Lahore University of Management Sciences

This study aimed to investigate the effect of women’s development on the relationship between the social impact of green microfinance institutions and poverty in Pakistan. Women entrepreneurs in Pakistan rely on microfinance to improve their business standards and access other related services. The study collected quantitative data through a Likert five-point scale from respondents in various regions of Pakistan, which was analyzed using Smart partial least square structural equation model 3.0. Our findings show that green microfinance plays a vital role in supporting women entrepreneurs in the Republic of Pakistan. The study reveals a significant positive relationship between microfinance institutions and women’s entrepreneurship, with microfinance credit also showing a positive association with poverty reduction. Moreover, women's entrepreneurship and empowerment both have a substantial positive impact on poverty reduction, with both factors significantly influencing the relationship between green microfinance and poverty reduction. However, this study provides significant theoretical and practical implications for policymakers and practitioners working towards improving the situation of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Moreover, our findings highlight the importance of increasing access to financial services and supporting women's entrepreneurship and empowerment, which can ultimately lead to improved living standards and reduced poverty levels.

Non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder accounting for almost 70% of the total congenital hearing loss. The implementation of rapid advanced sequencing methods has significantly contributed to the correct molecular diagnosis for several rare genetic disorders, including NHSL. Features of two probands with NHSL were clinically and genetically evaluated. One of the affected individuals was subjected to exome sequencing (ES) using standard methods. 3D protein modeling was performed to check the effect of mutation on the protein structure. ES data analysis revealed a homozygous nonsense variant [c.1144A > T; p.Lys382*] within the GPR156 gene (NM_153002.3) associated with rare NSHL. Sanger sequencing supported its recessive segregation within the family. The in silico predictions and 3D protein modeling further affirmed its disease-causing nature. The present study reported a nonsense variant in the GPR156 and its association with NSHL susceptibility, which requires further studies to unveil its key role and disease-related pathophysiology.

The stability of an inverter‐based hierarchical microgrid is challenged by inverter controls, network dynamics, load models and communication delays among the interacting agents. Moreover, the adoption of non‐dispatchable grid‐following (GFL) inverters further lowers the system inertia in islanded Microgrids (MGs). Therefore, both grid‐forming (GFM) and GFL inverters shall coordinate to perform frequency/voltage regulation through their grid‐support function. This paper investigates the role of GFM‐GFL coordination on the operational stability of real‐world Microgrids (MGs) with communication delays. A complete non‐linear state‐space model is derived for the MG. The time‐delayed system model is discretised in a system of ordinary differential equations to determine delay margins using spectral analysis. Later, the same model is linearised around an operating point to determine delay margins using time‐domain analysis. The equilibrium point is disturbed by load perturbation and the system response is observed for different values of communication delays and control topology. The delay margins estimated theoretically are validated using the time‐domain simulations in MATLAB/SIMULINK. Simulation results are compared to determine the efficacy of grid‐support function in improving operational stability of islanded MGs. The developed evaluation scheme is tested on a multi‐inverter islanded power system.

This article presents an insights study of synthesis, characterization and multifunctional applications of Bi2O3/MoS2, ultimately seeking their synergistic approach for photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin antibiotic and antimicrobial efficacy. Pure Bi2O3 and MoS2 were synthesized by simple co-precipitation and green synthesis strategy respectively; however, a facile hydrothermal method was employed for synthesis of Bi2O3/MoS2, followed by analytical tools to elucidate the optical, structural, morphological and electronic properties. Through experimental approach, this study unveils interplay of synergistic approach of junction of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3). The outcome showcased an efficient enhancement in degradation of ciprofloxacin, attributed to Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). The binary composites Bi2O3/MoS2 demonstrates the facilitating charge carriers and heterojunction interface resulted in broad-spectrum efficacy. Furthermore, the potent behavior of nanostructures against the pathogenic microorganism evaluated the strong antimicrobial agent for gram positive and gram negative bacteria. This approach highlights the underscore of composites for harnessing synergistic strategy of nanostructures junction. Graphical Abstract

Deviation of theory from practice is the burning question of the present age. Numerous efforts have been commenced in multi programs to inspect this prevailing disparity between knowledge and practice at different venues. This study aims to investigate the theory practice variation in the context of investment management education on the territory of Pakistan-what is taught by the investment academics in the universities to what is used by the investment professionals in the market. The data was collected from the sample of 30 investment academics and 23 investment professionals by using convenience non probability sampling technique. The sample size was reasonable as per the busy nature of respondents, time and cost constraints. Independent sample T-test was applied on the collected data in SPSS to measure the significant difference in the rating of both groups. The results revealed that there is a widening rift in the realm of investment management education. Out of 21 areas, the significant difference is found in 17 areas. Furthermore, in the light of results it is better to call Investment academics as fundamentalist and investment professionals as technician. Thus, noteworthy suggestion to Investment academics is that they must wake up and realize that investment is no longer solely driven by fundamental analysis.Keywords: Fundamental, Technical analysis, Investment management education, Gap analysis.

