Academic Journal of Social Sciences (AJSS )

Business Incubators: Exploring the Graduated Incubates Entrepreneurs’ Experiences in the Context of Pakistan

Darakhshan Safdar, Urooj Qamar — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:18:20 +0500

Business incubation centers (BIs) have emerged as a popular tool for promoting entrepreneurship and economic development worldwide. The study contributes to literature by exploring the dynamics and significance of incubation in establishing businesses for nascent entrepreneurs. Specifically, this research delves into the experiences of graduated entrepreneurs from the National Incubation Center (NIC), a renowned public Business Incubation (BI) center located in Lahore, Pakistan and stands as a pivotal hub for innovation and entrepreneurial growth in the region. NIC provides a dynamic ecosystem where aspiring entrepreneurs and startups converge to receive comprehensive support, mentorship, and resources. The study aims to scrutinize the facilities offered by NIC and their impact on the personal and practical lives of the graduated incubates. Additionally, the research intends to identify the motivating factors for entrepreneurs to join Business Incubation Centers, which comprise networking, mentorship, investment, learning, and personal development. This study utilized a qualitative research design and data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 incubated entrepreneurs and analyzed thematically using the approach proposed by Braun and Clark (2006) and aided by NVivo (version 12 plus). The study uncovers several challenges faced by graduated incubates, including a lack of anticipated networking and mentorship, inadequate financial support, insufficient technical assistance, a scarcity of sponsorship initiatives for entrepreneurs, a shortage of legal assistance, and the impact of the pandemic on the incubation process. The study's findings may help policymakers to recognize the most effective institutions and initiatives for supporting entrepreneurial growth and expansion, both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, regulatory support for entrepreneurs can reinforce existing institutional frameworks.

Navigating Brand Loyalty: The Dynamic Interplay of Engagement, Attachment, and Usage Patterns

Zoya Tanveer, Amir Ikram, Farah Samreen — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:19:20 +0500

Mobile electronic devices’ demand is greater than any other electronic device currently. This study aims to find the mechanism that creates Brand Loyalty through Brand Engagement in the context of the mobile industry, where market saturation makes it very difficult for organizations to gain it. This study determines the effectiveness of psychological drivers including Brand Awareness; Brand Image; Brand Psychological Ownership; and Value Congruity in developing Customer Brand Engagement, as well as to investigate the effect of Customer Brand Engagement on Behavioral Brand Loyalty through the mediating influence of Brand Awareness. The study also investigated the moderating role of Brand Usage Duration and the role of Usage Frequency between Brand Awareness and Behavioral Brand Loyalty. Customers' data was collected using an existing established questionnaire through convenience sampling, the public intercept sampling approach was used. The data was acquired from 384 respondents. The structure equation model method was used to analyze the data. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of consumer psychological motives in establishing Customer Brand Engagement that further leads to Customer Loyalty and reflects which element is more powerful. Further research indicates the impact of Brand Usage Duration on Customer Brand Engagement and Behavioral Brand Loyalty. All variables were proved to have a positive and significant effect except Usage Frequency. This research will assist Brand managers in determining which aspects are more influential in the growth of Customer Brand Engagement that further leads to Brand Loyalty. Study limitations and future directions have been provided at the end of the study.

Impact of Human Intelligence on Organizational Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Machine Intelligence

Salman Hameed, Beenish Khurshid, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:20:08 +0500

This study aims to assess the collective impact of human and machine intelligence on the organizational performance of banking sector employees. A quantitative, deductive research approach is applied to this research. Data is collected through non-probability, and convenience sampling techniques and the selected sample size was 351 for this PLS-SEM (structural equation modeling) was used for data analysis through SMART PLS. The research indicates that EI and CQ influence employee performance. However, the study highlights a minimal moderating effect of employee AI capability in their interactions with customers. In Pakistan, enhancing employee commitment to improving customer experience is essential. This can be achieved by connecting customer feedback to how employees provide services. This connection can substantially improve AI capabilities and overall service quality, particularly in terms of external service performance and organizational outcomes. The definition of emotional and cultural attributes varies from respondent to respondent. Time limitation was also another factor while conducting this research. The data is collected only by Karachi-based banking employees in this way the findings are limited to location. The study emphasizes the paramount of EI on organizational performance internal or external so, to gain competitiveness there is a need to strengthen the EI of employees by involving them in the communication and decision-making process of the organization.

