Context: Global software development (GSD) promises high quality software at low cost. GSD enables around-the-clock development to achieve maximum production in a short period of time by utilizing expertise around the globe. GSD is only possible if tasks are effectively distributed among sites to ensure smooth development. Therefore, one of the key challenges of GSD is to design a Task Allocation (TA) strategy. Objective: The main objective of this research is to develop a framework that takes into account important factors while allocating tasks to the distributed sites involved in GSD. The framework facilitates decision makers in allocation of the tasks in a manner which controls delay and re-allocation. Method:We used an empirical research method to acquire data. A mixed qualitative as well as quantitative research methods were used to identify task allocation factors and their relative importance. The research process consisted of an industrial survey followed by an interview study. The task allocation framework is validated with help of an online focus group session. A web-based survey of 54 GSD practitioners from around the globe was conducted to identify the factors and their relative importance for TA decision. The selection of the sample was performed via the snowball sampling technique. To increase the sample size, the survey was also posted on social media, i.e., Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Non-parametric statistical tests were applied on the response data to identify correlations and significance. Interviews were conducted from 10 project managers having 10 to 30 years GSD experience to gain insight into the dynamics of task allocation process. Finally the developed TA framework is validated with help of an online focus group. A total of 7 project managers participated in the session. The feedback helped improve and refine the final TA framework. Results: The survey results highlight ''expertise'', ''site characteristics'' and ''task-site dependency'' as the most important factors for a TA decision. The interview study has highlighted the importance of situation specific decision making during task allocation. The significance of factors varies with the characteristics of task, characteristics of organization, type of GSD and objective of doing GSD. The culture and time differences between distributed sites have been assigned a low priority by the majority of the practitioners. The most common way of distributing task is functional area of expertise and phase based division, where detailed architecture is not considered. Interdependent modules are not allocated to distributed sites due to communication and coordination overhead. Our results also demonstrate a correlation between various factors and support Conway’s law. The focus group session helped in refining the framework. The participants approved of the framework and its role in aware and informed task allocation during GSD. The framework promises effective and informed task allocation by considering all the important factors and variations to TA decision. Conclusions: The proposed TA framework helps in work assignment based on critical factors and variant situation which depends on characteristics of task, organization and type of GSD etc. The ability of the framework to be applicable in real world scenarios is assessed with help of an online focus group of industry practitioners. The practitioners have highlighted the usefulness of the framework to both the practitioners involved in task allocation decision in GSD as well as researchers working in this area. We suggest the validation of the framework in real world GSD scenarios as part of future work to this research. Further research is required to automate the task allocation process based on the framework. Moreover the integration of TA framework with the existing software development methodologies can be detailed and customization for agile methodology can also be researched.
