https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces <p><strong>About the Journal</strong><br />Market Forces is a bi-annual HEC recognized (Y-category) research journal published by the College of Management Sciences. The journal is internationally abstracted and indexed by Ulrich, Crossref, EuroPub, WorldCat, Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), OCLC, SIS, Google Scholar and Citefactor. Market Forces has an advisory and review board consisting of distinguished professionals from leading institutions in Pakistan and aboard. The journal publishes research papers, case studies, book reviews, policy papers and conference reports in the domain of management, marketing, finance, accounting, economics, supply chain management and contemporary issues. Market Forces has received wide acclaim from academic and research circles internationally and in Pakistan.<br /><br /><strong>Manuscript Submission Guidelines</strong><br />The authors are requested to submit their manuscripts as per the following guidelines:<br />1. Use the Times New Roman font style with 12 points and double spacing.<br />2. The manuscript should be of approximately 5000 to 7000 words.<br />3. Illustrations/tables or figures should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals and should be inserted appropriately within the text.<br />4. The first page of the manuscript should contain the Title, name(s), email addresses and institutional affiliations of all the authors.<br />5. The manuscript must include an abstract of around 300 words.<br />6. All the text citations, references and tables should be in accordance with the APA format.<br />7. The manuscript should adhere with all the relevant guidelines in the APA publication manual.<br />8. The manuscript must avoid all forms of plagiarism and abide by ethical guidelines discussed in the APA publication manual.<br />9. The authors can submit their manuscript through email at [email protected] or through the Journal's webpage at http://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces<br /><br /><br /><strong>Review Policy &amp; Procedures</strong><br />1. All manuscripts are screened for plagiarism as per HEC guidelines.<br />2. All manuscripts are initially reviewed by the editor who either accepts the manuscript for the review process or rejects it.<br />3. The manuscripts accepted for review go through the double-blind review process.<br />4. In this review process one reviewer is a local expert and the other is a renowned international expert.<br />5. The decision to publish or reject the manuscript are based on the reviewers' comments.<br />6. The editorial board ensures that all the changes recommended by the reviewers are incorporated in the manuscripts before publication.<br />7. The authors who have submitted their manuscript online can track the status of their manuscript on the web page.<br />8. Additionally, the editorial team at each stage updates the authors on the status of their manuscripts. It usually takes about one year for publication of the manuscripts.</p> en-US <ol><li>Copyright of all the submissions to the Market Forces will remain to the contributors.</li><li>Anyone is allowed to distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon his/her work, even commercially, as long as it is credited/cited to the original contributors of the Market Forces.</li></ol> [email protected] (Tariq Jalees) [email protected] (Market Forces) Wed, 13 Dec 2023 23:18:44 -0700 OJS 3.2.1.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/620 <p>In the prevailing era of technology diffusion and globalization, firms worldwide are changing their work process, policies, and procedures for growth and sustainability. However, implementing change management is challenging for organizations as they receive resistance from the employees. Many factors promote resistance to change, including job security, uncertainty, and losing rewards and benefits. Banks' employees believe in following conventional practices and often have negative attitudes toward organizational change. Given its importance, we identified the antecedents that positively or negatively affect attitude toward change. The study focused on the leading banks in Karachi. Based on purposeful sampling, we collected a sample of 387 employees of local banks. The study found affective commitment insignificantly affects job satisfaction. Job stress negatively affects job satisfaction, and social influence stimulates job satisfaction. Job stress negatively affects attitudes toward change, but job satisfaction and social influence positively affect attitudes toward change. The study also documents that organizational culture insignificantly moderates affective commitment and job satisfaction. The study recommends that organizations implementing change management must share the change management programs with all the stakeholders. Additionally, organizations must find out why employees are against change management. By addressing employees' concerns about change management, organizations may face little resistance from them.