Research Journal of Social Sciences and Economics Review

Attaining Competitive Business Advantage by Knowledge Creation Process with the Mediating Impact of Organizational Learning and Innovation

Dr. Waheed Asghar, Muhammad Rashid Jamil, Dr. Amna Niazi — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 05:38:14 +0000

The study aims to examine the association between the knowledge creation process and attainting competitive business advantage through organizational learning and innovation as mediators. The data were collected through questionnaires. A cross-sectional time horizon was kept in consideration for this research. The respondents of the research were the top and middle-level managers of different companies based in Sheikhupura and Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The quantitative research methodology was adopted to analyze the data. In the study, smart-PLS structural equation modeling was used to analyze the research model. The main objective of the study was to examine the effect of organizational learning and Innovation between the knowledge creation process and competitive business advantage. The findings revealed how the knowledge creation process affects the success of businesses. It was also observed that the continuous increase in customer demands has increased the importance of innovation and it has become an indispensable element to gain and attain a competitive business advantage. It was also concluded from the results that organizational learning does not have a significant impact on attaining competitive business advantage however, innovation plays a key role in the knowledge creation process and achieving business advantage.

Experiences of Test Anxious Undergraduate Students: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study

Prof. Dr. Syeda Salma Hasan, Ammara Numan, Dr. Amina Hanif Tarar — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 05:53:45 +0000

The current study was conducted to explore test anxious students' lived experiences to understand demands and challenges faced by test anxious students at the university level. A purposive sample comprised of six test anxious undergraduate students was drawn from a public university. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was the main method that was used to assess data. Qualitative interviews were conducted for data collection, and data was transcribed for further analysis. Several emergent themes were generated, and it was attempted to identify the interconnections among them. Common and frequent themes summarized the experiences shared by test anxious students. Worry cognitions, emotional reactions, the preparation phase, the performance phase, and the test reflection phase were the main themes that emerged from the data. Findings revealed that test anxiety influenced students' cognitive as well as their emotional well-being. The study had identified test anxiety as a multifaceted phenomenon with multiple manifestations and provoking factors that influence the preparation, performance, and test reflection phases. The study addressed test anxiety as a real experience that needs to be managed. The study provided an indigenous framework to educationists and psychologists for devising therapeutic interventions for test anxious undergraduate students.

Quality Enhancement: Educational Monitoring and Evaluation at Higher Level

Dr. Shamsa Aziz, Dr. Munazza Mahmood, Ms. Sanam Hina — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 04:54:47 +0000

The study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of Monitoring and Evaluation in higher education institutions of Pakistan. The efficacy of higher education programs relies mainly on monitoring and evaluation practices. The study examined existing monitoring and evaluation practices of Public Sector University in the persuasion of set objectives for quality education. The study was delimited to one Public Sector University. The sample of the study was 20 chairpersons and experts responsible for monitoring and evaluation vis-a-vis quality assurance in different departments in the selected university. Data were collected through questionnaires from chairpersons and interviews with experts. Quantitative data were analyzed through percentages and qualitative through themes. The study concluded that the monitoring and evaluation system is not in compliance with the desired level specified by the Higher Education Commission due to resistance by some of the faculty members in different departments to adapt to change and lack of Monitoring and Evaluation skills. However, the majority of the departments were taking various steps to bridge this gap and improve the quality of their programs. It is therefore recommended; training sessions may be designed and arranged to bring conceptual clarity on quality issues to cope with faculty resistance. The staff needs to be capacitated with the necessary tools and techniques of monitoring and evaluation.

The Legality of Artificial Insemination: An Islamic Perspective

Rizwana Gul, Shaista Naznin, Nadia Zafar ` — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 05:11:29 +0000

Artificial Insemination (AI) is a procedure through which the sperms are reserved in the women's generative zone (uterus) utilizing using the medical processes that excludes sexual ejaculation in the female's vagina. The utilization of medical techniques to improve fertility is the main issue that cannot be overemphasized, as the latest studies proved that artificial reproduction techniques are responsible for between 218,000 and 247,000 children born every year in the world. Artificial insemination is a process where reproduction becomes possible through the use of sperms of a husband or a third party donor is strongly rejected and criticized by most Muslim religious scholars. Some of the critics have a view there is artificial insemination through a homologous process is a legitimate process while heterologous is a wrongful process that is against the Islamic rules of Shari’ah. This paper will focus on the legality and admissibility of the process not only in religions, but also presents the application of forms of artificial insemination. In some states, legislation is being carried out regarding artificial insemination. Recently in Pakistan in Farooq Siddique, the Federal Shariat Court of Pakistan has declared homologous artificial insemination (AIH) as legal and child will be legitimate but the real controversy is regarding artificial insemination by heterologous (AID) process.

An Appraisal of Secondary School Certificate’s Examination Papers of Pakistan Studies in the Perspective of Higher Order Thinking

Tahseen Fatima, Dr. Hukam Dad Malik, Dr. Aisha Bibi — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 05:51:47 +0000

Higher-order thinking skills are highly important for the students in learning new knowledge, storing it in their memories, correlating, and organizing to achieve a specific purpose. Students Higher-order thinking skills can be determined and activated through higher-order thinking assessment tasks. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to analyze five years (2014 to 2018) secondary school level Pakistan Studies papers, utilizing higher-order thinking. Assessment papers of the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Islamabad were qualitatively examined. Findings of the current research showed that major portions of the assessment papers comprising the tasks that can measure the remembering and understanding skills lie in the cognitive domain. However, the portions for the assessment of students’ abilities regarding the application, analysis, evaluation, and creation were quite limited at the secondary level. Therefore, it is recommended that the assessment process in the subject of Pakistan studies may be revised and training may be organized for teachers and educators to include questions of higher cognitive capabilities for the improvement in students’ learning.

Active Learning Model and Students’ Engagement in Teaching Mathematics: Development and Implementation

Dr. Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, Dr. Shawana Fazal, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Majoka — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 06:36:46 +0000

This study aimed to develop and implement an active learning model for teaching mathematics at the secondary level. The active learning model (4WsHs) for teaching mathematics was developed after studying related literature, existing models for active learning, and active learning strategies for teaching mathematics. The model was validated by the committee of experts using three phases of the Delphi technique. To test the effectiveness of the newly developed active learning model, an experiment was conducted by following a pretest-posttest equivalent groups design. The students of 9^th grade in two Government High Schools, Mansehra were taken as a sample of the study. The students were divided into two equivalent groups as control and experimental groups based on pre-test scores by using matched random sampling technique. The experimental group received treatment by teaching through the 4WsHs model while the control group was taught through the traditional chalk and talk method. The findings elicited that the new active learning model was effective in enhancing the academic achievement of students in mathematics. The study suggested that teachers may receive training to implement active learning techniques in the Mathematics classroom. Moreover, skilled teachers may improve students' learning outcomes in Mathematics by utilizing the vast arsenal of active learning strategies as suggested in the model.