اعجاز صدیقی مرحوم ( سید شہاب الدین دسنوی) مولانا سیماب اکبر آبادی کے فرزند اور رسالہ ’’شاعر‘‘ کے مدیر، اعجاز صدیقی پر ۹؍ فروری ۱۹۷۸ء کو دل کا دورہ پڑا اور وہ اسی روز اپنے مالک حقیقی سے جاملے۔ ایک عرصہ سے مختلف امراض کی وجہ سے اعجاز صاحب کی صحت خراب ہوچکی تھی، کئی بار اسپتال میں داخل کئے گئے، اچھے اچھے ڈاکٹروں نے بڑی توجہ اور شفقت سے علاج کیا، مگر بقول شاعر: الٹی ہوگئیں سب تدبیریں کچھ نہ دوا نے کام کیا دیکھا ، اس بیماری دل نے آخر کام تمام کیا اعجاز صدیقی فروری ۱۹۵۱ء میں اپنے وطن آگرہ سے بمبئی آئے اور یہیں انھوں نے مستقل سکونت اختیار کرلی، ان کا رسالہ ’’شاعر‘‘ (ماہنامہ) جو پہلے آگرے سے نکلتا تھا، اسی سال سے بمبئی سے شائع ہونے لگا، وہ اس کے معیار کو بلند رکھنے میں انتھک، کوشش کرتے تھے، اردو سے پر خلوص محبت اور اپنے قارئین کو صاف ستھرا ادب پیش کرنے کی کوشش، ان کی زندگی کے دو ایسے نمایاں پہلو تھے کہ جن کی وجہ سے اردو کے اچھے اور اہم لکھنے والوں اور شعراء کا انھیں غیر معمولی تعاون حاصل ہوتا رہا، جس کے سہارے وہ ’’شاعر‘‘ کے بڑے ضخیم خصوصی نمبر نکال سکے، ان میں کرشن چند نمبر، ناولٹ نمبر، افسانہ اور ڈرامہ نمبر اور آخری میں ہم عصر اردو ادب نمبر ہماری زبان و ادب میں قابل قدر اضافہ ہیں، حقیقت یہ ہے کہ مسلسل علالت گرتی ہوئی صحت اور محدود مسائل کے ساتھ ایسے ضخیم اور اچھے نمبر شائع کرنا، بڑی جرأت کا کام تھا، بلاشبہ اعجاز صاحب غیر معمولی قوت ارادی کے حامل تھے۔ اعجاز صدیقی، ذاتی طور پر مشرقی تہذیب اور قدروں کے علمبردار اور رکھ رکھاؤ کے آدمی تھے، انھوں نے لوگوں کے ساتھ اپنے تعلقات اور دوستانہ رسم سالہا سال...
Modern social activists through media present Islam’s view about women as an oppressed figure linked to her sexuality through so-called liberalism; her oppression is particularly symbolized by obsessive concern with sex, women’s bodies, the veil, and female isolation. While on factual grounds such mind set and groups have oppressed women by judging their worth as persons based on physical attractiveness. Such modern trends and feministic approaches have turned the image of woman as tool of entertainment or attraction. Those who are convinced by such modern values regard woman‘s status in Islam as inferior on the basis of several issues including; guardianship in marriage, polygamy, divorce right. Unfortunately this horrible disease has crept into Muslim societies in the name of cultural interrelation which is in total disregard for our purity and distinguishing values. The magnitude of women rights in Islam with comparison to feminism has been covered in this brief paper. The first part of the paper gives image of women in western society and bases for initiatives taken for feminism movement in west. Second part of the paper gives a comparison between Islamic approach of women rights and feminism. Third part of the paper describes the view of women liberation and modernity in western society. In fourth part of the paper discussion about women oppression has been presented. In fifth part Islamic view of women rights has been given through Quranic verses and references which is followed by findings and conclusion of the whole discussion
This study has aimed to examine the impact of several facets of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) on retaliation process of subordinates abused by their supervisors as an individual and as a group. The social exchange theory claims that abused subordinates retaliate against the abusive supervisor and non-abused employees through manifestations of counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) but the process is quite complicated due to the power gap between a supervisor and subordinates. Therefore, the present study has integrated the attraction-selection-attrition, the moral licensing and the social exchange theory in order to unearth this process. It has proposed that subordinates use citizenship behaviors to combat adverse abusive situation; citizenship behaviors developed among abused subordinates provide them with greater strength and support in the process of retaliation. Moreover, the study has posited that good citizens of the organization have a greater tendency to react if abused by their supervisors. The study has tested the direct effects of abusive supervision on related CWBs ― CWBs towards supervisor and non-abused employees, and the mediating effect of OCBs developed among the abused peer group. In addition, this study has also tested moderating effect of OCBs-organization in the process of retaliation against supervisory abuse, at the direct and second stage. Data have been collected from financial and higher education institutes from five main cities of Pakistan. 920 usable responses have been analyzed. Hierarchal Regression, Process Macro, and Edward & Lambert‘s methods have been applied for hypotheses testing. All direct relations, mediation effect, and second stage moderation have been proved to be significant. However, the moderating effect of OCBs-organization at direct stage has been proved to be non-significant. Conclusively, findings have supported the claims of mediating and moderating effects of OCBs in retaliation process of an abused employee.