quantitative study using a questionnaire for survey. Response rate was 80 per cent and data were analyzed from 261 researchers of two universities of Pakistan. Five-point Likert scale ranked from “Dissatisfied” (5) to “Extremely Satisfied” (1) was used to evaluate the satisfaction level of researchers.
Findings
The paper found that mostly researchers were “Very Satisfied” with electronic resources though they faced problems in using of these resources.
Research limitations/implications
Research scholars from Faculty of Arts, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, and Bahauddin Zakariya University of Multan, Punjab, Pakistan, were included in this paper.
Practical implications
This paper advances knowledge about the current status of the use of university library electronic resources, helps librarians in Pakistani university libraries understand the information need of the researchers more specifically, and provides some guidelines for the efficient and effective use of these resources.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils the identified need of researchers and indicates how researchers can utilize electronic resources in a better way.
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Money laundering is an activity where illegal proceeds are hidden. This often leads to a reduction in government revenue and loss of government control of public funds. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Money laundering is an activity where illegal proceeds are hidden. This often leads to a reduction in government revenue and loss of government control of public funds. This study aims to identify the important sources of growing demand for money laundering in developing countries. Further, it identifies the factors that reduce the impact of sources of demand for money laundering.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used the panel approach of feasible generalized least square to investigate the growing demand for money laundering in 62 developing countries and provides a moderation-based solution for managing the demand factors.
Findings
The empirical results of this study indicate that there are two sources that increase the demand for money laundering in developing countries. This includes a high tax rate on profit linked with private firms and businesses and diversion of public funds related to government officials and politicians. The results indicate that profit tax and diversion of funds increase the demand for money laundering. The profit tax-based money laundering can be moderated by the quality of the education system and the diversion of public funds and money laundering can be moderated using bureaucracy quality.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to empirically estimate the impact of two important sources (i.e. diversion of public funds by government officials and politicians and a high tax rate) that create demand for money laundering in developing countries. The findings help developing countries’ governments formulate policies and curb the growing demand for money laundering.
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Javeria Waseem, Rutaba Muneer, Syeda Hoor-Ul-Ain, Rutaba Tariq and Anam Minhas
This study aims to review the psychosocial determinants of divorce and their effects on women for a social reform in Pakistan. Enigmatic societal standards vandalize social status…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to review the psychosocial determinants of divorce and their effects on women for a social reform in Pakistan. Enigmatic societal standards vandalize social status of divorced women and stress them to experience psychological trauma that triggers psychosocial disorders.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is categorized into three major determinants: the human emotional, the formal legal and societal aspect(s) in association with the deferential social status of divorced women. Rapid evidence assessment methodology was used to search the all-inclusive literature, collate the available descriptive evidences, critically analyze and evaluate it, sieve out studies of penurious quality and provide an aperçu of the evidence.
Findings
The research evinces domestic violence and abuse as an endemic cause of divorce in Pakistan; emotional and psychological consequences of domestic abuse damage women’s self-worth and well-being. Literature reported that all these determinants impacted the mental health stability of the divorced women. Divorce rates are climbing at a faster pace in the country and Punjab has been identified as a province of rocketing divorce rate. Lamentably, in various villages of other provinces, women risk face mutilation if they show courage to seek divorce.
Practical implications
More research needs to be carried out on the issue nationwide. Fundamentally, cultural norms around women’s roles in society need to be addressed and challenged where this research may become an impetus for further research.
Originality/value
The paper contributes towards the redressal of the domestic abuse, social exclusion, marginalization and vilification of divorced women in Pakistan. The rising rates indicate an urgent need for social reforms to curtail offending behaviors toward them, to safeguard their mental health and well-being and to empower them with their legal rights to enjoy deferential social status in life.
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Naureen Akber Ali, Anam Feroz, Noshaba Akber and Adeel Khoja
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unprecedented mental health repercussions in the lives of every individual including university students. Therefore, study…
Abstract
Purpose
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unprecedented mental health repercussions in the lives of every individual including university students. Therefore, study on students’ psychological state and its associated factors during the pandemic are of importance. This study aims to discuss the aforementioned issue.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was done on a total of 207 university students of Pakistan to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, concerns or fears amidst COVID-19 and mental distress. Validated tools; Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)-Depression were used to assess stress, anxiety and depression, respectively.
Findings
Around 14% of the university students were experiencing severe stress and anxiety, while 8.2% had severe depression. The authors found that stress among university students was related to psychiatric illness or symptoms (OR = 5.1: 1.1, 22.9) and unpredictability due to the pandemic (OR = 3.7: 1.2, 11.2). The significant determinants of anxiety were psychiatric illness/symptoms (OR = 6.6: 3.4, 12.9), implementation of public health measures (OR = 3.7: 1.1, 11.6), employed mothers (OR = 2.4: 1.1, 5.0) and lack of support from university administration (OR = 2.2: 1.0, 5.0). While the factors associated with depression included psychiatric illness or symptoms (OR = 8.4: 3.3, 21.5), unpredictability due to pandemic (OR = 6.8: 2.2, 20.7), impaired social support system (OR = 3.7: 1.3, 10.4) and studying without a scholarship (OR = 2.1: 1.0, 4.4).
