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High-dimensional data, characterized by having more attributes or variables than observations, presents unique challenges in industrial operations surveillance. Traditional multivariate control charts, like Hotelling’s [Formula: see text] chart, perform adequately with lower-dimensional data. However, they often fail to detect variations in process means as data dimensionality increases. This research proposes new control charts designed to enhance the detection of mean variations in both high and low-dimensional data. Specifically, Srivastava-Du (SD), Bai-Saranadasa (BS) and Dempster (DS) statistic-based charts are introduced, and their effectiveness is evaluated through simulations and real-life data applications. The performance of these charts is compared under various multivariate normal and non-normal distributions. Results indicate that DS and BS charts perform similarly, with the DS chart outperforming in low-dimensional normal distribution. Conversely, the SD chart outperformed in high-dimensional non-normal distributions. Additionally, the practical application of these proposed charts is illustrated through the monitoring of grease degradation in wind turbine bearings.

AbstractThis scholarly investigation explores the complex correlation between corporate governance and artificial intelligence (AI), recognizing the dynamic nature of the digital revolution. The research consists of two primary interactions: the initial interaction explicates the importance of corporate governance, and the subsequent one examines the incorporation of artificial intelligence applications into governance frameworks. By utilizing a descriptive and analytical approach, this study examines the extent to which current legal frameworks are congruent with the opportunities and challenges presented by digital transformation. The function of AI in reducing the risks associated with unethical financial and managerial practices is a primary concern, as it contributes to the ethical fortification of nations and businesses. The results emphasize the criticality for organizations to strictly comply with governance regulations, highlighting compliance as a fundamental element in demonstrating financial well-being, promoting expansion, and fortifying competitiveness in the corporate sphere. The findings have significant ramifications for both policymakers and organizations. Policymakers and organizations should adopt a proactive strategy to utilize AI’s capabilities, improving corporate governance practices and effectively navigating the intricacies of the digital age.

The adoption of cashless economies has become a popular trend globally. Cashless transactions provide convenience, security, and faster processing times compared to traditional cash payments. This review intends to provide an overview of the adopted literature on cashless economies, including their drivers and barriers. The review highlights the role of technology, government policies, and social factors in shaping the adoption of cashless economies. Additionally, the review discusses the implications of the adoption of cashless economies for businesses and consumers, including potential risks such as cybersecurity threats and the exclusion of individuals without access to digital payment systems. The review concludes with recommendations for stakeholders in promoting the adoption of cashless economies while addressing the challenges associated with this transition. Overall, this review provides valuable insights into the current state of the adoption of cashless economies and the factors that influence it.

Purpose: Developing comparative analysis between negative and positive health habits among young adults in wake of social media usage among youth in Lahore – Pakistan and New York, USA, is the core objective of this research. Different parameters applied on habits of young adults due to social media usage revealed excessive use of social media was resulting into negative effects on healthy habits of young adults in Pakistan, wherein social media was the least preference in USA. The purpose of the study was achieved to great extent. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employed in-depth interviews qualitative method to extract detailed opinions about the phenomenon under exploration. In-depth interview technique seemed the most appropriate method for qualitative studies for data collection. Findings: A massive gulf between social media consuming habits of Pakistani and Americans owing to multiple factors was established from this study. With the support of relevant stakeholders including cellular companies, prominent figures of society and Tech icons in USA has chalked out a comprehensive social-structural mechanism for wellbeing of the society at large particularly the young adults wherein the developing nations including Pakistan has least concern about this important component of social wellbeing. Implications/Originality/Value: The US citizens love to enjoy through physical activities i.e., plan weekends and other events and even they avoid using cell phones / social media while dinning collectively at restaurants. In Lahore, however, the youngsters have developed negative social media usage habits which are highly affecting their healthy lifestyle.

