Journal of Social & Organizational Matters

Sustainability Education in Pakistan: Qualitative Content Analysis of English Textbook Grade X

Muhammad Jamil — 2024-05-05

The purpose of this study is to explore how sustainability is represented in the Grade X English textbook. The textbook was selected using purposive sampling, and the data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis by using NVivo 12. Analysis of the Grade 10 English textbook reflects on the significant focus on social, cultural, and moral values of sustainable development with minor domination on environmental, economic, and institutional dimensions. Justice, equality, cultural diversity, and ethics have been well addressed throughout the textbook with fewer explanations and discussions on issues that deal with environment, climate change, responsible economic growth, and institutional frameworks. Such limited exposure is a huge deficiency in giving a holistic understanding of sustainability challenges and opportunities to learners. Future publications of the textbook need to include separate topics on the environment, economic sustainability principles, and governance and institutions so that learners can be further enlightened on these sustainability threads that strengthen the tertiary block of the sustainability triangle. The inclusion of key stakeholders from diverse sectors in the designing of the next versions of the textbook can give a participatory and all-inclusive curriculum that is in line with the learner’s expected knowledge and formulation of what makes a textbook relevant.

The Dynamic Link between Teacher Effectiveness and Student Success in Secondary Education in Karachi

Nazir Ahmad — 2024-05-14

This study aims to examine the relationship between student accomplishment and teacher effectiveness to determine each student's unique needs and motivate them to learn. A sample of 150 teachers was selected by simple random sampling from all secondary school teachers in District Korangi, Karachi, Pakistan. In this study, teachers were surveyed quantitatively. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage were utilized in SPSS version 22 to evaluate the data. The study's findings showed that several factors, including instructors' desire to provide feedback, their use of classroom engagement techniques, their communication skills, their learning of soft skills, and their use of instructional tactics, are crucial to students' success and academic progress. According to the research, one of the best methods to raise kids' academic achievement is for teachers to play an influential role in the classroom. The study recommended that teachers use motivation, positive reinforcement, classroom management techniques, and communication skills to improve student learning.

Quantifying the Impact of Natural Resources on Sustainable Growth in Developing Economies: Evidence from Panel Nonlinear ARDL Technique

Humera Sherazi — 2024-05-14

The main purpose of current research is to analyze the impact of natural resource exploration on sustainable growth in developing economies. Annual panel data of 57 developing countries from 2000 to 2021 has been used for research analysis. First, this study uses a simple Panel Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) estimation technique to examine the long-run and short-run link among the variables. The results depict that in the long run natural resource exploration has a significant negative impact on sustainable growth. This finding supports the presence of the resource curse hypothesis. Besides this, the present study decomposes the policy variable (mining contribution index) into its two shocks i.e. positive shock and negative shock by applying a panel non-linear ARDL approach. The long-run outcomes depict that both the coefficients of partial positive and partial negative sums of natural resource rents are negative and significant. Furthermore, the research outcomes explain that financial openness and international trade have a substantial and positive impact on sustainable progress. The policy implications for current research are to avoid bad rent-seeking behaviors and to escape from non-productive activities to achieve sustainable development. Furthermore, there is a dire need to adopt and support environmentally friendly policies.

Effectiveness of Teaching Social Studies Through Didactic Method for Enhancing Students’ Academic Performance: A subject-specific perspective

Ayesha Iqbal — 2024-05-29

Pedagogies of teaching are considered major support in the field of education as they offer a proper background for active teaching-learning practices and accelerate the achievement of educational outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess how didactic teaching methods affected the academic performance of social studies students. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of different teaching methodologies with standard instructional approaches through a quantitative experimental design that emphasizes experiential learning and activity-based learning. An experimental group of thirty students, exposed to didactic tactics for a predetermined period, was separated from the control group of thirty pupils from a private school. To assess both groups' academic performance before and during the intervention, the study used a pre-test and post-test design. The pre-test results were used as a starting point to evaluate the students' social studies knowledge and comprehension, and the post-test results revealed the academic improvements linked to the didactic teaching strategies. The results showed a substantial variation in the kids' academic performance, with the experimental group seeing an astounding 49% increase in post-test scores above pre-test results. This significant rise demonstrates how well didactic tactics work to improve student knowledge, retention, and engagement with the material. The fact that the control group, which was instructed using conventional methods, did not show a comparable degree of progress highlights the advantages of the didactic approach.