Research limitations/implications
These findings call for an urgent need to develop appropriate interventions and educational programs that could address the psychological needs of students.
Practical implications
The study directs the role of university and faculty in dealing the mental health needs of the student in COVID-19 pandemic time.
Social implications
Educational programs are important that could address the psychological needs of students in COVID-19 pandemic.
Originality/value
University students reported mental distress during COVID-19 pandemic which shows that younger people are at risk of COVID-19 repercussions. Moreover, several stressors (i.e. impaired social support system and lack of support from universities) were revealed that could be mitigated by implementing appropriate strategies.
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Aziz Ur Rehman, Ejaz Aslam and Anam Iqbal
This study aims to apply the extended theory of planned behaviour (ETPB) to investigate the factors influencing the intention to give zakāt on employment income.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to apply the extended theory of planned behaviour (ETPB) to investigate the factors influencing the intention to give zakāt on employment income.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws the required data through a survey in three main cities Makkah, Medina and Jeddah in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The final data sample is consisting of 650 useable questionnaires to analyse the objective of this study.
Findings
The study finds that moral norm, injunctive norm, descriptive norm and past behaviour have a significant influence on the intention to pay zakāt on employment income. The perceived behavioural control and attitude have a negative and weak impact on the intention to give zakāt on income.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study can be useful for the policymakers and regulators to enhance peoples' awareness to give zakāt to eradicate poverty and inequality in Muslim societies. zakāt is for the deprived people, so the consequences of this study might help to improve their liveability.
Originality/value
This study is unique because it identified the behavioural factors that affect the peoples' intention to give zakāt in KSA have yet to be profoundly explored in the literature. This study has gathered primary data and applied the ETPB to identify the factors influencing the zakāt compliance behaviour in KSA.
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Ejaz Aslam, Aziz Ur Rehman and Anam Iqbal
The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of intellectual capital (IC) on the association between corporate governance mechanism (CGM) and the financial…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of intellectual capital (IC) on the association between corporate governance mechanism (CGM) and the financial efficiency of Islamic banks (Z-score, net investment income and loan to deposit) and verify it through standard mediation in the panel based on interaction.
Design/methodology/approach
The data of this study draws from 125 full-fledged Islamic banks and windows from 26 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) over the period of 2009 to 2019. A two-step system generalize method of moment estimation is used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results underwrite that the inclusion of IC as a mediating variable has influenced positively the corporate governance and financial efficiency of IBs. Besides, only CEO power and Shariah supervisory board positively affect the financial efficiency of IBs. While structural capital and relational capital positively affect the financial efficiency of IBs. Apart from that, results show that the CGM has a significant relationship with the IC value of IBs.
Research limitations/implications
These findings are valuable for policymakers and regulators to set policies to improve CG structure and effective use of IC resources to improve banking efficiency. Additionally, findings might be helpful for the bankers to proficiently use the IC as a premise to plan new strategies to get an upper hand in financial performance.
Originality/value
This study extends and contributes to the current literature by analysing the role of IC along with CG to boost the financial efficiency of banks in OIC countries.
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Ejaz Aslam, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf and Anam Iqbal
The prime objective of this study is to examine the impact of sight cues and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of the Islamic banks on loyalty by improving the…
Abstract
Purpose
The prime objective of this study is to examine the impact of sight cues and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of the Islamic banks on loyalty by improving the corporate image (CI) of the Islamic banks. This study also examines the mediating effect of a CI along with moderating impact of religion and collectivism on loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were obtained through the purposive sampling method by distributing questionnaires among the customers of Islamic banks. A total of 550 questionnaires were surveyed from six full-fledged commercial Islamic banks and eight Islamic windows of the commercial bank in Pakistan using variance-based structural equation modelling (partial least squares) to test the hypothesis.
Findings
The results of the study reflected that sight cues and CSR activities have a significant impact on CI and keeping the customer’s loyalty. Additionally, religion and collectivism also moderate the relationship between CI and loyalty.
Research limitations/implications
From a managerial perspective, the study finding exhibits the significant effect, both directly and indirectly, of religiosity on the loyalty intention of the customers of Islamic banks. Hence, persuading the client that the bank is in complete compliance with (Shariah) will forestall their clients switching to another bank.
Originality/value
This study is unique in its nature because it revealed the factors that lead to customer loyalty towards Islamic banks. The study found sight cues and CSR are the new indicators used to build CIs of Islamic banks.