Kamran Iqbal and Ghulam Dastgeer
Training plays a vital role in the success of an organization as it provides the employees an opportunity to improve their competencies. The purpose of this paper is to examine…
Abstract
Purpose
Training plays a vital role in the success of an organization as it provides the employees an opportunity to improve their competencies. The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effects of motivation to transfer between self-efficacy, training retention and transfer of training.
Design/methodology/approach
Research hypotheses were tested using quantitative research technique. The data were collected through self-administered questionnaire from 300 employees working in the banking sector of twin cities (Rawalpindi and Islamabad), of Pakistan. In total, 215 questionnaires were finally used for analysis.
Findings
The findings of this study reveal that motivation to transfer mediates the relationship between self-efficacy, training retention and transfer of training.
Practical implications
Although previous studies have tested the impact of self-efficacy and training retention on the transfer of training, but the mechanism through which self-efficacy and retention influence transfer of training remained underexplored. Knowing the role of self-efficacy and training retention as the antecedents of motivation to transfer can help the training managers to design an effective and efficient training plan.
Originality/value
This study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge especially in the Pakistani context by testing the role of trainee’s characteristics in transfer of training. Also, this study has empirically tested the mediating role of motivation to transfer between trainee’s characteristics (self-efficacy and retention) and transfer of training which has not been tested before.
Details
Keywords
Muhammad Naveed, Shoaib Ali, Kamran Iqbal and Muhammad Khalid Sohail
The purpose of this study is to examine the role of financial and nonfinancial information in determining individual investor's investment decisions by analyzing the mediating…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the role of financial and nonfinancial information in determining individual investor's investment decisions by analyzing the mediating effect of corporate reputation.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach of this study is deductive; therefore, the quantitative strategy is used for data collection. Primary data are collected from individual investors actively involved in stock trading at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). Structural equation modeling is used to assess structural relationships.
Findings
The key findings of this study posit that financial and nonfinancial information positively influence an individual investor's investment decision. This study also provides empirical evidence confirming the mediating role of corporate reputation. Categorically, the findings indicate that financial and nonfinancial information remain significant to build perceived corporate reputation and influence investor's investment decisions.
Practical implications
he proposed model presents novel insight into the individual investor's investment decision in the context of Pakistan. The findings of this study remain robust for firms listed on the stock exchange and individual investors involved in stock trading. The results of this study are substantial to individual investor's and broker for making informed financial choices. Moreover, the firms listed on the PSX can use the findings to establish improved corporate reputation through reporting detailed financial and nonfinancial information.
Originality/value
Studies based on subjective measures in finance are lacking. This study contributes to the existing literature of behavioral finance by analyzing variations in investor's investment decisions explained by informational factors. The proposed model testifies the mediating role of corporate reputation in guiding investor's investment decisions, which has been overlooked by past studies. Therefore, this study seeks to fill this gap in the context of the PSX.
Details
Keywords
Ahmad Raza Bilal, Tehreem Fatima, Muhammad Kashif Imran and Kamran Iqbal
This exploratory inquiry sheds light on the nature of victim (i.e. provocative and passive) and specific work context in shaping the perceived causes and outcomes of felt…
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory inquiry sheds light on the nature of victim (i.e. provocative and passive) and specific work context in shaping the perceived causes and outcomes of felt workplace ostracism in teaching faculty of Pakistani higher educational institutions (HEIs) based on target-centric victimization framework.
Design/methodology/approach
This phenomenological research is based on data gathered from 30 ostracized teaching faculty members working in Pakistani public and private HEIs through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews were tape-recorded, and transcription was entered in NVivo 12 Plus software to conduct thematic analysis.
Findings
This study found that provocative and submissive victim status, as well as the specific contextual factors in Pakistani HEIs (i.e. negative competition, cronyism, egoism and poor interpersonal relationships), is responsible for fostering workplace ostracism and yielding unique outcomes in each case.
Originality/value
This study has taken the scantly used target-centric victimization framework to distinguish the causes and consequences of workplace ostracism based on the nature of victim and work context in Pakistani HEIs .
Details
Keywords
Phuoc Hong Nguyen, Long Thanh Nguyen and Linh Tran Cam Nguyen
This study applies the target similarity model to examine the effects of servant leadership on supervisor commitment and supervisor citizenship behavior. The mediating role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study applies the target similarity model to examine the effects of servant leadership on supervisor commitment and supervisor citizenship behavior. The mediating role of supervisory commitment is explored to determine the relationship between servant leadership and supervisor citizenship behavior. The difference in supervisor gender is examined in the linkage between servant leadership and supervisory commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected through a survey of 478 salespeople in the retail industry. Structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used to verify the hypotheses of this study.