Early English immersion and Educational Development in Sindh, Pakistan: A case study of Sindh university students

Rafique Ahmed Lakhan — 2024-05-31

Nowadays, English is a widely recognized language that is given more weight at the regional, national, and international levels in the majority of the world's nations. English is often associated with rank and power. Even if one is ignorant about the relevant field, speaking in English is seen as a mark of prestige. With the exception of Sindhi and Urdu, the majority of subjects taught in Sindhi, including science, math, social studies, Pakistan studies, religion, and civics, are taught in English. For students studying at university education, English becomes a challenging instructional medium. This study looks into the difficulties faced by Sindh University Students have understanding subjects taught in English. In order to solve the problem, the study used a qualitative technique that involved interviewing government sector Sindh University students who take science, math and other topics in English. According to the survey, students in university education have less proficiency in the English language, which makes it difficult for them to comprehend the subject matter. In English, they are not communicative. They struggle with reading, comprehending, and producing innovative writing on these topics. Given that understanding the social and natural worlds is the ultimate purpose of education, the study suggests that these courses be taught in the students' mother tongue. When taught in their home tongue, students learn the most. Furthermore, teaching English as a language is preferable to teaching it as a subject.

FinTech’s Double-Edged Sword: Economic Growth and CO2 Emissions – A Panel Data Analysis

Abdul Razzaq — 2024-06-04

This study explores the influence of financial technology (FinTech) on Economic Growth (EG) and environmental sustainability (measured through focusing on CO2 emissions). By analyzing panel data from 81 countries between 2001 and 2022, the research uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate direct, indirect, and total effects. The findings, derived from Stata 18, show a significant positive direct effect of FinTech on EG (coefficient = 0.8439, p < 0.001), affirming the hypothesis that FinTech stimulates economic development. Moreover, EG substantially boosts CO2 emissions (coefficient = 0.3628, p < 0.001), highlighting a trade-off between economic progress and environmental sustainability. FinTech also directly increases CO2 emissions (coefficient = 0.3511, p < 0.001), implying that advancements in financial technology can worsen environmental issues. The mediation analysis indicates that some of FinTech's impact on CO2 emissions is mediated through EG (indirect effect = 0.3061, p < 0.001), emphasizing FinTech's dual role in promoting EG and environmental degradation. The total effect of FinTech on CO2 emissions (0.6573, p < 0.001) underscores the substantial environmental costs associated with financial technological advancements. Theoretically, this research enriches the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and supports the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. It extends TAM by showing how the acceptance and integration of FinTech innovations affect macroeconomic and environmental outcomes. Additionally, it provides empirical support for the EKC hypothesis, which suggests that EG initially causes environmental degradation until a certain income level is reached, after which environmental conditions improve. These results highlight the challenge of balancing technological and economic advancements with environmental sustainability, stressing the need for policies that incorporate sustainable practices within the FinTech sector. This research adds to existing literature by offering detailed insights into the environmental impacts of FinTech and provides valuable guidance for policymakers aiming to foster sustainable economic development.

Exploring the Phillips Curve: Inflation and Unemployment Dynamics in Pakistan

Asma Meraj — 2024-06-03

Using a strict analytical framework, this study investigates the dynamic link between inflation and several macroeconomic variables (unemployment, crude oil prices, and nominal exchange rate) in Pakistan from 1991 to 2019. Utilizing a diverse array of statistical methodologies, including unit root analysis, cointegration analysis, and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), we assess the applicability of the Phillips Curve theory in predicting fluctuations in inflation. According to our findings, Pakistan exhibited a steady Phillips Curve over the study period, with all models demonstrating good tracking performance of changes in inflation. Furthermore, the CUSUM and CUSUMsq tests validate the stability of our estimates. This analysis contributes to our understanding of Pakistani inflation dynamics and has implications for economic policy in the nation.

