Journal of Social & Organizational Matters

Integrating Life Skills in Secondary Education: Teachers’ Perspectives and Challenges

Muhammad Jamil — 2024-10-17

The current study aims to find out the perspectives of secondary school teachers on the incorporation of life skills into their teaching. Selecting purposively, the present study participants include ten teachers from public secondary schools in a district of Punjab, Pakistan. The study used a phenomenological research design to get teachers’ perceptions and experiences on the integration of life skills. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data was analysed through qualitative content analysis with the help of NVivo 14 software. The results of the study showed that teachers, in general, value life skills in education. From the participants’ perspective, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication were the most focused skills. However, several constraints, including limited time, increased class size, and limited textbook support, limit the efficiency of implementation. Teachers were of the view that students responded positively to life skills-focused teaching and activities but the means of assessing the progress in teaching these skills were lacking. It also revealed insufficient knowledge identification in learning life skills integration and better resources and curricula adaptability requirements. These results suggest prospective future work at curricular, methodological, and teachers’ professional development for better integration of life skills into secondary education. Pakistan’s educational policymakers and curriculum developers will find the study useful in improving the integration of life skills in secondary education.

Humanitarian Crisis in Indian Jammu and Kashmir: An Analysis

Ammara Tasadduq — 2024-10-18

Human rights violations in the part of Kashmir ruled by India are the subject of this article. The part of Kashmir under Indian administration suffers from the ongoing violation of human rights. Their daily lives now involve everything from political repression and the oppressive conditions of free speech to mass murders, forced disappearances, torture, rape, and sexual abuse. Extremist organizations, border guards, and the Indian Central Reserve Police Force have all been charged with and found guilty of serious violations of human rights against Kashmiri civilians. The rebels in Kashmir believe that the part of the country that is ruled by India is a part of Pakistan. Thus, the only people who are allowed to live on that area are Pakistanis. However, the question of how far it is acceptable to create one's existence at the expense of ending the lives of people who are completely innocent and have no fault of their own other than the fact that they were born on that property emerges. Numerous questions have been raised by this upheaval, all of which deserve our serious attention and prompt resolution.

The Evolution and Importance of Student-Centred Assessment in Modern Education

Tayyaba Tariq Mir — 2024-10-23

This paper is based on the concept of examining the development and significance of the kinds of assessments that focus on students in present-day learning environments. This work examines the historical context of educational assessment from the oral tradition of the ancients to present-day standardized testing and reflects on the emergence of student-centred paradigms. The discussion also covers the advantages of these techniques, which incorporate higher participation, enhanced learning, and preparation for pragmatic problems, together with the issues encountered in the implementation of these techniques. The paper describes real-life examples of successful use across various learning contexts and looks at potential future developments, including AI-facilitated assessments and virtual environments as learning simulations. If these questions are touched on, it is possible to ask questions about ethics and policy consequences: equity, protection of privacy, and adherence to educational norms. This paper examines how student-centred assessment has applied a solution to several restraining factors of global education, including workforce development and the promotion of global citizenship. The conclusion re-emphasizes the capacity and potential of assessment for improving efficiency, fairness, and the learning experience when learning is placed at the centre. Therefore, this paper confirms that practitioners, educators, policymakers, and researchers should come together to enhance the definition and implementation of these practices in their rightful places, recognizing their importance in preparing students for the challenges of the 21st century.

Relationship of Metacognition with Academic Performance of Prospective Teachers: Modeling Mediation Effect of Digital Literacy

. Summiya — 2024-10-26

This study examines the relationship between metacognition and academic performance among prospective teachers while modelling the mediation effect of digital literacy. The study was quantitative in nature. In the positivistic paradigm of metacognition research, quantitative relational research design was most appropriate for the research design. 9,680 participants enrolled in a four-year program, i.e. BS Education and B. Ed at the Department of Education in the universities of Punjab Province were the population of the study. A sample of 976 prospective teachers was selected through a stratified random sampling technique. Metacognitive awareness inventory and digital literacy scale were adapted. Data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Pearson product-moment relation revealed that metacognition was positively related to the academic performance of prospective teachers. The statistical results found that digital literacy has a strong moderating influence on the association between metacognition and academic achievement among prospective teachers. Metacognition and digital literacy are found to play a significant effect in improving prospective teachers' academic performance. It is recommended for future studies that examining specific aspects of digital literacy in more depth could yield valuable insights. For instance, research might delve into the role of information fluency or the ability to manage online identities in relation to other indicators of academic success.

