Kashif Ur Rehman

University Student's inclination of Governance and its Effects on Entrepreneurial Intentions: an Empirical Analysis

Entrepreneurship is considered as engine of economic growth. Entrepreneurial process starts from development of entrepreneurial intentions. A large number of scholars have focused on the internal and psychological aspects regarding entrepreneur. However, little is known about how external factors can influence the development of entrepreneurial intentions. This study fills this gap by providing the effect of different governance variables on entrepreneurial intentions, which research is scarce. Primary data was collected from a sample of 550 students belonging from different universities of Pakistan. Structural equation modeling technique was used to analyze the data. The study found negative effects of individual governance variables on students entrepreneurial intentions. The study proposed a system of good governance to develop higher level entrepreneurial intentions.

Influence of transformational leadership on employees outcomes: Mediating role of empowerment

The purpose of the study is to find the relationship of transformational leadership with organizational commitment and innovativeness, and to know if empowerment mediates the relationship between the transformational leadership, the organizational commitment, and the innovativeness. It was hypothesized that transformational leadership is positively related with organizational commitment, innovativeness, and empowerment. Empowerment tends to mediate the relationship between transformational leadership, organizational commitment and innovativeness. The data was collected through questionnaire from different organizations of telecom sector. The analysis of the study supported all research hypotheses that there is a significantly positive relationship between transformational leadership, organizational commitment, innovativeness and empowerment. The results of the study also support the mediating impact of empowerment between transformational leadership and organizational commitment and innovativeness.

Online Examination System and Assessment of Subjective Expression

Learning of student can be assessed by objective type and subjective type questions. Educationists and behavioral scientists declare subjective writing skills essential for senior management positions. Investigation revealed that IT professionals who qualified through objective type online examination and lack subjective writing skills could not earn rise in career to top management positions easily. The study considered ability of a student to express knowledge subjectively as the independent variable and higher management position requirements as the dependent variable. It hypothesized better the student of higher level education in his/her subjective expression, more considerable s/he will be for positions at senior management in business organizations.The study selected 100 private companies engaged in the field of Information Technology (IT) in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan who seek OCP or MCSD or MCSE certified professionals. The study employed simple interviewing approach for collecting data from the HR departments of the selected companies about how many OCPs, MCSDs and MCSEs have been promoted to higher management positions and how their subjective expression skills were considered for promoting them to senior positions. It found that promotions were too few among the IT professional lacking subjective writing skills. The study reocmmended to ensure subjective expression writing skills during assessment.

Quality of Training Material for Student Learning in Online Education System

Online education is considered not equivalent to conventional education as student learning may not be on same quality. Literature guided that student’s learning depends on various factors including quality of the training material provided in online education system. In Pakistan, certain universities are offering online education degree programs. The selected quality of training material as independent variable to learn its impact on student’s learning in online education system. Therefore this correlation study in a cross-sectional manner selected a sample of 300 students of the final semesters from the two different universities in Pakistan offering online distant education for post graduate degree programs like MBA and MCS or MS (IT). The study utilized a pretested questionnaire derived from the literature using 5 points interval scale to collect data for the selected variables. Using SPSS version 15.0, the study applied Pearson correlation test to verfiy the correlation between the selected variables. For testing the hyportheses the study applied linear regression. As result the study found its variables significantly correlated and further the regression of the quality of training material on student’s learning was remained significant. The study recommended ways to improve the quality of the training material in online education system programs

Precautions in Team Leader's Selection: Impact on Business Success

Every business organization targets success in terms of minimum cost, maximum profit, and rich reputation etc. For achieving success in all these dimensions various factors are involved and one of them is selection and formation of team of right persons especially for senior management positions. Investigation revealed that many IT software houses collapsed in Pakistan due to inappropriate selection of the human resources at senior cadres of the management. The study considered personality type assessment of the candidate for senior management position as independent variable and effective strategic planning for business as dependent variable. Using random sampling the study selected a sample of 104 IT/Telecom organizations. The study used a self administered questionnaire for data collection. For analysis of data the study employed descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations and Partial Least Square (PLS) Regression using SPSS and Smart PLS software respectively. The results indicated that 50% of the IT organizations collapsed for inappropriate selection of senior managers. The study contributed a structured approach for making selection of the right person effective especially for leader’s selection.

Investment portfolio decisions for shares through data mining

Pakistani business sector and the Government like any other country are keen to attract foreign investment into various sectors of the economy. Cheaper labor rates at Pakistan also make it an attractive option for foreign investors in business opportunities. However literature to provide some guidelines of investment portfolios is very limited for this market. An in depth investigation showed that stock exchanges in Pakistan are providing a reasonable view of business activities in various sectors. Government regulatory bodies and entrepreneurs are also making continuous efforts to improve value performance of stock markets through policy regulations and adopting best business practices. Volumes of data are therefore being generated and stored in databases on regular basis. This data could be mined to provide guidance to investors for selecting optimum mix of portfolios. This activity is being performed at firm level and could be expanded to establish a national database for use by investors. Present research was focused on using data mining and decision analysis methodologies to extract meaningful patterns from business data. A number of statistical tools were applied on mined data to arrive at decisions for investment in various portfolios. The same methodology could be used to analyze the national database for providing useful information for investments in any country.

Notice of Retraction A study measuring the influence of brand attributes on brand selection

In recent years competition between brands has become more complicated as the variety of local and foreign brands are available for customers. Above all, consumers in developing markets have several reasons for the purchase of new local and foreign brands in recent years. This paper attempts to analyze the different brands as important attributes, image, value, conscience and fairness that influence consumers to select a particular brand. For this a sample of 200 customers were selected from the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A questionnaire was adopted and properly distributed among the respondents to know the different factors that appeal to buy a local or international brand currently available in Pakistan. Descriptive data analysis techniques were applied to analyze the data. The results show that the importance of the brand, perceived value and brand image are important factors that influence customers to buy and use brands.

Notice of Retraction Consumer behavior during high inflation and new branding in Pakistan

Domestic and international investors are interested in introducing their brands in Pakistan, the question is whether period of high inflation is suitable for introducing new brand in Pakistan. This study learned the consumer behavior during extremely high inflation period in Pakistan. The study conducted in Karachi, financial hub of the country. As population of Pakistan consisted of mainly three income classes, that are upper, middle and lower, the study selected randomly 100 consumers from each class of consumers. The descriptive statistics discovered that inflation caused a compromising change in behavior of consumers from the lower class, the study found a considerable change in terms of the buying capacity as well as selection of the brand among consumers from lower income class. The study further found little change in both these dimensions among the consumers from the middle class. However, the study did not find any large change in the behavior of the consumers from the upper class. It concludes that income level is the real determinant of consumer behavior while inflation is merely a catalyst. Based on such findings, the study contributed that period of high inflation in Pakistan is suitable for promoting new local brands providing economy in the markets where majority of the consumers come from middle and lower classes of income.

A methodology of export sectors identification through data mining

State Bank of Pakistan is regularly collecting data for exports for service and industrial sectors such as food, textile and other manufacturing commodities. The data may be used by individuals and organizations to arrive at a suitable sector by reducing uncertainty and ensuring best possible returns. Performance of these sectors gets influenced by a number of parameters that may put investors in a difficult decision making for selection. This research was focused on mining of export data from financial institutions databases such as State Bank of Pakistan Data over a period of time. A total of four years data was considered sufficient for analysis in three sectors. Analysis was carried out using statistical tools. The information may be used by potential investors for investment in Pakistani exports. This case study also provides a methodology of using data mining and decision analysis for export portfolio selection for investments.