Search

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia have a significant impact on the economy, contributing 38.3% of GDP in 2022, and so serve as the backbone of the nation. Entrepreneurs' intention to success and their demographic attributes play a crucial role in SMEs' future growth (Delmar and Wiklund, 2008). This paper utilises the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to analyse and propose numerous determinants of attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioural control (PBC) toward success intention among Muslim SMEs. Further, age, education, and gender to model Muslim SMEs' intention to succeed are also analysed. This study contributes to the understanding of entrepreneurs' intention to success and their demographic attributes that may lead to successful SMEs, in particular among Muslim SMEs in Malaysia.

This study analyses Malaysia’s relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as one of its important partners and the most rapidly developing country in the Middle East. It seeks to understand the bilateral relationship by identifying the essential factors that influence them. Apart from the systemic structure that presents no obstacle for the relations, the study has found two essential factors that play pivotal roles in solidifying Malaysia’s relations with the UAE. They are political–diplomatic engagements and socioeconomic opportunities. Hence, this study touches first on Malaysia’s early interactions with the UAE from an overview of foreign policy orientation and is followed by examining the political–diplomatic engagements and socioeconomic interactions, which shape the character of the relations. The findings show that besides significance of political–diplomatic engagements and socioeconomic interactions, the religious element is still germane. Though not in the manner of Malaysia’s traditional–religious interactions with some Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia and Egypt, it visibly appears in the form of ‘Islamic commercial brands’ vis-à-vis the UAE that economically bind both countries to embrace more in Islamic finance and investment, halal industry, tourism, and education.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the direct effect of classical predictors of an individual’s behaviour, namely, attitude, subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) on the intention to deal with Islamic banks. The study extended the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) by introducing the customers’ religiosity paradigm as a moderator between the classical predictors of the theory and the intention to deal with Islamic banks. Design/methodology/approach: By applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework, data were collected from conventional banks to investigate the potential Islamic bank customers’ intention. Using self-administered questionnaires, the data were collected from conventional banks in Muscat. A total of 1,000 questionnaires were distributed; however, only 638 were found usable. The structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesis and analyse the prediction values of the model in the TPB framework. It is also used to analyse the moderation effect of religiosity on the relation between the predictors and intention. Findings: The results of the SEM analysis indicated that attitude, SN and PBC significantly predicted the potential customers’ intention to deal with Islamic banks in Oman. The results of the moderation effect shown that religiosity was a poor moderator of the relation between the attitude and intention as well as the PBC and intention, though, the result shown that religiosity is a partial moderator of the relation between the SN and intention. Research limitations/implications: Due to the current study method, the result findings should be generalised with caution. Future studies may introduce other variables to examine the moderation effect between the relation of the predictor and intention of the TPB framework. It also signifies the moderation effect of religiosity on the relationship between the attitude, SN and PBC and intention of the potential customs in the TPB framework. This is considered a theoretical enrichment to the behaviour studies and TPB literature. Practical implications: The current study assists the Islamic bank practitioners and regulators to broaden the horizon in considering the practical outcomes from the academic research. The result from this study does not only prove that the TPB seems to be acceptable in explaining the intention and behaviour in the field of Islamic banking but also support the robustness of the ability of TPB in predicting the behaviour and intention in a different research context (Islamic banking and finance). Originality/value: This study is an attempt to introduce religiosity as a moderator in the TPB framework with SEM analysis and to explore the moderation effect between the predictors and intention to deal with Islamic banks among Omani’s Islamic Bank Customers. This study endeavours to fill a gap of these moderation effects and how the customers’ religiosity influence customer’s preferences towards Islamic Bank.

Purpose: The paper aims to explore the development of the halal industry in Thailand. It endeavours to investigate the main factors behind the country’s success as one of the largest exporters of halal-certified foods and products in the Southeast Asian region, in spite of the fact that Thailand is a non-Muslim-majority country. Only 4.3 per cent of the 69-million population of Thailand is Muslims. Design/methodology/approach: In articulating the issue objectively, qualitative research method was adopted. This paper used structured literature study by analysing various subjects of halal pertaining to Thailand’s halal sector. At the same time, several in-depth interviews with the corresponding halal authorities in Thailand, as well as site visits, were also conducted. We also undertook observations in several sites in Thailand to analyse the issue further. Findings: Findings from the research show that the strong presence of Thailand in the global halal industry is because of its bustling tourism industry that helps to bolster the country’s halal branding, its uniformity of halal definition and standards and effective support to the local SMEs. Practical implications: This research implies that the standardisation of halal in a country is imperative in the Muslim-majority or Muslim-minority countries. This study gives a benchmark for the non-Muslim-majority countries which endeavour to embark on the halal industry. Muslim-minority counties that envision to succeed in the global halal market could emulate Thailand’s approach in branding itself as a recognised non-Muslim-majority country in producing certified halal foods and products. Originality/value: The paper provides guidelines and standards for Muslim-minority countries that envision success in the global halal market.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the relationship between integrity, reputation, trust on awqaf institution and intention to endow cash waqf. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative research using survey questionnaire was conducted. A total of 377 completed survey questionnaires were received and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings: Findings show that integrity and reputation of awqaf institutions have direct impact on endowers’ trust on awqaf institution, which consequently lead to endowers’ intention to endow cash waqf. Originality/value: This study provides practical information on how awqaf institutions could develop endowers’ trust on awqaf institutions, which will consequently increase the intention of endowers to endow cash waqf.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore coopetition, a strategy that combines cooperation and competition, in addressing relationships between small grocery retailers. Using coopetition as an underlying concept, this study examines how religious influences play a role in determining business strategies for grocery retailers. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper integrates the concept of coopetition into a definition that holds for coopetitive interactions across small-scale retailers. The study uses a qualitative multi-case methodology to gather data regarding horizontal channel relationships in retailing. A preliminary pilot study was conducted to gain a clearer understanding and develop a basic information pattern for the relationship between Halal Mart retailers and coopetition. Findings: Preliminary findings have shown that halal mart retailers at Muslim marts may have involvement with four categories of business relationships (cooperation, competition, coexistence and coopetition). Originality/value: This paper provides a conceptual understanding of coopetition among small firms, which have not received much focus in the literature. The addition of religiosity extends the theory of coopetition beyond activity, actors and resources.

The Middle East region, especially the oil-rich Arab economies, is regarded as one of Malaysia’s important economic and trading partners. Economic and political changes at the global and regional level have simultaneously shifted Malaysia’s interests in the region. At the same time, there has also been rising interest from countries in the region to expand their economic relationships with Malaysia. Apart from the United Arab Emirates, which is Malaysia’s largest trading partner in the Middle East region, Saudi Arabia and Iran are now becoming more visible for their contributions toward the Malaysian economy. Economic interest certainly is the main driving force behind the latter’s efforts to enhance its connection with these countries. Efforts to reap economic benefit from these countries and to attract petro-dollar investments would also have negative consequences on Malaysia’s domestic, social, and religious affairs due to an influx of Arab and Iranian people coming into the country. Religious extremism and sectarianism are among the challenges that Malaysia is encountering and the authorities are quite critical of those ideologies, and over the years, the teaching of Wahhabism and Shiism have been banned in the country. Could this affect Malaysia’s connection with those countries in the Persian Gulf? How has the government engaged with these local issues without jeopardizing its economic inter-connection with Saudi Arabia and Iran? Given that they are two contrasting countries, how has Malaysia balanced its relationships with these two states?