Abdul Samad, Salman Bashir and Sumaiya Syed
Growing environmental challenge awareness among consumers is today's business reality that pushes for sustainable product development. Governments, industries, and consumers'…
Abstract
Growing environmental challenge awareness among consumers is today's business reality that pushes for sustainable product development. Governments, industries, and consumers' attention are significantly moved from traditional products to eco-friendly product development. Green product development is the future for manufacturing businesses' survival in most markets. Green product development is an emerging phenomenon and, unfortunately, lacks theoretical and empirical research regarding effective organizational policies and practices for green product development. This study aims at filling research gaps towards green product development by highlighting green employee aspects influenced by leadership for sustainable business growth. The study hypothesized relations between the green effect of transformational leadership on green product development as an outcome through green behaviour, green climate, and green innovative creativity. Data was collected from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Karachi through a self-administered survey questionnaire. Results revealed significant support for hypothesized relations through the partial least square statistical tool. This study contributes theoretical and empirical advancement in past literature wherein leadership style influences employee behaviour that leads to predict product development from an environmental perspective. Study inferences suggest for visionary green leadership style for sustainable business growth. Limitations of this study regarding other variable inclusiveness, sampling, and geography are potential extensions for further scholarly investigation.
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Muhammad Umar, Maqbool Hussain Sial, Syed Ahmad Ali, Muhammad Waseem Bari and Muhammad Ahmad
This paper aims to investigate the tacit knowledge-sharing framework among Pakistani academicians. The objective is to study trust and social networks as antecedents to foster…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the tacit knowledge-sharing framework among Pakistani academicians. The objective is to study trust and social networks as antecedents to foster tacit knowledge sharing with the mediating role of commitment. Furthermore, the moderating role of organizational knowledge-sharing culture is also examined.
Design/methodology/approach
The study applied a survey-based quantitative research design to test the proposed model. The nature of data are cross-sectional and collected with stratified random sampling among public sector higher education professionals of Pakistan. The total sample size for the present research is 247 respondents. The variance-based structural equation modeling technique by using Smart_PLS software is used for analysis.
Findings
Data analysis and results reveal that trust and social networks are significant predictors of tacit knowledge sharing among Pakistani academicians while commitment positively mediated the relationships. While the moderating role of organizational knowledge-sharing culture is also established.
Research limitations/implications
The current research explains tacit knowledge sharing among academics with fewer antecedents i.e. social network and trust with limited sample size and specific population. There is still a great deal of work to be done in this area. Hence, the study provides direction for including knowledge-oriented leadership and knowledge governance in the current framework. Moreover, the framework can be tested in different work settings for better generalization.
Practical implications
The study gives an important lead to practitioners for enhancing tacit knowledge sharing at the workplace through a robust social network of employees, building trust and boosting employees’ commitment, as well as through supportive organizational knowledge sharing culture.
Originality/value
The research comprehends the tacit knowledge sharing framework with theoretical arrangements of trust, social networks, commitment and culture in higher education workplace settings under the umbrella of social capital theory.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, in a culturally diverse society such as the UAE, organizations employing expatriates can improve expatriate retention by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, in a culturally diverse society such as the UAE, organizations employing expatriates can improve expatriate retention by providing expatriate employees with support aimed at facilitating their cross‐cultural adjustment.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted in two phases; first, a pilot study was conducted to test the instrument. In the second phase, a survey with 54 items on a five‐point Likert scale was distributed to 900 academic and administrative staff working at 12 Higher Colleges of Technology in five UAE emirates via company's internal e‐mail.
Findings
The results show that there is a positive relationship between organisational support and expatriates' cross‐cultural adjustment that includes work, general and interaction adjustment.
Practical implications
This study is a synthesizing research that examines the relationship between organisational support and expatriates' cross‐cultural adjustment in a Middle Eastern environment. HR practitioners' and management researchers' concerns that seek to predict the selection of individuals who can live and work successfully in cross‐cultural setting, are explored in this study.
Originality/value
Global competition and reduction in trade barriers have increased the demand for individuals who can work effectively in a foreign environment. In the United Arab Emirates, the expectation is for the number of expatriates to increase in the coming years, with a corresponding expectation that, as the number of expatriates is growing, the expatriate failure rate is also increasing. Thus, the way in which organisational support programs affect the expatriate's perceptions of the company should be of particular importance for making decisions regarding which programs to offer.
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Sumaiya Syed, Salman Bashir Memon and Abdul Qadir Shah
The qualitative study was conducted to examine work-family (W-F) balance practices in the collectivist culture of Pakistan. Keeping in view the context of Pakistan, three W-F…
Abstract
Purpose
The qualitative study was conducted to examine work-family (W-F) balance practices in the collectivist culture of Pakistan. Keeping in view the context of Pakistan, three W-F practices, flexibility, childcare arrangement and social support, were studied by applying the theory of W-F balance.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 16 In-depth interviews from the bank operating in three different cities in Sindh, Pakistan.
