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Volume 6 Number 8 August 2020

Social Media Use and Political Polarization: Political Engagement as a Mediator


Authors: Kinza Amjad ; Muzammil Saeed ; Farahat Ali ; Muhammad Awais
Pages: 804-810
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.804.810
Abstract
Social media, in the new millennium, has become a very effective tool of communication, information, and propagation regarding all social, religious, and political discourses that further lead towards ideological divisions. In the contemporary democratic world, the role of social media for political opinion building is obvious which is done by opinion leaders through political information and debates. The purpose of this study is to explore the social media use and political polarization among social media users. The survey research method was used to examine social media use for political engagement and political polarization. Private university students were selected as participants (n=350). The result was found positive which means that social media use is responsible for political polarization. Moreover, social media use is also a significant predictor of political engagement. In addition to this, the results show that political engagement is a mediator between the relationship between social media use and political polarization. The practical implications of the study have been discussed.

Determinants of Labor Productivity in Malian Firms


Authors: Traore Anna ; Sountoura Lansine ; Diallo Fadogoni ; Traore Breïma
Pages: 797-803
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.797.803
Abstract
This article identifies the determinants of labor productivity of Malian firms using 2007-2015 panel data. These data were collected by the World Bank in 2016 from industrial companies and services. The Hausman test made it possible to choose the composite error panel model for the estimation. The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between capital intensity, commodity imports and labor productivity. Labor productivity decreases with the number of years the manager has spent at the head of the company, the use of new information and communication technologies, and the purchase of fixed assets. We also find that formal firms seem to have higher productivity when confronted with stronger local informal competition. Overall, 79.5 percent of companies reported power outages. Power outages have a negative impact on labor productivity.

Rendering Muslims as Terrorists in the English Comic Books: Analysis of Liberty for All and Holly Terror


Authors: Saba Ijaz ; Muhammad Awais ; Mudasar Ali Nadeem ; Farahat Ali
Pages: 785-796
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.785.796
Abstract
Comic books are not only designed to entertain the readers but they also become a medium to communicate something between the lines. Comic books are a popular medium in western countries. This paper investigated the depiction of terrorist incidents allegedly involving Muslims in English comic books. The study aimed to analyze the treatment that was given to the Muslim and non-Muslim characters especially as a part of terrorist organizations while showing real-life terrorism based incidents. It was also intended to explore how they induced fear appeal in their stories regarding particular characters. Through purposive sampling, two comic books have been selected to know how the Muslim characters in the comic book were portrayed in a derogatory manner and to know how they have recaptured the incident of September 11, 2001. Liberality for All and Holy Terror are the two books that were selected and analyzed by using the method of content analysis. Drawing upon the theoretical perspective of Agenda Setting (and Framing), it is assumed that the comic books were prepared deliberately to depict Muslims in a deprecating approach. The results ask the orientalist scholars to raise their eyebrows toward the depiction of Muslims in comic books whose audience is relatively younger and the particular portrayal in such manner can have a profound and longer effect on the young minds regarding Muslims.

Negative Career Thoughts Among Pakistani and Korean College Students: Implications for the Asian Context


Authors: Gulnaz Zahid ; Donghyuck Lee ; Meejin Park
Pages: 776-784
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.776.784
Abstract
This study aimed at investigating the integrative cross-cultural perspective of negative career thoughts by comparing college students’ data from Pakistan and Korea. Data obtained from 200 Pakistani college students were compared to the data obtained from 200 Korean college students. Results show a significantly higher score on negative career thoughts when compared to Korean students. Findings indicate cross-cultural differences in negative career thoughts reflective of context-based differences in policy and career guidance systems. Findings provide support to Systems Theory Framework. However, the similarities in the construct manifestation provide a theoretical basis for career guidance in the collectivist and Asian contexts. Findings suggest the importance of comparative data, indigenization of assessment tool to assess negative career thoughts, and further exploration of negative career thoughts while considering cultural dimensions.

The Influence of Political Environment on the Performance of Business Process Outsourcing Sector in Kenya


Authors: Chege Purity Nyambura ; Jesse Maina Kinyua ; Kirema Nkanata Mburugu
Pages: 770-775
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.770.775
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to establish the influence of the political environment on the performance of the Business Process Outsourcing Sector in Kenya. The study covered all the 118 registered business process outsourcing companies in Kenya. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in this study. The descriptive results indicate that the political climate in Kenya has not been conducive to the business process outsourcing sector. The inferential results indicated that the political environment had a statistically significant influence on the performance of the business process outsourcing sector in Kenya. The study, therefore, concludes that a conducive political environment is vital for the business process outsourcing sector to thrive. The study suggests that the government ought to consider developing and implementing measures and policies that will ensure a conducive political environment to enable BPO companies to thrive.

Deconstruction of Binaries and Role Reversal in Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air


Authors: Ayesha Ashraf ; Sardar Ahmad Farooq ; Sikandar Ali
Pages: 763-769
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.763.769
Abstract
Physicians’ stories of their illness attempt to bridge the divide between a professional doctor and a patient’s narrative by combining both the versions. This research paper undertakes a narratological analysis of latest illness narrative written by a physician-turned-patient Paul Kalanithi in his When Breath Becomes Air. The present study also finds out the role reversal happening between a clinician, patient and writer. It further aims to analyze Paul Kalanithi’s autobiographical memoir as a literary narrative of his last stage fatal lung cancer. The paper highlights the link between literature and the medical world and in this way generates a better understanding of the present interdisciplinary relation of both the disciplines i.e. literature and medicine. This research is qualitative and descriptive while textual analysis has been used as a research method. This study ends with the findings and recommendations for further research.