The Impact of Current Academic Knowledge on Modern Human Resource Practitioners’ Performance within the Software Industry of Pakistan- Future of HR Work & the Need to Reskill

Jasim Tariq — 2024-10-28

This research endeavors to analyze the effect of latest HR practices on the effectiveness of current HR Managers’ performance in the software industry of Pakistan. The latest quality HR practices (i.e. Technical recruitment & selection, HR Technology, HR Marketing, Dynamic Workforce & Performance Mgmt., Psychology & Stress Mgmt., Green HRM and Workspace Spirituality, Celebration & Recognition Mgmt. and Strategic HR Partnership & Organization Development) have been apportioned to contemplate the effectiveness of current HR knowledge model and its significance in HRs’ professional life. A structured questionnaire is employed as an instrument for data collection. Sample size of 120 employees has been fetched working in HR department of different software companies in Pakistan. The data has been analyzed through Multiple Regressions, Cronbach alpha, demographic and descriptive statistics that are used for various analyses by the help of statistical software SPSS. It highlights a judgmental analysis on the significance of redesigning the current HR knowledge model with modern add-on HR aspects for coping with the challenges that HR students are facing in their professional life presently. Some recommendations have been cited by the author for real-time contribution in HR sector and for escalating the performance professionally. Moreover, this research would accommodate the selected software service sector companies that are operating in developing countries like Pakistan and working on the significance of service industry. The outcomes will be useful for the academicians, researchers, HR practitioners, planners and policy makers who are involved in the concerned area.

An Investigation into the Relationship between HRM, Transformational Leadership and Teachers’ Well-being in Educational Institutions

Aqsa Akbar — 2024-11-13

Today’s dynamic and competitive environment requires our educational sector to be growing. In order to have successful educational institutes, there is a dire need to pay attention on the overall well-being of teachers. Thus, this research aims to provide an empirical evidence of the impact of Human Resource Management strategies and transformational leadership on teachers’ well-being. Data were collected from 246 full-time working teachers in the educational institutes of Lahore. Whereby, results revealed the positive significant impact of both HRM Strategies and Transformational leadership on teachers well-being, the TL association with teacher’s well-being found to be stronger as compared to HRM Strategies. The insights offer valuable practical implications to assess the level of well-being of teachers and the ways to increase it.

Enhancing Perceived Influence through Perceived Quality of Information, Emotional Appeal and Parasocial Interactions: The Moderating Role of Perceived Risk

Yusuf Mohajir — 2024-12-05

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships among Perceived Quality of Information, Emotional Appeal and Parasocial Interactions on Perceived Influence in influencer marketing context. It also explores the moderating role of Perceived Risk in between Perceived Influence and Purchase Intention. The study employed a quantitative survey-based methodology with 242 respondents in Pakistan who followed influencers on social media. The constructs Perceived quality of information, Emotional Appeal, Parasocial Interactions, Perceived Influence, Purchase Intention and Perceived Risk were measure through a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyze the data, identifying relationships between variables and the moderating role of perceived risk. Perceived Quality of Information, Emotional Appeal and Parasocial Interactions are positively associated with Perceived Influence. The results indicate that Perceived Risk negatively moderates the relationship between Perceived Influence and Purchase Intention, such that greater perceived risk decreased the ability of social media influencers to affect purchase decision-making. The result then implies that while influencers are indeed effective in changing consumer’s perceptions, whether that affect will translate into actual behavior depends of the consumer’s perceived risk about the transaction. This study contribute to the existing literature on influencer marketing (IM) by analyzing an under researched aspect of Perceived Risk as a moderator, focusing on a developing country context (Pakistan) highlighting consumer behavior in emerging markets with still evolving digital trust and online shopping patterns. This study contributes valuable knowledge on social media influenced consumer behavior in Pakistan, considering digital marketing is a fast growing phenomenon of the developing economies like Pakistan. The insights into influencer strategies in similar economies provided by these findings will be useful for marketers.

