Sulaman Hafeez Siddiqui, Muhammad Zafarullah, Muhammad Ijaz Latif and Ghulam Shabir
The purpose of this paper is to postulate the impact of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) on internationalization strategies of member countries’ firms. The study also aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to postulate the impact of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) on internationalization strategies of member countries’ firms. The study also aims to triangulate the proposed model using empirical data from PTA partner economies.
Design/methodology/approach
The mixed methods research design is used for the purpose of inquiry as suggested by Creswell. The inductive reasoning based on critical literature review and grounded theory methodology is used to postulate the model. Explanatory strength of the model is triangulated using empirical longitudinal trade data of Pakistan with her bilateral PTA partners, i.e. Malaysia, Mauritius, Iran, Sri Lanka and China. Internationalization indices are adapted following the Ietto-Gillies and London (2009) and Petri (1994) to measure the intensity and geographical diversification dimensions of internationalization. Country-level trade statistics are used as a proxy of firm-level data to explain the international expansion of home firms resulting from PTAs.
Findings
Empirical results confirm a strong and long-term impact of PTAs on the intensity and extensity dimensions of internationalization over post-agreement period in Pakistan and member economies. Gravity index depicts greater concentration of Pakistan's trade in FTA markets and thereby confirms the influence of PTAs on international market selection. Analysis at sectoral level depicts a contraction in services trade whereas expansion in the manufacturing firms’ export growth to member economies.
Originality/value
The paper extends the theory of internationalization by identifying PTAs as exogenous variable influencing internationalization strategies of member countries’ firms in a developing South Asian context. Coupled with findings from empirical data, the study identifies PTAs as a new strategic trade policy tool available to policy makers for promoting and influencing the home firms’ internationalization strategies.
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Muhammad Mujtaba Asad, Fahad Sherwani, Razali Bin Hassan, Zafarullah Sahito and Najmonnisa Khan
Oil and gas industries play a major role for the growth of world economy, and drilling operation is considered as most important and hazardous procedure at the same time for oil…
Abstract
Purpose
Oil and gas industries play a major role for the growth of world economy, and drilling operation is considered as most important and hazardous procedure at the same time for oil and gas drilling crew because of the lack of effectual and user-friendly safety and health teaching and learning aids with updated knowledge and training capability. According to the previous studies, there is an urgent industrial need for user interactive technological aid for enhancing the teaching and learning of oil and gas drilling crew and safety officials at onshore and offshore drilling domains to fulfill the requirements of fourth industrial and educational revolutions. Therefore, this proposed virtual reality (VR)-based Hazard Free Operation (HAZFO Expert 2.0) teaching and learning aid to reduce the workplace risk and hazards to enhance the vestibule and experiential learning performance of oil and gas drilling process at Pakistani drilling industries.
Design/methodology/approach
In this proposed product based study for interactive teaching and learning application for industry, sequential explanatory research design will be adopted to prevent the accidents according to the modern technologies in this era of IR 4.0. Whereas, for the development of VR-based educational aid for Pakistani oil and gas industries, Autodesk 3ds Max, visual studio and MySQL software’s will be used.
Findings
This new concept of VR-based interactive educational aid (HAZFO Expert 2.0) for accident prevention at oil and gas drilling industries will be based on potential hazards and their suitable controlling measures for onshore and offshore drilling sites.
Practical implications
VR-based interactive educational aid for oil and gas workforce will facilitate the health and safety professionals for the elimination of potential hazards associated with oil and gas drilling activities to the next level of identification of hazards which has been identified in HAZFO Expert 1.0 at onshore and offshore drilling sites.
Originality/value
This proposed VR-based interactive educational aid for safe drilling process will be the first visual teaching and e-learning technology which covers all onshore and offshore drilling operations in Pakistani oil and gas industries and provides effective hazard controlling strategies to overcome challenging industrial hazards.
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The aim of administrative reform— a special public policy instrument of governments— is to improve the capacity of public service delivery systems. This study examines the…
Abstract
The aim of administrative reform— a special public policy instrument of governments— is to improve the capacity of public service delivery systems. This study examines the reform-led service delivery situation of public institutions at the local level in South Asia. The study offers an in-depth qualitative study with gleaned data, focusing on primary education in the country in relation to MDGs basic education. Local administration in the country has been a ‘low modicum of self-governance to provide public services. Institutional capacity dealing with educational management has called into question. Primary education in the country is quantitatively discussed while qualitatively is in a state of disarray. As a thorough academic qualitative study with a country-specific case has by far not been explored yet, it fills the information gap. Little is known about the public service delivery capacity with primary education at the local level. This study implicates governments and development partners such as the UN SDGs for effective partnership in development in an era of post-CVID-19 crisis.
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Muhammad Azizuddin and Ahm Shamsuzzoha
The main goal of the study is to participate in academic debates and explore women's leadership and related challenges and opportunities in governance, and the extent to which…
Abstract
Purpose
The main goal of the study is to participate in academic debates and explore women's leadership and related challenges and opportunities in governance, and the extent to which women’s leadership has been enhanced by administrative reforms. The goal is to broaden the scope of action by promoting women's engagement and leadership in local government.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative study that uses inductive content analysis to examine the relationship between administrative reforms and women’s leadership development in the context of local government in Southeast and South Asia.
