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- ItemOpen AccessImpact of Parenting on Leaders' Behavior in Workplaces in Bangladesh(North South University, 2022-06) Samuel Mursalin; Ridwanul Monir; Ayaz Mohammad Abrar Tamim; Ashiful Hogue Chowdhury; Helal AhammadParenting style may play a significant role in the development of the personality and behavior of individuals. Individuals are likely to showcase in their adulthood the outcome of the individual parenting styles that they have experienced during their childhood. Leadership behavior is likely to be a crucial outcome of the parenting structure that an individual has grown up in. Eventually, this leadership behavior may be exercised in multiple group contexts (e.g., workplaces). The aim of this study is to understand whether the different parenting styles that leaders have received during their childhood impact their leadership behavior in their workplaces. Five leaders from different companies and industries were chosen for in-depth research. The leaders were asked to fill out a short version (32 questions) of the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ). The survey captures information on the parenting styles that the leaders have experienced based on seven constructs: support and affection; regulation; autonomy; physical coercion; verbal hostility; punishment; and indulgence. Next, we conducted in-depth interviews of at least three team members of each leader to understand the leaders’ leadership behavior in the workplace. The questions of the in-depth interviews were inspired by Scott’s research on leaders’ power and control in the workplace (Scott,2018). The results indicate that parenting style has an impact on leadership behavior. Leaders who have received support and affection tend to become emotionally intelligent promote inclusive work culture. And leaders who were brought up in regulation displayed strict professionalism or power distance. In addition, leaders who were physically or verbally abused displayed signs of coercion, threat, emotional abuse, and blaming. Furthermore, leaders who were physically or verbally adored could show signs of emotional intelligence and inclusivity if they have also received support & affection.
- ItemOpen AccessExploring the Level of Acceptance of e-Newspapers over Print Newspapers(North South University, 2022-06) Farzana Nahid; Helal AhammadNewspapers have been a dominant medium of communication and knowledge transfer around the world for over four centuries. Recently, due to the exponential rise of the Internet and online platforms to satisfy the knowledge demands of consumers, news consumers are slowly shifting to digital platforms to consume news. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption process of digital channels and e-newspapers, and potentially questions the relevance of printed newspapers. The objective of this study is to understand the behavioral change or acceptance of Bangladeshi newspaper readers in light of the rising demand for e-newspapers. This study applies a qualitative approach where in-depth interviews of 60 people from diverse demographic backgrounds and geographical locations were conducted for data collection. According to the findings, e-newspapers are considered to be faster, accessible, and convenient especially to young generation. However, quality of connection, news trustworthiness, digital literacy and cost related to e-newspaper reading are some of the factors that are still considered as not that improved or developed. On the other hand, printed newspapers still count as an icon of the habit, cultural heritage, convenience of reading and storing, and affordability to middle aged and elderly generation. Therefore, the finding of this research suggests the coexistence of both print newspapers and e-newspapers as both versions have demand. While the younger generation may be comfortable with the transition to e- newspapers, the general newspaper readers especially professionals from sub-urban areas along with older generation both in metropolitan cities and sub-urban areas still prefer print newspapers.
- ItemOpen AccessOccupational Health and Safety, Employee Engagement and Employee Job Performance in the RMG Sector in Bangladesh(North South University, 2022-06) Alima Aktar; Helal AhammadThe objective of this study is to discuss safety and health management practices (six dimensions are elaborated) theoretically and empirically test the relationship of safety objectives with performance outcomes through employee engagement. Although the readymade garments industry is one of the dominant sectors in Bangladesh, it is also considered one of the most hazardous industries. Having an effective occupational health and safety (OHS) management system is very crucial to safeguard employees and the industry more broadly. This study gathers the data from 351 garments employees through a standardized questionnaire to evaluate the link between different safety practices and employee job performances. The analysis in this paper shows a positive correlation between occupational health and safety systems and employee engagement and job performances. Moreover, this study shows that, among the six dimensions of an OHS system, management commitment towards safety is one of the stronger predictors for both employee engagement and job performances. It is also found that employee engagement has a mediating role on job performance. This study concludes that employee job performances are highly influenced by the OHS system. Particularly, management commitment is to ensure the effective development of safety process and procedures at the workplace.
- ItemOpen AccessFood-Demand Responsiveness in Bangladesh: An Econometric Investigation(North South University, 2022-06) Fariha Taskin; Helal Ahammad; Helal AhammadThe primary objective of this study is to investigate the food-demand responsiveness in Bangladesh. More specifically, applying the Stone Price Index to an Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS), this paper estimates income (i.e.; expenditure) and price elasticities of demand for ten composite food products in Bangladesh; namely, Cereals, Fish, Meat, Pulses, Edible oil, Milk, Vegetables, Fruits, Spices, and Other foods. The study utilizes data from the Household Income and Expenditure Surveys including the most recent one of 2016, undertaken by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. An empirically based demand system can numerically inform a variety of simulation models in projecting future food demands in Bangladesh. As such, the up-to-date estimates of demand responsiveness are expected to help Bangladeshi policymakers understand the impact of some exogenous price and/or income ‘shocks’ as well as in formulating pragmatic and effective food and agricultural policies, fiscal and financial stimulus packages, among many others. The results reported and analyzed in this paper seem to suggest that, in Bangladesh, a representative household regards Fish, Meat, Fruits, and Spices as luxury food products, each with an estimated expenditure elasticity value of greater than unity. This implies that as the economy of Bangladesh keeps on growing, leading to an ever higher per capita household income, the economy will likely witness some structural shift in food demand—in particular, households will increasingly spend a higher proportion of its food budget on the protein-rich, more balanced food basket involving fish, meat, fruits and spices. However, all composite food products are estimated to be price inelastic regardless of the household being compensated and uncompensated for any price hike. Furthermore, the estimated cross-price elasticities appear to suggest no strong substitution happening across various product groups, lending support to the hypothesis of ‘separability in consumption’ at a reasonably high level of commodity aggregation. Comparing with the previously estimated elasticities available in the literature, the new estimates for the composite food products (except for Meat) seem to fall within the historical range of estimated values.