PhD
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.cuilahore.edu.pk/handle/123456789/47
This collection archives the complete set of theses produced by students of the COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus.
Browse
20 results
Search Results
Item Mediating Role of Workplace Spirituality and Protean Career in Modeling the Employee Career Success through Spiritual Leadership(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2018) Huma Ali; SP11-PMS-001; Dr. Mahmood Ahmad Bodla; LHR TP 5292Career success, though a subjective construct, has always been the most cherished goal of all employees. The present study focuses on the role of spiritual leadership in attaining the career success while workplace spirituality and protean career acts as catalyst to enhance the underlying psychological processes. Subjective evaluation of career success may include life, career and job satisfaction which can be enhanced through spiritual leadership. Workplace spirituality is the very essence for prevalence of spiritual leaders which can boost up the morale of employees and help meet their personal as well as organizational objectives by nourishing different streams of their careers. A protean career employee generally focuses on personal development of his skills and competencies at his own in order to attain career success instead of being dependent on organizational career arrangements. However, enabling work environment in the presence of work place spirituality and spiritual leaders will augment this process. There exists significant literature how workplace spirituality affects the performance of employees in the organization, but this study is a prime effort to investigate how workplace spirituality and protean career can be used to explain the relationship between spiritual leadership and subjective career success of employees. Current stream of research that calls for pragmatism philosophy, which is being used in present research, dwells the need for testing framework through qualitative as well as quantitative perspectives which is known as mix-method research design. This design helps to overcome the weaknesses/shortcomings of quantitative and qualitative studies. Using structured questionnaire and interview guide, data were collected from x faculty members of universities, doctors of hospitals and officer grade employees of banking industry from five major cities of Punjab, Pakistan. Service sector industries have been chosen because of its major contribution to the national GDP (more than 60%). Respondents were selected through convenience sampling and sample size was 1920. Different statistical tools such as correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analy sis, structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis have been applied for analyzing the data which provided significant support for the hypothesized relation ships. Results showed that spiritual leadership positively impact subjective career suc cess of employees. Similarly, workplace spirituality and protean career act as the cata lysts between spiritual leadership and subjective career success of employees. This study open new horizons for future research. The study in hand will provide guidelines and applications for researchers as well as practitioners.Item Perceptions of Organizational Politics and Employees’ Performance; An Integrative Model of Pakistani Worksites(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2018) Rizwan Qaiser Danish; SP09-PMS-002; Prof. Dr. Mahmood A. Bodla; LHR TP 5288Organizational Politics is an integral part of every organization whether small or large, public or private. This phenomenon varies in the degrees of its use from person to person and context to context. Thus perceptions of reality are more important than reality itself. The study in hand is an effort to investigate what affects do these perceptions have on different employees’ outcomes in Pakistani organizations. This is prime effort to investigate the relationship of perceived organizational politics with various outcomes through mixed method design and focusing on mechanisms or processes rather than bivariate relationships. The data was collected from nationwide sample through self administered questionnaires in quantitative phase and semi structured interviews in qualitative phase concurrently. Self administered questionnaires were distributed to part time management students who were working in different organizations of Pakistan during their day schedule and take their classes in evening. Overall 1360 questionnaires were distributed from which 1163 working surveys were received which make about response rate equals to 85.51%. Qualitative data were collected through semi structured interviews from six executives working in different industries. Participation in survey and interview was voluntary while confidentiality and anonymity were ensured. For analysis purpose, quantitative data were coded and entered into SPSS 20 and interviews were transcribed in NVivo 10. Structural Equation Modeling was applied for measurement model and structural model for the purpose of hypotheses testing in AMOS 18. Supplemental tests for mediation and interactions were run for cross validation in SPSS 20 through regression analysis. The results strongly supported the proposed model and hypotheses thus establishing evidence from comparatively very large national level sample. There were also some exploratory findings which have been discussed in details. Guidelines for future research are also provided.Item The Relationship Between Corporate Governance and Firm Value: Role of Discretionary Earnings Management(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2018) Sajid Nazir; FA10-PMS-001; Dr. Talat Afza; LHR TP 5287Corporate governance practices help in enhancing firm value by effectively monitoring the managerial decisions as well as reducing the level of information asymmetry and agency problem between empowered managers and dispersed minority shareholders. The present study investigates the relationship between corporate governance and firm value for the developing economy of Pakistan. The study has also taken into consideration the moderating role of discretionary earnings management in corporate governance-firm value relationship, which is considered to be a relatively ignored research issue