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1 – 10 of 77Umair Ahmed, Irene Seok-Ching Yong, Munwar Hussain Pahi and Sarfraz Ahmed Dakhan
This study aimed at examining the influence of two important elements of social supports, namely supervisor support and coworker support, on work engagement among employees in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed at examining the influence of two important elements of social supports, namely supervisor support and coworker support, on work engagement among employees in the university setting. The study also further examined the mediating potentials of meaningful work on the relationships between the former and the latter.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample study comprised academic and managerial staff members from a public-sector university in Malaysia. Out of the 420 distributed questionnaires, 216 were received back from which 177 were found useable and hence were taken further for final data analysis. Statistical software of SPSS and Smart PLS 2.0 M3 were used to perform data analysis.
Findings
Supervisor support and coworker support were found to be significant predictors of work engagement. Further, meaningful work was found mediating these relationships.
Originality/value
The findings enrich literature of social support, work engagement, and meaningful work. The study is one of the foremost empirical works examining the mediating potential of meaningful work on the relationships between two social resources (supervisor support and coworker support) and work engagement. The issue of work engagement is evident in several mainstream work sectors alongside the education sector. Hence, the research findings are worthy to help understand work engagement issues and how to tackle it in the education setting.
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Waheed Ali Umrani, Abdul Khaliq Doudpota and Umair Ahmed
Entrepreneurship.
Abstract
Subject area
Entrepreneurship.
Study level/applicability
Undergraduate – Entrepreneurship.
Case overview
The case concerns to an entrepreneur named Aamir Ghouri, a US graduate, who is concerned about managing the growth of his newly established venture named ICON Stores. The case presents the idea of entrepreneurial mindset characteristics and motivation besides which, it also explains the typical venture creation process in Pakistan and the general rubrics used to measure the entrepreneurial success in the economy.
Expected learning outcomes
The case is designed to help students to understand entrepreneurial mindset, characteristics and motivation; to understand entrepreneurial venture creation process; to learn the common practices regarding the measurement of entrepreneurial success of new venture; and to outline as to how growth of a new venture could be managed profitably.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.
Subject code
CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
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Umair Ahmed, Muhammad Saeed and Shah Jamal Alam
This paper aims to explore the use and impact of social media, specifically Twitter (now X), in political mobilization in Pakistan. It focuses on the events followed by the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the use and impact of social media, specifically Twitter (now X), in political mobilization in Pakistan. It focuses on the events followed by the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan as Pakistan’s prime minister in April 2022 and the protest campaign that ensued, facilitated through the strategic use of the Urdu hashtag #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور (translated as “imported-government unacceptable”) on Twitter, both within and outside Pakistan.
Design/methodology/approach
Using Web scraping, data from Twitter was extracted and analyzed between 2022 and 2023. By probing into user account profiles and interactions with this hashtag, this paper investigates the claims surrounding the hashtag’s popularity, by identifying suspicious accounts and their contributions in the trending of the hashtag.
Findings
Findings suggest that the claim of the hashtag's unprecedented success was overhyped, further suggesting that the popularity and impact of the social media campaign were exaggerated. Despite high engagement rates, the study indicates a discrepancy between perceived influence and actual impact on public sentiment and political mobilization.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on social media’s role in political mobilization and agenda-setting in the Pakistani context. More generally, understanding hashtag dynamics and their impact on shaping public opinion, may be beneficial to academics and practitioners in better understanding the role of digital platforms in the politics.
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Waheed Ali Umrani, Alexandre Anatolievich Bachkirov, Asif Nawaz, Umair Ahmed and Munwar Hussain Pahi
This study examines the impact of inclusive leadership on two important work outcomes, i.e., employee performance and well-being. In order to better understand the above…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the impact of inclusive leadership on two important work outcomes, i.e., employee performance and well-being. In order to better understand the above relationships, this study theorizes that employee psychological capital is a mediating mechanism and family motivation is a moderating mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected 370 responses in three different time waves with an interval of one week. All the constructs of the study were rated by employees except for the supervisor’s family motivation, which was rated by their supervisors. Given the predictive nature of the study, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for data analysis.
