Sunday, August 19, 2012

Faith in Hard Work: Pakistanis Lead the World

A recent Pew Survey of 21 countries reported that 81% of Pakistanis believe in hard work to achieve material success. Americans are the second most optimistic with 77% sharing this belief followed by Tunisians (73%), Brazilians (69%), Indians (67%) and Mexicans (65%).

 The survey found that "faith in the work ethic is particularly weak in Lebanon, where only 32% of the public anticipates rewards from hard work, and in Russia (35%), Japan (40%), Italy (43%) and Greece (43%), all countries that have suffered greatly from the recent economic downturn. There is also little confidence in hard work in China (45%), despite the fact that it has economically outperformed every country in this Global Attitudes survey".

Reacting to the survey results, former corporate leader Asad Umar who recently left Engro Corporation to join Imran Khan's PTI, said, “Fundamentally, the survey reveals that Pakistanis haven’t lost faith in the country. The Pakistani youth believes that current problems are short-term and can be resolved.”

Fifty-one percent of Pakistani respondents in the survey described their personal economic situation as "good", down from 70% in 2008.  Only 9% of Pakistani participants assessed the national economic situation as "good", down from 41% in 2008.



Another survey titled "Pervasive Gloom About the World Economy" reveals that the vast majority of Pakistanis recognize that their country is facing economic difficulties and most hold the government responsible for it. Only 12% of Pakistanis are satisfied with the current direction of the country. However, 23% believe that Pakistan's economy will get better in the next 12 months. 26% expect it to remain the same and 43% think it will get worse.

Defying the prophets of doom and gloom, Pakistanis remain much more optimistic than the people of any of the 21 countries surveyed, including BRIC countries, that their hard work can bring them material success.It's this perpetual optimism and willingness to work hard that helps Pakistanis maintain their upward social and economic mobility.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Upwardly Mobile Pakistan

Educational Attainment in Pakistan

Foreign Visitors to Pakistan Pleasantly Surprised

Pakistan's Infrastructure and M2 Motorway

India Pakistan Comparison 2011

Resilient Pakistan Defies Doomsayers


FMCG Consumption Boom in Rural Pakistan

Pakistan Visits Open  Indian Eyes




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3 comments:

  1. Rashid MAugust 20, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    Riaz - I admire you for pointing out that the glass is more than half full - over all these years - and so consistently.

    Thank you for bringing to light certain trends that are not so apparent to my lazy mind.

    Eid Mubarak to y'all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ShafqatAugust 28, 2012 at 7:19 AM

    I believe Riaz has cited certain studies in support of his stance, which prima facie sound credible. We as individuals mahave different perceptions about the subject but the promising larger picture that he has depicted with supporting survey results and write-ups by well known institutions / persons can only be countered with equally weighty supporting material.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Riaz HaqSeptember 18, 2012 at 11:52 AM

    Here are some interesting recommendations made by a working group of leading Pakistani development professionals and outside experts at the Global Economic Symposium (GES) and detailed by Seth Kaplan in his blog:

    Recommended projects given a $100 million budget


    1) Think tank
    /Independent
    Monitoring
    Organization

    $10m

    Endow two
    existing
    or new
    institutions

    Instead of just funding
    projects, invest $5m to
    endow two institutions
    so they will have
    independence and
    capacity to build for
    the long term


    Recommend focus on
    one think tank for the
    energy sector and one
    IMO focused on tracking
    and evaluating the
    quality of public services
    (latter higher priority)

    2) Education

    $60m

    Create an
    education
    innovation
    fund

    Experiment with new
    management models,
    curriculum, teacher
    programs, incentives,
    etc.; scale up those
    that work


    Strengthen
    grade
    11-14
    colleges

    These are for 17-20 year
    olds before university;
    aid going to technical/
    vocational schools now,
    but none going to this
    sector; these youth
    susceptible to extremism

    3) Judiciary

    $30m

    Expand
    arbitration
    courts
    to new cities


    Now just in Karachi
    and Lahore only
    (IFC funded)


    Strengthen
    judiciary
    training
    institutions

    Expand coverage of
    these to lower
    level officials

    http://www.globaldashboard.org/2012/09/05/can-foreign-aid-improve-pakistan-political-economy/

    ReplyDelete

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