Machine Learning (ML) is reshaping technology how businesses assess and manage risk, forecast trends, and strategize resource allocation, especially in high-stakes financial decisions. The use of ML within Pakistan's financial industry is expanding, particularly in credit scoring, fraud detection, portfolio management, and customer analytics. Although the financial sector includes ML, it still poses challenges for HR management. The aim of this study is to determine HR challenges in upskilling posed by the incorporation of AI and ML into workflows, rapidly changing Pakistan's corporate and financial services landscape. The study also analyzes the technology's impact on decision-making and resulting HR verticals and skill gaps. A mixed-method approach was employed: quantitative data were collected via structured questionnaires from 140 finance and HR professionals in commercial banks, investment firms, and corporate sectors, while qualitative insights were obtained from 25 key informant interviews. Results indicate that ML integration enhances financial data accuracy (mean score 4.00), risk assessment precision (3.94), and predictive analytics performance (4.16). Regression analysis reveals that training investment (β = 0.418, p < 0.001) and skill development initiatives (β = 0.329, p < 0.01) explain 67.3% of variance in ML implementation success. Qualitative findings corroborate these outcomes, highlighting skill gaps, limited ML training (47.1% receive none), resistance to technology adoption, and inadequate institutional support for continuous learning. The study concludes that while ML significantly improves financial decision-making, HR departments must strategically align and evolve toward data-driven and analytics-focused functions. Strengthening digital competencies and institutional learning frameworks is essential for sustaining ML adoption in Pakistan’s financial industry.
Profit-sharing and trade-based financings are the major means for revenue generation in Islamic banks. Profitability of the banks thus depends largely on effectiveness of the revenue models, asset (financing) quality as well as diversification methods employed. Despite the established theoretical link between asset quality, revenue diversification and profitability, empirical relationship between the variables remains underexplored. Therefore, this study examined asset quality, revenue diversification and Islamic bank profitability in Africa. Country-level Quarterly data were extracted from IFSB database for 11 years from 2013 to 2023. The data was analysed via fixed effects regression technique. Findings revealed that revenue diversification had positive, significant effect (0.69, p<0.05) on return on asset. Conversely, non-performing financing had negative, significant effect (-0.28, p<0.05) on return on asset. The study concluded that Islamic banks’ profitability is significantly affected by revenue diversification and asset quality, in selected African countries. The study recommended diversification to more shariah-compliant products and effective monitoring of financing activities to reduce non-performing facilities that are capable of depleting Islamic banks profitability.
This study examines the growing importance of sustainability disclosure in family firms, a critical area as these businesses increasingly prioritize CSR and transparency. Family firms, defined by their unique ownership and governance structures, are believed to engage in CSR practices differently from non-family businesses, often driven by socioemotional wealth, long-term vision, and stakeholder relationships. Using a bibliometric approach, this study analyzes 79 articles published between 2013 and 2021, focusing on the intersection of family ownership and sustainability disclosure. The analysis employs the ‘biblioshiny’ R-package to identify key authors, journals, and research themes, revealing significant contributions from journals such as Business Strategy and the Environment, Social Responsibility Journal, and Sustainability (Switzerland). Our findings highlight the centrality of family firms in CSR disclosure, with an emphasis on family ownership, board independence, and governance mechanisms. The study also identifies prominent authors such as Gavana G, Gottardo P, and Moisello AM, as well as key research collaborations between Italy, the United Kingdom, and other nations. Moreover, the research unveils a shift in thematic evolution, with emerging themes in CSR disclosure, socioemotional wealth, and environmental performance, alongside well-established themes in governance and transparency. This study offers insightful information into the current state of sustainability disclosure in family firms and offers a foundation for future research in this expanding field.
The current experimental study explores the impact of 360° immersive preview mode, on customer impulse buying intentions in online fashion shopping store, mediated by telepresence, novelty, and inspiration. Current Research study, based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, argues that 360° preview modes act as stimuli (S) that elicit internal reactions (O) in the form of telepresence, novelty, and inspiration, subsequently leading to the customer impulsive buying intention (R). Data were collected from 150 participants who accessed immersive 360° fashion store previews through Quick Response (QR) code links on mobile devices, thereby simulating authentic online shopping conditions. Results from structural equation modeling (SEM) indicate that 360° views significantly improve telepresence and perceived novelty, which subsequently have a positive effect on inspiration. Furthermore, inspiration is found to be a critical predictor of impulse buying intention and holds the mediating role in bridge transference from immersive retail stimuli to impulse purchase response. This finding highlights the importance of inspiration as a key psychological mechanism by which immersive experiences can energize motivational states of consumers and drive them to consumer impulse behavior in the form of buying in digital fashion retail immersive environments. The findings enhance theoretical understanding by applying (S-O-R) theory to immersive retail experiences and empirically validating the psychological pathways connecting immersive exposure to impulsive purchasing. The findings shares strategic insights and explanation for fashion retailers on utilizing immersive technologies to enhance consumer engagement and encourage impulse purchasing behavior in digital contexts.