An Exploring Effective use of Social Media Marketing by Fashion Brands

Zainab Shafaat — 2024-11-21

The social media platforms have offered a wonderful opportunity of marketing for fashion brands globally. Both emerging and established fashion brands are using social media for marketing functions and growing sales in market. Digital marketing has transformed brand promotion paving the way for globalization of fashion. Present research explored how effectively fashion brands are utilizing sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for their marketing using qualitative phenomenology as a research design. Branded entertainments used on social media by fashion brands were explored with the help of semi-structured interviews. Non-probability purposive expert sampling technique was used to select eighteen participants for semi-structured interviews. Our results showed that fashion brands can achieve great exposure due to smart utilization of social media as a marketing strategy. We found that effectively designed marketing content for social media can achieve better brand engagement, brand image, customer-value, and most importantly competitive advantage among competitors. People use social media almost 24/7. Therefore companies upload their information three to four times per day, or according to their desired schedule. Facebook is a great medium to increases brand out-reach, whereas Instagram is more effective in effectively reaching the desired target market. Previous studies have highlighted that commercial advertisements on Facebook can give much superior results in comparison to other web advertisements. Traffic is directed to brand website by providing cross-links on the Facebook or Instagram posts. Presence of brand on social media increases its credibility as it is ranked among top five social media platforms.

Role of Non-State Actors in Syrian Conflict: An Analysis

Afira Mujeeb — 2024-11-18

The Syrian uprising that began in 2011 led to the protest against Bashar al-Assad’s regime due to the arrest of children in Daraa area. Through the growth of the violent response of the government, civil war continued for a long time because of sectarian complications and the participation of various contingents. Hezbollah was a game changer to the conflict because it supplied the military support to Assad for Syria that was important to its interests. 2013 saw an escalation of the war during the Battle of al-Qusayr as well as problems with coalition warfare being voiced. At the same time, Camp Bucca in Iraq was a home to future ISIS leaders like Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who declared jihadis’ caliphate in July 2014 leading to extreme inter jihadist competition. The emergence of such processes indicated that local and regional war and conflicts intersect, requiring single diverse approaches to counter violent extremism in the Middle Eastern countries.

Exploring the Role of Teachers' Professionalism in Reducing Aggression and Fostering Resilience among University Students

Muhammad Shokat Zaman — 2024-11-23

The study focused on exploring the role of teachers' professionalism in reducing aggression and fostering resilience among university students. The qualitative research design was followed to conduct this study. The sample of 15 students of MPhil and PhD (Edu) for semi-structured interviews was selected employing purposive sampling. A self-structured interview protocol was used for the collection of data. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The study revealed that particular teacher behaviors and practices can mitigate aggression and promote resilience among students. University teachers should formulate instructional strategies to boost student resilience, engage learners in problem-solving and project-based learning, and offer guidance and counseling services to address violent conduct of students.

