Nadeem Khalil and Mubashra Khan
The purpose of this study is to assess the current practices and state of solid waste management systems (SWMS) in one medium‐sized Indian town, identifying main issues and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess the current practices and state of solid waste management systems (SWMS) in one medium‐sized Indian town, identifying main issues and problems to its ineffectiveness, inefficiency and to gain some suggestions and recommendations to improve the SWM infrastructure and practices in such Indian towns.
Design/methodology/approach
A medium size city, Aligarh, having a population of about 0.7 million and situated 130 km from the capital city of India, Delhi, was selected for this study. An extensive literature review was conducted to establish a theoretical framework. Field visits were conducted to collect the primary data and to understand the SWMS of the city, including interaction and interviews with the various officials and workers of the municipality responsible for SWM and residents of the city. A protocol was developed to analyze the sources, quantification, and to determine the composition of waste streams. Existing reports related to SWM and recommendations of planners/NGOs/consultants for improving the system were studied.
Findings
Despite all efforts being made by the local municipality within their limited resources, the solid waste management situation in Aligarh is still not adequate. The waste is being dumped on low lying or open areas in the outskirts of the city without engineering and scientific methods. This situation of SWMS can be compared with other Indian towns of similar size.
Originality/value
The paper discusses problems, opportunities and perspectives in the existing solid waste management system in Aligarh city and assesses the potential for its improvement.
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Ummer Farooque, Muhammad Usman Awan and Muhammad Shafiq
The purpose of this study is to develop a scale for measuring housing quality in the context of Pakistan.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a scale for measuring housing quality in the context of Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
The inductive and deductive approaches for item generation have been combined, and items have been purified using multistage expert review. Data was collected from a sizeable purposive sample of 445 respondents, and exploratory and confirmatory factor approaches used for assessing psychometric properties of the scale.
Findings
The result is a 21-item scale covering five dimensions, namely, Design and Construction Quality, Neighborhood Quality, Adequacy of Space, Quality of Institutional Services and Proximity of Basic Amenities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to housing quality literature by deepening our understanding of the concept of housing quality in the context of Pakistan, the world’s fifth most populous country. The findings of the study have important implications for both theory and practice.
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Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) -- the Afghan-based branch of Islamic State (IS) and an enemy of the ruling Taliban -- claimed responsibility. The ‘Haqqani network’, which Khalil…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB291785
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The purpose of this paper is to introduce an innovative strategy for the approximate solution of the heat flow problems in two- and three-dimensional spaces. This new strategy is…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce an innovative strategy for the approximate solution of the heat flow problems in two- and three-dimensional spaces. This new strategy is very easy to implement and handles the restrictive variable that may ruin the physical nature of the problem.
Design/methodology/approach
This study combines Sawi transform (ST) and the homotopy perturbation method (HPM) to formulate the idea of Sawi homotopy perturbation transform method (SHPTM). First, this study implements ST to handle the recurrence relation and then incorporates HPM to derive the series solutions of this recurrence relation. ST has the advantage in that it does not require any assumptions or hypothesis for the evaluation of series solutions.
Findings
This strategy finds the results very accurate and close to the precise solution. The graphical observations and the surface solution demonstrate that SHPTM is a reliable and powerful scheme for finding the approximate solution of heat flow problems.
Originality/value
The study presents an original work. This study develops SHPTM for the approximate solution of two- and three-dimensional heat flow problems. The obtained results and graphical representation demonstrate that SHPTM is a very authentic and reliable approach.
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Kurnia Cahya Lestari and Noorlailie Soewarno
Building on the upper echelons and natural resource-based view (NRBV) theory, this study aims to examine the role of green innovation in mediating the relationship between female…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on the upper echelons and natural resource-based view (NRBV) theory, this study aims to examine the role of green innovation in mediating the relationship between female directors and firm value.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses panel data for 2016–2020 of 108 manufacturing firms listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange with 518 observations. This study collects data from the firm’s annual and sustainability reports and the Osiris database. This study uses feasible generalized least squares in controlling heteroscedasticity and correlation to validate the relationship.
Findings
The results show that green innovation mediates the relationship between female directors and firm value. The results support the upper echelons theory, which views that the impact of the female directors’ policy has a positive effect on green innovation. The results also support the NRBV theory, which views green innovation as an environmentally friendly resource capable of increasing firm value.
Originality/value
In examining the indirect effect of female directors on firm value, this study is one of the early works that discuss the mediation relationship using green innovation in the relationship of female directors to firm value drawn from upper echelons and NRBV theory.
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Rashid Zaman, Stephen Bahadar, Umar Nawaz Kayani and Muhammad Arslan
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate governance, with particular reference to the role of independent directors on boards and audit committees, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate governance, with particular reference to the role of independent directors on boards and audit committees, and media coverage on corporate transparency and disclosure. In addition, the paper also investigates the role of the media on independent directors’ behaviours towards corporate transparency and disclosure.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses the well-developed two-step system generalised method of moments approach on a sample of 99 Pakistan stock exchange (PSX) listed financial firms over the period 2007-2012.
Findings
The empirical analysis shows that media and independent directors on audit committees play a significant positive role in line with agenda setting and agency theories in promoting corporate transparency and disclosure. On the contrary, the boards’ independent directors are risk-averse and hold the information to protect their reputation. Nevertheless, the study does not find any significant influence of media coverage on independent directors’ behaviours in promoting corporate transparency and disclosure.
Practical implications
The findings provide some useful insight into cost benefits analysis of media coverage towards an understanding of independent directors’ behaviours for promoting transparency and disclosure in financial sector. Moreover, the study findings can be useful for both shareholders and stakeholders in taking decisions about firm activities.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that proposed and tested a multi-level framework for corporate transparency and disclosure practices. In addition, this study is also among the very few studies that use financial sectors as a sample, in particular, and media coverage, specifically, thus adding some value to the limited literature.
