Narrow Results

Vulnerability and response capacities of disaster-affected communities might change due to extreme events and response measures taken thereafter. This has also been acknowledged there are only very few empirical studies on how spatio-temporal changes in vulnerability and response capacities at community level occur and how they affect risk management and development. Against this background, the paper investigates changes in vulnerability and response capacities of flood-affected rural communities in Pakistan. A major flood hit Pakistan in 2010 that had also a global repercussion in international media; however, also in 2014 various rural areas were hit by an extreme flood event. In order to examine specific vulnerability and response capacities of rural communities, the authors focus on two flood-affected districts (Muzaffargarh and Jhang) in rural areas that were hit by major flood events in 2010 and 2014. Based on a qualitative and participatory research approach, a weighted matrix index was developed to assess changes in vulnerability and response capacities of community’s livelihood assets i.e., human, natural, physical, financial and social. Results revealed that variations observed in vulnerability and response capacities were not only due to the flood itself but also due to the response measures taken thereafter. Changes in vulnerability across time and space of rural households affected by the extreme floods underscore, for example, that the role of immovable and movable assets is quite important and that governmental institutions had only a limited influence in terms of factors that allowed households to reduce vulnerability. Overall, the paper shows empirically that dynamics of vulnerability are characterized by distinctive features of space, flood events, socio-economic and physical situations over the period of time.

Increased reliance on groundwater for irrigation in India has resulted in its overexploitation, raising concerns about its long-term sustainability. The groundwater situation is severe particularly in the Northern–Western Green Revolution states of Punjab and Haryana. The provision of free (in Punjab) and heavily subsidized (in Haryana) electricity for tube-wells has resulted in the inefficient use of groundwater, which has contributed to its overexploitation. The primary objective of this study is to analyze the technical and groundwater irrigation efficiency of rice and wheat crops on sample farms in both states, as well as to determine the key factors impacting efficiency. This was accomplished using a non-parametric DEA model using cross-sectional data from 400 farms in Punjab and Haryana. The findings demonstrated disparities in both technical and groundwater consumption efficiency levels in both inter-state and intra-state scenarios. In both states, groundwater irrigation efficiency was found to be lower than technical efficiency. The mean technical efficiency for both crops has been found to be over 80% in both states, with irrigation efficiency being around 70%. Tube-well accessibility status, agriculture extension service access, fragmented landholdings, and adherence to standard crop irrigation practices were found to have a positive impact on technical and irrigation efficiency levels in both states.

Personality, leadership style, and work environment affect the performance of an individual in an organisation. The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between personality, leadership styles, and work environment. The sample of 285 managers working at Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Punjab, India is taken. A quantitative method is used in the study and the data is collected by using standardised questionnaire. The result of the study shows that majority of personality traits were found associated with transactional leadership style and work environment, while various non-significant correlation results were found between personality and transformational leadership subscales, the transformational leadership style failed to establish a significant relationship with any of the personality subscales, and the personality traits correlated positively, while others negatively with some of the subscales of transactional and transformational leadership and work environment. The study also finds that transactional leadership styles were significantly but negatively correlated with work environment and transformational leadership styles were not significantly correlated with work environment, thus aggregate work environment was significantly correlated with transactional leadership styles.

User satisfaction and maximum use of library services and resources have become important topic for libraries to maintain awareness of. Many libraries especially the university libraries are focusing on evaluation of the users' needs and their satisfaction with their services. Library user satisfaction surveys can provide better understanding of user's perception and service quality in libraries. Providing high quality reference service is not easy task, and it needs regular feedback and assessment. By knowing of users' perception and satisfaction, libraries can tailor those services according to their needs. Keeping the importance of reference services in view many studies are conducted in the developed world, but in Pakistan the situation is not encouraging. Very few studies are conducted to find out the status of reference services in different libraries of Pakistan but there is no data available on user satisfaction with reference services of university libraries. Keeping the gaps and need of the time in view, the basic purpose of this survey is to get the broad understanding of user's perception with reference services. It also explores their satisfaction with these services. The survey is limited to all public sector university libraries (N = 10) of the Punjab province (Pakistan) having a reasonable collection, staff, and separate reference section, as well as a reference librarian. The data was collected through mail, e-mail and personal visits. Findings of the study can be helpful for the library authorities and professionals for revisiting their reference services and sources.