This study reveals that online video games have emerged as a novel platform for social interaction, wherein numerous gaming options facilitate player’s competition and collective interaction within the virtual realm. Gamers have increasingly begun to form distinct virtual social communities due to the inherent capacity of these games to facilitate social networking in a multiplayer online setting. This phenomenon has given rise to a unique social dynamic among video game enthusiasts. The present study delves into an exploration of the social gaming behaviour exhibited by participants engaged in multiplayer online games. Additionally, it seeks to establish a correlation between virtual and real-world behaviours by examining the relationship between destructive and constructive social behaviours and the dominance and affiliation dimensions of social interaction. Purpose: Online gaming has become a unique phenomenon among the young players with a significant influence on them. The basic objective of this study was to determine the social interaction caused by online gaming among young game players. This study conducted in Pakistani perspective has achieved the objections set to analyze the influence of online gaming and increased level of social interaction. Design/Methodology/Approach: To conduct this investigation, an online survey was administered to individuals who regularly engage in multiplayer gaming activities and dedicate a substantial portion of their daily time to gaming. The study sample consisted of 200 gamers spanning an age range of 16 to 30 years. Findings: The results of this inquiry shed light on the prevalence of pro-social behaviour and anti-social behaviour, characterized by constructive and destructive actions among gamers, respectively. Furthermore, the study reveals that destructive behaviour negatively predicts affiliation, while constructive behaviour has a positive predictive influence on affiliation. Moreover, certain demographic variables, such as age and gender, exert a significant impact on the prediction of dominance within the gaming community. The findings of this study provide substantial support for the notion that virtual social interactions have a notable influence on real-world behaviours, underscoring the interconnectedness between the online gaming environment and broader social dynamics. Implications/Originality/Value: Online gaming has become a common practice not only among young adults but also among the minors. Thus, this phenomenon has reduced physical activities among the youth and even among the school going children. This study may provide an insight into the matter and possible appropriate recommendations as well.

Purpose: The chief purpose of this study was designed to explore the phenomenal changes of business management models of the private and public news channels in Pakistan. The rationale behind this objective was to explore changing business approaches as adopted by the private news channel like Geo News and the public news channel like PTV News. The advent of the social media has altogether changed the landscape for the traditional media including newspapers and news channels, therefore, it seemed quite appropriate to explore new strategies for enhancing business for news channels in Pakistan. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employed in-depth interviews qualitative method to collect qualitative data from different patterns of data for major themes. Qualitative Content Analysis was partially employed to minimize large stream of data into small chunk and analyze data accordingly. Findings: The study found out that the state-run news channel like PTV News was solely relying for financial support on the federal and provincial governments. Accordingly, the PTV News was providing absolute coverage to public departments and enhancing image of the ministers of the ruling political party and their ministries to enhance their public trust. However, the private news channel like GEO News has to make all-out efforts on advertising agencies, real estate sectors, multi-national companies, national and international corporations to meet its financial besides enhancing business of the Channel. Reciprocally, the private sector providing huge funding to GEO News has some sort of influence on its editorial content and news coverage thus compromising freedom of express to some extent. Implications/Originality/Value: The study has drawn a visible line between financial expenditure and its impact on news coverage and editorial policy. PTV News was providing absolute coverage to public departments due to financial dependency, whereas the GEO News was providing coverage to all political parties and other public and private sector with slight difference. However, the freedom of expression of the GEO News was compromised to some extent because of financial dependency.

Purpose: This study examines the phenomenon of consumer brand sabotage (CBS), with a particular emphasis on exploring the relationships between aggressive personality traits and intentions to engage in CBS. This study specifically investigates that how hostility, rage, physical aggression, verbal aggression, and customer brand sabotage intentions are interrelated. The study's objective is to provide details on the motivations and actions of those who deliberately take action to harm a brand by eroding consumer associations. Design/Methodology/Approach: Data for the study comprises a sample of 178 Pakistani university students using survey questionnaires. In order to assess aggressive personality traits, the (Buss and Perry, 2002) aggression scale was used, as well as a scale developed by (Kähr, 2016) and colleagues to gauge customer brand sabotage intentions. In addition, we considered control variables like age, gender, and education. Findings: There is a direct link between hostility and customer brand sabotage intentions. Anger and customer brand sabotage intentions were found to have a similar positive and significant relationship. Contrary to expectations, however, verbal or physical aggression was not significantly correlated with customer brand sabotage intentions. Implications/Originality/Value: This study makes recommendations for brand managers and marketers that emphasize the importance of understanding and preventing consumer brand sabotage. Furthermore, the paper argues that avoiding CBS might not be immediately compatible with techniques for handling verbal and physical aggression, necessitating the development of novel approaches.