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Kalim Ullah Bhat, Yan Chen, Khalil Jebran and Niaz Ahmed Bhutto
The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate governance instruments impact firm value in the context of Pakistan. This paper considers state- and non-state-owned…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how corporate governance instruments impact firm value in the context of Pakistan. This paper considers state- and non-state-owned enterprises and examines whether the influence of corporate governance on firm value varies across firms having different nature of ownership.
Design/methodology/approach
This study opts for an unbalanced sample of state- and non-state-owned enterprises for the period 2010-2014. Panel data regression is adopted for estimation of main results. The suitable model, i.e. fixed and random effect model, is selected using Hausman specification test.
Findings
The notable findings show that board independence has a significant and positive relationship with firm value only for state-owned companies. Furthermore, the results show that market capitalization and return on assets have a significant and positive association with firm value for both state- and non-state-owned enterprises. All other variables are found insignificant for both state- and non-state-owned companies, but the results are consistent with those reported in previous studies.
Practical implication
The findings of the study suggest that fair induction of independent directors, appropriate board size and cost-benefit analysis to conduct frequent meetings can help corporations to improve their performance.
Originality/value
This study is adding to the current literature by providing new insights and shows that the impact of corporate governance on firm value varies across firms of different types of ownership, i.e. state- and non-state-owned enterprises.
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Ahmad Raza Bilal, Tehreem Fatima and Muhammad Kashif Imran
The purpose of this paper is to explore how the exclusionary work environment characterized by ostracism impacts full-time faculty experiences and responses in higher educational…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how the exclusionary work environment characterized by ostracism impacts full-time faculty experiences and responses in higher educational institutions working in eastern and collectivist culture of Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, the data were gathered form 25 ostracized full-time faculty working in the public and private universities in Lahore, Pakistan via in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews are subsequently recorded, transcribed and analyzed by thematic analysis using NVivo 11 Plus software.
Findings
Prosocial work outcomes coupled with high intensity of negative psychological impacts were traced based on the re-inclusion expectations, long-term relational contract, the socially interdependent, collaborative and collectivist culture of academic settings. However, the faculty indicated, in case of chronic exposure to ostracism they will engage in negative outcomes such as withdrawal, decrease in performance and resignation.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study can be used by the university administration to develop an inclusive and non-discriminatory culture. This can be done by devising policies for information sharing, better formal and informal relationships in full-time teaching faculty along with grievance mechanism to minimize the occurrence of workplace ostracism.
Originality/value
The study promotes the understating of exclusionary work environments in academic settings. It has shown that the full-time faculty from all levels, specifically lecturers, experience workplace ostracism. This study has highlighted the specific contextual factors and temporal trends that shape the unique nature and responses (i.e. more social exclusion, prosocial responses and higher psychological distress) to ostracism in scantly researched academic settings in Pakistan.
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Satyanarayana Pamarthi and R. Narmadha
Nowadays, more interest is found among the researchers in MANETs in practical and theoretical areas and their performance under various environments. WSNs have begun to combine…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, more interest is found among the researchers in MANETs in practical and theoretical areas and their performance under various environments. WSNs have begun to combine with the IoT via the sensing capability of Internet-connected devices and the Internet access ability of sensor nodes. It is essential to shelter the network from attacks over the Internet by keeping the secure router.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper plans to frame an effective literature review on diverse intrusion detection and prevention systems in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs) highly suitable for security in Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The literature review is focused on various types of attacks concentrated in each contribution and the adoption of prevention and mitigation models are observed. In addition, the types of the dataset used, types of attacks concentrated, types of tools used for implementation, and performance measures analyzed in each contribution are analyzed. Finally, an attempt is made to conclude the review with several future research directions in designing and implementing IDS for MANETs that preserve the security aspects of IoT.
Findings
It observed the different attack types focused on every contribution and the adoption of prevention and mitigation models. Additionally, the used dataset types, the focused attack types, the tool types used for implementation, and the performance measures were investigated in every contribution.
Originality/value
This paper presents a literature review on diverse contributions of attack detection and prevention, and the stand of different machine learning and deep learning models along with the analysis of types of the dataset used, attacks concentrated, tools used for implementation and performance measures on the network security for IoT applications.
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Qurat Ul Ain Saleem and Murtaza Ashiq
Continuous professional development is an essential in-service and on-going learning process that provides an opportunity to young and mid-career professionals to update and align…
Abstract
Purpose
Continuous professional development is an essential in-service and on-going learning process that provides an opportunity to young and mid-career professionals to update and align their skills in connection with the contemporary needs of library users. This study aims to identify and synthesize the literature on continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for Pakistani librarians and information professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on descriptive literature review published by Pakistani researchers with specific reference to Pakistani librarians and information professionals.
Findings
The findings revealed that albeit many initiatives have been taken by library and information science (LIS) schools and professional associations for developing the capabilities of librarians and information professionals, however, these initiatives remained spasmodic and limited to developing surface-level skills. Some emerging areas need to be addressed including information/digital literacy, research data management, data analysis and visualization and the skills to establish institutional repositories.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited to CPD literature contributed by Pakistani researchers and the efforts taken by LIS schools and professional associations.
Originality/value
There is an immediate need to initiate a cohesive approach involving key stakeholders and to establish a platform purely working for CPD of librarians and information professionals focusing on current and future needs. The finding will be helpful for drawing foundation guidelines by library associations, LIS schools and librarian’s parent’s organizations regarding CPD opportunities.