This study analyse how the lifestyle patterns of consumers affect the purchasing intention of students of the University of Ilorin who already have active accounts with MTN. A quantitative methodology based on the survey research design was employed, the theory of planned behaviour represents the guiding theoretical framework and where 62,000 students who were enrolled formed the population. A sample of size of 397 was obtained by application of the Taro-Yamane (1967) formula. The data through a structured questionnaire were collected and analysed with the help of the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS -SEM). The result showed that opinion has the strongest positive and statistically significant impact on purchase intention (b = 0.533, t = 14.418, p < 0.001), and interest (b = 0.184, t = 3.924, p = 0.024) followed by the activities (b = 0.134, t = 2.283, p = 0.023) and the daily routine (b = 0.106, t = 2.2 The model made an overall contribution of 77.9 percent to the purchase intention variance. The researcher concludes by establishing that patterns of lifestyle by consumers play a large role in the purchase intention in the telecommunications sector in Nigeria. In this regard, it will be advisable that MTN focuses on value-based marketing strategies that resonate with the beliefs and interests of the students and enhance attractive services and smooth integration into the daily lives of students to enhance customer purchasing intention and loyalty within the very competitive Nigerian telecommunication industry.
The purpose of this study aims to examine how workplace and individual dynamics effect the employee performance in the digital age, and how flexible work arrangements can act as moderator. Convenience sampling was employed to gather the data, and 298 easily reachable and willing participants provided responses. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) results revealed significant positive effect of employee development, wellness program, and digital literacy with employee performance. In contrast, data analytics have found non-significant relationship with employee performance. Furthermore, moderating role of flexible work arrangements was observed non-significant across the proposed relationships. Overall, studies contribute to the existing literature, incorporating both dynamics into a unified framework in the digital era, along with shedding light on the limited contribution of flexible work arrangements in the context of IT sector of Pakistan. The results further suggest that data analytics skills still need attention and improvements across the IT sectors to translate it into performance outcomes.
The aim of this paper is to discuss the impacts of consumer-brand identification on brand trust and customer engagement. It also examines how the two variables (brand trust and customer engagement) affect purchase intention. In addition, the paper also assesses the mediating role of brand trust and customer engagement in the relationship between consumer brand identification and purchase intention. This research has used the social identity theory. The data of this article was collected through the means of a digital survey involving a representative sample of the customers as well as those who might purchase the Pakistani fashion apparel brands. A total sample of 443 was taken using the convenience sampling technique. The data were evaluated using SPSS and AMOS software packages to test the hypothesis of the research. The reason why structural equation modeling was utilized is that it enables the researcher to analyze several relationships among variables within the proposed model simultaneously. The findings suggest that the direct impact of consumer brand identification on purchase intention in the current research is not significant. This research study has demonstrated that consumer brand identification must be established to increase brand trust and customer engagement, which subsequently assists in the purchase intentions of fashion apparel from firms. Additionally, brand trust and customer engagement mediate the proposed relationships. The customer's engagement contributes greatly to their purchase intention. The results suggest that marketers of fashion clothes should not ignore the importance of customer engagement in the development of purchase intentions. Moreover, customers should be engaged to increase their purchase intentions through the use of marketing strategies like personalized marketing, interactive social media campaigns and loyalty programs which will help in achieving a closer relationship with the brand.
This study investigates the determinants of customer trust in Islamic banking system of Pakistan. Islamic banking is an ethical and Shari‘ah-based system whereby trust is a cornerstone of these institutions as customers depend on them to meet their Shari‘ah-compliant financial requirements. This research is based on pragmatist epistemology combining positivism and interpretivism paradigms with two simultaneous phases of qualitative exploration and quantitative measures. The first stage utilizes Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach and inductive research design to investigate stakeholders’ experiences and interpretation of trust in Islamic banking. Semi-structured interviews from different stakeholders of Islamic banks were conducted. Findings reveal a significant trust deficit and that Islamic banks need to improve on Shari‘ah governance, visibility and initiate awareness programs and communicate more openly so that customers become more informed resulting in reducing the trust gap. The second phase utilizes survey method and deductive research design to empirically measure the relationship of trust with commitment and loyalty. Closed-ended questionnaire is implied for data collection. Findings demonstrate the significance of trust as an important factor for frequent usage of Islamic Banking (IB) services, customer engagement and positive impression of IBs. These insights are helpful for both borrowers and investors, and they could help Islamic banks build their credibility and strengthen their ties with customers in practice.
