Kainat Fatima, Rabia Zaheer, Zaib Sohail and Mehr-un-Nisa Shakeel
This paper highlights public health issues arising in prisons due to overcrowding – focusing on existence of tuberculosis (TB) and its transmission in a TB endemic country. It…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper highlights public health issues arising in prisons due to overcrowding – focusing on existence of tuberculosis (TB) and its transmission in a TB endemic country. It further addresses feasible TB management, to develop an applicable preventive intervention that will control TB transmission and development within and outside prisons. This study aims to decrease morbidity and mortality caused by TB by identifying latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) cases.
Design/methodology/approach
A novel cross-sectional study conducted on male prisoners of Central Prison Rawalpindi, dividing them into three strata, i.e. under-trial (UTP), convicted (CTP) and condemned (CP) prisoners. Prevalence of latent TB infection within prisoners was methodologically calculated using multiple statistical analysis at 95% confidence interval. This research sourced an invasive skin test (Mantoux test) for primary data collection from targeted key population.
Findings
This research calculated existing prevalence of LTBI at 47.25%, 47.45% and 53%, respectively in UTP, CTP and CP prisoners, and 32.2% in total prison population. Overcrowding, poor health conditions and excessive smoking presented strong statistical significance to high LTBI prevalence across the prison population.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations included accessibility to prisons due to procedural concealment, and unannounced release of UTPs that was dealt through supplementary testing. The presented research findings highlight the disease spread across key populations, and the importance of identifying, containing and controlling them. It elaborates the crucial use of Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) to identify and isolate LTBI and potential TB cases in a closed population. It also facilitates policy implications that promote health and safety for prisoners, law enforcers and associated external population.
Practical implications
TB is one of the top 10 fatal illnesses and second highest infectious disease worldwide. For decades, TB ruled over human health and threatened their survival. Health-care professionals face challenges in locating, isolating, treating and controlling TB across the globe. Pakistan is a TB endemic country that internationally ranks fifth in nations with high TB burden. LTBI prevalence is unknown in Pakistan. Key populations are well-known to comparatively live with higher rates of infectious disease. Therefore, this research targeted a key population and has successfully calculated LTBI prevalence in overcrowded male prison population.
Social implications
Key populations are at high risk of contracting and transmitting communicable diseases. They not only possess higher disease incidences, but are also responsible for disease-spread within and outside their community. Targeting them will help in controlling for LTBI across prison population as well as the external population that is associated with the prisoners. TST allowed maximum screening coverage, encapsulated LTBI, spread awareness and eliminated stigmatisation.
Originality/value
Prevalence of TB and LTBI are unknown in Pakistan. This novel research calculated LTBI prevalence through primary data collection and targeted key populations. Authors collected primary data on case-by-case basis. This study has efficaciously located and isolated LTBI cases among the sample population following internationally standardised TST procedures.
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Rabia Imran and Raghad Ezzeldin Aldaas
The current research is aimed at exploring entrepreneurial leadership (EL) as a mediator in perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational performance (OP…
Abstract
Purpose
The current research is aimed at exploring entrepreneurial leadership (EL) as a mediator in perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational performance (OP) relationship. Furthermore, it also examined the impact of POS and entrepreneurial leadership on the performance of an organization.
Design/methodology/approach
A purposively selected sample of 216 respondents from the SME sector of Oman was chosen for the study.
Findings
The results revealed that POS and entrepreneurial leadership positively and significantly have an effect on organizational performance. Moreover, the hypothesized role of entrepreneurial leadership as a mediator between POS and OP relationship was also supported.
Research limitations/implications
In spite of the novelty of the research, it was limited due to a few reasons. First, the research design is cross-sectional. Second, the research only focused SME sector. This research only focused on entrepreneurial leadership as a mediator, whereas, other mediators could have been explored as well.
Originality/value
The research on POS and organizational performance relationship is still in its exploration stage. Past research indicate that POS has an effect on different outcomes within an organization, including its performance. However, still, the research on the entrepreneurial leadership process is quite scarce. The current research will explore it in the context of Oman, where there is a dire need to establish SME sector performance. The unique combination between POS, entrepreneurial leadership and performance in the SME sector of Oman marks the novelty of the current research. This study contributes to the SME’s literature and it is among the pioneer studies exploring the mediating role of entrepreneurial leadership in the relationship between POS and OP.
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Sabeen Hussain Bhatti, Rabia Irshad, Nazia Shehzad and Gabriele Santoro
This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of the less studied relationship between perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) (both internal and external) and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of the less studied relationship between perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) (both internal and external) and creative deviance (CD). Based on the signalling and social capital (SC) theories, this study proposes that the relationship between CSR and CD is mediated by both the prosocial motivation and SC of the employees.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a survey approach to gathering data and implemented a structural equation modelling technique for analysis.
Findings
Data collected from telecom employees supported the sequential mediation of both SC and prosocial motivation on the relationship between internally and externally perceived corporate social responsibility and CD.
Research limitations/implications
The in-depth analysis of the similarities and differences in the internal and external dimensions of CSR is valuable for understanding the antecedents of CD.
Practical implications
The in-depth analysis of the similarities and differences in the internal and external dimensions of CSR is valuable for understanding the antecedents of CD. Managers can use this knowledge to improve their performance by following better CSR practices that in turn foster SC and CD. By supporting SC, companies will be able to increase their intellectual capital (IC), which is necessary to compete in today's markets.
Originality/value
The present literature is mostly silent on the differences and similarities between perceived CSR and employee creative behaviour: CD. The present study fills this gap by investigating this important relationship and testing its underlying mechanisms for internally and externally perceived CSR separately. The paper puts forward the key role of SC, which is part of IC, in reinforcing the relationship between CSR and CD.
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Hua Song, Kangkang Yu, Anirban Ganguly and Rabia Turson
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)’ supply chain network on influencing credit quality, or more specifically, whether…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)’ supply chain network on influencing credit quality, or more specifically, whether bridging tie (structural network) or strong tie (relational network) of SMEs in the supply chain can improve the availability of equity and debt capital through information sharing.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted in manufacturing industry in China and 208 valid questionnaires were used to test all the hypotheses. The data were then analyzed by employing partial least squares path modeling.
Findings
The results suggest that both strong tie and bridging tie of SMEs can lead to a positive effect on information sharing in supply chain, which can further enhance the credit quality for SMEs. However, without information sharing, the strong tie has not significant influence on SMEs’ credit quality, while bridging tie can directly impact on credit quality.
Originality/value
Despite their crucial role in sustaining national economies, SMEs are beset by the critical constraint of risk-free financing. Based on a survey, this research finds that the credit quality of SMEs is affected by two important factors: one concerns information sharing in supply chain and the other relates to the attributes of SMEs’ supply chain network. This study implies that a SME may have a financing advantage for better embedding in the supply chain network, but different effects will be experienced according to constraints associated with information asymmetry in the supply chain.