Sustainable HR Practices and Employee Retention: The Impact of Social Capital in Pakistan’s Banking Sector

Soaiba Ahmed Khan — 2024-11-23

Study experts constitute the active concerns pertaining to human resource management draw as well as conserving talent are rooted in developing and growing the involvement of employees and sustainably leading and organizing the teams within the organization. The motive regarding this research document is to analyze the consequences of managing human resources sustainability upon the loyalty of employees and retaining them in the organization as well as how they share values within the group setting that is social capital. The insights were gathered from the online survey of banking employees in Pakistan. Data was processed by using the PLS-SEM technique. Our findings highlight that social sustainability initiatives significantly enhance the perceived social capital among employees. Importantly, this enhanced social capital subsequently leads to increased levels of employee loyalty and greater retention rates. These results underscore the importance of fostering a socially sustainable workplace environment, not only for its direct benefits but also for its indirect influence through bolstering social connections among employees. This research contributes to the understanding of how organizational efforts toward social sustainability can effectively strengthen employee retention and loyalty, offering practical insights for managers and policymakers seeking to enhance organizational outcomes through sustainable practices. This methodology not only benefits workforce morale besides retention but also makes a contribution positively to the organization's operations and societal impact. In essence, effective management of social sustainability actions can lead to a win-win situation where both organizational outcomes and societal benefits are maximized. This strategy not only benefits worker's morale as well as retention but also makes a contribution positively to the organization's functions and societal impact.

Impact of Security, Perceived Usefulness, and Brand Image on Fintech Adoption and Customer Satisfaction in Pakistan’s Financial Sector

Mansoor Ahmed — 2024-11-23

Fintech enhances customer satisfaction by simplifying payment processes and fostering trust, essential for positive engagement. Despite growing adoption in Pakistan and globally, security concerns, such as theft and inadequate measures, create customer apprehension. To increase trust and adoption, enterprises must implement strong security systems and awareness campaigns. While brand image has little impact on fintech adoption, a positive reputation fosters trust. Key factors for adoption include perceived usefulness, ease of use, and trust in the technology. A Cronbach’s alpha of .930 confirms high reliability in mobile banking service quality. Trust and security are crucial for widespread fintech acceptance.

Impact of Expatriate Well-being on Innovative Work Behaviour with Mediating Role of Expatriate Engagement

Kanza Iqbal — 2024-12-05

This research examines the influence of expatriate wellbeing on innovative work behavior with specific reference to the moderating effects of expatriate engagement. The study further evaluates the negative impact of human capital flight due to skilled workers’ migration and the positive impact of remittances on Pakistan’s current account. Essentially, the study seeks to help elucidate how the innovation of expatriates can be fully utilised and the impact of emigration on the socio-economic subsystems of the originating societies with reference to Pakistani expatriates. In this regard, a quantitative research method was adopted, and questions were generated by Google to administer questionnaires from 470 Pakistani expatriates working in Western countries. The study applied descriptive analysis, correlation, reliability, Validity as well as hypothesis testing using SPSS and AMOS. Expatriate shows that well-being has a positive and significant relationship with innovative work behavior and expatriate engagement has a mediating role on the relationship. For the expatriates to be innovative, high well-being and engagement were suggested to be vital. The study therefore underscores the need to intervene and support expatriates for them to have a positive impact on innovation in organizations that host them. Such revelations are invaluable in designing interventions geared towards SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), and SDG 10 (reducing inequality) bearing in mind brain drain. The study lacks generalization due to its sample which was restricted to Pakistani expatriates living in Western countries and the use of cross-sectional design. Another limitation involves self-reporting and the elimination of potential other influences, which could be cultural, as well. Subsequent studies should involve expatriates from different nations, use cross-sectional designs, and consider other factors such as organizational support and cultural dissimilarity to provide comprehensive knowledge of expatriates’ nuanced dynamics of innovation.

The 1971 Separation and Its Legacy: A Historical Analysis of Pakistan-Bangladesh Relations

Bashir Hussain Shah — 2024-12-05

The struggle for separate homeland for the Muslims of Subcontinent was fulfilled in 1947 but soon after the independence, the Eastern wing of Pakistan showing dissatisfaction over the Policies of Central government. And finally after a war of 1971, Pakistan was disintegrated. Bangladesh emerged as sovereign state and after that both the countries, Pakistan and Bangladesh faced bilateral issues in their relations. The memories of 1971 war a major factor to come close and established cordially bilateral relations. The Purpose of this research is to elucidate historical factors that based disintegration of Pakistan and after that how memories haunts/ Sour bilateral relations.