Findings
The findings showed significant support for the direct and indirect effects of servant leadership on supervisor commitment and supervisor citizenship behavior. Furthermore, the positive relationship between servant leadership and supervisory commitment was stronger among female supervisors than male supervisors.
Originality/value
Due to the scarcity of studies conducted on the linkages of servant leadership, supervisory commitment and supervisory citizenship behavior, this study theoretically and empirically contributes to the leadership literature as it is the first study to investigate these direct and indirect relationships. Similarly, this study examined gender differences in servant leadership to fill the gap in the research field.
Details
Keywords
Gul Afshan, Carolina Serrano-Archimi, Amir Riaz, Muhammad Kashif and Mansoor Ahmed Khuhro
Building on social exchange and deontic justice theory, this study aims to examine the relationship between supervisory justice (i.e. interactional, procedural and distributive…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on social exchange and deontic justice theory, this study aims to examine the relationship between supervisory justice (i.e. interactional, procedural and distributive) and conflict (i.e. relationship, process and task) through subordinates’ perceptions of psychological safety. Moreover, the authors hypothesize that interactional justice differentiation (IJD) within a workgroup at the group level interacts with supervisory justice at the individual level, affecting subordinates’ psychological safety and conflict.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using a survey conducted among 378 service sector (banks, hospitals and universities) employees working under 54 supervisors.
Findings
Multi-level data analysis demonstrates that supervisory justice positively influences psychological safety, negatively affecting conflict. Moreover, psychological safety mediates the supervisory justice–conflict relationship. A cross-level interaction partially supports the conditional indirect effect of IJD in the supervisory justice–conflict relationship via psychological safety.
Originality/value
Following moral principles based on a deontic perspective, this study stretches the understanding of how to treat employees in a workgroup while creating a healthier working environment to minimize conflict fairly. This study extends the limited research on supervisory justice by conceptualizing employees’ perceptions of justice beyond an individual-level analysis.
Details
Keywords
Mohammad Kamran Mumtaz and Shahid Raza Mir
Operations management, purchasing and procurement management, inventory management and supply chain.
Abstract
Subject area
Operations management, purchasing and procurement management, inventory management and supply chain.
Student level/applicability
Introductory courses in Operations Management; MBA level and final year undergraduates in management. Masters level in purchasing/procurement management, inventory management and supply chain management.
Case overview
The case deals with strategic purchase decision of a basic raw material used in ketchups. Ketchups represent 15 per cent of annual sales at National Foods. Mohammad Iqbal, Head of Supply Chain at National Foods, is confronted with the decision of buying tomato paste for fiscal year 2007-2008. He needs to decide how much paste to order from National Foods' supplier in China and when. He has the demand forecast for the paste for 2008 available to help him make the decision.
Expected learning outcomes
The case will introduce the students to issues in strategic buying of a basic raw material that is crucial to production. The case is not designed to teach just the basic concept of trade-off between inventory holding and stock out cost. The students should bring these basic concepts of operations with them to understand how these concepts are combined with knowledge of other disciplines to tackle a complex raw material planning issue. Students learn how to plan for the purchase of a perishable yet important raw material for an organization.
Supplementary materials
Teaching note.
Details
Keywords
Shahzaf Iqbal, Kamran Moosa and Che Azlan Bin Taib
This study aims to investigate the relationship between management support, quality infrastructure, staff training and the effectiveness of quality enhancement cells (QECs…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationship between management support, quality infrastructure, staff training and the effectiveness of quality enhancement cells (QECs) established in higher education institutions.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were acquired via a structured questionnaire dispatched to faculty members across 12 public and private universities, primarily situated in Punjab, Pakistan. Among the 200 questionnaires distributed, 180 were retrieved and 140 were deemed valid. The proposed relationships were examined using SPSS–25 and PLS–SEM.
Findings
The results show a positive and significant relationship between management support, quality infrastructure and staff training with QECs' effectiveness. The study also highlights that the effectiveness of QECs is “Good” in only two of the 12 universities, while in most universities it is “Barely Acceptable”. Furthermore, QECs' effectiveness is slightly better in public universities compared to private institutions.
Research limitations/implications
The study employs convenience sampling and a cross-sectional approach, focusing on faculty members from 12 universities, primarily in Punjab, Pakistan. To enhance future research, larger samples and probability-based sampling should be considered, while involving quality managers and students for a broader perspective.
Practical implications
The research suggests policymakers and university leaders should strengthen their support by providing resources, quality infrastructure and training for academic and administrative staff. This would enhance the effectiveness of QECs and improve the overall quality of education in both public and private universities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on quality assurance in higher education by emphasizing the significance of QECs concerning management support, quality infrastructure and staff training – areas that are often overlooked in Pakistani universities.
