Environmental sustainability assessment of wooden furniture produced in Pakistan

Life cycle assessment was carried out for a conventional wooden furniture set produced in Mardan division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan during 2018-19. Primary data regarding inputs and outputs were collected through questionnaire surveys from 100 conventional wooden furniture set manufacturers, 50 in district Mardan and 50 in district Swabi. In the present study, cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment approach was applied for a functional unit of one conventional wooden furniture set. Production weighted average data were modelled in the environmental impacts modelling software i.e., SimaPro v.8.5. The results showed that textile used in sofa set, wood preservative for polishing and preventing insects attack and petrol used in generator had the highest contribution to all the environmental impact categories evaluated. Total cumulative energy demand for wooden furniture set manufactured was 30,005 MJ with most of the energy acquired from non-renewable fossil fuel resources.

The Effect of Conflict and Termination of Employment on Employee's Work Spirit

This study aims to find out the conflict and termination of employment both partially and simultaneously have a significant effect on the morale of employees at PT. The benefits of Medan Technique and how much it affects. The method used in this research is quantitative method with several tests namely reliability analysis, classical assumption deviation test and linear regression. Based on the results of primary data regression processed using SPSS 20, multiple linear regression equations were obtained as follows: Y = 1,031 + 0.329 X1+ 0.712 X2.In part, the conflict variable (X1)has a significant effect on the employee's work spirit (Y) at PT. Medan Technical Benefits. This means that the hypothesis in this study was accepted, proven from the value of t calculate > t table (3,952 < 2,052). While the variable termination of employment (X2) has a significant influence on the work spirit of employees (Y) in PT. Medan Technical Benefits. This means that the hypothesis in this study was accepted, proven from the value of t calculate > t table (7,681 > 2,052). Simultaneously, variable conflict (X1) and termination of employment (X2) have a significant influence on the morale of employees (Y) in PT. Medan Technical Benefits. This means that the hypothesis in this study was accepted, as evidenced by the calculated F value > F table (221,992 > 3.35). Conflict variables (X1) and termination of employment (X2) were able to contribute an influence on employee morale variables (Y) of 94.3% while the remaining 5.7% was influenced by other variables not studied in this study. From the above conclusions, the author advises that employees and leaders should reduce prolonged conflict so that the spirit of work can increase. Leaders should be more selective in severing employment relationships so that decent employees are not dismissed unilaterally. Employees should work in a high spirit so that the company can see the quality that employees have.

Purchase Intention in the Fashion Industry on Local and International E-Commerce in Indonesia

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of the two categories of sales promotional tools (monetary and non-monetary) on purchase intention with the consideration of consumers’ perceived quality for fashion products in local and international e-commerce. As the competition between local and international e-commerce is increasingly fierce, it requires an appropriate sales promotion strategy that is in accordance with customers perceptions in Indonesia to capture customers’ purchase intention. This research is purely quantitative by using primary data through distributing online questionnaires to customers who have shopped fashion products in local or international e-commerce. Path analysis was used to verify the conceptual model and hypotheses in this research. This research confirms that sales promotions (both monetary and non-monetary) affect customers’ perceived quality of a product in both e-commerce.

A Study on the Performance of Biometric Devices with Reference to Employee Interface

Biometric technology is a contemporary method of identifying and verifying individuals by studying human behavior. The study is focused on primary data obtained at random from numerous employees working, and appropriate questionnaires are provided for additional analysis. As the safety of both persons and corporate assets grows more important, biometrics devices are becoming increasingly promising. The study will help in understanding whether biometric devices will not only just fulfill the basic purpose of identification and verification but rather help in influencing employees to work efficiently by critically evaluating their behavior and result in a positive impact on the organization's productivity. The study finds that biometric technology may be regarded as one of the characteristics of competitive advantage. Because of its low cost, reliability, and responsiveness, the technology is viewed as a method of boosting an organization's security, dependability, cost-effectiveness, and productivity, necessitating a promotion and marketing strategy. Using biometric equipment, the research investigates the effects and performance of employees. According to the findings of the survey, employees are more interested in working for a company that offers flexible scheduling. The study also discovers that the market growth of biometric devices is promising. The research was carried out utilizing qualitative methods.