An Impact of Impulsivity, Frustration Intolerance and Violence on Media on Emotional Regulation of Married Menopausal Women

Farwa Munir — 2024-12-05

The present research was conducted to explore the impact of impulsivity, frustration intolerance and of violence on media on the emotional regulation of married women of Pakistan. The research tries to find out the link between impulsivity, frustration intolerance and violence expressed on media with emotional disturbance in women in menopausal age so that the significant causes of disturbance and emotional sufferings in women would be disclosed and their quality of life would be improved. Correlation design was used to explore the relationship among variables and purposive sample of 300 women were taken that were married and in menopausal age. The age of the women was 40 to 55 years old. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (Barrat, 1994), Distress Tolerance Scale (Azhar & Saleem, 2017), Content Based Media Violence Scale (Hamer et al., 2017) and Scale for the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation (Dan-Glauser & Scherer, 2013) were provided to the participants along with demographics sheet. The result reported that impulsivity, frustration intolerance and role of violence on media have a significant positive correlation with emotional dysregulation of married women in menopausal phase. The study can be helpful to comprehend the causes of emotional disturbance or dysregulation in menopausal women. It would also create consciousness in people how media has an impact on married women and would give peep into the issues of married menopausal women. This study would also be very helpful for the clinical purpose especially to the psychologist to understand the role of impulsivity, intolerance to frustration and expression of violence on media while providing therapy or counselling to menopausal married women.

South Asia’s Naval Shift: Regional Cooperation and Challenges

Muhammad Subhan Saleem — 2024-12-08

This research explores the significant influence of South Asia on the politics of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and analyzes the extensive implications for the region resulting from the policy changes in India and Pakistan. The long-standing source of conflict, the Kashmir issue remained a bone of contention between the two states. Historically involved in border conflicts, both are now making concerted efforts to enhance their naval capabilities through unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral engagements. This strategic adjustment has surpassed past difficulties, resulting in new interactions in the Indian Ocean Region. The research also explores the potential ways of cooperation between the two states and region as whole, and the challenges that can be faced in the way of regional cooperation or development. The escalating tensions in the region are further intensified by the mistrust and nuclearization of the region. This study rigorously analyzes the potential of regional organizations for cooperation and sustainable development, and the future course of Indo-Pak bilateral relations.

Understanding the Adoption and Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Small Businesses: A Case Study of the Pakistani Context

Jamil Ur Rahman — 2024-12-10

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly pacing in every sphere of life, particularly for corporations and small and medium enterprises, breeding plenty of opportunities and challenges. This research study examines the adoption and identifies the key factors influencing its integration into Pakistan's small companies. However, this research has determined that AI has the potential to enhance operational efficiency, competitiveness, improved productivity, better customer care engagement, and streamlined operations. Significant hurdles are still faced in Pakistan, such as inadequate technical expertise, limited resources, and cultural inertia related to the adaptation of this AI technology. In Pakistan, the younger employees and the Information Technology (IT) sector make it much easier to accelerate the adaptation process of AI. Addressing these challenges and unlocking the potential to drive economic growth and innovation in its small business sector is imperative. The results offer valuable insights for researchers, business leaders, and policymakers, contributing to a comprehensive understating of AI integration in emerging markets.

Addressing Urban-Rural Disparities in Pakistan: A Targeted Smart Village Model

Haris Tanveer — 2024-12-18

The urban-rural gaps are not peculiar to any specific region; rather, they are a global phenomenon. In this paper, we identified the gaps in the Pakistani context and proposed a smart village model for bridging the gaps. We have used secondary data, mainly from the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) 2019-20 survey, to identify the urban-rural disparities, and we have focused only on four significant variables: education, health, ICT, and WASH. Our study identified significant urban-rural disparities in Pakistan. We have proposed a smart village model, comprising smart education, smart health, smart ICT, smart WASH, and smart awareness to bridge these gaps. The proposed model has the potential to improve the quality of life in rural areas, reduce the urban-rural disparities, and promote sustainable development in rural Pakistan.