The fast pace of technological change in the hospitality industry has created a significant worry about managing data and technology, thus recognizing the role played by corporate digital responsibility (CDR) as pivotal. Although leadership has been claimed to be a basis for such a powerful system as CDR, the literature has not addressed this relationship extensively. The research explores the impact of ethical leadership on CDR but also pays attention to digital resilience as a mediator and digital inclusion as a moderator. The data for the study were gathered from 271 employees in the hospitality sector of Pakistan. The research findings showed that ethical leadership positively and significantly affects digital resilience and CDR, and the partial mediation of digital resilience to the relationship between ethical leadership and CDR is valid. Also, digital inclusion has been proven to be a positive moderator between ethical leadership and CDR. In terms of the technology frame theory, the results of this study also translate to the effect of ethical leaders in CDR via the creation of buffering tactics and the upholding of equity
The research empirically investigates the impact of intellectual capital and its components on financial distress within Pakistani non-financial firms. This research addresses important gap as the relationship between these variables has not been extensively studied, particularly in the non-financial sector of Pakistan. The research utilizes panel data encompassing 100 listed companies from non-financial sectors on the Pakistan Stock Exchange over a span of five years, from 2019 to 2023. Intellectual Capital is quantified using Ulum’s MVAIC, which integrates elements of Relational Capital, Structural Capital, Capital Employed Efficiency and Human Capital. Alternatively, financial distress is quantified using Altman’s Z-score. Hausman test is used in the study to select the model. The analysis employs a Fixed Effect model. The results of the study reveal a positive and significant impact of Intellectual Capital on the Z-Score i.e. reduced financial distress levels in Pakistani companies. When scrutinizing the individual components, Human Capital and Capital Employed display a significant and negative impact on financial distress, while Relational Capital and Structural Capital show an insignificant impact on the financial distress of companies in Pakistan. Study further highlighted that financial leverage increase financial distress in Pakistani companies. Moreover, larger firms more often face financial distress. This study adds to the existing body of knowledge by evolving field of Intellectual Capital and emphasizes the need to strengthen Intellectual Capital to enhance financial resilience and competitiveness in Pakistan's business landscape. Subsequent studies could refine the model through the inclusion of additional variables, and including the data from diverse countries and sectors to facilitate a comparative study for more comprehensive analysis.
This study investigates the relationship between Knowledge hiding, creative process engagement, employee creative performance and personal knowledge among faculty members at higher education institutions (HEIs). It emphasizes the mediating of creative process engagement and moderating roles of trait competitiveness, respectively, between the relationship of employee creative performance and knowledge hiding. Data was collected from 251 Private faculty members from the private HEI in Lahore, through the survey method. The data analysis was conducted using SmartPLS 4.0. It is believed that knowledge hiding has a direct impact on an employee's creative performance. There is a moderating effect of trait competitiveness on the association between creative process engagement and employee creative performance. One of the major limitations of the study is that it was only conducted in the private HEIs. For future consideration, the inclusion of the public sector can enhance in-depth understanding. The mediating roles of emotional exhaustion and mistrust can be explored in subsequent studies. There is a vital theoretical contribution from the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory that provides a comprehensive understanding of the subject as a whole. The mediating role of creative process engagement effectively explains the flow, yet it has not received much attention from researchers. There is a useful implication for university administrators and policymakers in this study. The creative process engagement not only plays an igniting mediating role, but also the trait competitiveness acts as a buffer in the academic sector.
Re-emerging geopolitical risks are a threat to economic progress at the global level, having far-reaching implications for socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic growth trajectories. This study focuses on the relationship between geopolitical risks and inclusive green growth. A panel dataset has been taken for all the variables at the global level over the time range of 2019-2024. Results suggested an inverse and statistically significant relationship between geopolitical risks and inclusive green growth. In addition to this, it was also found that economies having higher carbon dioxide emissions levels than the average value tend to have greater fragility in the relationship between geopolitical risks and inclusive green growth via channel analysis. This study can assist policy makers and researchers to work in the direction of improving the political environment, transparency, and institutions, along with achieving sustainable economic growth and a green environment.