Findings
Data analysis showed that providing economic benefits and short working hours can achieve W-F balance. Nevertheless, the provision of flexibility in terms of short working hours is more important than economic benefits in balancing both domains of life. Secondly, the provision of childcare arrangements helps to balance work and home life. This practice favors females more compared to males. Thirdly, supervisor and co-worker support is most important in creating W-F balance than family support.
Research limitations/implications
It is crucial to understand the W-F balance practices in developing countries; the bank should encourage policies related to flexibility, childcare arrangement and social support in Pakistan. In addition, banks should take the initiative to develop a way that facilitates the employees' social support, which should consequently help to achieve the W-F balance.
Practical implications
It is crucial to understand the W-F balance practices in developing countries; the bank should encourage policies related to flexibility, childcare arrangement and social support in Pakistan. Banks should take an initiative to develop a way that facilitates the employees' social support which should consequently help to achieve the W-F balance.
Social implications
This research has a tremendous impact on society due to current changes in South Asian countries including Pakistan constitute a socio-cultural transition that directly affects working and family life.
Originality/value
Given the importance of W-F balance in recent times, the authors identified and extended the W-F balance practices in the collectivist culture of Pakistan. This study is novel and contributes to the W-F balance literature by considering most primary W-F balance practices that employees require.
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Gousia Gani, Haroon Naik, Tawheed Amin, Nusrat Jan, Syed Zameer Hussain, Omar Bashir and Abida Jabeen
Currently, there is a great demand for those food products that are easy to prepare or ready for direct consumption. Making pear fruit/juice available round the year is desirous…
Abstract
Purpose
Currently, there is a great demand for those food products that are easy to prepare or ready for direct consumption. Making pear fruit/juice available round the year is desirous owing to pears' high-nutritional value and specific pleasant taste. Pear is, however, a seasonal fruit and under ambient conditions has a limited shelf life rendering it available as fresh fruit for a specific period.
Design/methodology/approach
The study aimed to optimize the spray drying process parameters using response surface methodology for the development of pear juice powder. The process variables included the inlet air temperature of 140–210°C, maltodextrin levels of 4–25%, atomization speed of 11,400–28,000 rpm, feed flow rate of 180–630 mL/hr, and feed total soluble solids (TSS) of 13–30°Brix. The dependent responses were powder yield, solubility, antioxidant activity {% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity}, dispersibility, hygroscopicity and particle density.
Findings
Among independent variables, inlet air temperature showed a predominant effect. The optimum processing conditions for the development of pear juice powder with optimum quality were 163.02°C inlet air temperature, 13.50% maltodextrin, 28,000 rpm atomization speed, 390.94 mL/h feed flow rate, and 25.5°Brix feed TSS. Under these optimum conditions, pear powder with desirable properties could be produced. The experimental and predicted values were found to be in agreement, indicating the suitability of the model in predicting optimizing responses of pear powder. Glass transition temperature of pear powder was found to be 36.60 ± 0.40°C, which is much higher than that of ambient temperature, suggesting better shelf stability.
Originality/value
The processing of pear fruit has resulted in the increased demand for pear juice powder in both domestic and international markets as a primer of new food products. The optimum conditions obtained in the current study could provide a new insight to the food industry in developing spray-dried pear powder of optimum quality. This can open up a new horizon in the field of food industry for the common masses of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
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Fauzia Syed, Saima Naseer, Fatima Bashir and Tasneem Fatima
Recent evidence suggests that leaders' communication is central to an organization's success. The purpose of the current research is to examine how the leader's motivating…
Abstract
Purpose
Recent evidence suggests that leaders' communication is central to an organization's success. The purpose of the current research is to examine how the leader's motivating language (direction giving, empathetic and meaning-making) translates into positive career outcomes through the mechanism of positive affective tone.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-wave time-lagged research design was applied to collect data (N = 320) from employees of the telecom sector of Pakistan.
Findings
Employing structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, the study results indicate that high levels of leader's motivating language (direction giving and meaning-making) result in positive affective tone in employees, which further creates career motivation (career insight, career resilience and career identity) and career satisfaction. In contrast, positive affective tone does not mediate between empathetic language and career motivation (career insight, career resilience and career identity) and career satisfaction relationship.
Research limitations/implications
The present study's findings explicate the unique effects and mechanism through which leaders motivating language becomes influential in reaping its benefits for followers' career outcomes. More research is warranted to examine other attitudinal and behavioral outcomes of leaders motivating language. This study research prepares future researchers to investigate other mediators and moderators in the leaders motivating language–career outcomes relationship. The authors recommend further implications of the study's findings for research and practice in the domain of leadership, affect and careers.
Originality/value
The current study opens up a new perspective in leaders motivating language literature by examining the underlying mechanism of positive affective tone.
