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Article
Publication date: 6 June 2019

Nazir Ahmad Bhat

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of advent of electronic information resources on “academic and carrier related core aspects of user performance”.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of advent of electronic information resources on “academic and carrier related core aspects of user performance”.

Design/methodology/approach

Seven sampled agricultural universities across northern India were surveyed personally by the investigator for collecting data about the questions under investigation through a structured questionnaire. The response of the users for each statement under investigation was collected with simple “Yes”/“No” option. The investigator also resorted to the telephonic and e-mail communication to collect prompt response and had a personal interaction with respondents to substantiate the collected responses and remove any ambiguity thereof.

Findings

It is found that the majority of respondents are of the opinion that due to advent of e-resources the users’ interest in studies has enhanced (62.90 per cent) and that the e-resources have played a significant role in timely completion/submission of their study related assignments (74.30 per cent). It is also evident that a good proportion of respondents agree that the advent of e-resources has laid a positive impact on performance of users in “academic examinations” (50.80 per cent), “competitive examinations” (52.80 per cent), and the “interviews” (46.18 per cent) they face. Statistically, it is also verified that the performance of users with respect to five aspects investigated in this study is significantly associated with advent of e-resources (p < 0.01), whereas it does not show any association with one aspect i.e. “timely completion of an academic degree”.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are based on mere opinion of users and need to be verified by devising a well-articulated methodology for verification of the user performance related facts both in print and electronic eras, independent of the users’ opinion.

Practical implications

The findings of this study shall prompt the budget allocating authorities of the libraries to reformulate their fund allocation policies. Findings of this study shall act as logical basis to enhance budget for improving the volume of e-resources. These also emphasize the fact that a provision of recurring fund needs to be created for facilitating single window based anytime anywhere access to the available e-information base, which may include annual subscription charges for availing (i) proxy software services for remote access and (ii) federated search engine for single window searching.

Originality/value

This is first work of its nature in northern Indian agricultural libraries. The findings will be useful for the authorities to decide about the degree of importance the libraries need to endorse with the procurement of information resources in electronic form. The study will really inspire the researchers and librarians to conduct similar studies in other specific domains of knowledge and come out with significant findings and suggestions.

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2017

Nazir Ahmad Bhat and Shabir Ahmad Ganaie

This paper of this study is to attempt to explore the status of collection in agricultural libraries of Northern India and assess the magnitude of impact of the advent of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper of this study is to attempt to explore the status of collection in agricultural libraries of Northern India and assess the magnitude of impact of the advent of electronic information resources (EIRs) on the contemporary acquisition.

Design/methodology/approach

While adhering to the survey method, the questionnaire was used as a data collection tool to collect data from university librarians. Telephonic interaction and e-mail correspondence were also used to clear doubts, remove ambiguities and obtain data of higher significance from the respondents.

Findings

The majority of the agricultural libraries in Northern India have a sound collection of information resources in the print form, which may continue to act as a source of attraction for users in the future for a long time to come. Yet, the acquisition of information resources in the print form across the studied libraries continues at routine pace, and as such the advent of e-resources seems to have not yet laid any prominent impact on acquisition of resources in print form. E-Books have not yet been fully incorporated into the library collection and that e-journal collection “CeRA” (Consortium for Electronic Resources in Agriculture) seems to gratify the needs of users of these libraries, as no additional e-journals are seen to be subscribed to at present.

Research limitations/implications

Only seven agricultural libraries have been taken as a sample. Moreover, the work is confined to only two aspects, i.e. current status and the impact of EIRs on acquisition of information resources. Other aspects like those of collection development, storage and accommodation, preservation, library functionality and library services need to also be studied.

Originality/value

This is first work of its nature in Northern India with agricultural libraries as their domain. The findings will help the librarians and the library advisory committees decide on logical grounds about the proportion at which the print and electronic forms of information resources need to be acquired.

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2018

Nazir Ahmad Bhat and Shabir Ahmad Ganaie

The purpose of this paper is to explore the change(s) brought about by the advent of electronic information resources in the overall collection development process across…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the change(s) brought about by the advent of electronic information resources in the overall collection development process across agricultural libraries of northern India.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted in 2015 by using a questionnaire as a data collection tool. The investigator also interacted with the librarians through telephone and also availed the e-mail service for required correspondence.