For every organization, HRM is essential for retaining and attracting the right, skilled employees. Employee turnover is a serious concern in higher education institutions in Bangladesh, particularly private universities. Basic HRM tactics such as compensation, performance appraisal, and training & development are closely linked to employee retention. The primary objective of this research is to determine the impact of compensation, Training and Development (T&D), and performance appraisal on employee retention in private universities in Bangladesh, and to examine whether the work environment moderates this effect. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data from 239 permanent faculty members at 12 private universities in Dhaka, Bangladesh, using a purposive sampling technique. For measurement validation and hypothesis testing, Smart-PLS was used. The results of this research show that compensation, T&D, and performance appraisal positively and significantly influence employee retention. The results also indicate that the working environment substantially moderates these relationships. The findings of this study suggest that a favorable working environment is highly required, including the effective implementation of HRM practices. This research is helpful for future HRM researchers and offers meaningful insights for university administrators and policymakers in Bangladesh and worldwide. Future research might be conducted based on this model, adding more constructs, such as work-life balance, in other organizations.
Pakistan's textile industry, which is responsible for around 60% of the total exports of the country and supplies almost 40% of the labor force, is still facing problems caused by talent scarcity, limited career opportunities, and high employee turnover. This research based on Social Identity Theory (SIT) investigates the role of External Corporate Social Responsibility (ECSR) initiatives in Talent Attraction (TA) in this industry and questions whether Organizational Pride (OP) is the psychological connector between the two. The research design is quantitative and deductive approaches. As a result, a self-administered survey questionnaire was given out, and the sample used was 429, which included workers and managers across textile manufacturing companies in Punjab. Measurement validity and reliability were checked using Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted, while structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the proposed relationships. The results show that it is only company with a strong image of ECSR that both OP and TA will be strongly predicted. OP, in turn, has a significant positive effect on TA and partially mediates the relationship between ECSR and TA. The data indicate that responsible business practices raise not only the legitimacy of the company but also the emotional attachment of the current employees and the admiration of the potential applicants. By recognizing pride as a mediating pathway, this study review CSR as a strategic human capital capability rather than a peripheral ethical gesture, especially in the case of emerging economic contexts. The implications of the findings are to the owners of the firm and policy makers that they have to get involved in ECSR activities, not only for the better image of the firm, but also for the emotional bond with the employees at the internal level.
Progression in female’s career has witnessed significant transformations in last few decades which is an insignia of unending trend towards gender equality in the professional sphere representing the fifth sustainable development goals (SDGs) as targeted by the United Nations. However, there are still hurdles that causes deprivation of women from achieving high-level, esteemed positions, including partiality, traditional and cultural norms, and social norms. But there are many motivational factors for females to take part in this marathon and need to develop strategies to overcome barriers. Thus, this study designed to investigates the barriers, motivational factors, and strategic approaches shaping the career progression of female project managers. Data were collected through unstructured interviews with a purposive sample of fifteen experts, selected based on predefined criteria of professional expertise. The interviews were analyzed using NVivo software to identify recurring themes and patterns. The central research question addressed the barriers, motivations, and strategies influencing women’s advancement in project management careers. Findings revealed persistent obstacles, including male dominance, gender discrimination, entrenched stereotypes, and challenges related to work–life balance, which collectively impede women’s professional growth. At the same time, both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators—such as academic qualifications, family support, financial independence, personal passion, and organizational incentives were found to drive women’s pursuit of career success. The study further highlights strategies for fostering inclusive and supportive workplaces, emphasizing mentorship, equitable recruitment practices, effective organizational policies, and the development of self-confidence and communication skills. Overall, the findings underscore the necessity of cultural and organizational transformation to enable female project managers to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to the services sector.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of oil price and exchange rate in Pakistan’s food security using data from 1981 to 2021 and employed ARDL econometric approach. The findings show that oil price and population growth has negatively while exchange rate has positively impacted in model Food Security. Having observed that oil prices and exchange rate are the main contributing factors in Pakistan’s food security, it is suggested inclusive policies should be established by policy makers. The State Bank of Pakistan, Ministry of Trade and Commerce and Ministry of Finance to control oil prices and exchange rates and reduce the effect of food inflation on both producers as well as consumers. Furthermore, Pakistani government should encourage rules and regulations that advance sustainable farming methods, rise high quality seeds accessibility, technical progression, fertilizers, and revolutionize agricultural practices. In addition, government should support openness policies by educating trade barriers and giving subsidies to exporters, to protect domestic output from variations in exchange rate and currency depreciation. The current research expects that Pakistani authorities will incorporate this research to diminish the issues related to food insecurity in Pakistan by keeping in view as elementary need for all human beings.