Understanding of Hybrid Political System of Islamic Republic Iran: The Case Study of General Election 2024

Maryam Ali — 2024-06-08

The Islamic Republic of Iran possesses a hybrid political system. It encompasses both elements of democracy and Islamic theocracy. As a unique model of the Islamic governmental system, the political system in Iran rests on dual sources of legitimacy. The objective of this paper is to examine the voter behaviour and the result of the 2024 elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as to study the impact of president death on the election schedule. This election recorded the lowest turnout in history. The voter behaviour, attitude, and concerns towards Iranian politics and electoral politics also studied. The factors that caused low turnout is also discussed. The data for conducting this research is collected from journals, articles, official websites, and other secondary sources. The study concluded that the hope of no political and social change in Iran exploits the voters and that’s the main reason of low turnout in elections 2024. This study recommends that Iran’s government should focus to make electoral process modern, and policies should be flexible.

Utilitarianism, Social Justice, and the Trolley Problem: An Ethical Theory without Egalitarian Morality

Saad Malook — 2024-06-14

This article examines the implications of utilitarianism for social justice considering different cases of the trolley problem. Utilitarianism comprises a cluster of ethical theses, which have political and legal implications. In general, utilitarianism is assumed to augment the common good, such as pleasure, happiness, satisfaction, and utility, or to reduce pain, suffering, dissatisfaction, and disutility. The article investigates a key problem whether utilitarianism brings about social justice as a moral theory. In recent literature, many moral philosophers have developed several thought experiments, known as trolley problems, that help understand the utilitarian applications to social justice. Philippa Foot and others formulated several thought experiments to help explain the utilitarian difference between the maximum good and the minimum loss. Considering different cases of the trolley problem, I argue that utilitarianism does not do egalitarian justice to all people because it does not eliminate unjust inequalities in society. I hold that utilitarianism is an ethical theory without an egalitarian morality. John Rawls posited a landmark theory of social justice in contrast to the utilitarian notion of social justice. Utilitarianism does not provide social justice to the few, the minority, or the weak in the social world. So, utilitarianism is an inadequate moral theory for acquiring social justice. In qualitative research methodology, I adopt a method of an empirically informed philosophical analysis to examine documentary resources, including journal papers, academic books, and conferences and congresses.

A Key to Win Customer Loyalty: An Empirical Study to Measure the Customer Loyalty in Apparel Industry of Pakistan

Mashaal Umer — 2024-06-25

This study aims to see the influence of price sensitivity, service quality, availability of substitutes, service recovery, word of mouth, convenience of products and customer satisfaction on loyalty of the customer in apparel industry of Pakistan. To test the theoretical framework, regression test was run on the data set. Data was collected from 300 respondents from different locations which include two biggest universities of the Lahore city in Pakistan. A lot of data was also collected from the biggest mall of the city. The results of the examination demonstrates that service recovery, word of mouth, convenience and satisfaction has positive effects on customer loyalty while service quality do not have noteworthy impact on loyalty of customer in apparel brands of Pakistan. A clear understanding of the relationship among factors will help companies to build and design strategies to enhance customer brand loyalty in apparel industry. Implications for managers, limitations and future research of the investigation are additionally examined.