The impact of COVID-19 on stock prices of different United States economic sectors is examined using event study methodology. Results revealed that the first confirmed case in US on January 21, 2020 was underestimated by investors and did not disturb stock prices significantly. However, the first local transmission case on February 26, 2020 hit the stock market in the post event window. Due to this event, the stock prices of industries in energy, financials, industrials, real estate and utilities sectors declined but observed price increases in health care, information technology and telecom services industries. First stay at home order issued by California State in USA on March 19, 2020, a form of lockdown which restricted public gathering, reduced the market value of consumer staples, health care, industrials, real estate and utilities sectors. This order brought positive changes in stock prices of energy, consumer discretionary, financials, information technology and telecom services sectors. Results of the study can help portfolio managers and investors in the process of asset selection and risk minimization during these types of pandemics. On the other hand, these findings can assist policy makers in designing strategies in advance for financial stability as well as minimizing the negative consequences resulting from COVID-19 related potential health crises in future

Purpose/Background: Communities of Practice (CoPs) have emerged as a crucial mechanism for facilitating knowledge transfer within Ghana's telecom industry. Their significance lies in their role as a catalyst that empowers the telecommunications sector, which holds a central position on the developmental agendas of various African nations. The CoPs concept is instrumental in enhancing the competitive advantage of the industry and fostering innovation. Study Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employs a systematic review methodology to comprehensively analyse the literature on Communities of Practice in the telecom industry context. This approach ensures a thorough examination of the subject matter and enables the presentation of well-informed conclusions. The research process involves meticulously examining relevant sources, followed by in-depth discussions and analysis of the findings. Findings: The study's findings shed light on the substantial impact of Communities of Practice on the telecom industry. These CoPs have proven to be a powerful tool for strengthening various crucial competencies within the sector. By acting as conduits for disseminating information across a diverse spectrum of technical and operational domains within an organization, CoPs contribute significantly to enhancing the industry's collective skill set. Originality/Value: The originality and value of this study lie in its comprehensive exploration of the role of Communities of Practice in Ghana's telecom industry. By employing a systematic review technique, the study not only presents a thorough overview of the existing body of knowledge but also offers novel insights into the dynamics of knowledge transfer within the industry. The study's findings and conclusions are of immense value to practitioners and researchers seeking to understand the intricate interplay between CoPs and the telecom sector's competitive advantage.

Religious values are contemporary issues associated with employees’ behavior in organizations, especially from the Islamic human resource (HR) management view. To address this issue, this study analyzed the influence of Islamic work values on engagement, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and in-role performance of Muslim employees. Considering the potential spread of COVID-19, primary data was collected by distributing online questionnaire via emails and social media to 283 respondents in Makassar City, Indonesia, who fulfilled the predetermined sampling criterion. PLS-SEM was employed to check the measurement and structural models of the SmartPLS 3.0 program. It was revealed that Islamic work values have a significant influence on engagement and job satisfaction and in contrast, insignificant on organizational commitment and employee in-role performance. In addition, a significant interrelationship between the 4 endogenous variables was confirmed, namely engagement, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and in-role performance. Furthermore, it was found that several constructs mediate the correlation between Islamic values and in-role performance. The findings are essential to provide theoretical enrichment for future studies pertaining to the measured Islamic values and HR behavior. Practically, managers are capable to devise and select the most appropriate HR strategies for Muslim employee in a particular organization.

Abstract The aim of this paper is analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on the perishable products’ value chain in Ethiopia. As a methodology, both data sources and types: primary and secondary, qualitative and quantitative, were used to achieve the objective of the study under consideration. The primary data sources used in this work is mainly phone survey, expert opinions and judgments based on real situation observation, and that of secondary data were collected through review of materials published on lessons learned from previous pandemics by different reputable sources. Therefore, this work is based on systematically reviewing and retrieving secondary sources through Google search, library plus harvesting and word type searching. The findings of the study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic cut the full functioning of the value and supply chain of perishable products due to social distance restrictions imposed by the government, fear of the disease, cutoff transportation and even lock-down of market centers. This led to price changes, gross domestic product loss, the start-up of agro-industrial parks was delayed, reduced export and more women become out of work due to their high participation in perishable products’ value chain. To mention, Ethiopia has lost about $25 million—almost 10% of annual revenue—just over $10 million within the horticultural sector and around 50,000 workers lose their jobs—mostly female labourers. Based on the results, the authors forwarded the collective engagement of the concerned bodies to reduce the negative impacts of COVID-19 on perishable products by using the possible mechanism.