The aircraft industry was first established during the Industrial Revolution era, just as digital marketing is shaping present-day customer behaviors on web platforms. The research examines the role of Search Engine Optimization and Pay- per -Click techniques in enhancing customer engagements on the Air Peace digital platforms across Nigeria. The overall aim was to appraise their effect on airline services and inform budget allocation for maximal efficiency. Using a quantitative research approach on the collected data from 189 respondents via multiple regression analysis, results revealed that SEO and PPC had a significant effect on customer engagement together, explaining a high percentage of variance: R² = 0.612, p > 0.001; SEO β = 0.52, p > 0.001; PPC β = 0.41, p > 0.001. Important considerations within SEO involve web optimization techniques, key phrases, and landing page design. For PPC Air Peace must consider bid management and relevant key phrases. By complementing SEO with PPC for quality leads during peak seasons for air travel and continuously working on improvements for better returns on investment. The paper contributes knowledge on digital marketing research by emphasizing synergy between SEO and PPC in the airline industry.
Gamification is the new trend in e-commerce that researchers and doctors are getting engaged with. Nevertheless, the relation of game-related features to the consumer's intention to purchase from online platforms is continuously a mystery which we need to solve. Therefore, in the present study, we center on bridging this gap by the investigation of the influencing role of gamification in the e-shopping intention and how attitude of consumers, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived enjoyment act as mediators. Data were collected from 386 online consumers in Karachi, Pakistan, using a structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using partial least square modeling (PLS-SEM). The study helps to fulfil the gap by investigating the impact of triads of gamification that influence the purchase intention of online products within the Pakistan e-commerce industry. A through literature review was conducted and primary data was taken through surveys. The results show a strong positive connection between elements of gamification and perceptual variables, which combined have an effect on consumers' attitudes towards buying online. Attitude emerged as a crucial mediator, linking gamification strategies to online purchase intentions and affirming the applicability of the model of Technology Acceptance (TAM) in this context. These insights offer practical implications for e-commerce platforms seeking to leverage gamification for customer retention and business growth.
This research inspects the association between economic growth and external debt in developing countries, by adding institutional quality. Drawing on annual data from 1996 to 2022 on external debt, economic growth, and measures of institutional quality, the analysis employs System GMM estimation techniques. The sample encompasses 86 developing countries, categorized into lower-income (51 countries) and middle-income (35 countries) based on World Bank classifications. The findings are clear and significant, indicating that increasing external debt hampers economic growth across all income levels in developing countries. However, the study also highlights a beacon of hope-strong institutions can mitigate the adverse effects of debt. Accountability, political stability and regulatory quality have a crucial part in this, significantly influencing the debt-growth connection, especially in middle-income countries. This underscores the importance of strong institutions in the economic development of these countries and provides a reassuring path for policymakers to follow in managing debt prudently.
Based on Social Exchange Theory (SET), the study purpose is to investigate the impact of HRM practices on employee retention correspondingly over and done with the employment of effective Human Resource Management (HRM) practices. Moreover, it examines the mediating influence of OCB on the relationship between HRM practices and retention outcomes, explaining the give and take relationship between employer and the employee. The study data was gathered from employees working in companies of Lahore’s corporate sector, using a quantitative methodology. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and SMART PLS 4.0 software. Results reveal that HRM resourcefulness, reassuring teamwork, accountability, and supportive behavior significantly enhance employee loyalty and retention. Additionally, it was discovered that OCB had a significant role in this dynamic by somewhat mediating the relationship between HRM practices and retention. Underpinning the Social Exchange Theory, these findings enhance theoretical frameworks and real-world applications in comparable socioeconomic contexts by offering valuable insights for improving HRM strategies to better retain employees by fostering OCB. The research's conclusions also offer insightful information about how to improve HR procedures to increase employee retention by encouraging OCB, which advances our theoretical and practical knowledge of successful HR tactics in comparable socioeconomic settings. The study also seeks to provide practical suggestions for HR managers and company executives to create an environment that fosters social responsibility and teamwork, increasing employee retention and long-term success.