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Rifat Altaf, Imtiyaz Ahmad Zargar, Gousia Gani, Syed Zameer Hussain, Omar Bashir, Bazila Naseer, Sobiya Manzoor and Tawheed Amin
This study aims to develop sweet chestnut incorporated corn-based extrudates by the optimization of process conditions.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop sweet chestnut incorporated corn-based extrudates by the optimization of process conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The independent process variables for extrusion (blend ratio, barrel temperature, screw speed and feed moisture) were investigated to govern their impact on reliant variables, namely, bulk density, specific mechanical energy, water absorption index, water solubility index, color and hardness. Product and system responses were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the independent variables. Experimental design with quadratic models experienced a high coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.99).
Findings
Numerical optimization for the development of extrudates resulted in optimum conditions having corn flour: sweet chestnut flour (80:20), barrel temperature (120°C), screw speed (340 rpm) and feed moisture (12%). Fat, moisture and protein contents of the developed extrudates using optimum conditions were significantly (p < 0.05) lower compared to raw materials – corn and sweet chestnut. The packaging of extrudates in aluminum laminates revealed shelf stability of three months at room temperature without deterioration of quality.
Originality/value
Nutritionally rich sweet chestnut extruded products would be an exclusive option to already existing snacks in the market and can facilitate a new sphere in extruded product sector.
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Muhammad Tahir, Ahmad Ali Jan, Syed Quaid Ali Shah, Md Badrul Alam, Muhammad Asim Afridi, Yasir Bin Tariq and Malik Fahim Bashir
The purpose of this paper is to explore the contending role of important external inflows on the economic growth of Pakistan economy. The main purpose behind focusing on Pakistan…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the contending role of important external inflows on the economic growth of Pakistan economy. The main purpose behind focusing on Pakistan is that it is receiving significant inflows from different international sources such as International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted the autoregressive distributed lag cointegration approach for the purpose of exploring the long-run cointegrating relationship among the variables. As Pakistan Government had been implementing some major liberalization policies during 1990s, data from 1976 to 2018 is used to estimate the specified models to reflect the impact of the surge of foreign inflows occurring from that time. In addition, error correction model is estimated for examining the short-run relationships.
Findings
The findings revealed the significant role played by different inflows in accelerating the economic growth. According to results, in the long run, all inflows, for example, Foreign direct investment (FDI), debt, official developdment assistance and remittances, have influenced significantly and positively the economic growth. The two control variables such as inflation and employment level included in the model have also played their expected role in the growth process. In the short run, some of the variables such as remittances, FDI and inflation rate have lost their significance level while for debt, aid and employment level, the signs of their coefficients become reversed.
Practical implications
Based on the findings, the study suggests the policymakers of Pakistan economy to liberalize the economy and attract more inflows from the external sources to accelerate economic growth.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive empirical study on the role of foreign inflows in the process of economic growth in the context of Pakistan economy.
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Omar Bashir, Syed Zameer Hussain, Tawheed Amin, Nusrat Jan, Gousia Gani, Shakeel Ahmad Bhat and Abida Jabeen
Apricots are not only nutritionally-rich but also possess pharmacological significance owing to their high antioxidant activity, and they are rich in vitamins, fibers, bioactive…
Abstract
Purpose
Apricots are not only nutritionally-rich but also possess pharmacological significance owing to their high antioxidant activity, and they are rich in vitamins, fibers, bioactive phytochemicals and minerals. Because of its immense organoleptic characteristics, apricot juice (AJ) is well accepted; however, it has a limited shelf-life, thereby demanding it to be converted into other shelf-stable form. One of the approaches is converting this juice into dehydrated powder. Amongst the various dehydration techniques available, spray drying is usually preferred; however, it involves the use of several independent variables, which need to be optimized, thus prompting to optimize the process to obtain spray dried apricot powder (SDAP) with improved quality.
Design/methodology/approach
The spray-drying process of apricot juice was done using the response surface approach. The process variables included the inlet air temperature of 135–220°C, gum arabic concentration of 4–25%, feed flow rate of 124–730 mL/h, feed total soluble solids (TSS) of 10-30°Brix and atomization speed of 11,400–28,000 rpm. The dependent responses were powder yield, hygroscopicity, solubility, moisture content, carotenoids (CT), ascorbic acid (AA), radical scavenging activity (RSA), lightness, wettability, bulk density, particle density and porosity.
Findings
Amongst all independent variables, inlet air temperature had most predominant impact on all the investigated responses. The optimum processing conditions for development of apricot powder with optimum quality were 190°C inlet air temperature, 18.99% gum arabic, 300.05 mL/h feed flow rate, 24°Brix feed TSS and 17433.41 rpm atomization speed. The experimental values were found to be in agreement with the predicted values, indicating the suitability of models in predicting optimizing responses of apricot powder. Flowability as Carr's index (CI) (22.36 ± 1.01%) suggests fair flow of powder. Glass transition temperature of powder was 57.85 ± 2.03°C, which is much higher than that of ambient, suggesting its better shelf stability.
Originality/value
To the best of author's knowledge, very limited or very few studies have been carried out on the spray-drying process for the manufacture of SDAP. The results of this investigation will open up new horizons in the field of food industry in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India or elsewhere in the apricot-growing areas of India.