in corporate finance literature. In addition to focusing on individual mechanisms of corporate governance (i.e. audit, board, compensation, ownership), the present study has also constructed a composite corporate governance index to investigate the role of effective corporate governance in mitigating earnings management and enhancing firm value. The data of 208 firms listed at Karachi Stock Exchange for a time period of 2004 2011 has been used for analysis and accounting, market and economic measures of performance have been used as firm value. The study finds that corporate governance plays a vital role in enhancing firm value in long as well as short run. Constitution of internal audit committees as an effective internal audit system is essential for the enriched progress of a firm. The monetary incentives and compensation paid to the top executives motivates them to work in the best interests of the company which increases not only short term accounting value of firm but also long term market and economic value. The findings reveal that discretionary earnings management practices by corporate managers damage the firm value in long term and it could be mitigated by effective corporate governance mechanisms. Moreover, this value damaging role of discretionary earnings management negatively moderates between effective corporate governance and firm value. Firms with earnings manipulation weakens the impact of effectiveness of governance system and leads to lower firm value. Finally, the study suggests some practical implications based upon the findings for investors, policy makers and manager.Item Antecedents and Consequences of Sales Force Intrinsic Motivation: An Integrated Model(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2018) Basharat Naeem; SP09-PMS-001; Dr. Mahmood Ahmad Bodla; LHR TP 5291How can sales force be motivated for superior sales productivity? This question has consistently been asked by sales management since long. While sales quota based compensation are frequently used to improve performance, critics highlight potential dark side of such schemes resulting into extrinsic motivation of poor quality as it would not be sustainable and bring counter-productive work behaviors. Numerous practicing managers and academics recite now-familiar motivational mantra that motivation comes from the self, not from desire for money. Although intrinsic motivation has long been theorized as strong predictor of performance particularly for the jobs requiring creativity, yet empirical evidence does not seem to converge. Moreover, knowledge is strikingly limited of how informal controls intrinsically motivate sales force to perform their job in creative fashion to be star performers. It provides strong stimulus to address the research question of how sales force intrinsic motivation is influenced by largely ignored informal sales force controls (antecedents) such as optimistic sub cultural control (workgroup level context) and spirit at work based control (job level context) which, in turn, drive sales performance directly and indirectly by sales force creativity (consequences). Moreover, it is advocated that if indeed different selling situations exist, then there will be high likelihood that each type of sales force, for example trade (Fast Moving Consumer Goods; hereinafter FMCG) and missionary (Pharmaceutical) sales force of this study, may respond differently to contextual factors, such as informal sales force controls of this study, resulting into differential influence on motivation, behavior and performance. Surprisingly, knowledge regarding the effect of the type of sales force selling situations for critical sales force outcomes is limited at best. This issue provided thrust for this study to address important research question of whether or not effectiveness of newly introduced informal sales force controls is contingent upon selling situations of trade (FMCG) and missionary (Pharmaceutical) sales force. An integrated conceptual model is proposed by uniquely merging complementary insights from conceptual logic of informal controls, componential theory of creativity and self-determination theory. Mixed method sequential explanatory research design is used to empirically test the proposed model by employing structural equation model. In focal quantitative phase, data is collected by structured survey questionnaire from 1065 frontline field sales force, both sales persons and sales managers, of 60 sales organizations of FMCG and Pharmaceutical industries in Pakistan. In follow-up qualitative phase, eleven semi-structured interviews of the survey respondents are used to interpret and corroborate key quantitative findings. Findings indicate that intrinsic motivation does not automatically translate into improved sales performance. Actually, sales force intrinsic motivation first stimulates their creative performance of selling job which, in turn, improves their sales performance. Analysis clarifies the role of intrinsic motivation that it is contextually influenced attitudinal state cultivated by both informal sales force controls. Spirit at work based control has important role in nurturing sales force creativity, which consequently improves their sales performance, over and above that is mediated by intrinsic motivation. Whereas optimistic sub cultural control stimulates sales force creativity, by cultivating intrinsic motivation, which results into their improved sales performance. Interestingly, these relationships do not differ significantly across selling situations of trade and missionary sales force disconfirming the assumption of heterogeneity of such selling situations. This thesis provides potential aid to theoreticians and practitioners to appreciate and understand complex mechanism of effectively designing informal sales force control levers by highlighting the importance of intermediary markers of sales force intrinsic motivation and creativity for developing high performing sales force operative in highly competitive FMCG and Pharmaceutical industries, characterized by cut-throat competition, challenging sales quotas and escalating customer demands, in the context of developing country of Pakistan. From practical stand point, this thesis enriches sales management understanding that trade and missionary selling situations are not sufficiently diverse to cause