Jawad Hussain

Investigating the moderating effect of family on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and success of enterprise: case of Pakistani manufacturing SMEs

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is one of the widely researched areas in entrepreneurship studies. Yet researchers have to come to agreement to the dimensionality of this important construct. EO is a multi-dimensional construct with varying impact on the performance and success of an enterprise in a developing context. Likewise, family ownership of the entrepreneurial business is one of the oldest phenomena in business circles. In developing countries family owned businesses makeup sizeable majority. The present study is conducted to investigate the role EO plays in the success of an enterprise with the moderating influence of family involvement. The study results indicate that proactiveness and autonomy are the most significant dimensions in the success of an enterprise. The results indicate that when family is taken as a moderator, the overall influence of EO dimensions is considerably reduced. The study concludes that cultural setting of entrepreneurial businesses and entrepreneurs themselves are subject to cultural norms and values and this cultural setting inhibit certain aspects of entrepreneurial activity, limiting the growth of entrepreneurship in a country. The study also recommends and points out future directions for further research.

Cost/Benefit Analysis of Tea Production in Pakistan

Tea is common beverage all over the world. It starts production in the fourth year of tea plantation. Its production increases for the first three to four years and reaches the maturity stage of maximum production in the ninth and tenth year. After reaching the maturity stage it is deeply pruned every fifth year to maintain it at desirable height, which is suitable for fresh leaves plucking. Pakistan has long tradition in tea consumption. However, its cultivation started in 1986 at Shinkiari, Hazara Division. Presently, 700 acres of land is under tea plantation. The aim of this research is to identify and evaluate various determinants of production, cost of production and return of tea cultivation in Hazara Division. The study overviews the existing tea production status and estimates its cost and revenue using primary data. To assess financial viability method used is long term benefit-cost analysis. The analysis is based on 25 years and 80 years data. The benefit-cost ratio is calculated for an average grower and the results show that tea is presently showing no profit-no loss situation at farm level in Pakistan. The result is not different if analysis is based on 25 years or 80 years data. Tea growers make an initial investment for 3-4 years without any returns and then wait up to year 28 th to 29 th to reach breakeven point. Credit providing institutions should take note of this fact and make plans to help tea growers in this period of tea production. Agriculture experts (researchers and extension personnel) should pay attention to the need of reducing the breakeven period through efforts aiming at greater productivity of tea per unit area because presently there is a big difference in actual and potential production of tea in Pakistan at farm level. Agriculture extension personnel should arrange special training to enhance labor productivity in picking fresh leaves per day from an actual average of 20-25 kg/ day to potential average of 35 kg/day. The government should take step to increase the present purchase price of Rs. 15/kg of fresh tea leaves to a level acceptable to both the tea farmers and government.

An Empirical Study of Cost of Milk Production in Timergara District Dir, Pakistan

This study was conducted in Timergara District Dir (Lower) Pakistan to estimate the cost of milk production. The methodology used for this study is mainly quantitative. Data was collected through questionnaire from a sample size of 80 farmers in the town of Timergara. The cubic cost function model was used to analyze the collected data. The study shows that average values of dry and milking buffaloes were 2 and 42 respectively while the average milk production per buffalo was 0.11 mounds (5.5 kg). The major cost components of milk production were green fodder, dry fodder, concentrates, medicines, management, equipment, building and other miscellaneous. The total fixed cost (TFC) and average variable cost (AVC) per farm was 39761 and 468.51 rupees respectively. The marginal cost (MC) was minimum at output level 680 and the average variable cost (AVC) was minimum at i.e. Rs.468. The optimal level of milk production was 1232 mounds (61600 kg). The results show that none of the sampled farmers operated at the optimum level of operation.