Findings

There is a major change in the identification, selection and acquisition procedures across agricultural libraries of northern India, as the majority of these libraries are seen to adhere to an onsite demo of products and services, as the publishers/vendors to set online trial for ample of time before any decision is taken. The libraries are also seen to take advantage of e-mail correspondence to identify, select and acquire best possible information products against utmost economical costs. The responsibility of identifying and selecting the required items devolves mainly with scientists/subject experts, whereas the requisitions of students and suggestions of library staff are comparatively taken as lesser cognisance, while executing this job Library advisory committee is the most prominent authority responsible for final approval of the purchase of e-resources, while “Heads of Divisions” also play a considerable role in this regard.

Research limitations/implications

Only seven agricultural libraries have been taken as a sample. Moreover, the work is confined to only four aspects, i.e. the identification, selection and acquisition procedures adopted and the authorities responsible for carrying out the job. Other aspects like that of adoption of proper collection development; policy and the criteria used for selection; and acquisition of information also need to be studied. Similar studies need to be conducted in other parts of India and also across libraries of other domains of knowledge.

Originality/value

This is a first work of its nature in northern India with its domain as agricultural libraries. The findings will help the librarians and the library advisory committees to decide on logical grounds about the identification, selection and acquisition procedures adopted at present and look forward for bringing about the uniformity and improvement in the process and make changes in the policy to make room for efficient acquisition of information resources.

Article
Publication date: 11 June 2018

Nazir Ahmad Bhat

The purpose of this paper is to identify the frequency at which the users of agricultural libraries of Northern India tend to use the e-resources and explore the time they invest…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the frequency at which the users of agricultural libraries of Northern India tend to use the e-resources and explore the time they invest on average in a day in using e-resources. An effort has also been made to examine the state wise, university wise and user category wise tendency w.r.t. the frequency at which they use e-resources and the average time in a day they spend on their use.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was adopted to conduct the study and a questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The investigator also interacted with the librarians through telephone and also resorted to the e-mail communication to substantiate the responses and seek certain clarifications thereof. Statistical Package for Social Science was used to analyse the data on an empirical basis. χ2 test was used to derive an association between the variables and test the level of significance thereof.

Findings

It is found that the users of North Indian agricultural libraries have got a great tendency to use e-resources as majority of them are seen to use them “daily” and “2-3 times a week”. They prove to be voracious, prudent and sensible users in the sense that they spend 2 hrs in a day, 1 hr in a day and even 3 hrs in a day on usage of e-resources and thus go at par with the use pattern recorded in other domains of knowledge across India. No remarkable difference is witnessed among different categories of users w.r.t. frequency of use and the time spend on use of e-resources.

Research limitations/implications

This study has been conducted on e-resources only. Response to a similar set of questions need to be collected from the same library users to consolidate the facts about the print form of information and thus carryout a comparative study.

Originality/value

This is first work of its nature in Northern India with domain as agricultural libraries. The outcome of the study will enable the librarians to judiciously decide about the proportion at which the two formats of information resources need to be acquired and the facilities the libraries need to create for adequate, smooth and reliable access to two formats of information.

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2016

Nazir Ahmad Bhat and Shabir A Ganaie

The purpose of this paper is to identify the most popular places, gadgets, searching tools and techniques adopted by users of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the most popular places, gadgets, searching tools and techniques adopted by users of Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (DYSPUH & F), Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, while searching electronic information resources (EIRs).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with the help of a structured questionnaire used as a data collection tool.

Findings

It is found that department/office chamber (42 per cent), hostel (29 per cent) and home (26 per cent) prove to be the most popular places of access. Majority of users use laptops to access and read EIRs. Among all popular platforms, users of DYSPUH & F library prefer to use “search engines”, and “Google” proves to be the number one search engine. Majority of users search the information through “title” followed by “keywords/subject terms”. The users are not yet well-versed with most of the advanced search techniques, as less than half of them are able to use only Boolean operators, and less than 10 per cent of them claim to know other search techniques. Majority of users have learnt to use information search and retrieval skills through self-study.

Research limitations/implications

Only one agricultural university of northern India was surveyed; hence, the results cannot be generalised for the entire northern region of the country.

Practical implications

The findings will help the library authorities to see what are the prime areas of concern so far as the search discourse and accessibility of e-resources is concerned.

Originality/value

No such survey has been conducted in the University till date.