differential perceptions of informal sales force controls.Item Investigating the Relationship between Change Order Determinants and Project Performance: An evidence from educational building projects in KPK province, Pakistan(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2018) Sami Ur Rehman; FA16-RPM-011; Dr. Summaira Malik; LHR TP 5213Construction projects are difficult to complete without having changes to the original scope. Change orders are very common in modern construction projects and are often generated from different sources which can create complications for the project performance. Good educational infrastructure has a great impact on the achievement of better education. However, many research studies have identified the critical role of project complexity between change orders and project performance but there is hardly any study which has empirically tested these relationships on educational building projects in case of Pakistan. Thus this study aims to identify the main factors causing change orders and to analyze their potential effects on project performance, and to develop recommendations for the effective control of these change orders specifically in the context of educational building projects in KPK Province, Pakistan where variation orders are considered more common due to lack of research and development in this region of the country. This study also explores the mediating role of project complexity between change order and project performance. Primary data collected through a standardized questionnaire from the construction professionals involved in 25 completed educational building projects in KPK. Results of this study reveal that there exists a significant relationship between change orders and project performance and project complexity significantly mediates the relationship between change orders and project performance. Hence it is concluded that change orders have directly an adverse impact on project performance as well as the determinants of change orders create complexity in project which leads undesirable results in project performance. To improve project performance, the construction professionals must pay attention to minimize the adverse effects of change orders by handling the project complexity in an effective manner.Item Corporate Derivatives as a Tool for Risk Management: A Comparative Analysis of Pakistan and Malaysia(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2018) Atia Alam; FA10-PMS-003; Dr. Talat Afza; LHR TP 5290The growing usage of derivatives since the last few decades has increased academic concerns regarding the value relevance of derivatives. Hedging theorists state that considering market imperfections, use of derivatives enhances firm value by minimizing risk. The existing literature has mostly examined the direct effect of derivative usage on firm risk and value, but empirical evidence on ‘how’ and ‘when’ use of derivatives enhances firm value is still missing. Present study primarily adds to the existing literature by identifying ‘how’ and ‘when’ derivative usage increases firm value by using moderated mediation techniques through a bootstrap technique of Hayes (2015). In addition, the current study explores the empirical literature by comparatively analyzing the countries where derivative markets are still in development phase like Pakistan and Malaysia. The sample consists of 167 Pakistani and 266 Malaysian firms for the period of 2004-2010. Findings demonstrate that derivatives play a significant risk management role in both Pakistan and Malaysia, though the effectiveness of the moderating role of derivative usage on the relationship between risk and value is limited in Pakistani non-financial firms. Results on the basis of firm’s types of derivative instruments show no moderating mediating role of a firm’s risk on the relationship of derivative usage and Malaysian firm’s value as they are mostly involved in operational hedging. Whereas, Pakistani firms have high value enhancing benefits of foreign currency derivative usage in case of no ER exposure as firms might have exposed due to imports and other commodity prices. In case of interest rate derivative usage, Malaysian firms use fewer interest rate derivatives in times of low IR exposure as they have more access to external financing at lower costs because of developed capital market.Item Determinants of Corporate Dividend Payout Policy: Evidence from Emerging Economies of South Asia(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2017) Hammad Hassan Mirza; SP10-PMS-001; Dr. Talat Afza; LHR TP 4788The present study analyzes the effect of firm and country level factors on corporate dividend payout in emerging economies of South Asia. Existing studies mainly investigate the determinants of dividend payout in developed economies with little focus on country level economic, legal and cultural factors especially in emerging economies. The results of previous studies are mixed and inconclusive regarding the relationship of firm level factors and dividend payout. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence on moderating role of country level factors in determining the relationship between firm level factors and dividend payout policy in South Asia. The study uses the data of listed non-financial companies of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, from 2006 to 2010. Firm and country level models are estimated using lest square, Tobit, Logit and TSLS techniques. The analysis is conducted in two parts, first the effect of firm level factors with dividend payout in each of four South Asian countries is compared, and second the impact of country level factors on the relationship of firm level factors and dividend payout is investigated. At firm level estimation the results show that dividend payout increases with increase in managerial ownership in Bangladesh and India but decreases in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Institutional ownership positively affects payout in Bangladesh and India but not in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Operating cash flow and lagged dividend are important determinants of payout in South Asian countries but cash flow sensitivity does not affect payouts. Regarding country level factors, in high investors’ protection regime, the shareholders enforce managers to pay dividend, which