This study aims to identify and evaluate the critical success factors (CSFs) for international development projects (IDPs) from the perspective of key IDP stakeholders in Afghanistan. The study adopts a quantitative cross-sectional survey research design. Thirty-one success factors were identified and shortlisted through literature reviews and validated by experts and IDP management practitioners. The study's target population is the IPD senior management, IDP team members, and the general public. Amongst 500 questionnaires distributed, a total of 217 were returned and considered for analysis. The result of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed five key CSFs, namely: project cycle management, effective recruitment, continuous learning and adapting, project management method, and clear project goals and objectives. Besides, one-way ANOVA results revealed no statistically significant differences in the ranking of CSFs by the three groups of respondents. However, the post hoc test result indicated that the CSF 'continuous learning and adapting' was relatively rated lower by the general public. The findings of the study would assist the international community, their implementing partners, and IDP management practitioners in better management and successful implementation of IDPs in developing countries. It will also contribute to the CSFs theories and IDPM body of knowledge. The research is the first of its kind to examine the CSFs for IDPs in Afghanistan.

Purpose: Cell phone has become an important part of our lives. Everyone owns a cell phonewhether it is a child or an elder. Cell phones can perform almost every operation related to workoranything.Itisavailableforindividualsatanyplaceortime.Themainpurposeofourstudywasto find out how smart phones and their wide mix of features, have been making an impact on thesociety in case of their real-life interactions. It’s important to find out what’s the link between thesmartphonesandsocialinteractions. Methodology:Thestudyincludeda12-questionsurveythataskedquestionsif the participants own a cell phone, about participants’ daily use of smartphones, including thehoursspentusingthem.Therewere26participantsinthestudy,amongthem50%weremalesand50%were females.The data obtainedfrom the surveywerecompiledintopie-charts. Findings: The following conclusions were developed based on our research. The participants from age group between 16 and 20 are most affected socially with the use of cell phones. The participants from young age group have more daily usage of cell phones as compared to the elderly ones. The individuals from young age group mostly use smart phones as their means of entertainment while the elders use it for work and communication purpose. Most of the individuals think that cell phone has made their life easier. Implications: The advancement of mobile technology has many uses but at the same time has been limiting individual’s ability because people totally rely on technology instead of challenging their brain.

Knowledge management is a popular concept among many disciplines in higher learning institutions. Notwithstanding, reviewed literature shows that, the concept is highly practiced by corporate entities as compared to institutions of higher learning. A systematic review was done to specifically examine the various knowledge management strategies that are used by higher learning institutions considering the popularity of the concept coupled with the fact that it is taught widely across institutions of higher learning. The review was done with over 40 publications of varied topics on knowledge management. These were retrieved from various academic search engines and databases. The study found that, there is inadequate literature on knowledge management strategies in higher learning institutions; however, codification and personalization were generally identified in most of the studies as the main strategies of knowledge management. Strategies like, communities of practice, knowledge partnering and knowledge harvesting were suggested by this study. Higher learning institutions are therefore encouraged to start practicing what they teach by conducting more empirical studies on the concept.

Purpose: News media in third world countries remained under social, religious, political and military pressure. Developing countries in presence of pressure groups cannot enjoy the fruits of a democratic setup. So, the purpose of study is to explore factors of downsizing in traditional media organizations and their future in wake of pressure groups, which create hindrance in freedom of expression. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: Qualitative approach was employed to explore the causes behind the undesired downsizing. Researchers chosen 15 respondents working on senior positions in different traditional media organization from different stations of Pakistan including Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur and Karachi based on purposive sampling. Findings: Results revealed the incumbent government changed its stance on freedom of expression and adopted each modus operandi to silence the voices from journalistic corners. The government promoted selective part of freedom of expression by highlighting the anchors speaking in favor of the party. Implications/ Originality/ Value: So, the study concluded traditional media organizations should be reorganized and government should extend its democratic support for protecting freedom of expression. The study recommended the government should remain impartial and provide space to traditional news organizations so that the citizens should be provided with right to know.