Multinational enterprises exist because they hold certain competitive advantages over their local counterpartsand affect local economies through their spillover effects. Research streams exploring the raison d’ etre andconsequences of MNEs are quite distant and remote. This paper analyzes and integrates these two streams ofliterature, i.e. the competitive advantages that MNEs hold and their spillover effects in developing countries. Thepaper proposes a relationship and predicts the nature of spillover effects on the basis of competitive advantagesof MNEs. This paper can guide the policymakers of developing countries to differentiate between the FDI that isgood for their countries and FDI that weakens the already fragile economies of developing countries. The paperalso opens a new avenue for the researchers by pointing towards a potential connection between MNEs’competitive advantages and their spillover effects for the local economies. The relationship between FDI andcompetitive advantages of MNEs has rarely been researched previously and thus this paper contributessignificantly to the existing literature.

Management researchers have recently started investigating normative teachings of different religions regarding workplace related issues in order to understand the influence of religious beliefs on lives of people. In line with these studies, some researchers have presented normative understanding of Islamic teachings about employment relations in the light of their reading of the Qur’an, sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and writings of earlier Muslim scholars. These scholars have completely ignored the views of orthodox Islamic scholars in the process of understanding the teachings of Islam. This is quite worrisome as orthodox Islamic scholars are considered by majority of Muslims as the authoritative spokesperson of Islam (Zaman, 2002). Furthermore, the neglect of orthodox Islamic scholars strengthen the view put forward by Ul-Haq and Westwood (2012) that Islamic management and organization knowledge is mis-represented and/or under-represented in Western academic discourse. In line with the recommendations given by Ul-Haq and Westwood (2012), this work is an attempt to understand Islamic teachings from Islamic epistemological grounds by giving voice to orthodox Islamic scholars. The findings of the study show that, not only there are some differences in the understanding of orthodox Islamic scholars and Western academic scholars, orthodox Islamic perspective on employer-employee relationships offers a more detailed analysis in terms of explaining conditions associated with permissibility of workplace related issues.

The Organization Manifesto celebrates 30 years of Organization as a vital force in critical management and organization studies. It reaffirms the journal’s commitment to radical pluralism, within a non-hegemonic mode that avoids reproducing relations of dominance and subordination. Central to scholarship published and welcomed in Organization are five performative forms of critical scholarship that engage with power in different ways: revealing hidden power dynamics, reconnecting fragmented relations, reimagining post-capitalist futures, rehearsing equitable practices, and rebelling against oppressive systems. These forms encourage a dynamic intellectual space that resists canonical constraints and aligns critique with evolving socio-political realities. As a living intellectual project, the manifesto stresses self-reflective engagement with the journal’s legacy and its contemporary role. It calls for action to foster community renewal through supporting diverse scholars, enacting caring practices in academia, promoting critical methodologies, and advancing scholarly activism. By emphasizing inclusivity, transdisciplinarity, and political engagement, the Organization Manifesto aims to sustain the journal as a leading platform for transformative critical scholarship. Looking ahead, it invites collective contributions to reimagine and co-construct practices that promote justice and equity in academia and beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a greater need for non-transmissible products like face masks, which are effective in preventing the spread of the virus but come with challenges such as reduced breathability and biohazard waste. This study addressed these issues by integrating green-synthesized zinc oxide particles and Azadirachta indica extract into nonwoven face masks. Eight samples were developed using the needle punching nonwoven method and then calendared. These samples were coated with varying levels of A. indica extract (0, 15, and 30 wt.%) and ZnO particles (0, 2, and 4 wt.%) using the dip and dry method. Comparative analyses were performed with market-available masks (MA) and untreated masks (US) for air permeability, thermal resistance, tensile behavior, and antimicrobial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus. The untreated masks had the highest air permeability at 826 mm/s, which decreased with higher A. indica and ZnO concentrations. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images confirmed even distribution of ZnO particles. Thermal resistance and tensile properties were directly linked to A. indica and ZnO concentrations. The sample treated with 30 wt.% A. indica and 4% ZnO showed the highest thermal resistance (0.042 m²K/W), elongation (92% CD, 84% MD), and tenacity (0.93 g/tex CD, 0.87 g/tex MD). Increased A. indica and ZnO concentrations demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, with a maximum zone of inhibition of 8.03 mm recorded at 30 wt.% A. indica and 4 wt.% ZnO particles. These findings suggest potential applications for developing surgical facemasks with improved efficacy.