Determinants of Customers' Behavior for the Adoption of Green Banking Products and Services: UTAUT Model-Based Explanation

Nisar Ahmad, Bilal Nafees, Hasan Kamran — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:20:47 +0500

Increasing environmental concerns worldwide have spurred individuals and firms to emphasize eco-friendly practices in every walk of life. This study investigates the implication of the UTAUT model in the adoption of green banking products and services by customers in Pakistan. This study also explores behavioral intention as a mediator between explanatory variables and customers' behavior for the adoption of green banking practices. This quantitative study used convenience sampling and structured self-administered questionnaires for data collection. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed on the data collected from 305 customers of commercial and the results revealed a significant impact of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, enabling situation, conditional values, and emotional values on customers’ intention and behavior toward green banking practices. Moreover, facilitating conditions and social influence positively affect customers’ adoption of green banking products and services. Behavioral intention also fully mediates the link between performance expectancy, conditional values, emotional values, and usage behavior. Thus, bank management should consider these factors when creating green banking products and services. The current study focused on the customer perspective only, undoubtedly, it is very pivotal to understand the behavior of customers about green banking. But for a holistic coverage of the factors influencing the adoption of green banking, future research might focus on varied perspectives including bank management, bank employees, and SBP by using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Impact of Competitive Strategy, Decision Making Style, Innovativeness and Risk Management on Knowledge Management Practices

Khudaija Warraich, Rana Muhammad Sarfraz Khan, Muhammad Raza Zafar — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:32:10 +0500

This study fills an urgent gap in need of a complete picture of the complicated relationships between organizational traits and Knowledge Management approaches amid Lahore's traditional financial institutions, Pakistan. This research relates to studying how risk management, innovation strategies or decision-making styles affect the knowledge environment within these firms. This paper adopts a positivist philosophy for research and is combined with the use of quantitative methods. Smart PLS software is used to perform Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) on the data obtained. Responses came from a sample of 380 bank managers, comprising the dataset used for analysis. These results suggest that there are some areas in which organizational interventions aimed at knowledge management could be especially effective (e.g., the strong and reliable positive relationships between insights into how organizations use information, competitive strategy, decision-making styles, innovativeness, and risk management). The following results, through verifying and elaborating upon these existing conceptual frameworks while at the same time providing practical applicability for participants in this specific field of study, also serve to add depth theory side of knowledge management. This will provide us with a better understanding of Knowledge Management processes in many kinds of organizations. Because this research makes use of cross-sectional data, the capacity to establish causal relationships between variables is limited. It is a key study for organizations, employees, executives, and policy makers.

Social Identity Construction: Experiences of Teenage Students with Physical Disabilities in Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of Disabled Social Identity Construction

Bushra Tabassum, Hafiz Mueed UL Rahman — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:32:46 +0500

Social identity is considered a dynamic and life-changing process. Individuals with physical disabilities learn and adapt to their environment. Their experiences help them cope with disability and in the development of their social identity. This research has been pursued with qualitative research design, and its underpinning lies in epistemological constructivism, where individuals give specific meaning to their experiences to understand social reality. Two theories have been used in the theoretical framework of this research: social identity theory and the looking-glass-self theory. This research strived to understand the phenomenon of social identity and how it affected individuals with physical disabilities in their lives.20 participants between the ages of 12 to 18 years were interviewed. The rationale for selecting this specific group was to understand the concept of self at the initial stages as it would grow as they grow up. This study was conducted at the Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PSRD) in Lahore. The data was collected through in-depth interviews which were recorded and transcribed to gain insights. Three themes emerged from the interviews: experiences and views regarding one’s social identity, the role and influence of educational institutions and the environment of said institutions, and the role and influence of vocational skills in identity construction. The results of this research showed that the role of educational institutions, the environment of institutions, and the vocational training of the individuals played a substantial role in shaping their social identity. Respondents described how their self-actualization experiences, educational institutions, and vocational training helped them to construct identity.

Connecting the dots of Ethical Leadership and Job Satisfaction: Moderated Mediation Effect of Co-Worker Undermining and Employee Engagement.

Rizwan Ali, Marwa Shehzadi, Salman Mirza — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:33:58 +0500

In the past studies, numerous scholars have given their focus to examining the impact of ethical leadership on the organization’s work outcomes. This study investigates the influence of coworker undermining between ethical leadership and employees’ engagement and draws the Social Rule Theory in a broader perspective for reducing the negative social interaction in the workplace. The purpose of this study is to check the effect of social undermining on the work outcomes of the organization by analyzing the job satisfaction of employees. We suggested that ethical leadership would be more influential on the employees’ engagement (cognitive, affective, and emotional) by using another theory, Social Learning Theory, which will engage the employees with their organization and promote a high level of satisfaction the employees with their jobs. Coworker undermining is assessed as a moderator between ethical leadership and employees’ engagement it is highly problematic for leaders when it will exist in their workplace. For analysis of the model, administrated 515 questionnaires were used which were collected from the employees working in educational institutions. Cross-sectional and non-Probability Convenience sampling technique was used for the data collection. The finding of our study has a fruitful effect on enhancing the employees’ engagement by using effective ethical leadership and reducing the effect of coworker undermining. However, employees’ engagement has a significant relationship between ethical leadership and job satisfaction but another hand positive effects will be disappeared in these relations due to the existence of coworker undermining between mediators and ethical leadership.