This paper reports an experiment in which production of English plosives by advanced Pakistani learners was studied in the light of predictions of speech learning model (SLM). The results show that the learners equate aspirated and unaspirated allophones of English labial and coronal stops with the unaspirated stops of their L1. However, they maintain a difference between two allophones of English velar stop. Some participants also increase VOT of the unaspirated allophones of English stops to a level which is larger than the native VOT range. The directionality of learning is from dorsal to labial to coronal. The acquisition of accurate VOT of English coronal stops is found to be more difficult for Pakistani learners because they substitute English alveolar stops with retroflex stops of their L1. The findings of this study also points out some gaps in the SLM on the basis of which revisions are suggested in the SLM

The need for effective safety systems, in preventing accidents on workplaces, has long been recognized as a necessary part of doing business. This study is aimed to investigate the occupational health and safety (OHS) status and emergency preparedness of textile industries in the Korangi Industrial Area (KIA) of Karachi, Pakistan. The study has used a self-designed and self-administered close-end quantitative questionnaire as a data collection instrument. The study has gathered primary data of a total of 51 responses from 17 textile and garment firms of KIA. Data was collected from three tiers of the organization, including top management, middle management, and lower management employees. The study has used descriptive statistics and specific inferential statistical techniques for data analysis. The findings showed that there were apparent differences between top management, middle management, and lower management viewpoints about their organization’s preparedness status against emergency situations and OHS parameters. Top management considered themselves satisfied with the current status, whereas middle and lower management staff found themselves at higher risks of occupational injuries and hazards. Therefore, it has been comprehensively concluded by the study that textile firms have to consider effective approaches and OHS policies to ensure appropriate implementation and improved status of emergency preparedness and OHS status.

Understanding attitudes and behaviors at workplace develop organizational knowledge and capabilities to increase quality of services and help in retaining competent and skillful employees. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction, affective commitment, and turnover intentions among front desk staff working as customer service representatives in Pakistani banks. Data was collected through questionnaire from 106 front desk customer representatives in 5 different banks located in Rawalpindi district of northern Punjab, Pakistan. Correlation and regression analysis concluded that both, job satisfaction and affective commitment, were significantly related to the turnover intentions with negative associations. Based on the conclusions of this study, the implications for future studies are discussed.

This paper examines the relationship between tourism and economic growth, analyzing key factors affecting tourism income in Andalucía, Spain. Based on time series annual data for the period 2005 to 2012 and a multiple regression analysis we show that international tourism has made an important contribution to Andalucía’s economic growth. Some of the factors considered in the analysis include the number of luxury hotels, the hotel price index and the exchange rate, though the latter is outside of the control of local authorities under the European Monetary Union (EMU).

In recent years, commercialization has gained significant importance due to its active participation in knowledge transfer, economic growth, job creation and entrepreneurship. Whereas the role of university incubators and technology parks to excel commercialization has also much evidence. This study reviews the roles, practices, functions, factors and dimensions of the commercialization, university incubators and technology parks. During review, it come to surface that property development, networking with local and international markets, research and development, proximity to university, firm’s clustering, provision of advanced equipments, managerial support, faculty and students, and institutional reputation are the most important elements of university incubators and technology parks to promote commercialization. However, various challenges such as lack of human expertise and insufficient financial capital are still exists which requires to be further studied to upraise the commercialization efficacy.

