This study investigates the relationship between sub-national institutional contingencies and corporate social responsibility performance (CSRP). Sub-national institutional contingencies (SNICs) play a moderating role in the link between CSRP and corporate financial performance (CFP). Using data from all A-share Chinese companies listed on the Shenzhen and Shanghai exchanges for the period 2010 to 2015, ordinary least square (OLS) regression was used as a baseline methodology to draw inferences from the data. The study uses propensity score matching (PSM) to confirm the robustness and to tackle the possible issue of endogeneity. We find reliable evidence that SNICs have a positive and significant effect on CSRP. This positive relationship is more pronounced in cross-listed companies as compared to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and in companies located in the more developed region. Moreover, SNICs moderate the positive relationship between CSRP and CFP. The relationship is stronger in firms that are non-SOEs, are non-cross-listed, and are from less-developed regions as compared to their counterparts. The findings provide implications for regulators and individual companies. Investment in corporate social responsibility (CSR) helps companies to achieve their primary objective (i.e., financial performance). With respect to practical implications, the study indicates that policymakers, executives, and managers should refrain from “one size fits all” CSR policies. Instead, they need to simultaneously evaluate the effects of regional development, cross-listing, and ownership characteristics. Considering weak social performance by firms that are from less developed regions, are non-cross-listed, and that are non-SOEs, policymakers and the government should improve information transparency and the regulatory framework, and provide these firms with incentives. This study also provides insights for other emerging economies, especially those going through extraordinary government interventions.

Abstract:Contemporary urbanization appears as a conundrum especially in developing nations. This study will act as an accelerator to spill out snags caused by urbanization with a new approach in the development of sustainable infrastructure through Public-Private Partnerships (3Ps). This study first explains the complications generated by rapid urbanization in different infrastructural sectors in South Asian mega cities like Dhaka and Lahore. Second, the findings of the study elaborate on a new mechanism to adapt to Sustainable Development Goal 11 declared by the United Nations with the engagement of different stake holders working in different silos through 3Ps (like BOT, BOOT, BLT, DBF, PFI etc.). This study uses case studies as part of the research mixed methodology. Studies on Dhaka and Lahore including multi projects through 3Ps, and a detailed questionnaire survey based on critical risk factors from the Meta review of 3P literature are presented to establish the current status of sustainable development goals. This paper primarily contributes in two ways. First, by providing a new direction to policy makers to devise policies using a twofold approach i.e., grasp urbanization with sustainable infrastructure delivery by sustainable enactment of 3P projects. Second, bridge the knowledge gap by identifying the risk factors in the sustainable establishment of 3P projects in developing nations.

The purpose of this study is to empirically test the impact of employee empowerment on organizational commitment through the mediating role of job satisfaction. The non-probability random sampling technique and time lag was used to collect data from 307 employees working at four and five Stars Hotels in two cities Rawalpindi, Islamabad of Pakistan. Smart Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (Smart PLS SEM v.3.2.8) was used to test the hypotheses. The result indicates that employee empowerment has a significant and positive impact on organizational commitment. Also, job satisfaction is considered as a potential mediator between employee empowerment and organizational commitment. Furthermore, to sup-port the results current study used the social exchange theory. Finally, some theoretical and practical contributions to employee empowerment and organizational commitment literature, and research limitations and future directions are presented.

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The COVID-19 outbreak has prevented students from contributing towards the economic growth of Pakistan. It first disrupted the education system in China and later entered Pakistan to close all levels of educational institutions/sectors since the middle of March 2020. This study aims to highlight the COVID-19 outbreak's effects on educational sector in Pakistan. Pakistan's overall public sector expenditure as a percentage of GDP before the pandemic was already low as compared to regional level, but due to the pandemic, it has dropped down significantly. This study seeks to answer two important questions: (1) What are the impacts of COVID-19 outbreak on Pakistan? (2) Will the closure of educational institutions impact the economic growth of Pakistan? According to empirical and theoretical findings, the results show that the lack of school education for a long period of time will contribute towards unskilled human capital. The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted student learning activities, which may increase the dropout rates, loss of mental health, and consequently, may impact the economic growth of Pakistan later.

Leader’s personality considerably influences the behavior of employees and is perhaps one of the most important predictor of their job performance. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the personality-performance paradigm in the context of emerging economies. Personality was assessed through big five traits, namely openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. While task performance attribute of job performance was considered as dependent variable. Stratified sampling technique was deployed to gather data from 149 SMEs belonging to diversified business sectors operating in the industrial city of Gujranwala, Pakistan. Cronbach’s alpha test endorsed the consistency of survey questionnaire, and multiple regression analysis was used to test hypotheses. All of the personality traits, with the exception of neuroticism, are found to be valid predictors of employee job performance, though the degree and significance of correlation varies. The study contributes to the enhanced understanding of the personality-performance relationship and highlights the desirable personality inventories of potential leaders and entrepreneurs. Broader practical implications and recommendations for future research bring the discussion to the close.

The purpose of this paper is to observe the role of organizational learning and knowledge management in organizational performance of service sector in Pakistan. The key aim for carrying on this research is to acknowledge the growing importance of knowledge management and organizational learning for organizations working in this knowledge economy. In Pakistan, service sector is an important source of economic development and on the while, it is facing fierce competition in the marketplace because of the following factors such as the world has now changed to a global village thus industry boundaries are collapsing and regulatory organizations are becoming deregulatory resulting continual and abrupt changing environmental trends. The rate of learning should be parallel to the rate of change taking place. Thus, there is an immense need for organizations to manage their intangible asset i.e. human knowledge. For empirical analysis, a measurement scale was adapted and the questionnaires were distributed among 60 organizations working in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, and Bahawalpur. The study employed SPSS and AMOS for analyses. The study found strongly positive correlations between knowledge management, organizational learning, and organizational performance

Information technology governance (ITG) is recognized as a vital organizational ability to exploit opportunities for innovation and enhance organizational performance. However, the potential of ITG for public sector innovation and performance has not been fully grasped in Pakistani public sector organizations (PakPSOs). This study has presented an explanatory model to investigate the mediating effect of innovation in the relationship between ITG and organizational performance in PakPSOs. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM)–based hierarchical component modeling approach has applied to analyze the model by taking sample data from 97 PakPSOs. The results revealed that ITG positively affected innovation and organizational performance. Innovation positively affected organizational performance. Innovation partially mediated the relationship between ITG and organizational performance. The study corroborates the strategic use of information technology (IT) to enhance innovation and organizational performance in this context. The study contributes to the existing knowledge base through a new theoretical model and promotes academic rigor. The results are also significant for the practice as they can help to achieve organizational performance in terms of operational efficiency, transparency in costs and results, planning and decision making, performance monitoring and control, and collaboration and synergy. The other countries operating in a similar environment can also take the benefit of this study.