The Nexus of Institutional Pillars and Service Innovation in Pakistan's ICT SME Sector: An Empirical SEM Analysis

Nida Qamar, Fouzia Hadi Ali — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:34:36 +0500

Service innovation is a critical driver of economic growth and competitiveness in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. However, the full potential of the ICT sector innovation capacity remains unrealized due to the absence of adequate measures for evaluating and managing the factors that influence innovation, particularly institutional factors. SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) in Pakistan is empirically examined to determine the impact of institutional pillars on their ability to innovate service offerings. The study SEM to analyze data collected from 320 project managers of ICT SMEs in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. The findings reveal that normative, and cognitive institutions have a significant positive impact on service innovation while the regulative pillar has an insignificant impact on ICT SMEs in Pakistan. The comprehensive institutional framework is also found to be positively correlated with service innovation. The findings from this study have important implications for Pakistani policymakers and SMEs in the ICT sector. Policymakers should focus on creating a supportive institutional environment that facilitates service innovation. ICT SMEs should also be aware of the institutional factors that influence innovation and develop strategies to mitigate the negative impact of institutional constraints.

Examining the Dynamics of Fashion Trends, Self-Brand Congruence, and Consumer Engagement, with a Mediating Lens on Brand Trust in Customer-Brand Relationships

Shrafat Ali Sair, Aamir Sohail, Sadia Rafiq — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:35:06 +0500

This study examines the intricate relationship between fashion trends, self-brand congruence, brand trust, and the customer-brand relationship within the context of Pakistani consumers' interactions with clothing brands. Furthermore, the study objectives are to examine the mediating role of brand trust between observed variables. The objectives include the clarification of the collective influence of these aspects, filling a theoretical gap within the framework of Pakistan, and providing marketers with practical insights. The study used a quantitative research approach, using a convenience sampling technique to choose a sample of 300 participants. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is a statistical technique that is often used for the interpretation of data obtained from an online survey. The findings illustrate the interconnectedness of these dimensions by the observation of robust positive associations across fashion trends, self-brand congruency, brand trust, and customer engagement. Furthermore, the findings indicated that there is a significant mediating role of brand trust between Fashion Trends, Self-Brand Congruence, and Consumer Engagement, with a Mediating Lens on Brand Trust in Customer-Brand Relationships. This research has a distinctive quality since it specifically investigates these interactions within the Pakistani garment business, hence offering implications for consumer engagement initiatives and brand strategy. However, the use of cross-sectional data in this research imposes constraints on the capacity to establish causal relationships between the variables. This study is novel in the context of Pakistan as it is significant for customers, marketers, and policy makers for taking prudent decisions based on current research findings.

The Influence of Cash Flows Volatility on The Relationship Between Leverage and Accruals Earnings Management

Bilal Ahmed, Zunaidah Sulong — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 18:45:48 +0500

This study examines how cash flow volatility affects leverage and accruals earnings management. The research objective achieves by analyzing a sample of non-financial Pakistani enterprises from 2004 to 2018. The paper examines leverage and earnings management in business risk, specifically cash flow volatility. The leverage includes short term, long term, and total debt, while cash flows volatility is used as business risk. The earnings management level is measured by accruals earnings management also by using John Modified Model that suggests measuring earnings management approach by using discretionary accruals. This analysis uses agency and positive accounting theory. This study uses two-step system Generalized Method of Moment (SYS-GMM) dynamic panel estimators to examine leverage and earnings management. The study also examines how business risk affects this relationship for Pakistani enterprises. Endogeneity between variables motivates the adoption of SYS-GMM. The study found that leveraged managers use accruals earnings management. Leverage and accruals earnings management are positively correlated. The firm managers deliberately eschew accruals-based earnings management and leverage long-term debt. This choice is predicated on the unfavorable link between long-term debt and accruals earnings management. The leverage impacts negatively on accruals earnings management in the presence of cash flows volatility that discourage the managers to manipulate the financial statements. When seeking external finance, managers are less likely to use accruals-based earnings management when facing cash flow instability.