Showing papers by "Khuda Bakhsh published in 2021"

Investigating the nexus among sulfur dioxide emission, energy consumption, and economic growth: empirical evidence from Pakistan

Abstract: Developing countries like Pakistan majorly depend on fossil fuels for achieving higher economic growth but have sloppy environmental rules and regulations in order to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). As a result, energy consumption is considered the primary cause of environmental degradation. Besides CO2 emission, environmental degradation is also associated with emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among SO2 emissions, energy consumption, economic growth, and FDI in Pakistan. By applying the 3SLS method, study has estimated the scale effect, composition effect, and technique effect. The scale effect and technique effect findings indicated that capital stock, FDI, and SO2 emissions all had a significant impact on GDP. When the capital accumulation effects of FDI were considered, the relationship between FDI and stock of capital was found to be positive. According to the technique effect results, FDI, population density, and energy consumption were all significantly related to SO2 emissions. The study came to a conclusion with significant policy implications.

Impact of better cotton initiative on health cost and pesticide exposure of women cotton pickers in Punjab, Pakistan.

Abstract: Cotton picking is an exclusive work that is performed only by women in Pakistan. They are directly exposed to pesticide as cotton picking is usually done without protective measures which cause destructive effects on their health. Better cotton standard system involves trainings of cotton pickers to use precautionary measures and avoid pesticide exposure. The current study has been conducted to explore the health cost of women cotton pickers in conventional versus better cotton in Punjab, Pakistan. Primary data were collected from 600 cotton pickers through an organized questionnaire from three districts (Layyah, Toba Tek Singh, and Bahawalnagar). Ordinary least square method was used to find the pesticide exposure and socioeconomic factors affecting the health cost of women cotton pickers. The study shows that total cost per person, cost of medication, productivity loss, cost of accompanied person, and dietary expenses in better cotton are significantly less than those in the conventional cotton. Cost of precautionary measures in better cotton is significantly higher than conventional cotton as better cotton pickers are trained to use precautionary measures. Moreover, education, distance from hospital, and precautionary measures affect health cost significantly. Results suggest that education should be improved in rural areas. Better cotton standard system should be promoted in Pakistan through education and other training programs. Women cotton pickers should be encouraged to use protective measures.

Relationship between adaptation to climate change and provincial government expenditure in Pakistan

Abstract: Public expenditures on adaptation to climate change have direct effects on budgets of governments. Such direct impacts on government budgetary allocation have been analyzed in the developed countries and very little research is available considering highly vulnerable and exposed developing countries which are facing huge threats of climate change. The current study is designed to bridge this information gap by examining the effects of climate change adaptation on public expenditures in Pakistan employing provincial level data over the period of 1990-2016. Adaptation expenditures included both overall government expenditures and expenditures on communal amenities and housing. In addition to a fixed effects estimation, we employed long difference model to analyze the impact in the long run. Results indicated that variations in temperature and rainfall were significantly related with public expenditures. Short run and long run scenarios showed that rising temperature caused an increase in public expenditures. The effect of rainfall on total public expenditure was positive and statistically significant while rainfall and expenditure incurred on communal amenities and housing were negatively related in the long run. The study posits important policy implications.

Linking firms' strategies with firm performance: mediating role of network value in telecom industry

Abstract: PurposeThe purpose of the current study is to investigate the role network value of firm on the relationship between firm strategic initiatives on firm performance by managing the market antecedents including user's expectations, user's coordination and user's compatibility.Design/methodology/approachThe current study uses secondary date of telecom industry of Pakistan, India and China. The data obtained were later subjected to the analysis using CASUALMED procedures of statistical analysis software (SAS).FindingsThe findings from the study projected that strategic drivers played an important role in leveraging the firms' performance. The results also confirm that in order to increase the firm performance, the network value of firms' plays a very crucial role.Research limitations/implicationsDespite making novel contribution, the present study has few limitations, need researchers' attention to be explained in the future, which includes narrow population size, not being able to work on indirect network effects and the theoretical explanation of behavioral antecedents of network value.Practical implicationsThe present research have potential applications for managers of telecom industry, which in turn would help them to develop the strategies that they could build to leverage their network value and firms' performance.Originality/valueThe current study has made a considerable contribution in the literature by proposing a model that adds to the theoretical foundation of strategic management of the firm. So, closely considering these insights would be helping for the firms to leverage its network value in mobile telecommunication industry.