_One of the enduring queries in the development of human intellectual thought is, "What is human nature?" What does it mean to be a human tends to be defined by all disciplines, including religion? We all need theories about what makes people tick in order to predict how they will respond to their environment in various situations. Indeed, how we view human nature affects a number of things. People utilize it in their private lives to govern their daily routines, manage (...) their relationships, raise their children, and influence others. Additionally, our policies in areas of collective social life like politics, law, and education are influenced by how we view human nature. Steven Pinker critically explains the modern view of human nature and its theoretical presuppositions in his widely read book The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature. Pinker contends that this contemporary account of human nature faces significant challenges in light of recent developments in the fields of biology, genetics, evolution, and the brain sciences. Because it is built on axioms that we cannot accept in light of the advancements in science over the past few decades, the current theory of human nature is conceptually unsound. This research performs a comparative analysis between Pinker’s View of Human Nature and Dupré’s Critique of Evolutionary Psychology on the principles which serve as the foundation for the influential idea of human nature, and contributes significantly in our contemporary intellectual life._. (shrink)

Furniture industry of Pakistan is considered as one of the high potential yet neglected clusters. This industry is famous for its elaborate wooden carvings on the blocks of Sheeshum and Rosemary. The leading furniture making areas of Pakistan are Chiniot, Gujrat, Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi. However, Pakistan’s share in the international wooden furniture market is insignificant, despite the fact that the country has a history of craftsmanship and innovation in the field of wooden furniture. Especially Sindh region which specializes in (...) wood furniture making have not been explored for its potential in increasing the furniture export. Further, there is a dearth of literature pertaining to their geographical clustering as well as the causes of the underdevelopment of interior Sindh’s wooden furniture industry. In response to this gap, this case study research a) conducts geographical mapping of Khairpur Mirs wooden furniture industry through GIS, and b) constructs a SWOT Matrix in light of Porter’s Cluster Theory on the basis of thematic analysis. The findings highlight that the location of the business units is at Station Road from Khaki Shah pull to Nimm More with around 150 to 200 furniture houses/ manufacturers. This research identifies the causes of underdevelopment of wooden furniture cluster in Khairpur on the basis of which participant driven solutions are proposed. Finally, this research presents policy recommendations to improve this small scale industry’s potential for socio economic growth. (shrink)

_In universities, quality assurance has initiated teacher evaluation method to know teaching quality. Therefore, the goal is to determine whether a teacher's evaluation is impartial or if there exists a concealed aspect of impression management in assessing teacher performance. This study utilized a quantitative approach, collecting data through primary source (questionnaires) and analyzing it with inferential and statistical methods using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).This study sampled 370 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, (...) Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan. The study's findings indicate a significant and positive relationship among all variables that are students perception of teacher, teacher evaluation practice, students perception towards teacher evaluation and impression management tactics. Additionally, impression management tactics partially mediate the association between students' perceptions of teachers and teacher evaluation practices. The study reveals that the top three tactics used by teachers are self-promotion, intimidation, and supplication. The study suggests the importance of management considering hidden factors influencing teacher evaluation methods when reviewing filled evaluation forms. It contributes valuable insights by highlighting impression management tactics that can influence evaluation reports, shaping perceptions of teachers positively or negatively. This research significantly contributes to human resource management, particularly in measuring teacher/faculty performance and understanding the impact of impression management strategies._. (shrink)