Details

Collection Building, vol. 35 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0160-4953

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 May 2018

Mushtaq Ahmad Darzi and Suhail Ahmad Bhat

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study undertaken to understand customer satisfaction and customer retention in business-to-consumer markets. The study…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study undertaken to understand customer satisfaction and customer retention in business-to-consumer markets. The study investigates the effect of personnel capability and customer satisfaction on customer retention in the banking sector. The influence of the control variable (gender) on customer retention and mediating role of customer satisfaction has also been examined.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has used structural equation modeling (SEM) for data analysis across a sample of 409 bank customers of a private bank operating in Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Questionnaires were distributed and respondents were selected through a cluster sampling technique.

Findings

The empirical analysis through SEM has confirmed that personnel capability and customer satisfaction have a significant positive impact on customer retention. Customer satisfaction partially mediates the effect of personnel capability on customer retention. Moderation analysis was performed and established that gender moderates the effect of personnel capability on customer satisfaction. It was also found that gender has no effect on other relations. Furthermore, the study shows that personnel capability has a stronger impact on customer retention as compared to customer satisfaction. However, the relationship between personnel capability and customer satisfaction is significant.

Research limitations/implications

The study has been conducted on the customers of a private bank in India. Therefore, generalizations may be limited. As personnel capability is the predictor of satisfaction and retention, individuals with proper social and technical skills – in addition to other skills – should be hired for managing relationships with customers.

Originality/value

The study has added to the understanding of the relationship which exists among the following variables: gender, personnel capability, customer satisfaction and customer retention. These variables have not been studied together previously.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 August 2021

Muhammad Farooq, Amna Noor and Shoukat Ali

The purpose of this research is to look into the governance–performance relationship in the context of critical firm characteristics, such as firm size.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to look into the governance–performance relationship in the context of critical firm characteristics, such as firm size.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on total assets, sample firms were classified as small or large. The governance index, which is based on 29 governance provisions covering the audit committee, board committee, ownership and compensation structure of the respective firm, measures governance quality among sample firms. A higher governance index indicates a higher level of governance quality and vice versa. Accounting and market value measures are used to determine firm profitability. The authors used the two-stage least square (2SLS) method of estimation of the model to eliminate the simultaneous equation bias.

Findings

Corporate governance (CG) appears to have a positive impact on accounting return and market indices (Tobin’s Q), but it has little impact on return on equity. In terms of firm size, larger companies profited more from better governance implementation than smaller firms that lacked these principles, thus improving CG. The findings indicate that small businesses should improve their governance mechanisms to reap the benefits of CG in terms of increased profitability.

Research limitations/implications

There are certain drawbacks to this research. First, the authors omitted qualitative aspects of CG from the CG index, such as the board’s decision-making process, directors’ perceptions of the board’s position and directors’ age and qualifications. Such a qualitative component will improve the governance index in the future while building the governance index. Second, as the current study only looks at the nonfinancial sector, caution should be exercised before applying the findings to the entire population.

Practical implications

The findings show that companies that follow good governance standards have better accounting and market efficiency than those that do not. As a result, good governance practices can help firms in developing countries improve their performance. Academic researchers, regulators, investors, lenders and practitioners can find the findings useful in establishing a true relationship between firm performance and CG practices in Pakistan.

Originality/value

The relationship between governance and profitability in the context of firm size is examined in this research. Firms with varying resources and ability to implement CG codes have varying effects on profitability. To the authors’ knowledge, there was a gap in the literature that addressed this topic in the local context.

Details

Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-0701

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 January 2022

Shagufta Tariq Khan, Mohd Abass Bhat and Mohi-Ud-Din Sangmi

This study investigates the effectiveness of microfinance-backed entrepreneurship as a mechanism for the holistic empowerment of women.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the effectiveness of microfinance-backed entrepreneurship as a mechanism for the holistic empowerment of women.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a mixed-method research-design consisting of quasi-experimental design (quantitative approach) involving women, both entrepreneurs (132) and non-entrepreneurs (238), as well as in-depth semi-structured interviews (qualitative approach).

Findings

Quantitative analysis revealed that female entrepreneurs are better off than female non-entrepreneurs in terms of economic, social, political and psychological indicators of empowerment. However, relatively lesser impact was found in terms of political, and to an even smaller extent, social empowerment of women. Analysis of in-depth interviews corroborated these findings confirming that entrepreneurship serves as an effective tool for the holistic empowerment of women. However, non-entrepreneurs also exhibit social empowerment.

