Volume 1 Number 1 2018

Abstract

1. The aim of this paper was to find out the impact of psychological
   dysphagia on patients’ compliance in public sector hospitals of Karachi. An
   effort was made to find out the problems and difficulties experienced by the
   patients while taking tablets and capsules. Adopting deductive approach,
   hypotheses were formulated after in-depth review of relevant literature.
   Primary quantitative data were collected via a structured questionnaire. Nonprobability convenience sampling technique was used and 565 questionnaires
   were distributed to the patients of public sector hospitals of Karachi. The
   data analysis reveals that there is a significant impact of psychological
   dysphagia on patient acceptance of oral solid dosage forms. There is also
   a significant impact of psychological dysphagia on patient preferences of
   innovative new dosage forms. This research is likely to help the healthcare
   providers to select appropriate dosage forms for the patients to improve their
   compliance. This research is likely to help the pharmaceutical industry to
   emphasize on research and development of new innovative dosage forms
   to ease out the swallowing difficulties of patients.
2. Cold war changed the political landscape of the world .It resulted
   into the emergence of new countries and Disintegration of USSR. It ended
   up bipolarity from the world and brought new world order according to which
   world determined its direction. The changing Geopolitics of Eurasian region
   is now reshaping the direction of world politics again and resulting into new
   emerging alliances. In current time frame Russia and Pakistan are creating
   their nexus with an objective of challenging the status quo position of United
   States, or pushing for greater bipolarity in global affairs. The increasing
   influence of ISIS in the region and instability in Afghanistan is the major
   driving force behind the establishment of Pak –Russia developing alliance.
   This emerging alliance has the potential to find out the political solution of
   Afghan problem by minimizing the US influence from Afghanistan. Moreover
   it seems that US is not interested in bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan
   due to its own strategic interests. By joining their hands together both Pakistan
   and Russia can preserve peace and stability in the region and their
   collaboration with China can do wonders by accelerating the economic
   activity in the region.
3. This study attempts to carry out a comparative analysis of the
   Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) practices being followed
   in the telecom sector of Pakistan. This research takes into account two
   major players of Pakistan’s telecom industry, which are Jazz and Ufone. The
   Strategic perspective of Human Resource Management (HRM) is different
   from the traditional concept HR as SHRM mainly arranges itself in accordance
   with the business strategy and aligns its departmental strategy to achieve
   the business objectives. This study has carried out in-depth analysis of the
   two organizations to find out whether Strategic HRM adds significance to
   the organization and helps to gain competitive advantage or otherwise. The
   Evidences/ Indicators of Strategic Human Resource Management practices
   in these organizations reveal that both organizations understand that there
   is a dire need to re-position their HR departments to a strategic level.
   However, the findings of the study show that these organizations need to
   elicit clear indicator and evidences which provide a sort of checklist for them
   to follow. The study recommends that in order to meet the rapidly changing
   scenario of the business world, the HR departments of the organizations
   need to restructure their HR and devise the facilitating factors which allow
   them to be more strategic in nature.
4. In today’s highly competitive marketing environment, it has become
   very challenging for the brands to get consumer attention. Marketers are
   trying to move away from their traditional approach of connecting with the
   consumers through rational and logical advertising and promotional
   communication and emotions have become the most powerful tools to
   penetrate into the consumer set of consideration. Although, in the existing
   literature, the importance of emotional intelligence in organizational studies,
   leadership and relationship management has been extensively analyzed
   and discussed in a greater detail (Reisel, 2016), its growing importance in
   the field of marketing and consumer-centric studies have yet to be explored.
   Therefore, the purpose of the present article is to highlight the perspectives
   available in the existing literature regarding the importance of emotional
   intelligence in the marketing field. The paper explores the different dimensions
   of consumer marketing research where the emotional intelligence has already
   been applied and the results that have been generated by it. This study is
   based on the meta-analyses of almost 33 research articles which discusses
   the role of emotional intelligence in marketing. The article assesses the
   potential that emotional intelligence has to revolutionize the existing field of
   marketing and consumer connectivity with a particular brand or service. As
   a result of this study, multiple themes have emerged, and on the bases of
   that further practical application of emotional intelligence in marketing has
   been discussed with the limitations.
5. World Trade Organization (WTO) develops its policy guidelines
   keeping in view the global environments whereby they could provide healthy
   business atmosphere to all communities. Since it is competitive business
   world which is working on joint ventures and collaborations, developed
   countries have an edge. They enjoy latest knowledge, technologies and
   skills for pursuing their business. The developing societies like Pakistan feel
   handicapped when come in stiff completion which is based on quality, price,
   packaging and conforming to international and global health standards. Then
   what to do, abandon it or change the methodology?
   This is the basic purpose of this research. Having gone through the
   policy guidelines under WTO and own environments, the paper suggests
   rather to get advantage of tough competition and improve quality of our
   products and services so as to achieve global standards. In the business
   world of today, it is only quality backed by knowledge how to make trade
   succeeds. Therefore, instead of giving up or feeing discouraged, it is
   recommended to continue improving knowledge and quality to compete and
   make own place in the international market.
6. The purpose of this research paper was to identify the impact of erecruitment on satisfaction of job seekers of a Public sector University at
   Karachi . As old recruitment methods are considered less effective due to
   huge financial resources required for new hiring, both candidates and
   organizations are availing Internet sources for the same. This paper evaluates
   the advantages of e-recruitment which ultimately attract job seekers to follow
   this latest technique. Deductive approach was adopted whereby hypotheses
   were formulated followed by collection of primary quantitative data, with the
   help of adopted questionnaire, from a sample of 300 job holder students
   (both male & female) studying in the evening and weekend programs
   belonging to the management sciences department of a Public sector
   University at Karachi. For analyzing data, Correlation and Regression tests
   were applied. The findings have shown that there is no significant impact of
   efficiency on job seeker’s satisfaction, whereas easy access, availability of
   widespread information and process fairness have significant impact on
   satisfaction of job seekers. The study is considered quite beneficial for the
   job seekers belonging to other organizations for determining effectiveness
   of their e-recruitment facilities. Potential employers may also benefit from
   the findings of this paper.
7. Due to their unique set of skills and strong academic background,
   the research students (term interchangeably used in this paper for MPhil
   and PhD students) are considered as a highly selective group of students.
   For them, pursuing the research degree itself is a very uncertain and
   challenging task. The available literature addressing the issue suggests that
   for some students this journey is rewarding, but for others, it is full of challenge.
   This qualitative study explores the MPhil and doctoral or higher education
   research student’s experiences of disengagement from their studies. The
   semi-structured interviews have been conducted from 14 MPhil and PhD
   students who have prolonged or discontinued their MPhil and PhD studies.
   The research study explores the different categories, reasons and inability
   to overcome the disengagement experience from studies among MPhil and
   PhD or higher education research students. Work pressure, financial reasons,
   health issue, poor supervision, family restrictions, better alternatives, and
   change in priorities are found to be the few reasons of disengagement
   experienced by research students in Pakistan. Moreover, students’ personal
   and environmental inabilities to overcome the reasons for disengagement
   that leads to prolongment and discontinuation of their MPhil and PhD studies
   have also been discussed, followed by potential recommendations by this
   researcher to overcome the disengagement experiences. The research is
   beneficial for the academic institutions coping with disinterest and
   disengagement of students at MPhil and PhD level.