is in line with dividend outcome model. This shows that investors’ protection does not substitute dividend payouts in South Asia. Furthermore, legal rights protection of creditors and employees does not adversely affect dividend payout. Regarding cultural attributes, the study finds that the uncertainty avoidance negatively moderates the relationship between cash flow and dividend payoutItem Role of Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment and Leader Member Exchange on Innovative Work Behavior(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2017) Talha Hussaian; SP15-MSPM-009; Dr Faisal Tehseen Shah; LHR TP 4761Role of job Satisfaction and organizational commitment and Innovation is their impact on leader member exchange and innovative work behavior have been a subject of discussion among the top management of software industry. The existing structure still hasn’t been able to formulate a working environment which promotes innovative work behavior for the employees. The objective of this research is ascertain if the Role of LMX, Job satisfaction and Organizational commitment on Innovative work behavior. A survey was conducted in IT industry of Lahore from software engineers where 220 completed questionnaires were received and analyzed. Demographic analysis was done using SPSS version 2.0 and for empirical analysis Regression, Pearson Correlation, Reliability and linear regression was carried out. The findings proved that LMX and Organizational Commitment have positive relation with Innovative work behavior and the job satisfaction is not significant with innovative work behavior. Information technology is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, therefore the top management should devise polices in the same direction to employee motivation to increase customer satisfaction. It will consequently promote innovative work behavior among the employees of software industry.Item Efficiency Analysis of Financial Institutions in Pakistan(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2013) Muhammad Jam-e-Kausar Ali Asghar; SP10-PMS-002; Talat AfzaThe study applied parametric Stochastic Frontier Approach (SFA) and non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to estimate the efficiency of financial institutions in Pakistan over the period 2005 to 2010. The financial institutions include; commercial banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, leasing companies, modarabas and investment banks which are operating in Pakistan. Present study followed the value added approach for the selection of input and output variables. The study computed technical efficiency, cost efficiency and profit efficiency with the SFA technique whereas, DEA was used to compute the technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency, scale efficiency, allocative efficiency and cost efficiency of the financial institutions in Pakistan. The highest level of efficiency is reported by the mutual funds whereas, lowest level of efficiency is found in the investment banks of Pakistan. Moreover, current study also investigated the scale economies in different financial institutions of Pakistan. The results suggested that the number of financial institutions with Decreasing Return to Scale (DRS) are increased whereas, the number of financial institutions with Increasing Return to Scale (IRS) are dropped over the study period. Furthermore, present study also undertook the Tobit analysis to find the association of various firm characteristics, financial reforms and financial uncertainty with various efficiencies computed with the SFA and DEA techniques. Firstly, the overall results indicated that the firm characteristics have mixed relationship with various efficiencies for each type of financial institution which is due to the fact that these financial institutions are dissimilar from each other. Secondly, financial reforms are found positively related with various types of efficiencies which suggest that the financial reforms have proven fruitful for the financial institutions of Pakistan. Finally, the financial uncertainty is found negatively related with the efficiency of financial institutions which implies that the financial uncertainty has adversely affected the overall performance of financial institutions in Pakistan.Item Role of Emotional Intelligence on Project Success along with the mediating role of Job satisfaction and Trust(Library Information Services, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, 2019) Syed Sajjad Ahmad Bilgrami; FA17-RPM-001; Dr. Muhammad Usman; LHR TP 5704Number of projects are increasing exponentially every year. Although organizations put a lot of effort in making the project a successful in order to gain financial, economic and organizational growth. So a successful project can boost morale within organization along with the substantial financial growth and customer’s satisfaction. But often the execution of project faces failure. There are lot of factors involved in the failure of projects which includes the hard skill i.e. technical and the soft skill i.e. emotional intelligence, leadership etc. But recent researchers are pointing to the importance of soft skill to make a project successful. This research used a quantitative approach to comprehend how soft skill i.e. emotional intelligence (EI) of manager plays part in project success. In this study a model associating emotional intelligence to project success was tested and the mediating effects of two work attitudes i.e. job satisfaction and trust was examined on this association. The quantitative facts were gather from 286 managerial persons involved in construction firms of Lahore. Statistical tests shows that there is a positive association between EI and project success. Also this relationship is partially mediated by Job Satisfaction and Trust variables. This study will help the organizations to select a suitable candidate having high emotional intelligence in order to make the project successful. Also this study shows organizations that having high job satisfaction and trust among the team members will significantly affect the success of the project. As far as theoretical aspect, it fulfill the need of testing and validating the relationship of EI and project success along with the mediating effect of work attitudes i.e. Job Satisfaction and Trust.