</p> <p><strong><em> </em></strong></p> Afsheen Naseem, Muhammad Arif, Hina Mubeen, Ummi Naiemah Saraih Copyright (c) 2023 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/620 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/628 <p>Job performance is essential for growth, especially in the service sector like hospitals. Apart from other factors, the leadership style affects job performance and other organizational-related outcomes. The literature documents that hospital employees' job performance has declined. Thus, we have focused on nurses and other healthcare staff, excluding doctors in the healthcare industry The study's sample size was 582. The study supports all five hypotheses. We found that "servant leadership and trust positively affect job performance." Servant leadership positively affects trust. The study also documents that "trust mediates servant leadership and job performance." At the same time, our results also suggest that "power distance" moderates servant leadership and trust relationships. Based on the direct and indirect effects of servant leadership and job performance, we suggest organizations hire servant leaders. The organizations must also regularly conduct counseling sessions for their leaders to focus on the employee's development and well-being. Such attitudes positively enhance job performance and increase employees' trust. Consequently, employees reciprocate by developing loyalty with the organizations and the leaders.</p> <p> </p> Kaenat Malik1, jaweriya_qabool, Faraz Ahmed Wajidi, Jahangeer Ahmed Soomro, Copyright (c) 2023 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/628 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/632 <p>Employee engagement is necessary for the growth and sustainability of firms. Many past studies have used different antecedents of employee engagement, including commitment, psychological well-being, and other organizational-related outcomes. However, a few studies have examined the moderating effect of climate for innovation on ESMU and EE. Given its importance, we have developed a conceptual framework that examines the impact of ESMU, EPWB, and EC on EE and the effect of ESMU on EPW. The study also examined the moderating effect of CFI on ESMU and EE. The study has focused on Pakistan's textile sector; employment generation and contribution towards GDP are significantly higher than in other industries. Based on the data collected from the targeted textile sector and using smart PLS, we found the study supports all the hypotheses, aligning with the past literature. The study also documents employee SMU, EPWB, and EC promote EE. Employee SMU promotes EPWB. EPWB mediates ESMU and EE. CFI moderates ESMU and EE. The study increased the generalizability of Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (1977), as our results support all the proposed hypotheses. We recommend firms must focus on creating an innovative environment. Employees suggest new ideas about new business processes and innovation in such an environment. New ideas may not always result in innovative products but may increase employee involvement and engagement. Many leading firms have made a policy in which all the employees have to give new ideas perpetually, producing good results. Textile firms in Pakistan may adopt and implement this policy. Therefore, we recommend firms must focus on creating an innovative environment. Employees suggest new ideas about new business processes and innovation in such an environment.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> Fizza Riaz, Ume Amen, Humera Asrar, Muhammad Khalique Copyright (c) 2023 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/632 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/635 <p>In the prevailing technology era, travelers prefer airports that provide self-service and other supportive technologies. These technologies increase travelers' enjoyment and satisfaction and enhance their confidence. Consequently, they develop a positive image of such airports. Given its importance, this study examined the effect of airport self-service technologies (ASSTs) on traveler confidence benefits (TCBs) and the impact of airport-supporting technologies (ASTs) on traveler enjoyment. We also examined the impact of traveler confidence benefits (TCBs) and traveler enjoyment (TE) on traveler satisfaction (TS). The study also explored the effect of traveler satisfaction (TS) on airport image (AI). The study focuses on the local and international passengers traveling from the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. We distributed 450 questionnaires in the local and international lounges on different days and times, and we received 415 questionnaires. The study found airport self-service technologies (ASSTs) promote traveler confidence benefits (TCBs), and airport supporting technologies (ASTs) positively affect travelers enjoyment. The study also documents that traveler confidence benefits (TCBs) and traveler enjoyment stimulate traveler satisfaction (TS). The study also found traveler satisfaction (TS) positively affects airport image (AI<em>)</em></p> <p><strong><em> </em></strong></p> Duaa