Security Awareness as a Panacea for Effective Management of Safe Schools Initiative and Students Academic Achievement in Unity Schools in Nigeria


Authors: Ugbor Cletus Chibuike  ; Nweke Prince Onyemaechi ; Uwakwe Iro Stephen ; Isiaku Wada Bashir ; Opara Felicia Nnenna ; Isilebo Nwamara Chidiebere ; Madu Chioma Vivian 
Pages: 755-762
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.755.762
Abstract
The study examined security awareness as a panacea for effective management of safe school Initiative and students’ academic achievement in unity schools in Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. The study adopted descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprises 104 principals of unity schools in Nigeria. There was no sampling technique adopted since the entire population was manageable. The instrument for data collection was structured questions developed by the researchers titled: “Safe School Initiative Questionnaire (SSIQ)”. The instrument was validated by three experts, two from the Department of Educational Foundations and one in the Department of Science Education (Measurement and Evaluation Unit), all from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The reliability yielded a co-efficient of 0.83 using Cronbach Alpha techniques. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that the rationale for launching safe school initiative was to protect Nigeria students in school from being attacks, to reduce the dropout rate, to enable the students to be conscious of security situation in schools, prevent future attacks on schools, and general protection of education sector in Nigeria. The findings of the study also revealed that school based management strategies can be adopted for safe school initiative implementation in unity schools in Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendation were made, among other that, federal government should provide safety facilities especially perimeter fencing in unity school in Nigeria.

Service Marketing Analysis of Movies in Pakistan


Authors: Ansar Abbass ; Abdul Khaliq ; Roman Khan
Pages: 745-754
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.745.754
Abstract
One of the features of films compared to other cultural products is the possibility of their use for advertising and information activities and influence on the formation of needs and audience preferences, as well as different patterns of consumer behavior. The urgency of this scientific problem is that the sale of cinema products today is impossible without a marketing system. The applications of different marketing strategies depending on the specific tasks allows a differentiated approach to each project and achieve the goals both from the standpoint of contribution to the development of culture, and in terms of obtaining economic effects from the film industry. The main purpose of the study is to substantiate and determine the features of the use of marketing tools in the film industry. The study of marketing services for film production was carried out in accordance with the logical structure of the concept of "7P" (product, promotion, location, price, staff, physical environment and the process of providing services). Recommendations for the marketing of services in the film industry: first, the choice of methods for watching movies depends on the type of media environment (traditional, digital), secondly, the choice of ways to obtain movies depending on their genre and subject, thirdly, in order to effective promotion of content and perception of the film identified the basic requirements for its trailer. The article proves that the marketing of services in the film industry is aimed not only at meeting the socio-cultural needs of the population, but also at the commercialization of the industry, ensuring audience access to films, as well as creating market conditions for its sustainable development. The research materials are the basis for further research on current issues of modern film practice, integration of film production and film consumption.

Trust in Leaders and Job Satisfaction of Health Care Workers: Linking Organizational Justice to Citizenship Behavior


Authors: Dr. Samyia Safdar ; Ms Harum Saghir ; Dr. Shazia Faiz ; Ms. Robina Yasmin ; Ms. Namra Mubarak
Pages: 737-744
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.67.737.744
Abstract
Grounded on the social exchange model, the authors theorized the intermediating part of job satisfaction and trust in supervisors by linking it with justice and OCB in service sector, especially Hospital industry of Pakistan. Structual equation modeling is performed to analysze the data collected from 346 health care workers in Pakistan. Results revealed that procedural, distributive, and interactional justice are positively related to citizenship behavior. Furthermore, trust in supervisor and job satisfaction mediates the relationship between justice and citizenship behavior. The future research and theoratical implications of these findings are discussed.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of News Management Software’s: A Study of Pakistan News Channels


Authors: Ali Ashraf ; Taimoor-ul Hassan ; Farahat Ali
Pages: 727-736
DOI: doi.org/10.32861/jssr.68.727.736
Abstract
Technological innovations and its implementation in different organizations has been one of the prime interest of academicians as well as practitioners. The diffusion and implementation of information systems invited researchers to check effectiveness of the systems. The current study is using the Delone and Mclean as theoretical framework in context of media organizations. Sample data has been collected from top 15 news channels employees who are using news management software. A sample of 1000 was selected from these channels with the help of stratified sampling technique. Data were analysed by using the structural equation modelling. The results show that employees perceive that service quality, system quality and information quality are significant contributor to news flow and individual performance. Moreover, news flow is directly and indirectly affecting the individual performance. In addition to this, individual performance is significant predictor of process performance, satisfaction and organizational performance. The result strongly supports the integration of news flow and satisfaction in Delone and Mclean model. The results also support the mediating role of news flow, process performance and satisfaction. The paper offers a snapshot that how quality indicators and user satisfaction from news management system can increase the effectiveness of media organization. The research would be a great value to practitioners and media organizations.