The study aim to 1) Describing of business pattern developed farmer households in various typologies of lowland swamp land, and 2) Analyzing household income of farmers in various businesses developed in lowland swamp land. The sampling method used is a simple random sample with a total of responden as many as 222 farmers. The study used a survey method. The results showed that the business pattern of households at shallow swampy, ie: Horticulture: annual fruit, Livestock: chickens and goats, trade, household industry, transport services, Rice, fishing, horticulture: vegetables and fruits a season and crops: cassava and peanuts, Labour, fish farming. The business pattern of households at middle swamp, ie: horticulture: annual fruit, Livestock: ducks, trade, household industry, transport services, rice, fishing, horticulture: vegetables and fruits a season, Labor, fish farming. The business pattern of households at deep swampy, ie: Horticulture: annual fruit, Livestock: duck and buffalo, trade, household industry, transport services, rice, fishing, horticulture: vegetables and fruits a season, Labor, fishing, fish farming. Household income in each of the swampy land, ie: household income the shallow swampy amounted Rp19.525.400/year. The household income the middle swampy amounted Rp20.212.000/year. The household income the deep swampy amounted Rp18.248.000/yearKeywords: pattern of business, income, household, lebak, surveyABSTRAKTujuan penelitian ini 1) mendeskripsikan pola usaha yang dikembangkan rumah tangga petani pada berbagai tipologi lahan rawa lebak, dan 2) menghitung pendapatan rumah tangga petani pada berbagai pola usaha yang dikembangkan pada lahan rawa lebak. Metode penarikan contoh yang digunakan adalah sampel acak sederhana (random sampling) dengan jumlah total sebanyak 222 orang petani. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode survei. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa pola usaha yang dikembangkan petani lahan rawa lebak pematang adalah: hortikultura:buah-buahan tahunan, Ternak: ayam dan kambing, dagang, industri rumah tangga, jasa angkutan, padi, penangkapan ikan, hortikultura: sayuran dan buah-buahan semusim dan palawija: ubi kayu dan kacang tanah, Buruh, budi daya ikan. Pola lebak tengahan: hortikultura:buah-buahan tahunan, Ternak: itik, dagang, industri rumah tangga, jasa angkutan, padi, penangkapan ikan, hortikultura: sayuran dan buah-buahan semusim, Buruh, budi daya ikan. Pola usaha rumah tangga pada lebak dalam: hortikultura:buah-buahan tahunan, Ternak: itik dan kerbau, dagang, industri rumah tangga, jasa angkutan, padi, penangkapan ikan, hortikultura: sayuran dan buah-buahan semusim, Buruh, penangkapan ikan, budi daya ikan. Pendapatan rumah tangga yang mengusahakan lebak, yaitu lebak tengahan: Rp20.212.000/rumah tangga/tahun, lebak pematang Rp19.525.400/rumah tangga/tahun dan lebak dalam Rp18.248.000/rumah tangga/tahun. Kata kunci: pola usaha, pendapatan, rumah tangga, lebak, survei

This study empirically examines the effect of monetary, fiscal and trade policy on economic growth in Pakistan using annual time series data from 1981 to 2009. Money supply, government expenditure and trade openness are used as proxies of monetary, fiscal and trade policy respectively. Cointegration and error correction model indicate the existence of positive significant long run and short run relationship of monetary and fiscal policy with economic growth. Result also indicates that monetary policy is more effective than fiscal policy in Pakistan. In contrast, trade policy has insignificant effect on economic growth both in the short run and in the long run. In light of the findings, it is suggested that the policy makers should focus more on monetary policy in order to ensure economic growth in the country. It is also recommended that further research should be conducted to find out such components of exports and imports which lead to the ineffectiveness of trade policy to enhance economic growth in Pakistan.

“Grid” computing has emerged as an important new field, distinguished from conventional distributed computing by its focus on large-scale resource sharing, innovativeapplications, and, in some cases, high-performance orientation. In this report, we define this new field. First, we review the “Grid problem,” which we define as flexible,secure, coordinated resource sharing among dynamiccollections of individuals, institutions, and resources—what we refer to as virtual organizations. We describerequirements that we believe any such mechanisms must satisfy and we discuss the importance of defining a compact set of intergrid protocols to enable interoperability among different Grid systems. Finally, we discuss how Gridtechnologies relate to other contemporary technologies,including enterprise integration, application serviceprovider, storage service provider, and peer-to-peer computing. We maintain that Grid concepts and technologies complement and have much to contribute to these otherapproaches.

Abstract This article studies the problem of optimally locating storage facilities and determining their service areas for the distribution of goods within multiple distance constraints. The problem is relevant for [...]