The current living conditions of those in urban areas, particularly their food systems, jeopardize human health and wellbeing and societal cohesion. To achieve a successful transition toward sustainable communities, people must redesign how they manufacture, distribute, and utilize food. In terms of administration and innovation, this chapter builds conceptual connections between studies on urban food chains and smart city designs. The idea of a “modern city” is related to an urban research focus that aims to integrate technological and data-selection advancements into urban infrastructure. Market-driven and technical solutions for municipal governments and growth are emphasized within this neoliberal paradigm. The urban food transition, which includes a variety of urban food-manufacturing methods, grassroots social advances, and, more recently, debates on food security, has taken a different path than that of modern cities. Recognizing these epistemological and ideological distinctions (between modern cities and urban food movements) is critical for reconceptualizing modern cities’ food administration. This chapter argues that innovative technologies might be critical components of an approach to solving food problems in modern cities but only when combined with social advances that enable flexible methods of administration that are technologically and socially oriented and connected to the specific conditions in cities and regions. City identity, new organizational structures, connectivity, a circular urban metabolism, and social behaviors are all important components.

This study aims to quantify a possible link between exchange rate pass‐through (ERPT) and inflation targeting framework (IT) while focusing on four Asian economies which have adopted IT during the period of 1990–2010 against a control group of non‐inflation targeters. By deploying a structural VAR model with non‐recursive contemporaneous restrictions imposed on covariance matrix, we identify the impulse response of domestic inflation to the shocks of exchange rate and world commodity prices. The empirical evidence suggests that ERPT is absent in Asian IT and non‐IT economies since 1990s. The adoption of IT has not led to change in ERPT for the group of IT economies compared to their own pre‐targeting period and the experiences of non‐targeters after 2000s which is accepted as the average adoption date. It has been found, however, that the movement in domestic inflation is predominantly explained by world commodity prices in the past and not by the depreciation of local currency in these economies.

In 2015, Dean Alan Patrick of Aladdin Business School (ABS) faced resistance from faculty members regarding new tenure standards introduced by the School’s Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee. ABS, a leading business school in Egypt, aimed to enhance its reputation by achieving international accreditations like AACSB, which required significant research output. The new tenure policy emphasized publishing in top-tier journals, a shift from previous, less-defined performance standards. Several junior and senior faculty members expressed concerns over these heightened expectations, arguing they were unrealistic given existing teaching workloads and the lack of adequate research resources. They also critiqued the perceived lack of consultation, claiming the new standards undermined shared governance. Dean Patrick, however, defended the policy as a necessary step towards aligning the school with global standards and improving both research and teaching quality. Despite efforts to support faculty through development initiatives, the changes sparked anxiety among faculty who feared the new standards would prioritize research at the expense of teaching, potentially creating a divide between tenured and non-tenured faculty. The case highlights tensions between institutional strategic goals, individual faculty expectations and the challenges of implementing performance-based tenure in a changing academic environment.

Developing countries, with limited monitoring and auditing capabilities, face significant tax evasion issues. This study examines the impact of various text message combinations on promoting tax compliance, particularly in encouraging service providers to submit monthly sales tax returns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A randomised controlled trial involved 18,087 service providers and tested three types of SMS reminders. These included a basic reminder for the due date, a reciprocity message emphasising social responsibility, and a loss aversion (LA) message highlighting financial penalties and deactivation. Subsequently, service providers who didn’t file on time received one of three warning messages. These warnings included a basic alert about potential legal action, financial penalties, and deactivation, as well as a message framing continued non-compliance as an active choice (AC). Overall, the interventions did not significantly influence tax filing behaviour beyond basic reminders and warnings. However, compliance improved for early registrants with the LA reminder and AC warning, and these results were robust to multiple hypothesis testing corrections. Compliance worsened for recent registrants in all combinations except the LA reminder and AC warning. These findings suggest that targeted low-cost messages that convey vague threats can improve tax compliance among certain taxpayer groups.

