Revealing expert perspectives on challenges to electricity Demand-Side Management in Pakistan: An application of Q-Methodology

Empirical evidence suggests that the implementation of Demand-Side Management (DSM) in developing countries falls short of its potential. This study aims at exploring the challenges to DSM development in a developing country by applying Q-methodology. The opinions of Pakistan's power system experts are analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. From the analysis, three statistically different rationales, namely “inadequate policy and financial infrastructure,” “lack of institutional commitment,” and “low consumer motivation,” are responsible for modest DSM implementation. Based on the results, we recommend policy, institutional, and consumer engagement measures to foster DSM implementation in Pakistan.     

Awareness of coping costs and willingness to pay for urban drinking water service: Evidence from Lahore,Pakistan

The global population is rapidly urbanizing, increasing pressure on scarce water resources. Lahore, Pakistan, is a case in point, with limited options for increasing water supply to meet booming demand. We ask whether households are willing to pay more cost-reflective tariffs following a simple, randomized information treatment involving calculation of the costs of coping with poor service quality. Treated households are 20 percentage points more likely to acquiesce to increased tariffs for improved service, and median monthly WTP increases 17–18%. A simple verbal procedure can increase acceptance of price increases, offering managers a valuable tool for water demand management.     

Taxonomic study of one generic and two new species record to the flora of Pakistan using multiple microscopic techniques

Recent field exploration and collections has led to the findings of several new species in Pakistan. Here we reported two new species Ajuga reptance L and Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Prusk for the first time in Pakistan flora as these species were neither listed in any other literature nor identified before in Pakistan. These species were found as a result of taxonomic studies performed in the year 2019 in District Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Microscopic techniques were used for the confirmation of foliar epidermal and pollen micromorphological features. Detailed study (morphological, palynological, and foliar epidermal) was provided for the correct identification and delimitation of the species using both light and scanning electron microscopy. Morphological results were compared with the flora of Taiwan and China.     

A cross‐cultural clustering study of similarities and dissimilarities based on concept words cheap,reliable, and high quality and their corresponding color associations

The world has undergone a techno‐cultural revolution during the last decades with the materialization of the “global village” and more; all having a profound impact on our culture. Quantitative analysis of these profound multidimensional changes needs cross‐cultural data, and scalable tools/techniques that can discover interesting nontrivial hidden relationships in large data sets. Subsequently, presenting these discovered relationships in an intuitive visual form to non‐IT domain experts. In this article, using proven data mining techniques, we perform cross‐cultural clustering of word‐color associations for 344 respondents from three cultures, that is, the United States, Pakistan, and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We consider the concept words cheap, reliable, and high quality along with colors liked and disliked for 10 colors. After statistical data validation one‐way cross‐cultural clustering was performed. High similarity of word‐based cluster association was discovered across the three cultures for negative and positive connotation words, and clear dissimilarity in clustering was discovered within each culture for color‐based cluster association; with possible explanations given. The universal consistent similarities in cross‐culture associations and the dissimilarities in local or intra‐culture associations could be useful for global brand decision making. In this article, we also do a technical comparison of the proposed technique with three traditional techniques used for such analysis, that is, hierarchical clustering, k‐means clustering and factor analysis; along with related comparison with principal component analysis and multidimensional scaling.     

巴基斯坦塔尔地区煤层下部含水层回灌试验研究

巴基斯坦塔尔地区某燃煤电站冷却水计划回灌至煤层下部承压含水层,为了确保回灌的可行性,开展了一系列的抽水、注水试验。根据非稳定流抽水试验,计算了含水层的导水系数和渗透系数;根据非稳定流抽水试验的s～lgt曲线形态以及三段降深稳定流抽水试验结果判断出煤层下部含水层为稳定分布的承压含水层;采用补给影响半径的概念,基于三段降深稳定流抽水试验结果,计算了合理的回灌井距;结合短周期回灌试验和设计要求确定了单井回灌量;通过对比稳定流抽水试验数据和短周期回灌试验数据,分析了回灌阻力,并确定了回灌阻力曲线;将长期回灌试验曲线划分为回灌阻力阶段和阻塞效应阶段,分析了阻塞效应。通过试验观测数据以及试验曲线的一阶导数,认为阻塞效应并不明显。研究成果可为未来回灌工程建设提供一定的理论基础和技术依据。     

Maintaining Equity in Surface Irrigation Network Affected by Silt Deposition

Planning maintenance activities in surface irrigation systems is essential for optimal use of the annual credits. In many countries, the equity of the water distribution is largely affected by sediment deposition but budgets do not allow the performance of all the necessary maintenance works and priorities must be defined by the irrigation agencies. A methodology based on numerical modeling is developed and illustrated on a secondary network in South Pakistan. Improvements on the current desilting procedure are proposed, but it is shown as well that the system could be designed differently in order to preserve the equity longer.     

System Dynamics Approach to Exploring Performance Enhancement in a Construction Organization

Governments and firms in developing economies are concerned about ways to improve performance of local firms. A wealth of research has already discussed the reasons for decline in performance and suggested a number of possible improvement strategies. Among these documented strategies, there are many options for developing economies. The selection among these options, however, depends upon the unique organizational set-up and many other local factors. Moreover an implementation scenario of the selected options requires an experimentation period either by actually implementing the option as a policy or simulating the complete process in a model and thus creating a laboratory for learning. The former option is costly while the latter requires dynamic modeling of engineering processes integrated with the local influencing factors on overall performance. The latter approach is adopted in the present research using system dynamics techniques to model the problem. The effects of three strategic policies on the performance of a construction firm have been simulated. A case study is conducted to validate the utility of some selected policies for performance enhancement.     

中国在1971年南亚政治危机中的反应

1971年,南亚爆发危机。在这次危机中,中国政府支持巴基斯坦维护独立与统一的正义斗争,反对印度在苏联的支持下肢解巴基斯坦。面对复杂的国际形势,中国政府竭力维护世界和平,表现了一个大国的风范。     

Metal content and distribution in fenugreek cultivated in Pakistan

The metal contents in 42 fenugreek samples, cultivated in various agricultural areas of Pakistan, were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The concentrations of the metals—Cu, Mn, Cd, Ni, Co, Cr, Pb, Zn, Fe, Na and K—were found to be higher than those reported earlier. Particularly, the samples cultivated near the major industrial cities showed significantly higher levels of almost all the metals investigated in this study. The high concentration ranges of toxic metals, such as Cd 1·0–2·8, Pb 2·5–3·4, and Cr 17–19·8 mg kg^?1, in a fairly large number of samples suggest a possible increase of the overall intake of these metals to potentially harmful levels.