Research limitations/implications

Given the restricted geographical ambit of the study, prudence ought to be exercised in drawing inferences applied to alternate contexts. That the vast majority of questionnaire respondents are illiterate presented a notable impediment in the process of collection of accurate responses.

Practical implications

Microfinance intervention ought to be specifically directed to cultivating entrepreneurship among women; in particular, to achieve the full benefits of empowerment, women availing microfinance ought to exert full control over their own business ventures.

Originality/value

In analyzing holistic empowerment through microfinance supported businesses set up by women, the study adds to the existing literature on women entrepreneurship and empowerment.

Details

Journal of Business and Socio-economic Development, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2635-1374

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 January 2024

Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat, Lakshmi Narayan Mishra, Vishnu Narayan Mishra, Cemil Tunç and Osman Tunç

This study aims to discuss the numerical solutions of weakly singular Volterra and Fredholm integral equations, which are used to model the problems like heat conduction in…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to discuss the numerical solutions of weakly singular Volterra and Fredholm integral equations, which are used to model the problems like heat conduction in engineering and the electrostatic potential theory, using the modified Lagrange polynomial interpolation technique combined with the biconjugate gradient stabilized method (BiCGSTAB). The framework for the existence of the unique solutions of the integral equations is provided in the context of the Banach contraction principle and Bielecki norm.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have applied the modified Lagrange polynomial method to approximate the numerical solutions of the second kind of weakly singular Volterra and Fredholm integral equations.

Findings

Approaching the interpolation of the unknown function using the aforementioned method generates an algebraic system of equations that is solved by an appropriate classical technique. Furthermore, some theorems concerning the convergence of the method and error estimation are proved. Some numerical examples are provided which attest to the application, effectiveness and reliability of the method. Compared to the Fredholm integral equations of weakly singular type, the current technique works better for the Volterra integral equations of weakly singular type. Furthermore, illustrative examples and comparisons are provided to show the approach’s validity and practicality, which demonstrates that the present method works well in contrast to the referenced method. The computations were performed by MATLAB software.

Research limitations/implications

The convergence of these methods is dependent on the smoothness of the solution, it is challenging to find the solution and approximate it computationally in various applications modelled by integral equations of non-smooth kernels. Traditional analytical techniques, such as projection methods, do not work well in these cases since the produced linear system is unconditioned and hard to address. Also, proving the convergence and estimating error might be difficult. They are frequently also expensive to implement.

Practical implications

There is a great need for fast, user-friendly numerical techniques for these types of equations. In addition, polynomials are the most frequently used mathematical tools because of their ease of expression, quick computation on modern computers and simple to define. As a result, they made substantial contributions for many years to the theories and analysis like approximation and numerical, respectively.

Social implications

This work presents a useful method for handling weakly singular integral equations without involving any process of change of variables to eliminate the singularity of the solution.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the authors claim the originality and effectiveness of their work, highlighting its successful application in addressing weakly singular Volterra and Fredholm integral equations for the first time. Importantly, the approach acknowledges and preserves the possible singularity of the solution, a novel aspect yet to be explored by researchers in the field.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 34 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 June 2020

Jamid Ul Islam, Shadma Shahid, Aaleya Rasool, Zillur Rahman, Imran Khan and Raouf Ahmad Rather

This paper aims to investigate how banking websites can activate customer engagement (CE) to consequently enhance customer trust and retention.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how banking websites can activate customer engagement (CE) to consequently enhance customer trust and retention.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an online survey, data were collected from 598 customers of various (public and private) banks in India. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.

Findings

Results reveal that the key website attributes viz. website interactivity, website aesthetics, customization, ease of use and telepresence positively affect CE. The results also delineate positive associations between CE, customer trust and customer retention.

Research limitations/implications

This paper unravels that by strategically focusing on the relational dynamics of CE, banks can build trust and retain their most valuable stakeholders – the customers, thereby addressing the crucial strategic concerns of banking firms.

Originality/value

This research is the first to explore the effects of key website attributes on CE in the banking context. The undertaking of this study in an emerging economy adds further insight into CE literature by generalizing the applicability of CE studies across geographic contexts.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 38 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

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