The case highlights the efforts of a key account manager in renewing a crucial annual contract with one of their largest customers. This contract holds significant financial and operational implications for both business partners, setting the foundation for the following year’s agreement. As Mahnoor Piracha reviews Prizmax’s performance at Sunshine, she notices that year-to-date sales growth is only 7%, far below the 25% commitment made compared to last year. This shortfall in sales gives Sunshine increased leverage during contract negotiations, allowing them to demand higher margins to offset the lower growth. To complicate matters further, rising global inflation has led Prizmax to prioritize profitability as a key strategic objective. This focus on profitability has been passed down to Prizmax Pakistan and, consequently, to Mahnoor’s targets, making it even more difficult to get margin approvals for any of her accounts. Mahnoor now faces the challenge of meeting the expectations of both Prizmax and Sunshine while convincing both parties to renew the contract before the new year begins. With both entities having traded merchandise worth PKR 2.25 billion, failing to renew the contract could result in losses similar to those experienced during the Nike vs. Footlocker dispute in the early 2000s, where both companies suffered significant financial setbacks. Key account management is a developing discipline in Pakistan’s FMCG sector. While this case focuses specifically on FMCG key accounts, the principles and challenges discussed here are applicable to managing key accounts across various industries.

Introduction The number of family medicine consultants has increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research on family medicine services specific to Pakistan remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to explore family physician services in Pakistan. Methods To meet the study goals, we collected data using snowball and purposive sampling. A questionnaire was used exclusively to collect data from family physician consultations. The data were examined using the SmartPLS structural equation model to test the study model’s reliability and validity. Results The study findings showed that using resource utilization and allocation, utilization of technology, professionalism improvement, medical attention, cooperation, and caring were positively significant to employee welfare and assistance in family medicine services. These dimensions were also positively significant to community involvement and advocacy for the sustainable development of family medical services in Pakistan. Conclusion The study concluded that effective resource utilization, professionalism, medical care, cooperation, and the evaluation of quality and outcomes are key factors in promoting the growth of family medicine services. These indicators may enhance staff satisfaction, community involvement, and family physician service sustainability.

This article examines, for the first time, a significant aspect of Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971: the fate of ‘stranded Bengalis’ in West Pakistan during and after the war. The war ended with over 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war (POWs) captured in East Pakistan-turned-Bangladesh, who were then transferred to Indian custody. The government of Pakistan responded by holding hostage roughly the same number of Bengali military personnel, civil servants, and their dependants in West Pakistan as leverage for the return of its captured POWs. Neither group would return home immediately in what arguably became one of the largest cases of mutual mass internment post-1945. Drawing on a wide range of untapped sources, both official and personal, this article traces the trajectory of this crisis of captivity in which the Bengali officials and officers—hitherto serving the Pakistani state—found themselves as rightless citizens with ‘enemy’ status after December 1971. Their wartime experiences, more than half a century after the war, warrant recognition in widening the understanding of 1971, not only in the history of regional and global politics but also at what was arguably the home front—a thousand miles away from the ‘war zone’ in East Pakistan.

Thailand's aerial geostrategic importance led the United States to offer a generous air aid programme in the 1950s. The US funded the refurbishment of airfields across the country: the extension and hardening of airstrips, and the construction of new tarmacs, terminal buildings and navigation equipment. They also provided technical training to Thai nationals. The leading US international airline Pan American Airways helped modernize Thai Airways. In this paper, I explore the broad outlines of this programme and focus in particular on Pan American's assistance. I argue that although the airport and navigation assistance portions of the programme were largely successful, the Pan American assistance side of the project largely failed to meet expectations.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are one of the material systems of choice toward achieving room temperature quantum coherence. Externally applied strain is used as a more common control mechanism to tune electro-optical properties in TMDCs like molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). However, room temperature electron–phonon interactions in the presence of strain in transition metal dichalcogenides are still not fully explored. In this work, we employ uniaxial strain dependent Raman and photoluminescence (PL) studies on monolayer and bilayer MoS2 to explore electron–phonon physics. Helicity-resolved Raman in MoS2 obeys robust selection rules. Our studies reveal clear modification in these helicity-based selection rules in the presence of moderate uniaxial strain (ϵ = 0.4%–1.2%). The selection rules are restored upon clear symmetry breaking of the in-plane vibrational mode (ϵ > 1.2%). We assign these changes to the onset of Fröhlich interaction in this moderate strain regime. The changes in Raman scattering are accompanied by changes in valley selective relaxation observed through non-resonant photoluminescence (PL). The moderate strain regime also exhibits the onset of PL polarization for indirect excitonic emission under non-resonant excitation. Our experimental observations point toward electron–phonon coupling mechanisms affecting both valley-selective electron relaxation during PL emission as well as polarization-selective Raman scattering of two-dimensional semiconductors at room temperature.