NATO Enlargement and the US- Russian Relations in the 21st Century: A Critical Analysis

Sufyan Akhlaq — 2024-06-16

Cold War was the rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States to expand their ideology and influence worldwide to become the most powerful state of the world. A significant element of the Cold War was the making of alliances by both the United States and the Soviet Union to materialize their objectives and to contain each other’s ballooning influence and ideology. The weakening position of the Soviet Union brought the two countries closer. In addition to this, the United States' assurances to the Soviet Union about restricting NATO’s borders normalized relations between the two rivals after being engaged in a Cold War for over 40 years. Later, the disintegration of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s prompted the world to believe that the Cold War had come to an end. However, the North Atlantic Treaty’s inclusion of more European countries backed by the United States has again reinstated the Russia-US rivalry leading to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This paper delves into the role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization during the Cold War era. The paper then tries to figure out whether there is any significant proof of American promises to the Soviet Union regarding the restriction of NATO’s borders. The paper then analyzes Russian policy in the 21^st century and its invasions of Ukraine in the context of American promises.

ASEAN's Diplomatic and Strategic Engagement in The South China Sea Dispute: An Analysis

Rimsha Aziz — 2024-06-24

This article highlights ASEAN’s efforts to resolve the dispute in the SCS. These efforts include the Declaration of Conduct of Parties, and the Code of Conduct. This paper also shed light on the collective efforts of the organization through its various mechanisms such as the ARF and ADMM+. These mechanisms contributed in facilitating negotiations among parties of the conflict. However, ASEAN faces challenges such as the different interests of its members, no legally binding agreement and intervention by other influential states. Every ASEAN member state have different attitude towards the matter which makes which makes it difficult to achieve a united stance on the issue. The decision-making process of ASEAN is also discussed briefly.

Impact of HRM on Organizational Performance: Evidence from Banking Sector

Junaid Ahmed — 2024-06-23

The aim of current research is to check the impact of HRM practices on organizational performance. The current study uses incentives, employee training, recruitment, and job security as the main HRM practices. The current study considers the officer-rank employees of Shukkar as target population. The current research used a purposive sampling technique for data collection. Around 379 questionnaires were distributed to employees 315 complete questionnaires were used for final analysis. Data was analyzed with the help of SPSS 24. Reliability, Correlation, and Regression analysis are tests that are employed. Results indicate that incentives, employee training, recruitment, and job security have positive and negative impacts on organizational performance. Incentives for Employees and Job Security have a negative impact on organizational performance. This means that Recruitment and employee training has a positive impact on organizational performance. In the future, more HRM practices like teamwork, and leadership style may also be included. For generalizability, data will be collected from other sectors like the education sector, telecom sector, textile sector, and engineering sector.

Understanding the Decline of the US Dollar: Key Factors and Implications

Muhammad Umama Shah — 2024-06-24

This paper mainly focuses on the declining dominance of US dollar especially in the recent century and the role of different factors in this phenomenon. Recently decline is seen in the power of US dollar. The global dollar reserves faced so much pressure in recent times. Within two decades a sharp decline is seen in US dollar share of global currency reserves. This paper starts with the review on the factors that are causing the decline of US dollar. Many internal and external factors are causing this decline in dollar’s hegemony. These factors include external factors like de-dollarization, rise of other currencies like renminbi, euro, rise of China as a global power, rise of digital currencies, geopolitical risks, US sanctions on the Russia etc. and many internal factors like monetary policy given by US central bank, rising prices or inflation, demand for currency, economic growth, export prices, increasing federal debt etc. Countries mainly BRICS countries are moving towards de dollarization by proceeding their trade in their local currencies or currencies other than dollar, similarly rise of China as a big economic power also fastening this process as China increasing the scope of its renminbi, digital currencies also replacing paper currency effecting dollar’s hegemony, US sanctions on countries like Russia, Iran etc. also forcing states to move towards other banking systems. Likewise, US internal factors like inflation is on 40 years peak and federal debt rise up to 110% of GDP, economic growth is declining. These internal and external factors speeding up this process. As major world trade is still happening in dollar so decline in its dominance has a major impact on the global financial system. So, to study about its declining phenomenon is very important and this research mainly analyze on this declining trend of US dollar. The paper also looked at the short history of dollar that how it became the paper currency and how it emerged as main currency of the world. At the last of paper, I also talked about whether the decline of dollar is imminent? which is an important question asked by different economists and political analysts. These observations hint how the dollar’s hegemony is under threat.