Purchase Intention in Fashion Industry on Local and International E-Commerce in Indonesia

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of the two categories of sales promotional tools (monetary and non-monetary) on purchase intention with the consideration of consumers’ perceived quality for fashion products in local and international e-commerce. As the competition between local and international e-commerce is increasingly fierce, it requires an appropriate sales promotion strategy that is in accordance with customers perceptions in Indonesia to capture customers’ purchase intention. This research is purely quantitative by using primary data through distributing online questionnaires to customers who have shopped fashion products in local or international e-commerce. Path analysis was used to verify the conceptual model and hypotheses in this research. This research confirms that sales promotions (both monetary and non-monetary) affect customers’ perceived quality of a product in both e-commerce.

The Key Factors of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 in the Malaysian Smart Manufacturing Context

IR 4.0 is a new phase for the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing industry that focuses on cloud computing, interconnectivity, the Internet of Things, machine learning, cyber physical learning and creating smart factory. The purpose of this article was to unveil the key factors of the IR 4.0 in Malaysian smart manufacturing context. Two key data collection methods were used: (1) primary data from the face-to-face interview (2) secondary data from the previous study. Significantly, five key factors of IR 4.0 consider for this study. Autonomous production lines, smart manufacturing practices, data challenge, process flexibility, and security. As a result, IR 4.0 for quality management practices might get high impact for the best performance assessment, which addressed in various ways; there are few studies in this area have been conducted in Malaysian manufacturing sector, and to recommend the best practices implemented from the managers’ perspectives. For scholars, this enhances their understanding and highlight opportunities for further research.

Economic Feasibility of Solar Irrigation Pumps: A Study of Northern Bangladesh

Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in the world. With a total population of around 165 million, the country has constantly been facing food security challenges and other problems. Therefore, increasing food production is one of the feasible solutions to this challenge, and proper agricultural land use for food production bears critical importance. Adopting sustainable irrigation systems and viable technologies would be vital for ensuring efficient use of agricultural land in Bangladesh to safeguard the country's food security. Solar irrigation pumps (SIPs) can be a reliable option in this regard. However, Bangladesh has experienced a prolonged growth rate of SIP installation in the last decade. The countryhas set a target to install 10000 SIPs by the year 2027, albeit it is a tiny share of the 1.57 million conventional irrigation pumps operating in the country. This study aims to investigate the economic feasibility of the SIPs operating in the northern region of Bangladesh in terms of estimating financial feasibility and environmental benefits. The study is mainly based on primary data collected from the users of SIPs from two Upazilas of Dinajpur and Rangpur districts. A total of 14 SIPs, categorized into large, medium, and small pumps, are selected randomly from the available SIPs in the study areas. The financial analysis reveals that small SIPs are the most profitable option (20% IRR) for investment. Large SIPs are moderately profitable (10% IRR), and their profitability can be improved (10.50% IRR) by introducing additional uses of solar energy. However, medium SIPs are the worst (5% IRR) option for investment. In the study areas, large and medium SIPs are designed for the 'fees for service model', and small SIPs are designed for the 'fees for ownership model'. It is found that the 'fees for ownership model' is more profitable than the 'fees for service model'. Moreover, the net environmental benefit for all SIPs is found almost equal to the given subsidy for installing them. Also, the net environmental benefit per kilowatt peak (kWp) is highest for the small SIPs. This paper recommends that additional use (e.g., husking, grinding, supply excess electricity to grid, and so on) of solar energy can improve the profitability of investmenton SIPs. Further, the government should continue giving grants for installing SIPs and promote 'fees for ownership model' (small SIPs) for personal use. It would speed up the dissemination rate of SIPs and help increase the country's agricultural production and improve the environmental conditions.

TECHNOLOGICAL GAP IN RECOMMENDED CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF CABBAGE GROWERS AT KUHUBOTO BLOCK IN DIMAPUR DISTRICT OF NAGALAND

This study has been conducted to find out the technological gap in recommended cultivation practices of the cabbage growers in order to understand the extent of the difference between the traditional and non- traditional practices practiced by the local farmers in the district. The aforementioned study was conducted at Kuhuboto block in Dimapur district of Nagaland in the year 2021. A descriptive research designed was applied for this study. The primary data was collected from 120 respondents by personal interview method using pre-structure interview schedule. After the analysis of the data, it was observed that, maximum number of the respondents (55.83%) were having medium level of overall utilization of information sources and majority of the cabbage growers (62.50%) belonged to medium level of over-all technological gap category. It indicates that a sum number of the population had incorporated the new technologies while others have still yet to adopt and use the new recommended cabbage cultivation. The socio- economic variables associated with the respondents, such as education and training exposure were positively significant with the extent of adoption of improved package of practices of cabbage cultivation. The above results compel the research and extension system to work on the gaps in a pragmatic way.