Details
Keywords
Amina Muazzam, Aqsa Shabbir, Naveed Iqbal, Muhammad Faran, Mubeena Munir and Fatima Kamran
Sexual harassment on public transport puts women at risk of mental health problems, apart from disrupting their lives and the harmful social consequences. This is especially the…
Abstract
Purpose
Sexual harassment on public transport puts women at risk of mental health problems, apart from disrupting their lives and the harmful social consequences. This is especially the case for Pakistani women, for whom sexual harassment has been on the rise for the past decade. This study aims to explore how Pakistani women use strategies to cope with sexual harassment when using public transport and its mediating role in their issues with mental health.
Design/methodology/approach
Given that the data collection task on such a culturally sensitive topic was crucial, a mobile application for anonymized data collection was used, which appeared to be an effective strategy. Using the mobile application, 1,054 women who use public transport submitted their responses; however, the analysis is based on 250 usable responses. Their experience of harassment was measured using the Sexual Harassment Experience Questionnaire, their mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales and their coping strategies by the Brief Cope Inventory.
Findings
The results indicate that adaptive coping is a significant negative mediator between sexual harassment and mental well-being, whereas maladaptive coping is non-significant. Adaptive coping, i.e. “Acceptance” to admit the reality that the problem exists with all, and “Religion” to seek help spiritually to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, the findings show no suitable coping means to deal with the impact of sexual harassment on women who travel on public transport. This study also illustrates that using the right technologies can encourage participants to submit responses for culturally sensitive topics.
Originality/value
This study provides insight into the experience of street harassment in Pakistani women and how it is related to mental health. This study also explores the role of adaptive and maladaptive coping as an intervening variable between street harassment and mental health.
Details
Keywords
Javid Iqbal, Muhammad Khalid Sohail and Muhammad Kamran Malik
This study aims to predict the financial performance of Islamic banks with sentiments of management from the textual information in annual reports.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to predict the financial performance of Islamic banks with sentiments of management from the textual information in annual reports.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses data from 33 Islamic banks in six Islamic countries from 2006 to 2020. The authors estimate the model using the system GMM because it helps dealing with endogeneity problem, which are inherent in panel data.
Findings
The findings of the study reveal that there is a strong relationship between the sentiment expressed by management in annual reports and the current (future) financial performance of Islamic banks. The higher the positive sentiments of management, the better financial performance. In addition, the study also suggests that negative sentiments using term frequency-inverse document frequency is linked to a decrease in banks’ financial performance.
Research limitations/implications
The study does not present the Islamic view on sentiment analysis in the context of Islamic scriptures due to the unavailability of a relevant dictionary.
Practical implications
The findings of the study suggest that developing accurate models with the help of textual information for performance prediction of Islamic banks help shareholders, regulators and policymakers avoid devastating events. Using textual information may also help reduce the information asymmetry between the management and shareholders, which may lead to more efficient bank supervision. The study can also help investors evaluate their prospective investments in the Islamic bank.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that uses management sentiments for performance prediction of the Islamic banking sector. It may add a valuable contribution to the existing literature.
Details
Keywords
Aminudin Zuhairi, Maria Rowena Del Rosario Raymundo and Kamran Mir
Quality assurance (QA) in open and distance learning (ODL) has always become universal concerns of stakeholders. The quality of ODL has been confronted with challenges in terms of…
Abstract
Purpose
Quality assurance (QA) in open and distance learning (ODL) has always become universal concerns of stakeholders. The quality of ODL has been confronted with challenges in terms of the diversity of inputs, processes, the complex supply chain management of ODL and recent paradigm shift into online learning. Assuring the quality of ODL are daunting tasks at individual, institution and system levels. Completed before the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, this study aims to better understand the implementation of QA system in three Asian open universities (OUs), namely University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Universitas Terbuka (UT), Indonesia and Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative method was employed involving analysis of documents of the three Asian OUs and focus group discussions and interviews with management and staff. Data collected were then analyzed to draw conclusions and possible recommendations.
Findings
Findings of this study presented good practices, challenges and rooms for improvement of the QA system in the three Asian OUs. Focusing on students and stakeholders in their QA effort, this study has revealed that quality begins with inner self and is multidimensional. QA is principally viewed as continuous improvement, as mechanism and assessment and as effort at exceeding expectations of students and stakeholders. The recent challenge for QA is to embrace a delicate process of ODL transformation into online digital system. The recent COVID-19 outbreak has further implications and challenged QA implementation in ODL in higher education into the next level of complexity.
Practical implications
This study revealed the diversities in how OUs met the societal needs of their respective stakeholders and addressed the challenges ahead for QA in ODL.
Originality/value
These findings were expected to enhance the understanding of the theory and practice of QA in ODL and to contribute to quality improvement of ODL programs.