Findings
The authors' findings confirm the mediating role of employee psychological capital in the relationship between inclusive leadership and employee performance and in the relationship between inclusive leadership and employee well-being. The moderating effects of supervisor family motivation in the relationship between inclusive leadership and employee performance were also significant; however, the authors did not find empirical support for the moderating effects of family motivation in the relationship between inclusive leadership and employee well-being.
Originality/value
Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, the present study extends the authors' understanding of the unique ways in which inclusive leadership improves employee performance and benefits their well-being.
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Munwar Hussain Pahi, Umair Ahmed, Sohel M. Imroz, Syed Mir Muhammad Shah and Irene Seok-Ching Yong
The purpose of this empirical research was to investigate the individual effects of three dimensions of flexible human resource management (HRM) practices – skill flexibility…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this empirical research was to investigate the individual effects of three dimensions of flexible human resource management (HRM) practices – skill flexibility, behavioral flexibility and human practice flexibility on firm performance and to what extent these relationships are strengthened/weakened when there was the moderation of empowering leadership in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from chief executive officers (CEOs) through a questionnaire survey method to test the hypothesized relationships. A final dataset of 315 valid responses was utilized for data analysis, and results were analyzed using the Smart partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique.
Findings
The findings revealed positive effects of skill flexibility, behavioral flexibility and human practice flexibility on firm performance. The moderating role of empowering leadership further strengthened the effects of employee skill flexibility and employee behavioral flexibility had on firm performance. However, empowering leadership did not pose any moderating effect on human practice flexibility and firm performance relationship.
Research limitations/implications
This paper offers implications for theories on HRM and leadership. It also provides valuable insights for organizations and leaders seeking to boost firm performance across SMEs.
Practical implications
This paper offers implications for theories on HRM and leadership and also contributes in the understanding of the modern managers.
Originality/value
This paper investigated the effects of flexible HRM practices on firm performance and the role of empowering leadership across SMEs in Bahrain. It also explored how the performance of SMEs can be improved using flexible HRM practices followed by the presence of empowering leadership.
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Umair Ahmed, Said Al Riyami, Waheed Ali Umrani, Munwar Hussain Pahi and Hassan Syed
The authors intended to find out what motivates employees at the workplace. For this purpose, the authors examined family motivation and intrinsic motivation influences over work…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors intended to find out what motivates employees at the workplace. For this purpose, the authors examined family motivation and intrinsic motivation influences over work attitudes such as organizational citizenship behavior (individual) and affective commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
In the current research, the authors adopted time-lagged approach to collect a total of 352 responses from managers in the hospitality sector. This approach was adopted to avoid common method issues related to survey research.
Findings
The findings suggest positive association of family motivation with intrinsic motivation, affective commitment and organizational citizenship behavior (individual). The authors also found intrinsic motivation positively related to affective commitment and organizational citizenship behavior (individual). The findings also found statistical support pertaining to the mediating role of intrinsic motivation on family motivation's positive relationship with affective commitment and organizational citizenship behavior (individual).
Practical implications
Considering important role of family motivation, the authors ask managers to think through ways that could help employees feel better about their family's wellbeing. The authors also suggest organizations upsurge intrinsic motivation of their employees by engaging them in decision-making process, allow employees to craft their jobs because through these a higher level of organizational citizenship behavior for individuals and affective commitment could be generated.
Originality/value
The authors extend the core assumption of self-determination theory that work motivation (intrinsic in specific) is autonomously determined, deeply rooted within individuals, and gratifying. It works on the pleasure principle and mirrors a hedonic standpoint. In such a situation, employees work merely based on their interest and joy; they focus and enjoy the process.
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Waheed Ali Umrani, Imdad Ali Siyal, Umair Ahmed, Ghulam Ali Arain, Hassan Sayed and Sumera Umrani
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of faculty members about the influence of family motivation on their self-efficacy and organizational citizenship…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of faculty members about the influence of family motivation on their self-efficacy and organizational citizenship behavior-individual (OCBI).
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model was tested on a sample of 353 faculty members from different public and private universities of Pakistan. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze data.