Shakeel, Eruj Wajidi, Yasir Tawfik Copyright (c) 2023 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/635 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/636 <p>Social media usage has increased significantly in the last few years due to its easy access and low cost. Besides other social media forums, YouTube usage worldwide has also increased profoundly. A recent decline in the number of advertisements on YouTube has led to YouTube skepticism about its full-fledged operations in Pakistan. Also, many firms in Pakistan have reduced their advertisement budgets on YouTube. Given its importance, the study has examined the factors affecting YouTube ad avoidance. The study also examined the mediating role of ad avoidance and the moderating role of time spent on YouTube. In addition, the study has also examined the conditional indirect effect of time spent on YouTube. We collected data based on an e-questionnaire, in which 457 participants completed the questionnaires. Our study found that perceived ad irritation (PAIR) and perceived ad goal impediment (PAGI) positively affect perceived ad avoidance (PAAV). The study also documents that perceived ad information (PAIN) and perceived Ad entertainment (PAEN) insignificantly affect perceived ad avoidance (PAAV). The study proposed four mediating hypotheses, and we found support for only one hypothesis, stating that perceived ad avoidance (PAAV) mediates perceived ad goal impediment (PAGI) and perceived ad avoidance (PAAV). However, our study supports the study found time spent on YouTube (TSOY) moderates perceived ad value (PAVL) and perceived ad avoidance (PAAV). We also found that the time spent on YouTube's conditional mediation Index (CoMe Index) is statistically significant.</p> <p> </p> Saima Munawar, Fahim Syed Muhammad, Hassan Raza, Zulfiqar Syed Ali Copyright (c) 2023 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/636 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/637 <p>Social media has completely altered how businesses engage with their customers. Social media influencers have become an essential marketing tool for many industries. The consumption of conspicuous products is growing in today's era. Therefore, most people prefer luxury products as a status symbol, ignoring what brands offer. Consequently, brands spend considerable resources on social media to promote their products and reach a wider audience. However, little research is available on how social media affects customer behavior and how to measure social media effectiveness. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the influence of social media influencers on customer attitudes, behaviors, and purchase intentions toward the consumption of conspicuous products in Pakistan. The study also examined the mediating effect of brand image on consumer attitude and purchase intention. The study used Smart PLS 4 for data analysis on a data set of 200 respondents. The result indicates that social media influencer positively affects brand image, consumer attitude and purchase intention. The findings also reveal that brand image mediates (i) social media influencer and customer attitude and (ii) social media influencer and purchase intention. This research contributes to the current reservoir of knowledge by providing insights into the factors that make social media influencers successful in promoting conspicuous products. The study findings can benefit conspicuous/luxury brands in selecting suitable social media influencers and marketing strategies that enhance their brand image.</p> Sara Rashid, Usman Ali Warraich, Gulpari Peerjan, Faryal Salman Copyright (c) 2023 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/637 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/642 <p>Innovation is necessary for all industries' growth and sustainability, including the pharmaceutical sector. The study has focused on the pharmaceutical sector of Karachi to examine the impact of product, process, marketing, and organizational innovations on firm performance. It also examined the moderating role of environmental turbulence. The study collected a sample of 423 employees from the target firms. We found: "product innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation, and organizational innovation positively affect firm performance." We also found that (i) environmental turbulence moderates product innovation and firm performance, and (ii) environmental turbulence insignificantly moderates process innovation and firm performance. Past studies exhibit that innovation impacts business performance differently due to intensive competitive markets and environmental influence. Thus, to achieve high business performance, firms must focus on all the dimensions of innovation (i.e., product, process, marketing, and organization). Environmental turbulence, directly and indirectly, affects firm performance. Therefore, firms must deal with it adequately. </p> <p> </p> Zahid Kamal, Saleem Ahmed, Muhammad Ramzan Copyright (c) 2023 https://www.kiet.edu.pk/marketforces/index.php/marketforces/article/view/642 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0700