Muhammad Sabihuddin Butt

Effect of financial development on agricultural growth in Pakistan: New extensions from bounds test to level relationships and Granger causality tests

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between financial development and agriculture growth employing Cobb-Douglas function by incorporating financial development as an important factor of production over the period 1971-2011. Design/methodology/approach – The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration with structural breaks is applied to examine long run relationship between the variables. The direction of causality is detected by vector error correction method (VECM) Granger causality test and robustness of causality analysis is tested through innovative accounting approach (IAA). Findings – The empirical analysis confirmed that the series are cointegrated for long run relationship between agriculture growth, financial development, capital and labor. The results indicated that financial development has positive effect on agricultural growth. This implies that financial development plays a significant role in stemming agricultural production and hence agricultural growth. Both capital and labour in the agriculture sector also add to agricultural growth. The Granger causality analysis revealed bidirectional causality between agricultural growth and financial development. The robustness of these results is confirmed by innovative accounting approach (IAA). Practical implications – This study has important policy implications for policy-making authorities to stimulate agricultural growth by improving the efficiency of the financial sector. Originality/value – This paper convincingly argues that there is a need for case-by-case study on such a project in view of each countrys unique characteristics.

Socioeconomic and environmental determinants of child‐care patterns of preschoolers in Pakistan

The role of care as a critical influence on child nutrition, health, and development has received increasing attention in the last decade. While the role of care has been well elaborated at a conceptual level, we still lack simple valid and reliable tools to measure many aspects of care. Psychosocial care includes the behaviors and practices that support childrens healthy growth and psychosocial development. The research presented here constitutes one of the first attempts to quantify some of the various dimensions of child‐care practices (namely type, quality, and frequency) and to summarize the information into a composite, age‐specific index of child‐care practices. The main purpose of this research is to examine, specifically within the context of Pakistan, which of the maternal and household characteristics constituted more severe constraints to the provision of good child care. The main findings of this research have important policy implications. They suggest that specific training in child feeding and the use of preventive health services for poor mothers with little formal education could have a large impact on the growth of children living in impoverished environments.

Finance–Growth–Energy Nexus and the Role of Agriculture and Modern Sectors: Evidence from ARDL Bounds Test Approach to Cointegration in Pakistan

This article explores the relationship between financial development and energy consumption by incorporating economic growth, agriculture and modern sectors in Pakistan over the period 1972–2011. The autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration, assuming structural breaks, confirms cointegration. Innovation accounting approach, used to examine the direction of causality, shows that economic growth causes energy demand. We also fine bidirectional causality between financial development and energy consumption, and between modern sector growth and energy consumption. Energy consumption Granger causes agriculture growth. The results offer valuable insights for policymakers in crafting appropriate energy policy for Pakistan.

Testing causality between human development and economic growth: a panel data approach

This study provides evidence on human development-economic growth causality by employing a large macro panel dataset. We followed the UNDPs approach for human development. With the help of Hurlin (2004) fixed coefficient approach, we tested causality between human development and economic growth (EG). The results show homogeneous causality from HD to EG. This is not the same when we tested causality from EG to HD. A heterogeneous causality is found from EG to HD. Only Korea and Singapore have bidirectional causality between human development and economic growth. On the other hand, Bangladesh and Philippines have no causality from EG → HD (human development index, education-index, life-index, and PPP index). Result suggests that HD will lead EG but EG not always lead HD.

The Income Inequality and Domestic Terrorism Nexus: Fresh Evidence from Pakistan

Managing the work family conflict is essential to perform at work and home effectively. The individuals utilize lots of their efforts to ease the work family conflict (WFC). This research investigated the role of personal coping (PC) strategies and the social support (SS) an individual receives in decreasing the level of work family conflict (WFC). Survey method was used to collect the data from Pakistan. The results of this study revealed that PC and SS are negatively associated with WFC and SS was found as moderator in the relationship between PC and WFC. The negative relationship between the PC and WFC was stronger when SS was low as compared to when it was high, whereas the excessive use of resources (i.e., coping and social support) together increased the WFC. This research has contributed by determining the role of SS as moderator in relationship between PC and WFC. Implications of the study are discussed.