Findings
Surprisingly, results reveal that family motivation was not positively related to faculty members’ OCBI; instead, this relationship is fully mediated by self-efficacy. The findings suggest that it is employees’ self-efficacy belief through which their family motivation translates to their increased OCBI. This study also finds that supporting the family is a powerful source of motivation to work, offering meaningful practical and theoretical implications for policy-makers, leaders, managers and researchers on the new dynamics of work and family engagements.
Originality/value
The study contributes to human resource management (HRM) and organizational behavior (OB) literatures by providing some useful practical implications for managers and HRM and OB consultants who are interested in understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms (i.e. self-efficacy) through which employees’ family motivation results in the increased OCBI.
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Leonardus W.W. Mihardjo, Kittisak Jermsittiparsert, Umair Ahmed, Thitinan Chankoson and Hafezali Iqbal Hussain
current study intends to examine key human resources practices (human capital, training and rewards) that influence employee commitment and service recovery performance (SRP) of…
Abstract
Purpose
current study intends to examine key human resources practices (human capital, training and rewards) that influence employee commitment and service recovery performance (SRP) of Takaful industry agents in Southeast Asian region. The Takaful industry is facing stiff competition with conventional insurance industry in Malaysia and Indonesia as the Southeast Asian region has a large Muslim population. SRP is crucial in insurance industry specifically in the Islamic Insurance (Takaful) industry and plays a vital and key role in sustainable competitive advantage for value addition for firms in future to acquire market.
Design/methodology/approach
The data was collected from 350 front line agents of the Takaful industry operating in Malaysia and Indonesia on convenience sampling technique. Data was analyzed by using PLS-SEM to examine the relationship between constructs.
Findings
The results show that human capital, training and reward significantly influence commitment of employee which further influenced SRP to be improved. Mediation effect was also found to be influential and statistically positive and significant by employee commitment between key HR practices (human capital, training, rewards) and SRP.
Originality/value
current study contributed to the body of knowledge in explaining relationship of human capital to employee commitment and SRP, further, inconclusive findings between training and rewards was also explained in the Takaful industry of the Southeast Asian region.
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Umair Ahmed, Waheed Ali Umrani, Amna Yousaf, Muhammad Athar Siddiqui and Munwar Hussain Pahi
This paper aims to assess the nexus between green human resource management (GHRM) practices, green culture, environmental responsibility and environmental performance (EP).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the nexus between green human resource management (GHRM) practices, green culture, environmental responsibility and environmental performance (EP).
Design/methodology/approach
Using a supervisor-subordinated nested design and multi-time data collection approach through convenience sampling, the authors obtained 330 responses from 15 hotels operating in the metropolitan cities of Pakistan.
Findings
The study results indicate the prominence of GHRM practices toward enhancing hotels’ EP. The authors also found green culture and environmental responsibility as potential mediators in the direct association between GHRM and EP. In addition, the findings suggest that the GHRM and environmental association can be deeper when individuals exhibit green values and showcase green responsibility about their environment. Taken together, the findings of the present study found support for all direct and indirect hypothesized relationships hence, forwarding notable implications for theory and practice.
Research limitations/implications
This paper forwards both theoretical and practical implications. Drawing upon ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) theory, this paper asserts that GHRM practices shall be used to improve EP through green values and environmental responsibility. The authors specifically suggest that pro-environment personnel practices can nourish green culture and a pro-environment sense of responsibility that facilitates in robust pro-environment results.
Originality/value
The study advances and addresses gaps found in prior studies to help support organizational scholars, practitioners and pro-environment enthusiasts to understand the interplay of GHRM, culture, responsibility and EP.
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Waheed Ali Umrani, Kabiru Maitama Kura and Umair Ahmed
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship (CE), organizational culture (OC) and business performance (BP). Additionally, the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship (CE), organizational culture (OC) and business performance (BP). Additionally, the study has attempted to address the moderating influence of OC on CE–BP relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from middle managers of Big Five banks of Pakistan. A two-step approach to structural equation modeling was used. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the measurement model fit was determined. The significance of the theoretical relationship was assessed using structural model.
Findings
The results have supported the hypothesized direct and moderated relationship.
Originality/value
The present study extends the body of knowledge in testing the resource-based view of the firm theory and contingency theory through providing empirical evidence on the hypothesized relationships. Additionally, the study has contributed in the existing theory through evaluating the moderating of OC by using interaction effect in partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).
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