Entrepreneurship Education, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy, Need for Achievement, and Entrepreneurial Intention among Students in Pakistan

Amna Mehmood — 2024-12-11

This study takes a comprehensive approach to entrepreneurship education (EE) among Pakistani business students, exploring the intricate interplay of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), need for achievement (NFA), and entrepreneurial intention (EI). Focusing on business students with specific knowledge and perspectives on entrepreneurship in Pakistan, this study aims to bridge the existing research gap by drawing on various theories and philosophies. The main objective is to demonstrate how EE influences the development of ESE, NFA, and EI, thereby providing a thorough understanding for university administrators and policymakers to design targeted EE programs. The data was collected from 104 individuals using Google Forms and analyzed through Smart PLS 4.0, ensuring ethics, participant consent, openness, and confidentiality. The results offer a comprehensive view of the entrepreneurial aspirations of Pakistani university students, thereby enriching academic discourse and informing the formulation of educational policies and practices.

Rhetorical and Metaphorical devices in Punjabi Folk Songs: A Cultural and Linguistic Analysis

Fatima Attique — 2024-12-18

This study examines the intricate utilization of rhetorical elements in Punjabi folk songs, asserting their pivotal role as conduits for cultural expression and identity. Through a textual analysis approach, the research meticulously scrutinizes rhetorical patterns and tropes within two iconic Punjabi folk songs, specifically "Jugni", "Chitta Kukkar", and "Paar Chanaa De", obtained from online repositories. Situated within the framework of Symbolic Interactionism theory, the study contextualizes rhetorical craftsmanship within the broader spectrum of Punjabi cultural identity and oral tradition. The findings indicate that rhetorical devices not only augment the aesthetic appeal of the songs but also convey profound layers of significance, facilitating the transmission of cultural values and communal identity. Consequently, this study underscores the enduring importance of Punjabi folklore as a dynamic reservoir of cultural expression and collective memory.

Macroeconomic Problems of Pakistan: Impacts and Way Forward

Pairman Bazai — 2024-12-18

This paper assesses the significant macroeconomic challenges faced by Pakistan amidst its ongoing economic crisis. It identifies major issues that have contributed to the economic meltdown. These issues encompass high inflation/stagflation, low foreign exchange reserves, a substantial fiscal deficit, and mounting public debt. Additionally, Pakistan has experienced sluggish economic growth, marked by low productivity and declining exports. The study further delves into the underlying causes of these problems, attributing them to factors such as poor governance, corruption, and political instability. The study sheds light on the current economic turmoil by employing a descriptive approach with a mix of quantitative and qualitative data analysis. To address these pressing challenges, the paper proposes a comprehensive reform agenda encompassing some vital measures. The article also provides policy recommendations that will help policymakers tackle the economic challenges in theory and practice.

Research Culture at Public Universities in Pakistan: Academics’ Perspective

Tajammal Rasool — 2024-12-18

The study was designed to explore research culture at public universities in Pakistan. Faculty members of general public sector universities were approached for data collection by using a questionnaire. By adopting multistage cluster sampling method, 382 faculty members were selected from six delimited universities of Punjab, Pakistan. Cronbach Alpha value (0.961) showed high level of reliability. The collected data was analyzed by using various statistical tests with the help of Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). Teachers’ opinions were divided and close to neutral value but respondents were vaguely accepting that research culture at public universities was improving. Teachers had positive perception about supervisory practices, available physical facilities, management support, dissemination of research and policies for improving research culture at universities. Whereas, respondents believed that human resources capacity building activities to develop research skills, collaboration and funding were less than the requirements of the universities to establish a rich research culture. There was no significant difference among the perception of teachers about research culture by gender and age. It is recommended that there was need to conduct trainings for researchers, develop academia-industry linkage, update laboratories and libraries, revise policies; and provide consultancy services to the private sector for earning funds.