Findings
There is a positive impact of administrative reforms on women's leadership development. There is evidence that women are preparing for leadership roles in administration, which is a sign of progress in political change and modernization of society. They have been empowered by political and administrative education in a transformative way.
Research limitations/implications
This article contributes to the literature that expands knowledge about governance, female leadership and administrative reform. They are interrelated because they are precursors to the development of women's leadership in countries.
Practical implications
The findings of this study can help governments in South and Southeast Asia become more aware of strategies to promote gender balance in governance. The unsatisfactory situation was found to exist because of problems related to socio-political, economic, cultural, and personal development.
Originality/value
This study is the first to highlight the relationship between administrative reform and the development of women in leadership positions in a rarely studied developing country.
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Transformational and transactional leadership have become a fascinating issue for research since the work of Burns (1978) and Bass (1990). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate…
Abstract
Purpose
Transformational and transactional leadership have become a fascinating issue for research since the work of Burns (1978) and Bass (1990). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness of the concept of transformational leadership using examples of political leadership from South Asia. It is argued that the construct of transformational leadership is practically non-existent. And, if the concept of transformational leadership exists, it cannot be specifically applied to the leaders who gain popularity and achieve their goals. It is also argued that positive and negative connotation with transformational and transactional leadership, respectively, is false. The popular leadership may be good for “one-point agenda,” but not necessarily transform the system.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative methods, historical analysis, and discourse analysis have been employed to understand the leaders’ actions and behaviors.
Findings
The discussion around the empirical examples show that the popular-successful leadership does not necessarily a transformational leadership even though the leadership achieves the goals.
Originality/value
The popular or so-called transformational leadership may be good to achieve one-point agenda, but it may not bring the required change and fruitful results to all stakeholders if it is not backed by a transactional strategy. Future research may turn the attention in three directions: whether or not the achieved goals were transformational or transactional; evaluation of leaders’ behavior from the perspective of consequential leadership; and the role of transactional leaders in the growth and strengthening of micro and macro organizations.
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Muhammad A. Naseem and Adeela Arshad-Ayaz
One of the central themes of education for all (EFA) for the last two decades has been empowerment through access to education. The history of EFA, however, can at best be termed…
Abstract
One of the central themes of education for all (EFA) for the last two decades has been empowerment through access to education. The history of EFA, however, can at best be termed as checkered. EFA has been relatively successful in drawing world attention and improving access to education. However, the question whether world attention and improved access has resulted in empowerment of people in the developing world still remains unanswered.
In this paper we argue that the limited success of EFA can best be examined and analyzed by paying close attention to tension between demands of the global capital and labor market place and nationalist agendas of the developing (post-colonial) state. These tensions affect the EFA agenda in the developing countries in complex ways.
Taking empirical-educational data from Pakistan we demonstrate that demands of the global capital and the labor market had resulted in an increased attention on institutions and programs of study that cater to the needs of the global capital and labor pool. Access to these institutions is limited to certain strata of the society. On the other hand the mass education program in Pakistan is largely defined by the nationalistic agenda of the post-colonial undemocratic state. A net impact of the interplay of these global and national dynamics is that not only the EFA's aim of mass education is hampered but also more importantly education in its present state is not empowering the recipients.
The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of disclosure harmonization in selected accounting disclosure practices in three South Asian countries, namely, India, Pakistan…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the extent of disclosure harmonization in selected accounting disclosure practices in three South Asian countries, namely, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a sample of 566 non‐financial companies for the financial year 1998. A total of 91 disclosure items were selected from 13 common IAS‐based accounting standards. The I index and chi‐square statistics are used to measure the degree of disclosure harmonization.
Findings
The values of the I index show a relatively higher degree of disclosure harmonization in the areas of inventories, cash flow statements, consolidated financial statements, investment in subsidiaries, and borrowing costs. A lower level of harmonization is observed in the areas of taxes on income, leases, retirement benefit costs, and investments.
Originality/value
These finding have implications for the national standard setters and regulators as well as the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA). These bodies may work together for the improvement of comparability of financial reporting in the region.
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Mian Sajid Nazir, Hassan Younus, Ahmad Kaleem and Zeshan Anwar
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between uncertain political events and Pakistani Stock Markets from May 1999 to December 2011.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between uncertain political events and Pakistani Stock Markets from May 1999 to December 2011.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the mean-adjusted return model and event study methodology and by comparing the market efficiency between the two government style, i.e. autocratic and democratic, the authors determined that how uncertain political events are affecting Pakistani Stock Markets.
Findings
The empirical result shows that political events have an impact on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) returns. Moreover, the paper derives from the results that the KSE is inefficient for a short span of time, after 15 days KSE absorbs the noisy information. The political situation in Pakistan was more stable in autocratic government structure than in democratic structure but it is difficult to state that the stock markets are more efficient in Autocracy because only few events took place during an autocratic regime and magnitude of events was not same in the autocratic and democratic government structure.
Originality/value
This study is unique in its nature as it examines the effect of multiple political events on stock market returns in Pakistan simultaneously and is expected to contribute significantly in the capital market literature of Pakistan in particular.